Chapter 14

Under the moonlight, the magic practice ground was illuminated.

This place, some distance from the mansion, was the stage for the midnight duel.

"Isn't it a bit too early? Brother Gurai."

Holding his staff tightly and glaring at me, Gurai stood there as I spoke.

"Couldn't you wait until tomorrow? Father said he would oversee it."

"--- Shut up."

Gurai's expression twisted.

"Shut up, shut up! When did you start planning this? When did you start planning this!?"

"What are you talking about? I've always wanted to go to the magic academy since I was seven. Didn't you teach me enthusiastically? Don't you remember?"

"You...! Don't get too full of yourself... It was just luck! If a monster hadn't appeared by chance and if you hadn't happened to defeat it, you would have been the one thrown into the army!!"

"By chance, huh?"

I smiled wryly.

"Then you should have defeated it. Instead of screaming and running away."

"Father instructed us not to leave the mansion! I was just following orders!"

"Then why don't you tell Father that directly? Besides, you were already abandoned because of your poor behavior long before this."

"Behavior doesn't matter! As long as you have the power of a mage!"

"That's why you were supposed to show it tomorrow, right?"

"Father's conditions are too lenient..."

Gurai gripped his staff.

"No mid-level or higher attack magic? That won't show any real power. There are no conditions, Seika. The fight ends when one of us surrenders or is unable to continue. If you lose, tell Father tomorrow that you're withdrawing from the duel and leave the house."

"Mid-level or higher magic is dangerous, you know? Tomorrow... will you even be able to talk?"

"What's the problem with that?"

"..."

"I've never liked you, Seika. I've always seen you as a thorn in my side."

"I know, Brother. I don't know why, but you've always treated me like an enemy."

Come to think of it... why is that?

I thought it was because I was the son of a concubine, but is that really enough to make you hate me so much?

...Well, whatever. It doesn't matter.

"I'm sleepy, so let's get this over with. Here I go. Alright, let's start---"

"Die!"

Power swirled around Gurai's staff.

"--- Flame Spear!!"

A thick band of crimson fire burst from his staff.

The flames illuminated the night and engulfed me with their momentum.

"How's that! The magic used by a slave is nothing compared to what I can do!!"

"--- If you say so, why don't you increase the power a bit?"

The flames cleared.

Seeing me standing unharmed in the same spot, Gurai's eyes widened in shock.

"--- Wind Spear!!"

A spear of wind was released.

But it didn't reach me.

The wind spear hit an empty space, leaving a ripple of light before disappearing.

I didn't even feel a breeze.

"--- A barrier!? Light attribute magic!?"

"Hmm, barriers are light attribute?"

I muttered absentmindedly.

A simple barrier made with eight human-shaped talismans, but it didn't seem like Gurai could break it.

I picked up a new human-shaped talisman.

--- A talisman made of Gurai's hair pressed into wax.

"Wind Spear! Wind Spear!"

"Shut up. No more magic."

I drew a seal on Gurai's talisman with my magical power.

Gurai swung his staff again, chanting the spell, but nothing happened this time.

"---? Wind Spear! Damn, Flame Spear!! What's wrong with my magic... What did you do!?"

"--- No more movement either."

I struck the talisman with my magical power-infused hand.

Suddenly, Gurai, who had been advancing on me, stopped moving.

"Wha, I can't move... This is... dark attribute...?"

"Dark attribute?"

It did seem dark, but...

Our light and dark attributes don't correspond to the yin and yang of Onmyōdō at all.

"---"

I sighed and approached Gurai casually.

Then, I crushed the right foot part of the talisman.

"Aaaaaaaaah!"

Gurai screamed, fell to his knees, and collapsed on the ground.

His face was covered in dirt because I hadn't touched him.

"Hey, Gurai. If there were no conditions, shouldn't you have brought a sword? You're somewhat skilled with swordsmanship, right? But it doesn't matter now."

As I said this, I crushed the left hand part of the talisman.

Gurai screamed again.

"Y-You... What is this... magic... I've never heard of... something like this..."

"That's it. Don't you think it's strange?"

I walked around the fallen Gurai while talking.

"Magic can do anything, you know? After all, it's a technique that interferes with the laws of the world. You can curse someone from afar, find the location of what you seek, or predict the future. You can heal any wound or disease, and in some cases, even control death and souls."

As I spoke, I crushed the left foot and right hand parts of the talisman.

"Yet, with the four-element magic, it's just fire and wind... How can you use it for such trivial things? Don't you think it's a waste? Are you listening, Gurai?"

Looking at him, Gurai was barely breathing.

He didn't even scream for the fourth time.

By the way, I'm currently unharmed, but if left as is, his limbs will rot over a few days.

This is a curse.

"Well, Gurai. Do you surrender?"

"I surrender... Please forgive me..."

"I forgive you."

I stroked the talisman.

The crushed parts stretched out, and it returned to its original state like a brand new one.

I peeled off the hair stuck with wax and threw it away.

The curse was completely lifted.

"Ugh... ah..."

"--- You probably won't be able to move for a while. But you must keep your promise. Tell Father tomorrow that you're withdrawing from the duel and leave the house to join the army. Don't complain any more. Well, that's it."

Without looking back, I left the practice ground.

Sigh, what a hassle.

"Hmph. To challenge Seika-sama with such a low level of ability, truly a person who doesn't know their place."

Yuki, in the form of a fox, peeked out from my hair.

"But, was it alright? Showing a part of Seika-sama's power and still letting him live?"

"I promised Luft."

To go easy on him.

As expected, if he learns his lesson as my brother predicted, that would be good.

****

The next day.

Gurai didn't get up from his bed, and the duel was declared my victory by default.

By the way, the fever wasn't my doing.

So, Gurai naturally joined the army...

After going through that, any training will feel easy.

I hope he's grateful.