CH 2

Chapter2 - Command

The woman was dumbfounded.

She wondered if what had just happened before her was really real.

The man in front of her turned around and smiled at her.

The flustered woman stared at the man’s face, but she had never seen him before, so there was no way she would recognize him.

Of course, they weren’t alike…

She probably got carried away when she heard her former fiancé’s favorite phrase…

The woman’s heart was tinged with a little disappointment.

The man sat down beside the woman and grunted, 「Alrighty.」

His gesture somehow struck her as old-fashioned and comical, so she chuckled.

The woman’s smile caught the man’s attention, and he smiled, too.

At a closer look, the man seemed around her age.

Maybe around 20 years old?

While the woman was musing about this, the man introduced himself with a smile.

「The filth has been incinerated. Oops, we haven’t introduced ourselves yet. I’m Lou, Lou Brandell. A wizard.」

Lou Brandell?

She has never heard of the name.

So he was a wizard…He was bereft of disagreeable peculiarities and quite humble for someone who was so talented.

「Erm, I’m Francesca Dumer. Call me Fran if you like. Thank you for your help. Oww, I’m a magician, too.」

「Well, Fran. Why don’t you tell me how you got chased by those demons for the time being?」

「U-Ugh! I, too, would like to know why you were in the middle of the forest.」

Fran’s face twisted in pain again as she tried to answer Lou’s question.

Thanks to that physical enhancement magic, she was able to survive, but she was still in agony.

Lou scratched his head with a look of shame on his face.

「Oh, my bad. Fran, you fell off a cliff, and your body still hurts like hell…」

「Uhhn…I’m fine. O-owwch!」

「I…Pardon my insensitivity, Fran…but let me heal you now.」

Lou smiled and began chanting what sounded like Kotodama Magic again. 

It sounded just as mysterious as the one that had summoned the Fire Salamander, which Fran had not heard much about.

「O Wind that is the breath of the earth, O earth that is the foundation of the earth, O water, which nurtures life on earth, and O fire that is the vein of the earth. I extol your power! I seek your power! Thus grant me your power! Let the beloved be filled to the brim with the healing of the earth! Now, grant it to her!」

Once his spell was complete, a white light shimmered from Lou’s hands and enveloped Fran’s body.

Fran had no idea what was going on.

However, when she regained her senses, she was shocked to find that most of her physical pain had been relieved.

「W,What! T, The pain is gone. Thank you very much! I’ve never heard of this kind of magic incantation… You can also use healing recovery magic?」

「 Well, just a bit. Yeah.」

Just a little bit, you say!

What – Who is this guy?

****

Once again, Lou and Fran were facing each other in the forest.

Time passed unknowingly, and it was almost dawn.

「Back to the topic, I’d like to know why you were in these woods…」

Fran asked curiously, but Lou’s answer was unexpectedly straightforward.

「Hahaha, for sure. That’s easy. I used to live with my grandfather, but he died last month, so I decided to embark on a journey with no destination in mind.」

「A wandering journey…in the middle of the woods?」

Why would an aimless traveler be in the woods?　

Fran wondered.

「Yeah, that’s me. About 10 years ago, I lost my memory and was wandering in a forest somewhere not here and was picked up by my grandfather, who is a member of the Arlv race.」

*Arlv – Elf. 

「Elf…I know, because so was the vice principal of the school where I’m an apprentice principal.」

Fran pictured the face of the elf, who always looked so dour at school…

She hurriedly shook her head, because all she could picture was his always grumpy face.

「Oh, I see. My grandfather always told me that the forest teaches us plenty of things, and that there are many spirits, fairies, demons, and beasts living there. He left me a will, telling me to get in touch with the forest when I go out on a trip.」

「…I can understand spirits and fairies, but to be in contact with demons and beasts, that’s unusual.」

Fran let out a strained laugh, but still, Lou didn’t care.

「You think? Bu then I happened to be camping in this forest when you fell right in front of me.」

「I fell…I was so desperate I jumped off the cliff, thinking I was going to be killed.」

「Hahaha, I’m sorry about that. Fortunately, you survived.」

「You’re so…right.」

「All right, now it’s your turn. Why are those  guys chasing you in this forest?」

She was a noble from the Kingdom of Valentine. 

She was the daughter of the headmistress of a school called Magical Girls Academy, and was an apprentice to the headmistress.

She was attacked on her way back to the royal capital of St. Helena after completing her training in magic in the neighboring country of Lodonia.

All five of the knights guarding her were killed.

There were too many enemies when she escaped with almost all of her magic power exhausted and was saved by Lou.

Fran exhaled,「Pfff.」

The more she talked to Lou, the more she thought she was saved.

Lou smiled gently.

「Thank God, you’re alive!」

However, Fran’s face dimmed painfully.

「…I can’t honestly do that. I was always been very close to the deceased knights and their wives.」

「I see…」

Fran fell silent.

The horrific memories of last night must have flashed back to her. 

Lou stared at Fran for a while, but then nodded  and lightly tapped his chest.

「Then I’ll protect Fran! I’ll send you to St. Helena on behalf of the knights who died. Well, leave it to me!」

「Huh?!」

Fran was taken aback.

Why was this man so kind to her, a complete stranger?

And why wasn’t he forcing her to thank him for saving her?

Generally, when people hear about her family background, they would definitely demand a reward…

He also said “those words” to her again. 

Fran’s soul was filled with joy.

Her eyes hurt. 

And tears began to well up in her eyes. 

Lou remained smiling gently.

「It’s no problem! This is an aimless journey anyway. Besides, Valentine is a land of adventurers. I’ll be an adventurer after I send you home.」

Uh, an adventurer? Lou?

Lou’s unexpected reply perplexed Fran. 

It was common for wizards to become adventurers, but for some reason that option was already unacceptable to Fran.

「Aah, er, Bardland, is it? The adventurer’s city? Grandpa told me about it.」

「Yeah…t-that’s right. 」

Lou looked worried when Fran replied hesitantly. 

「Hey, do you think I’m not cut out for this, Fran? A wizard?」

「Your qualities…wizard…qualities…」

Fran echoed Lou’s words.

「Hey, are you okay? Wizards are quite valued in an adventurer’s clan, aren’t they?」

Lou spoke anxiously. 

At that moment, Fran conjured the scene where Lou used the Fire Salamander to annihilate the enemy.

「N-No! NO!」

Fran suddenly shouted loudly.

Lou was confused why Fran started screaming out of the blue.

「You can’t be an adventurer!」

As she shouted, Fran couldn’t understand what she was saying, but she instinctively felt that she should never let go of Lou here.

「Huh? Why can’t I be an adventurer?」

「You, no, you have talent for magic! You’re magnificent!」

「Oh, really? My grandpa always told me that I’m still a newbie・・・・」

「I command you! Lou Brandell! You’re going to be a temporary teacher at the Valentine Magic Academy for Girls, where my mother is the chairman!」

Fran refused to listen to Lou’s words any longer.

She was so engrossed in talking to Lou that she didn’t even realize she had somehow taken on a commanding tone towards her savior.