CH 54

Chapter 54 – Epilogue 2

The guild chief and the vice chief watched from a distance as their former magic artificer was surrounded by Adventurers.

The numerous, nearly inhuman magic feats.

How she had fought against a dragon.

Even now, the two were unable to fully accept the shocking things they had seen.

“I never… Someone so…”

The vice chief muttered.

“That she had such power…”

The guild chief had no words to answer him with.

It did not seem real.

He would have been satisfied if someone assured him that it was all just a dream.

She took on immense amounts of work while supporting the other workers with her magic.

On top of that, she was able to make magic tools that impressed Grand Duke Oswald. Surely that was proof of her ability.

Indeed, she must be one of the best magicians in the kingdom.

It was so beyond him, that he could not hope to measure that power.

To think that his lowly, useless magic artificer had actually been this brilliant…

The two just stood there.

“Should we go and talk to her?”

Asked the vice chief.

“…Impossible.”

The guild chief said with a sigh.

“You saw her skill. She will never want to work for us again.”

“Well, it does seem like she’s a Royal Magician now…”

“Insisting that she was actually useless and firing her…”

“If only we had noticed sooner…”

“The success we would have had…”

The growing sense of regret.

Had they only realized her true worth and used it, then they could have had everything.

No amount of regret would be too much.

They had lost the success that could have been theirs.

Past days of glimmering light all seemed like a dream now.

Hunched over, the two men left quietly.

◆　　◆　　◆

That same day, in the Ardenfeld Kingdom.

And in the neighboring kingdoms, a terrible shock spread through the lands.

A dragon in a state of madness had been found to the west of the kingdom.

The strongest creature in the western continent.

And in such a state, the potential amount of damage was unfathomable.

The neighboring countries were immediately on their guard and started to gather information.

The country of Claless was one of them.

Clueless was to the southwest of the Ardenfeld Kingdom, and it was a religious state ruled by a Saintess who was said to be the servant of the goddess, Claless.

The Saintess had immense power, and was able to use miraculous healing magic, and even stood on the frontlines during past crises in order to protect the country.

(We will have to ask the Saintess for help again…)

Chancellor Mercurius said with a heavy sigh.

His active spies had returned with information that suggested a great tragedy was about to occur.

The explosive spreading of a plague in northern Ardenfeld.

An army of mutant goblins in the mist.

And now, a mad dragon that could stamp out the western territories until there was nothing left.

The information suggested that these events were all deliberate. The result of the shadowy machinations between countries.

(I know the crown prince. He would have already acted. But this is still so…)

Even if he managed to make all of the best moves, surely they could not avoid taking heavy damage.

And it seemed that even the slightest mistake could bring the country to ruin.

(Something… I must do something.)

Mercurius tried to think of a way to save the Ardenfeld Kingdom.

(No, that won’t do. It is possible that the dragon might invade the south side of the country. My duty is to stay here and protect the country.)

However, his brilliant mind was able to understand that things were so bad that it was best to expect the worst.

His main priority was to protect the lives of his people.

There was no time to think about the other countries.

(I’m sorry…)

Mercurius grimaced.

That’s when one of his subordinates, who he had sent out as a spy, entered his office.

“I come with the latest news concerning the Ardenfeld Kingdom.”

“I see…”

He would have to brace himself for this.

What tragedies have occurred now…

However, he must accept the reality and move forward.

“Tell me. What has happened?”

“The plague in the north is under control. And the goblin king mutant was defeated. As for the dragon, it was driven back to its home in the mountains.”

“…What?”

He could not understand what was being said to him.

As Mercuius looked with confusion, the subordinate continued.

“It seems like the incidents have come to a close, without much damage to the Ardenfeld Kingdom.”

“That is not possible. It is ridiculous.”

“I can hardly believe it myself… But it is the truth.”

Mercurius inspected the information carefully.

And his subordinate was right.

Things had been settled with very little harm being done.

And this happened without having to use the kingdom’s strongest fighting force, Magus-rank magicians and the Holy Blade.

(Was this the doing of Prince Michael Ardenfeld? No, surely there should have been more casualties if it was him. This was a mad dragon. To drive it away like this was…)

Such things did not seem possible in the world that he knew.

(There is something else…)

Something in this country that exceeded his imagination.

Mercurius felt a chill run down his spine.

◇　　◇　　◇

Several days after the incident of the dragon in the west.

I had returned to the royal capital, and took a whole day off to relax, as a reward to myself.

After all, I had worked so hard recently.

It was important to be able to rest properly.

“Which one should I read next…”

I would lie on my bed and read my favorite books on magic, and then take a nap when I was tired.

“Sometimes, I don’t know what he sees in her…”

My mother looked at my slothful ways with exasperation, but I didn’t care.

Ah, it was wonderful to stay in bed!

What a joyful and fulfilling day!

And so I continued to roll around on the bed, occasionally eating sweets, ice cream and pudding.

And like that, the time passed by.

When I woke up from my third nap, it was due to the sound of a distant door bell ringing.

…Hmm?

My consciousness started to return.

The door bell continued to ring after a short pause.

Apparently, my mother had gone out.

But who could it be?

I tilted my head to the side and headed for the door.

The sunlight that shone through the windows was starting to turn crimson.

“Who is it?”

I held down my disheveled hair and opened the door.

What I saw was a giant, black mountain.

Something big was blocking the sky.

…I have come to repay you. Little one.

The something said, while looking down at me, from far above.

…Just tell me anything. And I will make your wish come true.

And then I remembered.

That day, after destroying the artifact that was controlling the black dragon.

‘…I promise to repay you. One day.’

Someone had said.

Uh, I am grateful that you feel that way. And it’s good to keep your word, but…

It is a bit awkward to be visited by…a dragon…

“Whaaaaaaaaat…!?!?”

I just held my head, not knowing what to do about the giant black dragon that was in front of my door.

It seemed that my new life after being driven out of the magic artificer guild was continuing to move in directions that I would never have expected.