Volume 2 - CH 1.1

“First of all, I was called the ‘Hero’.”

“And I was an elf called the ‘Sage’.”

Standing side by side, Reid and Elria announced.

“”We were reincarnated a thousand years later ―― And now, due to various circumstances, we have become engaged.””

Yes, they openly told Wiesel and Millis without concealing anything.

To an outsider, it would sound like a ludicrous statement. However, upon hearing Reid and Elria’s words ――

“”I see. For now, that explains a lot.””

The two accepted it readily. Their reaction was milder than expected, causing Reid and Elria to exchange glances.

“…Wait, is it really okay for you two to accept it so easily?”

“Conversely, why did you think we wouldn’t accept it?”

“I know, right! Reid-san and Elria-sama are clearly out of the ordinary, and we are genuinely relieved that there was a reason behind it.”

“That’s right. Putting aside the process that led to the present, we can say that it is a power you two acquired in the past based on clear and substantiated reasons, rather than being beings with unknown abilities due to sudden mutation. We feel relieved knowing that.”

After hearing the story, the two nodded repeatedly.

“So, what does Reid-san mean by ‘Hero’?”

“If we consider the flow of the story, it can be understood as someone who was closely associated with the ‘Sage’…”

“A thousand years ago, there was a country called ‘Altein’. They constantly fought with Vegalta over land and resources, and in the midst of that, I was the only one who could match the ‘Sage’ ――”

“Reid was called the ‘Hero’.”

Hehe~, Elria proudly puffs out her chest a little. Judging from her demeanor, it appears she was pleased to finally express what she had wanted to say for a long time. However, the responses from the two were still unfavorable.

“Altein… Hero… I’m not familiar with either of those.”

“Well, I can understand the word ‘Hero’ itself… but if you were able to stand up against the ‘Sage’, it wouldn’t be strange for your name to be recorded in history, right?”

“Lady Millis is right. At the very least, battles related to the ‘Sage’ are recorded as historical facts, and even if the country called Altein ceased to exist, its name and anecdotes should have remained, shouldn’t they?”

“We investigated that as well. However, the name Altein doesn’t exist, and the details of the battles we know have either been altered or completely erased from historical records.”

The battles known to Reid and Elria were also recorded in history books. However, while the general outline and trigger of the battles matched, the opposing country had changed from Altein to another nation, or sometimes the battles themselves hadn’t even occurred.

They compared the books held by the Caldwens, the books accessible to the faculty stored within the academy, and the history books available in general circulation, but they all contained the same content.

“At least, according to what I heard from Elria and the headmaster, it seems that among the elves, my name and the existence of the ‘Hero’ have been passed down.”

“Oh, really? What kind of story is it ―― NYUU!?“

“…It’s enough to know that it’s being passed down.”

“I-I… I understand.”

Elria pinched Millis’s cheek and playfully pulled on it. It seems that she is embarrassed to know that their story has become a romantic tale in later generations. However, even in that case, it is only a situation of “being passed down”.

The stories passed down among the elves are not clear historical facts but rather treated as fairy tales or fictional works, and their historical credibility is considered low.

“So now, instead of the history of the entire country, we are narrowing down the scope to the history of technological systems like magic equipment and the process of changes in the ecosystem of magical beasts. We are trying to find clues from the differences in how information is transmitted in each field.”

“…I see. If it’s that kind of story, then I am suitable for the task.”

The Blanche family, Wiesel’s ancestral birthplace, not only has a long history as magic equipment engineers but also has a history of presenting magic equipment to the royal family. Through that process, they obtained information that ordinary people would not know and potentially passed it down to future generations in some form.

Upon hearing that, Millis timidly raised her hand.

“Err… I guess I’m sort of like a representative of ordinary people around here. Is there anything I can do to be of help…?”

“Well, sometimes we need opinions from an ordinary perspective. And, you know, in my time, Noaberg, the place where you lived with the sheep, was part of the Altein territory.”

“Ehhh!? Does that mean it used to be prosperous instead of being a rural countryside?”

“No, even in my time, it was just mountains, and it was considered a secluded place where only a few nomads would visit.”

“I see… So, in other words, it was my destiny to become an elite countryman since a thousand years ago…”

Upon learning that fact, Millis looked sadly into the distance. She was probably picturing the scenes of her ancestors playing with sheep.

“But I think it’s fine to be in a secluded place like that.”

“Elria-sama, it breaks my heart for Noaberg to be treated as a secluded place, let alone a rural countryside…”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I’m saying that if it’s that kind of place, there might be a possibility of information being preserved through oral tradition, as well as through forms like poetry and dance, similar to the elves.”

said Elria as she gently patted Millis to calm her down.

If the elves had passed down the stories through oral tradition, there might be individuals among certain ethnic groups who have inherited them to some extent. Just like Lyatt, who served as Reid’s flag-bearer a thousand years ago and then passed down the notes through his descendant, Alma, there might be some kind of clue left behind.

While the possibility may be slim, considering that a third party intentionally erased information, it is necessary to explore all possibilities in order to uncover those gaps.

“Not only does gathering information require manpower, but analyzing the collected information also necessitates it. That’s why I thought of informing the two of you, whom we can trust, about our situation and seeking your cooperation.”

“…I’m glad that we were evaluated as trustworthy, but it’s true that there are contents that can only be shared with people who can be trusted.”

“Well, it’s hard to believe that people from a thousand years ago have been reincarnated…”

“That’s not all. If someone is deliberately tampering with history, there’s a possibility that they might harm those who become aware of this fact.”

In fact, the opponent has shown movements similar to that.

The appearance of the magical beast known as the ‘Armament Dragon’ during the academy’s examination. There are many inexplicable aspects related to them, and the culprits have yet to be identified.

Not only that, in the present era, ‘Armament Dragons’ are extinct magical beasts. And yet, they have appeared, transcending time, just like Reid and Elria.

“…Well, we were hesitant on whether or not to tell you two because of that, too. Undoubtedly, involving you two in our circumstances will be inevitable.”

Even though they have become friends, the two of them have absolutely no connection to the circumstances of Reid and Elria. They do not want to expose them to any danger. Still, they decided to confide in them because ――

“”We realized that as long as we can protect ourselves, it won’t be a problem.””

“Such reassuring words…!!”

“…Indeed, as long as the two of you are together, safety is practically guaranteed.”

If it is Reid and Elria, who possess exceptional power even in the present era, they can surely protect the two of them from any threats that may come their way. And that was not because they were overconfident in their own abilities, but rather a judgment based on their own strength and the experiences they have built in the past.

“We have Alma with us, and she knows the situation too, so it should be fine.”

“Oh, so that’s why Reid-san and Alma-sensei seemed to get along?”

“Yeah. Alma’s ancestor was actually my subordinate and served as my flag-bearer.”

“I see! That’s reassuring!”

While saying that, Millis patted Elria’s shoulder with a smile on her face. However, Elria, the person in question, tilted her head in confusion.

“That’s why I apologize for involving you two, but please help us.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ve been interested in Reid’s abilities since we first met, and it will be a good inspiration for developing new magic equipment.”

“It’s a request from one of my few friends, so please leave it to me to help and liven things up!”

“Thank you…”

Elria smiled as she looked at the two, who readily accepted.

And just when the conversation with the two was settled, the classroom door swung open.

“*Yawn~*… Alright, let’s start the class today.”

Alma entered the classroom with a big yawn. However… following Alma, another woman entered the classroom.

It was a woman with beautiful brown hair tied up at the back. And there was a sense of familiarity in her appearance.

“That is… if I remember correctly, she was the person who oversaw our entrance examination, right?”

“Yeah. I remember she taught us many things.”

And as the two took their place at the podium, Alma lightly clapped her hands.

“Attention, everyone! The new teacher who just arrived is going to give us an interesting greeting.”

“E-Eh? An interesting greeting, you say… Like producing a dove from my hand or something…!?”

“Don’t be serious at strange times.”

When Alma gave her a light chop on the head, the woman let out a small “ow” and whimpered.

Seeing the bewildered students, Alma cleared her throat.

“As everyone knows, there was an incident where a third party intervened during the recent examination and released magical beasts to attack the students. As a result, additional teachers will be assigned to each class.”

“I am Philia Theresia, a 1st class mage. Nice to meet you all.”

The woman introduced herself as Philia and bowed her head slightly. Alma then continued her explanation.

“I will continue as your homeroom teacher, but as a special rank mage, there may be times when I need to act for situation assessment and give instructions in case something happens. And so, with Philia as my assistant, she will take charge of the class when I’m away.”

“I’m sorry, but I am no match for Alma-chan ―― OW!?“

“You’re also a 1st class mage, so pull yourself together. And stop calling me Alma-chan.”

“I still have the habits from my student days… Sorry, Alma-chan ―― OWW!?“

Whenever Philia hurriedly spoke, Alma would lightly chop her on the head. From their interaction, it seemed like the two knew each other well.

“Well then, Philia, I have to go meet the headmaster, so I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Y-Yes… I’ll do it as you taught me yesterday, Alma-chan!”

“Yeah, yeah. And stop calling me Alma-chan.”

As Alma gave Philia a flick on the way out, she gestured for Reid and Elria to come with her.

“Reid, Elria, the headmaster has summoned both of you, so come with me.”

“Understood. Let’s go and hear what she has to say.”

“Reid… What should we have for dinner tonight?”

“Me? I feel like having some meat.”

“Mm, then I’ll go for fish. We will split it evenly.”

“You two are getting too used to being summoned…”

While Alma expressed her exasperation, Reid and Elria left the classroom.