Episode 25: A New Beginning

TN: Thanks to ‘Anon’ for donation at Ko-fi.

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“U…Uu…”

　I woke up.

　Then the ceiling comes into view. When I recognize it, I check my current situation.

　I’m lying in bed and a pleasant sunset is shining through the window.

“Ray, are you awake?”

“… Master? This place is…?”

“It’s an on-campus medical office. For the time being, Abby took care of everything for you.”

　On the left side of the bed was my master sitting in a wheelchair. Behind her was Carla, and next to her was Abby.

“It seems like you used it”

“I’m sorry. I thought that was the optimal solution in that scene…”

“No, it doesn’t matter. I would have done the same if I were in your position.”

“Even if you tell me that, let me apologize…”

“And if it’s about the runaway overheating of the magic realm, don’t worry about it. You released it this time, but there is no problem if it is that much time. If you continue to be cured in the future, someday you won’t need to use Chronos lock.”

“Is that so……”

　Whew, I exhaled.

　That battle. I was able to bring out my performance to the last minute, but I was glad that there were no aftereffects.

“By the way, everyone…?”

“Everyone is safe. There  was just a slight weakness. They could recover after a short rest. Good job, Ray.”

“Yes. Thank you, Master”

Master is patting my head.

　It’s been a really long time since she’s done this to me.

“How many hours have passed since then? And what about Gray-sensei?”

“I’ll explain it to you.”

　Suddenly, it was Abbey that came out in front. Master looked at her with a side glance, and seemed to want to say something, but she kept quiet.

“It’s been a day since Ray fell, and Helena Gray was successfully secured. I had a hard time melting your stuff.”

“I apologize for the trouble……”

“No, I am glad that you didn’t kill her. It’s because I need to get information from her in the future.”

“Isn’t she an imperial spy?”

“Ah. Her affiliation was towards the eugenic agency, and it had no ties to any country. Rather, I’ve come to the conclusion that the eugenic institution itself has no connection with any of the country……. I heard that that institution is completely independent of the country and is drawing out the best researchers and sorcerers…….but we haven’t gotten the full picture yet.”

“I see…I see.”

　That’s right…I think this is as far as I can go.

　The rest should be left to the professionals.

　I look out for a quick glance. It’s already evening, and the burning red glow of the sunset glows into the room. After seeing it, I wondered if it was over…

　In that battle, I was able to accomplish what I should have done. That realization still lingers in my hands.

“Well, let’s get going. Lydia”

“Yeah. That’s right. As Abby says, the rest is for young people…  Ray, you’ve got to face it right. Then I’ll see you later.”

“? What do you mean?”

　Abby-san then left the room, and the teacher also went out in the form of having Cara push the wheelchair.

　And at the same time, I saw a tuft of hair peeking out of the side of the door. It was bright red in color and looked familiar.

“Guys……”

　Three people came into the room.

　Amelia, Evi, Elisa. Everyone looks strangely worried.

“Rayi! Are you okay!?”

“Evi, thank you for your concern. There seems to be no problem at the moment. I don’t feel any discomfort.”

“Ah…that was good, but…”

　I know. Evi may want to hear about my physical condition, but that’s not the main issue. I could see that clearly by looking at Amelia and Elisa’s facial expressions.

“Ray…you really…”

“Amelia. From that point on, I’ll tell you.”

　I slightly shifted my posture to the three people, and first bowed.

“I’m sorry. I was tricking you guys. No… I wasn’t thinking of doing anything wrong… but I was lying to you.”

“Ray-kun…that..means…”

“Ah, as you already know, I am one of the world’s seven great magicians, the “Ice Blade Magician”.”

“Yes… i guess that’s true after all…”

　Amelia looked strangely convinced. Evi and Elisa were the same.

　You can talk to these three. My past is an abomination. If I can forget it, I want to forget it. But I’ve shown my abilities as a Ice Blade Magician and I wanted to be faithful to these irreplaceable friends of mine.

　That’s why I opened my mouth this time.

“Let’s… talk a little about the past. I was born in a small village in the east. That is, there were no sorcerers. My parents and everyone else were all commoners. But then we got caught up in the Battle of the Far East.

　Far East campaign. It was the first time that magic was introduced in earnest.

　That is why magic has become an essential part of improving quality of life and infrastructure, ……but that is just one aspect of it.

　People are inevitably creatures who will fight each other. Then it was only a matter of time before they started using sorcery as a means of doing so. It’s obvious to everyone that magic is also useful as a tool for killing people.

“And I lost everyone in the village. I became an orphan in the war. The first place that picked me up was an organization managing a boy soldier. I sharpened the technique of killing people there. To live. …Of course, I still remember killing it with this hand, but our organization was driven to ruin by the armies of the kingdom…and I met my master there.”

“Your master… was the beauty sitting in the wheelchair you were talking about?”

　Evi asks, since he and master just passed each other.

“Ah. That’s right. And, for some reason, when I was picked up by my master, my talent as a sorcerer blossomed. I had always had a glimpse of it, but I decided to hone it. Master and the other soldiers had said that I should leave it to the home country, but at the time, the war situation was so bad that I couldn’t afford it. So I………I decided of my own volition to fight with my master’s unit.I decided of my own volition to fight with my master’s unit.  I wasn’t forced or anything. I was just wandering the battlefield, looking for a place to die. It wasn’t that I didn’t care when I died.I wasn’t afraid to join a full-scale war….just someplace…I’ve been searching for a place where I could get to……”

　I talk about the past with eyes that seem to stare into the void.

　It’s a memory that I can remember like yesterday. The anger and the screams are all like sticking in the brain. Recalling that, I spun more words.

“But I was welcomed by my master, and by other people… I gradually regained my heart. At the same time, my magical talent expanded explosively. Perhaps it was the environment of war that made it so. But when I was in the final battle, the moment my master was shot through the lower half of her body. … I burst into emotions, and I……..caused a magic realm overheating. I don’t remember much from that point on, but by the time I woke up, the Far Eastern Warfare Service had ended and my master was unable to move his lower body…….”

　All three listen to me silently. I keep talking.

“After that, even though the magic realm runaway overheated, I still had some abilities left. And I decided to take over the seat of “The Magician of the Sword/Ice Blade Magician”. The teacher didn’t look good, but she still accepted. The rest of the time, Master introduced me to her sister’s house in the countryside of the kingdom as an adopted child. I retired as a Military, and I spent my time there to deal with the magic realm overheating…  but one day my master told me that it wasn’t good to not use magic at all, and recommended that I enter the academy. It’s my magic that controls the magic realm runaway overheating. And the master wanted to give me an experience suitable for his age… she told me to. I didn’t understand those words at first but that’s how I got in and that’s how I got here.”

Only in the grand scheme of things, but I’ve told my past. My magic realm overheating is still going on. Because of this, I cannot use my magic to my satisfaction. Even if I could, it can only be released temporarily. I’m now the one who is forcing it to be controlled by applying the essence of the Ice Blade Magician, deceleration and fixation.

　But there’s nothing special about it. I’m just a boy who survived the war and came to attend the academy.

　Although I took over the position of being the ice blade magician, I still don’t see that past as special by any means.

　I became as a matter of course. It’s not a coincidence, nor is it inevitable.

I just accept it for what it is. That’s why……..I never had to be pessimistic about it.

“Oh… Ray, you have that past…”

“Ray…”

“Ray-kun…”

　I wonder if they will despise me. Maybe I was still afraid somewhere deep inside. That my past is such.

　Even if I tried to enjoy my student life at the academy, what I had done would not disappear. The fact that I’ve piled on the carnage is certainly still in these two hands.

　And when I glance up, Amelia suddenly hugs me. (TN: Yes!! Finally! Big Bro is happy)

“Uoh…!”

“Ray is… amazing… really, really…”

　Evi and Elisa also looked at me. There was no fear or trepidation in their gaze. Rather, they had such……..gentle eyes that seemed to encompass everything.

“But I have… many lives… with this hand…”

“I only know Ray as he is now. No matter what your past is, you’re still the same person. And we all know you’re a kind person..”

“Yeah! After all, Ray is so cool, and I know… he’s the best friend of mine! Did you really think it would matter now? That kind of thing cannot cause our friendship to break! Let’s continue to work out together!”

“Well…I want to stay with Ray-kun for the rest of my life…!”

Hearing those words, I felt a single tear spontaneously fall from my eyes –

“Ah… so that’s how it happened………”

　I lost an important person in the village and also an important person in the war.

　Some were protected, but some were lost at the same time. I regret and lament each time.

　But I was not allowed to stop. There was no time to mourn the death of a companion. If I had such time, I had to kill the enemy by that much.

　　So I kept going and wandering until I arrived at this academy.

　At first, my mentor told me, so I was more motivated to rehabilitate and become a student. It’s just a little sightseeing. My heart danced to my first school, but it was superficial.

　The darkness that remained deep inside this heart never cleared.

But I had never thought that I would be blessed with such a dear friend and that I would be able to express my feelings in this way.

　But master, I understand. Why did she recommend me to go to this school? I’m sure she knew because she is my master.

　I will also……..make a dear friend. And that it would help me heal my heart. Not only will I regain my abilities as a sorcerer, but also the way I am as a person…….I will learn again here.

　Until now, and from now on, with my important friends ──.

　◇

“Hmm…! Hmm…!”

“Oh! I like that, Ray! You’re really into it!”

“Ah! I’m in perfect shape!”

　It’s been a few days since then.

　I was all back to normal, and Evi and I had been working out early in the morning. I was getting good cuts today and my bulk hadn’t diminished.

“Well, let’s get to class now,”

“Oh!”

　In this way, a new everyday life was about to begin.

“…”

　When I get to class, I take my seat and read. These few moments in the morning are truly wonderful.

　I plan to go to the Environmental Research Club today after school, and tomorrow I will visit the Gardening Club. I have a desire to grow new flowers soon.

　I know. My life here at the school is not in vain.

　It will be a valuable part of my life. So let’s enjoy it to the fullest. Let’s enjoy it with our dearest friends.

“Have you heard?”

“Yeah, she seemed to have stopped teaching due to various reasons.”

“So I hear that new people are coming in…..”

　That’s what the students in the classroom have been gossiping about.

Gray sensei is no longer here. Then, it is obvious that another teacher will come. I want to build a good relationship with that person. Student life is not just for students. I think the relationship with the teacher is also important, but…

　The moment I thought, I dropped the book.

“Ah… she’s…”

I know.

　The fancy open chest outfit and most notably………….that peach-colored, flashy hair. The way it is neatly and loosely curled vertically. And the weeping mole under her right eye..

　Rather than being a beauty, I think that weird appearance should be described as cute… I know.

“Hello Hello☆Cha ro☆~☆eve~ry~one~! I’m the new homeroom teacher for this class, Carol -Caroline~~! Feel free to call me Caro-chan, Caro-caro, or Caro-chan-sensei.”

　A wink so powerful that you could almost hear the sound…

　Carol = Caroline.

　She’s one of my acquaintances…that’s as it should be..

　Because she has one of the seven great magicians, the “Illusion Wizard”.

　She’s the most open-minded of the Seven Great Wizards, so why come here…

　In this way, my student life is likely to be turbulent…

　— I thought so.

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Also please check the new series I am doing Sayonara Ryuusei, Konnichiwa Jinsei(LN

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