Chapter 39 – Finished
TL: Krrizis
Editor: Nahct & Wafflez
Bzz Bzz. From the low buzzing noise came a satisfying whistling sound, after which a popping noise resounded from the multiple lights formed in the air.
The amount of purple radiance began to increase in volume shortly after and, in the twinkling of an eye, countless bundles had formed, firing straight at me.
The purple light came flying, tearing through the air. However, unlike a thunderbolt, it was slow. Even so, it clearly caught up to me in an instant and dispersed due to the automatically invoked barrier.
As though checking it, I caressed the magic tool that was in the shape of a tear hanging around my neck.
The s.h.i.+ning metal that swung against my b.r.e.a.s.t.s still had enough magic power stored inside it. At this rate, it could probably be invoked for four more times.
「….. How is it?」
「It can be invoked approximately five times. Any more than that and it’ll whittle, and as per discussion with Cecil-kun, that would be its limit」
「That, means it’s….. finished?」
「Yes」
As I unfastened the pendant whilst nodding my head, Caldina-san was happy with the approval. Given the amount of time spent researching and experimenting over and over again, it would only be natural that we would produce positive results.
Tentatively, I replenished the magic power in the pendant that had been consumed. Compared to when we first began testing, there was significantly less consumption used in this round, so there was little to add.
Oh how wonderful it is that we were able to reduce the consumption and increase the duration. Although, under normal circ.u.mstances, one or the other would have been sacrificed.
「Cecil-kun, it’s finished!」
「…..Yeah」
I rushed over to Cecil-kun to return the pendant, and he received it whilst bowing his head. However, his face was remarkably formal, or rather, he had stiffened up. I dare say, the cause was the person next to him.
「Good work, Liz-sama」
In contrast to Cecil-kun, standing next to him was the person who rewarded me with a gentle smiling face — Gilles. And it wasn’t just for today’s verification test; ever since the incident where Cecil-kun’s magic rampaged, Gilles has been partic.i.p.ating after he returned to his position to monitor and watch over me. He must have finished his work in a hurry to come over.
He didn’t have to personally do so, but it appears that his overprotective switch had turned on because of my frequent wounds.
For a daughter of a marquis family who has been scolded for thrusting herself into danger, I regretted not bringing Gilles along from the very beginning, and now, it has become like this. By the way, Father was also scolded by Gilles in the form of a lecture. The master and servant relations.h.i.+p had completely reversed.
「….. Please don’t treat Cecil-kun so harshly, alright?」
「I haven’t even said a single word to him」
Your eyes says it all, Gilles.
I didn’t even say a word, but Gilles didn’t like Cecil-kun because he was the cause of my injuries. Although it looked like he had a friendly smile on his face, but typical to his behaviour pattern, his eyes weren’t smiling.
A person that was loved by Gilles ….. It was misleading, wasn’t it? To people that he had acknowledged himself, he would be kind and would attend to them courteously. The people in the estate, with the exception of the master and servant relations.h.i.+p, were also treated kindly. On the contrary, he was cold to the very end to the people he didn’t acknowledge. Although nothing has change from the outside, inside, he coolly observes them.
The look that he was giving Cecil-kun was deliberate, wasn’t it? Cecil-kun had become aware of the chilly eyes that were directed at him and was restraining himself.
「….. Your valet’s frightening」
It was just like Cecil-kun to mention it unreservedly in front of the person himself. However, to some extent, I think that’s gutsy of him.
「Gilles, you can’t」
「….. If that’s what you want, then hurry back to the estate and I’ll be delighted by it」
「Well, if I go back, you’ll just lock me up」
「Because you acted rashly」
Towards the seriously unrelenting Gilles, I sucked in and puffed my cheeks, holding air on one side of them. However, I don’t think Gilles would give in just like that.
「….. If I give up on the town, can I at least go to the Magic Inst.i.tution?」
「I still won’t allow it」
「Ehhhhh, it’s to read books! My main objective was to read the books」
「Though you say that, you’ll come into contact with him and be in danger again」
Of course, it goes without saying that him referred to Cecil-kun. He didn’t have to go to such lengths to not say the name. Once I’d gotten along with him, I could tell that Cecil-kun wasn’t a dangerous person; at least, not to that extent.
Hearing that said directly in front of him, Cecil-kun squinted his eyes in anger for a short moment. It appears that Cecil-kun also harbors feelings of guilt towards me, but until then, it’ll be difficult as I’m being guarded against him.
「It’s not a big deal. I was only just helping Cecil-kun practice his sorcery」
「Didn’t I say that was dangerous? Wasn’t there a previous example?」
「Saying it like that is painful to my ears, but ….. It’s not like I’ll give up. After all, Cecil-kun won’t be rampaging anymore, correct?」
「….. Indeed」
Since then, Cecil-kun has been practicing independently. He had ask me to a.s.sist him with diluting the density of his magic power, but now, he’s able to invoke simple sorceries with the original density. If he continues to slowly train it afterwards, the problem will be resolved.
「Nevertheless, it won’t always be confined for he is a person who will cause such things」
「If it’s induced, I will stop him once again. If I can’t ..…」
「If you can’t?」
「….. I’ll use force? It’s fine. With just a small cup of sake~~ you’ll faint and I’ll be in control」
「I never run wild」
「Hey Gilles, I made a firm promise with Gilles」
「No」
Even when I protested with an EH~~, Gilles still wouldn’t change his opinion of Cecil-kun. I bet you have it already etched in your head that I’m not allowed to get close to him.
Although I silently protested Gilles, you mean jerk with my eyes, Gilles still looked at Cecil-kun relentlessly. It was only when I started sulking that he stroked my head gently to comfort me; that was when I stopped torturing him. Because it was comfortable having Gilles feel my hair, I was reluctant for him to stop half-way.
Seeing the narrow-eyed Gilles taking care of me like this, Cecil-kun seemed slightly surprised by it.
Even though things may appear like this, he hardly touches me, although I do cling onto him when we’re at home. After all, Gilles pamper me a lot and smells good. Inside, I’m still a child so it’s alright for me to act that way.
「Look, we’re leaving. There’s plenty of things I have to do once I get back」
「Un~….. Gilles, I can’t go without a guardian accompanying me?」
「I don’t like it」
「….. Then, what if I accompany Father」
「Really….. Why are you so fixated with this boy?」
「Because….. He’s my friend」
….. He is my friend, isn’t he? It should be okay to say that, right?
The word “friend” made Cecil-kun open his golden eyes wide in surprise. Gilles being Gilles faintly stirred his eyebrows with a questioning expression.
「Is visiting a friend’s place a bad thing?」
On this occasion, I’m going to capitalize using the fact that I’m a child. Isn’t it a saying that a child’s job is to play?
In the first place, it was important for a child to expand their circle of friends during their childhood, yup. Cecil-kun is a prospect.
When Gilles saw how unnaturally doubtful I was when I looked up at him, he let out a big sigh.
「….. Understood, I’ll be accompanying you」
「YEAH! Thank you so much. This is the side of you that I really love, Gilles」
His face relaxed and when I clung on, with an expression as though saying it was inevitable, he patted me whilst saying good girl, good girl.
Recently, I’ve been feeling like I’ve become quite childish, but it couldn’t be helped because I love Gilles spoiling me. It was only Gilles who had been looking at me properly and giving me that closeness. It was because Father has Ruby so there was nothing that I could do about it.
「Then let’s head off, okay? I’ll return for the luggage later」
「O~kay」
「….. Wait a minute」
I had obtained the results that I wished for. And while the decision to head home was being made, Cecil-kun had been observing me smiling and clinging onto Gilles this entire time with a complicated yet amazed expression.
Although there wasn’t anything left to detain me, Cecil-kun had called out to me.
「Here…..」
Cecil-kun made a rustling noise as he searched inside his robe. After finding what he was looking for, he threw it at me.
I caught the item in a panic and upon taking a good look at it, I could see that it was a glittering metal that rested on top of my palm. I was already familiar with this brilliance. It was an item that I would not normally possess. Also, there wasn’t a chain on it, there was only the pendant portion.
「This is…..?」
「This is engraved with a different enchantment in contrast to the perfected one. By tuning my powers to an exclusively created enchantment, I poured a large quant.i.ty of magic into that item. The effect is to nullify powerful sorcery, but it can only be used once. It’s disposable」
「Isn’t this another excessive output item? why are you giving it to me?」
Shouldn’t this be presented to His Majesty? And looking at the enchantment that was personally engraved on the silver disk, I grumbled. This was clearly high-powered even though it appears that this particular enchantment was created by the magic powers of Cecil-kun that lacked versatility.
However, my doubts were settled after 「I intend to also present His Majesty with a similar item」was mentioned afterwards.
「….. If I run out of control, you’ll be stopping me. That valet of yours would be fastidious if you’re injured」
「Please don’t say such things, Gilles is also gentle so don’t say those things」
「I guess….. Still, this is compensation from me, a form of apology」
Though seven years old, towards those unexpected words, I let out a wry smile and graciously accepted it. ….. Perhaps Cecil-kun too was trying to get close to me? There wasn’t any concrete evidence other than just a gut feeling.
「….. And ….. see you again」
With those additional words, his face naturally softened.
See you again means it was okay for me to come and see you, right? Noticing Cecil-kun who had bluntly murmured with a faint smile on his lips, I felt joy swelling from the depths of my chest and smiled.
「See you later, Cecil-kun」
As we both felt slightly awkward, we waved our hands at each other whilst being bashful.
Yes, yes, Cecil-kun. See you next time.