Chapter 28

“Still no news?” Emori asked. Three days had passed. We were gathered in the dining room, just finished eating breakfast. In the three days, we hadn’t gotten any news from either Nanawak or Syla. The symbols opening up is a real mystery to be sure, but there hadn’t been any signs of monsters pouring into this world just yet.

We hadn’t received any news from the scouting team, either. Not a single person from the entire group had returned, making the entire thing even more mysterious.

“I wonder if we should just go in there ourselves,” Maya murmured.

“That’s a bad idea, definitely,” Solicea said. “If we’re that indispensable, they’ve sent us back to Syla by now.”

If we headed in and something happened to us, friction might happen in the relationship between Syla and Nanawak. We couldn’t afford a war happening with the demon king so close to his return.

“Still, Akareseki said Fortis is the target… How will that play out?” Emori asked. She had a point. If what Akareseki said was true, that the demon king might be looking after me, planning his moves based on what I do. If that was the case, then it would be a bad idea to come near a dungeon. I shouldn’t be giving him any clues or such. I wouldn’t be able to get close to monsters, either, as who knows if those things were under his control or not.

“Is Fortis that great a threat? Not like he can single handedly defeat the demon king.”

Maya has a point. While I am a level 100, that didn’t mean I could solo him. I struggle even against the demon-tempered monsters.

“Say, what if the demon king just pops out of the ground and challenges him to a fight?”

I shook my head. “I hope that doesn’t happen.”

Even though I have a lot of good spells, and am currently learning some more quad-casting combinations, Emori is still a better dps than me. Most of the spells I'm studying were support, like one that allowed me to teleport through anti-magic barriers, and one that acted as a flash. Useful spells for sure, but I doubt I could use them to solo the demon king.

I know some quad-casting combinations with great damage-dealing capabilities, but they'll require even more work as I need to study some other elements. Either that or completely new spells.

No matter how I sliced it, the solution was simple. If I wanted a better chance at fighting the demon king, I must study.

“I think I’m going to go study some spells.” I rose from the dining table, gave the girls a little wave, and returned to my room. I sat down on the work table and began memorizing all the quad-casting combinations I used in my past life that came from the four elements I used. There were a couple, all with their own unique names I gave.

The combination that I used I call Holding Spear, as it served more as a stun and distraction, to hold the enemy’s attention and slow enemy's movements. There were other combinations I used in the past. Saturn Sky, Myriad Dash, and even a combination I called Greencano. There were many others that used different elements, but it had been a while since I last used other elements, so it would be a rather risky move to try learning them now.

Considering the functions of each combination, I should be fine just using those four elements. I have a fairly balanced kit. Still not ideal to fight solo, unfortunately.

Urgh…

It was one of those times when you feel like you haven’t prepared enough, but at the same time, don’t know what else to do. I have zero idea on what path to take. Should I rest and make sure I’m in tip-top shape when the demon king attacks? What if this was all a mistake, and the demon king wouldn’t be returning in the near future. Wouldn’t the time be better spent on training and preparing, then?

But If I focus on training, the demon king might strike when I’m not ready. I wouldn’t be able to reap the full benefits of my training and be tired at the same time. Every path seemed wrong with how uncertain things are. Honestly, I wish I could get a date on when things start rolling. That way, I could put my time into things that matter.

I could only sigh as I put that wish into the trash bin. I wouldn’t be struggling as much if I could. I continued studying, trying to put as much as I could into the material.

•••

Some hours had passed. The sky was colored in an orange glow, not many clouds covering the skies. I was in the training grounds within the manor, practicing some other combinations that I had studied. I didn’t want to go to the Wolves’ base, fearing they might ask for sparring instead. The spell I unleashed didn’t need a Duel Shield either, as it acted as a flash to blind and distract enemies. It took me a couple of attempts, but I managed to unleash my second quad-casting combination, Saturn Sky.

“Fortis? What was that?” I heard Emori’s voice coming from behind me.

“Did you get flashed?”

“No. I played fps before. I know how to dodge one.” She winked, then approached me. “Still, that was impressive. Is that another quad-casting spell?”

“Yeah.”

“How did you even come up with these? Was it in the game?”

I had told the others about how on Earth, Mimosa is adapted into a video game to invite potential heroes.

“All of these combinations exist there, but you need to discover them.”

Had there been more time, I would try to make more new combinations, but I didn’t want to risk throwing away precious time I could use to train.

“I see… By the way, do you have time?” I noticed that she was wearing long pants and a thick jacket, a basket in her right hand.

I wanted to ask about it, but decided to answer first. “Sure? What's up?”

“Want to go somewhere with me?” She began twiddling her fingers. I didn't really have anything else to do, other than practicing my quad-casting techniques. But Emori didn't invite me out often. Plus, it had been a while since we last went somewhere, just the two of us. Considering that we’re dating, I should entertain her once in a while.

“Where?”

“I…” Emori took my hand. “I’ve been practicing this spell these last few days. I think I've gotten the hang of it now.”

The symbol for Teleport appeared on her right eye, and the next moment, we were in a place that I had never witnessed before.

Mountains lined up the horizon, the temperature took a very noticeable drop. Emori took out a jacket from the basket she brought and gave it to me, which I promptly wore.

“Thanks, but where are we?”

The mountains weren't familiar, different from where Maya’s family lived. The wooden buildings built on the mountainside were human sized, and regular people lined up the cobblestone streets.

“The village of Ortonpel, western Syla.”

Emori began walking down the roads with me following behind her. There weren't many people around, giving the village a peaceful vibe.

“Have you come here before?”

“Yes. The view left quite an impression on me, I think that's why I remembered it.”

It was indeed beautiful. The towering peaks and snow-capped mountains, the fluffy white clouds, the cold and fresh air. It was a very different scenery compared to the sands of Nanawak.

“Why did you take me here?”

“We haven't gone on a date for quite some time. I mean, just the two of us. But don't worry. I've told Miss Nayala about this. She'll call us back if something happens.”

“Let's hope the demon king has basic courtesy and doesn't attack, then.”

Emori giggled. “Yeah. I hope so.”

It was a good change of pace. We passed through a farm, many cows grazing the green fields.

“It’s so peaceful here…” I leaned on the fence, observing the cows. Sometimes I wonder about the lives these animals lived. Didn’t have to worry about tomorrow, know that food would always be available, no responsibilities or the like. Sure, getting eaten sucks, but not like humans could live forever either. I would face death, eventually.

“Do they worry about when they’ll die, I wonder…”

“What’s with the ominous sentence?”

“No, it’s just… we’re so worried about the demon king that we often forget to enjoy the moment. I mean, we were supposed to relax these last few days, right? But we’re all restless.”

The girls didn’t show it, but I noticed. Sometimes, Maya would go out to the rear pavilion and just sit there. Not sleeping, not doing anything, just sat there. She always pulled me to some grand adventure when we were little, not settling down even for a bit. I found it hard to believe that she, of all people, would do nothing.

Solicea would wander around the building, not heading to anywhere in particular. Just walk down the hallways, staring out the window, then continue walking. It wasn’t something she did before the symbols opened up.

Emori, meanwhile, practiced on her own on the training field. Not unexpected, but I always get the sense of uneasiness from her. Like she wasn’t practicing for self-improvement, but for something else.

“You’re also restless, you know…”

“Yeah.”

I couldn’t deny that, unfortunately.

“That’s why I decided to invite you out today. There’s a place I wanted to visit.” Emori continued walking. I followed right next to her.

“... Fortis…”

Something warm touched the back of my hand.

“Emori…” I reached out and grabbed her hand. We were both wearing gloves, so our skin wasn't touching each other directly, but the warmth seeped through.

“This… this is the first time, isn’t it?”

“Not counting when we use Teleport, right?”

“Of course not. We did that many times already.”

“Haha, right.”

We hiked upward, following the roads. Most of the villagers that we met gave us a quick glance, probably because they never saw us before. No one bothered us, though.

“Do you think they recognize you?” I whispered.

“No, I don’t think so.”

The hike took a bit, around thirty minutes. By the time we reached the place, the skies were already dark. Torches lit up the side near the mountain, forming a long stretch of yellow lights. The stars shone brightly high above, painting the skies with their glow.

“Here we are.”

We arrived in front of a tavern. Emori pushed the doors open and entered. There were some tables on the first floor, but she took me to the stairs up to the second floor, which had no roof. It was the sixth day, the last day of the week. Some people were enjoying their dinner, but the place had one empty table near the edge.

We took it and sat down.

“Anything you want?” Emori asked. Unlike restaurants on Earth, this tavern had a large wooden board near the stairs that displayed the available menu, all with hand-drawn illustrations of them near their names.

“I think I'll take some Cherezioka,” I said. Based on the picture and the ingredients, it’s the local name for cheese pasta.

“Sure. How about some wine for drinks?” Emori suggested.

“Wine? Are we old enough?”

“Apparently there’s the non-alcohol variant. Besides, is there even a rule about that here?”

“Well, even if there isn’t, I’ll like to stay away from anything remotely alcohol.”

“Oh, yeah. That did happen to us, didn’t it? I’ll order some grape juice then.” Emori stood up and went to the cashier, giving her our order. She also paid for our meal and returned.

“How much?”

“My treat.”

“Thanks.”

I turned to the view. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.”

I thought about saying something like ‘you’re more beautiful’, but felt embarrassed and ended up covering my face.

“Fortis?”

“No, it’s just… it’s nothing.”

“Are you sure it’s nothing? Are you cold?”

I waved my hands. “No, it’s not that.”

“Your face is red, though?”

“It’s just…” I didn’t want to worry about Emori, so I decided to just say it. “Well, you’re even more beautiful.”

“I- I didn’t expect that… But thanks.” She averted her eyes, a small smile crept to her face.

“Any- anyway, we should relax while we have the chance.”

“Ye- Yeah, you’re right.”

The two of us fell silent again.

“So… What do people on dates talk about?”

“You've never been to one?”

I shook my head. “You?”

“Never.”

We had talked to each other so often that when we had time like this, just the two of us, we ran out of material. Or maybe, it was because of the more romantic vibe.

I tried remembering all the romance I witnessed in my previous life.

Usually, the couple would act shy to each other… but aren't we long past that phase?

Time wise, I may not know Emori for long, but we were practically together every single day. We were practically family, even without being married yet.

“Umm… by the way, how are things going on with the royal family?”

A while back, Emori fought Akaraseki to free Nayala. In the fight, she utilized White Void, a sacred spell that restored her right to rule. If the rest of her family approves, she would be next-in-line for queen.

“They already approve of me, Brother included, but as long as I'm still in Nanawak, the power transfer can't start.”

“Ah, you're right. I wonder for how much longer we'll be there…”

“I wonder if we'll be long enough to be considered drop-out.” Emori smiled. It had been a while, indeed, but the school knew and approved of our trip. They wouldn't do anything like that.

It reminded me of something Akaraseki said. “If I return to the school… won't I be a ticking time bomb?”

“You mean the demon king targeting you?”

“Is that really the case?”

As weird as the demon king hunting down gold and oil, the demon king hunting me sounds so much weirder. Especially since reading the demon king’s thoughts sound vague. If Akaraseki knew about me from his thoughts, then how did the demon king know about me?

Did his reach simply span much wider than all of us expected? Is there a mole in our group? In such a case, Asytelar would be the primary suspect, as she's the only one that claimed to know the demon king.

At the same time, everything she did was against the demon king, lowering the suspicion. But, that also made her even more suspicious, going by anime standards. Still, basing my arguments on anime tropes is an overall dumb move. We weren't in a condition where we could point fingers, either.

Or maybe, it wasn't a mole, rather my own actions. Everyone is surprised when they know that I'm a level 100. Maybe me killing that many monsters and absorbing that much magical energy is downright unnatural, hence the suspicion.

Many questions filled my head, but not many answers.

Before my mind could spiral farther, I noticed a warm sensation on my hand. Emori had reached out across the table and touched them.

She's surprisingly brave.

“It's showing on my face, isn't it?” I smiled wryly, holding her hand back.

“Yeah. You don't have to worry that much, though. I took you here so we can rest for a bit.”

“... Thank you.” I heaved a sigh.

“... Is that?” Emori pointed to the sky. I turned to look where she pointed at. Streaks of light flew across the horizon, painting the dark skies with a white light.

“Shooting stars?”

There were many of them, too many to count, all flying past the distant skies. Their sight invited surprised gasps from those on the roof, who all turned their heads to watch the beautiful spectacle.

“Fortis, make a wish!” Emori closed her eyes, her lips moving slightly.

I wish… I wish for a happy and peaceful life. For the two of us, and for everyone else in this world.

The light show continued even after I opened my eyes. We continued gazing at the sky together for a couple more seconds, until the sky once again turned dark.