Chapter 4: The Demon King’s Familiar
Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
「This is my team’s female dormitory.」
The female dormitory that Lyselia was staying in— <Hraesvelgr>, was a place that was rather far from the centre <Holy Sword Academy>.
It wasn’t a vertical city building, but closer to the manor of a noble that Leonis was used to seeing.
(... The design is probably based on a nostalgic hobby.)
It probably took reference from the buildings in the Rondelk dynasty. It was a powerful kingdom with a Magic Knight Corp, but in the end, they surrendered to Leonis’ undead army.
「The dormitory assignments are based on the team’s results.」
Lyselia said as she opened the door.
「Team...」
... Speaking of which, that Muzel did say he wanted Lyselia to join his team.
「Teams are a unit of <Holy Swordsman> consisting of five to six people.」
Lyselia explained.
The <Holy Sword Academy> formed tactical teams to fight against the <Void>.
Since the <Holy Sword> abilities came in a variety of forms, it was recommended that teams should be formed to cover each other’s weakness or improve performance through synergy between teammates. There were no restrictions of age and gender, and it was common for upperclassmen to team up with their juniors.
「The Academy is a pure meritocracy. Aside from team missions, there are also sparring matches and tournaments between <Holy Swordsman>. The higher ranked teams had priority to live in the new dormitories. The <Fafnir> dormitory has air conditioning, the newest training machines, jacuzzi and even a sauna!」
「...Oh.」
Leonis answered Lyselia absentmindedly as she clenched her fist.
He didn’t know what a jacuzzi was, but it was probably a weapon.
Lyselia’s room was on the second floor.
「Come in, make yourself at home—」
Lyselia who entered before him turned around and ushered him in.
「It might be a little late to say this, but can I enter a female dormitory?」
「Leo-kun is a kid, so it’s fine.」
There’s no way this is fine. Leonis thought exasperatedly as he entered.
Lyselia’s room was very tidy.
There was a big couch with cushions, a single bed with clean bedsheets, and a porcelain teapot on a wooden dining table.
There was a cactus used as decoration on the shelf by the window.
It was worlds apart from Demon King Leonis gloomy chambers in <Death Hold>.
「My own room is the most comfortable place after all.」
Lyselia sat on the bed and took off her stockings.
(...Hey, I’m still here!)
Leonis blushed and gulped.
Her well-toned thighs under her skirt were very stimulating to the eyes.
(Should I remind her with a cough, but...)
...If he did that, that would be saying that he was looking at her with lewd eyes.
(I-I can’t waver over this! I’m the Demon King, I just need to act with dignity.)
「Oh, Leo-kun, you can go in the bath first.」
Lyselia unbuttoned her blouse and pointed to the other side of the room.
◆
The comfortable warm water and rising steam obscured his view.
The shower room was surprisingly big.
Leonis’ impression of a shower was something like a hot spring or a public bath, something only royals and nobles could use alone.
(She’s like a noble...)
She had a maid and her actions were very graceful.
The warm water from the shower head wet Leonis’ dark hair.
(This device probably uses water and fire Sorcery.)
He inspected the shower head with the engraving of a lion curiously.
It could be activated with just a little Mana.
They had such a high-quality Sorcery device, but they lost the use of Sorcery itself.
During Leonis’ era, only some of the people with talent could use Sorcery, it was a very special power. But the humans of this era developed it into a skill that anyone could use.
(...That’s why Sorcery that requires talent isn’t needed anymore?)
Even though Sorcery was now obsolete, humans gained a new power when the <Void> appeared.
—<Holy Sword>. That was a special ability which was fundamentally different from Sorcery.
(...This doesn’t seem like a power that already exists in this world.)
Leonis couldn’t confirm this fact, but he couldn’t shake off this feeling.
Lyselia said this was a power bestowed to humans by the planet.
(Does the powers of the stars really exist—?)
<Void> and <Holy Sword>— This world was too different from the one Leonis knew of.
His information on this world was too limited for him to restart the Demon King Army.
Moving recklessly would just result in the digging of his own grave.
After all, did she really reincarnate into this world?
(Let’s wait for Shirley and Braccus’ reports first.)
Leonis used the lather from the soap to wash his hair.
(... Oh right, I did hear something that bothered me just now.)
Leonis recalled the conversation between Lyselia and Elffine.
There were large Ruins in the depths of this sea.
Leonis knew about those Ruins very well.
That was where the <Death Hold> of <Necrozoa> was located.
The final place of battle between the Six Braves and the Demon King Army.
Buried under the Ocean Floor were the remains of countless monsters, undead, and the Great Sage Araquil Degradios who merged with the <Holy Tree>.
(...Even the immortal Great Sage won’t survive the fall this deep into the Ocean Floor.)
But it bothered him that <Void> just happened to appear there.
(Is it a coincidence or—)
As Leonis was thinking about this while washing his hair.
「Leo-kun, do you know how to use the shower?」
「Yes, the temperature is just right... Hmm!?」
Leonis couldn’t help sounding flustered.
Swaying silver hair was on the other side of the steam.
Her virgin snow-like skin and bountiful breasts were in clear view.
「...Oh, wah...!」
Leonis tried to turn away in his stool hurriedly.
「Leo-kun, what’s wrong?」
「W-Why!?」
He then fell off the stool and onto his butt.
He forgot to cover his eyes and could see her beautiful naked body in its entirety.
Her long silver hair rests naturally over her body.
As if the goddess of the moon had descended to the mortal realm.
「What? Are you embarrassed about being seen naked? Even though you are a boy?」
(No, you should be the one who should feel embarrassed...!)
Leonis screamed in his heart.
...Maybe this was normal in the world after a thousand years?
(...The morals are different from my era!)
It was strange for a Demon King to think about morals, but Leonis’ mind was already in a mess.
「Ah!」
Lyselia looked down at Leonis and cried.
「W-What... S-Something happened?」
「You should use shampoo instead of soap.」
「... Ehh?」
Lyselia pouted, and made Leonis sit on the stool properly.
「You have beautiful hair, you damage it if you use soap.」
Lyselia sprayed water on Leonis’ head and rub shampoo foam into his hair.
「I can wash myself...」
「No. Leave it to big sister.」
「...!?」
Shampoo got into Leonis’ eyes, and he had to shut it tight.
「You have beautiful skin… It’s hard to imagine that you are a kid from outside the city.」
She then started scrubbing his back with a sponge.
The strongest Demon King was being toyed around wilfully. Leonis could feel a soft sensation on his back occasionally, which made his heart race. He decided not to think about what was the thing that he felt.
However, Lyselia didn’t seem to mind such intimate contact.
(Because I’m a kid—?)
But her fingers brushing through his head felt really comfortable.
「...Can I say something about myself?」
—She suddenly stopped and said.
「Okay.」
Leonis nodded.
She turned off the water.
「—My parents were killed by the <Void>.」
She said in a tone as if she was talking to herself.
「The <Stampede>, one started by a commander type <Void>, was an unpredictable catastrophe. Four years ago, the <Third Assault Garden> I resided in was destroyed in just one night.」
Her parents were <Holy Swordsmen> who led the tactical Knights Corp to protect the civilians and were killed in battle.
The only survivors of her family were she and the maid Regina.
「Ten days later, help arrived. Because my parents were <Holy Swordsmen>, they hoped I can call forth a <Holy Sword> too and was sent to the <Holy Sword Academy>, however—」
She looked vexed and couldn’t continue.
「You can’t materialize the power of the <Holy Sword>—?」
「—That’s right.」
Lyselia gave a slight nod.
「What Muzel said is true. I can’t awaken the powers of the <Holy Sword>.」
According to her—
Children who possess the factor of becoming a <Holy Swordsman> would show their powers earliest at age ten, and latest by age fourteen. Since both of Lyselia’s parents were <Holy Swordsman>, the probability of her awakening the powers of a <Holy Sword> was almost 90%.
But no matter how hard she tried, the powers of the <Holy Sword> didn’t grace her.
She actively took part in the dangerous Ruins investigation mission.
<Holy Sword> was the power to fight <Void>. If she fought with the <Void>, maybe that power would awaken.
「That’s too rash...」
「... Yes... I know.」
She lowered her head when she heard what Leonis said.
「If I don’t awaken my <Holy Sword>, then I won’t have the right to stay here.」
She sounded vexed and anxious.
...Leonis understood how she felt.
She craved power more than anyone else but couldn’t get it.
He was the same in the past, craving desperately for power in order to protect the people important to him.
「But I’m sure I can awaken my <Holy Sword> one day.」
Lyselia clenched her fists before her chest.
「Leo-kun, well—」
She started to stutter.
「If you don’t mind, want to join my team?」
「...Me?」
「Of course, I won’t force you.」
She shook her head.
「You are free to join whichever team you choose. Your <Healing> <Holy Sword> is very rare, and all the teams will welcome you—」
Lyselia said reservedly.
...Was that a recruitment pitch?
「That’s why you are seducing me? I’m a little disappointed.」
「S-Sed... t-that’s not true!」
Lyselia quickly moved her body away.
「I’m just kidding. But you might cause a misunderstanding, you know?」
「... You look so cute, but you are such a bully.」
Lyselia puffed her cheeks.
...She had a noble and fair personality.
Which was why she mentioned in advance that she couldn’t use a <Holy Sword>.
A girl who couldn’t awaken her <Holy Sword> and might get expelled. Aside from people like Muzel who had ulterior motives, considering the pros and cons, no one would team up with her.
(... But I was already planning on that.)
— It was more convenient for him to move together with his Familiar.
「... You can eat snacks whenever you like on our team.」
「You are bribing me with food this time?」
「...T-That’s not...!」
At this moment.
「...Hmm...?」
She couldn’t stand steadily and fell.
「......Are you alright?」
Leonis immediately grabbed her shoulders.
Lyselia didn’t seem to realize that yet—
Her body was as cold as a corpse.
「...Ah… sorry, I suddenly feel weak...」
(...She’s almost at her limit.)
She suddenly started gasping painfully.
Her ice blue eyes had already lost their shine.
Leonis let her lie down in as comfortable a position as she could.
「Sorry for lying to you.」
「...Ehh?」
Lyselia looked at Leonis with a blank face.
「—I didn’t use the power of the <Holy Sword> to heal Ms Selia.」
Indeed, that wasn’t healing. Because she—
「...Leo...kun...?」
「Lyselia Christalia, you are already dead.」
◆
「... L-Leo-kun... What are you saying...?」
She panted painfully as she asked.
She didn’t understand what the boy just said.
(...Well, that’s a given.)
Her appearance was too stimulating, and Leonis averted his eyes and said:
「Ms Selia was killed by the monster in the Ruins. My power can only control <Death> and can’t revive a <life> that had already been lost.」
That’s right, Undead King Leonis couldn’t use <Holy Sorcery>.
Hence, he used Sorcery from the <Realm of Death> to turn her into an undead.
「B-But, I—」
「Unfortunately, you only look like you are alive.」
Leonis shook his head.
「This mark is the proof.」
「...!?」
There was a red mark on her thigh.
「...T-This is?」
「Tenth Grade Spell, <Create Elder Undead>. It was a gamble; I was prepared for you to turn into dust or a mindless ghoul—」
The results far exceeded the Demon King’s expectations.
That red mark showed that she was the strongest undead Familiar—
「—Vampire Queen. You are an undead of the highest rank.」
The condition was a noble soul that was befitting for the ruler of the night.
And a pure and unsullied virgin—
「Vampire... Ah, ughh...」
Lyselia groaned in pain.
「You are low on Mana. Please bear with this for a while.」
Leonis squatted down beside her.
He had an enormous amount of mana as a Demon King and pumped them into the mark on her thigh with his finger.
「...Ahh...」
Lyselia bit her lips and suppressed her moan.
「Ah... ah... mmh...」
Her ice blue eyes had turned a fiery red.
A moan came from her throat.
「...Ah, ugh… mmm…」
When her Mana ran low, her craving for blood was very strong.
It couldn’t be suppressed with reason alone.
Leonis placed his index finger before her.
Lyselia stuck out her tongue mindlessly and bit it with her sharp fang.
「...Ugh...」
There wasn’t any pain, but the slight itch made him frown.
With the blood of a Demon King as a medium, the Mana circulated within her body, and her long silver hair turned even more lustrous.
◆
Lyselia finally recovered tens of minutes later.
Her heart started pumping after her Mana was refuelled, and her body temperature returned to normal.
「...Who are you?」
She asked while lying in her bed and covered by a blanket.
After calming down, she finally understood that she was an undead.
「I’m a Mage from an ancient time who had woke up from his slumber.」
Leonis said as he tried on the shirt of his uniform.
He hid his identity as a <Demon King>. He only said that he was a Mage sleeping in that crystal and could use the lost art of Sorcery.
And he used Sorcery to turn her into his Familiar—
Lyselia listened to his explanation in silence.
「...Sorcery? Not the power of the <Holy Sword>?」
「Back in my time, Mana was used in the form of spells.」
「Oh...」
She wasn’t entirely convinced, but—
Lyselia looked at her own body again.
「... I understand. I believe you.」
She then sighed softly.
「After all, I’m already dead.」
「Sorry. That was the only way I could save you with my Sorcery.」
「... I understand that.」
She was surprised, but she couldn’t deny the facts and chose to accept it.
Lyselia was smarter than he thought.
(But her emotions are still a mess...)
...That couldn’t be helped.
Lyselia covered her head with her blanket.
「I’m no longer human, right?」
「...That’s true.」
Leonis said apologetically.
「Do you think I can conjure a <Holy Sword>?」
「I don’t know.」
Leonis didn’t really know about the <Holy Sword>.
He couldn’t say something he wasn’t certain of.
「I see—」
Silence.
「But you saved me after I died, right?」
「...」
What a serious girl.
By the way, she died because she tried to rescue Leonis.
She didn’t blame Leonis for that.
「— In that case, I should thank you.」
She said while she was hugging a pillow.
「Ehh?」
「Instead of dying there, this is much better, right?」
「Well, you are right...」
Leonis didn’t know what to say.
「... Okay. I finally resolved myself.」
Lyselia stood up determinedly with the blanket still on her.
「Oh right, what’s your goal? Why were you sleeping?」
「I...」
Leonis organized her thoughts.
「There’s someone in this world that I want to find.」
「Searching for someone?」
Lyselia reacted a little when she heard his sincere voice.
「...Is it an important person to you?」
「Yes.」
Leonis nodded.
「I see. I understand.」
Lyselia smiled.
「I will help you find that person.」
「That will be a big help, but—」
「In exchange—」
Lyselia raised her index finger.
「I want to get stronger. And fight the <Void>.」
「Piece of cake.」
Leonis readily agreed to training his Familiar.
「Well then, once again, I will be in your care, Leo-kun.」
Demon King and his <Vampire> Familiar shook hands.
Chapter 5: Holy Sword Trial
And so Leonis formed a Familiar contract with Lyselia.
Before starting the <Holy Sword Trial> with the Management Bureau, they decided to get something to eat.
Leonis didn’t have an immortal body anymore. If he didn’t eat, he wouldn’t be able to use Sorcery.
「What do you plan to do if I tell the Management Bureau your real identity?」
「—I’m not worried about that.」
If she revealed Leonis’ identity, then her identity as a <Vampire> would be made known too. Since she was aiming to be a <Holy Swordsman>, she didn’t have any other choice.
「...I-I understand.」
She grunted unhappily.
「In any case, a Familiar can’t betray their Master.」
Leonis looked at the mark on her hand.
「Hmm, what’s this?」
「The <Mark> of Domination and Enslavement. It can force the Familiar to obey any orders—」
「N-No way... Lewd orders too!?」
Lyselia looked as if she was about to cry.
「... Well, it can, but I won’t do such a thing.」
「...R-Really?」
「Really.」
Leonis said exasperatedly.
...There were <Demon Kings> who forced their Familiar to do that.
However, Demon King Leonis would never treat his Familiar and underlings like that.
「...I understand, I believe you, Leo-kun. You were very gentlemanly during the shower too.」
Lyselia nodded.
「So, what does a Familiar do?」
「Familiars need to protect their Masters. After all, my current body is really frail.」
She smiled when Leonis said that.
「Got it. Big sister will protect you.」
She stroked Leonis’ head happily.
— They then went to the academy’s cafeteria.
When they were seated, Leonis had the opposite impression of how he felt when he had his shower earlier.
(...The body of humans is really annoying.)
On the other hand, Lyselia who had just become an undead felt uneasy.
「Hey, I’m not really hungry, can I still eat normally?」
「The high tier Vampire can eat normal food. But it would take a lot of time to convert food into Mana, so it’s not efficient.」
Leonis continued quietly:
「And unlike most Vampires, you can go out in daytime.」
Vampire Queen was the highest ranked undead that was on par with <Elder Lich>, <Dark Knight>. Different from normal Nightwalkers, she was a High Daywalker.
「...I see, that’s great.」
Lyselia sighed with relief.
Well, from the perspective of disguising herself, being able to eat normally was great.
「Well, if you really want to suck blood, you can suck me off.」
Even though he saved her laugh, the results were that he turned a girl who wanted to be a Paladin into an undead.
So, it was only natural for him to provide her with blood.
Lyselia gulped when she heard that.
「...」
Her ice blue eyes were staring right at Leonis’ neck.
「Erm... not too much, okay?」
「I-I’m not thinking about that!」
Lyselia averted her gaze with a blush.
「I won’t suck blood or forget that I’m a human.」
「...You are too loud...!」
Leonis quickly looked around him.
It was 3 pm and not very crowded, but some people were looking at them and whispering.
(... Did they overhear us?)
To confirm this, Leonis used his <Sense Expansion> spell to eavesdrop on his surroundings.
『Hey hey, isn’t that kid really cute?』
『Ehh? He’s just a kid, that’s your type?』
『Yes, I think it’s better to get a head start, you know?』
『Uwah, that sounds like a crime. In the future, that cute boy might become a Demon King in the sheets though?』
『Why are you making it sound so bad… Oh, he’s looking this way ♪』
One of the girls smiled and waved at Leonis.
...As there wasn’t anything to be concerned about, Leonis chose to ignore her.
Although he was a little tense when he heard the term Demon King.
「Be careful when you speak...」
Lyselia covered her face with the menu embarrassingly.
「Well, have you decided on your orders?」
「...Bread.」
「Bread... Toasts like this?」
「Yes, that one.」
「There are plenty of other choices. The food in this student cafeteria is amazing.」
Lyselia showed him the menu.
「Bread will be fine. I can’t tell what the others are—」
Leonis shook his head.
(...Gratin, lasagna, pasta, what’s all that...?」
These dishes didn’t exist a millennium ago. Maybe it was served to the nobles, but that had nothing to do with Leonis.
Lyselia poked Leonis’ forehead.
「You can’t just eat bread. Your nutrition would get unbalanced.」
「I don’t want an undead to tell me about nutrition— Ah.」
He realized too late that he had misspoke.
「...~!」
Lyselia was about to cry.
「It’s my fault! That was my bad!」
Leonis apologized profusely. It was weird for a Demon King to apologize to his Familiar, but she didn’t turn into an undead because she wanted to.
「...Meanie.」
「...Sorry.」
She grunted when Leonis apologized again.
「Then, how about pasta with seasonal vegetables?」
「Yes, let’s go with that.」
Leonis nodded. And so Lyselia ordered pasta and salad.
「It’s big sister’s treat today. When you get your official ID card, you can swipe it too.」
「Swipe?」
「That’s how you spend money in this city. If you complete the mission in the academy, money will be transferred to your card.」
「Oh, money. I have plenty of that—」
Leonis smiled proudly and took out a gold coin from his shadow.
Reidoa Large Gold Coin issued by the Sucharest Empire.
This coin was enough to support a peasant for a lifetime.
There were 2000 Reidoa Large Gold Coins in Leonis’ <Realm of Shadows>.
He took out the war fund from the treasury of <Necrozoa> that was needed to rebuilt the Demon King Army.
However—
「...What’s that?」
Lyselia reaction was very calm.
...Ehh?
「This is a Reidoa Gold Coin. One is enough to buy this restaurant.」
「Ehh... You can’t use that here.」
Lyselia said with an awkward face.
「All transactions in the <Seventh Assault Garden> are by card only.」
「...What...」
Leonis was shocked.
「Even if it can’t be used as a currency, it’s a valuable metal...」
「Oh, so it’s pure gold. But gold isn’t that valuable either.」
「Ehh...」
「It can be used for decoration, but the silver refined through Magic is much more valuable.」
Most of his treasure in the <Realm of Shadows> lost its value that instant.
「So it’s my treat.」
The smiling Lyselia made Leonis feel vexed.
「—Oh, that’s a beautiful old coin.」
A voice that felt like a breeze came from the side.
He turned to look, and saw a girl looking at Leonis’ gold coin with intrigue.
Her blue hair reminded him of the azure sky.
It was short, which made her look like a handsome boy, but Leonis could see her slightly bulging bust under her white clothes.
She was petite, only slightly taller than the ten years old Leonis, and draped her uniform on her shoulders, in a style different from Lyselia.
Her features were delicate, and she was a very pretty girl.
「Oh, Sakuya—」
Lyselia looked up and waved at her.
...So, she was an acquaintance.
「Isn’t there a lecture on tactics today?」
「Yes, but it was too boring so I snuck out.」
The short hair beauty said and then looked at Leonis.
「Are you that boy who can use a <Holy Sword>—」
「You know about Leo-kun?」
「Yes, Elffine Senpai mentioned it. You found him in the Ruins, right?」
「Yes, I got abducted by the <Void>, but Ms Selia rescued me—」
「I see, in any case, it’s great that you are safe.」
The girl reached out her right hand.
「I’m Sakuya Sigelinde. A pleasure to meet you.」
「Leonis Magnus.」
Leonis politely shook her hand.
Her hand was small and a little cold, just like a normal girl.
However, Leonis noticed the moment he held her hand.
(...This is the hand of a sword wielder.)
The girl was about 14 to 15 years old.
Just how much training did she went through before this age—
「Oh, Leo is a good name, reminds me of a lion.」
The girl let go with a smile.
「Sakuya is our team’s vanguard attacker.」
Lyselia introduced her.
... I see, so she was a teammate.
He was curious how she recruited a swordsman like her into the team.
「Senpai, are you having lunch?」
「Yes. After we are done with lunch, I will go with Leo-kun to register his <Holy Sword>.」
「I see, sorry for interrupting.」
「Not at all. Sakuya, did you have lunch?」
「Erm...」
Sakuya’s eyes started to waver.
「Well, I don’t have money in my card today.」
「Ehh? Where did your money go?」
Lyselia asked in surprise.
「I gambled it away.」
「...You did this to yourself.」
「That’s true.」
Lyselia commented coldly, and Leonis nodded.
「...N-No, that’s not what happened.」
Sakuya shook her head and explained.
「I got too into the game, and before I realized...」
「...」
Lyselia’s eyes became stern.
...Ms Sakuya looked cool, but she was hopeless in a sense.
「I used up the money in my card. I was told that the losses could be forgiven if I showed my tits, so I had no choice but to strip. And then, an instructor on patrol barged in.」
「Sakuya!? You can’t do that, you’re a girl!」
Lyselia shook Sakuya’s shoulders hard.
「It’s fine, the other party is also a girl.」
「...What happened next?」
Lyselia seemed troubled.
Indeed, Ms Sakuya’s looks were probably popular with other girls—
「And so, I’m penniless now.」
She said proudly.
Lyselia sighed in resignation.
「It can’t be helped, I will treat you to lunch.」
「No Senpai, that’s too—」
「It’s fine. I completed the mission to investigate a Ruins, so I have credit in my card.」
Lyselia twirled the card in her hand.
「I’m very grateful. I’m actually very hungry.」
Sakuya bowed deeply, then sat down politely.
「What did you order, kid?」
「Something I don’t know.」
「You are very adventurous. I will order pancakes.」
「Sakuya, you can’t just eat sweet dishes.」
「It’s fine, I won’t get fat.」
「That’s not what I mean...」
Lyselia pressed her temple exasperatedly.
Before the food was served, Leonis asked something that was bothering him.
「Erm... Ms Sakuya, what’s with your clothes?」
「This is the traditional costume of my home nation— <Ouran>.」
Sakuya answered with a nod.
「—A memento from my late sister.」
In that moment, there was a dim fire in her eyes.
「My entire clan in the village were killed by the <Void>. My goal is to wipe them all out.」
Her voice was chilling.
The students around them couldn’t help looking her way.
Leonis had seen several people who had the same eyes as her.
(...She’s an avenger, huh.)
「Sakuya...」
Lyselia said quietly from the side.
「My apologies. I shouldn’t be saying this during our first meeting.」
Sakuya shrugged weakly.
「No, I was too thoughtless with my question.」
「This is against the academy’s rules, but I can’t take off my late sister’s memento. So I received special permission.」
「Sakuya had defeated a <Void> by herself before. There aren’t many cadets from elementary school with that achievement.」
<TL: 初等生>
「That’s not much— Oh, the food is here.」
The server brought them the dishes, and Leonis got the pasta with seasonal vegetables.
◆
The pasta with seasonal vegetables were very much to Leonis’ liking. It had plenty of seasoning and was a huge improvement to human cuisine from a thousand years ago.
Sakuya Sigelinde said she wanted to buy some personal effects and returned to the dormitory.
...It was really worrying that she started gambling at such a tender age.
After leaving the cafeteria, Leonis was brought to the academy’s training grounds.
There were many multipurpose training facilities there. In Leonis’ era, the space was vast enough to build two or three big fortresses.
(This place alone was enough to deploy tens of thousands of Skeleton Warriors...)
A woman in military uniform was waiting there with her hands on her hip.
「You are right on time. I will be the supervisor for this trial, Diegrasse Alto.」
「Leonis Magnus.」
「... You are the boy found in the Ruins?」
She checked Leonis out.
「Don’t be so tense, this trial is just to determine the type of your <Holy Sword>.」
「Type?」
「To register Leo-kun’s <Holy Sword> abilities and use it as reference to formulate a training curriculum.」
Lyselia made a timely explanation.
There were a huge variety of <Holy Swords>, and there wasn’t one single way to determine its true value. Hence, the instructor for the <Holy Swordsman> had to see for themselves and judge it from multiple aspects.
「That’s how it is. Without further ado, can you show me your <Holy Sword>?」
「...Understood. Come forth, <Sorcery Staff of Sealed Sin>!」
On Leonis summon, the Sorcery Staff appeared from the shadows and popped up into his hand.
「A <Staff>— So that’s your <Holy Sword>. What type is your ability?」
「Erm, it’s probably... a support type. It can change based on the situation.」
Leonis tried to fudge it over.
「I see, a <Universal Support Type>—」
Diegrasse typed something into her tablet.
「Next, show me your power—」
She tapped on her terminal, and a metal plate in a corner of the training grounds propped up.
It was a strange object in the form of an eight-legged spider. Red <Mana Crystals> about the size of a fist were embedded in its joints.
「What’s that?」
「A <Void Simulator> researched and developed by the Magic Engineering Department. A program has been installed in it to mimic the way a <Void> fights.」
Lyselia said.
「It has been reduced to the level suitable for a trial. Try fighting it.」
「...Understood.」
(... What’s that toy?)
Leonis reluctantly raised his Sorcery Staff.
(Well, the Second Grade spell, Heavy Bullet <Belton>, should be enough—)
...He decided to go through the troublesome procedure quickly.
With an exaggerated swing of his Sorcery Staff, he unleashed a Gravity Type spell.
Zoom!
The <Void Simulator> was smashed into pieces with a loud noise.
「...!?」
Diegrasse and Lyselia were both shocked.
(...Shit, did I overdo it?)
「The <Void Simulator> made from Metahalcon got smashed into bits...?」
<TL: メタハルコン, a metal in Dragon Quest>
「Aren’t you an <Universal Support Type>!? That attack just now—」
「Erm, maybe I just happen to hit its weak spot?」
「That’s impossible! Yes, we will need to investigate your <Holy Sword> carefully.」
Diegrasse stared at Leonis sternly.
「Ughh...」
...Oh no, she’s suspecting me.
「Let’s start the next trial—」
When she said that,
「Wait—」
A familiar voice sounded out.
A handsome blonde man surrounded by girls walked over.
Muzel Rhodes.
「What is it, Count Muzel, we are having a trial here.」
When she saw the uninvited guest, Diegrasse cast a sharp gaze his way.
But Muzel just walked to Leonis with a smile.
「Instructor, may I handle his trial?」
「What did you say?」
Diegrasse frowned.
「Count Muzel, unofficial matches are prohibited.」
「It’s not a match, but a trial. It’s fine if the instructor permits. As a first class <Holy Swordsman>, I have that qualification.」
He was probably trying to get revenge and showed a cruel smile.
Diegrasse looked down at Leonis and asked quietly.
「Boy, did you provoked him?」
「...I didn’t.」
She relaxed her shoulders when Leonis denied that. She then looked at the remnants of the <Void Simulator>.
「Hmm—」
She raised the corners of her lips as if she just thought of something.
「Well, since you can break the <Void Simulator>, this will be fine.」
(...This woman wants to test my power.)
The earlier attack probably piqued her interest.
(Well, never mind—)
Leonis didn’t like to argue over trivial matters.
「I don’t mind. So Senpai will take the place of that pile of junk there?」
「... What did you say, you little...!」
Muzel’s composed face immediately contorted in rage.
To get taunted so easily, this man was a pushover.
(...It will be bothersome if he finds trouble with me in the future.)
Trash like him needed to be taken out in public completely.
「Wait, Leo-kun!?」
Lyselia tried to stop him.
「I will make you regret this— Hey!」
Muzel sent a signal, and the four girls drew their weapons.
Two swords, one war hammer and a spear.
All of them were probably <Holy Swords>.
Their movements were stiff like marionettes.
「It’s despicable to send four of them at once!」
Lyselia protested.
「This is my <Holy Sword>— Staff of Domination, <Dominion>. They are all part of my weapon.」
Muzel showed his short staff that looked like a command baton.
(That’s his <Holy Sword>—)
「That’s too...」
Lyselia looked at Diegrasse.
But she just shook her head.
...This instructor is just watching on the side lines.
「Well, he has a point—」
The army of undead summoned by Leonis wasn’t his own power either.
By the same logic, the domination powers of that man’s <Holy Sword> was also part of his power.
「Leo-kun...」
「So I just need to defeat these four people and senpai, right?」
「Yes, that’s right—」
Diegrasse nodded.
「Wait, in that case, I will fight too.」
Lyselia said.
「I’m Leo-kun‘s Fam— Guardian.」
「Ms Selia—」
「Fuhaha, that’s fine!」
Muzel showed a twisted expression.
That scum already expected Lyselia to barge in.
He had the look of a villain whose evil scheme worked.
「But I have a condition.」
「What is it?」
「You have to join my team if you lose.」
「...What did you say?」
「I made a compromise, so you should accept this condition too.」
「...!」
Lyselia grit her teeth.
She would end up like those girls if she joined his team.
This man obviously had a twisted obsession towards her.
...Lyselia knew very well how he would treat her.
It was only natural for her to hesitate.
「Fine.」
The one who answered was Leonis.
「...Ehh?」
「However, if Muzel-senpai loses—」
Leonis pointed his finger out.
「Then don’t bother Selia anymore.」
He intentionally left out the honorifics when he mentioned Selia’s name.
「...Fine. I swear on my <Holy Sword>.」
「Leo-kun—」
Lyselia muttered a little uneasily.
「I won’t let anyone lay a hand on my Familiar.」
When she heard Leonis’ quiet reply, she resolved herself and nodded.
There was some unexpected trouble—
But this was a chance to test the might of Lyselia who had turned into an undead Familiar.
(If I take care of the support, we can trick the instructor.)
「Instructor, can I borrow a training sword device?」
「Yes, use it.」
Diegrasse tossed a rod-shaped weapon to her.
Lyselia caught it, and the blade started to glow.
「What’s that?」
「A Third Grade Holy Sword, <Artificial Relic>. It’s a replica of a <Holy Sword> made for training purposes. It’s ineffective against the <Void>—」
So it was a weapon that used Mana.
「Can you use a sword?」
She was using a projectile weapon in the Ruins, so he was surprised to see her use a sword.
「—I trained with one in order to awaken my <Holy Sword>.」
She tried a few test swings.
Her form wasn’t bad.
「The Holy Sword is a manifestation of the soul. If I can conjure my <Holy Sword>, it will definitely be in the form of a sword.」
She held her sword with both hands and walked in front.
「I will be the vanguard, and Leo-kun will support me, is that fine?」
Leonis nodded and agreed.
He looked around him and saw a large number of students had gathered around.
「As per the usual training matches rule, losing consciousness or surrendering results in a loss. I will use my authority to stop the match if I judge it to be too dangerous.」
「You better pray that you get the chance to say you yield.」
Muzel smiled suggestively.
「—<Holy Sword> battle, begin!」
On Diegrasse’s signal, the trial by combat began.
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