Editing/Standardisation: Medicine Melancholy
Original Translation: Medicine Melancholy
Iris
“The Jet-Black Inferno, Artorius… I hereby entrust it to Saulques Norglacier.”
“…Yes, I gladly accept this honor.”
As I made the declaration, holding up the Artorius with both hands, the red line running along its sheath flickered with light, and I felt a sensation as though a missing piece within me had clicked into place.
The sword’s ownership had now officially transferred to Nii-sama. With a nod of acknowledgment, he swiftly drew the blade from my hands.
The single-edged blade, with its subtle curve, was as dark and clear as the night sky, just like its hilt.
“…How does it feel?”
I asked, watching as Nii-sama toyed with the sword, switching between forward and reverse grips, testing its balance.
After adjusting his hold several times, Nii-sama focused his energy into the sword. Suddenly, a dark flame, befitting its name, erupted from the blade with a whoosh.
“…Not bad at all. It’ll take some practice to wield both swords simultaneously, and since I usually carry a shield, I probably won’t use this often. But when I need extra firepower, I’ll be sure to put it to good use.”
“I see…”
I let out a sigh of relief and smiled, and Nii-sama returned me a smile of his own. With that, this matter seemed to be settled.
“Well then… That leaves the issue with this one.”
Saying so, Master Nephilim pointed to the Ars Ray on the table.
“This Ars Ray utilizes an energy field blade thanks to the Dragon Core embedded within it, which allows it to mimic the magic of dragons. Did I ever explain that to you?”
“No, first time I’ve heard of it…”
“That means I need to explain dragon energy… no, Dragon Core from the start.”
When Master Nephilim posed this question, I timidly raised my hand.
“Um… If you don’t mind, I can explain in your stead…”
Thankfully, I had done some research out of personal interest, so I felt confident enough—hopefully.
Master Nephilim nodded, gesturing for me to go ahead. After organizing my thoughts, I began to speak.
“First, what exactly is ‘dragon energy’? No, more importantly, what is the role of Dragon Core?”
I prefaced my explanation and continued.
“High-level dragons with Dragon Cores in their bodies possess two unique abilities. Any Worldgate Online player would know those well.”
“Yeah, one is their signature move, the dragon breath.”
“And the other is their Mystic Eyes… the ability to cancel magic, right?”
Reiji-san and Nii-sama immediately replied to my words.
The three of us already had experience battling dragon raid bosses… mainly to farm materials to craft the Ars Ray for Reiji-san… so we were familiar with their characteristics.
Dragons don’t use magic the same way humans do… their source of power was provisionally known among humans as “dragon energy”.
Their most common ability is dragon’s breath, which unleashes dragon energy stored in their internal organs from their mouths… But those possessing Dragon Cores are also capable of using Mystic Eyes, which can dispel magic in a so-called “freezing wave”.
“I think that most people probably think that dragons’ Mystic Eyes have the ability to dispel magic…”
Everyone who knew even a little about the dragon species nodded.
“However, during my own research, I stumbled upon a theory in a document that piqued my interest. The author was… His Majesty Aureolus Norglacier, the previous king of Norglacier.”
I put aside the complicated feelings in my heart as I spoke his name.
His Majesty Aureolus, who had been bestowed the magic name of “World”.
He was said to be one of the most skilled users of spatial magic in history.
In his research on dragon energy, he had written a particularly intriguing line.
It read: “Those eyes do not simply erase magic. They alter the space they see.”
In essence, from a “world with magic”, they transform that space into a “world without magic”.
The magic that once existed is converted into non-existence, and the difference is collected as energy within the dragon.
This process requires no additional techniques or complex rituals. All of the magic is efficiently converted into energy, which the dragon can use for its breath attack.
“Essentially, the Dragon Core’s power is to induce a phase shift in the magic within a designated space, and the energy extracted from this process becomes dragon energy. Does that sound correct?”
“…Yes. That’s spot on, Lady Iris! You did your homework really well! I’m impressed!”
Master Nephilim affirmed my answer, though he seemed to break into a nervous sweat and avoid my gaze for some reason.
“Thank goodness… I was worried I might’ve made a mistake after putting on such a confident act.”
“I mean… You’re even more knowledgeable about this than I am, Lady Iris…”
Master Nephilim muttered to himself before clearing his throat and continuing.
“In any case, the Dragon Core’s power is exactly as Lady Iris said. When embedded in a sword, the Core absorbs the wielder’s life force or magical power, converting it into dragon energy and forming the blade.”
“Does that mean the wielder experiences excessive strain because…?”
“Exactly. The Ars Ray uses the core of an Elder Dragon, which is too powerful for Reiji here to handle. It continuously drains his energy, eventually causing him to collapse. Are we all on the same page so far?”
The three of us nodded in unison.
“So, how do we solve this problem? The solution is simple. Replace the core with one from a smaller dragon—perhaps a Greater-class one.”
“Hold on a second! Wouldn’t that…?!”
Reiji-san hastily interrupted, clearly distressed by Master Nephilim’s suggestion.
This wasn’t an acceptable solution for him, for obvious reasons. If he uses a weaker Dragon Core…
“Exactly. The weapon’s performance would drop. I imagine that would be an issue for you, wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah… that would defeat the purpose of carrying the sword around.”
Reiji-san wanted the Ars Ray to remain a trump card for emergencies, and if its performance dropped, his other weapon, Arventia, would suffice.
While I understood the logic behind this, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
“Don’t make such a face. This is the part where I come in, after all.”
Master Nephilim threw a confident look my way, as if telling me he got it all covered.
And with that, he pulled out a huge stack of papers from beside him.
Depicted on it was the blueprints for a sword that seems to be the Ars Ray, surrounded by countless annotations.
However…
“…This part is shaped differently.”
Reiji-san pointed at where the Dragon Core was embedded, specifically the hilt.
“Is that… an additional slot?”
Hearing those words, Master Nephilim chuckled proudly and explained.
“Indeed it is. I’m planning to incorporate another Dragon Core as an auxiliary power source, and make it so that you can switch the circuit to the original core at will.”
“…Is that even possible?!”
“Of course. This modification will allow it to activate with much less strain during normal use, and theoretically, the energy stored in the smaller core should significantly reduce the burden for a short period when the weapon is at full power.”
“Seriously?!”
“That’s… that’s amazing, Nephilim-sama!”
“Hahaha, praise me more! …is what I would have said in this situation.”
Master Nephilim laughed, clearly pleased with our admiration, but quickly returned to a serious expression and continued.
“The modifications themselves will take a few days. I should have it finished by the day before the Grand Harvest Festival’s finals, around the time of the pre-finals celebration… however.”
Master Nephilim, who had been speaking cheerfully, suddenly became somber.
“There’s a problem. I don’t have the Dragon Core needed for the modification on hand right now.”
“………You’ve got to be kidding.”
Everyone in the room felt the mood deflate as we all let out a collective sigh of disappointment.
“…Could it be that you want us to obtain the Dragon Core ourselves?”
“Yes, it’s the Dragon Core.”
“And where exactly are we supposed to find something like that?”
Greater dragons aren’t exactly easy to come by, and with the world currently at peace with the dragon race, there’s no reason to hunt one, nor would it be appropriate to provoke them without cause.
“It’s not like the only way to obtain one is by defeating a dragon. You just need to get your hands on an existing one.”
“You have a lead on that…?”
“Indeed. In fact, one of the rewards offered to the top contestants in the Grand Harvest Festival allows them to choose from various prizes.”
Master Nephilim explained that, through records of past hunts, there are some Dragon Cores up to Greater-class in circulation. While rare, they’re not unheard of, and one of the rewards, in addition to the prize money, for placing in the top ranks of the tournament includes rare materials, among which is a Dragon Core.
However, there was a catch. According to Master Nephilim, to be eligible to choose such a prize, we’d need to place at least in the top four of the Freshman Division.
“And that… is my actual request.”
“…Your actual request?”
That was a statement we couldn’t ignore. I turned my gaze toward Master Nephilim’s large single eye, squinting at him accusingly.
“…Sorry. I wanted to say something, but the two of you were so caught up in your discussion that it didn’t seem like the right moment. So, could you stop glaring at me like that?”
Seeing his embarrassed expression as he averted his gaze, I decided to let it go for now.
“Although I may be a demi-human, I’m a long-standing resident of this city and have quite a bit of influence. I even contributed a few pieces of my work to the prize pool for this tournament.”
Apparently, Master Nephilim was also a member of the Grand Harvest Festival’s organizing committee.
“…Recently, several participants have been attacked, forcing some to withdraw from the tournament.”
“Oh… that’s yesterday’s incident.”
“Hmm? You know about that already?”
“Yeah, I caught the culprits and handed them over to the guards.”
“I see… small world, isn’t it? The reason is unclear, but considering that the victims were strong contenders, it’s hard not to suspect some kind of conspiracy by those aiming for the top.”
“We did consider that angle, but… doesn’t it seem too risky just for the sake of gaining fame?”
The city was currently under strict surveillance. Considering the risks involved if they’re caught, it wouldn’t be worth it for anyone to cheat.
“…If we consider the worst-case scenario, it’s possible that someone is planning to infiltrate the festivities either the night before the finals or after the tournament concludes. The top finalists are traditionally expected to attend these events, which will also be attended by important guests from various countries.”
“That would be…”
“It would be the perfect opportunity to cause trouble, wouldn’t it? Moreover, the culprit you captured yesterday is suspected to be part of a criminal organization from the western continent, isn’t that right?”
At this, Reiji-san, who had been directly involved in the incident, fell silent.
However, given that these events are prestigious and have been held for years, it’s difficult to exclude anyone based on mere suspicion or for us to decline participation without concrete evidence.
Of course, if something were to happen at such a venue, it would be a matter of great importance, so security will be as tight as possible. It’s unlikely that anyone would dare to cause trouble there.
“…Still, there must be a compelling reason to risk such an act.”
I could feel everyone’s gaze shift towards me as Nii-sama spoke.
“…Mm. It’s a real possibility. If someone know about your existence… they might want to take you into custody.”
Despite saying “might”, Master Nephilim, along with Reiji-san and Nii-sama, who knew the situation well, seemed half-convinced that this is the case.
Yes… my existence alone was enough for me to become a target.
Moreover, according to Reiji-san, this wasn’t the first time something like this has happened.
“What I’m asking of you, is that someone among you who’s confident in their skills should substitute for the attacked contestants. In case anyone is up to something, this will be to remove them from the tournament.”
Master Nephilim then explained that he initially planned to hire somebody else for this job and didn’t intend to involve us.
However, it would be pointless if the hired person also fell victim to the attacks. If someone’s going to do it, they have to be really powerful.
“There are hardly any prominent candidates left in this city who are eligible to compete in the Freshman Division and whose identities are fully verified, but haven’t already committed to participating.”
After all, this is the greatest martial arts festival in the world, held once every four years. Every martial artist who dreams of competing on this stage has already gathered in this city.
“And then, you all showed up—highly skilled, with no issues regarding your status or credibility.”
After saying this, he let out a deep sigh. His expression was solemn and serious.
“This city accepted me, even though I’m not human. I’m attached to this place, and as its resident, I want to see this grand festival end safely. For that purpose, I won’t hesitate to offer my help… Please, lend me your strength.”
With those words, Master Nephilim bowed his head.
“…Well, I’m going for sure.”
As expected, it was Reiji-san who spoke up first.
“Of course, I’ll crush whatever schemes they have. But, honestly, I’ve always wanted to test myself, to see how far I can go.”
Though Reiji-san had accompanied us as a bodyguard for Leonhardt-sama, it had been clear for some time that he was eager to compete. Now that participating could help protect us, it seemed likely he would ask for permission to join.
“Are you guys okay with this, by the way? I kind of went and decided on my own…”
“Don’t worry, I won’t stop you. Just do as you please, Reiji-san.”
“You sure?”
“Well, I’m a bit worried, but…”
Even though it’s supposed to be a contest, and healers are always on standby in case of accidents, the tournament is still serious business where the use of weapon is allowed.
I couldn’t help but feel worried about the possibility of him getting injured. However, even more than that… as soon as the possibility of participating in the tournament arose, I could immediately tell that Reiji-san was getting restless with excitement.
“Your eyes are gleaming with excitement, Reiji-san… so go ahead and give it your all. I’ll be cheering for you.”
“…Yeah!”
Reiji-san nodded vigorously.
He looked as enthusiastic as a boy ready to go to a carnival, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Soon, another hand went up.
“Then I’m coming too.”
“…Nii-sama?”
Unlike with Reiji-san, I didn’t see this coming at all.
Nii-sama… or rather, Ayame, had never been one for PvP back when it was still a game.
“…It’s not like I’m a battle maniac like Reiji, but when I hear all this, I can’t keep quiet, you see.”
He smiled, placing his hand on my head and playfully ruffling my hair.
“Besides… the final celebration will include the two fighters competing for first place and the top three at the after-party, right? If Seiten-san is also participating, we can ask for his help too. If the three of us take on the challenge, we won’t miss anything important.”
“Right, I forgot about him. I’m not thrilled about it, but…”
“But he’s a reliable guy, isn’t he?”
“…Sure, let’s go with that.”
Reiji-san scratched his head but reluctantly agreed. It seemed like the plan was coming together.
“Moreover…”
“…Nii-sama?”
“…Nevermind. I’d like to get my own Dragon Core while I’m at it, just saying.”
“I see… Nii-sama, good luck to you too.”
“Leave it to me. It’ll be fun if the three of us can dominate the podium.”
“You know, there are fighters from all over the world here. Be careful, or you might be caught off guard.”
When I teased him with a fake scolding, Nii-sama smiled wryly and shrugged.
“Very well then, I must finish the preparations posthaste.”
Master Nephilim added.
“Oh, right, armor! Though I haven’t finished what you requested, I can help you pick something good from the stock in the workshop. Kirsche, help me!”
“Yes, Onee-chan!”
Ouka-san, who had remembered something important after hearing Master Nephilim, hurried out of the room and headed for the equipment storage room, with Kirsche-san, who happily following behind her.
And so, our once peaceful days in Ares Isles began to grow more hectic.
Saul
What if that was really “him” that I saw, then…
I quietly whispered to myself, unheard by anyone.
APM - Translation 