Chapter 07: Justice Without Impurities or a Castle Built on Sand
(……Something’s wrong. This isn’t an arithmetic error. The sensor known as my tongue is undergoing fatal deterioration. It’s exactly like a magic lantern whose remaining lifespan has dropped to 3%—the brightness of my sense of taste is fading away.)
The morning after the ruins incident.
Our house in the seaside town—the inn “Adel”—normally began its “daily life” with my mother’s cheerful voice and the scent of slightly burnt bread.
“Hey‚ Rui! Yesterday was tough in the ruins‚ right? I specially gave your favorite honey bread a ‘double coat’ today!”
What Mother placed on the counter was a honey bread glowing with a golden hue.
If it were the old me‚ the mere sight of it would have made my saliva secretion jump to 1.5 times the normal amount.
I sat down on the wooden chair and rolled up the sleeves of my ill-fitting uniform.
“…Thanks‚ Mom. Let’s eat.”
I took a big bite of the bread.
Moist dough. Honey overflowing.
The visual information was perfect. In my brain‚ the tag “sweetness: maximum” lit up.
But—.
(……The flavor is thin. No‚ it’s not just thin—it’s “missing.” The resolution of the sweetness has fallen to less than half. The rich depth of the honey has been replaced by something inorganic and gritty‚ like “sand mixed with water”…)
Yesterday‚ the instant I activated the spatial reconstruction magic “Backdoor Return.”
Something in the depths of my brain made a “snap” sound as it burned out—that wasn’t a metaphor.
Every time I optimize the world‚ I pay with the “everyday sensations” that shape who I am.
“What’s wrong‚ Rui? You’re making such a difficult face. Was the honey not enough?”
Mother peered at me.
“Eh‚ ah… no‚ it’s nothing like that. I just over-calculated yesterday and my brain overheated a bit. …It’s really delicious. The best.”
As the son of the inn‚ I told the biggest lie possible.
I couldn’t bring the fatal error of “I can’t taste Mom’s bread” to this breakfast table.
“Really? Then that’s fine. Oh‚ right. Serina-chan is waiting outside. Making a young lady wait is a zero-point service failure for an inn!”
“…I know. I’ll go right away.”
I forced the rest of the bread down my throat with the feeling of chewing sand.
When I stepped outside—Serina Elferia was standing there‚ as if bathed in morning sunlight and glowing. Her silver hair had not a single strand out of place‚ and her white-and-gold uniform traced perfect curves; she looked like a high-class “Duke’s House Human” on display.
“Good morning‚ Rui. …Oh‚ the corners of your mouth have dropped by 0.2 millimeters. Is the fatigue from yesterday still lingering?”
Serina peered into my face and‚ as if it were the most natural thing in the world‚ pulled my arm into her soft warmth. The distance of contact was‚ arithmetically speaking‚ “personal space: erased.”
“…Good morning‚ Serina. I’m just sleep-deprived. You‚ on the other hand‚ have your magic output way too stable from the morning‚ don’t you?”
“Fufu. Because today is going to be fun. It’s the training exercise overseen by Lady Catherine. The perfect chance to make the world ‘understand’ Rui’s magnificence once more.”
“…That phrasing of ‘make them understand’ is seriously lowering my survival probability of peace and quiet‚ you know.”
“Oh‚ not at all. The more correctly your value is evaluated‚ the closer you come to my ‘cage’—no‚ to my side. It’s a happy optimization.”
Serina gripped my hand even tighter than yesterday. The pressure of “ownership” was strong enough to make my bones creak.
While swallowing the tasteless remnants of the honey bread‚ I looked up at the single path leading to the white academy.
The sky was endlessly blue. Yet in my arithmetic eye‚ the storm called “Justice Without Impurities” waiting ahead was clearly visible—a structure on the verge of collapse.
Fifth Outdoor Training Ground—a pseudo-urban district full of ups and downs that the Magic Academy prided itself on.
Cobblestones‚ broken walls‚ scorch marks. It was a space clearly designed for “war rehearsal.” I straightened the collar of my ill-fitting uniform while feeling a dull pain in my stomach.
(……Leon’s sword speed‚ 1.1 times the theoretical value. Magic-wave interference‚ normal. My self-esteem‚ current value minus 3%. Another normal day.)
In my field of vision‚ blue-white auxiliary lines (grids) drawn by arithmetic magic ran everywhere‚ and countless vectors intersected. At the center—Leon Valks‚ a man who looked as if a fragment of the sun had been turned into human form‚ shone in his silver armor.
“Haaaaaaaaa!!”
A holy-attribute slash.
The huge training doll exploded as if the very concept of “evil” had been pulverized. The shockwave shook the walls of the pseudo-urban district‚ and sand dust danced upward.
“Did you see that‚ Rui! That strike had zero impurities! I cut down everything so that not even 0.01% of evil remains in this space!”
Without even wiping his sweat‚ Leon ran straight toward me. His eyes burned with 100% pure justice.
(……100% purity arithmetically means “the most fragile‚” you know.)
“Leon‚ just so you know… that was a training doll‚ not a real villain‚ okay? The maintenance cost of the training ground is going to go up 30%.”
“What are you saying‚ Rui! I won’t tolerate impurities. That’s my chivalry! To stand beside you‚ the ‘true hero‚’ my heart and sword must both be at 100% purity!”
“No‚ that’s exactly why 100% purity is dangerous. The harder something is‚ the more brittle it becomes. A single crack and the whole thing collapses. At least allow a little ‘play’—”
“Play? Rui‚ you would never allow such compromise! Your calculations are always perfect. I just want to catch up to that!”
Leon grabbed my shoulder firmly.
That heat appeared in my arithmetic eye as a red warning for “overload.” My warnings‚ once they passed through his justice filter‚ were all converted into “encouragement.”
At that moment‚ a chilly presence crept up from behind.
“Fufu… Lord Leon. Could you please not put too much strain on Rui? His brain is reserved for processing much more ‘private heat‚’ you see.”
Serina Elferia.
Her silver hair swaying‚ she was already standing beside me before I knew it. In her hand was an expensive embroidered handkerchief.
“Rui‚ you’re sweating… Here‚ stay still?”
She naturally reached for my forehead and wiped the sweat. Her fingertips were cool‚ sliding all the way down to my collarbone.
(……This isn’t friendship. In my arithmetic eye it’s clearly labeled “marking (claim of ownership).”)
“Lady Serina‚ aren’t you spoiling Rui too much? He is a hero. He also possesses the power to discipline himself—”
“Lord Leon’s ‘discipline’ only looks like shackles meant to break Rui. What he needs is a ‘cage’… no‚ healing that affirms everything.”
Their gazes clashed‚ and the air grew tense.
In the spectator seats a short distance away‚ Catherine Belmond coldly ran her pen across paper behind her glasses‚ observing me as a “strategic weapon.”
The stronger Leon’s light grew‚ the more clearly my arithmetic eye saw the “black shadow” spreading behind him as noise.
“…Wait. That sound isn’t the training ground’s drive noise. It’s that unpleasant frequency when stone is scraped by ‘living flesh.’”
My arithmetic eye detected abnormal noise in the shadow of a building modeled after a ruined house‚ deep in the urban district model.
It was clearly different from the magic waves of the training golems. There was something far more raw—the “equation of killing intent.”
“Rui? The wrinkles between your brows have deepened by 3 degrees.”
Serina peered into my face. Her silver hair fluttered gently‚ and the sweet scent of flowers brushed my nose—but the next instant‚ the “absolute-zero silence” lurking in the depths of her eyes captured the impurity faster than I could.
“…Ah‚ I see. So there were still fools who would defy Father. Or perhaps ‘blind spots’ who cannot understand Rui’s value.”
Her voice was elegant‚ yet the content was cold enough to freeze 20% of my self-esteem.
From the shadow of the ruined house emerged three figures clad in black protective suits. They were not wearing academy uniforms. They were the “elimination squad” under Duke Germar’s influence.
“Rui Adel. We cannot overlook a ‘bug’ like you disrupting the magic system. We will optimize (delete) you right here.”
The leader pointed an illegally modified magic catalyst at us.
(……Delete‚ huh. I don’t have any space left on my dishwashing list to add you guys.)
I tried to construct the shortest defensive formula with trembling fingers—but there was no need.
At the edge of my vision‚ an amber flash raced forward.
It was Rosetta.
Before I knew it she stood behind me‚ flipping through her notebook with her red hair swaying.
“Young lady. …Identification of the disrespectful persons completed. According to records‚ they are low-level ‘disposal-scheduled data’ involved in Duke Germar’s illegal financing. Even if they disappear here‚ the arithmetic loss is zero.”
“I see. Then please ‘clean’ them neatly so they don’t dirty Rui’s sight?”
“As you wish.”
Rosetta moved.
Her movement was no longer human. With a speed that gave no sense of mass‚ she ran through the alley and slipped into the three men’s reach. Without even giving them time to scream‚ her “non-lethal strikes” physically severed their magic circuits.
(……Non-lethal? How far does “non-lethal” go? That definitely means “never able to use magic again‚” right…?)
While Rosetta calmly “processed” them‚ Serina stood beside me and once again pasted on the mask of “innocent childhood friend.”
“I’m sorry for frightening you‚ Rui. …Oh‚ your shirt collar is crooked. Let me fix it.”
Her fingertips touched my throat. The cool fingertips and the heat transmitted from her pressed body created a contradictory sensation that nearly short-circuited my brain’s calculation circuits.
“…Serina‚ we’re in the middle of training. Rosetta is fighting‚ and we’re fixing a collar—”
“It’s fine. Rosetta is simply doing her job. I have the mission to keep my possession… no‚ my hero beautiful.”
Only the word “possession” sounded sweetly for 0.1 seconds.
Serina’s blue eyes pierced mine without ever looking away.
“Tell me‚ Rui. When you saw those impurities just now‚ what did your calculations say? Did you think ‘I want to run’?”
“…No. There wasn’t even time to run. Besides‚ Rosetta’s movements were optimized beyond measure‚ so there was 0.001% room for me to intervene.”
“Fufu‚ then that’s good. As long as I’m always included in your calculations‚ that’s enough. Any extra variables‚ Rosetta will erase them all.”
After finishing fixing my collar‚ Serina contentedly hugged my arm.
The soft sensation. Yet behind it‚ her magic quietly surged as if celebrating the intruders’ fate.
“…Wait. Why didn’t you kill them?”
The voice looking down at the intruders groaning on the ground after Rosetta’s processing.
It was Leon. The holy sword *Ragnarok* emitted light that sliced through the thin darkness of the pseudo-urban district. But there was not a shred of the warmth of the “best friend Leon” I once knew in his eyes.
All that remained was 100% pure justice‚ sharpened solely to cut down evil.
“Leon‚ that’s enough! Rosetta already rendered them combat-incapable. Any further attack is arithmetically overkill—”
“Too naïve‚ Rui! What is justice if you don’t eradicate evil! Holding back is blasphemy against the good that must be protected!”
Leon shouted and raised the holy sword high.
At that instant‚ my arithmetic eye clearly captured it.
(……The impurity called Rosetta’s “holding back” entered Leon’s 100% pure justice formula as “noise.” Unable to process the contradiction‚ a tiny crack ran through the giant crystal that formed his spirit.)
His collapse had not been a future prediction—it began right at this moment.
The holy flame released from Leon’s sword completely burned away the men’s illegal magic tools along with their will to fight. The air trembled‚ and the cobblestones of the pseudo-urban district turned white with scorch marks.
I instinctively covered my eyes.
(……Yeah‚ just as I thought. Leon‚ your formula is too beautiful. So beautiful that it has no “play.”)
A single grain of “impurity (noise)” mixed in‚ and the entire fragile crystal shattered.
The number I had just calculated was cruelly clear.
‘Probability that Leon’s heart will shatter: 99.98%’
Virtually a confirmed future. My fingertips trembled slightly.
“…Rui. If you’re scared‚ you can hold me tighter‚ you know?”
Serina pulled my trembling shoulders closer. Even through the training uniform‚ her supple body was evident. Her body heat was sweet and gentle—yet to me it felt only like “the temperature of a cage sealing off any escape route.”
Serina narrowed her eyes in satisfaction while watching Leon’s rampage.
“Lord Leon is a wonderful knight. He cleans up the impurities threatening Rui so beautifully. …The remaining ‘finishing touches’ will be handled by the academy‚ I suppose.”
She whispered into my ear. Her breath was sweet and thick‚ intense enough to overwrite the memory of this morning’s “tasteless bread.”
Yet—to me it sounded only like “the sound of the cage’s lock clicking shut.”
The time when the training ground’s sand dust melted into the setting sun and shadows stretched long. Waiting at the exit of the pseudo-urban district was the observer Catherine Belmond‚ her cold intellect concealed behind her glasses.
“Well done‚ Rui Adel. A truly splendid ‘tidying up’ that did not betray expectations.”
Catherine’s heels clicked out a bureaucratic rhythm on the hard cobblestones. Her gaze passed through me as a human and seemed to precisely measure the mass of the “Imaginary Grimoire” hidden at my right flank.
“…Miss Catherine. According to my calculations‚ 80% of those words should be ignored due to my wish of ‘please don’t drag me into any more trouble.’”
“Unfortunately‚ my authority overrides your wishes. The technique to fold space itself with a magic index of 0.2… This is already a ‘strategic weapon’ beyond the reach of a mere student.”
Catherine walked right up to me and peered into my eyes at close range.
“Preparing to return to the inn is pointless‚ Rui. By tomorrow morning‚ a formal ‘conscription order’ from the royal palace will arrive at your inn. At least enjoy your last night to the fullest.”
“…I never thought the dishwashing metaphor would become words that despair my heart this much. Does this mean my life’s balance sheet has been confirmed in the red?”
“Oh‚ far from red—it’s an ‘infinite asset’ from the country’s perspective. …See you again tomorrow at the academy.”
Catherine left with a cold yet somehow satisfied smile. Her back was that of a bureaucrat who had finally tightened the net around me‚ the “merchandise‚” after confirming its value.
(……It’s over. Arithmetic and sophistry have no effect on state power.)
Beside me‚ who hung my head in despair‚ Serina was not panicking at all—she smiled elegantly.
“…Rosetta. The route of the royal palace’s messenger?”
When Serina quietly asked‚ Rosetta appeared soundlessly from the shadows.
“Already grasped‚ young lady. The writ has been physically ‘optimized (incinerated)’ in the name of the Elferia ducal house‚ and the messenger is arranged to wander the road forever.”
“Eh…?”
I doubted my ears. Suppressing a royal palace official document with the power of a ducal house? That was already an act verging on clear treason against the state.
Serina gently placed her hand on my cheek. Her fingertips were still cold‚ yet her eyes held a maddening heat.
“Did you hear‚ Rui? I won’t let you go to the front lines. I’ll destroy every cage the royal palace sets. All of them.”
Her words sent a chill down my spine.
I hadn’t escaped the giant cage called the royal palace. I had been completely isolated inside a far stronger‚ far more inescapable “personal cage” called Serina.
“So you just need to stay in the ‘safe world’ I’ve prepared for you.”
Serina’s smile had mercilessly severed every retreat to my peace and quiet.
Suddenly I noticed my mouth was dry.
The golden color of the setting sun was perfect‚ yet my senses could only process its beauty as “information” and were losing the function to receive it as “emotion.”
(……Yeah‚ just as I thought.
Leon’s justice has begun to crumble fragilely‚ and Serina’s love has completely filled in the outer moat.
And every time I act as a savior‚ the taste of Mom’s bread‚ the smell of dust in the inn‚ spills out of me like sand.)
I gazed at the lights of the seaside town visible in the distance.
There should have been the daily life of the “ordinary dishwasher” I loved. Yet the coordinates of the future reflected in my arithmetic eye would never again converge on the back door of that inn.
“…Ah‚ I want to go home.”
That murmur dissolved and vanished into the sweet cage Serina had prepared‚ reaching no one.
Chapter 07 Completed
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