Chapter 9: "Distance of the Heart"
"Field trips are supposed to be more like... eating lunchboxes and relaxing‚ right?"
Rui muttered quietly as he looked out over the hilly area they had visited for the magic academy's field trip. The wind was pleasant‚ and the sky was a piercing blue. Yet‚ his heart was overcast.
(Serina and Leon are standing close together... No‚ it's just my imagination. I hope it's just my imagination.)
The three of them were exploring in groups to observe and collect magical plants. Naturally‚ Rui‚ Serina‚ and Leon were in the same group. But‚ just as naturally‚ the atmosphere was awkward.
"This flower has the property of absorbing magic power. Did you know that‚ Rui?"
Serina spoke to him with a smile. However‚ her smile seemed somewhat stiff.
"Yeah... I think it has a structure that blocks magic flow channels. In terms of formulas‚ um..."
"...Ah‚ sorry. Maybe that was a bit difficult."
"No‚ I should apologize... My explanation was too roundabout."
(Why is it so hard to talk? We used to be able to talk more naturally.)
Leon was standing a little further away‚ gripping the hilt of his sword and staying vigilant of the surroundings. As a knight with a strong sense of responsibility‚ he never forgot to "protect" even on a field trip.
(Leon said he wants to become a knight who protects Serina. What about me... what do I want to become?)
At that moment‚ Serina tripped over a stone at her feet.
"Kyaa!"
"Serina!"
Rui instinctively reached out his hand. The moment her body tilted and was about to fall into the grass—
He caught her in his arms.
"A-are you okay...?"
"Y-yeah... Thank you‚ Rui."
The physical distance between the two became zero. Their faces were close. Their eyes met. However—
"...Be careful."
Rui gently released his hands from her. Serina also stood up without saying anything.
(I can't say it. I shouldn't say it. If I tell her that I like her...)
(What does Rui think of me...? He said he'd cheer me on that time‚ but...)
Silence piled up between the two. Even when the wind blew and the grass swayed‚ their hearts remained unmoved.
On the way back from the field trip‚ the three walked side by side. However‚ there was no conversation.
"...Today's collection went pretty well‚ huh."
Leon spoke up‚ trying to change the mood.
"Yeah. There were surprisingly many magic-absorbing flowers."
Serina replied. Rui nodded slightly behind them.
"...According to calculations‚ that hill has high magic density‚ so the plants should grow quickly too."
"As expected of the theoretical magic genius."
Leon laughed. However‚ even his smile felt somewhat forced.
(Even though the three of us are together‚ it feels like we're not really three.)
(Rui's eyes aren't looking at me. Leon's words aren't reaching me.)
(Serina's smile is turned toward me‚ but I can't accept it.)
That night‚ Rui opened his notebook in his room at the inn.
However‚ the numbers wouldn't enter his head.
(I can create magic. But how do I construct a person's heart...?)
He looked out the window. The stars were twinkling. The wind swayed the curtains.
(I've noticed Serina's feelings. But if I respond‚ then Leon...)
(If I stay silent‚ then Serina...)
(Either way‚ someone will get hurt. In that case‚ I should be the one who gets hurt.)
Serina was hugging her knees on the bed. The cookies she received from Lily remained untouched on the desk.
(Rui thinks of me as "Leon's girl." But that's not true...)
(When I fell‚ he caught me. I can't forget the warmth of that hand.)
(But there were no words. Our eyes met‚ but our hearts didn't.)
Leon stopped his hand while maintaining his sword.
(I want to protect Serina. But her heart seems to be turned toward Rui.)
(Rui thinks of me as his best friend. But I...)
(If things stay like this‚ none of us can move forward.)
The field trip ended. However‚ the distance between the three hearts was still far.
And in the silence‚ each of them was searching for their answer.
Chapter 10: "The Disappeared Sage"
The morning at the magic academy began as usual. However‚ today was not "as usual."
"Mr. Zeno is... gone?"
Teacher Miria's voice echoed through the classroom. The students buzzed‚ and Rui involuntarily looked up.
(Mr. Zeno is gone? I thought he'd be muttering some strange poem again today with that carefree smile.)
"He was here until yesterday‚ but this morning there's no sign of him. In his room‚ only a piece of paper was left with 'The vessel is like the sky' written on it."
(That's Mr. Zeno's catchphrase... Wait‚ does that mean it has enough meaning for him to leave it on paper?)
Serina furrowed her brows worriedly‚ and Leon remained silent with his arms crossed.
"Rui‚ did Mr. Zeno say anything to you?"
"Um‚ well... 'The vessel of the creator' or something..."
"Does that make sense to you?"
"...Not really. Does it mean empty?"
(No‚ that's not it. Mr. Zeno saw "possibility" in me. It probably means "a vessel whose limits cannot be seen‚" not empty.)
After school‚ Rui was deep inside the magic library. On the seat Zeno used to sit at‚ only one old grimoire remained.
"...Is this Mr. Zeno's?"
The cover was filled with strange symbols mixing mathematical formulas and magic formulas. When he opened it‚ something was written small at the edge of the page.
"Theoretical formula exceeding magic power limits——'Imaginary Magic Formula'"
(Imaginary? Imaginary numbers in magic? Wait. If you express magic flow channels with complex numbers‚ the interference area...)
In Rui's mind‚ formulas began to dance. Every time he turned a page‚ Zeno's words came back to him.
"The vessel is like the sky. Limits cannot be seen."
(In other words‚ even someone with low magic power like me can use the "outside of magic power"...)
He opened his notebook. His fingers flew across the page. Formulas emerged‚ and magic formulas were reconstructed.
"...I can do it. With this‚ even with 0.2 magic power‚ I can 'create' magic."
That night‚ Serina visited Rui's room.
The sound of knocking echoed quietly.
"Rui‚ are you there?"
"...Yeah. Come in."
Serina gently opened the door. In her hands were freshly baked cookies.
"Mr. Zeno has disappeared‚ hasn't he?"
"Yeah. But he left this behind."
Rui showed her the grimoire. Serina's eyes widened.
"This is a theory that exceeds magic power limits...? Can something like this really be done?"
"Probably. Well‚ according to calculations it can. I haven't experimented yet‚ though."
"You're really amazing‚ Rui."
"...I'm not amazing. I'm just arranging numbers."
"But with those numbers‚ you're trying to change the world."
At Serina's words‚ Rui looked down.
(I am saved by Serina's words. But I can't respond to her feelings. There's also Leon...)
"Thank you‚ Serina. But I..."
"No. For now‚ just saying thank you is enough."
Serina quietly placed the cookies on the desk and left the room.
The next day‚ Rui was in the magic experiment room. He was constructing magic formulas based on Zeno's theory.
"Imaginary Magic Formula‚ deployment start... Magic flow channel‚ reconfiguration..."
The magic circle glowed‚ and the air trembled. However‚ there was no explosion.
"...Success. Magic power limit‚ broken."
He smiled quietly.
(Mr. Zeno‚ are you watching? I believed in your words and made it this far.)
Around that time‚ Leon was swinging his sword in the training ground. While sweating‚ he suddenly looked up at the sky.
(Rui has taken another step forward. I can only protect. But is that enough?)
(Serina's heart is turned toward Rui. I can only watch...)
He gripped his sword again.
(I have to move forward too. Just protecting won't reach them.)
And so‚ each of the three was quietly moving forward in their own place.
The grimoire Zeno left behind was analyzed by Rui's hands‚ and the theory exceeding magic power limits was completed.
It was the spark of a revolution.
However‚ no one yet knew that it would shake the world.
——Only a vessel like the sky was quietly beginning to fill.
Chapter 11: "The Night of Forbidden Magic"
The night at the magic academy was usually quiet. Stars twinkled‚ the wind swayed the trees‚ and the students should have been in their dreams——or so it was supposed to be.
"...Magic power reaction‚ abnormal value! The barrier has... been broken!"
The alarm bell rang out‚ and the school building shook. Teachers rushed out‚ and students began to evacuate.
Rui was in the corner of the library‚ opening the grimoire Zeno had left behind. The edges of the pages trembled‚ and the ink blurred.
(This magic power... isn't normal. No‚ this is... the wave of forbidden arts?)
"Rui!"
Serina rushed in. Her face was serious‚ and she held her staff. Her usual smile had disappeared.
"A monster has invaded! The south wing... Leon went there‚ but it might be dangerous!"
"Eh... Leon?"
Rui's heart jumped. That lump of justice‚ the holy knight‚ must have charged in first.
(Wait. What kind of monster? Magic-absorbing type? Or physical-specialized? No‚ this isn't the time for analysis——)
"Serina‚ you evacuate. I'll go."
"Eh‚ but——"
"I can calculate. My magic power is low‚ but I can compensate with formulas. It's time to test Mr. Zeno's theory."
The south wing was like a battlefield. Walls were collapsed‚ and there were burn marks on the floor. The monster——a black mist-like entity was distorting the space.
Leon was standing with his shield ready‚ bleeding but still on his feet.
"Protect... Serina...!"
At the same time as his voice‚ the monster's tentacles entangled Serina. Her magic power was sucked away‚ and her consciousness faded.
"Rui...!"
Rui opened the grimoire with trembling hands. Zeno's theory——magic that exceeds magic power limits with numerical formulas.
(Magic power index 0.2. Normally‚ I couldn't cast any magic. But if I reconstruct the flow of magic power——)
"Imaginary Magic Formula‚ deploy. Chant omitted. Multiple chants‚ simultaneous activation."
The space trembled. The monster noticed Rui and extended its tentacles.
"Magic flow channel‚ blocked. Interference area‚ reversed. Magic formula‚ reconstructed——"
Light ran. The monster's body was caught in the net of formulas and disappeared like mist.
Serina's restraints were released‚ and she collapsed. Rui rushed over and caught her in his arms.
"Rui... You came for me."
"Yeah... I calculated it... Your coordinates were within 0.03 error."
"...Is that supposed to be romantic? I don't really get it‚ but thank you."
The moment her smile returned‚ Rui staggered and collapsed.
"Rui!"
The next morning‚ the academy was deathly quiet. Teachers were busy with restoration‚ and students were buzzing with rumors.
"Who defeated the monster? Wasn't it the Holy Knight Order?"
"No‚ apparently... it was the son of the innkeeper?"
"Eh‚ that one with 0.2 magic power?"
However‚ nothing was left in the official records.
"A student with 0.2 magic power defeated a monster? We can't leave such a record."
Rui was given a suspension and returned to the inn.
That night‚ Serina looked up at the sky by the window.
(Rui... You changed the world with numbers. But you still haven't changed yourself‚ have you?)
In her hand‚ she gripped a burnt charm.
(Next time‚ it's my turn to protect you. I absolutely won't give up.)
And so‚ the hero disappeared into silence.
Chapter 12: "The Silent Hero"
The inn's kitchen was quiet today as well. Steam rose gently from the pot‚ and only the sound of washing dishes echoed.
"...Why do bubbles escape like this?"
Rui observed the behavior of the bubbles while holding the sponge. Trying to analyze bubble movement with applied magic theory had already become an occupational disease.
(No‚ that's not it. This is escapism. From reality.)
The day after defeating the monster‚ Rui was informed of his suspension.
"A student with 0.2 magic power annihilated a monster? That's too inconvenient to record."
The teachers all said the same thing. Rui's achievement was officially treated as "non-existent."
(I was supposed to have become a hero‚ but now I'm fighting bubbles.)
That night‚ the inn door quietly opened.
"Good evening..."
It was Serina. In her hand was a small paper bag containing Rui's favorite lemon-flavored cookies.
"...Are you washing dishes?"
"Yeah. The behavior of the bubbles is interesting. See‚ this bubble escapes‚ but this one——"
"Rui."
Serina's voice rang out quieter than the bubbles‚ but clearly.
"You were a hero. No matter what anyone says‚ I saw it. You defeated the monster and saved me."
"...But it wasn't recorded."
"Records are just things on paper. It's properly recorded in my heart."
Rui stopped his hands. The bubbles quietly disappeared.
(Serina is looking at me. But...)
"I want you to be happy. So with Leon——"
"That's not it!"
Serina raised her voice. It was rare for her emotions to overflow like this.
"I like you‚ Rui. I've liked you for a very‚ very long time. But you arbitrarily called me something like 'an unreachable flower' and kept your distance..."
"...Because someone like me..."
"Don't say 'someone like me'!"
Tears welled up in Serina's eyes.
"It wasn't a dream... That night when you came for me. When you saved me. It was all real."
Rui was at a loss for words. His existence‚ which he thought was more fleeting than bubbles‚ was something certain within Serina.
(I... was running away. From my own possibilities‚ and from her feelings.)
"...I'm sorry."
After saying only that‚ Rui turned his back.
Serina quietly placed the paper bag down and gently closed the door.
The next morning‚ Rui ate one of the cookies.
"...Sweet. But a little sour."
(Lemon‚ huh. So like Serina.)
He opened his notebook. Instead of bubble behavior‚ he began writing a magic flow channel reconstruction formula.
(I won't run away anymore.)
Around that time‚ Leon was swinging his sword in the training ground. There was a bandage on his arm and fatigue on his face.
(Rui is moving ahead of me. Serina's heart is probably...)
He gripped his sword again.
(But I'll protect the two of them in my own way. That is the oath of a holy knight.)
The hearts of the three were still passing each other by.
However‚ each of them had begun to take one step forward.
In the silence‚ the hero begins to walk again.
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