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Name: Aliceポ Einshaula
Race: Half Elf
Age: 15 years
Gender: Female
Job: Arcana
LV: 1
Skill
ポChant Shortening (Special)
ポDouble Cast
ポLatent Ability
・Lunaria’s Divine Protection
Checking my own status, I let out a sigh that’s deep like the ocean.
「As a general summary, the reason isn’t that it’s inherited by being the strongest but, it’s what could be said as the one who inherits continues to demonstrate that might isn’t it.」
If not then, this name is too much for the current me.
I go out to the mansion’s lawn which I haven’t visited for some time and, the dejected weather also began to show a smile.
Reaffirming the blinding light, I narrow my eyes.
My heart hurts.
It’s in pieces.
That’s not something I can forget so easily, obviously.
I don’t have such an understanding personality that I can recover easily, when a person I love so much that it can’t be helped passes away.
It’s just since there are a large number of precious people around me and, they’re grieving in the same manner and, even so they come to encourage me.
Even if I’ve become weak, even if it’s empty vigor, this is the sort of thing where I would have no honor as a man if I couldn’t face forward.
「Alice.」
「Ah, oneechan.」
My most beloved ane couldn’t bring out any words and came close while stroking my head, as I gazed into the distance.
Bold and clumsy, the form of my ane who’s calming like the warmth of the sun comes unconditionally to touch my heartstrings.
It was too relaxing so, the edges of my eyes ended up becoming a little moist.
「……Alice・ Einshaula, has taken back her vigor!」
I tried showing my empty vigor with an impromptu bow.
Shion-san stabbed her finger into my forehead, as if to tell me not to show off.
After that she lightly stroked the edge of my eye with her finger.
Even I understood I was limp and my cheeks were loose.
「Einshaula is it……you inherited it didn’t you.」
「Hai, I am the strongest. I won’t lose to anyone, even to oneechan you know?」
Going eiya I captured the hand Shion-san had stroked my cheek with and, showed a self satisfied face.
「Fufu, it’s doable if it’s you you know. After all, that elf shorty-chan entrusted it because she thought as such. It’s fine to have confidence.」
Unlike me the hand of Shion-san’s that I had caught was a swordsman’s hand.
The proof of a vanguard who came by cutting her path open on the front line.
And so Till also used her protective ice magic and, was a person who always went to stand on the firing line.
I love what’s called the courage and dedication of my beloved people……but.
「……I don’t like it when, oneechan tries too hard you know.」
It seems that my heart really has become a little weak so, I ended up revealing such an inner voice.
I love that which is everyone too much so, the reverse is that I become afraid.
「Idiiot. It’s 100 years too soon for you to worry about me you know.」
Tiiightly, Shion-san put power into her captured hand.
「No, oneechan won’t be alive 100 years――ow ow ow!」
It’ll break it’ll break!
Since, I’m delicate!
「Well yeah? We, generally feel that living that long is enough. Including yourself, the other races live for a long time so I suppose that sense doesn’t come up though……」
Shion-san spaced out her words and, gazed at the dazzling seeming light stabbing through the clouds.
She softened the power of her hand so, I tried pinching her a little in return.
But I easily gave up on my childish counterattack, when it seemed that she’d put her power in once again.
I ask your pardon.
「I think that shorty-chan was, satisfied. Though I am reluctant to speak for someone else’s feelings as I please.」
「Was that so……it’s good though, truly……」
「Naa, Alice? ……What was it, that you saw in her last moments?」
There was throb and, my heart raised a scream almost like it brought physical pain.
I try to remember back, while strongly gripping Shion-san’s hand……
「……」
……I feel like, she was smiling.
Even within the dream I saw yesterday……Till was……
Shion-san ruffles my hair as she comes to messily stroke my head as it’s lost in thought.
「……Wa waa, mo～! What will you do if split ends show up!」
「Alice is too meticulous so, won’t going with that much increase your number of fans?」
「I～do～not～need～that～」
What are fans, are they men……?
I poke my lips out and, Shion-san makes a bitter smile.
After that she made a serious face and, looked into my face.
「The level of satisfaction with life changes, with what you’ve accomplished. That person had the ice magic you believed in so, she saved lots of people before your eyes didn’t she? ――You, safely survived like this didn’t you? It didn’t have a meaning where that was empty or, a meaning where that served no purpose. I feel that, it was an excellent life.」
What she accomplished is it……
I, wanted to be with Till for much longer.
But that might have been naive in its own way.
If in Till’s final moments, there weren’t feelings of regret but, she left with even slightly sunny feelings……
If she came to feel that she had entrusted something to me.
「It would be a lie to say it’s not sad but……having succeeded her name I, must not waste those feelings of Till’s mustn’t I.」
「Aah, that’s right isn’t it.」
Thump, and I entrusted my head to Shion-san’s shoulder to be pampered.
Shion-san also tilted her head and, kindly put it next to mine.
「But your true self is still a pampered princess-sama isn’t it.」
「Please call me the world’s best youngest child.」
「Hai hai.」
Aah, you really can feel safe in people’s body warmth.
Sorrow is sad.
But for the people that are here now, I must face forward mustn’t I.
Truly……living is, a battle right……
◇■◇■◇
I returned to my room, to arrange my clothes.
Sitting in front of my mirror, I reached a certain level of resolve.
I tried taking the blue ribbon I accepted from her in my hand and, I understood again that it was an exceptionally valuable item.
It’s a ribbon with special magic fiber woven into it.
I fiddle with my hair a little.
Putting my hair half up, the ribbon holds my tail in the rear.
「……」
I try wearing it on my body and, I clearly understood whose magic power that magic fiber had.
Standing up, I opened all of the room’s curtains.
Light sufficient to be blinding shined in from the balcony.
「Nn……」
Perhaps she was taken aback by that light, a sigh leaked from my bed.
My cheeks soften with a smile.
The truth is that Ilya has been occupying my bed, for a full day.
I suppose Ilya was at her limit.
No sooner than when I awoke, she plunged down onto the bed like she was collapsing.
I really want her to wake up soon so, this is my ultimate technique it’s morning curtain open attack.
In accordance with my scheme, Ilya sluggishly lifted her body from my bed.
「Ojou……sama……?」
Perhaps she was still half asleep, or maybe she’s taken aback by my slight image change, Ilya blinked her eyes countless times on top of my bed.
Ooh, a rare sight isn’t this……Ilya’s kind of cute.
Our gazes meet as I think like that and, that girl descended to the bedside in a panic as her face went pale before my eyes and she froze up while standing stock still.
「……Whatever the penalty for this, may be.」
It’s amusing issn’t it, this child’s overly serious behavior.
「It’s fine you know, I actually wanted to sleep together though. Fufu, it really would feel wrong to do it without permission so, I ended up sleeping in Till’s room yesterday.」
「I am ashamed……」
「Don’t mind it.」
However, and I tried raising my index finger.
「As punishment, I’ll have Ilya make the contract with me at once.」
「That, that is……」
Perhaps her head still isn’t fully operative, I can see that she seems confused.
But I won’t wait one minute, one second anymore.
「Ilya is my belonging, do you dislike that?」
「Ojousama, that is unfair. Something like me disliking ojousama is, however many times I am reborn, even if the world was to crumble, it is something that is impossible.」
She’s awkwardly, being shy.
「Fufu, that’s good. Then become my partner?」
「Ojousama……」
「――I’m just putting this out but, I won’t let you say my magic power is insufficient you know?」
I released『one part』of my magic power.
Inducing a light vortex with silver magic power, the window cried.
Perhaps Ilya is now completely awake, her eyes are open widely as she lets her flowing hair do as it will.
Maa……since to state my magic power numerically it’s surpassed 10 right.
This is Till’s domain……
「You have such……magic power……then.」
「Where I have it I do have it.」
I pushed my breast out at my prided forte and, the Ilya that had been taken aback finally broke into a awkward seeming smile.
「I really can’t see you『having it』though? Fufu.」
「……Where are you looking as you say that?」
「Where could it be?」
Mo～, seriously this child.
「Ilya, please come over here.」
Beckoning for her to come out onto the balcony, I went out ahead of her.
Ilya came out following shortly after.
Her blond hair is sparkling brilliantly.
「The same color of hair as Till isn’t it. It’s dazzling.」
「Hai, it’s not something I’ve been mindful of but, I think proudly of that now.」
Ilya narrowed her eyes like she was also remembering back and, held her own hair.
「――Then. Ilya, can I have you do the contract with me?」
Following my request Ilya shook her head sideways and kneeled, as I held out my hand.
「Ojousama, I shall make the request from this side.」
This aspect where she’s obsessive about formalities, is also like Ilya.
「I, make the request to be allowed to stay at your side, as the shield that protects ojousama. As your one and only shield, I want this body to accept all of your pain. That is my wish.」
「I will allow it.」
I nodded without hesitation.
There are various things I want to say.
But that girl’s resolve is real so, I feel that taking that into consideration is also a master’s duty.
「Under the name of Alice・ Einshaula, sharing the sacred dragon’s blood and oath, I make the pledge that is to walk the eternal ages. Dost thou so pledge?」
Ilya lowered her head in reverence.
「I pledge.」
After a formal exchange, we firmly connected the magic power’s path.
Apparently……a small path had been connected between me and Ilya from the start.
Probably, since that time when I over used Heal in the village and neared the edge of death.
……Though to contrary I felt her give me magic power at that time.
However, the level of magic power expenditure isn’t the same with this becoming the true contract.
An unbelievable amount of magic power is taken by Ilya.
「――――Aah! Such! This is, ojousama’s magic power……incredible……!!」
Ilya’s face that was always composed was flushed, she’s holding her own body as if writhing in agony.
「This is……with this I all the more can’t separate from ojousama……tsu」
As Ilya blew out ragged breaths, even so she courageously shook her head sideways as if listening to her own words.
「Maa, since there’s no need to separate.」
Ilya finally calmed her breathing.
Filled with my magic power, she appeared a little intoxicated though.
「A, ano……would ojousama be alright then?」
「Nn? It seems around half my magic power was taken just now but, I guess there’s still room to spare.」
「With this magic power expenditure……half……?」
As expected even Ilya is taken aback.
Since I was also surprised, it can’t be helped.
I demonstrated that dragon contract where it’s said that even death itself is possible should true capability be lacking, being finished easily.
If I can’t do that much then well……
「Ilya, who is your goshujin-sama, it would be good for you to try saying it.」
「……Alice・ Einshaula-sama. The current generation’s strongest magician.」
Right, therefore I won’t lose to anyone you know.
I don’t think it’s something like a heavy burden.
I want you to watch me, Till.
Since because this is the me you raised, I’ll even soar like the strongest magicians spoken of in history.
「Let’s go Ilya, because our counterattack starts here.」
「Yes, my, lady.」
Like always, Ilya followed my steps from 3 steps behind me.
Then let’s go.
Starting with taking back Wilmington――