Maydare Volume 2 Chapter 2 - Those Who Protect the Savior I (Part 1)

 I gotta go back and change all those quotations marks man

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I had planned to return to Deliafield, but the appearance of the Guardian’s mark, the “Crest of the Four Lights” on me made that impossible.

My parents were to be informed by Uncle that I had been chosen as a Guardian, and I was to remain in the royal capital Miladriede.

Or rather, I went to the palace almost every day.

There were a few things I needed to know and have knowledge of as a Guardian, and I was learning them.

When the Savior and the Guardians were all gathered, they headed to the Frezier Empire in the west, where the headquarters of Vabelism, the Vabel State, was located in the capital city, to receive the prophecy from the〈Green Priestess〉. The prophecy would give them a clear picture of the crisis the world was facing and what the Savior should do.

It seemed that this series of rituals could only be done during the “Holy Festival” held every spring, and we had already missed the opportunity this year and would have to wait until next spring.

In the meantime, if we’re talking about what the Savior and Guardians can do…

“The first is surviving until the baptismal rite. Also, continuing to be a symbol of peace and hope for our people. In preparation for the time that will come, each of us must strengthen our power and fight against hostility from all directions. By continuing to show that to the people, we must gain their support and become a ‘deterrence’ to the nations vying for the supremacy of this world.”

I was being taught a sort of preparedness by Professor Ulysses in the palace’s lecture hall.

Even though it was a very large lecture hall, it was just me and the professor. It was just like a remedial class at school. 

“Is this deterrence against war, sir?”

“Yes it is. Miss Makia, do you remember the button that Popoloactus, your spirit, picked up before?”

“Yes. I’ve always been curious about that.”

“That was a button from the military uniforms of the northern Hermedes Heavenly Empire.”

“So to sum it up, Margrave Greigs is connected to the Heavenly Empire?”

“It is very likely. The Heavenly Empire is waging a war of aggression against the surrounding countries. The reason why the threat of the Heavenly Empire has not been able to reach Ruschia is that the Frezier Empire in the west, located in between the two, has been holding off the invasion. However, sooner or later their evil influence will reach even Ruschia. For the Heavenly Empire that wants to start a war, the existence of a Savior who can lead the world to peace would be a hindrance, so they would want to deal with it as soon as possible.”

That was why they incited anti-Savior groups like Margrave Greigs to carry out such an attack. They supplied them with weapons and cutting-edge transfer devices.

“If there is one more role that the Savior can play at this stage...it would be to serve as a ‘warning’ to the magicians of each country. They must keep a close eye on them to make sure they do not carelessly influence the world.”

“Each country’s magicians…?”

What kind of magician would that be?

Each country had its own magic schools and royal magic institutions, and I believe they put a lot of effort into training magicians, but it was just one of many professions.

However, the “magicians” Professor Ulysses was talking about didn’t seem to refer to such a large number of people.

“There are many kinds of magicians in the world. The great magicians standing by the side of kings and those in a position to influence their country require special attention.”

“Does that apply to you as well, Professor Ulysses?”

“...”

I simply mentioned his name as one of the “great magicians standing by the side of kings,” but the professor looked a bit surprised.

“Fufu. I suppose so, yes, that may be true.”

He laughed brightly, but swept his gaze meaningfully to the side.

“The reason I wasn’t chosen as a Guardian may be because I am on the side that ‘requires special attention’...perhaps.”

He might be saying that as a joke, but I thought, I see.

The professor had told me before about the great magicians who left their names in this world. I had a feeling that he was more on that side, if anything.

However, I thought Thor...would also be on that side.

“Until next spring, you will also live as before...is something I perhaps cannot say, but I hope you enjoy your student life at Lune Ruschia. In my personal opinion, I want you to properly finish school.”

“...Yes.”

I wanted to properly finish school as well.

Besides, the professor seemed somewhat energetic and lively when talking about Lune Ruschia Magic School.

“Professor Ulysses, why did you decide to become a teacher at Lune Ruschia?”

Because he was the second prince of this nation.

He might not become the future king, but I wouldn’t normally think he would become a teacher at a magic school. He seemed like a person who would be able to exert his power in a position where he could run the country… 

The professor cast down his eyes slightly at my question. His silky lashes cast a shadow over his mystical yellow-green eyes. 

“Ah, yes… I suppose it’s because that school is like my own child to me.”

His own child?

I would understand if he said it was his “alma mater” or a “mother-like existence,” but…

“Ah, it’s already that time. I’m supposed to give a lecture on spirit magic to Airi next. Right now, she’s probably undergoing intensive training for practical magic in the dome.”

“I heard Lady Airi has very excellent specialist teachers. Is it for her own safety that she doesn’t attend magic school?”

“That is one reason, but Airi’s magic power is special, as might be expected of a Savior. The school’s curriculum would not allow her to develop her powers in a short period of time. A Savior is someone who possesses much greater magical power than normal, a beloved child of the spirits, a child blessed by【All】who controls all elements.”

“B-Blessed by【All】...!?”

I was so surprised that I bent backward in spite of myself.

A being loved by the spirits of all the elements.

It was a unique magical constitution only a few people in history had. Someone like me who was blessed by【Fire】cannot even be compared to Miss Airi, who was blessed by【All】.

“The 【All】blessing is different from the normal blessings in that it has a special ability to ‘nullify’ the abilities of all blessings. This is commonly referred to as the ‘anti-elemental constitution.’”

An anti-elemental constitution.

In short, he was saying that the abilities of the other blessings didn’t work in front of her. Incredible.

“Airi still cannot use this ability well yet, but I am sure it will become useful if she trains hard enough. However, it will not be effective against the complex advanced magic of other nations…”

Professor Ulysses smiled a strained smile and finished his lecture for me.

I felt slightly relieved now that I learned something I didn’t know about the Guardians and Miss Airi. The thing that made me most anxious was not knowing anything about them.

Next, along with Professor Ulysses, I headed to the palace’s magical competition dome where Miss Airi was learning magic.

Miladriede Castle was divided into the Central, North, and South Palaces, with the dome located behind the Central Palace.

It was a very large dome with a thorough protective wall stretched around it, and you could practice various kinds of magic here. It was a special amphitheater.

They always did magic training here because they didn’t know how powerful the magic of Miss Airi the Savior would be.

“The magic of the〈Scarlet Witch〉that you unleashed in the great hall back then was on a scale that should have been performed here in the magical competition dome.”

“Ah, ahaha. I’m really sorry about that…”

Professor Ulysses laughed and said he was just joking, but I felt like running away.

“Have you learned anything about the magic of the〈Scarlet Witch〉since then?”

“N-No, not really.”

The〈Scarlet Witch〉, my ancestor who lived five hundred years ago.

She had left behind an ancient magical recipe book in the O’Drielle family, the recipes hid a diary of her days and the spells she had used.

At the ball the other day, I ended up using one of those spells and fell into a deep sleep for a while as a reaction to that, but it must have been a lot of work cleaning up the great hall…

Inside the magical competition dome, Miss Airi was dressed in a light training uniform, brandishing a dagger in a gold sheath and chanting an incantation.

“Ishi su iris——Appear, Eve.”

A magic circle of pure white light spread out and a beautiful dragon appeared, clad in smoke that looked otherworldly.

“Wow…”

A four-winged silver dragon that looked like a fairy, clad in holy light tinged with various shades of color.

Its long and thin ears were somehow cute.

This dragon was the Great Spirit that Miss Airi had succeeded in summoning.

“Ah, Miss Makia!”

Miss Airi spotted me coming with Professor Ulysses and waved at me.

I was astonished by the spirit behind her, so she giggled and introduced me to the dragon that was waiting behind her.

“This is Eve, a light dragon. Isn’t she beautiful? Her long ears are cute like a rabbit’s, and she’s a very good spirit. She’s a girl~”

Then, she commanded the dragon to become smaller. The dragon shimmered as it contracted that light and became small enough to ride on one’s arm.

Amazing. I can’t believe she could already control the summoned forms of spirits.

“Airi had summoned a legendary dragon whose appearance had not been recorded in two thousand years. Successive Saviors have also tended to summon high-level spirits, but I have never expected to see the legendary Eve here.”

Professor Ulysses squinted his eyes and looked up at the silver dragon.

The spirit magic genius who had many Great Spirits accompanying him said this, so it must be very impressive. The overwhelming brilliance in front of me and the warm light that seemed to envelop its body allowed me to understand that.

Everyone would no doubt have high hopes for Miss Airi, who summoned this spirit.

“By the way, where’s your spirit, Miss Makia?”

“Huh?”

“At Lune Ruschia Magic School, you summon a spirit first, right?”

I suddenly remembered that I had been made fun of at the school’s spirit summoning ceremony, but I shook my head vigorously. My ham-chans are the cutest in the world…!

“Miss Makia, why don’t you summon your spirits here and show them to Airi? Those two are very adorable, so I’m sure they would soothe Airi.”

Professor Ulysses put his hand on my shoulder and encouraged me to do so.

“Yes!” I said with an energetic nod, held my hands out in front of me, and double spirit summoning magic circles spread out at my feet.

“Myr vis makia——Appear, Popoloactus, Dontanates!”

I forcefully summoned the two ham-chans, who were probably single-mindedly running on their hamster wheel. The two ham-chans were sitting in the corners of their magic circles, their noses twitching. Their tiny mouths were in the shape of a triangle. Look how cute they were!

“Hamsters…?”

“Yes. My spirits are the dwarf hamsters Popoloactus and Dontanates. Come here, Donpopo.”

The two climbed onto my palm as though racing. 

These little ones were the spirits that served my ancestor, the〈Scarlet Witch〉. Their original names were too long, so I called the yellow one Donsuke and the white one Popotarou. The two of them were collectively called Donpopo.

They were grinning, grooming themselves and licking my fingers.

“Uwaaaah, so cute~”

Miss Airi’s eyes were sparkling, completely in love with my ham-chans.

She brought her face close to the ham-chans on my hand and gently stroked their heads and backs with her fingers.

“In my old world, when I was in elementary school, there was an anime about hamsters that was popular among the kids, and everyone had a hamster.”

“Oh, that…”

I know that show. I almost said that without thinking and hurriedly covered my mouth.

We also had a ham-chan that my brother begged for, as we had also been taken in by the world’s hamster fad.

“I wanted a hamster too, but my mom said no. Oh, but I always took care of the hamsters we had in elementary school. I was in charge of the animals.”

She was talking happily, but when she suddenly returned looking serious, the color of Miss Airi’s eyes darkened a little…

“Lady Airi.”

At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared from behind her.

Judging from his Royal Magic Institute uniform, he was a palace magician. He was a young man with a calm demeanor, smooth dark brown hair, green eyes, and intelligent-looking glasses pushed up.

“I think that’s it for today’s lesson.”

It seemed that he was Miss Airi’s personal magic teacher.

The right shoulder of the palace magician’s robe had a gold armband around it, representing the highest rank...

“Pardon us, Eugene. We interrupted your lesson.”

“Not at all, Your Highness. It was about time for Lady Airi to start grumbling about wanting to take a break.”

“I don’t do that at all, Eugene!”

Miss Airi raised her hands in the air huffily, but the magician named Eugene pushed his glasses up with a finger, making them glitter. “Well then, I shall take my leave.”

I thought I saw him glance at me slightly as he left…

“Oh, that’s Eugene, the palace magician who’s been teaching me magic.”

“Yes, I know him. An outstanding talent that is seen once in a hundred years, the leading figure in the field of elemental magic, Eugene Batiste.”

Anyone who aspired to be a palace magician knew him.

He was the leading palace magician, with many accomplishments at such a young age.

“Eugene’s amazing. He understands my anti-elemental constitution the best, and he always analyzes what I can’t do or don’t know and teaches me thoroughly. He’s a bit strict, but...I rely on him a lot.”

Miss Airi said as she watched him go.

From the way she looked at him, I could sense her strong trust in him.

“I wish I could have made him my Guardian too.”

Miss Airi muttered. That must have her true feelings she inadvertently let slip.

Someone who should have been a Guardian much more than me. Someone she wanted to be a Guardian.

“Oh, that’s right! I want to introduce you to everyone, Miss Makia! Come here!”

“Wah, Miss Airi!?”

Miss Airi pulled my hand and was about to take me out of the magical competition dome.

“Airi! Your spirit magic lecture is next.”

Behind me, I heard the scolding voice of Professor Ulysses.

“Sorry, Ulysses! I’ll do it properly later!”

However, Miss Airi lightly evaded him, laughing a bell-like laugh as she ran while pulling my hand.

Amazing. She was always cheerful and honest, holding her own against important people.

The protagonist of a story was definitely this kind of girl.

Was that why…?

Miss Airi’s maids, the servants, and the magic soldiers in charge of security threw cold looks at me as we passed them.

Jealousy. Suspicion. Bewilderment. Even a hint of hostility.

“How did that girl end up as Lady Airi’s advisor…”

“Isn’t she the descendant of the〈Scarlet Witch〉...I heard that she’s getting close to Lady Airi to steal Master Thor away from her.”

“She seems just like the type to do that.”

No one knew that I was a Guardian.

Perhaps it was because of the incident at the ball, but it seemed that strange gossip was spreading.

But I couldn’t talk about others either. I still didn’t have any self-awareness or resolve as a Guardian.

Maybe Thor was treated like this at first as well.

Talking about how he’s a foreigner, a former slave, and so on… 

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