Wizard of the Deep Sea Chapter 21

TL/ED – Miso

“Elysia, are you really going to be okay?”

A dark night, in the garden of the mansion.

In a space where not even the butler could enter, Alletus asked with a worried expression.

In fact, he already knew that rumors about Elysia were circulating around.

If she were to be absent again this time, the rumors would solidify into certainty, but if the outcome would be the same whether she participated or not, as a father, he didn’t want to leave her with just painful memories.

However, Elysia lightly shook her head and answered.

“I’m fine. I can’t just keep running away, right?”

“That may be true, but…”

Elysia tapped her index fingers together, contemplating.

‘Should I tell him?’

She had found a janitor who could use magic.

She planned to ask him and somehow get through this regeneration stone event.

It was a short contemplation. It wasn’t certain, and there was no guarantee it would go well.

She didn’t want to raise pointless expectations for her father.

She had already disappointed him enough.

“You never know, it might go well, right? I might be able to manifest magic there.”

“…Yes, that’s possible. If that’s your wish, I won’t stop you.”

Seeing the resolve in Elysia’s expression, Alletus nodded in agreement.

It was her first field trip with friends, so how much must she have looked forward to it?

He had already passed down the worst kind of talent to her, and he didn’t want to take away even that small happiness from his daughter.

-It was a decision made without knowing it would turn out to be the worst possible choice.

Thorough preparation always comes in handy.

“Open the door.”

“Huh? Did you come alone?”

“Yeah.”

The guard, who just until yesterday had treated me like a brat, bent at the waist to greet me.

It was thanks to the noble’s clothes. I brought them because I figured I might need them, and it turned out to be the best choice.

“Um, but you were scheduled to come a bit later… why are you alone? By any chance, who and where are you from-”

The guard asked with a slightly suspicious look.

Had it been a time when I didn’t know much about nobles, I might’ve been flustered. But not anymore.

“What are you talking about? Move.”

I frowned and waved my hand as I walked.

Creeeek…! The current pushed the guard.

The most certain way to prove noble blood.

The guard, his suspicions completely erased, jumped in surprise, and still blocked me.

“E-Excuse me! You haven’t paid the entrance fee!”

“…”

If I don’t pay even this, it might leave a trace.

It was a waste, but I paid for the sake of safety and walked down a deserted path unlike yesterday.

When there were a lot of people, I hadn’t noticed, but there were surprisingly many facilities for children to play. It really did seem like some kind of amusement park.

“…Not here.”

I checked thoroughly around the regeneration stone area but couldn’t find the man I saw yesterday.

He was a rather enigmatic guy. Even the words he left at the end were meaningful.

I can’t say for sure that he’s an enemy… but it’s best to keep the possibility in mind.

First, I entered the hole and finished all preparations in case anything happened.

I blocked the hole with leaves and kept only a small line of sight secured as I waited.

“…! …”

“…?”

Maybe an hour had passed.

From below, the excited laughter and chatter of children began to rise. Since only nobles were allowed in, it must be the cadets arriving.

They were still outside the current’s range. Maybe they were looking at something else first, as they hadn’t come this way yet.

I had nothing else to do, so I reviewed what I’d learned so far.

In the end, the only thing I could control in this sea was the current.

However, since the moment I was able to immediately control distant currents, its value had risen to a ridiculous level.

If I surround the target with currents and apply pressure from all directions, I can just blow up the opponent from a distance, without any conditions.

Mana? Doesn’t use any.

Strength? It’s nearly infinite.

‘…But there’s no way I can actually use this.’

Its power was immense, but I couldn’t use it.

It was something I’d figured out after several tests.

Ever since I almost died in the alleyway, every time I tried to burst something with water pressure, I started paying a price.

For example, when I concentrate on sense detection, my head spins, I feel like throwing up, and there’s a burden like blood flowing from my whole body.

Water pressure has something similar. A much simpler and easier-to-understand burden.

The golden rule.

“Why is this happening?”

I clicked my tongue and pressed down on a nearby tree with water pressure.

Crack… The tree’s branches folded and crumpled very easily.

So did I.

It felt like my whole body was tied with a rope and pulled tight.

“Urgh…”

I couldn’t even breathe, so I hastily released the water pressure.

This is the burden.

When I tighten something with water pressure, I get tightened too.

Both I and the target receive the same pressure simultaneously.

“The cause is…”

Probably.

It’s different from how the current works.

It’s not about pushing or pulling, once the pressure starts, it’s still within the realm of simple water pressure, but it begins to resemble something found in the Deep Sea.

I, the one doing the pressing, start to feel it. Then I unconsciously accept that this world is inside the Deep Sea.

To put it very simply, the moment I apply pressure to the opponent.

‘Huh? That guy’s being crushed like that, so why am I fine?’

That question arises, and that creates the burden.

At first, I tried doing it with my eyes covered, with my ears and nose all blocked. I tried changing my thoughts and tried every kind of thing.

But as long as I’m the one doing the pressing, and I sense the opponent through the current, any escape is impossible.

In the end, it’s basically useless.

“Still, hmm…”

I frowned and pondered.

It’s good. Really, absurdly good magic.

If I could just solve the burden, I can’t even begin to imagine how many ways I could use it.

Is there no way to use it while avoiding the burden?

While I was thinking, something entered my sense detection.

“This year, we decided to start a little early! It’s time for the regeneration stone you’ve all~ been waiting for!”

“Hoo, hoo… Am I trembling right now?”

“Teacher, I’m not feeling well. Can I go a little later??”

Chatter, chatter.

Even I, who had eavesdropped on several children’s classes, was surprised by how many there were.

It looked like over 80 people. Were there this many noble kids?

The teacher handled the large group skillfully, as if managing crowds like this was nothing new.

“Don’t worry too much, everyone. You all just recently went through Awakening Fever and only learned elemental magic, right? We’re not asking you to show anything amazing, just to comfortably practice what you’ve learned.”

“B-But… I don’t think I can break the stone…”

“Ufufu, no need to worry about that. The regeneration stone isn’t an ordinary rock. It’s a very sensitive little thing when it comes to mana. It reacts easily, even with just a tiny bit of magic.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Would you like to try?”

A hesitant child raised their hand.

Then, water formed in the air and shot at the regeneration stone.

Ssssss! Just from being touched by water, the surface melted like someone had poured acid on it.

“Wow…!”

“Amazing, right? It regenerates soon after, though.”

“M-Me too! I want to try!”

“Alright, alright, everyone take turns and try one by one.”

As soon as they realized the regeneration stone was easier than expected, the children’s eyes sparkled and they all wanted to try it.

The atmosphere was more relaxed than expected. If not for the assistant teacher nearby seriously writing something in a notebook.

They were making it feel casual, but it looked like there was someone they had to report the results to.

Well, magical talent in nobles probably isn’t something to take lightly, so maybe it made sense.

“Hmph, it’s my turn, right?”

“Ah, yeah…”

And among those kids, one who was particularly confident stepped forward.

It was a face I knew, too.

“H-Huins! Burn it all down!”

“If it’s Huins… he might really do it!”

“You’re going to found a new kingdom!”

That was quite the hype. But the last one sounded like they were telling him to start a rebellion…

“Just watch me.”

With a confident expression, Huins raised his finger and recited a chant.

“Blazing flame, melt away my enemies!!”

He didn’t need to do that at all. Incantations are better the simpler they are.

He’s still young, I suppose. Unlike the tacky incantation, the magic’s performance was impressive.

-Sssssss…!

“Y-Yeah, that’s Huins for you!”

“He melted it all!”

Not all of it, though.

When the flame touched the regeneration stone, about 20% of it melted.

It was the strongest magic so far.

But Huins clicked his tongue as if dissatisfied.

“Tsk, is this all I can do?”

“Ah, no. That’s really amazing. To reach this level in less than a month…”

“But I didn’t melt it all.”

Just the fact that he seriously aimed for total incineration proved he had talent in magic.

Though he lacked manners.

“Next is her turn, right?”

“…Ah, yes. Elysia?”

As Huins returned to the group of children, he mocked Elysia’s stiff expression and whispered something to her.

It was quiet enough that even the nearby kids didn’t hear it.

But it was within my current zone.

[Why don’t you cry and run away right now? Don’t let them know you’ve got filthy blood.]

…No, this is beyond just being rude.

He threw a full-on family insult. I could even see Elysia’s hand clenching tightly from here.

The teacher, who must have known her condition, cleared her throat with a worried look.

“Um, Elysia? If you’re not feeling well…”

It was the bare minimum of consideration. If she was going to be exposed anyway, at least avoid humiliation… that was the intent.

“No, I’ll do it.”

But she nodded vigorously, wearing a determined expression.

And looked around, seemingly searching for me, who should be somewhere nearby.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t show myself.

“Huu…”

Elysia stood in front of the regeneration stone and took a breath, focusing.

It was about time for me to step in.

Besides, I was curious.

I’d roughly figured out the level of these kids. I knew where the average was, what the lowest looked like, and what the highest could do.

Then what about me?

What level had my desperate struggle for survival reached during the same period?

They’d said it reacts very sensitively to mana, didn’t they?

“Uuuugh…! Hyat!”

At the same time as Elysia let out a cute cry.

“Cut.”

The wind magic I manifested slashed across the regeneration stone.

-Ssshrk!

“O…Oooooh!”

“Waaaah!!”

“Eh, ehhh?”

Even Elysia, who had pulled it off, looked surprised.

A long scar was left across the regeneration stone. A result of a single slash of wind magic.

“E-Elysia… That was amazing! You finally did it!”

“Th-Thank youuu…”

Cheers erupted from all around.

But, it seemed they were more surprised that Elysia had done it, rather than the magic itself being amazing.

The proficiency of the wind magic I cast wasn’t all that different from the other kids’.

I wasn’t discouraged. There was distance, and considering that Dersia had told me I had no talent, I was more than satisfied with this. No, this was beyond my expectations.

“This, this is nonsense!”

Just as Elysia was being congratulated, Huins, his face red, ran forward.

“She couldn’t use magic even once before, and suddenly here? What kind of trick did you pull?!”

“…”

Perhaps due to her past experiences of being picked on, Elysia flinched reflexively, but soon folded her arms confidently.

“So what? I still did it, didn’t I?! Don’t bully me anymore!”

“Then show your Astral Wheel!”

“…”

Elysia froze on the spot.

So that was the problem.

As she clammed up, Huins jumped at the opportunity, pointing and shouting.

“See that? She’s hiding something, that’s why she can’t show it!”

“N-No, that’s not it?”

“Then just show it! What, do you think you’re in a place where-”

Still, it wasn’t something to worry too much about.

Even if he raised doubts, they would remain doubts. She could just refuse, saying there was no reason to show it, and it would pass.

The ordeal was pretty much over. I let out a sigh of relief, when suddenly, I noticed something strange floating beside my face.

“…?”

Normally, the Deep Sea has no color.

It’s either just dark or transparent.

But now, red liquid was spreading within the Deep Sea.

[..??? ? ???]

The Deep Sea Creatures stirred.

I’d seen this before. Exactly the same appearance and behavior as when I let my blood flow into the ocean.

The amount was much greater this time, and the reaction from the Deep Sea Creatures was weaker, but it was certain.

It was someone’s blood.

“What’s this…?”

This had never happened before. Startled, I stood up and looked toward the source of the spreading blood.

And froze.

The sea was being contaminated.

To be exact, from several hundred meters away, it had turned red, a sea of blood.

It was clearly a crisis.

I immediately expanded the current detection zone to its maximum.

“-Well, well, looks like I’ve found a gem.”

Such a voice was heard.