Wizard of the Deep Sea Chapter 53

TL/ED – Miso

I was being treated a little awkwardly by Alletus’s household members.

Of course, I was clearly treated as Elysia’s teacher. But sometimes during class, they would bring cookies and say things like, “Here, this is for the teacher too.”

Of course, I wasn’t offended at all and ate them deliciously. I’m actually ten years old, who would treat me like some magic-crazed ninety-year-old? I’ll decline that kind of treatment, thank you very much.

But it seemed I could no longer expect that kind of service.

“Benefactor Jern, please wait in the reception room. I will soon inform the Lord and the young lady of your visit.”

“Ah, yes.”

A reception that went beyond the word ‘courteous’.

However, it’s also rude to refuse hospitality that one is rightfully owed. I acted naturally without showing any sign of discomfort.

Letting out a sigh, I moved slightly to the side before the door opened.

“Jern-!! Huh?”

Bang! As soon as the door opened, Elysia, charging like a lion starved for three days, hugged the spot where I had been standing.

Naturally, it was empty air. Before Elysia could hit her head, I caught her by the nape from the side and gently calmed her.

“What are you doing, that’s dangerous.”

“Uuu… I was just happy to see you…”

As I carefully picked up Elysia, the same result followed.

Elysia hugged me tightly, applying pressure like a wrestling move, then touched my face here and there with a puzzled look.

“That witch teacher kept you locked up for three months! You weren’t eaten or anything, right??”

“…Witch? Are you talking about my master?”

“Yeah! She’s always in her room, never comes out, and looks all gloomy~!”

Children’s insight often reveals deeply hidden truths so easily.

Then I realized Alletus had been watching the entire scene, and I cleared my throat and sat on the opposite side.

“Apologies, I showed you something unseemly.”

“Hmm? No, it’s fine. I’m just glad to see you looking healthy.”

Fortunately, Alletus didn’t seem displeased.

Rather, he seemed pleased. The strange thing was that even though three months had passed, he still had a bandage wrapped around his head, as if the wounds hadn’t healed. Elysia had recovered fully already.

Perhaps noticing my gaze, Alletus spoke up about it.

“Ah, don’t worry unnecessarily. This bandage… yes, let’s just say it’s for protecting you.”

“?”

“I’ll explain it gradually. But first, I must give my thanks… once again, thank you so much for saving my daughter.”

Alletus bowed deeply. It wasn’t an action a noble should take toward a commoner child, but I said nothing.

As I said before, refusing gratitude here isn’t humility, it’s an insult, as if saying your daughter’s life wasn’t worth that much. I waited for Alletus to raise his head before clarifying the facts.

“I merely followed my master and got caught up in it by chance. If there’s any reward, please give it to my master…”

“Haha…”

Before I could even finish, Alletus smiled.

“Ah, sorry to cut you off. Your master said exactly the same thing.”

“Huh?”

“After I recovered from my injuries, I visited her to repay the favor. But she said it was something she did for her disciple, and if I wanted to repay anyone, I should do it for you… You two are really like master and student.”

“…”

So that happened. I tried my best to ignore Elysia rubbing her shoulder against mine as she clung to me and asked,

“Did my master not say anything else?”

“Hmm? Nothing in particular. She seemed busy with something and kept the conversation short.”

“…I apologize.”

“It’s thanks to that personality that we survived. No need to apologize.”

“She called me, though?”

“She did? What did she say?”

“Hmm… She told me to try using your ability! So I did, but then she nodded her head and told me to leave, so I asked to meet Jern, but she said you needed stability and told me to go, so I begged her to let me just once since I’d stay quiet, but then she glared at me and told me to go…”

“Ah, so that happened.”

Once the beginning was over, she just said whatever she wanted.

As I played along, Alletus cleared his throat and brought Elysia’s endless chatter to a halt.

“Ahem, daughter. Could you step aside for a moment? I believe we need to have a more serious conversation now.”

“We met after 3 months though? I don’t want to!”

“I’ll come see you every day from now on instead.”

“Deal!”

She was still young and easy to manage, but I wondered what would happen when she got older.

As Elysia trotted upstairs, Alletus, pressing a hand to his head as if he had a headache, began to undo his bandage.

“The conversation veered off a bit, but I truly mean it when I say I could thank you a hundred times and it still wouldn’t be enough. However… the situation has become a bit urgent, so I should speak of that first.”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

After briefly clearing his throat, Alletus spoke with a serious expression.

“A public declaration regarding the Abyss Realm Wizards is being prepared. The official name is the one they call themselves, ‘Fallen’. As for the response… there will be no compromise, an all-out purge.”

So it had come to that.

I expected it, but still felt my heart sink slightly as I asked for details.

“Has the declaration already been made?”

“Not yet. They’re waiting on my agreement, which I’ve been avoiding under the excuse of being ill. Once I agree, messengers will begin rushing across the entire Empire. I took a look at the draft in secret, and it details how to identify them in great detail. It seems they’ve dug up all sorts of facts from ancient documents.”

“…”

It was the scenario Crimson Circle had predicted.

It’s unsettling how everything is going exactly the way those bastards wanted, but nothing can be done. Even if the Empire knew this was Crimson Circle’s plan, they still would’ve made the same declaration.

Crimson Circle wants Abyss Realm Wizards, the Fallen, to gather. While spouting nonsense about saving the world and whatnot.

And from how things looked, that’s exactly what would happen. The Fallen, who had been hiding and barely surviving, would see Crimson Circle’s rampage and begin to question how they overcame the Burden. They’d be forced to choose between dying at the hands of the Empire or throwing themselves into Crimson Circle’s arms.

It didn’t seem like I’d be able to escape that flow either.

“I can at least still use normal magic.”

I demonstrated a Wind Cutter. When he saw the star gleam in my eyes, Alletus nodded in surprise.

“That is curious. But doesn’t magic of the Abyss Realm not use mana?”

“Yes… it doesn’t.”

“Then it will eventually become obvious. Unless there is overwhelming research stating Fallen can never use normal magic, we are currently relying solely on ancient records. There’s a high chance you’ll simply be seen as a strange Fallen who can use magic.”

“That’s a fair point.”

I started thinking.

The people who know I’m a Fallen are: Alletus, Dersia, and Elysia, though I’m not sure if she actually knows or not.

And the elders of the Black Magic Tower. They didn’t seem too concerned. I doubt they’d bother reporting to the Empire.

Other than that… I did show magic during the exam.

But there weren’t many people nearby. And definitely, if it were just the kids, they wouldn’t be able to tell.

Still, one thing worries me.

‘Princess Lumia…’

She’s extremely gifted, unlike the other kids.

And I beat her down hard enough that she nearly sank into the depths.

If she took that kind of beating, she might’ve noticed something strange.

…Probably not, right? For now, I can only hope that’s the case.

If the Princess targets me, it’s over in more ways than one.

“I’ve already publicly used magic several times. In the exam as well.”

“That may be brushed off due to your special status as Dersia’s disciple. But the problem is what comes after. If people later see you using Abyss Realm Magic without mana, and combine that with the earlier witness reports, we can’t know what might happen. It’s best to avoid that as much as possible.”

“I agree with that.”

Looks like I’m going to suffer a bit thanks to the mess Crimson Circle caused.

As I sighed, Alletus scratched his head and spoke.

“I know it sounds odd coming from the one who brought it up, but don’t worry too much. Your master, Dersia, will surely find a way to resolve this somehow.”

“Th…that is… There’s been a bit of a problem.”

“?”

To the confused Alletus, I explained it in the most softened terms possible.

My master had gone somewhere far away, with no set return date, and in the worst case, might be gone for years.

Alletus asked back with an expression of disbelief.

“What, she just left her disciple behind?”

“Well, I’m not sure if ‘left’ is the right word, but… yes.”

“That’s, hmm…”

After pondering for a moment, Alletus called a butler as if he had made up his mind.

“Clean the room on the top floor. It’s where our benefactor will be staying, so take special care.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Is that for me?”

“Please don’t refuse. At the very least, if word spreads that you’re staying and being provided for in this mansion, even if there are suspicions, they won’t be easily raised. Doubting that would be the same as questioning my integrity.”

“That’s dangerous.”

I spoke firmly.

“I must constantly take risks in order to survive, and in the process, there’s no guarantee that my identity as a Fallen won’t be exposed. If something happens to me, it will spread to you as well, Lord Alletus.”

“I haven’t fallen so low as to fear getting my benefactor’s blood on me. And I’m not someone who will collapse from just that.”

“…”

When he showed such strong resolve himself…

In truth, with Alletus’s name value, the lower-ranking nobles wouldn’t be able to act against me based on mere suspicion, as long as I didn’t use Abyss Realm Magic openly.

So, I simply bowed my head.

“Thank you.”

“You’ve stolen the words I should be saying. Is there anything else you need?”

“Hmm. By any chance…”

After a brief hesitation, I asked.

“Could I be introduced to a trustworthy knight?”

“A knight?”

“Yes. Someone to whom I could reveal that I am an Abyss Realm Wizard, and ask for help.”

“Hmm…”

Alletus fell into thought as if recalling something.

“I know it’s an unreasonable request. So…”

“Ah, it’s not unreasonable at all.”

Alletus cut me off flatly.

“It feels a little self-boasting to say it myself, but I know many knights who are capable of keeping secrets. I was only hesitating about who exactly I should introduce you to.”

As expected of a noble.

I was thinking that when Alletus suddenly seemed to recall something and began to ponder.

“Hmm…”

“Is something wrong?”

“We might be able to get someone rather quickly.”

“Oh, there’s no need to rush.”

“No, the sooner the better with things like this. I believe he’s here now… I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”

“Understood.”

With a confident look, Alletus left the drawing room.

It looked like the matter concerning the knight would be resolved smoothly as well. Whatever the case, even if Crimson Circle had spewed nonsense, if Alletus vouched for the knight, he wouldn’t spread anything.

With this, I had done all I could for now. I was still concerned about what method would be used to persecute the Fallen, but that wasn’t something I could resolve by worrying right now.

The only thing left.

This Magic Tome.

I used the spare time I had to take out the Magic Tomes from my bag, the ones Dersia said “were all for me to learn” and opened them.

Since I had rushed here before sunset, I’d only received them from Ciel, and hadn’t looked at them yet. But now that I did, they weren’t just difficult, they were completely incomprehensible.

Naturally. I’m a 1-Star.

To learn any of this, I’d need to expand my Enlightenment and move to the next stage.

…Did anything change?

“Burn.”

-Whoosh!

I raised my hand and summoned a flame.

As I stared at it, I quickly extinguished it.

Not yet. If I kept looking at that any longer, something bad would happen.

Which meant, I couldn’t move up to 2-Star.

I wasn’t progressing. I couldn’t learn these spells.

I put the Magic Tomes back into my arms. Whatever Dersia was thinking, I couldn’t grasp her intentions.

How did she intend to teach me this stuff? As I sighed and sipped tea, Alletus returned.

He wasn’t alone; with him was an elderly man with white hair and a somewhat rough appearance.

Alletus looked at me with a slightly uneasy expression and spoke.

“This is the child.”

“Hmm.”

The old man shooed Alletus away with his hand.

From that alone, it was clear he wasn’t an ordinary knight.

I looked at Alletus and asked.

“This person… is he the one?”

“That’s right. He’s the commander of our family’s knight order… and also the man who once taught me swordsmanship. Still formidable, I assure you.”

“‘Formidable’ might be a stretch, looks like my spine is about to snap.”

Wow.

As I was slightly shocked by how he talked back to the head of the house so boldly, Alletus spoke up with a strained request.

“Karin. As I said, the secret must be strictly kept.”

“This old body has no one to tell. You don’t need to worry about that.”

The old man, called Karin, approached and examined me.

He looked far too old and scrawny to be a knight. I was starting to form a slight prejudice when he tapped my shoulder with the cane he was holding.

“Turn around.”

“…Huh?”

“I need to check your back, so I’m telling you to face the other way.”

“Karin…”

With a sigh in his voice, Alletus spoke, and I quickly turned around. That wrinkled hand touched my back.

“Hmmmm………….”

Karin ran his hand over my back while letting out a low hum.

An uncomfortable amount of time passed.

“All right.”

As soon as he lifted his hand, he didn’t even glance at me and walked back to Alletus, blurting out in disbelief.

“He’s going to die soon. Where on earth did you pick up this kind of specimen?”

“…I didn’t bring him to be used as a specimen. More importantly-”

“What do you mean ‘going to die soon’?”

This was about me. I stepped forward and asked.

Karin waved his hand as if annoyed and replied.

“Don’t you understand? Your body’s rotten to the core. I don’t know which knight abused you, but he clearly wasn’t human.”

“? I don’t serve any knight, though.”

“What are you talking about now?”

Karin responded like he was looking at a child spouting gibberish.

“Your body is, no matter how you look at it, one that has been steeped far too harshly during the training of Body Reinforcement Art, pushed by a knight’s ambition. It’s going to start rotting from the inside before long.”

I blinked.

Apparently, I had another Burden I didn’t know about.