What is this…?
A dream?
My whole body feels bound tight, unable to move.
It's like being pressed down by a nightmare, or like someone's sitting on top of me.
"…al. Baal."
Someone is calling my name.
The voice feels familiar, yet somehow different too.
I want to open my eyes to check, but it's not working.
For some reason, my eyelids seem to be blocking me, as if telling me I mustn't look.
Get out of the way already.
Someone's desperately looking for me.
Something soft and plush presses against my chest.
Determined to figure out what it is, I force my eyelids open,
"…Baal, it was hard because of me, wasn't it? You don't need to do anything now. Just lie still. I'm an adult now too. I'll take care of everything."
"Gah!"
Something massive filled my vision and jolted me fully awake, making me reflexively sit up.
"…Baal?"
My field of view flipped upside down.
The dim surroundings brightened all at once, and a familiar voice reached my ears.
I turned my head toward the source of the voice and saw a familiar face.
It was Yuria.
Before I could even register what was happening,
She threw herself into my arms.
Where such strength came from that slender little body, I couldn't say, but she clung to me as if she'd never let go.
"Uh, huh?"
"Baal! Are you okay? Doesn't it hurt anymore?"
"……ah."
Hurt? What was she talking about?
Understanding the situation caught up to me faster than I could voice my confusion.
Ah, I see.
I must have collapsed.
I'd linked mana cores with Yuria and forcibly pushed that much mana into my body—of course it caused an overload.
'I didn't mean for this to happen.'
Honestly, this was beyond what I'd expected.
I'd spent all of yesterday awake through the night, researching a way to heal Yuria.
And when I finally found the answer, I'd assumed I could pull it off without much trouble.
'Guess I underestimated it.'
Tch.
It wasn't that I hadn't braced myself at all, but I hadn't imagined I'd show Yuria such an unsightly side of myself, to this extent.
If things had gone as planned, I would've healed Yuria smoothly and then flashed a cool little grin to show off.
Didn't quite work out that way.
"…Yeah, I'm fine. Yuria. Don't worry."
Maybe it was the relief of having survived a brush with death.
Or maybe it was the joy of knowing Yuria had waited for me so desperately.
My voice came out a little looser than usual, almost like my past life.
Though Yuria didn't seem to notice.
Even with my own troubles piling up, I patted her back to reassure her.
"Tch, to think a disciple would drag his heaven-sent master all the way out here just to sleep like a log. One really does live to see everything."
"…Master?"
At the sudden voice, I thought for a moment my ears had deceived me.
But when I turned to look, there really was exactly the person I expected, standing right there.
Clicking his tongue and glaring at me—my Master.
"H-how are you here?"
"That little brat called me! You were dying, she said, searching for me so desperately!"
"Yuria did? How…?"
As I raised the question, Master pulled something from his robes to show me.
It was a small ornament, the kind that might hang from the end of a necklace.
But I recognized instantly that it was an artifact enchanted with magic.
And besides, that shape—I'd seen it somewhere before.
"Baal, this."
"Hm?"
As I dug through my memory, Yuria tapped my arm, rolled up her sleeve at the neckline, and pulled something out to show me.
A necklace made of slender white platinum.
The very thing Master had given Yuria as a parting gift when we left Arcanel.
I still vividly remembered asking Master what it was for, only to be brushed off with "none of your business."
Right, that's what it was.
"Don't tell me this was a communication device?"
"Something like that. You said you'd take her as your disciple, so wouldn't that make her something of a grand-disciple to me? I gave it to her so she could ask me for advice if your half-baked teaching ever left her struggling."
"…….."
He barely let me speak a proper word to him for nearly half a year.
Faced with such blatant favoritism, I was left speechless.
Though, well, if I ever had such an adorable grand-disciple of my own, I'd probably hand over my liver and gallbladder too, so I understood.
That old man really did have a soft-hearted-fool streak, hidden away somewhere.
Considering he'd even resorted to teleportation, which he barely ever used, just to come here.
"I never imagined it would be used this way, though."
"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you."
"It's not me you should apologize to—it's your disciple, you damned fool."
Clicking his tongue again, Master pointed a wrinkled finger at Yuria.
Only then did I turn to look at her.
Her expression seemed much the same blank look as usual at a glance, but her eyebrows drooped just slightly, dejected.
I see—her emotions still hadn't fully awakened yet.
Well, even if I'd opened the floodgates, it was too much to expect her to grasp it all overnight.
We'd just have to build on it, step by step, from here.
It was only a matter of time now, so there was no need to rush.
"I'm sorry, Yuria. I made you worry."
"Mm, it's fine. But is Baal okay?"
She meant that worrying me was fine, but how was my body doing—that's what she meant.
By now, I could read Yuria's slightly stilted way of speaking well enough.
"Of course. Look how lively I am. Watch. Hup!"
"Skinny."
"…….."
I'd tried flexing my arm to show off some muscle, but all I earned was pity.
Well, of course. What muscle would a bookworm like me even have?
Seems I'd only managed to make her worry more by trying something I never do.
"Anyway, there's nothing seriously wrong, so don't worry too much. I just overexerted myself and collapsed."
"Really?"
"Really."
"What if it's a lie?"
"Hmm…. Then I'll do whatever our Yuria wants, no matter what it is."
"Then I'll believe you."
Yuria clasped her hands together adorably and nodded.
Meanwhile, Master had come up beside the bed, still glaring at me with that sullen look.
I felt a flicker of anxiety, wondering if he might do something, but thankfully there was no sign of that.
"Little one."
"Hm?"
"Step out for a moment. I have something to discuss with your master."
"Will it take long?"
Was she worried about me?
Normally, Yuria would've hopped up and headed outside without any resistance.
"Not long. I'll call for you in about ten minutes, so come back in then."
"Okay, got it. Baal, see you in a bit."
"Alright."
I watched fondly as she waved her tiny hand and left the room.
The moment the door finally closed,
Smack!
"Ow!?"
"You blithering fool!"
Stars burst before my eyes.
Along with Master's thundering scold.
"S-suddenly resorting to violence against your own disciple. I could report this to the Mage Association, you know, Master."
"Go ahead and report it if you dare! I'd love nothing more than to stick a blade in your gut myself."
"…Ugh."
I'd made a rather timid counterattack, but it fell on deaf ears, as expected.
Truthfully, I already knew why he'd hit me, so I quickly accepted it.
No doubt he'd instantly noticed the state of my body.
"What were you thinking, doing something so reckless? From the looks of it, you linked cores with that little one and forced her mana into your body."
"Yes, that's what happened."
"Why? Have you suddenly grown disillusioned with the world? Are you that eager to keel over dead by tomorrow?"
"Not at all."
I can't die until I see our precious girls all grown up and married off.
Why would he say something so hurtful.
"I simply wanted to see her smile."
At my earnest confession, the old man stared at me for a long while.
It could've been the look one gives a lunatic.
Or it could've carried a hint of sorrow.
"…That child will manage fine on her own thanks to the Star's Blessing, but you won't. You understand what that means, don't you?"
"Yes. It hurt like hell, actually."
"A pity you didn't just die then and there—that would've been quite the sight."
He said it that way, but he'd have grieved more than anyone if I actually died.
That's just the kind of man our old master is.
"Reach the 8th Circle as soon as possible and find a way out. Until then, this old man will lend you a hand."
"How exactly do you plan to help, Master?"
"Take this and ask questions later."
"……?"
He tossed something at me. When I caught and examined it, it was an oddly shaped device—a sphere contained within a cube.
What is this?
Looks like some kind of artifact.
"It's the culmination of my recent research. With the Chaos Mana causing such an uproar at the Association lately, I racked my brain and came up with this."
"Don't tell me you made an artificial core?"
"Something like that. Well, as a core, the amount it can hold isn't much."
…He's insane.
I nearly said that out loud.
A core.
A storage device for mana, granted only to humans.
That's precisely why, in this world, not even the magical tools called artifacts can be used through mana stored in advance.
Even the dimensional stones commonly used for long-distance travel haven't solved this problem, which is why they require five managers on rotating shifts, just to keep feeding mana into them each time they're activated.
In other words, this could be seen as an artificially created human heart.
"Implant that into your body. It won't be a complete solution, but it should at least share some of the burden."
"How much can it hold?"
"At most, a tenth of your core's capacity. It's an emergency measure at best, but it should at least keep you from dying today or tomorrow."
A tenth.
That's plenty.
Even if it wasn't a perfect remedy, as Master said, it was enough to give my core—which had been screaming for its life—at least a bit of breathing room.
"Originally I meant to finish it properly and give it to that little one instead…. But given the urgency, I had no choice but to bring it here."
"Thank you, Master."
"Remember this well—you haven't been saved."
"Yes, I understand."
"You understand nothing. Still, your mouth runs well enough."
The venom kept pouring out without fail, but my heart swelled with such respect for him that none of it registered at all.
I don't think I'll ever hold a wedding ceremony, but if I ever do, I want Master to be the one to officiate, without question.
"Master, could you send Yuria back in on your way out?"
"That was the plan. Tch, get some rest. I've already handled the emergency measures, so don't use magic for the time being."
Ah, so that's why my core had felt a little tight lately.
Master had taken care of the aftermath for me.
The part that had felt ready to burst at any moment was now sealed shut.
Truly, the continent's only remaining 8-Circle mage was on a different level entirely.
Once Master left the room, only silence remained.
…Hm? But why isn't Yuria coming in?
Did she go somewhere for a moment?
***
Creak.
"You were listening after all, I see."
"…Yeah."
When Godwin stepped out the door and reacted as if he'd expected it, Yuria nodded her head timidly.
She wasn't foolish either.
She'd realized immediately that Baal's body was, by any measure, not in a normal state.
She'd simply pretended not to notice, since it seemed Baal didn't want her to know.
But that didn't mean she hadn't wondered about his condition either.
"Grandfather."
"What is it?"
"Is Baal in a lot of pain?"
"…It isn't your fault."
"I know. I figured Baal would say that too."
Was this truly a child who'd only just awakened her emotions today?
Godwin was momentarily stunned, but nodded in agreement with a wry smile.
Certainly, that damned disciple of his would say exactly that.
The thought struck him as odd—it felt like he himself was starting to resemble that soft-hearted fool.
"Well, if he's left as he is, he won't last much longer. I did give him emergency treatment, but."
"If he's left as he is? Is there a way to fix it?"
"That depends on you."
"On Yuria?"
As Yuria tilted her head, her expression asking what that method could be,
Godwin lowered himself slightly and pointed toward Yuria's chest.
"You may not fully understand this yet, but a mana core is much like a muscle. The more you use it, the more it grows, and the greater the burden it can bear. Right now, you're relying entirely on the Star's Blessing to shoulder that weight, but if your mana core alone becomes able to withstand that overwhelming amount of mana, things will change."
"…I don't get it."
"You're honest, aren't you."
"What I don't understand, I don't understand."
'Baal says you're not supposed to pretend to understand what you don't,' she added.
"But even if you don't understand now, will you be able to someday?"
"Yes."
"If it's Yuria, can I save Baal?"
"It's a bit different. To be precise, only you can save that fool."
"If I study magic hard?"
"If it's possible at all, you'd need to reach a level like your master's, or this old man's."
It was, without question, a difficult task.
Even he himself, who might look like some ordinary old man from the neighborhood, was the only remaining 8-Circle mage on the entire continent.
And that half-baked idiot back there was a genius who'd reached the 7th Circle at the youngest age in the continent's history.
Frankly, if it had been anyone less talented, they wouldn't have even managed to bring this child this far in her recovery.
And yet, today of all days, Godwin found himself resenting Baal's talent, just a little.
If he hadn't had such a gift, perhaps he could have lived an ordinary life instead.
"…Okay, I'll try."
"Are you confident?"
"I don't know. But Baal said you never know until you try."
Baal, Baal, Baal.
No matter what she said or did, that name kept slipping out, and Godwin couldn't hold back a laugh.
"Heh heh. It seems every action, every reason, traces back to that fool."
"That's right, isn't it?"
"…Eh?"
He'd only meant it as a teasing remark to poke fun at the little girl.
But the answer that came back left him more startled than her.
Yuria, for her part, simply tilted her head with perfect composure, placed a hand over her own chest, and continued speaking matter-of-factly.
"Yuria has decided. I'll live for Baal."
"…….."
"And Yuria will fix Baal again. If I can't fix him, if Baal gets hurt again…. I'll feed him, carry him on my back, earn money, and live with him for the rest of my life. If Baal dies, Yuria will die too."
"Uh, um…. Is that so?"
"Yes."
Her personality seemed to have shifted rather oddly.
It left him a bit uneasy, but he decided to take it as a sign of how deeply she wished to repay her debt, and think of it positively.
"Grandfather, can I go in now?"
"Y-yes. Go on in. Just don't mention that this old man said anything unnecessary."
"Got it. But Grandfather, do you happen to have a mirror?"
"A mirror?"
She wasn't some noble lady carrying around a hand mirror, so of course she had none.
But who was Godwin? A mage, of course.
He conjured a mirror-like field of magical force, and Yuria brightened, gazing at her own reflection.
"Hmm…."
"What are you doing?"
"Practicing smiling. Still not quite right."
"Take your time. Rushing it will only make it worse."
"No good. Baal said he wanted to see Yuria smile. Oh, and what kind of hair does Baal like?"
"Hair?"
"Yeah. Would Baal like Yuria's hair the way it is now?"
"H-he'd probably like it, wouldn't he?"
To be honest, his disciple's taste in women's hairstyles was none of his concern, and he had no idea in the first place.
'Don't tell me, this little one….'
It might just be something a ten-year-old said without much thought.
But somehow, Godwin felt a prickle of unease as he stared down at Yuria.
"Grandfather, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. This old man will be off now. Don't torment the sick fool too much."
"Okay. Don't worry. Yuria will do everything for him. Change his clothes, feed him meals, sleep together with him."
Something about that last part seemed to reveal a bit of her own personal desire.
But Godwin pretended not to notice and added one more remark.
"…The earlier things, he can manage on his own. Just leave those be."
"No."
With that firm refusal, Yuria trotted off into the room.
Through the gap in the doorway, Godwin watched her run to the bed and throw herself into Baal's arms, and clicked his tongue.
'Well, that disciple-raising venture has gone spectacularly wrong.'
He couldn't be certain, but somehow, that was exactly the feeling he had.
