Ch 177.2
Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama
「Well then, let’s begin!」
「Let’s go!」
Lydia took up a trolley, while Claude picked up a shovel and they headed off.
We still needed human labor to complete these types of meticulous tasks, no matter how far magic had evolved.
「Hey! The magician big bro over there! Can you come and destroy this rubble?」
「I’ll be right there.」
I followed after the boy and arrived at a house, which had been pierced by a huge boulder.
This thing definitely can’t be moved by human hands…
「Everyone, step away for a bit.」
I told the people in the area to move away after which I aimed at the huge boulder and cast Time Square.
While time was stopped I cast Green Sphere and Black Sphere.
Double Fusion: Gravity Sphere.
When time began to flow again a black magic ball appeared and began to slowly whittle away at the enormous boulder.
I could hear all kinds of cheers from the surroundings. After shattering the boulder into smaller pieces the magic ball completely disappeared.
Now that was some fine control if I can say so myself.
I wasn’t sure whether it was because the Heavenly Mages’ spell had passed through my body, but I could control my spells way easier compared to before.
「Thank you, young man.」
「Don’t worry about it. Something like this is no big deal.」
「Even though you say that, your smug face says otherwise!」
「Kukuku」
Afterwards I continued my work.
I searched for even more large boulders and destroyed them with Gravity Sphere.
Because it could only break things apart with its sheer pressure, Gravity Sphere was particularly effective in these scenarios. The only thing I needed to do was break up the huge rubble into smaller pieces.
It also looked quite flashy, so it was a great way to entertain the onlookers as well. After all, I didn’t hate standing out.
Well then, next is…
Just as I was about to head to my next destination I caught a glimpse of a small girl.
She had short, black hair and looked like any other typical young girl.
Why do I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before…?
As that thought crossed my mind, the young girl drew closer to me.
「Zeph-done, isn’t that you?」
「That voice. Is that you Saruto…bgf!!!」
Just before I could call out her name, she blocked my mouth.
It was Sarutobi, the shinobi under Yera’s supervision.
I had previously worked with her, but we had to part ways since she had some business to attend to.
I hadn’t met her since then, but it seemed like she had done well for herself…
「What in the world are you doing… Isn’t Sarutobi just an alias?」
「I’m a spy. Even my alias being found out is a big problem degozaru.」
「That manner of speaking is way more revealing if you ask me…」
「I-I cannot do anything about it! I’m still not used to this country’s language degozaru!」
Urohime can talk quite naturally though. Rather I think you’d sound quite natural if you just got rid of that degozaru thing…
「… So you can’t have your alias be found out, but showing your face is okay?」
「The mask that I usually wear is my disguise. As long as my name and attire don’t match, then there’s no problem. And even though it’s slight, I’ve altered my face a bit as well.」
Come to think of it, last time we met, she said that she had some scars on her face. Looking at her now, there are no scars… She’s probably hiding them with some sort of makeup.
「… Please do not stare at me like that.」
「Sorry, sorry… So, what should I call you now?」
「Whatever you like.」 「It’s Saru then.」
「You…」 Sarutobi said, glaring at me as if she was about to kill me at any moment. 「TL/N: saru means monkey in Japanese」
「Still to think that you’d help with the restoration as well. Like how should I say it, it somehow doesn’t match your character.」
「Shinobi must always blend in with their surroundings. It is important that we do stuff like this as well degozaru.」
I see, so she’s doing it so as to not seem suspicious.
Observing Sarutobi’s work, I noted that she wasn’t moving in her customary, flawless manner, but rather in the manner of a typical young girl.
She was stumbling into rocks here and there, and was also trying to break her balance on purpose. She was also carrying some dangerous looking rubble to the trolleys.
To be honest she gave off the impression of being quite skilful rather than anything.
「Hey Sa-chan, want me to help you?」
After one of the older men saw her struggle, he immediately offered to help her.
「I’m fine gozaru. Thank you gozaru!」 Sarutobi responded in her rough, unpolished manner.
She did, however, appear to be making an effort to blend in.
I see, so she’s known as Sa-chan here.
「That so? Well it looks like your boyfriend is there as well, so I won’t meddle.」 「Y-You’re mistaken gozaru!」
「Hahaha.」
The old man returned to work without saying anything else.
Kuku, it seems like she’s even mastered getting flustered as well.
「… Don’t laugh.」
「My bad, my bad. I won’t do it anymore Sa-cha… Hahahaha!!!」
「I’ll stab you.」 Sarutobi said as she glared at me with a murderous gaze.
She might really do it…
◆ ◆ ◆
We continued helping the restoration of the city when one day I received a message from the Magician Association.
The sender was no other than Bertram.
「Hmph… It’s about time I got one…」
I was somewhat scared to open it, however, I wouldn’t find out what was on the inside if I didn’t.
I sat down on the sofa and opened the letter, at the same time Milly slowly crept up next to me.
「What’s that? A letter? From the Magician Association?」
「Yea, it’s from Bertram. It’s asking me to come meet him.」
「Whoa… I wonder what he wants to talk about.」
「I don’t know, maybe it’s about the Title Match that got cancelled, or the saving of the capital, or maybe about the Penta Fusion spell which I’m forbidden from using… There’s a lot of stuff he might want to talk about.」
「Well all of those have already happened so it doesn’t matter♪」 Milly said with a smile, however, I couldn’t smile.
They were all serious topics.
Especially the one about me using a forbidden spell.
They did warn me once already after all… Well I did end up saving the town so they might turn a blind eye to it this once. Or that’s what I’d like to happen.
「Can I come as well?」 Milly asked.
「I’m the only one they asked for. I doubt they’d let anyone else inside.」
「In that case I’ll just wait for you outside.」 Milly said, hugging me.
Why do I feel like she’s even more clingy since the fight with Tiamat…? She must have been really worried when I exhausted my magic power. Good grief, she’s such a worrywart.
「… Okay. But don’t do anything stupid.」
「Okay!」 Milly said, clinging onto my arm.
With her by my side we headed towards the Magician Association.
◆ ◆ ◆
Bertram was peering out the window of the Magician Association’s uppermost room.
Even though most of the damage had already been restored, there were still some wounds, from Tiamat’s attacks, that were yet to heal.
According to what he had heard from Sherrod, that monster had apparently appeared due to Urohime’s Unique Spell.
They had somehow managed to defeat it with that so-called Platinum Zero spell, however, it hadn’t come without any casualties.
「Tiamat huh… The black monster that came from the Other World.」
That was the name that had appeared in Magician Association’s ancient records.
A closer examination of the ancient records revealed that there had been countless such dark monsters that had arisen from time to time.
「Zeph did not only know of Tiamat’s name but of the other black monsters as well… Who in the world is he?」
Bertram’s brows furrowed.
He was worried. Worried that as one of the five Heavenly Mages, he might have to be cautious around Zeph.
He had grown interested in the boy since his daughter, Elise was fond of him as well.
And during the battle with Tiamat, Zeph had managed to prove himself worthy of Bertram’s trust.
「At some point I thought that he might be suitable for Elise… However, he’s way too dangerous.」 Bertram whispered out as he looked down from the window.
His gaze was drawn to Zeph and Milly, who were strolling down the street.
Zeph looked to be quite uninterested, while Milly on the other hand was jumping up and down while holding onto his arm.
Bertram’s veins bulged and the wall next to him exploded when he saw it.
He’d cast a spell unintentionally just now.
Having felt flustered for a moment, Bertram immediately regained his composure and even started laughing.
「Fufu… Hahahaha!」
After laughing his heart out Bertram sat down on his chair.
He tried to search his mind for various reasons as to why he didn’t like Zeph, but there was only one.
It was just that he didn’t feel like giving his daughter to him.
He had previously believed that he would be willing to give up his daughter to any magician who was talented, even if it meant that he had gone down the wrong path.
That’s what Bertram had believed up until now. That’s how it should have been, however…
「Huh. It seems like I’m just an ordinary parent after all.」 Bertram muttered out and folded his arms while waiting for Zeph.
A knock came at his door just as he was contemplating how to pick on the boy.
「Enter!」
「Excuse my intrusion.」
Zeph’s voice was heard and the door opened.
◆ ◆ ◆
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