Nido Tensei Shita Shounen wa S-rank Boukensha Toshite Heion ni Sugosu ~ Zense ga Kenja de Eiyūdatta Boku wa Raisede wa Jimi ni Ikiru ~ - Chapter 12

“Now then, I’ll be teaching you the basics of lightning magic.”

“O-okay.”

Having defeated the Cursed Viper and become B-Rank, I was now teaching Mina-san lightning magic as I had promised her a while ago.

“Lightning magic is derived from wind magic.”

“Eh? Not light?”

Lightning glows, so people often make this mistake.

“Lightning appears in conjunction with storms, right? Storms are basically all wind, and thus wind magic.”

“Heee, I didn’t know that.”

All things and phenomena in the world are based on some attribute.

And so, learning a magic began with the identification of its attribute.

“The easiest would be if you learned it through the theory, but that would take a little too much time, so I’ll have you learn it through seeing and experiencing it.”

One could either unravel the theory behind a type of magic and then reproduce it like that, or see and experience it and reproduce it through the sights and feelings of that time.

The latter would be what Jairo-kun did to activate body strengthening magic by recalling the feeling of having healing magic used on him.

“I’m a little scared of being hit by lightning.”

“I’ll really weaken it, so you’ll be fine.”

Saying so, I activated a weak lightning magic in front of Mina-san.

“Spark Sphere!”

A small ball of lightning appeared in front of Mina-san.

“…You used magic without chanting again.”

Mina-san said, staring at me fixedly.

“If you learn the theory behind it, you’ll also be able to easily use it.”

“Is that true, I wonder…”

No no, look, chantless magic itself really is easy.

“Hey, but you can use body strengthening magic. That’s also chantless magic.”

“Now that you mention it, that’s right.”

Phew, I seem to have managed to convince her.

“I’ve made it weaker, so try touching it.”

“O-okay.”

Mina-san slowly poked the ball of lightning.

“Oww!”

Mina-san shrieked as her finger was zapped.

“Something just zapped me!”

“That’s what being hit by lightning feels like. If it were stronger it would be bad for you, so let’s just begin practising on this scale.”

“O-okay, got it.”

After she experienced lightning magic, I taught Mina-san the theory behind the spell and had her practise the chant.

You’d think I didn’t need to hit her with lightning if I was going to teach her the chant, but having experienced it for oneself greatly changed the power and accuracy of the spell.

Due to this, there had been many schools where you had to experience the magic you were learning in my before-previous life.

Although for more powerful magic, it was impossible, since they’d die if they were hit by it.

However, there had still been a few daring people who had dared take even that on under several layers of defensive magic.

“Say, will you be going once we’re done here?”

“Yeah.”

Mina-san must have been asking if I actually wanted to go to the Danger Zone.

“I see. It’ll be a little lonely.”

“It’s hardly even been a month though.”

“Rushing up to B-Rank in under a month is not normal, if you think about it.”

“Really? I don’t really feel it though.”

“But I’m not wrong! Think of how many adventurers there are stuck at low ranks! Being able to get C-Rank is good, and even B-Rank is pretty elite, if you think about it normally.”

Hee, I didn’t know that.

“Alright? B-Rank is the third from the top! That’s amazing!”

“Huh, thinking about it like that, it is quite, isn’t it?”

“Your face says you think otherwise.”

I was stunned.

“Well, we’ll probably stay here for a while raising our ranks, so if you ever feel lonely, feel free to come back.”

“Okay, I will.”

“…Well, it’s a pity someone who personally teaches me magic will be gone though.”

I guess that’s right; even now, Mina-san is being taught lightning magic by me, so its only natural she’d want a teacher.

The magicians in this town are quite strict too, and only teach their own disciples the basics.

“Then why don’t you go to my village?”

“Eh? To the village you’re from?”

“Yeah, there’s a magic textbook I wrote there.”

“A textbook about magic that you wrote!? What! I really want to see it!”

It’s not that big of a deal though.

“I made it to teach the children in the village magic. You might be able to use it as reference.”

“Teaching it to the children in the village… and you used paper for that!?”

Huh? She seems to have been surprised by something?

“I’m curious about your village in all sorts of ways.”

I don’t know what she means by ‘in all sorts of ways’, but I’m glad going there will be able to help her.

“My village is to the west, you’ll have to cross two mountains.”

“We have to cross two mountains in the west to get there. Got it.”

“Still, it’s only got magic for children in it, so there’s nothing all that dangerous.”

“Yeah, so that’s a lie.”

It was immediately denied, but it’s the truth, I swear!

◆ ◆

A couple days later, I had gotten ready to travel, and was going to go to the nearest B-Rank Danger Zone.

Adventurers I knew from the guild came to see me off at the town’s entrance.

Naturally, Jairo-kun and the others whom I had become the closest with were also there, and even Elma-san, the receptionist lady came.

“Uuuuooooon! I’ll be lonely, big bro!”

Among them, Jairo-kun was bawling like a little child at my departure.

Whoa, there really are crybabies like this.

“Good grief, you’re not a kid so stop acting so embarrassingly.”

“Stuuuuupid! Big bro’s going! I know! Let’s also go with him!”

Jairo-kun stood up as if he had just come up with a good idea, but it was no use.

“You’re stupid; we’re F-Rank, so there’s no way we could enter a Danger Zone only B-Ranks and above can enter.”

Indeed, no matter how much motivation Jairo-kun had, one couldn’t go around breaking the adventurers’ guilds’ rules.

“Buuuuut”

“Stop being so selfish!”

Jairo-kun and Mina-san kinda seem like a parent and kid or older sister and younger brother.

“Then, you should also raise your adventurer rank, Jairo-kun.”

“Well, that really will be difficult though. We’re F-Rank, so catching up to Rex-san, who’s B-Rank, won’t be all that easy.”

Said Norb-san, but I thought otherwise.

“It’ll be fine, I taught you all body strengthening magic, and if you train that along with swordsmanship and magic, you’ll become stronger in no time.”

I recalled a group of people I once met in my previous life.

The ones who had gotten stronger had not only talent, but would also spare no effort and hard work.

I believed that Jairo-kun, who wanted to become some mysterious dragonslayer who could defeat Dragons without damaging them too badly with his amazing strength and techniques, would run up the stairs of strength with his strong will.

“D-do you think I’ll be able to do it, big bro?”

Jairo-kun asked me unsurely.

You’ll be fine.

“I’m sure you will!”

The look in Jairo-kun’s eyes changed at that.

“Got it! I’ll catch up to you soon! So wait!”

“Yeah, I’ll be waiting full of anticipation.”

“Yeah!”

“By the time you’ll be B-Rank, Rex will already be S-Rank.”

No no no, S-Rank really is impossible.

“…True, if it’s him, you might be right…”

“He probably will.”

“I also think so.”

Hmmmm? Aren’t they all overestimating me?

Well, anyway.

Jairo-kun stopped crying too.

“Then, take care, everyone.”

“You take care too, Rex-san. Aug-san was summoned by the Lord-sama so he couldn’t come, but he left a message for you. ‘I can’t go see you off, but do your best’ is what he said.”

Elma-san relayed Aug-san’s message to me.

Aug-san is a righteous person.

“The guild chief also said he wanted to come see you off, but he had a mountain of work to do, so I left him behind.”

Haha, Elma-san caused the guild chief to lose face again.

“I’ll catch up to you soon, big bro!”

“Take care!”

“I’m expecting souvenirs.”

“Meguri-san! Don’t take her seriously, okay? Take care of yourself!”

“Do your best!”

“Surprise the people around you there too!”

“Take care!”

Everyone said to me.

It really was just for a short while, but this place had become nearly as cosy as my home village.

But, I’m an adventurer.

And it is the fate of adventurers to leave like the wind!

“I’ll be going then, bye! Flight Wing!”

I rose up into the air with flight magic, waved to everyone, then flew off towards the Danger Zone.

“““““Wait, he fleeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwww!?”””””

Hm? I feel like they were surprised by me flying down there?

But something on the level of flight magic should be normal, right?

Ah, but there wasn’t anyone flying in the town.

Whoops, is using flight magic in towns considered bad manners?

I’ll have to reflect on this; I’ll take more care in the next town.

◆ ◆

I really hadn’t expected him to do that at the last minute.

“Just how ridiculous is the magic he can use? I mean, flight magic?”

“Yeah, it surprised me too. Mina, you were also surprised; is flying that difficult?”

Asked Meguri, who had been just as surprised as me.

Hmm, people who can’t use magic might be surprised by it, but they wouldn’t understand how ridiculous it is.

“Magic to fly in the sky has been researched for a long time, but there has never been anyone who could actually do so. There are rumours that magicians affiliated with the country or army are still looking into it, but currently, taming and training monsters that can fly is way easier.”

“So Rex-san really is ridiculous.”

I guess she couldn’t help mentioning it, even though it was totally obvious.

Norb made a strained smile.

“Aaaalright, let’s go training right away! I’ll train like crazy so I can catch up to big bro and go on adventures with him!!!!”

Shouted the excited idiot, but I had something more important I wanted to do.

“Say, training is fine, but don’t you want to know more about Rex?”

“What!? About big bro!?”

Even though he doesn’t usually listen to me, this idiot suddenly always gets good hearing when it comes to Rex.

“You know something?”

Jairo and Meguri seemed to be interested, so they joined in on the conversation.

“He told me where he comes from the other day. Aren’t you all interested?”

“““We are.”””

“Then it’s settled. Our next adventure will be to go visit Rex’s home.”

“Uooooo! Big bro’s home! How awesome is that!?”

“It’ll definitely be a ridiculous place.”

“And it’s where he was born, so we may even get to the source of his strength.”

“So let’s get ready right away! Then, onwards to Rex’s hometown to find out the secret of his strength!”

““““Woooo!””””

Huh? Weren’t there too many voices present just now?

“Yes yes, guild chief, go get back to work.”

“I’m also curious about his secret!”

When did the guild chief…

“You lot! If you find something, tell me too!”

“Yes yes, whatever you say, now get back to work please.”

Elma-san, you’re strong.

◆ ◆

“Thanks for coming, Aug-kun. Just relax and enjoy the meal, please.”

Even though he was a commoner, Aug-dono had been invited to Viscount Grimoa’s dinner, something only a few select relatives of his could do otherwise.

The ones present were Viscount Grimoa, master of the house, as well as his daughter, Miss Celia.

Also, Aug-dono, an adventurer hired by Viscount Grimoa.

The only other person was me, John, the butler.

This mealtime was something like a secret meeting, and the maids had been forbidden from even coming near the room, so I was in charge of their job.

I had to watch and pour more wine if it ever got dangerously low, or wipe their mouths with a napkin if they ever got dirty.

It was a very meticulous job.

“Wow, amazing food, as always.”

Aug-san began eating nervously, but as soon as the food entered his mouth, that nervousness melted away, and he began eating with gusto.

His manners couldn’t have been called good even at the best of times, but nobody here paid any attention to that.

Both Viscount Grimoa and Miss Celia were in a good mood after their worries they couldn’t speak about had been lifted.

“By the way, Aug-dono, I heard you subjugated an Evil Boar yet again.”

“Again? …Yeah, I did defeat an Evil Boar the other day.”

“Moreover, I heard you defeated it on your own? To defeat such a large monster, you have splendid skills.”

“No no, it was only thanks to it having been small. If it had been larger, it would’ve gotten pretty dangerous.”

Aug-dono showed humility at Viscount Grimoa’s praise.

“But still, to defeat a B-Rank monster on your own, A-Rank adventurers are amazing!”

Miss Celia poured wine in Aug-dono’s glass.

This was not due to my negligence, but because I was respecting the Young Miss’ wishes.

Because I am skilled.

“Good grief. Humble and skilled! I’ve really made connections with a good adventurer.”

Unusually, Viscount Grimoa was downing his wine at quite the high rate.

Perhaps I should put out more snacks so he doesn’t get drunk.

“But still, the payouts from the auctions of the Dragon and Evil Boars must have been quite a considerable amount, so isn’t it unnecessary to continue being an adventurer any more? So why not change to being a knight?”

Viscount Grimoa brought up the main topic.

He had enough talent to defeat a Dragon, so if he continued being an adventurer like this, eventually many nobles would come to realise that he was an adventurer who had defeated a dragon, and would try to get him on their sides.

However, he was an adventurer who was active in the territory of Viscount Grimoa.

There was no way the Viscount would pass up on the talent that could defeat a Dragon.

And if he were made a knight here, the Viscount would be able to use him as leverage against other nobles.

Depending on the situation, he may also be offered marriage with a noble as bait.

If that happened, Miss Celia would surely be sad, so I had to think of some good way to stop that.

That is my job, after all.

Hmm, that part makes me sick though.

However, Aug-dono spoke some completely unexpected words.

“Eh? Dragon? What are you talking about?”

“What?”

Viscount Grimoa looked at Aug-dono with a suspicious face.

“The Dragon and Evil Boars that you defeated that were put up for auction in the royal capital. They became a hot topic even there?”

“Yes, and thanks to that, I was able to get a wonderful Dragon core as well.”

However, contrary to the two’s words, Aug-dono seemed to become increasingly puzzled.

…No way, absolutely no way.

“I heard an adventurer from this town defeated both the Dragon and the Evil Boars. That was you, was it not? I know you don’t want to stand out, but there’s no need to lie to us here.”

Indeed, it is as Viscount Grimoa said.

You don’t have to play dumb, all right? You’re not playing dumb, are you?

“Nah, it was some other guy who defeated the Dragon.”

…

“B-but the one who subjugated the Evil Boars?”

“Yes, I defeated my first one a few days ago.”

“Your first one? Not the fifth?”

“No, the first one…?”

…Ah, oh.

*glance*

*glance*

*glance*

Three lines of sight converged on me.

“…”

“John, what is the meaning of this?”

Uh-oh, Viscount Grimoa’s eyes are scary.

“…”

“John, explain.”

Miss Celia was glaring at me, her face bright red.

“So, what is the meaning of this?”

That’s what I wanted to ask!!!

“““John””(-san)”

I couldn’t stop sweating.

Is this that thing they call sweating buckets?

However, it was unlikely I would be able to remain silent much longer.

So, steeling myself, I opened my mouth.

“Ha, hahaha, it is the truth that Aug-dono was strong enough to defeat an Evil Boar, and I’m glad you were able to get a wonderful subordinate, Sir. Hahahahaha”

““Joooooooooooooooooooooooohn!!””

◆ ◆

I was scolded terribly.

Like, really really scolded.

But, I was somehow forgiven, since I had managed to scout an A-Rank adventurer who had defeated an Evil Boar.

Thank you, Aug-dono.

Truly, thank you.

And so, I went to the adventurers’ guild once again.

To scout the adventurer who had defeated the Dragon again.

“Is the adventurer who subjugated the Dragon here?”

I asked the usual receptionist lady if the dragonslayer was there.

This time, I’ll have her introduce me to him in person, so I don’t make a mistake.

The receptionist lady made a difficult face.

“Umm, I’m terribly sorry, but the adventurer you are looking for has left to explore a Danger Zone, so I doubt he’ll be back for a while.”

…This is the end.