"...Ah, morning..."
My blurry vision gradually came into focus, and as the morning sun shone through the window, I realized that I was awake. I chuckled softly at my own sleepy voice and welcomed the second day.
Since then, I had been brooding over my exchange with Lord Mephisto, but perhaps because it was the first day, I was tired. As soon as I lay down on the prepared bed, sleep overtook me.
I still couldn't shake the unpleasant feeling, but I felt like this was a path I had to walk eventually. If it's coming, then let it come! I decided to steel myself.There's no lie in my desire to become stronger. Having shifted my mindset, I still feel drowsy, drifting in and out of sleep.
This bed is incredibly comfortable. The softness that makes my body sink in is irresistible. I know I have to get up today to receive guidance on the sacred artifact from Lavinia, but looking at the clock leaning against the wall, I think I can afford to doze off for a little longer.I know it's messy, but the comfort of sleeping in is universal, isn't it?
"There's still time, so I guess it's okay."
"No, you can't... Kanakun, you have training with me today."
"But there's still time until my appointment with Lavinia..."
I woke up. With what must have been my personal best in terms of speed, I threw off the blanket covering me.
I looked around, but couldn't see anyone who had spoken. I thought it might be a magical array like the one used by Mephisto, but there was nothing like that either. I thought it might be a dream or an auditory hallucination, but then I noticed the blanket next to me bulging slightly, and my body froze. Wait, what's going on? Am I in the middle of something terrible?
Could it be that the "usual thing" is being applied to me, a mere background character? This is the world of "High School D×D." It's a world with an absurdly high skin-to-clothing ratio, so much so that I couldn't help but think, "This is overkill." But in this erotic hierarchy society, background characters and supporting roles get no special treatment. Remember Sakura-san, who was obsessed with the president? Did he ever get any payoff in his relationships with girls? No, he didn't!!
I swallowed hard. Hesitantly, I touched the blanket. My heart was pounding, but I'm at the age where I'm supposed to be going through puberty. Even if I have memories from a past life, everything is new to me. The idea of being in bed with the opposite sex makes my face turn red just thinking about it. Then, mustering all my courage, I pushed aside the blanket that had been piled up.
And there, as I had expected—there was Lavinia. She was wearing the large T-shirt I had bought on a whim as a souvenir, with the words "Heart and Mind Extinguished!" written in big Chinese characters. ...Wow, all the excitement of my adolescence was completely frozen and extinguished. Japanese kanji T-shirts have the effect of making people go serious when they see a cute girl wearing just a T-shirt in bed.I had no idea.
"Good morning."
"...Good morning, Lavinia. Why are you in my bed?"
"Um... I think I got up to use the bathroom yesterday. And then I woke up here."
"...You must have gotten the rooms mixed up. You're too clumsy."
"Yes, that must be it. Kana-kun, you're a master detective!"
Seeing Lavinia clap her hands happily, I think I must have smiled like a Buddha. In this state, what else could I possibly say? There were so many things I could have noticed—her sleepy eyes, her snow-white skin, the fact that she was wearing the large T-shirt I had bought—but all I could see was "Mind at Peace!" Why did I buy this?
"Let's get up first. Can you make it back to your room on your own, Lavinia?"
"Yes, I can. I'm already ten years old, so I'm fine."
"...Wait, does that mean I'm older than her?"
No, come to think of it, people from other countries tend to look older, right? So it's not because I have a baby face or am too short! This is really messing with my head... If I just sulk, I'll probably be forgiven in this state. Damn it!
――――――
"Ahem. Now, let me tell you about the sacred treasure."
"Yes, please."
After that, the morning incident was simply ignored. Is it okay for me to cry? By the way, Mephisto laughed and said, "It's common for people to wander in sleepwalking in the middle of the night."We should really pay attention! Mephisto-sama, you must have found Lavinia crawling into my bed sometimes and found it cute, so you never told her off, right? Are you setting up a flag for future lucky perverted incidents!?
Also, Mephisto-sama didn't say anything about Lavinia crawling into my bed.I tilted my head, but he said, "You wouldn't do anything to make Lavinia cry," as if it were obvious. Should I feel happy that he trusts me, or should I lament the fact that I might have to endure future lucky events with "mental suppression"? Where did my luck go? Breathe properly.
Thus began my first morning as the "Gray Magician," starting off with such a commotion.
"First, how much do you know about the types of sacred artifacts?"
"Types, like what?"
"Well, for example, the 'Eternal Ice Princess' I possess belongs to the independent manifestation type of sacred artifacts. It is a sacred artifact that can exist independently of its host, taking on its own form, and fights to protect its host."
"Wow, that's an amazing artifact!"
"However, its weakness is that the host of the artifact is often targeted. Therefore, if the host doesn't have the ability to defend themselves, it can be dangerous. Each type of artifact has its own characteristics, so the way you fight and defend yourself depends on the opponent's artifact."
I see, so that's why Lavinia doesn't rely solely on her God-Destroying Weapon and has also honed her magical skills.Impressed, I try to recall all the divine weapons I can remember. The first one that comes to mind is the protagonist's divine weapon, ''. It's an incredible divine weapon that doubles the user's abilities every ten seconds. The one that counters it, '', works the opposite way: it halves the abilities of anyone it touches every ten seconds and absorbs the abilities it takes away. These two are probably in the same category of divine weapons.
"That's right. Those two are status-altering divine weapons. There are also healing and cursing divine weapons in this category. I think Kanakun's divine weapon also falls under this classification. It's a divine weapon that inflicts the 'annihilation' status on oneself or others."
"Status-altering... What are the characteristics of that?"
"There are many diverse types. However, most take the form of a divine artifact. For example, ' ' is a gauntlet, and Kanakun's is a spear. They can also be small items like rings or earrings. Due to their special effects, these artifacts are not recommended for close combat. On the other hand, once their effects are understood, they can be countered more easily. Generally, they only have a single special effect. If countered, they can suddenly become disadvantageous."
So, if countermeasures are taken, they become disadvantageous. That applies to any sacred artifact, but it's especially true for those that cause status changes. Indeed, in the original work, enemies used various methods to counter Kato Ichise's abilities. Asia's healing was also reversed and used against her in one scene. Because they rely on a single special effect, they become overly dependent on it.
Additionally, many status-altering divine artifacts are affected by their own power. For example, cursed artifacts may be less effective against opponents of higher rank, or overusing them beyond their limits can cause self-destruction. Consuming physical or mental energy to activate special effects is a trend I've noticed in my own divine artifact as well. In other words, they can't be used repeatedly. This limited number of uses is another characteristic of such artifacts.
The most effective way to use this divine artifact is to keep the opponent unaware of its effects. In other words, it's about keeping information secret. Don't give the opponent any information, confuse them with the power of the artifact, and then deliver the finishing blow. Being flashy and drawing attention is counterproductive. In the original work, Hidetoshi Hidetoshi was able to succeed because he had the pure strength of the "God-Destroying Artifact." If it had been an ordinary divine artifact, he might have been sealed away.
Additionally, the artifact used by Kiba Yuto, known as a "system artifact," and magical-attribute artifacts like the "attribute-type artifact," each have their own characteristics and countermeasures. It's fascinating to realize just how many types of artifacts there are. Many of these details went unnoticed when reading the original story for enjoyment.
"However, Kanakun's artifact has a significant characteristic that sets it apart from ordinary state-altering artifacts."
"What about my divine artifact?"
"Yes, Kanakun's divine artifact has an incredibly wide range of applications. Even if you know his power, it's hard to counter everything. You might be able to protect yourself from the annihilation effect, but you might not be able to stop him from escaping or recovering. If Kanakun can use the annihilation power on anything and as many times as he wants, I wouldn't want to fight him."
That's how far it goes. But yeah, I wouldn't want to fight such a troublesome opponent either.Attacks are eliminated, he disappears and becomes an assassin, and even if you manage to injure him, he heals instantly. Yeah, I don't want to fight him normally.
"By the way, how would you fight him if it were you?"
"I'd knock the spear out of Kanakun's hands, even if I have to blow off his arm. Then I'd use my sacred treasure to freeze a wide area at once, leaving him no escape, and finish him off with one blow."
"That's seriously scary!"
But, I see. Make him drop the spear. Indeed, my abilities are centered around the spear. Once I lose the divine weapon, I'm just an ordinary human. I guess I need to prepare countermeasures for that as well. There's just too much I have to do.
"Alright, enough theory. Let's move on to training. The first step to mastering the divine weapon is practice."
"Huh, but how do we train?"
"There's a specially created space used for practicing magic attacks. It's based on technology used in demon rating games, making it the perfect place for training. We'll be using it a lot from now on, so remember it well."
Lavinia said that, then put on the pointed hat she had been holding on the edge of the desk and donned the cloak hanging on the wall. She was now fully dressed as a magical girl.Incidentally, her hat and cloak were gifts from Mephisto to celebrate her becoming a magician. No wonder she cherishes them so much.
I followed behind her, trying to memorize the way to the training room. Along the way, she told me about the facilities and shared some useful information, and I nodded in agreement. As expected of a magician's association, everything was new and exciting, and I couldn't help but be distracted.
We eventually arrived at a vast space that must have been dome-shaped. I wondered how such a space could fit inside a building, but it must be the power of magic. Lavinia unfolded a magic circle near the entrance and moved her fingers as if tracing something. At the same time, the plain white dome-like space suddenly transformed into a massive room with hard walls. She explained to me that it was a projection or an illusion created by magic.
"Now, Kanakun. I would like you to show me the power of the sacred artifact. I have heard about it from you, but I have not seen it with my own eyes."
"Oh, right. How should I show it to you?"
"I will cast a spell on you. Try to dispel it. I will set the speed to slow, so if you feel it's dangerous, escape immediately."
"Got it."
As I brought the sacred artifact to my hand, she gripped a small stick like a twig in hers. When I nodded, Lavinia created a magic circle at the tip of her staff, and a palm-sized fireball appeared. It was fired straight toward me. I gripped the spear tightly, aimed it at the fireball, and focused my mind on making it disappear.
As the sacred artifact and magic collided, a faint "shun" sound echoed, and the magic vanished. Lavinia nodded, then created a fireball the size of a soccer ball. I was a bit startled, but I managed to eliminate it without issue. Still, the fatigue I felt was greater than with the first, smaller one. Even so, I thought I could probably handle dozens of spells of this caliber with ease.
There's something else. It feels like the power of elimination has increased compared to before. I had a vague sense of it even when I was in Japan, but eliminating Lavinia's magic made it feel much stronger. I think her magic now is equivalent to the power of the stray mage's initial attacks back then. At that time, I thought a few shots would be enough. But now, I can handle it with ease.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing. I just find it strange that the fatigue from eliminating magic is less than it was when the stray wizard attacked. Do sacred artifacts level up when they're near death?"
"... Perhaps the sacred artifacts resonated instinctively."
"Resonate?"
According to her explanation, it's a phenomenon that occasionally occurs between sacred artifacts.
Apparently, it's more likely to happen when exposed to the vibrations of a higher-ranked divine artifact, and they resonate with each other, pulling each other's power to enhance themselves. Come to think of it, when Lavinia's divine artifact responded, the red one also glowed. So that was resonance. "I believe divine artifacts can distort phenomena even if there's only one of them. At that time, if there's someone with a matching wavelength, a resonance phenomenon can occur.
This is the first time I've actually seen it myself."
"Huh, really? Lavinia knows a lot about sacred artifacts, doesn't she?"
"All my knowledge is secondhand. So it's not me who's amazing, but her. She taught me how to use sacred artifacts when she guided me."
"How to use sacred artifacts...?"
Is there really such a person in the Mages' Guild?
If there's someone like Lavinia's teacher, they should have noticed me too. If they're a stubborn person, it might be impossible, but I think they'd at least introduce us. The fact that they didn't means that the teacher of the sacred artifact might be in a position where they can't meet us right now. "Speaking of which, yesterday, Mephisto asked me if I wanted to try the same method Lavinia used to master the sacred artifact.
Could that mean he's going to contact Lavinia's teacher?"
"Eh..."
At my words, Lavinia's usually dreamy expression turned into the same indescribable look she had when she was with Mephisto. Wait a minute, both of you. Is it really such an indescribable method that it shows so much on your faces? I'm starting to get really scared.
Right, I was planning to ask Lavinia for more details about that. She's someone who's actually tried that method before. I was hesitant to ask Mephisto about it, but I thought she might be able to answer. Just as I was about to speak,
"What's taking so long? Show me the next effect of the sacred artifact already. We can talk later, can't we? By the way, that red color... it really does look like a sacred artifact with the power of Sazeks, doesn't it?Interesting..."
A voice that belonged to neither me, Lavinia, nor Mephisto, who knew about my sacred artifact, suddenly echoed through the room. We reflexively turned our heads toward the voice and widened our eyes. Standing where no one had been a moment ago was a man leaning against the wall, arms crossed, grinning with obvious enjoyment. More than curiosity, what I felt was shock.
More than the fact that my divine artifact had been seen, the identity of that person made my cheeks twitch violently. Lavinia, standing next to me, wasn't holding her weapon but was clearly on guard. That was only natural, because this man wasn't affiliated with the Mages' Guild. Still, he was someone deeply connected to this place. Only now did I remember. Among the information about Mephisto Feres, there was a detail mentioned casually in the original work that was important to me.
Mephisto has someone he's known for a long time, almost like an old friend. In the original story, they were shown to have a close enough relationship to drink together casually. This person was someone who had to keep their friendship a secret until the peace between the three major factions was secured. And yet, he was knowledgeable about sacred artifacts and had a troublemaker personality that made the two of them look away in dismay. There was only one person who fit that description.
He is a middle-aged man with blonde bangs and a slightly rugged beard. Though it's not visible now, he likely has pitch-black wings on his back. His eyes are fixed on me—or rather, on my sacred artifact—with an intense curiosity. It felt like his researcher-like essence, muttering to himself, was operating at full capacity in a different direction from that of a stray wizard.
In the end, my bad feeling proved accurate.
His charisma and kindness are unmatched even in the original work. I've even thought to myself that it would be nice to be friends with him. But that was before I fully understood the power of the sacred artifact. Let me be clear. If Mad, who is obsessed with sacred artifact research, were to discover a sacred artifact with practical applications, what would happen? It's certain that I'd end up in a terrible situation! I absolutely refuse to be turned into an iron ball, modified, or turned into a dragon!
I value my life! I don't want to end up like Spoon, one of Mad's poor victims!
"Hey, it's been a while, Lavinia. How have you been?"
"I'm fine, thank you. I'm glad to hear that you are well, Governor. ...I assume you didn't come to the association today to see Chairman Mephisto."
"Ah, Mephisto told me something interesting.I just flew over here."
Fly over here? You just talked to Mephisto yesterday. You said you'd come as soon as you got the message. How interested are you in my sacred treasure? Are you really that bored, Governor? No, that can't be. You must have pushed your work onto Shemhazai or someone. Otherwise, there's no way a fallen angel governor would be here!
"Well, let's start with introductions. Nice to meet you. I'm Azazel, the second-in-command of the fallen angel organization. From now on, let's get along well."
Dear World. Did I do something to you? After being greeted with a casual wave by the fallen angel governor, I could only manage a dry smile. It seems my second encounter in the original story has turned out to be with Azazel-sama.
***
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