And so Ermes and his companions arrived at the foot of a deserted mountain, in the opposite direction from the town.
According to Rose, this spot would be hard for anyone to stumble upon, and with the mountain for cover, there was little risk of being spotted from a distance.
On top of that—
"This should do it, don't you think?"
Rose murmured, eyeing the pedestal-like object that had been set at the mountain's base.
At first glance it appeared to be nothing more than an unremarkable lump of metal — but with a thin, pale orange barrier extending outward in a cylindrical formation around the pedestal at its center, it was crystal clear that this was no mere display piece.
According to her, this was an
Ancient magical tool
capable of generating a barrier.
She had apparently been carrying it on her person — by one means or another — as both a self-defense measure and insurance on the way here. As far as Ermes was concerned, he couldn't help but wonder whether she really needed any means of protection beyond magic.
"...You really do have
an Ancient magical tool,
don't you? Just owning one of these as a private citizen would be reason enough for the Royal Family to target you in this country, you know."
"Hmph. I couldn't care less what some musty old clan has to say about it."
"You are technically a member of that clan, though..."
Yurugen, who had come along to witness the fight and serve as a last-resort mediator should things go wrong, muttered with an exasperated look.
Besides him, Katia and several attendants who had volunteered — Leila among them — were also now present.
They too, no doubt, wanted to witness the battle of Rose — the woman once feared and known as the "Sky Witch."
In any case, the stage for the confrontation was now set.
Ermes moved to follow Rose into the barrier—when a voice called out to him.
"Hey, El. So—"
It was Katia.
Her expression wavered between confusion and concern as she spoke up.
"Um, are you sure about this? Jumping straight into a fight, and against her of all people—"
"Your concern is most kind, but I assure you, there's nothing to worry about."
Ermes offered a gentle smile as he replied.
"Master won't be going all out—this is merely part of our training. ...Besides, I'd personally recommend that you watch Master fight."
"Huh?"
"I think her magic will speak for itself—just what kind of mage she really is."
With that, he stepped into the barrier and made his way toward his master, who was already waiting at the center.
They faced each other and steeled their resolve.
"First time going at it directly in three months? I've been looking forward to this—seeing
just how far
you can push me."
"At the very least, I want you to use Bloodline Magic. —Then."
They exchanged a few brief words, perfectly in step.
Like mirrors of one another, they simultaneously thrust out their hands, raised their magic power in unison, and spoke together.
" —[
Shi
and so the world was created.
Infallible.
I inscribe the truth of the infallible here.
Without distinction between heaven and earth — that is for the sake of the sole miracle.""
—!?
Katia, watching from outside the barrier, was startled first by that.
What Ermes and Rose had spoken was the exact same incantation. What that meant—
—Creation Magic — '
Primal Inscription
'"
The instant the two of them voiced that inscription in unison, two identical jade tablets materialized.
There was no mistaking it — '
Primal Inscription.
'
...It wasn't truly strange. After all, since Rose was the one who had developed that magic, this outcome was only natural.
But for her, '
Primal Inscription
' was strongly perceived as Ermes's magic.
That was precisely why she had been caught off guard — at the sight of Ermes, who until now had always been the one using the opponent's magic, now being the one to cast the same magic as her own.
However, that was merely the prelude to the true astonishment.
What the two of them produced next was, once again, the same magic.
Fireball. A type of Enhanced universal magic. It was quick to cast, with well-rounded power and speed — something Ermes frequently relied on when building his offensive combinations.
Rose had prepared the same thing... but there was one critical difference.
—Rose's was incomparably larger.
"No... way..."
Up until now, Katia had witnessed a great deal of Ermes's magic.
His defining trait was reproducing whatever magic he saw. Through this, he had claimed others' magic as his own and surpassed his opponents on their own terms — she had watched that scene play out time and again.
That was precisely why she couldn't believe it.
The same magic—
used by him—
could result in a loss—
of all things.
The fireballs were launched. The two collided at the center and detonated — and sure enough, Rose's devoured Ermes's with overwhelming force, surging toward him.
He must have realized it, too. He used the brief window his fireball had bought to dodge out of the line of fire, attempting to regroup.
But the witch's onslaught would not stop.
"See? We're not done yet!"
With that cheerful voice came the next Enhanced universal magic — Wind blade, Ice shard, Lightning arrow.
Every single one was something she recognized... and every single one held power orders of magnitude beyond what Ermes could produce.
Before she could stop herself, Katia let the words slip out.
"That's practically — practically Bloodline Magic...!"
It was no wonder she thought so — the performance was nothing short of extraordinary.
Yet at the same time, she realized the truth. That magic was unmistakably an extension of General-purpose Magic.
There was no sign of any special Technique being employed. Genuinely, fundamentally, the magic itself was no different from what Ermes used.
In other words, what determined the power was magic power output and control.
And in both of those areas — she surpassed Ermes by a vast margin.
Some of those abilities were partly innate, but for the most part, they were cultivated through training.
She couldn't believe talent alone could reach that level. In other words, Rose... possessed extraordinary magical talent yet never once neglected her efforts, spending an enormous amount of time honing her skills to this degree.
...Just like Ermes.
(That's right... after all, she's his "master.")
Once again, she was struck by the depth of the bond between him and Rose.
Shown not just through information but through magic itself, Katia nearly averted her eyes from the sight before her —
"Don't look away."
The words from behind stopped her.
"...Father."
"I understand how you feel, but you mustn't turn away. ...No matter how extraordinary the magic they wield, no matter how far removed their goals may be — they are undeniably, fundamentally the same kind of people as us."
With a steady voice, gazing straight ahead as his declaration demanded, Yurugen spoke.
"There was a time when I lost sight of that. I don't want you to walk the same path."
"...Yes."
"Besides, take a closer look at him."
"Huh?"
At her words, she turned to look at him—Ermes.
But what she saw was the same as before: him barely managing to hold his own against Rose's overwhelmingly superior offensive—
"—No."
That wasn't right. It wasn't that he was barely holding his own.
The very fact
that he could hold his own
at all
was
abnormal.
Everything about him was lesser. He was facing an opponent who used exactly the same magic, yet whose power, speed, and base abilities all far exceeded his own.
He was certainly at a disadvantage, but the fact that he could still put up any semblance of a fight was extraordinary.
And then she realized—
just how much ingenuity and technique he had poured into this exchange.
By deploying walls of light that deflected attacks to the side rather than meeting them head-on, he weathered each assault with minimal magical expenditure.
He constantly made tiny shifts in position and deployed his magic in ways that exploited gaps in awareness, preventing his opponent from ever locking their aim.
He read his opponent's next move and selected spells with favorable affinities, sometimes even turning the opponent's own magic against them to gain an advantage—all while quietly accumulating information, biding his time like a tiger watching its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to counterattack.
—That was, without question, what he had built up over time.
Creativity and ingenuity. Learning and evolution. The way of being he had honed, so that he could stand against opponents superior to himself and ultimately surpass them.
"..."
Before she knew it, she had forgotten how to speak.
It wasn't just her. Yurugen and the servants, too, were all holding their breath, watching the battle inside the barrier.
A witch who reigned through sheer, overwhelming force — legitimate power backed by absolute technique and experience.
And a boy who stood against her through ingenuity born of a sharp mind, wielding what seemed like limitless resourcefulness and cunning.
Everyone was captivated. Something you'd never see among the Bloodline Magic users of the Royal Capital, who rested on the laurels of their birth.
The breathtaking magical battle woven by two true magic users.
(—Father was right.)
She must not look away. — No, rather, she should burn this scene into her eyes.
Because this scene was surely the ideal she should hold, as someone who wished to catch up to him.
Steeling her resolve, without hesitation,
she watched the tide of battle with unwavering determination.
Thank you so much for your reviews!! Truly, thank you so much...!!