Chapter 19 - Servants

I became quiet as I reorganized my thoughts, realizing that there were still people around us. I quickly pushed those matters to the deepest recesses of my mind, deciding to worry about them later. I coughed a few times and approached Emilia.

“Emilia, please disperse the students who are in third grade and below. As for those who just became my servants, give them a crash course, okay? Ah, could you also have someone bring us tea?”

“Yes,” she replied.

Eclara-sama and I then walked away from the field. I used magic to create a pair of seats and a table, casting wind magic to blow off the dirt. The two of us sat opposite each other.

Right now, Eclara-sama was wearing the uniform of the Elite Magic Class students. I became curious about her age, but since asking a girl her age is rude, I refrained from satisfying my curiosity.

“…Lumina-sama… back there… what did you just do?” she asked.

“What do you mean? I didn’t do anything.”

Even though I didn’t like to lie, I didn’t want to share this magic with the magic students. I had to do this because there was a risk that Eclara-sama might be ordered by her master to reveal what she saw.

Also, because null element magic is invisible to those who can’t use it, it was safe to say that it would be hard to uncover.

“…You’re lying.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Then what was that huge amount of mana before!? Don’t tell me that was just my imagination!”

Eclara-sama slammed her palms onto the table, her face showing real impatience. I knitted my brows as I contemplated whether to tell her or not.

“You don’t need to worry about the risk of me telling my master about this,” she added.

“…”

“I’m now a masterless vagrant, Lumina-sama. So it’s safe to tell me… no, please tell me.”

Eclara-sama suddenly moved away from her seat and prostrated herself before me. I became really troubled by her actions. She was the person who taught me magic, so I didn’t like seeing her like this.

“Please don’t do this, Eclara-sama,” I said, approaching her and gently making her stop. I made eye contact with her for a few minutes and sighed.

“Before I tell you about that magic, tell me first why you became a vagrant.”

“He wasn’t the ‘master’ I was looking for.”

“Is that so?”

“You don’t look surprised.”

“Well, I just had a feeling it was bound to happen.”

Thanks to her appearance, I was able to remember the events that happened in that game quite clearly. In the game, Eclara-sama would cancel her contract with Pax as the rivalry between the protagonist and Pax intensified. She couldn’t take the things her master did to a ‘rare magic talent,’ which was the protagonist.

One day, while she continued to be at a loss, the protagonist suddenly appeared before her and started a conversation. This conversation became the trigger and the reason she canceled her contract. After that, she became a servant of the protagonist’s master. Because he was a kind and understanding master, her loyalty towards him grew stronger.

Lots of things happened in between—the events were still quite foggy for me—but the end was quite clear. In the middle of the ruined capital city, Eclara-sama and the protagonist walked side by side. Behind them, a child with red hair followed. That child was their son… or was it their daughter?

Anyway, her defection from Pax was a milestone event in the game. I started to suspect whether the events in the game were also happening here. This meant that this world might actually be the game world.

(Arrrgh!!! Why didn’t I try to make a walkthrough for the game as insurance! I wouldn’t have forgotten all about it!)

“To have felt that this would happen… your instincts are quite sharp,” Eclara-sama noted.

“I wouldn’t say they’re that sharp.”

(Emilia, where’s the tea!!! I want to change this topic!)

“Ahh, Eclara-sama, why did you come here? This place is quite far from the Magic Building.”

“I almost forgot, sorry—I got too focused on that magic.”

Like before, Eclara-sama stood up from her seat and knelt before me. Not prostrating, but kneeling.

“Lumina-sama, I have come here to request something from you.”

“Hmm? What’s the request? As long as it’s within my power, I’ll do my best to fulfill it.”

“After what you just did, my request is child’s play.”

I raised my eyebrows, becoming suspicious.

“What are you implying?”

“I wish to become your servant, Miss Lumina.”

“…This is a bit sudden.”

Her gaze met mine, and within her eyes, I could see that she was willing to do anything for this.

“I’m prepared to beg.”

“Are you throwing away your pride?”

“Pride? That never gives birth to anything positive, Lumina-sama.”

“…Why me?”

“I feel that you are the one most worthy of my service. The other reasons have already been stated by your servant.”

My cheeks twitched slightly.

“Eavesdropping is a bad habit, Eclara-sama.”

“I accidentally overheard her speech when I arrived. I’m sorry if what I did was rude.”

“Haa~”

Breathing out a sigh, I stood up from my seat and reached out my hand to her.

“Let’s go to the magic department. They may accept our contract since you’re a Magic Student.”

“No, I want to do the same contract as those students.”

My eyes widened at her demand.

“Are you sure? You may have been mistaken in choosing me. Since you know that much, you must also know that this is irrevocable.”

“I am aware.”

“…Eclara-sama… I want to ask. Why me? Don’t you have more talent than I do? You’re stronger and have more experience than me. I really want to know why you chose me.”

Eclara-sama became silent at my question. Though it was my second time asking, I placed more emotion into it this time.

She pondered for a while before she faced me. Looking closely, I could see some sweat on her forehead.

“It’s because I feel that you can use me better.”

“That’s a very strange answer.”

“I think so too.”

Eclara-sama smiled at me, and I returned her smile with one of my own. I then had her kneel before me and performed the ceremony.

When she stood up, her hair had turned entirely black, matching her eyes.

“You sure did become different, Eclara-sama.”

She frowned at my words.

“Please don’t call me ‘-sama’ anymore, Lumina-sama. You’re now my master, so there’s no need to be respectful to me.”

“…”

Turning my back to her, I headed towards Emilia.

(We finished our talk, but there wasn’t any tea delivered to us.)

“Too many things happened today. I can’t wait to go back to my dorm.”

Raising my head to the sky, I discovered an even more disappointing piece of news. It wasn’t even noon yet.

When we arrived at the field, I found four maids carrying trays of tea, crying in front of Emilia. I approached her with a frown.

“Where’s my tea?”

“I’m sorry, Lumina-sama. I couldn’t make them deliver tea to you.”

(So they were supposed to deliver the tea to me… why are they crying?)

“I don’t know why they’re crying, but please serve me a cup of tea.”

“Yes.”

I walked over to one of the tables near the field and sat down. Eclara followed behind me, standing silently without uttering a word.

A few minutes passed, and Emilia arrived with my tea. Pouring it into a small cup, she served it to me with a smile.

“How’s the training going?” I asked.

“Not so good…”

“…Why?”

“It seems they’re having difficulty feeling the mana.”

“How did you explain it to them?”

“I told them to relax their bodies, be conscious of their breathing, and become one with the environment.”

I accidentally let go of my teacup when I heard her explanation. Thankfully, Eclara used magic to catch it, so the cup and the tea didn’t spill.

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

Facing the direction where the students were sitting, I found them talking to each other. I stood up from my chair and walked closer, discovering they were trying to decipher the meaning behind Emilia’s words.

(It’s going to be a long day.)

Since Eclara wanted to learn about this new magic, she joined the ranks of the students and started conversing with them. As for me, I walked towards the front and used wind magic to amplify my voice.

“We will now begin the lesson.”

Everyone became silent, their eyes focused on me. Even the maids who had been crying earlier swallowed their tears and looked at me with red eyes.

(Really, why were they crying!?)

“Follow what I say, okay.”

“Close your eyes and calm yourselves. Don’t be impatient, and don’t get excited. Just focus on yourself and breathe deeply. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.”

Watching them follow my instructions seriously made me a bit happy. But it also felt quite uncomfortable, like I was giving them a lesson on how to give birth. It was especially disturbing when I saw the men doing the Lamaze method.

“Now, feel the mana in your surroundings. Remember what you were taught about the origins of magic and feel it.”

One by one, they were slowly covered by a blue aura. They then chanted individually,

and mana balls started floating around them.

Seeing that they were producing satisfying results, I had Emilia teach them the rest while I rested under a tree. I told her I was going to take a short nap.