Studying the Magic Language was by no means easy. However, in his original world, Jaes had been a computer engineering graduate student who routinely spent entire nights coding to complete the projects assigned to him.
Rather than finding it difficult, he regarded it as an enjoyable task that allowed him to study ‘magic,’ a word that had thrilled him since childhood.
“And the magical demonstration you showed me on my first night was a great help too, Miya. There are many things that are difficult to understand without seeing them in person. The spells used by the mages in the Mage Tower are still far too complicated to be of any help.”
Jaes did not forget to express his gratitude to the maid standing before him.
After obtaining basic information about magic in the Mage Tower on his first day, he had asked Miya to demonstrate it for him that evening when she returned to finish explaining the aspects of life there that she had not covered that morning.
He had watched her recite the Magic Language and cast First-Tier Magic directly before his eyes.
Among the spells she demonstrated was Haste, the spell he had chosen as his first subject of research. Thanks to that, Jaes quickly acquired a general understanding of the spell and came up with his current approach.
“Hehe. It was nothing worth thanking me for. More importantly…… You have already survived for nearly a week in ‘that’ Mage Tower. I suppose you are not exactly normal either, Jaes.”
“Ha ha…… I merely happened to have experience with a place similar to it.”
“You have also been studying magic with incredible concentration. You somehow seem rather similar to the mages in the Mage Tower. At this rate, will you end up joining the Mage Tower yourself one day?”
“……! Absolutely not!!”
“……Eek?!”
Jaes’s firm answer burst from him the instant Miya made her playful remark.
Seeing how startled she was, Jaes wore an awkward expression and began making an excuse that was not truly an excuse.
“Sorry. But that will never happen. How could someone like me possibly enter a place like that?”
Of course, that was not what Jaes truly thought.
‘She wants me to enter another place exactly like graduate school? Why would I?!’
Just as it had been in his original world, the Mage Tower could not possibly be the only place where he could learn magic.
Of course, the Mage Tower might have been different from graduate school in his original world.
However, after observing it so far, Jaes had concluded that there was little difference between them.
Therefore, although he was interested in magic, the thought of joining such a place had never even crossed his mind.
‘But in my original world, the professor also lured me in when I knew nothing. I am not in a position to refuse things easily here either, so the best course of action is to avoid drawing attention, quietly do only what I am told, and make certain that history does not repeat itself.’
Miya glanced at Jaes, who was thinking that to himself, and warned him with an adorable expression.
“You startled me! Be more careful next time. It may not seem like it, but the place where we live is within Raiden’s territory! If someone screams or the sound of fighting breaks out, he could suddenly appear at any moment. I do not want him to remember me over something so trivial!”
“All right. I am sorry. But what do you mean? Is that ‘territory’ another form of magic?”
“That is right. Of course, ‘territory’ is merely a term I made up myself. I heard that Raiden can locate any target that meets his own criteria within a certain range and instantly move to them. I have never witnessed it myself, but he is exceptionally skilled with Acceleration Magic. They say he moves so quickly in battle that other people cannot even see him.”
“Oh.”
‘He specialises in Acceleration Magic?’
Since Raiden was a mage with an imposing presence, his abilities were unlikely to be limited to the First-Tier Magic Jaes was currently dissecting for research.
Miya’s words immediately stirred Jaes’s curiosity.
‘Hmm. I suppose I will have the opportunity to witness it someday.’
“Ah! Look at the time!! I have to go and start working.”
“Ah. I should begin making my way to the Mage Tower too.”
“Yes. Have a good day!”
“You too, Miya. ……Ah, could I ask you one last thing?”
“What is it? As long as it does not take too long!”
“Ah. I noticed something while learning Acceleration Magic. There was one phrase in the incantation written in the book that was clearly different from the one you showed me that night. I heard that people recite slightly different incantations even when using the same spell, but I could not understand the meaning of that particular phrase at all. Could you tell me what it means?”
FLINCH.
A trace of hesitation passed across Miya’s face when she heard Jaes’s question.
However, it lasted only an instant, and Miya had her back turned to him, so Jaes did not notice.
“Hmm? I do not know what you mean. I do not have time now, so let us discuss it again later!”
“All right.”
With one final farewell, Miya hurried away.
‘Hmm.’
As Jaes watched Miya’s retreating back, he felt an unusual sense of peace.
‘A maid…….’
Was this how it would feel to have a younger sister?
For the moment, Miya was the only person in this world whose presence made him feel comfortable and reassured.
Had Jaes possessed a particular fondness for maid uniforms, he would undoubtedly have been even more excited by the situation. However, although he and Miya might have been similar in age in this world, Jaes had already passed thirty in his original world while attending graduate school.
To him, Miya honestly felt more like an adorable younger sister than a woman.
Besides…….
‘……No. That is depressing, so I should stop thinking about it. I should head to the Mage Tower.’
Nevertheless, it was an unusually pleasant day for Jaes.
After relentlessly analysing Haste, he had finally confirmed that his efforts were producing results.
‘I should work moderately today while being careful not to become involved in anything unnecessary.’
The greatest lesson he had learned from both the military and graduate school was simple.
Never allow foolish pride to make you display exceptional skill in front of others.
The brief satisfaction of showing off would be repaid with a mountain of additional work.
‘Competent enough not to be criticised, but not enough to attract excessive attention.’
As always, Jaes engraved that lesson deeply in his heart.
Fortunately, he completed his work in the Mage Tower without incident that day and returned to his quarters as usual.
“Whew. Then shall I finish today’s research on the Magic Language before going to sleep?”
As always, he prepared to lower himself slowly onto his bed and continue studying the Magic Language before falling asleep.
Just then,
KNOCK. KNOCK.
“Hmm?”
Someone knocked on his door in the middle of the night, something that had never happened before.
“……Who is it?”
“It is me. Miya.”
“……Miya?”
The voice that answered his cautious question unexpectedly belonged to Miya.
“What brings you here so late at night?”
Jaes hurriedly grasped the handle and opened the door.
Miya stood before him with a shy expression, dressed in adorable nightclothes instead of her usual maid uniform.
“There is something I want to tell you, Jaes. May I…… come inside?”
“Hmm? Can you not simply say it there?”
“……No. I would prefer to speak with you ‘privately,’ alone inside your room.”
Even though Miya felt like a younger sister to him, the circumstances were enough to make Jaes’s heart pound. Even a man as hopelessly inexperienced in romance as he was could not hide his reaction.
“……Uh. For now…… come in.”
Miya smiled beautifully at his answer.
“Thank you.”
“All right. What is it?”
Miya lowered her gaze shyly and began speaking in a cautious voice.
“Um, about…… the question you asked me this morning. Have you spoken about it with anyone else?”
“Hmm? ……Ah. You mean the unusual phrase that appeared only in your Haste incantation? No. Of course not. You are still almost the only person I speak with here.”
“Ah, I see. Whew. What a relief.”
“Did you come here because of that? To answer my question? You could have told me later. You truly are diligent, Miya.”
“Yes. Of course. That is why I came to deal with it quickly instead of postponing it. The sooner I deal with it, the less likely anyone is to discover what happened.”
“Right, right. ……What?”
Jaes was feeling awkward because Miya’s visit had proven to have an innocent purpose, contrary to his worries(?).
Only then did he sense that something was wrong.
SHIIING.
At last, Jaes noticed the distinctly unnatural aura emanating from Miya, something completely different from her usual presence, and realised that the situation had taken an entirely different turn from what he had imagined.
“……Miya?”
Miya slipped a hand inside her nightclothes as though she were about to remove them.
Jaes recoiled in surprise and attempted to avert his eyes.
“What are you doing…?!”
—Fourth Tier.
—Orb of Shadow (Orb of Shadow).
WHOOSH.
“Hmm?”
A curtain of darkness as black as night surged from Miya’s hand and spread out, enveloping Jaes’s entire room.
“What…… is this?”
“Hehe. What else could it be? It is a barrier that blocks sight and conceals our presence so Raiden will not notice us.”
Miya’s voice was now filled with suspicion and hostility, entirely unlike before.
Jaes swallowed dryly at the ominous sensation and cautiously questioned her.
“……Why are you suddenly doing this? What are you planning to do to me?”
“Who knows? Is it not obvious what a man and a woman would do together at such a late hour?”
“Uh, in that case, I am sorry. You feel more like a younger sister to me than a woman.”
“Pfft. My, my. Did you just reject me?”
“Probably? Do not underestimate the ability of a lifelong bachelor who attended an all-boys middle school, an all-boys high school, and an engineering university to deal with women. Men like me are practically an endangered species now.”
“Hmm? What incomprehensible nonsense is that? In any case… Very well. It cannot be helped. To soothe my wounded pride after being rejected so abruptly, I suppose I have no choice but to kill you, Jaes.”
“Was that not your intention from the beginning?”
As though dragging him back from his desperate attempt to escape reality through a meaningless joke, Miya gave him a beautiful yet ominous smile.
“My. You noticed?”
‘……Damn it. I knew things had been going far too smoothly.’
Jaes faced Miya directly as she released a thick, oppressive killing intent unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
Her eyes made it clear that she genuinely intended to kill him.