"Alright, that's the third one done. Ready for the next one, Liesha-san?"
"Right. Lead the way," Liesha said.
The task Master Logan had assigned me - embedding the anchors and merging the mana lines - was almost finished. Only two to go.
It had been tricky at first, but by the second anchor, the process became second nature. The mana lines were a tangled, chaotic mess, and the high-level magic formulas were still way over my head. I just focused on carving out the 'paths' for the mana exactly as I'd been taught. As I worked, the lines connected like dots on a map, and the mana began to flow in a steady stream.
In my previous life, there was a term for this: "Dragon Veins¹." It's a concept from Feng Shui that refers to the hidden channels of the earth's energy. That's exactly what this felt like. A massive barrier in the shape of a pentagram already protected the vast lands of Valhalla. Now, I was layering a second, inverted pentagram right on top of it.
The tricky part was that these new routes overlapped with the original Dragon Veins, making the adjustments incredibly delicate. I finally understood why Logan insisted on me doing it. Without my "Evil Eye" to actually see the mana, this would be impossible. The lines were so intricately woven that a single slip-up could shatter the existing barrier. It made sense why even the academy's top mages couldn't pull this off.
"You really are amazing, Sakaki-kun," Liesha said suddenly.
"Eh?"
I looked up from my work as we walked toward the next site.
"I mean, if it's an anchor Master Logan made, I can usually sense it - a sort of... presence if I get close enough. A gut feeling that something is there. But with yours? I don't feel a thing. There's no discordance at all. If you hadn't told me, I'd never even know they were there. They blend into the world perfectly."
Wait, does that just mean I failed? A cold sweat broke out on my neck. I started second-guessing everything. I did do it right... didn't I?
"Oh! I don't mean it's a failure," Liesha added quickly, noticing my face. "I can feel the barrier getting stronger. It's just that... if someone asked me to point out the anchor, I couldn't find it even if I were standing right on top of it."
Phew. If I had the Sword Saint's seal of approval, I was probably in the clear.
"Fufu. You really do hang on my every word, don't you, Sakaki-kun?"
"Well, yeah. I trust your word more than anyone's, Liesha-san."
"!!" Liesha's eyes widened. "I... I see. Jeez, Sakaki-kun... you really are something."
"?"
I didn't get what she was so flustered about. Me trusting Liesha was just common sense. Honestly, I didn't have a single doubt about Tanaka Rekka (Rekka Tanaka) or any of the others either. There were still plenty of sub-characters in this world I haven't met yet, but I already loved them all. I'd seen every one of their endings in the game, after all. Though, there was no denying that the main party and Liesha were my absolute favorites.
As long as I was living in this world, there was a life waiting after the Demon King's defeat. I'd get to see the parts of the world the game never showed. For an obsessed fan of 'Brave Fantasy', nothing could be more rewarding. Between that and my loving family, I was truly blessed. I relished every single day.
"Hup!"
"SKREEEE-ACK!"
Liesha effortlessly cut down a monster that lunged from the brush. Most of the creatures around here would leave you alone if you didn't provoke them, but then there were the "Aggro" types that attack on sight. She'd been a perfect shield, intercepting every threat before it got close. It was exactly like a princess and her protective knight. It was a little depressing that I was the princess in this scenario, but given our power levels, I couldn't complain. Actually, if I was being honest, I was kind of into it. Who wouldn't want to be protected by Liesha Edelheit?
"Don't worry," Liesha said, sheathing her blade with a metallic shing. "I'll keep you safe."
I am totally going to fall for her. Wait, scratch that. I already had - in a "best girl" kind of way. Purely as a fan, of course. It wasn't romantic; she was just so cool and cute that I couldn't help but stan her.
"Y-yeah. Thanks, Liesha-san. I'm counting on you."
"I'm happy to hear that."
Guh... hold it together, heart! If my chest kept hammering like this every time she smiled, I wasn't going to make it to the final boss.
We kept up the light banter until we reached the fourth location.
"Heave-ho for the team!"
I started by burying the mana crystal with a bit of brute force. I gripped the hammer, put my hips into it, and went to town. Clang! Clang!
Liesha stayed on high alert, scanning the perimeter. There was a mole inside the academy, and she clearly wasn't taking any chances. Instructor Todo had mentioned that he'd done a sweep for any Demon Race infiltrators yesterday. Aside from the one found in the cafeteria, the school seemed clean. Master Logan had patched the barrier, so no more should have been able to slip through.
However, I knew about him. His family was being held hostage. He only received one-way orders and couldn't tell a soul the truth.
To save his mother, he was being forced to serve the Demon Race. Cain Cerulean - a half-human, half-demon sub-character. His father was long gone, and he'd been raised by his demon mother. The story went that he was ordered by Baran Gillan, one of the Demon King's Four Heavenly Kings, to infiltrate Valhalla. Because he was a "half-breed," he'd been an outcast even in the demon village, so he'd felt he had no choice but to obey. They'd threatened to kill his mother if he refused.
In the game, once Rekka learned the truth, he'd lead a surprise raid on that village to rescue her. Once his mom was safe, Cain would become a loyal ally out of gratitude.
But that was the problem - until his mother was rescued, he couldn't be recruited. And that event was still a long way off. Which means if we ran into him now, he'd be a dangerous enemy for a while.
He wasn't quite on the level of Liesha - the undisputed strongest sub-character - but he was still a powerhouse. In the late game, he was always my first choice for the second squad.
Usually, late-game recruits are underleveled or weaker than when you fought them as bosses, but not Cain. On a first playthrough, he's actually higher level than the player, and his stats are only a hair below the main heroes. Of course, once you hit the level cap, the protagonists eventually leave him in the dust.
"Alright, that's that one finished."
"Impressive as always, Sakaki-kun," Liesha said. "That's the last of them, right? It's almost noon - let's take a break in the shade over there."
"Sounds like a plan."
Before I knew it, the morning was gone. Valhalla's grounds were just that massive. Even with speed buffs active, getting around took forever.
"There we go. Here's yours, Sakaki-kun."
"Eh? You're sharing?"
"Of course. I got one, too. Instructor Todo prepared these since it was such a last-minute job."
"!!"
I'd forgotten. Instructor Todo might look like a total meathead, but just like Taku, he was a wizard in the kitchen. The gap between his burly build and his cooking skills was incredible. I opened the bento box to find a vibrant spread of vegetables, a savory hamburger steak, and rice topped with furikake. And wait... were those octopus wieners²?!
"Whoa... this looks incredible."
"...Sometimes I really think the gods gave Todo the wrong body," Liesha whispered.
"That's savage!"
"Fufu. Keep that a secret from him, okay?"
"Haha! You got it."
The two of us ate our lunch in the cool shade of the trees. It was a cozy, perfect moment. I honestly wished it could last forever. But eventually, the boxes were empty.
"Thank you for the meal!" we said in unison.
I snapped the lid back on my box and handed it over to Liesha.
"Are you sure you want to carry both?"
"Yeah. It's easier to return them together. Besides, you're the one lugging that heavy hammer around. You don't need the extra baggage."
I couldn't argue with that. Man, I really needed to find a "Magic Bag" for storage. They were rare drops in the dungeons, though, so I'd just have to be patient. In the game, you could have the Alchemy Club craft one if you brought them the materials. Come to think of it, Abern-senpai would probably do it if I asked. It was a mandatory item for any serious adventurer. I'd go see him next week.
"We're here. The very last one."
"Alright, I'll keep watch... Sakaki-kun, get back!"
"!!"
Is it the Demon Race?! I thought - but I was wrong. This thing was...
"GRRRRRRRR...!"
An Elder Grizzly. One of the high-difficulty bosses from the Artificial Dungeons. It was basically a bear, but as the "Elder" title suggested, it was a massive, high-tier evolution of the species.
"GWOOOOOOOOH!"
The beast's massive frame came charging straight at us. I scrambled backward, staying clear of Liesha's path while frantically casting enhancements.
"[Power Enhance]! [Speed Enhance]! [Physical Enhance]!"
"Thanks, Sakaki-kun! Haaaaaaah!"
"GRUU!?"
The bear swung a massive paw down, but Liesha didn't dodge. She met the strike head-on, parrying it with her sword and shattering the beast's momentum. She didn't waste a single second of the opening.
"[Heavenly Demon Consecutive Slashes]!"
"GRUUUUUUUU...!!"
A blur of slashes struck the bear at blinding speed. If I'd been hit by that, I would have been deleted instantly. The grizzly collapsed and dissolved into glowing item drops.
"Nice work, Liesha-san."
"Thank you for the buffs. I probably couldn't have parried that so cleanly without them. It would have taken much longer."
"Still, you're amazing. I'd be dead meat if I were alone. I'm so glad you're here."
"Oh, stop. You're such a flatterer," Liesha said, though she looked pleased. "But... I'm happy you feel that way."
I'm not flattering you! I literally couldn't touch that thing!
"Now, I'll keep an eye out. You finish the last one, Sakaki-kun."
"Got it. I'm counting on you."
"I'll protect you no matter what. Leave it to me."
Liesha was being cool again. With my heart doing that annoying thump-thump thing, I got to work on the final anchor.
"There... it's done!"
"Incredible... even I can feel it," Liesha whispered. "The barrier... it feels ten times stronger than before. I think even Master Logan is going to be shocked."
"Y-you think? Anyway, let's go report to the instructor and Logan, Liesha-san."
"Right. Let's use the reward to buy something tasty on the way back."
"Oh, good call. My treat!"
"We're getting the same amount of points, you know?"
"Hey, a guy has times when he wants to act cool, okay...?"
"Eh? But you were already looking pretty cool just now, Sakaki-kun."
"Eh?"
"....! N-never mind! Forget I said anything! It was a slip of the tongue! Come on, let's get moving!"
Liesha blurted the words out at a mile a minute and started power-walking toward the school. Even from behind, I could see that her ears were bright red.
Summary:
Sakaki and Liesha finish a mission for Master Logan to reinforce the academy's barriers. During a lunch break, Sakaki reflects on the game's sub-characters, specifically Cain Cerulean, who is currently an enemy due to his mother being held hostage. The duo is interrupted by an Elder Grizzly, which Liesha defeats with Sakaki's support, leading to a flustered moment between them.
Trivia:
- Sakaki is using the 'Evil Eye' which is essential for this task.
- Cain Cerulean is a half-demon half-human (dhampir) character.
- Todo-sensei has a 'gap moe' trait with his cooking skills.
- The barrier reinforcement involves an inverted pentagram layout.
- Sakaki is actively planning future equipment upgrades like the Magic Bag
Character Insight:
Sakaki shows deep appreciation for 'sub-characters' and the world itself, viewing them as real people rather than just data. Liesha is beginning to show more overt signs of romantic interest (tsundere traits) after Sakaki expresses his absolute trust in her.
Behind the Scenes:
The 'Dragon Veins' concept is a common trope in Japanese fantasy (Xuanhuan/geomancy influence). The 'octopus wieners' are a staple of Japanese bento culture, often used to show a caregiver's effort.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Dragon Veins (Ryuumyaku): In Feng Shui, these are energy paths through the earth. In this context, it describes the natural flow of Mana.
2 ↩ Octopus Wieners: Sausages cut at one end to resemble octopuses, a popular and cute bento staple in Japan.
Notes:
• Logan - An Archmage and Reo's master. An elderly man with a grandfatherly demeanor who possesses immense magical knowledge and power.
• Liesha Edelheit - A student in Class E. Known as the 'Sword Saint' and the strongest sub-character. A young girl with S-rank strength and speed. She was saved by Todo Seiya in the past and blamed herself for his injury. She approaches Reo at the end of the chapter. Beautiful girl with silver hair that shimmers in the sunlight, long slender limbs, and an idol-like face. She admires Todo Seiya.
• Taku - Reo's younger brother. Protective and prone to outbursts of anger against those who hurt his family. A middle schooler. Over 180cm (6 feet) tall with a massive, intimidating build. Skilled in sewing and housework.
• Abern - Abern Schwartz, second-year Alchemy Club vice-leader & ace—genius w/ fast brain, high alchemy skills & connections, but no combat chops. Hangs in dim rooms, senior sub-boss type grinding potions over fights.