The reason he became a renowned sorcerer at the young age of eighteen was because he stole the knowledge from ‘a certain sorcerer.’
It’s already been... ten years since then huh...?
It was something that happened when Zagan was eight years old.
Even so, it had nothing to do with the topic at hand. And after shaking his head, he continued speaking.
“That’s why we set up a mountain of traps and tricks so that it cannot be stolen... Nephy, do be careful when you touch anything in this room, alright?”
“...Eek.” Nephy sprang up in surprise upon hearing that.
“I’m kidding. It’s set so the traps won’t activate even if you touch them.”
“...Master. That’s mean.” It was a delicate tone that was somehow reproachful and relieved at the same time.
Following that, the tips of Nephy’s pointy ears twitched and quivered as if she were happy.
“Oh...? You look happy. Did something good happen?”
“Hyuuu?” As Zagan tilted his head to the side, Nephy jumped up and lost her presence of mind. She then touched her own face as if she found it strange.
“How... could you tell?”
“I mean, I can tell just by looking.” This time, the tips of Nephy’s pointy ears despondently drooped down, and then twitched and jumped back up in a cycle. She seemed to be both shaken and happy.
While covering her face, Nephy timidly looked up at Zagan through the gap in her fingers.
Honestly, he admired the fact that her base expression had not changed at all through this entire process.
After pausing for a bit, she bashfully said the following.
“Master, it’s because this is the first time... You’ve talked to me so much...” Zagan was aware that his own face had turned red. And, at the same time, he was tormented by a strong sense of regret.
It is, right!? I always only talk in that roundabout way, right!? Just as Zagan was troubled over being able to read Nephy’s expression, she too was likely troubled over how she couldn’t ever understand what he was trying to say.
After clearing out this throat with a cough, Zagan regained his composure.
“Well, I have nothing but sorcery after all. Since it’s my field of expertise, my lips will loosen up a little.”
“Yes.” He didn’t know just what she was convinced about, but Nephy nodded and he could somehow feel that she was happy even without looking at her ears.
After that, while showing slight signs of hesitation, Nephy opened her mouth to speak.
“Master, would you permit me a question?” When she stood on ceremony like that, it meant she had made the resolution to ask something in her own little way.
And so, Zagan corrected his posture as he nodded.
“What is it? Let’s hear what you have to say.”
“Master, it looks to me that you already possess great power. And yet, right now you’re performing research to become even stronger.” Pausing briefly there, after gulping down, the girl said the following.
“Master, what is it that you desire? What do you hope to gain by growing stronger?”
Zagan, was unable to immediately answer that question. What do I desire...? What would he wield that power for?
Nephy’s expression clouded over as she waited for him to respond.
“My apologies. That wasn’t something I should have asked.”
“No, that’s fine, really.” While scratching the back of his neck, Zagan opened his mouth as if he was having trouble putting his thoughts into words.
“Honestly, I’ve never really thought of it.”
“Never... thought of it?” When she said it like that, it really did sound quite foolish.
As his gaze drifted into the air, Zagan nodded.
“If I had to say it, then to live... maybe?”
Nephy gulped at his words.
“To... live?”
“Yeah. When I was a brat, I didn’t have any money or a place to live, so I survived by stealing things. At the time, well, I couldn’t challenge adults or people with real power, but I still felt pretty lucky. I mean, I was still alive at least.” Now that he thought back on it, he thought they were all good people.
There were times that he was thrown into lockup, but even then he was at least given food, and was never threatened with death.
“And then one day, I was captured by a sorcerer. Even though I’m not an elf like you, kids are still reasonably good sacrifices.”
“Ah!” After saying that, he reflected on how thoughtless his words were.
Nephy was captured just like that only a short while ago.
Be that as it may, it would be unnatural to just stop talking here. And so, Zagan continued speaking at a slightly faster pace.
“Well, right on the verge of being killed I somehow found an opening and turned the tables on him. And then I realized that in order to survive, the only choice before me was to gain power. That’s why I wanted to become strong. If we’re talking desires, then that would be it. This may sound cliched, but it’s that little thing called immortality.”
Was she disappointed? Nephy pinned down her chest and hung her head.
“...I was... unable... to become... that strong.” Certainly, Zagan and Nephy’s circumstances may have been quite similar.
And because she never managed to gain power on her own, even now Nephy was looking down on herself.
Zagan then tried to boldly break the ice.
“Hey, Nephy.”
“Yes, Master.”
“If you’re interested in sorcery, then— Hm?” As he started to say that, Zagan’s expression turned grim.
“Is something the matter?”
“...Looks like we have uninvited guests. I’m going to go greet them, so I’ll leave dinner to you, Nephy.”
“As you wish. How many portions shall I prepare?”
“Just enough for me and you is fine. At any rate, that lot should leave right away.” Setting aside Nephy as she tilted her head to the side, Zagan left the archives behind him.
Without power, I cannot survive.
He bit down on his teeth as if he hated that fact as the thought crossed his mind.
◇
“There’s a sorcerer’s dwelling in such a place...” A man raised his voice in bewilderment.
There were four people trespassing in the forest that spread out around Zagan’s castle. Three men, and one woman. The men were in their twenties to thirties and Zagan could tell that each of them was a skilled Angelic Knight. It was likely that the three of them were escorting the woman.
However, the one he sensed would be troublesome was the woman they were protecting.
Although she looked quite young, she was carrying a greatsword on her back. It was evident that her slender arms did not contain the strength needed to swing it around, but the girl was wearing equipment from the church called ‘Anointed Armor.’ Any who donned such armor would gain physical abilities rivaling that of a sorcerer.
Anointed Armor was certainly troublesome, but the bigger problem was that greatsword on her back.
The Angelic Knights of the church used swords which had a high resistance to sorcery, and they even had the ability to cleave apart the defenses of a sorcerer. However, what she was carrying was leaking an aura of power that was clearly on an entirely different level.
One of those rumored Sacred Swords, is it...?
He felt like he had seen the girl’s face before, but with his attention drawn to the Sacred Sword, he failed to remember who it was.
One of the knights then grumbled.
“The true culprit behind the serial kidnappings, huh? To think he was lurking around in this kind of place.”
“...That has yet to be made clear. We came here to ascertain that fact.” Hearing the Angelic Knights’ conversation, Zagan came to an understanding.
Now that I think of it, Barbatos said that I was one of the suspects, didn’t he? And it seemed they travele
d to his domain to attain the glory of subjugating the culprit.
It was fine and all that they were off the mark, but the church wasn’t one to back off.
They declared the very existence of sorcerers evil. Even if he proved his innocence, the result wouldn’t change. Zagan was a sorcerer. That was why he was an enemy they had to strike down.
In response to the girl, who raised her voice to remonstrate them, another one of the Angelic Knights let out a laugh.
“As one would expect of our Maiden of the Sacred Sword, Lady Chastille. You show such deep compassion, even for a sorcerer.”
“We’re proud to have been granted the honor of fighting alongside you, Lady Chastille.” As the knights extravagantly praised her, the girl made a complicated expression. And eventually, they stopped walking and froze.
“It’s this thicket again. We can’t proceed further this way.” It seemed they were having difficulties with one of the barriers set up to avert intruders. Losing their sense of direction, they were spinning in circles.
Zagan was watching that scene from within the forest, highly amused.
The path that led to the castle stretched out before Zagan. The other day, he’d saved a girl being attacked by a sorcerer in the same area. And the knights were moving about in confusion at the branching path in that location.
While gazing at those knights, a doubt suddenly came to mind.
How did the sorcerer at that time... break through my barrier? It was a barrier that could even hinder Angelic Knights. It was impossible to get so deep out of sheer luck or chance.
Also, he didn’t seem like a sorcerer who possessed enough power to break through Zagan’s barrier. After all, he was the type of man who began begging for his life just from having Zagan confront him.
Well, regardless, Zagan’s real problem was the Angelic Knights.
It’d be nice if they just gave up here and left... However, though it was obvious, they weren’t such fickle opponents.
“Please step aside. It’s likely a barrier made by sorcery. I will...” The girl stepped forth, drawing the greatsword at her back.
There was a crest design carved along the surface of the sword. It was quite different from the ones used in sorcery, but the theory was likely the same. If the crests of sorcery were similar to letters, then the one on her sword was from a different alphabet. And those crests gave off a pale shine.
“Here I go!” The girl’s sword flashed through the air.
Shortly after her attack, Zagan could tell that the barrier covering the castle had crumbled. Half of it... was destroyed, huh?
Several of the pieces that fortified his strength still remained, but all the ones meant to drive away intruders had been destroyed from that single strike.
Since the barrier that was deceiving the eyes of the knights had been destroyed, Zagan had no choice but to meet them.
“...My goodness. Do the people of the church know naught of manners? You come to visit my home, and this is what you choose to do?” It seemed that line had finally alerted them to Zagan’s presence, so the knights raised their voices in a fluster.
The men stood in his way as an attempt to guard the girl, but she simply held them back with her hand.
After gazing straight at Zagan, she muttered in a somehow bitter voice.
“As I thought... it’s you.”
“I’m sorry, have we met?” He certainly did feel like he had seen her before, but...
After gazing at her face for a while longer, he finally remembered.
I see... It’s the girl who was about to be killed the other day, huh?
She was a considerable beauty, but at that time she hadn’t been carrying a Sacred Sword, and definitely was not wearing Anointed Armor. Currently, she also had her hair tied up, so her hairstyle was quite different.
Even so, if he remembered right, she possessed a pendant with a crest of the church.
If I knew she was an Angelic Knight, then I wouldn’t have just sent her back like that... He realized that he’d made a grave mistake. However, it would be unsightly to get hung up over that after so long. And so, Zagan simply decided to act like he didn’t know her.
“I don’t know who you are or where you’re from, but get lost. I’m busy here.” Zagan raised his finger quickly, as if they were simply irritating, then brought it straight down without a single warning.
“What?” Immediately following that, lightning rained down on the group. It was the same sorcery that reduced the last sorcerer he fought to ashes.
If they’re wearing Anointed Armor, then they likely won’t die.
The armor they were wearing had a extremely high defensive capabilities. If it were superficial sorcery, then it was even able to just reflect it. Even though he appeared rather brutal, Zagan was trying to hold back in his own way. However—
“Launching a surprise attack, I see. As I thought, sorcerers are all just cowards at heart.” An Angelic Knight brandishing a large shield protected the girl. The girl that he was covering was one thing, but there was practically no effect even on the other knights.
Well, that’s only obvious. In the end, they were still a group who broke through Zagan’s barrier. If they weren’t capable of enduring such an attack, they never would have gotten so deep into his domain.
“...What a foolish lot. It would be fine if you simply ceased with such boring bluffs and returned home.”
Zagan suddenly squinted his eyes and said all that in such an overbearing manner that it was practically an attack.
If I don’t get this over with quickly, then I won’t make it back in time for the dinner Nephy’s making me! If he didn’t eat it while it was still fresh, then it would be bad for both Zagan and Nephy.
“Ugh...” Sensing that abnormal vigor, the girl took a step back.
As if filling up that opening, the Angelic Knight with the large shield stepped forth. Then, two more joined him.
“Lady Chastille, fall back. We Knights of the Azure Sky are more than sufficient for him.” Naming themselves with an exaggerated moniker, the knights faced off against Zagan.
Now that they mentioned it, Zagan noticed that the three of them were wearing blue armor.
The man who raised his voice was a considerably large man, and he gripped an axe in his right hand. Behind him was a tall and thin warrior carrying a spear, but further behind was someone with a longsword at the ready.
It seemed their tactic was to use the shield to wear out their opponent, stop their movements using the spear, and then use the longsword to deal the finishing blow.
It was quite the conventional strategy, all things considered, but it was widely used because of how effective it proved to be. It could even be said that it was the perfect formation to face a lone opponent.
However, Zagan scratched his head as if it was simply tiresome.
“Look, will you head back home if I beat you black and blue?” Hearing that brief comment, which could be taken as provocation, the faces of the Angelic Knights were dyed with anger.
“You impudent whelp!” The one with the large shield charged in as he said that.
The shield and armor together likely weighed over a hundred kilos, but he was still charging in at the speed of a swift horse.
This was by no means possible for an ordinary human. No, the feat was only possible due to the power of the Anointed Armor, which all Angelic Knights wore.
Both the armor and the shield were baptized by the church and had crests inscribed on them. Half-hearted sorcery would be unable to pierce their defenses, and it wasn’t a situation where he had the time to invoke anything powerful, either.
“Fuhahaaa! I shall crush you before you can even use sorcery.” The large man’s shield was put forth as he charged in. It was like facing off against a cannonball. Even if he was a sorcerer, Zagan knew he would be turned into mincemeat by a direct hit. Plus, even if he endured the shield, the long spear behind it was lying in wait. And then, if he miraculously survi
ved the attack from the spear, the longsword at the very end would be unavoidable.
Certain victory was in their grasp due to this method, but Zagan showed no signs of panicking. Instead, he just clenched his right hand.
He brandished that hand as if about to throw a stone, and then swung down toward the shield.
The fist and the large shield collided.
Forming a victorious smile, the knight yelled out.
“You fool, you’ll die h—” However, at the very moment, the large shield shattered like glass.
Zagan’s fist continued on and pulverized even the Anointed Armor as it dug into the Angelic Knight’s stomach.
“What the...?” While making a face like he had no idea what happened, the Angelic Knight who was carrying the large shield was sent flying back at a speed beyond his initial charge.
Right behind him was the man with the spear, who had no chance to avoid being hit by the body of the man wearing 200 kilo armor.
“Shi—” Without even being able to scream, the second knight was also flattened.
The third man, who wielded a longsword, barely managed to escape, but his face had stiffened up as if he couldn’t believe it.
“R-Ridiculous, that was the ultimate formation of the Knights of the Azure Sky...”
“...Listen, shouldn’t you have at least looked into the person whose castle you’re invading? If you investigated the kind of sorcery I use at all, then you wouldn’t have gone with such a foolish strategy.”
Zagan’s fist had a detailed magic circle wrapped around it. He condensed all the power from the massive magic circle around his castle into that one spot.
Mana with high density carried mass. And it could reach a point where it had enough power to smash the church’s Anointed Armor.
Furthermore, Zagan excelled at sorcery that helped defend himself. Even a fatal wound would be immediately regenerated, and if he had no chance at victory, he could run away at a speed beyond human comprehension. He had focused his research on reinforcing his physical abilities. And so, thrusting forth a shield, which was no more than a sheet of paper to him, was the height of stupidity.
An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride - Volume 01 Page 10