Mightiest Melee Magician

“She’s my younger cousin.”

“......What?”

Jason’s eyes went wide as he looked back and forth between Straang and me.

Then, he muttered as if thinking about something else,

“You had such a cute younger cousin?”

“......”

What was it?

What part of this was Jason surprised by?

That I had a younger cousin, or that she was cute?

Wait! That’s not the problem!

It was fine if he just believed it.

“Sh-she transferred over today...... and same graduating class as us.”

“Same graduating class? But you just said she’s younger than you.”

“......”

Huh? I guess that’s true.

This setting doesn’t make sense.

Haah, whatever.

“......She skipped a grade. She’s a genius.”

“Oh ho! A genius!”

Jason’s eyes sparkled and he talked to Straang with a cheesy expression.

“It’s good to see you. I am Ruin’s best friend and his roommate, Jason Damon. May I ask for your name?”

“She’s called Straang. Straang Ardell.”

“Ruin, did I ask you? I’m talking to Ms. Straang here.”

“......”

As I shut my mouth, Jason made a more ‘provocative’ face and asked again,

“If you perhaps haven’t toured the Academy yet, let me show you around… How about it? The baguette that’s sold in our cafeteria is amazing.”

“......”

“Haha! No need to feel uncomfortable. I’m not a fool. Just think of me as a cool older guy and treat me casually.”

A cool older guy?

This guy’s off his rocker.

Jason, that look in your eyes…

You might feel like it’s your best look, but it just looks super cringe.

I’d seen this face before.

This was the expression he had when he saw Irene Prius.

His face probably automatically turned into that whenever he saw a pretty girl…

Sorry Jason, but you and Straang are fated to never be together.

Just a few hours ago, this kid here wasn’t a pretty girl, but a female ‘entity’.

But how could I firmly tell Jason that he could never be my cousin-in-law?

Even if I did, Straang would also need to deny it herself.

In any case, wasn’t pain the greatest teacher?

I stayed silent and waited for Straang to answer him.

And the answer I was waiting for appeared.

“......Are you telling me to eat bread? Fuck off!”

Nice, Straang!

Seeing him go over the line, Straang cursed him off, and I could see panic in Jason’s eyes.

With this expletive unbefitting such a cute face, I thought his interest in Straang would wither away......

But I was wrong.

“N-nice! That’s so good! I like that!”

“What are you saying is good?”

“Please be comfortable with me. You can curse at me all you like.”

“This insane bastard.”

“That’s good! Again!”

“......”

Jason was more unusual than I initially thought.

He was also pretty good at luring out girls.

“Then, what do you like better? Milk or herbal tea?”

“......Milk?”

“Ah, so you like milk. The warm milk they sell at the cafeteria is quite sweet and creamy. How about it? Should we go drink it together?”

Yeah, nah.

It wasn’t a question asking between the two, but rather asking both milk and herbal tea at once so they would need to choose one.

If he put this much effort into his studies, he would’ve been a 5th-class magician already…

What a shame.

That talent was truly being wasted.

“......Ahem. Milk is a different story. Let’s go.”

“Alright!”

As Straang started to walk over after being enticed by the prospect of warm milk, Jason smiled brightly and struck me on my shoulder.

“Ruin, why are you only telling me now that you had such a cute younger cousin? I nearly missed out.”

“......”

Ah, was that so?

Why couldn’t you miss out?

“Don’t worry. I’ll treat her as if she’s my own younger sister and treat her super well.”

“I got it, so just go.”

I slowly nodded my head, and Jason started to run after Straang, joy in his face.

“But, Ms. Straang, how do you know where the cafeteria is? Have you been to it before?”

“I’ve been there a lot, but this is the first time going with my own two feet.”

“......What?”

“It’s something like that. You wouldn’t get it even if I explained it to you.”

“Ah, haha! You’re good at joking.”

“......”

Sorry Jason.

I actually lied to you.

Miss ‘young cousin’ here isn’t 15 years old, but over 3000.

But I couldn’t willingly break that smile off his face with my own two hands.

......My friend, be happy.

* * *

* * *

The joint knight lessons that created commotions around the Academy finally finished.

The trainee knights of Poldren all went back to their training center, and everyone would start to walk their own paths.

We would become magicians after graduating from the academy, and the trainee knights would become those who protect our kingdom after taking the knightly vow.

For Hansen, who had shown the most explosive growth during this study period and was recognized for it, this separation was something he didn’t want to happen.

“Ruin, will we be able to meet again?”

“Of course. I’ll come visit you sometime.”

Obviously, not everyone felt the same.

Maltive, for example, put on a helmet to cover his face and mounted his horse first.

It practically screamed that he wanted to leave the Academy as fast as possible.

I pointed toward Maltive and said to Hansen,

“After going back to the center, don’t be bullied by someone like that. You’re stronger than him. You understand, right?”

“......Yeah.”

I suddenly thought back to the faint red aura that was enveloping Hansen’s wooden sword at the final moments of the spar.

A red aura would mean that he was 5th-rank, but Hansen told me that after that he couldn’t bring it out again.

However, able to freely manipulate blue aura, he was most certainly a true 4th-rank.

If he continued to grow at this pace, I was sure that Hansen would soon reach 5th-rank.

A 5th-rank knight in his teens…

It may be possible for him to become a legendary knight rivalling Sir Bolvar Patten.

‘This is gonna be big.’

There might be a commotion as the Golden Light Knight Order tries to take him in.

In some cases, a bigger nation than Radian or the Empire might aim for Hansen as well.

In any case, it would be good for Hansen, and for me for befriending him.

As I was deep in thought…

“Ruin.”

“......Yeah?”

“I thought of this for the last few days...... but after I graduate from the training center and take my knightly vow, could I come to Ardell?”

“Ardell? Of course. You can come hang out any time.”

“No, not to hang out... I want to just stay and live in Ardell with my sister......”

“Eh?”

I thought about what Hansen just said for a short moment.

“Are you saying you want to become a knight of Ardell?”

“Y-yeah. Is that too much?”

“No. It’s not that… but you’ll have better opportunities in the future. If you keep doing what you’re doing now, the path to the Golden Light Knight Order or something even greater might open up for you in the future.”

“Although that might happen… I don’t want that.”

“......”

“As you know, my sister and I don’t have a ‘hometown’ we can go back to. We moved around here and there without identity, not having the money to settle. But if I become a knight, I would wander here and there again. I don’t want a life like that. I want to have a place I wish to protect with my life. And I have the debt I need to pay you back as well.”

“There are no debts between friends. I just helped you because I wanted to.”

“That’s the same for me. I just want to help you. To protect the Ardell you want to protect.”

“......”

“So give me your approval.”

Hansen becoming a knight of Ardell…

It was extremely touching just thinking about it.

I was starting to really look forward to what would happen if Hansen were to get taught by Sir Bolvar.

Although I was really happy in my heart, I was hesitating for a second, thinking about Hansen’s future.

But Straang, who was listening to this from the side, spoke up.

“What are you doing? Just accept him.”

“Huh?”

“You know it too, right? That guy really is something. A tiger cub just rolled into your grasp. What is the future lord of Ardell hesitating for? It’s already difficult to get good people onto your side normally.”

“......”

So Straang… thanks for the advice, but…

“Could you say that later in private? I’m telling you because I think you forgot, but everyone can hear you now.”

“Ah, right.”

Straang hurriedly shut up, and my eyes turned toward Jason, who was practically stuck next to Straang.

But Jason just shrugged, not seeing anything wrong with her.

“Who cares if I hear? She’s right. Hansen is strong, so he’ll definitely be of help to you in the future.”

“That’s true.”

“So, on that topic, can I also go to Ardell after graduation?”

“What? You too?”

“For me, being weak, no one would be scouting for me… so I’ll follow you and Straang down to Ardell. I know what I’m worth, so rather than being paid as a magician, I can help around with housework, cleaning, and whatever. How’s that?”

“Did I say I’d take you with me?”

“Hey, I’m asking pretty seriously here.”

“......”

“......”

“Pfft.”

Jason pouted at my reply, and after a second, both of us laughed.

Taking my friends and coming down to Ardell together?

Even without thinking too deeply about it, it was a fun idea.

But then, another thought popped into my head.

‘It might actually be a good idea.’

Nobles gather talented magicians and knights for the future of their house and territory.

Who said Ardell was too weak to do that too?

Although Ardell’s current state wasn’t that good, in the future, we would change a lot.

Jakil Galehill said this when he was talking down to me.

“Do you think Ruin Ardell will take care of you guys after graduation?”

But what if news spread that Ruin Ardell was looking for allies to create a future together?

Even if I didn’t know how everything would pan out, it would definitely cause another commotion in the academy.

Yeah.

Gathering talented people.

This was an investment I definitely needed to make to grow my territory.

And these talented people were all close to me.

I stretched my hand toward Hansen.

“Won’t you regret it? Ardell is only just now going under change, so it’s still just a country-side town. We don’t have any good places to eat or things to see.”

But Hansen replied without an ounce of hesitation,

“I won’t regret it.”

“Then, I’ll be in your care in the future.”

As we shook hands, Jason jumped in with a stinging voice.

“How about me? Me! Are you two just gonna leave me out?”

“Jason. There isn’t any place to get entertainment in Ardell, so for someone like you who likes to play around, it’ll be really boring. Also, I won’t be able to pay you much.”

“My house has a ton of money anyways so just give me what you easily can. If I don’t get scouted by even one family after graduation, my father might really collapse. Saying ‘my son really was worthless…’ and other things.”

“Pfft.”

Everyone laughed at Jason’s realistic imitation.

“How about making a group, since we’re talking about this?”

“A group?”

“‘Well, famous magician groups or mercenary troops have names. We should make one as well. How about ‘Guardians of Ardell’?”

“Ugh, that’s the worst.”

“What? Why?!”

——