Mightiest Melee Magician

“I-is it Sir Ruin?”

“It’s the magicians! They’re here to support us! Now’s the time! Push them back!”

As if possessed, I jumped into the swarm and swung my fists.

Bang! Booom!

These emotionless, apathetic beasts only driven by instinct couldn’t remember anything. But I could. I remembered it like it was yesterday.

10 years ago.

In my territory.

The time when…

My people,

My mother,

…had died.

It angered me even more that they couldn’t remember.

For her to die to these beasts that don’t even have reason, but only move by instinct.

We were weak.

Misfortune only fell because of our weakness.

This must not happen again.

My pent-up anger finally exploded, and I swung my fists like a madman.

Even as my body got covered in mud.

Even as my movements slowed as the mud hardened on my skin.

Even as my strength quickly dwindled.

I did not stop.

And the atmosphere instantly shifted.

“Their formation is broken! Everyone, charge!”

“For the King!”

Thanks to Sir Bolvar and me, their formation broke at the waist.

Once the soldiers that had been pushed into the ocean no longer needed our protection, the Golden Light Knight Order, centered around Sir Murrow, charged on their horses.

And…

“Protect the Lord and Young Master!”

“Wraaaaaaaahhhh!”

The mercenaries and people of the territory that were stationed at the valley path joined the forces.

Although there was no end to them no matter how many we killed…

“This much is doable, don’t you think? Think of it as training, and just hold on for two more hours.”

“T-two more hours…?”

“You survived Sir Bolvar’s hellish training till now, so this much is...... Right?”

“…Is that how this works?”

We still had hope.

* * *

“…And after that, what I did was shout, ‘You evil mudmen scum! I, the magician Jason Damon, pronounce your destruction!’ and after that… No, wait. Ma’am, are you listening to me?”

“Eh? Ah, hehe. I think I dozed off for a second. Please, tell me again.”

“Please listen closely this time. This will be the last time. ‘You evil mudmen scum! I, the magician Jason Damon—!’ ”

“Never had a girlfriend.”

“Never had a girlfr— Eh?!”

“He said he couldn’t die here. Not without having dated yet. He even begged for someone to save him…”

“......”

“Kekeke! Was it like that? Oh my. How come a handsome young lad like you hasn’t dated even once? Good at cleaning, good at washing the dishes. What’s lacking? It’ll be a shame if you die as a virgin ghost like this. Hehehehe.”

“…Ma’am, please stop talking. You’re making it worse.”

The subjugation of the Red Plains was over.

The battle that took over two hours ended with our complete victory.

Although more than 1500 people ended up injured, thankfully, there was not a single casualty.

This was due to the fact that individual mudmen were weak.

But also because of a miracle caused by the courage of the soldiers that never broke formation, and the desire of everyone to win this final battle.

Thanks to this, a huge celebration took place in Ardell.

Everyone came together in small groups around a fire and enjoyed meat and drinks with each other, and through this period, all the feelings of vengeance that the people of the territory had held deep within were finally resolved.

All of Ardell celebrated today’s victory.

And…

“Young magician, you need to date before you die, don’t you think? So don’t sulk like this. How about meeting up with my daughter?”

“…Really?”

“No, no. Meet my daughter first. That blacksmith’s daughter is still too young.”

“How old is she?”

“10? Or was she 9?”

“Hey! That’s too young! I’m an adult now! How about your daughter, ma’am?”

“She’s 43 this year. The perfect age to go get married.”

“......”

The ‘great magician’ Jason Damon became the number one prospective husband to all the old ladies of the territory.

Yeah.

Since he completed the core task of this expedition well and had a lot of achievements under his name, this much was only expected!

I tapped Jason on the shoulder.

“Jason. Use this opportunity to be reborn as a man.”

“......”

The always-confident Jason didn’t say much today.

* * *

* * *

It wasn’t just the citizens of the territory who celebrated the victory.

“Oh! Young Master Ruin!”

“…Commander.”

“The princes will be very pleased to hear the report of our victory.”

Commander Murrow and the Golden Light Knight Order, who had traveled a fair bit with their forces to Ardell, were also very pleased.

“After Bengrass Kegen’s order for capture was announced, I was placed as the temporary captain for the group. But using this opportunity, I think I’ll be able to get some favors from the princes.”

“I wish you well in becoming the official captain of the Golden Light Knight Order. Thank you for helping us.”

“It’s all because of you, Young Master Ruin. Thank you. I nearly forgot to say that.”

These people would return to the capital the moment the injured all recovered.

If we didn’t have the help of the princes and the capital force, this fight would’ve been scales of magnitude more difficult.

Thank you, everyone.

Goodbyes always feel lonely.

Although our meeting was brief, it wasn’t just the Golden Light Knight Order—which I had grown a little fond of—who I would have to say goodbye to.

“Hey, Ruin?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m also going to return to Oyota tomorrow.”

Seta Malkiri.

He didn’t get paid for it.

Nor did he gain fame.

Just because I required his help, he suddenly came down to Ardell. But soon, he would return to his country.

“You might not believe it, but the Great Emperor looks for me a lot. Even if I’m like this, I’m still the most promising magician of Oyota.”

“Yeah, I know. You’ve gotten a lot stronger.”

“Keke. You punk. I know that, too. So wait for me, okay? One day, I’ll hit you back the same way you hit me.”

“Yeah.”

But obviously, my relationship with Seta wouldn’t just end here.

“I’ll be going to Oyota soon.”

“Oh, really?”

After all, I also had something to do in Oyota…

I was certain that I would meet Seta again soon.

“Chief of Affairs, how is my father?”

“The Lord is currently at the terrace.”

“It’s so cold… What is he doing at the terrace?”

“He’s taking some time alone. He looked to be deep in thought.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“It should be me thanking you, Young Master. The events of today that you helped create… The people of this territory will forever remember this day, myself included.”

“......”

“Please go in. Maybe he’s waiting for you, Young Master.”

I nodded and opened the door to the corridor that led to the terrace.

Our victory today may have been a joyous occasion, but not everyone was drinking and eating; smiling and laughing.

As the one who lost his lovely mother to the mudmen, I was definitely sad.

But back then, it was my father who looked like he had lost everything in the world.

Father…

My father, Lord Dellin Ardell, was definitely thinking back to that day 10 years ago after today’s victory.

“......”

On the terrace, the cold spring winds still blew, and my father looked up at the night sky. Alone.

In the sudden emptiness that follows the conclusion of revenge, he was thinking of my mother.

I wanted to let my father have his time alone, so I went to close the door that I had cracked open.

However…

“Ruin?”

“…You noticed? Sorry, I didn’t intend to disturb y—”

“Come in.”

My father called for me, and I slowly entered, closing the door behind me.

Sitting on the terrace’s outside table was an empty wine glass.

“Will you drink?”

“…Yes.”

My father poured out a glass of wine for me, and the thought that this was the first time I was sharing a drink with my father surfaced in my mind.

Then, my father lifted the wine bottle and spoke.

“This wine is 17 years old.”

“Really?”

“Although the wine is officially called Selburuc, Meria and I called it a different name.”

Meria.

The name of my mother.

“We called this wine ‘Amoroso Ruin’.”

“......”

“We created this wine on the day of your birth and then promised each other that, when a day more joyous than any day before came, we would drink it together.”

It wasn’t simply a bottle of wine.

A joyous day, more joyous than ever before.

The wine that was saved to drink with hearts full of happiness, hearts without worry or sadness.

And the wine that was saved even when my younger sister Ruina was born…

It had been opened today.

“We couldn’t keep our promise. Today isn’t a day more joyous than any other, one without worry or sadness. But… it’s still nice. Reminiscing the old times… It also feels like I'm drinking together with Meria.”

I couldn’t know the depth of that longing held in my father’s eyes.

I was too young to understand the entirety of that emotion.

“Amoroso Ruin…”

However, I could vaguely understand it after taking a sip of the wine.

The happiness my mother and father felt on that day when they made the wine.

And… just how much she would love how I grew up.

I could feel my heart slowly sinking inside my chest, and to get rid of this feeling, I took a deep breath.

“It tastes good.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, although the aftertaste is a little bitter.”

“Seeing how weak you are at drinking, you resemble Meria a lot. Her face would go red after just a single drink.”

“…Really?”

This was the first time I had heard about this.

After all, I had never drunk with my father before.

As we drank together and talked over the wine, I was able to hear stories about Mother that I hadn’t heard before…

It was really refreshing.

I was an adult now.

“Ruin.”

“Yes?”

“What are your plans now?”

“We need to grow our territory even more. Since we’ve accomplished Ardell’s long cherished dream of clearing the Red Plains, we need to cultivate the valley—”

“I wish that you could live life for yourself a little more.”

“…Yes, I heard from Ruina.”

“Meria always wanted for you to live your own life, and I’m the same. I want you to live not Ruin Ardell’s life, but Ruin’s life.”

Although this seemed like a small difference, in reality, it was massive.

The life I wanted…?

This was a truly difficult question.

The Ruin Ardell that wanted to grow his land and city even further.

The Ruin Ardell that wanted to gain a lot of experience and travel.

They were both me.

However, there really wasn’t much I could do here right now.

Working the fields, constructing buildings, gathering people, creating a new community center?

All that would be solved in time.

Then, what should I do during that time?

“…After staying in the territory for a few days, I’m thinking of going traveling.”

Travel.

The decision I came to after mulling it over for a while, erasing the name of Ardell and just living a life of Ruin.

Hearing my answer, my father faintly smiled.

“That’s a good decision.”

“It won’t be for long. Just a short while… of wandering.”

“It’s fine if it’s for long. Live your life in a way that leaves you satisfied. Ardell will always be waiting for you.”

“But you’ll be lonely if it takes too long, right? I was gone for six years in the Academy, but I’m leaving so soon.”

“A quiet mansion without my serious son…? It was pretty good in some ways.”

“…Are you going to be like this, too, Father?”

“Ahem.”

The edges of my father’s lips twitched as he held back his laughter.

I knew he wasn’t being serious.

There was no way a mansion without me was better.

“…You’re joking, right?”

…Right?

In any case…

Seeing my father’s smiling face, my heart became a lot lighter.

Yeah.

I had just ended a large chapter in Ardell’s history.

I’ll leave the world of adults to the adults for a bit…

Traveling, huh?

Sounds fun.

——