Episode 10 Official Strongest Character
“It seems you’re using quite an interesting magic.”
Of all the times…
A troublesome individual had appeared, and I couldn’t help but wear a vexed expression.
I had let my guard down. It was meant to be a stress-relieving exercise, after all, and I was within the confines of my own home. I had certainly been neglecting my mana sensing.
However, I had still been trying to keep an eye out for anyone skilled in martial arts. Yet, I couldn’t sense the presence of the young girl behind me at all.
Even now, her presence wavered like a heat haze. The swirling mana was as calm as an ancient tree, completely unnoticeable.
In the language of a certain politician from my previous life, not noticing any abnormalities was, in fact, the abnormality itself.
Ordinary spellcasters had mana fluctuations to some degree based on their actions and emotions. No matter how skilled, it was impossible to completely still even a single millimeter of mana. That was a level of divine skill.
Yet, the young girl standing before me had achieved just that.
With her long red hair and crimson eyes, she wore round glasses over her eyes. Her face was youthful but exceptionally well-structured. Her pointed ears marked her as an Elf.
In terms of height, she was around 130 cm, appearing as nothing more than an adorable young girl at first glance.
But one should never underestimate appearances.
She controlled magic of all attributes, had the highest total mana, and excelled at manipulating mana, making her the world’s strongest in those aspects.
Furthermore, she was the legendary witch who had achieved ‘Magic Without Circles,’ a type of magic that didn’t rely on magic circles.
In the original anime, she was considered the official strongest character.
Her name was Nova Mist.
She was the principal of the Royal Academy I was planning to enroll in.
…Damn, I didn’t expect to meet her here.
I thought I could avoid getting involved with the academy until I enrolled!
Most people in this world are generally a bunch of trash.
Sure, let’s make those changes:
So far, I’ve dealt with people like my father, my older brother, and Celestia… well, she’s more or less okay, but she’s still a bit of a hassle. That’s beside the point, though. Most of the named characters in this anime are not just crazy; their screws are loose, if they even had any to begin with. They’re nothing but trash in disguise, pretending to have some sense of ethics. Trash.
And the last bit of trash is the original protagonist, Xenon.
In the same vein, Nova isn’t any different. First, she only cares about things or people who pique her interest. As a result, she holds emotions for other students at the academy who don’t interest her at best, which is about as much as she’d feel for a roadside stone. In fact, she’s often heard saying things like, “Begone, fools. Do not interfere with me.”
Who does she think she is, a demon lord? Well, she could probably destroy most countries on her own, but still…
…And if someone who does interest her doesn’t meet her expectations, she’ll turn her back on them coldly.
Yes, she’s the one who turned her back on the original Xenon.
On the other hand, the protagonist received her favor.
Well, that’s enough of the backstory. I didn’t want to get involved with her, but…
What should I do?
Nova’s tone was calm, but her eyes were sparkling with interest. It was clear she had taken an interest in me.
I was about to say something in response when, in an instant, someone attacked Nova from behind.
There was a loud clash of metal and a shockwave as the attacker struck Nova. The assailant, who had gone after Nova, none other than Ray, stood in front of me with his usual expressionless face.
Wait, the bandit?!
“Who are you?”
“I’d like to ask the same thing. Attacking such a young child—what kind of nerve do you have?”
“Shut up, old hag. There’s no such thing as being young for an Elf.”
“What did you say? Who’s an old hag? I’ll kill you, you brat!”
Don’t provoke him. I mean, I don’t really want to fight. Or rather, if we do fight, we’re going to lose for sure.
“Calm down, Ray. She’s not an enemy, at least not right now.”
“But she’s a trespasser. I’ve been hired as a home tutor and guardian knight by our lord, and I’m getting paid handsomely for it. I can’t just let her go.”
“I’ll tell Father myself, so hold back for now.”
“…Fine.”
Ray reluctantly lowered his sword when I told him to. Nova seemed dissatisfied with not being able to settle things here. She pouted, and as soon as she looked at me again, her eyes sparkled once more.
“You know me, right?”
“Yes, of course. Nova Mist, the headmistress.”
“You’re not a student since you haven’t enrolled yet. Just call me Nova.”
“Alright then, Nova-sama.”
“No need for honorifics or formal language.”
Nova flashed a sly smile.
…Why does she have such a high likability factor right from the start? Not to mention, she’s talking in a surprisingly casual tone. Isn’t that usually how you talk to the protagonist?
…She’s actually kind of scary.
Anyway, if she says no honorifics and no formal language, then I’ll take her up on that offer.
“Understood. So, what’s the reason for trespassing here?”
“Well, you see, I was flying around here when I sensed a sudden surge in magical energy. Naturally, I came to investigate. Then I saw you using a magic formation that I’m not familiar with. Hehehe… Hahaha… That’s beyond my understanding, even with all my knowledge…! If that formation is based on an existing language, it might result in a significant reduction in magical formation capacity. I’d love to replicate it, but unfortunately, magical formations are complex. Especially when it comes to languages, it probably wouldn’t function as a magic circle unless the user has deep knowledge of that language!! It’s incredibly intriguing. Where did you learn that language? Did you develop it? Who’s your mentor?”
Geez.
Nova’s eyes were shining brightly, filled with madness for magic. She’s a true magic maniac. She’s the one who’s truly obsessed with magic in this world.
When she’s interested in something, Nova pursues and investigates it relentlessly until she’s satisfied. How should I respond?
Even if I evade her questions, I’m the one who will suffer.
But I decided to…
“Magicians wouldn’t willingly reveal their secrets. If you want to know, you’ll have to steal it yourself, even if you’re the world’s strongest.”
“Hahaha♡ Are you challenging me, by any chance?”
Huh? Why did she suddenly sound like a mischievous brat?
Run bro, run.