New chapter of Nameless Hero is out! (1/2 chapters)
The Seven Mysteries of the Magic School (3)
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I shook Patrick-kun awake, who was sleeping in the entrance hall. The moment he woke up, he looked around, seeming to ponder what had happened.
“Patrick-kun seems to have fainted from fear.” (Jack)
“Eh… I don’t remember at all.” (Patrick)
“It’s okay, we have solved a lot of things.” (Jack)
“Really?! Then let’s go home already!” (Patrick)
Patrick-kun quickly stood up, brushed off his hems, and braced himself. He had a refreshed look on his face. It was the face of someone happy to be freed. However, I still needed him to stick around.
“Finally, would you come with me to the library?” (Jack)
“Why?!” (Patrick)
“This still remains!” (Jack)
I held out the Seven Mysteries memo in front of Patrick-kun and pointed at it.
＝【The Seven Mysteries of Barwitch Magic School】＝
《6》 The Black Ghost Appearing in the Library at Midnight
At the back of the archive room on the second floor of the library, there is a heavily secured safe. If one tries to tamper with that safe, a black ghost will appear and kill them.
《7》 Spiriting Away
Anyone who learns the six other secrets will be spirited away.
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
The part about 《6》.
“The library at midnight.”
“Since we have come this far, you are curious to see it through, right?” (Jack)
“I’m not curious at all, and I just want to go home!” (Patrick)
“Patrick-kun, you have the right to know!” (Jack)
“I also have the right to refuse, don’t I?!” (Patrick)
He was stubborn, but since Patrick-kun seemed afraid of the walk home alone, he reluctantly agreed to come along.
By the way, I had only been to the library once. It was just the other day, to research the state of warriors in this country. It is hard to believe that such a rumor about a black ghost would arise from just that. Which means that the sixth mystery should have nothing to do with me.
—
The Grand Library was a completely separate building, a two-story structure. It was located on the opposite side of the first school building, across the schoolyard.
Walking through the dark, spacious area, it felt as if I might lose track of who I was.
I relied on the moonlight to walk.
“Onii-chan… I’m scared…” (Rinalee)
Even Rinalee, who had gotten used to the Seven Mysteries, seemed to have her fear return when walking through this darkness.
“O-o-o-onii-zan! I-I’m s-s-scared!” (Patrick)
Behind the five-year-old, an eight-year-old boy was tottering along, crying and walking pigeon-toed.
Patrick-kun, you really should man up a little.
—
The door was firmly closed. It was locked. Considering that valuable documents of the town were stored there, it was only natural.
“…I see, once the sun sets, they lock it up so no one can enter.” (Jack)
“What about the key~?” (Rinalee)
“…I do not have it.” (Jack)
“Ehh—!” (Rinalee)
Rinalee opened her eyes wide. It was as if she wanted to say she could not believe I had brought them all the way here only for this.
…Damn, since I had been able to enter easily during the day, I completely forgot about the key.
It made sense that they would lock it at night; if a thief broke in and stole a book, it would be a disaster. The books themselves were valuable, and the library of the magic school held historical and magical materials from all around Barwitch. In the first place, they would not just casually lend out the key.
“O-oniisan… in that case, let us just go home… The sixth one is just a rumor, a rumor…” (Patrick)
Patrick-kun, trembling and tearful, looked at me.
“…You’re right. I feel bad for dragging you all the way here. Let’s head back.” (Jack)
“Ehh, we’re going back…” (Rinalee)
Only Rinalee looked dissatisfied. Meanwhile, Patrick-kun was making a triumphant pose.
“Well, most of it turned out to be human actions anyway, so there is no need to be scared.” (Jack)
“R-right! As expected of Rinalee-chan’s onii-san!” (Patrick)
It was obvious he was flattering me, but since I had made him go through a lot, it would be pitiful not to go along with it and offer a few kind words.
“Patrick-kun, you came all the way to a place like this. That takes guts.” (Jack)
“Ehh~, it’s not that big a deal~” (Patrick)
He twisted his body bashfully, looking not entirely displeased.
During such exchanges, just as we turned on our heels and began walking across the dark schoolyard—
“―――It is still too soon to leave… Come, this way…” (???)
A voice echoed from behind. It was a voice I had heard somewhere before.
“What did you say?” (Jack)
“…?” (Rinalee)
“What is it, Onii-san?” (Rinalee)
I turned around to look at Rinalee and Patrick-kun, who were walking behind me.
“Did you not hear some kind of voice just now?” (Jack)
“Gyyeee!! P-please don’t say that, Onii-san!” (Patrick)
“How about you, Rinalee?” (Jack)
“I did not hear anything!” (Rinalee)
“I see……” (Jack)
That voice just now. I had heard it before. I fell silent for a moment, deep in thought. Immediately after that, following a brief silence, some kind of force strongly pulled on my body.
“Hng?!” (Jack)
My body was being pulled. It was as if I were being dragged into the library. Before I realized it, my body was surrounded by a swirling mass of pitch-black mana.
Is this some new kind of magic?! Since it is black, it might be some form of dark magic.
My right arm was completely restrained, and I could not move. I could not use my nullification ability.
“Ughghgh……” (Jack)
“Onii-chan!” (Rinalee)
“Gyahhh!! Rinalee-chan’s Onii-san! Rinalee-chan’s Onii-san!!” (Patrick)
I struggled desperately to resist on the spot, but the pulling force was far too strong. As if my entire body were being sucked in, I was dragged relentlessly toward the library. Finally, I could no longer resist, and my body floated up, about to crash into the library’s front door.
“…!” (Jack)
At the same time, the door, which had been firmly closed until just a moment ago, swung open violently. With great force. As if it had never been locked to begin with.
“Waah!” (Jack)
My floating body flipped violently in every direction, the sky below me, the ground above. My vision spun around and around, dizzyingly.
“Oohh” (Jack)
Letting out a foolish cry, I was swallowed into the library’s doorway. Beyond that was complete darkness. Only the strong smell of old paper stabbed sharply at my nose.
—
Pitch blackness.
So, this is what they called pitch blackness. A space where there is nothing at all.
I could not even tell if my feet were touching the ground. It felt, in a sense, like I was floating. I had certainly been swallowed into the library while investigating the Seven Mysteries of the Magic School. Which meant that this should be the library. However, even though enough time had passed for my eyes to adjust, the scenery that should resemble a library did not appear at all. Only the blackness continued endlessly.
Gathering my courage, I took a step forward, but it did not feel like there were any obstacles. There were no bookshelves, no reading tables. There was truly nothing here.
“Hey—” (Jack)
Even when I called out, there was no echo. I tried walking a little.
Darkness. Darkness. Endless darkness. Maybe I had stepped into a dangerous realm.
Anxiety began to well up inside me.
Could this possibly be 《7》, Spiriting Away? It was written that those who learned the six other secrets would be spirited away. Since I had uncovered the secrets of the Seven Mysteries, I ended up like this.
While my mind was busy turning over these thoughts—
“――――” (???)
Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me.
“Jack-kun” (???)
The presence behind me unmistakably called my name. In that nostalgic voice.
“I am glad to see you are doing well.” (???)
I quickly turned around. That sense of discomfort was only natural. It was someone I should never have been able to meet again.
“Me……” (Jack)
As if until now she had been blended into the darkness, her figure became distinct. She wore a pitch-black dress. A black feathered hat on her head, and gradually, her long, white hair came into view. Her red eyes captured me directly.
“Medna……-san……!” (Jack)
Her appearance had not changed at all since back then. While I was confused, she remained completely composed. I had no idea what was happening. This was definitely someone whom I had killed. Someone very important to me, but whose goals had become too different from mine. During the escalating battle, I had certainly stabbed her with my replication sword. Considering the possibilities for a reunion like this―――
“Am I…… dead……?” (Jack)
“Fufu, well, it is natural to think that, isn’t it?” (Medna)
She placed a hand over her mouth and laughed gracefully. Her soft voice was surprisingly friendly for someone with whom I had once fought to the death.
“It’s all right, you are not dead yet.” (Medna)
“……Then, is this some sort of illusion?” (Jack)
“That is not it either…… haha, though if it were, it would be strange to ask an illusion if it is an illusion, would it not?” (Medna)
“Ah……” (Jack)
Hearing that made me feel embarrassed.
First of all, the important thing was, who exactly am I talking to?
“Are you really Medna-san?” (Jack)
“That’s right. If you are fine with the Medna you know not being in the flesh.” (Medna)
“……Not in the flesh.” (Jack)
Medna-san was is. If the person I am talking to here is Medna-san, then, that meant she was a ghost. A black ghost of the library…?
“I was killed by you, after all.” (Medna)
“…” (Jack)
Dead men tell no tales. But the person I am speaking with now is already among the dead. One small mercy is that, even though I had killed her, she does not seem to harbor much resentment. Still, what exactly had happened to cause this…?
“You seem confused, so I will explain.” (Medna)
“…Please.” (Jack)
“You are still as honest and good-natured as ever.” (Medna)
The sudden compliment made my cheeks flush. Even back then, it felt like Medna-san had often used me as her pawn. I was weak to that kind of mischievous behavior.
“First of all, yes. This place is the Grimoire of Darkness… you and I are inside a certain magical book.” (Medna)
Inside… a magic book?
“Though it is called a magic book, it is actually a gate that leads to the underworld. A halfway point between the world of the living and the world of the dead, you could say it is like a bridge.” (Medna)
“Why is Medna-san in such a place?” (Jack)
When I asked my simple question, Medna-san looked a little taken aback. But then, she soon began to quietly laugh.
“Is something funny?” (Jack)
“Fufufu, pardon me. I just thought, you really have not changed. Normally, would you not ask why you are here, or whether staying here means you are going to die?” (Medna)
“Is that so?” (Jack)
“You are still frighteningly unaware of yourself. That is your strength, but also your weakness. It is a trait you should treasure.” (Medna)
This kind of exchange. It felt nostalgic. Medna-san would always say things that made the other person think. Sometimes it would lead me to notice something important, and sometimes no matter how much I thought about it, I could not understand. But the foundation was always a correct answer. When she told me to treasure something, I could accept it naturally, believing I should.
“Well, it does not matter. Among the countless dead, I am a special case. Originally, I was a saintess born to purify the illusory world. Though in the end, I lost to corruption and fell to become a witch.” (Medna)
I had heard about it before. Medna-san was born in a small country called Friedenhein and was revered as a Saintess. Her singing voice held healing power, and she possessed magical abilities that could bring peace to the world.
“Because of that, it seems I have a special seat even in the afterlife. I can move around relatively freely and appear at the Grimoire, which is the boundary with the living world.” (Medna)
“I am sorry, I do not really understand……” (Jack)
“Hahaha, that is natural. You do not need to think too deeply about why I am here. If I had to say, it is because I sensed Jack-kun’s presence and wanted to see you again after so long.” (Medna)
Her last words made my heart skip a beat. It was the same as when she was alive.
She would say things that seemed teasing and watch my reactions. When you experience it after becoming a little older, it only hits harder.
“And, I am the one who dragged you in here.” (Medna)
“So it was you…… Wait, does that mean it was Medna-san who pulled me into the library earlier too?” (Jack)
“Yes, that is how much I wanted to see you.” (Medna)
“……Please do not tease me. Ah, no… or was that a grudge you were holding?” (Jack)
I grew a little anxious.
When people who had killed each other met again after so long, what would they feel? There is only one possible answer. Revenge. It is an unwanted act that I had killed Medna-san. I had never truly wanted to kill her. But regardless of my regrets, that means nothing to the one who had been killed.
I asked her while carefully watching her expression.
“You do not need to worry about what happened back then.” (Medna)
But she spoke with surprising nonchalance.
“But… I…” (Jack)
“Are you regretting taking my life?” (Medna)
“Of course I regret it. If Medna-san were still alive, we could have done so many more things…” (Jack)
“Fufufu, I am happy. I am satisfied just knowing that Jack-kun continues to think of me.” (Medna)
Is that really how it is?
I could not feel any attachment to life from Medna-san. That had been true even when she was alive. If she had died, then it could not be helped. That was the impression I got.
“Ahem, so, about that… this Grimoire is currently being stored in the library of the magic academy.” (Medna)
The reason why I had been sucked into the library door and then found myself here made sense. However, it was still a troubling thought that such a dangerous book, connected to the afterlife, was being kept in a library used by the students.
“Why would something so dangerous be there?” (Jack)
“Gwayne Alberti stole it from the Magic University.” (Medna)
“Gwayne-sensei?!” (Jack)
“Exactly. But thanks to that, I was able to meet you again like this, so I do not think you need to blame him. What is more important is what comes next.” (Medna)
“What comes next…?” (Jack)
“Yes. It seems that when you die, you come to understand many things. Due to the bond we share from having killed each other, I have a proposal for you.” (Medna)
It sounded almost like she was telling me not to trust her. Yet, I could only feel affection from Medna-san. She did not seem suspicious at all. I even felt that if I ended up falling into a trap as an act of atonement for taking her life, that would be fine.
“What kind of proposal?” (Jack)
“First, you will leave this Grimoire and return to the library. At that time, you will encounter the ‘Black Ghost of the Library.'” (Medna)
“What?! The black ghost is not you, Medna-san?!” (Jack)
Perhaps my reaction came off as rude, because Medna-san furrowed her brow and looked at me with a sulky expression. That childlike behavior was rare for her, but also very cute.
“How cruel… I do have some white parts too, you know? I am quite fond of my hair.” (Medna)
While grumbling, Medna-san brought her hair forward and lightly ran her fingers through it as if letting sand spill. Even if she said that, apart from her hair and skin, everything else about her seemed monochromatic, like she was covered in black. It could not be helped if I mistook her for the black ghost from the school’s seven mysteries.
“Well, it is fine. I want you to hand over the Grimoire to that black ghost.” (Medna)
“…?” (Jack)
“Are you worried? You might find it strange. But it is to help the future you.” (Medna)
“Help the future me?” (Jack)
“Exactly. It would be better for the Grimoire to fall into the hands of the ‘enemy’ once, rather than continue being stored here.” (Medna)
“Enemy…?!” (Jack)
Hearing the dangerous word “enemy” made me unexpectedly wary. After all, there should no longer be anyone I could clearly call an “enemy”. There were no longer groups like the Light’s Droplet Orchestra or the Magic Guild who had been obvious enemies. The thought that such an existence might appear again made me feel disheartened.
“Ah, maybe I said too much. Do not worry about what I just said. Based on your past experiences, enemies have always been clear and obvious to you. But this time, the opponent is a little different, so calling them an enemy is not exactly accurate.
Have you ever heard of the term ‘butterfly effect’? That is your opponent this time. Fate, destiny, chaos theory, predestination, a being that could be called ‘god’ in a way—those are your enemies. When you face something like that, you will need the help of someone like me, who can twist luck even after death.” (Medna)
While saying these complicated things, Medna-san looked off into the distance. When she acted like this, she was often speaking her true feelings. She did not seem like she was trying to deceive me. I decided to trust my instincts, and more importantly, to trust Medna-san herself.
“I understand.” (Jack)
“Fufufu, thank you. I will absolutely protect you, Jack-kun.” (Medna)
Medna-san smiled seductively. At that moment, she gave off an impression as if I had made a contract with a demon, but even so, I decided to obediently keep that promise.
“Now then, it is about time.” (Medna)
“Eh, already… I wanted to talk about more things.” (Jack)
“It is lonely, but it cannot be helped. Well, you can come see me anytime. If you are willing to die to do it, that is.” (Medna)
“That is going too far for a black joke…” (Jack)
“Hahaha, you have grown enough to understand jokes like that.” (Medna)
Even I had continued to converse with the savage people of the Labyrinth City. I could easily brush off a joke like that. In other words, it meant that if I wanted to see her, I would have to die.
“Oh right, one last thing.” (Medna)
“…?” (Jack)
“You might be on your guard after hearing the word ‘enemy,’ so here is some advice.” (Medna)
“What is it?” (Jack)
“…You are going to reunite with many people you have met before, in ways you cannot even imagine. Just like how we met again tonight.” (Medna)
“Many people I have met before…” (Jack)
I did not know who she was referring to. But ever since I was driven out of the mansion, I had met many different people.
“Please accept those people with a generous heart. Just like how I forgave you.” (Medna)
Those words pierced deeply into the depths of my heart. There were plenty of people I held resentment and bitterness toward. If I happened to meet them again by chance, I had no idea what kind of emotions would well up inside me. The people from the Aldridge mansion were among them.
“If you lose your temper, you lose.” (Medna)
Leaving only those words behind, Medna-san gradually stepped back as if melting into the darkness. Little by little, her black figure blended into the darkness, and her outline became faint.
“…Give my regards to Grace.” (Medna)
Just before she completely disappeared, Medna-san left behind those words. Though she had kept the name hidden until then, it seemed that she could not help but say it in the end. It likely meant that I would be meeting Grace-san again soon.
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