Regarda’s intent resembled a dragon.
Vitalianus’s intent was like a lion.
Ataolf’s intent was a formless black mist.
Of course, I did not know what was contained within it, or what it meant.
I could only guess that such intent bore quite a few similarities to the person themselves.
And I wondered if perhaps it was the form they ultimately wished to become.
So I asked Regarda.
Regarda, unusually, answered with the faintest hint of a smile.
“My intent resembles a dragon? That is high praise indeed.”
Though anyone who saw it would have felt it was a dragon, Regarda answered that way.
Did that mean the form of intent people saw differed from person to person?
“It may be so, and it may not. Call it a flower, and it will come to you as a flower; call it a dragon, and it will become a dragon as it comes.”
I nearly shouted, What kind of bullshit is that? but held myself back.
There was surely meaning in his words.
If I could not grasp that meaning, it was because I myself was lacking.
“Do not be too hasty, mage. Knowing one’s own conviction is no easy thing.”
“Conviction is… how does one know it?”
I knew it was a stupid question, but my heart felt stifled, and I had no choice but to ask.
At that, Regarda was silent for a moment, then gave me a rather careful answer.
“Most people have no such thing as conviction. Even among those who do, many do not know what their conviction is, or misunderstand it.”
“Misunderstand it…”
“My conviction is this. Or it is that. They may prattle on in words, but in truth, it is rarely their actual conviction.”
Conviction was, in other words, a heart that believed firmly.
“It does not matter if one believes it to be conviction. It does not matter if one prattles on about it. But with that alone, even if a lifetime passes, one will never be able to wield intent.”
What was it that one firmly believed?
The unworthy king knelt, asking if there was truly no meaning in death.
He believed there was more value in life than in death.
As a king, saving his people—that was his role, so he believed.
Because there was not the slightest wavering in that belief, he could become as abject as he needed to be without hesitation.
That was conviction.
Ren Hank believed that humans must not turn away from the pain and despair of other humans.
He said one must not lose the heart of a human.
Even if the end of it was ultimately death, if his sacrifice could turn the despair of tens of thousands into hope, even for a little while, then he firmly believed he had to do it.
That was why he continued to cry out even as his body twisted and he became a monster.
This, too, was a noble conviction beyond dispute.
Then, did he himself truly have such a conviction?
Was there truly something he could believe in firmly, without wavering, even before death?
“…I don’t know.”
I did not know.
For no reason, my thoughts grew complicated.
Regarda left after giving one last piece of advice: not to rush.
Hio remained lost in thought for a while, then began to immerse himself once again in researching the Book of Dragon Summoning.
And so, a month passed.
* * *
There is no such thing as a completed spell in this world.
Even widely circulated spellbooks were merely the versions adopted after repeated research and alteration had proven them the most efficient.
Depending on the situation, a slightly altered version could also prove useful.
So this was not the first time Hio had tried changing a preexisting magic formula.
At most, it had been on the level of changing the order of patterns or increasing the amount of mana a little, but even that had been quite a significant experience, and it helped greatly in altering Dragon Summoning.
First, he removed the coercive elements.
There were dozens of patterns related to that alone, so he had greatly reduced the number that had to be inscribed.
The coercive force of the summoning itself had to remain, but he removed every effect besides that.
Next, he touched the summoning method.
Originally, when the caster summoned the target, it had to appear at their side anytime, anywhere, and continue to remain there. But the altered method was different.
He had deliberately imposed a penalty by making it an incomplete summoning rather than a complete one.
Thus, after a suitable amount of time passed, or if Freya wished it, she would return to where she originally was.
It was to avoid taking away Freya’s freedom.
Once the two greatest problems had been solved, the rest was not very difficult.
There was no coercion, and it was not a complete summoning.
The magic circle to be inscribed on Freya’s body when she returned to her true form had become far simpler, and the number of patterns that had to be carved had been greatly reduced.
A complex spell that originally bound soul to soul and forced obedience to its command had been transformed into a simple incomplete summoning art.
Of course, since the target of the summoning was a dragon, it was by no means easy, but even so, he had somehow managed it.
The spell was complete.
He had even finished the final review with Purnell, so there was no doubt.
If there was a problem, it was that he now had to receive Freya’s permission.
Hadn’t he gone through all this trouble from the start for the sake of this delicate child’s freedom?
If she said she disliked it because it made her uncomfortable, he intended to give up on it, even if it was magic granted by a goddess.
Of course, he would do his utmost to ensure that did not happen.
“How should I say it so Freya accepts it without being startled?”
- Her soul is still that of a child, so would it not be best to use something a girl her age would like?
“What’s that?”
- How would I know?
“Ugh. Of course.”
- …Would the chances not rise if you told her while feeding her something sweet?
“Something sweet? Oh, that sounds plausible.”
He had heard that when it came to soothing crying children and women, there was nothing quite like sweet food.
Freya was even both a woman and a child. Since she applied to both, wouldn’t the effect be doubled?
- Such ignorance…
As he was diligently devising his plan, a shadow suddenly fell over him.
Regarda had approached Hio’s side.
“Tch.”
And with a rather displeased expression, at that.
“…Hm? Why? I’m really not doing anything bad, you know?”
He felt guilty for no reason and muttered to himself, but fortunately, Regarda’s business was elsewhere.
“Annoying fellows have come again.”
“Annoying fellows?”
“Yes. It seems they are trying to approach Arileiya.”
“…Ah? That?”
Arileiya Island was still surrounded by the cursed sea.
Of course, it was not truly cursed, but the result of a semi-permanent magic circle installed by some unidentified archmage.
“It’s a little early to reveal it to the world, isn’t it?”
“Not yet. When Freya becomes a little more mature mentally and can properly handle her power. That is when I will undo the magic and leave.”
“Good thinking.”
It did feel a little too early for Arileiya to step out into the world.
The world was not so cornered that it needed the power of the elves, and the conquest of the Abyss was also progressing steadily.
Freya still needed much more growth as well.
“However, it is extremely unpleasant that they are connecting the Gate of Aberration to Arileiya.”
That was the reason uninvited guests had been visiting the waters around Arileiya so frequently lately.
The Abyss Gate.
It was because groundless rumors had spread that the thing announced to the world as a demonic realm had begun in Arileiya.
A sea where storms raged throughout the year.
The legend of Regarda, who was said to have lived for hundreds of years.
Those stories had mixed with anxiety over the demonic realm, giving birth to an absurd rumor.
“I will go deal with them.”
“It must be hard with only the sea dragon this time.”
“The scale is rather large. It seems a kingdom may have dispatched an investigation team.”
“…Yeah. You’ve got it rough.”
Regarda gave a single nod, then immediately launched himself into the air and headed toward the sea.
As Hio stared blankly at his retreating back, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
“Is this… an opportunity?”
Of course, Hio had nothing to be ashamed of before the heavens.
Inscribing the magic of Dragon Summoning on Freya, that was.
He would receive Freya’s permission in a very honest and proper manner before doing it, and hadn’t he even taken pains to modify the spell for that very purpose?
But it was also true that, for some reason, Regarda kept bothering him.
It was like asking a child for permission to eat junk food in front of an overzealous parent.
And now that overzealous parent had left.
A golden chance to offer the child junk food.
Having finished his thoughts, Hio whipped around to find Freya.
Freya was in the middle of the clearing, in human form, diligently practicing Dragon Speech.
With a smile spread across his whole face, Hio approached Freya.
Just like the time they had first met at the imperial enthronement ceremony.
The ultimate smile meant to reassure a child.
“Hehehehe.”
At that laugh, Freya’s gaze turned toward Hio.
She had been mumbling Dragon Speech magic with her small lips, but stopped practicing and looked at Hio with round eyes.
“Freya.”
『Yesh? ( っ °､｡)っ』
“Want to go eat something tasty with this mister?”
As before, his tone was suspicious to the extreme.
If someone had heard him, they would have immediately turned on a recorder and reported him to the police station.
And yet.
『I do! ◝(・▿・)◜』
Freya raised both arms high and rejoiced.
It seemed Regarda’s teaching to always be wary of those close to her did not even come to mind.
* * *
“W-we are an official investigation team of the Kingdom of Achaia, so hurry and o-open the way… Aaaagh!”
With a single gesture from Regarda, seawater rose, and three ships rocked violently.
It was the first warning he gave because conversation had failed.
“Turn back.”
Regarda’s voice rang out clearly even amid the storming sea.
But Achaia’s investigation team did not give up.
“Suspicions have been raised that Arileiya is the origin of the demonic realm!”
“Do not tarnish Arileiya’s honor with groundless rumors.”
“If they are truly groundless rumors, then open the way and show us!”
Their resolve was firm.
Then all he had to do was give a second warning.
Understanding Regarda’s will, the sea dragon filled its eyes and mouth with lightning and spat it out.
Kwaaaang!
“U-uaaagh!”
“M-madness!”
Lightning slammed down mercilessly around the ships.
Of course, no one was actually harmed, but there were surely a few who had wet themselves a little.
“This is the final warning. Turn back.”
Even after all that, an answer still came.
“What are you plotting inside the cursed sea! Just what sort of vile deeds are you committing in hiding—Uwaaaaaaah!”
If they did not heed even the final warning, a fierce storm struck the ships.
It was a tremendous storm, enough to send even those heavy vessels flying.
It was a storm that would only stop after pushing them all the way outside what they called the cursed sea.
The ships might break, capsize, or, if things went wrong, some might be injured, but they would not die.
Their claim to be an official investigation team of the kingdom did not seem to be a lie, as all the sailors looked to have a certain level of skill.
“You wicked Regardaaaa!”
Hearing the scream of resentment aimed at him from the ships flying into the distance, Regarda turned his back.
Because of those fools who could not understand words, it had taken quite some time.
Nothing would have happened in the meantime, and the mage was by her side, but had he not sworn never to let his guard down again?
So he had to hurry back.
Leaving the sea dragon once more to patrol the sea, he returned to the island.
In the clearing prepared for Freya, the mage and Freya were sitting side by side.
Fortunately, it seemed nothing had happened.
He slowed and walked over, but for some reason, something a little strange caught his eye.
“Oh? You’re back?”
『Did you have a good trip?』
Hio offered an awkward greeting, needlessly so.
Freya beside him was the same as always, but the problem was the things piled high beside them.
Looking closely…
“…Bread.”
It was bread.
Soft, fluffy bread that looked full of sweetness.
He could say with certainty that it was bread one would never find in Arileiya.
Freya was chewing with her mouth stuffed full of that bread.
“It’s tasty, right?”
『It’s so tasty! (｡˃́⌔˂̀｡)』
“Then now you should tell Regarda what you promised to tell him, right?”
『Oh, right!』
After swallowing the bread, Freya delivered her message with an innocent face.
『I got a job!』
Regarda unconsciously pressed a hand to his forehead.
“No, Freya. You’re cutting out the beginning and end again. You have to explain it properly to Regarda.”
『Yes! (＞Д＜)ゝ』
At the mage’s request for more explanation, Freya nodded.
『The mage bought me bread and made a contract with me!』
A contract?
At the word contract, an unease suddenly passed through him.
Thinking surely it could not be, he asked cautiously.
“What sort of contract do you mean?”
『Um… a slave contract? (ᵔᵕᵔ)』
Sparks flew in Regarda’s eyes.
“…What in the world is the meaning of this, mage?”
“No, it’s not like that. Freya is just joking—”
After roughly an hour of explanation and demonstration that followed, he even managed to obtain Regarda’s permission in the end.
There had been a small issue, but the Dragon Summoning contract was safely completed just like that.