Translator: KellEditor: Weasalopes

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The Two’s Standing

Using the magic circle as a spring, the flame twisted, then leaped forward . The circle shattered to pieces like gla.s.s, casting flashes of light everywhere . Trees grazed by the flames were charred black on the spot . The serpent flame climbed before charging straight to the center of the settlement .

In an instant, the force of the blast ripped through the air like a powerful wave . In a thirty-meter radius, glaring light and near-white flames flared and danced together, spinning around in different directions like a tornado .

Overwhelmed by the strong gust, Hikaru embraced Lavia . He couldn’t keep his eyes open . Lavia held onto him as well, though there was not much power in her clutch . She was growing weaker .

「Hang in there, Lavia!」

「I didn’t expect it to consume this much mana…」

They took cover behind a tree . In the meantime, the flames, having done their job, died out abruptly . The heat, the smoke, and the smell of something burning was overwhelming . Slowly, Hikaru came out of hiding .

「Incredible . 」

On the ground was a perfect, jet-black circle . Smoke rose from the scorched trees . Here and there were traces of soil being perturbed . Needless to say, the Goblins that were supposed to be there were completely annihilated . A Goblin that was just on the edge of the circle had lost its right arm and right leg . No blood came out as its limbs were charred to the bones .

The shack that stood just barely outside the circle started to burn from the heat carried by the wind . The few Goblins that managed to escape the h.e.l.lfire unscathed quickly dispersed into the woods, scurrying like spiderlings .

「Hngh!」

All of a sudden, Hikaru shivered from the strange sensation welling up deep inside his body . He wanted to scream .

His soul rank had gone up .

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【Soul Board】Hikaru
Age: 15   Rank: 19
2

【Soul Board】Lavia
Age: 14 Rank: 11
5

Hikaru’s soul rank went up by two and Lavia by four .

「Lavia… are you okay?」

Lavia, who was breathing wildly in his arms, looked at him .

「I-I’m fine . I didn’t expect to be this exhausted . It might be because I set my job cla.s.s to Flame Magus . I haven’t actually used it before . 」

「Really?」

「The Flame Magus cla.s.s only appeared in my card after I started killing monsters at home… Until then I’ve only used Magic Principle Creation G.o.d: Challenger of Magic Principles5 . Then I realized… that I was only being used . My spells weren’t as powerful back then… and the mana consumption wasn’t as demanding as it was just now . 」

Hikaru was convinced Lavia hid the Flame Magus cla.s.s from the Count . He was glad that she told him about it .  Does the Magic Principle Skill on her Soul Board have something to do with mana consumption, then?

There was one thing he realized as well . At first he thought they didn’t have much synergy, but his opinion had changed after seeing Lavia’s power . With his Stealth, she was basically a walking cannon with cloaking capabilities – a force to reckon with .

They could wipe out groups of monsters . They could launch surprise attacks in a war . Hikaru was overcome with both excitement and fear .

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「Hikaru, you won’t leave me behind, will you?」

Those words made Hikaru feel like ice-cold water was poured onto him . Lavia’s powerful fire magic was a delicate matter for her . Because of it, she was used by the Count, locked inside the house, and after her father’s death, almost taken advantage of by the kingdom as well . And he made her use that magic .

Lavia could’ve refused, but she didn’t want to displease him . It was all an experiment for their future dungeon exploration, he said . However, he didn’t consider that his words could also be construed as “show that you can be useful” . And so she used her spell . They might’ve been monsters, but it was still slaughter .

How could I let her do that? I didn’t even consider how she feels .

「I’m bringing you with me, of course . When I first thought I couldn’t abandon you, it was because I realized you loved adventures . 」

「Really? That’s nice to hear . 」

She flashed a weak smile as I took a towel to wipe her sweat .

「Lavia . 」

It would’ve been easy to just say sorry . Lavia would surely accept his apology .

But I can’t do that . I might hurt her feelings because of my thoughtlessness again . Because ours isn’t a fifty-fifty relationship . She tells me everything, while I keep several things from her . So I’ll only come off as insensitive if I apologized .

There was only one way to fix that: stand on equal ground with her .

「You might one day leave me when the time comes that you wish for a different kind of life . 」

「………」

「But before that happens, I want us to be on equal standing . So I…」

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…will tell you my secrets .

「No . 」Lavia said, pressing her slender forefinger against his lips . 「Don’t say any more . What you did for me is not something I can repay by simply using my magic . So there’s no need for us to be on equal standing . 」

Slowly, she got up on her feet, wobbling a little .

「Our adventure has only just started . We can’t let something as trivial as this cause a setback . 」

「…Okay . 」

I have no words . I didn’t expect her to say no . She’s way stronger than I am .

「I get it . Let’s go . 」Hikaru said .

「Okay . 」

He held out his hand, and Lavia grasped it gently . Nothing had changed . Their relationship was still not equal . But the warmth from her hands made Hikaru feel like they had gotten closer than before .

After catching a ride on a horse by the lake, they both returned to Pond . First they entered town while using Group Obfuscation to hide Lavia . Although he found the whole process annoying, Hikaru went back out again before returning, this time actually showing the gatekeeper his guild card .

「So how was the capital?」the gatekeeper asked cheerfully .

「It was big . 」

「That’s it? Well, of course it’s big . Anything else, though? Like the women were pretty, or hot, or they had huge b.o.o.bs or something?」

「You only care about the women, huh?」his colleagues chimed in, laughing .

They really are nice people . I’m glad I started out in this town .

「The place is too big for my taste . 」

「That so? A lot of adventurers leave Pond to go make a name for themselves . You went there so you could get promoted, right?」

「I did . But I can rank up from F to E here in Pond . 」

「I see . Good luck, then . 」

The gatekeeper seemed delighted . Like what he and the receptionist said, there were way more requests and bigger cases in the capital . It was understandable that countless adventurers would head there . But sometimes adventurers in the royal capital could be called for war like what was going on at the moment .

There’s probably people who see the war as a chance to make a name for themselves, though .

Hikaru liked small towns like Pond, where everything was within walking distance . That is not to say he hadn’t considered the possibility of leaving the place . Once promoted to rank E, they might say their goodbyes to go dungeon exploring . If things got worse with regards to Lavia’s ident.i.ty, they might even flee the kingdom .

「What’s wrong, Hikaru?」

「What?」

「You look happy . 」

「…I do? Maybe I am happy . 」

Storing the conversation he had with the gatekeeper in a corner of his mind, Hikaru walked the twilight streets of Pond with Lavia . They made their way to the Adventurers Guild to deliver today’s loot .

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