【The Old Man of the Expelled Inn Unwittingly Dominates Today Too】Although I Want to Lead a Slow Life, for Some Reason the Strongest Beauties Who Hold Important Positions in the Country, and Were Once My Disciples, Gather Around Me Asking to Be Hired – Even Though I Only Taught Them a Little～

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“Burn! Supreme Fire Magic, Giga Fireball!”

A giant fireball explodes upon impact with the demon forces.

After parting ways with Baldo, we were engaged in fierce combat near the royal capital of Fridania, with Mariessia leading the charge. Our goal was to reclaim the occupied capital from Prince Genus and the demon lord’s army.

“Sword Skill! ——【Bisection】!”

“Advanced Holy Light Bullet Magic, High Holy Bullet!”

Alesia was on the frontline, swinging the holy sword, while Milene utilized attack, support, and healing magic as needed. I was providing support attacks from the rear.

Around me gathered those from the Mariessia Royal Guard, Fridania volunteers, and Natol soldiers capable of using magic.

“Lady Calut! The enemy’s magic attack is incoming! Frontline troops, to defense!”

“Not on my watch! Magic Defense Wall, Magic Shield!”

The deployed magical defense wall neutralizes the incoming flames and ice.

The demon lord’s army, a collection of entities distinct from monsters, resembled humans more than beasts, with most capable of using magic.

“I’ll neutralize all magical attacks! So rest assured!”

“Lady Calut is impressive! Alright, frontline troops, resume the attack!”

Yet, the magical attacks were relentless.

I needed some time to use my ultimate trump card, the Meteor magic.

But I had no time to disengage from the battle…

“Lady Calut! The enemy’s magic attack is coming!”

There was no time to spare!

Unlike human soldiers, they could cast spells rapidly with short chants.

The battlefront was reaching a stalemate. Despite Alesia and Milene’s efforts, the demon lord’s army was vast, with more troops arriving.

“Lady Calut! There’s a strange light coming from the demon lord’s army center! It’s different from their usual magic!”

An unfamiliar light began to cover the battlefield.

Something was wrong!

“——Wide Area Magic Defense Wall, Area Magic Shield!”

I attempted to cover all allies with a defense wall, but…!

“Hey, what are you doing… ghh!”

An ally was being strangled by another knight.

“What’s happening!? I blocked the attack with Magic Shield, but something’s wrong!”

Some began to lose their sanity.

Those with weak magic resistance were becoming delirious.

On the frontline, Milene was casting purification magic to calm the situation.

Although I couldn’t use purification magic, I could use magic effect dispelling spells. I had to try…

——!?

As I raised my staff, a chill ran down my spine.

I couldn’t lift my arm.

“…stay away.”

My greatest fear…

“——Don’t touch Cal!!”

Several men grabbed my hands and feet.

I felt nauseous… a chilling sensation.

My head spun, my eyes flickered, and the sky turned red against my will.

If I were to activate the Meteor magic in this state… everyone would be buried under rubble again.

◇◇◇

I was an orphan.

When I was young, I was taken in and began working as a maid apprentice at a mansion.

The master of the house was a fairly well-known merchant, conducting extensive business from his large estate. He used to say that taking in orphans was his way of giving back, ensuring that the future of young children wouldn’t be ruined if he could help it.

Yes, it was his way of repaying the profits earned from his business.

However, the truth was different.

I was nothing but a toy to satisfy a man’s depraved desires.

Sexual violence occurs daily.

Just the thought of it makes me nauseous.

The days of hell stretched on endlessly until one day something snapped in my mind.

Before I realized it, the mansion had vanished, and I was the only one left atop the rubble.

The sky was burning red.

From then on, even more tragic days began.

No home to return to.

Nothing to eat that day.

No decent jobs, and on the rare occasion I found work, it was all men.

I wonder how such a small girl managed to survive.

One day, men caught me and tried to take me somewhere.

No, no, no!

The sky started to turn red again, just like that time.

Am I going to be buried under rubble again? What is this? A curse?

But this time, I wasn’t buried under the rubble.

Because one man chased the men holding me away.

He told me to come to his inn and eat.

Yes, it was Baldo.

He must be another kidnapper.

I won’t be deceived again.

Despite putting on a brave front…

I couldn’t resist my hunger and went to Baldo’s inn.

Baldo didn’t say anything and just let me eat.

I was sure he would demand something in return later, so I planned to eat and then run away.

But he never did anything.

So, I thought I’d take the next meal and then run… and the one after that…

Before I knew it, I had started living at Baldo’s inn.

There were already two girls there, Alesia and Milene.

It seemed they had no relatives, so they lived here. They happily called Baldo “sensei.”

Fools… they’ll just end up being victims of violence or sold off somewhere.

I didn’t let my guard down.

He’s the same as the rest.

Every time he approached, I bit him.

My only weapon.

But…

Baldo was a strange one.

He didn’t hit me even when I bit him.

Other men would hit back twice as hard if I resisted.

Baldo… praised me.

Saying it hurt or that was a good bite.

I didn’t trust him at all.

It didn’t make sense. Is he stupid?

One day… “If you’re going to bite, bite this instead,” he said, shoving something into my mouth.

It was anpan.

The anpan was delicious.

Maybe because I had never eaten sweets before, that’s what I thought.

…That day, I only bit Baldo once.

Another day…

A drunk guest clung to me. A man.

Chills ran through my body, my mind went blank…

And the sky turned red again.

I’m going to be buried under rubble again. In the end, nothing changes. Just got fed by some weird old man.

And then this place too would turn to rubble… back to days without a home.

I’m tired of it all.

I guess when the sky turns red, something falls, and it’s over.

Some kind of curse, probably.

That’s when it happened.

Baldo gave me a thumbs up.

“Don’t worry, be at ease. When it’s over, let’s go buy anpan,” he said, something nonsensical.

This guy has no sense of urgency…

Holding a pebble in his hand, Baldo started to concentrate his power. Probably something called “Fighting Spirit.”

I didn’t know what kind of magic it was, but it couldn’t possibly overcome my curse. It would just end up buried under rubble again.

But… it didn’t end up buried under rubble like before.

With a nonsensically loud shout of “Sei!” he smashed something in the sky to pieces.

I remembered… the first time I met Baldo, I wasn’t buried under rubble.

Tears started flowing from my eyes.

Baldo hugged me tightly.

For the first time, I didn’t bite Baldo.

And then, for the first time, I went shopping with Baldo. To the anpan store.

From that day on, I gradually began to open my heart.

Several years later…

What I thought was a curse, the red sky, turned out to be star attribute magic.

Due to past trauma, it would activate on its own when I was excessively stimulated.

It seemed I had a rare talent, and the leader of a group of magicians who was a guest wanted to take me on as an apprentice magician.

I didn’t want to leave Baldo, but “Your talent has been recognized. It’s a good opportunity,” encouraged by Baldo, I joined the magician’s group. Later, at the age of 13, I earned the title of Archmage, and at 14, I destroyed the empire’s moving fortress with the ultimate magic Meteor in the “Blood Battle.”

◇◇◇

I don’t know why I remembered this now.

But recalling the first time Baldo hugged me made me feel a bit better. I found the leisure to look up at the sky.

The sky above, turning a deep red.

It has been activated for quite some time. It’s too late to cancel it now.

But

I just need to control it!

I couldn’t do it before?

It’s not that I can’t! I’ll do it!

This time, I will somehow control it!!

Though I feel like I’m about to lose consciousness, I desperately keep my sanity… and reconstruct the magic circle.

I correct the trajectory that seems about to falter. The sky above completely turns red.