Vol 1 Chapter 5 – My Childhood Friend Meets Me While Transformed and Declares Me Her Rival【Vol 1 – When Written in Kanji, It’s Saionji Yumeba】

After completing my first adventurer request and returning to my castle room, for some reason a black-clad man lay at my duplicate’s feet.

“What’s this?”

“An assassin.”

“Seriously?”

The duplicate I’d created could perform advanced autonomous actions and wield all my developed magic with nearly 30% of my mana.

So I wasn’t surprised it repelled an assassin on its own, but I hadn’t expected Yunix to take such rash action so quickly.

“Let me interrogate him first.”

While integrating the duplicate back into myself, I cast Hypnosis Magic I’d developed just in case on the assassin.

This magic put targets in a hypnotic state, making them answer my questions honestly regardless of their will.

After interrogating the assassin…

“So Cassandra was the culprit.”

Contrary to my expectations, the culprit was eldest daughter Cassandra.

I understood the intent.

Cassandra had somehow learned Yunix and I were hostile, and sent an assassin to me to make it look like Yunix’s doing.

If I’d been honestly assassinated, other succession struggle participants who knew Yunix and I were enemies would assume Yunix was the culprit.

What happened after had too many options to narrow down.

“What to do with this guy?”

The current problem was disposing of the hypnotized assassin who’d spilled information.

“…Let me cause some confusion.”

I deepened the assassin’s hypnotic state into a puppet, then sent him to eldest brother Friedrich.

Right. In deep hypnosis, he’d completely forgotten about me, and if the assassin Cassandra sent after me went to assassinate Friedrich instead, confusion from various directions could create chaos.

Then Yunix would be busy too, with no time for harassment.

Right. While I was at it, I’d implant the belief that the assassin’s client was second son Zigserk.

This would further confuse the succession struggle.

◇◇◇

While the succession struggle became chaotic as planned, I frequently transformed into Alisa and casually worked as an adventurer.

I never took big requests, just showed up at the adventurer guild when I had time, quickly finished requests, and left.

Of course, the receptionist was highly suspicious, but even if she discovered I could use transfer magic, it didn’t matter.

After all, the one working as an adventurer was the mysterious Black Witch Alisa.

As long as my identity as the Fourth Imperial Prince wasn’t exposed, there was no problem.

More importantly, I discovered monster meat was normally edible after using purification magic to remove toxic miasma.

The problem was I lacked butchering skills, but…

(If I don’t have it, I’ll just create it. Butchering Magic!)

Yeah. Lately my magic seemed to be approaching omnipotence.

This had gone beyond magic into sorcery territory.

Oh. Sorcery was what lay beyond mastering magic, fundamentally—well, not that extreme, but the freedom was incomparably different.

For example, magic was bound by incantations and inscriptions.

Incantation magic only produced effects matching the incantation, inscription magic only effects matching the inscriptions.

In contrast, sorcery manifested the caster’s image directly as phenomena.

In my previous life, magical girls might be close to sorcery.

Sorcery wasn’t bound by laws but created laws.

It freely caused phenomena, or rather, wishes directly took form.

Well, of course mana was consumed to cause phenomena, so I couldn’t do everything.

(Hmm. Not as free as sorcery, but if I pre-completed incantations and kept many spells on standby in my deep consciousness, would that become chantless magic mimicking pseudo-sorcery?)

My deep consciousness room had grown again, now gymnasium-sized.

The electric pump still continuously pumped mana creating mana orbs, but Aegis’s constant activation consumed slightly faster than accumulation, so inventory gradually decreased.

So I had plenty of room space to stock magic.

(Snapping my fingers for release might look cool.)

Black-clad beautiful girl Alisa-chan causing various phenomena with just a finger snap.

Yeah. Not bad.

◇◇◇

“Lately, strange rumors have been circulating in the imperial capital.”

“…Rumors?”

Today as always, the Imperial Guard had leave, so Yumeba forced hellish training on me—Emilio, age 15, collapsed in the courtyard.

“Apparently a skilled adventurer appeared in the capital and is hunting Eastern Forest monsters at a rate that might wipe them out.”

“Huh.”

I visited the adventurer guild during free daytime hours, quickly finished requests, and returned, so I rarely encountered other adventurers.

So I had no idea who Yumeba meant.

“Apparently a female mage dressed all in black like a witch, not confirmed but seemingly a skilled transfer magic user.”

“…………”

Ah, yes. That rang a bell.

Or rather, obviously me.

But I was holding back plenty, and wiping out the Eastern Forest seemed exaggerated.

Well, I’d started at F-rank and already reached C-rank, with my proof plate changed from wood to metal.

But I just casually hunted about 20 monsters daily—such an exaggeration.

“That forest supposedly had 300-400 total monsters, so extermination should finish soon.”

“…Less than expected.”

Hunting 20 daily for nearly two weeks meant I’d killed about 280.

Yeah. If the total was 300-400, extermination was near.

I wasn’t the only one hunting in the Eastern Forest.

“Hm? What happens when the Eastern Forest monsters are exterminated?”

“Obviously the empire will develop the Eastern Forest and incorporate it as territory.”

“Not that—what happens to adventurers hunting there?”

“…They’ll move elsewhere, won’t they?”

“I guess so.”

Adventurers’ main work was monster subjugation, so if nearby monsters disappeared, moving elsewhere was natural.

“Anyway, you’ve caught your breath, so let’s continue.”

“…Please have mercy.”

Compared to childhood, Yumeba had grown incomparably stronger, and these mock battles were literally life-threatening.

No, I thought she was holding back properly.

Still, using Aegis during mock battles with Yumeba would raise suspicions, so I was defenseless during these sessions.

Getting my head smacked with a wooden sword never got easier no matter how many times I experienced it.

◇◇◇

Right. Adventurer mode Alisa-chan here.

I didn’t know this, but apparently when extermination of monsters in the Eastern Forest that had become monster territory neared, a territorial guardian appeared.

In short, a boss incomparably stronger than previous monsters appeared.

I wanted to lament the absurdity of why such a thing suddenly appeared, but more importantly, as an Eastern Forest monster subjugation contributor, I was apparently forced to participate in the territorial guardian battle.

I wanted to say “please go ahead without me” and flee, but as a mandatory adventurer duty, fleeing would penalize me with adventurer qualification revocation.

How unreasonable.

But the real absurdity came from the supervisor who appeared on subjugation day.

“I’m Yumeba = Reio = Saionji, assigned as this subjugation force supervisor.”

“…Pleased to meet you.”

Right. For some reason, Yumeba had become the subjugation force supervisor.

“Hmm. So you’re the rumored Extermination Witch. All in black as rumored.”

“…Extermination Witch.”

Who gave me such an ominous alias?

“Is it true you can use transfer magic?”

“Well, yes… I can.”

“Can you move large groups?”

“Transfer magic is basically single-person. Moving groups requires connecting space to the destination and installing a transfer gate.”

“Transfer gates. You can even use those.”

Yumeba seemed impressed, but I was anxiously wondering when she’d figure it out.

“Still… lightly equipped for an adventurer. Won’t you die taking monster attacks like that?”

“I’m confident in defensive magic. I’m confident I’d survive even a holy sword attack.”

“…Oh. Is that a challenge to me?”

“Ah.”

Crap.

I’d unconsciously provoked her like usual.

“W-Well, heavy equipment would hinder my movement.”

“…Is that bragging about your large chest?”

“…………”

Nooooo!

Our long-cultivated rapport made everything I said sound like provocation!

“…Please try not to drag me down.”

Well, at this point, I’d provoke fully and commit to that character.

“How interesting. I’ll judge how useful you are!”

“…As you wish.”

Whatever happens, happens!

Yumeba used me without reservation, making me open a transfer gate from the capital to the Eastern Forest and send all participants through.

Well, once opened, this transport method worked for a fixed time regardless of passenger count, so that was fine, but she really had no reservations.

“Now then. We’ve significantly shortened travel time, so let’s hurry and find the territorial guardian for subjugation!”

Yumeba enthusiastically stepped into the forest.

I also used Eagle Eye to search the forest, but with many obstructions like a forest, finding specific targets took time.

(I should’ve developed Flight Magic to fly and search from above.)

Regretting slightly, I checked the entire forest using Data Map in my right eye and Eagle Eye.

After the subjugation force spread through the forest searching for over two hours:

“!”

I found it.

“…Commander Saionji.”

“That’s long, just call me Yumeba. What?”

“Do you know what kind of monster this territorial guardian is?”

“This forest has many wild animals, so similar monsters were predicted… why do you ask?”

“I sent my vision far with magic to search…”

“You can even do that?”

“A giant monster with multiple snake heads appeared… probably a Hydra.”

“…………What?”

Yeah. No wonder Yumeba was shocked.

Frankly, my first impression was Yamata-no-Orochi.

Even applying past territorial guardian information from prior research, this monster was definitely two to three ranks higher.

To seriously subjugate this, we’d need five times our current numbers.

“I’ll confirm directly! Force waits here! You come too!”

“Ehhh…”

“Hurry up!”

“…Understood.”

Reluctantly accompanying Yumeba, I guided her to where Yamata-no-Orochi was.

What appeared before us was a giant monster even more imposing than viewing through Eagle Eye.

“Ugh. This isn’t just Gold-rank, it’s Platinum-rank.”

“…May I flee?”

Territorial guardian strength was classified into five levels:

• • Iron: Super weak

• • Bronze: Weak

• • Silver: Normal

• • Gold: Strong

• • Platinum: Super strong

Originally, the Eastern Forest territorial guardian was predicted at Silver-rank, so Platinum-rank was completely unexpected.

“We’re already in its detection range. Can’t escape, and it won’t let us go.”

“…I see.”

No time to leisurely open a transfer gate, but I had transfer magic, so I could escape alone…

(I’m not heartless enough to abandon Yumeba and flee.)

Reluctantly, I took battle stance.

The opening was torrential breath from all eight snake mouths.

I quickly touched the ground, hardening earth into a protective wall shielding Yumeba and me, but…

“Not just water! Acid! This won’t hold!”

“Troublesome attack!”

I kept creating additional walls, but the acid’s momentum and dissolution speed were faster.

At this rate, we’d be overwhelmed.

“Stay braced!”

Saying that, Yumeba used my wall as a springboard to leap, then fired arrows of light gathered in both hands at Yamata-no-Orochi.

The light arrows struck all of Yamata-no-Orochi’s heads perfectly, but…

“I might lose confidence.”

They only momentarily stopped its movement.

Still, that brief moment let Yumeba and me simultaneously escape from behind the trapped wall.

“Before the next attack, I’ll deliver something big.”

I snapped my fingers, releasing magic waiting in deep consciousness—Explosive Flame Magic, superior in power.

With Yamata-no-Orochi as ground zero, a roar echoed—after the flames cleared, a slightly charred Yamata-no-Orochi appeared.

“This joke needs moderation.”

“Let’s press the attack!”

Leaving weary me behind, Yumeba had already drawn her sword and started running.

Seeing that, I again regretted not developing support magic for vanguards like Yumeba.

Anyway, to distract attention from Yumeba and find weaknesses, I fired magic successively from the opposite long range.

Fire, water, earth, wind—all four systems had mediocre effects.

Yamata-no-Orochi seemed water-type, so lightning magic would’ve been great…

(My electrocution magic powerful enough to kill monsters would be a drop in the bucket.)

I regretted not developing larger-scale lightning magic.

So while supporting Yumeba, I developed it urgently.

Yumeba in close combat evaded Yamata-no-Orochi’s attacks by paper-thin margins while slashing repeatedly with her regular sword—still minimal effect.

Meanwhile, lightning magic finally completed.

“Big technique coming, so stall for time!”

“This better work!”

“If not, I’ll think of something else!”

I began chanting to cast magic not in stock.

“●■■▲●、■▲●●■▲▲、■■●▲●、●■●■■▲●、■▲●●■▲▲、■■●▲●●■、●■■▲●、■▲●●■▲▲、■■●▲●●■…”

“Too long!”

I knew, but freshly made unoptimized magic inevitably had long chants I couldn’t improve.

Ignoring Yumeba’s complaints, I continued chanting…

“Get away!”

“!”

Finally completing the magic, I confirmed Yumeba had separated from Yamata-no-Orochi and released it.

Thunderclap Magic.

Massive lightning from the sky struck Yamata-no-Orochi directly.

It was definitely effective, obliterating five of Yamata-no-Orochi’s eight heads, but failing to finish the remaining three.

“Now you stall! I’m counting on your holy-sword-blocking defensive magic!”

“…What an unreasonable demand for a mage.”

But I understood what Yumeba intended.

She’d unseal the holy sword.

Though I didn’t want to, I stepped before Yumeba, blocking acid breath from three snake mouths with defensive walls again, sometimes relying on Aegis to physically block attacks from reaching Yumeba.

“My lifespan is shrinking!”

“…Kept you waiting.”

The unsealed radiant holy sword appeared.

“The Saionji Ducal House’s secret art… savor it fully!”

As declared, the swung holy sword obliterated the remaining three snake heads and body.

“Wow.”

I trusted Aegis’s defensive capability, but I definitely lacked the courage to face that head-on.