1

This was one room in the royal castle located in the Royal Capital Kirk.

“Mireine, it sounds noisy. What is happening?”

While elegantly drinking the tea poured for her by the maid Mireine, the bewitching, alluring witch Lizelotte turned her attention beyond the room.

“I have not heard the details either, but it seems that the other day, the harbor city of Elias suffered both an attack by magical beasts and the destruction of its warehouse district.”

“Magical beasts in Elias? The sea there was a quiet one, was it not? I have visited several times myself, and that sea was peace itself.”

The Eternal Witch Lizelotte, who had too much time on her hands, had also visited Elias several times for a change of pace.

Lizelotte had thought of it as a city far removed from dangerous disturbances such as magical beast attacks, but judging by the commotion outside, Mireine’s report did not seem to be some kind of mistake.

“Hah. Just when I thought the source of trouble had finally left Kirk, next it is Elias. Surely that fool has not gone to Elias, has he?”

Mireine had no idea who the fool Lizelotte was referring to might be.

As Mireine silently wiped the tabletop, Lizelotte asked her a question.

“Where did you hear that report?”

“I heard it from a colleague as well, but it seems the original report came from Marquis Brandy.”

At Mireine’s words, Lizelotte held her head while letting out a deep sigh.

“Elias this time. He truly is a bringer of misfortune…”

After that, Lizelotte listened to what Mireine had seen and heard.

During the magical beast attack, the lord of Elias, Arabetta Elias, had taken command on the front line, and Ains and the others, who happened to be present, had repelled it. In addition, they had even slain the kraken known as the “Watchman of the Sea” of Elias.

Just as the city was about to begin moving toward recovery despite having suffered considerable damage, the warehouse district, which was both a storage site for supplies and the heart of Elias, had apparently been destroyed by an explosion caused by someone unknown.

“I see. This will be a heavy blow to the entire kingdom.”

“His Majesty King Wenceslav and Chancellor Elliott are rushing about to bring the situation under control. However, most likely…”

“The distribution of goods will be obstructed for a long period.”

The current relationship between the royal family and the nobility was no longer becoming a united front. Wenceslav would not be able to avoid being held responsible.

The political balance would undoubtedly tilt in a direction unfavorable to the royal family.

In that case, was Ains dragged into this incident rather than being the one who caused it? Is there someone else behind it? Could it be…

No longer in the mood to enjoy the flavor of her tea, Lizelotte glanced at Mireine, signaling her to bring wine and a glass.

Beside Lizelotte, who had fallen into thought, Mireine cleared away the teacup and pot, then placed a wineglass in front of Lizelotte.

Wine more expensive than Mireine’s monthly wages was poured into the glass.

Just as Mireine was wiping away the small amount of wine that had dripped from the lip of the bottle, there was a knock at the room’s door.

Mireine glanced at Lizelotte, but Lizelotte did not seem to have noticed the knock.

“Who is it?”

Mireine approached the door and confirmed who was outside.

“It is Kirishiya. Is Lady Lizelotte here?”

“…Lady Kirishiya, please wait a moment.”

Mireine hesitated over whether to call out to Lizelotte, but from her own perspective as well, she judged that Lizelotte, who was far too kind to Kirishiya, would not refuse Kirishiya entry, so she quietly opened the door from the inside.

“Thank you, Mireine.”

Kirishiya entered the room and thanked Mireine, who had opened the door for her. Mireine stepped aside and bowed.

“Lady Lizelotte, forgive me for intruding when you are busy.”

Lizelotte, who had been deep in thought, also noticed Kirishiya’s clear, beautiful voice and turned her face toward her.

“You came, Kirishiya? What is it?”

“Have you heard, Lady Lizelotte?”

“About Elias? If so, I just heard from Mireine.”

Mireine pulled out a chair, and Kirishiya sat down facing Lizelotte.

“It was fortunate that Ains-san was in Elias.”

“Indeed. This time, it seems he merely happened to be present when the incident occurred. The fact that the damage to the residents was kept to a minimum is a silver lining amid misfortune.”

When Lizelotte asked Kirishiya whether she wanted something to drink, Kirishiya declined, saying she would not stay long.

Mireine poured water into a small glass and quietly placed it where it would not get in Kirishiya’s way.

“Ains-san’s sorcery is amazing, isn’t it? He even dealt so easily with the kraken that everyone had struggled so much against.”

“If it were only a matter of slaying it, that would be easy enough. However, if one had to take care not to affect the marine ecosystem, then it certainly would not be easy for the kingdom’s mages.”

The same was true for Lizelotte. If she thought only of slaying it, she could settle the matter while doing something else.

Lizelotte, who had lived through eternity, did not actively involve herself in worldly affairs. Only when she had her own reason to act did she involve herself in the world.

“Ains-san’s right arm—that is sorcery, isn’t it? Lady Lizelotte, you seem to know about it, but what exactly is that sorcery?”

Kirishiya had actually seen Ains’s right arm during the incident at the Sorcery Academy.

And she also knew that it was not magic, but an extraordinary power from another dimension: sorcery.

Lizelotte had wanted to keep Kirishiya away from sorcery, but now that Kirishiya had become involved with sorcery to this extent, there was no longer any need to hide it.

Even so, perhaps she still regretted it, for Lizelotte let out a sigh mixed with resignation before opening her mouth.

“Ains’s right arm is his second sorcery. Its root lies in obtaining. It is a sorcery that distorts the laws of the world, allowing him to obtain anything obtainable that he desires.”

“Obtaining, you say?”

For a moment, Kirishiya was startled by the omnipotent impression given by the right arm, but she tilted her head at the gap between that and the image she herself had of it.

“His first sorcery is his right eye. It was born from the desire to see. And the second sorcery, born from the desire to obtain what he himself had seen, is the Miracle Right Arm.”

“Lady Lizelotte, please wait. If that is the case, there is one thing that does not make sense to me.”

“What is it?”