“It’s aiming for us?!” Liselotte gulped, realizing the aim of the minotaur. It was clearly aiming for their location. The other minotaur from earlier had also tried to grab her, she recalled.
“Gufufuh... Fuh?!” The minotaur had a triumphant smile on its face as it looked down at Rio below it. But when it noticed that Rio was looking back with a cold gaze, it flinched. In the next moment, it lost sight of Rio.
“Huh?” Liselotte and Flora said. Rio, who had been fighting monsters several meters away, was suddenly standing right beside them. The monsters were confused by Rio’s sudden disappearance, looking around for him.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be taken down on the next hit,” Rio said shortly, focusing essence into the dwarven sword in his hands before making a running leap at the minotaur. The valuable sword in his hand glowed with a bright light.
“...An enchanted sword,” Liselotte murmured in a daze. The sword in Rio’s hands blasted a tremendous torrent of wind out of its blade, which gathered into a violent whirlwind.
“MROH?!” When the minotaur noticed Rio’s approaching figure, it swung its sword in a panic. Rio held his sword up and at the ready.
“MROOOOOOOOOH!” The minotaur roared to give itself energy. The next blow would decide everything, which was something it probably realized. It mustered all the strength it could into its stone sword.
In the meantime, anyone who was still conscious had their eyes fixed to the battle. Their bodies shuddered and their hearts soared with elation as they watched the climax of the encounter.
When the two swords collided — boom — a roaring sound echoed. At the same time, a windstorm swept through. The minotaur’s stone sword crumbled into dust as Rio’s wind blast made a direct hit. Its enormous body was blown by the blast of wind, sending it hurtling towards the ground at an incredible speed. It mowed down all the monsters swarming on the road.
“Guah?”
The last thing the monsters saw was a giant black shadow closing in on them before they were crushed to death. Following the impressive impact and tremendous roar was a moment of silence. One beat later, Rio landed on the ground softly.
“Yeeahh!”
Cheers rose up. While some people were envious and others were observing calmly, in this moment, the majority of people present were filled with an excitement that was almost child-like.
The end of a battle of legend.
It was, quite simply, the moment a new heroic tale was born.
◇ ◇ ◇
While the excitement still lingered on the scene, Aria provided her master with a report. “Lady Liselotte, the monsters are retreating into the forest. We should still keep our guards up, but for now the danger is deemed to have passed.”
Right behind her stood Natalie, Cosette, and several attendants. However, they all looked rather ashamed.
“We would like to sincerely apologize for our ineptitude at protecting my lady during this emergency. After the situation has been dealt with, we will accept whatever punishment is inflicted upon us.” They all bowed their heads at the same time.
“Oh no, what are you saying? You did your best during the worst situation possible. If anything, I’d like to give you a special reward, but right now we have to focus on healing the injured as quickly as possible. Now, disperse! Oh, except for Aria. I want to talk to that boy, so come with me.” Liselotte sighed tiredly and clapped her hands together, making the attendant women scatter. Then, she called Aria over and looked at Rio standing idly on the road.
“Understood.” Aria nodded respectfully.
“U-Umm! I will come along too!” Flora, who was leaning against Liselotte’s side, offered in a fluster as well. Liselotte hesitated for a moment.
“...Then, behind Aria,” Liselotte instructed. She wanted to speak to Rio right away.
Duke Huguenot approached. “I shall accompany you, too.”
Thus, the four of them made their way to Rio. Rio seemed to be carefully watching the surrounding forest, but when he noticed them approaching, he sheathed his sword and gave a well-mannered bow.
What a polite person he seems to be. A beautiful one too... but what are those features...? No, he seems to be raised well... Perhaps he’s a noble? But he doesn’t look familiar, and someone this strong should be famous... Liselotte gathered the thoughts of her first impression of him as she drew near enough to converse.
“Thank you very much for your assistance in our time of need. My name is Liselotte Cretia, the governor for the city of Amande nearby.” She grasped the hem of her skirt and curtseyed gracefully as she spoke, introducing herself.
“...I’m Haruto. It was nothing.” Rio swallowed faintly when he spotted Flora’s face and hair beside her, but replied with his own short introduction and a bow.
“Sir Haruto, then...” Liselotte stiffened faintly when she heard Rio’s name, but she immediately readjusted her smile and introduced Flora and Duke Huguenot. “There are many things I would like to ask you, if possible, but allow me to first introduce these two. This here Her Highness, the Second Princess of Beltrum, Princess Flora. And the present head of the Huguenot family, Duke Gustav Huguenot.”
Usually, during introductions like this, the one with higher rank would step forth and make their greeting first, but Flora remained in a dazed silence. “...”
She wasn’t certain, but her eyes gazed straight at Rio’s appearance and recalled the traces of someone else she once knew.
Epilogue
Meanwhile, from within the forest, there was someone else observing the new heroic tale unfold.
Reiss.
“That’s some incredible strength. Well, if he’s contracted to a humanoid spirit, I suppose this much is to be expected...” Reiss felt dejected at the way things had turned out against his wishes.
He overturned my entire plan singlehandedly. Now the question is, is he Liselotte Cretia’s trump card, or Duke Huguenot’s... Either way, it is highly possible that he was the one who disrupted the wedding ceremony. What a terrifying hidden soldier. This is why humans are not to be underestimated.
He sighed at the unexpected circumstance, feeling disgruntled.
I cannot afford to adjust my plan, but I am most definitely lacking combat power now. I’ve lost half the monsters I originally prepared to attack Amande. Accepting the situation, he considered what his options were for the future.
It looks like some immediate backup power will be necessary. That being said, while a minotaur or revenant can take care of that attendant girl, they’d be no match against him. I cannot afford to lose the Evil Black Wyvern, too, and it’s difficult giving the monsters more complex directions. Which leaves Lucius... Reiss pondered and pondered, then selected a reinforcement that seemed most fitting.
“While there are slight issues with his personality, he can come deal with this.”
Afterword
Everyone, I have been in your care. This is Yuri Kitayama — Thank you for picking up Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles, Volume 6, Twilight Overture.
So, Volume 6 is now on sale... It feels like time has really flown by since Volume 1 first went on sale one year and three months ago. This is all thanks to everyone who has shown their support from the beginning. I am most grateful to you all, from the bottom of my heart! Now that the story is moving towards the main plotline, the plot from here onwards has already been created. As the volumes increase, I have been discussing with Editor N how to make the events unfold in the most exciting way. Please look forward to the next volume, too.
That is all from me this time.
Finally, the Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles manga drawn by tenkla is currently being serialized for free on HJ Bunko’s official homepage. Please check it out if you have the time!
— October 2016, Yuri Kitayama.
Bonus Short Stories
Elemental ☆ Teacher, Professor Celia! (Happy New Year Edition!)
Somewhere on Earth...
Celia Claire was a foreign te
acher that had relocated to work as a substitute teacher in a Japanese high school.
However, it was January 1st — New Year’s Day. High schools in Japan were all on break, so Celia decided to go and gain some cross-cultural experience by way of the Japanese New Year.
At present, she was waiting at a dry riverbed for two of her high school students to show up.
“Hey, Suzune. Are you sure I don’t look weird?” she asked Endo Suzune, the primary school girl standing beside her. Suzune was also waiting for the two high school students who had yet to arrive.
“You’re fine. Even my mom was talking about how good it looks on you!” Suzune gave her stamp of approval with wide, beaming grin.
“If you’re sure, then...” Celia checked her outfit restlessly. She was currently wearing what would be considered the pride of Japan’s traditional clothing — a long-sleeved kimono. On top of that, she held a hagoita with a cute design in her hand. Next to her, Suzune was also wearing a kimono and holding a hagoita of different designs.
The hagoita were wooden paddles to be used in a game of hanetsuki — similar to badminton — and they were about to meet up with the other two people to play it. Suzune’s mother had highly recommended wearing kimono for hanetsuki, so they had spent a long time rummaging through the wardrobe before reaching this point.
“Ah! Haruto onii-chan, Miharu onee-chan!” When Suzune noticed the arrival of the two people they were waiting for, she ran over to them energetically.
“Happy new year, Suzune. Be careful not to run in such pretty clothes,” Amakawa Haruto warned her with a faint smile. Beside him stood another high school student, Ayase Miharu, who was smiling pleasantly at Suzune.
“H-heh! H-Happy New Year!” Suzune blushed as she bowed her head at Haruto. At that point, Celia had caught up to them.
“Happy New Year, Professor Celia. The kimono looks very pretty on you,” Haruto said in greeting.
“O-Oh, yeah. T-Thank you. And happy new year... You too, Miharu.” Celia’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment.
“Happy New Year to you, Professor Celia, Suzune,” Miharu returned the greeting with a graceful bow.
Incidentally, Haruto was in his casual clothes while Miharu was dressed in a long-sleeved kimono, hagoita at the ready.
“You’re so beautiful, Miharu... This must be what they call a Yamato Nadeshiko,” Celia said, completely captivated by Miharu’s beauty. In reality, her glossy black hair and delicate aura made the perfect pair to the Japanese clothes.
“N-No, not at all. If anything, your white hair suits your kimono so well, you look like a beautiful illusion, Professor Celia,” Miharu said in a high-pitched voice, blushed shyly.
“Ahaha, thank you. I’d like to believe that... and Suzune, you can snap out of it already!” Celia thanked her with a faint smile before she noticed Suzune acting strangely beside her.
“Ehe, ehehe, Haruto onii-chan called me pretty...” She was extremely pleased about being complimented by her beloved Haruto.
Celia sighed tiredly. “Geez...” But the corners of her mouth were twitching up in a smile.
Miharu laughed in amusement. “Ahaha, shall we begin soon?”
“Yes, but I don’t know the rules of hanetsuki very well...”
“The rules are that there are basically no rules. You hit the shuttlecock towards another person and continue doing that until you stop. Do you want to try it with me first?”
“Yes, please.”
Thus, it was decided that Miharu and Celia would play first against each other.
“Okay. Suzune, how about we stand a little further back and observe them?”
Haruto took Suzune by the hand and urged her to move a short distance away.
“Fweh?! O-Okay!”
With a bright red face, Suzune agreed. And watching the two of them —
“Hmph...”
— were Miharu and Celia, both looking a little envious.
I’ll show you the maturity of an adult!
This is a story that occurred just after Rio and Aishia took Celia away from the capital of Beltrum.
“Shall we go, Aishia?”
“Yeah.”
Rio picked Celia up in a princess carry and rose into the air, gently, with his wind spirit arts.
“Ah...”
Celia felt the faint floating sensation and tightened her grip around Rio reflexively.
Seeing Rio all grown up, reliable and warmhearted, filled her with relief. Feeling it first-hand made Celia so happy, she squeezed her arms even more.
“Fufu,” Celia let out a giggle without realizing.
“Are you scared, Professor?” Rio asked, looking down at Celia’s face; he had noticed how Celia’s grip around him had strengthened. Their eyes met at a nose-to-nose distance away from each other.
Celia couldn’t help the flush that crept over her face. “...N-Nope, I’m not scared. Aishia carried me through the air earlier, so I’m used to the floaty feeling now,” she replied, averting her gaze shyly.
Belatedly, she realized that being in a princess carry had put her at a much closer distance to Rio than she thought.
Very belatedly.
“That’s good, then. If you’re scared, just give me a heads up. I’ll adjust my speed for you,” Rio offered, tilting his head a little curiously.
“O-Okay.” Celia nodded awkwardly.
I-I felt so elated when we were departing, I asked Rio to carry me for the flight... Would it have been more natural to ask Aishia instead? No, but Rio agreed so casually... I-It was natural, right? she thought to herself.
Her heart thudded louder and louder in her chest. When she peered up at Rio’s face in wonder, she saw that he didn’t seem to be as nervous — or rather, nervous at all — compared to her.
Maybe I’m thinking too much about it? Yes, this much is n-normal. Normal. That’s right, I have to be carried all the way to the kingdom of Galarc, so this is necessary. There’s nothing strange about it.
Celia pondered to herself as she watched Rio’s expression carefully. That’s right — since Aishia was the one to carry her out of the capital, now it was Rio’s turn to do the carrying. That was the natural flow of things, wasn’t it?
That’s right. I’m clinging to him because it’s necessary, so it would be weird if I acted really nervous about it. I’m Rio’s teacher, so I must show him the maturity of an adult woman. I’ll show him he’s not the only one that’s grown up!
Right. The reason why she was being held in a princess carry was because it was easier to move with. There was nothing weird about it. Celia’s thoughts spiralled in a clearly childish way.
“...Professor, you seem a little restless. Are you scared after all?” Rio asked as he checked on Celia’s expression.
“N-Not at all. I’m fine, I’m mature, I can handle this much. You can even go faster if you want!” Celia feigned composure as she replied. She made to loosen her hold around Rio too.
“Really? Then...” Rio said with amusement, raising his speed in a sudden burst of intensity.
“Hyahn!” The sound had escaped from Celia unconsciously. She threw her arms tightly around Rio in a panic.
“See, it’s dangerous. Make sure you hold on properly,” Rio chuckled, adjusting his hold on her.
As a result, they were even closer together than they were before. Celia buried her face into Rio’s neck and, after a pause, blushed bright red.
Celia scolded Rio in shock. “Y-You’re a bully, Rio! I’ll have you know that was a sound of surprise just now, not fear. Got it?!”
“Ahaha, sorry,” Rio apologized with a laugh.
Aishia nodded with satisfaction as she flew next to them. “Cute.”
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Copyright
&n
bsp; Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles Volume 6
by Yuri Kitayama
Translated by Mana Z.
Edited by Joi
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 Yuri Kitayama
Illustrations Copyright © 2016 Riv
Cover illustration by Riv
All rights reserved.
Original Japanese edition published in 2016 by Hobby Japan
This English edition is published by arrangement with Hobby Japan, Tokyo
English translation © 2019 J-Novel Club LLC
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property.
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The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.
Ebook edition 1.0: August 2019
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