Gazing Upward

Serge turned 14 years old.

14 years old.

In fact, in most countries, 14 was the age at which one was treated as an adult. Marriage was permitted from this age as well.

The Earl gave Serge a ceremonial dagger for his birthday.

The katana he'd received from Ria before was far superior in performance, but the gesture warmed his heart. After all, no one else would give him anything.

(I wonder if everyone back home is doing well…)

His memories since reincarnating were much more vivid after meeting Ria. But that didn't mean he didn't miss his hometown.

He wanted to return at least once before the Millennium and get them away from danger as much as possible. Surely that much would be acceptable.

"Serge, you…"

Chrys called out to Serge as he gazed out the window.

"Could it be that you've grown taller than me?"

"Huh?"

It was just as she said. When he stood up, Chrys was now looking up at him.

Neither of them had noticed at all. When you're around each other constantly, that's just how it goes. However, at this age, it was only natural.

Serge's daily routine hadn't changed much. Attend classes, receive instruction from Azel, go home and sleep. What had been added was his subjugation expeditions with Chrys.

At first, Chrys was exhausted just from the journey there and back, but as her level rose a little, her stamina improved accordingly.

Now she could make the round trip through the forest without inconveniencing the other members.

But even so, she probably wouldn't be able to become the Hero's attendant. Even Serge, who was far stronger, couldn't imagine fighting back-to-back with Ria.

"Huh? The Hero? He's gone."

So when Azel said that, the shock was… there was some.

"Huh? Huh? What do you mean the Hero's gone? Was he summoned by the Empire and… disappeared along with it?"

"No, he said he didn't want to be in this world anymore and ran off to another world with a High Elf girl."

That's way too free-spirited, Hero.

There were actually more complicated circumstances involved, but looking at the facts alone, Azel's words weren't lies.

The Hero had been manipulated by the Demon King into playing a part in the annihilation of the Golden Dragon Clarice, and together with the High Elf girl he'd met in the Great Forest, had been sent to another world by the Water Dragon Rana.

"But why…"

"Well, having caused the deaths of three million people and then being told you have to fight the demon race—wouldn't a normal person's mind break under that?"

That was certainly true.

Being summoned from an ordinary world and told to kill people—that was asking too much.

"But didn't the previous Hero fight properly?"

She was referring to the current Demon King.

"The Hero before that one did as well. But he was apparently delicate. Not that I've met him directly."

Hmm, what about him?

If his previous self had suddenly arrived in this world…

Would he have been able to fight and kill Orcs?

Ria was different. That woman would happily adapt to anything.

Thinking about it that way, he couldn't blame the Hero.

"By the way, Serge."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Would you like to succeed me and become the Great Sage?"

"Excuse me?"

That came out of nowhere.

"I intend to fight at the forefront in the next Millennium. I probably won't survive. But like my predecessors did, I must pass on the knowledge of the sages."

He was completely serious. This wasn't some kind of joke.

"W-Why me…"

"Intelligence, magic power, insight, mental fortitude. And the fact that you clearly retain memories from your previous life. Those are the main reasons."

He was being overestimated. But Azel must have been watching him with this in mind.

He must have been watching him all this time.

"Well, you don't need to answer immediately. But we don't have much time."

"What are the benefits and drawbacks of becoming the Great Sage?"

"The benefit is knowledge. You'll be able to make the knowledge passed down through generations of Great Sages your own. Also, immortality. As for drawbacks… there are none."

"None?"

That was hard to believe.

"You only need to do what you believe should be done. That's what I do."

This was that?

Running this academy city, watching the world from behind the scenes, guiding it toward a better future.

Was that what he would be doing?

"Will I gain power?"

"If you apply the knowledge toward that end."

"What about Carla-san? I'd think she'd be more suited for it than me."

"She said she would return to her country and live for its sake."

Indeed, she had fought a dragon for her country and become the Dragonslayer.

In the end, he couldn't decide immediately.

What Serge sought was power. The power to protect his companions.

If he could obtain that, he shouldn't be too picky about the means.

But the reason he couldn't answer right away was that look Azel sometimes had in his eyes.

Those eyes weren't just aged—they were utterly exhausted, and that gave Serge pause.

Serge went out to the gazebo and gazed at the moon. It was a waxing moon. By the time it started waning, Chrys's birthday would arrive.

Normally, Serge would want to give her a gift too, but receiving something from a member of the opposite sex on one's 14th birthday was considered a marriage proposal, so he couldn't give her anything.

(Maybe I'll set off some fireworks for her.)

Or maybe hand-held ones would be better? He was mulling over such things.

"Serge?"

Chrys stood beneath the moonlight.

She wore only a thin garment with a single jacket over it.

"What are you doing?"

Honestly, for a moment he thought she was something other than human.

"What about you?"

"I saw you sneaking out, so I followed."

He hadn't noticed. How careless of him.

"You've been thinking about something ever since dinner, haven't you?"

"You see right through me. You really watch people closely."

"You were thinking about something, but you have no intention of telling me."

Of course he wouldn't.

"Your 14th birthday is coming up, right? I can't give you a gift, so I was thinking of giving you something that wouldn't leave a trace."

That was also true.

"In my case, there's no one who would give me a gift, so I wouldn't mind if you did…"

That was her own doing.

With how cold she normally was to men, of course no one would propose to her.

"Really? Then I'll give you some kind of charm. What would be good…"

Serge searched through his storage space. Among the things he'd made while practicing imbuing magic, there were various items.

What he selected from them was a silver barrette.

"It's handmade, so it's nothing fancy, but in exchange, it has various magic imbued in it, so I think it'll be useful."

When he handed it over, Chrys gripped it tightly.

"Thank you."

Saying that, she immediately tried it on. She gathered her long black hair and used it to hold the style together.

"Does it suit me?"

Beneath the moonlight.

The silver shone beautifully against her black hair.

No, what was truly beautiful wasn't the accessory, but—

"It does suit you, but for parties and such, I'd like you to wear something more proper. If you want, I'll get you a present for your next birthday too."

Serge said that, but the next birthday would fall in the third year the Demon King had mentioned.

When in that third year would the demon race's invasion begin? Thinking about that, he couldn't make careless promises.

"It's a promise."

Knowing that, Chrys smiled.

It was such a lovely smile that he wished she would always smile like that.

"Serge."

She gazed at him from up close. Looking up slightly.

"Thank you so much."

Days later, at the birthday party held at the Earl's mansion, Chrys wore a white dress and, unusually, light makeup.

That alone gave her a completely different impression from usual, but what adorned her pinned-up hair was a plain silver barrette.

Even when asked about it, Chrys wouldn't reveal its origin, saying only that it was a gift she'd received before her birthday.

(This is, you know… that, right…)

Serge wasn't a dense protagonist, nor was he a protagonist whose hearing conveniently failed him, so he had somewhat noticed.

Chrys had feelings for him.

He was aware that he'd been raising flags left and right. But honestly, Serge aspired to a man's dream: a harem.

Call him terrible if you will, but counting his previous life, Serge had already been a virgin for over 30 years.

If he took Chrys as his wife, he wouldn't be able to have mistresses easily. If he cheated, she would definitely cry.

Therefore, the Chrys route was something he should have avoided from the start, but…

(Well, what can you do? I'm a man, after all.)

He just couldn't be cold to a cute girl.

That day, Serge ended up dancing with Chrys.

Since both of them were clumsy at it, it apparently came across as rather endearing.

Her brother had plenty of snide remarks for him later.

Incidentally, there was one more thing.

It was only later that Serge learned: when a woman asks a man for a birthday gift, it constitutes a reverse proposal.