Seven people gathered in the hall now.
Me, Mashiro, Karen, Reina, Alice. Plus Father and his guest.
But the guest is the problem.
Not someone to drag around for a personal matter.
”…… Father loves surprising people……”
“What — for my beloved son, using the best connection is natural. As my son, you should expect this much!”
”…… Same parent-fool. Boy, your name I’ve heard from this one until my ears swelled. You know me too, no? Skip wasteful exchange.”
”…… Thank you. To think someone of your magical caliber was bragged about my exploits……”
“Naturally. Ouga may pioneer a new era in magic.”
“Stop being random, Father.”
The man laughing boldly beside Father visibly grimaced.
This person’s name resounds throughout Rondism Kingdom — even worldwide.
Radjnis Cabunika.
Head of one of the four ducal houses — Cabunika — and Rondism’s strongest State Mage.
[State Mage] is also a title granted by the King, like [Saint].
Radjnis was granted his for being the man with the most achievements in past wars against the Demon-races.
Yes — even more than Floné Milfonti.
The white-haired elder before me is that strong.
Wrinkles on face, shrunken back, but don’t be fooled.
Facing him, you understand.
The overwhelming mana torrent I feel.
The nation’s strongest……!
“Hoh…… at your age, you saw through my disguise, boy.”
While I was overwhelmed by Cabunika-san, he smirked.
A good interaction I missed……?
No — an unfamiliar word.
“My ignorance — disguise……?”
“Right. You saw through it first sight; you wouldn’t know. Let me teach. To others my mana looks like this.”
”…… What?”
The vast mana presence shrank like a lie — to the level of a Lichberg student.
“That’s possible……?”
“Yes. By controlling [mana circuits].”
”…… [Mana circuits]?”
”…… Right. Even that term is now old-timer’s. [Mana circuits] are organs for transmitting mana, like blood vessels — throughout the body, invisible, but located via mana flow.”
He demonstrated — moving mana from right arm to right leg to left leg to left arm.
This is…… like my [Gear Change].
“How? Felt the mass of mana-greed move?”
“Y-yes. From the right arm, it circulated round.”
“That’s controlling [mana circuits].”
“Controlling [mana circuits]……”
“I was reducing the mana volume flowing in the circuits. With a knack, you’ll do it too. Apparently you’ve innate aptitude for mana control.”
He touched my right arm, deftly cut off the bandage with magic, and stared at the arm.
”…… Probably you concentrated mana to one spot and overworked it. Right?”
“Y-yes.”
“Hmph, reckless……”
”…………”
I swallowed.
He read the cause with one look.
He might know how to heal it.
The mood lightened a little; everyone behind me relaxed.
”…… Well, Radjnis. Can Ouga’s arm be healed?”
“Impossible.”
—— But things don’t always work out.
“This boy’s right arm’s [mana circuits] are wrecked. The pain comes from broken circuits. Regular doctors couldn’t tell.”
He traced the arm with a finger.
”…… Many breakpoints. One — manageable; this many, mana flow as before is over.”
”…… What happens with broken [mana circuits]?”
“Mana can’t flow in damaged parts. Meaning the boy’s right arm is unusable.”
”…… I see. My right arm is……”
“No……Ouga, why……”
“After you worked this hard……”
”…………!”
Karen and Mashiro shed tears for me.
Reina bit her lip in frustration; Alice clenched her own arm hard enough for nails to dig in.
“It’s all right, everyone. ……Thank you for worrying.”
I approached the four and hugged them one by one to reassure.
Watching, Cabunika-san eyed me with curiosity.
”…… So calm? You’re the [Saint] who must face Floné.”
”…… I have precious comrades, and a right arm better than this one.”
“Lord…… Ouga……!”
I grabbed Alice’s hand, about to self-harm.
No. I won’t allow scarring of that beautiful skin.
“Alice. Whatever you ask, whatever the result, I don’t regret my actions.”
Because of my effort, she’s beside me. That’s the only truth.
I wiped a tear at her eye with my finger and turned to Cabunika-san.
“My right arm was about to be severed anyway; that it still hangs on is already a bonus……”
”…………”
“And…… I’m used to headwinds like this.”
My second life started with the headwind of being noble-born without [magic aptitude].
But, accumulating time, I gained weapons to cut through the wind.
That’s how I’ve lived.
“This is certainly a huge minus for the Floné fight…… but obstacles of this level aren’t reasons for Ouga Veret to give up.”
If the right arm can’t be used, devise new techniques accounting for that.
To fulfill my ambition, I must defeat her.
”…… A spirited human, for the first time in a while.”
His quiet murmur was too small to catch.
But it didn’t seem like exasperation.
His expression watching me was lively.
“Those little girls jumped to conclusions. There are methods. Simply put — provide a new [mana circuit].”
”……!? Possible!?”
“Yes. [Mana circuits] can be newly grown by flowing mana. But your right arm has them already densely rooted — no room left.”
“Radjnis. Don’t tease — tell me. What do I do for my son?”
“Have a doctor who can precisely amputate the right arm.”
The brightening air went heavy.
Amputate the right arm. Cutting off a body part Mom gave me.
”…… Not joking.”
“No. And attach a prosthetic. Not a plain one — a magical-implement prosthetic. You can grow new [mana circuits] in it.”
”…… I see. Magical implements use mana-conducting metal. Flow mana in, circuits form.”
“If you trust me, arrange a flying vessel ticket to that place immediately. Time matters.”
“Got it. Radjnis, I’m in your debt.”
“Hmph, a senile old man’s whim. ……Boy, prepare for travel. Resolve already set, no?”
”…… I’ll apologize to Mother later. For mistreating the body she carried with pain……”
“Came on a whim, but…… I’ve found something interesting.”
The first time he laughed aloud — kakkakka. With a seasoned finger, he pointed.
“Head to the independent machine city — Enkalton. There a prosthetic worthy of you, boy, can be obtained.”