Protagonist (3)
Ever since I was young, I deliberately never read the last page of a book.
「―The End.」Or the final word, 「Complete」.
The moment I read that line, it always felt as if all the time I had devoted to that book had turned to emptiness.
At the same time, the reality I had set aside while reading would rush back in as the story ended.
"How long have I been asleep……."
I couldn’t bear it.
"……I should clean up first."
An unfamiliar room, sunlight no different from any other day, and a reality that didn’t feel like a novel at all.
When I opened my eyes, it was early morning. Within the haze of my dazed mind, some memories flickered faintly, but they were so faint that I quickly forgot them.
Probably trivial memories. You know, that kind you sometimes have—a dream that vanishes the moment you open your eyes…….
"……Maybe I should’ve practiced outside."
When I stepped into the living room, the aftermath of yesterday’s thrusting practice remained untouched.
It was a complete mess.
The table and sofa had been overturned, and fallen objects from open drawers lay scattered across the floor, staring up at me in silent resentment.
I supposed I should be thankful nothing was broken.
Falling asleep from exhaustion without time to tidy up had caused this.
Sweep—swish.
After cleaning for about 15 minutes, I swept and wiped up the spilled flower pot last. Then, I stood before the mirror and checked my condition. For someone who had collapsed from exhaustion, I didn’t feel sore or stiff.
In fact, I felt refreshed.
It was as if someone had scratched an itch I hadn’t been able to reach—light and invigorating, my body brimming with vitality.
"Just what you'd expect from a Sword Master of the Empire."
Not everyone could use aura like Rohan or Grace.
Even in a world where swords and magic coexisted and were common, there were still ordinary people. In fact, ordinary people were the vast majority. And knights and mages were still humans with physical limits. Just like in reality, strenuous activity caused sore muscles, and long hours of studying led to headaches and fatigue.
But I didn’t fall within the normal range.
This body, having broken through limits multiple times like shedding skin, wouldn’t struggle from just an hour or two of training. Rather, this body devoured the pain of getting stronger, growing not just with acceptance but with joy.
It was truly incredible.
Being born with such a body might itself be considered a kind of talent.
"I’ve always wanted to move like this—how did I ever hold back?"
Ding—dong.
At the sound of the doorbell, I instinctively checked the time.
[7:03 AM / Sat.]
Today was Saturday? Time sure flies.
It felt like just yesterday that I was appointed as an assistant professor at Springwind.
Ding—dong.
……The grating sound of the doorbell led me to walk to the front door without even putting on a coat.
"How dare someone disturb the home of Rohan, Gamma-ranked of the Empire, at this hour—on my return trip, I shall wrap them in a coffin of paulownia wo⸺"
Clack.
"⸺Professor Grace."
And I froze.
In front of me stood Grace, as always dressed in uniform, holding a plastic bag in one hand.
Her face seemed more expressionless than usual today.
"I know it’s rude to visit so early, but I need to discuss something important with you."
I cautiously stepped back.
My thoughts stopped there.
Even with my eyes open, it was like I was blind—my mind went dark.
……How could I have predicted this?
That Grace would come to my house on the weekend. In the morning, no less.
"Rohan?"
Grace’s voice brought me back.
In a scene that didn’t feel like reality at all, she was looking at me with concern.
"Are you alright?"
"Ah, yes, I’m fine."
"Should I come back another time?"
"Not at all. Please, come in."
My heart was pounding in my chest, but I led Grace into the living room as if nothing was wrong.
Grace stood still, looking up at me demurely.
"Before I state my purpose, I should first apologize for the sudden visit…"
Her voice trailed off, and her eyebrows twitched.
Her clear eyes turned to me, and I tilted my head in confusion just as she said:
"What happened here? Did you get attacked or something?"
"Excuse me?"
Before I realized it, Grace had stepped closer and placed her hand on my cheek.
About 36 degrees.
The warmth of her touch, which had always made me anxious, grounded the thoughts that had been floating aimlessly.
"I’m alright. I must have gotten lightly scratched during training."
I quickly turned my head.
Seems the aura explosion from yesterday had left more than just damage in the living room—there were faint marks on my cheek as well.
I smiled slightly, hoping to reassure Grace.
"Thank you for your concern. It’ll heal soon."
"That’s good to hear, but… ah, sorry for the sudden visit. I did try calling first, but you didn’t pick up…"
Reflexively, I looked around for my smartphone.
……There it was.
Wedged between the sofa cushions—I hadn’t heard it.
Before Grace could feel any more sorry, I had her sit on the couch. I pointed to the materials she had brought.
"Did you come to see me because of this?"
It was the theory for 『Four Seasons·Spring』 that I had researched and written.
"Yes. I read it overnight and wanted to discuss a few things."
"What would you like to discuss…?"
"Improving the technique."
Improving it?
Well, yes, that made sense.
I had poured everything I had into it, but it was still something I had hurriedly thrown together in just two days.
The theory was incomplete, and the formula had yet to be fully deconstructed.
I had just been about to revise it myself.
"May I read it for a moment?"
"Here."
I looked at the material Grace handed me.
Her fingerprints were visible here and there—showing how thoroughly she had read it.
I was quietly grateful. And the colorful flags marking the pages were, unexpectedly, kind of cute—uncharacteristic of her.
As I scanned the material slowly, I pointed to the first flagged page and asked:
"Is this the part you meant?"
"A bit further down. Yes, there. I think if we add a few more strings and curves, the defensive function of 『Four Seasons·Spring』 could be enhanced."
I nodded silently.
Grace must already know that I had divided her technique, 『Four Seasons』, into four segments.
『Spring』, unlike the other seasons, had been reconstructed as a technique specialized in ‘defense.’
The reason was simple.
You couldn’t defeat an enemy with just a ‘warm breeze.’
Grace continued.
"The technique you designed for 『Four Seasons·Spring』 is one that adds the strings and curves used to form the tension of water into a wind-based spell, right?"
"Exactly. That way, the wind with added tension can deflect both physical and magical attacks with minimal impact."
Grace pressed her lips together, then looked at me briefly before speaking again, somewhat reluctantly.
"But there’s a counter. And it’s far too easy."
"Excuse me?"
Easy.
She had even added the word ‘far too,’ so I couldn’t help being surprised, even though I had expected there to be a counter.
As I stared blankly at the document, Grace stood and motioned toward the front door.
"Come with me."
"Understood."
Following Grace out to the alley in front of the door, she stood at a distance and faced me.
As I stood idly watching, Grace’s lips moved.
"Use 『Spring』."
Then, she began to focus her aura.
I couldn’t help wondering—what kind of method could break this spell?
Curious, I did as she instructed, releasing my aura to construct the technique.
Saaa...
Once the technique was complete, a gentle breeze, as if heralding spring, began to swirl around me. But this was neither true spring, nor simply a spring breeze.
Grace spoke again.
"The 『Spring』 Rohan created is a spell that surrounds the caster with aura, like a 『Barrier』 or 『Shield』. That’s the problem."
Though it didn’t seem visible, this wind flowing clearly around me would defend against any attack aimed at me from any direction.
Even a sword aimed at my heart or a spell like 『Chain Ember』 designed to burn its target until nothing remained.
Indeed, 『Four Seasons·Spring』 had been modeled after defensive spells like barriers, with added water-based strings and curves.
And then it happened.
"Be careful."
My whole body shivered as dread rose—Grace’s voice had penetrated the barrier.
"I’m going to break 『Spring』 now."
Tension gripped me instinctively.
How was she planning to counter it?
Was it going to be something like 『Remover』—a disruption-type spell meant to scramble the array?
Saaaaa!
In an instant, the previously calm barrier—the wind—tightened around me. At the same time, I couldn’t breathe. Because the air inside had completely evaporated and turned into a vacuum.
……Grace hadn’t ‘broken’ the barrier.
She had strengthened it instead.
Seeing the technique had been inverted without me realizing, I muttered:
"So the counter you mentioned…… was 『Add』."
Now the barrier that had protected me was choking me to death.
『Add』 was a ‘support-type’ technique—basic enough that any mage or knight could use it.
Yet this basic technique had collapsed the structure of the spell I had devised.
Disruption or interference types, which caused mana to flow in reverse or damaged the spell itself, were considered advanced techniques due to their high difficulty. But support types, which harmonized with the opponent’s mana, were far simpler.
Instead of needing to analyze and dismantle a spell’s flow in a short time, a support-type technique simply added new strings and curves to a spell output set to a value of 10—boosting its power.
That was all.
And so the barrier enhanced with 『Add』 began to absorb the air inside and attack me instead.
"What do you think, Rohan?"
"I agree with you, Professor Grace. If it can be countered this easily…… it’s hardly worthy of being called a technique."
Grace made no gesture in response, but her closed eyes and the silence that followed signaled agreement.
……Damn it.
At this rate, I’ll have to start this one from scratch too……
"That’s why—I went ahead and revised it a bit."
"You already did?"
Of course she had.
She was a Weapon Master.
To think she had both countered and revised the spell in such a short time.
"Yes. I’d like you to take a look and tell me what you think."
Then, Grace’s aura slowly surged forth.
Up to that point, it was the same as the previous 『Four Seasons·Spring』.
But the change came after.
"Ah……"
At first, it was a sigh.
It was the sorrow of realizing I had no words to describe that scene.
In the heart of true spring, Grace asked me,
"What do you think, Rohan?"
Countless petals swirled around her.
On closer inspection, what I had mistaken for flower petals were all dazzling, blue ‘flames.’
As I gazed upon that breathtaking sight seared onto my retinas, I answered unconsciously.
"……You are truly beautiful."
Literally—‘Blue Spring.’