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Chapter 130

Merle gave a sigh as she stood back up, and when she returned Distort back into its original form as a cane, I quietly asked her a question.

「Are you satisfied?」

「Yes, very much! Thanks to you, Dran, I feel like I can live more happily starting tomorrow. I’m really thankful to you, and of course to Dramina and Lenia too, and your golems as well」

As she called their names, Merle glanced toward them with a smile on her face. In response, Lenia let out a rough, huffy breath, and puffed out her chest proudly. It’s what she does often when she wants to brag about me.

「It’s a pity that we can’t show the world who is truly the strongest, but now you know that the strongest can’t possibly be you」

「Yes, I know it very well now. Ahh, there really are many people in the world far stronger than me out there. I’m glad I was able to realize that, I’m really glad」

Normally, it would have made sense if Merle got mad from Lenia’s arrogant words, but it seems her joy from having her wish come true won out, and she didn’t mind it at all.

I’ll have to chide Lenia later about it on our own, but since Merle herself seemed to be happy, I guess it would be fine.

While Merle was eagerly thanking Dramina and Lenia, I heard Aldin’s voice come to me to relay his gratitude as well.

『Dragon, Merle’s doubts have been cleared tonight, and she will now be able to continue her quest for knowledge and devotion to the essence of magic. That itself is my wish, my happiness, and my teachings, old friend. You have my thanks』

「I did it for myself too, so don’t worry about it. I feel that I’ve been favoring Aldeath, Chrono Maze, and Mairahl lately, so I want to rekindle my old friendships with others too. This opportunity was a godsend, you know」

『Fu, even if you’ve been reborn, your personality hasn’t changed. No, the good parts have stayed, while the bad parts have changed for the better.

Oh, that’s right, Dragon, speaking of old friendships from your previous life, the angels have been gossiping that Hades from the Underworld has been sulking about you never coming over to visit. Hypnos or Thanatos might come to see you, sooner or later.

Mugen and Enma don’t seem to mind, but although they would be fine just managing the Underworld, Hades probably has a bit too much free time on his hands』

「Hades, huh? He’s quite independent so it’s a little surprising that he would sulk, but it would be good if I go to visit soon. It wouldn’t be bad to go see Enma and Mugen too」

Mugen is one of the three gods of the Underworld, the one who governs over the circulation of souls.

『When a man as serious as Hades does something so uncharacteristic of him, it becomes troublesome. Even with just my younger sister and Caravis around you, it becomes quite noisy. I suggest you take care of it before it becomes even more troublesome』

Despite saying that, Aldin’s true feelings showed on his face as he laughed a little.

Alexander might be able to stop Bahamut and Leviathan, but there was nothing he could do about Caravis.

Well, she’s mellowed out lately, compared to before when it was hard to even approach her.

「Thank you for the advice. That’s right, Caravis aside, it might be good to have Alexander station a body double in the Dragon World」

『Yes, that would be good. Now then, I hope we meet again, whether that be in the heavens or on earth』

Ah, the situation was much calmer this time, and I saw Aldin off as he was pulled from the inside of my golem and returned to his domain in the heavens.

By the time the golem, having become an empty shell, disintegrated, Merle and the others’ conversation had ended, and Merle looked extremely disappointed that the person inside the golem was gone.

「Huh? Did the person inside the golem already go home?」

「Yes, he isn’t someone who can stay for very long, so he had to leave early」

「I see, I wanted to receive more advice from him, but it can’t be helped. Hey, Dran, could it be the same as when you won against Haruto, but perhaps there was someone non-human, or maybe even a divine follower, possessing your golem?」

「That’s about right. He’s a pious being」

Well for gods, piety doesn’t really mean deep faith, but just a relationship of friendship between them, so it wasn’t really a lie.

「Hmm, so I was right. That’s amazing, you were able to make a follower of a god descend and possess your golem, that’s something that only great priestesses can do.

In this case, Dran, since the physical abilities and magic are suppressed as a human, the difficulty level is still not too high, but it’s still hard to imagine that someone that skillful was just a single follower… It’s not just the Imperial Court that wants you, any religious organization would have an eye on you too.

If you had contracts with all five of the Great Gods like Aldin and Jareid before you came to the capital, then you must have gotten lot of attention」

I had to do it in order to legally bring Dramina into Galois with me so it couldn’t be helped, but I guess that really was the case after all.

My relationship with the gods runs far deeper than the relationship the priests, popes, and saints of this world could ever have with them, while at the same time being far shallower as well. After all, when it comes to making an entreaty to a god, usually such a thing is impossible.

It wasn’t just with the gods in the heavens, but I’m also connected with some of the strongest mages in the kingdom now. Ever since I turned sixteen, I can’t help but calmly think that my human life has been filled with intense ups and downs.

「I think what I experienced wasn’t all just good things, but it was also stimulating, and I will accept it so I can make the best out of it」

「Wow, what an honor student-like answer. Isn’t there something that interests you? I thought most boys your age would say that they’re aiming to become a lord or something」

「I want to govern in my hometown, or to be in a position deeply related to that, so it can be said that I do want to be a lord, more or less」

「I see, I see, and since you have Dramina with you too, you both could easily win over not just this kingdom, but even against all the military forces of the surrounding countries as well. I guess the only advice I have is to manage the handling of Bern Village carefully… Oh, right, Dran. There is one thing I want you to hear me out on」

Merle clasped her hands together and looked up at me with upturned eyes, and compared to the time when she had asked me for a match, this time she felt much less reserved.

I thought she was a more shy person, but if she is exposing her true self this much, then any thoughts of badly trying to cover up her true nature must have already disappeared.

「Oh, did you still want to fight more?」

「No, that’s not it, I, I want to be your disciple!」

Merle begged me as she bowed deeply and lowered her head, and I answered decisively.

「I refuse」

「Thank you, I look forward to wor– wait, you refuse?」

「Of course I refuse. It is unheard of for the kingdom’s strongest mage to become a disciple to some student who just enrolled at the Magic Academy. That’s just too much. And even if we did do that, I can definitely see an unwanted situation arising, just like a tidal wave」

「Ugh, that’s true, but, but the only ones capable of being my mentor are people like the one who was inside that golem just earlier, or you, Dran…」