Chapter 81: 41

Volume 1 – 41 – Ulysses is Bewildered by the Scent of Honey

2000 years ago Spirits were natural beings of the world. They were revered and worshipped by the people grateful for their blessings and feared their anger. Prayers were fervently offered to calm them and avoid natural disasters.

Each Spirit has 10 different appearances. I call them the 10 Summoning Stages.

“… what the heck, if I use the power of the 10th Stage here, the Royal Palace itself would collapse.”

My hand stopped mid-swing and the Summoning cancels itself.

“U-uwaaahhhh!!”

As expected, Tommaso jerks himself to his feet and scuttles away with a frightened look on his face.

I let him go.

“… Fan, it’s fine now.”

At that, Fan the Great and Terrible, radiating the blackest, most ominous aura suddenly makes a light popping sound and bounces back to its cute little owl appearance.

“Hoo hoo, it’s been a long time since I’d been in my coolest form. Ah, is it really alright to let him go, Prince Ulysses? That mage is probably spreading word of what happened now.”

“It’s fine. It’s not like anyone would believe him. History has already proven that only one person had ever managed the 10th Summoned Stage. So, if he dares to say anything, it would sound like pure nonsense.”

“Hoo, is that so?”

“W-Well, probably…”

I put my head in my hand and breathe in deeply.

Even for me, going for the 10th Summoning Stage is a great burden on my MP. Summoning 10 magic circles at once costs 100 times more mana and physical strength than the 1st Summoning Stage.

“As usual, you can be quite scary when you’re angry… White Sage.”

Ah.

That terrible voice.

I have no idea when that person starts observing me or from where. However, I can tell that the person I cannot get along with most is right behind me.

Moreover, since I have just performed the 10th Summoning Stage, my emotions are still a bit agitated.

I slowly turn around.

“You sure are brave to show your face to me, aren’t you, Hero? Let me warn you now, I might not be able to hold myself back.”

“…”

A young man with blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed in a military uniform and cap, and the very spitting image of the Legendary Hero of my past life is standing right there.

“Oi, that’s it. Let’s all calm down.”

Pop!

And just like that, the tense atmosphere between myself and the Hero suddenly pops and melts away.

The air smells of… honey…?

“Goodness, are you two really going to throw down here? Disregarding the Royal Palace, the entire Royal Capital would disappear if you get into a scuffle. Whatever connections you have from your past lives, if you don’t pick your battle locations carefully, you’re nothing more than a battle maniac, a world destroyer.”

With a shake of her soft fluffy hair, Princess Shatma appears. She steps between us, a closed fan tapping meaningfully against the palm of her hand.

Then, with deft movements, the fan snaps open, covering the lower half of her face as brilliant yellow eyes stare at me over the fan.

Did… she just say ‘past lives’?

“What are you speaking about, Princess Shatma? What’s this about ‘past lives’…”

“Fufu, this lady knows everything. You were the former ‘White Sage of the East’, and General Kanon here was the ‘Legendary Hero’”

“This information, did you hear it from him?”

“Well, this lady did hear some of it from him. However, this lady would have known it regardless.”

There is a mysterious light in her amber eyes. It is as though she could see through anything. I have the feeling that I have seen these eyes before.

“… Are you by any chance a Name Fate Witch?”

“Fufu, this lady does not fancy being called a ‘witch’. This lady prefers the term ‘Princess’, regardless of whether in the past or now.”

“….?”

[1] The fan that had been fluttering over the lower half of her face snaps shut.

The scent of honey increases.

“This lady is, in fact, in a similar position as you. A thousand years ago, there is a story about a certain ‘Wisteria Princess’. Are you interested to know a little more?”

 

The Tale of the Wisteria Princess was a famous historical story that had been handed down for generations in the East. About 1000 years ago, the Wisteria Princess was born in a small country just as the war between the Eastern Continent countries was at its peak. She was said to have become the ruler of a country that eventually became the bridge between immigrants of the West and people of the East. She was a famous Holy Princess who fought in the wars and was said to have supernatural powers.

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“What do you think? This is traditional honey tea from Fresir. No poison was added. Well, not that it should matter to you, White Sage.”

“…”

What the heck am I doing now?

Although this is one of the rooms in the Royal Palace prepared for Princess Shatma, the ambience within is quite exotic.

The honey tea is served in a small glass bowl. Tiny wisteria petals float on the beautiful amber liquid. I really want to enjoy this tea slowly, however, there is one thing I wish to confirm before committing myself to this elegant little tea party.

There are only two of us in this room, Princess Shatma and myself. General Kanon has been kicked out by the princess.

The whole thing feels very odd.

“What is going on? Princess Wisteria, is it? You have also reincarnated?”

“… Well, that pretty much sums it up. Isn’t this funny? You have also reincarnated with all of your memories intact, haven’t you?”

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“N-no… that is… well,”

To be honest, I am still trying to understand the situation. Just a little while earlier, my head was filled with thoughts about the Hero. However, right now, it is possible that I might be facing something even more important and possibly urgent, than a murderous Hero.

If I remember my history correctly, the Wisteria Princess was just as magically powerful as the Three Demon Kings. I suppose it is easier to think of her as the Jeanne d’Arc of this world.

And like Jeanne d’Arc, she was executed in the end.

“Even so, it’s a real honour to meet the White Sage. This lady admires you a lot. Especially when this lady found out that you developed the White Magic that makes contracts with Spirits.”

“… Eh…”

The young lady in front of me tilts her head with a smile. Her laughter is cheerful and light, she looks more lively and upbeat than the time at the dinner table.

Seeing her like this, I get the impression that she must be more girlish and lovely than her public persona.

“More importantly, this lady never did reach the 10th Summoning Stage. This lady had no choice but to thoroughly master the 9th Stage. Should the lady have lived a little longer, perhaps the 10th Stage would have been achieved. It was a real shame.”

“…”

No, self-recriminations aside, that she managed to reach the 9th Stage really surprises me.

Aside from myself, I have never even heard of anyone managing to reach the 9th Stage.

[1] I decide to change the subject.

“Even so, [1] I must commend you on your achievement. Speaking of which, what is this sweet scent? Is it from some sort of incense? Or just the tea…?”

“Aah, that scent most likely originates from this lady.”

“Eh?”

[1] While I am trying to process this information, she rolls up her sleeves and exposes her wrist.

Then, she smiles and says, “Go on, take a sniff.”

“Ehhhh!!”

“It’s fine. What’s a little sniff? This lady is born with skin that smells of honey.”

“…”

After a little hesitation, I lean over her wrist and inhale cautiously.

Indeed, though it defies explanation, the scent really seems to be coming from her.

“… this is not perfume… or any kind of artificial scent. Just yourself? How? And why?”

“Who knows? It was the same 1000 years ago. This lady was despised because of this odd little quirk, however, this lady does not hate it. After all, it draws many to this lady.”

“Many what?”

“… Insects…”

As soon as she says so, the scent of honey in the air thickens and flows more like a sensation than a scent.

Slowly, steadily, Spirits begin to pop into existence around her.

These were, are, the 100 Spirits of the past that I know and recognise. All the Spirits around her have the appearance of insects.

A Black Butterfly flutters in front of me.

“… This is certainly a surprise.”

“Fufu, it must be nostalgic for you, White Sage. These Spirits belong to this lady now.”

Several of the insects crawl or snuggle closer to me, calling ‘Sage-sama, Sage-sama’ in their cute little voices. Some are even crying.

Bug Spirits have always been straightforward, a little emotional and very cute.

“Well, don’t think that this lady will return them to you.”

“Of course, their contract is with you. I was the one who set the rules for an equal relationship between humans and Spirits. I cannot be the one to break it.

“…”

Princess Shatma suddenly blows at a little Ladybug Spirit that is crawling on the table. The Ladybug rolls a couple of times before squealing, “Princess~” It looks like it is having fun.

“Princess… Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“That man… General Kanon, where did you meet him? Do you know that he’s the Legendary Hero?”

“Ahh… I suppose you could say that we met 1000 years ago.”

“What?!”

The question just shot out of my mouth. The smile on the Princess’s face remains unchanged as she continues to play with her insects.

“I did say that I am in a similar position as you? The man who drove the Princess Wisteria to her execution a thousand years ago was, without a doubt, that man. The Legendary Hero himself.”

“…”

I have so many questions right now.

Why did the Hero drive the Wisteria Princess to her death?

Why did the Legendary Hero appear 1000 years ago?

And, why is Princess Shatma with that man now?

There are too many things that I do not know. I must find out more in order to understand what really happened and what is happening right now.

 

[Gumihou: Okay, Gumi had to read this three times to properly understand it and then make sure to further clarify it for future readers. Hope it works]

 

[1] Transitional sentence. How did the talk go from ‘9th Stage’ to ‘this sweet smell’?

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