[V13C13] Secret Night of the Delinquents

The event started after sunset, with Melissa, Silas, Ray, and Raul conducting perimeter security around the lighthouse.

Meanwhile, Monica and Mary were busy performing the unsealing procedure for Star-Weaving Mira within a room of the lighthouse.

Unlike the Key of Knowledge Sophocles, Star-Weaving Mira was guarded with strict security measures, typically stored in a jewelry box with multiple layers of seals.

Under Mary’s guidance, Monica carefully applied the magical formula to unlock these seals.

“I-I did it.”

Monica let out a sigh of relief once she was finished with the unsealing process. Mary, who was sitting across from her, smiled in approval.

“You can go ahead and open the box now~.”

“R-Right.”

Once Monica placed her hand on the box, she began feeling a sense of pressure.

Ancient artifacts, such as Sophocles and Gluttonous Zoe, possessed a consciousness of their own.

Monica gulped at this realization.

Would she be able to get along with Star-Weaving Mira? What if the artifact refuses to cooperate with her?

Noticing Monica’s anxiety, Mary reassured her in usual laid-back tone.

“Don’t worry. Mira-chan is usually a good girl as long as there aren’t any men around.”

“Um…? What happens if there are men?”

“She gets a little too romantic, but that’s what makes her so cute.”

“I-I see…”

An ancient artifact that gets romantic? What was that supposed to mean?

Monica swallowed that question and slowly opened the lid of the jewelry box.

Inside the box laid a ring and bracelet, connected to each other with delicate chains of gold. Of particular note was the large ruby embedded on the part at the back of hand.

Once she lifted the artifact, the ruby began sparkling as if there were tiny stars inside of it.

“A crescent moon, sparse clouds, and perfect positioning of the stars…”

The whisper of a young woman resonated throughout the room.

Her voice sounded gentle and serene, making it pleasant to the ears. Yet at the same time, it carried the solemnity expected from a renowned saint or priestess.

Monica carefully slid the jewelry onto her right hand. First, she passed her arm through the bracelet, placing the chains and gem over the back of her hand. After checking that everything was firmly in place, she put on the ring.

The bracelet was far too big for Monica’s emaciated arm, but then the ruby let out a small flash of light. A few seconds later, the bracelet had shrunk to fit her wrist perfectly.

In addition, a red pattern appeared on Monica’s middle finger——the contract mark of an ancient artifact.

“Now then, shall we begin the star-weaving? Let us scatter millions, no, billions of stars into the night sky.”

Monica looked outside the window.

A faint trace of sunset could be seen on the horizon not too long ago, but now, the sky was completely dyed in the deep blue hues of night.

Just as Star-Weaving Mira said, the moon was weak and the clouds were sparse. Only twinkling stars dotted the sky as far as the eye could see.

Monica performed a quick check of the artifact’s fit before turning to Mary and saying, “I’ll begin now.”

“You can do it.”

Monica departed the room and ascended the stairs, carrying a lantern in her right hand and her Sage staff in her left.

She reached the top floor of the lighthouse, a circular area surrounded by railings.

Her right-hand side had a clear view of the dark sea. The jet black surface extended far beyond the horizon, very similar to the time it was contaminated by Gluttonous Zoe’s dark mana.

And on her left-hand side, she had a view of Sazandol and the numerous lanterns illuminating the streets.

Monica walked over to the railing and peeked down at the base of the lighthouse. She immediately regretted it. There was an entire crowd of people staring up at her, far more than she anticipated.

“…”

Monica slid back a few steps, feeling slightly overwhelmed.

“What’s wrong? Getting scared?”

“Nero?”

Monica looked down at her feet to see golden eyes and the faint silhouette of a cat. Only after placing her lantern on the ground could she clearly make out the presence of her familiar.

Nero let out a meow as he wagged his tail happily.

“As you know, I’m the only one who deserves front row seats. Hurry up and get this show started already.”

“W-Wait, wait…”

Monica did her best to forget about the crowd staring at her from the bottom of the lighthouse, to no avail.

“Ah…! Why are there so many more people now…!”

She had a decent amount of experience now, especially after the magical dedication in Rainfield, but crowds still made her nervous.

Her only solace was that the top floor of the lighthouse was too far to make out any faces in the crowd.

“Oh boy. This master of mine.”

As Monica crouched down to the ground and froze, Nero circled around and tapped her on the back with his front paws.

“Come on, stand up and burn it into your eyes. This is the town we protected.”

“…R-Right.”

“You know, Lana said she’ll be watching.”

“R-Really? I-I’ll try my best…”

Monica stood up and observed the lights of the city. Of course, she had no way of determining which of those lights was Lana.

That said, she could make out the streets they walked together, and the stores they visited. A storm of emotions began welling in her chest.

They succeeded in defeating Black Dragon Theodore and sealing Gluttonous Zoe, but parts of the city remained broken, and many people had yet to recover.

Some business owners suffered irreparable damage and were forced to close shop. Several ships had been wrecked, and sailors were struggling to find work.

(Not everything will return to how it was.)

Although casualties were kept to a minimum, there were still many things that wouldn’t come back.

Including the life of Theodore, who had fallen at Monica’s hands.

(But I can make this a new beginning… This is my duty.)

Monica clenched the staff in her left hand, and raised her right hand adorned with Star-Weaving Mira.

The artifact’s golden chains swayed back and forth, and the starry ruby emitted a faint light.

“This stagnant air… The mana permeating the earth is so dense, yet the people living here remain vibrant.”

Star-Weaving Mira whispered in a soft, song-like tone. Yet her words carried the weight of an ancient artifact who had been watching over civilization since ancient times.

“To preserve their livelihoods, let us restore the rightful flow to this land.”

The contract mark on Monica’s finger shined in red.

At the same time, the words she needed to say popped into her mind.

The voice of Monica and the ancient artifact overlapped.

“Now then, may the star-weaving begin.”

Monica swung her right hand horizontally as if stroking the ground with her fingertips.

“Tears of sorrow, fallen to the earth. Return your grief to the stars.”

“Beads of blood, fallen to the earth. Return your lament to the stars.”

The entire city of Sazandol emitted a faint glow, as particles of light began floating up out of the ground.

Like bubbles rising in water, countless lights slowly drifted towards the top of the lighthouse.

The mana contaminating Sazandol was being absorbed by Star-Weaving Mira.

“Cries of sorrow, staining the grass and trees. Become stars lighting the night sky.”

“Love and hate, dissolved in the water. Become stars dotting in the night sky.”

Monica raised her right hand towards the sky.

Then, the accumulated mana was released into the air from her slender fingertips.

Each particle of light was only a faint dot of mana. But together, they formed a sea of stars adorning the night, before slowly fading away.

“May these stars ascend to the sky. May these stars decorate the night.”

Monica could make out the cheers of the crowd, but they sounded strangely distant. Perhaps this was because of the intense focus necessary for manipulating so much mana.

The more powerful an ancient artifact is, the harder it is to use.

Star-Weaving Mira possessed the power to gather an immense amount of mana and release it into the air. This act required far more concentration than expected.

However, Monica clenched her staff, planting both feet firmly on the floor.

The act of absorbing the land’s mana resulted in a mana connection between Monica and the earth. With this, she felt a clear connection between herself and the world at large.

(The world is made of numbers.)

Monica had lived with those words in her heart for a long time.

But now, she could add on to that statement.

(But there are also things that cannot be measured by numbers.)

There were many things that Monica couldn’t measure or couldn’t understand, such as emotions and wishes. The Monica of the past rejected such things and escaped into the world of numbers.

——But things that cannot be understood should not be treated as non-existent.

Maybe she could understand them someday. Or maybe she would never be able to. Regardless, Monica knew that such things should never be forgotten or ignored.

Monica still could not understand Theodore’s wish, but she would never forget him.

“All shall return the proper flow.”

“All shall circulate in the proper direction.”

“May everything be restored to where it belongs.”

“May the rightful flow remain undisturbed.”

Monica could not say for sure if Theodore truly ended up where he belonged.

Even so, she hoped that he could rest in peace wherever he was.

＊　＊　＊

——The stars flowed through the night sky.

Lana Colette, who had been watching it from the window of the company office, let out a sigh of admiration.

This scene was like a priceless work of art. No amount of money could buy it.

And yet, Lana knew that Monica had brought about this miracle.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps and turned around. Clifford, who had been silently working on paperwork until a moment ago, was now looking up at the night sky alongside her.

Considering his usual lack of interest in everything, Lana had assumed he would be indifferent to this wondrous night. However, it seemed he at least cared enough to engrave the sight into his memory.

“Events involving the Seven Sages sure are profitable,” Clifford muttered. “I can see why the king prefers to monopolize them.”

Nevermind, Clifford would never change.

Lana glared at her childhood friend’s ability to ruin such an emotional moment with a single comment.

“Excuse me…?! You really don’t have anything else to add? Like ‘how beautiful’? Or maybe even a ‘it’s so pretty’, perhaps?”

“A large number of people have gathered at the lighthouse to witness this spectacle. The shops around the lighthouse must be thriving. For a while, there will be an explosive boost to the sales of accessories with star motifs. If we make something to commemorate this day, there’s also potential for a long-term increase in sales. It could be combined with the ongoing planning for the Rose Festival to…”

Clifford continued going on and on about the economic impact of the Seven Sages, so Lana ignored him and focused on the night sky instead.

This beautiful sight from Monica was far more important than looking at Clifford’s expressionless face… But then, she heard something that she could not ignore.

“Anyway,” Clifford continued. “Monica probably hasn’t considered anything about the economic impact. You should tell her, Lana.”

“…Huh?”

Lana turned to Clifford and blinked a few times in confusion. However, Clifford was simply looking at the stars wearing his usual face.

“Cliff, you noticed that Monica was one of the Seven Sages?”

“Isn’t it obvious? She visited our store with the other Sages.”

Come to think of it, that was completely true. Monica had visited them accompanied by the Fourth Thorn Witch and the Third Abyss Shaman. Apparently, that was the moment when Clifford realized Monica’s identity.

Lana wanted to shout, “Then you should have said something!” But she ended up swallowing those words. Every time she complained, Clifford would simply respond with another biting comment to irritate or annoy her.

Thus, Lana decided to brag instead. She stood tall in front of the miracle Monica brought about.

“I’m proud to have her as a friend! Look how amazing she is!”

＊　＊　＊

——The stars spread across the night sky.

“Waha! It’s so pretty~! I guess that’s an ancient artifact for you.”

Karina Barr was looking up at the night sky from the outskirts of Sazandol.

A man approached her from behind and spoke to her back. He was Yuan, a spy from the Empire who had taken on the appearance of an unremarkable middle-aged man with black hair.

“Karina, it’s about time for you to return to the Empire. His Majesty is sulking because the Imperial Magic Cross Flame Heaven Four Artisans never gather in one place.”

“Yuan-san, do I really have to leave Ridill? President Colette gave me an offer, you know.”

“That’s something you’ll have to ask His Majesty yourself.”

“Fiiine.”

Rather than letting go of Karina, the Black Lion Emperor was probably greedy enough to consider acquiring the entire business for himself.

Lana Colette was the young president of one of Sazandol’s hottest new trading companies. Her growing influence on the fashion trends of Ridill’s upper class was undeniable.

And even worse, he seemed to have a thing for ambitious and talented women.

(But Lana Colette is a friend of the Silent Witch… Ugh, I hope this doesn’t cause any issues.)

Yuan sighed as he stared up at the night sky glowing with mana.

Golden dots spreading across the ultramarine of night. Seeing this was likely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

——Why didn’t you burn that sight into your eyes?! Report to me with all the details, so that I may close my eyes and envision it for myself!

Yuan could easily imagine the Black Lion’s tantrum upon his return.

＊　＊　＊

——The stars twinkled and vanished.

Isaac and Cyril watched everything in complete silence, simply engraving the one-night miracle from the Silent Witch into their memories.

Slowly but surely, the countless particles of mana melted away into the night, returning to the natural cycle.

The ephemeral stars faded into nothingness, as if they had never existed in the first place. Even so, they had undeniably brought light into the city drenched by black rain, leaving their mark in the hearts of all spectators.

“What do you think, Cyril? My esteemed master is really something special, right?”

While still looking up at the sky, Isaac bragged with the youthfulness of a child.

Isaac’s face was filled with joy, excitement, admiration, pride… as well as something else. While Cyril did not understand all of Isaac’s emotions, it was clear that Isaac truly admired Monica from the bottom of his heart.

Cyril quietly nodded in agreement, as the two continued watching the stars fade from the sky.

＊　＊　＊

After about an hour of continuous activation, Star-Weaving Mira stopped glowing.

The artifact’s absorption and diffusal of mana had come to an end. However, there were still some sparkles in the night sky due to the residual mana.

Monica tried to lower her raised hand, but she ended up losing her balance. She was feeling dizzy from the recoil.

This was to be expected, as Star-Weaving Mira was a very powerful artifact. The burden of using its power was much greater compared to weaker artifacts like Sophocles.

Nero quickly changed into human form to catch Monica’s fall.

“Thanks, Nero… Huh?”

But rather than helping Monica get back on her feet, Nero suddenly lifted her onto his shoulder.

From this position, Monica could only see the ground and Nero’s back. She tried to resist Nero by swinging her legs, but to little avail.

“Alright!” Nero shouted with excitement. “You’ve finished your job and I’m hungry. That means it’s time to go eat dinner!”

“Eh!? W-Wait, hold on! The other Sages are still here…!”

Right as Monica said those words, she heard the sound of footsteps ascending the staircase. These were the heavy footsteps of a man, so it was clearly not Mary.

“Hey, Nee-san. Tell me when you want to go home. I’ll send you with flight magic… Wait, who are you!?”

Of all people here, it just had to be Silas Page. As his title of Dragon Slayer Mage suggested, he was incompatible with the black dragon Nero.

And to make matters worse, Silas had no idea who Nero was. From his perspective, Nero looked like a criminal trying to kidnap Monica.

After a moment of panic, Monica quickly removed Star-Weaving Mira from her right hand.

“Um, Silas-san! This is, erm, not a kidnapping or anything like that… I-I’m just…! Just leaving early! Sorry, bye!”

“W-What? Leaving early? Wait, hey, Nee-san…!”

Without giving Silas any time to comprehend the situation, Monica threw Star-Weaving Mira at him.

Throwing an ancient artifact was probably not good, but it was at least better than tossing it on the floor.

Monica also dropped her Sage staff on the ground, since it was nothing more than a hindrance now.

“P-Please take care of the rest… Waaaah!”

Before Monica could finish her sentence, Nero had jumped off the lighthouse on the side opposite to the crowds, closer to the sea. Their robes fluttered in the wind as gravity propelled them towards the ground.

Nero hopped between the lighthouse’s window sills and other protrusions about half of the way down. Then, he jumped onto the roof of an adjacent warehouse and sprinted off.

＊　＊　＊

Left behind on the top floor of the lighthouse, Silas could only stare blankly at the direction where Monica and the mysterious man had disappeared.

Monica appeared to have willingly dropped the ancient artifact and her staff, claiming to be leaving early. It seemed that there was no need for Silas to pursue them, but it was difficult to say for sure.

Silas looked down at the ancient artifact Monica had tossed him.

(Guess I shouldn’t be moving around if I’m carrying an ancient artifact…)

His first priority was to report the Starseer Witch and reseal Star-Weaving Mira. Then, he could also seek guidance regarding what to do with Monica.

Silas bent down to pick up Monica’s staff from the ground, but suddenly, a sweet and poignant voice sounded from his hands.

“My beloved.”

“…Huh?”

Silas looked down at Star-Weaving Mira. The artifact’s red gemstone had taken on a warm glow.

“My beloved… Ah, ah, this encounter must be fate. I love you, I love you, I love you.”

“W-What’s going on!? Did it break!? B-B-Because I caught it wrong or something!?”

“Oh, how kind of you to worry about my health… Come now, let’s whisper sweet nothings to each other, my beloved.”

Silas was subject to Star-Weaving Mira’s flirting for the rest of the night, until the artifact was finally resealed. This earned him great resentment from Ray, who complained, “Is that guy bragging about being popular…?” Meanwhile, Melissa simply burst into laughter.

＊　＊　＊

The warehouse district was generally deserted at night, but today, it was overflowing with people carrying lanterns.

Nero covered Monica under his robe as he traversed the district, jumping from the roof of one warehouse to another.

A handful of people noticed Nero and shouted in surprise, but they were generally passed off as delusional drunkards. At the very least, no one noticed that he was carrying one of the Seven Sages.

“Nero…! Please at least get off the roof…!”

Getting flung around by Nero’s parkour was quite different from engaging in aerial combat on the back of a black dragon.

Monica tried to complain, but Nero refused her outright.

“Meh. There’s no way I’m going through those crowds. Besides, our destination is on a rooftop either way…”

“…?”

“Oh, there they are.”

Nero made one final leap, landing on the roof of another building. Only then did he let Monica down.

Monica struggled to maintain balance for a few seconds, then widened her eyes in surprise.

She was now on the roof of a building a short distance away from the lighthouse… the very same roof where Isaac and Cyril were sipping tea on a mat. The lizard Wildianu was perched on Isaac’s head, and the white and gold weasels were lounging on Cyril’s lap.

Before Monica even processed what was going on, Nero voiced his desires in three words.

“Junior! Food! Meat!”

“You know, no one likes an overbearing Senpai,” Isaac complained. “You did an amazing job, Monica.”

Isaac was wearing the face of Prince Felix tonight. He handed the confused Monica a teacup with a genuine smile that contained a hint of mischief.

“Monica, didn’t you just finish the mana diffusal procedure…?” Cyril asked, confused. “Was it okay for you to leave so soon?”

“Eh!? Um, well… t-that’s…”

Cyril’s question was very reasonable, so Monica had trouble finding a response. Nero ended up answering for her, while stuffing his mouth with a sandwich.

“Yeah, it’s fine. She just left work a bit early.”

“Nero-dono, wouldn’t that be considered slacking off…?”

Upon hearing Cyril’s response, Isaac’s shoulders twitched slightly.

Monica could understand his reaction. Isaac was holding back his laughter at Cyril’s usage of ‘Nero-dono’.

“Slacking off?” Thule asked.

“Slacking off is for delinquents,” Pikeh followed.

“So Monica is a delinquent? Then I guess she’s the same as Cyril and Ike.”

“N-No, I’m not…!” Cyril complained. “…Hold on, I suppose eating on top of a roof may be a bit… Hmm…”

Cyril attempted to refute this slander, before Isaac pushed another cup of tea at him.

Confirming that cups had been distributed to everyone except Nero, who was already stuffing his mouth with meat, Isaac raised his cup to the night sky.

“First, a toast. To the great feat of my esteemed master…”

“Ike, Ike, um, maybe something else would be better… Like, something that we can all toast to…”

Monica hardly ever asked for anything, so making such a request was unusual for her. Isaac was slightly surprised, but he quickly put on a mischievous grin on his princely face.

“In that case, cheers to the secret night of the delinquents.”

Monica could not help but let out a quiet chuckle.

Cyril joined in on the laughter a few seconds delayed. He seemed to be enjoying it as well.

Under the twinkling stars, the three clinked their cups together and said “Cheers!”

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