The Academy's Weakest Became A Demon-Limited Hunter

Chapter 308: Sylphia

i didn’t fully know the path through the vast forest where the covenant of life was held.

even in ❰magic knight of märchen❱, the forest was so vast and intricate that i could never memorize the map. surely, it was even more daunting in reality.

relying on kaya to guide me would be far more efficient than scouring every corner with [clairvoyance].

besides, sylphia would only warm up to me if kaya was there.

but most importantly.

she’s simply adorable.

her presence was pure comfort.

“lead the way. i don’t know the path well.”

“i don’t mind, but... why do you want to see sylphia...? ah!”

did she remember something?

“during our first-year class placement evaluation... didn’t you say you knew sylphia?”

ah, that.

─ were you acquainted with sylphia?!

─ ...your true potential will be revealed in the future. at that time, if you become someone worth my time, i’ll face you one day.

“no, i didn’t actually say anything at that time.”

“what...?”

“i met sylphia for the first time yesterday.”

kaya stared blankly for a moment as if her thoughts were jumbled.

back then, i pretended to have a deep history with sylphia. only now could i reveal the truth.

i didn’t know sylphia at all.

“well, we weren’t close, but i did know her.”

kaya seemed to process her thoughts and then, out of nowhere, nodded in admiration.

“then... doesn’t that make you even more amazing?”

huh?

“if you didn’t know sylphia but still knew so much about her, that’s surely the mark of omniscience...!”

“stop making a fuss.”

“ouch.”

i reached back and gave kaya’s cheek a light pinch.

when she winced, i let go right away.

“...isaac, by the way, were you serious about what you said?”

“what do you mean?”

“that if i reached my true potential, you’d fight me....”

“you really want to take me on?”

when i turned back and asked, kaya cautiously nodded.

kaya quickly added, realizing how it sounded.

“not that i think i stand a chance...! obviously, i know i’d lose in an instant, but...!”

did you really think i wouldn’t understand what you meant?

you’ve got quite the fighting spirit.

you want to face me to see just how strong you really are, don’t you?

you want to test yourself against the wall i represent.

right now, kaya wasn’t anywhere near my match. it was clear i’d defeat her effortlessly.

“kaya, i believe you have yet to reach your true potential.”

“what?”

“you still have room to grow explosively.”

kaya’s eyes widened.

the potential for growth in her power was truly frightening.

even if her power didn’t work on me, there was no denying how extraordinary she really was.

“i told you, you’re someone i acknowledge. i don’t say that lightly.”

“...right.”

it was something i told her during our end-of-semester evaluation of semester 2 year 1. kaya hadn’t forgotten.

kaya’s body trembled with emotion, overwhelmed by the pride swelling in her chest.

“hehe... i’m really happy.”

the fact that she had my acknowledgment seemed to bring kaya great happiness.

i was grateful that she accepted it that way.

our conversation briefly came to a halt.

i took in the scenery and assessed our current situation.

the 「fairy war」 had been dealt with somehow, and since thanatos had been defeated, we could skip act 13.

the only official scenario left this semester in ❰magic knight of märchen❱ was 「act 12, the treacherous celestial」.

the final boss of act 12 was vuel, the winged celestial.

i successfully gave the iron core to noah, and i’ve locked methel up in düpendorf...

last night, i gave noah the iron core.

─ what’s this?

─ it’s rachnil’s core. swallow it, and the iron mana will be yours.

noah was shocked, but he still did as i said and swallowed the iron core.

and then he thanked me.

─ thank you, ice sovereign. i really appreciate it...

there was no need for him to thank me.

noah didn’t turn a blind eye to his debts, so i intended to have him join the evil god slayers.

as for methel valencia, the heavenly being who attempted to assassinate me, i had her sent to düpendorf, locked in a nightmare.

i planned to keep her in solitary confinement until the vuel incident was over.

now the only ones left are vuel, mephisto, and nephid...

except for mephisto, i’ve already faced the bosses from acts 14 to 16, during the alice incident.

[you seem to have many women you’re fond of, correct? so...]

sylphia brought her mouth close to my ear, covering it with her hand.

[cherish kaya, love her truly, have children, and make them happy. that’s my condition. if you ever make her sad, prepare yourself for the wrath of all the plants in this world.]

indeed, this fairy truly loved kaya.

after all, what more could a fairy expect from a human?

“you call that a condition?”

[huh?]

“nothing in this world can halt my love for kaya. even if you opposed it, i would still like her all the same.”

i can’t imagine my harem kingdom without kaya.

i calmly met sylphia’s mysterious gaze.

[hehe... i like that answer. now, give me your hand.]

i offered her the hand that wasn’t marked by hilde’s contract circle.

sylphia placed her fingers on my wrist.

ssss.

a small, intricate contract circle began to etch itself into my wrist.

in the midst of this, sylphia spoke,

[what are you planning to do next?]

“why would a fairy be interested in human affairs?”

fairies were neither allies nor enemies.

they remained neutral.

whether humanity fell to the evil god or not was of no concern to them. fairies weren’t meant to meddle in the world’s affairs.

[you’re the man kaya’s chosen, after all.]

why does it feel like i’ve just been handed a mother-in-law...?

“nothing much. just resolve everything and live happily ever after. that’s all.”

[hmm... i guess even someone as powerful as you have burdens to bear?]

“everyone has at least one worry in life, right? isn’t it the same for fairies?”

[who knows? i just go with the flow.]

sylphia answered nonchalantly.

yet, her eyes held a deep sadness.

she’d likely had many kins over the years.

unlike fairies, humans lived short lives, so the pain of all the farewells she had endured must be beyond words.

“i see.”

i answered quietly.

after that, i didn’t ask any more questions.

soon after, a notification appeared in my vision.

[congratulations! you have acquired the [8-star familiar contract circle]!]

****after receiving sylphia’s. “see you again,” farewell, kaya and i left the covenant of life.

hilde took us on her back and soared into the sky.

it felt a little wrong to be soaring so freely through the imperial skies.

i justified it to myself, thinking that after yesterday’s big achievements, this much should be fine.

it doesn’t seem like emperor carlos treats me as a complete stranger anymore.

he seemed supportive, thinking that white and i had a close relationship.

sir isaac.”

“yes?”

“could i ask... what you talked about with sylphia?”

there was nothing to hide.

i showed her the 8-star familiar contract circle i received from sylphia.

“a high-level familiar contract circle. it was a gift. sylphia had it.”

kaya’s eyes grew wide with admiration.

“are you planning to make another 8-star magic beast your familiar?”

“that’s the plan.”

“hehe, that’s amazing!”

kaya beamed, saying, “as expected of isaac!”

soon after, she asked cautiously, “but... didn’t you have a secret conversation earlier?”

“oh, that.”

i don’t really need to keep this from her either...

– cherish kaya, love her truly, have children, and make them happy.

no, i shouldn’t tell her this.

“sir isaac?”

this was too provocative for kaya, who was not used to men.

she was the kind of girl who blushed and got flustered over the smallest things, sometimes even fainting.

“she was curious about what kind of relationship we have. i just said we’re pretty close.”

“ah... i see.”

kaya looked disappointed.

she’d probably get the full story next vacation when she sees sylphia.

i didn’t want to be the one to tell her right now.

– you call that a condition? nothing in this world can halt my love for kaya. even if you opposed it, i would still like her all the same.

after all, it was essentially a proposal.

“let’s go, hilde.”

kaya and i mounted hilde and headed back to märchen academy.