he Claude Leonhardt I know from the future, is the person who brings the magic known as Scout Scope into the Magician Society and she is a genius magician.
My t.i.tle as the Supreme Flame Mage was taken away within the next year of Scout Scopes discovery, furthermore she appeared like the wind and also disappeared without a trace so I don’t have too much information about her.
Or more like, in the future I was from, she was a magician that liked to remain anonymous so there is really no significant information about her available.
The only thing I know is her name and a photograph of her, that’s about it.
And I have forgotten about this fact, until now.
And also about the fact that she was the one to bring “Scout Scope”
The magical spell that enable others to express their talents numerically.
With this single spell, the magical world took a great leap in advancement.
The level of water magic also increased in general and people were elected into high positions based on their high latent talents instead of their current talents.
On the opposite side, Magicians with a low latent ability were all chased out and put out of jobs.
Just like what happened to me when I got discarded like trash for my low fire latent potential.
Anyways, enough about this.
But what I am confused about is, why the person who hands Scout Scope to the Magician Society is not Milly but Claude?
If I am not mistaken Claude was not part of any guild when she brought Scout Scope.
Milly’s guild the Blue Sky Hunters was also not in any of the records that I was aware of, most likely it was extinguished from existence.
Thinking about such things, the cold sweat running down my back does not stop.
Did Milly perhaps die? And after that Claude obtained the scroll of Scout Scope as a keepsake?
No, if Claude wanted to bring fame/respect to Milly’s name she would have mentioned it when she brought the scroll in.
Considering that Claude stated her own name in the records, it is likely that Milly’s Scout Scope was deprived/stolen.
Milly’s Magic scroll which was painstakingly invented by shedding blood and tears.
For someone to deprive such an invention, is akin to trampling down someone whilst they are on the ground and then later boasting about it.
In the Magician Society, this was a taboo, amongst the taboo acts to commit.
Obviously if Milly had been alive at this time, this piece of information would have been disclosed.
How did Claude steal it?
That kind of thing is obvious.
—She Killed.
Before I noticed it, I was glaring right at Claude who was receiving Milly’s healing.
I gripped the nape of her neck, and pushed her down to the ground.
「Wh……Wait Zeph! What are you doing!?」
「Stay silent Milly……!」
「Zeph……kun…..?」
I continued to strangle Claude’s neck right to the very limit.
Even I think I am not being calm.
But I can’t stop.
Whilst grasping very tightly I started to raise my fist.
「Zeph!」
The fist I rose up high, slipped past Claude’s face and hit the ground.
Before I knew it my hand was tied behind my back.
It was unnaturally twisted up by Claude.
She was the one holding my hand and she continued to tighten her grip.
「Ackk……!?」
「Please tell me the reason Zeph-kun. I may have done something that is terrible to you or I may have disrespected you. But unless you tell me what it is I cannot understand it, nor can I apologize for it」
My arm was shrieking in pain.
In terms of pure Physical Strength, It seems that Claude is much stronger than me.
If this is the case, bring it on!
On the contrary the pain in my arm allows me to concentrate my efforts.
Claude also reacts to the torrent of magic that violently gushes out of me, And…..!
「Stop it!!」
Kii〜nn a huge ringing sound that made my ears ring resounded, Both Claude and I stopped our movements.
Milly took an imposing stance as she spoke in an arbitrary voice.
I almost thought that my eardrums would burst.
「You guys, that’s enough! Especially Zeph!…….Did something happen? 」
「Ah…..no…….errr…..」
「Hm? What? 」
Milly peeks at me who currently have my eyes cast downwards.
Her piercing gaze seems to extract the poisonous air/feeling around me.
「…….I’m sorry, it was just my misunderstanding」
「Aren’t you apologizing to the wrong person? Say it to Claude」
She let out a reconciling smile.
I think a little while ago my vision just blurred red and blood was going into my head, but if I thought about it carefully, killing Claude could easily be me coming to my own quick conclusions.
To begin with, the main reason that Claude chose to bring the scroll at such an advanced time in the future is still unclear.
There is also the possibility that Claude did not even get to meet Milly.
…………….But s.h.i.+t! I can’t get rid of this uncomfortable feeling in my chest.
However, I don’t have any hard proof of Claude’s actions.
Moreover, from what I can see, the Claude that is presently right in front of my eyes, can be seen as nothing but a good fellow.
She’s starting to build a good amount of trust in Milly, and it is likely that they will become good friends.
As much as possible I try to put on a tranquil facade as I request a handshake.
「I am sorry. You had a bug on your face」
「Fu………Kuku (sfx laughter), what a disgraceful excuse. Let’s just forget about it」
「Thanks」
As we were shaking each other’s hand awkwardly, Milly also grabbed on to our hands.
「Alright! Since we have all made up, let’s just go home and eat a cookie or something! 」
「That sounds good. I’m, really good at baking cookies」
「Just like a woman aren’t you?」
「I am a woman, you know!」
Claude acted as if what happened a little while ago was a trivial matter as she spoke.
Normally if I were to go as far as put somebody in a choke hold, the natural reaction would be to look at me with eyes of criticism/reproach, but I cannot find a tinge of sarcasm or hatred in her voice.
To tell you the truth, I don’t really know if something actually happened between Milly and Claude.
However, as much as possible I need to be on the lookout for Milly’s sake, right?
People can change in dreadful ways over time.
(Milly)
When I messaged her directly via the guild messaging system, Milly’s line of vision turned towards me.
(Can you please not teach the magic of Scout Scope to Claude for me?)
(……….Has this got something to do with why you were fighting with Claude a few moments ago?)
(Ahh. But I cannot really tell you all the details)
(What’s with that?)
(Please, I’m begging you……!)
I seriously asked her with a solemn face, and Milly was just observing me carefully.
We were like that for two…. no three seconds perhaps?
(……..I understand. However I cannot conceal this from Claude forever you know? After all I like to talk a lot)
(I know)
Poka (smack) Milly hits my head.
(What are you doing?!)
(Hey it’s not nice to confirm such a thing about a lady! Can’t you read the situation a bit more?)
(But, isn’t it the truth?!)
(Ahh I’ve had enough! If you are going to be like this I’m going to tell Claude all about Scout Scope)
(Don’t be foolis.h.!.+ Didn’t I just tell you not to say such things?!)
「Excuse me〜……..Would it be alright if you two stop talking amongst yourself in your mind? If I can’t join in the conversation won’t I be all alonee? 」
Claude was gently scratching her cheek with a face that looks embarra.s.sed/troubled.
Ah, I totally forgot that Claude was actually here.
Milly was also making the same face as me.
——At Milly’s House.
We were currently enjoying the coffee brewed by Milly and the cookies baked by Claude.
「By the way, I would also like to be included in your guys discussion when you talk via your minds……What do I have to do to be able to achieve such a thing? 」
「It will be easy if you just join the Guild」
「How do I do that?」
「Obtaining the guild emblem as an accessory and presenting it to the leader of the guild, will allow the guild leader to attest to the emblem and allow entrance, this is the general procedure. Incidentally, Milly, have you made a guild emblem yet? 」
Whilst munching on her cookies Milly showed a slightly troubled face as she answered my question hesitantly.
「Ahh, umm, err…..The truth is I am still in the middle of thinking about it……」
Tahahah, she let out an awkward laughter as she scratched her own head.
If I am not mistaken I usually see some sort of scribble in her notebook from school, was that her thinking about the design of the guild emblem?
However considering the guild has been established for several months yet she hasn’t yet created an emblem is a little bit of a problem…
「You don’t have to make the emblem a perfect thing. It isn’t really what represents the true power of a guild. Besides even if it is a little bit awkwardly made, it becomes a unique part of the guild」
「You really think so….?」
「Milly-san it might be really hard to think about it all by yourself, if you have some alternatives how about showing the potential candidates to us and we can all make a decision together?」
「Umm…….Then, would you guys like to see it…..?」
Milly was being really bashful/shy as she took out her notebook from her school bag.
Oi Oi, that school bag is not the place to keep that kind of thing.
When both Claude and I looked at the opened up notebook, we both instinctively gulped down our breaths.
What was displayed was some sort of earthworm like character, and a page full of scribbles.
The whole notebook was pretty much covered in strange shapes and circles.
Some of the patterns look like mysterious magic formations.
「……Which one do you guys think are good? 」
When Milly asked for our opinion whilst blus.h.i.+ng, Both Claude and I were at a complete and total loss for words.