Chapter 262

After that, I couldn’t have a conversation with Arthur…

Whenever I went to talk to him, he’d always say he was too busy or had to go outside in a hurry. It was obvious he was making excuses to avoid me.

What the heck? Didn’t he say he had something important to tell me? He said we’d talk after everything was over! Why is he avoiding me?

Could it be… late-onset adolescence? Now that he’s Emperor, has adolescence hit him now?!

Hmm… nah, that can’t be right. Come on, does it even make sense for adolescence to hit this late?

Even while making excuses to avoid me, Arthur was properly handling his duties as Emperor… The situation of the Romania Empire had stabilized.

There were no opponents to Arthur’s ascension to the throne, and a decision had been made regarding the treatment of the previous Emperor’s nephew (not Arthur’s father).

While execution would’ve been acceptable, it seems my words reached Arthur properly – his life was spared.

Instead, he joined the Church of Life as a priest to spend his life there… Well, it’s better than dying, isn’t it?

Plus, under Bibi’s orders, he wouldn’t be left alone.

He probably won’t be able to leave the Church of Life alive.

That’s how the Romania Empire normalized under Arthur’s rule.

Except for the famine.

Well, the famine was beyond our control. While it helped shift public sentiment away from blaming the previous Emperor, now that Arthur rules…

Famine… Hmm… Right. If I use all the remaining magical power in this Sage’s body to resolve the famine as a final gift, Arthur’s reign will become even more secure.

Thinking about it, it seems like a good idea. Yeah, sure.

“Hmph, what could that guy possibly be so busy with? Ugh.”

At this rate, I might not see his face until our farewell.

Grumbling, I slipped out to the garden behind the castle.

A few people passing by glanced at me suspiciously but didn’t approach. Honestly, I’d do the same. Who would talk to someone covered head-to-toe in tattered black cloth?

If anything, the only reason I can move around freely is because I played a big role in Arthur’s rise to the throne.

“Hmm. I feel kind of guilty relaxing here all alone.”

“Ah! S… Gaia!”

“Hm?”

Bibi noticed me as she was talking with some priests in the garden.

Wait, they seemed to be having an important discussion about various deities. Is it okay for her to interrupt for me?

“There are other priests watching. Focus on your work, Bibi.”

“It’s fine! We’re almost done anyway, right? Everyone?”

With a mischievous smile, Bibi spoke, and the priests reluctantly nodded with strange expressions. Hmm… Well, if Bibi says so…

Even if not, if Bibi wishes it, that’s how things go. That’s the role of the Dragon Priestess.

“Then we’ll meet again next time, Lady Dragon Priestess.”

“Next time, please send someone else instead of coming directly. You all have mountains of work, so there’s no need to come for trivial matters, right?”

Trivial matters…? Their expressions looked pretty serious though? Hmm…

The priests bowed to both Bibi and me before quickly departing. Why did they bow to me too?

Hmm. Did they recognize my position as teacher to Arthur and Bibi? Otherwise, they wouldn’t bow to this Sage’s body, which isn’t even my true form. I’ve blocked all leaking magic so they shouldn’t be able to detect my identity.

“Hey, what brings you here? Didn’t you say you’d go talk to Brother this morning?”

“Hm. I tried, but Arthur ended up leaving the castle urgently, so we couldn’t talk. Really, why is the Emperor himself running around? What could be so urgent…”

“Huh?”

“Look, anyone in the Emperor’s position is going to be busy, so we should understand. It can’t be helped.”

At my words, Bibi suddenly grabbed my shoulder and started yelling furiously.

“Ignore all that nonsense about Brother being busy! No matter how important this country is, nothing is more important than you, Teacher! In fact! I’ll settle this once and for all with that guy and make him talk!”

“Vivi?”

“I want to spend time with you too, Teacher! What foolishness is that idiot up to now?! Gah! Seriously! Teacher, just stay put right here! I’ll bring Brother right back!”

After delivering a verbal storm, Bibi wore an expression like a demon and grabbed the Tree of Life beside her, looking around. She’s probably using magic to locate Arthur.

“Found you! You fool!!”

Then she created a strong wind, lifted the Tree of Life into the air, sat on it, and flew off instantly.

She’s probably gone to fetch her brother.

Though I’ve told her many times to stop flying around using magic winds. It causes trouble for the people.

“What a troublesome child. Really.”

Now then… Hmm.

The piece of black rock in my fingertips began to slowly fall apart. Ah, it’s already come to this.

Hmm… My remaining time is probably not tomorrow… likely tonight if I’m lucky.

This body! It’s served me well for so long!

I lightly surveyed the garden Bibi had left. Hmm… Good. Leaving this body in a corner of this garden will do.

While leaving the body, I’ll shape it appropriately to look like a statue.

Humans build graves when they die, so creating a tomb for this body wouldn’t be bad either.

As a symbol that this teacher will always watch over Arthur and Bibi. Let’s leave it in a secluded corner of this garden.

I slowly moved the Sage’s unresponsive body toward the secluded corner of the garden.

A place where few people tread. Due to the dense trees, sunlight barely reaches here.

Hmm… This place reminds me of the deep forest where the Sage resided. It might be suitable here.

After raising a flat rock of appropriate size, I took my seat atop it.

Hmm… While I’m at it, let’s resolve Romania’s famine. Let’s see… Taking some of the remaining magic from the Sage’s body, I’ll spread it through the rock into the ground.

Though the body’s lifespan has ended, the magic remains unaffected… A considerable amount of magic still lingers within the Sage’s body, spreading through the earth.

If it’s insufficient, I can add a bit more of my own magic. Moderation is key. Moderation.

As I spread the magic through the ground… Hmm. For some reason, the Sage’s legs sitting on the rock began fusing with it.

This was unexpected. Is the stone-made body of the Sage fusing with the rock as the magic flows? Hmm…

Well, it doesn’t really matter.

Spreading the magic through most of Romania’s territory, my lower body had completely fused with the rock.

Now I can’t move at all. Maybe I should’ve taken a better pose.

Just sitting like this feels boring.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The newly crowned Emperor Lucius Altirius III. Called Arthur by his younger sister and teacher, he found himself in quite a predicament.

“YOU IDIOTIC BROTHER!!!”

Suddenly appearing from nowhere, his younger sister Vivian launched a surprise punch attack.

“Ugh!”

An impact that might’ve broken bones on an ordinary human. But for Arthur, whose body had been enhanced by magical power, it wasn’t much of a blow.

“Idiot! Fool! Coward! Scaredy-cat! Chicken! Is the Emperor’s seat THAT important?! To ignore your teacher THIS much?!”

“Vi, Vivi! What’s suddenly– Ugh! Ow!”

Not satisfied with punches alone, Vivian swung the Sephirot she rode as a club. If witnessed by members of the Church of Life, they’d surely be shocked, but fortunately no one else was present.

In a remote location of Sirius, in front of a small jewelry shop rarely visited by people.

Thanks to the Royal Knights preventing anyone from approaching nearby.

“Fool! Fool!! Idiot!! Pig! Moron!!!”

“This, I’ll take the beating if you tell me WHY!! Reason!!”

“What?! YOU IDIOT!!! Are you NOT going to Teacher RIGHT NOW!!!”

“T, Teacher? I was planning to go anyway! I just finished making the item…”

“Item? WHAT ITEM!!! Because of YOUR idiocy, my time with Teacher has decreased! It’s unfair!! Give me back my time!!!”

Arthur flinched as if in pain from the sharp branch of Sephirot aiming for his vital points. Though it didn’t actually hurt.

“What’s suddenly gotten into you! You! Aren’t you supposed to be gathering information from the priests of each temple right now?”

“Is THAT important?! YOU FOOL!!!!”

SLAP!!!

Sephirot struck Arthur’s forehead directly.

“To Teacher! There’s NO TIME!!!”

“Huh?”

“Go to Teacher NOW! Fool! Unless you want to regret it FOREVER!!”

“Teacher doesn’t have time? What do you mean by that?!”

“No time to explain! No! I’ll just bring you myself!!!”

Saying that, Vivian created ropes of magical power, tightly bound her brother, and tied him to the end of Sephirot.

Then she mounted Sephirot again and flew back toward the castle.

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