Wizard of the Deep Sea

TL/ED – Miso

“Did you say the Imperial Palace?”

“Yeah…”

“What’s your name?”

Is this kid maybe the third princess or something?

Of course not. The child lowered her head with a timid expression.

“R, Ren.”

“Ren?”

“It’s the last syllable of my mom’s name. I was never given a name, so I’m using this.”

“…?”

What’s she talking about?

“Greg oppa and I… we’re illegitimate children. Our mom, who was a maid, had a relationship with some noble, and we were… probably born from that. I don’t know the details.”

“Why don’t you know? She’s your mom.”

“We grew up in the orphanage. Still, unlike the other kids, a woman used to visit us every month to bring food and clothes. Then one day, oppa overheard a conversation between the head of the orphanage and our mom.”

“So that woman must have been your mom.”

“Yeah, even her name… we found out, but when oppa confronted her the next time she visited, she left with a shocked face and never came back.”

So these two weren’t natural-born wizards created by Crimson Circle, but half-wizards born from a maid and a noble.

It’s known that when two wizards marry, their child is guaranteed to be a wizard.

However, at first they started slowly increasing the number of noble wizards through marriages between wizards and nobles, so if a wizard marries a commoner, even if it’s not 100%, the child has a high chance of becoming a wizard.

“Are you twins by any chance?”

“…Uh, yeah. That’s right. How did you know?”

And if they’re twins, it makes sense that both turned out to be wizards, beating the odds.

Then why abandon them? If it were me, I’d have tried to change my fate using them.

No, she probably didn’t know they were wizards until around age ten, so that wouldn’t have been an option. As I considered the possibilities, Ren slowly raised her head.

“Oppa told me to forget about mom. He said she was a bad person who abandoned us. But I can’t forget. She’s our mom. That’s why I took her name for myself. On my own.”

“You want to see her. That’s the real reason, right?”

“Yeah. I want to meet her one last time and ask. If she abandoned us, why did she keep coming to visit?”

“I see. Hmm…”

Compared to a plea to be saved, this was much easier.

I’d have to figure out a way into the Imperial Palace, but saving someone who’s fallen is far more difficult than that.

“Alright. Come with me.”

I brushed it off casually and walked into a nearby inn.

I headed to an empty restroom, opened the small cleaning supply closet, and carefully checked if it was completely sealed. Ren tilted her head.

“What… are you doing?”

“Have you heard of a wizard’s workshop?”

“No…”

“Then now you know.”

Click. I turned the workshop key and opened the door inside the cleaning closet.

“Wow… whoa…”

Even when seeing my bleak workshop, Ren was surprised. To be precise, she seemed amazed by the existence of the workshop itself.

She looked around in fascination and murmured.

“I had a feeling, but… you really are a noble…”

“No. I was an orphan just like you.”

“…What?”

“A lot happened. I was lucky.”

I took out a few things from the workshop. Something for treating burns, some painkillers, and a pearl medicine I kept in stock.

“Take all of it and apply this. It should help a little. Just don’t die and hang in there.”

“O-okay…”

“And let me ask something. Where is your Inner World?”

“My Inner World… you mean where I’m at, right?”

“Yeah.”

Ren looked around as if sensing something nearby.

And in truth, there was likely something I couldn’t see surrounding her.

“It’s hot. Everything around me is burning. If I touch anything, it catches fire.”

“The world itself doesn’t change?”

“…? Uh, yeah.”

So it’s not the Great Realm. But it was still serious.

Looking at her face, covered in blisters, I didn’t say it aloud, but…

It was clear Ren didn’t have much time left.

“I first realized it while washing my face in the restroom. I splashed cold water, but it was so hot that I got burned…”

“If it’s hard, you don’t have to say more.”

“N-no, it’s fine.”

“Did anything happen emotionally when you were little or after your Awakening Fever? Something that could’ve caused this?”

“…I’m not sure. But whenever I thought about mom abandoning me, my chest would get really hot.”

The trigger for the fall – I’m not sure.

First of all, it didn’t seem like this kid had gone through something absurd like being boiled in hot water or swimming in lava.

Though she denied it, she looked like even speaking was difficult, so I changed the subject.

“What does your mom look like?”

“Brown hair, short, pretty, and… her eyes were beautiful.”

“Something more specific?”

“Umm… I think she always had a slight limp in her left leg.”

“That’s enough.”

A limp in her left leg. That’s something I can immediately confirm using current sense.

I had all the information I needed, so I laid her down on the bed and stood up, giving her a warning.

“I’ll let you out when we arrive at the Imperial Palace. Until then, you won’t be going anywhere. So if there’s anything you’re curious about, ask now.”

“…”

Ren blinked, then asked as if even she didn’t understand herself.

“Why… why are you helping me this much…?”

“What?”

“I can’t do anything for you…”

It was a absurd question. I stared at her with cold, emotionless eyes.

“You asked me for help.”

“Y-yeah, but people don’t normally help criminals…”

“Are you a criminal? Have you killed anyone?”

“No… but I ran from the knights. More than anything, helping me puts you in danger too…”

“If I really thought it was dangerous, I wouldn’t have helped.”

I’m Dersia’s student, Elysia’s teacher, and an apprentice of the Black Magic Tower.

Even a Heaven’s Judgement Knight wouldn’t dare touch me without serious resolve.

All I have to do is enter the Imperial Palace and find a maid whose name contains ‘Ren’.

That much is more than doable. At least, it’s better than watching a tragedy unfold.

“You. If I hadn’t stopped you, you were going to use Inner World magic in the middle of the market, weren’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

When I asked a bit sharply, Ren hung her head low.

“I don’t think the Empire’s current method of isolating people for life and locking them up on the outskirts is a good solution. I wouldn’t want to be exiled like that until I die. But that doesn’t mean I think it’s right to attack innocent people either. If you do that, how are you any different from Crimson Circle?”

“I-I didn’t want to do it either. But after losing oppa and thinking I’d never see mom again, I got scared…”

“Then think of that as the reason I’m helping you. I hate Crimson Circle, and I don’t want more people like them. If just helping you meet your mom can stop a rampage, then that’s a cheap price to pay.”

“…Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. Instead, start thinking about what you’ll do after you meet your mom. Run away, move to an isolated village, find peace and end it there or – struggle like me.”

“…”

I calmly laid out the possibilities.

Ren stared blankly at me for a moment, then for the first time, gave a small smile.

“Sorry. I don’t think I could ever do what you do, even if it killed me.”

“…Ah. Yeah.”

Maybe it was the medicine.

She looked a little better.

*

I closed the workshop door and left the inn, then checked the clock in the plaza.

It was almost three. I headed to where the carriage was and waited for Brimdal. A dwarf with a black sword who hadn’t been there earlier was now leaning against a streetlight, grumbling.

Brimdal snapped at me the moment he saw me.

“Why are you so late?”

“I’m exactly on time.”

“Exactly on time isn’t good enough. This is why I can’t stand wizards…”

As Brimdal climbed into the carriage while grumbling over nonsense, I shook my head.

“Something came up. You should go ahead without me.”

“…What? What are you suddenly talking about?”

“Well…”

I hesitated for a moment, then decided to just say it outright.

“I found a promising terrorist candidate. If left alone, she’ll either get caught and killed by knights or be taken by Crimson Circle and turned into a monster. Since I’ve already seen it, I can’t just ignore it.”

Brimdal scratched his head and asked again.

“Did you see yourself in that fallen kid with no options?”

“Sorry? No.”

“Then why bother helping?”

“I don’t want to attach a reason to saving a single child.”

“What the hell… you don’t even look twelve, and you’re talking like this? You are the kid.”

“I’m eleven.”

“Tch. If you’re not back in two days, I’ll assume you’re dead. Do whatever you want. Hyah!”

Brimdal didn’t say a single word about helping me and simply set the carriage in motion.

However, the very fact that he didn’t interfere was already a form of help. Since I was currently under his training, anything I did would affect him as well. Letting me act freely was no different from giving permission.

Even if he speaks harshly and makes it his job to beat down kids and crush their dreams, perhaps at his core, he’s a good person. How strange.

I had a plan. While on the way to the Imperial Palace, I saw knights dashing wildly through the main street.

“Find her! She couldn’t have gotten far!”

“Excuse me, have you seen a child with severe burn marks on her skin?”

Naturally.

They had begun asking the people nearby for sightings.

It was still the outskirts for now, but in less than 30 minutes, they would reach the fruit shop owner.

Once that happened, the following chain of events would unfold:

1. I saw her! Some young Magic Tower apprentice said he was her brother and took her away!

2. What? Someone that distinct isn’t common… Jern? Dersia’s student.

3. He was kidnapped by Crimson Circle… so he was one of them all along!

That would take maybe an hour at most. Once they focus on me for inspection, there’ll be no way out. I’ll have to give everything up and flee from the comfortable Empire.

Time was tightening around my neck.

Before reaching the Imperial Palace, I turned into a narrow alley.

“Form: burn.”

-Sssssss!

“Ugh…”

It was fortunate that Dersia had trained me by burning me with fire.

I clenched my teeth so hard it felt like they would crack, as I felt distinct red marks forming on my face and body.

The pain of searing one’s skin with fire was utterly horrible. Even compared to being unable to breathe, it was far worse.

No matter what world you’re in, Ren was enduring pain no child her age should have to bear.

“Haa…”

Once I’d steadied myself a bit, I headed toward the front of the Imperial Palace.

The Imperial grounds, as expected, were surrounded by massive walls several meters tall, and at least a hundred guards patrolled the perimeter.

The moment I approached even slightly, a deafening shout rang out.

“Stop! Identify yourself!”

“I am Jern Aspandil, apprentice of the Black Magic Tower and adopted son of Dersia Aspandil.”

I raised my key, but the guard captain approached without lowering his spear, speaking in a voice filled with suspicion.

“I’ve never heard of one so young being an apprentice at the Black Magic Tower.”

“My talent is exceptional. You’re free to confirm it if you wish.”

I answered with a bit of arrogance.

“Wait here.”

Still keeping his guard up, one of the captains headed inside the wall. It seemed they had some method of contacting the Black Magic Tower.

I was slightly anxious, worried that the Tower’s elders might pretend they didn’t know me and say, “That’s not our concern.”

“…What business does the Magic Tower have with the Imperial Palace? If you’re seeking a visit, please follow proper procedures.”

It seemed that wouldn’t happen.

A short while later, he returned. The name “Jern Aspandil” was indeed confirmed. The gate was lowered, but suspicion hadn’t disappeared from their eyes.

Apparently, even the Tower was somewhat frowned upon by the Imperial Palace. I pulled back my hood, revealing the burn marks, and calmly explained.

“Just now, I fought a fallen one in the middle of the Capital.”

“…What are you saying?”

The guard captain’s gaze shifted slightly.

“She was using magic without drawing mana. Because she was near civilians, I tried to lure her into an alley and subdue her, but she attacked me immediately. I barely escaped the fight. I came to the Palace to report what happened.”

“Please wait a moment.”

The guard captain looked alarmed and quickly went back inside the walls.

This time, he returned a bit faster, running breathlessly as he issued orders to the other guards.

“It’s true. This is top secret. Do not speak a word of this. Everyone, return to your assigned posts!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Sir Jern, you’ve done well. We’ve called for a doctor to treat your wounds. A knight will arrive shortly. If you could just explain the details-”

The guard captain’s tone had completely changed from before. Much more courteous now, which meant this situation was indeed serious. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

I slowly shook my head.

“Could I ask you to delay that just a little?”

“…?”

“The reason I came to the Imperial Palace instead of reporting to the knights is exactly that. I’m just a 1-Star wizard, yet I was able to fight that fallen one properly. The knights wouldn’t have let someone at that level escape, would they? It’s only a suspicion, but I believe someone among the knights may have helped the fallen one escape.”

“What?”

The guard captain looked baffled and asked again.

A face that clearly said, “That’s a load of nonsense,” no matter how generous he tried to be.

“That seems… highly unlikely.”

It really was nonsense.

-Unless it was Crimson Circle.

I stroked my chin with a puzzled expression.

“…You’re right, forget I said anything. Even I admit that doesn’t make much sense. For something like that to happen, Crimson Circle would have to ‘disguise’ themselves as knights. And there’s no way they could pull that off.”

“…!”

The guard captain’s eyes widened at my words.

He now wore a serious expression, deep in thought. Given that such a case actually existed, and that someone like me, who shouldn’t know about it, pointed it out precisely, it would be hard for him to just dismiss it.

“Then I’ll wait until the knights arrive. The pain is manageable.”

“…A-about that. It might be better if you spoke to someone inside about the details.”

“At the Imperial Palace? Wouldn’t that be terribly impolite?”

“Not at all. We have a medical facility inside, so please come in first.”

“Thank you for the kindness.”

With a gentle smile, I entered the Imperial Palace under the escort of the guard captain.

The inside of the palace was, quite literally, another world.

“…Incredible.”

“Hmm? Ah, is this your first time entering the palace?”

“Yes.”

It was winter outside. But inside the palace, it was spring.

Birds in every color of the rainbow perched on cherry blossom trees in full bloom, creating a beautiful harmony. The pond wasn’t frozen, instead, a clear stream flowed through the palace, and the temperature was perfect. Cool when the wind blew, warm when it didn’t.

There wasn’t a single dull color in sight. It was like someone had cut out all the most beautiful landscapes in the world, stitched them together not crudely, but in a way that allowed each one to shine fully in its own way.

As I watched a butterfly brush past my shoulder and silently envied the royal family, we arrived at an infirmary larger than most major hospitals.

“Ah, Captain. What brings you here?”

“A burn victim. Any available doctors?”

“Apologies. They’re all currently upstairs…”

“What? Why?”

“Well… a bit of an urgent situation came up.”

“All of them? Tch, fine. Can we at least do emergency treatment?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Then clear out the medical room immediately. Sir Jern, I’m sorry.”

“Not at all. Even emergency treatment is more than enough.”

More than ten nurses attended to me alone, so the treatment was over in no time. And the quality wasn’t lacking in the slightest.

After disinfecting, applying medicine, and wrapping me thoroughly in bandages, I found a moment to use my current sense.

“…Hmm.”

It was hopeless.

They had definitely used space-expansion magic or something similar. Even from the outside, the place looked large, but I had thought that with my wide current sense range, I’d be able to find what I needed quickly by moving around a bit.

But no matter how I calculated it, I’d need at least 20 minutes of wandering to scan the entire place.

A reason to walk around the palace for 20 minutes. That would be hard to come up with.

“Please wait a moment. I’ll call for the Imperial Guard Knights.”

“…Alright.”

To make matters worse, the nurses were still hovering around me, making it even harder to move.

After some thought, I raised my hand.

Time to try something that always works.

“Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom.”

“Yes, please wait just a moment.”

“?”

What was this supposed to mean? While I struggled to understand, a nurse brought over a glass bottle with an obvious purpose.

Before the nurse could touch my pants, I quickly waved my hand with a serious expression.

“I-I’m suddenly fine now. Truly.”

“Yes, understood.”

The Imperial Palace was exactly what you’d expect.

There wasn’t a single excuse I could use to move around.

At this rate, I’d have to hope the Imperial Guard Knights showed up and took me somewhere. As I let out a sigh and lay down.

“Did I not make myself clear? I said the medicine is all I need!”

“But, Princess, if the insomnia continues, it may affect your mental and physical well-being. Also, sleeping pills are not very good for your.”

“Silence. Tch, I shall go find it myself.”

“Ah, Princess! That’s a patient’s-”

Thud!

The door slammed open, and a girl with unforgettable red hair glared with annoyance at the now-closed door behind her.

A familiar face.

I hurriedly tried to hide under the blanket, but she turned her head before I could.

“So much nagging, really…”

“Oh.”

“…?”

Our eyes met.

For a while, we simply stared at each other in silence.

This silence was dangerous. I quickly greeted her.

“Greetings, Princess Lumia.”

My tone was flat and submissive as I possibly could be.

But it didn’t seem to please the princess.

“…No…”

“Sorry?”

“No, it’s not a dream… W-why are you here…?”

As fear filled Princess Lumia’s wide eyes, one thing became clear to me.

Karma is real. Definitely real.