A faint glimmer of dawn appeared on the horizon, illuminating the darkened sky like a sharp sword piercing the silent veil of night.
A new day had begun.
Across the vast lands of the Sorcerer Kingdom, everything continued to move in an orderly fashion, following its established rhythm.
The races accustomed to being active at night, such as Vampires and Ghouls, had already returned to their homes and drifted off to sleep.
Meanwhile, countless Demihumans and humans of every shape and color poured into the streets and alleys like a rising tide, becoming the city's new protagonists.
The streets were already bustling with people and traffic in the early morning.
Carriages and ox-drawn carts, some lavishly decorated and others simple and practical, carried all manner of goods as they slowly made their way along the crowded roads.
Some pedestrians hurried about their business, while others strolled leisurely through the bustle.
The shops lining the streets were opening one after another, their clerks enthusiastically calling out to passing customers.
Before long, the cries of merchants and the sounds of haggling rose and fell throughout the streets, weaving together into a lively symphony of everyday life.
Somewhere within the palace of the Sorcerer Kingdom.
"Cartethyia…"
Renner softly murmured the name.
Her slender hand gently traced the balcony railing, feeling the faint chill of the metal beneath her fingertips.
A light breeze swept past, lifting her silky golden hair while carrying with it the distant clamor of the marketplace.
But at that moment, none of those outside distractions could disturb Renner's thoughts.
She stood quietly on the balcony, listening intently to the wind as the emotions within her rose and fell with its passing currents.
If the Three Supreme Beings of the Sorcerer Kingdom were brilliant suns hanging high in the heavens, radiant and unrivaled, then people like her were little more than stars hidden beneath their overwhelming light.
They might possess a radiance of their own, but beneath such dazzling sunlight, even the brightest stars inevitably seemed dim.
For a long time, the affairs of the Sorcerer Kingdom had progressed smoothly, without any major setbacks or upheavals.
But recently, the situation had undergone a subtle change.
A brand-new celestial body had appeared.
No, perhaps it would be more fitting to call it a new moon, quietly rising over the skies of the Sorcerer Kingdom.
What impact would this moon have on the existing balance?
Would it alter the course of destiny itself?
Renner had no way of knowing.
This was a world where talent mattered.
In the face of absolute power, even the most carefully crafted schemes became pale and powerless.
After all, when trapped in a difficult situation, superhuman wisdom might simply tell you to solve the problem with superhuman strength.
"For now, I'd better keep a low profile and observe this noble's personality before deciding what to do next."
Renner quietly considered her options.
Given her own value and abilities, there was no need to worry excessively.
Still, being cautious never hurt.
As she pondered, she unconsciously raised a hand and gently rubbed between her brows.
Sometimes, thinking too much only created endless troubles for oneself.
And at some point without her realizing it, she seemed to have grown accustomed to this peaceful, stable life.
She had become content with the way things were.
Time truly changed many things.
...
About six miles northeast of the Sorcerer Kingdom stretched an endless expanse of mountains and forest.
This was where the Magic Academy was located.
The academy occupied an enormous area, stretching more than a mile and a half across.
It was not merely an institution for teaching magical knowledge and skills, but a small, self-contained society in its own right.
All kinds of buildings could be found throughout the Magic Academy.
These included, among other things, restaurants, clothing stores, bars, and various other service establishments.
At that moment, inside an elegant private room at a tavern on the commercial street, Naraku and Akemi sat facing one another.
Between them stood a small, exquisitely crafted table holding a glass of fragrant wine and three dishes that looked, smelled, and tasted equally appetizing.
Beside them knelt a respectful Golem maid, carefully pouring wine for the pair.
"This is the life!"
Naraku couldn't help but sigh in contentment.
No need to worry about making ends meet tomorrow. No shrill alarm dragging him out of bed. No need to grovel before heartless bosses or constantly bow and scrape to them.
"Even though you're a Thought Body of Naohara-nii, the air you give off is completely different from his."
"The Original is the Original, and I am me. You can't just lump the two of us together."
Naraku set his wine glass down on the table before leaning back comfortably.
Even two completely identical people would naturally develop different ways of dealing with the world if they lived in different environments and acquired different habits and dispositions.
Naraku narrowed his eyes slightly.
He hummed a tune no one else could understand while admiring the Elf girl before him.
It had nothing to do with affection or romantic interest. Seeing something beautiful simply brought him a natural sense of pleasure.
Why had Akemi, the younger sister of one of his former companions, come all the way here to seek out a mere Thought Body like him?
Combined with the intelligence from Nazarick, Naraku had already guessed the reason.
"I don't really have any great advice for you, but rather than trying to rush things, you might as well keep wearing him down little by little."
With that, Naraku casually reached for the wine bottle beside him.
Just as he was about to pour himself another glass, a pair of delicate hands moved faster than his.
"Since you've already gone that far, why not explain it in detail? Your little sister here is all ears."
Akemi smiled sweetly as she picked up the bottle and gently filled the empty glass in front of Naraku.
"You really are as mischievous as ever!"
"Let me put it this way. The Original has a rather complicated personality. I'm sure you've noticed that to some extent. Reason and emotion are constantly tangled together within him. You could say he's a very contradictory person."
Naraku gently swirled the wine glass in his hand, sending ripples through the crimson liquid inside.
Was the Original ultimately emotional or rational?
If one called him emotional, then whenever he faced an important decision, he was always capable of making the most rational choice almost instantly, at a speed far beyond that of an ordinary person. In doing so, he ensured that a moment of impulse would never create an uncontrollable situation.
And yet, calling him entirely rational would not be accurate either.
There were certain matters where he struggled to make a firm decision, such as how to respond to Zesshi Zetsumei's pursuit of him.
He constantly shifted between those two extremes while somehow maintaining just the right balance.
Seen that way, the Original truly was full of contradictions.
But on second thought, wasn't everything in the world like that?
Wasn't life itself a strange existence, both complicated and contradictory?
"So, what do you think Naohara-nii thinks of me?"
"Or rather, what kind of woman does he like?"
What kind of woman…
A loli-lover?
The thought suddenly popped into Naraku's head without warning.
He immediately shook his head hard, as if trying to fling the idea straight out of his mind.
Because if he admitted that, wouldn't that mean he had the exact same preference?
Absolutely not!
Hmm…
The Original wasn't a loli-lover. It just so happened that the person he liked happened to be a little loli.
Right. That had to be it.
"In my opinion, someone like you, Akemi, should be the kind of type the Original likes."
Naraku paused briefly before giving a firm nod.
"Really?"
The girl raised an eyebrow.
"Of course!"
Naraku replied with complete seriousness.
After all, as a Thought Body separated from the Original, his words naturally carried considerable credibility and reference value.
He wasn't simply making things up or carelessly playing matchmaker. This was a conclusion he had reached after giving the matter serious thought.
The Original's standards for a partner were actually quite broad. One could almost say he welcomed anyone.
As long as she was pretty, she would basically catch his attention.
Whether they could actually end up together, however, was another matter entirely.
(P.S.: See Chapter 124.)
"You could try taking a more forceful approach. Even if it fails, it doesn't really matter. Knowing the Original as well as I do, if you act cute afterward, he probably won't have the heart to get angry with you."
Naraku spoke while his gaze wandered slightly.
Whenever he thought about how the Original was always putting on that calm, calculating air as though everything were under control, a strange impulse rose within him.
For some reason, he really wanted to see the other man panic and completely lose his composure.
Other people might not understand him, but how could Naraku not?
Tsk. We're basically the same person. Who are you trying to fool?
Hearing that, Akemi frowned slightly and fell into thought.
Only after quite some time did she slowly speak.
"Hmm… Let me think about it carefully."
She neither agreed nor rejected the idea.
But judging from the serious expression on her face, she had clearly taken the suggestion to heart.
For some reason, Naraku suddenly felt a little guilty.
That feeling was immediately followed by an unusual thrill.
The two continued discussing the matter in greater depth, exchanging their respective thoughts and opinions.
Time passed little by little.
Before they knew it, half an hour had gone by, and their discussion finally came to an end.
Akemi continued touring the Sorcerer Kingdom.
Naraku, meanwhile, staggered slightly as he walked out of the private room.
Being human really was troublesome. He had only drunk a few glasses, yet he was already starting to feel tipsy.
Next, he still had to use his profession and Talent to try to obtain Enhela's Job Class.
What a hassle.
The Original really didn't treat people like human beings.
Wait.
He wasn't human in the first place.
Never mind, then.
"Naraku-nii, Naraku-nii."
The repeated calls interrupted Naraku's thoughts.
He turned his head and found himself looking at a pair of blonde twin lolis.
Ureirika and Kuuderika.
Those were their names.
They were freshmen who had enrolled this year and were currently attending the kindergarten at the Magic Academy. Once they turned twelve, they would automatically advance to the next level.
Incidentally, the two were also Arche's younger sisters.
"What are you two doing here? Children under twelve aren't allowed in the tavern."
Drunkenness counted as a poisoning effect, and in a world where treatment consisted primarily of magic and herbal medicine, alcohol poisoning could be extremely dangerous.
Although this world had no legal drinking age, most tavern owners generally wouldn't sell alcohol to youngsters around fifteen years old.
Much less these two little girls standing before him, who were only eight.
Naraku naturally reached out with both hands, scooped up the two little girls, and prepared to carry them back to their dormitory.
Arche was Neia's friend, and Neia was his friend.
By the logic that a friend of a friend was also his friend, Naraku had naturally become Arche's friend as well.
(P.S.: As mentioned in Chapter 355, Neia wanted to become friends with Arche.)
Arche loved reading, Neia was an obsessive bookworm, and Naraku was a Genius.
The three of them actually had quite a lot to talk about.
"Naraku-nii, there's a girl looking for you. We're showing her the way."
"Looking for me? Where?"
"Over there."
Naraku followed the direction Ureirika was pointing.
The first thing that entered his vision was a massive scythe.
Naraku's expression stiffened as he stared at the blade hovering only a few millimeters from his neck.
He instantly sobered up considerably.
"Help me get in touch with my dear. Tell him I need to speak with him."
Zesshi Zetsumei smiled faintly as she spoke.
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