Right now, I sat high up on the sky drinking a cup of tea, behind me stood Emilia who had a solemn expression. A year had passed ever since we developed this new magic element I called ‘Null Element’. At first, we thought that it didn’t have an element. But because of our persistent experimentations, we managed to overcome it. By using the molecular theory, we were able to reproduce two elements with this.
Using mana as a catalyst to excite the molecules in an enclosed place, a fire would be produced. And it wouldn’t die as long as we continued to excite the molecules. Inversely, by depressing the molecules, we were able to turn things into ice. This was the same process I used to make ice cubes and when I tried it with the null element, it yielded the same result as my water magic. There were some differences between them. Water element magic only freezes water molecules. While null element magic freezes anything, which is kinda scary.
“Is what you said true, Emilia?”
“Yes. The old principal has retired and the person that replaced him is a 23-year old young man.”
“… what about the other thing?”
“It’s also true, Lumina-sama. There have been reports by my classmate that they saw a person with weird clothing walking around the school.”
“…”
These two things seem oddly familiar. I could hear warning bells going off in my mind. However no matter how I tried to wrap my mind around it, I just couldn’t remember what it was.
“Lumina-sama?”
“Hmm… Emilia, I think it’s a good time for us to spread this magic to our classmates.”
“Why?”
Emilia tilted her head to the side as she asked me. Though I planned to teach my friends about this magic, but because I was a loner, I didn’t have anybody to teach. There were Mark and Andrew, but when we became sixth graders. The two of them suddenly disappeared without a trace. So far, there haven’t been any news about them.
“I can’t really explain it, but I feel that there’s gonna be a huge disaster that’ll burn this school down to the ground in the future.”
“Eh?”
Emilia rapidly blinked her eyes as she digested what I said.
“I know this is quite unreasonable, but I feel that that something will definitely occur. Besides…”
I paused for a bit before I continued what my words. This was because it was quite a hard truth to accept. Most of them suddenly disappeared and never came back. As a result, I was able to drink tea even though it should’ve been morning classes right now.
“The teachers that teach us have been decreasing lately and now, only Sir George is the only one who dutifully teaches us.”
“… but.”
“Just gather anybody who’s willing to follow me. I don’t care if it’s few.”
“The problem is because you’re the one who’s ordering it, Lumina-sama.”
“Yes?”
“Nothing… then when will you start your teaching them?”
“Now if possible.”
Emilia made a complicated expression before she bowed to me.
“Then I’ll be off then, Lumina-sama. Please wait for a while. I’ll be gathering them near the school fields.”
“Why the fields.”
I tilted my head to the side as I asked her.
“You’ll see.”
Emilia then started to descend. Each step she took, bluish ripples would form under her feet.
“I wonder how Eclara-sama is doing right now.”
“Eclara, are you really gonna relinquish this contract?”
“Yes.”
I knelt down in front of my master, Pax-sama.
“May I know the reason?”
I bit my lower lip when he asked me this question. It was because this was both insulting and degrading to him. I didn’t want to answer this question if it was possible. However, because he wouldn’t allow me to relinquish my contract with him, I swallowed my pride and raised my head as I answered him.
“It was my mistake to have chosen you as my new master, Pax-sama. Though you are a prodigy and quite powerful despite your age. But the elitist attitude you nurture is something that I can’t endure any longer.”
“…”
“Also, please do not worry about me. I have already chosen a new master to serve.”
Pax-sama had a very red face as he clenched his fist in front of me. Beside him, I could see that most of the students had quite a shocked expression when they heard my declaration. Because there were people around us, he was unable to become violent and thus, he did his best to appear calm.
“Hoo, then please enlighten me who this new master is.”
“She is a very noble person whose talents equal yours. Right now, she’s studying here as a General Studies Student.”
Since I feared that danger may befall her if I revealed her name, I did my best to make my statement as vague as possible.
“Hah!? Have you gone mad, Eclara!? You’ve decided to become one of those trash students that leech off us?”
“…”
“If you wish to become trash, then so be it. I don’t collect junk after all. <Dismiss>!”
He uttered the keywords that canceled my contract as his servant. The ring on my right hand’s index finger dispersed into golden dust and diffused into the atmosphere. It was my symbol of loyalty to him, now that it had disappeared from my hand. This meant that I have now become a vagrant and lost my last name.
I was no longer known as Eclara Dien Rot. I was now known only as Eclara. A masterless wanderer.
“Go away and never show your face in front of me again, trash!”
“Thank you very much.”
I left the classroom as quickly as possible. Now that I was no longer under him, the people who bore grudges against could now openly show their hostility. Dealing with them was nothing more but a waste of time. And I wanted to meet her as quickly as possible.
The reason why I decided to leave Pax-sama was because of my talk with the ‘Anomaly’. This Anomaly was a being that was summoned by a male student during the familiar summoning ceremony. He possessed exceptional talent and magic that was immeasurable. But despite having all of those things, he still possessed a kind heart and his bond with his summoner was also very strong.
One day, as I was distressing over whether to swallow my pride and leave Pax-sama’s side or continue serving him. The Anomaly suddenly appeared out of nowhere and started a conversation with me. Due to that conversation, I became resolved to leave Pax-sama’s side and serve her. The person who I felt was the most suitable person.
As I was heading towards the farthest and the most neglected place in this school, my heart and body felt really light. The way I walk was already close to running and my impatience grew with each step I took. When I had finally arrived at the school building, I suddenly heard her voice.
“Are you guys really sure? Though I already have Emilia as a servant, you should know that this contract can never be revoked. The two of us have already tested it and discovered it as such.”
(Irrevocable contract?)
Normally, that’s done inside the magic cathedral where hundreds of people would act as a witness to your oath. Once that person has sworn an oath, he/she will obtain a ring that will never vanish. The only way a servant can be freed from such a contract is for the master to die a natural death or was murdered.
“I represent everybody that has gathered, Lumina-sama. All of us wish to become your sword for the coming disaster you have prophesized. Serving you has always been our cherished dream ever since you became a fourth grader.”
(Disaster? What are they talking about?)
My steps became slow and when I approached the school field, I saw more than two hundred students lined up in front of her.
“Did you expect this?”
“Yes.”
“Haaa~ I wonder what they see in me. Do you know?”
“It’s cause you are the most respectable person in this school. There’s no one else other than you. And you teaching them magic further made them wish to serve you, just like me.”
Beside her stood her temporary servant. However, unlike before, her former red eyes became black and the edges of her twin tails had a dark color.
“I’m getting a headache… but as a noble, I need to honor their wishes. It’s that, right, the noblesse oblige.”
“Huh?”
"You don’t know? Ummm… you know that I’m a noble right?”
“Yes.”
“The noblesse oblige is the obligation of us nobles to act with generosity to those who are less privileged…. Ummm, aren’t I one of the less privileged?”
“No you are not.”
“Why!?”
She raised her arms in protest to the girl who was standing beside her.
“Have you ever experienced any hardships ever since you came to this school?”
“… No.”
“Do you know the reason?”
“… No.”
“Do you wanna know?”
“… Maybe?”
The servant walked in front of her and with the students stand behind her, she declared to her.
“Its cause all of us have been doing our best so that you will never feel underprivileged.”
“Since when!?”
“The representative just said it. Ever since we were in fourth grade.”
“I don’t really think I’m worthy to be served though.”
“Yes, you are, Lumina-sama!”
“The dignity you possess, the intelligence you have and the things you’re about to give them is enough for us to serve you till death!”
“Till death… that’s just exaggerating.”
“No, it’s not Lumina-sama. Aren’t you about to teach them magic?”
“Yeah, as a countermeasure.”
The servant girl spread out her arms wide as she declared to her:
“Did you know that almost all of them had given up on learning magic, but now you’re about to give them a chance to learn the magic we made! You’ve given them a new hope and you’ve also revived their ambition. The ambition that was killed when it was announced that they couldn’t learn magic! Do you still think that you’re unworthy to be served?”
“… you’re being overdramatic, you know, Emilia.”
“It’s the only way to convince you.”
The servant girl relaxed her arms and made a wry smile. She then stood in front of all the students and asked them a question.
“Are all of you really resolved to serve me until you die?”
““““ Yes!”””"
Her answer was met with a great shout by all of the students.
“Then kneel down before me.”
Her presence suddenly changed the moment she spoke those words. Even I, who was quite far and was hidden, fell to my knees when I heard her speak.
She placed a finger on her mouth and made a small wound on it. I could feel that she was pouring her mana into it. As the blood feel to the ground, I suddenly felt a large amount of mana swirl around the students.
“Once you have taken this oath, my words and safety will forever take priority over anything else.”
Her words were met with silence, but the atmosphere they emitted meant acceptance.
“From this day forth, you shall become Emilia Sluga Chem’s family and will now carry the surname of Sluga Chem.”
“““ Yes!”””
As they accepted her words, a change occurred to all of the students. Their eyes became black and the edges of their hair had a tint of black. The ceremony they had performed was very different from the norm. What’s more the amount of mana she used was similar to an intermediate spell. This should have been an impossible feat for her to perform.
This unexplainable phenomenon she just did piqued my curiosity. Quickly standing up from my spot, I made a step forward and accidentally stepped on a branch. Due to the silence that followed after their change, the sound I heard seemed to have been very loud.
“Who’s there!?”
She suddenly faced my direction and her eyes opened wide when she saw me.
“It’s been a while Lumina-sama.”
“Eclara-sama?”