Chapter 126: Changes

A sense of dissonance swept through me as I returned to Orario. This is where I received the opportunity to become stronger. Despite the fact that I arrived here yesterday, it didn't change the emotions that I felt.

Immediately, I felt several glances land at us. My King didn't hide her face with the robe, merely using it as an additional garment on top of her silver armor. Needless to say, her beauty is fully revealed.

I could still recall how shocked I was to see her grown-up appearance.

"All of them are mortals… It is truly different in a world not reliant on mysteries."

"As long as they continue their development, they could grow strong enough to fight against its threats." I replied. "Gekai is closer to my world's mechanism. It is inevitable for them to face their own Twilight Syndrome."

Each world works on a different set of mechanisms. It could be seen on the Singularity that was reliant on mysteries for the strength of their magecraft, as opposed to my world that wasn't affected by it.

However, there might be similarities between them. In the first place, I wouldn't have landed in Gekai if it was not "close" to my world–both physically and metaphorically.

While we strolled the busy streets of Orario, my King asked a question.

"You are meeting them, no?"

It didn't take me long to realize she pertained to my lovers.

"I will introduce you to them, my King. I happened to tell them my previous exploits as Galahad…"

After a while, our surroundings became silent. It didn't take long for me to realize what happened.

I turned to face my golden-haired friend.

"It's been a long time, Aiz."

*****

A lot could happen within two and a half years. Before Nobu left, he made several ground-breaking innovations within Orario—and Gekai as a whole.

First, he made his Unbreakable Magic Swords that don't break upon usage. It is then learned by his friend, Welf Crozzo, who continued to supply such magic swords in his disappearance.

Second, he invented several magic items that reshaped the flow and storage of information within the city. It was first used by the Hermes Familia before being utilized by the Guild.

Third, Hephaestus and Soma Familia made an educational institution open to children. The contents of their teaching aren't known to the outside world, but many had guessed it has something to do with Sirius' teachings.

To the general public, they only knew that Sirius left in order to pursue a goal outside Orario. But, the familias who worked with him knew the truth about it.

'I will take care of a problem in my world.'

Those were the words he left in his message.

Nevertheless, the innovation he started did not stop but continued to progress intensively. The supply of the magic items released to the Guild, for once, had far-fetching effects when it came to their management.

There are many other changes. Still, the one thing that remained absolutely none other than strength. It is the main prerequisite to implement these innovations.

Fortunately, the four familias didn't lack that at all. The [Mana Furnace] taught by Nobu had several beneficiaries. Although, there was one person who had the highest level of growth due to her nature as a daughter of a Great Spirit.

Within those two years, her status reached level eight. It is none other than the golden-haired girl with the moniker "Sword Princess"—Aiz Wallenstein.

"Nobu." She replied to him. "...Who is she?"

Nobu was caught off guard by her question. He expected the usual greetings after a long time of parting. It was as if he was caught cheating by his wife.

Unknowingly, he opened more than five mind partitions in order to break this awkwardness.

"She's…"

"You may call me Artoria."

Unexpectedly, Artoria was the one who spoke in his stead.

"Nobu could be considered as my knight."

"..."

At this moment, he knew he had to break this awkward situation.

"It's best if I introduce you two in private. I know the perfect place for that."

Nobu stepped up and took the initiative to hold Aiz's hands. With him leading the way, the crowd split apart.

Artoria walked several steps behind the two, and as such, she noticed Aiz's growing stillness.

'Galahad is more sensible now.'

As his King in the past, she knew how many women fell for his charms. It was unfortunate that he acted like a wooden block at those times.

In a sense, the women in his new life is very fortunate.

'Two goddesses and a half-spirit… He would eventually become similar to them."

It seems like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, after all.

*****

"You are… his liege?"

"...Yes."

Inside a tea shop, we sorted out our possible misunderstandings away from the prying eyes.

"The world that he saved is related to my cause." My King explained. "I made a mistake and he resolved it."

Aiz looked at me with her same dull look.

"It went like that."

"I see…"

A moment of silence came before I unfolded a new topic.

"You are already level eight. You must've worked hard, Aiz."

"Mn." She shook her head. "Most of it came from you."

I knew she was talking about the mana Furnace that I brought over to this world.

"Still, your own efforts couldn't be disregarded." I replied to her. "Then, how about this..?"

In the midst of my time in the singularity, I never forgot everyone in Gekai. Thus, I created the 'returning gifts' in advance. I already gave Artemis' and Hephaestus' in the form of a ring and a necklace, respectively.

I took out a metallic black box engraved with silver linings.

"I don't—"

"Hear me out for a while."

Interrupting her words, I continued explaining.

"This is a gift for your hard work. At the same time, it is also an apology for my sudden disappearance. I know that I made you worry."

"..."

In the end, I managed to convince her to accept it.

"...The bet."

"Yes?"

"We made a bet before… with Tiona. That time when you are level three."

Indeed, I could recall we made a bet like that. It was due to my six-month long sleep that we weren't able to do it.

"You won. You became a level four within that month. We owe you a favor."

"...alright."

Seemingly noticing my plan not to use that favor, she looked at my eyes for quite a long time. I am forced to acknowledge it, thus they now owe me a favor.

"Ahem. It's time to catch up…"

*****

News in Gekai used to propagate at a quite swift pace in the past. Every achievement an adventurer had would be known by the many around a day or two after it happened.

With Sirius' return, however, it is completely different.

As the "shining star" who rose up to Level Seven within five months, his name is completely well-known within Gekai. His attainments in magic, forging, and item crafting is simply too incredible.

Fortunately, the cafe he chose as a meeting place is quite discreet, only serving the people who are aware of it. As such, guests are usually far and few in-between, though there is a time when it becomes quite rowdy such as the celebration for Nobu's Level Seven status.

'It is happening again.'

The barkeeper is a 'middle-aged man' with long ears. He founded the cafe as a means of using his hobby, but it was turned into a regular place of "Sirius". Of course, he did not have any complaints.

Ring-!

The bell on the door rang as another person arrived.

"Sirius!"

To the normal people's eyes, all they would see is a black blur blitzing from the cafe's door. It is a different thing for the three people inside, however.

Nobu would be able to completely react from this sudden 'attack', yet he chose not to. He chose to remain seated as he placed his tea cup down.

In the end, he found someone clinging onto him, her legs clamping his waist.

"It's been a long time!!!"

Tiona's actions were as intimate as they could get. Her face dug into his neck, seemingly taking advantage of this situation.

Aiz looked at her with dull eyes.

'Even I could not do that…'

She kept her thoughts within herself.

"I think it's too intense for a greeting, Tiona."

With a single touch of his fingertip, the tanned Amazoness found herself seated properly on a chair.

"Owh?! How did you do that? You became really strong…"

"Just one of the things I picked up during my travels."

Nobu didn't say that the spatial displacement magicka is to transport enemies unaware of magicka to his strike zone.

"Wait… Who is she..?"

Just as usual, Tiona is very lively. She scanned the robed woman opposite of them. She saw bits of her silver armor which allowed her to have some guesses behind her identity.

"Artoria Pendragon. I am his… liege."

"I see…"

Tiona muttered with a slightly confused look.

"Anyways… You reached Level Seven."

"Um. It isn't all that amazing compared to Aiz, but the weapon techniques you taught helped wonders!"

Similar to magicka, magical techniques are a form of derived techniques from magicka. However, you utilize a sword or other weapons as a medium for distorting mysteries. Kuchiba Style Swordsmanship is one such example of it.

It is no wonder an adventurer could walk further by being armed with it. It showcased the terrifying potential of falna and Modern Magicka.

"Did you face any troubles with it?" Nobu asked.

"Not really. Those scriptures were really easy to understand. That was how it worked for me."

"I see."

*****

"You are different in this world."

"Mn?"

"You are more accommodating. You would have ignored the girls chasing after you in the past."

"...So it's that obvious…"

Compared to my King of the past, she is very much more open when it comes to casual things. She is no longer the distant perfect king of before.

"I'm going to settle it one way or another."

"I see."

Unlike before, I didn't choose the trouble of strolling the streets and directly bent space itself. When the distortion is huge enough, the "net" would be able to reach the "other side". This is the concept behind the contemporary space magicka in my world.

It was still restricted in the past, but my current attainments are more than enough to improve it and use it for practical purposes.

A split second later, my sight shifted to a familiar "multi-purpose" basement. It is the white room where I used to conduct my experiments and the likes.

It is outdated compared to the insane technology I used to build the dreadnought-class airship Altair. Still, it was enough to handle the enemies I faced after the disbandment of Evilus.

"Teacher…"

I looked back and saw a familiar girl. Her height remained as it was, making it an easy distinction compared to his other acquaintances.

Surprisingly, I sensed my King's presence disappearing. Perhaps she did not want to be caught up by my third reunion.

"You changed a lot… but your height is still the same."

"That…"

A slight blush grew on her face as she walked towards me.

"Teacher became taller…"

With my current height, she could barely reach my chest. I could see the embarrassment growing on her face, thus I chose not to joke around with her height anymore.

"You handled everything very well."

"It's nothing big…"

"I've also heard you earned an epithet."

"No..!"

During serious times, Lili enters a berserk state where her capabilities are largely increased. I could predict that even her Mana Furnace was affected by it.

As for the title she got…

"Red-eyed Commander…"

"Teacher… It's embarrassing…"

Those gods truly did play on her.

Though, I did find one thing strange. Everyone with extremely fast progress on Mana Furnace is somehow connected to spirits. Aiz has the blood of spirit flowing on her while Filvis and Ein are transformed by one at some point.

The latter's case also proved that reverting their physical bodies did not affect its aftermath. Thus, there is a possibility that Lili's specialty lies in her soul.

In the most prominent systems, there is a concept that stood out the most:

Reincarnation.

'I'll find some time to talk with her on this one.'