"Dear Alexander!
"Hey, you're here, Xiaomei.

　After being told by the maid in the library of the mansion that she had a visitor, it was Xiaomei who appeared.

　Xiaomei Mei. She's a student at the school of magic.
　She was insecure and frightened when I met her, but now she's all grown up and mature.
　She's still quiet, but she's developed a core of character in her behavior.

　And most importantly.

Her magic is stronger again.
"Oh, really?
"Yeah, I can see it. She's got a lot of energy. Do you know who Cleopatra is?
Let's see, the great old beauty ......

　Xiaomei replied, you are still terrified of this kind of time difference.

I'm not afraid of this. The most beautiful woman of all time, the heroine of the era who changed the world. It is said that although she could not use magic, she had magical powers far beyond the reach of humans.
"Well, ...... who couldn't make a magic circuit by himself, right?
I guess so. The kind of magic circuits I taught you to build with the mupapato system. There are people who just can't seem to build this kind of magic circuit.
"Yes.
Cleopatra was, but in spite of that she had too much magical power. Then the enormous amount of magic circulated in the body and served only to invigorate the body.
That's why she was so beautiful.
There's a theory that . It was a long time ago, so we can only judge based on what information we have left.
"But I think I'm right!
Yeah?

　Xiao Mei's tone of voice was unusually clear for her.

''Yes!　Because Mr. Alexander is much more ...... than before.

　Xiaomei's cheeks were stained and she slumped down.

''Always?''
"Wow, you're a lot more magical than I am.
"Thanks. I've been working out a bit lately.

　He glanced at the sword of the wise man beside him and at the shadow protruding at his feet.

　Lotus in the shadows, the sword of the wise man with its blade gleaming.

　Auto-healing and auto-consumption, now I'm in a constant state of automatic magic training, 24 hours a day.
　Probably the maximum amount of magic power has increased by ten percent in the last while.

"Speaking of which, what brought Xiaomei here?
"Yes, I was, I'm sorry!

　Xiaomei hurriedly bowed his head once and then said.

I've come to ask a favor of Master Alexander today.
"Please?　Say, I'll do as much as I can for Xiaomei.
"Thank you!　You know, could you put it on training ......?
"Training . ." "Xiaomei, are you graduating soon?
"Yes!
"I see.

　Training is where students nearing graduation from the school of magic go to work and learn in the field, in the army, guilds, and noble houses.

　The last stronghold of the emperor's school of magic is willing to send its students out for training in order to increase its strength and create various pipes.

　Be that as it may.

I see, Xiaomei is about to graduate. The first time we met is still fresh in my mind.
"Yes ......

　Xiaomei's cheeks were stained and she slumped down gently.
　This smelled a little too obvious.

　Xiaomei is older than I am now.

Okay, okay. You can come visit me anytime.
"Thank you!

　Xiaomei was greatly pleased.
　It's more obvious when her emotions are running high.

　I can see the magic activated by her body exuding from her body.

　Xiaomei is even stronger than before.
　I'll teach you more when I come to the training.

　While I was thinking about this, there was a knock at the door.
　It's a knock that conveys an urgent, impatient feeling.

Come in.
"Excuse me.

　It was the maid Amelia who came in.
　She bowed to my guest Xiaomei and then turned to me.

What's wrong Amelia, it's rare to see you in such a hurry.

I'm sorry. It's urgent.
"Impending?　What's up?


"There has been an outbreak of soul-eaters in Psyche Village
I'll be there in a minute.

　I also felt my expression changed in an instant.

　　　　　Stars

　The village of Psyche.
　In the Alexander League territory, the original Carlisle territory, a village I've been caring for for a long time.

　I rushed there and killed the soul-eaters that occurred there.
　Just as I did with the falconry, I created a homunculus, drew its soul and then returned it to its mother body.

　The soul-eaters, for which we already have an established strategy, are nothing to worry about if you only want to exterminate them.

　On the other hand, the woman who was infected by the soul-eaters has reverted to human form and is lying face down in the middle of a field.
　The woman's husband had flown off and taken her place.

"Fu
"Thank you!

　Another man came to me, bowed and thanked me.

"And you?
I'm his brother. Thank you so much for helping my sister!
I see. Is there anyone else in the village who is pregnant?
"Huh?　Why do you do it: ......
"...... Oh

　Because I know what I know, I assume that they know what I know.
　To a stranger, that was just a vicious dragon.

　I quickly assessed the situation.

　A third of the buildings in the village are gone and most of the fields are mangled.

　There was only one demon dragon that did it.
　A soul-eater.

　So that's it.

That dragon will cling to a pregnant woman and turn her into one. So there's probably no one else.
"Yeah, yeah . Yes, yes. There's no such thing as a congratulations, as far as I know.

　Children in these rural areas become intact labor force, and also rejoice more to have a child as a primal human emotion.
　There is little to hide.

　It would mean that he is not there after all.

Then you'll be okay now.
Thank you . Thank you. ......
"What's wrong with you, you look so unhappy.
"Well, you're obsessed with pregnant women, aren't you?
"Yes.
Not yet, but I've been thinking that I should have a baby by now.
I don't know. I can't do this every time.
"Yes ......

　I see what you fear.

　From what I've learned from the wise men's sword, the soul-eaters are close to an epidemic of sorts.
　It was likely to be unleashed on that falconry site and "infected" more than one person, spreading across the country.

　In fact, it did, and this Psyche Village was half destroyed.
　And that means it will happen again in the future.

I'll figure out a way to prevent it.
"Oh, thank you!

　　　　　*

　I returned to the mansion and came back to the study.
　In my solitude, I thought about preventive measures.

　We know how to get rid of the soul-eaters.
　I could create a homunculus to evacuate the souls and create a state of suspended animation in which the fetus is soulless and the soul-eaters disappear when they have no more souls to feed on.

　There's no failure, no danger if I do it.
　And it's not much of a stretch now that we have our magic restored.

　But there is a problem.
　It takes a long time from occurrence to resolution each time.

　Each time a soul eater appears, the village is wrecked while villagers rush to me for help.

　I'd rather think of something to do.

"Feng.

　After I sighed, there was a knock at the door.

Come in.
"Excuse me.

　It was Xiaomei who came in.

Xiaomei, you're still here.
Yes, I was just about to leave. I was just about to leave, but the maid said that Alexander was tired.

　If you look closely, you can see that Xiaomei had a tray of tea and cake on it.
　It's an herbal tea for recovery, not effective for me, but it's a comforting item.

　Usually one of the maids would bring it.
　Rumor has it there's a pretty fierce battle for duty.

　You left it with Xiaomei to bring it to me.

　Incidentally, the maids have some idea of my biorhythm.
　At their request, maids who have been in my shadow can tell when I'm tired, hungry, or thirsty.

　Maids who want to serve me can sense this and bring me what I need when I need it.



　Xiaomei, who brought it instead, had lifted the cake by the plate and cast a spell.

What are you doing, Xiaomei?
"Yes!　The maid said that this cake tastes better if you cool the bottom a little bit right before serving.
I know. Xiaomei is very good at ice magic.

　It is quite an advanced technique to cast a spell only on the bottom, pinpointing a specific point.
　Xiaomei gives off the vibe that she can do it normally.

"Thanks to you, Alexander.
No, it's Xiaomei's talent. I've taught a lot of people, but even now, Xiaomei is the only one who has a permanent freeze without a magic tool ......, you know?
"Mr. Alexander?

　I suddenly "stop" and Xiaomei looks at me curiously.

　I stare at Xiaomei, and the time when I met her flashes back into my memory.

I see... A grimoire.
"Huh?
"Thank you Xiao Mei!　Thanks to you.

　I grabbed Xiaomei by the shoulders and thanked her.
　Then I ran out of the study, leaving her standing there looking very surprised.

Let's see, ...... I'm not sure.

　Xiaomei, who remained in the room, beamed with a happy smile.

"Alexander, I'm glad to be of service to you. ......

　　　　　*

　The next day, the village of Linnetra.

　Hearing that the soul-eaters had appeared again this day, I rushed to the village.

　The damage was greater than yesterday's Psyche Village because it was farther away from the mansion, so the call was delayed.
　When I rushed over, the village, including Astaroth's hiding place, had been almost completely destroyed.

Please!　Please, please help us.
"Please!

　The evacuated villagers swooped down on me all at once.
　I held out a sphere to them.

　It was an apple-sized egg that fit in the palm of my hand.

What's this?

　The nearest villager to the ball I offered him asked, "Try throwing this at that dragon.

"Throw it at the dragon.
"Huh?　But,
"It's okay, try it.
"Yes, yes ......
"I'll do it!

　Another man comes forward to replace the puzzled man.

"And you?
"Let me get even with his ...... wife who was killed by him!
"...... I see.

　That's a misunderstanding.
　Certainly, if you don't know about the soul-eaters, you could be mistaken for thinking that your wife was eaten by a dragon.

　Well, the misunderstanding is short-lived, and there's no need to say anything now.

　I handed the man the ball.

"Good luck.
"Ah!

　The man who received it enthusiastically wiped the tears from his eyes and went towards the still rampaging soul-eater.
　Yakuza, the man was thirty meters away, within reach of an adult's long throw.

"f*ck you, monster!

　He threw the ball at it, letting out an angry roar.

　As the ball flew into the soul-eaters, it cracked in front of its eyes and flooded with light.

　A blinding light, everyone in the room covered their eyes.
　The light reached its peak in seconds and gradually subsided.

　When vision returned, all that was left was.

Claire!

　It was the man's wife, lying in the middle of a field.
　The man ran to his wife, stumbling along the way but desperately trying to get to her.
　Then he picks her up.

Claire!　Oh ...... do you really love it, Claire ......

　A man cries tears of joy when he realizes that his wife is alive, even though she is unconscious.

　I gave the man a grimoire.
　It was an original grimoire that I made yesterday.

　Seeing Xiaomei, I remembered the existence of the grimoire.

　There was a time when those bad boys at the school of magic could use the super-high magic of perpetual freeze using a grimoire.
　A grimoire is a tool that, depending on how it's made, can make even those who can't use magic "use" magic.

　And now I can do most things, as long as I know what I want to do.

　So in one sphere I put together the ingredients of the homunculus and the magic to make it, with the help of Herschel's secret formula.

　If the soul-eaters were an epidemic, the sphere was at best a vaccine.

　While the man hugs his wife and is moved, I give the spheres I've mass-produced - the vaccine we just saw work - to the other villagers.
　The mass production is already in progress.

When the dragon appears again, use this to slay it.
""--thank you!

　The village is now ready.
　All we have to do now is to distribute it widely throughout the territory.