The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

Leo is actually a woman and her name is Leona.

I had made a terrible mistake and managed to calm her down by apologizing desperately to her shocked girlfriend.

"......So, Usato. Did you battle with the awakened Kalon?"

"Yes, well,...... just in case."

He nodded at Norn-sama's words, who looked a little tired from the commotion he had just witnessed.

I say that we had a battle, but I only tried to hit him back, even though he was blown away by the blizzard and was unable to move.

I don't know if it can be called a battle approximately, but if my information is useful, I'd better tell you.

"I feel the same way as Leo ......na. The horns and the tail made him look even more wild. Maybe I will be defeated by him next time I fight him. ......"

In fact, even before his awakening, his arm strength was equal to or greater than mine.

If his strength has increased, the only thing I currently have over him is the speed of my legs. Then, I should train to improve my speed and muscle strength for the possibility of our next encounter.

As I folded my arms and thought about our training plan, Master Norn tilted his head.

"Did I hear him wrong?　It sounded to me as if Usato had equal power with him before his awakening.

"...... what?"

Oh, shit.

What a grave. I should have said it more bluntly.

It's not good to tell the fact that they competed with each other by force of arms, no matter what.

"...... No way, it's just a figure of speech..."

"Hmph, no need to be modest, Usato. I saw it with my own eyes. I saw with my own eyes how you were overwhelming Kalon with your physical abilities alone. ......"

I quickly tried to cover it up, but Leona, who had regained her composure, corrected me.

Leona-san smiled a biting smile and clenched her fists tightly, as if she remembered the scene when we were fighting.

"Even though he is carrying me, he runs on the ice like the wind, not only pulling Kalon away from me, but also ......!　He avoided all of Kalon's ice spears and even knocked off the flying debris with his bare hands. ......!

"Le, Leona,......?"

"I was watching his battle as a backup, and I can say that his ability to sense danger and his agility in evading an axe that was being swung at him in all directions in front of him was almost perfect, and his avoidance was particularly human.

You seem to be very enthusiastic about this ......?

I appreciate you introducing me, but I don't think you need to explain me that much. I know it's true, but it's embarrassing to hear it again. .......

Norn-sama, who was slightly taken back by Leona's passionate speech, widened her eyes and shifted her gaze to me.

"I knew he wasn't just a man, but the Lingle Kingdom has sent us a hell of a lot of people. ....... It's obviously not normal to compete with Kalon in that condition. Are you perhaps one of the lifeguards I've heard so much about?"

"...... Yes."

This person, like Ms. Gladys and Mr. Lucas, does not seem to know about Rose, but he seems to know about the lifeguard group through rumors.

...... though I'm a little afraid to ask about that lifeguard rumor.

"Deal."

"......?"

Norn-sama looked at me and nodded once.

The words she muttered made me wonder a little.

"I finally understand why he was expecting you."

"Him?　Who is it?

The word "he" that Mr. Norn has been referring to since a while ago.

At first I thought he meant Mr. Karon or Mr. Leo, but obviously not.

It is as if he has anticipated our visit and is aware of Mr. Karon's current situation.

"I'll take you to him now. ...... Leona"

Master Norn stood up from his throne and spoke to Leona.

"I will take Usato and the others to see him. You are coming with us."

"And what about Kalon?"

"Yes, I will have to reveal everything."

Leona frowned slightly at Mr. Norn's words, but soon returned to a serious expression and moved to stand right next to us.

At the same time, Norn-sama also walked up to us.

"Master Norn, what in the world are you doing ......?"

"This is a secret place in Mearaq that is normally only shown to those of special status. I will take you there."

Secret place ......?

I wonder if "he" is in such a place, Mr. Norn.

"The one who will meet you there is the creator of the armor that Karon holds, and also the creator of the sword held by the hero who vanquished the Demon King.

"!!?"

The one who created the weapons of the brave?

That would be the creator of the small sword I'm holding right now ......?

"Wait a minute. The hero who defeated the Demon King was hundreds of years ago, wasn't he?　How could a normal human being live that long? ......"

It reminds me of Nea, who is a little behind me.

It is impossible for a human, but it is possible for a demon like Nair, who is more intelligent than humans and has a longer life span than humans.

"Yes. It is not human beings who will see you now.

I mumbled, and the Norn answered by striking the floor three times with the staff in his hand.

Then a blue pattern appeared on the ground and disappeared as my feet sank into the ground. I turned my head toward Nair as quickly as I could.

She was holding her hand on the floor where the blue pattern was floating with a stern look on her face.

"Nair, what is this?"

"Yes, witchcraft. Yes, it's magic... and it's very old and very well hidden. It must be quite a trickster down there ...... if I can't see it. I'm sorry to say, but they're better at it than I am."

While I try to keep my voice as low as possible and talk to Nair, our bodies continue to move down through the floor.

Looking overhead, I saw the maid waving us off from where the floor used to be translucent.

The scaffolding continued to descend.

In the middle of this, Master Norn, who had been staring at his staff, looked up.

We still have some time before we reach the bottom. If you have any questions before then, just ask.

What you want to ask ......?

The most important question I want to ask is about the person I'm going to meet, but that's OK, I'll find out soon enough.

While I was thinking about what to ask, Mr. Aruk spoke to Master Norn.

"My Queen, may I ask you a question?"

"As many as you can answer.

So, how were the people living in this city relocated to neighboring countries?　With Lord Kalon on the rampage, it would take a lot of time and effort to move even a small number of people while keeping them hidden.

Come to think of it, I have not been briefed on how the people of Mearaq were sent to the neighboring country.

Although it is a city, the number of people living there is not small.

And ice, not water, surrounds them. No matter how many people a boat can carry, it is useless if the surface of the water is frozen.

In such a situation, how did they get the people of Mearaq out of the country?

"In moving the people from here, I first asked Leona to stop Kalon, and while she was stopping him, I moved all the people."

...... isn't that a bit of a quandary?

I didn't say it out loud, but I was dubious about such a brief and crude explanation.

Seeing our reaction, Norn-sama smiled as if he was troubled.

"I'm sure you won't be convinced by this explanation. It's true that this has been a foolhardy plan so far, but with the help of the man we are about to meet, we have succeeded in this foolhardy plan.

The Norn raised the staff in his hand as if to show it to us.

In the center of the staff was a jewel with jagged triangular scales, emitting a light similar to that of the wards covering Mearák.

"Don't tell me this is the magic tool that created the wards?"

"Yes. To be precise, it is a tool that combines magic and witchcraft. This is also his creation, a special staff that has been handed down to us royalty.

In other words, is it safe to say that the wand that Master Norn is holding is the last fortress to protect this city of Mearaq?

When I heard that the wand emanated a large outer field, I thought it would be a more grandiose device, but it is quite compact.

"This wand can create a wide-area ward when I, the wielder, put my magical power into it. It is limited to use only in this city under his control, but with my magical power, I can create wards of a certain strength in any shape or form."

A magical tool that can only be used in limited places, but is reasonably effective.

It is quite extraordinary that it can be activated continuously by one person's magic power.

When you were drinking the potion earlier, you were throwing it away. .......

"I have moved the people safely by creating a boundary between them and Kalon. But some of the demons in the forest have gone berserk under the influence of Kalon's spirit, so I have sent most of my knights as guards. That's why there are only a few in the castle now.

"I see. ......"

The reason why there are no knights of Mearaq is because they left together to escort those who are on the move from the demons that have gone berserk.

The knights can't go back to the city because of Mr. Karon's presence.

It's a difficult situation.

"So, you were practically alone in dealing with Mr. Karon, weren't you?

"I was on the defensive from start to finish. I was on the defensive from the beginning to the end.

"Still, I think it's great."

There was no way she could be weak after facing such a big enemy as Mr. Karon without any help from anyone.

Leona was flustered by my words and turned her face away from me awkwardly.

"No, no, if I had done better in the first place, I might have been able to do something before he awakened. ......"

"Don't be too down on yourself, you're doing great."

As if concerned about Leona's still self-deprecating attitude, Master Norn called out to her.

"Your modesty is your strength, but it is also your weakness. What you need now is confidence. If you have it, you will be a member of Mearaq..."

"Master Norn, ......!"

Leona interrupted Master Norn's words, her voice sounding bitter.

She immediately bowed her head at her rude attitude, but her expression turned severe.

I did not understand what Master Norn was about to say, but I understood that what he said after that was not good for Leona.

"There seems to be a reason for this..."

"Yes, I guess so."

I nodded to Aruk-san's mutterings as he watched the exchange between the two.

I'm concerned about it, but it's not a problem we should get involved in. This is a matter for Master Norn and Leona, master and follower.

"We are about to reach the bottom level.

The voice of Mr. Norn is slightly downcast.

Looking beneath my feet at the sound of her voice, I could see that the blue glowing patterns of magic were slowly losing their light.

"He said to me," she said. <

As I gazed at the silently descending floor, Master Norn spoke these words as if to himself.

"I have seen you with my own eyes and you seem ...... to be worthy of trust. Still, I must warn you."

"Caution?　Is there something I should be aware of?"

Yes. When you see him, don't be scared. He may look a little big and scary, he may be intimidating, and he may act and speak very superior, but he is a kind ...... person at heart?　So ......"

Is it ...... Rose, with her scary face, unnecessarily intimidating, and her words and deeds from the top?

No, there's no unreasonableness in it.

No, I'm fine with that. I don't think I'd go beyond that scary face or Rose, though.

"I know someone like that. I'm fine."

Even though the person you are about to meet is an outsider, there is no way that anyone could be scarier than Rose.

I mean, is there anyone in the world more terrifying than Rose?　I even wonder if there is a more terrifying being in the world than Rose.

"I don't think so. There is no one like him. No, there can't be.

"What?"

I couldn't help but ask her back.

Is he really that great?

Could she be more than Rose ......?　No, no, it could be that she is great in another sense, not in Rose's standard.

While I was thinking so, the scenery around me was changing.

What had been nothing but a series of bright blue walls has now transformed into an incredibly large cave.

"Oh ......"

An exclamation escaped my mouth unintentionally.

The ceiling and width of the cave are unusually wide. There were fountains like springs everywhere in the cave, and blue light was leaking from the bottom of the fountains, illuminating the inside of the cave.

It was a fantastic sight.

I was surprised that there was a space underground, but I did not expect to see such a beautiful view.

This is the pride and legacy of Mearaq. ."

"It's amazing, isn't it? That's all I can say."

The Norns smile a little at my words and turn their eyes to the fountain, which shines with a blue radiance.

The water in this fountain is special. It looks like just shining water, but if you drink it, you will gain immense power.

"Great power?　That water has such an effect ......, but how can it be so sweet?"

Yes. This water is poison to all living things. Water doesn't give power, it draws it. The source of that power is life---turns life into power. And what is most harmful to human beings is that this water does not only give power."

Turning life into power.

As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't sound like a good thing.

"Easily-obtained power can make a person's mind go crazy. To drink this water means to give in to our weakness and turn away from the reality in front of us. The power that comes out of it makes the mind lose its composure and calmness, turning it into an outlaw who only wields power..."

Scaffolding arrives at the cave.

Norn-sama, who had moved ahead of us, his eyes still dazzled by the surrounding scenery, reached into a nearby fountain and scooped up a small handful of water.

"<>...... If you drink this water, it will be so potent that it will destroy your mind and body. That is why we, the royalty, keep this place guarded so that the will not misuse the Fountain."

A fountain of power.

I am sure that if its existence were ever made known, there would be no end to the number of people who would want it.

Just by listening to the story, I understood that the beautiful spring in front of me was a dangerous one.

"...... I will show you where he is."

The Norns scoop up some water into their hands, return it to the spring, and walk to the end of the cave.

I followed her in silence, and she stopped in front of a large fountain.

But the spring is empty.

Where is this "he" that Master Norn speaks of?

"...... is here."

"Neah?"

Nair muttered in a nervous voice.

I looked at her, and she was staring at the fountain.

"She's definitely here. We know this presence ....... Amako, you feel this presence too, don't you?"

"...... yes."

I don't know what Nair and Amako are feeling, and I don't know what Mr. Aruk and I are feeling.

However, it is obvious from the tense expressions on their faces that there is something in the fountain.

"---I have brought them here. Please, show yourself to us."

When Master Norn says this, after a moment of silence, the water in the fountain swells from the center and a huge "something" rises to the surface.

At that moment, a presence so strong that even I could sense it emanated from the object in front of me, and I immediately stood in front of Amako and lightly clenched my fists.

"Oh, come on, you're kidding me. ......"

Nair was right, we knew.

That was two months ago.

That's how I found out about the previous generation of heroes.

The dragon of disaster that she had awakened.

"---"

But when it appeared, it looked different from the "evil dragon" we knew.

Two of its four wings were shredded in half,

The large tail is missing a tip, as if it had been cut off,

Its scales were cracked and more than half of its claws were missing,

The mane extending from his neck and beard from his lower jaw were painted a stark white.

The dragon, dripping water from the fountain, looked down at us as we stared up at him, too stunned to even speak.

"---Welcome, Gentiles! My half has taken care of you."

He," the old blue dragon, said to me in a voice that reminded me of an old man's. "He," the old blue dragon said to me, in a voice that reminded me of an old man's. "He," the old blue dragon said to me, "is a man.