Chapter 33: I Just Wanted to Make People Smile with a Party Trick…

“And that’s what happened.”

“I see.”

Same day, evening.

I’d returned to Yuri’s house and was reporting to the party about Aldebaran and the others.

That Aldebaran was a Hero, that she’d received power from a different goddess than Karl’s, and that demons would soon be attacking the town.

“…Hmph. An evil god, huh.”

“So there’s more than one goddess. I’ve never had a reason to pray to the gods, so I had no idea.”

Among the information we got from Aldebaran, what caught everyone’s attention most was this so-called “evil god” aiding Karl.

A goddess who, while on humanity’s side, was still considered evil. A supernatural being called a god, yet labeled evil by others of her kind.

“In the Hero legend Lev and I looked into, there was mention that there were multiple goddesses, too.”

“Oh my, so goddesses have existed in plural form since ancient times.”

Hearing my report, Maika—who had gone to investigate the Hero legends—cut in. Apparently, even in the legends, there were several goddesses.

Back in my previous life in Japan, there were gods all over the place. I guess it’s the same here.

“The documents mention that there were multiple Heroes during the same era. However, it’s generally said that one goddess only grants power to one person.”

“So, basically, for every Hero, there’s a goddess?”

“…Whenever a Demon King appeared, multiple goddesses each chose their own Hero, apparently.”

“Oh wow. Then that means there could still be more Heroes out there besides Karl and Aldebaran?”

“I think it’s quite possible.”

Whoa. So it’s like one goddess comes with one Hero as a set.

That makes Karl just one of many, huh. Kinda makes him feel less special.

“But there’s one theory that bothers me a bit.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“The number of Heroes has been decreasing in more recent times. In the oldest records, there were over ten Heroes. But in the next set of legends, that dropped to eight. And in the last great war, only four Heroes were passed down in the stories.”

Whoa, that’s a sharp drop. I wonder why.

Karl’s rarity just went up, but still—more firepower is always better.

“This is just a hypothesis, but… all the Hero legends end on a happy note, with every Hero surviving and living happily ever after. But in reality, it’s possible some of them died in the wars.”

“Well, logically, it would be strange if the Heroes’ side came out completely unscathed. It feels more natural if there were at least a few losses.”

“Exactly. That’s why some scholars think this: ‘If a goddess’s chosen Hero dies, the goddess herself vanishes too.’”

…Huh?

“In other words, the reason the number of Heroes has been dropping over the generations is because the goddesses who granted them power disappeared along with them.”

“…Wait, Maika. You said there were four Heroes in the last war, right? So that means…”

“At most, we can expect four this time. Worst case, it might just be Karl and Aldebaran.”

O-oh, come on. That’s seriously not good, is it?

In the past, they managed to defeat the Demon King because they had several Heroes on their side. And now we might have only two?

And on top of that, those two Heroes are…

“Aldebaran’s goddess openly calls Karl’s goddess an evil god and views her as an enemy, doesn’t she? If we can’t even work together with Aldebaran—the one person we might be able to rely on—that’s pretty rough.”

“…This really isn’t the time for infighting.”

“Yeah. First, we need to hear directly from the goddess who gave Karl his power.”

Exactly. In a dire situation where the number of Heroes is steadily shrinking, having them fight amongst themselves is the height of stupidity.

No matter what, I need to get Karl and Aldebaran to make peace with each other.

“…However, there’s the matter of Karl.”

“Right. I suppose it’s time we let him go.”

With that, Maika walked over and untied Karl, who had been tied up in the living room—covered in bruises.

Actually, from the moment I’d stepped into the room, Karl had been whispering “Help me… help me…” in a pitiful voice, and I had no idea how to respond.

But Maika and the others looked so terrifying that I just pretended not to notice.

“By the way, can I finally ask what happened to Karl?”

“It was a guy thing, really. I invited him to come bathe with me. But the idiot got the time wrong.”

“We were three girls bathing together, just cleansing ourselves, when he barged in completely naked shouting, ‘Let’s bond naked!’”

“Yeah, that’s… pretty bad.”

I see. That does sound worthy of being tied up and punished.

“…I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Lady Maika…”

“Yes, yes. If you’ve learned your lesson, that’s enough.”

Still, Karl’s acting way too scared. What the hell did they do to him…?

---

"Alright then, I'm going to go pray to the goddess. Sometimes, if you’re really devoted, she actually listens."

"Yeah, contacting the goddess should be our top priority right now."

We decided to ask Karl to speak with the goddess and find out what’s going on.

That’s probably our most important mission at the moment.

"Maika and Lev, I’d like you two to gather information in town—same as last time, focus on anything related to the demons."

"...Got it."

"What about Irine and Sakura?"

"We're going to get a new staff made. If battle is approaching, we need to make sure we’re properly equipped."

"Right. A good-quality magic staff can significantly boost a mage’s power. And if we’re going to be fighting demons again, we need to be ready as soon as possible."

Everyone agreed with that, and just like that, we had a new plan.

We would act on the assumption that Aldebaran’s intel was correct and that the demons were on the move again.

Karl would try to get the details straight from the goddess herself.

"Alright then, let’s get some sleep. We’ll start moving first thing tomorrow morning."

"...Yeah."

Which means, once again, I’ll be heading into battle.

Against those monsters—those grotesque, bestial things that exist beyond the bounds of human understanding.

---

…I can’t sleep.

Late at night, I was still tossing and turning in bed.

What kept coming back to me was that image—that thing with the face of an ape and the body of a four-legged beast.

Its bizarre cry still echoed in my ears, as it charged forward, destroying everything in its path—an enemy of mankind.

We only made it out of that alive because Karl was there.

If he hadn’t been…

Just thinking about it made my whole body freeze with fear.

“…No. Next time, Karl will be with us from the start.”

That’s right. We’ve got Karl on our side.

There’s nothing to be afraid of. Even when the demons came at us in droves, they couldn’t even lay a finger on him.

We can win this. As long as Karl is at full strength—

“…Haaah.”

Ah, I’m shaking.

So I am scared, huh? I guess nearly getting eaten by a demon left more of a mark on me than I thought.

I have to face them again—and that thought alone is twisting my stomach into knots.

“…Pathetic.”

This is the path I chose. I was the one who wanted the thrill of battle—the blood-pounding, body-burning journey of combat.

If I fall apart just because I nearly died once, then what was the point of following Karl in the first place?

I got out of bed and walked out into the night.

I just needed a bit of fresh air. Calm my nerves, then go back and try to sleep.

That was the idea, at least.

Outside the mansion, in the garden surrounded by walls.

The grass and trees swayed gently in the moonlight.

“…Huh.”

My eyes were drawn—like I was being pulled—to the top of a wide tree stump.

Because there, a group of cheerful little people was dancing in a line.

…Are those spirits?

"Hi-ho, hi-ho!"

"En-yara-tatta, hoi-tatta!"

No… those aren’t spirits.

Spirits don’t have voices that clear. Real spirits sound more distant—like they're echoing from another world.

But this can’t be a real species either. Not even in a fantasy world like this would you find such tiny human-like beings.

"A lady walking under moonlight♪ Won’t you join us for a night of dancing♪"

"...Are you talking to me?"

"But of course we are♪"

One of the little people kept dancing with a bright smile. It was a lively, rhythmic dance that somehow lifted your spirits just watching it.

"…"

I reached out and touched one.

So they’re tangible, huh.

Wood, maybe? Looking closely, I could see clear notches around its joints.

"…Is this your magic?"

"Correct. Well spotted, young lady."

What was dancing on the stump was a wooden puppet.

And if there’s anyone who could create such a clever magical construct, it could only be one person.

"Good evening, Yuma."

"Indeed. We meet again, young lady."

The one who replied from behind me, as I stood staring at the puppet, was Yuma—Yuri’s father, and the most eccentric mind in the entire academy.

---

“Yet again, today is another day for practicing a new party trick.”

“You’re quite diligent, aren’t you?”

Apparently, I had walked in on Mr. Yuma in the middle of practicing one of his party performances.

This old man seems to have a habit of rehearsing at night.

“…I heard from my daughter. You can see spirits, can you?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“So spirits do exist. To think my daughter’s theory was mistaken—this world never ceases to be fascinating.”

Yuma narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced down at the little spirit perched on a tree stump.

“Was Yuri feeling down?”

“At first, yes. But it seems she found a new research theme thanks to the spirits, and in the end, she was absolutely thrilled.”

“So that’s why she was in such high spirits when she came home. That’s excellent news.”

It seemed Yuma had been worried whether his daughter was feeling discouraged. Eccentric or not, he is still a parent.

“Lately, Yuri doesn’t even laugh at my most earnest performances anymore. She used to giggle with delight.”

“That’s probably a sign she’s grown up.”

“Indeed. I feel both happy and lonely about my daughter’s growth. I’m terrified of the day she leaves the nest.”

…How much of that is this man’s true feeling?

Yuma, the oddball of the academic world, had always been nothing but a hindrance to his daughter’s scholarly career.

And yet, it seems he genuinely dotes on her in his own way.

“Do you want Yuri to stay at home forever?”

“That’s every father’s shared wish. If possible, I’d rather my adorable daughter never grew up and stayed by my side as my little girl forever. Well, I know it’s a hopeless dream.”

…Is that really how it is? I imagine it’d be tough even for a father to have a grown daughter lingering at home too long.

“…Mr. Yuma. May I ask why you chose to research party magic?”

“Hm. Do you understand what it means to ask a scholar about the subject of their research? I could talk all night and still not finish.”

“I’d like a simple answer, if you could. I just want to know why you’ve kept at it even when it’s become a burden on Yuri.”

I mustered up a bit of courage to ask him.

What was it that drove Yuma so strongly?

Why go so far as to make things hard for Yuri, just to pursue party tricks?

“You’re saying I’m holding my daughter back? Nonsense. The academic society doesn’t unfairly judge research based on the parent.”

“…But Yuri told me that during her first presentation, she was given a terrible slot because of your reputation.”

“Hmph, so that’s what she misunderstood. At her age, it’s rare to be given any opportunity to present at all.”

With a sharp sniff, Yuma flared his nostrils.

“I personally bowed to the head of the society and got her that slot. I begged the bigwigs, telling them it was a valuable presentation—even if it was from a child—and managed to get her squeezed in.”

“…What?”

“I already knew about her research through her friends. My daughter is a genius, without a doubt. That’s why, if I could get her just one chance to present, I was sure her worth would be recognized. So it didn’t matter what kind of slot she got at first.”

Wait a second. That’s not what Yuri told me.

She said it was because of her father that she suffered so much at the conference. That people made fun of her for being Yuma’s daughter and dismissed her.

“I’m sure they did make fun of her. Plenty of scholars despise me. And those kinds of people don’t hold back with their crude jeers.”

“I see…”

“But once you get used to it, it’s nothing. Just laugh at the fact that those who mock you still find the time to show up to your presentations.”

Yuma said this proudly, twisting his mustache with a smirk.

“Truth is, I too was treated terribly because my father was known as a ‘gag magician.’”

“Oh my.”

“They said I was wasting my time on useless, pointless research. I struggled to get any opportunity to present.”

“But now, you’re able to present, aren’t you?”

“Because I did present—and was recognized. For the brilliance of my party magic!”

The middle-aged man struck a triumphant pose, beaming with all his might. I want to punch him.

“…Still, party tricks don’t seem all that useful in daily life.”

“What are you talking about?”

Saying that party tricks have no place at an academic conference—well, that’s probably the correct opinion.

I’d said as much, but Yuma responded with a sullen look. I could even see a flicker of anger in his eyes.

"It’s an act that brings a smile to someone’s face. That’s never something to be mocked or dismissed."

"…Ah."

Those were the words of a man who had honed his magic purely for the sake of performance.

An eccentric who had devoted his life—through trial and error—to making people smile.

How much hardship had he endured just to be granted a chance to show his craft?

"I was still very young. When Yuri saw my magic, she’d laugh with such delight."

"…"

"That alone—just the innocent smile of my daughter—was enough to make me realize this was magic worth dedicating my life to. My father’s bad reputation made things difficult, but in the end, even the academic world acknowledged its value, and now I’m given a place at the conference every year."

"…"

"Magic that’s fun to watch and hear—that alone gives it value. Young one, please don’t belittle what I’ve created."

Hmph. Hmmm.

What the heck—he’s suddenly saying something reasonable.

"My apologies. Hearing that, I can’t deny it truly is wonderful magic."

"Right?"

"However, perhaps you could also try listening to what Yuri has to say now and then. There are times when your behavior does raise a few concerns."

"…Hmph. I’ll keep it in mind."

This guy may have a few screws loose, but he seems like a genuinely decent man at heart.

The kind of well-meaning nuisance who genuinely enjoys making people happy.

"Mr. Yuma. It seems danger will soon be approaching this town."

"Oh? A prophecy from a spirit?"

"No, from the goddess herself. So I believe it to be true."

Maybe… maybe I could afford to trust him a little.

He’s obnoxious, oblivious to social cues, shameless, and downright rude—but deep down, he’s good.

"When the time comes, it would be wise to have a place to hide—somewhere beasts wouldn’t think to look, like a cellar underground."

"Hmmm. That’s not something I can whip up overnight, you know."

"It should be possible with the help of an earth mage. As it happens, we have a skilled earth mage among our group—her name is Sakura."

Originally, I had planned to make this suggestion for Yuri’s sake.

But the reason I brought it up now… is simply because I’ve come to like this man a little. And because I was certain he’d accept it.

"Excellent! If it’s for my daughter’s safety, I’ll gladly take you up on the offer. As long as it’s within the bounds of our garden, do as you wish. I don’t have much left, but I’ll even pay for the job if I must!"

"Y-you trust us that easily?"

"But of course. After all, you just—"

Yuma accepted my suggestion without hesitation. It was what I’d expected, but his utter lack of resistance caught me off guard.

Isn’t he trusting me a little too much?

"You spoke up against me just now for Yuri’s sake, didn’t you? A woman who speaks out for the sake of my daughter—why would I have any reason to doubt her?"

…

Ah, so this man… he’s just mistaken about a lot of things.

That day, I realized that the man known as the oddest figure in the academic world was, at heart, just a doting father like any other.