Chapter 36
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Chapter 36: I Have a Proposal
With a swift Demon Shadow Step, Midi glided like a falcon skimming the ground, effortlessly dodging the row of sharp Ice Shards.
Activating a contract generated magic pulses, space summoning created displacement waves, and Summoned Beasts required time to attack. These overlapping delays gave the reborn Midi ample reaction time.
This remained a Summoner’s weak point—their reliance on Summoned Beasts slowed reactions in fast-paced battles. Even the renowned Mist Sorceress Alice hadn’t overcome this flaw until after her girlhood.
Against such direct attacks, Midi remained composed.
Yet he didn’t counterattack. Instead, he issued a clear order: evade.
Fleeing wasn’t feasible. He couldn’t abandon "Fina who’s about to burst with rage," and turning his back on the formidable Mist Sorceress meant certain defeat.
A full assault proved equally pointless. They sought allies, not enemies—especially with the Sais family’s army massing at the count’s territory border. Starting a war with Alice now would be disastrous.
Most crucially, Midi instinctively refused to fight Alice.
She was someone he’d sworn to protect. Raising his sword against her, even temporarily, felt unthinkable.
Driven by stubborn resolve and youthful idealism, Midi chose attrition warfare.
Though Alice commanded infinite magic as this land’s master, her Physical Strength had limits. Having been her lover in his past life, Midi knew her stamina was pitifully low.
Imagine the strain: rousing at midnight for combat, summoning Fog Demons and Night Demons, hauling Fina around, then chasing adventurers through winter forests—all on an empty stomach.
A few hours of this might push the lazy Mist Sorceress to think, "Too troublesome—just hear them out."
Guiding Sigmund and Lilian, Midi began circling tactics.
Alice naturally gave chase—to her, evasion meant escape. The black-haired girl unleashed Full firepower: Ice Phantoms, Wind Guardians, Fire Seas, Earth Quakes… High-level Elves bombarded the forest with various elemental attacks.
But Alice underestimated Midi’s twenty years of rebirth Experience. When fully focused on evasion, even the forest’s mistress struggled to corner him.
After thirty minutes, patience snapped.
Covering a furious yawn, Alice recommenced Fog Demon summoning while tapping underground magic veins—prelude to renewed trench warfare.
Melodic chanting summoned thickening mist. Moonlight silvered the swirling fog as magical threads wove an all-seeing net through the winter forest.
Then the unstoppable ritual shattered.
A sapphire beam pierced the shadows, outshining moonlight as it speared toward Alice!
The Mist Sorceress’ eyes flashed. An invisible reef-like barrier shattered the attack into drifting embers. Through the heat haze, surprise flickered across her face.
"Scared? I thought you’d never flinch." A familiar voice rang across the battlefield.
"Fina!" Midi emerged from tree shadows, abandoning evasion.
The core figure appeared, and Sigmund and Lilian were thrilled. If not for the ongoing battle, they would have rushed over immediately.
The red-haired girl and the black-haired boy locked eyes. She flashed a confident smile and waved. "Sorry for worrying you."
On the battlefield’s edge, Alice, who had taken a Magic Beam hit, stayed utterly still, silent and unmoving—neither attacking nor retreating.
"Super transmutation," she murmured after a pause, her voice barely audible. "So they broke the magic seal in four hours."
Fina knew nothing of super transmutation. The Hamilton family had a rich history but wasn’t versed in magic. Midi, despite being a reincarnator, had only heard vague mentions of it in his past life. Neither he nor those around him had ever achieved it.
Yet Alice, with her vast knowledge, recognized the truth instantly—the red-haired girl and black-haired boy were Super Transmuters.
Their evolved bodies and magic weakened standard sealing effects, making them far more dangerous. Though no threat to Alice herself, they’d become a nuisance.
How to eliminate these four adventurers permanently?
Should she summon "that"?
Rarely, Alice hesitated.
Facing Super Transmuters, she felt her lethality was lacking. But summoning "that" risked losing control. She might end up fighting her own creation after dealing with the adventurers.
The battle stalled—until Fina stepped boldly into Alice’s attack range.
Unlike Midi’s unguarded approach, her movement radiated oppressive pressure, like a brewing storm about to erupt.
"You rejected Midi’s offer," Fina declared, her voice sharp. "We were wrong to invade your territory. But attacking without warning? Even Belmar Duchy’s worst nobles pretend to be civil! Are you just a battle junkie?"
Alice stayed silent, but the winter air plunged to icy depths. The Mist Sorceress had taken the bait.
The battlefield tensed under the clashing pressure of both girls. Their gazes met—Alice cold and silent, Fina openly challenging.
"Throwing a tantrum because you lost and got captured?" Alice finally sneered. "At your level, you’re not qualified to speak to me."
Fina’s cheeks flushed slightly, but her gaze stayed steady. "Since you value qualifications and strength, I propose something."
"What?"
"A one-on-one duel. Just us!" the future Queen of Magic declared.
Alice responded with a chilling laugh, equal parts deadly and alluring. "Fine."
At her word, the forest’s magic—in trees, earth, and air—vanished completely. By refusing its power, Alice showed genuine intent. Fina’s green eyes blazed with battle intent.
Midi bit back his words. He knew it was futile.
The girls focused solely on each other. Men were irrelevant. Friendship could wait.
Watching them poised to clash, Midi smiled wryly yet fondly. His rebirth and twenty years of combat experience meant nothing here—he could only observe.
But his heart warmed. This was the Fina and Alice he knew: proud, unyielding, unchanged by any butterfly effect.
One blazed like a phoenix; the other loomed like an enigmatic swan. Yet fundamentally, they mirrored each other.
This was why they’d become lifelong friends. Why he’d gladly die protecting them.
As Fina’s crimson hair flared and Alice stood ice-calm, Midi suddenly understood his role.
