TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
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'What magic will Ian use?'
Elia followed behind Ian, hugging her curiosity close.
"Professor, why did you suggest helping that hill giant?"
At Elia's question, Demonite made a puzzling expression (at least to Elia's eyes).
She understood well that hill giants liked humans.
But...Elia couldn't shake the feeling that giants viewed humans not as equals, but with the eyes of strong to weak.
By giant standards, humans were just cute 'animals' after all.
So she didn't particularly like such giants.
"Because it's educational."
"...Educational?"
"Elia, since you haven't properly learned magic yet you might not know. But communicating with mysteries basically means talking with non-human beings."
Giants aren't human.
Obviously they shouldn't be viewed by human standards.
Different races think differently.
Only those who can accept this can become great wizards.
You can't throw away chances to communicate with mysteries just because they don't match human standards.
"This is a good opportunity to glimpse another race's way of thinking. Aren't you curious how giants treat humans?"
"..."
Honestly, no. Not interested.
Elia wanted to say that but didn't speak honestly.
Before professors, hiding 30% of your true thoughts was proper university student behavior.
"I'm a bit more interested in taming small animals..."
"Hahaha. Communicating with small animals comes naturally as you learn summoning. No, you can befriend rabbits just by waving a carrot."
Wizards mustn't think by human standards.
They need a broader mindset that can embrace perspectives of other races.
That's why normal humans see wizards as crazy people.
"Hill giants treat humans like cute animals. But isn't that better than orcs thinking of humans as walking meat?"
"That's true but."
"The giants themselves know. If humans and giants get too close, conflicts involving bloodshed will definitely happen. That's why they live isolated in their village."
Elia admired Demonite's clean explanation.
As expected of an Imperial University professor!
Elia trudged along, exchanging conversation with Demonite.
Walking through the giant village listening to the professor's explanations, Elia looked like a girl group member filming a travel documentary.
"[This is our house.]"
Arriving at Sephina's house, Ian quickly scanned the surroundings.
He'd heard Henry hadn't been dead long.
So Henry's traces remained intact throughout the house.
'Lots of things kept for memories.'
Ian immediately prepared magic.
The magic Ian would use was, of course, necromancy.
'The goddess gave me a good skill. Better use it well.'
Closing his eyes and concentrating, Henry's memories lingering throughout the house rose up.
Memories are souls.
Ian started reading fragments of dead Henry's memories bit by bit with necromancy.
"[What... are you doing? Now?]"
Sephina approached worriedly when Ian closed his eyes and stood still.
But Demonite stopped her.
"[Leave him be. Ian is using magic now.]"
"[I don't really know what magic is... but there shouldn't be any danger.]"
Sephina habitually worried about humans.
Meeting Henry would be nice, but she didn't want to endanger humans for it.
Thanks to Demonite's timely intervention, Ian could maintain full concentration.
'The living soul already went to heaven.'
Henry's real soul was already taken by the Sky God.
Only memory fragments remained in the house.
But those memory fragments responded properly to Ian's necromancy and were summoned.
[What. Who the fuck is calling me?]
[...?]
Ian blinked at Henry's summoned soul.
Henry was a cantankerous old man.
Being old was natural. He'd died after living a long life thanks to Sephina's devoted care.
But...
[Was it you? Fucker. Got no eyes? Wanna die?]
[???]
[Shit. If my body was still good, I'd crack your head like a boiled egg. Hehehe.]
Ian was too dumbfounded to speak.
What the fuck is this guy?!
[Are you Henry?]
[Yeah! Nameless human! I am the great Henry! The only survivor of this hill giant village!]
Ian had expected Henry to be old but...
He hadn't expected this weird personality.
Ian scratched his cheek.
Wait, Sephina missed Henry terribly but...
This guy seemed completely thoughtless?
"[What's wrong! Ian! Did something happen?]"
Sephina asked urgently.
Ian had been acting strange for a while... and suddenly started muttering to empty air like a crazy person?
The giants who knew nothing about magic were sure something was wrong with Ian.
But Demonite quickly shouted:
"[No! The magic succeeded!]"
"[What...?]"
"[Rejoice! Sephina! Right now in this room! Before your eyes! Henry's soul is here!]"
"[!!!]"
Sephina covered her mouth, and Sephius bounced around excited.
"[Really? Henry's soul is really here?!]"
"[Hahaha. Ask Ian directly.]"
Sephina asked Ian in a trembling voice.
"[Wizard Ian... are you talking with Henry's soul now?]"
Ian looked at Henry with jaded eyes.
Henry picked his nose and flicked the booger toward Sephina...
[When's that fucking giant gonna die?]
"[...Henry says he's so happy to see Sephina again.]"
[What? Fuck, when did I!]
"[Ah... it is! It's Henry! Henry came here!]"
Sephina too started getting excited like Sephius.
Though she didn't quite understand what was happening, Henry's soul had been summoned by Ian's call!
Ian quickly shouted at Henry:
"[Your owner is right there! Aren't you happy?]"
[What? Owner? Gahhhh! You bastard! You summoned me to kill me by insulting me!]
"[???]"
Henry's excited soul started acting up.
Just acting up would be fine but-
Being a recently dead soul, he had quite vivid mystery within him.
Rumble...!
"[Uh... uh?!]"
"[What's this? Suddenly!]"
When Henry got angry, surrounding objects started shaking.
Physical movement caused by a soul.
In other words, poltergeist activity.
"[Ian? What's happening!]"
Shocked Sephina shouted.
Ian called out urgently:
"[He must be too happy to see you! Says he wants to hug you right now!]"
"[R-really?! Sniff.... sob...! Henryyyy!]"
Ian immediately said to Henry's soul:
"[Stay still right now or I'll really throw you at that giant.]"
[Hahaha! Try it if you can...]
Ian drew Henry's soul into his body.
Henry's memories flooded in like water.
'Fuuuuck! I'm over 60 but she won't feed me unless I act cute!!!'
'Come on~ Henry~ Say please~'
'Just fucking give it to me! You giant bitch!'
In the memories, Henry was... a 60-year-old man acting cute to get snacks from Sephina...
Ian crouched in front of Sephina with outstretched hands, just like in the memory.
"[Oh!]"
Sephina jumped in shock.
Ian's pose was...
"[The please-give-me pose!]"
Ian said in awkward giant language.
"Puh-pleeeease..."
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Excited Sephina let out a thunderous shout.
A shout so loud watching Elia considered running away!
"[Henry! Is it really you? Is it really you?!]"
Sephina grabbed Ian's shoulders with her huge hands and started spinning him around.
Ian screamed silently.
He felt like laundry thrown in a drum washing machine!
'Holy shit!'
Ian understood why Henry hadn't much liked Sephina.
Being raised by giants had... more downsides than expected.
[Urghhhh. Yes. This feeling. Really feels like dying.]
[...]
[How is it, human? Getting a taste yourself, it's pretty fucked up right?]
[Sorry. I assumed on my own you'd like Sephina.]
That's right.
Sephina had very, very much cherished and loved Henry.
She truly treated him like family. After Henry died, she fell into such depression the villagers worried.
But separate from her devotion...
Henry hadn't particularly liked Sephina.
[Yeah. It was good that giant saved my life. Without her finding me when I was stranded, I'd have died long ago.]
Henry's soul said.
[But! Why the fuck wouldn't she let me go home!]
[...]
[When she said this was my home, that I had to live here until I died, how could that make sense!]
Henry had wanted to return home but couldn't.
When young, his physical condition was too poor for long journeys.
If he tried escaping alone, other giants would catch and return him to Sephina, so escape was impossible.
By his 40s, he'd given up hope of escape.
He sensed this was his fate - to live here his whole life.
'Indeed. Makes sense not to like Sephina.'
Ian thought.
Since Ian was planning to arrange a final conversation between Sephina and Henry anyway.
Henry should have equal right to speak too.
[Henry.]
[What.]
[I'll give you a chance. Say everything you want to say now.]
Ian turned his head slightly.
Demonite was staring straight at Ian.
He probably roughly guessed what conversation Ian and Henry had.
'This might cause trouble.'
Giving Henry control of the body now was dangerous.
He was a human who died after being raised by giants his whole life.
Would it be too paranoid to think Henry might try to take revenge on Sephina?
A fight might break out.
But Ian didn't want to stop the necromancy like this.
He could have passed fake messages to Sephina.
But that wouldn't be true communication.
At least that's what Ian thought.
If not Ian.
If Ian weren't a wizard, could anyone have noticed the truth of their relationship?
It was a failing grade decision as a summoner.
Since summoning aimed to control mystery beings according to your will.
But Ian trusted his judgment as a wizard more.
[I'll give you a chance. Talk with Sephina.]
[...You serious? I shouldn't say this but, I'm already dead. No consequences? I might pretend to be crazy and cause trouble?]
[Do it if you want. If that's what you truly desire.]
[...]
Henry paused, then asked Ian:
[Why give me a chance? Didn't you summon me to look good to that giant?]
[That was part of it but.]
Ian said with a smile:
[I find it sad.]
[...What exactly?]
[Hill giants are a race that loves humans. Yet I find it funny and sad that a giant who lived her whole life with a human she loved so much never understood that human's heart.]
Ian lowered his voice slightly and said:
[Whether you curse Sephina, hit her, or get angry. I don't care.]
[Why...?]
[If Sephina truly loved you. She should be ready to accept everything about you.]
[...]
[She might reflect on her lacking past actions, but she won't get angry at you.]
Ian muttered.
[If Sephina gets angry. Then I misjudged her heart. In that case I'll just escape with magic.]
[...]
"Ha... hahaha! Hahahaha!"
"P-professor? Are you okay?!"
When Demonite burst out laughing, Elia's eyes went wide in surprise.
Ian said something really fast, then suddenly Demonite started laughing!
"Really! Ian! Your magic...! Hahahaha!"
"Professor?!"
"Ah. Stop laughing. If this fails you'll have to run too."
"Hahaha... I know. That's why it's more fun!"
Crazy bastard. Ian muttered.
"[Those humans... why are they acting like that now?]"
"[I don't know either...]"
The giant siblings tilted their heads in confusion.
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