The Ministry of Magic had several meeting rooms and guest rooms. Fluder was headed to the most lavishly-furnished guest room of them all. It was a room which was only used for visits from the Emperor or other highly-placed people.


Fluder stood by the door of the room and checked his grooming.


His robe was exquisite and fit to be worn to the evening galas organized by the Emperor, while the splash of cologne on his collar and sleeves radiated a heartening fragrance.


Fluder had no interest in politics or social interactions. Rather, he hoped to be able to focus all his efforts on magical research, so he found all other matters annoying. However, he knew that he could not completely ignore such problems.


He did not want to wound the Empire’s dignity by appearing unkempt.


Very good, all’s well.


After assuring himself that his clothes were in an immaculate state, he knocked on the door, and then entered.


There were two adventurers in the luxurious room. One was a warrior, dressed in jet black plate armor like the Death Knight from just now. And then, the other one was a beautiful woman who was so fair that she even managed to mesmerize Fluder for a moment.


So they are Momon of Darkness and the Beautiful Princess Nabe, then?


“Forgive me for keeping the two of you waiting.”


As Fluder quietly closed the door, he suddenly had a strange feeling.


“...Odd…”


He remained at the door, staring at the jaw-dropping beauty.


...I can’t see it?


Fluder’s eyes should have been able to see an image superimposed over her. However, he could not see it now, which left him speechless from shock and puzzlement.


Fluder’s natural Talent was the ability to see the auras around arcane magic casters, and thus the tier of spells they could use.


However, Fluder’s talent could not sense the auras from around them, despite hearing that the Beautiful Princess Nabe of Darkness was an arcane magic caster.


Protection from divinations?


That was the only possibility, but that in turn raised new questions of its own. Why had she warded herself against divinations? Normal adventurers would not erect such defenses. That was because using their strength on such matters was too troublesome and few situations arose where one needed to be constantly aware of such things. Besides, not taking off one’s protection for divinations when meeting them was quite rude.


Well, I used a detection ability myself, which was somewhat impolite too… but why does she have to hide her power?


Fluder’s Talent was well known, and perhaps she had done so to protect herself, but he still did not know the reason for it.


 Upon seeing Fluder frozen in place, his somewhat surprised guests asked:


“Is something the matter?”


“Ohh, please forgive my rudeness.”


Fluder sat before Momon, but he could not help sneaking peeks at Nabe.


“Ah, I see. Let’s begin, then.”


Begin what? Before Fluder could ask, Momon took the initiative and said:


“...Nabe, it’s time for you to take your ring off.”


“Understood.”


Nabe removed her ring. In that moment—


***


It felt like an explosion had gone off in his face.


A cry of “What—!” escaped his throat.


Nabe’s body radiated a world-shaking wave of power.


His body was not truly being assaulted by a wave of overpressure. This was a surge of might which only someone with Fluder’s talents could see.


Fluder curled up into a ball and trembled, like a man lashed by icy winds.


“Im… possible…”


It was not possible, it could not be possible. There was no way — no way that there was someone more powerful than himself.


But he could not reject it out of hand, because the scene before him was reality. His ability had never betrayed him before — her power was far in excess of his. That was the pure and undeniable truth.


“The 7th… no, don’t tell me, this flow of power is… the proof of the 8th…?”


If that were so, then it would be the stuff of legends.


Fluder could no longer speak, because magic of the 5th tier was the domain of heroes. And the 6th tier which Fluder had reached was terra incognita. And now, someone who had easily gone a tier beyond had suddenly appeared before his eyes.


And she was such a young and beautiful woman too.


Could it be that her appearance doesn’t correspond to her age?


As Fluder trembled in shock, he noticed Momon removing one of his black gauntlets, and then he removed one of the rings he wore.


“—!”


In that instant, the world was subsumed into light, and Fluder felt his consciousness flee him.


He could not understand what had just taken place before his eyes. Even Fluder, who had lived over 200 years, even this man who could use the highest tiers of magic humanity could reach, could not comprehend this reality.


“This… this… this is… this is too unbelievable.”


Hot fluid coursed down Fluder’s cheeks. However, he did not have the presence of mind or the composure to wipe it away. The immense shock had overwhelmed his mind.


Who could have imagined this? That the Dark Warrior of song and story was actually an arcane magic caster, and one who occupied a height so great that Fluder could not hope to reach the soles of his feet?.


“If that is the 8th tier… then this is the 9th… no… this really is… oh, gods…”


The overwhelming might emanating from the Dark Warrior Momon far exceeded that of Nabe, who sat by his side. Since he had surpassed Nabe, a magic caster estimated to be of the 8th tier, then exactly what heights of magic could this Momon reach?


Fluder’s soul answered the question that had appeared in the corner of his mind.


***


—The 10th tier. It was an absolute zenith whose existence was known, but which had never been verified. And now, a man who came from that exalted domain had appeared before his eyes.


***


Fluder rose to his feet, then knelt before Momon, tears streaming from his eyes


“...In the past, I believed in a lesser deity who governed magic. However, if you are not that god, then I shall promptly renounce my faith. That is because the true god has deigned to appear before me.”


Fluder kowtowed with all his might, plastering his head to the ground. There was pain, but the uncontrollable joy in his heart meant that the pain lost all meaning to him.


“I know this is extremely rude, but I beg a favor of you, upon my hands and knees! Please, bestow your teachings upon me! I wish to glimpse the abyss of magic! I beg you! I beg you!”


“—And what sort of price are you willing to pay for that?”


That voice was as cold as an iceberg. Fully a hundred out of a hundred would describe it that way; yet to Fluder’s ears, it was a sweet and pleasant voice that set his heart aflutter. Of course, he knew of the venom concealed within those words. Still — what of it?


Fluder did not hesitate for even a moment. He was willing to pay the price. He was willing to hand over his soul.


“Everything! Yes, I will pledge everything I have to you! O Lord of the Abyss! O unfathomable one!”


“...Very well. If you are willing to give me everything, then my knowledge shall be yours. I shall grant your wish.”


“Ohhh! Ohhhhh!”


Fluder ground his forehead into the floor as he shed tears of joy. His heart, frozen and stiff from jealousy, had melted. After waiting over 200 years, he had finally obtained a chance to fulfil the wish he had held for so long.


The utterly excited Fluder kept his forehead touched to the floor as he crawled over to Momon’s feet and kissed his boots. He had originally planned to lick them clean. However, the calm portion of his mind worried that his master and god would be revolted by him, and so he settled for politeness instead.


“That’s enough, I understand your loyalty.”


“Ohhh! Thank you!... My Master!”


“Now then, your first order. Deliver live sacrifices to my fortress—”