He lowered his head and saw his own hands, the dark gray trench coat on his body, and the solid wooden floor beneath his feet.
The sensation of having a physical body again after so long left him somewhat unaccustomed to it. He tried moving his fingers, and the feeling from his fingertips came through with perfect clarity.
"Welcome to the Magic World." Aleister's voice came from ahead of him. "This is my cabin."
Raku raised his head and looked around. It was a typical Western fantasy-style stone-and-wood cottage.
The walls were built from rough stone blocks, while heavy wooden beams supported the roof. Flames quietly burned in the fireplace with soft crackling sounds, bringing a trace of warmth to the room. He walked to the doorway and leaned outside to look.
Beyond was a peaceful village. Thin trails of smoke rose from rooftops in the distance, while two moons of different sizes hung in the sky.
"This is… a village?"
"Yeah." At some point, Aleister had already moved to the large table in the center of the room. "Although I'd love to bring you directly to the Grand Spellbook Tower, there are still a few plans we need to discuss first."
He placed his hand on the tabletop.
The ordinary sand spread across the table instantly came alive. It automatically gathered and rose up, forming a miniature model of a magnificent magical academy under the influence of magic. Every tower and every corridor appeared in perfect detail.
"Partner, look. This is our destination. The Grand Spellbook Tower." Aleister pointed toward the tallest spire in the center of the academy. "My strongest Spellbook, [Spellbook of Judgment], is sealed there. Using that Spellbook, your soul can be fully restored."
"So we're infiltrating the place to steal the book?" Raku walked over to the table.
"Infiltrate?" Aleister let out a soft laugh. "No. Impossible."
"The Grand Spellbook Tower is heavily guarded. Its defenses consist of tireless magical dolls and battle mages sworn to absolute loyalty. There's no such thing as a shift change opening. The moment an infiltration is discovered, the whole academy mobilizes at full force."
Aleister withdrew his hand, and the structures on the projection instantly collapsed back into a flat layer of sand.
"So, we need a better method."
"A better method?"
A dangerous curve rose at the corners of Aleister's lips. The skin on his right hand gradually darkened to crimson, his fingernails lengthened into savage claws, and an asymmetrical demonic horn emerged through the silver hair at his temple.
"We just need to eliminate everyone," he said as the mutated demonic hand swept across the sand table as though erasing everything from existence. "Wouldn't that make obtaining the book safe? I've… been preparing for this for a very long time."
"Cough… So what you mean is, because you're too worried about infiltration failing, you decided to solve everything through direct combat?"
Raku nearly choked on the idea, though he still thought for a moment before speaking.
"If we force our way in head-on, a lot of people will get hurt. A lot of people will die. Even if we succeed, if the price is that many lives… then absolutely not."
"Oh?" Aleister turned toward him. "You don't want to pay a price, but you still want the reward? There's no such perfect deal in the world."
"Of course not." Raku met his gaze directly. "That's why, if this is the method, then I don't want the book anymore. Wanting everything without sacrifice doesn't exist, but choosing to abandon everything does."
"And your reason? There's nothing wrong with being a little selfish, partner. Could it be that you unexpectedly have a sense of morality? Even though you usually look so indifferent about everything."
"This isn't about morality." Raku shook his head.
"It's actually something pretty obvious. My soul was damaged because I used Super Polymerization to seal the gate. And the reason I sealed that gate… was so that I and everyone else could survive."
He paused before continuing word by word.
"In the beginning, I was wounded in order to protect others. And now, to heal those wounds, I'm supposed to personally destroy others instead? Do you really think that's right? Don't let yourself become a clown incapable of staying true to yourself, whether it's you or me."
The room fell silent.
The flames in the fireplace flickered, casting the two of their shadows long across the wall.
Aleister stared at Raku as the madness and obsession in his expression slowly faded away. The horn on his forehead gradually retracted, and the mutated demonic hand returned to its original form.
"In certain ways, you're unexpectedly clear-headed."
Aleister leaned back against the edge of the table, accepting Raku's reasoning.
"Alright, alright. There's actually still a Plan B." Aleister leaned against the table behind him. "Which just so happens to be the thing you understand best, partner."
"Dueling?" Raku responded immediately.
"Yeah." Aleister nodded approvingly. "Dueling is the highest law established since the birth of the world itself. Even in the Spirit World, it possesses supreme authority. You should understand that by now."
"Although the people of the Spirit World are more accustomed to deciding victory through raw power. After all, a spirit's strength here is directly linked to their dueling skill. If you can't defeat someone in a normal clash of strength, you probably won't beat them in a duel either." Aleister paused and patted Raku on the shoulder. "But as long as you initiate a duel, the other side will definitely accept it."
He circled around the table a few times, seemingly organizing his thoughts.
"Of course, if we rely on duels, then we can't have you fighting your way from the front gates of the Grand Spellbook Tower all the way to the forbidden grounds. In your current state, you'd probably end up dying to endless gauntlet matches."
"We'll need disguises. More accurately, I need a disguise." Aleister finally stopped walking and looked toward Raku. "First, we'll blend into the Grand Spellbook Tower. Then we'll cause chaos from within and head straight for the forbidden grounds. That way, even if we have to duel, at most you'll only need to fight the headmaster of the Grand Spellbook Tower."
"A disguise?" Raku kept both hands in the pockets of his coat. "Well, it's pretty obvious you're basically a wanted criminal in this place, right?"
"Don't phrase it so harshly." Aleister raised a finger and shook it while correcting him. "I'm merely a scholar pursuing knowledge. I'd rather describe their manhunt against me as persecution of advanced thought."
"So how exactly are you planning to disguise yourself?" Raku remained unconvinced by that explanation.
Aleister revealed a mischievous grin. He raised the staff in his hand, and the triangular crystal at its tip began glowing faintly.
A gentle white mist spread outward from him. The fog was not thick, and Raku could clearly see Aleister's appearance changing within it.
His body shrank smaller, and the long mage robes he wore changed in both style and size along with him. When the mist finally dispersed, the one standing there was no longer the silver-haired summoner clad in luxurious robes, but instead a boy who looked only thirteen or fourteen years old.
The boy had fluffy short green hair, with only a single striking white streak in the middle. His emerald-green eyes were bright and clear.
He wore a simple white robe similar to that of an apprentice magician, while the enormous staff in his hand had also shrunk down to match his height.
This was the appearance of "Crowley, the Gifted Magistus."
"Crowley" blinked a few times as he adjusted to the new body, then looked up at Raku and revealed an innocent smile. Even his voice had become youthful and bright.
"How do I look like this, big brother?"
Raku's expression instantly froze.
"Ugh… I'm begging you, don't imitate the way my little sister talks." Raku covered his mouth, looking like he was about to vomit at any second. "When she says it, it's fine because she's a girl. But hearing you say it? I seriously can't handle that."
"Hahaha, begging won't help you. Just endure it properly." Seeing Raku like this, Crowley laughed so hard he nearly doubled over, ruining the innocent image from moments ago. "Next, we need to purchase some necessary supplies. After all, my previous preparations were for a direct assault, not for infiltration."
"Let's go! To the Arcane Trade City!"
After saying that, he turned around and started marching toward the door with short little steps. Raku noticed that even his walking posture had become childlike, almost bouncing as he walked.
"Even your way of walking has become childish now…" Raku muttered while following behind him.
Without turning back, Crowley pushed open the wooden door of the cabin, allowing the moonlight outside to pour into the room.
...
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