Getting here, took a long long time.

And from here, it will end easily, like going downhill.

The feelings in the sigh I let out, had no strength in them at all.

Leaking of information to other countries, establis.h.i.+ng of dummy companies to sell off magicians.

In the end, testing of military weapons in battle.

The only reason I have not exposed the uncountable number of crimes, is that there were too many hidden backers.

Even if I arrest them, expose them, a.s.sa.s.sinate them, annihilate them, new backers keep appearing.

And when I continued patiently searching for the root of it all———I reached an unexpected person.

I do not know if the setting was like that from the start or there was a change in characters due to fate speeding up.

Either way, the results are different from what I remember.

So I had kept searching for a side character I did not know about.

And.

“Foolish, Count Hedrix.”

The man who was fully bound, gagged and left lying on the floor quietly looked up at ‘Origa’.

Seeing as if he looks slightly absent-minded, he might have taken some sleeping pills, I thought that in my heart, but there is no particular need to confirm that.

Since every person in this estate has been put to sleep with drugs, even if the count was acting and was looking for a chance to call for help, none would come.

The bookshelf that started burning a little behind me released a burnt smell.

The copper hair reflected in the full-length mirror leaning against the wall was illuminated by the fire and its colour stood out.

Child of fire, Lady of the inferno, an appearance worthy of those names. A suitable age.

I had been in a slight rush since it would not be long before I caught up in age to the ‘Origa’ I had seen many times before, it really is a good thing that I could deal with this man before that.

“The Count was slack in dealing with fire and the whole estate burned late at night. Regretfully, everyone who was in the estate was caught in the blaze. ……that report will reach the capital tomorrow.”

Crackling, the flames began spreading, filling the room with the smell and sound of burning.

There was also the choice of using magic to burn the estate all at once, but since there’s no resistance, there is no need to forcefully burn it down.

There is the time needed to watch and make sure that the building burns down naturally and not a single person inside survives———but that cannot be helped.

If there is no trace that magic had been used, not many would suspect ‘Origa’ immediately upon hearing that the count’s household died in a fire.

There soft-hearted and direct friend would probably suspect it, but he won’t have any proof.

“Now then, it will take a while until the fire spreads through the building, until then, since I have time, let us talk about something……ah, you cannot speak like this. Please wait a little.”

After I untied the leather strap, he coughed a little but obediently remained lying on the floor.

Magic aside, it is a commonly known fact that I have barely learnt any martial arts.

Even if he is affected by the drug, is a renowned soldier like him unable to go against a fourteen year old girl?

As I thought, this man has no intention of opposing me from the start?

The Count looked around the room that had begun to burn slowly and slowly let out a sigh.

“………”

“Do you have something you want to ask? Since it is your last chance, I will answer anything.”

“Drugged. The people in the estate.”

“It was a sleeping drug. Since it was not poison, they should all die in their sleep without suffering.”

“I see.”

Seeing the Count let out a breath as if he had given up, but was also relieved, I felt suspicious.

I do not know how many were involved with his actions.

That is why, I dealt with all that had contact with him.

Men, women, maids, gardeners, cooks, guards, even an infant with no sense of self.

Even though I had said that I had no intention of letting a single one of them leave the estate alive, the count was too calm.

“Why did you know it was me? I did not leave anything that would serve as proof.”

“……unnaturally so. But, because there was no definite evidence, I chose the option to burn.”

The proof that Keika finally found after a year was clearly insufficient and would be crushed if brought out in public.

The roots are too deep and neither me nor Haverster-sama cannot fight it.

Since if it was known that I found the count that is only a branch, the faint amount of evidence around him would be hidden immediately.

Then I might as well burn it all.

“Next, a question from me. Why did you let me catch your tail?”

“If you truly wanted to hide, there was no way I could find you. I do not know the reason you, who is skilled with information, invited me here.”

He should have known that if I found him, I would kill not only him but his whole family, like right now.

When I investigated him, I immediately found out that he is a man that loves his family.

I cannot understand why such a man would put his and his family’s life on the line not to draw me into a trap, but to just lure me out.

Was he cut off? Or does he want to make a deal?

No matter which it is, nothing will happen if I do not listen to what he has to say.

‘Can you tell me?’ when I urged him, after maintaining his silence for a while, his low voice echoed through the room.

“All for the country.”

In the eyes of the man as he raised his gaze, was resolve.

“Because there are ‘monsters’ like you, more people are admiring magic. And everyone rejects progress.”

He has said that the cause is ‘Origa’.

The magician with a rare gift, the protector of the country.

And that person, I, am hindering the development of the country.

“Look at the other countries. The continue studying and developing to make up for their lacking talent with technology. Then what about our country. Restrained by bloodlines, rejecting growth, declining. It’s fine since you are here now, but if you fall then our country will be ruined….. considering that, I moved to eliminate you.”

“To obtain the future?”

I do not feel like denying that thinking.

This country is completely dependent on magic and develops too slowly, it cannot catch up to the technology of the surrounding countries.

In a situation where the country’s economy is being forcibly maintained with magic, with the decline of the magician bloodlines, it is clear that ruin awaits in the future.

For those that consider that future in that situation, a gifted child of magic that is a symbol of the old era is nothing but an obstruction.

Those that rely on a symbol that stands out stop thinking, excludes other opinions and give up on growth.

Considering the fact that the total number of magicians is decreasing, even if I continue being the best fire magician, this country only has a future of decline.

Actions with that in mind———even if, that is only on the surface, there would be many who would sympathize.

“I had thought you were surely part of the rejection faction though, but from those words, it seems I am wrong.”

“……no. I hate magic. Everyone more or less bears that thought in their heart. Magicians are,”

Thinking about the next words that were cut off as he choked on the smoke, a smile spilled from my warped lips.

‘Magicians are not human.’

I have already understood that that is the recognition of magicians and it is a thinking that is spreading around the world.

Creatures that are different existences from themselves, are the minority, and bear strong power.

The growing trend of removing them, even if it is influenced by someone, is a natural thing.

I do not know when or who made this trend, but everyone agrees with that thought somewhere in their heart.

That is exactly why.

“That really was not a plan that could be started by the intentions of one or two people.”

While a soldier kills one, a magician kills ten.

But without magic, their body is exactly the same as a normal human’s.

If cut down, they will easily die.

The development of weapons that reduce the power of magicians is not possible without the cooperation of this country that knows all about magicians———and the people living in this country are starting to s.h.i.+ft towards the inclination to eliminate magicians.

Yes, this is not just about the extremes like someone living on the bother or the leaking of cla.s.sified information by an aristocrat.

“That magic sealing stone that absorbs mana and renders magicians powerless. It looks like it is still at an experimental phase, but plans to put it into use have been made.”

“……yeah. There were many times you fell into a situation where you had to release your fire with your full strength. There was no lack of opportunities to improve it.”

In these few years.

Every time I went to the battlefield on the king’s orders, the magicians sacrificed increases.

Even if I moved and acted to breakthrough the situation, the difficulty keeps increasing at yet another battlefield.

And weapons that magicians’ powers do not work against are slowly starting to spread through the battlefield———in the past three years, the situation has got to a point where even intermediate level magicians are starting to become ineffective.

“I simply cannot believe rejecting magicians is an act of sanity though.———his majesty must really hate us.”

“Well, that does not matter though.”

The increase in development of the weapons after the king’s younger sister’s, mother’s death, was just too obvious.

Once we lost our greatest guardian, mother, there was nothing holding the king back.

A war where magicians are being driven into a corner. Intentional mistakes in information dissemination. Supplies that are not transported. Betrayal by allies.

These must be the reasons the original Origa rampaged and rebelled against the country.

The ma.s.s of spite against magicians that was never spoken of from the hero’s perspective———the mastermind, the instigator is, the king.

Cornering magicians in the situation the country is in is an act of madness.

I do not know why the king is leading such a foolish move, what he is thinking, and what his goals are.

But, I do not need to know.

That is not my story.

“This country will fall immediately if we do not fight. We do not have the resources, the citizens or the soldiers. We only have magic. But, you all cannot accept that reality.”

The people that hysterically move to eliminate magicians cannot recognise reality.

Even though there is victory because there are magicians.

Even though there is peace because there are magicians.

Once magic is abandoned, there is only the glory of the past remaining.

The fate of this country lies with magicians.

“The efforts of the magician haters will be rewarded, I will definitely run out of strength in the near future. ……that is quite a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.tic plan.”

———even though this is a country that can only raise monsters.

“……his majesty, rushed things too much. That weapon is already out of our country’s control.”

“Did you gain an alliance by cooperating with that? Or import of weapons?”

“The neighboring country broke the agreement. Our means of protecting ourselves were cut off.”

The Count glossed over it without answering, but it is probably both.

The flow of a world that shuns magicians will definitely head towards this country in the end, the country that is known as the holy land of magicians.

It is easy to imagine the emotional rampage to crush the holy land that is creating the threat to humanity.

That is why in exchange for technology and information, they requested a new form of protection from the enemy country.

Having sold out magicians, their lifeline and without the new fighting force they were supposed to get, this country is seconds away from ruin.

“And so you reveal everything and come crying to me?”

The Count, one of the ring leaders, tried to offer his own life, the lives of his beloved family and information in order to hold back the coming destruction———-whether that was on his own accord or not is unknown though.

They were the ones that had kept trying to kill me off, the one who protects a clan of magic, and this country.

They should know the best, after coming to come observe my full strength, how much longer the final bastion, the ‘lady of the inferno’ will continue to be effective on the battlefield.

A dry laugh shook my throat.

“How, stupid.”

———in less than a year, the development of magic sealing stones, will reach a stage where even my magic no longer works.

That is all, exactly like the developments in the light novel.

The foundation has been set.

This is, the scenes behind the story (Side Story), for the main character.

This is, ‘my story’, for the main character.

“Will you, destroy this country that shuns magicians?”

As I continued laughing softly, the Count suddenly asked that.

“……please rest a.s.sured. As long as ‘he’ is there, no matter how I act, this country will definitely be saved. I only act for the future beyond that.”

“He?”

I do not know what will happen to Gil-sama if the magic sealing stone made against ‘Origa’ who is at the pinnacle of talent completely spreads.

The light novel ended without reaching that point though.

The future that the heros’ who chose peace and grasped it have yet to notice.

The future the creator, the ‘author’ wrote.

‘I’ know the settings that definitely existed even if they were not revealed to the world in clear words.

No matter how I acted, Origa will become the head of the Rujils, Mother will die and the world will move towards shunning magicians.

———if I interfere, I can change the story (process), but I cannot change the setting (result).

That is the truth I have learnt in this life.

“Magicians are fated (set) to perish. ——that is why, I am fighting against that fate.”

The setting is harsh.

No matter how much Gil-sama struggles, no matter what road he walks, no matter how he saves this country.

This future alone, is set.

In the future, many magicians will be born.

But magicians rendered powerless by magic sealing stones will be a target of persecution.

And the history of magician hunting will begin around the world.

In a future where Gil-sama, me, Atlas, the powerful magicians are gone.

Who will protect the magicians born into that future?

Who will save the magicians who are made out to be criminals the instant they are born?

The future of magicians is hopeless.

——but it is still not clear if the hero is walking towards a happy or unhappy ending.

What I am doing, is nothing but burning away thousands of people.

I am just a murderer, a watch.

But, I believe that there is also a future, that cannot be protected without a villain.

“Until ‘he’ appears on the stage, I will definitely protect this country. ……please shut your eyes at the sacrifices that are made in the process.”

“Are you saying you will sacrifice the people for magicians?”

“That is something I do not want to be told by you people though.”

The Count wanted to protect the country’s future, I wanted to protect the future Gil-sama chooses, we acted with those thoughts.

If our targets of protection differ, then the sacrifices will also differ.

We just chose, who to protect.

“Before I am a protector of the country, I am the head of the clan of fire. Protecting magicians is my highest priority. Even if I have to lay my hands on many innocents, I will destroy all magic sealing stones.”

“……no matter how skilled a magician you are, that is impossible.”

“Of course if I used magic at this rate, even if it is me, I’ll run out of mana, my vessel will break and I will die.”

Even though that was what he wished for, the Count’s expression contorted upon hearing those words.

If even I, who is known as the strongest magician, falls, then it is simple for it to become a world that shuns magicians.

The only ones who would be able to resist, are the current head of the Harvesters and the current head of the clan of wind, who are not cla.s.sified as offensive magicians.

Once improved magic sealing stones meant to seal ‘Origa’ are thrown into the battlefield, they will be unable to oppose and magicians will be rendered powerless, the country will fall.

But, there is a chance of victory.

“The number of cores of magic sealing stones are limited. There is only the existing magic sealing stones and the remaining can be counted on both hands. Once I get rid of that……Onii-sama should do something about the rest.”

“……why do you know about that? That is cla.s.sified information. There is no way that leaked to magicians!”

It is information that ‘Origa’, a magician that serves the country cannot find out if the king hid it.

But ‘I’ will know it as long as it is a setting.

My greatest weapon is not the magic that is becoming ineffective, my subordinates or my family, it is this knowledge.

The setting of ‘Origa’s’ age of death, the number of magic sealing stones, the future of magicians.

Because I know all that, I can fight.

I will grasp the future.

“……hey, count. Will I die first? Or will the magic sealing stones run out first? Which will you bet on?”

“What are, you.”

The words whispered in terror and the smoke filling the room made my vision blur.

Spinning and looking around, the supports of the room are starting to burn furiously.

The fire has already spread far enough.

“Okay, let us end this chatter. Good night, Count.”

Right after I had my fifteenth birthday, I heard the rumours that Gil-sama’s apt.i.tude for water magic had been displayed.

It doesn’t seem to be at a useful stage yet, but the news that a child that was exiled from the clan of fire for being talentless has awakened to magic drew everyone’s attention.

Before I heard the news from my friend’s mouth, I knew of Gil-sama’s movements for the first time in a while.

That night, I saw a dream of a battlefield burnt down by h.e.l.l fire.

I can see the hurt hero, and my face as I tried to burn him to death.

‘My’ face, trembling in joy.

——please, Onii-sama. Hurry up and                 me.