She’s the Type Who Overdoes Everything

I went ahead and retrieved Epsilon while she was busy fighting some mobs.

She mentioned something about reporting back to Alpha, so I figured it was some kind of trouble involving the Mitsugoshi Company. That was all fine and dandy, but having her report my location to Alpha would be a disaster. I was currently "on the run" until the heat from my previous escapades died down.

After a quick strategy meeting, Epsilon agreed to help out with my "Black Rose" play. Having an accomplice should really open up the possibilities for the performance.

And so, Epsilon went undercover as a Boy Soldier to infiltrate the "Oath of the Black Rose." For someone with her skills, it was a piece of cake.

"Does it look okay?" she asked.

She had changed into some men's clothes we’d managed to procure locally.

"You look like a Boy Soldier through and through. Nice work, Epsilon."

"It’s only possible thanks to the Magic Power Control and Slime Bodysuit techniques Master Shadow taught me. By using Magic Power Control to manipulate the slime, I’ve compressed my—well, my usually ample volume—to mimic the physique of a young boy. It’s a bit hard to breathe, but if it helps me serve Master Shadow..."

She gave me a detailed play-by-play I hadn’t even asked for.

"Epsilon, you’re incredible. Oh, and for our cover, I’ll be your older brother."

"Yes, Brother Cid."

"Yeah, just like that. They’re probably still busy with post-war cleanup, so let's just slack off around here for a while."

"I see. So we are conducting intelligence activities while the other units are occupied."

"I like the sound of that."

Nice suggestion. Intelligence Agent Play is always the best.

I raised my hand and gathered a tiny, imperceptible amount of Magic Power at my fingertips.

"That technique is..."

A small, bluish-purple light began to shine with increasing brilliance.

"Atomic Radar."

I then decomposed the minute Magic Power into even smaller particles and released them into the surroundings. They spread out like fireworks before vanishing instantly.

"A wide-area, high-precision detection technique that compresses a tiny amount of Magic Power to its limit and releases it at the particle level... To see such perfected compression and god-like control with my own eyes... I’m so moved I could cry..."

Epsilon’s eyes actually started welling up. She’s always been the type to blow things out of proportion.

"What’s most surprising is that this divine technique is theoretically learnable by anyone, provided they have even a sliver of Magic Power. And yet, the only person in the world who has actually mastered it is Brother Cid. It’s proof that your compression and control have reached heights that no one else can even hope to follow!"

"Mm-hm, totally."

"In all of history, there has likely never been a Spellsword with skills as transcendent as yours, Brother Cid. And naturally, one will never appear in the future. Because you are, and always will be, the one and only number one—"

"Ah, I found something."

I cut her off before her praise-loop could continue for eternity. Epsilon had been like this since she was a kid—a good girl who always tried her hardest to suck up to me. Back in the day, I used to start every morning drinking her tea while being showered with compliments.

On the flip side, she could be incredibly prideful and harsh toward anyone who wasn't me, which often led to people misunderstanding her.

"As expected of Brother Cid! To have found an important clue in such a short time. With this much speed and precision—"

"This way. Follow me."

"—there isn't another Spellsword in the entire world capable of such detection. Yes, I'm coming!"

"It’s behind here."

I led her through an underground passage and stopped in front of a blank wall.

"It looks like a regular wall, but I see. A hidden door."

"Seems so."

The problem was, I had no idea how to open it. What now? Maybe I’ll just slice through it without making a sound.

"Truly incredible, Brother Cid." Epsilon looked up at me with sparkling eyes. "It’s cleverly hidden by the camouflage of an Artifact. Even if the entirety of Shadow Garden had investigated this area, it would have taken forever to find. The fact that this door has been discovered is entirely thanks to your power."

Epsilon reached out and casually pulled a single brick from the wall. As she channeled Magic Power into the gap, a vast array of magic characters surfaced across the entire surface.

Finally, Epsilon chanted in a dignified voice.

"Sésame, ouvre-toi."

With that, a door appeared.

"Hmm."

I see. I have absolutely no idea what just happened.

"I will go first to ensure there is no danger. If anything were to happen to Brother Cid—"

"Be careful."

"—I would lose my reason for living and be cast into the depths of despair! Right then, I’m going in."

I followed Epsilon as she stepped through the hidden door.