“What’s the matter? Why are you hesitating? This seal is going to break in a few years anyway. You’re a mage, so you can see that much, can’t you? I’m going to kill every last one of them regardless, but if you break it for me now, I’ll spare your life. That’s a pretty good deal, isn’t it?”
Grimoire smirked at me, his eyes gleaming with malice.
Did he really think I would just nod and agree?
My answer, of course, was already decided.
“I refuse.”
“Wh—?!”
I continued speaking to the stunned Grimoire.
“There’s no way I’m letting a villain who wants to destroy the country run loose. I’ll just redo the seal myself. I’ll make sure it won’t break for another thousand years or so.”
“W-w-w-w-wait!”
Grimoire panicked, stopping me as I reached out toward the book.
“...My bad. It’s been a long time since I’ve talked to anyone, and I got a little overexcited. I’m sorry. I apologize. See? I’m bowing! If you think about it, the people who sealed me lived hundreds of years ago. I don’t actually have a grudge against the people currently living in this country. Of course I wouldn't kill them!”
I stared intently at Grimoire as he put on a solemn, repentant face.
“Really?”
“Yeah! So, look, if you undo the seal, I’ll grant any wish you have! That’s it, Lloyd! I’ll make you filthy rich! I can create gold!”
As he spoke, Grimoire opened his hand, and grains of gold began to spill from his palm.
Heh. Creation magic, huh?
“How about it? I’ll give you as much as you want, Lloyd!”
I picked up a grain of the gold, gave a small nod, and crushed it between my fingers.
“Wha—?!”
“...This isn't a very high-level creation magic. Did you just forcibly turn a stone into gold? The purity is far too low, and the inside is hollow. You wouldn't be able to trick even a novice merchant with this.”
Besides, creating gold through magic is strictly forbidden. Not that it matters to me—I’m a prince, so I’m not exactly hurting for money.
“Mu, gugugu... T-then immortality! I’ll make you immortal!”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t like having someone else’s spell formula applied to my own body. Especially weaving a powerful spell formula like immortality into a human form—there’s no telling what kind of risks it might carry.”
Magic is not omnipotent. Low-level magic can be managed by simply consuming mana, but extremely high-level magic places a massive burden on both the caster and the recipient. Even if a formula for immortality were woven together with incredible skill, the risks involved would be immense. For example, severe nerve paralysis or the loss of physical limbs. I couldn't possibly accept such a formula on a whim.
Grimoire’s face twisted as if I’d hit the nail on the head.
“...As I thought, I’m going to have to seal you again. You seem dangerous.”
“W-wait! Wait! Please! I’m begging you! I’m not dangerous at all! I’m a good Majin! I was only sealed because I played a little prank, I swear!”
“Hmm, but you might be lying. Better to seal you after all...”
Just as I reached for the book again—
“T-then what about magic...!” the Majin muttered.
“Ancient magic from hundreds of years ago! If you’re a mage, you have to be interested in that, right? I’ll teach it to you! How about it, Lloyd?!”
I thought it over for a moment, then nodded.
“—Interesting.”
Needless to say, I love magic. Ancient magic... I’ve heard legends of spells that could shake the earth, cause massive floods, or even split the sea. I wondered how powerful the real thing actually was. I definitely wanted to see it for myself.
At my words, Grimoire’s expression instantly brightened.
“Right?! Exactly! Of course! To a mage, unknown magic is something they’d give their right arm for!”
“Yeah. Will you really teach me?”
“Naturally! So, Lloyd, undo this cursed seal!”
“—Very well.”
I placed my hand on the book and opened the pages. Since the seal was already beginning to fray, the book opened easily, and the pages began to flip at a furious speed. Starting from the edges, the pages turned black as charcoal and crumbled away. Fragments of the book danced in the air before a wind blew through the room, causing them to vanish entirely.
The seal was completely broken.
“—Kh.”
A muffled voice echoed in the room.
“Kuhahahahaha! This is unbelievable! You actually did it! You really broke the seal!”
The black mist gathered in one spot, coalescing into a more human-like shape. Blue skin, two horns growing from his forehead, bat-like wings, a dragon-like tail, a muscular upper body, and goat-like lower legs... his non-human appearance was truly worthy of the title Majin.
“This feels incredible! I feel like I could burst into song! Freedom! I’m finally free! Hyahahahahaha!”
I called out to Grimoire as he laughed joyfully.
“I’m happy for you. ...Now, can we get on with it?”
“Hm? Oh, right. You wanted me to teach you about ancient magic?”
Grimoire smirked and began to gather mana in his right hand.
Ooh, what incredible mana. In terms of sheer quantity, he was beyond comparison to any human. I suppose that’s only to be expected of a Majin. As I watched with genuine admiration, Grimoire suddenly pointed his right hand at me.
In an instant, my vision was dyed black.
A massive explosion erupted with a deafening roar, and a thick cloud of dust billowed into the air.
“—This is the Black Flash Cannon. How is it? Quite the power, wouldn’t you say? ...Well, I don’t know if you can still hear me.”
He let out a low, mocking chuckle. —Of course, I could hear him perfectly fine.
I conjured a wind and blew away the swirling dust. When Grimoire saw me standing there, his face was masked with pure shock.
“Wha...!?”
“...Yes, that’s a very interesting spell. So that’s ancient magic.”
It was a strange spell formula. The flow of mana was unlike anything used in the modern era; the composition, the shaping, and the method of activation were all unique. It was incredibly intriguing.
“Could you show me a bit more?”
When I spoke, Grimoire let out a sharp gasp, his breath hitching in his throat.