The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley”

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~~ Early Morning, Second Day of the Ninth Month, Ninety-Sixth Year of the War Demon Calendar ~~

With the Teleportation spell, Asley returned from the ruins of Regalia Castle to the western forest of Eddo.

There, he found a certain woman waiting for him.

“Huh? Lylia?”

“Your arcane energy signal vanished here, Asley. I’ve been waiting.”

“Ah, sharp as ever.”

“It’s nothing special. Every single one of us noticed but chose not to pursue. Still not accustomed to regulating that energy of yours, are you?”

“W-well, yeah…”

“Hmm… I guess it’s safe to tell you first…”

“Huh…?”

Following Asley, two figures emerged from the Teleportation Circle.

“Haha… hahaha… Long time no see, Miss Lylia.”

“Oh, if it isn’t Lylia! How do you like this my new body? I’m cute, right?”

“Bright!? A-and you’re… Ferris!?”

Lylia’s astonishment at the embarrassed Bright and delighted Ferris was palpable.

She had heard the news of what Bright, Ferris, and Chappie had been planning something, but not the exact details of what the plan was.

Certainly, she had not anticipated them physically reappearing as children.

“S-so you see…”

Bright proceeded to summarize the events to Lylia — How after they had sealed Lylia in the Stasis Boundary, they discarded their bodies, living five millennia with only their souls alongside Chappie, spending their time assisting Asley and being saved by him just now.

“Unbelievable. Transcending time by discarding one’s body — who would’ve thought of that?”

“I don’t want to hear that from you of all people, Miss Lylia… You had me freeze you up, remember.”

“W-well, that’s true, but that’s because I trust you to–“

“–Then please don’t dismiss the possibility I raised myself.”

“H-hmph! You children really are acting all grown-up.”

Realizing she would not win in a simple clash of words, Lylia finally broached the topic of Bright’s appearance.

However, this was part of Lylia’s strategy — because Bright currently detested being touched on that subject.

“Are you sure an old lady like you should say such childish things?”

“O-old!? Y-you’re one to talk!”

“I merely spoke logically. Right, Instructor?”

Bright gestured towards Asley, sitting on a fallen tree, hoping for agreement.

However, Asley remained indifferent to their argument.

Instead, he proceeded to engage in a discussion with Ferris.

“Rise, Storeroom. Here, use this hand mirror.”

“Hmm, I see even a fool like you can be thoughtful. Yes, yes, this is wonderful! I’ve gotten much younger!”

“I’ll teach you the Arcane Energy Circulation Optimizer formula I’m using later.”

“Really!? Hmm, but maybe I should wait a bit to use it? Around nineteen or twenty seems like a good time to stop. What do you think, Bright?”

“…I think you should just do as you please, Ferris.”

“True, true~~”

Bright, somewhat unsettled by Asley’s lack of reaction, quickly regained his composure. However, perhaps due to the need to live up to his moniker as the Black Emperor, his eyes, fixed on Lylia, still burned with determination.

“Miss Lylia, why don’t you learn the Arcane Energy Circulation Optimizer as well? Surely even YOUR youth has a limit…”

This was a foolish course of action on Bright’s part — As it was a question deemed incredibly offensive no matter who it was directed at, be it a human or an Elf.

“Hahaha… HAHAHA! VERY FUNNY, BOY!”

“…!?”

Such was the circumstances of the birth of the Greater Devil Lylia. Even the Black Emperor was taken aback.

“W-why are you so angry!?”

“Welp, emergency escape it is!”

Asley took to the sky with Ferris in his arms.

Then he asked Ferris,

“Who do you think will win?”

“Bright… has a 30 percent chance.”

“That’s pretty high… Well, actually, I guess that sounds about right since Lylia doesn’t have her swords with her. Good prediction, Ferris.”

“I’ve been watching Bright all this time, you know.”

Immediately after, Lylia lunged at Bright.

“YOU KNOW WHAT, I’MMA SENDING YOU TO THE OTHER SIDE BEFORE I GO THERE MYSELF!!”

This was a complete one-eighty of the words of farewell Lylia had spoken when asking Bright to cast the Stasis Boundary spell on her. As she said this, she swung her arm.

“Ngh…!”

Bright, taking the blow with his arm, was sent flying.

Despite having lived in the era of legends, the disparity in strength between Bright and Lylia was too great.

Therefore, Bright decided to rely on his accumulated wisdom.

“Rise! Swift Magic!”

Bright’s choice was neither enhancement nor attack magic.

It was an illusion spell developed by Asley in the past.

“That’s not a bad move, but what is he going to turn into?”

“Of course it’s you — who else would he choose?”

“Huh?”

While Asley pondered, Ferris quickly deduced the answer.

And she was right — as a result of the illusion spell Bright cast on himself, he took on Asley’s appearance.

“!?”

Immediately after, the Greater Devil Lylia transformed into just Devil Lylia.

“Lylia, calm down and listen…”

Approaching Monster Lylia, Bright, in the form of Asley, said,

“…You shouldn’t use your fists for this kind of nonsense.”

The movements of the enraged Lylia came to a sudden halt.

“Now, take my hand…”

“Yeah…”

Blushing, Lylia took Bright’s hand.

Watching from above, Ferris remarked,

“Bright’s strategy won.”

“Nah, Lylia’s winning this.”

“What?”

Ferris looked at the two, doubting Asley’s words.

At that moment, Bright seemed poised to activate a Boundary magecraft.

However, he failed to do so.

Bright’s moving fingers were stopped by Lylia’s other hand.

“Huh?”

“Hmph!”

In an instant, Lylia had pinned Bright down.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…! Hey, that hurts!”

“YOU NEED TO BE PUNISHED…!”

“Argh!?”

A resounding slap echoed from Bright’s rear end.

It was the result of Lylia, a former Holy Warrior, delivering what she called ‘punishment’ to Bright.

The explosive sound reverberated through Eddo like fireworks.

“Whoa, stop! I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die!”

“STOP! WHINING! BOY!”

“AHHHHHH!!”

Asley descended from the sky.

Ferris, placed on the ground by Asley, proceeded to ask,

“Why are you losing, Bright!?”

“That’s what I want to know! How did this happen!?”

Bright struggled in Lylia’s arms, expressing strong doubt.

“Lylia will explain it herself soon enough.”

Asley pointed to Lylia, who answered their questions while holding up Bright’s hand.

“Asley’s hand… isn’t this small!”

“Huh!?”

Bright exclaimed as he realized this while being spanked.

“Oh, I see. Illusion magic deceives only sight. He gave tactile information, so that’s why he lost.”

“Heh, that’s right.”

Asley chuckled, satisfied with Ferris’s understanding.

“Okay, I get it already! So please stop her before she kills me!”

“Okay, okay. Lylia, surely you’ve had enough by now.”

Asley finally attempted to stop Lylia.

However, Lylia said to him,

“Just two more times.”

“Why?”

“Because even in the heat of battle, he made fun of me.”

Asley could not quite understand what Lylia was talking about.

However…

“Well, I guess that’s understandable.”

Knowing that Lylia was someone who stuck to her principles, Asley permitted it.

“Hey, wait–! OUCH!”

Later that morning, Bright and Ferris were introduced by Asley as heroes of the war, and they proceeded to participate in the ongoing festivities.

However, no matter how many hours passed, Bright adamantly refused to sit in a chair.

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