Another World Reincarnation Chronicle

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As time passed, the weather grew even colder.

Though it was nearing the end of winter.

I sighed as I looked at the Magic Book.

It felt wasteful to throw it away, ominous to use, and I’d likely be mistaken for a Dark Mage if I tried to sell it elsewhere.

In the end, my choice was to pass all of this onto my future self.

I shoved the Magic Book deep into my bag.

After a few days spent locked away in my room, I was itching for some fresh air.

I approached the window and placed my hand on it.

“Ugh!”

Clunk-clunk!

The icy winter weather had frozen the window shut.

After several more tugs, the window finally creaked open.

A gust of cold wind rushed in from outside.

I leaned out to feel the chill against my face.

Despite the cold winter, the streets were bustling with people.

Most of them were children.

“Is it the coming-of-age ceremony…?”

I muttered absentmindedly.

The date for one of the biggest events in the Karma Empire, the coming-of-age ceremony, was just around the corner.

People had prepared countless floral decorations for it, and the kids were running around the streets with bright smiles, seemingly eager for the festival.

The Karma Empire was already a place filled with tourists.

But recently, the number of tourists had surged, all there to enjoy the festivities.

I sighed as I watched the crowd.

*

Time passed, and the promised day approached. I needed to go out to pick up my equipment, but I hesitated to step out.

It just so happened that the completion date for my gear coincided with the coming-of-age ceremony, resulting in a massive crowd.

“Ugh…”

How did it end up that there wasn’t a single spot to step?

I stood on my tiptoes, peering at the throng of people.

But would that even make a difference?

The fact remained that I had to push through this crowd to reach my destination.

I braced myself and began to weave through the sea of people.

“Ugh…”

I squeezed between them, getting jostled around.

Moving through the crowd felt like riding a wave, and before I knew it, I found myself in a bewildering place, often in the exact opposite direction of my leather workshop.

“Ugh…”

“Gah…”

As I sighed while being shoved around, a woman approached me.

She was holding a small basket filled to the brim with white roses.

“What are you doing here? The ceremony has already started.”

“Huh?”

“Where did you lose your flowers…?”

I tilted my head, unable to comprehend her words.

The woman placed a white rose on top of my head.

“No… this isn’t…”

“Hurry!”

She suddenly pushed me forward.

Before I knew it, the crowd that wouldn’t part a moment ago began clearing a path for me.

They were even waving their hands at me.

“Everyone, make way!”

The woman shouted while shoving my back.

As if her voice summoned them, more people opened a path.

What in the world was happening?

As I momentarily pondered, I shook my head. It didn’t matter. If a path opened, I would head towards my destination.

I started running down the corridor the people created.

How long did I run like this?

Suddenly, the people opening the way blocked my path.

Those who had previously parted were now reaching sideways with anxious expressions.

As if indicating I should go that way.

“This isn’t it!”

“This way!”

“Over there!”

“No… I need to go this way…”

Even though they heard me, they were relentless.

With no choice, I had to follow the direction they were pointing.

And so I arrived at the central plaza of the city.

“Ah…”

I gaped in awe.

In the central plaza, children who seemed to be my age were dancing to a song.

They were the ones participating in the coming-of-age ceremony.

Each had a white rose adorning their heads, just like the ones in the basket held by the earlier woman.

Only then did I understand the situation.

The woman mistakenly thought I was an overdue participant of the coming-of-age ceremony.

Hence, she adorned me with flowers.

As I stood there in a daze, fiddling with the rose on my head, a woman dressed in immaculate white approached me.

“You made it before it got late!”

“N-no…”

“Come on! This way!”

“Ah…”

Guided by her hand, I followed her into the crowd of children.

*

Arriving in the capital city of the Karma Empire, Leonis immediately sought out the guards.

He was looking for their cooperation to capture a fraudulent wizard impersonator.

However, his request was denied due to a lack of personnel.

During the dates of the coming-of-age ceremony, all the guards in the capital are deployed to manage the residents and tourists.

As a result, there was no one left to assist Leonis.

“I’m sorry… but the coming-of-age event is underway…”

“Well… I can’t let an important event be ruined.”

Leonis sighed as he left the guards.

The endless crowd vexed his spirits.

But what could he do? With another sigh, Leonis shook off his irritation.

He took out his notebook and began to gather information on places where someone named Seris might frequently visit.

The first place he headed to was the Adventurer’s Guild.

“Hmm…”

Leonis frowned at the firmly closed door.

It seemed the staff at the Adventurer’s Guild had also taken the day off to enjoy the coming-of-age ceremony.

Oblivious to this fact, Leonis gazed longingly at the locked door.

But staring wouldn’t change the situation.

In the end, he had no choice but to abandon his quest and proceed to the next destination.

In the course of doing so, he passed through a large square filled with children dancing.

Leonis smiled lightly as he watched the kids.

These kids would grow up to be the pillars of this country.

He liked children, filled with limitless possibilities.

Just then, the song playing stopped, marking the end of their dance.

But the festival had only just begun. The children scurried around, eager to prepare for the next performance.

In that moment, a brilliant golden light approached him.

As the children readied for their next dance, a girl sprinted quickly toward him.

The girl looked up at Leonis with an awkward smile.

It seemed like she was being chased by something.

“Hey! Over there!”

“Ah…!”

Chasing after the girl was a woman in a white dress.

She was panting as she rushed toward the golden-haired girl, but the girl darted away in avoidance.

Quite the impressive game of tag.

Leonis chuckled as he turned away.

*

“Phew…”

Late in the evening.

I seized the chance when the oversight of the Priestess woman had relaxed and slipped out of the square.

If I had used magic, I might have escaped faster, but I couldn’t ruin a major event organized by the nation.

I removed the rose from my head and headed to the leather workshop.

Thanks to the highlight of the coming-of-age ceremony being over, the streets were now quiet.

In front of the leather workshop stood a familiar man busy organizing the items.

He was an employee of that workshop.

“Ah, Wizard! Just on time.”

“Is my equipment ready?”

“Of course!”

Recognizing me, the staff hurriedly brought out my item.

It was a set of armor made in the same design as what I had previously worn.

“Want to try it on?”

Why would I refuse?

I immediately headed to the changing room to try it on.

After changing, I stepped out and glanced around when the employee approached me.

“Fits well, doesn’t it?”

“Feels good.”

I paid the employee and exited the leather workshop.

The next place I headed was the Blacksmith’s shop.

The hammering sounds that usually echoed around the blacksmith’s district had turned eerily silent.

Where fires used to burn well into the early morning, it seemed today was an exception.

The doors of the normally wide-open blacksmith shop were shut tight, and the inside was dark.

It seemed the blacksmith was away.

“Ugh…”

I sighed, wondering if I should come back another day.

Just then, a man staggered towards me from a distance, appearing rather tipsy.

As he got closer, I could see a familiar face.

It was the blacksmith I had commissioned.

“Oh dear… a customer?”

The stumbling blacksmith wiped his face with his large hand.

With his glazed eyes, it was clear he had drunk far too much.

The stench of alcohol was so intense that I instinctively pinched my nose.

“Haha. It’s that wizard from before!”

Recognizing me, the blacksmith wobbled in my direction, pointing with a finger.

I crossed my arms and nodded.

“Is the sword finished?”

“Oh, of course!”

He agreed while stumbling over, opening the shop’s door.

As he staggered, the door creaked in protest.

“Come on in!”

I watched the unsteady blacksmith with a worried gaze.

Surely, he wouldn’t fall over, would he? But as if on cue, he tripped over his own feet and tumbled amidst the displayed swords.

Crash!

“Ughh~”

“Are you okay…?”

“Ah, I’m fine~”

The blacksmith jumped back up and walked into the shop as if crawling.

I wondered how much time passed.

He returned holding a sword slightly shorter than the usual longsword.

“Take a look.”

I received the sword and examined its condition.

The feel of it perfectly fitting in my hand and its light weight felt just right.

The small groove in the center was clearly for inserting a Mana Stone.

I placed the Mana Stone I had brought along into the sword.

Click!

As soon as the Mana Stone clicked into place, a locking sound echoed from within the sword, securing the stone tightly.

I immediately began to swing the sword. Thanks to its light weight, the tension in my shoulders eased.

Whoosh!

As the sword swung through the air, a faint starlight radiated from its tip.

The long streak of starlight beautifully adorned the dark night sky, beginning to shimmer with a blue chill as time passed.

Each swing sent a cool breeze blowing, scattering cold frost.

In that moment, the Mana began to shift its nature again.

Fwoosh!

Along with the dazzling starlight, a flaming blaze burst forth.

The flames shot up into the sky, scattering intense heat everywhere.