RAW: http://ncode.syosetu.com/n8321co/2/
Translator: arashichan12 from MojoTranslations
Editor: MayonaizeShrimp
TLC: MayonaizeShrimp
Like I said before, the author added more details.
The original link for this chapter is dead so I have to use wayback machine to bring this up to the surface.
The white-robed man who apologized to me is called Reyfaras Karhannah.
He served as a high mage in this kingdom.
He was the “High Mage.”
That title was that important that I had to say it twice.
The High Mages in this Kingdom were given white robes with golden embroidery.
With only two high mages in the country, their magical talents were considered prodigious. Their social position would even allow them to offer their opinion to the King if it were concerning about magical matters.
In other words, Reyfaras-sama is a big shot.
After the High Mage, the next color of embroidery is silver for the Middle Ranked Mages. And for the mages with the least amount of status, the Low Ranked Mages were given black embroidery.
Even though I said they had the lowest position, just becoming mages in service to the crown was enough to be praised by the regular citizens.
Now then, I was currently in a building slightly away from the throne. The building is called Magic Pavilion. It’s a place where mages carried out their work and Reyfaras-sama’s office is in this building.
It was already been an hour since I had been told to wait there. Since I had a lot of free time, I tried speaking to the things that I saw everywhere since I came to this world.
「Hey, are you guys fairies or something?」
It’s not as if there was a person there. Or actually, it’s not like I could ask someone if there was a “fairy” there.
The one I spoke to were the things that kept getting into my vision even if I didn’t want them to. These little things had a human-like figure with wings sprouting from their backs.
Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Purple, Black, and White, there were seven types of them with clothes and hair in each of their own respective colors and they always lingered in my field of vision. The people around didn’t seem to pay them too much attention until now, but they sparked my curiosity.
When I called out to the two small creatures(?) who had been frolicking around, they froze for a moment, and when I blinked they hid in the shadow of the bookshelf.
Oh, my…
「Oi, umm, I won’t do anything so can you come out?」
Unexpectedly, the red one peeked out from behind the bookshelf.
「Hello, I am Akizuki Rio…Or maybe Rio Akizuki instead in this world. Nice to meet you.」
To my self-introduction, the two looked at each other, then approached fluttering their wings.
「What exactly are you guys? …Eh, wai-, what is it?」
Without responding to my question, the two patted me with a sudden interest. For the time being, I let them do what they want, but before I knew it, their number increased.
In addition to the two reds, there were three greens.
Then, a yellow and a blue one joined in.
pat pat pat pat pat pat pat……
「Ahh, jeez!! What do you guys want!?」
「It’s because it’s rare for there to be a human who can see them.」
Just when I became fed up with the patting and yelled out, Reyfaras-sama returned to the room.
Wait a second…
「Humans who can see are rare…?」
「You can see them, can’t you? These guys」
He lightly poked the blue that came up to him while asking so I nodded, and he nodded “as I thought” in return.
「Eh, you mean no one can see them? Is that why these little guys don’t especially touch them?」
「It’s because they can’t touch what they can’t see. As far as my vast knowledge, you’re the second one who can see these guys. The first one is me, though.」
「Ah, um, Reyfaras-sama, what exactly are these guys?」
「………」
Even though I asked the most pressing matter, for some reason Reyfaras-sama frowned silently.
「Excuse me?」
「…Why are you using speaking politely? The way you spoke from before was much more natural. 」
「Eh? Because Reyfaras-sama is an influential person, aren’t you?」
「So what?」
「No, what do you mean so what… 」
「I just stopped you from getting executed because you were about to throw hostile remarks towards the King. So even if you decide to renew yourself by using polite speech now, on the contrary, it feels gross」
「g-gross…?」
That was a lot to take in.
But well, he basically gave me consent to speak casually, so I’ll take that.
「Umm, then I’ll take you up on your offer and speak casually, but what are they?」
「They’re “spirits.”」
「Spirits?」
「Correct. ”Magic” is the phenomenon when people manifest the magic power they possess outside of their body. To do that, the user’s mana and their power of imagination are crucial. And so, to make that imagination easier arias are often used. Chanting arias helps to create a better image for more specific spells, as they would be able to restrain the mana cost until the activation of the spell. That is this world’s concept of magic.」
「……Huh?」
「But in reality, that concept is wrong. The magic we use actually occurs when we pay compensation to the spirits using the mana housed within ourselves and borrow their power to bring forth the phenomena we wished for.」
「Hm? Hm? Hm? Umm… In other words…?」
「Let’s imagine that I want to create a fireball in my palm. However, no matter how much I imagine or gather mana to the top of my palm, no matter how diligently I recite the aria, the fireball would never appear. Now here, I’ll transfer my mana to a fire attribute spirit and imagine a fireball in the same way. Once I do so,」
Two red spirits from Reyfaras-sama’s surroundings drew near and directed their tiny hands towards his palm.
As soon as they did, they shimmered faintly and a fireball was created in Reyfaras-sama’s hand.
Is that the mana that Reyfaras-sama mentioned?
「Do you understand?」
「Meaning, without these spirits then magic in this world would be impossible but most people don’t know about this phenomena」
「Rather than most people, it’s only you and I who know about this fact」
「Have you tried talking to anyone else about this?」
「I have. I did right after I became a High Mage, but no one believed me. Instead, I was labeled as… ehem… an “eccentric person” and have come this far. 」
「They didn’t believe you? Why?」
「Rather than believing in the spirits they’re can’t see, it seemed that they want to believe that they can accomplish something using their own power」
「I see. And? Why did you decide to speak to me about the subject that you’ve been denied on?」
「You can see these guys, can’t you?」
「Is that it? Just because of that?」
Having asked, Reyfaras-sama grinned.
Evil… Or it’s better to say, it’s an impish smile.
「Why don’t we strike back at the people who denied us?」
Reyfaras-sama’s unexpectedly crooked personality certainly doesn’t suit his face.
「Even before this spirits business, you must’ve been quite an eccentric person, Reyfaras-sama」
「”Rey” is fine.」
「Then please refer to me as “Rio” as well. Nice to meet you, Rey-sama.」
「You don’t need the “sama” either though. Well, whatever. I’ll be in your care as well, Rio. The length of your stay in this castle is 20 days. In that limited timeframe, I’ll strictly teach you about this world and magic.」
「20 days…」
I took my reassuring comrade’s hand into mine.