Phoenix, what do you think magic is—
A week after parting with the heroes and demon king's son Roots, Phoenix and I arrived in a village.
With no destination, we simply headed far away, going as we pleased, but the world isn't so kind. We finally ran out of money.
Just when supplies grew scarce too, we found the village.
We entered, hoping to at least get some food, but then a monster appeared.
Rather than appearing, it strolled through the village.
What's that thing? A pet? As I watched, the bear-like monster suddenly attacked a villager before me.
"No way."
I run, chanting magic.
The man trying to flee gets torn up by the bear, blood spurting from his back as he screams.
"Phoenix, go on ahead!"
"Got it!"
The bear tries finishing off the man, but Phoenix makes it in time.
Grabbing the man's shoulder in his claws, he carries him onto a nearby roof.
The bear stares at its empty claws, seeming to realize its prey escaped, then roars at Phoenix who helped the man.
"Pardon the rude back attack!"
My magic Firestorm explodes on the unintelligible monster.
I prepare another shot just in case, but the flaming bear immediately dies.
"Oh! He took that monster out in one hit!"
As I catch my breath, the villagers who were nearby gather.
Phoenix brings down the man torn up by the bear, who gets treated.
"Don't know who you are, but thanks. All our fighters happened to be away. Really saved us."
A bearded brawny man shakes my hand vigorously. —Hey, hey, let go. You're definitely a fighter, right?
And so I end up staying in this village until the others return.
Since they'll pay me to guard, I readily accept.
Incidentally, the one I saved was the village chief. He took quite a liking to me, even offering his daughter. I politely refused.
And now, lying in the meadow on the village outskirts, I ask Phoenix.
"Phoenix, what do you think magic is?"
"Huh?"
Phoenix looks at me like I'm a bother.
What's with the nonsensical question, his face says.
"Magic is magic, duh."
"I know, but..."
"Hah?"
Ever since getting the magic eyes, one thing has been on my mind.
Despite being brought as a hero, I had no special powers at first. It was the first unique ability I obtained.
Isn't there some use for it?
"Hmph. Mere five magic power. Phoenix, fool—"
"The hell you say—"
Nothing occurs to me as time simply passes.
Then one day, an incident happens. About one or two days after we start guarding the village.
That day, I was on my regular patrol around the village.
After the bear on day one, no large monsters appeared, only small fry who fled at seeing people.
Good, peaceful again today. I return to the village as usual, and pure white panties dance before me.
"Hey you! Girls~!"
The one dancing the panties was the village chief's daughter, Io.
Or rather, Io's panties were being danced. By the village boys, skirt flipping.
I thought, kids do the same things no matter the world.
Like how this blue sky connects everywhere.
"I see, I see."
Nodding in comprehension, Io approaches me.
"Sir Engy, did you see?"
"See what?"
"My...panties."
Io blushes, fidgeting. If it's so embarrassing, don't say it.
I, a gentleman, decide to pretend I didn't see.
"Didn't see. What I saw was the truth of the world."
"The truth of the world!? Don't evade the question! You saw them, right!?"
"No, I don't understand what you're saying, but the world is connected. Like this blue sky."
"Connected? What do you see?"
"Panties. Oh!"
"I knew you saw them!"
She hit me. Unfair. It was quite the sly interrogation.
Or rather, I saw by coincidence. Even if by chance, I tried pretending ignorance so I should be praised.
"That's why, making weird excuses!"
Seems that was no good. Can't be helped.
I later hear Io was teaching the village children magic when the boys pulled up her skirt on seeing me return.
"Honestly! I won't forgive you if you do this again!"
The children chime yes in unison. One boy smiles mischievously.
And the instant Angry Io shows her back to the children—
"Oryaah! Io-neechan's panties dance again!"
Shouting some special move-like line, the boy flips up her skirt.
Mouth agape as the skirt settles, Io is stunned speechless.
"You damn brats! I'll turn you to ashes!"
"Heh, like neechan's magic would hit us~"
As the boy says, Io's magic has a slow activation via chanting.
And she likely doesn't intend to actually turn them to ash. The weak power didn't matter to me then.
Watching Io's magic, I realize something. It's no grand epiphany, but a thought occurs to me.—This might, maybe...
"Io! Show me again, show me!"
Seeing me rush over, Io makes a frightened face.
For some reason, she hits me again.