Chapter 109
The Harpy Queen
My mana overload has been cured, but I still can’t use magic.
If I try to, it’s like a dam breaking—all of my mana gushes out at once and won’t stop.
After researching the issue together with Professor Robert, the one who cured my mana overload, we figured something out:
Magic works by releasing the mana inside the body through a pathway created by a spell.
Normally, that pathway is fixed, and it closes once the magic is released.
But in cases of mana overload, the pathway doesn’t close—in fact, it keeps widening.
Eventually, all of the mana pours out, and the person dies.
Licorice has the effect of sealing that pathway.
And golden licorice goes even further—it stops mana from multiplying infinitely.
Not only that, but if mana increases beyond capacity, it converts the excess into light and releases it. And if it goes even further beyond that, a limiter activates and knocks the person unconscious.
Thanks to this, I managed to avoid a future where I’d die from mana overload.
Still, having all this surplus mana and not being able to use it feels like such a waste.
At this rate, I can’t even protect myself.
Sure, my protective charms help, but when it really counts, I want to be able to rely on my own strength.
So Professor Robert and I did a lot of research.
And we discovered a way for me to attack.
Attack is the best defense.
Which means it also covers defense.
And so—
Take this! Leticia’s Special Laser Beam!
“I’m not handing my big brother over to some birds with brains stuffed in their boobs—!”
Filled with anger, I fired a finely woven strand of mana from my index finger, shaped like a gun.
Through a mana pathway trained to be insanely thin and firmly fixed, I released not magic, but pure mana, carefully refined.
This is a super-powerful laser beam cannon that only I can fire!
You harpy who dared to hit on my big brother—feel my wrath!
The mana beam shot from my fingertip went just a little off target and struck the Harpy Queen’s hair.
Silver hair, sliced around the jawline, fluttered through the air.
So close—I missed.
“Lady Leticia, I think you’re angry about the wrong thing…” Maria muttered beside me, but now wasn’t the time for that.
Next shot will finish her!
I aimed for the heart and fired again.
“GYAAAAAAAaaaaaaaahhh!!”
Yes! This time it worked!
The Harpy Queen, a hole blown through her chest, spun as she fell toward the ground.
Thrown into chaos, the other harpies scattered in all directions.
Big Brother and Ran shot them down one after another.
The laser beam is insanely powerful, but I can’t fire it many times. I still have plenty of mana left, but the control is difficult, and my concentration doesn’t last.
If I lose focus, I widen the mana pathway too much—and that’s dangerous.
So I left the rest of the harpies to Big Brother and the others, and waited with Maria.
Both Maria and I are carrying defensive charms, so attacks from harpies should be no problem. I also recalled Origami-kun No. 1.
Having regained their senses, Abel and Elvin were finishing off the harpies that had fallen to the ground.
Eventually, the shrill, grating voices of the harpies disappeared completely.
Abel and Elvin were breathing hard, but Big Brother and Ran still looked perfectly calm.
Ran not getting tired makes sense—his true form is a holy sword—but Big Brother being this relaxed too… he’s just amazing.
Big Brother really is the best.
Compared to that, Abel and Elvin still need more training.
Especially Abel—he’s the Hero, so shouldn’t he be trying a bit harder?
“Somehow… it’s starting to feel like we don’t even need a Hero if Senior Serios is around.”
As Abel said this dejectedly, I silently agreed.
Yeah. After all, Big Brother was originally supposed to become a last boss even stronger than the Demon King…
“That’s not true. Only a Hero can defeat the Demon King.”
Big Brother lightly patted Abel on the shoulder.
“Huh? Really?”
“If that weren’t the case, the goddess Lecate wouldn’t go out of her way to choose a Hero through a divine oracle, right? Abel, only you can defeat the Demon King.”
“Only… me…”
I quietly looked away from Abel as he hugged the Hero’s Sword like it was something precious.
If things had gone normally, he would have been fighting with the Holy Sword Granavell. But that sword is currently serving me in the form of a butler, so I started feeling a little guilty.
And once again, Big Brother is just so good at handling Abel.
He caught him right as he was about to lose confidence and lifted him back up.
“Damn it… to think I got charmed by some stupid bird…”
“With that sort of performance, I can’t entrust an important young lady to you. You’ll need to train much harder.”
“That smug face pisses me off.”
“But the young lady praises me.”
“You’re seriously a genius at annoying people.”
“I’m honored by the compliment.”
Over there, Elvin and Ran were doing their usual comedy routine.
They get along… or they don’t…
Honestly, I can’t tell which it is.
