Because of his overly low profile and reclusive lifestyle—
Even the court magicians had forgotten...
That silent and taciturn man beside the great magician Flamme on the day she returned to the imperial capital—
Was in fact their teacher's current husband, whose sheer magical capacity had once stunned them all.
Now, they stood wide-eyed, staring at that seemingly regenerated arm.
The four astonished court magicians were utterly shaken in their magical understanding by none other than Agusheed himself.
"Regrowing a severed arm... what kind of—?"
The court magician who stood before Agusheed, witnessing this miracle with his own eyes, did not rejoice over his recovered limb.
He just stared blankly at Agusheed, awestruck by the mysterious magic displayed.
But Agusheed gave them no time to daze. He repeated his earlier question:
"Tell me what happened and how you were injured."
The four court magicians snapped out of their trance.
After witnessing that magic, this was the first time they truly realized just how powerful their teacher's husband really was.
"Your Excellency, you should know why Master Flamme suspended classes a week ago."
"We court magicians are tasked with patrolling the entire Empire within the next six months to eliminate powerful magical beasts born in recent decades, ensuring peace and stability across all regions."
"We four were assigned to patrol the regions of Helen, Farbe, and Ditan."
"At first, everything went smoothly in the Helen region..."
"Until we encountered the Imperial Prison Dragon in the Farbe region, which had migrated and tried to take over a town as its nest..."
"You've seen the result. Though the cost was severe, we've managed to trap the dragon temporarily in a canyon."
"Our barrier can only hold the Imperial Prison Dragon for seven days. Since reinforcements from other regions couldn't arrive in time, we had no choice but to seek Master Flamme's help—"
The leading court magician recounted the full situation in a fragmented tone.
By the end, he let out a long breath, looking at Agusheed with hopeful eyes.
"I see..."
Agusheed nodded, indicating he understood.
Hmm… to lose against the Imperial Prison Dragon, one of the most formidable dragon species, is not surprising.
But... they managed to trap it for seven days together?
He glanced at the pitiful student wrapped in a blanket behind him.
For a moment, Agusheed didn't want to admit that this student was co-taught by both him and Flamme.
But that thought only lasted a moment.
Lifting his head, he looked at the bruised and battered court magicians.
He then spoke words that stirred excitement in everyone present:
"No need to worry."
Agusheed said calmly:
"Give me the exact location where the Imperial Prison Dragon is trapped—"
"I'll take care of it."
...
Watching the four court magicians leave, overjoyed after arriving in despair—
Agusheed put away the map detailing the dragon's location and gently closed the door.
"I've never seen anything like that before... Agusheed—"
Behind him, wrapped in a blanket and silent until now, Frieren finally spoke:
"That man's arm grew back—how did that happen?"
"How did you do that?"
Agusheed turned around and, while walking toward the wardrobe to pick out clothes, replied:
"With magic."
"I know it was magic... that's why I'm asking, what magic was it?!"
Frieren stared at Agusheed intently.
Even when Agusheed had once flattened a mountain in front of her, she hadn't been this shocked.
Regrowing a severed limb?
Even that old priest in the Empire's Grand Cathedral—the world's strongest monk—couldn't do that.
Not to mention magicians, who aren't skilled in healing...
"It's another application of Severing Magic, I've just never shown you this aspect of it before..."
Putting on a heavy coat, Agusheed adjusted its collar as he spoke.
"Severing Magic?!"
Frieren abandoned her blanket in shock.
She didn't even put on shoes, running straight to Agusheed.
"You're telling me Severing Magic can do that?!"
"Stop overreacting. I told you, you've just never seen it before."
Agusheed's tone remained calm, not even glancing at her.
"The principle—"
Frieren grabbed the hem of Agusheed's coat and pressed on:
"What's the principle behind Severing Magic doing something like that—"
Feeling the growing force tugging at his coat,
Agusheed finally looked at Frieren.
"Serie told you what the full name of my Severing Magic was, didn't she?"
Frieren hadn't forgotten.
She even remembered Serie once said Severing Magic could sever space itself.
But regenerating limbs—
What does that have to do with Severing?
Seeing Frieren's confused expression, Agusheed finally gave her the answer.
"'Magic that can Sever through all things in existence'—that's the full name of the magic I've mastered."
"And the principle behind restoring that arm is simple—"
"I gradually Severed its time back to the moment before it was severed, that's all."
Frieren—
Was stunned.
(^_^)??
What nonsense is that?
What do you mean by Severing an arm's time back to when it wasn't severed?
Sever...
Time?
"Do I look that easy to fool?"
Severing space is one thing...
After all, demons do have space-warping magic—
But if Severing Magic could influence time—a domain no known race can touch with magic—
Why would Agusheed fear Serie?
One swing to Sever her back to a three-year-old and it'd be an instant win, no?
"Do I have a reason to lie to you?"
He turned and magically made the dishes on the dining table float back to the kitchen to be automatically cleaned.
Expressionless, Agusheed said to Frieren:
"I know what you're thinking."
He continued explaining calmly:
"It's not as exaggerated as you think—at least, not something I can do right now."
"The only things I can Sever time on are non-living objects and certain human parts that behave similarly to dead matter."
"It consumes an enormous amount of magic and concentration, and I have to make direct contact with the target—
Which is a fatal flaw in combat. So this technique is completely unsuitable for battle."
After restoring the cleaned dishes and tidying up the place, Agusheed waved his hand again.
He summoned Frieren's coat from upstairs and put it on her with magic, then brought her shoes to her feet.
"That still sounds crazy..."
Frieren muttered about how absurd Severing Magic was.
"Absurd is the right word, but that's all it is."
Agusheed commented modestly on his magic.
After wrapping everything up in the house, he concluded the topic.
"Alright, there are less than four days left before the Imperial Prison Dragon breaks free. We need to move fast."
"Okay, then go and come back soon... I'll go sleep upstairs."
"Good luck—"
Wait—
"We?"
Frueren tilted her head, momentarily unable to comprehend the word.
"Yes, we."
Agusheed picked up the now magically dressed Frieren with one hand.
"Flamme's not here. You'll be safest by my side."
"So—"
"Vacation's canceled. It's now extracurricular training—"
"Subjugation of the Imperial Prison Dragon."