Peak Between Two: Mushoku Tensei

-Luciel Greyrat-

I have to say…

These past few days, Roxy has been a real handful.

Ever since that night—when she caught me using what she called "unusual magic", my little mentor hadn't stopped watching me like a hawk.

Her eyes followed my every move.

She was always analyzing me, always trying to decipher my secrets.

As if she were some grand sorceress studying a rare, otherworldly creature.

Every time I stepped outside the house, I could feel her gaze piercing through me from under that pointy wizard hat.

At breakfast, she would squint at me whenever I quietly ate my meal—probably convinced that I was plotting something behind those innocent bites of bread.

When I was reading in the living room, she would suddenly pop out from behind the couch—her face so serious that I nearly choked on my drink.

And when I was simply strolling in the backyard—

"Luciel, have you read the advanced theory magic books?"

I blinked.

"…I'm three years old, Master Roxy."

"But I feel like you have." She rubbed her chin, deep in thought.

I sighed.

This… was going to be a lot more difficult than I expected.

Mission: Survive the Teacher's Interrogation

That afternoon, I sat in the small garden behind the house, hoping for a moment of peace with my book.

However, before I could even turn the first page—

"Luciel."

I tensed just slightly before turning my head slowly.

And sure enough—

There she was.

Roxy Migurdia.

Standing a few feet away, arms crossed over her chest, her usual serious expression unchanged. The same suspicious look she had been giving me since that night.

I took a slow breath, keeping my face calm.

She walked closer, then took a seat on the bench across from me. Her wizard hat tilted slightly in the afternoon breeze.

I remained silent, waiting for her to speak first.

For a moment, only the sound of rustling leaves filled the space between us.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she spoke.

"I want to talk to you."

Her tone was calm, but there was no mistaking the suspicion laced within it.

I slowly closed the book in my hands, acting as if I was giving her my full attention.

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

She stared at me—her sharp, observant eyes studying every twitch, every breath.

"I know you're hiding something."

Straight to the point. Impressive.

I raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance.

"What do you mean, Master?" I asked, my voice as innocent as possible.

Roxy didn't answer right away.

She simply stared—as if attempting to read my mind.

I made sure to show no unnecessary reaction.

I knew all too well that in moments like these, saying too much would only deepen suspicion.

Finally, she let out a small sigh and leaned back against the bench, her gaze still locked onto me.

"You're different from other children, Luciel," she said at last. "And I'm not just talking about your magic abilities."

I gave her a slight, carefully measured look of confusion.

"Master, isn't everyone different in their own way?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Don't play word games with me." Her voice was flat. "I want to know… how you understand magic concepts that aren't even taught in this world?"

The wind blew through the trees, sending a ripple through the grass.

I remained silent.

This was a crucial moment.

If I lied too obviously, she would push harder.

If I avoided the question, she would be even more suspicious.

After a short pause, I sighed softly and gave her a small, relaxed smile.

"Master Roxy, you're an incredible teacher."

She frowned slightly.

"But sometimes," I continued before she could interrupt, "you overthink things too much."

Her frown deepened.

Before she could counter my words, I pressed on.

"I don't have any secret knowledge or hidden mysteries," I said casually. "I just… think differently."

She stared at me, clearly unconvinced.

But—

She also had no proof to challenge me directly.

The silence stretched between us once more.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Roxy exhaled.

"Fine," she said. "I won't press you further… for now."

I remained calm, not letting my inner relief show.

But in my mind—

"For now, huh? That means she's not giving up."

I gave her a small, unreadable smile.

This wasn't over yet.

But for the time being, I had won this round.

-Third-Person POV-

The evening sky cast a warm orange glow over Buena Village, stretching long shadows across the land.

On the village outskirts, a vast open field lay untouched, save for wild grass swaying in the gentle breeze.

And in the middle of it—

Luciel Greyrat and Roxy Migurdia sat facing each other, just a few feet apart.

The young Migurdian mage, with her signature pointed hat slightly lifted by the wind, sat with arms crossed, her face carved with deep contemplation.

Across from her, Luciel sat with a straight back, his legs crossed, his gaze unwavering—despite his childlike appearance, there was an undeniable sharpness in his eyes.

To Roxy—this boy was not normal.

From the moment she started observing him, she knew there was something different.

Something that both intrigued and unsettled her.

And today, she intended to find out exactly what that was.

So, without hesitation, she finally spoke—

"Luciel."

Her voice was calm, yet carried weight.

"I want to know… how you understand magic the way you do."

Luciel didn't respond immediately.

Instead, he looked past her, toward the horizon, where the sun was slowly sinking beyond the fields.

The wind whispered between them, rustling the leaves in the distance.

Then, after a brief silence—

He finally spoke.

"Master Roxy."

His voice was steady.

"What allows a person to use magic?"

Roxy blinked.

She hadn't expected a question in return.

But as a teacher, she didn't hesitate to answer.

"Mana," she said firmly. "A person who possesses mana in their body can use magic. That is the foundation of everything."

Luciel nodded, but something in his expression seemed… unconvinced.

"Then," he continued, "what separates an ordinary mage from an exceptional one?"

Roxy paused for a moment, thinking.

"Control," she finally said. "The better someone can control their mana, the stronger they will be."

Luciel's lips curved into a small, knowing smile.

"That's not the only factor, is it?"

Roxy frowned.

There was something about the way this child spoke—it didn't feel like a conversation between a teacher and a student.

It felt like… a debate between scholars.

Luciel's voice was softer now, careful, as if he were weaving his thoughts into something greater than simple words.

"If magic was only about mana and control," he said, "then why aren't the people with the most mana always the strongest?"

Roxy fell silent.

Because that question—was valid.

Many talented mages were born with massive mana reserves, yet not all of them became legends.

Meanwhile, there were people like Laplace, whose magic alone could bring the world to ruin.

Luciel's gaze held an unmistakable intensity.

"Master Roxy," he continued, his words slow, deliberate, "do you think magic works simply because we will it to happen?"

Roxy blinked.

"…What do you mean?"

Luciel gave a small smile.

Then—

He raised his hand.

A small flame flickered into existence in his palm.

No chant. No incantation. No gestures.

Roxy had seen Rudeus do this before.

It wasn't groundbreaking—but something about it felt off.

Or rather… too precise.

The fire—it wasn't like normal magic.

Roxy could feel it.

The spell was stable. Refined.

It was as if this magic wasn't just being cast—it was being constructed on a fundamental level.

"What do you feel when you see this, Master?" Luciel asked.

Roxy stared at the flame.

She wanted to say, "It's just fire."

But—

She knew that wasn't the right answer.

Finally, she muttered, "It's… different."

Luciel's smile deepened.

"Then, what about this?"

The flame shifted.

Its color changed—

From red to orange.

Then yellow.

Then blue.

And finally—

A vivid violet hue, almost like plasma.

Roxy's eyes widened.

"That…!"

She could barely form words.

Luciel studied the fire, his bright blue eyes reflecting the strange, flickering glow.

"I don't just imagine fire," he said.

"I imagine how fire works. How its temperature changes. How oxygen affects its intensity."

He turned to Roxy.

And for the first time—

She didn't just see a student staring back at her.

She saw something… far greater.

"Magic isn't just about mana and control," Luciel said. His tone was calm, yet filled with an unshakable certainty.

"Magic is about understanding."

A Revelation That Changes Everything

Roxy froze.

Her heart pounded in her chest.

Not from fear.

But because she had just witnessed something impossible.

This boy—this three-year-old child—had never received formal education in advanced magic theory.

And yet—

He spoke as if he had spent a lifetime mastering it.

His magic wasn't just different.

His understanding of magic far exceeded that of most professional mages.

Luciel let the fire disperse, exhaling softly.

Then—he smiled.

"Master," he said gently, "you don't have to worry. I'm not dangerous."

Roxy swallowed.

Was that true?

After what she had just witnessed…

She could no longer see this boy as an ordinary child.

Luciel Greyrat—

Was something else entirely.

And now, she had to make a choice.

How would she face her student from this moment on?