── A Few Days Later, the Day Before the Magic Guild Entrance Exam (Yuuki’s Perspective) ──
“……I’m so bored.”
I rolled over on the bed at the inn. Outside the window, I could hear the voices of people. This inn is located right in the middle of town, so the sounds from the streets are quite clear.
“I brought you some tea, Yuuki-sama.”
“Martha, can I open the curtains?”
“If that is what you wish, Yuuki-sama. I will take full responsibility if someone happens to see you, so it should be fine.”
“Sorry, I won’t say it again.”
I should just hold back. Martha probably wants to open the curtains too. The visit from Her Royal Highness is a once-in-a-lifetime event. If it were up to her, I’m sure she would want to see the princess as well.
This is an inn in town. While Her Royal Highness is visiting the baronial territory, I’ve been told to wait here. Along with Martha, there are two other servants from the mansion who came with us. Martha is in the room next to mine. I’ve told the other two to think of it as a vacation, so they’re probably relaxing in their room right now.
In the end, Brother Zeros’s exam is set to proceed as planned. No one has mentioned anything about Clara or Burns. I don’t know much about the royal family or the Magic Guild, but… perhaps after the exam, Professor Kahel’s mistake will be revealed, and he will face consequences. As for me, as long as Brother Zeros’s exam goes smoothly, that’s all that matters.
“…I’ll just keep to myself. It’s not like I want to meet Her Royal Highness or anything.”
I took a sip of the tea that Martha had brewed for me. It was at the usual temperature and tasted just like always. As expected of her.
“Martha, would you like to join me for tea?”
“Yes. I’ll go get some cups.”
“I’ll be waiting. And I won’t open the curtains.”
“I trust you, Yuuki-sama.”
Martha left the room and returned with the cups in hand. When I offered her a chair, she sat down obediently. This isn’t the mansion, so there’s no need to follow noble rules here.
“If you’re bored, would you like to read a book, Yuuki-sama?”
“One that Professor Kahel prepared?”
“I have three books: ‘The Wonderful Magic Guild,’ ‘The Glory of Those Who Entered the Magic Guild,’ and ‘The Importance of Social Class.'”
“I don’t want to read any of those.”
When I sighed, Martha smiled apologetically. In a way, being cooped up in this inn isn’t so bad.
Besides… being outside makes me want to experiment with magic. The girl I met in the back mountains used a fire-based Ancient Magic. I’ve memorized her finger movements. If I draw the same sigil, I should be able to use the same magic. I wonder what would happen if I used it on Dick and the others…
“…This is a deep obsession.”
This is what happens when a sorcerer gets hooked on magic. Learning magic increases your capabilities. The more you can do, the more you want to learn and expand. Eventually, it becomes less about what you want to do and more about increasing what you can do, leading to a life solely dedicated to research. I’ve seen that happen to people in my past life. It wasn’t a pretty sight.
“By the way, Martha, do you ever think about the future?”
“I think you should become a politician in this country, Yuuki-sama, since you’re so intelligent.”
“I’m not talking about me.”
“Well, you did tell me that the Leadara Flower is effective for coughs. Thanks to you, my mother’s condition has improved! Where did you learn that?”
“From some merchant. I met him when I snuck out of the house to come to town.”
“You really are amazing, Yuuki-sama…”
Martha’s mother suffers from a chronic illness. Every time I visit, I use my Purification skill, but healing takes time. So, I brought her a flower that helps with coughs. If I place it by her bedside, it should ease her throat irritation a bit. I told Martha I heard it from a merchant who came from the East. Of course, that’s true, but it’s a story from my past life.
“I wish you could take the exam for the Magic Guild, Yuuki-sama.”
“I don’t want to; it’s too much trouble.”
“Did you know? The exam venue has been set to Kitral Forest.”
“Guess the back mountains and the swamp were out of the question.”
“There were three candidate locations. The back mountains were definitely out, and the swamp was deemed too unpredictable.”
“That makes sense.”
Clara and the old man Burns would likely come to that conclusion. Professor Kahel had reported that the back mountains were super safe, yet he was attacked by a Dark Bear there, so his credibility is already zero. That leaves the swamp, which is also a bad option. The only place where magic can be used without drawing attention is probably Kitral Forest.
By now, Her Royal Highness should have entered the territory. I wonder if Clara and old Burns are accompanying her.
Clara Listes. She looked just like Alice, Lyle’s daughter.
“For example, Martha.”
“What is it, Yuuki-sama?”
“I have a question… but first, could you add a bit more honey to my tea?”
“Please remember to brush your teeth before bed.”
“I know that.”
“More than twenty minutes, you know?”
“I’m not a child. By the way, Martha, you’re an only child, right?”
“Yes.”
“Just hypothetically, if there was a girl slightly older than you who looked just like your mother, Merisa, would you suspect a blood relation?”
“Are you suggesting there’s something wrong with my family environment, Yuuki-sama?”
“It’s just a hypothetical. A story about an acquaintance.”
“For example, if I saw a girl who looked a lot like the daughter of someone I thought of as a son, should I suspect a blood relation?”
“I’ve heard that there are three people in the world who look alike.”
“Right?”
“So, if it were me, I would judge based on something other than appearance.”
“Something else?”
“For instance, my mother is great at baking apple pie. Her pies are really delicious.”
“I know. I love Merisa’s pies too.”
“But that’s something she learned from my grandmother. And my grandmother learned it from her mother. So, our family has always loved apple pie.”
“In other words, you can judge based on favorites?”
“Hmm. But that’s a habit that wouldn’t be conveyed unless you live in the same house.”
“Well, that’s enough.”
In reality, the chances of me meeting Clara Listes again are low. I probably won’t have the opportunity to ask about her favorite food either. I’m not even sure if the dish Alice loved, Venison in Puff Pastry with Spicy Sauce, still exists in this era.
“That was helpful. Thank you, Martha.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“I appreciate it. If I ever leave home, I’d want you to come with me.”
“I want to work at the mansion until Lady Lumia gets married.”
“Your perspective is quite valuable, you know. As a commoner’s viewpoint.”
“If it’s a passionate invitation, I might consider it.”
“That would be after I turn… around fifteen.”
“Then I will give you my answer when I reach adulthood.”
Martha and I both sipped our tea.
“By the way, while I was away, a package arrived at home.”
“A package?”
“It was a claw from a Dark Bear. It was burnt, but it sold for a good price.”
“How kind of someone.”
“I wonder who it was. My mother was smiling about it.”
“Who knows?”
Martha and I sipped our tea together again. This time spent together isn’t so bad. I wish we could share more moments like this… If I go to the Magic Guild, will there be Ancient Magic… there too?
“…What a delusion this is.”
“What kind of delusion is it, Yuuki-sama?”
“I can’t possibly tell you, Martha.”
“If it’s a passionate invitation, it might just come true.”
“…You’re misunderstanding something.”
“When I wash your hair next time, I’ll make sure to confirm it.”
Stop that mischievous smile while pressing your maid uniform’s chest, Martha.
“Yuuki-sama! Is Yuuki-sama here!?”
Suddenly, I heard footsteps, and the door to the room swung open. It was a maid dispatched from the mansion.
“I’m here. If I disappeared, Martha would get in trouble.”
“That sounds like something this Martha would say if you were trying to escape.”
“At least I think I’m being discreet about it.”
“Martha is doing a great job. A true model maid.”
“Good job, good job. Oh, pass me the honey.”
“That’s too much, Yuuki-sama.”
As she said this, Martha reached for the honey jar—
“This is not the time for that! Yuuki-sama, you must return to the mansion immediately!”
…Huh?
“Her Royal Highness’s messenger has instructed that the entire family of the baron must greet her. You must return to the mansion at once, Yuuki-sama!”
Next time, Chapter 14 is scheduled to be updated tomorrow evening.