I hadn’t cried like this too often in my life, but lately, it seems there’s no end to the occasions.
“Does it suit me, Brother?”
Putting on a robe with a trendy design that included wide-flowing hems, the most adorable girl in the world—my beloved younger sister, Eliza—smiled at me in the workshop.
The glossy black finish was proof of high-quality silk. The modest drape at the chest resembled a gown’s elegance, yet it was carefully crafted to avoid excessive embellishment suitable for a student, showing the unmistakable skill of a master artisan.
Embroidered with geometrical Eastern patterns running vertically and horizontally, the robe was done in a special pearl-colored thread. According to Lady Agrippina, who was the designer and maker, it incorporated a special defensive enchantment.
The matching cape material added a hood to the mage’s robe, charmingly altering the otherwise cumbersome silhouette. The cape extended down to conceal her upper arms, adorned with lavish frills and embroidery, giving it a mysterious cute appeal far removed from ordinary fashionable attire.
“You’re the cutest in the whole world.”
The comment came out naturally. If anyone dared to object, I’d line them up in front of me and have them rusted by Sending Wolves.
“Thank you ever so much.”
Eliza squeezed the robe gifted to celebrate her promotion to the rank of auditor, her expression refined with courtly mannerisms that were perfectly suited for women, her smile blossoming like a flower in full bloom.
This winter, Eliza turns ten and will become an official auditor at the Magic Academy. As part of her new schooling, she needed the formal attire of a mage, which was graciously presented by her master—and also, apparently, by some pervert who sniffed the opportunity from somewhere.
“I vow to strive hard to become a magnificent mage worthy of you, Brother.”
The short staff embraced against her chest seemed to respond to her resolve, twinkling faintly.
The size of this staff, a little too large for a child, was crafted from an ancient cedar that Lady Agrippina had somehow procured—allegedly, a branch from a tree at the center of a crucial sacred site that she managed to acquire. Decorated with divine silver, its intricate design crowned a magnificent sapphire gemstone, radiating a dazzling azure light.
This azure garnet, a rare gemstone, was known to enhance magical concentration and bestowed a potent protection against evil, adapting to the color of light and excelling in assisting with the magic of transformation.
Although it made me feel a bit queasy to think of its cost, Lady Agrippina nonchalantly mentioned that our benefactor had generously footed the entire bill.
Guh… such bourgeois decadence… The fluctuating prices of vegetables and salted meat in the market are worlds away from this reality.
“Work hard, Eliza.”
I tenderly stroked the head of my younger sister who was about to embark on even more arduous studies as a mage, the thought of not being able to enjoy the soft touch of her hair for a while making me feel as if a dagger had been stabbed into the gap of my ribs.
“Alright. I shall give it my all, Brother.”
With a cheerful smile that seemed almost too cheerful given how clingy she had been upon leaving the manor, Eliza fidgeted with her choker.
“Because you’ll always be watching over me, won’t you?”
The gemstone, with its kitten-eye hue embedded in the shaking pendant of the choker, closely resembled the color of my own eyes. Initially, Eliza had asked for it to crown her staff, but her master had rejected it for not aligning with her suitability. However, because she said it looked the same color as my eyes, I inquired if it could be used in another way. As a compromise, Lady Agrippina had decided to use it in the choker.
By the way, technically, this choker was my gift. It was a substantial bonus I received for my work over the previous year, serving as Lady Agrippina’s errand boy and guard. Though if I were to actually buy it, how many lifetimes would my ordinary person’s budget take?
You might laugh it off as a joke, but the value of jewelry in this life is incomparable to what I knew in my previous existence. After all, the adornments that command respect by mere donning are more like powerful armaments to nobles, capable enough to stand against a minor country.
This sapphire, while not “that” exceptional, I’ve estimated its worth to be equivalent to building a mansion from a year of my labor.
Because it was truly exhausting.
Through her relentless efforts, Lady Agrippina efficiently optimized her territory, forged connections with numerous influential nobles, and within just a year, established herself rock-solid as a countess and a palatine count through impeccable political acumen.
Even observing from a distance, I found her momentum intimidating. She deftly pacified some people, ensnared others into her network, and manipulated still others using the emperor’s or the Great Factions of the Magic Academy’s authority. Her finesse in judging what the other party wanted and abhorred, then skillfully cooking it all up on the negotiation table, surpassed mere description.
Watching her in action, I reaffirmed, “I don’t want to play board games with this person anymore.”
However, in politics, making allies also inevitably, or even more, entails making enemies.
…It was exhausting… truly.
The countless attempts on my life, frequent nocturnal assaults that eventually made counting impossible. Participating in retaliatory missions against those who offered us special meals, over ten such missions. Two arson incidents at the inns where we stayed. Four instances where spies or assassins were mixed in among those who sought to hire me as a replacement. Seven times when a useless mandarin from the crown territory was cut loose, only to have revenge attacks launched as a result.
And every single time, I had to be the one standing at the forefront! For the compensation of such extreme workload, I feel I deserve at least a villa or two! If I were to bring an employment dispute, I would easily win 100-0, bastard!!
Setting aside the grievances of the grueling year, my tenure as Eliza’s caretaker was coming to an end with her promotion to auditor this fall. Now I was fulfilling her heartfelt wish—”the first unveiling should be for Brother”—by witnessing her present her new attire.
For me, it had been a long time of work. For her, it might have felt even longer.
Being separated from her parents, subjected to an intense study regime, and forcibly adapting to an unfamiliar environment—these were undoubtedly cruel trials for a child not yet ten.
Yet, Eliza had triumphed through all this and reached a significant milestone. She attained a prestigious status and will return to her homeland as a student seeking the arcane.
As her elder brother, I’m grateful to have been able to support her, even in a modest way… only… just…
“Brother, please don’t cry. If you cry, I…”
I couldn’t stop the tears. That frail and chronically ill Eliza, whose every moment left me fearful of losing her—she had grown into someone remarkable. I wished to show this scene to her parents and my older brothers.
The regret is that I won’t be able to support her directly moving forward.
Though I had chosen independence and the path of an adventurer, how selfish is that? I should have continued serving Lady Agrippina and remained in the Imperial Capital. Ultimately, I prioritized my own desires. I shouldn’t even have the right to think this way.
It shouldn’t be this way. But…
“I… Eliza…”
Trying to hide my tear-streaked face, Eliza began sniffling in concern. Eventually, her long-abandoned use of the first-person pronoun resurfaced…
“Anii-sama! Ittaya yaa!”
The armor of a lady shattered, and she clung onto me.
We embraced each other tightly and cried for a long while.
I will return to our manor, while Eliza will stay in the Imperial Capital.
I must forge the path of an adventurer, my long-held dream.
Eliza does so to secure a status that binds no fetters to her survival.
Though we both understood and accepted this, the sadness remains unchanged and unchangeable.
Knowing that her beautifully presented outfit might be damaged and still we kept crying… We cried together for a long time…
“Have you had enough?”
“In a way, yes.”
After tucking the exhausted Eliza into bed and returning to the workshop, Lady Agrippina, who had been conveniently out until then, had returned.
With no piles of pending documents waiting for her approval, and a remarkably unburdened demeanor despite her prestigious title as a palace noble, she sat at her desk, smoking a pipe and inviting me to take the seat opposite her.
“Now then, since I’ve seen to the celebration for that child, it’s time to celebrate yours as well.”
“Huh?”
Surprised by something unexpected, I blinked, then noticed her retrieving a beautifully detailed box with mythological illustrations from a desk drawer. It was pushed toward me by <The Unseen Hand> and opened on its own.
Inside lay an aged tobacco dish. Moreover, wasn’t it the same pipe that Lady Agrippina had been using?
Upon closer inspection, the pipe she was now smoking was a new one, while the one I recognized from our first meeting, adorned with mother-of-pearl craftsmanship, rested in the box.
“Since you’ve come of age, this is a coming-of-age gift from me as a teacher who imparted magic lessons, even if only a little. It is customary in the Threefold Empire for a robe to symbolize a mage, and a pipe, similarly, is a sign of reaching adulthood.”
The tobacco in the Threefold Empire isn’t made from the burning and inhalation of Nicotiana tabacum, but from herbs, medicinal plants, and incense woods processed into herbal tobacco. Sometimes they also infuse the leaves with magical potions, making it a medicine as much as a luxury item.
The tobacco that incorporates magic-soaked leaves—or leaves with inherent magical efficacy—absorbs them through the lungs and mixes them into the bloodstream, providing a sedative effect that far exceeds the familiar tobacco of our world and making the substance multi-purpose.
The mages and sorcerers use tobacco to enhance concentration and replenish magical energy. I have heard that Lady Agrippina’s pipe incorporates magical circuits into the smoke itself.
“You don’t have to be a mage; as a sorcerer, you can still make use of it. It won’t raise suspicion if commoners smoke it too.”
“Thank you. But this is hers…”
“Once you’ve attained the rank where public appearances are important, failing to use gifts properly would be a disgrace. So, take it. Not using it would be wasteful too.”
This is truly a generous gift…
When I hesitantly picked it up, the long pipe was lighter than it looked and had a smooth, almost suction-like texture.
The tobacco dish also came with a few pouches of leaves, each labeled for different purposes like calming the nerves or nurturing magical energy.
“The tobacco is an extra. I’ll teach you the recipes later, so replenish them at your own expense when they run out.”
“Thank you. Even the recipes…”
Is it presumptuous of me to suspect her casual puff of smoke while looking away is a sign of embarrassment after giving so much?
“Also, this has a bit of magic on it, so it holds more tobacco than its appearance suggests.”
“Ah… That explains it. I’ve always wondered how it lasted so long compared to the amount of leaves.”
“Well, it’d be tedious to smoke a few puffs and then take it out to refill repeatedly every time.”
Still, to casually use a spatial expansion enchantment… Definitely not something to be taken lightly. Absolutely not.
Prompted to try it, I pinched some leaves, lit them with magic, and took a drag… and promptly started coughing uncontrollably from the overwhelming sweetness of the smoke.
Apparently, this young body is still too tender for tobacco smoke. Even without tar or nicotine, it seems the sensitive sensory organs are simply not ready for it yet.
I remember—it was the first time I tried the purple smoke from my past relationships.
“Hehe, seems a bit early for you. You don’t have to rush with it. Use it when your magical power is depleted.”
“Thank you.”
As I was pleased with the unexpected coming-of-age gift, two scrolls of parchment suddenly flew my way. When I opened them, they turned out to be the registration documents for Castor and Polydeuces.
“This is your coming-of-age gift under the name of your employer… or rather, a transfer.”
Apparently, those two had been purchased quite a while ago and were more than ten years old by now.
The average lifespan of horses in the Threefold Empire is around fifteen to twenty years, so at ten, they are starting to reach retirement age as riding horses or carriage horses.
Of course, this is a noble’s standard. Letting old horses that have lost strength pull carts or ride is perceived as an insult implying a lack of funds to replace them.
In the countryside, horses work until the very end when they can’t stand anymore. Normally, these brothers would cheaply be handed down to someone else in the domain, but Lady Agrippina said they seemed to be fond of me, so she gifted them for my coming-of-age celebration.
Isn’t this a bit excessive? Even if they’re old, they are originally fine-blooded cavalry horses. They still show no signs of deterioration in their excellent legs and can still perform at a level that leaves me exhausted when taken out on a long ride.
It’s like getting two luxury sports cars for a university entrance celebration. What kind of oil tycoon’s house is this?
Of course, I like those two and have grown attached to them, but horses are expensive to maintain…
“You won’t be able to make it as an adventurer without the vitality to earn enough for this kind of upkeep. Consider it part of your assignment. Or is it too much for you?”
I was about to decline, but hearing her say that, I couldn’t help but shout, “I can do it!” If I hesitated here, she would probably say, “You should quit then,” leaving me with no counterargument.
Well, let’s think about renting a stable, watering them, and above all, the large amounts of horse feed… Hmm, no, it’s not reasonable, but… it can be done.
My voice trembled loudly at the reality of an annual budget exceeding gold coins, yet I gratefully accepted the horses I had become so accustomed to. With this, they officially became my horses. I fear how the fairies will react to this.
“Now… this is…”
“Wait, there’s more?”
Surprised as Lady Agrippina reached for something else, she smirked and pulled out a circular bag.
Stamped with the seal of a craft guild I had seen in the Imperial Capital, inside the leather pouch was a round buckler.
The wooden body reinforced with thin metal plates was gently convex, with a forged metal hemisphere at the center to deflect sword strikes. The shield’s surface was only treated with a dull gray rust-proof coating, making it look simple. This was a light infantryman’s shield intended for skirmishes and designed not to hinder movement in confined spaces or in chaotic battles, appropriate for civilians.
However, it was a rather intricate piece. Despite its simple structure with a central grip, it wasn’t a cheap leather grip but was instead a robust cast-metal handle. There was also a leather strap on the back and another grip so it could be securely fixed to the lower arm.
The central handle allowed it to be quickly released for agile handling. The rear grip and strap provided a solid hold suitable for parrying. It was designed to be easily adaptable to the situation while ensuring the grip did not interfere with either method of use.
Hm, this simple design maximizing functionality. Unassuming though it appears to be, significant costs have surely been invested…
Prompted to handle it, I picked it up and found it surprisingly light for its sturdy appearance. Light enough for someone in good physical condition that it wouldn’t be a burden even on a long march.
Moreover, since <Battlefield Swordsmanship> is a skill premised on the use of battlefield-appropriate weapons, this shield would not interfere with wielding a one-handed sword. Although I’m not proficient in shield handling techniques, I’m sure it can still be used in conjunction effectively enough.
“This shield is both a farewell gift and an assignment.”
“An assignment, you say?”
As I scrutinized the shield and gave it a trial setup, Lady Agrippina suddenly said such a thing.
“Erich, if you’re going to be an adventurer, you should try hiding the fact that you’re a sorcerer.”
“Are you telling me to hide my identity?”
“No. I’ve observed your fighting style, and you tend to rely too heavily on magic.”
Though I don’t recall being chastised for overusing it, she pointedly raised a finger and lectured me earnestly.
She claims that my combat style is rather uncommon in the Threefold Empire, which makes it sufficiently surprising on its own, so it’s best to keep it concealed.
Not that you should avoid using it altogether. Rather, refine your techniques so that they’re not immediately recognizable as magic and use them accordingly.
Yeah, I get the reasoning. Even I would be startled if an opponent who seemed like a pure musclehead suddenly let loose with magic. It could delay your reaction in surprise or introduce gaps that could lead to failed resistance.
The essence of a mage’s combat lies in balancing efficiency with strategies that can surprise on first encounter or through obscurity. The lessons from the Dawn Dispatch School of battle mages, imparted by Lord Raizen, naturally came to mind.
“With this, as your teacher, I advise you one last time. You’ve got much more ruthless methods, so why not go all out?”
“Is that how you mean to put it?”
“Weren’t you aware? You’re quite underhanded, you know.”
That mischievous grin accompanied by her mockery stung, but I can’t say I remember doing anything truly nasty.
At most, when I had the mental bandwidth, I tied people’s shoelaces together or pulled on their clothes to provoke conflicts. In more pressing circumstances, I removed their belts to ensure good airflow around their lower halves. That’s about the extent of it.
As for truly malicious stuff, it’d have to be the kind that leaves no room for reaction from the moment of first contact, delivering a definitive kill. I’ve got a long way to go for that.
“There’s no value in revealed tricks… The only valuable precept of the musty Dawn School remains true. Engrave it well.”
With a worldly air of amusement in her voice, the sweet scent of her tobacco, and the voice that has become so familiar to me, yet they together framed the words of parting, as I stood on the brink of a farewell…
Another surprise update once again.
Farewell exchanges before setting out as an adventurer.
Thought it would be a brief lead-up, but it’s stretching longer and longer…
Many have asked questions, but regarding whether paperback or e-book purchases contribute more to the success of future volumes, here’s the gist: paperbacks are counted through POS data, providing faster and more accurate sales figures, making them easier to gauge initial sales momentum, which is why they are emphasized. E-books are valuable too, but initial sales speed plays a role in determining reprints and sequels, so paperbacks seem to hold more weight.
Still, any purchase is appreciated. I don’t insist on buying paperbacks. Even a follow, a retweet (RT), or a review on Twitter goes a long way. Any support within your comfort zone is invaluable.
