Chapter 17 - The Magic Otaku Makes a Great Discovery
Two days had passed since the band of ruffians was secretly annihilated on the road between the capital and Arcalai village. It was now night, the evening of the fifth day since Saki's party had arrived in the village.
In the study of the manor she had chosen for her retirement, Ester Adoni Arcalai sat at a massive desk, several sheets of parchment spread before her. In one hand, she held her favorite long-stemmed pipe; in the other, one of the parchments, her expression troubled.
Just then, a very discreet knock sounded at her study door. Without looking up, she gave a short reply, "Enter." After a brief pause, the door opened, and Nathan Grion stepped inside. He walked to the front of Ester's desk, bowed his head, and began to speak.
"I have a report. We located twenty assassins at the designated location, engaged immediately, and annihilated them. There were no escapees or witnesses. Furthermore, the one individual of note has been apprehended and has already been transferred to Lord Arcalai's custody."
His words were, befitting a soldier, concise and devoid of emotion. He showed neither remorse nor pride for having killed so many—it was simply a fact. Hearing his report, Ester finally looked up from the parchment and spoke to Nathan.
"Thank you for your hard work. I apologize for forcing such a distasteful role upon you this time."
"Not at all. This incident was something I could not overlook, both as a soldier and as a magic user."
As Nathan replied, a faint shadow of sorrow colored Ester's gaze.
"If it were a proper military mission, that would be one thing, but I feel bad for dragging you into this kind of shadow play. Considering the stakes, I needed someone highly skilled. My other disciples have all become important figures, so I can't just ask them for favors anymore."
"Had the order come from you, Master, I believe my senior brothers would have agreed without a second thought. Our commander, in particular, would have likely rushed here with joy."
As Nathan said this, something akin to a smile appeared on his face for the first time since entering the study. Ester, in contrast, furrowed her brow and tapped her long pipe against the ashtray. As she refilled the pipe, she spoke, making no effort to hide her displeasure.
"What are the nation's key figures doing, neglecting their duties just because their master told them to? They're not puppies, for heaven's sake. So old and still can't leave their master's side. Those foolish disciples of mine are all the same…"
As Ester's grumbling continued, Nathan thought to himself, Here we go again. The older generation of disciples held Ester in such high esteem it bordered on worship. The problem was that she took no pleasure at all in being revered that way.
Nathan himself was from the last generation of Ester's disciples, and being close in age to her son, Levi, he was often treated more like "his son's friend." As for Nathan, he felt he maintained a good balance—not too reverent, not too familiar.
"I've gotten sidetracked. So, was he one of ours after all?"
Having vented her complaints and calmed down, Ester returned to a serious expression and asked. Nathan's face tightened as well, and he nodded.
"He was an academy student about two years my senior. We lost track of him after he failed the graduation exam, and it seems he never returned home. Unfortunately, it appears he had become an Apostate. They've investigated his background, but as expected, they couldn't trace it back to the original client."
"It's bound to be one of the Four Marquis Houses, but they must have paid a hefty price for a disposable pawn. It seems they're getting desperate… It's a shame. To think an apostate would come from among my students."
Ester's voice was faint as she murmured those words, her usual hale and hearty demeanor gone, making her seem older than she was. Nathan started to say something but closed his mouth again and remained silent.
Only upon graduating from the magic academy is one recognized as a magic user. The graduation standards are strict, and those who fail to meet them are made to swear an oath never to use spells again and are returned to civilian life. Those who break that oath are deemed "Apostates" and are treated as objects of contempt by all magic users. If one's status as an apostate is revealed, the only punishment is death.
"I suppose I should have forced him to give up on the magic academy, no matter what. This has become a terrible inconvenience for that fool's parents as well."
To Ester's weary words, Nathan couldn't help but strongly retort, "That's not true!"
"His failure to uphold his oath was due solely to his own weakness of will. You always taught us, Master: 'A magic user's will is the source of their power. Therefore, they must also respect the will of others.' It was his will to become a magic user, and to say 'it would have been better if that never happened' is to belittle him even more than denouncing him as an apostate. All we must do is deliver the appropriate retribution for the actions he took of his own volition."
Ester remained silent in response to Nathan's long monologue. Seeing his master looking unusually dejected, Nathan thought to himself that while Ester may seem whimsical and selfish, in reality, she was always concerned about others. The reason she kept her independent disciples at a distance was likely her way of reining herself in, believing it was wrong to interfere too much. If they were close, she would probably end up meddling in their lives one way or another.
"It can't be helped. At least send him off without suffering. This can't be made public, so I'll leave the method to you."
"Understood."
A mission like this was unpleasant for Nathan as well, but he felt a sense of pride in being entrusted by his beloved master with a task she couldn't give to anyone else. In the end, Nathan was just as much a devotee of Ester as her other senior disciples.
"In that case, I will return to my duty of guarding Saki-sama and the others. Was everything alright with everyone during my absence?"
Attempting to change the somber mood, Nathan spoke in a deliberately cheerful voice. As if sensing his intent, Ester replied in an intentionally playful tone.
"Maria is lazing about at Ruth's house as usual. That girl Hanna they brought from the manor has been helping with the housework, so she's making herself quite at home. I really don't know who she takes after."
You, Nathan managed to swallow the word just in time.
"As for Saki and Ruria… I'm not sure how to put it."
Ester paused, closing her eyes for a moment as if in deep thought. Eventually, she looked back at Nathan and spoke in a grave tone.
"By the time those children inherit the family headship, the conventional wisdom of magic will have changed dramatically. By their own hands, no less. And any magic user who can't keep up with that change will become a relic of a bygone era."
"…Is it that significant?"
"It is that significant."
As Ester stated it without a hint of hesitation, Nathan privately wondered if it could really be true. Saki was certainly a bright child, far beyond what the word 'intelligent' could describe, and from what he'd seen upon their arrival, he had a mature side that belied his age. As for Ruria, even if only half the stories were true, she was a once-in-a-generation genius. Still, wasn't it an exaggeration to expect a couple of six-year-olds to change the world?
But this was his master speaking, the very person who had overturned the conventional wisdom of magic time and again. This wasn't just a grandmother's bias; there must be something about them that truly made her feel they were a force to be reckoned with.
"Truly, the 'treasure' of the House Arcalai. I will protect them with even greater vigilance, ensuring not even the slightest hint of danger comes near them."
"I'd appreciate that. But for tonight, don't worry about it and get some rest. While you were away, I placed protections on those children that were as thick as they come. I'll be counting on you again starting tomorrow."
"Leave it to me."
Nathan replied, bowed deeply, and quietly closed the door as he left Ester's study. Alone in the room, under the light of the [Perpetual Light], Ester's gaze returned to the parchment in her hand. On it, written in a hand that was clumsy yet clear and easy to read, were lines of text. As she looked at it, she recalled the events of four days ago, when Saki had penned this very parchment.
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The first night in Arcalai village had passed. Now, Ruria and I were walking through the village with Grandma as our guide.
The scroll passed down through our family, the one I had been promised I could see, was not at the village chief's house but at Grandma's manor. She said no one besides me and Ruria could see it, so we decided to head over right after breakfast.
As we walked, we passed quite a few villagers who greeted us politely. They must have finished their breakfast and were now heading to the fields or into the forest. I was told I shouldn't bow in these situations, so I settled for a small wave and a smile, a gesture I copied from what I'd seen of royalty in my past life's videos. Ruria clung to my hand, trying to avoid the villagers' gazes. Grandma, when greeted, simply nodded with her hands tucked into her sleeves.
It suddenly reminded me of the daimyo processions in historical Japan. Any peasants who encountered the procession were supposed to prostrate themselves on the spot until it passed. When I asked Grandma, she said some nobles do make their subjects act that way. Our family has a close relationship with our people, so we don't demand such formal behavior. "It would be a pain if everyone had to kneel every time they saw us in the same village, wouldn't it?" was Grandma's reasoning.
Walking through the village like this, I realized that the mana in Arcalai village is dense. The concentration of mana particles in the air is the highest I've ever seen. My special skill of absorbing mana from my surroundings would probably be at its most effective here.
"So, Grandmother, what's that thing that's been behind us for a while now?"
"Ah. Since I borrowed your young guards, that's their replacement. It's just protecting you two, so don't worry."
Ever since we left the chief's house, a large mass of mana had been following Ruria and me. It was clearly different from the ambient mana, a sparkling concentration larger than an adult human, slowly rotating like a vortex. Was it something created by magic? It seemed to have no physical form, like a mere mass of air.
Ruria, hearing our conversation, turned and seemed to stare intently behind us. Unlike me or Grandma, she can't see mana directly. The fact that she seemed to be glaring at the spot where our "protector" was must mean she could sense something, even if she couldn't see it. Or maybe Ruria's intuition is just incredibly sharp.
"Alright, we're here."
While we were talking, we arrived at Grandma's manor. It was a large house, about the same size as the village chief's house, the old Arcalai family home. Grandma lived here all by herself, and I honestly wondered if it wasn't a hassle to maintain. Judging from yesterday's exchange, I couldn't imagine Grandma, who went from being a young lady to a noble, having any housekeeping skills.
Just as I was thinking that, we were greeted at the entrance by a maid. Of course. She just didn't have any family living with her; servants were another matter. This maid was tall and, unlike Hanna, had a flawless demeanor that radiated the aura of a "capable woman." Her long blonde hair tied up high was also a nice touch.
A pity that glasses don't exist in this world (at least, I've never seen any). If they did, the woman before me would have ascended to an even higher plane of existence: the "secretary-maid."
"Ouch!!"
As I was lost in such useless thoughts, a sharp pain shot through my shoulder. I looked to see Ruria, who was still clinging to my hand, sinking her teeth into my shoulder. Our eyes met. No, no, I wasn't staring admiringly at her! So, Ruria-san, could you please let go now? Also, Grandma and Ms. Maid, please stop looking at me with those lukewarm gazes that say, "What a helpless child." I'm begging you.
Despite the minor trouble, we were shown to Grandma's study deep inside the manor. The spacious room had a fine carpet, but it was a rather spartan space with only a huge desk and a bookshelf. The desk was a heavy piece, like the one in Father's study, made of a wood resembling ebony, but it was so large that Ruria and I could both lie down on it with room to spare.
As Grandma pulled out the chair at the desk and sat down, the maid brought in two more chairs from outside the study. I helped Ruria, for whom the chair was a bit high, to sit down, and then I scrambled up onto my own. While we were struggling with the chairs, the maid had apparently prepared tea. She placed the teacups in front of us without a sound, and Grandma spoke to her.
"Thank you for your trouble. You don't need to attend to us further. Do not enter the study until you are called."
The maid bowed silently and exited the study with what could only be described as elegant movements. I almost followed her with my eyes but restrained myself. I'm not some dense protagonist who doesn't learn from his mistakes.
With the room cleared, Grandma took a sip of her tea, then stood up from her chair and walked over to the bookshelf. She returned with a wooden box and placed it on the desk in front of us. The box was about the size of an A4 sheet of paper from my past life. It was a simple thing, made of plain wood with metal clasps on the corners. There was no lock, but I could see a thin layer of mana covering the entire box. Was it enchanted?
"[Unlock]."
Grandma quickly drew two sigils in the air with her finger and chanted. The membrane-like layer of mana covering the box popped and vanished. When Grandma opened the lid, we could see an ancient-looking parchment scroll, rolled up and tied with a string. With careful hands, she untied the string and gently spread the parchment on the desk as she spoke.
"This has been passed down through the heads of the House Arcalai for generations, but none have been able to understand its contents. It was said that only the current and next head of the family could see it, so we couldn't even consult with scholars. Honestly, it's something I'd throw away if I could."
Paperweights were placed on the top and bottom to keep it from rolling up, and the parchment was spread out on the desk. Looking at it, I wanted to shout from the bottom of my heart, "To throw that away would be a great sin!"
A considerable amount of text was written on the parchment, and below it was a diagram. It was a star shape drawn to touch the inside of a circle, with fine characters and symbols written between the lines. It was a so-called magic circle—or in the terminology of magic, a [Magic Circle].
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As she watched Saki stare intently at the spread-out parchment, Ester recalled the first time she had seen this scroll. The secret scroll, passed down from her father, never to be shown to outsiders. The mysterious string of characters written on it. She had been fiercely intrigued, forgetting to eat or sleep as she frantically tried to decipher it.
When she told her son Levi about the scroll, he too had dedicated himself to decoding it. He seemed to believe the diagram on the bottom half of the parchment was the key to deciphering the text and had desperately compared the two. But their efforts were in vain, and in the end, neither she nor her son could decipher the scroll's text.
Still, Saki was staring at the scroll in silence for a remarkably long time. Ruria, watching beside him, was naturally quiet, but for the talkative Saki to be silent for this long felt strange even to Ester, who didn't spend much time with him. Eventually, driven by a sense of unease, Ester called out to him.
"...Saki, Saki. What is it?"
Saki looked momentarily startled but quickly turned to face Ester.
"Ah, no, I'm sorry. The contents were just so fascinating."
"…Hmph. So, can you two read these characters?"
As she said this, Ester privately thought it was impossible. She, Levi, and the past heads of the family were all magic users, a profession that required extensive knowledge. Yet for generations, these adults hadn't been able to find even a shred of a clue. No matter how clever they were, it was cruel to ask this of children.
"There are only consonants."
Saki's gaze returned to the scroll as he muttered. The characters in this country's script were divided into vowels and consonants, but the text on this scroll was composed entirely of consonants. There was no way to read it.
"Could we not just add the vowels?"
Saki asked the question she had expected. Yes, that much she and Levi had also considered.
"I thought so too. But no matter what combination I tried, I couldn't form a coherent text."
Memories of her past struggles with this scroll resurfaced in Ester's mind. She had tried inserting vowels by brute force, hoping to make some sense of it. She tried not only at the beginning of the text but also in the middle and at the end where it seemed like it might be readable. Even when she managed to form a short, readable word, the parts before and after it would become complete gibberish.
But Saki, after looking at the scroll for a short while, said something unexpected.
"Grandmother, may I borrow some parchment and a pen?"
At the sudden request, Ester hesitated for a moment.
"Alright, but I can't have you copy it directly. It is supposed to be a secret, after all. I can't have you losing a copy."
"No, I just want to jot some things down while I think. Please."
Though she found it strange, Ester took a few sheets of parchment from her desk and gave them to Saki. Saki reached for the pen holder on the desk, took a quill pen and the parchment, and stared intently at the scroll. Then, he began to write something at a furious pace.
Ester's eyes widened, and she held her breath. Saki was writing a string of characters on his parchment that was different from the scroll's, but similarly consisted only of consonants. As he continued to write, something even more astonishing happened.
"O, primordial flame, source of all life, that blazes within eternity…"
Ruria, who had been watching Saki write, began to recite something in a small, song-like voice. Yes, it could only be that she was looking at the consonant-only text Saki was writing, quickly adding the vowels, and reading it aloud on the spot.
Soon, Saki finished the first sheet of parchment and picked up a second. On the new sheet, he began to write a sentence with both consonants and vowels. It was likely the very words Ruria was now speaking.
"It's done."
With those words, Saki handed the two sheets of parchment to his grandmother. Ester, at a loss for words, simply stared at the parchment in stunned silence.
This is the sixteenth chapter. I managed to post this one at a faster pace than before. I hope to maintain this speed going forward. What's that, I should go even faster? I-I'll do my best.