While such an exchange was taking place in the principal’s office at the Leangrad Magic Academy, the person in question arrived at the said academy.
The magic academy was in the outskirts of the Duchy capital Ishureen. It’d probably take 30 minutes by carriage to the centre of the capital.
There was ample land to learn magic.
Because if there hadn’t been enough land to chant even《Fireball》magic, it wouldn’t have even been established.
If a stray ball of fire hit a crowded residential district it was likely to cause a fire.
Moreover, one of the branches derived from magic is the study of Alchemy.
As a result of Alchemy, medicine and explosives; both can be prepared with equal ease.
As for those processes and their results, they’d often lead to explosions.
If that happened in the heart of the duchy capital, there’d be no need to bother creating an Academy there at all.
Thus, the Leangrad Magic Academy was established not in the heart of Duchy Capital, but in its outskirts.
When I gave my personal opinion on it, my silver-haired maid agreed with it.
「Master too has blown up the laboratory many times.」
Saying so, she chuckled.
「Well, there’d have to be some sacrifices for advances in Alchemy.」
Explaining myself, I went towards the academy’s secretariat.
In there was a girl similar to Chloe.
「Its your relative.」
When I said that, Chloe grumbled.
「Chloe does not wish to be put together with any ordinary run-of-the-mill machine doll.」
Seems like she’s angry at me.
Perhaps my expression seemed to say “Where am I wrong at?”, for Chloe seemed to look at me with accusatory eyes.
「It is master who created Chloe, right?」
「That is the case, but.」
My reason for giving a vague answer was because it wasn’t me who created Chloe’s body.
I was the one who created the core circuit, but her body was a commonplace one created by a dollmaker in the imperial capital.
Chloe’s body was not something worth special mention amongst machine dollsAutomaton.
It wasn’t as if she was made from special magic ingredients either, and nor was she an article that received God’s Blessings. Of course, she wasn’t equipped with transcendent skillsO-Parts[1] excavated from an ancient civilisation either.
However, parts of the highest quality made by the doll craftsmen of the imperial capital were certainly used, and its cost was akin to that need to construct a whole mansion.
I shouldn’t group her together with those mass-produced models.
Moreover, she insisted.
「Other dolls move with the help of magic stones prepared by using miracle drugs and secret medicines, but Chloe moves due to the Philosopher’s Stone. There’s a clear distinction there.」
「It’s not a Philosopher’s Stone, but a pseudo-Philosopher’s Stone. If I’d succeeded in creating a Philosopher’s Stone, I’d have long become a Great Wiseman.」
「That’s true. There hasn’t been a sorcerer who has succeeded in making a Philosopher’s Stone to perfection.」
「I’m afraid to say, in that respect even a Homunculus is the same.」
I continued.
「If we had come to know of a technique to produce Homunculi perfectly, we could have lived without having to escape, lying about our identities.」
「I agree. The reason why our, no, Fiona-sama’s life is being targeted is mostly due to the fact there hasn’t been a technique to perfectly produce Homunculi discovered as of yet.」
「That is true. Once a perfect production technique has been properly established, we can live in peace without fearing for Fiona’s life.」
I, making sure that Fiona was playing far away, replied so.
「Really, even though humans are peacefully continuing their research, both the Empire and the Church are impertinently causing trouble……」
Remembering the faces of the Emperor and the Pope whom I haven’t even met, I let out a string of curses.
The Emperor was 68 years of age.
With his age starting to show at long last, he had begun showing signs of obsession over his life, or so were the words of my master. In order to obtain the secret to immortality with his body not that of a sorcerer, he had begun researching Homunculi a few decades ago.
On the other hand, the Pope did not wish for the creation of life from that manner of fundamentalism. Preaching “Only God could create life.” to his followers, he strictly forbade research on Homunculi.
My daughter was threatened by the senile Emperor obsessed over his life, and the bigoted and senile Pope.
「Really, I only wanted to raise my daughter while searching for the truth of magic peacefully.」
「Even though it’s quite a simple wish.」
Chloe supported me.
Actually, many sorcerers research on magic to quench their inquisitiveness or to whet their hunger for fame.
Who will find the perfect secret of immortality first?
Or create the Philosopher’s Stone?
Succeed in creating a Homunculus?
Open the doors to another world?
Find a way to warp time?
Search for the origin of life?
Find what lies beyond the stars?
Or maybe search for the existence of God?
Sorcerers are all demanding answers for those questions. Day after day, they devoted themselves to studying, but surprisingly, sorcerers who chased after money after solving these questions were few and far between.
Of course, there were a bunch that schemed to make a killing turning base metals to gold, but their number was quite small.
Most sorcerers are a nothing but a bunch of scholars brimming with curiosity.
Now, thinking about such things, the machine doll at the academy’s secretariat began talking me.
Not Chloe, but the academy’s machine doll.
It was a mechanical girl for the purpose of performing simple tasks such as deskwork, greeting guests and also be tasked with guiding them.
She was wearing maid clothes just like Chloe, but they were of a different style.
Chloe’s maid outfit had a huge ribbon on the chest, and she wore something of an Alice-band[2] typical of maids too.
On the other hand, the academy’s machine doll had a simple design and didn’t have anything especially elaborate.
Stressing on functionality, she didn’t wear an Alice-band like Chloe either.
While I compared both of them, Chloe corrected my mistake.
「No, this isn’t an Alice-band but a maid’s brim[3].」
Saying so, she modestly insisted that both were completely different things.
I felt both were the same, but Chloe was quite insistent when it came to maid outfits.
She saw two-pice maid outfits as improper and only approved of one piece ones.
Furthermore, she had no scruples claiming that the maid outfit was officially an 「Apron Dress」.
Also if the skirt’s hem or the sleeves did not have frills, she would not feel like putting it on.
I won’t say it out loud, but even if someone wore the exact same outfit, there were bound to be differences.
Actually, I only knew to the extent that the outfits that the machine doll girls in the academy wore were of a different style.
I could care less of what they were called.
However, the mechanical girl belonging to the academy’s owner too opened her mouth, shown least bit of concern over the outfits, just like me.
「Are you perhaps Kite-sama, who is to arrive at this academy today?」
「……Yes, that’s right.」
I gave a gentlemanly reply, but for a moment I felt a sense of incongruity.
It was because she spoke in a monotone. As expected, it was unusual for a machine doll to possess feelings like the one beside me.
She was an extremely ordinary mechanical doll who could do nothing but administrative work and follow orders given by her master.
I understood the reason why Chloe did not want to be grouped together with her in the beginning. Both had the same mould of a doll girl, but their essence was poles apart.
Unlike Chloe, she could laugh when happy or cry when sad; she was a mechanical doll to the T.
While giving a robotic smile, she bowed.
「Thank you for coming all the way. You must be tired from the long journey.」
The girl at the reception said that, and we were led to the dorms.
Those words of appreciation were not a result of her feeling budding, but due to the manual input in her.
Even the tea we received on reaching the dorms seemed dry and tasteless.
I felt Chloe tea was much more delicious.
As a result, I had Chloe pour the second cup.
「De-Delicious.」
Tasting the black tea poured in my cup, I exclaimed.
Meanwhile, it seemed just to Fiona’s tastes and she showed similar appreciation.
「The tea Chloe poured is delicious right, Daddy?」
My daughter smiled brightly.
Chloe, gazing at that scene with satisfaction, lightly bowed her head and said.
「It is my pleasure.[4] It’s my honour to receive such praise.」
2. Called Katyusha(カチューシャ) in Japanese from the character in a Leo Tolstoy’s novel. Its English name also came from a novel (Alice in Wonderland).↩
3. The headpiece that’s sometimes worn by maids. It’s basically an Alice band covered with lace. Dang, I wasted a lot of time looking at nekomimi ones while looking this up.↩
4. Japanese lesson! Osomatsusamadeshita(お粗末様でした) is an expression of humility said by the person who provided a meal after it is eaten. It’s similar to Itadakimasu or Gochisousama.↩
Translator’s Apology Corner:
Looks at the last release date…
Welp it has been quite some time haha…Well, irl hits hard…I’m probably not gonna be able to keep up any regular releases now that I’m preparing for entrance exams. I’m probably gonna be pretty much busy till next June. Dunno how I’m gonna give 16 exams in 6 months.
Enjoy your Diwali or whatever else that it is that you’ll celebrate now!!
Also, someone pointed out how a few people using the reader were kinda annoyed by the white text, so I’m up for suggestions on how you think I should tackle it. There’s no white text here~
Read on watashiwasugoidesu.wordpress.com!
Translator: Hasr11
Editor: Charlotte
The Secret Feud in the Principal’s Office †
††（Iris Seymour’s PoV)
During the time Kite and the others arrived in the Duchy capital, and were shopping and eating at the department store without a care in the world, there was something of a dispute going on at Leangrad Magic Academy.
A certain teacher changed colour and jumped into the trustee’s office.
Kalinin, the principal, looked at the figure in an amused manner.
He was the Wiseman who held the nickname of the grey mediator. His age amounted to 80.
Unlike most of the teachers in the academy, he wasn’t young, and was somewhat philosophical.
It wouldn’t take them long to get outraged enough to leap out of the principal’s office out of breath just like the teacher who had appeared in front of them just now.
Because he didn’t even reproach the teacher who jumped into the principal’s office for his impoliteness.
That young one was a sorcerer that belonged to the fifth class.
He was a formal teacher at this Leangrad Magic Academy.
The so-called fifth grade was a class of sorcerers. There were ranks from 1 to 9, and you could think of it as the higher the number, the more important they were.
There was no clear definition, but when they gave a great contribution to sorcery and their talent was recognised, they would rise in rank.
The Principal of this Leangrad Academy, Kalinin, was of the greatest rank amongst the sorcerers, the ninth class.
He didn’t possess the title of a great Wiseman, that only six people in this world were permitted to identify themselves as, but he had reached the pinnacle of a teacher.
Incidentally, sorcerers and Wisemen were often mistaken for one another, but there wasn’t a clear difference between the two.
However, even amongst the sorcerers, only the ones who had a wider scope of achievement left, or perhaps had given a great contribution to society were called Wisemen, but for argument’s sake, even the bottom-rung sorcerers who belonged to the first grade were called Wisemen.
On the other hand, was the man before my eyes.
Even if you, like him, held a rather admirable rank amongst sorcerers of the fifth class, one would not be called a Wiseman if they lacked the capability or the popularity.
That would be the case.
It seemed he had sprouted a warped sense of pride.
He flung the documents in his hand at Kalinin.
Kalinin, stroking his magnificently white beard, uttered the words,
「What’s this?」
「Can’t you see? It’s the personal history of that man who’s going to come this time.」
「Oh, come to think of it, I’ve heard talks of a newly recruited teacher coming.」
Kalinin replied with a husky voice to the man Macchiao.
「So, are there any problems in the document?」
「There is, isn’t this man a fourth class sorcerer!?」
「That seems to be the case. There is a four written here in huge letters.」
Kalinin pointed with his hand that seemed like a barren tree.
「It’s a huge problem. This is the premier educational institute for sorcerers, Leangrad Magic Academy. It is a prestigious school of magic. For a man with such unknown background to come here…」
「Unknown Background? Isn’t there a graduation certificate from a prestigious school attached here?」
「It is, but this man wasn’t engaged in any form of work following that. He graduated with a rank quite far off from the top of the magic schools in the frontiers. After that, it’s written in his personal history that he holed himself up in research, eating into his parents’ inheritance. Why should we invite such a man as a teacher to our prestigious school that has a long history?」
「Our school’s motto is that we are a magic academy open to everyone. It goes without saying for students, but we have a philosophy that even the teachers need not be questioned about their origins and family.」
Saying so, Kalinin pointed towards the philosophy of the academy put up behind his chair.
The were the words of the greatly revered great Wiseman who had founded this academy.
「All things are equal in the face of sorcery’s logic.」
So it was written. Actually, this magic academy had opened its doors to many students, as long as they had the talent, any person was welcome.
If they lacked money, they would be loaned the school tuition fee interest-free; if they possessed they talent, they’d be exempt from the loan following graduation.
Like that, they had provided many talented sorcerers over thousands of years, and contributed to this world.
Even the teacher in front of my eyes, Macchiao, surely had to know this fact.
Kalinin thought that, but, Macchiao did not share his thoughts.
「A philosophy is a philosophy. I think of that philosophy as a castle in the air. Well, unwillingly giving in to the student is well and good, but teachers after all need to value their origins and personal history.」
「I see, in other words, Macchiao, in other words… you’re curious about the origins and family of the youth named Kite, right?」
Saying so, Kalinin once again looked through the document.
This new teacher named Kite certainly does not have a family name. Just with that, one could guess that he belonged to noble peerage.
Moreover, even if his personal history were ordinary, he would most certainly be reflected as a slow learner in the elite Macchiao’s eyes.
His age was written as 26. On one hand, Macchiao was 36, yet his sorcery rank was only one step ahead.
Even though there was a gap of 10 years between them, there was but a difference of one rank. That too must be sick and tiring.
I thought so, but, not speaking on purpose, Kalinin admonished him in a pacifying tone.
「But, this matter has already been decided by the board of directors. I can’t overthrow it now that it has been decided.」
「That’s right. That board of directors. A group of us teachers believe that injustice has been meted out by the board of directors.」
「By injustice, you mean?」
「That witch in question. That parasite that has nested in our lives in Leangrad Academy over a period of centuries.」
「Let me see, was there such a person amongst our Trustees?」
「Don’t play dumb. This matter is something that that witch of fresh blood planned is something that has been long known.」
「Ah, I see, the parasite is Iris-dono.」
Kalinin remarked, but Macchiao rebuked his words.
「Oh my, I heard that in the past, you were taught by her, but did not become her formal disciple, but to call someone you regarded as a master in the past a parasite, isn’t it inappropriate?」
「Nope, it’s appropriate. In the first place, I myself declined to become her disciple. Please don’t distort the facts. This is not me taking revenge on that Kite lad due to a personal grudge.」
Kalinin wanted to say that it seemed to be nothing more than a grudge, but he maintained moderation by remaining silent.
It would have been fine if he had rebuked him with his own mouth, but I guess there was no reason to do so.
Kalinin hated talking behind other people’s backs, but he was a lot more tolerant when it came to insulting people right to their faces. Rather, instead of keeping it to himself, arguing right in front of her would settle it, he thought.
Thus, Kalinin pointed out the witch of fresh blood, Iris Seymour, who was standing right behind Macchiao, to him.
Macchiao’s expression was worth seeing. It was like that of a blackhead villain appearing in a comedy.
He broke into a sweat, as if his heroic attitude from before was a lie.
Watching him, with the expression of an ice sculpture, was Iris.
She spoke with a chilling voice befitting that expression.
「Haven’t you become quite eloquent with words? And moreover, you’ve now begun to excel in distorting the truth. Even if you don’t remember, I do. About you knocking on the door of my laboratory with sweets in hand, wanting to become my disciple. And the golden coins packed into those sweets too.」
If you like, would you want me to tell the exact amount I rejected?
Iris sneered, but Macchiao immediately denied it.
「Wh-, I didn’t, No, I did not[1] do such a foolish thing. ……Tch, this witch. Do you want to damage the reputation of the Macchiao House?」
「Not in my dreams. I don’t have such intentions. In the first place, I don’t think you have enough reputation for it to be damaged. You’re particular about rank, but isn’t your rank something your papa bought? You didn’t get any sort of fruits of research by yourself, did not contribute to the sorcerers’ society, and even did not bring any profit to the country or the system. With those you could become a class three sorcerer at best.」
「Wh-, I-It’s not like that. I became a class five sorcerer by my own abilities.」
「Own abilities, I see. You barked well till now with your abilities to the extent of making sure you entered the principal’s office and not realizing even though it had changed ostentatiously. It seems you did not even realize the existence of the familiar kept in front of the room though.」
Macchiao’s face, on receiving the ridicule was worth watching. At first, his face turned bright red, making one wonder if he was angry, but later, it turned pallid.
「……Tch.」
Macchiao let it out, and glared at Iris while clenching his fists, but he didn’t do anything more. No, he couldn’t do anything more.
Because everything was the truth. It was something beyond his power, even if he directed his anger at Iris. Even if he fought a thousand matches against her, Macchiao had zero chances of winning against Iris.
However, even still, just his pride was at the level of a class nine sorcerer.
That was the only thing Iris acknowledged. Even if he’d amounted to this stage, he’d still flared up at Iris.
「Shit……such a thing is inconsequential.」
「I don’t think it’s good, you see. But, if you have any refutations, I’ll listen to them. After all, it’s the words of a student who received my lesson. It’s not as if I can’t ignore them.」
「Leave it, shut up! This damned witch! On this occasion, things about me are inconsequential. The problem lies in the fact that you are abusing your powers and inviting commoners to this sacrosanct academy; and I am angered by that. It doesn’t matter if you are a trustee or hold the title of a Great Wiseman, your authority is not something to be abused! 」
No matter how high above others you stand, you must control oneself, Macchiao quoted the words of the academy’s founder he had denied just before.
My, my, it’s because of this that that scoundrel…, saying, Iris and Kalinin sighed at the same time.
But Iris said it out loud, while Kalinin in his heart.
Because he was insignificant, on top of being hopeless, I let it pass and thought of ignoring him, but he signed his death penalty with his own tongue.
「Hmph, I get you were left speechless when I made a valid argument. Well, it’s fine, no matter how big a trustee you are of the academy, my father is a retainer of the empire. You get It? Know your place from now on. Because if you say something insulting to me again, I won’t tolerate it this time. I am also the leader of the noble class teachers in this academy. That lad called Kite too. Moreover, that daughter of his that’s enrolling this time, I’ll bully her real bad.」
The moment Macchiao said that, the air in the principal’s office froze.
When Iris clad her body in magical power, the space around distorted.
Reaching Macchiao’s bosom in the blink of an eye, she grabbed his throat in fluid movements.
Actually, she stopped her hand just short of it.
Macchiao could but watch that sight in a daze.
Iris showed her anger for the first time that day.
She uttered with a voice dreadful enough to kill even the gods.
「Call me a parasite, tell everybody I am an abuser of power, and it won’t bother me the least bit. Because they are half-truths.」
Cutting her words off there, Iris continued with murderous intent.
「However, if you lay your hands on Fiona, even if you’re the emperor of the Neue Mirrodin Empire, I will kill you. 」
Iris declared.
It was an look that seemed to say there was no guarantee she would not do that.
At that look, no, murderous intent, Macchiao trembled with fear,
「……R-Roger.」
With a glare, Iris exerted her influence.
「……S-Sorry, Understood.」
Macchiao spoke as if wringing out words, face pallid.
He left the principal’s office with an unsteady gait.
After that, the two left were Kalinin and Iris.
The two, after a short silence, began their conversation.
The one who began was Kalinin.
「My, my, The witch of fresh blood. Do you intend to destroy the principal’s office?」
「If that man had opened his foul mouth and still hurled abuse, that might have been what would have happened.」
「I see. However, that man might be scum, but there’s some truth in his words. Certainly, our Leangrad Academy does not ask for the origins of our students, but it does ask the nature of the teachers. We don’t want to usher in a nobody from nowhere. These are not my thoughts, but those of a conservative section of the teachers lot. 」
「You feel I’ll burst out like this time with the conservative ones who’re like Macchiao?」
「There’s no guarantee that won’t happen.」
「Then, at that time, I’ll just write my resignation. Of course, that resignation is not yours, it’s mine.」
「――Iris-dono values this youth called Kite that greatly, I see.」
「Well, even I don’t know. But, If I have to just say one thing, that child is cute, that’s what I’d say.」
Kalinin, on hearing that, went wide-eyed in surprise.
Maybe he was hardly able to fathom its meaning.
Iris explained to Kalinin.
「We childless people do not understand it, but children hold the power to greatly change a person. And my disciple realized that even faster than me. And he came begging to me. It’s my duty as a master to help him with all my strength, for he has begged me.」
Iris, who said that had no intentions of making Kalinin comprehend the feelings that had sprouted in her.
However, she trusted the old Wiseman Kalinin.
She, finally, entrusted him.
「Well, the man called Kite is quite the man of wit and is a man overflowing with abilities. You don’t have to worry about him. You don’t have to bother about the hatred of the conservative faction and such.」
「You seem to be quite the fan of his.」
「He’s the strongest amongst the best disciples of this great Wiseman Iris Seymour.」
However, she continued.
「About his daughter, Fiona, it’s still unpredictable. Principal, since I can’t be stationed in this academy, can you look into her troubles for me?」
Kalinin at once, replied, 「At your convenience.」.
Kalinin’s education policy was to treat everyone fairly, but still, Kalinin was not narrow-minded enough to reject this witch’s modest request.
「Well, I’ll see to it that she receives a healthy and fun academy life.」
When Kalinin said so, Iris smiled for the first time that day.
T/N : 1.As you know, in Japanese, you can address yourself in multiple ways. He begins to be saying Ore, which is informal in comparison to the Watashi/Watakushi he corrects himself to.↩
Leangrad Magic Academy was in Leangrad Duchy.
It was a small country sandwiched between the two superpowers of this world, Neue Mirrodin Empire and Astral Republic. And was right next door watashiwasugoidesu.wordpress.com.
Even though it was called a small country it was even compared with the world powers, Leangrad Duchy itself was an ancient country that had a history more than a 1000 years old.
It had existed since Kite was born, and had protected its sovereignty while being sandwiched between the superpowers.
Having lived more than a thousand years, I have seen the rise, decline and occasionally the ruin of innumerable countries, but Leangrad shows no signs of a ruin. But Watashi wa Sugoi Desu got attacked by sites that stole translations.
When you compared the territory with that of the empire or the republic, it was but a tiny strip of land, but the citizens who resided there proudly swore allegiance to the ducal family.
Also, the dukes governed the country well enough that there was even a saying that there were no foolish rulers in Leangrad.
If you looked at the history of the past 1000 years, Mirrodin’s Imperial bloodline had ended multiple times, civil wars had repeated, and even the name of the country had changed. The name had changed from Mirrodin Empire to Neue Mirrodin Empire.
When the word for New was added, it had spurred changes in the empire’s policy. Nevertheless, people hardly used NovelUpdates to check for releases.
As for its rival, the Astral Republic, even its name hadn’t existed up until a thousand years ago.
Many small countries were split, the republic itself did not exist.
If you thought of that, the country, Leangrad Duchy that we were going to, was an extremely good one to live in.
It had maintained its independence and history for a thousand years.
I couldn’t imagine it being shaken in the next few years.
The very least, the national polity would be maintained at least till Fiona came of age and had the strength to live by herself.
When I spoke of such aspirations to my master before setting off, she laughed through her nose.
「A thousand years of stability does not guarantee peace after that too. Actually, didn’t the man who was a thousand years old Wiseman, Kite, turn from a research freak to a father freak in a mere few years?」
At that time, I was beaten all hollow so I had no means to even refute, but as our party’s carriage reached the capital of Leangrad Duchy, Ishureen, the exchange from then had already faded to oblivion.
The scenery of the Duchy capital Ishureen that I saw from the window of the carriage, was not all that different from when I had enrolled a thousand years ago.
No, but of course, the architectural style had changed, there was no trace left of those days, but that prosperity and bustle were the same as back then.
Looking at the rows of houses on the street overflowing with bustle, my daughter Fiona gave a sigh.
「Amazing, there’s so many people.」
Saying that, she tugged at my sleeves and asked. “Why don’t you go to a site that does not have annoying and pesky ads?”
「Hey, Hey, daddy, is it a festival or something today?」
No, I shook my head. Because I’m a masochist that likes to help bad people who steal other’s hard work and TLs.
「It’s a normal working day. If it were a festival, this Main Street would be overflowing with people.」
「There’d be even more people!?」
「People from the neighbouring towns would also gather, and tourists from all around the world would come. If that happened, even the Main Street would be overflowing with people, and carriages would be prohibited from going through.」
「Amazing. This Main Street would be filled with people.」
Fiona let out words of admiration and groaned. You should go to Novel Updates or Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
She was a girl who hadn’t seen a town, let alone the Imperial Capital. On the way to master’s mansion, we had stopped and lodged at villages and post towns, but the villages and post towns we stopped at did not have the scale or the energy here.
It couldn’t be helped feeling dumbfounded at the Duchy capital where people seem to gather only to overflow.
On the other hand, Chloe too seemed a bit tense.
It was her first time leaving the empire too.
She was frequently paying undue attention to the maid uniform she was wearing.
Turning to me, she asked this.
「Master, do these maid clothes hold good in the Duchy capital too?」
「What, you’re worried about that?」
「What do you mean by that, that’s cruel, Master. If you take maid clothes away from Chloe, won’t she turn into an ordinary machine doll?」
「Aren’t dolls that uncommonly hold emotions rare in this world?」
「There are ones with cleaning skill, cooking skill, sewing skill, and child rearing skill, and moreover there are ones with management skills too.」
They were Chloe’s words, but she continued, disregarding her own words.
「However, for a maid, her maid clothes are like a part of her own body. It’s natural that I would be bothered by it.」
By all means, Chloe regularly reads the monthly magazine published by a small publication in the Imperial capital, 『The Maid’s Friend』, and she seems to have her own personal opinion about trends of the maids in the Imperial capital.
「Not to speak of a personal opinion, Chloe is a postcard artisan for the reader contribution column of 『The Maid’s Friend』」
She boasted. You can say hi to the ACTUAL TRANSLATOR and EDITOR on watashi wa sugoi desu.
In short, what she wanted to say was that she had self confidence about her sense of maid clothes in the Imperial capital, but she was not sure it held good in this Duchy capital.
Well, I didn’t understand that. Because I don’t read at the correct place.
What Chloe was wearing were extremely ordinary maid clothes.
Rather, I didn’t remember having seen her wearing anything other than that.
There must have been a problem with the maid clothes, but I didn’t understand. Therefore my reply tended towards perfunctory.
「Well, maid clothes are the same, no matter where you go. Lizardman maid’s clothes have a tail in the skirt. Elf maids clothes have a flat chest. Dwarf maid clothes are stumpy. Isn’t there no other difference?」
「That doesn’t answer my question, but……」
Chloe unusually let out her dissatisfaction.
「Well, if there is a subtle difference in the design of the maid clothes in the Imperial capital and the Duchy, won’t it be fine just to buy another set of maid clothes? Anyhow it’s not as if maid clothes are that much of an expense.」
Hearing that, Chloe’s eyes lit up.
「Is it alright to buy a replacement? Master.」
「Till now your clothing expenses must have been limited, right? Fiona of course, but with regards to you too.」
Rather, I’d left everything related to household expenses completely to Chloe.
I spent most of my income on research, but I entrusted how to spend the remainder completely to Chloe.
Shall we buy clothes, or shall we buy new furniture, were words I’d never uttered.
I’d not even asked for the food to be put out.
One particular year, I’d put in too much money into research. That year, the quality of foodstuffs put out declined, and Chloe silently expressed her feelings of displeasure, but I didn’t even care about those feelings.
It was because I thought food and such was fine as long as I got the nutrients and didn’t starve.
Therefore, if there was money left over, I had no problems with Chloe buying maid clothes.
In any case, I had the living expenses I borrowed from master for now.
There was no problem taking out some money for her clothing from that.
It was just that I would have to pay attention to household expenses from now on.
I couldn’t spend money like I used to, like how I did till now.
I didn’t have a mansion any longer, and the Wiseman Kite was legally dead.
Those patent fees and fortunes had been frozen, I had been suppressed by the sorcerers society, and even my bank account was under the supervision of the financial department of the empire.
I couldn’t do anything thoughtlessly like how I had been doing.
I moved my gaze towards my beloved daughter.
There was a lovable girl of twelve years of age.
She was wearing a one piece in the shade of a Cabbage White butterfly.
Her looks too were lovable as always.
However, even that machine doll that did nothing but imprudently talk was also my precious family.
I had been indebted by her service for the past few centuries.
And I would have the debt of being in her care from here on too.
To buy even a single maids clothes in such a situation was the duty of a master.
I who thought so, turned towards the nearby department store.
It was a department store with tradition and formality. There was a corner with maid and butler clothes displayed.
When she reached there, she tried on the maid clothes as if she were a boy who had found a treasure.
I, seeing off her going away, held my daughter’s hand tight and turned towards the coffee shop inside the department store.
「Daddy, is it fine if chole goes to Buy?」
When my daughter asked, I nodded my head up and down.
「From time immemorial, it has been considered that a woman’s shopping takes a long time.」
After I said that in a Wiseman like manner, Fiona and I ordered a chocolate parfait.
Because I disliked banana, I placed mine on top of my daughter’s parfait.
Telling my daughter she shouldn’t have likes and dislikes, I put it in my mouth in a savouring manner.
Well then, actually, Chloe took a few hours to shop, but Fiona too would someday be of an age when she would rack her brain over shopping like this.
At that time it would be nice to raise a daughter with whom I can go shopping.
While thinking of that, I put the ice-cream in my mouth.
The chocolate parfait I ate in the Duchy capital was extremely chilling, sweet and delicious.
Well then, that was how we got through her second birthday, and my daughter grew to the point that one would say she looked like a 12-year-old.
Before long, she reached an age when I hesitated to enter the bath with her.
To add to that, the talent for magic that had just recently blossomed was smoothly growing. Read on Watashi wa Sugoi Desu
Beginning with 《Flight》magic, she was soon able to chant simple magic like《Water Sphere》《Invisibility》《Healing》among others.
“As expected of my niece.” Those were the words of my master, Iris Seymour.
Actually, she had quite a bit of talent for magic therefore, if it continued like this, the talent examination of Leangrad Magic Academy would be a cakewalk for her to pass.
When it came to it, the problem was the written test.
It had been hardly more than two years since Fiona was born into this world.
Even if her figure was that of a young girl, if her mind was still immature, her knowledge would be inferior. And she was overwhelmingly lacking in experience and time.And probably wish me luck for my finals in the comments
However, Fiona easily solved that problem.
She got a perfect score of 100 time and again in the mock entrance test questions of Leangrad Magic Academy I had collected.
Perhaps, the most extraordinary thing in her might be what was contained inside that brain of hers.
Master said, I’ll feel bored if you don’t read on watashiwasugoidesu.wordpress.com
「If it’s about intelligence and intellect, it makes you seem like a monkey when I first met you. Fiona’s wisdom, that is.」
It was so. Cmon, why are you reading on site that steals my TLs AND my views??
Master intended it to be sarcastic, but I didn’t feel hurt.
No, I was rather happy. Parents were creatures whose cheeks would loosen every time, whenever their child was praised. A kite gave birth to a falcon [1]. They were the greatest words of praise.
「But on the other hand, if her magical abilities stand out like mine, I’ll be concerned.」
「That too is right in its own way. You wanted her to become a librarian of a Magic Library, right?」
「Perhaps a research job at a research place might be good too. If it’s my daughter we’re talking about, she might make the old fashioned concept of alchemy obsolete, and might separate alchemy from science and chemistry.」
「You’re talking about that? That philosophy that says that even people without magical power should be able easily reproduce it?」
「Exactly. We should create an era where it’s not only the sorcerers who reap the benefits of magic; the villagers walking on the other side should benefit from magic, too. That is my dream.」
「An era where anyone should be able to easily manipulate fire, and anyone should be easily able to fly? If that day does come, we’ll be left unemployed.」
Master laughed when she said that.
Certainly the world I dreamed of was such a world. Magic not becoming a tool of war, but a symbol of peace.
Perhaps science and chemistry would become obsolete and worthless.
「You mean to say, maybe that daughter will succeed your ideal?」
Master thought of a lot of things as she said that; she didn’t continue speaking any more.
Master and I had our differences regarding this point.
I wished for a world where magic would not be necessary someday.
On the other hand, master wished for a world where people could live in harmony with magic.
However, we found a common ground of thinking about Fiona’s future.
She didn’t extend the debate anymore than that, and pulled out a letter from her cleavage.
「The forged identification papers are finally done .」
Saying so, she handed it over to me.
As I took it, I looked it over at once.
In there was Fiona’s name and her birth certificate.
Nationality was Neue Mirrodin. Descent was commoner.
In the column for mother there was an ×, and in the column for father was my name.
「You have quite the guts to make a forgery.」
「Don’t make light of this Iris Seymour. I’m a court magician holding the title of Great Wiseman. I can forge as many of these mere documents as I want.」
She boasted while puffing out her chest, I pointed out the more grave question.
While pointing at the place on the document where it was written, picked out at her mistake.
「…Um, I think Fiona’s name is fine the way it is, but isn’t it bad for my name to be written as is?」
「What’s wrong?」Liar
「No, you see I’m going to Leangrad in order to escape from the hands of the empire. Wouldn’t it be bad for my name to be as is?」
Incidentally, my name was as is, but my nationality and descent had been changed. My birth year, month, and date had been changed too.
In order to become a teacher at the magic academy, a background that said I was a sorcerer who had graduated from a magic school in a small country had been mentioned.
However, only my name being the same in that was something inconsistent.
When I pointed that out, she said with a clear voice
「What, it’s something like that? Don’t worry, there are dime a dozen Kites in this world. Fortunately, the Thousand Year Wiseman Kite is a hermit sorcerer and more or less doesn’t have any acquaintances. Even in the empire, there might not be anyone who bears a resemblance to that name and face. Much less the neighbouring country you’re going to, Leangrad.」
「Well, certainly.」Boohooo
My introversion was quite severe. Anyhow, I was an out and out person who didn’t meet even his master Iris except for once in a few decades.
Even going downtown for shopping and publishing the results of my research was something I usually left to Chloe, and in reality the number of people whose face and name resembled mine were not more than could be counted on a single hand.
「Here, instead of forcibly taking a false name and confusing Fiona, continuing on with that name would not rouse suspicion. I thought so too.」
「Certainly that conclusion might be correct.」
「The witch of fresh blood always makes the correct choices.」
She replied cheerfully and closed the question on identity, and resolutely said some outrageous words.
「Ah, incidentally, I disposed of the mansion you were living in. Iris Seymour’s disciple died in an explosion during research. His research failed and he died in a bomb explosion, and brought a full stop to that shitty long life. Because I sent such a report to the Sorcerers Society.」
Incidentally, the problem was with what she said after these words.
The words after I said 「Thank you for your efforts.」
「Ah, it was hard work. Actually, the mansion had been blown to smithereens, and I had to find corpses like that, that’s why even making the forgery was not at all fun.」
She said that. Are you still not reading on my site?
Hearing those words I unconsciously shouted.
「Wh- The mansion was blown to smithereens!? And on top of that you even prepared corpses?」
「Actually, if it hadn’t been blown to smithereens, it would not have been possible to have you be dead on paper. You’ll be taken as missing if a corpse isn’t found.」
「However, morally……」
「Rest easy. It was the corpse of a criminal who had been executed. One without relatives too. I respectfully collected and buried the exploded corpse.」
Incidentally, it seems the funeral money [2] I got from the sorcerers and master’s disciples was just a drop in the bucket.
「It can’t be helped. You were bad at socialising with sorcerers.」
She laughed but I didn’t.
What’s wrong, why are you making such a face?, master asked.
「I’m just making a face that a pitiful disciple whose mansion has been blown up without any permission of any sort, his research results, and invaluable books have been burnt to ashes, would make. It’s quite an ordinary and natural expression.」
Even regarding that, she insisted that it couldn’t be helped.
She said, actually, if she hadn’t blown up the mansion and also blown up the research results, the investigation officials who came to investigate the mansion should have had suspicions.
「…………」
It was a sound argument and thus I wasn’t able to show a protesting long face anymore, anyhow, with this I was officially penniless.
Regarding that, my master said.
「Isn’t it great? You became a father. From a near-jobless research freak, you changed jobs to a teacher at a prestigious magic school. You should be thankful, there’s no reason to criticise.」
She said so, but still, when I thought of the mansion I had lived in for many long years, and of the library collection I had collected over close to a thousand years, it felt painful.
Seriously, I have an outrageous master.
I thought so, but when I accepted the documents, I held out my hand to her for a handshake.
Master, upon seeing the gesture, made a doubtful face.
「What’s with that hand?」
The witch expressed what she thought frankly.
「It’s a parting greeting. Now that I’m going to Leangrad, it’ll be difficult to meet you freely like this.」
「I see, certainly. Moreover, your introversion is dyed in the wool. The last time you showed your face before this was a few decades ago.」
「I won’t take such a long time this time. But still, I can’t meet you everyday like I’ve been doing up until now.」
「You’re right. Leangrad is far. There is no reason not to use Transfer Magic, but I’m busy. Even if I don’t have anything to do, I won’t be able to meet easily.」
「But, an aunt should get to see her niece’s face once in a while.」
When I insisted so, she once again said 「That’s right.」and gave a self-mocking smile.
「However, a saying goes, children are ties, my niece too is a tie. I used to think that children were only noisy creatures, but for this past year, living with Fiona, I began thinking. Children aren’t as bad as I thought.」
The words were unbecoming of her, but even I agreed with her.
She who was feared by the world as the witch of fresh blood, her appearance reading Fiona a picture book, telling her stories, teaching her studies, said a lot about the great influence Fiona had over others.
In reality, the thing that changed my mind, the me who had been completely submerged in a pessimistic mood, and had been a hermit for many centuries, was my daughter’s smile.
In order to protect that smile, I tightly grasped the documents that master had arranged, and turned towards Leangrad.
T/N & E/N –
It basically means ‘An extraordinary child being born to ordinary parents’ source↩
In Asian cultures, you normally give or burn some paper money for the departed.↩
Banzai!!! Say hello the amazing editor for Wiseman, Charlotte!!! She translates herself from German to English and even knows Chinese! And she even has prior editing experience.
Enjoy the chapter now!! (And Chloe is still best girl!!)
A year later, my daughter became a small lady.
She grew to the height of a lovable young girl of 12.
Chloe had braided her slightly curly blonde hair.
Wearing a white dress, Fiona was sitting in the birthday girl’s seat.
Today was her birthday; she had actually turned two.
If so, then should the number of candles on the jumbo strawberry shortcake I had prepared be two?
I asked the female camp.
I first decided to ask my teacher Iris, but she beat me to the punch.
「By the way, my birthday cake always has 17.」
From then on, she said nothing but 17.
Even when I asked if it was fine to not count by the month, she said nothing but 17.
Well, leaving aside counting age by the month, baking a cake that can hold 1200 candles would be a back-breaking job even for a master baker. When I said 「I shall only put 17 candles for master’s birthday.」she made a satisfied face.
Subsequently, the one who interrupted was Chloe. She expressed a sensible argument.
「Fiona-sama’s actual age might be two years, but her appearance is that of a young girl. Moreover, Fiona-sama is enrolling in Leangrad Magic Academy as a 12-year-old child. Shouldn’t we place 12 candles on the cake in such a situation?」
Chloe proposed it, but maybe it was the most acceptable solution.
In the first place, I hadn’t told Fiona herself about her age.
She began growing up at five times the speed as soon as she was born, and turned into a five-year-old in a blink of an eye. A year after that, she grew into a lady who could call herself a 12-year-old.
It wasn’t strange even if the person herself had slight doubts about her body.
No, lately, she’d been asking quite bluntly.
「Hey, dad, by any chance, am I not an ordinary child?」
And such—
At that time, I was at a loss for a reply.
Master said, at long last her rapid growth spurt has paused, and it seems her growth speed had become equal to that of an ordinary human, but how do we explain the vacuum made by her growing from five to 12 years in a single year?
「Shall we give a false explanation, say she lost her memories?」
My master shook her head at my words.
「On top of being simple, it reeks of a lie.」
「Chloe thinks so too.」
A prompt denial came from the women camp.
「If so, how about we say that when one lives in this mansion, the flow of time changes? It’s a special space overflowing with magic where a witch who’s lived for thousands of years can claim to be a 17-year-old. Seems credible—」
The witch who made my words stop halfway was exerting her authority by glaring at me. She would kill God if she met him, she’d behead the Holy Spirit if she met it, she’d club the devil to death if she met him, and here she was looking at me, making such a face.
I retreated by lightly clearing my throat.
「But if you think about it, there’s a bunch of inconsistencies. There are many ordinary humans moving about in this mansion too.」
When I said so to escape from master’s gaze, Chloe and I wracked our brains.
We had hidden the fact she was a homunculus from Fiona herself. I had the intention of hiding it from her at least until she became an adult capable of making a sensible judgment of things or perhaps until necessity came calling.
However, even if we were able to hide the fact she was a homunculus, her copiously peculiar physical characteristics couldn’t be hidden.
「Well then, what should we do?」
While I was worrying about that, master laughed loudly.
「Ha ha ha.」
With her mouth wide open, hands on her hips, it was a loud laugh not appropriate for a young lady.
「Something’s strange.」
I replied in a criticising tone, but she too replied with a sound argument.
「No, there’s three grown adults. And out of those gathered here, two are even called Wisemen, but to still be all worried about a matter of this sort is quite ironic.」
「Certainly.」
I gave her a wry smile.
After staring into blank space for a while, I reached my decision.
「…Well, I’ve decided. Let’s tell her the truth.」
「We are to tell Fiona-sama the truth about her being a homunculus?」
Chloe enquired so, but I disagreed.
「No, we’ll hide only that. The ones in this world who can know that truth are only three. Only I, Chloe and Master, us three. It’s better that Fiona herself doesn’t know the truth. It might be dishonesty, but that might be the best way to protect her.」
「You’re right. That’s for the best. If we turn it into a strange space now and try to smooth it over with the nonsensical lie of memory loss, that would just get that girl more confused. This is the place where we ought to honestly tell her that she has such a constitution.」
The witch who was my master gave her approval too.
The witch who was more than 1200 years old came to such a conclusion, so perhaps, my choice has no problems.
I who thought so, called out to Fiona and explained to her.
When she came in front of us, she sat in front of me.
I guess I betrayed my tension.
Her intuition was sharp for a child. Her sensitivity was strong.
I spoke with a gentle tone so as to not frighten her.
「Happy Birthday, Fiona.」
「…………」
「Can you see the cake here? It’s Fiona’s favourite strawberry shortcake. There’s two candles on top of it. Do you know what that means?」
「……That I’m turning two years old?」
「Exactly.」
As expected, she seemed bewildered. She must have acquired knowledge from books. In humans, two was the age when they finally stood up and began walking. It was an age when they were still treated as an infant.
But still, Fiona’s body was already fully grown.
I wasn’t not so sure I could say that she was still a young girl; she was beginning to show traces of maturity, and glimpses of womanhood were beginning to appear.
And such, I was spoken of behind my back quite boldly.
Of course, I was neither a pervert, nor a lolicon, anyhow, she’d become a girl with such a figure. Even if there were no children of her generation around, she would most probably remember feeling out of place.
To say nothing of the fact that Fiona had much more wisdom and sensibility than ordinary children. That heart must be overflowing the feeling of being left out.
That was why I told her truthfully.
「Fiona possesses a special body by nature. Your growth is mysteriously fast. But, from today onwards, you’re no different from an ordinary human. Fiona should grow like an ordinary human. You should be able to live like an ordinary human. No, you will live like an ordinary girl.」
Fiona nodded with a serious expression.
「Why was I born with such a body?」
The one who answered that question was not me, but the maid Chloe.
She said the lines she had already thought of beforehand.
When she placed her hands on Fiona’s shoulders, she spoke while bending her hips in order to match their lines of sight.
「That’s surely because the Holy Spirit-sama gave a blessing to Fiona-sama.」
「The Holy Spirit-sama gave me a blessing?」
「That’s right. Fiona-sama’s dream is to become Master’s wife, right?」
Fiona vigorously nodded with a 「Yes」.
「Then isn’t the Holy Spirit-sama helping you out? You need to be at least 15 in order to get married in this country. If Fiona-sama had spent her infancy in a happy-go-lucky manner, in the meantime, some other bride candidate might have ended up getting married to Master.」
「That’d be a problem!」
Fiona said, flustered.
「Because Master is popular. That’s why, the Holy Spirit-sama blessed you. Saying “grow up quickly and become Master’s wife.”」
「I see, so the Holy Spirit blesses me.」
「That’s right. It’s a cheat. But that cheat is only till here. Fiona-sama will grow like an ordinary girl from the next year onwards.」
「I see. But then, there’s no security for the next three years, right?」
「That’s right. In the meantime, maybe Chloe might become Fiona-sama’s mother.」
「Eehh……」
「Chloe, too, is a worthy rival.」
She, replying with a smile to Fiona’s reproachful words, turned around and looked at me.
Chloe,
「how about this as a common ground?」
Seemed to make an expression that said this.
I met my master’s gaze.
Isn’t it too simple? Master sent such a gaze, but in the end, I went along with Chloe’s plan.
I’m sure it’s better to have a simple explanation like this for a child.
It’s because I thought so.
It’s better if she learns the complicated social life of adults and their often facadicious appearances later.
Isn’t it better to believe in the existence of the Holy Spirit and Santa Claus… at least when they’re children?
I thought so.
Anyhow, Fiona seemed content with those words.
「Well then, I’m now 12 years old, right!」
When she smiled like an angel, she went to the kitchen by herself and brought back a huge candle.
She put that on the cake.
「What’s that?」
Chloe asked.
「That represents 10. The big one means you’re 10 years old.」
「I see, Fiona-sama is too wise.」
Chloe laughed so, but Fiona was certainly a wise child.
Accepting her circumstances unaffected, and she must have been wearing that smile and making those movements in order to calm the worrying adults.
With a cheerful expression, she begged, 「Daddy, light it.」.
I, bringing out a flame from my fingertip, lit the candles.
When the lights were lit, Fiona asked 「Can I put them out now? Can I put them out now?」.
When I gave my permission, she filled her lungs and cheeks with air and blew them out in a single breath.
The light of the candles disappeared in a blink of an eye.
The ten year candle, the fat candle, resisted till the very end, but still, Fiona’s lung capacity won in the end.
Fiona made a triumphant expression that seemed to say 「Isn’t it amazing?」, but certainly she was amazing.
After that she uttered.
「Aunt Iris is 1200 years, so we must arrange for 12 candles twice the size of this one.」
My daughter was certainly amazing. Because even after she said such an extreme statement, the witch gave nothing but a wry smile.
My master did not lose her temper on her true age being told, and even gave a mature response.
「Well, we’ve blown out the candles, so shall we eat? It was made by the no. 1 pastry chef in town. It’s delicious enough to make your jaw drop.」
I thought while looking at that heartwarming scene.
Family is a nice thing.
After that, the four people harmoniously stuffed their cheeks full of cake and got the icing all over their faces.
The wise and noble daughter,
The sharp-tongued yet quick-witted mechanical doll maid,
The witch who had an oddball personality yet was kind to her niece.
None of us were joined together by blood, but I thought the word family was the word used to refer to people like us.
T/N –
1. The sexual attraction to a young girl-like figure is called lolicon.↩
Heya all! A Happy 2018 to all of you!!! Enjoy the cuteness splash!!
On another note, I’m currently searching for editors for all my series! Please help out if you can!! You can check out the Recruitment page if you’re interested!!
And to the editors who’ve reached out to me, I’m always waiting!!
Thanks to Matty from Yado Inn for editing this chapter!
I Decided To Enroll My Daughter In the Magic Academy
「Well then, shall we talk about my niece’s future academic courses?」
The youthful woman, who was my master Iris Seymour, crossed her legs as she began to speak.
The Witch of Mirrodin asked whilst giving an enchanting smile,
「To begin with, I want to ask if you think of that girl as your own daughter? So no issues come up in the foreseeable future, that is.」
「I think of her as my own daughter, even if we aren’t related by blood.」
「Blood might be thicker than water, however, bonds run deeper than the ocean floor.」
「I feel the same way. Now, I have my sights set on the happiness of my daughter.」
「You were a person with great promise, even going as far as being guaranteed the seat of a great wiseman. It’s a shame to hear you, who abandoned it all and ran away, say such mundane filled words.」
Master gave a slight self-deprecating laugh.
「Good grief. If the you from two years were to know of this, he’d no doubt be surprised.」
「Even I still can’t accept it so easily. You were that much of a research freak. No, it’d be more apt to say you were someone who hated the world.」
「I did intend to come across as a research freak.」
「No, you really did hate the world; your devotion to research was just a pretense. Ever since you gained a body with eternal youth, and had leisure to spare, you became a man who focused solely on research.
「I can’t deny that..」
「You shouldn’t. Oh, how much I valued your talent.. If you continued to walk the path of a wiseman, you’d have been known as the 7th Great Wiseman by now. No, perhaps you would have become the top great wiseman, an existence fit to guide this world.」
「You’re overestimating me.」
「You’re being too modest.」
Master let out a sigh.
「As for your magic, its power surpasses even mine. If you ever do decide to aim for the height of a sorcerer, you’d for sure gain the power to pass me in the blink of an eye.」
「Wouldn’t that mean becoming the strongest in the world, then?」
「You’re right. That’s what surpassing me would amount to.」
「If so, it really is impossible. I have no reason to surpass Master.」
「The student always surpasses the master. It’s the standard for stories.」
After Master said that, she dismissed it, saying, 「Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter.」
「I won’t force you to become my successor after such a long time, and I won’t ask you to return to your previous principles and opinions. After all, being my successor would entail being tainted by the blood of numerous humans.」
Certainly, I had the choice of becoming her successor instead of being confined to that mountain, tirelessly researching.
I had the option to, like her, be involved in worldly affairs and put the magic I learnt to good use in human society.
I could’ve chosen the path to, like her, serve in a court somewhere, and utilize that magic in battle.
But, I feel as if that way of life wouldn’t suit me.
Yes, it couldn’t possibly have..
Everyone is suitable or unsuitable for something.
I don’t want to use magic as weapons of war. I don’t want to use magic as a tool for political strife.
It was certain that I had such feelings.
But can that statement really be trusted, after such a long time?
I’ve lived like this for a few hundred years. There’s no way I could change my lifestyle after all this time.
I lowered my head in apology.
「I see, therefore you don’t want to serve as a court magician, and you won’t turn towards becoming a war magician －－」
「I see. In other words, you don’t want to serve as a court magician nor do you want to become enlist as a war magician――.」
「I won’t turn towards that line of work.」
I tried it once upon a time, but it was no good. That wouldn’t change even after a few more centuries.
Due to the existence called Fiona, I remembered my dislike for killing humans with magic..
It was regretful, but I couldn’t follow in Master’s path.
I gave my outright refusal, but even so, her expression didn’t turn into a frown.
「Well, to each their own. For every woman like me, who doesn’t so much as lift a brow from being called a witch of fresh blood, there is a man like my disciple, who shows compassion to even the leech which sucks his blood. The world goes around well because of that. Even if you try changing at this later hour, it won’t lead to much of anything good.」
While saying that, she tore off the memo pages stuck to the bulletin.
She neither stood up, nor did she chant a spell.
It was a simple magic not requiring movement, let alone a chant.
The memo pages peeled off by themselves and moved towards the dustbin as if they had a will of their own.
「I thought I could make you seek asylum in some other country and become the court magician there, but I suppose that’s not to be the case ーー」
She muttered under her breath.
The memo pages were nearly half-peeled off. Perhaps that method might’ve been the best to ensure my and Fiona’s safety.
If we were to seek refuge in an enemy of the empire, we’d at the very least be protected from the evil clutches of the church.
Also, if I hone enough of my strength as a war magician, I’ll be able to protect myself and Fiona from those who seek to hurt us. I might be able to obtain the power necessary to protect Fiona from evil.
Perhaps I did abandon the best plan my teacher could conceive for me, but even then she didn’t forsake me.
She peered into my eyes with a scalding gaze.
I felt as if I’d been seen through by the witch, but still I didn’t avert my eyes.
I wonder if she was gauging my aptitude with that magic eye.
She peeled of a memo page stuck to the bulletin and handed it to me.
「What’s this?」
「This might be the best path you can take.」
I timidly looked at the memo page.
If she says it’s for the best, then that means there really is no alternative option. I had trust in my master’s keen eye for people.
Written in there was the name of a certain magic school.
「Leangrad Magic Academy.」
It was a nostalgic name; it was my alma mater, after all.
When Iwas young, the witch in front of me picked me to raise as one of her own.
After that, I enrolled in the Leangard Magic Academy at the time she told me that she was going to give up teaching. There, I learnt to become a sorcerer.
It was clear as day that she was aiming for a repeat of that.
「I don’t seek to make your daughter a sorcerer under these circumstances, if that’s what you’re thinking」
Master opened her mouth as if to beat me to the punch.
「Not all who become sorcerers turn out like I did.There are people who avoid killing like you do, and there are even women who get married promptly after getting the qualifications of a sorcerer. Moreover, there are women who opt to become librarians, and there are women who make it as medical sorcerers」
The point was, she concluded, that they could do whatever their hearts set upon.
「In other words, you want me to enroll my daughter in Leangrad Academy, where I can both teach and supervise her, right? If it’s Leangrad Academy, the empire and church won’t be able to lay a finger on her.」
I can’t say I thought about doing something like that.
Because such an action was quite unlike of me.
Leangrad Academy’s campus shared borders with the empire and a certain republic
The republic was the only country who could rival the empire in terms of military strength. It was listed as the top choice for my ‘places to seek asylum in’ list , on the page pinned up from before.
It was a country who engaged in a long-lasting war for dominance against the empire. And in between the empire and the republic was a small, sovereign country, the Leangrad Duchy.
Leangrad Duchy was, true to its name, ruled by the archduke.
However, it was a rank not bestowed by the empire; it had far more ancient origins.
It was recognized as a world power, had formidable army corps of sorcerers, and had a military acknowledged by both the empire and the republic.
To begin with, it managed to retain its independence in spite of its location, rubbing shoulders with two of those incredibly formidable countries. That in itself was proof of the Leangrad Duchy’s exalted history.
Leangrad, while bringing about a presence that neither the two countries nor the other major powers could make light of, was by no means putting up the pretence of being conspicuous, and had protected its independence for millennia.
Declaring permanent neutrality, it distanced itself from the interventions of the two countries.
Consequently, Leangrad Magic Academy flourished as the highest institute of education for sorcerers.
Regardless of birth or origins it accepted any who were capable people, and gained fame as a prestigious school for magic
「Leangrad Magic Academy, you say ……」
I mumbled that name again.
「Are you unwilling?」
「That’s not the problem though. No, rather, it’s a welcomed condition.」
After saying so, I continued.
「Leaving aside the fact of whether or not I’m cut out for teaching, it’s for the best. She’ll get a chance to study at a leading school, and will also be able to make friends of her age.」
「So, you agree wholeheartedly?」
「Leaving aside the fact of whether I want my daughter to eventually become a sorcerer, it’s not a bad learning environment.」
However, I added.
「Leangrad Magic Academy is famous. The written examination is difficult and you need to have at least some talent as a sorcerer. Moreover, you need to have connections.」
「Don’t worry about connections. I’m a former teacher. Moreover my name is still there amongst the trustees.」
「Her age is also a problem. If I recall correctly, Leangrad Academy only admits student who are ten years and above.」
「Everything will be resolved in due time. You can stay for a year at my home. During that time, that girl will surely grow to seem like a 10 year old. You can prepare her for the written examination in that one year, too.」
「You say it so easily. You know, their exam is tough.」
A wry smile inadvertently rose on my face. But more than that, the thing that worried me the most was her aptitude for magic. That couldn’t be changed.
If it’s writing, she has the opportunity of learning from the two greatest wisemen of all time, but her aptitude for magic couldn’t be changed.
Because magic was both technique and innate ability.
Even if a person memorised the spells, if they lacked the talent, then they still wouldn’t be able to invoke magic without internally possessed mana. By my diagnosis, my daughter Fiona lacked the talent for magic.
I couldn’t find that shining mana inside of her.
On the other hand, my teacher was of the opposite opinion.
「That girl is a homunculus. She is a child born inside a flask. Such a girl would surely possess various kinds of talent. Her talent will blossom in due time.」
「Do you have proof of that?」
「I have. That girl is your daughter and my niece. She surely possess extraordinary talent.」
She smiled with conviction, and her conviction proved to hit the mark.
A month later, when we began living in the Mansion, and at the time we began preparing for the Leangrad Academy entrance examination, my daughter’s powers had awoken.
That was just when I went out to buy groceries in town.
Thinking that I should buy preparatory books for the exam, I went around the bookstores and returned to master’s mansion; there, the incident had taken place.
It seemed she had climbed up a tree in the garden in master’s mansion when Chloe let her eyes off her for a moment.
Climbing a tree by itself showed her health and was something to be happy about, but the problem was its height.
She, without thinking, had climbed a huge elm tree.
It’s height was easily 10 metres. And the reason for climbing was also just like her.
She had climbed the tree to return a baby bird that had fallen off its nest.
Was it something that warranted a scolding?
I thought so.
Actually, hearing the report about her falling from the tree, I couldn’t bring myself to scold her.
Rather, master and the others praised her.
「Oh, Fiona, well done. That was commendable.」
Somehow, my daughter Fiona, even after falling from a tree, was completely unhurt.
It seems she had protected her body by invoking magic.
She protected her body by invoking 《Flight》magic that I had not even taught her.
And the next day, she flew across the skies after obtaining permission from me.
She, at once, brought an unreasonable demand.
「A kitty is stuck in a high place!」
She requested for permission to fly with a smile.
Of course, I couldn’t reject.
In any case, I had made preparations to be ready to chant support magic beneath her if anything went wrong, but that ended up going to waste.
In her second invocation, she flawlessly used《Flight》magic.
I watched the figure of my daughter petting the kitten, a complex feeling arising from within me.
Master was grinning upon seeing such in me.
Somehow, my daughter had the talent for magic, just as per her predictions.
I had to acknowledge that.
Anyhow, with this my daughter’s and my future was decided.
When she attains the height and weight of a 10 year old, I’ll forge the documents and make her attend Leangrad Magic Academy as a 『Human』.
And I’ll become a『Teacher』there.
It could be said that it was the best, for there were no options left other than that.
I decided that as I lightly took the cat from my daughter, who lightly adapted to the wind and came down from a high place.
Incidentally, the cat was a black cat.
A black cat residing in a witch’s house was said to be a sign of good luck.
It’d be nice if Leangrad Magic Academy became a place of happiness for me and my daughter.
While thinking so, I continued petting the cat.
Regardless of whether or not the cat actually understood my feelings, it cried out a 「Nyaa」.
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