Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

Leaves flutter and fall.

When that slow descent is reflected in green eyes, Sally Oslo thought it looked like the gestures of a dancer.

Thus, this place is a ballroom where sporadic group dances unfold…

Soon after, Sally shook her head. While it was a better expression than saying it’s an ‘ordinary autumn scenery in downtown Frauzen’, it still lacked flavor.

The contemplation continued even as she walked.

Most of Sally’s reflection time was occupied by such concerns about phrases.

Pen and paper were not so accommodating as to allow her to freely express the creative urge she once felt.

She wanted to write stories, but sentences tripped her up. Rhetoric is like an accessory; too much makes one look like a noblewoman in overly fancy clothes, while too little makes one look as plain as a naked body. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

For Sally, both adorning sentences and herself were difficult tasks.

It was so demanding that Sally, in her plain attire, was still engrossed in trying to overcome plain sentences even now on her way home from school.

However.

“Sally, Sally.”

“…Huh?”

“Were you also worried about which school to advance to?”

Was that concern Sally’s alone?

A classmate who was also heading home tapped her shoulder and spoke.

The dress worn by the girl of the same age was fancy.

“Like a noblewoman.”

“Noblewoman?”

“Oops.”

Sally covered her mouth.

She’s been careful since being told by someone in her family—probably Eugene—that her words were harsh, but sometimes, this happens.

This kind-hearted child had spoken to her despite her lack of sociability, unlike Ellie. Apologizing inwardly, she shook her head.

“It’s nothing. More importantly, what do you mean by advancing?”

“Well… These days, the seniors are talking about which of the four schools they’ll advance to. How about you? I think anywhere but School 4 would be fine for me.”

“…I haven’t, thought about it. Sorry.”

“Really?”

The kind child was slightly surprised and started to ponder. About what?

There was no way to know even if she stared intently.

Just as Sally was about to sink back into contemplation…

“Wouldn’t School 1 be better? It’s the most famous, and I heard they teach literature well, not just magic studies. You’re going to be a genius writer, Sally.”

“Genius, writer?”

“Uh-huh.”

“…I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know? I really enjoyed reading your novel!”

Sally smiled slightly.

She really was a kind child, judging by how she overvalued her practice work and poor writing.

Soon after, the road forked.

The classmate waved to Sally, who was heading towards Kram Street.

“See you tomorrow! My parents told me to come home right after school these days. They say the air is rough.”

“Okay. Take care, too.”

Sally waved back.

And as she headed home, Sally envied the literary sensibility of her classmate’s parents.

“…”

A group in raincoats walks in two columns through the ordinary streets of Frauzen.

Looking at that scene, she thought.

Indeed, the air is rough.

Fortunately, Kram Street, a residential area, was full of relatively soft air.

Walking comfortably, she soon arrived in front of her house.

Ellie would either already be home or arrive a little later. She had run off somewhere the moment the school bell rang. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

If it’s the latter, the house would be empty.

She turned the doorknob.

“I’m home.”

“Welcome back, Sally.”

Sally quickly raised her head.

The house was not empty.

#September 28th. Clear.

The disastrous work hours of magic scholars had been sufficiently demonstrated by the precedent of Louise.

Of course, it might be a bit too much to compare Eugene, who comes home late or occasionally stays overnight, with the eldest sister who doesn’t come home at all.

But to Sally, Eugene didn’t seem much different from Louise.

He would leave for work when she was just rubbing her eyes after waking up, or return when she was already asleep.

However, now Sally was happy.

Because today, like yesterday, Eugene left for work later than her school started and returned earlier than her school ended.

At the same time, it was strange.

As if…

“…”

As if like the taste of this fried egg.

Sally silently observed the scene at the dining table.

While Ellie was chewing with her eyes closed, Eugene, in an apron, was looking at Ellie with a rather serious expression.

Soon, Ellie gave her evaluation.

She put down her fork and made a puzzled expression.

“Um, it’s a bit subtle, Big Brother.”

“I thought it was edible.”

“You eat anything well, Big Brother. There’s something, something subtle about it. It’s hard to explain. Yeah.”

“If you keep complaining, there won’t be breakfast tomorrow.”

“Eek!”

“…Both of you, stop it and focus on the meal.”

Only after Lena’s rebuke did the commotion at the table subside.

Sally found it heartwarming.

Isn’t it?

After the Oslo family gathered in one place for a while, there had been almost no occasions to feel such trivial warmth for months since Benjamin’s hospitalization.

The strange point is that the reason for this positive change is not visible.

There’s a lack of causality.

What could they be hiding?

Sally looked at Eugene with suspicious eyes and…

Soon their eyes met.

Eugene asked.

“What. Do you have something to say?”

“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”

She hurriedly averted her gaze.

Sadly, Sally didn’t have the ability to read someone’s inner thoughts just by looking at their expression, like a detective in a mystery novel.

Rather, it was difficult to even make eye contact for fear of having her own thoughts exposed…

In the end, the dinner ended without her discovering anything, but Sally’s unresolved suspicions deepened further. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

And when the crescent moon rose high in the sky…

Knock, knock―

“…Sally.”

“Can I, come in?”

Sally knocked on the storage room door, holding a notebook.

The reason Sally’s visits to Eugene’s room to read books became infrequent a year ago wasn’t due to puberty, a characteristic of boys and girls her age.

It was for a much more trivial reason.

Around that time, Sally started writing, and unlike reading, writing was incredibly embarrassing to do with someone else.

Sure enough…

Eugene, sitting at the desk, said with interest towards Sally, who was scribbling on the bed:

“Sally. Can I read what you’re writing now?”

“N-n-no, you can’t.”

“Haha. I understand.”

Sally felt relieved but also opened her eyes wide.

Had she refused too firmly?

But when Sally carefully observed his expression, Eugene was wearing a gentle smile.

A smile so gentle it almost seemed transparent.

Sally sighed inwardly.

The flickering candlelight. Even when trying to gather the most emotional atmosphere under the melancholic moonlight, courage doesn’t accumulate.

It doesn’t have to be meaningful words like ‘You’re hiding something, aren’t you?’ Even ordinary phrases like ‘What are you thinking about?’ would be fine.

“You said it was a novel, right? I’m curious about the content. I want to read it soon.”

“…It’s embarrassing.”

“Then, I’ll wait for it to be published. Is that okay?”

“That’s, yes. What are you, doing?”

“Writing a letter.”

Only such trivial conversation continued.

Sally wasn’t a prophet, but she could see the future just this once. Surely, they would just exchange meaningless conversations until late at night, and then she’d trudge back to her room.

This won’t do.

It won’t do, but her lips just mumble, unable to form words.

As Sally was cursing her timid nature and speech habits that fell far short of her sentence-crafting ability…

“Sally.”

The trivial conversation extended.

Eugene, resting his chin on his hand, spoke to Sally.

“I have something I want to ask.”

“What, is it?”

“In novels, lovers often grow apart due to external factors, right? In such a situation, if one side wanted to send a letter, what kind of content do you think you would write, Sally?”

Sally opened her eyes wide.

Was that what he was hiding? [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

She opened her mouth wide and asked back.

“Big Brother Eugene… Did you, break up?”

Eugene didn’t answer.

Instead, he silently got up from the desk, sat on the edge of the bed, and…

…pinched Sally’s cheek.

It hurt!

“Owww.”

“Who told you? Lena?”

Nod, nod.

Sally nodded vigorously, selling out her third eldest sister.

In reality, Sally had figured it out on her own.

Was it supposed to be a secret until now? It was so obvious.

Eugene, letting go of her cheek, sat down next to Sally and said…

“We didn’t break up, and we won’t break up. I’m just curious.”

“Curious…?”

“Think about it. A situation in a novel or play where lovers can leave behind just one letter as they depart. What should be written? I haven’t encountered many such novels, but sometimes I see them deliberately writing harsh words to prevent the other person from having sad lingering attachments.”

Sally answered immediately.

“I don’t like, those kinds of stories.”

“Why?”

“Even if they’re fictional characters, sadness is still sadness. Doing it on purpose is, just a dramatic device. It’s too dramatic, rather breaking immersion.”

“You’re using difficult words.”

Soon after, Sally slightly closed her eyes.

Because Eugene was ruffling her hair as if to tickle her.

When he stopped, Sally opened her eyes again.

Eugene was looking into the distance with a faint smile.

He wasn’t simply looking at a corner of the storage room. It was a gaze directed towards somewhere far, far away.

The gaze of someone preparing for a farewell.

Sally suddenly thought her heart was aching.

Of course, that sensation was a kind of phantom pain, and it disappeared like a mirage, but Sally clutched the edge of the blanket unnecessarily.

And she tried to imitate Eugene’s smile.

Sally elbowed Eugene’s side and asked:

“Those two people, you know…”

“Yes.”

“Do they, love each other deeply in their hearts?”

The answer didn’t come immediately. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Eugene shook his head a few times, then answered very slowly.

Sally learned that even a single word could be spoken this slowly.

“Yes.”

“…Um. If it were me…”

It was a slow and deliberate explanation, but Eugene listened to it all.

Soon, Sally saw Eugene’s eyes widen as she finished speaking.

His eyebrows curved gently.

“That’s good.”

#October 1st. Slightly cloudy.

Five days out of a week had passed.

Thanks to losing the meaning of staying in the laboratory, I stayed at home for a long time during that period and was able to achieve several goals.

For instance, having my cooking skills recognized by Ellie.

But strictly speaking, that’s not sorting out personal affairs.

It’s simply spending time together, and rather, it was contrary to the essence of sorting out personal affairs.

Sorting out personal affairs means clearly and resolutely cutting oneself off from one’s surroundings.

Thus, in a private room at Frauzen Hospital, I spoke resolutely:

“Benjamin.”

“Cough. Yes.”

“I’ve decided to accept the lecturer position at the University of Vals that I’ve been putting off.”

Benjamin, with his sunken cheeks, grinned.

“You’re lying, aren’t you?”

“…How did you know?”

“The notion that a father doesn’t understand his child’s heart is an outdated prejudice, Eugene.”

“Huh.” [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

I smiled too.

It was a smile with a bitter taste on the tip of my tongue.