Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

Emotions and memories trigger the five senses.

This sentence doesn’t stop at the level of a plausible proposition. Having experienced it personally several times, its validity was now beyond doubt.

Also, the contrapositive of a true proposition is always true. *1

It had to be. Otherwise, I couldn’t explain my psychology of doubting the old man’s identity until he offered me a handshake. *1

The white-haired old man twitched his eyebrow as if puzzled.

“What’s this? Don’t want to shake hands?”

“No, it’s just…”

Emotions and memories trigger the five senses.

In other words, without the five senses, emotions and memories cannot be evoked. *1

This is Orris Station in the Frauzen Federation, and right beside me, a massive train is making mechanical roars.

Having stood on the platform for four hours, I felt like I had become part of the train station.

The tip of my nose was clogged with the strong smells of exhaust, coal, and lubricating oil, while the snowy wind had dried out my damp body.

Almost all my senses were protesting. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“This is the Federation,” they seemed to say, “not the riverside town where I met the old man.”

But among my five senses, my vision seemed to be screaming so loudly that it drowned out the others.

“Why are you hesitating?” it urged. “Grab that hand right now and call out that longed-for name.” Then it asked, “How did you recognize Dorothy Oslo?”

I answered inwardly, ‘Snow is falling from the sky, and she resembles winter.’

I lifted my head.

The gloomy, depressing sky filled my vision.

“…”

I opened my eyes wide and collected information from all five senses.

The temperature isn’t that low. The melted snow adds humidity to the air. The day is cloudy, and the transparent station roof casts partial shadows due to its structure.

I lowered my head again.

With a bitter smile, I firmly grasped Benjamin’s outstretched hand.

“…Haven’t you gotten too many wrinkles in four years? I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“What nonsense. I’ve only seen one old man healthier than me until now. Hup—”

“Oof!”

Benjamin, bursting into hearty laughter, grabbed my hand as if to crush it and yanked hard.

My legs had long since become like those of a statue from standing on the platform.

Without a chance to resist, I was dragged by Benjamin’s strength and fell.

Forward.

Benjamin, who roughly hugged me, patted my back heavily and said:

“Eugene, you rascal. You left when your growth spurt was over, but you seem to have grown another half-span taller. Did the Federation food suit you?”

“Yes. And Benjamin…”

I awkwardly hugged Benjamin back. To release four years’ worth of emotions, as he had done.

But only a more bitter smile hung on my lips.

“Benjamin, you’ve lost some weight.”

“Have I? Hehe, it’s because Dorothy is such a terrible cook.”

Dorothy was about to glare at us but stopped.

“…Ah.”

She seemed to realize that from her angle, she would end up glaring at me, not Benjamin. Her expression quickly softened. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Is Dorothy’s attitude towards Benjamin still the same?

“Pfft—”

“…Eugene?”

“Hahaha, HAHAHAHA…”

I burst out laughing right in front of them, which not only confused Dorothy but also seemed to perplex Benjamin at my sudden outburst.

But I didn’t stop laughing.

It finally felt real.

The two of them had returned to Frauzen.

“It’s really been a long time. I don’t know where to start…”

There were so many stories I had accumulated.

I released my arms from Benjamin, intending to open my mouth as if releasing dam water all at once, but while my lips moved, no words came out.

It wasn’t because I had nothing to say, but because I had too much to say that I was at a loss for words.

Why are Benjamin and Dorothy here instead of Professor Müller? When did you arrive in the Federation? Did the family know you two were coming back? I didn’t know.

My eyes were spinning as I was trying to prioritize what to say.

Not only that, but my eyes were starting to burn.

Damn it, at this rate, I’d end up crying after laughing by myself. I’m not a child; I can’t do that.

I gritted my teeth, opened my eyes wide, and racked my brain…

My confusion must have shown outwardly, or maybe my expression was quite comical.

“Don’t rush. We’ll have more than enough time to catch up on four years’ worth of stories. Why, winter nights are long, aren’t they?”

For whatever reason, Benjamin spoke before my voice could come out.

“First, let me deliver a message for you.”

“A message?”

If it’s a message in this situation…

“Is it about the journal?”

“Yes. Klaus asked me to tell you.”

…As expected.

Benjamin spoke the name of the top authority of the Frauvian Federal University of Magic quite familiarly, then raised the corner of his mouth in a grin.

“Eugene, both of your papers will be published in the ‘Magic Studies Yearbook.'”

“…”

A calm joy warmed my chest.

Both papers are being published.

As I was proud of the novelty of their content myself, it would have a considerable positive impact on my standing in the academe and possibly lead to offers of professorship.

But I thought, clenching my fist tightly. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

The cause of this joy wasn’t because of such social recognition.

I was happy. Both because my efforts had borne fruit and because I could boast about that fruit to Benjamin.

I tried to mimic Benjamin’s smile.

“Benjamin.”

“What?”

“I, Eugene Oslo, have become a doctor. Can I say I’m a proper magic scholar now?”

Then, Benjamin’s eyes scanned the past, and…

“You’re still far off. Ask me again when you have a professor title.”

He answered with a refreshing laugh.

I liked that answer more than anything.

By the time we reached the main gate of the Oslo family of the Kramm house, I hadn’t resolved many of my questions. The three of us unanimously agreed to catch up all together.

So, on the way, I was able to hear explanations about the whereabouts of my suddenly disappeared supervising professor.

About Dorothy’s brilliant epaulettes…

*2

I wanted to ask if anyone in the family knew in advance that they would arrive in Frauzen today.

But Benjamin shook his head, saying let’s save that for the joy after arriving home.

It wasn’t a satisfactory answer for me, who was concerned about the family’s heart health, but fortunately, what I was worried about didn’t happen.

Rather, the exact opposite happened.

Click—

What I faced when I turned the key and opened the front door wasn’t the familiar scene of a home.

It was clearly a red-haired woman who seemed to consider clothes as mere trappings, standing firmly.

Just before the clearly visible curves were processed in my brain, I closed my eyes tightly and said:

“Louise?”

“It’s been a while, Eugene. Anyway, move aside for a moment.”

I did as she said. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

And so, Louise Ehrlich, who came face to face with Dorothy, smiled in a way that could be used as an example of ‘grinning’ and folded her arms.

“Oh, Dorothy!”

“…”

“Loosen up your expression when we’re meeting after so long. You’re still so stiff. Goodness, I don’t know who our little sisters take after to be so prim.”

“…It’s been a while.”

“Benjamin! Wow, how long has it been!”

At that moment, I discovered that Dorothy could make a troubled expression, too.

Around the time Louise, in a manner far removed from proper conduct, rushed out of the entrance to hug Benjamin, Susan, who was standing behind, looked at us with a gentle smile.

“Your outing was long. Quickly, come in. I’ve prepared the meal.”

Dorothy and I looked at each other and then nodded.

I grabbed Benjamin’s wrist, Dorothy grabbed Louise’s, and we threw them into the house before closing the front door.

Just as the entrance became noisy…

Bang—!

A loud noise echoed from the staircase landing.

There were quite a few people at the entrance to react to the commotion.

Me, Benjamin, Dorothy, Susan, and Louise.

That’s probably why Lena, who seemed to have just returned home and rushed out in the middle of changing clothes, froze on the spot when she received the gazes of five people simultaneously. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Even Lena’s business-like reason didn’t seem to be working at this moment.

Her gaze, which had moved from me to Dorothy to Benjamin, soon shuttled back and forth between Dorothy and Benjamin several times.

Lena, widening her already large eyes even more, muttered.

“…What is this, really?”

“I knew. Mr. Müller tipped me off about a week ago. Why didn’t I say anything? I thought it might be a nice surprise…”

“I’m similar. He said I should go home around that time.”

To put it simply, only Susan and Louise knew about Benjamin and Dorothy’s return.

…And I realized the true meaning of what Professor Müller had said in the carriage.

This must have been the good news he was talking about.

So, strictly speaking, it means three people knew in advance.

So when all six siblings of the Oslo couple finally gathered, the remaining three couldn’t be purely happy.

Lena said as she sat at the dining table:

“That’s mean.”

It was very like Lena to try to hide her sulky mood somehow, but nevertheless, it somehow felt like she was throwing a tantrum.

Susan, sitting next to me, explained the reason in a whisper.

“Lena and Dorothy were close. Dorothy always took care of her until she enlisted.”

“Ah.”

I nodded and glanced at Lena.

Benjamin’s laughter and Dorothy’s gentle questions…

Trying to answer them somehow, Lena’s expression was a mix of all sorts of emotions – awkwardness, gladness, and bewilderment.

That’s decent enough. I believe that the sharp Lena, unlike me, will know how to catch up on her own.

I quietly spoke to Susan.

“Susan.”

“What is it?”

“It’s been four years since I’ve seen the two of them, but for the others…”

Susan, understanding the meaning of my question, counted on her fingers for a moment and answered.

“Seven and a half years.”

I swallowed hard.

“Yes, that much time has passed. Looking back, it flew by like an arrow, but for the children, it must have been a long time…”

There’s a difference in weight between just guessing inwardly and hearing it directly.

With a somewhat heavier heart, I stood up from my seat.

I immediately found two heads poking out like moles behind the stair railing.

As luck would have it, I had two hands. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

I placed each hand on those heads and smiled gently.

“Ellie, Sally.”

At my voice, the twins hiding under the stairs were startled, then looked up at me simultaneously.

Two pairs of identical green eyes looked quite pitiful.

I had expected it from Sally, but I didn’t know Ellie would be like this, too.

Gently stroking the twins’ bright blonde hair, I said:

“It’s dinner time.”

T/N

The contrapositive of a conditional statement P → Q (P implies Q; If P, then Q) is ¬Q → ¬P (Not Q implies Not P; If Not Q, then Not P). It is commonly described as the inverse of the converse or vice versa. These are logically equivalent, which can be proven using the definition of a conditional or by simply using a truth table. Applying this rule to the statement “Emotions and memories trigger the five senses” (P: Emotions and memories, Q: The five senses), the contrapositive is as mentioned in the text. “Without the five senses, emotions and memories cannot be evoked.”
The progression of promotion from Second Lieutenant to Major goes: Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain, then Major.