Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

If asked to choose the best indicator of the passage of time in the Oslo family, I would answer with the growth of Ellie Oslo and Sally Oslo rather than clocks or calendars.

Houses and furniture don’t dramatically age in just a few years.

The same goes for people.

Take Lena, the fourth child, for example. With an eight-year age gap from the twins, her physical growth period ended long ago, and mental growth rarely shows outwardly.

That’s why Ellie and Sally’s growth seemed even more prominent.

But.

“It’s dinner time.”

As I carefully stroked their rustling hair, I thought.

That was just my perception.

Ellie softly parted her lips.

“Brother.”

The title I had always heard in a voice full of mischief now flowed out in a deeply sunken voice.

14 years old.

Some might say they’re all grown up, but it would be difficult to confidently repeat the same thing after directly seeing those wavering green eyes. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Even someone whose concept of adulthood is stuck in that of 500 years ago wouldn’t think that a fourteen-year-old could casually exchange greetings of reunion with family members they’ve been separated from.

I asked gently.

“Why are you here?”

“Well.”

“Yes?”

“You know, brother…”

Rustle. Rustle.

As I stroked her hair without rushing, questions gradually welled up.

Ellie has an extremely good memory. So much so that she was practically collecting genius remarks based on that memory alone.

As such, I thought she would have quickly recognized who the old man and soldier sitting at the table were.

While I was thinking about whether the memory fields applied to biology textbooks and people were different…

Ellie, who had been peeking at the kitchen through the gaps in the railing, looked up at me and mumbled.

“It’s been so, so long, I don’t know what to say.”

“…”

“We parted when I was really little. Dad and the black-haired sister.”

“You remember everything?”

“Mm-hmm.”

My guess was wrong.

Ellie clearly knows who the two people are.

Only then did I realize where Ellie’s hesitation came from.

Her memory was working against her.

It’s common to meet someone you used to hang out with as a child after growing up and continue the friendship. But that relationship usually isn’t an extension of childhood. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

They would rename the past as memories and essentially build a new relationship.

Ellie doesn’t do that, nor can she. Because memories can’t be controlled by oneself.

Right now, Ellie literally lacked the courage to face the family members she was reuniting with after seven and a half years…

It was then.

Thump—

Sally, who had been crouching quietly, stood up vigorously.

She had a familiar vigor and an identical appearance.

So, for a moment, I doubted if it was actually Ellie who had stood up and if the Ellie in front of me was Sally pretending to be Ellie.

It wasn’t.

Sally, clenching her fists, looked down at Ellie and said:

“I’ll go first, sis.”

“Uh. W-wait. Sally. Stop.”

Unfortunately, the twin sister’s order lacked enforcement power.

Sally easily ignored Ellie’s plea and was about to step out from behind the railing when she suddenly stopped then firmly grasped my hand with both of hers.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m, taking some strength.”

Then, she smiled a trembling smile and strode towards the kitchen.

Her destination was Benjamin.

Benjamin welcomed Sally with a smile far from gentle, befitting an old man.

“Oh. Sally.”

“…”

“The last time I saw you, you couldn’t even speak properly. I’m sorry for coming so late… Hm?”

“Here.”

Sally silently extended her right hand.

An incomprehensible action.

It was natural for Benjamin to ask again.

“What’s this?”

“Adult, greeting.”

A few seconds later, the Oslo family, including me, realized that this was an offer for a handshake.

Soon after, Benjamin burst into laughter and ruffled Sally’s hair vigorously.

Rustle. Rustle.

“Ugh.”

“Right, you’re an adult now. Here. Handshake.”

“I’m Sally Oslo.”

“I’m Benjamin.”

It seemed to be a quite satisfactory greeting. Sally, with a much more relaxed expression, also offered this so-called greeting to Dorothy.

“I’m Sally Oslo.”

“…Dorothy. Dorothy Oslo.”

At that moment, I discovered that Dorothy could also make a loving expression.

When Sally, having finished the series of ceremonies in a haphazard manner, proudly took a seat at the table…

Ellie, next to me, half-jumped up.

“Me too!”

There was no time to be surprised that green eyes could burn so fiercely.

As if she couldn’t lose to her twin sister, Ellie also ran out and stood in front of Benjamin.

“It’s Ellie. Hoho, do you also want an adult greeting?”

This time, Benjamin extended his hand.

Just grabbing and shaking the extended hand would complete the reunion after seven years.

And Ellie did just that.

“Yes. I, I’m Ellie… Sniff.”

A small sound of sniffling was heard.

That was the beginning.

Ellie cried. 

Fourteen-year-old Ellie Oslo started crying more pitifully than a four-year-old child.

Shouting:

“WAAAAAH, you’re too late…”

…she charged at Benjamin’s body, and in less than 20 seconds, Ellie was a mess of tears and snot. 

For children, crying is like a waterborne infectious disease. Sure enough, after another ten seconds passed, a stream of sniffling sounds was heard from the opposite side of the table. 

The subsequent dinner time was truly chaotic.

It was a longed-for and welcome commotion.

“You won’t go away now, right?”

“Hehe, how many times are you going to ask? I said I won’t go.”

“…Yawn. You promised. Don’t go anywhere now. You too, black-haired sister.”

“Good night. Sniff.”

The twins who muttered like that trudged up the stairs.

The two-hour flood of tears seemed to have effectively drained the twins’ energy. Tired of crying, Ellie and Sally finally returned to their room to sleep as soon as they put down their dishes.

Watching this, Louise suddenly smiled a sinister smile. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“Eugene. Can you drink a bit?”

“Why that all of a sudden?”

“Why else?”

Louise slapped my back as I was sitting next to her and then pulled out some things and placed them on the table.

There were bottles of alcohol. Various kinds of alcohol, from familiar wine bottles to dark golden spirits.

“Home-use truth serum, ready.”

“Louise.”

“Allow it today, Susan. The night is long, and we have a lot to talk about.”

Louise’s subsequent logic was quite plausible. Now that the twins have gone to sleep, we’re all adults here, so isn’t it okay to have some drinks?

Susan showed reluctance but seemed to change her mind after seeing Benjamin laughing heartily.

“No getting drunk.”

It was essentially permission.

…And it didn’t take long for that permission to become useless.

Benjamin, who had apparently enjoyed drinking quite a bit before going to the Empire, was adept at moderate drinking even though he hadn’t had Federation drinks for a very long time, but Louise, who had left the lab for only about a month, wasn’t.

Where did all that talk about having a lot to share go? After downing three glasses in a row, Louise clung to Dorothy and mumbled.

“Dorothy. I was lonely.”

“…You reek of alcohol.”

“At this age, it’s too late to meet a man, and you were my only conversation partner… Dorothyyy……..”

“Go away.”

“Whyyy……”

Cheeks as red as her hair color were proof of intoxication in themselves. Sometimes, intoxication brings out completely different capabilities in people.

In Louise’s case, it seemed to be superhuman strength.

“Let’s have a long, deep talk tonight, just the two of us.”

Right after, Louise dragged Dorothy to the second floor, and that was the last I saw of them that night.

As I turned my head, dumbfounded…

Lena was covering her mouth and hiccupping.

“…Hic.”

“Lena?”

“Why is this so hot?”

What Lena pointed at was the golden spirit.

She had already emptied the glass that I had only poured but hadn’t drunk yet.

One glass of the spirit was enough to sink Lena, who was weak to alcohol.

I could see her eyes spinning.

“Go in and sleep.”

“Ugh. But I still have, a lot to say.”

“How many of these do you see?”

I spread my palm wide and brought it in front of Lena’s eyes.

Only after a considerable time had passed did Lena slowly answer.

“Five.”

“Hmm. You seem drunk indeed.”

“…Eugene, since when did you have five eyes~?”

Susan, who heard the exchange between me and Lena, immediately supported Lena and threw her into her room.

Not only that, Susan also had to leave the kitchen completely to take care of Lena, who suddenly started groaning.

I, who had become the only survivor of the drinking session that ended as suddenly as it had begun, let out a light sigh. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

It felt like a storm had swept through.

“I’m completely bewildered.”

It was a soliloquy that wasn’t really a soliloquy because an answer came back.

Benjamin, tilting a glass filled with wine, smiled slightly.

“It was always like this. Even seven years ago, it wasn’t much different.”

“Haha. I can imagine.”

“The house was too small to hold five daughters.”

I didn’t expect to end up drinking with Benjamin, who doesn’t enjoy alcohol, but on the other hand, I thought it wasn’t so bad.

There was a lot to talk about.

Besides, the emotions piled up over four years.

After confirming that the commotion upstairs had subsided, I fiddled with my glass unnecessarily and measured the timing. 

When would be a good time to bring up the topic?

Deep contemplation made me forget the truth that silence is far from being a virtue in conversation.

Benjamin chuckled and spoke first.

“Well, you can think slowly. The night hasn’t ripened yet.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. I’m also very curious about many things.”

At those words, I postponed bringing up the topic.

Benjamin looked at me and asked:

“How is it? Is Klaus a good teacher?”

“Ah, you mean Professor Müller? I definitely feel he’s a good person.”

“He has a pure side that doesn’t match his size.”

Benjamin smiled nostalgically as he tilted his glass, then suddenly stroked his chin and said:

“Come to think of it, wasn’t the Müller family’s daughter about your age? If she grew up as she was, she’d be quite beautiful, taking after her mother. Have you met her?”

“…”

“Why are you avoiding eye contact?”

I swallowed a sip of wine and revised my plan.

I decided to bring up the topic right now.

Ahem—

After clearing my throat, I stared straight at Benjamin.

“Benjamin.”

“Yes?”

I took out the newspaper from my pocket.

[ Revival of the Empire? ]

[ Northern reactionary forces in former Bayel Empire territory armed occupation… Demanding recognition of independent government and autonomy, diplomatic rights ‘Return our magic!’ ]

I wanted to know.

I wanted to know whether the use of such aggressive vocabulary on the front page of the newspaper was just the ambition of a newspaper reporter or if it was the plain truth.

Thud.

As I put the newspaper down on the table, I carefully asked:

“Benjamin. Is your late return to the Federation possibly related to this?”