NOVEL WEB
Chapter 77.1 - The First Year at the Academy - Court Magician (1)
Chapter 77.1. The First Year at the Academy – Court Magician (1)
One morning, Elphimia and I were walking down a main street when the night air faded.
Our destination was the United Town Hall, where Elphimia's grandmother, Certeres, was enshrined.
A few days ago, a car arrived to pick her up, and on this day, Certeres finally returned to the capital.
It took so long because Elphimia refused to leave her in the hands of strangers.
I am on my way to see her off, but I have another purpose – or rather, this one has become my main purpose.
We arrived at the joint government building and were shown into the reception room.
We waited there for a while, and then the door opened.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. I've had a long talk with the chairman."
Entering the room was Elphimia's father, Dion.
He should be in his mid-forties, but he is only a half-elf and looks around 20 years old. And he is handsome. It must be difficult for him at the court.
After exchanging a few words with his daughter, he turned his attention to me.
Immediately, I bowed to him.
"It is my pleasure to meet you for the first time. My name is Alter Les Reedwald, the second son of Baron Reedwald.
"I am Dion Claulette, court magician. I have heard of you."
Dion smiled at the well-formed face.
But his eyes were tinged with a probing light.
This feeling – you come fast, [Nagic Sight]?
Lislia had it too, and it's no wonder. What is strange is Elphimia. She's a quarter, but she looks more like an elf than his father.
But still, it's out of the blue.
Compared to the appraisal system, the target is only magic power, and it can roughly be identified. I guess the person who uses it has less resistance. Of course, I don't use [Appraisal]. If Elphimia notices me, she might make a fuss.
It was the first time I met a court magician.
The court magician who had guided my young brother had dismissed him as having no talent. Virgil had taught him in about a week. So I didn't have a good impression of him. What about this man?
As I wait in silence, Dion breaks his face.
"Excuse me. I had a little look at you."
He seems to have sensed that I am aware of [Magic Sight].
So he's got an attitude. Even so, he's shrewd. What's this girl's father?
"I thought she was exaggerating because you're friends, but it's more than that. I heard that you learned the [Fireball] on your own?"
"I met a good instructor."
"Even so, it's amazing. My daughter has both intermediate spellbooks. You can be proud of it."
"Don't compare me to him. He's crazy, in more ways than one."
Elphimia spat out with an unfaithful look on her face.
You need to behave a little better.
"I've heard that even if you learn it from a magic book, you can't activate it if you don't have the right qualities. I'm sure Elphimia-sama would have learned it on her own sooner or later."
"Can you stop calling me ‘sama'? Where's your usual smug attitude? Oh, my back is starting to itch."
Elphimia shudders and rubs her back against the backrest, though she lifts it with all her might.
I don't think your daughter has been disciplined. f(r)eeweb(n)ovel
Dion laughs at such a daughter.
"Ha, that's typical. It's fine as usual."
"Well, I'll take your word for it and be a little more casual."
"Yes, that's fine. I'm fine with whatever you're comfortable with."
There was no way that a baron's son could take a casual attitude toward a court magician of the same rank as a count. What do you mean by "it seems"?
I glanced at her in protest, but Elphimia didn't even look at me.
"Well, there's no need to stand around talking. Sit down."
Dion motioned for me to be seated.
Then he straightened his residence and began to talk about his plans for the future.
Certeles, the invisible mansion, Esard and Lislia.
The truth was different depending on where we stand in the events that took place outside of our current control.
Elphimia hid what I had done from the council, and told me that we discovered the invisible mansion only with [Magic Sight ]and that the iron golem's movement was strange from the beginning, and that it collapsed on its own after being attacked several times.
And the council also reported falsely to Dion.
They would rather not be known.
That one of the culprits who sent Certeres to her death and even stole Prost's magic stone was the oldest council member. That the next in line is likely to be a collaborator. The council did not even investigate the Prost case, even though Selene was suspected of being involved.
If they were to tell this story honestly, they would be judged incapable of governing, and their autonomy could get revoked. Moreover, if the council was entirely to blame, even Selene couldn't defend itself.
As a result, the council made a deal with Elphimia.
A certain official happened to know the location of the invisible mansion that had been unaccounted for and went to investigate. There, he found a body, which he identified to Elphimia as Certeres, based on the coat of arms she had on her. Further investigation revealed that Certeles had been injured in a fight with something and had escaped into a ward, where she died.
So what does this have to do with the truth about Dion?
The correct answer is that I have nothing to do with it. I am just a friend.
Such a mere friend is chatting with a court magician in the busy hours of the morning.
The originator of this strange situation was Elphimia.
Last night, she was so relaxed after seeing her father for the first time in a long time that she told them, "She had a friend who had mastered intermediate-level magic on his own and was also good with a sword.".
As expected, she didn't mention anything dangerous, but Dion was still very excited. He appealed to his daughter to let him see me, and today, the day of the departure, he got to see me.
By the way, I only found out about it this morning.
She is a troubled young lady, but I also wanted to see her off, so I agreed on the condition that I participate officially.
She is currently going through the formalities of departure, and our conversation somehow turned to chit-chat.
After all, he seems concerned about his daughter living in a distant land. He asked me about Elphimia's life at the academy.
She didn't seem to like it, so I did my best to teach him.
For starters, I explained how she was in lectures, her friends in the academy, and her activities in the first-semester field exercises, which is the biggest showcase, with a sense of realism. And then, a moment after the genius magical girl's brilliant magic freezes the monsters.
"You weren't there!"
She was side-swiped by the magician herself.
"I'm just telling him the praises of everyone as they are. The result is Alphas or Rapunas. I have heard that they are no less than heroes."
"You're making fun of me, aren't you!? You weren't the one who defeated the toughest enemy!"
"Haha. It's very, very much for Elphimia who wiped out the monsters."
Her father, Dion, was laughing through such exchanges.
He must have been relieved to see his daughter in such good health. What a friend, I am.
Elphimia was now in a foul mood, so Dion and I continued our chit-chat.
Not long after that, Dion unexpectedly cut in.
"By the way, aren't you coming to the Imperial Capital?"
"The Capital? I don't have any particular plans.
I was interested, but not by any means necessary.
Even now, I can't move around so freely, and even more when I return to Reedwald. Unless I am ordered to do something. I will not be going there.
Dion continued, looking at me quietly.
"You can become a court magician. If you are willing, I will recommend you to His Majesty.
I was at a loss for a reply.
To be invited by a court magician. I didn't expect that.
But if I had to say whether it was possible or not – it wasn't. I wouldn't say that everyone does.
The court seems stifling, and my future is already set.
"Thank you for your offer, but I have decided to support my father and brother after graduation."
"That's too bad. Was it Reedwald?"
"Yes."
Dion thinks for a moment and smiles.
"Then, if you change your mind. Come to the Imperial Capital. You are always welcome."
"Thank you."
I bowed my head.
If the knights of the kingsguard are the sword and shield of the Emperor, the court magician is the bow and barrier.
In the Arsis Empire, where the conflict between the emperor and the Duke of Veerleer is fierce, the Reedwald family was a baron who did not support either side.
Would Dion's attitude have been different if they had been a rival faction?
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