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Chapter Text

A sea of stars flashed past my vision, transforming into a hazy symphony of colours, only to be abruptly replaced by a blinding light that forced my eyes shut. 

What… what was happening?

Finding solace in the comfortable darkness, a cascade of memories began to flow through my mind. 

Memories… that I didn’t exactly remember.

A woman’s cheerful voice.

‘Peek-a-boo! Ah! There’s that cute smile, ******!’

A young boy’s cry.

‘Pass the ball, ******!’

An old man’s echoing speech.

‘Please come to the stage to receive your diploma, ****** ****.’

A childish girl’s pleading.

‘Come play with me, Big Brother!’

I was confused, but at the same time… tranquil. 

As if I was too tired to think about what exactly was happening.

The myriad of memories and confusion died down as the moments passed, before I was then abruptly awakened from my state of peace by pain.

Blinding, itching pain.

Every portion of my skin stung as if it were on fire, causing me to cry out in anguish.

But for some reason… it was muffled.

Distorted, as if my ears were clogged with water.

But slowly, the world around me started to become clearer.

The pain throughout my body subsided, and my hearing was free to listen in on the silent surroundings.

Well… I could faintly hear the crackling of a fireplace, so it wasn’t complete silence, but it was still quiet.

With the rustic background noise calming my senses, I eventually felt the need to open my eyes once again.

So, slowly, I lifted my eyelids.

There was no glaring brightness, but weirdly enough… it took much more effort than I thought it would.

And what greeted me was the scene of… blurriness.

That was a bit disappointing.

But as time passed, my vision slowly became clearer, revealing the scene of a rustic wooden ceiling, with a singular beam running through the roof.

Weird… this was all very weird.

That ceiling… it felt so far away.

Raising my hand, I tried to reach toward the wooden beam, but… my hands… they were so very small and… pudgy. 

Like a baby’s.

Huh?

“…Gah?”

…What?

Was that… my voice?

Huuuh!?

“Gbaa?”

W-What the!?

“Gubfaaa!”

I… I was a baby?

Why was I a baby?

No… why did that feel strange? 

Why did that feel wrong?

Who… who was I?

Where am I?

I can’t… I can’t remember, but it feels like I’m missing something.

A piece of me just… wasn’t there.

Shocked and confused by everything, a face then suddenly appeared in my vision.

It was a woman.

A pretty woman.

She had light blonde hair that was tied into a braid that rested over her shoulder, and her eyes were a deep beautiful brown that matched perfectly with her cute yet mature face. 

If I were to guess, she looked to be in her mid-20s.

“Oh myraha? Dukara neexi malkalith?” the pretty woman said before lifting me into her arms.

She smiled at me, her pale face filled with love as her hand slowly caressed my cheek.

“Du rylaxa arata striti, Leon,” she said, her breath hitching at the end.

Was this… my mother?

That’s… only natural, I suppose.

My mother then lowered her shirt, revealing her bare breast, before gently placing my face next to it.

“Dirkadica. Groavin elixia, Leon.”

I… couldn’t understand what she was saying, but I think I got the point.

Besides, my stomach was beginning to churn in hunger.

But for some reason… even though it was normal for a baby, it felt pretty embarrassing to do this.

But I still needed to eat.

As soon as I latched on, I let the natural process take its course as my head became groggier with each passing second, inching me closer to the embrace of unconsciousness yet again.

And that was how I spent my first day in the world.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Geography of the Central Continent

Red Dragon Mountains: A large chain of mountains and hills that runs across and down the Central continent, separating the land into three parts: the North, the West, and the South.

North: A cold region that receives heavy snowfall and has mostly infertile soil, leading to the majority of the nations being weak and poor. Notable locations within this region include the three Magic Nations, the Sword Sanctum, and the Kingdom of Biheiril.

West: A prosperous region with a temperate climate, fertile plains, and rivers, making the Kingdom of Asura, the only nation in this region, the richest kingdom in the world.

South: A fairly fertile region, with numerous rivers and lakes along with vast plains and forests, which are divided by the Dragon King mountain range which runs vertically down the region. Notable locations within this region include the Strife Zone, the Dragon King Kingdom, and the Shirone Kingdom.

— Leon —

It had been a month since I had been born.

Or at least… I think so.

Time was weird as an infant.

Not only was my perception of time off, but I was also plagued with the constant need to nap, which further messed with things. 

And that wasn’t even mentioning how I could only guess the time of day from the light streaming through the doorway, as we didn’t have any windows in our humble abode.

Regardless, my perception of time didn’t really matter, as instead, this was a period of self-reflection, and a period to figure out what was going on with this life of mine.

First… my name.

It was Leon.

Leon… just Leon.

I guess there was no concept of ‘last names’ here, or at least for someone of my class.

As for how I could infer all that… well, that had more to do with the self-reflection part.

I was knowledgeable.

I… knew things. 

Things that I shouldn’t, and things without any memories to back up the knowledge.

For instance, I knew that 5 times 5 equals 25, without remembering where I knew that from.

It was just… there. 

As were all the other pieces of my knowledge.

How I knew I was a baby, how I knew that most babies weren’t like me, how I knew what ‘windows’ and ‘time’ were… yeah. 

It was odd, to say the least.

Then, there was my living situation.

I, or rather, my mother, was… poor.

This was likely because my father was absent, which was either due to him leaving my mother on his own accord, or, considering the medieval technology, him simply dying.

Perhaps he was sent off to war?

Or maybe it could even be something a little more… exciting. 

Like a prince falling in love with a humble village girl and distancing himself from the bastard child.

I knew my mother had the looks for it, at least.

But anyway, like I had noted, this place was a medieval society, and my mother and I lived in a small house that didn’t even have separate rooms.

Luckily for her, I didn’t cry unless I was extremely hungry or needed to be changed, so I wasn’t disturbing her sleep despite the cramped living situation.

And that brought me to the last thing… my mother.

She was pretty, but other than that, she wasn’t particularly special.

Other than the loving care she gave me, of course.

That was very special, at least to me.

While I had yet to learn her name, my mother worked as a humble basket weaver, which seemed to make enough for the bare essentials.

She was a kind mother, if a little clumsy, and talked to me as much as she could, which was a great way for me to get used to the language. 

I also talked back to her when I could, although I was confined to babbles and gurgles. 

But it seemed to make my mom a little happier whenever I tried, and my articulation was slowly improving with the practice, so it was worth it.

Despite her constant conversations, without any reference for most words and phrases, I still needed some time before I could be fluent in the language, but at least I now knew some things that were commonly spoken to me, such as ‘milk’ and ‘feed’.

Anyway, while I was curious about the outside world, for the moment, I was still confined to my crib, and thus, I passed the time by slowly growing my motor skills and vocabulary.

It was quite boring, to say the least.

Like this, another two months passed. 

Though again, that was just by my estimation.

And in these two months, things had… mostly stayed the same, at least for our general situation.

But I could move now!

I was sure that this was odd for such a young baby, and from the surprised face my mother showed when I first started crawling around, my suspicions were confirmed.

I guess I was a bit more advanced, then.

Hmm… I wonder if me being completely conscious changed things, or perhaps I was just… built differently.

But either way, life seemed much less boring now that I could explore the house, as small as it was.

Unfortunately, I was still too short to reach the door handle, so I wasn’t able to go any further.

And that wasn’t all!

“Honestly, Leon. I don’t know why you want to go outside so bad.” 

I could understand my mother!

Of course, I still had trouble with vocabulary, and my vocal cords weren’t developed enough to respond, but it was progress!

Picking me up, my still-unnamed mother then rested me on her lap as I let her hands brush through my silky smooth hair.

“It’s a bad omen for kids to go outside before their first year, you know!” she scolded me with a pout, gently poking my nose with her finger.

Agh! That ticked! Stop it, mother!

But yes… that was the main reason I wasn’t allowed past that dreaded door, even though I often sat myself in front of it, begging my mother with my eyes to let me out.

A ‘bad omen’.

I could only assume it was due to environmental concerns, as newborns were terrible at regulating body temperature, or maybe they were worried about infection and disease.

I wonder if this was a custom of this particular place, or if it was something common amongst this entire world.

Ah, and that’s another thing that I learned.

The ‘place’ that I lived in… it was a village.

I didn’t know the name, of course, but I knew that it was quite small, and my mother was only able to make a living by selling her wares to passing merchants who also just so happened to be the only people other than my mother that I had ever seen.

And today, or rather, tonight, judging by the lack of light peering through the door, was just like any other.

Mom made her baskets while talking to me, I listened absentmindedly, and then I crawled around until I either tired myself out, or was picked up and placed in my mother's lap like now.

Such was life.

“Hmm… are you hungry, Leon? It is about time for bed, isn’t it?”

“Uhn!”

I was getting a little hungry, even though I didn’t show it.

I guess this was a mother’s intuition, or something similar.

With her readjusting her dress, I prepared myself for the meal.

“Hmm… I wonder why you always close your eyes before feeding,” she said curiously.

Because it’s embarrassing enough!

But… just as I was about to latch onto her breast, I heard a commotion from outside.

The sounds from outside were usually quiet.

The odd carriage rumbling by, the sounds of people talking as they walked, the sound of children running past… those sorts of things.

But this… this was different.

It was yelling.

Screams of pain. The sounds of clashing blades. The crackling of fire.

The sound of chaos.

W-What? What was happening?

“Bandits?” my mother said breathlessly, her voice trembling slightly.

Feeling my mother’s hand squeeze harder around me, I looked up and saw that she was wearing an irregularly serious expression, her face quickly turning pale.

“Leon. Y-You have to be quiet, alright? Be quiet for Mom, please,” she pleaded, looking down at me.

Before I could respond, she picked me up and carried me over to the bin of discarded basket materials before placing me inside, hastily covering the top of my head with straw.

“J-Just stay there, okay? And don’t come out, no matter what,” she said with a fake smile.

Her voice… it was panicked. 

Laced in fear and anxiousness.

“O-Okay, let’s do this, Alice. Just like Mama taught you,” she murmured to herself as she walked to the front of the doorway.

So my mother’s name was Alice… No! 

Now was not the time to be thinking of such things!

My mother then slowly undid her shirt, revealing some of her cleavage, before she then collected her hair into a ponytail that rested over her shoulder.

“A-Appear good enough to be used, but not taken. C-Come on, Alice. L-Leon still needs his mother,” she told herself.

‘Good enough to be used’…?

No… why would-

Crash!

The door burst into splinters as a woman, with a large scar across her face that matched her rugged appearance, entered the room.

My mother’s face paled.

“Oya? What’s this? Some harlot’s living in a little village like this?” 

Resting a sword on her shoulder, I noticed that the tip of it was stained red, and from the smell, I knew that it was blood.

That… wasn’t good.

It wasn’t good at all.

This… this woman was a bandit, wasn’t she?

“Hmm…” the bandit says, her eyes narrowed. “You’re good enough to sell high, too. As long as we find a good buyer, that is…”

“N-No…” my mother shouted, stepping backward. “Get away!”

“Oh yes!” the woman sneers. “Now come here! Don’t struggle!”

The bandit then tapped the tip of her sword against the ground in front of her.

W-What do I do?

No… I can’t do anything, I know this.

But… it felt wrong, to just sit here like this.

My mother then cast her gaze my way, her eyes meeting mine before they narrowed in resolve.

What… what was with that look?

“A-All right. I’ll… I’ll go with you…” she says through gritted teeth.

Not wanting to betray my mother’s trust, I held my breath despite the sickening feeling as she stepped closer and closer to the bandit, the sounds of a violent rampage increasing in the background.

“That’s it~ Be a good girl and who knows? The client might just use you as a pretty face,” the bandit woman said with a sneer.

I watched as my mother slowly crouched in front of the bandit while her hand slowly reached toward the back of her leg, where her carving knife was strapped, hidden from the bandit’s view.

Don’t tell me…

N-No!

My mother wasn’t a fighter!

D-Distraction!

“G-Gah!” I shouted.

The bandit’s eyes instantly darted toward me, her pupils narrowing as soon as she set her sights on me, as I began to feel an inexplicable pressure descend on my very being.

I-Is this how a rabbit feels in front of a lion?

The feeling of being prey.

My breath hitched and my pulse quickened.

My heartbeat… it was too loud.

The very fabric of the air seemed stifling.

“What’s this? A little brat- Ack!?”

She’s cut off as my mother’s knife descended toward the bandit's neck, but befitting the instincts of a fighter, she dodged out of the way just in time, the blade lodging into the bandit’s shoulder instead.

No…

Time seemed to come to a stop once again as the bandit slowly pulled out the blade, the blood dripping onto the wooden floor being the only sound in the otherwise silent room.

“…You… just did that… didn’t you?” the bandit said.

I felt the crushing pressure of her presence dissipate, but for some reason… that didn’t make me feel any more relieved.

No… in fact… it only made me more nervous.

I feel my hands shake.

No… my entire body was shaking.

Trembling in fear as my mother took a hesitant step back, turning toward me with a desperate expression.

“L-Leon! R-Run- Gah-!”

Blood splattered across the floor as the bandit’s sword ran through my mother’s chest.

…

“Who’s running where, huh!? Dammit. Now Hector will be on my ass for needing his damn healing magic,” the bandit says, spitting on the ground as she placed a hand over her wounded shoulder.

I couldn’t think.

My mind was blank.

The distant sounds fading into the background as I looked at my mother in horror.

She had fallen to her knees, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth as she then dropped to the floor.

“Anyway… so you had a brat, did ya? Too bad Daddy isn’t around, or you might’ve gotten away. Anyway, let’s have a little look-see.”

My connection to the world was completely detached, so much so that I didn’t even register the feeling of being picked up and held by the scruff of my neck.

“A quiet brat, aren’t you? Must be scared shitless, eh?”

My mother… who I had only just learned the name of… she was bleeding. 

Bleeding a dangerous amount of blood, so much that there was already a puddle that was growing larger with each passing second.

The scent of copper was overwhelming, to the point that I doubt I would ever forget it.

No… Mom… please!

“Haa… boring~ Well, it’s not like anyone could take care of you now anyway, so consider this a small mercy on my part. Better than starving to death, right?”

My eyes slowly drifted over to the voice as the bandit slowly pulled out a dagger.

I felt the tip press against my throat, but despite my life being in imminent danger… I couldn’t find myself any room to care.

Mom… Mom!

“Sorry kid-”

Her words were cut off as a flash of white crosses my vision, accompanied by the sound of howling wind and a distant boom.

Blood splattered onto my face, and I watched as the arm which was holding me flew through the air, followed by the head of the bandit.

Huh?

After a moment of slight vertigo while falling, I felt my body get caught by another set of arms.

This time, however, it was much warmer… and much gentler.

“Tch. Zenith! Get over here!” 

Flinching at the volume, I turned my head up to see the source of the noise.

There was a woman.

A very muscular woman, with nothing covering her chest but a singular strap of fabric. 

Her body was littered with scars, and her face, paired with an eye patch, gave off the feeling of a delinquent, but she didn’t feel very scary to me.

But what was most shocking was the pair of grey ears poking out of her matching mane of grey hair.

Animal ears.

…No, the time for such questions came later.

For now-

“Gah! Ungaa!” I shouted, reaching my arms out toward my dying mother.

The woman, my saviour, seemed to get the point as she slowly lowered me to the ground.

“Ghislaine! It’s terrible! What’s-? Oh, my!”

The entrance of yet another woman entered through one ear and out the other as I reached out to my mother’s hands, barely having the motor skills and strength to grasp onto the cuff of her shirt.

The new woman, or rather, the girl, then knelt across from me, putting her hands over the wound of my mother’s that was gushing blood.

“ Oh merciful mother of gods, please heal this one’s wounds, and let him recover with a healthy body - X-Healing !” she chanted resolutely.

Her hands were then set alight in a green glow, but despite yet another mystical phenomenon, I was too focused on my mother, whose face was paling further with each passing moment.

“I-It’s not working! It’s too deep! I-It needs advanced rank at least!” the girl said tearfully.

“Kach! L-Leon!” my mother sputtered, turning her head toward me.

“G-Gah,” I said back.

“Leon…”

Her hand then reached up and gently caressed my cheek, and as if casting a spell, the fog that had been clouding my mind cleared, giving way to a flood of memories.

‘Leon! You’re crawling! Uuu~ Mom’s so proud!’

‘What are you doing, closing your eyes like that? Silly boy. Here, drink!’ 

‘Hm? Outside? Leon, you know you can’t go out there! Here, come sit with me instead. I’ll tell you a nice story.’

Ahh! 

Mom!

I grasped the frail hand that rested against my cheek in a feeble attempt to keep the only ally in this life, my only family, anchored to the world of the living.

D-Don’t, Mom!

Please don’t leave me!

But despite my internal pleas, her vibrant eyes were turning more distant as they began watering with tears, just as mine were.

“Leon…” she rasped.

I… didn’t want it to end like this.

So, feeling my throat tighten, I clenched my hand that was holding hers and tried to give her one last way to show my feelings.

My feelings that she was a good mother.

I wanted to show her that despite the short time we spent together… I loved her.

She gave me so much love, and was the only source of warmth in my world.

She hugged me when I was cold, fed me when I was hungry, rocked me when I was tired…

So please!

These important feelings of mine… get through to her!

 “G-Gam. B-Baba. M… M-Mama.”

I did it.

Finally, I was able to utter my first word. 

I was able to show how much I loved her.

Still, despite the celebratory achievement, there were no cheers to be had. 

Instead, only a solemn atmosphere of loss was present.

My mother’s eyes turned teary as she gave me a sweet, proud smile before turning to the girl whose hands had glowed a moment before.

“G-Girl,” she choked, a bit of blood dribbling out of her mouth.

“Y-Yes?” the girl responded.

Taking a shaky breath, my mother continued, “P-Please… take care of my son. P… Please…” 

Her words trailed off as she watched the girl nod her head.

“I-I will! Absolutely! I-” 

The girl stopped herself as she noticed the state of my mother, her hand quickly reaching to cover her mouth as tears threatened to escape the corner of her eyes.

I felt the hand I was holding tighten as my mother’s head fell to the side, eyes devoid of life, but a calm smile present on her face.

Then, as if a string had snapped, the emotions I had been holding back came flooding into me like a churning cascade, leaving me with no other way to release this pressure than to wail in grief.

“Uuu… Uwaa!” I cried.

Everything seemed like a blur after that, but I do remember getting picked up by that glowing girl, and my cries being muffled into her chest as she held me close, gently rocking my body in an attempt to calm me.

But this pain couldn’t be calmed that simply.

I was then taken out of the house, briefly witnessing the devastating scenery that was my village through my eyes that were blurred with tears.

But not long after, I tired myself out from crying and found myself welcoming the embrace of sleep to end the day that felt like a nightmare.

A terrible, horrible nightmare.

But despite my wishes, it was reality.

And so, after three short months in this world, I had lost the only family and home I had.

But at the same time, while I didn’t know it yet, I had gained a new one as well.

Chapter Text

— Leon —

“Ah! I think he’s waking up!”

Hearing a familiar voice, I opened my eyes, revealing the image of a beautiful girl with long blonde hair and kind blue eyes looking down at me.

She… she was the one with glowing hands, right?

The one who tried to save my mother…

“Shh~ It’s okay, sweetie. You’re safe now,” she said, gently running her hands through my hair.

Where was I? What happened? Who are you?

All those questions that needed answers ran through my mind.

And it wasn’t only the glowing hands girl.

Looking around, while I remembered the woman with animal ears, the rest were… complete strangers.

Completely unfamiliar faces.

A young man, or rather, a teenager, with a rugged yet handsome face. 

Another shorter, middle-aged man, with a large orange beard and a war axe strapped to his back. 

A man with a face like a monkey, with a large nose and a large pair of ears. 

And then a beautiful young woman with long golden hair, as well as… pointed ears?

What… what was going on?

“Ung! Ang!” I babbled.

“Jeez… I can’t believe you actually kept him. Can’t we drop him off at an orphanage in the next city or something? I don’t wanna take care of a brat,” the handsome man said with a troubled expression.

“Paul! Don’t be like that! T-That woman… I promised to take care of him!” the girl who was holding me said, gently rocking me side to side. 

“Besides,” she said, looked down into my eyes as her smile widened. “He’s cute, don’t you think?”

A finger made its way toward me, and I reached my hand up to meet it, quickly grasping her digit with as much strength as my little hand could muster, which was not a lot.

It wasn’t something done with any meaning, but rather a more instinctual reaction.

Stupid baby body.

B-But… my mother… 

So that… actually happened. 

It wasn’t a nightmare.

S-She… Mom… she was gone.

Feeling wetness begin to drip down my cheeks, the girl’s smile twisted into an apologetic frown as she gently wiped away my tears.

“Leon… right? I’m… I’m sorry I couldn’t save her. But I’ll take care of you from now on, okay? I can be your ‘Mama’,” the girl said.

She would be my mother?

But… she was so young… 

Why would she want this responsibility? 

Was it out of some twisted sense of duty?

I… wanted her to be my Mama.

She felt… warm.

And I didn’t want to be alone.

But my mother… Alice… she was actually gone.

Even if… even if this girl, or this group, became my caregiver, I… I would never forget my Mom.

For all the love and care she gave me… I couldn’t ever forget her.

“Tch. We still shouldn’t take him with us, Zenith. We’re adventurers, you know? It’s a dangerous job,” the handsome man, Paul, said before turning to the pointed-ear lady. “Come on, can’t you back me up here, Lina?”

“Well… I somewhat agree, but as long as he’s with Zenith, who should be out of danger anyway, it doesn’t really change much, does it? Besides… I am quite skilled at childcare,” she said with a smile.

So that was Lina… I was curious about her ears.

“Whatever. Just don’t get on my ass if I find the little shit annoying,” Paul grumbled before walking up to me.

He then looked down at me with a frown.

For some reason… I didn’t like this guy. 

He was mean and scary.

Plus, I felt a little hungry, so…

“Ung! Waaa!”

I cried out.

“Oh? It has been an entire night… I guess you’re thirsty, aren’t you, Leon?” Zenith said softly.

“I see… here, there’s some water left, so drink up, kid,” Paul said, pulling out a canteen.

Was… was this guy an idiot?

“NO!” everyone said in response, even the bearded man, who had been silent since I woke up.

“Paul… even I know not to give infants water. Are you stupid?” said the animal-eared woman, who I noticed also had a tail.

She was… Ghislaine, right?

The one who saved me from the bandit.

“I don’t wanna hear that from you, muscle-brain!” Paul shouted back.

“What’d you say?” she growled.

As Ghislaine and Paul began to have a squabble, Zenith carried me over to the other three in the group.

“What do we do? I know that some places have mashes for infants, but we don’t have anything like that,” Zenith said worriedly.

Lina then walked up and took me into her arms.

She was warm too…

“Don’t worry about that, Zenny. Fortunately, I’ve been a mother several times before, so it’s quite easy for me to get back into things,” she said.

Her words seemed to interest Paul, as the man then looked over with a curious expression on his face.

“‘Get back into things’? What’s that mean?” he asked.

“It means I can produce milk, even if it’s been a while,” Line answered as she pulled down her shirt.

“Hee~? Maybe I could get a drink myself later tonight then?” he said with a suggestive tone.

…So he was that kind of character, then.

I then heard the sound of a short smack.

“Ouch! Zenith! Why?”

“Because you need punishment!”

Well, at least Zenith has a head on her shoulders.

That must be the name of the glowing hands girl that had been holding me.

I was too hungry to feel embarrassed, so I quickly latched onto the waiting breast as I began to ponder over my recent discoveries.

It seemed that this world was a bit different from what I had thought.

Glowing hands… adventurers… long ears… animal women…

It was all… new and… exciting, even if the reason for expanding my worldview had left me heartbroken.

While it was a little bit scary to think that what I knew was all wrong, at the same time, it filled me with a sense of… relief.

Feeling relief at unfamiliar things was surely an odd thing to feel, but I couldn’t help it. 

Because while it may make me seem a bit more helpless, it also made me feel… normal.

But it wasn’t only relief and slight fear that I felt, as I also held a sense of anticipation.

Just what did this world, different from what I thought possible, have in store for me?

There was tragedy, as I had already experienced, but there must also be good too… like these people, and like Mom was…

I suppose only the future would hold any answers.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Races of the World

Human Race: The most dominant race in the world, they have a relatively weak physique, short lifespan, and high intelligence.

Elf Race: Have low fertility, very long lifespans, and a very good sense of direction.

Dwarf Race: Short in height, love alcohol, have lifespans longer than humans, and high dexterity, leading to them being a race of craftsmen and blacksmiths.

Dragon Race: Strongest of all races in terms of physical abilities, they live for hundreds of thousands of years and have the least amount of living members of any race.

Demon Race: The various races and species that sided with Kishirika during the Human-Demon Wars and inhabit the Demon Continent. While diverse, most are bipedal humanoids with many unique traits and abilities.

Beast Race: Similar to humans in appearance save for the traits of mammals on their body, their lifespans are similar to humans while their physical abilities are slightly superior. They also have an enhanced sense of smell that can identify the faint scents of different people.

Heaven Race: Have the appearance of humans with wings, enabling them with the ability of flight, and have a lifespan of at least a few hundred years. They reside in the Heaven Continent.

Ocean Race: Rarely seen, they inhabit the ocean, making the Ringus Sea, the waters around the continents, unnavigable. They rarely interact with other races.

— Leon —

It had been about a year since I joined this group of adventurers, which, as I had discovered, was a party called the ‘Fangs of the Black Wolf’.

They had reached a party rank of S, the pinnacle of the Adventure Guild, and as such, they were regarded quite highly for their abilities and experience.

But… I couldn't see them as anything other than the goofy people I had come to know.

“Ah, shit! Oi, you guys! Did anyone see my belt?” 

“Nope~ Maybe you should ask Zenny. She’s the one always taking it off of you lately.”

“L-Lina! Don’t say such embarrassing things!”

First, there was Paul. Paul Greyrat. The leader of this merry little band, while also being a frontline swordsman in a fight.

Confident, brash, playful, and bold, he was everything you would expect a skilled, overconfident swordsman to be. 

Though sometimes he acted more like a thug than a swordsman, he was a good man at heart, despite his faults.

What I didn’t expect, however, was that he was originally a noble of the Kingdom of Asura. 

And quite a high-ranking one at that.

He… definitely take after his heritage, that was for sure.

“Hehe… well, I won’t deny it. It was a nice night, don’t you think, Zenny?” he said with a wink.

…And he was an extremely lustful man.

I was surprised when I first joined, as I saw him take Lina to his tent the very first night… and then Ghislaine the next day… and that village girl a week after that… and then a different one the day after…

Yeah… all in all, he was quite the womanizer. 

But surprisingly, this past week, he had calmed down, and only been spending nights with Zenith.

It seemed that the two entered a relationship while I wasn’t looking.

“Hah. You kids surely love your nightly romps, eh? Haa… too bad there are no good men around these parts,” Talhand said.

Talhand was… an interesting character.

He was a dwarf and an outcast in his village due to being a magician rather than a craftsman. 

It was because of this that he decided to become an adventurer, and after some time wandering the world, he eventually found his place with this party. 

As one might assume from his words, he was also gay. A tough thing to be in this backwards, medieval world, but at least he had the strength to prevent any discriminatory people from making their dissatisfaction known.

“Mmm. I do hope we get to the next city soon. I’ve missed the fresh taste of a young man,” Lina said, licking her lips.

While everyone in the party called her ‘Lina’, her real name was Elinalise, and due to a curse, she needed to engage in sexual intercourse at regular intervals, leading to a very… promiscuous lifestyle.

As an elf, even after living for over 200 years, she still looked to be in the prime of her life, but unbefitting her fragile and womanly appearance, she was the main tank for the group in battle. 

A tough and resilient fighter, completely backwards from what one would expect from her looks.

Anyway, due to her curse, and her constant need to sate it, she had had her fair share of children over the years, which made her very skilled in childcare, a big bonus for me.

Really… I wondered how any infants survived in this world, with idiots like Paul around.

“Mhmm! Let’s just hope they have a good gambling den there. Then I can finally refill our coffers. Hehe!” Geese said, leaning back against the trunk he was resting on.

As for Geese, well… I didn’t know much about the guy.

He didn’t talk about his past that much, and his personality was always a little… off. 

Hidden.

It made me a bit uncomfortable with how veiled and sneaky he was, but since everyone else seemed to trust him, I did too. 

What I did know, though, was that he was the party’s thief, doing odd jobs here and there, while being the manager of the party. 

Oh, and he didn’t fight. At all.

But he was an excellent cook, so there was that.

“Oi. Don’t go making us broke, damn monkey,” Ghislaine said before she turned to me. “Here. Eat up, Leon.”

Handing me a cut-up fruit, she then gently patted my head with a smile.

Ghislaine was… quiet.

While she showed signs of brashness at times, that was usually only seen in combat, where she also showed her prowess as a powerful swordswoman.

Though… from how she told me of her past, she used to be quite the problem child, which led to her leaving her homeland and pursuing the path of the sword.

But seemed to have matured, and with me, she also showed a certain kindness that was rare for her, like she was now.

Overall, I was proud to call her-

“Thanks, Big Sis!”

“Mmm,” she nodded.

Just as I’m about to bite down on the apple-like fruit, I felt my head get pulled back.

“Not yet, mister! I’m almost done, so just hold on a second!”

And lastly… there was Zenith.

Or as I called her…

“Okay, Mama,” I said.

I was… hesitant, at first… to call her Mama… or anything similar, for that matter. 

I mean, not only was she only a teenager, but I already had a mother in Alice.

But with her constant loving care and attention… it just became natural to view Zenith as my mother, and she seemed happy that I did so.

That didn’t mean I was replacing my birth mother by any means, and while I didn’t know Alice that well… I had a feeling this was what she wanted.

She was a good person like that.

Anyway, Mama, or rather, Zenith, was the healer of the party, and befitting her specialty, her personality was warm and loving. 

But she was strict at times too.

Especially with Paul.

I don’t know if it was because he was a womanizer, or because she liked him, or both, but she really had it out for the guy.

Not that I cared, though.

In fact, I enjoyed watching it.

She was originally born as a noble in the Holy Country of Millis, which was the home of the world’s largest faith, the Millis Religion, and also the second most powerful country in the world after the Asura Kingdom.

Like the others, she was also an outcast, as she opposed her arranged noble marriage at 15 and ran away from home, becoming an adventurer.

Due to being quite naive to the world, she was often exploited by other adventurers she partied with before eventually being saved by Paul and joining the Fangs of the Black Wolf.

I guess the man had his good points too…

Anyway, that was all the people I was happy to call my current family, though I did have a closer relationship with the women.

Ghislaine for her sister-like energy and quiet demeanour, Elinalise for her experience in childcare and loving enthusiasm, and Mama for her kindness and motherliness.

“And… done! Aww~ You look so cute, Leon!” Mama said, clapping her hands together. “Here, take a look!”

Handing me a mirror, Mama brushed off the final strands of cut hair as I took a look at my new appearance.

While I didn’t want to sound vain, my face was indeed cute, fit with a button nose, a round chin, and large, chubby cheeks. 

My hair was a golden yellow, and naturally choppy, much to Mama’s chagrin, and my eyes were a deep brown, exactly like my late mother’s.

“Jeez… you’re going to grow up to be a ladykiller, aren’t you? Better not be like Paul, alright?” Mama said, tickling under my chin and causing me to giggle. “Stay nice and cute, just like you are now, okay?”

“He better not become like that. I’m blaming the dunce over there if he does,” Lina said, nodding to the same man.

“Why am I getting bullied? Plus, aren’t you an even worse influence on the kid?” he said in response.

“Mmm. But at least she didn’t try to give the infant Leon water,” Ghislaine added with a smirk.

“You’re still going on about that?”

Smiling at the atmosphere, I then turned my head back, meeting Mama’s eyes.

“Mama… can I learn magic now?” I asked.

Ever since I first learned of the concept of magic, I had wanted to try it, but I was always refused, with them laughing off my requests as the ramblings of a child.

“Haa… are you sure, Leon? Kids aren’t able to start learning magic until their first birthday, you know?” Mama said worriedly.

My eyebrow twitched.

Just let me!

“If I can’t do it, then I’ll drop it. Promise,” I said in response.

“I don’t know…” she mumbled with a skeptical expression.

Haa… I didn’t want to use this, but it seems I’ve been left with no other choice. 

I didn’t want to wait until I was five, after all.

That was much too long, and I was getting bored now that I could stay awake longer.

Thus, I pushed out my lower lip, making it quiver slightly as I opened my eyes and tilted my head to enhance my cuteness and overall endearing demeanour.

Perfection.

The pure, innocent, and vulnerable face of a child’s pleading expression would break even the strongest of wills, especially when it was mine.

“Please~?” I begged.

And Mama was no different.

“O-Oh, fine! But no elemental magic, alright? I don’t want you making a mess!” she huffed.

“Okay!”

Yes! Success!

“Tch. Damn bastard. And when I do it, it’s ‘gross’ and ‘childish’,” Paul complained with a pout.

“Because it is gross and childish when you do it. But when a child, especially one as cute as Leon, does it, it makes you want to protect and serve them,” Ghislaine said, beginning maintenance on her blade. “Besides, if it’s a kid as smart as Leon, then he’ll probably be able to do magic eventually, right? We could use another healer.”

Right. 

As I had learned, my maturity and general intelligence were not normal for a child, especially not an infant. 

But luckily, there was an explanation for this, so I didn’t feel like a complete monster.

Apparently, I was what was known as a ‘Miko’.

It was an odd phenomenon that I still didn’t quite understand, but it was basically an abnormal power or status that was beneficial to a person.

Lina’s curse of the constant need for sex was the same, but since it was not beneficial, she was technically a ‘Cursed One’, and not a ‘Miko’.

But other than explaining my… oddness, it didn’t really change anything.

“Fine. But we’re learning from the start, okay? And I won’t be teaching you just healing magic. You’ll have to learn to read, write, and do basic calculations too!” Mama said, crossing her arms.

Ah. There was her strict side.

But with me, it’s always filled with love, so I didn’t mind.

“Okay!” I said, pumping my fists.

Besides, I’ve wanted to be literate for a while, and as for the calculations? 

Well, I’m probably better than her already, judging by how easily I could calculate some of the things I had overheard. 

But for her pride’s sake, I’ll just pretend to be a quick learner.

“Uuu~ Leon’s just too cute! But it isn’t fair for only Zenny to teach him, right? How about I teach little Leon how to seduce any girl-”

“Absolutely not, Lina! You are not corrupting my boy!” Mama said, cutting Lina off.

…Was it just this party of outcasts, or was it this world as a whole that was messed up?

“Hmm… while seduction is not necessary, it’s always a good idea to know how to use a sword, don’t you think?” Ghislaine added.

There. That’s a bit more reasonable.

Plus, having seen Ghislaine and Paul tear monsters to shreds with their swords, I also wanted to do the same.

It looked really cool!

“Well, maybe when the brat’s a bit bigger. He’s kinda small right now, eh?” Paul said, pinching his fingers together to accentuate his point.

My expression twisted into a frown.

…I was not that small.

“Hahaha! Made you angry, didn’t I? Well… maybe in a couple of years, I’ll teach you. But for now, I can show you some good workouts. How does that sound? Then you can get a body as great as mine in no time and take any village girl out for a-”

“Paul,” Mama interjected coldly.

“A-Ah. Well… you get my point. I’ll show you some good exercises, okay?”

Well… despite all his flaws, Paul did have a damn good body, one that any man would be envious of.

So, if he was offering, I would gladly accept.

“Un,” I said, nodding my head.

“That’s the spirit!”

I just hope he actually knows how to teach.

Chapter Text

— Leon —

Following Mama through the dense grove, she eventually found a fallen log to sit on, and as she took out her book, I sat down next to her, making sure I was comfortable for the coming lecture.

“And this is… and here… okay! Ready to learn, Leon?” she asked after flipping through a few pages.

While she was inexperienced, at least she was earnest.

“Yep! I’m excited!” I said with a smile.

And that was no lie.

“Good! But remember, Leon. It’s okay if you can’t do it immediately, okay? You have many years to learn,” she said, patting my head tenderly.

“I can do it!” I nodded.

Her eyes softened with a mix of affection and pride.

“Fufu, if you’re so sure, then I’ll begin now. Ahem!”

Taking one last look through the book, she then closed it before looking at me and raising her finger.

“Right, so… first! Magic requires power to work, like how a campfire needs wood to burn. This is called mana, or magic power.”

That made sense.

“And the amount of magic power someone has is decided at birth, so… let’s hope you have a good amount!”

I hope so, too.

“Uhh… then… there are three types… Yes! Three types of magic! And they are… umm…” Mama then opened her book once again as she seemingly forgot where to go next.

…This would be okay, right?

— Leon —

“And that’s the basics of magic!” Mama said proudly.

It was a shaky start, but she got there eventually.

At first, she needed to constantly check the book, but that wasn’t due to a lack of knowledge, but rather her worry that she was teaching me the wrong thing or forgetting something important. 

A performance anxiety, so to say.

But after she got into the role, she got increasingly confident, and showed off the intelligence that made her one of the few S-rank healers in the world.

Basically, as she had explained, magic required magic power, or mana, to work, and one could use magic in two ways.

The first was by incantations, which is when one recited a set of words to cast a spell, and was the most common form of magic.

And the second way was with magic circles, which was when one inscribed a pattern using special ink to cast a spell by pouring magic power into said pattern.

Mama didn’t really know how to use magic circles, and her book didn’t describe any either, so I would be sticking to incantations for the time being.

Not that I minded, though. 

I didn’t exactly trust my toddler hands to do precise drawings, after all.

As for the types of magic, there were three main ones: attack magic, which, as the name implied, was meant to be used in battle; healing magic, which was used to heal others and create barriers; and summoning magic, which was used to summon things, again, as the name implied.

Delving further into it, attack magic was divided into four types: fire, water, wind, and earth, which allowed the user to cast spells relating to that element.

Thinking about it now… I think I might just call attack magic elemental magic instead. 

It made more sense that way.

Healing magic also was divided into four types, those being healing magic, which healed injuries; detoxification magic, which purged poisons and disease; divine strike magic, which was magic that could harm incorporeal monsters; and protection magic, which was used to create barriers.

This one too was named a bit weird, as only two of the categories could be called ‘healing’, so I think support magic would be a better thing to call it.

I won’t tell Mama that, though.

After all, she did try her best to teach me the conventional way.

But I did have a question…

“Mama… I’ve heard you said ‘Beginner’ and ‘Intermediate’ spells… what do those mean?” I ask.

In fact, I swear the others have used those words before, and Ghislaine had also introduced herself as a ‘Saint’.

I initially thought it was just some kind of religious thing from her homeland, but thinking about it now, it was weird that she would hold that moniker when she abandoned her homeland.

Mama’s eyes widened at my question.

“Oh! Rank titles! I can’t believe I forgot about that! Okay, so, these rankings are used for both swordsmanship and magic, and they are-”

Oh boy, here we go.

Listening to her long-winded explanation, I think I finally got it… for the most part, at least.

In this world, there were seven ranks that described one’s battle strength. 

Those being: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Saint, King, Emperor, and God, in that order.

While Mama didn’t understand how the ranks worked in swordsmanship, she was able to explain roughly how it worked for magic.

Typically, spell rankings were proportionate to the amount of magic power needed to cast it, though there were exceptions, like detoxification magic, where it was more about the range of spells than the power, as ones were needed for specific diseases and illnesses.

But for magic, the more mana that was needed for a spell, the more skilled one needed to be in order to cast it and control it. 

So, even if someone was born with a crazy amount of mana, they wouldn’t instantly become a King-ranked magician, though they would have the potential to.

But, in short, the rankings went like this: Beginner was basic mana manipulation; Intermediate was advanced mana manipulation; Advanced was complex manipulation, usually with a large area of effect; Saint was large, complex, and with elemental magic, usually affected the weather.

King, Emperor, and God rank went further in complexity and scale, but for an Intermediate-ranked mage like Mama, it was difficult to comprehend, especially since she had never seen such magic being cast in person.

What was interesting, however, was that for most adventurers, Advanced and Intermediate-ranked spells were all that were needed, as controlling the weather was not usually useful for anything but wars and land maintenance, like watering fields.

Though… it would be pretty sad for someone at the pinnacle of magic to be used as a watering can. 

I pity whoever ended up like that.

“I think I get it now, Mama. Can… can you teach me a spell now?” I asked.

Please don’t make me pull out the pleading face again.

“Yep! But… don’t get discouraged if you can’t do it, okay? It’s fairly rare for someone to be able to use magic, much less someone so young,” she said kindly.

“I got this!” I assured her.

“Fufu. If you’re sure. I’ll first teach you the most basic healing spell, Healing .”

Well, that’s quite a simple name.

“This is only able to heal wounds that would heal naturally, such as cuts and bruises, but it’s useful to stop blood flow and prevent infections. So? Are you ready?” she asked while taking out a knife.

I nodded my head in excitement.

She then poked the tip of her finger, letting the blood bead as I watched with a sickening feeling of disgust.

Blood… Mama… that day… Mom-

“Leon? Are you okay?” Mama asked, halting my train of thoughts.

“Y-Yeah. I’m ready!” I said, shaking away the bad memories.

“Okay… Remember this chant, alright? Ahem! Let this divine power be as satisfying nourishment, giving one who has lost their strength the strength to rise again - Healing .”

A green glow is then emitted from her hand as the cut on her finger began to close, and with a wipe on her pant leg a moment later, it was as if the injury was never there.

“See that? Now, do you think you can try?” she asked.

“Yeah! Can I… have the knife?” I said.

“Nope! You’ll have to practice on Mama for this one!”

She then did a similar process as before, causing me to flinch as the blade pressed against her finger.

I don’t know why I felt so uncomfortable this time, as it was such a minuscule wound, something she had gotten multiple times while cooking.

Was it because of the bad memories? Was it because it was intentional? Or was it because that she was hurting herself for my sake?

Well… I’ll just have to make the owie go away, won’t I?

Now, how did it go again?

Ah, that’s right!

“ Let this divine power be as satisfying nourishment -”

Weird.

I could feel this… energy, concentrated at my core, slowly moving through my body and into my arm, like blood flowing through my veins.

It was hot, yet not uncomfortably so. 

More like a warm cup of tea.

“- giving one who has lost their strength the strength to rise again - Healing .”

Finishing the chant, I felt the warm, blood-like sensation flow into my hand before radiating outward, creating the same glow that Mama did.

And, just like before, her small cut healed up, appearing as though it was never there a moment later.

“Leon! You did it! Uuu~ You’re a genius! My little Leon is a genius!”

Mama then picked me up before smothering me with her admittedly bountiful chest.

Urk-! 

Those things… they were dangerous. 

I felt like I was going to suffocate one of these days.

I needed to get bigger, and fast.

Squirming out of her grasp, I looked down at my hand which had just performed, at least by my previously held standards, a miracle.

Magic… it really was amazing.

“Mama… could I try again? Please?” I pleaded, looking up at her.

Practice makes perfect, after all.

“Of course! Here-”

“Wait. Can I be cut this time? Please?” I asked, ready to bring out my ultimate begging technique if needed.

While I was confident in healing her injuries now, I still didn’t want her to be in pain for me, even if it felt like nothing to her.

I… hated seeing her hurt.

“I don’t know…” she said hesitantly.

“But Mama, wouldn’t it be better to know how the spell affects the target? And there’s no better way to know than this, right?” I said.

Did I believe that?

Not really.

But it sounded logical, so hopefully, she would agree.

“...Fine! But I’m making the cut, okay? And no whining about Mama hurting you afterwards!”

“I promise I won’t!”

Success!

As the edge of the knife pierced my skin, I ignored the stinging pain as I closed my eyes, focusing as I began chanting the spell.

“ Let this divine power be …”

…Shoot, I completely forgot the rest.

But the warmth in my chest… if I could just grasp it… and push it forward…

Come on, Leon. Picture it. 

The cells of the body replicating perfectly, orderly, all working together to mend the wound with each layer of skin, from the dermis to the epidermis, and all the severed capillaries.

Make it-

“L-Leon…!”

Hearing Mama’s quivering voice, I opened my eyes just in time to watch the glow emitting from my hand subside.

And the cut… it was healed.

“M-Mama! I did… it…”

My voice slurred as I was overwhelmed with a wave of intense fatigue, before I suddenly felt my knees buckle, sending me falling to the ground.

Luckily, I was caught a second later by the shocked Mama as my heavy eyes began to close, my vision quickly fading to black.

Damn… it seems that I passed out.

— Zenith Latreia —

Catching Leon’s unconscious body, I felt my mind finally clear from the haze of shock.

He… just did that, didn’t he?

No, obviously he did. 

The proof was right there in his completely healed finger, his skin as soft and smooth as usual.

But… casting magic without an incantation?

That was only possible for the most seasoned of mages, and even then, it was extremely rare, something akin to a legend.

I guess… my Leon was that much of a genius, huh?

Combing my hand through his smooth, golden hair, I couldn’t help but frown at his sleeping face.

It seemed that his limit was two spells, so… not that much at all. 

But… maybe it was because he used magic without an incantation? 

Or… it could be that he was still able to grow the amount of his magic power.

Generally, one’s amount of mana was determined by birth and inherited from one’s parents, but in some rare cases, there have been people who grew their reserves over time.

Well… if it’s Leon, then I could easily see him being the latter.

He was just that special, after all.

Thinking about it now, our party had really changed since he came into our lives.

The Fangs of the Black Wolf had turned from a party with admittedly good chemistry, to a true family.

And it was all because of this cutie.

Truly… he was a blessing.

Absolutely something granted to us by Millis himself.

Wait, no! I needed to tell the others!

Fufu, we had another healer! And one that I taught myself!

Even if he could only cast a couple of spells, it was still useful. 

And knowing my boy, he would definitely be eager to help out.

After all, he was such a determined and mature kid.

And yes… Leon was my boy. Without question.

While at the beginning, I took him in as my own out of a sense of guilt for that woman, guilt for not being good enough to heal her and not being there earlier, but whether it was his natural charms, or simply my instincts as a woman, I couldn’t see Leon as any other’s child but my own.

“Everyone! Guess what?” I said, walking past the treeline over to the main camp.

As the others were likely to be rowdy, I decided to teach him in the small forest grove next to our camp, where my instructions were unlikely to be interrupted.

While monsters might have been a worry somewhere else, we were in the golden plains of the Kingdom of Asura, and fairly close to the capital too, so any would-be enemies were regularly culled by the kingdom’s knights.

I also separated from the group in order to protect Leon’s innocence… but I had a feeling it was already too late for that.

Ideally, he would grow up remaining as sweet as he is now, but if he ever takes after everyone else’s bad habits… I’ll just have to teach it out of him.

“Huh? So early- What happened?” Paul said, his casual expression instantly shifting to a serious one as he spotted the unconscious Leon in my arms, making my heart flutter.

That shift in demeanour… that earnest protectiveness… those were some of the things that made me fall in love with that unscrupulous man.

The others, noticing the situation, also immediately get to their feet, with Ghislaine snarling in anger and worry.

She really was like a big sister to him.

“Don’t worry! He’s fine! He just used up his mana, is all!” I said.

The tense atmosphere immediately disappeared as the party all began to show expressions of shock.

“‘Used up his mana’... does that mean-?”

“Yep!” I said proudly, cutting off Paul. “Leon is now a Beginner-rank healing magician!”

Ah~ I could already feel my cheeks hurting from my wide smile.

“That’s amazing, Zenny! I knew you were a good teacher,” Lina said.

“Mhmm! And that’s not all… he cast Healing without a chant!” I said with enthusiasm.

This second revelation sent everyone into a similar state of shock. 

Actually, it was more than the first time, which made sense. 

A child as young as Leon casting magic put him in the realm of ‘talented’, but doing it without an incantation… that placed him in the realm of ‘genius’. 

No, even further than that.

“Bullshit.”

I sent Paul a cold glare.

Could this man not calm his mouth for a second?

And how dare he think I was lying!?

“A-Ah, I mean, I’d love for him to show me himself, is all! Haha!”

That’s better. 

However, the man certainly still needed some more training.

“If it’s true, it seems that Leon is destined for great things, eh? But… are you sure he’s asleep from mana loss?” Geese asked. “Could be something wrong, right? And I don’t think you would let him use so many spells that he’d use all his mana up.”

Hmm… I was certain it was the case, and that Leon simply had a small amount of mana, or perhaps bad efficiency, but I guess it never hurt to find out.

Placing my hand over Leon’s forehead, I cast one of the basic detoxification spells that checked for abnormalities in the target, and finding none, I shook my head.

“As I thought. I guess Leon just has a-”

I cut myself off as I felt the spell tremble under my control.

That… was not normal.

In fact, I had felt something off with my mana for a couple of days now.

“Zenny? Is something wrong?” Lina asked with concern.

“Nothing. It’s just… give me a second,” I said, waving her off.

Putting my hand onto my chest, I cast the same spell on myself, and instantly, I sensed something that brought me to tears.

Oh… oh my god!

“Zenny?”

I… I…

“I’m… pregnant,” I said through tears, looking toward Paul with a wide-open mouth.

Seeing him facepalm, however, did not instill in me confidence that he would keep his promise.

Ignoring the pang of anxiety, I looked down at the sleeping toddler in my arms, smiling as he snored softly into my chest.

Leon… I hope you’re ready to be a big brother.

No… knowing you, you’ll be the best big brother one could ever have.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Types of Magic

Attacking Magic / Elemental Magic:

Fire: Generation and manipulation of heat and fire.
Water: Generation and manipulation of water and ice.
Wind: Generation and manipulation of gases.
Earth: Generation and manipulation of dirt and minerals.

Healing Magic / Support Magic: 

Healing: Heals injuries.
Detoxification: Purges poisons, diseases, and status effects such as inebriation.
Divine Strike: Harms incorporeal monsters and spirits, kept secret by the Divine Priest Fighters and unknown to most magicians.
Protection: Used to increase one’s defences and create barriers of certain characteristics, such as nullifying magic activation.

Summoning Magic

— Leon —

“Leon~ Wake up, sweetie~”

Hearing the soft feminine voice, I slowly opened my groggy eyes.

Shoot… I… passed out?

The last thing I remember was… casting healing magic. Without an incantation, too.

That… wasn’t supposed to be possible, at least not without a magic circle or something similar.

That feeling of the warmth, how it travelled up my arm, and how I pictured my skin being healed… could that be it?

An image and control of the magic power in my body? That was all that was needed?

Then… why was it said that casting magic without an incantation was basically impossible? 

Was I special? 

Or was it some sort of intellectual stagnation, where everyone was taught to use incantations, and the world conformed to that idea?

Hmm… I’ll have to do a bit more practice before I can be sure.

“There. Are you awake now? No headache or anything?” Mama asked.

I shook my head in response.

“No, I’m fine. Just a little sleepy,” I said, rubbing my eyes.

“Still? You’ve been napping for a few hours now,” she said.

“Really?”

I was asleep for that long?

Darn… I’ll have to remember not to run out of magic when I have something important to do.

Though, seeing that the sun was beginning to set behind the rolling green plains, it was true that quite a bit of time had passed.

Looking around, I noticed that the rest of the party was packing their stuff up, which wasn’t unusual, but past that… there was a weird atmosphere in the camp.

“Mama… what happened?” I asked.

Mama’s face formed a complicated expression as she looked down and rubbed her belly.

Huh?

“Well… you see… it seems like you’re going to be a big brother,” she said, her lips curling into a grin.

Ignoring the warmth that blossomed in my chest, I sent a glare over to Paul.

Mama would be out of commission as a healer, and likely stop working as an adventurer after this… but what would that womanizer do?

“Don’t worry about him, Leon. He… he said he’d keep his promise.”

Turning back to Mama, I saw that her face was radiating happiness, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

“I guess… we’re going to be a family now. A real one,” she said.

A family?

Like… me, Mama, Paul, and the baby in her belly?

“...I see,” I eventually said.

While I wasn’t exactly elated to have Paul as a father, at least he was keeping Mama happy.

But… despite the seemingly happy news… I couldn’t stop the knot from forming in my stomach.

Her joyful expression as she caressed her stomach felt like a reminder that I… wasn’t her child. 

Even if she always called me ‘her baby’, it… wasn’t exactly that way.

So it’s only natural to be worried, right?

Anxiety and insecurity battled to control my thoughts as questions about the future swirled in my mind.

Would I be replaced? Overlooked?

No… I could handle those things. 

Especially if it was to give care to the new life in Mama’s belly, but… I wouldn’t be able to handle being unloved or abandoned.

I… needed Mama.

“M-Mama… are you fine, keeping me-”

“Don’t you even start that,” she interrupted with a frown. “You’re my son, Leon. It doesn’t matter if I never birthed you.”

Her expression calmed as her hand ran through my hair. 

“Besides… you’ll be there to help me out, right? You know healing magic now, after all,” she said, pulling me in for a hug.

“Okay…” I said through watered eyes, burying my face in her chest.

“There, there… Paul, dear? Do you have anything to say to your son?” she asked.

“Huh? Well, I’m kinda busy right now-”

“Paul,” Mama snapped.

“Alright, I get it.”

Hearing his steps get closer, Mama then tapped my back, signalling me to look at the man.

“Umm… I know you aren’t as close with me as you are with Zenith, but… I’ll try to be a good father, alright? And hey! Now I’ll be able to teach you swordsmanship without adventuring getting in the way! Isn’t that cool?” he said, finishing his words with a charismatic thumbs up.

…I guess that’s fine.

“Okay,” I said with a nod.

“W-What? ‘Okay’? That’s it? I just poured my heart out to you!” he whined.

All you did was said you’ll be a father and teach me swordsmanship, was that really the epitome of his emotional intelligence?

Actually, scratch that. 

Knowing the man, not counting whatever magic he used to rope in such a kind woman like Mama, it probably was.

But aside from that…

“‘Without adventuring getting in the way’... are you retiring?” I asked.

Paul then released a sigh before looking over at the other party members with a melancholic smile.

“Well… you see, I have this cousin nearby who offered me a job a year back. I’m just hoping that the offer is still available,” he said.

A cousin? From his old family? 

So a noble house position… and with his strength, it was probably something like a knight or a guard.

A comfortable life, perfect for a young family.

But… what about the family here?

“Aren’t you the leader, though? What will happen to the party?” I asked with worry.

His smile then fell, transforming into a sad frown.

“Well, you see… it will have to disband.”

Chapter Text

— Leon —

“Well… this is where we part. If you guys ever need anything, just come find me. I’ll do my best to help you out,” Paul said, a hint of guilt in his voice.

No, not a hint. There was quite a bit of guilt there.

Lina, who had been giving Paul the cold shoulder for the past week, released a long sigh.

“Right. Just… take care of Leon and Zenny. Leon especially deserves to finally have a good place to call home,” Lina said. 

“And take care of the new kid too, got it? If Zenny comes running back to me crying because you cheated or were a bad father, I’ll race back here to make you regret it,” she said with a glare.

“H-Haha! Yeah, I get it, I get it,” Paul returned.

Looking at the slightly gloomy group, I couldn’t help but feel my mouth twist into a frown.

The Fangs of the Black Wolf was a party of misfits, and as much as a rash, womanizing man Paul was, he was the binding glue that brought them all together, both in combat and in regular interactions. 

So, with him retiring into fatherhood, the obvious result was the dissolution of the party.

While most parties wouldn’t be that effected if they were disbanded, these guys were a bit different. 

As a band of outcasts, this party was the only place they had felt welcomed. 

It was the only place that felt like home.

This was also why Lina was pissed at the guy, as his constant sex drive was what led us to this point, and also why Paul was rightfully feeling guilty. 

But it seemed that she could accept the situation since Zenith was happy, and since I would be living a somewhat normal life, safe from the dangers and erratic lifestyle of adventurers.

I then made my way over to Ghislaine, who was also in a downcast mood, at least judging by her drooping ears, before I gestured with my arms for her to pick me up.

Smiling at me, she granted my request, and I immediately wrapped my arms around her neck.

“Are you sure you can’t stay with us, Big Sis?” I asked, trying not to release the dam of tears I was holding back.

While I definitely felt comfortable being with Mama and could endure being with Paul, I was saddened that I would be leaving this little family of mine.

They were the people I had been with for most of my life, after all.

“Sorry, Leon. I’m going to the Sword Sanctum after this to hone my strength. Hopefully, by the next time we see each other, I will be a Sword King,” she said, gently patting my head.

Right. These people also had their own lives.

I couldn’t hold them back because of my selfishness, no matter how much I wanted to.

“But… we’ll see each other again, right?” I asked.

“Of course,” she nodded. “So get bigger and stronger, and make sure to take care of your sibling and those two. You know that Paul isn’t very smart.”

“Hey!” Paul shouted in indignation.

Giggling at her insult, I sniffled back the snot that had built up in my nose.

“I will… but, I’ll miss you, Big Sis.”

“I as well… here, take this.”

She then took off the wooden ring she kept on her finger before handing it to me. 

It was covered in scratches, showing its age and use, and reflected a slight greenish tint under the sunlight.

“This is a talisman that is passed down in my clan. They say it protects the wearer from bad wolves at night, but to me, it’s simply a keepsake,” she explained.

Taking the ring, I took a glance at it before returning my gaze to her eye.

“Are you sure, Big Sis? It’s… it’s special to you, isn’t it?” I asked.

“That is why I want you to have it. Wear it,” she insisted.

“Umm… it, doesn’t fit though.”

“...Oh.”

I nearly burst into another round of giggles from her frozen expression.

“Hehe, don’t worry! I’ll keep it as a necklace until I’m big enough to wear it. I’ll keep it safe, I promise,” I said as I narrowed my eyes, trying to convey my sincerity.

But she only smiled in response, as if my sincerity was only cute to her.

“Good boy,” she said, patting my head.

Letting me down, I then walked over to Lina, who picked me up without asking and smothered me into her chest.

“Uuu~ Little Leon! I’m gonna miss you! Make sure to keep Paul in line, okay? And make sure Zenny is taking care of herself-”

With her giving me a lecture that could contend with one that Mama would give Paul, she eventually wrapped up our talk by setting me down, giving me a wet kiss on the cheek as she got ready to leave.

And, not a few minutes later, with Geese and Talhand saying their farewell, the remains of the now-disbanded Fangs of the Black Wolf departed, leaving me and my new family alone outside the walls of Roa, the fortress city of the Fittoa Region of the Asura Kingdom.

While it was not my first time seeing a walled city, as many cities near monster-infested places had ample defences, this was the first time I had been to Roa.

I didn’t understand the family dynamic that was going on too well, but from what I could pick up, Paul’s old family was of the Greyrats, specifically, the Notos branch. 

And this place here was ruled by the Boreas line of the same family.

The two family lines likely held bad blood, if my knowledge of medieval families was correct, so this ‘cousin’ of Paul’s probably hated his guts.

But then again, perhaps the fact that Paul discarded his Notos name gave him merit instead.

“Alright… I’ll deal with Philip alone. After all, he’s got quite the slick tongue. You two just stay behind, okay?” Paul said.

“If you say so… h-husband,” Mama replied.

Ugh… now I’ll have to deal with these two as newlyweds.

Alone.

Ghislaine… Lina… come back, please. I’m begging you.

Walking through the large gate of the ginormous walls, I couldn’t help but gasp as the city itself comes into view.

The mix of brown wood, grey stone, and white plaster created an appealing contrast as we walked past the stalls and shops that lined the cobblestone streets.

As you approached the city centre, the larger and richer the buildings became, and at the very centre of the city was a large castle, its towers piercing the cityscape.

And that very castle was where we were headed.

Quite high class… I sure hope Paul isn’t in over his head.

As we passed through the castle gate, it appeared that Paul had the foresight to notify them ahead of time, as we were admitted by the guards without any trouble.

Walking through the courtyard, I couldn’t help but marvel at the various plants and flowers that adorned the flowerbeds, as well as the towering walls of the surrounding castle.

Wow… nobles were loaded, huh?

And there were even stained-glass windows!

Following the beastfolk maid, we eventually found ourselves in a lobby-like room, with a pair of fancy couches and various decors lining the walls.

Thinking about it now, nearly every maid I had seen so far in this castle has been of the beast race.

I suppose these guys had a type, huh?

My thoughts are interrupted as a man enters through the door, his steps calm and practised, holding a certain elegance to them.

“Ah! Welcome, Paul Notos Greyrat. This must be the Zenith and Leon you mentioned in your letter,” he said, his eyes narrowing with his smile.

“You know I’ve already cast away the Notos name, so just call me Paul Greyrat.”

Mama then curtsied, “And I am Zenith Latreia, though I’ve also discarded my noble lineage. And this here is…”

“Leon. Leon Greyrat,” I said, finishing my words with a small bow.

The man seems to find my attempt at manners cute, or at least amusing, as his smile grew wider.

“You’re quite mature for such a young age. About as young as my daughter, if I were to guess. Anyway, I am Philip Boreas Greyrat. Please feel free to take a seat,” he said, gesturing to the couch.

Taking a seat next to Mama, I took another look at the man who was, hopefully, going to soon be Paul’s boss.

He had a slender physique, brown hair that was a tone darker than Paul’s, and a sharp face. 

Dressed in an aristocratic suit, this ‘Philip’ perfectly suited the word ‘gentlemanly’.

“Thanks for meeting me, dear cousin. As you know from the letter, I am hoping you can grant this selfish request of mine,” Paul said with a deep bow.

Huh… I’ve never seen the man act so… civilized and polite.

I guess that noble etiquette he grew up with was still in there somewhere.

“Yes... Here, come into my office. We can talk more in there. As for you two, please don’t hesitate to ask the maids for any food or drink you require.”

And like that, the two men went into the same door that Philip had entered from, leaving Mama and me alone on the couch.

“Well… they are likely to take a while, as Paul will need to understand his role and responsibilities… so how about we practice some magic?” Mama suggested with a smile.

“Yeah!” I exclaimed in response.

I was relieved. 

As cool as this place was, sitting here for hours on end would be mind-numbingly boring without anything to do.

“Alright. Today you will learn your first detoxification spell. Make sure not to use too much mana, okay? I wanted to touch on your reading too,” she said.

“That’s fine,” I nodded.

“Good. Now, remember this chant, and watch me closely, okay? This is meant to heal non-fatal nausea, like headaches and seasickness.”

She then showed me the spell, and trying it on my own, I performed the spell quite easily.

While it was difficult to see how effective it was on a personal level, as I couldn’t exactly give myself seasickness to fix, I was able to see if it worked by using it on Mama, as her pregnancy put her in a constant state of slight nausea.

Okay… now it was time to try it without an incantation, this being the first time trying it with anything other than basic healing magic.

Taking a deep breath, I placed my hand on Mama’s forehead before closing my eyes to concentrate.

The feeling was quite similar to Healing , with the mana flowing through my body and my veins before reaching my hand.

And the image… it was a bit difficult. 

After all, the spell was meant to cure a headache or seasickness, so it was quite hard to visualize on a cellular level. 

It was more like I was curing a symptom rather than the cause itself.

Well… did I have to get scientific with it for it to work?

After all, while I pictured cell mitosis and the layers of skin for Healing , the process was much more complex than that.

Maybe… if I just pictured something similar… a torrent of water representing nausea… the sickness, or the cause, being the whirlpools that were churning the water… and my magic… if it simply removed the whirlpools and calmed the water to a still, even flow…

“Amazing, sweetie! I knew you could do it!”

Opening my eyes, I couldn’t help but unconsciously match Mama’s proud smile as I stared at my glowing hand.

I could do it… casting without an incantation, chantless magic… I could do it for more than just healing!

“So, Leon… do you think that detoxification magic brought you closer to your limit?” Mama asks.

I shook my head in response.

“No, I still feel fine. Although…” I frowned, “I wish I could tell how much mana I had left.”

“That comes later with experience. I’d be sad if you got too far ahead of Mama right away!” she said, patting my head.

As I had discovered on my second time trying magic, my magic capacity could improve. 

While Mama and I were originally ready for me to pass out after two spells like the first time, I discovered that I could do three.

And the next day, five.

And then eight.

So yeah, it seemed that my capacity was growing with each time I went through my mana. 

Like this, I could get pretty strong in the future, couldn’t I?

“Hey, you! How did you do that!”

Suddenly hearing a high-pitched, nasally, childish voice, I looked over to see a small girl with blazing red hair and a matching set of red eyes.

She looked about my age if I were to guess.

Her face seemed to be a mix of condescending frustration and astonished curiosity as she crossed her arms over her chest.

But… who was this kid?

I don’t think random children are meant to wander around noble castles like this… maybe she was Philip’s kid that he had mentioned?

The hair colour didn’t match, but the age did, and I couldn’t find any other explanation as to why she was here.

That aside…

“How did I do what?” I asked.

“The shiny hands! How did you do that?” she said, pointing her chin in the air.

Hmm… I don’t know if a normal toddler would understand what ‘detoxification magic’ was just yet, so…

“I just did it,” I said with a shrug.

That seemed to send the child reeling, but she quickly composed herself before marching over with a stern frown on her face.

“You listen! I asked you- Waagh!”

…Before promptly tripping over her feet and gracelessly falling onto the floor.

“Ung… Ung! Waaah!”

And now she was crying.

Haa…

Hopping off the couch, I walked over to the girl before placing my hand on her face and casting healing magic on her nose, which was trickling a little bit of blood.

Luckily, it seemed my practice hadn’t been for nothing, as her pained expression quickly turned into one of wide-eyed surprise, her red eyes shining in excitement.

Oh? When she’s like this, she’s actually kind of cute.

Like an actual toddler.

Though… I was also one, so it felt a little weird to think that.

Wiping the small trail of blood off of her upper lip, I gently patted her head with a smile.

“There we go. All better now, right?”

It took a moment for her to break out of her state of shock, as she quickly swiped away my hand before scrambling back to her feet.

“U-Umm… th-thank you,” she stuttered out with a red face before quickly she quickly ran out of the room.

Huh… what a weird kid.

Turning back to Mama, I noticed that she’s wearing a large grin, one of intense amusement and a little bit of pride.

“Fufufu… how adorable~”

…For some reason, that smile made me a little uneasy.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Fittoa Region

A fiefdom in the northeastern part of the Kingdom of Asura of the Central Continent, the Fittoa Region is a vast agricultural area with many forests and primarily rural village settlements.

Under the crown of the Kingdom of Asura, the Fittoa Region is governed by the Boreas Greyrat family, with Sauros Boreas Greyrat as the current liege lord of the region.

Citadel of Roa: It is the largest city in the entire Fittoa Region and is the centre of trade, commerce, and administrative matters in the area. An ancient city with a noble history, four hundred years ago, it stood as the last defence during the war against the Demon race but is now seen as nothing more than a backwater city of adventurers in the capital city of Asura. Philip Boreas Greyrat is the current mayor of the city.

Buena Village : A small, peaceful hamlet that specializes in farming. There are nearby forests that are infested with monsters that often need to be subdued.

— Leon Greyrat —

The wind swept through my hair as I rested my chin on my arm, watching the rolling hills and the odd house pass by, while the stench of farmland and manure permeated my nose.

We were currently making our way to our new house, which had been given to Paul as he was the new knight of Buena Village, a small hamlet which had been having problems with monsters the past few years, hence why such an unassuming village needed a knight as strong as Paul stationed there.

“After we move everything in, I’ll be heading to meet the villagers to get a better read on the situation. Do you mind cleaning it up while I’m gone?” Paul asked.

“Asking a pregnant woman to clean your house… quite shameless, Father,” I said with a smirk.

“S-Shut up! I said I’ll post the housekeeper job tomorrow!” he explained hastily.

“Leon, don’t bully him. I’m still feeling fine, so I want to be the one to settle in our new home. A task that includes cleaning! Besides, you’ll be there for me, right?” she said.

“Of course, Mama,” I answered with a huff.

“Good boy!” she said cheerfully, patting my head.

Mama then turned to Paul, “But, honey... I’m a bit worried we don’t have enough things. And there will probably be some stuff we can’t buy from the village, like tableware and candles.”

“It’s fine. We have enough rations to survive for a week, and I’ll get anything we’re missing when I post the job tomorrow in Roa. So just leave it to your dependable husband here!” he said confidently.

Just before we had left for the village, Mama and Paul… my new father, I suppose… got formally married by the resident Millis priest in Roa, exchanging their vows in a small ceremony with the rising sun as their background. 

Of course, I was the only guest.

I only hoped the man would keep his promises, or I would go running to Lina.

Maybe I would even beat him up myself if I got strong enough.

“Well, here we are,” Paul said abruptly, stopping the cart in front of the gate of a large house.

It was…

“It’s beautiful!” Mama finished for me.

Indeed. 

With the wooden beams crisscrossing the white plaster walls, wooden shingles lining the roof, and crown glass windows seemingly for every room, it was a very nice house.

And that wasn’t even mentioning the beautiful walled garden that surrounded the home, giving ample room for training, as well as any other general activities I wanted.

And I knew that Mama liked plants, so she could even have her own garden.

A beautiful home and a wonderful garden.

And that paired with the scenery…

“Know what? You did good, father,” I said, patting the man on the back before I hopped off the cart.

Taking in a deep breath of the fresh air, I raised my arms overhead to stretch out the stiffness of my body before heading towards the front door.

As there was no need for any locks on the door, I was able to enter without any trouble.

It would be a pretty stupid decision to rob the house of someone who was not only your lord, but also the strongest person in the area, after all.

Inside the house, it was just as I had expected.

A nice big fireplace in the centre of the main room for heating and cooking, straw beds with fur blankets, tables and chairs set up near the kitchen, and a bathroom, which amounted to nothing but a hole in the ground.

In most houses, this hole would be quite useless, and only stink up the place with… waste, so most people would prefer an outhouse. 

But with the existence of magic, you could just burn it with an elementary fire spell, and wash what was left with a water spell. 

Luckily, Mama knew both magics, so we’d be able to use the bathroom properly.

The whole place was also pretty dusty, which made sense as this place had been abandoned for the past year.

I guess Mama and I would have some work to do.

Eventually, with our modest amount of belongings moved in, Mama and I started cleaning up the house.

We also took the time to plan out how we would set up the house while checking for any mould, pests, and repairs that needed fixing. 

Fortunately, save for a few creaky doors, there weren’t any issues.

“Hey! I’m back!”

Putting down the washcloth, I looked over to Paul, who was carrying a basket of what seemed to be sandwiches.

“Looking good, guys! Guess what? The villagers even gave us some food to welcome us! Hehe, my natural charisma is truly terrifying sometimes,” he said smugly.

…Are you sure they weren’t just buttering you up? 

You’re their boss now, after all.

“Really? That’s awfully nice of them. Villagers are often a little unsettled when a new lord is stationed, but I guess this is pretty far from the capital, so they’re probably more laid back. Anyway, did you find anything interesting?” Mama asked, resting the broom against the wall.

“Yep! I found out that there’s a clinic here, but all they have is a herbalist. A perfect place for you, right? And… Leon too, I guess,” he said with a shrug.

“We are not letting a one-year-old work, Paul,” Mama said with a glare that soon transformed into a smile. “But… a clinic, huh? I’ve always wanted to work in one after adventuring.”

Paul placed down the sandwiches before walking up to wrap his arms around Mama, resting his head on her shoulder as he smiled.

“It almost seems like fate, eh?” he said. “Anyway, I also talked to the guy who had been defending the village for the past year. Nice dude. Laws… I think his name is. His wife’s also pregnant, so maybe Leon and the Little Man will have a new friend.”

“‘Little Man’? It’s definitely a girl,” Mama replied with a huff.

“Nah, my gut’s telling me I’m getting a son.”

“We already have one, Paul.”

“Ah, right… well, either way, we can always try for another after this one, right?” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. “Hehe. Come here.”

“H-Honey! Not in front of Leon! Mmm~”

…I’m going to my room.

Seeing that the two were getting quite into it, I might just practice my magic until I passed out. 

I preferred that over having to endure the sound of them christening our new home with their activities.

Jeez… even when Mama was pregnant, that womanizer couldn’t contain his lust.

Wasn’t it supposed to be a bad omen to do that when a woman was bearing a child?

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

A few months had passed since our arrival in Buena Village, and in that time, we had entered the year K407 of the Armoured Dragon Calendar, which meant that I was now two years old.

Since we had no record of the day I was born, going off by the start of the year was an easy solution.

Anyway, other than getting settled into our new rural lifestyle, not much had changed for our new family. 

Well… apart from one thing, that is.

“Young Master Leon, are you sure you don’t need anything to eat?”

Our family had grown by one, in the form of our new maid, Lilia.

She was a beautiful woman with violet-purple eyes and reddish-brown hair that she tied up in a half bun with hair strands resting on both of her shoulders, much like Mama’s hairstyle. 

She also had a slender and voluptuous body and wore oval-shaped glasses and most notably… a maid outfit.

I was a bit worried that she was a little too beautiful, as with her large breasts and pretty face, she was exactly the type of girl that would cause Paul to make a mistake, but I suppose I had to trust in the man until he proved himself untrustworthy.

I just hoped he could keep it in his pants until I was old enough to take care of Mama without him.

Anyway, Lilia, while beautiful, was quite cold, at least on the outside, but once you got to know her, she opened up a bit. 

Especially with me.

Though that might just be due to my childish charms.

“I’m fine, Lilia! And didn’t I tell you to just call me Leon? We’re living in the same house after all,” I said while kicking my feet in the air.

I was currently lying down on the bed and going through one of the books Mama and Paul had gotten. 

Specifically, Wandering the World , a reference guide to the various countries and places in the world.

This was a good way to increase my reading comprehension while also expanding my worldview, and most importantly, it was fun to read.

After all, while I had adventured with the Fangs of the Black Wolf for a year, we only travelled around the southern region of the Kingdom of Asura, where I just so happened to be born. 

And even then, I was asleep most of the time, so I didn’t learn much about what was happening around me.

“I am but a maid, Young Master Leon. It would be presumptuous to forgo my manners,” she said, shaking her head.

“Yeah, but we aren’t like those petty nobles, you know? Plus, you’re not just a maid. At least not to me. We’re probably going to be together for a while, so we’re more like family, right?” I responded with a smile. 

If anyone knew that blood didn’t need to be shared to be considered family, it was me.

“...I suppose so. You’re a good child, Leon,” she said as she started affectionately rubbing my head.

Closing my eyes at the pleasant feeling, I then felt the pressure of her hand increase a bit.

“Make sure you don’t turn out like your father.”

“I-I got it, Lilia! I’ll never turn out like that guy!” I whined.

“Good,” she said, nodding.

“Fufufu! You two sure get along, don’t you?” Mama laughed.

Lifting my head, I looked over to her, who was sitting next to the fireplace.

With the harvest season starting up along with the arrival of spring, Mama was now almost nine months into her pregnancy, and her belly had grown to show as much.

I hoped my new brother or sister would come out nice and easy, but even if they didn’t, I would be right next to her with my healing magic in case anything went wrong.

I mean, seventeen was supposed to be the prime time for a woman to give birth, and Mama had an active, resilient body from adventuring, so she should be safe.

“Indeed. The Young Master-”

“Lilia,” I interrupted.

“Ahem. Leon is a good child, so it’s only natural I look at him fondly,” Lilia said.

“And I’m better at calculations than Paul!” I added happily.

“Yes, you are,” Lilia chuckled. “At this point-”

“Agh!” Mama shouted, cutting Lilia off.

Clutching her stomach, Mama got to her wobbly legs before Lilia stepped forward to support her.

“L-Lilia! I… I think-!”

“Don’t worry, Miss. We’ve prepared for this. Here, let’s move to the bedroom,” Lilia said, taking charge of the situation. “Leon, can you call Master Paul over? And stay outside the room until I call you, alright?” 

Nodding my head, I then started making my way outside to where Paul was training his swordsmanship.

So it was finally happening, huh?

It seems like I will be meeting my new sibling very soon.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Paul Greyrat

A tall, muscular, and handsome man with sandy light-brown hair, that he keeps cut short save for his long ponytail and bright green eyes.

Born in the year K388 to Amarant and Valentina Notos Greyrat.

His personality is bold, confident, playful, and lustful, with a particular attraction for women with large breasts.

Paul was the leader of the S-ranked party ‘Fangs of the Black Wolf’ and is an Advanced-ranked swordsman in the Sword God, Water God, and North God styles.

He is currently the knight assigned to Buena Village of the Fittoa Region of the Asura Kingdom.

— Leon Greyrat —

Looking down at the sleeping form of my new baby brother in his crib, I couldn’t help but cast another healing spell on the newborn, ensuring that nothing was truly wrong with him.

The birth itself went without any issues, and I only needed to help Mama recover from the pain, but what was odd, was the fact that throughout the whole process… he didn’t cry.

Babies were supposed to cry, right?

Well… I suppose it doesn’t matter as long as he and Mama were healthy.

Anyway, yes. It was a boy, just like Paul had hoped for.

Rudeus Greyrat, my new baby brother.

With light brown hair and emerald green eyes, he looked like an exact copy of Paul, though that might change as he grew older and matured. 

But for now, his chubby cheeks, large eyes, and small, button nose made him a very cute baby that aroused the instincts of protection in me.

Yeah… while I didn’t know exactly what the future held, I promise that I’d make sure Rudy grew up happy and healthy, just like a good big brother should.

“Leon? Is something wrong?” Mama asked from behind me.

I shook my head in denial as I got off the stool.

“No. Just checking on Rudy,” I answered.

“I see… Leon, you know that you’re still my son, right?” she said gently.

Seeing her holding her hands out to me, I climbed onto the bed and into her arms before snuggling against her chest.

“Yes. Don’t worry, Mama. I understand you’ll be a bit busy with Rudy for a while,” I answered.

“Hmm, that’s true. Not every baby is as good as you were. But don’t worry, they also sleep a lot, so we can still spend lots of time together,” she reassured me, resting her chin on my head.

I always liked it when she held me like this, as it made me feel both warm and secure. 

Perhaps knowing I would soon be too big to do this also played a part in my bittersweet mood.

“Mmm… I want to learn intermediate healing magic, too,” I said with expectation.

“Maybe, Leon. Only if you’re good,” she said, raking her hands through my hair.

I was pretty sure I had enough mana to cast it, and I was wondering what different spells of different ranks did with mana.

Hopefully, with enough practice, I could make my own spells and take full advantage of my chantless casting.

But for now…

“Mama… can I take a nap here?” I asked.

“Mmhm! Mama’s a bit tired too, so let’s take a nice, relaxing rest. Okay, sweetie?”

Nodding my head, I shut my eyes, letting the crackles and hisses of the fireplace lull me to sleep in my dear Mama’s embrace.

Hopefully I would still be able to do this just as often.

I really loved this feeling, after all.

— Rudeus Greyrat —

It had been a month since I had been reborn, and the reality of the situation had finally set in.

I… was a baby.

Gone was the fat, disgusting body of a 34-year-old shut-in NEET, replaced with the uncontrollable body of a newborn child.

Reincarnation was not an unfamiliar setting for a fantasy guru like me, but I was wondering exactly how this came to be.

No goddess. No summoning. I was just… here.

Anyway, the first two people I saw after being born, the handsome man and the beautiful woman, were my parents. 

Or at least, I’m pretty sure they are.

If I had to guess, they were both in their early twenties, younger than I had been in my past life.

Haa… and they already had a baby at their age? Lucky…

Actually, that wasn’t quite right, as they already had another kid, who looked to be around two.

He was cute, with choppy golden hair and dark brown eyes, and his face was already charming enough to make any shotacons’ mouth water.

And seeing that smile he showed me so often, I had no doubt that he was going to get even more charming as he grew older.

And no, I was not jealous. Not one bit.

Anyway, I quickly realized that I was no longer in Japan, as the language they spoke, and the little parts of the culture I had picked up were completely different.

And considering how they used a fireplace for heating, and the furniture and tableware being made out of wood… I was probably in some undeveloped nation, right? 

Actually, I’ve heard of a group of people in America that live without technology like this, so I might be closer to normal civilization than I thought.

Or maybe it was even something crazier, like being transported back in time or something.

Well… I wouldn’t really be able to find out much more like this, so I suppose I’ll just have to wait until I’m able to crawl.

— Leon Greyrat —

A couple of seasons had passed since the birth of my brother, and the air was now beginning to chill as winter reared its ugly head on the land.

Don’t get me wrong, I truly loved the sight of the landscape blanketed in snow.

But the cold… it was dangerous.

Not necessarily for me and the adults, but rather for Rudy.

The first winter was always the first trial every child goes through in life, and it’s due to this instability in the early years that one’s first birthday isn’t celebrated until they reach five years old.

But hopefully, with enough snuggles and naps beside the fireplace, my baby brother would easily survive the winter.

Anyway, speaking of the little guy, he had recently discovered how to crawl.

“Rudy!” Mama shouted before placing her hands on her hips. “Jeez. As soon as you take your eyes off him, he slips off somewhere!”

“Hey, as long as he’s healthy, it’s fine, right? I was a little worried when he didn’t cry when he was born, but it seems there are no problems,” Paul responded with a shrug, watching Rudy crawl around the floor with amusement.

“He still doesn’t cry though… He only babbles when he’s hungry or dirtied his diaper,” Mama said worriedly.

“Well… it’s better that way, right?” Paul said.

Leaning down, I scooped up Rudy, who was hiding under the chair, into my arms.

“That’s not something you should say about your kid, Father,” I said with disappointment before I looked down at my brother. “And Rudy… just what are you doing with those?” 

Releasing a sigh, I then tried to take off the pair of panties my little brother had decided to wear over his face, but he was quite adamant about keeping them on, gripping the edge of the fabric with his small hands.

“...You really like those, huh?” I murmured.

“Gah!” he responded happily.

Seriously…

At first, with his good behaviour and quiet demeanour, I thought he was like me. 

A Miko of some sort.

But unlike me, he didn’t have any aversion to breastfeeding, or rather… he relished it, revealing a giddy smile each time Mama pulled down her shirt.

And it didn’t take long for his natural childishness to show in more… perverted ways.

Squeezing Mama and Lilia’s breasts, burying his head in said breasts, constantly leering at those breasts… a lot of breasts. 

And also with the underwear thing, like right now, it was obvious that Rudy was a little… weird.

Well, he was half of Paul, so I guess he was simply developing a little early?

Anyway, having eventually wrestled the pair of panties off his face, I passed Rudy over to Mama before grabbing my coat and making my way outside.

“I’m gonna go try some elemental magic, okay Mama?” I said.

“Okay! Tell me if you need any help, and don’t stay out there too long! It’s getting cold, after all,” she answered.

“Got it!”

A couple of days ago, I graduated from Mama’s teachings, as I had learned how to read, showed off my already stellar arithmetic skills, and became an Intermediate-rank healing and detoxification magician.

I still wasn’t at the level of Mama, as I still lacked the skill and experience, but I was sure I would eventually reach her with enough practice. 

Besides, with my chantless casting abilities, rather than training to complete spells, I was practising my control of mana in general. 

Building up the basics, one could call it.

I also discovered that Intermediate-rank magic was actually quite difficult.

The Beginner rank was mostly about innate talent, along with some level of concentration to maintain the spell, but going past that required the user to help guide the mana flow alongside the chant.

If I were to explain it… for Intermediate-rank magic, the incantation showed you the path, but wasn’t able to follow through on its own like with Beginner spells, so it needed a push from the magician.

This was also why Intermediate-rank mages were seen as extremely skilled compared to Beginner-rank ones.

Anyway, with all that said, my schooling had finished, yet I was still eager to learn. 

Which brought me to now.

Watching my magic power reserves grow over this past year, I had come to a conclusion.

Childhood was key.

From how the common belief said that kids could only learn magic at five, and that there was little hope to grow magic reserves, I guessed that this rate of growth slowed down at five, and by ten, it stopped altogether.

So that meant that right now was the prime time to grow my reserves. 

And since I wouldn’t have to harm myself or anyone to use the magic, elemental magic should be a much more efficient way to expand them.

Initially, I was worried that Mama still wouldn’t let me try it, but now that I was older, and we had a large yard for me to practice in, there were no worries about making a mess.

I just had to be sure not to aim for the plants.

Mama would get really angry if I destroyed them, after all.

Pulling out A Textbook of Magic , I slowly went over the contents, searching for where the things I already knew ended, and the new information started.

Most of the basics of magic I had already covered with Mama’s lessons, and considering I was a bit of an anomaly with my chantless casting and mana reserve growth, I didn’t know how much I could trust it anyway.

Ah! There we are!

Waterball . The most basic of Beginner water spells. 

As its simple name implies, it summons a ball of water that is then launched at an enemy.

Well… no time like the present.

“ Let the vast and blessed waters converge where thou wilt and issue forth a single pure stream thereof- Waterball .”

Extending my hand while casting the magic, I focused on the sensation of my mana moving through my body.

Similar to Healing , my mana cycled through my arm toward my hand, but while Healing radiated it outward, this time, it concentrated in my palm before releasing all at once, forming a floating sphere of water about the size of my fist over my palm.

Hmm… I was still unsure what exactly in these chants changed the element and effect of the mana, but I hoped to discover it with enough practice…

As my thoughts trailed off, I lost my focus on the magic as the sphere of water collapsed in on itself before falling to the ground with a splash.

…Seems like I’ll need concentration to maintain elemental spells too.

Tuning out the world, I spurred the mana in my body to follow the path toward my hand as I focused on the image.

Compared to healing and detoxification, water was quite easy to picture.

Flowing streams… vast oceans… coursing rivers… and going deeper than that, a water molecule. 

With two hydrogen atoms connected to an oxygen one at the centre.

Keeping the image of water in my head, both scientific and as a basic understanding, I released the mana that was concentrated in my palm, and as expected, a ball of water soon formed just like it had with the incantation.

But, unlike what the spell description said, it didn’t launch forward.

Maybe I needed to add that part myself?

Picturing adding velocity to the water, the ball then shot forward.

Well… ‘shot’ would be a bit of a hyperbole.

It flew about a meter, before abruptly falling to the ground, as if it had simply jumped out of my hand.

…Yeah, this definitely still needed some work.

But that was a part of learning, right?

For the moment, it would be much more useful to just use an incantation, as the spell would actually, you know… launch as it's intended. 

But in the future, the control I had over the spell would vastly increase, and the time it took to cast would shorten, as I had already learned from my experience in healing magic.

And even then, the control and usefulness part could come later. 

What I needed to focus on in these early years was the amount of mana I used up so that my reserves grew larger. 

Everything else could come after that.

But luckily, growing my control and mana reserves both used the same method, so there was no need to prioritize one over the other.

I just needed to cast a lot of spells!

Ah, but… I should cast my last spell inside, so I don’t freeze to death after passing out. 

Fortunately, I could now roughly tell when my reserves were low, so I wouldn’t- no, shouldn’t mess anything up.

So let’s do this, Leon!

— Leon Greyrat —

It’s been around three months since I began my training with elemental magic, and I was now a Beginner-rank magician in all four schools.

Interestingly, for elemental magic, the difference between different Beginner spells was staggering, both in the required skill and the mana amount needed.

I also discovered that elemental magic followed a set process for each spell: the creation of the spell or generation of the element, setting the size of the magic, setting the speed, and then activation. 

With incantations, it was a bit harder to change the settings of the magic, but it was still doable.

Healing magic, on the other hand, simply… happened. 

Radiating from your hand like a fire. 

Of course, you would need to pump more mana into it depending on how much you needed to heal and focus the spell on the injured parts, but that was quite easy.

Though… that might just be due to my experience with it.

Personally, I found the whole process a bit too rigid for my liking. 

In fact, the whole concept of spells was like that.

For instance, with the water spell Water Arrow , it was simply generating Waterball before moulding it into the shape of an arrow and launching it. 

And Ice Smash was just creating a Waterball before freezing it into a ball of ice and launching it.

So, I was hoping that with enough control, I could simply use the elements as I saw fit without being shackled by the concept of spell creation and the theory behind it.

But I suppose that would have to wait until I grew my skills a bit more.

“Hey, Mama! I’m back,” I said, taking off my soggy boots to dry them near the fireplace.

Unfortunately, I was not yet good enough fire and wind magic to dry them myself without ruining them, so for now I would be using the natural method.

“Hey, sweetie! Dinner’s almost ready, so don’t get started on anything yet,” Mama said from the kitchen.

“Ooh! What are we having?” I asked.

“Boiled pork and some veggies. But what took you so long out there? I thought you were just going to practice a little bit because of the cold?” Mama asked.

“Yeah, but then Father asked me to help him clear the snow with fire magic,” I answered.

Both Lilia and Mama sighed simultaneously at this.

“That husband of mine… I’ll have to give him a stern talking to when he comes back,” Mama said.

“It’s fine, Mama. I’m casting magic anyway, so I might as well put it to good use,” I said with a shrug.

“If you’re sure…” 

Making my way over to the two ladies, I took in the pleasant scent of the nearly-finished meal before sitting down at the table with my magic book.

“Besides, I should get on his good side since he’ll be teaching me swordsmanship after winter ends,” I said.

“Oh, that idiot would be happy to teach you regardless,” Mama said.

“Yeah, I guess so,” I said, remembering how excited Paul was to pass on his skills. “But… are you sure he wouldn’t make fun of me during it?”

Not even attempting to refute my point, Mama turned her head back to the pot before she started silently stirring.

Well… I guess that answers my question.

Unfortunately, Paul was definitely the kind of guy to make fun of his students. 

Even if it was his three-year-old kid, they wouldn’t be spared. 

And I would rather not get talked down to by a guy who thought giving water to a baby was acceptable.

“Are you sure you want to, Leon?” Mama asked. “I know that he and Ghislaine kind of pressured you into it, but with you being so talented at magic…”

“It’s fine, Mama. It’s good to be multitalented, right?” I reassured her.

Plus, while magic was great and all, it was pretty bad for self-defence. 

Even if one used chantless magic, a Sword Saint would cut you down before you could do anything.

“Haa… if you’re certain, then I suppose I’ll let him train you. But, Leon. Are you sure you don’t want a magic tutor as well?” Mama asked.

I shook my head in response.

“No thank you, Mama. At least not yet.”

I could say that we shouldn’t spend our money carelessly, especially with a baby sibling, and likely more in the future if their nightly activities were to be any indication, but I knew my Mama wouldn’t accept that as an answer.

“I still need to try the Intermediate spells from the book, and even then, I need to focus on practising what I already know rather than learning new things.”

Mama still had a small pout on her face, so I guess I would need to ease her worries a bit more.

“But… if I ever hit a roadblock, I’ll ask you then, okay?”

That seemed to do the trick as she noticeably perked up with a smile.

“Good! And don’t you forget that, okay?”

“Got it, Mama.”

At least for now, I had no need for a tutor.

I mean… I don’t know exactly how they would even teach me, considering how I likely went against the traditional way of learning with chantless magic and all.

But when I aim to learn Saint-ranked spells, I’ll need a teacher since the magic book we had only covered up to the Advanced rank, and spell books with Saint-rank magic are extremely difficult to find, if not impossible.

“But, Mama…” 

“Yes, Leon?”

“...Where is Rudy?” I asked.

She instantly lifted her head before her eyes began darting around the kitchen.

“Dammit. Rudy! Where did you crawl off to this time!?”

And such was life.

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

Winter had passed, and buds were beginning to form on the trees while flowers bloomed across the fields as spring began in earnest.

And as for me?

“You did well keeping up with your body exercises, Leon! Now it’s time you finally put it to good use!”

I was starting my swordsmanship class with my father, Paul.

Well… ‘class’ would probably be a bit too much praise, but I’d hold off any judgment until after.

“You know… originally, I thought we would only be doing exercises for another year or so, but you sure proved me wrong, eh?” Paul said with a troubled smile.

Well of course.

No normal three-year-old would be able to hold a sword at this point, even with the exercises.

But you see… I had healing magic.

At first, I was hesitant about using magic to enhance my physical training. 

After all, if healing magic simply sped up cell recovery, then not only would I be messing up my natural development, but I would also be at risk of growing older too fast.

But healing magic, as it turned out, was pretty… magical.

It simply did whatever it needed to heal the target, even if it meant bypassing natural biological processes.

For example, with some advanced skill, someone being healed wouldn’t feel tired after it, when in theory, the healing magic should only be speeding up the natural process, which expends a large amount of energy for the target.

This would also explain why there was no record of people who used healing magic constantly dying earlier due to cancer or anything like that.

So basically, I knew I was safe to use it on myself, allowing me to expedite the process of growing my muscles to the point where I could now hold a wooden sword with no problem.

The toughest part of healing, though, was having to heal every spot through my hands. 

I wonder if I could apply healing magic over my entire body… I would have to experiment with that later.

“Ahem! Anyway. I’ll teach you all that I know in the three sword styles, though I wouldn’t exactly call the North God a ‘style’,” Paul grumbled before tossing me a wooden sword.

It was a bit big, but I would grow into it as I got older.

“Hmm… where to start… so for the Sword God, it’s all about getting there faster. Like ‘swoosh’ and ‘kapow’!”

…Was he being serious?

“And Water God, it’s all about countering. So when the opponent goes ‘fwoosh’ you ‘thwoom’ and ‘shink’,” he continued, swinging his sword with practised ease.

Oh my god, he was being serious!

This guy was supposed to be my teacher?

I… had a feeling it would be a while before I got the hang of swordsmanship.

I knew he was an idiot, but I thought that when it came to swordsmanship, it would be a little different considering his skill.

I… guess that while he was still a genius at the sword, he was an idiotic genius who only knew how to swing a sword out of instinct rather than intelligence.

“Ahh, it’s hard to explain it!”

No… I think that’s just you.

“Here! Just watch.”

He then strutted over to the boulder in the yard before raising his sword overhead. 

Taking a step forward, he then brought down his blade, causing a faint whistle to echo across the yard as a flash of silver streaked down the boulder.

His sword pointing downward, I watched as the boulder separated into two halves, a clean cut running through the centre.

…Truly ridiculous.

Physically, Paul was quite a fit and strong man, but he wasn’t strong enough to cut a boulder in half like that.

Unless… do sword techniques hold a special property to them?

Something like magic or mana… that would make sense.

Chantless magic exists, after all, and even if not everyone could use magic, it was known that every person had mana in their bodies. 

Could they be using mana unconsciously to enhance their prowess? Some sort of enhancement magic that is separate from the known schools?

Ah, well… this idiot surely wouldn’t know, so I guess those thoughts could come later.

For now…

“But you can’t do that yet! Heh… who knows. Maybe you’ll never be able to do that? But for now, let’s get you swinging a sword properly, eh?” he said.

…While his words were annoying, they were right.

Just like with my magic practice, advanced theories and specialized skills could come later.

For now, I just needed to master the basics, and then build up from there.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Sword Styles

There are three main schools of swordsmanship that are common in the world. Only those who have studied one of these three styles are called Swordsmen; for other schools, even if they use a sword, they are called Warriors instead. The Three Major Schools are:

Sword God Style: The basic philosophy of the Sword God Style is to attack first and fast, killing your opponent before they can harm you. This leads to the style having a focus on attacking techniques while having a limited number of countering and defensive ones.

Practitioners are often short-tempered and belligerent as a result of their philosophy, and practitioners are encouraged to wear light clothing to react swiftly and properly use their techniques.

Water God Style: This style specializes in defensive techniques, emphasizing parrying and counter-attacking oncoming attacks. A skilled practitioner is also able to read the flow of mana and use their senses to block or counter any attack.

Practitioners often wear heavy armour, as they do not need to move great distances for their techniques. This style of swordsmanship is the most common among knights and nobles, as their job is to protect someone or themselves rather than focus on attacking. 

North God Style: The main focus of this style is not techniques or specialties, but rather an approach to battle, one specializing in practicality and surviving the battle. This style involves tricks and tactics rather than using refined techniques.

The most varied of the three styles, practitioners can come in many shapes and sizes, with some dual-wielding, and others using non-sword weapons such as battleaxes.

Many adventurers and mercenaries learn this style for its versatility and effectiveness in unpredictable situations.

— Leon Greyrat —

It had been a few months since stepping into the world of swordsmanship, and luckily, I was able to quickly learn the basics, such as setting my stance correctly and swinging the most basic of sword strikes with the proper form.

While Paul was a horrible teacher, he at least knew when I was doing something wrong.

The only problem with that was…

‘No! Not like ‘fwish’! Like ‘swoosh’!’ Memory Paul said with his stupid face.

…Yeah. He explained it horribly, at least he could do it well.

So, by using him as a reference, and his corrections as my guide, I was soon able to work out any kinks in my form, and could then begin training in earnest, embedding the techniques into my muscle memory so that I could use them without a thought.

My sword didn’t whistle as I swung, nor did the air tremble, and I definitely couldn’t cut any boulders… but that was okay. 

That would all come with time. 

So for now, I would continue mastering the basics with this idiotic father of mine.

As we trained, Paul also slowly revealed more to me about the ‘Three Major Schools’ of swordsmanship, and I learned that the three styles boiled down to a couple of traits between them: the Sword God Style that specialized in attacking and speed; the Water God Style that specialized in defence and countering; and the North God Style that specialized in unpredictability and adaptability.

Learning this, I also came to a new appreciation for my swordsmanship instructor, as by utilizing the three styles as seamlessly as he did, he was able to cover the weaknesses of each style and form something stronger between the three.

A shame… if he was just a little more motivated or a bit smarter, he could’ve probably become a renowned genius.

But Paul was Paul, after all.

Still, seeing his unique swordsmanship, a new desire began to sprout within me.

The three styles… along with my chantless magic… couldn’t I make a new style of my own?

A Magic Sword Style, or something.

Well, only time would tell, but for now, I felt content slowly honing my blade the traditional way before I started on my own path.

But my swordsmanship wasn’t the only thing that had improved over these months.

Opening my eyes, I watched as the various droplets of water that orbited around me begin to coalesce into a singular ball before finally dropping into the cup I laid out in front of me.

“Hoo… slow and steady,” I said, wiping the beads of sweat off my forehead.

Being able to control magic so fluidly like I had just done did not happen overnight. 

Rather, it was through a series of breakthroughs in the realm of magic.

First, I pondered about what exactly incantations did.

I still didn’t know for sure, but I hypothesized that they momentarily inscribe a magic circle on the body or something of the sort. 

But that only led to more questions about what magic circles were, and that would be getting too deep into semantics.

The main thing I learned, was that mana coming from one’s own body was theirs to control.

I was still confused about how exactly elements came into being, but I knew that it rested on the imagination of the user, or in the case of incantations… something else.

…Okay, maybe I didn’t make too many breakthroughs after all, but the point was that using magic freely was possible, I just had to slowly break down the aspects of the standard process and make it my own.

First, I found out about the four parts in the process of spell actualization, them being: spell creation, shape alteration, size adjustment, and then velocity. 

You could also add other extra properties before releasing the spell, such as homing in on a target or having it explode on impact, but that was beside the point.

Next, I worked on my control over each of these parts. 

Interestingly, I also discovered that the more you altered a spell from its original state, the more mana you used up.

For instance, with size adjustment, making a Waterball two times larger expended two times the mana, which made sense, but what didn’t, was the fact that making it two times smaller also expended two times the mana.

Yes… very weird.

Energy to mass conversion simply didn’t work like that.

But that was just another reason to escape the confines of rigid spell creation, I suppose.

Anyway, after getting the fundamentals of the four main parts down, I then practised altering the spell after it was created, such as changing a Waterball into a Water Arrow after already casting it as a Waterball .

This led me to now, where I could take complete control of each of the four elements… though I still followed the regular process for summoning it. 

While this was a great control exercise, due to me changing the nature of the magic so much, it also allowed me to drain my mana reserves at a very efficient rate.

The power was lacking, and I needed to be in a state of meditation to do anything meaningful, so it wasn’t useful at all in combat, but progress was progress.

Hopefully, after increasing my control a bit more, I could also work on casting magic from parts of my body other than my hand.

With earth magic, for instance, where many spells required casting through contact with the ground, being able to cast through my feet would be extremely useful.

Hmm… now that I think about it, I should start working on that right now. 

But I couldn’t exactly do that inside-

“Leon! I’m back!” Paul shouted from downstairs. “Go grab your sword and get out here!”

…Never mind.

I guess it was time for sword training once again.

— Rudeus Greyrat —

It had been a little over a year since I came to terms with my reincarnation, and in this time, I had discovered another astonishing fact about my situation.

Not only was I reborn… but I was reborn in another world. 

A fantasy world of swords and magic.

I remember that morning quite clearly. 

I was watching as my father, who I had learned was named Paul, took my brother, Leon, outside after winter had ended before promptly making him swing his sword repeatedly until he collapsed from exhaustion.

I was initially distraught.

While I was quite put off by my brother due to… bad memories, he was a good kid. 

A mama’s boy through and through who always made sure to help around the house and tried to keep me happy.

So I had no ill will toward this new brother of mine, rather, I felt quite endeared to the kid.

So seeing my father tire him so much with sword training… it truly made me sick to my stomach. 

Wasn’t that child abuse?

And more importantly, would I be forced to do such a dweeb-like thing as swinging a sword around once I got older?

In my fright, I fell from the bench I had been sitting on, right onto my head.

My mother, Zenith, was rightfully panicked, and quickly picked me up before chanting some soothing lullaby.

But as I quickly found out, it wasn’t a lullaby at all.

Rather, it was a spell. 

A healing magic spell.

Magic… A world of magic…

After that discovery, I began listening in on their conversations a bit more, and I quickly picked up the names of places that I had never heard of before. 

And then, a week later, my brother summoned a ball of water in front of me out of thin air before twirling it around in an attempt to entertain me, banishing all doubts.

This wasn’t a normal reincarnation… but rather, it was a reincarnation in another world!

With the knowledge and experience of my past life… I could get another chance to live life without the same mistakes my previous self had made.

Finally… I could live life right.

And, hopefully, pick up some cute girls along the way. 

Hehehe.

— Lilia —

Watching as the Young Master swung his sword diligently, I felt my mouth blossom into a smile at the sight.

Truly… just a few years ago, I would have never thought I would be where I am now and feel as happy as I currently was.

I used to be a royal handmaiden for the Asura Palace harem, which, alongside the usual handmaiden duties, included acting as a guard. 

In my case, I was to guard the newborn princess.

When it came to domestic duties, I carried out my job with absolute perfection, to the point where I was nearly nominated to serve the King himself if it wasn’t for my commoner background. 

As for my combat capabilities, however… they were only adequate.

Just what you would expect from an Intermediate-rank Water God swordswoman.

So it was only natural that when I was forced to defend the princess against a group of assassins, I had found myself completely outmatched.

Despite this, I had carried out my duty to protect the princess diligently, and eventually, one of the other palace guards put an end to the would-be killer… but the attacker had struck me with a blade, one coated in poison potent enough to kill royalty.

Luckily, the palace mages were able to save my life and my leg, but due to the troublesome nature of the poison, I was unable to continue my life as a fighter with the lingering pain.

And as expected, I was promptly discarded from my position right after.

I held no ill will towards their decision. 

Rather, I was grateful they did not simply erase me in secret, considering my position in the court and my nonexistent political support as a commoner.

Besides… the disgusting leers that the nobles had sent my way had been getting on my nerves, so in a way, it felt good to finally escape that palace of lust and perverseness.

As the assassin’s mastermind was yet to be found, and considering how people might be privy to wanting a former Asura Palace handmaiden to their benefit, I quickly made haste out of the capital city of Ars, towards the rural Fittoa Region.

At first, I was hoping to gain a position with the local lord in the Citadel of Roa, or perhaps teach swordsmanship to the city’s civilians… but anyone out here in the agricultural lands that were willing to pay for my services would likely have connections back to the capital, and I wanted no part in that life anymore, so those options were thrown out.

So, after a month of wandering the region with no prospects, I finally found a job posting that caught my eye.

A housekeeper with the immediate duty of a midwife for some low-ranking knight in Buena Village.

The salary was… fine. If a little low for someone of my skills.

But what particularly caught my eye, was the name of said knight. 

One Paul Greyrat.

To think him of all people would settle down with a family…

I had a… history with the man, so to say.

Back when I was being trained by my father in swordsmanship, he joined my father’s dojo and quickly cemented himself as a genius, reaching the Advanced rank in the Water God Style in a little over a year.

But just as quickly as he came, he left like a hurricane… right after forcing himself onto me and taking my virginity.

At first, I was bitter. Angry. Hateful toward the scoundrel that stole my innocence.

But after joining the Asura Palace, I quickly realized that losing my first time to someone as young and handsome like him was a gift in this cruel world.

And so, I accepted the job, and quickly made my way to join this young family.

Upon my arrival, I was surprised to see that there was already a child there, a kid that the two adventurers had picked up on their travels.

But seeing how the lady, Zenith, and the boy, Leon, interacted… it was hard to believe they were not bound by blood.

No, perhaps they were bound by something stronger.

At first, I was a little put off by the boy who could speak in complete sentences despite only being one year old, but after being told he was likely a Miko, I was able to look past it and see Leon for all that he was.

A boy. 

A very cute, and absolutely wonderful boy, at that.

He was charming, for sure, with a nice face, beautiful eyes, attractive hair, and an adorable smile.

I was certain that he would grow up into someone who would win over any woman he wished, much like his adoptive father.

But luckily, I don’t think I had to worry about such womanizing traits… I hope.

After all, despite his young age, he was a gentleman who always tried to help me out with chores. 

Truly, a blessed child. And a genius as well. 

And then… the second child was born.

The birth itself was problem-free, but once the child was born… it did not cry.

At first, I was worried it had been stillborn, with its expressionless face completely devoid of life, but soon enough, such worries were cast away by the oddly reassuring sound of burbling.

Rudeus was the child’s name, and much like his older brother, he did not make a fuss, nor did he cry, save for the gurgles he made whenever he required feeding or needed a diaper changed.

I was confused… perhaps he was a Miko like Leon? 

Or maybe he took after his older brother’s example in some way?

I would have thought that he was physically frail, being such a quiet child, but once again my worries were for naught, as once he learned how to crawl, Rudeus made his way around the house with relative ease.

Though, with all of his adventures, oddly enough, he never wandered outside. 

Perhaps some sort of instinctual fear had been implanted into the child?

Anyway, Rudeus… he was always smiling.

Not the cute or charming smile of a child that would normally give one the instinct to protect, like Leon’s, but rather he wore a repulsive grin that reminded me of the lecherous smiles that various nobles and ministers sent my way in Ars.

And then there was how he would always search for my or Zenith’s undergarments before wearing them on his head, and how he always buried his face in my bosom with a gleeful smile… that was also worrisome. And quite disgusting as well.

The unsettling and perverse feeling he gave off in place of what should be innocent affection… It scared me to no end.

Even Paul, the womanizing tyrant of a man, didn’t give off such an aura.

But recently, Rudeus’ behaviour had changed.

Now, instead of his previous unpredictability, I always found him holed up in his older brother's room, flipping through books while muttering random sounds to himself.

And while I still found him strange, I no longer felt the usual revulsion I did toward the boy. 

Although he did occasionally release a creepy laugh, it no longer sent a chill down my spine when he did so.

Perhaps that previous period of unsettling nature was simply a phase, and in place of it, a new sense of earnestness had sprouted.

So while it was odd to leave a toddler to their lonesome, I thought it best not to interfere, lest he revert to how he was before.

Now, I could say this house was stable. 

And with Young Master Leon beginning to learn swordsmanship, despite Paul’s inadequacies at teaching, it seemed like this new year would be a period of growth.

Hmm… perhaps, if Leon has any trouble picking up the Water God style, I would give him some instruction myself.

While I was out of practice, I was always skilled at knowing what to do. 

Rather, I lacked the physical ability to do any advanced techniques or movements. 

That was simply the limit of my mediocre talent.

But for teaching… I should be more than enough, at least until the Advanced rank.

“I’m back, Lilia!” Leon said, entering through the front door.

Yes… this boy would do great things. 

And with his good heart, I knew that I had nothing to worry about.

As long as Paul didn’t implant any bad thoughts into him…

“Lilia?” he said, tilting his head cutely.

“Yes, Leon. Would you like me to prepare you a bath?” I said, smiling down at him.

“Nah. I can get the water in there at a good temperature myself, remember? Rather, I should be asking you that. Do you want me to run a bath for you?”

Inviting a woman for a bath with such a charming, innocent smile… indeed, that was quite dangerous, but knowing that he was saying such a thing to me with no ulterior motives and only kindness warmed my heart.

I sincerely hope Paul would not influence this precious boy.

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

“Atta boy! Put some more oomph into it!”

Dodging Paul’s obvious thrust, I pressed my back foot against the ground before launching towards his open chest as I swung my sword from the side.

Thwack!

But before it could reach him, he twisted his blade just in time to parry me.

“Hehe. Nice try, but it’ll be a while before you can hit me,” he mocked. “But don’t worry! Even if you did get me, it’s not like it would hurt much!” 

Dammit… this guy really knew how to get under my skin.

That must be due to the Water God style’s provocation techniques… or maybe it was just him and his normal annoying self.

Leaping back, I raised my sword once again to defend against any strike he sent my way, but instead, Paul simply rested his sword against his shoulder while stroking his chin in thought.

“Hmm… know what? I think at this point, you can call yourself a Beginner swordsman,” he said with a grin.

“Really?” I asked doubtfully.

While my skills have definitely grown over these past months, I still have yet to hit the guy, after all.

And I was worried he was just teasing me again.

“Yep! While you’re still weak, that’s just because you’re a kid and because you’re fighting me. With a real blade in your hand? Yeah, I could see you putting up a fight against a swordsman. Especially with your skill in parrying,” he answered.

As he said, while I didn’t care for any particular style, I found the Water God techniques a bit easier to learn as the art of parrying didn’t need much strength to perform.

“Well… that’s great then. Which style am I a Beginner in?” I asked.

“All three of them! I mean, there’s not much of a difference between the three at the Beginner rank, since you’re just learning the basics. But now that you got them down, I can start showing you some cooler stuff!” he exclaimed.

Ignoring his childish antics, I looked down at my wooden sword and the hand, which was previously so smooth, that was now covered in callouses and blisters.

It seems like the hours spent swinging my sword and training my body weren’t for nothing.

I’m glad.

“What? Are you worried about how worn out your hand is now? Don’t worry, my son! That’s just proof of your dedication. And besides… women really like that rough texture in bed, you know~” he said, making a beckoning motion with his fingers.

Gross.

I hated that I knew what he was referring to, and I hated it even more that I could hear the moans of my mother every night, likely due to said actions.

Damn this cursed knowledge of mine.

My lips curled into a frown, “...I’m telling Mama you said dirty things.”

“Hah? You wouldn’t! This is something to keep between men, you know!”

Then you should keep it that way, and not tell it to innocent little boys like me.

“Just don’t infect Rudy with your… Paulness. I might have the mind to not follow your example, but he’s young and impressionable. I’ve already caught him stealing panties from the laundry more than once,” I said, shaking my head.

“That’s my son!” Paul said proudly.

“You’re not helping…” I murmured sadly.

Turning away from his annoying smile, I took in the beautiful scenery. 

The rolling hills and fields were painted in a thin layer of snow, creating a serene view that stretched as far as I could see, sparkling under the effect of reflecting sunlight.

Looking toward the village, I could see the various houses and cottages with roofs dusted in white, contrasting with the black plumes of chimney smoke from many of the abodes.

The air was crisp and still, and the surroundings quiet, save for the odd chirping bird.

It was so… peaceful.

And with my recent advancements in magic, the worst part of the winter, the cold, had all but been eliminated.

It took a little while, but I was finally able to generate heat without causing a fire, primarily by imagining the molecules in the air vibrating a little faster.

Hmm… thinking about that made me feel a little more motivated.

“I’m gonna practice my magic now,” I said.

“Huh? Alright. Just don’t use up all your mana, okay? I don’t want to go draw water in the cold like this,” Paul said with a shrug.

Seriously? So lazy…

But I’d rather him ask me than Mama, so…

“Fine. I promise.”

With Paul heading back inside, I made my way out of the yard and toward the hill next to our house.

Since I was now learning Intermediate spells, I didn’t want to damage anything or hurt anyone with my practice, so I asked Mama if I was able to bring my studies outside.

She accepted, of course, but only as long as I didn’t harm the villagers and made sure to stay within sight of the window. 

And this hill was perfect for both requirements.

Flicking my hand, I send out a wave of fire to melt the snow around the top before stomping my foot, raising a small stool from the ground.

Taking a seat, I then pulled out my notebook, which had things ranging from original spell ideas to breaking down the movements of swordsmanship, and even some scientific knowledge I thought important to write down.

Anyway, as I learned more Intermediate spells, my knowledge of magic had grown, as well as my belief that the rigidity of spells was not needed, and in fact, held magicians back.

I mean, there were countless spells out there, likely enough to do anything one ever needed, but was there a need for me to learn them all when I could just produce the same effect on my own?

I didn’t think so. 

But still, I would go through every spell I could and master it, seeing if any insights would be useful for my growth.

Intermediate-rank spells, for the most part, were simply more controlled and powerful versions of Beginner spells, with some merging two spells into one.

For instance, Water Cannon , which launched a large concentration of water, was just a stronger Waterball , and generally more fit for combat.

It was in this rank that I also began seeing melded magic, which, as the name implies, was the merging of multiple magics into one.

This also brought about another question of mine.

When I cast a Waterball and then heated it… was that water magic? Or was it also fire magic?

Heat was firmly in the domain of fire magic, but when I cast the spell, I imagined the water molecules vibrating to create the desired effect. 

So… which was it?

And did it matter?

Mana was mana, so did it even need a defined element to work?

Casting a fireball, I poured some more mana into the spell, causing the fire to grow hot enough that the snow on the ground began to melt.

Fire magic.

I then imagined oxygen gas, generating it before injecting it into the fireball.

The air hissed as the fireball turned blue, and at this point, I could feel my face beginning to sweat.

Now… was that still fire magic? Or was it now wind magic? 

Was it… both?

Releasing a sigh, I concentrated the flame into my finger before launching it at the ground, creating a small crater from the impact.

Confusing… So confusing…

But I suppose I didn’t need all the answers, and the struggle to find them was quite fun.

Maybe once I got a tutor, they could answer some questions of mine that I had, but for now, let’s do some training.

Slapping my face in an attempt to reset myself, I then summoned a ball of earth in my hand before transforming it into various shapes.

After the discovery that adjusting a spell expends more mana, I had all but discarded my focus on depleting my magic power reserves, as by training my control and precision, I was able to deplete my magic power at an even greater rate than before.

On that note, I had also tried to cast magic across my body, with… varying results.

If I had to explain it… it felt like there were… veins, almost. 

Veins which allowed mana to flow throughout the body or mana veins, for simplicity’s sake.

Anyway, these veins only showed up around the hand, or rather, only led to the hands.

But I found out that mana veins were also present in the feet, though… to a lesser extent.

As seen with the stool trick, I was now able to cast earth magic through my feet, but only when I was in contact with the ground.

Something like casting a Fireball with a kick was possible, but as soon as it went away from my body, the spell dispersed, as if it had lost the connection with me.

I guess I would have to keep practising and see if that could be changed, but I had a feeling that it was just the way it was, which was fine by me.

As long as I could cast earth spells through my feet, allowing me to use them seamlessly with my swordsmanship, that was enough.

Hmm… perhaps I should start doing some practice in regard to that too?

Just getting used to casting magic while moving, that is.

It would be better to start early so that I can build up the habit, even if I don’t integrate it with my swordsmanship right away.

Hmm… Swordsmanship… Magic…

Focusing on the ball of earth in my palm, I willed it to form the shape of a sword before compressing it into a hardened, stone-like material.

This was the Beginner-rank earth spell, Stone Sword . 

Quite useless for most magicians, and unless you lost your sword, pretty useless for swordsmen too. 

But I wonder… could I take it further?

Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the sword while imagining the lattice of the stone’s edge vibrating. 

Not to generate heat, but rather to increase the sharpness, just like the Intermediate-rank wind spell Sonic Boom did to the air.

My blade generated a soft hum and I opened my eyes before summoning a small pillar of ice. 

Releasing a horizontal slash with my new blade, to my surprise, the pillar was instantly bisected.

“...Cool.”

It seems that infusing magic into my swordsmanship was going to be easier than I thought.

But then, just as the thought enters my mind, I watched as the blade in my hand crumbled into dust.

“...Okay, maybe not.”

I would probably have to focus on reinforcing the blade somehow, right?

That should be possible once I reach the Advanced rank in swordsmanship… I hope.

I mean, that boulder slash Paul always likes to show off with never seemed to chip his sword, so there should be something to work with there.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Rank Titles in the Sword God Style

Beginner: This rank is where practitioners begin learning the foundations of the Sword God Style. To attain this rank, they must have a basic understanding and ability in swordsmanship.

Intermediate: Intermediate Sword God practitioners can contend with an average knight, and can swiftly cover their body in touki.

Advanced: This rank is attained when one can consciously use their touki.

Saint: One is given the title of Sword Saint when they can completely control their touki and can use the Longsword of Light . When a Sword God Style attains this rank, they are given a dark leather jacket with a white fur trim collar by their master.

King: There is no known condition for attaining the title of Sword King, as it is only a title bestowed by the Sword God. The practitioner who attains the title also gains a sword from the Sword God’s collection, as well as a special title.

Emperor: This rank is attained when two Sword Kings battle against each other in front of the Sword God as witness. The winner then becomes a Sword Emperor.

God: The most powerful practitioner in the world of the Sword God Style and the leader of said school. As such, there can only be one Sword God at a time. When someone bests the current Sword God in combat, they can then assume that title, and if the Sword God dies without being bested by a successor, the next strongest in the style assumes the title. The Sword God can give anyone any rank in the Sword God Style that they wish, even if the person in question has not met the usual requirements.

— Rudeus Greyrat —

It had been a little over two years since I had reincarnated, and while not much had changed for my family, I had gone through an intense period of growth. 

Most notably…

I can walk now, baby!

But that’s not all!

During this time, I also learned how to read by going through the five books in our house, which all happened to be in my older brother’s room.

I wasn’t jealous though, as not only did it make sense for my seemingly genius of a brother to read a lot, but I was also given free rein to invite myself into his room whenever I wanted, so nothing of value was lost.

But deciphering the language wasn’t something I had to endeavour alone, thankfully enough. 

As soon as Leon noticed I had taken an interest in reading, he began to read me one of the two fantasy novels at bedtime each night, which greatly increased my understanding of the written language.

Although… it was a bit embarrassing to say ‘Thank you, big brother!’ to what was a four-year-old child, but I swallowed down my pride with the overwhelming gratitude I felt.

Anyway, after gaining an understanding of the language, I found myself drawn to A Textbook of Magic .

I mean, who wouldn’t?

Obviously someone who came from a world without magic would find that interesting!

But on the very first few pages, I found myself wondering how much credibility this thing had.

There were only two ways of performing magic, according to the book, either by using a magic circle or by using an incantation.

I, of course, had ample reason to doubt that.

Not once had I ever seen my brother cast magic with either of those methods. 

He simply… willed the elements to do his bidding, same with his healing magic, like when I had a sore throat that he cleared up.

But… my mother always did call him a genius, so maybe that was just a thing for him?

Hmm… maybe I’ll ask him for some help if I can’t find out how myself, but I should try working at least a bit on my own.

I would hate to instantly shoot past my toddler brother in skill and destroy his confidence, after all.

Plus, if my parents found out I knew magic, I might be forced to practice outside like Leon did, and I… wasn’t ready for that quite yet.

So I’ll keep my abilities, if I had any, a secret for now.

Let’s see… well, I should probably start with the weakest spell, right? 

Start from the basics, and then slowly build myself up. 

No shortcuts, only constant progress.

I wouldn’t let this second life of mine go to waste… and hopefully, I could remove my eternal wizard status on the way too.

Seeing how my two parents and my brother were quite the lookers, I think I had a good chance to not be lacking in the charm department. 

It was just putting that charm to use that would need some work.

But I had a lot of time to learn, right? 

Besides, being socially awkward was probably seen as cute as long as you had a handsome face to go behind it.

Anyway, I was getting too deep into semantics.

Okay, so… let’s go with the most basic and safest of spells, the Beginner-rank water spell, Waterball .

Let’s see… the chant was…

Raising my hand, I then recited the words written in the book.

“ Let the vast and blessed waters converge where thou wilt and issue forth a single pure stream thereof - Waterball .”

Suddenly, I felt a sensation like blood pooling in my raised hand, and then, as if that blood was squeezed out through my palm, a ball of water manifested itself in front of me.

I was startled at the strange sensation, and as a result, the ball of water fell to the floor.

I guess concentration was needed to keep up the spell.

That was… difficult.

Damn… Leon was a monster, wasn’t he?

Okay… now let’s try it again.

Concentrate… focus on the image of water…

Feeling the same welling sensation in my hand as before, I increased my concentration.

If I wanted to do this right, I should master the basics first. 

Just like how I used to practice combos in fighting games, I needed to imprint this sensation on my muscle memory.

Or rather… magic memory, in this case, but same thing.

Drawing a deep breath, I felt the blood-like phenomenon course through my body toward my hand, before expelling out of my hand, but this time slower and more controlled.

Image… Waterball… a ball of water… wetness… wet… wet panties-

Whoops. That last bit kinda just slipped in there, but it was a welcome thought.

Wet, water, water waterwaterwater-

“Hiyah!” I cried, shooting my hand out before me.

And, in that instant, a ball of water came into being, before promptly falling onto the floor.

Splish .

…I did it.

Just like Leon, I could cast magic without an incantation.

Didn’t that mean I was a genius like him?

Hehehe- Wait… No, I shouldn’t call myself a genius just yet.

Didn’t I already know? 

Someone who puffed themselves up with pride would only end up getting cocky and failing at life.

I didn’t want to fail.

Just like my brother, I wouldn’t let this get to me. 

Instead, I would practice diligently while keeping a level head. 

There was no need to think of myself as better than anyone else. 

I should just buckle down and get better through constant practice.

But… I wouldn’t be lying if I said I didn’t feel good right now.

Hehehe~ Well, let’s try that again!

Holding my right hand outward, I felt a weight pressing down on me. 

The weight of exhaustion.

“Damn… am I out of MP then?”

Such a paltry amount? 

I barely made two balls of water before being put out of commission!

Wait… I think I’ve heard my brother talk about something like this, back when I was a baby.

My magic power, or MP reserves… he said that they should grow if I start using magic early, right?

Okay, then let’s try this once again!

Conjuring the image of water, and feeling the familiar welling sensation of mana, I quickly passed out.

— Leon Greyrat —

I was now five years old.

This meant that I had also had my first birthday, as with human traditions, there were three major birthdays one celebrated at the ages of five, ten, and fifteen.

The first birthday was to celebrate a child living and beating infant mortality, which was quite morbid, but it made sense in this medieval world filled with magic and monsters. 

The second, which was at age ten, was to signify when children usually started apprenticing with a craftsman, such as blacksmithing or tailoring, or starting to prepare for whatever job they were destined for.

The third was to signify becoming an adult, and for most, this was the age where you began to search for a spouse and start a family. 

But I was still pretty far away from that.

For my birthday, Paul had gotten me a set of two swords. 

One that was a short sword, which I could use with my current stature, and another which was adult-sized for when I grew up.

He also made a long speech about morals and stuff, but the seriousness of it all quickly faded after he forgot his words halfway through.

But still… it was a nice gesture, and it was a legitimately praiseworthy attempt at parenting.

From Lilia, I had gotten a handmade red wool scarf, which I instantly began wearing as part of my everyday outfit, much to her happiness.

Mama got me a book on protection or barrier magic, that covered up to the Intermediate rank in spells. 

Unfortunately, I had the book taken away from me soon after receiving it, so I couldn’t run off to my room to read it, but I was able to get it back into my possession after the dinner.

And from my brother… well, I got a cute smile, and that was all that I needed.

All amazing presents, especially considering our modest income. 

And honestly, my family was enough of a gift, at least to me.

Of course, I didn’t sit idly as this time went by.

I was now proud to call myself an Intermediate-rank magician in every school, save for barrier magic which I had only scratched the surface of, and summoning magic, which I didn’t even have a way to start. 

Alongside that, I was also now a ‘Pseudo-Intermediate’ ranked swordsman in all three styles, according to my father.

What did being a ‘Pseudo-Intermediate’ rank mean?

Well… nothing, really. 

At least not to the rest of the world. 

It was simply something that Paul made up as a way to accurately describe my abilities with the sword, and for such a simple man, I think it was a pretty smart description.

As he put it, I had the skill and technique to qualify as an Intermediate-rank swordsman, but due to my body, I was still a little too weak to truly be considered as one.

This was an odd state of limbo no one else had likely found themselves in, as I was both quite talented at the sword while also having the advantage of training from such an early age, and thus my mental abilities in swordsmanship outgrew my physical ones.

Anyway, back to magic, while I haven’t embarked on any Advanced-rank spells just yet, it didn’t mean I hadn’t progressed in my abilities.

While there was the fact I wanted to slowly master the basics before moving on to something more advanced, there was also something else I’ve learned from my constant sparring with Paul.

Advanced magic… was a bit much. 

A bit too much, I mean. So much so that it was essentially useless in combat.

As I had learned before, the more you increase in the rank of a magic spell, the more complex it is and the more magic power that is required, and as a result, most Advanced-rank magic was for large areas of effect and weather-altering spells.

And in combat, that was quite useless. 

Especially in a sword fight, where a simple and strong spell would be better than a gaudy one.

Besides, I had already started to move away from the concept of spells, and more into the realm of using magic as it was, so I wasn’t too hung up on not being an Advanced-rank magician.

Of course, I ended up using magic in a way that replicated spells, but that was just due to-

Kaboom!

The heck!?

Darting my head toward the source of the explosion, my eyes widened as I watched a trail of water vapour, originating from our house, arc across the clear blue sky.

And seeing the ball of water which was causing said trail… that was Water Cannon , right?

Intermediate-rank magic? 

Mama didn’t know Intermediate-rank elemental magic, and I don’t think she started studying again, so… was it Rudy?

I knew that my baby brother had been practising magic in my room, and seeing that he was only filling up buckets with Waterball , I had decided to leave him to his lonesome. 

I didn’t think he’d fire off an Intermediate spell! 

And in the house, no less!

“The fuck!? Did a monster attack or something!?” Paul shouted as he sprinted into the house.

Letting out a small sigh, I released the control of my magic, causing the blue flame I was controlling to dissipate into the air as I then followed his lead.

Running up toward my room, I was met with the scene of absolute carnage, with the entire section of wall blasted to soaked splinters as Rudeus stood there in mute shock.

My room…

“The hell? Rudy, are you okay?” Paul said with narrowed eyes, scanning the surroundings carefully.

That look… it reminded me of our adventuring days. 

It’s good to see our domestic life hadn’t completely eroded his skills.

“Oh my goodness!” Mama said from the doorway.

Always the calmer one out of the two, she then looked at the destroyed wall before turning her eyes to the puddle on the floor, and then to the magic book that was splayed out next to Rudy.

Her gaze shifted between the book and my brother a couple of times before she broke out into a wide smile.

“Rudy~” she said sweetly as she crouched down.

Ah… I knew that look.

It was the type of smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, and for some reason, despite the warmth, sent a chill down my spine.

She did this the first time I used Intermediate-rank magic, if I remember correctly.

Well… I suppose it was Rudy’s problem now.

“Did you read the words in this book out loud?” she asked gently.

But even that soft tone couldn’t hide the tremble of excitement in the way she spoke.

“I’m sorry,” Rudy meekly replied with a tiny nod.

“Sorry?” Paul said, baffled. “That was an Intermediate-tier sp-!”

“Oh, honey, did you hear that?!” Mama interrupted, jumping to her feet. “I knew it! Just like Leon, I knew our Rudy was a genius!”

Mama then began hopping around in ecstasy, her hands balled tightly into fists.

It was nice seeing Mama so happy and act so cute, but… where was I supposed to sleep now?

“Wait, hold on a second, we haven’t even taught him how to read yet. How the heck-”

“I’ve been teaching him,” I interjected, cutting off Paul’s words.

I hadn’t taught him, really. 

I’ve just been reading to him at night. 

But for the past few months, Rudy hadn’t wanted to do that anymore, instead preferring to head right to bed after dinner.

That was likely due to feeling exhausted from practising magic, as well as the fact he could now apparently read on his own.

Hmm… maybe he was like me after all?

Not that it mattered much.

“Uuu~ Such a good brother you are, Leon!”

As a reward for my white lie, I was then engulfed in another one of Mama’s suffocating hugs.

Despite the fact I had gotten a bit taller over the years, I was still but an infant in front of those breasts.

“We have to get him a magic tutor right away! I’ve wanted to get one for Leon for so long, so isn’t this the perfect opportunity!?” Mama exclaimed.

Wriggling my way out of her grasp, I walked over to Lilia, who had begun to clean up the mess, before taking control of the water on the floor and collecting it into a cup.

“Thank you, Leon,” she said.

“No problem, Lilia. Now… what are we going to do with this wall?” I asked with worry.

“I do not know. But for now, you can sleep with me,” she said. “Is that alright?”

I nodded my head, “Of course. Thanks, Lilia.”

As for how I could take control of said water, well… that was another application of magic I had found in my research.

When one used elemental magic, said magic’s matter would remain even without control, effectively turning from magic into, well, regular matter.

Well, except for fire, but that was only because there was no fuel to continue to combustion.

So… what did that mean?

It meant that all matter had a connection with magic, which also meant that one could control the elements, even if they were not conjured with magic.

This made sense, as with regular elemental magic, once you conjured the form of the spell, like a ball of water with Waterball , it became regular water that you could then do what you wanted with it.

Hmm… taking control of matter through magic… thinking about that, I wonder if I could use some sort of telekinesis eventually?

“Honey, let’s head to Roa tomorrow and post a job for a tutor! We need to make sure Rudy can hone his talents!” Mama continued.

With Mama continuing her ramblings, I looked down at the silent Rudy, who was sitting there with a blank face, eyes lost in concentration about… something.

Come on, baby bro… at least apologize for messing up my room.

You’re lucky I don’t have any mementos, save for Big Sis Ghislaine’s ring around my neck, or I would be quite upset.

“Hold on a moment. Didn’t we promise that if he was a boy, I would train him as a swordsman?” 

Paul, opposite of Mama, seemed less enthusiastic about Rudy’s talents.

“You can’t go back on a promise like that,” he shook his head.

“Don’t talk to me about promises! You break them all the time! And I made that promise before our son launched an Intermediate-rank spell at the age of three! Without any training, and right through our wall! Which you need to fix, by the way!”

Not wanting their spat to get any more heated, I decided to interject the argument.

“Couldn’t we just do what we do with me, and train him in both? He can study magic in the morning, and then swordsmanship in the afternoon with me.”

That seemed to put the quarrel to an end, as the two shared a look before turning back to me.

“Oh… right. Sorry, I kinda forgot we could do that,” Paul said, a little abashed.

Seriously…

Anyway, with Rudy’s training plan decided, it seemed like I would finally be getting a taste of magical education in this world pretty soon, other than what Mama did with healing magic, of course.

I hope I can actually learn something useful rather than having everything from the textbook being repeated back to me.

Maybe if I’m lucky, I can see what Saint-rank magic was all about too.

…Nah, who was I kidding.

What Saint-rank magician would come out to the sticks to teach a couple of toddlers of a low-ranked knight?

That would be ridiculous.

For now, though, I was just hoping the walls in Lilia’s room were thicker than my own.

I had a feeling that Mama would be a bit more excited than usual, and I did not want to hear that all night.

Chapter Text

— Roxy Migurdia —

Watching the rural scenery pass me by, I took in a deep breath of the fresh air before releasing a sigh.

“Let’s hope this one goes well…”

I had come to the Citadel of Roa after hearing about a new tutoring job request from the Adventurer Guild, but as soon as I arrived, I was turned down.

Was it because I was a demon? Or perhaps it was my problematic hair colour? It could even be due to my size.

Either way, I quickly found my hopes dashed, but as if fate had cast its blessing on me, I found a new tutoring job posted the very next day.

The pay was paltry for someone of my status, but considering it was from a low-rank knight in some unknown village, it was to be expected.

But seeing the details of getting a free room and board, along with plenty of free time, I decided to take the chance.

Besides, some quiet and stable country life would be good for me. 

I had decided to quit being an adventurer because of the instability of the lifestyle, after all.

Getting directions to the knight’s house from the coachman, I took my luggage before heading down the dirt path of the village, and before long, I found the place I was looking for.

A beautifully crafted wooden house, overlooking the quaint and ordinary rural settlement.

Yep. That’s Asuran nobility for you. 

But at least it wasn’t nearly as gaudy as the capital of Ars.

Those noble mansions were simply too stifling.

Making my way up to the front door, I couldn’t stop my gaze from drifting over to the beautiful walled yard and flowered garden.

Yeah… a place like this… I could get used to it.

But first, let’s meet my new prospective students!

Rapping my fist against the door, it didn’t take long before it opened, revealing a beautiful blonde human woman, a handsome man, and a toddler held in the woman’s arms.

Alright. Let’s do this, Roxy.

I gave the family a respectful nod, “I’m Roxy. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Perfect!

Looking back at the silent couple, I noticed that the two were at a total loss for words.

Haa… it was always the same with humans. 

Even though I was nearing my 40s, I still looked like a child to them.

“Oh, uh, are… are you the home tutor?” the woman asked.

I was about to answer before the man scratched his head, “Aren’t you a little, uh…”

“You’re little,” the toddler finished for him.

How rude.

“You’re sure one to talk,” I snapped.

Ah, shoot… I wanted to get hired by this place, but I just lashed out at a child who didn’t look like he had even had his first birthday.

“Hey. Don’t be mean to your new teacher, Rudy,” a childish voice spoke up from behind me.

Turning my head, I saw a young child, likely around the age of seven, with shoulder-length golden hair and a red scarf wrapped around his neck.

Cute.

I suppose this was one of my students?

Wait… what did he say again?

That the toddler was also supposed to be my student?

Haa… I guess there were parents like this, huh? 

A kid shows some flashes of growing up quickly, and then the parents think they have some special talent.

“What was that?” the mother said.

Oh… did I say that out loud?

“Umm… a little bit, Miss Roxy,” the boy said from my side. “But don’t worry. I assure you we’ll be worth your while! Here, let me take your suitcase.”

The boy then took my luggage out of my hand, and surprisingly, lifted it with ease.

…Were children supposed to be that strong?

Those were all my belongings in there, you know.

I know humans were known for their quick growth compared to other races, but that was a bit much.

“Thank you, umm…”

“Leon. Leon Greyrat,” he said with a smile.

I see… Leon, huh?

Yeah… definitely cute.

“Oya? What’s this? Such a gentleman, this son of mine~” the father, I presume, said teasingly.

“You always told me to be nice to pretty girls,” Leon responded.

P-Pretty?

While it was a bit embarrassing to admit, hearing such a thing did force a blush onto my face, even though it was the innocent words of a child.

After all, I had been called ‘cute’ many times before, but that was all by perverts who enjoyed the fact I looked like a child. 

Perverts whom I would rather not associate with.

At this point, I had a feeling that romance would be an impossibility for someone like me, especially with my childish dream of being saved in a dungeon by a handsome adventurer…

Yeah, I was definitely a bit delusional regarding romance. 

I was a bit sad now.

But even if it was just the words of a kid, hearing myself be called ‘pretty’... it felt quite nice.

“Wait. That’s not it,” Leon continued. “You also told me that’s how you would get them in your room, and then-”

“Ahh! Stop there, Leon! It’s fine to stop there, right?” the father pleaded.

“Paul,” the woman said icily.

So his name was Paul…

“W-What is it, my beautiful wife?”

“What exactly are you teaching my innocent Leon?”

Ignoring their family feud, I turned to look at the toddler who was held in the mother’s arms.

Would he really be able to be taught? 

Could he really understand the intricacies of magic?

Instead of answering my unvoiced question, the toddler sent a wink my way before turning to Leon with a slight glare.

…I didn’t know.

“Well… thank you for having me. I’ll do what I can,” I said, bowing.

But I would carry out my lessons regardless. 

And I’ll be sure to not make the same mistakes as my ‘master’.

— Leon Greyrat —

“Okay, so… how about we go through what you two know about magic? Or rather, what you can use,” Roxy said, placing her magic textbook on the bench.

It seemed that our new teacher was underestimating my brother and me, but for some reason, I only found that endearing rather than annoying.

And from how my chest seemed to tighten whenever she cast her gaze my way… was this a crush?

I suppose it made sense.

While she only looked to be in her teens, still a bit too old for a kid like me, she was much closer in age compared to the women I had come to know.

And… she was also cute. Really cute.

I don’t know if it was the exotic factor of her blue hair, or if it was her reserved yet confident demeanour, but overall, she was quite charming.

But why was Rudy glaring at me? Was it possible that he felt the same?

No… he was only three years old, so that couldn’t be the case.

But a demonstration, huh?

I was quite excited to see what a magician could do in combat, as Mama always saved her mana for healing, and Talhand was more of a tank than a mage.

“Let’s start with a basic magic, Waterball . Commonly thought of as the most useful magic in the world, not for its attack power, but rather for its ability to summon fresh, potable water.”

Rudy and I both nodded at her words.

“Now I’ll demonstrate. Let the vast and blessed waters converge where thou wilt and issue forth a single pure stream thereof -”

Oh, shoot, she was aiming for one of the trees.

Mama will be pretty mad if it gets damaged…

“ Waterball !”

Just as the ball of water floating on the tip of her staff shot forward, I stomped my foot, raising a pillar of earth that blocked the attack right before it hit the tree.

But to my surprise, my earth pillar was demolished upon impact, creating a cloud of dust as I felt the control of the earth crumble.

Whoa… her magic, while simple, was extremely powerful.

Maybe traditional magic would be useful to learn after all?

“Sorry, Miss Roxy,” I said. “I don’t think Mama would be very happy if you destroyed her favourite tree.”

I remember the face of pure rage she had when Paul cut down a few of its branches during a spar.

My words seem to break the girl out of her shock, “I-I see- No! W-What was that? Chantless magic!? Do you do that normally?”

“Hm? Yeah. And Rudy does too,” I said as I summoned a ball of blue fire.

“Wow… and he does too, huh?” she asked, turning to my brother.

Wearing a confident smirk, Rudy summoned a ball of water, before shooting it into what remained of my earth pillar.

Ah… I should level out the ground, shouldn’t I?

“I see… I get it now. That makes sense…” Roxy said, tipping down her hat to cover her face.

She quickly regained her composure by convincing herself that it made sense, even though I was sure it didn’t.

After all, she was probably wondering if the two of us could even cast magic at all, much less without a chant and with such ease.

She then cracked a smile, one different from the bashful one from before, “I think it’s worth training you two after all.”

Umm… she said things out loud pretty often, huh?

I guess honesty was a trait of hers, for better or worse.

“Alright, let’s move on to the next spell!”

As Roxy began excitedly flipping through her textbook, Mama made her way over with a tray of drinks.

“So? How are Rudy and Leon?” she asked with a smirk.

Roxy flinched before scratching her cheek in shame, “Well… they are certainly something. I want to see their limits first before teaching them anything, so that’s where we’re at now.”

“I see~ That’s good~ Just don’t forget that they have sword practice in the afternoon. But for now, have some juice,” Mama said, setting down the drinks.

“Ah, thank you…”

With Mama skipping her way back inside, visibly ecstatic about her two sons’ praise, I took my cup before sitting down next to Roxy.

“Miss Roxy… your magic… it was amazing,” I said.

Despite how pretentious it sounded, my words were not a lie.

And luckily, from the way the corner of her mouth curled, she didn’t misunderstand.

Perhaps it was because I had practised quite a bit at using the elements freely, I knew just how skilful and precise her control was, allowing for the power of her spell to be amplified accordingly.

While I don’t usually use incantations, I did use them to study each spell I was practising at the time, so I knew how rigid the system was.

To go beyond that, and maintain the ‘balancing’ aspect of incantations while increasing the power… Roxy was quite amazing, huh?

“Ahem! Is that so? Well, thank you for the compliment, but… you two are even more so,” she said, her blue eyes dulling a bit at the end.

“B-But we still need help with learning, right, Leon?” Rudy piped up, raising his head from where it was before.

Wait. He wasn’t looking up her skirt, was he?

…Actually, that might be par for the course for him, being Paul’s son and all.

I thought he kicked those perverted habits after learning magic, but blood doesn’t lie, I suppose.

“Precisely. You can only learn so much by yourself. So please continue the lesson, Miss Roxy,” I said, glancing up at her with a smile.

That seemed to do the trick, as her face visibly brightened.

“I-If you say so! Now, let’s see how you two deal with ice-type spells...”

And so, that was how I gained my first instructor in this life, save for Mama and my father, and possibly… my first crush as well.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Seven Great Powers

The Seven Great Powers refers to the seven strongest warriors in the world. This selection came to exist following the end of the Second Human-Demon War as a means for the Technique God to find worthy opponents. 

The order of the powers refers to their strength relative to each other, with the first four being referred to as the ‘upper’ ranks, and the remaining three referred to as the ‘lower’ ranks.

The rankings only change once someone is defeated or dead, thus, the ranks do not directly correlate to combat prowess.

The Seven Great Powers and their respective ranks are as follows:

1 - Technique God - Unknown - Missing

2 - Dragon God - Orsted - Active

3 - Fighting God - Unknown - Missing

4 - Demon God - Laplace - Sealed

5 - Death God - Randolph Marianne - Active

6 - Sword God - Gal Farion - Active

7 - North God - Aleksander Rybak - Active

— Leon Greyrat —

A few weeks had passed since Roxy became our tutor, and as a result of our new lessons, our schedule had changed to be like so:

Mornings were spent doing magic lessons, and around lunchtime was free time, which coincidentally, I also used for magic practice. 

Afternoons were then used for sword practice, where Rudy would work on strengthening his body while I sparred with Paul. 

And then after dinner, Roxy would teach us things unrelated to magic, such as geography, history, and other life skills. 

Which just so happened to be right now.

“-Thus, in dungeons, and any closed-off space, you shouldn’t use fire magic as it causes the air to be poisoned.”

Hmm… what Roxy was referring to was likely carbon monoxide poisoning, or perhaps the general loss of oxygen from the combustion reaction known as ‘fire’.

I wonder though…

“Do you think the air could be cleansed or recycled by casting wind magic?” I asked.

At my question, Roxy tilted her head to the side, tapping her finger against her chin.

“Perhaps… it depends on the spell being cast, though. Most wind magic is simply taking control of the surrounding air, so that wouldn’t help, but for the ones that create air, such as Water Breathing , it would likely alleviate such problems. Good thinking, Leon,” she then patted my head as a reward, which caused my face to heat up.

“T-Thank you,” I said with a bashful smile.

“Hee~? You’re being quite cute, Leon.”

Averting my eyes in embarrassment, I then noticed that my baby brother was fast asleep on his bed.

“Ah. I suppose it is a little late,” Roxy said. “And since we touched up on multicasting, he must be quite tired. Are you ready for bed?” 

I shake my head, “No. I’m still okay. But… let’s leave him alone. If you’re tired, we can end the lesson.”

“No, we can continue. Paul fixed up your room, right? Let’s head there,” she said while packing up her textbooks.

“O-Okay.”

For some reason, the prospect of having Roxy come to my room excites me in a way different from the excitement I felt when learning magic and practising swordplay.

Dammit… Paul’s sinful words were getting to my head, weren’t they?

I’m definitely telling on him with Mama. 

Lilia too, for that matter. 

Actually, wait… That might be too embarrassing if I had to reveal why they were being brought up.

With both of us sitting on my bed, I looked down at my twiddling thumbs before Roxy broke the silence.

“Hey, Leon… can you… can you tell me how you use magic without incantations?” she asked, averting her eyes in shame.

Hm? Why would she be ashamed-?

Ah… so that’s it.

It must be pretty hard to ask the person you’re teaching, especially a kid, to teach you about something regarding magic.

But talking! 

Yes, talking was a good way to distract myself from these feelings!

“Chantless magic? Yeah, sure! So… I guess I’ll explain how it started,” I said.

Roxy then pulled out a quill and notebook before nodding, “Please. That would be very useful.”

I then thought back to when I first used magic with Mama, and while it was years ago, the feeling was still quite fresh as I did something similar each time I learned a new magic. 

Where I would feel how it flowed with an incantation before repeating the process without one.

“So, it all started when I used my first spell, Healing . When I repeated the words while concentrating, I noticed the mana flow through my body,” I explained.

“Wait. The way you said that, it sounds like you could use magic instantly,” Roxy interjected with confusion.

“Hm? With Beginner-rank magic, yeah. Just focus and repeat the incantation, and then… there.”

My explanation fell on deaf ears as Roxy looked at me perplexedly before rubbing her temples.

“That’s not- No, never mind. Continue, please.”

“Okay…” I said, confused. “Anyway, I was able to feel the mana flowing through my body and into my hand, guided along by the incantation and then being pushed further by my will.”

She nodded her head at my explanation, “...I think I understand. While traditionally, the ‘pushing mana’ part is seen as part of the incantation process, you, on the other hand, divide the two in your head… I see…”

She catches on awfully quickly.

“Yeah, anyway, next I tried to do the same without the ‘guidance’ of incantation helping me,” I continued. “But with that, I was only able to make the mana ‘appear’ correctly, if that makes sense. It didn’t have an element, or any substance to it. To get the right effect, I had to picture it happening in my mind.”

The level of understanding one had toward the effect also played a part. 

Like how imagining the combustion process scientifically rather than a simple flame allowed my fire magic to turn blue, but that was a little too advanced for this first explanation.

“Hmm… image… control of the mana… these are similar concepts to how one reduces the incantation, though the concept of incantations ‘guiding’ the mana has yet to be explored…”

Roxy then set down her quill before raising her hand with her palm facing upward.

Her nose scrunched in concentration as she tried to put my advice into practice, but unfortunately, to no avail.

…Cute.

“Haa… I suppose it would be conceited of me to think it would be so simple,” she said sadly.

“D-Don’t worry, Miss Roxy! While it takes a lot more control than incantations, I am sure that if anyone can do it, it’d be you. I think the main thing is breaking the habit,” I said.

She turned to me with a questioning expression, “Breaking the habit?”

“Y-Yeah.”

She still looked perplexed.

Hmm… how to explain it…

“Here, try writing your name with your left hand,” I said, pointing toward her quill.

She did as I asked, and the result was quite sad. 

It reminded me of my first few attempts at writing.

“See? Isn’t that pretty messy compared to your usual writing?” I asked.

“Of course it is!” Roxy exclaimed.

“But there’s not really a difference between your two hands, right? Then why would your right hand be better?” I asked.

“Because I started writing… this way…” Roxy responded with wide eyes.

Her lips spread into a smile as she suddenly pulled me into a hug. 

“I see now. Thank you, Leon.”

H-Her scent! Her warmth! I-I felt like I was going dizzy.

“Y-You’re welcome!” I squeaked out.

Seemingly noticing my predicament, she quickly let go of me, and I was met with the beautiful sight of her embarrassed face, as she quickly averted her eyes with a cough.

“Ahem! A-Anyway, yes. Thank you.”

The silence in the air is palpable, and I suddenly found the sight of the flickering candle flame very interesting.

“I… I can keep trying to help you with chantless magic, you know? At nighttime like now…” I eventually said.

“...Are you sure? I’m supposed to be the teacher here, you know,” Roxy said.

I swallowed down the spit that had unknowingly gathered in my mouth, “T-Then… how about we trade? You can teach me the Demon God tongue, and I’ll help you with chantless magic.”

Yes. Demon God tongue. The language of the Demon Continent.

It had all stemmed from one of her talks about the various races of the world where it was revealed that she was, in fact, not a human.

I didn’t care, of course, but it did explain her peculiar hair colour.

I would try to not remember how I immediately asked if different races could have children together.

…Luckily, they could.

Anyway, as for why I wanted to learn her language?

Well… it was always useful to learn another language, but I would be lying if I said that was the main reason.

Instead, it was a much more embarrassing and simple reason… 

I wanted to get closer to her.

Gaah! Just thinking about it sounds embarrassing!

“Sure. That sounds… nice.”

Turning my head back, I felt my breath catch as I saw her bashful smile, with her face glowing orange as her finger twirled around a braid of hair.

Noticing my gaze, she immediately averted her eyes as she started picking up her things. 

“W-We can start tomorrow, then. Goodnight, Leon.”

“G-Goodnight, Roxy.”

With the door closing behind her, I let myself fall onto my bed as I blankly looked at the ceiling.

Wow… crushes really were quite something, huh?

I think I could understand a bit why Mama acted so silly around Paul, back before they had Rudy.

“Hee~?”

Startled at the noise, I turned to see Mama, Paul, and Lilia all looking teasingly at me through the crack of my door, their three faces piled up atop each other like a totem.

“You work fast, son of mine. I’m proud of you,” Paul said, wiping a tear from his eye.

“Uuu~! An embarrassed Leon is so cute!” Mama added.

“You are indeed quite charming, Young Master.”

Even Lilia! And she reverted to the ‘young master’ stuff!

“S-Shut up! I’m going to bed!”

Casting a wind spell, I slammed the door shut before digging myself into the covers.

But with the sound of my heartbeat thumping against my chest… I found it hard for sleep to find me.

— Leon Greyrat —

Another year went by, and as the snow melted and the grass thawed, I found myself as an Intermediate-ranked swordsman in all three styles and an Advanced-rank magician in all four schools of elemental magic.

Quite a good resume for a six-year-old.

During this time, I also began practising magic with Rudy, with both of us working on exercises focusing on precision and speed, such as crafting sculptures with earth magic, making clothes fly with wind magic, and making warm bath water with fire and water magic.

Though… that last one was more of a chore that Mama and Paul asked of us… 

But it was still practice!

An interesting thing I began to learn about my brother during this time, was that his mana… it was… different from mine.

Somehow, he had more reserves than me, despite me being older and starting magic younger, but I suppose that could be due to the fact Mama was his biological mother and him getting a head start gene-wise.

But that didn’t explain why his mana was stronger.

If he used a regular Waterball through an incantation, it could demolish the stone wall in our backyard, while when I did it, it would only make a dent. 

According to Roxy, my Waterball was the normal one, but that still didn’t explain why Rudy’s was so strong.

And it wasn’t anything to do with technique either, as I was probably ahead of him in that regard. 

His mana was just… better, I guess.

I wasn’t jealous, though. 

I was more proud than anything about my little perverted brother’s abilities. 

And besides, I had the edge in precision and speed of magic, likely due to my efforts of melding it with my swordsmanship, so I was content to lose in the strength department.

My lessons with Roxy were also quite fruitful.

Not only did she help me reach the Advanced rank in magic, but I was also now fluent in the Demon God tongue, at least when it came to talking.

Still needed to work on my writing and reading, though.

Anyway, I had my night lessons with her to thank for that.

She also taught us about the world around us as well as various customs, like how nobility and trading worked, all stemming from her own experiences from when she came to the human lands for the first time, as well as the things she picked up while adventuring.

During this, she also told us about casting melded magic, such as how when you used Waterfall , Heat Island , and Icicle Field together, you would form the spell Deep Mist , which caused a dense fog to fall on the surroundings.

Her face when I simply had the water in the air condense to create the same effect was especially cute.

Yeah… my bond with Roxy had definitely grown over this time too.

While teaching her chantless magic and her doing the same with the Demon God tongue was nice, what really catapulted our relationship was us both learning barrier magic together from the book I got for my birthday.

There was something… different, about learning something at the same pace, rather than one person teaching the other, even if it was an equal exchange in the end.

But, as my romantic feelings for my tutor increased, so did my despondency.

Despondency at the fact it would take a while, if ever, for me to be seen as a ‘man’ and not a ‘boy’.

I was not so stupid as to think that the age gap between us couldn’t be circumvented. 

After all, years had little meaning when demons often had such large lifespans.

Instead, I was worried that she would find someone else before I even became an option.

I mean, I had already spotted her, ahem, ‘treating herself’, to the open door of my parents’ bedroom, so she definitely had sexual needs that needed fulfilling.

Needs that I… couldn’t fulfill. 

At least not for a while.

But crying about it wouldn’t change anything, so I would remain headstrong until I was finally old enough!

As for what I was doing right now?

Well, I was taking a walk around town, of course.

With my magic lessons finished, and Paul not returning home for another few hours, I decided to kill the time by walking around the village like usual.

I had been trying to take Rudy out of the house with me too, but for some reason, my little brother was scared of going anywhere past our walled garden. 

Instead, opting to make his ‘figurines’ or just laze around inside.

Sometimes, I would be blessed with the presence of Roxy with these walks, and we’d do a few menial tasks for the villagers, but lately, she had been doubling down on her own training in trying to use chantless magic. 

With such consistency, and her general intelligence with magic, I was sure she would eventually get there, but… I was feeling a bit lonely with her holed up in her room.

“Get out of here, demon!”

“Disgusting! Leave us alone!”

The heck?

‘Demon’?

My crush was a demon, dummy!

Hearing the scornful, childish voices, I quickly made my way over the hill before spotting the source of the noise.

There were three kids about my age, all surrounding the crouching form of another smaller kid.

“Yeah! Go back to the forest, and stay there!”

The three older ones, alongside the verbal attacks, were kicking the poor kid on the ground.

“Hngh! S-Stop! Please!” the kid on the ground pleaded.

But their cries went unanswered.

This was bullying, right? 

Yeah… I didn’t like it at all.

“Hey! You three!” I shouted. “What the heck do you think you’re doing!?”

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

The three bullies looked toward me in shock as I sprinted towards them.

“Huh? Who are you?” one of them asked.

Coming closer to the victim, I slowed my pace to a walk as I formed a few balls of water above my palm, causing the three bullies to back away from the smaller kid.

“Does it matter? I asked you three a question. What do you think you’re doing?” I said with a frown.

“T-That’s the knight’s kid! He knows magic!” one of them exclaimed.

‘He knows magic’... nice deduction skills, genius.

“H-Hey! We’re just punishing a dirty demon! Don’t you see? They even have green hair!” another one said.

Right… green hair was supposedly a taboo here, stemming from the Demon race of Superds in the last Human-Demon war.

Not only did I not care about such stereotypes, but under certain lighting, Roxy’s hair looked like a shade of green.

And it was beautiful.

“Scram before you make me do something we both regret. Got it?” I snarled, casting a floating fireball for emphasis.

They seemed to get the message as they quickly scampered away, not before barking back some words which I easily ignored.

Watching them walk away, I crouched down to the kid.

“Hey? Are you okay?”

…Well, it was obvious they weren’t.

I guess I could take this chance to brush up on my communication skills with those outside my family.

“Ah, probably not, right?” I continued. “Here, let me heal you up.”

Reaching over to their hood, I was stopped by a frail hand.

“N-No! Keep the hood!” they cried.

Hm? Oh… green hair, right. They must have a complex about it.

“I’m not stupid like them. I don’t care what colour your hair is. I actually quite like the colour green. It reminds me of spring and nature,” my words, while a bit cheesy, seemed to calm down the kid.

“A-Are you sure?” they asked meekly.

“Positive. Now come on, I need to see the damage.”

Relinquishing to my request, they then lowered their hood, revealing a set of pointed ears, a cute tear-stained face, and as expected, a set of green hair.

And if my guess was right, ‘they’ seemed to be a ‘she’.

“There we go. What’s your name?” I asked as I checked over her injuries.

Her face was marred in dirt and grime, as well as a few scratches from what seemed to be a fall, and under her clothes were likely more than a few bruises, if they hadn’t formed already.

“S-Sylphiette- Ahn!” she shouted.

“Shh, calm down. It’s just healing magic,” I said, casting healing magic. “Sylphiette, huh? That’s a pretty name.”

She squirmed as I continued healing her, likely due to the itchiness from getting healed, as well as the unfamiliarity of the sensation, but soon enough, she was as good as new.

Thankfully, there was no need for skin-to-skin contact if the injury wasn’t bad, so there was no need to strip her of her clothes.

“Can you close your eyes, mouth, and nose for me?” I said.

She nodded her head, and with her nose scrunched and mouth sealed, I then generate some warm water before cleaning off her face and hair, controlling the stream to wash away all the dirt.

After I finished, I then began drying her off with some warm wind magic, and in no time at all, she was clean as a whistle, her green hair shining beautifully under the sun.

“There we go. I don’t know what they were talking about. Your hair is very pretty,” I said with a smile.

“T-Thank you… for everything,” she responded meekly.

Shoot, was the air too warm? Her cheeks were awfully red…

“But you’re… not bothered by it?” she asked.

“What? Your hair?” I said.

“T-That too, but me being a demon...”

Oh, that?

Well, since I had travelled with an elf, a dwarf, a beastfolk, and a monkey-like demon for a year, I was probably quite different from the other three kids who hadn’t stepped foot outside this village.

After all, isolation bred discrimination. 

Either way, race was the least of my worries when meeting someone. 

Well, unless it was a beastfolk in mating season. 

In that case, I would probably run away for my safety.

“I don’t care. In fact, my teacher is a demon, so that just makes it better,” I said.

That seems to catch her interest.

“Really?” she asked.

“Really,” I nodded. “Anyway, what race do you belong to?”

Roxy had told me that she was of the Migurd race, one of the many races categorized as a ‘demon’, but I wondered which one Sylphiette was.

“I don’t know…” she said.

Hm? Really?

“Well, what are your parents’ races?” I asked.

“M-My father is half-human and half-elf, while my mother is human with some beastfolk blood…” she said, trailing off at the end.

Huh. Sounds… complicated.

“They… neither of them have g-green hair though, hic!” she began to sob.

Ah, shoot. 

I forgot, since Rudy and I were both a bit weird, but kids were usually emotional like this, weren’t they?

“Hey, there, there, it’s okay,” I consoled her while gently patting her head. “Look, soon enough, those kids will grow up and realize how stupid they were, okay? It’s just the colour of your hair, right? It doesn’t change who you are.”

Unfortunately, those words were a lie. 

Prejudice didn’t just disappear like that, after all.

But at least she would have me on her side, and Rudy too, even if I had to beat him into it.

“Anyway, how are your parents? Are they good to you at least?” I asked.

“Hic! Y-Yeah. My dad’s scary when he’s mad, but he and Mom are nice,” she said through sniffles.

“That’s good, then. Do you want me to walk you home?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No, they’re both at work. My dad is a hunter, and my mom works at the clinic, so no one’s home.”

Wait, at the clinic?

Ever since Mama healed from having Rudy, she had taken over all the clinic duties, leaving me with no need to help.

Of course, with me learning magic and swordsmanship, there was no time to help out anyway, unless there was an emergency, that is.

But in the short time I had helped out there, I remember the nice pregnant woman who stopped by a few times… What was her name again?

“Your mom’s name… is it Anne by chance?” I asked.

“U-Umm, yeah. It is,” she said. “How’d you know?”

Huh. Small world.

Or rather, a small village.

“...I’ve met her before. Anyway, if you can’t go home yet… do you want to play?” I asked.

I didn’t exactly want to leave her to fend off the bullies by herself, and even if I was a little late for my swordsmanship practice, I’m sure Paul would understand. 

He’s always preaching about morals and stuff, after all… even though I’ve caught him sneaking glances at Lilia more than a few times.

Stupid womanizer. 

He’s just lucky he can hold himself back, and that his gaze hasn’t shifted to Roxy, or else I might have needed to learn Advanced-rank healing magic for the aftermath.

“R-Really?” she asked.

I pulled her to her feet. “Yep! We can play tag, hide and seek, your pick!”

Her lips spread out into a smile as she then tapped her fingers together shyly.

“Then… can you show me more of that thing you did earlier? With the water and the wind and stuff?”

Oh? Magic? 

How wonderful!

“Of course I can!”

Now I could get some practice in and keep a cute girl happy!

You’re a genius, Leon!

“Umm, but first… what’s your name?” she asked.

Oh, right. I didn’t tell her that, huh?

“It’s Leon. Leon Greyrat,” I said.

She met my smile with one of her own.

“A-And you can call me Sylphy.”

— Leon Greyrat —

“Thank you again for taking care of my Phi. I was always worried about her being bullied... But who knew that such a polite kid would be Paul’s son,” Sylphy’s father, Laws, said.

“Indeed. It was nice to see you again, little Leon. You sure have grown up nice and handsome. Isn’t that right, sweetie?” Anne asked her daughter.

Sylphy just meekly nodded her head in response.

“It was my pleasure. It’s nice to meet another kid my age… who isn’t mean, that is. But I really should be getting home now,” I said in response.

Yikes. 

At this point, I might miss my sword practice altogether.

“Alright, be safe getting home!” Anne said.

“Bye Leon! Thanks for showing me your magic! And… and for saving me too,” Sylphy said.

I gave her a lighthearted wave. 

“It’s fine. Let’s do this again tomorrow, okay? We’re friends now, after all.”

“Y-Yeah!”

That girl, while still meek, really came out of her shell once I showed her a few magic spells.

She was quite interested, to say the least.

Well, if she wanted, I could also try teaching her, but that could wait for later. 

She was only Rudy’s age, after all, and unlike him, she wasn’t a crazy genius.

With a skip in my step, I made my way back home, only to see a very pissed-off-looking Paul standing in front of the door upon my arrival, his hands on his hips and his face drawn into an angry and disappointed frown.

Uhh, I… didn’t think he took sword practice that seriously. 

Especially considering I was only a kid.

“Umm, I’m home?” I said. “Sorry I was late, I was just playing with a new friend-”

“Do you know why I’m mad?” Paul said, cutting me off.

“Uhh, is it because I missed sword practice and didn’t tell you?” I asked.

His scowl deepened. 

“No. It’s because Ms. Eto’s wife came by earlier, telling me you punched her son, Somal.”

I did what to who?

“I… don’t know what you’re talking about-”

“Don’t spout bullshit with me, Leon! What did I tell you about being strong?” he snapped.

He’d told me a lot of things about getting strong.

How to use it to get ladies, how to get girls, how to get women… 

Yeah, Paul was a simple man like that.

But not completely without morals.

So, if I’m understanding this right, he must want this answer.

“To not get strong just to flaunt it around?” I said.

“Exactly! So why did you hit Somal?” he asked, still irate.

“No, I don’t know what-”

“No excuses!” he cut me off again.

Dammit. It was always the same with this guy.

He would do before he could think, and never took a moment to calm down and use his brain.

“Well? Why aren’t you talking?” he asked.

Haa…

“Because you don’t seem to want to hear my side of the story-”

“Enough!”

Feeling a stinging pain on my cheek and a ringing in my ear, I quickly regained my balance.

He… hit me.

W-Why? What had I done wrong?

It wasn’t anything too surprising. 

After all, we had sparred numerous times, and against a skilled swordsman like him, I was bound to get struck more often than not.

But this… this was different.

“Just apologize, Leon! Apologize for doing something wrong, and then I’ll take you over to Somal, where you’ll apologize to him!”

What?

Who the hell was Somal?

And why the hell was I supposed to be apologizing for!?

“Why!?” I asked.

“Because no son of mine- scratch that, no son of Zenith’s, bullies the weak!”

As if being hit by another smack, I felt the world come to a stop as my chest clenched in sadness.

No… perhaps it was confusion? 

I mean, why was he saying such a hurtful thing?

Or maybe it was the feeling of betrayal.

No… that wasn’t it either.

I just felt overwhelmingly… lonely? 

Yeah, lonely sounded like the right word.

He was right, after all… Mama… wasn’t my Mama… and Paul wasn’t my father.

Even though I knew he didn’t mean it, especially since he now looked quite shocked at what he just said… the reminder still hurt all the same.

And so, with my emotions in turmoil, and my chest swirling in a lost sense of confusion at the feelings I felt, I did the only thing that felt natural.

Run.

“Ah! Leon!” I heard Mama shout from behind me.

But with my vision blurry with tears, I ignored it in favour of running into the night toward the hill where I practice magic.

— Roxy Migurdia —

“I don’t think Leon is the type of kid to hit someone without a reason,” I said to the people gathered at the table.

Paul had come home fairly irate at his son, saying that he had gotten into a dispute with another village boy… but I was quite skeptical at the whole thing.

After all, Leon was extremely mature for his age, and he was also a kind child. 

But then again, he hadn’t had much interaction with kids his age, and I knew that if someone pissed him off the right way, he wouldn’t idly sit by.

“Haa… I know, but since Leon has always been a perfect kid, Paul’s quite worried about not being a good parent. Especially with Rudy growing up. I just hope it works out okay…” Zenith said worriedly.

“I’m sure it will. After all, Young Master Leon should be able to explain himself clearly, and as Miss Roxy said, I doubt he is at fault,” Lilia added.

“Yes, you’re right. I just-”

Smack!

The sharp sound of a hand hitting skin resounded from past the doorway.

“D-Did he…?” Zenith voiced in shock.

Haa… for some reason, I had predicted something like this happening.

While a great swordsman, Paul left much to be desired in terms of emotional maturity.

As Lilia and Zenith made their way toward the door, with me following closely behind, we heard what seemed to be the finale of their argument.

“Because no son of mine- scratch that, no son of Zenith’s, bullies the weak!”

Even my eyes widened at the words.

After all, to an orphaned child, especially one with such a close bond to their mother, that was not something meant to be said. 

Especially by someone meant to care for them.

Zenith and Lilia, quickly getting over their momentary shock, ran out to open the door just in time to see the sprinting Leon jump over the rock wall of the garden.

“Ah! Leon!”

Zenith's cry fell on deaf ears as she then turned to Paul, her expression the pure incarnation of anger.

Smack!

A second slap resounded through the air.

“What in the hell do you think you just did, Paul? You wanted me to ‘leave it to you’, huh? Well, look what good that did!” she shouted.

Lilia, on the other hand, just glared at the man, though somehow her gaze felt sharper than any sword even the greatest dwarves could craft.

“I-I… messed up,” Paul said. “I didn’t mean it like that-”

“Damn right, you messed up!” Zenith shouted. 

“I told you that that wench was eyeing you the whole time and that the kid didn’t even look you in the eyes when telling you what happened! But noooo~ No way, Zenith! ‘This is the perfect chance to instill some discipline into him!’ Into my sweet boy! My sweet boy that is supposed to be ours!” Zenith lectured him, poking his chest with each word. “Didn’t you always complain to me about your father? Hmm? Aren’t you just doing the same thing as him right now!?”

At least Paul has the conscience to be ashamed, his head hanging meekly as he took in his wife’s words.

But that didn’t really help with the situation at hand.

“I swear to Millis, if Leon feels worried when hugging me even once after this, there’s no sex for a month! No, a year! Haa…” Zenith then turned to me. “Roxy, can you go check on him please? I don’t… I don’t know if I’m the best one to go get him.”

“Of course, Zenith.”

Leaving the shaken Paul and the two irate women, I followed the path Leon took.

Damn, I sometimes forgot because of his age, but Leon was already an Intermediate-rank swordsman, which meant that he was way faster than me.

But luckily, it didn’t seem that he had run far, as I only had to reach the top of the nearest hill before noticing the balled form of my student leaning against the tree.

“Hic-! Hic-! Gah, sniff!”

I couldn’t help but frown a little at the sight.

No, perhaps a little wasn’t correct. 

I was frowning quite a bit.

I… felt pretty close to both of the boys I was teaching, but especially Leon.

It… didn’t feel good, seeing him like this, all sad and alone.

It reminded me of my old self.

Luckily, that meant I knew how to make him feel better too… At least, I hoped so.

Sliding down next to him, I hesitantly reached my arm over his shoulder, pulling him closer to me.

“...Are you alright?” I asked softly.

He only nodded his head in response, lowering his face to his pulled-up knees.

I… sometimes forgot… No, I often forgot, that Leon was still a child.

After all, when you’re from a race that stops growing once you reach the age of a teenager, age is always a tough subject.

And considering this child was teaching me how to perform what was seen as the pinnacle technique for magic in chantless casting, it was understandable why I viewed him as a bit older than he was.

But seeing him like this… yeah. 

Leon, for all his genius and maturity, was still but a child.

For some reason, the thought brought a small smile to my face.

Why was it? 

I felt the same thing whenever he got embarrassed around me too.

I guess… it was because he looked cute.

“I-I’m fine. Just… can you stay here for a little bit? With me?” he asked with a nasal voice.

Yes… this childish side of Leon was indeed very cute.

“Of course,” I said, smiling down at the boy. “Leon… I can understand what you’re feeling, you know.”

It wasn’t exactly the same, but it was close enough.

Plus, Leon always liked to use analogies during his explanations.

Combing my hand through his hair, I continued, “I told you about my race, right?”

“T-The Migurd race?” he asked.

“Exactly,” I nodded. “But I never told you about their special trait.”

He turned his head to look at me curiously, “Special trait?”

“I suppose you could call it a unique form of magic. But all the members of my village can communicate telepathically with each other… all except me,” I said, looking off to the distance with a sad smile.

“Oh… that must have been… lonely,” Leon said, cuddling closer to me in a sign of affection.

Ignoring the way my stomach tingled at the closeness, I continued, “It was. And I left my homeland because of it. But… I feel much better now.”

“That’s… good. You’re… important to me.”

Guh! T-That… I knew he wasn’t saying such things to flirt with me, but that only made my heart flutter even more. 

“A-And you’re important to me too, Leon. So? Did you want to talk about what actually happened today?” I asked.

Nodding his head, he then goes on to explain about his walk on the town, the bullies he scared off, and the new friend he played with.

Slowly, the sadness on his face morphed into an excited smile, one that could charm even the coldest of hearts, as he talked about his day.

Just why… why couldn’t he have been ten- no, nine years older?

Haa… but I suppose this was nice too.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Continents of the World

Central Continent: The largest continent in the central and western parts of the world. The human race makes up the majority of the population.

Millis Continent: In the southern part of the world, it connects the Central and Demon Continents. The northern part of the Continent is where the Great Forest is located, the homeland of the Beast race and elves. In the south is the Holy Millis Kingdom, the world’s second-ranked country and home of the Millis Church.

Begaritt Continent: In the southwest part of the world, it has numerous labyrinths and many strong monsters. As a result, the majority of the population are adventurers or ex-adventurers.

Demon Continent: In the eastern part of the world, it is a Continent full of strong monsters and many different races of Demons. As the fertility of the land is very low, the majority of the population is very poor.

Heaven Continent: In the northern part of the world, this Continent is 3000 meters above sea level, making it extremely difficult to visit. This is also where the Heavenly race lives.

— Rudeus Greyrat —

I didn’t really understand what was going on.

Paul was quite angry at my brother for… some reason, and then they argued before Leon eventually ran off.

Knowing the idiot that was my father, it was definitely his fault, but I was still confused about what made my extremely mature brother act so… childish.

But then again, he was truly a kid, unlike me, so I guess that was natural.

As for how I knew he was a normal kid, well, I had said a few things in Japanese, and even the small bit of English that I knew, in an attempt to get a rise out of him to see if he was like me.

But alas, he would only look at me confused, before trying to correct me with a similarly sounding word in the Human tongue.

But putting that aside… I was confused.

“What happened, Mother?” I asked Zenith.

Both she and Lilia were quite mad, and Paul had been banished to sit alone at the table.

Rubbing my hair, she answered my question, “Your father said something very mean to your brother. Haa… I just hope Roxy can cheer him up.”

Something mean?

But… it didn’t sound that bad to me, though. 

At least not compared to some of the stuff Paul had said during training. 

And the slap… well, he had gotten worse from Paul’s sword, so I don’t think it was that either.

Maybe it was the stress? Or perhaps the accusation alone.

But still…

“Why did it make Leon so sad, though?” I asked.

“Well… you see… your brother didn’t exactly come from me like you did,” Zenith explained. “Though I love him all the same.”

Ah… so he was adopted.

That explained a few things.

There was the fact that he had brown eyes, when Paul had green and Zenith had blue. 

Also, there was the fact that they had settled down to have me, despite being adventurers, while Leon was still a baby.

“Oh… when did you take him in then?” I asked.

Zenith leaned back against the chair, “Back when your father and I were adventurers, there was a bandit attack against a nearby village, and unfortunately, I couldn’t save his mother. His birth mother, that is.”

Ah… well, if Leon saw his mother die, then it would definitely explain why he was such a mama’s boy.

“We adventured with him for a while, since I promised to take care of him, and then once we had you, we settled down-”

She was interrupted by the sound of the door opening, revealing the ever-beautiful loli-sensei Roxy, and my brother holding her hand beside her, eyes red from obvious crying.

Getting so damn close to Roxy… 

Hmph! I’ll let this go just this once, brother, but only because Paul did something stupid!

— Leon Greyrat —

Hesitantly, I revealed myself from behind Roxy’s robes.

It definitely felt embarrassing that she saw me break down like that, but at the same time, I wouldn’t want anyone else to calm me down.

“L-Leon, son… I… I’m sorry,” Paul said, bowing his head.

The expression he was wearing was so different from his usual confident smirk. 

It felt heavy with worry, so I knew he was truly remorseful about what he said.

Crossing my arms, I tilted my chin up in the air. “I-It’s fine. I should expect that from an idiot like you.”

“Haha, yeah… I really am an idiot. But… you know I didn’t mean what I said, right?” he asked.

“Yeah… I know.”

I’m then smothered in one of Mama’s suffocating hugs, and feeling her warmth, I felt the last of my fears hidden in my mind washed away.

“My baby Leon… you know I love you so much, right? And I’m so proud to have you as my own… You understand that, right?” she choked out.

“Yeah… I know, Mama,” I said in return.

Giving me one last squeeze, she then knelt, her eyes meeting mine as she gently stroked my hair.

“Can you tell me what happened today?” she asked softly.

I send a cautionary glance toward Paul, to which he grimaced while scratching his beard and averting his eyes.

Would he let me talk?

“Yeah… sorry about that too…”

“Don’t worry, Leon. Just tell them what happened. I’m sure your mother already has an idea,” Roxy added from behind.

Nodding my head, I then went over what had happened today, and how I stopped the three bullies, which was where the misunderstanding likely came from.

After I finished talking, Paul spoke up, “Shit… so it was something like that… I’m sorry, kid.”

“It’s fine. You already apologized, after all,” I said in response.

With how much pride the man had, an honest apology was more than enough. 

Plus, seeing Lilia, Roxy, and Mama all send him stern glares helped ease my anger.

Mama’s mouth then curled into a teasing smile. 

“Sylphiette, huh? How interesting… is she cute?”

For some reason, she then looked over to Roxy as well.

“Uhh… I guess? She’s nice, and she really likes magic. I was actually hoping I could push my swordsmanship lessons until a little later so I could keep her company during the day,” I said, looking over to Paul.

“Hmm… I don’t know-”

“Paul.” “Master.”

Both Mama and Lilia interjected with icy tones.

The man quickly raised his hands in defeat.

“Kidding! I was just kidding! Just don’t be out too late, okay? It’s dangerous to train in the dark.”

And so, with our bonds reforged, and our grievances put behind us, the family then sat down for dinner, putting an end to the eventful day.

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

“So… monsters are different from demons?” Sylphy asked, looking intently at a page in my notebook.

“Huh? Yeah, they’re completely different! Monsters are just animals that get mutated, usually by magic, and sometimes they become a species that continues for a long time,” I explained. “Demons, though, are just what the races that fought against the humans in the last war are called. Though Roxy said that now, demons are just whatever races live on the Demon Continent… But anyway, yes, they’re completely different from monsters.”

Roxy as a monster?

Ha. As if.

Sylphy, who was lying down on her stomach next to me, started kicking her legs up and down while her ears began to twitch. 

“I see…”

She was evidently happy at the new information.

It made sense. 

After all, she had been called a demon for quite a while, and even I hadn’t refuted the fact, so she must have been scared that she was just some evolved form of a monster.

“Ah, and what does this word here?” she asked, pointing at a string of text.

I peeked over her shoulder to see. 

“That’s ‘burbling’. It means a gentle bubbling sound like this.”

I then summoned a ball of water before having it swirl around, creating the desired sound.

“Ah! I see!” she exclaimed.

It had been a few months since I had started playing with Sylphy, and our playtime had quickly turned into me teaching her about what I knew, such as writing, reading, history, and general knowledge.

I didn’t mind, though.

Not only was Sylphy a nice girl who was eager and excited to learn, but refreshing my mind by teaching another person was a great way to retain the knowledge.

She then closed the book before turning to face me with shining eyes.

“Leon… Can we start with magic now?!”

Yes… and she also really loved magic.

“Haa… yeah, come on, let’s do it then.”

I was a bit hesitant to teach her magic, as unlike Rudy and me, Sylphy was a normal kid.

Not only were there dangers in giving a child such a powerful thing like magic, but there was also the worry that teaching her something like magic too early would lead to burnout, or something similar.

But, seeing how adamant she was… who was I to refuse?

Besides, it would be good to have her start using mana when she was young so that she could optimize the growth of her magic power reserves while she could.

And also… if my theory was correct, chantless magic would be easier to learn as a child.

Even after all the time we spent together, and even though Roxy understood it, my teacher still couldn’t use chantless magic. 

Though I felt that she was getting closer.

If I had to guess, something about being a child made one somehow more ‘in tune’ with mana, as that would also explain the growth period of magic you could have during childhood.

“Okay, when you cast the magic, make sure you focus on what you feel inside your body. It should feel like a warmth starting here,” I poked her belly, “that goes all the way to here,” I continued, tracing a path to her palm.

My little display caused Sylphy to burst into a fit of giggles, “T-That tickles, Leon!”

Hee~? I guess Sylphy was ticklish, huh?

Good to know.

“Now repeat after me. Slowly, while focusing on the words and the image of water. Just like how you concentrate when writing down a new word,” I said.

Getting a resolute nod from the girl, I chanted the spell for Waterball , watching as Sylphy excitedly observed the water come into being.

Dispersing the ball of water into the air as a thin mist, I motioned for Sylphy to try. 

“You remember the words, right?” I asked.

“Yeah! Okay…” she said as she hesitantly extended her hand. “ Let the vast and blessed waters converge where thou wilt and issue forth a single pure stream thereof - Waterball! ”

And… nothing happened.

A failure, huh?

I suppose Roxy did say that most people didn’t get magic just by using a chant, especially a child like Sylphy, so that made sense.

“It was a good try. Though it may have been a little fast for someone who has yet to chant magic.”

Hearing Roxy’s voice, Sylphy let out a surprised ‘Eep!’ before running to hide behind my back.

“Good afternoon, Miss Roxy,” I said with a smile.

“I see you’re having fun, Leon. Taking on a new apprentice?” she said teasingly, looking over at the opened notebook.

I scratched my cheek in slight embarrassment. “Yeah… Sylphy is pretty interested in magic, so…”

“Is that so? Hmm… so a student of mine has already taken on a student… At this point, there’s no reason for me to be here anymore, is there?” she said.

“Y-You know that’s not true! I still have much to learn, and we’re close to getting to Intermediate-rank protection magic,” I stammered.

“I suppose that’s true,” she answered back.

Seeing the wind sweep Roxy’s hair to the side, I felt the tingling sensation return as I averted my eyes.

Stupid feelings!

“S-So what are you doing out here? You usually visit the village or practice alone at this time,” I asked.

Her smile turned a little strained as she answered, “Well… I was studying in my room, making a few lesson plans for tonight, but then I noticed I was missing a pair of panties… You wouldn’t know what happened, would you?”

I instantly covered my face with my hands.

Rudy… what are you doing with our beloved teacher?

“S-Sorry, Miss Roxy. I’m pretty sure-”

“Your brother stole them? Yeah, I figured. I just came out here to see how you were doing and to meet your friend. Although… perhaps that was a little forward of me,” she said, smiling at the still-hiding Sylphy.

“C’mon out and said hello. This is Miss Roxy, the nice teacher of mine I talked to you about,” I said, nudging the girl behind me.

“O-Okay. M-My name’s Sylphiette… but Leon calls me Sylphy,” she meekly said.

Roxy’s eyes widened a little as she saw her hair.

I guess that even if she had known about her green hair beforehand, and even seen it from when she commented on her casting speed, it was still ingrained in her to be scared of the Superd race and anything resembling it.

But, as I expected, she quickly overcame her slight fear and shock.

“Nice to meet you, Sylphy. I’m Roxy Migurdia, Leon and his brother’s tutor. Although it sometimes doesn’t feel that way…” she sent a small smile my way.

Sylphy nodded before asking, “D-Do you… hate my hair?”

Hmm… she was quite the perceptive kid, so she probably noticed Roxy’s momentary fear from before.

Roxy shook her head. 

“No, it doesn’t bother me at all. After all, under certain angles, my hair also takes on a greenish tint.” She then ran her hand through her hair with a sad smile. “So, while not to the same extent, I can sympathize with you.”

Sylphy then balled her fist, mustering her courage, “I… I like your hair!”

I was a bit surprised that this meek friend of mine was able to speak up so well to a stranger, but I suppose she felt some connection with Roxy, as she was also a demon with troublesome hair.

But wow… how cute.

Roxy seemed to think the same as her lips stretched into a wide smile. “Why, thank you.”

“I agree. Miss Roxy’s hair is super pretty. Especially when it turns green under the light,” I added.

Roxy’s wide smile grew before she began patting me on my head. 

“Thank you too, Leon. Say that to me again in a few years, okay?”

“Uhh, sure?” I responded with confusion.

She stopped patting my head. “And don’t forget about your cute friend.”

Turning my head to the side, I saw that Sylphy was looking at me with a small pout.

Ah… I see.

“I think your hair is pretty too, Sylphy,” I said, patting her head just like Roxy had done to me.

“T-Thanks…” she said before letting out a happy hum and leaning into my touch.

What was with this cute creature?

“Well… I’ll leave you two to yourselves. Just make sure you don’t do anything dangerous, okay?” Roxy said.

I gave her a wave back, “Okay!” 

Seeing her walk back down the hill, I couldn’t help but wonder about the weird expression she was wearing

Even though Roxy had such a wide smile on her face, why did she seem a little… sad?

Or maybe I was just imagining things.

Anyway…

“Well, how about we try that again, Sylphy? This time a little slower with more focus, just like Miss Roxy said.”

“Okay!”

Closing her eyes, she extended her hand once again and chanted, “ Let the vast and blessed waters converge where thou wilt and issue forth a single pure stream thereof - Waterball! ”

This time, an orb of water appeared on the top of her palm, and as soon as she noticed, she began jumping in joy.

“I did it! I did it! I did- Oh.”

In her excitement, she seemed to have lost concentration, leading to the spell falling to the ground with a splash.

“Good job, Sylphy,” I said with a small applause. “Now, did you remember the feeling of the mana?”

“Huh? Yeah! It was like ‘Hnn!’ and then it went up to my hand with a ‘Fwaa!’ before squeezing out! It was amazing!”

…I guess she was the instinctual type when it came to magic, like how Paul was with swords.

Although that might get better as she gets older… hopefully…

“Okay, then try to do it again without chanting. Guiding the mana along the same path while imagining water,” I explained.

“R-Right!”

Wait.

Technically, Sylphy was now a Beginner-rank magician, right?

Hmm… while it wasn’t anything special to me when I did it, being a certified magician was a pretty big deal. Especially for a commoner like her.

I’d be sure to praise her after this.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Magic Tools and Items

Magic Tools: Magic tools are specially crafted equipment that have a carved magic circle. When a user channels their mana into the tool and recites an incantation, the magic circle activates, unleashing the desired magical effect. Magic tools can be used repeatedly as long as the user can supply an adequate amount of mana.

Magic Items: Magic items are objects infused with mana that possess unique and specific abilities. By performing a specific action or trigger, the user can activate the magical effect, or the item may have a constant effect that does not require activation. Magic items often have a limited number of uses per day and can replenish their mana reserves over time. Magic items are often found in dungeons and labyrinths.

— Leon Greyrat —

“So these ‘atoms’ can combine, and when ‘oxygen’ and two ‘hydrogens’ are connected like this… it forms water? How exactly do you know this?” Roxy asked me.

I shrugged my shoulders in response. “I don’t really know how, I just know. I’m a Miko, remember?”

“Ah, right… but then, how do you know that it’s true?” she asked.

“I don’t. At least, not really. There isn’t a proper way to test it, at least not one that I know of. But whenever I visualize these… scientific things, especially with fire and water, it makes the magic much more powerful. So I think it holds some merit, at least,” I responded.

She then placed her quill down. “If you say so... Well, let’s see how this goes.”

Extending her hand, I watched as her nose scrunched cutely in concentration, and after a few moments of nothing, a sphere of water suddenly appeared above her hand.

I looked on in amazement as Roxy slowly twirled the ball of water around her palm before depositing it into a cup.

I then watched as her lips curled into the most beautiful smile I had ever seen, second only to the face Mama made after Rudy was born.

Roxy… she really was pretty.

“Hu…”

‘Hu’?

“Huhuhuhu!” she laughed happily.

…Ah, right, she was also like this.

But that was just another part of her charm, in my opinion.

“You did it, Miss Roxy!” I exclaimed.

“Hehehe! I did, didn’t I?” she said proudly before pulling me into a hug.

My face got warm at the contact as she then formed another ball of water, a giddy smile on her face the entire time.

After playing around with the magic a bit, she then calmed down, relinquishing her hold on me, much to my despair.

“Ahem! Indeed. So it seems I have finally grasped casting without incantations,” Roxy said, nodding proudly to herself. “Thank you for your help, Leon.”

Was she seriously trying to act like a distinguished teacher now? 

After acting like an excited schoolgirl just a moment ago?

She then looked out the window at the snow-blanketed landscape as she twirled a strand of hair with her finger.

“Though… Sylphy was able to pick up chantless magic right away, so I shouldn’t get conceited.”

“Don’t say such self-deprecating things, Miss Roxy. You needed to break a habit, while Sylphy was a clean slate. Plus, I’m pretty sure children can learn chantless magic much more easily than adults,” I reassured her.

She simply shook her head before gently patting my hair. 

“If you said so. You and your brother could probably transform the world's view of magic, you know?” she said.

“Ehh, that sounds troublesome,” I said, leaning into her touch. “I’m fine just spending time with family and friends while getting stronger.”

“I see… but why do you want to get stronger?” she asked.

Hmm… that was indeed a question.

“I guess… it feels good to improve? Plus, in this world, it’s always good to have strength.”

Roxy nodded her head in approval. “All good reasons.”

“Oh! And because it’s cool! When I get older, I’ll definitely be able to be popular with the ladies, right?” I said.

Roxy pinched my cheek in response. “How cheeky… You better not become like your father, got it?”

“Yesh, Mish Roxy,” I affirmed with some difficulty.

She let go with a smirk. “Good. And once you get a bit older…” 

Her cheeks got a bit red before she hastily shook her head. 

“No, never mind. Let’s work on that Intermediate-rank protection spell before it gets too late.”

With Intermediate-rank protection magic, or barrier magic as I liked to call it, I was having a bit of trouble understanding it, as there were only magic circles for activation and no incantations. 

But I was hoping that once I understood them with magic circles, I would be able to convert it to chantless magic, or at least something similar.

I was able to use Beginner-rank barrier spells without a chant with no problem, and I could do the same with other spells up to the Advanced rank, so it shouldn’t be too big of a hurdle.

…Hopefully.

But even at the Beginner rank, there were quite a few useful barrier spells, such as Magic Shield , which, as the name implied, created a shield that blocked any magic attacks.

Through Roxy, I also learned quite an interesting thing about barrier magic.

That was… I really shouldn’t be able to learn this. 

Or rather, we shouldn’t be able to learn this.

Protection magic had been banned for anyone to teach it beyond the Beginner rank unless you were a member of the Millishion Holy Knight Orders. 

Even for the Beginner rank, the University of Ranoa, the greatest magic school in the world, didn’t teach it, hence why Roxy hadn’t learned it during her time there.

Apparently, Mama had used a few of her old noble connections and favours to get that book, and as long as I didn’t go around spreading my knowledge to everyone I knew, I should be safe.

…I really hope she wasn’t wrong.

But then again, it was unlikely for the Millis Church to send out their inquisitors just because a country boy and a random magic tutor, even if she was a demon, knew their secret arts.

And even if they did, Paul, Rudy, and I made a pretty strong team.

Plus, as long as I used it in unique ways without a chant, it would be difficult for anyone to find a connection with the church’s secret magic.

So Roxy and I were safe… hopefully.

“-so that’s how Physical Shield works… Hey, Leon? Are you even listening?” Roxy said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Huh? Ah, yeah. It stops physical attacks, right?” I said.

Roxy looked at me doubtfully. “...Were you actually listening? Or did you just get that from the name of the spell?”

“Hehehe~” I opted not to answer.

“Haa…” she shook her head. “I’ll repeat from the beginning. This here-”

— Leon Greyrat —

I was now seven years old, and while I had recently become an Intermediate-rank barrier magician, that wasn’t what we were celebrating today.

Instead-

“Happy birthday, Rudy!”

-It was my little brother’s fifth birthday that was the occasion.

From Paul, Rudy had gotten a sword as well as a long accompanying speech about morals and strength. 

At least the man didn’t stumble over his words this time.

Mama, meanwhile, had given him an encyclopedia of the flora in the region, with illustrations and descriptions to go along with it.

Since my brother and I shared all of our books, except for the barrier magic one, since he was more interested in elemental magic, I was also going to benefit from this, so I was quite happy about the new source of knowledge.

And last was Roxy. 

“Here, I crafted it yesterday.”

Handing Rudy a stick with a small red stone at the tip, she continued, “Since both you and your brother could already use magic, I had forgotten, but once a student learns elementary magic, the teacher is meant to give them a wand. Ah, and here’s one for you too, Leon.”

She then handed me a similar wand, except the magic stone was blue at the tip.

Whoa… I wonder how this would affect my magic.

I’d have to test it out.

“Thank you, Master! I’ll take good care of it!” Rudy exclaimed, causing Roxy to grimace slightly.

Right… she really didn’t like being called ‘Master’, did she?

Something about her old teacher in Ranoa, but even I didn’t know the full story.

“Thank you, Miss Roxy,” I said with a bow.

“You’re quite welcome, you two,” Roxy said with a smile.

“Ah, by the way, Rudy.”

My brother turned his head at Paul’s words.

“Yes, Father?” he asked.

“You’ll be starting actual swordsmanship training tomorrow, so don’t do anything to piss your brother and me off! Hahaha-! Ouch!”

He got a pinch from Mama as a result.

Trembling slightly with worry, Rudy then looked over to me as I gave him a consoling pat on the head.

“Don’t worry. It’ll mostly be posture and forms to start. And since our dad is quite bad at explaining things, I’ll try to translate as best as I can.”

That seemed to relieve his worries a bit.

“Ah. And I got you something too,” I then pulled out a bag of dried fruits coated in honey. A candy I made with the help of Sylphy and Lilia.

“Sylphy and I went into the forest to get the things, and Lilia helped make them. So you could say it’s a present from all of us,” I said with a smile.

From said adventure, I was also able to put my chantless detoxification magic to use with the bee stings I got.

So you better appreciate it, brother!

“Thank you, brother!” Rudy exclaimed happily.

Sharing a hug with him, I was barely able to contain my laughter as I see Roxy look at the candies longingly.

Hee~? I knew she had a sweet tooth, but not to this extent.

Good thing I kept some extras in my room.

Noticing my gaze, her cheeks flushed as she averted her eyes. 

“A-Ahem! T-There’s something else that must be discussed as well!”

Huh? What was this?

With both of us looking curiously at her, she continued, “You two have become Advanced-rank magicians in every school of attack magic, are completely literate, and can perform high-level arithmetic… which means there is only one thing I have left to teach you.”

“What does that mean, Master Roxy?” Rudy asked as he let go of me.

“Well… that means that it’s about time for your graduation,” she answered.

Ah, right. 

I had expected this. 

It was only natural, after all, even if it was sad.

But from the look on Rudy’s face, that didn’t seem to be the case for him.

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

It was the day after Rudy’s birthday, and with my breath visible from the morning chill, I finished my morning workout just as the sun began to rise over the hills.

“Does it have to be outside the village?” Rudy meekly protested.

“Yes, it does. Otherwise, we might damage some of the farmland and houses. Come on, I’ve already got the horse prepared,” Roxy explained.

“Can’t we do it in the yard?” he persisted.

Roxy shook her head. “No, we can’t.”

Rudy pouted, “We can’t, huh?”

Looking over at my forlorn little brother, I couldn’t help but release a small sigh.

When he was little, I didn’t think much of it, but now… it was quite obvious.

Rudy had never stepped foot past the garden walls.

Not only that, he was… afraid to.

I remember asking him to come along right when I started hanging out with Sylphy, as I wanted the two to become friends, but he was extremely reluctant to. 

So much so that his legs trembled as I tried to pull him along.

Well… I suppose it was time for him to face his fears.

“But… aren’t there monsters out there?” he asked.

“Huh? Not around these parts, no. Besides, even if there were, they would be weak enough that I can deal with them easily. In fact, you and your brother could probably handle them by yourselves as well,” Roxy explained before frowning. “That’s right… I remember hearing that you’ve never left home. You still haven’t, have you, Rudy?”

Rudy scratched his cheek sheepishly. “Erm… no, I haven’t.”

“Even when your brother and his friend always play out there?” she asked.

He shook his head in response.

“Hmm… are you afraid of nature, perhaps? Ah! That’s it! You’re afraid of animals!”

Pff-!

Roxy… I don’t think that’s quite it.

I think he’s just afraid of leaving the house just because, with no real reason for it other than fear of the unknown.

“N-No, I’m… not scared of animals,” Rudy explained.

“Hehe, so that’s all it is,” Roxy smirked. “I guess, just like your brother, you also act your age sometimes.”

Umm… I think she had the wrong idea, but I’d let it play out for now.

Maybe her obliviousness will help Rudy overcome whatever fear he had.

“Guess I don’t have any other choice then,” Roxy nodded to herself. “Hyup!”

“Bwuh!”

Contrary to my expectations, Rudy didn’t struggle as he was placed onto the saddle. 

Maybe it was because he had simply accepted his fate, or perhaps because he was in front of Roxy.

Lucky…

“There. Once we start riding, your fear will go away. Leon! Come on up!” she said to me.

“Got it!”

Heeding her call, I hopped onto the horse, with Rudy in front of me while Roxy clambered up behind.

However, since I was getting a bit taller, she couldn’t easily see over me, and decided to rest her head on my shoulder.

…That feels nice.

We then began trotting toward the village centre, with Roxy slowly guiding us past the plots of farmland and various houses, as the villagers sent a few glances and waves our way.

It was only natural, as not only did Roxy and I complete various jobs with our magic, such as when Roxy watered the fields during a drought, but I had also been a healer for a while when Mama was pregnant.

Plus, I had been showing my face around more recently ever since I started playing with Sylphy.

Ah… speaking of that, she will be quite shocked then I don’t meet her at our hill, huh?

I’ll have to apologize later.

But oddly enough, with each glance thrown our way, Rudy would hunch in on himself more and more, as if hiding from the passing townsfolk.

“Uhh, Rudy? Are you good?” I asked.

“...T-They’re staring at me… why?” he asked with a trembling voice.

Staring at you? 

Wait, don’t tell me… was he scared of the townsfolk?

Thinking about it, it made a good amount of sense. 

After all, other than the four other people that were gathered in our house, he hadn’t had any interaction with another person, so it was only natural for him to be afraid of the unknown.

My lips curling into a smirk, I patted him a few times on the head to calm him down. 

“Sorry to break it to you, but you aren’t that handsome quite yet. They’re looking at Roxy and me, you dolt.”

That seems to wake him out of his stupor as he then raised his head, looking around in new-found wonder, the previous tension disappearing as if it was a lie.

“Are you still afraid?” Roxy suddenly said.

Oh. She must have heard our conversation.

Rudy shook his head in denial. “No, I’m… okay now.”

“See? What did I tell you?” Roxy said. “Animals aren’t that scary at all.”

…She must have heard only a part of it.

“N-No… they’re not,” Rudy said softly.

After a few moments of looking around at the passing scenery, Rudy then spoke up, “What do they grow in these fields?”

“Well, it depends on the rotated crop, but usually Asuran wheat, which is used to make bread and beer. There are other vegetables too, but mostly wheat,” Roxy answered.

“Yep. Like that field there,” I pointed out, “Those are peppers. Miss Roxy’s favourite.”

Roxy pinched my side.

“She can’t eat those, can she?” Rudy said happily.

“I-It’s not that I can’t eat them, I’m just not fond of them, is all! Now z-zip it, you two!” Roxy said.

Seemingly embarrassed, she then snapped the reins, speeding up our journey through the village.

I’m gonna miss teasing Roxy like this…

Soon, the fields turned from tilled farmland to empty grasslands and hills as Roxy eventually led us to the top of a mound, far away from the village.

Looking across the plains, I could faintly see mountains rising above the distant horizon.

Those… were the Red Dragon Mountains, if I was not mistaken.

I remember going near there for a quest that the Fangs of the Black Wolf took. 

Something about a stray dragon causing trouble.

I was still a newborn at the time, though, so I was asleep for the whole fight.

“Right here should do nicely,” Roxy suddenly said.

Bringing the horse to a stop right beside the singular tree, we then hopped off the saddle as Roxy tied the reins to said tree.

Making sure the horse was secure, Roxy then turned to us. 

“I’m going to cast the Saint-tier water spell, Cumulonimbus. It creates thunder, and causes torrential rain to come down in a large area.”

Rudy and I nodded our heads in understanding. “Got it.”

“Good,” Roxy said as she grabbed hold of her staff. “Now, I can only cast this once, so watch closely and try to memorize the chant. Though I can tell it to you after if need be. Also, I’ll only be casting it for a minute, but you two will need to leave it going for… let's say an hour. After that, I’ll consider it a pass.”

Walking forward and raising her staff, Roxy then began to cast her spell, “ Oh, spirits of the magnificent waters, I beseech the Prince of Thunder! Grant me my wish, bless me with thy savagery, and reveal to this insignificant servant a glimpse of thy power! ”

Clouds began to gather across the sky as she continued to chant steadily and purposefully, the landscape growing dark under the forming storm.

“ Let fear strike the heart of man as thy divine hammer strikes its anvil, and cover the land with water! Come, oh rain, and wash everything away in thy flood of destruction - Cumulonimbus! ”

As her chant finished, rain began to fall as the wind roared, and the black clouds above began to flicker with flashes of lightning.

The sky rumbled, and purple light shot through the clouds, increasing in power with each flicker before it released onto the ground below with a streaking flash.

Right onto the tree that our poor horse was tied to…

My ears ringing from the clap of thunder, I faintly heard an “Oh no!” from Roxy as she cancelled her spell, the clouds scattering and the rain letting up as she rushed over to the collapsed horse.

“ Oh, goddess of motherly affection, close up this one’s wounds and restore the vigour to his body - X-Healing! ”

Turning to me with a flustered look, she quickly voiced out, “Not a word! Understood? Not. A. Word!”

Ah. So she was embarrassed.

“Got it… Miss Roxy…”

But even if I wanted to comment on her frazzled state, I couldn’t bring myself to do so, as I was still in the process of getting over my shock.

That spell… it was truly a work of art.

While it was a water spell, it also incorporated wind into its formation, and lightning as well… why hadn’t I thought of that?

Lightning would be such a potent and quick method of attack, but since it wasn’t covered in the four schools of elementary magic, it had completely slipped my mind.

But then again… I knew that magic wasn’t omnipotent. 

At least not without the proper means to harness it.

I could use the elements freely, as well as healing magic, detoxification magic, and elementary barrier magic… but that was because I got a clue as to forming the main element or effect of the magic, and how the mana formed to create said elements, through an incantation.

Maybe with this spell, I would be able to open up a new branch into the lightning element. 

Or perhaps the lightning was only generated as a side effect of the static in the clouds…

“Alright, Rudy. You try this time. Leon, come here,” Roxy said, forming a rock dome with the spell Earth Fortress to defend against any errant lightning strikes.

Peeking through the small hole, I watched as Rudy held his wand to the air. 

“ Oh, spirits of the magnificent waters, I beseech the Prince of Thunder! Grant me my wish, bless me with thy savagery, and reveal to this insignificant servant a glimpse of thy power! Let fear strike the heart of man as thy divine hammer strikes its anvil and cover the land with water! Come, oh rain, and wash everything away in thy flood of destruction - Cumulonimbus! ”

Oh… I just realized… I would have to wait here for an hour.

Haa… at least Roxy was here with me.

Watching the clouds billow similarly to Roxy’s spell, I knew that my little brother was going to be fine. 

Thus, I sat against the wall, letting the soothing sound of rain lull me into a light nap.

At least until Rudy came back a moment later.

“I’m done,” he said proudly.

“Done? What do you mean ‘done’? You have to control the spell for an hour, so get back out there!” Roxy said.

“Control them?” Rudy said cheekily. “Why would I need to do that?” 

Roxy and I then took a peek outside, and to our surprise, the spell was… self-sustaining.

No, not just self-sustaining. In fact, the clouds that covered the sky were growing.

“I see! You created a diagonal whirlwind in order to push the clouds up!” Roxy exclaimed, grabbing her hat so it didn’t fly away in the intense winds.

“Rudy,” Roxy said, turning to my brother with a smile, “You pass.”

“Huh? But it hasn’t been an hour yet,” Rudy said.

“There’s no need. If you can do that, then you’re more than competent enough. Now… can you make it go away?” Roxy asked.

Nodding his head, Rudy then raised his wand and began dispelling the storm.

Now… how exactly did he do that?

I knew that clouds were formed when warm, moist air is forced upwards. 

This was something ‘scientific’ in nature that was actually taught to me by Roxy rather than me already understanding it.

I also knew that hot air rises, but also, as one went higher, the air cooled as gas particles expanded from lower pressure and lost energy.

So if I used those two properties of the atmosphere together, I could theoretically create a sort of cycle- 

Aha! So that was it!

Damn… I knew my brother was smart, but that was more than I expected.

“Okay. Congratulations, Rudy. You are now a Water Saint,” Roxy said before she then turned back to me. “Your turn now, Leon.”

Okay… let’s do this.

“Don’t tell me… did you forget the chant?” she teased.

I just shook my head before raising my wand.

Now… let’s do this, Leon.

Focus on the incantation, but also how the mana moves. 

We’re in the uncharted territory of Saint-rank magic now, after all, so let’s make the most of it.

“ Oh, spirits of the magnificent waters, I beseech the Prince of Thunder! Grant me my wish, bless me with thy savagery, and reveal to this insignificant servant a glimpse of thy power! Let fear strike the heart of man as thy divine hammer strikes its anvil and cover the land with water! Come, oh rain, and wash everything away in thy flood of destruction - Cumulonimbus! ” 

As I chanted the spell, I couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of it.

The way my mana moved, both throughout my body and then outward where it then affected the environment, it was… beautiful.

Clouds conjured overhead by generating moist warm air, just as I had expected, before said clouds were then cooled, allowing the water in said clouds to precipitate in the form of rain.

While it was on a larger scale, this was simply an improved version of the Advanced-rank spell Squall .

But that’s where the similarities ended.

I watched in awe as the mana twisted and weaved into the sky under my command, charging the clouds with energy, which would then cause lightning to strike.

Hmm… while I understood the process of what Rudy did with the spell to make it self-sustaining, I didn’t feel like going down the same path.

At least not right away.

I wanted to keep control of the spell, and hopefully, gain a deeper understanding of it. 

A slow and steady learning process, just as I have always done.

Hmm… while the rain and lightning weren’t expressly generated by my magic, they were still elements. 

This meant that I should be able to control them as if they were my own, especially since my mana was already interwoven in the surrounding atmosphere.

Well, maybe not for lightning, but if I used that same charging property in the ground… I should be able to direct it… just like so…

Lightning flashed across the sky, and all the bolts converged to strike a few hundred meters from my position, creating a deafening boom that echoed through the surrounding plains.

Whoa… that was cool.

Now let’s see… if I can take control of the rest…

As soon as I closed my eyes and began to focus, a change appeared in the surroundings.

The rain, while still pelting the area, now diverted before it could hit me or the two who were standing behind me, and the wind, while still howling, swept around me like the eye of a storm, leaving my shirt completely still.

Absolute control.

Or at least something close to it.

Like this… I truly felt like a master of the elements.

Like a conductor, I had the winds dance to my will, commanding the currents to blow this way and that as I began jumping around with glee.

Cumulonimbus … it wasn’t just an enhanced form of Squall with some lightning mixed in. 

Instead, it was like a canvas that one could use to paint the environment as they pleased.

While I couldn’t find a practical use for this spell in terms of combat, nor any way to meld it into my swordsmanship, still… Saint-ranked magic… it truly was amazing.

— Roxy Migurdia —

Extending my hand, I watched in amazement as my robes did not flutter from the wind, nor feel rain splash against my palm.

“Crazy… both you and your brother are crazy…” I said to Rudeus in awe.

Really… this level of control was something else.

Was it because of his ability to cast chantless magic that he could do this? 

Or was it something possible with the normal use of this spell through incantations?

Either way, I had added yet another thing to practice in my pursuit of magical mastery, all thanks to these two young students of mine.

A Saint-ranked water magician at five and seven, both chantless spell casters, and with the latter being extremely gifted in swordsmanship.

Truly, there was something in that family that spawned geniuses.

It couldn’t be inherited, as Leon was adopted, so perhaps it had to do with how Zenith raised them. 

It definitely wasn’t Paul, after all.

Or perhaps… it was just luck.

Anyway, with such a lovely display of control and ability, there was no need to potentially turn this lovely grassland into a marsh.

“Leon! You can stop now!” I shouted.

The winds calmed in an instant before Leon then made an updraft that blew away the clouds a moment later, wiping away the rain and lightning along with it.

Haha… what a showoff.

But he was quite cute to see him jumping around so happily, so I’ll let it go this time.

Leon then turns to me with a wide smile, the rain dripping down his face as his hair stuck to his skin.

“So? How’d I do, Miss Roxy?”

My heart thumped painfully in my chest.

I don’t know whether it was the swordsmanship lessons, or if it was simply something inherited, but he was already reaching my height, and his previously childish facial features were slowly morphing into something with a more… mature appeal.

Haa… truly, it was a shame I was a few years too early.

“Congratulations,” I said with a smile. “You are now a Saint-ranked water magician as well.”

I swallowed down the blush that was about to form on my cheeks as his eyes lit up in glee.

Haa… it truly was a shame.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Red Dragon Mountains

This mountain range splits the Central Continent into the North, West, and South, completely separating the three territories save for three points that allow travel. 

Red Dragon’s Upper Jaw - This connects the North and the West at the northwestern point of the mountain range.

Red Dragon’s Lower Jaw - This connects the West and the South near the southernmost point of the mountain range, which is also the southernmost point of the Asura Kingdom.

Red Dragon Mountain Range - This is the mountain range that separates the North from the South and runs across the continent before ending abruptly near the coastline, where travel is possible.

Aside from the three points of travel, the Red Dragon Mountains are impassable save for the strongest of the Seven World Powers. This is because Red Dragons, or Red Dragons as they are sometimes called, claim the mountains as their territory. And if one were to impede on it, a swarm of many of the S-ranked monsters would quickly attack any trespasser.

— Leon Greyrat —

“You’re more than welcome to stay, Roxy. I still have plenty of recipes to teach you,” Mama said.

“Right. While your role as a tutor may have come to an end, we’d be more than happy to have you stick around. And you already know the villagers love having you,” Paul added.

Roxy just shook her head in return. “I appreciate the offer. Truly, I do. But I’m afraid I can’t accept. Teaching those two have broadened my horizons on magic, so I want to take this chance to hone my craft.”

She then sent a small glance my way. “And hopefully, once I see those two again, I will be able to stand by their side as a chantless spell caster.”

Rudy, oblivious to our late-night studies, just looked confused. 

“I see,” Paul said, nodding to himself. “I suppose it is what it is. Sorry that those two caused you to lose confidence in yourself.”

I was about to comment, but Mama beat me to the punch, giving the man’s side a pinch. “Ouch!”

“No, I should be thanking them for the opportunity for growth. Ah! And I almost forgot!”

Roxy then reached into her robe before pulling out a pair of necklaces and handing one each to Rudy and me.

“Those are amulets of my race, the Migurd. If you ever come across a demon giving you a hard time, showing them this might come in handy… maybe.”

…Not exactly inspiring a lot of confidence with that last bit, Miss Roxy.

“Anyway. Leon, Rudy, I’m sorry that I didn’t have what it takes to teach you-”

“That’s not true, Miss Roxy! You’ve taught me lots of things!” Rudy interjected.

Roxy showed him a warm smile. “Thank you, but if you ever find yourself wanting to advance your magical studies, then I implore you to visit my alma mater, the Ranoa University of Magic. With your skills, you would likely be treated very well there.”

She then turned to me. “You should do the same, Leon.”

I originally had no desire to grow my rank in magic, as with my chantless magic and general mana control, spells became somewhat meaningless to me.

But after seeing Saint-rank magic in action, I had come to see the beauty in such high-level magic.

“All right. I’ll… think about it,” I said.

And then, flashing a small smile, she departed. 

After all, there was nothing left to be said.

But… I didn’t exactly want it to end here.

I still had a few more things I wanted to tell her, and I didn’t exactly want to do it in front of my family.

So, ignoring my crying brother, I chased after her.

“R-Roxy!” I exclaimed, just in front of the walled garden.

She turned to me with surprise. “Leon?”

Taking a deep breath to calm my beating heart, I stepped forward, keeping my chin high as I looked into her eyes.

“I… I want to be with you! W-When I’m older!”

My face was burning at my confession, to the point where I wouldn’t be surprised if steam began rising from my cheeks.

Roxy’s lips curled into a sad smile, though she had a slight blush on her cheeks as well.

“Well… I appreciate the sentiment, so thank you. And i-if,” her blush deepened. “If you feel the same once you become an adult, then I’ll… I’ll accept.”

Did… did that mean what I think it means?

Well… maybe.

It was better than a rejection, at least.

“Okay!” I said, running up to hug her.

Relishing the feeling I would likely miss for a while, as she began to let go, I decided to show a little boldness.

So, pushing my head over her shoulder, I whispered into her ear, “And when I’m older… I’ll be sure to visit lots of dungeons.”

“Why?” she asked.

“S-So then I can be the swordsman that rescues you,” I said.

She instantly let go of me. “W-Where did you hear that from!?”

Her cheeks were now a deep red as she pointed at me accusingly.

“Umm… you sometimes talk in your sleep, Miss Roxy,” I said with a teasing smile.

That only seemed to deepen her flustered state even more, as she quickly turned to face away from me.

“F-Fine… I’ll meet you again at that time then, Leon.”

And then, with those words, my crush departed. 

For real this time, without me holding her back.

Ah… I missed her already.

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

When I got back to the house, I was greeted by a set of three wide smiles. 

Even Lilia was getting in on Paul and Mama’s antics.

Ignoring the thumbs-up Paul was sending me, and the happily giggling Mama, I made my way over to the saddened Rudy.

“Hey… you okay?” I asked.

He raised his head. 

“Huh? Uh… yeah,” he sniffled. “I’m fine. It was to be expected, right? I should just be glad she stuck with me for so long…”

Mmm… right.

Over the years, as Rudy had slowly grown into his own person, I’ve noticed two things about my little brother.

One, he had horrible confidence issues.

I don’t think it was my fault, as he never seemed to have self-doubt in his intelligence and magical prowess, but rather about the more… human aspects of life.

This was especially noticeable once Roxy came into our lives.

But hopefully, this trait would start to wane as he met more people and discovered what a good kid he was, so there were no issues there… hopefully.

Second, I also noticed that he has trouble with change.

Not wanting to leave the house… not wanting Roxy to leave… he wanted to stay in the protective bubble of his current life.

It wasn’t a bad thing, per se. Some may even call it endearing.

But for anyone, especially a growing child, change should be welcomed rather than feared. 

That was all part of growth, after all.

So, as his big brother, I would have to guide him through such difficulties, and with my help, these two issues would hopefully melt away with time.

I watched as Rudy’s face suddenly morphed into a frown.

“What’s wrong, Rudy?” I asked.

“N-Nothing! It’s just… I forgot to give Roxy back her panties…”

…Seriously?

Sensing my disapproval, he continued, “Don’t worry! Even if they’re used, I’ll be sure to treat them with utmost respect! Promise!”

No… I wasn’t worried about that…

Haa… he had more of his father in him than I thought, huh?

He better keep that perversion away from Sylphy, though.

I don’t want to regret letting them meet.

— Leon Greyrat —

It was the day after Roxy’s departure, and it seemed whatever fears Rudy had about going outside had been completely quelled.

“Bye, Mother! We’ll be back by sundown!” he exclaimed.

“Alright! Be safe! And listen to your brother!” Mama replied firmly.

With those departing words, I then led Rudy through the village, pointing out what was what and who lived where. 

As there were only roughly 30 households, it was pretty easy to keep track of everyone and everything.

“So… where are we going, brother?” Rudy asked as we made our way toward the forest.

“Sylphy’s house,” I answered. “It should be a nice surprise for her since we usually meet up at the hill. Although I bet she’ll be mad at me, considering I’ve skipped out the last couple of days.”

Rudy tilted his head in confusion. “But didn’t you tell her what happened after Master taught us her Saint spell?”

“Yes, but it still sucks to be left alone. You know about her hair, right? Makes things hard,” I said back.

“Aha… you’re quite fond of her, aren’t you brother?” he asked.

“Of course I am. She’s my first friend, and unlike the other village kids, she’s very smart and mature,” I answered.

Rudy grew a teasing smile. “And she’s cute, right~?”

I flicked his forehead in response. “Yes. And also very innocent, so don’t be mean. Also, whether you two get along or not, you’re still helping me make her something nice for her birthday.”

I had a few ideas as to what to get the girl for her upcoming birthday in the fall, but I was still in the planning stage. 

Hopefully, I would be able to get or make her something that would last a while.

Soon, we reached Sylphy’s house, which was a wooden shack with latches for windows, unlike ours which had glass.

I always remembered how lucky we were whenever I visited them. 

While our family wasn’t as rich as most Asuran nobles, we were still in a very good situation compared to most.

But Sylphy’s situation wasn’t as bad either, especially after meeting me.

Luckily, with Sylphy being taught and excelling at various subjects, she should be set for the future, and even have enough to support her parents, but until then, elementary fire and water magic solved most of the problems her family would encounter in the winter.

Walking up to the home, I didn’t even need to knock on the door before a blur of green dashed out and slammed into me for a hug.

“Leon! You’re early!” Sylphy exclaimed.

Rubbing her head affectionately, I answered her, “I told you, didn’t I? Now that I don’t have formal magic lessons in the morning, I can spend most of the day with you until sword practice. Besides… I brought a guest.”

Finally understanding the situation, Sylphy released me before turning to Rudy with fearful eyes and promptly scurried behind my back.

And for some reason, my little brother was looking at me and Sylphy with a wide, teasing smile, similar to one Mama would wear. 

But he quickly wiped away the expression as he waved his hand. “Nice to meet you, Sylphy! I’m Rudy! Rudeus Greyrat!”

“H-Hi…” she greeted back.

Hmm… she was still a bit scared, but hopefully, once she learned that Rudy wouldn’t care about her hair, she would open up a bit more.

This fear of rejection and discrimination was also the reason she had avoided coming to my house even after all this time, but at least she had gained some confidence in her natural trait, judging by the fact she had now grown her hair to chest length.

Good.

It was pretty, after all. 

It would be a shame to keep such nice hair so short, which was why I had suggested growing it out.

Wait… Paul said it was always good to comment when a girl is pretty, right?

While I didn’t plan on following his womanizing example, Sylphy did have confidence issues, and that just might be a good way to relieve them.

“Your hair looks nice, Sylphy. Have you been using that soap we made?” I asked.

“H-Huh? Thanks, Leon. And yeah, though it’s almost gone now…” she said.

“That’s fine. It should be even better the next time since this guy has a botanical book,” I said, pointing to Rudy.

“Really!” Sylphy said happily.

Rudy, on the other hand, was only wearing a slight frown of confusion. “Huh? I’m not following.”

It was Sylphy that answered him this time, “W-We used ash and animal fat to make soap, but since we didn’t know what plants were harmful, we couldn’t add any nice scents…”

Rudy’s eyes widened. “Oh! I see! Then this would be pretty useful, huh?”

Rudy then pulled out his book before setting it on a table I quickly made with earth magic.

“Do you know how to read?” he asked Sylphy.

“Y-Yeah, but I still have trouble with new words…”

“That’s fine then! It has pictures for this reason!”

Well… it seems like those two became fast friends.

I think this would be a good arrangement going forward… for both of them.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Dungeons and Labyrinths

When mana infuses into a place, particularly underground, a labyrinth or dungeon is created. Labyrinths and dungeons all have a ‘core’ where the mana is concentrated, and as long as this core is alive, the dungeon or labyrinth will continue to expand by absorbing the surrounding mana. Anything within the labyrinth or dungeon will be affected by its mana, which causes the creation of magic crystals, magic items, and a high population of dangerous monsters.

Labyrinths and dungeons are explored by adventurers, either for their own interests in acquiring magic crystals, items, and monster materials or through a quest issued to the adventurer guild when a labyrinth or dungeon is spawned in an undesirable location, such as near a city or a major road.

‘Labyrinth’ and ‘dungeon’ can be used interchangeably for these structures, but typically, ‘labyrinth’ is used when the structure or traps are the most dangerous part of exploration, while ‘dungeon’ is used when the monsters are the most dangerous part.

— Leon Greyrat —

Reforming my stance, I brought my sword close to my side, readying the wooden blade to defend against any of Paul’s attacks. 

But instead of putting on any pressure, he just casually held his sword forward with a confident smirk.

“Is that all? Come on, you gotta hit a little harder than that~” he taunted.

My eyebrow twitched.

This man… he was so infuriating sometimes. 

Taking a breath, I then lowered my sword before running forward, my stance kept low to the ground.

As I reached the man, I slashed out with all my strength, only for my blow to be easily parried as my sword was smacked to the side.

But I had predicted that.

Letting go of the handle, I let the sword spin in the air before grasping it in a reverse grip as I leaped off the ground once again.

Twisting my hips, I let the rotational motion empower my swing as it neared Paul’s surprised face.

But even with the surprise, he easily dodged, and with me in the air, he sent his sword towards my vulnerable form with a flick of his wrist.

But I wouldn’t be outdone so easily.

I brought my open palm to the flat side of his approaching blade, and by guiding the blow to the side, I used the basics of the Water God style to counter-attack by having my parry flow seamlessly into a sword strike.

“Hup!”

But instead of landing a clean strike on his neck, I was sent back by a punch to my side.

Damn North God style!

Landing on the ground, I prepared to reset my stance, only to see a wooden sword coming straight towards me.

I raised my sword in a hurry to block the strike, but Paul’s blade easily weaved around mine before landing a blow on my wrist, the pain causing me to involuntarily let go of my sword.

I… lost.

“Urk… shit,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Haha! Not quite good enough to win against me just yet, Leon!” Paul laughed. “Oh, and don’t use that word when Lilia and Zenith are around. I’ll definitely get hounded on by them if they hear something like that coming out of your mouth.”

Just as I was about to ask what I did wrong in our spar, I was interrupted by the sound of a pair of clapping hands.

“Nice try, brother!”

“You’re amazing, Leon!”

Smiling over at Rudy and Sylphy, I then got up and brushed off my dirtied clothes.

“Unfortunately, not amazing enough. Anyway, do you two wanna practice some magic before dinner time?”

I could as Paul about my mistakes later.

“Yeah! Let’s play!” Sylphy exclaimed.

Smiling at her cheerful tone, I picked up my sword off the ground. 

“Sure, just let me change out of my clothes first. Assuming that we’re done, Father?”

He shrugged in response, “Yeah. Just make sure to do some practice swings before bed. At least a thousand. Otherwise, you’ll never surpass your old man here.”

…He just always needed to get the last word in, huh?

Suppressing the urge to send him a middle finger, I made my way back inside, with Sylphy and Rudy following behind.

Haa… but he was right. 

I wanted to surpass him.

I could feel myself getting closer, but I still needed a final push to reach his level.

Could it do with that energy I felt whenever I focused on my sword?

Hmm… maybe. 

But I guess I’d find out sooner or later anyway.

— Paul Greyrat —

As the front door closed behind the three children, I finally released the tension I had been holding in, causing my shoulders to droop as I let out a pained sigh.

“Haa… that was a close one.”

Jeez… that kid was truly a monster.

I had been putting up a casual front, both due to my pride and to make sure Leon didn’t get conceited, but soon enough, I wouldn’t be able to keep up the act.

While he had always been a natural at the sword, recently, he’s been improving at a much faster rate, taking in every lesson like a sponge.

Perhaps he’s found some motivation to get stronger with Roxy leaving him?

I knew that love could do stuff like that.

Not only did he have his cute tutor wrapped around his little finger, but he also had his new little girlfriend sending obvious signals to him, even if neither of them knew it yet.

Haa… not even eight, and he already had two girls in the palm of his hand.

I guess I must have rubbed off on him more than I thought, huh?

…Zenith and Lilia definitely won’t like that.

Anyway, while Leon wasn’t my flesh and blood, I was still definitely proud of him and how much he had grown.

Hmm… he’ll probably be hitting Advanced rank soon, and after that, I wouldn’t really be qualified to teach him anymore.

…That was a bit embarrassing to think about.

Anyway, if he wanted to continue improving after that, I’d probably have to send him over to his ‘Big Sis’ Ghislaine, who I had helped get a job as a guard and a swordsmanship instructor with my cousin in Roa a couple of years ago.

Although, considering that she was now a Sword King, and also a beastfolk, I only really needed to do the introduction.

Those Boreas sure loved the Beast Race. 

Almost as much as my old folks, the Notos, loved big breasts.

Anyway, I probably wouldn’t even need to beg for her to train him, considering how close they were when he was smaller and how she asked how he was doing last time we met.

Plus… I had heard that the young lady over there had been kicked out of the noble school, so maybe he could flex some of his teaching skills too.

Seeing how smart Sylphy was, as well as her crazy magic skills, he was definitely cut out for it.

But for now… I might need to get back to my past training routine unless I wanted to get beaten in a spar by my son who hasn’t even had his second birthday.

That… would be a bit embarrassing. 

Even for me.

— Sylphiette —

Extending my wand, I tried to transform my mana into a wave of fire, just like Leon and Rudy did.

But to no avail.

“Guh! Haa… I can’t do it…” I grumbled.

“Yes you can, Sylphy,” Leon said.

The ball of lava that was hovering above his hand then transformed into a ball of glossy black rock, something Leon called ‘obsidian’.

It was very pretty.

Seeing that, I couldn’t help but think about the necklace he gave me for my birthday, as the green pendant at the centre was also made of this rock.

I wonder how he made it green though… it must have been very difficult.

But then again, he also let me use the wand his treasured tutor gave him, so I should have expected that level of kindness from him.

Both he and Rudy were very good to me, despite my hair.

Leon would even call it c-cute!

“-lphy? Sylphy?”

“Hwa-!?”

I jumped in surprise as Leon’s face suddenly appeared in front of me.

No, actually, it had been there for a while. 

I had just been lost in my thoughts…

“Jeez. No wonder you’re having trouble. You have to concentrate, silly,” he teased. “You’re having difficulty with fire, right? What’s the problem?”

I looked down at my hand.

Why couldn’t I do it?

I knew how important the image was to magic, but I had a clear image of flames, whether it be from the family stove or Rudy and Leon’s magic, so that wasn’t the problem.

I knew that I didn’t have a high affinity with fire magic, but even then, I should be able to do it to this level.

It was just so… frustrating.

Especially when the other two could cast magic so easily.

“I… don’t know…” I said sadly.

“Don’t know, huh? Hmm… you remember what fire is, right? And the three things that are needed for it?” he said.

I nodded my head. “Yeah. Heat, fuel, and air, right?”

“Yep,” he said with a nod. “The air part is easy. As for most spells, you can just use the surrounding air. Heat, other than the initial spark, is self-sufficient with the already burning fire. And fuel is just the magic power we use. So, what part do you think you are having trouble with?” he asked in his teaching tone.

The ‘teaching tone’, which I called it, was when he already knew the answer to a question but wanted me to find it out myself.

Some might call it annoying, but I knew that he was doing it for me. 

Plus… for some reason, I don’t think I could ever feel annoyed at Leon.

Anyway, he always makes sure to leave hints in his question, or at least the explanation before it, so let’s think, Sylphy!

Hmm… the air couldn’t be it, as I didn’t need to do anything to use it… so it was either the spark or the fuel.

And the fuel was just my magic power, so as long as I had good control of my mana, and a proper image, there shouldn’t be a problem with that either.

In that case… “Is it the spark?”

“Hmm~? Maybe, but I don’t know for sure. Here, let’s test it,” he then raised his hand and clasped it with mine, sending a shiver of excitement down my spine.

Before I could even think about that feeling, however, he continued, “Now, I’ll provide the ignition, so try to fire off that spell, okay?”

“O-Okay!”

Going through the same thing I did before, I released my mana, and to my surprise, a wave of fire shot forth, scorching the air as it flew before eventually fading into nothing.

“Whoa!” I exclaimed.

Leon clapped his hands. 

“Yep! That was pretty cool, Sylphy. Now that we know the ignition is the problem, let’s try to fix it. So… what do you imagine for the ‘heat’ or ‘ignition’ of the fire?”

“Hmm… usually a fireplace or one of your spells. It works for the other fire spells I do, so why doesn’t it work for this one?” I complained.

Leon shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not sure, to be honest. But if I had to guess, your image of heat was too unrefined and too weak. Considering Flame Wave is an Intermediate-rank spell, it might not be enough for it.”

“S-So what should I do?” I asked.

“Be more scientific!” he smirked. “Imagine the little particles of air buzzing around at high speeds and slamming against each other. Remember what I said about heat and friction, right? Try to use that image, as well as the basic image of what ‘fire’ is.”

Heeding his words, I extended my hand once again, thinking of the air rushing around, just as he said.

Okay… gather up the mana… concentrate and converge… fire… friction… heat…

“Ha!”

With a shout, I released the spell, and to my surprise, a giant wave of flame surged forth, melting the snow as it passed and even scorching the earth hidden below.

“I… I did it! Leon! I did it!”

Hopping on my feet excitedly, I then jumped into his arms with a smile.

“Well done. You’ve now reached the Intermediate rank in all four elements,” he said, lightly patting my head.

But as soon as I looked up to see his proud smile, my body froze.

My heart thumped in my chest and my face turned hot.

W-What?

What was this!?

It felt scary, but… good.

Slowly, I came back to my senses as I released my hold on him. “Y-Yes. It’s thanks to you…”

“Nonsense. I just gave you a push, is all,” he said nonchalantly.

M-Mother had talked about feelings like these before.

In fact, she had been talking about that kind of stuff ever since Leon started being my friend.

The feelings of liking someone, or even… loving them.

D-Did I love Leon? 

“Huh? Sylphy, why is your face so red?”

“N-No reason!” I quickly exclaimed.

Uuu… did I really love him?

Maybe? 

I don’t know… but I guess I have some time to figure these feelings out.

— Leon Greyrat —

We were well into winter now, and Mama was… well… going to be a Mama yet again.

She was pregnant.

As soon as the first signs of morning sickness appeared, I used a detoxification spell meant to identify diseases and complications, and as soon as I did, I discovered a second life growing in her belly.

If the timing was normal, I should be expecting a little sibling in the fall, which was a good time to have a child. 

I just hoped that the finances would be fine with such an addition, especially if Rudy wanted to go to Ranoa.

Walking up to Rudy’s door, I quickly opened it without knocking. 

“Rudy, it’s dinner… time…”

My words trailed off as I looked into his room, only to reveal him kneeling in reverence in front of a… pair of panties.

Now, as I often helped Lilia with the laundry with my water magic, I knew that they weren’t Mama or Lilia’s.

They were way too small.

And considering he had already admitted to it a while back… were they Roxy’s?

I didn’t think he was serious about that.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Praying to my Goddess’ holy relic, of course,” he answered nonchalantly, still praying.

“And who is this Goddess, exactly?” I asked.

“Master Roxy, of course,” he responded smoothly.

So it was Roxy’s…

Walking up to him, I then lifted him by the scruff of the neck, “Hey!”, as I picked up the ‘holy relic’ with my other hand. 

“Seriously? Why do you even want this thing, brother? Isn’t it just a piece of cloth?” I said.

Standing up on his own feet, Rudy then gave me a confident grin. 

“Oh how blind, dear brother of mine. That might have been only a simple piece of cloth… if not for the scent that has been bestowed upon it.”

…What?

“What scent?” I asked before cautiously sniffing the clothing in question.

Hmm… it’s musty… but also a little sour with a hint of sweetness.

But still… I couldn’t understand.

“What’s so great about the scent, brother? You know I can make you some incense from the forest if you want, right?” I asked.

Rudy then wagged his finger in a disapproving manner. 

“Idiot. It’s not about the scent itself, but rather, where it came from. You do know what I’m talking about, right?”

‘Where it came from’?

But panties only touch a woman's…

I felt my face heat up in a blush as I instantaneously formed a sphere of whirling hot water around the panties.

“Y-You pervert! What the hell are you thinking!?” I stammered, extremely flustered by the images that were appearing in my mind.

T-To think of Roxy like that!

T-To think that smell was from Roxy!

D-Disgusting!

The brother in question, though, only looked at my hand with sorrowful bewilderment. 

“The scent…” he said in anguish.

I deposited the now-soaked and cleaned panties on the ground.

“I-If you do something like that with Sylphy, I’ll start going serious in our spars, got it!?”

Instead of answering, Rudy simply dropped dejectedly to his knees. 

“Brothers… why do they always destroy my things?”

You destroyed my room!

Haa… no, I was past that.

“Now c’mon. It’s dinner time. And if you respect Roxy that much, then pray to the amulet she lovingly made for you instead. Not her… panties,” I said before heading down the stairs.

Seriously… he was way too much like Paul, especially in his womanizing ways.

My father wasn’t a bad man, by any means. 

I would actually say Paul was quite a good man, and there was a reason why women swooned over him.

But to show such perverseness as a child… I was worried about what my dear little brother would grow into.

If he strayed too far… I would be sure to bring him back to his senses.

Heading back downstairs, I helped Lilia set the table before Rudy showed his face a bit later.

“What’s wrong, son?” Paul asked.

Rudy shook his head. “Nothing Father… it’s just… the essence of divinity… has been lost…”

“Uh… okay?” Paul responded, confused.

Yeah… I was lost too, Father.

With the table set, and everyone ready to eat, we were then interrupted by Lilia taking a nervous bow.

“I’m terribly sorry,” she said, sending a pained glance my way. “I’m… pregnant.”

In that instant, everyone froze, and the air became enveloped in a chill as if the door had been left open on a cold winter night.

The question of who was the father passed briefly through my mind, but considering the fact that she never left the house save for maidly duties, the answer was obvious.

Paul, ever since Mama discovered she was pregnant, had needed to go without sex. 

Something I was grateful for, as I no longer needed to do something to distract myself from the noises, but considering the lustful nature of the man… it was obvious what had happened after being starved of such an act.

With everyone’s gazes falling onto the man, he quickly took a deep bow. 

“I’m, uh, sorry… that one’s… probably mine.”

Yes. That was quite obvious, Paul.

I could slowly feel the respect for him that had grown over our swordsmanship lessons, and his general attitude around Rudy in trying to set a good example as a father, fade away to nothing but disdain.

Despite all the morals he preached about ‘being a man’ and ‘keeping your promises’, it seemed that he had forgotten about his most important promise to Mama.

Mama slowly rose from her seat before walking over and slapping the man, leaving a large red handprint on his face.

I also wanted to slap the man, or maybe even go a step further, but I held myself back.

There were more important matters to discuss.

Now… how would we deal with this, I wonder.

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

Mama sat back down before eventually breaking the silence after a long, painful moment of silence. 

“Well? What do we do now?”

That was the question indeed.

“After I’ve assisted with the lady of the house’s birth, I assume I would take my leave from your house-”

“Absolutely not,” I said, firmly interrupting Lilia’s nonsense. “I’ll leave the final decision up to Mama, but I will absolutely not let you give birth in some unknown place and then travel alone with an infant.”

Besides the health concerns, she would also be an easy target for bandits, as she was unable to defend herself even without the burden of birth due to her wounded leg, not even mentioning what complications having an infant would bring.

“Yes… yes, I suppose so. The child is innocent in this,” Mama said, talking more to herself than to the table.

Paul, who was dejectedly sitting in the corner, decided to speak up, “Dear, surely we could-”

“You shut up!” Mama quickly cut him off.

I sent a death glare toward the man as he shrank in on himself like a scolded child.

I was livid. 

Not only had he broken Mama’s heart, but he had also caused Lilia’s situation to be put in peril.

All because of his uncontrollable lust.

Mama started to chew on her nails as she mulled over the situation.

The source of her anxiety was obvious. 

Not only was Paul found to be unfaithful, but she had also become good friends with Lilia over the years, so she wouldn’t want her or her child to suffer.

Balancing such feelings of affection and betrayal, especially when they were towards the only two adults she met on a daily basis, must have been a terrible feeling.

So, not wanting her to feel alone, I made my way over before sitting on her lap.

Taking me into a hug, she buried her face into my hair as she squeezed across my chest.

Almost… a little too hard.

I wasn’t Paul, Mama. I’m innocent here.

My presence seemed to calm her down a bit as she took a deep breath.

Letting her pat my head, I looked over at Lilia, whose face was clouded in a myriad of emotions.

Sadness, anxiety, acceptance, and most importantly… regret and remorse.

Good. 

If she felt that way, then we could somehow salvage this, because despite how much I loved Mama, and how sad I was that she had been betrayed by her two most trusted people… I loved Lilia too.

And feeling the scarf that was wrapped snugly around my neck… I knew she loved me in return.

She could have left to join her family at any time, as her father owned a well-respected Water God dojo, but instead, she stayed here.

She… loved this family too.

Looking over at Rudy, I saw that he also seemed displeased about the situation, and as if we were somehow telepathically connected, we looked into each other’s eyes before nodding with an untold agreement.

We would help Lilia.

Despite the sickening feeling I felt about betraying Mama like this, I didn’t want these happy family times to end.

Besides, I knew that Mama was the kindest person in the world, so she absolutely wanted to forgive Lilia, especially when her life was on the line with the consequences of not doing so.

The only problem was that her religion and upbringing wouldn’t allow her to do so without just cause. 

So… there just needed to be an excuse she could use for herself.

I still hated this feeling of betraying Mama, though.

“Mother?” Rudy said in a childlike tone. “How come everyone’s acting so glum about how I’m going to have two new siblings at once?”

…That was a bit too childish and naive, little brother of mine.

“Haa… because your father and Lilia did something they shouldn’t have,” Mama answered.

“I see… but, is Lilia allowed to go against Father’s wishes?” Rudy said.

Oh, I see… this is a good route indeed. 

And honestly, it was likely the truth.

“What do you mean by that?” Mama asked.

Lifting my head, I continued, “Roxy taught us about the Asura Kingdom and how the nobility acted. Considering Lilia was a maid at the palace… she must have expected to be used by Father for such urges, just as she was trained to. And it’s not like she could refuse anyway. What place was there for her to turn to?”

Mama’s grasp on me tightened. “What? Is this true?”

Lilia, still looking guilty, widened her eyes as she looked at Rudy and me as if what we had said had been the entire truth.

Paul… you bastard.

Other than wanting to protect my family, and also be able to save Roxy in a dungeon, I had yet another goal to be stronger.

To kick that fucker’s ass.

“A few days ago,” Rudy continued. “I was passing Lilia’s room when I heard Father saying something like ‘If you don’t want me to tell anyone, spread your legs!’, so I only assumed…” 

…Laying it on a little thick, there. 

Unless he wasn’t lying, of course.

“Huh!? What the hell-!?”

“I said to shut your mouth!” Mama snapped at Paul once again before turning to the despondent maid. “Lilia? Is what Rudy and Leon said true?”

Lilia’s gaze wandered as she tried to put together a reply. “W-Well, it’s true that I was expected to do such things, but… umm…”

“Ah, I see,” Mama said softly. “You can’t bring yourself to say it out loud.”

Paul, meanwhile, was simply opening and closing his mouth repeatedly in shock like a dead fish.

Serves you right.

“Mother, I don’t think Lilia is to blame,” Rudy said.

“I suppose not.”

“I think Father is to blame,” Rudy continued.

“I suppose so.”

“It isn’t right that Lilia is in such a position because of something that is Father’s fault,” Rudy finished.

“Mmm… I suppose you’re right.”

Shifting my posture, I then looked up into Mama’s eyes.

I… really hated deceiving her like this.

Well, actually, everything I said was the truth, so I wasn’t really deceiving her, but it still felt… dirty.

“Mama… they would both be siblings to me… and to Rudy too. Lilia’s been with us for so long, she’s family at this point,” I said with upturned eyes. “A-And… I know that you would love Lilia’s child too… just as you do with me.”

I hated attacking her weak point like this.

Please… forgive me, Mama.

“Haa… yes… you’re right,” she said, giving me a small kiss on my forehead. “I get it, you two win.”

Placing me on the floor, she then got up and walked over to Lilia, pointing down at her with a commanding tone, “Lilia, I insist- no, I demand that you stay with us! As Leon said, you are family at this point, so I’m not letting you do something so foolish as to leave!”

There was the kind and compassionate Mama I’ve come to know and love.

Lilia, who was barely holding back her tears, quickly bowed in thanks. “I-I…”

I guess she was still stunned, huh? 

I would have to talk to her later.

With Mama sending one more cold glare to Paul, she then made her way upstairs, and Rudy and I quickly followed after her.

Mama entered her room before slumping onto the bed and holding her head in her hands before Rudy walked in after her, with me trailing behind him, waiting in the doorway.

“Mother,” Rudy said. “The stuff I said before was a lie. Please don’t hate Father.”

Well, Mama could forgive Paul if she wanted to, but I wouldn’t as easily.

As I entered the room, I watched as Mama, who was holding Rudy, grimaced. 

“I know, sweetie. I would have never fallen in love with a man who was that terrible.”

I felt my body tense up. 

She… knew?

“Your father’s got a weakness for women and a boundless lust, so I’d prepared myself for this day. I was just shocked when it suddenly happened. And with Lilia no less,” she continued.

Feeling my eyes tear up, Mama then looked over at me with curiosity that soon turned to worry. “Leon? What’s wrong?”

Trying to quell the stifling feeling in my chest, I answered, “I-I’m sorry! I… I didn’t want to lie to Mama!”

The dam broke, and I felt the tears roll down my cheek as I stood there.

“Oh, sweetie,” Mama said with a soft smile before she opened her arms. “Come here.”

Running into her arms, she slowly raked her hand through my hair as I slowly calmed my sobbing.

“It’s okay, sweetie. You were doing it for us, right? You’re such a good, strong boy for that. Both of you are,” she said softly.

“I… I just didn’t want our happy family to break up!” I cried.

I didn’t want these happy times to end.

No doubt, if Lilia left, Mama would be sad.

I would be sad.

Everyone would be sad.

I… I didn’t want that.

“Shh, I know,” Mama said softly. “I know, and I forgive you, okay? Mama forgives you.”

She then kissed the top of my head, before repositioning Rudy and me so that we were both sitting on her lap.

Letting the comfort of her hold slowly calm me down, the three of us sat in silence for a few moments before Rudy eventually spoke up, “Mother… what did you mean by Father having a weakness for women?” 

Mama released a sigh. “Not as much recently, but back in our adventuring days, he was pretty indiscriminate with the ladies. Leon knows this too.”

I nodded my head in agreement before resting it back on Mama’s shoulder.

“Yes. You probably have more than a few older brothers and sisters out in the world,” Mama continued.

I could feel the gentle hand on my back increase in pressure.

“Don’t grow up to be someone like that, understood, you two?” she said.

We both nodded our heads.

“Leon, make sure you treat Sylphy well. And Rudy, too, treat whatever girl you end up with nice and good,” she continued.

Her hand was hurting now.

“I got it, Mother! I-It hurts!” Rudy exclaimed.

She relented her grip on Rudy’s head and lessened her pressure around my torso.

“Good,” she said.

Snuggling closer to her, I then brought up my idea, “I think Rudy should spend tonight with you, Mama. And Paul can take Rudy’s bed as punishment. Or the stables.”

Mama nodded her head. “That sounds like a great idea! Rudy, you don’t mind sleeping with me, do you?”

“Not at all, Mother!”

And so, with that, the family emergency came to an end… mostly.

I was sure that even with this, things wouldn’t be the same.

Mama and Lilia’s relationship would take some time to repair, and Paul wouldn’t get any second chances. 

If the man screwed up again, I would either kick him out on my own or run to Lina to help me do so.

I still remembered her promise, after all.

— Leon Greyrat —

With Paul sleeping soundly in Rudy’s room, and Rudy being smothered by Mama’s sleeping figure, I found myself in front of Lilia’s doorway.

I was feeling… conflicted, about her.

I was angry, for sure. 

After all, not only had she hurt and betrayed Mama, but she had also nearly killed herself and her child with the consequences.

But… I also could understand that right now, she needed someone.

And if Paul tried to be that someone with his womanizing nature, I would finally test how well a Rock Bullet spell could pierce human flesh, so here I was.

Knocking on the door twice, I then opened it, revealing a moonlit bed that Lilia was currently curled up on.

Lilia raised her head from her arms.

“Leon? What are you doing here at this hour?” she asked with a trembling voice.

I see… as expected, her true emotions weren’t as stone-cold as the facade she put up before.

“I… want to talk. And also to make sure you’re not alone. So… can I sleep here?” I asked.

Her lips curled into a bittersweet smile before she patted the space beside her. “Of course you can.”

Closing the door behind me, I then laid down next to her, facing away as she hesitantly wrapped her arm around me.

“...I was the one who seduced Paul,” she suddenly said.

Ah… so that was the case. 

It didn’t mean I was going to forgive Paul, though.

“Why?” I asked.

She sighed, “I had no intention of doing such a thing when I first came here, but hearing them moan night after night… and clean up their room the next day with the smell of-”

“Okay, okay! I don’t need the details!” I cut her off. “So… basically you succumbed to your… needs, right?”

“Shamefully, that is the case,” she affirmed.

But… that still didn’t answer the question at hand. 

“Why did it have to be Paul? Couldn’t you have found any random villager? I know you’re pretty enough to do so…”

Patting my head, she answered, “Thank you for the compliment, but I suppose… I wanted Paul. The last man to make advances on me was a disgusting minister in the Asuran Palace, so having a handsome man like your father look and touch me in such a way… it was a nice feeling.”

…I see.

While I was still angry at her, I couldn’t completely blame her for feeling that way.

She had just fallen for his charms much like every girl he picked up during our adventuring days.

“Besides,” she continued. “We also had somewhat of a history, despite parting on unfavourable terms.”

My body tensed at her words. “A… history?”

“Why yes. When I was younger…”

Lilia then went on to explain how Paul trained at her family’s dojo, and how he was often bullied by the seniors for showing no respect and being so skilled at the sword.

So, as the prideful man Paul was, and still is, upon his departure he decided to get back at them while also having some fun of his own.

By raping Lilia.

I knew just how important virginity was to a lady thanks to Mama’s constant teachings, and I also knew how horrible it would make a girl feel to have what is supposed to be a beautiful moment stolen away from you.

So, to put it simply, I was very angry.

“...I’ll kill him.”

“Don’t be so rash, Leon. I have already forgiven him, and considering the many disgusting men that are in the world, I consider myself lucky to have had my first time with a man like Paul,” Lilia said with a small chuckle.

Brushing her hand through my hair, she continued, “So forgive him, much like how Rudeus and you forgave me. You smart kids definitely knew it was not only Paul’s fault, but you still protected me, right?”

I turned my head into the pillow. “I… I didn’t lie about not wanting you to leave. You’re… family.”

Her hold on me tightened lovingly. “I know. And I am forever grateful for it. I will not forget this debt. And once this child is born, I will make sure they understand this as well.”

…What the heck was she talking about?

Turning over to her, I glared at Lilia. “Your child will not be in my debt. That’s dumb. They’ll be my sibling which I will protect and dote on, got it?”

She seemed surprised at my anger, as her eyes widened in shock.

“Listen,” I continued, “when I said I see you as family, that wasn’t something said lightly. To me, you are more like a second mom, or a housewife, rather than an employed maid.”

Her eyes started to brim with tears.

Seeing that, my tone softened as I wrapped my arms around her head. 

“So… don’t insult yourself by thinking of my words as a lie. That you being my family is a lie. To me… you are family.”

I felt her head nod in my hold. “I-I understand… thank you, Leon.”

“Good,” I said. “And just so you know, I will be very sad if you betray Mama again. Or your child, for that matter.”

She chuckled lightly, “I have no plans to, Leon. And I’m… sorry. For making such a difficult situation fall onto you and Rudy’s shoulders.”

Shaking my head, I let go of her before leaning my head on the pillows once again.

“It’s fine. I forgive you. But… Huam~ I’m tired now.”

“Fufu, of course, Leon. Goodnight,” she said, kissing my forehead.

“Goodnight… Lilia.”

And with that, the tumultuous day came to an end.

— Information of the Six-Faced World —

Languages of the World

While accents and dialects of the same language differ from place to place, six languages are used throughout the world among the different races.

Human Tongue: The Human tongue is used by the Human Race, primarily in the Central and Millis Continent, although it is prominently used elsewhere.

Demon God Tongue: The Demon God tongue is used by the Demon Races, which mainly live in the Demon Continent.

Beast God Tongue: The Beast God tongue is used by the Beast Race, Dwarves, and Elves, who mainly live in the Great Forest of the Millis Continent.

Fighting God Tongue: The Fighting God tongue is used by the Human Race in the Begaritt Continent. It is very similar to the Human tongue, with small changes in vocabulary.

Sky God Tongue : The Sky God tongue is used by the Heaven Race, which lives in the Heaven Continent.

Sea God Tongue: The Sea God tongue is used by the Ocean Race, which lives in the oceans of the world.

— Leon Greyrat —

I had just turned eight years old, and with Mama and Lilia heading into the second trimester of their pregnancy, I had come to a decision.

“Paul,” I said to the man. “I want a job.”

Paul stopped his swings before turning to me. “Hm? What for?”

I felt my eyebrow twitch in annoyance. 

“Well, you’ve gone and impregnated two women. Do you expect our current income to be sufficient? What about when Rudy ends up going to Ranoa? What if both of my little siblings want to go to Ranoa too? Did you think about that, Paul?”

He scratched his cheek bashfully. “You don’t need to worry about that stuff, son. We’re earning more than enough to make a living.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want us to simply ‘make a living’,” I said, continuing my set of swings. “I want my siblings to thrive. And you won’t even need to do anything except find me a job. I’m a Saint-ranked water magician and an Intermediate-rank swordsman who knows advanced arithmetic and can read and write in both the human and Demon God tongues. If you can’t find a job with those credentials, then you really are hopeless.”

“Ouch! Your words hurt, you know!” he exclaimed.

Why yes, that was the point.

“Well…” he said with a frown, “I’ve had a place in mind for you for a while, though not for the money reason, but rather for your swordsmanship. But… you would need to prove to me that you’ve reached the Advanced rank in swordsmanship first.”

Oh?

Thinking ahead?

How unlike him.

“And how do I do that?” I asked.

He then placed his sword on his shoulder with a smirk. “Follow me!”

Raising my eyebrow, I followed him as we eventually headed into the familiar woodlands that bordered the village.

Keeping my senses sharp, he eventually led me to a small clearing with a couple of large boulders in the centre.

Rapping his knuckle against the large rock, Paul then turned to me with a smirk.

“Cut through this thing, and you’ll be an Advanced-rank Sword God practitioner. Like me.”

“...That’s the test?” I asked with suspicion.

“That’s the test. Or at least the one my teacher gave me before I ran off. Now come on. Make sure you feel it, just like I told you,” he said confidently.

Yeah, his main advice for reaching the Advanced rank was just that: to ‘feel it’.

What was I feeling? 

I didn’t know. And neither did he.

Paul would only explain it by moving his sword and making stupid noises to go along with it.

But after studying the difference between his Intermediate and Advanced rank techniques, I figured something out.

His movements and technique across the two were mostly the same, but the only difference was that his Advanced-rank techniques held much more power.

Enough power that a practised slash could cut through a boulder, hence my current test.

‘Feel it’, huh?

There was definitely something magical about swordsmanship, as I could faintly feel my mana being spurred on whenever I focused on my sword during a swing.

So maybe that was the key? 

Letting my mana enhance my body in some way?

No… considering that Paul was able to slash through a boulder with a wooden sword, I would need to enhance my sword too.

Closing my eyes, I drew my sword to my side in a practised motion.

Right… if enhancement was what I needed to do, then I would need to let the mana flow through my body. 

Luckily, I had quite a bit of practice due to my magic control drills.

Letting the familiar heat flow through my veins and rise to the surface of my skin, I then attempted to coat my sword with the energy.

Empower… concentrate… focus…

Letting the cool air flow through my lungs, I felt something click in my mind, instantly increasing understanding of swordsmanship, as if a barrier that had been holding me back had just been shattered.

Flexing my legs, I launched forward while twisting my hips and extending my sword, the blade whistling through the air.

No… it wasn’t quite whistling.

It was completely silent.

With nearly no resistance, the rock was cut cleanly in two, a straight line bisecting the boulder as I finished my swing, and a sonic boom resounding in my ear a moment later.

I… I did it.

“Paul! I did it-!”

My excitement was cut off by a sudden attack as Paul’s beloved sword raced toward my neck with intense speed.

And that uncomfortableness… that was bloodlust.

That was a true strike meant to kill.

Acting on instinct, I raised my sword to defend, but knowing that blocking would not be enough, I tilted the blade slightly so that I warded off the strike rather than stop it.

Like water, I took his attack with the flat of my blade and redirected it to the side in a smooth and unwavering motion. 

And as a river swiftly flows, I fluidly morphed my parry into an attack of my own, my blade curving towards his face with a flick of my wrist.

But right before it landed, I halted the path of my sword.

Breaking out into a wide smile, Paul pushed my sword down with his finger.

“Congratulations, Leon. You’re now an Advanced-rank swordsman in both the Sword God and Water God styles.”

Placing my sword back in its sheath, I sent a glare his way. “Did you need to test me for the Water God like that? I nearly took your head off.”

Luckily, I came back to my senses right before a tragedy could occur. 

Actually, considering his recent actions, it wouldn’t have been that much of a tragedy, but I still needed him to get me a job before he died.

“But having discipline in the blade is part of the test, so it was necessary,” he lectured.

I just smirked in response, “You just didn’t expect me to counter, did you?”

“No comment,” he replied smoothly. “Anyway, let’s head back home, and I’ll write a letter of recommendation for you. Make sure you spend a good amount of the time you have left with your brother and Sylphy.”

“I will. And I’ll make sure to be back for a visit around the time of Mama and Lilia’s birth, so you don’t have to worry about getting a healer,” I said.

“Such a good son you are, eh?” he said, ruffling my hair.

As we began walking back, I asked what had been on my mind after hearing of his plan, “You said you had a place in mind for a job, but that it would also further my swordsmanship… what was it exactly?”

He puffed out his chest. “You remember Ghislaine, right?”

“Big Sis?” I asked in wonder.

“Haha. I’m sure she’ll be glad to hear that you haven’t forgotten her,” he said. “Anyway, since she’s a Sword King now, you’ll be able to further your skills better than with your old man here. After all, the only thing I have ahead of you in terms of ranks now is the North God Style.”

“I see… so she became a Sword King, huh?” I said wistfully.

If I was able to train under her… I hoped that I would finally get an explanation for swordsmanship techniques past just ‘feeling it’, and maybe get some proper instruction for a few techniques as well.

But a Sword King… it seemed that I would be advancing my abilities in the Sword God first then.

I would say that the Water God style was more natural for me, as my demeanour and control over my movements blended well into the basics of the style, but since the Sword God style was easier to learn from Paul, my skill in both were equally balanced despite the difference in raw talent.

As for why it was easier to learn from Paul? 

Well, that was because he used it most often, and it was also a fairly simple style, where I could copy his movements to increase my skills even with his limited and poor instruction.

But ideally, I would eventually be good at all the Three Major Schools, as merging all three would cover each of their weaknesses in combat.

That was one thing that Paul deserved praise for, at least.

“And what is the job exactly?” I asked.

“Tutoring,” he answered. “Considering how good Sylphy turned out, I figured you would be up for it. It would be the young lady of the household, so make sure you don’t get into her bed.”

Ignoring his lustful words, I thought about the information.

Tutoring, huh?

I guess I wouldn’t hate it, depending on whom the girl was.

I just hope she was as nice as Sylphy, or at least close to it.

Walking back home, just before we headed inside, I stopped, as did Paul, though he looked confused.

“So… once I leave… I’ll be gone for a while, I’m guessing?” I said.

Paul nodded his head. “Yep. While I wouldn’t mind you coming home, you have to put your job and training first.”

I then turned to look him in the eye.

“What’s with the serious expression, son?” he asked.

“You’re going to take care of Mama, right? No more mistakes?” I said.

“W-Well, I might make some mistakes,” I hardened my glare, “b-but I won’t betray her again! I promise! I’ll treat her real nice, just like she deserves!”

Well, at least he understood that much.

“That’s good, but you need to take responsibility for Lilia too. I don’t care whether it’s out of obligation for the mother of your child, or due to your guilt, but you have to make her happy too. Even if it means bearing Mama’s anger,” I said earnestly.

He nodded his head. “Of course. It’s my duty as- Wait, what do you mean by guilt?”

“I know what you did, Paul. Remember when you picked up the Water God style?” I said in a knowing tone.

His eyes widened and his face blanched. “S-She told you?”

“She told you what?” Mama said from the doorway with a commanding tone.

Well… I didn’t plan for this, but it was a welcome situation.

Maybe with this, Mama would be able to understand Lilia a bit more after knowing about her past, and hopefully warm up to her too.

It would be nice if they became best friends again, as it would also rid the house of the strained atmosphere that was currently present.

“Well? Out with it! I’ve been listening to you two for a while, so don’t try to hide it now,” Mama continued, tapping her fingers against her crossed arms.

Looking over at Paul, I shrugged my shoulders. “Either you can own up to it here, or I can ask Lilia to come and explain. Your choice.”

His face fell with betrayal.

“F-Fine, I got it. Well, you see…”

He then went on to explain what exactly happened that night, with a bit… too much detail and honesty.

So much detail and honesty, that when Lilia came over to check what was going on, her face instantly went red with what she overheard.

Did you have to describe how her bottom felt, Paul? Really? 

And I did not need to know the colour of Lilia’s nipples.

And judging from how Mama’s eyes were twitching, his attention to detail wasn’t earning him any praise with her either.

After finishing his story, Mama then walked over to him and gave him another slap on the cheek, this time it was the left one.

“I knew you were a womanizer, Paul, and I accepted that. But I never took you for scum!” she rebuked harshly, eyes narrowed in disdain.

Both Lilia and Paul attempted to interject, “I-It was a long time ago!”

“That doesn’t-! Haa… no, you’re right. I know you’ve changed. Even since we moved here, you’ve kept your promise for the most part…” Mama said with a sigh.

Rubbing her temples, she then looked over to Lilia. “So? Is this the reason why you slept with my husband?”

“I-I… yes… I suppose it is,” Lilia said shamefully.

“And you, Paul… you’ve apologized and repented?” she said, turning to Paul this time.

“Y-Yeah… at least I think so. After that, I promised myself to never force myself on a woman again,” he said.

“Right… Lilia, come here,” Mama said, beckoning her over.

Taking her hand, Mama then looked into Lilia’s wavering eyes before releasing a deep sigh, seemingly having decided on something.

“Yes… Leon said we were like family, right? Then we might as well make it official. Paul had already tainted you, after all,” Mama mumbled to herself before turning back to the scum. “Paul!”

“Yes!” he said.

“You will take Lilia as your wife, understood? And if you cheat on either of us again, I’ll take everyone back to Millishion and beg my mother for a position!” Mama said resolutely.

Paul, on the other hand, just looked confused.

“S-So… I can have you both?” he stammered.

“You won’t ‘have’ either of us! We’re not your wives, but rather, you are our husband that we share. Understood?” Mama said.

“O-Okay.”

“Good. Now let’s get started on dinner, Lilia,” she then led the still-stunned Lilia inside by the hand before slamming the door behind her.

Looking over at Paul, I watched as his gaping mouth slowly closed into a perverted smile. 

“Two wives, huh? And Zenith even brought out her commanding tone… ehehe.”

…Gross. 

I really wanted to smack that smile off his face.

He really was hopeless, huh?

— Leon Greyrat —

“No! No! No! You can’t go, Leon!” Sylphy cried into my chest.

Shaking my head with a small smile, I patted my sobbing friend on her head. “I have to, Sylphy. If I want to get stronger, that is. But I won’t be gone forever. I’ll be visiting once my siblings are due.”

Her arms still wrapped around me with an iron grip, I brought my head down to whisper into her ear, “Besides, I’ll be getting paid quite well, so I’ll be sure to get you something good for your tenth birthday.”

Her ears twitched as she eventually nodded her head. “O-Okay… as long as you promise to visit.”

With Sylphy relinquishing her grasp, I then turned to the other two women that were seeing me off.

“I’m sure you don’t need any advice, Leon. Just make sure to be safe,” Lilia said with a content smile.

Before I could respond, I found myself smothered in Mama’s arms, “Uuu~! My baby boy’s all grown up! I can’t believe he’s leaving me already! You have to send lots of letters and visit whenever you can, alright? Do you promise?”

“I’m sure he will, Miss-”

“Lilia! What have we talked about?” Mama interrupted sternly.

Lilia turned her head, “Sorry, Z-Zenny.”

Hee~? I guess their relationship got better than I thought.

Getting a kiss on the cheek from Mama, and a matching one from Lilia, I then turned to Rudy and Paul.

“Make sure to keep everyone happy, brother. We both know Father can’t be trusted,” I said, ruffling his hair.

“Hey!” Paul shouted.

I ignored him.

“And make sure to not ignore Sylphy, okay? And don’t do anything rude to her either,” my grip on his head tightened at that last part.

“Ow! I got it, brother!” he exclaimed.

Giving him a final tight squeeze, I then turned to Paul.

“And you… thanks for the job, I guess. Don’t make me come back to you sleeping in my room after another mistake,” I said.

“Jeez, you don’t trust me at all, huh?” he said, rubbing the back of his head.

“I trust you in things that you’re trustworthy in. Such as providing for the household and keeping everyone safe. Infidelity, on the other hand, is quite obviously not one of those things,” I returned with a smirk.

“Yeah, yeah. I get it, brat. The carriage is leaving now, so you gotta get going. Make sure you train hard under Ghislaine, understood?” he said.

I nodded my head.

Training under Big Sis, who was now a Sword King… why wouldn’t I take it seriously?

“Good! And if you end up laying with the young lady, just make sure you pull out- Ow!”

Paul’s advice was cut off by three simultaneous attacks. 

A pinch from Mama, a chop from Lilia, and a ball of ice from Sylphy.

“Just what are you saying to my son?”

“Paul… do not corrupt Leon with your debauchery.”

“D-Dirty! Disgusting!”

Ah… I was going to miss this.

But... how did Sylphy know what he was talking about? 

That's a little worrying… but I suppose she'd need to learn about that stuff eventually, and she was a curious child.

Hopping on the carriage, it began to set off as I waved back to my family.

“Bye! I love you! I’ll be sure to come back by fall!”

Soon enough, their waving figures became hidden behind the horizon as I departed from Buena Village towards the location of my next job.

The Citadel of Roa.

I was definitely sad about not seeing my family and Sylphy for a while, but I was also excited about what was to come.

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

“Here you are, young lad! You’re heading to the lord’s manor, right?” the stagecoach said.

Hopping off the carriage, I responded, “Yes, I am. They should be expecting me… hopefully.”

“Aye, then you should be fine. Just try to stay out of any alleys on your way there, alright? You’d be a prime target for muggers, after all.”

“Thank you, I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” I said with a bow.

Although… I doubt any mugger would want to try to steal from me.

After all, the arming sword strapped to my side wasn’t just for show, nor was the short sword hidden behind my back.

From what Paul had said, they should be expecting me at the gate, and if not, I had the letter of my employment’s acceptance ready if need be.

While my position as the tutor of the young lady of the house, one Eris Boreas Greyrat, was still tentative, I had already been accepted as a guard to the girl.

A duty I would be tasked with alongside my soon-to-be teacher, Ghislaine.

I was excited to see her again.

Walking up the vaguely recognizable streets of Roa, I soon found myself in front of the gates of the castle once again.

“Uhh… what are you doing here, kid?” one of the guards asked.

“I’m the new guard and possible tutor for the young lady, Leon Greyrat,” I answered smoothly with a bow.

Dammit… I asked Lilia for a basic on etiquette, but I still hated doing it, and hearing about the other stories she had about nobles…

Yeah, I could see why Paul decided to run away as a kid.

I guess I would just have to grit my teeth and bear with it, I suppose.

“You’re the new tutor? Aren’t you a little, uh… small?” he said.

Huh… I was getting déjà vu.

This must have been what Roxy had felt like, right?

No, considering the fact she was actually in her 30s when that happened, it probably felt even worse for her.

“I promise I am. Here, I have a letter-”

“Let him through.”

Just as I was about to rummage through my sack, I was interrupted by a familiar voice.

My eyes lighting up in excitement, I ran forward, wrapping my arms around the woman in a hug.

“Big Sis!”

“It’s been a while, Leon,” she smiled as she rubbed my head affectionately. “You’ve certainly grown up well.”

Removing my head from her chest, I looked up at her eye. “Yep! And I got pretty strong too!”

“I can tell,” she smirked. “Paul complained quite a bit in his letter, even the Young Master laughed quite a bit. However, that only made him more open to hiring you.”

I then separated from her as she gestured with her head. “Follow me. You should greet your new employer.”

With us walking through the estate, Ghislaine spoke up, “I suppose I should apologize for not picking you up. I assumed that you would be able to handle yourself just fine for the trip.”

“No worries! It was only seven hours, after all!” I said back. “Just sending the carriage was enough. Though it was a bit hectic since I had to get ready to leave in a day.”

“Mmm,” she hummed.

Although she was acting so stoic and serious, I could tell it was a front she was desperately trying to keep up, evidenced by her tail flicking back and forth.

It warmed my heart to think that she missed me that much.

Entering the same room as we did last time Paul brought Mama and me here, Ghislaine then motioned for me to sit down.

“We can talk later when we begin your training. For now, you will meet your new boss, Philip Greyrat, the Young Master of the manor and the mayor of Roa.”

Nodding at her words, I sat in wait, and luckily, it didn’t take long before the door opened to reveal the familiar man.

Though he had aged since the last time I saw him, he was still handsome and still had that calculating smile that turned his eyes into crescents.

“You must be Leon Greyrat, no? I’ve heard much of you from Ghislaine and Paul’s letter,” he said.

Standing up, I went through the formal bow meant for nobility that Lilia had taught me, “It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Leon Greyrat.”

“And I am Philip Boreas Greyrat,” he said, raising his eyebrow in surprise. “It seems you are somewhat knowledgeable in etiquette. Father will surely like that.”

“Yes, I learned from my… second mother,” Ghislaine snorted in amusement, “she used to be a maid for a noble family, thus she knew the basic etiquette I would be expected to use.”

“And in addition to that, you’re literate in two languages, an Advanced-rank swordsman, and a Water Saint, all before your second birthday? Paul seems to have raised you quite well,” he said, amused.

“Oh, no. It was rather the guidance of Mama- Ahem, my dear mother, and my magic tutor, Roxy Migurdia, that made me so,” I responded respectfully.

“I imagine,” he said with a smirk. “Now, how about we talk about your position, shall we?”

Sitting back down, I listened in on his words.

“As of right now, you are already to be the guard for my daughter, a healer, and also be acting as the manor’s mage when needed. Your salary for this will be five Asuran silver coins per month, alongside being trained by Ghislaine. Are there any questions about this?”

I shook my head.

“No, that is more than acceptable. And as for the tutoring position?” I asked.

He leaned forward, his expression turning a bit pained.

“The tutoring, huh? If you accept, you will be tutoring my daughter in arithmetic, reading, writing, and simple history. That will net you an additional three Asuran silver coins per month. Now… do you like girls?” he asked, steepling his fingers.

…What?

“Are you… asking if I am a homosexual?” I said, confused.

What a weird interview question.

“No, no. Rather, I am asking if I will have to worry about your father’s teachings interrupting your role,” he clarified.

Oh.

Is he asking if I would assault his daughter?

The one that is meant to be my student?

“You don’t have to worry about that. I am not as… lust-driven, as my father. And any ‘teachings’ I unintentionally picked up from him were quickly driven out by my mother,” I said.

“I see. Then you pass,” he said with a shrug.

That’s it?

“I-Is that all? Are you not going to question my teaching capabilities?” I asked.

“Unfortunately, I am not in the position to choose who can tutor Eris,” he said.

…Well that doesn’t sound good.

“...What does that mean exactly?” I asked.

“As you know, she has had… trouble, with the school for noble children. And the two tutors we went through left shortly after meeting her due to her violence,” he explained.

…I see. So she was a troublesome child.

And considering the fact she was likely a walking ball of noble pride, she was probably the complete opposite of Sylphy.

Haa… well, I’ll try.

“She seems like a ball of sunshine then,” I said jokingly.

“Ha. That is one way to put it,” he chuckled. “So? Are you up for it? Even when she’s scared away everyone else?”

“Yes, there is no harm in trying. Besides, were any of the other tutors Advanced-rank swordsmen?” I asked with a smirk.

Philip shook his head.

“No, they were not. Although that wouldn’t help much if you’re attacked in your sleep.”

…Sorry, what?

“But if you’re so confident… Thomas, can you send Eris down please?”

Now hold on a minute!

“Of course, Master,” the butler that was standing by the door said with a bow before leaving.

Twiddling my thumbs as I waited, eventually, the sound of pounding footsteps echoed from the open door.

“What is it, Father? Did you want something?”

A loud voice, overflowing with arrogance.

“Yes. Eris, come meet your new tutor,” Philip said.

Suddenly, a girl appeared in the door frame, with wavy, blazing red hair that reached down to her waist and a pair of narrow, sharp eyes that darted around the room before honing in on me.

Her nostrils flared as she pointed her chin upward. “Who’s this boy? Is he meant to teach me?”

She was fierce, that was for sure, but I could also see a bit of cuteness in her features that would shine if she wasn’t glaring so much.

Though… that didn’t seem to be happening any time soon.

Standing up, I decided to not bow to her, as she didn’t seem like someone who liked noble etiquette upon first impressions.

“You must be Eris, right? I’m Leon. Leon Greyrat. And I will be your tutor for the foreseeable future. So let’s get along.”

Her glare hardened as her lips spread into a snarl, teeth bared in anger.

“Just who do you think you are!? Trying to teach me? Me!?”

She then marches over before whipping her hand out to slap my cheek.

Violent… that indeed was an apt description for the girl.

My head tilted backward as the wind blew against my face from her missed strike.

“Huh!? Who do you think you are to dodge me!?”

Uh… I’m pretty sure most people would dodge, Miss Eris.

She tried to hit me a few more times, even resorting to closed-fist punches, but to no avail.

Her tirade only stopped when Ghislaine cut in, “Eris. It’s no use. While he is your age, Leon is already an Advanced-rank swordsman in both the Sword God and Water God styles. You’ll pass out before you land a hit on him.”

Eris’ eyes widened as she seemed to look at me with a new light.

At least, that was before the arrogance returned a moment later.

“Hmph!” she huffed, crossing her arms. “I’ve only seen him dodge like a coward! If you’re that strong, then hit me!”

My eyebrow raised as I looked over to Philip for permission, to which he nodded with a sly smile.

The hell…?

Allowing me to hit his daughter… this family is so weird.

“Well… you asked for it.”

My hand then whipped toward her, and as she tried to block, I decided to clip her nose with my strike, weaving smoothly past her arm.

“Ow!” she exclaimed. “You hit me!”

“You asked me to.” I shrugged.

Shaking my head, I watched as a small trickle of blood began to leak from one of her nostrils.

“Haa… Here, it must hurt, right? Let me heal you,” I then extended my hand slowly toward her face before casting Healing.

Chantlessly, of course.

“Oho? So that’s what he was talking about… quite amazing indeed,” Philip said from the side in admiration.

Eris, meanwhile, was simply looking at me with sparkling eyes.

Wait… this room… a red-haired girl my age… healing a bloody nose…

I remember something like this!

“It’s you! The one with shiny hands!” she exclaimed with excitement.

“Uh… yeah. I think I remember you too. You ran up to me before falling on your face, right?” I teased.

Her face turned bright red. “S-Shut up! T-That was years ago!”

“Apparently not long enough for you to forget, huh?” I smirked.

Her nostrils flared further in indignation. “W-Whatever! Forget about it! This instant!”

No, I don’t think I will…

Just as I was about to tease the girl further, another boisterous voice filled my ears, though this time, one of a man.

“Philip! Is he in here!?”

With the sound of thunderous footsteps heading into the room, a buff, muscular man then entered, who looks to be in his fifties.

He had dark brown hair, peppered with streaks of white, and a large moustache that stretched across his slightly wrinkled face.

“Are you the one to teach my dear Eri!?”

Well… I guess I knew who Eris took after.

Taking a similar practised bow as I did with Philip, I introduced myself to the man, “Nice to meet you. I am Leon Greyrat. I hope to be in your gracious employ.”

“Hmph!” the man huffed. “Passable! You seem to have some manners on you, boy! Be sure not to lose them!”

That was… easier than I thought?

That’s good. He seemed like a troublesome fellow to have on your bad side.

“Am I to assume you are the Master of this household? Sir Sauros Boreas Greyrat?” I asked.

While I was being employed by Philip, I did know that Sauros here was the liege lord of the region of Fittoa, and by extension, Philips's boss, while also being his father.

Which meant he was also Paul’s uncle, though aside from the pride, I couldn’t see the connection.

I didn’t care too much about the family tree, but I knew that I could be fired at his command, so it was good to be accepted by him.

“Grandfather!” Eris exclaimed, jumping into the man’s arms.

The two seemed to share a secret conversation through whispers, as Sauros then placed Eris on the ground and turned to me.

“Leon! I have a request!” he shouted before pointing his chin at me. “Teach Eris magic!”

…Huh? Is that what they were talking about?

Looking at Eris who was smiling happily behind him, eyes shining with anticipation, that seemed to be the case.

Hee~? Did she like my ‘shiny hands’ that much?

How cute.

“Is this a request of Eris herself?” I asked.

“It is indeed!” Sauros shouted again, causing me to slightly wince at the volume.

God… so loud.

How did Ghislaine stand this man with her enhanced hearing?

“While I would gladly accept the assignment without any extra pay, I think it would be best to have Eris ask me of this herself. Consider this my first task as her tutor,” I said, eyes shining with mirth.

Not only would it be a good way to make sure she didn’t run to her apparently doting grandfather for everything, but this was also a way to cement myself as her tutor, at least in the meantime.

She seemed to respect strength, for better or worse, so if I was simply able to make her consider intelligence as a sort of strength, I had a feeling it would be relatively smooth sailing.

“For what reason!?” Sauros shouted.

I raised my head so that our gazes clashed. “I simply think that Eris should learn to be able to ask for things by herself. It will be useful for when she grows up, as I’m sure you already know.”

He brought his hand to his chin in thought. “Hmm… You make a fair point. Eris! Ask this favour of him on your own!”

Eris, on the other hand, was shocked. “W-What!? You said you would ask him for me!”

Sauros shook his head. “You need to learn to bow your head when asking for something. Now, be sure to use the proper attitude! Understood!?”

Eris clenched her teeth as she turned her glare toward me, eyebrows scrunched up in humiliation.

She was, as Paul would call it, very pissed off.

I didn’t think her pride was this big… to be so angry at being told ‘no’.

Taking a few stomps toward me, she then took two fistfuls of her long, red hair before pulling it to the sides, making a tail on each end of her temples.

“P-Please teach Eris magic, nyan!”

…What?

“Don’t worry about teaching Eris reading or writing, nyan!”

No… hold on. What the hell was going on?

“Arithmetic doesn’t matter either, nyan!”

She was trying to act cute, but the way she smiled only gave me chills, similar to how Mama’s sometimes did, but worse.

Her cheeks burned bright red, and her eyes were slightly wet with unshed tears.

Oh… I see… so she was humiliated.

“Fine, yes. I’ll add it to the curriculum, so there’s no need to keep doing that,” I said quickly.

She returned to normal in a hurry.

“G-Good! Hmph! I’m going to my room!”

Before she promptly ran out of the room.

I see. So she hated whatever the heck that was almost as much as I did.

Wait…

“Master Philip?” I asked.

“Mister Philip is fine. But what is it?” he said.

“That way of asking for favours… is it some sort of tradition?” I asked.

“Why of course!” Sauros exclaimed.

I see.

“Is that tradition perhaps a way of making asking for favours difficult in order to teach her how dangerous favours are in the world of nobility?” I asked.

It was, in a way, genius.

By drilling into children at a young age the ‘shame’ of asking for help would make them less reliant on them in the future-

“Huh? That’s not the case at all,” Philip said, cutting off my thoughts. “You see, the Master, as well as the entire Boreas household, have a great fondness for beastfolk. So that is simply a way of imitating them. It’s quite cute, no?”

…Nevermind.

It went without saying that I was slightly disappointed.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

The Greyrat Noble Family

The Greyrat family noble bloodline is a prominent noble family of the Asura Kingdom that can be traced back to the royal family. The men of the Greyrat bloodline are infamous for their sex drive and perversion.

The Greyrat family is divided into these four noble houses: Notos, Boreas, Euros, and the Zephyrus, named after the ancient wind gods. With each noble house acting as the leading family for each region.

— Leon Greyrat —

“So you… ate animal shit?” I asked hesitantly.

“Indeed I did,” Ghislaine answered. “I got cheated out of money due to my inability to read, as well as my incompetence in arithmetic, and I was left with nothing but a few coins, which I used to have a scribe write a letter to Paul. At least he kept his promise with me, unlike with Zenith.”

A Sword King… nearly dying from starvation due to being stupid… how ridiculous.

“But you seemed to have your fair share of problems dealing with Paul, huh?” Ghislaine said, ruffling my hair.

“Ehe~, yeah. But I think I got him in line now… Hopefully. And if I don’t, I now have some income, so Mama can kick him out without an issue,” I said.

“Good boy,” Ghislaine said with a smile.

As I had already dropped off my stuff in my new room, I was now getting a tour of the castle from Big Sis Ghislaine as we talked about how the past few years had treated us.

Ghislaine, unlike me, seemed to have quite a tough time, especially after leaving the Sword Sanctum once again.

“So… you had trouble because you weren’t intelligent, right?” I asked cautiously.

Ghislaine nodded her head. “Yes. So please teach the Young Miss well.”

“I will, don’t worry. But… would you want to learn too?” I asked.

She looked down at me with a warm smile. “Thanks for the offer, Leon, but I wouldn’t want to increase your burden.”

I shook my head. “No, considering how much Eris respects you, it will probably be helpful to have you there. And besides, aren’t you training me in swordsmanship for free?”

“Your training is simply part of your pay. And I’m teaching you because we’re… family, in a way,” she said, looking away.

My lips stretched into a grin as I gave her a hug. “Of course we are, Big Sis! That’s why I don’t mind teaching you as well!”

She looked to the side. “Still…”

Hmm… was it a sort of pride getting in the way?

Haa… it must be something in the air around here, huh?

Or maybe it was something similar to Roxy, with the teacher not wanting to be taught sort of thing.

At least not without equal exchange.

“Then how about this,” I proposed. “You teach me the Beast God tongue, and also help me out whenever Eris is neglectful in her studies, and in exchange I’ll have you join in on Eris’ lessons. Deal?”

She mulled over it for a moment before responding, “Fine. Deal. Now come on. It’s time I see how well Paul has trained you.”

Although she sounded quite indifferent, her flicking tail once again told me otherwise.

Finding ourselves in the flat, dirt training ground, Ghislaine then tossed a wooden sword my way.

“Remind me of your rankings again?” she asked.

“Advanced-rank in the Sword God and Water God styles and Intermediate-rank in the North God style,” I responded while testing the weight of the sword with a few swings.

“Alright. Now, try your best, okay?” she said.

“Uh, okay-!?”

Before I could respond, I heard the wind shriek as her form blurred toward me, and raising my sword, I was able to twist to the side just in time to ward off her strike.

“Hmm… good. You are indeed at the Advanced rank in the Water God style,” she said before blurring again, prompting me to raise my sword to defend.

The one-sided spar continued like this until the sun began to set, and I was able to engrave the difference between a talented Advanced-rank like Paul, and a genuine Sword King, deeply into my body.

Needless to say, I got some good healing magic practice afterwards.

— Eris Boreas Greyrat —

Leon Greyrat… that was the person who was supposed to be my new tutor.

He was supposedly smart, but if he was, I was glad he didn’t show it in the annoying way Father did.

Talking so annoyingly… it made you look weak!

Anyway… I remember Leon from before, though the memory was faint.

It was that memory where I saw such a pretty sight flow from his hand that made me beg to be taught magic in such an embarrassing way.

Was he truly my age, though?

Father seemed to like him, and Ghislaine did too, and most importantly, he was trusted despite barely being here for a day.

Why was there such a big difference between us?

So, to find out, I decided to spy on their training session, which annoyingly coincided with what was supposed to be my own swordsmanship lessons.

But Ghislaine said she needed to test him, so I suppose I would let it slide.

Thwack!

“Damn, Big Sis! You’re super fast!”

“Focus, Leon.”

‘Big Sis’?

And the way Ghislaine chided him with a warm smile… I guess they were closer than I thought.

Ghislaine did mention that she knew him from her adventuring days…

But thinking about that only made me more jealous!

Watching them dart around the training ground, kicking up dust and snow with every movement as their wooden swords clacked together, I found my mind in a struggle between admiration and bitter envy.

He was my age, right?

So why… why was he so much better than me already?

This was swordsmanship, something I was touted as naturally gifted in, but he was already so far ahead!

Didn’t he have that boring academic stuff and magic already?

Leave Ghislaine and the sword for me!

But still… despite those thoughts… I also couldn’t help but gaze at the boy with a hint of… not anger.

He was pleasant to look at, I suppose.

With golden hair that reached his shoulder tied into a short ponytail, and a handsome yet cute face… but that wasn’t what kept my eyes from wandering.

Rather, it was his strength.

Ghislaine had been with us for nearly two years now, and I had yet to see someone keep up with her as well as Leon was doing right now.

Even among the knights, there was only a couple that could move as fast as they were.

Each speedy attack would be redirected to the side, and each time he attacked in turn, Ghislaine would be forced to defend seriously.

She wasn’t going all out, that much I could understand.

But still… it was… amazing.

“Gah!” Leon exclaimed, clutching his arm in pain.

“That’s enough,” Ghislaine said.

“You did well, and now I know exactly what you need to work on. You’ve taken your training seriously, it seems. Zenith must be proud,” she continued, rubbing his hair affectionately.

I couldn’t help but grit my teeth.

Why couldn’t Ghislaine do that more with me?

Why couldn’t Father or Mother look at me that proudly and tell me I did a good job?

I… I was trying too, in my own way!

Leon’s arm then set alight in that familiar shining glow as his bruises and cuts began to heal.

That… was healing magic, right?

I remember seeing it done before by one of Grandfather’s healers, but for some reason, even though their hands glowed, it wasn’t as pretty as his.

I guess that’s another thing he’s better at, huh…

Dammit!

“Anyway,” Ghislaine said, looking my way. “Eris. Come on out.”

Hah!? I-I was found out?

N-No! This is fine!

It’s only natural for me to survey the manor, right?

It was rightfully mine, after all!

So, with confidence, I stepped out from behind the tree before walking up to Leon.

“You!” I shouted. “How are you so skilled!?”

He blinked before showing me a kind smile.

W-What’s with that? Isn’t he going to shout back at me?

“It’s simply because I started training earlier. Ghislaine told me how talented you are, so I’m excited to train with you,” he said, sticking out his fist.

Huh? What’s that?

“Eris, it’s a common greeting amongst adventurers to connect fists. Much like a noble’s bow of introduction,” Ghislaine explained.

“Aha! I see!” I exclaimed. “W-Well! I… I suppose I’ll permit you to join me in swordplay!”

I then extended my fist towards his. “And I’ll also gratefully exchange your greeting!”

Leon, on the other hand, only grew a teasing smirk. “You’re grinning pretty happily, you know.”

“What!? S-Shut up! I’m leaving! Hmph!”

I then turned and began walking away, stomping back toward my room.

Dammit!

I wish I could smack that smug smile off of his face!

— Leon Greyrat —

A day had passed since my arrival in Roa, and it was time for my first set of lessons with Eris.

The only problem… was that she wouldn’t show up.

“Haa… I really wish I could just drag her back, but I don’t think that’d work,” I sighed.

Ghislaine just shrugged. “That’s just how she is. She reminds me of myself when I was younger.”

“Ha. I guess you view her as a little sister?” I asked.

She nodded. “I suppose so. Much like how I view you.”

I leaned back into my chair, thinking.

The only people that Eris currently liked were her grandfather Sauros, her etiquette tutor Edna, and Ghislaine.

And while she respected me, that was only in terms of magic and swordsmanship, not academics.

That meant she was still extremely averse to learning arithmetic and literature… but I hoped I could teach her some basic history just by saying random facts here and there.

Hmm… and there was her interest in magic too…

Luckily, I think I could try to mould the other ‘boring’ subjects into those lessons, and maybe I could use her interest in swordsmanship too.

Things like using combat situations or real-world examples would probably work better than a more traditional approach, and in my opinion, it would likely be a better method of teaching anyway, as it would teach her how to apply the knowledge while also learning it.

“Ghislaine? Can you tell Eris that we’re starting the magic lesson now?” I asked.

“Hm? Sure. Did you give up already?” she asked while getting up.

“No, I’m just… gonna try something, is all. I’ll be focusing on Eris to start and get her interested in the subjects, so if you have trouble with my methods, I can teach you at a separate time,” I said.

“I see. But don’t worry about me, Leon.”

It didn’t take long for Eris to return, and not wanting to scare her off, I put the papers and books to the side.

“Hmph! Finally done with that boring stuff? Now teach me magic!”

So haughty…

“Of course, Eris,” I said.

As I had suspected, she hated the formality of nobility, but at the same time, she hated not being treated with respect by those deemed ‘lower’ than her.

Luckily, she seemed to respect me, so I was able to talk to the girl without her immediately snarling with anger.

“You want to learn magic, right? The one I showed you was healing magic. More specifically, it was the elementary spell Healing,” I explained.

Her face lighting up in excitement, she decided to take a seat next to Ghislaine to hear what I had to say.

“Now, while I will teach you this, I will also teach you fire and water magic, at least to the basic level. These two spells,” I generated a ball of flames in my left hand and a ball of water in my right, “are the most useful for survival, and are seen as a necessity among adventurers.”

Her lips curled into a smile as she turns to Ghislaine, “Is that true!?”

So she liked adventurers as well… good to know.

Ghislaine nodded. “Indeed. Magic is the easiest way to make a fire, and having a source of clean water is a necessity for survival. Zenith and Talhand always made sure to keep extra mana for those spells, but when I was on my own, I found out just how important those spells were when I was starving for warmth and water.”

Nice work, Big Sis!

I nodded my head as well. “Indeed. But to learn such magic, one needs to understand the words written in this book.”

I then pulled out the magic textbook, courtesy of the manor’s library, before flipping to the page that had the spell Waterball.

“These words,” I said, pointing my finger at the chant, “are called an incantation, and they allow the speaker to cast magic. How about we go through it together?”

Eris’ eyebrows scrunched up. “I don’t need to read! You do it for me!”

Haa… okay, Leon… baby steps.

So using her love of magic didn’t work for reading as I had hoped.

I guess I would have to try something else.

“...Fine. Now, could you two hold out your hand like so?”

Following my example, both Ghislaine and Eris place their palms face up in front of them.

“Now repeat after me…”

— Leon Greyrat —

“Dammit! Why can’t I do it!?” Eris shouts.

“It’s not so easy. You need to practice discipline and focus to learn how to properly use your mana. Something that reading and writing would help with,” I answered.

“Hmph! I’ll do it without that useless stuff! Just watch!”

The magic lessons had borne no results, but this was somewhat expected.

I mean, Roxy said that only one in twenty people could properly use their mana for magic, and even then, it wasn’t so easy as chanting an incantation.

Well… it was for me… but that’s beside the point.

I was a bit of an anomaly.

They both said they felt something, though, so I was confident that they could eventually learn.

It would just take a while.

“Now… since it’s not lunch yet, how about we move on to arithmetic?” I said casually.

Eris instantly got up to leave but stopped as I took out a pair of wooden practice swords.

“...What are those for?” she asked hesitantly.

Ha. Got her.

While Sylphy was always interested in learning arithmetic, it would sometimes get pretty boring, so I sometimes mixed magic in with the lessons.

So I just had to use the same method with our dear Eris here, but with swords.

“We’ll be learning subtraction with a more… practical approach,” I answered, tossing her a sword.

Gripping the handle, Eris looked at me cautiously. “What does that mean?”

Smiling, I raised my sword vertically towards her.

“We’re going to play a game.”

She only looked at me with confusion. “A game? What type of game?”

She was interested… good.

“I’m going to call out a number, and after that, you will attack me with your sword, with each strike lowering my number by one, and you will call out the new number each time. Once you reach zero, you jump back and we start again. If you don’t call out your number, or do so incorrectly, I will strike you. Lightly, of course,” finishing my words, she seemed excited to perform the exercise.

So I guess violence is the way to go, huh?

“I’ll demonstrate,” I said as I formed a sword of ice in my left hand. “3!”

The blades clashed, “2!”

The blades clashed again, “1!”

And again, “0!”

I then had the ice sword transform into water before evaporating into the air.

“And then you jump back and start again. Simple, right?” I asked.

Eris nods her head excitedly before raising her sword in expectation.

“Ah, Big Sis. I’ll have you perform this exercise as well, but please don’t go all out against me,” I said.

Ghislaine just nodded her head. “Maybe.”

…I couldn’t tell if she was kidding or not.

That was a bit scary.

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

“That’s good form, Eris. Keep going like that.”

“G-Got it, Ghislaine!”

Nodding at Eris’ words, Ghislaine then turned to me.

“Now, I believe it’s time we begin our first lesson,” she said as she drew her sword. “You know what touki is, right?”

Huh?

Touki?

“Uhh… no? What is that?” I asked.

Ghislaine’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? But you became an Advanced… never mind.”

I was very confused.

“Despite having the fighting prowess of a Saint, Paul was an idiot when it came to swordsmanship, so I should have expected this,” she said, shaking her head.

Yeah, he definitely is an idiot.

But a Saint?

“Paul was that strong?” I asked.

“Yes. Due to his natural talent, his unique three-styled swordsmanship, and his experience, he was strong enough to fight a Sword Saint,” she said. “Unfortunately, with his terrible work ethic and being an instinctual fighter, he couldn’t advance any further. Being the instinctual type is also what makes him a bad teacher.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” I said with a laugh.

“Indeed. I used to be the same, but once I started using my head, I could advance to the King rank,” she said with a smile.

Huh… I didn’t know whether to raise my opinion of my father for being so naturally skilled, or lower it since he could’ve become so much more.

Ah, well… not like it mattered now.

He was living the domestic life of a husband, after all, even if he had already failed at it in the most important aspect.

“So this… touki, you called it? What exactly is it?” I asked.

Ghislaine narrowed her eyes in thought before she responded, “Touki… also called Battle Aura, or Fighting Spirit by some, it is what swordsmen and warriors use to boost their physical abilities to perform techniques. As an Advanced-rank swordsman, you must have done something like this already.”

Hmm… wait.

This touki… was it the ‘feeling’ that Paul had talked about? 

The feeling I thought of as mana being used to enhance my body?

Yeah, it must be… right?

Haa… couldn’t you have at least known the name, Paul?

“Yeah, I think I do. Something like this, right?”

Remembering the feeling of when I cut the boulder, I then brought my blade to my side before launching forward with a leap. 

Twisting my hips, the sword cut silently through the air, before a sonic boom followed shortly after I finished the swing.

Turning back to Ghislaine, I saw her nodding her head. 

“Exactly. That is the Advanced-rank Sword God technique, the Longsword of Silence . I also noticed you using touki in our previous spar, though it seemed to be used unconsciously.”

“Anyway,” she continued. “Your next goal is to become a Sword Saint, and I’m sure you have the talent to do so. The key to reaching this rank is mastering the basics acquired with the Advanced rank. Most notably, perfecting the Longsword of Silence so that it becomes the Longsword of Light . What that entails is constant practice and correcting any faults in technique. So… are you prepared?”

That sounded quite ominous… but it’s not like I could refuse.

“Of course!”

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Ghislaine Dedoldia

Ghislaine has dark skin and a very muscular and scarred body that she shows off with her revealing outfit that consists of the leather jacket given to practitioners of the Sword God style that achieves the Saint rank. She wears an eye patch that covers her Demon Eye, which allows her to see the flow of mana. She has grey hair that reaches down to her chest that matches her grey tail and beastfolk ears. She also has a large chest.

She is a very strong-willed individual, and while she used to be extremely violent and dumb, she was able to curb this trait by training under Gal Farion, the current Sword God.

Ghislaine is an S-ranked adventurer, a rank that she achieved along with the party Fangs of the Black Wolf.

After returning to the Sword Sanctum, she achieved the rank of Sword King and was given one of the Sword God’s Seven Swords, Hiramune - Flat Core, as a result.

She is currently a hired guard for the Boreas Greyrat family and is Eris Boreas Greyrat’s swordsmanship instructor.

— Leon Greyrat —

It had been a month since arriving at Roa and starting the grand task of tutoring the Young Miss.

I had also just sent my first letter back home, telling them that I was alright and had gotten the job with no issues, along with a few silver coins from my first salary.

Although it had only been a short time apart, I was already deeply missing my family, especially Mama.

Though, it was to be expected, right?

I hadn’t been separated from her since… well, since she adopted me, I guess.

And as for right now?

Thwack!

“Cover your defences! Make sure to watch the opponent's toes to prepare for attacks and position your body so that they have minimal area to strike,” Ghislaine lectured before whipping her sword toward me once again.

Ghislaine, as it turned out, was good at teaching. 

And when it came to swordsmanship, she was a genius differently from Paul. 

A genius that had the hard work and the intelligence to back it up other than pure talent.

She would point out the flaws in my posture, sword strikes, and strategy that I didn’t even know I had.

And most importantly, she would tell me how to correct said flaws and improve.

Paul was also able to point out when I was doing something wrong, but his explanation was horrible… if he explained at all. 

I would then be forced to translate his gibberish into actual instruction, or just copy whatever movements he was doing until I got it right.

While that wasn’t a horrible method for my growth, it did mean that I would have any flaws he did, which Ghislaine was currently trying to beat out of me.

And it was damn painful, even if I did enjoy the feeling of improving.

“Good. Remember, unless you are protecting something, it is better to dodge than to block. And don’t extend your foot so far. It becomes a target,” Ghislaine advised before our blades clashed again.

The sound of wood clacking was pleasant. 

Calming, even.

It helped me deepen my focus on our exchanges and take in her instructions without overwhelming my mind.

However… I couldn’t say the same for the force behind said sounds.

That just hurt.

“Alright. That’s enough,” Ghislaine then said, ending the lesson.

Collapsing onto my back, I let the chilly afternoon air cool down my burning body as Eris soon sat down beside me, nudging my shoulder.

Not even sharing a word, I then summoned some water that splashed onto her sweaty face before I summoned a gust of warm air to dry her off, much like I did with Sylphy after a day of playing.

While she was still a bit bratty, Eris and I’s relationship has become much closer over the past month, and that was especially shown here after our swordsmanship lessons, where Ghislaine worked us tirelessly to the bone.

She couldn’t whine and complain much when she was too busy catching her breath, after all.

Just as I was about to get up and stretch, a maid walked up to me before taking a bow.

“Master Philip would like to see you, Lord Leon,” the beastfolk woman said gracefully.

Sitting up, I blasted myself with air to dry off before answering, “Right now? Wouldn’t he prefer if I washed up and changed beforehand?”

She shook her head. “No. He mentioned that your state of dress was of no matter. Please follow me.”

Getting up to my feet with a sigh, I then waved to Ghislaine and Eris before departing, following behind the maid as she led me to Philip’s office.

“I have brought him, Master.”

“Thank you. Leon, please come take a seat,” Philip said from the couch.

Following his words, the maid closed the door behind me as I took a seat opposite him, where a steaming cup of what I assumed to be tea was placed on the table in front of me.

“May I ask why you called me here?” I asked.

“Straight to the point, huh? I suppose that is better than wasting breath with pleasantries,” Philip said, taking his cup before meeting my eyes. “I would like a report on Eris’ studies.”

Oh, right. I should have expected this.

“Of course. I guess I can start with magic, if that’s alright,” I said.

“While the other more… academic subjects are of more importance, I am indeed interested in my daughter’s abilities,” he said.

Nodding my head, I continued, “I have been trying to teach both Eris and Ghislaine the basics of healing, water, and fire magic, as those are the three schools I believe are most useful. While they have been unable to perform healing magic yet, I believe it’s only a matter of time for Miss Eris.”

His smirk grew. “That is indeed quite something. I would never think that viscous daughter of mine could be a healer.”

“Well, that’s because she finds it interesting,” I shrugged. “Water and fire magic have found more success, and while they can form a basic Fireball and Waterball , they are still unable to launch the spell. I wouldn’t call them Beginner-rank magicians quite yet, as their spells are unable to be used in their true form, but since I taught them it only for the sake of generating those elements for survival, I believe their current level is sufficient.”

“I see,” he said. “I should also thank you for teaching Ghislaine with no extra cost.”

“No need. She is teaching me the Beast God tongue in exchange, and having her with the Young Miss has been a huge help,” I said.

“Hmm… my father also learned the language in his youth due to his love for beastfolk. How has your progress been?” he asked.

The Beast God tongue, huh?

It was pretty different from the human tongue and the Demon God tongue, and paired with the fact that Ghislaine was a worse teacher for such things than Roxy, it was pretty difficult to get the hang of. 

“I can perform basic greetings and common sentences, but I am a long way from being fluent,” I answered.

Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to learn the writing of the Beast God tongue any time soon, due to Ghislaine being illiterate, but the language focused on linguistics rather than writing anyway, so it wasn’t that bad.

“I see. Anyway, how is her arithmetic coming along?” he asked.

“Better than I thought, to be honest. She can now perform basic subtraction and addition, as long as the numbers aren’t too big. She should be moving onto multiplication and division soon,” I said.

Teaching Eris numbers with swordsmanship and combat situations had been a wonderful idea on my part, and with Ghislaine telling her stories of how she had gotten into trouble without knowing numbers, I was even able to get through some traditional sit-down lessons as well.

“Wonderful,” Philip smiled. “And how about her reading and writing?”

Ugh… reading with Eris… now that was a chore.

“It’s… getting there. I have been having her read fun and exciting stories along with me, much like I did with my brother when he was little, to advance her reading. As for writing, we have been slowly chronicling some of Ghislaine’s stories together, as Miss Eris wants said stories to be remembered,” I answered.

He nodded yet again. “Good. And finally, what about history and Asura Kingdom politics?”

I leaned back in my seat. “History has been a bit easier, especially the exciting parts such as the wars. In fact, it has often gone hand in hand with her reading. Politics, on the other hand, has been difficult. Though I imagine I can sneak in some knowledge through casual conversation rather than lessons.”

Philip smiled. “Politics are not too important. As long as she knows the basics before her second birthday.”

Right. 

Much like commoner children enter an apprenticeship, nobles enter the world of their class on their second birthday at the age of ten, which meant that Eris would debut at that time.

Philip then fished through his pocket before flicking me a silver coin.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“It’s to commemorate your hard work. As of now, your salary will be increased to ten Asuran silver coins per month or one Asuran gold coin. I’m sure my father would demand it be done once he hears of Eris’ accomplishments regardless, so I’m just saving myself from getting punched,” he shrugged.

Well, that was… concerning to hear.

I had spotted Sauros a few times during my stay here, and while he was very loud and stern, if I simply bowed politely while complimenting Eris, he would pass by with a smile.

I had also caught him having ‘fun’ with the maids a few times… I guess his liking of beastfolk wasn’t a lie, huh?

“Now, do you have anything else to add?” he asked.

Hmm… there had been a couple of things I had been thinking of regarding Eris’ education.

“Yes… I have three proposals,” I said.

“Well? Let’s hear it,” he said, gesturing at me to continue.

“First. I would like for you and Lord Sauros to limit the spending done by the Young Miss’ request, and instead, give her a weekly allowance. This would enable her to begin to understand the value of money, while also putting her arithmetic lessons to good use.”

“Done. What are the others?” he said, nodding.

Well, that was easy. These last two might not be as much.

“I was… hoping you could allow a day of rest for Miss Eris each week, where she could spend the day doing whatever she would like. This ‘break’ not only gives her mind time to rest and take in the lessons she learned that week, but it would also give her something to look forward to and work towards.”

This was something Rudy introduced when Roxy began teaching, and although at first I thought he was just being lazy, it soon proved to have its benefits.

And for Eris, who hated studying unlike me, it would be a great addition to her curriculum.

Steepling his fingers, Philip nodded at me to continue.

“Ahem. I was also hoping you would allow Miss Eris to visit the city. This could be done under my supervision alone, or alongside Ghislaine and other guards. This would allow her to get a more practical understanding of some subjects while also giving her a reason to learn them. Knowing how much something costs, reading signs, and things like that.”

The room was then enveloped in silence before Philip eventually spoke up, “A day of rest and city visits, huh? Hmm… well, if you believe it would be best, then I will allow it. Though I may ask you to perform more duties past tutoring on this day of rest.”

“Of course,” I said with a bow. “Thank you. I am certain this will bring results.”

And that was how the aptly named ‘weekend’, as Rudy called it, was introduced to the Boreas Greyrat household.

— Leon Greyrat —

“Come on! Let’s go!” Eris exclaimed.

“I’m coming, I’m coming. Jeez… have some patience, will you?” I sighed.

She huffed, “I’d have patience if you hurried up!”

No… I don’t think that's how patience works, Eris.

With my sword strapped to my side, and Ghislaine following us from behind, we then made our way through the city.

“Now remember Eris. While this outing is meant to be fun, it is also a way for you to put your lessons into practice. So I’ll be asking you a few questions along the way, alright?” I said.

“Hmph! You always have to make things so boring, Leon!”

While she said that, the smile on her face hadn’t dulled in the slightest, so I think she was just feigning her annoyance.

Walking past a food stall, I noticed Eris’ eyes trail over to the set of skewers.

And their price… yeah, this would be good.

“Here. How about we do our first lesson of today,” I said, gesturing for the two to follow.

“Hey! What do ya want? The skewers are-”

I put my hand up to stop the stall keeper. “Thank you. We’ll take three chicken skewers, please.”

As the man begins cooking three meat skewers, I then turned to Eris.

“Now, you see that sign there?” I said, pointing to the price on the front of the stall. “Tell me how much each skewer is worth.”

Eris scrunched her nose as she looked at the letters before suddenly shouting, “I don’t know!”

“Just try. You know this one, right?”

She nodded hesitantly, “That’s… monster, right? Why does it say monster?”

“Close. It’s copper. Or rather, copper coins,” I corrected.

It wasn’t that close, but praise was important for a kid, especially when they hated the lessons.

“Two copper coins for each skewer is the listed price. And since we ordered three, how much will we have to pay?” I asked.

Eris then held out her hand before raising two fingers at a time, just like I taught her. “That’s… eight! Right?”

“Close. How about you, Ghislaine?” I asked.

“Six,” she said seriously.

“Yep,” nodding my head proudly, I continued. “So we’ll have to pay six copper coins for our order. And since we know that one large copper coin is equal to ten copper coins, how many copper coins will we get back if we pay with a large copper coin?”

The currency system in Asura was quite simple. 

There was the gold coin, which was valued at ten silver coins, which were valued at ten large copper coins, which were valued at ten copper coins.

Each coin was multiples of ten, which led to easy calculations, something important to have when most of your citizens didn’t know basic arithmetic.

While the value of each coin fluctuated depending on the harvest and multiple other factors of the economy, that was the general rule for currency conversion.

Eris then started swinging an imaginary sword, counting down under her breath with each strike.

“That’s… four!” she then exclaimed.

While she wasn’t nearly as bright as Sylphy was, seeing Eris improve her skills despite despising the subjects was quite endearing to watch.

It filled me with a different, yet equal, sense of pride.

“That’s correct, Eris. Wonderful job,” I said as the skewers in question were handed to me. “Ah! Thank you!”

Taking the three skewers, I batted away Ghislaine and Eris’ reaching hands before casting a detoxification spell on the food, checking for any poisons, malicious or not.

And luckily, there didn’t seem to be any.

“Here you go, you two. And don’t trust food not served by the manor so easily.”

They both nodded their heads before greedily digging in.

How ferocious… I guess Eris’ table manners went out the window when not at the table, huh?

Continuing our walk, we stopped by a bookstore on the way, with me checking for anything that might be of interest to Rudy or Sylphy.

Books, as it turned out, were just as expensive as I thought.

Well, while I had found a few that would interest them, and even a cookbook for Mama, it would still be a while before I could get them anything. 

After all, I was doing this job for my siblings’ futures, so it would be unwise to spend everything right now.

Heading down the merchant street, another shop piqued my interest, this time being a tailor.

“Here, let’s head into this one,” I said.

“Hm? Alright. But I didn’t think you needed new clothes,” Ghislaine said.

“It’s not the clothes I’m looking at,” I said.

Walking into the shop, I exchanged a small greeting with the clerk before perusing the shelves. 

More specifically, the one with dolls and a few stuffed animals.

Looking at the shelves, I then found their price labelled underneath.

Six silver coins.

Yikes… that was a bit pricey, but I suppose I have a few months until they're born, so by then, it wouldn’t be too much. 

If I’m lucky, I could probably haggle it down to a five, especially if I bought them together.

“Hmm~? Did you want one that bad?” Eris interjected teasingly. “Well, if you really want a stuffed animal, then I suppose I could lend you mine. But I didn’t think you were into those types of things, Leon.”

I shook my head in exasperation. “It’s for my soon-to-be-born siblings, you dolt. Not me.”

“D-Dolt!? How dare you!”

Whoops. A bit of Paul slipped out there.

But I guess I could just count that as some Water God practice, as my words had definitely provoked her.

“Well… I thought it would be nice for them to have something soft and warm, you know? Being a baby is quite boring otherwise,” I said, stroking the scarf Lilia got me.

While I had brought Paul’s sword and Lilia’s present, I decided to leave my barrier magic book at home, as it would be bad if anyone found out about it.

“Hmph. You’re always wearing that thing. Even inside… Why?” she asked.

I smiled as I began explaining, “It’s a present from my mother, Lilia. It helps remind me of home and the love they have for me.”

“Huh… I see… That sounds… nice,” Eris mumbled before backing away.

What the heck? 

I had never heard Eris talk in such a tone before.

It sounded so… sad.

Looking at her face, I saw that her eyes were downcast, creating a glum expression that radiated loneliness and longing. 

Why? What’s with that face?

It was almost as if she was… jealous, yet at the same time, it looked really sad.

…Oh. 

Right… Mama and Paul had talked about this before to me.

How nobles’ pride and duty get in the way of familial affection.

I had forgotten about it due to how much Sauros doted on Eris, but come to think of it, Philip had only expressed his satisfaction behind closed doors, and Hilda, Eris’ mother… I had only seen her a scant few times at the dinner table, and when I did, she was very… distant. 

Hmm… maybe…

“I think this is a good time to end our little lesson, no?” I said to the two. 

Eris turned to me with a frown.

“Don’t worry. We can have more city trips like this later. This was more of a test run than anything. Ghislaine… could you bring Eris home now?” I asked her with a smile.

She looked at me confused, but seeing the earnest pleading in my expression, she soon nodded her head. 

“Sure. Miss Eris, let’s head back home. We can begin your swordsmanship training after you get changed.”

Watching as they left the store, I then perused the shelves once more, but this time, instead of shopping for my upcoming siblings, I was searching for something for a certain bratty noble girl.

Hmm… Eris, much like her grandfather, seemed to have an affection for beastfolk, at least judging by how she looked at the manor’s maids.

So… how about a little puppy?

That would surely be nice.

And considering she had turned eight only a few days ago, it could double as a birthday present, even if it wasn’t one of the three celebrated ages.

Unfortunately, this meant that the rest of this month’s salary, as well as the spending money Paul gave me, would be used up, but that was fine.

I wasn’t planning on buying anything for a while, and I had already sent my family’s savings back home.

So, with my pockets soon becoming lighter, I purchased the stuffed animal from the clerk.

Now… I just needed to have someone give it to Eris and make that gloomy expression a thing of the past.

— Leon Greyrat —

Having asked a few servants, I was finally able to find where Hilda was, that place being the manor’s library.

Knowing that, it wasn’t that hard to find her sitting in the corner, with the characteristic long red hair flowing over her shoulders.

Walking up to her, I took a deep bow before introducing my presence, “Miss Hilda. I apologize for interrupting your time, but if you could spare me a moment, I would like to propose something to you.”

Over the past month, I had gotten close enough to Philip and Sauros that I felt comfortable only using basic manners with them. 

The most important thing was using proper titles when addressing them, especially with Sauros.

But with Hilda… well, I wasn’t nearly as close, so I decided to test the waters first.

“Tsk.”

Well… it seemed that she didn’t like me very much.

“What is it?” she snapped.

While I was certainly confused as to her displeasure toward me, I wasn’t here to deepen my relationship with the woman.

“I would like to ask you to gift this to Miss Eris,” I said, showing her the stuffed puppy. “Gift it to her as praise for doing well in her studies.”

She continued to glare at me, though this time with confusion mixed in her expression, “Why would I do that? Why can’t you give it to her? You bought it, after all.”

I shook my head. “I apologize, but this would only have meaning if given to the Young Miss by you.”

“What? Why is that?” she asked.

…Were all nobles this socially awkward?

No… it can’t be, right?

Or perhaps it was just how they were raised, making a constant feedback loop?

“Because… you are her mother, Miss. I am sure that Miss Eris would appreciate such a gift from you,” I said.

Hesitantly, she took the stuffy before looking at it with curiosity. “It… seems well-made. But why would you purchase something so… childish? Eris has long since grown out of dolls and toys.”

I shook my head. “It is less about the doll itself, Miss Hilda, but rather the feeling behind it. The feelings of love and pride that you bear for your daughter.”

My words seemed to affect her, as she widened her eyes before suddenly turning away to look down at the stuffy.

Seeing that, I give her the final push. “Please. Miss Eris has worked very hard this past month.”

“…Fine. I will give it to her tonight. Now, please leave me be,” she said.

“In person, yes?” I asked.

She turned to glare at me. “Leave.”

Taking the hint, I quickly make myself scarce after giving a polite bow.

The woman seemed very emotionless, especially so when her attitude didn’t change around her daughter, one couldn’t be faulted to think she held no emotions toward Eris at all.

But… I don’t think someone who didn’t love her daughter would show a face like she just did. 

But I was curious as to why her eyes, brimming with unshed tears, looked to be in so much pain.

Perhaps there was a story behind that, but it wasn’t exactly my place to find that out, was it?

— Eris Boreas Greyrat —

Laying down on my bed, I felt my cheeks cramping from my wide smile.

It was only natural, right?

Mother had just told me how well I was doing, and she even gave me…

I hugged the stuffy closer to my chest, closing my eyes and thinking of Mother’s arms wrapping around me like she did when I was little, but unfortunately, such things were not things done by ‘proper noblewomen’, so it had been a while since I had felt that.

That’s why I hated the stupid formality and dumb dignified behaviour of nobles!

Demanding respect? 

Of course! That was a given!

But… not being able to hug my mother?

That was just… unfair.

And it was unfair how Leon was able to feel such love so easily all the time.

Thinking about Leon, I felt my chest tighten in a way I didn’t understand.

As soon as I saw the stuffy, I knew who had gotten it.

After all, I had seen it in that shop before Ghislaine took me home, and it didn’t take a genius to know that he had told Mother to give it to me.

But even if it wasn’t directly from Mother, her feelings and her compliments were still genuine, so I didn’t care.

But… why would Leon do that? 

I knew that I was annoying to deal with. 

I wouldn’t be surprised if he hated me for everything I had done.

But instead… he did something like that… for me.

In fact, he had done many things for me, like making learning such boring subjects somewhat tolerable in ways others didn’t try before.

He was… relatable in a way, too.

He didn’t use the annoying words all the maids and servants did, and he didn’t wear an annoying, cunning smile like my father, and most importantly, he saw me as… me. 

Eris. 

Not just the ‘Young Lady’ of the manor or the blood of the Boreas Greyrat family.

Thinking about such things made me annoyed, but annoyed in a way I… didn’t quite understand.

The type of annoyance where if he had shown up here, rather than yell and punch him, I would rather run away.

These feelings… they were annoying!

Gritting my teeth, I quickly blew out my bedside candle before snuggling under the sheets, hoping that I could fall asleep quickly to stop these annoying feelings from persisting.

Closing my eyes, it didn’t take long before sleep began to take hold of me as one last thought crossed my mind.

Maybe… I’ll try to listen better in my lessons from now on. 

Just maybe.

Chapter Text

— Leon Greyrat —

Another few months had passed since arriving in Roa, and as the days became longer with the arrival of summer, I fell into a comfortable routine.

Save for the free day at the end of each week, my daily schedule was like so:

First thing in the morning I would do some basic exercise, focusing on cardio and basic body weight exercises, both as a way to improve my body but also as a way to get warmed up and ready for the day.

After that would be a quick breakfast before Eris and Ghislaine’s lessons began.

The lessons themselves were very easygoing and free-form with the two, as not only did I try to integrate many subjects into each session, but Eris’ interest in certain topics differed from day to day, so I had to adjust accordingly.

Usually, the first hour consisted of testing the waters and seeing what changes would need to be made to my plans, but recently, Eris had been much more… obedient.

I guess the extra day and city visits helped a lot, huh? 

And Hilda’s affectionate gesture probably played a part too.

Anyway, lessons would go on until lunch, and after letting the food digest, we would then head to the training grounds for afternoon sword training with Ghislaine.

There was no exact set time for training, so it would typically go on until Eris and I were too tired to continue. 

Ghislaine was pretty skilled at knowing how to push us to our limits without overexerting us, but… it hurt quite a bit.

After that was free time, which I would normally either spend reading in the library, doing some individual magic practice, or hanging out with Eris after she completed her etiquette lessons.

I had also noticed that my mana capacity had stopped growing, likely due to approaching the static growth age of ten, and also due to being unable to deplete my magic power reserves anymore.

Well… it wasn’t like I was unable to deplete it, but rather that the effects of doing so would be… devastating, to say the least.

I don’t think Sauros would appreciate me casting Cumulonimbus across his lands, after all.

Anyway, I recently started learning horse riding with this free time, as well as practising some North God techniques in hand-to-hand combat and survival skills. 

Sometimes, I would also be asked to do some tasked asked of me as the manor’s hired mage and healer, but that didn’t happen that often.

If I was reading the situation right, Philip seemed to not want to flaunt me to the world, especially to other nobles.

That was probably due to me being a Greyrat, as even if Paul had been disowned, he was still a former heir to a prestigious house.

Since I was adopted, I had an easy way to dodge these problems, but that would only shift the focus onto Rudy and my soon-to-be-born siblings, so I didn’t mind the attention if it ever came to me.

After this free time, I would then have dinner, sometimes sharing the table with Eris and her family, but most times just eating with Ghislaine before being taught the Beast God tongue by her before bed.

“Continue attacking, Eris! Do not let up!” Ghislaine instructed.

“Grr! Hah!”

When I first arrived here, Eris had been focusing on her posture and form in swordsmanship training to get a strong foundation, but now, with her graduating into the Intermediate rank in the Sword God style, she had moved onto spars.

This was the approach that was taken with disciples in the Sword Sanctum, where only after one perfected the basics of the Beginner rank and moved onto the Intermediate rank would they begin sparring, mostly in an attempt to spur the development of their touki.

While those two did their thing, I focused on my own swordsmanship.

Swinging down my sword vertically, I focused on the blade as it whistled through the air.

Well, not the blade exactly, but rather the energy that was coating it.

After learning about touki, and having many of the kinks in my swordsmanship removed with Ghislaine’s instruction, I had begun to take a deep dive into what touki was.

Touki, in essence, was a form of mana manipulation.

But instead of how mana changed into elements to form spells, the power of touki came from the mana itself, or more specifically, touki enhanced the already present abilities of an object.

A sharp sword would become sharper, a fast sprint would become faster, and things like that.

Touki was also invisible, and different from normal mana, it was much more difficult to control. 

Although that may have just been me.

Since I already was so skilled at using mana with spells, I assumed getting control of touki would be easy, but contrary to my expectations, it hasn’t been. 

Even though Ghislaine said I was a prodigy at it, it didn’t feel that way compared to how well I could control mana.

If I were to guess… touki seemed a little different from regular mana.

A more… spiritual kind of mana, where it would be boosted in moments of stress, and could be used without consciously knowing of it, like Paul.

It also, unlike mana, didn’t seem to drain, as Ghislaine only ever mentioned physical stamina affecting how long one could fight, not touki. 

But that belief could also be wrong. 

I had to remember, that in this world, not everything that was known as truth was actually correct, such as the fact one’s mana capacity was set at birth. 

There was no scientific theory here, so assumptions remained for many years before being disproven.

Anyway, while coating my body in touki enhanced my physical abilities and my senses, and coating my sword allowed me to cut through boulders, those were only the basic applications.

Finer applications of touki were labelled as techniques.

If touki was comparable to mana, then techniques would be spells.

Techniques came in many forms, some were attacking, like the Longsword of Silence of the Sword God, some were defensive, like the Water God's parrying techniques, and some were more utility-focused, such as the North God’s sword throwing.

It differed from spells, though, where with a good enough image and focus, one could simply cast a spell through an incantation on their first try.

With techniques, you needed to practice quite a bit to have the touki flow correctly, as it was a very stubborn energy to control. 

However, that might just be because of my current skill level.

Anyway, compared to magic, which was based on intelligence and understanding, touki was much more instinctive and based on practice, so I suppose I could give Paul a pass for being such an idiot.

“That’s enough,” with a final exchange of blows, Ghislaine then lowered her sword. “Eris, go through your forms once again, putting my advice into practice. Be sure to have your attacks connect smoothly, and not be so segmented.”

With Eris nodding with her face that was drenched in sweat, Ghislaine then turned to me.

“Your turn, Leon. Let’s focus on your countering with Resonance Reversal ,” she said.

Well… time to get smacked again, I guess.

But it was fun, and feeling myself improve with each spar made the pain worth it.

“Got it, Ghislaine.”

“Mmm.”

With a nod, her wooden sword then whipped toward me faster than the speed of sound as I brought my own up to her approaching wrist.

“Not fast enough.”

I got hit.

Ouch.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Asura Kingdom

The Asura Kingdom is a human kingdom and is the world’s strongest nation, located in the western area of the Central Continent. Due to bountiful resources, fertile land, and relatively few monsters, it is a very rich and prosperous region, and the capital of Ars is the largest city in the world.

The Asura Kingdom is split into the following regions:

King’s Region: Governed by the Asura Royal family, it is the region that governs the kingdom with a high population density and is the centre of commerce. The Water God Style is housed in this region, in the capital city of Ars. This region is located in the west of the kingdom.

Fittoa Region: Governed by the Boreas Greyrat family, it is known as the land of perfume, and also for its production of agriculture. This region is located in the northeast of the kingdom.

Milbots Region: Governed by the Notos Greyrat family, it is known as the land of alcohol for its production of beer and wine. This region is located in the east of the kingdom.

Donati Region: Governed by the Zephyrus Greyrat family, it is known for its abundance of sugar and wool, as well as the export of arms. This region is located in the northwest of the kingdom.

Wishiru Region: Governed by the Euros Greyrat family, while it does not have any local specialty, it has a large production of agriculture and is known for its trade with merchants of other nations. This region is located in the south of the kingdom.

— Leon Greyrat —

‘L-Leon! R-Run! Gah!’

Red covered my vision as a course laugh echoed into my ears.

‘P-Please… take care of my son…’

My body tensed in fear as the familiar scene played out before me.

The dread of what I knew was to come. 

The helplessness. 

The anxiety.

It was… overwhelming.

I was strong now, right?

I knew I could cut that bandit’s head off easily, so why was I chained to sit back and watch this play out again?

‘Please… live happily…’

As the light left my mother’s eyes, I felt my heart clench in sadness. 

A pain like no other coursing through my veins.

And a moment later, I woke up, shooting up in my bed.

“Haa… haa…”

My body was drenched in sweat and my heart was racing, and bringing a hand to my face, I felt a trail of tears pouring down my cheek.

“Hoo… Haven’t had that dream in a while.”

Or perhaps a nightmare would be a more apt description.

Looking down at my fist, I felt a wave of emotion wash over me as I clenched it tightly.

“I won’t let that happen again… Never…”

I couldn’t save my mother, Alice, as I was but a baby. 

I was weak… helpless… useless.

But now… now I was strong. 

And I would get even stronger. 

To protect my family.

I would never let that happen again.

Looking out the window, I noticed that it was still dark, but seeing the slight red glow on the edge of the horizon, it didn’t seem it was too far from the time I usually woke up.

Getting to my feet, I stretched out the stiffness in my body before drenching myself in water to clean off the sweat.

“Guess I’ll take a walk before my routine then.”

Planning to calm my mind by making my way through the manor’s halls, I was surprised to see Ghislaine standing right outside my door.

“Uhh, morning? What are you doing up?” I asked.

She looked at me with a frown. “You were talking in your sleep, so I went to check up on you.”

“Oh… sorry for waking you. Just had a little nightmare, is all,” I shrugged.

As we were both technically employed as guards to Eris and as tutors, Ghislaine and I’s rooms were next to each other, while also being close to Eris’ in case of any attacks.

Though, since there was a barrier spell set up in her room, and another one for the manor itself, there wasn’t too much of a worry. 

But it was always good to be careful.

She then pulled me in for a hug, burying my face in her breasts, much like Mama’s did.

Damn… I can’t wait to be taller.

“About your mother?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s just… I’m glad I’m somewhat strong now, don’t get me wrong, but… I just wish things were different.”

She shook her head. “You can’t change the past, Leon. You can only look toward the future.”

Huh. I didn’t think I’d ever hear such… philosophical words from Ghislaine.

“Are you missing home?” she then asked.

“Somewhat,” I answered. “Exchanging letters only does so much, you know? But I’ll be visiting soon when Mama is due.”

According to Paul, both Mama and Lilia were doing fine, and with Rudy becoming six years old, he was now a Beginner-rank swordsman in all three styles.

From Rudy’s part of the last letter, Sylphy had been missing me quite dearly, and had also begun learning healing magic under Mama while I was gone.

My brother was quite upset that he wasn’t able to silently cast healing magic like Sylphy and me, but considering his massive mana pool, I think he was doing just fine.

Ghislaine hummed, “Yes… how long do you think you will be gone?”

“Around a month. I hope Master Philip doesn’t mind my absence and that it doesn’t harm Eris’ progress,” I said.

Since we didn’t know exactly what day Mama had conceived, nor how long she would be in pregnancy, I wanted to have enough of a range of time so that I was there when she went into labour, and then I would need to wait until Lilia did as well.

It would suck if Eris disregarded all the progress we made while I was gone, but then again, my contract was open-ended in terms of time, so I could always make it back.

“I’ll allow the informal use of my daughter’s name to slide this time.”

Hearing Philip’s voice, I quickly separated from Ghislaine before performing a polite bow, “My apologies, Master Philip.”

“No need. I was just kidding around,” he said, waving me off.

Raising my head, I noticed him looking at me with his usual analytical gaze.

“I already accepted that you would visit your family during this time when I hired you, so there are no problems there. But… you said you were worried about Eris’ progress, right?” he said.

I grimaced at the words.

It was a tough position to be in, because as much as I wanted to give it my all to tutor Eris, I was completely unwilling to abandon my family at this time.

“Well… if you’re that worried…” he clapped his hands together as if coming to a decision, “then Eris should simply go with you!”

…Say what?

“Sorry… you want Miss Eris, your noble daughter, to live in a rural village like Buena for a month? Maybe even longer?” I asked.

I loved my home, but that wouldn’t exactly be the same for everyone. 

Especially not nobles, who lived a life of luxury much different from those of a remote farming village. 

Even if it was a knight’s home, which was more luxurious than most, the difference would be shocking.

“Well, I would have Ghislaine escort you two, of course. And as a knight, Paul already has the duty to guard Eris when needed, so it would be fine, no? I’m sure Eris would love to get away from the city, and I can even throw in a few silver coins to help with the extra meals,” Philip explained further.

He was… right. 

Eris would surely love the adventure.

And considering how stuffy she felt around the prim and proper customs of the manor… it was possible she would enjoy life in general there too.

Hmm… this way, I would be able to continue teaching Eris, while also giving the girl a broader view of life.

The guest room that Roxy used should still be prepared, as my siblings would be sleeping in Mama or Lilia’s rooms until they became a little older, so there were no issues in terms of space either.

“I… believe that would be something better discussed amongst you and my father, but I agree it might be good for Miss Eris. That way, I could introduce her to my brother and my friend in the village, as the Young Miss has a distinct lack of people her age to talk to,” I said after a few moments of contemplation.

Philip nodded his head. “You did say your brother and this ‘Sylphy’ were skilled at magic and academic subjects, so I’m sure they will be a good influence. But your brother…” his eyes narrowed. “He is the son of Paul, yes? His true son. Will I have to worry about anything happening?”

I shook my head. “No. While certainly an odd kid, Rudy wouldn’t-”

I then remembered how Rudy had stolen Roxy’s panties and how much he enjoyed their… ‘essence’, as he called it.

And that was a year ago.

Now that he was older, and more time had passed since Roxy had left, I couldn’t be so sure he wouldn’t be clouded by lust.

“…I’ll be sure to protect the Young Miss’ innocence,” I said.

“Hah. I see,” Philip smirked.

“Well, I’ll be sure to send Paul a letter regarding your visit. And also convince Hilda to allow Eris to leave… but that will be a bit tougher,” he grimaced.

…Why would that be tougher? Was she that overprotective?

Hilda didn’t really seem that way though… 

But there was that look I saw from her… what was with that woman?

“Excuse me, but if I may ask… what exactly is the history of Lady Hilda?” I asked. “I am sure that she loves Miss Eris, but… she’s distant. And her dislike of me, while not a large problem, is a bit confusing.”

Philip revealed a languished smile before nodding his head to the side, gesturing me to follow him. “Here. Let’s walk and talk.”

Following his footsteps, he then explained the situation.

Hilda and Philip had two children other than Eris, both being sons, and they had been taken away at birth.

As for why they were taken away? 

That was because Philip had lost the bid to become the next head of the Boreas Greyrat family, and as is tradition, was required to forfeit his sons.

The tradition to take any sons born to the losing heir, while barbaric, made sense, as it made sure to not create too many branch families, which would then lead to issues with future successions.

This tradition, in fact, is one of the main reasons why the Boreas family had been in charge of the Fittoa Region since the dawn of the Kingdom of Asura.

It was great for stability.

The only reason Eris was not taken was because she was a girl, so she wouldn’t have a claim, or at least not one strong enough to shake the balance.

Anyway, while Philip had begrudgingly accepted the situation, his wife, Hilda, did not.

Coming from a noble family without such traditions, she was incredibly sad, and she was also angry. 

Angry not only at those who took her sons away, but also at Philip for allowing it.

As for why this made her distant from Eris?

Well, I would think that a mother in such a situation would dote on the only child they had left, but I was guessing that she wanted to distance herself in case Eris, too, left the family, in order to not bear the same pain again.

And as for why she hated me?

Well the fact that I, a random, albeit talented boy from a rural village, was making this place his home was quite hurtful to her, especially considering I was a Greyrat, though I had nothing to do with nobility.

After all, why was I able to be here when her own sons couldn’t live with her?

So thinking about it, her dislike for me was quite understandable, even if it wasn’t my fault.

And that was the story of Hilda Boreas Greyrat, and why she disliked me quite a bit.

I thanked Philip for the information before heading outside for my workout, before a realization suddenly struck me.

If Eris was going to visit Buena Village… then that would mean she would inevitably meet my father, Paul.

…I had a feeling that would be quite a memorable meeting, to say the least.

— Zenith Greyrat —

My name is Zenith Greyrat, though it used to be Zenith Latreia.

By birth, I was a member of the nobility of the Holy Country of Millis, a land noted for its beauty, history, morals, and most prominently, religion.

As a young lady, I obeyed my parents and the tenets of the Millis Church, and always played the role that was expected of me.

I was the picture-perfect example of a Millis noble lady.

But that life came to an end during my 15th birthday, when it was decided I was to marry a man.

A man that I had never seen… that wasn’t a very romantic thing.

And so, for the first time, I rebelled against the path chosen for me, and after an argument with my mother, I ran away from home.

I had trouble at first, but I was then saved by Paul and his party of misfits, and shortly after that, was when Leon came into my life.

Perhaps it was because of my little Leon that I began to think of having a family, or maybe it was a woman’s instinct. 

But one thing was for sure… this time, I would be having a family on my own terms. 

But that wasn’t the only change that happened over the years. 

The man I had previously hated, Paul, I had grown to love. 

Even with all his… Paulness, I had grown to love the man despite his faults.

After some time, one thing led to another, and I became pregnant with my second child. 

One Rudeus Greyrat. My little Rudy.

That was the story of my life so far.

“Zenny, would you like something to drink?” Lilia asked.

“No, I am fine. You should sit down too,” I said back.

She just shook her head. “Someone needs to clean the dishes, and I’m not one to trust your husband with such a task.”

“Lilia,” I said sternly. “He’s our husband, remember? You can’t get out of this that easily.”

“Ah… Of course, Zenny,” she said with a laugh.

Such a thing as sharing a husband, and such a thing as laughing happily with the other woman… I would have never thought possible before.

But on that day, when I had been betrayed by the two people I had trusted most, I was forced to change.

Rudy and Leon’s methods weren’t exactly admirable, but after Leon cried in my arms, I quickly understood the situation.

He was scared. 

They both were.

Scared of our family breaking apart.

And then, after accepting the situation, and opening my eyes further after learning of Paul’s past sins against Lilia, things became like this.

And… I was happy.

Very, very happy.

The only thing that would make me happier would be if Leon was here with us, but knowing he was doing just fine filled me with enough joy to get through it.

I still couldn’t believe he was already working at his age, and sending money back for us at that.

He really was reliable… and responsible too.

So much so that I often found myself incompetent in comparison.

Both he and Rudy were like that. 

Although Leon showed a bit more of a childish side more frequently compared to Rudy, even though he was older… but that just made him cuter.

It was the same with Rudy when he wasn’t able to cast healing magic without an incantation. 

Their pouting faces were simply adorable.

Anyway, with all their reliability and cuteness, I was sure the two would be the greatest older brothers any child could ask for.

“Wait… water turns into vapour when it heats up, right?” Sylphy asked from the side.

“Yeah, what of it?” Rudeus said.

“Then… how come the same doesn’t happen for other things? Like rocks.”

“It does. It just would need a lot of heat.”

“I see… could you do that?”

“I don’t know… it would probably take a lot of mana.”

Sylphy was such a nice girl. 

It was a shame she only started visiting after Rudy joined her and Leon in playing around, as I’m fairly certain I had missed out a lot of times ripe for teasing.

Just imagining how the meek girl would interact with Leon at first… Uuu! 

It was simply adorable just to think about!

“Do you think Leon could?” she asked.

“Probably,” Rudy shrugged. “Brother is pretty amazing, after all.”

“Yeah…” Sylphy said, releasing a sigh as she leaned onto her hands, looking out the window with an expression of longing.

While she may not have noticed it herself yet, she definitely was developing a crush on Leon. 

One that was growing with each passing day.

I guess the saying that ‘distance breeds fondness’ held some truth.

However, she was also extremely close with Rudy, so I didn’t really know how it would turn out in the future.

Maybe it will end up with some sort of lover's quarrel?

That would be quite amusing.

Although… considering both Rudy and Leon were Saint-ranked magicians… the two of them getting into a serious fight would be quite devastating.

“Honeys! I’m home!” Paul said, opening the door with a smirk. “And I got a letter from a certain someone!”

At that, Sylphy immediately raised her head, “Really!?”

Fufufu… Yep, definitely a crush.

But I was also excited to see how Leon was doing.

I loved getting his letters, after all.

“Well? Don’t keep us waiting. Read it out, Father,” Rudy said.

“Jeez. So impatient~”

“Just read it, husband,” Lilia sternly added.

“Fine! Alright, it says here- Oh?”

Paul’s words were interrupted as a gold coin fell into his hand.

“Gah. Seriously, kid, you’re making me look bad,” he said before putting it into his pocket.

“Paul,” Lilia glared at him.

“I’m just joking! Here, I’ll put it right on the table. Happy?” he said with a laugh.

Shaking my head in exasperation, I listened as he continued, “Right. Ahem! ‘Hello everyone. I am doing well. While I have not progressed in rank for any discipline, you should be pleased to know that all the errors in my swordsmanship, courtesy of Paul, have been fixed’- Hey? What’s with this!?”

“Continue, Paul,” Lilia said with a smirk.

“Tsk. Damn brat… ‘As Mama will likely be going into labour soon after fall arrives, I will be coming back at that time and will stay until Lilia gives birth safely as well.’”

“Really!? He’s coming back!?” Sylphy exclaimed.

“He promised, right? But errors… Father, it seems you’ll need to be instructed by your own son soon,” Rudy teased.

“Zip it! And the last part, ‘As the education of the Young Miss has been going so well, and such a break may have disastrous consequences, Master Philip and I decided that she will be joining… me… in Buena Village.’”

What?

“‘Master Philip has written a letter concerning the details on the attached paper. Much love. Your son, Leon Greyrat…’”

…So it seemed we would meet this Eris that he had written about very soon.

He said she was a bit troublesome, but also a good kid at heart, and recently, she had gotten much better with controlling her outbursts.

I just hoped that our meagre house would be enough to satisfy a noble lady… but if it’s her father sending her, then we should be alright.

“What does that mean, Mister Paul?” Sylphy asked.

“I think,” Rudy answered, “that means that we’ll be getting another kid our age to play with. Well, assuming she wants to.”