Growth
Not long after, Robin returned.
When he stepped into the cabin, his arms were loaded with familiar belongings and steaming hot food.
“Uncle, did you go by the church?”
“I did. Didn’t I tell you? I’m pretty sure I mentioned it before I left.”
“Ah… I was so out of it with Jun collapsed that I must’ve forgotten. Hehe.”
Fortuna gave a sheepish, almost silly smile. Robin’s face twisted in mild disgust at the sight, but Jun wore the exact same foolish grin she did.
“Honestly∼. Fortuna worries way too much.”
“It’s fine. I only do it for our little Jun.”
“That’s what they call overprotectiveness.”
“So you hate it?”
“No. I love it to death.”
“Then I’ll just keep piling it on♡”
Fortuna immediately pressed her cheek against Jun’s and nuzzled him. Jun snickered right back and rubbed his cheek against hers in return.
Watching the two of them, Robin’s expression soured in real time. He absently patted his suddenly empty side. He found himself missing his wife up in heaven something fierce.
“Haa∼. That’s enough of that. Take these.”
“Yes, sir. Sorry.”
Jun apologized and quickly accepted the bundle Robin held out. It was only the clothes he’d left to be washed, a few toiletries, and some writing tools, so the load wasn’t particularly bulky. Everything else was still tucked away in his subspace.
“But why did you bring all this?”
“I intend to teach you properly. So you’ll be staying here for a while. I’ve already spoken with the priest, so don’t worry about it.”
Robin’s eyes burned with instructor’s zeal. Jun nodded with a faintly awkward look. Apparently the earlier test had lit a fire under the man’s teaching instincts.
“Good decision. Anyway, you must be hungry. The sisters packed us some food, so let’s keep talking over the meal.”
“Understood. Then I’ll go wake Heni—”
“I’ll handle that. You get the food ready.”
Robin’s face made it clear he would brook no argument. Jun nodded again, still looking a little put-upon. After handing over the food packages, Robin hurried upstairs. Watching him go, Fortuna spoke up.
“That uncle has no right to look at me like I’m the clingy one, does he?”
Jun couldn’t bring himself to disagree.
“Jun-oppa’s going to stay at our house? Does that mean he’s family now? My real big brother?”
Heni, still half-asleep at the table, shot upright at Robin’s announcement and stared at Jun with sparkling eyes. She looked exactly like a cat about to pounce on its butler.
Jun spoke quickly before she could glue herself to him the way she had at the well.
“Not family. I’m just staying here for a while so teaching and learning will be easier.”
“Learning? You’re learning something too, Jun-oppa?”
“Yeah.”
“What are you learning?”
Jun hesitated over how to answer. He couldn’t just say he was learning weapon techniques. If he did, Leon and the other kids would find out within days for sure.
They’ll definitely get suspicious.
The others might not notice, but sharp-eyed Leon would wonder whether Jun had awakened a new core. The moment suspicion turned into certainty, Leon would react one way or another.
Three possible reactions.
First: simple envy, and they stay friends like always. That was the outcome Jun wanted most, but the odds weren’t great.
Second: an aggressive recruitment pitch. Highest probability, and the most annoying for Jun. Whether Leon was aiming for the throne or something else, it wouldn’t be easy. The boy carried the imperial bloodline thick enough to awaken the nullification superpower that only the First Emperor and a handful of emperors had ever managed. There had to be a very good reason a kid like that was growing up in a village church instead of the capital palace. Overcoming that reason and reaching his goal would take a lot of power. So Leon would pull every string he had to bring Jun on board—until Jun accepted. Jun was worth that much. How do you coldly refuse a ten-year friend who’s practically a brother when he asks like that? Jun would refuse to the end, of course, but it wouldn’t sit easy.
Third: jealousy and resentment that turned into rejection or outright hostility. Given Leon’s personality the chance was tiny… but people were unpredictable creatures. And he was still a mentally immature ten-year-old. Losing control of his emotions and letting them show was entirely possible.
Yeah. Just say I’m learning hunting skills.
No matter how he looked at it, that was best for everyone. In the accelerated rush of thought, Jun settled on the answer and opened his mouth—
“He’s decided to learn hunting techniques. A bit of self-defense as well.”
Robin, spooning up soup, answered Heni’s question before Jun could. He spoke without the slightest hesitation, as if he’d expected the question. He’d not only brought the luggage from the church; he’d clearly coordinated the story with Leonard as well.
“Really?”
Heni looked at Jun again, not quite believing it. When he nodded, her already bright eyes went huge.
Was it really that shocking?
“Why?”
“Huh?”
“You’re a mage, Jun-oppa. Why bother learning hunting stuff?”
“…”
“You little brat! Is that any way to talk?!”
Thwack!
“Ow! What the hell! Why’d you hit me?!”
“You deserved it! You little—! You little—!”
Thwack! Thwack!
“Kyaaak! Jun-oppa! Stop Fortuna!”
Fortuna nimbly dodged Heni’s flailing and kept landing light smacks on the girl’s head. Unable to fend her off, Heni begged Jun for help, but he ignored the plea and watched Robin’s reaction instead.
Robin, still calmly eating his soup, met Jun’s gaze as if he’d felt the look. He gave a faint smile and shook his head.
Don’t worry about it.
If the man himself said it was fine, no outsider had any business getting angry. Jun exhaled, forcing down the heat rising in his chest. Still, there was one thing he had to say.
“Heni. From now on I’m your magic teacher, right?”
“Teacher… that sounds cool. Yeah! You’re right! Jun-oppa is Heni’s Master!”
“Then here’s your first lesson.”
“Okay!”
Heni’s eyes sparkled as she listened. Jun smiled and gently smoothed the hair Fortuna had mussed while he spoke.
“There’s nothing in this world that isn’t precious.”
“…Not even poop?”
Why did that have to be the example? She wasn’t even a boy. Jun was speechless inside, but he kept the smile and nodded.
“Yep. Even poop. Thanks to that poop, the vegetables and greens you’re eating right now can grow nice and strong.”
“Ugh! I hate vegetables and greens. Poop is useless.”
“You hate vegetables and greens? Then do you like meat?”
“Yeah! I love meat. Rabbit meat’s the best.”
“I see. So, Heni—what do rabbits eat?”
“Are you dumb, Jun-oppa? Grass, obviously.”
“…”
Jun. Hold it together.
Fortuna pressed her soft chest against the back of his neck and gave him little calming squeezes. Thanks to her comfort he managed to rein in his feelings, let out a light sigh, and continued.
“Right. Rabbits eat grass. That grass includes vegetables and greens, and maybe even rare medicinal herbs. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Uh… rabbits eat grass, and grass is vegetables and greens, so… the poop that makes vegetables and greens grow strong isn’t useless?”
“Exactly. That’s it. Smart girl, Heni. You’re going to be a great mage someday.”
“Hehehe.”
When he stroked her head in praise, Heni beamed and rubbed against his hand like a cat. The reaction was pure feline, so Jun kept petting her a little longer.
“…How long are you going to keep that up?”
“Ahem!”
Two jealous glares made him pull his hand back. What was there to get jealous over with something this small?!
“My little mage, want to try a riddle?”
“Yeah!”
“If you want to catch the rabbits you love so much, what skill do you need?”
“Hunting skills!”
“Then are hunting skills worthless? Or are they amazing?”
“They’re amazing!”
“That’s right. Nothing in the world is worthless, so remember that. Got it?”
“Yes, Master!”
Heni nodded hard. Jun smiled in satisfaction and went back to his meal. A tiny “Thank you” drifted from beside him, but he didn’t look over—that would have ruined the moment. He simply smiled quietly instead. That was answer enough.
This is the kind of thing that would drive Donald crazy.
That guy melts for anything cool and romantic.
A short while later, after the meal, Jun, Fortuna, and the Robin father-daughter pair all headed to Heni’s room together. They had planned to start her training the next day, but the dinner conversation had set her motivation on fire, so they decided to begin right away.
In the middle of the room they spread out the carpet embroidered with the forbidden magic circle Robin had mentioned and poured mana into it. The infused mana neither scattered nor vanished; it gathered in one place and floated as a glowing orb.
“Wow, pretty.”
“Heni, sit here and suck in as much of this light sphere as you can. Got it?”
“Okay, Jun-oppa— I mean, Master.”
“Just talk like usual.”
“Okay! Is there anything else I have to do?”
“Nope. Read a book, play with toys, whatever you want—as long as you don’t come downstairs.”
Jun patted her head, said that, and walked straight out of the room. Startled, Heni bolted after him and grabbed his sleeve.
“Jun-oppa, you’re not staying with me?”
“Sorry. I have to go learn techniques too.”
“…Okay.”
Heni wilted like an abandoned kitten. Jun scratched his cheek, at a loss, then met Fortuna’s equally helpless gaze.
Me?
Please.
“Ugh. Hey, brat! Come with me!”
“Huh? O-okay. And I told you not to call me that!”
Even while grumbling, Heni smiled and followed Fortuna back into her room.
“…Thank you. Really.”
A heartfelt word of gratitude followed right after.