Growth (2): Life's Chain of Unexpected Events
Dante was around ten years old when an event on the scale of the Aision family struck.
"Ugh..."
The master of the mansion and Dante's father, Lennon Aision, couldn't leave the study all day.
"What's wrong?"
Elena White asked, worried about her husband. Lennon answered honestly.
"Father's summoning me back."
"..."
In the past, when he'd married Elena, Lennon had a massive falling out with his father. The old man had never approved of the match to begin with—a son from a prosperous count's family marrying some rural baron's daughter? And then the decisive incident: Elena picking up baby Dante from the hot springs bathhouse.
Lennon's father had bellowed for him to break it off with that woman immediately! But who was Lennon? A man on the verge of madness with his desire to marry Elena. Rather than leave her, he chose to burn bridges with his father.
After that, their relationship had stayed icy for years.
"He wants me to take over a trade route."
The Aision count's family was a maritime powerhouse. There was the main continent of Cortkus, home to humans, orcs, elves, and more. And far across the sea, the new continent of Bangkatoria, land of lizardmen, frogmen, and their kin. They were shipowners running trade vessels between the two.
Right after marrying Elena, Lennon had stormed out of the family, so he'd never had to think about the trade ports—but ten years had passed now. His eldest son Dante was ten, second daughter Sara nine. It seemed his father was extending an olive branch first.
Elena gently pulled Lennon into an embrace.
"You should go, then."
"But..."
Lennon said, his voice nearly breaking. Even after ten years of marriage, he was still the kind of man driven half-mad by the thought of not living with his wife.
"I might have to go all the way to the new continent."
"Then I'll come with you."
"...!"
Lennon squeezed his eyes shut. With his wife by his side, he figured he could handle a trip to the new continent. But... who knew if it'd take two years, three, or even longer?
"What about the kids? Take them too?"
He shook his head.
"Dante could manage, but Sara and Valentina are girls. Can't drag them on a long journey like that, and they've got things to do in the capital anyway."
They were still too young. Sara even had her debutante ball in five years. And the youngest, Eric, was only five.
"It's not like you'll never see Father again."
"...I can do it."
"No, don't."
Quarrels were short, life was long. The sooner the family reconciled, the better. Elena wanted her husband to make peace with his father.
"We'll leave the kids with him."
You couldn't take children on a multi-year voyage. After agonizing, Lennon decided.
"Alright. I'll go see Father."
And a few days later, the couple's journey to the new continent was set. Dante and the siblings would stay at their grandparents' house.
Dante had no idea what the adults had discussed. But as a reincarnator, he could vaguely guess.
Finally reconciling with Grandpa, huh.
He'd known his father and grandfather didn't get along. But it looked like Grandpa was reaching out first.
"Come on in, kids."
"..."
"..."
Grandpa and Grandma welcomed the children with kind smiles.
"Treat this like your own home and make yourselves comfortable."
"..."
"..."
Of course... the kids looked like they were dying of discomfort. Who'd be thrilled to leave their cozy home?
Dante bowed on their behalf.
"Thank you, Grandpa. Grandma."
"Oh my, what a mature ten-year-old you are!"
Grandma smiled warmly, but Grandpa's grin carried a hint of unavoidable bitterness. Everyone knew it except the kids: Dante wasn't the couple's biological child. He'd been literally picked up.
Grandpa ruffled Dante's hair.
"Heard a lot about you from Lennon. They say you're the leader of the pack, huh?"
"I'm just... the oldest."
"Haha. Help your siblings settle in, alright?"
"Yes, Grandpa."
New house. New surroundings. But Dante's routine barely changed. For one, he wasn't a kid dependent on his parents. As a reincarnator with memories of his past life, he was perfectly fine alone.
"Oppa..."
"Sara?"
"Yeah."
His siblings, though, always sought him out when the new place felt awkward.
"Whatcha doing by yourself?"
"Meditating."
"Always meditating. Is that what mages do?"
"Dunno. Never met another."
But most mages were probably like him. Closing your eyes, quietly sensing mana wavelengths. It was endlessly fascinating.
Sara, no mage, couldn't understand her brother.
"Bored. Play with me."
"Play with the little ones."
"That's not playing! I have to play with them—they're the ones being entertained! Entertaining's boring! I wanna play with you!"
"..."
He almost said, Are you the kid here? But Sara did look after the younger ones well enough—still, she was only nine. Yeah, still a child.
"What do you wanna play?"
Sara's eyes sparkled.
"Tag! Like last time! Let's do that again!"
"Sure. Let's go."
That was Dante's daily life. Meditating to expand his magical knowledge when alone. Looking after siblings when they came calling.
"Kids! A letter came!"
"Wheeee!"
Sometimes parents sent letters, piled high with gifts.
"Dante!"
Grandma called him with a smile.
"Your mom and dad sent something really special!"
"Special gift?"
Dante tilted his head. His parents weren't stingy with presents, but he'd rarely been genuinely excited. Why? They always sent kid stuff: candies, toy swords, soldier dolls...
He'd faked it in front of them—"Whoaaa, a toy sword!"—but who got thrilled over baby toys?
Maybe a magic book this time?
He was ten now. Old enough for something interesting. The new continent was lizardman territory, famed for their skilled bug tamers. Maybe they'd brought back a book on bug magic?
"Go see!"
"Okay."
Dante followed Grandma to the inner courtyard—and froze.
"Eh...?"
A lizardman stood there, blinking.
The lizardman eyed him.
"Dante Aision?"
"Y-Yes... that's me."
"Kracto. Bug tamer."
"!"
Bug tamer...?!
"I'll teach you till you're grown."
Dante was genuinely shocked. His parents went to the new continent and... hired him a foreign teacher?!
"Dante, you said you were learning hard magic?"
Grandma asked. He nodded. Was bug magic hard? He didn't know. But it was certainly magic with zero teachers available... No one had shown up no matter how desperately he'd searched. They'd had to import one from the new continent.
"Mom and Dad brought a teacher, so learn well from him, okay?"
"...Gotta write them a thank-you letter."
Kracto told Dante,
"First... any lakes nearby?"
"A lake?"
"Wet, muddy. Humid lake."
Dante tilted his head. There was a lake, but not a particularly muddy one.
"Not sure about the mud... but I know one."
"Take me."
"...?"
Lesson already? Bewildered, Dante led him there. Kracto nodded at the water.
"Not bad."
Then dove right in.
"Pfoo..."
"Teacher Kracto?"
"Goddamn Cortkus weather. How do you humans live in this dry hellhole?"
"...?"
The main continent of Cortkus—what lizardmen called it—was harsh for their kind. Bright sun, chilly air, dry cool winds. Perfect for farming and livestock, ideal for humans... but lizardmen despised the dryness.
"My scales are cracking already..."
"That uncomfortable?"
"No choice. My path."
Kracto soaked his scales thoroughly, then climbed out.
"Now, lesson..."
He eyed Dante, then splashed back in.
"Let's bulk up first, then start."
"...Tomorrow?"
"Ah, yeah! Tomorrow it is!"
"..."
With that I don't wanna leave the water face, Dante had no comeback.
Next day.
"Teacher, lesson today—"
"Ah, you're here. Theory today?"
"Yes. Fine."
Kracto taught with just his face above water... vanishing for submersion every five minutes. Otherwise, solid lesson.
Day after.
"Teacher, about that mana wave distinction you mentioned—could you demonstrate?"
"Ah, next time. Theory today?"
"...Yes. Fine."
Dante sat by the lake, absorbing the packed theory. No complaints.
Day after that.
"Teacher, wanna see your magic today—"
"Ah, rainy day next time. Theory today?"
"..."
Dante glared at his fish-or-lizard teacher. Scammer...?
No, couldn't be. Days of theory proved Kracto far surpassed him. But... he hated leaving the water. Scales cracking felt creepy, unbearable.
"You've been dodging magic use... even in Bangkatoria?"
"Gah!!!"
Kracto roared for the first time. Hit a nerve.
"I used magic fine in Bangkatoria! It's moist and soft year-round! Hot fresh mud everywhere! Slather it on anytime!!!"
"..."
"Don't compare to this dry hell where rain's lucky ten days a month!!!"
"..."
"Fine! Behold my magic!"
Splash, splash... Kracto crawled out. Cold wind hit—he shivered.
"L-Lesson...? S-Start... Dante...?"
"...Get back in."
"Th-Think so...?"
Hah. Dante sighed. Kracto was clearly a superior bug tamer... but an incorrigible lizardman.