Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Alpheas Magic Academy (2)
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“A pleasure to meet you. I am Bischoff, the head of the family.”
Bischoff, the family head, greeted them on behalf of everyone. Klumpf and Rai were absent, but Rian and Reina had come in their stead.
Rian bowed to Vincent, his expression full of delight.
“Greetings, Father! I am Rian, Shirone's sword. The man who will one day become the world's greatest swordsman. Hahahaha!”
“I'm Reina, Rian's older sister. I've heard so much about you.”
Vincent and Olina could only blink blankly. Then, as if a switch had been flipped in their minds, they realized the situation and bowed their heads.
“Ah, greetings! I am Shirone's father. How could such esteemed individuals come to a place like this...”
“Oh my, did Shirone not tell you?”
“Pardon? Tell us what?”
Vincent racked his brain, trying to recall what he might have been told. The only thing that came to mind was his son's unbelievable boasting.
“Then are you saying it was true?”
“Ah, I suppose that might be the case. We should have come a little sooner. In any event, it's just as Shirone said. My younger brother Rian and Shirone are now bound by a knight's vow. That is why we went to the trouble of bringing you here.”
Finally understanding the full story, Vincent's heart began to pound. The joy was fleeting, quickly replaced by a wave of fear. How could his naive son have caused such a major incident?
“First, let us eat. It would be best to discuss the details afterward.”
True to his nature, Bischoff kept his words brief and turned away.
The family head's attitude wasn't particularly friendly. However, the mere fact that a noble of the second rank was speaking formally to a commoner revealed the heart of a parent whose youngest son had been taken hostage.
Even after the family members left, Vincent remained in his spot for a while. He only snapped out of it when Shirone smiled and tugged at his sleeve, leading him to the dining hall.
'Is it really true? My Shirone? With the Ogent family?'
Everything was a question mark. Every question was astonishing. Olina, frightened like a young girl, clung tightly to her husband's arm. But even Vincent's own legs were trembling.
Then he hastily collected himself. If what Shirone said was true, he couldn't show any more weakness. For his son's sake, he had to hold his ground here.
What was a simple dinner reception felt like a battlefield to Vincent.
A long, straight table was laden with all sorts of delicacies from land and sea. There were even dishes that Vincent, a hunter, had never seen before. They were ingredients Reina had procured from the royal palace.
The seating arrangement followed protocol, ordered by rank. Bischoff, the head of the family, sat at the head of the table, with Klumpf to his left and Reina to his right.
Seated at the lowest end, Vincent finally began to grasp the reality of the situation as he gazed upon the spread of exquisite food. When Head Butler Louis and Vice-Butler Temuran showed him their respects, he couldn't help but puff out his chest a little.
But he couldn't just enjoy himself. For his son's reputation, he needed to finish the meal quietly, but his head spun as he looked at the set of at least seven different kinds of cutlery.
Commoners could tear apart a whole wild boar with just a single fork.
But the utensils before him were all different in size and shape, and there were even tools he had never seen in his life.
The meal began, but Vincent's family still hadn't taken their first bite. The biggest problem was that the maids simply stood by, showing no intention of helping.
In the precarious psychological battle between nobles and commoners, there was no need for rash actions. Moreover, their inaction was laced with a hint of mockery and derision for a commoner who had risen in status overnight.
Bischoff set down his cutlery and spoke.
“Please, eat. There is no need to follow the customs of the nobility.”
“B-but, still…”
“I believe etiquette is not in the action itself, but in the heart that wishes to show it. Your apprehension alone is enough for our family to feel your respect, so I hope you will eat comfortably.”
Vincent was moved by the family head's words. Whether it was a gesture of consideration or a matter of noble pride, the fact that he cared this much was a great kindness.
At that, the maids' faces turned pale. The Ogent family's attitude toward Shirone was genuine. They truly intended to accept him.
Flustered, the maids hastily explained how to use the cutlery. In truth, the problem was not knowing; once they knew, what was so difficult about eating? Vincent's family, catching on with a bit of observation, finally began to eat in comfort.
Having regained his composure, Vincent now began to worry about his son. What on earth did this family intend to do with Shirone?
He had heard the explanation of the knight's vow, but that didn't change anything. Shirone was still the son of a hunter, and aside from being smarter than others, his future was not guaranteed in any way.
Could they have some other ulterior motive? He hated to suspect someone who had shown him kindness, but when it came to his child, Vincent would go through fire and water.
“Thank you for thinking so highly of my son, but on the other hand, I am worried. Is the Ogent family not one of the most prestigious houses in Creas? I find it hard to believe that a young master of such a family would pledge a knight's vow to Shirone.”
“Haha! You don't have to worry about that. Shirone and I are…”
Bischoff cut Rian off.
“To be frank, I do feel a certain sense of displeasure.”
The clatter of cutlery around the table came to a halt. But Bischoff continued to speak, never pausing his knife.
“However, it is a knight's vow. In a martial family, it is a pledge of pride and conviction that holds the highest binding power. To feel displeasure simply because of a difference in status would, in fact, be an act that sullies Rian's pride. Therefore, I will continue to use formal address, so please do not feel too uncomfortable.”
Bischoff's words resonated deeply with Shirone. Most nobles were arrogant and narcissistic. But for that very reason, the value they placed on the pride they revered was beyond imagination.
Nobles, who had always been seen as oppressors of the people. But now, observing their way of life and speaking with them, he saw that they too were individuals who operated by their own set of rules.
“Kekeke, our family head speaks sense for once in a long while. You must be lonely at the thought of sending away your remaining son, aren't you? Why not just send him next year?”
Bischoff did not rise to his father's provocation.
“Rai has learned Schema, and with the Ogent swordsmanship, he has a high chance of earning his certification. Rian, on the other hand, has yet to even awaken to Schema. Our only hope is to place our expectations on the sword academy this time.”
“I hear you subtly siding with the black hair. The black hair of composure. But the blood of blue holds an unfading youth. If you look down on the passion of the blue hair, you might find yourself embarrassed later.”
Rian, chewing on a piece of lamb, gave his grandfather a thumbs-up. Bischoff snorted. He was truly fed up with his father's antics.
“Whether it's the blue hair or the black hair, whoever succeeds is my child. And that is…”
All the direct family members put down their cutlery and said in unison,
“Ogent.”
* * *
After dinner, Klumpf gathered the family in the drawing room to discuss Shirone's situation.
During the family meeting, Reina had shared the news that Shirone was interested in magic, and everyone had agreed. Considering his physique and disposition, there were limits to what he could achieve with swordsmanship.
In the end, calling Vincent had been the right decision. Contrary to the relatively amiable atmosphere at dinner, Klumpf wore a solemn expression as he made his announcement.
“As you know, our family intends to support Shirone from now on. I hear he wants to become a mage, so how about sending him to Alpheas Magic Academy here in Creas? The headmaster, Alpheas, is an old acquaintance of mine, and the academy is one of the top five in the Tormia Kingdom. It's a kingdom-designated institution, so he'll even be able to obtain a private license upon graduation. In short, he can become a mage.”
“A-a mage…”
Vincent swallowed hard. A mage was the crystallization of intellect, a master of phenomena. It was a very special profession, irrespective of social status; once you obtained a license, you were a highly sought-after talent anywhere you went.
There were self-taught mages in the world, and there were commoners who had the good fortune to become a mage's apprentice and learn magic. Such people could also become mercenaries or join an association to acquire a mage license.
But these cases were extremely rare, and for most commoners, being a mage was a profession from a distant land that didn't even appear in their dreams.
And now, Shirone was to become a mage. Not only that, he was being offered admission to a prestigious academy where he would receive a license immediately upon graduation. As a father, it was an offer he could never refuse.
Overcome with emotion, Olina burst into tears. Shirone hugged his mother. It was a heartwarming scene for anyone to see, but surprisingly, Klumpf's expression was dark.
Entering a magic academy was undoubtedly the fastest path to becoming a mage.
But the problem was Shirone's status. Magic academies were thoroughly centered around the nobility for admissions, and getting in through special admission was like plucking a star from the sky.
This was a difficult task even with the influence of the Ogent family, a second-rank noble house. After all, the magic academy was populated by the children of not only second-rank but also first-rank nobles.
“As you are already aware, with Shirone's current status, he does not meet the eligibility requirements to enter a magic academy. Even if our family supports the tuition and textbook fees, there will inevitably be talk about the method of his admission.”
Vincent woke from his dream. It had been such a sweet fantasy that he had lost his mind to the point of forgetting reality.
“Ah, of course. I understand. Yes… I see.”
The disappointment was evident in Vincent's voice. There was likely a sense of self-loathing as well. To think that his son, acknowledged by a noble family, couldn't enter a school because of the lowly status inherited from his worthless father.
“There is one way. No, it would be more accurate to say it is the only way.”
At Klumpf's words, Vincent's head shot up. It was the first Shirone was hearing of this as well, so he listened with interest.
“I would like to… adopt Shirone into the Ogent family.”
Silence filled the drawing room.
Klumpf's proposal was, in a word, an offer to sell his son. Of course, it wasn't a bad offer. A hunter's son would, in an instant, be transformed into a son of the Ogent family.
It was an unprecedented offer that would be unthinkable under normal circumstances. But the reason lips would not part readily was that it was a matter of blood ties.
Shirone could become a noble. But from that moment on, Shirone would no longer be his son. His son would become someone else's.
Vincent turned to look at Shirone. A little vexingly, his son's expression remained calm. He couldn't tell if it was because he thought he should naturally accept, or because he found the story absurd.
“We discussed it among the family and concluded that this is the best method. We have a childish cousin who is yet to have children. If we register Shirone under his family records, Shirone will also become a noble, making it possible for him to enroll in the academy. Of course, we have no intention of taking your son away from you. This is merely a matter of paperwork, so your family relationship will not change.”
Merely a matter of paperwork. Could it be said so easily? Everything in this world was a matter of paperwork.
Frankly, he wasn't confident. He wasn't confident that he wouldn't feel resentful looking at Shirone, registered as the son of another house.
'Shirone, please say something. What decision should your father make? What is it that you truly want?'
Vincent looked back at Shirone with a miserable heart.
Then, Shirone's brow furrowed. Vincent realized it was because his son was frustrated with his father's inability to answer.
As everyone held their tongues on such a sensitive issue, Reina stepped in to ask.
“Shirone, what do you think? It's just registering some papers. You can become a noble and achieve your dream. Of course, we will always consider your current parents to be your true parents. Nothing will change.”
Shirone's brow furrowed even deeper, and his eyes narrowed. Then, as if he couldn't comprehend it at all, he spoke.