How Far Should I Show? (3)
Chloe, who had been wearing a dense, owl-like expression on her pretty face, demanded an answer.
"What the hell was that?"
"What else? Earth magic."
"That's not what I mean! What was that absurdly powerful spell just now? You're only from a baron's—"
"This again?"
"No, I... I didn't mean it like that..."
"It's the staff. Look. Every magic stone in it is completely drained—turned pitch black."
It was a private exchange between Roy and Chloe alone, yet every child in the room had turned their head this way, eavesdropping. Many of them—especially after that last remark—could not tear their eyes from the staff.
As if speaking for all of them, Chloe asked again.
"What is that staff, exactly?"
"This? Made from a unicorn's horn. It's been enchanted, too—mana amplification layered on top."
Chloe forgot every scrap of noble-young-lady etiquette and simply gaped at Roy, mouth hanging open. The other children wore matching expressions.
Among them was at least one who had heard the rumor that crafting a staff from unicorn horn had once carried a bounty of three hundred gold coins. That story spilled out, and talk of Geren's weapons poured forth like a broken dam.
"Quiet! Quiet, please!"
It was still class time, after all. Only two students had demonstrated magic so far. Granny Daisy looked about for the next volunteer as if nothing at all had happened. Not a single hand rose.
"Chloe, what are you doing? It's your turn."
"......"
"I can look forward to this, right?"
"......"
Looking ready to cry, Chloe stepped forward. Her expression may have been miserable, but the magic she produced was remarkably polished for her age.
Dozens of children filed up after her to show their magic. Through it all, the traces of Roy's spell remained where they were. For the children of viscount and baron houses especially, staring at the cracked earth before and after their own attempts—and sinking into deep discouragement—seemed practically a required assignment.
"Roy. Your magic was truly astonishing. I still want to test myself against you. Look at this—my hands are still shaking."
Ah. Right. This guy was here.
Roy only belatedly remembered Daniel's existence. Showing him that he could use magic like that had not been the plan.
Should I just step on him early, too?
His mana was far inferior, but giving him a hard time would not be difficult. All Roy had to do was get a little underhanded.
In any case, word of the magic Roy had used spread in an instant—not only through the entire school, but into the ears of nobles everywhere. A suspicious child from a baronial house, they said. Perhaps even a mutant. Add the name Geren to the mix, and the repercussions far outstripped anything Roy had imagined.
Roy himself, however, would not realize the full extent of it until some time later.
After that first class, Roy found himself besieged by invitations. Professors competed to summon him for tea and conversation; even the higher nobles who had until now held themselves aloof began inviting him to their mansions.
Why do I have to dress up every single refusal in perfect manners?
Crafting the replies was exhausting. A simple "no" would not do. He had to observe noble etiquette, soften the wording so no one took offense—it was pure agony.
And through it all, the invitation he had actually been waiting for—the crown prince's—remained conspicuously absent.
Was he just talking?
He could not wait forever, so Roy decided to throw himself into preparing the business. The first step was buying a house.
"Roy's buying a house?"
Anna was thoroughly startled when she heard.
"Yeah. Not a big place—I need workspace for a lab. Looking for somewhere quiet. Close to both the mansion and the school, with decent access to materials."
"What kind of research are you even doing? You just caused that whole uproar at school, and now you're plotting something else?"
"Uproar? That was just a simple magic test."
Anna furrowed her brow and shot back that he had no idea how much trouble she was catching because of him.
"So what are you planning to do once you have a lab?"
"What else? Keep going with the work I was doing with Master Geren back at the estate."
"Great. So you'll just hole up in that house again and I'll never see your face..."
"Well... if you keep the secret, you can come over whenever you want. On the condition that you absolutely do not get in the way."
Anna did not look pleased. Something was clearly bothering her.
"Fine. Must be nice, making so much money."
"Why? Need some?"
"No. Not that... I just wonder if there's something I could throw myself into the way you do."
"What do you want to do? You've got to find that first. What do you want to become, Anna?"
"Become? Hmm... I don't know. Never really thought about it. Before, maybe just... I want to beat Roy?"
Roy gave a bitter smile, feeling a twinge of guilt. Anna was already far ahead of most baronial daughters her age in both swordsmanship and magic. Yet constant comparison with Roy had kept her confidence from ever taking root. Knowing better than anyone how hard she worked, he wanted to help however he could—but nothing useful came to mind just then.
At least I can cheer her up a little.
"I'm going house-hunting. Want to come? I'll buy you whatever you want."
"Again? I don't really need anything..."
"That sort of thing shows up naturally once you're out looking. Just say the word. Your big brother will buy it all."
"......"
Roy deliberately stressed that he was still her older brother. From Anna's perspective that was precisely the part that unsettled her most—but Roy failed to notice.
"You're still so clueless, Roy. You don't understand a girl's heart at all."
"Huh? About what?"
"Never mind. Let's go. House-hunting."
And so Roy took Anna and Marek out with him, signed the contract on a new place within a few hours, and returned. The distance was closer than expected—barely a minute's walk from the capital mansion. Before long a proper laboratory and workshop had taken shape there.
"Now I need slaves I can work as I please..."
As a child he had handled everything alone, but he had no intention of doing so any longer. Mana solution, in particular, could be made by alchemists; he planned to hire some and cut the mana cost of producing lower-grade solution.
"War, huh..."
If war broke out, demand for magic weapons would explode.
"If it's going to happen anyway, better it tips quickly one way—fewer lives lost. And if that way is the Steel Kingdom's, all the better for me and our territory."
Conversely, if the Steel Kingdom lost ground in the coming war, Roy's business would inevitably suffer setbacks as well. From the business itself to domestic and foreign affairs, Roy weighed every angle and set his plans in motion one by one.
Around the time he finished outfitting the laboratory in the newly purchased building, the invitation he had been waiting for finally arrived. The sender was, of course, the crown prince himself.
The crown prince's invitation was not for the very next day. Roy went to the royal palace a full week after it arrived.
I'd rather go alone...
He had not been invited alone, either. Terry—former head of House Greenhilt and Roy's grandfather—and even Anna had been summoned to the palace as well.
"What in the world is going on, Roy? Why is His Highness the Crown Prince calling for us? Did you cause some kind of trouble?"
"We'll be discussing a business venture I'm about to launch. I'll handle it, so just sit quietly, Grandfather. Once we get through this cleanly, dinner's on me."
"Business? What on earth are you up to? You haven't even been in the capital a full month."
"It's all for the family. Just this once. From now on I'll make sure nothing interferes with Grandfather's romantic pursuits."
"Ahem... I-I'm not making a fuss over anything like that..."
Apparently reluctant to summon a boy not yet twelve on his own, the crown prince had invited the entire household. While attending school, Roy used every spare hour to craft the items he would take to the palace. One could hardly arrive empty-handed for a first visit. Of course, those gifts also carried a quiet agenda of business promotion.
"Anna! Still not ready?"
"Almost. Just a little longer. Girls have a lot to prepare, you know."
"Hurry up. We're going to be late."
"Okay..."
The mansion had been bustling since morning. Attending a banquet at a higher noble's invitation was one thing, but this was the royal palace itself. The maids had been giving their all since dawn—checking every detail, from overlooked items to whether clothing hung just so. For them, too, sending their masters to the palace was a first. Should any flaw be discovered after arrival—and worse, pointed out by palace staff—the blame would fall squarely on them. So they stayed razor-sharp and focused every nerve.
At last the door swung open and Anna appeared, ready at last.
"Well? The new dress Roy bought me."
"Wow, I hardly recognize you. For a mere dress that cost dozens of gold coins, it really does look high-class. But wouldn't your hair look better down?"
"You think so? I put it up to look more grown-up."
"With that cute face of yours it just makes you look even more like a baby."
"Really? Hing... Fine. I'll take it down real quick."
"Ah—w-wait, Anna! We're going to be late!"
"It'll only take a second."
Watching Anna vanish back into her room, Roy berated himself for opening his mouth. After waiting for her, they left the mansion a little later than planned. The carriage raced so hard it almost seemed to fly; they reached the palace just barely on time.
When they presented the invitation, a servant emerged at once, and the three of them followed his lead into the palace.