Chapter 186
Chapter 186
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Family (4)
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The day to head to the capital had arrived.
Jamie gazed at his reflection in the mirror with a thoroughly uncomfortable look.
He was wearing a robe based on blue silk, overlaid with white fabric at the cuffs, and adorned with ornate golden embroidery.
It was a pretty and luxurious robe, but it was far from Jamie's taste.
The problem was that this robe had been personally sent by Sears from Hice as a commemorative gift for his first visit to the capital.
'If I don't wear it, Mother will be sad.'
By now, the Welton family would have arrived in the capital, Pibre. Sears was undoubtedly waiting anxiously for him there.
But if he showed up without wearing the robe she'd prepared, who knew what would happen.
The size fit him perfectly too—it was clearly made just for Jamie.
"Wow! Master! You look so pretty!"
Amid all this, his disciple Anne, who had come over early in the morning, clapped her hands with sparkling eyes.
Come to think of it, this robe was totally in touch with a girl's sensibilities.
He wasn't sure whether to be grateful that Sears, in her thirties, still had such girlish tastes left, or to feel sorry for himself having to wear it.
'Pretty, though... not even cool or handsome.'
Letting out a short sigh, Jamie finished adjusting the robe and prepared to head out.
When he entered the living room, Siegfried and Linmel Marquis were sitting amiably(?) together, sipping tea.
...But why was Linmel here?
"...Marquis?"
Jamie hadn't heard that Linmel was coming.
Siegfried seemed to be in the same boat, sipping his tea with a reluctant expression as he glanced at Linmel.
Linmel set down his teacup and chuckled heartily.
"The robe suits you well."
"Thank you... But what brings you here?"
"I just thought I'd tag along. Is this a place I can't come to?"
"No, but..."
All the high-ranking figures in the magic world had to head to the capital anyway.
It was to celebrate the birth of a new Grand Mage alongside the king.
And it wasn't just mages.
All Master-class experts affiliated with the kingdom were required by royal decree to attend.
In other words, the Grand Mage appointment ceremony would gather the full might of Seldam's top forces.
Linmel was one of the foremost Masters among them, so of course he had to go.
But Jamie had assumed he'd travel with his own entourage...
"No need to bring attendants. It's just a hassle, isn't it? That's why the 7th Elder came here alone too, right?"
"That's true."
Siegfried replied with his usual reluctant face.
"What about Simon Count?"
"He has too many people to manage, so he'll be going separately."
"Lennon said he'd go with him too. He whined so much~ about not being able to come here!"
Jamie chuckled at Anne's exaggerated tattling.
Lately, looking at Lennon, it didn't seem like much of an exaggeration.
The guy had been expressing himself much more diligently these days.
It was a good change, and it was nice to see.
"Are preparations complete?"
Jamie nodded at Siegfried's question.
"The family would have handled everything anyway. I just need to show up."
"Must be nice being nobility, with underlings doing everything for you."
"I'd appreciate it if you remembered that the noble standing right in front of you is one too."
"Ah! S-sorry!"
Siegfried had teased Jamie without realizing Linmel was there, and ended up worse off than before.
Come to think of it, Siegfried seemed particularly weak against Linmel. Whatever had happened between them, seeing Siegfried like this was novel.
"Shall we go? I'll leave it to you, 7th Elder."
"Yes, yes. I'll escort you."
Siegfried gathered everyone with a weary face.
A magic circle appeared on the floor, and their figures vanished completely.
D-3 until the Grand Mage appointment ceremony.
Even for the Space Master Siegfried, teleporting straight from the magic world to the capital Pibre in one go was impossible.
They arrived in front of a warp gate used for long-distance travel.
Jamie looked at the massive ring-shaped tunnel machine.
It stood about 20 meters tall, and he could feel enormous mana writhing inside the device supporting the giant ring.
"This is the great product of magitech. Impressive, isn't it?"
Linmel had sidled up beside him at some point.
Jamie nodded.
"I can sense a huge mass of magic stones inside that large pedestal."
"They say it takes 100kg of B-grade stones to operate the warp."
"100kg?"
"That's already incredibly efficient. When it was first developed, it required 100 A-grade stones. You know how valuable A-grades are, right?"
"...Insane."
It took five A-grade stones to fire the magic world's strongest magitech weapon, the Dimension Breaker, once.
Requiring 100 for a warp gate meant it was trash in terms of cost-performance—laughable even to discuss.
"That's how it usually goes. They guzzle ridiculous energy at first, but over time, the flaws get fixed and the strengths amplified. The developer says in five years, it'll run on half the stones."
"Efficiency keeps improving, then."
"The goal is to install warp gates across the entire kingdom eventually."
"Preparations are complete!"
As the two chatted about the warp gate, a voice announced it was ready.
Linmel turned with his hands behind his back.
"Do you know why I suddenly brought up the warp gate?"
At the out-of-left-field question, Jamie looked up at Siegfried.
"Machines evolve. And the people who develop those machines achieve even greater progress."
"True."
"I hope you do the same. It's laughable how much more diligently you work than what worries me, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm burdening a young boy like you with too much."
Linmel glanced at the sky before continuing.
"In life, someone destined to shoulder a great load often appears. But many crumble under it."
"Yes."
"I... don't want you to be one of them. If it's tough, say so. If you have worries, seek counsel. If you're tired, rest. I don't want you crushed by a sense of duty."
That must have been why he'd come today.
Jamie smiled faintly.
He could understand the concern.
To Linmel, Jamie must be like a grandson, and seeing that grandson don such a huge hat already must worry him sick.
Above all, that conversation 'that day' must stick in his throat like a fishbone.
-Jamie... Are you truly the reincarnation of that being?
He still vividly remembered Linmel's trembling voice back then.
He had shared his past-life memories with Simon Count and learned of like-minded allies.
He'd been skeptical at first, but upon hearing their identities, he'd wanted to meet them instead.
When his body had recovered enough to move, he was introduced.
To Linmel, the 4th Elder, and Raymond Floris Shan.
They'd talked a lot that day.
But what stuck most was Linmel's reaction upon first hearing his true identity.
After that, he showed no particular reaction.
They only discussed future plans extensively.
But Linmel's mind had clearly been filled with worries about him.
Even as a reincarnator, to Linmel, Jamie Welton was like a grandson.
"Thank you for your concern."
Linmel smiled at Jamie's gratitude.
"Let's get going."
"Yes."
In the distance, Siegfried and Anne gestured for them to hurry.
The two quickened their pace.
The cafe terrace owner approached the elderly guest and asked about the taste.
"Is it to your liking?"
"It's good."
"I'm glad. I hope you have a pleasant time."
The owner retreated carefully with a sigh of relief.
Cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
The old man nodded in greeting with his eyes and savored his tea.
It wasn't flattery—the tea was genuinely good. The cake dessert was sweetly balanced, perfect even for an aged palate.
As expected of Pibre's most famous cafe. It was always bustling, but strangely, today there wasn't a single other customer.
Only the old man sat leisurely, enjoying tea time.
"The capital really is nice."
The old man leaned back in his chair, basking in the warm sunlight.
Full spring had arrived, and the floral scent carried on the breeze lifted his spirits.
The old man stirred his tea with a teaspoon and gripped the sword beside him.
It was a weapon that clashed with the peaceful cafe, but somehow, with the old man, it felt natural.
"Nice."
How long had it been since his last holiday?
Even at his age, he'd always lived busily, so these small respites were precious.
Then.
Someone approached the old man.
"Old timer. What're you doing in a place like this?"
The old man cracked one eye to check the visitor.
A man with indigo hair like a lion's mane, a languid face, shouldered a long spear.
Its blade was as large as half a greatsword.
The old man replied lightly to the man's question.
"As you see, enjoying a precious holiday."
"Heh. People can't even approach because of you."
"Can't be helped."
"Can't you rein in that monstrous aura a bit?"
The man looked exasperated at the warped scenery around the old man.
"Ah."
Only then did the old man open his eyes as if realizing.
"It felt so natural, I forgot."
The old man looked at Pibre's empty streets.
He'd wondered why a place usually teeming with crowds was deserted.
It was because of him.
Absurd—he chuckled heartily.
As he reined in his aura, the owner, who had been standing stiffly at the counter, collapsed.
Freed from the pressure, she'd fainted.
The man shook his head and sat beside the old man.
"Anyway, heard any news on that kid?"
"Jamie Welton, you mean?"
"Yeah."
"Not really. Just that he became a Grand Mage at age eight."
"Figures. You don't care about anything else, old timer."
"That's right."
The old man closed his eyes again, relishing the leisure.
With his aura gone, people who'd been hiding indoors began peeking out one by one.
The man clicked his tongue at the sight.
How monstrous a presence to empty the city's streets like this.
He knew of the strength, but experiencing it this way was fresh.
"You stop by His Majesty's?"
"Plenty of time. No rush."
"Keep dawdling, and His Majesty might die of thirst."
Not fitting words for a king, but the two were exceptions.
The old man chuckled heartily.
The man tsked and stood.
Always the boring old timer—talking more would just hurt his own mouth.
"Don't leave without settling things. Been a while; wanna see some skills."
Not the old man's skills, of course.
The man knew better than anyone how insanely strong the old man was.
He wanted to test how far his own skills reached against him.
The old man narrowed his eyes in reply.
"I hope it doesn't end as lamely as last time, Albert."
Albert, the 'King's Spear,' grinned.
"Don't worry. I've leveled up since then."
"Looking forward to the Spear Master's skills."
Albert, the Spear Master among Seldam's five Sword Masters, gave a thumbs-up and vanished.
The old man, bored now too, stretched and rose.
"Owner! Bill the Pan family for the tea."
No reply from the fainted owner.
The old man, Tariks Pan, sheathed his sword and left the cafe.
He was the Sword Duke.