Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Escort Duties and Family Pride
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Among the four adventurers hired as escorts, Rain had the lowest rank. The other three were all Silver-rank adventurers.
Spearman Willis.
Thief Brien.
Mage Yanar.
They were outstanding fighters, but Rain felt they were a step below Bart and Rem of the same rank.
The adventurers explained that those two were superior in skill but lacked contribution points (being relatively new).
After exchanging introductions, they boarded the carriage and comfortably returned to [Magic Capital Golden Rose], where they met the family’s guard captain at the inn.
“I’m Escort Captain Bardwell. I heard the young lady hired you all on the spot, and since her eyes are sharp, I won’t doubt your skills.”
“…….”
“To briefly explain the mission: escort the young lady while traveling to <Ledacabel>, during your stay in <Ledacabel>, and finally while participating in <Ledacabel>’s black market. That’s it.”
He had a irritable-looking middle-aged face, but he was actually extremely courteous. Bardwell glanced outside and said,
“Of course, you all know this is illegal, right?”
“Of course.”
“But it’s best to be fully prepared. The church usually turns a blind eye, but there are rumors it might be different this time.”
It was probably because of the heresy interrogation group ‘Golden Children.’ The Magic Special Forces might poke around for the same reason.
- Rain Ludwig forgery.
Imagining that squinting man who approached with dark intentions made him a bit uneasy…… but eh, what could go wrong?
“Does anyone here want to buy something at the black market?”
“Me.”
“Rain, huh. Buy it with your own money. Of course, if the price is equal to or lower than your pay, we can cover it instead of your compensation.”
No need for that.
He’d brought plenty of money.
A few minor details followed, and when Rain couldn’t hold back a yawn from drowsiness, Bardwell wrapped up.
“We’ve rented out the entire inn, so sleep in whatever room you want. Rest tonight and depart at dawn tomorrow.”
“How long will the round trip take?”
“If all goes as planned, we’ll be back here in nine days. That all? Dismissed.”
* * *
Bellwin, the Ludwig family mansion.
A heavy silence had settled over the small banquet hall used for casual family meals.
Skalji Ludwig sat in the head seat at the lavish dinner table—an unusual occurrence—with his son and daughter-in-law to his right, and Seri and Bran to his left.
“Go on, read it again.”
Four-year-old youngest Bran Ludwig, who had been sucking on his fingers, turned back to the letter and mumbled with his little mouth.
“Le, Rain Luwudwig middwe exam top stu-dent se-lected.”
“Now Seri, you read it.”
“Rain Ludwig has been selected as top student of the midterm exams.”
Skalji’s expression, as he glared at the candle flame with steepled fingers, was downright eerie. But the next moment, his lips twitched, and a chuckle escaped.
“Heh heh heh.”
“Ahem ahem ahem.”
“Hee hee hee.”
Not just Skalji—Kevn, Brim, and Seri all began giggling. Kevn clapped his hands once, and the banquet hall lit up brightly.
The mansion’s servants and guards had taken seats at every table laden with extravagant feasts, and they all began applauding in unison.
“Congratulations, Master!”
“Congratulations, Lord!”
“Congratulations, Madam!”
This was a celebration party.
The moment Skalji received word of Rain’s top student status, he hurried back from Ribarden Magic School to Bellwin mansion. It was his first return in 19 years.
Savoring the cheers with satisfaction, Skalji raised a hand to quiet the noise.
“Eat and drink your fill! You all deserve great credit for wholeheartedly supporting Rain’s growth.”
Today, day laborers bustled through the hall preparing food and carrying drinks, not the Ludwig family servants.
As the clatter of dishes filled the hall noisily, Kevn smiled faintly.
“With Warden’s third daughter and all those other promising talents entering this time, I thought aiming for top student would be tough, but I was wrong.”
“Why say something so obvious with such a serious face?”
“Was I?”
“What worried me was that Marhena fellow as the examiner, but thankfully, he didn’t factor in personal grudges into the grading.”
“Really? I heard you two were close friends since your school days…….”
Brim cautiously broached the subject with her father-in-law, with whom she’d never properly spoken before, when Seri piped up.
“Grandpa, when I go to <Delaiten>, I’ll snag top spot there too! Just like big brother!”
Seri was currently Ribarden Magic School’s middle division top student. Some called her the genius young lady to follow in Christa’s footsteps.
As someone who’d learned magic from Rain, she always got angry at such whispers, insisting they call her the genius following in her big brother’s footsteps……
Skalji beamed powerfully at his excellent granddaughter.
“Hahaha! Of course! You’re my blood, Skalji’s lineage. You’ll bring glory to the family name just like Rain!”
He gave Brim a warm smile too.
“For bearing such wonderful grandchildren, your merit is the greatest. A true Ludwig daughter-in-law.”
The emotion swelling hot inside Brim at that moment…… was indescribable.
Feeling her eyes heat up, Brim bowed her head briefly, then quietly slipped away.
When Kevn went looking after a while and found her in the mansion corridor wiping her eyes with a handkerchief, they were wet.
“Oh come on, crying on such a good day.”
“It was the first time.”
“?”
“Father calling me daughter-in-law…… today was the first.”
Brim was the daughter of a fallen baron family with low status and no wealth. There was an insurmountable gap with Kevn, heir to a great magic house.
Thus, Skalji—who had sought a bride from another great magic house, like a grand princess—had fiercely opposed the marriage.
But when his son wouldn’t yield, he’d left the mansion with cold words: “You’re no son of mine”……
“I’ve always felt sorry. Because of me, you…… ended up like that with your father, who you were so close to. He was your teacher too.”
“…….”
“If I hadn’t come, maybe you’d have married someone of high status by now and stayed on good terms with your father.”
Kevn smirked, stepped forward, and nodded.
“Probably. Princess Saion was so beautiful; she might be sitting beside me as my wife right now.”
“……!”
“But then Rain wouldn’t be in my life. Same for Seri and Bran. Those children are the gifts you brought to our family. Father acknowledges that now.”
In the moonlight streaming through the arched window, Kevn kissed the back of Brim’s hand. A stifled sob escaped her lips.
“Don’t cry over this already. The boy’s life is just beginning. He’ll bring us even more astonishing gifts ahead.”
* * *
The journey to <Ledacabel> was straightforward. Just head southwest along the Sun Road piercing the empire’s south.
The escort adventurers moved in pairs, one at the front and one at the rear of the procession.
Rain had been hoping for time paired with mage Yanar…… and on the first night’s watch, that time came.
“Teach me sound magic?”
“Yeah! You can’t learn that anywhere.”
“This…… might be rude, but without musical talent, it’s unusable. So it’s a bit hard to teach…….”
“Don’t need to use it. Just curious about the principles.”
Rain’s pure, sparkling eyes and eager nodding looked pretty cute.
And his face was handsome too……
Yanar cleared her throat, shaking off her captivated thoughts, and answered.
“My lute has four strings. Each produces a different sound, and the first string you pluck selects the magic circle.”
First string for water, second for fire…… choosing attributes like that.
“Then hand tremors, string vibrations for runes, and melody combinations for formulas. Hard to explain in words…….”
“Calculating formulas mentally while playing music? That’s insane.”
“No. Then all sound magic would be Yorhen type. There’s a playing technique that chants formulas.”
Suddenly Yanar’s eyes shone seriously, and a round, clear melody echoed through the midnight forest.
“This is a linear function. This quadratic, and this a cubic equation.”
Whoa…… this is totally nonsensical. Even hearing it explained, no clue.
Even as Lin, he’d considered studying it once but gave up immediately—the books were impossibly obscure.
Yeah, Rigwind type’s a pass. Wanted to try it once, but I’m hopelessly tone-deaf; no choice.
“Having such a fun chat?”
That’s when Hirupien approached.
Exhausted from the trip (chattering beside the adventurers all day instead of the carriage), she yawned and stretched.
Yanar stopped playing and bowed politely.
“He asked about music magic, so I was explaining a bit.”
“Oh? If it’s okay, could you play a lullaby? I’m so sleepy.”
“No lullabies, but…… I’ll play a quiet spell to ward off beasts and alert if intruders come.”
Spearman Willis whistled.
“Please do, mage lady.”
“Music, huh. Camping but sleeping easy.”
Thief Brien said, draping his cloak like a blanket.
Amid everyone’s expectant gazes, Yanar felt a twinge of shyness but elegantly plucked the strings.
‘Ahh…….’
Listening to the pleasant melody beside him, Rain felt warmth in his heart. Fresh curiosity tingled his mind.
‘The world of magic is truly vast.’
So many spells I don’t know. Horizons of knowledge I haven’t reached stretch endlessly.
‘The world of knowledge is truly never boring…… learn forever, and it never ends.’
* * *
A place where only starlight pierced coldly through ceiling cracks. In the dim interior, sinister ancient Alvrazm-style statues wept.
Alvrazm style referred to the art prevalent in the Tercian calendar BC era, when Abyss lords ruled the world.
This was a temple of forgotten kings beyond the Three Divine Dragons’ gaze…… and currently the hideout of the ‘Crows’ pursued by ‘Golden Children’ and the Magic Alliance Special Forces.
“So?”
Amid narcotic ancient myrrh smoke, a strangely alluring voice echoed.
“No issues on the school side. Wait about half a year, and ‘Number 1’ will graduate top student. Plan to secure Lin’s corpse then is perfect.”
At that instant, the ambient mana twisted, whipping into a blade-like gale. As myrrh smoke cleared, the woman on the high seat’s majesty faintly emerged.
“Corpse?”
Her once sky-blue tresses, now abyss-tainted dark navy…… but her bronze skin’s striking features and figure were heavenly beauty incarnate.
“Forgive me, Lady Tureina. Mercy, please.”
The prostrated man realized his slip and slammed his forehead to the floor. As she exhaled tobacco smoke, the suffocating mana rampage subsided.
“So, <Ledacabel> side?”
Only then did the man cautiously lift his blood-dripping forehead.
“‘Number 3’ and ‘Number 6’ are en route.”
“Libeni’s going, huh.”
“Yes. She’ll secure the item, and given her personality, stage a massacre to divert ‘Golden Children’ and Special Forces attention. Just need your approval, Lady Tureina.”
In the once-more impenetrable myrrh smoke, the woman drew on her weathered pipe stamped with a golden Fire Dragon crest.
Haa……
Whether a sigh of hesitation or just smoke, in a breath only she knew, she replied.
“Tell them to do whatever they want.”