Saikyou Mahoushi no Inton Keikaku (LN) - Volume 17 - Chapter 95

Ninety-Fifth Chapter: The Family’s Long-Cherished Desire

Before the artificial sun that lit up the Inner World reached its zenith, Alus and Loki stepped through the Circle Port.

Since they’d left their luggage with Tesfia, they were traveling light. All they had was the bag Loki was carrying.

When they arrived at the Fable mansion, they would need to greet the head of the household. With Alus so deeply involved, he felt he would need to explain the circumstances that brought him.

He’d ended up skipping class, but considering Alus’s attendance, that wasn’t anything new. He owed the principal, Sisty, a lot, so part of him hoped it wouldn’t cause any fatal damage to him moving up a grade.

After going through several Circle Ports, Loki moved a little closer to Alus at the very last one. While it was true that being closer made it quicker to read and extract the necessary information, Loki looked like she wanted to say something.

She stood close enough to just not touch his shoulder, and it was a sign of her worrying about Alus getting caught up in another disturbance related to nobles. But she was being considerate by not saying anything out loud, so Alus let her do as she pleased.

As Alus glanced over at her, their surroundings completely changed. Stepping out from the facility, they were greeted by a spacious and quiet suburban landscape, something you wouldn’t see in the central part of Alpha.

In front of them was a large roundabout dedicated to magic cars, and that alone showed that this place was reserved for the upper class.

Alus mentally clicked his tongue. Making life more convenient was nice, but he didn’t like how it was monopolized by the upper class without being accessible to commoners.

But that’s how the nation was structured. The relatively safe district far from the borders, where the threat of Fiends was low, had been turned into the area where the wealthy lived and was thus called the wealthy district. However, despite Alpha’s powerful military, those who didn’t have the money were pushed to the districts closer to the Outer World.

Just walking here was enough to teach one about the cruel realities of the current society.

The road from here to the Tower of Babel in the center of the Inner World was like a completely different world from the area in the opposite direction, near the barrier.

Around the terminal, well-dressed people were coming and going, elegantly walking down the vast promenade next to the road on which luxurious magical cars were driving.

“Sir Alus, where do we go from here...?” asked Loki.

“I was careless. I should have told them roughly when we’d arrive, then they might have sent a car to get us. But I’ve been at the Fable mansion several times, so I know more or less where it is. Why don’t we run?”

That was certainly a valid method, as these two could run faster than most magical cars.

“Ah...sorry, but I didn’t put on running shoes today...” Loki said apologetically, shrinking back.

Looking down, Alus saw Loki was wearing heels. They looked nice, but they were certainly not suitable for a forced march.

“No, I’m sorry too. We’ll end up having to wait a bit, so let’s call Fia.”

He rummaged through his pockets trying to find his license, but since he always treated that kind of thing so carelessly, he couldn’t find it anywhere. It was probably mixed in with the rest of his luggage left with Tesfia.

Alus scanned his memories, looking bitter, while Loki watched him looking exasperated. At that moment, a voice called out to them.

“Sir Alus, Lady Loki! I have been waiting for you!” the somewhat panicked, somewhat relieved voice of a woman who’d been waiting for them called out from behind.

When they turned around, they saw a maid jogging up to them. Unlike the calm and composed demeanor of the butler Selva, she wore a friendly smile and had an innocent, childlike face reminiscent of her master. Alus recalled that she was Tesfia’s personal maid.

But Alus struggled to remember names, so it was Loki who called out.

“Ms. Minasha, why are you here?”

“What are you talking about? I was obviously waiting for you two.” Minasha politely bowed and greeted them, before turning around and leading the way.

“Thank you very much. I don’t think we told Fia when we would arrive, though,” Alus suspiciously noted.

Minasha turned around with a smile. “That is why the head of the family told me to wait here.”

Alus tilted his head, but Minasha continued to smile. “Please don’t mind... I only waited around two hours or so.”

Alus was speechless. Order or not, she’d spent two hours in a place like this without any entertainment or shops to visit. But Minasha’s expression as she guided them to a parking lot made it seem like she didn’t mind.

They were taken to a familiar luxury magical car, and as she opened the door, Minasha spoke. “Please, get in.”

Loki, followed by Alus, got in and sat in the backseat of the car. Following that, the rustling sound of clothes came from the driver’s seat. One couldn’t very well drive in a long maid skirt, but Alus chose not to think too much about it.

“Being the Fable family’s maid...especially looking after her...sounds like a lot of trouble,” Alus said, trying to make small talk.

Minasha replied from the driver’s seat with a delighted voice. “Maybe that’s what it looks like from an outsider’s perspective, but it’s worth doing. There’s always work to be done.”

“I can imagine,” Alus said, an image of Tesfia floating through his head.

Alus heard the quiet sound of the engine starting and felt the flow of mana through the base of the car. The scenery slowly moved outside the window. However, that only lasted a moment, as once they got on a large road, there was a sudden acceleration.

Alus and Loki reflexively exchanged a look. The magical car’s key system, which used mana as its driving force, was operating on full throttle, and they could feel it roar through the seat.

It made even Alus uncomfortable to move at such speeds that failing to brake or steering poorly even once would no doubt lead to a major accident.

“M-Ms. Minasha, you do have a driver’s license, don’t you...?” Loki asked, but it seemed like Minasha couldn’t hear over the sound of the engine as she turned towards the backseat, holding a hand to her ear.

She’d taken a hand off the steering wheel and was looking away.

“Forward! Look forward, please!” Loki shouted, her face pale.

As if finally realizing what she’d done, Minasha looked forward again and stuck her tongue out. “Oh right. I’m just so used to this road; sorry about that.”

Alus wanted to point out how much more dangerous that had made it, but he held it in. If the worst case happened, he could just kick out the door and escape. Although, if that happened, he wouldn’t look after Minasha.

After that, what felt like an eternity passed. But finally, having been freed from what felt like hell, Alus and Loki stood glaring before the large Fable mansion, their faces pale. Minasha walked over to the bell next to the gatepost.

What kind of new harassment is this? Talk about a welcome, thought Alus.

Alus had broken out into a cold sweat and was pinching the area between his eyebrows. Then he saw a suit without any wrinkles appear.

A white haired man lowered his head and apologized with a sigh. “From your appearance, I take it Minasha has done it again. I am sorry for this, Sir Alus. I did tell her to drive carefully before sending her out,” said Selva, the butler.

Minasha jumped in surprise at his words. “Ah! I completely forgot about what you told me while I was waiting for them, Mr. Selva... I-I am so sorry!”

“Oho ho ho, I will be sure to admonish her after I have guided you, so please forgive her,” said Selva.

Since they’d reached their destination in the end, it was too late for complaints.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Alus.

Selva instructed the ashamed Minasha to park the car in the garage and took over leading Alus and Loki. He opened the large door at the entrance.

“Hmm. We have sent them to the Institute to assist the young lady, but I am still worried. How are those two doing?” the perfect butler asked with a worried look that didn’t suit him.

Alus hesitated to answer. By “those two,” Selva was referring to Minasha and Hest. After all, Hest was pretty much just an assassin in maid uniform. Not only was she despairingly unsociable, she was quick to make use of force and excelled at controlling an area.

Not to mention that Mr. Selva’s worries are spot on, so how should I answer him? Alus thought.

Moreover, Hest had almost killed an investigator from another nation who’d burst in on Tesfia and Alice’s training. Things had been resolved with Alus taking them down instead, but it could have become an international incident and left a black mark on the Fable family’s prestige.

“Yes, well, she seems to be poor at adjusting her strength,” said Alus.

“I am sorry for that occasion,” said Selva.

“Ah, so you knew about it.”

Selva gave Alus a good-natured smile and nodded. “I never would have thought that Hest was that clumsy. By the way, the Fable family has already taken measures so that there won’t be any problems for you, Sir Alus.”

That said, Berwick had also said that he would take care of the problems, so with it being attended to from two sides, Alus wasn’t worried.

I was lucky nobody died. Although, since that incident I have something else to worry about, Alus thought, remembering cleaning up after Professor Kwinska’s sudden appearance.

He had only just supplied the professor with a sample of his blood and the funds for a hideout. Since he would be hiding her, as well as managing the research expenses, he wondered how he would pull the wool over Berwick’s and Cicelnia’s eyes, but Professor Kwinska was unexpectedly skilled at that.

She had proposed they set up a few fictitious accounts and dummy companies, with Alus putting money into them under the excuse of purchasing research material. Some old books and magic minerals could have sky-high costs, so it wouldn’t be strange for large amounts of money to move from Alpha’s greatest Magicmaster’s account. In fact, he’d poured astronomical amounts of money in the past into research AWRs.

Her research is into the Akashic Records. There is much that we don’t know. Even just one piece of unconfirmed information could carry the risk of things becoming too big if made public.

The Akashic Records was the modern version of Pandora’s box. If carelessly handled, it could shake the balance of the world, so it was better to leave it under Alus’s personal management.

Alus was deep in thought when Selva suddenly called out to him. “Excuse me for being forward, but there is something I would like to confirm before meeting with Master Frose. It is about what happened to the young lady...”

Alus narrowed his eyes. He was no doubt talking about the mana vessel expansion. While he’d told Hest to keep quiet, considering her position, this was more or less expected. Even Hest herself had said that she wouldn’t be able to refuse the head of the family if asked directly.

Of course, Hest shouldn’t have known any of the details. It would probably even be impossible for Tesfia, who’d experienced it firsthand to explain it to someone else.

“Yes, there was some success. Well, it requires precious materials and comes with a risk, but I was rather convinced those two would be able to handle it. Regardless, it’s not something you can do for anyone so easily. If it was, there would be a flood of rapidly growing Magicmasters in all seven nations, and all the Fiends in the Outer World would have been exterminated by now.”

“Oh...”

This time it was Selva who narrowed his eyes.

“I am glad to hear it. While she has settled down, the young lady can still be rather careless. With there being a risk involved, if something had happened, as a Fable family butler I would have had to take action. Even if it was against you, Sir Alus...”

Selva’s stare grew sharper, and it felt like the temperature around them was dropping. Alus couldn’t help but duck his head a little.

At that moment, Loki slid between them and interjected, “This may be presumptuous of me, but it was all because Sir Alus acknowledged their talents. Not to mention that they both want to improve themselves... It’s not like Sir Alus forced them into it.”

While she spoke politely, her tone made it clear that if something were to happen, she was determined to protect Alus even at the cost of her life. She threw it like a blade, but the elderly butler easily caught it with a smile.

“Yes, I am aware. I was simply explaining my own position. Even without the Tenbram, as long as the young lady continues down the path as a Magicmaster, she needs to be strong in mind and body... In fact, the Fable family once again considers Sir Alus as having done us a favor that cannot be repaid. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“Don’t worry about it. I did it of my own accord. This time too,” Alus said bluntly. If possible, he didn’t want to have any strange connections to the Fable family after the Tenbram.

Selva straightened his back and then spoke as if recalling something. “No...thinking about it, perhaps it would have been better if something had happened with the young lady. There is also the chance that we could have had the person who initiated it all take responsibility.”

Seeing how Selva chuckled, it was hard to tell if he was serious or not, so a bitter expression appeared on Alus’s face. In the meantime, they passed several servants and went through multiple doors, and Alus and Loki were finally let into a certain room.

It was a grand room, as large as three dorm rooms at the Institute. Based on the door, there was another rather large room connected to this one. Well-polished chairs with armrests sat on top of an expensive-looking rug.

Selva urged them to take a seat.

“Sir Alus, Lady Loki, these will be your rooms during your stay here. This will be Sir Alus’s room, and the neighboring one will be Lady Loki’s. The luggage you sent ahead of time has already been carried into the closets of your respective rooms.”

The two nodded and Selva continued, “Please wait here for a while. When the head of the family has finished her preparations, you will be called for. And finally, I have a request of my own: the mansion might become very noisy while you wait, but please pay it no regard.”

Selva left, and Loki gave Alus a quick bow before disappearing into her room. With that, Alus gave the room a second look. It was, in fact, a very large room. It wasn’t as large as Alus’s laboratory, but it was more than enough space to house a single person.

Then he checked his luggage in the closet and then the furnishing.

Phew, always checking for bugs is a bad habit of mine.

There was nothing unnatural to be found. Actually, the bathroom had perfume and soap, and the private fridge was stocked with a large variety of drinks. This meticulous consideration was on par with a first-class hotel.

“I feel like there’s no reason to go this far,” Alus said.

Even the shoe closet had everything from leather shoes to sneakers. There were several shirts and jackets he could change into, and even brand-new underwear. If he decided to live here for a while, he wouldn’t struggle whatsoever.

They’d even remembered that Alus preferred black and monochrome clothes. But how had they found out his size? It was like they had a full understanding of everything, so it was kind of...

“Creepy,” Alus muttered coldly and then chose not to think about the matter any further.

Resigned, Alus sat in a chair by a window. As he looked at the scenery, he realized something.

This is on the opposite side of the entrance.

A view of the backyard of the mansion spread out before him. There was a facility for training or exercising, a refreshing fountain in a spring, and he could see the well-maintained garden and the waterways that stretched across it.

After a while, there was a knock on the door connecting the two rooms. Loki peeked inside.

“How long do they plan to keep us waiting? What rude people,” said Loki.

Based on her tone, Alus could tell Loki’s room was the same. It was so well arranged that, like Alus, she must have felt uncomfortable.

“Don’t say that. Nobles have their own problems,”

“There are certainly a lot of people coming and going nonstop. Does that have to do with the Tenbram, I wonder?” Loki mused.

“Probably... There seem to be quite a few more people here now than when I last visited,” said Alus.

“Did you use Detection?”

That was usually Loki’s primary job, but it seemed like she’d held back on looking into the details.

Loki frowned as if to say it was unfair, but Alus made sure to warn her. “You shouldn’t do it. Mr. Selva would find out immediately,” said Alus.

“I wouldn’t do something so impolite. Nobody would be happy about having a mana sonar blasted at them in private,” said Loki.

“I bet. That’s fine, then.”

Although it was less accurate, Alus’s supernatural sense functioned fundamentally differently from Loki’s mana sonar, and there was no need to worry about the other party noticing.

“Looks like the time has come,” said Alus.

“So it seems,” said Loki.

Without even needing to strain their ears, they could hear the voices of several people outside. Looking out the window, Alus could see about twenty people or so coming out of the mansion. The retinue of followers would be twice that number. Six even looked like they were from middle school, and one of them looked to be around twelve or thirteen.

There was an unusual atmosphere, and they were talking about something in a hushed manner.

This must be the noise that Mr. Selva was talking about. They look like children of collateral families...but some are young even compared to Fia, thought Alus.

Seeing how they moved, Alus could tell that all of them, children included, had mastered magic. Loki seemed to have noticed the same as she stared at them from the window.

“Could they be relatives...? They might not be outstanding, but they are all pretty good,” said Loki.

“Yeah, I don’t like their pretentious looks, but compared with the students at the Institute, they must have started learning magic at a young age,” said Alus.

He could tell from their amount of mana. The difference between nobility and commoners was particularly evident at this age.

They wore expensive-looking clothes and were attended to by servants. The pretentious way they walked got on his nerves, but that was probably standard for nobles.

He might have poked fun at Tesfia for being a noble daughter, but now it was clear how unique she was.

She was pretty awful at first. With her mana leaking out... Hmm? Still, that’s strange.

When he thought about the redheaded girl, Alus noticed something. And it seemed that Loki thought the same thing.

“I don’t know how old they are...but this is strange,” she said. “They appear to be better than Ms. Tesfia was when she first enrolled at the Institute. Is this what a gifted noble is capable of?”

Alus suddenly realized: the reason Frose had rushed Tesfia’s arranged marriage was because she had prematurely dismissed Tesfia’s future.

Frose had been in the military at the same time as Sisty and had come into contact with her exceptional talent. She had ended up with complicated feelings about it... If these people were from collateral families, it made sense for Frose to be so negative about Tesfia’s future.

When Tesfia had first entered the Institute, she’d been rather excellent, but surprisingly she hadn’t had the potential of the children from the collateral families.

Regardless, if they weren’t students from foreign magical institutes, they were likely hidden powerhouses whose true powers weren’t represented by their ranks. Incidentally, the only way to get your hands on a license outside of the military was through a nation’s magical institute, and each nation only had one.

Still, I thought that Fia was locked in to become the next head of the family, but I guess her place wasn’t so secure after all. Being a great noble family, if one of the collateral families makes a fuss it could cause trouble, huh? thought Alus.

Modern nobles had an inseparable relationship with Magicmasters. Contributions to the military led to contributions to the nation, and status in the military was directly connected to a family’s social standing.

While there were some exceptions, power as a Magicmaster was usually proof of their noble standing. And while full-fledged feudalism had become a relic of the past, there was still a strong tendency in noble circles to value lineage and pedigree, which was a guarantee of power in a sense.

Even Alus had been offered peerage by Cicelnia in lieu of a reward for his contributions.

This gathering held a hidden spark, albeit they were only marginally better than the students of the Second Magical Institute.

Alus sighed, having learned yet another thing about the Fable family that he didn’t have to.

“That said, they don’t look like much compared with Singles or Doubles, but they have real potential. I suppose that is nobility for you,” said Loki.

She was always harsh when it came to nobility, but this time she had a positive impression, which Alus agreed with.

“Hmm?” While they talked, Alus suddenly narrowed his eyes.

The group of Fable family relatives were making their move. The ones who looked like adults got inside magical cars and drove towards the mansion’s gateway. A few of them remained behind and saw them off.

Alus’s eyes stopped on one of the girls who had remained. She had red hair that looked somewhat diluted compared to that of Tesfia’s, but from her profile and features...

“That girl... She looks like her,” said Loki.

“You think so too?”

Like Loki said, the girl had an appearance that certainly made her and Tesfia look like relatives. She was a beauty like Tesfia, although she might have been a little taller.

“However...” Alus muttered and furrowed his brows. Upon closer observation, the look in her eyes and her aura was different from Tesfia’s.

She had a different kind of pride in her eyes from Tesfia’s. She wore a confident smile, and her body language was haughty and captivating... That alone made it clear that she was different from Tesfia.

“Isn’t that what you would expect from a noble?” Loki asked sarcastically, and Alus could only agree.

Indeed, that was the face of a real noble, which Alus detested. Alus had started seeing them in a positive light thanks to his interactions with the Fable and Socalent families, so he’d almost forgotten.

Eventually the nobles left without ever realizing that Alus and Loki were watching them. They seemed to be headed for a building that was detached from the main one meant for their stay, which meant they were probably not temporary guests.

“I have a feeling this is going to be a pain,” said Alus with a sigh.

“It’ll become a reality if you say it out loud,” Loki warned, and shortly after, there was a knock on the door.

Loki moved first to open it, and on the other side, she found a familiar redheaded girl. Tesfia Fable, the next head of the family and seemingly a noble lady, was looking pale and dejected.

It was a drastic change from when they’d left their luggage with her this morning. Despite being in her own mansion, Tesfia was wearing a formal dress. And taking the relatives from before into account, the answer to why became clear.

The entire family was gathered for a meeting. If the topic turned to the Tenbram, she would be seen as the cause for it as well as an unreliable commander for it. Assuming that happened, Tesfia would find herself on a bed of nails.

The girl sighed heavily before she spoke. “Could you come with me...? Mother is calling for you.”

“You look pitiful, Ms. Tesfia. In just half a day, you seem to have aged,” said Loki.

“Who are you talking about?!” Tesfia objected, but the usual energy in her voice was gone. “There was a little problem before. But, uhm, my mother will tell you more about it,” the redheaded girl said with a lifeless expression.

Tesfia led Alus and Loki through the mansion, walking as if she was a ghost. Following behind her, Alus couldn’t help but feel bitterness well up.

Nobles had their own world, and it had their own rules. Alus tried to convince himself that it was inevitable because of how the world ran, but he wondered if that was really the best move. If Alus poked his nose too deeply into their business, he would get caught up in it all whether he liked it or not.

Alus was aware that aside from having brought Tesfia under his care, he had also selfishly taken an interest in Aile’s twisted humanity.

In addition, when his own position was brought to the table, Alus feigned getting worked up like a normal person, while calmly understanding the risks. And his decision was certainly irresponsible in a way.

Still...in the world there are things that can’t be helped. I see. Those are convenient words at times like these, he thought.

While thinking of hollow reasoning that only appeared mature, Alus quietly walked down the long hallway with Loki.

The first thing the head of the Fable family, Frose Fable, said once they were face-to-face was an apology. “I’m sorry about this. You came all this way yet we kept you waiting.”

How many times had he entered the head of the family’s study now?

In addition to Frose, Selva and Minasha were also there, waiting. And Hest was wordlessly standing by the door outside. She was as unsociable and unmoving as always, making Alus wonder if she’d been punished, but he knew she was probably just guarding the door.

Alus and Loki sat down in the chairs they were offered, and Selva fluidly served drinks for them, but Alus didn’t drink immediately.

“It looks like the Tenbram isn’t your only problem,” he stated, starting the conversation.

Frose furrowed her brows, indicating he was right on the mark. She lightly shook her head as if to get rid of a headache and then ordered Tesfia to take a seat as well before speaking.

“Indeed, a problem has certainly arisen. But before I explain...” With a bittersweet smile, she called out to her tense daughter. “Fia, I should praise you for not yielding to Womruina’s tyranny. Even though they are another of the three great noble families—perhaps even above us depending on how you look at it—you never gave in and rejected them out of your own will. This is a sign that you have grown, mentally.”

Alus had figured she might reprimand Tesfia for being rash, so that was an unexpected reaction.

“Yes, you are worthy of commendation. Fia, you did well this time,” said Frose.

Tesfia replied with “yes” and bowed, but perhaps because of her formal dress, the interaction between mother and child looked ceremonial. The theatrical act felt out of place to Alus, like a farce they were purposefully showing to him.

As he puzzled over it, Frose turned to her with a soft smile. “Perhaps this is a little roundabout to you, but we have appearances to keep up. As you are not a noble, we can’t let you get in the middle of this.”

That said, there was the clear joy of a mother welcoming her daughter’s growth in her tone, and Alus could more or less understand her intentions.

I see, so she’s being considerate.

While Tesfia’s betrothal might have been the starting point, Alus had fallen for Aile’s provocation. If anything, he’d poked his nose into their affairs of his own accord, so there was a need to establish the basic premise that Tesfia had shown her own will.

They had to demonstrate that it was a problem between two noble families and that it was the Fable family that stood on the front and would take responsibility, not Alus.

While it might not reach the public eye, the upcoming Tenbram was already the center of attention among nobles. And in order to display their prestige to the nobles under the Fable family’s influence, that kind of ploy was necessary.

It’s definitely roundabout, but it’s certainly convenient for me, thought Alus.

Rather than coming up with various explanations, he could just feign being caught up in all of it. If the Fable family would become a good cover for him, he had no reason to refuse. Frose seemed to understand from his nod.

With that out of the way, Selva moved from behind Frose. He handed out bundles of paper to everyone in the room and created a virtual screen in the air.

“Two weeks until it starts, huh?” Alus muttered as he looked through the papers. The first thing that stood out to him was how short they were on preparation time.

It was also questionable whether Tesfia would be able to heal from the injuries she’d sustained when the Institute was attacked.

“Fia, how are your injuries holding up?” he asked.

“What, you’re suddenly worried now? Even after that grueling mana vessel expansion training?” Tesfia asked, pointing to herself, eyes wide.

“That was more of a mental thing where you battle yourself, and it doesn’t have much of an effect on your body. Not to mention that the Tenbram may be a mock war, but you’ll be fighting against real people, and unlike the training, it’s not like I can always be at your side. So how are you doing?” Alus asked again, prompting Tesfia to look a little doubtful.

“Uhm...I think I’m okay?”

“I’m not asking for your opinion. What did the doctor say?” he pressed.

You might typically say that nobody knows you better than yourself, but when it came to this redhead, she was completely unreliable.

Selva interrupted the fruitless back-and-forth. “According to our personal doctor, two weeks will be more than enough. The military’s healing Magicmasters tended to her quickly, which was fortunate. From what I hear, she is even allowed to exercise now.”

“Won’t hard training be necessary in preparation for the Tenbram?” Alus asked.

Tesfia jumped. But while Alus had addressed Selva, it was Frose who answered after a sip of tea.

“It’s true that aside from preparations, plans will need to be made. But I believe that special personal training won’t be necessary.”

“I see. But it is a form of group battle, isn’t it?” Alus asked.

That was unexpected and anticlimactic even to Alus. He was sure there’d be very detailed plans depending on how their opponent moved as well as advanced cooperation in order to perform them.

Based on what Alus had learned about the Tenbram from his own research, most of them were mock wars, albeit with differing rules. That was why he’d been sure that victory wouldn’t be settled through a simple clash.

“Look at the description on that paper please,” said Frose.

Doing as he was told, he looked at a page. Everything had been summarized to make for an easy read.

“The form of the Tenbram that Womruina has suggested is...Orb Struggle?!”

Outline aside, even the name was something Alus hadn’t found in his research. Naturally, Loki looked just as puzzled.

Frose glanced at the two. “Based on your reaction, I take it your research only found information about the traditional rules. So, Selva, can I ask you to explain?”

“As you wish.” Selva bowed. He changed the image on the virtual screen and started his explanation while displaying an easy-to-understand illustration. “The Tenbram is a traditional method to settle disputes between nobles. It could be a simple gladiatorial battle between groups or on horseback or even a game settled by points. However, in recent years, the study of magic has advanced and noble families have produced many Magicmasters, so the circumstances have changed. More specifically, rules trending towards magical combat have been included.”

“I see, so this is a modern Tenbram,” said Alus.

Selva nodded and continued. “There are other rules for the more magic version of the Tenbram, but the contest proposed this time would be categorized as group combat. Moreover, this one has a high degree of difficulty.”

Alus groaned.

“For starters, each side may choose up to twenty participants...however, there are strict conditions for these participants. Specifically, participants are almost exclusively related to the noble family and its branch families. Simply put, to qualify for participation, you have to be a noble or acknowledged as related to that bloodline.”

Alus furrowed his brow, and Loki’s chair rattled as she stood up. “Th-Then Sir Alus won’t be able to participate?!”

But Frose smiled as if to shake away her doubts and answered. “You don’t have to worry about that. There is an ‘exception role’ allowed by the condition. A so-called helper slot. Mr. Alus will be allowed to join in that role. But unfortunately, you will not be able to do the same...”

“N-No...” Loki murmured, her face turning as pale as if the world were coming to an end. She’d come all this way, certain that she would be able to participate and help Alus, so it was a huge shock to her.

It wasn’t entirely unexpected to Alus.

“It can’t be helped this time. When I accepted Aile’s provocation, I had him prepare a slot for me so I could participate. This is a concession on their end. If anyone could participate, everyone would just gather the highest-ranking Magicmasters to get an advantage.”

He figured that it’d be pointless to think about it while details were unknown, so he hadn’t told Loki about the possibility.

“Loki, I’m sorry!” Tesfia said, bringing her hands together in front of her face. “Al is right. Movement might be limited during the Tenbram, but having Al on our side is a big deal. It would naturally be advantageous for Womruina not to allow any helpers at all, so since they’ve compromised on that part, it would be difficult to ask them to make room for one before... Please forgive me, Loki!”

Tesfia lowered her head, but Loki wouldn’t back down.

“It’s clear what they’re after. By letting Sir Alus join the Fable family’s side, they can make him admit his loss and ensure that the condition for Sir Alus to transfer affiliation is adhered to. Since it would be impossible to defeat Sir Alus in a normal magic battle, they must have bet it on the small chance of a turnaround in a Tenbram.”

She probably wasn’t far off. Selva hadn’t finished his explanation, so with the rules for Orb Struggle, it was possible that the other side still had a chance to win no matter how impactful Alus’s presence was.

If using chess pieces as examples, Alus might have been a queen, but in this game he would never be the king. And even if the other pieces were strong, an ambush could take down the king and decide the match.

“You heard what Fia said. Go on the support, Loki,” Alus said.

“B-But...”

“Now that I’m a part of it, I have no intention of losing the Tenbram, but knowing Womruina, they’ll no doubt use some underhanded tricks. And who knows what they might do if they lose. So if you’re here that would be...you know...reassuring,” Alus said, awkwardly scratching his head as he gave unusual levels of praise.

“Having me watch over you is reassuring, is it? Hmm, if you’re willing to say that much...” Hearing that wasn’t all that bad, and after sighing, Loki finally eased off.

Seeing the familiar exchange as if they were an old couple, Frose nodded with a smile. “Yes indeed. I am actually worried about the same. Womruina’s aim has become quite unclear now.”

While the Womruina family was former royalty, the suspicion was that they had committed crimes too large to be ignored. It seemed like all sorts of dirt—aside from just them bringing in escaped prisoners—could be brought forward if they lost.

With enough evidence, an investigation would be launched, which would spell their ruin. It was questionable if Alus’s affiliation or an engagement to Tesfia would be of any help by then.

So how exactly was Aile hoping to turn the tables?

Even Alus couldn’t make sense of it, and if Aile did have some bizarre plan, Alus kind of wanted to see it.

“Well, perhaps they are looking to go out with a bang worthy of their status as former royals. Regardless, it’s important not to give them any openings,” said Alus.

“You make it sound so easy, Sir Alus, but please do be careful,” said Loki.

“Yeah, I know. Since we don’t know how they’ll move, there’s nothing better than playing it safe. That’s my conclusion for now anyways.”

Alus agreed with Loki, and everyone in the room nodded.

When Tesfia spoke next, they finally returned to the main topic. “As for the rules...I don’t really know them myself. I studied the Tenbram ahead of time too, but like Al, I also expected more traditional games.”

Frose could only drop her shoulders in exasperation at Tesfia’s dry laugh. “Oh this girl... No matter, there is still time.”

Getting back to business, Frose instructed Selva to change the display. Frose then abruptly put a leather attaché case on the table in the middle of the room.

“Selva will summarize the more detailed rules and various strategies later, so look through the documents until the next strategy meeting. Now, let’s show you a ‘real treasure,’” Frose said and pulled from the case an orb with geometrical patterns engraved in it. It was just barely small enough to fit in one hand.

“As the name ‘Orb Struggle’ suggests, it is a game during which you must steal the other side’s orb. And this is said orb.”

It’s similar. This shape...no, the size is too different, I guess? thought Alus.

What surprised Alus was that the orb looked a lot like Minerva, the AWR said to be the prototype of all AWRs. Dante had attacked the Institute to steal the item considered humanity’s treasure. It wasn’t just an AWR either; it was said to be an artifact from ancient times.

After his momentary misunderstanding, Alus realized that this orb was far smaller than Minerva. Moreover, the orb had a lustrous surface with an almost ephemeral beauty to it, and it emitted an alluring brilliance as it sat on the table. Most of all, upon closer observation, it was fitted with modern AWR features, something an ancient artifact wouldn’t have.

Noticing Alus’s stare, Frose spoke to him. “Oh, does it seem familiar to you, Mr. Alus? It certainly has similarities to what Sisty is managing. That is because it was modeled after it. While it is a far cry from the real thing, it still has rather special characteristics and effects.”

Alus quietly waited for Frose to continue her explanation.

“Incidentally the magic formula engraved inside of it, if I were to put it simply, is a summoning spell. Even someone without an affinity for it can activate it by pouring mana through it. And in modern Tenbrams, activating the magic formula and summoning forth the Guardian is key.”

“The Guardian, huh? I see. So the crux of this game will be how...?” Alus trailed off.

“How you get past the Guardian will be the key to this game. You really are quick. Incidentally, there are a total of five times the Guardian can be summoned. While it may depend on affinities and amount of mana of the user, other members could perform the summoning too.”

“Anyone? Then it sounds more like an inferior copy of summoning magic,” said Loki. She didn’t seem to understand.

That said, considering the complexity and difficulty of summoning magic, it wasn’t something that could be readily used.

“Ms. Loki, you can’t think of this as the same as normal summoning magic. While it might use the same fundamentals as summoning magic, it is only a superficial formula. That’s why it’s not a summoning spell, but the Guardian,” explained Frose.

“So it can only defend?”

“That’s correct. The Guardian is an avatar without form that can only exist within the field of the Tenbram, and it has practically no means of magic attacks. During the match, its main functions are to move the orb when it is targeted by the enemy or use its own body to protect it. That said, as long as there are enough stocks of the summoning magic, attributes and special characteristics do exist.”

“I see,” said Alus. “So it’s set up so that anyone can summon it. It’s a device that’s easily activated but a few steps below proper summoning magic.”

“Incidentally, if the Guardian takes enough damage it will disappear,” explained Frose. “The same will happen if the summoner moves over ten meters from the orb. The team that manages to take the other side’s exposed orb and performs a seal on it will win.”

“But wouldn’t it be relatively simple to break through the Guardian since it is just a simple matter of hitting it with an equally or more powerful spell? Not to mention that it’s an inferior copy.”

Frose clearly answered Loki’s question. “In normal battle, yes. However, this has been prepared for a competitive format. The Guardian’s endurance has been digitally altered, and the methods for shaving down its endurance are limited.”

It was like a game. But it was questionable if that was possible in magical combat.

Frose pulled a ring bracelet from her attaché case and presented it to Alus. He examined the surface with a frown. It had several magic formulas engraved into it and was heavier than it looked. Most of all, its shape and atmosphere brought memories to Alus’s mind.

“So that’s why Aile let me participate,” he said.

“Yes indeed,” said Frose.

“Huh? What do you mean?” asked Loki.

Alus held the bracelet in front of his face with a surly look. “This bracelet is a control device. You might not know about it, Loki, but it’s the same mechanism used for magical criminals. And this is the type used to neutralize the most vicious criminals.”

“Impressive, to think you even know so much about the underworld.” While surprised by Alus’s depth of knowledge, Frose began explaining, “This limits the spells the wearer can use. And it can arbitrarily control them to some degree.”

“The mechanism has been around for a while. Whoever made this does some pretty interesting things. So what’s the range limit for this thing?” Alus asked.

There was no way that Aile would allow Alus to roam freely in the Tenbram. With this control device, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the wearer’s power would be made extremely average, although at worst, he figured Alus would be weighed down by an unreliable ally.

“Up to advanced magic. This will be a shackle even for you, Mr. Alus,” said Frose.

“So a new format with a restriction on magic, huh? It might be a pain, but there’s no reason to get upset at these ridiculous restrictions.”

Alus clicked his tongue and Frose shrugged. “During the match, if you remove or destroy the bracelet, you will be immediately disqualified. Your mana output and range will naturally be restricted too.”

Alus didn’t know how wide the field was, but he could easily use long-range magic. It would normally be possible for him to snipe the enemy Guardian safely from allied ground, but even that was being made more difficult.

“In that case, we’ll have to work together and steadily move forward. This doesn’t suit me at all... He’s really thought about this. So I take it that the field will be rather large,” Alus confirmed, checking the documents.

“Yes, it seems that it will take place in territory owned by Womruina. It’s forested wilderness that was once a hunting ground for nobility.”

“So we’ll have to scout it too. Interesting. The bracelet also has functions for communicating, doesn’t it?”

“That’s correct,” said Frose. “And one more thing, this bracelet has another function too. It has a damage transfer system incorporated into it, so attacks received are drastically reduced, but in exchange, it will be transformed into a digital numerical value. It’s a system made possible by the equipment set up on the field. It’s not just the Guardian, but even the participants will have endurance, called HP.”

“So attacking the enemy team is allowed too.” Alus nodded, but Loki seemed surprised.

“Combat aspect aside, there’s a system similar to the Institute’s damage transfer system? Is that even possible?”

Her surprise was only natural. The system required a huge facility. And while that was possible for an Institute funded by the nation and military, it was hard to imagine that a mere noble would be able to set it up within their territory.

“That’s former royalty for you. We’ll need to thoroughly check the field ahead of time so they don’t try to do anything dirty. Anyways, under these rules I suppose this puts me down from a monster to a more fair level,” Alus muttered sarcastically.

Frose and Selva gave him apologetic looks. Then Frose got back to giving instructions while Selva showed illustrations on the virtual screen.

“It’s not exactly a physical wall, but for the sake of convenience, let’s call it a Barrier Field. It’s visualized as a spherical light emitted by this bracelet,” Frose explained.

“According to the diagram, it’s not so much endurance as it is an energy gauge. You start at one hundred percent, with your energy being reduced when you take damage, and the light from the bracelet changes colors from green, to yellow, to red. And once you’re out of energy, you are forcibly ejected. It’s looking more and more like a game,” said Alus.

Loki looked closer like Alus, and let out words of admiration in spite of herself. “It really is a well-thought-out system.”

“Yes, while it doesn’t look like it covers your body, the barrier is actually covering it like a film. You also need to be careful of what is considered a hit. Even an attack that grazes your clothes will count as damage,” explained Frose.

“Not that a scratch would count as damage in real battle. But considering how it works, I guess there was no way around it. Still, to think something on this scale existed. Perhaps I should take this opportunity to reflect on my ignorance of noble society,” Alus said with a shrug.

Frose smiled at him.

“It’s certainly intricate. Well, among the modern Tenbrams that have incorporated magic, this one especially relies on technology. In accordance with ethical regulations, the risk to individuals has been kept to a minimum,” said Frose.

“Ahh, there’s so much to remember that my head is spinning. And all of the knowledge I studied up on is useless now.” Tesfia’s head drooped, and it looked like she’d slump over too until Alus stopped her with the palm of his hand.

“If you’re going to blame anyone, blame the shrewd Womruina boy,” said Alus. “Besides it’s not like it will all be useless. Study the past if you want to learn the future. In fact, it’s helpful even in cutting-edge magic research. That said, while there are a lot of strategies, it’s clear what we must do as we only have so much time.”

Alus was muttering while confirming the data on the virtual screen and the papers in his hand. In essence, it explained that they needed to defeat the enemy team’s guardian and take possession of their orb for a moment.

“When a person seizes the orb, their registration code has to be read and fully authenticated. It takes around one minute, meaning that they will need to keep their mana flowing for a minute after stealing the enemy’s orb. It looks like you will be defenseless while authenticating the code, but... Hmm?”

Alus flipped through the pages a bit, then his hand stopped.

“It says that another condition for the team is if the enemy commander declares defeat. What is this?”

The commanders were the leaders of each team. Unless something unexpected were to happen, it would be Tesfia and Aile.

“Like it says, if the commander acknowledges defeat, they can use their bracelet to declare their surrender. The commander has HP several times that of the other members plus higher defense, so it’s unlikely they will get knocked out, but once the rest of the members start dropping out, the front line will collapse and defeat will be inevitable,” Frose said, explaining a possible situation.

“They can attack the Guardian from every direction, making it impossible to protect the orb. So it would be more effective to attack the Guardian rather than the commander,” said Alus.

“That’s more or less correct. A battle could become so one-sided that only the commander remains,” agreed Frose.

“I see. So it’s in the interest of time. It would take a lot of mana to support the system, after all.”

At Alus’s words, Selva, who’d been quiet until then, spoke up. “There is one more reason. It is not very admirable, but there have been cases when the Tenbram is rigged.”

“Huh?”

Even Alus looked stunned at that.

“Noble families have always valued appearances,” Selva explained. “That is why a Tenbram will be held for disputes between nobles, even when there is a clear imbalance in the relationship between both parties, regardless of the validity of their claims. It can be used as a demonstration to save face.”

“Not every head of a family that holds a Tenbram desires a duel where they go all out,” he continued. “Some don’t want to show weakness in front of their retainers and would choose not to clash in front of them in order to save face. In such situations, they will accept a Tenbram but come up with a way to acknowledge their defeat.”

Such was the world of adults, and an exasperated Alus exchanged looks with Loki. Not only was Alus ignorant of such underhanded dealings, he wanted nothing to do with a world where something so half-hearted could be tolerated.

With that in mind, the cool-looking head of the Fable family and the smiling elderly butler seemed to him like they came from another world.

“In such situations, the opposing team will acknowledge the circumstances and praise their enemy to keep up appearances. However, in order to prevent tyranny of the strong, higher-ranked nobility is not allowed to take on lower-ranked nobility through the Tenbram,” said Selva.

“I see. So even though Fia’s engagement is involved, since it’s two of the three great noble families, it’s okay. Meaning Aile has taken that into account too. Since it’s not clear if Fable or Womruina is above, there’s no imbalance to be found, and nobody is likely to complain. And if the Fable family had refused the proposed Tenbram they would be acknowledged as the inferior family.” Alus summed up his understanding of the whole affair.

As Selva nodded, Alus finally realized that this Tenbram had been elaborately planned.

With Aile laying down the groundwork, the remaining great family, the Socalents, were unlikely to be able to raise any objections. But before the subject could start turning towards the situation in the noble world, Frose put a stop to it.

“Why don’t we leave it there? That’s enough boring noble talk. Mr. Alus, let’s stop at sharing information about the Tenbram for today. From tomorrow onward, we will discuss strategies.”

“That’s fine. But what about the all-important participants? The allowed number, including the commander, appears to be twenty-one,” he said.

“We have picked out the personnel from potential candidates and gotten their approval. We would like to bring everyone together for practical group training in two days, so they are set to gather tomorrow evening.”

Frose was in charge of choosing personnel, so Alus knew he needn’t worry. At first, he had figured that they’d be fine with just gathering anyone to make up the necessary number, but after looking over the rules, he realized they’d need some skill.

Frose had Selva show a list of the chosen members on the virtual screen, but to Alus, it was just a list of names. Considering how long the list seemed to be scrolling through it, they seemed to have prepared substitutes as well.

“Huh?!” Tesfia, who was looking at the same list, let out an unexpected yelp, then she shot back at her personal maid, “Minasha, why is Lord Bronche on this list?!”

Minasha smiled wryly and nodded. “Since it is such an important event for you, my father volunteered to participate. If he had hesitated for even a moment I would have kicked his butt.” Minasha adopted a fighting stance, but her expression soon became anxious. “Well, I just hope my father will be of use.”

“I-It will be fine. Lord Cicero Bronche is a loyal retainer who has always supported the Fable family! I hear he even personally requested that you live here as my apprentice maid.”

Considering Tesfia’s words, Alus assumed Lord Bronche’s skills were questionable. Regardless, looking at the list made him feel like he’d gotten an understanding of how highly esteemed the Fable family was.

The scene reminded him of the past and the few times that had felt fulfilling in the military...like when he’d been in “that” squad with allies he could trust. No, in fact, even now he could share that camaraderie with Lettie.

“Well, it should be fine. Add in Mr. Selva and his antipersonnel skills, and there should be no problems.”

Even if there were restrictions on which spells they could use and the strong were hindered, it was still a group battle. Selva would no doubt be invaluable with his wealth of combat experience and ability to make quick decisions. Thinking on that, Alus suddenly realized something.

Hmm? Now that I think about it, Mr. Selva’s name is not on this list...

Alus glanced over and found the elderly butler apologetically lowering his head. “It pains me to tell you this, Sir Alus, but I cannot participate.”

“What?” Loki inadvertently blurted out, and even Alus was unable to hide his surprise.

He’d already heard that only those who were related to the family would be able to participate, so why wasn’t Selva part of it?

Alus narrowed his eyes, but before he could ask why, Selva spoke. “Sir Alus, as you might already be aware of, I have next to no skills that could be categorized as spells. The mana steel thread that you’ve seen before is the base for all of my techniques and its cornerstone. And that mana steel thread is...”

“Made from mana. So it would get caught on the magic-level restriction,” said Alus.

“That is correct,” said Selva.

“So that bracelet doesn’t just restrict spells but all magical phenomena... Does that mean it determines what to restrict based on the necessary amount of mana for spells and the density of its structural elements?”

Selva nodded, impressed by Alus’s powers of perception. “As expected of Sir Alus. It is just as you say. Unfortunately, even my normal mana steel threads are affected by the restriction.”

“Hmm...that’s a large miscalculation.”

Aile must have considered even that when proposing the Orb Struggle.

Alus leaned back into his backrest and took a deep breath. Things were starting to get problematic. Considering his opponent’s strength, the two strong people who had been at Aile’s side when they met at the Institute would definitely be participating.

With the restrictions in this game, it was questionable if he’d be able to push through both of them on his own. Considering Aile’s helper slot, Alus wanted at least another two skilled people.

There, Frose spoke to reassure him. “It’s okay, Mr. Alus. I have already taken steps for Selva’s replacement. Sisty has put me in touch with a certain someone.”

“The principal?”

That reminded Alus that Frose and Sisty used to fight on the battlefield together. Sisty owed Alus a big debt, so perhaps she was paying it back now. Knowing how politically adept Frose was, she had probably taken this into account when she’d contacted Sisty.

“That’s a surprise. By the way, who might that be?” asked Alus.

“It’s still not entirely certain, but it’s almost certainly going to happen. They’re certainly fit for the job. So while it isn’t time to tell you who it is, please rest easy. You can count on them,” said Frose.

“Well, I did entrust you to pick out the people, so I have nothing to complain about,” said Alus.

He knew if Frose was saying something like this, they were probably strong enough. At the very least, that was one less thing to worry about.

They continued to exchange information, but the most noteworthy tidbit was the identity of the referee for the Tenbram. It was supposed to have been the Rimfudge Frusevan family, and more specifically Lilisha, but...there had been an unexpected interference.

“The Frusevan family’s political standing aside, there was an objection from Womruina’s side that Ms. Lilisha is too close to Mr. Alus and the young lady,” explained Selva.

Alus couldn’t help but feel bitter about Selva’s report.

So that’s where they hit. It’s a stereotype of being stuck to her, but regardless, I guess we’ve been together with Lilisha too much lately. So Aile looked into that, then.

“It’s not like I asked her,” Tesfia said with a pout.

“As such, the Womruina family will be arranging for a referee as well. So it is unavoidable. There will be two referees this time,” said Selva.

“Well, I guess that can’t be helped.”

Alus could only accept it as a valid proposal. Aside from noble society, Lilisha was well-connected in the underworld and could be rather sensible. He felt that just having her keep an eye out for any cheating from Aile’s side would be more than enough.

The next topic regarded Alus increasing Tesfia’s mana.

Selva had probably already guessed as much, but as it touched on taboo, Alus wanted to avoid explaining it in front of the Fable family head; however, Frose’s concern was too great.

While Tesfia had been the one to actually expand her mana vessel, it had been practically unconscious, and she couldn’t really explain it, so naturally that fell to Alus. So he ended up having to partially explain about mana vessels, but Frose’s wild fervor was unstoppable and she pursued it further.

All nobles wanted their children to become first-rate Magicmasters and gave them special education from early childhood. It was on the same level as learning table manners, and it was customary in the noble world regardless of whether their efforts paid off.

Because of that, Alus’s vessel expansion was on the level of inherited spells and was something any noble would drool over.

Alus kept quiet, and Loki intervened to serve as a breakwater to Frose’s offensive.

“Lady Frose, this training method is possible because of Sir Alus. So there’s no point in telling anyone else.”

“My, Ms. Loki, why so reserved,” Frose said with a fierce grin, and Loki instinctively realized her disadvantage and shrank back. “You are always looking after my pitiful daughter. And you’re exceptional, are you not? And considering our family traditions there is no reason for a wonderful young lady such as you, Ms. Loki, to be so reserved. I wouldn’t mind taking you into our family if only we had a boy. If anything, I could introduce you to some good men from a branch family... But even then I don’t think it would balance out.”

Once Loki realized why the tenacious head of the family had changed targets, she could calmly respond. “No thank you. I exist to be Sir Alus’s aide, so I have no particular interest in that,” she responded.

“You really are faithful.” Frose smiled, satisfied with Loki’s answer.

When they’d met at the Seven Nations Friendship Magical Tournament, Loki had been a more hesitant young maiden, but now the indecisiveness that Frose knew to be typical in youth was gone.

“Well, good luck. You too, Fia,” said Frose.

Tesfia suddenly caught a stray bullet, but she nodded without really understanding. While she’d seen exceptional growth as a Magicmaster, she wasn’t quite growing as a woman in her mother’s view.

Frose ignored the vague worry for the future and shook her head. “Then please rest until dinner,” she said, bringing an end to the meeting.

However, Alus didn’t think they’d actually get any rest because they’d be busy from tomorrow onward.

Instead, he would be looking through the papers when he returned to his room. Since this Tenbram would be difficult to influence with individual power, creating a group strategy was more important. The first step in that was getting a grasp of the significant rules.

He could get a grasp of the complete picture of the Orb Struggle during the group training in two days, so for now he would focus on gathering information to form what he discovered into something tangible during their training.

As he walked down the hallway following the meeting, Loki approached him.

“There wasn’t any explanation of those people who appeared to be relatives, was there?” Loki asked, referring to the people they’d seen before the meeting. The adults had left, but the children who had remained were probably still staying in the mansion.

“Yeah. When Selva said it might get noisy I was sure that he was talking about them, but it’s been quiet so far.” Alus turned around and asked Tesfia, “You know about it, don’t you?”

She became visibly flustered and looked away. “Ah, uhm, I guess you could say that I know, but it’s a family problem. And I think my mother isn’t sure if she should tell you. You hate getting caught up in that kind of stuff, right? Maybe you think it’s too late for that, but we don’t want to push it any further.”

“I’d say it sounds selfish,” said Loki.

“A-At least be cautious, Loki,” Alus reprimanded.

Tesfia frowned, but for better or worse, she was terrible at keeping secrets. “Ugh, well, she might be self-righteous for deciding on her own. And it’s not like you’re completely unrelated, I guess...”

“Hey, how am I supposed to do anything but ask for more details when you put it like that?” responded Alus.

“Huh?! I-It’s not like I was trying to make you do that. It’s just the truth.”

It was hard to tell if Tesfia was clever or an airhead, but as expected there were troubles ahead.

Frankly, it feels like I’ve been entrapped, but I guess it can’t be helped considering the situation, thought Alus.

At the very least, he would need to make it so that Tesfia could study and train in peace until the Tenbram began. Knowing her personality, if she had any worries she wouldn’t be able to focus on anything.

Having a one-track mind sounded good for studying in theory, but in reality, Tesfia was just an awkward person.

Alus sighed. “I guess I have to. It’ll be a serious problem if there are issues in the Tenbram.”

“Yes, I’d like to ask if they’re messing around.” Loki stared at Tesfia, hiding pressure behind her smile. The meeting had gone on for quite some time, but it was still not even evening. There was still plenty of time to grill Tesfia.

Alus grabbed Tesfia’s collar and pulled her into his room.

The girl protested, “H-Hang on. I need permission from my mother to—!”

“Shut up. We’re already caught up in this. Don’t make any more messes before the big event,” said Alus.

Loki quietly closed the door behind them, silence falling on the long hallway in the Fable family.

◇◇◇

While silence normally hung over the Fable mansion, in the early morning, a few hours before Alus and Loki arrived, there was a slightly different atmosphere.

Fable was an internationally renowned noble family. Their bloodline continued even after having been forced into the narrow Inner World due to the appearance of Fiends.

And as a renowned family, their bloodline had a lot of branch families even before the Fiends appeared. But feudalism was a thing of the past, so many branch families had been swallowed by the waves of time, collapsing, having their peerage removed, or being merged into the main family.

The Fable family’s branch families were no exception, but the fact that they still had relatively many branch families was evidence of how long their history was.

But this morning, the great noble family was shaken by something out of the ordinary happening. Several magical cars had stopped in front of the massive mansion, and heads of branch families exited.

Frose Fable was the head of the family, but she wasn’t a dictator, and all of the heads had influence and a right to speak. In this age, the main family wouldn’t be able to stand on its own without the support of its branch families.

Because of their long history, it wasn’t unusual to see families support each other as they were swallowed up. In that sense, the up-and-coming Socalent family was a sign of the times.

With the nemesis of humanity appearing, Magicmasters were tasked with protecting the future. Because of their expanding presence and military achievements having such value, Vizaist had been able to climb high in a single generation.

Looking out because she heard all the commotion outside, Frose coldly looked out on the scene at the gate from her study.

“Good grief, they even brought their children,” Frose said in exasperation.

Selva answered from beside her. “That is not all, Master Frose. They have also brought with them their children’s retainers. I believe bringing uninvited guests with them is going a bit too far to ignore.”

“No, they still haven’t quite crossed the line. They can be pretty strong-willed. That head count is not to pressure but to prove their zeal. I imagine it’s an expression of their resolution to gather and say a few choice words to the head of the family.”

“So they are all acting out of loyalty and for the sake of the main family and have nothing to be ashamed of.” Selva let out an almost scornful laugh.

After all, among them were families just barely hanging on to their noble status through their yearly donations to the main family. Yet despite their status, they didn’t prostrate themselves before the main family even if they also weren’t openly revolting against them either. They were opportunists who did what they must to preserve themselves. But when push came to shove, they would get together like this to stubbornly assert their vested interests.

If they had any loyalty, it was towards the Fable family, not Frose.

“The family meeting will begin right away. The young lady has yet to arrive, however, so what will you do?” Selva asked.

“It doesn’t matter. Fia is still a student, so they wouldn’t let her participate anyways,” Frose said with a faint smile.

In her hand, Frose held a letter that had been jointly signed by prominent branch families requesting a family meeting. It had reached her yesterday. Since it had been signed by more than a certain number of branch families, she couldn’t refuse the request.

“I imagine it concerns the coming Tenbram and pursuing responsibilities for the small problems around it,” Selva assumed.

Frose had, in fact, predicted the same. “I believe so. They shouldn’t know that much, though.”

“Indeed. For starters, I don’t think they have found out about Sir Alus.”

“Well, we’ll find out when the meeting begins. Selva, there might be a need to discipline them during the meeting. If something happens, you may mercilessly intimidate them.”

“As you wish.”

After acknowledging her, Selva opened the door to the study.

Once he’d seen the head of the Fable family off to the meeting room, he followed behind her with his head lowered.

The large meeting room was luxuriously furnished.

As the large doors opened, he heard many chairs scoot as the gathered branch families stood up and politely met with the coolheaded woman who briskly entered.

“We branch families humbly greet the Fable family’s great head,” an older figure greeted Frose first.

Before anyone else could follow suit, she stopped them by holding up her hand and casually took her seat at the head of the table. Her bold figure gave off an inviolable majesty, and it was also clear that she was in a bad mood.

It felt like the temperature in the room dropped by several degrees with her few cold glances.

“Thank you for coming so far.” At those words, the branch family heads sat down, but she continued speaking, her words barbed. “I am a very busy person, so let’s get this started.”

“Then allow me.” A man from the Verdale family, who was sitting closest to Frose, stood up.

This family had Fable blood. It was led by one of Frose’s siblings who had been granted the rank of count by the ruler. Worn swept back from his forehead, his vivid red hair was a sign of his lineage. He was a few years older than Frose and was a Magicmaster ranked in the upper half of the Triples. He was more than worthy of representing the branch families.

“First, there is something I would like to confirm with the head of the family. Is it true that we are headed for a Tenbram against the Womruina family?” he asked.

“Yes, that is correct,” said Frose.

A blatant commotion started up, but the Verdale family head, Gilman Verdale, continued, “Then is the rumor that Lady Tesfia will join the Womruina family if we are defeated true as well?”

He was probably trying to create a narrative of a tyrannical Fable family making an important decision entirely on their own.

With an exaggerated sigh, Frose put her elbow on the table and cut straight to the point. “That is my decision as the head of the family.”

“And you have no duty to announce this?” Verdale asked. “We are distinguished families linked to Fable. Surely, you won’t say that you don’t understand the importance of the main family’s daughter marrying into another family. Not to mention that family being Womruina... If something goes wrong, it would be tantamount to admitting that we are in a subordinate position.”

“Fia is my daughter. Branch families have no say in this,” Frose insisted.

The Tenbram had practically been a surprise attack on them, but Frose had known that letting the branch families find out about it would put her at a disadvantage. Instead, Frose had chosen to make everything, engagement included, a decision she’d made as the head of the family.

However, now that she was speaking to them, her curt answer filled the room with tension.

Gilman Verdale and the other heads of branch families folded their arms in a blatant manner with complicated but clearly displeased expressions on their faces.

“I would like to remind you that the Fable family can only stand thanks to the branch families,” Gilman said, giving Frose an unreservedly sharp stare.

In that instant, Frose noticed a vague change in Selva, who was standing behind her. His eyebrows raised ever so slightly, revealing his inner anger. It was a rare show of emotion for the constantly calm and composed elderly butler, making Frose likely the only one in the room to notice.

There was no doubt that the branch families had been getting a louder voice in family meetings such as these recently. That was perhaps because it had been some time since Frose had left the military, so her influence had weakened. But perhaps it was because the branch families now had more outstanding children.

It was tradition in the Fable family for the branch families to support the main family, no more, no less. It was perfectly justifiable to invest more in developing personnel for the sake of being of use to the main family...but that old and beautiful bond had long since fallen apart in the chaos that had started to assault humanity.

“It’s true that the Fable family is supported by the branch families, but conversely, we are supporting some families with generous assistance,” Frose noted. She expected to see two or three of the people seated in the meeting room to look pale, but their reactions were unexpectedly calm.

Hmm. So they expected me to try to shake them up like this... It’s not exactly treason, but they are certainly colluding, Frose thought. The Verdale family must have promised support instead. As I recall, their artificial agricultural enterprise has been seeing big profits these past few years. It will probably not last forever, but they have enough to gather the branch families for now.

This wasn’t the first time that the branch families had gotten carried away, but never before had they been so thoroughly prepared and acted collectively like this.

Gilman cleared his throat and put on an air of importance. He gestured as he began to speak, as if to say this was the will of everyone. “We have supported the main family for many years, swearing our loyalty and serving. We carry the same pride in the Fable blood. And as the head of Verdale, I believe it is our duty to push the main family back to the proper path should they make a mistake. Please, reconsider this Tenbram.”

Several at the meeting nodded along with his fervent speech.

Now that they’d asserted their claim, Frose crossed her legs and glanced at everyone seated there. She’d been ingenious since childhood and had cultivated her insight through experience. Now she could see all kinds of thoughts in their eyes.

Some had enough self-preservation not to do anything too reckless, and some were truly concerned for the future of the family.

“Gilman speaks the truth. As someone related to Fable, I can’t overlook the present situation,” a large woman to Frose’s left added with a fearless smile.

She was the head of the Hanbroden family, Falipa Hanbroden. In terms of lineage, she was second only to Verdale. She was head of a military family. Verdale had the pedigree, but Hanbroden had the power.

“Regardless, measures need to be taken. In fact, instead of fighting with Womruina about withdrawing from the Tenbram, why not actively push for Lady Tesfia to marry into the Womruina family?”

It was a different idea, but there were those who raised their voice in agreement.

“If we are considering the future of Fable, we should put aside our personal feelings and consider methods of currying favor with Womruina. Oh, but not by putting ourselves in a subordinate position. I meant the other way around, naturally,” she stated, a smile on her face as though it was an excellent idea.

In other words, the idea was to take over the Womruina family. She wanted to get close with Womruina so that she could turn the tables on them and sink her teeth into them.

However, as a military family, she wasn’t very well-informed, and it seemed she didn’t understand the current state of the Fable family. In any case, they had been targeted by the military for investigation under certain suspicions, and they were also being watched by the ruler.

Former royalty or not, Womruina was now no more than a ship with holes in the bottom, whereas Frose had a channel to the military and was clever when it came to politics.

Even if he is unrelated to the string of events, Aile’s ambition will end up causing him to destroy himself. No matter how carefully he maneuvers, he can’t hide the threat he poses. The ambition he possesses will lead him to a sheer cliff, the very edge of ruin, thought Frose.

She even started to pity Falipa for her lack of information gathering skills. “That is impossible.”

Frose’s words came as a complete shock to everyone.

“Lady Frose, you mean to say that you are stubbornly insisting on the Tenbram?!” one asked.

“It’s too dangerous! Not only could we lose our honor, we would give the Womruina an opening that would threaten to bring our family down!” said another.

“Are you trying to ruin the Fable family’s long-standing glory in your generation?!” said yet another.

Unable to believe what they were hearing, they were getting wound up. Then a sharp voice cut through the chaos filling the meeting room.

It was Selva’s loud rebuke. “Quiet down! You stand before the head of the family!”

He glowered at everyone around the room with a threatening stare. It was a glare of cold hard steel. It felt like it could cut down the very souls of those it pinned down. His usual demeanor was gone and replaced with a stifling pressure.

“Ugh...”

“Gah...”

Their heads cooled, and they stopped as if their spines had frozen. The men and women sat down one after another, and Frose stared coldly at them.

“We will face Womruina with a firm determination. For the sake of our family’s history and glory, Fable will not stand beneath them. There is no room for discussion in this. If you were only upset about not being informed, there would have been some room to listen,” Frose said, her tone dignified as she looked over the fools.

They were probably following their own reasoning, and perhaps it was the right way of being a noble. Even if they also had some selfish motives, they were doing this for the greater good. It was clear that they were putting the survival of the Fable family first; even those who asked her to be more moderate were only trying to prepare for any eventuality. At the very least they wouldn’t bring harm to the family.

“Hmm. If you have that much resolve, I have no intention of objecting to your decision, Lady Frose.” Gilman slightly shrugged and displayed his loyalty with a courteous bow.

It was a rather drastic change, so perhaps Selva’s intimidation and Frose’s unwavering determination had struck home. The other branch heads stood up and also bowed, one after another.

“Lady Frose, please use my family’s elites for this Tenbram,” somebody suggested. And with that the dam burst open.

Offers came flooding in, such as their elites being Quadruple Digit Magicmasters or making use of their son who’d studied under an excellent master.

Frose signaled Selva with a look, and he stepped forward to calm the chaos. “The main personnel selection has already been completed, but your offers are greatly appreciated. Naturally Master Frose knows that without the support of the branch families victory is but a fleeting dream.”

It wasn’t exactly the carrot after the whip, but it was a form of compromise. Participants had already been chosen, but the branch families’ objections had been taken into account.

So some slots had been left open among the substitutes.

However, that alone wasn’t enough to alleviate the branch families’ concerns. After all, it wasn’t Frose who would be leading but her daughter, who was still just a student.

Not even being allowed to have Alus as the only commoner was enough of a trump card to appease the branch families because among those who didn’t know his real status, Alus Reigin was just a suspicious individual of dubious origin, which only served to increase their unease.

Right now Frose and Selva wanted to avoid the branch families causing an uproar and disturbing the environment around Tesfia and Alus before the Tenbram.

That wouldn’t be enough to shake Alus, but Tesfia was different. Compared with Loki, Frose felt her daughter had gotten off to a late start. And the last thing she wanted right now was her daughter incurring Alus’s displeasure.

Naturally that went beyond the Tenbram.

Maybe I should have taught Fia how to make a homemade meal...not that I am one to say.

Frose slowly exhaled and cleared her mind of unnecessary thoughts. With Alus’s affiliation on the scales, it was unlikely that he would hold back, and for this Tenbram, he would no doubt be the key player.

Aile was more likely after Alus’s power more than a marriage to Tesfia. Alus found himself as not much more than a political tool. But if not for him, Frose likely wouldn’t have made such a large gamble.

“It is just as Selva has said. For this Tenbram’s personnel, we will be prioritizing those who we decide will be helpful regardless of the branch family’s status. We will keep you posted,” said Frose. And with that out of the way, she tried to somewhat forcibly bring an end to the meeting and stand up, but...

“Just a moment,” the head of the Hanbroden family, Falipa said, grabbing the hem of Frose’s skirt to stop her. Looking humble, she spoke seriously.

“I have heard that the origin of this fire was at the Second Magical Institute that Lady Tesfia attends. Isn’t that a problematic environment for her to grow in as the future head of the family?”

“What a roundabout way to say this. In essence, you are doubting Fia’s current talents, are you not? And if the Institute’s environment is poor, are you perhaps proposing that she transfers to the family’s private school?” asked Frose, narrowing her eyes a little.

But as expected of a military family, Falipa brushed off the pressure with a bright smile. “No, well, I heard that Lady Frose objected to Lady Tesfia’s enrollment to the Institute at first too.”

That was, of course, an unavoidable truth. Frose had underestimated the Hanbroden family’s information gathering, so she was hit with the truth where it hurt.

“There are plenty of rumors of Lady Tesfia’s excellence, and you have shown your own resolve to us just now, Lady Frose. But even so there is a need to prepare for the unlikely event that the Tenbram could end poorly,” Falipa said, looking serious. “That is why I would like to suggest that we establish a candidate for the next head of the family. Someone with exceptional talent who could become the secret heir, the Ertlade.”

Frose was struck silent. This was an attack from an unforeseen angle. What was surprising was Frose’s lack of anger.

I see, she thought.

So that was how they were doing this.

Typically, a direct descendant of the Fable family became the next head of the family, but that was just common practice and not mandated. While there had been times in the Fable’s history when a branch family had temporarily been the head of the family, they had never officially succeeded as the next head.

However, circumstances were starting to change. The Socalent family was an example of an increasing emphasis on ability in the noble society. And while it was an indirect way of putting it, Falipa made a good point that Frose couldn’t flat out reject.

I see, so we are here now for this topic, thought Frose.

It wasn’t just a matter of having a candidate to become the next head of the family. Someone with the ability to excessively control the multiple inherited spells, as the secret heir, would need such overwhelming skill that anyone would have to acknowledge it. This was also Fable’s long cherished desire, and Tesfia still hadn’t reached that level.

And now that problem was being brought back up. While the branch families couldn’t make any reckless or blatant moves, they were still a troublesome group.

In reality, Frose didn’t have the qualifications to become the secret heir herself and was only able to become the head of the family by shutting down any objections with the position she’d built for herself in the military and political influence.

She’d pushed for Tesfia to get married because she’d more or less expected this situation. She’d hoped her daughter would be able to get a husband who would be recognized by the branch families and offer high expectations for her children.

Frose fell silent for a moment, and seeing that as an opening, Gilman Verdale also added his piece. “She certainly has a point. Lady Tesfia is still far from being called a secret heir, and that is a problem. If she is going to command the branch families, she will need to be strong enough to convince us that she is the true heir of Fable, or there will be doubts around the next head of the family.”

In the past, when Tesfia learned Icicle Sword, Frose had intentionally not praised her. She knew that the branch families’ children around the same age had already acquired advanced spells around the same level of power.

Those children received special education under personal teachers. While Tesfia had displayed exceptional talents, they weren’t outstanding compared to the branch families’ children.

But Fia is different now.

Recalling that Tesfia had been receiving secret training under Alus’s guidance, the edges of Frose’s lips ever so slightly rose. Selva seemed to think the same thing and nodded in agreement.

That’s right. If I don’t believe in her, who will... But...

But even so, Frose couldn’t afford to set aside her cautious nature. After all, she didn’t know how the branch families’ children were growing now.

Gilman Verdale was a Triple in ranking, but his abilities put him close to that of a Double.

Falipa Hanbroden also didn’t measure up to him, but her abilities rivaled that of a Triple, and she commanded an elite roster of relatives and servants.

When Frose displayed a momentary hesitation, Falipa took on a modest appearance and started speaking of the branch children. She smiled at the Verdale family, whom she deemed to be a powerful opponent. But that smile didn’t reach her eyes. She feigned praise for their daughter while using that as a lead-up to brag about her son.

“If I recall, the Verdale family’s daughter is a year below Tesfia, isn’t she? As for my son, aside from the family’s affinity for ice, he also has an affinity for another two attributes, although he is still a little short of mastering them... In fact, his personal tutor praises him for having the most potential among the branch families.”

“Hmm, my daughter just has the bare minimum of talent, and I didn’t suspect that she would be more excellent than any direct descendants. Although there are plenty of voices calling her the best ice user of the latest generation,” said Gilman, putting his daughter’s talents on display in a manner that could hardly be called indirect. He clearly wanted to position her above Tesfia. “That said, your Roderich is supposedly the most talented of the generation.”

“Yes, he is two years older than your Theresia, but I do feel that he has the qualities to be able to support the Fable family. He might not be attending the Second Magical Institute, but it is all but guaranteed that his talents will blossom further should a Magicmaster of the level of the renowned Sisty Nexophia give him guidance,” said Falipa.

Frose quietly watched the two clashing beneath the surface with a chilling stare. This was probably why they’d brought their children with them.

Their children hadn’t been enrolled in the Second Magical Institute to avoid any senseless infighting between the branch families. It followed the tradition of branch families debasing themselves and aiding the main family at all times. But Frose had pushed ahead with enrollment in order to distance Tesfia from the branch families’ influence.

While they’d followed that policy on the surface, the branch families had eventually begun diligently looking into Tesfia’s talents. And in doing so, they concluded that she had no accomplishments and gave up on her talents. So they had begun to discreetly but thoroughly raise their children under the pretense of it being a precaution in case something were to happen to Tesfia.

Frose had also once given up on Tesfia’s talents as a Magicmaster. However, what the branch family heads didn’t know was that her daughter had been blessed with a chance meeting with Alus at the Institute.

Which was why she could now remain so confident.

“How about it, Lady Frose. It’s the first time such a decision has ever been made in the Fable family,” said Gilman.

“Our family agrees as well. Please consider it,” said Falipa.

Since the Verdale and Hanbroden families made the proposal first, the other branch heads began raising their voices in support.

Selva took one step forward and spoke bluntly. “Everyone, I do believe you are getting ahead of yourselves. Your children may be excellent, but Lady Tesfia is the only direct descendant of the Fable family. You could say that the young lady is the Fable family itself. To the Fables anything else is nothing but an offshoot.”

The branch family heads seemed to shrink back...but the two branch families who’d started this reacted differently. Gilman in particular flashed a troubled smile and looked like he was about to protest.

Apparently cowering from Selva’s pressure had been him recognizing it was best to temporarily pull back.

“It appears you are misunderstanding something, Mr. Selva. We are not doubting Lady Tesfia’s qualifications. What we want is proof of her talents. We don’t even need to bring up the matter of the secret heir to have questions about the current situation. Lady Tesfia is already seventeen. Does she have the talents and resolve to take over this great house? That is what I want to make clear.”

Gilman had intentionally raised his voice, and Falipa followed suit. “I completely agree. In fact, the situation is unstable even around the ruler. She even formed a new special guard.”

She was talking about the new Aferka.

The fat woman continued. “If we look at the Socalent family’s prosperity, power is valued more than lineage now. Is it not a self-evident truth that the survival of the family should be prioritized over focusing on the bloodline? Besides, we also carry Fable blood. We should have the right to freely make proposals for the sake of the family’s future.”

“Just so. And I believe I have some valuable advice in that regard,” Gilman said and respectfully brought his main suggestion to the table. “Lady Frose...please take my daughter, Theresia, into the family as your adopted daughter.”

The schemer was showing his real ability. Denouncing Frose’s decision to hold a Tenbram and retreating at Selva’s pressure had been a spur-of-the-moment move. By relenting once, he could create a situation where he rallied the branch families behind him, making it much more difficult for Frose to reject him twice.

Moreover, since Frose herself had decided that the Tenbram would continue, he had realized that it would be easier to get his will through by pushing for his daughter to join as further reinforcements.

A wave of unrest washed over the meeting room. Falipa’s jaw had dropped too, but she soon returned to her senses and tried to catch up with her rival.

“Lady Frose, in that case you should adopt my Roderich as well...”

Exasperated by these completely unprincipled words, it was Frose’s turn to rebuke them. “Leave it at that. There is no need to decide everything here. I will take your proposals to heart, but let me say this. Rest easy, as regardless of how the Tenbram turns out, I will not let Womruina do anything.”

She was convinced of that. If Frose’s assumption was correct, Womruina would soon disappear from the public stage of politics. This would be even more assured if she could use Alus to win the Tenbram.

Besides, it’s a great opportunity to build up Fia and bring out her talents and true worth, thought Frose.

Gilman had thoroughly thought through offering his daughter up for adoption, and Falipa had only used her son’s ability to appeal to Frose. While the depths of their plans differed, their children, Theresia and Roderich, would become unexpected rivals for Tesfia. Adopting them could lead to problems in the future and needed further consideration, but Frose couldn’t deny their potential use in the Tenbram and would have to test them.

It would be a challenge for Tesfia, but if she was unable to clear even that... Frose’s status as head of the family covered her heart in a rose of ice as she thought about it.

“It doesn’t have to be your children, but I will make preparations to adopt one who is worthy. Selva, prepare the papers before the Tenbram. Make sure that the ruler can accept it right away,” said Frose.

“Yes, Master Frose.”

There was no hesitation in Selva’s response. It was like everything had proceeded as expected. Seeing that, a smile appeared on Gilman’s face, but he was a little suspicious as well.

“Oh, what a welcome reception,” he said. “But Lady Frose, how will you determine who is worthy?”

“There will be training in preparation for the Tenbram soon, so how about the candidates join that? You didn’t bring your children just to put more spirit behind your protests of the Tenbram, did you?” Frose replied as snidely as she could.

As expected, Gilman Verdale was a shrewd man. His main priority might have been to put a stop to the Tenbram, but when he saw that wasn’t going to happen, he switched tactics to his daughter. He wouldn’t go down without a fight.

And naturally, Tesfia would be joining the training. Once put on the same stage as the two children, they would be able to rank them. They thought it would depend on if Tesfia could show her true value, but Frose had set the stage for her.

“That answers my questions. I thank you for your consideration. However”—Gilman politely bowed—“I am aware it is rude, but I must ask one more thing of you.”

Gilman looked up, and his strong determination showed in his eyes. Frose showed her magnanimity and stopped Selva from taking a step forward.

“Very well, say it.”

“When you judge that my daughter is worthy of being adopted into the main family, please allow her to learn the inherited spells or at least challenge the path to it,” Gilman said.

Falipa’s eyes opened wide at that, and she shouted in panic. “S-Show some self-control! Only direct descendants are allowed that! The inherited spells leaving the Fable family is unacceptable!”

The two things were fundamentally different. One didn’t need to be the secret heir in order to take over the family, like Frose.

When Falipa raised her voice, Gilman abandoned his polite wording and spoke coldly. “I know that. But this is all for the sake of the family. My father was the previous head’s little brother, and even on his deathbed, he strictly ordered me to loyally serve the family.”

“What?! The Hanbroden family is just as loyal!” yelled Falipa.

“Are they now? The Hanbroden family neglected their loyalty for the previous head of the Fable family, didn’t they?” asked Gilman. “And despite being a branch family, they were arrogant in their power and showed disrespect. Your qualities will naturally be called into question when we are building our noble bloodline into the future.”

With a bang, Falipa slammed her palm onto the meeting table and shouted, “You plan to exclude the Hanbroden family?!”

And she glared, Gilman calmly faced her and proclaimed, “That’s not what I’m saying. If the Hanbroden family shows its power, I don’t mind at all. I simply wish for a head of the family that has Fable blood and the inherited spells. This is about creating a powerful and prosperous bloodline.”

“I-In that case...!” started Falipa. In that sense, her son, Roderich, had more than enough potential.

When Falipa showed signs of pursuing the matter once more, the branch family heads stood up one after another to show that they agreed.

Frose came to a silent understanding. The branch families were indeed loyal—not to Frose but to the Fable family.

But that was that and this was this. While this was partially Frose’s responsibility, she had to draw a clear line. And their actions were a blow to her dignity. As one of the three great noble families, she couldn’t overlook the branch families’ conceit.

Frose rested her chin in her hand and glared coldly at the line of branch family heads. “You are all throwing your weight around without knowing your limitations.”

Their loyalty to the Fable family was only half of the reason behind their behavior. The other half was an eruption of smoldering rebellious spirit towards the main family.

But in a sense, it was something that happened as it should have. With the skills of a Magicmaster being valued above all in recent years, a head of the family unable to master the inherited spells let alone become the secret heir was no longer acceptable.

Frose had managed to become the head under the banner of preserving the family, but she’d failed to show her strength. The Fable family, which had made its name off their mastery of the ice attribute, was now a shadow of its former self.

It had been two generations since the Fable family had had a secret heir, as Frose’s father had also failed to fully master the inherited spells. And Frose herself was further from it than he had been... That fact was always lurking in the back of her mind.

Despite Tesfia being an excellent student, Frose had despaired at her talents, wishing for her to reach even further heights. It was only now she realized that it was all because she herself had been lacking.

I suppose I was still inexperienced. However...

She believed that Tesfia would surpass her. Even knowing that it was her own selfishness, she felt that her daughter could take the stage and prove herself.

That’s why I don’t feel that this is a matter that I should try to shut down. I am sure that Fia herself has the means to quiet them down, she thought. While she didn’t let it show, Frose was smiling beneath her mask of a calm head of the family.

Gilman, standing in front of her, seemed to have said his piece and now deeply bowed. “I apologize for making a long speech inappropriate for the occasion.”

Contrary to his actions, his behavior had a pressure to it that seemed to say that the branch families would get their will. And Frose wasn’t foolish enough not to pick up on that.

“I don’t mind. You are right that Fia hasn’t fully mastered the inherited spells. If Theresia Verdale or Roderich Hanbroden can show their strength during the practice, I will allow them to attempt to learn one of them. But only if they fully prove their talents,” said Frose.

“I am moved by your generous answer in spite of my many discourtesies. In that case, I would like for my daughter to learn the magic formula for Garb Sheep if the chance presents itself,” said Gilman.

Frose narrowed her eyes at Gilman, who pushed even harder. But rather than exasperation, she felt some surprise at the spell he mentioned.

Garb Sheep was one of the inherited spells that the head of the family two generations ago had mastered. That they’d mentioned that spell so quickly showed that the Verdale family must have looked into it ahead of time.

The Fable family certainly had several magic formulas for powerful inherited spells. Supposedly, several trump cards had been prepared in the case that the head of the family was not a master of the ice attribute.

Still, it was an unexpected proposal. Garb Sheep was one of the inherited spells that had been provided to the military despite objections from the branch families, so Verdale would hardly be the only ones with the spell.

When the Fiends had first appeared, the Fable family had created three inherited spells.

Typically, the head of the family had to master at least one of them. Among them only two had been secret heirs: the head from two generations ago and the one before that.

It was well-known to everyone in the room that it was those two generations that had brought about the golden age for the Fable family.

Moreover, Frose hadn’t inherited everything from her father upon becoming the head of the family. If anything, it was the opposite.

Her father had passed away before she’d been taught much of anything. So while her wet nurse and grandmother had taught her how she should act and what she needed to know about the family, Frose hadn’t learned much about the inherited spells. Since she only had a sliver of knowledge, she couldn’t reproduce any of the inherited spells aside from a portion of Icicle Sword.

“Very well. If Theresia is taken in as my adopted daughter, I will allow her to attempt to learn Garb Sheep and give her what I can about the underlying magic formula. Although whether she can master it will depend on her.”

Garb Sheep was an obstructing spell that allowed for one to practically control the weather across a huge area. Even with the magic formula, it was a difficult spell to learn as it required an affinity for ice magic, as well as a deep understanding of the formula and the spell’s nature and vast amounts of mana. It wasn’t the kind of spell that one could master on talent alone. One would likely also need a high performance AWR capable of processing a frightening amount of mana information.

Learning expert-level spells almost required fate in a sense. Destiny and talent were required in order to stand on the starting line to learn the spell. That was the main reason Frose hadn’t taught Garb Sheep to Tesfia. The other was that Garb Sheep was starting to lose its treatment as an inherited spell and was no longer prioritized in order to become a secret heir.

Frose couldn’t help but sigh in her mind as Gilman bowed. His attitude was provocative, but he was probably speaking the truth when he said that he had no intention of hurting the main family. He’d likely taken everything into account when asking for Garb Sheep or he would have asked for the complete form of Icicle Sword, the historically strongest ice spell that the fourth generation head of the family had mastered.

He was simply trying to protect Fable, motivated by passion and a dangerous amount of loyalty. Gilman was probably also being considerate by only suggesting that Frose adopt Theresia instead of immediately making her the heir.

It’s probably fine for now, but I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, thought Frose.

Even if Gilman himself wasn’t driven by ambition, there was no guarantee that his child or grandchild wouldn’t be. Not only was Frose an acquaintance of Vizaist, as someone who’d been in the military, she’d felt the focus on ability that was spreading through the noble society.

That means that this coming Tenbram will be of utmost importance to Fia, she thought and sighed.

Now not only was there the matter of the engagement with Aile, trouble with the next head of the family had been added. So how would her inexperienced daughter fare?

That said, Frose was the head of a great noble family. So knowing that it was the path that Tesfia had chosen, she hadn’t made a scene when she learned that her daughter had been injured during an attack on the Institute.

Frose had stood on the front lines and knew of the harshness of the battlefield, which was why she knew that fearing for her daughter’s safety and pulling her out of the Institute would lead to the family’s ruin.

The branch family heads left after Gilman’s request, leaving the meeting room vacant, aside from Frose and Selva who would discuss countermeasures.

◇◇◇

“...and that is what happened,” Tesfia said, explaining the quarrel with the branch families.

They’d found it suspicious and pulled her into their guest room to question her, but the presence of further trouble left Alus and Loki dumbfounded.

I see. So the relatives we saw were from that family meeting. The parents returned home, and the children in question stayed behind to participate in the group training, Alus thought.

Selva hadn’t been wrong that things would get noisy. While exasperated, Alus also felt a degree of curiosity towards the system that allowed nobility to keep going on.

Unlike Alus, Loki simply gave Tesfia a sympathetic look. “You have it rough too, Ms. Tesfia. Even though you look so happy-go-lucky...”

“You didn’t need to add that last part,” said Tesfia. “Still, when I think about it, I just left all of the details to my mother. My only thoughts regarding the head of the family was that I’d need to do my best, but I wasn’t really considering the surrounding circumstances.”

Tesfia’s method of doing things had been to settle on a target and head straight towards it, but she had never thought there would be so many problems appearing before she could do so.

Thanks to Alus’s training, Tesfia had been able to show Frose her potential, but it seemed that was still insufficient. As nobility, just becoming stronger was not enough.

“What a pain. Having so many relatives isn’t all good, huh?” said Alus.

“Maybe that’s true about relatives, but they’re all earnestly thinking about the future.” Tesfia scratched her cheek.

Her heart had jumped when she heard about adopting someone from the branch families. That meant they didn’t acknowledge Tesfia as the next head of the family.

Selva had tried to smooth things over by saying there was a world of difference between this and the Socalent family deciding so quickly on Felinella as the next head of the family. In terms of talent and potential that everyone acknowledged...

Even if I can’t beat Feli, I thought I’d tried my best. Be it in readiness or effort, thought Tesfia.

The gloomy feelings she’d been holding back so far appeared on her face and cast a shadow over her expression. Alus calmly looked at her.

Not that it’s any of our business, but Womruina is really under pressure right now. That’s why I’m curious to see what Aile is going to try and do, even if it’s creepy, he thought.

Still, at this rate, Tesfia would become useless before the Tenbram due to the pressure.

Tesfia was a bit of an airhead; while she was intelligent, she was simple. Her head would be a mess with all the troubles, and she wouldn’t be able to think about any plans.

This general is a handful. It would be one thing if it was a princess, but this is Fia we’re talking about, thought Loki.

“Sir Alus...” Loki sent him a glance as if to say, “See? She got caught up in something again.” The entangling vines refused to let go of their prey and spread towards Alus as well.

After thinking for a moment, Alus spoke, his face surly. “I do have a solution. Go on Support, it’s your time to shine.”

Loki sighed. “If you say so, Sir Alus...but I don’t think I could solve anything at all. I can’t participate in the Tenbram, after all.”

“Well, there’s something I need you to do too. Although that was clear from the start,” said Alus.

“Huh? What do you...?” Tesfia leaned forward to ask.

Alus declared, “In short, you need to become that Ertlade or whatever. In other words, you need to learn the inherited spells. It might not be possible right away, but from what I can tell, you’re getting pretty close. Not to mention you’ve gained so much strength compared with when you enrolled into the Institute. Not that I know about your education.”

Sensing that the discussion was moving on to the next stage, Loki quickly stood up from her seat. She searched through the room’s closet in order to prepare something.

Ignoring her, Alus stared directly at Tesfia. “Just to make it clear, the fastest way through this situation is for you to grow, both to get closer to the inherited spells and to show your strength to the branch families. Besides, there’s no point if you can’t put your everything into the Tenbram. To roughly sum it up, there’s only one thing to aim for. Get stronger.”

“I-I got it!”

Once Alus made the path so clear and simple, Tesfia’s expression brightened up.

That was more like it.

Since they didn’t know how strong the branch family children were they couldn’t do a simple comparison, but Alus believed in Tesfia’s great potential, in particular, her ability to learn spells of the attribute she was best at was amazing. She was bad at theory, but she had the brilliant sense to skip several steps and grasp at the essence of the spell.

“Although there are some problems with your personality,” Alus added. Tesfia looked perplexed, like she was about to ask if he was talking about himself.

“Don’t worry, I was talking about you,” Alus firmly declared, to which Tesfia nodded understandingly for a moment.

Then she did a double take. “Wait, you’re just bad-mouthing me! Just so you know, you’re not much better, Al!” Tesfia shot back with puffed up cheeks, and she then looked up at the ceiling and muttered, “So that’s how you look at me...”

Hmm?

Alus felt like something was off; the way she frowned had something different mixed in than usual. Unlike the usual tit for tat, her attitude was meek, and there was a hint of maidenly sadness to her voice.

However, Alus didn’t think too deeply about the reason and flatly stated, “At any rate, there’s no time to idle away thinking. Plug the rules for the Orb Struggle into your head. A general’s role is more than just giving orders to subordinates.”

“Of course, I’ll study them,” said Tesfia.

“You have until tomorrow,” said Alus.

“Ugh...I-I get it.” Tesfia’s shoulders dropped and she turned around to drag her feet back to her own room. However, as she closed the door behind her, she peeked through the slight gap. “Al, if you need something, you can tell anyone and they’ll get it for you.”

“I got it. I just gotta hurry back and study. There’s never enough time for that,” said Alus.

“I was trying to be considerate! Hmph!” said Tesfia.

The door closed, and Alus and Loki were left in the room. But it wasn’t like they had nothing to do. Loki was still confirming the luggage, and she was moving her hands and eyes as if she was moving her room into Alus’s room, but she had been listening to the conversation.

“Nobles really are impossible to understand, aren’t they, Sir Alus?”

Alus was looking through the papers for the Tenbram again, but he gave a quick answer. “I guess, yeah. But we’re outsiders; we have nothing to say about the problems with the successor of a great noble family. That’s above the authority of even a Single. And I don’t have any interest in it either.”

“So that would be stepping over the line. But wouldn’t helping Ms. Tesfia with Fable’s inherited spell be crossing it already?” asked Loki.

“...That’s unavoidable.”

Loki had seen through Alus’s intentions.

She means Zepel... She really is sharp, thought Alus.

Zepel was a form of expansion on Icicle Sword. Alus had taught Tesfia the spell independently, and it seemed like it suited her better than expected. Or rather, it seemed that it unexpectedly helped her realize the meaning of mastering Icicle Sword.

The inherited spell that Frose had referred to was done in steps. Icicle Sword was a spell only the Fable family had, but it seemed that it wasn’t enough to be called an inherited spell. In other words, it was the first step in learning the complete inherited spell.

In that regard, Zepel had helped her to easily grasp the concept of understanding coordinates in mutual locations. But from Alus’s point of view, he had only just expanded on Icicle Sword so he didn’t feel like she should be blamed for that. It had only been possible thanks to her talents, but there was still a worry that Alus wanted to conceal.

Alus had only been trying to apply the spell, but Tesfia’s unexpected talents had ended up on the rails of the inherited spell and were closing in on the principle. The spell he had taught her had by chance served as a hint for the Fable inherited spell.

It was already too late to turn back now.

This doesn’t look good... he thought.

He felt like the number of things he needed to think about had exponentially increased. It far exceeded what Alus could handle on his own.

Looks like I don’t have the time to think about my retirement or research anymore. But since they’re becoming more usable than I’d expected, my original goal of being able to take it easy should be realized. But that’s for later. Right now I need to handle the task before me.

Problems were piling up. Looking away from any fundamental solutions, Alus flipped through the pages detailing the Tenbram.