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

Bonus Short Story

Consideration of the Future

After training for the Tenbram, Theresia Verdale returned to her private room and started a call to report what had happened to her father.

“Yes, Father. Yes...the next head of the family couldn’t be made any clearer.”

Theresia bluntly reported to her father via the virtual screen before her. She reported about the mock battle against Tesfia down to the smallest detail, hiding only one thing. Taking her father’s position into consideration, she hid how refreshed she felt despite being defeated.

On the other end of the virtual screen, Gilman looked perplexed. “I see. Then the branch families’ dearest wish will be fulfilled in the best way possible. But there is something I don’t understand.”

His confusion was only natural. Nobody in the branch families had known Tesfia possessed the qualities of the Ertlade, the secret heir. In fact, when she had first started learning magic, Tesfia’s talents had clearly been lower than Theresia’s. While they had never directly competed, from what Gilman had seen and heard, Tesfia didn’t have exceptional talents.

Additionally, he’d heard rumors that the main family had given up on Tesfia’s potential as a Magicmaster. The more gossipy branch families had spoken in disappointment that she would follow the same path as Frose Fable, and there would be no secret heir this generation either. And Theresia’s father had thought the same, and therefore, had the same concerns.

“Yes. I was honestly surprised too, but it is an established fact. It also appears that the head of the family is making preparations to guide Lady Tesfia down the path of the Ertlade. I saw the next stage of Icicle Sword with my very own eyes,” said Theresia.

“Wh-What...?!” Gilman’s eyes shot wide open and he stumbled over his words.

As the previous head of the family had passed away early, some of the branch families suspected that a portion of the inherited spell had been lost. The fact that neither them nor Frose after them had been able to fully master the inherited spell only further spurred on the rumors.

Very few members of the branch families—only a handful of the oldest—had ever been able to see the completed inherited spell.

Gilman suppressed his surprise and spoke in a calm manner. “Well, it is good to hear that the Fable’s inherited spell hasn’t been lost. If it had, it would have been truly regrettable to see Garb Sheep be given to the military. After all, that was another of our inherited spells.”

In fact, even if it had been for the sake of the military, there were still many critical that secret information had been disclosed. It was seen as a failure of the head of the family and was also a factor in disrupting the family’s leadership.

“But thinking back to it now, the head of the family had seen this when she’d made her decision,” Gilman said.

But Theresia thought differently. Not even Frose would be able to see that far. She also believed that it was true that Frose had given up on Tesfia’s future as a Magicmaster.

But Theresia remained silent, not interrupting her father who was deep in thought. “Theresia, it appears my proposal of offering you up for adoption wasn’t a mistake,” the head of the Verdale family speculated.

And as his child, there were some things that Theresia could guess. Now that he’d upwardly adjusted his appraisal of Frose and Tesfia, Gilman figured that his proof of loyalty and offering up his daughter for adoption had been a good decision.

However, after her mock battle against Tesfia, the children of the branch families gathered to talk, and Theresia had gained further understanding of the others’ thoughts and the atmosphere around them.

At the very least it was clear that they weren’t passionate for the kind of revival of the Fable family that their parents were planning.

She’d been particularly surprised by Roderich of the Hanbroden family’s actions. He’d been surprised by Tesfia’s hidden potential, but he’d made it sound like he hoped this moment would make the parents settle down.

On top of that, Lucille was swearing absolute loyalty to Tesfia. Although Theresia was a little disappointed that she was the only one under Gilman’s influence to be pointlessly worked up.

Regardless, now that Tesfia had displayed the power and talents as the next head of the family, a sense of relief spread through the families. Theresia herself felt a weight off her shoulders and felt even more strongly about winning the Tenbram than ever.

If Tesfia became the secret heir, the perfect head of the family that everyone had been waiting for would finally have appeared. That would also lead to Fable’s influence spreading throughout the Inner World. So that was why the branch families would have to properly support the head of the family.

Theresia had found her new position.

“To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to feel when I heard that you had lost after using your full power. I wasn’t sure if I should lament my daughter’s lack of power or rejoice at the young lady’s talents,” her father said.

“Heh heh, you did ask over and over after all,” Theresia said and smiled, not to the dignified head of the branch family but to her father. “I was made fully aware of how far I still have to go. The young lady has truly become overwhelmingly powerful. The Fable blood really is amazing, Father. In the mock battle against Tesfia, I felt like I could see Lady Canaria inside of the young lady. The strongest ice attribute Magicmaster of the Fable family, whom you spoke of when I was young.”

Gilman wore the soft smile of a father as he listened to his daughter’s excitement.

“I see, so you’ll go that far... Very well, since you have sworn your loyalty, you may do as you please. If a true secret heir has appeared, then our Verdale family has already finished our duties and preparations,” Gilman said gravely.

He was tied down by the duties of the branch family and the techniques passed down to him by his brother, so in a sense it was good news. Theresia wasn’t the only one who felt a weight off their shoulders.

“Theresia, things are going to get busy in a different way from now on. First is to display the power of the proud Fable family to the Womruinas,” he said.

“Yes. Overcoming trials and tribulations will only make the future of the Fable family shine brighter. Nothing about the branch families’ role should change in that regard,” she said.

“Indeed. You understand your position well. Once the Tenbram has been overcome, I will consult with the head of the family once more to let you learn Garb Sheep. Now that you have sworn loyalty to the young lady, the head of the family won’t brush off the Verdale family. Or perhaps she has already seen through as much. In which case, perhaps this request might be seen as unsophisticated...?”

As if to push her father forward, Theresia smiled. “No, I believe it’s just as you say, Father. It is a rational method for increasing Fable’s political influence.”

For further unity and loyalty among the branch families, it made perfect sense to teach them the inherited spells. If they were taught inherited spells outside of the one that served as proof of the secret heir, to prominent branch families it would no doubt serve as a motivating factor for the branch families that had felt ostracized in a way.

“I see, so you think so too.”

Gilman was satisfied as if he could see the future.

However, after this incident, Theresia felt something different. That perhaps there was somebody behind Tesfia’s sudden growth.

Theresia spoke to her father with a serious expression, and she noticed that his expression was back to that of the head of the family.

“Do you know of the young lady’s classmate, Alus Reigin? Apparently he has connections to the military...and it seems that he has played a part in the young lady’s growth,” she said.

“Hmm, I haven’t heard the name before. As you know, military information rarely reaches Verdale. But he is only a classmate, no? Although I do know that Lady Frose wants the boy to participate in the Tenbram,” he answered.

“About that, I believe that his true powers are far beyond that of my private teachers.”

Theresia had been taught since young by renowned Magicmasters from all over the world.

And she had made her judgment based on her experience.

“Hmm, it doesn’t look like you are joking. Even so, it is hard to believe. If he is the same age as the young lady, there is a limit to how excellent he could be. But if it is the truth, Lady Frose should know more. Thinking about it, bringing in an outsider into such an important Tenbram is suspicious.”

“Father?” Theresia couldn’t help but wonder upon seeing her father carefully thinking things over.

“Theresia, don’t look into him any further for the moment. It might stir up a bigger hornet’s nest than Garb Sheep. I will look into that Alus on my end. You just focus on the Tenbram ahead of you. And take care of the young lady,” he said.

“Yes.” She answered immediately, prompting Gilman to end the call with satisfaction.

Still, just who is he?

The question swirled in an excited Theresia’s mind inside of the quiet room. She recalled the scenery that he had shown her when she had taken such a disrespectful attitude with him.

Even now she couldn’t forget the sight of what was probably an expert-level spell.