Seventeenth Chapter
The Aristocrats’ Tea Party
Tesfia was saying her sorrowful farewell to Alice by the dorm entrance.
She was facing her biggest challenge—returning home, where her mother awaited.
When she went home during summer vacation, her stay had been cut short when the Institute was attacked.
Yesterday, she received a message from her mother to come back home, now that the incident was over. Based on her mother’s personality, Tesfia imagined she wanted more than a simple report on the current situation. She couldn’t hide her gloom. Just being with her mother was painful.
Her mother, Frose, had been a general, leading Magicmasters on large-scale extermination missions. After that, she’d served as an instructor, training Magicmasters for live combat.
That was why she was particularly strict with those traveling down the path of magic; she didn’t even show any mercy towards her own daughter.
She’d retired when her career reached a good stopping point. According to Frose, it was because she’d trained a fine replacement.
But from Tesfia’s point of view, she thought it was probably because her father had lost his life on a mission in the Outer World. As a result, they were reduced to a family of two, and that was likely why her mother was so strict.
Tesfia had her pride as a member of the nobility, and she’d put in efforts worthy of the name, but no matter how hard she tried, she could count the number of times her mother had gently patted her on the head on one hand. No matter how well she did at the Institute, it was never enough for her mother.
Lately, she’d grown even more harsh with Tesfia. Which was why Tesfia was reluctant to go home for a second time.
“Alright then... I’m off.”
“But at least there weren’t any problems with your grades when you went home the first time. Right?”
“Yeah, but she asked a lot of questions...”
“I see. We can’t talk about Al, after all,” Alice said. She’d learned firsthand how strict Frose was. If Frose persistently inquired about Alus, then Alice could imagine Tesfia giving in to her mother.
But in reality, Alus wasn’t the only thing for Tesfia to worry about.
Tesfia lightly shook her head, still with a gloomy expression, at her friend’s concern. “But you know, that’s not all of it... actually, never mind. Okay, I’ll see you later!” Acting as cheerful as she could, Tesfia stepped into the Circle Port.
Unlike her first visit home, she didn’t need to carry a lot of luggage. All she brought with her this time was her katana. From here on, she’d be traveling through several cities, and switch to a car partway through the journey. Of course, the power source of that car was artificial mana.
While this kind of vehicle had become commonplace recently, they were still expensive and only the wealthy could afford them.
After going through a number of Circle Ports, Tesfia let out a sigh for the umpteenth time today; she was worrying over what to report to her mother about the incident. The closer she got to the Fable estate, the more of her vitality escaped with her sighs.
At first, she’d been able to cheer herself up by walking through the lively townscapes—but as she neared Babel, that view began to change.
Traveling through another two or three Circle Ports brought her to the northernmost city of the middle-class district, an area lined with luxurious stores. It was, however, where the lower ranks of the wealthy lived.
That said, it still had an abundance of streetlights worthy of a rich neighborhood, illuminating the people walking on the streets at night.
The houses were designed to show off the class and standing of those who lived there, and the gardens were beautifully kept.
The sight of this neighborhood weighed on Tesfia, and the unease she felt turned into a deeper anxiety.
After meeting Alus, she had come to realize how blessed she was, and how carefree her life had been. I bet most people here haven’t even seen a Fiend. Borrowing Alus’ words from that one time, Tesfia thought this to herself.
“Sorry to have kept you waiting, young miss.”
Suddenly she heard a familiar voice. It startled her, but she’d already expected that he’d be here.
It was the Fable family’s longtime butler, Selva Greenus. The old butler with his mild expression, gray hair, and black suit elegantly placed his hand on the car door to open it.
“Thank you for welcoming me, Selva.”
This man had served their family since before Tesfia was born, and you would know he was elderly just from looking at his gray hair. Moreover, he had deep wrinkles on his face, a sign of his advanced age and a lifetime of experiences.
He had a tall and lean figure, and his back was always straight, the very image of a refined butler. Though his gray hair showed his age, it only served to accentuate the elegance he exuded.
Selva was once a Magicmaster. Or rather, his position was somewhat special; he could use magic, but he’d never taken up the official title of Magicmaster.
At first, he’d been hired as a guard for the Fable family, but as time passed he received additional duties, until he eventually settled into a butler-like position. By now, guard duty was only a secondary function of his job.
Either way, Selva specialized in fighting people; and though he was past his prime physically, his fighting style using magic remained as polished as ever. This old man was far more capable than a fresh-faced young guard.
“I hear the incident that occurred was disastrous. But fortunately, nothing serious seems to have happened.”
Seeing Tesfia hang her head, Selva stroked his beard and gently gazed at her. “Oh, it’s quite all right. I am only happy that nothing happened... I am sure you are tired, please come inside.”
Getting into the magic car, Tesfia felt herself floating. As the car used mana for power, the system was unbelievably smooth, keeping one from feeling any shaking. Tires were a thing of the past, as thanks to the artificial mana the car’s frame hovered slightly above the ground.
In the human domain, there were futuristic inventions and goods mixed in with older technology.
While the appearance of Fiends had led to a decline in human civilization, in the course of researching ways to better fight them, many new technological discoveries had been made. Even so, there was still some old technology put to use, giving the culture a charming mix of old and new. For example, horses were still used for travel by Magicmasters in the Outer World.
“Young miss, on your last visit, I told you that you have become very beautiful. And that your facial features are becoming more lovely as time passes, just like Master Frose...”
“Yeah... but aren’t you exaggerating? I only left for the Institute a few months before then.”
Leaving aside Tesfia’s doubts, Selva, who’d served the Fable family since his youth, smiled. He looked like a grandfather rejoicing in his granddaughter’s growth.
Meanwhile, Tesfia seemed to become uneasy the moment her mother’s name was mentioned, as her expression looked depressed.
Sensing her feelings, Selva calmly said, “No, even then. I know that very well... the young grow up fast, and Lady Tesfia is maturing in a way that is different from how Master Frose once did. That is why I am truly happy.”
Selva flashed her a meaningful smile, adding, “This is a secret from Master Frose,” with a wink and a raised finger.
“... Thank you.” As expected, Tesfia couldn’t hide her anguish from the mature butler. But in the end, all she could give him was a bitter smile in return.
Selva, in the driver’s seat, quickly glanced at Tesfia in the rearview mirror. “It is not just me. Master Frose also worries every time something happens.”
“Really?!”
In reality, Tesfia and Frose hadn’t always been on bad terms. Due to Frose’s position in the military, she was simply strict when it came to the topic of magic.
However, that was enough for Tesfia to start thinking negatively about her mother. When she heard something like this from Selva, she couldn’t help but be happy, even though it was natural for a mother to worry about her child.
Thanks to that, the oppressive atmosphere in the car began to ease, and Tesfia pushed aside the challenges she was sure to face when she arrived home to a corner of her mind. She’d livened up because of the lighthearted talk with Selva, but she had no way of knowing this was thanks to his mastery of the art of conversation.
Once they were close enough to see the Fable family estate, Selva cleared his throat and changed the topic. “So, young miss, about that subject...”
Tesfia’s expression suddenly froze.
“Master Frose brought it up because she cares about you. Of course, she is also aware of your reason for enrolling at the Institute...”
“I know! I know... I understand that this is something you can’t avoid as nobility! But...!” she said with a trembling voice. All she had to do was become an accomplished Magicmaster and take over as the family head.
Yet... when her mother had brought that up on her first visit home, Tesfia knew she wasn’t expecting anything from her then.
As these thoughts whirled through her head, the magic car passed through the gates leading to the Fable estate. The magic car had a roadway made especially for it, with trees lining the roadway on either side. It looked quite similar to other estates one would see in the middle and upper-class districts.
That said, the mansion itself was so far away you couldn’t see it from the gates. The reason for that was because the Fable family estate was around half the size of the Second Magical Institute.
By the time the mansion, a building almost as big as the Institute’s main structure, came into view, there was no longer any conversation taking place in the car. A questionable atmosphere took its place, and it was Tesfia who was responsible for it. Her chest was tingling in pain over having raised her voice at Selva.
Selva stopped the car at the entrance, and the car’s back door was soon opened.
Servants lined up to welcome Tesfia back, bowing in perfect order... but that was all.
Frose was nowhere to be seen. She hadn’t welcomed Tesfia back the first time, either.
Presenting his hand, Selva called out to Tesfia. “That’s why, young miss, I believe it would be best for you to have a heart-to-heart with Master Frose.”
“Yeah, thanks. I’m sorry about before, Selva.” When Tesfia took his hand and stepped out, a broad smile appeared on Selva’s wrinkled face.
Before long, the servants opened the large double doors to the mansion. The dazzling lights within were a nostalgic sight, reminding Tesfia that she’d lived here for years up until just a few months ago.
The mansion had rooms not just for Tesfia and Frose, but also Selva and the steward who had both been with the family for many years. The other servants lived in a separate building connected to the mansion by a corridor.
There were plenty of spare rooms, making the mansion too big, and it was lonely and dead silent at night.
On the east end of the mansion was a hall facing a terrace, which was often used for ballroom parties and the like. It had been used to build a wide social network for the family, as well as to show off their noble status.
Frose’s study was on the second floor of the eastern end. Normally, when Tesfia had business to attend to, she didn’t head towards the study. But she couldn’t get away with it now.
With heavy footsteps, she walked up the stairs and stopped in front of her mother’s study, taking a deep breath before knocking on the door. She’d already inquired of Selva as to her mother’s whereabouts.
“It’s Tesfia. I am back now.”
“Come inside.”
Normally a servant would open the door, but there weren’t any around because this was a meeting between mother and daughter. The trustworthy Selva would sometimes be present, but this time he’d read the mood and was nowhere to be seen.
Tesfia turned the knob carefully so as not to make any noise and stepped inside. She then did her best to silently close the door behind her.
“Welcome back. I hear you went through a lot. You must be tired, so have a seat,” Frose said, without even raising her head from her work.
Tesfia stared at her mother for a while. Like herself, her mother had glossy red hair that went down her back. She wore an elegant dress worthy of the head of the Fable family.
Now 37, Frose had retired at a young age. And her beauty had only become further refined as she aged.
There were piles of documents on the large wooden desk, and also a stack of leather folders containing what might be particularly important documents on the side.
And Frose was completely devoted to her work. That, as well as her willpower and beautiful appearance, might have been what her late father was attracted to.
Remembering Selva telling her she was like her mother would have made Tesfia happy right now, were it not for the whirling concern in her chest. With that thought in mind, Tesfia awkwardly sat down on the sofa.
Eventually, Frose seemed to hit a good stopping point in her work, and stood. She headed over to the side table and prepared something to drink, and put down a glass on the table in front of the sofa.
Frose then sat down on the sofa opposite of Tesfia’s, taking care not to let her dress wrinkle. “Now, drink.”
“Thank you very much.”
Tesfia didn’t even realize how sweaty her hands were, as she examined her mother’s mood. The atmosphere was heavy, as if she was a guest in her own house.
Last time, she’d talked about her grades and how her skills were improving; and while she didn’t get her head patted, she was praised for once.
However, the next topic that had been raised made Tesfia freeze up. With a pale expression, she raised her glass to her mouth and remembered about the engagement Frose referred to back then. That conversation had taken place in this very study.
“It’s about time you thought about it,” Frose had said, staring at her daughter.
Tesfia’s mind went blank for a moment, but she’d managed to get out of the situation somehow.
After that, she had absentmindedly gone through her usual mana control training, but forgot to put away the training stick, which her mother then found. She was questioned about the stick, including who she’d gotten it from.
While she didn’t reveal Alus’ identity, the strange male student she mentioned left a big impression on Frose.
When it looked like Frose would question her closer, the attack on the Institute happened and Tesfia used it as an excuse to escape the house.
So she was forced to find her resolve when her mother called her to return this time. If the engagement was brought up again, she’d dodge the question by saying they should save it for later. And she still had to hide Alus’ identity, too.
Frose was a former soldier, and Tesfia didn’t know what kind of influence she still had. Moreover, the principal had told her to keep Alus’ identity concealed, and Alus himself would likely agree.
And it was Frose who was the first to finally speak in that oppressive atmosphere. “Once again, I hear you went through a lot. To think the Institute would be attacked... but Alice was all right, wasn’t she? I’ve received reports that there were no injuries.”
An unexpected opening. Frose must have wanted to avoid cutting right to the chase. But this too was another tricky subject.
Even after she retired—or rather, because she had retired—Frose was making full use of the connections she’d made during her time in the military, and it would be prudent not to underestimate how far her ears reached.
“... Yes.” Tesfia’s heart was pounding at an alarming rate. Just how much did her mother know?
Alice certainly hadn’t been harmed during the attack. But she’d been abducted during it, and due to a series of events, Tesfia had aided in her rescue.
Both of them were injured during that event, but after being healed by the military they no longer had any visible signs that they’d been injured. So technically, she wasn’t lying. This was simply something she couldn’t speak of, not even to her mother.
However—
“Say, Fia. I heard that students from the Institute were involved in a series of incidents that happened after the attack...”
From the way Frose was speaking, Tesfia assumed that she still hadn’t reached the heart of the matter. But there was no way that Tesfia could look straight at Frose, so instead she let her eyes drift away.
She desperately tried to come up with a plausible excuse. “M-Mother. Maybe it was Ms. Felinella who...”
“Ah, it’s fine, Fia. I’m not looking to blame anyone. I was only worried that something might have happened to you,” Frose cut Tesfia off, as if she’d seen through her.
Even Tesfia understood that her mother wasn’t referring to her well-being when she mentioned being worried.
Or maybe she really was worried. If something were to happen to Tesfia, then everything Frose had worked for would be for naught, and it would be a major blow to the Fable family’s future.
The tone of voice the mother was using against her child simply screamed ‘adult circumstances.’
Frose elegantly brought her glass to her mouth and tilted it back. Even the sound of her drinking made Tesfia’s stomach throb.
“So, Fia, you will be staying for the day, won’t you?”
“Y-Yes... but I was thinking of returning to the Institute tomorrow.” Despite the fact that she was dealing with her own mother, Tesfia was staring down at her knees. Not only could she not raise her head, she was even scared of seeing Frose’s expression.
The eyes staring at her weren’t those of the mother who praised her for being second in her year, nor were they the same as the mother who’d praised her improved magical skills.
And Tesfia was scared to confirm that. Knowing that her mother didn’t really see her was terrifying.
Suddenly, all kinds of memories ran through her head, of her mother in the past, when she would smile so often. Even after Tesfia’s father passed away and Frose was alone, she had retired for the sake of her daughter and protected the family.
Just when did the emotion leave her mother’s eyes? When had she stopped seeing and speaking to Tesfia as her daughter?
Ah... it was that time.
Tesfia recalled when she was young and received special education, and her mother would even train her personally. The result of that was that her skill visibly improved. Her young body was strained to its limits, and she constantly got bruised. Despite that, she respected Frose more than anyone, and wished to become a Magicmaster like her.
Then one time, when she was twelve years old...
Back then, Tesfia had painstakingly acquired Icicle Sword, which was a spell passed down through the Fable family.
When she showed it off to her mother... Frose showed neither joy nor surprise. All she told Tesfia was, “It’s only natural that you can do something like that,” as if to say don’t waste my time.
It was then that Tesfia noticed her mother expected more talent out of her—and that she had lost interest in her.
Frose always used to say that those without talent shouldn’t strive to become Magicmasters. Which was why she didn’t want Tesfia walking down that path.
Yet one day... her mother was sure to acknowledge her.
When Tesfia had been taught magic, her mother always faced her in training seriously. And she’d often praised her...
As long as Tesfia didn’t skimp on her efforts, and made something out of herself as a Magicmaster, her mother would surely acknowledge her.
While that thought was going through Tesfia’s head...
“Fia, I didn’t get to ask about your grades the last time you were back.”
Hearing that made an anxious expectation rise inside her.
“You were second in the year. So who was first?” Frose put on a generic smile, one she’d direct at anyone, as her interest was piqued by that person.
Tesfia, unable to hide her disappointment, answered, “Someone who transferred in, who was already a Triple Digit Magicmaster.”
She recognized that girl’s talents. That girl had even taken over for Alus and given Tesfia training at one point. Anticipating what her mother would say next, Tesfia gulped.
“What is that supposed to mean, Fia?”
As expected, Frose’s sharp stare pierced her. Tesfia was unable to fend off that stare, a forceful reminder of how bad she was at handling her mother.
And with the topic shifting away from her, Frose was no longer looking at Tesfia. Proof that her interest lay in people with talent for magic. As she still had connections to the military, it was a topic that Frose wouldn’t overlook.
Frose furrowed her brow, not considering Tesfia’s feelings at all. “From what noble family are they from? Is it a boy?”
But before Tesfia could answer, her mother continued, “When it comes to male Triples in Alpha, we’re talking about Rimfuge’s son, or the Womruina family’s second son... no, he was still a Quad. But both of them would be stronger than you. However, you don’t have any connection to the Womruina family, besides, they’re... So, the Rimfuge family? But I didn’t hear that any of their children enrolled at the Institute.”
While her mother ruminated over the answer, Tesfia slipped it in. “She’s not nobility or a boy, Mother.”
“—!!” Frose stared at Tesfia, as if asking for more details.
“It’s a girl named Loki Leevahl.”
“From the name, she doesn’t sound like she’s from a renowned noble family. I see, so that girl transferred in.”
With Frose’s connections, haphazard lies wouldn’t work on her. Knowing that she’d be figured out if she lied, Tesfia gave up the information on her own accord to show she wasn’t trying to hide anything. “Supposedly she did missions in the Outer World before enrolling.”
“I see, so someone like that came in.” Frose, of course, realized how abnormal this was.
While it wasn’t enough for her, Tesfia was still a four-digit Magicmaster and second in her year. So having a classmate who was a Triple Digit was clearly not normal.
Besides, entering military service after graduating was the norm. Even with exceptions like the extracurricular lesson, almost nobody stepped into the Outer World before entering the Institute.
The only exception would be eccentric families like the Socalents, but even with hands-on training and family circumstances, the daughter from that family was only assisting with missions.
“If I recall, you got that training stick of yours from that... Alus, was it... He was in the same year as you too, right?”
Tesfia was visibly shaken when her mother mentioned Alus by name. She wasn’t supposed to have remembered it, yet Frose spoke it aloud with conviction.
Trying to dodge the question in a half-hearted manner wouldn’t work. “Y-Yes! But Alus’ grades are only average...” she blurted out, without even being asked. But she had no way of realizing how unnatural she sounded, now that she was cornered.
“I see. I understand. Thank you for letting me know, Fia.” Frose’s refined smile was so perfect that only her daughter would have been able to see through it.
And Tesfia’s ingrained instincts told her that her mother’s smile was completely hollow.
Then, as if their business was finished, Frose stood up and returned to her desk as if changing gears, the discussion over for her.
Tesfia realized their mother and daughter meeting was done. “Mother, excuse me.”
“Yes. Let’s have dinner together. I’ll have Selva call for you later.”
Tesfia squeezed out a powerless “Yes” and left the room. She was careful when closing the door, but her mind was blank aside from that.
Once in the hallway, she walked to her room, her head hanging low.
Keeping up appearances as a noble was a shackle that took precedence over the familial bond between Tesfia and Frose. When Tesfia was young she hadn’t hated the idea of this; instead, she’d taken pride in it and put in what effort she could.
But just where had it gone wrong?
While Tesfia took steady steps towards her goal, at some point she’d stopped being the daughter that Frose wanted.
“Young miss...”
The sudden voice brought her back to reality. And she noticed that Selva was looking at her with a worried expression.
When Tesfia timidly glanced his way, Selva gave her a particularly gentle smile. “It’s no good brooding over things too hard. Master Frose always has you in mind. The reason she doesn’t let it show is because of her long stay in the military.”
“Yes. I know. I know that Mother is always busy and worries over me.”
But despite knowing this, she couldn’t help but think, That’s because she needs me, isn’t it?
As nobility, they had to serve the country. With that duty in mind, the Fable family built up their current status by adhering to social rules and restrictions.
The children of the noble families joined the military to serve as role models for the people. And it was also true that the military needed their power.
The Fable family received favors worthy of their contributions. It would be impossible for them to maintain their vast land, mansion, and the finances necessary for their servants without their family name and glory. Because of that, Tesfia had to be the next head.
However, she refused to put the sorrow welling up in her into words. Doing that would be like rejecting the burden and pride as a noble that she’d inherited.
The sense of loss she felt dug a deep hole in her heart, making her want to scream out loud. That hole had been slowly growing since she was young, and still hadn’t been filled. Her memories of her mother back then, which should have filled that hole, were a haze by now.
A feeling of helplessness washed over Tesfia, with only the elderly butler gazing at her the same as always. With affection, with nostalgia...
“Indeed, the problem the young miss is carrying might be too heavy for this butler to help carry. But as an old man who has served since the past generation...” Selva stared out the window with a distant look, as if remembering something. “I believe it is important that you overcome your hesitation and fear, and speak directly to Master Frose. That is also something that she was unable to do herself.”
“You mean... my mother?” Tesfia’s eyes opened wide. She couldn’t imagine her mother being unable to do anything.
“When Master Frose was the young miss’ age, sobbing could be heard from her room every night... Master Frose has always held it in. And she is trying to guide you down that same path. Or rather, that is the only path that she is aware of.”
The times weren’t always as peaceful as they were now. Things far more bloody than simple power struggles had run rampant in what little was left of the human realm. Neither making choices nor fulfilling wishes... not even worrying was allowed. All that could be done was to follow the path laid down for you. Perhaps that was the work of the nobility born at that time.
Tesfia didn’t know much about how things were back then... and she felt perhaps that she didn’t know that much about her mother either.
“Selva?” Tesfia saw the butler’s eyes were tearing up a little. Her heart was moved, and she was unable to keep herself from calling out to him.
“Pardon me, I have said too much.”
“Really. If Mother heard you, she wouldn’t speak to you for a week.”
“That would be problematic,” Selva said with a small smile, and a raised finger in front of his lips.
Tesfia responded with a nod and a smile in kind. By now, the feelings of melancholy hovering over her had vanished. “Thank you, Selva. I’ll try speaking with Mother.”
“And I will support you from the shadows. So what are your plans for now, young miss?”
“Yes, I think I’ll do some training in the field out back.”
“Understood. Then I will come calling once dinner is prepared.”
All Tesfia had to do was have her mother acknowledge her little by little. As long as there was enough time for that, there wouldn’t be any problems, and her mother would be sure to change her mind.
After changing her clothes in her room, Tesfia headed for the training grounds before the sun set.
They had been designed just for Tesfia. While it wasn’t as impressive as the Institute’s facilities, it had been split into multiple smaller areas with different uses.
Right now she was in what was just empty space, meant for practicing magic.
Aside from this area, there was also a swordsmanship dojo, as well as a facility made for training the body for live combat.
The training grounds she currently occupied spanned 50 meters in every direction. The walls were made out of a material that absorbed mana, the same used by the military.
In front of her were targets that were resistant to impacts, and white lines were drawn on the ground. They were remnants from training she did in her youth, and were fading out due to the aftereffects of spells and her stepping on them. That was because she had cast spells here countless times.
First, she stood in the center and calmed herself. After exhaling, she drew her katana.
The last time she was home, she’d shown the results of her magic to her mother and Selva. Her magic showed improvement that exceeded Frose’s expectations.
Tesfia was always nervous in front of her mother, and had a hard time dealing with her, so she’d braced herself for what would be a harsh evaluation... that actually turned out to be a reasonable one. Which was why she’d felt tears welling up when her mother had praised her last time. To her, it was only natural to show her mother her grades and to have her magic tested.
In fact, she’d been the one that asked to enroll into the Institute. She wanted to live the school life alongside Alice, as well as to acquire a rank worthy of nobility.
Frose hadn’t seen any point in having her daughter attend the Institute, which was why Tesfia would never have ended up there if she hadn’t done something herself.
But now she was able to practice her magic to her heart’s content. Deep down inside, she knew that she would have to prove her worth through her own refined skills.
If she was able to act smarter as a young noblewoman, then she might not have to carry this kind of anxiety with her. But Tesfia wasn’t good at living up to the expectations placed on her to follow a path laid down for her by someone else... which was why she chose the other option available to her—to show her worth through her skills as a Magicmaster.
Tesfia put all her strength into her arms as if to shake off her hesitation and conflict. Her straightforward will flowed into the katana.
The magic formula engraved on the surface of the blade began to glow in response.
* * *
With her daughter out of the room, Frose’s study was as quiet as always.
However, the atmosphere wasn’t tranquil, but rather something more solemn. The reason for that was none other than Frose herself, who was silently absorbed in an investigation.
She used every single connection in the Fable family’s network to focus on her task, and yet...
“It’s no use...” she suddenly mumbled. Having tried all possible means, she leaned back in her chair and pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Please take care not to overtire yourself,” Selva said, as he put down a chilled glass on the edge of the desk.
With a simple thanks, Frose brought the glass to her mouth. “Selva, what do you think? After all this searching, I can only find this small bit of information on this Loki girl. But I’ve only been able to come up with a hastily thrown together profile from the entrance ceremony on the other student who’s supposedly been teaching Fia... this Alus person.”
The only figure on the screen was a silver-haired girl. The more Frose gazed at her, the more something felt wrong.
“That is strange...” Selva said.
“...To think she knows the Outer World at her age,” Frose mused.
Selva stared at the girl on the screen with complicated emotions whirling in his mind. Perhaps she reminded him of Tesfia.
But Frose harbored more confusion and resentment than anything. She pressed her nail against her lip and read through the text detailing the girl’s information. “This is what little they have to show for that mistaken program of educating orphans for the sake of inexpensive fighting power,” she spat out in contempt.
When Frose was in the military, command quietly put in place what they called a ‘protective measure’, which was taking the children of Magicmasters into custody if they lost their parents.
The children were given two choices: one was to live life in an orphanage, the other was to take part in a military program to become a Magicmaster.
But there was no real choice to make. Practically all Magicmaster deaths were due to combat against Fiends. Those who put the protective measure into action used that truth to put pressure on the children.
Whispering into their ears, appealing to their anger and grief. Telling them how Fiends had killed their parents, and that they would help them to get strong enough to avenge them if they wanted to.
The result of this program was that all the children in the first phase had been wiped out on their first and only mission to the Outer World. That group had even included children below the age of ten.
Frose held back her feelings of regret and stopped herself from saying anything more.
“And someone like this has that kind of ranking... how frightening.”
“Yes,” Frose said. “She must have some talents, but surely she’s had to overcome countless brushes with death... The biggest problem with the Magicmaster training program was the use of children who were still mentally immature. The moment they decided on that was the moment their salvation lost all meaning. It’s not a matter of whether they make excellent Magicmasters or not. To be frank, I think there’s a one in a million chance of someone managing to adapt to that environment.”
Frose continued with her displeasure on full display, and turned off the display screen. “They won’t be able to hold on just by fanning their flames of revenge... especially not at the frontlines in battle against Fiends.”
“That aside, this person is Lady Tesfia’s friend, so why not invite her over to meet her?”
Normally that proposal was very likely to be accepted. Tesfia had been made to bring Alice over multiple times, after all.
However... “No, I’m more interested in him,” Frose said, and tapped some keys.
This brought up the profile of a certain Alus Reigin.
“Ah—the original owner of the training stick that Lady Tesfia brought back,” Selva said.
“That’s part of it, of course, but I’m more interested in the fact that I can’t find any more information on this Alus, and how superficial his current student profile is.”
“Oh, that’s peculiar.”
VIPs of foreign nations and secret information on high-ranking Magicmasters were one thing, but it was unthinkable for the Fable family information network to not be able to glean any information on a normal student.
Frose said, “And he’s at the Institute that is under Sisty’s management... things have taken a strange turn.”
There were too many unexplained elements for just some son of a noble family to enroll into the Institute with only average grades, and interfere with her daughter’s training.
Frose stood up and left the room, as if on her way to confirm one of her suspicions. Selva, of course, followed behind her.
She headed for the opposite side of the mansion. Passing by the central staircase, she made her way to the balcony.
The grounds were in full view from here. And Frose’s eyes were set on a single spot of her vast land—the training grounds where Tesfia was practicing her magic.
“I’ll be honest, I do acknowledge that she’s grown tremendously in the short time she’s been at the Institute,” she said, while observing Tesfia in action. But her expression remained unchanged as always.
While Frose claimed to acknowledge her daughter’s growth, she knew that kind of growth would be of no use whatsoever. She only allowed Tesfia’s admission into the Institute because she had pleaded with her. To Frose, it was only intended to be a brief respite before she had Tesfia study to become the next head of the family.
Grades and improvements in magic came after that, and if Tesfia made mistakes, Frose had even considered using them as an excuse to make her quit the Institute.
But Tesfia had reasonable results. Frose had feared that if she attended the Institute without the bare minimum of talent for magic, she’d only be dragging the family name through the mud. However, her daughter’s efforts had brushed away those doubts.
“I am of the same opinion. The young miss’ growth is truly astounding. However, that is why...”
Even without any favoritism (not that Frose showed any), Tesfia had improved considerably. That much could be gleaned just from watching her manifest the magic passed down through the Fable family, Icicle Sword.
The molding of the ice sword and the strength of its construction changed depending on the user’s experience and development. It had lost its almost artistic beauty from before, but now it was sharpened to more easily cut its enemy, and the blade itself was longer. It was now more optimized for fighting Fiends, marking it as completely different from how it was before she enrolled at the Institute.
But that was why Frose’s suspicions grew.
Tesfia focused on creating the sword of ice, completely unaware that she was being observed from the balcony far away.
Once the sword made its full appearance, Frose narrowed her eyes. “It’s changed again. A sharper... and more deadly shape.”
The long blade was chilly, hard, sharp and more suited to live combat, as if it was a condensation of rationality, transforming it into a sword capable of reaping lives in the quickest way possible. Within less than a month, Tesfia had grown even more.
Normally that would be something to rejoice over. But according to the information Frose had gotten her hands on, some of the students had been caught up in the incident at the Institute. Tesfia’s and Alice’s names were brought up in regards to that.
She hadn’t seriously cornered her daughter yet, but Frose knew the truth just from her attitude. Which was why she could naturally understand what had happened to her daughter during that short period of time.
Meanwhile, Selva said in admiration, “She must have studied very hard. With her experience showing so honestly in her magic... the young miss must have made her way through quite some hardships.”
Tesfia’s growth moved him, but at the same time he felt a tinge of loneliness as well. The girl before him now was very different from the younger Tesfia that he’d known.
Selva exhaled with a sigh, showing the feelings only someone elderly would feel when watching a young sapling grow before their eyes.
“That’s true, but there’s no need for her to learn everything. Stepping into the Outer World as a Magicmaster isn’t the only way a noble can gain influence in the military... maybe it’s about time to call it quits.”
Frose did hesitate for a moment. But she’d already reached the conclusion that it was time for her daughter to make a choice. She knew that reality was harsh, and there were just some things that normal talent and effort wouldn’t be able to overcome.
Because she knew the Outer World, Frose could anticipate Tesfia’s future and plan for it. It was due to her ability to envision years and decades into the future that a decision had to be made now.
Just as she had done in the past...
Frose could see the changes in Tesfia’s magic. Perhaps the extracurricular lesson had caused it, or maybe it was because she’d gotten caught up in a military mission.
Either way, that alone wasn’t enough. The existence of something linking the Outer World and the Inner World—the human world within the barrier—had to have been necessary for her magic to transform like that. If not, she wouldn’t have had this kind of growth spurt in such a short time.
With a quiet expression that understood everything, Frose stared at the transient scene before her. The young sprout was seeing a fleeting dream and was trying to follow it as directly as possible.
Selva’s lips trembled behind Frose. He didn’t want to think that Frose’s cold decision was inevitable. But no matter what she said, she was Tesfia’s mother. He cast his eyes down, realizing he was being impertinent, before saying, “Would that really be in the young miss’ best interests?”
“Selva, you should know this too. This is for Fia’s sake, and the Fable family’s sake. She might oppose it, but she doesn’t need to understand it yet.”
Selva said nothing. To this elderly butler who’d known Tesfia since she was a baby, she wasn’t just someone he was loyal to, but also something like a granddaughter.
If this were just a normal affluent family, it might have been forgiven. But this was the Fable family, and personal emotions were not allowed. The current Fable family was built on generations of proud obligations and noble compensation.
Selva took a step backwards and bowed to apologize for complaining to the current head of the family.
Frose glanced his way, with no strong feelings in particular, and muttered, “That said, I need to find out what happened with her first.”
Selva finished dinner preparations, and called for Tesfia in the training grounds after the sun had set and the streetlights had come on.
Before dinner, Tesfia headed to her room first. Her room was on the second floor, up the central stairs and to the right.
Because the servants lived in another building, the mansion had plenty of spare rooms. There were easily more than ten rooms just on the right-hand side of the mansion. There was a library, a parlor, the room the chamberlains had used for many years, and more.
Opening the door, Tesfia got her change of clothes ready, and headed into the shower. That was partly to wash off the sweat she’d worked up, but also because appropriate attire was required when having dinner with her mother.
She wouldn’t receive any complaints for wearing casual clothing, but, maybe to look more like her mother’s daughter, Tesfia chose a dress, something she usually didn’t have a chance to wear at the Institute.
After she finished her shower, the silence she normally never paid any attention to stood out more than ever.
Her dorm room was more cramped, but life with Alice as her roommate was fun, and she certainly didn’t feel as lonely there as this room made her feel.
As if waiting for this time, there was a knock on the door and several maids appeared. The maids began to dry her hair and trim her nails.
Tesfia tried to refuse, saying that they didn’t need to go so far, but the maids seemed to enjoy being able to care for her for the first time in a while. Seeing their expressions, Tesfia couldn’t refuse them, and ended up entrusting herself to them.
And since this wasn’t a dinner party with guests, her dress was just modest enough to be worn inside the mansion.
Before Selva could call for her again, Tesfia headed for the dining hall as the maids saw her off.
Since those who served in the mansion also ate their meals here, the hall was rather large.
Frose and Selva were already waiting when Tesfia arrived. Tesfia bowed slightly before taking her seat. With that, the dinner began.
As far as Tesfia remembered, they usually didn’t hold discussions about things while eating. However, Frose went against her expectations and started to speak, while strictly observing her manners.
“So, Fia, what kind of relationship do you have with this Ms. Loki who’s at the top of your year?”
This was something Tesfia had been expecting, and she put her fork back down. Like she’d planned ahead of time, she was going to admit to being acquainted with her, but say that they weren’t close. “Ms. Loki and I are in the same class. That’s all.”
It was smarter not to hide something that could be found out with a little research. Or she might end up putting herself in a worse position later.
“Oh, I see. By the way, what kind of affinity does she have?”
Tesfia wondered how deep her mother’s questioning was going to go. But, that said, if she wanted to, she could find out most things if she so pleased. “It appears that she has an affinity for the lightning attribute.”
“How unusual.”
“Really? I don’t think there are any others with an affinity for it in the same year.”
When Frose stared at Tesfia with a reproachful glance at her lack of knowledge, Tesfia realized her blunder.
Her lack of study put Frose in a bad mood, but because it was dinner time, Frose stopped herself there. Instead of reprimanding her, she began explaining in an exasperated tone, “Listen closely. The lightning attribute needs to convert mana to create the power of lightning. That’s not something you can pick up in a day or two just because you have an affinity for it... and it’s not until you’ve mastered its difficult spells that you can truly say you have an affinity for it.”
“I see.”
Frose ignored Tesfia’s depressed tone and continued, “Fia, that’s not a reason for you to give up. Or do you perhaps have some other reason?”
Tesfia quickly realized that she was talking about her ranking at the Institute. Cold sweat ran down her spine as she sat straight up in her seat in surprise.
Her face twitched slightly as she tried to make sure that her relationship with Loki remained unknown, all the while remembering the tragedy that happened when Alice had been invited to the mansion...
For some reason, Alice had ended up having to show her magic, and Frose being a strict teacher resulted in her working over not only Tesfia, but Alice as well. If Frose got her hands on Loki, things would definitely take a turn for the worse. And from the sound of it, it’d be best to avoid the topic of Alus being brought up any further.
If she couldn’t disobey her mother, the least she could do was not dig her own grave. “Yes, I will be more diligent.”
“... Well, no matter. It is true that you’ve grown as a Magicmaster.” Her mother’s indifferent words even sounded robotic. “But this Ms. Loki does pique my interest.”
Tesfia’s shoulders trembled again. She remembered that her mother had said the same thing about Alice. After this, she would come up with some excuse to invite Loki to the mansion. Before long, Frose would make a suggestion that Tesfia couldn’t refuse.
After a quick glance, she could see the interest in her mother’s eyes. She’d only been spared the pursuit for a moment, as further difficulties awaited Tesfia. Having expected as much, Tesfia was about to give up when the main dish was brought in.
When Tesfia realized that Selva had chosen the timing to interrupt their discussion, she felt like the butler was on her side.
Of course, there was no way that this would go unnoticed by Frose. That much was clear by the way she sighed.
After that, neither of them opened their mouths except to bring the tender meat to their lips.
Selva opened the door for Tesfia when she left the dining hall, and she silently thanked him with her eyes. The dinner that Selva had made himself for the first time in a while had been delicious. Though it would’ve been even better if she could have enjoyed the taste without anguish, but nothing would come from saying that now.
With Tesfia gone from the dining hall, Frose took a sip of tea. “You’re the same as always.”
Since they saw each other every day, this statement might sound a little strange. Of course, the butler was able to pick up on what she was implying. “Was I perhaps being too considerate of your first meal together, just the two of you, in such a long time?”
“Hm, well, that’s fine. You’re as sweet on her as always,” Frose muttered, and took another sip.
When Tesfia returned to her room, all the tension built up inside of her drained away, and she flopped down on top of her bed. But she couldn’t go to sleep just yet. Her mother had told her to come back later, as Tesfia stepped out of the dining hall.
This time it would most likely be about Loki, or maybe Alus.
However, Tesfia was no longer just a child afraid of her mother. Like Selva said, she needed to put her own intentions into words. The time for that discussion was now.
If she could persuade her mother, she would open a path towards the future, and continue her life at the Institute.
Tesfia sat up on her bed, and breathed deeply. All the while feeling how it’d been so long since she’d spoken to her mother with her own words.
On the way to her mother’s study, Tesfia didn’t see Selva or any of the servants.
Once at the door, she began pondering how she should start the discussion. But she’d already decided what her first words would be, in her room. “Mother, I have something to talk about as well,” she’d say with resolution, to show her own will. Just being able to say those words would require a great deal of courage from her.
Bracing herself, she knocked on the door.
The force behind her knock wasn’t so much a display of strong will, as much as it was scolding herself for starting to get faint of heart, and to create a situation where she couldn’t turn back. She wasn’t going to come up with a good reason or excuse by thinking. So she decided to at least preserve her motivation, putting her trust in herself.
But a few seconds after entering the room, that determination and resolution had already disappeared from Tesfia’s face.
The first thing her mother said was—
“Fia, choose from one of these.”
“—?!”
Thrust in front of her were several leather-covered folders, all of which had been piled up on her desk earlier today.
Frose picked one of the dozen or so folders and opened it up for Tesfia to take a look. The cover was thick, but inside was a simple two-page spread.
“—!!!” The moment Tesfia saw it, she was rendered speechless, and her eyes shot wide open.
What she saw was a document made of parchment. It detailed a family tree and personal history. It was a marriage proposal. On one side of the folder was a photograph, with the detailed information and such on the other side.
“Mother!!”
Indeed, as nobility, she’d been prepared to have to get married young, but Tesfia felt the most resentment over not getting to choose her own partner.
Frose would suggest an engagement every now and then, but Tesfia had assumed she meant a little later on in life. Even then, she figured she’d just persuade her once that moment came.
So having her mother’s intentions shoved at her like this, along with her attitude that wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer, Tesfia understood that she wasn’t even going to be given a chance to discuss it.
“You are already 16. I won’t push you to get married yet, but the sooner you get engaged, the better.” Her mother said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her expression was more cool-headed and callous than it was before.
“But I want to make a name...”
Make a name for myself as a Magicmaster, secure my own position, and choose my own partner like you did... is what she wanted to say before she was cut off.
“When I was your age, I was already engaged to your father. If you want to make a name for yourself, it won’t be too late to do so after you graduate and have children.” Frose must have gone down the same path herself, as there was no hesitation in her words. “You’re still in high demand, so make your choice before something unexpected happens. I’ve picked out some candidates.”
Tesfia bit her lip. Being forced to make a decision narrowed down for her by someone else was not the same as choosing for oneself. “Engagement...”
The fate of nobles had suddenly befallen her. In Tesfia’s mind, that fate was a blade threatening to cut down her very heart.
“Now, look them over.” Their ranking as Magicmasters was emphasized on the profiles, as was their affinities, the spells in which they specialized, and the social ranking they were likely to reach within their lifetimes.
At first the text was clear, but soon the words began to blur as Tesfia teared up. Unable to hold them back any longer, drops fell down and stained the profiles.
It wasn’t like she’d never thought about marriage, but she still had seen it as something far in the distance, or at the very least with her ideal partner that she’d find herself. She imagined that that would be the greatest happiness.
So she desperately told herself that the searing pain in her chest was because she realized that her wish would never come true.
She wanted to believe that it wasn’t because her mother had turned her back on her future as a Magicmaster.
However...
Wrong wrong wrong wrong... She didn’t know what he would look like, but she believed she would meet her ideal partner one day.
Tesfia couldn’t take it anymore and stormed out of her mother’s study. She didn’t remember what she’d done with the pile of folders, nor did she have the composure to stop and think about it.
With Tesfia running away, Frose stared into the empty space beyond the door with a cold gaze.
That’s when Selva, carrying tea, came in and closed it. “Master Frose, so you told the young miss.”
“Yes, but I didn’t think she’d take it that badly.”
“But of course.” Selva expertly poured some tea, and quietly put it down before Frose.
“However, this isn’t something that can be helped.” Frose’s belief that nobility should marry young and have children early to protect their family name wouldn’t change. Even those with talent ran the risk of being ostracized within noble society if they missed their chance. Nobles who didn’t marry—were seen as abandoning their names. That was something Frose couldn’t overlook, which was why she’d picked prime candidates for her daughter out of consideration for her.
It was ironic that what Frose thought was the best course of action was the opposite of Tesfia’s.
“... The young miss looked very much like a young Master Frose.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“I felt a little bad for her. Did you talk things over with the young miss?”
“There’s no need for that. Fia won’t understand right now no matter how much I explain it. But to think you’ve mellowed this much, Selva.”
Selva brushed off her remark with a small chuckle.
“I did compromise quite a bit for her sake, you know.”
“Perhaps that was what was so wrong.” Selva picked up the folders that had been scattered across the floor. Only he realized the tragic reason for why this mother and daughter weren’t seeing eye to eye.
Nobility getting married to protect the family name was fate, in a sense. It was only inevitable that Frose, as the current head of the family, would choose some “prime candidates.”
But Frose didn’t think there was any deception involved on her part. In fact, she thought it to be a kindness. These were actions taken with Tesfia’s best interests in mind.
While Selva realized this, he couldn’t say it out loud. It was a clear line that he couldn’t cross as a butler. However, he couldn’t help but notice that this situation was the same as the circumstances in which a young Frose had once found herself.
At the time, Selva was also young, and he hadn’t been able to do anything to save Frose. So perhaps he wasn’t in a place to judge.
Ever since the day he decided to serve and protect the Fable family, Selva had never made a mistake when it came to his order of priorities. Stepping outside his boundaries wouldn’t amount to anything other than hurting himself. But even so, the situation and circumstances were different now.
With a sigh, he put down the folders of fiancé candidates on the desk.
Frose shook her head, as if she wasn’t concerned with the elderly butler’s worries. No, it wasn’t that she wasn’t concerned. In her mind, it was already decided. “She doesn’t have much time. It might have been too soon for her, but she’ll need to make up her mind during her stay.”
“Is that so.” Selva didn’t raise any objections, but as the family butler he wanted to give his frank advice. “... Not everything is the same as before. The young miss has led a life in a different time from Master Frose. Why not at least speak to her, not as the head of the family, but as her mother?”
“... As her mother? That’s what I’ve been doing all along.”
The unusual remark from the loyal butler seemed to spark something. She’d answered plainly, but Selva shook his head as he sensed her stubborn side wavering somewhat. “... Master Frose, if you are going to talk to the young lady, I believe you should wait until she has calmed down a little more.”
“... That’s true. She needs time to sort things out.” Frose glanced at the folders of fiancé candidates, and rested her chin on her hand while closing her eyes.
To her, born as nobility, the ideal was to maintain a stable social standing and preserve the Fable name. She wished the same thing for her daughter even now.
However... due to Selva’s words, she began feeling a slight hesitation.
* * *
The girl wiped at her blurred sight with her fingers. Yet tears of sorrow continued to overflow.
Having run out of Frose’s study, Tesfia made her way straight to her own room. The sound of the door slamming shut echoed out, filling her with a helpless feeling.
She’d thrown herself on her bed without even turning the lights on, her mind whirling.
I knew marriage was inevitable.
However, she felt a stinging pain like she’d been abandoned.
She’d set a goal of earning a remarkable ranking as a Magicmaster, so she was hurt when her mother ignored that in favor of finding her a fiancé. It seemed that her mother had given up on her talent as a Magicmaster.
To Tesfia, a fiancé could come later. She’d rather become a full-fledged Magicmaster and produce results. It was the path she’d thought of for herself, but now it had suddenly been cut short. Forcibly, at that, by her powerful mother.
Lying down, with her eyes closed, her negative thoughts continued running wild, all she could see were the worst outcomes and futures for herself.
She questioned herself, and when her thoughts reached a standstill, she raised her head and shook it from side to side. Do I have to give up? No, I can’t! That’s the one thing I can’t do...
Devastated, and trying to keep from thinking anymore, Tesfia covered herself in her quilt and created her own little personal space. If she didn’t, she felt like even what little resistance she had left would abandon her. She had to continue to reject it or she’d be swallowed up by it. She was scared that she would give in and accept the current situation.
Her eyes were red from crying, and she closed her trembling lips as she curled up in a ball on her bed.
Thinking about it, it might have been a selfish objection. She couldn’t accept it, yet she didn’t have the courage to leave the house and her mother.
No, she believed that her mother would come to understand. Like Selva said, she could speak with her mother and make her understand what she wanted, and then...
Tesfia finally understood that this was just her being naïve.
As she pressed her tears into her pillow, she thought back to her memories at the Institute to try and distract herself from reality. She’d been made to realize she was immature in every way as a Magicmaster, but those days were still satisfying. She’d received guidance from Alus, and was finally starting to see improvement.
Meanwhile, she also understood that she only looked like a child throwing a tantrum from Frose’s point of view.
But she could feel her own growth, which was why it was so painful... she wanted to think and choose for herself.
She now knew that her proclamation of wanting to become a great Magicmaster was just her talking big. Up until now, she’d never known what a real Magicmaster was like, so she couldn’t deny that it had been nonsense.
But now she would never say that being a Magicmaster was a noble job. She’d seen a real Magicmaster up close after all...
Which was why she wanted to believe in her own possibilities. She had a foundation now to do so. He’d seen the potential within her and acknowledged it.
In that case...
The thoughts in her head gradually turned into a firm determination. So by the time she slowly raised her head from the pillow, there were no longer any tears in her swollen eyes.
Indeed, she wouldn’t find true happiness if she held back.
Tesfia sat up on her bed, and forcefully wiped her wet cheeks.
Suddenly, an orderly knock came on the door. Taken aback by the suddenness, she was unable to react.
“Fia, I’m coming in.”
The sound of the doorknob moving reached her ears, and the light from the hallway came spilling in.
“—!!”
With a sigh, Frose pressed the button next to the door to turn on the lights. She cast her head down for a moment when she saw her daughter’s swollen red eyes, but in the next second she put on a calm smile.
That was because she could see a strong will ready to face the situation in her daughter’s face. These were no longer the weak eyes of a girl who broke down crying.
“Mother! ...I’m sorry,” Tesfia apologized for not answering her mother’s knock. Of course, her words might hold more meaning behind them, considering what she would say next.
“I don’t mind. That aside, let us talk a little.”
Frose seemed to be wondering how to begin. She awkwardly sat down on the bed next to Tesfia. Though she was the one who brought it up, she didn’t speak right away as she looked around the room like it was her first time here.
And that was only natural. It had been years since she last came to Tesfia’s room.
“How strange. You’ve grown this big, yet it feels like it’s the first time I’ve come to your room...” Frose sighed. “In the end, it’s just as Selva said.” She spoke her mind, convinced now of something. “Perhaps this is what I deserve for focusing on work and leaving so much up to the servants.”
Tesfia listened, nervous, but was unable to bear it any longer as she raised her voice. “That’s because you were doing your best to protect the family... and to raise me.” Her voice tapered off at the end.
She didn’t have many memories of her mother, but she’d concluded to herself that it was inevitable. That was why Tesfia had an attachment to her mother and the Fable family that she’d protected. It wasn’t something she could take lightly.
However, her desire to treasure her own way of life was another matter.
Despite sitting next to one another, they didn’t look at each other. Tesfia didn’t know what her mother was gazing at, or what she was thinking.
And after a short silence, Frose suddenly asked, “Fia, do you hate the idea of being engaged to someone right away?”
“... Yes!!” Even if it was a sudden question, her answer was immediate.
“But as nobility, you understand that you need to quickly pick someone for marriage, don’t you?”
Tesfia knew that, and she lightly bit her lip to hold back her bitter emotions, and nodded. “Mother, I... I want to achieve greatness as a Magicmaster, and become just like you. Of course, I don’t think it’s okay to bring an end to the Fable family’s name and history. That’s why I will manage to do both.”
Her ideals ignored the cruelty of reality, and had a purity that Frose didn’t have. Or rather, a purity she’d lost long ago.
Realizing that, Frose thought to herself that Selva was right. Her daughter was quite different from her.
No, she’d changed herself for the sake of the family, thinking back, and Tesfia was one of the few absolute joys she’d had in her life. And this was the first time she’d seen her daughter try so desperately to have her own way.
Frose let out another sigh, and turned to face Tesfia. “I understand. I was going to have you choose a fiancé during your stay, but we can wait and see for the moment.”
She hadn’t approved of anything. And she definitely had some calculating motives as well.
In reality, Tesfia had a bad feeling about the whole ‘wait and see’ approach. In other words, this was nothing more than a compromise. The vagueness of the term was the reason why she was still stiff with nervousness.
Seeing that obvious doubt on Tesfia’s face, Frose smiled and revealed what she was thinking. “Fia, it’s not like I don’t believe in you, but if you choose the path of a Magicmaster, you’ll need to hold your own in a fierce competition to protect our pride as nobles. As someone who bears the Fable name, ending your career amongst the lower ranks is not acceptable. And while you’re doing that, you’ll lose time that could be otherwise spent in marriage. In order for me to put this on hold, you need to give me a basis to believe in you.”
“Basis...” Tesfia mused over it in her mind, but she didn’t know how her future would turn out either. Would she be able to provide it with something other than her grades at the moment? If the determination to do so would suffice, she could just say the same as before.
Then, Frose suggested something to Tesfia, who was hesitating for a moment. “Alus Reigin...”
“—?!”
Tesfia’s heart skipped a beat when she heard his name. Her complicated feelings for him aside, she’d been told by the Institute to keep quiet about him. And it was clear that this was also the military’s wish as well.
Her body stiffened up as she braced herself for this topic. She couldn’t afford to leak his secret. And considering his ranking, she had to be careful, especially since it was her mother talking about him. She had to avoid letting even the tiniest bit of information slip. Tesfia closed her lips tight, so they wouldn’t open by accident.
That’s when Frose raised a single one of her slender fingers. “About this classmate of yours, Mr. Alus... I would like to meet him. It is the truth that your skills as a Magicmaster have markedly improved in a short period of time. This isn’t an exaggeration either...”
“W-Wait a minute, Mother!”
“Of course, I’m not trying to belittle your efforts. So considering that and a meeting with him, I will reconsider having you get engaged right now.”
“T-That’s...”
Frose had been in charge of training fresh recruits in the past. That’s why she didn’t think Tesfia’s ‘classmate’ and the owner of that training stick who had trained her up in such a short time was anyone normal.
While she’d left the military, she still had connections, and she had an interest in magic and the technology around it, so she would love a meeting with him. It appeared that he was still a student, but he might be a valuable asset to the future of Alpha.
And considering Alus’ actual achievements and contributions, she was right on the mark.
“Remember, I might have said that marriage could be delayed for later, but as your mother I’d like it if you decided on a fiancé.”
“... I understand.”
Tesfia had no other choice but to accept. It was her last remaining hope and the only way to—albeit temporarily—avoid the question of engagement. If the matter of engagement was pushed any further, her life at the Institute would be at stake. Frose might even have her drop out altogether.
“Then let us invite Mr. Alus here. And while we’re at it, why not have Ms. Loki come over too, Fia.”
“Mother... I don’t think Alus Reigin will accept an invitation. He, uhm, doesn’t think too highly of nobility... o-of course, I think that’s because of his own prejudice though!” Tesfia timidly said, while carefully observing her mother.
To be honest, she wanted to keep her from meeting Alus. Considering their personalities, she started getting depressed just imagining what would happen.
There was also the precedent of Alice. Frose had a tendency to obsess over those she deemed to have talent. There’d definitely be a quarrel. If she didn’t at least consult with him ahead of time, something terrible would happen. Of course, there was no guarantee he’d agree to meet with Frose.
“Oh, so he dislikes nobility. Well, there are people like that too. There are, after all, those who abuse their position to protect vested interests. But that’s why there are the upper levels of nobility who are in charge of managing them. Don’t you think it would be a good opportunity for him to learn that?”
“B-But he has his own circumstances. I’m sure he can’t come right away...”
“Well, I suppose it would be too impolite to coerce him into doing something he doesn’t want to on the first meeting.”
Frose looked to be relenting. While she knew that he wasn’t nobility, learning that he wasn’t a big fan of nobles must have been unexpected.
Of course, if he had a noble lineage, then Frose would have been able to use her connections to get information on him, and this situation would never have occurred to begin with.
In any case, Tesfia managed to escape her predicament. Frose was a former military woman, and was Alus’ senior in a sense. If they were just going to be talking a little, it might work out somehow. That said, she’d still need to bow and beg him.
If I stand in to mediate and have him talk with Mother just a little...
If she used her license to call him, she could discuss things with him in advance, and she could also eavesdrop in on the call. “I understand, I’ll talk to Al...”
Having relaxed her guard after escaping her crisis, Tesfia accidentally let something slip that Frose didn’t miss.
“Oh, Al, is it? If you’re calling him by a nickname, you must get along... now, what kind of relationship do you have?”
By the time Tesfia realized it, her mother already had a meaningful smile on her face. It was the kind of smile she couldn’t deal with, though to outsiders it would look like a normal discussion between mother and daughter.
She stared off in another direction, but she could feel her mother’s relentless pressure send chills down her back.
“This ‘Al’ of yours, Alus Reigin, is someone I’m having a hard time getting a read on. I am very interested in him. So, Fia, let me see him when it suits him. I’ll decide on things once I see him for myself, as well as how he views your room for growth and talent.”
“I understand.”
Seeing her daughter meekly nod, Frose smiled wryly and made a mental note. You look like you’d run out of the mansion at any moment if I’d decided otherwise.
Considering Tesfia’s resolve, Frose felt like she might have been too rash in rushing Tesfia to choose a fiancé. At the same time, she also felt somewhat happy seeing the strength in her daughter, something that she herself hadn’t possessed.
With that, Frose made to leave the room. When she opened the door, she looked over her shoulder at Tesfia to confirm something. “Fia, whereabouts is his rank?”
“... I’m sorry.” All she got in response was a stiff reply.
“It’s fine. Good night.”
Because he was teaching Tesfia, there was no way that Tesfia wouldn’t know his rank. If she’d said that she didn’t know, the lie would be found out right away. Which was why she’d answered within the realm of what was permissible.
But when Frose turned her face forward again, her lips curled up into a mysterious smile. “Good night, Fia.”
“Good night, Mother.”
Frose’s red hair swayed as she disappeared behind the closing door.
Tesfia was alone in the room at last.
The tension holding her up disappeared, and she collapsed onto her bed. For the moment her biggest worry had been alleviated. Moreover, this was the first time in a long while that she’d spoken with her mother this much. And she’d been able to speak her mind.
Happiness filled her heart to take the place of that missing part.
It felt like that missing part in her heart was gradually being filled.
But I’m a little tired... I think.
Standing up felt like a bother, so she stripped off her clothes while on the bed. She wouldn’t be able to focus on training for today. Al said there was no point in meaningless training too, so I’ll just do today’s training tomorrow...
Having finally achieved peace of mind, Tesfia’s eyes closed shut as she sank into sleep. Now that her worries were gone, she had no way to resist the sleepiness that assaulted her.
It really had been so long since she forgot about the time while talking to her daughter, Frose thought to herself, after slowly closing the door to Tesfia’s room.
She still had work to do, but the exhaustion that had been built up was gone like it had only been in her mind. It felt like she’d been able to deal with her daughter as a mother rather than as the head of the Fable family for the first time.
Frose, who normally acted with strict behavior as the head of the family, had a peaceful expression on her face.
But her steps suddenly stopped, as she thought of something.
The name from before weighed on her mind.
Alus... Al... I feel like I’ve heard that name before...
Her expression transformed into one of pondering, and she vexingly searched her memories trying to find the cause for the strange shadows she could see in the depths of the sea.
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