I turned eight.
While teaching Ada and my younger siblings, we lead peaceful lives.
Ada, my siblings, and I are physically large and look good compared to other children because we eat well.
But these kids have great memories, so the things I teach them are gradually becoming more advanced. Is this okay, I wonder?
Will we be accused of heresy or something?
Well, I’ll just play dumb if that happens…
For now, I’m teaching them long multiplication and the area of circles.
As for how I acquired this knowledge, I’ve read all the books in our house and even the ones in the village church to be prepared for any questions.
That should cover my alibi.
Anyway, I’ve also enjoyed experiencing various crafts like beekeeping and tanning leather.
I mentioned before that my previous life’s family was quite wealthy, and wealthy people have cultural capital.
For instance, going to art museums, concerts, and leisure activities as a family.
Growing up with those experiences cultivates aesthetic sensibilities and skills associated with the ‘upper class.’
As a child, I had the opportunity to do many things on weekends—art museums, concerts, lessons, beekeeping, factory tours, outdoor adventures, and even overseas trips.
Sensitivity, aesthetic eye, and sense develop through such experiences.
And now, those memories are proving useful in this life. Life is unpredictable, isn’t it?
Of course, I’ve made plenty of mistakes experimenting in this world.
Beekeeping, for example—I only knew the basics like “honey accumulates at the top” or “box-shaped hives are good.”
But when I actually tried it, there were minor failures along the way.
Thankfully, magic allows for easy recovery.
No major disasters, and I’m happily pursuing my interests.
Well, regardless, I shouldn’t be stuck in this rural knight’s domain. It feels out of place! Hahaha!
“Trouble! Thieves have arrived!”
Ugh… what a pain…
It seems that a band of thieves has attacked the village.
Apparently, this kind of thing happens fairly often in life.
Usually, there are a few instances where the village you live in gets raided by a band of thieves. At least, that’s the case for the security level around here.
Why does it happen? Well, these thieves are usually former peasants who fell on hard times.
Of course, there are also ex-mercenaries or outcasts among them, but most of them are peasants who couldn’t make ends meet and turned to thievery.
I heard that even in our territory, there have been cases where struggling tenant farmers who couldn’t feed themselves ended up becoming thieves! Damn.
So, the thieves attacking now are probably similar to the ones my father couldn’t take care of—a bunch of failed peasants from around here.
It’s almost like a joke! If you ignore the unfunny part.
Well, of course, my father, who always boasts about chivalry and whatnot, won’t lose to a bunch of thieves!
…For now, let’s just observe the situation!
“Stand firm! Take them down!”
“Kill them!”
Hmm…
It’s evenly matched, isn’t it?
My father, clad in an old surcoat, and twenty soldiers armed with leather armor and short spears.
The thieves number around thirty.
And they even have a thief knight!
Ah, a thief knight is someone who used to be a knight but turned to thievery. They’re better armed and have training, so they’re a cut above your average thief.
Our higher skill level and the fact that we’re defending seem to be working in our favor, but…
Hmm… hmm…
If we lose this battle, our family will be scattered…
Even if we don’t lose, losing soldiers unnecessarily or something happening to my father would spell the end for House Rayvan.
My father is quite useless, but the villagers are equally useless. If my father shows weakness, they might try to overthrow him.
Even if a remote village at the fringes were to rise against the central royal family, they wouldn’t have the power to stop it. Not to mention, there’s no obligation to do so.
How sad.
And if something were to happen here, our family would be scattered… But honestly, that doesn’t matter much. Still, leaving the village at the age of eight…
Adulthood begins at fifteen.
Enrollment in the academy in the capital city is possible at twelve.
As I mentioned before, I plan to go to the capital, enroll in the academy as a scholarship student, and make a name for myself.
I’ll rise in prominence, gather more magicians under my command, form factions, and become the leader of an organization unrestricted by anyone…
Yeah… If that’s the path, then I have no choice but to do it here.
No, it’s fine.
In fact, I should do it here.
That idiot of a father has been breaking our contract even further, making training five days a week.
Is he insane? Drop dead!
Well, no, he shouldn’t die, but it’s a hassle.
Sigh… Should I do it?
Just as I leaned forward…
”Pop! Plasma Shooter! Output: Front!!!”
Ah.
Ada had leaped out.
Huh? What’s this?
Hmm…
Should I just toss Ada in there?
If it’s just Ada, we might manage…
Oh, no, that won’t work.
Either way, it’ll lead to questions like, ”Where did Ada learn magic?”
And I’d be the most suspicious.
Hiding it would be pointless.
In that case, I’ll step out too.
×××××××××××××××
In the year 264 of the Royal Calendar…
This is the first time the name Exus von Zanadu appears in the history books.
Exus, later revered as the ‘Archangel’ alongside Ada, is said to have swiftly dealt with a band of around thirty thieves.
Of course, back then, he was merely evaluated as a magician born in the borderlands, known as the ”Demon Exus”…
