I Quit Being a Court Magician Apprentice to Become a Magical Item Craftsman
“Father, Mother. I have returned.”
“Sebirino… Are you okay? You’re always out of the country even though you’re the court mage…”
“There’s no problem. I have received His Highness’s permission, and I am entrusted with negotiations for the export of materials, among other tasks.”
Sebirino’s mother, Baroness Arens, seems worried that he has been out of the country so much recently. I wonder if it’s because of me… I feel bad.
He’s originally someone who doesn’t leave the country much.
“I’m just glad you’re safe. With the Chief Mage having passed away, there must be quite a bit of aftermath to deal with. Don’t overdo it.”
It seems his father, the baron, thinks he’s been abroad on a mission… I feel guilty. He seems to be working, but he always seems to want to be by my side.
He turned half of his body toward me and, with his left hand, pointed at me.
“Today, I want to introduce someone. This is…!”
Wait! The way he’s introducing me, and the expectant gaze from his parents, the Baron and Baroness Arens! This is so uncomfortable!!!
“Is that so…”
“This is my teacher, Lady Iriya .”
At these words, the baron widened his eyes and looked back and forth between me and Sebirino.
“…Sh… Teacher?”
He thought I was being introduced as a lover, didn’t he…? This is tough…
“Nice to meet you. I am Iriya .”
How should I handle this situation? I feel so embarrassed. His parents tried to stand up from their chairs but ended up awkwardly sitting back down, unsure of what to do.
It seemed like they didn’t know how to react either.
Sebirino’s family home is not large enough to be called a noble mansion; it’s a two-story building on a hill.
As soon as you enter the front door, there’s a large portrait of the king and queen on the wall, with stairs on both sides. On the right side, there’s a corridor leading to the kitchen and the servant’s quarters, and on the left side are the guest room and the grand hall. The furnishings are sparse and simple, and the reddish-brown bricks create a calm atmosphere.
“You… you’ve turned down every engagement proposal and arranged marriage, and now you bring a woman home like this…”
The disappointment on his father’s face is almost pitiable. The Baroness is covering her face with her fan.
“They say you’ve even married magic itself…”
“Married magic… That never crossed my mind.”
“…When you make that face, you’re clearly up to no good. Don’t speak of it.”
It seems the baron has realized something and stops.
For some reason, Sebirino moves closer to me and wraps both of his hands around my right hand.
“Teacher, please marry me! Let’s continue our research on magic together! I will build a more impressive magical laboratory in this garden than the one in the court!”
“…Sorry, but I refuse.”
So, the idea of marrying magic means… I’m being treated as the personification of magic! Incredible… I didn’t even hesitate to declare I’m not in love, but would marry for research! This is not happening!
“What!?”
He clearly hadn’t expected me to refuse. While aristocratic marriages are often for political reasons, this seems to be something else entirely.
“…My foolish son has been terribly rude.”
“This child has always been utterly lacking in delicacy…”
The Baron and Baroness Arens apologized. They seem to be quite reasonable people.
Now that I think about it, Sebirino is almost forty. Isn’t it odd for a noble heir to not be married by now?
He’s someone who could even become the Chief Mage of the court, so it would be difficult to force him into something against his will.
“I’m truly sorry for causing such a disturbance.”
I’ll just apologize for now.
“You’re a well-mannered young lady. But what do you mean by ‘teacher’? You’re the court mage, aren’t you?”
“My teacher taught me how to make elixirs, and that’s how I was able to pass the court mage exam. Everything I am today is thanks to my teacher. I intend to learn from my teacher for the rest of my life!”
For life!? Was that always your intention? That’s too heavy!
Sebirino is excited, speaking like a boy who’s dreaming, something I’ve never seen before.
“Sebirino, she seems much younger than you…?”
“Yes, but when it comes to magic, the refinement of potion-making, or even the field of summoning magic, there is nothing that can surpass my teacher.”
I wonder if it’s really okay to explain it so proudly like that!?
“That’s not true, Sebirino! You, too…”
“No, there’s no need to be modest. Just like trying to grasp clouds, it’s impossible to touch the supreme talent of my teacher!”
Here we go again with the mysterious metaphor. I can’t quite understand it, so I can’t answer!
“…Well then, let’s at least prepare a meal. It’s your homecoming, so later you should show your face to the people of the territory.”
The baron, unsure how to react to Sebirino’s words, decided to end the conversation for the time being. When he gestured, the door opened, and it seemed like everything was already prepared. We all moved to the dining room.
At the table set for ten, with white wallpaper and a white fireplace, the ceiling had a simple design with patterns. The room had a cute, cozy feel to it.
The meal was quite simple, and the dishes didn’t seem to be anything too expensive for nobles.
“I’m sorry there’s not much…”
The baroness said this apologetically.
I thought the food was delicious, with a variety and plenty of vegetables, making it quite filling.
“Not at all, it’s delicious. I might have been misunderstood, but I am not a noble. I am very grateful for your thoughtful hospitality.”
“Not a noble! I didn’t notice that. You have more grace and modesty than any noble daughter.”
“Really, why not marry Sebirino…?”
At the baron and baroness’s words, Sebirino looked directly at me.
This is going to be bad. Yeah, I can see where this is going.
“Teacher! How about it? My parents approve. Marry me, and let’s make our territory a major producer of elixirs!”
“I… refuse. Want me to say it again?”
I’m not an elixir-making machine!
“Sebirino… Please look up the meaning of ‘delicacy’ in a dictionary. The problem lies entirely with you.”
The baroness was utterly exasperated.
“Why!? I’ve spoken of such grand dreams, and yet what more is lacking… Is it because my skills are insufficient!?”
“It’s your attitude that’s immature.”
When the baron cut him off sharply, Sebirino fell silent.
The baron’s estate was surrounded by rye fields, with potatoes and turnips almost ready for harvest, and there was a herb garden as well. Cows and sheep were grazing leisurely inside a fenced area on a small hill.
Occasionally, a horse-drawn cart passed along the long, wide road, waiting for cows to cross before continuing.
This area is known as the baron’s granary, and it seems to be one of the wealthier parts of his domain. In some areas, life is even harder than in the village where I was born.
“Young master! You’ve returned! Welcome back, and good work!”
“Mm, I’m glad to see you’re healthy.”
“Young master, here are some herbs to help you recover your energy.”
“It smells nice, thank you.”
When people noticed Sebirino, they all greeted him with a smile and called him “young master.” They handed him herbs, cheese, potatoes, and various other things. My hands were already full; Sebirino seems very popular.
Even though he’s already impressive for becoming the court mage, he also slays monsters in his territory and isn’t afraid to use his salary for the people of the land. He’s a man of few words, but everyone feels close to him.
In Egdualum, there’s usually more of a divide between nobles and commoners.
It’s thought that the fact nobles can harm commoners without consequence is a part of why things have gotten rough. Recently, though, if someone gets seriously injured, there seems to be some repercussions.
As the people started to thin out, the sun began to set. It was nearly dusk, and it was about time to return to the baron’s house.
Having learned that strong monsters frequently appear in the baron’s domain, Belial, who had excitedly gone hunting, returned.
“There was a cockatrice! This is a good hunting ground. Here, the Alectoria stone. I also got a snake’s magic core!”
In an attempt to show off his spoils, he handed me the items, looking in a particularly good mood. I quickly stored them in my item box and began thinking about what to use them for.
If I leave Belial be, he could probably wipe out all the dangerous monsters in this area.
