Chapter 52 (1/2)

Chapter 52

Chapter 52: Adviser and Student and Adventurer

I am currently holding a face-to-face with the servants who want to come along with Irudo and Mora.

“Since our job is to serve Danna-sama and Ojou-sama. It doesn’t matter to us where they go, we will follow.”

“Of course, Wizard-sama will become our Oodanna-sama, so we will also serve you to our utmost.”

(T/N: Whereas Danna in this context means ‘master,’ Oodanna means ‘great master.’ As in, they acknowledge him as the highest authority, since he is the master of their master.)

This smiling couple in the prime of their lives who are bowing to me are Sam and Anna.

They are the ones who had been accompanying Mora the time of our reunion at the city gate. They are the most senior among all the servants, hearkening from Irudo’s father’s time, and are the indispensable main force behind all of the mansion’s housework and miscellaneous tasks.

“It'll be my first time working at a castle, but I’ve give it my all.”

The young man with sparkling eyes and a good physique is Zek.

He, too, is the son of a servant couple who had been with Irudo's family since many long years ago. He is proficient at servicing the carriages used in caravans as well as making repairs to the mansion.

“It will indeed be a completely different environment. Though the change might require some effort getting used to, I place myself in your care.”

In addition to Irudo and Mora, these three people’s lives are now also riding on my shoulders.

Feeling the pressure of that great weight, I naturally found myself bowing deeply before I knew it.

♥♦♣♠

For the moment, that’s enough personnel to handle the interior workings of the castle.

With that out of my mind, I can now focus on the handing off of the former magic soldier trainees.

Me taking over their custody is due to the arrangement that I had discussed with the Magician’s Guild.

In exchange for having them give up on training magic soldiers and letting the trainees go, I have to teach them how to make golems. Furthermore, for those who want to come to my place but lack the apt.i.tude, I also need to secure their employment at the Carbanera Knight Order or anywhere else they wish to go.

Among the 18 3rd generation trainees, only 3 asked to receive training from me at Jiiteias Castle.

There’s Log, that boy who acted like the leader of the 3rd Gens, and his follower and friend Teru. Then there’s Daya, who wants to bring down the Shadow Demons that killed her father.

To be honest, I’m slightly relieved at the low number, because I don’t know for sure whether or not I can really teach Sedians how to make golems.

In regards to the remaining 15, 7 wanted to join the Carbanera Knight Order, and the 8 others wanted to return to a normal life. The latter I entrusted with the Council Chairman, who found merchants and craftsmen able and willing to take them in. As for the former, I will be temporarily bringing them to Jiiteias Castle also, while I find time to go to White Sword Castle in person to host negotiations.

“To think that there really were Demonists within Lelis…… We of the Magician’s Guild will also have to give thought to our own countermeasur

es on this issue.”

So said Heldol, guildmaster of the Magician’s Guild, Lelis branch when I paid him a formal visit. As always, his hostility against me is still alive and well on the flip side of that handsome face of his. However, there have been so many changes recently that there’s no time to worry about that.

“There really isn’t much that I can do against such people. Although this might be a burden, I wish to entrust this to the Magician’s Guild, who will always be standing beside the people of this town.”

“...... And such is only natural. From now on, don’t think that you’ll be able to continue monopolizing the spotlight.”

There was strength in his reply and his handshake. That strength made me think that, his feelings towards me aside, I can really trust this man in regards to his vigilance and sense of responsibility against Shadow Demons.

“Oh right, which reminds me. In regards to the magician that we are going to dispatch from our guild to learn those golem production techniques……”

♥♦♣♠

“So it really is you.”

“Why do you sound so matter-of-fact about it?!”

As expected, it’s Claura.

With her usual wavy blond hair, almond-shaped green eyes, and great style. She is a magician (a profession worthy of high esteem by this world’s standards), and she’s the daughter of a Count.

Having a girl with such high specs officially staying under the same roof with me would undoubtedly be something to be happy about.

However, it’s just that she is the person closest to me from the Magician’s Guild, so there isn’t even a shred of the element of surprise about this selection.

Whereas it was exactly as I had expected, frankly speaking, I find myself also a tiny bit disappointed.

“I bet you wanted someone submissive like those dark elves, didn’t you? Having pretty and loyal servants kneel to you must have felt quite satis-”

“No, it’s the opposite.”

“-fying…… Eh?”

Indeed I am both glad and thankful for the dark elves swearing loyalty to me.

But.

“No matter how much I act as a Great Wizard, you and Sedam would never just follow my instructions blindly, right? What I really need from here on are such ‘collaborators’ who would give me their frank advice and honest opinion.”

If there are only people like the dark elves around me as I walk this path that I am on, I can say with certainty that I will ruin myself. Having someone who isn’t afraid of my power and who would point out my mistakes to me is highly important to me.

Which is why I think it very appropriate that she join me not as a subordinate, but with the standing of an outsider.

I think she understood everything that I’m trying to convey.

Looking bewildered, her eyes dart all around.

“A-, actually, I don’t really, er, mind, kne-, that’s, I mean……”

“Nn? What?”

Her face is uncharacteristically red and she is mumbling unintelligently to herself. I try to peer into her face to see what’s wrong.

“Not that I didn’t think about it! I approve of the way you think!”

“Uoh…… wait a-”

She suddenly brings her face up, causing our noses to be almost touching.

When I try to draw my head back, her hands shoot out and firmly grasp my collar, stopping me from doing so.