Chapter 16 - Volume 2 (1/2)

Family Arc – Chapter 7

「Just a few moments ago, it was magic being casted on me, wasn’t it?」

Upon my interrogation, Shade replied with a face feigning ignorance.

「What might this be about?」

Shade’s hands were bound behind him, and a blindfold covered his eyes.

Of course, the one who did all those was me.

Although Wolf’s single blow to Shade’s stomach was not visible from the clothes he wore, my punch wedged a painful cut on his lip. Nevertheless, I won’t show him any sympathy.

Even though the cheek I striked using all my strength had swollen up, reaching up to this point had been on the verge of vexing.

Shade did not have any indication of confessing, but alternatively, after receiving my explanation and pondering over the situation, Wolf began speaking.

「From what I heard so far, he possesses  magical attributes by 『escaping the sealing』」

「Escaping the sealing?」

「You also received a『sealing』from the magical association when you were five, right?」

「Yes. So that our magic doesn’t run wild. It was for that purpose, wasn’t it?」

It was in accordance to Wolf’s explanation.

All children of the nobility who possessed magical attributes were subjected by the association to a magical『sealing』 in their early childhood. And then, that magical ability will be plainly manifested once they hit puberty, passing over the state wherein magic could not be used, they would enter the magical academy at twelve years old. From there, by learning the control of magic, the sealing would gradually be released.

In other words, a『sealing』was for when the awaken magical ability, with a naive state of control, rampaged; for such scenarios, this was a preventive measure.

Incidentally, this was only limited to the children『of the nobility』. After all, currently almost all the magical attribute holders were of noble blood. Whether the special abilities have always solely manifested in the nobility, or whether the increased possession of the power in the nobility was just recently attained, there were varying theories on that topic.

「Even if one receives magical powers at birth, there were two general exceptions where one would not receive a seal. One, is a child born out of wedlock. Another case would be when a child is born into a family of non-nobles and obtained the magical power through a mutation. Meaning whichever of the two, since the association would not be aware of those kinds of existence, it would result in an exception」

Although I was gaping with my mouth open like an idiot while listening to Wolf’s explanation, I finally came to my senses.

「H-hey, aren’t you somehow well-informed? Concerning the information on magic, except for casual matters, they’re not granted to children, right?  I’d been told that until we enter the academy,  self-study, including theoretical study, were banned without exception. In fact, I couldn’t get my home-tutor to teach me anything about it. Furthermore, whether it be children or even adults, didn’t they make a darling trick so that any books related to magic were unreadable so long as they weren’t graduates of the school? 」

「Yeah, that’s true… but, actually, there’s a loophole. Not only can you acquire a certain amount of knowledge from the adults’ conversations, but as a matter of fact, if you go to the capital, with a small amount of cash you can get that trick temporarily removed from the books…」

Very sulkily, I gave Wolf a glare.

My curiosity long ago motivated me to stealthily go into my Father’s study,  the bitter memory of how I felt unwell, not able to leave my bed for half a day right after taking a peek at the book related to the magic’s principles that I secretly borrowed, resurfaced.

「That’s typical for men, isn’t it? For women in the family restricted by the conduct built by seemingly obvious unwritten rules, going outside on their own would be a self-indulgence, don’t you think?」

「W-well… this probably isn’t the time for that kind of conversation, isn’t it?… right now, this conversation is about him」

Having blatantly been diverted from the topic, I turned around to face Shade. Of course, it wasn’t because I had been fooled. I vowed to myself that once this matter was over I would press him on that no matter what.

With Wolf’s earlier explanation, an example of magic obtained through mutation by birth, was the heroine.

And then, the child born out of wedlock– in other words, a child born from a moment aside that of the binding of a married couple in accordance to marriage, such scenario where escaping the association’s eyes was a possibility – that was most likely a matter about Shade.

「『Escaping the sealing』 was it… but, once it’s found out that he has noble blood, wouldn’t the association say or do something about it?」

「Of course, they ought to speak out. However in that scenario, the child would already be proficient at the manifestation of his abilities, so the association’s sealing becoming incomplete is possible」

「I see… so then, for example if the association gets notified that a child with magic was using it – what would happen if that was leaked out to them?」

「There’s nothing that can be done if it’s not in the scope of a criminal act. A more robust seal known in the association would only be applied to that person.」

「Then what if it was a criminal act?」

「Besides putting that person on trial, a semi-permanent magical seal will be placed on him」

I turned back to look at Shade, however the colour on his face did not change appearance.

「Is there something like a mind-controlling magic?」

「That would be fascination magic. The effect is stronger on the opposite sex, if the other party has their mind in a weakened condition, then the effect would become even stronger. In a manner of speaking, although the magic is only displaying the most attractive part of the person, it’s troublesome depending on the level of magical power used」

With that, I had expected by such a lack of skill that I was just about to obtain knowledge.

「Shade, did you use that kind of magic on Crinum?」

「Well, I honestly don’t know what this is about…」

Shade showed a laudable face.Ah, geez, this is troublesome.

「I guess, there’s no other choice but torture…」

「Please don’t tell jokes with such a serious-looking face – …you were joking, right?」

「Who knows」

Huh? Wasn’t Wolf a little troublesome as well?

No, rather, for the time being, let’s leave the matter regarding Wolf aside. This is about Shade right now.To start with, he has no doubt『escaped the sealing』.However in that case, it would become a matter that would overturn my one prejudice with Shade.