I was exposed as the strongest magician to my sister, who has severe brother complex. I can no longer hide my abilities at school!

Chapter 28 : Selection of Presents

“Hmm, it’s been a while since I’ve come to the royal capital,” Alvin remarked, stretching his back.

With a strange sound, Alvin stood on his tiptoes. The scenery before him was a bustling city filled with people, lined with stalls and echoing with lively voices. Brick buildings housed various establishments such as restaurants, clothing stores, and jewelers, presenting a vibrant view of choices.

Although Alvin’s residence in the duchy was prosperous in its own right, it couldn’t compare to the grandeur of the royal capital. After all, being the heart of the country attracted merchants from all over.

“Academy is also in the royal capital, so you come here often, don’t you?”

“Tsk, tsk, I only mentioned it in the sense of sightseeing, don’t twist my words.”

Layla, standing beside him, snorted disdainfully.

“Alvin-san, where should we go first?” Sophia, on the other hand, beamed with excitement.

And on the contrary, Layla, standing next to her, raised an eyebrow in a nonchalant manner.

“You seem to be having fun, Sophia. You live here, so there’s nothing particularly new, right?”

“Not at all! I’ve only recently started living in the royal capital, and I haven’t had the chance to explore properly!”

“I see…”

“Besides, for some reason, Layla-san doesn’t let me go out alone…”

“The shocking fact of being confined by a friend.”

Sophia pouted slightly in Layla’s direction.

Seeing that, Layla shrugged, saying, “It can’t be helped.”

“Lately, you all know it’s dangerous, right? So until things settle down, I can’t let her wander freely. Sophia is a recovery healer without any self-defense skills.”

“Well… that’s true, but…”

“Also, if I let you walk alone, won’t you get lost?”

“I won’t! I’m not a child anymore!”

“Says the one I sent to the academy alone… remember what happened next?”

I wonder what had happened?

Alvin was genuinely curious, so he leaned in to listen.

“…I was taken care of by the guards.”

“I was called to the checkpoint, and it was a bit embarrassing.”

It was somehow embarrassing for both parties, being taken care of rather than guided.

“Well, let’s forget about the past! Today, we’re going to buy a birthday present for Cecil-san!”

With that, blushing with embarrassment, Sophia walked ahead.

Having heard the lost child story, Alvin secretly resolved to keep a close eye on her.

“But it’s quite unusual, isn’t it?”

“What is?”

“You’re going to buy something yourself. If it were Alvin, you’d probably say, ‘It’s a hassle,’ and leave it to the servants or something.”

“My sister gets in a bad mood unless it’s a present I personally chose.”

“…I can easily imagine that.”

That’s why Alvin had to choose it himself. It was undoubtedly a hassle, but he meticulously selected the presents every year.

However, there were times, like this one, when he asked for help.

“And if possible, I’d like you to investigate that famous stall too.”

“Ah, that thing.”

It was among the information that Layla had gathered. The common thread among the kidnapped children was that they had eaten sweets from a certain stall. If children were being abducted in the royal capital, the likelihood was higher in the stalls there.

Alvin, who moved around at night, had an excellent opportunity to search since the stalls would be gone by now.

‘And why is there information about the children eating sweets from the stall, but no information about the stall itself…’

Of course, Alvin didn’t think Layla was intentionally hiding it. The most likely explanation was that people around had only mentioned seeing children who had already bought sweets. If a child walked around with sweets, the only reasonable assumption would be that they bought them from a stall. Therefore…

“Well, I don’t think we’ll find them soon…”

“Still, maybe the best approach is to follow the trail of the abducted child?”

“It’s a slow method, but it’s better than searching for a stall that no one can find. But, if we go with that, it feels like someone has to be kidnapped first… I’m not very excited about that.”

“There’s a saying about necessary sacrifices, you know?”

“I’m working hard because I don’t want to make sacrifices.”

“By the way, Alvin-san, what kind of present are you thinking of?”

“Umm… to be honest, I haven’t decided yet.”

“If that’s the case, I have a good suggestion.”

“Oh, you’re a reliable partner, as expected!”

With shining eyes, Alvin looked at Layla, who had immediately come up with an idea. Then, with a proud smile, Layla revealed her proposal.

“First, let’s buy a ribbon for the present.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Then, wrap it around Alvin.”

“Hmm, hmm.”

“After that, just give it to Cecil-sama as it is.”