Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 76

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 76   To the royal capital

The day after receiving the messenger from Duke Balkh. Early in the morning.

It seems that someone has already come to greet me in the courtyard.

In the living room of my home, I had a face-to-face moment with my family.

My dad and mom looked worried.

My sister was being held by my dad.

“Do you have everything? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’ve checked multiple times, so I’m fine.”

Mom seemed anxious, a rare sight for her. She’s usually calm.

It’s the first time I’ll be living away from home, so I guess she’s worried.

I don’t have a lot of luggage.

Just a few days’ worth of clothes, some money, and my Riaka.

I’ll buy daily necessities when I get to the royal capital anyway.

And I won’t be preparing food either.

The people who come to pick me up will bring it, and I don’t need a horse.

So I only have the bare minimum of luggage.

By the way, the money is what I saved up.

It’s the money I earned from processing Thunderstone for over two years and completing quests for the Adventurer’s Guild.

I spent a good chunk on buying a horse and other things, but I still have around 300,000 Lirems.

“It takes almost ten days by carriage to get to the royal capital. Be careful because there’s a small mountainous area along the way, and monsters may appear. If it’s Shion, there’s nothing to worry about…”

“Thanks, Dad. Please take care of my sister.”

“Yeah, you don’t have to worry about us. Try not to stay away from home too long.”

What scenes crossed Dad’s mind? Was it during the goblin attack, the onset of the Lazy syndrome, or perhaps the invasion of the demon race? Istria managed to survive in the final moments, but perhaps these events linger in Dad’s heart

In my absence, Dad is the only one who can protect Mom and my sister. I trust Dad, but there’s still worry. It’s an indescribable separation. That’s what I can’t shake off.

Dad has the responsibilities of a lord, and Mom has stay behind naturally, my sister needs care, and her body can’t endure a long journey.

Inevitably, I alone ended up going to the capital.

“Shi…on…”

My sister called me in a fragile voice. I moved beside my sister, who was carried by Dad.

“Sis, I’ll be back.”

“Mm…”

“Read the ‘Magic Book’ I gave you when you have time. It’s not guaranteed that Lazy syndrome won’t manifest in the future, and using magic manipulation would be beneficial. Also, tell Rose about it. She might need to learn magic manipulation too.”

I bought parchment with the money I earned and wrote about magic—its overview, the principles and usage of each spell. Parchment was expensive, consuming much of the money processed from thunder stone. However, I deemed it necessary and diligently wrote down what I could.

“Okay… got it…”

My sister said nothing else, just staring at me. I didn’t want her to make that kind of face—the pleading look. If she looked lonely and begged me to stay, my resolve would waver. I want to be with my sister, to live happily at home. But I can’t do that anymore. I’m a Rugure. The only being capable of using magic and treating Lazy syndrome. Many people depend on me going to the capital. So, I’ll go.

I touched my sister’s cheek. She squinted her eyes, ticklish, and then laid her hand on top of mine. She closed her eyes for a while, as if confirming my body temperature. But her long eyelashes lightly brushed against me, triggering tears to fall.

“I feel lonely. Without Shion, it’s lonely… I-I’m sorry. I tried to endure, but…”

“…I’m sorry, sister.”

My chest aches. Someone dear is crying. I’m the only one who can stop those tears, but I can’t. If only I could cast everything aside and stay by my sister’s side. Such thoughts cross my mind. But it’s impossible. One cannot live alone. We can’t live solitary lives. Engaging with society, interacting with others, there are things we must do. If we selfishly live only for ourselves, we’ll end up unhappy. Abandoning others in life leads to inevitable regret. Me, my sister, our family—everyone. That’s why I can’t stay. I wipe away my sister’s tears. In response, she smiles somewhat shyly.

“S-Sorry, Shion. I’m okay… I’m fine, and heal quickly. I’ll go to the capital soon too.”

Rehabilitation shouldn’t be easy. It might not be over in a few years. But I don’t voice such thoughts.

“Yeah. I’ll be waiting.”

Saying that, I pat my sister’s head. I think we have a relationship like brother and sister. That’s how we’ve lived. Supporting each other, acknowledging each other, relying on each other, and living like that became natural for us. So, without saying anything, we naturally stepped outside from the familiar courtyard. The usual courtyard should be spreading out— or so I thought. I involuntarily stopped in my tracks and stared at the scene before me.

“Salute to Shion Ornstein-sama!”

“Hup!”

A resounding voice that shook the atmosphere, echoed in unison. The verdant courtyard was now filled with dull hues. Hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers were in formation, and several carriages lined up in the center. More soldiers stood in rows at the back of the main gate. There was an intense fervor. Their faces were serious, and their gaze was directed at me.

What is this?

Thinking so, I turned to my father, who would have already seen the soldiers welcoming me. All he did was shrug his shoulders, offering no response. Then, a formidable soldier stepped forward from the front.

His armor was somewhat extravagant. Could he be the captain of this unit?

“I am Goht Fals, the leader of the escort unit. We have the honor of serving as the guardians for Shion Ornstein-sama, the most distinguished in treating lazy syndrome and intercepting the demon race during the Istria attack! The unit is composed of soldiers who volunteered, deeply impressed by Shion Ornstein-sama’s achievements and actions! Naturally, I also witnessed the recent battle. It was a splendid display of combat! It is an honor to be the escort for such a magnificent individual like you!”

His tone was overly formal. Did this person prepare these words in advance?

“Uh, um, th-thank you very much.”

I still hadn’t fully accepted reality. Unsure of what to do, I noticed a familiar face near the front of the unit.

It was Rafina.

She was suppressing a laugh while maintaining her salute.

Oh, that one! She knew about this!

When Rafina noticed my gaze, she stuck out her tongue playfully.

“Regardless of any obstacles on the journey, we shall slaughter them all! Shion Ornstein-sama, rest assured and entrust everything to us!”

“T-That’s reassuring. P-Please do.”

“Even at the cost of our lives! Salute!”

“Hup!”

Is this some kind of comedy? That’s what I wanted to think, but it wasn’t that simple. After the captain’s address, Rafina saluted, then approached me.

“Now, this way. Please board the carriage, Shion Ornstein-sama.”

She emphasized the “sama” part. I shot her a look that said, “Remember this later.” However, Rafina just wore a mischievous smile.

I turned around to bid my family farewell.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

“Yeah, take care. Shion, no matter how far apart, we’re always thinking of you.”

“Shion-kun, write letters! Mom and I will write too! Well, every day is fine! Make sure to keep warm when you sleep!”

Dad and Mom showed their best smiles. However, my sister seemed anxious. Her gaze was strangely directed at Rafina.

“I-I’ll definitely cure myself and go.”

In response to her desperate expression, I reflexively nodded.

“O-Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

“A-Also, um, this.”

I lowered my gaze to what my sister was holding in her hand.

“A necklace?”

“Y-Yeah… Today’s your thirteenth birthday, right?”

“Oh, right, I forgot about that. I didn’t realize I was already thirteen.”

Mentally, I’ve crossed forty, so my interest in my own birthday has waned. As my sister seemed to understand my feelings, she continued with a small smile.

“Even if we’re far apart, um, to make sure you don’t feel lonely… We chose it together, the three of us.”

I looked at the necklace handed to me by my sister. It was a beautiful necklace with a red gem embedded in it. It looked like a ruby, but I wasn’t familiar with gemstones in this world.

It’s compact, so it wouldn’t be inconvenient to wear around my neck. I put on the necklace. It felt very light, yet conveyed the feelings of the three.

They always think about me. Despite my selfishness, causing trouble, they still loved me.

Dad was stern but always guided and protected us. Mom was gentle and calm, occasionally getting angry, but she always thought of me and my sister.

My sister always helped me, became my ally, treated me kindly, and was always by my side. She was an ordinary presence, and I never thought of being separated from her.

I’ve endured it for so long, using reason and telling myself what I should do. But deep down, it’s lonely. I don’t want to part with everyone and my sister. The adult in me guides me on what I should do, and I understand. But there’s a limit to suppressing emotions.

I want to be with everyone, but I won’t say that. If I say it, I won’t be able to move forward. I scolded the part of me about to cry and turned a smiling face to my family.

“Thank you, Dad, Mom, and sister. I’ll cherish this. Well then… I’ll be going.”

“Yeah, t-take care, Shion. You can come back anytime! I-it’s fine if you come back right away!”

“Haha, yeah. I understand. I’ll definitely come back once I’ve finished what I need to do.”

Shaking off the feeling of being pulled by the back of my head, I turned away from my sister and family. Guided by Rafina, I got onto the carriage. It was a sturdy carriage that nobles might use, but quite cramped. If three people entered, there would be no room left. It seemed Rafina would also accompany me on the journey, as she sat down next to me.

“I’m supposed to be Shion’s escort. Recognized for my past achievements, I’ve graduated from the 75th Royal Guard Knights. But, I’m going back to being a regular soldier from being a captain.”

“Oh, I see. Congratulations.”

“It doesn’t matter to me personally. I’m just glad to be Shion’s escort.”

Being looked at straight in the eyes made me somewhat embarrassed. It was reassuring to have a friend who felt that way. To be honest, I felt a bit uneasy about going to a new place without any acquaintances. But with Rafina there, I felt more at ease.

The carriage moved forward. I looked back and waved to my dad, mom, and sister. I continued waving until they were no longer visible. Once they disappeared from my sight, my hand, which had lost its strength, slowly lowered. I’ll come back again. With that thought, I turned to face forward, shaking off my emotions. I’m heading to the capital. At that time, I had no idea what awaited me there.