Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 8

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 8   Maron Red Rose

The usual courtyard.

Marie and I are running around the courtyard in circles.

“Hah, hah! Ho! Yoisho!” “S-So tired! Sis, too fast…!”

Marie is overwhelmingly faster.

On top of that, she has more stamina.

The two-year age difference is not the only reason.

There’s also the fact that I lack many opportunities for physical activity.

I’m not particularly good at sports to begin with.

It seems this body isn’t exceptionally gifted either.

Marie has the superior physical abilities.

But considering the future, it’s important to train the body.

And Marie seems to be more energetic lately.

After that pseudo-proposal, she seemed a bit awkward for a while, but she quickly returned to her usual self.

In fact, she seems even more lively than usual.

Thanks to that, I’m being dragged into this, but it’s not so bad.

Seeing my sister’s happy face, I’m happy too.

However, reaching my limit, I collapsed on the spot.

“I-It’s… too much…”

“Oh, come on! You’re so pathetic.”

Marie, sitting beside me in a sprawled position, directs a face of exasperation towards me.

However, there’s a hint of joy in there as well.

We spend time chatting lightly until my breathing stabilizes.

“Well then, shall we get going?”

“We’re going to the village?”

“Yes. As a kind of assistance. Isn’t it about time for Shion to go too? Father mentioned it, didn’t he? It’s our duty.”

Indeed, he did mention it.

To go to the village and interact with the villagers.

Let me be honest.

I’m shy around people.

One major reason I haven’t talked to anyone besides my family in the six years I’ve lived is exactly that.

Family is great. They’re family, after all.

We naturally get along, and they’re in a league of their own.

But dealing with strangers is a hassle, it takes courage, and if the person isn’t a good match, it’s tiring.

My interests lie solely in my family and magic, so I’ve been putting off dealing with others until now.

“Hmm…”

“Is it really that much of a dilemma? Building relationships with your subjects is important, you know?”

“…Honestly, I’m not enthusiastic about it.”

“We don’t know what the future holds, but… well, Shion will probably end up inheriting the household. I… think it’s better to learn about the duties of a lord in advance…”

“Why is your face all red?”

I tilt my head and gaze at my sister.

And then, she suddenly raises her voice.

“S-Stop making such a fuss! Anyway! Let’s go! Come on, this way!”

“W-Wait, sis!”

Marie forcibly grabs my hand and leads me out of the main gate.

Oh no, I don’t like this at all. The first day of school, be it changing schools, starting elementary, middle, or high school, or the first day at a new job—I really hate them all.

Why is it that on those days, despite saying ‘hello’ and trying to be pleasant, you have to live in such an awkward atmosphere with so much nervousness?

If I could, I’d rather not experience it.

I’m done. I wish they’d spare me.

I think that, but my headstrong sister doesn’t understand.

My sister strides ahead, completely disregarding my thoughts.

Leaving the premises is allowed by our parents.

Though we’re told not to go far and not to enter dangerous places.

Since I was five, I’ve been allowed to move around quite a wide range as long as I’m with Marie.

As we follow the road from the Ornstein residence, the forest welcomes us.

Beyond that, there’s a plain stretching out, with scattered fields visible.

If we keep going, we’ll reach the village.

Oh, what a mess. We’re getting closer.

“Come on, walk properly!”

“Ugh… I really don’t want to.”

“Jeez, you’re always like this at times like these.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just shy…”

Marie sighed, but she didn’t stop walking.

It seemed like my sister was serious about it today.

We could see the village now.

It was a dilapidated village enclosed by wooden fences.

It seemed like the surrounding villagers lived here.

Instead of scattering houses near the fields, they kept them separate from the village and positioned them together.

“Oh! Marie-chan!”

The children in the village turned towards us.

There were three of them, probably around five to ten years old.

One boy and two girls.

They all seemed lively. A bit overwhelming.

They were holding hoes and agricultural tools in their hands.

They all came running towards us at once.

What a terrifying habit.

I hid behind my sister. Please don’t judge me; the innocent gazes of children are scary.

“Hello, everyone. Are you going to work?”

“Yeah! Today, we’re working in the fields! Huh!? Who’s the kid behind you?”

A girl with chestnut-colored hair peeked at me.

“Come on, say hello.”

Given the circumstances, there was no helping it.

I timidly stepped out from behind Marie and began introducing myself.

“I’m Shion…”

My voice was quiet.

Oh dear, what a situation.

Even with children, my shyness was at its peak.

However, even with such a reaction, the three of them remained smiling.

Oh, they must be kind-hearted kids.

“I’m Maron! Nice to meet you!”

The girl with chestnut hair seemed fitting for the name Maron.

Well, it’s probably just a coincidence.

She had a lovely face and expression. Petite, probably around the same age as me.

“You’ve got cool hair! I’m jealous! I’m Red, nice to meet ya!”

His name was Red, but his hair was a dark gray.

But given his lively personality, I felt like his name suited him.

The short-haired boy flexed his fist and showed his white teeth.

By the way, he had been staring at my red hair as if he envied it.

“I’m Rose. A single flower blooming in this desolate village.”

She had a surprisingly elegant appearance for a villager.

She let her long hair flutter, giving her an air of nobility.

“This guy’s just a regular farmer, so don’t get any wrong ideas!”

“Ugh, you’re so annoying! You didn’t have to say that!”

Maron Red Rose. Got it.

Well, it’s quite easy to remember.

“N-Nice to meet you.”

After finishing the introductions, I hid behind Marie again.

“You’re quite shy, huh!”

“There aren’t many guys in this village, so we welcome you!”

“Maybe you’d like to help with the farming?”

Each of them seemed to react favorably.

The children in the village seemed nice.

“Yes, I came here to help.”

“Thanks! So, we’ll count on you!”

Maron said happily, and Marie nodded with a smile.

We followed the three ahead.

“Aren’t they nice kids?”

“Yeah, they are. I thought they’d be more like you used to be.”

“What do you mean by that? Shion?”

“Nothing, my lady.”

Since my sister’s expression was scary, I immediately apologized.

I walked alongside Marie to avoid any further trouble.

“It’s actually more normal than I thought. I was expecting a stronger hierarchy.”

“Well, considering you’re the lord’s daughter and they’re the villagers, it’s natural to think that way. But since father has a close relationship with the villagers, the distance isn’t that significant. Of course, there’s mutual respect, so we don’t act disrespectful.”

“I see… your father is amazing.”

“Yes, he is. I really respect him. I couldn’t handle being the lord, though.”

“I feel like you’d be more suited for it than me.”

“I wonder. I don’t think I’m very smart, so I think Shion would be more suited.”

At eight years old, being able to do so much, talk, and know things, I think Marie is smart enough. I feel like she’s growing more mature with each passing year.

“I don’t think so.”

As we were having this conversation, we arrived at the fields.

It’s vast. It might not be that big for experienced farmers, but for amateurs like us, it’s overwhelmingly spacious.

However, it seemed like there were no crops planted.

“Alright! Let’s get to work!”

Maron cheerfully grabbed a hoe and moved to the field.

The other two followed suit, and they started tilling the soil energetically.

“What are you doing?”

“We’re tilling the fields that were left fallow and making ridges. In winter, crops don’t grow well, so we need to harvest before that and store enough food. We’re calculating the timing for that.”

I see. They’re considering various things while working.

It’s a world I don’t quite understand.

“Let’s do it too.”

Helping the villagers with their work as the lord’s children.

I understand that this isn’t normal.

But I like doing things this way.

Well, I’m not good at dealing with people, though.

“Shion, ask everyone before you do it. Do it without relying on me!”

“Eh, um… I don’t want to.”

“Do it! Here’s a hoe!”

I was handed a hoe and left on my own.

My sister quickly went to the field and started tilling the soil diligently.

Oh no, I don’t want to.

But I have no choice.

I gathered my courage and decided to talk to Maron.

She was the easiest to approach.

“Uhm, hi.”

I stumbled. I felt like I had already stumbled from the very first step.

But Maron didn’t seem to mind.

“Hmm? Oh, don’t know what to do?”

“Y-yeah. Could you show me?”

“Of course! So, first, go straight from here—”

Maron kindly taught me how to do the work.

Although to be honest, all I had to do was create a straight ridge.

I didn’t quite understand how to do it, so I listened attentively.

“Try to keep the spacing and the amount of soil as consistent as possible!

Otherwise, the drainage will be poor, and the plants will grow oddly!”

“Y-yeah, got it. I’ll give it a try.”

Following Maron’s instructions, I swung the hoe.

For a six-year-old, it was heavy and quite a laborious task.

Just making ridges, but it wasn’t easy.

Everyone except me seemed accustomed to it, doing it quickly and efficiently.

However, it was still tough, and they were out of breath.

This was a job for children. The adults were working in a different field.

I heard that in addition to field work, they also gathered wild vegetables in the forest and caught fish in the river or lake.

It might be unimaginable in modern times, but in this world, children were considered valuable labor too.

However, the tax they paid was relatively low, so it seemed they weren’t living in poverty.

With a vast territory and a relatively large population, there were ample reserves, and they could afford to pay taxes.

I learned that the lifestyle of a typical lord seemed quite affluent compared to ours.

The limited variety of our meals might be due to the low taxation.

It was said that having a relatively large house was necessary for appearances, as a poorly maintained home would diminish the dignity of a lord.

This was also needed for newcomers and negotiations outside the domain.

If someone visited and found the house in disarray, it would be embarrassing.

In any case, being underestimated could lead to trouble, so I understood the reasoning behind it.

This was something I heard from my father.

As I continued the work, I realized it was already evening.

Drenched in sweat, my whole body was tired.

But it didn’t feel bad at all.

“Today, we’re done! Thank you, Marie, Shion!”

Maron smiled and thanked us.

Red and Rose also smiled happily.

“Man, you really helped us out. Seriously. Five people are better than three!”

“I’ll say you did pretty well for a first-timer. Thank you both.”

Oh, I’m starting to feel embarrassed.

It’s partly because I didn’t really contribute much, but it’s also because I’m not used to being thanked by others.

If it were with family, I probably wouldn’t feel this embarrassed.

“Hehe, we’ll come to help again. Right, Shion?”

“Y-yeah, we’ll come again.”

We waved to the three of them and parted ways.

As we walked on our way back, I couldn’t help but feel a strange emotion amidst the unfamiliar scenery.

“How was it?”

“It was fun, I guess.”

“I’m glad. I usually go on my study break days. Shion, let’s go when you feel like it.”

“Yeah…”

Compared to the beginning, it wasn’t bad.

Maron, Red, and Rose were all nice.

I’ll go see them again. Next time, I’ll probably get along with them even better.

And maybe I should learn more about being a lord.

Even though I don’t want to. I know I’m not cut out for it. Leading others.

I like doing things on my own.

But maybe occasionally is okay.

I pondered vaguely about the future.

Wait, am I going to become a lord if things continue like this?

A lord, me?

Thinking about it made me feel gloomy.