Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 97

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 97   Selection

The scene that entered my field of vision filled me with bewilderment and surprise. I overlooked the venue from a small room in the corner of the hall, chosen ones inhabiting the space, bathed in dazzling brilliance.

The hall was spacious enough to accommodate several hundred people, with round tables evenly spaced out. It was unusually large for a section of the castle. On top of those tables were numerous luxurious dishes, and the chosen ones savored the flavors while moistening their palates with fine wine.

Every person present seemed to be a noble, and there was no one resembling a commoner as far as the eye could see. It might be the case for this particular group, but it seemed that commoners were not chosen after all.

The murmur of conversation from the venue reached our small room. However, they’re impressively ignoring the age limit. Most of them were men, but I noticed a few who didn’t look like they were under thirty. There were even some with white hair among them. True to the Queen’s words, they seemed to have forcefully inserted themselves into the training session, disregarding the participation conditions. The information about this exchange event was apparently discussed in advance, and perhaps, they wanted to establish connections with influential nobles from other countries or within their own. It might not be as straightforward as I think.

There could be various conspiracies woven around this training session, more than I realize. I must admit, I’m quite naive in this world, especially when it comes to understanding the nobility. Perhaps it’s better to ask Winona about things I don’t know. I peeked at the venue through the window but then lowered the curtain and turned around.

“Are they the participants of the first group?”

“Yes. They are chosen ones, numbering around three hundred. Titled the ‘Five Nations Exchange,’ this event includes our country’s nobility, with about sixty participants from each of the five nations.”

The gentlemanly old man behind me answered without hesitation. His name is Egon. He appears to be a highly skilled butler assigned to assist me in the Laziness Syndrome Treatment Training Session.

It seems he is here directly under the Queen’s orders. Queen Milhya places great trust in Egon, stating that she shares almost all the information with him. He seems to have acquired knowledge about the training session almost as much as the Queen.

To be honest, relying on just me would be limiting, and having Egon is a great help. While Winona is willing to assist, at this point, I can only rely on her for chores and general care. This is because I haven’t told her about magic yet.

I’ve discussed a bit about the Laziness Treatment, but our real, heartfelt conversation only began yesterday. I haven’t delved into more detailed discussions yet. To avoid involving Winona too much, I need to be cautious about what I share.

Behind Egon, Winona stands with an anxious expression, her hands folded. Her upright posture exudes elegance, and it’s clear she’s well-educated. The maid outfit suits her well, and she carries herself confidently enough to be present where nobles gather without any issues.

However, it was evident that the old man in front of me had a much deeper understanding of refinement than Winona. White hair, and not a single wrinkle on his butler uniform. His appearance wasn’t particularly extraordinary, but the aura he exuded set him apart from ordinary people. Somewhat mechanical, with hardly any change in expression. A type I’m not particularly comfortable with. However, as we’re going to be together for several months, I can’t afford to say such things.

Now, let me briefly explain the course of events. We left the mansion and headed to the venue—the Sanostria Castle’s exchange hall, where we currently are. There, we were supposed to meet Egon, who serves as my assistant for the training session. And so, I received an explanation from Egon.

Today, my tasks include selecting individuals with magical abilities and providing an explanation about the upcoming training session to the participants. Since the chosen ones are mostly nobles, we can’t just gather them in a suitable place, check for magical abilities, and send them home.

For this reason, we decided to combine the exchange event and sort them on our side without telling them about the screening. Of course, the Queen had previously mentioned that innate potential is necessary for treating the Laziness syndrome, and not everyone can attend the training session.

So, telling them straightforwardly that it’s impossible for them and asking them to leave wouldn’t be easy. This event seems to be an attempt to soothe their feelings by organizing it this way.

From the perspective of the nobles, it’s not easy to have interactions with influential nobles from other countries. Therefore, creating connections through such grand events seems to be quite advantageous.

Because of these factors, there was relatively little resistance on the surface, and the exchange event proceeded. However, due to the considerable number of participants, it became necessary to divide them into groups.

I don’t know the details, but I imagine even the process of dividing into groups would have been quite challenging.

“If it’s difficult to make selections from this location, you’re also welcome to walk around the venue.”

Though those were the only words spoken, I understood what he meant. In my own country, I was forcibly made a Marquis by the Queen’s influence—a figurehead. There are also nobles from my homeland, Lystia, in the venue. There’s a high likelihood of being disliked by my own countrymen, and people from other countries don’t know much about me. Additionally, I lack real power, and my achievements are limited to treating Laziness syndrome and repelling magical beings.

From the perspective of nobility, it’s an unusual set of accomplishments, and I can’t openly explain one of them, nor do I intend to publicize it. Considering the future and the need for secrecy regarding treating Laziness syndrome, I don’t want to discuss it. After all, most of the people in this venue will be returning to their own countries.

While I personally don’t see it as much of an issue, individual opinions in this setting shouldn’t be considered as a reference. Considering the training session and what lies ahead, making a public appearance here wouldn’t be wise. It would only undermine the Queen’s efforts to polish my image.

In this case, it’s better to refrain from doing anything that brings more harm than good.

“No, I will make the selections from here. Leaving the room would be troublesome.”

“I see.”

Egon let out a sigh of relief as if to assert his preference. Even without such a reaction, I’m not someone with a strong desire for self-display, but he wouldn’t know that. Fortunately, even though the venue is large, I can oversee it from this room.

With my high eyesight and the simple task of checking for magical abilities, I can do this from quite a distance.

“Then, I’ll start listing the physical features and the presence or absence of magical abilities, starting from the back.”

“Understood. We’ll record the information here, so please proceed as you like.”

I can’t afford to rush this. That’s what I think as I turn around, only to find that Egon already has a pen and paper in hand. Can he do shorthand?

Well, it doesn’t matter. Let’s get started, regardless. If I stumble here, it could be troublesome later. Let’s make sure to identify everyone accurately.

The chosen individuals, including those from Lystia, seem to number around 1,500. Examining everyone would be quite a challenge, but complaining won’t help. I need to finish this today. The social gathering is scheduled to take place five times: in the morning, before noon, after noon, at 3 PM, and before evening. The schedule is tight.

The other party is a noble. In this world, relationships are complicated matters. A slight mistake or a lack of consideration can create a bad impression and render everything futile. In negotiations, it can be more important for the other party to like you than to appreciate your products or plans. In some cases, a deal may fall apart just because you didn’t offer a proper greeting.

Even if you have a reasonable explanation, it’s often challenging for the other party to understand and admit their mistake. As someone who has grown up, I painfully understand this. The world is inherently unjust, and this becomes more pronounced with hierarchical relationships. The power dynamics between other countries and Lystia are still overwhelmingly disparate, and our nation is perceived as inferior.

In such a situation, even a minor mistake could lead to unforeseen consequences. While I can confidently assert my position in the treatment of lazy syndrome, and many aspects are already determined by contracts, seeing how many individuals violated the conditions of being a trainee reveals how much our country is looked down upon. It’s not difficult to imagine.

Mood, impression, trust.

These are determined by trivial things, accumulating to define the goodness or badness for an individual. Success doesn’t come to those who are indifferent. It’s all about being careful, striking the right balance in everything. That’s how I’ve grown up and achieved several successes.

In other words, the training session for me has already begun. Let’s stay focused. With a slight excitement and anxiety in my chest, I took a deep breath and spoke.

“Now, let’s begin. Firstly, the well-built man in the back on the right has no magical power. Behind him—”

In the room, the only sounds echoing were the scribbling of pens and my voice.