Published at 20th of February 2020 3:26 pm

Volume 6, Prologue

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Translated by: Reiji

An encounter was something sudden.

Inside the blue Jewel hanging on my neck, its previous owners──my ancestors’ memories were resurrected together with their Arts and talked to me.

Normally the ancestors were reliable existences who taught me their Arts that had wonderful abilities.

However.

They had their own sense of value from the time they lived in.

That was why, they insulted me as unreliable because I was ignorant of the ways of the world, scolded me, and laughed at me.

There were seven of such ancestors.

If the beginning of my journey after I was driven out from my house because I lost against my little sister was the worst, then my encounter with the ancestors had to be said as the worst too.

At first I thought of the blue Jewel heirloom as a cursed necklace.

My mana was absorbed if the ancestors made a ruckus.

Before I went through my Growth, my mana would immediately run low which caused me to collapse and caused trouble for the people around me.

Why were they burdening me?

Why wouldn’t they stay quiet?

Why were they so annoying……frankly speaking I was thinking of them as a bother.

But, sometimes they were also reliable. The ancestors taught me various things.

There were also several facts that were only known by them.

The family precepts for taking a wife that had been followed by my family──the Walt House for generations were actually just a lie that the First told. Right now I could only laugh at that.

The ancestor who was known as a hero was actually someone that was very different from his image that was told in history. He didn’t do what he did because he wanted to. It was surprising to hear that.

The person who was praised as someone extremely skilled in domestic affairs was actually someone who loved money with a petty hobby of saving up money.

There was also a person who I thought loved to play with woman because I heard that he was married many women, and yet he was a person who didn’t look like a playboy at all.

And then the person who expanded the family’s territory the most was actually a hen-pecked husband. I doubted my ears when I heard that.

I was also able to listen to the past stories and hardships of my grandfather who was doting towards his grandchild.

They were completely different from the stories that I heard about them. They were humans in all respects.

Those ancestors, they were resurrected as memories inside the Jewel. There was a reason for that.

It was in order to bequeath the ability that they manifested and polished to the limit──their Art to me.

The ancestors existed for that sake. They would vanish when they finished their role.

Certainly, that might be proper considering the Jewel’s function.

Even though it was right for the Jewel, but for me…….

.

Our group left the academy city Arumsaas and headed towards the royal capital Centralle.

Even if we were going to another region after this, it would be convenient to head to Centralle first.

As to be expected from the royal capital, the roads to other regions were concentrated there.

Goods from various regions were gathered at the capital, and information too.

In order to decide where would be a good place to head to after this, and then in order to gather various other information too, that place would be convenient.

And above all else, the house of the Circry sisters who joined us in Arumsaas was located in Centralle.

The reply of the letter that Miranda-san sent to her house told her to show her face once there.

It was necessary to go to the Circry House’s mansion.

『I wonder why? This is like going to meet the parents to say “Please give your daughter to me!”.』

The Third’s easygoing voice came into hearing.

Inside the Jewel, in the room of the round table.

It was the place where all the ancestors were present when I moved my consciousness to inside the Jewel.

There was a large blue jewel at the ceiling. There were small gems positioned in radiating shape with that large jewel as the center.

The number was 24.

Among them, eleven jewels were shining.

It told me how many Arts I had learned.

There were chairs around the round table. Each ancestor was sitting there.

There were doors behind them.

The doors were connected to the ancestors’ memory. By entering the room, their strong memories would be replayed.

There was also a chair for me to sit.

However, there was no door behind me.

The Seventh was laughing. It seemed he was enjoying this situation.

『Well, that’s not actually wrong after all. From the perspective of the Circry House’s head, he must want to see the face of Lyle who stole his daughter. A capital noble rat dares to act high and mighty like this.』

From how he spoke of his dissatisfaction towards the capital nobles at the end, although he was the previous head, he was still human.

Certainly the ancestors were outstanding people, but as humans they had good parts and bad parts.

The Sixth laughed heartily.

『Lyle, you should just provoke him instead. Tell him, Miranda has chosen me.』

The Fifth was showing cautiousness.

『Why are you picking a fight like that? I think it’s better to watch the situation first if you don’t understand what the other side’s intention is. After all you’re dealing with capital nobles who you can’t let your guard down against.』

The ancestors were feudal lord nobles.

There were largely two kinds of nobles in the Bahnseim Kingdom, feudal lord nobles who possessed their own territory, and the capital nobles who were living in the royal capital as the king’s direct followers and received wages from the kingdom.

The feudal lord nobles were approved by the king to own territory, as the compensation they swore fealty to the king.

In contrast, the capital nobles were given wages──annuity from the kingdom and lived in the capital.

It would be wrong to call the two kinds of nobles to have the same sense of values.

The Fourth nodded while looking strangely annoyed.

『Yes, I understand. I really understand. You can’t let your guard down against those bunches. When they’re troubled they will approach with a humble act, but when their business is over they’ll be back to act condescendingly. Those bunches are fundamentally making light of us.』

From his words I could guess that he didn’t really have any good memories about the capital nobles.

The Second was also the same.

『I was also greatly troubled by them in my time. At that time we were a small feudal lord, but there was our main house in Centralle.』

Main house.

That was the house that the First, Basil Walt was born from.

He was the youngest son of a capital noble. The main house of the Walt House was a house that was only barely allowed to pass down its title. However, the feudal lord Walt House that was treated as a branch house became too big. Because of that the association between the two houses was also gone.

Because there were also interaction between the two houses in the era of the Second, he seemed to get a headache when he recalled that time.

He pressed his forehead with his hand.

『They were annoying, asking to send them money, asking to send them soldiers. The old man became independent mostly by his own effort but, the ties couldn’t be severed that easily so it was a pain.』

I tilted my head.

「Was the relationship really that bad?」

The Second answered with a powerless grin.

『I believe that I had it the worst in my era but……what about you all? I heard that the ties were severed though?』

When he brought up the subject towards the other ancestors, the Third answered.

『There was a lot of war in my era so we had no leeway to get involved with them.』

The Fourth also nodded.

『It was the same in my era too. They approached us several times but that was all.』

The Seventh concluded the talk.

『Our house also stood in superior position whether in scale or status, so there wasn’t any benefit to get along with that house. Besides, it might be a different story if we were indebted to them, but for us they were nothing but unpleasant so we severed ties. We were the same house if we traced back to the beginning, but it gave me the creeps that they acted like the main house.』

It was a one-sided relationship, so the relationship was weakening along with the passage of time.

The Sixth returned back to the topic.

『We wouldn’t get involved with them anymore but, fate is a strange thing. Lyle, even if they come to you it’ll be better to not get involved with them. Now then, let’s return back to the topic──Second.』

Everyone’s gaze was gathered to the Second. It made him felt strangely embarrassed.

The Second, Crassel Walt was the one with the thinnest presence among the current members.

His sharp gaze and hunter appearance were peculiar, but the Walt House was a small feudal lord in the Second’s Era.

The diligent Second was an inconspicuous existence within the history of the Walt House.

The First who set out to open up a new land was a character with a great reputation of valor, while the Second’s son, the Third was counted as one of the heroes of Bahnseim.

The Second who was put in between those two was frankly too plain.

The person himself seemed to understand that too.

『Well, what. I’m just thinking that I should teach Lyle my Art any time now.』

When the Second brought that up, my chest felt strangely painful.

What was this pain?

「Eh? But, the Second’s Art is──」

I had learned the Second’s Art until the second stage.

Only the third stage remained. It was the last one.

『I’ve consulted with the others too but, this is as far as I go. Besides, if it’s the current Lyle then you’ll be able to learn my Art easily.』

The Second made a face that was already resolved to bid farewell.

『It’s fine. Even without me here you have these guys. Besides, there’s……already nothing that I can teach you. Lyle, you’ve already grown splendidly. You’re still unreliable sometimes but, it’s a world of difference compared to when we first met. You’re already alright.』

The Second’s smile looked somewhat sad, but he was making an atmosphere that couldn’t be declined.

「I, I should learn other Arts first.」

My gaze wandered around. But the Second shook his head seeing me trying to postpone learning his Art.

『No, learn my Art first. It’s better that way. Besides it will be useful from here on.』

The Second’s Art reflected the owner’s personality. It was really plain.

It let other people to use the Art. That was all.

However, its secondary effect was great. I was helped by it many times until now.

『You’ll become strong from here on. It’ll make me happy if my Art can become of help for that. Come on, let’s go. Momentum is important for things like this.』

I headed to the Second’s memory room just as he told me.

My chest──felt strangely painful.

.

Inside Porter that was heading to Centralle.

I slowly opened my eyes.

Novem called out to me who was waking up.

「Lyle-sama, you’re awake? You seem to be really tired.」

I felt relieved seeing Novem’s worried look.

「Yeah, I might be a bit tired.」

Inside the armored vehicle──Porter that was running on the road was spacious. When I looked around there was Sophia-san sleeping.

Poyopoyo whose name was Monica now was knitting something enthusiastically.

But, her work speed was abnormal.

She stopped her hands and looked my way.

「Oh, you’re awake chicken dickwad. It can’t be helped. This Monica will start taking care chicken dickwad──」

「No need.」

I only woke up from my sleep, so it was troubling even if she told me that she would take care of me.

When I bluntly refused like that, Monica’s shoulders dropped in sadness and she returned to her knitting. Seeing that made me feel like my guilt was stirred.

「……I, see. Please call me if you need something. This Monica. “This Monica” who is formerly Poyopoyo! Will take care of chicken dickwad.」

It seemed she was happy that the name she was previously dissatisfied with was changed. Monica spoke her new name several times.

When I thought that she was that dissatisfied with the previous name, it made me want to change her name back to Poyopoyo again instead.

I wondered what the other members were doing and ran my gaze inside the vehicle.

I heard voices from the opened hatch at the ceiling. The voices belonged to Shannon and Aria-san who climbed on the roof.

「I’m bored. I’m already fed up with traveling!」

「Endure it. Besides, originally it would take a much longer time than this.」

「No way. I want to take a bath!」

「Don’t speak selfishly! We got hot water prepared at night so it’s still better.」

「I want to soak in a bathtub. It’s cold so I want to sleep on a bed.」

「……You really have a hell of a personality huh. Normally no one will ask that much while traveling.」

Aria-san’s voice sounded exasperated towards Shannon’s selfish voice.

The two of them were also acting as lookout.

In that case, Miranda-san who wasn’t here might be at the driver’s seat together with Clara-san.

I lifted my upper body inside the armored vehicle that had few shaking and sat down.

Novem poured tea from a canteen and handed it to me.

「Lyle-sama, here.」

「Thank you.」

The steam rising from the cup……it was still better inside the vehicle but, the outside was surely cold. The season was already turning into winter.

Novem stared at my face.

「What is it?」

「No, somehow……Lyle-sama, did something nice happen?」

I laughed slightly at those words from Novem.

「……I wonder?」

I said that and brought the tea to my mouth, then a voice came from inside the Jewel.

──It was the Second’s voice.

『……Oi, just what the hell with this!』

The Fourth soothed him down.

『Now, that’s……the Second too, let’s calm down.』

The Second raised his voice.

Yes, the Second hadn’t disappeared yet.

『This is strange! Why is it a failure!? What’s more, the atmosphere before was in preparation of me vanishing! This is a bit embarrassing like this!』

The Second spoke various things thinking that he would vanish.

Everyone was looking sympathetic, except the Third who was laughing.

『You said something like, ‘you’re already alright’ in farewell and yet you returned back here. As expected it was surprising.』

『Don’t laugh! I hate that kind of side of yours!』

Certainly……the Second who returned from the memory room with me looked really embarrassed.

The other ancestors were also dumbfounded, and then the room of the round table was wrapped in a complicated atmosphere.

『Lyle, this is your responsibility! Or rather, why are you unable to inherit the Art! My Art isn’t that difficult I’m telling you!』

No, it was difficult enough.

Surely my strength was still insufficient to learn it.

Seeing me drinking the tea slowly, Novem smiled happily for some reason.

「Lyle-sama, were you able to see a good dream?」

I nodded slightly.

「That might be so.」

In the first place, it was the fault of the ancestors who decided on their own that I would be able to learn the Art easily.

If you said that──wouldn’t it make it look like I was intentionally failing at it?

A voice came from the roof.

「Oh! I can see it!」

It was Shannon’s cheerful voice. Aria-san showed her face from the hatch and peeked inside the vehicle.

Her long hair was dangling down from her head that was upside down.

I guess it would be better not to say that she looked slightly scary like that.

「Oo~i, we can see Centralle now. Oh, Lyle, you woke up?」

After I nodded, Aria-san called st Sophia-san.

「Sophia, wake up already. We already arrived.」

Sophia-san who was wrapped in a blanket rubbed her eyes and woke up.

「We arrived? It’s really fast.」

Sophia-san held back her yawn. When I turned my gaze from her to Aria-san, she wasn’t there anymore.

I handed the cup to Novem and brought out my face from the ceiling’s hatch.

As I thought, the outside was cold.

My body shivered, but I brought my upper body until outside and stared at the scenery.

Far away, I could see Centralle that was protected by a large wall.

「We finally arrived.」

Inside the Jewel, I could hear the voice of the Second that was still being angry from feeling embarrassed and irritated towards me.

It was annoying just a little while ago but……right now I felt that this noisiness was normal.

Yes, this was my daily life.

『Lyle, listen to what I’m saying!』

.

Centralle’s gate.

I stored Porter using the Seventh’s Art, Box and carried only the necessary items before finishing the procedure and passed through the gate.

The scenery of Bahnseim’s largest city spread out before us.

I had visited this city several times, but the scale of this city’s size gave me a completely different impression from Arumsaas.

The unique Arumsaas was also impactful, but Centralle had a lot of surprising things even after visiting other regions.

We arrived in the afternoon.

The time was still too early to settle down, but there was also the fatigue from the trip so we searched for an inn.

This was Clara-san’s first time leaving Arumsaas for a genuine travel. She was looking around frequently.

「As expected it’s different from Arumsaas. There are a lot of people.」

Miranda-san who was born in Centralle explained with a smile.

「Right. Well, people will gather here even without doing anything so this city is big at any rate.」

Because there were monsters roaming around, if the scale of the city grew bigger, it would become necessary to think about making a wall for defense.

Centralle that was protected by a tall and thick wall also had vast plots of land behind the wall.

However because the number of people living here increased throughout many years, the inside of the wall felt strangely cramped.

One reason for that was because the buildings were crowded together in a confined space, but more than that was the number of people that was just a lot.

Aria-san was also born here, so she was knowledgeable about Centralle.

「This place has a lot of people and dirty though. The river for example is really terrible. I only noticed after traveling around but, the river in a place with few people is clean. It surprised me.」

Thanks to the people and horse carriages coming and going at the gates nearby, the dust was horrible and it was just smelly.

While we were talking and moving quickly to search for an inn, suddenly I felt a gaze looking at us.

Rather than looking at me, the gaze seemed to be looking at Miranda-san and Shannon.

I raised my guard while walking to look for an inn.

Before long the watcher confirmed us entering an inn and then left.

I couldn’t feel any hostility but, it weighed on my mind.

.

A few hours after entering the inn.

Everyone entered the bath in order to remove their fatigue from the journey. As soon as they finished with that they laid down to rest. The setting of the sun was also quick, the outside was starting to turn dark.

At such timing, the owner of the inn called, saying a guest came.

The first floor of the inn was used as a lobby.

Each time people came and went, the cold air flowed in and lowered the room’s temperature.

There was indoor heating, but when the air started to get a little warmer, someone would open the door and lowered the temperature again.

Because of that, there weren’t many people that stayed in the lobby.

People would quickly move to go outside or returned to their room.

When I went down the stairs, I could see Miranda-san dealing with the guest.

The guest who seemed to be her acquaintance was a man with white hair who looked like an old gentleman. He was wearing a suit with his hand holding a coat and a hat. His other hand was holding a cane, but he didn’t look like an elderly who needed it to help him walk.

His back was straight and even from above his clothes it was obvious that he was someone trained.

He was talking to Miranda-san and Shannon.

「Long time no see Miranda-ojousama, Shannon-ojousama. Even so, Miranda-ojousama is getting more and more similar with your great grandmother.」

From the way he spoke, he must be a servant working for thr Circry House. The way Miranda-san interacted with him was also the way someone would deal with a servant.

「It has been a long time since you retired but you seem to be doing well.」

「I handed over my work to my son and lived in retirement, but due to master’s request I came to greet the two of you like this.」

Miranda-san made a troubled expression.

「……Should I say that it’s just like Otou-sama to do that. It’s pointless even if I complain to you, let’s hear what you have to say.」

The Seventh’s voice came from the Jewel.

『……Could it be, he is the brat who was at aunt’s place? He has grown a lot……or rather, he is old.』

He seemed to be someone that the Seventh knew.

The elderly who knew of the great grandmother of Miranda-san and Shannon noticed me coming down and turned his body towards me and greeted.

It seemed he knew my face.

「You must be Lyle Walt-dono. I am Renard who previously worked as a butler for the Circry House. Today I came here because my master entrusted me with a message.」

His smile didn’t have any hostility, but I felt something from him that made me strangely unable to be careless towards him.

The Fifth talked to me.

『Butler, huh. This guy seems to be really skilled.』

The Seventh was laughing.

『I knew him as a little brat. I remembered him looking nervous behind aunt. It’s surprising that brat became a butler.』

The Seventh was feeling nostalgic seeing someone he knew, but the Fifth seemed to have his guard up.

He might have judged that this was a person that he couldn’t let his guard down against.

When I approached, Miranda-san shrugged and smiled awkwardly.

「He took care of me when I was a child. I don’t know if Shannon remembers him though.」

「……I’m sorry. I don’t remember.」

Shannon was hiding behind Miranda-san’s back. It seemed she was scared seeing Renard-san. Shannon didn’t have any memory of him must be because she was too young at that time.

Renard-san seemed to remember Shannon.

「Oh, Shannon-ojousama……could it be you’re able to see?」

Shannon was driven out from the Circry House because she was blind.

If he was a former butler then naturally he must know about that circumstance.

Miranda-san nodded.

「Yes, she was cured in Arumsaas.」

It wasn’t a lie, but it seemed she had no intention to tell everything. In the first place we didn’t understand how her eyes became able to see so there was no way to explain.

Renard-san smiled.

「That’s great. Master, too, is going to be happy.」

I felt no ill will from his expression, but I also couldn’t think of it as his true feeling.

Miranda-san denied that with a few words.

「That’s a lie. Otou-sama won’t be happy. More importantly Renard, the message?」

「The way you talk is also exactly the same.」

Renard-san seemed to be happy hearing Miranda-san’s reply.

「……You’re really similar to your great grandmother. Your appearance and also your personality are exactly like her.」

「I’ll consider that as a praise.」

Renard-san was satisfied by Miranda-san’s response. Then he looked at me with a straight face.

His expression was really serious.

「Lyle-dono, master──my employer, the head of the Circry House, Ralph Circry-sama sent a message. He said to turn up at the mansion with his daughter in tow.」

The Seventh was irritated hearing those words.

Even though he seemed to be congenial until just now, he suddenly began to get irritated.

『He is summoning Lyle? This brat……and then the brat who is the family head is also getting carried away. Just who do they think they’re dealing with here huh!』

Within the Seventh he must still br thinking of me as a heir of a Count house.

But, right now I was nothing more than an adventurer.

The Third spoke in exasperation.

『Well, in this case it can’t be helped that he is summoned. Because, Lyle doesn’t have any peerage or strength that would make a noble to be wary against him. In the first place he’s going to go there because he is summoned isn’t it? There is no use getting angry about it.』

The Seventh couldn’t say anything back and felt vexed. I was listening to that while answering.

「I will come. How about tomorrow?」

Renard-san nodded.

「Yes. It will be 3 P.M tomorrow. Well then, excuse me.」

Renard-san only said that and left after giving a bow. Several people who were waiting outside the inn left with him.

「So the people observing us were them.」

Miranda-san reacted to my muttering.

「You noticed? Well, my family is that kind of house. That Renard too, he was making that kind of face but it seems that he was amazing when he was on active duty. That talk about retirement is a lie. He might be training the next generation I guess?」

From how they were tailing and observing us, they seemed to be really skillful.

The Circry House couldn’t be underestimated seeing how they employed servants who were used to rough matters.

While I was thinking that, with a smile Miranda-san──

「By the way, the one who first taught those people who are used to rough matters was my great grandmother──a person from the Walt House who married into our house.」

「……Eh?」

I reflexively stared fixedly at Miranda-san’s face. I couldn’t believe it.

The inside of the Jewel was the same. The Fifth was flustered.

『That’s a lie right?』

The one who was the most shaken was the Sixth who doted on his little sister.

『Th, there is no way. That adorable and gentle Milleia trained that kind of dangerous bunches she said……I, impossible!』

When I thought that such dangerous looking group was involved with the Walt House, it made me feel really apologetic.

The Seventh whispered.

『If it’s that aunt then she’d really do that much.』

.

──The mansion of the Circry House.

Ralph Circry who received the report from Renard was doing paperwork inside his office under the lighting of a lantern.

The Circry House that was appointed to an important position in the Bahnseim Kingdom boasted a long history and prestige. His appearance was dignified, but he also looked to be lacking emotion in some respects.

「……You have conveyed the message to Miranda and that person of the Walt House?」

Renard’s posture was straight.

「Yes. The young man looks really reliable. Also, about Shannon-ojousama’s eyes, they seemed to be healed and completely recovered.」

Ralph replied expressionlessly.

「That doesn’t matter. What’s important is Miranda.」

Ralph sighed inside his heart.

(If only that Doris didn’t get deceived by that harmful insect, there wouldn’t be any need to call Miranda back like this.)

The Circry House’s circumstances.

The second daughter Doris Circry had gotten a lover.

She was totally in love.

And that lover──

「The Walt House is really a bothersome clan. To think that even Doris would also get seduced after Miranda, and in addition there is this situation in the capital.」

The other Walt House.

That house’s heir was Lionel Walt.

Although he was a heir, he was the heir of a house that was only barely having its name listed in the lowest rank as a capital noble.

Their living was far removed from the standard of a typical noble, and they also weren’t given any post from the royal family. He was a son and heir of a tiny and jobless house.

Ralph turned his gaze to Renard and confirmed.

「How is Miranda’s condition? That girl’s appearance is good. I think that there won’t be any problem to use her for taking in a son-in-law even if she played around some in the past.」

The Circry House had three daughters but no son.

The house needed to welcome in a son-in-law to succeed the house.

Thinking of that, Doris’s lover Lionel wasn’t fitting.

The reason Ralph called back Miranda was because he became in need of a daughter to be used for taking in a son-in-law.

Renard spoke of his impression, but not a little amount of personal emotion colored it.

「She looks similar with Milleia-sama. Her appearance, the way she acts, and even her tone, all of them invoke nostalgia in me. I believe that she has nothing to criticize as a lady.」

Ralph ignored the majority of Renard’s impression.

What was important was the part whether she could take in a husband or not.

「I see. That girl is of excellent quality. Doris is average. Shannon is out of the question. As I thought, she ought to be brought back to the mansion.」

He tried to make Doris to take another husband that wasn’t Lionel, but the person’s strong opposition made Ralph give up on her.

He dropped his gaze on the paper on his desk.

It was a paperwork regarding hippogriff subjugation.

There was a small town in a region called Jioni. It was a land under the direct control of the royal family.

It had no feudal lord and it was governed by a governor that was dispatched by the royal family. Although, this Jioni region that had a small settlement that was unclear whether it was a town or a village──wasn’t really an important place for the royal family.

The paperwork was filled with the plan regarding the preparation of rescuing Jioni due to the palace’s instruction.

And then there was one more paper on the desk filled with a certain plan that was drawn up by the palace.

It was a problem regarding the number of capital nobles that increased too much.

「──Well, before that, I guess we should have the nuisances disappear. There is also this request that came in at a good timing after all.」

Renard who listened to Ralph’s words silently closed his eyes──

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