Chapter 13 – The Former Demon king, Relaxing With His Partner

—A few days later, the day before the ‘Magic Guild’ entrance exam (Yuuki’s Point Of View)—

“………I’m bored”

With a thud, I lay down on the bed at the inn.

I could hear people’s voices coming from outside the window.

Maybe it’s because the inn was located in the middle of town, so I can hear the sound of the street very well.

“I’ve brought you some tea. Yuuki-sama”

“Martha. Can I open the curtains?”

“If you wish, Yuuki-sama. Don’t worry, Martha will take full responsibility if anyone finds out”

“I’m sorry. I won’t say it anymore”

I have to be patient.

Because I’m sure Martha would love to open the curtains as much as I do.

The princess’s visit is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Supposedly, Martha would have wanted to see the princess too.

This is the town’s inn.

I’m supposed to wait here while Her Royal Highness visit the Baron household.

The maid, Martha, and another two servants from the mansion came with me to the inn. Martha is staying in the room next to mine.

Because I’ve told the other two, “Think of it as a vacation”, so I guess they’re probably relaxing in their room now.

In the end, Xellos nii-sama’s exam was to be held as planned.

Nobody said anything about Clara-san and Barnes-san.

I don’t know about the royal family or the ‘Magic Guild’……but maybe after the exam, they will announce the tutor Kachel’s mistake and punish him.

As far as I’m concerned, as long as Xellos nii-sama’s exam go well, that’s all that matters to me.

“……I’ll behave. After all, it’s not like I have any desire to see Her Royal Highness”

I sipped the tea Martha had made for me.

It has the usual temperature and taste. As expected of Martha.

“Would you like to join me for a tea, Martha?”

“Yes. Then, I’ll go get a cup”

“I’ll wait. And I won’t open the curtains too”

“I believe in you. Yuuki-sama”

Martha left the room and came back with a cup in her hand.

When I offer her a chair, she just sits down.

This is not the mansion. She doesn’t have to follow the aristocratic rules.

“Since you’re bored, would you like to read a book? Yuuki-sama”

“The books that Kachel-sensei got for me?”

“‘The Magnificent Magic Guild’ | ‘The Glory of Those Who Joined the Magic Guild’ | ‘The Importance of Class System’, these three books were prepared for you”

“I don’t want to read them”

Martha smiled wryly when I sighed.

In the meantime, I think it’s not so bad to be locked up in the inn.

And…since I’m outside, I want to experiment with magic.

The girl I met in the mountains was using the fire ‘Ancient Magic’. I memorized the movement of her fingers. If I draw the same crest, I should be able to use the same magic too. What would happen if it’s used on the bats and Dick…?

“……I have lot of work to do”

This is what makes a mage addicted to magic.

When one learns magic, one can do more. The more one can do, the more one wants to learn.

Over time, the aim becomes about increasing what one can do, not what one does, and end up with a life of research.

I’ve seen such person in my past life. It wasn’t a good one.

“Come to think of it, does Martha ever think about the future?”

“Yuuki-sama is smart, so I think you should become a politician in this country”

“This is not about me”

“After all, you told me the ‘Ridara Flower’ is good for coughs, didn’t you? Because of that, my mother’s condition has improved! Where did you learn about that!?”

“From some merchant. I met him when I left the mansion and came to town”

“Yuuki-sama is really amazing…”

Martha’s mother is chronically ill.

Every time when I visit her, I would use my ‘Purification’ skill on her, but the treatment takes time.

So I brought her some flowers to help with her coughs. If it’s placed at the bedside, it can ease the irritation of the throat a bit.

I told Martha that a merchant from the east had told me about them.

Of course, it’s true. Though I’m not talking about my current life, but my past life.

“I wish Yuuki-sama could take the ‘Magic Guild’ exam too”

“It’s troublesome, so no thanks”

“Did you know? I’ve heard that the exam is now held in the ‘Kitoraru Forest’”

“Not the mountains and the swamp?”

“There were 3 candidate sites. It is said that the mountain behind the mansion is absolutely not good and the swamp was a no-go because of its mysterious nature”

“I guess so”

I guess the girl Clara, and the old man Barnes would judge so.

After all, they were attacked by the ‘Dark Bear’ in the mountains where the tutor Kachel, had reported that it was super safe, so Kachel’s words no longer have any credibility.

When it comes to the swamp, it is no good too, because the movements will be limited.

The only other place where magic can be used without being seen is the ‘Kitoraru Forest’.

The princess should be within the domain by now.

I wonder if Clara and the old man Barnes will also be accompanying her there.

Clara Listeth.

She looked exactly like Lyle’s daughter, Alice.

“Martha, let’s say…”

“What is it, Yuuki-sama?”

“I’d like to ask you a few questions…but before that, I need a little more honey in my tea”

“Please brush your teeth before going to bed”

“I know”

“More than 20 minutes?”

“I’m not a child after all. By the way, Martha is the only child, right?”

“Yes”

“This is just an example, but let’s say if there’s a girl who are a little older than me, and she looks exactly like your mother, Melisa, would you suspect her blood relations?”

“Yuuki-sama thinks there’s something wrong with my family background?”

“For example, I mean. It’s about an acquaintance”

“Someone that you know?”

“For example, if there was a girl who looks like the daughter of someone I thought of as my son, should I suspect her blood relations?”

“I heard there were 3 people who looked alike in this world”

“You’re right”

“So if I were you, I wouldn’t judge by the face, I’d judge by something else”

“Something else?”

“For example, my mother is very good at baking apple pies. Okaa-san’s pies are very delicious”

“I know. Melisa’s pie is my favorite too”

“But it is said that okaa-san learnt it from my grandmother. And my grandmother got it from my great-grandmother. That’s why everyone in my family loves apple pie”

“So you’re saying that I can judge by what kind of food she likes?”

“Hmm. But that’s a trait that cannot be passed down unless one lived in the same family”

“No, that’s enough”

It’s unlikely I’ll ever meet Clara Listeth again, though.

I think I won’t even have the chance to ask her what her favorite food is.

It’s also unknown if Alice’s favorite food, ‘venison thin crust pie wrapped in spicy sauce’, is still around in this era.

“It was helpful. Thank you, Martha”

“I’m glad”

“I appreciate it. If I had to leave the household, I’d want Martha to follow me”

“I wish to work in the mansion until Lumia-sama is married”

“Martha’s ideas are helpful. As an ordinary person’s perspective”

“If it’s a passionate invitation, then I’ll consider it”

“That will be after my coming of age…when I turn about 15 years old”

“Then, when I come of age too, I will give you an answer again.”

Martha and I sipped our tea together.

“Come to think of it, there was a package delivered to my house when I was away”

“A package?”

“It was a ‘Dark Bear’ nail. Although It was burnt, but it made good money”

“I didn’t know there was such a nice person”

“I wonder who could it be? But okaa-san was very happy”

“Beats me”

Martha and I sipped our tea together again.

This is not bad too.

It would be nice if Martha and I could spend the time together like this.

……If I go to the ‘Magic Guild’, I wonder if there are such ‘Ancient Magic’ too?

“……this is just a delusion”

“What kind of delusion? Yuuki-sama”

“I can’t tell Martha”

“It might come true if it’s a passionate invitation though?”

“……I think you’re misunderstanding something”

“Let’s make sure of that when I wash your hair next time”

Stop smiling boldly while holding your maid uniform’s chest. Martha.

“Yuuki-sama! Is Yuuki-sama here?!”

Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps and the door was opened.

The one who came in was a maid sent from the mansion.

“I’m here. After all, Martha will get mad at me if I were to disappear”

“You sounded like you’d run off if this Martha wasn’t here”

“I think I’d at least try to avoid being noticed”

“Martha is doing a splendid work. A model of the maid”

“Great. Oh, pass me the honey”

“You’re putting too much into it. Yuuki-sama”

As she spoke, Martha brought the honey pot to me—

“Now’s not the time for that! Yuuki-sama and Martha too”

“Help me put back the honey pot”

“……Baron-sama has requested that Yuuki-sama return to the mansion”

……………huh?

“We have received a notice from Her Royal Highness’s messenger to have the entire Baron household to greet her. Please return to the mansion at once. Yuuki-sama!”

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Chapter 12 – The Girl Clara And The Old Warrior, Thanking The Mysterious Boy

“……haa”

The girl sat on the ground and sighed.

It’s all quiet now. It seemed unlikely for another ‘Dark Bear’ to appear.

“Thank you very much……”

The girl bowed to the boy.

“I can’t thank you enough for saving my life in such a dangerous situation”

“Likewise, I was able to see some good stuff”

The boy shook his head shyly.

He looked about the same age as me.

If he was a noble, I guess he would have been old enough to be taught by a private tutor in prepare for entering a school.

(I didn’t know there was such an amazing person in the countryside. He wasn’t afraid of the monsters at all. If there had been one wrong move, even he himself could have been attacked by the ‘Dark Bear’……and yet he still helped me……such courage)

The girl clutched her chest.

She couldn’t stop her heart from beating fast.

(……maybe this person……is the one from the exam?)

“Thanks for the help, boy! You’re amazing!”

Unaware of the girl’s agitation, the old warrior called out.

“Are these bats your familiar? It’s amazing. There aren’t many people in the ‘Magic Guild’ educational institution who can control their familiar to this degree. This is really an awesome feat!”

“No, they were strong to begin with”

“……oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. I was just feeding them. And then we became friends”

“……those bats are strong”

“They have to be strong to live in the mountains where monsters would occasionally appear, right? More importantly……”

The boy looked directly at the girl.

His gaze was so strong that it almost made her feel pressured.

“If you were a local, then you would not have entered the ‘Dark Bear’ territory. Outsiders are not allowed to enter this mountain without the soldier or adventurer’s escort. So, why are you guys here?”

“N, no……we……”

“Please don’t blame ojou-sama. We heard it was safe here”

“From whom?”

“From a private tutor of the Baron Grossalia household, named Kachel Mieghem”

“…………………oh, I see”

The boy looks like he had swallowed something bitter.

“That bastard. He should think a little before doing anything……the exam almost got messed up because of him……”

“Are you, perhaps, a member of the Baron Grossalia household?”

“No, I’m just a hunter”

“Just a hunter who uses magic?”

“A hunter who knows a lot about magic”

“……………oh, really?”

“……………yes, really”

“Even so, you have great skill. If it’s you, you can even join the ‘Magic Guild’”

“Are you related to the ‘Magic Guild’?”

“……eh?”

“I can roughly guess it from this conversation”

“Y, yes. Sorry for the late introduction”

The girl stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes.

Then she looked at the old man standing behind me.

They looked at each other and nodded as if confirming something, then——

“I’m helping with the exam. My name is……um……Clara Listeth”

“I’m Barnes, ojou-sama’s bodyguard”

“In a few days, there will be an exam for joining the ‘Magic Guild’ around here. We came to perform a preliminary inspection for that reason. After all, there must be no danger and injustice”

“Keep it a secret from your people. If you tell them in advance, they will make a big fuss”

“So that’s what it was about”

“You’ve saved my life. If you don’t mind, may I have your name?”

“………can’t I be a nameless hunter too?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. You are our benefactor……oh, that’s right…”

The girl touched behind her ear and removed the hair clip from her silver hair.

“I’ll give you this as a token of my gratitude”

“……no, there’s no need for that”

“Oh? If you’re a hunter, don’t you need to monetize what you get from hunting?”

The girl covered her mouth and laughed.

The boy has a troubled look on his face.

I wonder why. When I look at his face, I feel warm in my chest.

“We’ve burnt the ‘Dark Bear’ material to crisp. So please take this instead. Okay?”

“……thank you very much”

“Hehe”

The girl Clara took the boy’s hand and placed a silver hair clip on it.

I don’t know what to do if he refuses……that kind of thought passes through my mind for a moment.

However, the boy accepted the hair clip.

“You’ve been very helpful. Please help me to thank your bats too”

The girl bowed deeply to the boy again and the old man does the same too.

“If you hadn’t come running to us, we wouldn’t be alive now. It was really……amazing. Like a gale, I suppose that’s what one would call it, right…?”

“…………you”

“Yes?”

“…………you looked just like my silly son’s daughter……”

“…………you have grandchild? That can’t be possible”

“…………it’s nothing. I’ll take you to the foot of the mountain”

Then the boy led Clara and Barnes to the foot of the mountain.

Their carriage was hidden in the woods at the foot of the mountain.

At the end, Barnes wanted to thank the boy as well, but the boy declined and left.

“He was a wonderful person”

murmured Clara with a sigh.

“That kind of fighting ability at such a young age. And the courage to aim at the monster’s vital part with one blow. I wish someone like him could be near me”

“As a bodyguard? Ojou-sama”

“Yes. If possible, I wanted to tell him my real name but……”

“After all, he did save our lives. But the opportunity will come soon”

“If it’s him, I think he wouldn’t even need to take the ‘Magic Guild’ examination. I’d want him to be my attendant right away”

“A knight standing next to ojou-sama. That’s the position that everyone aspires to, isn’t it?”

“Do Barnes thinks that he’s the examinee this time?”

“There’s no doubt about it, right?”

The old man Barnes nodded in satisfaction with an axe in his hand.

“I think that boy is Xellos Grossalia, the one who intends to join the ‘Magic Guild’”

“Is that so?”

“Did you find anything amiss?”

“Tutor Kachel described him as, ‘Blonde hair. Tall. A courteous young noble’ in the report”

“Ojou-sama must have felt that his words were unreliable”

“Kachel’s father was a brilliant man”

“At any rate, I think that boy is Xellos Grossalia. If he was a different person, then Kachel has missed such talent. If that’s the case, then I think he ought to be kicked out of the guild at once! Especially after what he did to ojou-sama!!”

The girl Clara was not listening to Barnes.

The image of the boy from earlier was still on her mind.

A mysterious hunter. The ability to fight and defeat monsters in an instant. And the bats that are too strong.

He knew about the ‘Magic Guild’ exam. If he wasn’t Xellos Grossalia……then who was he?

“And…………he said he knows someone who looks like me”

Clara shook her head.

I had a feeling that I must look into the Baron household a little more.

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Chapter 11 – The Former Demon king, Kill The Monster Instantly

—At that time, on the mountainside—

“Please run away, ojou-sama! You can’t deal with the ‘Dark Bear’ yet!”

“How can I leave jii and run away?”

The girl readied her sword.

She shielded the wounded old man behind her back and glared at the enemy in front of her.

It was just before dawn when her carriage reached the foot of the mountain.

In order to explore the mountain, she entered it with the old man.

They were supposed to have moved according to the map.

However, the road suddenly got cut off. Because of that, the two lost their way and accidentally entered the monster habitat.

”That bastard. What did he mean by ‘a safe mountain without monsters’? Even the map is bullshit!”

“We’ve got to get through this now!”

“I will be the shield. Ojou-sama will use the magic”

The old man used an axe with long handle to stand up.

His left arm was badly wounded after receiving a surprise attack from the ‘Dark Bear’.

The bleeding was stopped with magic, but it will take some time to heal the injury completely. However, there’s no time for that now.

‘Gwaaahhhh!’

The bear, which is twice the size of an adult is standing on its hind-legs.

The monster’s eyes are locked on the old man and the girl. There’s no way they could escape from it.

“‘—The source is the crucible of heat. Like the lava flowing from the Earth, the breath of scorching heat is shown here’”

While recalling the spell she learnt, the girl begins to draw a crest in the air.

“I will buy ojou-sama the time to chant. I won’t let you pass! Bear!!”

The old man swung his axe.

The sound of the blade cutting into the ‘Dark Bear’ arm can be heard.

‘Gwaaahhh!!’

“I’m ready! Get away from there, jii!”

“Alright!!”

“‘Fire God Chain Bullet’” <— (honōshin rendan)

Multiple flames were formed around the girl.

And rushed towards the ‘Dark Bear’ in one go.

‘Gw, gwaaaahhhh!!!’

“It’s working, ojou-sama. Hang in there and finish it!”

“Yes!”

One of the advantages of the ‘Ancient Magic’ is its ability to fire continuously.

If the spell passes through the magic ‘circuit’, the same magic can be unleashed one after another.

‘Gwaaahhhhh!! Gwaaahh!!’

Flames are formed one after another, burning up the ‘Dark Bear’.

“That was a close call. Seriously, when it comes to his information……”

“Be quiet, jii!”

The girl listens carefully.

‘────Gwaaahhh. Gwaaahhh’

The roaring sound can be heard. And it’s close too.

The girl read the parchment in her hand again.

‘This mountain has a rating of A. Zero monster. Even if there are any, it will be some low-level monsters. Safety level AA. Ideal for examination site. It has nice view too. Please come anytime’ — that’s what were written on it.

However, the ‘Dark Bear’ is a C-ranked monster. Only an adventurer of intermediate level and above can fight against it.

The place where there is more than one such monster cannot be rated as safety level AA.

That’s why I came here with just jii—

“Jii! This way. Let’s get out of here now. While running, your medical treatment——“

“Ojou-sama!!”

The trees on both sides shook.

What appeared were 2 even larger ‘Dark Bear’.

With anger glowing in their eyes, they raised their arms at the girl.

“Uh!!”

*Clang!!*

The claws that were swung down were parried with the sword. But the bear’s power could not be diminished.

The girl rolled on the ground and came to a stop when she hits a tree.

One of the ‘Dark Bear’ is heading towards the girl and the other one is headed for the old man.

”……gah!”

The girl coughed as she tried to cast the spell.

She hit her chest earlier. And now, there’s no voice coming out of her, so she can’t use the magic.

“Ojou-sama!!”

“……no”

‘Gwaaaaaaaah!!’

“I still have things that I need to do—!”

As if to drown out the girl’s scream, the ‘Dark Bear’ swung its huge claw down.

Those claws cut through the air.

”There’s a lot of monsters in this mountain. It’s impossible to use it as an examination site”

“——eh?”

The next thing she knew, she was flying through the air in the arms of a boy she didn’t know.

He is a small boy with black color hair, black color eyes and is probably about the same age as the girl.

This boy was the one who rescued her.

“……the ‘Body Strengthening’ of the Ancient Magic? That’s amazing……”

He rushed to the scene just before the ‘Dark Bear’ attacked and jumped with the girl in his arms.

Unbelievable—, the girl thought.

The girl and the old man did not notice his approach, not even the ‘Dark Bear’ did too.

No matter how powerful the ‘Body Strengthening’ of the ‘Ancient Magic’ is, there is no way such speed can be achieved.

“T, thank you very much. You are…!?”

“This is the breeding season for the ‘Dark Bear’ at this time of year. Even I also try to stay away from their territory. It’s best to run away as soon as you see them”

“……eh? Ah. Yes……”

“Well, since you’ve pissed off the ‘Dark Bear’ this much, so it’s too late for that now”

The boy lowered the girl to the ground and readied his dagger.

“It should be fine here. You guys protect the jii-san over there”

‘Gee-geee!’

When the boy called out, 4 bats appeared from the forest and headed for the ‘Dark Bear’.

Don’t tell me……they are going to fight too?

The ‘Dark Bear’ is an intermediate class monster. In terms of its danger level, it’s a five-level C class.

It’s a level where the girl and the old man can barely fight against it. No matter how many bats are headed for it—

*Bam!*

‘Gwaaaaahhhhhh!!’

The ‘Dark Bear’ staggered as it received a blow from the bats to the jaw.

In addition, to its temple and ear.

The bats continue to attack the ‘Dark Bear’ at tremendous speed.

‘Gwaaaaahhhhhh!!’

Eventually, the ‘Dark Bear’ fell to the ground.

“No way……the bats have……the ‘Dark Bear’……”

‘……gaa!? Gaaaaa!?’

The ‘Dark Bear’ is groaning with blood flowing from its head.

The bats’ wings and claws are like sharp blades. They easily cut through the body of the ‘Dark Bear’ which was protected by its thick fur.

The reason they don’t attack the body is because the old man is attacking it with his axe.

“Oh dear. This is amusing! I can’t believe I’m fighting with the bats!”

“Amazing. The bats……are working with jii……”

The girl was amazed by the scene happening in front of her.

The bats retreated just in time for the old man to swing his axe and then charged forward at the moment he finished swinging it.

The wounded ‘Dark Bear’ didn’t even have the chance to stand up.

”Can you still use magic?”

Suddenly, the boy murmured.

“Please use the fire magic again. I wasn’t able to see it that well earlier”

“Y, yes. There’s still some magic power left, so if I reboot the ‘circuit’…”

“Shoot it when I give you the signal”

The boy started running with a dagger in his hand.

“—He’s gone!?”

The girl exclaimed.

She couldn’t catch his movement.

As expected, it was too fast for the ‘Body Strengthening’.

The level 1 ‘Ancient Magic’ do not possess such kind of speed.

“’——the source is the crucible of heat’”

The girl began chanting the magic just as the boy had instructed her.

‘Gwah? Gwaaah!!’

The ‘Dark Bear’ looked around. The monster doesn’t know where the boy is.

The boy turned around to its blind spot at high speed and thrust his dagger into the back of the ‘Dark Bear’.

‘Gwah!?’

“……This is the end for you”

The boy pushed the dagger into the monster’s body.

But it was shallow.

The dagger can cut the flesh of the ‘Dark Bear’, but it can’t reach its heart.

(It stopped moving. Now’s the moment!)

When the girl was about to activate her magic.

“Take this. ‘Rapid Freezing’!”

‘Gwaaaaaaahhhhh!!!’

Blood gushed out of the ‘Dark Bear’ chest.

With a sharp, icy blade.

The girl understands it instantly. That is an ordinary ice magic.

The ‘Dark Bear’ has strong body fur. Both fire and ice can be prevented to some extent.

That’s why the boy wounded the ‘Dark Bear’ and cast the ice magic into its injury.

”Huh? Then you don’t even need my magic……?”

“That’s not true, the ‘Dark Bear’ has strong vitality”

The boy kicked the ‘Dark Bear’ on the back and flew away.

Then he waved his hand at the girl.

“Just in case, please finish it off! So that I can clearly see how the Ancient Magic can defeat them!!”

“A, alright! Activate! ‘Fire God Chain Bullet’!” <— (honōshin rendan)

When the girl activated the ‘Ancient Magic’, the dying ‘Dark Bear’ was devoured by the flames.

”The jii-san, Dick and the others over there, please get away from it too. There will be flames heading towards it soon”

“A, aye” ‘Gee-geee!’

“The girl over there. Use your fire magic on the remaining ‘Dark Bear’!!”

“Ah, alright”

Just as she was told, the girl continuously activated her magic.

The flames were sent flying to the ‘Dark Bear’ that was fighting against the old man.

The ‘Dark Bear’ which was bleeding from its head and body, was unable to evade the magic.

Then its whole body was caught on fire and collapsed.

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Chapter 10 – The Former Demon King, Strengthen Even The Bats

Dawn.

I sneaked out of the mansion and headed for the mountains behind it.

To experiment with the ‘Ancient Magic’.

I had overslept.

I fell into a deep sleep because I ate a pancake filled with plenty of syrup that was served for dinner.

This body is still just 13 years old, so it requires lots of sleep. Moreover, the pancake made from the kitchen in the main building was delicious, so it can’t be helped.

“The mountains behind the mansion will only be off-limits during the afternoon, wasn’t it?”

The day has not yet ended. At this time of the day, there are still no guards on duty.

By using the ‘Body Strengthening’ and the ‘Flight’, it will only take me 10 minutes to reach the mountains behind the mansion.

—Ten minutes later, in the mountains behind the mansion—

“Dick. Are you awake?”

‘……yes! Master!’

This is the mountaintop of the mountains behind the mansion.

I called out in a low voice, and the bat Dick flew to me.

“You heard me well just now”

‘Dick knows everything about this mountain. We’ve all been waiting for master to come!’

*BAZABAZABAZABAZA—BAZA!!*

The sky at dawn was suddenly dyed black.

Countless bats were flying in the sky.

“Thank you. I understand the greeting. But let’s have them disperse before someone notices it”

‘Affirmative! Everyone, disperse!!’

The bats dispersed.

However, Dick and three other bats were allowed to stay.

This is to keep an eye out for people.

“‘Body Strengthening’ — Activate”

I drew the crest of the ‘Body Strengthening’ on my left hand.

It has been experimented up to this point.

Now I’m going to draw the crest on my right hand as well.

I activated the ‘Body Strengthening’ on both of my hands and started running.

*BUON*

The view flew by.

Too fast! What the hell is this. I’m scared!

I can’t keep up with my senses. It’s too fast. I kicked the ground with all the force I could muster and—

My body flew to the sky.

It’s on the same level as the ‘Flight’ in my past life.

“Is the uptime around 10 minutes?”

The experiment was a success.

If I draw two crests, the effect of the ‘Ancient Magic’ will be doubled.

Xellos nii-sama was chanting a spell together with the drawing of the crest in the air.

Because there’s only one mouth, so only one magic can be used at a time.

But in my case, I can cast magic just by drawing the crest with my ‘Magical Blood’.

There is no limit to the number.

“……not good, it has become fun somehow”

In this era, I’ve decided to be an ordinary person.

I’m going to make magic just a hobby but…….

“I wonder what would happen if I draw 3 crests at the same time”

………….

…….

So, I tried.

*CREAK!*

My body creaked.

”ARRRGGGHHH!?”

This is dangerous. It’s one hell of a muscle pain.

When I try to move my hands and feet, I feel the pain as if my feet are cramped. Moreover, with the feeling when the numbness is cut off.

No good. My body is not in sync with the magic. This is too reckless for my 13 years old body.

…………woo.

……woooooo.

After 10 minutes of intense muscle pain…the effects of the magic finally wore off.

As I thought, the ‘Ancient Magic’ is dangerous.

Since I’m just an ordinary person in this era, so let’s not get carried away.

‘Master. What’s wrong?’

The bat Dick stayed on my shoulder and looked at me anxiously.

As I look at those wings…….

“…I wonder what would happen if I draw the crest on Dick’s body”

‘Is it a magic? Then please give it a try’

“Are you sure?”

‘It seems fun!’

“Let’s give it a try then”

This is not Dean Nosferatu’s will, but Yuuki Grossalia’s.

I’m 13 years old now and is a child full of curiosity.

That’s why I inadvertently drew the crest of the ‘Body Strengthening’ on Dick’s wings. It ended up looking like a graffiti.

“How do you feel, Dick? Feeling anything weird?”

‘It’s weird’

“All right. I will erase it immediately”

‘No, there’s no need to erase it. It’s amazing, master! Dick is filled with energy now’

Dick’s figure suddenly disappeared—and when I noticed it, he has already flew up to a much higher height.

“Ohhhhhhhhh!”

‘Ohhhhhhhhh!!’

We raised our voice at the same time.

Dick’s speed as he flew over the sky was several times more than usual.

I must focus to see his movement.

“Hey! Don’t come down in that state. You’re going to run into a tree”

‘It’s okay. The sound waves ability has been strengthened too!’

Dick slipped through the trees.

The leaves on the trees fall off after he passed by.

Bats avoid obstacles with sounds that we can’t hear—according to his own testimony, but seems like it has been strengthened.

‘This is amazing! To think Master have such a great power’

‘Kyuii. Kyuii’

Before I knew it, there were three other bats coming my way.

“You want me to strengthen you guys too?”

Nod, nod.

“……just this once though”

‘Kyui! Kyuii!’

I drew the crest on the bats.

There’s no helping it.

I need to make sure that this ‘Ancient Magic’ can also be used by people other than my servants.

And the outcome was,

‘Kyuiiii—iii!!’

‘Kyuuuuiiiiii!’

‘Kyu kyu, kyu—!!’

‘This is amazing, master!’

All the 4 bats are now in the ‘Body Strengthening’ state.

“The ‘Ancient Magic’ is truly incredible….”

But the mages of the guild can manipulate such power at will?

As I thought……it will be better to not get involved with them.

I’ll go to an ordinary school and be an ordinary person.

Magic is just a hobby. Going too far will become dangerous, so I won’t go any further. The end.

“Shall I head back now? Martha will be angry if I’m late for breakfast”

I’m pretty sure the leftover syrup from yesterday will be served for breakfast.

It’s delicious when dipped with rye bread.

Because the Baron family rarely serve it, therefore I can’t afford to miss it.

‘Master. I found someone’

Dick came back.

‘While searching for the others, I saw human are being chased by monster’

“I see. That is going to be a problem”

‘I know right’

“What kind of monster was it?”

‘It’s a Dark Bear’

“That’s a big pinch. But then, to have entered the mountain without any preparation, there’s no helping it”

‘Is that so?’

”It must be a reckless traveler anyway. So it’s none of my business”

‘Then why is Master running at the same speed as the strengthened Dick—and is still getting faster— It’s amazing, Master—’

There’s no choice.

This mountains behind the mansion is Xellos nii-sama’s examination site. It would be troublesome if there’s a dead body.

Either the exam will be postponed, or there will be a re-examination. If that happens, the tutor Kachel will definitely get enraged more than ever.

Yeah, it’s a pain in the ass just by thinking about it.

“Who is it? Who is the one that entered this mountain without any preparation!”

I’ll have a look at your face.

After that I will decide whether to help or not.

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Chapter 9 – The Former Demon King, Strengthening Himself

—That day, in a corner of the mansion—

”Are you still concerned about Yuuki-dono?”

“….yes. Sensei”

”Again, it’s unlikely that Yuuki-dono has used the ‘Ancient Magic’. It’s because that is a magic that can only be used by the Chosen One”

”Y, yes. I’m well aware of that but”

”I understand that Xellos-sama is wary of Yuuki-dono. Did you see how Baron-sama behaved earlier? He cared for Yuuki-sama so much. As expected, it seems that he is being ensnared. This proves that Yuuki-dono wants to overthrow you and take over as the legitimate son”

“….sensei, I’m…”

“Don’t ever let your guard down. Xellos-sama”

Tutor Kachel grabbed Xellos Grossalia’s shoulder.

“Yuuki-dono is steadily implementing a plan to get the servants on his side. The other day, he was trying to treat his servants to the prey of the hunt. This is an obvious attempt to curry favor with the servants. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t stopped him”

”Is Yuuki really…trying to get rid of me?”

“It’s something common in a noble family”

Kachel muttered bloodily.

“Things like an illegitimate child joining a noble family and eventually taking over the house. To neglect someone who is the legitimate son just because he is a little better is unforgivable. You must show to them. Show to them that your true power is not just like this. And”

“……sensei?”

”Listen, Xellos-sama. The only one who is on your side is this Kachel Mieghem. Do you hear me, I’m the only one on your side”

Kachel repeated the same words.

The illegitimate child has invaded the Baron family.

The Baron even accepted Yuuki, everything was just a scheme.

“I have faith in you. Xellos-sama”

“…….sensei”

“Xellos-sama is the one whom Kachel Mieghem should serve. If this body do not possess a great amount of magic power, then I might not be able to gain the trust of Xellos-sama and—”

“N, no. I also have faith in Kachel-sensei”

“Then please repeat the same words as me. Grasp this amulet tightly—Yuuki Grossalia is the enemy—and we have a common enemy. Moreover, we must fight against him, and”

“W—we have— a common enemy”

”No matter what Yuuki-dono do, he can’t win against me and Xellos-sama. I’ve already taken steps to make sure that my magic and Xellos-sama’s magic are united. So please be at ease on the day you’re taking the examination. Xellos-sama”

—At the same time, in Yuuki’s room—

After returning to my own room in the detached building.

I decided to investigate the phenomenon.

Xellos nii-sama’s ‘Ancient Magic’ was activated by drawing a crest in the air and chanting a spell.

The crest could be read from the movement of his fingers.

But for the spell, I didn’t understand what it was. As far as I know, that’s not the language of any country that I know of.

It’s probably words that are used exclusively for the ‘Ancient Magic’.

And the only way to know that is to learn from tutor Kachel or the ‘Magic Guild’.

Even though I only drew the crest and didn’t chant the spell.

But the ‘Body Strengthening’ was activated.

Let’s think again from the beginning.

There are two types of magic in this world, the common magic used by the general public and the ‘Ancient Magic’ discovered by the ‘Sanctuary Church’.

The differences are power, duration, and magic consumption.

Compared to the common magic, the ‘Ancient Magic’ has 3 things that put it in a different league than the common magic.

Nii-sama with his ‘Body Strengthening’ fought evenly with otou-sama who was a veteran warrior.

After that, I drew the same crest that nii-sama had shown me then my body became stronger too.

But the problem was, why did my magic got activated.

“Let’s experiment with it”

I took out a piece of parchment.

With a pen and the ink, I tried to draw the crest from that time.

“…………Nothing is happening”

Next, let’s use my ‘Magical Blood’.

At that time, things started to change when I drew the crest on the palm of my hand with the blood on my fingers.

So let’s do the same thing now.

I cut my fingertips with a knife and draw on the palm of my hand with my blood on the pen….

It was activated.

My body feels light and when I stretch it……I feel unpleasantly fast.

Let’s not do a jump as I might crash into the ceiling.

After that, I just silently count the number of seconds. 100…… 200…… about 600 seconds. So, 10 minutes huh.

Next, I’ll put my blood into the pen and draw the crest on a parchment this time.

And when I tossed the parchment—it just fell normally.

So, there is no way to use the ‘Body Strengthening’ on a parchment huh.

“……that means my ‘Magical Blood’ is the cause of it?”

I displayed the status again.

‘Yuuki Nosferatu’

Age: 13

Race: Unknown

Stamina: B

Strength: B

Agility: A

Magic: S

Dexterity: B

Skill: Flight. Magical Blood. Stealth. Ice Magic. Servant Creation. Erosion. Purification. Ancient Magic Aptitude.

The skills increased.

What’s the meaning of this? Until now, there was no such ‘Ancient Magic Aptitude’ skill.

In the first place, I never use the ‘Ancient Magic’ in my past life too.

However, I was stabbed with the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ Holy Sword at the end….

“Was it from that time!?”

When I died in my past life, the Holy Sword was stained bright red with my blood.

And my blood is like a part of my limbs.

So when I died, I was connected to the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ Holy Sword.

In other words, I reincarnated in the state of being connected to the ‘Ancient Artifacts’.

It seems that it had some kind of effect on my soul, and as a result, I’ve gained an aptitude for the ancient magic.

So, the ‘Ancient Magic’ could be activated just by using the ‘Magical Blood’ to draw the crest?

“…interesting”

When I reincarnated, I thought that the humans of this era might have analyzed the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ and developed their culture with it.

However, that didn’t happen.

Because of the war, the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ had disappeared, and the ‘Ancient Magic’ belonged to the ‘Rindobell Magic Guild’.

But what if I become an expect in the ‘Ancient Magic’….

“Maybe I can develop the culture and make this world a more comfortable place”

Okay. End of delusion.

It’s impossible. Impossible.

I’m the one who was called as the Local Demon King in my past life, and now I’m the illegitimate child of a Baron family. Let’s not get my hopes high.

My desire is to study the humans and be able to pretend like a human. That’s all.

Let’s leave the affairs of the human world to the humans.

“I hope Xellos nii-sama joins the ‘Magic Guild’ and get better”

I laid down on the bed.

From outside, I could hear my little sister, Lumia and Martha’s voice.

”Yuuki nii-sama caught a rabbit! So the lunch menu is nii-sama’s meat!”

“Yuuki-sama is amazing. I’m sure it will be delicious”

Lumia, that sounds like you’re going to eat my flesh.

Martha should lower down her voice a little too.

Everyone in the mansion knows that the two of them are childhood friends, but it would be troublesome if Kachel heard about it.

“……I’m fine with this”

Reincarnated as a human and has a normal family too.

From now on I can go to the school and gain knowledge of this era.

I have been treated well enough as an illegitimate child of a noble.

I’m no longer the ‘Local Demon King’ and I’m no longer the ‘Vampire King’ too.

What happened in the past life is over now.

The ‘Sanctuary Church’ that cornered me is gone too.

‘Immortal mage! You, as the Demon King, are plotting to conquer the human race, aren’t you!?’

As a Demon King, I don’t think there will be such an accusation anymore.

Nobody was trying to conquer the human race.

All I wanted to do was improve my magic, make it easier for the people in the village to draw water…… and reduce the rate of livestock contracting disease so that they could have meat on a weekly basis—

“…………it’s depressing. Past life”

I decided to sleep in until lunch, so I closed my eyes.

That night, the butler Neil told me about the coming day of Her Royal Highness the Princess.

From tomorrow afternoon, one of the chosen sites for the exam venue at the mountain behind the mansion will be off-limits.

I decided to sneak out of the house again.

<< Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter >>

Chapter 8 – The Former Demon King, Awakening To Ancient Magic

”Someone, bring me a wooden sword! Now, a mock battle between me and Xellos will take place”

“Yes. Then allow me”

“Yuuki will stay there to watch the battle between me and Xellos”

“……yes”

”Make sure no one comes here, have Neil be thorough with it. And make sure no one in the house can see the ‘Ancient Magic’. Would that be suffice, Kachel-dono?”

“This Kachel can’t help but admire Baron-sama’s thoughts”

Thus, otou-sama and nii-sama were to hold a mock battle in front of me.

The preparations were soon over, otou-sama and nii-sama faced each other with their weapons in hand.

Otou-sama holds a thick wooden sword in both hands.

Xellos nii-sama on the other hand is one-handed.

“I’ll decide who wins and who doesn’t!”

Standing between them, the tutor Kachel shouted.

”Either one side admit defeat or lose if the sword is dropped. Is that all right?

“Yes” “No objection. Sensei”

“Well then, let’s get started!!”

“Here I come, otou-sama!!”

It was Xellos nii-sama who had made the first move.

While drawing something like a figure in the air with his finger, he also started muttering some kind of spell.

“‘Be fulfilled! I am————————————————–‘”

“Well done. Xellos-sama!”

Xellos nii-sama’s chanting is inaudible to me. It’s unlike any other words I’ve ever heard.

“Activate— ‘Body Strengthening’!!”

Xellos nii-sama kicked the ground and started running.

“—Fast!”

Nii-sama’s physical abilities have improved dramatically.

He closed the gap between him and otou-sama in a split second and swung his sword down with one hand.

*GA–*

Otou-sama caught nii-sama’s sword with his two-handed sword.

No—he can’t stop the blow. He’s being pushed back.

Otou-sama who is two heads taller than Xellos nii-sama and about twice as big, is being overpowered by Xellos nii-sama.

It was like a joke.

I’ve never seen a magic with this much of power, even in my past life.

With an ordinary magic, the strength can only be increased by a few percent at most. However, nii-sama’s strength and instantaneous power are probably many times greater now.

……it’s terrifying.

This is the power of the ‘Ancient Magic’?

“Xellos. This is the result of your learning huh”

“Yes. With the ‘Ancient Magic’, I can fight on equal terms with otou-sama!”

“That’s truly quite a feat!”

Otou-sama clenched his teeth and pushed back Xellos nii-sama’s sword.

For a moment, nii-sama withdraw then in the same timing, he jumps back.

Again, Xellos nii-sama closed the gap and swung his wooden sword.

In terms of strength and speed, Xellos nii-sama is already the superior one. Still, the reason otou-sama is able to fight is probably because of his combat experience.

Now I understand why the ‘Ancient Magic’ can only be used in the ‘Sanctuary Church’ and the ‘Rindobell Magic Guild’.

The spell nii-sama had chanted was peculiarly pronounced, with systematic breathing in between the sounds. It’s probably a language that is dedicated to the ‘Ancient Magic’.

Without deciphering that, the ‘Ancient Magic’ cannot be used.

I can’t do it.

There’s no way such a strange spell can be casted without being taught.

“How is it, Yuuki! This is my power! Do you realize even a little!?”

Xellos nii-sama cried out as he flicked the sword that otou-sama had swung down.

“It’s a power you don’t understand. I’ll use this power to become a high ranking mage in the magic guild. And then I will raise this Grossalia Baron family to the same status as the upper class noble!”

”That’s right. Yuuki-kun. This is the power of the ‘Ancient Magic’. It’s a power you can’t even imagine!”

Before I notice it, I saw the tutor Kachel is looking at me.

“The power to fight on an equal footing with the veteran Baron-sama. With this, Xellos-sama will definitely climb up to a higher height as a noble! Sooner or later, you won’t even be able to speak to me or Xellos-sama! You can see the differences in our status, can’t you!?”

“You’re right”

I paid no attention to the words of the tutor Kachel.

Nii-sama’s sword which was strengthened by the ‘Ancient Magic’ was amazing too, however, otou-sama was just barely able to cope with it.

I can clearly see how scary it is to turn against the humans of this era.

……This is the first time I’ve seen the ‘Ancient Magic’ up close and…… it’s terrifying.

Even if I used all my skills, there’s no knowing if I could win.

It’s because I don’t understand the magic theory at all to begin with. Just a moment ago, I did my best to memorize the movements of nii-sama’s fingers.

Nii-sama, have written such a crest with his finger.

In this way and this way…then adding the chanting to it too….

*DOKUN*

My heart rumbled.

My hands and feet became hot. It felt like power is welling up from deep within the body.

—What’s this?

It was as if I had returned to be the ‘Immortal Mage’ Dean Nosferatu… from my past life.

My stamina and energy seem to be overflowed—?

What is this. What, is this power!?

“I’m sorry! I don’t feel well, so I’m going to have to excuse myself!”

“……Eh?” “Are you okay? Yuuki!?”

Xellos nii-sama and otou-sama called out.

But I can’t afford to answer.

I moved my feet with all my might to get away from the three of them. To somewhere out of people’s sight.

That’s right. Let’s go to the back yard.

“Wait a minute, Yuuki! You have to see my power!!”

“Don’t chase after me! Xellos nii-sama”

Why are you chasing me? Moreover, in the state of the ‘Body Strengthening’”.

Right now…… I can’t get caught!

I increased my running speed.

“—Eh? I can’t keep up!? Why!?”

Nii-sama’s voice faded away.

I turned at the corner of the mansion and went into the back yard.

Then— I kicked the ground with all my might.

—Xellos’s Point Of View—

“Hey!? Yuuki!?”

Xellos chased after his younger brother and turned at the corner of the building.

Without a pause, he entered the back yard. But—

“…….not here”

His younger brother, Yuuki was nowhere to be seen.

“This must be a lie. How come I can’t catch up to him with my ‘Body Strengthening’. How come Yuuki is stronger than me. No way”

“What’s going on, Xellos-sama”

When I turned around, I saw my private tutor Kachel.

“Yuuki is not here. I couldn’t catch up to him. Could it be that Yuuki is also using the ‘Ancient Magic’?”

“That’s impossible”

The tutor Kachel shook his head.

”In order to use the ‘Ancient Magic’, it requires a certain action and chanting, as well as the use of internal magic power. It’s not something that can be used by the illegitimate child who hasn’t been taught of it”

“But!!”

”Xellos-sama had only just been able to use the ‘Body Strengthening’ and was probably not able to control it well. Normally, you would have overwhelmed Baron Georg-sama even in a melee match”

“……sensei”

”Come on, let’s go back to Baron-sama. The goal of showing off your power to Yuuki-dono has been achieved. Now you have to show that to Baron-sama too”

“Yes”

Xellos walked towards the front yard of the mansion.

“But…sometimes…I feel like I’m no match for Yuuki…I just do”

“Let’s have a chat later. That illegitimate child won’t be a problem. Like I always said, you have the true ability”

After saying that, Xellos and Kachel left.

—Yuuki’s Point Of View—

“…that was a close call”

.  .  .  .  .

From the room on the 2nd floor, I was looking over the back yard.

After running to the back yard, I jumped to the 2nd floor then opened the window and hid inside the room.

My ‘Flight’ skill is still incomplete. Normally, I shouldn’t be able to jump to the 2nd floor.

But the reason I was able to jump that high was because of the ‘Body Strengthening’ effect.

While watching Xellos nii-sama and otou-sama fight, my hands and feet suddenly became hot.

Power surged from deep within my body, and it was as if I had returned to the heyday of my past life.

While thinking it’s bad, I decided to run away.

”I never thought that the ‘Ancient Magic’ could be activated just by drawing the crest with blood…”

I looked at the palm of my hand.

There is the crest that I drew in my ‘Magical Blood’.  <— ‘Mistel Blood’

When I saw the mock battle between otou-sama and Xellos nii-sama earlier, I unconsciously drew it.

It’s a habit that I had when I was the ‘Lone Demon King’ in my past life. Back then, whenever I had something that I wanted to write it down right away, I’d cut my fingertips and write it in blood on the palm of my hand or on a parchment.

Lyle said, ‘That’s why they called you a vampire’ while laughing.

“I’ll have to do a little more research on the ‘Ancient Magic’”

After saying that, I looked at the inhabitant of the room.

“That said, I’m sorry. I must have scared you, Martha”

“You jumped in while I was changing and that’s all you have to say?”

Inside the room, my maid, Martha was glaring at me.

In her underwear. She hugged her nearly undressed maid’s outfit.

Perhaps because she was changing, her chestnut-color hair which she usually ties up is fluffing and swaying.

“Do you know how surprised Martha was when the window was suddenly opened?”

“…I’m truly sorry”

“But I was relieved the moment I found out it was Yuuki-sama”

“No, why do you feel relieved”

Martha puffed her cheeks after I said that.

Her name is Martha. She’s 15 years old and are 2 years older than me.

She’s my personal maid who are working in the detached building.

Because her mother had worked for the Baron family, so Martha used to always come to the mansion for a long time. To me and Lumia, she is our childhood friend. Martha’s mother is now unwell and works at home doing manual labor. So to replace her, Martha now work for the Baron family as a maid in practice.

“After all, Martha has pledged her allegiance to Yuuki-sama”

Martha looked at my direction as she covered her body with the maid’s clothes that she held in her hands.

“Yuuki-sama told Baron-sama that he should hire Martha in the place of my mother when she had to resign from the Baron family’s service. If Yuuki-sama hadn’t said that, Martha and mother might be wondering around the street now”

“……That’s because Kachel haven’t come here at that time”

The Baron family was not as strict as it is now.

“Besides, Martha’s mother was the only one who would take care of me. On the contrary, Martha also has to take care of me at the detached building, so I think I’m the one who was being a bother”

“Yuuki-sama had went to visit my mother many times”

“Because I don’t feel comfortable staying in this house all the time, and I don’t know anyone else”

“My mother’s health has gotten better every time Yuuki-sama went to visit her”

“That is just a coincidence”

“Is that so”

“Yes, yes”

”Still…Martha’s allegiance belongs to Yuuki-sama”

So stubborn. Martha…

Humans are like that, aren’t they?

“For the umpteenth time, I don’t think of Martha as a servant”

“You always say that Martha are your partner living together in this mansion, didn’t you”

“Yes, that’s what I said”

With me being stared by nii-sama and the private tutor.

With Martha who lives alone with her sick mother.

It’s quite difficult to live in this Baron family.

”I understand…if you say so, Yuuki-sama”

“In the first place, Martha”

“What is it. Yuuki-sama”

“Aren’t you surprised that I came in through the window at the 2nd floor?”

“Martha is well aware of how amazing Yuuki-sama are”

“Is it”

“Martha used to be a crybaby but was well protected. You would use magic to ward off the bugs or cool my burnt hands. And each time you would say, ‘Oops I forgot. Don’t tell anyone, okay?’, so Martha is getting more and more secrets. At this point of time, there’s nothing to be surprised anymore”

“I’m sorry about that”

“This time it will also be the same, ‘Oops I forgot. Don’t tell anyone, okay?’, right?”

“Yeah. By all means”

“Well noted”

“I’m sorry”

“By the way, Yuuki-sama”

“Yeah”

“It’s a bit late to say this now, but what are your thoughts after seeing Martha changing clothes?”

“I know very well that Martha is pretty”

“Thank you very much. Afterwards, Martha will wash your hair as a thank you”

“I just washed it recently, so it’s okay”

“No—it—is—not—okay”

“……all right”

“Good”

“Well then, I’m going back to my room now. Bring me some tea later”

“Yes. I’ll come over after I finish changing my clothes”

Saying that, Martha bowed.

So I decided to head back to my room.

A few minutes later.

As I was sipping the tea that Martha had brewed for me, otou-sama came into the room.

”Yuuki, you’ve been asked to stay at an inn in town while Her Royal Highness is coming. Martha and a few others will accompany you. However, you are not allowed to return to the mansion until Her Royal Highness has left this place”

Otou-sama said that while avoiding my gaze.

“The truth is, you don’t really have to go that far. You also don’t need to seclude yourself in the room. But……since it was instructed by the private tutor dispatched from the ‘Magic Guild’……so it’s inevitable”

“I don’t really mind. Otou-sama”

I was the one who insisted on leaving the house anyway. Besides, it’s not bad to relax at an inn once in a while.

I won’t need to look at tutor Kachel’s face too.

“Martha is going to follow me, isn’t she? In that case, I don’t mind”

“……I’m sorry. Yuuki”

Without warning.

Otou-sama stretched out his arms and hugged me.

“I’m just an upstart after all. I’m probably not cut out to be a nobleman. This is silly. I never thought I’d have to put my own son through such a shameful experience……”

“Otou-sama. Martha is watching”

“I’m not”

As she said, Martha faced away.

“Please continue. Baron-sama. Yuuki-sama”

“……she got me”

It’s so embarrassing to be hugged by otou-sama in front of Martha.

I originally thought it was my job to comfort a child.

In my past life, I used to treat the crybaby Lyle and Alice like this.

But, to be done the same thing by someone doesn’t feel bad too.

In my past life, I don’t even know who my parents are.

But now I have otou-sama, my little sister Lumia, Xellos nii-sama and Martha too.

For that reason alone, it was probably a good thing to be a human.

“Thank you very much, otou-sama”

“I will not let you be inconvenienced. Let the butler Neil handle the preparations. Martha, please take good care of Yuuki for me”

”Those words alone are enough. Otou-sama”

“Please leave Yuuki-sama to me. Baron-sama”

I got out of otou-sama’s arms and bowed. Behind me, Martha also bowed her head.

I stayed that way until otou-sama left the room.

This is because I didn’t know what kind of a face that a human child would make at such a moment like this.

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Chapter 7 – The Former Demon King, Praising His Older Brother

“Her Royal Highness?”

”Ah, don’t you know, Yuuki?”

Xellos nii-sama peered into my face.

“Her Royal Highness is going to become a trainee of the ‘Magic Guild’”

“I understand”

I nodded.

“The ‘Rindobell Magic Guild’ also has high ranking noble members. That’s why the royal family also learn magic as trainees. In other words, Her Royal Highness the Princess has already decided to learn magic as a trainee. So you mean as someone on the guild’s side, she is coming here to check Xellos nii-sama’s abilities, right?”

“T, that’s amazing. You’re well aware of that, Yuuki”

“I’ve heard Xellos nii-sama and Kachel-sensei talked about it many times”

That was before I regained the memories of my past life.

It was mentioned many times since the arrival of Kachel-sensei. ‘As a result of my guidance, Xellos-sama will be learning the ‘Ancient Magic’ in the Royal Capital’s ‘Magic Guild’. It’s an unrelated place for Yuuki-kun though’, something like that.

“But Her Royal Highness the Princess specially went to the domain of a Baron?”

”It was worth all the effort I put into it. Of course, if you didn’t have as much magic power as Xellos-sama, it would have been useless even if I make a move on it”

Kachel said that while snorting.

”The ‘Magic Guild’ is the place that manage and maintain the ‘Ancient Magic’. A high level of magic aptitude is required to become a trainee there. Princess Iris Restia, the eighth princess, is a person with a very high aptitude. Her Royal Highness has already decided to study magic at the guild, but she is looking for a partner there. That’s why I bought a talented person to oversee the examination”

“This is indeed a very rare event”

”There are such cases in the Duke family and the Marquis family, but this is the first time to happen in a Baron family. I suppose that’s just how much Xellos-sama’s abilities were evaluated”

“It was all thanks to Kachel-sensei’s guidance!”

“I also did my best to write a letter of recommendation to the ‘Rindobell Magic Guild’”

Having said that, the tutor Kachel looked at me.

He looked at otou-sama with a side glance and cleared his throat, then after that he—

”On the day when Her Royal Highness the Princess is here, I’d like you to stay in the house”

“Inside the house?”

”I won’t let the illegitimate child of the Baron family to be seen by Her Royal Highness the Princess. I want you to close the curtains and conceal yourself without making any sound”

“Sensei!?” “Kachel-dono!? Are you serious!?”

“Please be quiet, Xellos-sama and Baron-sama!”

With a bang, the tutor Kachel tapped Xellos nii-sama on the back.

“Come on. Xellos-sama, please speak to Yuuki-dono as well”

“M, me?”

”How can you master magic if you can’t educate your younger brother who are an illegitimate child!? Or do you want to introduce Yuuki-dono to Her Royal Highness? This is your younger brother who are also an illegitimate child. And yet? You’re treating this illegitimate child as an equal to yourself. I’m sure Xellos-sama would get cold shoulder from the other people in the guild’s educational institution!!”

“……u”

Xellos nii-sama came forward.

It’s been a while since I see Xellos nii-sama from the front.

Nii-sama has blond hair and blue eyes. The hair was inherited from otou-sama and the eyes from the legal wife.

He looked a lot like otou-sama.

That’s why I can’t hate Xellos nii-sama.

“Yuuki. You… don’t appear before Her Royal Highness”

“Yes. Xellos nii-sama”

”Her Royal Highness is a person of royal blood in this country. As an illegitimate child…… you’re not permitted to appear in front of her. You…you…”

“Xellos-sama”

Suddenly, the tutor Kachel tapped Xellos nii-sama on the shoulder.

“How can you show your dignity as an older brother by speaking in such a way?”

“……Sensei”

“Say it more clearly. What do you think of Yuuki-dono, go on!”

“……Yuuki”

Xellos nii-sama hesitated for a bit then looked straight at me.

“You were made by otou-sama on the battlefield, the child of an unknown woman. That black hair and dark eyes, neither of them resembles otou-sama’s. S, such a person will never be shown to Her Royal Highness. Listen, you are absolutely not allowed to leave your room on that day! Do you understand!?”

“Yes, with pleasure”

“………Eh?”

“For that reason, I’d be happy to comply”

Who wants to meet a princess?

I was once called as the Local Demon King.

The Dean Nosferatu that was feared (unilaterally) as the ‘Immortal Mage’. I would like to keep as much distance as possible from anything related to the royal family.

They were quick to give the adventurers coins and tell them to subdue the Demon King.

A self-proclaimed Hero have been to the old castle in my past life too.

She was starving so I fed her plenty of food and told her I was harmless in which she understood.

After that, she worked hard as a guard for the ‘Fila Village’. Incidentally, she was Lyle’s grandmother.

Anyway, things like the Royal family and the Princess are interminably annoying existence.

I don’t want to get involved with them even after I reincarnated.

”Rest assured, Xellos nii-sama. I will never appear before Her Royal Highness’s sight. As nii-sama says, I will close the curtains and make sure they never find me”

I said.

”If you’re worried, I’ll stay at an inn in town on that day. That would definitely not be in the sight of Her Royal Highness the Princess. If I can get otou-sama’s permission, I would be happy to travel somewhere far away too…”

“……Yuuki”

…Otou-sama. Why are you wiping your eyes?

Did I say something bad?

“……I’m sorry. I… had made you say that”

“Otou-sama?”

“I wonder if I was making a mistake. In order to join the ranks of the high-ranking noble, I have cornered my child to this point. I…”

“……Yuuki. You……”

Xellos nii-sama clenched his fists and glared at my direction.

“I only told you not to show your face during the examination. But going to the town or going on a trip…are you being sarcastic!? Are you planning to criticize my examination, Yuuki!?”

“I’m not going to do that”

If anything, I’m rooting for you.

I was longing for it in my past life. An older family member.

Therefore, I don’t want to be misunderstood. Let’s be clear here.

“I’m just not interested in the ‘Magic Guild’ or Her Royal Highness the Princess at all”

“What!?”

”I’m content just from being able to live in the Baron family. I don’t want to overreach and meet Her Royal Highness. I just want to be within one’s means”

“…………”

“As a princess, she will have to learn the etiquette that even otou-sama doesn’t know of. I don’t want to become a disgrace when confronting with such a person. I’d be a laughing stock to the other nobles”

“…………grr”

”If possible, I’d like to go to a school for the general public. I want to know how this country came to be by learning and interacting with the common people. Honestly, I don’t really care about the ‘Ancient Magic’ or anything like that anyway. The ‘Sanctuary Church’, which has been destroyed had proven that power alone can’t solve anything”

“…………grrrrr”

“To sum it up, I seriously don’t feel any value in meeting the princess at all. So, there you have it, my response to otou-sama, Xellos nii-sama and Kachel-sensei. I pray that nii-sama can join the guild and learn the ‘Ancient Magic’”

It’s not sarcasm or anything that I want to hide when the princess comes, it’s the truth.

Of course, I don’t want to interfere with Xellos nii-sama either. He’s a very important family member after all.

With these words, I’m sure nii-sama would understand—

”D, don’t make fun of meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”

“Xellos nii-sama!?”

“Overreaching!? Beyond one’s means or position!? Becoming a laughing stock to the other nobles!? Are you saying that I’m being unreasonable!? Joining the ‘Magic Guild’ is beyond my means or position, is that what you’re saying!!”

“How did you end up with this argument, Xellos nii-sama!!”

“I think you should be grateful just by being able to stay in this house! You illegitimate child! You’re the child that otou-sama made on the battlefield!! And yet, how dare you look down on me!!”

“Stop it, Xellos!!”

“Otou-sama!?”

”Yuuki didn’t say that with the intention of looking down on you! Cool your head, Xellos!!”

”If that’s the case…otou-sama. Please have a look at my power!!”

“Your ability?”

”Otou-sama should know how strong I’ve become. Please let me prove the power of the ‘Ancient Magic’ that was taught by Kachel-sensei in front of Yuuki!!”

“……well”

”Baron-sama. This Kachel feel the same too, please”

Tutor Kachel stepped forward after glaring at me with a side glance.

“Yuuki-dono is someone who spent his childhood in a remote place. It’s no wonder he doesn’t know the value of the ‘Ancient Magic’. We can show him the difference in power”

“I feel the same too. Otou-sama!!”

“……all right”

Otou-sama looked up and said.

”Someone, bring me a wooden sword! Now, a mock battle between me and Xellos will take place”

<< Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter >>

Chapter 6 – The Former Demon King, Is Hacking Magic

(T/N: Changed ‘Feela Village’ to ‘Fila Village’)

On my way to the library in the main building, I saw Kachel-sensei.

Kachel looked at me with a humph then turned and walked away.

“I’ve been expecting you. Yuuki-sama”

In front of the library, the butler Neil were waiting for me.

Neil has served the family for a long time, and it seems like he had fought together with otou-sama on the battlefield using their swords.

He wears a silver-rimmed glasses and half of his hair is white in color, but still he’s good-looking like a warrior.

“I’ve been expecting you. Yuuki-sama. This way”

“Wasn’t Kachel-sensei here just now?”

“What the private tutor does is not of my concern”

With a blunt reply, butler Neil opened the library door.

As I entered the library, I saw a built-in bookshelf.

There are only a few books on it.

Because books are valuable, and the Grossalia Baron family aren’t that wealthy.

“What kind of books are you looking for, Yuuki-sama?”

“A book about the history of this country…oh, this is it”

“You can read it!?”

“Somehow, I guess”

“Although the spine of the book only has the ‘Kingdom’s History’ on it but it was written in the old writing style… and you can read it? That’s amazing. Yuuki-sama”

“Can I borrow a chair?”

If it’s a history book, I’m sure there would be a record of the ‘Sanctuary Church’ in it too.

Maybe I’ll also find news of the ‘Fila Village’ and learn what happened to Lyle and Alice.

I got on a chair and reached for the shelf door.

Then I grabbed the handle and pulled it—

*BANG*

“…it won’t open”

It doesn’t move when pushed or pulled.

That’s weird.

I got the permission from otou-sama and I’m sure the butler Neil knows about that too.

“Um, it seems like I can’t open it”

“I have unlocked the bookshelf”

“But, it won’t even open?”

“I left the bookshelf unlocked. That’s all I can say”

Butler Neil looked away.

I followed his gaze and saw a small metal plate stuck to the bottom of the shelf.

The reason why the door won’t open must be because it’s in the way.

I got off my chair and brought my face closer to the metal plate.

The surface of the metal plate is smooth, and there are letters engraved on it. It won’t come off even if I scratched it with fingers.

This is a magic tool used to lock a door.

“Well then, this is all I can do. Please call me when you’ve finished reading”

Butler Neil left the library.

It’s no use to complain about Neil.

That man is loyal to the Baron.

He must be thinking that if he defies Kachel-sensei then he will put the Baron family in a bad position.

Humans are truly troublesome. Especially the nobles.

Even if I read the book, there’s no demerit to Kachel-sensei.

But even so, why does he have to go through all the trouble and use a magic tool just to hinder me? I really don’t understand human at all.

I guess there’s no helping it. It’s been a while since I’ve tried to cancel off magic.

“‘Magical Blood’ Erosion”

I made a scratch on my finger with a dagger.

The blood-stained fingers are pressed directly on the magic tool.

I was born with rich in magic blood. The blood that flowed out of me is also connected to me through magic.

The blood is like a part of me and my limbs.

Therefore, I can interfere with magic by letting my blood seep into it.

In my past life, when Lyle’s daughter Alice was contracted with the ‘Death Disease’, I gave her my blood.

While my blood was flowing through Alice, she was connected to me through magic for some time.

That’s why I was able to use the power of the Purification to eliminate the pathogens of the ‘Death Disease’ inside her.

This time, it is the same principle as when I purify Alice.

Hack the magic by infusing my blood into the magic tool.

It’s very easy.

I can analyze the magic and destroy it, or I can stop the flow of magic by altering its resources.

“—Intruding the magic exterior. Continue the erosion of the magic”

Internal magic — Analysis completed.

Checking the binding magic on the shelf door. Start jamming the magic supply.

Stopping the magic flow — Successful.

The lock has been removed.

*POP*

The metal plate that was attached to the shelf came off.

“I’ll return this later”

‘That’s amazing. Yuuki-sama!’

A voice came from outside the window.

I looked closely and saw a black bat hanging from a tree in the garden.

“You’re here. Dick”

‘I’m here to make a report to you. Regarding the mountains behind the mansion, there’s no abnormalities so far’

“I’m sorry. I can’t deal with it right now. It’s going to be reading time”

‘This is good enough. I’ve just seen some amazing things, a magic cancelled off by another magic, this is the first time I have seen it’

“It’s a boring trick. Dick”

Even if I could use such a technique, I still couldn’t win against the ‘Sanctuary Church’.

‘Yuuki-sama. There’re people coming’

“Got it”

I opened the bookshelf and took out a book.

It’s impossible to close the door with the sealing tool attached to it, so let’s just let it be.

”Excuse me, Yuuki-sama. I’ve brought you some tea”

”It’s good to have some tea. But I don’t want to dirty the book”

”I see….”

Butler Neil is looking at the bookshelf.

……t, this is bad. Why was the magic tool turned upside down?

I was in a hurry in putting it back. I wonder if Neil are suspicious of it.

“So, the private tutor makes mistakes too huh”

“You are not aware of what the private tutor did, do you?”

“This is just a soliloquy. However, I thought that Kachel-sensei seemed to be in a hurry, too”

“Why is that?”

”I’m just talking to myself…… but back then when I was on the battlefield, I’ve received the same seal as the talisman that’s stuck to the shelf there. It took three mages to remove it. Since no one can break a seal like that, so I wonder if Kachel-sensei has made some mistakes”

”Neil-san, do you mean that Kachel-sensei was harassing me?”

“It was a slip of the tongue”

The butler Neil coughed and cleared his throats.

“There’s no way Baron-sama would hire someone to do such a trivial thing, isn’t it?”

”Kachel-sensei is a member of the ‘Magic Guild’. Supposedly, he would not harass a child, right?”

 “……The action of the private tutor is no concern of mine”

*Rattle Rattle Rattle Rattle!*

……There was the sound of someone running off hurriedly.

“Well then, I’ll continue reading. Neil-san, you may return to work”

“Thanks for your kind offer. Yuuki-sama”

Neil walked out of the library.

So, I started reading for real.

—One hour later—

“…Haa”

I closed the book.

Let’s conclude. The ‘Sanctuary Church’ was destroyed.

Truly. I’m at a loss for words.

The ‘Ancient Artifacts’ they excavated were scattered. In other words, it’s gone.

“What were you doing, human”

It’s not even funny.

I really wonder what they’re doing. Both the ‘Sanctuary Church’ and the humans.

In my past life, when I was alive, the ‘Sanctuary Church’ was a powerful combat group.

The ‘Capital of Ancient Magic Civilization’ that they found was called a sanctuary, and with the ‘Ancient Magic’ and the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ that they found there, they had sent talented person to the centre of many countries.

Bishops, Priests, and Holy Knights.

In every country and province, they were involved in the politics.

As though they had enough influence to go against the King of a country too.

But… after my death as the Dean Nosferatu in my past life, they were perished.

After causing a great deal of inconvenience to the human world.

“……you were causing more trouble to the humans than the ‘Immortal Mage’…… ‘Sanctuary Church’”

According to the history book, after I died in my past life, there was a war between humans.

Originally, it was a skirmish, but the Sanctuary Church intervened.

They seduced both countries, saying that it would be an easy victory if they had the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ and the ‘Ancient Magic’.

At that time, the ‘Sanctuary Church’ was divided into 2 forces, each of which sided with the two countries.

With the ‘Sanctuary Church’ on their side, the two countries became confident, believing that they could win.

Rejecting reconciliation and the armistice, they embarked on the war with the full force of their country.

However, when they actually fought, the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ were useless.

The causes of it were unknown.

They didn’t know if it couldn’t be activated or couldn’t be used.

The two countries that started the war with the ‘Sanctuary Church’ in mind were not able to withdraw at that point of time and in the end the war of the quagmire began. So much so that each country falls apart.

People’s grudges were then directed at the ‘Sanctuary Church’.

And the ‘Sanctuary Church’ was destroyed with all the forces against it.

Most of the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ they had on them were gone missing.

The end.

“I thought that people in this era will replicate the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ to live a comfortable life”

Items that bring out hot water when you turn on the faucet, or blankets that keep you warm when you go to bed.

In the end, that didn’t happen.

The ‘Sanctuary Church’ was perished while excavating the Holy Sword? It seems ridiculous.

I didn’t learn anything about the ‘Fila Village’.

The history book ended with the destruction of the ‘Sanctuary Church’ and the creation of the peaceful ‘Rindobell Magic Guild’ afterwards.

The ‘Rindobell Magic Guild’ is organized to properly educate those who use magic and to ensure that the ‘Ancient Magic’ is managed by responsible hands so that people do not make the same mistakes as the ‘Sanctuary Church’.

“So these are all that I know of”

The only way to know more than this is to go to the royal capital.

Because there’s a big library in the royal capital, and there are history researchers too.

Let’s go there someday to find out the news of the ‘Fila Village’.

Because I want to know what happened to Lyle and the others.

I put the book back on the shelf.

Then I rang the bell on the desk to have the butler Neil come here.

After Neil locked the library, I thanked him and returned to the detached building.

Back in my room, I was thinking about what I am going to do.

There are two paths I can take.

One of the paths is to get out of the house and enroll into a general school.

I will never inherit Grossalia family. The only way out is to become an adventurer, or to be accepted into a general school in the royal capital.

The other path is to leave the house and look for the site of the ‘Fila Village’.

The war started right after I died. If I can find Alice’s descendants, I might be able to get some information.

“…or do both?”

On second thought, I didn’t have to take one path only.

I can look for information on the ‘Fila Village’ while enrolling into a general school, right? That’s it.

The course has been decided.

I’ll talk to otou-sama about it later.

As I was thinking about it—

“Congratulations! Xellos-sama!!”

I looked out of the window and saw otou-sama, Xellos nii-sama, and Kachel-sensei in the garden.

A carriage is parked outside the gate. Red box-shaped carriage. It’s the mail coach.

I see. So today was the day for the mail coach to come.

The mail coach are the country’s most important means of communication, carrying letters and packages from town to town.

The letter appears to have reached Xellos nii-sama.

Leaving aside Kachel-sensei who are laughing loudly, both otou-sama and Xellos nii-sama are smiling broadly too.

”Ohh, Yuuki. You come here as well. A very honorable news has reached Xellos”

“…Y, yeah. I wish Yuuki could listen to it too”

Otou-sama beckons me and Xellos nii-sama had a slightly subtle expression on his face.

I went around to the front door and walked out.

“Hey there, Yuuki-dono. You should be proud that you have a wonderful brother! My student, Xellos-sama, has received wonderful news from the ‘Magic Guild’!”

Kachel-sensei was in the best mood I’ve ever seen him in.

He holds Xellos nii-sama’s hand and looked at me with a smile on his face.

”Yuuki knows about the ‘Rindobell Magic Guild’ too, right?”

In the place of the two of them, otou-sama explained.

Otou-sama is happy about it too. So that means,

”Could it be that nii-sama have become a trainee of the ‘Magic Guild’?”

“It’s not like that, Yuuki”

Nii-sama hold out his chest proudly.

“The 8th Princess, Her Royal Highness Iris Restia, has decided to see my ability!”

With a broad smile on his face, Xellos nii-sama exclaimed.

<< Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter >>

Chapter 5 – The Former Demon King, Using The Private Tutor

The next morning.

I went back to the detached building and had a good night’s sleep then I went back out again.

After a while, I returned to the mansion with the rabbit meat.

Through the main gate of the mansion, it was as if I had just went hunting.

But of course, the prey was hunted at night and I had the bats to watch over it.

“What are you doing there, Yuuki??”

The moment I walked through the gate, I heard someone called out to me.

Kachel Mieghem, dressed in a pure white robe was looking at me.

.  .  .  .  .

That’s to be expected.

“I see you’ve went out. Can you tell this Kachel where you were and what you were doing?”

“Why is that?”

”I’m Xellos-sama’s educator. I am obligated to keep the Baron family in an appropriate environment for him”

“…I was hunting”

I showed him the ‘Large Rabbit’ on my back.

“I went to look at the trap I had set up in the mountain behind the mansion and found out it had caught a prey, so I brought it back. I’m going to have a maid from the detached building to cook it for me”

“Why would you do that?”

”There’s not much meat to eat in the detached building. I thought of treating them with it”

”Oh, how selfish of you, illegitimate child!”

Kachel-sensei looked up to the heavens and shouted.

“Illegitimate child are no better than the servants. If the servant hunted a prey, it would make sense to offer it to the Baron!? But to use it for the servants’ well-being…I can’t believe it”

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to deal with the meat”

I ignored Kachel and started to walk away.

“Please wait, Yuuki-dono!!”

“What’s the matter? I thought I heard Kachel-sensei’s voice…?”

Otou-sama came from the garden.

Short blonde hair and a muscularly built body. In his hand, there’s a wooden sword used for training.

My otou-sama, Baron Georg Grossalia.

”Ohh, it’s Yuuki. Where were you going!?”

“I was hunting in the mountain behind the mansion”

“Listen to me, Georg-sama. It seems like Yuuki-dono is planning to keep all the hunted prey to himself”

Interrupting my words, Kachel told otou-sama.

”This is Baron Grossalia’s house. If a servant hunted a prey, it shall belong to Georg-sama. It is natural to offer it, but to keep it to oneself, well, this Kachel have nothing to say about it!!”

“If Yuuki hunted, then the prey belongs to Yuuki, right?”

Otou-sama put down his wooden sword and stroked my head with his large hand.

“Even so, two ‘Large Rabbits’. Hmm, you set the traps, didn’t you?”

“Yes. Otou-sama”

“That’s amazing, aren’t it! When I was a child, all I could do were wielding a wooden sword! I’ve heard that the ‘Large Rabbit’ has strong wariness and thus difficult to catch. To be able to hunt it, well, that’s quite a feat! You have great talent, Yuuki!”

“Thank you very much. Otou-sama”

I don’t hate being stroked by otou-sama.

Otou-sama was a man who earned the noble rank through war.

That’s why he doesn’t miss any practices every morning.

I also like to see him sweating all over his body as he continues to swing his wooden sword.

In my past life, I didn’t have anyone to call as my father.

“But don’t be reckless. There are also powerful monsters in the mountain behind the mansion. If you are entering it alone, you can only go until the foot of the mountain. If you get hurt, we’ll all be worried about you”

‘You do not need to worry about such things! Baron Georg-sama!!”

Kachel shouted.

“How can you praise an illegitimate child’s selfish behavior instead of criticizing it! Is that the right way to be a nobleman!?”

“Don’t be harsh, Kachel-sensei”

Otou-sama scratched his head in a troubled way.

“My son has made an achievement in the hunt. What’s wrong with praising him for that?”

“Baron-sama seems to have forgotten the terms and conditions when hiring me”

Kachel smiled.

It’s an unpleasant grin that twitched his lips up.

I know what he’s talking about, and so does otou-sama.

For three years now, Kachel has been using the same words to silence those in the house.

“I’ll do my best to make sure that the legitimate son Xellos becomes a trainee of the ‘Rindobell Magic Guild’. In return of that, Baron-sama will not deny my manner of doing. Wasn’t that a requirement when you hired me?”

“……Y, yes. But”

”The mage training institution of ‘Rindobell Magic Guild’ is a place where the royal family and upper class nobles also attend. Even though Xellos-sama is aiming for there, but what to do if the Baron family can’t even abide by the discipline themselves? An illegitimate child stands below a legitimate son. Baron-sama does not need to speak to the illegitimate child more than necessary. I told you that was the rule in the aristocracy”

”I know…I know…but…Yuuki has talent!”

Otou-sama stroked my head again bitterly.

“Isn’t it a parent’s duty to make sure that their children grow?”

“Understood. Then I shall return to the royal capital. It seems that this Kachel has done everything in his power to get Xellos-sama into the ‘Magic Guild’, but to no avail”

“W, wait a minute! That’s a different story!”

”Once you become a trainee in the ‘Magic Guild’, you’ll often meet girls from the upper class nobles. I thought it would be the best way to raise the name of the Baron family, but it’s a shame. The master, Baron Georg-sama, is in such a state…”

“………grr”

“I offer this to otou-sama”

I offered the ‘Large Rabbit’ to my father.

“In return, will you listen to my request?”

“O, oh. Tell me about it!”

“I would like to have the permission to enter the main building’s library”

“The library?”

“Yes. As Kachel-sensei said, I lack understanding of the discipline in this country and of my position. So, to not offend nii-sama or Kachel-sensei, I want to learn about the system and the history of this country”

“……Amazing. You even think that far huh……”

I’m sorry, otou-sama.

It was all within my plan.

I was sure that if I brought back my hunted prey, Kachel would complain about it.

That’s why I entered through the main gate boldly while carrying the ‘Large Rabbit’.

I know that otou-sama trains with his sword every morning in the garden.

If I do anything under that circumstances, Kachel-sensei will make a fuss so that otou-sama can hear him. This has always been the case. No matter how much I’m as a non-human creature, if the same thing was repeated for three years, I’ll remember the pattern.

So, this time I decided to take advantage of it and gain access to the library.

Because if I go through the books in the library, I’ll find out what the world was like after I died in my past life.

“As Kachel-sensei said, I need to figure out my position and standings. For that reason, I want to make up for the knowledge that I lack of. Please, otou-sama, give me the rights to read the books”

“Of course! It’s great that Yuuki want to do self-study”

“……grrr”

“Yuuki said he wants to understand his position. Is this against the discipline of the noble? Kachel-sensei”

“N, no problem at all!”

With that said, Kachel-sensei returned to the mansion.

Otou-sama let out a small sigh.

“Forgive me, Yuuki”

“No, I don’t mind”

I understand that otou-sama is trying to protect the house.

I can’t get in the way of that. After all, I’m a ‘Monster’ so I can’t inherit the Baron family.

”Regarding the library, I’ll tell the butler Neil about it. So, feel free to use it”

“Thank you very much, otou-sama”

After bowing to my father, I headed for the main building.

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Chapter 4 – The Former Demon King, Acquire A Base

On my way back from the dining hall, I saw Lumia practicing her magic in the garden.

It’s almost nightfall and she is still taking otou-sama out for chanting spells.

“……’The one who controls the light’……”

“…………Yes”

The one next to Lumia is otou-sama.

From my position, I can only see his back.

“’Respond to my voice, O Light’ —- ‘Light Sphere’!!”

A ball of light with the size of a pebble was formed on Lumia’s palm.

Otou-sama next to her clapped his hands.

Wide back, thick limbs. Cut short golden hair.

That’s otou-sama, Georg Grossalia.

“Isn’t that amazing, Lumia! When did you become able to chant accurately!”

“…T, that I can’t say. It’s just that I’ve practiced”

”That’s very nice of you to be so enthusiastic. It’s amazing”

“………The person who are more amazing….is someone else. Otou-sama……”

Lumia then succeeded with her magic a few more times. The curly-tongued chanting still seems to be hard for her.

Finally, my father activated the magic to show an example.

It’s the same ‘Light Sphere’ magic with about the size of a person’s head.

There’s no difference from the common magic back in my era. It’s not developing or declining.

After confirming that, I returned to my room.

“…………Really, it has already been 200 years since I died huh………”

I was sitting on a chair in my room, remembering the words of Kachel-sensei.

Kachel said it has been 220 years since the discovery of the ancient magic and items by the ‘Sanctuary Church’.

The former me, Dean Nosferatu, died 20 years after the discovery of ancient magic and items.

In other words, it’s been 200 years since I died in my past life.

Honestly, I don’t really feel it.

200 years later. Lyle and Alice also……aren’t here anymore…….

……I guess it’s inevitable huh.

Back then, I had no choice but to reincarnate.

But… 200 years huh.

I thought it was a much shorter time because the grammar of magic hadn’t changed.

The social system hasn’t changed much either.

The ‘Ancient Magic’ is still a secret technique that can only be used by a selected few, and those who can use it are at the top of society.

That’s why Kachel-sensei who can use the ‘Ancient Magic’ is very arrogant, nii-sama is trying to join the ‘Magic Guild’ too.

The only difference from 200 years ago is that no one talks about the ‘Sanctuary Church’ anymore.

“……I wonder what happened in the last 200 years”

I’m going to have to investigate it.

I’m sure there was a room in the main building that store the books. If I investigate it, I might be able to find out something.

However, I’m just the illegitimate child, so I don’t have the rights to enter the main building.

I’ll have to come up with a strategy.

“In order to do that, I need to experiment with my skills”

Also, I want to eat meat.

The dinner I had with my maid, Martha, had barely any meat in it.

It can’t be helped. Our meals were divided from the main building after all.

In addition to experimenting with magic, I’m going to hunt the meat myself.

During midnight.

I decided to sneak out of the house as planned.

Baron Grossalia’s mansion is enclosed by a tall fence. There are guards patrolling the yard.

However, I know the course of their patrol.

By using skills, it’s not that hard to sneak out.

Before heading out, I made sure to check my current skills.

‘Yuuki Grossalia’

Age: 13

Race: Human

Stamina: D

Strength: E

Agility: D

Magic: C

Dexterity: D

Skill: None

In order to not surprise Lumia and the others, I usually disguise myself with this status.

The following one is my real status.

‘Yuuki Nosferatu’

Age: 13

Race: Unknown

Stamina: B

Strength: B

Agility: A

Magic: S

Dexterity: B

Skill: Flight. Magical Blood. Stealth. Ice Magic. Servant Creation. Erosion. Purification.

Having this much skill are more than enough.

“—Flight”

I kicked the window of my room at the second floor and flew outside.

Lightly, my body rise up from the surface.

As if I didn’t have any weight, my body slid through the air and flew straight out of the premises.

This is nothing. I just temporarily removed my weight through the magic.

With this body, floating like this is the limit. It’s nice to feel like a human.

“Here goes”

I landed on a tree branch outside the premises.

Kicking the branch again, I jumped up.

The guards are unaware of it. My ‘Stealth’ skill is working too.

“…I’ll have to return by morning”

I increased my movement speed.

Several tens of minutes later, I reached the mountains behind the mansion.

This is the mountain where monsters appear and is usually used by otou-sama and Xellos nii-sama for hunting and doing magic training.

This is a perfect spot.

Let’s turn the mountaintop where nobody set foot on into my magic test site.

I jumped from tree to tree, aiming for the mountaintop.

‘I’ve been expecting you’

A servant bat greeted me on a tree near the mountaintop.

“Thank you for the welcome. Well then, let’s perform some magic experiment. Please tell me where the prey that can be used as my practice kit is”

‘Before that, may I? Master’

“What is it?”

‘Can you tell me your name?’

“It’s Yuuki. What about you?”

‘I don’t have a name. You can name me whatever you like’

 “How about Dick?”

‘Thank you very much. It’s a good name’

“It’s the name of an old acquaintance’s father. Before he died, he asked me to take care of Lyle for him”

‘You’re young, aren’t you, master?’

“I was talking to myself. Forget about it. More importantly, where’s the prey?”

‘I’ll guide you. Before master arrive, I’ve marked them’

“I’m counting on you”

I jumped from branch to branch with Dick the bat as my guide.

After advancing for a while, I saw a rabbit at the foot of a tree.

It has golden body hair with horns growing on its head. It’s a ‘Large Rabbit’.

Just the right time. Let’s hunt it.

I’d like to feed the meat to my maid Martha once in a while.

‘The Large Rabbit is a wary beast’

“I know. It has a fairly strong horn and back leg kick”

‘As expected of master. Well educated’

“It’s just general knowledge. Besides, I’m not going to have a close combat. I told you I was going to experiment with magic”

‘It will notice the flame by the light and the wind by the sound, won’t it?’

“My specialty is ice magic”

In my past life, my motto was to keep a low profile.

If I use flashy grand magic, people will be wary of me.

Even so, I still caught the attention of the ‘Sanctuary Church’.

“There’s no sound, no light and no vibration in the air”

I put my hand on the trunk of the tree.

“’Rapid Freezing’ – ‘Frozen Line’”

A thread of ice was born from my fingertips.

It travelled along the trunk and extended to the foot of the tree.

‘—-!?’

In an instant, the ice thread entwined the Large Rabbit’s legs.

‘Kyu——uu!?’

The Large Rabbit noticed the abnormality and started running.

But in front of it is a net of ice.

My magic had created an ice barrier at the foots of the surrounding trees.

‘——uu!! ——u!!’

The ‘Large Rabbit’ runs amok. It got stuck at the foot of a tree now.

The ice thread has completely entwined its body.

No matter how much force is used, it can’t move at all.

“I’m sorry”

I landed on the ground and stabbed the Large Rabbit.

Let’s hang it for a while to drain the blood.

‘A, amazing. Master! That kind of magic, even we won’t be able to escape!’

“It’s a simple magic”

‘No way, that can’t be true. There’s no sound and light! Your prey won’t even know you’re here! It’s the strongest magic to survive in the mountains!’

“Even so, it’s still no match against the ‘Ancient Magic’”

Normal magic is performed by chanting spells and using the magic power in the body to activate it.

That’s why it’s a hassle. Once activated, you must wait a while before it can be used.

I’ve simplified my ice magic as much as possible, but I still can’t use it continuously.

But ‘Ancient Magic’ is different. That one consumes less magic, and it’s also effective for rapid-fire.

In my past life, I’ve seen the priests of the’ Sanctuary Church’ wiped out the bandits using the ‘Ancient Magic’.

The priest shot flames continuously until the bandits were annihilated. Even when the enemy surrendered, they did not stop.

This was one of the reasons why I thought I’m not match for the ‘Sanctuary Church’.

Their ‘Ancient Magic’ was really specialized in combat.

“If only I could use more powerful magic…… I wouldn’t have become the person I am now”

‘Master. My fellow bats have found another ‘Large Rabbit’’

“You have colleagues?”

‘I told them about Master, and they all said they want to be a part of it’

The moment Dick said that, black shadow appeared in the sky.

I looked up and saw a large number of bats flying around.

I don’t know the exact number. Maybe there’s 40 or 50 of them. Something like that. This is unbelievable.

‘I wanted them to know how amazing master is’

Dick the bat flapped its wings proudly.

‘My fellow bats have already grasped everything about this mountain. Please think of this mountain as master’s territory’

“That’s very helpful. You’re a good servant, aren’t you? Dick”

‘I am honored by your praise’

I stroked Dick’s head with my fingertip as it climbed onto my shoulder.

If the bats led by Dick are on my side, I will have all the information regarding the mountain.

This is a good opportunity. I’m going to use this mountain as my base.

“Dick, pick a few liaisons for me. Tell them when a monster out of their league appears, or when a hostile intruder arrives. In return for their service to me, I will use my power”

‘Thank you very much for your kindness’

At the same time Dick bowed its head, the bats soared through the sky in unison.

“Well then, show me where the next ‘Large Rabbit’ is”

‘Affirmative. Please follow me’

Together with Dick the bat, I kicked a branch and headed for my next prey.

Confirmation of skill is completed.

Flight. Magical Blood. Stealth. Ice Magic. Servant Creation. Interspecies Conversation. It’s all available.

Let’s take full advantage of this and continue pretending to be human in this life with all my might.

“After hunted a few more of them, I returned to the mansion. With a plan”

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