Chapter 3: Derek (3)
***
[Access to 2-Star magic has become possible.]
[2-Star magic 'Auditory Hallucination' has been acquired.]
<><><>
From that day on, Katia began to take Derek around in earnest, passing on various kinds of magic to him.
Initially, she had only planned to help him establish the framework of the basics, but Derek's talent was far more outstanding than Katia had expected.
It was not that she harbored some grand ambition of taking on a good disciple and cultivating a successor.
Katia had simply seen the great trouble that would come for Derek, and it had been difficult for her to pretend she did not see it.
"You've probably rolled around enough to know, but living as a mercenary is no easy task. Still, there is such a thing as know-how."
Katia would accompany him on requests to hunt trivial magical beasts, and also taught him how to handle small odd jobs with ease.
When requests were sparse, they would walk together to a place with a nice view on the outskirts of Ebelstein, try drinking high-quality tea together, or haggle for ingredients together in the market street. She tried to broaden Derek's horizons as much as she could within her means.
While doing so, she would also pass on various knowledge about magic to Derek whenever she had the time. As the seasons changed several times, Derek listened attentively to Katia's words, rapidly absorbing everything she conveyed.
At some point, everyone who needed to know in this mercenary world came to know the story of the middle-aged woman and the young boy who followed her. A considerable amount of time had passed.
During that long period, Katia consistently emphasized to Derek the fact that excessive talent could be a poison.
"It's not that there has never been a single person among commoner mages who reached the realm of 4-Star or higher."
"Really...?"
"However, their ends were mostly not good. So, don't you forget that you must always act with caution."
There were usually only about two mages who had reached 4-Star even in renowned, prestigious families.
It was by no means a realm that could be reached simply by being born of a good bloodline.
If one went up to 5-Star, they would become the head of a family or a key power of the Empire, and 6-Star was a level where there were only a few in all of human history.
The realm for a commoner without a bloodline, no matter how extraordinary, was up to 3-Star.
As if to make him remember that fact, Katia whispered to Derek in a worried voice.
"Nobles usually hold their coming-of-age ceremony at eighteen. At the point of the coming-of-age ceremony, if they've completed 1-Star magic, they're considered to have decent talent, and if they've entered 2-Star, the elders of the family tend to take notice."
"..."
Derek was now fourteen.
Derek had to understand the meaning that his achievement held.
And so, Katia brought Derek back to her small house located on the very outskirts of the commercial district.
In the shabby, single room, there was almost no furniture. It was a dwelling that was not lacking for a single woman to live in, but it was far too wretched to be called the home of someone who had once lived in a splendid noble mansion.
However, Katia was already accustomed to this kind of life.
It was dusty and there was hardly any furniture. Since a mercenary was a person who never knew when or where they might wander off to, it was necessary to always keep one's belongings light.
With Derek seated on the hard wooden bed, Katia sat perched on a creaking chair and spoke in a calm tone.
"Considering your age, be careful not to use magic carelessly wherever you go. In places with many people, it would be best to only use 1-Star magic. Even that alone is an achievement unbecoming of your age."
"Master, to what extent had you learned magic when you had your coming-of-age ceremony?"
"...My coming-of-age ceremony was so long ago that I don't remember it well. Thinking back, I think I was able to handle a couple of 1-Star Illusion school magics."
The viscount House of Flameheart was not at a level where it made a name for itself as a great house of magic, but a noble was a noble.
Considering that Katia, who was quite recognized for her magical skills even among nobles, was at that level during her coming-of-age ceremony, Derek's magical ability was certainly something that would make anyone's eyes go wide.
"It won't be very accurate to use me as a standard. At the time, I was also a woman who had just become an adult, so rather than focusing only on magic, I received more education to become a fine young lady."
"Living as a lady of the viscount House of Flameheart... was it difficult, after all?"
"Are you interested in the culture of the nobles?"
"...Well, I am curious."
Katia took a gulp of cold water and then met the eyes of Derek, who was staring at her quietly.
Was it an expression of pure curiosity?
Although he was a boy who seemed excessively mature for his age, at times like this, it seemed that the random curiosity characteristic of his age group was blooming.
That appearance made it seem as if even this young orphan, worn down by the ways of the world, still had a child's heart left in him.
Feeling a strange sense of relief at that sight, Katia spoke in a voice that was a layer lighter.
"There are many rumors that circulate about the ladies of noble houses in the marketplace or among mercenaries, aren't there?"
"There weren't many good stories. They say that out of ten noble ladies, five have no manners, and the other five have nothing but flower gardens in their heads. It means they are either impolite or have no sense of reality, one of the two, I suppose."
"It's certainly an understandable thing to say, but that is too harsh an evaluation. If the environment one has lived in is different, one's values are bound to be different as well."
They were a master and disciple who always talked about mercenary work or magic.
As they roamed this grim mercenary world together, they ended up exchanging only heavy and gloomy stories, but sometimes it was necessary to put down that heaviness.
Gazing up at the starry sky and reciting tales from the distant age of myths, or reading a fairy tale before bed. As if longing for such a fond bond, Katia spoke calmly in a voice that was gently lowered.
"Most may be like that, but not everyone is."
"Was it a little different when you, Master, were living as a lady in a noble house?"
"No. To be honest, I was similar. The children called noble ladies of that age all seem different, but they have similar aspects. Especially around the time of the coming-of-age ceremony, they also prepare for their debutante, so they tend to fall into the feeling that they are the protagonist of the world."
"Debutante?"
"It refers to entering high society."
Katia leaned her body against the back of the wooden chair and spoke as if reminiscing about the distant past.
"You dress up in a pretty dress, arm yourself with the etiquette of a lady, and go all the way to the Empire's capital to have an audience with the Emperor. After that, you hold a ball at your own residence to grandly announce that you have officially debuted in high society. It is the period when a lady of a noble house shows off her most splendid side."
"I think I've heard of it."
"Around that time, the ladies of noble houses have so many things to learn and prepare for."
Her voice was as if she were reading a fairy tale.
Katia, still leaning against the backrest with her eyes gently closed, reminisced about the old scenery that was now gone.
"An elegant posture and gait, etiquette and manners between high-ranking nobles. Also, we used to mainly learn culture to enrich our conversations. We had to build up knowledge in various fields such as art, history, and politics. Besides that, we also had to have a noble hobby. We used to learn things like flower arranging, embroidery, horse riding, and playing musical instruments."
"...Did it suit your aptitude?"
"Not at all. Seeing me living as a mercenary like this now, can't you roughly guess? I was a tomboy."
At those words, Derek laughed as if in disbelief.
So this boy knows how to laugh, too. Swallowing that monologue, Katia continued her story.
"In addition to that, I had to practice dances that could be simply matched at a ball, and I also had to learn the complex history and traditions of the family... but the most important thing, I think, was still magic."
"I thought that would be the case."
"However, the magic of the nobles is a bit different from what you might have thought, Derek. You may use practical-oriented magic, but in the magic of the nobles, etiquette and rules are more emphasized."
The nobles did not regard magic simply as a means to display power or as a practical tool. It felt like they considered it a kind of art and a noble hobby.
When there was a need to chant a spell, they did it as if reciting a poem.
Magic circles, too, were not just a combination of simple shapes, but were often designed like a work of art.
The textbooks were also made of high-quality materials and were described in an elegant style with sophisticated illustrations.
"...Looking at your expression, it seems you're thinking that it's all such a fuss."
"...Was it that obvious?"
"It might be a story that's a bit detached from you, who has always lived in the midst of real combat, but I believe that there is value in such etiquette and rules."
"If you say so, Master, I will try to think of it that way too."
"No, that's enough. If you say you'll force yourself to think that way again, it makes my position strange, doesn't it?"
After saying that, Derek and Katia looked at each other for a moment and then simultaneously let out a small laugh.
The two people were of different ages, different origins, and had completely different values.
Nevertheless, they felt as if the deep parts of their hearts were in accord.
Katia brushed off the hem of her robe and said in a much lighter voice.
"Derek. Even you, who considers all these things to be mere formalities and a fuss, will one day have a time when you think differently."
"Think differently?"
"A lady of a noble house with dignity looks like a blooming flower. There's a reason why so many young ladies all admire and reach out for it."
Katia brushed Derek's messy hair and smiled gently.
"Someday, I hope you will understand that as well."
<><><>
"I don't think I can teach you magic anymore."
The farewell with Katia came the following year.
When he returned to Katia's lodging after carrying out trivial requests as always, she suddenly told him that.
There is nothing more I can teach you. If that meaning was implied, it would be a joyous thing, but the number of 2-Star magics Derek could use was still the same.
However, because he had refined his fundamentals more systematically and cleanly, the technical perfection of his 1-Star magic was almost close to perfect.
The number of 1-Star magics he could use had also noticeably increased, so it was as clear as day that he would soon be able to use 2-Star magic cleanly and maturely.
"..."
Katia was making an expression filled with strength, as if she had steeled her heart.
No matter what anyone said, she was the person who worried about Derek the most. Nevertheless, there was a reason why she had to give such a notice.
"A letter has arrived from Margrave Elbester. He sent a request asking me to serve as a private tutor in his county."
"If it's Margrave Elbester..."
"Yes, he is the most famous hero in the eastern region. It seems the lady of the Count House of Elbester has begun her education for her high society debut, so it seems she needs a master."
He was not just some trivial low-ranking noble, but Margrave Elbester, whom even the Grand Dukes of the capital did not treat lightly.
From Katia's position, it was not something she could easily refuse.
"I have refused most similar offers, but I never thought the Margrave himself would send a letter. Perhaps the fact that I was taking you around the mercenary world and teaching you magic spread in some way."
It was certainly not easy to find a master like Katia.
From the beginning, she was a person of unusual origin, and the story that she had turned a little kid from the slums into a respectable mage must have been added to it.
Although that was largely due to the influence of Derek's own extraordinary magical talent, to the people around them, it would also appear to be Katia's achievement. In fact, even in Derek's opinion, she was indeed an excellent master.
In any case, from a third party's perspective, there was no greater fortune than this.
As a private tutor for the Count House of Elbester, both money and honor would be sufficiently guaranteed. Not only that, but the Lady Freya of the Elbester domain was a person so elegant and well-mannered that everyone in that region knew of her.
To be able to become the master of such a person was a blessing close to being sent from the heavens.
"..."
Nevertheless, it was not difficult to deduce the reason why Katia's expression was heavy.
While staying at the Elbester Count's estate, which was practically the headquarters of the eastern region's high society, there was no way she could be accompanied by a commoner from the slums.
Unfortunately, it was time to prepare for farewell.
After that, before leaving Ebelstein, Katia moved about busily.
She spent some of the money she had saved to provide Derek with some simple equipment.
They were not the everyday clothes or magical supplies that showed signs of use, but proper mercenary goods.
She also made arrangements so that Derek could use the lodging she had been using as much as he wanted until she left, and she also handed him a grimoire with simple magic theories written in it.
Books from which one could acquire magical knowledge were precious in their value. Derek's previous master, for one, had been beaten to death while trying to steal a grimoire.
Because Derek knew its value, his eyes went wide when he was handed the book.
"You'll be able to finish a grimoire of that level in a few years. It might be less than being taught directly, but considering your learning speed, it won't be bad. When you think you've mastered it completely, sell it to add to your funds."
"Master. Still, this is..."
"Anyway, once I enter the Count House of Elbester, I will hardly have to worry about money. So please accept it."
Two months passed like that, and on the day she was leaving for the county.
Katia, having packed all her belongings, neatly arranged the hem of the grayish-white robe she always wore, and picked up a pouch containing her simple luggage.
On the street in front of the lodging, as always, numerous citizens of Ebelstein were heading somewhere. Katia, too, would mix in among them and leave this city as if floating away.
She had done everything she could for two months, but worry was still etched on the face of Katia, who was about to embark on a journey.
To Katia, who was turning to look at Derek and revealing her heavy heart, Derek smiled calmly.
"Don't make such a face. You are the person who taught me for years without any compensation."
"Derek."
"Look at me, Master."
Derek raised both his arms and spoke nonchalantly, as if to show off.
A boy of fifteen was still too young to be called an adult. Nevertheless, Derek had become much more respectable compared to when he was rolling around in the slums.
A robe made of good quality leather, a woolen tunic, neat trousers, and even a leather belt with a gleaming buckle. At the very least, he definitely did not give the impression that he would starve wherever he went.
"I'm already an adult. I can take care of myself."
It did not change the fact that he was infinitely young, but it was very different from when he was shoving cheap bread into his mouth in a corner of a mercenary tavern.
Looking at Derek like that, a dependable aspect that could not be seen in a child of this age was revealed.
Katia quietly lowered her posture and wrapped her arms around Derek's shoulders.
And then, the words she gave him were completely different from what Derek had expected.
"You don't need to become an adult too early, Derek."
The harsh reality may have urged you to become an adult quickly, but I hope you will always remember and live with the child's heart you held onto even in that mud pit.
Leaving those words behind, Katia waved her hand and blended into the crowd.
"I'll see you again."
Derek quietly waved his hand and sent her off.
<><><>
After bidding farewell to Katia, Derek quietly returned to the lodging she had used.
When he closed the door and came in, a small space with one wooden bed, one shabby table, and only silence was left behind.
It was the first time since he had been flown into this world that he had been conscious of such silence. In the past, this world had been nothing more than a part of a game he used to play.
However, now, he knew well that this place was already a world of its own.
"..."
He poured cold water into a wooden mug, took a few sips, and pulled out a chair in front of the table to sit down.
He sat still for a while in a silence that felt as if time had stopped.
Eventually, sounds that crossed over the window from time to time.
The sound of neighborhood children running and playing. The clattering sound of merchants' carts passing by. The sound of the church bell announcing noon. The sound of the bakery owner across the street sweeping the front of the shop with a broom.
Even though Katia had left, the world was still flowing on energetically.
The master's absence left a small void in his heart, but the world was still flowing, and life went on.
In the midst of such miscellaneous noises of the world's trials, Derek, who had been sitting alone in the room in a daze, eventually took out the grimoire and opened it.
Rustle, rustle, rustle.
The pages were turning like flowing water.
The passage of time was the same.
[ List of Acquired Magic ]
✦ Combat Magic
★☆☆☆☆☆ Mana Arrow
★☆☆☆☆☆ Power Manifestation
★★☆☆☆☆ Fireball
✦ Transmutation Magic
★☆☆☆☆☆ Light Generation
✦ Illusion Magic
★☆☆☆☆☆ Sound Dampening
★★☆☆☆☆ Auditory Hallucination
✦ Summoning Magic
★☆☆☆☆☆ Summon - Guiding Fairy
✦ Detection Magic
★☆☆☆☆☆ Direction Sense
★★☆☆☆☆ Clairvoyance
Thud.
Derek closed the grimoire while examining the list of magic that came to his mind.
"...I'd better get going soon if I want to make it in time for the leader, ahjussi."
Finishing the perusal of the grimoire, which he had been doing like a daily routine for a long time, he stood up from the table to go to the request appointment he had made for the afternoon.
He roughly shoved a sandwich into his mouth, tied the laces of his leather boots, and opened the door to leave. The daylight of the afternoon sun seeped into Derek's lodging.
In just one year, Derek had self-taught two more 2-Star magics.
And he was only sixteen years of age.