Chapter 24: Ten Years OldAfter Eris turned ten, it was as if she had suddenly had a breakthrough.Of course, I don't mean that her arithmetic had improved significantly; it's just that after turning ten, she stopped skipping classes.She would listen attentively to every one of my lessons, and sometimes she would even take the initiative to ask about questions she didn't understand! It would be even better if she could get the problems right, though...Still, I find it quite terrifying; a child's growth really happens in an instant.In terms of swordsmanship, the speed of Eris's progress began to slow down.Although I was always the one who lost when I practiced swordsmanship with Eris, I could still feel her progress every single time.I was a little worried, but Ghislaine didn't care at all."A truly talented swordsman will have a sudden breakthrough at some moment."What the... She wasn't worried at all that Eris might stagnate, nor was she expecting me to suddenly have a breakthrough.And so, Eris, Ghislaine, and I spent two years in our daily routine....I am ten years old.In these two years, besides Demon God Languageand Beast God Language, I had also learned Fighting God Language.Fighting God Language is just like a dialect from my previous life; it's just Human Language with a different tone, so it wasn't difficult to learn.It's like mixing some German into English.During these two years, Eris went from Intermediate Rank to Advanced Rank, so I was completely unable to serve as her opponent anymore.Of course, if she intended to train in [how to counter magic], I was still somewhat useful."It's already been ten years since I came to this world..."I felt a bit emotional, and I also missed Paul Greyrat and the others.However, after this birthday, I can go back, and Erisshould graduate as well.As my student, she really should graduate.I've completely given up on arithmetic, and in terms of magic... she's quite average. However, I did manage to make her memorize a lot of words, and I'm a little proud of that.Even if I continued to be her teacher, there wouldn't be much left for me to teach.Although Eris once said she wanted her magic to reach my level, I could see with my own eyes how much she loved the sword.How did that saying go?Swordsmanship is pure passion, while magic is just... a hobby?...A month before my birthday, led by Eris, the people in the mansion began to get busy.What happened? Was some important person coming to visit?I was a bit puzzled, so I decided to investigate a little.I performed a magnificent tracking spell behind Eris; mainly, I didn't dare to track Ghislaine, as I would definitely be discovered.Then, I saw the scene of her happily chatting with the maids in the kitchen."I really look forward to seeing Rudeus surprised! He might even be so happy that he cries!""Well... based on how Rudeus usually acts, even if he's shocked inside, he might not show it.""But, he should feel happy, right?""That goes without saying, because Rudeus is from a collateral branch, so he must have suffered quite a bit."Actually, I haven't suffered.If eating with the servants counts as suffering, then the nobles of this world are far too extravagant.But, what were they discussing...?"We have to make it in time for Rudeus's birthday!""If you're too anxious, you might not do a good job.""If it doesn't turn out well, will he refuse to eat it...?"Eris's tone suddenly softened."No, I think no matter what it is, Lord Rudeus will be willing to eat it.""Really?""Yes, as long as it's made by Lady Eris."I see...They were preparing for my birthday."If only Rudeus hadn't been born into that kind of family..."It seems Eris has quite a strong opinion about Paul Greyrat.Oh well, I don't really have an opinion; I just miss seeing my younger sisters grow up after three years apart. Of course, I also miss Zenith.I quietly left; after all, they were preparing a surprise for me, and it wouldn't be good if they knew I had discovered it....On my birthday.I pretended not to notice the flustered atmosphere in the mansion.After the afternoon lessons ended and free time began, Ghislaine came to my room.It was rare for her to be this nervous; even her tail was standing straight up."I... I have something I want to ask regarding magic."Ghislaine's eyes were darting back and forth.It was actually quite cute, just like a golden retriever I'd seen in my previous life that had done something wrong."Oh? What is it?"I responded cooperatively.What kind of difficult question could it be?After all, she was trying to stall me."Could you show me a Saint-ranked magic spell?""I can, but it would cause damage to the town.""Is there one that isn't the damage-dealing type?"That question really stumped me.I had always been delving into magic, and of course, I had also studied Healing Magic.However, I don't know why, but my Healing Magiconly remained at the Advanced Rank.I can use any other type of magic at the Saint Rank, but for Healing Magic... I only reached the Advanced Rank, and that's only with incantations.If I don't chant, I estimate it's only at the Intermediate Rank.I heard that King-ranked Healing Magic can even heal a severed arm.Hmm..."There is, but I can't do it.""Is that so... what a pity. What is Saint-ranked damage magic like?""Hmm... if I'm just talking about what I know, it's probably magic where storms and lightning fall incessantly, or magic that can freeze an entire city.""You can do that?""Yeah, I can do both of the things I just mentioned.""That is truly... astonishing.""So, do you have any other questions?"Her tail suddenly [whooshed!] straight up.Ghislaine is usually very calm, so seeing her like this today is quite rare.It's kind of funny.Oh well, I'll take the initiative to start a conversation."By the way, Ghislaine, how did you meet my father?""...He was once in the same Adventurer party as me.""Is that so? So you were comrades-in-arms. What was Father like back then?""Hmm... He was quite strong back then; in the party, he and I were usually the main force.""Oh! Not bad!""One day, he attacked me.""Huh?"Wait, what's going on?Why did the topic go in a direction I didn't expect?"What do you mean by 'attacked'...?""He mated with me."...For a moment, I didn't know what to say.Paul Greyrat... Ghislaine, could you actually bring yourself to do that?For some reason, Ghislaine is very pure in my heart, and yet, Paul Greyrat, could you actually bring yourself to do that to such a pure Ghislaine?!"Uh... it's time to eat, right?""Oh... um... it should be a little while longer, right?"She nervously raised her tail again, but just then, a maid came to inform us that it was time to eat."Alright, Rudeus, time to eat, let's go!"Ghislaine stood up and began to urge me....I walked into the dining room, and applause erupted.Everyone I had seen in the mansion was gathered here."Th... this is?"I pretended to be at a loss."Rudeus! Happy birthday!"Eris, wearing a bright red dress, was holding a large bouquet of flowers.I kept a panicked expression as I accepted the bouquet."Ah, that's right, I'm ten years old today..."What kind of expression should I make?To think so many people would celebrate my birthday...So, after ten years in this world, so many people know me..."Um... thank you... I don't know... what... to say... thank you."I didn't cry, I just suddenly couldn't speak smoothly.Even though I knew about it in advance, I was still like this; if they had truly kept it a secret from me, I might have actually cried.Eris asked the butler in a bit of a panic what she should do next.Is it such a serious matter that I was just a little moved, causing me to stumble over my words?So, I smiled."Thank you, Eris."Suddenly, Eris hugged me directly."Don't... don't mention it! Because Rudeus... is my teacher... and my family! So of course! As... as a member of the Greyrat family... this little thing is nothing! Right? Father! Grandfather!"Eris has really grown up... I thought to myself with emotion.Teacher... and family, huh...Huh? I've said this to Roxy before, too...It seems I can really understand how Roxy felt at the time; that's quite nice...Sauros suddenly roared:"War... war has begun! We must go to war with the Notos! Kill that guy Pilemon, and let Rudeus take the seat of the family head! Philip! Alphonse! Ghislaine! Follow me immediately! First, we must assemble the army!""Fa... Father! Please restrain yourself! Please, calm down!""Philip—! Are you trying to get in my way! You should also think that it would be better for Rudeusto become the family head than that bastard idiot, right!""Although I do think that, please calm down! Today is a joyous and celebratory day! Besides, we cannot go to war; the Zephyrus family and the Eurus family would also become our enemies!""Fool! I can win even by myself, just watch! Let go of me! Let go of me!"Sauros was dragged out by Philip just like that.Even after leaving the dining hall, his roaring could still be heard for a while.Everyone was dumbfounded."Ahem... Ahem!"Eris gave a deliberate cough."Let's... let's ignore Grandfather for now... Today, we have prepared a gift that will give Rudeus a huge surprise!"A gift that would give me a huge surprise... Could it be a test paper where Eris got a perfect score in arithmetic?If it really were that, I would truly be shocked."A gift that will shock me?""What do you think it is?"A test paper is actually unlikely... Eris isn't that smart.Something given to me... could it be..."Will my family be here?"Upon hearing my words, the room quieted down significantly.Eris's expression also sank.It seems I guessed wrong."Pau... Paul... Uncle said that the monsters in the forest have been active lately, so he couldn't come... No, but he also said that even if he isn't here, Rudeus, you wouldn't have any problems... Aunt Zenith is because the little one suddenly had a fever, so..."My sisters are sick... I shouldn't need to worry; Zenith can use Healing Magic.If they didn't come, they didn't come. Anyway, I'm going back in a few days; that was the agreement..."Uh... that... Rudeus... it's just that..."Eris began to become flustered.I have to say, she is indeed quite cute like this."Don't worry, I'm not sad, Eris. I am very happy right now.""Uh... Ah... Ah! Alphonse! Bring out [that]!"Eris seemed to have been holding it in for a long time, and she blurted it out in one breath.She originally wanted to snap her fingers to accompany the gift's appearance, but she failed.Eris was blushing beet red from embarrassment, but Alphonse didn't mind at all and took out a long staff from behind a statue in my blind spot.A staff, huh...This was a wooden staff with bumps and curves, and a large magic stone that seemed very expensive was attached to the tip.I could tell at a glance.This staff... is very expensive.Because I have made two magic staves myself, I can tell."It looks like you really like it!"I was evaluating this magic staff, and Eris nodded with a satisfied look on her face."Alphonse, explain it!"After listening to the explanation, I realized the value of this magic staff even more intuitively.It even has a bonus for Water Magic... This really is... a gift that gives me a shock."Young Lady, please hand this staff to Rudeus-sensei yourself."Eris held the magic staff and handed it to me.I was just about to take it."The name is [arrogant water dragon king]!"This name... is quite cool!"Hurry and accept it! This is a gift from the Greyrat family to you! It was custom-made by Father and Grandfather! It's just too strange that Rudeus is such a powerful mage but doesn't have a magic staff!"I heard the voice, only then did I snap out of it and take the [arrogant water dragon king].Contrary to its appearance, this staff is very light.I swung it a few times; it was quite handy..."Thank you... Not only the birthday party, but also giving me such an expensive gift...""You don't need to worry about the price! Hurry up and continue lining up! Otherwise, the food specially prepared will get cold!"Eris happily pulled me to the birthday seat at the front, where a huge cake was placed."I made food too!"The things Eris made for the first time looked terrifying, but the taste was unexpectedly not bad; presumably, a maid must have helped her.---After the party ended, I discovered that Eris, who should have gone to sleep long ago, was sitting on my bed."You... you're back...!"She was wearing red pajamas, and she looked especially cute.No... it should be sexy...?"Why did you come over at this time?"As I asked this, Eris turned her face away with a flushed red face."Be... because... today is your birthday! So... I'll kindly sleep with you today...!"This is...Presumably, Philip said something to her; otherwise, a child like Eris wouldn't be sitting on my bed like this, and she was behaving quite normally during the party.I sighed softly."Eris, do you know what this means?""I... I know! Just... just like Mom and Dad!"I shook my head."That's not right, Eris. You are still young now, you definitely can't understand..."Before I could finish speaking, Eris got up, grabbed me directly, and threw me onto the bed.Should I say that she is worthy of being an Advanced Rank swordsman? She has so much strength...At least face-to-face like this, I probably couldn't put up any resistance."Rudeus! You are always like this! Even though you are two years younger than me! You always treat me like a child!""Eris... calm down...""I don't want to! Dad just told me! You're going back in a few days! Why didn't you tell me about this? Are you trying to hide it from me!?"It really was Philip...What on earth is that guy trying to do?"Dad told me that as long as... as long as we... are together like Mom and Dad... Rudeus won't leave!"What does this guy Philip take his own daughter for...I don't know how to explain it to Eris; continuing to be her teacher doesn't really have much meaning anymore, although I could still continue to be her teacher."Rudeus... do you hate me...?"Before I knew it, tears were already hanging in the corners of Eris's eyes.Do I hate Eris? Perhaps that was the case when we first met, but the current Eris is a good child; even if she's a bit awkward, she's still a good child."How could that be?""Then why did you reject me...""Eris, we are still young; such things can only happen when we are adults at the earliest.""Then it's a promise! After we become adults, we will be just like Mom and Dad! Before that, Rudeuscannot leave me!"Eris definitely doesn't know what this means...Oh well..."Eris, how about this: in a few days, why don't you come back with me? I can continue being your teacher, it's just that I want to go back and see my family, how about it?""... Okay! I... also want to see Uncle Paul and... Aunt Zenith..."In any case, I stabilized Eris.At this moment, we are on the same bed.Eris suddenly murmured."Rudeus... together.""Huh?""Tonight, I want to lie together with you.""... Really? Do you know...""I know! I just want to lie with you, I won't do anything!""Okay."We didn't do anything, and just like that, we fell asleep on the same bed.Adulthood, huh...
Chapter 25: Going Home"Ghislaine, you don't need to come along!""Eris, my mission is to protect you..."Eris turned her head to look at me.Even if you look at me with such expectation...Eh...I sighed and spoke up."Ghislaine, things have been a bit unstable lately around Great Uncle Sauros. You should go protect him now; it would be best to be his personal bodyguard. Eris is already an Advanced Rankswordsman, so she no longer needs so much protection."Seeing that I said so as well, Ghislaine had no choice but to nod."Rudeus, protect Eris well.""Don't worry! Rudeus can definitely protect me!"Eris said to Ghislaine with her arms crossed.Honestly, why are you the one answering...Just as we agreed that night, I took Eris and prepared to go home for a visit.Paul will probably be surprised to see this... leaving for three years and coming back with a girl.No... he knows who Eris is, so he probably won't be surprised.During the carriage ride, Eris wasn't very settled."Rudeus! Look at that!""I'm inside, so I can't see it.""Why don't you just come up here, Rudeus!"Eris climbed to the top of the carriage, looking around.It seemed like this was the first time she had been this far from home, so she was very excited."It's too dangerous, you should come down too, Eris.""Tch! Fine!"Eris obediently retreated from the top back into the carriage.That was effortless; I guess that's what you'd expect from an Advanced Rank swordsman....The carriage got closer and closer to home, and I started to get a little nervous.How should I greet them after not seeing them for so long...?Will my little sisters still remember me...?Will Sylphie know that I've returned...?While thinking about these things, the carriage stopped.We got off the carriage, and in front of us was a two-story wooden house.My home in this world...Walking to the door, I raised my hand and knocked lightly.A sound of light, quick footsteps came, and the door was opened directly.The person who pushed open the door was a little girl, wearing a small maid outfit that looked a bit like Lilia's, and she also had the same wine-red hair as Lilia...This is..."May I ask who you are?""Eh?"No way.Aisha has forgotten me...No, that's normal; Aisha was only one year old when I left, it would be abnormal if she remembered me.She should be four years old now, right? She's really grown up quite a bit...I crouched down and instinctively reached out to pat her head."I am your older brother, Rudeus Greyrat."Aisha froze for a moment, then revealed a smile with cute fangs, before turning and running into the house while shouting."Mom! Big Brother is back!"I gave a wry smile to Eris."Anyway, let's go inside first?"...And so, I was finally reunited with them again.Zenith stood there, stunned for a while before coming over to hug me."Rudy... you've grown up.""Mother, you are still just as young and beautiful.""Where did you learn to say such things? Are you using these kinds of lines to trick girls every day?"Zenith knocked on my head with her hand.It seems she is afraid that I will become a scumbag who likes to flirt around, just like Paul.But that is impossible!"How could that be? I would only say such things to Mother.""Oh my~ well! Our Rudy is still as sensible and cute as ever!"Zenith hugged me even tighter, making it hard for me to breathe.Paul doesn't seem to be at home, because at this time he is on patrol."Aunt... Auntie, hello! I... I am... Eris Boreas Greyrat..."Eris was stuttering from nervousness, bowing and shouting directly at Zenith.After Zenith looked over, she turned back to look at me."You are Eris, right? You are so cute~""Th...thank you! Us...usually Rudeus has been taking care of me! So... so! I... I prepared a gift!"After saying that, Eris took out the gift she had prepared.It was simple and unadorned, a box of jewelry.Zenith gave a wry smile, but still reached out and accepted it."Thank you for your kindness, Eris.""Yo...you're welcome!"After saying all this, Eris completely relaxed.At this time, Lilia, who was on the side, also spoke up."Young Master Rudeus, welcome back.""Lilia... you don't need to call me Young Master, and... why is Aisha wearing a maid outfit?"I looked at Aisha, who was standing respectfully beside her."Because she is to serve Young Master Rudeus in the future, I want to train her from a young age to be a good maid."My little sister as my maid?This is like the plot of the light novels I read in my previous life.Such plots usually involve the sister ending up being a cousin, and then getting together with the brother; it's very cliché.I cannot accept a sister maid."No... I won't allow it."After saying that, I walked straight towards Aishaand picked her up."Eek?!"Aisha's cute voice leaked out."Aisha is my little sister, not a maid, and you are not a maid either... Lilia, you are our family."Lilia opened her mouth, then closed it again."See, Rudy says so too, that's why I told you not to dress her like that!"At this moment, Zenith said this."I'm sorry, Rudy. Aisha doesn't usually dress like this; it's just that Lilia has always wanted her to... um... serve you. Today she just dressed like this to see your attitude. Besides, Lilia and I do the usual housework together! But Lilia just likes to dress her like this.""Is that so... I misunderstood.""It's Lilia's fault."Zenith said to Lilia with a bit of reproach.I reached out and pinched Aisha's little cheeks; she closed her eyes and smiled, looking like she was at my mercy.She's turning 4... she's growing up so fast, and she's really cute."Where are Norn and Paul?""She insisted on following Paul on patrol today; that child is very clingy to her father.""I see...""Rudy, should we notify Sylphie that you've returned?"Zenith asked this, with a smile on her face.But I didn't see a trace of a smile in her eyes... it's this scary expression again."Hmm... tell her..."After saying that, I carried Aisha into the courtyard.Eris was stopped by Zenith, who frantically asked Eris about me.My mom... is a bit gossipy."Big Brother!""Hmm?""I missed you so much!"Eh? Does Aisha still remember me?"Do you actually remember me?""I remember Big Brother! I just didn't recognize you when I first saw you, but now I'm getting more and more familiar!""Oh... oh! You have a good memory.""How long is Big Brother staying this time?"Aisha revealed a smile, and you could see her little fangs."Maybe a week or two?""Eh~?! You won't go off to be the young lady's teacher for another three years, right?""I... shouldn't. I'll come back often from now on."[ 1 ]..."Ugh...""It's Big Brother...""Uh... Big Brother..."After saying that quietly, Norn ran towards her room.Wh...why?!"Sorry, Rudy, Norn is a bit shy."Paul scratched his head and said to me."Father, do you have nothing else to say to me?""Uh... I'm sorry..."As I said before, I actually don't care too much about this matter.The only thing that annoys me is that Paul didn't discuss it with me properly.I sighed."Forget it, I'll forgive you this once, Father.""Rudy...!"Paul hugged me directly.Only then did I see Sylphie standing behind Paul.She was a bit fidgety and embarrassed to speak.I pushed Paul away, ignoring his surprised expression, and spoke to Sylphie."Sylphie... I'm sorry... uh... before... I didn't know.""It's okay... be... because... I didn't confess to Rudy...""Uh..."Anyway, it's a bit awkward.Seeing Sylphie again after knowing she is a girl, I always feel she is unbearably cute.Uh...I used to treat Sylphie as an obedient good friend...I didn't expect..."Hello! I am Eris Boreas Greyrat, and I am Rudeus's student! What is your name!"When we were a bit unsure of what to say, Erissuddenly popped up.Her voice was still very loud, and she spoke to Sylphie with a bit of a condescending tone."Eris, you can't be so rude.""Hmph!""It... it's okay... I am... Sylphiette... I was Rudy's childhood playmate... and I am also Rudy's student... Hello, Miss Eris..."Eris nodded in satisfaction."Hmm... It's normal for Rudeus to have three students; after all, Rudeus is very amazing!"Three? It seems Eris also counts Ghislaine as one of my students.After Sylphie was stunned for a while, as if she had discovered how to communicate with Eris, she tentatively asked."Can you tell me about things with Rudy in Roa...?""Of course! Rudeus is amazing..."I don't know why, but the two of them suddenly started chatting happily.I withdrew from that chat, which belonged to the girls' atmosphere. I had just breathed a sigh of relief when I felt my shoulder being patted."Pretty impressive, you already have two girls arguing over you?"It was Paul, who had also followed over."Father, they are not arguing.""They are both talking about you, so which one are you planning to marry?""If I said I would marry both, what would you think?""A man with the blood of the Greyrat family!"Paul is still the same; it seems that three years have passed and he hasn't grown at all.Marry both... hehe...If I really had such an idea, Zenith would definitely tear me apart.No... if I married Eris and then married Sylphie, I would be strangled to death by an Advanced Rankswordsman one night.Better not think about it..."Big Brother, Dad!""Oh, oh! Aisha!"Paul picked up Aisha.Hmm, it seems Paul and Aisha have a very good relationship, and there's no such thing as him favoring one daughter over the other.That's more like it."Big Brother! I want to learn magic!"Aisha, in Paul's arms, said this to me.Magic... but Aisha is only three and a half, right?Hmm... I started learning when I was three too, so it should be fine."Alright, Big Brother will teach you.""Yay! Dad, Mom, and Big Sister Sylphie all say you're an amazing mage!""I suppose you could say that.""Ooh! Ooh~!"And just like that, Eris and Sylphie chatted for the whole afternoon, while I taught Aisha magic in the yard.After dinner, I offered to walk Sylphie home.Eris, naturally, stayed at our house.After leaving the house, Sylphie walked in front of me, hands clasped behind her back, without saying a word.She's truly cute. It's a different kind of cuteness from Eris's. Why did I ever think she was a boy?It's night now. If it were the old Sylphie, she would surely be scared and hiding behind me.She has grown up quite a bit, too...We walked in silence until we reached Sylphie's front door.At that moment, Sylphie spoke up."Rudy...?""I'm here.""Rudy... can you still teach me magic?""What's wrong? Do you think I'm no longer qualified to teach you?""No, no! You're already Eris's teacher... I...""Eris isn't my only student. When I was in Roa, I was also Ghislaine's teacher.""Ghislaine...? Who is that?""Hmm... you probably haven't met her, but like I said, they are my students, and so are you."Sylphie was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind about something."Ru... Rudy...! Then... can you promise me... that no matter what... you'll teach me... okay...?""Of course.""It's a promise...?""It's a promise.""Then... then tomorrow! Can you teach me magic again... under that big tree...?""Of course you can.""Yeah! Then... see you tomorrow!""See you tomorrow."Sylphie smiled and waved at me....Returning home, it seemed everyone was already asleep.As soon as I entered my room, I took a deep breath, sensing the atmosphere of the room.It seems my room has been kept clean; even though I returned suddenly, I didn't feel any dust anywhere.Hmm... although I said I'd let Eris stay here for a week, I don't really know what we can do in this village.After all, I spent my early childhood researching magic and swordsmanship... Ah, my swordsmanship is practically half-abandoned now."I'll worry about tomorrow tomorrow."Saying that, I threw myself onto the bed, ready to sleep.Just then, there was a knock at the door."Come in."I said, and the person who entered was Eris."What's wrong? Can't get used to sleeping?""That's right! So I'm going to sleep in your room!"Eris looked justified, standing on her tiptoes as she looked around my room."Fine, I'll go get another set of bedding."After I answered, Eris happily dove onto my bed.With a wry smile, I walked out of the room to get the bedding.Just as I opened the door, I discovered another little one standing there.It was Aisha..."Aisha? Why aren't you asleep yet?""Um... um... I want... I want to sleep with Big Brother..."Aisha said softly, fidgeting, her body swaying slightly.Seeing her so cute, I don't think anyone could refuse.So I nodded and agreed."Alright! You go into my room first, I'll go get the bedding.""Yeah!"Aisha nodded happily and ran into the room.Returning with the bedding, I found that somehow, Aisha had already gotten along with Eris, and the two of them were lying on my bed together.Seeing me enter, Aisha raised her hand."Big Brother! Big Sister Eris told me so many things about you!""She didn't say anything bad about me, did she?""No! Big Sister Eris said you're very amazing! And very handsome!""Ho ho, so that's what you say about me in private, huh? Eris~"Eris's cheeks flushed slightly, and she huffed, saying,"I'm just stating the facts!"I smiled and made the floor bed."Then Aisha, you sleep with Eris tonight. I'll sleep on the floor.""Yeah!"Aisha nodded happily, completely forgetting that she had just said "I want to sleep with Big Brother."So quickly forgetting her Big Brother...?I turned off the lights and lay down as well.Not long after, I heard the sound of Aisha's soft breathing.Children really do sleep well, huh..."Rudeus..."Eris lowered her voice and called my name."Hmm? What's wrong?""Um... today... that friend of yours... Sylphie... uh... do you like her...?"The "like" Eris was talking about was probably romantic feelings.Do I like Sylphie? I don't think so myself. After all, Sylphie is just a ten-year-old child now, and between my past life and this one, I'm nearly thirty years old. It really wouldn't be right to like a ten-year-old girl.But Eris is just a child, so she must only have a superficial understanding of these things.After thinking for a while, I said,"If you mean right now... I'm not entirely sure, but in the past, I think I did like her quite a bit—the kind of liking you have for a friend.""She told me, you know. You used to always think she was a boy.""Yeah... her hair wasn't long back then, and whenever I said I was going to give her manly training, she never argued, so naturally, I just completely thought of her as a boy.""That's really not like Rudeus at all.""Hm-hm~ What about you two? What did you chat about?""Girl talk, and a girl's promise.""Seems like it's a promise I'm not allowed to know about.""Indeed, Rudeus is not allowed to know."I smiled and didn't press the issue.Eris was silent for a moment before saying softly,"Rudeus... then what about me...? Uh... do you like me...?"She was gripping her blanket with both hands, very tightly.It seems she used a lot of courage to ask this question.But how should I put it... hearing this question, it felt like a weight was lifted off my chest.Before, I thought Eris's "confession" was impulsive because she knew I was leaving... In short, in my heart, I thought it was an impulse born from her reliance on me, not purely because of liking or love.Now I understand.At Eris's age, it's perfectly normal for her to be falling in love for the first time with me...But what about me? How should I respond?All this time, I've treated Eris as a child, as a student.I've always looked down on Eris from an adult's perspective. Can someone like me really be with her...?This is double-standard. I just thought about how, given my age, I wouldn't be that interested in a ten-something-year-old girl, yet here I am thinking so seriously about Eris.Then again, do I really like Eris? I always thought the care I had for Eris was the kind a teacher gives to a student, but if Eris were to marry some noble, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to accept it...Is this that thing? Possessiveness... I have this kind of possessiveness toward Eris...Admit it... I, with an adult's mindset, have possessiveness toward a little girl..."Yeah... I... like Eris..."It's good to admit it...In my past life, I hadn't really been in any relationships, but I know how I feel right now.If Eris were taken away by some noble, I would absolutely kill that noble...Even if it's not because of love, I have to take responsibility for my possessiveness...Yes, responsibility.I repeated it in my heart as if to deceive myself."Really!?"Eris's voice suddenly became loud.Then, realizing her voice might be too loud and wake Aisha, she lowered her volume."Is that true...?""Yeah."Hearing my answer, Eris's pupils seemed to dilate.She sat up and gestured with her hands, stammering,"Then... then... let's get married? Just... just like Mom and Dad, and then... we can be together forever and ever!"Before I could answer, she added,"No, that's not right. We have to ask Aunt Zenithfirst! And then... then Uncle Paul... and then... and then..."Eris's face was beet red, and she was somewhat incoherent.I said,"You're too impatient, Eris.""Am I...?""Yeah, in any case, things like this have to wait until we're adults.""Then, then, then... Rudeus, you're not allowed to lie to me... When we're adults... we'll get married... I'll explain the situation to Aunt and Uncle!"Eris, that's usually the guy's line...In any case, I smiled and comforted her."No need to be in such a rush.""Then Rudeus... promise me, and make a pact...""I promise to marry Eris after we're adults, so get some sleep, okay?""What about the pact? And the promise...""A promise and a pact are the same thing.""Is that so?""Yes.""Then... that's a pact! I'm going to sleep, Rudeus!"After Eris happily lay down, I thought to myself for a long time.A pact, huh...
Chapter 26: Some Daily LifeWaking up, washing up, eating breakfast.I opened the front door, ready to head to the big tree from my childhood as promised."Rudeus!" "Brother!" "Where are you going!" (x2)Before I knew it, Eris and Aisha were standing behind me.Aisha imitated Eris, crossing her arms, looking at me—one big, one small.The only difference was that Eris wasn't smiling, while Aisha was grinning, showing her fangs."Going to see Sylphie," I answered truthfully.Even if I lied, Eris would definitely follow, so it was better to be honest."I want to go too!" (x2)They spoke in unison again, then looked at each other and smiled.Eris and Aisha's relationship had become this good in just one night.Girls, they really are amazing.I sighed and said, "Then let's go together.""Yay!" "Yeah!"...Arriving at the meeting place, Sylphie had indeed arrived before me.When she saw me, she first smiled and waved, but when she saw Eris and Aisha behind me, her smile became a bit awkward.I smiled and waved back at her.The gunpowder-filled conversation I had imagined didn't happen.Like an examination, I watched Sylphie cast her magic.Her control was much better than before... Her total mana pool seemed to have increased significantly too... because she could now cast large-scale magic multiple times in a row, which was something she couldn't do before.I nodded. "Sylphie, has your total mana increased?""Yes... Before, I would feel a slight increase the day after practicing... but since last year, I haven't felt that anymore...""I see... Well, you've completely passed. In fact, you did much better than I expected. I need to consider making a staff for you.""Eh? Why...?"At this moment, Eris said to Sylphie, "That way, you can call yourself a mage!""Eris is right. This is a sign that you've graduated..."Before I could finish, I noticed that Sylphie's expression didn't look right.She didn't seem very happy. Shouldn't this be something worth celebrating?Oh... that promise from yesterday?So, I said, "Of course, graduating doesn't mean I'm no longer your teacher. If there's anything you don't know, you can still ask me."Hearing me say that, Sylphie's ears perked up slightly, and she smiled."Yeah! Rudy... did I improve a lot?""A lot. It's almost enough to make me look at you in a new light.""Hehe..."Just then, Eris interrupted our conversation, "Sylphie, tell me more about Rudeus when he was little!"And so, Eris and Sylphie started chatting again, leaving me out.I had no choice but to focus on teaching Aishamagic. At this moment, Aisha and I were sitting together—or more accurately, Aisha was sitting on my lap."Brother... like this?" There was a flame in Aisha's palm."That's right. Keep imagining it. Magic training is only useful... well... probably before the age of ten. Training a lot when you're young can increase your total mana."Why did I come to this conclusion? I turned to look at Eris and Sylphie.Sylphie trained with me before she was ten and continued after I left, so her total mana increased. This was something I had verified earlier.As for Eris... her magic training only started at nine and a half. Half a year wasn't enough to increase it much.Even though I insisted that Eris keep practicing later, her mana didn't increase.In conclusion, training to increase one's total mana might only be effective when using magic before the age of ten or during early childhood."Brother, you're really popular~" While I was thinking, Aisha whispered this into my ear.I looked down at Aisha, and she was looking at me with a squinty smile."Aisha... Father didn't teach you this, did he?""Nope~ I could tell at a glance that Brother is very popular~""...Practice your magic properly." "Yes~"After Aisha answered lazily, she leaned directly into my arms."I really like Brother too!"My little sister... she seems almost unfairly cute."Um... uh... I like Aisha too...""Yay! A confession! Brother just confessed to me!"Hm...? Isn't Aisha only four? She understands way more than I imagined.Sylphie and Eris turned their heads at the same time, watched for a moment, then turned back and started chatting about girl talk."Where on earth do you learn these things..."I said, clenching my fists and gently rotating them against Aisha's temples.It didn't take much force, and it didn't hurt, but Aishawas probably ticklish.Because she was laughing the whole time, and her body was squirming, though she never tried to run away from my arms."Brother, I was wrong! Hahaha...""Alright! That's enough, practice properly.""Got it... Brother, how can I learn Chantless Magic...?"That question from Aisha really stumped me.I had only seen Sylphie and myself use Chantless Magic.Eris hadn't learned it... Roxy hadn't learned it either... The guard mages in Roa also seemed to need to chant..."Anyway, try imagining it first. Imagine what the magic you want to cast should look like. It's best to be precise, and only release your mana after you've solidified the image.""Oh, oh!"Aisha stretched one hand forward, closed her eyes, and her expression wasn't very pretty, as if she was really trying hard to imagine it.After several minutes, she opened her eyes."Brother... I can't imagine it...""Hmm... No rush. You should stick to training with chants for now. Because I'm not even sure if Chantless Magic is something that can be learned. Even if you can't use Chantless Magic, you can still become a powerful mage. My teacher was a mage who needed to chant, and she is still the person I respect the most to this day.""Okay!"In short, the day passed by leisurely like this.
Chapter 27: Some Daily Life 2In the courtyard, Paul and I stood facing each other with wooden swords."Rudy, let me see if your swordsmanship has improved over these few years.""I'm afraid that will disappoint you, Father."I turned my head to look to the side; Eris, Sylphie, Aisha, and Norn were all watching."Big Brother, good luck!"Aisha shouted, and Norn turned her head to look at Aisha for a moment, then, as if having made up her mind, she also spoke up."Papa... good luck..."Eris and Sylphie watched in silence.Alright! To maintain my image as the perfect big brother, I absolutely cannot lose! Even if I have to use magic in a cowardly way!I had already worked out the formula for victory in my mind, but just then, Paul spoke."Ah, right, Rudy, you can't use magic.""Eh?""Opening!"In the split second I was stunned, Paul charged straight at me.I had just raised my wooden sword when Paul knocked it away and kicked me to the ground.Afterward, a wooden sword was held against my throat."Papa... so cool!""Big Brother, uh..."Norn and Aisha spoke at the same time."Rudy~ You really haven't improved at all~"Paul said with a cheeky grin.Damn it, this guy Paul... he just wants to show off in front of his daughters."It can't be helped, Ghislaine also said that I have no talent for swordsmanship."I said stubbornly, climbing up from the ground.But Paul spoke with understanding."Hmm... If even Ghislaine says you have no talent... then you really have no talent...""Father, are you really not going to encourage your own son?""You're so smart, you must know it in your heart. Besides, that woman Ghislaine is a true natural, if she thinks you have no talent for swordsmanship..."Well, that's true.It seems Paul has reached Advanced Rank in every style; he can be considered a master in the field of swordsmanship.If he tried a bit harder, he could be even stronger.However... he probably doesn't have much motivation to try harder right now.Just as I was thinking, Eris stepped forward and stammered."U-Uncle Paul! C-can I... can I spar with you?""Of course you can, but it's best not to be because I beat Rudy and you want to take revenge for him.""No... not at all... I just want to spar with you... Ghislaine said... Rudeus's father... is quite strong.""Oh? Ghislaine actually evaluated me like that? I'm a bit happy. Well then, let's begin.""Okay!"So, I stood in the spectator's spot.Eris challenging Paul was purely out of a desire for the swordsmanship of a strong person.Until now, her only sparring partner has been Ghislaine.Ghislaine is very strong, perhaps even stronger than Paul.However, Paul is someone who has reached Advanced Rank in every style, so dealing with him won't be any easier than dealing with Ghislaine."Rudy... does it hurt?"Sylphie leaned in next to me."Hm? Just a little.""Hmm..."Sylphie nodded and touched the spot where I was kicked, simultaneously casting magic.Chantless Healing Magic... and it seems to be Advanced Rank, too."Does it still hurt now?""It doesn't hurt anymore, thank you, Sylphie.""Mm..."Sylphie's ears twitched, as if she were very happy.Is this the same principle as Ghislaine's tail?We just watched Eris and Paul's sparring like that.Should I say, as expected of an Advanced Rankswordsman? Eris's reactions are clearly much faster than mine.This guy Paul... he's clearly holding back a lot against Eris. When he fought me, he even used his feet to kick me, but against Eris, he's been on the defensive the whole time.However, even if Paul got serious, he probably wouldn't be able to defeat Eris easily..."Big Sister Eris is so amazing."Aisha sighed in admiration and walked to my side.I don't know what she meant by that, but damn it, if I could use magic, I would definitely have a chance of winning!But this kind of thing shouldn't be said by a loser; no matter how you look at it, it sounds like making excuses."Aisha, Rudy is a mage; he is definitely not Uncle Paul's match in pure swordsmanship.""I know that!""Mm."Could it be... that me getting instantly defeated by Paul earlier was really pathetic?Was my image as the perfect big brother in the hearts of Aisha and Norn just shattered instantly?No, I have to reclaim my dignity as a big brother.After Eris and Paul finished a round of sparring, I spoke up."Father, another round with me?""No! I still have to go on patrol~""Papa! I want to go too.""Alright."Just like that, Paul ran away while holding Norn.Damn Paul...In the afternoon, we continued yesterday's training under that big tree.Calling it training is actually just Sylphie asking some questions, experimenting after getting the answers, and once the experiment is done, she goes off to talk about girl topics with Eris.Aisha sat on my lap, practicing magic over and over again."Big Brother, do you think magic and swordsmanship can be practiced together?""Of course they can. I once thought so too, but I don't have talent for swordsmanship.""I think Big Brother is very amazing!""Even though I was instantly defeated by Father?""That's because Papa ambushed you! If Big Brother hadn't been ambushed, he definitely would have lasted a while longer before losing!""But it's still losing.""But Big Brother is a mage. Being able to last a while at that distance is already very impressive, right?"I rubbed Aisha's head.Every time I do this, Aisha just giggles silly."You sure know a lot.""Hehe."Is this really just a child who is about to turn four?Aisha's intelligence sometimes makes me suspect that she is a transmigrator too.She learns magic as soon as it's taught, and can even shorten the incantations on her own."If it's Aisha, it might actually be possible...""Possible what?"Aisha sat on my lap, looking up at me."Magic and swordsmanship, if combined, they would definitely be very strong. The name would probably be Magic Swordsman.""Magic Swordsman... so cool!""Right? I wanted to become a Magic Swordsman too~""Then can I start practicing swordsmanship now?"I lowered my head and looked at Aisha.A four-year-old's body is still too small.Starting to practice now has no meaning. Ghislaineonce said that for talented people, it doesn't matter when they start practicing.I started practicing swordsmanship at five and have only barely reached Intermediate Rank now, while Eris reached Advanced Rank in less than four years.This is the difference in talent; it doesn't have much to do with effort.I patted Aisha's head."It's still too early. If you start practicing now, be careful not to grow tall later. It's better to practice magic well first.""Okay!"Aisha nodded obediently.She really is a little sister who puts one at ease.
Chapter 28: DisplacementSleeping in.How long has it been since I've done this?Since coming to this world, I've almost never slept in.Before going to Roa, I usually got up as soon as I woke up.And in Roa, I always had to get up early to prepare for lessons. Only on weekends did I have time to sleep in a bit, but even then, I'd get up as soon as I woke up.But now, I'm awake, yet I don't want to get up.I turned my head to look at Eris on the bed beside me; she was still asleep.Aisha... she seems to have gotten up early to help Lilia.How sensible.Oh well, I'll sleep a bit longer..."Brother~ time to get up, breakfast is ready."When I opened my eyes again, Aisha had already crawled into my covers.She was just looking up at me foolishly, a smile on her face.So cute...I turned to look at the bed; Eris had already gotten up and left..."Mm, I'm getting up now.""Eh—sleep a bit longer, Aisha just laid down.""Weren't you the one who told me to get up?""I just wanted Brother to know that Aisha is lying with Brother~""Then let's sleep a little longer."I grabbed Aisha and hugged her, using this four-year-old child as a pillow.Aisha's body is so soft; I feel like if I used any force, she might break a bone or something..."Eek! Brother is being a pervert!""Hm? How is a brother hugging his sister being a pervert? Where did you even learn that?""I won't tell Brother~"Anyway, after the farce ended, I did get up.After washing up, I ate breakfast that I didn't know if Lilia or Zenith had made.Lilia and Zenith seemed to have gone to town with Paul and Norn; they get along really well.Eris, on the other hand, was practicing swordsmanship in the yard.Hmm...?"Aisha, why didn't you go to town with them?""I wouldn't go, it's so boring.""Is that so? Don't you have any friends in town or the village?""No~ those people are all idiots.""That won't do. If you don't make friends now, you won't know how to make friends in the future, and not having friends is very lonely.""Eh—Brother, why are you as nagging as Father."Me... nagging... like Paul?True... she just doesn't want to make friends... I really shouldn't interfere so much.Being called nagging by my little sister..."Besides, Father said that Brother didn't like playing with other kids before either, I'm afraid you don't like it now either, right?""How could that be? I love playing with Aisha.""Hmph~ if Aisha weren't Brother's sister, Brother probably wouldn't even pay attention to me."I was a bit speechless.I am indeed not the type of person who would take the initiative to talk to strangers.But this isn't because I'm shy or anything; it's mainly because I find it troublesome. If I knew that interacting with that stranger would bring me benefits, I certainly wouldn't find it troublesome."See! Brother, you were definitely thinking about what would happen if Aisha wasn't your sister! Aisha is so sad...""How could that be... Even if Aisha wasn't my sister, I would still take the initiative to befriend Aisha, Aisha is so cute... uh... and so smart... and sensible..."Anyway, I was played by my little sister.She fake-cried while listening to me praise her, and when I couldn't make up any more words, she laughed and said:"I know! Brother really likes Aisha!""Yes, yes..."I really can't do anything about my eccentric little sister.After eating, Eris finished her sword practice.She walked back into the house and said to me while I was washing the dishes:"Rudeus! I want to see Saint-level Magic!""Hm? What is it? So sudden.""Sylphie told me that Rudeus has used it! But I haven't seen it!""Ah... alright, but we have to go quite far, it's better to release it in an open area.""Then let's set off!"Eris is still like that, doing whatever comes to mind.I put away the clean bowls and went into the room to take out the arrogant water dragon king."Brother! I want to see it too!""Got it, got it... let's go together?""Mm!"Since the journey was a bit long, the three of us got on Paul's horse.Of course, Eris was the one steering it; I don't know how to ride a horse.Fortunately, we are all children, otherwise, this horse would probably struggle to carry three people....We arrived.We reached the place where Roxy had once brought me.The place of my final exam.I got off the horse and cast magic, first creating an earthen wall to let Aisha, Eris, and the horse hide inside."Which kind do you want to see?""Hm... which kind is Rudeus good at?""Then... [Cumulonimbus] it is. This is a spell that creates a large-scale downpour accompanied by lightning; it's the magic I'm best at, and also the first Saint-level Magic I ever used.""Ooh! That sounds so cool!"I smiled and walked more than ten meters outside the earthen wall.I looked up at the sky; it seemed like it was going to rain anyway, so gloomy."Anyway... let's first disperse the dark clouds in this area."After all, the effect will look better that way.I raised my staff and cast magic toward the sky.It was a mix of Wind Magic and Fire Magic, which could blow away and disperse the dark clouds.But... after succeeding, the sky was still so gloomy...What is going on...?"Rudeus! Hurry up and start!""Brother! Do your best!"I nodded; anyway, I'll ignore the anomaly in the sky for now.Raising my staff, I pretended to chant loudly with gusto:"Hahaha! Gather, magical power! Majestic water spirits, ascend to the sky... hm?"At this moment, I noticed something."Mm?""What is that?"Aisha and Eris's attention also turned toward the sky—no... it was the front of my line of sight.The color of the sky had changed?And it was that kind of disgusting color, purple and brown mixed into marble-like patterns."Rudeus! Is that your magic? It's so strange!""Brother! Hurry and stop, I don't want to see such disgusting magic!"No... something is wrong...I cast magic, letting Ice Magic travel rapidly along the ground toward the front of my line of sight.I touched the Ice Magic with my hand, feeling the changes in magical power.This is... such... such astonishing magical power... and the further forward it goes, the more I can feel the magical power increasing...Stay calm...Anyway, first, take Eris and Aisha back to the village, notify Paul, and have the family evacuate to somewhere else first."Eris, Aisha, let's leave here first..."I had just spoken when I noticed the two of them frozen in place, looking behind me.I turned to look in the direction of their gaze.A beam of light extended from the sky, which had been dyed white, toward the ground.The moment that light touched the ground──I saw the light start to expand at an astonishing speed, turning into a torrent of light that swallowed everything, while gradually approaching us, like a tsunami.The moment Eris and Aisha saw this scene clearly, they just blankly stopped moving, completely unable to comprehend it."Eris, Aisha!"I rushed toward them and cast magic.The most magic I had ever used in my life, I cast a huge, thick earthen wall, trying to block the advance of that pillar of light, but it was of no use.By the time I ran to their side, pure white light dominated the nearby area.With the feeling of being dragged somewhere, though I wasn't sure if it was the ground or the sky, I lost consciousness.However, until the moment I lost consciousness, I could be sure that I was holding Eris and Aisha.
Chapter 29: Demon ContinentI had a dream.In the dream, I was flying while holding Eris and Aisha.Although my consciousness wasn't clear, for some reason, the sensation of [flying myself] was definitely there.The scenery before my eyes was changing at an astonishing speed.I was flying while swaying irregularly, moving up and down, left and right, at a speed that felt like it had turned into the speed of sound or light.I didn't understand why I had fallen into such a situation.I only knew that if I slacked off even a little—no, even if I didn't slack off—sooner or later, I would inevitably lose speed and fall.I focused my consciousness.Amidst the dizzyingly changing scenery, I searched for a spot that looked relatively safe, attempting to land.If you were to ask me why I was doing this, I couldn't really say.It's just that I had a premonition that if I didn't do so, I would die.However, the speed was simply too fast.When trying to hit a specific pattern on a slot machine, it feels like the reels are spinning fast, but compared to the speed at which the scenery was changing before my eyes, that was nothing.I focused my consciousness even more, pouring magic power into my eyes.Consequently, the speed slowed down for just an instant.This is bad, I'm going to crash.When this thought flashed through my mind, I saw land.It was flat land. Falling into the sea would be bad, the mountains would be bad, and the forest was equally dangerous, but if it was flat land, perhaps...I gambled on this hope and descended.After much difficulty, I finally managed to brake in an emergency and dropped onto the reddish-brown earth.Consciousness was interrupted at this point....When I woke up, it was already night.I could see stars filling the sky before my eyes."Ah...!"I hurriedly stood up, looking left and right, searching for Eris and Aisha.Fortunately, they were right beside me, still breathing; it seemed they were asleep."Phew..."I let out a breath and tried to prop myself up; a wave of pain came from my back, it seemed I had been lying on the ground for too long.Looking around, I saw parched, cracked earth extending out under the night sky, with almost no vegetation like grass or trees to be seen.Are there not even insects? Except for the breathing sounds of Aisha and Eris, I couldn't hear anything.So quiet...It even made me feel that if I made a sound, it would be endlessly absorbed.At least in my memories, I had never been to such a place.Within the Asura Kingdom, it's either forests or grasslands; could it be that it turned into this state because of that white light...?I looked at this cracked, parched earth... If it really was because of that white light, there's no way we could have survived...So... this place probably isn't the Asura Kingdom...Anyway, I gathered dead wood and started a fire.The night here is very cold, and the ground must be uncomfortable to sleep on..."Just in case."I cast magic, using Earth Magic to set up a perimeter 30 meters out, mainly for my own perception.If any monsters or enemies approach, I will be able to detect them in time."Let's sort out the situation first..."Because of that beam of light, Eris, Aisha, and I were inexplicably teleported to an unknown continent.After observing, I found that this continent's abnormally cracked and parched state is very similar to the Demon Continent that Roxy-sensei described.Let's assume this is the Demon Continent...Rumor has it that the Demon Continent has many monsters, and they are very aggressive. On the Demon Continent, the days are abnormally hot, and the nights are abnormally cold.The Demon Continent is not suitable for humans to live in; even battle-hardened soldiers or adventurers cannot last too long on this continent."The Demon Continent, huh..."Water resources... I can just use magic. Food... I'm afraid I'll have to hunt monsters.I turned my head to look at Aisha and Eris who were sleeping soundly.Eris is strong and is an Advanced Rank swordsman, so she should be able to adapt...Aisha...A four-year-old child, coming to a place like this...Can I manage to lead her out of this continent...?I cannot doubt myself. I will definitely do my best to let Aisha leave this continent safely, unharmed, and healthy..."Rudeus...?"After an unknown amount of time, Eris woke up.I turned to look, and Aisha had also woken up."Big brother... where is this...?"Aisha asked me in a daze."I'm not too sure myself, but based on my observations, this might be the Demon Continent..."Upon hearing Demon Continent, Eris seemed to perk up quite a bit, while Aisha had her mouth slightly agape, not knowing what she was thinking."Anyway, may the holy power be the mellow grain that grants those who have lost their strength the power to stand up again—[Healing]."I used Healing Magic on Eris and Aisha."Are you thirsty?""Yes!""Me too!"Aisha and Eris answered at the same time.I had them open their mouths, and I released Water Magic so it flowed into their mouths.After drinking the water, they first stood up and looked around."Don't go too far.""Yes!"After a while, they sat back down beside me."Rudeus... can we go back...?"Eris asked this, staring intently at the fire.Aisha leaned against me, not saying a word."Don't worry, I will definitely get you back safely."In truth, I had absolutely no confidence.I didn't even know which direction to go...But as an adult, I must never show fear in front of the children.Eris nodded after hearing my answer, and at the same time reached out to touch the sword at her waist, as if that could make her feel more at ease."Big brother... is this really the Demon Continent...?""Most likely, yes. The environment here is very similar to the Demon Continent I know.""Oh...""What's wrong? Have you heard of the Demon Continent?""No... wait... I seem to have heard of it in a dream."Aisha rested her index finger on her chin, tilted her head, and thought for a while.In the end, it seemed she couldn't think of anything, so she gave up on the thought."Right, are you hungry?"Aisha and Eris both shook their heads at the same time.Looks like they aren't hungry... That's good then."Hmm... We'll set off tomorrow. If we encounter monsters on the way, I'll try to hunt them; that will be our source of food. Of course, if we encounter a large group of monsters, we'll just run.""Rudeus! What about me?""Uh... what do you mean?""I want to hunt too!""Eris... this isn't..."Before I could finish my sentence, Eris stood up, drew her sword, and rushed toward a large rock nearby to slash it; the rock split directly into two.Afterward, she snorted."Rudeus! I'm two years older than you!"I sighed."Fine, but you have to follow my commands. You must never be reckless when encountering danger. This is the Demon Continent, and my Healing Magiconly reaches Advanced Rank; I'm afraid that you...""I know! Don't worry, Rudeus! I've always longed for an adventure like this!"Looking at Eris with her hands on her hips, her eyes shining.Helplessly, I nodded."What about me? What about me?"Aisha's cute voice sounded from beside me."You just stay hidden. When the time comes, I'll cast magic, and you stay inside it.""Eh~?""What does a four-year-old child want to do? I will absolutely not allow you to do anything dangerous."I lightly tapped Aisha with a hand chop."But, but! I know magic...""No. I am not yet so weak that I need the help of a four-year-old child."Aisha is very sensible; once I said that, she gave up.Her expression was a bit disappointed, and she lowered her head."Rudeus, don't be so fierce to your own sister!""I know..."I pulled Aisha into my arms.In my arms, she still didn't say anything, very obediently raising her head to meet my gaze."Aisha, you are still young. Big brother doesn't want you to get hurt even a little bit. If you get hurt, Paul won't forgive me, and I won't forgive myself either.""I know...""From now on, I will teach you magic every night. After you grow up, we will go on adventures together, how about that?""Yes...!"At this moment, Eris said from the side with her hands on her hips."I will also teach Aisha swordsmanship! Of course, you'll need to have a sword first.""Thank you, Big Sister Eris."Aisha responded sensibly.I smiled."Anyway, let's continue resting today. We'll set off tomorrow; the Demon Continent is very hot during the day."Aisha and Eris obediently went to sleep.I changed the coverage of my Earth Magic from a 30-meter radius to a 50-meter radius before I could rest easy and close my eyes slightly.Because I was afraid that if I fell asleep completely, the magic would disappear, I only took a short nap.
Chapter 30: Setting OffI actually had no idea which way to go.However, I had seen a map of this world before, and since we were on the Demon Continent, as long as I kept heading west, I would surely find a town.Before setting off, I kept trying to use methods from my previous life to determine the cardinal directions, but unfortunately, it didn't seem to be of any use.The stars in this world are different from those in my previous life, so they couldn't be used as a reference.Before we set off in the early morning, Aishapointed in a direction and said that was west.I asked her how she could be sure, and she just told me it was a feeling.Anyway, since I couldn't be sure where to go either, I followed Aisha's feeling...."The Demon Continent! The adventure has begun!"Although Eris, who was in front, was so excited now, she had been so scorched by the high heat earlier that she hadn't wanted to speak at all.However... after experiencing a cold night and suddenly suffering from such high heat, it was only natural that Eris and Aisha couldn't handle it.Therefore, while walking, I kept using Ice Magic to cool them down, while carefully using Earth Magicto probe for any lurking monsters.Aisha was still too small, and her pace couldn't keep up at all, so I used Wind Magic to lift her up as we moved.If only there were some kind of telekinesis magic... that way, I wouldn't have to put so much effort into controlling magic.Using Wind Magic to lift Aisha actually consumed more mana than I had imagined, as I had to operate it carefully.However, my mana seemed to be unusually abundant; even after carrying Aisha like this all day, my mana could recover almost completely after resting at night."Brother! The sun is so strong!""Yeah..."Indeed, even if I lowered the temperature around us, the sun would still beat down directly on Aisha and Eris.I couldn't think of any way to solve this problem.Just like what Roxy once told me, "Magic is by no means omnipotent." Now, I could fully understand the meaning of those words.Eris, walking in front, was somewhat excited; she was always looking left and right at this strange land."Rudeus! There's a cliff ahead! There's no path left!""It's okay, Brother will just use magic to carry us down."After Aisha responded to Eris, she looked at me with an expression of admiration.Of course, this was a very simple matter.So, I nodded and used Earth Magic to make the three of us move downward slowly.Upon reaching the bottom, there was indeed a vast, continuous expanse of land.Since we were in a canyon, the sun didn't shine directly in."Brother, I want to get down and walk for a while.""No, it's dangerous.""Okay..."Aisha was very sensible; once she was refused by me, she wouldn't bring it up a second time.It seemed she could still understand our current situation, but as for Eris..."Rudeus! There are actually trees ahead!"Trees...? On the Demon Continent?I extended my Earth Magic over there.I sensed that those few trees were moving...The roots of those trees were stirring."Eris, those trees are monsters, be careful.""Eh? Is that so!"Eris drew her sword, prepared to subjugate those trees.I didn't want to spoil Eris's fun, so I cast Ice Magic to freeze the roots of those magic trees."Eris, do it!""Alright!"Eris immediately leaned forward and rushed ahead, cutting two of them in half with one sword strike. The remaining three tried to run, but their roots were frozen.Thus, these magic trees gave up their disguise, baring their fangs and claws as they waited in place for Eris to attack.I cast Ice Magic again, freezing the claws of those magic trees, and Eris found the opportunity to cut them down one by one.After the subjugation was over, I walked up and picked up the branches that had been cut off from these magic trees.They looked like ordinary branches no matter how I looked at them..."Rudeus! This is that, right!"Eris's excited voice rang in my ears."This is that! It's the cooperation between Adventurers, right! Rudeus is responsible for support, and I'm responsible for killing enemies!""Indeed, you could say that.""This feeling... is even better than I had imagined! It must be because the person supporting me is Rudeus!"I smiled."Don't get too happy yet; we need to hunt monsters that we can eat. It's been a long time since we've eaten anything.""Mm! Rudeus will definitely be able to find them, right? Because Rudeus is very amazing!""I suppose so."Eris was right; as long as I expanded the range of my reconnaissance, I would certainly be able to find monsters.I turned my head to look at Aisha, who was being carried to the side by my Wind Magic; even I could see the longing in her eyes.So, I patted Aisha on the head."After you grow up, I can support you too.""Really?""Really.""When I grow up, if I invite Brother to go on an adventure, will Brother definitely go?""Of course, as long as you grow up.""It's a promise, okay!""Mm."We traveled into the canyon until evening, and Erisand I hunted a monster.This monster was somewhat huge... but it wasn't strong.It seemed to be a type of tortoise, a tortoise on the Demon Continent...It was written in a book that Zenith gave me before; it seemed to be called a "Great King Tortoise" or something...I heard they could be domesticated as mounts.I ate its meat, a troubled expression on my face.How should I put it... although I had never expected its meat to be delicious, this was beyond whether it was delicious or not; it simply had no taste at all.However, perhaps I should be thankful that it didn't have much of a taste, so even Aisha could eat it.I boiled the meat until it was soft before feeding it to Aisha, because Aisha was only four years old; if I had roasted it, she definitely wouldn't have been able to chew it.Aisha chewed on the Great King Tortoise meat, her expression not very good. Watching Aisha like this, I couldn't help but feel a bit self-reproachful, and I made up my mind.I must find some other delicious monster... it must also be nutritious... Aisha is still young, I must ensure she has a balanced diet...Although I know that such thoughts are slightly arrogant on this continent, this is my true thought.As for Eris... she was eating this meat, and she seemed very happy."Me! I've always longed for an adventure like this! Filling my stomach with monster meat roasted over a fire!"It seems it was because she had a real sense of adventure.Night fell, and I set up a campfire and started a fire.Aisha practiced magic for a while before collapsing into my arms."Brother~ I'm sleepy...~""Mm, just go to sleep. Are you cold?""No~ the temperature is just right...~""Good, sleep well."Thus, Aisha fell fast asleep.Eris's state wasn't much better; after all, she was only 12 years old, and it would be a lie to say she wasn't anxious.After Aisha fell asleep, Eris also leaned against my side and whispered."Rudeus... will Father and the others be okay...?"Sure enough, after the excitement wore off, she would also think of her family members.That light... it looked like it could endanger Roa...I didn't say those words out loud, but instead nodded."It will be fine. Ghislaine is always by Great-Uncle's side, so she will protect him no matter what. Your father and mother also have personal bodyguards, so they will be fine...""Mm..."I raised my hand and patted Eris on the head.If this were before, although she wouldn't resist, she would definitely turn her head away with a blushing face.But now, she just silently let me pat her, as if this could put her at ease.Before long, Eris also fell asleep.
Chapter 31: Aisha's DreamAisha's Perspective:Blank.I opened my eyes, but I could only see a blank expanse.Where is this...I tried hard to recall why I had come here.That white light...I only remember that white light rushing towards me, and I seemed to just be standing there blankly... until...Until Brother protected me..."So... am I dead? Is this the kind of place Mom talked about, like Heaven...?"I muttered to myself and took a few steps forward.Although I was moving forward, the gray-white in front of me didn't feel like it had changed in the slightest.Suddenly, a voice echoed."You aren't dead, you know."I turned my head to look in the direction of the voice.It was a person, a blurry white figure."Little girl~ You are alive.""Oh..."I don't know why, but I instinctively felt a bit of dislike for this strange person.It radiated a very unpleasant feeling."Aren't you curious who I am?""Uh... Mom and Dad both told me not to talk to strangers, so I don't want to ask...""Oh~ But, what if I told you that I am a god?""A god...?""That's right, an all-knowing god, though I am not all-powerful. My name in this world is [Hitogami]."A person claiming to be a god, in my dream...?I didn't believe it. This disbelief wasn't because I was particularly smart or knowledgeable; it was just based on instinct—an instinctive refusal to believe it."You don't have to believe me~ However, there is a very high possibility that you and your brother will die."It... can hear the voices in my heart...?"For a god, isn't that simple?""So... why did you, Lord God, come into my dream..."The god before me looked at me from the left, then after a while, went to the right to look at me again."Your brother.""Huh?""I am very interested in your brother, but~ I cannot enter his dream.""So...?""So, I will use my [all-knowing] ability to have you help your brother. When the time is right, I will make your brother my believer."These words sounded just like something a scammer would say.In my heart, I decided that I would never believe this scammer, Lord God."Don't be so quick to deny it~ You are still so young. If you don't listen to me and help your brother, you, your brother, and that young lady could die at any moment."...I will die... Why?"After all, the Demon Continent is a harsh place. There is almost nothing to eat, and the number of monsters is on a completely different level than the Central Continent. Even if your brother is very capable and can speak the language there, so what? Can he lead a four-year-old child and a 12-year-old young lady out of that continent? Can he really do it? Your brother.""The Demon Continent...? Why would I be in a place like that...?""You, you were caught in the aftermath of a large-scale magic disaster, which is why you were teleported there~""A magic disaster... was that the white light?""That's right."The god in front of me had a relaxed expression, as if this matter was a good thing to it.Although I didn't believe it, what it said seemed very correct.I had heard of the Demon Continent... In the stories Mom told... ferocious monsters all came from the Demon Continent...If... if I really was teleported to the Demon Continent... even if Brother is a genius, no matter how capable he is... it would be very difficult for him to lead me and Sister Eris out..."Right, right? So I will give you advice. As long as you follow my advice, I will let you all safely walk out of the Demon Continent~""I have one question... Why Brother...?""Do you know why your brother is so smart, why he is so strong?""Because he is a genius..."The Lord God before me looked like it wanted to say something but held back, then nodded."That's right! And I am an all-knowing god. Your brother will become unimaginably powerful in the future. Isn't it normal to want to make such a person my believer?"It seems... to make sense..."Like this, here is the first piece of advice: after you wake up, unconditionally follow your brother's instructions, and tell him that the west is..."After it finished saying this, the dreamscape displayed an image.The image spun for a while before stopping.A desolate flatland, and after walking to the end, there was a canyon.This is... the west...?"This is the west, and it is also the only road for you to return home~ Alright, from now on, I will appear in your dreams from time to time to give you advice. Whether you believe it or not is up to you; after all, I know I am very suspicious~ But my authority is only all-knowing, so I can only help my believers this much~"I still have questions...Before I could say the words, it disappeared.The dream dissipated, and I opened my eyes.The night sky... and a campfire.Brother was looking at the sky, seemingly worried about something.I looked around for a while; it was the same as the scene in the dream.What that Hitogami said was true... we really were teleported to the Demon Continent...
Chapter 32: The TownThe Demon Continent is covered in rocks, and the terrain is extremely uneven.The ground is hard; if you dig just a little, it crumbles into loose dirt. It holds no nutrients, sitting just one step away from being a desert.Living cooped up in a land like this, even the Demon Race would start a war, I suppose.There are almost no plants here, though occasionally one might see strange, cactus-like rocks.In this environment, we followed Aisha's intuition for about two months and finally saw a town.My younger sister... she might actually be a genius....Rikarisu Town.One of the three great cities of the Demon Continent.It was the town used as a base by the Great Demon Emperor Kishirika Kishirisu during the Human-Demon War.Therefore, it has the nickname "Old Kishirisu Castle."What is surprising about this town at first glance is its location; it was built upon a massive crater.The crater serves as a natural wall, having stopped enemy invasions countless times.Even now, it acts as a natural barrier, protecting against the intrusion of monsters.The center of the town is the partially damaged Kishirisu Castle.This castle was destroyed during the Laplace Campaign, and the traces of the battle between the Demon Kings of Kishirika's faction and Demon God Laplace still remain.The reliable walls and the Iron Castle, which still retains the prosperity of the past—these two things are known to the world for the prestige of the Great Demon Emperor of that time and the cruel history of the Demon Race.Rikarisu Town is a town with a long history, and furthermore, travelers can only discover the true beauty of this town at dusk.Excerpt from "Traveling the World" by the Adventurer Brady Conde.That is all I know about Rikarisu Town.There are three entrances to the town; the gaps in the crater serve as the so-called entrances.The crater is very high, making it difficult to invade from anywhere other than the entrances, even from the air.There are two gatekeepers at the entrance.In other words, the security of this city is quite strict.Anyway..."Halt!"Two soldiers stood at the entrance of the town.One was a guy with a snake's head who looked quite unfriendly, and the other was a guy with a pig-like head who gave off a condescending vibe."Who are you! What are you doing here!"The one speaking, hand gripping the sword at his waist, was the guy with the snake's head."We are travelers."I let Eris hold Aisha's hand and took a step forward myself, looking as if I wanted to discuss something with them."Are you Adventurers?""Something like that."The two guards looked at me, then at Eris and Aisha.For Eris and me, at this age, it's perfectly normal to say we want to be Adventurers, but Aisha is too young.Moreover, we weren't exactly clean—in fact, we were quite dirty.We looked more like refugees than Adventurers.However...Seeing them looking at us with great suspicion, I took two monster horns out of my pocket.They were horns from a Horned Demon Wolf, collected from hunting monsters earlier; if I guessed correctly, these should be sellable.I quietly slipped the two horns into their hands, then removed the cloth wrapped around my arrogant water dragon king staff.Seeing such a luxurious staff, they dismissed their suspicious looks and nodded."Hmm, a powerful mage! You may enter!""Thank you."Eris and Aisha followed behind me, and we entered the town together.Before stepping through the gate, I turned and asked, "By the way, is there a place to earn money in this town?""Yes, the Adventurers Guild. Aren't you Adventurers? Just go there; you can also exchange the monster materials you have for money.""I see, thank you for letting me know."Entering the town, the houses were slightly smaller compared to Roa, spreading out in all directions.However, the structure of the town was very similar to Roa, with shops catering to merchants and stables opening one after another near the entrance."Adventurers, huh..."To summarize what I've heard so far, Adventurers are essentially temporary employees.Those with skills register at a personnel agency called the Adventurers Guild, take on jobs introduced there, and raise their own evaluation.People entrust work through the Adventurers Guild, and Adventurers who are confident in their abilities take on the work."I'm not sure yet if we should become Adventurers to earn money, but let's register first, shall we? That way, we'll have proof of identity. Eris, what do you think?""Adventurers! I want to! I definitely want to!"Eris's eyes lit up as she nodded repeatedly. Come to think of it, Eris had heard stories of Ghislaine's time as an Adventurer who knows how many times; she truly yearned for that kind of adventure..."Big Brother! I... I... I also want... uh... I want the status of an Adventurer..."Aisha said, acting shy.I patted her head."Of course, if it's just the status.""Yes! Thank you, Big Brother!"...The Adventurers Guild.It was a gathering place for many fierce warriors.Some were confident in their physical prowess, while others were confident in their magic.Some used swords, some used axes, some used staves, and others were unarmed.Some boasted that they were stronger than everyone else, while others mocked them in their hearts.There were swordsmen in armor and mages in light attire.There were men like pigs, women with the lower bodies of snakes, men with wings, and women with horse legs.Various races gathered there, bustling with activity.This was the Adventurers Guild of the Demon Continent.The three of us walked in nonchalantly, and the Adventurers inside just took one look before losing interest.Arriving at the counter, I stood on my tiptoes."Big Sister clerk, may I ask if we can register as Adventurers now?""Certainly, please fill out these papers."She handed over three sheets of paper and sharpened charcoal; each sheet was the same.They had fields for name and occupation, and also listed precautions and regulations.What about those who can't read?Just as I was thinking this, "If you are illiterate, I can help you read them."It seems that's how it's solved."No need, thank you."It was written in Demon God Language, but I could read it.So, I read it word by word for Eris and Aisha.Eris showed an annoyed expression halfway through, while Aisha was learning the characters as she listened."Big Sister clerk, I have a question.""What is it?""Is it okay to use any language to fill out this paper?""What language do you intend to use?""For example... Human Language?""Ah, if it's that, there's no problem."It means that special scripts used by very small tribes cannot be used to fill it out, I suppose.I used Demon God Language to fill it out; it's more convenient to be considered a young-looking Demon Race than to be identified as a Human.By the way, this clerk didn't even care about Aisha's age. Does she think Aisha is a Dwarf or some other race?I let Eris fill it out herself and turned to ask Aisha."Aisha, can you write your own name?"Aisha nodded vigorously and began to write her name on the paper.Incidentally, everything spoken in the guild was in Demon God Language; Eris and Aisha couldn't understand the surrounding chatter.If Eris heard the surrounding talk mocking children, she might have drawn her sword to attack them.I smiled and ignored these Adventurers who had nothing better to do than mock children."When you're finished, please place your hand on this."She prepared a transparent board the size of a game box for us, with a Magic Circle engraved in the center and a metal card covered underneath.Hmm... what is this?"Is it like this?"I gently placed my hand on it, and after the clerk confirmed, she tapped one end of the board with her finger with a thud.[Name: Rudeus Greyrat, Occupation: Mage, Rank: F].The clerk read the content on the paper indifferently and tapped it with her finger again.Then, the Magic Circle emitted a faint red light, which immediately vanished."This is your Adventurer card, please take it."On the plain iron plate, there were words glowing with a faint light.After Eris and Aisha also finished registering, I took all the monster materials I had to exchange for money.Since I didn't have a sack or anything, I had only taken some small parts from the monsters that looked valuable, such as eyeballs, nails, and the shorter kind of horns.However... perhaps because they were from ferocious monsters in the northeastern part of the Demon Continent, they were actually worth quite a bit of money.After exchanging the money, the three of us turned around, ready to leave the Adventurers Guild.