Helping Others
There is a term in the world of magic: “Engraved Name.”
This is a word known to every magician who deals with magic, as it is an essential component of magic.
Magic is activated by transforming ideals into themes and embodying the researched theme into rituals.
In this process ─ when embodying the theme into rituals, the “Engraved Name” is used.
To allow the ritual to understand the theme, the words related to the theme are used, and those words are the “Engraved Name.”
To put it simply, it’s like converting words from another language into one’s own language.
Without this, magic cannot be activated, and the embodiment of the theme into rituals is impossible.
It can be likened to a piece in a puzzle of various processes.
Naturally, since magic is shaped by the ideals of the practitioner, various Engraved Names exist, leading to various types of magic in the world.
Phil, being a magician, also uses an Engraved Name.
His Engraved Name is ─ [Unbound Freedom].
The origin of this Engraved Name lies in the essence of magic: bindings.
It stems from the desire for freedom and making bindings the theme.
He even used this binding magic when attackers appeared.
By submerging the target within a created space, actions were restricted, allowing no room for resistance or freedom.
Moreover, Phil has the freedom to release himself from the bindings of the shadow at his discretion ─ a freedom unique to the practitioner.
To an observer, it might seem as if he is submerged in a sea of shadows.
Perhaps the origin of being called the [Hero of Shadows] comes from this aspect.
Handling such binding magic and carrying the Engraved Name [Unbound Freedom], Phil ─
“Wrapped up like a bamboo shoot from the morning… why? Did I awaken to a new play or something?”
─ found himself somehow bound.
It was the second day since the arrival of Milis, the saint.
Handling administrative work amidst the noisy voices of the locals, arranging repairs for the windows destroyed by the attackers, and exhausting himself with interrogations of the attackers, Phil, thinking, “Now, let’s wake up!” was met with these words.
However, the interrogation of the attackers had quickly ended, as they drank the poison concealed in their mouths.
Presumably, they were provided with tools for suicide to keep them from revealing information.
Unable to extract information, Phil felt a complex mix of emotions.
Well, there’s no use regretting it.
Let’s understand the current situation first.
Wrapped neatly in sheets, his entire body bound with sturdy ropes.
Limbs unable to move properly, with only his face slightly exposed as the sole area with some freedom.
Why is he in such a situation right after waking up?
Is someone harboring a grudge, or is it a prank? Phil couldn’t stop feeling perplexed.
Then, a young girl peeked her head out from beside the bed.
“Oh, you’ve finally woken up.”
“Don’t show your face with such a calm attitude, Kahlua. We’ve already figured out who the culprit is. If possible, I’d appreciate it if you could give us a mystery novel to add some suspense and excitement.”
“So, I’m going to the dining hall.”
“Wait! Before solving the mystery, let’s start with untying the ropes!”
Phil tried his best to stop the culprit who was about to leave the scene.
He couldn’t control his body with his hands, so he made a full-face effort to do his best.
“I can’t untie the ropes, but… if you go out with me next time, I’ll stay in this room for you.”
“If you don’t untie the ropes, there’s no point in staying in this room, you know?”
“Well, I can’t help it. There are unavoidable circumstances.”
“Hmm…?”
Phil showed interest in Kahlua’s words.
Something that binds Phil, who advocates freedom, to the point of being restrained.
Furthermore, the reasons that bind his master, himself ─ this piqued his curiosity.
What reasons could there possibly be?
Driven more by curiosity than a sense of crisis, Phil’s full-face effort turned into a serious expression.
“Before I tell you the reason, there’s something I’d like to ask ─ what were your plans for today?”
“Simply, have breakfast, go to the brothel, work in a refreshed state… and planning to go to the brothel again at night?”
“S-So… I guess I don’t have to untie you.”
“Why!?”
Phil showed a face of not understanding the meaning.
In response, Kahlua’s expression ─
“The saint is in this mansion; there’s no way you would go to the brothel.”
“What are you talking about?” was the immediate response.
“Are you stupid? What, forgetting about entertaining the saintess and let the master of the mansion go to a brothel. Have you thrown away your cute and cliché common sense somewhere?”
“Is common sense not always residing in my heart?”
“Seriously, what are you saying with a straight face…”
Kahlua pressed her temples.
Because of her master, her worries only increased today.
And ─
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“(…Why am I not good enough?)”
“Huh? Did you say something?”
“It’s nothing!”
Kahlua suddenly turns her face away from Phil.
He tilts his head in puzzlement at her reaction but decides to keep it in the back of his mind for now.
“Anyway, could you untie this rope first? Like this, I can’t even go pick flowers, let alone visit the brothel. It feels like I’ve time slipped back to my dear childhood days.”
“You were so cute back then, Phil. Why don’t you show me that adorable form again here?”
“What, you’re forcing your master to wet himself!? And I don’t recall making any childhood memories with you, young missy!?”
More worried about wetting himself at his age than visiting the brothel, Phil starts flailing around in a panic.
If he doesn’t resist, a lifelong embarrassing stain will spread across the sheets.
Kahlua holds the knots tight, not allowing them to loosen.
In a way, her actions are rather devilish.
Just then─
“Umm…Lord Phil? Are you awake?”
The door to the room opens without warning.
While Phil wants to retort about the lack of knocking, this isn’t the time to be worry about that, as one look at the situation should make clear.
And─
“Well…this is quite the situation, isn’t it…”
Seeing the state of things, Milis can’t help but wryly smile.
“I guess my master likes this kind of play.”
“Is that so!?”
“Shut that filthy maid’s mouth that would tarnish my dignity!”
It took about an hour for the ropes to be untied.
And a short while longer to clear up the saintess’s misunderstanding.
The next day after the earlier incident.
Though repairs haven’t finished in time and the mansion is quite breezy, the usual peaceful days continue.
As you know, it’s been anything but normal recently, starting from being wrapped up in the morning.
It’s a minor misfortune following the destruction of the guest room that Phil unintentionally caused the saintess he just met to misunderstand things.
Ever since the saintess came… Or rather, since his identity was uncovered, nothing good has happened – though Phil keeps this complaint to himself.
With the townspeople as noisy as ever and unable to leave the manor grounds, Phil eats breakfast and quietly works.
“Geez… Crime getting worse, huh? What are those soldiers doing?”
Phil mutters while holding a report in one hand.
“Don’t we lack enough manpower? The deteriorating public order shouldn’t indicate that bad of financial straits.”
“It might be because our finances are good. The economy here has been growing well recently too, and the population is increasing. It wouldn’t be strange for more teenage boys to flow in from other regions.”
Beside the muttering Phil, Kahlua peers at the report too.
Though his gaze gets drawn to her long eyelashes, lovely face, and cherry-colored lips, Phil is no longer an innocent boy ignorant to feminine charm.
Kahlua feels a tinge of dissatisfaction at that, not that Phil realizes.
“Then to deal with those troublesome teenage boys, let’s increase the number of mother figures here. We still have spare budget, so I’ll put out a recruitment for more soldiers too.”
“Oh, it looks like Zan is among those teenage boys… See, here’s a complaint.”
“Who the heck directly submits complaints to the lord’s place? What was he planning to do if you saw it?”
Is he being honest, stupid, or is Zan’s tantrum really that bad?
In any case, for someone acting as a deputy to govern the territory, it’s nothing but trouble.
A sigh naturally escapes from Phil’s mouth.
“Lord Phil, sighing will let happiness escape, you know? Here, ahh~”
Sitting on Phil’s lap, Milis grabs a small fruit and brings it to his mouth.
///
scene transition
///
As he browses through the report, Phil absentmindedly opens his mouth saying “Ahh” as Milis feeds him.
“Yet it doesn’t look like there’s poor public order when I see everyone happily getting along outside.”
“That’s true, they’re all friendly out there, yelling ‘Sir Hero of the Shadows! Some are even coming wearing headbands and armbands with his insignia.”
“Phil-sama, Ahh~”
“That’s the issue. Why do they keep evolving when he hasn’t even shown his face, rather than settling down? Things are only getting worse.”
“……”
“May I feed you another?”
“Ahh… Geez, have some mercy. When is Mr. Privacy coming back?”
“……”
While Phil works hard beside her, Kahlua gradually grows quieter.
In exchange, the veins on her temple multiply. Oblivious to such subtle but significant changes, Phil doesn’t notice at all.
And then─
“Hey…?”
“Hmm?”
“When are you going to stop letting her feed you?”
Kahlua finally succeeds in pointing it out through gritted teeth and eyebrows locked in frustration.
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