“Ah, even someone new like myself has been greeted so warmly. I’m deeply grateful.”
“………………”
“Haha, Mashiro. You can’t just stand there gaping forever, you know.”
“But, but, this is just so shocking! I’m just a commoner, after all!”
“You’ll get used to it eventually. Seeing you bewildered like this every time is rather entertaining, though.”
“Hmph!”
Mashiro starts lightly punching my chest.
A commoner striking a noble, a commoner not using honorifics.
If this were any other household, it might have caused a stir. But my family’s servants show no sign of being bothered.
It’s not that they look down on me for lacking magical aptitude – they understand the Vellet way very well.
They value excellence, regardless of status.
The maids and butlers are often recruited from the younger sons of nobles or women who have missed their marriageable age, to give them some social connection.
But the Vellet household actually employs many commoners as well.
Of course, there are also those born to nobility, but there are no petty factional disputes here. My father has no use for those who would be consumed by such trivial squabbles.
“Well, we can’t just linger here forever.”
As I clap my hands, all the staff look up and turn their attention to me.
“Follow Alice’s instructions and take the luggage to everyone’s rooms. Then a few of you, guide our guests on a tour of the manor.”
“Understood, milord.”
The staff spring into action as I give my instructions.
Two maids approach us, standing by.
“Reina and I will go greet my father. Karen and Mashiro, please go with them and enjoy the manor tour for a while.”
“Eh? But I’m worried I won’t be able to handle the proper manners and etiquette…”
“Don’t be so tense, it’ll be fine. And Karen will be with you, so you have nothing to worry about.”
“That’s right, Mashiro. In fact, I may be the more nervous one.”
That’s true as well.
To someone unfamiliar with the circumstances, Karen’s unilateral breaking of our engagement, only to enter a new one, would seem unprecedented.
However, the long-serving staff know Karen’s character well and likely have some understanding of the Levezenka household’s situation. I’m sure the head maid, Morina, will provide proper support.
I give Karen’s tense shoulders a gentle massage to help her relax.
“You needn’t worry about anything with the Vellet household servants. They take great pride in their work and would never do anything to sully that.”
I glance at the waiting maids, and they give a polite bow in response.
Mashiro and Karen also seem to let out a relieved sigh, their tension eased somewhat.
“For today, all that’s left is dinner and bathing, so after the tour, feel free to rest in your rooms.”
“Okay, got it!”
“Ouga and Lady Reina, don’t worry too much about us, go on and have your talk.”
“Thank you. Then we’ll see you later.”
Parting ways with them, Reina and I head to my father’s study.
This visit is not just a family greeting, but also to discuss the matter of the “Flone the lightning strike” with my father. That’s why I had Mashiro and Karen step out.
“…Reina, are you truly alright? If you’d rather not be reminded of it, you can sit this out.”
She has been subject to ongoing questioning regarding that incident.
But that means dredging up her traumatic memories of Flone.
She’s quite adept at wearing a mask, so I’m worried she may be pushing herself too hard.
“Thank you, Ouga. But I’m fine. I want to be of use, even if just a little, to prevent more victims like myself.”
Her resolve seems quite firm.
Her eyes hold a determination I didn’t see before, a strong sense of her own will.
Pressing her further would be unwise.
“And… if anything happens, you’ll be by my side to protect me, won’t you?”
“Of course. I obtained you because I couldn’t stand to be without you. I won’t be handing you over to anyone.”
“…Then I’ll be by your side, forever.”
Reina gently entwines her arm with mine, pressing close.
The warmth we share is so comforting.
…This is just how it should be, this is perfect.
All the effort I put in back then was worth it.
Reina is free of Flone and happy. And I get to be doted on by a cute girl.
A perfect win-win situation.
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Feeling Reina’s warmth beside me, we continue on to the study.
A few knocks at the door, and I hear my father’s voice granting us entry.
“Apologies for the wait, Father. Ouga Vellet, and Reina Vellet, returned from the magic academy.”
“Well done, you two. Hmm, you both seem quite close, don’t you?”
“Yes, he is my dear family, Father.”
“Haha, Reina has truly become a Vellet, I see. You must be weary from your travels. Have a seat.”
Prompted by Father, we take our seats on the guest sofa.
Father gets up and retrieves a chilled fruit juice from the magically-powered refrigerator, pouring it into glasses.
There are many things in the Vellet domain that utilize my prior world’s knowledge.
The refrigerator is one, and the fruit juices are another, which I personally convinced Father to develop.
The fruit juices have become quite popular, enjoyed by nobles and commoners alike, even becoming a specialty product of the Vellet lands.
Back when I first reincarnated, there were fewer sweet options, but by expanding the menu, they’ve gained wider recognition.
“Thank you,”
I say, quickly draining the glass.
The faint sweetness seeps into my slightly parched throat.
“Ah yes, Mashiro-kun and Karen-kun have come as well. I would have liked to see them again properly…”
“Do you have other engagements, Father?”
“Yes, I’ll need to leave again soon. So let’s address everything that needs to be discussed here.”
“I see. That’s unfortunate.”
“…Perhaps I should cancel those plans after all.”
“Father, please don’t neglect your important duties of protecting the kingdom.”
I stop my father before his overprotective fatherly instincts kick in, and get straight to the main topic.
“So, have you found the whereabouts of the ‘Lightning Strike’ Flone?”
“No, it’s a dead end. The locations Reina provided were all empty. I’m sorry, Reina, for wasting the information you gave us.”
“No, Dear Father. I had expected as much once I came to Ouga’s side.”
“In that case, how about the noble supporters of Flone?”
“That’s what I wanted to discuss. As Reina mentioned…the majority of the nobles who were dealing with Flone have lost their memories of her.”
“I see, so that was the case…”
For so many people to simultaneously lose their memories of a specific individual is an impossible phenomenon,
even in this magic-filled world.
None of the literature I’ve pored over mentions magic that can interfere with the human psyche in such a way.
…At least within the attributes we currently understand.
“…Which means, it seems…”
My father slowly nods, though he clearly finds it hard to believe.
“Flone Milfonti was using dark attribute magic. She too have been a multi-attribute wielder.”
Dark attribute magic, the one forbidden and expunged from the world’s knowledge,
It’s the only attribute forbidden to be passed down in the whole world as it encroaches upon the very soul of humans, threatening their dignity.
That’s about the extent of what I know, even after my father informed me.
I, who have been immersed in magical literature day and night since childhood, still have so little information.
“If not for Reina’s information, we wouldn’t have known this. We might have charged into battle only to be annihilated, helpless. I’m truly grateful for her providing this crucial intel.”
The fact that Flone was using an unknown magic to brainwash people, which Reina had witnessed, led the kingdom to conclude that she was wielding dark attribute magic.
Reina’s testimony, and the inexplicable mysteries occurring
–these were the basis for that judgment.
“But this does explain why Flone was targeting Mashiro.”
She had been searching for it all along
–a young body capable of withstanding and wielding multiple magical attributes.
However, this raises new questions.
Why, when she had summoned the freshly enrolled Mashiro, did she not use the dark attribute magic on her?
If I were in Flone’s shoes, I’d have been building the ultimate harem kingdom, using dark attribute magic without restraint.
Yet, that didn’t happen. Perhaps there are conditions to using that magic.
…Tch, frustrating. The information at hand is simply too little.
“…Father, is there any way we can learn more about dark attribute magic?”
“Heh, I expected you’d say that, my son.”
Father chuckles wryly, placing a sheet of paper on the table.
It’s an authorization for access to the Forbidden Magical Texts Repository.
Reina’s and my names are written below.
“The Forbidden Magical Texts Repository…?”
“I don’t recall ever hearing of that before either.”
“Haha, of course not. Its existence is known only to a handful of people the king trusts, not even the Four Dukes. Can you guess why?”
“…Because the texts on dark attribute magic are stored there.”
My answer satisfies my father, who nods approvingly.
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The plot thickens?