NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 26
It had been a week since we were detained, and surprisingly, the journey since then had been remarkably smooth.
For some reason, Eliza became inexplicably cheerful and stopped throwing tantrums; she even began to warm up to Lady Agrippina. The reason remains a mystery, but surely as a teacher, she must have done something clever to stimulate her learning interest.
No matter how much our family was told that we would become fine individuals or even teachers, it never worked. How she managed to convince Eliza is beyond imagination, but well, all’s well that ends well.
A strange chill briefly ran down my back, but given that it was still cool even as the spring approached, I dismissed it and stretched myself once atop the driver’s perch.
Now, my designated spot for quite a while now has been this driver’s perch. The carriage, pulled by a pair of magnificent black horses, looks like a regular carriage at first glance. You know, the type you see in comics or movies where the nobles ride—it’s easy to picture.
Normally, magic-driven automatic operation—or something so convenient that it boggles the mind—would make sitting here unnecessary. However, I stay here so as not to disturb Eliza as she studies. For some reason, whenever I’m around, she gets clingy and loses focus.
But honestly, a carriage trip isn’t such a bad experience after all. Moving along the road while gazing at the sky is enjoyable, and the occasionally passing patrol is gallant and impressive. Most importantly, we’ve even encountered groups resembling adventurers.
Behind the carriage, there was an armored man and a young girl carrying a staff, a maiden clutching a holy emblem, and someone strangely short who was adjusting an unstrung bow—likely a dwarf. A proper fledgling adventurer party indeed, and watching them made my heart race.
Hm, perhaps this isn’t all that bad after all, contrary to what others say.
Expectations really do swell. Someday, I too want to gather a group and set out on an adventure like that. Eradicating bandits, exploring ruins, and solving troubles worthy of heroic tales…
Indeed, there’s a reason why the classic path is so wonderful. I should keep moving forward without giving up.
Now, over this one week, I’ve casually learned all sorts of magic here and there.
Amazingly, magic isn’t like the Miracle of Purification, where the divine prowess of a God can instantly cleanse a vat of water, a river, or even an entire room.
Instead, household-related magic requires integrating multiple formulas into a single spell, a process resembling solving simultaneous equations.
The magic book I borrowed—a household handbook—didn’t cover this, but Lady Agrippina explained to me the nature of magic.
She said magic can be broadly divided into three categories: Transformation, Transference, and Manifestation.
Transformation refers to altering something that already exists, such as intensifying or diminishing a campfire, bending positive kinetic energy into negative, or causing substances to combine, separate, or undergo shape changes. This is the most “magical” category.
Next is Transference, which literally involves moving something. It’s not only about moving objects physically or spatially but also about transferring or overwriting attributes like kinetic energy, heat, or properties. Most of the powerful magical moves, like barriers or teleportation, fall under this domain.
Finally, there’s Manifestation, which involves bending the rules to create something out of “nothing” in a simulated manner—indeed, it’s the most advanced form of magic. Although magic distorts physical laws, adhering to and respecting them is fundamental. Furthermore, the world frowns upon the creation of “something” from “nothing,” viewing it as the divine domain of Gods.
Hence, Manifestation creates matter using either the materialization of mana or the alteration of rules. It’s essentially deceiving the world by creating “something” from “mana,” or merely enhancing “existing resources” with mana.
While interpretations of this domain vary wildly among different schools or factions—apparently so much so that discussing it in detail would take entire books or even two or three lifetimes—being explained by a species with a lifespan of around 150 years gave an impressive credibility to the claim. So, for now, let’s stick with the elementary understanding that this magic creates things, similar to how a grade-schooler might perceive it.
Household chores can be roughly divided into [Cooking], [Cleaning], [Washing], [Organizing], and [Sewing]. The two primarily tackled using magic are [Cleaning] and [Washing]. Magic in cooking can cause unexpected phenomena—like reversing chemical changes back within the stomach if the effect ends prematurely—so it is limited to auxiliary uses. Organization is left to be done manually. Sewing is similarly impractical due to the current inability to create matter that persists indefinitely, so it’s mostly about automating the loom.
It seems that magic in this world blends the convenient charm of Tabletop RPGs with the less than ideal constraints of physical reality.
Of course, if you could just conjure food with magic, the balance would be entirely disrupted. Nobody would buy a week’s portable food ration anymore, after all.
With the coexistence of both romance and harsh realities, I’ve managed to pick up a few useful spells.
In terms of job categories, the non-combative [Magical Attendant] category contains the [Clean-Up] magic, which is incredibly practical. It repels dirt, gathers it in one place, and disposes of it. As proficiency increases, the range and types of dirt you can clear also expand, making it a truly convenient skill. Even at its basic level, it can effectively clean dust, dirt, sand, and mud within an area roughly the size of a six-mat room’s walls. Surely, mothers across the nation would want to learn this.
Yes, this is genuinely wonderful. I truly desired something like this in my past life.
The only minor inconvenience is that due to the nature of magic, you need to carefully specify which dirt to remove, which requires identifying the source of the stain. It’s as if there’s a failsafe to prevent you from accidentally cleaning the wallpaper or plaster along with the dirt.
Also, learning [Purifico], which breaks down stains on laundry without wetting them, should allow me to handle at least the minimum duties expected of an apprentice. Beyond that, I can continue learning more as the need arises.
I casually glanced up, and the sun was nearing its zenith. It was time for a break.
“Master, may I interrupt?”
I murmured while activating the spell, and I promptly received a response. Incidentally, the reason we settled on calling her “Master” was because “Teacher” caused institutional problems, and using her name was inappropriate due to status. As for nicknames, it would be too familiar, so we simply stuck with “Master.” I was strictly warned not to call her “Mistress,” which might hint at some deep-seated trauma.
The [Voice Transmission] spell used to send messages over long distances subtly whispers to the owner of a magically marked object. While it suits a magical attendant well, one downside is that it’s not two-way communication, so if the other party lacks a similar skill, private conversations aren’t possible.
“Is something the matter?”
The reply, resonating in my mind, came from the [Thought Transmission] spell under the Mage category. This spell not only allows two-way communication if desired but also operates silently without the need for lip movement, eliminating any risk of being read.
Still, when I compared the effort required to obtain [Voice Transmission] with the [Beginner’s Spellcasting] for beginners, the convenience of [Thought Transmission] became apparent. It’s certainly convenient, but I opted for the simpler version because there are other things I want to do, and mental magic tends to come with absurdly expensive costs.
Anyway, I informed her that it was a good time for a break, and we decided to have lunch. So, I stopped the carriage by the side of the road and started preparing for the break.
There wasn’t much grand preparation necessary, though.
Our Master doesn’t prefer overly tiring journeys or elaborate camping cuisine. Instead, we mostly dine on bento sets acquired from inns. These aren’t just ordinary bentos but lavish meals with preservative spells to prevent cooling and degradation, making for an elegant lunchtime.
My job is to return to the carriage, convert a room into a dining area, and set the table with the meal.
Eliza uses this time for table etiquette lessons. She doesn’t attend a private school, so her Master has been incorporating studies accordingly—though it’s mostly basic reading comprehension and court language. Even lunch seems to be a somewhat constrained period.
Apparently, magic isn’t as safe or kind as to be easily taught to those without basic general knowledge. That was a completely agreeable answer.
As for me? This isn’t really my style, so I just settle for a cheap assortment of bread and cheese. Cutting them in half with a short knife and stuffing in whatever is available makes for a satisfactory makeshift sandwich.
If only I had some mayonnaise or mustard… perhaps I’ll experiment with cooking skills eventually.
Shaking off Eliza’s envious gaze, I returned to the driver’s perch and enjoyed a blue-sky lunch. The quality of the rye used was commendable, not the usual burnt and hard bread common in cheap inns, but soft and flavorful, perfectly complementing the sour but not overly sharp taste of sauerkraut and ham. I bet this would also pair well with some oily sardines.
After enjoying this simple yet high-quality meal, I took a little time for light exercise. Thanks to the advanced suspension system—on closer inspection, there was a mysterious force field connecting the axle to the body—there was no back pain to worry about. However, I still couldn’t sit still.
Now that it’s late spring, it’s usually the busiest agricultural period. There’s always work to do like breaking up winter-hardened soil or planting seeds.
Yet here I am, sitting idly, and my farmer’s body rebels, shouting, “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be working?!” If I don’t move, I won’t be able to rest peacefully.
Therefore, moderate exercise is necessary. Our Master takes her time with meals, so I have about two hours to relax here.
I removed the cloak meant for dust protection from my traveling attire and drew the “Sending Wolf” that I carry daily to adjust my center of gravity.
Admittedly, wielding a sword that’s ninety-five centimeters long is tricky in my not-quite-fully-grown body. You hold the sword with your right hand, rest your left hand on the sheath, twist your hips, and draw in sync with that motion. That way, even if the sword doesn’t slide out easily, it won’t feel unnatural.
Once properly drawn, I assumed the basic stance and swung the sword to get used to its feel. Upper cut, middle cut, lower cut, thrust, change position, combine movements, and imagine cutting down an opponent.
The key targets are the joints; no matter how strong the armor may be, there are always gaps to exploit. The armpits, elbows, inner thighs—these are areas covered only by a light coat because fully-armoring them would hinder movement. Striking them precisely and with the right skill will easily result in a clean cut.
It’s always better to imagine stronger adversaries. Ideal would be a skilled fighter out for your life, but since that’s a stretch, I aim for Lambert-teacher plus some additional challenge.
Now, my body is beginning to warm up.
Let’s try the movement I’ve been contemplating.
While warming up, I activated the extravagant ability I spent half my savings on: [Multiple Thinking], the Tabletop RPG equivalent of multifunctional actions essential to a magic sword specialist.
Casting magic is brain-intensive. You need to decide who the target is, how to execute the magic, when to initiate, and the power output. With so many variables, failure or explosion due to insufficient conditions is all too common. Magic is so complex that multitasking like texting while talking on the phone just won’t cut it.
Hence, even a highly efficient and gapless spell will fall short if you can’t focus well enough to cast it. All the expertise in magical swordsmanship would be wasted if concentration is compromised.
This is where the skill steps in.
[Multiple Thinking] enables processing non-conflicting streams of thought. Rather than the superficial thinking while listening, it effectively splits your cognition into a sort of dual-core system.
Magic casting and swordsmanship require a lot of concurrent mental activity. It’s impossible to rely solely on high-speed thinking boosted by [Thought Capability], so I splurged for preparation.
I’m still unfamiliar with simultaneously processing two thoughts. There’s a strange sense of conflict or incompatibility, but I’ll adjust eventually considering all thought processes are ultimately mine.
One thought channel activates mana while forming the spell. The mana flows from the moon ring on my left middle finger, and an [Invisible Hand] extends.
The hand is an extension of pure willpower. Imagine having an invisible third hand…
Then, suddenly, an unpleasant sensation ran down my spine.
At the same time, a familiar sound caught my already advanced [Keen Hearing].
This… the sound of a bowstring snapping…