Chapter 3

June 27, 2015

Correction... I had a drink.

It's been a year since then, and I've come to understand my situation. Now, I'm studying to adapt to this new environment.

This place is not Japan. Not even on Earth.

On that day, I was apparently killed by robbers in a convenience store, and now I find myself in the Kingdom of Sacred Bandam, a world believed to be a different dimension called Hecate. Whether it's reincarnation or a transfer, the situation around me is subtle, but I think it falls under the category of reincarnation.

My current name is Christoph von Brütselers, which is an impossible name for a Japanese person, and I look like a 12-year-old with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Christoph, who was 11, was born sickly and in a state where he didn't know if he would live to see the next day. I don't know if I took over Christoph's body or if I reincarnated as Christoph and my past memories resurfaced on his deathbed.

If I had the memories up to age 11, it would have been helpful, but unfortunately, I don't have Christoph's memories up to age 11, so I didn't understand the language. However, I was able to learn the language to a level where it doesn't interfere with daily life within a year, thanks to my innate language comprehension skills.

This alone is a big surprise, but in this world of Hecate, magic exists.

Christoph, though sickly, was blessed with magical talent, and it seems that the current Christoph also has a lot of magical power.

However, even with magical power, I lack knowledge of magic.

I started by reading picture books and then delved into history books and magic books to learn the language.

At first, my mother, who is the beautiful lady in the dress who clung to me on that day, forbade me from learning magic, but after a year, with my health improving, she allowed me to learn magic.

"By absorbing magical elements from outside, you can suppress the consumption of your internal magical power. Let's start by practicing to sense the magical elements."

With my mother's permission, a magic teacher was assigned to me.

She became a court magician at 16 and, at 20, was invited by my grandfather to become a vassal of our Brütselers Margrave family, and now she serves as the head of the magic corps. She is scheduled to teach me magic a few times a week alongside her duties as the head of the magic corps.

Becoming a court magician at 16 is apparently a first in the long history of the Kingdom of Sacred Bandam, and my father says she is a very capable person.

My father, needless to say, is the lord who governs this Brütselers Margravate and holds the title of Margrave of the Kingdom of Sacred Bandam.

The Brütselers Margravate is a wealthy noble family, and it seems that when I come of age, I will be granted the title of Viscount and govern a small town. Until then, I need to train my body, learn magic, and study to govern a town.

In the Kingdom of Sacred Bandam, one comes of age at 15, and since I will be 15 in three years, I am cramming as much as I can.

To return to the topic, I am currently in the middle of magic training.

I can't feel the magical elements at all.

"Director Rosalia, it's difficult to feel the magical elements, isn't it?"

"Since Master Christoph has a lot of magical power, you should be able to feel the magical elements eventually. I couldn't feel them for two weeks when I started my magic training, so don't worry."

She teaches me gently and reassuringly.

"Try to always be aware of the magical elements."

"Yes, I understand."

It doesn't seem like magic will be easy to use.

The current magic training is about sensing magical elements, so I meditate for about an hour.

...It's not working at all.

After the magic training, I have swordsmanship training, and my teacher is Deputy Commander Fedeler of the knights.

"The basics of swordsmanship are swings. We won't do sparring until you can do 100 continuous swings. Let's start."

I am not good at swordsmanship.

In my past life, I wasn't good at physical activities, and the same goes for Christoph.

The wooden sword is the same size as an adult's, but after 30 swings, my arms are sore and I'm out of breath.

"Your hips aren't involved."

"Try to swing more."

"Are you at your limit?"

How annoying!

I'm not good at physical activities!

The morning ends like this.

After lunch, the afternoon is dedicated to the manners and social studies required of a noble. This is a painful time for me, who was born in modern Japan and lived as a commoner until the age of 33. If I had to choose between the pain of swordsmanship and manners, I would choose manners without hesitation.

My manners teacher is the head maid, Hanna.

Hanna is the shadow power of the Brütselers family, and even my father seems to respect her. In fact, Hanna used to change my father's diapers.

"Stand up straight, look straight ahead, and don't look down."

Hanna is the strictest of all, and I am made to practice walking and dancing for over three hours without a break. It's exhausting.

"Turn there. Turn more smoothly."

The thought of this continuing for three hours makes me feel dizzy.

...Finally, it's over.

From here on, it's my free time. The free time I've been waiting for.

I've read a lot of magic books, so I have a decent knowledge of magic, but if I can't feel the magical elements, it's all for nothing. I decided to use my free time to practice feeling the magical elements.

I perform meditation.

After the swordsmanship training and manners lessons, my HP must be significantly drained, so I rest my body while practicing to feel the magical elements.