Chapter 5

Morning.

"Huh?"

I opened the closet to take out my coat and tilted my head in confusion.

It's not there.

That's strange, I'm sure I put it here yesterday...

Could it be?

"――――Seika, Seika"

Turning at the small voice, I saw a girl peeking at me from the crack in the door.

Dull golden cat hair. A girl about my age and height.

"What is it, Iefa?"

"Um, this..."

She held out the coat I was looking for, looking down. Upon closer inspection, there were small leaves and twigs attached to it. I sighed inwardly, as expected.

It was probably Gurai's doing.

That brat's mischief hasn't changed in four years, and he has repeatedly belittled and harassed me. However, thanks to my subtle counterattacks with my shikigami, he has become more cautious recently and no longer does anything directly.

Instead, he started hiding or breaking my personal belongings, which is such a petty prank.

Is this what a younger brother three years younger than me does?

I can't help but worry about the character of my older brother.

"Thanks, Iefa. I was looking for it."

When I thanked her and took it, the girl looked down.

Iefa is the daughter of a slave owned by the Lamproug family.

While the children of slaves are naturally slaves, the slaves who live in the house are treated well and handled similarly to servants. This is similar to the Western world in my previous life.

I'm sure the slaves used in large plantations and mines still suffer terribly, though.

"But, you always find it so quickly."

How many times have I had Iefa find my hidden belongings?

"That's... well, by chance... Seika, this is really too much. I'll ask the master. Maybe Gurai will stop..."

Iefa said in a suppressed voice.

As you can tell from listening, this girl doesn't use honorifics or polite language with me. At first, I was annoyed that even a slave would treat me so casually, but it seems she thought she should be friendly with me, the outcast, since we are close in age.

It's touching. She's one of the few consciences in this house.

I smiled and said to Iefa,

"It's okay."

"But..."

"Really, it's fine. I'm used to it."

Actually, it's nothing serious.

When I was an apprentice to my master, my fellow apprentices tried to kill me for real.

Well, in the end, I cursed and killed them all.

"No, but, I still..."

"Seika! What are you doing there!"

Startled by the sudden loud voice, Iefa shuddered.

Gurai, my older brother, approached us with large strides and glared at Iefa.

"Hey, slave! What are you slacking off here for! I'll tell Father!"

"I-I'm very sorry!"

Iefa bowed her head in fear and fled.

Gurai snorted and turned his gaze from her back to my coat, then said with a face that seemed about to spit.

"Going out to play in the grass again? You spoiled brat! You don't even have to study magic. Oh, wait, you can't even if you wanted to."

Then, Gurai said with a nasty smile.

"Well, do as you please. You'll be kicked out of this house in the future anyway! What will you do, Seika? Your only option is the military, right?"

"Can you join the imperial army?"

I think that's fine.

It's much better than starving. The direct army probably has good treatment.

I don't think I'll join the military, though.

"What are you so relaxed about? Don't you know? In the military, you'll be trained until you vomit, and you have to absolutely obey your superiors, even if they are commoners."

I'm at a loss for words.

Well, that's to be expected in the military.

If you don't thoroughly follow these two rules, you'll die in the real thing.

Perhaps thinking I was scared, Gurai's voice became more condescending.

"You should practice your sword skills from now on. Well, a shrimp like you will probably die in your first battle anyway!"

"I'll grow taller. Rather, what will you do, Gurai?"

"Huh?"

"The family will be inherited by Luft. Won't you be kicked out too, Gurai?"

"Huh?"

Gurai snorted and glared at me.

"Don't compare me to a failure like you! I'm going to the magic academy and become a top-notch researcher like Father."

"Magic academy?"

"Don't you know the magic academy? It's the prestigious school of mages, the Imperial Rodnea Magic Academy, which has produced many court magicians."

Rodnea, I believe, is a city near the capital.

I see, so there's a magic education institution there. It must be a large-scale institution.

That's good to know.

"Hmm. At what age do you start there?"

"You can take the exam from the age of twelve, but I'm from the Lamproug family. I don't need to learn the basics with uneducated people. It's enough to enter the advanced course at fifteen! I might even be scouted by a court magician right after I enter, and if that happens, I can build my career there."

I'm amazed at the confidence of my older brother, who speaks without any shame.

It's a lot of confidence. Even if he has the skills, it's not easy for a person to be so confident.

"Hey, Seika. Don't think you can follow the same path as me. The Lamproug family doesn't let family members choose the same path to maintain a wide influence! Oh, right, you're just a power-less failure. Hmph."

This guy really doesn't forget to insult me.

"Whatever."

"Huh? What's that...?"

"Gurai, how long are you going to talk?"

A low, heavy voice.

A tall, middle-aged man with a mustache stood behind Gurai, who turned around in a panic.

"Father!"

"Luft has already left. What about the cane?"

"Ah, well, I'm going to..."

"I told you I would watch your magic today."

"N-no, that is, Seika..."

Is it really too much to blame me?

The man turned his gaze from Gurai to me.

"Seika, stay in the house quietly today."

"Father."

I looked straight at the man.

That's not possible. I was looking for my coat for that reason.

"Can you take me to practice magic today?"