Chapter 2

Jill was exiled from the royal castle and set out on a journey.

Her destination was the town of Shelland, east of the capital Dylane. Deep in the nearby forest was a royal villa, and Jill was granted the villa and the forest as her territory.

However, it was a remote location that had been neglected since Alan ascended the throne. No one lived in the forest, and no taxes could be collected. It was a place given to Jill merely to get rid of her politely.

She traveled alone, without any servants, guards, or even a horse. Those who served the royal castle had no choice but to follow Bazalde’s words, “Avoid waste.” Although she was given a substantial amount of travel money, she could have hired an adventurer as a guard, but Jill did not feel like relying on anyone.

Wearing a thick gray robe with a hood to hide her hair and dressed like a man to avoid being targeted by thieves, she trudged on.

The island of Algenes, which includes the magic kingdom of Dylane, is vast, so much so that it could be called a continent. However, it is not a rich land. Everywhere is barren and desolate.

Few people pass by.

A desolate landscape of rocks and sand stretches out.

There are forests and rivers that nurture many lives scattered here and there, but such fertile places are always infested with terrifying monsters. It is a land filled with hardships, unsuitable for human habitation.

But it was this environment that nurtured mages.

Creating water and fire from nothing, securing a place to sleep, and defeating monsters without physical strength or weapons—magic was valued for these purposes.

People skilled in magic led the development of the land and the creation of towns. Weak humans joined hands, shared their wisdom, overcame stronger creatures, and brought about prosperity.

However, the magic that compensated for human weakness and enabled survival was transformed into a weapon to burn, freeze, and slaughter weaker humans.

"...Using magic as a substitute for swords and bows is not its true essence."

While staring blankly at the campfire, Jill muttered.

When Jill was old enough to understand, her parents were at war, invading other rich countries to seize resources. Her uncle, Conrad, raised her in their absence.

Conrad was neglected by the previous king. He did not have the talent to lead troops to victory in war, though not to the extent that Jill did.

Therefore, he was ordered to raise Jill, but he quickly gave up on teaching her offensive magic and combat training when he realized she had no talent for magic. They lived happily together, like a commoner and his child.

Conrad did not spoil Jill. He taught her academics, magic that she could use with her limited magical power, and various practical skills and manners befitting a noble, with love and affection.

This angered the previous king, leading to the throne being passed to his brother Alan. What the previous king sought in his grandson was not diligence and charm, but the talent and ruthlessness of the current king Alan and queen Bazalde.

Moreover, the words Jill had just spoken were also Conrad’s beliefs, which directly challenged the existence of the magic kingdom. It was impossible for such a person to live a peaceful life for long.

When Jill was ten, she was sent to the front lines, blamed for her rebelliousness and Conrad’s failure to raise her. The promise of the previous king, “I will forgive you if you win,” was never fulfilled. Conrad’s fate was defeat and death.

Life after that was difficult and lonely for Jill. She even felt a sense of liberation now that she had been exiled.

“Hey, traveler. Be careful about saying such things in this country. The king of this land has prospered by using magic to destroy his enemies.”

Jill realized she had been muttering to herself and blushed, apologizing to the man sitting across from her.

“Ah... I’m sorry. I was just talking to myself.”

It was spring, but the nights were freezing cold. The weather was still unsuitable for travel. The only people traveling at this time would be those with no choice, like Jill, or curious travelers. Jill had met one such curious traveler.

“No, no. The night is still long. After traveling on the road for days, anyone would start talking to themselves. If you don’t mind, let’s have dinner and chat.”

He was a silver-haired man with an otherworldly beauty.

He claimed to have gotten lost while searching for natural landscapes to paint. At first, Jill thought it might be a clumsy lie from a thief, but the paintings the traveler showed as proof were very impressive. Even Jill, whose eyes had been trained by life in the royal castle, could see that they were not the work of an amateur.

Despite being dirty and looking like he was about to die from thirst, he had an inexplicable air of refinement. Jill believed he was not a thief and decided to travel with him for a while.

They ended up spending the night together before parting ways. As they were about to start a fire and prepare dinner, Jill inadvertently muttered to herself.

“But I’m glad. The landscape here is so flat that it messes with your sense of direction and distance. It’s different from other countries.”

“I’m also grateful for the vegetables.”

Jill was not actually a first-time traveler. She had gone on long trips with Conrad. They rode horses, hunted, and camped. It was a happy memory from her childhood and gave her the confidence to travel alone.

However, she had been a bit careless. She had packed too lightly and forgotten other food supplies, leaving her with only dried meat and dried grain, making for a meager meal.

On the other hand, the painter had a rich supply of herbs and spices. It was more accurate to say that he had eaten all his other food and only these remained. Their interests aligned.

“[Water Creation] is quite convenient. I often wish I could use such magic.”

“Indeed.”

“Still, mages are proud... No, they don’t even consider those who can’t use magic to be human. I’m surprised to find someone like you who uses magic to cook.”

“Indeed.”

Jill and the painter were gathered around a single pot.

Jill used the [Water Creation] spell to fill the pot with water and the weakened [Blazing Light] spell to start a fire. She boiled the dried meat, and the painter added salt, dried and oil-soaked tomatoes, powdered herbs, and finely chopped wild greens.

The resulting soup was a bit crude compared to the court cuisine Jill was used to, but it was the right kind of crude. It was full of the stimulation and nourishment essential for travelers who constantly expend energy.

The spicy wild greens, the smoothness of the meat and tomatoes, and the way they complemented each other were delightful. The dried grain cooked in the remaining broth was absorbed into the body with a violence that could be described as brutal.

“What is this herb?”

“It’s mustard grass. It’s a wild herb from the eastern country, surprisingly delicious. It keeps well when dried. Oh, but if you see it, don’t eat the flowers or roots. They’ll upset your stomach.”

“I see...”

“You can tell it apart by the way the leaves grow and the number of veins. You might confuse it with poisonous herbs if you only look at the flowers. Unlike cultivated vegetables and fruits, you need to be careful.”

The painter was quite talkative once he started.

His topics ranged from travel tips to popular painting motifs and the war situations of neighboring countries. He answered any question with some kind of response. Jill was not unintelligent. She read a lot of books and was good at arithmetic, but she was still impressed by the painter’s sharp mind.

“Oops, I’m sorry. I’ve been talking too much.”

“No, it’s been enjoyable to listen.”

“Then, isn’t it not enjoyable to talk?”

“...I’m not sure. I don’t really know.”

At least for the past few years since Conrad’s death, Jill had never felt the joy of talking about something herself.

Her real mother had given up on her, and those who served her looked down on her. She had close people, but they were also marginalized in the royal castle and often had free time.

As a result, Jill tended to stay in her room, practicing magic, embroidering, and reading books borrowed from the library.

“Still, there’s something you want to say. Was what you said earlier your true feelings?”

“Huh...?”

“About the essence of magic. You said, ‘Magic is not a substitute for swords and bows.’”

The painter smiled.

Although it seemed malicious and in bad taste, it was not unpleasant.

“Didn’t you say it was inappropriate?”

“Indeed, I did. But that’s a separate matter. It’s human nature to have inappropriate thoughts and desires. And those desires won’t come true unless you voice them.”

“Is it really that convenient?”

“Of course. Proof of that is that I was muttering to myself until I met you. ‘Someone, show me the way,’ ‘And give me some water.’”

“It seems your wishes were granted.”

“Yes. To make them come true, they are absolutely necessary.”

The painter had a mysterious charm.

It was not about his face or appearance.

Before she knew it, she was drawn into his storytelling.

This relaxed Jill’s tongue, and thoughts she had never voiced before became words.

“I hate magic that is only used to kill people. Magic should be much more wonderful. I wish the world would change so that mages use magic to make people happy, to bring joy to everyday life... I want it to be that kind of world.”

This was the wish of Jill’s uncle, Conrad, and it was also Jill’s wish.

“...However, those who hold such wishes are weak. They can’t stand up to those who use magic as a weapon without hesitation. It’s a fairy tale.”

“A fairy tale. It’s a step forward.”

“A step forward?”

“Knowing that it’s a fairy tale means you’ve grasped what the dream is. The rest is just a matter of putting it into action.”

Thank you for reading!

If you found it interesting and would like to read more, please rate it with the stars [☆☆☆☆☆] below the ads.

(Star ratings are a great encouragement to authors, not just for my work.)

Thank you very much.