The Wise Man's Grandson Volume 2 Chapter 4

Ren

 Chapter 4 Let's go to training camp!


"Having time to dedicate to training is nice and all, but being in a situation where you never know what’s going to happen… it’s exhausting, always being on edge like this…"


Joint training wasn’t held every day; there were rest days in between.


Today was one of those rest days, so everyone was gathered in the research lab.


"Yeah, about that. There’s been some progress on the information front," Aug said, referring to the movements of the Demons.


"Huh? Really?" Shin asked.


"It’s not something that’s been made public, though."


Not public?


"Hey… why are you bringing up something like that?" Shin pressed.


"Hm? To tell you guys, obviously."


As expected! I really wish he wouldn’t so casually spill national secrets like that!


"U-um, Your Highness? It’s not just Shin-kun here, you know. We’re all here…" Maria said, her voice tinged with hesitation. And she was right to hesitate. What Aug was about to discuss was a national secret, and he was saying he’d share it with everyone.


"Exactly. I’m saying I’ll let everyone hear it. The members of this research society have become quite the group of powerhouses. If a battle with the Demons breaks out in the future, you’ll be called upon as vital forces. In that case, you should know about the Demons’ movements."


It seemed everyone was already being counted as key assets. The group’s expressions tightened at the gravity of the statement.


"Hearing stuff like this really makes you realize we’re something special, doesn’t it?" 


"Yeah, we’re really becoming a special forces unit…" 


"I guess we need to have Wolford-kun teach us even more magic," 


Maria, feeling a bit of pressure from Alice’s unusually serious expression, and Rin, as carefree as ever, showed varied reactions.


"So, about the rest of the story," Aug continued.


"You said there’s new information?" Shin prompted.


"Yeah. The other day, an intelligence unit that had infiltrated the former Empire’s territory returned. They brought back a report on the Demons’ movements."


The Demons’ movements. Those words stirred tension among the kingdom’s citizens, who had grown up hearing tales of Grandpa and the others’ heroic exploits alongside the looming threat of Demons.


According to Aug, the Demons were attacking towns and villages within the Empire’s territory. For now, their threat hadn’t spread beyond its borders.


But…


"The state of the attacked towns and villages… it’s nothing short of horrific. The nobles governing the towns are, without exception, slaughtered. Most of the commoners are killed as well."


Because they were facing a group of Demons, no one could recklessly intervene. Without a coalition of several nations, there was no way to stand against them. As a result, they could only watch helplessly as the Demons ravaged the towns.


Aug’s frustration was palpable.


"Most… does that mean some people aren’t killed?" Shin asked.


"That’s the problem," Aug replied grimly.


"What do you mean?"


"We don’t know what criteria they’re using, but it seems that with every attack, the number of Demons increases."


"So, the people who aren’t killed…"


"They’re being turned into Demons."


Seriously? How many are they making?


"What the hell is Schtrom thinking…?" Shin muttered.


"Who knows? You’d have to ask him yourself. But the sheer number of Demons being created is a massive threat in itself."


Looking around, it was clear that everyone felt fear toward the Demons, as they fell silent.


I’ve got to push everyone to level up even more so they won’t feel that fear!


"Hey, I’ve got a suggestion. Can I say it?" 


"…I’ve got a bad feeling about this, but what is it?" Aug replied cautiously.


"It’s not anything weird, I swear. The long vacation’s coming up soon, right?"


"Yeah."


"How about we use that vacation for a training camp?"


Alice was the first to jump at the idea.


"A training camp! That’s awesome! A research society’s gotta have a summer training camp, right?"


It seemed summer training camps were a staple event in this world too.


"Yeah… if we’re going to have to face Demons, we need to get stronger," Maria agreed.


"Immersed in magic from morning to night… sounds fun," Lynn added.


Driven by the responsibility of facing Demons, Maria wanted to grow stronger, while Lynn was thrilled at the idea of days filled with magic. The group, which had paled at the news of Demons ravaging the former Empire, gradually perked up with talk of the summer training camp.


It wasn’t clear how strong the Demons Schtrom was mass-producing were. The intelligence was gathered from afar using [Vision Enhancement] magic, so they couldn’t gauge the Demons’ strength precisely. monsters were also far more rampant there than in the kingdom, making the information a life-or-death effort to obtain.


Since the Demons’ strength wasn’t fully known, it was hard to determine how much everyone needed to level up. Still, to make the intelligence unit’s efforts worthwhile, they had to prepare as much as possible.


"By the way, where are we holding this training camp?" Alice asked casually, prompting everyone to look at Shin.


"Hmm, we’ll do the magic practice in that usual wasteland… but since it’s a training camp, it’d be nice to have a place where we can all stay together. Any ideas?"


"What? You haven’t decided?" Maria exclaimed.


"Come on, I’m a guy who only knew the mountains until recently. How would I know what’s a good spot?"


"Then how about using someone from the research society’s territory?" someone suggested.


"Oh, that’s a great idea. Let’s see… Sicily, Maria, Thor, and Julius, right? That okay?"


"Well, it’d have to be either Sicily’s or Julius’s territory. My place isn’t exactly somewhere you can relax after training," Maria said.


"Yeah, my place is a craftsman’s town, so it’s not great for unwinding either," Thor added.


Maria and Thor ruled out their territories as unsuitable for a training camp.


If I recall, Sicily’s territory is a hot spring town, and Julius’s is a resort area.


A samurai’s resort…


"In that case, we should probably avoid Julius’s place," Shin said.


"Huh? Why?" Julius asked.


"Going to a resort in times like these? You know what people would say."


"My head hurts just thinking about it. Apparently, a lot of reservations got canceled this season," Julius groaned.


Yeah, that’s gotta be tough for Julius’s family business.


"Our place isn’t doing too badly. There are fewer visitors than usual, but still some," Sicily noted.


Sicily’s territory seemed to be faring better than Julius’s. Hot springs have therapeutic value, after all.


Man, tourist spots really take a hit when war’s on the horizon. People think it’s inappropriate to enjoy resorts at times like these. Guess that’s the same everywhere.


"So, since it’s good for recovery after training, can we go with Sicily’s territory?" Shin asked.


"Yes! I’m happy to be of help!" Sicily replied enthusiastically.


"What about funding? If we all pitch in, how much do we need?" Shin asked.


"Huh? No, it’s fine. You can just use our family’s house in the territory," Sicily offered.


"No way, free’s not okay. It’s not just one or two people—we’ve got this many!" Shin protested.


"No, really, it’s fine. If you use our mansion, there’s no lodging cost. And besides, I can’t take money from my friends."


"Sicily…"


"Plus, Shin-kun gave me… gave us all this amazing equipment for free, didn’t he? Compared to that, this is nothing. And this is for saving the world, so it’s only right."


"Well… in that case, we’ll accept Sicily’s kindness this time. But next time, we’ll rotate through our territories, how’s that? My place isn’t great for relaxing, but we’ve got tons of delicious seafood to enjoy," Maria suggested.


Since Maria offered to host next, they decided to take Sicily up on her generosity this time.


Seeing the research society’s unity like this makes me happy. Everyone’s thinking about what they can contribute. I’ve gotta do my part too.


"Oh, right. Shin, I’ve got a favor to ask. Is that okay?" Aug said.


"What’s up?"


"Well, my birthday’s during the summer vacation."


"Oh, cool."


"And I’ll be holding my crown prince investiture ceremony at the same time. It’ll probably overlap with the training camp, so I was hoping you could give me a lift."


"Sure, no problem."


So I’m Aug’s chauffeur…


No, that’s fine, but I can do more than just be everyone’s taxi!


Come to think of it, he did mention the investiture ceremony was coming up. I forgot since he’s already so involved in state affairs.


"His Highness is finally becoming the crown prince, huh?" 


"Honestly, I don’t even know what’s different from before…" Aug admitted.


"You were just a prince before, but now you’re the official heir to the throne. Nothing changes," Shin teased.


"Just a title change?"


"That’s not true at all! From now on, you’ll have to act as the king’s representative and visit other countries. And, if I may say so myself, you’re also dealing with the headache of Shin-dono’s research society. So please, get it together!" Thor scolded.


"Thor… ‘headache’…?" Aug muttered.


"Ah, sorry. But it’s true that other countries will definitely question us about it. We have to prove we’re not a threat and that we’re a beneficial group to the world," Thor explained.


"A headache, huh…" Aug sighed.


Aug’s deeply tied to this research society, so explaining it must be a pain.


"Whatever. I knew this would happen when I encouraged Shin to start the society. This level of hassle is nothing," Aug said confidently.


There’s that princely side of Aug peeking through.


"Besides, I’m a member of the research society myself. I hold the negotiating power. I won’t let other countries get the upper hand so easily."


And there’s that sneaky side of him showing up again!


"More importantly, you all should focus on improving your skills. Within reason, of course."


"Yes!" everyone replied, staring at Shin.


What’s that about?!


Feeling a bit unsatisfied, I returned home and told Grandpa and Grandma about the training camp plans for the long vacation.


"Oh, a training camp, eh?" Grandpa said.


"Hoho, sounds good to me. In times like these, it won’t hurt to boost everyone’s skills," Grandma added.


Grandpa and Grandma approved, so no getting scolded this time!


"By the way, what about chaperones?" Grandma asked.


"Chaperones?"


"Of course. You’ve got young men and women of marriageable age staying under the same roof. Plus, there’s royalty and nobility involved. Even if you’re technically adults, there’s no way we’d let students go alone."


Oh, right. Especially since Aug’s royalty. If word got out that he went to a training camp with women other than his fiancรฉe, people might talk.


"Most of the research society kids’ parents are probably busy, so I’ll go," Grandma offered.


"I’ll come too," Grandpa added.


"Huh? You sure?"


"Yeah, we’re honestly pretty free," Grandma said.


"If we stay like this, we’ll go senile," Grandpa chuckled.


With nothing else to do, Grandpa and Grandma decided to join as chaperones.


"Plus, if we take our eyes off you, who knows what you’ll get up to," Grandma said pointedly.


"C’mon, I’ve been restraining myself… lately?" Shin protested weakly.


"Really now?" Grandma eyed him skeptically.


"…Even I can’t defend him on this one…" Grandpa muttered.


"You’re the original troublemaker, so hush," Grandma snapped.


"Hoho…" Grandpa laughed nervously, sweating and looking away.


Grandpa, don’t just dodge it—fight back!


And so, the training camp was set, with Grandma’s watchful eye.


The next day, Shin shared the news with everyone before joint training.


"That’s amazing! Having the Sage-sama and Guru-sama as our chaperones!" Alice exclaimed.


"Now that you mention it, we didn’t think about chaperones," Aug admitted.


"I assumed you had someone in mind yesterday…" Thor said, throwing a subtle jab at Aug. To be fair, Shin hadn’t thought of it either.


Having only left the mountains a few months ago, I still wasn’t used to dealing with royalty and nobility. Aug, Uncle Dis, Sicily, Maria, Thor, and Julius were so unlike the arrogant nobles from his past life’s stories that he often forgot their status and treated them casually. Even Aug seemed to forget he was royalty while at the academy.


In this world, local governance often relied on the noble system. Unlike Shin’s past life, transportation and communication networks were underdeveloped, so contacting distant regions took time. As a result, local autonomy was left to the nobles as lords. There were exceptions, of course.


I really need to get used to dealing with royalty and nobility…


"Royalty, nobility—it’s hard to know what to watch out for," Shin grumbled.


"What, you want to go to a country without royalty or nobility?" Aug teased.


"A country without them? Oh, the Els Free Commerce Union? Nah, not really."


The [Els Free Commerce Union] was the only republic in this world. Instead of noble lords, towns elected governors from among the commoners, and a president was chosen from those governors. There were no nobles or royalty—only commoners.


Though a republic, its political structure—delegating governance to governors—wasn’t much different from monarchies. Transportation and communication limitations were the same.


Still, since many governors and presidents were former merchants, negotiating with Els was notoriously difficult, as Shin had learned in class.


"Shin-kun… do you want to go to Els?" Sicily asked, her eyes teary.


"Huh? No, no way! That’s not what I meant!" Shin protested.


"Really? I thought you were planning to abandon us for Els," Aug said with a smirk.


"I didn’t say a word about that!" Shin shot back.


This guy! He’s definitely doing it on purpose! That sneaky side of him keeps popping up!


"I’d never abandon you guys, so don’t worry. Okay, Sicily?"


"Really? You scared me…" Sicily said, relieved.


"Enough fooling around. Let’s go. The Knight Academy students are already gathered," Thor urged.


"Fooling around… Aug was in on it too…" Shin muttered.


Thor’s been getting bolder lately. Yesterday he called the research society a “headache”…


Wait, is it just me he’s picking on?


Feeling a bit miffed, Shin headed to the joint training with the Knight Academy.


As usual, Shin played a support role. Knight Academy students acted as shields, holding off enemies while Magic Academy students cast spells to deal damage, and the knights finished them off.


They’d been repeating this pattern for a while, and their coordination had improved significantly.


"Still… do you guys even need us as shields?" Siegfried asked.


"Hm? What’s up, Sieg-nii?" Shin replied.


"What’s up? Your research society members are firing off [Chantless Magic] like it’s nothing. Normally, knights act as shields to buy time for mages to chant."


"Yeah, that’s true."


"But you guys use [Chantless Magic], so we’re not buying time for chants. It feels like we’re just taking hits because it’s our turn. Look at the Knight Academy students."


Shin glanced over and heard them muttering, “Are we even needed…?”


"Oh… uh, it’s training! Think of it as practice for when you’re in other squads!" Shin said quickly.


"Seriously, you… no, do you guys even need this training? You’re already a fully functional combat unit on your own," Siegfried said.


What am I supposed to say to that? Full participation is an order from above…


"It’s like… we’re being treated like Shin now, huh?" someone remarked.


"Utterly infuriating," another grumbled.


"Um… you shouldn’t say that…" Sicily hesitated.


Don’t hold back, Sicily!


After their now-routine banter, the day’s training ended without incident.


Still, the number of monsters wasn’t decreasing. At this rate, who knows what’s happening in the former Empire’s territory? Shin couldn’t help but think of the intelligence unit’s struggles after hearing yesterday’s report.


When they returned to the capital’s gate, the meeting point, Shin noticed some Knight Academy students looking as dejected as they had on the first day.


"Hey, what’s going on?" Shin asked.


"Oh, Shin-kun. Well… we got all hyped up because the Sage-sama and Guru-sama are coming to the training camp…" one explained.


"Alice-dono… she took down all the monsters before the Knight Academy students could even act as shields," another added.


"We didn’t get a chance to do anything…" a third sighed.


"Ugh…" Alice groaned.


So she went even wilder than the first day.


"Tony’s group seemed fine, though," Shin noted.


"Well, it’s training, and we understand the knights’ role pretty well," Tony replied.


"Indeed," Julius agreed.


"So it’s just Alice this time?" Shin asked.


"Ugh… I’m so sorry!" Alice wailed.


With occasional slip-ups like this, the joint training progressed smoothly, and the academy entered its summer vacation.


The summer vacation lasted two months. During this time, there was no joint training. The only instruction was to train individually and return stronger than before, with no homework assigned.


No homework, but slacking off would affect post-vacation evaluations, so there wasn’t much time to relax.


The [Ultimate Magic Research Society] planned to use this long vacation for a training camp to level up further.


Since unmarried young men and women would be living together, Grandpa and Grandma would join as chaperones. So, Shin, Grandpa, and Grandma visited the participants’ families to greet them.


Everyone made a huge fuss when the two heroes visited their homes.


The only ones who didn’t were Uncle Dis, who already knew them, and Sicily and Maria’s parents. Thor and Julius’s parents were practically in tears.


Since they’d be staying at Sicily’s family mansion, Shin also visited her parents to express gratitude.


"Sorry about this. My grandson’s selfishness is making you lend us your mansion," Grandpa said.


"Truly, we’re sorry," Grandma added.


"N-n-no, please, raise your heads, Sage-sama, Guru-sama! There’s no greater joy than helping your grandson. This is for the world’s sake. It’s an honor, not a burden in the slightest!" Sicily’s father, Cecil, insisted.


"Exactly. We’re delighted. What Shin-kun is trying to do will save the world. To contribute to that is something we’ll pass down for generations," her mother, Irene, added.


Cecil-san and Irene-san were so supportive of the training camp. Being told that made Shin feel a bit nervous…


"Who knows? This kid’s got a habit of going overboard when given too much freedom…" Grandma said skeptically.


"Hoho… that’s true…" Grandpa agreed.


Grandpa, don’t just nod along!


"But I’ll keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. If he messes up, please forgive him," Grandma said.


"Grandma… can’t you trust your grandson a little more?" Shin pleaded.


"What are you talking about? With your track record, asking for trust is absurd! Please, please restrain yourself, okay?" Grandma snapped.


"Uh… yeah, I’ll… try?" Shin mumbled.


"Sigh… I’m really worried…" Grandma said, letting out a deep sigh.


"G-Guru-sama, Shin-kun is a kind, good boy. He wouldn’t do anything reckless…" Cecil-san said.


"Exactly. A boy who’s worked so hard for Sicily wouldn’t do anything strange…" Irene-san added.


"You’re too soft, you two. This kid has a bad habit of acting on whatever pops into his head. And what pops into his head is often beyond our comprehension," Grandma said, brushing off their defense.


"I-Is that so?" Cecil-san asked.


"Yep. Those defensive magic tools you’re wearing? This kid made them, didn’t he?" Grandma pointed out.


"Yes, that’s right. They’ve saved my life multiple times," Cecil-san confirmed.


"What?! Really, Father?!" Sicily exclaimed.


"Yeah, I didn’t want to worry you, so I didn’t mention it. On my way back to the territory, we were attacked by monsters a few times. Without these magic tools, I would’ve been in real danger," Cecil-san explained.


"When my husband told me, I thanked Shin-kun’s kindness over and over. Thank you, Shin-kun. Let me say it again," Irene-san said warmly.


"No, I’m just happy to help," Shin replied modestly.


That’s a nice bit of covering fire. Maybe things are heading in a good direction?


“Well, that’s great to hear. If something this kid made was useful, there’s nothing that’d make me happier,” Grandma said.


“Exactly!” Shin agreed.


“So, what’s your impression of using that magic tool?” Grandma asked.


“My impression? Well, I was certainly impressed that it was made by Guru-sama’s grandson…” Cecil-san began.


“Not that kind of impression. I mean, how does it compare to the defensive magic tools sold on the market?” Grandma clarified.


“Well… to be honest, it feels like the difference between heaven and earth. I’ve never seen a magic tool this exceptional,” Cecil-san admitted.


“And how long did this kid take to make it?” Grandma pressed.


“I think it was just a moment, whipped up in a flash…” Cecil-san replied.


At that point, Cecil-san froze mid-sentence.


“That’s what I mean,” Grandma said. “This kid can casually make a magic tool of that caliber, just on a whim. If we don’t keep an eye on him, it’s downright dangerous.”


“…” Cecil-san fell silent.


Oh no! Cecil-san’s clammed up! Hang in there!


“I’ll do my best to make sure he doesn’t do anything reckless, but just be prepared,” Grandma warned.


“Understood. I’ll brace myself…” Cecil-san said weakly.


“Well… the magic practice will be in the wasteland, so it’s probably fine…” Shin tried to reassure.


Glare! Grandma’s piercing stare shut Shin up instantly.


“Grandpa…” Shin muttered.


“What is it?” Grandpa replied.


“Grandma’s scary…”


“Hoho… I know that all too well…” Grandpa said with a wry smile.


The two of them trudged home behind Grandma, heads hanging low.


That was terrifying…


The next day, Shin used [Gate] to pick everyone up, and they all gathered at his house.


So I’m the taxi after all…


Grumbling inwardly, Shin led the group to the carriage station.


Since they’d use [Gate] to return, they chartered carriages to reach their destination. Using their own carriages would be pointless, as they’d become unnecessary once they arrived.


With Aug, a royal, and Grandpa and Grandma, whose presence would cause a stir among the populace, they opted to charter carriages instead of sharing public ones.


By the way, Aug covered the charter fees, saying it was his fault they had to charter them in the first place.


They chartered three six-person carriages for the fourteen of them, splitting into groups of four, four, and six.


Shin rode in the six-person carriage with Grandpa, Grandma, Aug, Sicily, and Maria.


Thor and Julius were told by Aug that they’d be fine with Shin, Grandpa, and Grandma present, so they rode in another carriage with Lynn and Alice.


Mark and Olivia, as expected, rode together, joined by Tony and Yuri.


The carriage journey would take about two days, with the carriages running continuously.


“Running all day long? Are the horses okay?” Shin asked, concerned for the horses pulling the carriages after hearing the itinerary.


“They’re fine. Did you notice all the gear on the horses?” Aug replied.


“Yeah… now that you mention it, they had a lot of stuff on them,” Shin said.


“Those are imbued with effects like [Fatigue Recovery] and [Physical Enhancement],” Grandma explained.


“Thanks to those enchanted harnesses, the horses can run for long periods, cutting down long-distance travel time,” Sicily added.


“And the one who developed those enchanted harnesses was none other than Merida-dono,” Aug said.


“Grandma did?” Shin asked, surprised.


“What, you didn’t know?” Grandma said.


“First I’m hearing of it,” Shin admitted.


“Back in the day, magic tools were mostly for combat. But Merida-sama poured her efforts into developing tools to improve daily life, greatly enhancing our quality of life,” Sicily explained.


“She made life more convenient and comfortable, leading the people to a better way of living. That’s why everyone respectfully calls Merida-dono the ‘Guru,’” Aug added.


“We’re used to this lifestyle since we were born into it, but our grandparents and parents always say how convenient the world has become,” Maria said.


“Wow, really?” Shin said, impressed.


He’d always wondered why everyone called Grandma “Guru.” To him, she was just his scary but kind grandma.


“What’s that, Shin? Staring at me like that,” Grandma said.


“Just thinking… Grandma, you did some amazing stuff,” Shin replied.


“W-what are you talking about? That’s old news, old news!” Grandma said, blushing and turning away.


“No need to be shy,” Shin teased.


“Hoho. She’s never been good at taking praise gracefully,” Grandpa said.


“Yeah, I can kinda picture that,” Shin said with a grin.


“You two! That’s enough!” Grandma snapped.


The carriage journey continued merrily and smoothly.


But when traveling long distances, certain things are bound to happen. Shin’s [Search Magic], which he’d kept active while the carriages moved, picked up a monster’s presence.


“monsters. This size… medium-sized, maybe?” Shin said.


“Hmm, five of them?” Grandpa added.


They contacted the other carriages and stopped temporarily.


Everyone disembarked.


“monsters, huh?” Alice said as she stepped off the carriage.


“What do we do? This size seems like one person could handle it. Who’s up?” Thor asked.


Everyone exchanged glances.


“Me! I wanna do it!” Alice shouted.


“No, I’ll take it,” Lynn countered.


“I’d like a shot too,” Tony added.


Everyone raised their hands, eager to fight.


“Well then…” Shin began, as everyone looked at him. He made a suggestion.


“Let’s draw lots.”


He pulled out some lots from [Alternative Dimension Storage].


“Why do you carry lots around…?” Thor asked, exasperated.


Shin couldn’t answer. Why did he have them?


“Never mind that, just draw,” Shin said.


Everyone drew lots while the monsters approached, now visible. Were those mountain dog monsters?


“Yes! I got it!” Lynn cheered.


“Aw, I lost!” Alice groaned.


“Okay, Lynn, you’re up,” Shin said.


“Got it. Leave it to me,” Lynn replied.


She headed toward the monsters, gathering mana and activating wind magic.


The blades of wind, conjured with [Chantless Magic] and potent mana, sliced through the mountain dog monsters in an instant.


“Wow, your magic activation’s gotten a lot faster,” Shin praised.


“Heh, piece of cake,” Lynn said smugly.


“But maybe a bit overkill? You could’ve used less mana, and it’d activate even faster,” Shin pointed out.


“Oh, got it. I’ll be careful next time,” Lynn said.


“Next is me!” Alice declared.


“No way. We draw lots again, excluding Lynn,” Maria said.


“That’s harsh! I wanna go again!” Lynn protested.


“You just had your turn!” Maria shot back.


The carriage drivers, watching their exchange, approached.


“Um… those were medium-sized monsters, right? Five of them…” one said.


“Instantly killed…” another muttered.


“Drawing lots…?” a third added.


“Sigh… Just as expected, it’s outrageous,” Grandma said.


“Hoho. It’s great that everyone’s skills are improving,” Grandpa said cheerfully.


Hearing the drivers’ reactions, the group let out resigned sighs.


“Here we go with those reactions again,” Maria said.


“Can’t be helped. We got the same reactions during joint training. I’m used to it by now,” Sicily said.


“We’re gonna get even more of these reactions in the future, huh?” Tony said.


“Bring it on,” Lynn said confidently.


Is this a good trend? Everyone’s starting to accept this situation.


“Sorry to interrupt your daze, but we need to keep moving. Let’s go,” Aug ordered.


“Yes!” everyone replied, climbing back into the carriages.


Inside the carriage, Grandma asked Shin a question.


“Shin, how strong are the research society members now? Is that girl especially strong?”


“Nah, I think everyone else could do the same,” Shin replied.


“Yep, I can do it,” Maria said.


“I could handle that much too…” Sicily added.


“I could do it,” Aug confirmed.


“That much…? That was pretty impressive, you know? And you call it ‘that much’…?” Grandma said, incredulous.


“Hoho. Their sense of normalcy is nicely numbed,” Grandpa said.


“That’s not a good thing! Sigh… You really are a special forces unit…” Grandma said, letting out a tired sigh.


“Turning other people’s kids into such magically modified monsters… What am I supposed to say?” she muttered.


Everyone gave wry smiles at Grandma’s grumbling.


Magically modified…? You use that for people too?


After an overnight stop in another town, they finally arrived at the Claude family’s territory, the “Town of Claude.”


Typically, a town’s name came from the noble family governing it. This made things clear and instilled pride and responsibility in the nobles who lent their names to their towns.


As a hot spring town, steam rose from various parts of the Town of Claude.


At the town’s entrance, public bathhouses and inns lined the streets, accessible to all. The residents lived further in.


The lord’s mansion sat at the town’s deepest point, backed by a mountain, making it difficult to invade from that side.


When they showed their citizen IDs at the gate, it seemed word had already been sent. Despite the parade of royalty, heroes, and extraordinary figures, no one seemed particularly shocked.


If anything, there was an air of relief that they’d arrived safely.


Well, yeah, with a group like this, anything happening would be a big deal. Though with this lineup, it’s hard to imagine anything going wrong…


A messenger was promptly sent to the lord’s mansion. Normally, carriages would stop at the carriage station, but as a courtesy, they were taken directly to the mansion.


“Welcome back, Sicily-ojousama,” the staff greeted in unison, having been informed in advance.


“Sicily-ojousama, welcome back. And August-dono, welcome. It is an honor to meet Sage-sama and Guru-sama. To all your schoolmates, welcome as well. And to the new hero, Shin-sama,” said a man, likely the deputy governing in place of Sicily’s father. He gave Shin a pointed look.


What’s that about?


“My staff and I have eagerly awaited your arrival, Shin-sama. Please, we look forward to your stay,” the deputy said.


“We look forward to it,” the staff echoed, bowing in unison.


What’s going on?


“N-now, everyone, you’re exaggerating!” Sicily protested.


“But Sicily-ojousama, it’s only natural to greet someone who will one day be closely tied to us,” the deputy said.


“Wah! Wah! What are you saying?!” Sicily cried, flustered.





That’s a rare sight from Sicily.


Shin couldn’t help but laugh, catching her attention.


“W-why are you laughing?” she asked.


“Just… it’s rare to see you shouting and panicking like that. I couldn’t help it,” Shin said.


“Ugh… ‘couldn’t help it,’ honestly!” Sicily huffed.


“Haha, sorry, sorry. Come on, cheer up,” Shin said, patting her head.


Sicily, red-faced and teary-eyed, gradually calmed down.


“Jeez… fine,” she mumbled.


“Your flustered look was kinda cute. Sorry, okay?” Shin said.


“C-cute…” Sicily stammered, turning red again.


Feeling eyes on him, Shin looked around. Not only the research society members but also the staff were smirking.


“W-what?” Shin asked.


“Just thinking you two are as lovey-dovey as ever,” Aug teased.


“Haha, so this is what you were doing during training? No wonder people called you lovey-dovey,” Tony said.


“Yeah, the Knight Academy students were crying tears of blood,” Maria added.


“In front of a nine-to-one male-to-female student ratio, that’s just cruel,” Mark said.


“Ojousama, we really must greet him properly,” a staff member said.


“Ugh…” Sicily groaned, turning even redder and hiding behind Shin.


With Sicily unlikely to recover anytime soon, the deputy took charge.


“I am Camille Brandli, serving as deputy in place of Cecil-sama. I do not reside in this mansion, so I’ll leave your care to the staff. Please forgive any shortcomings,” he said.


“Huh? You don’t live here?” Shin asked.


“This is the Claude Viscountcy’s residence. I only come here for administrative duties,” Camille explained.


Oh, I thought he lived here.


“August-dono, welcome once again,” Camille said.


“Thank you. But I’m here solely for the research society’s training camp. Please, no special treatment,” Aug replied.


“Understood. Bringing the heroes as chaperones was a wise decision,” Camille said.


Hm? Why?


I must’ve looked confused, because Aug explained.


“As royalty, if I visit a noble’s mansion privately, some people might make a fuss,” he said.


“I know that, but why was bringing Grandpa and Grandma a good decision?” Shin asked.


“In this kingdom, Marlin-dono and Merida-dono’s fame is immense. With them as chaperones, the narrative shifts from ‘the prince visited a noble’s mansion’ to ‘the Sage and Guru accompanied their grandson’s research society training camp as chaperones, and the prince happens to be there,’” Aug explained.


Same situation, different impression. Did Grandpa and Grandma volunteer as chaperones with that in mind?


Shin glanced at them, and they both looked away.


…Total coincidence, huh.


After that, the other members introduced themselves. Since everyone was tired from the long journey, they decided to relax in the hot springs and start activities tomorrow.


Sicily, still blushing, managed to recover enough to lead the girls to their rooms and the hot springs.


An older maid guided the boys.


Each person got their own room, except for Grandpa and Grandma, who shared one.


And now, the hot springs.


This world had regular baths and public bathhouses, so soaking in a tub wasn’t anything special. And since Shin’s body was still young, he didn’t feel a strong need to relieve fatigue in a hot spring.


But he was happy to bring Grandpa and Grandma here, so that was the real joy.


The hot springs were piped into the mansion itself. The mansion’s regular baths were hot springs. Talk about luxury! A perk of a hot spring town, huh?


Since they often hosted guests, the hot springs were separated by gender. It really felt like a hot spring inn.


As the boys stripped and entered the bath…


“Whoa! Huge!” Shin exclaimed.


He thought his home’s bath was big, but this was on another level.


And there were two of them, one for each gender… The Claude Viscountcy doesn’t mess around!


“Well, this is something,” Grandpa said, impressed.


“This is my first time in a bath this amazing!” Mark said.


“It’s bigger than the bath at my mansion,” Julius said.


“Ours is way smaller,” Tony added.


“Well, ours is a public bathhouse, so…” Maria trailed off.


Tony’s family runs a public bathhouse? Not unusual. Having a private bath at home is actually rarer.


Mark’s family probably built their own bath since their home is a workshop.


As for Grandpa, he was absolutely delighted with the hot spring.


“This is incredible. I never imagined I’d get to soak in a place like this,” he said, beaming as he washed and slipped into the water.


“Ahh… I’m alive again…” Grandpa sighed contentedly.


“Phew… feels good…” Shin added.


The long carriage ride had built up more fatigue than expected, and it felt like the exhaustion was melting away. Everyone seemed to feel the same.


“This is nice…” Aug said.


“Yeah…” Tony agreed.


“Feels great,” Julius said.


“I might fall asleep…” Mark said.


“You’ll die if you do,” Shin warned.


Everyone was thoroughly enjoying the hot spring.


After a while, Grandpa spoke up.


“Everyone, thank you for sticking with Shin,” he said.


“Huh? Sage-sama?” Mark said, surprised.


“This kid grew up deep in the mountains, so he never had any friends his age,” Grandpa continued.


Everyone listened intently.


“He was always abnormally quick to learn. I kept teaching him this and that, and before I knew it, he was grown,” Grandpa said.


What? By accident?


“Once I realized that, I felt so guilty… I hoped he’d make friends at the academy,” Grandpa said.


So he came to the capital, knowing it’d cause a stir, because he felt bad for me…


“That’s why I’m truly happy he’s made friends he can open up to so soon after enrolling. Thank you, everyone,” Grandpa said, bowing his head.


“Please, Marlin-dono, stop. If anything, I’m the one who owes thanks and an apology,” Aug said.


“As the first prince of this kingdom, I never had peers I could treat as equals. I’d resigned myself to that. But Shin called me a cousin and treated me as an equal. That was an unexpected, joyful surprise,” Aug admitted.


Huh, that’s the first time I’ve heard Aug’s true feelings.


“And now, I’m taking advantage of Shin’s goodwill to build a force to deal with the current crisis. I know it’s dangerous and that it involves Shin. I feel deeply sorry to Marlin-dono and Merida-dono, who are trying to protect him,” Aug said.


I’m the one doing this on my own, though. If anything—actually, I feel bad making them clean up my mess…


“Hoho, don’t worry about that. Dis has told me you’re not using this force for the kingdom’s selfish gain. Once this is over, you plan to use it for world peace,” Grandpa said.


Even Uncle Dis is in on that talk? This really is a national project.


“I’m sorry for making you worry so much, but please, keep being friends with Shin as you have,” Grandpa said.


“Of course. He’s the first friend—no, cousin—I can interact with so freely,” Aug said.


The others nodded in agreement.


“Wolford-kun’s helped me and my dad so much. If you’re okay with me, I’d love to stay friends forever!” Mark said, grateful for the new business his family’s Bean Workshop had gained.


“Being with Shin-dono is exasperating at times, but it’s fun. I’d like to keep being friends,” Thor said.


Thor’s been less reserved with his jabs lately. Guess we’re getting closer?


“I feel the same. I’m often seen as an oddity by other nobles, but Shin-dono treats me normally. I’m truly grateful,” Julius said.


Julius is definitely an oddball. But he’s fun to watch.


“Yeah, Shin doesn’t judge. He doesn’t call me a playboy or anything. I love girls, but having male friends is great too,” Tony said.


Compared to some really sleazy guys I know from my past life, Tony’s practically adorable.


Everyone said they were glad to be with me.


“Really? I thought I was dragging you all into trouble with my well-meaning actions,” Shin said.


“Well-meaning, right? We can’t complain about that. If anything, we’re grateful you’ve pulled us regular folks up to a group that can save the world,” 


“Huh, really?” Shin asked.


“Of course. I’m a guy—I’ve got dreams of being a hero,” 


Everyone nodded at Thor’s words.


“Well, Thor’s more of a boy than a man,” Shin teased.


“Don’t say that! I’m sensitive about it!” Thor protested.


Everyone burst into laughter. I really am blessed with great friends.


“Grandpa,” Shin said.


“What is it?” Grandpa replied.


“I’m grateful for everything. For training me all this time. If I’d gone out to the city partway through, I probably wouldn’t be who I am now. So don’t feel too bad about it. Thanks to you, I’ve made so many friends.”


“Shin…” Grandpa’s voice wavered.


“Thank you, Grandpa,” Shin said warmly.


“Ugh…” Grandpa sniffled.


Oh no, Grandpa’s crying again.


◇


While Marlin was thanking the male members of the research society and getting teared up by Shin, what was happening in the women’s bath?


“Wow… Merida-sama, you’re incredible…” Alice gasped.


“No offense, but you’re well past sixty, right?” Maria asked.


“Just about to hit seventy,” Merida replied.


“And this body…? That’s just unfair!” Alice wailed.


In the changing room, the girls were stunned by Merida’s physique as they undressed. Despite being nearly seventy, her body showed no signs of aging.


The girls were intensely curious about how she maintained such a figure, lamenting the unfairness as they glanced at their own bodies. Merida, however, was unfazed, fully immersed in enjoying the hot spring.


“Ahh… this soaks right into my bones…” Merida sighed contentedly.


“It really does… I didn’t realize how tired I was,” Olivia said softly.


“Hehe, I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” Sicily said.


“This is amazing. The best!” Maria exclaimed.


The girls, weary from the long journey and with Merida as their chaperone, kept the noise to a minimum. As they relaxed in the hot spring, their curiosity naturally turned to Merida.


Maria, unable to hold back, finally asked, “Merida-sama, do you do anything special regularly?”


“Hm? Not really… Oh, wait, Shin said it’s good to stay active, so I’ve been using some equipment at home to exercise,” Merida replied.


“Equipment?” Maria asked.


“That kid makes all sorts of outrageous stuff, but every now and then, he creates something so convenient even I’m impressed,” Merida said.


“Huh? You mean it’s a magic tool?” Alice asked.


“Yep. You channel mana into it, and it activates. There’s a belt that moves automatically, so you walk or run on it, and another one that gradually increases the load. They’re enchanted with [Natural Recovery Enhancement], so the effects show up quickly,” Merida explained.


“Effects show up quickly!?” Alice exclaimed.


“Is that for real!?” Maria asked, wide-eyed.


“Yeah, no idea why, but it works. Thanks to that, my stamina and strength have gone way up. At this rate, I might live to a hundred and fifty,” Merida said with a laugh.


While Merida chuckled, the other girls wore serious expressions—especially Alice and Lynn.


“Merida-sama! Um, could we maybe use that equipment!?” Alice pleaded.


“I want to try it too,” Lynn added.


Merida glanced at their bodies and delivered a devastating blow.


“Sure, but training your body won’t make your chest bigger.”


“Huh?” Alice blinked.


“Really?” Lynn asked, stunned.


“In fact, exercising too much might make it smaller,” Merida added.


“What!?” Alice gasped.


“N-no way…!?” Lynn stammered.


The two were crushed by Merida’s words.


“If you’re worried about that, you’d be better off asking those two over there,” Merida said, nodding toward Sicily and Yuri.


“Huh?” both girls said in unison.


Merida’s gaze landed on Sicily and Yuri, who both had figures noticeably larger than the average for girls their age.


“Wow… looking at them up close…” Alice murmured.


“Incredible,” Lynn said, awestruck.


Alice and Lynn’s eyes were glued to Sicily and Yuri’s chests.


“N-no, it’s not like that… right, Yuri-san?” Sicily said nervously.


“Y-yeah… you two will grow too, eventually…” Yuri said, flustered.


“Eek!” Sicily yelped.


The moment Sicily turned to Yuri, Alice and Lynn darted behind her, grabbing her chest.


“Whoa! This is amazing! I want breasts this perfect!” Alice exclaimed.


“Ah! S-stop, Alice-sa… nngh! Not there!” Sicily protested.


Sicily, unable to suppress her voice as her chest was squeezed, flushed with embarrassment.


“Sicily’s sensitivity is top-notch too,” Lynn observed.


“Nngh! Even Lynn-san… ahn!” Sicily gasped.


Alice and Lynn relentlessly kneaded her chest.


“So big and soft… I’m so jealous,” Alice sighed.


“What? They’re that soft?” Maria asked, intrigued.


Maria, who had an average-sized chest but felt a slight complex next to Sicily’s, joined in.


“Let me see… Let me feel!” Maria demanded.


“Eek! Maria too!? Ah, ah, please stop… ahh!” Sicily pleaded.


“When did they get this big…?” Maria muttered, shocked.


“They’re huge, perfectly shaped, and I’m so jealous!” Alice whined.


“And so sensitive,” Lynn added, fixated.


Maria can't hide her surprise at the fact that Sicily's breasts have grown since she last touched them, while Alice is simply envious. And Lynn can't help but dwell on the fact.


"Ah, ah, already... ah... ahh!”



Sicily, thoroughly evaluated and groped by the three, eventually slumped in exhaustion.


Yuri and Olivia, huddling together, watched the scene trembling.


Maybe we went too far? Maria thought, reflecting, before turning back to Merida to continue the earlier topic.


“Merida-sama, about what you said—exercising too much makes your chest smaller. What’s that about?”


“Oh, Shin explained it. When you exercise, you burn fat, right?” Merida said.


“Yeah,” Maria nodded.


“Right,” Olivia agreed.


“All this meat…” Alice said, poking her own body.


“So, since breasts are made of fat, exercising too much—especially full-body workouts—can burn off that fat too,” Merida explained.


“Oh, I see,” Maria said.


“So, moderate exercise could get us a body like Merida-sama’s!” Alice said excitedly.


Fat removal seemed to be an eternal topic for women.


“But… how does Shin know stuff like that?” Maria wondered.


“Y-yeah… like when he taught us how to visualize magic, he just… knows so much about everything,” Sicily said, still catching her breath.


Maria and the now-recovered Sicily, puzzled, turned to Merida.


“Yeah… Marlin said it too, but that kid’s always been curious about everything. Why does fire burn? Why does wind blow? What’s water made of? Why does water turn to ice? What’s the body made of? How does it move? He probably looked into all of that,” Merida said, her voice tinged with nostalgia.


“When he was about five, he started running around the forest hunting,” she continued.


“F-five!?” Maria gasped.


“No way!” Olivia said, incredulous.


“Believe it or not, it’s true. I was shocked too. One day, Shin was nowhere to be found, so I grilled Marlin. Turns out, he’d gone hunting in the forest. I nearly throttled Marlin,” Merida said.


“Haha…” The girls gave nervous laughs, easily picturing the scene.


“He was always quick to learn, but I was worried. I was about to go look for him when he strolled back,” Merida said, looking at the group.


“He’d hunted birds, rabbits, and a deer.”


“A deer!?” Alice exclaimed.


“A deer at five!?” Maria said, stunned.


“Shin-kun’s incredible…” Sicily murmured.


“No way…” Yuri whispered.


“Amazing. That’s Wolford-kun for you,” Lynn said.


Merida beamed with pride at the praise for her grandson.


“I was floored. And when he pulled them out of [Alternative Dimension Storage], I was even more shocked,” she said.


The girls were speechless, learning he’d mastered [Alternative Dimension Storage] at five.


Oblivious to their shock, Merida continued.


“Since he could hunt that well, I figured he’d be fine. He started going into the forest to hunt during the day. That’s when he began experimenting in the forest… and, well, you see how he turned out,” Merida said, sighing with a hint of regret for letting Shin run free in the forest. Her warning about Shin going overboard when given freedom stemmed from this experience.


At the same time, the girls realized Shin’s extraordinary magic came from countless experiments conducted alone in the forest. Without peers to compare to, he never realized how abnormal his actions were.


“Did Marlin-sama not notice?” Maria asked.


“That original reckless guy? Notice? He was thrilled Shin learned magic so fast and kept teaching him more. He’s the root of it all,” Merida said.


The girls could only give wry smiles at this unexpected side of the revered Sage-sama.


“But thanks to that, we can handle this crisis, so it’s a good thing,” Sicily said.


“Yeah. Never in my wildest dreams did I think someone would cause this kind of trouble,” Merida agreed.


“So, Merida-sama, don’t worry too much. Shin-kun will definitely become a hero who saves the world,” Sicily said confidently.


Merida looked at Sicily intently.


“You really are a good girl. Keep looking after Shin, okay? Make sure he stays on the right path,” Merida said.


“Yes! Leave it to me!” Sicily replied enthusiastically.


“Speaking of which, Shin-kun’s [Healing Magic] is incredible too. Did he learn that on his own?” Yuri asked.


“He butchered the animals he hunted himself, so he probably studied the body’s structure that way,” Merida said.


She had no idea Shin already knew about human anatomy from his past life, so she came up with a plausible explanation and accepted it.


“Still, I feel like I understand why Shin’s magic is so unique,” Maria said.


“It’s a bit lonely to think he was playing alone, though,” Sicily said.


“That’s why he’s so protective of his friends. Because he never had any…” Olivia said.


The girls agreed that Shin’s unique magic and care for his friends stemmed from his friendless childhood.


“That’s why I’m so grateful to you all,” Merida said.


“Merida-sama?” Maria asked.


“He never had friends his age. He was always surrounded by adults. He says he wasn’t lonely because we were there, but seeing him with you all… it makes me realize he needed friends,” Merida confessed, her voice heavy with regret for leaving Shin alone in the forest until adulthood.


The girls listened quietly to Merida’s heartfelt words.


“That’s why I’m so happy you’re all his friends now. Thank you, truly,” Merida said, bowing her head.


“Merida-sama, please, raise your head. I’m the one who’s glad to have met Shin-kun,” Sicily said.


“Exactly. We’re the ones lucky to be his friends,” Maria added.


“Yep. Super lucky,” Lynn said.


“Lynn-san, ‘lucky’…?” Sicily said, exasperated.


“But it’s true. We’ve gained so much from knowing Wolford-kun,” Olivia said.


“Totally!” Alice agreed.


“You all…” Merida’s gratitude deepened at their words. To express it, she made a proposal.


“Alright! I was planning to just be a chaperone for this training camp, but we’re going to train you all too!” Merida declared.


“What!? Merida-sama and Marlin-sama!?” Maria exclaimed.


“For real!?” Olivia gasped.


“Yep, but we’ll be tough. Be ready!” Merida warned.


“Yes!” the girls replied.


“Bring it on,” Lynn said confidently.


“Hehe, this is gonna be fun,” Merida said with a grin.


The girls felt a mix of slight unease and great anticipation at Merida’s enthusiastic smile.


◇


The research society members emerged from the hot springs with oddly warm, fuzzy expressions.


They seemed touched by Grandpa’s talk.


The fact that it was about thanking them for being friends with a loner like me is a bit… bittersweet.


The girls came out of the hot springs at the same time, looking oddly refreshed and gazing at me with gentle expressions.


Uh… what?


During the meal prepared after the bath, Grandma brought up the training camp.


“Oh, right. We decided something in the bath. We were going to just be chaperones, but we’re going to train you all too,” Merida said.


“Huh? Really?” Shin asked.


“Marlin-sama and Merida-sama will teach us?” Mark said, excited.


The girls seemed to already know, remaining calm, but the boys, hearing it for the first time, were buzzing with excitement.


“Is that okay, Grandpa?” Shin asked.


“Hoho… first I’m hearing of it…” Marlin said, clearly out of the loop.


“Well, Shin, you can teach them magic visualization. Grandpa will handle [Mana Control], and I’ll teach [Enchantment Magic],” Merida said.


“Wow! It’s like a dream!” Yuri said, her excitement spiking.


It was rare to see Yuri so hyped. She’s usually so laid-back.


“So that means I’ll have some free time… maybe for new magic experiments,” Shin mused.


At that, everyone froze.


“…Hold on a second, Shin,” Merida said.


“What, Grandma?” Shin asked.


“What!? You just said something I can’t ignore!” Merida snapped.


“New magic…” Aug muttered.


“Experiments…” Maria added.


“Um! Let us know when you do it! We’ll evacuate!” Olivia said, stepping forward, visibly nervous.


“What… what’s with this reaction…?” Shin said, stunned.


“What kind of new magic are you planning, exactly?” Aug pressed.


“Well… I was thinking we might need new magic to take down Schtrom…” Shin explained.


Since I couldn’t finish him off last time, it led to this mess. I want to make sure we can take him down for good next time.


“…Is it just me, or does this sound dangerous just hearing about it?” Aug said.


“No, Your Highness, I feel it too,” Thor said.


“Me too,” Sicily added.


“Me too! It reeks of danger!” Alice exclaimed.


I haven’t even explained it, and just mentioning new magic gets this reaction… Can I cry now?


“Let me ask, is this dangerous?” Merida said.


“Not dangerous… to me…” Shin said hesitantly.


“So… it’s dangerous to those around you?” Merida clarified.


“Well… it’s an attack magic, so to the target…” Shin trailed off.


“…Well, that makes sense. So, how powerful is it?” Merida asked.


“No idea. That’s why I want to experiment…” Shin said, pleading to be allowed to test it.


“Sigh… Fine. When you experiment, do it in the wasteland and warn everyone around you,” Merida said.


“Obviously! So I can do it?” Shin asked eagerly.


“Are you sure it’s safe? Your magic isn’t going to, like, end the world, right?” Merida said skeptically.


“No way… I wouldn’t use a spell like that…” Shin protested.


What does Grandma think I am? A god of destruction!?


With a stern warning from Grandma, Shin finally got permission to experiment with new magic.


While everyone trains under Grandpa and Grandma, I’ll work on my experiments.


Watching everyone and Grandpa’s magic gave me an idea.


If it works as I imagine, it could be pretty interesting. I can’t wait to try it.


“Shin-kun… um, I really think you should hold back a bit…” Sicily said nervously.


“Sicily? What’s wrong?” Shin asked.


“Well… you had this really excited look, like…” Sicily trailed off.


“I’m starting to worry,” Aug said.


“Sigh… Is this really okay…?” Merida muttered.


Huh, was I making a face like that? I guess I’m just thrilled to finally test it…


They finalized the training schedule for the next day.


Mornings would be [Mana Control] practice under Grandpa’s supervision, afternoons would be magic practice with Shin, and evenings until dinner would include [Enchantment Magic] lessons with Grandma or Shin’s magic experiments.


However, Shin was forbidden from experimenting unless Grandpa and Grandma were present to supervise.


The reason? They needed to be there in case something went wrong.


It’s a new spell, so I get the concern, but…


“Isn’t everyone worrying too much?” Shin said.


“Think about your track record,” Merida said pointedly.


…Can’t argue with that…


That night, perhaps due to the relaxing hot spring after the long journey, Shin slept soundly.


The next morning, everyone appeared at breakfast looking refreshed. The hot springs had clearly worked their magic. This was the perfect place for a training camp.


When they told Sicily and the staff, they beamed with pride. It feels good to have your territory praised.


As planned, the morning was dedicated to [Mana Control] practice.


Grandpa’s guidance was, as expected, spot-on.


“Hey, Thor-kun, your control’s slipping a bit,” Marlin said.


“Yes!” Thor replied, adjusting.


“Sicily-san, that’s good control. Try increasing your mana a bit,” Marlin suggested.


“Yes!” Sicily said, focusing.


“Lynn-san! That’s too much! It’ll go out of control!” Marlin warned.


“Huh? Oops,” Lynn said, correcting herself.





Lynn, who often pushed to the brink of losing control, was stopped just in time by Grandpa. She goes overboard so often that if we’re not careful, a late [Barrier] could cause serious damage.


Grandpa’s a pro at spotting the limit.


By the end of the morning, everyone had slightly increased the amount of mana they could control.


After lunch, it was time for practical magic practice under Shin’s supervision.


This was where the inspiration for the magic Shin wanted to test came from.


Everyone said they could use magic by vaguely understanding the process Shin visualized.


Vaguely.


They weren’t precisely imagining, “This substance causes this reaction to produce this result.”


So, Shin thought, if even a vaguer or physically impossible image could work, couldn’t it be realized through visualization alone?


For example, imagining something as vague as “flammable gas”—wouldn’t that still activate a spell?


Shin wasn’t particularly good at science in his past life as a student. Yet, his magic had always worked as visualized.


That meant the things he believed to be true had been manifesting exactly as he imagined.


Watching everyone practice strengthened his conviction.


Maria unleashed a blazing fire spell, but she didn’t fully understand the principles of combustion.


Sicily fired ice blades by freezing water, but she didn’t know the molecular structure of water or how it aligns when frozen.


Lynn produced countless wind blades, but she didn’t have a precise understanding either.


Despite their vague grasp, everyone was using stronger magic than before.


Shin’s hypothesis seemed correct.


Grandma, however, watched with a dumbfounded expression.


“They’re firing off this much magic with [Chantless Magic] like it’s nothing… The magic corps has no place left to stand…” she muttered.


“But even this might not be enough against Demons,” Shin said.


“Honestly… this really is a world crisis,” Merida sighed.


Shin only knew the level of magic users at the academy. If even this wasn’t enough for Demons, it painted a grim picture. It made sense why they could only watch helplessly as Demons rampaged in the former Empire’s territory.


A single Demon might be too much to handle.


In the monster-infested former Empire, issuing evacuation orders to surviving towns and villages was impossible—they couldn’t even reach them.


The more Shin thought about it, the more hopeless it seemed.


For the sake of powering up and, more importantly, for everyone who’d be on the front lines, they had to get stronger during this camp.


After practical training, they took a short break before Shin’s magic experiment.


Everyone looked at him nervously, but it’s just an experiment—I’m not going to fire off a huge spell right away.


First, Shin visualized a highly flammable gas and ignited it with a spark spell.


Like a magician’s trick, it flared up and vanished.


This could work!


“Is that the new magic?” Merida asked.


“Nah, just testing the concept,” Shin replied.


Now for the real thing, but he’d take it step by step.


He was testing an [Explosion] spell.


First, he created a sphere of air, trapping the gas he’d just visualized inside.


An explosion happens when gas fills a confined space, ignites, and expands rapidly. With nowhere to go, the pressure breaks the confinement…


Pop!


Shin had used this principle for [Explosion] spells before. This time, he made a much smaller gas sphere, but the explosion was still stronger than before.


The group looked at him with puzzled expressions. It’s just prep for the experiment.


Next up: manifesting magic by ignoring physical laws through visualization.


The image? Directionality.


Instead of the explosion’s shockwave spreading in a concentric circle, Shin visualized it directed only forward.


He created the same gas sphere, imagining a directional shockwave.


And…


Pop!


Yes! Success!


The shockwave didn’t come toward Shin, releasing all its energy forward.


Alright! Prep’s done.


“Everyone, I think it’s probably fine, but just in case, put up [Mana Barrier]. You know, for safety,” Shin said.


At his words, the group frantically deployed [Mana Barrier] with full force.


I said it’s probably fine…


Feeling a pang of loneliness at their lack of trust, Shin prepared the spell.


First, he gathered and compressed the gas—more, more, more, more.


He thickened the air wall around it, setting the stage for a larger explosion.


Finally, he visualized the directional shockwave and activated the spell, with a spark igniting the gas upon impact.


And…


BOOOOOOOM!!!!


An enormous explosion erupted as the spell activated.


Thanks to the directional focus, no shockwave reached Shin from the epicenter.


Beyond the epicenter, though…


“Shin… what kind of magic did you just create…?” Merida asked, stunned.


“The terrain…” Aug muttered.


“Haha… am I dreaming?” Maria said nervously.


“Not a dream. Reality,” Lynn said flatly.


“No way! The landscape’s completely different now!” Sicily exclaimed.


“Unbelievable…” Mark said, awestruck.


The wasteland’s scenery had transformed, blasted away into a smooth, flattened expanse stretching endlessly.


Yeah.


I overdid it!


The explosion was way bigger than expected.


Good thing I tested it!


“Shin, what was that!?” Merida demanded.


“It was a strange explosion,” Marlin said.


“The area ahead is a mess, but nothing came this way. What’s going on?” Thor asked.


Everyone bombarded Shin with questions about the spell.


“Oh, the idea came from the first day of joint training when I blew away a horde of monsters with an [Explosion] spell,” Shin explained.


“Oh, that…” Maria said.


“That was really worrying. It was such a huge explosion we had to put up [Barrier] ourselves. Though it pales compared to this…” Sicily said.


Yeah, that was a failure.


Not only did I destroy the forest, but I nearly got caught in my own explosion because I didn’t put up a [Mana Barrier].


“Right. I realized that needing a [Mana Barrier] to avoid getting caught in my own [Explosion] spell meant it was incomplete. So I thought about fixing it,” Shin said, explaining the spell’s origin.


“You need a [Mana Barrier] because the shockwave spreads in a circle, right?” Aug said.


“That’s how explosions work,” Marlin agreed.


“So if I directed the shockwave in one direction instead of a circle, the blast wouldn’t hit me, and I wouldn’t need a [Barrier],” Shin said.


“…I never thought of that…” Aug said, impressed.


“That’s the image you used,” Merida said.


“I don’t even get the image…” Sicily admitted.


“Okay, I get the concept, but what’s with this power!?” Merida demanded.


“Well… I didn’t expect it to be this strong, honestly…” Shin said sheepishly.


“You idiot!! Listen, from now on, don’t use a new spell the moment you think of it! Test it here first!!” Merida scolded.


“I-I get it…” Shin said, chastened.


Grandma was really mad.


“Still… if the power was higher than expected, does that have to do with directing the blast?” Thor asked.


“Yeah, that’s possible. The shockwave that would’ve come this way had to go somewhere,” Shin said.


I couldn’t help but nod at Thor’s analysis. Yeah, that makes sense.


“Sigh… As usual, watching your magic makes me feel like my lifespan’s shrinking. You never know what you’re gonna pull off,” Merida said.


“Right? I’ve never put up a [Mana Barrier] with that much effort before,” Olivia added.


Come to think of it, when I asked them to put up a [Mana Barrier] just in case, everyone—starting with Olivia, who just spoke—went all out.


“I said it was probably fine! You didn’t have to go that hard with the [Mana Barrier]!” Shin protested.


“You said ‘probably,’ so of course we put up the [Mana Barrier] with everything we had!” Merida shot back.


“Just thinking about that kind of magic coming our way…” Maria trailed off.


“Even that felt worrying!” Alice added.


Oh, right. Since the earlier test succeeded, I probably didn’t need to say “probably.”


“Well, Shin’s magic experiment is done for now. Next up is Merida-dono’s [Enchantment Magic] lecture, but… Shin,” Aug said.


“What?” Shin replied.


“Sorry, but could you take me back to the royal castle?” Aug asked.


“Oh, the regular report, huh,” Shin said.


During the training camp, being away from the capital made it hard to get updates on the Demons’ movements. So, once a day, Aug would return to the castle via [Gate] to check the situation.


“Everyone else, attend Merida-dono’s lecture,” Aug instructed.


“Yes!” the group replied.


“Let’s go, Shin,” Aug said.


With that, they headed out for the day’s regular report.


Shin opened a [Gate] to the guard post at the castle gate.


To avoid startling the guards, he first tossed a bell through the [Gate] as a signal that they were coming.


After throwing the bell, Shin stepped through the [Gate] and found the guards waiting. But unlike yesterday and the day before, when they’d greeted him normally, their attitude seemed off.


There was a nervous, “what do we do?” vibe in the air.


Aug picked up on it too and questioned the guards.


“What’s going on? Did something happen?” Aug asked.


“Uh, well, it’s not exactly something, but…” a guard stammered.


“Spit it out. What’s wrong? Did the Demons make a move?” Aug pressed.


“No! Nothing like that!” the guard replied quickly.


“Then what is it!?” Aug said, his tone tinged with irritation.


That’s when it happened.


“It’s not ‘something’! August-sama!” a woman’s voice called from the back of the guard post.


Who?


“E-Elisabeth…” Aug muttered.


“Elisabeth?” Shin repeated.


“Yeah, I mentioned her before. My fiancรฉe,” Aug explained.


“Oh! That one!” Shin said.


There she was, the fiancรฉe Aug had talked about before, standing right in front of them.


“What are you two whispering about?” Elisabeth asked sharply.


“Nothing, really,” Aug said.


“Really?” she pressed.


Elisabeth’s intense questioning of Aug was a rare sight.


“…What? Why are you grinning?” Aug asked, noticing Shin’s expression.


“Huh? I’m not doing anything,” Shin said innocently.


“You totally are!” Aug insisted.


“Am I?” Shin said, feigning ignorance.


Aug is always teasing me, so a chance like this doesn’t come often. As Shin savored the moment, Elisabeth turned to him with an irritated tone.


“Hey! Stop ignoring me and getting all chummy with each other!” she snapped.


“Oh, sorry, Ellie,” Aug said.


So he calls her Ellie normally, huh.


“Aug, introduce her,” Shin said.


“Right. This is Elisabeth. Elisabeth von Coral, the daughter of the Coral Dukedom,” Aug said.


“Pleased to meet you, Shin Wolford-san, grandson of a hero and a new hero yourself. I am Elisabeth von Coral, the second daughter of the Coral Dukedom and August-dono’s fiancรฉe. I look forward to our acquaintance,” Elisabeth said politely.


Elisabeth, who greeted him gracefully, was a beautiful girl with loosely curled platinum blonde hair reaching her back and striking blue eyes.


I secretly hoped for drill curls since she’s a duke’s daughter named Elisabeth, but I’ll keep that to myself.


“Very polite of you. I’m Shin Wolford. Nice to meet you too,” Shin replied, keeping his greeting safe.


But why was a duke’s daughter here, of all places?


“More importantly, Ellie, why are you here?” Aug asked, clearly sharing Shin’s confusion.


“Why? Because the moment the academy went on break, you left me and May behind to go off to this training camp!” Elisabeth exclaimed.


“May?” Shin asked.


“My little sister,” Aug clarified.


Oh! The sister who wanted to visit my house during the Advanced Magic Academy’s acceptance announcement but got rejected by Aug!


…Now that I think about it, Aug only refused to bring her because he was going to the announcement. Afterward, he came to my house all the time without her, even when there was no reason.


“Hey, Aug,” Shin said.


“What?” Aug replied.


“You didn’t bring your sister because you were going to the announcement, right?” Shin asked.


“Yeah,” Aug confirmed.


“But you came to my place plenty after that, didn’t you?” Shin pointed out.


“True,” Aug said.


“So why didn’t you bring her? She admires Grandma, doesn’t she?” Shin asked.


“Because it’s fun watching May’s disappointed face,” Aug admitted.


“That’s cruel!”


What a cute sister!


“That’s awful, Onii-sama!” a voice cried.


As Shin sympathized with the poor sister, another girl emerged from the back of the guard post.


She looked about ten, with straight, ochre-blonde hair, blue eyes, and translucent white skin—a promising beauty in the making.


She’d just called Aug “Onii-sama,” so maybe…


“What, you’re here too, May?” Aug said.


“‘You’re here too’!? I heard everything! What’s this about ‘important business’!? You were just hanging out!” May fumed.


“Oh, you caught me,” Aug said nonchalantly.


“Grr! That’s mean! Unfair! I want to meet Merida-sama too!” May protested.


After bickering with Aug, May seemed to remember Shin’s presence and hurriedly greeted him.


“Oh no! I’m sorry! I’m May von Earlshide, August-nii-sama’s little sister, and, um, a huge fan of Merida-sama!” she said, flustered.


“Hey, calm down, okay?” Shin said gently.


“Ugh, sorry!” May said.


“I’m Shin, Shin Wolford. Marlin and Merida’s grandson. Nice to meet you, May-chan,” Shin said.


“Y-Yes!” May replied.


“Aug and I are kinda like cousins, so I’d be happy if you treated me that way too, May-chan,” Shin said.


“Tch-then… can I call you Shin-nii-sama?” May asked.


“Shin-nii-chan’s fine. I’m not royalty like Aug,” Shin said.


“…Shin-nii-chan,” May said tentatively.


“Yep,” Shin replied.


“Hehe, I got a nice big brother who’s not mean!” May beamed.


“Yeah… must be tough being Aug’s sister…” Shin said sympathetically.


“Exactly! You get it, Shin-nii-chan!” May said excitedly.


“Yeah, Aug teases me every chance he gets…” Shin said.


“Me too! Onii-sama’s always tricking me…” May said.


The two locked eyes, clasped hands, and commiserated over their shared struggles.


“You two… what are you doing…?” Aug said, his voice laced with irritation.


“Huh? Oh no!” May squeaked.


“What? Just bonding with a comrade who gets teased by you,” Shin said defiantly.


“Oh? You’re suffering, huh?” Aug said, smirking.


“Of course! You find every chance to mess with me! Let me fight back sometimes!” Shin retorted.


“Shin-nii-chan, you’re amazing!” May cheered.


“Really… I’m the one suffering because of you…” Aug said, feigning hurt.


“W-Well, I feel bad about that, but…” Shin stammered.


“And you’re saying this to me?” Aug pressed.


“N-No, I just mean let me counterattack sometimes…” Shin said weakly.


“Even though I’m suffering so much?” Aug continued.


“Ugh…” Shin faltered.


“Go, Shin-nii-chan! You can do it!” May cheered.


Shin glared at Aug, only to see him smirking again.


“Aug! You jerk! You’re teasing me again, aren’t you!?” Shin shouted.


“Pfft, haha! You react exactly as I expect, Shin. It’s great,” Aug laughed.


“You…” Shin growled.


“That’s why I said stop ignoring me and getting all chummy!!” Elisabeth interjected, her voice sharp.


“Ellie-neesama, your tone’s slipping,” May said.


“Hah! How unbecoming of me,” Elisabeth said, composing herself.


“More importantly, Ellie, May, why are you here?” Aug asked again.


“Yes! Like I said, it’s because you’re ignoring us!” Elisabeth said.


“We want to go to the training camp too!” May added.


“The training camp? This is the Advanced Magic Academy’s research society training camp. Why would I bring outsiders like you?” Aug said.


“W-Well…” Elisabeth faltered.


“That’s unfair! Even if it’s a training camp, the Town of Claude is a hot spring town! You can’t practice magic there!” May argued.


“We are practicing,” Aug said.


“Huh? Really?” May asked.


“In a different location,” Aug clarified.


“See! You’re just going to soak in hot springs! I want to go too!” Elisabeth insisted.


“Me too!” May echoed.


Looking closely, they had travel bags ready. They must’ve known Aug would come for his report at this time and planned accordingly.


“Sigh… We’re not just playing around…” Aug said.


“We won’t interfere with your training! I thought I’d finally get to spend time with August-sama during the break, but you’re always with the research society…” Elisabeth said.


Right, Aug’s constantly at my place under the guise of the research society, so they might not have the best impression of it.


“And… I need to make sure no bad influences get to August-sama…” Elisabeth added.


“Aug? Haha! No way,” Shin said, trying to reassure her.


But Elisabeth fixed him with a skeptical stare.


What’s that about?


“Are you sure…?” she said suspiciously.


Uh… why am I being doubted so much?


“Hey, Aug,” Shin said.


“What?” Aug replied.


“Your fiancรฉe’s got some suspicions,” Shin said.


“Sigh… What kind of misunderstanding is this…?” Aug muttered.


“There’s a reason I’m coming along to the training camp—to keep an eye on things,” Elisabeth declared.


“It’s grown-up stuff!” May said, her excitement spiking for some reason.


Aug thought for a moment before speaking.


“You’ve got travel bags ready, so you’ve already got Father and the duke’s permission, right?” he asked.


“Yes. I told Father that Sage-sama and Guru-sama would be at the camp. He gladly approved, saying there’d be no issue with them there,” Elisabeth said.


“I got Father’s permission too!” May added.


“Sigh… You’ve got everything prepared,” Aug said.


The groundwork’s already laid, huh.


As they talked, another person entered the guard post.


“Just take them along,” he said.


“Father!” Aug exclaimed.


The king himself appeared.


Why’s he here without guards!? Too carefree!


“It’s a training camp, but you’re doing practical magic training in that place, right?” the king asked.


“You knew, Father?” Aug said.


“Of course. Seeing Shin-kun’s magic there is what convinced me to enroll him in the Magic Academy. Just don’t take them to the wasteland. Let them stay in the Town of Claude. It’s a hot spring town, so it’ll be a nice break,” the king said.


“Sigh… If Father says so,” Aug relented.


“Yes! May!” Elisabeth cheered.


“Yay, Ellie-neesama!” May exclaimed.


Aug got their approval but laid down a condition.


“Let me be clear: we’re seriously training. Don’t interfere,” he warned.


“Okay!” May said.


“Understood,” Elisabeth replied.


With the matter settled and no new Demon movements reported, it was time to head back.


Then, Shin had an idea about their destination.


“Oh, right,” Shin said.


“What’s up, Shin?” Aug asked.


“The training camp’s at Sicily’s family territory, right? Maybe she’s suspicious because you’re going to a female student’s house,” Shin suggested.


“Yeah, that could be it,” Aug said.


“That’s not it,” Elisabeth said, instantly shutting down Shin’s brilliant deduction.


“The one I’m most suspicious of…” she began.


“Who?” Shin asked.


“…is you, Shin-san!” Elisabeth declared.


…


““Whaaat!?”” Shin and Aug exclaimed.


“Grown-up stuff!” May chirped.


Why me!?


Elisabeth had a wild misunderstanding about Shin.


“Um… why would you think that?” Shin asked.


“Why? All he talks about is Shin this, Shin that, Shin did this, Shin has that… Shin, Shin, Shin! Whenever he has a moment, he’s off to your house. It’s only natural to suspect!” Elisabeth said.


“No! That’s ridiculous!” Shin protested.


“Is it?” Elisabeth said skeptically.


“It is!” Shin insisted.


Why am I being misunderstood as having that kind of relationship with Aug? It’s creepy!


Wait—does she have a rotten imagination or something!?


As Shin grappled with the thought, Aug spoke up with a sigh.


“Sigh… Of all people, Shin… Half the research society is female, you know. But yeah, I got a bit carried away since Shin’s the first friend I can be completely at ease with,” Aug admitted.


“Too carried away! Ever since you met Shin-san, you barely come to see me…” Elisabeth said.


“Yeah, hanging out with guy friends is just easier—no need to be so careful,” Shin said.


“…So, August-sama, you have to be careful with me?” Elisabeth asked.


“Well, that’s—Mmph!” Shin started, only to be cut off.


“No! That’s not it, Ellie! Being with you is calming,” Aug said quickly.


“But…” Elisabeth said, unconvinced.


“Sure, guys and girls are different. With guys, you can act dumb. It was a new experience for me, so I got a bit too excited,” Aug explained.


“I-I see…” Elisabeth said, softening.


Aug, covering Shin’s mouth, rattled off his explanation.


He’s desperate.


Shin’s smirk must’ve been felt through Aug’s hand.


“What’s so funny?” Aug asked, releasing Shin’s mouth.


“Nothing. Just not thinking about how rare it is to see you flustered,” Shin said cheekily.


“Damn it! To think I’d be teased by Shin!” Aug said, looking pained.


How rude!


“…See? Suspicious,” Elisabeth said.


“No, it’s not like that!” Shin protested.


“Right. Shin’s already got a girl, so he doesn’t have time for anyone else,” Aug said.


“Is that so?” Elisabeth asked.


“Aug! What are you saying!?” Shin shouted.


“Shin, it’s about time you made things clear,” Aug said, suddenly serious.


“Clear…?” Shin asked.


“That attitude. You both obviously like each other, but you’re dragging it out. It’s getting frustrating to watch,” Aug said.


Both? Sure, Sicily’s kind to me, but that’s just because she’s nice…


“How do you know Sicily likes me?” Shin asked.


“You can tell just by looking,” Aug said.


“Have you actually heard her say it?” Shin pressed.


“No, I haven’t,” Aug admitted.


“Then how can you be so sure? What if it’s a misunderstanding? How am I supposed to face her after that?” Shin said.


“So you’re fine staying like this forever?” Aug countered.


“W-Well…” Shin faltered.


“Not knowing how someone feels is normal. Look at me—engaged to Ellie since childhood, and I still get misunderstood like this,” Aug said.


“Fair point,” Shin conceded.


“Hey! Don’t drag me into this!” Elisabeth protested.


“Or are you waiting for her to say it? For the girl to confess because you don’t have the guts?” Aug said.


“That’s not—!” Shin started.


“Then make it clear already. She’s probably waiting,” Aug said.


“…” Shin fell silent.


“It’s your call, but I’d like you to be clear. Otherwise…” Aug trailed off.


“Otherwise?” Shin asked.


“…you’ll keep getting misunderstood like this,” Aug said.


“That’d be a problem,” Shin admitted.


“So stop using me as an example!!” Elisabeth shouted.


“Ellie-neesama, your tone’s slipping again,” May said.


“Hah! How unbecoming,” Elisabeth said, recomposing herself.


Aug’s words made Shin realize he’d been running away.


What if she rejects me? What if it’s a misunderstanding? That’s all he’d been thinking.


Do I need to know her feelings to act?


That’s pathetic.


I don’t know if she’ll accept me, but right now, I’m overwhelmed with the urge to tell Sicily how I feel.


It’s a bit annoying that Aug, the guy with a fiancรฉe, had to point it out, but he’s got experience in love. I’ll take his advice.


“By the way, shouldn’t we head back soon? We need to let them know to prepare dinner for two more,” Aug said.


“Oh, right,” Shin said.


Forgot about that.


“Let’s go,” Shin said, storing the girls’ luggage in [Alternative Dimension Storage] and opening a [Gate].


The guards and Uncle Dis, who’d seen it before, weren’t fazed, but Elisabeth and May, seeing the [Gate] for the first time, stared in awe.


“Alright, Uncle Dis, I’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll take responsibility for May-chan,” Shin said.


“Very well, Father. We’re heading back to the camp,” Aug said.


“Take care. And Shin-kun,” Dis said.


“What?” Shin asked.


“…Please, please restrain yourself,” Dis said.


“…” Shin didn’t know how to respond.


“Father, sadly… it’s too late,” Aug said.


“I figured. I warned him too late,” Dis said.


“O-Okay, we’re heading back! You two, through the [Gate]!” Shin said, urging them along as the conversation veered strangely.


They stepped through the [Gate] and arrived in the steam-filled Town of Claude.


Shin could’ve opened the [Gate] directly to the Claude mansion, but since they were in a hot spring town, he chose a spot near the town gate.


“Tch-Truly, the Town of Claude…” Elisabeth said, stunned.


“Amazing! We were at the castle just a second ago, and now we’re in Claude!” May said, bouncing with excitement.


Shin felt warmed by May-chan’s genuine joy at his magic.


“May, don’t wander off or you’ll get lost,” Aug warned.


“Eek! Wait for me!” May said, hurrying after Aug, afraid of getting lost in an unfamiliar town.


“May-chan,” Shin called.


“What, Shin-nii-chan?” May asked.


“Don’t want you getting lost, so here,” Shin said, offering his hand.


“Huh? Okay!” May said, happily taking his hand.


Shin felt another wave of warmth at May-chan’s delighted expression.


“…He can do stuff like that so naturally, but chokes when it matters…” Aug muttered.


“You weren’t exactly quick to make me your fiancรฉe either, August-sama,” Elisabeth said.


“Gah! Don’t bring that up!” Aug said, flustered.


Up ahead, Aug and Elisabeth seemed to be having a fun conversation.


Shin wanted to eavesdrop, but he couldn’t leave the beaming, hand-holding May-chan, so he held off.


I’ll tease him later.


“Shin… pretend you didn’t hear that,” Aug said.


“Huh? Hear what?” Shin said innocently.


“Ugh! Don’t get cocky…” Aug grumbled.


“That’s a villain’s line!” Shin shot back.


“Shin-nii-chan, you’re awesome!” May said, her eyes sparkling with admiration.


Up ahead, Aug and Elisabeth walked arm in arm, looking close.


It seemed the earlier misunderstanding from their exchange had been cleared up.


It’s great to be free of that creepy misunderstanding, but as they neared the Claude mansion, where Sicily was, Shin started feeling nervous.


“Shin-nii-chan, what’s wrong?” May asked, noticing his silence with a worried look.


“Oh, nothing,” Shin said.


Can’t let a kid like her worry. Gotta act normal.


By the time Shin calmed himself, they reached the Claude mansion.


“This is the Claude family mansion,” Shin said.


“Welcome back, Shin-sama, August-dono. You’re returning from here today?” a gatekeeper greeted.


“Hey, I’m back. Yeah, I wanted to show these two the Town of Claude,” Shin said.


“You like our town that much? I’m honored!” the gatekeeper said.


“Well… yeah…” Shin said, trailing off.


The gatekeeper was deeply moved. He must really love this town.


“By the way, who are these two?” the gatekeeper asked.


“My apologies for the delay. I am Elisabeth von Coral, August-sama’s fiancรฉe,” Elisabeth introduced.


“I’m May von Earlshide, August-nii-sama’s little sister!” May added.


The gatekeeper froze, then dropped to his knees.


“M-M-My deepest apologies! I didn’t know you were His Highness’s fiancรฉe and a princess! Please forgive my rudeness!” he said, bowing so low his head nearly touched the ground.


So this is the normal reaction, huh.


“We’re at fault for arriving unannounced. Please, raise your head,” Elisabeth said.


“Y-Yes! Thank you!” the gatekeeper said, standing.


“Hey, Elisabeth-san, should I act like that too?” Shin asked.


“Ellie’s fine, Shin-san. If someone who banters with August-sama like that acted so formal, I wouldn’t know how to handle it. Please don’t,” Elisabeth said.


“Yeah! Shin-nii-chan’s perfect as is!” May said.


“If Shin started acting like that now, I’d think he was plotting something,” Aug added.


Aug’s comment aside, I’ve got permission to stay casual.


“These two will be staying here too. Can you pass that along?” Shin asked.


“Yes! Understood!” the gatekeeper said, sending someone to the mansion.


“Let’s head in,” Shin said.


“Okay!” May said.


“Very well,” Elisabeth replied.


“Heh, you’re practically a resident here,” Aug teased.


“Stop saying stuff like that!” Shin snapped.


Now I’m nervous again!


“Pfft,” Aug snickered.


“August-sama…” Elisabeth said, exasperated.


“Nii-sama, you’re so mean!” May said.


I was finally acting normal, and now I’m back to square one. Meeting Sicily like this…


“Oh? Shin-kun, you came back from the front?” Sicily said, spotting him as soon as they entered the mansion.


Of course it’s now!


“Y-Yeah, uh… right! I wanted to show these two the Town of Claude…” Shin said, introducing Elisabeth and May.


“It’s been a while, May-hime-sama, Elisabeth-sama,” Sicily said.


So Sicily already knew them.


“It’s been a while, Sicily-san. We’ll be in your care for a bit,” Elisabeth said.


“Hi, Sicily-san! Please take care of me too!” May said.


“Huh? You two are joining the training camp?” Sicily asked.


“No, we just came to see August-sama,” Elisabeth clarified.


“He doesn’t play with us even though it’s a break,” May added.


“We won’t interfere with your training, so please allow us to stay,” Elisabeth said.


“I’m asking too, Claude. Can you look after them?” Aug added.


Sicily glanced at Shin.


“Uh, well… s-see, we’ve been dragging Aug around with the research society, so they haven’t had much time together… so, um… is it okay?” Shin stammered.


“If Shin-kun and His Highness are fine with it, I don’t mind…” Sicily said.


“W-What?” Shin asked.


“Shin-kun, what’s wrong? You’re acting… strange,” Sicily said.


“N-Nothing! I’m totally normal!” Shin insisted.


“Really?” Sicily said, tilting her head.


Behind her, Shin could tell Aug was stifling laughter.


Damn it! You’re gonna pay later!


“Oh, so you were talking about Sicily-san,” Elisabeth said.


“Shin-nii-chan and Sicily-san make a great couple!” May added.


“Huh?” Sicily said, confused.


“Hey, you two! What are you saying!?” Shin shouted.


What are they blurting out!?


“Shin-kun… you’re definitely acting weird,” Sicily said.


“N-No, I’m not! Anyway, is Grandma’s lecture over?” Shin asked, desperate to change the subject.


“Oh, yes. It just finished, and we were about to take a bath before dinner…” Sicily said.


Just then, the rest of the group emerged from a room deeper in the mansion.


“Merida-sama, your lecture was absolutely wonderful!” Yuri said.


“Really? Compared to Shin’s [Enchantment], it’s not much, is it?” Merida replied.


“Wolford-kun’s [Enchantment] is, well, a bit hard to comprehend…” Yuri said hesitantly.


“Yeah, that’s true. For normal people, my lecture’s probably just right,” Merida said.


“It’s not that Merida-sama’s lacking or anything like that!” Yuri clarified.


“No need to be polite. That kid’s just abnormal,” Merida said.


“True,” Yuri agreed.


“Hey! Don’t go calling me abnormal behind my back!” Shin shouted.


They’re saying whatever they want like I’m not even here!


“Oh, welcome back. You’re late,” Merida said casually.


“You’re just gonna act normal!?” Shin exclaimed.


“Shin, what’s with the fuss?” Aug asked.


“That conversation just now—it was weird, right?” Shin said.


“What was?” Aug asked.


“So… I am being treated like a freak?” Shin said, deflated.


“What’re you talking about now? Everyone knows your magic’s abnormal,” Merida said matter-of-factly.


“Yeah, really, what’s new?” Aug added.


I knew it, but I couldn’t help but call it out.


“Pfft… hehe… hahaha!” Ellie burst out laughing, watching the exchange.


“Oh, that’s hilarious. August-sama, this is the kind of banter you’re always caught up in, isn’t it?” Ellie said, looking at Aug.


It seemed she finally understood why Aug was so immersed in the research society.


“Um… Shin-nii-chan…” May-chan said, tugging at Shin’s sleeve.


Oh, right. She’s a huge fan of Grandma.


“Grandma,” Shin said.


“Hm? What is it?” Merida asked.


“This is Aug’s little sister, May-chan,” Shin introduced.


“Eek! Um, um, I’m August-nii-sama’s sister, May! Um… uh…” May stammered.


“She’s a big fan of yours,” Shin added.


“Oh, is that so? Bet you’re disappointed, seeing I’m just an old lady, not like in books or plays,” Merida said.


“No! Not at all! You’re way younger and prettier than my grandma, and…” May trailed off, staring at Merida’s physique.


“My apologies for the late introduction. I am Elisabeth von Coral, August-sama’s fiancรฉe. I understand what May means. To have such a figure at your age… I’d love to learn your secrets,” Ellie said, nodding in agreement.


Ellie’s eyes gleamed with admiration as she looked at Merida.


Grandma really is the idol of girls across the kingdom.


“Hehe, thanks. Now, we were about to head to the hot springs before dinner. Wanna come?” Merida asked.


“Yes! I want to go!” May said eagerly.


“I’ll join as well,” Ellie said.


“Alright, May-chan, was it?” Merida said.


“Y-Yes!” May replied.


“C’mon, let’s go,” Merida said, offering her hand.


“Uh, um, um!” May said, looking to Shin for help, overwhelmed by the gesture.


“Grandma, take good care of May-chan,” Shin said.


“Leave it to me,” Merida said.


“Go on, May-chan,” Shin encouraged.


“E-Excuse me…” May said, timidly taking Merida’s hand.


Merida beamed and gripped May’s hand warmly.


“Girls are just so adorable,” Merida said.


“Sorry for being an uncute guy,” Shin quipped.


“Too bad. When you were little, I had to keep an eye on you or who knows what you’d get up to. Holding your hand back then was more like restraining you,” Merida said.


“What!? Seriously!?” Shin exclaimed.


“C’mon, May-chan, let’s hit the hot springs,” Merida said.


“Yes!” May replied.


With that, the two headed off to the hot springs.


Shin stood there, stunned by the shocking revelation about his childhood, while the others gave him sympathetic looks.


“I totally get Merida-sama’s feelings,” Maria said.


“With a kid like Shin-kun, you’d have to restrain him or you’d be worried sick!” Alice added.


“Very efficient. Makes sense,” Lynn said.


“Sorry, Wolford-kun, but I get it too,” Olivia said.


“I pray my kids don’t turn out like that,” Yuri added.


Their sympathetic looks were for Grandma!?


The unfairness brought Shin to his knees.


“U-Um… I…” Sicily stammered.


She hesitated. That means she thinks the same, doesn’t it…?


“It’s fine… You think so too, don’t you, Sicily?” Shin said dejectedly.


“N-No way! If it’s Shin-kun’s kids, they’d be adorable, and I’d happily hold their hands!” Sicily blurted out.


Huh? That’s not quite what we were talking about…


The others noticed too, and a brief silence fell.


“Sicily… you…” Merida started.


“Huh? What did I just say?” Sicily asked, confused.


“That was a spectacular self-destruct. I’m shocked,” Lynn said.


“Wha—? Oh, oh no!” Sicily realized.


Realizing what she’d said, Sicily’s face—and entire head—turned bright red.


“N-Nooo!” she cried, fleeing toward the hot springs.


Everyone watched her go with warm amusement, but Shin and Aug couldn’t join in.


“Shin, you get it, right?” Aug said.


“Yeah, I’m not that dense to miss it after she said all that,” Shin replied.


“You were dense enough to need her to say that much,” Aug pointed out.


“Ugh…” Shin winced.


“Well… good luck,” Aug said.


“Yeah,” Shin replied.


They started heading to the hot springs, then…


“Huh? Grandpa, you were here?” Shin asked.


“Hoho… I’ve been here the whole time…” Marlin said.


Grandpa’s ability to blend into the background was getting worse…


They comforted the slightly dejected Marlin as they headed to the hot springs.


At dinner, Sicily’s face remained bright red, and she avoided looking at Shin, making the atmosphere awkward.


The servants were smirking the whole time too.


After dinner, it was free time.


The two newcomers were talking with Grandma, while Lynn, Thor, and others eager to improve their magic gathered around Grandpa.


Good for you, Grandpa… you’re not forgotten…


As for me, with nothing specific to do, I went outside to cool off from the hot springs and meal.


The mansion’s garden had a pond with a gazebo nearby. I figured I’d relax there.


The night sky, now fully dark, was filled with countless stars.


Looking at it, I really felt this wasn’t Earth. Not a single familiar constellation in sight.


“Really… this isn’t Earth…” Shin muttered.


“Huh? Shin-kun!?” a voice exclaimed.


“Hm? Oh, Sicily?” Shin said.


There was already someone in the gazebo.


“W-W-W-What are you doing here!?” Sicily asked, flustered.


“Oh, I got a bit overheated from the hot springs and food, so I came to cool off. You?” Shin asked.


“M-Me too… yeah! The hot springs made me all warm!” Sicily said.


“Got it. Hey, Sicily,” Shin said.


“Y-Yes!” Sicily replied.


“Mind if I sit next to you?” Shin asked.


“Y-Y-Yes!” Sicily stammered.


Her response was a bit odd, but Shin didn’t dwell on it and sat beside her.


Sicily, still embarrassed about her earlier outburst, stayed silent with a red face. Shin, unsure how to start, also stayed quiet, and an awkward silence stretched between them.


Finally, unable to bear it, Sicily spoke.


“U-Um, Shin-kun… I’m sorry about earlier,” she said.


“Huh? Oh, I’m not bothered… I mean, I was happy,” Shin said.


“Huh!?” Sicily exclaimed.


“Hey, Sicily… do you remember when we first met?” Shin asked.


“Yes, I remember. Maria and I were being harassed by those guys, and I was really in trouble,” Sicily said.


“Right, right. I asked, ‘Are you in trouble?’ and…” Shin prompted.


“I said, ‘Yes! Super in trouble!’… I thought, who replies like that?” Sicily said, laughing.


“Haha! Yeah, I thought the same,” Shin said.


“Then… in no time, you took care of those guys… and you were so gentlemanly afterward…” Sicily said.


“When I saw you back then, it was like lightning struck,” Shin said.


“Huh…?” Sicily said, surprised.


“I thought, what an adorable girl,” Shin said.





“W-Wha… ah, uh… I-I thought the same! What a cool guy…” Sicily admitted.


“Really…?” Shin said.


“Yes…” Sicily replied softly.


“Sicily,” Shin said.


“Y-Yes!” Sicily responded.


Shin looked into her face.


Seeing her flushed and earnest expression, Shin…


“I love you, Sicily,” he said, confessing his feelings.


Sicily froze at his words, then tears began to stream down her face.


“I-I’m so happy… You’re so kind, I thought maybe you didn’t feel anything for me…” she said.


“I made you feel that way…?” Shin said, guilty.


“But! But… you just said… you just said it’s not like that…” Sicily said through tears.


“…” Shin listened quietly.


“I… I love you too… I love you so much, Shin-kun,” Sicily said.


“Sicily…” Shin said softly.


“Shin-kun…” Sicily replied.


“Sicily… will you… be my girlfriend?” Shin asked.


“Yes. Please, make me your girlfriend,” Sicily said.


Yes! Suppressing the urge to shout, Shin gazed into Sicily’s eyes.


Then, Sicily gently closed her eyes.


Is this okay? It’s okay, right? She’s my girlfriend now!


Shin slowly leaned closer to her face.


“Hey! Don’t push!” a voice hissed.


“C’mon! That’s the spot! Go for it!” another whispered.


“Eek!” a third squeaked.


A commotion erupted as people tumbled out from behind a tree by the pond.


The entire research society, Grandpa, Grandma, Ellie, May-chan, even the servants.


How clichรฉ! More importantly, how did they all hide behind that skinny tree!?


“W-W-W-What!?” Sicily cried, panicking at being watched.


Shin patted her head to calm her and turned to the group.


“So… what’s with the spying?” he asked.


“No way we’d miss a huge event like this!” Maria snapped back.


Why’s she mad at me?


“I’m the one who pushed Shin to do this, so I had to see it through,” Aug said.


“As August-sama’s fiancรฉe, I had a responsibility too,” Ellie added.


“Grown-up stuff!” May chirped.


I get Aug, but what’s Ellie’s deal? And May-chan! A ten-year-old shouldn’t be saying “grown-up stuff”!


“Shin! Well done! You did great!” Merida said, beaming.


“Sigh… I wanted some privacy, but… well, Sicily and I are officially a couple now,” Shin announced.


“Woo!” the group cheered, breaking into applause.


“We need to celebrate! Dinner’s over for today, so tomorrow it is!” the head maid proposed.


A celebration…?


“That’s right, Shin. Why not invite Sicily-san’s parents too?” Marlin suggested.


“Huh… I have to go get them?” Shin asked.


“You and Sicily-san can go tell them you’re dating and bring them back,” Marlin said.


This is getting bigger and bigger.


Shin glanced at Sicily to see if she was okay with it.


“Shin-kun…” she said, her eyes misty.


Oh, I’ve been patting her head this whole time.


“Sicily, they’re saying we should go tell Cecil-san and Irene-san we’re dating tomorrow and bring them here. What do you think?” Shin asked.


“Dating…” Sicily mumbled, blushing and burying her face in Shin’s chest.


Whoa, what’s this? She’s adorable.


“Wow… they just started dating, and they’re already super lovey-dovey,” Maria said.


“They were already pretty intense before. I wondered what’d happen once they were a couple…” Aug said.


“This calls for a mosaic!” Alice declared.


Who needs a mosaic!?


“Well, congrats for now. But we’re in a crisis, so don’t let dating distract you from training,” Aug said.


“Y-Yes! Understood!” 


“Then why’d you egg me on at a time like this?” Shin asked.


Aug, surprisingly serious, answered, “Because… in stories, the guy who says, ‘I’ll confess after this battle’ usually dies, right? I wanted to avoid that.”


…


Death flag dodged!


◇


While Shin and the Ultimate Magic Research Society were holding their training camp to counter the Demons, what were the Demons up to?


“Miria-san, how’s the current progress?” Schtrom asked.


“Yes. The target town is showing significant exhaustion. The residents’ discontent is growing day by day,” Miria reported.


“Hehe. Is that so? Excellent,” Schtrom said.


Schtrom was up to something in one of the remaining towns within the former Empire. He was so focused on it that he hadn’t yet reached out to neighboring countries.


But what would Schtrom do once this was complete?


“Everyone in the Empire—nobles and commoners alike—must suffer equally. Heh heh heh, hahaha!” Schtrom laughed, reveling in the misery of the Empire’s people.


Miria watched Schtrom’s cackling in silence.


——.



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