Anticipation welling up in my chest, I focused on my sword practice. I worked at improving my swordplay and magecraft skills, putting everything I had into training until the sun had reached its midday height. Then, I started on my godcraft practice, which I worked on until the evening. When the dark of night began to creep in, I headed back to civilization. Going straight through town, I returned to the Lycoris manor.
Almost as soon as I’d gotten back inside the manor, Armeria’s sharp tone rang throughout the dining room. “Absolutely not!”
It was now night. Having heard that dinner was ready, I immediately headed to the dining room, where I found Armeria, Cosmos, Rose, and Claus all seated together. Thinking this the perfect opportunity, I figured I would get the discussion out of the way at once. I told them about my plans to move out of town, but the words were scarcely out of my mouth when Armeria flatly vetoed my plans.
“It doesn’t matter how strong you are. You’re still eight years old! This is the first time you’ve even breathed a word of adventuring to me—and on top of that, you’re planning on living outside town...”
“I’m surprised as well, Hisui. I admit I don’t have the right to comment on where you plan to make your home after you receive your papers...but I do think this decision is a bit hasty.” Evidently, Claus also disliked the idea of me moving outside the town walls. Rose and Cosmos had yet to give their opinions, but their doubts were plain on their faces.
Hmm. Looked like there wasn’t anyone in my corner but me. I hadn’t thought it would go entirely smoothly, but I hadn’t expected this much opposition. How was I going to convince all four of them to change their minds?
“You’ve got the picture all wrong, Lord Lycoris. I’ve always intended to live a nice, peaceful, slow life. I’d like to develop farmland, actually,” I explained.
“Well, if that’s why you wish to live outside the walls, then... I suppose I have no objections. I’ll have fields prepared for you—and, of course, a house to go with them.”
“Sounds perfect! I have no complaints about that. You see, there’s another reason I want to live outside of town: I need to keep my powers concealed.”
“Ah, your powers... That is quite the delicate topic, now that you mention it. It’s true—talent as rare as yours would draw the wrong sort of attention should people discover it. Letting anyone see it would be most unwise.”
“Right? The best place around here to support my training without people noticing would be outside of town entirely. I hope you understand, Armeria, Cosmos. I’m capable of handling myself. I’ve defeated a green dragon, after all.” The odds of monsters stronger than a green dragon roaming around near town was incredibly minuscule. If weak monsters tried to gang up on me in a pack, I’d just wipe the floor with all of them. It was a waste of energy to worry about me.
“But you’d be defenseless during the night, while you’re asleep. What would you do if you got attacked after wearing yourself out with training?”
“I’ll make magic artifacts to handle that. To tell the truth, I can also use spellcraft.”
Now that the conversation had come to this, I’d decided I wouldn’t hide anything more from them. My original reason for keeping my secrets from Armeria and Cosmos was because I didn’t think it was necessary to tell them any more than they needed to know. But now, I figured it was better that I tell them about my spellcraft than to keep hiding it.
“Y-You can use spellcraft as well, Hisui?! So, you’re versed in all three powers?” The most surprised among the four of them was Claus. Rose, on the other hand, was smiling sweetly, as if to say she’d expected this all along.
Armeria had apparently already had an inkling that this might be the case, as she didn’t seem particularly shocked. But Cosmos reacted nearly identically to Claus—she voiced her surprise with a loud “No way!”
The dining room grew abuzz with noise. Then, after a moment of digesting this new, astonishing news, Claus spoke. “This just makes me less inclined to leave you on your own.”
Huh? This situation hadn’t gone at all how I’d expected. I’d honestly thought Claus would’ve been like, “Well, in that case, you’re clearly superstrong, so there’s nothing to worry about! Ha ha ha!” Instead, he started acting all concerned... I couldn’t believe it.
“Aside from you, Hisui, not a single person is known to have had all three powers awaken in them. If the king is apprised of the situation, you will almost certainly be recognized as an apostle of the goddesses.”
“An apostle?!”
“Yes, and the one most beloved by the goddesses across all of history. That would most certainly be you.”
Yeah, he was right.
“He’s right.”
“He got it!”
“My, he knows quite a lot.”
After I’d mentally agreed, Aruna, Fouré, and Cult all reacted the same way in turn.
Even though Claus had no way of knowing the goddesses on a personal level, he’d seen right through them with impressive clarity. I was indeed beloved by the goddesses.
“The wrong sort of attention I’d mentioned earlier will come flocking to you without a doubt. You’re someone to be revered, and you ought to be protected by bodyguards. If you asked for it, I’m sure the king would even grant you the title of count.”
“Does that mean...I could earn a court rank?”
“Indeed. The nation would be loath to let go of someone with your extraordinary abilities. Giving you a court rank would be an easy way to keep you bound to the country. Even the rank of duke wouldn’t be out of your reach, I’d expect.”
“Whoa...” Our conversation was moving at a breakneck speed, but Claus had looked dead serious as he explained. Judging from his tone, I couldn’t imagine he was lying or pulling my leg. It finally hit me exactly how incredible my powers really were. All of this was well beyond what I had imagined.