A month had passed since I told
Today, a letter finally arrived at Paul's place.
I'd been mentally preparing myself for this, expecting a reply to come any day now.
It would probably come after sword practice, or maybe during lunch — no, dinner time, most likely.
Thinking that, I attended sword practice as seriously as usual.
--- The conversation came during sword practice.
"Hey,
"Yes, what is it, Father?"
I tried to look as composed as possible, listening to Paul's words.
After all, this would be my first job.
My first job, counting my previous life too.
I'm going to give it my all.
"You, uh... How would you feel if I told you to break up with Sylph?"
Paul asked me something weird out of the blue.
"Huh? Of course I wouldn't want to, obviously."
"Right, right."
"What's this about?"
"Nothing, really. Even if I tried to talk to you about it, you'd just talk your way out of it anyway."
The instant those words left his mouth, Paul's demeanor changed completely.
Even I — a total amateur — could tell he was radiating killing intent.
"What!?"
"......!"
With silent pressure, Paul lunged at me.
Death.
That single word flashed through my mind.
I reflexively unleashed all my magic power and met Paul head-on.
I used wind and fire magic simultaneously, creating a blast of explosive air between us.
I launched myself backward, riding the force of the heat to put more distance between us.
I'd simulated this dozens of times.
Against Paul, the only chance of winning was to create distance first.
The explosion would cause me some damage too, but if it phased him even briefly, I could buy some room.
Paul charged through the blast as if it weren't even there, leaning forward, still coming at me.
(So it really doesn't work!)
I'd expected as much, but it still threw me off.
Next evasion move!
Going straight back won't work.
His lunge is faster than that.
Reflexively, I thought of this and generated a shockwave to my side — like slamming it down.
Along with a blow that felt like being punched, my body was hurled sideways.
A chilling whistle of air grazed my ears.
I saw Paul's sword sweep through the exact spot where my neck had been moments ago.
Good.
Dodged the first strike. That was huge.
Still too close, but I'd managed to create some distance.
I could see a path to winning.
I collapsed the ground beneath the feet of the guy who was just about to lunge at me again.
Paul stepped right into a small pitfall.
But the instant it happened, he shifted his weight to his other foot in a split second and lunged forward with virtually no lag.
(I have to immobilize both feet to stop him...!?)
I created a mud pit at my feet.
Before sinking in, I shot a stream of water from my soles and slid backward.
(No, too slow...!)
By the time I realized it, it was already too late.
Paul planted one firm step at the edge of the pool.
That lunge cracked the ground.
In a single step, he closed the distance and was right on top of me.
"Gyaaaah!"
I desperately swung my sword to meet him.
It was a sloppy, formless strike.
A slimy, unpleasant sensation traveled up from my hands.
(Deflected with a Water God Style technique...)
That much I understood.
If I was deflected by a Water God Style technique, a counter was coming.
I knew it, but I couldn't do a thing about it.
Like slow motion, Paul's sword was drawn toward my neck.
(Oh well, at least it's a wooden sword...)
I felt the impact on my neck, and my consciousness sank into darkness.
--- When I came to, I was inside a small box.
The violent shaking told me I was in some kind of vehicle.
I tried to sit up, but not a single finger would move.
Looking down, I saw that I was bound with rope, wound tight all over.
A human cocoon.
(What the hell is going on...?)
I turned my head and saw a woman sitting alone.
Chocolate-colored skin, revealing leather clothing, bulging muscles, scars all over her body, an eye patch, and a stern, sharp face that just screamed "tough older sister."
A fantasy warrior woman through and through.
On top of that, she had beast-like ears and a tiger-ish tail, and was a little furry.
A beast-race, probably.
She must have noticed me looking, because our eyes met.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Rudeus Greyrat.
Forgive me for looking like this."
I introduced myself first.
The basics of conversation: speak first.
Take the initiative, and you hold the reins.
"You're well-mannered for Paul's son."
"I'm
"Ah, right. Zenith's boy."
She apparently knew my parents.
I felt a small wave of relief.
"I'm Ghislaine. Starting tomorrow, we'll be working together."
Starting tomorrow?
What was she talking about?
"Well then, nice to meet you."
"Mm."
I used fire magic to burn through the ropes.
My body hurt. Must've been sleeping in a weird position.
I stretched hard.
Freedom.
I was used to barely moving my fingers in a tiny room, but being tied up in front of a muscular older woman in revealing clothes gave me a weird feeling.
Looking around, my current location was literally a tiny box.
There were seats on either end, and I was sitting across from Ghislaine.
There were windows on both sides, and I could see outside.
The scenery beyond was unfamiliar.
Just as I'd suspected — a vehicle.
The swaying was intense; I'd probably get motion sick if I rode in it for long.
A clattering sound came from the direction we were moving. Horses, maybe?
If so, then this was a horse-drawn carriage.
For some reason, I was in a horse-drawn carriage with a muscular older woman.
...Wait!
Could it be... I was kidnapped by this muscle woman!?
Was she going to make me her plaything because I'm just too cute!?
Stop it, I — okay, sure, I don't dislike muscular women or anything, but I already have my heart set on Sylph.
So at least be gentle with me...?
No, no, no!
O-okay, calm down. In times like this, you need to calm down.
Count the prime numbers and calm down... Father told me that prime numbers are lonely numbers that can only be divided by one and themselves... and that they give me courage.
Three, five, um, eleven? And then, thirteen? Um, um...
I don't get it!
Forget prime numbers, just calm down.
Think about this calmly and rationally.
How did I end up in this situation?
Okay, deep breath.
"Haaah...... exhale......"
Good.
Let me sort out what I know.
First, Paul suddenly attacked me and knocked me out.
When I woke up, I was tied up inside a carriage.
He must've knocked me out for some reason and thrown me in here.
Inside the carriage was this muscle woman who said something about starting tomorrow.
Come to think of it, Paul had said some weird things right before he attacked.
Something about breaking up with Sylph, that Sylph was too good for me, that Sylph was his woman.
Ah, that lolicon creep... Was he planning to go after my Sylph too!?
Wait, did he actually say that last part?
Hmm.
Thinking about Sylph had muddled my thoughts.
Damn it, this is all Paul's fault...!
Well, I should just ask.
"Excuse me—"
"Just Ghislaine is fine."
"Oh, then you can call me Rudy."
"Got it. Rudy."
She didn't seem like the type to pick up on jokes.
"Ghislaine. Did Father tell you anything?"
"Just Ghislaine. No 'Ms.' needed."
As she spoke, Ghislaine pulled a folded piece of paper from inside her clothing and handed it to me.
The front of the paper was blank.
"It's a letter from Paul. Read it out loud — I can't read."
"Sure."
I unfolded the crumpled paper and began reading.
*To my beloved son, Rudeus,* *If you're reading this letter, I am probably no longer in this world.* "What!?"
Ghislaine shot up with a cry of shock.
This carriage had a surprisingly high ceiling...
"Please sit down, Ghislaine. There's more."
"Mm, all right."
With that, she obediently sat back down.
I continued reading.
*I'm just kidding — I always wanted to try writing something like that.* *Here's what actually happened: I beat the crap out of you, you crawled on the ground in disgrace, got tied up like a human cocoon, and were stuffed into a carriage looking like a helpless princess.* *You're probably confused about what's going on.* *Everything — just ask that muscle dumpling over there... except her brain is made of muscle too, so she probably can't give you a decent explanation.* "What!?"
Ghislaine roared and stood up again.
"Please sit down, Ghislaine. The next sentence is a compliment."
"Mm, all right."
Once again, she sat down quietly.
I continued reading.
*She's a Sword King. If you want to learn the sword, you won't find anyone more qualified unless you go to the Sword Saint's sanctuary.* *I guarantee her skill. I've never once beaten her.* *Except in bed.* Stop writing unnecessary things, you idiot old man.
But Ghislaine didn't exactly look displeased.
She really is popular, that guy.
Actually, she's strong, isn't she — Ghislaine.
*Now, your job. You'll be the live-in tutor for a young lady in a city called Roa, the largest city in the Fittoa Region.* *Teach her arithmetic, reading and writing, and basic magic.* *She's an incredibly spoiled young lady — so much so that she was asked not to come to the academy anymore. She's violent too, and has driven off multiple tutors before.* *But I believe you can handle it.* Handle it — like you're dumping the whole thing on me...
"G-Ghislaine, is the young lady spoiled?"
"I'm not the young lady."
"Right, right, right."
I continued reading.
*That muscle dumpling sitting next to you is the young lady's bodyguard and sword instructor.* *She asked to learn arithmetic and reading and writing in exchange for teaching you the sword.* *Even though her brain is also made of muscle, try not to laugh at what she's saying.* *I'm sure she's dead serious too (lol).* "What did she just say..."
A vein bulged on Ghislaine's forehead.
This letter, it seemed, was designed not only to explain the situation to me but also to provoke Ghislaine.
What was their relationship like?
*Your memory might not be great, but think of it as saving on tutor fees — not a bad deal.* Tutor fees.
Right, so I'd be learning the sword from this person.
Paul was an instinct-based fighter, so he'd gone out of his way to find a better instructor.
No... was he disappointed in how slowly I was improving?
At least take responsibility until the end...
"Ghislaine, how much does it normally cost to learn swordsmanship from you?"
"Two
Two gold coins!
That was roughly four times as much.
Well, indeed — not a bad deal.
For reference, the monthly living expenses per person were about two Asura silver coins.
*For the next five years, you will live at the young lady's house and teach her.* *Five years.* *During that time, you are forbidden from coming home.* *All correspondence by letter is also forbidden.* *If you stay in the village, Sylph will never become independent.* *And not just Sylph — I've noticed you've started to depend on her too, so I'm forcibly separating you.* "What... did he say...?"
Wait, what?
H-hold on a second.
...Excuse me?
What does that mean?
No meeting Sylph for five years?
No letters either?
"What's wrong, Rudy? Did you break up with a lover?"
Seeing my expression of utter despair, Ghislaine asked with amusement.
"No, my terrible father beat me up."
I hadn't even had time to tell her goodbye.
You really did a number on me, Paul...
"Don't be so down, Rudy."
"Um."
"What?"
"Actually, please just call me Rudeus."
"All right."
But if I thought about it calmly, Paul had a point.
If Sylph kept growing up the way she was now, she might end up like those childhood friend characters in those crappy dating sims.
The ones who are always glued to the protagonist, orbiting around them as their entire world, with no sense of self.
In a real world, she'd probably lose that dependency over time — hanging out with friends at school, picking up hobbies and such. But Sylph couldn't make friends because of her hair.
Even after five years, there was a very real possibility she'd still be glued to me.
I wouldn't have minded, but the adults around us apparently didn't see it that way.
Yeah, I guess that's fair.
It was a good call.
*Regarding your compensation:* *You will receive two Asura silver coins per month.* *It's below the going rate for a tutor, but generous for a child's allowance.* *When you find free time, learn how to spend money around town.* *Money is something you need to practice using regularly, or you won't be able to use it well when it really matters.* *Though knowing my exceptional son, you'd probably figure it out even without practice.* *Oh — and whatever you do, don't buy a woman!* See, I told you to stop adding unnecessary lines.
Or wait — was this one of those reverse-psychology things?
"Don't buy it" meaning "definitely buy it"?
*If, after five years, you successfully teach the young lady reading, writing, arithmetic, and magic without giving up, you will receive a special bonus under contract — an amount equivalent to the tuition for the Magic University for two people.* Hmm.
I see.
So if I spent five years doing my job as a tutor honestly, I'd be free to do as I wished, just as promised.
*Of course, there's no guarantee Sylph will still want to follow you around after five years, and your own feelings may have cooled. I'll take care of things on Sylph's end.* "Take care of things"... that doesn't bode well, Dad.
*I hope that during these five years, in an entirely new place, you will learn all sorts of things and make an even greater leap forward.* *From your father, Paul — a man of supreme intellect.* Supreme intellect...?! You used brute force!
But I had to take my hat off to this decision.
For my sake, and for Sylph's.
Sylph would be left alone, but...
If you can't solve your own problems with your own strength, you'll never grow, no matter how much time passes.
I couldn't keep relying on her.
"Paul loves you, you know."
At Ghislaine's words, I managed a bitter smile.
"He used to be a lot more distant.
Once he realized I had parts that were like him, he really started pushing his way in.
But, Ghislaine, you're also..."
"Hm? What about me?"
I read the last line.
*P.S. You may have your way with the young lady if you have her consent, but the muscle dumpling is my woman, so don't touch her.* "That's what it says."
"Mm. Send that letter to Zenith."
"Understood."
And so, it was decided that I would be heading to Roa, the fortress city — the largest city in the Fittoa Region.
I had many thoughts, but for now, this was fine.
I felt a little more awake.
Yeah. This was the right thing.
I couldn't stay with Sylph.
I had no lingering attachment whatsoever.
Yeah.
I told myself that over and over.
(But I wouldn't mind seeing her once a year...)
My heart wavered just a little.
--- Paul's Perspective --- "A-Ah, that was close..."
I looked down at my unconscious son and my mud-stained boots.
Today was the last day of teaching him swordsmanship, and I'd thought I'd show him the full weight of a father's authority by scaring him with a serious strike before knocking him out — but the kid's reaction speed was insane. He cast magic without a second's hesitation.
And not offensive magic either — he focused on spells to stop my movement.
What's more, all of them were different spells.
"That's my boy. He's got a sense for battle."
It was only an instant, but it took me three steps despite it being a completely blindside attack.
That last step in particular — if I'd hesitated even slightly, he would've taken my footing and finished me off.
Three steps against a magician.
If he'd had allies, the second step would've been enough for them to provide cover.
Or if there'd been a little more distance, I would've needed a fourth.
Technically, he lost completely.
But if I threw him into some party and had him explore a labyrinth as he was now, he'd be an invaluable asset as a magician.
"Truly worthy of the title of the genius who made a Water
Even as my own son, he was terrifying.
But it made me happy.
Before, all I'd felt toward anyone more talented than me was jealousy. But strangely, when it was my own son, all I could feel was joy.
"Now, no time for this. If I don't hurry, Rolls will be here."
I quickly tied up my unconscious son with rope and tossed him into the carriage that arrived just as I finished.
Rolls was there right on time.
Sylph was with him.
"Rudy!?"
Seeing the bound Rudeus, Sylph immediately launched an intermediate attack spell without incantation, as if trying to rescue him.
I deflected it easily, but it was a flawless spell — no incantation, perfect power and speed.
Anyone else would have been dead.
What the hell are you teaching that boy, Rudeus?
I handed the letter to Ghislaine, threw Rudeus into the carriage, and told the driver to set off.
Glancing over, I saw Rolls crouching down, saying something to Sylph.
Right, right.
Education is a parent's job.
I'd been leaving it to Rudeus, so I needed to make up for it myself. Rolls, good man.
I let out a sigh of relief and watched them with warm eyes. After a moment, I caught Sylph's voice carried on the wind.
"I understand. I'll get strong enough to rescue Rudy...!"
Hm, well. My son is well loved.
Watching that, my two wives came out of the house.
I'd told them it was dangerous, so they should watch from inside, but they must have come to see him off.
"Oh, my precious Rudy is leaving!"
"Milady, this too is a trial!"
"I know,
"Milady, he's not your only son anymore."
"That's right. Two more daughters were born."
"Two of them...! M-milady!"
"It's fine, Lilia. I shall prove I love your children too!
Because I — love — you!"
"Ohh! Milady, I feel the same way!"
They saw off the carriage in absurdly theatrical fashion.
Rudeus was so talented that these two apparently weren't that worried.
Still, those two really get along, huh.
It'd be nice if they'd be friendly with me too.
Actually, it'd be great if they'd stop teaming up to bully me.
"But when the younger ones are old enough to understand things, Rudeus won't be here..."
Rudeus had been scheming some kind of "cool big brother" plan too. What a shame.
A beautiful daughter's affection would be monopolized by her father.
Guh-heh-heh.
Wait, hold on.
Starting now, Rudeus was going to receive an elite education from Sword King Ghislaine.
Five years from now — he'd be twelve.
His body would be fully developed by then.
When he came back, if we did a mock battle with magic... I might not be able to beat Rudeus.
This is bad. My authority as a father five years from now is in serious danger.
"Mom, Lilia.
Since Rudy is gone, I think I'll do a little training myself."
Zenith's deadpan stare.
Lilia whispered something in Zenith's ear.
"Rudeus-sama might surpass you, so you've finally felt some sense of crisis."
"That's just how he's always been. He won't lift a finger unless he's about to lose."
The authority of a father had already been in jeopardy.
(Well, I suppose it doesn't matter that much.)
I could only think that sincerely, knowing full well my own father had been the same way with nothing but empty authority.
So I'd just keep playing the role of the lazy, slightly perverted, good-for-nothing dad.
No authority, just a father close to his kids.
At least until all three of them were grown up...
I glanced at Zenith.
She didn't look like she'd given birth to two children — what a body.
(Well, if a fourth or fifth one comes along, I'll extend the arrangement. Heh heh.)
Setting that aside...
(Rudeus...)
This wasn't a method I liked either.
But you wouldn't listen even if I told you, and I wasn't confident I could talk you into it.
And yet, doing nothing and just watching wasn't something a father could do.
I was weak, and I was relying on others, but I asked them to do this for me.
It might have been forceful, but I trusted that you — being so smart — would understand.
No, even if you didn't understand.
The things that happen where you're going will be experiences you could never have in this village.
Even if you don't understand, just deal with whatever is right in front of you, and it will surely make you stronger.
So resent me.
Hate me. Curse your own inability to defy me.
I grew up under my own father's thumb too.
I wasn't able to throw that off — so I ran away.
I have regrets about that. I have things to reflect on.
I don't want you to feel the same way.
But here's the thing— Running away gave me power.
I don't know if it's enough to beat my father, but it's enough to get the woman I want, to protect what I need to protect— Enough to pin down my own young son if I need to.
So push back against me if you want.
Grow stronger, and come back.
At least strong enough not to lose to your father's tyranny.
Watching the carriage carrying Rudeus disappear down the road, Paul thought these things to himself.
Chapter 1: Childhood — End