Translator: Nox

27

Chapter 27

Section 6

“That concludes the explanation of basic Magic Circles.”

Vivian, pushing up her large-lensed glasses, exuded a confidence I hadn't seen in her before.

Immediately after leaving the Magic Tower, she spent a full day staring blankly into space.

But I wasn't too worried. I knew she wouldn't crumble like that.

Her passion for alchemy was so fervent that she couldn't leave this world due to her lingering desire to hold the Technique Pen one last time, rather than resentment towards her master.

And the next day, as expected, she regained her energy, clutching the Technique Pen tightly in her hand, and said,

“I'll prove that Belinda's insight was accurate. I'm ready to create anything you desire.”

The eyes behind the lenses shone with a light even more resolute than the day I first met her.

With a satisfied heart, I made my request without hesitation.

“Then create a high-performance healing potion that instantly cures any injury.”

“That's…”

For some reason, she hesitated for a moment, but soon Vivian replied with more confidence than ever.

“Yes, I will definitely create something that will satisfy Belinda!”

Pleased with her answer, I gave her the room at the end of the first floor of the annex as her workshop and granted her the position of temporary head maid.

Vivian, after confirming the expensive alchemy tools and materials filling the room, was moved to tears, looking as if she had no regrets even if she died then and there, and devoted herself to developing the healing potion.

However, I was horrified to see that she was pouring coffee, coffee, occasionally stomach medicine, and then more coffee into her stomach while she was researching, so I dragged her to the dining hall.

Then, I subtly asked her to teach basic Magic lessons to Leo and me, and Vivian readily agreed.

Thus began the first day of class.

My expectations, filled with excitement that perhaps I too had a talent for Magic, were shattered.

I stared blankly at the blackboard, where complex theories and Magic Circles were intertwined.

Was this a Magic class, or a class to lower my self-esteem?

I glanced at Leo's face, which was not only blank but also teary-eyed.

He was an Acorn mouse who had been excited at the thought of learning Magic, tapping his feet before the class started.

Then the System window kindly displayed the results of today's class.

Star of the Hero's intelligence has increased by +1.

Star of the Hero's stress has increased by +10.

Goodness, could there be a class with such poor cost-effectiveness!

I quietly parted my lips.

“Vivian.”

“Ah, is the basic Magic Circle theory too easy after all? Shall we move on to applying intermediate Magic Circles right away?”

“…No, rather than that, why add a Sealing Magic Circle to the Technique you explained at the end?”

Actually, I didn't understand from the first paragraph, but I asked the question as if the last part was a bit of a hurdle.

“…Pardon? If you ask why…”

Ah, that face as if asking why I'm asking something so obvious.

I felt like the worst student who asked the dumbest question in the world.

I've never been called a failing student anywhere else.

“Because it feels like I should?”

“…?”

But Vivian's answer was somehow strange.

With a hopeful heart, I asked another question.

“Then the Magical Power formula you explained earlier, why do you modify it when adding it to the Magic Circle?”

“Because it feels like I need to modify it based on my gut feeling.”

Wait a minute. Could it be that Magic isn't difficult…

‘Is it just that Vivian is hopelessly untalented at teaching?’

“When you create a Magic Tool, do you draw up a blueprint in advance?”

“I'm not skilled enough with my hands to draw up blueprints. But if I make it according to my feelings, it somehow gets completed.”

That's why geniuses are!

Only then did I realize. The problem wasn't the student, but the teacher.

I patted the dejected Leo on the shoulder. And I said to Vivian.

“Vivian, you're going to have a lot of clothes made today.”

“Excuse me? What does that… Belinda?”

I mean, why are you discouraging our Acorn mouse? Is it okay just because you're a genius!

* * *

I had a desire to have the best Wizard in the kingdom as Leo's teacher.

And the best Wizard in the kingdom naturally refers to the Magic Tower Lord.

‘But that human, he's suspiciously strange.’

Hirome Ending Number 11, Conqueror of the Gray Tower.

As the name suggests, it's an ending where the protagonist becomes a disciple of the Gray Magic Tower Lord and later succeeds him as the Magic Tower Lord.

It's not a difficult ending to collect, because if you just meet the meeting event with the Magic Tower Lord, the Magic Tower Lord will rush at you like a bulldozer, asking if you wouldn't become his disciple.

If you accept the Magic Tower Lord's proposal, all sorts of investments will pour in from that point on.

He not only pours his Magical Power into the protagonist every day to fill their Magical Power, but also provides a full course of all Magic education by the Magic Tower's elites without receiving any money.

If you only hear this, it seems like a Cinderella ending that doesn't seem bad…

‘I feel like he's hiding something.’

The more I progressed through the Conqueror of the Gray Tower ending, the more I couldn't shake the feeling that the Magic Tower Lord was hiding something.

You could say that the person is somehow suspicious.

He always wore his hood so deeply that I never got a good look at his face.

All I knew was the name ‘Keith,’ but the Magic Tower Lord is a position that is a name in itself, so he was only called ‘Ru,’ which means great Wizard, and the Magic Tower Lord's name was not easily spoken.

Besides, he's good to the protagonist, but he's not a nice guy.

He was eccentric, fickle, and self-centered, and he had a strangely childish side, so he sometimes sulked sincerely at the protagonist.

‘Now that I say it, he's really a bad guy.’

Come to think of it, he was the one who killed Belinda the most among the patrons.

At least as long as I'm by Leo's side, I can't entrust Leo's education to such a person.

That's why I had Vivian in mind as a Magic teacher.

There's no doubt that Vivian is an excellent Wizard, but I realized this time that geniuses aren't always great teachers.

‘I have no choice but to find Leo's Magic teacher at the Magic Tower.’

Or I was trying to recall if there was a suitable person among the characters who appeared in the game.

“Belinda, Belinda! I'm, I'm ready!”

Leo's door, connected to my room, burst open, and the most lovable creature in the world ran out.

A top and shorts with a large sailor collar, and a beret worn at an angle.

Leo's cuteness, wearing his treasured outing clothes, was already out of this world.

Ah, my eyes are clear and all the evils in my heart are purified.

Okay, I have to give a bonus to the butler who was in charge of Leo's coordination!

“Oh my. That child is…”

One of the maids who was doing my makeup next to me covered her mouth with her hand in surprise when she saw Leo.

Her face was unfamiliar, so it seemed like she was a newly drafted maid. I fully understood her admiration.

Leo had changed beyond recognition compared to when he first came here.

Perhaps because I had been feeding him well, his gaunt cheeks had become pleasantly plump, and his shoulders, which had always been hunched over because he was always looking around, were now straight and confident.

I couldn't even say a warm word, but Leo was growing greener day by day, like a tree growing in the sun in a sunny place.

I am very grateful and sorry.

‘But it would be better to gain a little more weight.’

His cheeks should be as soft as flour dough, and he should gain so much weight that they stretch when pulled.

It was a scene that made me feel full just imagining it, and a happy smile appeared on my face without me realizing it.

At that time, Terry, who was coming out of Leo's room, asked me.

“Oh, Master. Don't you like Acorn mouse's decoration?”

Of course not. I liked it so much that I was thinking of giving you a bonus?

“Why.”

“Because the expression you were giving Acorn mouse was like, ‘You can draw lines on a pumpkin, but it's still a pumpkin.’”

Leo, who was approaching me, stopped abruptly at those words.

“Pumpkin…”

At the words he muttered gloomily, I decided to cancel Terry's bonus and even cut his salary.

After that, Leo sat quietly on one of the chairs and waited for my makeup to finish.

However, he couldn't help but be excited, and his legs, which didn't touch the ground, were shaking wildly.

We were currently preparing to see the festival being held in the royal capital.

It was a clever idea I came up with to lower Leo's soaring stress level.

At that time, Leo, who was waiting for my hair styling to finish, was seen in the mirror whispering something to a maid who was standing alone.