3 – Episode 3
# 3
‘A fake wizard…’
It was irritating. The words of Ian and his little sister swirled around in her head like mischievous children.
‘Auntie~’
‘A fake wizard~’
‘Auntie is a fake wizard~’
The taunting of the children incessantly spat out insulting words. She was beside herself.
Eledis, her face red with anger, yelled back.
“I am not an ‘auntie’! Nor am I a fake wizard!”
“…”
She immediately regretted her outburst.
Ian looked terrified and backtracked.
She considered pacifying him, but decided it was time to show the majestic aura of a wizard.
“Fine! Follow me. Let’s have a serious talk at your house.”
#
First, Eledis led the two cheeky children back to their home.
But the house was completely deserted.
“Where are your parents?”
she asked.
“They went to work.”
From Noble mtl dot com
Under normal circumstances, she might have waited, but Eledis, a dynamically quick to act wizard, rose from her seat.
“Ian! What’s your dad’s name?”
“It’s Ian.”
“Hmph. You’ve got quite an ordinary name. Did they pick you up somewhere?”
Ian merely shrugged his shoulders. It was clear he was plotting revenge from before, but he found it too tiresome to respond to every provocation.
Taken aback, Eredys focused on finding Ian’s father.
“Ian, Sir! Let’s have a word!”
Ian’s parents, who were tending to the fields, were summoned. The rest of the family followed one by one, and soon it turned into an impromptu family meeting.
“Sir Ian. I’d like to take your son as my apprentice.”
“Which son…?”
Hmm. He has three sons.
Eredys quickly pointed at Ian the Raven.
“This fellow here!”
“Ah… I see.”
Eredys was a bit taken aback by the father’s reaction.
Even if she was a sorceress, his acquiescence was surprising when she suddenly declared she would take his son.
However, there was a story behind it.
“I thought so. He’s a peculiar one from birth.”
“???”
“He’s destined to become a sorcerer.”
Looking at the line of family members, Eredys found herself accepting the explanation, much to her surprise.
All the family members had either blonde or red hair, but only Ian had hair as dark as a raven.
It wouldn’t be strange if he were thought to possess magical talent.
Though hair color alone can’t determine magical talent…
At least, it confirmed the source of the unease that had been plaguing the couple for a long time.
“Ian, I always knew you were an extraordinary child.”
“Yes. Father.”
Ian replied without thinking.
But Father Ian felt guilt in the untainted voice of pure Ian.
He realized.
Now is the time to reveal the secret that has been hidden for long.
“No. I’m sorry, my son, for lying. I really didn’t know. I thought that you were the child born out of your mother’s affair.”
“Honey!”
“That’s why I named you Ian. To say that you are not someone else’s, but my son. The son of Ian, Ian.”
“…”
“And then, you became a wizard. Your father is truly proud.”
Father Ian bowed his head to Eledis.
“Please take good care of my unworthy son.”
Something was odd, but nonetheless, it was a warm atmosphere, so she responded with a smile.
“Of course.”
#
As soon as she received permission from his parents, she headed towards the mansion of the landlord.
Apparently, Ian’s parents had a debt, and they could not leave the village without the landlord’s permission. Naturally, Ian could not leave the village until his parents repaid their debt.
So Eledis stepped up.
To deal directly with the landlord.
“Who’s there?”
“A wizard. Eledis.”
He only said two words.
The gatekeeper’s waist bent like a bow.
“The magician is here!”
Ian found this sight surprisingly fascinating.
The villagers were all shuddering in fear of the lord’s soldiers, and with just Eredith’s single word, they flipped over like dogs seeing their owner.
“This is the emblem…”
“Ugh, why are you bringing up such a weighty thing…please wait inside for a moment!”
Eredith looked back at Ian with a smug look.
Why is she looking at me, Ian thought, a bit later realizing.
Ah. She’s showing off…
The person who dismissed you as a fake magician, in fact, is like this, and Ian humored her in light of her proud expression.
“Woah, that’s impressive. You’re a real magician, aren’t you?”
Even though he hadn’t seen any magic yet.
“hehehe, of course!”
Perhaps she was in a good mood, Eredith whistled lightly as she walked away.
She might be more simple than I thought. Thinking this, Ian followed behind her.
The Kolbrun region is not owned by the Feldenberg family, they merely rule over Heihil village.
The head of the Feldenberg family, Felix Feldenberg, was a knight known for his fighting skills in his youth.
He fought fiercely under the banner of Count Edward, and for this, he was awarded a small manor along with a village.
Since then, Felix has answered Count Edward’s call several times. While it wasn’t necessarily needed since he had his own land, it was a prudent decision to strengthen his relationship with Edward.
Thanks to his unmistakable mark under Count Edward, Heihil village firmly became Felix’s.
While once a brave knight, the current Felix is a successful middle-aged man who idles his days away in his mansion.
There were those who criticized his indulgence in extravagance.
But what’s the point of struggling in your younger days? Isn’t it to live and eat well when you’re old?
Felix thought of it as reaping the benefits of his youth’s blood, sweat, and tears.
After all, he’s the ruler of Heihil. There’s no harm in a little indulgence.
“Master.”
After Felix, who had frivolously amused himself with courtesans, fell into a deep slumber, a servant entered the master’s bedroom – a place they must absolutely avoid if they knew better.
“What is it?”
Felix sluggishly opened his eyes. His mood was not exactly pleasant.
“A guest has arrived quite spontaneously.”
“Guest?”
The servant’s words contained some contradiction.
Important guests don’t just turn up unannounced, particularly ones the Master should meet in person.
“It’s a wizard named Eredis.”
“Oh.”
However, the moment he heard the word ‘wizard’, Felix completely changed his attitude.
A wizard is always an important visitor. Merely associating with them elevates one’s reputation in noble society, and if you can enlist their assistance, you instantly treated as a VIP.
A wizard’s mind is like a reed, swaying this way and that with the wind. The only way to secure their favor is through genuine friendship and a barrage of gifts.
“I’ll prepare right away.”
Felix tidied up and immediately greeted the guest.
As suggested by her name, Eredis was a female wizard.
Her face and figure were pleasing to him, better than the courtesans he had entertained the night before. A pointless thought occurred to Felix.
But let us be understanding of this fantasy which matures men reflexively conjure upon beholding a lovely woman.
“Welcome, wizard.”
“Thank you for your hospitality.”
Eredis quietly took a seat. It wasn’t an impolite posture but nor was it sophisticated. There was no trace of etiquette in her manner, proving that she doesn’t fraternize with royalty and nobility.
‘A wandering wizard, I presume.’
Felix, having some noble intuition, had managed to deduce the identity of the wizard he had just encountered. Secular wizards who mingle with nobility have a markedly different posture. Many possess fanatical etiquette, worthy of even the most powerful nobility.
No such trace of etiquette could be found in the woman before his eyes.
Felix was slightly relieved.
Rumors have it that the noble families send wizards to intimidate inferior nobility whom they despise, although such malice and reason are required for such an action. After all, where is the guarantee that everything in this world makes sense?
Just knowing that the wizard hadn’t come to burn his land put him at ease.
“May I ask what brings such a distinguished wizard to this backwater town?”
“This town? It’s decent enough. Yes.”
Eredis flung out phrases awkwardly and inadequately.
Truth be told, she wasn’t accustomed to dealing with nobility. Such are the consequences for a wizard who has devoted her life to magic.
“I was intending to apprentice this lad here, but there seems to be a problem…”
“Uh….”
Felix shifted his gaze to the boy standing next to Eredis. He had assumed him to be her apprentice.
Is he, by any chance, a local?
‘Surely not.’
Felix was well aware of the standard in this town. A gathering of complete dullards. If there was anyone remarkable enough to be taken as a wizard’s apprentice, Felix himself would have known about it earlier.
Recruiting an apprentice from a rural town seemed suspicious. In the city, intelligent and well-educated lads abound like pebbles, so why not just pick one of them?
Felix examined Ian carefully.
But upon closer inspection, he really was a local of Heyhill.
“Is it Raven?”
“Raven?”
Felix backtracked his memory.
There was a time when a couple, who had given birth to a black-haired boy, had comes to the lord to dispute whether the wife had been unfaithful.
It came as a shock out of nowhere amid red and yellow fields, that black-haired boy, instead.
Ah yes, Ian. Ian Raven.
“Ian Raven. Correct?”
“Yes, My Lord.”
Memories came flowing like digging sweet potatoes from the field (not that Felix had ever done farm work).
Ian’s father, Ian.
The tenant farmer who rented the lord’s field to farm seemed to have some debt.
The pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
“If you would want to take him with you, you’ll need my permission.”
A farmer’s son is a farmer, Ian too is destined to grow up to be a diligent debt slave.
“Yes, I heard there is a debt…”
Eredis raised a small purse to the table.
“How about it? Can’t you let him go?”
Felix laughed heartily.
“Is there a possibility!”
The butler discreetly pocketed the purse.
How much money there is unknown. But even if it were filled with stones, Felix had planned to hand over Ian.
One mustn’t be stingy when giving a favour to a wizard.
“Thank you for your mercy.”
“hehehe, since you’re already here, why don’t you have a meal before you leave?”
“May I?”
They even finished a meal amiably.
Felix felt quite proud, feeling like he had done something befitting an aristocrat after a long time.
It might seem like nothing at a glance. (and it is nothing)
But this is… an excellent bragging point.
Being kind to a magician, even enjoying a meal together like good friends. Aristocrat!
Each of these tales shapes an aristocrat’s reputation. Especially the title of ‘Aristocrat friendly with a magician’ is an accomplishment every aristocrat strives for their life.
Let’s say he happened to meet Earl Edward later.
‘Did you dine with a wizard?’
‘It’s nothing. His name is Eredis…’
‘Eredis, the rising star of Drwald! What did he say?’
‘Well… that’s…’
Just imagining it gives him a thrill.
Who am I?
The man who had dinner with the magician Eredis.
Feeling extremely joyful, Felix sent off Eredis and Raven with a smile.
In just half a day, Ian’s status had risen from a peasant to an apprentice of a magician.
Result of a single meal.