Chapter 112

「Trudi’s Notes (Part 1)」

Translator: Silver

My name is Trudi Crommelin.

A civil servant living in the royal capital. I’m seventeen.

I’m also a magician.

Or rather, I’m living daily with a job related to that field.

Were there a lot of chores?

I’ve worked as a license examiner, document organizer, and monster subjugator.

……The role of an examiner happened only once.

I’m a person who did various things in various places.

“Well, that’s it. It’s because Trudi is brilliant.”

Rossum, a senior magician, said so.

Rossum was very caring and always spoke kind words to lowly people like me. It seems that “praise and extend” was his credo, and he was loved by many juniors.

He said,

Because I had the aptitude for many things, various jobs came my way.

“A guy who can only do one job is incapable of adapting or responding to change. If you’re a good specialist, that’s fine, but if not, it’s better to be dexterous.”

Rossum himself was a very skillful person, so I felt a little embarrassed.

I couldn’t do as many things as Rossum could.

In my case, I’m forced to do various things, but Rossum could be described as a person who jumps around everywhere.

He was often away from the capital, and it was common for him to be absent from this department.

“Rossum-san, I heard you’ve been very busy lately?”

“Well…… I’m having trouble with the ‘Okuin’ (奥).” (T/N: Again still don’t have a good translation for the magic organizations.)

When he spoke of “Okuin,” he didn’t mean either his wife or the inner palace, but the Okuin (奥院), this country’s hidden magic institution.

Due to its nature, the Okuin had many secrets and is therefore uncooperative with the Omotein (表院).

As a result, there were often conflicts between the two organizations.

Once, when I was talking with my junior Ruth, a member of Okuin, she made a big X with her arms when the topic of her workplace came up.

“Even Trudi-senpai can’t be told about it. After all, the number of stationery papers and pens purchased is treated as confidential. I haven’t seen it, but there are positions that ‘erase’ things that go too deep. So it’s wise to refrain from directing your curiosity in that direction.

It was a disturbing explanation.

That’s why there were so many big and small rumors about the Okuin, but none of them could be verified.

Did that mean Rossum was sticking his hand in that direction?

“It’s not like I’m poking because I want to…….”

When I asked, he raised an eyebrow.

Ah, it sounded like an order from above. It’s better not to get involved.

“Is your return to the department related to that?”

“Yeah. It’s a small request.

He handed me some documents.

Can I see it?

“Oh, I don’t mind at all. It’s not unrelated to you.”

“With me……?”

I looked through the documents.

And I was surprised.

“Alto Cranput……!”

It was about a 5-year-old who competed in the 7th-grade exam.

That little kid who unilaterally beat me.

He was a mysterious boy with a beautiful, well-groomed appearance and a terribly worn-out aura that didn’t match it.

“If you’re a normal student with excellent grades, it’s amazing, but this boy beat you without issue. Moreover, this gained the approval of miss Ruth, an Okuin elite. If so, he’s not just precocious but has the potential to be a masterpiece. They told me to investigate this. So, in next month’s 6th-grade exam, if he comes, I’ll be in charge of the practical exam.”

“Rossum-san, in person?!”

“Upper management is also desperate to find new talent…… Just because you’re an excellent magician doesn’t mean that everyone will serve you. Talented people often become freelance researchers or adventurers. Or rather, if they’re excellent, they’ll probably earn more money. I also have a lot of free time.”

It was an argument you couldn’t even grumble about.

I was also teased by a freelance friend because I worked as a civil servant.

“So, was there anything unusual?”

“Hmm…… First of all, it seems that he rarely goes out. Or rather, they’re likely under house arrest, and it seems they lack the freedom to go out.”

“Does that mean abuse? Or is there a problem with their birth?”

If it was the former, I’m sorry. Children were national treasures.

They had to be cherished.

“Don’t make such a scary face. It’s the latter. Maybe direct violence hasn’t been used. Being unable to go outside is a matter of position. He is a commoner, but half of his blood runs aristocratic.”

“In other words, an illegitimate child?”

“A concubine’s child. Since he’s not recognized, he’s officially a bastard child.”

“…………”

I wonder why all nobles were like this……

It’s essential to have a hierarchy to prevent family troubles. Still, it should be a different story from mistreating children.

Just the other day, there was a bastard child abused to death.

Although, that case was buried without the public knowing.

Similar cases were happening that I wasn’t aware of.

I wasn’t going to pretend I had a unique sense of justice, but I didn’t want children to be unhappy.

A child should always be smiling.

I looked up and asked the question that popped into my head.

“But, Rossum-san, There’s something strange about that. If he isn’t recognized, he shouldn’t be receiving higher education, right?”

A magician needed to amass a lot of knowledge. For that reason, an excellent educational environment is essential.

No matter how talented you were, you’d only succeed in the written exam if you had the knowledge.

However, the boy in question got a perfect score.

This alluded to having an environment more than adequate for the study.

I can’t imagine that a house that forbids children from going out would provide such an environment.

“Hmm…… That’s it. An elf has been seen coming and going from Alto Cranput’s residence.”

“Elf……!”

“Yes, an elf. An armor-clad elf passes by frequently.”

“Armor……? So not a magician, but an elven warrior?

It’s a strange story, but even the warriors should be good at handling magic if you’re an elf. After all, they were one of the three major races that excelled in magic.

If a long-lived elf is your master, you’re bound to learn a lot.

However, another question arose.

“You’re curious about the connection with the elves, right?”

An expected of Russum.

In this situation, there was an investigation into it.

Elves didn’t interact much with humans.

Only a few elves from the so-called Ramiel faction and the staff of the Shorsina Association were the only ones who appeared in public.

Without appropriate help, you wouldn’t have the opportunity to have one as a teacher.

“Alto Cranput’s maternal grandfather is an executive in the Adventurer’s Guild. I guess that’s how the elf became his master.”

I see.

An executive in the adventurer’s guild would have connections with various races.

If you have a relative like that it’s not surprising to know elves.

That was how one of the conditions for becoming an excellent magician, 『A good teacher 』, was fulfilled.

However, as a matter of course, just having a good master didn’t necessarily mean you could become a good magician.

If you could become a master just by getting one, almost all the children of rich people and nobles could become magicians,

In other words, the achievements of the boy named Alto Cranput resulted from tireless effort or unfathomable talent. Either way, it was admirable.

“Well, yes. As for this kid, that might be fine, but the problem is behind the scenes. I’m acquainted with Marquis Bielefeld, and he’s a hard man at the best of times.”

“What do you mean?”

“A child qualified to be a magician has great utility value. They’re perfect to use as a tool for a political marriage. It’s said that the marquis’s son-in-law’s concubine also has a daughter. If that child is also a magician, she’ll most certainly be used as a bargaining chip.”

“……In other words, even though he’s under house arrest and only allowed to go out during the license exams, if he’s lucky, that child can protect his family members?”

“Perhaps. Otherwise, you wouldn’t let the child of a concubine with no blood connection go outside.”

“…………”

I frowned.

I didn’t like this part of the nobility either.

Did that boy know that?

If his grades resulted from “a desperate effort to survive,” it’d be unfortunate.

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