24

“Since when?”

“Since the dust went up.”

So I was dancing in the palm of his hand all along, Seidel thought, laughter rising within him.

“That was quite interesting. Even if it was only a mana body, you still managed to land a blow on me. …Or rather, looking at it this way, I really am far too careless.”

Ains gave a wry smile as he said that.

“Thank you very much. This was the first time I have ever thought so much in the middle of a fight, Ains-dono. A mage’s way of fighting is not simply about hurling magic at the enemy, is it?”

“Magic is only magic. It is not the battle itself.”

Ains held out a hand to Seidel, then pulled him up when Seidel grasped it in return.

After regaining his footing, Seidel once more faced Ains head-on and expressed his gratitude.

“Thank you very much for sparring with me this time. Before the day I face you again, Ains-dono, I intend to polish my skills.”

“That sounds like something to look forward to,” Ains replied with a smile, releasing Seidel’s hand.

“Come to think of it, Ains-dono, what do you intend to do from here on? I heard you have also lost interest in the Sorcery Academy…”

“Yes. I was thinking I might go take a look around some other places.”

“You are leaving Kirk?”

“Only for a little while. I have not decided on a destination yet, though.”

“I see,” Seidel said with a nod.

“It may be odd for me to say this to you, Ains-dono, but I wish you good fortune in battle.”

“And Seidel-san, take care of yourself.”

Ains and Seidel exchanged another firm handshake.

After finishing his spar with Seidel, Ains returned to the Brandy Estate.

Having manifested a highly advanced Simultaneous Reenactment, Ains had consumed a large amount of magic power and walked on while feeling a dull heaviness.

The route back from the Sorcery Academy in the northeastern district did not pass through the crowded central common district, so it did not cause him much stress.

If he walked through the common district, the sheer number of people would wear down his mind, and being forced to advance at a crawl while avoiding human obstacles as best he could would drain a great deal of stamina. In his current state, with his body feeling heavy from weariness, Ains would likely be crushed by the tide of people if he walked through the common district.

“…It is nice that the nobles have their homes in the eastern district, but ordinary students have to head home through the common district after lectures at the academy. They are impressively tough, to say the least…”

By evening, after walking for some time under the stinging rays of the setting sun burning his skin, he reached the Brandy Estate.

“It’s Ains. I’m back…”

Ains pushed open the large front door as he spoke.

Hearing Ains’s voice, Sophia came running over from deeper inside the house.

“Ains-sama, you have returned. …Are you perhaps a little tired?”

Seeing Ains come in leaning against the door somewhat, with a faint sheen of sweat on him from the western sun, Sophia immediately approached him and offered him her arm.

“I’m fine. I’m not that tired. I can walk on my own.”

“I see…”

Ains restrained Sophia with a hand, then walked across the immaculately cleaned carpet without a speck of dust on it and headed for the dining room.

Sophia walked alongside him at his pace, watching closely in case Ains lost his balance and fell.

“We thought Ains-sama would be returning soon, so preparations for dinner have just been completed.”

When Ains entered the dining room, he saw that Laika was already seated.

Riste stood quietly behind Laika.

“You’re late, Ains. I was thinking of eating first, but Sophia-san said she would not eat until you got back. This room is too big and lonely to eat in by myself.”

Laika glanced toward the waiting Riste as she raised a hand and gave an instruction.

Ains apologized to Laika and sat down as Sophia pulled out his chair.

Facing Ains, Talidge was already seated. Resting his cheek on one hand, he seized a glass and boldly poured water down his throat.

“Even if Sophia was not eating, Talidge was here, wasn’t he?”

Ains tilted the glass of water a maid had poured for him. The chilled water passed down his throat as though soaking into his dried-out body.

“No, I wanted to eat too. But this one—Sophia—kept nagging me to wait for you, Ains. So I was stuck filling my stomach with water like this.”

When Ains asked the maid who had poured the water into his glass, “How many glasses has he had?” she paused to think for a moment before answering, “…I do not remember any farther than ten.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. After sparring with Seidel-san, we ended up talking for quite a while.”

“So you went out alone, and it turned out you were with Seidel. And what was the result?”

“Obviously, I won. But I got a little carried away. I tried to finish it in style, used too much magic power, and that’s why I’m feeling so drained.”

As Ains turned his exhausted face toward Laika, dish after dish was set before him.

Appetizers, soup, and bread were arranged. While neither Laika nor Ains nor, naturally, Sophia had touched anything yet, Talidge alone reached for the soup at once.

He brought it to his mouth little by little with a spoon, but perhaps finding that bothersome, he picked up the bowl and poured the soup straight down.

“Hey, Talidge! You could at least show some table manners, you—”

“Don’t be so uptight. Food does not taste as good when you’re all prickly, Sophia. Besides, if you’re going to complain about table manners, there’s someone right next to me who needs it too.”

Talidge snorted and pointed at Ains with his chin.

“Ains-sama is different. The food is blessed simply by being carried to Ains-sama’s mouth.”

“When it comes to him—Ains—you really are sick in the head…”

Though exasperated, Talidge still did not stop moving his hands as he reached for the bread.

Ains, who had long since learned to ignore Sophia and Talidge’s bickering as their usual routine, noticed that although dinner was about to begin, Kansas was still not at the table.

“Come to think of it, where is Kansas-san?”

“Father is not coming back today or tomorrow. Apparently he has gone to the Ains Domain.”

“Really?”

Taking up his spoon, Ains looked at Sophia.

“I sent a sealed letter to Commander Gaus myself.”

“Huh. For Kansas-san to go personally, it must be something important, I guess.”

“I do not know the content of the discussion itself,”

Sophia replied, but she had a good idea what Kansas intended to discuss by going to Gaus in person. However, since it was something of no interest whatsoever to Ains, there was no need to mention it, so she kept silent.