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15. Straight to the Study
“Ha~ we’ve finally arrived!”
Seeing our dearly missed home, Julia-kaasan raises her voice.
――It has been 10 days since the battle at the fortress.
Julia-kaasan and I have safely returned home.
The later events.
When Julia-kaasan woke up in the dead of night and realised that it was night time, she held me tightly and fell asleep just like that.
I couldn’t do anything about it, so I used [Physics Magic] to raise and lower the water jug whilst on the bed, expending my MP and carrying out the expansion of my maximum MP as I wait for morning.
Mum had indeed looked lonely, but her face instantly glowed with happiness when Dad said, “Let’s go to the royal capital together next time.”
Having assembled to see us off, the fortress knights watched over the two with accomplished expressions.
We weren’t able to make many stopovers on our way back either.
That was because the survivors of <Black Wolf Fang>, the mercenary group that assaulted Ranzrack Fortress, had dispersed from the fortress in all directions, and we were liable to encounter them on our return trip.
Well, perhaps there weren’t any mercenaries who were brave enough to pick a fight with the 《Flame Prison Witch》 who herded them together and turned them into ash, but the dangers of passing through while avoiding them were no more than simply avoiding them and passing through.
Thus, we returned the way we came, via the carriage, and Mum and I arrived at the estate after 10 days.
Now, this is the first opportunity I have had to thoroughly examine this estate from the outside.
In this settlement that is the size of a village to someone with the standards of a modern Japanese person, there is a smallish hill, on top of which stands a two-storey residence.
It’s a cosy residence with approximately 10 rooms on both the first and second floors combined.
Of course, it is considered cosy for the mansion of a feudal lord, but in the standards of my previous world, it’s closer to a palace.
According to Mum’s explanation, Dad―― Viscount Alfred Chrebl’s territory encompasses this whole region, including this village and the three other villages in the vicinity, as well as a small town slightly further away, or so I’m told.
Their names are Corbette (コーベット) Village, Riverette (リベレット) Village, Trenadette (トレナデット) Village, Kuuret (クーレット) Village, and Fauno (フォノ) City respectively.
Incidentally, the reason the feudal lord’s mansion is not established in Fauno City is apparently because Fauno City is located on the outskirts of Dad’s territory. He leaves the management to the merchants, and is offered a portion of the market profits as tax.
Aside from Fauno City, the other four villages are typical farming villages, so it seems like there are no particular differences between them.
If anything, a forest protrudes from behind the four villages, and there are stories about spirits possibly living inside them.
Although it’s not to the point of being called remote countryside, it’s a tranquil and subdued region overall, with a local history of being passed down through the many generations of Dad’s family.
“Welcome home!”
When we enter the estate, the servants greet us en masse.
As the servants inform Mum about the various events that transpired while we were away, I was lifted up from behind by somebody.
“Welcome home, Young Master Ed.”
It was my big-breasted, loli-faced personal maid, Stephanie, or Steph.
“We’re home~”
“Oh my, you’re already able to speak? Or rather, Young Master, haven’t you grown somewhat bigger……?”
The servants talking to Mum also look at me in surprise.
“It’s because Edgar-kun is clever.”
Julia-kaasan comments, but……did she really intend to carry through with that conviction?
The servants clearly seemed to have questions, but none of the servants had the courage to deliberately question the smiling Madame Julia.
“Study~”
I said, aware of my charm.
“Uh huh, because I promised, right~ Stephanie-chan, please take Edgar-kun to Al-kun’s study. If he requests something, you may comply, as long as it isn’t dangerous.”
“Y-yes, as you wish.”
Leaving Julia-kaasan, who seemed to still have arrangements to make with the servants, Steph led me by the hand towards the study.
At any rate, Steph’s hand is soft.
I unintentionally feel it with both hands.
Yeah, it’s not sexual harassment because I’m a baby.
“Y-young Master Ed……. we have reached the Study?”
“Ba-babu.”
I return to using baby talk to deceive her as a reflex.
Now, at last.
I walk inside the study after Steph opened the door.
The study gave the impression that it was, without a doubt, a study.
Right in the middle was a wooden desk with a profound presence.
Beside it were tall bookshelves that reached the ceiling, and behind the desk was a curtain-covered window.
Steph followed me inside the study and opened the curtains and window, letting the room ventilate.
I promptly check the spines of the books lined up on the bookshelves.
It took some time because I’m still not familiar with the characters, but I didn’t tire, nor lose interest, thanks to [No Fatigue].
I look back at Steph, who was stifling a yawn in a corner of the room, and thoroughly survey the bookshelves in the study.
If I were to briefly categorise the books in the study, it would be something like this:
- Complete literature works. There are many from Santamana, but there are also some from Sonora-to and other nations.
- History books. These too, provide for each nation.
- How-to books, such as agricultural guides and self-help books on governing one’s territory.
- Encyclopaedias.
- Magic Tomes.
- Dictionaries.
- Martial Arts Manuals.
I’m worried about where to start from.
After feeling troubled for almost an hour, I decide to prioritise them in this order:
Magic tomes > Dictionaries > Martial arts manuals > History books > Encyclopaedias > Complete literature works > How-to books
Prioritising the magic tomes was a matter of preference, but it was also due to reflecting on the fight with Goleth.
That is,
――I didn’t have an effective method of dealing damage to Goleth.
Indeed, I defeated Goleth by throwing his spears back, but conversely, it could also be said that I would have no deciding attack method if I didn’t have Goleth’s spears.
I hadn’t been able to deal much damage by throwing rocks at Goleth using [Physics Magic].
[Physics Magic] is more of a supporting magic than offensive magic, and using it for dealing damage to an enemy is not a very efficient method anyway.
Since I have the MP to use [Physics Magic] just to levitate and throw rocks, directly producing flames like Julia-kaasan did would definitely be more efficient.
Thus, I’m also going to be taught magic from Julia-kaasan.
Actually, I also received a short induction on the way home.
But each person normally has a specific aptitude for magic, and Mum had no confidence in her ability to teach me well in anything but her specialty, fire magic.
I should compensate for it, with what I can supplement from the magic tomes.
I still have sections of the 『Abaddon Magic Compilation』 to interpret.
For the time being, I continue the rather bothersome (or should be, but I can do it easily thanks to [No Fatigue]) work of creating analogies with my own interpretations and memorising them.
But time will still be spent on memorisation, even if I don’t tire.
Because it’s not like I’m particularly intelligent or anything.
So thinking of utilising my time efficiently, I am now searching for magic tomes that explain the main points more clearly.
And although I understand the general meaning of the sections I have memorised, they’re my own interpretations after all.
There are many sections in which I haven’t grasped the detailed nuances, and I don’t have much faith in my own knowledge being accurate.
And that’s where the dictionaries come into play.
Using dictionaries to comprehend the magic tomes is a given.
However, [No Fatigue] is wasted on just that.
Let’s diligently memorise all the articles that stand out.
And after I’m able to comprehend the magic tomes and dictionaries, I’ll proceed with the martial arts manuals, history books, and encyclopaedias, in that order. And if I have time, I’ll deepen my education about this world with the complete literature works.
The martial arts manuals are obviously due to me reflecting on the fight with Goleth.
The battle with Goleth was ranged, so even I, a baby, could fight. But how would it have gone if the fight was in close quarters instead?
The Evil God’s apostles won’t go easy just because their opponent is an infant.
They might be hard to execute with such a small body, but I should at least have an idea of what kind of martial art techniques exist in this world.
Postponing the how-to books were because they don’t seem to be necessary at the moment.
I’m the fourth son, so I’m unlikely to inherit the territory in the future.
Of course, it would be a different story if Viscount Chrebl’s territory were to suffer from famine and be troubled.
I’d probably utilise the knowledge from my previous world and try do something about it.
However, the management of Pops’ territory currently seems to be going well.
That being the case, there’s no need to attempt to use a strong domestic affairs cheat.
There is, perhaps, another month until Alfred-tousan finishes dealing with the aftermath of the Ranzrack Fortress incident and returns home.
Meanwhile, I have Julia-kaasan teaching me magic when she is unoccupied, and during the other times, I either read in here or practice magic in the courtyard.
I also have some verifications to make in regards to skills, and will do that when I have time.
During the evening, I exhaust my MP in bed and expand my maximum MP.
Also, I can’t forget about speaking practice.
Due to the growth that accompanied my levelling up, my tongue and vocal cords have developed, and I’m making preparations to produce words.
However, my actual age is only 6 months old after all, and my speaking practice doesn’t even last for 10 minutes.
From now on, I will pay attention to my pronunciation even when reading books aloud, and I hope I will be able to speak properly soon.
Well, that’s how it is.
I’m repeating monotonous work that would normally be tedious, but it’s practically a reward for the current me.
――Now then, it’s time for the fun, fun time to raise skills……!
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