8 – start(2)

We headed towards the Wiesel area. It was said that there was Silverin’s mansion in Wiesel.

Silverin occasionally bragged about how peaceful and beautiful Wiesel was.

According to her words, Wiesel said that glaciers full of ice caps melted and transparent valley water flows and fields are full of flowers.

There are many rare herbs in the forest, and you might only see one or two monsters a year in that large area. Even that, he said, was mostly from other regions.

After leaving the outback, we asked for a night at an inn in a small village.

Over dinner, we unified our names. She told me to call her teacher, saying that professors and masters are too rigid.

That night, I told Sylverine that I was a bit strange when I was looking for the Star Fragment.

As they talked about the dream about the ghouls and the hut that appeared at the crucial moment, Silverin listened intently.

“That area was originally where the beacon and observatory were located. Even though it was abandoned, it was a pretty cool place. It was all smashed together with the meteorite.”

Silverin told me to write down a meaningful dream just in case. I didn’t tell you why.

The next day we had lunch and set off again.

***

After entering the Wiesel area after a week, the tension was relieved. There was less tension that a monster would suddenly pop out, and above all, it was thanks to the mild weather and the blessed natural environment.

When I arrived at Silverin’s mansion, my eyes widened. Even if it was a palace, it was unbelievable.

“Vampires lived in this mansion 100 years ago.”

Silverin said as if she was proud of this fact.

When I was young, the memory of hearing the ghost story that vampires breed people like pigs suddenly came to the surface.

“⋯That doesn’t sound very welcome.”

Seeing my reaction, Sylverine smiled and said,

“If I get a chance, I’ll show you the secret dungeon as well.”

“… … .”

Are you kidding? A dungeon in this beautiful mansion that could only come out of a fairy tale.

A butler and maid came out to meet us at the mansion. From the mansion to the maids, nothing was familiar. It is because I have never experienced an affluent living environment.

Silverin got off her horse and stretched out. I followed her and got off the horse and admired the scenery of the mansion.

Silverin introduced me to the butler.

“My disciple. I’ll be staying here for a long time, so give me a room. I have a scar on my side, so please look at this again. I’ll take care of everything you need.”

The butler greeted me politely.

“This is Ezra, the butler. You can call me by my first name.”

The word ‘deacon’ made me confused. That means there are more butlers under him. Ezra was a middle-aged man. There’s a big age gap between me and I, but I’ve never worked under someone.

I also politely greeted you.

“This is Damian.”

Putting aside all of Sylverine, she was already climbing the steps of the mansion’s white front door.

She said without looking back.

“All done before dinner!”

Then, suddenly, he entered the mansion.

Despite Silverin’s knife-like order, relaxed smiles appeared on the faces of the head butler and maid.

The faces of the people who greeted me were very kind. It was of the kind that could not be faked, different from formal hospitality.

They were feeling the pleasure of welcoming guests.

Out of curiosity, I asked the butler.

“… Are there many visitors like me?”

“Miss Silverin doesn’t like visitors. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a guest like this.”

I could understand a little why they were so welcoming to the guests.

Ezra, the head butler, gestured and guided me to the mansion.

“I will guide you.”

The butler led me up the stairs from the central hall to a room on the second floor.

“This is Damian-sama’s room.”

It looks like five times the room I had when I lived in Lorail. A white bed large enough for three people to lie side by side and a sunny balcony caught my eye.

While I hesitated in admiration, the maids carried my luggage and the clothes I would wear to the room and quickly arranged them in the storage box.

Behind me, a maid said with potion bottles on a silver tray.

“Can I check your scars?”

“Ah, yes you do.”

The maid led me to an armchair on one side of the room. The maid said as I sat down on the chair.

“Please take off your top.”

When I took off my top, the maid carefully examined my upper body. The maid glanced at the strange scars on my abdomen. It’s a mark that was pierced by Reis’s hand.

My side was the most distorted among them, perhaps because it was quickly healed with a potion.

The maid spread the clear liquid on gauze and applied it to my wound. It could be recognized by the distinctive spicy herbal smell. It was an anesthetic.

“It will be very hot.”

After that, the maid put the green liquid into an eyedropper and dripped it drop by drop onto the anesthetized area.

Along with the smell of burning came the pain as if burning the skin.

“Ah!”

Unknowingly, a moan broke out. Soon after, the maid supported the entire wound and applied a recovery potion all over it.

As a finishing touch, the maid skillfully wrapped a bandage around her abdomen.

“You can remove the bandage tomorrow morning. But until then, you can’t take a bath.”

this. The thing I wanted to do the most after coming to Silverin’s mansion was to take a bath.

As if they were aware of my feelings, soon after, maids brought buckets of steaming water and wet towels into my room.

I couldn’t take a bath, so it seemed like I was trying to wipe myself with a wet towel.

The maids tried to undress me. It was like they were treating me like a child. I said as I removed the maids’ hands with my face flushed.

“I will take care of it. Everyone, please leave.”

Only then did the maids stop and take a step back. Then, after exchanging glances with each other, they said.

“I’ll see you again at mealtime.”

After all the maids had left, I let out a sigh of relief.

***

Silverine, whom we met again in the dining room, was wearing a simple-looking thin linen dress. There was a blush on her cheeks as if she had just come back from a bath, and her hair, which had been frizzy due to the journey, was revived again.

I hesitated and sat down at the table across from Sylverin. Soon after, the food was served one by one by the hands of the maids. I’m still not used to being treated like this.

Silverin spoke first.

“They say there is a big hole in the skin of the stomach. As many as five.”

The maid who was treating my scars must have told Silverin.

“Ah, that… … . Yes, he almost came back to life.”

“Who did that?”

“Believe it or not, it was a race.”

Silverin’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“A race that is difficult for ordinary people to meet even if they have been looking for it all their lives… ? Where did you see it, did you commit a crime in your previous life?”

“… … I saw it in the Northeast Wilderness.”

“Why did you go there?”

To be honest, it was strangely difficult and embarrassing. It was because I wanted to be seen as a reckless guy.

“For the same reasons as this one.”

Silverin smiled lightly and said.

“You’re not an ordinary toxic guy either. I went to look for it once and almost died, did you go again?”

“Yeah, how come…”

I don’t know if it’s a compliment or a sarcasm.

“How did you survive then?”

“At that time, I had a companion. That companion saved me.”

At the word companion, she hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“I guess the person accompanying me was also a wizard?”

“Yes.”

I was nervous that Sylverine would ask about Liza.

I didn’t even feel like telling the whole story because I couldn’t trust her yet.

Contrary to expectations, Silverin spoke in a calm voice.

“okay.”

Fortunately, she ended up there.

After completing the question, Silverin puts on an expression that doesn’t know what’s inside. What did I do wrong?

She tries to ask something but closes her mouth again. Soon, my stomach felt stuffy, so I grabbed the bread on the table and ate it.

Silverine seemed to be chewing on the conversation from a while ago. As if something is unsatisfactory.

When the atmosphere got a little awkward, I continued with a question.

“Are you alone here? What about your family?”

“I am alone. You can just not notice and be comfortable.”

“Do you live separately?”

Silverin said in a calm tone of voice.

“no. I had a brother who was the same age as me, but he died a long time ago.”

Alas. did you say something

She looked at my face and added a word.

“Don’t worry, it doesn’t matter.”

Silverin suddenly thought of it and continued.

“Right, don’t do anything else tonight and get some rest. It’s training from tomorrow.”

It starts in earnest tomorrow. Excitement and fear are intertwined in my heart.

I thought I would rest for a day or two more, but I guess it was a useless expectation. There’s no way that me or Silverine can get rid of all the travel poison that has accumulated over the years, just by sleeping comfortably one night.

“like.”

“If we had met a little earlier, we would have given him training and tours of the neighborhood. Unfortunately, we don’t have time to relax like that.”

***

I was sitting on a chair on the balcony, staring blankly at the moon.

The words Silverin had said lingered in my mind.

“3 months.”

It was the deadline until the academy entrance exam. Excluding the time to travel to the academy, it’s less than three months.

I have been living a life far away from the academy.

My head was filled with only doubts. Can I have skills worthy of the academy in just three months?

It’s good if you don’t get ridiculed or laughed at.

What did Silverin see and bring me to? Just because of one sword?

I couldn’t rely on her for everything just because I became a teacher. It is easy to give up what is easily obtained.

Even if you look like you can get along right now, who knows if things go a little wrong or you’ll be kicked out for not liking it.

My chest was tight, so I took a couple of deep breaths. No matter how much I thought about it, nothing would change.

The important thing is to do what I can.

don’t look too far

until you can reach it.

I clenched my fists.