Thus began our outing.
It was my first outing with the young lady, but honestly, it didn’t feel particularly special.
Well…
“Oh, look over there—it’s Gareth’s forge!”
“I see it clearly.”
“The sword you keep at home, you got it from there, right? How did you get it?”
Instead of the young lady, it was Terra who kept chatting away endlessly beside me.
When Terra mentioned Gareth’s sword being displayed, Darren and Kaiden turned to look, visibly startled, but quickly refocused on surveying the area as they continued their duty as escorts.
While the two stayed alert, Terra kept talking to me.
“Lowell, where are we now?”
“On the map, we’re here, young lady.”
Lowell adeptly guided the young lady through the streets.
Come to think of it, the young lady wasn’t too familiar with this area.
Although she led the way with confidence, she didn’t actually know the streets, so Lowell had to stay close, offering directions and advice about the surroundings.
“Puppy, look over there! It’s a forge!”
“Yes, I see….”
“Wow, look at all the people! Shall we go take a look?”
“Uh… what?”
“Let’s go!”
She wanted to visit the forge?
Having already decided, the young lady strode off toward the forge.
“Wait….”
“Yes?”
The unusual sight of our group following her caused a stir among those waiting in line.
Lowell looked every bit the part of a noble family’s butler.
Darren and Kaiden, as escorts, were lightly armed but still looked imposing.
And Terra?
Dressed in a way that screamed, “I’m a mage”, she stood out even more.
As for me….
“That man…. Is he a slave? Why does he have a collar?”
Despite wearing proper clothes, the collar around my neck drew everyone’s attention.
Well, there were plenty of eyes on me.
I’ve dealt with far more intense stares during my days in the Colosseum, so it didn’t bother me much.
“Oh… so this is where you buy weapons.”
“This is the best place in the capital.”
“They don’t sell weapons for mages, do they?”
“They might have some minor accessories, but for proper equipment, you’ll need to visit the Magic Tower.”
“Then forget it!”
After glancing around the forge for a while, the young lady lost interest and turned away.
She was curious about everything today, so I figured she’d continue exploring like this for the rest of the outing.
With such a robust escort team, it wouldn’t hurt to tour the entire capital.
Anyway, just like that….
“Let’s check that place out!”
“What’s that over there?”
“Wow… Should I buy one of those?”
The young lady spent the entire morning wandering through the upscale commercial district, purchasing all sorts of items.
She bought so many random things that it felt surreal to watch Lowell pay for everything without batting an eye. It was a vivid reminder that she was a noble.
Even after all that, this was probably just pocket change for her.
Anyway….
“Puppy, wear this!”
“Uh, yes….”
The more she bought, the more things she piled onto me.
Not just accessories, but hats and coats as well.
The only saving grace was that the young lady had a good eye for clothing, likely from her interest in fashion as a teenage girl.
Dressed in high-end attire from the commercial district, I now looked like a young nobleman myself.
“Look at that….”
“Wow….”
Of course, the collar around my neck remained, which only made the stares grow stranger.
Still, given that our group looked undeniably noble, no one said anything outright and simply moved along. But I couldn’t help wondering what sort of rumors would spread through the capital tomorrow.
Well, whatever rumors arise, Lowell must have already anticipated them.
Judging by how the others reacted when they first saw me at the mansion, my situation was unusual but not entirely outside the bounds of common sense.
And so….
“Phew, shall we head back now?”
After shopping all morning until the sun was high in the sky, the young lady finally decided to return.
Once back at the mansion, we had lunch.
“Aria, time for supplementary lessons.”
“What?”
“That’s why I came.”
Revealing her true intentions, Terra took the young lady upstairs to the second floor of the mansion.
…So it wasn’t just a casual visit but a lesson in disguise.
Well, Terra clearly cares about the young lady, so it makes sense that she’d seize any chance to teach her something.
“Let’s head out.”
Left in the mansion, I turned toward the training grounds without hesitation.
“Right now?”
“I’ve been waiting for this.”
Darren and Kaiden, who had stayed behind, were with me.
While the young lady was in her lesson, they had no escort duties, so they intended to spar in the meantime.
Ever since the young lady started attending the Royal Magic Academy, we hadn’t had many opportunities for training, so this was a welcome chance.
Sparring with Aura users was always beneficial.
At the training grounds, we each picked up wooden swords.
“Who wants to go first?”
Seeing their enthusiasm, I twirled my wooden sword.
“Come at me both at once.”
“Huh?”
“You think you can handle that?”
I’ve faced death more times than I can count.
My instincts have sharpened to a degree that feels worlds apart from before.
That’s why—
“I’ll beat you up.”
I confidently declared to the two, who looked at me as if asking if I was serious.
A 2-on-1 spar? Sure, why not.
**
“Puppy, why do you look so battered?”
The result of the 2-on-1 sparring.
I got thoroughly beaten by the two Aura users.
…Turns out, I still can’t handle both of them.
It wasn’t just that there were two of them; they each used two techniques.
Rush hit me twice, Fleet activated twice, and on top of that, their individual skills were exceptional.
In short, I got beaten up like a dog on a bad day.
“I just trained a little harder.”
“Heh, you’re not seriously injured, are you?”
“I’m fine…”
Afterward, as I was resting in the doghouse, the young lady came to find me after her long evening of lessons.
“Ugh, I’m so tired!”
“Young lady, it’s cramped in here.”
Despite my protests, she squeezed herself into the doghouse and lay down beside me.
Whitey, who had been napping snugly next to me, startled at her sudden intrusion and scurried back to its own little house.
“You used to let me lie here all the time!”
“That was a while ago.”
Two years ago, there was still some space left.
But now, we’ve both grown, and the doghouse was crammed with random things as it is.
“I don’t care!”
Ignoring my protests, she burrowed deeper into the space, making herself comfortable.
“Ugh… I just want to stay in the mansion.”
It seemed like she was trying to avoid reality, not wanting to return to the academy.
“How’s school life?”
“Huh? It’s… okay….”
“Come on, tell me the truth.”
I was curious, so I asked about her life at school.
Her hesitance made it clear that she had her reasons for not wanting to go.
She’s always been relatively open with me, so I figured she might share what was on her mind.
Like venting to a doll or pet at home, she often confided her complaints to me.
“Go on, spit it out.”
When I pressed her a bit….
“Well, actually…”
Unable to resist, she finally began to speak.
“Yes, yes, what’s the matter?”
“It’s… making friends is hard…”
Her problem was surprisingly… cute.
“Friends?”
“Yeah… I don’t know how to start a conversation. Everyone seems so intimidated by me.”
Well, considering her family background, it’s understandable that others might find her intimidating.
“So I’ve just been attending classes, but… I’m worried I’ll end up as a loner.”
That’s quite the adolescent concern. I didn’t expect her to be thinking about things like this.
“Why don’t you initiate the conversation?”
“Huh?”
Did she really need to, though? The young lady seemed too naive to understand yet.
“You’re in a position to have others come to you.”
As the daughter of the Boyd family, she didn’t need to agonize over such things.
“To me?”
“Yes, haven’t you been taught this?”
I figured she’d received some education in managing people—maybe something like lessons in royal conduct.
“Oh, I’ve learned… but is that okay?”
“That’s exactly why you were taught it.”
“They even taught me how to command people.”
“Of course, because you’re in a position to command.”
With power comes the need to wield it.
Even I don’t hesitate to discipline or command mercenaries who are beneath me.
“If you maintain your composure, people will naturally approach you.”
“Really?”
“Yes, you don’t need to feel anxious about making the first move.”
Besides, this isn’t just any world—it’s a harsh fantasy one.
At the Royal Magic Academy, fumbling around trying to make friends could lead to being looked down on. It’s better to let her innate qualities shine.
There’s no reason for our young lady to feel inferior.
Whether it’s her appearance, talent, or family background, she surely stands out compared to the other students.
“Mm… okay….”
The young lady nodded as if she understood, though her expression still seemed uncertain.
Well, as she grows older and matures, she’ll come to understand the world better.
“And if anyone dares to look down on you…”
That night, I offered her advice, whether it was good or not.
“Okay, I got it!”
The young lady nodded earnestly, her innocent trust in my words shining through.
“Now, why don’t you head back to the mansion to sleep?”
“No way!”
Looking back, I wonder if this moment was a turning point.
“Hmm, I’m special, aren’t I? Then I guess it’s fine for me to stay here.”
It was around this time that the young lady started acting more like the daughter of the kingdom’s greatest noble family.