(Arthur POV…)

“Okay, we’ll stop here for today.”

Master Kennedy told Arielle and I. We just finished with our daily training at around the same time every day.

Both Arielle and I have different type of swordplay. Her style focuses more on power output while mine revolves around choosing speed instead of power when I attack. I prefer it this way even if we’re equally powerful.

‘I wonder what Clyde is doing?’

I grew excited at the thought of the two of us exploring the capital. It’s been a few months since we came to the duke’s residence in the noble district. Despite that, we haven’t hung out much since we must train daily in order to become strong.

I don’t hate that but the thought of not spending time with Clyde is annoying. I always finish my training at sundown but today we were able to finish just after noon. The knight captain complimented our growth and left soon after.

“You finished yet?” a familiar voice spoke from behind us.

I turned around and saw a cute boy with light brown hair approaching us with his trademark smile.

My heart fluttered.

“Yip. Where are you going dressed like that?” Arielle asked with a frown.

“Ah, this?” He looked down at his formal attire. “ Me and Arthur are exploring today! I heard from the maids they opened a zoo in the entertainment district!”

“You two made plans without me!?”

Arielle pouted with puffed up cheeks.

She has really changed. Arielle was so bitchy with the two of us back then. Now she’s basically acting cute whenever Clyde comes around. The two of them look far closer than back then.

I breathed deeply to get my heart beat normal. I’ve been overdoing it in training these days. Even my master says that I should take it easy.

“Then let’s go together. I thought you’d be busy…”

“What would I ever be busy with except training??” Arielle put her hands on her hips and harrumphed.

“H-Haha. Then I’ll wait for the two of you to finish.”

◇

We got permission from the second wife and embarked on our journey through the capital.

Our first stop was the clothing store. It was obviously Arielle’s idea. She grumbled that she doesn’t have a lot of clothes she likes since her maid buys stuff for her. She ended up buying six dresses and gave the clothes to the porter we brought along.

Clyde bought himself a dark grey magician’s robe. The robe has a heating effect for the cold nights and also has a bit of defence magic to divert an arrow’s direction. The shopkeeper seemed puzzled at a little boy buying such a robe. Well, he might look weak if you looked at his body but he’s definitely not one to underestimate. His magic power is far greater than anyone in the kingdom or the whole continent for that matter. Senior Francis said that if Clyde could gain control of all his mana, he’d be one of the strongest people on the continent, excluding the White Order.

..

Our next destination was a cake shop. Clyde’s eyes sparkled when he looked at the assorted sweets. He is into sweet things after all.

There were students of the academy also sitting down and chatting happily. There were actually more couples than there were single people.

I avoided looking at them feeding each other like six year olds.

“Huehuehue~” Clyde laughed with drool on his mouth. His face then saddened when he looked at the price tag.

“4 gold for a slice!? It’s not even that big!”

He grumbled and argued with the shopkeeper and called her a scammer. She looked at him as if finding him cute while he complains.

The two of us don’t get that much money anyway. Clyde sent his reward money to his parents until he comes of age. We usually got 10 gold when we were at the Duke’s city residence but now that Sadith controls the finances, we only get half that. I was about to take out some money for him…

“Here.” Arielle shoved 4 gold coins into Clyde’s face.

“Y-You can use this.”

“Hic…. Thank you!”

He hugged Arielle making her go red in the face.

‘Dammit! I was too slow!’

I felt like throwing the plates of cake onto the ground when I saw the two of them acting like a couple. It’s like I was a third wheel interrupting their date.

A couple of academy girls came to our table since they recognized Arielle. They seemed to have known her sister. Arielle was speaking to them with a wry smile the entire time since they were just praising her elder sister the whole time. They left soon after.

We finished our sweets and also left the store.

“Hm?”

Clyde walked ahead of us toward the crowd.

“What’s going on?”

There were hundreds of students of the academy standing in the plaza. We also heard shouting and thump noises.

We squeezed our way through the crowd and arrived at the centre.

Arielle gasped. On the ground in the centre was a girl with torn clothes covered in dirt.

A few girls and boys were standing above her throwing insults.

“You dare bump into Alfred-sama, huh!?”

A girl spoke loudly and then kicked the one on the ground.

“Cough. I-I didn’t mean to–“

“SHUT UP!! You filthy commoner! You were lucky to get into our prestigious Royal Academy and now you dare act arrogant!?” Another one screamed and kicked the girl.

The girl was coughing up blood and it seemed one hand was broken.

“The Wessex family…” Arielle spoke in discontent.

The Wessex family are another Duke household that are part of the royal court. The head is a famed attack mage who saved the north border countless times with his unwavering spirit and strong will. He also battled alongside His Majesty when he was a prince which made him rise in rank when Philip became a king.

They are of equal power to the Luxembourg house and have multiple retainers. The people attacking that girl must the children of the retainers.

The youth with the handsome face and green hair in the background must the young master and heir of the Wessex house.

“What do you think you’re doing!?” Arielle stepped up in a huff.

“Oho~ Lady Arielle~ what brings you here?”

The young master approached Arielle with a disgusting grin on his face. He had a badge of a first year on his chest.

“Why are you hurting that girl when she clearly accidentally bumped into you!?”

“I could’ve been in danger, young lady. If I were to trip without any buffs then I may have cracked my head.”

He lied through his teeth while his entourage kicked the girl.

“As you can–“

BOOOM

“GYAAA!!”

A fireball landed on his arm. His arm was scorched from the burns.

“Who---!!!”

His eyes were red with anger. His entourage saw what happened and rushed over to him.

“Alfred-sama!”

“I-I have a healing potion, Alfred-sama!”

“Who was it!? I’ll make sure your house–!”

“It was me.” A boy with light brown hair answered with a cold voice.

“Eh?”

The people looked in disbelief.

“Y-Y-You little!”

“You talk a lot of shit for someone in my attack range.” Clyde flicked a little fireball on his fingers. His green eyes had a cold light in them.

“It’s pathetic looking at you acting high and mighty only because your house is so amazing. “

“I’ll kill you, kid!!!”

The young master summoned two fireballs as well.

“Huh?”

But then it disappeared.

Clyde’s arm was glowing white. A ball of mana was swirling above his palm.

“How is that--- wait you’re that kid!”

BOOOOM

WOOOONG

He shot a pillar of condensed flames into the sky. The clouds scattered away from the force of the blast.

“Isn’t that a kid….?”

“To think he’s this strong…”

“I think I just crapped my pants…”

..

“Hiirk.”

The young master shrieked when Clyde looked at him.

“Y-You. I’ll remember this!” the young master then ran away with a wet stain on his pants. His entourage also followed him.

The students dispersed as well. Clyde’s display of magic seemed to have shocked a few of them.

“Are you okay?”

Arielle asked the girl. She fixed her blonde bangs and looked up.

“T-Thank you for saving me.”

She lowered her head.

“Ah, no problem. You should really be more careful in the future.” Clyde reverted back to his old kind self.

“Let’s get her to a healer.” Arielle suggested.

“N-No. It’s okay. I-I’ll definitely repay you for this, um…”

“I’m Clyde. This is Arielle and Arthur.”

“N-Nice to meet you all.”

We spoke to the girl while on our way to drop her off at the academy. Her name is Erica and she was enrolled here on recommendation. It seems she’s not sure who recommended her.

Arielle said the two of them could become friends since she’s also enrolling next month. Arielle has already caught up with the curriculum during her training with help from our master. I will be enrolling in the Knight corps so I won’t be able to see the two of them so much anymore. The nights where I cuddle with Clyde will sadly end soon…

We just dropped Erica off at the academy with the carriage and were on our way home.

“That girl..” Clyde broke the silence.

“Hm? What about her?” Arielle asked in puzzlement.

“You didn’t feel it? For some reason I felt something strange from her core.”

I knew this as well. From the moment I saw her, she looked strange no matter how much I tried to deny it.

“What are you talking about?” Arielle asked in frustration.

“She has the Light Attribute.” Clyde frowned and folded his arms.

Arielle gasped.

The Light Attribute is as rare as a spirit mage born amongst humans.

“Either she doesn’t know or she’s just hiding it under that shy and docile demeanour of hers.”

“Then that means…”

“She might be the descendant of the Saint of Light and whoever recommended her is no ordinary individual.”