Chapter 5: Fluvia has Caught the Eye of a Troublesome Person

What’s with this crazy ikemen – I mean, this refined gentleman Lord Minister-sama.

There’s a limit to thoughtless actions.

Exactly what kind of man would take a kid’s random words this seriously?

I have concerns over our Lord Minister’s brain, and it seems that I’m not the only one.

One by one, the people from the Academy begin protesting, after recovering from the shock.

“L-lord Minister! I understand that there have been some who have been unreasonably pressuring you to take in a disciple, but to take such a case –“

“I-indeed, please don’t be rash, Lord Minister.”

“Lord Minister, please reconsider. This type of thing is –“

As the other people from the Academy are panicking, I can’t help but look over at Mother and Father Dellarose.

Ah, yes, they’re completely dumbfounded.

Staring po-kan like that with your mouth hanging open is unbecoming, Father.

Although I certainly agree with the sentiment.

Lord Minister Wynchestor’s voice easily broke through the protests.

“’This type of thing,’ is it? And just what type of thing are you talking about? You certainly can’t possible be thinking that I am irresponsible enough to take a disciple on a whim and shirk my responsibilities.”

“““N-no, Lord Minister!””

The subordinates are very nearly shivering at Lord Minister Wynchestor’s sharp rebuke.

I see. Our Lord Minister of Magic is the troublesome type, arrogant and domineering.

What a pain.

I don’t actually have that much of an interest in magic, though… but refusing poorly here wouldn’t be good for my family’s reputation either.

Since the second most important person in the country is this kind of pain-in-the-ass guy.

“Mary…”

I tug on my attendant’s sleeve and whisper to her.

With a troubled look, Mary turns to the Healer.

“Healer Martin, could …”

Whisper whisper.

Another troubled look on the Healer’s face, then…

“Ah… Excuse me, Inspector Gorlen…”

Whisper whisper whisper.

“Oh… Lord Minister, is it alright if the Young Lady Dellarose speaks to you in private?”

What is this weird game of telephone?

All I wanted to know was if I could talk to Lord Minister by myself, but I asked Mary since I didn’t know what the etiquette for asking such a thing was.

Like, is it okay to have serious talks without my parents, or is it okay for my health to deal with such troublesome matters while I’m still recovering, or does Lord Minister not like children? – those were the things I was thinking while I asked Mary if it would be okay to talk to Minister Wynchestor alone.

If I had known that they were going to pass the responsibility around like that, I should have just said it myself.

Well, I’m 4, no, now I’m 5-years-old, so forgive this young child for not wanting to speak directly to the scary ossan.

Don’t think that just because you’re an ikemen, everything you do will be forgiven!

Unfortunately, it’s because you’re an ikemen AND the Minister of Magic that everything you do is forgiven, huh?

Seeeriously, a troublesome guy.

“Hoh. How interesting.”

Minister Wynchestor doesn’t seem to be offended; rather, he seems interested in me wanting to talk to him.

That doesn’t really make me feel better about things.

“W-wait a minute! Fluvia love, Papa will also –“

‘Papa’ Dellarose started to say, but … uwaaah.

Lord Minister Wynchestor … he isn’t exactly glaring, but being stared at with those sharp, coal-grey eyes would make anyone falter.

I had forgotten, but this is the world of an otome game.

The looks of the father of one of the love interests isn’t half-assed at all.

Tall, slim-macho, with perfect posture and clear skin – as a former parent, being able to retain your youthful looks impeccably after you’ve had a child is foul play.

He has a child my age, but compared to my father… life is unfair, huh? For my ‘Papa’, I mean.

—

The silence once everyone has left the room, except for Minister Wynchestor and myself, is very oppressive.

Lord Minister is just sitting there, in the chair near my bed that Mother had been sitting in, but he isn’t saying anything.

Rather than saying he’s not saying anything, he’s totally just watching me. Or should I say, observing.

No good.

‘Childish Fluvia’ won’t work here.

This guy was totally making a bad face at Brother Fedor earlier as Brother was running around earlier, so I take it he doesn’t really like kids.

He’s toootally waiting to see how I’m going to act, after chasing all other eyes out of the room.

Haa. Fine, let’s get this over with.

“May I ask why you want me to be your disciple? A girl with below average magic potential, who is still too young to learn magic, and is currently bedridden because of an illness does not sound like a fitting match for Lord Minister Wynchestor.”

I say, breaking the silence and dropping my childish tone.

It’s best to speak straight and proper to this kind of man.

“Hmph! My subordinates could learn a thing or two from the Dellarose young lady on speaking their minds.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Lord Minister Wynchestor laughed through his nose, but it wasn’t at me.

I feel for his subordinates.

My condolences, gentlemen and women, you have it tough.

I said, somewhat sarcastically,

“I don’t think that can be helped, although taking in an invalid as a disciple of the Minister of Magic would effect the reputation of the Chamber of Magic, so as a citizen I too would like them to have a stronger voice.”

Lord Minister Wynchestor is hardly fazed by it, arrogantly waving his hand lightly as if to dismiss my subtly barbed opinion, and says in an amused tone,

“Is that so? You seem to be unexcited at the thought of becoming my disciple. Actually, hasn’t your entire demeanor changed?”

No waaaaay, really? You are very observant.

Aren’t you at all disturbed that such a small child speaks like a grown adult?

Uotto, it won’t do to answer cheekily, though.

I smile the way a lady would and say,

“Father is a man who enjoys doting on his daughter, after all.”

It’s actually very liberating to act like a child, pouting and sulking whenever I feel like it, or begging to be spoiled, all without having to worry about an adult’s image.

But although it’s fine to act like that to my parents, I’ve already long since understood that Lord Minister Wynchestor isn’t the type to coddle children, so acting like that would backfire.’

Lord Minister Wynchestor snorts and says,

“The Earl is like that after all. Such a simple man, unable to even understand the potential in his very own daughter, who is interested in magic research.”

Muu-!

I agree, but don’t talk poorly about Father to me!

Even though I also think that about him!

It must have shown on my face, because Lord Minister Wynchestor said,

“Fufu. I don’t mean negatively about the Earl. Simplicity isn’t a poor characteristic in itself, but he isn’t someone I would have imagined would have an offspring capable of catching my interest.”

No, that’s still completely badmouthing him, though.

Anyway, more importantly, I need to quickly correct a grave misunderstanding Lord Minister seems to have.

“Those words were just words of comfort to my parents, who seem to have placed great importance on magic. Of course I’ll do my best when it comes time for me to learn some magic, but research is something I don’t think I have the talent for.”

I’m not the studious type, nor do I have a lot of interest in studying magic, so please don’t have strange expectations of me.

I’m interested in magic, but purely because it’s something that didn’t exist in my previous world. I’ll try to learn a little, but I have no interest on doing something bookworm-y.

Minister Wynchestor frowned slightly.

“Even so, I still have an interest in making you my disciple.”

And why exactly is that?

I suppress a sigh and say,

“The disciple of the Minister of Magic would potentially be a person who will be groomed to be the next Minister of Magic. I do not think that a magic cripple would fit the position.”

But he returns with,

“I can have as many disciples as I want. I don’t mind if you aren’t fully invested in magic research either.”

This guy totally isn’t getting it.

“I said it before, but even as an ornamental disciple in name only, for the Minister of Magic to attach his name to a useless magician would be improper.”

“Hm? I never said you’d be useless even if you don’t participate in research though?”

It’s true that you never said that, but it should have been the next logical step.

Just in case, I quickly say,

“I don’t want to be experimented on, either.”

Lord Minister Wynchestor chuckled.

“Experimenting on a daughter of an Earl, is it? As interesting as that could be, that is not what I’m talking about either. Although if you participate of your own free will, that’s another story.”

Somehow, I feel like he was kind of looking hoping to be able to experiment on a rare specimen of low magic potential.

While I was having misgivings, Lord Minister Wynchestor continued the conversation by himself.

“Well well, calm down. Let me ask you, if you were going to investigate how to change a specific spell, where would you begin?”

This guy is totally just doing whatever he wants!

If he weren’t the Lord Minister, I would have tried to have him thrown out already.

I sigh and resign myself to it, saying with a bit of a tired voice,

“I told you that I have no interest in research, though?”

“I have understood that. However, theoretically speaking, what would you do?”

Asking a 5-year-old girl such complicated things… let’s see.

“The first thing I’d do is figure out what the spell was used for, I guess.”

Uwah. What a scathing look he’s giving me.

As if I’m the biggest disappointment he’s ever seen, Lord Minister Wynchestor shook his head slowly and said,

“Of course you’d have to know what the spell does. If you’re at the stage of trying to refine a spell, I’d hope that you wouldn’t need an extra step to verify what it does.”

This is why this kind of man is… I have no good memories of dating guys like this back in the day. They always think they’re right.

Confidence is different from arrogance, you know?

I calm myself enough to say, without getting too worked up,

“Excuse me, but knowing what a spell does and knowing what it was used for are two different things.”

“How so?”

“That’s…”

I have to hesitate a bit to think of how to explain what I’m thinking.

Brother’s incessant blathering about sword training (although from Mary’s expression each time, I gather he skips quite a few of those sessions) is coming in handy.

I say that, but actually it’s kind of cute how excited he gets from bragging about how the sword instructor praises him, even if I strongly suspect the instructor praises him out of obligation rather than any talent on Brother’s part.

I decide on my example.

“A sword is used for cutting, correct?”

“They are made for slashing.”

Yeah, okay, whatever.

I ignore him and continue.

“In the past swords were iron, but these days swords are not made of iron.”

“Certainly, because iron is inferior to stellarite and orichalcum, to name a few metals. Iron makes swords that are inferior in severing.”

“So in other words, other metals are being used in order to make superior, sharp blades. Why do you think the previous people used iron for their swords?”

“The people in the past were backwards-thinking. It couldn’t be helped; we are simply far more advanced in this day in age.”

What can’t be helped is this way of thinking in this country.

Is there no way of thinking that includes learning from the past?

And for the record, I come from a country far more advanced than this one, you know?

Of course he doesn’t.

“What if, instead of being ignorant, they just didn’t have time to improve the metal?”

I asked.

Sorry, I don’t really know how making swords works. All I know is that Father already went and bought Brother a super expensive sword and Brother’s been talking about it non-stop.

Lord Minister Wynchestor frowned, then demanded,

“Explain.”

“Decades ago, our country was embroiled in war, correct? In that time, what was important in making swords was being able to outfit an army. In other words, the swords of the past and the present are certainly slashing instruments, but in the past they needed to make many of them quickly, and the quality wasn’t important as long as it was enough to defeat the enemy. The focus on making swords is different.”

Lord Minister Wynchestor remained in deep thought, his brows furrowed.

Did my words not get across?

“S-so, for a fire spell, is it the heat or the light that’s important; was it used to flare up awesomely, or is it being used for personal light? Things like that.”

“I understand. That is indeed intriguing. But how would I relate that to spell efficiency?”

“…That is not something I understand at all. But you are asking how to study magic from someone who doesn’t know anything about magic.”

What are you expecting of a little girl who hasn’t even reached the age to learn magic yet, Mr. Most-Talented Magician in the Country?

While I was sarcastically thinking that, Lord Minister Wynchestor frightened me by breaking into loud, unbridled laughter.

“Hahaha! My instincts were correct. Even if you are an ornamental disciple, just having you by my side will advance the world of magic by leaps and bounds! I refuse to take no for an answer. Resign yourself to becoming my disciple, Lady Fluvia Dellarose!”

Wait, what?

Shoot.

How did that just happen?

—

Mother and Father Dellarose, along with Fedor and the maid, Beth, slunk back hesitantly into the room.

Lord Minister Wynchestor remained seated firmly in the chair Mother had originally been using.

He turned his head towards Mother and Father and grandly announced,

“I will be training your daughter.”

It wasn’t a question.

I feel exhausted, but so be it.

If anything will comfort me in this situation, it’s that I’ll be moving further from the fate of Yabukoi’s Fluvia.

If it’s increases my odds for not being burned at the stake, who cares if I’ll probably be running into Love Interest 2 by becoming his father’s disciple?

I can deal with a little teenage drama and girl politics.

My only reservation is that I’m going to be dealing with this kind of magic-otaku, arrogant guy on a regular basis.

While I was somewhat gloomily thinking that,

“That’s not fair, Fluvia! Now I’M better at magic, so why isn’t it me?!”

Ah, I was just thinking it was unlike Brother to have remained quiet this entire time.

It seems he’s at his limit and beginning to fuss.

Beth did a good job keeping him quiet this long.

Lord Minister Wynchestor’s brows are furrowing, but calm down man, he’s just a child with too much energy. You can’t expect him to act like an adult.

Well I guess I am a child too, but there are some different circumstances.

Before anyone can say anything, I’ve already reflexively responded to Brother in my childish tone.

“I think Brother’s cooler if he sticks to swords!”

“No way, magic’s cooler!”

Ah. I didn’t think that one through.

In this society it’s not like magic’s supreme or anything, but it’s definitely cooler to be better at magic if you can be.

“I meant, the Instructor said Brother was good at swords, so if Brother sticks with it, he’ll definitely be cool!”

“But if I’m better at magic now, then I’ll be cool even if I switch!”

Dear Brother, just because I got worse at magic doesn’t mean you’ve gotten better… and to begin with, who was going, ‘I’m the best at swordsmanship! I’m going to be stronger than all the knights!’ constantly whenever he came over?

Alright, Fedor, you’re making me play my trump chard!

“… Brother who gives up half way isn’t cool!”

“…!”

Oh, he’s getting upset, huh?

The ‘Brother’s not cool!’ attack seemed to wound him deeper than I thought.

“… I won’t give up! I’ll show you, I’m going to be good at swords AND magic!”

Ah. He actually took that flimsy, unappetizing bait.

Thank the heavens he takes after Father in his manipulability.

My ‘Slim-up, Brother!’ plan won’t work if he starts avoiding physical activity altogether!

Just when I’m rejoicing inside,

“Hmph. A magic swordsman, is it? Do your best, then, if you think you can.”

What a sarcastic manner of speaking.

Lord Minister Wynchestor doesn’t seem to believe Brother can do it, huh?

If you say that to Brother …

“I’ll do it! I’ll show you guys!”

Fedor howled, turning red in the face and running out the door, fuming at the ears.

Do your best to catch him before he runs all the way home, Ms Maid, Beth.

Healer Martin, I beg of you, send all these people away.

I’m suddenly very, very exhausted.