Dark Fantasy Normalized

8 – Arranged Marriage (2)

“Master?”

My master, who had been in shock for a moment, belatedly covered his mouth with his hand and made a fuss.

“Duran, can you believe it? My disciple is getting married~ It feels like just yesterday that I met Lisir, and now he’s already becoming a groom~”

＜It was just yesterday. Not even the day before, just yesterday.＞

“Oh, was it? I got confused because Lisir felt so special to me.”

“Really? You and I met just yesterday? I thought it had been ten years.”

“See~ Lisir says the same thing.”

＜What a mess. Why don’t the two of you just get married?＞

“Oh my. Should we, Lisir?”

“Unfortunately, I’m already taken…”

“So that’s how it is.”

Hmm. An arranged marriage.

Dintal.

The master listed keywords related to arranged marriages and fell into thought.

“Lisir?”

“Yes, Master.”

“What does my disciple think?”

“A live-in son-in-law? Well, as an illegitimate child, I don’t think I have much of a choice in family matters. Besides, it’s quite awkward.”

“Oh my. Do you have someone else in mind? Who? Who, who? Is it a non-human? Is she unusually tall for a woman? Does she have rare silver hair? Does she have an intellectual aura? Does she live in a dark forest and avoid sunlight, making her skin fair? Not to brag, but does she have a rather alluring physique?”

＜Stop being so cheeky, Pamon. My face is getting hot. Even though it’s a book, anyway.＞

I calmed the advancing master and resumed the conversation.

“It’s not like that. The thing about being a live-in son-in-law. It’s like being sold off like a cow, isn’t it? So what I’m worried about is, if it’s this uncomfortable living where I was born, how much more uncomfortable will it be to go to another region with the illegitimate child label? Yes, that’s roughly it.”

“Hmm~ Even though you’re a live-in son-in-law, they won’t be able to openly harass you, but as you said, Lisir, you’ll face your own difficulties.”

“And more importantly, I was planning to leave this place soon.”

“Leave?”

“I was planning to quit being an illegitimate child and start a new life. After all, the illegitimate child build has a clear ceiling.”

“…”

“…”

The master and Duran looked at me with curious faces.

Even though it’s a book, anyway.

“I thought from the beginning, but my disciple is quite unique.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Usually, people in your situation, like Lisir, tend to be quite obsessed with such things.”

＜By the way, people in your situation here means illegitimate children.＞

“Oh, Mr. Duran. I wasn’t curious, but thank you for the clarification. But is it that rare for an illegitimate child to escape their family?”

The master stroked my hair.

“An illegitimate child is just a step away from being a noble, isn’t it? Whether you can use your family’s name or not.”

“Right.”

“Generally, their goal is to get permission from their families.”

The same goes for me.

To be precise, my past self.

My past self lived with the sole determination to gain my father’s recognition.

“Even if you get permission, you have to reveal that you’re an illegitimate child metaphorically, but that’s something. Ignoring an illegitimate child recognized by the family is practically a challenge to that family. In other words, an illegitimate child that only the same family can ignore – essentially becoming a formal noble.”

My teacher, who was speaking, shook his head.

“I don’t know if it’s okay to say this in front of my student, but I don’t know? Is it worth pursuing to that extent? That name of nobility? Even if it’s just a formal shell?”

The current me thinks the same as my teacher.

On the other hand, my past self-

＜That’s because you’re special enough without a noble title.＞

At that moment, Duran interrupted.

＜There are people who are nothing. Those who think they are nothing without the name of nobility. Those who think the name of nobility is everything to them. To those people, it might be the only and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s a world we don’t know. So it’s right not to speak carelessly. Pamon. You would understand what this is about.＞

“…Yes. I see. I was thoughtless.”

Duran’s words didn’t completely represent my past thoughts.

But they did to some extent.

I used to think.

Even if I was an illegitimate child, if I was allowed to use the family name, everything would be fine.

It’s somewhat extreme, but you have to understand.

The prejudice and discrimination of adults have enough power to turn an innocent child into a monster dominated by inferiority.

“My student? Did I make a mistake?”

As I was lost in thought, my teacher was cautiously watching my reaction.

“Oh. No. Teacher’s words. Duran’s words. I think they all make sense.”

＜What, you’re talking like it’s someone else’s business.＞

“My student. How can you be so broad-minded?”

My teacher continued, stroking my head.

“Back to the main point. I support Lysir.”

“Are you talking about leaving the family?”

“Yes. Diltan is not a good place to polish the unique value that Lysir has. The same goes for Heyern.”

“Then where would be suitable?”

“There is no limit to learning. However, it is true that there is no better place to broaden one’s knowledge than the Imperial City.”

“Then I will follow your words, Master.”

“Oh my. Can you make such a decision so easily?”

“I trust in your wisdom, Master.”

“Oh my, oh my, oh my. Is my disciple only concerned with speaking prettily all day long~?”

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

The Master’s hand, patting my head, became more intense.

Is this the start of a magic lecture already?

Is the attribute fire?

It’s hot, though.

“By the way, Master. Is the place you have to go after finishing your business in Heyern also the Imperial City?”

“No. Although I have some brief business in the Imperial City, it’s not right now. There are many places I need to visit.”

“After finishing all your business?”

“Perhaps, I will have to return to where I came from? The forest. There are unfinished matters there.”

“Then shall I follow you, Master?”

“That would be wonderful~”

＜Would it be wonderful? Dragging Lysir’s corpse around from the middle?＞

“Hey, Duran. If you talk like that again~ I know. I was just joking.”

The Master looked into my eyes and said.

“Lysir should live Lysir’s life, you know? Just because I’m your master doesn’t mean you have to follow me.”

“… That’s a good point, but is it something you should say when you’re planning to abandon your disciple a week after taking them in?”

“Ouch~”

The Master made a sound with her mouth and subtly distanced herself from me.

“But don’t worry, okay? Our one week will feel like a year?”

＜Parmon. That expression. I rate it highly in literary terms.＞

“Oh my~ I got my literary talent recognized by a book~”

“Wow~ A week that feels like a year~”

No matter how I think about it, I seem to have chosen the wrong master.

*

After walking for about 20 minutes from the library, I came to a residential area.

“Arrival.”

The master entered a house as naturally as if it were his own.

“Oh. Master. You have a residence in Heyjern? Do you come here often?”

“Of course.”

＜It’s an empty house. Yesterday, while wandering around, I used magic to find an old house with traces of people.＞

“Duran~”

“…Master?”

“Are you disappointed? That your master is an unremarkable adult who doesn’t even own a house in the city?”

“No.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I’m disappointed that you’re an unremarkable person who breaks into empty houses.”

“No~”

Even so, I followed the master into the living room of the house without a word.

Our master is not someone who is suitable for being surprised or criticized for each and every thing like this.

“Rishir? Take this.”

The master placed a silver orb in my palm.

“Think of that silver orb as your hand and try to move it once.”

“Understood.”

“For the next week, we will devote ourselves to moving that silver orb. What that silver orb is- no, it’s better to tell you the significance of this training first. As I said, we only have a week-“

“Master?”

“-don’t we? So- huh? My disciple.”

“Is this thing supposed to float in the air like this?”

“Yes. That’s our ultimate goal. To make the silver orb float in the air-… huh?”

“Huh?”

＜Huh?＞

The three of us made the sound simultaneously.

The book is not a person, but anyway.

“…?”

The master lightly tapped the silver orb that was floating ever so slightly above my hand.

“Master?”

The master muttered blankly.

“Do I need to redo the curriculum~?”

In a somewhat heated voice.

*

It was incredibly unexpected.

Learning magic required an immense amount of physical strength.

“Ugh. I’m dying.”

My muscles were fine, but my whole body was clearly screaming. Even my soul.

How are you all struggling?

I’m struggling in 3D.

Struggling as if I could die three times over.

It had been three days since the master’s magic lessons began.

After finishing the training, I dragged my staggering body back to the Vendel mansion.

The master emphasized the importance of rest, saying that magic isn’t something that can be achieved by blindly putting in time.

Thanks to that, even though the training was over, the sky was still blue and clear. Was it just about lunchtime?

It would be perfect to take a nap and then read the book the master had transcribed for me.

That was the way back to the Home Sweet Home annex.

Clatter!

I heard the sound of someone suddenly standing up from a chair somewhere.

“Miss, wait-“

A desperate voice trying to stop me.

“Rishir!”

A clear voice ignoring it.

Thud. It felt like a baby bird had flown into me.

That was the weight I felt on my back.

And then, delicate arms wrapped around me from the front.

When I turned around, a pure white girl was hugging me.

“I missed you!!!”

The girl looked up at me with endlessly clear eyes.

“Ah…!”

I recognized her immediately.

‘Who are you?’

I knew it was our first meeting.

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[Resisted]

[Target of resistance: Mental interference]

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