Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

In some ways, scholars might resemble ancient conquerors.

Conquerors who rode horses across plains and led fleets into the great seas.

They set out to carve their names into a single entry in the vast expanse of history.

Scholars are the same, except they wield pens instead of swords and spears.

A scholar’s name is engraved in the academe and is passed down through the ages.

However, Henry Yoris Russell, the magic scholar who committed suicide, uniquely carved his name on this battlefield that smells of ink rather than blood.

The Russell Magic Award.

The reasons why a promising magic scholar took his own life or the full text of his will weren’t made public because they weren’t important.

He created an award named after himself. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

And that name will remain both in the academe and in history.

Then, could Henry Yoris Russell be called the greatest conqueror of all time? My fantasy about him was shattered as easily as its triviality.

Julia, who entered the house without making eye contact with me at all, suddenly bowed her head.

She bowed towards the old man sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace.

“It’s been a while, Mr. Benjamin.”

“…Is that the Müller family’s daughter?”

“Yes. Do you perhaps remember me?”

Benjamin, blinking his eyes, cheerfully replied.

“Of course, I remember. I’m sorry I almost didn’t recognize you because you’ve changed so much. And there you are, son, standing blankly as if you’ve committed a crime for some reason.”

He hit the nail on the head.

“Yes…”

“Come here. I hope you’ve brought a story as interesting as the news of winning the Russell Magic Award.”

“……”

I organized my outerwear while letting the chuckling laughter pass through one ear.

A moment later.

The incident in the alley, which happened because I couldn’t resist a momentary impulse, returned with a subtle yet quite understandable result.

Julia neither cried nor got angry.

She just consistently avoided my gaze.

Even now, with the whole family gathered in front of the fireplace, it was the same.

The moment our eyes were about to meet, Whoosh— she would turn her head to look at Lena sitting next to her.

Because of this, not a bit of the heat from earlier remained in my heart.

This is certainly an extension of her playfulness.

But this is the Oslo family, and everyone knows about my engagement to Julia.

If she acts in such an obvious manner in front of the whole family, there’s only one reasonable reaction to expect.

Tap, tap.

“Um. Brother.”

Ellie, who had hopped onto the seat next to me, whispered in a pitying tone.

“Did you perhaps fight with our new sister?”

“No.”

“You did fight!”

“…Could you please be quiet?”

“Okay, okay. I understand, so hurry up and go apologize, brother. It’s probably your fault anyway.”

Next to her, Sally nodded in agreement.

“Apologies are, more effective, the quicker they are.”

It was pitiful that the conclusion wasn’t entirely wrong.

But I couldn’t apologize, at least not in this place.

How should I bring it up? I’m sorry I couldn’t hold back?

At that moment, I realized that what happened tonight would become the most shameful moment of my life, haunting my sleep forever.

Perhaps that’s exactly what Julia intended. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Anyway, I needed to quickly adjust the direction of the conversation.

There was also something I needed to discuss. I quietly cleared my throat and opened my mouth.

“Benjamin, Susan—”

“Oh right. I forgot about the main point, how about taking a short trip together instead of having a formal meeting between our families?”

I had to close my mouth again.

It was clearly intentional. She beat me to it, timing her words just as I was about to speak.

“Eek. He, got interrupted.”

“I thought you said you didn’t fight…?”

I smiled bitterly, ignoring the twins’ whispers raining down from the side.

It seems this play is going to continue for quite a while.

The travel discussion progressed smoothly.

Well, she tried to go to the award ceremony without the award winner.

<…That’s sad. I’ve been waiting for the day I could finally travel with you, Lena, my only friend. Are you saying we really can’t go together?>

There were incidents like Lena being completely swayed by Julia’s inspired acting, but looking at the result, it’s fair to say that it progressed smoothly.

Of course, I had no say in this decision.

Having nothing else to do, I prepared refreshments, and only when receiving the teacup did Julia not avoid my gaze…

“… Eugene, you lecher.”

…After hearing such a whisper, I was finally able to plop down next to Benjamin.

Benjamin, who had been quietly watching Susan and Julia chatting amicably, burst into laughter seeing my deadpan face.

“You’re having a hard time, aren’t you?”

“Are you acknowledging it?”

“No, you’re probably in the wrong. I’m just saying you’re having a hard time.”

“Benjamin.”

“Hehe. Don’t be too disheartened, Eugene. We should just have boring conversations like the magic scholars we are, who eat rice cooked with observation skills.”

At the same time, Benjamin handed me the letter he was holding.

“This letter…”

“Yes. To think you’d win an award named after that Henry Yoris Russell.”

I agreed.

I never thought I’d see with my own eyes the grand sender’s name: The Russell Award Foundation of the Berleu National Academy of Magic Studies.

Even Benjamin, who didn’t know much about its fame since he was in the Empire when this award became famous, seemed to have roughly guessed the scale of the honor just from the name. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Benjamin asked casually.

“Are you going to accept it?”

“Shall I be honest?”

“Mm.”

“…I don’t particularly want to receive it.”

“I won’t ask why. I think I roughly understand your reasons.”

I nodded slightly.

While honor is what everyone in the magic academic world desires, even such honor is a double-edged sword for me.

As a magic scholar, I’m already highly promoted by the Federation.

If I become known to ordinary citizens by receiving an award, there will inevitably be rumors due to my origins.

This is even more vicious in that it affects not me, but those around me.

“And, as a scholar, it’s enough for me to be recognized by you alone, Benjamin. I don’t need such an award.”

“If you’re satisfied with the recognition of a quack scholar, you might get into big trouble someday.”

“Maybe. But, well……”

I said while calmly reading the contents of the letter.

“I’ll accept it.”

“Oh? Why?”

“I didn’t know, but even a professor’s salary isn’t that abundant. With this prize money, I think I could buy a duplex house and renovate it neatly. That thought occurred to me.”

At that moment…

Julia, who had been pretending not to see us, flinched her shoulders.

She must have been eavesdropping on my words.

I need to be careful. If I smirk here, Julia’s pretend sulking will turn into real sulking.

If I did, it would mean she was caught eavesdropping on the conversation after throwing a childish tantrum.

Therefore, I continued reading the letter expressionlessly, pretending not to have noticed.

When I reached the end of the letter, I opened my eyes wide.

[ Reason for Award ]

[ Contributions to theoretical magic studies. Especially the discovery of the photoelectric effect. ]

Only the first paper is mentioned, while the two papers I published recently are nowhere to be seen.

Given the nature of the Russell Award, which only gives awards to topics that can be experimentally proven, did they dig up an old paper to give me the award?

At this rate, I might have to give Werner a share, like the joke we exchanged at the hospital.

“Haha.”

I laughed slightly and…

Immediately met eyes with Julia, who had her mouth wide open.

“You, you saw?”

“…I didn’t see.”

By the time I realized that was the wrong answer, and ‘What did you see?’ was the correct one, her cheeks were already flushed. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

To make matters worse, a carriage from the Müller family arrived to pick her up.

In the end, reconciliation with the even more sulky Julia had to be postponed until the day of the trip.

#December 6th. Clear.

The train bound for Berleu belches out a plume of smoke.

The platform is in the opposite direction from when heading to the World Expo or Oslovya because Berleu is located north of Frauzen.

I boarded the train, feeling a strange sensation at the clear visual difference.

It’s quiet around me because I’m the last to board.

<……>

This was the commotion five minutes ago.

Professor Müller’s expression was indescribable as he was surrounded by five members of the Oslo family, but I was in no position to do anything about it.

After carefully operating [Walk Assistance] in the narrow corridor of the compartments, I finally reached one compartment.

Click— 

I gently opened the door and…

“Julia.”

“……”

I made eye contact with Julia, who was already sitting inside.

Until I organized my luggage and sat down on the seat opposite hers, Julia just stared at me with her lips tightly closed.

Her hair was more elaborately styled than usual, and despite being winter clothes, her attire exuded a strong travel atmosphere. In any case, it seems certain that she’s looking forward to the trip.

Even so, she has such a sullen expression.

With a clang and a clatter, the train sounded a loud whistle as it departed, soon leaving the station along the tracks.

Perhaps because the direction was opposite to usual, the scenery outside the window was quite different as well.

It was then that Julia changed her gaze.

It was slightly anxious-looking.

In other words, she must be asking with her eyes:

 ‘Don’t you have anything to say to me?’

The outside scenery shimmers in her large eyes.

Her neatly arranged bangs. Crimson lips. After looking at her fidgeting fingertips one by one…

I slowly opened my mouth. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“I’m sorry.”

She shakes her head.

I had guessed from the beginning, and said it just in case. But it seems that wasn’t the word she wanted.

I immediately uttered the words I had prepared in my mind.

“I love you.”

“…Ugh. That’s too thoughtless.”

“The joke went too far.”

“It wasn’t a joke.”

Julia continued in a voice so low it might have been drowned out by the train noise.

“Still, that’s the right answer. Here. Handshake.”

“Handshake?”

“A handshake of reconciliation.”

I don’t know what this is about.

Anyway, she held out her left hand, so I grasped it and shook it up and down a few times.

By the time I blinked a few times, Julia’s expression had returned to the one I knew.

However, she was still pouting her lips.

“…Now you know what happens when I get upset, right?”

“Yes.”

“It’s quite troublesome, so you need to handle me well. Handle me with care, okay?”

Saying that, she gets up from the opposite seat and moves to sit next to me.

The faint scent of roses, impossible in winter, especially on a train, suddenly got closer.

Julia swings her legs and opens her mouth.

“Let me tell you, I didn’t dislike it.”

There are some things you can understand without being told.

Our hands naturally overlap. That alone conveys more deeply than a hundred words that Julia is relying on me.

“But doing that in such a place… Even I was surprised. Really. I was planning to do it first…”

“I’m sorry… Wait, what?”

“Anyway.”

Julia leaned her body to the right.

Naturally resting her head on me, she spoke softly.

“I hope you’ll cherish me. I’m a delicate and fragile bride-to-be, after all.”

“I see. That’s the first time I’ve learned this in five years— Oof.”

I was poked hard in the side.

And I almost got poked again by her protruding lips.

“So, you prefer a seductive and alluring bride, Eugene? Is that why? Is that why you did that?”

“I said I’m sorry. And no, that’s not it.”

As I turn my head away, the distance between our foreheads is less than a span.

A distance where the truth can be discerned just by the trembling of our breaths.

“I love you, so, well… That’s why.”

“……”

“I love you, Julia.”

‘Is that enough?’ I asked with my eyes.

Only then did Julia smile brightly and say:

“Say it three more times.”

I didn’t expect such a specific number in response.

Instead of answering, I raised both of my arms and gently pressed Julia’s cheeks with my hands.

“Mmph.”

“This is a rare trip. Isn’t it a waste for me to keep looking at such a gloomy face?”

I gently turned Julia’s head towards the window, even if she had a dissatisfied look.

“…Wow.”

It was only for a moment. As soon as she took in the scenery outside the window, she let out a small exclamation.

Outside the window, fields dyed in winter colors stretched out.

Over hills and along ridges. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

To the end of the horizon.

It was truly a paradise of pastures.

“It’s Berleu.”

T/N

Hello! Axiomatic here.

Thank you for reading this chapter, see you in the next!