xuebingcode

Chapter 1

Riquet: Wow, it’s delicious! It tastes sweet and sour, like I’m in a flower field!

Shino: Nom nom…gimme more.

Mitile: Me too! Oh, but will there still be more for the others?

Rutile: You don’t need to worry about that with a cake this big! Here, have another slice.

Shino & Mitile: Yay!

An early afternoon with the sunlight pouring in from the window. The younger wizards gather in the lounge, their cheery voices filling the room.

What they sit around is today’s dessert, a butter cake made from plenty of elderflowers.

Lennox: Thank you, Lord Faust. It’s all because you shared so many of your elderflowers with us.

Faust: I didn’t know what else to do with them after using them for tea and syrup, so I just pushed the leftovers onto Nero. You should be thanking him instead.

Sage, will you have another slice?

Akira: Yes!

He handed a plate with seconds on it to me.

Watching that plate was Saccy, whose nose twitched a little. I guess it’s interested in the flowery smell.

Akira: (This cake is good…what a peaceful teatime we’re having.)

Cock Robin: T-T-T-This is baaad!

Akira: Woah, Cock Robin!?

Cock Robin: M-Mister Faust is…

Mister Faust is to be arrested for a kidnapping!!

Six Voices: Whaaat!?

Faust: What?

Our peaceful teatime ended in an instant.

Akira: Uh, wait, what? What do you mean? Faust kidnapped somebody?

Riquet: Faust, to think you had those sort of intentions…

Faust: Like hell I do.

Shino: …Hey.

He dashed over the low table, and before anyone could stop him he gripped the collar of Cock Robin’s shirt.

Cock Robin: Gwah!

Shino: What sorta crap are you talking about? Explain.

Faust: Conduct, Shino. Let him go.

Shino: But he…

Cock Robin: We…we’re aware that it’s a false accusation!

But, it’s just that there is a certain someone who is not quite satisfied with that idea…

Lennox: …Sounds complicated. Could you tell us?

Cock Robin: I’ll dell you….gweeegh…

Mitile: S-Shino. He’s in pain, so…

Shino: …Tch.

He let go of Cock Robin, who then started coughing. Quickly supporting him, Rutile offered him a chair.

Rutile: Come, sit. There’s tea, too, so please relax and take your time explaining.

Cock Robin: Cough…y-yes. …The thing is…

The person accusing Faust of being a kidnapper was the head of Richtid House, a distinguished and noble Eastern merchant family.

The person who was “kidnapped” was his little brother. He had apparently gone missing a little after the Calamity had last attacked.

Shino: If it’s the Richtid family’s little brother, he’s already a middle-aged man. Why would Faust abduct a guy like that?

Riquet: Shino, you know the head of Richtid?

Shino: Yeah. He sometimes came over to the Blanchett Manor. I only ever saw him from afar, but he looked to be between an old man or middle-aged.

Cock Robin: Ah, he’s no longer the head of the household anymore. Something about him becoming ill months before the Calamity attack made him retire.

The current head is his eldest son. He’s a young man who hasn’t hit his thirties yet, and his little brother isn’t even in his tens.

Rutile: That young…I can see why the brother is worried. He’s just a child…

Cock Robin: Right. I understand why he feels that way, but…

This petition…or bill of indictment rather, was sent to Magic Affairs…

He pulled out a dignified and imposingly thick envelope.

As his expression seemed to wander between wanting to hand it to us or not, Faust took the envelope from his hands.

Faust: … “Curseworker Faust of the Valley of Storms has abducted my younger brother, Seda, and is no doubt a heinous wizard.”

“It is inconceivable that the Central Government has taken in this abominable wizard as one of the Sage’s Wizards.”

“My friends in Central Country have expressed their deep sympathies for my brother.”

“I would ask that you investigate this villainous wizard, and hope that you can return my brother to me as soon as possible.” …is what he wrote.

Akira & the Young Wizards: Uh…

Lennox: This is…

Faust: …Where does this ask for my arrest?

According to this letter he’s asking for an investigation on this ‘villainous wizard’ and for his brother’s safety. Is it the ‘friends in Central Country’ who asked?

Cock Robin: Err, well…the Richtid family for a long time now has done most of their trading business with Central.

Which is why they have such strong ties with the Central nobles today. This bill of indictment does seem to have been influenced by those nobles.

And despite…uhm, even though Prince Arthur has been working hard, those nobles have a deep-seated prejudice against wizards…so…

Faust: Spit it out. Basically, those Central nobles are demanding my arrest.

Cock Robin: Yes…they’re saying to jail you first, before they safely investigate, or something like that…

Riquet: How awful…such unfair treatment like this cannot be allowed.

Cock Robin: I’m of the same opinion! Except…the nobles that Richtid House has ties with are many, so we’re rather outnumbered.

I wish I could consult with Prince Arthur, but seeing as he’s a wizard and a prince, I think a new political problem would arise if I informed him…

Faust: …Haah…

He let out a complicated sigh hearing Cock Robin mumble.

As if taking that as a signal, the room became bathed in disorder.

Mitile: Arresting first and then investigating!? They’re just accusing Mister Faust because he’s a wizard!

Shino: Let’s go visit these Central nobles’ houses. We’ll see if they can say the same things in front of my scythe.

Riquet: Violence isn’t right, but I ought to have a word with Lord Richtid. Spreading lies about others is unforgivable.

Shino: True, we should be talking to him first.

Lennox: Shino, I understand how you feel but–

Faust: Everyone, calm dow–

As the two tried to admonish them, Shino stood up straight.

Shino: Alright. If we’re going to see Lord Richtid, then we should go to East Country and find out where their manor or location is.

Akira: Huh?! A-Are we gonna raid their home?

Cock Robin: No no no, absolutely not! I came here to tell you about this situation which is why you should NOT go near the capital for the time being…

Shino: Who cares. Let’s g–

Rutile: Ortonik Setomaouge.

Gently, someone’s kind spell resounded.

A teapot floated into the air, and poured hot tea into Shino’s empty teacup. The calming smell of herbs tickled my nose.

Shino, who had stood ready to summon his broom, blinked in place dumbfounded as Rutile smiled softly.

Rutile: Here, Shino.

Shino: I don’t need it, we…

Rutile: Come on, it’s warm and delicious.

How about anyone else?

Akira: T-Thank you, Rutile.

Lennox: I’ll have another cup too. It’s a nice scent.

Rutile: Right? Lately it’s been my favourite.

With his bright smile and the smell of herbs, everyone managed to sit down in their seats.

Their angered, hasty selves eased back and calmed down.

Shino took an elderflower cake slice with his fingers, like he suddenly remembered they existed.

After watching that, Rutile then moved his gaze to the bill of indictment in Faust’s hands.

Rutile: It’s no surprise that we’d get mad at this false accusation. Even I feel like giving him a word or two…

However…I can understand how the older brother’s feels.

Shino: Hah? That guy?

Shino looked at him, eyebrows turned.

On the other hand, Faust, the accused himself, watched over Rutile silently.

Rutile: Because, if Mitile ever went missing, I wouldn’t be able to stay calm either.

I’d be full of worry, anxiety, fear…I couldn’t bear it.

Wondering where he is, if he’s scared, if he’s even alive or safe…

Mitile: …Rutile…

Rutile: I think that’s what the older brother is feeling too. He’s just so scared out of his mind…

I think he wrote this indictment in that desperation.

Everyone: …

I recall the words written in the letter that accused Faust.

It’s unreasonable, ticks you off, and is a false accusation from start to end, but…

When I think about how it may be the result of his desperate calls for his little brother, my chest begins to tighten.

Akira: (So his little brother went missing a little after the Calamity last attacked…since around the time I’ve arrived in this world, the older brother has been searching for his little brother.)

Lennox: …He was desperate enough to accuse the country where they do most of their trading. His claims against Lord Faust might not be without reason.

Why does Lord Richtid think he is the kidnapper?

Cock Robin: A farmer by the Valley of Storms said he saw a little boy enter the valley.

Judging by his fancy clothes he wasn’t from his village, so he tried calling out to him…

But the boy ignored him, and went in.

Mitile: And that boy was the little brother…err, Seda?

Cock Robin: That’s what Lord Richtid says. The Richtid Villa is a few days away by foot from the Valley.

Furthermore, after some time passed, a magic letter came to the residence one night…

Rutile: Wait, a magic letter? Then…

Riquet: So even if it wasn’t Faust, it was still a wizard who kidnapped him…?

He handed a simple and plain envelope to Faust. There were no names written on it.

Faust: …Though it’s difficult to tell just who sent this, I can faintly sense the Valley on this. Its concealment spell has weakened.

The contents are…