CH 108

[A Short Time at the Orphanage]

The next day, I’m practicing swordsmanship with the children of the orphanage from the morning.

“Finn-niichan came back amazing and cool. Maybe I should make my hair red like Nii-chan when I grow up.”

“Maybe I should too.”

“If my name become famous as an adventurer, I might try to imitate Finn-niichan as well…”

The children participating in the swordsmanship practice are children close to adulthood who are planning to leave the orphanage soon.

Becoming independent after adulthood is the rule of the orphanage, some among those who leave the nest find a job in the village and establish a family, and some get adopted by the villagers who have lost their children.

However, most graduates often go to the royal capital to find a job.

After coming of age, both Alfine and I also decided to become adventurers in the royal capital in order to be self-sufficient.

Though you can make it quick by being adventurers, unexpectedly, you can’t earn a living unless you do your best.

“Rather than worrying about how you look, it’s better to practice your swordsmanship first. That is if you want to live long as an adventurer. Otherwise——” (Frick)

“Guaa!”

After sweeping away the wooden sword of a child who are full of gaps, I swipe him of his feet, dropping him to the ground.

Then, I stick my wooden sword to his throat.

“You will die quickly, just like this. Don’t forget it’s a world where you can lose your life really easily.” (Frick)

“Y-yes, I’ll be careful!”

“Don’t be reckless, cooperate and don’t fight alone, don’t be overconfident in your ability, and make money honestly by accepting requests steadily, if you follow these four, you’ll be able to live long and even have good food.” (Frick)

“I understand. Those words, I’ll remember them as an advice from a senior adventurer and cherish them. Can you be my opponent one more time?”

“Ahh, if you’re okay with me, I can be your opponent as many times as you want.” (Frick)

The child aspiring to be an adventurer bows his head to me, picks up his wooden sword, and wields it again.

For the children who have decided to take the path as adventurers, what I can teach them are the skills necessary to not die.

Last year when I came back with Alfine, I taught other children in the same way, but are they doing well as adventurers?

Near us practicing swordsmanship like that, I can hear Noelia chatting with the director and his wife.

“Even so, to think Philia-sama and Danton-sama were also Linus-shi’s disciples…” (Noelia)

“Me doing magic research was a story before I got married to Philia.” (Danton)

“Even so, you are still my seniors… If you don’t mind, can you tell me just what magic you were researching?” (Noelia)

I lightly stop the attacks of the children wielding wooden swords and repel them while listening to the conversations of Noelia and the others.

So, Director Danton and Philia-sensei are former mages and can use magic……

Though they never show such a sign at the orphanage.

And it’s surprising that they, like Cinzia-sama, were disciples of Linus-shi, who is said to be an expert of magic research.

It turned out that Cinzia, who came along with us, and the director and his wife are old acquaintances, and the two of them are former mages.

Since I became aware of my surroundings, I only ever know them as the director of the orphanage and his wife, so I’m honestly a little surprised finding out their past.

“Noelia’s mother, Florina, was specialized in attack magic, Danton’s specialty was not modern magic, but ritual magic using magical devices from the ancient magic civilization era, Philia’s specialty was recovery magic, and I was in employment magic. The four of us were called Linus Great Four.” (Cinzia)

“Linus Great Four, what a nostalgic name. I, unlike the other three, had the weakest magic power among the Great Four, though.” (Danton)

“Danton was preeminent in terms of knowledge, so he was still okay, but I resigned to always be in the third place, you know.” (Philia)

“Actually, we were more like extras because we couldn’t keep up with outstanding magic power Florina displayed.” (Cinzia)

“What Cinzia said is certainly true.” (Danton)

“That’s what would happen when compared to Florina-sama, right?” (Philia)

Cinzia is perching on Noelia’s shoulder and reminiscing old tales with the director and his wife.

“I see. I have never met my mother, so I have only ever heard about how amazing she was from what people told me, however… As I thought, mother was amazing, wasn’t she?” (Noelia)

Noelia’s mother is Florina, a genius mage referred as the great mage; I heard that at the time of the Great Invasion, she participated in the Abyss Hole breakthrough unit together with Lloyd, and reached her end there to let her husband live on.

Finding out that the two who raised me and Noelia’s mother were fellow disciples, I feel like there is some kind of connection between me and Noelia.

“Florina was amazing, but I’m one of your teachers, so show me more respeeeect—. Especially that guy called Frick over there!” (Cinzia)

I, who is straining my ears to listen to their conversation while parrying the attacks of the children, receive an order from Cinzia, one of my magic teachers, in regard to how to treat her.

“I properly show respect to you. Haven’t I been sharing you my magic power every morning these days?” (Frick)

“That’s the normal thing to do as my disciple. What I mean is——gyoeh—. Hey! Don’t pull my skin—! Wait, wait! Don’t pull it off!” (Cinzia)

“Philia-sensei~, we caught a talking bird~. What kind of bird is it~?”

I see Cinzia, who takes off Noelia’s shoulder and flies around me, gets caught by a net released by children of the orphanage, and is being justled around like a toy.

“Hey hey, though she looks like a talking bird, she’s my old friend, so everyone, treat her with care, okay? But, you can strip off her skin.” (Philia)

“Yay~!”

“Gyaaaaaaaaaa! Philia, remember this grudge! You children too, don’t think you can sleep with a peace of mind at night! I’ll make you so scared that you can’t sleeeep!” (Cinzia)

Having her skin that was sewn by Suzana stripped off by the children, Cinzia, who have turned into a bone bird, let out a death shriek that echoes loudly in the yard.

After flying away from the flock of children, she then moves her armor body and starts having it running after the children.

“Return my skin, return my skinnn—. Who took my skinnn—” (Cinzia)

“Kyaaa! The armor is attacking—!”

“Finn-niichan! A ghost armor appeared—!”

Seeing the hollow armor moves, the children of the orphanage become slightly panicked.