Color Gallery

Copyrights and Credits

Map of Grunewde

Prologue

“I WONDER WHY I DIDN’T ACCEPT THEIR INVITATION. It was a mistake not to… Saori even went out of her way to invite me…”

Kazuya was rolling around in bed. The phone in his hand was open to an image of three girls wearing yukatas. Along with the image was a message that said, “We look cute in our yukatas, right? Too bad you won’t get to see it!”

The girl front and center in the picture was Kazuya’s high school classmate and childhood friend since elementary school, Manabe Saori. She had invited him to join her and her friends to see fireworks, but Kazuya had declined since he thought being the only guy in a group with three girls was embarrassing.

Shiina Kazuya tumbled around in bed as he listened to the distant booming of fireworks from his room. Kazuya was the only one living in the house. His parents had passed away in an accident when he was young, and he had no siblings. He was raised by his grandfather, who had also passed away last year. The inheritance left behind by his parents and grandfather would last him until he graduated college, so necessity hadn’t forced him to get a job yet. The sixteen-year-old second-year student spent his days going to high school and then heading back home. He maintained slightly above average grades, and his looks were just as ordinary.

From the other side of his screen door window, a consecutive series of grand explosions signaled the end of the fireworks show.

“Those were the last fireworks for this year. Well, no point in thinking about it now. Maybe I should treat myself to some ice cream.” Kazuya exited his room and headed to the kitchen downstairs.

“Which should I have today? I’m feeling like some shaved ice.”

Kazuya opened the freezer and looked inside, only to find it completely devoid of sweet treats. “No way! No ice cream or nothing in here? I guess I’ll go for a walk and grab some on the way back.” Kazuya rushed back up the stairs to his room, grabbed his wallet and phone, and then headed in the direction of the convenience store.

He glanced upwards and was greeted by a cloudless, beautiful night sky. The only thing covering the stars tonight was the smoke from the fireworks show.

Since the show had ended, families in yukatas and other small groups could be seen walking in the direction of the train station. They were all smiling, likely talking about the fireworks show that had just ended.

“I wonder if they’re selling any new brands of ice cream?” Kazuya ignored the groups of people in yukatas headed in the opposite direction, his mind occupied by the question of which ice cream to buy. Just as he was close enough to see the convenience store, people rushed out of the store while screaming.

“Ahh!”

“Run away!”

Couples in yukatas and parents with their kids were fleeing from the store. Behind them, a man was waving around a knife.

“Die! All of you! Die!” The man’s head swiveled left and right, his bloodshot eyes tracking people as they ran away. He locked eyes with Kazuya, who was simply standing there, then charged at him.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me! I need to get out of here!”

As he turned around to run, Kazuya noticed that right behind him were two middle school girls in yukatas. Their knees had failed them, and they were sitting on the ground. “You two need to get up and run!” Kazuya shouted at them, but they were paralyzed with fear; there was no way the girls would be able to get away in time.

“…I guess I’ll just have to man up.” Kazuya took a deep breath before turning around and facing the man with the knife. He lowered his stance, tensed up, and waited for the right moment.

“Taaake this!” Kazuya shouted as he tackled the man’s waist with all he had. The two of them fell onto the sidewalk, entangled together. Kazuya straddled the man and held him to the ground, shouting, “Someone grab his knife!”

Suddenly, starting from his stomach area, a warm feeling traveled throughout his body.

“You…!”

Kazuya punched the man, causing him to lose his grip on the knife, which fell to the wayside. Seeing the man was disarmed, several bystanders approached to help Kazuya hold the man down.

Adrenaline had initially distracted Kazuya from the heat emanating from his stomach area, but once he looked down, he realized that blood was flowing unimpeded from where he had been stabbed. The blood had already dyed his t-shirt red. Kazuya tried to get up, but he no longer had the strength to do so and instead fell onto his back. The night sky filled his vision. He turned his neck sideways in an attempt to move and saw that people were using their phones to call for an ambulance and the police.

A passerby brought a large amount of towels out of the convenience store and pressed them down on Kazuya’s wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. The passerby shouted, “An ambulance will be here soon! Hang in there!” Everyone around Kazuya had worried looks on their faces.

The two middle school aged girls in yukatas that had collapsed to the ground earlier approached Kazuya. “K-Kazuya, is that you?!”

Kazuya recognized the girl wearing light makeup. “Oh… You’re Saori’s younger sister, Manami… Long time no see…”

“…Yes. It’s me, Manami… Thank you for saving me. If you didn’t…” Manami was trembling as she thanked Kazuya with tears in her eyes.

Blood continued to flow from Kazuya’s stomach wound despite the towels compressing the area. Kazuya gradually began to lose consciousness. The heat he had originally felt gradually turned into a cold chill that took everything away.

Kazuya raised the hand that he could still just barely move and used it to pat Manami’s head. “…I’m glad the two of you are okay… I’m feeling a little dizzy… I think I’m going to take a nap.”

“Kazuya! You have to keep your eyes open!” Manami insisted as she shook Kazuya’s shoulders. However, Kazuya no longer had the strength to do so. He couldn’t even feel Manami’s hands on his shoulders anymore.

“Sorry… Doesn’t look like I can.”

Kazuya’s strengthless hand fell from Manami’s head.

“No! Kazuya!”

That was the last thing Kazuya heard before fully losing consciousness.

Chapter 1: Reincarnation

Chapter 1:
Reincarnation

KAZUYA GRADUALLY REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS. Although his eyes were closed, he could feel the sunlight shining through the window. He opened his eyes and was greeted by an extravagantly decorated ceiling.

“Where am I?”

Kazuya couldn’t help but say the clichéd line as he roused his unfamiliar body and looked around. He usually slept in a typical single bed—the bed he found himself in now was significantly larger. The room was stylishly furnished. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, and bright rays of the sun shone through gaps in the curtains.

“Wow, I can’t believe they managed to save me. Which hospital is this, anyway? I can’t believe they arranged such a lavish room for me, this type of treatment is way too extravagant.”

As he looked around the room, he noticed movement nearby. Upon closer inspection, he realized that someone was leaning against the bed while asleep in the nearby chair. They were starting to wake up.

It was a young girl, about the size of a middle schooler. She was wearing a maid uniform. She rubbed her eyes before looking in Kazuya’s direction and freezing. Then, tears began to stream from her eyes.

“Master Cain!”

The girl suddenly jumped towards Kazuya. Still confused, Kazuya caught her, and the girl buried her face into his chest and began to sob.

“Thank goodness! You’ve been asleep for an entire week!” She cried, tightly grabbing and hugging Kazuya.

“Wait, what are you doing?!”

Kazuya swung his arms in an attempt to break free, but he had no way to overcome the difference in size.

Huh? Wait, I’m the smaller one? Also, why a maid and not a nurse?

Confused, Kazuya brought his hands in front of him and took a good look. His hands were clearly much smaller than those of a high schooler; they were about the size of an infant’s hands.

As he stared at his hands in a daze, the young maid released him and got up. “I’m going to let the Madam know!”

The young maid hurriedly opened the door and rushed out of the room. Kazuya had yet to grasp the situation as he continued to stare at his hands. “What happened to me…?” Kazuya began to open and close his hands, confirming they were his.

“I remember getting stabbed by the guy with a knife at the convenience store, seeing Manami, and then passing out… I should be at a hospital right now. That girl called me, ‘Cain,’ right? But my name is Kazuya…”

As he tried to organize his jumbled thoughts, a flurry of noise traveled down from the hallway before bursting into the room he was staying at.

“Cain! You’re awake! Thank goodness!”

A beautiful woman in her twenties entered the room. She had a good figure, long silver hair that reached her waist, and was wearing a well-made dress. Kazuya was completely dumbfounded, as he had never seen anyone remotely like her before.

The beautiful woman rushed over to Kazuya and began to hug him, joyful tears streaming down her face. Kazuya felt enveloped by her soft body and was suddenly struck by a mix of happiness and embarrassment.

“Cain, do you recognize me? You recognize your mother, don’t you? You passed out with an incredible fever and slept for an entire week.”

Kazuya could not make heads or tails of what the silver-haired beauty was saying. He had lost both parents when he was still young, and as best as he could tell, the woman standing before him was in her twenties—far too young to be his mother. Unable to settle his thoughts, Kazuya simply stared at her, dumbfounded.

“Madam, Master Cain just woke up, he might not be thinking straight,” said another maid, who had accompanied the woman into the room.

“That’s true, he was asleep for an entire week after all. Take your time and rest today. I’ll come check in on you again later. Reine was also really worried about you.”

The silver-haired beauty turned towards the young maid who had embraced Kazuya earlier and said, “Sylvia, your job today is to look after Cain. He should be able to have soup, can you prepare some for him?”

“Understood, Madam.” The silver-haired beauty claiming to be his mother and the maids accompanying her left the room to go prepare something to eat.

Kazuya, now alone, looked down at his hands again, opening and closing them once more. They definitely looked like they belonged to an infant. “Was I reincarnated like all those light novel protagonists? I guess they weren’t able to save me after all,” Kazuya muttered as he laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. “At least I was able to save Manami, so I won’t have to see Saori cry.”

Kazuya would occasionally talk about light novels with his classmates at school. In fact, he often read reincarnation stories, both in print and on his phone. Saori, his close friend, also loved light novels. They often lent books to each other.

“First, I have to figure out my current situation. It seems I’ve been asleep for an entire week.” He had apparently been in bed the entire time, and moving at all caused his joints to protest, so he settled for examining the area around the bed.

After a short while, he heard a knock at the door. The young maid from earlier entered the room while pushing a cart carrying a bowl of soup. “Master Cain, I’ve prepared some soup for you.”

Kazuya sluggishly got up. The maid placed the bowl of soup on the table next to the bed. Kazuya tried a spoonful. “…Delicious.”

The umami of the meat and vegetables had seeped into the broth, giving it a gentle taste.

As he drank the soup, Kazuya finally understood he had truly undergone reincarnation. With this new understanding, a new question entered his mind.

Um…I think her name was Sylvia?

“Sylvia, do you have a mirror?”

“Yes. You’ve gotten a little thinner since you didn’t eat at all while you were sleeping, but other than that, you look the same.”

Sylvia opened the drawer of the desk and took out a mirror, which she handed to Kazuya. The extravagant hand mirror was adorned with silver. Kazuya accepted it with both hands, and, after steeling himself, took a look.

The young boy reflected within the mirror had silver hair with blue highlights and sharp blue eyes. He looked about three years old. His facial features resembled that of the beautiful woman who claimed to be his mother. Kazuya was worried he might have been ugly. Since he seemed to take after his mother, he was likely to become quite the looker in the future. Kazuya inadvertently let out a sigh of relief.

He turned left and right, checking every angle of his face using the mirror. Sylvia suddenly joined him. “Master Cain, you don’t need to worry. You have the makings of an incredibly handsome man. You’re already so cute,” she said with a smile.

Kazuya was so absorbed examining himself in the mirror, he had completely forgotten Sylvia was there as well. Feeling a little embarrassed, he handed the mirror back to her.

“Thank you,” Kazuya said.

Accepting the mirror, Sylvia put it back into the drawer.

Kazuya slowly finished the rest of the soup. It was quite good, and before he knew it, he was already asking for seconds. It wasn’t entirely his fault, as he hadn’t eaten at all in the week he had been sleeping.

Kazuya spent the next three days idling away in bed. Although he had already recovered, Sylvia and the rest of his family told him to rest, just in case.

There was one big problem Kazuya had to deal with if he wanted to live as Cain in the future. Although he had already come to accept his new role and the fact he had reincarnated, he didn’t have any of Cain’s memories. He was able to confirm from Sylvia that he was indeed three years old, but he knew nothing about anything that happened prior to his reincarnation.

In his previous world, if someone were to ask him about his memories prior to turning three, he also wouldn’t be able to answer—but that’s because he was a high schooler. As a three-year-old, he should still have those memories.

He wanted to know more about this world he was in. In Japan, with a smartphone in hand, Kazuya could look up anything in an instant. Currently, he didn’t even know what lay beyond the boundaries of his own room, and he had no way to acquire that information.

In addition, although he had no trouble speaking, he couldn’t read at all. The picture books on the shelves of the desk were definitely not written in either Japanese or English: It was a completely alien language he had never seen before. As he rested in bed, Kazuya gathered what information he could about his family by asking Sylvia questions.

His name in this world was Cain von Silford. The word “von” in the middle indicated he was a noble. Specifically, he was the third son of the margrave responsible for overseeing the territory of Gracia within the Esfort Kingdom. The Esfort Kingdom was located in the center of the Grunewde Continent and was surrounded by other countries. These other countries had declared war against the Esfort Kingdom several times in the past, but things had calmed down in recent years.

Margraves within the Esfort Kingdom occupied lands along its border. They were given the right to independently field their own armies to protect the kingdom from foreign invaders. According to Sylvia, margraves were considered high-rank nobles. This was a comforting fact for Kazuya.

His father’s name was Garm von Silford Gracia. The “Gracia” in his name indicated it was a territory under his control—all lords adopted the names of their territories in this way.

Kazuya met him for the first time a little after he had awoken. Garm looked to be in his mid-thirties. He had blue hair, looked handsome, and was in good shape. He had two wives. Cain’s mother was Garm’s second wife, which likely explained the difference in their ages.

His mother’s name was Sarah von Silford. She was the silver-haired beauty who had immediately rushed over upon hearing he had awakened.

His elder sister’s name was Reine von Silford. She was two years older than Cain. She came to check in on him every day once he had regained consciousness. She had the same silver hair with blue highlights that Cain did, and their facial features were also similar. She was a lovely older sister that enjoyed nuzzling him while shouting, “Cain!”

The first wife of the family was Maria von Silford. She had two sons, Djinn von Silford and Alec von Silford. They were both attending school at the royal capital, so neither they nor their mother were here at the mansion. They were instead staying at the family’s residence in the capital.

Children here would attend school from age twelve to age fifteen, and they were considered adults at age fifteen.

Gracia was situated southeast of the capital, roughly one week away by carriage. Gracia boasted several towns and villages, centered around Gracia City, where Cain’s family lived. It also had a fortress situated in the east at the border with the Visus Empire. To the south was the Forest of Monsters, an expanse of wilderness where dangerous creatures were known to prowl.

Now that he had a general understanding of his family and the territory he lived in, Cain began to plan for the future.

In this world, children underwent baptism at age five. During this process, the priest would deliver a message from the gods.

The Kingdom followed the Marineford Religion, a polytheistic religion that had seven pillar gods. There was a country that went by the name of the Holy Kingdom of Marineford. Marineford had built churches in the important cities of each country and would send bishops and priests to maintain them. In return, Marineford received payments from the countries as well as donations from the residents themselves.

The seven pillars of this world were Zenom, the God of Creation; Sarnos, the God of War; Bela, the God of Earth; Reno, the God of Magic; Grimm, the God of Technology; Panam, the God of Commerce; and Rime, the God of Life. Led by the God of Creation, Zenom, the other six pillars all had their own roles.

Cain also learned this world had magic. In Japan, magic only existed in fiction. The idea he may actually be able to use magic excited Kazuya.

As he was not the eldest son, Cain would not inherit Gracia. The territory would instead be transferred to his older brother, Djinn. It was possible for Cain to receive land and his own title from the kingdom as reward for an outstanding achievement, allowing him to start his own independent aristocratic family. However, most people in his position settled for assisting the family head, joining the army and becoming a knight, working as a merchant, or becoming an adventurer.

“Gotta go with adventurer.”

Cain knew that becoming the head of an aristocratic family wasn’t easy—he’d much prefer to explore the world. This world consisted of more than just humans: He learned from Sylvia that there were elves, dwarves, beastfolk, and much more. This only reaffirmed his conviction to become an adventurer. With the knowledge he had acquired from reading light novels in his previous life, his desire for adventure was insatiable.

“I need to learn more about this world. First, I need to learn how to read, then I can study this world’s history and geography. I’m still three years old, so I have plenty of time.”

Cain had already decided what he wanted to do.

Chapter 2: Studying

Chapter 2:
Studying

SYLVIA WAS ASSIGNED TO BE CAIN’S PERSONAL MAID and tutor. She could read, so she was able to teach Cain many things.

“Master Cain, I’ll now read you this picture book.”

Although he was mentally a high schooler, he couldn’t read this world’s language. He had no choice but to endure the humiliation of having a young girl read a picture book to him. He did his best to learn the unfamiliar symbols.

Cain listened to Sylvia pronounce the characters her fingers traveled across. He had her teach him how to draw them so he could practice by himself later.

This world had still yet to develop the means of mass-producing paper, so most people wrote on parchment, cloth, or wooden boards. The fact these picture books were written on paper made them luxury products.

His mind and knowledge were indeed that of a high schooler, while his brain was that of a three-year-old. Everything he studied immediately stuck. Within a month, he had no problem reading or writing.

“Master Cain, you can already read and write, and you’re only three years old! You must be a genius! Miss Reina isn’t even as good as you are!”

Cain made sure to butter up Sylvia, since he planned to ask her to look for a book he wanted.

“It’s thanks to you, Sylvia. You’re a good teacher.”

Sylvia covered her cheeks in embarrassment. Sensing an opportunity, Cain steeled himself and made his move.

“By the way, Sylvia. Do we have any books about history or magic?”

“We have both.”

“Really? Can I read them? Can you get me a few?”

“Very well. I’ll bring them to you after lunch, but those books are a little difficult, I don’t think you’ll understand them.”

No normal three-year-old would want to read books about history or magic. Although Sylvia had her reservations, she acquiesced in the end.

It had taken a month, but Kazuya finally had an opportunity to read about magic. He was thrilled.

Since he had been perfectly healthy after waking up, his mother, Sarah, granted him permission to go wherever he pleased, as long as he stayed on the mansion grounds.

“I want to use magic already! Hopefully I’m able to…”

After lunch, as he continued to read the picture books in his room, Sylvia brought books on history and magic to him.

“Master Cain, this book covers the history of the kingdom, while this book offers a simple introduction to magic.”

“Thank you, Sylvia.”

“History and magic are difficult subjects. You’re not yet able to cast Status, either.”

“It’s okay, Sylvia. I’m studying for once I can use magic.”

Cain took the books from Sylvia and looked at the titles: History of Esfort Kingdom and Introduction to Magic – Beginners Edition.

Esfort Kingdom was the name of the country Cain was currently living in. It was founded roughly three hundred years ago, and the current king was the fifteenth King of Esfort. The first king was an adventurer that accomplished a great deed and became a Hero. He started a village that grew to become a city and eventually turned into a country, all during his reign. However, this king came from unknown origins.

His name was Yuuya Terra Hirasawa Esfort. Cain gasped upon reading the obviously Japanese name. “He definitely came from Japan.”

The current king was Rex Terra Esfort. The “Terra” in the middle of his name was a symbol of Royalty. It seems the “Hirasawa” name was dropped generations ago.

The Kingdom operated under a peerage system, with ranks divided into Royalty, Archduke, Duke, Marquess, Margrave, Count, Viscount, Baron, and Knight. Ranks from Count to Duke were considered high-ranking nobles, while ranks from Knight to Viscount were considered low-ranking nobles.

Most nobles acquired their titles through hereditary succession. However, only the family head would inherit the title. Direct family would be considered quasi-nobles, while the family of those quasi-nobles would be treated as commoners.

As for those with honorary noble titles and knights, their titles would not be passed down to their descendants, and their family members were treated as commoners. These rules were put in place to limit the number of aristocratic families within the kingdom. The family head of an aristocratic family received direct stipends from the kingdom, and if there were too many such families, the country itself would go bankrupt.

The Silford family were margraves, which made them high-ranking aristocrats. The mansion they resided in was large enough to be considered a small castle, which Cain had also more or less realized by that point.

Cain closed and put aside the history book and reached towards the book on magic.

“Magic…I still can’t believe it’s real.” He flipped open the book to the first page, on which only a single sentence was written: Upon receiving baptism at age five, if your Status reveals aptitude, only then should you read this.

That means I won’t be able to use magic until I’m at least five, Cain thought as he flipped to the next page.

Sense the mana within you.

The people of this world had a mana pouch located near the navel around where the dantian1 would be. The location of this pouch apparently differed based on species.

“Doesn’t hurt to try. I’ll give it a shot.”

Cain sat down on the floor and crossed his legs in a zazen posture. He closed his eyes and began to meditate. He breathed in, then out, as he focused on sensing what was going on within his body. Then, he suddenly felt heat coming from where his dantian was.

“Is that it?”

He focused on the flow of mana, and realized that although it was rather slow, he could sense it circulating throughout his body.

“It’s kind of like blood moving through blood vessels.”

Cain focused and tried to make the mana spin. He found he could control its movement as he wished. As he continued to circulate the mana within his body, he flipped to the next page.

Gather mana into the tip of your finger, then chant the spell.

“Hmm… Like this?”

Cain focused and channeled mana into his fingertip. He then formed the image of a candle in his mind and chanted, “Fire.”

He had imagined a two-inch-long candle, but instead a pillar of flame almost two feet long burst out from his finger.

“Whoa! I didn’t expect that.”

Cain dispersed the mana around his fingertip and the fire vanished.

“Now I know I can use magic, but it’s a bit dangerous to experiment with fire magic indoors. I’ll stick to just reading for today.”

From reading, Cain learned that there were four basic magic elements: fire, water, wind, and earth. There was also non-elemental magic: dark magic, light magic, and space magic. Spells were manifested by applying mana to a mental visualization, so there were also unique spells derived from the four basic elements.

“As someone equipped with knowledge of Japanese light novels, this is just the best.” Cain could no longer hold back a smile. He could use magic!

Casting that spell had depleted his mana and left him feeling a little sluggish. He turned to look at the book once more.

“Where’s the section on mana control and increasing your mana capacity?”

Cain flipped through the book in search of the information he wanted.

Daily mana circulation training will improve your control over mana.

Using up all the mana in your body, then resting, will increase your mana capacity. The maximum limit differs from person to person.

“I should focus on these two things for now. Since I’m still three, I should have a lot of room to grow. I need to increase my mana capacity and then experiment a bit.” Cain smirked, extremely satisfied that he had found a goal.

“Master Cain, it’s time for dinner.”

That was Sylvia’s voice. Glancing at the window, he realized that the last rays of the setting sun were shining through. It was already evening. He had been so focused on reading he hadn’t noticed.

“I’m coming.” Cain put the book inside his desk drawer and left his room. He entered the dining room where Sarah and Reine were already waiting for him. He sat in his seat and chatted with them for a bit. His father, Garm, was the last one to arrive and take his seat.

“Let us offer our thanks to the Seven Gods of Marineford.”

Garm picked up a bowl of soup and raised it to his mouth. The rest of the family followed suit and began eating.

“Cain, I hear from Sylvia that you’ve been learning how to read and write from those picture books. Do you like reading?” Garm asked.

“Yes, father. I’m not old enough to leave the grounds, so learning about the world through books is fun.”

“Cain’s only three years old, but he can already read and write perfectly!” Sarah said, beaming with pride. Although the language of this world was different, Cain still had the concentration of a high schooler: what he learned stuck.

“I can’t wait till I get baptized. I want to try using magic.” Cain kept the fact he already had used magic a secret.

“I see. Do you want to become a palace mage in the future, Cain?” Garm asked, sipping from a glass of wine. Having such a promising son made him happy as well.

“I’ll become an even more amazing palace mage than Cain will! I’ll get there first and wait for you to catch up, Cain!” Reine said.

His older sister, Reine, had an aptitude for magic. She apparently couldn’t wait to enroll in school and begin studying.

In this world, children spent the ages of twelve to fifteen in school. Each region had their own individual school, but that school was meant for commoners. Unless there were special circumstances, the children of aristocrats were typically sent to the Esfort Royal Academy. Commoners were allowed to attend as well if they passed an entrance examination. Due to the elite level of education provided there, graduates of the Royal Academy were highly sought after even after they returned home.

After enjoying a harmonious dinner, Cain returned to his room and immediately pulled the book on magic out of his desk drawer to immerse himself once more.

Two years passed, during which Cain continued to study and train his magic in secret. He would claim he was going out for a walk, then hide behind the mansion and experiment. He knew testing advanced magic that warped the environment would lead to him being discovered, so he exercised self-restraint. That said, part of his practice routine involved unleashing wind magic into the sky, which was quite reckless.

“Yep. I can become a mage.”

He continued his reckless practice routine, and before he knew it, years had passed. He was now five years old. The time of his baptism approached.

Chapter 3: Baptism

Chapter 3:
Baptism

THIS WORLD WAS NOT AS SAFE AS JAPAN. THE ONLY remedy for disease in this world was the recovery magic provided by the church. Families who were too poor to donate to the church had no alternative treatment options.

The child mortality rate in this world was also high. That was one of the reasons why baptism was a tradition to begin with. The ceremony celebrated and commemorated the child surviving to the age of five and offered prayers to the gods for the child’s continued safe development. After praying, the child would also gain the ability to cast Status.

“Now that I think about it, this would be my first birthday celebration.”

It was customary to celebrate the fifth, tenth, and fifteenth birthday in this world, and children were deemed adults at age fifteen. As he considered the situation of this world, Cain put his hands through the sleeves of his baptismal clothes.

“Master Cain, it’s almost time. Have you finished preparing?” After knocking on the door, Sylvia entered the room.

“Oh, Sylvia. I’m ready,” Cain said.

Cain exited the room alongside Sylvia, who was wearing her usual maid uniform. Garm, Sarah, and Reine were waiting for him outside.

Cain bowed his head and apologized. “Sorry for making you wait, Father.”

Garm smiled and dismissed it with a wave. “It’s fine. You look completely different when dressed up. You really do take after Sarah.”

“You’re so cute, Cain!” Reine said as she nuzzled against him. She had a bit of a brother complex, but she was a kind older sister that took good care of him. She would often look all around the mansion in search of Cain whenever he left his room to practice magic. She had to; Cain didn’t want to be found while practicing.

Cain responded with a genuine smile. “Thank you, elder sister.”

Sebas, the butler, arrived after preparing the carriage.

“Thank you for waiting. The carriage is ready, please get in.”

He opened the door of the carriage and waited beside it. The members of the Silford family entered the carriage with Garm seated the furthest from the door and Sarah seated next to him. Reine and Cain were seated across from them.

“We shall now set off.” At Sebas’s signal, the carriage slowly began to move.

“By the way, I’m supposed to be able to cast Status after my baptism. What does that look like?” Cain asked Reine.

“Oh right, you haven’t seen it before! I’ll show you mine!” Reine said. She then chanted, “Status Open.”

A half-transparent glass-like screen appeared in front of Reine.

“If you chant ‘Status,’ it’s only visible to you. If you chant ‘Status Open,’ you can show other people,” Reine said, showcasing it for Cain.

“That’s amazing, elder sister.”

“Come closer, Cain! Get a good look!”

Cain snuggled up to Reine to get a better angle.

Status

Name: Reine von Silford

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Age: 7

Level: 1

Health: 130/130

Mana: 220/220

Rating: D

Titles: Margrave’s Eldest Daughter, Loves Cain

Magic: Wind Magic Level 1, Water Magic Level 1, Fire Magic Level 1, Everyday Magic

Skills: Social Manners Level 2

Blessings: Blessing of the God of Magic Level 2

“…”

A title that he shouldn’t have seen was there.

“Ah! I forgot to hide my titles! Cain, did you see?” Reine asked with a blush and upturned eyes.

“Reine, you can use three different elements of magic!” Cain exclaimed, pretending he hadn’t seen the title.

“Oh, you didn’t see? Thank goodness,” Reine said with a relieved smile.

“Reine has aptitude in three elemental magics, and her blessing is level two. She might become a palace mage in the future,” Garm added with a smile. His tone made it clear that Reine’s Status was something to be proud of.

“Magic levels and Blessing levels range from level 1 to 5, and the higher the number, the stronger you can become. It’s possible to increase your magic level through training, and your blessing level can also improve through gaining the recognition of the Gods.”

Palace mages had magic levels and blessing levels ranging from 3 to 5, and most individuals with level 5 magic became great individuals that left their name in history.

Cain looked outside the window of the carriage and examined the city. Gracia City had rows of shops and stalls with people coming and going in all directions; it was a lively place.

After jostling around in the carriage for roughly thirty minutes, they arrived at the church. The carriage stopped at the church’s main gate, and the family got out and headed towards the receptionist.

“Garm von Silford Gracia. My son turned five today. We’re here to get him baptized. The priest should have already been informed about our visit,” Garm said to the nun.

“Yes, the priest informed us you would be coming today. Follow me, My Lord.” As the person before her was the ruler of this territory, the nun straightened her posture and offered a deep bow before leading the family into the church. After passing through a hallway, she opened a door and stood beside it. “They are currently preparing the altar. Please wait here while they finish preparations.”

The drawing room Cain and his family were led to was characteristic of a church; it wasn’t luxurious, but it had a calming atmosphere. Garm headed to the seat furthest from the door, and Sarah sat in the seat next to him. Reine and Cain sat in the seats across from them.

The nun prepared several cups of black tea and placed one before each of them.

“We’ll come get you once preparations are complete. Thank you for your patience.”

The nun left the room, leaving only the Silford family inside.

Garm opened his mouth to speak. “The time has arrived, Cain. There’s no need to be nervous. The priest will tell you what to do. After your baptism, we will have a small celebration, just amongst family. We’ll hold your social debut at another date.”

“Hopefully Cain also receives a ton of blessings and magical affinities! It’d be great if you got as many as I did!” Reine said with a smile. She always had a smile on her face when she was around Cain.

“With me as his mother, Cain will definitely have an affinity for magic. Hopefully as much as you do, Reine,” said Sarah.

Cain had heard that Sarah, prior to marrying Garm, was an adventurer. She was a mage that could use both offensive magic and recovery magic and had reached C-rank as an adventurer.

Cain had practiced magic in secret, and based on what he knew, he was capable of using all four basic elements. He likely didn’t have to worry about not having affinities.

Cain sipped his tea as he wondered whether his family would congratulate him if he showed aptitude in the four basic elements. As the family chatted, a knock sounded at the door before a nun entered the room.

“Preparations are complete, please follow me.”

The family followed the nun through the hallway and arrived at the altar room. An elderly man wearing a white robe with gold trims, likely the priest, was waiting for them in front of the altar. Further inside the room were statues of the Seven Pillars. The statue at the center of the group was slightly larger. Sunlight shone through the stained-glass windows, creating a mystical glitter.

“My Lord, we have been waiting for your arrival. Now that everyone is here, I would like to begin Cain von Silford’s baptism ceremony. Please come forward, Master Cain.”

Encouraged forward by Garm, Cain knelt on one knee in front of the priest and clasped his hands together in front of his face.

“Cain von Silford. The Seven Pillars of Marineford celebrate the coming of your fifth year. Continue to extol the praises of the Seven Gods.”

The priest then faced towards the statues of the Gods, knelt down, and clasped his hands together.

“Hail unto the Gods, who in their wisdom didst create and doth protect this world. I stand before Ye to report that Cain von Silford hath attained the age of five. I humbly beseech Ye, reveal the path he shall tread in this world Ye hast fashioned.”

As he spoke, the statues of the Seven Pillars unleashed a blinding light that filled the altar room, blowing out Cain’s vision with pure white.

After his eyes adapted to the light, Cain took a look around him. He was no longer in the altar room of the church where he was being baptized. He was in an empty world that was gleaming white.

“What’s going on?!”

“Hoh, hoh, hoh. This is the Divine Realm. So, thou hast at last attained thy fifth year? Long have we awaited thy coming, Cain von Silford. Nay, should I rather call thee Shiina Kazuya?”

Cain turned around in surprise at the sudden voice. Behind him, he saw an elliptical table and chairs that could seat roughly ten people. An elderly man wearing a white robe was seated near the middle, flanked by six others.

“Since you know the name Kazuya, that means you know I reincarnated?” Cain asked the elderly man.

“That may well be spoken of. But come, tarry not where you stand—seat thyself.”

At the elderly man’s suggestion, Cain sat down in one of the empty chairs. The elderly man was seated directly across from him. There were three males and three females seated to the elderly man’s right and left.

“Lo, I shall make Myself known unto thee. I am called Zenom. You may know me as the god who didst forge this world.”

Cain was surprised to learn that the strange elderly man was actually the God of Creation.

“Know this—thy thoughts are laid bare before Me.” Zenom said with a laugh as he stroked the long beard that reached his chest.

Cain responded in a cold sweat, “After I reincarnated, I started going by the name of Cain. That’s what my mother and father named me. In this world, I am Cain von Silford. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Cain rose from his seat and offered a polite bow. Cain was naturally not bold enough to speak casually before the God of Creation, said to be the King of the Gods.

“Verily, let us now speak of your reincarnation. Rime, impart thy wisdom.”

The woman with long white hair that reached her knees seated to Zenom’s left twitched her shoulders. She had been looking downwards with a somewhat apologetic look, but raised her head when her name was called.

“I am Rime. I oversee the cycle of life and death. You were reincarnated to this world at the request of the God overseeing your former world. It appears you were not supposed to die that day. The cycle on earth could not reconcile such an event.”

The bombshell that “he was not supposed to die that day” shook Cain to his core.

“Wait, I stepped in front of a few girls in order to protect them. Was I not supposed to do that?” Cain asked.

“According to the God overseeing your former world, the man charging at you was supposed to trip and fall. Then, the people nearby would disarm and neutralize him.”

“…Did I die for nothing?” Cain asked as his shoulders slumped downwards. It took a significant amount of courage for Cain to do what he did, and now he was being told that it was all for naught.

“Yes. The perpetrator had not yet harmed anyone, so his crime was not supposed to be as serious. Because you passed away, he was charged with murder.”

“So not only did I die, but I also burdened the assailant with a more heinous punishment?”

“To quote the God overseeing your former world, ‘He sure made a mess of things.’”

“…Rime, perchance it would be wiser to veil thy words in greater subtlety,” Zenom said with concern after seeing Cain’s gloomy expression.

After such a devastating revelation, rather than regret, Cain simply felt sad. That was to be expected, since he had just learned that his death had actually made someone else’s life worse.

“It was not possible for you to reincarnate on Earth, so your soul was given to me instead. You technically passed away while attempting to accomplish good. After a discussion with the God overseeing your former world, I was informed that if I allowed you to reincarnate with your memories intact, that may result in this world developing further. Thus, I reincarnated you with your memories intact. However, awakening your memories at the moment of birth may have resulted in mental damage due to breastfeeding or having your diapers changed, so I arranged for your memories to be sealed until you underwent baptism at age five. For some reason, that seal came undone at age three.”

Rime lowered her head and apologized. Seeing that, Cain spoke up.

“Goddess Rime, I have now lived in this world for five years, two of those with my memories unsealed. I am enjoying my life here. I do have some regrets about how I passed away in my previous world, but I can’t change what has already happened. Waking up in a new world was a bit of shock, but either way, I can no longer return. In my previous life, my parents passed away when I was still young. My last surviving family member, my grandfather, had also passed away. I have a family in this world, and I’m living an extremely blessed life. This world has magic, and I’m living my life to its fullest, so you have nothing to apologize for. I should be the one thanking you for allowing me to keep my memories. Awakening to my memories at age three allowed me to learn how to read and write as well as study magic, so I have no complaints.”

Rather than receive an apology, Cain felt he should bow down and thank the gods for their benevolence. His current living circumstances allowed him to study magic and do all sorts of things he enjoyed doing, although he still wasn’t allowed to leave the mansion grounds. Most importantly, he now had a family.

“Oh. You’re not bad. I like you.” The woman with long black hair and a black robe suddenly entered the conversation.

“I’m the God of Magic, Reno. Cain, you’ve been practicing magic since you were three years old, right? I watch you sometimes. I’m going to give you my blessing, so continue working hard.”

“Verily, we should bestow upon thee our blessings as well. In time, our paths shall cross once more. Hoh, hoh, hoh.”

Cain wasn’t sure what the God of Creation meant by “our paths shall cross once more.” Regardless, he was happy to receive a blessing from the God of Magic, just as Reine had.

“I shall make known to thee those gathered here. Rime and Reno thou knowest already. Beside them sitteth Bera, the God of Earth. Opposite, the one of mighty frame is Sarnos, God of War. At his side is Grimm, God of Technology. And lo, the rotund one is Panam, God of Commerce.”

The God of War, Sarnos, was the first to speak.

“Cain, heed my words—devote not thyself to magic alone, but temper thy body and take up the sword. I too shall bestow upon thee Mine blessing. Train well and grow mighty. Behold these muscles!”

Sarnos flexed, showing off his bulging muscles.

“I am Grimm, the God of Technology. I will grant you my blessing as well. This world wanteth much, most of all in the realm of merriment. So long as thou dost not exceed thy bounds, I shall permit thee to bring forth some knowledge of thy former world to this one.”

After Grimm finished, Panam, the God of Commerce spoke.

“I’ll give you my blessing too. With my blessing, you’ll gain the Appraisal and Item Box abilities. You’ll also be able to get more detailed information about the contents of your Status. The size of your Item Box is determined by the strength of my blessing.”

The last to speak was the God of Earth, Bera, who slowly articulated, “I’ll…give you mine, too… It’s a little…special… Experiment with it after you return…”

Cain had received blessings from all seven gods. Although he was uncertain whether he was worthy of such fortune, he stayed silent and continued to listen.

“Thou mayest behold Mine blessing once thou hast returned whence thou camest,” said the God of Creation. “Our time here doth wane. Yet fear not, for we shall meet again, Cain. Go forth and fare thee well.”

After the God of Creation finished speaking, Cain suddenly felt light-headed. The world before him suddenly warped. Upon recovering, Cain found himself looking at Reine.

“Cain! Are you okay?”

Cain looked around, and realized he was no longer in that pure white world from before. He had returned to the altar room of the church.

Cain let out a sigh of relief. He then looked up and saw the priest’s mouth was trembling in disbelief.

“Oh, for the statues to shine this much…” The priest kneeled before the statues of the gods and began to pray. Cain’s family members, who were waiting in the back, were also dumbfounded.

After a short while, the priest finished his prayers.

“This concludes the baptism ritual. The light from before was likely the gods bestowing their blessings upon you. Master Cain, I pray that your gratitude towards the gods never wanes as you continue to grow.”

“Thank you.”

The family bowed towards the priest and the statues of the gods before following the nun out of the altar room. They silently returned to the carriage. The first to break the silence was Garm.

“…What was that light? That didn’t happen during Reine’s baptism. Cain, do you know anything?”

“Father, I don’t know what happened either.” Cain knew better than to say that he had been summoned to the world of the Gods, and that he had personally met the Seven Pillars.

“I see… You may have received blessings from the gods. Check your Status after we return to the Mansion. Check by yourself first. You can come to me if you have any questions.”

“Thank you, Father. I’ll check once we get back home.”

“Cain! I showed you mine, so show me yours later too!”

Cain nodded, relaxing at Reine’s smile.

“Okay, elder sister. Hopefully I received blessings from the gods.”

He knew he had definitely received their blessings since he had directly met them, but he didn’t want to say anything until after checking his Status.

The jostling carriage returned to the mansion along the same road they took to go to the church. After they arrived, Cain immediately headed to his room, where he took a breather.

I just have to chant ‘Status,’ right?

“Status.”

A half-transparent screen displayed itself before him.

Status

Name: Cain von Silford

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 5

Titles: Margrave’s Third Son, Reincarnator, Disciple of the Gods, Prodigy

Level: 1

Health: 180/180

Mana: 34,560/34,560

Rating: S+

Magic: Creation Magic Level 10, Fire Magic Level 10, Wind Magic Level 10, Water Magic Level 10, Earth Magic Level 10, Light Magic Level 10, Dark Magic Level 10, Spacetime Magic Level 10, Everyday Magic

Skills: Appraisal Level 10, Item Box Level 10, Military Arts Level 10, Martial Arts Level 10, Physical Tolerance Level 10, Magical Tolerance Level 10

Blessings: Blessing of the God of Creation Level 10, Blessing of the God of Life Level 10, Blessing of the God of Magic Level 10, Blessing of the God of Earth Level 10, Blessing of the God of War Level 10, Blessing of the God of Technology Level 10, Blessing of the God of Commerce Level 10

“…”

Cain was dumbfounded.

He fell out of the chair he was sitting in and steadied himself against the floor, unable to stand.

There’s so many things wrong I don’t even know where to start!

“Gods, I’m grateful that you bestowed me with your blessings…but didn’t you go a little too far? I thought blessings only went from level 1 to level 5? Why does it say level 10? My father never mentioned anything about a level 10!”

He had been a little reckless in the magic training sessions he started at age three, but the gods were being far more reckless. When the gods said they would bestow him with their blessings, he had only hoped to receive a level 1 or level 2 blessing.

“There’s no telling what will happen if I show this to the rest of the family… Also, when did I become a Disciple of the Gods? If the church knew about that, they wouldn’t have let me leave! I need to figure out a way to hide these things…”

Cain had a headache. There was supposed to be a party this evening comprised of just the Silford estate. He would likely be asked to reveal his status to the others there.

“I can’t show this to anyone, not even to my closest family members…”

He got up and then tumbled onto his bed. He curled into a ball with his hands over his head and rolled around for a bit. Once he finished, he opened his Status and checked it once more, hoping that perhaps he had somehow misread.

“Status.”

However, his hopes were soon crushed, as the half-transparent screen displayed exactly the same information he had seen earlier. The longer he looked at it, the stronger his conviction grew. This Status could not be shown to others.

“I need to think of a way to hide this…”

He tried touching the half-transparent words with his finger, starting from Creation Magic.

Creation Magic Level 10

▷ Create magic according to a mental visualization. Mana cost is determined by what is manifested.

I have granted thee the power to weave thine own magic. With it, thou mayest fashion a means to shroud thy Status from prying eyes.—Zenom

Cain faced upwards and shouted his thanks, hoping that Zenom might actually be able to hear him. “This is it! Thank you, God of Creation!”

He immediately tested it out. He channeled mana into his fingertips and touched the half-transparent glass screen while visualizing the words on it changing.

“Creation Magic: Status Concealment.”

The numbers displayed on his status changed according to his wishes.

“I can use this to edit my Status to a more acceptable state.”

He spent the next few hours before the evening party secluded in his room editing his Status.

“Master Cain, it’s about time for the party.” After knocking, Sylvia entered the room. “Master Cain, you seem to be a bit nervous,” Sylvia said with a smile. “Only family will be present today, so there is no need to be concerned. No matter the results of your Status, you will always be Master Cain.”

Cain’s face clouded over. Although Sylvia said that, his real Status wasn’t something he could show to others. “…Yeah, you’re right. Let’s go.”

Cain left his room and followed Sylvia to the dining room.

“Thank you for waiting.”

The rest of the family, apart from Garm, were already seated. Cain went towards his own seat and sat down.

Garm arrived last to the dining room. He sat down in the seat in the middle, and after confirming everyone was present, raised his glass.

“Let us celebrate Cain’s fifth birthday. Congratulations, Cain.”

“Congratulations, Cain!” Sarah and Reine cheered. The dinner began harmoniously.

“What do you think that light during the baptism was? It didn’t happen when I was a child, nor did it happen during Reine’s baptism,” Sarah mused in puzzlement as she ate.

Cain silently continued eating, as he couldn’t exactly reveal that he had “met with the gods.” Cain grew more and more nervous as the meal drew to a close.

“Cain, did you check your Status?” Garm asked.

Cain’s nervousness peaked.

“…I took the opportunity to check it while in my room.”

“I see. Show us.”

A droplet of sweat dripped down from Cain’s forehead. He had edited his Status significantly but still revealed a certain amount. If he didn’t have the necessary blessings or affinities for certain things, then his parents may not allow him to study those fields. However, today was the first time he saw what a Status looked like, so there was no way for Cain to know what would be considered normal.

“Okay,” Cain said, “Status Open.”

A half-transparent glass screen floated midair.

Status

Name: Cain von Silford

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 5

Titles: Margrave’s Third Son, Prodigy

Level: 1

Health: 180/180

Mana: 34,560/34,560

Rating: C+

Magic: Fire Magic Level 2, Wind Magic Level 2, Water Magic Level 2, Earth Magic Level 2, Light Magic Level 2, Everyday Magic

Skills: Appraisal Level 1, Item Box Level 2, Military Arts Level 1, Martial Arts Level 1, Physical Tolerance Level 1, Magical Tolerance Level 1

Blessings: Blessing of the God of Creation Level 2, Blessing of the God of Life Level 2, Blessing of the God of Magic Level 3, Blessing of the God of Earth Level 2, Blessing of the God of War Level 2, Blessing of the God of Technology Level 2, Blessing of the God of Commerce Level 2

“This is my Status. I received many blessings from the Gods.” Cain pretended not to understand, as if he was a normal five-year-old.

The whole room was silent. Upon seeing Cain’s Status, his family members, no, everyone in the room including Sebas froze as if time had suddenly stopped.

Cain looked at the faces of his family members, only to find them wide-eyed and speechless with their mouths agape.

Nothing is above level five, so there shouldn’t be any problems, right? I have a lot of blessings, but that’s about it.

“Father, is something wrong? Is there a problem with my Status?”

Garm roused himself from his stunned stupor at Cain’s words.

“You even have a blessing from the God of Creation… On top of that, you have blessings from the other six gods as well. The blessing from the God of Magic is even level 3. On top of it all, just what is that mana capacity!”

Ah! I had gotten distracted by all the blessings and completely forgotten about my mana capacity!

“Palace mages, even at level 50, only have around 10,000 mana. You already have over 30,000, at level 1, and at age five. That mana capacity will only grow with time. You’re already qualified to be a top-class palace mage with your current Status. You also have the Appraisal and Item Box skills. No matter what profession you choose, you’re guaranteed to succeed.”

Sarah had yet to recover. As for Reine, she was carefully reading the Status while clapping her hands in excitement.

“Cain! You’re amazing! You have aptitude in a bunch of different magics and you received a ton of blessings!”

Garm furrowed his brows and hugged his head.

Although Cain had significantly downplayed his real Status, it was apparently still too overboard.

Garm said with a stern look, “Okay. I understand the situation. Make sure never to reveal that Status to anyone not in our family. Understood, Cain?”

“…Yes, Father.”

Garm then turned to the butler behind him. “Sebas. Don’t tell anyone what you saw here today.”

“Understood, Lord Garm. This Status…is definitely not something that one can speak of to others.”

“If others were to learn about this, I would likely be summoned to the royal capital by his Majesty, who would then demand an explanation from me. You would then be sent to the capital and placed under the kingdom’s authority.”

Cain did not want to be placed under the kingdom’s authority. He wanted to become an adventurer free to explore countries and cities as he pleased.

“I’ll be careful, Father.”

Sarah, finally recovering, nodded as well. “You’re our son, so I had expected you to be quite blessed, but you exceeded my expectations. What a surprise!” Sarah said.

It needed no mentioning, but the one most surprised by the developments was Cain himself. He was the one who met the gods in their own world, and he was the only one who knew about his real Status.

“Next week, the influential people of Gracia will come here to celebrate your birthday. Don’t tell anyone about your Status.”

He had been informed about it in advance, but Cain still couldn’t help but sigh even as he nodded. He was not looking forward to this upcoming social debut event.

Cain finished eating amidst the stifling atmosphere and then returned to his room. There, he reflected on the events of the day.

“I really do need to hide my Status…”

Cain was exhausted after being on-edge all day, so he quickly fell asleep after he got into bed.

Chapter 4: Social Debut

Chapter 4:
Social Debut

A WEEK HAD PASSED SINCE CAIN HAD REVEALED HIS Status to the rest of his family. It was now time to reveal himself to the aristocrats and other influential people within Gracia.

Cain hadn’t made any new spells, but he had continued his daily training regimen, which improved his control over mana and increased his mana capacity. In addition, since God of War Sarnos had asked him to, he began practicing with a wooden sword in the garden—Garm had immediately provided Cain with the child-sized sword upon request.

“Master Cain, it’s finally time for your official social debut!” Sylvia said.

Cain accepted the embroidered aristocratic outfit prepared specifically for the occasion and put it on.

“Yeah. The only people I’ve met are the ones here in this mansion and the people at the church. I don’t know much about the outside world since I’ve otherwise never left the mansion grounds. I’m kind of nervous.”

“There’s no need for concern, Master Cain. You’re a genius, you’ll be fine.”

“I’m not a genius… Thank you, Sylvia.”

Cain had finished getting dressed and fixing his hair, and all that was left was to wait for the event to start.

Evening arrived, and there were already dozens of guests waiting in the great hall of the mansion. Garm, the lord of Gracia and host of the event, rose to the podium and began to speak.

“Thank you for taking time out of your busy days to join us here today. The Third Son of the House of Silford, Cain von Silford, has safely reached the age of five, and on this day he will make his first societal debut. He was baptized last week, and he was fortunate enough to receive favor from the gods. He will now introduce himself. Cain, enter.”

The door opened, and Cain walked through it. He stood next to Garm and looked out at the crowd from the slightly elevated platform.

Oh man, there’s so many people here. Cain was assaulted with anxiety. He had never spoken in front of so many people before, even in his previous life. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and began to speak.

“As my father said, I am Cain von Silford. Thanks to everyone’s help, I was able to safely reach the age of five. I’m still inexperienced, so I hope to grow under everyone’s guidance. Thank you for coming today.”

Cain offered a deep bow. He used the knowledge from his previous world to prepare, and he managed to recite his introduction as planned, but the guests didn’t respond the way he expected.

The great hall was completely silent. Cain looked to his side at his father, who had an awkward smile on his face. A few seconds later, a few people began to clap, followed by more, before finally turning into a wave of clapping that resounded throughout the hall.

Garm said in resignation, “That was not the typical introduction you expect from a five-year-old. Thank you, everyone. Cheers.”

The guests in the hall responded in kind, lifting their glasses. “Cheers.”

Cain had used the knowledge from his previous world to come up with that introduction, but it definitely wasn’t normal for a preschooler to introduce themselves the same way a high schooler would. Cain realized he had screwed up, but there was no point in dwelling on the past, so he just went with it. People began lining up to greet him.

Garm began the introductions. “Cain, remember this man. This is Tris.”

“Viscount Tris von Saravath. It’s nice to meet you, Cain. I oversee the fortress city of Lamesta, east of Gracia, on the border with the Visus Empire.”

Tris had blonde hair and sun-kissed skin with a well-toned body that pressed against the aristocratic outfit he was wearing. He was the very image of a warrior.

“Viscount Tris and I go way back. It is thanks to his efforts protecting Lamesta that Gracia is so safe despite bordering the Visus Empire. Remember that.” Garm explained.

“It’s Margrave Garm’s assistance that allows us to rally the soldiers we need. We’re always in your debt. I must say, Cain. With that self-introduction earlier, are you some kind of prodigy?” Tris asked with a hearty laugh. He gave Cain two strong pats on the shoulder.

“Cain spends all day reading books. He can already read and do math.”

“That’s wonderful news. He’s the third son, so I’m sure the other houses will be lining up to have him marry into them. I’d be interested too if I had a daughter of my own.”

Cain enjoyed the praise, but he couldn’t help but feel awkward—they were already talking about marriage, but he was still just five years old.

“Thank you. I still have a lot to learn. Until I’m of age to attend school, I’ll be making the most out of our family’s library.”

“Come visit Lamesta when you have the chance. I think it’ll be an eye-opening experience,” Tris said.

“Okay. I’ll talk to my father about it and get his permission. I’ll be in your care when the time comes,” Cain answered.

“You really aren’t like most five-year-olds. I’m looking forward to seeing you grow. I don’t want to hold up the rest of the line, so I’ll catch you later,” Tris said as he vanished back into the crowd.

The next person seemed to be some type of bureaucrat. He was slim and seemed educated. Cain had seen him several times before in the mansion.

“Baron Sarai von McClaine. I am the governor of the Gracia Territory. When Lord Garm leaves for the capital, he leaves the city in my hands. I believe we have met a few times before, in the mansion.”

“Yeah, Sarai always brings me a mountain of paperwork and never lets me slack off. I wish he would just stamp them all for me—I’d give him my stamp if he would,” Garm said. Cain wasn’t sure that was a good idea.

Sarai also stiffened at Garm’s words. “Lord Garm, it is necessary for you to look through the paperwork as well. That is your duty as ruler of Gracia.”

Cain found himself nodding at Sarai’s words.

“Yeah, yeah. Cain, if you have any questions about Gracia, it is best to ask Sarai. He’ll teach you whatever you wish to know.”

“Baron Sarai, I look forward to learning more about Gracia from you,” Cain said with a bow.

“I will always make time for you, Cain. If you wish, I can teach you the necessary skills to become a bureaucrat.”

Sarai seemed to be quite on board with that idea. He may have sensed Cain’s potential after hearing his self-introduction.

“Wait, wait. Cain is still only five. Let him decide for himself what he wishes to become once he grows up. If he wishes to become a bureaucrat then, I’ll leave him to you.”

“Very well, Lord Garm. I will take my leave.”

After that, the aristocrats located around Gracia and their families came to meet with Cain one by one. There was an order to follow when giving greetings.

After the aristocrats had finished, a heavy man wiping sweat from his forehead approached Cain. He appeared to be a merchant, and he had jeweled bracelets and rings on both hands.

“Greetings, Master Cain. My name is Matthias, I run the Gracia branch of the Narnis Company, whose headquarters are in the capital. Just say the word, and I will get you whatever you need—even slaves, if so desired,” the man said, rubbing his hands together.

Cain narrowed his eyes and said, “I’m not sure about slaves, but I may have requests for you in the future. When that time comes, I would appreciate your help.” Cain did his best to hide his distaste.

“Oh my, what an intelligent little boy. I look forward to dealing with you in the future, then,” Mattias said.

The cologne Mattias used made Cain uncomfortable.

Cain met with several more groups before the line finally calmed down. He went to his father and said, “My apologies, father. Permission to recuse myself for a moment.”

“Very well. I’ll hold down the fort, return as quickly as you can.”

Cain slipped through the gaps in the crowd and exited the great hall. After relieving himself, he headed back. On the way, he ran into a confused girl about the same age as him.

“Are you lost?”

The girl turned to face him. She had something on her head that humans lacked: cat ears.

Cat ears! They’re here! She has big round eyes as well! She’s so cute!

Cain had read many books, so he was aware of the existence of beastfolk, but this was his first time meeting one.

“Yes…” The girl answered with an uneasy expression, “I came with my dad, but after going to the bathroom, he was gone when I came out…”

“I’m Cain. What’s your name?”

“I’m Parma…”

“Okay, Parma. Let’s head back to the great hall together. If you take too long, your father will start to worry.”

Parma nodded with a big smile. “Okay.”

“We can look for your father together after returning to the hall.”

“Thank you, Cain.”

Crap, she’s way too cute. I want to pet her ears. Cain restrained his impulsive hands as he walked alongside Parma, however his eyes were glued to her ears.

When the two arrived back at the great hall, the guests were in the middle of socializing with each other as they enjoyed their drinks.

“I wonder where your father is…”

As they walked together, a voice called out to them from behind. “Ah, Parma. You were taking so long, I was getting a little worried.”

They turned around. Behind them was a kind-looking man who also had cat ears.

“Ah! Father! I got lost. Cain showed me the way back here.”

“Oh, thanks for tha—” Parma’s father froze in the middle of his words. His forehead began to sweat.

“…Are you, by any chance, Master Cain?”

“Yes. Nice to meet you. I’m Cain von Silford. Thank you for coming here today to celebrate my birthday.” Cain politely bowed.

“No, no. I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for taking care of Parma.”

Parma, seemingly not understanding the situation, tilted her head in confusion.

Holy crap, she’s so cute!

“Parma! This young man here is Master Cain, today’s guest of honor. You’ve been on your best behavior, right?”

“Huh? Mister Cain was a noble? Oh… No wonder you’re wearing such pretty clothes. Everyone here today is wearing clothes like that, so I couldn’t tell.”

“Parma! He’s the esteemed son of a margrave, you will refer to him as Master Cain, not Mister Cain.”

“No, don’t worry about that. We’re still just children, after all. I’ve been cooped up in the mansion all this time, so I haven’t had a chance to talk to someone my age before. Are you willing to be my friend, Parma?”

“Sure! I’d love to be Mist—Master Cain’s friend.”

“Thank you.” I hope you’ll eventually let me pet those ears of yours, Cain thought.

Parma’s brilliant smile was soothing, but Cain’s eyes were still glued to her twitching ears.

“I’ve yet to introduce myself. My name is Sabinos, I operate the Saracaen Company within Gracia. It’s an honor to make your acquaintance.”

Sabinos politely bowed. Cain liked this merchant much more than Matthias, the slave-trader with all the gemstones.

“The honor is mine. I’m still a child so there isn’t much I can do, but if the situation arises, let’s talk again then. I have to leave now. It was nice meeting you two.” Cain waved at Parma before returning to where Garm was waiting.

He was introduced to several more people, but they didn’t leave much of an impression. It wouldn’t be realistic to expect a high schooler to remember so many new faces, let alone a five-year-old.

Cain’s social debut came to an end without incident, and the guests had all left. Cain was leisurely drinking black tea in the family living room when Garm entered.

“You must be tired. Did something fun happen? You’re smirking for some reason.” Garm sat down on the sofa across from Cain.

“Yes, father. I met a beastfolk for the first time today! It was a young girl. She was really cute.”

“You’re only five years old and you’re already interested in girls? My lord…” Garm was in a good mood because Cain’s child-prodigy performance was received so favorably by their guests.

“Wait until you grow up before going after girls. You’re the third son, so you won’t be inheriting Gracia. Once you’re an adult, you can find your own path in life. I’ll help you achieve whatever you choose.” From Garm’s point of view, someone with Cain’s Status should be able to succeed at anything he wanted to.

Cain looked at Garm and replied with a serious expression. “Yes, I know. I’m planning to become an adventurer.”

Garm seemed slightly taken aback by the answer, but he immediately smiled. “Not palace mage or knight or merchant, but adventurer? That might not be so bad. Sarah used to be an adventurer as well.”

“Yes. I want to become an adventurer and visit the capital and other regions—if possible, other countries as well.”

“Okay. You need to wait until you’re twelve for some of that, but as part of your duties as an aristocrat you’ll have to visit the capital at age ten. We’ll need to get you a tutor that can teach you swordsmanship and magic before then. I’ll start looking.”

“Thank you, Father.”

It was late, so Cain returned to his room. He undressed and handed the clothes over to Sylvia, then changed into pajamas before snuggling into bed.

“Master Cain, good job today. You really are a genius! I can’t wait to see you grow up.” Sylvia had been present when he introduced himself, and she had yet to calm down.

“Sylvia, it really wasn’t that big of a deal…and I really am tired now. I’m going to sleep. Good night.”

“Good night, Master Cain.” Sylvia tied up Cain’s discarded outfit and brought it with her as she left the room.

Cat ears really are the best! Cain thought about Parma as he fell asleep.

Chapter 5: Private Tutor

Chapter 5:
Private Tutor

TODAY WAS THE DAY HIS PRIVATE TUTOR WAS SUPPOSED to arrive. A month had passed since his social debut, and Garm had finally managed to find an appropriate tutor for him.

Noon arrived, and as Cain waited in anticipation, Sylvia came to get him.

“Master Cain, the adventurer who will serve as your tutor has arrived. I’ll take you to the drawing room.”

“Thank you, Sylvia. I’m coming.”

After knocking on the door of the drawing room, Sylvia opened it and she and Cain entered. There were two people waiting for them inside. The first was a female warrior in her early twenties. She wore light leather armor and her red hair was tied up in a ponytail. The second was a female mage wearing a robe with a hood that covered her head. Cain sat down across from them.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Cain von Silford. I recently reached the age of five. I’ll be in your care.”

The female warrior was the first to respond.

“I’m Millie, an adventurer operating here in Gracia. Nice to meet ya. Oh—I mean, nice to meet you. I fight on the front lines with a sword and shield, and I’m a D-rank. This here next to me is Nina.”

Millie clearly wasn’t that comfortable using formal language, as she would occasionally stumble.

“I-I’m Nina… Hey.” She kept her face covered by a hood as she introduced herself.

“Nina, c’mon! I told you that you had to speak formally since we were headed to a noble’s place, didn’t I?”

Despite Millie’s rebuke, it seemed like Nina had no intention of speaking formally.

“Maestra Millie and Maestra Nina, right? You two are the teachers here, so there’s no need for you to speak formally. I’ll be in your care.”

Millie’s tense expression immediately brightened at Cain’s words.

“Phew, that makes this a lot easier! Nina is shy, so she’s always like this. She’s also a D-rank adventurer. Nina, at least take your hood off!”

Millie pulled Nina’s hood down for her.

Oh, an elf, Cain thought. This is my first time seeing one.

Nina immediately pulled her hood back up.

“Jeez! There’s no helping it when it comes to you,” Millie chastised. “Still, we’re supposed to tutor the son of the Lord responsible for this region, but you’re still five, right? Is that really necessary?”

Cain’s expression turned serious at Millie’s question. “I’m the third son, so I won’t be inheriting this land. I told my father that I wished to become an adventurer.”

“Hmm? So that’s why that request was put up at the adventurer’s guild. Okay, I get it now. The contract says that we’re supposed to come twice a week, with one day being swordsmanship training, and the other day being magic training. We’re going to give you homework, so make sure to do it.”

Cain nodded. “Understood.”

“Let’s head to the training grounds then. Nina, get moving.”

“Mm. Okay.”

Sylvia led the group of three to the training grounds in the backyard of the mansion. As one would expect from the territory of a margrave, the mansion had a training ground attached to it since there were always soldiers stationed nearby. There were training swords at the training ground, but they were meant for adults, so Cain had to bring his own personal wooden sword.

“Let’s start with swordsmanship. I’ll take a look at your swing, so show me what you’ve got,” Millie said. “I’ll point out your problems as I notice them.”

Cain held the wooden sword in a kendo stance and swung. Since he had the military arts skill, the sword swung naturally. Downwards, upwards, in a sweeping motion—he saw the moves in his head and acted accordingly. After finishing a sequence, he turned to look at Millie, who was staring at him slack-jawed.

“What the heck, Cain?! You’re so good, there’s nothing for me to point out!”

“He might be stronger than you, Millie…” Nina muttered.

Millie caught her words and shot back, “I won’t lose to a five-year-old! Cain, if you’re already that good, then we can focus our sessions on sparring.”

“Okay, understood, Maestra Millie.”

The two of them moved about twenty feet apart from each other before turning around and holding out their wooden swords. This was Cain’s first time facing someone else in combat, so he figured using the full level 10 strength of his blessing from the God of War would be a bad idea. He instead decided to limit himself to roughly twenty percent of his powers. If that wasn’t too problematic, he would gradually increase from there.

“Show me what you got,” Millie said with a relaxed tone.

“Here I come!”

Cain pushed strength into his legs and leaped, instantly closing the twenty-foot distance. He swung his wooden sword, but it was stopped at the last second by the wooden sword in Millie’s hand.

“Cain, are you really only five years old? There’s no way.”

“Yes. I just got baptized recently.”

“You’re already strong enough to be an adventurer.”

Cain continued to swing his sword.

Millie dodged and parried Cain’s swings, but she was barely hanging on.

“Hang on! Time out! I won’t last long at this rate,” Millie said.

“Okay! Understood,” Cain replied.

The two of them separated once more. Cain was perfectly fine, but Millie was already gasping for breath.

“Cain, you have the God of War’s blessing, don’t you. It’s impossible for a normal five-year-old to have such sharp swordsmanship.”

“My father said I wasn’t allowed to tell outsiders about my Status, but I guess it should be fine to tell my teachers. Yes, I have the God of War’s blessing.”

“As I thought. There’s no way I can handle teaching you swordsmanship for an entire day. Let’s change our plans,” Millie said, recovering her breath. “Let’s do both swordsmanship and magic each day. I’ll take the first half of the day, while Nina takes the second half. I need to rest for a bit, so it’s your turn, Nina.”

“Okay,” Nina said. Nina constantly covered her face with a hood, so Cain couldn’t see her expression. He had read before in a book that elves had a strong affinity for magic.

“I have a level three blessing from the God of Magic. I’ll start by teaching you the basics.”

Cain sat down and rested as he listened to Nina’s explanation.

“Start by sensing the mana inside you.” It seemed Nina planned to start from the very basics that Cain had already read about in the book on magic.

“Oh…I already know the basics.”

“…You already know the basics? Even though you just recently got baptized? Can you already cast spells?”

“I studied magic from books already, so I can already cast basic spells.”

“What elements? I can use wind, earth, water, and light. Elves don’t get along with fire. I’ll teach according to your elements.”

Cain wanted to learn about all four basic elements as well as light magic, so he answered honestly. “All elements.”

Both Millie and Nina froze in silence.

“Teacher?”

“Impossible. If you can really use all elements, that’s sage level. None of the palace mages are able to use every element. Show me. Can you use the basic spell Water Ball? If you can, then show me.”

“I can. I’ll give it a try.”

Cain raised his right hand and pointed it at the target in the training ground. “Water Ball.”

As he mentally chanted the spell, a ball of water three feet in diameter formed. Cain shot it towards the target. The ball of water hit its mark with great force and destroyed it.

“Was that all right?” Cain turned around and found his two teachers frozen once more.

“Maestra Nina?”

Nina, who was stunned, recovered.

“…Unchanted. High elemental aptitude. Given the scale of that attack, must be blessed. A genius? Impossible for a five-year-old.”

Cain did not know this, but normally it took mages long years of training as they gradually reduced the length of their chants, eventually gaining the ability to cast magic without chants altogether. It was only normal for his two teachers to be stunned that a five-year-old who had just been baptized was capable of such a thing.

“We might not have anything to teach you. You already have first-rate abilities in swordsmanship and magic. There’s not much we can do at a training ground like this,” Millie said as she wiped sweat from her hands.

“Oh, teacher, I have some towels.” Cain took out two towels from his Item Box and handed them to Millie and Nina.

The two of them responded in unison, “Huh?”

“Hm?” Cain tilted his head in confusion, unsure why they reacted that way.

“…Item Box.”

“Ah!” He had just gone with the flow and not really thought about it, but Item Box was an extremely rare skill.

“Nothing will surprise me at this point. I don’t have the energy to be shocked by every new thing you show us.”

“Yeah, Cain. Genius.”

The two of them could only throw their hands up in exasperation.

“Teachers, I have a request for you. My father told me that I wasn’t allowed to tell others about my Status, so please keep it a secret. Also, I’ve spent my whole life cooped up in this mansion. The only time I’ve left was to go get baptized. I want you two to bring me somewhere away from this mansion under the premise of practicing magic.”

“So, you haven’t seen the outside world before. It’s true that using intermediate magic and above here would be problematic. I’ll explain to the Lord, and if he agrees to let us, we’ll take you somewhere.”

“Really?! Yay! I want to see what the city is like, and I also want to visit the adventurer’s guild!” Cain exclaimed with shining eyes.

“Looks like we’ll have to find a way to convince his father…” Millie said with a sigh.

Further training that day was put on hold as the three of them returned to the drawing room. Cain was sitting between Garm and Sarah, while Millie and Nina were sitting across from him.

Millie explained, “Lord, Cain’s swordsmanship is already at the level of a veteran adventurer. He is also capable of using all beginner level magic. He’s only five years old—he’s definitely a genius. We want to take him outside of the city to practice magic in an empty field. We’re here to ask for your permission.”

Nina, as usual, remained silent with her hood covering her face. After Millie finished speaking, Garm hugged his head. He had already expected this to happen when he saw Cain’s Status. However, he had not expected it to happen on the first day he assigned private tutors to his son. In contrast, Sarah, upon hearing that her son was a genius, was beaming. She patted Cain on the head.

“Very well. I give you permission to take Cain outside. However, he must return home before the day ends. He is allowed to leave the mansion grounds, but only up to the entrance of the forest. He’s not allowed to enter the forest.”

Cain smiled upon hearing Garm acquiesce.

“If Cain is going to be heading outside, then we need to get him some weapons and armor! It’s only right that he’s so capable: He is my son after all!” Sarah was in a very good mood as she spoke.

Cain was extremely happy he was finally allowed to leave the mansion.

Side Story: Saori’s Feelings

Side Story:
Saori’s Feelings

I CAN’T BELIEVE KAZUYA DIDN’T COME WITH US, EVEN after I went out of my way to invite him. Sure, he’d be joining a group of three girls, but I was planning to split off from the group and go on a date with just the two of us.

Kazuya and I grew up together. We’ve known each other since elementary school. We played together often, but recently he stopped hanging out with me. I just wanted things to return to how they were in the past.

I always had a crush on him, but I never confessed. Since I had no choice, I went to the fireworks show with my friends, just the three of us. It would’ve been better if Kazuya was here. I took a picture of the three of us in our yukatas and sent it to Kazuya along with the message, “We look cute in our yukatas, right? Too bad you won’t get to see it!”

I’ll definitely find a way to drag him with us next year!

The fireworks show ended, and the group split up and headed home. When I arrived back at my house, there was a police car parked out front for some reason.

Did something happen?!

Still in my yukata, I rushed over and opened the front door. Right at the entrance, I found Manami crying on the floor in her yukata. Police officers were there as well, explaining something to my parents.

“Manami! What happened?” I asked.

Hearing my voice, Manami turned to face me. “Kazuya…” She said, before she started crying again.

In her place, a police officer began to explain. “Well, there was a knife attack at the convenience store on Second Street. When the assailant was about to attack Miss Manabe Manami and her friend, a man stood in front of them and protected them. The man was injured, and he seems to be an acquaintance…”

“Acquaintance? Don’t tell me you’re talking about…”

Mom answered my question, “Saori. Listen carefully. It was Kazuya. Kazuya protected Manami and her friend from the assailant.” Her face was also wet with tears.

“I-Is he okay? Is Shiina Kazuya okay?!”

After taking a deep breath, the police officer, clearly uncomfortable, explained, “Unfortunately, by the time he arrived at the hospital, his heart had already stopped beating.”

I suddenly felt dizzy. I had messaged him just a bit earlier.

Manami apologized through tears. “Big sis…I’m sorry. Kazuya told me to run away, but I was too scared to move. In order to protect us, he faced the man by himself…”

I instinctively hugged Manami. “Kazuya saved you, right? Manami, I’m glad you’re okay.”

I don’t remember what happened after the police officers left. I must’ve collapsed into bed and fallen asleep amidst tears.

It was summer break so we normally wouldn’t have to go to school, but the school announced an emergency assembly and gathered the students together to explain the situation. The incident was also covered extensively on the news, how Shiina Kazuya had faced off with the assailant by himself in order to protect a girl in junior high.

The dean stood at the podium and wiped away tears with a handkerchief as they explained. In the classroom, Kazuya’s desk was covered with flower vases. It finally hit me that Kazuya was gone for real, and my friends and I burst into tears inside the classroom.

A few days passed, and a funeral was held for Kazuya after his body was returned by the hospital.

Kazuya’s face, resting inside the coffin, was well maintained. It was as if he was still alive. I hugged the coffin and burst into tears. I cried on Mom’s shoulder. During the funeral, Manami was right there next to me, her cheeks just as tear stained as mine. I’m not sure how I got home.

I tossed restlessly in bed and stared at the ceiling. I then took out my phone and looked at the picture I had secretly taken of him in the classroom. I mumbled to myself, “Kazuya, thank you for saving Manami. If you came with us to the fireworks, then maybe Manami would’ve gotten hurt. I wasn’t able to confess, but I’ll always love you, Kazuya.”

Chapter 6: First Adventure

Chapter 6:
First Adventure

CAIN HAD FINALLY BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO GO outside the mansion grounds, to somewhere other than the church. Of course, that was under the condition that Millie and Nina were there to protect him. Since he was leaving the protection of the city walls, Sarah gave him some leather armor, a robe, and a short sword, all specially designed to be used by a child.

Cain put on his new equipment in his room.

“Master Cain, you look amazing.” Sylvia complimented him like she usually did. “Even the areas near the city walls are dangerous, so be careful.”

“Yeah, I know. If I get injured, I probably won’t be allowed to go out again, so I’ll be careful.”

After getting his equipment in order, Cain left his room. There, Sarah and Reine were waiting for him.

“Cain, you look great. Although it’s to practice magic, remember that the outside world is dangerous and has real monsters. Be careful,” Sarah said.

“Cain, tell me about what you see once you come home!” Reine said.

“Mother, I’m off. I’ll be back before evening.”

After greeting the two, Cain followed Millie and Nina out of the mansion. The group passed through its gate and entered the city. The city’s main street was paved with cobblestones, and the group followed along it, walking past shops and stalls.

The streets were lively, and it was clear at a glance the city was flourishing. Cain swiveled his head left and right, overwhelmed by all the new sights.

“People are going to think you’re a country bumpkin if you keep looking around like that. Your father is in charge of this place, so hold your head up high,” Millie advised.

“That may be true, but I’m the third son. I’m going to become an adventurer after I grow up anyway.”

“You’re only five years old, yet you don’t come off as a child. Normal kids at your age would be going around everywhere bragging about their father.”

“I was taught by my parents that they have the citizens to thank for their position. The taxes they collect come from the success of the people under them—it’s their hard work that keeps us fed.”

“The Lord of Gracia is famous for his benevolent rule. We also moved here from elsewhere. Public order is pretty good here, and the forest is also close by, so there’s always plenty of work at the guild,” Millie said.

“Yes. Easy to live here. Food is good too,” Nina said.

The two of them liked this city. That was proof that Garm’s policies were working. Cain was extremely satisfied with their replies.

“Oh, if we’re leaving the city, can we drop by the guild first? There might be some information about what we can expect to run into outside.”

“I want to visit the guild!” Cain excitedly exclaimed with a sparkle in his eye.

They continued through the city and arrived at a large, three-story wooden building with a signboard of a crossed sword and shield. They opened the door and entered.

Directly across from the entrance was a receptionist desk. To the right was a bulletin board that had papers Cain assumed were requests. To the left was an area that seemed to double as a waiting area and cafeteria. Despite the early hour, there were already several adventurers sitting there, drinking.

The group headed towards the receptionist’s desk.

“Rudy, got a question—are you free?”

The receptionist, Rudy, was a beastfolk with dog ears. She looked up and answered with a smile, “Oh! Hi, Millie. What are you here for today?”

Dog ears… I bet they’re really fluffy, Cain thought. He was completely captivated, but Millie didn’t seem to be affected as she spoke with Rudy.

“We’re planning to do some training outside the city. We’re here to check if any monsters have been spotted.”

“Horned rabbits and wolves show up from time to time, but we haven’t gotten any new reports recently. You have a really cute little kid with you guys today. Did you take in a disciple?”

Millie moved in closer to the receptionist and whispered, “I’m on a request right now. He’s the son of the Lord of Gracia. We’re planning to leave the city to help him train.”

Rudy rose in a fluster and bowed to Cain. How could she have known this small child dressed in adventurer garb was the son of the ruler of Gracia?

“Let me apologize for my rudeness. I did not know that you were the esteemed son of the Lord of Gracia. I’m Rudy, and I operate the receptionist desk at the adventurer’s guild.”

“Cain von Silford. I’m still five, so I can’t register for the adventurer’s guild, but I’m planning to become an adventurer once I’m twelve. I hope to receive your assistance when the time comes.”

Rudy relaxed upon seeing Cain’s smile. “Oh my, how proper. You can call me Rudy.”

“All right, we’re off then.”

The group headed towards the exit, but one of the adventurers drinking in the cafeteria called out and stopped them.

“Hey! It’s Millie! What’s with the kid? Babysitting is such a chore, come drink with us instead!”

“Yeah, yeah! Drinking with us is way better than looking after a kid! We’ll take care of you tonight as well—I promise you’ll be satisfied.”

The other two adventurers drinking with them cackled, “Gah hah hah hah!” Millie and Nina looked at the drunkards in disgust.

Millie replied in disinterest, “We’re in the middle of a request right now. If you want someone to service you, head to the brothel.”

They once more headed to leave, but one of the men grabbed Nina’s arm. “Hey, did you not hear us?”

“Hey! Let go!” Millie said as she fended off the drunk man.

“Huh? You talking back to the C-rank adventurer, Lord Crosse? You guys are still D-rank. Listen to your betters and service us!”

Oh, it’s one of those super cliché events! Cain’s heart began to beat with excitement. However, at this rate, they wouldn’t be able to leave. He might not be able to practice today.

“Sorry, we’re about to leave. Could you let go?”

Cain stepped forward and smacked the arm of the man grabbing Nina. He had the blessing of the God of War and the Martial Arts skill. The force with which he struck the man’s arm was significantly stronger than what you would expect from a five-year-old. The man let go.

“Ow! Damn brat, who do you think you are?! You’re not getting away with this. Cheeky kids need to be disciplined!”

Crosse’s face turned beet red as he lunged at Cain. Cain used his martial arts abilities to dodge sideways at the last moment. He then slid under the man’s guard and kicked the inside of his knee, causing Crosse’s face to twist in pain. That only enraged Crosse further—a child had evaded his punch and then kicked him.

“This brat is asking for it! Die!” Crosse drew his sword and lunged at Cain.

“Watch out!” Millie shouted.

Perhaps because the man was drunk, his movements were slow. Cain easily evaded the attack. He then raised his sheathed short sword and smacked the man on the chin. He scored a direct blow and knocked Crosse unconscious.

The onlookers were dumbfounded. Although he was drunk, the man was still a C-rank adventurer—and a young child had just defeated him.

“What’s going on?!”

Everyone turned in the direction the sudden loud shout came from. There stood an adventurer of an entirely different class than the one sprawled out on the floor. The adventurer looked to be in his forties and had a buzz cut. He had the air of a seasoned warrior.

“Guild Master!” Rudy shouted.

“Rudy, what happened? Explain.”

Rudy explained what had transpired to the Guild Master.

“I see. For now, carry that guy sleeping on the floor away. He clearly needs some training, and I’ll see he gets it.” The man then looked towards Cain with a smile. “The third son of the Lord? If you want to become an adventurer in the future, you’re welcome here. If you’re already this strong at age five, you might become an S-rank in the future.”

He patted Cain’s head, laughed boisterously, and then disappeared into the depths of the adventurer’s guild. An employee at the guild arrived and carried the unconscious adventurer to the detention center.

“Allow me to apologize in his stead, Master Cain. That’s just the type of person our guild master is…” Rudy said as she lowered her head.

“It’s fine. An easy-going guild master is pretty nice. I wasn’t injured, so no harm, no foul. I just didn’t want to waste any more time.”

Nina kneeled down and hugged the five-year-old. “Thanks, Cain.”

Cain was overwhelmed by the sudden hug and Nina’s pleasant scent. A smirk found its way onto his face.

As one would expect from an elf, she had a slender build, and her chest left a little to be desired.

“We’ve finished what we came here for, so let’s go.”

The other two nodded at Millie’s words and left the guild. The three of them headed towards the city gates.

“Cain, not only can you use swords and magic, but you also know martial arts.”

“Cain. Strong.”

“I practiced while reading books at home.”

“C-rank adventurers aren’t so weak that you can beat them by just reading books and training. Still, there’s no telling what will happen once we leave the city, so stay on your guard.”

“I understand, Maestra Millie.”

“I’ll protect you. Don’t worry,” Nina said. Nina appeared to be in a good mood since Cain stood up for her earlier. Unlike Millie, Nina wasn’t very talkative, but Cain could tell she was quite nice.

Cain answered Nina with a brilliant smile. “Thank you, Maestra Nina.”

Nina fixed her hood to hide her slight blush.

The group talked about the various things they should be careful of once they left the city. The guards at the gates questioned why they were bringing a child with them, but Millie explained the situation. When the guards learned about Cain’s identity, they immediately fixed their posture and saluted him. Mere city guards naturally did not have the authority to stop the son of the Lord of Gracia.

The city gates were quite grand. They were roughly sixteen feet in height and the surrounding walls encircled the entire city. The wall was built because of the city’s proximity to the Forest of Monsters. If any creature made it out of the forest undetected, the walls would help protect the citizens inside.

Beyond the city gates was a well-maintained road. It was surrounded on either side by knee-length grass that covered the land as far as the eye could see. This would be Cain’s first adventure in this world. He couldn’t help but get excited.

The three leisurely continued down the road. Given this was Cain’s first outing, he constantly swiveled his head, taking in the sights. After they walked along the road for about an hour, Millie, who was leading the group, suddenly stopped.

“We’re far away enough that it should be fine for you to practice your magic here,” Millie said.

She led the group off the road and into the tall grassland. “Let’s practice here.”

“Millie, before that, food…” Nina pointed out. Due to how much time they wasted at the adventurer’s guild, the sun was already high in the sky.

“Oh yeah. Let’s eat first, then start training.” Millie took three bento boxes from her backpack. “I had the inn we always stay at make these bento lunches for us. Their food is always amazing.”

“Yep. The Silver Eagle Inn’s food is the best,” said Nina.

“Be careful not to eat too much since we’re going to be training after this,” Millie said as she handed a bento box to Cain.

Cain opened the bento box. It had several different types of sandwiches inside. Cain took out a veggie-and-bacon sandwich and brought it to his mouth.

“This really is good,” Cain said after finishing a bite.

As Cain began to vigorously eat his sandwich, Nina took out a cup and poured water into it. She handed it to Cain. “You’ll choke if you eat too fast.”

“Thank you, Maestra Nina.” Cain accepted the cup and washed down the food.

“Nina can use water magic—it’s really convenient. I can only use fire magic and physical enhancement magic. That’s why I focused on swordsmanship.”

“…Millie is a musclehead.”

“Shush!”

Cain smiled, thinking they made a good pair. The group finished eating and put the empty bento boxes back into Millie’s backpack.

“Let’s get started. Nina, your turn.”

“Yep. Cain, start with water magic. Try shooting at the rock over there,” Nina said. She pointed at a six-foot rock jutting out of the ground about sixty feet away.

“Got it, Maestra Nina.”

Cain straightened up and held his right hand out in front of him. “Water Ball.” A three-foot diameter water ball shot out from his palm.

“Fire magic next.”

“Fire Ball.” A ball of flame shot out of Cain’s palm.

“Earth magic next.”

“Rock Bullet.”

A small rock formed in front of Cain’s hand and flew towards his target, crashing into it and bouncing off. Next, he fired wind magic at it.

“No problems with your Elementary-level magic. I want to see your Intermediate-level magic next. Use whatever you want,” Nina said.

Although he had read about intermediate level magic in books before, this would be his first time using it.

“I’ll try fire magic,” Cain said eagerly. “Fire Wall.”

A wall of flames sixteen feet tall and thirty feet wide formed and swept towards the rock like a wave, striking against it. It was much more powerful than he had expected.

“…It’s hard to believe you’re five years old. The power of your Elementary-level magic is already ridiculous, but your Intermediate-level magic is on a completely different level,” Nina said.

“I know, right? Being able to use Intermediate-level magic at age five is already absurd! Yet on top of that, its strength is way higher than normal Intermediate-level magic,” Millie said.

“Are you feeling any lethargy from overusing your mana?” Nina asked.

“I’m perfectly fine,” Cain answered.

“…His mana capacity is also top class,” Nina said.

“Looks like it,” Millie agreed.

There was nothing the two could say about both the power of Cain’s spells and his seemingly endless mana pool. At that moment, the nearby grass suddenly began to rustle.

“Nina!”

“I know.”

“Cain, there’s something nearby! Be on your guard!”

Cain instinctively tensed up at Millie’s shout.

A horned bunny jumped out of the grass and began to look around the area. It was large, coming up to the height of Cain’s knees.

“A horned rabbit. Seems like there’s only the one. Cain, want to try taking it out with your magic?” Millie asked.

“Yes! I’d love to try!” Cain answered.

“Its skin and meat can be sold, so no fire magic,” Nina advised.

“Okay.”

Cain faced the horned rabbit. After thinking about which spell to use, he decided to go with wind magic. He adjusted the power, then unleashed the spell.

“Air bullet.”

A ball of air flew at the horned rabbit, striking and piercing through its body. The horned rabbit fell down, convulsed, and passed away.

“I did it!”

“A good job for your first time. The power of your spells is ridiculous.”

“Cain, you can bring the horned rabbit back with you the way it is.”

“Really? I want to show Mom and Reine, so I’d like that.”

Cain approached the horned rabbit and put it into his Item Box.

“Item Boxes sure are convenient. I wish I could use one. Once I save up some money, I’m going to buy a magic bag.”

“Oh, magic bags exist? This is my first time hearing about them,” Cain said.

“Magic tool shops that specialize in rarities sell them. The cost varies based on how much the bag can hold.”

That was some valuable information, Cain thought. The Item Box skill was tied to the blessing from the God of Commerce, making it rare amongst adventurers, but magic bags could be acquired as long as one had the money. He could potentially purchase one to camouflage the usage of his Item Box in the future.

“Let’s search for and hunt a few more. Nina, can you use Search?”

“Yep. I’ll give it a shot.”

Nina raised her staff and began to chant, “I do seek. Unveil now mine foes that lurk near. Search.” Nina pointed her staff. “There are several monsters about a thousand feet in that direction.”

“Maestra Nina! What was that magic you just used?” Cain was very interested in this new ability he hadn’t encountered before.

“I searched for monsters that have mana by thinly spreading out my own mana. I can’t tell how strong the monster is, though.”

Cain tried doing what she just described and thinly spread his mana around the area. “I do seek. Unveil now mine foes that lurk near. Search.” He was able to sense monsters coming from the direction Nina had just mentioned.

“Maestra Nina! I did it! There are five monsters!”

“…It’s not normal to get it right on your first try. Sensing the direction isn’t unusual, but knowing how many enemies is. Are you really only five years old?” Nina could only sigh at Cain’s magical talent, which defied all common sense.

“It’s best not to think too much when it comes to Cain. Let’s get hunting,” Millie said. She already had her sword drawn and was raring to go. They quietly approached the monsters since they didn’t want to alert them.

“There’s five of them. Nina and I will take two each—can you take the last one, Cain?”

“Yes!”

Millie cast Boost on herself to increase her physical attributes and then charged at the enemies. Enhanced by Boost, Millie hurtled toward a horned rabbit faster than an Olympic sprinter and slashed through it with her sword. The rabbit had its head cut off before it could even react.

“I desire. O wind, keen as tempered steel, cleave mine foes asunder! Air Cutter!” Nina’s spell flew at a horned rabbit and cut its head off as well.

Cain headed towards his assigned target. He visualized the image of a blade cutting through the air.

“Air Cutter.”

The blade of wind unleashed from his hand flew at the horned rabbit. It didn’t strike the rabbit’s head, but instead cleaved its body in half. The blade of wind continued to slice through the grass in the direction it was unleashed for over a hundred feet, ultimately vanishing into the distance.

The battle was over in an instant.

“No problems with horned rabbits, at least. Still, that’s some firepower. Even the grass all the way over there has been cut down… Let’s hurry up and let out their blood. We need to dispose of them before wolves show up, attracted by the scent.”

Nina opened a hole in the ground using magic then placed the horned rabbit into it before she began draining out its blood. After all five were drained, Cain put them away in his Item Box.

“Let’s head back. The Lord will get mad at us if we get back too late,” Nina said.

“Yeah. This is our first outing, and his parents are likely worried,” Millie agreed.

They packed up their belongings and returned along the same road they had followed out. The view of Gracia from a distance, with its mile-high city walls, was a sight to behold. This was Cain’s first time seeing the territory from the outside, and he stared at it, impressed.

“Gracia is quite big, looking at it like this. The walls are also quite tall.”

“If the Empire gets through the fortress, this is the first city they will arrive at. There are also tons of monsters in the nearby forest. I heard that, a few decades ago, hundreds of monsters flooded out of the forest.”

Cain had heard his parents mention something like that, but he hadn’t known the particulars.

“I’ll look into that in the library once I get home.”

As the three of them chatted, they arrived at the city gates. Millie and Nina showed their guild cards to the gate guard and passed through.

“We need to show either our guild cards or citizenship tags when we enter,” Millie explained.

“I don’t have any sort of identification like that,” Cain said.

“No need. I told them you were the Lord’s son.”

“Oh, okay then.” Cain was relieved he wouldn’t be denied entry.

The three of them strolled through the city and arrived at the Lord’s mansion.

“That’s all for today. Let’s head out to the grasslands on our next outing as well.”

“Okay! Leaving the city is fun!”

“See you later, Cain!” Millie said, with a wave good-bye.

“Later, Cain,” Nina echoed.

“Let’s do this again. Thank you for today!” Cain said, waving at the two girls as they left.

Cain entered the mansion and returned to his room where he took off his armor and cleaned himself using everyday magic. He changed into fresh clothes.

“Today was a lot of fun. I only defeated two horned rabbits, so I probably haven’t leveled up.”

Thinking that perhaps something may have changed since he used magic to defeat some monsters, Cain casually opened up his Status.

“Status.”

Status

Name: Cain von Silford

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 5

Titles: Margrave’s Third Son, Reincarnator, Disciple of the Gods, Prodigy

Level: 8

Health: 3,180/3,180

Mana: 254,890/254,890

Rating: SS

Skills: Appraisal Level 10, Item Box Level 10, Military Arts Level 10, Martial Arts Level 10, Physical Tolerance Level 10, Magical Tolerance Level 10

He was definitely level 1 this morning, but now he was level 8, even though he only defeated two horned rabbits. On top of that, his health and mana levels had increased by a completely unreasonable amount. He had heard from Garm before that having 10,000 mana was enough to become a Palace Mage, but his current mana was already over 200,000.

I’m becoming even more of a freak! Cain collapsed onto the bed while looking at his Status.

His tutors were supposed to come twice a week, so Cain quickly finished his daily studies for the day. He wanted to check his Status in his room, then spent time practicing magic.

“Creation Magic…just what does it let me do?”

“Status.”

The Status displayed before him would definitely get him labeled as an inhuman freak, and every time he looked, the amount his health and mana values had increased would always freak him out. His rating was also already at the SS level.

It’s true he gained some experience from fighting in the grassland, but it didn’t make sense for him to level up so much. Cain decided to carefully look through his Status again. He touched the status window’s Title section with his finger.

Titles

Margrave’s Third Son

▷ Third son of Garm von Silford of Gracia Territory

“Oh, they have a more detailed explanation. Next one.”

Reincarnator

▷ Someone who has memories of another world. Bonus to intellect.

Disciple of the Gods

▷ Experience gained is multiplied by 100.

Status increase per level is multiplied by 100.

Can hear the voices of the gods at churches.

Prodigy

▷ Someone who exhibits extraordinary abilities at a young age.

Rating

▷ Calculated based on average rating of strength, vitality, intelligence, agility, dexterity, and magic application.

▷ Strength: S

▷ Vitality: S

▷ Intelligence: SS

▷ Agility: SS

▷ Dexterity: SS

▷ Magic Application: SSS

“…So Disciple of the Gods is the cause behind my unreasonable level up speed? What the heck? Multiplied by 100? I can also hear the voices of the gods? 100 times 100 is… 10,000?! That’s ridiculous!”

The faces of the gods rose unbidden in Cain’s mind. He shook his head to clear the image, then looked at his Status once more.

Magic

Creation Magic Level 10

▷ Create magic according to a mental visualization. Mana cost is determined by what is manifested.

Mana cost is reduced by the rank of one’s blessing (Level 2: 10% reduction; Level 10: 90% reduction).

Fire Magic Level 10

▷ Able to use all manner of fire magic.

Wind Magic Level 10

▷ Able to use all manner of wind magic.

Light Magic level 10

▷ Able to revive the dead. Able to restore lost body parts. Able to cure all status ailments.

Convenient, but if I actually revived someone, the church would definitely take me away.

Dark Magic Level 10

▷ Able to use summoning magic and mental magic. Able to hide summons within shadows.

Oh! Summoning magic! I definitely want to try this out. I want a pet!

Spacetime Magic

▷ Able to teleport. Able to bestow Item Box.

Oh, I might be able to make a magic bag with this. I can also teleport?!

Everyday Magic

▷ Able to cast Clean. Able to cast the basic spells of the four basic elements.

After reading all the descriptions, Cain felt like he understood the various types of magic. He checked his skills next.

Appraisal Level 10

▷ Able to acquire detailed information about an item or person. The higher the level, the more you can learn.

Item Box Level 10

▷ Able to store items. Unable to store living things. Amount that can be stored is dependent on level (Level 10: Infinite).

Military Arts Level 10

▷ Ability to understand how to use any weapon wielded.

Martial Arts Level 10

▷ Body instinctively reacts when unarmed.

Physical Tolerance Level 10

▷ Reduce damage from physical attacks.

Magic Tolerance Level 10

▷ Reduce damage from magical attacks.

Next up were the blessings, but Cain would’ve preferred to not look at them. After all, he had received a level 10 blessing from all the gods, something considered completely unthinkable. Cain only wanted a level of strength appropriate for someone who made a living as an adventurer.

He took a breath, steeled himself, and opened the section on blessings.

Blessings

Blessing of the God of Creation

▷ Unable to show appraisal results.

Blessing of the God of Life

▷ Improves natural recovery and recovery spells. Effect increases with level.

Blessing of the God of Magic

▷ Improves the strength and duration of magic attacks. Reduces cast duration, allows for unchanted casting, and reduces mana cost. Effect increases with level.

Blessing of the God of Earth

▷ Improves the strength of plant-based magic. Transforms all earth-based magic.

Effect increases with level.

Blessing of the God of War

▷ Improves martial abilities and makes it easier to acquire skills. Effect increases with level.

Blessing of the God of Technology

▷ Improves dexterity. Able to appraise how something was made. Effect increases with level.

Blessing of the God of Commerce

▷ Able to cast Item Box and Appraisal. Able to use Contract Magic. Effect increases with level.

The details of the various blessings, minus the Blessing of the God of Creation, were displayed. No matter how many times he touched the “Blessing of the God of Creation” button, nothing changed. Cain gave up and decided he’d simply ask when he met the gods again at the church.

Cain now understood his Status. He also understood something he didn’t really want to.

“No matter how you slice it, I’m an inhuman freak…”

Cain closed his Status, swearing to himself that under no circumstances would he reveal it to anyone else.

After recovering emotionally, Cain decided to try making some new magic with Creation Magic.

“I wonder what I can make? Hmm… What can I do? What do I want to know? That’s it! I want a magic that allows me to look up what I want to know.”

Cain began to vividly imagine what he wanted in his mind. The search engines of his previous life came to mind. He took a deep breath and started circulating the mana within him. In this world, there was still so much he didn’t know about the outside world. That being said, he knew the general layout of fantasy worlds thanks to his previous hobby, reading light novels.

“Creation Magic: I do desire. Unveil unto me all knowledge of this world and the one before. World Dictionary!”

As mana left his body, a query field appeared that looked similar to the search engines of his previous life.

“Oh, something happened. Did it work? Time to give it a shot.”

Cain imagined words appearing in the search field and they materialized in front of him.

“Search: Silford Family.”

Search results: History of the Silford Family

▷ The Silford Family is led by Garm von Silford and is currently within its eighth generation. The first generation head was an adventurer who acquired fame and the Baron title by slaying a dragon that was attacking a city. The family was elevated to margrave status in its fifth generation and assigned the governance of the Gracia Territory.

“Whoa! Amazing!” Cain jumped in the air in excitement—it had actually worked!

Suddenly, he felt dizzy. Oh, crap. I used too much mana. Lethargic, Cain opened his Status and saw that he had used up 200,000 mana—apparently, it took quite a lot of mana to create new spells. Cain collapsed onto his bed and passed out.

The sensation of someone shaking him roused Cain back to consciousness. He opened his eyes and saw Sylvia in front of him.

“Master Cain, it appears you were resting, but dinner shall soon be ready.”

The setting sun was shining in through the window, showing that it was already evening.

I’ll need to be more careful when making new spells, Cain thought to himself, carving it into his heart.

Side Story: Gods Chatting

Side Story:
Gods Chatting

AFTER CAIN RETURNED TO WHERE HE HAD COME from, a discussion between the gods took place. At the center of the table was a screen, upon which the figure of Cain was projected.

“Look, everyone. Cain seems so shocked! Hoh, hoh, mwghoh!” Zenom held his stomach and laughed so heartily he began to cough. This Zenom seemed like a completely different person than the imposing figure Cain had just met.

With his baptism over, Cain had returned home and gone to his room. He had just checked his status and was currently hugging his head, mortified.

“Esteemed Zenom, we each granted him a level 10 blessing, but was that really a good idea? The people of this world aren’t aware that there are blessings above level 5—Cain is the only one with blessings that high.”

“Rime, be at ease. Many trials yet lie upon Cain’s path, for he is our disciple. I have granted him leave to wield Creation Magic to veil his Status, and thus no problems should befall him. Moreover…to behold him thus is far more amusing!”

Rime said with an exasperated sigh, “I feel like that final reason is your real motive…”

“Yuuya was called hither by summoning magic, and in time, rose to the throne as king. I wonder what fate awaiteth Cain,” Zenom mumbled.

“Cain must not set his sights upon magic alone, as doth that magic-addled wretch, Reno. Rather, he should hone his sword and martial arts. Mark my words—muscles are of the utmost import!” Sarnos asserted with a laugh as he watched the screen.

“What nonsense. This is why people call you the muscle-for-brains god of idiots,” Reno shot back, launching a water ball the size of a fist at Sarnos.

“Such feeble sorcery availeth naught against me! Know this—muscles are the mightiest of armors!”

The water ball struck Sarnos and bounced off.

“This is why I hate muscle-for-brains idiots…” Reno said with a sigh, resting her chin on her hands.

“In any case, Cain seems to like magic. Of his concealed blessings, the only one he showed others at level 3 is mine. I’m looking forward to what he does.”

The fact that Cain chose her blessing out of the others to show as level three gave Reno a sense of superiority as she smiled.

***

The screen was currently displaying Cain within the adventurer’s guild. Cain had just knocked down an adventurer.

“Oh! Cain hath done it. Most excellent indeed,” Sarnos said with a satisfied smile. Cain had made use of his martial arts.

“He could’ve just used magic instead. He should just send all of them packing with a single spell.” Reno was sulking since Cain hadn’t used magic.

“Using…magic…there…would…have…been…bad…” Bela said at a leisurely pace, drawing out each word.

“Nay, this sufficeth not. By his sixteenth year, he must rise as the mightiest in the kingdom—nay, the mightiest upon the whole continent! Yea, the strongest among all that live, without question!” Zenom proclaimed, stroking his beard.

“Is something going to happen in the future?”

“The day when Cain’s might shall be needed will come,” Zenom asserted. He continued watching the screen.

***

“Cain…he hath finally done it, he used creation magic and wrought a mighty spell.”

“Was it a good idea to allow him to make a spell as ridiculous as World Dictionary?” asked Reno, flustered. After checking the contents of the spell and learning the scope of it, including the ability to look up all knowledge related to this world, there was no way she could remain calm. The spell was ridiculous!

“It is well. This world is in need of advancement. Cain will not misuse this power,” Zenom reassured her.

“This World Dictionary is able to look up information about this world and his previous world. Even with our blessings mitigating the cost, it would still be quite expensive. Looks like he collapsed immediately.”

“Makes sense, given how advanced the world he came from apparently is. I hope he brings some of those entertainment pastimes to this world,” mused Panam, God of Commerce. “The spread of diversions and entertainment shall hasten the birth of new crafts and wares. I am in favor.”

Grimm agreed with Panam on this point.

“In time, he shall return to offer prayer at the church. We can guide his steps as we see fit at that time,” said Zenom.

“That’s a good idea! If he doesn’t come himself, then we’ll just have to send an oracle.”

The machinations of the gods continued in Cain’s absence.

Chapter 7: Creation Magic

Chapter 7:
Creation Magic

CAIN USED HIS FREE TIME TO THINK ABOUT MAGIC not related to the four basic elements. He experimented with creation magic and spacetime magic, continually increasing his repertoire of spells.

World Map

▷Displays a map in front of you.

Clock Up

▷Increases mental processing speed.

Parallel Thinking

▷ Mentally process multiple things at the same time.

Teleportation

▷ Teleport to the location one envisions in their mind. However, can only go to places one has been to in the past.

Creative Make

▷ Transform material into the visualized end product. If materials are insufficient, mana is expended instead.

Double Magic

▷ When combined with Parallel Thinking, allows the usage of spells that combine multiple basic elements.

Within a span of three years, Cain had also mastered the four basic elements to the Super level. However, he had only used up to the Advanced level in front of Millie and Nina. The levels of the four basic elements were divided into Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, Super, Emperor, and Divine, and there were no known cases of anyone in the world using magic beyond Emperor. Divine magic belonged to the gods. Although there were mages capable of casting Super-level magic, you could count the number on your fingers. Even if a mage could cast a Super-level spell, their high mana cost meant they’d only be able to cast it once before needing to recover. Despite that restriction, every country sought to bring Super-level magic users into their fold as palace mages.

Cain, on the other hand, had reached the point where he could cast Super-level magic as many times as he wanted. That’s how much mana he had.

Accompanied by Millie and Nina, Cain had once tried to cast Advanced-level magic near the city. Due to the multiplicative effects of his blessings, the spell created a roaring pillar of flame that was visible even from inside the city walls. Citizens panicked. Garm even led a group of knights to come investigate the situation. When the three saw a group of knights suddenly charging at them, they braced themselves for a fight. Fortunately, once Garm realized who had caused the disturbance, he ordered the knights to stand down—though he did reprimand Cain.

“Seriously? Have you no common sense?”

Due to that incident, Nina forbade Cain from using Advanced magic or casting offensive magic outside city walls.

“Cain’s Advanced-level magic is abnormal. If not used with care, it can be very dangerous,” Nina warned.

Cain couldn’t say much to defend himself after seeing the thunderous pillar of flames he had conjured, so he simply nodded.

Due to his newfound restrictions, on days he didn’t have training with Millie and Nina, Cain would use teleportation (which he hadn’t yet told anyone about) to travel to the depths of the Forest of Monsters.

He would secretly fight the monsters there away from the eyes of his tutors and family members. While he could sell materials without registering as an adventurer, turning in materials from monsters that only appeared deep within the Forest of Monsters would naturally raise questions. Especially if the buyer realized the source of those materials was the son of the Lord, who had yet to reach age ten. Cain could already imagine the scene that would unfold upon Garm receiving the news.

Left with no other choice, Cain simply hoarded his spoils in his Item Box for safe keeping.

Cain was currently deep within the Forest of Monsters, miles from the entrance. There were no trees around him—just a burnt field, hundreds of feet wide, with him at its center. He had tried casting the Super-level spell Inferno, and it had completely destroyed the area. Cain broke out in a cold sweat, horrified at the unintentionally large swath of destruction. He thanked the Gods that he hadn’t tried casting it near the city.

Nina told him that if he wanted to avoid trouble, it was best to not use Advanced magic in front of other people, so he stuck to Intermediate magic.

“I’ll have to go to the Capital in two years, so my only option is to practice magic here. Maestra Millie and Maestra Nina’s contracts are almost up as well. I’ll miss them.”

The tutoring contract was supposed to last three years. Cain was now eight, and it wouldn’t be long before that contract ended. He had asked them to extend the contract, but they refused. “You’re already stronger than us. There’s nothing we can teach you.”

They weren’t so much tutors as they were chaperones, escorting Cain when he left the city. Apparently, their pride as adventurers would not allow them to continue this.

They had been a significant help to Cain, so he wanted to get a present for them. “Oh yeah, Millie mentioned that she wanted a magic bag. I can use spacetime magic, so I could try making one.”

Cain took two pieces of monster leather from his Item Box, one red, one green. “Red for Maestra Millie, and green for Maestra Nina. Something like a waist pouch would probably be convenient.”

Cain held the leather in his hands and channeled mana into them. “Creative Make.”

Infused with Cain’s mana, the materials began to shine. As the light faded, two pouches appeared in Cain’s hands.

“Just as I envisioned. Next up is spacetime magic. Will visualizing my Item Box work?”

Cain began to infuse mana into the pouches while envisioning his Item Box ability. The two pouches began to shine like they had before. After the light vanished, Cain looked inside the pouches and saw a pitch-dark alternate dimension.

“Yeah! It worked! I’m not sure how much space these magic bags have, but it should be plenty.”

Normal magic bags had a diameter of about thirteen feet. A bag with a diameter of fifty feet would make even S-rank adventurers get on their knees and beg. They were extremely valuable products.

Of course, Cain had no sense of what was normal. The magic bag he created had a diameter of about two hundred feet, something a country would value as a precious treasure.

I hope they enjoy this gift, Cain thought. He imagined them smiling in delight as he teleported back to his room.

***

This was the last day of Cain’s training sessions with Millie and Nina. Three years had passed in the blink of an eye. There really was nothing left for them to teach him, so they had accompanied Cain outside the city and were watching him hunt packs of wolves by himself.

“It’s hard to believe Cain is only eight. He’s stronger than us.”

“Today is the last day. It’s a little sad…”

The two of them chatted as Cain hunted. After he finished off the pack of roughly twenty wolves, he returned to the group.

“Today’s the last time we do this. You’ve done well for the last three years. Though, to be honest, you pretty much immediately surpassed us, and we didn’t teach you much at all,” Millie said with a wry smile.

“I wanted to thank the two of you, so I prepared a present,” Cain said, ignoring Millie’s self-effacing remarks. “I made this myself.” Cain took two pouches out of his Item Box. He handed the red pouch to Millie and the green pouch to Nina.

“Thanks, Cain… Wait, what is this pouch made of?!”

“Cain, what did you use to make this…?”

The two of them timidly asked the same question.

“Oh, well, to tell the truth, I’ve been sneaking into the Forest of Monsters. Those pouches are made out of materials I gathered there. The red one is made from a blood ogre, and the green one is made from an earth dragon.”

The two of them were completely stunned into silence. After all, blood ogres and earth dragons were A-rank monsters. That meant that full parties of A-rank adventurers were needed if you wished to hunt one. If an eight-year-old casually mentioned that they had hunted one, nobody would believe them.

They had seen with their own eyes just how unreasonable Cain’s abilities were, but they were unaware he had been hunting monsters by himself—and not just any monsters, A-rank monsters.

“Those pouches have spacetime magic cast on them. Please give them a try! I made them because I remembered Millie saying she wanted a magic bag.”

The two of them timidly accepted the pouches and opened them.

“Cain…a question. How much space does this bag have?”

“Oh, I made sure to be careful on that front. If I made them too large, people would say I was acting out of line again, so they only have a diameter of two hundred feet.”

The two of them froze, unable to say a word. Cain spoke of it as if it was nothing, but the two of them understood that a magic bag that large was a country-heirloom-level treasure.

“…Cain, the magic bag I wanted to buy only had a diameter of thirteen feet, and it still cost five gold coins.”

The currency of this world was divided into six levels: copper, large copper, silver, large silver, gold, and platinum. Ten of one coin was equivalent to one of the next level. Converting their value into Japanese yen would result in the following.

One copper coin = 100 yen.

One large copper coin = 1,000 yen.

One silver coin = 10,000 yen.

One large silver coin = 100,000 yen.

One gold coin = 1,000,000 yen.

One platinum coin = 10,000,000 yen.

Cain mentally calculated that five gold coins would be 5,000,000 yen. His forehead began to sweat as he realized he had screwed up again.

“Wait, so a magic bag this large is…?”

The two of them chimed at once, “Without a doubt, a national-level treasure.”

I screwed up again! Cain bemoaned to himself.

The two of them were hesitant to accept such a valuable gift.

“If we carry around a treasure like this, someone will definitely try to mug us and steal it…” Millie said.

“Yeah…a pouch like this is so valuable it puts a target on your back,” Nina agreed.

The two of them were naturally concerned about the risks of carrying a pouch like this.

“Maestra Nina, there’s no need for concern. Those two pouches can only be used by Maestra Millie, Maestra Nina, and me. In anyone else’s hands, the weight of everything inside will weigh them down. An anti-theft measure.”

The two overlapped once more, “It’s even better than a national-level treasure?!”

“We can’t tell anyone about this. Got that, Nina?”

“Yep. I know. Something like this…”

The two women looked at each other, then nodded.

“Thank you, Cain. We’ll treasure these gifts for the rest of our lives. But are you sure you want to give them to us? We barely did anything to deserve them.”

“I’m sure. It’s thanks to you two I was able to leave the mansion grounds. I also learned a lot.”

“Then here’s our gift to you.” They said, kneeling down to match Cain’s height. They hugged him, and kissed him on the cheeks. Cain’s face immediately flushed red.

“Wh-wh-what are you…?!” He stammered, losing his composure.

“Our present. When you grow up and become an adventurer, feel free to come to us whenever you need help. We’ll do whatever we can to assist you.”

With that, their contract ended.

Side Story: Cain’s Great Adventure

Side Story:
Cain’s Great Adventure

ON THE DAYS HE DIDN’T GO OUTSIDE WITH HIS tutors, Cain usually spent his time reading books. Taking down two horned rabbits had taken him all the way to level 8, increasing his stats and making him stronger—and he noticed the difference. He wanted to get back out there to keep increasing his strength.

Since he was still six years old, there was no way he would be allowed to visit the city by himself, but Cain didn’t give up. While sitting in his room, he was constantly thinking of ways to get permission to leave the house. Finally, he came up with an idea.

“That’s right! Teleportation! If I could travel there and back instantly, nobody would know—I wouldn’t need permission to leave. I might even be able to enter the forest!”

After formulating a plan, Cain focused on practicing his teleportation magic. Teleportation was an advanced spell that required affinity and used a lot of mana. Cain was the only one in the entire world who fulfilled all the requirements. According to the books he was reading, teleportation was so rare it was treated more like a legend than an actual ability.

Cain closed his eyes and focused his mana. He then visualized what he wanted in his mind. He began by moving from one corner of the room to another corner. After doing so countless times over the course of two days, his practice had paid off: he was able to teleport wherever he wanted. However, he couldn’t teleport to locations he hadn’t visited before.

He also couldn’t teleport to Kazuya’s room, or any locations from his previous life. He tried multiple times, but the teleportation magic never activated.

“Well, that’s to be expected,” Cain said with a sigh. He thought about Saori and Manami.

It was time for Cain to act. He prepared the necessary equipment in his room, then chanted the teleportation spell.

“Teleportation.”

In the blink of an eye, Cain was no longer in his room. He was outside of the city, in the grassland where he usually trained with Millie and Nina. “Nice. It worked. I should be able to make it to the forest quickly from here.”

Cain took out his sword and cast the Search spell. The mana released from his body thinly spread out over the immediate area. Due to his freakish mana capacity, he was able to detect monsters a half mile away.

Cain carefully proceeded through the forest step by step. Even if his Search spell didn’t detect anything, it was still possible for a monster to ambush him, according to his teachers. Cain recalled their words.

“Don’t let down your guard just because you have the Search spell. If a monster throws a physical object at you, you won’t be able to detect mana from that projectile. That’s why you need to be on your guard at all times.”

This forest had monsters that made use of tools. A monster using a bow would be able to shoot at you before you were able to detect them with Search.

This forest, dubbed the “Forest of Monsters,” was one of the locations in the Esfort Kingdom with the densest mana. Due to that, the monsters here were far stronger and more plentiful compared to a normal forest.

That’s also why there were so many adventurers active in Gracia. Adventurers would hunt these monsters and acquire loot, which would then be taken by traders to be sold in the Capital. The more such trades took place, the more sales tax Gracia generated.

“Oh, I detect something…North. There’s a lot of them.”

Cain carefully headed in the direction he detected monsters, moving as quietly as possible. There, he discovered a goblin settlement.

Cain peeked at the settlement from behind a tree and counted roughly fifty goblins in the area. A few of them were Variants that had leather armor and wielded swords.

Cain prepared for battle by casting Boost on himself and imbuing his sword with mana. His sword began to faintly shine. He charged into the middle of the settlement, and with each flash of his sword, the head of a goblin was separated from its body. The Variants near the large building in the middle of the settlement seemed to have noticed him. They raised their swords and headed towards Cain.

The first goblin swung wide with its sword. Cain made use of his martial arts to dodge to the side, and, borrowing the momentum from the dodge, swung upwards in a flash. The attack separated the goblin’s sword arm from its body.

“Gyaahh!” cried the goblin, its face distorted in pain. It screamed while grabbing the stump where its arm used to be. Cain took the opportunity to slice its head off.

Cain continued to dispatch the goblins that came after him one after another. He unconsciously swung his sword again and again, and before he realized it, he had annihilated the entire settlement.

He felt a little sick when he saw the mountain of goblin corpses. Goblins were humanoid monsters about the size of children. Seeing their organs strewn around would make anyone nauseous.

“Relax.” Cain cast a calming spell on himself. “Phew… Well, I guess they’re goblins, so it’s fine.”

He flicked his sword to shake off some of the blood, then put it back into its sheath. He then took out a small sword used for butchering from his Item Box, then began to cut the magic stones out of the goblins’ chests, one after another.

Monsters all had a magic stone buried inside their chest. Its size and type were dependent on the strength of the monster. Goblins had magic stones about the size of a pinky finger’s nail, and the guild would buy them for five copper each.

Cain put the gathered magic stones into his Item Box. He then dug a hole with Earth magic, put the goblins inside, and burnt their corpses with magic.

“I can keep going. I’ll go a little further in.”

After a short breather, Cain continued his adventure. He would proceed to find an orc settlement and ogre settlement using Search. Each settlement hosted a few Variants, such as orc generals or blood ogres, but not even they were a match for Cain. He decimated the settlements, then continued moving further into the forest. Each time Cain fought, he could feel himself getting stronger, leveling up and increasing his stats.

He arrived at the center of the forest, where he detected a large lump of mana completely different from anything he had encountered thus far.

“That lump of mana seems different. I’ll go check it out.”

Cain headed towards the source of unfamiliar mana. There, he found a green, sixteen-foot-tall dragon.

“Oh! A dragon. It doesn’t have wings, so it must be an earth dragon.”

Amongst monsters categorized as dragons, earth dragons were the weakest. It was basically a gigantic lizard. They preferred to live alone, so it was rare to encounter a horde. Despite that, it took a full party of A-rank adventurers to hunt them.

Not that Cain knew any of that. He immediately teleported on top of the earth dragon. There, he swung his mana-infused sword and slashed at the dragon’s neck. Before it could even realize what happened, the earth dragon collapsed to the floor, headless. It convulsed for a moment, then fell still.

“Teleportation really is a useful combat spell. It allows me to immediately catch the opponent off guard.”

With a touch, Cain transferred the decapitated earth dragon into his Item Box. He then continued further into the forest. There really were a lot of A-rank monsters this deep into the forest. However, to Cain they were essentially just free XP, so he continued to casually farm them for levels.

Deep inside the forest, Cain suddenly came upon a clearing with a towering rocky mountain in the middle. The trees near the mountain had all been torn down, as if something had gone on a rampage in the area. Part of the mountain was missing as well, revealing the entrance of a cave.

Cain used Search and investigated the cave. He sensed a large, dense concentration of mana deep within the cave that far exceeded anything he’d encountered thus far. “Oh, there’s something deep inside the cave. It’s definitely stronger than that earth dragon.”

Cain cast Light Ball, summoning a glowing orb that illuminated his surroundings. He cautiously continued into the cave. As he made his way deeper, the cave floor became increasingly cluttered with bones, likely the remains of whatever the inhabitant of this cave had eaten.

Cain continued to spread his mana out in front of him, attempting to detect any nearby threats, but his senses were overwhelmed by that one large concentration of mana. He couldn’t focus on anything else. Because Search was unreliable under these conditions, Cain had to rely on his Light Ball spell.

Cain entered a large cavern. The monster that was likely the master of this place was laying in its center, surrounded by the remains of monsters it had consumed. It was likely sleeping after having eaten its fill.

It was a red beast, covered with durable-looking scales. Even with its wings folded, it was still roughly thirty-two feet long. It looked exactly like the dragons he had dreamed about in the past.

Noticing Cain, the dragon raised its head and looked at him. Its sharp eyes bore into him as if it had just found new prey to hunt. It lifted its neck, which was over ten feet long, and opened its mouth. A compressed ball of fire shot out of its open maw and rocketed towards Cain.

“Whoa!”

Cain dodged to the side and readied his sword. He then used teleportation to close the distance and slashed at the dragon’s neck from above.

Clink!

He had been able to slay other monsters in a single blow with this move, but this superior Variant dragon was covered in incredibly durable scales. They were significantly stronger than anything Cain had encountered before.

“Yeesh… I guess taking out a dragon in a single blow isn’t realistic,” Cain winced, shaking the numbness out of his hand. He used teleportation to create some distance between him and the dragon.

Now that it had been attacked, the dragon fully recognized Cain as an enemy. It stood up, raised its wings, and roared. It sounded like the rumbling of an earthquake. The dragon then began to shoot rapid-fire fireballs at Cain.

Cain dodged the fireballs as he teleported next to the feet of the now upright dragon. He stabbed his mana-infused sword into the spot where there weren’t any scales, under its chin. Although he met with resistance, Cain managed to press his sword deep enough to finally reach the dragon’s brain. With its brain destroyed, the dragon collapsed to the ground.

Since it was stuck deep within the dragon’s head, Cain let go of his sword and teleported a short distance away. He cautiously observed the dragon for a bit. After confirming it had stopped moving, Cain let out a sigh of relief.

“Unlike earth dragons, real dragons are strong… Their scales can repel my sword. Fortunately, the combination of teleportation and a mana-infused sword really is unstoppable.”

Cain approached the dead dragon and pulled his sword out. With a touch, the corpse was transferred into his Item Box. Cain took out a water bottle to quench his thirst, then looked around the cavern. He noticed a road leading further into the cave. Curious, he followed it.

The road dead-ended at a giant hoard of treasure, consisting of rare items of all different colors and varieties.

“I’ve heard that dragons like shiny things, and I guess it’s true. I’ll need this in the future, so I’ll gladly accept it.”

Cain began to put the treasures that the dragon had likely accumulated over many years one after another into his Item Box. He also checked the room to see if there were any hidden levers, but he didn’t find any, so he quickly left. By the time he exited the cave, the sun was already starting to set.

“Oh, no. I need to return before Sylvia realizes I’m missing.”

He took off his blood-stained armor and cleaned it with magic before putting it away in his Item Box. He also cleaned himself with Everyday Magic, removing the sweaty smell from his body. After changing clothes, he cast teleportation magic and returned to his room.

“I should be safe now… I sure got a large haul on today’s adventure. I met a dragon for the first time, and I also defeated tons of other monsters. I should’ve leveled a bunch, right? Last time I checked, I was level 8.”

Cain casually called forth his Status and checked.

“Status.”

Status

Name: Cain von Silford

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 6

Titles: Margrave’s Third Son, Reincarnator, Disciple of the Gods, Prodigy, Natural Enemy of the Forest of Monsters, Dragon Slayer

Level:248

Health: 3,692,240/3,692,240

Mana: 82,287,920/82,639,240

Rating: SSS

Magic: Creation Magic Level 10, Fire Magic Level 10,Wind Magic Level 10, Water Magic Level 10, Earth Magic Level 10, Light Magic Level 10, Dark Magic Level 10, Spacetime Magic Level 10, Everyday Magic

Skills: Appraisal Level 10, Item Box Level 10, Military Arts Level 10, Martial Arts Level 10, Physical Tolerance Level 10, Magical Tolerance Level 10

Cain’s updated Status stunned him. He wasn’t sure what most people’s levels were at, but he immediately understood that these numbers were not normal. Garm had told him that having over 10,000 mana qualified one to become a palace mage, but Cain had over 80 million. Although he used teleportation multiple times to fight, his mana had barely decreased. As for his new title, “Natural Enemy of the Forest of Monsters,” he immediately understood why he received it. After all, he used Search as he explored the forest, and would annihilate whatever monsters he encountered, settlements and all. As for the “Dragon Slayer” title, it was likely because he had slain that red dragon at the end of his adventure.

“…I might’ve gone too far. I can’t show anyone this Status.”

Cain hugged his head in consternation as he began to regret getting carried away like that.

Chapter 8: Lamesta Fortress

Chapter 8:
Lamesta Fortress

GARM WAS GOING TO HEAD ON AN INSPECTION TO Lamesta, the fortress city bordering the Visus Empire.

Cain recalled that at his social debut, he had met with a viscount named Tris. He decided to ask Garm for permission to join him on the inspection.

“Father, if you’re going to Lamesta, could you bring me with you?”

Garm looked at Cain with a sour expression. Although his tutors had guaranteed he could take care of himself, Garm couldn’t help but worry that something might happen. He didn’t immediately answer. When he remembered saying he would bring Cain along at his social debut, he reluctantly agreed.

“You’re so lucky, Cain! I want to go too!” Reine wanted to join them, but Sarah immediately stopped her.

“You have a lot on your plate already, Reine. You need to study for your entrance exams.”

The word “study” made Reine frown. She turned to face Cain.

“Reine, I’ll get you some souvenirs!”

“Really? You better not forget!” She was still reluctant, but hearing that Cain would get her a souvenir was enough of a compromise.

The city of Lamesta was east of Gracia, roughly two days away by carriage. Garm and Cain were riding, while Sebas drove. Although it was for official business, this would be Cain’s first time visiting another city, and he was bursting with excitement. The road was paved with stone, and to either side were fields of wheat that stretched over the horizon.

Gracia was not only responsible for stopping a potential invasion by the Visus Empire, it was also the source of monster materials, food, and other trade resources. It was an important location in the Esfort Kingdom.

The three of them stopped by a village on the way to Lamesta, and its chief pulled out all the stops to receive Cain and his father. For some reason, the daughter of the chief paid significant attention to Cain. He wasn’t even ten years old yet!

Garm explained, with a big smile, “Cain, even though you aren’t inheriting Gracia, you are still the son of a margrave. If you take a liking to her and marry her, that guarantees this village will be prosperous for years to come. We’re likely to encounter similar situations again in the future, so mind your behavior. You’ll understand better as you get older.”

Garm explained the differences between internal and external affairs. He had never shown this side of himself to either Sarah or Reine. Cain nodded, realizing these were conversations that could only be held between men.

The carriage continued to slowly plod down the road. A pack of wolf-type monsters appeared on the road at some point, but the knights guarding the carriage made quick work of them.

These knights served a margrave, and they kept themselves ready for battle since nobody knew when a war might break out with the Visus Empire. The captain gave accurate and precise orders, and the knights operated in pairs to easily dispatch the monsters, protecting the carriage.

The pack of roughly 20 wolves was eliminated in less than five minutes. Cain planned to use his Item Box to store the monster corpses, then sell them once they reached town. The money they earned could serve as a bonus for the guards, affording them a round of drinks. Garm reluctantly agreed to the idea.

The knights were all on board. They eagerly assisted Cain as he collected and stored the defeated monsters. Perhaps motivated by the idea of enjoying themselves at the bar, the knights worked quickly. It wasn’t long before the task was complete and the carriage was ready to move again.

They arrived within sight of the fortress city of Lamesta before evening. Said to be a military stronghold, there was an enormous fortress on the opposite side of the city.

“That’s Lamesta. If the Visus Empire wishes to enter Esfort, it must go through either here or the Forest of Monsters. There are many dangerous monsters within the forest, and it’s not something carriages can travel through. An army has no choice but to go through here. That’s why there’s such a large fortress.”

Cain nodded at Garm’s explanation.

The city of Lamesta served as the border between the two countries, but it wasn’t like there was no traffic between them. Merchants would go where there was money to be made, regardless of the risk.

Goods sold in the Visus Empire were also being sold to the Esfort Kingdom through Lamesta, and the opposite was true as well. However, only companies that had received permits from both countries were allowed to do so.

Imports and exports were naturally taxed, serving as part of the tax base of this city. Since they were legal, the traders could hawk their wares openly in broad daylight.

“This city has an exclusive marketplace, and there’s a company that specializes in importing goods from the Empire to sell in the kingdom. Goods exported to the Empire have to go through that company as well. Companies from the Empire are allowed to stay in the city, but they aren’t allowed to enter the rest of the kingdom. This helps prevent Visus spies from infiltrating our territories. Since that company I mentioned is also in charge of this city, Gracia itself is safe. This all might be a little difficult for you to understand, Cain.”

Cain was impressed by the system Garm had explained to him. Allowing free movement of trade would result in prices dropping and economic benefits, but it could potentially affect public safety. The ruler of the city operated a company that acted as a middleman for other companies who wished to trade between the Empire and the kingdom. It would purchase goods from Visus Empire companies, then have several companies from the kingdom spread and sell the goods here. The city collected taxes from the trade, and that revenue funded the continued protection of the city.

The knights ahead of the carriage had already handled the verification procedures, so the carriage continued on through the city gates without having to stop.

Like other cities, there were inns and shops on both sides of the streets, but Lamesta also had something other cities did not: There was a second moat and wall within the city’s gates. It wasn’t possible to reach the center of the city without crossing a bridge. Garm told Cain that it was a protective measure that allowed the defenders to hold onto the inner city in the event invaders managed to breach the outer wall.

The carriage continued over the bridge and passed through the city’s inner gate. The inner city had dorms and training grounds meant to be used by knights and soldiers. It was also home to the Lord’s mansion. Cain’s carriage pulled to a stop in front of the large building.

“Thank you for your patience. We’ve arrived at the Lord’s mansion.”

Sebas got off first and then opened the door of the carriage for the two riding inside. Although it was as comfortable as carriages can be, holding the same position for so long was bound to lead to soreness. Cain raised his hands into the sky, stretching his sore muscles.

“Hah… This feels good.”

“Riding in a carriage for two days is indeed tiring. I’ll arrange things so you can relax for the rest of the day,” Garm said as he walked towards the mansion. Cain followed.

The door to the mansion had already been opened, with maids lined up on either side of the entrance. Standing directly in the middle was someone Cain recognized. The man had both hands outstretched wide, welcoming them in.

“Lord Garm, thank you for coming. It’s been a while. Cain is with you today? We last spoke at your social debut. You must be tired, feel free to retire for the day.”

“Viscount Tris, long time no see. Thank you for your consideration.”

Cain politely bowed his head and greeted Viscount Tris.

Viscount Tris laughed. “As impressive as ever, Cain. I wish my son was more like you.” He then guided the two into the mansion.

Before entering, Cain unloaded the slain monsters from his Item Box, handing them over to the knights.

“We’re going to go drinking!” The high-spirited knights, having finished their duties, pushed the cart full of the monster corpses back into the city, eager to cash them in.

Cain temporarily split up with Garm as he was guided to his room by a maid. He was going to be staying in one of the mansion’s guest rooms. It was designed to cater to high-rank nobles, so it was quite extravagant.

“This is your room. Dinner will soon be ready, so please relax here while we finish preparations.”

“Thanks. I’ll relax here for a bit, then.”

Cain changed out of his traveling clothes and into an aristocratic outfit, then sat down on the sofa. The setting sun shined in through a nearby window. Cain felt so comfortable there that he drifted off to sleep.

“…Master Cain, dinner is ready.”

Cain was awakened by a maid.

“Oh, I fell asleep? Thanks. On my way.”

Cain fixed his appearance, then followed the maid towards the dining hall. There were already people seated at the table, likely Tris’s family members. Since Garm was the guest of honor, he would be the last one to arrive tonight.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting,” Cain apologized, giving a short bow as he was guided to his seat.

“Let me introduce you before Lord Garm arrives. This is my wife, Lacia. Next to her is my eldest son, Hamul, and next to him is my second son, Filio.”

Each bowed their head as they were introduced. Tris’s two sons were already grown adults, and were involved in the governance of the city.

“I’m Garm’s third son, Cain von Silford. It’s an honor to meet you.” Cain also rose from his seat and bowed before sitting once more.

“See, what did I say? Cain is still only eight years old yet look how well-mannered he is. When you guys were kids…”

Hamul interjected in protest. “H-hang on! Don’t just bring up childhood stories like that! We’re adults now!”

Filio had an uncomfortable smile on his face.

Seeing how the family interacted with each other, Cain couldn’t help but smile.

As the introductions finished, the door opened. Garm, guided by a maid, entered the dining hall. He sat down next to Tris.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting.”

Since everyone was present, Tris signaled to the butler behind them with his eyes. The butler nodded before putting out drinks in front of everyone. Sebas was quite capable, but Cain couldn’t help but be impressed by Tris’s butler.

Since everyone now had drinks, Tris rose and began the toast.

“Gathered here today we have our old friend Lord Garm, as well as his son, Master Cain. It is thanks to Lord Garm’s efforts that we’ve managed to maintain peace within this city. Glory to the Esfort Kingdom! Cheers!”

Everyone seated joined in. “Cheers!”

The drink put forth before Cain was naturally juice instead of alcohol, but he raised his glass all the same.

The dinner continued harmoniously, and partly due to the influence of alcohol, the diners were quite talkative.

“Cain, I have plans tomorrow, so you are free to do as you please.”

“Understood, Father.” Cain decided to use this time to check out the city.

“He’s only eight years old, is it okay to leave him to his own devices?”

“It’s fine. Cain can handle himself…probably.”

Garm was aware of Cain’s Status, so he knew that Cain was unlikely to cause problems. Naturally, he only knew of Cain’s concealed Status, not his real Status.

The dinner party came to an end, and Garm and Tris left to continue their festivities in a separate room. Cain was guided back to his guest room by a maid. The room had a small shower, so he washed himself and got changed before getting into bed for the night.

***

After breakfast, Garm and Tris set out to conduct an inspection. Cain, who was left behind, was ready to go explore the city. He went to inform one of the servants.

“I’m planning to head out into the city for a walk.”

An eight-year-old child wandering about without a chaperone was naturally problematic, so two knights were assigned to be his guards. A carriage was prepared for him, but Cain refused, since he wanted to explore the city on foot.

“I’m not planning on going very far, so it won’t be necessary.”

Cain wanted to visit the unique marketplace this city had. He strolled through the streets, guided by his guards. The city had a lot of companies and inns. The different regions of the kingdom all had a company stationed here in order to handle imports from the Visus Empire.

The Visus Empire was rich in gold, and they exported many luxury products such as goldsmith jewelry and extravagant tableware. Companies would acquire the products here in this city, then sell them to nobles and wealthy citizens within the kingdom.

The Visus Empire was a militaristic country, famous for having many soldiers. However, due to conscription, there weren’t enough young people working on the farms. As a consequence, the Visus Empire had to import leather and food from other countries.

The marketplace was roughly thirty minutes away from the mansion at Cain’s leisurely walking speed. The layout of the market itself was rather simplistic, but the entire space was surrounded by a roughly ten-foot-tall fence. Only those with the appropriate permits were allowed inside.

The knights accompanying Cain showed the guard their permit, and they were allowed to enter.

“Since I’m already here, I should buy a souvenir for Reine.”

The market stalls were all lined up in a row. Cain made his way through the marketplace while perusing the unusual foreign goods. Even the stores operating on the kingdom side had unusual products, such as fruits that resembled pineapples that could only be found in the southern region, or leather acquired from monsters hunted in the Forest of Monsters. Since all the stores offered different wares, simply looking through the stalls was quite fun in and of itself.

One of the stores sold high class jewelry, so Cain decided to check it out to find a souvenir for Reine. The store offered gold and silver necklaces and rings adorned with gemstones.

“Take a good look, how about it, young man? These jewelry products were made with gems mined in the Empire. I recommend this one over here.”

The merchant dangled a gold necklace adorned with a red gem from his hand, showing it to Cain. It indeed looked rather refined, but Cain didn’t think it suited Reine very well. It would probably look more appropriate on a grown woman.

As he looked through the store’s offerings, he noticed something that caught his eye. It was a silver chain with a small, but pretty, blue gemstone attached to it. It was well made, but also simplistic. It was a necklace that wouldn’t look out of place on a child.

Cain picked up the necklace and called out to the merchant.

“Excuse me, I’d like to buy th—”

“Aah!”

As Cain was about to hand the necklace over to the merchant, someone next to him suddenly screamed. He looked toward the source of the sound and saw a pretty, young, blue-haired girl about the same age as him. She had long hair that reached her chest, and her clothes were distinctively better than what commoners wore. The girl was staring at the necklace in Cain’s hand.

“I wanted that!” The girl exclaimed. Her hands slightly trembled as she glared at Cain with upturned eyes.

“Oh, you wanted this? You can have it. It’ll go well with your hair, so I’m sure it’ll look great on you.” Cain said with a smile, directly vocalizing his immediate impression.

“What?! Ah!” The pretty girl was dumbfounded. Moments later, her face flushed beet red. “Y-you won’t win me over that easily!”

Cain was at a complete loss as to what the blushing girl was talking about.

“Huh? I don’t really understand, but you want to buy this, right? Excuse me, this girl would like to buy this.”

“All right! That’ll be two silver coins. Thank you and come again!”

The merchant smiled as he watched the conversation between the two children. The blushing girl took two silver coins out of a tiny bag with her trembling hands and handed them to the merchant. The merchant put the necklace into a small bag and handed it back to the girl. The girl hugged the pouch tightly to her chest.

After confirming the transaction, Cain went searching for a similar necklace amidst the goods for sale. As he checked the necklaces one by one, he sensed someone staring at him. He stopped what he was doing and looked over. It was the girl from earlier, standing there, staring at him.

“What’s wrong? Still planning to buy something else?”

The girl responded, “Y-you let me have this necklace, so I’ll pick one out for you in exchange!”

The girl stood next to Cain and began to pick up necklaces and examine them. She selected one of them.

“Th-this would look good on you!”

“Huh?!”

Cain had been planning to buy a souvenir for Reine, but it appeared the girl thought he was buying something for himself.

“What’s the problem?! I picked this one out for you! Are you saying you don’t like it?!”

“N-no, that’s not what I’m saying, but…”

The necklace the girl was holding had a silver chain and was adorned with an elliptical deep blue stone. Cain accepted the necklace the girl was forcing upon him.

“How passionate! Do you want that necklace? It’s also two silvers. Thank you for shopping here!”

The girl had a triumphant look on her face, and Cain no longer felt it was appropriate to mention that he was looking for a souvenir for his sister. He took out two silver coins from his pocket and handed it over to the merchant. After the merchant handed him a small pouch, the girl came over to Cain’s side.

“I picked it out for you, so it will definitely look good on you! Put it on! Right now!”

Since the slightly aggressive girl had told him to, he took the necklace out of the pouch, unfastened its fixture, and tried to put it on. However, he wasn’t sure how.

“Oh, fine. I’ll put it on for you.” The girl looped behind Cain and fastened the fixture for him behind his neck. “Done!”

Cain wasn’t able to see behind his back, but seeing her triumphant look, he simply nodded.

“Thank you…”

“You’re welcome! So…can you help me put on mine too?”

“…Okay.”

Cain accepted the necklace from the girl, walked behind her, and fastened it for her.

The girl turned around with a wide smile. “So? How do I look?”

Cain answered with a slight blush. “…You look good. It suits you. It matches the color of your hair. It’s really pretty.”

The girl reacted to Cain’s extremely direct phrasing. “P-pretty…?” The girl covered her face with her hand. She was blushing even more than before.

“Oh, right. I’m Cain von Silford. What’s your name?”

“Cain, is it? I’m Liltana von—no, just call me Lil.”

“Young Miss! I’ve finally found you! Everyone, she’s over here!”

Lil’s introduction was interrupted by a group of merchants who seemed to be looking for her.

“Oh no, they found me! Cain, right? I’ll remember that! See you again sometime!” Lil waved at Cain before fleeing like the wind, immediately disappearing amidst the crowd.

“Just what was that…?” Cain mumbled as he watched the merchants chasing after her, “She said her name was Lil, right?”

He looked down at the necklace she had picked out for him, and, satisfied with it, he walked out of the store.

“Oh wait, I need to buy a necklace for Reine still!”

He returned to the store and spent some time picking out an appropriate souvenir for his sister.

After he finished shopping, Cain returned to the mansion. Garm and Tris had already returned. They were currently lounging and chatting in the drawing room.

“Oh, Cain. You’re back. How was the marketplace?”

“Yes, I’m back. The marketplace was a lot of fun. I bought a souvenir for Reine.”

“That’s good to hear. Oh, that’s a nice necklace you’ve got there,” Garm said, noticing Cain’s new jewelry.

“A lot happened, so I ended up buying one for myself as well,” Cain explained. He continued, recalling the events from earlier. “Lil was pretty cute…”

They didn’t spend much time together, but she was the type of girl that left an impression. She had a refined air about her, and it wouldn’t have surprised Cain to learn she came from nobility. She was a little too proactive, though.

Cain spent the rest of the day thinking about Lil.

The next day, Cain accompanied Garm on an inspection of the knights and soldiers responsible for protecting the fortress. They were taking today’s training even more seriously than usual, perhaps because they were informed of the Margrave’s visit in advance.

There were roughly one hundred people using the training grounds. They wielded wooden swords and spears with rounded out edges, and they were currently sparring each other in small groups. A bit further away were archers shooting arrows at targets, and there was also a section for mages, where they could practice chanting and firing magic at a rock.

“What do you think? They seem to be working even harder than usual since they heard you were coming today,” Tris explained with a wry smile.

“Yes. Things appear to be in order. What do you think, Cain? Want to join them for a bit?”

The adventurers he had hired as tutors had praised Cain’s abilities to high heaven, so Garm wanted to see for himself just how capable Cain was.

Tris was taken completely aback by the suggestion. “He’s still eight, isn’t he? Don’t be ridiculous. These soldiers are responsible for protecting this fortress; there’s no way they would lose.”

Although Cain had hunted monsters in secret, the only person he had ever sparred with before was Millie. He had gained a significant boost to his stats after slaying that dragon, so he did want to test out his new abilities.

Cain immediately responded, “I’d love to.”

“Lord Garm, are you sure about this? I’ll call some healers and have them on standby, but…”

“Yes, I don’t mind. He was tutored by adventurers for three whole years. I’d like to see how much he has grown with my own eyes.”

Since he had been given permission, Cain headed over to the changing room and used his Item Box to switch into the light armor he usually wore. After changing, he grabbed his wooden sword and headed to the training grounds.

The knights had already been informed of the situation, and they seemed to all be surprised to learn an eight-year-old child was going to participate in their training.

“Is this really a good idea? Even with healers around, if we were to injure the son of a margrave…”

As one would expect, they were concerned about the potential repercussions if an accident were to take place.

“Don’t worry. Lord Garm is the one who suggested this.”

The soldiers breathed a sigh of relief at Tris’s guarantee.

Cain began some light stretches in order to loosen up his body. Once he was ready, he headed to join the soldiers.

“Thank you for waiting. I’m ready now.”

Amidst the large-bodied soldiers was a small boy by the name of Cain who barely came up to their waist. It definitely made for a strange scene. Garm and Tris were sitting in chairs overlooking the area, waiting to watch what might happen.

“Okay, then let’s begin. Are there any volunteers?” asked the captain. None of the other soldiers responded. There was nothing to be gained from sparring with a child, and if they screwed up, they might even be punished.

“So, no volunteers? Fine. Slad? You’re up.”

The soldier named Slad, clearly unhappy about being chosen, stepped forward.

“Are you sure about this? I’ll do my best to hold back, but I might injure him on accident.”

“Yeah, Margrave Garm said he doesn’t mind. There won’t be a problem.”

“Okay, fine. I just have to fight him, right? Okay…”

Slad readied his wooden sword and stood in front of Cain. He wasn’t very tall, but it was obvious that he had lean, well-trained muscles.

“Kid, I’ll do my best to hold back, but you be careful as well, okay? I don’t want to get punished after being forced into this.”

“It’s fine. I won’t get hurt.”

The two stood roughly sixteen feet away from each other and prepared for battle.

“Begin!”

Cain immediately channeled mana throughout his body to strengthen himself. He then lunged at Slad. He instantly covered the sixteen-foot distance and slashed horizontally with his sword. Cain’s speed shocked the onlooking soldiers, the captain, and Garm and Tris as well.

It needn’t be said, but it also shocked Cain’s opponent, Slad.

Slad instinctively raised his wooden sword to block.

Smack.

Cain had not only empowered his body with magic, but his wooden sword as well. It wasn’t something a normal, non-enhanced wooden sword could hope to withstand. A single swing from Cain sliced straight through Slad’s sword.

Everyone watching was speechless. Cain’s swordsmanship was astonishing. Slad was astonished as well. His wooden sword had been cut in half. It was pointless to continue.

“I lost.” It took all of Slad’s will power to utter those words.

“The fight is over! Sir Cain is the victor!” The captain’s words woke the other soldiers out of their stupor.

“Whoa!” The soldiers surrounding them began to cheer.

“Lord Garm…I feel as if something strange just took place.”

“I feel the same way, Tris. I did hire adventurers to serve as his tutors, but I did not expect him to become this strong…”

“He’s already this strong at age eight? Are you planning to raise him to become a future knight captain?”

“He wishes to become an adventurer. Seeing his abilities, I’m sure everyone will want to get their hands on him… If His Majesty were to hear of this…”

Garm and Tris were not able to hide their astonishment either, as Cain was much stronger than they had anticipated.

As for Cain, he hadn’t realized that if he strengthened his own wooden sword with mana, his opponent’s wooden sword wouldn’t be able to endure it. He felt like he had made another mistake.

“I wanted to enjoy that spar for a little longer…” Cain mumbled.

“Sir Cain is still raring to go, it seems. Anyone want to go next?” The captain asked.

Everyone knew that sparring with someone stronger than you was the key to becoming stronger. Although there were no volunteers originally, now the soldiers were all fighting with each other to be selected.

“Okay, you’re up, Delto. Step forward.”

The next soldier readied his wooden sword and stepped forward.

“Kid, you’re strong. This is gonna be fun,” the soldier said, assuming a fighting stance.

“Begin!”

Cain once more enhanced himself with Boost and lunged forwards. However, this time he didn’t empower his wooden sword with mana. The fight would end if he destroyed his opponent’s weapon, after all. If he happened to directly hit his opponent, it could also potentially split their body in half, so Cain decided to hold back and not use his full strength.

Cain didn’t know this, but only the best veteran adventurers and knights were capable of infusing their swords with mana. Nobody expected an eight-year-old to be capable of doing such a thing.

Cain continued sparring with the soldiers, but even the best of them only lasted about five strikes. None of them could really match him.

After about two hours, none of the soldiers were left standing. Cain still had a lot of stamina left, but the soldiers were all sitting on the ground, panting heavily.

“Sir Cain…you seem to still be fine?”

Cain responded to the captain’s question with a smile. “Yes. I can keep going.”

“My apologies… It seems the soldiers are no longer able to face you.” The captain bowed his head and announced the end of the sparring sessions.

Cain bowed back to the captain. “Thank you for having me. It was good practice.” He did end up sweating a little, so he wiped himself off with a towel as he returned to where Garm was sitting.

“I’ve returned. That was good practice.”

Cain bowed his head to Tris.

“Don’t mention it. I now understand that my soldiers still have a lot to work on…I must ask though, Cain. What kind of training did you do to become so powerful?”

“I just had some adventurers tutor me for a bit. I also leveled up by defeating a few monsters.”

Tris nodded with a wry smile. “I see… Thank you. I’m sure the soldiers also learned a lot from you.”

“Father, I’ve finished sparring.”

“Well done. You were better than I expected. Still, you would do best to avoid revealing your abilities before others.”

“I agree with that sentiment. The capital will immediately act if they catch wind of this. I’ll tell my soldiers that they are not to speak of what happened here, although I doubt any of them want to talk about how they got beaten up by an eight-year-old.”

Cain nodded. “Understood. I’ll be careful.”

With the training session now over, Cain thanked the soldiers before following Garm and Tris back to the mansion.

The next day, Cain was supposed to accompany Garm again, but the captain showed up at the mansion and begged Tris for permission to have Cain train with the soldiers. Garm made sure to warn Cain to “not overdo it.”

Cain followed the captain to the training grounds. There were twice as many soldiers as yesterday. The moment the soldiers noticed Cain, they immediately started shouting.

“Oh!”

The soldiers he had already sparred against were some of the loudest voices. Like yesterday, Cain sparred one by one, and the soldiers all patiently lined up and excitedly waited for their turn.

Cain enhanced himself with Boost and fought whatever soldier challenged him. The soldiers from yesterday were already aware of how strong Cain was, so they weren’t surprised by the results, but the soldiers participating today for the first time were shocked. How could an eight-year-old young boy be capable of charging forth with the force of an ogre? It seemed many of the participants today had shown up only half-believing what they had heard about Cain’s abilities. Outside of a break for lunch time, Cain spent the rest of the day both in the morning and the evening sparring with the soldiers, leaving him very satisfied. In the end, Cain started sparring multiple soldiers at once. There were simply too many of them, so fighting them one at a time wasn’t feasible.

When Garm and Tris came by the training grounds to pick Cain up, the ground was littered with soldiers. They looked like corpses. The sight rendered the duo speechless. In the middle of all the bodies was Cain, standing with his wooden sword resting on his shoulder. They were completely dumbfounded.

The soldiers strewn about the training grounds all had satisfied expressions on their faces.

“Lord Garm, just what kind of monster are you trying to raise here? Take a good look. Not a single soldier here can still move.”

Garm’s forehead began to sweat when he heard Tris’s question. He had no response.

They learned later that apparently the soldiers who had sparred with Cain had leveled up their skills. That’s why they went so far as to beg Cain to come train with them again.

A few years later, unbeknownst to Cain, these soldiers of Lamesta became known as the strongest soldiers in all of the Esfort Kingdom—though it was hardly an unexpected outcome.

Their three-day stay in Lamesta was coming to an end and it was time for Cain to return to Gracia with Garm.

“Viscount Tris, thank you for having us.”

Cain bowed to Tris, who had come to see them off. Tris had a satisfied look on his face.

“Come play again sometime. Feel free to come even if Garm isn’t with you. The soldiers will definitely welcome you back.”

Cain responded with a smile. “Okay! I’ll definitely come again!”

Sebas approached. “Lord Garm, the carriage is ready,” he said with a bow.

“We’re off, then. Tris, take care. I’ll come by again soon.”

Tris smacked his chest and smiled at Garm. “Take care! You can leave the protection of this area to me. My soldiers learned a lot from your trip here.”

Cain and Garm boarded, and at Sebas’s signal the carriage started moving. Cain enjoyed the scenery from the carriage window, but eventually his eyes drifted down to stare at the stone on his necklace.

Garm, noticing what Cain was doing, asked him with a smirk, “What’s up with that necklace? You really seem to like it. Did something happen?”

Cain looked back towards the window in an attempt to play it cool.

“It’s nothing… I was just thinking about someone I briefly met,” Cain said, tucking the necklace inside his collar.

Two days later, they arrived back in Gracia. They passed through the city gates and headed towards the mansion. Upon arrival, Reine burst out of the mansion to greet them.

“Cain! Welcome home! You were gone for a whole week! I missed you so much!” Reine shouted happily. She ran up and hugged Cain, burying her face in his shoulder as she drew in his scent. She noticed the necklace he was wearing.

“Cain! What’s this? Did you meet a girl while you were at Lamesta?!”

Cain tried to calm down his older sister, who was jumping to conclusions. “Reine, I got you a souvenir. Look, now we have matching necklaces!” He took her necklace out of its pouch and presented it to her. “I think you’ll look really good wearing it…”

“Cain, can you help me put it on?” Reine asked. Her expression had completely changed, and she looked at him with watery, upturned eyes.

“Of course.”

Cain looped around behind Reine and fastened the necklace for her. Reine looked down at the sparkling goldsmithed necklace shining on her chest with a wide smile.

“Cain! Thank you! I love you!” She exclaimed, as she hugged Cain again.

Her hug was interrupted as Sarah, who had approached unseen during the exchange, grabbed her by the nape.

“Reine, you’re supposed to be studying right now. Come on now.”

“No!”

Sarah dragged Reine away with her into the mansion. This marked the end of Cain’s first overnight territorial inspection.

Chapter 9: To the Capital

Chapter 9:
To the Capital

TWO MORE YEARS PASSED. CAIN WAS NOW TEN YEARS old. The children of nobles, upon reaching age ten, were expected to attend a social gathering at the royal capital. It was a societal debut that included an audience with the king.

Reine attended the gathering two years ago. Cain was still under the tutelage of Millie and Nina at the time, so he had stayed in Gracia. This time, between Cain’s debut and Reine’s school entrance exams, the entire family was moving to the capital.

The Royal Academy, operated by the country, was the most difficult school to enter within the kingdom. The children of nobles were guaranteed to get in, but their grades would determine their class placement. Nobles and commoners were treated the same in that regard. However, unlike commoners, nobles typically received training since youth, making them on average more educated.

Reine, although she was unwilling and often had to be forced to study, had achieved an acceptable standard of education.

“I can’t wait to live in the capital together, Cain! If only you could take the entrance exam and enroll as well, then we’d be able to spend even more time together.”

Cain was still just ten years old. No matter how good he was at studying, there was no way he would be at the standard the school expected. Cain could only smile awkwardly.

“Once you’re in the Capital, you’ll be living with Maria, Djinn, and Alec. Behave while you’re there,” Garm warned. Reine paid him no heed and continued to hug Cain.

“Reine, I’m looking forward to hearing about your exploits at the Academy,” Cain said.

Reine finally released him and puffed out her chest in pride, but as she was only twelve, there wasn’t much there.

“Watch me carefully, Cain! Your older sister is going to show off!”

Reine really did have a soft spot for Cain.

***

A few days later, it was time for them to depart. The royal capital was roughly seven days away by carriage, but they planned for the trip to take ten. As high-ranking aristocrats, they had to schedule time to stay in each of the cities and villages along the way. If the city was relatively large, they’d have to pay their respects to the noble in charge. As for villages, dozens of people staying the night would help the local economy. Garm had taught Cain this was part of their duties as aristocrats.

The party this time consisted of Garm, Sarah, Reine and Cain, Sebas, Sylvia, and ten knights accompanying them as guards.

“This is my first time going to the capital. I can’t wait,” Cain said. The trip to Lamesta was the only time Cain had left Gracia. The prospect of visiting the capital of the kingdom excited him.

As the carriage proceeded along the road, Cain used Search to keep tabs on their surroundings, sensing anything within a radius of two miles from the carriage. Since he had leveled up significantly, the range of his Search ability had increased in kind. Fortunately, the journey proceeded smoothly and no monsters showed up to attack.

“Lord Garm, we’re approaching Renoma city. We will soon arrive.”

Cain peeked out of the carriage window and saw the walls of a city. It was much smaller than Gracia.

Two of the knights sped up so they could arrive at the city first and handle entry procedures for the carriage. There were guards lined up on both sides of the city gate. The knights spoke with the guards, who hurriedly opened the city gates.

The carriage passed through the city gates without having to stop and proceeded to the Lord’s mansion. The Silfords would be staying at the adjacent guest house. Every city between Gracia and the capital had such a guest house, and the Lord of Gracia was responsible for their management.

Safa von Tarmar, the viscount of Renoma, was waiting at the entrance of the guest house to greet the carriage.

“Margrave Garm, it’s an honor to have you visit our city.”

“Viscount Safa, we’ll be in your care. Let me introduce you. This is my wife, Sarah, and my children, Reine and Cain. We are headed to the Capital for Reine’s entrance examinations and Cain’s capital debut.”

“Reine von Silford. We’ll be in your care today,” Reine said with a curtsy.

Cain also straightened up and bowed. “Cain von Silford. We’ll be in your care today.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Miss Reine, Mister Cain. Please make yourself at ease.”

After Garm and Safa exchanged some casual words, maids arrived and led them to their guest rooms. The corridors of the guest house were adorned with paintings and handicraft products. Cain entered his assigned room and sat down on the sofa. Sylvia began to pour the tea the guest house waitstaff had prepared in advance.

“All I did was sit in a carriage all day, yet I’m still exhausted.”

“Master Cain, have some tea. You can relax here for the rest of the day.”

“Thank you, Sylvia.”

Cain tried the tea and noticed that it had a different taste compared to the tea he drank in Gracia. After Sylvia left the room, Cain began his daily mana circulation routine. He sat on the ground and began to meditate, actively circulating mana throughout his body.

He already had an unreasonable amount of mana, but he had done this daily for years—it would feel wrong to suddenly break his routine. After finishing his meditation, Cain got into bed. He was exhausted after spending a day in a carriage. He immediately fell asleep.

***

They passed through several more cities and towns, and they were now three days away from the capital. Their journey thus far proved uneventful with no attacks by bandits or monsters. Cain made sure to have his Search active at all times. Due to his enormous mana pool, he wouldn’t run out even if he kept it active all day.

As the carriage crossed over a hill, his Search spell suddenly detected something. A fight had broken out roughly two miles ahead. He could sense many monsters surrounding a group of people—and the mana of the encircled group was decreasing at a noticeable rate.

Cain told his father in a panic, “Father, there’s a problem. A fight is taking place about two miles in front of us.”

“What?! You can detect that far?!” Search was a well-known spell, but Garm was taken aback by Cain’s detection range.

“Yes. You assigned me excellent adventurers as tutors, father. More importantly, we need to hurry! There’s dozens of monsters attacking a group of roughly ten people. If we don’t hurry…!”

“Okay. Let’s have a few people go on ahead to assist them!”

Garm began giving orders from the carriage. Four knights separated from the group and hurriedly rode in the direction of the battle. Cain continued monitoring the situation ahead with Search. He noticed that mana signals from several more people had vanished.

Cain communicated his worries to Garm. “Father, they won’t make it in time. I’ll go as well.”

“Cain, you may have trained a lot, but it’s still dangerous!”

“Father, I won’t lose. I’ve leveled up quite a lot, and you saw my abilities at Lamesta. We’re running out of time—I’ll be going now.”

Cain grabbed his sword and strapped it to his waist, then jumped out of the moving carriage. I didn’t really want to show anyone this, but this is an emergency situation, he thought.

After jumping out of the carriage, Cain enhanced himself with Boost and wind magic, then accelerated forwards. He blazed through the grassland at over sixty miles per hour. Within seconds, he was no longer visible from the carriage. The guards, Garm, and his family were flummoxed by Cain’s incredible speed. Cain soon overtook the knights who had left earlier, and he continued accelerating towards the battle. The knights didn’t even see Cain even as he passed by—they only felt a sudden gust of wind blow past them.

Cain soon arrived at the scene, where he saw a group of orcs attacking a group of knights protecting a carriage. There were several stronger orc Variants wearing armor, and although the knights were doing their best, they were completely outnumbered. Only three of the knights were still standing. The other knights had already succumbed to the orcs’ attacks. Cain could no longer detect the presence of several of them. Others were barely alive.

There were Variants present, organizing the attacks of the rank-and-file orcs. Cain shouted at the knights from behind the group of orcs, “I’m here to help!” The knights looked over in Cain’s direction upon hearing his voice. They were surprised to see a young child standing there.

A knight shouted at Cain, “Kid, don’t come any closer! Run away, now!”

“Just watch me. Everything will be okay,” Cain reassured him.

“Air Bullet.”

Ten pressurized air bullets shot out from Cain’s fingertips and flew at the orcs. As the bullets hit them all square in the forehead, their heads exploded one by one. That single spell took down ten orcs. There were now twenty left.

The armor-wearing Variant, upon detecting a new enemy, began to shout orders.

“GORK!”

The orcs attacking the knights momentarily paused and began to look around for the new threat. Taking advantage of the situation, Cain cast another spell.

“Air Cutter.”

Ten wind blades flew towards the group of orcs. Upon impact, one of the orcs was cut clean in half. Others had their arms blown away. Orcs began falling down one after another.

There were only ten orcs left. The Variants were still alive, as were the orcs fighting with the knights. He might hit the knights if he used a spell, so Cain instead pulled his sword out of its sheath.

“I’ll use my sword next! Here I come!”

Cain launched himself at the orcs. Enhanced by Boost, he flew at the orcs like a projectile. He traveled roughly ten yards with a single step. He slashed out with his sword again and again, cutting the orcs to pieces. He deftly dodged the clubs of the orcs and continued to slash with his sword.

“Let’s end this!”

After taking down all the orcs near the guards, Cain turned to face the three Variants. The halberd-wielding armored Variant was shaking in rage since all their underlings had been taken out.

The three Variants roared, “GORK!” then charged at Cain with their various weapons raised. Cain unleashed magic with his left hand as he continued to wield his sword with his right.

Cain took out one of the Variants with a blast of magic to the face. The Variant’s head exploded, and its body collapsed to the ground. Cain took out a second by cutting its head off with his sword.

He turned to face the final one. “You’re the only one left.”

Cain accelerated towards the orc and slashed through it as he passed by. The final orc froze. Then its head began to slide off its neck. The final orc’s head and body hit the ground separately.

After cleaning the blood off his sword, Cain put it back into its sheath. He called out towards the knights, “Are you okay?”

He headed towards the knights to get more information on the situation, but they turned their swords on Cain as one.

“Stay away from the carriage! Stop where you are!”

Cain stopped. The carriage the knights were protecting had the seal of an aristocrat, and it looked even more impressive than the carriage used by the Silford family. Cain straightened himself and bowed.

“Sorry, I should have introduced myself. I’m Cain von Silford. I’m the third son of Margrave Garm von Silford Gracia.”

Cain’s introduction was interrupted by the sound of knights rushing over on their horses. The four knights that had gone ahead of the carriage had finally arrived. “We are knights under the service of the Margrave of Gracia, we are here to—wait, why are you here, Master Cain?”

They then saw the corpses of the decapitated orcs.

“They’ve all already been defeated…”

“This is even worse than what happened in Lamesta…”

The knights began to grumble. All four had accompanied the Silfords to Lamesta, so they had already seen how Cain’s strength firsthand.

“More importantly, allow me to heal the injured knights. I can use recovery magic,” Cain said.

The appearance of the knights from Gracia allowed the knights guarding the carriage to relax. They sheathed their swords. Cain rushed over to the collapsed knights and checked on their condition. Several of them had already passed away, but a few were still breathing. He approached them and immediately cast recovery magic.

“Area High Heal.”

The wounded knights were immediately covered in a white light. When the light vanished, their injuries had been completely healed. They were still unconscious, but there were no longer any signs of external injuries.

“What was that?!” The knights hadn’t seen this type of magic before.

“That spell cannot replace the blood they lost. They should rest and eat something,” Cain instructed. “My father should be here soon. You will be able to relax once he arrives.”

Cain understood their apprehension. A suspicious individual suddenly appeared and slaughtered an entire group of orcs—it was only natural for the knights to be on their guard.

A few minutes later, the carriage and its accompanying guards arrived at the scene. They stopped nearby and the passengers aboard the carriage disembarked, led by Garm.

Noticing Garm, the knights defending the attacked carriage lined up and saluted.

“…Sheesh. I didn’t expect you to just jump out of the carriage… I won’t delve into that now. We’ll talk about that later,” Garm said to Cain before heading towards the assaulted carriage.

“Garm von Silford Gracia. The seal on this carriage belongs to the family of Duke Santana. Is everyone all right?”

Cain knew that the carriage belonged to an aristocrat, but he was surprised to learn it belonged to a duke. Dukes stood at the top of the aristocratic hierarchy.

In response to Garm, one of the knights opened the doors of the carriage. Two girls, supported by a handmaiden, stepped out of the carriage. All three were visibly shaken.

The two girls were about the same age as Cain, and they were holding each other’s trembling hands. They glanced around at the carnage before them. Their faces immediately paled as they saw the corpses of orcs strewn everywhere.

One of the girls had orderly blonde hair that reached her knees. She looked like the daughter of a noble. The other girl had light purple hair tied to the side and was also likely the daughter of a noble. They were both stunningly beautiful.

Upon seeing their faces, Garm was temporarily taken aback. He immediately got down on one knee and bowed before the girls. Cain hurriedly followed suit. Sarah and Reine also copied Garm and knelt before the girls.

“Princess Telestia, Miss Silk, it’s good to see that you’re safe.”

Cain had assumed that they were both of noble descent, but he didn’t expect the blonde girl to be a princess.

“Lord Garm, thank you for saving us from the crisis we encountered.”

Telestia and Silk, while still leaning on the handmaiden for support, offered a polite and elegant greeting. After, the two girls began sneakily glancing at Cain, seemingly curious. Garm, noticing this, introduced him.

“Cain, you stand before Her Highness the third princess Telestia Terra Esfort and the second daughter of Duke Santana, Silk von Santana.”

Cain stood up and introduced himself.

“I’m Cain von Silford, third son of Garm von Silford. I’m glad that Your Highness Telestia and Miss Silk are safe. This may be overly forward of me, but would you mind if I cast some calming magic on you?”

Cain gathered mana in his fingertips and began to chant. “Relax.” Light enveloped the two girls and the handmaiden. It then vanished. “You should feel better now.”

Cain had used a type of light magic. When he was adventuring in the forest, seeing the innards of the monsters he had slain would gross him out. He created this magic to help sooth his nerves.

The girls stopped trembling. Noticing the change in themselves, they looked over at Cain. He had a dazzling smile on his face. Telestia and Silk blushed.

“Sir Cain, I am Telestia Terra Esfort. Thank you for saving us from the crisis we encountered. It was very scary. I thought it was the end for me.” Telestia approached Cain and cupped his hands in hers. She had teary eyes and a faint blush.

“Ah! No fair!” Silk stole Cain’s hands away from Telestia, enveloped them with her own. “Sir Cain, allow me to thank you as well! I saw you from the window of the carriage! You fired magic like the wind, and your swordsmanship was very cool as well.”

The third princess of the kingdom and the daughter of a duke were fighting over Cain’s hands. Garm couldn’t stop himself from scowling at the scene.

Afterwards, the handmaiden accompanying Telestia was introduced, and she also thanked Cain. Of course, she didn’t latch onto Cain’s hands the way the other two girls did.

“The knights who were protecting us fell one after another… I had thought that this was the end for Silk and me. You’re very strong, Sir Cain. You defeated thirty orcs all by yourself. I was captivated by both your magic and swordsmanship,” Telestia said.

“I have to ask, what brings you to these parts?” Garm asked with an awkward smile. The two girls were completely glued to Cain.

“Teles—ah, Her Highness Princess Telestia had come to visit me at Maalbeek, and we were on our way back to the capital. Her Highness and I are both scheduled to make our debut there this year.”

“Is that so. We are also on our way to the capital for the same purpose. If you are willing, we could head there together.”

“Yes, that would be most acceptable.”

The two girls immediately nodded and accepted Garm’s offer. The knights escorted Telestia and Silk back to their carriage, then set about clearing away the surrounding carnage. They disposed of the monster corpses and laid white sheets over the fallen knights.

“I can help you transport the monster materials and fallen knights to the Capital,” Cain offered.

“That would be most welcome, but how do you plan to transport this many…?” asked a knight.

“Well…” Cain glanced at Garm, who wordlessly nodded. Cain reached out and placed his hand on one of the monster corpses, upon which it immediately vanished.

“Item Box!” the knights shouted in unison.

“Yes. This isn’t too much for me to transport.”

Cain began to store the monster corpses one after another. He also stored the fallen knights covered in white sheets.

The captain of the knights thanked Cain.

“We are in your debt. I thought we might have to bury them here, but with your assistance we can deliver them back to their families.”

“Let’s get moving. We’ll lead the way,” Garm said to the knight as he returned to his carriage. Cain began to follow after him, but Telestia and Silk stopped them.

“Um… Do you have a moment?”

“U-um…We don’t feel safe with just the two of us. Would it be possible for Sir Cain to accompany us in our carriage?”

“That’s…” Given what they were asking, Garm did not immediately respond. However, the request was coming from a princess of the kingdom: he could not simply refuse her. After thinking for a bit, Garm nodded.

“Very well. Cain, ride with them in their carriage.”

“…Okay.”

Cain glanced back at the Silford Family carriage. As expected, Reine was clenching her fists and shaking in rage. She must have overheard the exchange. Cain pretended he hadn’t seen his sister’s reaction and followed Telestia back to her carriage.

“Please sit here,” the handmaiden said.

Cain followed her instructions. For some reason, he was sitting in the middle sandwiched between Telestia and Silk even though the seat in front of him was completely free.

“It might be a little cramped if all three of us sit together. How about I sit in front instead?” Cain suggested.

“No way. Please sit next to us. I’m still scared and having you by my side helps me stay calm,” Telestia said as she entwined her arm with Cain’s.

Should you really be doing this, Your Highness?!

Cain had to settle with shouting internally, as he couldn’t exactly say those words out loud. Mentally, he had lived as a high-schooler in his previous life, so he was naturally not interested in a ten-year-old. No matter how beautiful she was…

“No fair, Teles! Let me join in!”

Silk latched onto Cain’s arm from the other side. With both of his arms spoken for, Cain could no longer move. The three of them stayed like that the entire way to the capital.

The trip took several days, and the girls would tremble from time to time, perhaps recalling the attack they had experienced. Cain calmed them down each time using magic. After two days, the girls seemed to have sufficiently recovered.

Cain, who was still sandwiched between two pretty girls, really wished to be freed from his situation. Unaware of his feelings, the two beautiful girls chatted excitedly.

“Sir Cain, please call me Teles.”

“You can just call me Silk, too.”

“Th-that would be improper of me, Your Highness.”

“Call. Me. Teles! Understood?”

“…Very well, Lady Teles.”

“Drop the ‘Lady.’”

“…Very well…Teles.”

“Me too! Call me Silk!”

“…Okay…Silk.”

The two girls nodded in satisfaction as Cain called them by their names. Although mentally older, Cain still wasn’t able to win against girls. He wasn’t able to get the better of Reine, nor was he able to get the better of these two. Cain hung his head.

The next day, they safely arrived at the Capital. After finishing entry procedures, the carriage passed through the noble-exclusive entrance and entered the city. It had been a quiet three days. They hadn’t encountered any problems since the orc attack. However, since Cain had spent the last few days sandwiched between two pretty girls, he was completely depleted.

“We’ve arrived at the Capital, so there’s no longer any need to worry about your safety. I’ll go return to my own carriage now,” Cain said, relieved at the thought he was finally free.

“What are you talking about? You’re accompanying us all the way to the palace—it’s next to the knight headquarters. We’ve already informed Lord Garm about the matter, so there’s no need to be concerned.”

It was true Cain still had the corpses of the fallen knights stored in his Item Box. It was best to return them to their families as quickly as possible, so Cain nodded and agreed to accompany them.

Once they’d arrived, he temporarily separated from the two girls at the entrance to the palace and headed towards the knight’s headquarters. There, he found a knight wearing the same white armor as the knights who were guarding the duke’s carriage.

The captain wasn’t in the capital at the moment, and the vice-captain was currently at the palace due to an urgent matter, so Cain was told to wait in the drawing room. After waiting alone for roughly an hour, the door suddenly opened. A handsome red-headed knight in his late twenties entered the room. He was wearing flashier attire than the other knights.

“Sorry I kept you waiting. I’ve already heard the details from the knights who came before you. Thank you for protecting Her Highness and the duke’s daughter. Sorry for making you have to carry our comrades back here with you. I’m the vice-captain of the Royal Guard, Daim von Gazart.” Daim had a slightly sad look on his face as he lightly bowed his head in thanks.

“Cain von Silford. I’m the third son of the Lord of Gracia. The knights fought against an army of fifty orcs in order to protect those two girls. They fought bravely.”

Hearing this, Daim’s expression eased. “Thank you. Your words serve to honor the knights that have passed. Please bring them out over here.”

Cain followed Dain and placed the knights covered in white sheets at the location he specified. Normally, knights who died in the field would be buried or burned where they passed. The survivors would bring back something to remember them by, and that was it.

After offering a prayer to the deceased knights, Cain decided to leave and head towards the Silford residence. “I’ll be on my way, then,” he said.

“Please wait. Cain, I’m supposed to bring you to have an audience with His Majesty. Lord Garm should already be on his way.”

Cain’s eyes widened. He was about to have an audience with the king?

Chapter 10: Ennoblement

Chapter 10:
Ennoblement

CAIN WAS SITTING ON THE SOFA IN A DRAWING ROOM inside the palace. He was by himself, waiting for his audience with the king. A maid was waiting outside the room.

Cain wasn’t sure what he, a ten-year-old child, was doing here. Upon arrival, several butlers and maids appeared. They removed his clothes, measured him, and made him put on a brand-new set of noble attire for his audience with the king. He couldn’t just meet the king while wearing the same clothes he wore during his trip to the capital.

The reason for this audience was clear. Cain had slain thirty orcs and saved Her Highness and Miss Silk. However, the knights should have already explained everything, so Cain wasn’t sure why his presence was necessary. As Cain struggled to make sense of his situation, a knock sounded at the door as a butler entered.

“Master Cain, I’m here to take you to the audience chamber.”

“U-um… I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do once I’m there…”

This was Cain’s first time coming to the capital. While he knew he would have an audience with the king as part of the social gathering later in the year, he wasn’t expecting to have to do it now, by himself. He wasn’t sure what the proper social etiquette for the situation was.

“It is indeed rare to have an audience with the king at ten years of age. Once you enter the audience chamber, continue straight, kneel at the edge of the carpet, place your right hand over your heart, and bow your head. You’ll be told what to do next, so it should be fine. And don’t worry: The prime minister will do most of the talking.”

Cain thanked the butler for his detailed explanation.

“Follow me.”

“Okay.”

Cain followed the butler through the palace. There were paintings and suits of armor and other works of art decorating the corridor. They all seemed very expensive and were proof of the prosperity of the kingdom. They continued down the corridor, stopping in front of a large door. Cain was told to stand there and wait for the door to open.

A few minutes later, the door opened from the inside. Cain walked straight forward, as instructed. There were aristocrats lined up to his left and right. Garm was present as well, in a position close to the throne. Cain continued walking until he reached the edge of the carpet, where he kneeled and bowed his head.

The king spoke. “Raise your head.”

Cain did as he was instructed. The king was sitting on the throne in front of him. The Queen and his children were standing next to him, including the third princess, Telestia. Telestia was smiling at Cain.

The king certainly looked the part. He was wearing imposing, gold-embroidered clothing and he had a crown on his head. He was blonde and had a beard. He appeared to be in his forties, but he was in good shape and had a well-defined body. He exuded dignity.

Someone with white hair that appeared to be in their fifties stepped forward from next to the king. He was likely the prime minister that the butler had mentioned earlier.

“Her Highness Princess Telestia and Miss Silk von Santana were attacked by a horde of over fifty orcs. This horde included Variant orcs such as orc generals.”

The prime minister’s statement immediately caused buzz amidst the listening aristocrats.

“First, there was silence. Then, at that moment, Cain von Silford himself leaped into the jaws of death and single-handedly slew over thirty orcs, including the Variants. After the battle, he healed the wounded knights with recovery magic and even brought the proud fallen knights back to the capital.”

The statement that a young boy slew more than thirty orcs by himself, including Variants, caused even more stir amidst the aristocrats. Everyone present understood you typically needed a large force to deal with a horde led by Variants.

“We will now honor him for his deeds. Your Majesty.” The prime minister took a step back. The king nodded and began to speak.

“Cain von Silford. You did well. If not for you, Telestia and Miss Silk would likely not be here today. I hereby confer Cain von Silford the title of Baron.”

The gathered nobles began to clamor even louder than before. It was to be expected; it wasn’t easy to become the head of a noble family. It required a significant amount of effort and results to receive a new independent title via conferment. It was rare for even a single title to be given out over the span of a year.

One of the clamoring nobles stepped forward. His rotund belly shook as he walked towards the king. “P-please wait, Your Majesty. Regardless of the circumstances, conferring a title to a ten-year-old simply isn’t proper. He is still but a child.”

The man was against the conferment.

To be honest, I’m against it too, Cain thought. A baron? Out of nowhere like this? This is my first time hearing about it…

“…Silence, Marquess Corgino. Unless, of course, you too are capable of leaping into the jaws of death and annihilating over thirty orcs, including Variants.”

“Mgh… Well, I can’t…but that doesn’t make this right.” Marquess Corgino refused to back down, which soured the king’s mood.

“Cain von Silford is the third son. He is not the current heir of Silford. I refuse to allow someone of his talents to waste away. My decision is final. I will not repeat myself, Corgino. Stand down!”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty.”

Marquess Corgino, after being reprimanded by the king, returned to his position amidst the aristocrats. He made sure to glare at Cain while doing so.

“Cain von Silford. You will accept this title, yes?”

The king stared directly at Cain with a serious expression. Cain glanced at the prime minister standing next to the king. The prime minister nodded at him wordlessly. Cain then looked at his father, Garm, who was standing on the other side. Garm seemed to have been informed in advance about this situation, as he also nodded. Cain took a deep breath and responded.

“I-I will gladly accept this honor.” Cain didn’t have the courage to refuse, given the current atmosphere.

“This concludes the audience. Your Majesty, the royal family, please exit the chamber.”

Following the prime minister’s words, the king left, followed by the royal family.

“I will explain the details in another location. You will be taken there. Wait for me,” the prime minister said to Cain. With a bow, Cain left the chamber as well. He was escorted by a maid to a room with a table and enough chairs for about ten people.

He wasn’t in the mood to just sit and wait. He paced around in the room by himself before the door opened and Garm entered.

“I kept you waiting, Cain. I didn’t expect you to receive a conferment. The prime minister informed me in advance, which surprised me, but I didn’t expect them to arrange a mansion for you here in the capital as well,” Garm said with a smile, patting Cain on the head. “You are my third son, but you will be the first to grow up and make a name for yourself.”

Receiving a noble conferment was indeed a rare event, and it made Garm proud to be Cain’s father. As the two talked about the future, the door opened, and several people entered.

The group was led by the king. Behind him was the queen, the prime minister, Telestia, Silk, and someone who was likely Silk’s father. Silk waved at Cain with a smile. The top brass of the kingdom were all gathered here in this room. Cain didn’t have the guts to wave back at her.

The king sat down first in the large seat in the middle.

“This is no longer the audience chamber. Sit.” At the king’s words, everyone sat down. Cain sat across from the king.

“Everyone’s here. Cain, first, allow me to thank you. I heard everything from Telestia.” The king bowed his head. The queen followed his lead and bowed her head as well.

“Allow me to thank you as well, Cain. I’m Silk’s father, Eric von Santana Maalbeek. Thank you, truly. It is thanks to you that Silk is here with us today.”

Duke Eric also bowed his head towards Cain. All of the preeminent aristocrats of the kingdom, including the king, had just bowed their heads to Cain, who was still only ten years old.

Cain was not the only one surprised. Even Garm couldn’t believe this situation.

“Your Majesties, Your Grace, please raise your heads. Someone was under attack, so I tried to save them. That’s all.”

The three of them raised their heads at Cain’s words.

“Thank you. However, rather than as a king, I wished to thank you as a father. Now then, let us speak of the future.”

Everyone present nodded at the king’s words.

“I have to ask, is it really a good idea to confer a title upon Cain, since he is still but ten years old?” Garm asked the king.

There were cases in the past where a child inherited an aristocratic title before coming of age, but they were typically due to extenuating circumstances, such as their parents retiring or passing away. There had not been a single instance of a minor receiving a conferment as an independent aristocrat in the history of the kingdom.

The king smiled as he looked at Cain. “I am firm on this matter, Garm. I heard about what happened from Telestia. Although he is but ten, his swordsmanship and magical abilities stand at the top. He can even use Item Box. Given his abilities and his age, he must be blessed by the gods. Our kingdom is not so foolish as to allow such talent to get away from us.”

The king’s smile caused shivers to go down Cain’s back.

“You may have received a noble title, but you are indeed still ten years old. We will not force any responsibilities upon you. Barons typically serve as governors of cities, but you have yet to attend school. We will provide you with a stipend, as you do need to maintain your estate. If you have questions related to aristocracy, you should consult Garm.”

“Thank you. I’ll do my best, and I’ll rely on my father when I have questions.”

Cain had studied about this world, and including his knowledge from his previous life, he assumed he knew more than most people. When it came to governing a city, though, he couldn’t guarantee he would do a good job. Cain was relieved to hear he’d be exempt from such duties.

“There is something more important we have to talk about,” said the king with a serious expression. He looked over at Duke Eric and the two of them nodded.

“Cain. Would you be willing to marry my Telestia, as well as Eric’s daughter, Miss Silk? The official wedding can wait until you’re adults, but for now, I would like to see you betrothed.”

Garm was completely taken aback. It went without saying, but Cain was as well. Cain looked over at Telestia and Silk, but they were blushing and looking down towards the floor.

“…Wh-what did you… Why, Your Majesty?”

“Cain. Do you not remember? What happened within the carriage, and what happened at the lodgings you stayed at on the way here?”

Cain tried to recall. He had joined Telestia and Silk in their carriage and sat in the middle of them while they clung onto his arms. As for the inn, Telestia had insisted that they stay in the same room, and he had given in. They didn’t sleep in the same bed, and they were still only ten years old—Cain assumed it wouldn’t be problematic.

“Telestia is a member of the royal family, and Silk is the daughter of a Duke. They slept in the same room as an unmarried man and they clung onto his arms while riding within a carriage. They can no longer marry anyone else. Are you saying you’re not satisfied with my daughter?”

The king narrowed his eyes as he glared at Cain with reproach. The king and the duke silently assaulted Cain with pressure. Cain had not been aware that royalty had such strict rules. Unsure of what to do, Cain looked over at the prime minister. The prime minister remained silent and simply nodded.

Nobody is speaking out against this!

Cain broke under their pressure and he weakly responded, “…I’ll marry them if Princess Telestia and Miss Silk wish it.” That was the best he could do.

“A man’s word is his vow. You heard that, Telestia, Miss Silk? Satisfied?”

The two girls blushed, covered their mouths, and nodded with tears in their eyes.

Thus, Cain was betrothed to two girls at the age of ten.

Let’s go back in time for a bit.

Two of the guards assigned to protect the carriage went on ahead of the group and rushed over to the knight’s headquarters located near the palace.

“Urgent report. Please call for the captain or vice-captain.”

The knight manning the receptionist booth was taken aback by the sight of a panicked knight in tattered armor rushing into their headquarters.

“Wh-what happened? The captain is currently out of town. The vice-captain is here, I’ll bring you to him. This way.”

The knight showed him in. The vice-captain of the Royal Guard, Daim von Gazart, was in the office. The tattered knight rushed into the office, breathing heavily. He reported the situation to Daim.

“What?! An assault by fifty orcs, including orc generals?! Are Her Highness and Miss Silk okay?!” Daim, who was in his knight uniform working on paperwork, slammed his desk and got up.

“Yes, we faced off against the orcs with ten knights and managed to slay twenty of them. However, we also lost four, and we continued fighting while injured. We were at our limit, when someone came to our assistance.”

After a beat, the knight continued.

“A young boy came to our rescue. The third son of Margrave Garm, Master Cain. He was on his way here to the capital to debut at this year’s social gathering, so he must be ten years of age. This young Master Cain slew the remaining thirty orcs himself with his sword and spells. He even took down the generals by himself. He moved at speeds that even we struggled to follow.”

“A child saved you? Not Margrave Garm’s knights?”

“There is no mistaking it. Master Cain is the one who slew the orcs. Margrave Garm caught up later and is now on his way here along with our group.”

“Wh-what of the injured knights?”

“Master Cain chanted a spell, and those still alive recovered fully from their injuries, including me. However, those who already passed on…”

Dain saw the knight’s face take a dark turn. He swiftly changed the subject.

“A ten-year-old that can use offensive magic, recovery magic, and is skilled with a sword… I must report this to the palace at once. Well done. You may now rest.”

The knight who made the report was led out of the office. Daim wasn’t far behind. He stopped by the receptionist’s desk.

“We just received urgent news. I need to report to the palace.”

In a drawing room of the palace, King Rex Terra Esfort, prime minister and marquis Magna von Terahart, Duke Eric von Santana Maalbeek, and Royal Guard vice-captain Daim were gathered around a table.

Daim began to report what he had just learned. “Thank you for coming on such short notice. The carriage Princess Telestia and Miss Silk were riding in was assaulted by a horde of fifty orcs, led by orc generals.”

“What?! Are the two of them okay?!”

The king and Duke Eric immediately stood up, banging the table.

“Yes. The ten knights protecting them managed to take down twenty orcs, but four of them were lost in the process. The rest of the knights were all injured and in a precarious situation. That is when the third son of Margrave Garm, Master Cain, appeared and offered his assistance. He annihilated the remaining thirty orcs—including the three generals—all by himself.”

The other three exclaimed in unison, “What?!”

An orc general operating alone was viewed as a C-rank monster. A horde of fifty orcs was without a doubt on the level of an A-rank threat. Hearing that a child was able to annihilate such a threat all by themselves was naturally cause for surprise.

“I thought Margrave Garm’s children were attending the Royal Academy, were they not?” Prime Minister Magna asked.

“No, the one who annihilated the orcs was Margrave Garm’s ten-year-old third son, who is scheduled to make his debut at the capital this year.”

“A ten-year-old with that much ability… Do you speak truly?”

Faced with an unbelievable story, everyone furrowed their brows. Daim continued with his explanation.

“When the knights accompanying Margrave Garm were questioned about Master Cain, they answered that he was tutored by adventurers since he was five years old, and that he sparred with dozens of soldiers at Lamesta Fortress. According to them, he was a genius, already capable of wielding advanced spells.”

“A ten-year-old who can cast advanced spells…? I don’t believe it.”

Every new piece of information seemed more outlandish than the last.

“After annihilating the orcs, Cain healed all of the knights using recovery magic, and he stored away the fifty orcs as well as the fallen knights into his Item Box. He’s currently on his way here to the capital.”

The three of them chorused once more, “He can use Item Box too?” They couldn’t help but feel Daim was telling a tall tale. It sounded like a ridiculous story about a fairytale hero.

“A ten-year-old with that much combat strength that can also use healing magic and Item Box… Do you think people like that appear often, Eric?” the king asked.

“I’ve never heard of anyone like that before. On top of it all, Cain is the third son, which means he doesn’t have the right of inheritance. I’d love to have him marry into my family. He did save Silk, after all.”

Daim then added one more detail as a finisher.

“It appears that Princess Telestia and Miss Silk are already completely infatuated with him. They appeared to have invited him aboard their own carriage as a guard, and they clung onto him from both sides… I hear they also shared the same room at an inn.”

The king and Duke Eric were speechless. Their foreheads began to twitch.

“A ten-year-old lady killer on top of it all? Is that the case, Daim?”

“No…I don’t know enough to confirm or deny that.” Daim was beginning to sweat under the king’s cold gaze.

“Magna. What do you suggest?” the king asked.

“Sir Cain is the third son, meaning he lacks the right of inheritance. How about we convey him a title, and allow him to become independent? I believe it wise to make it so he can marry whomever he wishes in the future. I believe I heard he was coming here to participate in the debut party. It will be another two years before he enrolls in the Royal Academy, so it’s likely he will return to Gracia after this visit. If we grant him an estate within the capital, it will keep him close and allow us to evaluate his character. Fortunately for us, Garm’s other sons are also staying here in the capital, so it shouldn’t prove a problem.”

“Good idea.”

Both the king and Duke Eric approved of Magna’s plan. At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.

“Your Majesty, Princess Telestia and Miss Silk have arrived at the palace.”

“Bring them here immediately. Both of them.”

A short while later, Telestia and Silk entered the reception room.

“Father, I sincerely apologize for causing you concern.”

Telestia and Silk both bowed their heads.

“It’s fine. Teles, Miss Silk, it gladdens me to see you two are safe.”

The two of them reported what happened from their point of view. It was more or less the same report that Daim gave, but they tended to overly glorify Cain. In their minds, Cain was a prince riding in on a white horse. They gushed on and on about Cain, blushing all the while. The king and Eric both sighed as they listened to the girls talk.

“So, Teles, the report stated that you and Miss Silk were all over your savior, Cain.”

The two of them blushed and faced down towards the floor.

“Based on your reaction, it seems that report was true,” Magna said, stroking his beard.

“We want to bring Cain into our fold. If we were to say that one of you needs to become his fiancée, how would you respond?” the king asked the two girls.

“I’ll do it!” the two girls responded at the same time. They looked at each other and blushed.

The king and Duke Eric sighed once more.

“Is this Cain truly that impressive? Eric, are you fine with this?”

The duke silently nodded.

“However, the highest title we can confer to him at the moment is that of baron. In order to marry Teles and Miss Silk, he must rise to become at least a count. He is still ten years old, so perhaps we should find him some tasks to accomplish.”

The king, Eric, and Magna looked at each other with a devious smile.

“Summon Cain here to the palace. Prepare the audience chamber.”

This was the moment Cain’s marriage and ennoblement was decided.

***

Now that their audience with the king was over, Garm and Cain returned to their residence in the capital. The two of them remained silent throughout the entire carriage ride. When they arrived at the mansion, they found Sarah and Reine waiting outside for them wearing anxious expressions.

“Sorry for keeping you two waiting. We have some news to discuss,” Garm said with a serious look. He entered the mansion. Cain followed after him with an exhausted look on his face.

The family gathered in the drawing room. The butler, Sebas, and the maid, Sylvia, were not present; it was just Garm, Sarah, Reine, and Cain.

“First, Cain was conferred with a noble title. At today’s audience with the king, he became a baron. He was also granted an estate and some money as a reward.”

“Oh my! That’s amazing! It seems the king is grateful to him for saving Her Highness’s life.” Sarah said.

“Cain, that’s amazing! You’re set for life now!”

Sarah and Reine were initially happy about the news, but Garm’s next words caused them to immediately freeze.

“Here’s the problem. This still has yet to be made public, but it has been decided that Cain is to be betrothed to Her Highness Princess Telestia and the second daughter of Duke Eric, Miss Silk. “

Cain, who had been staring down at the ground this entire time, trembled.

“…Please explain the situation, Cain,” Reine said in a cold tone. It was completely different from how she usually spoke to him.

“It appears they were quite taken in by the bravery Cain showed in saving them and fell in love with him. His Majesty and Duke Eric have already approved their engagement. It can no longer be overturned.”

“Cain was going to get married eventually, this just came a little earlier than expected. I didn’t expect you to get married to those two, though.”

Unlike Reine, Sarah was still in a good mood. Since she was the second wife, her own children could one day revert to becoming commoners. She had worked hard to raise Cain well, and now he had been conferred an independent noble title. On top of that, he was going to marry someone from the royal family and someone from a duke’s household. As his mother, this was the best news she could possibly receive.

“I can’t help but wonder, what exactly happened in that carriage?”

Cain’s body instinctively reacted to Sarah’s innocent question.

“I believe you know they shared a room at the inn, but within the carriage, it appears Cain had one flower in each arm. The two girls were clinging onto him as they traveled to the capital. His Majesty and Duke Eric are already aware of this. For them to go so far as unmarried women, they cannot possibly marry any other man and Cain must take responsibility… That is their stance, at least.”

Garm continued. “Cain ended up accepting their demands. I don’t believe this news will be made public any time soon, but the matter has already been decided. His Majesty summoned me and then rebuked me: ‘Is your son a lady killer?!’”

Reine began to sulk. The little brother she had doted on was now betrothed—to two people no less! A lonely feeling seemed to enter her heart.

“Since they feared he might have returned to Gracia after the debut party, they also bestowed Cain with his own estate here in the capital. He will move there once things calm down. Since he’ll be staying here in the capital, you can meet with him whenever you wish, Reine.”

Reine’s expression immediately brightened.

“So, I can see Cain whenever I want! Fine then, I’ll cheer up.”

“So, here begs the question. Cain, how are you so strong? Even if I did acquire tutors for you, you started at level 1, correct? Whether it be your performance in the sparring sessions in Lamesta or your recent victory over the orcs, your strength is simply unbelievable.”

Cain began to sweat.

“Can you show me your Status? Just how much has your level increased?”

Cain could not reveal his current Status, not even to his family members. If he revealed his Status right now, they would see his unmodified Status with level 10 skills and blessings.

“I’m sorry, Father. I cannot reveal my Status at this time. However, due to my blessings, I’ll likely improve at a much faster rate than others. I also secretly sneaked into the forest to hunt for monsters in the past.”

Cain bowed his head but refused to reveal his secrets.

“Well, fine. A lot has happened today. Maria, Djinn, and Alec will return in the evening. It has been quite a while since you last met them.”

“Yeah. Djinn and Alec have been in the capital for so long, I only met them for a short while when I was extremely young.”

“Yeah…even I only have memories of meeting them when I was little,” Reine said.

“You are free to rest until evening. I’ll have someone bring you to your rooms.”

A maid led Cain to his room. He leapt into bed, then looked up at the ceiling.

“Status.”

Status

Name: Cain von Silford

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 10

Titles: Margrave’s Third Son, Reincarnator, Disciple of the Gods, Prodigy, Natural Enemy of the Forest of Monsters, Destroyer of Nature, Dragon Slayer, Lady Killer

Level: 285

Health: 4,897,240/4,897,240

Mana: 94,573,490/94,573,490

Rating: SSS

Skills: Appraisal Level 10, Item Box Level 10, Military Arts Level 10, Martial Arts Level 10, Physical Tolerance Level 10, Magical Tolerance Level 10

“Yeah, I really can’t show this Status to anyone…”

There were no two ways about it. His Status was extremely over-tuned. He had leveled up even more after annihilating that horde of orcs.

He was able to get out of revealing his status, but it was only a matter of time until his family members started to have their suspicions as well. Cain sighed.

He had thought that as long as he managed to hide his status until he came of age, he would be able to become an adventurer and live however he wanted. However, he had been given a title and was now an independent aristocrat himself, which ruined his original plans.

Cain decided he needed to go consult with the Gods at the church again.

As he rolled around in bed and stared at his Status, a knock sounded at Cain’s door and Sylvia entered the room. Cain immediately closed his Status window. He pretended as if nothing was wrong as he turned to face Sylvia.

“It’s almost time for dinner. Lady Maria, Sir Djinn, and Sir Alec have returned.”

“Got it. I’ll go now.” Cain got out of bed and left his room. He followed Sylvia to the dining room. Sarah and Reine were already there, waiting. Cain sat down in the seat next to Reine. A short while later, Garm, his first wife Maria, his eldest son Djinn, and his second son Alec entered the dining room.

“You’ve gotten a lot bigger, Cain.”

Cain’s two older brothers looked at him with a smile. His brothers and Maria had already left for the capital by the time Cain turned five. His only memories of his siblings were when they played together when he was little.

“Elder brother Djinn, elder brother Alec, long time no see.”

Cain had wanted to live here with them, but that was before he had been given a new estate. Now he would only be staying here for a short while before he moved to his own place.

As they dined, the topic of how Cain had been given a noble title and his own estate naturally came up. It wasn’t normal for a ten-year-old to receive these things, so the people hearing it for the first time were understandably shocked. Garm then dropped the news that Cain was also already betrothed, which surprised Maria, Djinn, and Alec even further. Barons were lesser nobles, so marrying a princess and a duke’s daughter was even more impossible.

Excited, Djinn and Alec assaulted Cain with question after question.

“Cain, since you’ve got your own place, are you planning to live there?”

“Yeah. The royal family is supposed to arrange servants for me.”

“If you’re close by, we can visit each other whenever we want, which should be comforting. I have to say, though… a princess and the daughter of Duke Santana…? That doesn’t sound like it’ll be easy.”

“…It probably won’t be.”

The two of them could only offer sympathetic smiles.

As the entire family had finally reunited, they had a lot to talk about. Dinner went by in a blink of an eye.

***

There were still a few more days until the debut party, so Cain decided to stroll around the capital. Naturally, he wasn’t allowed to go alone. Sarah and Reine were together in the carriage with him, and their butler Sebas was driving the carriage.

“Reine, Cain, is there anywhere you would like to go?” Sarah asked.

Cain wanted to visit the church. He had met with the gods when he was baptized, but there was still much he wanted to ask them about, especially in regard to the ridiculous numbers on his Status.

“I’d like to visit the church. We safely reached the capital, and I haven’t been to one since I was baptized.”

“That’s a good idea. You received a lot of blessings from them; it would be good to show your gratitude,” Reine said.

“Let’s do that, then. Sebas, bring us to the church first,” Sarah requested.

“Very well, Madam.”

The carriage made its way through the streets of the capital. The buildings visible from the window were well maintained and neatly divided into sections.

About three hundred thousand people lived here and the total population of the Esfort Kingdom was roughly one million. The idea of a census didn’t exist in this world, so there weren’t any exact figures for this.

The carriage continued through the city, and after about twenty minutes, it arrived in front of the church. As one would expect, the church in the capital was larger than the one in Gracia. The bishop was stationed here, and the Holy Kingdom of Marineford only assigned a single bishop to each country.

They got out of the carriage and entered the church. They offered some alms to the nun at the entrance, then headed to the prayer room. At the center of the chapel were the shintai2 of the seven pillar gods. These shintai were much more grand than the statues in Gracia.

A statue of the God of Creation Zenom was in the center of the seven pillars. Cain compared the statue to the god in his memories and couldn’t help but smile wryly; they didn’t look similar at all.

He kneeled down and began to pray. His vision was covered in whiteness. As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he found himself back in the same world of pure white he had gone to during his baptism. There was a table in front of him. Like last time, the seven pillars were seated there.

Cain bowed his head and greeted the gods. “Long time no see. I’ve safely arrived at the capital, so I’ve come to pay my respects at the church here. I wasn’t sure whether or not I would wind up back here, but I’m glad I did.”

“Hoh, hoh, hoh. At last, thou hast come, Cain. Long have we awaited thee, although our gaze hath ever been upon thee.”

“You were watching me?” Cain asked.

“Verily, in this manner.”

Zenom raised his hand, and several screens appeared on the table, projecting various scenes. Scenes of Cain hunched over on the floor after seeing his Status, scenes of Cain’s fight at the adventurer’s guild, scenes of Cain fighting the orcs on the way to the capital. To top it all off, there was also a scene of Cain riding in the carriage with the two beautiful girls.

“No way! Don’t watch me like that!”

Cain blushed in embarrassment once he saw what he was doing on the screens.

“Verily, we are but able to watch over thee from afar. Yet thy deeds bring us great mirth, and so it is that we all find ourselves ever observing thee.”

“At least allow me some privacy…”

“Come now, long have we awaited thy return hither. On this day, Grimm and Panam have matters to speak of with thee.”

As if waiting for this moment, God of Technology Grimm began to speak. “That’s right! Cain. This world lacks leisure. Can you recreate one of the pastimes of your previous world, here?” Grimm asked.

It was true that there wasn’t much to do for leisure in this world. People slept early, and even the concept of playing games for fun didn’t exist. The closest thing to leisure was drinking and horsing around.

“Well, I guess I can provide ideas, but I’ve never made things like that myself before.”

“Of that we are well aware. You can partner up with a company and have them make it for you. Whenever you make something, if you offer it up to Panam, it will be registered under your name. You won’t have to worry about copycats,” Grimm assured him.

This world had something similar to patents. By offering up your inventions to the God of Commerce Panam, the invention would be registered under your name. If anyone were to try to create a copycat, divine punishment would befall them.

Cain was curious as to the nature of that “divine punishment,” but after seeing Panam’s creepy smile he decided he was better off not knowing.

“Okay then. I think it’ll be possible to make a simple game, like Othello. I’ll consult with a merchant about it.”

“Good. I’m looking forward to it.”

Grimm and Panam nodded with a smile.

“By the way, there was something I wanted to ask. How would you evaluate my Status, from a general perspective?”

“Hmm… In numbers alone, thou art no longer of mortal kind. Thy experience yet falleth short, but even now, thou standest as the mightiest among men. Shouldst thou continue upon this path, mayhap thou shalt ascend to a Demigod?”

“Demigod…?”

“A being on the same plane as a divine beast or a divine dragon—thou art already nigh upon it. Yet far dost thou remain from attaining our exalted stature.”

Zenom laughed as he looked at Cain. Cain couldn’t hide his surprise at learning that he had somehow grown to become the strongest amongst all humans.

“It would be wise to learn that there are bounds to what thou canst achieve alone. Do not strive for the impossible. Our time is waning—do come again.”

After Zenom’s final words, Cain’s vision was once more enveloped in light. When he came to, he was back in the chapel. He bowed his head to the shintai of the seven pillars, exited the chapel, thanked the nun, and left the church.

“Cain, have you finished praying?”

“Yeah. I told the gods, ‘Thank you for all the blessings you have given me.’”

“Let’s go shopping for clothes next!” Reine said excitedly, pulling Cain back to the carriage, “I can’t wait to see what the capital has to offer.”

They returned to the carriage and continued down the street. They entered the commercial district and stopped in front of a shop.

“We’ve arrived,” Sebas announced.

Sarah, Reine, and Cain got out of the carriage and entered the store. It primarily sold high-end garments for commoners. It wasn’t the type of lavish establishment aristocrats preferred, which gave it a certain appeal. Cain followed Sarah and Reine to the upper floor, which specialized in selling goods for women.

“Um… This is the women’s section.”

Cain was the only male on the entire floor. Waiting for them to finish picking out clothes was a special form of agony. The two girls paid Cain no heed as they continued to take outfits to the dressing room. Cain was extremely uncomfortable, so he snuck away.

The street outside was lined with shops. Cain saw a general goods store nearby and decided to check it out to kill time. As he was about to enter, he saw someone he recognized—more accurately, he saw some ears he recognized. They had both grown a lot in the past five years, but he still instantly knew it was her.

“Hey! Parma!”

It was the girl with cat ears he had met at his social debut in Gracia.

“Huh? Ah! Master Cain? What are you doing here…?”

Parma was restocking the shelves when Cain called out to her. Cain showing up out of nowhere surprised and flustered her.

A voice from within the store called out, “Hey, Parma. Did someone you know show up?” Seconds later the owner of the voice emerged from a back room. He resembled Parma’s father Sabinos but was slightly older.

“Oh, are you a friend of Parma’s? What a cute young boy.”

“Uncle, Master Cain is a noble!”

“What?! Pardon my rudeness.” Parma’s uncle lowered his head in a polite bow.

“My deepest apologies, Master Cain.” Parma ear’s drooped down as she apologized.

Cain was too fixated on her ears to care about her apology. She’s as cute as ever! I want to touch her ears…

“Don’t worry about it. I’m by myself today. There’s no way to tell just based on how I look, anyway. I’m Cain von Silford. The third son of the Lord of Gracia.” Cain responded as normally as he could, attempting to conceal how captivated he was by Parma’s cat ears.

“…The margrave’s son? I truly must apologize for how rude I was being.” Upon learning that Cain was the son of a high-ranking noble, the man practically kneeled down on the floor in apology.

“It really is fine, it doesn’t bother me. More importantly, can you show me what you have for sale here?”

“Of course! Please take a look. Ah, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Parma’s uncle, Tamanis. Thank you for taking care of my younger brother, Sabinos.”

“It’s nice to meet you. By the way, what is Parma doing here at the capital? Does the store in Gracia not need her?” Cain was curious as to why Parma had left her father behind and come to the capital.

“I’m here at my uncle’s store to gain experience. I came here with my dad when he ordered new goods.”

“I see. Then we’re probably going to be seeing a lot of each other from here on out.”

“Master Cain, you’re here for the debut party, right?”

“Yeah, my elder sister is also enrolling in the academy this year, so the entire family will be staying here. I was planning to head back to Gracia after the debut, but on our way here a lot happened, and His Majesty saw fit to ennoble me and grant me an estate here in the capital.”

“Master Cain is now an independent noble and can lead his own family?! That’s incredible news!” Parma clapped her hands in front of her chest with sparkling eyes. Tamanis already struggled to interact with Cain after learning he was the son of a margrave—learning he had a noble title himself just made Tamanis shrink back even more.

“Thank you. Let’s continue to get along.”

Cain looked around the store. It mainly sold miscellaneous goods as well as some wood-crafted products. Seeing the wood-crafted products, Cain thought about the leisure product the gods had tasked him with creating. Perhaps they could help him create a version of Othello here. Cain had a good impression of Parma, her father Sabinos, and her uncle Tamanis, so he decided to give it a shot.

“Parma, Tamanis, I have something I’d like to discuss with you, if you’re okay with it. I’m thinking of producing a leisure product. I was wondering if you would be interested in manufacturing and selling it.”

Tamanis instantly switched to merchant mode upon hearing Cain’s words.

“Master Cain, please come to the back. We can discuss further there.”

There was a drawing room within the store specifically created for business discussions. Tamanis offered Cain a seat and provided him with some parchment. Cain started sketching out his idea. He drew an eight-by-eight grid and noted that sixty-four round pieces painted black on one side and white the other were necessary. He also outlined the rules of the game.

“The game will be called Othello. I’d like you to create a prototype first. I’ll then register it and leave the manufacturing and selling of this product to you. What do you think?”

“Yes, of course.” Tamanis, who was breathing heavily, vigorously nodded. “Please entrust this matter with us. If the manufacturing and selling of this is left entirely to us, then you’ll only receive twenty percent of sales as an inventor’s fee. Is that acceptable? That is the typical percentage used when contracting with the God of Commerce. To break it down further, thirty percent goes to material costs, ten percent to sales tax, twenty percent to transportation costs, and twenty percent to the company’s expenses.”

Tamanis explained how the contract would work. The conditions were acceptable to Cain, so he agreed.

“That’s enough for me. Let me know when you finish the prototype and I’ll review it. I’ll also teach you how it’s played. Here’s some funding to cover development costs.” Cain took a small pouch from his breast pocket and fished out a gold coin, placing it on the table. He had received ten platinum in total as a reward from the king, but as he rarely spent money it had simply been gathering dust in his Item Box. Spending a single gold coin wouldn’t affect him much.

“That’s too much!” Tamanis said, as he hurriedly attempted to return the coin.

“Please view this as an advance payment,” Cain explained with a smile. “After I’ve finished checking the prototype you create, you’ll have to start mass-producing them. You can use this money to cover those costs. You can pay me back after you strike it rich.”

Tamanis got up from his chair and straightened himself. He then placed his right hand over his chest and gave Cain a determined look. “Very well, then! Leave this matter with us. We of Saracaen Company, including my brother, will give it our all and see it done!”

“Once you’ve finished the prototype, contact the Silford residence. I’ll come visit you afterwards.”

Their discussions complete, Cain told them that he was currently in the middle of shopping with his family and had to return.

Cain left the store and found Reine and Sarah waiting for him outside by their carriage. They had apparently finished shopping and Sebas was loading their garments into the carriage. Reine had an angry look on her face.

“Jeez! Cain, where did you vanish off to? I wanted you to comment on the outfits I was trying on!”

“You can show me your outfits back at home, elder sister,” Cain responded with a smile. “Trying them on at the store isn’t enough to know anything.”

“Jeez! Look forward to it when we get home, then!”

Cain had hoped she’d forget, but Reine dragged him off as soon as they got home. Cain was powerless to stop her. She tried on all the new clothes she had bought, one by one, and had Cain evaluate each and every outfit. It took roughly two hours.

***

The Saracaen Company contacted Cain roughly one week later, informing him the prototype version of Othello had been finished. Cain asked Sebas to act as his coachman as he returned to the store. There, an excited Tamanis presented the prototype to him.

The prototype still needed some work. Cain pointed out possible improvements as he explained how the game worked. Othello was a game that could be enjoyed by both children and adults. Although its rules were simple and easy to remember, the game itself was deeply complex. It was also easy to make, so there wouldn’t be any difficulties mass-producing it.

They played a round as Cain explained the rules. As this was Parma’s first time playing, Cain managed to win easily.

“Master Cain! This is incredible! It will definitely be a big hit!” Despite losing, Parma was extremely excited.

Tamanis, who was watching by the side, folded his arms and nodded as well. “Let’s first register the finished product. That will prevent copycats. However, other companies are only restricted from making it for three years. After that, anyone can copy and sell it.”

Cain understood that to be something like the duration of the patent license. Three years of a monopoly was long enough to get a significant number of copies into circulation.

“Yes, that’s fine. When creating these Othello sets, let’s make two different versions: one for nobles, and one for general use. I believe nobles and wealthy individuals will want a more luxurious version. In exchange, we can make the standard version cheaper to the point anyone can afford it. The spread of leisure activities is the ultimate goal. Let’s make fifty sets of the luxury version and one thousand sets of the standard version. We can make more depending on sales.”

Tamanis winced slightly at Cain’s proposal. “Our company may not have enough assets on hand for that. If we sold the aristocrat version for one large silver and the general use version for one silver, the manufacturing costs would come out to…”

Given the numbers that were being worked with, Tamanis had to stop to think for a moment.

Cain calculated in his head and immediately answered for him, “If we assume that the manufacturing costs are thirty percent of the sales cost, it will cost us three silvers per luxury set for a total of one hundred and fifty silvers, and three large coppers per standard set for a total of three thousand large coppers. The total cost summing everything up would be four gold coins and five large silvers.”

“Master Cain, you calculate extremely quickly!” Parma said, her radiant eyes filled with respect.

Tamanis also seemed impressed by Cain’s calculation speed, but he had a gloomy look on his face.

“Master Cain, that is unfortunately too great a sum for our company to cover,” Tamanis said in an apologetic tone. “If we put all our assets into this, we won’t be able to purchase the other goods we offer.”

“That won’t be a problem. I’ll cover the initial startup costs. I don’t have any other plans for the money I have on hand anyway.”

Cain took five gold coins from his pouch and placed them on the table. Although he was technically an independent noble, he was still a ten-year-old child. Seeing Cain take out gold coins so easily shocked Tamanis, who tightened his expression.

“Thank you, Master Cain. We of the Saracaen Company will put our all into this.” Tamanis got up out of his chair and offered Cain a deep bow.

“No need for that. You can simply pay me back after we start selling them. The money I’m giving you is an investment.”

“Understood. Let’s first create the contract. We can offer it up to the God of Commerce alongside the finished product.”

Tamanis began to write the details of the contract onto parchment. He created three copies: one for himself, one for Cain, and one to offer up alongside the product to the God of Commerce. That was standard practice.

Mid-sized and larger companies all had a simple altar in their stores that they used to worship the God of Commerce, and the Saracaen Company naturally had one as well. It was similar to the household shrines from Cain’s previous life. Tamanis placed the prototype and contract on the altar and began to pray.

The shrine flashed, and the Othello set and contract vanished.

“Oh!” Cain couldn’t stop himself from yelping in surprise. Since that set vanished, does that mean it went to where the Gods are? I hope they enjoy it.

“By offering up this contract to the gods, we are essentially swearing that we will protect the terms outlined in it no matter what.”

“Thank you for showing me this. I’ll leave the matter of manufacturing to you. Let’s aim to start selling sets next month. Oh, I’m going to purchase ten of the luxury sets for myself, so hold onto them for me. I want to prepare one for the royal family as well, so make one especially luxurious for the royal family.”

“F-for the royal family?!” Tamanis’s face paled. “Understood. We will put all we have into the creation of this product.”

The royal family typically didn’t buy things from mid-sized companies. Large companies had a complete monopoly on their business. It would be strange to not be surprised at the sudden mention of selling something directly to the royal family. Despite this, Cain had made a promise to the gods. He had to do it.

The Othello sets were finished and ready for sale a month late. They were immensely popular and immediately sold out. The Saracaen Company began to mass-produce sets, but still struggled to keep up with demand. The product’s overwhelming success made Tamanis overjoyed to the point of tears. However, that is a story for the future.

***

At the Silford estate in the royal capital, Cain was being fitted for his debut party outfit. He was surrounded by members of the trading company, plus Sarah, Reine, and Sylvia were in attendance.

Cain felt it was a bit of a waste to go to such lengths for a single event, but the ten-year-old capital debut was apparently an important event for aristocrats. Not only did it mean having an audience with the king, but the parents would often use the opportunity for networking purposes. They would attempt to connect their children with the progeny of influential aristocrats, or scout for candidates for political marriages. The event offered insight into how factions would develop in the future.

The Kingdom recognized polygyny, and it was normal for aristocrats to have multiple concubines. Garm had two wives, but that number was considered few amongst aristocrats. On top of that, Sarah was a former adventurer, so she wasn’t nobility. There were many situations in the past where the daughters of other aristocrats were practically forced upon him, and Garm had shared several of those stories with Cain back when they were traveling together to Lamesta.

Margraves were considered high-rank aristocrats, so Garm had no way of avoiding this form of targeting. If any of his suitors were to succeed, gaining his favor and the status of concubine, that would allow a lesser noble to form a connection with a margrave.

Factions tended to marry amongst each other, but as a margrave, Garm was a centrist. Garm had complained to Cain in the past about how, since his territory bordered a foreign nation, he didn’t have the luxury to worry about political factions. War could break out at any moment, after all.

As Garm’s son, Cain was considered to be a centrist too. However, as soon as it was made public that Cain was betrothed to Telestia and Silk, he would inevitably be considered a member of the royal faction. Cain couldn’t help but smile bitterly as he imagined the laughing faces of the king and Duke Eric.

Although he had memories from his previous life, he only had the life experience of a high schooler and a ten-year-old. Even putting together how many years he had lived in total it still wouldn’t amount to much. Cain felt he didn’t stand a chance against the politically experienced king and duke. As Cain indulged in his idle thoughts, Reine called out to him.

“Cain! Are you listening?”

“Sorry, elder sister. I was thinking about something.”

“Jeez! Cain, since you have silver hair, I was saying that this deep blue fabric would look good on you!”

Cain took another look at the fabric. Rather than deep blue, it would be more accurate to call it azure. It did look quite good.

“Elder sister, the color you picked out for me is quite good!”

Reine smiled brightly in response, and she began to start selecting the design of the outfit.

Elder sister is such a pushover… As Cain harbored slightly wicked thoughts, the fabric matching proceeded.

After everyone had settled on the details, Sarah asked the merchant, “Can you use this fabric as a base and create the design we decided upon?”

“Understood. We would be honored to make this outfit for Master Cain.”

The merchants started packing up their wares, before bowing and energetically leaving the room.

A few days later, the outfit they had ordered arrived. Since the merchants had put in extra effort, it was finished earlier than planned. Cain tried it on and had them adjust it a little. It was extremely well made.

“I would be proud to present you anywhere, Cain,” Reine said as she nodded multiple times in affirmation. Cain recalled that Reine had participated in a debut party at the capital two years ago as well. He had asked whether any of the boys her age were any good, but apparently none of them were.

Apparently Reine’s condition for a potential suitor was they didn’t seem inferior when compared to Cain. Uncertain whether comparing to her younger brother was an appropriate way to judge a suitor, Cain could only offer a wry smile.

Time passed, and the time of the debut party arrived.

Chapter 11: Capital Debut Party

Chapter 11:
Capital Debut Party

IT WAS THE DAY OF THE CAPITAL DEBUT PARTY. THE group today consisted of Garm, Sarah, and Cain. The butler, Sebas, was driving the carriage. Reine had no role to play in today’s event, so she was staying at home.

“Reine, listen to Maria and behave,” Sarah told Reine.

“I know. I really wish I could be there to see Cain, but I guess I did get to watch him change his clothes, so I’m feeling quite satisfied.”

Reine was in the room the entire time when Cain was getting changed. Sylvia was there too.

“How can Cain possibly get changed without the presence of his personal maid?” Sylvia asked, as she stood next to Reine with a sparkle in her eye. She didn’t actually do anything other than stare at Cain as he got dressed.

“Let’s get going,” Garm said as he led the way and boarded the carriage.

“Elder Sister, I’m off. Sylvia, take care of things while I’m gone.”

“Have a safe trip.”

Sarah and Cain got onto the carriage as well, and it set off at Sebas’s signal.

“Cain, you became a baron at your previous audience with the king. At your age, this is an unprecedented event. You will garner significant attention at today’s event as well. Be careful. Be especially careful of those parents who introduce their daughters to you. Your engagement with Her Highness and Miss Silk still hasn’t been publicized.”

“I understand, Father. I’ll handle matters smoothly.”

“That’s not the typical response a ten-year-old would give… What am I to do with you?” Garm was exasperated by Cain’s response.

The carriage slowly made its way through the noble district. After traveling for about ten minutes, Sebas announced, “We will soon arrive at the palace.”

“It’s finally time… I’m starting to get nervous.”

They got out of the carriage upon arriving at the palace. They were then guided to a great hall where aristocrats and their children were already engaged in lively conversation. At a cursory glance, there were at least thirty children. Including the parents, there were around a hundred people total within the hall. The adults were split up into their own groups and chatting with each other over some wine.

So, those are the factions?

Marquess Corgino, the one who raised an objection towards Cain’s ennoblement and then glared at him afterwards, was part of the largest group. Since he was in the middle of the group, he was likely a leader within the faction. He was bringing around an arrogant looking child with him. That child appeared to have two young followers of his own.

The Silfords entered the hall and began greeting people in a group. The royal family had yet to arrive, so Garm brought them over to Duke Eric. Silk was there with him. Noticing Cain and the others’ arrival, she smiled and waved at him. Cain returned the wave and met eyes with Duke Eric.

Duke Eric looked at Silk and Cain in turn, then smirked at Cain.

That smile of his creeps me out, Cain thought.

Garm began the introductions. “Duke Eric, thank you for the other day. Let me introduce him properly this time. This is my third son, Cain.”

They had met and talked after the audience with the king the other day, but this was their first public meeting.

“I’m Cain von Silford, third son of Margrave Garm von Silford Gracia. It’s an honor to meet you.” Cain straightened his back and offered a polite bow.

Duke Eric responded with a smile. “Oh my, it is good to see you, Hero Baron Cain. I’m Eric von Santana Maalbeek, and I serve the kingdom as a duke. Let me thank you again for saving our daughter, Silk.” Duke Eric winked and pushed Silk forward. “This is my second daughter, Silk. I hope you get along with her in the future.”

“Silk von Santana. Thank you for coming to save me when I was in danger, Sir Cain.” Silk was wearing a light pink dress. Her long hair was tied up at the top of her head, and she exuded a beauty worthy of a queen.

“Miss Silk, the dress you’re wearing looks amazing. It’s extremely pretty. You could be mistaken for a queen.”

I’ve lived the total years of a high schooler plus a ten-year-old. Ten-year-olds just look like cute children to me.

Cain casually complimented Silk. However, it seemed to have a much greater effect than he had intended as Silk’s face flushed red.

“Sir Cain…do I really look that good in this dress?” Silk asked with upturned eyes.

“Yes, you do. You look wonderful, Miss Silk,” Cain reaffirmed.

“That azure outfit is wonderful as well. You look really good in it, Sir Cain.”

As Cain and Silk gazed at each other, Duke Eric conspicuously cleared his throat.

“Margrave Garm, I didn’t expect Baron Cain to be so skilled at dealing with woman at the tender age of ten… Is everything going to be all right? I can’t help but worry for the future.”

“It is likely his older sister’s influence. Our Reine is a bit of a tomboy, and if you aren’t careful in how you deal with her, she’ll immediately get into a bad mood. He probably learned from dealing with her.”

The two adults were both laughing. They had finished their greetings, and a line of other people who wished to speak with the duke was forming behind them.

“Well then, I shall see you later,” Garm said as they left.

Silk waved once more at Cain, so he returned the gesture.

“Cain, aren’t you a little too used to handling women?” Garm whispered into Cain’s ear.

“Elder sister Reine’s mood improves whenever I flatter her. I pay careful attention to what people show on their faces.”

“You really don’t behave like other ten-year-olds…” Garm said with a wry smile.

The group went around and greeted the aristocrats Garm was acquainted with. Things went exactly how Garm had predicted. As expected, the main topic everyone wished to talk about was Cain’s ennoblement and Cain’s battle with the orcs. They also asked Cain whether he preferred older or younger girls. Although Cain felt a bit awkward, he still directly answered each of their questions.

As nobles themselves, they probably either wanted to marry their daughter to the heir of a high-ranking noble family or an independent ennobled aristocrat. Cain was the son of a margrave as well as an ennobled aristocrat at the age of ten; he was probably viewed as an extremely capable youngster. In addition, since he was only ten, they assumed he wasn’t betrothed yet. This led to aristocrats introducing their daughters to him one after another, but Cain already had Telestia and Silk, two peerless beauties. None of the girls introduced moved him, and he responded as inoffensively as possible before moving on to greet new people.

As they went around socializing, music suddenly resounded throughout the great hall. The moment the music ended, the king, the queen, and third princess Telestia entered the hall. The king walked over to the throne and sat down. The queen sat on one side next to him and Telestia sat on the other side.

Since she was sitting on an elevated platform, Cain could clearly see her. She was wearing a white dress and had a tiara on her head. She had on light makeup and her beauty was even more polished than usual.

The children of the other nobles were all enraptured by Telestia’s beauty as a faint blush made its way to their cheeks.

The king began to speak. “Thank you all for joining us today. I know many of you come from lands afar. The children here today have just reached ten years of age. They will be the pillars of this country in the future, and I hope they strive to better it. A toast.”

The attendees raised their glasses. The children’s glasses were naturally filled with juice.

“Cheers,” the king said.

“Cheers,” the attendees responded in unison.

After the toast, slow music began to play throughout the hall. The nobles present took their children and headed towards the king to pay their respects. However, there was an implicit understanding that it should be done according to rank, starting with the high-ranking nobles.

Cain did not really wish to speak with the king, but he also couldn’t avoid paying his respects. He left the timing of when to go up to Garm.

After a few groups finished, Garm called out to Cain. “It’s about time we greeted the king.”

Cain nodded in response and followed Garm to where the king was sitting.

“Greetings, Your Majesty. Princess Telestia, congratulations. This is Cain, my third son.”

“Baron Cain von Silford. Thank you for inviting me here today.”

“Garm, Cain. Thank you for coming. Enjoy yourselves.”

“Sir Cain, as always, your outfit today is quite striking. It suits you very well.”

“You look extremely beautiful today as well, Your Highness Telestia. When you first appeared, it was as if a goddess had descended upon the land. I almost forgot how to breathe.”

Telestia flushed red at Cain’s words.

“…Garm, what sort of upbringing results in a lady killer like this? Look at Telestia.” The king glanced over at Telestia, who was as bright red as a ripe apple. She was covering her cheeks with both hands and wriggling in embarrassment. Both the king and Garm’s faces contorted at the sight.

“Your Majesty, there was something I wanted to present to you. I brought it here with me. May I have permission to retrieve it from my Item Box?” Cain asked.

“Very well.” The king nodded.

Cain retrieved an Othello set from his Item Box. It was the set specially made for the royal family, and the serial number 000001 was engraved into it. The woodcarver had put his heart and soul into carving this thick, solid board. The production cost of this specially-made Othello set came out to a gold coin.

“I produced a leisure product in conjunction with the capital branch of the Saracaen Company. The name of this game is Othello. I’ve already registered it with the God of Commerce, and we are planning to begin selling it soon. I wanted to present you with the first one.”

“Mmm. A leisure product, you say? Cain, after the proceedings today have ended, I will have someone bring you to the drawing room. I would like to know more about this product of yours. Understood?”

The earlier smile had completely vanished, and now the king was assaulting Cain with wordless pressure. Cain had only been planning on handing over the Othello set. He was now beginning to sweat, as he could tell that the situation would no longer be resolved so easily.

“…Understood. I’ll come over after the events today have concluded.”

As there were people waiting behind them, they moved to the side to not hold up the line.

Telestia was still blushing with her hands covering her cheeks, seemingly daydreaming about something.

“Cain, I took my eyes off of you for but a moment, and you started dabbling in something like that as well?” Cain’s proactive nature exasperated Garm.

“The other day, when I went shopping with Mother and Elder Sister, I ran into one of the merchants that came to my social debut in Gracia. I discussed it with them and had them make it. I still have a few more sets, so I’ll give one to you later as well.”

“Magic, swordsmanship, Item Box, and now trade? You keep exceeding my imagination…”

“I am supposed to receive a stipend now as a baron, but I felt I may not have sufficient funds to both cover my expenses and maintain the estate I was given. However, I wouldn’t be able to operate a company myself—no one would trust a business run by a ten-year-old. Instead, I’m going to come up with ideas and get paid an inventor’s royalty while leaving the production and selling to someone else.”

“Yeah, yeah. I don’t need to hear any more. Cain, you’ve received your own title and are already a full-fledged aristocrat. You can do as you please and take responsibility for your own actions now. I still have a lot of people I need to meet with. You should indulge in some conversations more appropriate for your age amongst the other children here.”

“Cain, don’t get bewitched by anyone strange!” Sarah said as she and Garm left to join a group consisting of only adults.

Now free, Cain observed the groups the children were forming. The other children had also been freed from accompanying their parents, and they had formed several groups of their own. The only people Cain knew here were Telestia and Silk. Cain walked towards the largest group. He stood in the back, not joining the conversation. As he listened in on what was being said, Silk came over.

“Sir Cain, are you by yourself? Teles is still with His Majesty, so let’s chat.” Silk had brought over two glasses of juice. Cain accepted one as they sat down together nearby.

“There are more people here than I expected. I can’t exactly hang out with Teles right now, so I’m glad you’re here, Sir Cain.”

“Silk, can you cut it out with that ‘Sir Cain’ stuff already? No need to call me Sir.”

“Hmm… Okay, fine. Just Cain, then. Or would you prefer Baron Cain?” Silk asked with a teasing smile.

“No, no. Just Cain is better,” Cain said, relaxing.

As they chatted with each other, a group of three boys approached the two of them. “If it isn’t Miss Silk. Good day to you. You’re wearing a wonderful dress today.”

“Good evening, Mr. Habit. Thank you.” Silk responded in a curt manner, completely different from how she interacted with Cain. She then turned back towards Cain and returned to her usual smiling self.

Slightly surprised at the transformation, Cain nevertheless continued their conversation. One of the followers, the one standing in the very back of their group of three, spoke up.

“Hey, you. This here is the heir of Marquess Corgino. Are you unable to even introduce yourself? How dare you interrupt Lord Habit’s conversation with Miss Silk.”

Cain furrowed his brow at the mention of Marquess Corgino. It reminded him that the marquess glared at him during his audience with the king.

“Hello. Good evening. Sir Habit, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Baron Cain.”

Cain chose not to reveal his family name. Since he had been ennobled recently, he purposefully threw out his title. Cain smiled deviously, as his answer was somewhat of a trap. As expected, Habit’s follower took the bait.

“How dare you, the mere son of a baron, act so high and mighty before the heir to a marquess! That’s Lord Habit to you!”

The other follower, in sync with his fellow, followed up as well. “That’s right! The two of us are also the sons of viscounts! The mere son of a baron should also refer to us as lords.”

Miss Silk, unable to comprehend just what the two of them were saying, tilted her head in confusion.

“Hang on, you two. This fellow named Cain, he is likely of such poor origins that he doesn’t even dare give his family name. As long as they apologize now, I’ll overlook their transgression and accept them into my fold—I’m concerned about Miss Silk, after all.” Habit seemed to be interested in Silk, as he was constantly probing her reaction.

“Hang on, Cain isn’t the son of a baron—” Silk was about to say something, but Cain stopped her with his hand.

Cain wanted to show Silk his manly side, so he answered with his chest puffed out.

“Wait.”

“Huh?”

“Sorry, little lord marquess, and little lord viscount. Let me re-introduce myself.”

The three boys were enraged at Cain’s use of the ridiculous moniker “little lord.” One of the followers reached out to grab Cain’s collar.

Cain addressed the three boys with a wide smile. “I’m the third son of Margrave Garm von Silford Gracia, Baron Cain von Silford. I’m not the son of a baron, I myself am a baron.”

The three boys immediately froze, including the one who was reaching out to grab Cain’s collar. Although baron was a low-ranking noble title, a baron was still an independent and titled noble. In terms of relationships, the son of a high-ranking aristocrat may be viewed as higher ranking, but an ennobled aristocrat with their own title was higher ranked than the child of a high-ranking noble.

To make matters worse, Margrave Garm was not of the same faction as Marquess Corgino. Margraves and marquesses had different duties, but they were of equal stature. The three boys had just behaved unbelievably rudely towards the son of a margrave, who also happened to be a baron himself. They immediately began to panic.

“Sir Cain saved us when the carriage I was sharing with Her Highness Princess Telestia was attacked by orcs,” Silk proudly explained. “He took out thirty of those orcs by himself. The day after, he was conferred the title of baron by the king.”

“…I heard about that from my father,” one of the followers explained. “A boy the same age as us was granted a noble title. He has superior swordsmanship and magic ability, and he annihilated a horde of orcs led by an orc general.”

Habit and his followers began to tremble. They took a step back, then another step back.

“P-pardon us for our rudeness. We did not know you were an honorable baron. We have some business elsewhere, so please excuse us!”

Habit turned around and fled. His followers chased after him. After the nuisances had left, Cain returned to his seat and took a sip of his juice.

“I didn’t expect you to be so cunning, Sir Cain. This is my first time seeing that side of you. I could immediately tell based on your smile that you were up to no good.” Silk laughed with tears in her eyes. “The look on their faces!”

Cain, realizing he had made a mistake, began to get flustered. “U-um. Th-This isn’t what you think it is…”

Silk smiled mischievously. “I have to tell Teles about this later.”

Cain began to get even more flustered.

“Just kidding! If you go on a date with me later, then I’ll keep it a secret for you.”

Cain’s shoulders fell as he nodded. He never could win against girls.

“…Okay, very well.” I feel like I just lost to a ten-year-old…

“Yay! I’ll tell my father later, then.”

Ignoring Cain’s feelings on the matter, Silk was excited at the prospect of going on a date.

Since he had always been able to get Reine to do as he wanted, he was quite confident in his abilities. However, Cain suddenly felt as if he wasn’t capable of beating Silk.

As Silk continued to tease Cain about the incident, Telestia arrived, freed from her duties.

“I’m finally free! Sir Cain, you were here talking to Silk the entire time, weren’t you? You two must’ve had so much fun…”

Finding Telestia’s slightly sulking expression really cute, Cain’s expression softened.

“Oh, now that you’re here. Cain, you see, earlier did something really cun—”

“W-wait! Hang on!”

Before he realized what he was doing himself, Cain covered Silk’s mouth with one of his hands. His other hand was raising a finger in front of his own mouth, making the “shush” gesture.

“Sir Cain…you just touched the lips of an unwed woman… I’ll have to report this to Duke Eric,” Telestia said with a smile. Her eyes were not smiling in the slightest.

“Oh, sorry,” Cain removed his hand from Silk’s mouth.

“Sir Cain, tell me honestly. Silk, what happened?” Teles seemed worried.

“Hm? Nothing, really. I’m going to go on a date with Cain later, that’s all.”

Silk revealed it, just like that. Cain sighed.

“D-d-date?! That’s not fair! Also, when did you start calling him ‘Cain’ rather than ‘Sir Cain’? You’re cheating! I want to go on a date with Sir Cain as well!” Telestia began to press Cain, her face flushed red.

“Okay, fine, let’s go on a date later, Teles.”

Telestia blushed to her ears. “Definitely. I’m looking forward to it.” Her face fully red, Telestia clenched her fists.

“Where are you going?” A voice called out from behind the group of three.

“I’m going on a date with Sir Cain, of course!” Telestia replied as she turned around. Telestia was all smiles after securing her date, but the instant she saw who she was replying to she froze. The king was standing there. He was smiling, but his eyes were not smiling in the slightest. A vein could be seen bulging on his forehead.

Seeing the king’s expression, Cain’s face paled.

“…Oh? Cain. It seems we have much to discuss later. This gathering will soon end. Let’s have a heart-to-heart chat amongst men. Both about that game of yours, and everything else,” the king said as he smacked Cain on the back. He was definitely using more force than was appropriate towards a child.

Cain could only smile wryly. That kind of hurts. A normal child would be crying right now.

“…Very well, Your Majesty. I’ll come see you later.” Cain nodded listlessly.

The gathering ended, and Cain was now in the usual drawing room. The king, the queen, Telestia, the prime minister, Duke Eric, Silk, Garm, Sarah, and Cain were all seated around a table.

Cain retrieved three Othello sets from his Item Box and placed them on the table. Since he only had the one royalty set made, the sets he placed on the table were the usual luxury sets. They had more carvings than the standard set and were more extravagant.

Cain explained the rules as he placed black and white stones onto the board. After crowding around and listening to Cain’s explanation, everyone immediately understood the rules and split up into pairs to start playing.

“This is fun! The rules are simple, and thought needs to be put into your placement. This game can be enjoyed by both children and adults.” The king was happily clapping his hands.

The others were completely captivated by the game as well.

“I’ve set the price of standard game sets to one silver. The luxury sets will cost one large silver.”

“Yes. That is an acceptable price. Still, Cain. You have the makings of a merchant as well? You should consider starting your own company,” the king suggested.

Cain had only arrived at the capital recently, so he didn’t have many connections. He worked together with the Saracaen Company this time, and the product they produced came out better than expected. Since he didn’t have the know-how to produce these things himself, he had been planning to continue as is.

The king was even more taken by the game than he had expected. Cain was forced to accompany him for quite some time. The king was only satisfied after roughly two hours, after which the gathering finally came to an end.

“I’ll be on my way then, Your Majesty.”

Cain lowered his head and attempted to leave alongside Garm.

“Hang on. I seem to recall something about you going on a date with our young Teles. Explain. Sit down and explain.”

Cain froze at the king’s words as Garm smiled bitterly.

Duke Eric dropped an additional bomb. “Now that you mention it, I heard that you also promised to go on a date with our Silk. The fact that you are betrothed to them has yet to be made public, so be careful.”

After the king and the duke had their fill berating him, Cain, exhausted, was finally allowed to leave.

Chapter 12: Cain’s Estate

Chapter 12:
Cain’s Estate

A FEW DAYS HAD PASSED SINCE THE CAPITAL DEBUT party, and Cain had traveled between the Saracaen Company and the Silford Mansion several times. He told Tamanis and Parma about how he had presented an Othello set to the king, who had enjoyed it very much. They were completely shocked. They had only finished making it recently, yet it had already entered the hands of the king. It wasn’t surprising they were taken aback.

They were now planning to sell to the general public, which meant they needed to prepare a significant quantity of merchandise. That was what their current discussions centered around.

Once Cain had settled his business with the Saracaen Company and returned to the mansion, he found a courier from the palace there waiting for him.

“Baron Cain, His Majesty is waiting for you at the palace. I’d like to request you come with me in the carriage provided,” the courier said the moment he saw Cain.

“My apologies…but right this moment? Wouldn’t it be better to set another date?”

“His Majesty told me to bring you over immediately.”

Cain was unable to turn down the apologetic courier and he ultimately boarded the carriage.

When he arrived at the palace, a maid was there waiting for him. She brought him to the usual drawing room. He sat down in a chair as the maid began preparing some black tea. As one would expect, the black tea prepared here in the palace had a wonderful fragrance and rich taste. Cain sipped on some tea to pass the time.

When the king and prime minister entered the room, Cain immediately rose from his chair and observed proper etiquette.

“Thank you for waiting. That Corgino was being a pest, so it took forever to finish,” the king said.

“I was enjoying the excellent black tea provided here, so I barely noticed.”

The king sat in his usual chair and the prime minister sat down beside him. After confirming the two of them were seated, Cain sat down as well.

“First, we’ve decided upon which estate to present you with. It used to belong to a viscount, but he dabbled in tax evasion, embezzlement, and slave trafficking, so we squashed him and reclaimed all his assets. The royal family is currently managing them. We were going through the process of officially handing them over to you and the meeting dragged on because Corgino was opposed to it.”

Both the father and the son are nuisances, Cain thought as Marquess Corgino’s face appeared in his mind.

“No matter what anyone says, the decisions I have made are final. The mansion is in a good spot, you know? It’s close to the Royal Academy you will attend in the future and it’s not far from the palace either. Ask Magna for a guide map later. That concludes official business…so let’s get started,” the king said, placing an Othello board on the table.

“Eric is pretty good at this game. As its inventor, playing against you should help me improve, right?”

The king was completely addicted to Othello. Magna and Cain could only laugh dryly. Cain sat down opposite of the king and began to play one stone after another.

“Oh! Placing a stone there allows me to take one of the corners. Like this.”

“Ah! You! I’m the king, you know? Can’t you hold back a little?”

“Your Majesty, isn’t this what you wanted, since you want to improve?”

“Mgh… Then how about this move? How about that?”

The king and the ten-year-old Cain were having a serious match of Othello. The king was fully focused on the game and he occasionally let out a groan of frustration. Magna could only sigh at the scene.

They continued playing for about two hours, but the king was unable to win even once. The king continued to shout, “Rematch! I’ll definitely beat you next time,” but the prime minister refused to allow him to continue playing. The king could only give up and reluctantly leave the room.

“Sir Cain, allow me to apologize in His Majesty’s stead. This here is a map and the key to your mansion. We currently have a listing up for the butler position. We’ll let you know once we find someone. We should be sending a few younger maids from the palace to work at your place. Sorry, the furniture used by the previous tenant is still there, so you may use it as you wish.”

Cain accepted the map and the key.

“Thank you, prime minister. Is the mansion so large that it needs butlers and maids?” It was an aristocrat’s mansion, which worried Cain.

“It is not as large as Margrave Garm’s mansion, but it is still an aristocrat’s mansion. It is quite large and, as an aristocrat, hiring people is one of your duties. Money won’t circulate in the economy if you don’t spend it—though I suppose speaking of it now doesn’t serve much meaning,” Magna said with a shrug. He got up to leave, but paused. “I expect the king will summon you to play with him in the future as well. Thank you for your patience.”

“Understood, Prime Minister. Thank you for bestowing me with an estate.”

Magna nodded as he left the room.

There was still quite some time until evening, so Cain turned down the carriage and strolled through the aristocratic quarter on foot. The mansion he was given was closer to the common district than the aristocratic quarter. After leaving the palace and walking for about thirty minutes, Cain arrived at his estate.

“Here it is. It’s larger than I thought.”

Cain was standing in front of an estate as long as a football field with a two-story mansion at its center. The building was shaped like a squared U, with the entrance visible in the middle. Cain opened the slightly dilapidated gate and walked through an overgrown garden before reaching the door of the mansion. He opened it with his key.

As nobody had been living here, dust had piled up. The wind brought in by opening the door kicked up the dust. The sunlight streaming through the window reflected off the swirling motes, creating a fantastical glow.

The magic stones powering the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling had run out, so the hall was only lit by the nearby windows. It was a bit dim.

“Light Ball.”

A bright orb floated up from Cain’s hand and hovered nearby, illuminating the hall. It was desolate, devoid of any decorations.

“The decorations that were here must’ve all been confiscated. I kind of prefer how simple it looks now.”

The staircase and entrance hall were directly in front of the door. The right branches of the hall led to the dining room, living room, and kitchen. The left branches of the hall led to a great hall large enough to hold a party and a drawing room.

On the second floor there were bedrooms on both sides of the hall. Cain checked each and every room, from the main bedroom to the guest rooms.

“Am I really going to be able to run this gigantic house all by myself…? It really is dirty. Maybe I should clean up a bit.” Cain formed mana in his hands, and then spread it out, until his mana was enveloping the entire mansion.

“All Clean.”

The entire building was instantly cleaned. Stains on the wall and dirt on the carpet vanished as if wiped away.

“All Repair.”

As Cain cast the second spell, the entire building was enveloped in light and gradually transformed. When the light vanished, the mansion looked no different than a newly constructed home.

“That should do it. If I missed anything, the newly-hired butler can take care of it.”

Cain checked through the numerous rooms in the house and magically remodeled them to his liking when the need arose. He strengthened the windows and granted them greater transparency. He had also re-powered the chandeliers by infusing them with his mana, and they were now illuminating each room.

“I’ll wait until I actually start living here before I do any more.”

The mansion looked more or less the same as before, but now it had been thoroughly cleaned and looked as good as new. Cain nodded in satisfaction before locking the door and returning to Garm’s residence.

“Welcome home, Master Cain.” Sylvia was waiting there to greet him as he returned to the Silford Mansion.

“I’m home. By the way, Sylvia. There’s something I need to talk with you about. Are you free?”

“Yes, I am,” Sylvia replied with her usual smile.

“I just took a look at the mansion that the king saw fit to bestow upon me. It’s smaller than this one, but it’s still quite large. Prime Minister Magna is supposed to provide me with butlers and maids, but if possible, I’d like you there as well, Sylvia. I’ll first have to confirm with my father, of course.”

After hearing what Cain had to say, Sylvia nodded with tears in her eyes.

“I’ll of course come with you, Master Cain. It’s my job to take care of you, after all! If you didn’t bring me with you, I was planning to quit my job here so I could follow after you!” Sylvia said, puffing her chest out. Given his mental age, Cain’s eyes were instinctively drawn to her voluminous chest when it was emphasized like that. Given his prepubescent body, he didn’t actually get aroused.

“I’ll talk to my father about it during dinner, then. For now, I’m going to head to my room. I’m exhausted.”

Cain returned to his room after informing Sylvia.

***

It was time for dinner. Everyone was gathered in the dining room as the family began to partake in a meal.

“Cain, why did His Majesty summon you today?” Garm asked as he tasted the wine.

“They had finalized the estate they wished to bestow to me. They handed the keys over today. His Majesty also wanted me to play Othello with him. I had some time afterwards, so I went to take a look at my new place.”

“…Othello? His Majesty also forced me to play with him the other day. He said that Duke Eric was too good. Still, it looks like you’re finally leaving the nest, Cain. Did they mention the butler and maids you would need?”

“Prime Minister Magna said he would arrange them for me. He said they were still publicly recruiting for a butler, though.”

“A good butler is extremely important. Aristocrats are often out of the house on business. A butler is responsible for protecting the home while the master is out.”

Garm briefly glanced at Sebas, who was standing behind them.

“I have a request for you, Father. It’s about Sylvia. I’d like to bring her with me to my new mansion and have her continue to work as my personal maid.” Cain stopped eating and placed his hands and head down on the table.

Garm’s expression softened. “Go ahead. She’s looked after you since you were born. It would be good to have someone you know with you.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“Lord Garm, allow me to thank you as well. Thank you for allowing me to serve Master Cain for all this time. I will continue serving him with all my heart.” Sylvia said, bowing her head.

“I’m only who I am today because Sylvia taught me how to read and write when I was still three years old. I’ll be in your care, Sylvia.”

“Cain, are you already leaving? I’ll miss you…” Reine had been listening in on Garm and Cain’s conversation and began to sulk. As she was still twelve, she was reluctant to separate from her younger brother.

“Elder Sister, I’ll still be living close by, so we can meet whenever you wish. I’ll show you around my new mansion when I move there.”

A smile returned to Reine’s face. “That’s true! I’ll come immediately whenever I want to see you.”

The dinner continued harmoniously.

***

Cain officially moved over to his mansion one week after his cleaning session. This was earlier than planned, but the butler and maids he needed had been found, and had already been sent to the mansion. He was going to show his family around his new home today. He had Sebas contact his new butler and inform him they were coming. Sylvia was also already there waiting for him.

Cain was packing the things in his room. It wasn’t difficult, since he could just put everything into his Item Box. He hadn’t stayed in this room for very long, but he still made sure to clean it with magic before leaving.

Garm was waiting for him outside.

“I prepared this to celebrate the occasion. Please accept it.”

The carriage outside of the house wasn’t the usual carriage used by the Silford family. The two-horse carriage wasn’t lavish, but it was well-made and had the crest of the Silford family emblazoned upon it.

Cain’s face softened, moved by Garm’s thoughtfulness. He lowered his head. “Thank you, Father. I’ll treasure this gift.”

“You don’t pay much attention to things like this after all, Cain. I heard you walked back from the palace the other day. Aristocrats have political enemies. There’s no telling when someone will try something. That’s why we need to ride in carriages. With that said, if someone attacked you without knowing how strong you are, they would probably be the ones in for a world of hurt,” Garm mused, recalling what happened at the training grounds in Lamesta with a wry smile.

I guess normal aristocrats wouldn’t walk home from the palace… Cain reflected upon his own actions as he peeked inside the carriage. It had room for about six people sitting facing each other. Garm’s carriage was larger and could hold ten people, but Cain felt that this carriage was the perfect size for him.

As Cain boarded, Reine joined him. She must’ve been curious about the new carriage. The family took both carriages and headed towards Cain’s mansion.

“So, this is Cain’s new carriage…” Reine sat down next to Cain and examined the interior intently.

Cain’s new estate was a ten minute carriage ride away from Garm’s mansion. Two gate guards had already been assigned to it, and they allowed Cain’s carriage entry when it arrived. The carriages pulled to a stop in front of the front door of the mansion. Cain’s new butler and several maids were lined up in front of the door waiting for them.

Sylvia, as the head maid, was wearing a slightly different outfit. She was still only twenty years old, but she had looked after Cain since the moment he was born. Most of the newly-assigned maids were slightly younger than Sylvia. The butler was young as well, likely just having turned twenty. He was a handsome, slender young man with light-brown, slicked-back hair. The man stepped forward and introduced himself.

“Lord Garm, Master Cain, we have been awaiting your arrival. My name is Colan, Master Cain’s new butler. I’m Sebas’s nephew. When I heard that Master Cain was looking for a new butler, I immediately applied. I have heard of Master Cain’s feats from Sebas. I’ll be in your care in the future.”

After he finished speaking, Colan bowed. Although he was still young, he looked the part. Cain glanced at Sebas after hearing that Colan was his nephew, and Sebas winked in response.

It looks like Sebas knew. Hearing he’s related to Sebas puts me at ease. Sylvia is here as well.

The Baron Silford household was currently employing Colan, who would serve as steward and butler, Maid Chief Sylvia, three other maids, a chef, an assistant chef, and a stable boy who doubled as a gardener. As an aristocrat, he knew he would be receiving a stipend, but since he was a newly minted baron who didn’t own any land, Cain was initially worried about if he’d really be able to employ seven people. However, Garm told him that a single gold coin per month would be enough to cover all seven of their monthly salaries. He still had a platinum coin from the rewards the king had given him, and he would soon be earning income from the sales of the standard Othello sets. His financial situation seemed stable for the time being.

A maid opened the door, and the family entered the mansion.

“It’s as clean as a newly constructed mansion. Was it really okay for them to give you a mansion this new?” Sarah asked as she looked around the entrance hall.

“I visited the place a few years ago, back when the viscount was still around. It wasn’t this clean,” Garm noted.

“I was also planning on cleaning the place since we heard it hadn’t been used for several years, but when I arrived there wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere in the mansion. The chandeliers had also been recharged with mana, and there weren’t any problems for us to resolve,” Sylvia said, bewildered.

“Oh, I cleaned the place using magic when I visited. I also repaired it using magic. It was in much worse shape before.”

Cain’s innocent answer exasperated Garm and Sarah.

“I had forgotten that common sense doesn’t apply to Cain,” Garm said as he looked up at the ceiling.

Cain led the way and showed his family around the mansion. Every room they visited was in pristine condition and there was nothing to complain about. They visited the dining room, then the living room, then the great hall. After visiting everything on the first floor, they returned to the entrance hall and went upstairs to the second floor.

The bed in the master bedroom was already covered with pure white sheets. The room only had a bed and a table; there were no artistic decorations at all.

“Cain is still only ten, so he doesn’t understand art yet… I’ll explain it to him later, I guess,” Garm muttered.

Cain’s new mansion was indeed lacking in decoration. There was likely some in the past, but Cain heard that they had all been confiscated by the royal family. Their absence didn’t really bother him.

“Artistic decorations…? I don’t really know much about paintings or vases…”

“Mhm… Most people indeed decorate their places with paintings, vases, and suits of armor. Some of them also hang up stuffed versions of monsters they have slain.”

“Oh! Mounting stuffed monsters works too! I’ll put some up at the entrance, then. I should be able to make some right away using magic.”

Cain left his seat and headed to the entrance hall. He began searching through the things he had hoarded within his Item Box while walking.

Something that surprises people when they enter would be best, right? Then I have to go with this one. It was the strongest, after all.

The entrance hall was clear up to the second floor, with a high ceiling ensuring there would be enough room. Cain placed the red dragon that he had stabbed through the chin in the center of the hall. This red dragon wasn’t an earth dragon nor a wyvern. Even amongst the dragons that made the center of the Forest of Monsters their home, this dragon was one of the stronger Variants. The corpse of the dragon, with its neck stretched fully, was about twenty-six feet tall. Facing the dragon, Cain began to weave mana as he formulated a concrete image of what he wanted.

“Creative Make.”

Light unleashed from Cain’s hand enveloped the dragon. When the light vanished, a lifelike red dragon stood before him. Its eyes were open, as if it was ready to pounce on any prey that caught its attention, and it was baring its fangs for all to see. Its wings were raised, its claws extended, and it wouldn’t be surprising for anyone who saw it to mistake it for a living dragon.

It was, of course, just a prop. It wasn’t breathing.

“This is a good pose. It’s quite intimidating, and way cooler than any normal art piece.” Cain stood in front of the taxidermy dragon, folded his arms, and nodded in satisfaction.

At this time, Cain had yet to be cognizant of one important detail. His perspective on dragons was still aligned with that of his previous life. He thought dragons were cool. However, the people of this world viewed dragons very differently. Dragons in this world were terrifying harbingers of calamity. If a dragon like this were to appear in a city, the flames it could unleash would cause a tragedy. An army of over one hundred knights would be necessary to deal with it. It was a horrifying monster capable of erasing a small village in a single day. The red dragon Cain had placed in his home would be considered an SS-rank monster by the adventurer’s guild. Cain wasn’t even a registered adventurer, so there was naturally no way for him to know that.

Satisfied, Cain returned to Garm and the others.

“I placed a taxidermy monster in the center of the entrance hall,” Cain announced in a proud voice. “I don’t have much in the way of other decorations—will that suffice?”

“Is that so? We’ll check it out later, then.”

Cain continued to show his family around the offices on the second floor of the mansion.

“AIEEE!”

Screams resounded from the first floor of the mansion. Garm and Cain glanced at each other, and Garm placed his hand on the sheath of this sword.

“It sounds like it came from the entrance hall. I’ll lead the way.” Cain said.

Cain, who usually didn’t carry around a weapon, had to take one out of his Item Box. He found a sword, hurried towards the staircase, and glanced downstairs. He saw several trembling maids collapsed on the floor in the middle of the entrance hall. Following their line of sight, the maids were looking at the taxidermy dragon that Cain had just created using magic.

“Oh, I forgot to tell them.” The realization caused Cain to break out in a cold sweat.

Cain heard his father ask from behind him, “Cain, what sort of monster did you place in the entrance hall?” He could feel his father’s cold glare on his back.

“…A dragon,” Cain said apologetically.

Garm put away his sword and sighed without saying anything.

“For now, summon everyone to the hall immediately. If you don’t explain in advance, this situation will only repeat.”

Cain nodded at Garm’s suggestion.

Cain assembled his family and all his servants in the entrance hall. His servants were trembling as they looked at the giant creature before them.

“I’m so sorry,” Cain apologized. He pointed his finger at the lifelike taxidermy dragon that seemed prepared to assault someone at any moment. “I kind of just placed this thing here without informing any of you in advance…”

“…Cain, what is this dragon?” Garm’s cold voice resounded through the hall.

“I ran into it when I sneaked into the Forest of Monsters by myself, so I defeated it. It was the strongest monster I encountered.”

Everyone present was speechless. Dragons were symbols of fear. Anyone who met a dragon had no choice but to accept their fate. Surviving an encounter was considered a miracle. Dragons were SS-rank monsters. The greatest adventurers in the world wouldn’t dream of facing one alone. The way Cain just nonchalantly mentioned defeating such a beast was completely unbelievable. It just wasn’t something they could imagine a ten-year-old doing.

“…We will speak of this matter at a later date.”

“…Okay.” Cain could only respond listlessly.

“This dragon is even a red dragon. It’s definitely an SS-rank monster. I’ve never seen one preserved in such a perfect state. If you were to sell this thing, it would go for at least one thousand platinum. It may indeed be a better idea to display this rather than some poorly-made decorations. You’re planning to register as an adventurer in two years anyway, right Cain?”

Cain began to mentally calculate what Garm had just said. One thousand platinum…that’s 10 billion yen?! Holy crap!

“One thousand platinum…? I didn’t expect it to be that valuable. Yes, I’m planning to register as an adventurer once I turn twelve, before I enroll at the academy.”

Once he was a registered adventurer he could sell the monster corpses he was hoarding—but he wasn’t about to tell anyone that.

“…I see. Don’t push yourself too much. I doubt you’ll listen, though…”

As they conversed, another scream resounded from within the mansion. This time it was Sarah’s voice.

“What happened now?” Garm asked, exasperated.

Garm and Cain headed together in the direction of the scream. It had come from one of the bathrooms. They arrived just as a satisfied Sarah emerged. Upon seeing Cain, a wide smile broke out on her face. She went over and grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Cain! What’s with that toilet of yours? It’s incredible! The way it goes jwoosh! It even cleans and dries you! Install it at our place too! I want it done today!”

Cain breathed a sigh of relief. He recalled that he had recreated a toilet based on the knowledge from his previous life. It was, of course, a toilet that came with a bidet. Toilets in this world followed the western style, but they were simple things that flushed water by channeling mana into a magic stone. It was capable of disposing of sewage water properly, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy Cain, who was used to the comforts of his previous life. He had recklessly created a new toilet to meet his expectations.

He set a control panel on the right side sitting down, and if you touched it, it would make the magic stone inside spew out water. As for the mana needed to operate the toilet, it would automatically take a tiny amount of mana from whoever was using the toilet once they sat down.

“Very well, Mother. I’ll install one at your place as well. Is that fine with you, Father?”

“Why not. But first, I’d also like to give it a try.” Garm entered the bathroom to test out the toilet. The sound, “Oho hoh hoh?!” was audible through the door. Shortly after, an embarrassed Garm came back out.

“I would indeed like to have one of these installed at our place as soon as possible. Not only in our residence here in the capital, but back in Gracia as well. Are you planning to sell these as well?”

“Eventually. I don’t plan to charge my family members, so I’ll go set it up for you.”

“That would be most welcome.”

“You’re always doing the unexpected, Cain. Whether it be that dragon or this toilet, you always do things we couldn’t possibly have imagined.” Sarah was generally extremely open-minded when it came to her children.

Finished with the tour, the family gathered in the living room to relax. The rest of his family would be leaving soon, but Cain was going to live here from now on. Reine had shouted, “I’m going to live here too!” but Sarah dragged her away by the collar. She was also a big fan of Cain’s specially-made toilet.

The carriage arrived at the front door, and Sarah and Reine boarded first. Garm was the last one to leave, and right before getting onboard, he turned back to Cain, seemingly recalling something.

“Oh, by the way. Newly-established aristocrats in the capital are expected to hold a housewarming party. I recommend doing so as soon as possible.” After saying that, Garm boarded the carriage and left.

Cain watched the carriage leave, his face tensing up once he understood the meaning behind Garm’s words.

What the heck? Why?!

Garm’s parting words left Cain speechless.

Chapter 13: Housewarming Party

Chapter 13:
Housewarming Party

AFTER SEEING GARM AND THE OTHERS OFF, CAIN returned to the living room and lounged on the sofa.

“I have to hold a housewarming party? I didn’t expect that…” Garm’s parting words were playing on repeat in Cain’s mind.

“Colan, did you know that?” Cain asked, glancing at the new butler of the Baron Silford household.

“Yes. I was taught that while I worked as an apprentice butler. I’m planning to meet with my uncle, Sebas, next week to go over the invitation list. There haven’t been any other recently ennobled aristocrats. I believe it has been several years since the last one. You officially became an aristocrat at the time of your ennoblement, but you still need to hold a housewarming party in order to create relationships with other nobles.”

Colan was an excellent butler.

“I’d like to introduce myself to the staff once more. Can you gather everyone together?”

Colan nodded at Cain’s words, bowed, and left the room. A few minutes later all of his servants, including his maids and chefs, were gathered in the living room. They lined up and stood before Cain.

Cain greeted the servants gathered before him. “Sorry for interrupting you during your duties. I’d like to introduce myself once more. I’m Baron Cain von Silford. I’m still a child, so there will likely be much I need to rely on your help for. Thank you for working here.”

The servants chorused in unison as they bowed, “It’s an honor to serve.”

Introductions out of the way, the servants returned to their duties, leaving only Cain, Colan, and Sylvia in the living room.

“Now then, can you explain this housewarming party I’m obligated to hold in more detail?”

Colan nodded and began to explain. Newly independent aristocrats or heirs taking over the mantle of their predecessors were expected to hold a housewarming party and invite other aristocrats to attend in order to make themselves known. This was especially important in the capital, to the point of being mandatory. It wasn’t an official rule, but there was a tacit understanding around the matter. This custom was why every aristocrat’s mansion had a grand hall.

Cain hugged his head once Colan finished explaining. He had just arrived at the capital and barely knew any aristocrats. He had spoken with the king, a duke, a prime minister…it definitely wasn’t appropriate for a baron to invite nobles of such high stature.

“I’ll be meeting with Sebas tomorrow to work on an invitation list. You simply need to confirm the list after we make it, Master Cain.”

Cain calmed down after hearing Colan’s concrete plan of action.

“Okay, I’ll leave this matter to you, then. I wouldn’t know what to do, after all.”

“Understood. Please leave it to me,” Colan said with a deep bow.

A few days passed. Colan and Sebas had finished creating the list and sending out invitations. Colan had scheduled the housewarming party to take place in two months. It was customary to send invitations to all nobles with estates in the capital, but it wasn’t guaranteed that they would be present. They might have returned to their own territories. When that happened, the invitation had to be delivered to their territory. That may take over ten days if their territory was far from the capital.

It also wasn’t a guarantee that everyone invited would come in person. Some may send a proxy, and it wasn’t uncommon to simply send a congratulatory letter and not come at all.

It would be a lot of trouble if they had to come to the capital every time they received a party invitation, Cain thought. Colan had explained the nuances and expectations of housewarming parties to Cain, and the explanations made sense to him. Although Cain didn’t want him to, Colan had also sent an invitation to Marquess Corgino. It was apparently common practice to at least send out invitations to high-ranked aristocrats.

He had also invited Duke Eric and Prime Minister Magna as they had helped him quite a lot, but he hadn’t invited the king. It was apparently rare for aristocrats to send invitations to the royal family. The king would only receive invitations when a high-ranking aristocrat of at least count or higher was stepping down and passing the reins to their heir.

Even if they were close enough to play Othello together, it wasn’t appropriate for a baron to invite someone from the royal family to their housewarming party.

Ten days after the invitations were sent out, a courier from the palace arrived at Cain’s mansion and requested that he immediately head to the palace. He was planning to go on foot, but Colan had stopped him.

“Anything but that. You have an image to uphold as an aristocrat.”

Colan was extremely insistent, so Cain acquiesced and took the carriage instead.

They seemed to have been waiting for Cain’s arrival, as he was immediately allowed through the gates. The usual maid was waiting at the doors of the palace, and she took him to the drawing room like always. Cain was getting surprisingly familiar with the routine of being summoned by the king. Cain sat down on the sofa and waited as he partook in the black tea and sweets prepared for him.

Why did the king suddenly summon me here anyway? Don’t tell me…

A short while later, the king, Duke Eric, and Prime Minister Magna entered the room. Cain rose and observed proper etiquette. The king seemed to be in a bad mood. The Prime Minister was his usual self and Duke Eric was smiling. The king took a seat, followed by Duke Eric and Prime Minister Magna. Cain sat down last.

“Cain. I hear you are holding a housewarming party. You invited Prime Minister Magna and Duke Eric, but not me. Why?” the king asked, directing a cold gaze at Cain.

That’s why he’s in a bad mood?!

“I’m the one who granted you a noble title. You are also betrothed to my daughter—why would you not invite your future father-in-law? Eric showed up and rubbed the invitation he received in my face!”

“It’s not appropriate to blame Cain for this matter. Only high-ranking nobles are allowed to invite the king to their housewarming parties,” Duke Eric said with a wide smile.

“Who cares! Cain is not a normal aristocrat, he is my future son-in-law! Why didn’t you invite me?” the king demanded, slamming his fist on the table.

Fortunately, Colan had prepared Cain for this potential situation. Cain took out an invitation letter from his Item Box and placed it on the table.

“For as esteemed a personage as the king, I thought it may be better to deliver the invitation directly, rather than through a courier. However, the palace is not somewhere I can visit whenever I wish. Please forgive me for taking so long to get this invitation to you.”

Cain apologized as he handed the invitation to the king. The king’s mood immediately brightened.

“Very good! That’s what I thought. I told you so, Eric. He prepared an invitation for me as well, didn’t he?”

Duke Eric and Prime Minister Magna could only smile wryly.

“I’ll bring Telestia with me when I come. I’m looking forward to the dishes and alcohol you prepare.”

The king was naturally a busy man. He had summoned Cain in the midst of handling other tasks, so upon receiving the invitation, he left the room. The prime minister left with him.

“You sure have it tough, Cain. It’s not appropriate for a king to attend the housewarming party of a baron, but given his reaction, he’s definitely going to show up. Do your best!” Duke Eric smiled and left the room with a wave.

Phew… It was just as Colan predicted. It’s a good thing I brought that invitation with me.

Colan had said that, while it would be extremely unusual, it was still possible for this situation to occur. He had advised Cain to bring the invitation along with him in his Item Box just in case. Colan truly was a capable butler.

Cain called out to the maid waiting in the corridor and told her that he was leaving. He got onboard his carriage and returned to his mansion.

He summoned Colan to the drawing room and told him what happened.

“…His Majesty will be attending? In that case, we will have to make ample preparations.”

“It was just as you said, Colan. I would’ve been in big trouble if I hadn’t brought that invitation along with me. Thank you.”

“His Majesty has a keen interest in you, Master Cain, so I thought this may be a possibility. I’m glad my advice was of use to you.”

“I’ll talk to Father about what type of food and drink to prepare. I’ll arrange for the chefs to come assist us as well.”

“Very well. I’ll also consult with Sebas and continue the other preparations.”

Thus, preparations for the housewarming party began.

The next day, Cain headed to Garm’s residence to tell him what happened at the palace. Garm was shocked by the news.

“What?! The king himself is going to attend?!”

The news the king would be attending his son’s housewarming party was naturally more important than whatever Garm was working on at the moment.

“I didn’t send out an invitation since only high-ranking aristocrats are allowed to directly invite the royal family to parties, but…”

Garm sighed and leaned against a chair.

“You did well. If you didn’t have an invitation for him prepared in advance, things would likely have ended up much worse. We can send our chefs and maids to assist you. Is there anything else you need?”

“It would be a lot of help if you could also lend me some of your knights. I don’t have any of my own. I could also use some help with the food and drinks. I can handle the utensils myself.”

“Okay. We’ll help you arrange that, then. If the king is coming, we absolutely cannot be lax in our preparations.”

“Yeah…”

The two could only sigh as they imagined the face of that willful king.

After Garm promised to help, Cain returned to his mansion. Colan gathered together the servants. They formed a line in front of Cain, who began to explain the situation.

“About the upcoming housewarming party. The king will be in attendance. This won’t be easy, but I hope you will all do your best.”

Everyone balked at Cain’s announcement. They had only signed up to work under a newly minted baron, yet they would have to host the country’s king at their first party. This defied all common sense—of course they were surprised. One of the maids raised her hand.

“Yes?”

“Why is the king attending Master Cain’s housewarming party…?”

Only Colan and Sylvia knew about Cain’s engagement with Telestia. Colan had almost fallen over in shock when he heard the news. Given what may happen in the future, Cain decided it made sense to reveal the secret to the rest of his servants as well.

“…Well. I’m engaged to the third princess, Her Highness Princess Telestia. It hasn’t been publicly announced yet. We’re planning to announce the news after I enroll in the academy and things settle down. Please keep this information to yourselves.”

“…”

“What?!”

The shocked shouts of the servants resounded throughout the mansion. It was definitely shocking news that the princess was going to marry an upstart baron. Cain could only smile at his servant’s reactions.

“Her Highness and Master Cain are engaged… Her Highness and Master Cain are…?” Unable to fully comprehend the situation, one of the maids was muttering to herself.

It took some time before the servants were able to collect themselves.

Everyone returned to their duties, leaving only Cain, Colan, and Sylvia in the living room, sitting around a table.

“We’ll need to purchase sufficient utensils for a guest list of this size. What should we do?” Colan asked.

“I’ll handle that. I’ll make sure we have enough cups, glasses, and plates as well.”

Cain was planning to use World Dictionary and Creative Make to conjure everything they needed. He believed he had sufficient mana and didn’t think shaping some silverware would pose a problem.

“Colan, please get in touch with Tamanis of Saracaen Company, and tell him to prepare some alcohol for us. Feel free to be specific.”

“Understood.”

After entrusting Coran with the arrangements, Cain headed to the great hall. He walked over to the table and began to condense mana.

“Speaking of famous glassware, the first to come to mind is definitely Venetian glass. I’ll look up how they’re made using World Dictionary, then make a bunch.”

The eating utensils used by nobles in this world were primarily made out of silver. Commoners usually used wooden eating utensils. Although glass did exist in this world, glassware didn’t—glass was mainly used to construct windows. Because it was a special occasion, Cain decided to recreate some of the glassware from his previous life here.

Using World Dictionary, he created multiple cups, wine glasses, and a large number of giant platters. He also prepared pairs of venetian wine glasses to present as souvenirs to each of the guests.

As he was working, Sylvia dropped by to check on him. She was enraptured by how beautiful the wine glasses lined up on the table looked.

Cain next moved onto forks and knives. The silverware popular amongst aristocrats had ornate handles, making it clear they were luxury products. Cain emulated that style. Cain told Sylvia to store away the finished utensils, but the process took longer than he expected. The maids were all as taken by their beautiful construction as Sylvia was and carefully carried each and every utensil away one by one, as if they were incredibly precious.

Several days later, after Cain had created sufficient place settings, he started to think about the menu.

“Since we’re holding a party, I’d like to prepare something that will shock everyone.”

Cain brainstormed ideas based on his favorite foods from his previous life and wrote down their recipes. Although some ingredients weren’t available in this world, there were enough similar seasonings that he could recreate many of the foods he remembered.

Once he’d finalized the menu he met with the chef to go over the unfamiliar dishes.

As he looked at the list of recipes Cain had prepared, the chef’s eyes began to sparkle. He told Cain that as a chef, learning about unfamiliar cuisine brought him great joy. After repeated trial and error, they managed to recreate satisfactory versions of the dishes, one after another.

The greatest beneficiaries during this period were the servants, as they served as taste-testers. They feasted on exotic new dishes every day, food that even aristocrats hadn’t had the opportunity to taste before. The moment Cain entered the kitchen, Sylvia would immediately rush over and wait nearby.

The two-month period before the date of the party passed in the blink of an eye.

***

️

The day of the housewarming party had arrived. Cain had thoroughly prepared for this moment. Garm had sent over thirty servants in total, ten chefs and twenty waiters. Since he knew the king would be in attendance, Garm didn’t dare hold back.

As the time of the party drew near, carriages carrying guests began to pass through the gate of Cain’s estate with increasing frequency.

Cain waited outside the door of the mansion and exchanged greetings with the arriving guests. He would have the servants show the guests the way to the grand hall. The first baron that arrived fell down in fright upon entering the mansion and seeing the taxidermy dragon, so Cain made sure to warn guests about it in advance before they entered. The king wasn’t supposed to arrive till later, so Cain was able to relax as he dealt with the other guests.

Not everyone Cain invited showed up. Those absent sent congratulatory gifts from their territories in lieu of their presence, or a representative that would attend in their place.

At first, the king had asserted he would be the first guest to arrive, but Prime Minister Magna talked him out of it. If a king was the first guest to show up at a party hosted by a baron, how would the other guests react? What might they assume? Although reluctant, the king relented in the end.

Prime Minister Magna told Cain later that if he hadn’t said anything, the king really would have shown up first. Cain was beyond relieved that Magna had interfered.

The servants guided the guests to the grand hall in order. After the barons and viscounts had mostly all arrived, a carriage with a familiar crest arrived and passed through the gate.

It was Duke Eric’s carriage. Duke Eric had arrived alongside his wife and Silk. As Eric was a duke, it was proper etiquette for Cain to personally escort him to the great hall. Although they were all warned in advance, the group still yelped in surprise at the ferocious taxidermy dragon in the entrance hall.

“I didn’t expect a surprise like that to be waiting for us right at the entrance!” the duke exclaimed, mere minutes after being told to expect such a surprise. “Also, has this place always looked this new? I could have sworn it was much more run down than this…” Eric wondered aloud. Cain averted his eyes.

“I’ll be living in this house in the future…” Silk murmured as she restlessly looked around the beautifully decorated hall. Her parents, overhearing her, smiled as they glanced over at Cain.

“It’s still too early, got it?”

Cain could only nod in response.

To be fair to the duke, all the other aristocrats shown inside were also overwhelmed by the presence of a red dragon in the entrance hall, taxidermied or not. The advanced warning seemed to make no difference. Hearing about it was one thing—actually seeing the SS-rank red dragon in person was another. To make matters worse, because the taxidermy was so pristine, it was almost indistinguishable from a living, breathing dragon. It made sense everyone was shocked.

The guests were in for another surprise once they entered the party hall: the glassware. The wine glasses laid out on the tables before them were a complete novelty. Everyone who saw the beautifully colored glass, adorned with stunning red and blue hues not elsewhere seen in this world, reacted with the same awe. Glinting in the light, the glasses had an almost ethereal glow. The Venetian glasses in particular dazzled the guests with their intricate designs.

The saucers holding the hors d’oeuvres were made of crystal glass so as not to detract from the color of the food. At first, Cain had considered preparing Japanese artisanal glassware in the style of Edo kiriko, but since this world more closely resembled medieval Europe, he decided to go with a Western style. He had made full use of World Dictionary as he created the utensils.

He had used so much mana while conjuring everything that he actually ran out of mana and passed out. He had a truly enormous mana capacity, but the amount consumed by Creative Make was not to be sneezed at.

It was almost time for the party to officially start. Enough of the guests were present, so Cain signaled to the staff to begin bringing out the hot, freshly made food.

The dishes were mostly recipes from Cain’s previous life. It was difficult to acquire ingredients of such a high quality that they’d impress high-ranking nobles—and really, all it took was enough money. Instead Cain chose to go with an entirely different approach and impress them with completely unfamiliar flavors. While roast beef, hamburgers, French fries, and karaage chicken were common in Cain’s past life, these dishes had previously not existed in this world.

As for drinks, wine was the main beverage of choice, so Cain chose to make sparkling wine. Carbonated drinks in general didn’t exist in this world, but Cain was able to use Creative Make to infuse some of the wine he had ordered with bubbles.

Since Cain was underage, he couldn’t drink alcohol. He had his servants taste test for him, and they were of course blown away. The wine was so good that Sylvia participated every single time and always requested a second glass. She would always insist that she wouldn’t be able to give a proper review unless she was given a little more.

Cain also served ordinary wine, just in case anyone didn’t take well to carbonated beverages. For the children he had prepared various non-alcoholic drinks and juices.

Thanks to World Dictionary and Creative Make, Cain’s housewarming party was fully stocked with food and beverages none of his guests had ever experienced before.

The time had arrived. It was time for the housewarming party to officially begin. About one hundred people, aristocrats and their family members, filled the hall. Cain slowly stepped onto the central platform.

“I sincerely thank you all for gathering here today despite your busy schedules for someone as inexperienced as myself. By the grace of His Majesty, I was granted the title of Baron and an estate. I am Cain von Silford. Thank you for attending my housewarming party. It’s not much, but I have prepared drinks and food for you all to enjoy. We will now begin distributing glasses for the toast, so please wait a moment.”

Cain’s announcement was the signal for the maids to bring out platters carrying glasses of sparkling wine that they then distributed to the guests. The aristocrats who received the specially-prepared, engraved crystal glasses were captivated by their beauty. After confirming that everyone had a glass, Cain raised his high into the air.

“I believe everyone has received one. Cheers!”

The room responded as one. “Cheers!”

Raising their gorgeous wine glasses, the aristocrats took their first sip of carbonation. As the fizzy sensation popped inside their mouths, they exclaimed in surprise.

“What is this…? The popping sensation within my mouth is irresistible! The refreshing aftertaste is also incredible! It’s chilled to perfection. And the beauty of these wine glasses cannot be overstated…”

Cain smiled as he saw his initial hook had worked. The aristocrats, upon tasting the beautifully presented, exotic dishes, were constantly astonished. As they savored the tenderness and the burst of savory meat juices from what they would soon learn was called a hamburger, their eyes widened in shock. Everyone seated had a bright smile on their face.

“Cain! Provide me with the details on how this dish was created later!”

Even Garm, who had assisted Cain with the preparations, was astonished. Reine waited by the doors to the kitchen to pounce on each new food tray that arrived.

“Father, I’ve already passed along the recipe to the head chef. He’ll make it in the future for you as well.”

“This is my first time seeing food and drinks like these. I insist you tell me how you found out about them.”

Cain couldn’t exactly tell him that the knowledge came from his previous life, so he dodged the question by saying he invented them himself.

Duke Eric, having finished a light meal, approached Cain and asked, “Cain, these wine glasses are amazing. How about sending a few of them over to my place?”

“I’m planning to present a pair of matching wine glasses to everyone attending today, as a souvenir to commemorate the occasion.”

“Oh! That is wonderful to hear. If possible, I’d also like to receive some of this drink you’ve invented.”

“I’ll have a few bottles sent over to you, then. It’s best to drink them cold to maximize their flavor.”

“Yes, yes. Thank you. Take a look over there. They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but it seems like Silk is the one whose heart was stolen.”

Following the direction the smiling Duke Eric was pointing, Cain saw Silk was with Reine, completely absorbed in enjoying their food together. Seeing Silk enjoy herself made Cain smile. As Cain chatted with Duke Eric, Colan subtly came over and whispered into his ear.

“His Majesty and Her Majesty, as well as Her Highness Princess Telestia have arrived.”

“Got it. Prepare to receive them.”

Cain nodded and headed towards the platform. Looking around from the slightly elevated position, he could see guests engaged in lively conversations with fine drinks in hand, their smiles clearly visible.

“Everyone, sorry for the interruption. I’d like to just announce that His Majesty will soon arrive. Carry on, thank you.”

The nobles gathered in the hall were astonished once more. The royal family was going to attend a party hosted by a newly minted baron? That was completely out of the ordinary! While they were caught off guard, they still parted ways and created an open path.

The doors to the grand hall opened and the royal family entered, with the king leading the way. The line of aristocrats bowed their heads. The king walked straight forward towards the platform and stood next to Cain.

“Everyone, sorry for interrupting your conversations. This young hero here saved the life of our precious Telestia, so I saw it fit to attend his housewarming party. The focus today should be on Baron Cain. Pay me no mind and enjoy yourselves.”

Once he had finished speaking, the king left the platform and followed the servants towards the food table. A maid filled a platter with food and presented it to the king alongside a glass filled with sparkling wine. The king glanced at the wine glass and opened his eyes wide in astonishment. He cautiously raised it to his mouth and took a sip, before opening his eyes even wider in shock.

“Mmh?! What is this drink?! Also, this goblet is made out of glass?! I’ve never seen glass this transparent, or with these kinds of markings. Cain! Explain!”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I created the wine glasses and plates here myself. As for the food and drinks, I provided some ideas that the chefs acted on.”

“Send some to the royal family as well. You will be paid handsomely.”

“If that is what you desire. The existing stock was supposed to be all used up today, and there isn’t any left in storage. I’ll send some over once I can.”

“Good. Also, how was this made? The meat is tender yet overflowing with juice. You also came up with this?”

“Yes. I provided some advice to the chef, who used it to create this dish. This soft meat you are referring to is called a hamburger. Please pay your compliments to the chef. If you’d like, I can send the recipe to the palace as well.”

The king nodded in satisfaction.

“Cain, I am very satisfied. Teles, you are as well, yes?”

Telestia, who had been sneakily stuffing her cheeks with hamburgers next to him, looked up and said, “Yes, Father. Sir Cain, thank you for inviting us here today. Your outfit today looks wonderful.”

Cain pretended not to see the sauce smeared around her lips.

“Thank you, Your Highness. The dress you’re wearing today is wonderful as well, Princess Telestia.”

Telestia blushed at Cain’s words, unaware of the sauce around her lips. The Queen noticed, and hurriedly used a napkin to wipe it off. The queen whispered and told Telestia what happened, causing her to blush even more.

“Jeez! Sir Cain! Say something next time!”

Although Telestia was scolding him, Cain found she looked rather cute. The heartwarming scene froze with a word from the king.

“Cain, I have a question for you. That red dragon placed in the entrance hall. Did you slay that yourself?” The king had a serious look on his face.

“…Yes. I did.”

“I see. It looks like we’ll have to have another conversation at a later date.”

“…Very well, Your Majesty.” Cain bowed and left the royal family to their own devices.

Colan approached him and whispered into his ear. “Marquess Corgino and his son, Sir Habit, have arrived.”

Cain frowned in response to Colan’s report. He had sent them an invitation for appearances’ sake, but had not expected them to actually come. Slightly upset at the appearance of these unwelcome guests, Cain went out to receive them. Cain exited the mansion right as the two of them were getting out of their carriage.

“Oh? What a small place. This so-called housewarming party is being held in a dog kennel? A baron doesn’t amount to much, in the end.”

“You speak truly, Father. This place is nothing compared to where we live.”

Cain maintained his smile as he greeted the two complaining guests.

“Oh my, if it isn’t Lord Corgino and Sir Habit. Thank you for coming today. It’s a bit small, but I hope you find it to your liking. I’ll show you the way to the grand hall, please come with me.”

Cain led the way and opened the door to the entrance hall. He naturally had no intention of warning these two about the dragon.

“Eek! A-a-a dragon!”

The two guests crumpled to the ground on the spot and began crawling away in a panicked attempt to flee.

“Oh my, how thoughtless of me. This is simply a taxidermy red dragon. Gracia is next to the Forest of Monsters, so I saw it fit to decorate my mansion with some of the monsters I have hunted and slain.” Cain bowed his head, partially to conceal his dark smile.

Marquess Corgino regained his vigor upon learning the dragon wasn’t alive. Revitalized, he addressed Cain heatedly.

“You chose to decorate your home with this monstrosity rather than artwork? How tasteless. I suppose one can’t expect much better from someone who was raised near the border.”

“Indeed. I only received my title recently, so I don’t know much about art yet. I hope to receive some advice in that realm from you in the future, Lord Corgino.”

“Very well, then. I’ll make sure to educate you properly.” Cain’s submissive response had immediately put Marquess Corgino in a good mood. He nodded with an unsettling smile.

“Everyone else has already arrived. I’ll show you the way to the great hall.” Cain bowed his head again and continued to lead the way.

“Good. It’s only right for the most important guests to arrive last.”

“Father, the attendees are likely to be no one of note since this party is hosted by a mere baron. Let’s hurry up.”

Cain also neglected to mention that the king was in attendance tonight. He also kept silent about the fact that Duke Eric and Prime Minister Magna were here as well. He opened the door to the grand hall and showed them inside. He guided them through the crowd in a way that they wouldn’t notice members of the royal family or other high-ranking aristocrats.

The viscounts and barons, low ranking aristocrats, sent cold looks in Marquess Corgino’s direction, as he had dared to arrive later than the royal family. Corgino and Habit didn’t seem to notice as the two of them strutted through the hall.

Cain showed them to an empty table, called a maid over, and asked her to prepare drinks. “We used this carbonated wine to offer a toast earlier. Sir Habit’s drink is non-alcoholic, so he may drink it with ease.”

“I doubt a baron is capable of acquiring anything worth drinking. Very well, bring it out already.”

The maid placed a crystal wine glass on the table and poured some sparkling wine into it. She also served a glass of juice to Habit. Marquess Corgino’s eyes widened as he looked at the wine glass he was handed. He raised the glass, examining its impossible craftsmanship from different angles. He then took a sip and exclaimed in astonishment.

“This is good! The craftsmanship of this glass goblet is exquisite, as is the wine itself!”

He had intended to disparage Cain, but the wine shocked him into revealing his true thoughts. The maids began to bring over plate after plate of dishes, placing them in front of Corgino. He took a bite, and his eyes widened in astonishment once more.

“What is this? I’ve never had anything like this before!”

“There is plenty more to go around, so feel free to enjoy it at your own pace.”

The father and son pair gorged themselves on the food provided to them, completely forgetting to observe proper table manners. The surrounding viscounts and barons, lower-ranking nobles, watched from a distance with cold gazes.

Corgino not only drank his fill of the sparkling wine, but the normal wine as well.

“Baron Cain! Surrender all of these wine glasses you have to me! Give me all the wine you have as well! Provide me with the recipe for this dish before we leave tonight!” He was beginning to get belligerent.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. I will be gifting a pair of these wine glasses to all the guests today, so if you could settle with that…”

“Two is too little—give me one hundred! Your stock will rise once people know that a Marquess family is using your wares.”

“My apologies, Lord Marquess. Even if you’re the one requesting it, I cannot agree to that request.”

“What? Are you refusing to follow the orders of a marquess? A mere baron dares defy a marquess?”

Marquess Corgino, now fully intoxicated, began to act even more brazenly.

Oh man, he’s really done it now. Does he not realize who is standing behind him?

Cain had activated Search, so he was aware of the positions of the royal family and high-ranking nobles. The one Cain was hoping most would appear had arrived.

“Don’t you think you’re going too far?” boomed a voice from behind the marquess.

“Shut up! Low-ranking nobles like barons should just shut up and do whatever high-ranking nobles like marquesses tell them to do.”

Since this was a party hosted by a low-ranking noble, Marquess Corgino had assumed he was the highest-ranking guest here. He drunkenly struggled to turn around in his chair to continue accosting whoever had dared intervene. Upon seeing who it was, Marquess Corgino immediately paled.

“Hmm? Then how about this: Marquesses should just shut up and do whatever the king tells them to do.”

It was the king. Corgino had told the king to “shut up.” The shock made Marquess Corgino immediately sober up.

“Y-your Majesty! My deepest apologies! Why are you at a low-ranking noble’s party, Your Majesty?” Marquess Corgino held onto his heavy-looking belly as he got down on one knee to pay his respects to the king.

“Why am I here? The young man hosting this party saved Telestia’s life. Of course I’m here. Any more questions?”

“N-no… Right you are.”

Marquess Corgino’s earlier attitude had completely vanished. He was now nodding and nervously acquiescing to whatever the king said while wiping his sweat-drenched forehead with a handkerchief.

“So, going back to your previous demands: ‘Surrender all these wine glasses you have to me, provide me with the recipe before I leave…’ Were you serious? If that’s how you act all the time, you’re not fit to hold the seat of a high-rank noble. It seems I may need to make some changes in the future…”

The king pressured Marquess Corgino with a serious expression. Marquess Corgino’s already pale face began to turn white.

“Not in the slightest! The quality of the wine glasses and food had so deeply moved me that I wished to learn more about them.”

“Hmm? Very well, then. Be careful not to drink too much. Eric and Magna, as well as other high-rank nobles, are in attendance as well. Act in a way that befits your station.”

With those parting words, the king returned to his table.

Marquess Corgino got up and looked around. He realized that there was more than just viscounts and barons present. He noticed Eric, Magna, and counts as well. They were all looking at him with bitingly cold gazes. Given how he had acted before the king, such a reaction was to be expected.

“I-I-I just recalled an urgent matter—I need to leave. Baron Cain? My apologies, but I have an urgent matter to take care of. An urgent matter. Excuse me,” Marquess Corgino announced, still pale in the face and wiping sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief.

“An urgent matter? Then I won’t keep you. My apologies for only being able to offer the most basic of hospitality,” Cain said with a polite bow of his head.

“Yes. Excuse me. Habit! We’re leaving.”

“Wait for me, Father!”

The two of them fled the hall. With the two unwelcome guests gone Cain could finally take a breather.

“Good work. I was watching,” Silk said, as she appeared with drinks in both hands. “You were instigating them on purpose, right? You led them in a way they wouldn’t see the royal family, and I saw that wicked grin you had while your head was lowered.”

Cain could only smile wryly in response. She had him dead to rights. Those who paid attention would notice, in the end.

The housewarming party was coming to an end. With good drink to be had, people naturally drank more. Drinking more led to people feeling the need to visit the restroom. The toilets in this mansion were very special. Not only did they all have bidets, but also a full-length glass mirror on the wall—mirrors in this world were otherwise universally made of metal. These mirrors were only possible thanks to Cain’s ability to magically conjure glass with exceptional clarity and precision.

As expected, the guests who had left the hall to visit the restroom all exclaimed in astonishment. Cain had stationed maids nearby to explain how the toilets worked. This prevented chaos from unfolding. The female guests were particularly fond of the mansion’s restrooms. They were able to view a flawlessly-clear reflection of their entire body in a full-body mirror. The men didn’t have as many opportunities to make use of such things, but the mirror astonished them as well.

Someone suddenly grabbed Cain’s shoulders from behind. “Baron Cain, what is that? The thing attached to the toilet? I want one too!”

It was the queen. She seemed extremely excited.

“Your Majesty, it’s a bidet. It’s an experimental product I created by embedding a magic stone into the toilet,” Cain honestly answered.

Bidets had only been installed in his mansion and Garm’s mansion, so this was a first experience for the other nobles. Since Sarah and Reine had both strongly insisted that he install one for them, he had to comply with their wishes. He had also installed one for the maids in the servant’s restroom, and they thanked him with tears in their eyes. Cain felt slightly embarrassed, as their reactions seemed extremely over the top to him.

“Commercialize it at once! That device will bring about a revolution! It is an essential product for all women!”

The queen’s fervor only grew. She had yet to let go of Cain’s shoulders.

“Did something happen? Why are you so excited?” The king, noticing the strange state of the queen, came over.

“This is no mere ‘something.’ Head to the restroom and see for yourself! I want one of those installed in the palace immediately. Support my cause and get Cain to help us.”

“Hum…I don’t understand the situation, but I guess I’ll go check it out.”

Still unsure of the meaning behind the queen’s words, the king followed a maid towards the restroom. A few minutes later, he returned, slightly red in the face.

“Cain! I want you to install that in the palace tomorrow! Understood?”

The king returned in the same exact manner the queen had. Telestia and Silk also reacted the same way. The way they shyly approached Cain was extremely cute, and he had to restrain his urge to embrace them.

“Sir Cain, you see…”

“Understood. This is still an experimental product, but I have a few on hand, so I’ll install a few at the palace as soon as possible.”

“You always exceed my wildest imaginations, Cain.”

It was ultimately decided that Cain would install a bidet and a mirror at the restrooms in the palace. The king and queen were both in a very good mood.

The housewarming party came to an end, and the guests left with a pair of wine glasses as souvenirs. He had handed them over in a covered package, explaining that they were extremely fragile. The guests, hearing that they were receiving a pair of the same type of wine glasses they had just drank from, were incredibly delighted. On the way out, several nobles had offered to purchase a few of the wine glasses, but Cain had run out since he had used them all during this party. They said they wouldn’t mind waiting until after the royal family had received theirs. They left satisfied with the understanding that these glasses would be for sale in the future.

The wives and young ladies were more interested in the restroom mirror and the bidet, bombarding Cain with questions about when those would become available on the market. He told them that they were still at an experimental stage, and that he wanted to perfect them before officially selling them. Cain planned to sell all of these things eventually through the Saracaen Company alongside his Othello sets.

After seeing all the guests off, Cain was finally able to take a breather.

“Father, thank you for all the help. Thanks to you, things went smoothly.” Cain bowed his head and thanked his father.

It wouldn’t have been possible for Cain’s servants alone to handle everything. Cain believed that it was thanks to the cooperation of Garm’s servants that his housewarming party was a success.

“No need to thank me. You’re my son, after all. With this, your prestige amongst the other nobles should have grown. You’ll have to handle things on your own to an extent from here on out. In your case, I’m more worried about you doing too well.”

Cain could only smile wryly at Garm’s words. “I plan to restrain myself from here on out.”

He hadn’t restrained himself at all when preparing for this party. Since he made full use of his knowledge from his previous life, it ended in great success, but it also wasn’t a good idea to overdo it. Drastic change could lead to problems.

While Cain was lounging in the living room, the servants cleaned the great hall. Thanks to the number of servants, all the necessary cleanup was finished quickly. Cain paid each of the servants who came to help an additional five silver coins as a bonus.

Maids had a salary of one large silver a month, and although their employer provided them with food and board, that still seemed too little to Cain. Anyone would smile when rewarded with half a month of pay for working hard for a day. From Cain’s point of view, he would need them to continue working hard in the future, and this was a small price to pay.

Chapter 14: The Royal Guard

Chapter 14:
The Royal Guard

THE DAY AFTER THE HOUSEWARMING PARTY, CAIN headed to the palace to install a mirror and bidet. As he had yet to make many, for now he was only going to install one of each in the royal family’s private chamber restroom. He only needed dirt and a low-level magic stone to create a bidet, yet he would be paid one platinum for his troubles. After having experienced it themselves, the royal family appeared to believe that it was worth the price.

Cain had yet to completely spend the initial sum he had received when he was ennobled and Othello was flying off the shelves—the funds stored within his Item Box were continuously increasing.

Cain spent the next few days leisurely installing bidets at the homes of high-ranking nobles who wished to have them.

Unfortunately, he was soon summoned to the palace once more.

I’m just a baron. Why is the king constantly summoning me? Cain groaned internally. Still, he got in a carriage and headed towards the palace. He had prepared ten wine glasses made with Venetian glass and stored them in his Item Box.

Cain was shown to the usual drawing room where he partook in delicious black tea and sweets. I wonder if he wants me to play Othello with him again, he wondered, just before the king and prime minister entered the room.

“Thank you for waiting,” the king said. “You did a good job hosting that housewarming party. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. Still, you’re more cunning than I had expected. More cunning than a ten-year-old has any right to be. You didn’t tell Corgino that I was attending, right?”

“It was my first time hosting a party, so I made a few mistakes. I didn’t realize I should have announced that in advance. It wasn’t fueled by malice…”

The smirking king had cut right to the heart of the matter immediately. Cold sweat dripped down Cain’s back.

“Well, enough of that. If you’ve prepared those wine glasses, I’ll take them off your hands now.”

“It’s not much, but I’ve prepared ten wine glasses for you. Here they are.”

Cain placed the wine glasses on the table. The king picked one up, raised it, and examined its red and blue detailing.

“…Very well made. Is anyone other than you capable of producing these?”

“I’m using magic to create them, so I can’t say for certain. I actually ran out of mana while making them and collapsed.”

“I see. All right, I would appreciate it if you regularly delivered batches of these wine glasses to the palace. I’ll pay you…one gold coin each. You’ve brought ten of them today, so that makes one platinum.”

Cain was stunned. He had not expected them to be worth so much.

“What? Unsatisfied? Fine, I’ll pay up to two gold coins each.”

He had just earned one platinum by producing things through magic with no base material costs. That being said, it did cost a significant amount of mana, and also required otherworldly knowledge nobody else had.

“No, one gold coin each is perfectly fine.”

“Let’s go with that, then. Prepare them as quickly as possible.”

The king rang the bell he was holding in his hand. A knock immediately sounded at the door and a butler entered. After the king gave him some instructions, the butler bowed and left.

“I instructed him to go bring you your payment. Now then, on to the main topic.”

The faces of the king and prime minister immediately tensed up.

“Cain, your swordsmanship and magic abilities are first-class. That much is obvious, seeing the dragon you placed at the entrance of your home. Only someone with incredible abilities can defeat a dragon so cleanly.”

The king, now wearing a completely different expression than before, continued speaking while directing a sharp gaze at Cain.

“Cain, I want you to regularly participate in the training drills conducted by the Royal Guard and the palace mages. There are still two more years till you enroll in the academy. You shouldn’t have any other commitments. Understood?”

The king didn’t seem like he would take no for an answer, so Cain gave in and nodded.

“Yes, understood…”

At just ten years of age, Cain would have to participate in the training drills of the Royal Guard and the palace mages.

“In return, I’ll give you permission to browse the library used by the palace mages. Garm told me that you have read books on magic since you were young, but I’m sure there are books you have yet to read in there.”

Cain’s eyes lit up as he nodded at the king’s suggestion. The books he had at home only had up to Advanced Magic. He was only able to cast the Super-level magic Inferno without proper reference material because he had an overwhelming mana pool, didn’t need to chant, and already understood the basic principles behind it. He didn’t have anything to go off of for other Super-level spells, and thus wasn’t able to form a proper image of what they should look like. Any attempts simply resulted in him expending a significant amount of mana to increase the strength of an Advanced spell to the Super level.

“Thank you! That makes me really happy!”

“Huh. You’re finally acting like a proper ten-year-old. Not that the books you wish to read are meant for ten-year-olds.” The king’s face softened at Cain’s innocence.

“Your Majesty, I have a request for you, if that is all right.”

“As long as you’re not asking the impossible.”

“Since I’m only ten years old, I can’t register as an adventurer. I slew a lot of monsters while I was in Gracia, but I can’t sell their materials. I’ve stored the materials in my Item Box for now. Can you buy them from me?”

Prime Minister Magna replied in the king’s stead. “Monster materials? We’ll gladly purchase them. As long as they’re not materials from low-tier monsters like goblins. We can always resell materials of certain qualities or use them for research.”

“That is an acceptable request. We may be the ones to profit in the end,” The king said in agreement with the prime minister.

“The materials are stored in my Item Box, so I can take them out at any time. Where should I place them?”

“The storage facility at the Royal Guard’s headquarters should suffice. It’s easier to transport from there. I’ll let them know.”

Receiving the king and prime minister’s approval was huge. Cain wasn’t running out of space in his Item Box, but he didn’t want to hoard monster materials in there forever.

“I’d like to play some Othello today as well, but…” the king trailed off as he glanced at Magna.

Magna immediately shook his head. “No. You have a meeting today. There isn’t much time to waste.”

Stopped by his prime minister, the king sighed with a dejected look. “How unfortunate. Another time then, Cain.”

The king rose out of his chair and left the room.

“You can head immediately to the Royal Guard’s headquarters. I’ll let them know you’re coming,” Magna said before following after the king.

Left alone in the room, Cain left as well and headed towards the Royal Guard’s headquarters. He had gone there once when he first arrived at the capital, so he knew where it was. He told the knight stationed at the entrance why he was there, and after entering, he ran into a familiar face.

“Yo, long time no see, Hero Baron Cain.”

The vice-captain of the Royal Guard, Daim, was there waiting for him.

“Long time no see. I’m not a hero, Vice-captain Daim. I spoke with the prime minister, and I’m here to deliver some monster materials.”

“A servant from the prime minister arrived just now and told me already. Follow me,” Daim said, gesturing at Cain to follow him. The two walked to a small storage building nearby.

“Is this place good enough? This is where we usually store monsters.”

The small storage building was roughly sixteen-by-sixteen feet in size. It was large enough to store small monsters, but there were many large monsters within Cain’s Item Box as well, and there was no way they would fit in this small storage building.

“Vice-captain Daim, I’m sorry, but this place isn’t large enough to hold them all.” Cain decided to be upfront with Daim. He didn’t plan to unload everything he had here, but he had stockpiled a lot of materials from sufficiently-ranked monsters by this point.

“Just how much do you have stored in that Item Box of yours?”

“Enough to fill about ten of these small storehouses. One of them can only hold a single large monster.”

Daim was naturally astonished by Cain’s words. “I heard you’ve placed a red dragon at the entrance of your mansion. Do you have more monster corpses of that level?” Daim hadn’t attended Cain’s housewarming party, so he had likely heard about it from somewhere else.

“No, I don’t have any more of the same level as that dragon. I do have several twenty-foot earth dragons, though.”

“Hang on, earth dragons? The same A-rank earth dragons that require an entire team of A-Rank adventurers to defeat?”

“I don’t know what rank they are, but they’re definitely earth dragons. I’m not registered with the adventurer’s guild, so I don’t really know about their classifications.”

“You sure are a mystery, Sir Cain. For now, can you just place the materials outside? We’ll get some knights to transport them later.”

“Okay. Here I go, then.”

Cain began to take monster corpses out of his Item Box, one after another. Twenty-foot earth dragons, thirty-two-foot anacondas, ogre kings, ogres, orcs—Cain dumped out a lot of monsters, including Variants. The corpses formed a small mountain.

“That’s all I have.”

Cain was very satisfied, as his Item Box now looked a lot tidier.

Item Box was already a rare skill, and Cain’s Item Box had a monstrous carrying capacity. Daim’s jaw dropped in disbelief as he stared at the mountain of monsters. He could also hardly believe his eyes when he saw the monsters themselves. Monsters ranging from C-rank to A-rank were placed onto the heap, one after another.

Did Sir Cain hunt all of these himself? That’s not possible…

A-rank adventurers would not be capable of doing so. Even S-rank adventurers might not be able to.

Cain, of course, didn’t know that. He looked up at the small mountain with satisfaction.

Daim cautiously met Cain’s gaze. “Sir Cain, are you, by any chance, a Hero? Or a Disciple of the Gods?” Daim was barely able to get the words out.

Cain’s body unconsciously reacted to the words “Disciple of the Gods.”

“…Huh? No, no. I’m just the third son of Margrave Garm…” Cain answered, tensing up.

“…I won’t inquire further. It’ll take us some time to go through this many corpses. Do you mind if we pay you at a later date?”

“The king just paid me for some wine glasses, so I’m not in a rush. Contact me once you’re ready, and I’ll come by.”

Between his stipend and the percentage he collected from Othello sales, Cain didn’t have any monetary problems. He also still had the jewels he acquired from defeating the red dragon. Once he started selling the Venetian wine glasses and bidet-equipped toilets, he’d likely be even richer.

“I’ll be leaving, then.”

As Cain turned around to leave, Daim grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Sir Cain, the day is still young. How about participating in today’s training session? You can just watch for today.”

Daim stopped Cain before he himself realized what he was doing. He wanted to know whether Cain truly had the ability to defeat all these monsters himself. Cain, seeing how serious Daim was, gave in and followed him to the training grounds.

At present, Cain was standing in the middle of the Royal Guard’s training grounds with a wooden sword in hand. Roughly thirty stout Royal Guard members had Cain surrounded as they pointed their wooden swords at him.

Before we get to that, though, let’s go back in time a moment.

“Hero Baron Cain. I’m sure you’ve heard the story about how he exterminated that horde of orcs.”

Daim introduced Cain to the Royal Guard at the training grounds. Several of the knights began to question whether or not a young child like this was really capable of defeating thirty orcs, including orc generals. A few of the knights present were there at the scene, and they immediately straightened once they saw Cain.

“Baron Cain will be participating in our training session today.” Daim explained to the knights in the middle of their training. Cain wasn’t short for his age, but being a little under five feet tall, there was more than a head’s difference in height between him and the knights.

One of the knights unaware of Cain’s abilities asked Daim, “Are you sure about this? He looks like a kid—he’s only ten, right? Is it really appropriate for the Royal Guard to spar with a ten-year-old?”

“If you have doubts, then you can go first. Sir Cain, please.”

The knight who questioned Daim wielded his wooden sword and stepped forwards.

“Sir Cain, I’ll allow you to have the first move. Come at me.”

The Royal Guard were the highest ranked knights in the kingdom and were treated as elites. Cain could sense the confidence that came from belonging to that elite group. With his well-trained body, the knight took a stance and held up his wooden sword.

Cain circulated mana throughout his body. He quietly whispered, “Boost,” and charged at the knight. Although Cain’s speed surprised him, the knight still raised his sword and matched Cain’s.

Snap!

Cain’s mana had circulated into his sword as well, and there was no way the knight’s uninfused sword could withstand it. It instantly snapped, and before the knight recovered from his surprise, Cain was gone.

“Huh?”

Before the knight could realize what happened, he felt something poking into his back.

“It’s over.”

Cain had circled around behind the knight and now had his wooden sword pressing against his back. The knight was completely stunned.

“It’s my loss.” The knight lowered his broken sword and bowed to Cain. “I can’t believe it. I didn’t think he was that strong… I didn’t even see his movements.”

The spectating knights were equally stunned.

“Did you see what he did?”

“I could barely keep up with him.”

“If someone in front of you pulled off a move that fast, I bet it would feel like they suddenly vanished. He then attacked from behind. How are you supposed to beat that?”

The knights who had seen Cain’s movements were chatting with each other.

“I expected nothing less from Hero Baron Cain…is what I’d like to say. You still exceeded my expectations. One-on-one matches will pose no challenge to you. How about facing off with all thirty knights here at once?”

“What?! That’s a little too much, isn’t it?”

Cain was surprised by Daim’s radical suggestion. The same situation that occurred in Lamesta was once more repeating here, but this time he was facing off with the supposedly strongest knights in the kingdom.

Stats-wise, Cain was indeed capable of defeating all of them instantly, but if he were to do that, it would hurt their pride—and the king would definitely summon him afterwards.

“Okay, let’s begin. Everyone, charge!”

“We’re really doing this?!”

At Daim’s signal, the thirty Royal Guard members who now knew how strong Cain was raised their wooden swords and surrounded him.

That’s how the current situation had come about.

The knights kept up their guards and continually circulated mana throughout their bodies, maintaining Boost. The tense situation was shattered by a sudden shout.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

The knights immediately froze. The owner of that voice pushed aside the surrounding knights and entered the circle. She was a pretty lady with light green hair and seemed to be in her twenties. Her knight’s uniform was more decorated than that of the Royal Guard, and her light green hair was pulled up behind her to keep it out of the way. Her long ears made it clear she was an elf.

Cain couldn’t hide his surprise at how the graceful elf knight’s words were enough to bring every imperial knight to a halt. The knights lowered their swords and fixed their posture.

“Have you no pride as the Royal Guard? Why have you ganged up on this child and pointed your swords at him? What are all of you doing here, anyway?!”

After yelling at the knights, she turned to Cain. She was roughly half a head taller than him.

“Hey, are you all right?” Her harsh expression softened as she patted Cain’s head. That was probably the normal way to treat a ten-year-old.

The elf knight suddenly hugged Cain. “You must’ve been frightened, surrounded by all these scary knights. You don’t have anything more to fear now that I’m here. You got lost and ended up here, right? Where are your parents?”

Daim apologetically called out to the elf knight hugging Cain. “Captain, that’s—”

Cain was surprised to learn that the graceful elf lady was their captain.

“Daim! If you were here, why didn’t you stop them?” The elf lady glared at Daim while still holding onto Cain.

“That child is Baron Cain… The Hero that I mentioned previously,” Daim answered apologetically.

“What?! This child?!”

The captain was surprised to learn the child she was hugging onto was actually Cain, the so-called Hero.

The captain stared at Cain for a while. Then, her lips relaxed once more.

“I see… So that’s the case? You’re that Hero? Hee hee. In that case, how about you duel with me instead?”

Cain began to panic. Although the captain definitely had to have said “spar,” Cain felt as if he had just heard her say “duel” instead. The captain pulled out her sparring sword and raised it.

“Captain, shouldn’t you introduce yourself first?” Daim asked.

“Swordsmen should greet each other by crossing swords. We’ll know each other afterwards.”

The surrounding knights sighed and moved away to give them space. The captain of the knights raised her sparring sword.

“The captain’s bad habit is acting up again… Whenever she runs into someone strong, she immediately challenges them to a duel. The captain has the Sword Saint title, right? Although Baron Cain is strong, facing off against the captain is still unrealistic, isn’t it?”

Um…I can hear you guys. Sword Saint? What the heck is that?

“Baron Cain. Here I come!”

“Hang on! Our weapons!”

Cain was wielding a wooden sword, while the knight captain had a sparring sword. The difference in durability between the two wasn’t even close. Cain tried to stop her, but she ignored his cry and lunged at him.

The knight captain moved at inhuman speeds. She must have activated Boost. Once she was in range of Cain, she raised her sword and slashed downwards.

Cain moved back half a step and dodged the slash. He then swung horizontally with his sword.

The knight captain’s eyes widened upon seeing Cain evade her strike so easily. She raised her sword and blocked Cain’s horizontal swing. Cain took the opportunity to jump backwards and gain distance.

“Baron Cain! I underestimated you since I thought you were a mere child. I understand now that I’ll actually be able to enjoy myself.”

With a flushed face and a sly grin, the captain muttered something, and wind wrapped around her.

“Here I come!”

She slashed her sword at a speed one level higher than previously. Cain could no longer dodge her attacks as easily as he had before. He activated Boost as well and began to parry the captain’s sword.

The two of them continued to clash swords at inhuman speeds.

“Hey, is it just me, or is Baron Cain matching the captain? They’re moving even faster than before. I can’t believe it…”

The surroundings knights were muttering to each other. Their eyes could barely keep up with the speed the two were moving at.

At this rate, the fight would never end, so Cain decided to increase the level of his Boost.

“Clock Up.”

Cain’s mental processing speed and movements accelerated even further, and the world seemed to move in slow motion to him. He knocked away the captain’s sword and then placed his against her neck.

“That’s that,” Cain said as he lowered his sword. The captain opened her eyes wide in shock, and then her face flushed red. She then said something completely unexpected.

“…I’ve decided. I’m going to marry you.”

“Huh?”

“Ah—”

“Huh?!” The royal guards surrounding them gaped in stunned silence, their mouths hanging open as if their jaws were about to fall off. Naturally, the one most confused by the situation was Cain himself. At the same time, Daim suddenly let out an unintelligible scream.

While everyone remained frozen, the captain, her cheeks flushed, began to explain.

“The reason I came to the capital is because I wanted to find someone stronger than me. And now, I’ve finally found them.” Face still flushed, she hugged Cain. Still processing the unbelievable turn of events, the wheels in his brain finally began to turn again.

“You can’t just bring up marriage like that! I’m still ten years old, you know? I also don’t know anything about you.”

“That’s true. My name is Tifana von Liebert. I’m the captain of the Royal Guard here in the Esfort Kingdom. I’m an honorary viscount. I’m the daughter of the duke who manages the forest to the north, and there’s no need to be concerned about age. As an elf, I’ll live for three hundred years. My looks won’t change much over time, either. I’m quite confident in my appearance.”

There was no way the daughter of a duke had the authority to decide her marriage on her own. It hadn’t yet been made public, but Cain already had two fiancées. Cain believed that the situation was heading in a bad direction.

“The daughter of a duke can’t decide on her marriage by herself. I’m still ten years old, I think it would be best if we consulted with our families first.”

“When I left home, I told them I wouldn’t return until I found who I wanted to marry, so that’s not a problem.” Tifana said as she confidently puffed out her chest. Her cheeks were still bright red.

“You may be fine with it, but I’m not! I have to speak with my father, as well as some others, first.”

Cain glanced over at Vice-captain Daim. Daim knew that Cain was already engaged to Telestia and Silk. Cain thought Daim would rescue him…but Daim simply shook his head side to side with a resigned look on his face.

“You’re right. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to decide this on my own. Sorry. Let’s talk to His Majesty, first.”

The king was the last person Cain wanted to know about this. The king had just called him a lady killer the other day. If the king were to learn of this, Cain was definitely in for another scolding.

“I-I have some business to take care of today, so another time. Excuse me…”

“It’ll be fine. This won’t take long.”

“Huh?!”

“Daim, arrange an immediate audience with the king.”

Cain sent Daim a pleading look, but Daim simply sighed, said, “Understood,” and disappeared into the palace.

They were granted an immediate audience with the king. Daim had apparently told the king that “the Captain of the Royal Guard has an urgent matter.” They were led to the usual drawing room, and Cain was once more sitting in a seat that was practically his reserved seat at this point.

Although he sat in this seat often, he usually wasn’t accompanied by anyone. The captain of the Royal Guard, Tifana, was sitting next to him today. Daim was standing behind them.

The king and prime minister, seemingly in a bit of a hurry, entered the room and sat down in their usual seats in the center.

“We came over immediately as Daim said this was an urgent matter, but why are you here? Didn’t you just head over to the Royal Guard to hand over some monster materials?”

The king was confused. He had been told that the captain of the Royal Guard had an urgent matter, yet for some reason, Cain was here.

Cain nodded nervously and answered the king’s question. “Yes…that’s why I went there, and that’s what I did.”

Imperial knight captain Tifana stood up and began to speak.

“Your Majesty. I intend to marry Baron Cain.” Tifana suddenly dropped the bombshell.

Both the king and prime minister Magna were dumbfounded, stunned into silence. Daim, standing behind Tifana, simply sighed. The king tightened his strained expression and cast a cold gaze at Cain.

“Oh, and why is that? Cain. Explain from the beginning.”

“…Yes, well…”

Cain explained how he delivered the monster materials to the knights, how he was challenged to spar, and how he ended up dueling with the captain herself.

“So, in the end, you defeated the captain of the Royal Guard, the strongest person in the entire kingdom? Cain, did you not tell her about Silk and Teles?”

“You told me to keep that a secret, so I haven’t told her.” Cain answered honestly as he sweated under the king’s cold gaze.

“I knew about the captain saying that she wanted to marry someone stronger than her, but I didn’t expect that to be you, Cain…” The king sighed, then continued. “Cain, you should be aware by now that the captain is the daughter of a duke. However, Liebert was once a nation of elves. As you know, elves are elegant beings, which unfortunately made them frequent targets of kidnappings and war. Many sought to enslave them.

“In Esfort, thanks to the decree of the first king, this kind of discrimination is not a huge issue. As a result, Liebert is now under our protection as one of the kingdom’s territories. While it is officially a duchy within our rule, it maintains autonomy and, for all practical purposes, functions as an independent kingdom. You should regard her as you would a princess of a sovereign nation. That princess wishes to marry you. Do you understand, Cain?”

Cain obediently nodded. Confirming Cain’s nod, the king looked over at Tifana.

“Tifana, this is still being kept under wraps, but I’ll inform you about it. Cain is already betrothed to my daughter, Telestia, and Duke Eric’s daughter, Miss Silk. Now that you know that, what will you do?”

Cain stared at the ground as the king spoke. Tifana showed a look of surprise, as she clearly had not expected Cain to already be engaged to a princess and the daughter of a duke. However, she immediately recovered and offered an unusual opinion.

“He’s someone who has won the acknowledgement of both Your Majesty and Duke Eric. I wish to marry him even more now.”

Tifana’s unexpected response left Cain speechless.

“Wait…”

He tried to put a stop to the conversation, but the king continued on.

“Okay, okay. I recognize how you feel. First, write a letter to Lord Laysan. We can talk further after you’ve received his permission. Understood?”

Tifana’s previously tense face burst out into a smile. She must have been happy at receiving the king’s acceptance. “Understood. I’ll write to my father at once. That resolves the urgent matter I needed to speak with you about. I’ll excuse myself now.”

Finished, Tifana rushed out of the drawing room. Daim, after bowing to the king, rushed after her.

“Well, it’s about time I left as well—”

“Oh, don’t be in such a hurry.”

“…Yeah, I figured.”

Cain had tried to leave as well, but the king stopped him.

“We need to talk, don’t we Cain? You weren’t planning on just leaving, were you?” The silent pressure from the king and prime minister bore down on Cain.

“I was surprised as well, and I’m still not sure what I should do,” Cain honestly responded.

“I didn’t expect you to defeat the captain of the Royal Guard. She has the Sword Saint title, you know? Her swordsmanship and blessing from the god of war are both at the highest level of five. She’s the captain simply because she’s the strongest. You understand what I’m getting at, right?”

“…Perhaps Captain Tifana wasn’t in peak condition today?” Cain tried to play it off.

Neither the king nor prime minister were about to let him get away with it. The king responded with the direct approach.

“Cain, just who are you?”

Cain calmed himself down and slowly replied, “I’m Cain von Silford, the third son of Garm…”

“Hmph. I’ll let you off the hook for now. Cain, do you intend to bring harm to this country?”

Cain directed a serious gaze at the king and responded. “No. I have no such intentions. Your Majesty, you granted me an aristocratic title and you recognized my engagement with Princess Telestia and Miss Silk. I intend to do what I can for the betterment of the nation. I haven’t the slightest intention to harm it in any way.”

The king’s expression relaxed at Cain’s words.

“Okay, I understand. I’ll inform Teles and Miss Silk.”

“Okay. Thank you. I’ll be going now, then.”

Cain bowed and left the room. He got in the carriage and was about to head home, but he realized it would probably be a good idea to inform Garm about what happened to preempt future problems. He instructed the driver to head to Garm’s mansion instead.

Cain arrived at Garm’s mansion and headed to the study.

“What’s the matter, Cain? Why are you in such a rush? Did something happen?”

“Well…”

Cain explained, in order, the events that had occurred.

“What?! Captain Tifana proposed to you?!” Garm’s shout reverberated throughout the mansion.

“…Yes. It happened after I sparred with her. The king and prime minister already know about this.”

Garm could only hug his head in exasperation.

Cain was already engaged to a princess and the daughter of a duke. Now, the daughter of the duke in charge of the elven territory—who happened to be the strongest swordswoman in the entire kingdom—also wanted to marry him. The problem already exceeded the scope of what Garm could resolve. Garm was indeed a Margrave, which made him a high-ranking noble. However, the royal family and ducal families were both higher ranking than the Silford family.

On top of everything, Cain was already independent, making him currently nothing more than a low-ranking baron.

“My head hurts. Let’s not discuss this any further today. I’ll go request an audience with the king in a few days,” Garm said, his spirit broken.

“I’ll leave now, then. I’ll come back to report if anything else happens,” Cain said before leaving the room.

“My god…Cain keeps bringing in one problem after another,” Garm lamented, collapsing onto his desk.

Chapter 15: Confession

Chapter 15:
Confession

A GROUP OF PEOPLE WERE SEATED AROUND A TABLE IN the drawing room of the palace with serious expressions on their faces. That group consisted of the king, Duke Eric, Prime Minister Magna, Vice-captain Daim, and Margrave Garm.

The king spoke first. “So, Daim. What did you think about the fight between Captain Tifana and Cain?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The captain started the fight with only Boost. As the battle was going nowhere, she started covering herself with the wind magic she is so adept in, increasing the speed of her sword significantly. However, Sir Cain was still able to parry her blows with ease. He then increased his speed significantly and immediately brought the battle to a close.”

The king sighed. “That level of strength at ten years of age… Why is he so strong? There’s no telling what will happen in the future.” The exhausted king looked over at Garm. “Garm, he’s your son. What’s going on?”

“It appears that he snuck out of his room and went to the Forest of Monsters on his own to hunt. He also appears to have slain a red dragon on his own—even I almost fell over when I saw it for the first time.”

The others nodded. They all remembered the taxidermy dragon from Cain’s mansion.

“That’s an SS-rank monster. What kind of child is capable of such a feat? In the first place, is it even possible for anyone to defeat a monster like that alone?”

The king felt the same way Garm did.

“I happen to recall something.” Daim said, jumping into the conversation. “I asked Sir Cain whether he was a Hero or a Disciple of the Gods, and he appeared to react to those words.”

The other three in the room immediately reacted.

“Wh-what?!”

“H-he might be a Hero or a Disciple of the Gods?”

“I asked Cain to show me his Status the other day, but he refused. He might be hiding something,” Garm said.

“We can test him by showing him that,” Magna said.

“That…? That might indeed be able to test whether or not he’s a Hero. Summon Cain here immediately. I will prepare that thing.”

The king, Duke Eric, Prime Minister Magna, Margrave Garm, and Vice-captain Daim were sitting in the usual drawing room. Cain was sitting across from the king.

“Your Majesty, I’ve arrived at your summons. I see my father is here as well—why have you called me here today? If it’s about the wine glasses, I’ve yet to finish them. If you could wait a little longer…” Cain had grown used to meeting with the distinguished elites of the country, so he immediately spoke without hesitation.

“Cain, there is something we’d like you to see. Magna, bring it out.”

Magna brought out a carefully wrapped item. He unwrapped it, revealing a book. The title was Book of Emperor-Level Magic.

The king explained, “This book contains the secrets of Emperor-level magic. It is said to have been written by the first king, and it has been carefully preserved over the years.”

“A book on Emperor-level Magic?! Are you going to let me read it?”

Cain had looked around in the library used by palace mages, but they only had books up to the Super level. This was his first time seeing a book that contained magic of an even higher level than that. He was naturally curious.

“Yes. You can read it, Cain.”

The king handed the book over to Cain. Cain opened it and began flipping through. The book contained detailed information on the names and effects of various Emperor-level spells. As it was a book about magic he hadn’t known about before, Cain forgot where he was as he dove deeper and deeper into the text.

“…As I thought,” the king muttered. The others remained silent.

Cain looked up from the book and tilted his head quizzically at the king.

“Is something the matter?”

The king cast a serious gaze at Cain. He then explained, “Cain, we can’t read that book you’re holding. Do you know why?”

Cain looked at the book once more. He had no problem reading it. After all, it was written in Japanese.

“Ah!” Cain’s sudden cry reverberated throughout the drawing room. He fell to the ground, palms first.

“Cain, sit. That book was left behind by the founder of this country. It is written in a language called Japanese. It has been passed down over generations, but so far no one has managed to decipher it—except you.”

Cain was now pale in the face as he sat back onto the chair. His face had lost all hope.

“Cain, let me ask once more. Who are you?”

Everyone in the room was staring directly at Cain.

“…Okay. I’ll tell you the truth,” Cain began, resigned. “However, can you keep the secret only amongst those in the room? Otherwise…”

Everyone nodded.

“I am without a doubt, the son of Garm. There’s no mistaking that. However, I still have memories of a previous life. Those memories come from another world, the same world the founder of this country came from. We even come from the same country in that world. The name of that country is Japan.”

Silence dominated the room upon Cain’s shocking confession.

“I knew you weren’t an ordinary ten-year-old, but I didn’t expect you to have memories of living in the same country as the founder.” The king seemed satisfied with the explanation.

“A-are you really our son? You’re sure of that?” Garm asked in concern.

“Yes, there’s no mistaking it. The Goddess of Life, Rime, told me herself when I was baptized.”

“You’ve met a god before?!”

The room was shocked once more. People usually didn’t actually meet with the gods during their baptisms. Although saints would occasionally receive revelations from the gods, even members of the clergy wouldn’t meet with them directly.

With slight regret, Cain continued to explain.

“…Yes. When I was baptized at the church, I met with the Seven Pillars.” There wasn’t much more to hide, so Cain chose to come completely clean.

“All Seven Pillars?” The king asked, “Is that why you couldn’t show Garm your Status?”

“Yes, that’s part of the reason why. My titles, abilities, and blessings, are not things I can casually show to others.”

“All right, can you show us, at least? We’ll of course promise to not reveal it to anyone else.”

“Okay.”

Cain cast the spell in resignation.

“Status Open.”

Status

Name: Cain von Silford

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 10

Titles: Margrave’s Third Son, Reincarnator, Disciple of the Gods, Prodigy, Natural Enemy of the Forest of Monsters, Destroyer of Nature, Dragon Slayer, Blessed by the Gods

Level: 298

Health: 5,857,240/5,857,240

Mana: 102,643,240/102,643,240

Rating: SSS

Skills: Appraisal Level 10, Item Box Level 10, Military Arts Level 10, Martial Arts Level 10, Physical Tolerance Level 10, Magical Tolerance Level 10

Upon seeing Cain’s Status, everyone was speechless. Time passed. Silence dominated the room.

The king, overwhelmed by Cain’s status, said weakly, “I-I didn’t expect for there to be blessing levels above that of five. Cain, is that Status of yours real? If it is, this entire country—no, this entire world—has to kneel at your feet. That includes me, the king. As a Disciple of the Gods, you are above all of us in stature.”

“Your Majesty, if possible, I’d like things to remain the way they are right now. I’m Garm’s son, a ten-year-old child. I do have memories of my previous life, but I’m satisfied with my current lifestyle.” Maintaining the status quo was the best outcome for Cain.

“…Very well. Thank you. I now understand why you’re always causing unprecedented trouble,” the king said.

The king looked directly at Cain. “In the future, if something were to happen, will you defend this country?”

Cain matched the king’s serious gaze and responded. “I’m a Baron of the Esfort Kingdom. I like this country. Princess Telestia, Miss Silk, and my family all live here, so I will definitely defend it. However, if there are wrongs, they must be righted.”

A weight lifted off his shoulders, the king let out a sigh of relief.

“Under normal circumstances, I should promote you to duke, but we have to keep this under wraps. Suddenly promoting you out of nowhere will lead to unnecessary complications. When the opportunity presents itself, I’ll promote you bit by bit. Some people would continue to get in our way if you remained a baron after all.”

Cain smiled wryly—that last comment brought to mind Marquess Corgino.

“What was shared here today must not leave this room. Don’t tell anyone, not even your family members. Understood?” At the king’s strict command, everyone assumed a vassal’s bow.

Garm said with a relieved smile, “I was a bit upset when you refused to show me your Status, but seeing it now, I can understand your reasons. Sorry, Cain.”

All of Cain’s secrets were revealed on this day.

A month passed since the day Cain’s secrets were exposed. Cain had spent the month much the same as he had previously. He was often summoned to the palace to play Othello with the king. Even now, the king had yet to defeat Duke Eric a single time.

As for Captain Tifana, it appeared that for some reason or another, her family had approved of her engagement. They sent a letter requesting to meet Cain once they came to the capital.

The king, upon reading the letter, had no choice but to recognize Tifana as another one of Cain’s fiancées.

Garm had completely given up. “I’ll not mettle in your affairs any longer. Do as you wish.”

As for Cain himself, although he remained against it to the very end, since the king and his father had acknowledged it, his engagement with Tifana was now official. As with Telestia and Silk, the announcement would take place after Cain turned twelve and entered the academy.

At the moment, Cain was drinking black tea in a room in the palace. Telestia and Silk were sitting in front of him. Silk was her usual self, but Telestia had a grim look on her face.

“Sir Cain, why are you marrying Captain Tifana?” Telestia’s cold gaze stabbed into Cain.

“It just kind of happened after I sparred with her…” Cain answered weakly.

“Well, this is Cain we’re talking about. I wonder how many wives he’ll have by the time he’s an adult? It’s fun being together with Teles, so I’m fine with it. My father has three wives, too,” Silk said. Fortunately for Cain, Miss Silk appeared to be rather magnanimous.

“My father told me that your engagements will only be made public after you turn twelve and enter the academy. Please don’t increase your number of fiancées too much, okay?”

“…Okay.”

For the rest of their tea party, Telestia continually poked at Cain. Afterwards, as he was leaving the palace, he bumped into Tifana.

“Cain! What good timing! Let’s make love (spar)!”

Whenever she ran into Cain, she would always ask him to fight her. Tifana was quite the musclehead. There was a reason why Daim the Vice-captain was responsible for managing the practical affairs of the Royal Guard. After spending more time with her, Cain understood why.

Since Cain was only ten, Tifana easily dragged him off. The knights at the training grounds looked at Cain with pity in their eyes, as usual. To an outside observer, it would appear as if a knight was abducting a child.

As often happened, a ten-year-old and the captain of the Royal Guard were facing each other with swords in hand at the training grounds.

“Baron Cain got kidnapped again. I feel bad for him.”

It was practically a daily occurrence at this point, so nobody was surprised. Since Cain’s Status gave him a significant advantage, he never lost. However, his swordsmanship up to this point had relied completely on his Status. He learned a lot of technique from Tifana.

After several dates (sparring sessions) with Tifana, at some point or another, Sword Saint was added to his titles. Tifana’s swordsmanship also improved through facing a stronger opponent in Cain.

They always had Boost activated during their dates, so they moved at speeds the other knights could only barely follow with their eyes. Nobody was able to interfere. These daily dates would usually last for an hour, ending only once Tifana finally ran out of energy. Ignoring the exhausted Tifana, Cain greeted the other knights as he was leaving the palace.

Phew…Tifana is getting stronger,Cain thought, impressed.

After leaving the palace and exiting the aristocratic quarter, Cain headed to the commerce district. He was headed to the Saracaen Company. He regularly dropped by to offer new potential product ideas. Up to this point, they had already assisted him with Othello and bidets. Cain was the only one capable of creating Venetian Glass, but they helped him sell it on consignment.

The products Cain came up with were all extremely popular, and it appeared that both the production factory and the company were doing well.

“I can no longer sleep with my feet pointed at you, Baron Cain! We owe you much. I had planned to have Parma continue her training here at the store, but thanks to the ample operating funds we now have, I was able to hire some employees. When she turns twelve, I intend to have her attend the academy. She will be in the same class year as you, Baron Cain, so I hope you’ll treat her well.” Tamanis politely bowed his head.

While Parma was studying to enter the academy, she continued managing the shop and practicing her bookkeeping.

“Sir Cain, I’ll be in your care,” Parma said with upturned eyes. Before he knew it, Cain found himself agreeing.

As a side note, Cain had yet to receive permission to touch her cat ears.

After bidding Parma and Tamanis farewell, Cain returned to the carriage and headed home. He entered the study of his mansion, opened the book about Emperor-level magic he had borrowed from the king, and began to read.

“I can read this because it’s written in Japanese, but this book is also why I was exposed.”

Cain sighed as he turned the page. The author of this magic book had treated it as a diary and included personal details in between the explanations of various spells. Cain learned several things from the diary portions of the book.

Yuuya Terra Hirasawa Esfort, the first king and author of this book, had gotten into an accident in Japan and passed away. He then found himself summoned to this world. Uncomfortable with the situation in the country he had arrived in, he fled along with some friends. He eventually made a name for himself as an adventurer. He later became known as a Hero, then founded his own country.

“He wasn’t a reincarnator—he was a transmigrator. There might be others like him out there.”

Cain decided to keep that in the back of his mind.

***

In the Divine Realm, the seven gods were gathered around a screen.

“See, I told you that giving him level ten blessings would cause problems,” God of Magic Reno said, flaring up at God of Creation Zenom.

The screen was displaying the scene where Cain’s Status was revealed to the king and the others in the room.

“It is well. Yet this sufficeth not. He must grow far, far stronger still.”

“Is there a reason you wish for him to become so powerful?” God of War Sarnos asked.

“For it is needful. The seal upon Aaron yet holdeth, but only a few more years shall it endure ere it falleth asunder.”

The other gods exclaimed in surprise, “Aaron!”

“As he hath fallen unto the lower realm, he now lieth beyond our reach. Thus, I would have Cain deal with him.”

“I-i-if Aaron is unsealed, the world will descend into chaos!” God of Life Rime exclaimed, trembling.

“Indeed. Three hundred years past, he was sealed with haste, thus curbing the ruin he might have wrought. Yet now, none may say how this shall end.”

“The next time he visits the church, we must stir him to grow even stronger. If Aaron returns, then this land, which has only now begun to flourish, will be laid to ruin once more,” God of Earth Bela concluded.

“Yea. He is yet young, but when he doth reach his twelfth year I shall see to his training in earnest. As fortune would have it, there is one withdrawn from the world, who may well serve as his master.”

“That child may indeed be most suited to the task. He intends to become an adventurer, so let us arrange it.”

Unbeknownst to Cain, the Gods had already decided his future trajectory.

Two years passed. Cain was now twelve years old.

Side Story: Telestia - Love at First Sight

Side Story:
Telestia: Love at First Sight

Telestia

“SILK, I HAD A LOT OF FUN THIS TIME TOO.”

Silk, who was sitting in front of me in the rocking carriage, smiled.

Due to the circumstances of my birth, I had spent all my life cooped up in the palace. As the third princess, my position prevented me from even heading to the market to go shopping.

Whatever tasks I needed to complete could be done within the palace, and the only sights I had of the city were from the palace’s window.

I was the same age as the second daughter of Lord Eric, Silk. Since the age of three, we often played together within the palace. Silk’s family lived in Maalbeek, which was a several-day journey away from the capital. When she wasn’t around to play with, I was by myself in the palace, lonely.

On my tenth birthday, I requested permission from my father to visit Silk’s home in Maalbeek, to which he agreed. I wasn’t allowed to go alone, of course. I was accompanied by my handmaiden as well as several Members of the Royal Guard. Still, I was finally allowed to leave the palace. I wanted to jump up and down in excitement.

Simply viewing the city from the window of the carriage was exciting for me. Once we left the city, I was moved by the brightly shining fields of farmland surrounding the road. I asked my handmaiden question after question about everything I was seeing now for the first time. I was traveling alongside Silk, and since we always had something to talk about, the several-day journey wasn’t tedious in the slightest. It was a period of pure bliss to me.

The several days I spent in Maalbeek became treasured memories of mine. Although my guards always had to accompany us, I was able to walk the streets of the city alongside Silk, and we visited the various stores and boutiques. I felt a little sad once the time came for us to leave, but Silk would be coming with me back to the capital for this year’s capital debut party. I was happy to have someone to chat with on the journey back. It was another fun memory.

Once we were within a three-day ride of the capital, there was suddenly commotion from outside our carriage.

“A horde of orcs are closing in! They’re flanking us! Protect the princess!”

I could hear screams from outside of the carriage.

The handmaiden riding with us, Marta, immediately turned to us. She was afraid but composed. “Princess Telestia! Miss Silk! Please conceal yourselves!”

“Huh? D-did something happen?” I asked, surprised at the urgency in Marta’s voice.

“It appears monsters have attacked us. The knights will fend them off, so there’s no need to be concerned. Please conceal yourselves.”

Her words granted me some relief, but I was still scared. Silk and I held hands as we both trembled within the carriage.

The sound of shouting and a large number of footsteps could be heard from inside the carriage. Then, I saw it. From the edge of the window, I saw a horde of orcs beaming straight at us. Frightened, Silk, who was next to me, was also staring at the edge of the window.

“Don’t let them get close to the carriage! Position yourselves around the carriage!”

“More than ten orcs are coming from each of three directions! There are also Variants among them! With our current numbers…”

“Fight with your life! We’re The Royal Guard! We have to protect the princess!”

We could hear the sound of the knights fighting outside the carriage.

“Gyah!”

“Terot! Are you okay?”

“…”

I heard the captain swing his sword and the wet thud of his blade finding purchase. It sounded like he ran over to check on the fallen knight.

“Gah!”

I heard the sound of another knight falling. I looked at the surroundings from the window, and saw several knights had already passed. Others were on the ground, struggling to survive. There were only three of them left defending the carriage.

Captain of the Guard

WE MANAGED TO REDUCE THE ROUGHLY FIFTY orcs down to about thirty, but we were at our limit. Among the horde of orcs were Variants believed to be orc generals. They were holding weapons and they simply watched from behind as the other orcs assaulted us.

Including me, there were only three of us still standing to defend the carriage. I had begun to give up and started wondering how much longer I could last. The face of my wife, who was waiting for me at home, rose unbidden in my mind as I continued to swing my sword.

“Is this as far as I go…? Dammit!”

At that moment, a small child with a one-handed sword appeared out of nowhere.

“I’m here to help!” he shouted, then charged right in the middle of all of the orcs. It was certain death.

“Kid, don’t come any closer! Run away, now!” I shouted. As the captain of the guards, the best I could do was create an opportunity for the child to escape.

The child smiled at me and said, “Just watch! Everything will be okay.”

I did watch him and was completely enchanted. He defeated orcs one after another by rapid-firing magical spells and moving his sword faster than I could keep up with.

“Who in the world is that child?!” That was the only thing those still around could say. The knights kept their swords raised to defend the carriage, but all they could do was watch as the young boy’s sword slew one orc after another.

“Let’s end this.”

The young boy unleashed one final slash, and before I realized what had happened, the orcs had all been annihilated. Even the Variants, the orc generals, were powerless before the young boy.

The boy walked towards us. On closer inspection, he was wearing noble garb. However, given his prowess in magic and swordsmanship, he was clearly no ordinary child. He was not a foe we could defeat. However, it was our duty to protect the princess and the duke’s daughter. We raised our swords at the young boy.

“Stay away from the carriage! Stop where you are!”

The young boy cleaned the blood on his sword then put it back in its sheathe. He then fixed his posture and introduced himself.

“Sorry, I should have introduced myself. I’m Cain von Silford. I’m the third son of Margrave Garm von Silford Gracia.”

After that, several knights on horseback arrived from behind the young boy.

“We are knights under the service of the Margrave of Gracia, we are here to—wait, why are you here, Master Cain?”

The knights seemed surprised to find the young boy here as they began to look around at the surroundings.

“They’ve all already been defeated…”

The boy named Cain, who was supposedly the son of the Margrave of Silford, approached us.

“Allow me to heal the injured knights. I can use healing magic,” Cain said.

That brought me to my senses. I looked around. Several knights had already passed, but there were also a few who were still breathing. The young boy named Cain approached the fallen knights and chanted a spell.

“Area High Heal.”

The injuries on the knights were visibly healing. I had injured my arm during the battle, and those wounds vanished as well. Area High Heal was an Advanced-level healing spell. He didn’t even need an incantation while casting it. Just who was this young boy?

Shortly afterwards, a carriage protected by several knights approached. The seal on the carriage was, without a doubt, that of Margrave Silford. The knights that had come to our assistance immediately lined up. Then, a familiar margrave alighted from the carriage.

“Garm von Silford Gracia. The seal on this carriage belongs to the family of Duke Santana. Is everyone all right?”

It was at that moment that I finally realized that the danger had passed. We had survived. I called out to the passengers within the carriage.

“Your Highness, Miss Silk, are you all right? Help arrived, and we defeated the monsters. You can rest easy, now.”

I let out a sigh of relief. We had successfully protected them.

Telestia

SILK AND I SAW EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED FROM the window of the carriage. As knights fell one after another, a young man appeared and defeated the orcs with his magic and his sword. I squeezed Silk’s hand. What beautiful swordsmanship. He was about the same age I was. I couldn’t take my eyes off the boy with beautiful silver hair. He moved like the wind as he took down one orc after another.

The captain of the guards informed us that the monsters had been defeated, and my handmaiden opened the door of the carriage. Silk and I got out of the carriage with her help.

After leaving the carriage, I saw a familiar face. It was Margrave Garm, who I had met before, at the palace. Margrave Garm clearly did not expect to see me here and he couldn’t conceal his look of surprise. He got down on one knee and bowed his head. The young boy who saved us copied him and did the same, as did the rest of their family.

“Princess Telestia, Miss Silk, it’s good to see that you’re safe.”

“Lord Garm, thank you for saving us from the crisis we encountered.”

We were now able to relax since Lord Garm was here, but the fear from earlier had yet to fully leave our bodies. Curious about the boy who saved us, I couldn’t stop myself from glancing over at him. Noticing my glance, Lord Garm introduced him.

“Cain, you stand before Her Highness the third princess Telestia Terra Esfort and the second daughter of Duke Santana, Silk von Santana.”

Sir Cain, is it? I’ll remember that.

The boy, after showing a look of surprise, got up and introduced himself.

Huh? Magic? Like the magic he cast earlier? I couldn’t stop myself from trembling.

“Relax.”

After Cain chanted the spell, the three of us were enveloped in light. Once the light vanished, the fear from earlier had vanished. I was no longer trembling. I felt slightly better than I did earlier.

“You should feel better now,” Cain said with a smile.

My eyes were glued to the smile on Sir Cain’s face. I could tell that a faint blush was spreading across my face.

“Sir Cain, I am Telestia Terra Esfort. Thank you for saving us from the crisis we encountered. It was very scary. I thought it was the end for me.”

Before I knew what I was doing, I was cupping Cain’s hands within mine. This may be the first time I held hands with a man that wasn’t a member of my family.

“Ah! No fair! Sir Cain, allow me to thank you as well! I saw you from the window of the carriage! You fired magic like the wind, and your swordsmanship was very cool as well.”

Silk came over as well. Ah! Silk stole Cain’s hands away from me.

“As the knights who were protecting us fell one after another, I had thought that this was the end for Silk and me. You’re very strong, Sir Cain. You defeated thirty orcs all by yourself. I was captivated by both your magic and swordsmanship.”

After that, it was decided that Sir Cain would accompany us to the capital. I tried my best to not show excitement on my face, but I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. The knights asked us to return to our carriage, as they had to clean up the battlefield. We went back inside and waited for them to finish.

“Sir Cain…”

The image of Sir Cain’s face floated in my mind, and before I knew it, I was mumbling his name. Silk immediately reacted.

“Jeez, Teles. You’re already head over heels, aren’t you?”

Silk’s words caused me to blush. My face must have been bright red, sitting within that carriage. A short while later, a knight came over and told us that we were going to begin moving again. I wished to speak with Sir Cain more, and before I realized it, I had left the carriage and the words were already out of my mouth.

“Um… Do you have moment? We don’t feel safe with just the two of us. Would it be possible for Sir Cain to accompany us in our carriage?”

Lord Garm did not seem to want to approve my request, but he ultimately acquiesced.

“Very well. Cain, ride with them in their carriage.”

“…Okay.”

I arranged for Sir Cain to sit in the middle back seat. I then sat down next to him. Then, of all things, Silk came in and sat on the other side of Sir Cain! These seats were designed to seat two adults, so it wasn’t too cramped even with all three of us sitting next to each other.

Cain looked uncomfortable. Even his troubled expression was dreamy.

“It might be a little cramped if all three of us sit together. How about I sit in front instead?” Cain suggested.

I had finally managed to get him to sit next to me—there was no way I was going to allow him to escape. Before I could stop myself, I grabbed onto his arm. Even I couldn’t help but feel that maybe I was being a little too forward…

“No fair, Teles! Let me join in!”

As if competing with me, Silk grabbed onto Sir Cain’s other arm.

We stopped by a town on the way to the capital, and I forced them to put Sir Cain in the same room with Silk and I. I made him leave while we were changing, but I got to gaze at Cain’s sleeping face that night. I could feel the smirk spreading across my face.

Captain of the Guard

THIS IS BAD. THIS IS REALLY BAD. I’M NOT SURE HOW I’m supposed to explain this to the palace.

Since Sir Cain was still young, I didn’t think it would be a big deal for him to ride together with them, so I approved Her Highness’s request. However, Her Highness’s lovestruck eyes made it clear that she had fallen for Cain. The sound of the two girls enjoying themselves could even be heard outside of the carriage.

It’s true that Sir Cain saved their lives. I heard earlier that he was the same age as Her Highness and Miss Silk, so I figured he wouldn’t do anything inappropriate. He wouldn’t, right?

We managed to arrive at the next city without incident, but a new problem arose. Her Highness insisted that she wanted to share the same room as Sir Cain. I put everything I had on the line in order to enter the Royal Guard, and after slowly accumulating accomplishments over time, I was granted the honor of serving as the captain of Her Highness’s guards. If I were to report the events of this trip, my neck would definitely be on the line. If something were to happen in their room tonight, my neck would literally be on the line as well. I implored Her Highness to reconsider, but she pushed away my concerns with a simple, “But I’m scared without him.” I asked Lord Garm in the hopes that he would assist me, but it was all for naught.

Based on Sir Cain’s expression, he clearly wasn’t pleased with the situation either. He likely felt the same way I did about all of this. When the two of us were alone, I sneakily approached him.

“You understand, right? If something were to happen…”

He vigorously nodded and replied, “It’ll be fine.”

We spoke to the owner of the inn and requested a room change from a two-person room to a four-person room. After checking the room to make sure it was safe, we showed Her Highness in. I made sure to speak with their handmaiden as well and told her to keep a close eye on them. Everything should be okay… I should probably start thinking about how to explain the current situation to Vice-captain Daim.

Once we were finally within sight of the capital, I finally felt as though we were safe. Thank goodness nothing happened in the three days since the orc attack. As usual, Her Highness’s excited voice could be heard from within the carriage. Early in the morning, I had sent Nat ahead to explain the situation to the vice-captain. Hopefully it went well… If it didn’t…

With a heavy heart, I could only tell myself that I was lucky to even survive. After the conclusion of this job, I should probably request some personal leave and return home.

Telestia

WE ARRIVED AT THE CAPITAL TODAY. IT WAS SO much fun talking with Sir Cain, and I ended up asking him to call me Teles. Silk calls me that, so it should be fine, right?

Time flies when you’re having fun, and now we were already here in the capital. Cain had to go report to the Royal Guard’s headquarters, so we separated in front of the palace.

I entered the palace together with Silk, and we were let into the drawing room where my father was having a meeting. I needed to apologize for the concern I caused him.

“Father, I sincerely apologize for causing you concern.”

“It’s fine. Teles, Miss Silk, it gladdens me to see you two are safe.”

I then explained what had happened. Talking about Sir Cain made me really happy, so I may have slightly exaggerated his accomplishments. Still, in my opinion, he looked exactly like a prince that had come to save me.

Father and Lord Eric both sighed.

“So, Teles, the report stated that you and Miss Silk were all over your savior, Cain.”

I could feel my face turn red. I glanced at Silk, who was at my side. She was blushing as well.

“Based on your reaction, it seems that report was true.” Prime Minister Magna said as he stroked his beard.

“We want to bring Cain into our fold. If we were to say that one of you need to become his fiancée, how would you respond?”

My father’s words shocked me. I might become the fiancée of Sir Cain, my prince?

I immediately raised my hand and volunteered.

“I’ll do it!” My voice overlapped with that of Silk. I met eyes with her, and both of us blushed further.

“Is this Cain truly that impressive? Eric, are you fine with this?”

Father and Lord Eric looked at each other, then nodded. Afterwards, the two of them and Prime Minister Magna seemed to be plotting something suspicious, but I wasn’t in the mood to pay attention. My heart was full, knowing that I would one day marry Sir Cain.

Afterword

THANK YOU FOR PURCHASING THIS HUMBLE BOOK OF mine. This is the author, Yashu. In the Fifth Net Novel Awards, my work was selected as a winner among over seven thousand entries during the judging period, leading to its publication. To be honest, I still don’t quite understand how this all happened.

In the past, I was exclusively a reader on the site Shousetsuka ni Narou, and I read works written by a wide variety of authors. Given how many stories were already on the site, I figured that even if an amateur like myself were to add to it, nobody would mind. That was the humble start of my writing adventure, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

I started posting at the end of October 2016 and soon learned about the Net Novel Awards. Since all I had to do was add a tag, which was quite simple to do, I registered without much thought, and then promptly forgot about it. After all, as someone who had only just picked up their pen, I had zero expectations. I hardly understood even the basics, such as grammar and point of view, so in the web version, I was always causing trouble for my readers who helped guide me in the comments section. I did my best to not repeat the same mistakes they pointed out as I wrote one chapter after another.

I still ended up making many mistakes that they pointed out without fail…

As I continued updating my work daily, I received a message from Hifumi Shobo through the site’s management company, inviting me to publish my work under their Saga Forest label.

I couldn’t help but wonder, “Are you sure you want to publish something written by an amateur like me?” E, my editor, read my work and thoroughly understood its issues, so they kindly assisted me with major revisions from the very beginning. Since there was so much I didn’t know, we exchanged emails almost daily, and I received various pieces of advice for which I am truly grateful. Thank you so much.

Finally, I’d like to thank the readers who read this work on Shousetsuka ni Narou and AlphaPolis, as it was thanks to them that this work was published. Thank you so much. I hope to have returned the favor by releasing this work in its final complete version. This work, Chronicles of an Aristocrat Reborn in Another World, was raised in conjunction with you, the readers.

Readers might say, “You still have a lot to work on,” but the story of Cain and his reckless actions is far from over. Please look forward to further improvement in the next volume. Saga Forest, the label under which this book is published, is celebrating its two-year anniversary. It will continue publishing fun works for the world to enjoy, so if you’re interested, I encourage you to also try out other books published under this label.

Finally, I’d like to thank you again for purchasing this humble work of mine. I hope you continue to support me in the future as well.

—YASHU

About the Author

Resides in Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture. After spending a year only as a reader, in October of 2016, Yashu began posting this work to Shousetsuka ni Narou. This work won the Fifth Net Novel Grand Prize, leading its publication. The pen name, Yashu, comes from the handle name the author used in an MMORPG. He loves the Keikyu Line that he rides on practically every day, and he also loves isekai fantasy stories. He practically always carries a book with him. His hobbies include reading, western movies, and prowling around Shousetsuka ni Narou.

Footnotes

Chapter 2: Studying

[1] Similar to the concept of chakras in Hinduism, dantian are believed to be pools of energy held within the body, with the three main points being in the forehead, the heart, and the naval region.

Chapter 10: Ennoblement

[2] Religious objects of worship at Shinto shrines, either manmade or natural, that are believed to hold the actual spirits within them.