CH.33 Magic instructor
<span style="font-weight:400">As I entered the dining room I noticed only Christina there. So I was the second to arrive. Well I knew I would be before Alice, but I wasn’t sure about the baron.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Did youe here yourself? I thought Jenna was going to get you.” Christina asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jenna? Do you mean the blond haired maid? She went to get Alice. Something about Alice not wanting toe, but you can ask her.” I told Christina. I hope Alice won’t get into trouble for that, but a little punishment for her night time sneaking won’t be so bad.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see, so Jenna did that… And you knew the way here yourself? This mansion might not be thatrge, but it’s still easy to take the wrong turn.” Christina said to me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t underestimate the power of system support. As long as I have Laura, I will never get lost.” I told her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Laura?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“The name I gave to system support.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You can name it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You know that’s the same reaction as your husband had when he heard it yesterday. It’s not that weird. Well, the strange part is having system support in the first ce.” I told her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, you are right.” She answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">I took a seat at the same ce I did yesterday. Just after that the baron joined us.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good morning. Let’s start breakfast.” He said before noticing that Alice is missing. “So Alice is not here.” He added after noticing the missing Alice.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good morning.” I answered him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good morning, dear.” Christina greated him.
<span style="font-weight:400">Brandon took his seat at the end of the table and our breakfast was brought out. It was basically dejavu from yesterday, but no sandwich. Porkchop, rice and some veggies. Also some iced tea.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, mighty system, thank you for this meal.” I said my prayer quietly. It might be a false pretense, but I kinda enjoy it. Like saying ‘itadakimasu’ before eating, but less weeby. Is that even a word?
<span style="font-weight:400">As we are taking our first bites the main door to the dining room opens and Alice enters the room followed by the blond maid. Jenna I think was her name.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m sorry I’mte.” Alice said before walking to her spot on the table. So she changed and got here just a littlete.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alice, you know you should always be on time.” The baron started scolding her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m sorry.” Alice said again lowering her head.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We even have a guest and arriving after them is phony.” Not like you arrived before me. Also who the f cares. I’m not some high ranking noble. I’m technically still just a nobody. He is just treating me like some kind of big shot. I know I was told that I will be given an honorary title, because I founded a dungeon, but I don’t have it yet.
<span style="font-weight:400">“...” Alice doesn’t respond to her fathers discipline and just sits down and starts to eat.
<span style="font-weight:400">And now this is just awkward. I might need to change the topic to save Alice from her father.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Lord Brandon, is there something you wish for me to do today?” I ask the baron to take his attention away from Alice. Well it is also a valid concern of mine. I have no idea what I should be doing. I’m staying as a guest in his house, so if he asks something of me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You are free to do as you wish.” He told me. “You can take a walk in town or just rx in the manor. But we had a n to try the summonings in the afternoon so I need you to be here then.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sure. I wanted to go check out the adventurers guild and register as a member, but I think I’ll leave that for tomorrow so I can talk about it with Prime Rib today.” I told the baron. Then I came up with an idea of what I could do in the morning. “Would it be fine if I join Miss Alice on her magic lesson?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The baron takes a quick look at Alice, who is still focused on eating. This is a bait for the baron as I know he, at least somewhat, wants me to marry Alice. I think he should agree to it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s fine as long as the instructor doesn’t mind.” Brandon said to me.
<span style="font-weight:400">Alice looks up at me and seems surprised that I would ask something like that. But the more surprising thing seems to be her fathers permission to have me intrude on her studies. I really hope the baron hasn’t given up on his daughter. After all, now that she has an attribute, I’m sure she will be a fantastic mage. Or would it be a witch?
<span style="font-weight:400">—
<span style="font-weight:400">After breakfast I stayed at the table to get info from Alice about her lesson. I don’t really know what I should do after all. Better just to wait and see.
<span style="font-weight:400">After both the baron and Christina left, Alice spoke up to me. “You really don’t need toe to study with me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I know that. But I’m interested in the kind of studying and practice you do.” I tell her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, it should be fine.” She said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I also want to see the look on your teacher''s face when she realizes you can use magic now.” I said to her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“My teacher is a man. Old A-rank adventurer whom my dad pays way too much for. I couldn’t learn magic without an attribute and he couldn’t teach me anything but the basics without it.” Alice told me. So she has an A-rank adventurer as a teacher.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, you might be able to show him off now.” I said to her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Not likely. There are not many mages that use dark magic, so not many know of dark magic spells.” Alice said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then why choose it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Because it is so rare. I could just me the adventurer for not being able to teach me.” She said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t think you should shame your teacher like that.” I told her. It’s no good to embarace someone for a stupid reason like that.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, at least with me having the dark attribute, I can get rid of him and study on my own. He can’t teach me anything new anymore anyway.” Alice said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, I can see that. If dark magic really is that rare, you could have a hard time.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m prepared for that.” Alice said with vigor. I guess self study might suit her better. Or I could offer her a potentially great teacher. He is the ultimate wizard in terms of attack and defense after all. And I also have his student.
<span style="font-weight:400">“If you need help with that, I have something that could help.” I told her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“A summon?” She asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. You’ll see.”
<span style="font-weight:400">—
<span style="font-weight:400">“Let’s go.” Alice said as she was dragging me by the hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Where are we going?” I asked her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“To the garden. We’ll meet with my teacher by the gate and I’ll suggest that we study outside today. That way if I manage to use a spell, I won’t blow something up.” She told me. Good point actually. I heard from Henry that she has a lot of magic skills. Her spells might be more powerful than expected.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s definitely a good idea. No one wants a hole in a wall.” I joked back to her. “Or something like darkness that consumes the house.” I don’t know how magic works, OK? I’ve only seen magic used once and Lucia seems very skilled. The spell also wasn’t an attack spell, but a utility one.
<span style="font-weight:400">We waited by the gate and just after I heard the second bell an older man approached and was let in by the guards. I would guess he is in histe 50s. He was wearing a traditional looking wizard''s robe, dark green in color. Does that mean he uses earth magic? Or perhaps wind?
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good morning Teacher.” Alice greeted the man.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good morning Alice. We didn’t have a lesson yesterday, so you best be prepared for today.” The teacher said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course I am.” Alice said, seeming positively excited. I guess now that she has an attribute and can actually cast some spells, she is looking forward to her studies.
<span style="font-weight:400">“And who is our extra?” The teacher asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“He is…” Alice began, but I stopped her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“My name is Brian. I’m staying as the baron''s guest. He gave me the permission to observe your lesson for the day. Hopefully that’s fine with you.” I introduced myself to the teacher.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nice to meet you sir Brian.” So he addressed me as ‘sir’. I guess I am a guest after all. “My name is Trystan and I work as Miss Alice’s magic instructor. You are wee to observe our study session.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nice to meet you too, Trystan. I’ll try to stay out of the way.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“It will be fine even if you intrude a little. There isn’t much I can teach the youngss left, after all. Her mana control is almost as great as mine. She is simply limited by other factors.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Her missing an attribute?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“So you know about that.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“It really is a shame. By the way, can sir Brian use magic?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, but only summoning magic.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see… WHAT? Summoning?”