Kays Translations

Chapter 33: Summer Vacation

Several days had passed since the wyvern attacked us at the Tradel River. During that time, the Adventurers’ Guild investigated where it might have come from.

After a thorough examination, they concluded that the wyvern had probably wandered into the area by chance.

Dragon species occasionally abandoned their nesting grounds and moved elsewhere without warning. The creature’s appearance near the river was most likely an unfortunate coincidence.

Surely this didn’t mean that wyverns were overcrowding somewhere and would soon migrate into inhabited lands in great numbers… right?

Out of curiosity, I asked Father whether anything like that had ever happened. He told me that a similar event had occurred long ago and an entire town had disappeared.

It was a horrifying thought, but Father said there was little anyone could do against such a disaster. Even so, perhaps we should establish evacuation routes for the residents of the territory. We would also need evacuation drills.

I quietly suggested the idea to Father.

The wyvern’s body had transformed into a magic stone, but its severed head and wing remained as materials. Wyvern materials were extremely valuable, and rumour had it that they sold for an enormous sum.

I didn’t know the details, since the money went to the knight order.

The following months passed peacefully. Unfortunately, no one would allow me to return to the Tradel River after the attack, so I obtained only one river-elk antler that season.

I had hoped to prepare a larger supply of intermediate healing potions for the knight order, but there was nothing I could do. They would have to rely on the healing potions Grandmother made.

When I said that at the knights’ barracks, everyone’s expression went blank, as if they had suddenly put on masks. Please don’t make faces like that in front of Grandmother. She might be strict, but she was still a highly ranked magic pharmacist.

Afterward, I continued making additional stuffed animals and developing new local karuta decks and board games. Before long, midsummer was approaching.

At that time of year, many people travelled north from the royal capital to escape the heat in the Heine Margraviate.

Our territory was famous as a summer resort. Members of the royal family visited from time to time, and this year we also had new forms of entertainment. Even outside the holiday season, the regular horse races attracted large crowds. This summer promised to be exceptionally busy.

“Master Alex has returned.”

A servant brought the news while we were having tea in the salon. Brother Alex, who attended the academy in the royal capital, was coming home for summer vacation.

There was no air conditioning in this world, so teaching classes during the hottest part of the year must have been difficult. The students were aristocratic children as well; many of them were probably unaccustomed to enduring such heat.

Ice magic might provide some relief, but magical power was limited. A magic-restoring potion could solve that problem, though I doubted anyone possessed the courage to drink the foul-looking concoctions currently available.

By the time I reached the entrance hall, Brother Alex had already arrived.

“Brother Alex, welcome home.”

“Welcome home, Brother Alex!”

Rosalia ran to him and threw her arms around him. He lifted her without difficulty. At fourteen, he was already tall and sturdily built, much like Father.

“I’m home. I’m relieved to see everyone looking well. I was worried when I received the letter about the wyvern.”

I gave an awkward laugh. So Brother Alex knew about the incident. The question was how much he had been told. I was beginning to feel nervous.

We returned to the salon, where a fresh tea service had already been prepared. The crisp fragrance of herbal tea helped soften the heat pouring through the windows.

“It’s much cooler here at home. The academy doesn’t compare.”

“Is it really that hot?”

“Oh, yes. It feels twice as hot as it is here.”

That was surely an exaggeration, but the royal capital must still have been uncomfortable. I wondered how ordinary people there endured the summer.

“Brother, please tell us about academy life,” Cain said.

He was deeply interested in attending the royal academy. He had to decide on his future by the end of the year, so he may have been desperate to persuade Father to let him enroll.

“Well, the Starry Sky magic tool has become a topic of conversation at the academy. It started when Lady Hilda Mulan brought one to school.”

“Alex, are you close to the daughter of Marquis Mulan?”

“Yes. We’re in the same class, our families hold similar rank, and she’s easy to talk to.”

Hmm. Could Alex be interested in Lady Hilda? It was still too early to decide, but I would have to watch my playboy brother carefully. I had a feeling his romantic affairs might eventually explode in the family’s face.

“Lady Hilda demonstrated the magic tool and let everyone try it. The girls especially loved it, and now everyone wants one. But they’re difficult to obtain in the royal capital.”

“What do you mean? The blueprints were supposed to be publicly available, so the tools should have spread much more widely by now.”

That was strange. The plans hadn’t been limited to magic-tool artisans in our territory—or at least, I had never intended them to be. Was someone interfering with distribution?

I hoped nothing underhanded was happening.

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