Chapter 8: Birthday Celebration

"Ah, Brother...!?"

"Hm?"

When I returned to the mansion, I ran into Edgar. Edgar is my younger brother by a year. He's a chubby boy who always looks troubled.

"Ah, Brother, you look splendid today."

"Really? Thanks."

"Brother, with your good looks, everything you wear suits you. I'm envious."

"Uh, yeah..."

For some reason, Edgar always flatters me excessively. I would never say this to his face, but it's almost disturbingly sycophantic.

"Where are you headed, Brother?"

"Oh, I'm planning to have tea with Celia."

"Celia, you mean your favorite slave? That's nice. I wish I had such a beautiful slave too."

After a brief chat, I parted ways with Edgar.

Edgar always speaks with a fawning attitude, rubbing his hands together. Even though we're both from the same marquis family, why are we so different?

"Well, whatever."

I lost interest in Edgar and hurried to my room.

◇

"Leonhardt-sama, where did you go today? Your teacher was quite distressed."

"I had some errands to run. This is delicious."

Today's tea snack was a tart made with sweet and sour berries. It was so delicious I felt like I could eat endless amounts. I reached for a second one without thinking.

Maybe it's because I went to the dungeon today, but I was really hungry. After all, I did a lot of walking.

In this manner, I spent my days going to the dungeon, having tea with Celia, and practicing magic. Finally, the fateful day arrived: my tenth birthday celebration.

It was a busy day from the morning. After several rehearsals, I changed into formal attire and waited in the anteroom.

“Leonhart-sama, the preparations are complete.”

“Thank you, Celia.”

I was called by Celia and left the waiting room.

I then arrived at the front of the largest hall in the mansion.

It seemed there were many guests, as the sounds of chatter could be heard through the door.

Everyone is here to celebrate me, huh…? Thinking about how I might disappoint them all makes me feel a bit gloomy.

“Leonhart-sama’s entrance!”

As the door in front of me opened, a red carpet was laid down the center, and on either side were many elegantly dressed people.

I stifled a sigh and walked along the red carpet. At the far end of the hall was an altar, and in front of it stood an elderly priest holding a staff with an octagonal tip.

“On this wonderful day, Leonhart-sama is celebrating his tenth birthday. All of this is guided by the spirits. Let us celebrate this day grandly.”

The elderly priest celebrated my birthday with a resounding voice and spoke of gratitude to the spirits.

“Please hold here on the staff.”

Then, the elderly priest quietly instructed me on what to do.

I was to hold a staff adorned with an octagonal ornament at its tip. At each vertex of the octagon were jewels representing different attributes. The number of jewels that light up reveals the attributes possessed by the individual.

Previously, I might have been able to make six of them shine, but now that I’ve inherited Ifrit’s power, only the fire attribute remains.

And now that it’s clear I only have one attribute, I’ll be looked down upon by everyone…

“There’s no need to be nervous, okay?”

The elderly priest kindly spoke to me.

I swallowed my sigh and took the staff in my hand.

At that moment――――.

I was incredibly hungry.

And――――!

Boom!

A violent roaring sound echoed, and in an instant, the world was bathed in red.

The staff I was holding had one of the jewels at its tip emitting a red light as bright as the sun.

“Th-this is――――!?”

Even the elderly priest, who had seen many things, took a step or two back in fear, clearly caught off guard.

“What’s happening!?”

“What’s going on!?”

“What is this!?”

The guests were also on the brink of panic.

At this point, I realized I must have done something wrong.

“Ah… What should I do?”

“Huh!”

The elderly priest, seeming to have realized something, snatched the staff away from me.

Immediately, the red light that had been illuminating everything vanished as if nothing had happened.

And when the elderly priest held the staff, the four jewels emitted a weak light, like a small lightbulb.

“It’s not the staff that’s abnormal… So what was that…?”

The elderly priest’s mutter echoed in the now silent venue.

After that, the ceremony ended promptly. The scheduled dances and other events were canceled.

According to the elderly priest, while my controllable attribute was only fire, it was explained that I possessed an extraordinary talent.

The guests murmured among themselves but eventually went home.

And now, what remained were the elderly priest and the members of the Clarvain Marquis family.

So, what will happen to me?

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