Kays Translations

Chapter 80: Dream Second Life

In the morning, the Seer mage woke up at home, misted his cactus with a spray bottle, and brushed his teeth in the washroom. Ever since he neglected his plants during a particularly hectic period and ended up killing them, he’s only kept low-maintenance cacti around.

After brushing his teeth, he stayed in his pajamas, put on glasses, and transferred a pre-packed meal from a Tupperware into a heat-resistant plate, warming it up with fire magic. While it was heating, he silently read a gardening book.

Lately, the seer mage couldn’t do without reading glasses, much to his dismay.

During the Gremlin Disaster, he had just entered his late 30s. Now, he was in his 40s.

After tackling a countless number of intense and difficult incidents, literally coughing up blood while running all over the place, overworking himself into the ground, the result was a 40-something-year-old who looked like he was in his 60s.

His sense of taste dulled, his back ached, and his shoulders were constantly stiff. Lately, thanks to improvements in the security team’s gear and magic power, they’d been more capable, which reduced the mage’s need to go to the front lines.

Especially since injuring his back during the defeat of a Class-A3 monster last month, his secretary tearfully convinced him to avoid fighting unless absolutely necessary. For the past month, all he’d been doing was charging magic scrolls and monster traps—no combat at all.

Having to visit the restroom frequently was another grievance, a constant reminder of aging.

His old coworkers from his company days were still in their prime, dealing with their children’s schooling or job hunts. Meanwhile, the Seer mage, worn down by stress and overwork, had aged rapidly. It wasn’t surprising anymore when people mistook him for a senior citizen.

After finishing breakfast, the mage changed into a suit, grabbed his bag and magic staff, and left for work.

His workplace, the Bunkyō Ward Office, was just a minute’s walk from home. The fallen leaves on the trees lining the park on the way there gave a clear sense of autumn. Elderly folks strolling through the park would bow respectfully upon seeing the Seer mage, who returned their greetings with a polite nod.

As shallow as it was, just that bit of reverence lifted his mood. Being respected felt good.

When townspeople showered him with honorifics like “Master Seer,” “Your Excellency,” or “Savior,” it gave him a bit of satisfaction—made him feel like all the hard work had paid off.

He was popular across all age groups—revered by the elderly, admired by young women, and idolized by schoolkids who’d imitate him, chanting, “I see it, I see it, I see the future! Nothing escapes me!” Even a battle-hardened, overworked mage couldn’t help but smile at that. After working himself to the bone, he felt he deserved at least this much praise. Even the grumpy old man at his favorite udon shop would silently toss in two extra pieces of seasonal tempura just for him. Perks of the job.

When the Seer mage gave a nod to the guard at the ward office entrance and stepped inside, the staff greeted them in unison with a cheerful, “Good morning!” He returned the greeting with an air of calm composure, and their secretary quickly approached with a stack of documents.

Noticing the secretary’s strained expression, the foresight mage—who had been in a reasonably good mood—turned serious.

While trouble-free days were rare, starting the day with a problem was still a downer.

“Good morning, Master Seer. The Dragon Witch is waiting in the back.”

“Ah… right. That woman… she caused an international incident, didn’t she?”

“My condolences. Shall I go speak with her?”

“No, Izumi-kun, she won’t take you seriously. I’ll go myself.”

He headed to the back of the office with their secretary in tow, where a giant red-scaled dragon awaited.

On its back, a small rainbow-haired girl of about three was happily bouncing up and down. Her long, vividly colored hair shimmered like gemstones in the sunlight, and a large Gremlin visible through the chest opening of her clothes sparkled with a complex, opalescent gleam.

It was the exact kind of glittery, flashy look the Dragon Witch would love.

“Drago, zoooom! Vroom, vroom!!”

The little girl bounced excitedly on the dragon’s back, seemingly begging the Dragon Witch for an aerial ride.

Supposedly, the child had been kidnapped from America, yet she showed no fear—in fact, she looked ready to explode with excitement. Clearly not a timid one.

“Oh, Seer, you’re here. Her name’s Jamie. I appointed her as my beautiful-hair officer yesterday. I left the immigration paperwork to someone else.”

“Don’t screw with me.”

The seer mage felt a headache coming on and rubbed his forehead.

The Dragon Witch, who had been transporting turret snapdragon seeds to a U.S. mine, apparently kidnapped this child on her way back.

From the look of it, the girl’s parents were magicians too—she was a Gremlin-bearer. Her speech was still babyish, so she couldn’t cast spells, but she had a lot of magic power and even seemed to have control over it.

The seer mage had let their guard down, thinking she’d stay quiet after getting beaten to a pulp by the Blue Witch for trying to steal Demon King materials. But now she’d caused a cross-border kidnapping case.

If it hadn’t been for a secret tip-off from the Dragon Witch’s aide, Zaizen, this incident might’ve gone unnoticed for quite some time.

“You dumb lizard. This is an international issue. Take her back!”

“Nope. I was helping her. Her parents were abusing her. This was an act of goodwill!”

“Yeah, right.”

“Drago~!”

“Yes, yes, I’ll play with you later. The adults are talking right now.”

Jamie was tossed high into the air by the Dragon Witch’s tail, letting out a joyful scream. She begged for more, easily flying 30 meters high.

Watching this, the seer mage had their doubts but started thinking.

Jamie was supposedly kidnapped, and that part seemed true—but she showed zero fear. At her age, being separated from parents should’ve made her cry nonstop.

Feeling a pang of suspicion, the seer mage used his ability to glimpse Jamie’s future.

If, by any chance, the child really had been abused, then returning her right away might be the wrong move. Of course, kidnapping her was still a problem no matter the circumstances.

After casting his foresight spell three times to check Jamie’s future, the mage found himself uncertain and rubbed his chin in thought.

If Jamie were returned to her parents, her father—a magic user—would resume a strict training regimen. It was mostly studying and exercise, but Jamie constantly had tearful eyes, trying to run away, only to be dragged back and scolded harshly.

At three years old, a child should be playing. Overly strict education at that age is widely considered counterproductive.

What the seer mage saw straddled the line—harsh enough to seem abusive, but possibly just intense early education. Jamie was getting proper sleep and food—very good food, in fact.

A crying child often makes the parent look abusive. But kids cry even when firmly scolded for important lessons like “don’t steal” or “don’t hit your friends.” Just because a child is crying doesn’t necessarily mean the parent is at fault.

“…This is… hmm…”

“You foresaw it, right? So, you know I’m right. Living in my lair is the best for her.”

“Woooooo! Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

“True, she seems to be having more fun with you. But you’re not thinking about what’s best for Jamie—you just want her for yourself. Listen. First, take her back to America. Then report to the proper authorities that Jamie is being subjected to a borderline abusive level of intense training. Tell someone high up—like the President. You know him, right? This concerns the daughter of a high-ranking magic user. He’ll listen. Say you couldn’t stand seeing a child suffer, and—”

“No way. Tell her, Jamie! You want to stay with me! You love dragons!”

“Yeah! Love Drago~!”

The little girl with rainbow-colored hair clung to the dragon’s neck, rubbing her cheek against it, and said happily.

The seer swallowed a flood of words like, “Just give her back already,” “If you’re going to save her, do it through the proper channels,” and “Don’t make me clean up your mess.” It was morally wrong to let adult circumstances toss a small child around.

The seer looked into the future once more to confirm only that it wouldn’t trigger war or worsen international relations, then sent the dragon witch back.

After watching the dragon take off in a gust of wind, the sound of the joyful girl’s laughter growing distant, the seer accepted eye drops from his secretary and applied them to his eyes.

In the past, the seer’s main concern with his magic was the damage it caused to his brain. But since signs of farsightedness started showing, its accuracy had subtly declined, and his eyes began to tire easily.

Even with healing magic offering brief relief, it couldn’t repair the physical toll accumulated from years of overwork. Healing magic wasn’t rejuvenation magic.

“Phew… Izumi-kun, change my morning schedule. I’m going to Minato Ward to meet the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. I’ll explain things in person and tell him we rescued an abused child. Whatever the reason, the outcome wasn’t wrong. If we push that angle…”

“Seer-sama, this is old information, but the U.S. does have child abuse prevention laws. There have been cases where police units raided homes suspected of abuse, restrained the parents, and protected the children. If their laws and values haven’t changed, the crime of abduction might be somewhat offset by the merit of protecting an abused child. Though I’m unsure about current U.S. laws…”

“No, that’s good information. Right… if there’s precedent… Wait, would it be better to ask the Blue Witch to explain things to the ambassador? Maybe she can connect with Conrad, who can then inform the President? Would that leave the best impression? Hmm, but the Blue Witch hates political games… that might backfire.”

After discussing with his secretary, the seer ultimately spent the whole morning visiting the ambassador and explaining the situation while bowing his head.

Fortunately, the ambassador showed sympathy toward Jamie and understanding of Japan’s decision. He took the matter seriously and sent a diplomatic return mage to the U.S. mainland. The President would likely be informed immediately about the wellbeing of a VIP’s family and their domestic situation.

The seer peered into the future up to a month ahead, just to be safe. It seemed that discussions regarding Jamie’s custody would proceed peacefully.

He handed over the rest of the work to a Minato Ward diplomat and, mentally exhausted to the point of balding, returned to the ward office utterly drained.

Too tired to even step out for lunch, the seer slumped into his office chair and stared blankly at the ceiling until his secretary brought tea and a warm light meal.

“Ah… thank you. Izumi-kun, you should take a break too.”

“Yes. Would it be alright if I had lunch here with you?”

When the seer nodded, the secretary smiled sweetly, opened a cute lunchbox, and began eating beside him.

The seer also picked up his chopsticks for what appeared to be a homemade meal from his secretary. With vegetables, fish, and rice, the lunch was well-balanced, easy to eat, and perfectly seasoned to his liking.

As they quietly ate together, the seer noticed the wrinkles on the hand holding his chopsticks. He had never paid attention before, but his skin had lost its firmness, and signs of aging had begun to show.

The undeniable fact of “growing old” engraved in his body began to amplify the thought that had long been lingering in the back of his mind.

The Aratake group had been dealt with.

The Demon King had been dealt with.

The skills, culture, and combat capabilities of the citizens were rising monthly. In the past month, peace had been maintained without the seer ever needing to step onto the front lines.

Diplomat training was also progressing.

The seer’s dream was an early retirement and a quiet life in the countryside.

But that dream had been shattered by the Gremlin disaster, and he had worked tirelessly ever since.

His efforts paid off—while daily issues still arose, Tokyo was largely peaceful. No dark threats loomed in the future. At least, none on the scale of previous major incidents.

The seer thought:

Isn’t it enough?

Haven’t I done enough?

How long do I plan to keep overworking like this? Can I even keep going?

Isn’t it about time I thought of myself for once?

Surely, I’ve worked more than enough.

If I let old age progress further, I won’t even be able to work the fields, forget how to fish, and lose track of planting seasons. Retiring and starting a slow life after that would be too late.

I want to start a relaxed, self-sufficient second life while I’m still physically capable.

I used to work hard in the city. Now, I live a peaceful life tending crops and reading on rainy days. I want to be a healthy grandpa in the countryside.

Once the thought took root, it filled the seer’s mind with an irresistible appeal.

It wasn’t some fleeting whim. He had been dreaming and planning this since his days as a salaryman.

The seer closed his eyes and thought again, deeply.

Would it really be okay?

Would Tokyo be alright if I left and moved to the countryside?

…The answer was “No, it wouldn’t.”

Most likely, all the issues he had preemptively resolved would start surfacing. Responses to unknown problems would be delayed.

But even so—Tokyo had grown. It had become strong through many hardships.

There has never been a time in Japan’s history when everything was truly “alright.” The country has always been riddled with problems. And yet, it has carried on by embracing its many “not-okay” elements.

And that’s true not just for Japan—it’s the same everywhere.

If he disappeared, problems in Tokyo would increase.

However, he had no desire to face endless problems forever, growing old and dying without ever reaching his dream.

The praise of the people was pleasant. But devoting himself to serving the public until his dying breath didn’t feel right either.

Now that the big problems were resolved and peace had arrived—surely, this was the right time to step away.

The seer solidified his resolve, opened his eyes, and spoke to his secretary.

“Izumi-kun.”

“Yes, Seer-sama.”

“You may disagree, but…”

“?”

“…I’m thinking of retiring. In other words, I’m going to move to the countryside.”

“Seer-sama, that’s—”

“No! Of course, I don’t mean right this second. I’ll make sure to properly hand over my duties. Let’s see… maybe in April, when the new fiscal year starts next year. Yes, in April next year, I’ll retire and move to the countryside.”

As the seer braced himself to hear what his trusted secretary would say in response, she nervously asked:

“Um… Seer-sama?”

“Yes?”

“Would it be alright if I came with you?”

“…Huh?”

“If you’re moving to the countryside, I’d like to go with you. No matter where, no matter how long, I want to stay by your side and support you.”

Her cheeks flushed slightly as she spoke.

The seer scratched his cheek in surprise.

His secretary was fifteen years younger than him. It was far too early for her to think about settling into a slow-paced second life in the countryside.

But he knew—it wasn’t about that.

From the very day he brought her on as his secretary, her feelings had always been clear.

Until now, he had always turned her down, thinking, “I can’t be the one to cherish her the most.” When placing Tokyo and a single woman on the scales, his duty had always been to choose Tokyo.

But if he was retiring, that changed everything. She surely wouldn’t let their age gap stop her.

The seer smiled, took her hand, kissed the back of it gently, and said:

“Izumi-kun, could you find us a house in the countryside where we can live together?”

“!!! Yes, Seer-sama! I’ve been waiting for this day for so, so long!”

“Ah, living together is far better than living alone.”

“Actually, I’ve already been thinking about a retirement spot. There’s a place I’ve had my eye on for a while. The Blue Witch has secured Okutama as her summer retreat. It’s shrouded in mist that keeps people from getting lost. I’m sure it’s quiet and peaceful—perfect for getting away from the noise of the city.”

“Okutama, huh? Not bad at all.”

“Right?! I haven’t spoken to the Blue Witch about it yet, but since it’s for your retirement, I’m sure she’ll say yes!”

After that, the two of them forgot the time, and even after the lunch break ended, they continued talking about their future until the sun went down.

Their second life together in the countryside was sure to be something truly wonderful.

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