Chapter 24 – Margrave Breithilde hosting a garden party

This chapter is the edited version of another translation

Please notice that this chapter has NOT been re-translated but only edited in order to improve the readability

This chapter was merely moved to this blog as the original blog has been inactive for quite a while.

By no rights do I claims ownership of the translation.

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"Wow, it was a big catch today."

"We were able to hunt one big bear."

"Right. It stopped Erw-kun's blow splendidly."

"I have calculated it but it didn't damage the bear's gallbladder properly."

Before we realized it, the two pretty girls we had saved from a pack of wolves entered our party, rather I became the new party leader without knowing it. I have thought that even though I didn't have any experience being class president in my previous life that it would be hard, but when I actually do it, the conclusion is, it surprisingly didn't involve that much work.

After school, the four of us are moving toward a distant hunting ground with little competition, and I'll find the prey using detection. Hunting something is easy if the qualified members make an effort, while fighting with four people by taking advantage of the party's characteristics if the prey was something big.

At first, I felt a bit anxious about teaming up with the girls but it seems they were just unlucky with the pack of wolves. Ina's spearmanship was a skill that is sometimes able to kill a charging wild boar with a single blow, while with Luise's special skill in approaching an opponent by erasing her presence, she's able to easily catch the guinea fowl deemed difficult even for professional hunters. Since we operate with four people, there is no need to panic when being attacked by a pack of wolves or several bears, it's more efficient and the profit is also quite good.

Nowadays, it has become natural for the four of us to go out hunting.

"Should we have dinner at the Leaf Bower?"

"What would today's special be?"

When we are about to eat dinner after selling all the catch at the purchase location, our homeroom teacher suddenly comes running towards us from the prep school. He is a mid-level staff of the guild, formerly an adventurer with considerable skill. Regrettably forced to retire because of an injury, he is still working vigorously in guiding the next generation.

At 37 years old this year, with a wife and two daughters he might have a hard time feeding his family.

"Hey you guys."

"Seeckt-sensei, did you need something?"

"Yeah, this was delivered through the prep school."

Our homeroom teacher has four envelopes. When I cut the seal of the envelope addressed to me, inside was an invitation to a garden party.

"A garden party?"

"It will be hosted by Margrave Breithilde-sama, so make sure to attend."

"Got it."

For some reason, we have been invited to attend the garden party hosted by Margrave Breithilde.

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"But why was I invited to that garden party?"

"Perhaps because Wend-kun parents' family is a vassal of the Breithilde Margravate house?"

Three days later on the rest day, before noon, the four of us dressed ourselves accordingly, and headed to the venue where the garden party would be held. Erw and me were in formal noble dresses which have been hurriedly made. Incidentally, the price is two silver plate, it costs about two hundred thousand yen, I and Erw were half crying by the sudden expense.

Ina and Luise had dresses at their parents' house so they didn't need to be hastily made but they were weeping as well after being forced to waste money on accessories and shoes. Both of them said, "The saving for purchasing new equipment…" and fainted in agony. Since they were born as pretty girls, I thought that they would be happy about being able to dress up.

"Which reminds me, you're right. My family were vassals of the Margrave Breithilde House."

"Why speak in past tense…"

"I mean, it has nothing to do with me…."

The Margrave Breithilde House had experienced a terrible accident, but as a patron remains a patron, the relationship can't be cut so easily, should it be called the sadness of small noble? However, when recalling the past, for some reason, father and brother never participated in a garden party or social gathering. Or more precisely, they never left the territory. They would need to cross the mountains to attend, which would have been difficult, but still.

"Margrave Breithilde-sama, in my opinion, didn't want to give an unnecessary burden to the Baumeister House in attending unimportant garden parties or social gatherings."

Perhaps, it is just like what Luise has guessed.

But father and brother have missed the chance to make a connection, I wonder is that really okay as a noble? Connections and acquaintances are worth making over a lifetime. It's something that half-senile, company advisor geezer would say during the morning meetings in my previous life.

"This time, since Wend is staying in Breitburg. I guess you were treated as the representative."

"Representative, huh…"

I can't declare myself as abandoning the succession right of the Baumeister house before I come of age, so I am still a noble. Erw is in similar circumstances, while Ina and Luise are the daughters of vassals. Since those two entered the adventurer prep school with excellent results, the idea here might be to call dibs on them while it's still possible. Nobles are creatures who scheme many things behind the scenes.

To the last, it's just my guess though.

The party would be held in the garden of Margrave Breithilde's mansion which is located in the heart of Breitburg. As expected of the garden of a lord's mansion, hundreds of invited guests were eating, drinking and chatting leisurely.

This garden party was held once a year in Margrave Breithilde's house, local and foreign nobles with their families, vassals with their families, merchant dealers, various guilds and church officials were invited. Even the principal and some teachers of the adventurer prep school, and scholarship students, noble or not had been invited as well. I could recognize some of them.

"At times like this, I realize that I'm actually a noble."

"Erw, have you participated in parties like this?"

"Yeah. Since our house has a lord. That lord regularly holds a party."

Despite Erw being the fifth son and low in priority, he still has gone out several times to parties like this.

"But it can't be compared with the parties of the Margrave Breithilde House, the head noble of the southern region. The food and the wine are extravagant. Since the lord of my house is a Viscount, it falls behind a bit in extravagance."

Erw is wolfing down the food while explaining all that. It's not that I don't understand his feelings. It has stolen our faint happiness of finally earning some income most recently. The attires we're currently wearing cost a big amount of money. So he's likely eating the meal desperately trying to regain at least as much as one copper coin. In particular, he seems to be concentrating on the expensive meat.

"You didn't eat Wend?"

Similarly, Ina and Luise who are girls, seem to have more appetite than sex appeal. On their plates, the dishes were centered on the meat that had been piled in heaps.

"Of course I'll eat too. I have to recover even part of this suit's price by eating. But…"

Despite our blunt speech and behavior, this is the reality of the children of small nobles and vassals. It was similar with the other prep school students, they can only enter into adventurer prep school, they are aware that they are not a noble anymore. If they can't realize that much, they can't live in reality.

"But?"

"Well, I have been thinking after coming to Breitburg…"

After leaving my birthplace Baumeister house, where every meal is hard brown bread, and soup lightly seasoned with salt just like a sick person's food. A soup that made me feel lucky if there were many small pieces of meat. I was wondering what the heck was that. When I went hunting, meat was added into the menu but still no change with that hard brown bread and thinly seasoned soup. Only after I secretly came to Breitburg, did I realize just how delicious the stew that I ate in the restaurant with the money from selling my catch in the bazaar was. I can't believe a Japanese person who is obsessive about food like me had gotten accustomed to that thinly seasoned soup.

"Ah, so it's about Baumeister house."

"Does Ina know something?"

"When I was still a kid, I had heard about it from my father."

To put it briefly, the finances of the Baumeister house had fallen into crisis from sending those troops. Since the territory is isolated, and unable to sell specialty products to the outside, for many years the caravans which come over the mountains have been supporting them. It must be hard and time-consuming to transport food over the mountain path without magic bags. So with the demand being comparatively high, the Breithilde Margravate house has decided to voluntarily accept the wheat without profit which lasted a long time.

As someone would buy the wheat, father led the expansion in agricultural land to sell even a bit more wheat, I was being ignored completely. Because I am just a kid in the eyes of my father and brother. No wonder, while imagining there were such circumstances, I wish they would think about other specialties to be able to earn money at such times. And with father and the territory people being busy in producing wheat, they reduced the time to go hunting and gathering, resulting in our meals being significantly lacking.

Despite bread as a staple food being a little lacking, the Baumeister knight territory is blessed by nature, many can obtain meat, fruit, wild vegetables, river fish, wild yam, and also honey from gathering. It's just that these goods can be produced normally in the Breithilde Margravate territory beyond the mountains. As wheat can be used for export they grow it exclusively, otherwise it would motivate father to seek other revenue.

I can see why the village headman Klaus wants me to become the family head. I suppose he didn't think about his own greed.

"What's wrong Wend?"

"Well, I can only imagine my parent's family future in decline."

"My condolences."

Despite Ina saying it curtly, it might be harsh when I said it like this but neither she nor I had any interest in the future of the Baumeister knight territory. I was the eighth son to begin with, so I had no interest in inheriting the territory, and a story of a nearby territory was completely unrelated to Ina. If this succession in my parent's house really happens, the Margrave might have felt somewhat uneasy about the story of a vassal governing a territory.

And whether we were born when the expedition to demon forest happened, sacrifice appears from the parents' family of Ina and Luise, they would likely hold some estrangement. But she has also said that, "I would not remember even if such things were said when I was still a baby…"

"Our family ties will be cut after three years, it doesn't bother me."

"Well, I think you are a little naive, Wendelin von Benno Baumeister-kun."

Suddenly, I hear a voice of a young man, I turn in the direction of that voice. There stood a young man in the first half of his thirties, who had gray pupils with elegant brown hair. Well, I guess he wouldn't mind being treated as a young man despite his age.

"Err, who would you be?"

"Wend, you idiot!"

When I asked that young man's name, Ina who is next to me pulled my arm in a panic.

"That gentleman is…"

"Ah, I hope it's not too late to introduce myself. My name is Amadeus Freytag von Breithilde. You must be the mage who was born from Baumeister house. It is an honor to meet you."

I can't believe the young man who came to greet me was the young family head of Breithilde Margravate house who is the lord of my Baumeister house.

"Sorry for my rudeness. I humbly beg your pardon."

"I heard that Wendelin-kun has never come to make an appearance in a place like this, and you are not even the heir of Baumeister house. It is reasonable for you to not know my face."

But I feel it was unheard of for the child of a vassal to not know the face of their own lord, but it seems Margrave Breithilde didn't really mind it.

"However, it saved me some trouble when you enrolled at the adventurer prep school. The people of Baumeister house are invited to gatherings like this is a pity so…"

They would need to pass the mountains to attend such a party, and the Baumeister house's financial condition is currently in bad shape. What's more, since it was their own fault, father and others didn't come to the party so as to not get criticized, but because father always refused it, surrounding vassals seem to be criticizing it irresponsibly.

"Many people are dissatisfied about it. So you saved me some trouble for coming."

I did not learn etiquette for this kind of thing either and I can escape from the etiquette of a noble in dancing at the garden party. I didn't think about anything else other than eating a large amount of expensive food, but apparently there is a significant meaning for people of the Baumeister house to attend. Nobles are really troublesome creatures.

"Because the greetings were over, this is the main subject. Can I take your time for a little bit?"

"I don't mind but did you have any business with me?"

"Yes, but it's not important business."

I who went to the mansion being invited by Margrave Breithilde, never thought that it was just an outright lie.

"Sorry for taking your time."

"No…"

I was guided by Margave Breithilde to his private room. Moreover, it was just the two of us in the room. At first, some of the maids were brewing the black tea but they left the room immediately after bowing.

"So what is your business?"

"You didn't notice yet?"

"Well…what would that be?"

"Your talent was guaranteed. But it seems you are still lacking in experience. Burkhart."

After saying so, when Margrave Breithilde called someone's name, one man came in. He was in the latter half of his forties. Black hair with a crew cut streaked with gray hair, he had sharp eyes that felt like an adventurer veteran? And he was dressed in a robe which is common for mages. That means, he is a mage.

"He is our senior retainer mage."

"I am Burkhart Ringstadt. As you can see, I was an adventurer before."

"What's more, he was the master of Alfred Reinford who was also our previous senior retainer mage."

"Eh?"

When my master's name was suddenly mentioned, anyone can understand that my surprise was shown clearly in my face. He became a talking corpse after his death. For more than five years he kept his appearance in order to teach his own magic to a promising successor, masters' wish was finally fulfilled after meeting me. I had intended to take this story to my grave without telling others. The matter of master becoming a talking corpse or about him meeting me to teach me magic, and finally about me taking over his legacy. Especially the last one is actually fraught with big problems.

The Breithilde Margravate army that was annihilated in demon forest, the expedition including the march of more than several hundred kilometers distant, with that shortcoming, the supplies had been entrusted to master. Food and resources to support an army of two thousand men, everything was put into the magic bag that master carried. In addition, the supplies for the Breithilde Margravate army that had been annihilated were not used that much. A ridiculous amount of supplies still remained within the magic bag that was attached to my waist.

This magic bag is something that had been handed over from master to me, so it was something natural to do.

"I have told you earlier, right? You're still lacking in experience."

"Since I am just a kid and a student."

"Yeah. You can use magic well enough but you are still insensitive to the sign of other mages. Weren't you being taught by Al?"

"Eh? I can't understand what Ringstadt-san is saying."

As expected, the master of my master knows what he is talking about. He noticed that I had learned the basics of magic from my master. But it will be dangerous if I admit the fact so easily. So I decided to act ignorant for now and observe the situation.

"Oh? Did I make you feel in danger?"

"Isn't that bad. Burkhart."

"Listen boy. I am not going to punish you. It is the same with the Lord."

"I want to negotiate with you, and Burkhart wants to know about the final moments of his disciple. Would you please trust us?"

Being persuaded by both of them, in the end, I talked about my secret with Master.

"I see. You have even done a capacity adjustment. Al must have liked you quite a bit."

For a while since then, I had a long talk with them. About when I had been practicing quietly in the forest as I realized that I had talent in magic, Master who became a talking corpse showed up there to make me his disciple. It was a short time that I studied under him, but it is thanks to that, that I become what I am now. About master having died peacefully by being purged with holy magic before becoming a zombie, as my final graduation test. And about me inheriting the contents of his magic bag as a thank-you and graduation gift.

While I was talking, they listened with serious faces.

"Really, so he was satisfied and died peacefully."

"You don't believe me?"

"No, I don't doubt you or anything."

Burkhart-san who is my master's master, he has a special ability that can't be used by other mages. Once he remembers the stored magic power, he is able to sense that magic power owner's whereabouts. Honestly, this ability is amazing. No matter how much magic power a mage has, the magic power that can be called out from one's own body is usually small. An excellent mage is sensitive to the signs of other excellent mages is in fact just some kind of intuition, and that detection range can be about several hundred kilometers. Master who became a talking corpse in the demon forest had noticed my existence, which was barely in his detection range limit.

For Burkhart-san, once he remembers the magic power, he can detect it up to several thousand kilometers. It can only be described as something amazing.

"Well, despite that ability being amazing. My magic capacity is around intermediate to high rank. Even for Al who you call master. It may be presumptuous to call him master for making a mistake so easily." Burkhart-san said that for some reason, in the demon forest, in the southern region, he had felt master's magic power for more than five years.

"I even expect him to become Lich."

A Lich is an undead monster of the higher rank, a kind of zombie. It had no reasoning, but unlike a zombie that can't use magic and can't talk, a Lich is a monster that while it may not be equal to when it was alive, it is still able to use magic.

"Despite being a Lich, that Al is a genius. He must be eliminated but as it was obstructed by the place."

Although the military forces have finally come, it was almost impossible for adventurers to reach him inside the demon forest.

"Luckily, he didn't leave that place."

However, Master's magic power started to move suddenly. That must have been to meet me. For Burkhart-san, he might have thought that a Lich had begun to move towards a frontier village.

"I had considered subjugating him, but I was also an adventurer at that time. The commission didn't come out either, it would be unjustifiable for my friends so I didn't say it."

Going over one mountain, fighting with a Lich who was originally a genius mage, the cost is far more than the reward. Burkhart-san wished that the subjugation request would come out quickly.

"However, he stayed in one place. Furthermore, he disappeared in about two weeks. I thought that somebody may have defeated him on the other side."

But a mage in a frontier village where there should be none in existence? Who is it? He limited his work to adventuring while thinking about that. He then changed jobs to retainer mage of the Margrave Breithilde house replacing his disciple who had died, for a while, he forgot about it.

But recently there have been rumors about a mage enrolling at the adventurer prep school as a scholarship student from the Baumeister House which shouldn't have any mages.

"What's more, I was convinced today. I can see that the boy is wearing Al's magic bag right now."

"I may have stolen it."

"That's impossible. That magic bag can't be used by others unless Al changed the owner. That means Al didn't become a Lich. He entrusted it to the boy as a talking corpse."

A talking corpse tries to accomplish the regret that was left in its lifetime. The fact that there were no rumors of his subjugation even though his magic power disappeared, I thought his regret may have been fulfilled.

"Indeed, Alfred didn't have any family."

"Al was very popular with women though."

He worked more than fifteen years as an adventurer since he was fifteen years old, master became a retainer mage of the Breithilde Margravate house with great fanfare but apparently because he was an orphan, he had some fear about making a family. Many women made advances toward him but in the end he died without establishing a family.

"That's why it's no problem whatsoever even if the boy inherits Al's heritage. It was transferred by himself anyway."

He was still my master even if he had become a talking corpse. Burkhart-san seems to think it wouldn't matter even if I inherited master's heritage.

"I also think there is no problem."

Although he said that, Margrave Breithilde seems to have some concerns. I can easily guess what it is, but there are also different possibilities so I'll let him say it.

"Alfred had played a major role in my father's expedition to the demon forest. As the sub-general chief of staff of an expedition army, magic forest Captain and supply troops Captain."

Master as a mage was likely an existence that could be counted with the fingers on this continent. Advanced class magic that can be boasted as top class, not to mention various attack magics. I who studied under master was able to sample a variety of his magic, and had widened that repertory. Of course, his attacks in battle have been recognized as the number two within the expedition army.

About the magic forces Captain, only a few other mages were available with all of them being in lower class or intermediate level that had no ability to do maintenance, so he has been automatically appointed as the Captain. For supply troops Captain, as he put all of the resources in his magic bag and carried it, and there were no people with high social status in the supply troops which is also an important aspect.

"He put the huge resources to the bag, the things placed inside can be taken out freely. Thanks to that, the two thousand strong expedition army did not worry about supplies."

Besides, the important thing is carrying the load, so it won't slow down the supply troops which was the major point. When briskly marching, the resources needed will decrease accordingly.

"There must be a supply of goods for the expedition army stored inside that magic bag."

"Yes."

I had thought that it wouldn't matter if I stole it when they didn't know but I'll return it back now that he knows about it. Since I go to the adventurer prep school in his territory anyway. Honestly, I didn't think much about my parent's house though.

"By the way, here is the list."

When Master was still alive, he checked without missing the amount or the kind of resources for the expedition army in the bag, dutifully every day. I showed the memo with his handwriting he left behind and I handed it over to Margrave Breithilde.

Various foods, water, medicine such as medical herbs, materials, to spare armor. To give it to soldiers or material derived from monsters obtained in demon forest or to purchase other resources, a considerably large amount of money had been kept. Furthermore, some of the rewards had been given. A large amount of monster materials, medicinal herbs and ore were included too.

"We didn't get the materials for an elixir to cure brother from the demon forest, but indeed most of it is valuable materials."

"So you want me to return it?"

"Yes, as expected of Alfred. I really appreciated him for dividing his assets dutifully."

As I had decided to return the resources, I matched the opening of my own magic bag with Burkhart-san's magic bag opening. Furthermore, with the stored items that I had specified in my head, one after another moved to Burkhart-san's magic bag. With this method, it will end quickly without bringing out all the resources.

"It's almost at the limit of my magic power. Nothing we can do about those that were consumed during the march and invasion."

The owner of the magic bag is restricted to only mages, despite it hardly utilizing any magic power, it has been equipped with a nasty function in which the storage capacity is limited by the amount of magic power of that mage. Burkhart-san seems to confirm the size of his disciples magic power again.

"So you didn't even know the name of a famous mage like Burkhart?"

"Though what Lord said is true, the boy does not know much about other mages."

"You are right…"

Due to my upbringing and my current life, I don't have that much knowledge about famous mages in the world. My library card account expired a long ago, I can only see the descriptions of some historical figures.

"But I am still pretty famous, you know. However, Al is a genius who far surpassed me. Truly, the loss of a precious man."

While Burkhart-san is grieving over it, Margrave Breithilde who had the list, in haste calculated a rough estimate of the asset value of the returned resources.

"It's easily over fifty platinum plates."

Ironically, the material obtained from demon forest accounted for quite a lot of worth. Otherwise, bread, dried meat, water, wine for preservation that people usually eat. Beside that there is spare armor and tents for lodging, the price shouldn't be that high. Instead, the significant portion of the asset values were occupied by high value material that had been collected within demon forest.

"This can lighten my territory's finances.."

Despite all the heavy losses the territory army had suffered in nearly twelve years, recovering the losses of close to two thousand people's deaths would take some time. Other than the increase of expenditures in military expenses, during that time, the internal affairs can't be neglected.

Still in increasing the cultivated land, the need in developing the town as the population in Breitburg and around it increases gradually, it would not ease the financial condition even with the income of Breithilde Margravate house The resources that I returned, make Margrave Breithilde look really happy.

"You really saved me."

It was something that could only be given up, I who had been so near, comply in returning it obediently. He seems to be pleased.

"And about the reward.."

"There is?"

"Of course."

In case the resources inside my master's bag had been left behind in demon forest until now. No adventurer would take the request to collect it. With that in mind, paying me a reward was cheaper.

"The reward will be 20%. Please take ten million cents."

He is surprisingly quite prepared, Margrave Breithilde immediately handed over the 20% of the agreed reward.

There are no platinum coins after all, all of it was paid with gold plate, platinum coins are used by wealthy merchants to settle large transactions, the Imperial family and important nobles assets so maintenance won't get bulky, it would not be available in the market which is natural. If used it to shop, it would have been refused since the merchants wouldn't have enough money to make change. So platinum coins would have no meaning even if I had them. It's just that about ten plate were included somehow among masters' heritage, let's just say that it's possible for adventurers to earn it by risking their lives.

I return the resources after all, but I still get a reward, masters heritage and my own materials I had obtained by myself were not affected. If I had unexpectedly refused to return it, I'd have made an enemy of Margrave Breithilde who is the largest force in the southern part of this continent, but I'll get a favorable impression if I were to return it obediently, I'll gain a connection too.

I would not be able to live as I like with only being good at magic so my judgment is not wrong. At the very least, I decide to think so.

"10 platinum plates will be about one billion yen…"

Master actually had a lot more cash. Even so this was a lot of money, judging by me who never spends large sums of money in this world or even in my previous life, to be honest, I was literally quite tense. I take it carefully so as not to ruin it, either way, I decide to maintain my current life.

As I cannot buy a high-quality imported car, I could spend a lot of money for clothes and accessories but unfortunately I have no interest in that field. Let's assume that if I as an adventurer and mage use it for expensive materials or weapons and armor with magical abilities, when master was still an adventurer, he had obtained a large number of fairly expensive things which were put in the magic bag. I didn't see the need to buy anything new.

"Now, by unexpected good fortune, I was able to earn extra income, but I had one more thing I must hand over to Wendelin-kun."

"One more thing?"

"Right. You are eligible to inherit Alfred's heritage who was the top retainer mage at my Breithilde Margravate house.

"Yes, I've received it."

"His property not just in the magic bag but also elsewhere."

What Margrave Breithilde said is, Master had purchased a mansion in Breitburg after he retired as an adventurer. Also, he had even deposited a certain amount of money to the Adventurers Guild.

"Even if an adventurer retires, that does not mean they no longer have any relations with the guild."

Being employed again by the guild, famous names known in the adventurer guild are able to receive an honored official position due to their reputation, or the deposited amount money with the guild which was saved while they were still active.

That deposited money gives a basic education to newcomer adventurers, is lent as low-interest funds to buy initial equipment, or gains profits for the guild by giving low-interest loans to the merchants guild or craftsmen guild. The deposited money gains no interest for the adventurer but no idiot would steal it from the adventurer guild, it would be credited as a contribution to the adventurer guild by just depositing a lot of money, retired adventurers often entrusted the money they didn't use to the adventurer guild. Since there is no such thing as banks, adventurers that safely keep money are a helpful existence. This is also called give-and-take.

"But Master has been dead for more than ten years. Does it still remain?"

"There are also some circumstances about this…"

Master had no family, the finances of the Breithilde Margravate territory before were in a dire situation which can't be compared to now. So Master's heritage had soon been confiscated.

"It's fine to deposit the money to the guild. Since the amount of money remains in the records, it's easy to withdraw the money to hand it to you. Was it 10 million cents?."

"…"

Master is a famous adventurer after all. There is a lot of money being deposited in the guild.

"Is this really okay?"

"Rather, it must be transferred to you."

This Breithilde Margravate is its own territory but various laws were applied to operate the region. In the transferring of a heritage, many fights from small to large have occurred every year, the office workers on the Breithilde Margravate side have a hard time in giving decisions whenever that happens.

"They must follow the rules, since we operate with strict laws. That's why I can't violate it. You are the one which the inheritance was transferred to formally by Alfred. Thus, I also had the obligation to hand over the other heritage that had been confiscated to you."

"It is just as Margrave Breithilde-sama said."

"The mansion is close to the prep school. You can move out from your dormitory today and live there."

In addition since it was close to the office headquarters of the adventurer guild, Master had built a house near that location.

"Many years have passed but it still remains clean as it has magic of condition preservation, the furnishings inside have also been left as is."

"Why is that?"

"Alfred's house security is pretty strict because of a magic tool.."

I had thought that the house furnishings would have been taken out long ago, but it was not so, Burkhart-san told me the reason why. The furniture within the house is not usable by others as it was remodeled with a magic tool, if one tries to forcibly take it outside, the small golem guarding the house would jump in. This small golem is a kind of magic tool but apparently master got it from ancient ruins in his adventuring days. It seems to be much more advanced than what can be made now so it led to the conclusion that releasing it by any means is impossible.

"In other words, it was convenient to force it on me when I showed up?"

"Don't say it like that. I expect that the exclusive servant's master would likely be changed to the boy who had the magic bag."

"I'll try to get the house."

"Oh. I'll be expecting you. Invite me to celebrate when you change residence."

"I will once I am done."

Nothing was wrong with inviting him to the party but it was unexpected for me to be able to negotiate with Margrave Breithilde like this. I lost most of the material taken from the monsters of the demon forest but likewise I got more things so it can be said that I am really satisfied.

"It saved me some trouble when Wendelin-kun set up a base here. By the time you are retired as an adventurer, you can be like Burkhart, I would welcome you to serve me right now."

"Yeah. It would be hard indeed to be active at the age of sixty. I'll be relieved if the boy remains to succeed me."

"Well…"

Other than Master who despite being not family, there also such a reason to give such good condition to a youngster. After my retirement as an adventurer, I won't be suddenly hired. No matter how superior my magic capacity is, it would be hard in many ways to become the senior retainer mage of a great noble house without life experience. Seeing there were many duties when Master went on expedition, besides firing off magic, much knowledge is needed to carry the duties, experience as an adventurer is necessary in order to obtain that. I need to get older to be able to have life experience and human relationships.

"I can't promise right now but…"

"Right now I just want to have some ties with you. You're a student still attending adventurer prep school, there is no need to rush it."

I have become Margrave Breithilde's acquaintance without knowing it, I had been claimed to be put as retainer mage candidate in the future. Not that I'd be an adventurer forever, a second life is a welcome story.

"My side will send the deposited money later. Well then, please go enjoy yourself in the garden party."

After everything was done, I came back again to the garden party and began to eat by hastily gathering the remaining dishes.

"Whoa, you're eating so much after just coming back."

"I'm hungry."

"You got called by Margrave Breithilde-sama? Parents' family matters?"

"Something like that."

There is no way I can talk about the contents of that business, so I answered Erw's question with the appropriate answer while filling my mouth with meat dishes.