Chapter 6

3 years old.

Recently, I finally got to know my parents' names.

My father's name is Paul Whitman.

And my mother's name is Lilia Whitman.

My name is Miles Whitman.

The eldest son of the Whitman.

Even though I'm named Miles, my parents always shortened each other's names whenever they called each other, and shortened mine to Milo. Thus, I only got to know my full name after a very long time. Even though my name's similar to a dog, I liked it

"Oh, Milo really likes books."

As I'm always walking around with a book, Lilia lets out a laugh.

They never lectured me or tried to take the book away.

I always have a book tucked under my armpit even when I'm eating. However, I won't read the magic textbook in front of my family

It's not to hide my talent. It's just that I don't know how magic is viewed exactly in this world.

In my previous world, witches were prosecuted during the Middle Ages.

It was when any spellcasters were treated as heretics and burned.

There are practical books like this in this world, so the use of magic probably won't be deemed as heresy, but it may not necessarily be viewed in a positive light.

Maybe the common understanding is that magic can only be used after becoming an adult.

Since it's a dangerous act that would cause fainting after overexertion.

Some might think of it as being a detriment to growth.

And with that thought, I decided to keep my understanding of magic from my family.

Maybe that fact was already long revealed when I shot magic spells out of the window

And I had no choice then. I wanted to see how fast I could shoot them anyway.

The maid (I think her name's Mary) occasionally looked at me with a dangerous expression, but my parents continue to be happy-go-lucky, so I felt it's still okay.

If I'm stopped here, I guess it can't be helped, but I don't wish to miss out the growth period.

Talent will rust if it's not grown when it needs to be grown.

I have to make use of this period as much as I can.

However, I had to put this secret magic training to an end.

It was a certain afternoon.

My mana capacity had grown quite a lot, so I started to try some Novice spells, reciting a water cannon spell with the mindset of simply trying it out.

Size: 1, Speed: 0.

Like usual, I just wanted to do it to fill up the barrel with water.

I just thought it would end up overflowing at most.

But unexpectedly, an absurd amount of water was released, smashing a big hole in the wall.

Left shocked, I was unable to think of what to do due to shock.

A hole opened in the wall is undoubted proof that I used magic.

And there's nothing I can do about that.

I quickly gave up.

"What happened!? Whoa....."

At first, it was Paul who rushed in.

And then he stared at the wall with his mouth agape.

"Wai-hey, what the.... Rudi, are you alright...?"

Paul's really a nice guy.

No matter how anyone looked at it, I'm definitely the one who did this. However, he's worried about my body.

"Monsters...? But in this vicinity?" Even now, he's mumbling stuff like that, while looking around warily.

"Oh my..."

And Lilia followed him into the room.

She was calmer than Father.

After looking at the ruined wall and the puddles of water on the ground,

"Oh...?"

Her eyes sharpened as she stared at the page of the magic textbook where I had left it open.

After looking at me and the book, she crouched down in front of me, and stared at my eyes with a gentle expression.

Scary.

There's no smile in her eyes.

And I continue to focus my faltering eyes on Lilia with all my might.

I learned something when I was a professor in my past life. When you did something wrong, a stubborn attitude will only make things worse.

Therefore, I can't avoid her eyes.

This is a moment when a sincere attitude is needed.

I can't avert from the person's eyes, and I have to meet them face on. This alone will make me look more sincere.

It doesn't matter what one think. The main aim is to appear sincere.

"Milo, did you read out loud what is written on this book?"

"I'm sorry."

I nodded, and apologized.

When something wrong was done, it's best to simply apologize.

After all, only I, nobody else, could have done this.

If I'm to come up with a shoddy lie, my trustworthiness will decrease.

I lied as much as I wanted in the past, and became untrustworthy as a result.

I will not make the same mistake again.

"No, wait, this is an novice..."

"Kyaa! Did you hear that, darling!? Our child's a genius after all!!"

Paul's words were overpowered by Lilia's scream.

She grabbed Paul's hands and jumped around in exhilaration.

How energetic.

Was my apology ignored?

"No, you, erm, I haven't taught him any words anyway!"

"Let's hire a home tutor right now!! This child will become a remarkable magician in the future!!"

Paul was still perturbed, while Lilia was completely delighted.

It looks like Lilia's exuberant over the fact that I used magic.

And maybe I was worrying too much, thinking that on children shouldn't be using magic.

Mary remained calm as she quietly cleaned the room.

This maid probably knew that I was using magic for quite some time, or she already had a feeling that I was somehow doing it.

Perhaps she didn't think it was a bad thing, so she didn't take it to heart.

Or maybe she just wanted to see the happy faces of my parents.

"Hey dear, go out to Zoa tomorrow and put up a job request!! This talent must be properly trained!!"

Lilia was getting excited by herself, making a ruckus about genius, talent.

Am I considered a genius for being able to suddenly cast magic?

Is it my parents' doting on me too much? Or that using Novice magic spells is considered amazing? I'm unable to tell.

No, perhaps it's really my parents doting on me.

I never used magic in front of Lilia before

"I guess it's true." But since she did say those words, maybe she already thought I was a genius.

It's baseless....

Ah, no. I suddenly remembered. Because I was always alone.

When I was reading, I would occasionally read or repeat phrases that I liked.

And ever since I came to this world, I would mumble to myself while reading books.

At first it was English, but after I learned how to talk, I would subconsciously use this world's language.

And then, when I mumbled to myself, "Milo, that is-----" Lilia would teaching me the meanings of those words.

Because of that, I remembered quite a lot about the fixed terms of this world. Well, never mind about that.

I never said anything to anyone, but I learned the letters of this world by myself.

My parents didn't even teach me how to talk.

From my parents' viewpoint, it'll seem that "Our child can read words we never taught him, and read out loud the contents of a book.

That's definitely a genius.

If it's my child, I'll also think that he's a genius.

In the past, the same thing happened when a younger child was born to a friend of mine.

He grew up fast, and did everything faster than his elder children .

Saying words out, walking on his own feet.

My friends were also optimistic; whenever their kids did something, even if it's nothing too big, they'll go "That kid's definitely a genius"

"Darling, get a tutor!! We'll definitely find a good magic teacher in Zoa!!"

And then, when they find someone with talent, the one thing all parents would do would be to get the best education for him.

And so, Lilia suggested to hire a magician to be the home tutor.

But Paul objected to this idea.

"Wait, didn't we decide that if he's a boy, we'll make him a swordsman instead?"

If it's a guy, he'll take up a sword. If it's a girl, she'll learn magic.

It seemed that was decided before I was born.

"But he can activate Novice spells at this age!! If he starts training now, he will become an amazing magician!!"

"But a promise is a promise, right!?"

"What promise!? Don't you always break your promises!?"

"My matters have nothing to do with this now, right!?"

And so, a couple's quarrel began at that moment.

Mary calmly cleaned up the room.

"Let him learn magic in the morning, and learn swordsmanship in the afternoon. Isn't that fine?"

After the quarrel persisted for a while, Mary finished up her cleaning, sighed, and suggested that, ending the argument.

And so, the idiot parents subjected me to study while ignoring what their kid wanted.

Oh well. I guess it's good since I decided to live on seriously. And because of those reasons, our household decided to hire a tutor.

It seems the income as a tutor, for a noble child, is rather good.

Paul's one of the few knights in this area, and still had the status as a lower-class noble. Thus, he's able to provide a salary befitting of his status.

But this is a village area far away from the capital.

Thus, as befitting of the border, it's rare to get outstanding talents here, let alone magicians.

Would they be able to hire someone just by sending a request to the Magic guild and the Adventurer guild?

Even though I had such worries, the unexpected thing was that we quickly found a tutor, and that tutor will come in tomorrow.

This village had no inn, so the job offer includes accommodation too. According to my parents' guess, the one arriving is probably a retired adventurer. Young people won't come to the countryside, and a court magician can easily find work at the capital.

In this world, only magicians ranked Intermediate and above are qualified to become a magic tutor.

An consequently, an adventurer's rank is probably above Elementary.

The one coming is probably a middle-aged or old man who spent his life devoted to researching on magic.

That person probably has a beard, giving the impression of a sage.