Magic [1]

Marth hand-in-hand with Venetia barged into Martinus' study room. When they walked into the dining hall, their parents and little sister were long gone. Thus, the two of them went into their father's study.

Knock knock ...

"Father, are you there?" asked Marth after knocking the door.

"Come in... " his father deep voice echoed.

Marth opened the door and he entered with Venetia. Inside the study, there was Martinus sat in front of the work desk and Petra stood beside him. 

Martinus scrutinized his eyes seeing both of his children holding hand, he smelt something amiss, it was like, their air somehow different. While Petra looked amused and let out a full smile seemingly understood what was going on.

"Where's my adorable Sicimouto-chan, mother?" asked Marth to his mother. 

Because his older sister referred herself as Venee-san, the combination of her name Venetia with 'Onee-san' in the game. He also combined his little sister name with the Japanese word 'imouto' which means little sister, the 'chan' was just something like a decoration.

"I let her play in the garden with the maids, why?" Petra asked back because it was unusual for him to ask about his sister.

"No ..., well, forget it then." Marth shook his head with a wry smile.

"Talk, what is it?" asked Martinus instantly after his son and daughter stood in front of the desk.

Marth's attention returned to his father.

"I want to announce something, Venetia-aneue, she will never marry that wizard."

"Is that also the reason why you two are holding each other hand?" Martinus glared at Venetia, of course, he would mad at the older one.

"Yeah ..., I will make Venetia aneue my bride. So it's impossible for her to marry another man!"

"Arara ... is that so, Venie?" Petra asked while chuckling hiding her lips with her hand.

"U-unn ..., I will not marry anyone beside Marth. It's decided, so I won't accept that man." Venetia nodded while feeling bashful.

"Venetia! What the hell is the meaning of this? You are Marth's blood-related sister, are you not!? And Petra, why are you just smiling and giggling as if this doesn't matter at all?"

"Ma~ ..., ma ..., husband, don't get agitated like that. It's not like an incestuous relationship is a taboo or anything. Though it still unusual, but the law and rule of this kingdom never stated it's prohibited."

"But still ...!"

"Dear husband, our daughter has finally found the love of her life. It's a joyous occasion worth celebrating, is it not?" Petra with an all-smiling face said once again.

"But the partner she chose is my son, in other words her brother!?!"

"Like I said, there's nothing wrong with that! Well ..., let's hear their reason. Marth-kun, my son ..., what did you say to entice your older sister? Let mother hear your story!" Petra gazed at Marth and asked. 

She was unlike Martinus who thought that it was Venetia who was the one responsible for this whole mess. She knew the best about her own daughter, and it was impossible for Venetia to push herself to her brother. She was too passive and unable to do that. It must be Marth that naughty boy who was the one who took the initiative.

"I ..., well, I kissed aneue and it feels good. I want to be with Venetia aneue forever," said Marth with his cheeky grin.

"Arara ..., ufufu, what a boy ..., but Venetia, you must keep your chastity until the day you two are finally wed, okay? Don't do anything harmful to you and your brother. Ah, should I say your lover? But, he's still my son and your brother right ...? Uhh, what a bother, let's call him Marth-kun as usual then." Petra gave Venetia life advice but then started to mumbled things to herself.

"Hmmm ..., so you are fine with not getting the divine grace? Is that, what you mean to convey?"

"No, I'll get the divine grace, however not now. And I need father cooperation with that." Marth shook his head instantly, "how about it, father. Will you help me?"

Martinus looked at his son, he nested his back on the chair and asked.

"Let me hear your plan ..."

Marth didn't immediately reply but walked to the sofa and took a seat. Venetia also sat down beside him, still with entwined hands. 

After some time, Marth started talking.

"First of all, I want father, mother and Venetia aneue to make an oath to not divulge what I will say to you and promise to make it a secret. Make an oath under your true name."

"Is that really necessary?" Martinus asked. 

He was perplexed with the sudden transformation with his son Marth. Wasn't he just a brat without prior knowledge about the world until now, since when he started to be like this? Suddenly starting to act weird and talked in a mysterious manner, was he still his son Marth?

While not knowing about his father's thought, Marth nodded with conviction.

"Indeed, it is ...,"

After a few minutes of thinking with a conflicted expression on his face, Martinus sighed and said.

"I swear upon my name, Martinus Eliara Zwarteschwan. I will keep everything that I heard in this room as a secret to the world."

And after that, his mother and sister followed suit.

"I swear by my name, Petra Isla Grossvelg."

"I swear in the name Venetia Petra Zwarteschwan."

Marth nodded with a satisfied expression, he then put his hand in the air and stated.

"Then, I swear upon the name Marth Petra Zwarteschwan. Everything I said hereafter in this room, are true and there's no deception in it!"

And with a click like feeling inside his heart, the oath solidified by the law of this world. If he said a lie, then he would be damned by [Jute]. As for precaution, he also put another detail by adding 'in this room'. It would be not cool if he couldn't tell a lie at all for the rest of his life.

"Let me straight to the main point, father go buy or send the man to collect the [Turmerica Grass] in bulk!"

"Can I ask for what purpose you want those horse fodder? Moreover, in bulk ..., how many is it in detail?" Martinus asked in puzzlement.

"Today, the date is Freitag, 4th June 522, right?"

"Yes, what of it?"

"Then we have about six months before the plague spread into every part of this continent."

"Plague?"

"Yep ..."

"What nonsense are you spurting! Besides, how do you even know and predict the plague! I never heard any of it." Martinus was enraged and shouted.

"Father, I have said it ..., and I made the oath with my own true name. If I am telling you a single shred of a lie, then I will be damned." Marth calmly reminded Martinus.

"...," Martinus rest his back to the chair once more, he closed his eyes and controlled his raging breath. "..., how do you know about this?" 

He asked, with a lower volume than before. He couldn't believe Marth. It was unbelievable for a brat who has never gone outside of the territory to know about something that happened in the world. It was just too much of a bizarre thing.

In fact, this was one of the background stories of the game. Before the Protagonist of the [Golden Ark] begin his journey, the Eliru Continent has been plagued by a lethal infectious disease. It killed the majority of the continent population, and it needs about two years before the medicine to treat it was invented.

The protagonist's mother was also the victim of this plague. When the protagonist knew that this plague was a man-made disaster. He began rampaging his way to the Uthgard Empire, the one who spread the plague. It was also the main reason he wages war with the Uthgard Empire in the second arc of the game [Seeker of Revenge].

"I know what I do know ..." Marth gave a vague answer, "however, trust me ..., this plague, it could kill thousands or even millions of people of Eliru Continent."

"Marth-kun, it is unbelievable if you said it suddenly like this. However, I will believe that what you said is true. But still ..., how and from whom you come to learn about it?" Petra interrogated Marth.

"..." He went silent.

Marth showed a hard look on his face. He couldn't lie, then how would he explain about this. It's not like he could just say 'I know because I played the game.' In the first place, was there exist the concept of video games inside the game world? Would they(the NPC) understand it if he explained it that way?

"I can't explain why and how, but believe me. I know it because I have the knowledge about it."

"...," 

Petra was unconvinced, she looked at her husband Martinus. He also gave a shrug of his shoulder with 'I give up' face. Then, they both look at the 12 years old boy and asked. Martinus asked.

"I am still unable to believe it. What can you do, to make me believe in you, Marth?"

"Hmmm ...,"

Marth put his hand on the chin. He then grabbed the teacup that was prepared by Venetia and drank it in one gulp, still thinking.

'How can I made them believe my word ..., they know I didn't lie, but they still can, believe me, it's strange. Is it because I'm just a brat? Ahh ..., wait a minute,'

And as if there was a light bulb above his head, he found a nice idea.

"Mother, father ..., I, I never learned about magic before this right?"

"Yes, you never once serious with your study ..." Petra answered.

"Well ..., yeah, what can I say, you even refuse to train your body and practice swordsmanship. What is it suddenly asking that?" was what Martinus said.

"Well ..., take a look at this."

Marth stood up and then stretched his hand in the air. He then spelled the magic word from the game [Golden Ark].

"Feuer!"

A candle-flame materialized on his hand. It burnt with a beautiful blue fire above one ring-like magic circle. This was one of the basic spells that [Mage] learned, [Fire] categorized as a First Circle Spell.

"!"

"Wh-!!"

"Arara ...,"

The three family member overlapped their surprised voice.

Marth could pronounce the magic spell because when he still play the game, he always heard the heroines shouted the spell name.

'It works! I know this from the game, but ..., it's truly working!'

Marth knows about one of the in-game stories of how a mage could use their spell. It was from one of the heroine's events conversations. The mage heroine said that to cast a spell, one just needs the right thought and will, the right amount of magic power, and chanted the right magic spell.

'Lily-tan basically said I need to imagine the spell effect, use the appropriate mana, and then spelled out the magic word! This is awesome, I can use magic!'

Lily Floria Oster, the Princess of Osterreich Kingdom. 

She could be considered as the main heroine of [Golden Ark]. Not only she was the protagonist Roman's childhood friend, but she was also the first heroine to make an appearance in the game.

Lily Osterreich was a [Mage], and she has a solid growth throughout the game. Although the protagonist could recruit her on Chapter 9, she has made her appearance at the end of Chapter 1.

Just now, Marth did what she has said in one of her event conversations.

He imagined a combustion chemical reaction of methane, he also imagines the complicated array of magic circle. After that, he put his tiny amount of MP into the magic circle and then chanted the magic spell.

[Imagination] + [Spell(Magic Word)] -Magic Power-> [Magic]

'If casting magic is a chemical equation, it will be like that, I guess.'

There was a lot of trivial knowledge inside the game that was explained in the first arc. And as a player who never skipped any conversation, Marth remembered all of those trivia.

"Marth, since when did you learn magic?"

"No, there's a more important thing than that right, husband! Look at his flame, that mysterious blue flame! Is this the legendary [Lost Magic]?" Petra approached Marth and observed the spell in his hand with amazement.

"Marth! Are you a mage? But from whom and since when did you learn it?"

"Ufufufu ..., what an interesting spell ..., Marth-kun, later on, mother wants to talk with you, alright!"

"Petra, you're drooling, you know?"

"Ara, what unsightly of me ..."

Petra was also a magician, albeit only of the Second Circle.

When she saw the unique spell that her son cast, she watched that spell in an absorbed manner. She didn't realize that she was drooling like literally let drool out of her sexy gapped mouth.

After wiping the drool with a handkerchief, Petra got back to her usual 'lady' image. Though, the sight of her drooling was too much of a shock for Marth.

Marth shook his head to make him get back into reality.

"Well ..., with this, will you believe in me, father?"

"I'll be honest, I still can't ..." Martinus shook his head lightly.

"Ah ..., um, then how about this, Blitz!"

"Arara ...!" once again, Petra shout out and held Marth's hand while carefully observing the spell.

From his hand in the top of the magic circle, there was a chain of bluish lightning stream dancing like a little snake. This was also a First Circle Spell, however, not many magicians could use this spell, and only those who fulfilled the requirement of having INT above 20 could cast it.

Though, Marth thought it was just a matter of having enough creativity to imagine how thunder work. But, it was in a game, so it should be simplified with the stats points.

Marth canceled the spell and then said, "I can't explain it to you in detail, but here I am, I know what I do know."

"Marth-kun, you must come with me after this, alright! Mother wants to discuss something with you about the spell just now! It's the [Thunderbolt] right! How could you cast this spell! Even mother, she cannot imagine the mighty power of thunder. Mother wants to learn this from you, can she?"

Petra didn't hold back her desire and looked at her son as if she wanted to swallow him whole.

"Ah ..., umm, alright, I don't mind. But please release me, mother, you're drooling again." Marth nodded his head while feeling rather awkward.

"Ara ..., please forgive me, ufufufu ..." 

Petra walked back while chuckling happily. She received a hostile glare from Venetia. But the more mature woman just went 'fufufu' as if her glare meant nothing, gazing at her daughter provocatively.

Marth didn't know about their secret war, and he didn't care about it. He turned his attention to his father and asked.

"Then ..., will you believe me with this, father?"

"Grmmhh ...," Martinus groaned, in the end, he chose to believe his son. "Does this [Turmerica Grass] needed to make a medicine for the plague?"

"Yeah ..., something like that, I guess."

"..., alright, I will prepare some people to collect it in secret," Martinus said, he was

"Right, I'll thank father for that beforehand..." Marth bowed his head in gratitude.

"But ..., what are you going to do with it? And, shall I report this matter to the kingdom?"

"I will concoct the medicine for the plague, and then sell it to the people of the kingdom. With that, we could amass some fortune, and that being the case I'll get the money to hire [Mercenary] or even raise an army. As for reporting to the kingdom, if the father wants to do it, then you might want to find concrete evidence first. If you, my own father didn't even believe me, then how would you convince the others?"

"That's true ...," Martinus sunk into deep thought.

Honestly, he still doubted his son with this matter. But his son suddenly could use magic, moreover the highest level of difficulty the [Thunder] Magic! He wants to ask, from whom did he learn it? Since when? 

Knowing that his son wouldn't explain a thing to him, he refrained from asking anymore. He believes him, at least for now.

"Alright then, Marth ... but from where did this plague come from? Do you know about it?"

"I think it will come from the south, I don't know where exactly it originated though."

He didn't lie, because even in the game it never mentioned where the plague come from. Before they know and able to prevent, the plague already spread out. 

"Uthgard Empire?"

"Possibly ...,"

"Then, it's hard to find evidence about this, no?"

"Don't worry, like I said, six months later all of the people in this continent would be infected by it," Marth said with a smile.

"Why you said that as if it was a joyous matter?" asked Martinus in puzzlement.

"Well, because that's the source of my money after all."

"Huh ...?"