Chapter 7.2, Year 957 of Chronicle of Truth, The First Month of Azure Water Season 

Translator: Lizz

 

When there was no work from the Guild, Zechs’s daily routine involved either studying magic in the hut on the outskirts of Lille or doing household chores and farming.

 

When he joined the Guild, people were surprised that he never skipped his basic magic practice; mages normally stopped doing it once they became somewhat proficient. ‘Aren’t you diligent’, Zechs was praised with a hint of tease for it, but it was nothing special – he just thought that since Leon did it, he should do it too. That habit had continued to this day.

 

When it came to household chores, Zechs was probably more skilled than most women around. He could transform ordinary ingredients into a variety of dishes, repair a wooden bench given by a villager, and sew covers and quilts for it himself. Since they were not particularly wealthy, he mended his clothes to the extreme, and even made new clothes from unwanted fabric.

 

His dexterity was innate, and he had to acquire these skills because his Master was of no help in this area.

 

Leon, on the other hand, was extremely lazy when it came to anything other than magic. He only cared that his food filled his stomach and his clothes kept him from freezing. His life skills were almost non-existent.

 

(What will he do if I’m not here?)

 

Zechs often seriously pondered this.

 

He never intended to stay in Lille forever. He planned to leave his Master eventually, but his destination was not just any Guild. Zechs’ goal was the pinnacle of Lavarta mages, the Iron Fortress.

 

Until he came to Leon at the age of twelve, Zechs was supposed to have been there, but he had almost no memory of that time. Back then, he constantly rejected the outside world and shut himself off. However, he remembered the unsettling atmosphere among the mages when he was expelled. It was terrifying.

 

Zechs didn’t know the details of why he was banished from the Iron Fortress and entrusted to Leon. But Leon told him that if he demonstrated his power, he would eventually be welcomed back. Someday, he would return.

 

He wanted to reach a position where he could live with his head held high, without being threatened by anyone. Without being despised or looked down upon, and surpassing those who had looked down on him.

 

However, Zechs had turned seventeen without any contact from the Iron Fortress. He had heard that some were allowed to join as early as fifteen or sixteen, so lately, anxiety had been gnawing at his heart. Perhaps he wasn’t as talented as he thought. Even if he waited, he might never return to the Fortress until he died.

 

In the Daza Guild, everyone was amazed by Zechs’ talent, but that might have been because they were mages from a rural town. Moreover, the Iron Fortress might have known that he couldn’t read.

 

Thinking about it, his cheeks flushed with shame. It was disgraceful for a seventeen-year-old mage to be worse at reading and writing than a ten-year-old child. He had been ridiculed by other children for it. That memory somehow remained vividly, and the scenes from that time resurfaced in his mind, making letters an enemy that brought only disgust.

 

(No, I won’t end like this.)

 

Zechs shook his head vigorously to dispel the negative thoughts.

 

He would prove himself to the Lavarta knights, nobles, and mages who mocked him for being a Seldian and didn’t even treat him as a human, and who killed his family. He had to show them that he was more powerful than they were–!

 

“Take this!”

 

A cheerful voice filled with laughter echoed, and something white fluttered down from above Zechs head as he was lost in thought under the shade of a tree. Startled, he stood up to find a girl with a beaming smile standing in front of him.

 

“You’re making that gloomy face all by yourself again. What are you doing, Zechs?”

 

“Nia…”

 

Nia had a basket hanging from her right arm and was holding white flowers she had apparently picked in both hands. She had scattered them over Zechs’ head. After tossing the remaining flowers into the air, Nia laughed.

 

“You’re always making that face, that’s why your personality is so gloomy.”

 

“None of your business. What are you here for?”

 

“What a greeting! Of course, I brought you some bread.”

 

“It’s not burnt today, is it?”

 

“My mom baked it today! Sorry I’m not as skilled as you!”

 

As he retorted to the spirited girl, his sinking mood lifted somewhat. Nia had an aura that lightened the atmosphere like sunlight just by being nearby.

 

“You’re bad at cooking, bad at sewing. On top of that, you’re a tomboy and have a foul mouth. Who would want to marry you?”

 

“I’m not bad! Don’t use yourself as a standard. You’re just too good at everything, Zechs. Besides, I won’t marry any stupid man.”

 

“Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a man who isn’t stupid.”

 

“I wouldn’t mind marrying you, Zechs.”

 

Zechs was left speechless by the girl’s shameless remark.

 

“…Don’t be ridiculous. What parent would accept a mage as a son-in-law? Besides, I don’t want a noisy wife like you, Nia.”

 

“Oh, really? Then I’ll marry Leon instead.”

 

“Huh? Do you know how many years older he is? Besides, he’s a mage too, and a fool at that.”

 

“Alright, alright, no need to get so angry. I won’t steal him from you.”

 

As Nia waved her hand dismissively, a deliberately mocking laugh echoed from the direction of the village. When they looked over, they saw three boys around Zechs’ age grinning at them.

 

“Hey, look! The outsider and the Seldian are flirting.”

 

“They’re a perfect match. Both are troublemakers.”

 

“Yeah, a she-beast like Nia suits a monster mage.”

 

They pretended to be having a private conversation, but their voices were unnaturally loud, clearly intended for Zechs and Nia to hear.

 

They used to tease Zechs even when they were young, and one of them had had his bone broken by a rampaging Zechs. Right after that, they would scurry away at the sight of him, but once they realized he wouldn’t retaliate no matter what they did, they resumed their taunts and violence without hesitation.

 

Though they made him angry and he knew he could easily win if he fought back, he found it foolish to engage on the same level and chose to ignore them. However, as Zechs sighed, Nia quickly bent down, picked up a small stone from the roadside, and with a swift motion, threw it, hitting the middle boy squarely between the eyebrows.

 

“If you have something to say, come here and say it to my face! I’ll punch you without hesitation! Or do you want to be hit from there?”

 

Nia provocatively displayed a few small stones in her hand. The boys looked surprised but soon threw them hateful glances and muttered, ‘Remember this’ and ‘Violent girl’ before disappearing towards the village.

 

“Cowards.”

 

Zechs held his head in his hands at the triumphant girl. Leon often called him short-tempered, but Zechs thought he was better than Nia.

 

“You know, one day you’ll get hit and won’t be able to complain.”

 

“You can protect me, can’t you, Zechs?”

 

Zechs couldn’t decipher Nia’s true intentions as she spoke nonchalantly. While it seemed that Nia had feelings for both him and Leon, he couldn’t tell if it was love. She often talked about marriage and such, but Zechs thought it wasn’t out of romantic feelings; rather, she was simply drawn to something mysterious and unattainable.

 

Zechs knew another person like that.

 

“Meeting up at a place like this, huh? Impressive.”

 

As the boys disappeared, a relaxed male voice replaced them. Nia’s face lit up, while Zechs turned bitterly towards it.

 

“Sir Hilden!”

 

The tall man who approached had short, dark brown hair. Although he wore simple travel clothes, he had a well-made longsword at his waist. His appearance didn’t give the impression of being particularly muscular, but his graceful movements were reminiscent of a swift predator. Few would dare to challenge him head-on. However, despite his intimidating presence, his light blue eyes smiled warmly.

 

“You two are as close as ever. But you should think carefully about marriage and such.”

 

“If I have to get married, I’d prefer someone interesting.”

 

“I understand that feeling, and I have no complaints about you Nia, but I have to be cautious about my son’s marriage.”

 

“…When did I become your son?”

 

The man made a serious face as he spoke this, and even though Zechs had no intention of speaking to him, he couldn’t help but interject.

 

“What are you talking about? You’re Leon’s precious apprentice, practically his son. And if you’re Leon’s son, then you’re my son too.”

 

“Don’t twist logic like that!”

 

Zechs yelled at the man who, as usual, spouted nonsensical theories.

 

The man was Gateau Hilden. Like Nia, he was one of the people Zechs currently despised the most.

 

There were several reasons for this. One was that he belonged to the ruling class that Zechs hated – a knight.

 

Despite his lack of manners and his bizarre fascination with mages, he was a respected knight and the second son of a high-ranking noble family.

 

As if that wasn’t enough to dislike him, this carefree man frequently visited Leon, his friend, and always found ways to tease Zechs. To make matters worse, there was a close bond between Gateau and his Master that others couldn’t easily penetrate, and seeing them together always made Zechs feel irritated somehow.

 

To top it off, Zechs couldn’t beat Gateau in a sword fight. It wasn’t surprising since Leon, who taught him swordsmanship, had learned from Gateau, but it still annoyed him. As a child, he had attacked Gateau and ended up with a broken bone.

 

Even if he used magic, it wasn’t certain he could win. Magic wasn’t suited for one-on-one combat. He thought he could only defeat this man by targeting him from a distance or catching him off guard, but admitting that was frustrating.

 

In any case, Zechs hated Gato.

 

“I wonder how long this rebellious phase will last.”

 

Gateau’s exaggerated gesture of slumping his shoulders like a parent mistreated by their beloved son was clearly intentional. He probably knew that such behavior would irritate Zechs, and that was why he did it. Zechs thought there were few people as mean-spirited as this man, but the villagers didn’t seem to think so.

 

Despite being a high-ranking knight, Gateau  was friendly – though in a somewhat odd way – and the villagers respected and welcomed him, knowing he would wield his sword for Lille if necessary. They turned a blind eye to his visits to the mage, who were the village’s outcast.

 

“Don’t worry about it, Sir Hilden. Zechs is just a child.”

 

“I hope he grows up soon.”

 

Their condescending conversation, spoken with serious faces right in front of him, only fueled Zechs’ irritation, but he said nothing more. He knew that if he did, they would just tease him further.

 

“Well, I guess I’ll go see Leon. Nia, I’ll take the bread with me.”

 

“Oh, thank you very much.”

 

“See you, young ones. Don’t fight too much. And don’t get too close either.”

 

Losing interest in the unresponsive Zechs, Gateau cheerfully waved at Nia and walked towards the hut.

 

Though he seemed to be walking leisurely, Zechs couldn’t help but click his tongue at his unguarded back. Hearing this, Nia spoke in exasperation.

 

“Zechs, you really dislike Sir Hilden, don’t you?”

 

“Anyone who likes him must be crazy.”

 

“I think he’s a good person who doesn’t flaunt his status.”

 

“To you, maybe. …I’m going to train. You should go home soon, Nia. I won’t be back until night.”

 

By until night, he meant he wouldn’t return until Gateau had left. He had planned to practice the techniques he had recently learned, but not for the entire day. However, given the circumstances, he had no choice but to change his plans.

 

Watching her friend leave with his shoulders tense in frustration, Nia shrugged and waved her now-empty hands before starting to walk home.