episode_0072

When I entered Galan Village, the village was quiet, as if most of the villagers had already gone to farm work. It probably wouldn’t have been any different when she got home, but Ceresria’s eyes were looking around as if this scene was fascinating.

“What is that?”

“As you can see, it’s a house.”

“The house is that small.”

“It’s really just a house for sleeping, and the people who live there sleep in the fields rather than over there, or build a light hut or something like that in the fields to sleep in.”

“Is it like romance?”

“It’s not romantic, it’s realistic. The larger the house, the stronger the tax, so a cabin in the field may not be taxed. You may have to pay taxes on two houses, but… … A nobleman who taxes a hut built in the field would already be criticized.”

“Using Araelia’s laws is smart, but if the nobles come out to patrol or check, everyone will get caught.”

“That’s your opinion as a royal, nobles don’t even come here to do that. It must be the city they live in, or would busy nobles come all the way here? A town like this with no place to play?”

At my words, Ceresria slowly nodded and smiled.

“It seems like taxes are more unfair than you think, seeing them act like this.”

“Well, it may not be that unfair since taxes are paid depending on the portion of crops produced in the field and the property you own, but I think if you received taxes, you should at least pay for expenses.”

“Now that I think about it, there isn’t a single guard here.”

“It’s a small countryside, so even if a thief or something unpleasant happens, it’s impossible to not know the culprit.”

“But, not having guards is against the nobles’ duty. Because the lord has the right to protect and rule the territory.”

“That’s the situation of high-ranking people.”

Celestria nodded and spoke to me.

“Where is Astan’s house?”

“Over there.”

I pointed to a house near the hill with my right hand, and when Ceresria looked at the house, she spoke softly.

“Still, it’s a bigger house than I thought. Since I know so much, I thought Astan’s house was in the field too.”

“I have three younger siblings, so would I be able to live in a house like that?”

“You have three younger brothers?”

“One younger brother and two younger sisters.”

“Astan, you are the first?”

“It’s ironic, but.”

And when she and I arrived near the center of the village, a woman with a familiar face looked at me and spoke to me.

“Is this Astan?”

“Aunt Cordelia, it’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Astan? You said you went to the academy, did you even have a vacation? And why is your hair like that?”

“This holiday is a bit long. So I came down for a while, and my hair changed color after learning magic.”

“Hey, I’m sure Raina will be shocked when she sees it.”

“Of course my mother would like that, but my father might like it because it’s cool.”

“They are always like that, so is there any difference? Raina and Aguero went to the field in the morning, because it had rained a few days ago and the animals on the mountain had damaged the field.”

“I guess I should go to the field first.”

“But seeing as you’ve been here since morning, you probably haven’t even been able to eat. Go home, Ante is probably home.”

“Is something happening to Ant?”

“He said he had a cold, and he played on a rainy day recently.”

“That doesn’t change even if you go to the academy.”

As we were having that conversation, Ceresria was standing behind me and just quietly looking at the two of us, and I introduced her lightly.

“This is Seria, a friend from the academy.”

“It is called Seria.”

“Wow, you’re a pretty friend. Are you from Araelia too?”

“Yes, we became friends faster than I thought because we were from Araelia, the same as Astan.”

“Although Astan looks fine on the outside, he is a bit weirder than you think. Even if he speaks a little harshly, think of him as that kind of kid.”

“It’s already happening, don’t worry.”

“Okay, let’s be friends.”

And after saying hello to Aunt Cordelia, I started moving back toward the house, and Celestria came next to me and whispered softly.

“Unlike Astan, there are a lot of lively people around.”

“I’m also a lively person.”

“Hmm… … When I see him hanging out with Sharon, he seems like that kind of person, but he’s not like that in front of me.”

I slowly climbed the familiar hill, approached the house in the middle of the hill, and carefully knocked on the door. I knocked on the door and waited for an answer, but Anti seemed to have already fallen asleep, so I didn’t get any answer, so I cautiously opened the door.

As I opened the door and went inside, I naturally felt longing and familiarity with the familiar scenery I remembered, and slowly looked around the house. There was no one in the kitchen, and the living room was the same. My other siblings and parents have already gone to the fields, so that’s probably true. I wondered what Anti was doing and why there was no answer. Well, maybe I didn’t hear it because I was on the second floor.

“There is no one.”

“My younger brother seems to be sleeping on the second floor.”

“I don’t want to wake you up, so should I just go to the field?”

“There’s nothing to do even if I go to the field, just sit and rest, I’ll just take a look at Ante and come back.”

“Okay.”

Ceresria found a chair in the living room and sat down carefully, and I moved to the second floor. It was a familiar staircase. There was nothing different from the day I went to the academy. I just carefully went up to the second floor and opened my younger siblings’ door, and found Anti lying on the bed.

I don’t know if he had grown a little taller or if the blanket had gotten shorter, but as I carefully sat down on the bed next to Anti while looking at him lying down without the blanket properly covering him, I felt the hard bottom of the bed on my butt. And then I looked blankly at my youngest brother. Nothing much changed. As I was quietly looking at Anti, with her brown hair and freckles on her cheeks still intact, she slowly opened her eyes and looked at me.

“… … Are you my brother?”

“You said you caught a cold. Are you feeling okay?”

“Oppa doesn’t have gray hair… … ”

“Ante, will you believe me if I tell you the story of how I fell in the kitchen while eating bread at night without my mother knowing?”

“That’s something only you really know… … ”

Saying that, Anti carefully got up from the bed, rubbed her eyes, and looked at me again.

“… … The face is my brother’s.”

“So, I am Astan. It’s not like you don’t even recognize your face, right?”

“Your voice is my brother’s too.”

“Okay, my brother studied magic at the academy and his hair suddenly turned white. Now, do you have any more questions?”

“The academy is not on vacation yet. Who is your brother?”

“This holiday was a bit long, so I came down for a while, Anti.”

“Are you really my brother?”

“So, he’s really my older brother. That’s the same guy who saw me cry out loud after hitting a tree while sledding on a hill in the winter.”

Then, in response to my answer, Anti looked at me and smiled slightly.

“You’re a real oppa! When did you come? The academy is very far from here. My dad told me that it would take another week to go by carriage.”

“I took a portal. Portal is a type of magic, and there is a magic that allows you to teleport.”

“Really? Then can I do it too?”

“When I grow up and go to El Taor, I will let you ride.”

“Good!”

Then I carefully got out of bed and stroked Anti’s head.

“Then, oppa, I will come meet mom and dad, and my friend came with me.”

“Friend? Did you make a friend?”

“Yes, would you like to say hello?”

“Yes!”

Then, I carefully took Antee down to the first floor. When I got down to the first floor, Ceresria was holding a cup in her right hand, as if she had found it somewhere. When I smelled the small scent, it was the scent of flower tea that my mother often drank.

“I told him to sit down, but he was destroying someone else’s property.”

“I’ll give you money later. Hello, are you Astan’s younger brother?”

“Hello! What is your name?”

“My name is Seria. What about your younger sister?”

“I’m Ante, Ante.”

“That’s a cute name.”

Ceresria drank tea as if she was used to it, and Anti whispered something softly in my ear.

“She is a very pretty sister.”

“Sure.”

After saying that, I sent Anti back up to the second floor and sat down on the chair for a moment, looking at Ceresria, who smiled at me.

“Why?”

“… … I feel like I’m more familiar with using the name Seria than I thought.”

“Isn’t it true that people usually live under an alias? Still, it’s not that difficult of an alias. If you shorten Celestria, it’s called Seria. Astan, why don’t you come up with an alias too? I don’t think it would be a bad idea to have at least one thing I can use later when I work as a wizard.”

“There is no reason to hide your real name. I’m not of the same status as you.”

“There is no romance, Astan.”

“Because I’m not the type of person who lives for things like romance.”

At my words, Ceresria emptied the tea she was drinking and stood up.

“So are you going to see Astan’s parents now?”

“Probably, since you are farming, we won’t be able to talk for a long time. And you will be surprised to see my hair color like this.”

“I can cover up that much.”

“It’s not like I have to cover it up every time I come. I have to say it.”

“Okay, then let’s go.”

And I walked into the field with Ceresria.