LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Nobles
Chapter 101: Nobles
“Bonus-sama, could you take me to your base?”
“Laura-sama, that’s quite…”
“Eh…”
“But, but, there’s Kohaku-chan, and I’m sure there are snacks other than chocolate with sugar? And everyone from the Bonus Company always seems to be having so much fun… Besides, the Hell’s Cauldron, magically speaking, is one of the most unique regions in the world, so I’ve been curious about it for a while!”
With an excited and hopeful expression, she leans forward, pleading.
Hmm, it’s hard to refuse…
Honestly, it seems like it could be quite troublesome, so I’d prefer to refrain for now.
But… the mention of a magically unique region is intriguing.
“Umm, we often have to run away from Kidanakemo, and it’s quite dangerous… By the way, what do you mean by magically unique?”
“It means a land where magic is born. I, too, am a magician to some extent, and although I was quite talented at the Royal Capital’s school, it’s frustrating that our magic’s roots are in our territory, yet we can’t go there. It’s… vexing, isn’t it?”
Every time Laura casually speaks, more and more intriguing words come out.
Although I thought I had become somewhat accustomed to this world, there are still aspects of magic that I’ve never encountered.
This is quite intriguing…
However, now is not the time to delve into such matters.
Hajiramu has been furrowing his brow in consternation for some time now, looking thoroughly troubled.
“Laura-sama… wouldn’t it be better to finish the reconstruction first?”
“Ah… I’m sorry. Please forget what I just said, Bonus-san. Of course, I won’t disclose your secret. I-I’m terribly sorry for being so selfish. Oh, that’s why I’ll end up being sent back… Ohhh…”
“Well, it would be appreciated if we could have such conversations leisurely after the reconstruction is finished.”
“Thank you for your consideration. However, I intend to accompany you on this expedition. During the journey, we might have the opportunity to chat, don’t you think?”
“Laura-sama… is that…?”
As if it were a matter of course, Laura intends to participate in the expedition.
Hajiramu looks utterly exasperated, staring up at the ceiling.
“Hajiramu-sama, it’s all right! There’s no problem with the duties of the lord. I haven’t wasted my time so far. I’ve been preemptively handling matters that seem to require the lord’s approval, and there’s no work that can’t proceed without me! Despite appearances, I’m much better at office work than my father!”
Laura seems to panic and rushes to explain.
She unexpectedly speaks quite fluently at times like these.
There’s even a strange forcefulness to it.
“And as a combat force, I’m useful! Yes, very much so! Despite appearances, I’m good at magic!”
“So Laura can use magic.”
“That’s right, Shiro-san! Do you want to see? Um… let’s see…”
Laura widens her eyes and stares intently into the courtyard through her glasses—
In an instant, her golden eyes gleam, and a whirlwind arises at her gaze, followed by a roaring pillar of fire about a meter in diameter, soaring into the sky with a thunderous noise.
“See! See?”
No… see? No, right?
What’s this young lady doing all of a sudden?
It lasted only about three seconds.
It was so sudden that it’s hard to grasp.
On the other side of the courtyard, the door to the office opens, and a male staff member, with his hand still on the doorknob, peeks out, looking around anxiously.
There’s no trace of the surreal scene that just unfolded before my eyes.
The staff member nods slightly and bows his head as Laura waves her hand, then quickly retreats.
As I watch this somewhat anticlimactic scene, I slowly digest what I just saw.
Ah, so this is magic…
There certainly are similarities to Pink’s attacks.
I can understand why everyone mistook me for a magician when I fought the Black Wolf.
Handling it on an individual level, it’s too sudden and irrational a power. I usually live surrounded by absurd companions and enemies in Hell’s Cauldron. Thanks to that, I don’t feel much fear. In fact, my interest often takes precedence. But… what about normal people? When faced with such power, they might not even think we’re the same as them. I’m starting to understand why people around here fear and avoid nobles so much. But, the same might be said for nobles themselves. Can they really perceive those who cannot use magic as fellow companions? The ability to use magic means sensing and interfering with something we can’t comprehend. Not everyone perceives what we consider commonplace in the same way. It’s safe to say they see a different world. Perhaps the notion of nobility in this world is slightly different from what I imagined…
Leaving aside the social structure of this world for now, nobles and magic users are dangerous, plain and simple. In reality, there wouldn’t even be a fight between a magician and an ordinary person. They can cause such phenomena almost effortlessly. There’s no way to resist being instantly incinerated just by entering their field of view. At least they could make it seem like they’re casting a spell or something…
“Laura, that’s amazing.”
“Guwaaah!”
Kuro and Shiro don’t seem particularly afraid, innocently enjoying the magic.
Well, if it’s these two, they could probably fight against magicians as if it were normal…
“L-Laura-sama, please don’t use magic in a place like this…”
“Ah, I’m sorry… But, Bonus-san, were you surprised? How about it!? This could definitely be a military asset, right!?”
“Well… I was quite surprised.”
I was actually quite surprised. Certainly, as she said, it would undoubtedly be a military asset. However, I’m not the one to make such judgments…
As I organize my thoughts and try to calm down, Shiro looks puzzled, her gaze alternating between my pocket and my face. As someone accustomed to Pink, Shiro may not understand why I’m so surprised now. Indeed, compared to the blindingly powerful beams of light that Pink emits, the pillar of fire from earlier was quite modest. However, it’s strange that she suddenly conjured up a pillar of fire in the flow of casual conversation. Moreover, until now, I had never even been conscious of magic. It’s no wonder I’m surprised… But surprisingly, I seem to be the only one surprised here. Hajiramu, and even Menas, don’t seem particularly astonished. The guards just look troubled. Is this what nobles are like, completely accustomed to this?
“Laura-sama, I understand the military strength of the nobles. However, with expeditions, there’s always the chance of something going wrong…”
“It’s okay! As I mentioned earlier, even if something were to happen, I have no political value left in my life. Of course, Father would be saddened, but I’m not an unmarried young lady in her teens. Unfortunately… I’m a woman in her thirties… ”
“To me, Laura-sama still looks lovely and beautiful.”
“T-Thank you very much, Menas-sama. Well… that’s why in cases like this, the most effective way for me to contribute to Savoia is to work as a military asset. I can deal with difficult decisions on the spot.”
“I seem to lack a bit of common sense, so I don’t intend to intervene in this matter. But Laura, expeditions seem… quite smelly. There’s no toilet, and… I don’t know when we’ll be able to wash ourselves.”
“Ugh… T-That’s… it’s okay! I-I won’t be afraid if everyone smells bad together!”
Laura hesitates for a moment but quickly recovers. Perhaps her will is unexpectedly strong.
“Laura-sama, I understand. Personally, I cannot fully agree, but it does make sense, and ultimately, you have the decision-making power. However… in that respect, you resemble Saverio-sama.”
“M-My father!? I-I’m not that selfish!? … Probably.”
It seems best to avoid getting too involved with Laura’s father…
Hajiramu seems to have been forcibly dragged out of retirement, and Marie also seems to have been taken to the capital almost immediately after the battle with the Black Wolves, without any rest.
Their treatment seems quite rough.
Considering the future, it might be safer to establish a solid relationship with Laura while the lord is absent.
“Well then, everyone, shall we gather at the East Gate six days from now in the morning? Of course, if anything comes up before then, feel free to come to me for consultation at any time. Bonus-sama already has it, but I’ll also give Menas-sama a wooden badge that allows entry and exit to the city and access to the lord’s mansion. Let’s make it valid for… six months. In addition to the final reward, please feel free to use it for the Menas Trading Company as a token of gratitude for cooperating this time.”
“Thank you very much. But, for a mere merchant like me to receive such a valuable…”
“No, it’s very important to establish connections with a person of excellent character and proven track record like yourself. Savoia lacks significant industry, and there are almost no trading companies that operate across territories. Thanks to that, when something like this happens, neighboring trading companies take advantage of us… That’s why meeting Menas-sama is truly valuable to me.”
“Well, Menas is undoubtedly reliable. I can’t help but admire her.”
“Bonus-san, you’re as dramatic as ever…”
Menas shows an unusually embarrassed smile.
Actually, Laura probably sees her relationship with Menas as significant. Menas is about a decade older than Laura. Both in work and in other aspects, she’s undoubtedly reliable. Considering Menas’ position in the Tamir Empire, it might be a little worrying to get close to Savoia’s nobility, but she’s a wise woman, and she’s surely factoring that in.
“Bonus-sama, Menas-sama, thank you very much for your cooperation. I-I may not be of much help, but if anything happens in the future, Laura Savoia will be your support. You can mention my name if you need to.”
“Yes, let’s continue to work together in the future!”
“Thank you, please take care of me!”
Afterwards, they confirmed contact methods and such, then dispersed.
In the end, as Marie said, we ended up having the people of the lord’s house as our backers…
Laura seems to have various problems as a noble, but personally, I don’t dislike her. Of course, our relationship isn’t that long-standing, so there are still some aspects I don’t quite grasp, but fundamentally, she seems like a sincere person. She could likely provide various insights from a noble’s perspective on magic and this world. Depending on how the next expedition goes, it was a good meeting for now.
But there’s still a lot to do… It’s troubling to think about what to do with the stalls, and there’s also the matter of explaining things to the villagers. We need to prepare provisions for the expedition and arrange weapons, tools, and building materials. It seems like a hassle, but it could be interesting if done right. Let’s save the discussion with the villagers for later and first think about the stalls.