Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

"And you—what qualifies you to teach me magic?" Eris's sharp gaze swept past Rudeus and landed on Roy, who clearly led the group.

Roy paused for a moment, considering his response. Then, he said calmly, "How about my mastery of water magic at the Saint class?"

A hush fell over the room. Philip and the others were struck silent. Philip, in particular, seemed visibly shaken, his hand trembling slightly as he held his teacup.

"This level of proficiency at such a young age... Paul, you've truly raised an extraordinary son." He muttered, taking another careful look at the boy.

In truth, Roy's claim of being a Saint-Class Water Magician was modest. If one accounted for his mastery of Magic Sword, a King-Class spell, he could easily refer to himself as a King-Class Magician. Moreover, his expertise placed him among the upper echelons of King-Class Magician. Magic Sword's unique properties only heightened his abilities further.

Still, merely stating Saint-Class was enough to command respect in this room.

While it was true that in this world, swordsmen generally outmatched magicians in one-on-one combat, context mattered.

When it came to individual prowess, swordsmen undeniably reigned supreme. But when assessing potential threats, magicians held the top position.

A powerful magician, capable of casting high-tier spells, might require extensive preparation and meet specific conditions. However, the results were undeniable—magic could destroyed mountains and reshape the land.

For a nation, having a skilled magician was akin to possessing a nuclear deterrent: a force not for direct confrontation, but for keeping adversaries in check.

Yet, as the others marveled at Roy's abilities, Eris remained unimpressed. She had little understanding of even the most basic concepts of magic.

Her interest lay solely in swordsmanship. If she tolerated magic at all, it was because she found the ability to summon elements like wind, fire, and water out of thin air amusing, almost like watching a magic trick.

"It doesn't matter." Eris said dismissively. "Ghislaine is a Sword King. Are you stronger than her?"

Roy fell into contemplation. A typical Saint-Class Magician would indeed be swiftly defeated by someone like Ghislaine. Even if Rudeus eventually reached the King-Class Magician, his chances against her would be slim.

But what about himself? How much of a chance would he have in such a fight?

Roy wasn't sure. He refrained from making any arrogant claims about Ghislaine being an inferior opponent.

Still, comparing the two was meaningless—they were entirely different disciplines.

Eris's argument bordered on unreasonable.

Even so, Roy didn't seem bothered. He shook his head and admitted, "I'm not stronger than Ghislaine."

Perhaps after mastering skills from his Fool self, his swordsmanship might reach new heights.

However, acknowledging Ghislaine's superiority didn't mean he'd concede to Eris.

Roy's golden eyes fixed coldly on the girl, his voice steady and detached. "Ghislaine is Ghislaine, and you are you. While I may not surpass her, teaching you is well within my capabilities."

His gaze carried a faint but palpable pressure, devoid of emotion, radiating from his presence. It was enough to make Eris instinctively avert her eyes, unable to meet his stare directly.

Yet, realizing her moment of weakness, Eris grew angry—furious at herself for yielding. She snapped her head back up, locking eyes with Roy.

Their stares clashed.

Roy didn't look away, his steady gaze meeting hers unwaveringly.

Sensing the slightly heavy atmosphere in the room, Philip spoke up at just the right moment. "Well, Roy's Saint-Class water magic prowess at such a young age is more than enough to teach my daughter, who isn't even an apprentice-level magician. Now then, Rudeus, what are your strengths?"

Philip's words lightened the mood a little. Roy stopped staring at Eris, having noticed that she was the kind of person with a strong sense of pride. If he humiliated her too much now, it would only make his role as her tutor more difficult in the future.

Roy had no interest in stirring up unnecessary trouble.

Rudeus took a moment to think before answering. "I'd say I have a natural talent for arithmetic."

That was his reply, but he failed to address the bigger picture.

Roy sighed softly, stepping in to help Rudeus out. "I'll only be teaching Eris for a short period. In fact, I can only stay here for two years. After that, Rudeus will take over for the remaining three years."

Philip fell silent, his expression unreadable.

Roy observed him carefully before continuing, "Actually, Rudeus is also a Saint-Class Magician in water magic. His talent and abilities are unquestionable. If I weren't here, he would undoubtedly be the one taking on the role of Eris's all-subject tutor."

"Is that so?" Philip murmured, falling into thought.

For the first time, he gave the two boys a serious evaluation.

Rudeus looked no older than five or six, while Roy was clearly closer to eleven. In terms of accomplishments, Rudeus's achievements seemed to surpass Roy's by quite a margin.

However, something about the dynamics between the two stood out. Roy appeared to be the one leading the conversation, while Rudeus seemed to instinctively position himself in Roy's shadow, as though seeking his support.

Philip turned his gaze fully to Roy, this time assessing him not just superficially, but with a sharper, more discerning eye.

As someone who had dabbled in swordsmanship in his youth, albeit only enough to understand its basics, Philip recognized the subtle yet undeniable aura of a trained swordsman emanating from Roy.

Even though Roy wasn't intentionally projecting it, there was an innate sharpness to him—an understated yet commanding presence, like a blade kept sheathed for years, waiting for the right moment to strike.

In truth, that wasn't far from reality. Roy was waiting—for his full potential to awaken.

After a moment of contemplation, Philip finally spoke. "Very well, let's give this a try. What do you think, Eris?"

Eris's displeasure was immediate. "You expect me to learn from these kids? And besides, isn't arithmetic something I can just skip?"

Rudeus stepped forward, his tone polite but firm. "Arithmetic is actually quite important."

His words were met with a fiery glare from Eris. Her hair bristled as she stomped toward him, shouting, "I said it's not important!"

"Uh…" Rudeus instinctively tried to step back, but Roy's voice echoed in his mind.

[You really need to work on that timid attitude of yours.]

Steeling himself, Rudeus held his ground and said, "Actually, arithmetic is very important."

Eris marched straight up to him, her eyes flashing with anger. "Oh? So you're arguing with me now?"

Without waiting for a reply, she raised her hand, ready to slap him across the face.

Roy, watching from the side, had no intention of letting his younger brother take the hit. With a swift motion, he grabbed Rudeus by the collar and tossed him back out of Eris's reach.

His expression darkened as he turned to Eris. "Rudeus is your teacher. What kind of attitude is this?"

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

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