Three days on the road.
　Xellos was thrilled by the view of the city from the window of his carriage.
　After a week of wandering in the forest, he ran into a bandit on the road.
　The only human contact he had was with Creston, Celestina, and his two knights.
　You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier.

"That's... the city of Santor?　Is that the city of Santor? It's bigger than I expected?
"Yes, it's the largest city in my territory and a major transportation hub for merchants. It's the largest city in our territory and a major transportation hub for merchants. The only other city of this size would be the Royal Capital.
"There's also a big river?　There's also a big river?
It takes about two weeks to reach King's Landing down the Great River of Aulus. It's faster than the land route, but it's not so different from the sea trip because it depends on the wind.

　The city of Santor was carved out of a mountainous area with a great river flowing right beside it, and it had prospered as an important trade center since ancient times.
　At the same time, it is a natural fortress and is said to be an impregnable fortress city.

　In spite of many wars, the city never fell, and on the contrary, it shed the blood of many enemies, which is why it is sometimes referred to as "the bloody city" in a derogatory manner.
　You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier.
　In addition, all kings who have made the decision to invade the city have been called incompetent, and despite the many sacrifices they have made, they have been defeated and fled, so much so that there is a saying: "A fearful king will not invade Santor.

　However, the inhabitants of Santor are known as the safest city in the world due to its security policy that guarantees their safety at all times.
　The city of Santor has both fame and infamy.

There is a gate at the foot of this mountain that leads to the villa where I live.
You're retired, aren't you?　You're not going to meet the current Duke, are you?
What?　What? A mage of your stature would stoop to the level of a duke?
To be honest, I don't think I want to meet him. I don't want to be the one to catch his eye.
You really don't like powerful people, do you? In fact, I'd say you despise them.
"It's natural to fulfill one's duties, but those who use their power to force others to do what they want are the enemy. If you don't expose yourself and try to force your way into things, I will rebel.
"My son is like that. I see. ...... It's best if we don't meet. If you don't, this city will fall.

　I don't want to make a foolish choice when I don't know what the Zeros are capable of.
　She is my granddaughter's teacher above all else. It was not a good idea to put unnecessary shackles on her and let her escape.
　As long as Xelloss was there, Celestina would smile at him, and there was nothing more an old man in retirement could ask for.
　It was all for the sake of his adorable grandson.

All right, ......, hold your fire a little longer, .......

　Celestina, who was training in magic manipulation, was seriously manipulating the magic of the Torch.
　It's a good idea to keep the fire low and keep it going, or make the fire bigger on purpose and control it, just for fun.
　Now that she could do things she couldn't do before, she was immersed in her magic training as if the shackles were off.
　The expression on her face, as if she was trying to make up for all the time she had lost, was very serious, and yet she seemed to be enjoying it.

You promised to give me a piece of land, right? You said you wanted a quiet place...
I'm going to be experimenting with magic, and I want to be self-sufficient, so the bigger the better. It should be far enough away from the city that you can get there and back, but not so far that you're being selfish. ......
I'd like to be able to get back and forth from the city, but I'm not that selfish.　I'm sure you'll be fine with that.

　I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it.
　I don't think it's right for a person to be a rootless weed, but I want to have enough land to at least have a normal family.

I have a lot of magic stones, where should I sell them?　I accidentally stepped into a goblin settlement and was forced to exterminate them. ......
I'm sure you ...... didn't get lost in the Great Dark Green Zone of Furan, did you?
There were so many orcs that they filled the forest. I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you. Ha-ha-ha.
I can't believe you made it back alive from that magical place. ....... Obviously, you're on a different level than the people in this country. .... I can't even tell you what I'm thinking.

　The great deep green area that stretches along the Fafran road.
　It's the worst of all worlds, where numerous demons inhabit and live in the order of the weak and the strong.
　It was a dangerous area where one could never return alive.

It would be better to sell the demon stones to a specialist store I know, but how much do you have?
"What?　It would be foolish to count them.　It must have been over a hundred.
A fortune?　You can't get magic stones from the goblins around here.

　You can only get demon stones from demons in places with high levels of natural magic power.
　Or it can come from the body of a powerful demon, but it will be very difficult to defeat that demon.
　In any case, demons that produce magic stones are usually strong, and the range of strength of the same goblin varies depending on whether it has magic stones or not.
　The hobgoblins of this area are equal to the goblins of the Dark Green Zone, so there is an extreme difference in strength.
　The ability of Xellos to destroy such a demon village would be terrifying. 　

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that will help you.
I'm not sure. I'm sure they'll want more than you can imagine.
In that case, the magic stones of the wyverns can be purchased at .......
"You can live happily for a while.　You can live for a while. I'm sure the royals will want it.


You'd be better off using ...... yourself.
You're a man of many talents. Do you make magic tools?
Only occasionally. I don't have the equipment at the moment, so I thought I'd try making some while I'm working in the fields.

　The Great Sage's profession was not a fluke.

　The question was whether it was possible to make them in this world, but the items he had made in the past had been recorded in his mind as recipes for making them.
　In addition, there was no need to worry about getting burned since he would be manipulating the metal on the magic circle.
　The method of magical alchemy is imprinted in his memory, and he thinks he can probably make it.
　This is a nuisance to the honest craftsman.

"...... You shouldn't sell your creations too much. Other craftsmen may hang themselves. ......
"You ...... are a man of many talents, but you are a nuisance.

　The Great Sage was a nuisance to the craftsmen.
　In any case, he continued to create as his hobby and interest dictated, and did some pretty insane things on the Internet.
　If this were possible in reality, the effect on this world would be immeasurable.
　He wanted to live a peaceful life, but he couldn't bring himself to create such a powerful tool.

　The carriage finally entered the city of Santor.
　He was briefly checked at the gate of the city, but the carriage itself was engraved with the family crest of the lord of the city, and he was able to pass through without any problems.

It's amazing ...... how often a city is surrounded by gates, but this is on a different scale.
It's a very important place where a lot of people come and go, so it has to be heavily guarded.　The people must be protected by the nobility.
I don't know how many nobles would agree with me. ....... There are some people who sleep with other people's wives under the guise of a wedding night tax. ......
We have one in our country. It's a shame, because he is one of the foremost court mages, the highest level of mages, .......
"Scum. Why doesn't the government punish him?　Why doesn't the state just execute him? The people are the state, and the people can live without royalty and nobility.
"Because you were good, but now that I know you, I don't think so. You're just a petty snob.

　When he was looking for a good mage to tutor Celestina, the first mage came to him and asked for a lot of money, but the mage he introduced gave up halfway and she couldn't use magic after all.
　However, the mage she was introduced to spurned her and she was unable to use magic.
　Moreover, this mage was far too capable, and he was not looking for power.
　It would be wrong to compare the two, but there was too much of a difference in integrity between a snob who claimed to be aiming high but was obsessed with power, and a mage who laughed at the idea that he didn't even need power to reach high.

"Will Tina ever reach the heights of ......?
It will depend on hard work and talent. In the end, it's up to you to keep your passion alive until you die.
That's true. But hard work never goes to waste, does it?
Of course. At the very least, you'll be far better than those mages who give you those incomplete instruction manuals.

　While thinking about Celestina's future, Creston's carriage carrying Xellos and the others was going through the city.

　The streets were lined with buildings made entirely of brick and stucco, and the people who passed through the streets were hard at work going about their daily lives.
　Occasionally, we passed merchants' carriages, and some of them were armed with weapons like mercenaries.
　It was a large city, but for some reason the carriage was going into the forest.

Why is there a forest in the middle of a city?
"There is a steep rocky mountain ahead. It's surrounded by a forest, and ...... my villa is in the center of it.
"What a ...... natural fortress. It is surrounded by a double wall, blocked in the rear by a rocky hill, and in front of it by a great river, the steps of which are too high to attack. What about the cargo of the merchants who came by ship?
We use pulleys to pull them up, but the rest is carried up the designated passageway. Merchants are an important source of money in this land.
If we raise taxes too high, there will be a backlash.
As long as they don't get greedy, they'll be fine. He knows what he's doing.

　There are many noblemen who think taxes are their money.
　Many of the nobles believe that taxes are their money. Some of them are close friends of merchants.
　The Grand Duke of Solistair seems to be running his estate in a sound manner.

The problem is that my son is too powerful for his own good. The problem is that my son doesn't like to be in power. He can be a bit overzealous. ......
"There are some men who are good at what they do, but they have their quirks," he said.
I have no idea how many grandchildren I have, to be honest. I've got about fifty that I know of, so that's a bit of a problem.
You're going to see blood in the wars. ....... You should have a will and a successor in place, you know?　You don't want to get into trouble later.
"I don't know who she is but she comes to me from time to time asking for money. I don't know who she is, but I'm glad I don't have any proof, so I can send her away right away.

　The current Duke was a clever man in another way.
　He raised his guard inwardly, knowing that he would have to stay out of the fray.

I think we're getting somewhere.
"Oh, ......, the medieval architecture. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be staying in a nobleman's mansion.

　Claston's villa was like a small, unadorned castle.
　There were balconies here and there, but no carvings or gilding.
　After passing through a bridge over a moat to prevent foreign invaders, I went through the gate and found myself in a different world.
　It was like an old castle in the forest, and I could feel the calm atmosphere appropriate to this place.

"Over there is a garden ......, or is it a field?
We are self-sufficient in most of our vegetables. We buy our meat from outside, but we raise our poultry elsewhere.


That's good. A fancy meal is a waste of money. I wish the greedy people would learn from you.
The life of a nobleman doesn't come with much money. The life of a nobleman doesn't bring in much money. It takes a lot of work to build up a territory, and it's enough to make it look like one.
I'd like to show this to the people who say 'money is easy to raise'.

　The castle is not very large for a duke's house, and most of it is gardens and fields.
　It was a spirit that Xelloss really liked.
　There was a certain grace in not being bound to power until death.

"Tina, are we there?
"What?　Already?　I still have some magic left.
You'll have to carry your own luggage.　The servants are busy with their work.
All right, sir. Grandfather.

　He's a bit more disciplined than I thought.
　But it makes me smile to think that this is the Grand Duke.

I'll have your room prepared. We'll have to talk about tomorrow.
A private tutor?　Well, I'll teach her as much as I can, but it's up to her to come with me.
That's all right. I don't want to tie you down, and I don't want to antagonize you.
I'd prefer not to.

　I'm not going to tie you down and I'm not going to fight you.
　Such a mage does not want power in order to live freely.
　He does not want to impose his power on the enemy, and he does not want to be immersed in the enemy's country.
　Creston himself wants to have easy friendships, and for that reason, talk of power has become a taboo that must be avoided.

Speaking of which, you don't have a cane, do you?
I don't need a wand, because this ring is my activation medium. I can use a sword with it.
The ring. ....... So the ring is made of mithril?
No, it's a gallstone from Metalgrados. It's harder than mithril and has the properties of metal, so it's easy to process. Above all, its magic conductivity is terribly high.
　Well, the mithril in that demon's gall bladder has been transformed, so I guess mithril is fine.

　Metal Glados.
　Metal glados are metal-eating demons that live in volcanic regions and are famous for the various metals that can be harvested from their bodies.
　The ores it eats are transformed into scales, so it is targeted as a good resource, but it is so dangerous, and because it is a dragon species, it is so strong and sturdy that attacking it with weapons is not very effective.
　Furthermore, it is a belligerent monster that will fight for its territory and will mercilessly eliminate any intruder.
　It was far more terrifying than the wyverns.

I'm afraid to ask what drove you to that point. It's so bleak, I can see why you would want to live in peace.
You're right, you know.　I've spent too much time in battle, to be honest. In a way, wanting to live a quiet life is as high as an ambitious person's desire to rule a continent.
"It's sad that it makes sense. I guess I'm just tired of living too fast. ......

　I was strangely convinced.
　As for Xelloss, he just went on a rampage in the game, but if you want to talk to the inhabitants of this world, it's better to use the digital world as a starting point.
　However, as far as he could recall, the story of the battle was too bleak.
　Perhaps because of this, Xellos was perceived as a mage who was tired of fighting.
　I don't know what will happen if I say I defeated the evil god.

I'm not sure what to say.　I was wondering why you were so light.
I can use space-time magic, so I put my stuff in another space.
That's convenient. I've only heard of space-time magic in legends. ......
Well, it's just for storing stuff. It's handy for traveling, but it's not very efficient.
Don't you ever recreate them?
It's an old spell with a different formula that's impossible to decipher. I'm planning to spend the rest of my life studying this magic.
"Ancient magic, ......, that's quite a life you've led, finding something like that.

　I'm talking about the eventory, of course, but I honestly have no idea why this system is working.
　That's why I was able to convince him by saying it was ancient magic.

"Can this magic be duplicated?
"Unfortunately, it's a very dense formula, so we can't touch it, and the letters in the formula are different, so we can't decipher it.
　In addition, it seems to have some kind of protective function and once it is engraved in the Idea, it cannot be duplicated.
Where the hell did you find it?
The ground caved in while I was fighting in a battlefield somewhere, and I found it in a small room while wandering around fighting demons. After that, I risked my life to escape and found myself walking alone in the mountains.
　After that, I was bedridden for a week due to exhaustion, and when I came to my senses, I was on my way to another battlefield in my companion's carriage.
I shouldn't have asked. I wish I hadn't asked. How harsh a world have you lived in? ......

　You're talking out of your ass.
　I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.
　On the contrary, Celestina's eyes were shining and she was looking at him with respect.


　The innocent gaze pierced me severely.
　This is a good example of how the different sensibilities of listeners can lead to different perceptions.

　After that, we went into the house with a brief explanation of magic letters, the basis of magic.

　When we entered the entrance hall, we were greeted with a high ceiling and an elegant chandelier hanging from it.
　There were a few paintings hanging on the walls, and the flowers in a vase, which were displayed in an apologetic manner, showed the heart and soul of the owner of this house.
　I suppose there was no need for unnecessary furnishings.
　There was an artistic dignity to it that matched the castle's location in the forest.

We'll leave you to your servants to show you your rooms.
"Thank you for your help.
"Well, I suppose that's what you get for saving my life, isn't it?　Feel free to make yourselves at home.
I'll take your word for it. I haven't eaten or slept under a roof for some time, and I'm almost afraid I'm being treated too well.
You must have had a really hard time. ....... ・・・・・・

　I don't know why she cried.

I'll get you a change of clothes. I'll show you to your bedroom first, okay?
"I'd appreciate a stable with a roof over my head. It's been a long time since I've had a good night's sleep.
・・・・・・ You've been through a lot, haven't you?　What is it that drives you to such hardship? ......
What?　It's not uncommon to find yourself surrounded by demons. I've never even thought about it.
It's really a difficult life. ....... It's too much of a test for God.
I think God is the enemy, so it must be d*mnation.

　In fact, he's my enemy because he's the reason I'm going to die.

So, if you'll excuse me, I have to go.　I may be retired, but I still have work to do.
Yes, thank you, sir.
Sir. You'll take good care of me, won't you?
Yes, sir. I'll teach you what I know about the basics. It's up to you to make the most of it.
I'll make sure you do!　You're the luckiest person I've ever met.
Take your time. It won't work if you rush it.
"Yes!

　Celestina waved her hand cheerfully and left the place.
　The remaining Xellos is at a loss.

(What am I supposed to do after ...... this?

　The old man could only stare blankly around.
　The old man could do nothing but stare blankly around. Xelloss felt uneasy, as if he had come to the wrong place.
　He was a novice.

Mr. Xelloss, I've come for you. This way, please.
What?　I'm sorry for the ...... inconvenience.

　The nice middle-aged butler appeared and invited him to follow him.
　He took a left from the entrance floor and was led to the room on the far left at the top of the stairs.
　When he opened the door and entered, he found that the room was a little small but had enough space to accommodate a guest.
　The best thing about the room was the bed.　The feeling of the bed was much more comfortable than when I was staying in the field.
　And the view from the room is good, which seems to make this room special.

It's a nice room. The view from the window is really peaceful and beautiful. ......
"Thank you very much. This room has the best view in the villa, so we only rent it to special guests.
Special?　Me?
Yes, you not only solved the young lady's problem, you also saved the Grand Master's life. It's only natural for you to be treated this way.
You've already been treated like royalty!　I just beat up a bandit!

　The treatment was so good that Xellos could only shrink back.

What are you talking about? You're a rare mage, and you've earned the highest honor.　On the other hand, it would be a disservice to our dukedom if we returned such a person without entertaining him.
I have a feeling this is going to be very important. ......
This is a trivial matter. You've done more than that.

　All Xellos has done is fight off bandits and improve his magic formula.
　He had never expected to be treated so well for doing just that.
　However, if you look at it from the perspective of the people involved, it's a different story.

　From Creston's point of view, not only did he save his own life, but also that of his beloved granddaughter, and the problem was solved.
　In addition, his granddaughter raised her level, and he even offered to tutor her.
　And it's all from the Great Sage, the pinnacle of mages.


　They think this treatment is too easy.

　It was born from an ancestral language with completely different values.

I feel like I'm in big trouble. I'm just a tutor, you know.　I'm .......
I've heard that you're a great sage who's traveled extensively, so this is unprofitable.
I'm just a fool who got lost in his hobby!　You can't be afraid of that much.

　Again, Xelloss had made a big mistake.
　A magic formula constructed with magic letters is an unknown realm that no one has yet been able to decipher.
　It was impossible for today's mages to understand them and optimize the existing formulas.
　Their research was limited to incorporating magic letters into existing formulas and determining whether or not they would work.
　In such a world, there is no way that the world would miss a mage who understands the meaning of magic letters, incorporates the laws of physics, and not only further strengthens them, but also uses his own original magic.
　However, it was because they disliked such power struggles that they offered their hospitality as modestly as possible.
　They don't seem to know that there is a huge gap between the common people and the nobility in their hospitality. .......

　At any rate, Xellos's freedom was promised, but he was not familiar enough with the powers that be to realize it.

"And this is a change of clothes. I apologize for our servants' clothing, but please bear with us.
"No, ......, thank you again for your kindness.
"Dinner is about to begin at ........ I think you'd better take a bath.
"Take a bath?　Do you have a bath?
Yes, of course. It seems that your body is a little dirty, and I think you should take a bath to cleanse yourself.
That's right. Since I could only wash my body in the river three days ago, it is only natural that I should take a bath to remove the dirt. Can I take a bath right away?
Do you know the etiquette of soaking in a bathtub?
"Yes, I know.　It's common sense to wash your body before taking a bath.

　Baths were considered a luxury for the aristocracy, and ordinary citizens usually went to public saunas to sweat it out and take a water bath.
　If he knew the etiquette for taking a bath, he was considered to be in a position of wealth.
　At this point, Xellos was considered to be born wealthy enough to take a bath.

Let me show you around.

　The butler took him to a secluded place on the first floor.
　The corridor was covered with soft rugs, apparently for the use of the owner of the house.
　Dazzled by the occasional paintings, Xellos arrived at the bathhouse.

This is the bathhouse. Please relax and soak away the fatigue of your journey.
"Thank you.

　Happily heading to the changing room, Xellos removed his gear and stored it in the eventory, then entered the bathhouse with a towel.
　The bathhouse was decorated with elegant sculptures and a few plants, making him feel like he was at a hot spring somewhere.
　However, there was already a guest there.

"Oh, ・・・・・・.
What?

　Celestina was about to get out of the bathtub when a naked man came upon her.

"・・・・・・・・・・・・

　For a moment, there was a long silence, and then ......

I'm not sure what to say.
"Why, why, why, why, why, why?

　Naturally, there were shouts and screams from both sides.

　.
　.
　.

"Mr. Dandyce?　What are you doing here?

　The butler was suddenly approached by a lady but when he turned around, he saw Celestina's lady butler looking at him with a puzzled look.

I'm sorry, sir.　I've just escorted your guests to the baths, sir.
"Yes... ----------- What?

　I've just shown your guests to the bathhouse.

Did I do something wrong?
The baths are currently being used by Master Celestina. ......
What?　No way. ......

　At that moment, you can hear a girl's scream and an old man's shout echoing from the bathhouse.

"・・・・・・・・・・

　A little carelessness has created an awkward relationship.
　They run into the bathroom, but both of them are naked, so they can't get in either.

　After that, Dandyce and she did their best to calm down Celestina, who continued to cry.
　They also had to convince the grandfather of the grandchild idiot. ......

　Xellos later said with a sigh that dinner that night tasted of nothing.