I rise with the sun in the morning, eat breakfast, and then swing my wooden sword until my arms go numb. I'm really pushing the limits of this six year old body. Later, I train with the bow to hone my marksmanship and then read quietly in the study until lunch.
After lunch comes magic training until it gets too dark to read, with a break in the middle to eat dinner with the family. Fortunately, I figured out how to cast light magic, which has significantly extended the time I have to train at night. However, because my body is that of a child I become sleepy relatively fast and can't stay up too late.
My father almost never enters the study.
He can't read kanji at all. He delegates most of his duties as a lord to the village chief and village headman. When he has to sign documents in his capacity as lord, he does so in the dining room.
I mean, how would he even know if one of his retainers was embezzling?
Not that I particularly care. It has nothing to do with me.
"Now for intermediate magic." (Wendelin)
I only started magic training a week ago and I've already worked my way up to intermediate magic. However, out of an abundance of caution, I've decided to change my practice venue from the study to the forest. For one thing, intermediate spells are on a significantly larger scale and would likely cause some destruction in the study. I can't just cast a fire arrow indoors, after all. People hardly ever wander into the forest, so I figure that I can train there without being interrupted.
Also, if anyone asks what I'm up to I can just say that I went out to play, although it seems like my family doesn't really care what I do as long as I'm not in the way.
That is how I found myself standing at the entrance of the vast forested area located behind our house.
This forest is a so-called ordinary forest, meaning that monsters don't live here. Instead, it is inhabited by ordinary wildlife like rabbits and wild boars. These game animals are the primary source of protein for my family and the people within the lord's territory. The local forests also supply the territory with edible plants, nuts, and firewood.
They are an indispensable asset.
I should be safe so long as I do not wander too deep into the forest, and I doubt that anyone would be angry if I practice magic here (unless I start a forest fire or something). And if I screw up and something happens to me, at least it won't affect the mansion or my family.
Here, I can use magic freely.
"I should aim to master advanced magic." (Wendelin)
The manual says that I need to patiently train in intermediate magic for a month.
Luckily, the instructions are detailed and easy to follow, and the book provides a number of helpful suggestions on how I can tell whether or not I'm improving.
I attempt each of the intermediate spells one by one. After that I was tasked with applying the beginner magic I had already learned in innovative ways (i.e. casting an original magic spell that I thought up by myself).
After that I learned a magic-enhanced combat system, which expanded significantly upon the basic tenants that I had already learned.
"Ugh, it's impossible to use advanced magic here." (Wendelin)
I don't mean that I am not capable of it, but rather that there is no way I can conjure a huge tornado and blast a fireball in rapid succession in the precious forest behind our house, as it is the lifeblood of the people of the territory.
Besides, this body is that of a six year old. Who knows how much punishment it can take before I do permanent damage. So, instead of attempting anything too advanced, I decided to patiently work on my intermediate magic by improving my accuracy and mana control.
If I find a way to train in advanced magic without being discovered I'll probably do so, but for now there just isn't any way to do that.
For that reason, I decide to work on detection magic, an application of advanced wind magic that I can use without attracting attention.
"Maybe a range of about a kilometer?" (Wendelin)
Detection magic allows me to sense the presence of anyone and anything within a certain distance. The manual suggests that very few have the aptitude and ability to successfully master it.
I can use it, but my accuracy is far from perfect. True masters of detection magic can sense movement within a 10 kilometer radius.They also have pinpoint accuracy.
While less exceptional users may only be able to sense that there are living beings in the area without being able to discern any specifics, advanced users may be able to sense how many beings there are, and even the size and sort of beings they are (e.g. they can tell humans from monsters and monsters from animals).
What's even more amazing is that true masters can remember the unique signature of each human and monster that they have detected at least once before. They're basically human radar detectors that can identify anyone or anything that enters their range.
I've heard of a person that had such terrifying precision at detection.
So far, my training has only progressed to the point where my range is about a one kilometer radius from where I stand. I can, however, discern the size and number of the lifeforms that I detect, so I consider my progress to be quite a success.
A radarscope is the image that I hold in my mind as I cast. The location of the dot gives me the being's range, and the size of the dot corresponds to the being's size.
Because of my new ability I am now able to detect humans and wild animals such as rabbits, wild boars, and bears.
In the month I've lived in this world I have never seen the figure of a monster, which makes sense—no matter how laissez faire my family is they wouldn't let me wander around alone in this forest if it were such a dangerous place.
"I should work hard at my magic training." (Wendelin)
Detection magic really is convenient.
A wild boar or a bear would be a difficult opponent for a 6 year old child, even one that can use magic. However, with detection magic, I can explore the forest while avoiding danger.
Yesterday evening, my father, who had barely spoken to me since I was transported to this world, suddenly spoke to me at dinner.
"Wend, I heard recently that you've been exploring the forest." (Arthur)
"Yes." (Wendelin)
"There are many dangerous animals in the forest. Take care." (Arthur)
The permission was easily given and the noninterference policy still stands. Of course, if I, the eighth son, died by chance or accident it would not endanger the survival of the Baumeister House.
"And try to collect anything that seems edible in the forest. Also, pick up as much firewood as you can carry." (Arthur)
He has never asked me to help with the farm before, but even I, as a 6 year old, can still help the family in this small way.
So today I strap my wooden training sword onto my waist before setting out into the forest. I honestly think that carrying a wood sword is better than nothing, but maybe I'm just kidding myself.
I wish that my parents would give me a sword made from iron or bronze, but I obviously won't hold my breath given how poor this territory is. Besides, it's just a waste to give a child a real sword.
Next is a backpack to carry the firewood, a small bow and ten arrows that were used for training. The small arrows don't have proper arrowheads, but I've sharpened the tips to a point, so maybe I can take down a small bird if I'm lucky.
It was definitely better than nothing, even if it screams "escape before relying on me."
"I don't really expect to bag anything with this weapon." (Wendelin)
I produce a short arrow made of earth and shoot it via wind magic. This is a spell that I developed myself. It was a simple reproduction of a crossbow using magic, but since magic is pretty easy to manipulate, devising unique spells isn't a terribly hard task. However because magic depends heavily on the talent of the caster, I can't say for sure whether or not I can really do it.
Luckily, I succeeded in developing this spell. It has enough power that I could even defeat a bear with it if I hit it in a vital organ or something. Rapid-fire is also theoretically possible, but I'm still working on upping its rate of fire.
It was not particularly difficult to control since I had been diligently training with the bow.
As I wandered through the woods I stumbled upon a thicket of herbs.
"Let see… Was this wild plant edible?"
I grab a bit of the herb, figuring that I will ask Erich later. Besides the mystery herb, I've gathered edible mushrooms and wild strawberries using an illustrated book from the study as a reference. All that's left is to fill up my backpack with firewood.
The load gradually became heavier as I went, so I cast the wind spell, Lightweight, on my backpack to make it easier to carry. For good measure, I also enhanced my strength using water magic.
If I got tired, I cast recovery magic (a form of water magic) on my weary muscles.
I'm pretty sure that it works by removing the lactic acid in the muscles. Either way, after casting it I can actually feel my body lighten.
"I can now use all the magic in the book. I wonder if I should aim to serve the royal family in the future." (Wendelin)
Satisfied that I have trained enough I decided to call it a day. I set off for home with plenty of firewood and wild plants.I moved at a good clip on the way back thanks to my magic and I was approaching the exit when I suddenly saw a bird flash through my field of vision.
A couple of guinea fowl, which is a fat bird like a duck that can be found most places on the continent. Their meat is delicious and their feathers can be sold to artisans that use them to craft ornaments.
However, they're tough to catch. Despite their chubby appearance, they're sensitive to the presence of people and quick to flee. The best hunter in our territory might only catch one if he holed up in the forest for an entire day. And even then, only if he was lucky.
As a result, it's rare to see it on the menu. In fact, this month I only ate it once, and my portion was small. But hey, it was better than not getting any—call it the sorrow of the sad, small eighth son.
Even though that portion was small, it was so delicious that it still haunts my dreams. There was just so much flavor packed into it.
"Wait…"
If I can regularly succeed in hunting guinea fowl will my brown bread and salted vegetable soup be followed up by roasted fowl every day?
Our family may have a policy of noninterference, but surely bringing home a guinea fowl wouldn't go unnoticed.
I'm determined. Wait for me, meat!
In the month since I arrived in this world, I've enjoyed my special, secret magic training, but I need to be decisive about my own meals for the sake of my nutrition. As a Japanese man, I am still a bit picky about what I eat.
I feel like my motives are somewhat ignoble, but I don't care. I need to concentrate on hunting these guinea fowls. I need to get close enough to use this pathetic little bow, but if I make even a sound on approach the guinea fowl will bolt for sure.
"Then I'll use my new spell, Crossbow!" (Wendelin)
After five shots (and five misses), the guinea fowls were on the verge of escaping, but my aim improved with each shot, and in the end I managed to bag two of the wily birds.
"I'm back." (Wendelin)
"Oh, Wend. Does the firewood… wait, did you catch a guinea fowl!?" (Arthur)
At dinner, the two birds were lined up magnificently on the table and I, as the contributor, was given a healthy portion of the delicious roasted fowl that I had been craving for long.
And I was praised for the first time by my entire family.