Chapter 25: Nicola's Dream
Nicola and I sat facing each other in the living room. Nicola seemed a bit hesitant to speak.
"So, what's the matter? Is it something you don't want others to hear?"
"Well... Leon, you're going to take the entrance exam for the Royal Academy, right?"
"I see you knew. Yeah, but... what about it?"
Is this conversation related to me going to the Royal Academy?
"Leon... could you teach me too? I overheard our moms saying that you're smart and will be taking the entrance exam for the Royal Academy..."
Huh? What does that mean? Does Nicola also want to go to the Royal Academy?
Actually, I've never shown off my intelligence in front of my mom... Maybe I haven't been hiding it well at all. I feel like they must think I became weird after hitting my head...
I'll lose if I keep worrying about it.
"Do you want to go to the Royal Academy too, Nicola?"
"Yeah... I told you I got the fire attribute in the magic aptitude test. My magic level was five. I was thinking of aiming to become a soldier, but when I heard that you're going to the Royal Academy, I thought maybe I could aim to become a knight."
"Why do you want to become a knight?"
"Why? Isn't it obvious? Knights are everyone's dream! Besides, the pay is incomparable to that of a soldier..."
"But I think it's tough to enter the nobility. And being a knight can be dangerous too."
Certainly, knights are cool, but they also come with risks, and entering the nobility is harder than I expected.
It's not something I should say as someone who's entering the nobility... But I need to maintain my connections with those in power unless I hide my status as an all-attribute mage for my whole life, considering that I need magic tools and an improved standard of living.
It's probably impossible to hide it for my whole life... It's impossible not to use something so convenient.
Nicola doesn't know any other way of life than the current one, so he wouldn't have a reason to want to improve his standard of living. Maybe it's still just a dream?
I think dreams alone can lead to giving up halfway.
Besides, Nicola probably doesn't have money, and it must be tough to live in the city center with no money.
It's okay for me to lend him money, but I don't really want to get involved in borrowing and lending money with friends...
"If you pass the Royal Academy, you'll have to live in the city center, and you'll also need to buy stationery and clothes for school. It costs a considerable amount of money, so you'll have to earn that money too. I think it's going to be tough. But if becoming a knight is what you truly want, I'll support you. So, what will you do?"
"Leon... Leon, do you have enough money and a place to live...?"
"I have money, and I already have a place to live. But I think it would be difficult to ask Nicola to come along. Living in a noble's mansion might not suit Nicola, right?"
When I said that with a wry smile, Nicola seemed quite surprised, mouth half-opened, frozen in place.
Yeah, it's impossible to commute from a noble's mansion, after all. Richard-sama forced it on me.
"Le-Leon, are you saying you'll live in a noble's mansion!?"
"Yeah, that's right. A noble I just met said it's fine for me to live in their mansion."
"Is that really okay!? Isn't it dangerous...?"
I can tell that Nicola is really worried. It's such a happiness to have a friend who worries about me this much.
"It's fine. The noble doesn't seem like a bad person, and they invited me to their mansion before, and it was okay."
"Well, if you say so... Leon, you're amazing. To get to know a noble and be allowed to live in their mansion..."
Seeing Nicola's sincerity, I feel a sense of guilt for hiding so many things... But I can't tell them.
"I think luck had a part in it too. So, what about you, Nicola? If you really want to go to the Royal Academy and become a knight, I can teach you."
"Well, after hearing Leon's story, I'm starting to have some doubts... It's certainly not easy with just admiration, and I realized that Leon is too amazing to be an example for me."
I'm not sure if I should be happy about that...
"If you think that way, why not aim to be a soldier? Among the commoners, soldiers have higher pay, and you can commute from home too."
"Yeah... Maybe I'll do that. Leon, thanks for listening to me! Thanks to you, I've made up my mind."
"It's not a big deal, so it's fine. Well, I'm going home now."
"Yeah, see you."
"Okay, bye."
I exchanged greetings with Nicola and went home.
"I'm back!"
"You finally came home!"
"Huh? Did something happen?"
As I entered the house, my father and mother were waiting for me. Was there something special about today?
"Can you teach me how to cook the dish our neighbor made today?"
Mother said with a smile that didn't allow any refusal. Ah, I see, Marie told her about the dish, and now she wants to eat it.
"It's fine to teach you the recipe, but right now?"
"Yes! Let's have it for dinner tonight."
Well, I just ate a little while ago...
But Mom is really motivated, and Dad next to her is quietly motivated too. Looks like we're having okonomiyaki for dinner.
Well, it's delicious, so it's fine.
"Then I'll teach you in the kitchen."
"Yes, let's go quickly. What ingredients do we need?"
While being bombarded with questions from my mom, I went to the kitchen and made okonomiyaki again, explaining as I went.
"I think you can create various flavors by changing the ingredients to mix. You should try experimenting with different things."
"That's right. This is rewarding. Jean, wouldn't it be good to serve this during lunchtime?"
"It's easy, and it can be made with common ingredients, so it might work. Adding vegetables or changing the meat could be good too."
"That's right! Let's try various things right away!"
"Yeah, by the way, have you decided on a name for this dish?"
"Yes! It's called okonomiyaki because you put in what you like and cook it."
"It's easy to understand, that's good. Then let's make it!"
Since Mom and Dad are so motivated, I evacuated from the kitchen. If I had stayed there, I would definitely have been forced to help all the time.
I decided to read a history textbook in the living room and went there. Marie wasn't there, so maybe she's resting upstairs.
The textbook seems to summarize the history of the past few decades.
This world was engaged in large-scale wars until a few decades ago, but about twenty years ago, the King of the Rasslashia Kingdom annexed all the countries that sought territorial expansion and made peace agreements with other countries, bringing peace to the world. However, now the Forest of Monsters has become a threat. This time, the various countries are joining forces to stop the invasion of the Forest of Monsters.
There are many details written, but summarizing it, that's what it says.
The Forest of Monsters... Wait, were there monsters in this world in the first place...?
And the fact that they're trying to stop the invasion of the Forest of Monsters means that the forest is spreading...? How fast is it spreading? Where is the Forest of Monsters located in the first place?
I don't have enough information, so I have no idea... I want to ask Mr. Frederick about it next time.
While feeling anxious, I closed the textbook and headed for the preparations for the evening business, unable to do anything for now.