Chapter 25: If There's a Sinking Stream
"Oh... that was amazing!"
I turned around at the voice that came from behind me.
A student wearing a robe and a deep hood approached me with an excited expression.
He was about the same height as me. He must be one of the students who had been able to maintain life magic from the beginning.
I wasn't sure if he was a noble or not. His manners were refined and he had a good posture, but his robe was rather plain, so I couldn't tell if he came from a noble family or a merchant family. For now...
"...Thank you," I replied, keeping my answer brief.
Perhaps he sensed my suspicion because he smiled and took off his hood, revealing the face of a boy with reddish-brown hair.
"Oh, I was rude. I'm Alfred."
"I'm Theo...?"
...Huh? Alfred, you say?
I inadvertently took a second look at his face.
Could it be... Alfred Brightweld?
Alfred Brightweld, the magician. He was also an NPC in BFO.
He called himself a magician and went by the name Alfred... but he was a genuine royal and his true identity was Prince Albert, the fourth prince.
Let's see, if I trace back from the game's information... he would be the older brother of Marlene, the priestess of the Moon Temple, and the fiancé of Ophelia, the daughter of the Count of Fobresster.
Based on what is mentioned in the game, his current relationships can be inferred to be something like that. But he himself goes on to interact with players, sometimes as Alfred, who later appears as a requester to the Adventurers' Guild, and at other times as Prince Albert in different events.
He's wearing a transformation ring... without a doubt. Did he already go by the name Alfred even back then? He's quite determined.
He seems to have had a close relationship with Ophelia, whom he would later marry, since they were children... but it seems he's not accompanying her now.
If we talk about whether he's an enemy or an ally... I think Albert would lean towards the ally side. This is only based on what I know so far, so I won't let my guard down even though I have one-sided knowledge.
...Albert's power base within the royal palace is weak, so he tends to strengthen his ties with the Adventurers' Guild. If that's the case, I can imagine the reason he approached me.
"...I'm Theodore Gaertner."
"Ah, nice to meet you."
I introduced myself with my full name, but he only used his first name. It would have been unmistakable if he had introduced himself as Brightweld.
I responded to the handshake request. Since it's information that I shouldn't know, realizing it's Albert puts me in a bit of a difficult position... Well, I guess it's fine to treat it normally. I doubt he expects a discreet treatment on a secret visit.
"Uh, grr..."
Talcott shakes his head and sits up, looking around and finally looking up at me in astonishment.
"I... I lost. To this kid."
Is he just in shock? And does he intend to keep his promise or not? It's hard to tell at this point. Although I tried to prevent any harm by turning it into a match format.
"Now then..."
I gaze at Talcott, who has become calm and quiet, completely different from before.
"I'll ask just in case. Do you intend to fulfill the promise?"
"I, who lost... I won't say anything about the decision of the winner. You're stronger than me. That's all."
I wish the human society wouldn't function based on such animalistic rules. That's why I get such nicknames. Well... it's fine though, to have consistency between words and actions.
"Then please do so. As for me, I don't think practical magic or noble education and academic studies are a waste as part of magical training."
I think if I say this, Talcott won't hold a grudge.
"...Is that so?"
When he raises his face upon hearing about magical training, Talcott himself is very easy to understand in terms of his principles of action. He is called a fierce dog, but I understood that he is being used as a scapegoat to prevent his resentment from being directed towards the firstborn son, while squeezing the subjects.
"The mental discipline of patient training contributes to improving control abilities, and different ways of thinking and perspectives from one's true self also enhance reading and versatility in combat."
"...Then, is someone with your skills studying practical magic at this point...?"
"To reduce the hassle of dealing with trivial matters while delving into the labyrinth. I want to become stronger, and that's one of the reasons why I'm exploring the labyrinth."
Considering the need to earn income and future prospects... it's always better to become stronger.
"I see."
Travis took Talcott and went to report to the headmaster.
Since it's an important matter, it seems that someone was sent to the Count Cardiff's house and the staff were summoned.
I was asked to stay until further instructions, so I'm waiting in the vacant room. Of course, Grace is with me, and Ashley is also waiting with us in the vacant room. Alfred... left somewhere quite easily.
"Does Lady Ashley have other lectures?"
"I have received permission, so it's alright. I thought it would be better to have a witness."
A witness, huh? It seems like even the members of the Earl of Cardiff's household think that they won't be able to assert themselves strongly if she's present.
Ashley doesn't talk much, but it seems like she's worried about me.
"...I understand. We have plenty of time, so shall we take care of the matter regarding Circulating Qi?"
While discussing the details, I intend to actually carry it out right here. In response to my proposal, Ashley smiled and nodded.
"...How about this? It feels like the center of my body is warming up, like after taking a bath."
When I asked about her physical condition after Circulating Qi, Ashley said such a thing.
Having learned the magic of physical recovery, Ashley seems to be able to live more comfortably than before. However, there still seems to be a difference in her physical condition. It seems that Circulating Qi has a longer-lasting effect than basic healing magic. Maybe I should consult with Rosetta, who is an expert, next time.
Grace is continuing her embroidery by the sunny window. It has become a quiet time as if the previous commotion was a lie.
"I would like to hear about the two of you delving into the labyrinth."
"We are currently on the 12th underground floor. It's a shallow level, so it's not that much of a grand adventure. If we go a little further, we'll come across various interesting places, though."
Since we're conserving our magic power and taking moderate safety margins, we can't make a leap forward. Well, I can say that things are going fairly smoothly.
"Theodore-sama says there won't be any problems until around the 20th floor."
"Because there will be Guardians appearing."
"Guardians?"
"Ah, Guardians are—"
You could think of them as boss characters. However, I can't say exactly which floor they are on; they seem to be wandering somewhere beyond the 21st floor. Rather than a boss, they're more like rare characters.
While waiting and occasionally checking Grace's progress on the embroidery, Rosetta entered the vacant classroom.
"Teacher Rosetta?"
"Hello. Ashley is here too, I see."
Upon recognizing Ashley's presence, she loosened her expression.
"Yes. Well, is it about Talcott?"
"...Yes. Since his situation has been decided, I came to inform you of the circumstances."
Rosetta shrugged her shoulders.
"First, let's start with his story. He has been deprived of his inheritance and disowned by the Earl of Cardiff."
...Well, I suppose that's to be expected after causing so many problems.
Even though I was in control, actually using magic would be a different story. It's like swinging a knife without hitting anything... but much heavier. It might feel like shooting a gun without hitting the target, I suppose.
I thought that there could be light punishment or even imprisonment... but if the Earl's family abandoned me, I would definitely be expelled from the academy at the very least.
"Well, it turns out he can still stay at the academy."
That's what I thought. Rosetta added with a wry smile.
"There were a couple of people who really liked the terms of your bet with him. Since this is an academy, they opposed the idea of driving away promising young people with potential for the future like that. However, if he cause any further problems, he'll be expelled immediately... that's the situation we ended up with."
"Well, certainly... If we're talking only about his proficiency in magic, he is outstanding. I understand that it would be beneficial for the country to have him focused on that. The promise with me was just an excuse, and it might actually be better that he severed ties with the Cardiff Earl's family."
"...But who is responsible for discarding such a talented martial magician without giving him much opportunity? Well, anyway... you're mostly right. If he hadn't cut ties with the Earl's family, he might have been expelled instead."
Because he can eliminate the influence of Count Maurice. I guess the idea is that he will study and start thinking for himself as long as he keeps his promise.
"The one who protected him was the headmaster, and... there was another person whom I can't mention, but they are an important figure."
"I see. Did you take custody of Talcott, then?"
"Oh, you figured it out easily."
"After cutting ties with his family, he can't afford to attend the academy."
He'll have to think about making money like me.
But still, an important person whose name can't be mentioned... hmm.
Well, most likely it's Prince Albert. It would be impossible for him to secretly infiltrate the academy. The Earl's family abandoned Talcott, and while seeing potential in his future, they reach out to him on the spot, indebting him to me.
Prince Albert probably wanted someone like Talcott, as his power base is weak, and Talcott, who is disconnected from various connections, is not likely to be a concern to those around him. In other words... he's seen as suitable material for a profligate prince.
"Talcott wants to thank you. After all, it's thanks to you that he barely made it out alive."
"Is that so?"
I'm the kind of person who primarily thinks about myself, so I don't really deserve that gratitude. But let's consider it as a small favor for Albert.