This is before the regression.
Having lost my family and become a beggar, I wandered the streets powerless. Living a life of wriggling like a bug, hiding my identity.
That was me back then.
And then.
"You don't look too good."
A knight approached me.
But he was strange for a knight.
How should I put it.
He had a sharp sword at his waist, but he seemed awkward somewhere, and his build was quite small.
And he was wearing not a sturdy armor, but a tattered piece of cloth.
"Who are you?"
"Just a passing knight."
But despite his appearance, his manner of speaking was that of a confident knight.
His eyes were calm, but as fierce as a true knight.
He looked up at the sky for a moment, then carefully grasped a pendant hanging around his neck.
"Grave Duke."
"…!"
"I have a proposition for you. Would you like to hear it?"
And that was the first meeting between the knight and the wizard the sword of Alonzo.
—
…I remember those days, really.
Thinking back, I can't help but laugh bitterly.
"Your Highness, is this really the right place?"
Lepentier asked in a worried voice.
His reaction was reasonable.
Even I, thinking about it, this is not the kind of place where a great magician of 7th rank would be.
An alleyway.
It is the most backward area within the territory, where people who are commonly called the bottom of the barrel gather.
"This is the place."
It was as desolate as to be mistaken for a garbage dump.
"You said he was a magician of the 7th rank? I understand that he would not be out of place even if he received a viscount title in the empire…."
"That's right."
By the way, there were complex reasons why Silo, despite his skill, was in charge of our family's magic battalion.
Originally, he hadn't built up his 7th rank normally, and it was because it was an order from the church.
Anyway, why is a being like a 7th rank magician here, in this state.
"It's a bit unusual."
"…Yes?"
Lepentier's face was puzzled.
He didn't express it, but his expression was like, 'What nonsense are you talking about?'
"But, well, aren't all magicians a bit unusual?"
"I understand what you're thinking about the wizard, but it's not that kind of feeling."
Lepentier's expression became even more strange at my words. A feeling that he couldn't understand my words at all.
But it's really different.
I can be sure of that because I've dealt with him to some extent.
"He was born with extraordinary talent for magic. However, he had one fatal problem."
If he had followed the predetermined path, he would have surely gained great fame.
But.
"He didn't like magic."
"…Yes?"
Lepentier looked at me with a face that didn't know how to react to my words.
"That's right. He didn't like it. Even though he had extraordinary talent and interest in it, it's surprising how many cases there are where talent and interest don't go hand in hand. Then which aspect did the magician have interest in…?"
"The sword."
"…Yes?"
"Exactly, a 'knight who uses a sword.'"
Lepentier paused for a moment at my words.
And then, as if he didn't understand, he looked at me with his forehead wrapped in his hand.
"Why did you stop?"
"No, that… are you saying that a magician born with extraordinary magical talent admired a knight?"
"That's right."
"Then wouldn't it be better for him to challenge the knight even if it doesn't suit his temperament…?"
"But he really had no talent for being a knight."
Really.
He really had no talent for it.
Even if he trained as a knight for 10 years, he wouldn't have been able to draw a single "O" in "Oler".
So what did he do?
"But he had such great talent in magic that he somehow ended up in the 7th rank."
"S-somehow?"
"Yeah, somehow."
Anyway, that's how this eccentric ended up in the 7th rank.
What did this oddball do then?
It's simple.
"So he decided to become a knight."
"…Is that the conclusion?"
"That's how it went."
It's hard for me to understand his thought process, but that's how it went.
Why did it go like that?
Anyway, the magician who wanted to become a knight knew very well that he had no talent for the sword.
So.
"As a result, he began to mimic a knight using his overwhelming magic and mana."
"…."
Lepentier's expression showed that he couldn't understand my words once again.
Of course, I didn't think he would understand my words.
"So now we're going to see that magician."
"So… are you saying that you're going to recruit a magician who doesn't like magic as the commander of our magic battalion?"
"You got it."
"…Why?"
"He is the most talented among the magicians we can recruit right now, and he has potential for the future, right?"
"Y-yes, but a magician who doesn't like magic… and moreover, a strange person who pursues being a knight. It won't be easy to deal with, Your Highness."
Lepentier's words were logical.
"It's not that I don't trust you, but will he really be helpful to our family willingly…?"
"He will."
I can assert that much.
I admit he's peculiar.
When you hear my explanation alone, you might wonder why you should recruit him.
But I can assure you.
This wizard, Alonzo, will be of considerable help to me in the future.
He will definitely.
"His unique magic appeals to the followers of Jormungand"
It's a coincidence piled on top of a coincidence, but in any case, the result is an essential item for me.
—
The condition of the alleyway became worse as we moved forward.
"Your Highness, are you okay with this garbage pile…?"
"Well, what about it."
If this were me at the time of regression, I might have pinched my nose and taken a step back, but not now.
It's just a garbage dump.
It's just something to pass by if you need to.
"Are you okay, Lepentie?"
"Yes, I'm… used to this kind of place, so it doesn't bother me at all."
Indeed, the reason why Lepentier was receiving solid support among the people of the territory was because of this aspect.
He behaves like a knight, modest yet not picking his environment.
Should I say he's a knight.
Anyway, how long did we walk down this alley?
Before we knew it, the destination was in sight.
"Here we are."
"A tavern… I see."
"Yes, a tavern."
To be precise, it was a gathering place for the commoners in this neglected space.
'Tasteless.'
There might not be such a place in a human settlement, but it's inevitable to feel sorry for it when you see it yourself.
"But Your Highness, why here…?"
"Because he's here."
As we pushed open the door and entered, the chaotic interior of the tavern was revealed.
And as soon as we entered.
"There he is."
A man,
drunk on alcohol, was lying on a dirty table, his face buried in it.
His clothes were decent enough, but they were so unkempt that they were no different from a rag.
"Your Highness, could it be that the magician you're looking for…?"
"That's him, lying with his head buried."
"Is he really okay?"
"He's fine."
The current time is a few years faster than when I met Alonzo before the regression.
Of course, the 'Alonzo' I knew back then would be different.
"If he ate, he should pay. Money! You parasite!"
At that moment, the owner of the tavern grabbed Alonzo by the collar and shouted.
"…east continent."
Lepentier, looking at the owner, couldn't hide his confusion.
It was understandable.
In the first place east contineter was not so common.
Alonzo, who was wriggling weakly, opened his eyes slightly and said.
"Innkeeper… I've… thought about it."
"What now!"
"Again, what else!"
"The food of the owner… is not meant for the back alley thugs in the back alleys. Isn't that right?"
At those words, the owner's face turned beet red.
And then, as if unable to hold back any longer, he raised his arm as if to strike Alonso's face.
"So, am I just garbage giving food to the back alley thug?!"
"That's not it… I ate what would have been their share, not out of justice or chivalry, but as a matter of… justice and chivalry…"
"Ugh, this guy's mouth…!"
But just as it seemed like he might strike, the owner sighed deeply and released Alonso's collar.
"…Fine. What's the point of getting mad at you. I must be an idiot for raising a parasite."
"Don't worry, owner… Someday I'll become a great knight and repay you…"
"Maybe I should hit you for real."
The owner said so and then, with a deep sigh, lowered his head. Despite everything, he seemed to have a good temperament.
Just as he was mumbling to himself, the owner seemed to sense my presence and finally turned his gaze towards me.
"…A guest?"
"Close enough."
"Guest!"
At that moment, the owner's eyes widened. He looked at me as if he had just realized something and then quickly approached me, shouting.
"Come here! Just looking at you, I can tell you're different from the cockroaches around here!"
"Owner… calling me a cockroach, that's really going too far…"
"You, shut up!"
The owner shouted and then, with a smile on his face, offered me the best seat.
"Please, have a seat."
"For the sake of my escort…"
"Just sit. There's no one here to threaten you anyway."
At my words, Lepentier reluctantly sat down next to me.
Still, he whispered with an uneasy look at Alonso, who had become stiff.
"Your Excellency, is the person really…"
"He is."
A magician who reached the seventh rank without much passion, despite being highly talented.
That's Alonso over there right now.
"What would you like to have?"
"Just start with a soup."
As I said that, I took out a gold coin from my pocket and handed it to the owner.
"?! "
The owner's eyes widened at the sight of the coin.
"T-t- this, this, a gold coin?! Wait, sir! We don't have change for this…"
"Oh, there's no need for change. I might need your help soon."
"Excuse me?"
The owner tilted his head with a grin.
"Magician, Alonso."
"…."
"I know you're listening. Or should I call you Alonso the Noble, from the meaning of knight?"
A twitch.
At that moment, Alonso, who had been lying on the table, jerked his body.
Well, that's understandable.
A seventh-ranked magician is by no means an ordinary presence.
Especially if he's the chosen one with the 'blessing of mana'.
"I know I can easily dispel your drunkenness. Get rid of the smoke that won't do any good and get up."
"…."
Alonso still didn't move.
It's as if he has no reason or obligation to listen to me.
Well, I expected this.
"Lepentier."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Draw your sword."
Clang!
At my words, Lepentier drew his sword without hesitation. Given his personality, he might hesitate, but he didn't.
"Sir, sir! What on earth…!"
The owner was surprised and waved his hands, but Alonso, the problem, still didn't seem to have any intention of moving.
With his sword aimed at Alonso, Lepentier was ready to swing it at any moment, just waiting for my command.
He was just waiting for my command.
Time passed a little like that.
The owner came out with a tense expression and looked back and forth between me and Alonso.
But then, at that moment.
"…You're bothering me."
Kaboom!
With a sigh mixed in, the sword Lepentier was aiming at Alonso was pushed away as if pushed by something.
"…?!"
Lepentier's expression showed considerable surprise. He didn't seem to understand exactly what had hit him.
That's because what just hit Lepentier's sword wasn't a noticeable force at the moment.
Just as Lepentier turned his gaze towards Alonso in a hurry to find his position.
"….?!"
Alonso was no longer there. It was when Lepentier turned his head quickly to check Alonso's position.
Kyung.
A huge amount of mana was condensed and swirled towards Lepentier.
The mana was concentrated, but rather than 'magic,' it looked more like a sword.
Kyaang.
Lepentier's body was pushed far away. He still had a puzzled expression, not understanding exactly what was happening.
The tavern was a mess.
"My, my shop…"
The owner muttered with a helpless expression as he looked at his completely destroyed shop.
And Alonso, who had pushed Lepentier away, looked at him with a bored expression, then said.
"Young lord, why have you come to see me?"
"I have a few words for the imperial duke."
"I'm sorry. I only respect those I respect."
"Is that so."
I smiled wryly and summoned Heracles.
"Then let's make a reason to respect from now on."
Starting with courtesy, conversation, whatever, it's easier for me to start by being polite.