[69] At the top (3)
“By the way, Sirone. what are you doing these days what do you do in the city Are you working at the store?”
“huh? No, that’s…”
Sirone decided to tell the truth. I know that my father has been silent, but I couldn’t treat them harshly enough to lie when he asked.
“Actually, I am attending a magic school.”
“More, what?”
The children all opened their eyes wide and screamed.
It was unbelievable. Of course, I knew that Sirone was different from a young age, but the son of a mountaineer was enrolled in a magic school.
“What happened? Really?”
Sirone was surprised that the children were more surprised than expected. To calm them down, he deliberately dropped his four arms.
“haha. because it was lucky I once worked as a librarian for an aristocratic family, and fortunately, the family treated me favorably, so I enrolled.”
Hearing this, the children became even more confused.
No matter how much he worked as a librarian, an aristocrat couldn’t do that for a commoner.
It was only natural that those who did not know how difficult Sirone had gone through to get to this point would not understand.
“Anyway, that’s great. So, are you learning magic now?”
“wow! Magic! can you use magic? huh? try! show me!”
When the children all listened and shouted, Sirone had to sweat for a long time to calm them down.
“Well… I’m still in a low class, so I’m not good at it. Besides, using magic outside of school is against school rules.”
Alto looked at Sirone suspiciously. I honestly couldn’t believe it. From an early age, Sirone’s good looks and personality inspired awe in children. Nevertheless, the reason why Alto was able to become a leader was because he had the most important strength for commoners.
But what about now?
Sirone became a student at a magic school that only the highest nobility attended, and she was still only Alto of the slash-and-burn village.
“If you go to magic school, why did you come here? Isn’t it time you should be studying right now?”
“Oh well… I just came out on vacation. I had a tough exam a few days ago, so I’m going to take a break.”
I had no choice but to lie this time. If you say you’re suspended, it’ll get in your father’s ears. Even if it was a good thing, my parents were sure to be disappointed.
Most of the children were trustworthy. Since I had never been to school, I easily assumed that I could give him a vacation.
Rumina grabbed Sirone by the collar and said.
“How many days do you take a break on vacation?”
“Um well? About three days?”
“okay? Are you going home then?”
“Haha no. Since the semester is over soon, I’m going to go home then. Your parents must be busy too.”
“but. In three days, the vacation will be over.”
Having the same parents, they knew better than anyone how busy mountain hunters were.
Martin said.
“Then have you decided where to go? Where are you going to sleep?”
“Um… that’s it. I haven’t decided anything yet.”
Lumina shouted, turning bright.
“okay? Then come with us. You slept a lot in the past.”
Sirone was also shocked by that statement. When I went back to school, I was suspended, so I couldn’t borrow books from the library, and all I could do was lie in my dorm and kill time. But I didn’t want to spend the night alone in this place where I didn’t know anyone.
“Are you okay? Can I go?”
“Ho-ho-ho! What are you talking about? We still sleep at our friends’ houses every other day.”
I also remembered Sirone. Familiar with community life, they were friends, brothers, lovers, and family.
“Okay then. I also want to see the old men after a long time.”
“now! Now that we’ve sold everything, let’s go! Let’s have a big beer each!”
Alto wrapped his arms around Sirone’s head and walked to the cart. Shirone screamed in pain at the much stronger force than usual.
“Ouch. it hurts.”
“ha ha ha! Can you still be so insincere? You have to have stamina to become a good wizard.”
Sirone knew that Altor’s actions were a way to organize the ranks and regain the authority of the leader. So it didn’t feel too bad. It was Sirone who lived her whole life as the son of a thief and understood their lives.
Alto put Sirone on the cart and set it on fire. No matter how dwarfed it was, it was impossible to lift an adult man without considerable physical strength. Thinking that his childhood friend had turned into a monster, he stared blankly at him, and Altore patted Sirone’s head and burst into laughter.
“Nice to meet you, Sirone! Let’s drink with a crooked nose today!”
* * *
Sirone, who rode a cart and entered the slash-and-burn mine stream, felt new about seeing the scene for the first time in a while. Green sprouts sprouted in the fields along the ridge, and smoke billowed from the chimneys of the mountain villages along the ridge. Slash burners shouted when they spotted a cart coming in along the trail.
“Martin! Are you coming now?”
“Yes uncle! Sirone is here too!”
“What? Sirone? What about Vincent?”
“Uncle Vincent didn’t come. But do you know what Sirone is going to magic school now!”
“what? Are you going to eat?”
“no! I’m not eating, I’m going to magic school!”
“Chuck! Even nonsensical sounds.”
“…”
Martin fell silent and the old man weaved the field again. Alto was able to understand the uncle. If he can’t believe himself right now, how can he believe that he has lived all his life cultivating the land?
Lumina pursed her lips.
“what? why don’t you believe Don’t worry Sirone. I’ll spread the word later.”
“haha. You don’t have to.”
Alto said.
“Even Uncle Vincent didn’t say anything. Don’t go out of your way and keep your mouth shut.”
As the leader of the slash-and-burn children, Altor knew the fear of words. If, by any chance, Sirone is lying, Vincent’s position will be difficult.
‘Because if the deal with Uncle Vincent is cut off, our house will suffer as well.’
After putting the cart in the common warehouse, Alto took the children to the only alcohol store in the slash-and-burn village. It was all about setting up pillars and a few tables on the dirt floor, which was a side job for the herbalist’s wife.
“Auntie, I’m here.”
“Welcome, Alto. Oh my, aren’t you Sirone?”
“Hello, ma’am.”
“Yeah how. I heard that Vincent works in the city, so you must have met him there. Anyway, welcome.”
The children were accustomed to attaching three tables. Alto, who was sitting at the top of the table, ordered.
“First of all, give me a glass of beer, and the snacks are the ones I always ate.”
Sirone felt a sense of alienation. When I was hanging out in the past, all of them were kids who couldn’t even drink alcohol. But now, like an adult, he was sitting with his legs crossed and gulping down his beer. Compared to their appearance, the children at the magic school were still children.
“How are you, Sirone? Do you want a drink?”
“huh? oh no Haven’t I ever had one?”
“What? Now that I see you, you’re still a kid. You don’t even have hair there, do you? Fuhahaha!”
The children burst into laughter at Alto’s joke. However, as much as Lumina, a woman, was straight-faced.
“What does that mean to a friend I haven’t seen in a while? After all, it’s because your mouth is so rough.”
When he openly took the side of Sirone and gave him a face-off, Altore’s face subtly blushed.
‘Well… it’s been like that since before.’
Ever since she was little, she knew that Rumina liked Sirone. But now, not everyone is a child. A strong man has a wonderful woman. Alto thought that Lumina’s mate should be herself, the next village chief. Still, the feeling of welcome was great, so the unpleasant feelings were quickly swept away by drunkenness. Sirone was also happy to be able to meet his friends after a long time. The beer I drank for the first time was unexpectedly good, and the cheerful atmosphere continued.
“Did you know that Noona Howran ran into Sirone before?”
“hey. Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden? don’t do it!”
Syrone, who was drunk, waved her hand to stop Martin.
“How are you? It’s already past. Besides, Noona Howran got married last year and is not even here.”
“Oh yeah? That’s good.”
The children who burst into laughter at Sirone’s words grabbed their navels and hit the table. As the atmosphere escalated, Lumina clung to Sirone with the help of alcohol.
“Sirone, then what kind of woman is your ideal type?”
“huh? well. I haven’t thought about it yet.”
Alto was displeased with Lumina’s flirting, but there was no way to stop him, so he deliberately spoke to Sirone.
“Sirone. But do you really go to magic school? Then shouldn’t you be able to do at least simple magic?”
“hmm. That’s what I mean, in fact, I’m behind the other kids because I learned magic late. Magic itself is a very difficult discipline. It’s not like I can’t do it, but it’s forbidden by school rules…”
Even if he could do magic, he was definitely a student. The use of magic outside of school is strictly prohibited by school rules unless you have obtained a formal wizard license. Exceptions were when life was threatened or when the personal safety of others was exposed to danger.
Of course, we know that most students do not follow the school rules and there is no realistic way to prevent them from the school side, but the school rules have their own reasons.
It was Sirone who, at the age of 12, broke the limbs of bullies he met in an alleyway. Nade’s use of electric shock magic in a restaurant the other day was also a situation that could have turned into a big fight if the opponent came out a little harder.
Magic is not mere force. It was a powerful power that brought out the power of Mother Nature with the human spirit.
Although Sirone’s main specialty, photon output, does not have even 1g of physical force, he knew that the moment he introduced it, fear and awe would sprout in the hearts of children. I didn’t want to make the atmosphere strange by performing magic at a drinking party.
Martin asked, chomping on dried jerky.
“If it’s that difficult, could it be that I can’t become a wizard?”
“of course. Rather, there are far more people who can’t become wizards than people who become wizards.”
“okay? Then how will you make money if you can’t become a wizard?”
“huh? how…?”
I had never seriously considered the situation when I failed because I had been running towards becoming a wizard.
Earning money to make a living was the biggest concern of children this age, so when Sirone couldn’t answer, he tilted his head.
“Then who pays for tuition? The nobles pay for that too?”
“uh. For now, I am receiving support.”
The children’s eyes widened.
“wow! really? how much do you pay Have you saved up some money? How are you going to get married? Have you ever dated aristocrats?”
“No, I never thought about that…”
“Then have you been there too? A store with a lot of those women. Nobles just come and go, though.”
“Well… there are people like that, but it’s not always like that…”
Altore’s impression was wrinkled at the children’s enthusiastic Q&A. Didn’t it become as if Sirone was the leader?
The ranks of the slash-and-burn villages were not determined just to beat and lay down the weak. When not controlled by a powerful boss, people become greedy for more shares.
For those who are isolated from society, discord means the collapse of the group. The reason for choosing a leader from a young age was also to prepare for when they grow up and take responsibility for the village.
Alto said in a sullen voice.
“stop. What are you curious about so much? Are you guys envious of Sirone’s life?”
“Of course I envy you. Nobles give money.”
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