国产综合在线赌王

Chapter 4: Erina’s Struggle

———

I, Sirius, had turned three years old.

My body has become more and more bigger, and has developed to the extent that I can even run around without incident.

I mean, I’m in the middle of running a marathon in the yard right now.

It’s a cycle of: running at a constant pace which is set to place a burden on the body, resting when I pass my limits, and starting to run again.

“Fuu, that’s it for today.”

I reach today’s quota and break into the finishing cooling down exercises.

Noel, who had accompanied me in the marathon under the pretext of dieting, is going beddy-byes beside me.

“Hii……hii……Si, Sirius-sama—……why……are you……fine?”

“Although one of the reasons is your lower physical strength, it’s because you didn’t run at your own pace.”

“I, I seeee——……”

With those last words, Noel had used up the last of her strength.

Although, what you ran was about half of what I ran, was it that arduous?

While I persuade myself with ‘she’s not the physical strength type, that’s just the way she is’, I finish my cool down exercises.

At the same time, Erina-san offered me a towel and a drink.

“Thank you for your hard work, Sirius-sama.”

“Thank you Erina.”

By the way, ‘I would like you to address me without an honorific’ is what Erina-san requested of me, so I’m only attaching a -san to her name in my mind. While I’m rehydrating myself, I look towards my feet and see Dee tending to Noel.

These two have opposite personalities but they appear to have good chemistry between them, there’s also the fact that they’re close in age as well; they get along fairly well.

“Don’t strain yourself.”

“Thank you……Fuu, very much—”

Erina-san is also gently smiling and watching over the pair. I’m also looking at them, faintly smiling to myself. I leave the rest to the young people; should I take care of my body?

The well water had already been drawn. When I place that water in front of me, my new face comes into sight. Having already reached three years of age, my facial features have become easily distinguishable; personally, I think it’s not a bad face. The hair is black and the expression of the eyes also gives off a gentle impression. My outward looks are more in the direction of ‘cute’ rather than ‘handsome’. I suppose that there’s not that much of a difference even if you tried comparing it to the faces of the other three people; it’s a face without any unusual features: an average face. At least it doesn’t appear that it was a ‘miss’, it’s the kind of thing where only after I ascertained that could I feel at ease. Only, the strength of my powers of observation is lacking. As things like being able to intimidate others is also somewhat influenced by one’s appearance, this gentle face is probably a minus. It’s something to be worked on.

I’ve finished taking care of my body, so next is doing some magic practice?

Incidentally, using the opportunity of being three years old, I had showed the three of them that I could use magic. En masse, their eyes became dot-like, and they became unable to move, as if time had stopped; it was a quite a sight.

“Sirius-sama, as it’s about time for lunch, Dee and I are going back.”

“All right. I’ll go back after I do my magic practice.”

It’s the same with my physical strength, but I’m also steadily training my magic.

Also, the duration of continuous [Light] was just short of ten seconds, but nowadays I could sustain it for up to a minute. Using simple math, it’s six times longer. If it truly is as it’s written in the book, then isn’t this growth capability abnormal? There are various reasons that I can come up with to account for it, including: I have got the knack of it; practicing since I was one years old, i.e. at an early stage of my life; etc.

But I think the biggest factor is the speed of the ‘cycles’. A cycle consists of a repetition of: bleeding out my maryoku to its limits, and once it has recovered, bleeding it out again. It appears that my maryoku recovery is somehow faster than others. That’s the reason why I can do more repetitions than most people.

The variety of my spells had also increased a little.

There is a low number of no-attribute magic spells to begin with, so including [Light], there were only three spells listed in the book. Just how unrecognized is it?!

The newly memorised spells are [Impact] and [String].

First of all, if one were to simply explain [Impact]: it’s a spell that hurls a mass of maryoku.

You collect the maryoku in one place, let it fly, and then it hits its target. It’s questionable as to whether you could call it ‘magic’, but unfortunately it’s power is also questionable.

By nature, maryoku is something that has no mass. Precisely because you are forcibly fortifying such a thing, and making it hold mass, it also has a low solidity. If I was to give an example, it’s at the level of throwing a rubber ball. To make matters worse, its range is also short: when you’re slightly distanced from it, the maryoku disperses and ends up disappearing. Honestly, throwing a stone is stronger. It’s the result of not having any research conducted on it.

[String] is a spell to create strings out of maryoku.

You can extend the maryoku strings, and wrap them around things and pull them towards you. You could think of it as a person that fires spider webs. Speaking of spiders, what about doing something like I saw in a movie in my previous life: shooting out my maryoku strings and flying around between trees? That’s what I looked forward to, but it’s impossible. Maintaining its form is difficult, and its strength per unit area is also weak. At best, it’s limited to pulling down twigs or fruits, and it’d swiftly snap if you tried to support something like a person.

It seems somewhat more useable compared to [Impact], but in the eyes of society, the practical utility of this spell is also low.

That concludes a description of the two disappointing spells, but it ultimately depends on how they’re used. If I can’t skillfully use the attributes, then there’s a need for me to master these spells.

For that reason, I used them in earnest, and had continued to persevere with raising my maryoku. I’m now focusing on raising my physical strength rather than my maryoku, but I eventually also want to do some magic modification or magic research.

Now then, let’s get it all done without stopping until lunch has been prepared, shall we? I aim my hand towards a target I had hung up on a tree and shoot out an [Impact].

“Slumbering truth from the depths, evil spirits that wheeze at me; the devil’s bombardment that is released from the origin of power, [Impact]!”

A baseball sized, colourless and transparent ball of maryoku shakes the target. If a stranger saw it, then they’d probably just see it as: ‘the target is merely swaying by itself’. The size of the maryoku ball can be adjusted, but naturally, the bigger I make it, the greater its maryoku consumption and the more difficult it is to maintain. As I am now, if I used this about ten times, I’d reach my limit. I shake the target precisely ten times and stop. Aa—, no matter how many times I do it, this lassitude is intense.

As I’m taking deep breaths and calming my body down, Noel looked over here as if she wanted to say something.

“Is something wrong, Noel?”

“No, I was just thinking ‘to be able to use [Impact] that well is amazing~’.”

“‘Amazing’, is it? Even though it does absolutely no damage?”

“The fact that you are able to use it this quickly is too amazing. Are you really three years old? You are not lying about your age?”

“It’s because Noel often showed me magic. After seeing all that, I got the hang of it.”

“Eh? Then it’s thanks to me, isn’t it?! The shishou of a future great magician-sama eh? That’s me!”

Noel-san, you’re so easy to handle.

It was also a means to change the subject, but it is true that I had reached this point because Noel was here.

Taking Noel, who is banzai-ing in spite of being tired, with me, I returned to the house.

Three years since I was born.

Being watched over by Erina-san, doing stupid things together with Noel, eating Dee’s cooking.

The safe and happy days.

Sooner or later, the end will come for even this closed paradise that is isolated from the outside world.

Its footsteps are definitely drawing nearer.

Several days later.

It’s usually a restful morning, but today it was somewhat flurried. While wondering what was going on, I wake up, finish changing my clothes and headed towards the dining room to eat breakfast.

“Good morning.”

“ “ “Good morning.” ” ”

At my greeting, the three of them cleanly replied all together. I had just sat in the chair when I notice it. Noel and Dee’s attire is different from usual. They aren’t maid clothes nor work clothes, but clothes for going out, or rather, garments that are easy to move in. This is the appearance of people who are going to go out shopping.

“Are, are the two of you heading out today? You went out shopping just the other day, didn’t you?”

“Actually, earlier, the fire magic square broke. It’s a bit sudden but I’m having the two of them go.”

Our house is to some extent self-sufficient, but there are things that we can’t construct, like magic tools and the like, so every several days someone goes to the town to go shopping. I’ve never gone there before, but from what I’ve heard, it seems that even the closest town is half a day’s distance away by foot. Using half a day to travel, staying one night in the town, and then returning, so even if it’s just going out to buy things, it takes two days.

It’s a mystery why we’re living in such a remote place, but I’m personally not experiencing any inconveniences from it, so I’ve just been ignoring it.

“If fire-attribute Noel is going at the same time, then won’t we be unable to light any fires? Erina-san is of the water-attribute right?”

“If it’s just for today and tomorrow, there’s no problem. As we have a fire stone.”

A fire stone is a mysterious mineral which emits an intense heat when maryoku is poured into it and a hammer, etc. is smashed into it. A shortcoming is that it can’t be used unless it’s about the size of a fist, but using it involves placing easily combustible materials inside of it and pounding on it from above with a hammer.

“Do you have any requests for a souvenier? Although something too big is impossible.”

“Nothing in particular. As long as you both return safely, that’s enough for me.”

“Uu……I’m touched by Sirius-sama’s kindness.”

“……Please leave it to me.”

It appears that Dee was formerly an adventurer, and his knowledge of things related to travelling is plentiful. He has gone shopping scores of times before, so I’m not actually that worried for them. Having finished eating their rye bread and soup that consisted of meat and vegetables boiled together, the pair promptly departed.

I also finish my meal, and perform my daily routine of running and maryoku depletion. I silently reach my quota, and while I was reading a book it had become noon.

“Sirius-sama, do you want to eat outside today?”

“Yeah. Let’s do that, shall we? ”

Per Erina-san’s suggestion, I’m having a midday meal on a table in the yard.

Today’s lunch is Erina-san’s handmade sandwiches. The ones that Dee made are also delicious, but Erina-san’s ones are, again, also exceptional. Especially the ones interposed with salted meat and several types of vegetables, those are my favourite; the exquisite distribution of meat and vegetables is the best. I’ll get her to teach me the recipe next time.

“Here you are, some after meal tea.”

When I had become full, a citrus herbal tea called ‘erica’ is prepared for me. There’s a bit of a bitter taste, but I like this erica tea quite a bit. It’s good weather today. In the warm sunshine, enjoying after meal tea with elegance—……hm?

“……Erina, aren’t there any Apus or the like? I’d like some dessert.”

Apus are an apple shaped fruit.

It looks exactly like an apple, but it’s a tad bit smaller and the flavour is closer to a strawberry.

“Certainly. As there were some in the kitchen, I’ll go bring some over.”

Floating a smile, Erina-san disappeared into the kitchen.

The moment she was completely out of my sight, I spit out the mouthful of tea in my mouth, and had the ground soak up the entire contents of the cup. I did this because the instant I had put it in my mouth, I felt a sensation that I was familiar with from my previous life. Since it’s a new body, it might have been my imagination. However, if my intuition is right, then this is a soporific.

However, it’s incomprehensible. To what ends would someone ever want to try to force me to sleep? To be able to sell me off? No, that’s not likely. I can’t imagine that the people who have thrown that much affection at me would do that. Although I have no clue as to what their intention is, in this situation I’ll pretend that I drank it. Although it was only a small quantity, the mucous membrane of my tongue likely absorbed it; but perhaps it’s supposed to have a delayed effect, I don’t feel any sleepiness yet.

Later on, I eat apus together with Erina-san, and once I experienced a slight drowsiness, I commence the operation.

“Fua……”

“Are you tired? Shall I prepare your bed for you?”

“Uh huh, yeah.I wonder if I’ll have you let me have a short afternoon nap? ”

“Understood. I’ll have it ready soon, so please wait in the living room.”

From just yawning, to preparing the bed……is it? Isn’t it nearly assured that the line of reasoning that ‘Erina-san is the person who put in the soporific’ is right? It’s fine if it’s just my imagination. However, there’s Noel and Dee’s abrupt shopping trip, and Erina-san’s behaviour somehow gives me an uncomfortable feeling. There’s no way that I can run away, so for now let’s just go with the flow.

Lying down on the bed in my room, with my eyes closed, I raise my maryoku.

I do that because my body is activated when I maintain the state of pre-magic invocation, so any slight sleepiness is blown away.

A few minutes after that, a light knock was audible from the door. When I wait without replying, the door opens without a sound. Naturally, the person who appeared was Erina-san, probably here to confirm whether I was asleep or not.

Now then, what’s going to happen? Don’t be suddenly taking out a knife and going *stab* or something on me now.

“……I am……y.”

‘Knife or whatever, bring it on!’ is how I put myself on guard, but it ended up being a groundless fear. She was just stroking my head while murmuring in a voice too small to follow. It felt so good that I was about to fall asleep for real, but perhaps being convinced that I was completely asleep, without making a sound again, she left the room.

When I groan from having not solved the mystery, a voice that I was unaccustomed to was audible from outside the window.

The sound of the horse’s footsteps, a horse’s neigh, and a males voice that isn’t Dee’s. Even though there hasn’t been any visitors at all during these past three years, what’s going on? At any rate, is this the reason for Erina-san’s suspicious behavior?

Peeping outside through a crevice in the window, stopped in in front of the entranceway is a four-seated carriage with a hood attached to it. Two people had come with it. Sitting on the box, the coachman jii-san is stretching his body and takes a break.

And now, my eyes are naturally drawn towards the lone man who is disembarking from the carriage. He is indeed an ossan with the looks of a noble. He was noble-like, but he is a bit plump and looks unreliable. Also, compared to Dee’s face, his is at a pitiable-level. Around the time a bad feeling starts to form in my mind, the man had stepped into the entranceway.

I put my ear to the floor and search for their position. My room is on the second floor, but the footsteps of two people are headed towards the parlour of the first floor. It might be a chance to clarify all the parts that were, up until now, ambiguous. Without making a sound, I slip out of my room, and I sneak up as far as the front of the parlour door. The door is rather thin, so I could easily hear the voices inside.

“……thank you very much for taking the time to visit here today.”

“Hmph, good grief. For what reason did I have to come to such a remote place?”

I was just in time to hear the start of the conversation.

But what’s this? Erina-san’s voice is mechanical, with absolutely no emotion put into it. This is the first time I’ve heard such a cold hearted voice. The man facing her was just as I expected him to be. I had seen them in my previous life, a representative of the overweening prideful remarks of all sorts of egotistical useless bosses.

By some chance……no, let’s concentrate on the pair’s conversation for now.

——— Erina ———

This day had arrived after all.

In truth, I didn’t want to ever meet him again, but this also can’t be helped.

“……thank you very much for taking the time to visit here today.”

“Hmph, good grief. For what reason did I have to come to such a remote place?”

For the person who shut us up here to say that, are there perhaps defects in your memory?

“By the way, where has the unsociable man and subhuman gone? Not giving their greetings even though their master has arrived, what’s the meaning of this?”

“They are out shopping and not currently here. They won’t be back until tomorrow.”

“Then it’s fine. Since even just seeing their appearance makes me feel disgusted.”

Even though you don’t even want to see them, you insist that they greet you. Are you even aware that you’re contradicting yourself? To make matters worse, you settled on calling beast-kin Noel with the contemptful utterance of ‘subhuman’. As usual, a narrow-minded man, aren’t you.

He has been pointlessly increasing his number of wives lately, and I hear that there are rumours going around about him being on the decline due to his artless abilities.

“What about that? Even though his father has come, why won’t he show his face?”

“Sirius-sama is currently resting. As he has a slight fever, I’ve isolated him.”

“Sick is he? I don’t need someone with a frail body. It’s not worth considering a spare with a frail body.”

What is he calling a ‘spare’? Sirius-sama is not your tool.

I saw him violate ojou-sama in order to satisfy his own personal lust, and he is even insulting Sirius-sama who was born from that.

I want to punch him in the face and send him flying right now. However, he is also the person who has control of the money to raise Sirius-sama and political power. Endurance. If I endure it then Sirius-sama can remain safe.

“But, a spare is no longer needed.”

“……what do you mean?”

“The other day, my legal wife finally gave birth to a second son. With that, it’s now possible to curtail unnecessary expenses. ”

“!? C-congratulations.”

No way……this is bad, very bad.

Although Sirius-sama is an illegitimate son, he is a second son. Therefore, just in case something happens to the eldest son, he has been providing money to have Sirius-sama raised in secret. Despite this, as far as he’s concerned, once the second son is born, he’s finished with Sirius-sama? Sirius-sama is a child that doesn’t exist?

I don’t want to be concerned by this man’s heir nor succession, but as long as Sirius-sama grows up safely, that’s all that matters. That is a promise between ojou-sama and myself. My own wish.

That’s why you have to think Erina! Sirius-sama is still only three years old. I……have to protect him.

“Another reason is that my second, and third wife also had a daughter. That’s also good, but I still want to have two male successors. Oh yes, my eldest son is five years old and can now write the alphabet. I’m looking forward to his promising future, hahaha.”

Five years old? I think that is on the early side, but still, Sirius-sama was able to write the alphabet when he was two.

Probably from a stranger’s point of view, that gentleman’s rate of development is surely seen as an abnormality. However, I get happy whenever I see his figure that grows larger with every passing day. Through thick and thin, no matter how limitless his growth continues to be, I want to watch over that gentleman forever.

But if this sort of man found out about Sirius-sama’s abilities, then he would exploit them without fail.

That’s right, Sirius-sama is two times different to those people over there. 12 years……no, when he’s 10 years old, for sure. What I can do is show them that I’ll do anything.

“That is, a promising future. I’ve also seen various children in my time, but I think that’s a rarely seen development.”

“I see. There’s no mistake, the second son will definitely become something big as well. The future of my house is bright.”

“It’s presumptuous of me, but how is the physical condition of your son doing? I heard rumours of a recent epidemic.”

“Hm? That’s right. The eldest son is healthy, but since the second son was just born…”

“Sirius-sama is not sick but just fatigued. But a baby is probably susceptible to an epidemic.”

“*hmph*, I get what you’re trying to say. ‘Don’t stop the support of that’, is what you want to say, isn’t it?”

“……Precisely that.”

The fact is that there is no guarantee that this man’s second son will grow up in good health.

Armed with that worst case scenario, I try to prolong Sirius-sama’s support as much as possible. If it’s that gentleman, then once he’s passed ten years of age, he’ll likely possess the strength to be able to traverse the world.

“It’s not to the extent of Danna-sama’s child, but from what I’ve seen, Sirius-sama is a capable person. He will certainly be of use to you.”

“That girl’s child will? Other than it’s looks, that was a disappointing young girl.”

What do you know about ojou-sama!

I grasp my fist tightly under the table, to the point that it hurt.

Without an outlet, I stifle my anger, and I continued to wear my facade.

“I will definitely educate him to not disobey you. So I beg of you, please support him until he reaches twelve years of age.”

“I won’t look after someone for that long! Five years. I won’t waste any more money than that. I’ll have him leave this place after that.”

“That’s just…! Won’t he still be a child in five years?”

“That’s not my problem. If that’s the case, then use the five years to educate him in preparation for that occasion. If you don’t like it, then I don’t mind if he leaves now.”

“……I understand.”

How powerless…….am I?

“Here is the this time’s money. There will be absolutely no amendments, so remember the arrangement.”

I take the money bag tossed onto the table and confirm its contents.

No matter what state I’m in, it’s something necessary for Sirius-sama. I’m casting aside things like shame. As I expected, it’s lighter than last time and there’s less in it.

“Ahh, that’s right, I’m a busy person, so I don’t know when I’ll be able to come back again.”

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be fine to send a subordinate as a messenger?”

“What would I do if my subordinate said they handed over the money but didn’t actually come here? I’m a noble with a strong sense of responsibility.”

Aren’t you mistaking that as one who has no trust from their subordinates?

Besides, I know. That you go and mess around with the town’s prostitutes on your way here.

“It’s about time I leave. Properly take care of the that’s education.”

“Certainly, sir.”

Seeing him off as far as the entranceway, and after making sure of the carriage’s departure, I finally took a breather. My body is a bit heavy, perhaps I piled up more fatigue than I had expected? I think it’ll soon be around the time that Sirius-sama wakes up, so I have to check up on his condition. However, I wasn’t able to produce the results that I desired; I’m ashamed to show my face to Sirius-sama.

This paradise has…….five years.

It’s much too short a time to tell him the truth.

Once he wakes up, without knowing that I served him medicine, nor about his father, I wonder if he’ll smile for me? For me, who would be healed by that smile, I’d be both happy and sad.

Ojou-sama, I am…….

——— Sirius ———

The pair’s conversation ends and while I wouldn’t be discovered, I returned to my own room.

Throwing myself down on the bed, I think back upon the discussion of a little while ago. I didn’t want to admit it, but that sleazebag is my father? I could also agree with Erina-san not wanting to let me meet him, and her going as far as using a soporific to do so.

The same way that children can’t choose their parents, parents also can’t choose their children. As far as that guy is concerned, I’m not worth worrying about. I don’t believe that we want to meet each other, and it’s fine like that.

Rather than that sort of sleazebag, it’s Erina-san. I’m truly being helped by that person. Rather than a father, being able to to be acquainted with her is what makes me happy. I will be sure to someday repay this debt of gratitude.

The problem is my standing?

I’m a child born from a noble who was ‘messing around’, but considering my father’s behaviour, I think it’s better to not be regarded as a ‘noble’. Incidentally, this safe place also closes in five years. If I practice for another five years, I don’t think that there’ll be any issues with my true strength, but there’ll probably be a large number of problems that will come with my much too young outward appearance.

There’s also Erina-san or Noel and Dee to think about as well. What will they do in five years time?

It’s no good, considering hypothetical is endless. In this situation, let’s think about this simply. There are two things that need to be done.

First, for me to do nothing but train.

To build up a body that can feasibly deal with anything. Further explanation is unnecessary.

Second, share information with the three of them.

The three of them are indubitably my allies. I’d like to know in advance as to what they would do if I was driven out.

It’s better if I also decide on the setting of how I have knowledge. As abruptly declaring ‘I possess the knowledge of another world!’ would be weird. I continued to think up of a setting.

“Yep, I’ve decided on this one.”

There’s some unreasonableness in it, but to some extent, it seems like it would serve as a possible justification; the setting is completed.

I get up from my bed, and while I’m stretching, I notice it.

Erina-san, is late…

Since it’s also about time to make arrangements for the evening meal, she should’ve dropped by and shown her face by now. Is she perhaps seized with a guilty conscience and doesn’t want to show her face? If that’s the case, then she’s gotten the wrong idea. I have nothing but gratitude towards Erina-san.

I left my room and searched for Erina-san.

I work myself up with a ‘if she’s feeling down then let’s use all our power to cheer her up!’ and descend down to the first floor.

I immediately found Erina-san.

The figure of her collapsed in the kitchen.