I Already Know My Magic Power Is Ridiculously High! Now I Just Need a Cute Wife... - Episode 3

There are several academies within the Empire, but my father is probably referring to the Zakureon Noble Academy in the Imperial Capital.

“The academy, you say? To be honest, I’m not very interested. If I, one of Ortenos’ ‘guardians,’ were to leave this place, it would create a significant gap and give other families an opportunity to take advantage. Moreover, this year is also the year that Lady Elmia, not just Elmia, will be enrolling.”

Unfortunately, the situation surrounding the Ortenos region is dire, and even young nobles like myself may very well find ourselves on the battlefield in the near future.

It would be pointless if the land of Ortenos had perished while I was at the academy.

“Shalka has a point. However, if you stay within the territory, you will have a hard time finding a bride.”
“……”

Implicitly, I sense that my father’s search for a bride for me has hit a snag.

As expected, my carefree activities in the castle town are probably still having an impact.

However, if that’s the case, going to the Imperial Capital far to the west, where no one knows me, might not be a bad idea after all.

“……I see. So, if there is a girl you like at the academy, you can bring her to the territory, right?”

“Hmph, that’s right. On the surface, I’m considering sending you as Elmia’s attendant.”

Seeing my father’s face, which looked like he was up to some mischief, I realized that my prediction had been correct.

However, what does it mean to be attached to Elmia?

“Are you the attendant of Lady Elmia?”

“Ah, … I don’t really want to say this, but if Elmia, the eldest daughter and the next head of the Ortenos family, and Shalka, the eldest son without inheritance rights, are sent at the same time, there is a possibility that the academy will be thrown into chaos. If we don’t take any measures, fools trying to curry favor with Shalka will naturally appear.”

My father told me with a slightly hesitant expression.

“I see, by establishing a hierarchy in advance, you are letting everyone know that Lord Elmia will be the next head of the family.”

“Hmm, sorry, but that’s true. Elmia is excellent both as a noble and as a magician, but in terms of social skills, she is a step behind other noble children who are constantly trained in real combat. The academy is a treacherous place where many rivals gather, so she will be thoroughly trained.”

I see, so Father decided to send Elmia to the academy to train her.

He did something quite bold. My father continued speaking as if nothing had happened.

“Shalka, be especially careful. Even though they are children, they are all nobles with star-stella level magic. No matter how beautiful a daughter may be, you must never nod in agreement to an invitation to become a son-in-law.”

“A beautiful daughter, you say… Hmph. Of course. My loyalty is directed solely towards Ortenos, so I, Shalka, will send back such schemes without even blinking.”

For a moment, I imagined a scene where a lovely young lady like Miss Rokina earnestly asks me, “Will you come to my house?” and my face almost broke into a grin, but I managed to hold back just in time.

“Hmm, you seem a bit unsettled, but well, with Elmia by your side, it shouldn’t be much of a problem. That girl has grown strong since losing her mother. I can sense a strong will in her to inherit Ortenos at such a young age and to forge solid connections both inside and outside. Please support Elmia as well.”

“Ha, of course. This Shalka shall become Lord Elmia’s sword and shield.”

“……”

I extended my right index and middle fingers sharply and held them in front of my heart.

It is a noble courtesy passed down from the former Ortenos royal family.

For some reason, my father is sitting silently with a melancholic expression.

“Is something the matter, Father?”

“Well, I don’t think you used to call Elmia ‘Lady’ or anything so formal before. Even though you’re half-siblings, she’s still your younger sister of the same age. You used to get along so well back then, so why have you started calling her in such a distant manner…?”

It seems that my father is shocked by my behavior towards Elmia.

However, I can only say that this is because I’ve started to feel the difficulties of this age.

I can’t keep treating her like the cute relative’s daughter forever.

While trying to explain the gist of it, I ended up using a somewhat awkward phrasing.

“Times… have changed, haven’t they? I think both Lady Elmia and I had no choice but to change.”

“I see… I’m sorry. I didn’t want to pass our war onto the next generation any longer.”

(Huh?)

With a somewhat solemn expression, I squinted my eyes as I looked into the distance, and my father, for some reason, began to express his regrets and remorse over the negative legacy left by the older generation.

“Father, that’s not it.”

“Hmm? What’s different?”

“It’s said that Lady Elmia is also a girl of age, so she’s difficult to handle.”

“……”

Oh no, the atmosphere has become a bit awkward.

This is just like the grumbling of a middle-aged employee struggling to deal with a female subordinate who is a whole generation younger than him.

Well, if we’re talking about mental age, I guess I am middle-aged.

“……Well, that’s fine, but there’s one thing I’m concerned about if you two are going to the academy.”

“Are you worried about something?”

It seems my father is pretending not to hear my nonsense and is moving on with the conversation.

“Ah, if the two ‘Stella-class’ are missing from the land of Ortenos, it means there is a possibility that the Eastern argument could fall apart.”

“Oh, I see, you had that concern.”

The East, that country located to the east of the Ortenos region, I suppose.

“Even though my father’s glare is currently effective, it’s only a matter of time before they start causing trouble. It might not be a bad idea to thoroughly deal with them one more time.”

When my father says “father,” he means my grandfather.

I see, so the story my father has been worrying about since this morning leads to this.

“So, what does that mean?”

“Actually, there’s a job that’s just perfect for your first battle, Shalka. Can I count on you?”

Finally, it’s here, my first battle.

It is probably not a large-scale battle where one could achieve great military exploits.

It would probably just be mediating small skirmishes near the border, and the enemies would at most be knights of the Satellite Satera level.

“Ha! Leave it to me!”

I once again performed the Ortenos-style bow to my father.