I, Reincarnate as the Leader of the Villainous Knight Order - Chapter 171: The Knight Commander of Another Country [SIDE: Aria]

Chapter 171: The Knight Commander of Another Country [SIDE: Aria]

“Next month, the fiancée of Crown Prince Felix will arrive. We, from the Magic Tower, will likely not have much contact. But let us be sure not to show any disrespect to the people of the Kingdom of Rafios. As they will become an allied nation from now on.”

The fiancée of Prince Felix had  been rumored for some time. It seems that she is finally coming.

I was in a different grade than Prince Felix. But we were at least familiar enough to have occasional conversations at the academy.

Though I tried to remain inconspicuous as much as possible—being a ‘talented commoner’ who entered the academy filled mostly with nobles as the apprentice of the Magic Tower Master—I couldn’t help but stand out in classes related to magic and magical tools.

Naturally, there were nobles who didn’t like that and tried to pressure me. But Prince Felix would occasionally help me out.

Our statuses were too different for any romantic feelings to develop. But since he’s a kind person, I hope his partner is a good person too.

When the party from the Kingdom of Rafios came, I used concealment magic to sneak into the welcome banquet that the Magic Tower Master attended. It was just to catch a glimpse of the bride-to-be.

Princess Clarisse, the fiancée, seems to be the same age as me.

She was very beautiful, cute, and a lovely girl who smiled often.

She resembled her older brother, the prince who came with her. And standing together, they looked like a beautiful painting.

Once I felt relieved, I got hungry and snuck a taste of the banquet food. But the food at the royal palace is all top-class, it’s so unfair.

I work hard every day not just with academy studies but also research at the Magic Tower. But even with that, we rarely get good food at the Tower.

Well, the research at the Tower is also for my sake. So I don’t mind.

The previous Tower Master—also my teacher—passed away three years ago. He was my benefactor. I once injured my younger brother and parents in a magic outburst at the age of six. And I was abandoned. After that, the Tower Master took me in

What my master left me was this bracelet-shaped magical tool. It suppresses magic outbursts. Another is an old triangular hat.

And also, research to control monsters so they won’t attack people.

If not for my master, someone like me, prone to magic outbursts, would have died somewhere on the streets long ago.

That’s why, to repay that debt, I will complete the research he left behind.

Frederic is the current Magic Tower Master and former Vice Tower Master. He is also supporting my research.

He sometimes asks me to run errands. But despite being the illegitimate child of the king before the previous one, he doesn’t act arrogant. So I don’t dislike him.

He used to give small treats to my master and me too.

The day after the welcome banquet, I was asked by the Tower Master to go pick up a magical tome.

The money I was given matched the cost of the tome exactly—not even a single copper coin left over—and I couldn’t help but think that’s a bit much.

I mean, it’s fun to buy snacks on the way back from errands.

If it had been my master, he would’ve given me a little extra.

And yet, on the way back, there was a food stall with a really nice smell.

The smell of grilled meat is aggressively delicious, isn’t it?

But I don’t have any money right now. I’m wearing the Tower’s robe. So if the stall owner is a citizen who normally benefits from magical tools, they should give me at least one skewer of meat, right!?

Telling myself that, I charged at the food stall. Actually, I do get free food sometimes.

But the stall owner just kept dodging the topic and making excuses. He showed no signs of giving me anything.

Just then, Karl from the Magic Tower appeared. He was wearing the same robe as mine.

I thought I had an ally and could pull this off. But instead, he tried to stop me.

It was too late to back down. So as I was about to demand again from the stall owner, a lecture came from right behind me.

When I turned around, there was a somewhat familiar, handsome man. But he was slightly scary-looking.

According to Karl, he’s the Knight Commander of the country Prince Felix’s fiancée comes from.

It was frustrating. But as I glared at him for winning the argument, he bought me a meat skewer.

“You wanted to eat it, right?” 

He said. At first, he wouldn’t let go of the skewer. And when I complained, he tried to make me say thank you.

He didn’t seem like he would let go unless I said it. So I reluctantly gave a small thank you—and surprisingly, he smiled.

That kind of threw me off.

And then he let me ride with him in his carriage. Maybe he’s a good person?

In the carriage, he started thinking deeply. He did not focus his gaze anywhere. And the atmosphere grew heavy.

“Sir Vandière, is something the matter?”

When Karl asked, it seemed to bring him back to his senses.

“Ah, sorry. I was just thinking a bit. I don’t know if the message got here properly. But according to the divine oracle, I’m supposed to help someone… only, I have no idea who or where that person is.”

“That’s… even if you want to help, you can’t like that. I’ve heard divine oracles are vague. But without even a clue…”

“Exactly. If only they would clearly say the name and place, it wouldn’t be such a struggle.”

Now that I think of it, I heard a rumor—one of the heroes who defeated the Evil God received a divine oracle and is going abroad.

So it was this person.

I wonder if he could help with my current problem too.

“What’s wrong? It’s dangerous to keep the skewer in your mouth in the carriage.”

When I had the empty skewer still in my mouth after eating, he took it away and tossed it into his magic bag.

Maybe he’s the caring type.

Ah, his magic bag—wasn’t that an old model developed by my master when he was young?

If I tempt him with the latest magical tools, maybe he’ll help me.

“Hey… if I were in trouble, would you help me?”

“What are you saying, Aria!? Don’t trouble Sir Vandière!”

Karl hurriedly tried to stop me. But although the Knight Commander seemed a little surprised, he didn’t get angry.

“Well… if I saw you in trouble right in front of me, I wouldn’t ignore it. But if it’s just you being selfish, I’d leave you be.”

“Hehe, got it. I’ll be counting on you when that time comes.”

I never imagined at the time that I’d end up getting deeply involved with this person. Hearing his manner of speaking, he reminded me of my master just a little.