Since When Did You Have The Illusion That You Don’t Have Magical Powers?! - CH 52

Characters in this chapter:

Sapphiras Perfectio, 2nd son of the Earl of Aldridge

Percival Belisario, 3rd son of Margrave of Vanderwall on the Eastern Frontier

Adeline, Margravine of Vanderwall, Percival’s mother

Susanna, servant in the Belisario household

Anna, servant in the Belisario household

Clarabelle, servant in the Belisario household

“So peaceful……”

Sitting deep on the sofa, spending a relaxing time.

Lemon tea and sweets are on the table. These pastries are also exquisitely delicious. Lemon cream is sandwiched between thin, crispy pies. It is light and easy to eat, so you can eat as many as you like. Although I didn’t know, lemon is a specialty of Vanderwall territory. Not just the mighty Vanderwall Army, but also a product called lemon. Vanderwall Territory has no flaws.

I’m going to buy some lemon as a souvenir for Aurora. Since I’m transferring back home, I can take freshly picked things in the morning with me.

As such, I’ve been like this all morning today. Percival has been in training all day. He’s home on vacation, but he doesn’t slack off, which is great. As for me, I’ve been told to spend my time freely, so I’ve been allowed to relax in my room. Yesterday was quite rough, so today is a rest day for me physically. The gap between the amount of magical power and physical strength is still too big for my body to keep up with, so I’d like to at least gain some more physical strength. I’m really looking forward to defeating the magical beasts, but I’m a little worried about my physical fitness. I wonder if it would be better for me to take part in some light training as well.

“Sapphiras-sama, if you don’t mind, would you like us to take care of your hair?”

“Now that we’ve got the opportunity, let’s condition it with Vanderwall’s speciality lemon oil.”

Clarabelle-san and Anna-san called out to me as I looked very bored.

Hair care, eh? Speaking of which, I’ve been neglecting it for a long time, so if you say you’ll take the trouble to do it, I’d like to ask for it.

“In that case, can I ask you to do it for me?”

“Of course.”

I asked for it lightheartedly, but the two of them washed my hair very carefully and massaged my head with lemon oil. Then my hair was trimmed a little and combed with several different types of combs. I usually washed my hair with cheap soap and left it wet. Maybe that’s why it was a bit dry. I didn’t really care because I thought I could just cut off the damaged parts when it grew longer.

“Thank you for your hard work, Sapphiras-sama. How is it?”

I looked into the mirror that was pointed at me and was surprised. It’s amazing. I have a ring of light on my head. Stunningly shiny. It’s not me who’s tired, it’s Anna-san and Clarabelle-san.

“……Oh, oooh! It’s so smooth!”

It feels so nice and smooth to the touch when I run my fingers through it. So far, I’ve left it too long. It’s better to at least comb it on a regular basis. I’ve often been with Percival, who always has no flaws in his appearance, so I’ll try to be a little more proper from now on.

With that in mind, Madam Adeline was very pleased when I went to the dinner table after having my hair done during the day.

“Oh my! Your hair is shining like black diamonds, Sapphiras-san! It’s so lovely!”

“Thank you very much. Anna-san and Clarabelle-san took good care of it.”

“Yes, yes, I knew there was still room for improvement, but……really,”

Madam Adeline still seemed to say something, but I couldn’t hear her very well. whatever. I took a sit next to Percival at dinner, which had become my fixed seat.

“I’ve had a very restful day.”

“Well, I’m glad you had a good rest. If it’s all right with Sapphiras, why don’t we go for a long ride tomorrow?”

“A long ride?”

“Oh, my! That’s a very good idea!”

For some reason, Madam Adeline is very enthusiastic. Maybe she wants to go with us?

“Mother.”

“Yes, Theo? I just agreed that it was a good offer. Right, Percy?”

“Right.”

“I’ll tell the kitchen to prepare lunch. What’s your favourite filling, Sapphiras-san?”

“Um, I’d be happy with meat.”

“All right, look forward to it.”

But still, I wonder where we’re going for a long ride. I know Percival will ride Matteo, but can I ride Vanderwall’s horse? If I can’t, I can ask Unisus to let me ride him.

While having a delicious dinner tonight, I thought about tomorrow’s long-distance ride.

“Here is your lunch.”

“Thank you.”

Percival puts the lunch box he received from Susanna-san into the luggage compartment on Matteo’s back and straddles behind me. Even though he’s quite tall, it’s cool that he just flops over……I had a bit of help from Percival, though.

I wondered what would happen, but I settled for being carried on Matteo’s back with Percival. I’d rather be taken care of by a horse I know too.

“Please enjoy yourself.”

“We’re off!”

I waved to Susanna-san from the horse and we set off on a long ride. Our destination was the lake.

We were told that there is a lake surrounded by forest just over the hill overlooking the town. You can swim there and catch big trout.

Matteo starts galloping strongly with the two of us on his back. We left the town and headed for the hills, looking across at the cattle and horses grazing in the pastures. After half an hour’s ride, we reached the hill. Once there, we dismounted from Matteo to enjoy the view below. From the top of the hill, we had a panoramic view of Vanderwall Castle and the city of Oriens. The view from the castle window is different.

The sky is clear and beautiful, and the breeze is pleasant.

“It’s a beautiful scenery. This is where Percival grew up.”

“Ah.”

When I earnestly said that, Percival brushed his hair, which was blowing in the wind, and put a faint smile on his lips.

Ah, Percival really is a prince. Although it wouldn’t be strange for him to have a fiancée at this age, his family also didn’t say that there is anyone,  so there probably isn’t anyone now. With his good looks and being the third son of the margrave, I think it’s a pretty good asset for a family without a successor. Well, I guess Percival is taking it easy because both of his older brothers have fiancées and there’s no need to force him to get married.

“What’s wrong?”

He must have been suspicious because I was staring at him so intently.

“No, I’ve been thinking about Percival for a while, but Percival does everything flawlessly, and I think you’re cool like a prince.”

“Is that so? I think that Sapphiras, who freely uses magic and confronts any opponent head-on without hesitation, is much cooler.”

“……Eh? I-is it?”

“Yeah, Sapphiras is cool.”

A cool guy gave me a serious look and said I am cool, which made me feel embarrassed.

“Th-thank you……um, we should head to the lake soon.”

“Yeah.”

With our backs itching for some reason, we climbed Matteo’s back again and headed for the lake. Matteo runs through the hill meadows and forests in one breath. Even though he’s big, he’s quick-footed. As we pass through the forest, a sparkling light spreads out before our eyes.

The lake!

I jump off Matteo and run to the lake. The water is clear and I can see small fish swimming in it. It’s shallow in the foreground, but dark blue far from the shore, so it must be quite deep. It certainly looks like a good place to catch a big one.

While I was observing the lake, Percival took the luggage case and reins off Matteo and let him do as he pleased, then spread a rug in the shade of a tree to make a place to rest.

“Oh, sorry! I’ll help you.”

“It’s all right, I’m just rolling out the rug. It won’t take long.”

In no time at all, a comfortable resting place was created. Since Matteo has a large body, he can carry a lot of luggage, so Percival seems to have prepared various things.There are thick quilts and cushions.

“It’s still too early for swimming. It will be better when the sun is up and the water is warmer. Until then, shall we do some fishing?”

“Great! ……But we didn’t bring a fishing rod.”

“Don’t worry, I’m prepared.”

Percival took a spliced fishing rod from his luggage compartment and assembled the two rods with great dexterity. It’s a really long rod, and the handle has a spool attached to it, so you let out a long line. On top of that, the hooks are not covered with bait insects, but with what looked like small bird feathers.

“It’s an unusual rod. And what’s that on the end of the line?”

“It’s a pseudo bait.”

“pseudo bait?”

“It’s a fake bait made to look like a winged insect. You float it in the water to attract trout. At this time of year, winged insects are flying around the lake, so trout mistake them for food with needles and eat them. We have to put that together and catch it.”

It was the first time I had heard of such a fishing method. It is true that with this long fishing rod, you can cast in deep water. And if you don’t need a real insect to catch a trout, you don’t have to catch the bait, so it’s easier.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“Watch me first.”

Percival swings the long line around like a ring toss and sends the pseudo bait little by little farther and farther away. When the bait had flown to the deep end of the lake, he let go of the line. The pseudo bait drops and floats on the quiet surface of the lake.

I held my breath and stared at it floating in the water.