Chapter 21
Translator: AnnieVanCookie
Editor: Ryunakama
Since I’ve decided to enter the Magic Academy in Galois, I’ve also made up my mind about what I need to do.
Using her familiar, Grandma Magul contacted Denzel, who then came to the village on a simple but practical brown carriage.
Denzel is a man in the prime of his life, about the same age as my father.
Grandma Magul calls me through the use of her black cat familiar, Kitty, as soon as Denzel arrives. At that moment, I stop tending to Diadora’s black roses and head towards Grandma Magul’s house.
The sweet-smelling light purple smoke that rises from Grandma Magul’s chimney means that she’s still working hard on her trade even though her son has come home.
I walk in the garden I know all too well, and Kitty greets me with a ‘meow’ from the top of the round chair she’s curled up on, right next to the building’s front door.
「 Grandma Magul, it’s me, Dran. 」
As soon as I come in, Grandma Magul sits on a chair next to the table in the center of the large room, and gives me a look with eyes surrounded by wrinkles.
With her age comes a weak body, but also a deep intelligence. Her eyes are those of a magical doctor that has seen all sorts of diseases, monsters, natural disasters, and daily life crises that have affected people of many different races. There’s a certain radiance emanating from her that seems as if she could see through me.
「I’m sorry to call you so suddenly, Dran. My good-for-nothing son has finally arrived, and told me to call you at once.」
Denzel often comes to the village when taking a long vacation from the Academy and during his father’s death anniversary, and since I’m still Grandma Magul’s disciple, I get to see him for a few days every year.
Standing on the opposite side of the table from Grandma Magul, Denzel seems to be as healthy as he was when I last saw him during the last New Year’s Day.
A well-trimmed moustache adorns the space between his nose and chin, and his posture is straight as a pole. Together with his fine garments, a cape embroidered in golden threads and a golden eagle-headed cane in his right hand, his elegant style truly befits a gentleman.
His eyes, sharp as those of a bird of prey fixed on its quarry, become somewhat softer as my face is reflected on them.
「Long time no see, Dran. I’m happy you finally feel like considering my offer.」
「I have had the chance to think about many things. I may have been trying to entertain ambitions that are too big for me.」
「Well, enough standing around talking, Dran. Please have a seat. I’ll pour some tea now.」
Answering to Grandma Magul’s invitation, I sit down on a round chair at the table so that the positions where Grandma Magul, Denzel, and I are form a triangle.
Denzel sits down right after I do, and shortly after that, Grandma Magul pours three servings of a steaming, blue colored tea.
A fresh scent quickly made its way to the back of my nose, and my sense of smell was filled with a refreshing sensation that could make one open their eyes wide, no matter how sleepy they are.
「Today’s protagonist is Dran. Just this once, this old woman is only going to listen without interrupting.」
Saying that, Grandma Magul began sipping her tea, expressing that she has no intention of participating in the conversation between Denzel and me.
I may be Grandma Magul’s disciple, but I’m also a fully-fledged grown-up, and so I’m allowed to be initiated in the ways of magic.
Because of this, I have no intention to hold my mouth about my decision, even when it comes to my teacher or the village elders.
「Now, about your admission in our Magic Academy in Galois…」
Denzel takes a sip of Grandma Magul’s blue tea, and starts talking about the main subject without letting too many unnecessary words get in the way.
I straighten my back and show my willingness to listen, and Denzel slowly begins to speak.
「The entrance period to the Academy is already over. However, since the Academy’s inception, we welcome those aspirants who we find to be talented enough.
Of course, the Academy is not a place so lenient so as to grant you admittance simply because you’re talented. You will be taking written and practical tests, and you will have to prove your abilities to the Academy during an interview.
Nonetheless, since you have my recommendation, and the Director of the Academy has taken a personal interest in you after the events that took place in Ente Forest, I don’t think that you will be rejected.
Being recommended from the start by an Academy teacher, yes, I think it will be very unlikely that you will be rejected.」
I’ve heard that since people with a magical affinity are already scarce, the Academy actively invites them whenever they find one. However, as Denzel just said, if you are invited or recommended, you can merely enroll at the Academy.
Since both Denzel, who is an active teacher, and Director Olivier have recommended me, my entrance to the Magic Academy seems almost settled.
And even if I didn’t have their recommendation, I’m confident I could pass the written and practical tests. But I can’t imagine how I would fare in the interview.
「Denzel, there is a Lamia girl living in this village who is a close friend of mine…」
「Hmm?」
「When I talked to her about me leaving the village, she asked me if she could go with me to Galois. This might be a rather selfish and probably unreasonable request, but would it be possible for her to come to the Academy with me?」
Denzel closes his eyes for a moment after hearing my unreasonable request. It seems as if he’s going to need a while to put his thoughts in order and give me a proper answer.
I patiently waited for Denzel’s answer while remembering Selina’s feelings of sadness, loneliness, and her radiantly beautiful smiling face full of eagerness to go with me, when I told her that I would leave the village.
「I already knew that you had mediated so that Lamia could start living in this village, Dran. But of course, I would have never imagined that you two had developed such a relationship that she would want to go to the Magic Academy with you.」
「Her name is Selina. I’m responsible for her being accepted in this village, and to be honest, I think I would feel more reassured going to the Magic Academy together with her than going alone.」
「You don’t need to fret about it that much. It’s clear by the people in this village’s attitude and what they say that Selina is not dangerous.
But Lamias are monsters that normally attack humans and other demi-humans. The Magical Academy is not too keen on allowing such creatures into Galois.
However, if this girl were to be your subordinate, then the story would be different. You do know about familiars, yes? If you take Selina as your familiar, well, your request may be granted.」
Hmm, a familiar? The ones here at Grandma Magul’s place come to mind: Kitty the black cat, Nero the giant crow, and Betty the giant mole. But Selina, a familiar? Hmm…
According to Grandma Magul’s lessons, in this day and age, magic users employ not only small animals or beasts of prey as familiars, but also magical creatures and homunculi that they create themselves.
But from an ethical point of view, one can’t use another human or demi-human as a familiar.
Lamias are monsters, and fall outside of this definition, so there shouldn’t be any problem in having them as familiars.
「If you wish to take her to the Academy with you, I see no other way than making her your familiar. Even so, do you still want to take her with you?」
「I have already stated my reasons a while ago. But Selina is absolutely adorable, and so when she asked me if she could come with me with her eyes full of tears… I don’t think any man could refuse that.」
「I had thought that such seductive techniques would not work on you, Dran, but still are you interested in sensuality as much as anyone else? Either way, since you had a Lamia accepted into this village, you may have what it takes to be a Monster Tamer.」
Comment (0)