I Want to Live a Normal Life

Episode 2: The Fireworks Craftsman of the Royal Capital

『–I hereby declare the commencement of the tournament!』

With the king’s opening address concluded, I set off the fireworks. As the fireworks soared into the sky with a whoosh and burst into a dazzling display, the crowd erupted with cheers and shouts.

“””Taa-ma-ya!!”””
“””Kaa-gi-ya!!”””

Yes, Seira, Lady Liela, and even Thor seemed to be having a great time. The first time they saw fireworks, they were so nervous, but now they were cheering with wide smiles. This is how children should be.

The dignitaries from various countries, invited to improve relations, were initially surprised but now seemed to be enjoying themselves.

『Taa-ma-ya!!』

Wow… Even the king is getting really excited. What’s up with him? That’s a bit much.

—

Last year, capturing the former academy principal and his cohorts at the tournament earned me the title of honorary baron. That meant I needed a family name, and Seira suggested “Tamaya.” I was happy she liked it, but it didn’t quite sit right with me. Still, neither Mine-kun nor I could refuse Seira’s request.

In a hurry, I proposed “Fireworks.” But since fireworks didn’t exist in this world, Seira was confused. So, I decided to create fireworks with magic. I didn’t know the exact structure of fireworks, so I used explosion magic to create something similar.

Fearing a big commotion, I consulted the border count, who secured permission to use the royal castle’s training grounds under the guise of a magical experiment.

With Seira, the border count’s family, and the Belgard family watching, we launched the fireworks, but it ended up causing a commotion. Soldiers rushed over, and some servants panicked, thinking it was another explosion like the one before. …Oh yeah, there was that incident.

Luckily, since we had warned everyone about the loud noise, we didn’t get into trouble. So, we launched the fireworks again in front of a larger audience. Even the king came to watch. Is he that free?

—

The second shot was launched after fine-tuning warped parts and colors from the first. Although some people were startled, almost everyone was captivated by the beauty and vividness.

When I said “Taa-ma-ya” and “Kaa-gi-ya” to go along with it, it surprisingly resonated not just with the children but also with some of the spectators. The king, in particular, was extremely enthusiastic. Were you always like this? During last year’s tournament, you seemed so much cooler.

Since then, besides my janitorial duties, I’ve received requests to set off fireworks at events like today. I also started training other fireworks craftsmen.

After successfully convincing Seira, we became Mine Fireworks and Seira Fireworks. We even incorporated a fireworks motif into the Fireworks family crest, making it recognizable to others as a symbol of our rank and country, much like a retired lord’s seal.

—

“Now, set off the next one.”

“””Yes!”””

The fireworks craftsmen launched the fireworks silently into the sky, where they exploded with a bang, forming patterns of warriors, weapons, and mages before dispersing. They ensured the patterns were visible from all seats.

While explosion magic is rare, the large population means there are quite a few people in this country who can use it. However, only a few can use it effectively in battle. Low magical power quickly leads to exhaustion and limits its power.

Because of this, those with low magical power often used explosion magic to signal alarms or scare off monsters. But that could be done without explosion magic, leaving many unable to make full use of their ability.

That’s when the release of the firework magic came in. Since it was a magic to enjoy sound and light, it didn’t require power, nor was it dangerous. Fireworks craftsman quickly became a popular profession among explosion magic users. Surprisingly, there were even volunteers from among light and sound magic users.

My role was to show them sample fireworks and give simple advice. After that, they could create their own original fireworks based on their creativity. Since it was magic, they could freely create patterns and colors by drawing or writing, depending on their ideas and ingenuity. The important thing was to construct the magic considering where the audience would be watching from.

As a result, many fireworks craftsmen were born, and fireworks were gradually spreading beyond the capital. It hadn’t even been a year since the launch.

By the way, my fireworks are slightly different from theirs. While they launch explosion magic directly, I use earth magic to create a ball and imbue it with explosion magic before launching it. The reason is to produce that characteristic whooshing sound.

If I just set them off normally, that sound didn’t come out. But fireworks need that sound, right? I tried various things but couldn’t make it happen. I could ask a sound magic user, but it felt awkward to do so every time.

So, I had no choice but to attach a whistle to the ball, and I successfully reproduced the sound. How did the craftsmen in my previous life produce that sound, I wonder?

—

“Wow, fireworks are so flashy and great!”

“Mr. Walz, you’ve gotten hooked too, huh?”

“There weren’t many magics to enjoy watching. And the flashy ones are the best! Kaa-gi-ya!”

There was talk of Mr. Walz becoming a baron for capturing Sarcastic Guy and his crew, but he declined, saying, “Can’t run a territory!” That’s so like Mr. Walz.

Oh, and with Oba-chan becoming the principal, the speeches by guests at the entrance and graduation ceremonies have gotten much shorter. There’s a rumor that after last year’s entrance ceremony, she dropped a thunderbolt on her husband, marquis Dra something, with magic.

Mr. Nevil still slept through it, though. Seira said, “Uncle Nevil is always sleeping, isn’t he?” which seemed to upset him a bit, so he should be fine for the graduation ceremony. Probably.

—

『The winner of the magic division is none other than first-year Lumina!!』

『Overwhelming the upperclassmen, a new heroine is born!』

In the crucial tournament, Lumina won the magic division, contrary to expectations. Despite being a first-year, she displayed outstanding skills, overwhelming the upperclassmen and achieving a splendid victory. Personally, I felt both relieved and a bit disappointed that she wasn’t a tank build.

The unexpected outcome caused a huge uproar at the venue. Previously, there were still quite a few people with attitudes like “How dare a commoner!” but those folks lost power or were subdued by the king after last year’s attempted coup.

Due to these circumstances, Lumina’s victory received a positive reaction. Recently, people from Alteria and Almira have been increasing, too. With troublesome nobles gone and the active promotion of commoners, people seeking opportunities or wanting to escape troublesome nobles have been coming.

—

『The match is over! The winner of the martial art division this year is Alt Obraine!!』

『Jake Redon fails to avenge last year’s defeat!!』

The knight division’s winner was Alt again this year. Even after his engagement to Lady Iris, he hasn’t neglected his training; if anything, he’s been training more. At the academy, he trains with Mr. Nevil, and on holidays, with Mr. Fenfield and Lady Iris.

Recently, the border count seems to have more free time and sometimes has mock battles with Alt, so he might return to his territory soon. It seems Mr. Hale is getting bored, too.

By the way, Jake, whom Alt fought in the finals, is the axe user he fought in the first round last year. As a typical power type, he’s not a good match for Alt. Nevertheless, he prepared well and put up a good fight, showing his potential. It seems he’s been promised a position as a royal guard.

In any case, I’m glad this year’s tournament ended without incident. Last year was tough.

—

“Big brother, congratulations!”

“Alt, congratulations! You were so cool!”

“Nii-tama, congrats!”

“Hehehehe”

[[Grrrr]]

After returning home, the spirits, Seira, Lady Liela, and Thor, blessed Alt, who was all lovey-dovey, and the spirits were grumbling. I’ve gotten used to this sight.

“Nii-tan’s fireworks were also cool!”

“Thank you, Thor.”

“Can we see them again?”

“Of course. I’m planning to do it after dinner to celebrate Alt’s victory.”

“””Yay!!”””

“””Taa-ma-ya, ka-gi-ya”””

Hehehe, I got permission for this kind of thing in advance. Thor really likes fireworks, so that’s good. But don’t end up like the king, okay?

By the way, you need permission to set off fireworks in the capital. Because some people get surprised by the loud noise and light. Well, according to the border count, it seems that soon you’ll only need to submit an application. It’s already quite well-known in the capital.

I plan to set off fireworks at Sasha’s orphanage soon. It’s for Lumina’s victory celebration. The kids there also love fireworks. Of course, Thor will be there too.

—

“””Hello!”””

“Hi!”

A few days later, accompanied by Seira, Lady Liela, the madam, and Thor, I visited Sasha’s orphanage. Fenfield was also with us as a guardian. Alt was having a lovey-dovey mock battle with Lady Iris. Well, if it’s fireworks, you can see them from the border count’s mansion.

Thor wanted to see them up close, so he came over here.

“Welcome, everyone!”

“”Congratulations on your victory, big sister Lumina!””

“Congratulations, Lumina-nee!”

“Congratulations”

“Lumina-chan, congrats”

“Thank you. Now, everyone, please come in.”

“”Sorry for bothering!””

“””Sorry for bothering!”””

Before launching the fireworks, I chatted with Lumina for a bit. She’s been telling me about the church from time to time. Maybe some unexpected names like Gladiol might come up again.

“A while ago, I received a letter from Sylphietta. It said that after I left the church, a girl named Olivia, who was said to be the closest to the next saint, seemed to have gone somewhere with a knight who was her guardian.”

“Does that mean she’s missing?”

“Yeah. Well, in reality, it seems they eloped. It caused quite a stir.”

Wasn’t Olivia the one who became the saint in the original story? I remember her because she had the appearance of a heroine but a terrible personality. She eloped? No way. That’s not like her character. So, are they hiding the fact that she died or went missing for some reason?

Huh? Lumina left the church about a year ago, right? No way, right? There’s no way a saint candidate would go to a place like that.

“Eloping is so romantic~. I used to really hate that girl because she was so unpleasant, but now it’s kind of mysterious how I feel like rooting for her. Don’t you think so too, Mine-san?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess so.”

Who knows. Let’s get ready for the fireworks.