NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2
Episode 2
“Take it off.”
In a dimly lit room.
A few lights illuminate the space.
Just after washing her body, with wet hair that wasn’t fully dry yet.
Alicia was with the third son of the Schugenhartz Family, Vargan.
“…Yes.”
Although Alicia was flustered by his forceful words, she had braced herself to some extent since the moment she was sold here, swallowing hard and responding that she understood. She slowly began to undress.
*Swish…*
Her clothes were stained with grime that wouldn’t come off even if beaten with a laundry bat. With nowhere else to put them, she left them on the floor, as placing them on a chair or bed would make her own clothes look way too filthy.
Thus, after peeling off one layer, only one piece of clothing remained. If she took that off too, she would be completely bare.
Alicia glanced at the man who had commanded her, trying to hide her trembling.
The man who had become her master from today seemed to inspect her body without any shame at all. Looking into his sharp gaze, the shivering and embarrassment she tried to conceal surged back again.
His eyes were fixed on her without any sign of movement.
“Um, er… Young Master Vargan.”
In the end, Alicia called his name.
And met his blade-like gaze.
“Should I… take off my underwear too?”
She already knew the answer to that question, yet she still asked. She thought she had firm resolve, but her natural defensive posture slipped out uncontrollably.
“…….”
His gaze deepened as he stared at her. He might scold her for asking such a thing.
Suddenly, he stood up from where he was sitting.
His large figure seemed to threaten her.
Her mind went blank.
Thoughts halted and began to spin.
“Y-Young Master.”
She couldn’t resist at all.
There was nothing else she could do but accept it.
After all, there was a significant difference in their positions.
“…….”
His long yet somehow graceful wrist extended towards her. The target was her. …Ugh. Without realizing it, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly.
Then,
“Ah!”
A sharp finger.
Her forehead hurt.
“I can see what you’re thinking. Tsk tsk. Getting aroused in front of your master… don’t worry, I don’t have lust for something like you.”
“…What?”
“Looking so dazed. Didn’t I tell you to measure your body to create a fitting outfit for you? That meant to change into it when it’s done. How long do you plan to wear those filthy clothes?”
The man pointed somewhere with a disinterested gesture.
Rubbing her sore forehead, she looked there, and on the chair lay a neatly folded outfit, just like those worn by other servants.
Let’s see, on top of the chair, there is a neatly folded outfit, just like the other servants.
…I couldn’t see because it was dark.
“…I’m sorry.”
Alicia bowed her head deeply, so low that her face was almost completely hidden. This awkward situation was due to the darkness, but at the same time, the darkness allowed her to hide her flushed face…
“…If you’re embarrassed, quickly put on your clothes. You have a ton of assignments waiting for you. There’s no time.”
“…Yes.”
There wasn’t any.
*
By the time Alicia’s cheeks, stained with embarrassment, returned to their normal state.
She was speechless in front of the towering pile of enormous books stacked before her.
“Shut that clumsy mouth and focus on what I’m about to say.”
Alicia, with her mouth shut after a “yes,” looked at me with her large eyes. She showed her determination to remember every single word I said. Good, we’ve got the right posture here.
I asked the focused Alicia.
“What is magic?”
“It is a blessing from God.”
“…That’s quite a stale and orthodox answer. Compare magic to a part of your body. What do you think it resembles the most?”
As she pondered, Alicia checked my mood and quickly replied. She probably figured that taking too long would get her scolded.
“Your brain… isn’t it?”
The brain.
It’s not wrong, but it’s not what I intended.
“Magic is muscle.”
“Muscle… is that so?”
As Alicia’s focused gaze softened a bit, her head tilted in confusion. Alright, I’ll explain it simply so even a child could understand, so just listen.
“Yes, muscle fibers.”
I used the knowledge from the character ‘Vargan’ I possessed to give her a basic explanation of magic.
Some parts were quite difficult to understand at first, but fortunately, she seemed to be sharp-minded enough to nod in acknowledgment of even the complex concepts, likely because she was an important heroine.
Moreover, she was rare among commoners in that she could read and write, making it much easier to explain. If she couldn’t read, it would’ve been tough to give her assignments.
“So if you don’t know how to use it, it may never manifest, but if you master that sensation, you can develop it unless you’re ridiculously dimwitted. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand. In the end, the important things are the sensation, size, and density when using it.”
“Good, you’ve finally stepped out of the infant stage. What you’ve learned now is the very foundational principle of magic, something anyone interested in it would know… but that also means it’s a very important concept. You must never forget it.”
“I won’t forget.”
Her eyes are quite serious.
“Alright, that’s settled. I’ll check on what you learned that day tomorrow, so keep that in mind… now, let’s discuss something else for a moment.”
Looking at the clock on the wall, quite some time had already passed. It was time to finish the lesson and talk about something else.
I brought her here for my future wealth and glory. It’s certain that this will come back as a significant butterfly effect in the future. Therefore, I need to minimize any damage while maximizing the benefits for myself.
“I’ll tell you about the future that awaits you.”
“The future… you mean?”
To be precise, it’s about the things you have to do for me.
“Yes. As I already mentioned, you will learn both theory and practice simultaneously and master magic.”
“…Yes. I will work hard.”
“Working hard isn’t enough. You must do it well. No one will acknowledge your process. In the end, all that matters is the result.”
“No one acknowledges that. In the end, all that can be seen are the results.”
“…I will show you the best results, Young Master.”
“It seems you still can’t fully believe my words. I’ve even called you a mad genius.”
Even if she is an important heroine, she’s just a girl who has grown up in a countryside corner, dealing with neglect. It’s hard to believe that she suddenly claims to be overflowing with talent, and she probably can’t even feel it.
“…I have deeply etched your words in my mind. I believe there is a valid reason for you to speak so.”
“You speak pretty well for a servant. Well, anyway, in six months, you will grasp the idea of magic, and you will enter Academia with me.”
“Academia…!”
“A gateway necessary for nurturing heroes. It’s also called Hero Training Academy.”
A place of learning and training that attracts the eyes of the world. A vital stage where the protagonists and main characters of this novel appear in droves.
A venue where those two bothersome protagonists, who irritate me, are active.
“You will be participating under the name of the Schugenhartz Family.”
Just thinking about it makes me chuckle.
I will crush those damn protagonists with the heroine Alicia.
“…….”
A brief silence lingered before Alicia cautiously opened her mouth, fear apparent in her voice.
“If that is your will, Young Master, I will do my best. But… I am worried that I might tarnish the glory of the great Schugenhartz family—ah!”
I flicked her forehead for her anxiety.
“…Ugh.”
Quite hard.
I stared directly at her face. It seems this girl needs a lot of mental training.
“Remember this.”
You fool who doesn’t even know your worth.
“As you said, I am indeed a direct descendant of the great Schugenhartz family. My status and position are on an entirely different level from the daughter of a lowly farmer like you.”
“…….”
“Those in high positions bear heavy responsibilities and must do much. They must gain knowledge sufficient to bridge the gap between heaven and earth in a single day and should be spending time on the unnecessary gatherings of socializing. And that’s not all, but even that would leave me with insufficient sleep time. In simpler terms, I’m a very busy person.”
But I came to pick you up.
“That still holds true at this moment.”
I haven’t given up on my own learning, but it’s true that Alicia takes priority.
“I am a very pragmatic and calculating person. If your education were useless and hopeless, I wouldn’t have personally stepped in to teach you magic like this.”
That is an undeniable truth.
When I stated this, Alicia stared in shock, frozen without a reaction or sound. I looked at her as she stood there.
As silence flowed, the blue moon, hidden behind dark clouds outside the window, slowly revealed itself and cast its light into the room.
As the room brightened, Alicia’s face became visible.
She simply remained quiet, waiting for the next words.
“You have that level of worth, talent. Why, you ask?”
I smiled.
An arrogant and highly authoritative smile.
“Because I acknowledged you. There’s no need for any other pitiful reason. That alone is more than enough.”
I asked her.
“What’s the answer…?”
Alicia bowed her head deeply, trying to conceal her face. It was the gesture she made when she wanted to hide her expression, just like when she felt embarrassed.
“…Yes, thank you.”
Her voice was filled with moisture. Even Alicia was surprised to hear the tremor in her own voice.
A voice filled with something. Alicia was surprised to hear the trembling of her own voice.
In reality, I hadn’t said much at all.
I hadn’t comforted her or kindly instilled confidence in her.
But.
A single tear rolled down Alicia’s cheek.
I knew the meaning behind her tear.
It was because she had heard for the first time that she had talent and could do something.
It was like someone finally believed in her.
What a truly delicate and twisted woman she is.
“That’ll do. Starting tomorrow, you have a tougher task ahead, so get some sleep quickly. I’ll be heading back now.”
“…….”
She had no response, but…
“…Ah!”
“I can’t even count how many times I’ve hit you today. My fingers are all numb. I mentioned it in the wagon, but always answer your master’s questions, okay?”
She wiped her slightly wet eyes and responded. There was a hint of a smile at the corners of her lips.
“…Yes. I will remember that!”
*
Alicia lay in bed. It was already late into the night, enveloped in darkness, yet sleep wouldn’t come.
“…Me, having talent?”
Her mother, who had lived with her, never had any expectations for her. She said she would lead a life of help and would be destined to do nothing.
Alicia didn’t mind helping her mother and thought she was doing nothing special, so she complied without complaint.
Yet, she never imagined it would turn out like this.
In just one day.
In a single day, the environment surrounding Alicia had completely changed.
When that strange man burst into her house, she was genuinely surprised, and when he said he would buy her for a fortune, it felt like the sky was falling.
He talked about how she had to learn magic in the wagon, throwing out unbelievable words about having talent.
Just moments ago, he even told her to believe in her worth and have confidence. Ah, he didn’t exactly say “have confidence.” He wasn’t that kind-hearted.
The man who became her master had a tremendously high self-esteem and owned things worthy to brag about. Is that why he could make such bold statements?
This person had brought her from a distance to teach her magic, which would have required a fortune otherwise.
“…If I really have talent, how did he find me?”
How did he come to discover a commoner living on the outskirts of a rural area? Where did he hear about her?
She still didn’t know anything about that. He seemed like a bad person, but maybe he wasn’t… It was hard to define him clearly.
“Ugh…”
Her head was a mess.
She worried about her mother and felt anxious about her future.
She had promised to see her mother once a year, but what if that was a lie…? No, he doesn’t seem like that kind of person… Or does he…?
…There’s no point in thinking too much about it.
Right.
For now, let’s do our best in the given circumstances.
Just like I’ve always done.
As she made that determination, a moment’s memory rushed back.
How she misunderstood him today, had taken off her clothes and said strange things, and showed her tears.
“…….”
She pulled the pillow next to her.
Then she placed it over her face and wrapped her arms around it. The soft pillow smelled wonderful, but her holding fingers deeply creased it.
“…Ugh!”
There was so much she didn’t know, but one feeling was certain right now.
“I’m so embarrassed…!!”