Water Magician

Extra 5 The Royalty’s Duty

Editor: Tseirp

Sera noticed the faint sound of a violin.

The skill was rudimentary, to say the least.

It almost felt like they had picked up the instrument for the first time in the past few days.

Moreover, the sound was coming from the room she was about to enter.

“Hmm?”

Given permission to enter without knocking, Sera quietly opened the door and peeked inside for a moment.

Surely, if Abel were there, he would say in an astonished tone:

And Sera, on the contrary, would be very pleased to hear that.

Inside the room, violin lessons were underway.

Receiving the lesson was Prince Noah.

His mother, Queen Rihya, sat in a corner of the room, smiling as she watched.

Sera quietly approached Rihya.

“Oh, Sera. The documents, right?”

“Yes, I brought them. But… is Noah having violin practice?”

“That’s right. I learned this after getting married, but it seems all children born into the Knightley royal family must learn to play the violin.”

“…That’s impressive.”

Rihya smiled wryly, and Sera was surprised.

Neither Rihya nor Sera could play the violin.

“They must learn to play…?”

“Our founding ancestor, King Richard, was apparently a virtuoso violinist, and that seems to have had an influence. So, learning to play the violin is not just a hobby but a duty.”

“Noah is only three years old, though…”

“Yeah. It seems they start lessons once they turn three.”

“Being royalty is quite demanding.”

Sera sighed.

Royals are expected not only to acquire practical knowledge for governing the country but also to excel in various arts, martial arts, and even activities like dancing, horseback riding, and sailing.

When ‘representing the Kingdom’ abroad, any embarrassment brought upon oneself is tantamount to disgracing the Kingdom and its people.

Nevertheless…

Growing up in an environment where mastering these things is considered natural is anything but ordinary.

But Sera knew.

Rihya, standing before her, had been working hard to master these skills since marrying into the royal family.

“It’s irrelevant to foreigners that I am someone who married into the royal family. I wouldn’t want the reputation of the Kingdom to suffer because of me.”

She laughed as if it were nothing, yet her dedication to her dance lessons was remarkable…

If one starts early, the time needed to acquire these skills is shorter.

But when starting as an adult… it often takes a considerable amount of time.

That’s why Rihya’s efforts were remarkable.

All for the Kingdom and its people.

The people of the Kingdom would never ridicule or laugh at Rihya.

But that wasn’t the issue.

It was to ensure that the people of the Kingdom wouldn’t be ridiculed… for having such a queen.

However, Rihya had her own reasons.

While it was undoubtedly tough, she didn’t resent it.

Because… it was the path her beloved had once walked.

And now, she was allowed to walk it too… she was permitted to follow that path…

Following the path that Abel had walked since he was young… having that sentiment, despite the challenges, made it not so difficult.

The human heart is complex.

“I’ve heard that Abel can play the violin, but Ryo seems to be able to play the pia-no. However, I’m not familiar with the pia-no. Do you know about it, Rihya?”

“Pia-no? Hmm, I’ve never heard of it. At least, it’s not an instrument you would find in the Central Countries.”

Rihya replied, tilting her head in response to Sera’s question.

Since joining the royal family, Rihya has been learning not only about the political situations in various countries but also about their traditional cultures and lifestyles.

The higher one rises in position, the more knowledge and culture outside of practical matters one is expected to possess.

In fact, even with exceptional practical skills, one might not be entrusted with significant responsibilities if one lacks broader knowledge.

Since external responsibilities often increase more than internal ones.

“Both men can play musical instruments, but we cannot.”

Sera said with a small laugh.

Being careful as Noah was practicing nearby.

“Shall we try practicing musical instruments as a hobby? With the goal of being able to play in about twenty years?”

“A hobby huh… I’ve never thought about it, but that doesn’t sound bad. But it won’t be easy, will it?”

“Yeah, it might be incredibly difficult. Learning to play an instrument is truly challenging.”

Rihya said, smiling as she watched Noah earnestly practicing.

“Your Highness, you’re doing great. If you practice every day, you’ll be able to produce even more beautiful sounds.”

“Yes, teacher.”

It was a conversation between the teacher and Prince Noah.

From a distance, the two watched with delight.

“The teacher is good at giving compliments, I see.”

“Yeah. I insisted on that strongly. I asked them to praise and instruct as much as possible.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s what Ryo said. He mentioned that praising is the basis of education.”

“Indeed, Ryo would say something like that.”

Rihya said, and Sera agreed.

Yes, praising to encourage growth is fundamental.

Ryo often said so and indeed praised his students.

Of course, it wasn’t just about praising; it was about praising specific achievements and improvements.

It meant paying careful attention to the other person.

Conversely, being able to praise accurately indicated that one was paying attention and caring for the other person.

The recipient of the praise feels it, which makes them happy.

They want to receive more praise, so they work harder.

And because they’re working hard, they continue to grow.

And then they receive more praise.

It’s a positive cycle.

That’s what education is all about.

Rihya and Sera had seen Ryo teaching water-attribute magic to the children of the Gecko trading company.

As a result, the children were all happily using water-attribute magic.

“It’s easier to learn when you’re having fun.”

“Yeah, Ryo was talking about something like the amygdala in the head and something hippocampus… I didn’t quite get that part.”

“Ryo occasionally says complicated things.”

Rihya recalled, and Sera chuckled in agreement.

“But I remember him saying this: You become good at what you enjoy doing.”

“Ryo seems to enjoy his training sessions too. That’s so like him.”

Both Rihya and Sera remembered the sight of Ryo enjoying his training in water-attribute magic and alchemy.

Fun. Surely, that’s justice.

TLN: Please read my translations at tseirptranslations.com, I did not give permission to any site to host my translations. 

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