Side Story Part 2

「Well, I want that to be the case… 」

Tiberio looked up at the sky and groaned

「… because then the most difficult problem of my life would be solved. 」

* * *

Following Tiberio’s orders, Aubest visited the Magic Academy’s dormitory. The dormitory is built within the school grounds, and is where all students studying at the Magic Academy live. Seven years ago, Aubest also lived here. Servia Alba had been the superintendent of the boarding school since then.

「It’s been a long time, Aubest. 」

When he entered her office, Servia greeted him with a smile. This is the first time he has seen her make such an expression. This is because she always showed nothing but a cold expression towards her dorm mates. In this sense, Servia was similar to Aubest in a way, but she was probably just behaving like that on purpose.

(I guess it’s necessary in her line of work.)

Aubest understood this very well.

「It has been a while. 」

Aubest sent his greeting without expression.

「It seems like you haven’t changed at all. 」

Servia smiled bitterly.

「I’ve heard about what happened to you. To be frank, I never thought the day would come when you of all people would become an adoptive father. 」

「I also don’t think that I’m the right man for the job, but this is what my family has decided. 」

「You’re twenty years old now, aren’t you? Personally I think it’s a little early for something like that, but it’s supposedly good to have a child, even if they’re not related to you by blood. 」

Servia nodded her head deeply.

「I can accept the financial burden of providing for a child’s well-being, but I don’t understand how to treat them with love. 」

「Normally I would ask you to think back to the times when you were a student yourself, but then again, you were quite a special child. 」

「I know. I apologize for that. 」

Aubest apologized for his past behavior. He was well aware that he was not normal, but he cannot change now how he behaved when he was a child.

「Besides, your adopted child is also quite special. I don’t know if she’s going to be all that easy to handle. 」

「What do you mean by that? Exactly what kind of child is she? 」

Aubest asked.

「Instead of me explaining things to you, it’d be quicker if you just met her yourself. 」

Servia got up from her seat and urged Aubest to follow after her. Aubest nodded silently and follows her as instructed.

Servia walked down a long hallway, unlocked the door to a small room at the end of the first floor, and stepped inside. Aubest continued closely after her.

It was dark inside the room. There were no lamps, candles, or magical lights lit, and Aubest could see no further than the end of his own hand. He narrowed his eyes and looked around the room. And then he saw a figure sitting on the bed. She sat with her legs folded in half, her back straight. Her gaze was directed towards the wall.

「Ever since she came here half a month ago, that is pretty much everything that she’s been doing. 」

Servia spoke with a cautionary voice.

「Can I turn on the light? 」

Aubest asked.

「From now on, I’ll leave everything to you. If you need anything, please call me. 」

After saying that, Servia left the room at her quickest pace.

Aubest bows as he saw her off. And then he turned back to the bed.

(I was given the role of being an adoptive father…)

So he’ll just have to fulfill that role.

「Let there be light. 」

Aubest lit a magical light on the tip of his magic wand and held it up.
Illuminated with pale blue light, the figure of a person sitting on the bed clearly stood out. She was indeed a girl. She was about ten years old. Her long black hair fell down her back. She was dressed in Oriental clothing, which is rarely seen in Elam.

Aubest straightened his back and narrowed his eyes at her. Then, all expression disappears from his face.

「My name is Aubest. 」

While saying this, he approached the girl.

「From today onwards, I will be your adoptive father. 」

Aubest stood next to the bed and looked at the girl, but the girl didn’t even try to look back at him.

「What’s your name? 」

Aubest asked.

「My name… I don’t have one. 」

「That’s strange. People are given names by their parents when they are born. 」

「That name…was taken away from me. 」

The girl replied, turning around while still sitting down. She was a girl with big and round black eyes, but there was no light left in those eyes, so much so that they resembled two abysses that threatened to swallow Aubest in.

「Did you get robbed? 」

He wondered what that meant, but there was an easier solution than asking about it.

「In that case, from now on, your name will be Aishela. 」

Children who enter Magic Academy are often given new names to separate them from their families. Aubest’s name was also given to him by Tiberio. He still remembered the name his family called him when he was a child, but he decided that he will never use that name again.

And the name Aishela was a venerable name that was often used by female Mages of the Meletes family in the past.

「Aishela… 」
The girl turns while sitting and looked up at Aubest. He didn’t really care about other people’s expressions, but even for him, hers was a little bit too blank. Looks like it wasn’t just her name that was taken from her.

(Well, it doesn’t matter now.)

Aubest thought. No matter what happened to this girl until now, it has nothing to do with her as she’ll continue to live as a member of the Meletes family.

「As your adoptive father, I have a duty to take care of you. And as an adopted child, you have the right to demand that I fulfill that duty. 」

As if proclaiming a decree to the people of the territory, Aubest spoke to the girl he named Aishela. Then he explained what it means in words that children can understand.

「I don’t want anything. 」

Saying this, Aishela put her fingers on the bed and bowed her head while bending her body forward.

「Rather, if there’s anything you want from me, please tell me. 」

When the girl looked up at him, she had this look on her face as if she had given up on everything. It seems like she has gotten used to saying that line.

「Take off what you’re wearing. You can leave your underwear on. 」

Aubest quietly called out to the girl.

Aishela’s lips trembled for a moment, but without saying a word she stood up on the bed, untied her obi, and took off her clothes, leaving only her underwear. Aubest took the girl’s wrist and first checked her pulse. It would be natural for her to be nervous in this situation, but there was no disturbance in her pulse whatsoever.

She was a thin girl, but her skin had the warm whiteness and smoothness of ivory. He put his ear to her chest and checked her breathing, but he didn’t feel anything unusual.

He then made her open her mouth and shined the magic light into it, but she already had a set of permanent teeth and she had no cavities. Her throat was a little swollen, but it didn’t seem red. Overall, she looked healthy. However, there were scars and bruises all over her skin. It is clear that she has been subjected to violence.

Aubest then asked the girl about her clothes.

「Are those all the clothes you have? 」

Aubest asked and the girl nodded as she puts on her clothes.

「You’ll be provided with a uniform, but we’re going to need to get underwear, loungewear, and clothes for going out for you as well… 」

Aubest murmured to himself, and went around the room to find out if the girl had anything else with her, but apparently there was nothing of the sort here. She was brought in only the clothes she already had on her body.

(Who brought this girl here in the first place?)

Aubest thought to himself.

He was a member of the Meletes family now, and that girl was also to become a Meletes family Mage.

Each family is eager to find a successor that would keep the family’s prosperity going, so whenever they hear of a child with strong magic potential and Chaos sensitivity, they went to inspect them, and if they thought they had the necessary potential, they would take the child in, or buy them off their parents.