Chapter 110

“Grandfather, dinner is ready.”

Joy said, glancing towards the bedroom as she set out the warm soup and bread.

A short while later, with the sound of rolling wheels, an old man in a wheelchair came out of the room.

It was Joy’s grandfather, Theo Lixiodor.

Theo had a bushy white beard and wore old clothes, but his appearance was neat.

And compared to his emaciated legs, the arms that moved the wheels of the wheelchair were quite thick for his age.

When Theo arrived at the dinner table, Joy placed the spoon and fork.

Theo poured water into Joy’s cup and his own.

A breakfast prepared harmoniously by grandfather and granddaughter.

Finally, the preparation was complete when the fruit that a neighbor had shared a few days ago was placed on the table.

“Let’s eat.”

“Eat a lot.”

The grandfather and granddaughter had a simple but warm meal.

Theo looked at the well-eating Joy with warm eyes.

He then slowly ate his soup, his eyes taking in the object placed on one side of the table.

A luxurious wand case with the academy’s crest engraved on it.

Inside it was the highest quality wand that Joy had exchanged for at the Emporium.

An item that he couldn't afford even if he spent the rest of his life.

And an item that his proud granddaughter had obtained with her own strength by excellently completing her assignments at the academy.

It was something that made Theo as happy as the certificate of excellence for Joy’s admission scores hanging on the wall.

After glancing at the wand once, and then at the certificate on the wall, Theo ate his soup with a pleased face.

Seeing the results of his granddaughter’s efforts, a hunger he didn't have before arose, and his appetite finally returned.

Joy finished her soup and tore Theo’s bread into bite-sized pieces.

And as she was about to finish tearing the bread, Theo brought up a story he had seen in the newspaper earlier.

“Do you happen to know any news about that child, Eddie Summerson? I saw in the newspaper that he might not be able to attend the academy anymore.”

“……”

Joy’s hand flinched at the suddenly mentioned name.

But she soon continued tearing the bread and answered in a nonchalant tone.

“I’m not sure. We weren’t that close. But he probably won’t be expelled easily.”

“‘Easily’… It seems that the upper-class magical families are demanding that child’s expulsion one after another to stay on Kirhausen’s good side… I’m worried about that child.”

Theo continued speaking, recalling the articles about Eddie he had read in the newspaper.

“It’s really something for that great family to go to such lengths against a single child… He may have quite a few supporters now, but this debate won’t last long. He’ll be in danger soon.”

“Why? So many commoners support Eddie… Wouldn’t Kirhausen back down, being mindful of them?”

At Joy’s innocent question, Theo gave a slightly bitter smile.

“To the current Kirhausen, the will of the public doesn’t matter. The nature of the magical world, which runs well with just the will of the upper class, has made them even more so.”

“Ah…”

“The fact that they’ve already waged such a media war means that they’re going to crush that child to the end, even if it means taking a loss. I wonder how long he can hold out against such a Kirhausen…”

Theo let out a deep sigh, as if worried.

And Joy felt a little puzzled watching her grandfather.

It was a little strange that her grandfather was so genuinely concerned about Eddie, whom he had never even met.

Of course, Eddie was receiving immense support from the commoners right now.

But that was purely for political reasons.

And the grandfather that Joy knew was a person far from such political support.

Nevertheless, curious as to why he was expressing genuine concern for Eddie's affairs, Joy asked casually.

“Do you also feel like Eddie is a second Phinix Embas, Grandfather?”

This was the extent of the speculation Joy could make.

Phinix Embas was a figure that her grandfather's generation was particularly enthusiastic about.

But.

“No.”

Theo said firmly, shaking his head.

“No one can be a second Phinix Embas. There is only one Phinix Embas.”

“Then why are you so worried about Eddie? That guy… for all we know, he might have some bad intentions.”

“Of course. I’m not expecting unconditional justice from that child either. What I believe in is not that child, but Dean Devens, who protected that child.”

“Ah…”

“Most of the commoners who support that child probably feel the same way. They’re following the choice made by the ‘Prophet of Mana’ rather than a child who appeared out of nowhere.”

“I see…”

Joy slowly nodded her head.

She had learned a lot from her grandfather’s words.

It was true that Eddie was gaining the support of the commoners by acquiring various nicknames.

But for now, the prestige of Leodimir had a greater effect than the trust in Eddie himself.

This was both a safety net and a challenge to overcome.

When Eddie one day topples the current Kirhausen.

At that time, he would have to earn the trust of the world that surpasses the prestige of Leodimir.

Just as Joy and Theo were having such a chat.

Knock, knock, knock-

A polite knock on the door was heard.

“Who is it? Is it Mrs. Beth?”

“It’s not time for the lady to come pick up the laundry yet… I’ll go check.”

Joy said with a puzzled expression, finished pouring tea into her grandfather’s cup, and approached the door.

A household budget that was tight with just the tuition.

So, Joy was one to take on various jobs for her neighbors every holiday.

The neighbors were kind, so she had never been rushed, but she thought that just in case.

Thinking of words to appease the lady, Joy opened the door.

However.

“Uh…?”

Standing in front of the door was not a familiar neighbor.

“Who… are you…?”

Joy asked cautiously to the young woman wearing a cape.

A tall woman with a calm impression and neat attire.

Although she asked who she was, Joy actually felt like she had seen her somewhere before.

“Who is it, Joy?”

Theo rolled his wheelchair towards the door.

The woman in front of the door bowed her head to Theo and greeted him politely.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

The woman's voice was as weighty as her calm impression.

She then greeted Joy as well and introduced herself.

“My name is Parita Märchen, the secretary of Dean Leodimir Duke Devens.”

“……!”

“……!!”

Theo’s hand, which had been rolling the wheelchair, stopped abruptly.

A brief silence flowed.

Before long, the faces of Joy and Theo were colored with astonishment.

Parita glanced at the two and then took something out from her bosom, handing it to Joy and saying.

“Dean Devens has summoned the class officers of each grade for academy student council business. That is why I have come to pick up Miss Lixiodor.”

“Ah… uh… is that so…”

“Yes.”

Parita calmly explained to the surprised and stuttering Theo.

And Joy narrowed her eyes as she read the letter she had been handed.

The content of the letter was quite different from the explanation just now.

[It’s me, Eddie. You must be very surprised, right? As I said, I couldn’t leave Kirhausen quietly. I have something urgent to discuss, so please follow Parita.]

It_was_a_short_letter_written_in_Eddie’s_handwriting.

Considering the possibility of impersonation, he had even mentioned what he had said to her before.

Gulp.

Joy looked at Parita nervously.

Parita was still telling a white lie to Theo.

‘Grandfather must not know… that I am following Eddie’s plan.’

Keeping it a secret from her grandfather was what Joy also wanted.

If he knew that his only granddaughter was doing something against a great family, her already unwell grandfather might collapse.

“…For that reason, I would like to take Miss Lixiodor for a while, but would that be alright?”

“Ah… yes… if Joy is alright with it, then I am fine. Uh… but…”

“Yes, sir.”

“D-do secretaries usually come to pick up students in person like this?”

“It is an unofficial but important matter, so the Dean wished to send someone who could directly represent his will.”

“Ah… I see.”

At the successive white lies, Theo slowly began to accept the situation and nodded his head.

Small gasps of admiration kept escaping from his slightly parted lips.

In fact, the present moment of facing Parita felt somewhat unreal to him.

The secretary of that Dean Devens.

Just a moment ago, he had been conversing with Joy, expressing his respect for him.

And that very person had personally sent his own person to pick up his granddaughter.

As the bewilderment subsided, a sense of pride for his granddaughter appeared on Theo's face.

His granddaughter, who had received a large number of votes in the class president election, joined the student council, and even played a major role in the field trip accident.

Just as he was barely getting used to all this news, he received a call from Dean Devens, so Theo couldn't be happier.

“Joy.”

Theo called Joy in a gentle voice.

Joy folded the letter and looked back at him.

She had already erased the tension from her face and had put on a natural expression.

“Go on.”

“Yes, Grandfather. I’ll be back.”

Joy smiled back at her grandfather.

.

.

.

After tidying up the dinner table, Joy went into her room and put on her coat.

And just before leaving the house with her wand, she read the contents of Eddie's letter one more time.

Theo saw Joy off all the way to the door.

“I told you it’s still chilly outside.”

“The way I feel now, I don’t think I’d be cold even in a blizzard.”

“Anyway, I can’t do anything about my grandfather, really. You must not forget the request I made earlier.”

“Alright, don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone about today’s events.”

“Okay. I’ll be back.”

Seen off by Theo, Joy followed Parita.

When they were a little far from Joy’s house, Parita handed her a cape like the one she was wearing.

“If you put on the hood, Invisibility will be cast and you won’t be seen. We need to move secretly, so please wear it.”

“Okay.”

When Joy put on the cape and hood, a layer of mana surrounded her entire body, making her invisible.

Parita also put on her hood and disappeared.

Because it was a high-performance item, they were only invisible to others, but they could see each other.

The two walked down a narrow alley in silence.

Joy’s house was in a very remote part of the village, so it took quite a long time to reach the vacant lot where the summoning circle was drawn.

Upon arriving at the vacant lot, Parita confirmed that there was no one around.

She then sent a signal to Rao to activate the summoning circle.

She asked Joy, who was waiting with her for the summoning circle to activate.

“Did you ask your grandfather to keep today’s events completely secret?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you do that?”

“My grandfather boasts about me to others quite often. I can’t have the story of me being called for a non-existent student council meeting spreading around.”

“……”

“Especially when Kirhausen is already watching the Dean’s every move.”

“Hmm.”

Parita let out a low sound of admiration.

All that had been conveyed to Joy was Eddie’s short letter and the story Parita had made up for Theo.

Without even hearing the full story from Eddie yet, Joy was looking beyond that and had a fairly accurate grasp of the situation.

‘Amazing.’

She was indeed a talent chosen by the Grand Master.

While Parita was admiring her inwardly, the summoning circle emitted light.

Fwoosh-

And the two disappeared along with the burning flame of summoning.

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