Chapter 161 - Episode 156: A New Mage ②
As is the case with most noble estates, the residence of the Arqvist Baronetcy has a reception room for meeting guests.
Inside that reception room, Rick and Conrad sat side by side on one of the sofas placed facing each other across a table.
"Noein-sama is a kind person, so you don't need to be nervous. When Noein-sama arrives, just stand up and follow my lead in giving a greeting. Understand?"
"Y-yeah. I'll be okay, Father."
Despite saying so, Conrad was so nervous that anyone could tell.
His eyes darted around the room, taking in the obviously expensive table and sofas, the blue-themed paintings hanging on the walls, and the lapis lazuli raw stone ornament decorating the desk in the corner of the room; when a maid placed tea on the table, he bowed his head repeatedly and excessively. To put it bluntly, his behavior was suspicious.
It can't be helped, Rick thought, letting out a small sigh.
To an ordinary territorial resident, a lord is an existence above the clouds. Noein often walked around the capital city of Noeina under the guise of inspections and behaved amicably, but even so, there was likely no resident who wouldn't feel awe if told to speak face-to-face with Noein.
Even Rick, whose opportunities to meet Noein directly had increased since becoming an attendant, still felt a bit nervous. It would be scarier if ten-year-old Conrad remained composed in this situation.
Just then, the door at the back of the reception room opened. At the sound, Conrad jumped slightly.
Seeing Noein enter the room, Rick stood up, and Conrad followed his father's example a moment later.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Rick, and your son as well."
"No. I am grateful for you granting us your time today, Noein-sama."
"I-I'm grateful!"
Though he imitated his father's response, Conrad put far too much strength into his voice. Noein didn't seem to mind and smiled at the nervous boy.
"Please, have a seat for now. You don't need to be that nervous."
Prompted, the two sat down, and Noein sat opposite them, with Chief Attendant Yuri also joining them. Behind Noein, Matilda stood by.
"Um, it was Conrad-kun, right... First of all, congratulations. Those granted the talent for magic—especially talent sufficient to call oneself a mage—are truly few. On top of that, to obtain the talent for the particularly rare Dialogue Magic, you were very lucky."
While nobles are more likely to be granted magical talent due to their bloodline, there are those among commoners and slaves who are blessed with great talent like this. Noein first offered words of blessing to Conrad, who had obtained a stroke of luck capable of changing his entire life.
"Y-yes, thank you very much!"
Responding in this way, Conrad seemed to finally calm down under Noein's gentle tone, managing a smile, albeit an awkward one.
"And congratulations to you too, Rick. A father who is an excellent attendant and a son who is a promising mage—you're an impressive father and son."
"Thank you, I am humbled."
Likely intending to elevate Rick in front of the child, Noein went out of his way to say "excellent attendant," and Rick smiled as he gave his thanks.
"Now, to the main point... Conrad-kun. I believe your father has already told you, but as someone who has become a Dialogue Mage, you have many options. If you wish to work in this territory, I will gladly hire you as the lord, or there is the path of going to a larger territory to serve a high noble. If you wish to serve the royal family, that would surely be granted as well."
Any noble, and the royal family as well, would want to keep a promising mage. Because Noein was no exception, he had called Conrad here to speak with him personally as the lord.
"If you serve the royal family, you would likely be given an exceptionally high salary; moreover, I think you might even receive an honorary knighthood... To be honest, as a Baronet, I cannot provide that level of treatment."
If he wished to leave this territory, Noein could not stop him. There was no way he could obtain loyal service by forcibly locking someone who desired higher heights and a wider world within the Arqvist territory.
Above all, if Noein were to rob Conrad of his freedom for his own selfish convenience, he would become just like his hated father. That was why Noein dared to present Conrad with options, even providing information that was disadvantageous to himself.
"With that in mind... what path do you wish to choose from now on? As a mage, as someone chosen by God, you have the freedom to decide your own future."
Being looked at directly and questioned by Noein, Conrad looked at his father beside him with a slightly anxious expression.
Receiving his son's gaze, Rick looked back at him in silence and nodded. Since this was something only his son could decide, he had only told him at home, "Choose your own future," and had not yet heard the decision. Rick did not yet know how Conrad would answer Noein.
Conrad nodded back to his father, closed his eyes to steady his breathing, then returned his gaze to Noein and spoke.
"...I-I wish to serve Noein-sama in the Arqvist territory!"
Upon hearing those words, the room fell silent for a moment.
Both Noein and Yuri, sitting beside him, raised their eyebrows in slight surprise. Although Matilda's expression did not budge, her ear twitched for a single instant.
Then, Rick, turning toward his son, opened his eyes wide with an expression that mixed surprise and joy.
"Heh, that was an unexpected answer, wasn't it, Yuri?"
"I had predicted that he would likely say he wanted to go to the royal family."
As Noein turned to his side with a laugh, Yuri answered with the attitude of a vassal, mindful of Conrad's presence.
"I see, so you want to serve us... May I ask the reason?"
Saying so, Noein turned back toward Conrad. His expression remained gentle, but a sharpness that seemed to discern Conrad's true intentions appeared in his eyes.
"If you go to the royal family, you'll surely become an honorary noble, right? You'll be treated incredibly well. Despite that, in the Arqvist territory—and I'm the one saying this—is such a small territory really okay?"
Despite Noein blatantly trying to shake his resolve, Conrad did not avert his eyes.
"I-I was able to survive because Noein-sama accepted us as immigrants after we lost our hometown. My fathe... I was raised being taught that by my father. I like it here. I want to work for the Arqvist territory, for Noein-sama."
Conrad spoke the reason, which he had likely thought through to some extent beforehand, though he stumbled in places.
"I see. As the lord, I am happy and proud that you feel that way... But is it really okay? Don't you wish to gain fame? Don't you want to be worshipped as an honorary noble, to be pampered and respected by many people? Do you have no such desires?"
"...I do have desires. I want fame, and I want people around me to say I'm amazing. But,"
Attempting to say more, Conrad showed a slightly hesitant expression.
"But? It's okay, speak honestly. I promise I won't fault you for any statement you make right now."
"...If I'm going to be praised and p-pampered anyway, I'd rather it be said by the people I know well in this town, rather than strangers in a far-off place. By a childhood friend girl, for example..."
Hearing such an adorable reason, Noein laughed and nodded repeatedly.
"A-and... if I become a royal court mage, I'll just be seen as one of many Dialogue Mages, but since the Arqvist territory is still small, if I'm here, I can be the only important person with this ability. I thought that... would be better, because it feels more special!"
Having finished speaking, Conrad wore an expression of having given it his all.
However, seeing the Chief Attendant sitting next to Noein wearing a troubled, defeated face, and seeing his father Rick sitting beside him turning pale, he realized he had said something wrong.
First, it was not good that he called himself "the only important person with this ability," disregarding the fact that Chief Attendant Yuri was also technically a Dialogue Mage. Furthermore, while it might be fine for the lord Noein to say it, it was problematic for a single resident like Conrad to say "the Arqvist territory is still small."
However, Conrad, whose emotions were heightened by nervousness, could not realize where his statements had gone wrong.
"Interesting, I like it!"
Breaking the silence, it was Noein who clapped his hands and spoke in a loud voice.
"N-Noein-sama!? ...Um, is that alright? My son just said something very rude."
"I was the one who said I wouldn't fault any statement. I wanted him to speak his true feelings. Hey, you don't mind, right, Yuri?"
"If Your Excellency says so, I shall say nothing," Yuri replied with a shrug as Noein tossed the conversation to him. Having been treated as if he didn't exist as a Dialogue Mage, he didn't particularly mind the unintentional slip of the tongue of a ten-year-old child.
"To want a happiness that can only be obtained because it's the Arqvist territory—isn't that a wonderful thing? I really like you."
Noein believed that happiness was relative. There were rural serfs who lived thinking they were happy, and there were rich people in great cities who thought they were unhappy. What one feels as happiness differs from person to person.
That was why Noein believed that people should find a form of happiness that suited their circumstances and thinking, and seek it.
To such a Noein, Conrad's words—seeking his own maximum happiness by becoming a "one and only" in the frontier rather than becoming one among many under the royal family—were far from unpleasant; they were, in fact, preferable.
"As the lord of the Arqvist territory, I welcome you as my subordinate, Conrad. I will treat you with the best possible salary and position. To reward your decision, I will strive to make this territory even larger and create a place where you can be active. I look forward to working with you."
Noein spoke not with the gentle smile he used for children, but with the fearless smile he often showed his subordinates.