Ian suppressed the emotions that welled up and guided the sage and princess to the reception room first.
“Wow! You’ve really decorated the place! You’ve got great taste! The Duchess must be thrilled! Oh? Is that a real sword over there? Who’s supposed to wield that? Wow. That’s a hammer, right? I’ve never seen a hammer like that before. Oh my! A clay sword! Is that edge sharp? Oh! It is sharp. Haha!”
Hamil reached out her finger to touch the clay sword displayed in the hallway.
As expected, Hamil ended up drawing blood and started sucking on her finger.
“I’ll call for a physician.”
“No, it’s fine! A wound like this will heal if I just spit on it.”
Since when did spit become a treatment for wounds? Ian had plenty to say, but guiding them to the reception room took priority, so he resumed walking.
Even as they continued walking, Hamil’s mouth didn’t stop.
“Could that be one of Maria’s early works? Or is it a forgery? Master, I feel like I’ve seen that statue somewhere before. What was it? The carpet here is so soft. How do they clean this? Oh! There are murals painted on the ceiling too. It feels just like a temple. Are those Loenbaum flowers?”
“We’ve arrived.”
When Ian said this, it was a clear indication to quiet down, and Hamil finally closed her mouth.
However, as soon as they entered the reception room, her mouth opened again.
“Wow! Is this the reception room? It’s on a completely different level compared to our kingdom’s. As expected of the Empire. Master, sit here. The sofa is incredibly comfortable. You could even sleep here. Right, Master? If we ever don’t have a place to stay, shall we camp out in the Duke’s office? It doesn’t rain or blow wind here. And most importantly, there’s a fireplace over there, so we could sneak in and light a fire if we visit the Duke’s room.”
Ian pressed his temples with one hand.
Listening to Hamil’s endless chatter made his headache worse.
‘I need to feed her something to shut her up.’
Ian pulled a string and ordered a servant to bring the tea and snacks he had prepared in advance.
As Ian had predicted, as soon as Hamil started eating, she became quiet.
More accurately, she was too busy eating to speak.
To someone unaware that Hamil was a princess, she might have seemed like a commoner who hadn’t eaten for days.
“I’ve caused trouble for you.”
Once Hamil quieted down, the sage Julius spoke to Ian.
“No, not at all. It is I who caused you inconvenience due to the Academy matters.”
“Not at all. The Duke has helped me fulfill my lifelong wish.”
“A lifelong wish?”
Julius smiled kindly.
“You’re aware that I come from a commoner background, correct?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I happened to meet a noble by chance and was able to enter the Academy. Everything was a new world to me, and learning became my joy. However, the more I learned, the more I felt indebted.”
“Indebted?”
Julius’s eyes reflected a mix of emotions.
“Yes. I had a younger sibling who was even smarter than me. They were so intelligent that they could easily understand the difficult principles I struggled to learn. Yet, my sibling couldn’t attend the Academy.”
“Didn’t the noble who helped you also support your sibling?”
“Yes. The noble who helped me only did so because, at the time, assisting commoners was a trend.”
Ian nodded.
Nobles were sensitive to trends. If one person did something that seemed admirable, others would follow suit. However, such trends were short-lived.
By the time his younger sibling was old enough to attend the academy, the trend of supporting commoners had faded, and they no longer received assistance.
“I, too, stopped receiving support after the trend ended. However, because my grades were good, I was able to continue attending the academy on a scholarship. At the time, I thought it was just the way things were. But as time passed, my younger sibling came of age. Despite being so intelligent, they ended up becoming an ordinary farmer. Even now, when I talk to them, they grasp concepts easily, but they were still just a farmer.”
Ian nodded again.
“I wanted to teach my sibling what I had learned. But as a farmer, they no longer had the desire to learn. When I asked why they wouldn’t study, my sibling said, ‘Opportunities to learn are not equal. If you can’t go all the way, it’s better not to know the joy of learning at all.’”
Ian fully understood the sibling’s sentiments.
Back on Earth, Ian had also given up his studies after his older sister’s sudden accident and death.
“After hearing those words, I felt tormented for a long time. I must have made my sibling think it was better not to know the joy of learning because of what I had taught them.”
“Yes.”
“Unable to face my sibling anymore, I began traveling across the Empire, visiting many places. I met a lot of people, mostly commoners rather than nobles. That’s when I realized just how many people are thirsty for knowledge.”
Julius took a sip of tea to moisten his throat before continuing.
“As I listened to their stories, I started to have doubts. My sibling had said that if one couldn’t continue learning, it was better not to know the joy of it. But the people I met were willing to learn even if they had to stop midway. That made me think I should talk to my sibling again. When I returned home, I found my sibling on the brink of death.”
Ian drew in a sharp breath.
“While working on the farm, they had injured their arm, and the condition worsened until it became life-threatening. Even the priests couldn’t help them—it was that severe. Once my sibling realized they were dying, only then did they ask me to teach them about knowledge. They wanted to learn until their last breath. True to their words, my sibling kept asking me questions and listening to my answers until they passed away.”
“…May they rest in peace.”
Julius smiled faintly at Ian’s belated condolences.
“That was when I made up my mind. I resolved to establish an academy where commoners could learn, regardless of their background. I didn’t want anyone else to experience the sorrow my sibling had felt from being unable to learn.”
Ian nodded.
“But contrary to my determination, I had nothing. When I spoke to those with wealth, they mocked me. Nobles worried about why I was wasting my energy on such a useless endeavor. As time went on, my dream grew fainter. I began to think it would never come true. Just when I had almost given up, Your Grace established an academy for commoners. It’s as if you’ve fulfilled my lifelong wish.”
“I only created it because I saw its usefulness.”
Julius clasped Ian’s hand. His aged, scarred hands bore the marks of a life of hardship.
“Please allow me to assist with anything related to the academy. Though I’m old, I’m still in good health.”
“It’s I who should be asking for your help. I’ve established the academy, but I’ve never attended one myself, so I’m at a loss for how to run it. Please help me as much as you can.”
Julius smiled kindly as he patted Ian’s hand.
“What about me?”
After finishing her snacks, Hamil began to speak.
“No, no. Let me start with an introduction.”
Hamil abruptly stood up and greeted as men traditionally do.
“Hello, my name is Hamil de Karlin. I’m 25 years old. My specialty is dual-wielding swords, and I’m not very good at mathematics or literature. I’m somewhat capable in other areas. I aspire to be a swordsmanship instructor!”
Hamil’s voice echoed throughout the drawing room, and as if suddenly embarrassed, she fidgeted and awkwardly took something out of her pocket, placing it on Ian’s dessert plate.
‘Macarons?’
Though slightly broken, they were indeed macarons.
Moreover, they were the same macarons served as snacks just moments ago.
‘Why is this coming out of her pocket? And why is she giving it to me?’
Hamil winked at the dumbfounded Ian.
“It’s a bribe.”
Ian shut his eyes tightly while Edelmar chuckled softly.
***
Unable to endure any longer after the so-called bribe, Ian instructed the butler to show the two to their rooms.
Feeling extremely exhausted, Ian pressed his fingers against his temples and spoke.
“Didn’t you say she was eccentric?”
“She is eccentric, isn’t she?”
“That’s not eccentric; that’s downright insane, don’t you think?”
Edelmar burst into laughter.
A full-blown laugh.
‘Does he find this situation amusing?’
Ian sighed and sank into the sofa.
After laughing for quite a while, Edelmar finally spoke.
“When I said eccentric, I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“Princess Hamil is a mage.”
Ian tilted his head in confusion.
During her introduction, she clearly stated her specialty was dual-wielding swords, yet now she’s a mage?
“And not just any mage—a prodigy. At the age of one, she performed magic without anyone teaching her.”
“Is that even possible?”
“According to Princess Hamil, she just thought about it, and it happened.”
Ian was at a loss for words. If magic worked just by thinking about it, then anyone—even a dog or a cow—could be a mage.
“Then why does she say her specialty is dual-wielding swords instead of magic?”
“She hates magic.”
“She hates magic?”
Edelmar sipped his tea and spoke.
“Indeed. She doesn’t just dislike it; she has an extreme aversion to it.”
“Why is that?”
Edelmar shrugged his shoulders.
“I haven’t looked into it that far.”
“Then why did you call her eccentric?”
“Well, despite having a clear path for herself, she’s choosing to walk a completely different one.”
Ian fell into thought.
Magic is powered by mana, and to control mana at will, one must use formulas, magic circles, or incantations.
While grand mages can perform magic without speaking, it’s only possible after they’ve broken through certain barriers.
But if she began performing magic right after turning one…
‘She must be loved by mana.’
It reminded Ian of what the <Well of Mana> once said.
In a world filled with mana, there are those born loved by it.
Such individuals can use magic as naturally as breathing, and they inevitably go on to become legendary grand mages who leave their mark in history.
“Princess Hamil should pursue becoming a swordsmanship instructor.”
Edelmar looked at him with a surprised expression and asked.
“Why?”
“Geniuses usually can’t teach others.”
“I can teach just fine.”
“Teaching swordsmanship and teaching magic are entirely different. In magic, every formula and magic circle has meaning, and you must explain and help others understand that meaning. But geniuses can’t comprehend why those less talented don’t understand what’s obvious to them. They get frustrated because they don’t see the need to explain something that feels so natural.”
“You sound like someone who has personal experience with this.”
That had indeed been Ian’s experience on Earth.
When new recruits joined, Ian realized he had an exceptional talent for swordsmanship.
What came so naturally to him was impossible for them, and they couldn’t even grasp why it was necessary.
“Also, it’s unreasonable to make someone teach something they despise. Forcing her would only lead to her quitting after a few days. It’s better to let her pursue something she truly wants.”
“I thought you’d refuse to take in Princess Hamil and send her back to the kingdom.”
Truthfully, Ian still wanted to send her back.
He didn’t think he could handle her endless chatter.
Yet, the reason he hadn’t sent her away was…
“If I refuse, she’ll probably keep asking until I agree.”
Edelmar burst into laughter once more.
And that laughter didn’t stop, even as Ian finished all the tea in the teapot.
