Chapter 1 – Grace's Chains

“…That was nothing more than a childish squabble.”

Several days later. I was practicing magic in a corner of the garden when my father, Henry, found me and summoned me to his study.

It seemed Daryl had gone crying to his mother Kathryn, and Kathryn had gone crying to Father.

“I heard you tormented him one-sidedly with magic?”

Father apparently didn’t intend to tell me the details of what Kathryn had told him. He probably wanted to compare our stories to determine the general truth.

Kathryn likely exaggerated things too much. Daryl probably exaggerated when he told Kathryn too, so by now the story must have grown fins upon fins.

They probably thought that even if I defended myself, only their side would be believed.

“They were the ones who pushed me into the waterway first. I did fire warning shots near their feet, but Daryl threw stones at me first with intent to hit. I was just defending myself. Should I have endured being hit by stones instead?”

I had no guilt. I truly thought it was at the level of a childish fight, and from my current perspective, it felt like I’d barely patted them down.

If I had been serious, even elementary magic could have been lethal—I could feel that potential. Even during practice, I thought the same.

After all, magical knowledge and the sensation of manipulating magical power remained as memories. The only thing I felt needed more training was my absolute amount of magical power, but I also knew how to increase that.

“But, Theodore…”

“…Should I show you the evidence?”

“Do you have any?”

I shrugged my shoulders, took off my jacket, and showed him my back.

“…This is”

I could tell Father’s voice had stiffened. There should have been several relatively fresh bruises on my back. Not countless, but enough to be unnatural if I claimed I’d just bumped into things.

“Please don’t tell me that responding to violence with violence is wrong. I was just protecting myself. Considering the future, sooner or later I would have had to do this at some point. From my perspective, I’d like to be praised for keeping it at the level of a childish fight and sheathing my spear early.”

I emphasized the “childish fight” part.

“…I understand. I’ll speak with Byron and Daryl myself.”

“Then with your wife as well, I assume.”

“…What?”

Father’s expression changed.

“That should be obvious. If you have no recollection of educating those two that way, then it should be clear who was inciting their hatred toward me.”

“Did she… did Kathryn lay hands on you directly…?”

“Not hands, but I received her riding whip. That was the day before yesterday, so I thought the marks would still be on my back? Also, she seemed to be restricting Grace’s actions. I heard she was using Grace’s ring. I was quite taken aback when Grace told me too.”

Father’s eyes widened slightly. He probably hadn’t looked at my back again because he’d already noticed marks that resembled whip strikes among what he saw earlier.

The part about restricting Grace’s actions seemed to be news to him, as he put a hand to his forehead as if enduring a headache.

For example, preventing her from helping me. For example, preventing her from reporting to Father. If the master had malicious intent, they could command such things through the ring Grace always wore on her person.

To be precise, it was a cursed tool in the shape of a ring.

Originally meant to suppress racial strengths while eliminating weaknesses as well. In practice, it was a derivative of magic used during slave contracts to prevent disobedience, escape, and rebellion. By accepting it and entrusting control to others, she was permitted to live among humans and blend into daily life.

As a Dhampir—a hybrid of human and vampire—there were only three “masters” who could command her through the ring: Father, my now-deceased mother, and finally Kathryn. That was all. Byron and Daryl were not permitted.

Of course. Even Kathryn wasn’t foolish enough to give the reins to her own children.

“…I’m sorry I didn’t notice, Theo.”

“It’s fine. You’re busy too, Father.”

When I said this as emotionlessly as possible, he gave me an awkward smile.

“Is there anything—anything you want me to do?”

“…I’d like to live quietly somewhere away from here. Wouldn’t that be more reassuring for you too, rather than this tightrope-like situation where someone who can use magic and people who hate him live under the same roof? Most of the servants are on your wife’s side too. Only Grace is on my side, to be honest it’s felt like sitting on pins and needles ever since I came here.”

“…I’ll think about it.”

I’m a bit worried Father might develop an ulcer. But this is the time for it. I’ll say everything I want to say, making up for all the times I endured without being selfish before.

“Oh, personally I’d prefer somewhere like Termwills as my destination.”

“Why is that?”

“I think there are limits to secretly reading books from the study and learning magic through self-study. I’m sure I’d make good progress there. It’s a somewhat dangerous place, so I think your wife and those two would agree.”

Father let out a very, very long sigh.

“…I’ve been greatly mistaken about you and our family, haven’t I? Theo… Not just about magic, but I had no idea you were so articulate.”

“I was pretending to be harmless. Both me and them. I didn’t want you to dislike me, Father.”

The part about pretending wasn’t really true in my case, though.

As for magic, there’s no way I could do things like chantless magic just from books in the study. Before my memories of my past life returned, elementary magic with chants was the best I could do.

But well, let’s leave it at that. From an adult’s perspective, children can suddenly turn delinquent or snap.

To conclude, my wish was easily granted.

Boundary City Termwills. Or Labyrinth City Termwills would work too, but I’m currently traveling there by carriage.

Father arranged for considerable funds, connections there, and escorts for the journey. Not that I wanted to rely on him too much, or rather I didn’t want strong ties to my family home, so I decided to think of it as severance pay.

As for Count Gartner’s villa within Termwills… I refused to use it since it would amount to the same thing if I ended up facing my family members there occasionally. It was obvious I’d be criticized for how I used the villa anyway.

There are acquaintances of Father’s there too, so I can’t completely cut ties, but well, fewer restraints are better.

Now then. The labyrinth existing in Termwills is said to connect to another world.

A living labyrinth that changes its connecting paths and structure with the phases of the moon… That is the Great Labyrinth of Termwills. If you delve deep, you might find valuable treasures that drifted ashore from other worlds. But the deepest part remains unexplained. Because no humans who reached it remain in records.

It was the same in BFO too, where deeper areas were added through updates. So naturally, I don’t know what the deepest part of that labyrinth is like.

That said, the shallower floors aren’t particularly threatening. I think it’s the perfect place to experiment with various things and hone my skills. Conversely, if I can’t manage even there, then it just means I have no place anywhere anyway.

Well, if that happens, I have ideas for that too. It would still be better than living in the Gartner household.

There were several reasons I chose Termwills as my destination… One of them was that even magic-using children don’t stand out much there. Termwills is a place where various races gather because of the labyrinth. Magician apprentices aren’t rare, and with its strong martial spirit, you’re naturally recognized if you have skill. Well, I’ll manage somehow.

What I told Father about being able to study magic wasn’t a lie either.

Kagehisa

(

Me

)

The magic I remembered was heavily biased toward combat purposes, to be honest it’s not very useful in daily life, so I’d like to learn those kinds of things too if possible.

“Are you sure this is alright, Grace? This was your chance to leave the household and become free.”

“I belong with Theodore-sama. Ever since Lisa-sama took me in, I decided I would serve Lisa-sama and Theodore-sama for life. Or am I in the way?”

Grace, sitting in the seat opposite me in the carriage, said this while looking down. Lisa was my biological mother who died of illness.

Apparently Mother took Grace in when she was in trouble. Because of that, Grace feels deeply indebted to her.

With that background and strong attachment, when I made clear my plans to go to Termwills, Grace strongly requested to accompany me.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I rely on you. I’m sorry I couldn’t talk to you about magic.”

“Not at all. I’m the one who should apologize for not being able to properly protect Theodore-sama from those two. Yet you’ve allowed me to accompany you—for that I’m grateful.”

“Properly,” huh. That’s difficult given Grace’s nature. Stopping someone—she’s not suited for that kind of thing. It’s either on or off. That’s all she has. Especially when the opponents are her employers or their children.

Even if she had tried to directly protect me, the only way would have been to continuously act as a shield. I don’t want something like that.

Since Kathryn and the others seemed primarily focused on bullying me, I’m glad they didn’t turn their hostility toward Grace. I also wanted to avoid her coming to harm by keeping her uninvolved.

There was also childish pride—I didn’t want someone I think of as an older sister to know I was being bullied… But somehow that feeling seems like something from long ago.

That said, Kathryn herself was somewhat afraid of Grace, so maybe I worried unnecessarily.

“This time I will definitely be of use. Please keep Grace by your side.”

Now I’m the only manager of the cursed tool. I’m the only one who can command Grace.

Grace seems eager to fight if the restrictions from the cursed tool are removed. Though I haven’t actually seen her in action. For now, I should ask about her weapon.

“Grace, what weapon do you use?”

“An axe.”

…An axe?

“An axe?”

“Yes. It’s this kind of thing.”

What she dragged out heavily from under the carriage seat was a double-edged axe called a labrys.

The blade part was thick and large but the handle was relatively short, creating an imbalance.

A thick chain extended from the pommel. Probably a weapon used by swinging it around with brute force at close range, and throwing it using the chain at long range?

There were two of these peculiar weapons. Would she use dual wield with these weapons?

And… wild, or what should I say.

Despite her delicate, beautiful appearance, when the restrictions are removed, she displays tremendous monstrous strength. That’s why she only has those two states.

When bound by the cursed tool, she only has physical capabilities appropriate for her appearance, but when released, she exhibits strength equal to a vampire.

If I mentioned delving into the labyrinth, she’d probably want to come along… I don’t really know her skills, and she doesn’t really know my magical abilities either, so at this point I can’t say what would happen.

Given that she brought such weapons, she seems fully prepared to fight if necessary.

Even with restrictions, she’s indirectly protected me in various ways until now. Even setting aside the labyrinth matter, they probably thought it would be unreliable to send me to Termwills alone. This applies not just to Grace but to Father as well.

While being overprotected would be troublesome, people’s impressions don’t change quickly, so for now I have to accept it. After all, I made Father think I’d turned delinquent, that I’d snapped, by openly showing my transformation.

I’ll gradually overwrite the previous evaluations.