Chapter 26 – Where There Are Sinking Shallows

“Wow—that was incredible!”

Hearing those words from behind me, I turned around.

A student wearing a deeply-hooded robe was approaching me with an excited demeanor.

He was about the same height as me—one of the group who had been able to maintain Life Magic from the beginning.

Whether he was a noble or not was unclear. His mannerisms were refined and his posture was good, but his robe was rather shabby, so I couldn’t tell if he was from a noble family or a merchant one. For now—

“…Thank you,” I replied, keeping it brief.

Perhaps sensing my wariness, he laughed and removed his hood, revealing a boy with reddish-brown hair.

“Sorry, that was rather abrupt of me. I’m Alfred.”

“I’m Theo—”

…Huh? Did he say Alfred?

I couldn’t help but take a second look at his face.

Could it be—Alfred Brightwelt…?

Alfred Brightwelt, the Magic Engineer. A character who had appeared as an NPC in BFO as well.

He calls himself a Magic Engineer and goes by Alfred, but… he’s actually proper royalty—the fourth prince, Albert.

Let me think, tracing back from the game’s information… He would later become the biological older brother of Marlene, the Shrine Maiden of the Moon Temple, and the fiancé of Ophelia, the daughter of the Marquis Fobrester family.

That’s about the extent of his current relationships I can infer from what’s mentioned in the game, but he himself later issues Requests to the Adventurer Guild as Alfred, and in other events, he appears normally as the fourth prince, Albert, interacting with the player in various ways.

He’s wearing… a magical Ring for transformation. No doubt about it. So he was already calling himself Alfred at this point? Pretty committed, huh.

He and Ophelia, whom he would later marry, apparently have known each other since childhood… but it seems she isn’t accompanying him today.

If we’re talking about whether he’s an enemy or an ally… I think Albert would lean towards being an ally. That’s only within the scope of what’s known at this point, so even though I’m the only one who knows, I shouldn’t let my guard down.

—Albert has a weak power base within the royal palace, so he tends to strengthen his ties with the Adventurer Guild. If that’s the case, I can imagine why he’s deliberately making contact.

“…I am Theodore Gartner.”

“Ah. Pleased to meet you.”

I gave my full name, but he only used his first name. If he’d said Brightwelt, there’d be no room for error, but…

He offered a handshake, so I reciprocated. Since I’ve realized he’s Albert—information I shouldn’t know—it’s a bit tricky to handle… but well, acting normal should be fine. He’s incognito, so he probably isn’t expecting any special treatment.

“Ugh… grr…”

Talcott shook his head and sat up.

He looked around, finally gazing up at me in a daze and muttered, “I lost… to a kid like this?”

He seems to just be in Shock. So, does he intend to keep his promise or not? It’s hard to tell at this point. By making it a formal match, I ensured that even if we exchanged blows, there wouldn’t be any real damage.

“Well then—” I looked at Talcott, who was now being surprisingly quiet compared to before.

“Let me ask just to be sure. Do you intend to fulfill your promise?”

“I lost… I have no intention of arguing with the victor’s judgment. You’re stronger than me. That’s all that matters, right?”

I wish human society would stop operating on such animalistic rules. That’s why he gets nicknames like that. Well… fine, I suppose. At least he’s consistent in word and deed.

“Then, please do so. From my perspective, I don’t think Life Magic is a waste of magical training, of course, nor do I think noble education or academic studies are.”

Saying this should prevent Talcott from holding a grudge, I think.

“…Is that so?”

The fact that he looked up upon hearing “magical training” makes Talcott’s motivations very easy to understand.

Even though he’s called a mad dog, I figured out he’s being used as a scapegoat by his family to squeeze the commoners while ensuring the heir, the eldest son, doesn’t incur resentment.

“Patient training and mental discipline also lead to improved control abilities, and thinking in ways different from your usual self leads to greater strength in reading your opponent in battle and a wider repertoire of options.”

“…So, you have the skills you do now, and you’re learning Life Magic only now…?”

“Probably to reduce the hassle of dealing with miscellaneous tasks since I delve into the Labyrinth. I also delve into the Labyrinth because I want to become stronger.”

It’s also for earning income and considering future prospects… but it’s best to become stronger regardless.

“I see.”

Travis took Talcott to report to the headmaster.

Given the circumstances, it seemed someone was also sent to the Cardiff family, and family members were being summoned.

I was told to wait in an empty room until further instructions. Naturally, Grace was with me, and Ashley was also waiting with us in the empty room. As for Alfred… he rather nonchalantly went off somewhere.

“Ashley-sama, don’t you have other lectures?”

“I’ve received permission, so it’s fine. I thought it would be better if there was a witness.”

A witness, huh. She probably thinks that if she’s present, the people from the Cardiff family won’t be able to act too aggressively.

Ashley doesn’t say much either, but it seems she’s worried about me.

“…Understood. We have some time to spare, so shall we take care of the Circulating Ki matter?”

I decided to settle the discussion and actually perform it here and now. At my proposal, Ashley smiled and nodded.

“…How is it?”

“It feels like my core is warm, as if I’ve just taken a bath.”

After she finished the Circulating Ki, I asked about her physical condition, and that’s what Ashley said.

It seems she’s been able to live more comfortably since learning the Vitality recovery Magic. But even so, she still has good and bad days. Apparently, Circulating Ki maintains a higher effect for a longer period than basic recovery Magic. Perhaps I should consult Rosetta, the expert, next time and get her opinion.

Grace is continuing her embroidery by the sunny window. It’s become a quiet time, as if the earlier commotion was a lie.

“I’d like to hear about you two delving into the Labyrinth.”

“We’re currently on the 12th underground Floor. It’s a shallow Floor, so it’s not exactly a grand adventure, you know? Once we go a bit further, we’ll reach various interesting places.”

We’re preserving our Magical Power and maintaining a reasonable safety margin, so we can’t leap ahead too quickly. But I’d say we’re progressing fairly steadily.

“Theodore-sama says it should be fine up to around the 20th Floor.”

“Because no Guardians appear there.”

“Guardians?”

“Ah, Guardians are—”

You can think of them as so-called boss characters. However, you can’t say for sure which Floor they’re on; they seem to roam somewhere from the 21st Floor and below. They feel more like Rare characters than bosses.

While we were watching Grace continue her embroidery like that, Rosetta entered the empty classroom.

“Rosetta-sensei?”

“Hello. Ashley, you’re here too.”

Upon seeing Ashley, her expression brightened.

“Yes. Well. Is it about Talcott’s matter?”

“…That’s right. His disposition has been decided, so I came to explain the situation.”

Rosetta shrugged her shoulders.

“First, about him personally. He’s been stripped of his inheritance rights from the Cardiff family and disowned.”

…Well. After causing that much trouble.

Even though he controlled it, he actually used Magic. To use an analogy, it’s heavier than unsheathing a blade and swinging it in a place where it won’t hit anyone. It might be closer to the feeling of firing a gun in a way that it won’t hit anyone.

I thought it could range from a light punishment like confinement to a heavier one like imprisonment… but if the Count’s family has abandoned him, then at the very least, he probably can’t avoid expulsion from the academy.

“—or so I thought, but…” Rosetta gave a wry smile and added, “He can remain at the academy.”

“Two people who really liked the terms of your wager with him opposed it, saying that since this is a place of learning, we shouldn’t expel a young person who still has potential for the future. But it was settled that if he causes any more trouble, he’ll be expelled immediately…”

“Well, certainly… if we’re talking purely about Magic use, he is talented. I understand that it’s more beneficial for the country to handle it this way if possible. The promise with me might just be a pretext; it might actually be better that he’s been cut off from the Cardiff family.”

“…And who was it that defeated that talented, combat-oriented Magician-in-training without letting him do almost anything? But well… it’s mostly as you say. If he hadn’t been cut off from the Count’s family, he might have actually been expelled.”

Because they can exclude Count Maurice’s influence. I suppose they’re counting on him studying and starting to think for himself various things, as long as he keeps his promise.

“Those who protected him were the headmaster and… another person, whom I can’t name due to circumstances, but they’re an important figure.”

“Hmm. Did they take custody of Talcott or something?”

“My. You figured that out quickly.”

“If he’s cut off from his family home, he wouldn’t be able to afford attending the academy.”

He’d probably have to think about earning money, like me.

And yet, an important figure whose name can’t be mentioned… huh.

Well, nine times out of ten, it’s Prince Albert. It’d be impossible for him to secretly infiltrate the academy side, after all.

Since the Count’s family disinherited him, it seems he’s trying to extend a helping hand on the spot, expecting future potential, thereby putting Talcott in his debt while also creating a connection with me.

Prince Albert, having a weak power base, probably wanted someone like Talcott, and from the perspective of those around, Talcott, having lost his vertical and horizontal connections, is isolated and not seen as much of a problem. In short… he’s only seen as a suitable talent for the profligate prince.

“Talcott asked me to thank you. He says he’s hanging on by a thread thanks to you.”

“Is that so?”

As for me, I basically only think about myself, so it’s not like I had any such intention. I’ll consider it a favor owed by Albert.