"Adventurer Training Academy, huh? Perfect for learning basics and finding allies, especially for naive kids like you. I see your resolve in those eyes. Fine. I won't disinherit you or kick you out. I'll allow you to renounce your inheritance and leave. There's a small house in the lower town where your mother and I lived when we married—a place of memories. It's yours. I'll cover the academy's tuition, but you'll earn your living expenses. Take Ilmera; you'll pay her wages from your adventuring earnings. You can manage that, right?"
Parental love… I feel it, even from a father I used for rebirth. Renouncing inheritance binds me to House Barei, but while Father lives, I'm safe. No inheritance rights, yet still a noble. Ilmera—can I decide for her?
"Father, thank you for your kindness. But Ilmera's my maid; deciding for her…"
"Reinhardt-sama…" Ilmera whispers, teary-eyed.
Her expression says she's fine leaving House Barei to live with me in the lower town. Her devotion suggests she won't leave me.
"Understood. I'll prove I can support myself and Ilmera."
I bow to Father. Two days after awakening, I feel parental love for the first time—unlike my past life as a political pawn.
"Is this truly okay?" Erna asks. "You'll let Ingo inherit House Barei?"
"Yes. He doesn't want to inherit, and for a new noble house like ours, it's inevitable. I should thank Reinhardt for saying it. I'm sorry, Yennie… I couldn't keep our promise…"
Father leaves, near tears. Erna follows. Ingo stares at me, conflicted.
"Ingo, sorry… Take care of Father, Erna, and House Barei."
Can this timid brother survive noble society's vipers? Viscount Arnold's support should help.
"Brother, I don't want this! I can't inherit! You're the eldest; you do it!"
Ingo likely craves a carefree noble life without responsibility, unlike me.
"Ingo, my mother was a commoner concubine. If I inherit, I'd be disinherited quickly, maybe killed. That's noble society. You've got Viscount Arnold's backing, so you'll be fine."
I pat his shoulder, but he runs out, tears in eyes, yelling, "Stupid Brother!"
"No helping it. Nobles can't escape this fate. Ilmera, you seem thrilled."
Ilmera beams at me. Why's she so happy? Leaving House Barei for a lower-town house is a demotion.
"Yes, living alone with Reinhardt-sama! And earning wages means you're my true master. Oh… my master… it sounds wonderful."
I look away from her prayerful gaze. She's not bad, but why this obsession? A promise to my mother? Something else? I study her: 18, but looks my age—brunette, short bob, fair skin, blue eyes, beautiful despite a flat chest. A D-rank adventurer with holy magic, rare for one in 100. Too valuable for a baron's maid. Mother took her in—some secret, perhaps.
"Ilmera, Father's approved, so let's register at the Adventurer Guild. Guide me."
"Of course, Master! Please wait; I'll prepare."
She curtsies elegantly, lifting her skirt, and leaves.
"Prepare? For what?"
Ilmera's preparation meant changing from maid dress to nun's robes. As a D-rank adventurer, she worried a maid outfit would invite ridicule. She carries a staff and a magic bag with a 1m² storage space—the largest available, except for my spatial creation gift. This rare gift, held by one in 50 mages, expands with skill and is coveted by nations, nobles, and merchants.
"Master, sorry for the wait. The lord gave me funds. Let's gear up before the guild."
She hands me a pouch with 50 gold coins.
"Fifty gold coins… How much for guild registration?"
"One silver coin."
One gold coin equals 10 silver, one silver 10 copper. A copper buys a loaf of bread; a family's monthly expenses are 15–20 gold. Platinum coins, worth 100 gold, are rare in markets.
"For gear, I don't need a staff to cast magic. I use summoning, so golems handle fighting. I have my sword, and mages don't need armor."
We leave House Barei. New noble estates surround Emden's castle, then the noble district, commercial area, and commoner town, each separated by walls—a defense strategy. New nobles block invasions first.
"It's been a while since we went out together, Master."
Her casual joy feels fresh. In my past life, I had no close friends, family, or trusted subordinates.
"Yeah… last time…"
I recall: I tagged along on her shopping trip to escape the mansion's confinement.
"When I forced myself along on your shopping."
Talking's hard with her a step behind, so I match her pace, walking side by side like siblings. We walk silently; even new nobles must mind appearances. The new noble district has stone roads, but beyond the gate, the commercial area's paths are dirt.
"Take me to a weapon shop first. I'll browse staves. I brought my own money."
Since age 10, I've saved my 5-gold monthly allowance, totaling 150 gold. With Father's 50, my budget's 200 gold. I must earn Ilmera's wages and living costs, so no splurging. My labyrinth holds old gear, but high-rank items need leveling up to access. For now, only basic potions are retrievable.
"Staves vary—staff, wand, rod," Ilmera says. "As a Moa priestess, I customized my church-issued scepter."
Her wooden staff, topped with bronze twin snakes, is Moa tradition. Priests customize theirs; high priests receive ornate metal staves. Mother's bishop staff was buried with her.
"Impressive stabilization and support magic," I note.
"Yes, Yennie-sama enchanted it."
Mother, a guild-favored holy magic master, makes her unresisted poisoning unbelievable. We reach the weapon shop, somber.
"This… is a weapon shop? Times have changed…"
My past life's shops were gruff, unwelcoming. This one…
"Welcome!" young women call, hawking wares. Weapons line the walls; clerks man a long counter.
"Master, what's wrong? Staring at the salesgirls?"
"No! It's my first time… Are weapon shops this big, bright, and noisy?"
Her cold "womanizer" glance prompts my denial. My wife's suicide left me wary of romance.
"Staff section's in the back. This way."
The bustling shop overflows with weapons and armor. Don't masterworks require a grumpy owner's approval? No matter—once leveled, I'll access my labyrinth's gear. For now, I'll buy cheap starter stuff.
A salesgirl in a modest yet form-fitting uniform approaches. "Welcome. How may I assist?"
"My master seeks a staff," Ilmera says proudly. "He's a mage."
"Understood. Any preferences?"
Ilmera's smugness and the clerk's appraising look irk me. It's just starter gear. I prefer metal, long-handled for melee.
"No need for magic enhancement. A sturdy, long metal staff. Budget: 20 gold."
"No magic aid? Metal's heavy…"
She glances at my build, implying I'm weak. "I'm fine. Trained as a knight's son. Show me your best within budget."
Recognizing my noble status, she bows, scanning wall-mounted staves, and places a long, thin metal one on the counter.
"Never seen this staff… Not quite a staff, with odd ornaments… twelve iron rings? Ilmera, is this Moa?"
"This is a kakkara, from the Far East, also called sounding staff, wisdom staff, virtue staff, or tin staff. The rings, yukans, repel evil with their sound. The sharp tip doubles as a spear."
About 170cm long, 2cm thick, with a sheathed, thorn-like tip usable as a weapon. Far Eastern origins sound religious.
"I'm Moa, but not a priest. Is it okay to use?"
"No issue," Ilmera says. "Moa's lenient, and you're not clergy."
I test the kakkara, swinging it. The rings jingle metallically—hence "tin staff." Many names, but I like it.
"Not bad. Sturdy, weapon-worthy, unique. How much?"
"Ten gold."
I buy it. A good purchase.
Notes: Feedback, ratings, or typo reports boost my writing speed!