Linus hadn't anticipated much as he ventured into the strange village named Vailee. However, as he dove deeper into the inn where he planned to stay, he encountered deplorable conditions that exceeded even his modest expectations.
The building featured peeling paint and wooden floors that creaked with every step. A pervasive damp smell hung in the air, hinting at the presence of hidden mold and long-neglected maintenance issues.
‘Should I have just endured and traveled to Gorn?’ Linus thought regretfully.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of laughter. Glancing behind him, he saw the inn owner, Maurim, still talking to Tip, the son of the village chief he had met earlier. Paying little heed, Linus traced the sound of laughter until his presence alone made it cease.
“A…customer?” asked a woman with dull blonde hair and hazel eyes.
Linus had wandered to the kitchen of the inn.
“Ah! Elia, Serena! This is Lord Carlisle. He’s a baron who will stay with us for half a fortnight,” said a rushed Maurim, who finally finished his conversation with Tip.
“Baron?!” Elia sputtered, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear in an attempt to better present herself. “I am Elia Sinclair. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Carlisle,” she said with an awkward bow. Serena followed suit.
“It’s an honor to make your acquaintance, Lord Carlisle. I am Serena Nichols.”
Sensing the tense atmosphere he caused, Linus gave a laugh.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you ladies as well. No need to be so formal; you can just address me as Linus.”
“How could we dar–”
Gurgle.
Linus’ stomach had interrupted Elia.
“It’s really no issue. However, I am quite famished; could you provide a meal for me?”
Elia’s face slowly turned pink. “Ahh…”
“Meal preparation is more of my job,” Maurim interjected from behind. “I’ll get started right away.”
Happy that he would finally get something to eat after a long day, Linus took a seat, and it was then that he finally noticed the young child that hid behind the legs of the woman named Serena.
“Oh, and who might you be?”
The young child revealed himself, and his purple eyes glowed beautifully in the dimly lit kitchen.
“I’m Elric.”
“Is it your birthday today, Elric?” Linus had noticed the half-eaten decorated muffin that sat on the table.
Elric nodded.
Thinking of how to put the child at ease, Linus had an idea.
“Hmm, as a present, would you like to see something amazing?”
Elric nodded again.
In an instant, Linus twisted his hand, and a large flame shot out of his palm.
Elric stood there, mouth agape in astonishment.
It was the first time he had seen magic.
* * *
Four days had passed, and during this time, Linus reached two conclusions. Firstly, he realized that nerics were not nearly as barbaric as they were rumored. If they could use mana, they would be no different from an average commoner village. Their extreme poverty was not a fault of their own, but of the Selis kingdom that had abandoned them. Linus felt ashamed that he once entertained such prejudiced thoughts about them.
The second thing Linus concluded was that the man, Maurim Sinclair, was a food genius. Reminiscing about the first day he arrived in Vailee, Linus was surprised at the first meal he tasted.
“This is delicious!”
Maurim gave a shy smile to Linus, who had complimented his cooking. “It’s nothing much,” he humbly replied.
“Nonsense! I can’t believe you created such an exotic taste using common ingredients.”
Elia smiled at her husband, whose face grew red from embarrassment.
“I’m glad you like it,” Maurim said sheepishly, rubbing his neck.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner became times of the day that Linus eagerly anticipated. Each meal continued to astound him. As a passionate chef, he collaborated with Maurim, delving into new recipes and sharing knowledge about exclusive ingredients only available to high nobility, fanning the growing flame of excitement in Maurim’s eyes.
Initially planning to travel to the Rolfe Grand Duchy to experiment with some rare but uninteresting ingredients, Linus considered the broken carriage wheel a blessing in disguise as it allowed him to experience something truly incredible.
‘It’s a waste.’
That is what Linus thought about such a skilled man being confined to a rural village.
‘He’s too good to be here; with his skills, he’d immediately get hired in the capital. Wait, the capital?’
“Mr. Linus!”
Elric’s young voice snapped Linus out of his thoughts. He and the boy were collecting silkberries for dessert.
“Yes Elric?”
“Are you married?”
Linus laughed. “Yes, I am.”
“Did you give your wife flowers?”
A bit taken aback by the sudden interrogation, Linus hesitantly answered, “Yes.”
Elric pouted. “Aunt Serena won’t become my wife no matter how many flowers I give her.”
Linus gave a hearty laugh at the boy’s resolve.
Serena was a woman who originally came from a neric village in the South, boasting dark skin and afro hair. However, after coming west and reaching Vailee, she met Elric’s mother. The two grew incredibly close, close enough to call themselves sisters. Now, Elia’s son calls her aunt. This is what Serena explained to Linus earlier during his stay.
“Maybe…” Elric drew out, “Maybe if I could use mana, Aunt Serena would marry me.”
The calm atmosphere suddenly turned gloomy; Linus regretted showing magic to the boy. Before he could say anything, Elia’s voice rang out.
“Elric! Lord Carlisle! It’s time for dinner!”
Elric helped Linus stand up before running in the direction of his home.
‘What a free boy. It’s going to be hard to survive in such a world.’
Linus let out a heavy sigh and then slowly walked towards the inn.
* * *
“I have a proposal.”
On the eve before Linus’ departure from Vailee, Elric lay sound asleep upstairs, and Linus spoke comfortably as he sat across from Maurim, Elia, and Serena in the small kitchen of the inn.
“Maurim should follow me to the capital and work as my subordinate in the palace.”
The three across from Linus wore matching expressions of shock.
“What?!” Maurim finally managed to exclaim.
“It’s exactly as I said. You should follow me and establish your skills in the royal palace.”
“That’s…” Maurim could hardly believe such an opportunity was being presented to him. “But I’m a neric!”
“I can’t promise you won’t face discrimination, but I can say that there’s no law that prevents a neric from working in the palace.”
Maurim’s mind raced. Was this real life? Just days ago, he felt embarrassed about being compared to Lord Carlisle.
“Maurim…” Elia gently touched her husband’s arm.
Right! My family!
Maurim hung his head low, his black hair covering his eyes. “My family… I can’t leave them behind.”
Linus gently smoothed his beard before speaking. “I have another offer. Though, it’s not necessarily a solution.”
“What is it?” asked a curious Elia.
Linus shifted his gaze from Maurim to her. “I’m quite close to the head maid of the palace. There’s a maid position open. Elia, you could fill that role. However, you will need something to stand out from the other applicants.”
“I…” Elia’s voice slightly wavered. “I can read and write.”
‘Would you look at that?’ Linus thought. ‘Both husband and wife are geniuses in their own way. The literacy rate is low even among commoners, but this neric here can read and write.’
“But! It’s like Maurim said—we can’t leave our family behind. Elric is still a child,” Elia concluded. Maurim nodded in agreement.
“I knew you were going to say that,” Linus said with a defeated sigh. Why would parents want to separate from their child?
“I think you guys should go.”
Surprised, everyone quickly looked towards Serena, who appeared deep in thought.
“Huh? Why do you say that, Serena?” asked Maurim.
“It’s just that if both of you guys go, that's a lot more money to save and send for Elric. We could fix the state of the inn and not have a repeat of what happened last winter.”
Upon the mention of last winter, both Elia and Maurim put their heads down in shame. Unable to buy warmer clothing because of their poverty, Elric almost had to amputate three fingers due to frostbite. It was a time that no one wanted to be reminded of.
“You’re right,” Maurim replied. “But if we go, you’ll be the one taking care of him. We can’t ask that of you.”
Serena gave the couple a gentle smile. “I already see Elric as my son.”
Elia erupted in tears as she clutched her best friend’s left hand, while Maurim fell to his knees, holding Serena’s right.
“Thank you, Serena! Thank you!”
And so, the night concluded with the Sinclair couple agreeing to travel with Linus to the capital.
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