“How your people are treated in your presence is a reflection of your own standing. You got angry for your own soldiers’ sake earlier.”

“What, you're gonna tell me that’s wrong? He was being a nuisance.”

“On the contrary, what you did was good. But you were too aggressive. There are times when you must step back and wait.”

“Hoooh, like a predator?”

“Exactly like a predator waiting for your prey to make a mistake or are complacent, only then can you pounce. But you still shouldn’t hit them as quickly.”

“So when can I hit them?” Areya asked with great curiosity. 

Ashten thought about it carefully like it was some deep philosophical question before answering.

“I just told you, when they make a mistake or become complacent. When there is a cause.”

“Cause?”

”When they lay a finger on you first.”

“Ooooh, got it, got it.”

Areya nodded repeatedly in agreement. 

“If they try something on me, I will give them this~hiya!”

She made a chopping motion similar to the one that was done to her.

“ Mm.” The Father was satisfied with the daughter’s assertions, “But try not to hurt them too much. There are justifications but there are layers.”

At that moment, Areya’s face slowly and gradually turned sour. Layers? Too much? What kind of nonsense was this?

“...you city folks are weird. If I see something challenge me, I punch them. That is the end of the story!”

“If you want food and to become stronger this is necessary.”

“But as my brother said, “Knowing to control one’s strength is a virtue.” or so he says.” Areya flipped as easily as she announced her desire to punch surfaces.

“Your brother is smart.” Ashten praised.

“Hehe, I know right.” Areya laughed.

“Okay, I’m back. Everyone, gather here.” Quigo returned from inside the town with parchment papers.

Ripping both parchment paper the magic residing within was released and wrapped around the children in a soft green glow.

Almost immediately, their faces turned bright and regained their color. 

“Pretty!”

“What’s that!?”

“Oh this it’s a—”

Quigo was answering when he suddenly was cut off by his impatient boss.

“It’s a [Spirit Alleviation Scroll] and a [Healing Scroll], an area of effect scroll made by a [Wizard] who dabbles in [Spell Consolidation] ; it is often called a [Spell Scroll]. That’s that, now, Quigo gets them in line, we’re having lunch.” 

“Oooh! A Spell Scroll? That’s amazing!”

“I heard it costs a lot!”

“Really? Wow, mister must be rich!”

“I am very rich.”

While they were busy admiring Ashten, Quigo was making sure to account for each child and checked the prisoners who will be receiving special treatment back home.

“Boss, I think we should get out of this place.” Warned Quigo.

“Why?”

“I saw a Knight Errant shaking and pissing himself saying there’s a monster nearby. I don’t think it will be safe for the children. So, I’ll just cancel the reservation and—”

“---we can’t leave, it is almost time for lunch and the children are all hungry from the ‘coup’ they ran this morning.”

Quigo sighed but Ashten was right.

It’s no easy feat to overthrow the ‘local government’ or in this case, the Orphanage.

“...I understand.”

“Have you talked to Krus?” 

Quigo nodded.

While Quigo arranged the other children to form a line, Ashten remained on one side with his daughter who just happened to be thinking very hard. Her forehead scrunched as she scratched her chin and pursed her lips.

 “What are you thinking so hard about?”

“I’m…trying…to…remember if I know those words…nope. So, what are they?” she demanded an answer from her new father.

Her question, however, was met with another question.

“What is what?” 

“Come on, what else? Wizards and Spell Consolidation, what else.” she looked at him as if he was asking something useless.

Ashten subtly noted this new information.

‘She does not know about Wizard and Spell Consolidation. Even the other Orphans know about them. That means she lived far away from civilization.’ 

Ashten thought to himself but just shrugged it off the next second and answered the curiosity of the child.

“Wizards are people who study methods of molding mana to create Spells—”

“What is a Spell!?”  

She raised her voice to question.

“I see, well simply put, a Spell is a type of calculative magic. Do you know what magic is?”

This time, he gave him an enthusiastic nod.

“That is good, so let’s move forward. Spell Consolidation is the method of materializing and carving these Spells into an object. In this case, it is drawn in a scroll, thus, it is a Spell Scroll that holds healing spells, ergo magic.”

Ashten explained in a more in-depth manner. 

To his surprise however, Areya reacted with an “Ooooh, so that’s what it is. Another method of application, so it’s like a jab is just a different punch.” and nodded multiple times. 

‘She’s quite smart for understanding that. Of course it is because of my amazing teaching, but she is really smart…although that is to be expected from the child I chose,’

“I see—but what about what you did earlier? I haven’t seen magic like that before!”

“Boss! We’re ready to go!” Quigo informed from the front.

“We need to go now. I’ll tell you about it later.”

“...no, I want to learn about it now.”

Areya did not want to wait. Her shining eyes told Ashten that she would not accept no for an answer. 

‘How persistent and stubborn.’ he thought to himself as he released a sigh, “Then I will explain them to you as we walk to the restaurant, would that be good?”

“Okayyy.” 

But as he was about to say something, he remembered the book about child raising.

[Do not reward Bad Behavior]

But he had already agreed. 

‘She will lose trust in me if I go against my words.’ thought Ashten before coming up with an idea, “But I will only tell it to you if you behave.”

Areya gave him a thumbs up, “Of course.”

Thus, as they walked, he talked. 

“...Hmm, where were we earlier?” 

“Your fire! Was it magic?”

“That’s right, so, the two are different. What I showed you was an [Ability] and not magic. I acquired it by contracting with another being. Magic is the manipulation of mana and the format—”

He stopped midway through his explanation. 

This time, it was Ashten who had to ask a question.

“What are you doing?”

Areya was once again doing something inexplicable.

“Your steps… too big, I can’t focus on if I should keep up or listen so, this is the solution.”

“I see…then I shall continue.”

By the time they entered through the special gate exclusive to Nobles and important people, the Father and Daughter pair had already gathered the attention of everyone they passed. 

“Hey look at that, how lovely.”

“Dad, can you do that for me!?”

“Wait, is that the Vermillion Feather Merchant Guild President? What is he doi—wow…that is… not a scene you see often.”

Even when they passed through the gates, they got the same reaction.

The women laughed and softly giggled.

Other children pointed in envy and delight.

Hardened mercenaries and explorers who had thought they lost their abilities to smile failed to fight against their instincts as their lips curved up. 

Ashten, a man whose elegance triumphed over aristocrats walked with finesse with his daughter seated on his shoulder all the while giving a lecture. 

“Hey! Stop laughing at me!”

While Ashten did not mind their laughter, Areya protested and the people laughed harder.

“Don’t mind them.”

“But they are making fun of me. Look, they are laughing.”

“There are differences in laughter. This is not mocking.”

“Really? Hmm.” She started to think, “I don’t like it, tell me how it works.”

“I will, but I am still talking to you about magic, right? I can only explain one subject before lunch, so we will stick to magic. I can give you a lesson about the difference in reading reactions, but then I have to stop my other discussion.”

“But I want to know both!” 

Once again she protested.

“Laughter and emotions are a complicated topic. That will come at another time.”

“But I want to know now!!” Areya threw a tantrum, flailing and throwing her feet around enjoying herself being so high up without doing anything.  

Lifting Areya and keeping her in front of him, Ashten looked her in the eyes, “Do not act like that, it’s unbecoming and it is annoying.”

Areya was young, but she was smarter than most. 

She can understand what he is talking about.

She knew what she needed to do. Tell her what to do and she will execute it better than you could imagine. 

‘Though it’s too soon, she is a genius. Who may just be below m—’

But she was a child.

“I want to know about the differences.”

She pouted like a child and harrumped.

“...Don’t you “hmph” me young lady. That too is unbecoming” 

“NO—” 

“—you failed to behave, no more magic explanation.”

“WHAT!?”

“No more magic—”

BAM!

Ashten refused to reward her nasty behavior, so Areya punched him in the face.