In the Wethered Kingdom, there were distinguished Court Mages.
Pfeil Kaif, who excelled not only in Wind Elemental Magic but also in combat with a bow and led a skirmish unit.
Laurentz Herring, a talented Earth Elemental Mage who revived Golem Magic.
Luzer Fischer, a rare Lightning Elementalist possessing the overwhelming strength of a thousand soldiers with the speed of wind and lightning.
Rosa Roen, renowned as a top-tier Fire Elemental Mage and swordsman, as well as the legitimate wife of the Duke of Hagedorff.
Among these outstanding Court Mages, Jared Murphy was particularly specialized in combat and had saved the country from crisis multiple times.
They lived in an era that historians most keenly focus on, continuously defending the country from various external threats. They also played a part in forging relationships with dragons that went beyond simple alliances. Many scholars speculate that the country would have been destroyed countless times without them.
Jared Murphy’s existence, in particular, was highly significant, and he remains a figure admired by mages of later generations. There are even stories and plays centered around him, treating him as a minor hero. Jared, his companions, and his family are said to have lived peacefully as good people filled with various achievements, never becoming arrogant. Despite battles, their lives were apparently filled with happiness.
Unfortunately, no one knows all the details. However, through records from Almeida Mourauf, known as Jared’s master, and King Ralph W. Fairlygar of the time, we can learn about their exploits and daily lives. Though they remain somewhat enigmatic heroes, we must not forget that the modern Wethered Kingdom exists thanks to them.
***
“Father! Older Sister Cayley is here!”
“Daddy! Big sister is here!”
Called by his two daughters, Jared Murphy, who was wrestling with paperwork in his study, looked up.
“Oh. Is it that time already? Thank you.”
“You’re welcome!”
“We’ve shown Older Sister to her room!”
“Yes, yes, thank you.”
Jared’s stern expression softened into a foolish grin at the sight of his adorable daughters. The eight-year-old twins were the children born to Jared and Olivier. The elder daughter, Liz, who loved to study, had black hair like Jared. Following Olivier’s suggestion, she was given the name of his deceased mother. She had already shown a talent for magic, and her tendency to favor destruction over attack led some to fear a revival of “that Liz Murphy.”
The younger daughter, Mischa, who loved physical activity, had blonde hair like Olivier. While she could use magic, she seemed to love swords more than anything. Though not officially recognized, she was honing her skills under the tutelage of Rosa Roen, the wife of Conrad, who had become the head of the Alway Ducal Family.
Ten years ago, Jared defeated the Progenitor at the cost of Rasmus’s sacrifice and reclaimed his beloved. He married her immediately. While the original plan was to marry after becoming a Court Mage, it was a declaration that he would never lose her again. Blessed by many friends and family, the couple was also blessed with children.
Jared, who had abandoned all other magic to acquire Body Enhancement Magic, had intended to refuse the position of Court Mage. However, deemed acceptable by the King and other important figures, he was successfully appointed as the sixth-ranked Court Mage. He is currently the third-ranked.
“Sensei, I look forward to working with you today.”
The one who greeted him with such politeness was Cayley Hagedorff, Jared’s only disciple. She was the child born to Cassandra, the head of the Hagedorff Ducal Family, and Dennis Beckman, the first-ranked Court Mage, the chairman of the Mage Association, and the King’s trusted confidant.
Jared and Cassandra’s relationship was complex. Ten years ago, Olivier had been targeted by Cassandra herself, designated as a vessel for the Progenitor, and was on the brink of annihilation. While Olivier herself had forgiven Cassandra, whom she had once admired as an older sister, Jared, who had his beloved snatched away once, could not forgive her so easily.
However, human relationships are complicated. By marrying Dennis, a colleague, they began to see each other more often. He attended their wedding, and conversely, he invited Cassandra to his own wedding. He no longer held grudges, but they weren’t particularly close either. Such was their relationship.
It was a testament to how unpredictable life can be that Cassandra’s only daughter was Jared’s sole disciple. Cayley Hagedorff was an exceptionally gifted mage; despite her age of nine, she could already wield the Body Enhancement Magic that Jared excelled at.
Initially, Jared refused to take Cayley as a disciple. However, Cayley herself earnestly requested to be mentored by Jared, so he relented and accepted her. As he began to train her, he realized she possessed even greater talent than his own daughters, and he now looked forward to her future.
After training his beloved disciple who visited daily, he returned to his administrative duties. Upon becoming a Court Mage, he was also granted an Earldom, which increased his workload. Although he had no territory, people who admired and wished to serve Jared came daily, making him very busy.
“Haa… Every day is too demanding. *sigh*”
“My, you’re saying that again?”
A voice laced with a wry smile addressed him as he stretched and voiced his complaints.
“Olivier, you’re here.”
“Yes. I made cookies with the children, so I thought we could have some tea.”
“Thank you. I’ll have some.”
His beloved wife remained as beautiful as ever. She looked so young, as if ten years had passed without a trace. The boy who was sixteen back then had now aged to an appropriate age to stand beside her.
“How is Kairi?”
“She’s a good child and serious, so she’s a pleasure to teach. Above all, she’s full of talent, so I’m excited for her future.”
“Oh, more so than Liz and Mischa?”
“A father would want to say his daughters are more talented, but Kairi does have more.”
“I can imagine Lady Cassandra’s smug face. She’s changed quite a bit since Kairi was born.”
“She makes a smug face? I didn’t want to know that information.”
“Hehe. Lady Cassandra probably wouldn’t want you to know either. She tries to put on a brave face in front of you, Jared.”
While engaging in such trivial conversation, Jared and Olivier nibbled on cookies. The cookies, made by their beloved daughters, were sweet and delicious. As he plotted to give them a reward, his wife embraced him from behind.
“What is it?”
“Well, you see. There’s something I’ve been hiding from you.”
“What? It’s a little scary. It’s not anything strange, is it?”
“Hmm. I hope you’ll be happy, but I don’t know how…”
As Olivier dangled him, Jared wondered what it could be. Come to think of it, he felt her aura had changed slightly recently. As he was thinking this, she said,
“Actually, I’m pregnant.”
“–Huh?”
“Honestly, it’s going to be an advanced maternal age delivery, so I’m scared, but Almeida-sama says it’s a boy. So I want to try my best to give birth.”
“P-p-p-pregnant!? And it’s a boy!?”
“Hehe, I’m happy you’re so surprised. So, I can have it, right?”
“I’m happy. Of course—I want to say that, but will it be too much strain on your body?”
“It’s fine. There’s always a risk with childbirth, no matter the age. If you’re afraid of everything, you can’t do anything.”
Although Olivier appeared young, she was already thirty-seven years old. The risks of childbirth were considerable.
“The baby is welcome, but if anything happens to Olivier, I…”
“You’ve become truly fearful since ten years ago. It’s alright. I have no intention of dying before you.”
With that, Olivier gently kissed Jared, who was still anxious. As he pecked her lips, Jared calmed his mind.
“I believe you, Olivier. Please give birth to a healthy child.”
“Of course. We will all live happily together as a family.”
The two smiled at each other. And then, a few months later, a healthy baby boy was born.
“Mother and Father are being too lovey-dovey. It’s making me feel sick.”
“I know, right? I want to get married to someone like Dad soon too!”
The twin sisters, who had been peeking at their parents’ affectionate display, decided to take action to announce the joyous news of their new sibling.
“I’ll go tell Uncle Pfeil.”
“Then I’ll go tell Aunt Rosa.”
The information shared by the twin sisters would soon spread rapidly. Consequently, many family members would gather at the Murphy Earldom to celebrate the birth of a new family member, but that is another story.
This marks the conclusion.
Thank you for reading!
Postscript: A manga adaptation is scheduled to begin in 2025. In conjunction with this, a supplementary story and chapters covering the period between the main story and the final chapter will be updated irregularly. Thank you for your continued support.
