-Part 1-
After Lord Artemio Cañares left the room, I slowly slumped my body against the black couch, my right hand gently grasping my forehead as I let out a sigh of regret.
"Raising this backwater town into a dazzling one within six months, huh..."
Yeah, that was the stupidest thing that I've ever said in my whole life. Relying on the memories floating inside this child's mind, there is no way that I can raise the level of this region in such a short time span. Realistically speaking, it would take me 2 to 3 years to elevate the standing of this poor fief into a "so-so" condition.
I wonder why did I say such foolish words?
I clutch my chest with my left hand and realized that my heart was beating violently. Though even I managed to calm my mind, my emotions were still in turmoil with the sudden confusing situation I was placed in. Usually, the moment I put my mind in a state of tranquility, my heart would follow suit.
But that did not happen here.
Is it because the severity of the current situation was too great that my emotional state cannot keep up with my mental one?
Then there's my odd behavior towards that middle-aged man.
That's quite odd.
I happen to be a person who always accepts everything without any remorse or contempt despite the misfortune that it caused me. So for me to show a sign of dislike towards Lord Cañares behavior, which I usually pay no mind at all considering that I fully understood (mentally) how his upbringing may have influenced his attitude and character, it was quite a surprise.
Could it be that my customarily neutral emotional state is currently influenced by Cielo's immature one? If it is then, it should explain my sudden behavior earlier.
I've heard that children tend to be more emotionally superior than adults, so maybe that explains everything. Perhaps.
Once I've managed to pacify my swirling emotions, I started analyzing my current predicament using the boy's memories as my base.
First off, I am now mysteriously living the life of Cielo Comunero, the 10-year-old son and sole child of the late Baron Andres Comunero who unfortunately died in battle 2 weeks ago. The kid, unfortunately, doesn't have a mother...no wait, his mother died 10 years ago while giving birth to him. So that would mean that Andres was a single parent, to begin with.
The kid happens to be born as an aristocrat, a lower-ranked noble to be specific I suppose. He had been educated in reading, writing, and arithmetic by a hired tutor.
So he is an erudite eh, that's good to hear.
The boy also happens to be taking swordsmanship lessons under the tutelage of a knight who swears fealty to the barony. I think that info isn't out of context considering this is the Middle Ages, so that's understandable. Oh, the knight who happens to be his tutor also perished alongside his father.
That...is quite unfortunate.
Second, the place I'm currently at is called the Barony of Comunero which is located in the easternmost region of the Kingdom of Braganza, a country situated in the eastern part of the Southern Continent known as Enrica. Using Cielo's memories as my foundation, this location would then be best described and function as an outpost of the kingdom.
It may be surprising at first that the boy knows a thing or two about geography though most of it came from the word of mouth of other people he had met. However, if one thinks logically, this knowledge should be necessary, especially for a noble like him. This would be beneficial and might come in handy for him in the years to come.
Since I'm currently living his life, then I think that should apply to me as well.
I tried to probe any information regarding this world by relying on this child's memories, like for example, the name of the surrounding countries and the name of the planet. Unfortunately, I couldn't extract any necessary information. I suppose that this world doesn't have any name or that the denizens haven't thought enough about it.
And lastly, which caught my attention by surprise, is that Magic is prevalent in this world. Having the ability to use magic is quite the norm in society and pretty much affects the life of every individual. From Cielo's memories, it seems that his knowledge in regard to mystic arts is minimal. It appears to be that he wasn't educated in magic.
I wonder why though?
Putting aside that question, it also seems that Magical Races like Elves, Dwarves, and others do exist too and they have built their kingdoms.
With this intel I gathered then, I am strongly inclined to believe that somehow I got transported to a fantasy world in the body of a child and now living his life as if it were my own.
"So that means starting from today, I am now Cielo Comunero huh...?"
Sometimes I wished this was a dream or even a Virtual Reality game that I was forced to participate in, but judging by how realistic everything is I doubt that this is a virtual reality simulated game.
I wonder, how I got transported to this world. If I recall, before I closed my eyes, my chest was aching... Could it be that I got cardiac arrest or something?
...Hmm. Oh well, since I'm already in this state of affairs, might as well accept this reality and move on.
With that in mind, I try to put all of my mental focus on the pressing problem that needs more attention.
Now, how can I pull this one off?
As far as I know, running and administering a city, or in this case, a barony, isn't a walk in the park. Back then, there are major issues and problems confronting a community in my previous world—health disparities, fiscal and environmental problems, teenage pregnancy, crime, hunger, job inequality, and many others. However, if I convinced myself of the reality that I mysteriously transmigrated into this world during its medieval period and came to accept it (which I am currently embracing as of now), then it would be easy for me to narrow down the most important things that this fief currently needs to survive.
That would be food, water and sanitation, transportation, and trade.
As I tried to plan out realistic solutions to these pressing issues, there was a sudden knock that came from the other side of the door.
"Come in."
As if it was habitual, my mouth uttered those words on its own as if it had a life of its own. There was an air of authority laced into it. I supposed that this was Cielo's habitual response that was already ingrained in this body.
"Pardon me for my intrusion, Milord."
A slender old man whose age I presumed to be between his forties and fifties, entered the chamber. Wrinkles were evident on the parts of his face and his hair had grayish strands on each side, suggesting his seniority. He was wearing a medieval version of modern butler clothes.
If I remember it correctly, then this person would be...
"Oh, Celso. I believe that you want to inform me about Lord Cañares' departure. So how was it?"
Celso Barrera, he is the late Andres' right-hand man assigned to manage the Comunero Noble House in times when the former Baron was out of his territory.
To put it simply, he is our Chamberlain.
The man did first a bow before replying, "He left without any words, Milord. But if I may be blunt, he was rather emitting a vibe of displeasure as he set off with his carriage."
"Hmm. I see."
I can't blame the guy though. Any adult would be pissed off if they would encounter a child with an ill-mannered mouth.
With a slight nod, I stood up from the couch and approached the door with light steps. Sensing my intentions, Celso gracefully opened the door for me. Soon both of us were outside the room and were currently walking down the hallway.
As we walked along the corridor, we were greeted by several females dressed in a maid outfit. Ah, these people should be servants employed by the house to do some household chores and other important things. In addition, I just realized that the people around me were quite taller than me.
I guess that means I am a kid now, aren't I?
I respond to their greetings with a nod of my head, giving them a silent response that says "Good job. Keep it up". Some of the maids were slightly taken back for a second when I did that though. Even Celso who was following me from behind was slightly surprised though he did a good job of hiding his reaction.
I suppose that was foreign to them, huh?
A few minutes later, Celso and I both arrived in front of another room. This room, if I trust Cielo's memories, should be his father's office. We both entered the room, with Celso opening the door for me.
As soon as I entered the office, I took the scenery around me with my eyes. With couches, a wooden desk table, and several bookshelves placed on the walls, the room itself was very simplistic. There were windows, though they were made out of planks of wood rather than glass.
Hm? Is it that this world hasn't discovered how to make a glass yet?
As for ornaments, there are potted green plants placed in each corner of the room. Though it doesn't look extravagant, the plants did color the dryness of the simplistic design of the office.
My eyes then wandered to the wooden desk on the other side of the room. Approaching the onyx black-colored table, I traced the edges of the desk with my fingertips. And as soon as I did, my mind was once again flooded with Cielo's memories. Most of them were images of his father doing some paperwork on this very table.
I could feel a particular emotion gaining momentum within my heart which I'm quite used to in the past.
It was longing and sadness.
"I declined Duke Vargas' proposal of handing this land to him."
As I said those words, I looked at the old chamberlain. I tried to see if it would cause a reaction to him but on the contrary, his expression remained the same. Perhaps he has some idea about the purpose of Lord Cañares' visit.
"I see, Milord. I think that would explain Lord Cañares' displeasure earlier."
"Are you aware of their intentions beforehand, Celso?"
"Indeed, Your Lordship. When your father was still...around, the Duke's messenger frequently visited here with the same proposal. Lord Andres, however, declined their proposal now and then."
Ah... So this situation has already happened many times in the past. Though it got me thinking. Why is the Duke so eager to gain this poor fief? I doubt that they can gain any profits in this impoverished town.
There were several theories already popping in my head though I want to hear another person's input in regards to the Duke's proposal.
"Do you have any ideas as to why the Duke of Vargas wanted this fief incorporated in his domain?"
I asked the chamberlain to which he responded with a shake of his head.
"To tell you the truth, I have no idea as to why Milord."
So he had no idea then. The more and more I focused on this subject, the more I was convinced that Duke Vargas was plotting something. Yet still, I could not pinpoint the duke's main objective.
I guess I need to know more about this Duke Vargas person.
"I see. Then can you tell me more about Duke Vargas?"
"My knowledge about him is very limited, Milord. All I know is that his territory is located in the northern part of the kingdom. Moreover, the Noble House of Vargas is said to be the descendants of the prince of the Royal House in the distant past."
So this Duke Vargas in question is somehow a distant relative of the ruling family of the kingdom, huh? Then it is safe to assume that they have strong ties with the current royal family. However, hearing such a piece of information a sudden feeling of uneasiness becomes apparent within me.
...Hmm. A certain idea sprouted in my head. Perhaps "that" could be the reason though since I have no valid proof or evidence in regards to "that", it would be better to be mindful about it in secret.
"That's valuable information, Celso."
"My pleasure, Milord. Is there anything you need?"
In response to his question, I nodded my head as I reached out for a piece of paper and a quill pen which was placed on the table, and started writing. My hand began to move on its own as it translated the words in my head into the native scripts of this world which surprised me for a bit.
Once I'm done, I hand over the paper to the chamberlain. Listed on the parchment were itineraries that I have in mind.
"I want those on the table tomorrow afternoon."
With a nod, the old chamberlain began reviewing the contents of the parchment. As he was occupied with reading the contents written on the paper, I walked towards a flattened sheet of metal that was placed in one corner of the room in a stand.
The metal itself was made out of copper. Its surface was smoothened and polished to the point that one could see their reflection like how a regular mirror would work.
And there for the first time, I finally saw myself, or to be more accurate, the reflection of my current body. Brown eyes, onyx black hair mixed with a few strands of brown, light brown skin, and garbed in clothes made out of silk...the image that I saw on that polished metal wasn't my own but rather of a small boy.
I guess this should be enough proof that I did transmigrate to another world... So that means, starting from now on, I will be Cielo Comunero. Rest assured young one, for giving me this chance, I will protect this land which is undeniably close to your heart.
As I was checking my current appearance using the copper metal plate, my ears heard a sudden cough prompting me to avert my gaze from my very young reflection toward the culprit of the noise.
"Y-Your Lordship..."
"Yes, Celso? Is there any problem?"
"Um, there are no problems in fulfilling the other demands... except for the last one."
The last one? If I'm right, the last itinerary that I've listed is for hiring a Magician to be my tutor. Considering that magic is part of the daily life of the people in this world then it is only reasonable for me to learn it for future sake.
"Why? Are Magic Tutors that rare?"
"No, Milord. On the contrary, they are very common. It's just that..."
"It's just that?"
The old chamberlain was silent for a while. I could see from his face that he was pondering whether he should explain himself or not. After several seconds, he decided to speak his mind.
"I would like Your Lordship to forgive me for what I'm about to disclose. The reason why Milord hasn't been introduced to a Magic Tutor up until now is that..."
From where I stood, I could see beads of sweat forming on Celso's aged forehead.
"Because of what?"
"B-Because Milord has no talent in magic."
-Part 2-
"Say what?"
"You don't have any talent in magic, Milord."
"…"
I fell silent as I tried to absorb what Celso had said to me. To be honest, it never crossed my mind that I would find myself in such a dilemma until now, despite knowing the "actual routine" of someone who got transmigrated to another world.
If I have to follow the cliched logic from major Isekai novels, then there are two possible issues that I should deal with right now. It's either I have transmigrated here with a cheat or I never have any cheats, to begin with.
And as much as I want for myself to be categorized in the former it isn't to be the case for me.
Oh well, there is no point crying over spoiled milk. I've just got to accept the reality that even in this new life of mine, I still got the short end of the stick.
"Does my father know?"
"Y-Yes, he knows."
I see. So Andres knows about his son's lack of magic talent. That explains why I can't find any magic-related discussions or anything of the sort in Cielo's memories.
I wonder how he found out?
"May I ask how?"
The chamberlain was looking at me with a confused expression though he immediately replied to answer my query nonetheless.
"Um… When Your Lordship was still an infant, Lord Andres measured your magical aptitude using a Magic Crystal."
"Magic Crystal?"
I raised my brow after hearing that. Several images popped into my head, most of them were in ball shapes like the ones used mostly by fortunetellers in the circus.
Yeah I know, that was my mind going stereotypical…
"It is a hexagon-shaped crystal that emits light as a reaction to being in contact with a person who has mana. I believe that Lord Andres kept one in his desk drawer if I recall."
"In here?"
My eyes were then fixed on the black wooden desk. It had several drawers so I took the liberty of looking through them until I saw a purple pouch inside.
Taking it with my hands, I slowly opened the contents, and true to the chamberlain's words, there was a colorless crystal shaped in a hexagon pattern. Its size is roughly 5 inches long and about 2 inches thick, I assume. Also, its appearance resembled the crystals that a bald guy robbed in a superhero movie that I used to watch in the past.
The moment that the smooth, glass-like surface touched my palms, it emitted a soft yet faint white glow like a small LED lamp the size of a ping-pong ball.
I was truly astonished by this. My logic and reasoning which was literally indoctrinated by a systematic enterprise known as "science" could not comprehend what was happening. Crystals, as far as I know, do not emit light of their own without first absorbing light from outside sources such as sunlight… unless the crystal in question is a power source itself which is scientifically impossible as modern science has taught me.
Another thing is that it is giving off heat comparable to a fridge's condenser tubing which is also a contradiction.
This thing feels alien…in every way.
"Tell me, Celso. This small faint light…"
"Is the total amount of Milord's magic power, unfortunately."
There was a small frown on Celso's face as he finished the words I ought to say for me. Perhaps he was concerned for my emotional state considering that I am a ten-year-old kid (physically) who was still mourning his father's recent passing.
Now, coupled with the revelation that his talent in magic is almost zero, every adult would feel sorry for me.
"Is there a natural way to increase one's magical power?"
I could not help but raise that question. In some literary works that I had read in the past, a person's magic power can be increased using items such as an elixir or secret concoction. And if this world is really a fantasy one, then items like those should exist.
Maybe.
"If Milord is referring by training, it is sadly impossible. Though there are elixirs and magic items that can raise one's magic power or aptitude, those things are so expensive that even if Milord sells the entire barony, I'm afraid that it won't be enough to purchase even one elixir."
That much?
Well I guess, that is reasonable considering that items like those are pretty much like how one in my previous world treats high-quality jewelry like diamonds or rubies.
From that piece of information, I can fully form a conjecture or a hypothesis that the amount of magic an individual has is determined upon their birth. If you are born with low magic aptitude or power then that's about it. There's nothing you can do but accept that fact, even if that pill happens to be bitter to swallow.
But that's okay. In the first place, managing this small barony was my top priority, and learning magic was only second to that. And since I have no talent for it, the next best thing to do is to surround myself with people who have favorable magic aptitudes.
"Milord your hand…!"
Celso's sudden interjection caused me to halt my internal monologue. There was a look of horror on his face as his vision is fixed on my hand holding the Magic Crystal which…
"Hm?"
…Is now being enveloped by a white ball of light the size of a men's basketball.
In addition to that, my hand felt it was being soaked in lukewarm water that came out from a Thermos…and I didn't even feel it the first time!
What in the world…!?
And as both Celso and I were rooted to our place due to the bizarre scene happening right in front of us, the mysterious ball of white suddenly popped out of existence like bubbles.
Then without any warning,
"!"
I was assaulted by a peculiar sensation as my body became heavier and due to the abruptness of it, I was forced myself to kneel on the ground in an instant as my vision began to blur.
"Milord!"
I could hear the chamberlain's shout though, for some reason, they were muffled. Distorted even. It felt like my body was being submerged underwater that is invisible to the naked eye.
The word "sea" came to mind as I try to get hold of my bearings.
Then the discomfort subsided as if the sea had calmed itself. I can felt its waves through my entire build as it gently smashed against me like I was a jagged rock sprouted from the very depths of the beach.
After catching a few breaths, I slowly opened my eyes and-
"Eh?"
What I saw is the usual landscape, only that there are unfamiliar things that didn't exist in the first place. The chairs, desk, and even the floor, were all the same except for the set of numbers and letters floating around them. Aside from that, there are now white glitter-like specks floating inside the room which did not exist beforehand.
"Milord?"
I turned my head towards Celso who is also now showcasing weird yet somewhat familiar boxes hovering around his entire body. In instinct, I covered my eyes with my left hand as I try to quell the discomfort that is beginning to swell within me.
I took a peek at Celso's build and the sight alone was really bizarre though I notice something.
For some reason, those numbers and letters have a resemblance to my old world...