[V16C2] Good Day, Scumbag

Isaac silently observed Monica while listening to her conversation with the Artillery Mage, Bradford Firestone.

Both her makeup and neatly braided hair were the work of Isaac himself. He made sure to keep it tasteful and maintain an intelligent look, with her braids carefully pinned to ensure no stray hairs.

Monica’s hair was naturally soft and a bit wavy, making it just right for braiding.

On the other hand, the rival Isaac used for practice had been far harder to style. His hair was just like his personality, stiff and straight, always trying to spring back into its original position.

Strands kept leaving the braids, pins slipped right out, and no matter how many times Isaac curled it with an iron, it just went straight again. He had to burn through an obscene amount of hair gel while muttering “Damn this blockhead” under his breath.

As for makeup, he’d laid it on his rival as thick as wall plaster, but of course, he would never do such a thing to his precious master.

The Silent Witch was one of the most powerful mages in the kingdom, so she deserved a refined appearance.

To tell the truth, Isaac had been uncharacteristically nervous when applying Monica’s makeup.

Being allowed to touch her soft cheeks as she sat with eyes closed made his heart pound. This was an entirely different feeling from the mischievous satisfaction of giving her a teasing pinch on the cheek.

(This is such a great honor.)

Monica Everett was a true hero who had saved the kingdom time and again.

She was also the great mage who Isaac admired the most. He once collected her academic papers in secret to read under the light of a lantern, as he would never be allowed to study magic.

But now, he stood beside her as her disciple. Isaac had to hold back his emotions, otherwise his lips would break into a smile.

Everyone here was either an advanced mage, or a major figure in the magical tool industry or Mage Association. Among them all, the Silent Witch drew the most attention.

Therefore, he had to conduct himself in a manner worthy of being her disciple.

By the time Isaac steeled his resolve, Nero had already wandered off in search of more food. Isaac quietly sighed at how free-spirited the dragon was.

Meanwhile, Bradford’s conversation with Monica turned to the subject of him.

“Oh yeah. So this guy’s your disciple?”

“Yes! Let me introduce him. This is my disciple, Ike… I mean, Isaac!”

Monica let out a small huff through her nose and answered with a hint of nervous excitement.

My disciple. Just being called that filled Isaac with such joy he could hardly stand still. However, he suppressed those emotions, placing a hand on his chest and performing a bow.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Artillery Mage-sama. I am Isaac Walker, disciple of the Silent Witch.”

“Hmm,” Bradford said, stroking his beard. “You’re a polite one. Ah… If I remember right, weren’t you doing a project with Dragon Slayer?”

“Yeah,” Silas answered. “He and I are childhood friends. We grew up in the same place.”

“Dragon Slayer, you didn’t go to school for magic, right? I guess Walker is self-taught too then?”

Monica hesitated for a moment. She was not sure how much to say about Isaac’s past. Isaac ended up answering in her place.

“Yes. My education was not the greatest, but I was fortunate enough to receive guidance from my master and Dragon Slayer Mage-sama, allowing me to assist in their research.”

“Hoh, so can you do magical battles?”

Bradford’s voice took on an eager tone as he asked the question. Isaac had heard several times that the Artillery Mage loved magical battles.

“I must admit that I have yet to acquire the skills for combat. However…”

Isaac was an amateur in magecraft, nowhere near the level of the Seven Sages.

Even so, Isaac had made up his mind. He would become a mage good enough to support the Silent Witch.

“If it means being of service to my master, I will continue honing my skills until I can withstand your sixfold reinforcement.”

Isaac’s answer caused Bradford to grin with a raised eyebrow.

Sixfold reinforcement was Bradford’s unique specialty. The most powerful spell that only he could use.

Saying that he would train to withstand it was a bold statement. It could be taken as a direct challenge to Bradford.

Silas, who had been listening beside them, poked Isaac in the side and muttered, “You cheeky brat.” Isaac wanted to stomp on his foot, but he held back since his master was present.

Either way, Bradford seemed amused by Isaac’s boldness.

“I can’t hate a guy with a competitive spirit. You’ve got yourself a good disciple, Silent Witch.”

Hearing that put a sparkle in Monica’s eyes. She straightened her back and puffed out her chest.

“Right!”

Monica returned a proud nod. Seeing this overwhelmed Isaac with emotion again. He quietly clutched the front of his robe.

The man named Isaac Walker had been accepted and acknowledged by the great Silent Witch. He was here. He existed.

＊　＊　＊

The social gathering would continue for a while longer, but it was acceptable to leave early. In fact, some had left immediately after greeting their acquaintances.

Monica had planned to stay until the closing remarks, but after greeting a few people, Isaac noticed that her face had grown a bit pale.

“Monica?”

“…Y-Yes?”

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“…I… I might have tightened my corset too much…”

Apparently, Monica did not wear the corset to shape her figure. It was there to help keep her posture straight.

Today, she had been determined to stand tall as a proper master, so she made her corset tighter than usual.

In the first place, Monica had never been very comfortable around crowds. She was surely exhausted after the unfamiliar lecture and repeated greetings.

“Let’s head back to the waiting room. You’ve already completed all the necessary greetings.”

Aside from Monica, the only Sages at the venue were Silas and Bradford, who she already greeted. She had also met with the other important figures like the headmaster of Minerva and senior officials of the Mage Association.

“…Oh, is that so…? Um, sorry, I didn’t really keep track of today’s guest list…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Isaac said to reassure her. However, he casually omitted the presence of Hubert Dee and Bernie Jones at this party.

Hubert was, without a doubt, number one on the “People To Keep Away From Monica” list. Distancing him from Monica was an important duty as her disciple.

On the other hand, Bernie was a former classmate of Monica who helped with lending medical devices a while back. This put him rather high on the priority list for greetings, but he had already been dragged away by Hubert.

As a result, Isaac had little choice but to steer Monica away from them, abandoning Bernie to his fate.

“Can you walk?”

“Yes… ah, what about Nero?”

“He’s still completely absorbed in the food.”

As usual, the free-spirited Nero was circling the food tables, plate in hand. Either way, he knew the location of the waiting room, so he’d make his way back eventually.

Isaac informed Silas and Bradford of Monica’s condition and led her out of the hall.

Supported by Isaac, Monica walked unsteadily down the corridor, murmuring in a faint voice.

“Ike, you were really dependable today… Ah, I mean, you’re always dependable, of course…”

“I’m honored, Master.”

There was no way he wouldn’t be happy to be called dependable by his great master—and the girl he loved.

After the polite response, Isaac bent down a little and brought his lips close to Monica’s ear. Then, he whispered as if to share a little secret.

“To tell the truth, I really tried my best today. Since I’m here as your disciple, I have to make sure I don’t embarrass you.”

Monica blinked in surprise, as the strained expression on her face melted into a soft smile.

“I did my best too, so I don’t embarrass my disciple.”

“Then I guess we’re the same.”

“Yes, exactly the same.”

Both of them had been thinking the same thing.

Monica was doing her best for him too.

(Ah… I’m so happy.)

Isaac savored the joy bubbling up within him. Then, he looked into Monica’s eyes and shared a smile with her.

A gentle, happy, and peaceful moment… until a cold voice broke in to shatter it.

“My, my. You two seem awfully close.”

A man with short chestnut-colored hair stood in their path, equipped with the staff and robe of the Seven Sages. He was the Barrier Mage, Louis Miller.

Isaac failed to detect his approach, and it wasn’t because he let his guard down. He made sure to stay on full alert the entire time, as Hubert Dee was present in this venue.

“Louis-san?” Monica asked, widening her eyes in surprise.

Isaac had heard that the Barrier Mage would not be attending today’s gathering due to other duties. In which case, why was he here?

Perhaps he had finished work early and decided to show his face at the social event. However, the ominous air he radiated was clearly not intended for a friendly greeting.

He sneaked up to them, and upon revealing himself, unleashed an intense wave of bloodlust. This was meant to intimidate them and crush their will to fight.

Louis quickly chanted a spell and tapped his staff against the floor. In the next instant, the voices coming from the hall were silenced. A soundproof barrier.

While still holding his staff against the ground, Louis pasted on a faint smile.

“Good day to you, my fellow sage. And to you as well…”

Louis fixed his eyes behind the monocle on Isaac. An icy stare just as cold as his tone of voice. He radiated a deep and intense fury, years in the making.

“…The lying scumbug who deceived the entire country.”

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