Book Eater

―Kung.

The door of the treasury closed behind Theo, cutting off the golden light pouring in from the hallway. It was probably wise that he had received the king’s permission to enter the treasury. The glow of precious metals and the treasures piled higher than the height of some men caused even Theo to feel in awe.

“Hah, it will take me around three hours to look through everything.”

However, this impression only lasted for a moment. Theo was upset about having to spend hours searching through the mountains of gold. He couldn’t neglect a wedding gift, but he didn’t know anything about women’s accessories. Thus, he was forced to lean on someone’s advice.

[Please believe in me, Master! There might be a difference in trends between generations, but the aesthetics of the human species can’t be that different from how they were during the Age of Mythology! Magic King Solomon also entrusted the selection of his brides’ gifts to me!]

Lemegeton’s ego, Ars Goetia, emerged like this was the culmination of its existence. Theo was a bit nervous. After all, Goetia was more than three thousand years old. However, he couldn’t ask the great people sleeping in Gluttony’s Hall of Fame. Of course, if he had foreseen what would happen next, he might’ve thought about it a bit longer.

I didn’t know I would dig up more than half of the treasure piles.

If the level of discernment was proportional to the fuss, Goetia must be a very skilled appraiser. It had tossed aside many items, including a necklace with an awkward color combination and a ring made of low purity precious metal. As a result of searching through the accessories while using Theo’s analysis magic, only half a dozen pieces of jewelry passed Goetia’s standards.

[Believe in me! I’m sure the two of them will love it!]

“Well, it looks good to me.”

If there weren’t any gains in three hours, trusting Goetia would be a waste. Theo held up two rings, a ruby ring with a border of gold and a sapphire ring with a platinum border. He was satisfied because the colors reminded him of the eyes and hair of Veronica and Sylvia.

[Isn’t that right? Do you like it? I told you it would all be okay if you trust this Goetia! Let me take care of the dates and honeymoon too!]

“... Ars Goetia, stay silent until I say otherwise.”

[Oof oof!]

However, apart from having that moment of satisfaction, Theo’s patience had reached its limit. Theo silenced Lemegeton with a few words and quickly left the treasury. It wouldn’t be a big deal if someone saw him, but it wouldn’t be good to create rumors.

Oh, I should stop by my family.

It would be strange to proceed with marriage without saying anything to his family. Theo set the destination and snapped his fingers.

Ttaak!

There was a distinctive sound as he vanished from the royal palace.

***

The Marquis Miller manor, located near the capital, was an unusual territory in the Meltor Kingdom. It contained considerable power and authority but wasn’t subordinate to the nobles. Even if the kingdom was invaded, the enemy would never invade Miller Manor. There was a tendency to even avoid an argument with the Miller family.

However, there was no need to explain why.

It was due to the presence of Chief Tower Master, Theodore Miller. He was a war hero who had ended the long war with Andras, the magician who had brought about the second golden period of Meltor. How could the nobles, already oppressed by the king and the magic towers, go against his authority? Their future would collapse if they made the slightest misstep.

Robinson, a knight of the Miller territory, thought the same. “Today is peaceful again. I hope these days will continue.”

“I agree. I didn’t know if I could continue being a knight.”

“Haha, I agree. I wanted to know what would happen when the northern war ended and a nonaggression treaty was signed with Andras...”

Once the age of war was over, magicians and knights were often without a place to go. However, unlike magicians who had a lot to do besides combat, the knights could only find homes in the armed forces. Even so, was it so easy to abandon the land of their birth and migrate? Despite the fear of the future, there were still a few knights left in Meltor. Fortunately, unlike their predictions, there were many ways to survive.

“This is thanks to Theo.”

“Mm, yes.”

If they wanted peace, they had to prepare for war. Theo had said that the end of the war didn’t mean peace for the whole world. As such, he thoroughly took care of the knights and soldiers who lost their jobs. Despite the end of the war, there was a lot of need for skilled fighters as security guards, border guards, and pioneers. Those who wanted to retire would receive a retirement payment according to their merits. The rest were placed in each region according to their wishes. The same was true for the two knights guarding the door of the manor.

It was at this moment that…

Flash!

Robinson and Gruber immediately dropped into combat stances as they blinked away the bright flash. Their instincts from long experience told them they would die if they went against the new arrival. However, they didn’t back down at all. But once the dazzling light faded away, the figure of the person moving through space was revealed.

“Good reactions. It looks like you have been trained well.”

The knights’ eyes widened as they saw black hair, blue eyes, and an intricately embroidered robe. Unless they were seeing the same hallucinations, this person was…

“Knight Robinson Pater! I greet Chief Tower Master Theo!”

“Knight Gruber Levian! I greet Chief Tower Master Theo!”

The two knights quickly put away their swords and knelt. Setting aside his career as a war hero, Theo was the core of Meltor’s power. He wasn’t a person they could raise their heads to.

Theo received their greeting, “You’ve worked hard. Is it okay if I go in?”

“O-Of course! Ah, if you need a guide...!”

Theo gently shook his head. “No, it is okay. This isn’t my first time here.” 𝒃𝒆𝙙𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝙡．𝙤𝒓𝙜

The faces of the two knights seemed a little disappointed. Theo opened the silver gate of the mansion and stepped into the courtyard. It was made with mithril, so it made almost no sound.

Hmm?

But still, he heard the sound of metal. He followed the sound to an empty clearing in the garden. Intrigued, Theo used a combination of Grease, Slide, and other spells to glide over the ground like a raft drifting down a river. Once he arrived, he was soon faced with an interesting sight.

Kakang! Kang! Kakang!

Two swords were colliding, causing the leaves around them to vibrate. Theo could tell that, while skilled, the swordsmanship still had room to improve.

Hrmm, it is Leo’s lesson.

Leonardo Miller, Theo’s younger brother, was in the middle of fencing with Rebecca. Surprisingly, Theo could see a faint haze around his blade. It was definitely aura.

He is only fifteen years old. Is he growing so quickly because he met a good teacher?

Of course, it was still hazy. Nevertheless, it would only be a matter of time before the aura solidified. Normally, it would take several years of training to reach this level. However, it seemed being taught by Rebecca, who was a genius in her own right, had sped up the process.

Kaaang!?

Leo’s sword bounced up with a single upswing, and the spar between the two ended.

“Ha! Hah! Hah! I-I lost.”

“Good work, Young Master.”

Unlike the sweaty Leo, Rebecca didn’t have a hair out of place. Theo watched them before taking a step forward.

Rebecca instantly noticed his arrival and cried out, “M-My Lord!”

She fell to one knee with an astonished expression. Theo waved as he greeted them.

“It has been a while, Rebecca, Leo.”

Leo perked up. “Eh, Brother?! How long have you been here?”

Theo smiled. “I just arrived. You have really improved. Learning how to use aura at this age... You might become a swordmaster before your ceremony of adulthood.”

Leo scratched his head bashfully. “R-Really? Heheh, Sister Rebecca has taught me well.”

Rebecca shook her head, still kneeling. “No, it is thanks to Young Master’s talent and passion.”

Theo smiled and held out his right hand to Rebecca. He had a feeling about something.

“Rebecca, raise your sword. I’ll give you five blows.”

“... I understand.”

Before Leo could interrupt, Theo and Rebecca moved.

Kakiing.

Rebecca attacked without hesitation. She believed in Theo’s strength more than anyone else, so she didn’t hold back one iota. However, despite using all her strength, she couldn’t touch a single strand of his hair.

However, it was a knight’s duty to devote themselves to their lord. Blue aura flew like flames and formed at the edge of the sword. It was a Clovis family technique that specialized in stabbing, unlike Randolph’s swordsmanship.

Fast. Though, Randolph’s double swords are sharper.

However, Theo struggled with her speed. He deflected the incoming sword and struck down the next two strikes with his fists. Theo was already close to being a master in martial arts. The power of ether, which got thicker after becoming a transcendent, exceeded the aura blade. Rebecca had yet to become a sword master, so she had a hard time handling his blows.

However…

Chaaeng!

Rebecca was pushed back, as her feet dug two trenches into the ground. She had obviously been pushed back, yet the sword that blocked his blow wasn’t shaky nor had she lost her balance. It was a feat that wouldn’t be possible if she didn’t have master level aura.

Theo said warmly, “Congratulations, Rebecca. Did you find the clue to the next level?”

Rebecca nodded. “It is a shameful achievement that hasn’t woken up yet.”

Theo shook his head. “There is just one step left. I was worried that you wouldn’t reach it while teaching my brother.”

This time, Rebecca was the one to shake her head wryly. “Rather, I learned many things while teaching Young Master.”

It wasn’t uncommon for a teacher to realize what they were lacking when they raised a student. It seemed that Rebecca had shored up her own foundations in teaching Leo. Perhaps it was a desire not to pass on blame to her master’s kin, but Theo believed her. That’s why he spread out his left hand without hesitation.

“This is a sword from the east. Consider it a gift.”

He took out the Wugou Sword, the curved blade in the form of a crescent moon, and handed it to Rebecca.

Rebecca instantly realized its value. “M-My Lord. I don’t think this is suitable for me. Thank you for your grace, but I can’t accept it.”

“There is no need to worry. It isn’t enough now, but you can use it after you have achieved your full potential. I think it is a good reward for teaching my brother and looking after my family.”

“My Lord...”

Theo tapped the shoulders of the touched Rebecca and then hugged Leo, who was looking at them.

He hoisted his brother over his shoulder. “This guy, you have grown a lot in a few months.”

“B-Brother! Put me down!”

“Didn’t you want me to do this every day when you were a child?”

“Sister Reb is watching! It is embarrassing!”

Theo’s little brother blushed as he was carried on Theo’s shoulder into the mansion where his parents were waiting. It was quite different from the humble and poor Miller Barony, but what difference was there when his whole family was gathered together? Theo smiled brightly as he goodnaturedly bickered with Leo with Leo and Rebecca.

He was thinking about how his family would soon grow.