Chapter 491: Broly Treated as a Hypothetical Enemy by Rudeus

"Listen to me, Teacher Roxy. When I went to visit the Greyrat family today, I ran into a snot-nosed little brat who actually knows more characters than I do..."

As Eris spoke of her experience at Paul's house, she finally stomped her foot in some anger and said, "If those etiquette rules didn't forbid me from laying hands on the host family, I'd definitely make that little ghost named Rudeus regret it, put a few lumps on his head!"

Roxy didn't know whether to laugh or cry; the girl had been bested by a child younger than herself. She thought for a moment, then reached out and patted the red-haired girl's small head, giving her praise: "Eris, you really are amazing. To hold back the impulse to strike a child younger than yourself — you're becoming more and more like a virtuous little knight."

"Eh, is that how it is?"

Praised, Eris's little face flushed red, her anger already turning to joy.

"Of course. And as a knight, you should defeat your opponent fair and square."

Roxy said with a straight face.

"Starting tonight, I'll begin teaching you to read and write."

After Eris left happily, Roxy looked at the boy beside her.

"Little Eris's father, Lord Philip, really went to great lengths."

"How so?"

"A boy who can cast without incantation — Lord Philip must have known in advance. And the reason he had Eris go visit there was probably to let her suffer a setback, thereby giving her the motivation to learn characters, just like how we guided Eris to learn numbers before."

Broly thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement, sharing Roxy's view that this was Philip Boreas applying past lessons, a far-sighted education for his daughter, little Eris.

Roa City, the Boreas family.

In the front garden, Madam Hilda paced back and forth uneasily.

"You mustn't leave, my wife."

Philip, sitting in the chair beside her drinking morning tea, merely felt his eyes blur a little, and couldn't help but persuade her.

"You say, Eris is such a small child, going alone to represent the family visiting the Greyrat house — can that work?

What if she commits a breach of etiquette, then feels ashamed, and ends up crying from grievance in someone else's home?"

Hilda stopped before her husband and asked worriedly.

"Eris, crying from grievance? Are you sure you're talking about our daughter? I'd say instead of worrying Eris will be wronged and cry, you'd better worry she'll lose her temper and raise a ruckus in someone else's house."

Philip laughed as he said this.

"Hilda, put your mind at ease. I didn't just randomly send Eris to visit that fellow Paul. He's not a by-the-book noble either; he had no noble etiquette to speak of even in his youth. I figure even if Eris has lapses in etiquette, with his level he wouldn't spot them. And even if he did, he definitely wouldn't care too much."

Some discrepancy from the goading-style education Broly and Roxy anticipated — Philip Boreas hadn't thought that deeply at all.

He simply picked an acquaintance with the least noble refinement for his daughter, letting Paul Greyrat's whole family serve as sparring partners for Eris, who was just learning noble etiquette.

Not many days had passed since teaching Eris to read and write, when this evening, the door of Broly's house was knocked upon.

The one who came seeking them was Guard Captain Paul Greyrat, and he had come for his son.

"Buena Village — no, I dare say in all of Roa City, nay, the entire Fittoa Region, there is not a single mage whose teaching level can match Miss Roxy's."

"Uh, many thanks for the praise."

Roxy was a bit embarrassed from the praise.

"So, about my son Rudeus wanting to receive guidance from an excellent teacher for magic..."

Paul rubbed his hands, looking at the demon girl before him with expectant eyes.

"Under four years old and already able to cast without chanting — your son is indeed a child with great magical talent."

If before meeting Broly, Roxy felt she would surely have thought such a child was simply a magical genius.

But unfortunately, she had already witnessed Broly and the Dragon God's various battles casting without chanting; her horizons had broadened.

"However, being a home tutor or the like — forget it."

"Ah, the teaching fee is negotiable."

"As you can see, my household has considerable wealth and lacks for nothing in money. And most of my time must go to magical research; I have no time to go to your house to teach your son. Captain Paul, please find someone more suitable."

"Uh, then what if I have my son come over to this side to study with you, Miss Roxy?"

Paul was somewhat unwilling; a famous teacher like Roxy, who had already successfully taught two young girls to become elementary mages, was hard to find.

If possible, Paul still hoped his magically gifted son could receive a better magical education.

"If it's coming here to study along, I can teach together."

On this, Roxy did not refuse.

"Thank you so much, Miss Roxy — oh no, Teacher Roxy."

Paul spoke his thanks, left two silver coins as his son's tuition, and then took his leave to return home.

"Eris will definitely be angry."

Broly said a line.

"Well, competition gives motivation to learn."

Roxy didn't mind; after Eris and Sylphy's relationship improved, those two kids had grown somewhat lax in their magic studies.

This made her feel that bringing in another magical genius student to act as a catfish, becoming a rival to spur the two girls on, was quite good.

"A rival, huh..."

Broly recalled the combat skill competition with the Dragon God in the previous round, and could understand the growth-promoting effect a suitable rival could have.

"Right, for some days after this, I have to go to the Great Forest on the Miris Continent."

"Is there something you need to do?"

Roxy asked curiously.

"Nothing major. Just that a month ago, the bounty request I posted in the Mine Tribe Town has news."

"News of the Crystal of Love Ore?"

"Mm."

Broly nodded.

"Actually, there's no need to go to that much trouble. Just take some of my Crystal of Love accessories, modify them a bit, and give them to Eris and Sylphy."

"This one is yours, Roxy. As for Eris and Sylphy's, I'll go find new ore and forge new Crystal of Love accessories to give them."

"You're quite generous. Hmm, remember to come home and sleep at night, otherwise, if I'm not holding you, I won't be able to sleep."

"You can hold Sylphy and Eris to sleep."

"Holding them isn't as comfortable as holding you."

Just then, Eris ran out, holding a wooden writing board in her hand.

"Teacher Roxy, I've already learned to write my own name!"

On the writing board, Eris's name was written in crooked human characters.

"Me too."

Little Shilfy followed behind her, and the neat, methodical handwriting on her writing board was far more beautiful than the ant-tracks scrawl on Eris's board.

My name is Rudeus. Ever since that arrogant, cute, and pretty distant cousin of mine came to visit my home, causing my potential monstrous genius magic talent to be exposed, my parents have been busy finding me a magic teacher.

After searching high and low, they ended up finding the magic teacher who taught my distant cousin magic, a demon race magic teacher named Roxy Migurdia.

Regarding the demon race, my knowledge is limited to what I've seen in books. They seem to be a terrifying race; perhaps the other party is an existence with three heads and six arms, like a monster.

But that's not what makes me feel fear. What truly makes me feel fear is that the other party cannot come to my home in this world to serve as my family tutor; rather, I must step out of this home, go outside, and accept education.

Even though it's merely leaving home to go about one kilometer away, to the other party's home in the north of the same village to receive education, for me, a shut-in who in my previous life never left the house — no, never left my room — this is also a difficult, insurmountable mountain.

"Rudy, what's wrong? Why is your face so pale?"

Zenith noticed her son's abnormality and asked nervously, crouching down.

The outside world, for the previous life's Rudeus, was absolutely not beautiful.

Just because he spoke up against rule-breakers cutting in line at school, he was stripped naked and tied to the school gate.

Even though those people eventually transferred schools, his life was over.

He felt exceptionally sensitive to the gazes of outside strangers; the moment he thought about leaving home, he would feel breathless tension and sweat on his forehead due to various delusions.

However, how could he tell his caring parents about these things belonging to his previous life in this life?

"Mom, can I not go?"

"Ah, why?"

"Because the book says the demon race is a terrifying species."

Rudeus found this excuse.

"So that's the reason. It's fine, Rudy. Although Teacher Roxy is of the demon race, she's a very cute girl.

And her attitude toward the other villagers is also very gentle. Dad can guarantee to you that she's absolutely not some terrifying person."

Paul guaranteed with a laugh.

Rudeus wanted to find another excuse, but after a night passed, he still hadn't thought of an excuse to not go out.

Wanting to feign illness was completely useless, because Mother's healing magic isn't weak.

In the end, he could only give the lame reason that the outside world is terrifying, right before stepping onto the guillotine.

"Hahaha, didn't expect our family's Rudy is actually a coward."

Paul laughed loudly.

"No wonder this kid could run and jump, yet never went out the door."

Zenith showed a look of sudden realization.

"Rest assured. Outside, at least in the village, it's very safe. And that's all thanks to my efforts, Dad's."

Rudeus, unable to resist, was scooped up onto the horse's back by Paul.

Watching the courtyard gate draw closer, some fears belonging to his previous life surfaced in his thoughts.

Like an ostrich, he shrank into the embrace of the man behind him.

Until...

"Look, Rudy. The outside world isn't scary at all. Even if there is something scary, Dad will protect you."

Encouraged by his father, Rudeus opened his eyes again and saw the country path paved with morning light, and behind him his father's broad, sturdy chest.

The shadows of his previous life seemed to be scattered by this world's sunlight in this moment, and Rudeus felt a sense of being reborn.

"Thank you, Dad."

Without a doubt, Paul Greyrat, at this moment, finally received heartfelt respect and gratitude from his own son.

Carrying a relaxed mood of rebirth, Rudeus was brought by his father on horseback to the front door of a large house in the north of the village.

Just as they approached this side, they heard a burst of shouts.

Looking toward the sound, Rudeus saw that a few days ago, the distant cousin who came to his house was holding a wooden sword, sparring with a long-eared girl with shoulder-length green hair who looked even smaller than her.

After meeting Broly, Sylphy wasn't bullied much anymore. Now she no longer has the buzz-cut look.

Her current hair is a mushroom cut; if she crouched on the ground, she might be mistaken for a green mushroom.

"Rudy, do you want to practice swordsmanship with them too?"

Paul noticed his son staring blankly at that side and asked.

"Mm."

Practicing swordsmanship with cute girls — facing this question proposed by my father, I subconsciously gave an affirmative answer.

And this was an answer I came to regret, because of this answer, I was openly beaten by my distant cousin Eris with a wooden sword, ending up bruised and swollen.

Of course, back to the main topic. Here I met my magic teacher. Paul didn't deceive me; she was a cute girl. Although she looked a bit like a 'three-no' type, she was indeed a gentle and patient person.

At least in teaching, if I had questions, Teacher Roxy would use the most easy-to-understand explanations possible to let me understand the solution to the problem.

She would also not be stingy with praise for me when I solved problems, just like a kindergarten teacher treating a small child.

Although I am indeed a child right now, being able to encounter such a teacher still makes me feel lucky.

School life in this other world is even more wonderful than I imagined.

The magic teacher is a beauty who looks like a junior high student, and the classmates beside me are also two budding beauties.

Although my cousin is somewhat rough, her willful and selfish personality is also not unacceptable.

More importantly, there is also a half-long-eared race girl who cares about people.

Every time I am beaten by my cousin with a wooden sword, that girl named Sylphy runs over to stop my cousin, yet giving Rudeus a feeling of a gentle small mother.

I feel that I am in a reality strategy game, and Teacher Roxy, Cousin Eris, and classmate Sylphy are the targets I can capture.

And having this thought then gave Rudeus the idea of showing off in front of the girls.

Although in swordsmanship I am not a match for Eris, if we talk about magic, I, who have past life memories, have many perspectives that even make Teacher Roxy feel novel.

And, my magic power seems to be above Eris and Sylphy's, letting me easily cast the intermediate magic they are still working hard to learn.

"How about it, I'm amazing, right!"

After casting an intermediate great fireball once, Rudeus asked the two girls.

"Rudy, very amazing."

Sylphy nodded and praised him, but Eris only glanced at the blown-away target and said: "Not as amazing as Broly!"

"Hmm, Brother Broly is more amazing."

Broly, this is not the first time I've heard this name; every time I show off, I always hear it from the other two girls' mouths, and even Teacher Roxy occasionally mentions him.

This made me realize that the other party might be my biggest rival in realizing the capture of the girls around me in this other world's reality.

Unfortunately, every time I come to school, I have never encountered him; I only heard that he leaves before dawn in the morning and only returns when night falls in the evening, and by that time I have long since finished school and returned home.

Rudeus could only inquire about this imaginary enemy's situation through indirect questioning, and then obtained the information that the other party has very powerful swordsmanship and magic ability.

When I accompany my cousin and them acting out the knight saves princess drama, playing the villain being beaten up, Cousin Eris would say 【If it were Broly, he wouldn't be easily defeated】 such words.

Playing the villain role, having to not be easily defeated, and also having to give my own cousin a deep, immersive knight play experience.

This made Rudeus, who couldn't even play the villain role well, realize that the other party's skill at coaxing girls might even be above his, a senior NEET who was proficient in all kinds of Galgame games in his previous life.

"Teacher Roxy, can I ask a question?"

"What?"

"What kind of person is Broly exactly?"

Hearing too much praise for that person called Broly from the girls' mouths made me unavoidably want to understand what kind of guy he is; during one time asking Teacher Roxy for advice, I directly asked.

Only what I didn't expect was that I actually saw on the demon race teacher's face, who looks like a junior high student, an expression like my mother Zenith's, ah, that is exactly the happy look of a housewife feeling satisfied with her family.

"He, ah, is a guy who knows very well how to please people."

【Definitely a pretty boy!】

Male jealousy made me speculate about that guy like this.

Until two weeks after coming to Teacher Roxy's side to learn magic and following Ghislaine to learn swordsmanship, I finally truly saw that guy called Broly.

At first sight, the other party was hugging a big stone, suddenly intruded into the school building, shouting 【Found it】 at Teacher Roxy.

That was a boy covered in dirt, grey all over, and looking not much older than myself, about seven or eight years old, but with spirited eyes.

From the other party's words, Rudeus learned that these days he went out to find the ore in his hand, but planned to forge some kind of magic accessory for Eris and Sylphy.

Watching Eris and Sylphy, the two of them happily surrounding the dirty boy talking, looking forward to receiving his gift.

Rudeus suddenly reacted, realizing that what he might be facing is a capture rival who gives gifts to raise the girls' goodwill.

(Chapter End)