New chapter of Control Engineer is out! (1/1 chapter)

Sensei

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“Huh? Sensei’s not coming? Why not, Nii-san?” (Leon)

When I entered the detached room, I heard Hein-niisan’s voice. He and Conan-niisan were sitting face-to-face with grim expressions.

“Before that… This isn’t just today. He won’t be coming anymore.” (Hein)

“Huh?” (Leon)

“I heard it just now from Otou-sama. Morgan-sensei is going to quit being our tutor.” (Hein)

“H-he is?” (Leon)

I spoke without thinking.

“Oh, Leon, you’re here too. Hmm… Sensei, he often coughed during lessons, didn’t he?” (Hein)

Coughing… Ah, now that he mentioned it. It was usually just a light cough, but sometimes it lasted long and looked painful.

“It seems to be a lung disease.” (Hein)

“Lungs?” (Leon)

A shiver ran up my spine.

Tuberculosis… That word flashed across my mind. It was Reo’s knowledge.

“Is that illness… curable?” (Leon)

If it’s tuberculosis… On Earth, when Reo was alive, as long as you had access to proper treatment, it was rarely fatal. But if you go back a bit further in time, that wasn’t the case. I remember that it used to be a difficult illness, with about half the patients dying. That memory came back to me.

What about in this world?

“What do you think, Nii-san?” (Leon)

“I don’t know, but I heard he’s going to be taking a recuperative retreat.” (Hein)

A retreat… Yep, sounds like tuberculosis.

“A retreat? To where?” (Leon)

Huh? This place, Emilia, doesn’t seem like it has bad air. There’s plenty of greenery nearby too. Does changing the location make any difference?

“I heard he’s going to a place called Fraja, to receive magical treatment.” (Hein)

“Ah, Fraja, huh.” (Hein)

Hein-niisan seemed to know about it.

“Can diseases be cured with magic?” (Leon)

“Yeah. Not all illnesses, though.” (Hein)

“You didn’t know that? Even though Leon’s gotten good at arithmetic, you’re still naïve about the world. It’s famous, you know, Fraja’s magical treatment.” (Conan)

“Whoa…” (Leon)

I didn’t know that. Then, I guess there is a reason to change locations.

Still… Mmm, that’s really unfortunate. I wanted to be taught more by Morgan-sensei. He was a scary teacher, but he really thought about us. Conan-nii-san said so too.

That aside, what should I do about magic now? There’s no one left to teach me.

“Oh right, Leon. Kaa-sama was calling for you. She said to come to her room in the main building.” (Hein)

“Eh? Kaa-sama?” (Leon)

“Yeah.” (Hein)

I left the detached quarters and started walking while thinking about how I should approach studying magic from now on.

Passing through the courtyard, then the inner building where our family lives, then along the corridor, I arrived at the main building of the merchant house. The main building was where guests also come, and where many employees worked, so I usually had no reason to come here unless there was something important. Nii-sans were already helping out with the business, so they came here regularly.

I knocked and slightly opened the door.

“It’s Leon.” (Leon)

“Come in.” (Mother)

This was Kaa-sama’s office, a room I would never enter unless called. Compared to Tou-sama’s room, this one had more luxurious and tasteful furnishings.

Our merchant house handled trade between the royal capital and the Emilia Count’s domain. To the capital, we mainly transported raw materials like raw silk, wool, woodcraft products, and magic crystals. From the capital, we procured metal products including jewelry, glass, clothing and fabric, magical tools, and so on.

Retail within the territory was mostly handled by relative-owned shops, but clothing and jewelry were directly traded, and we also did outside sales. (Outside sales: visiting high-ranking customers in person to sell high-priced goods.)

Kaa-sama wasn’t just Tou-sama the chairman’s wife. She was also the vice-chairman of the merchant house. In this room, she entertained important female customers targeted for outside sales. She was quite busy.

“What is it?” (Leon)

“Take a seat over there.” (Mother)

“Yes.” (Leon)

I sat on the indicated chair.

“Leon. You seem to have taken quite a liking to magic.” (Mother)

Huh? Am I about to be scolded?

“W-well…” (Leon)

“Are you perhaps thinking of becoming a magician in the future?” (Mother)

“I don’t know yet.” (Leon)

A magician isn’t exactly an occupation. Most end up as military personnel or adventurers, whether combat-type or non-combat. It’s far removed from being a merchant.

“I see. You are the third son, after all. Unlike your brothers Conan and Hein, you can’t inherit this merchant house.” (Mother)

“Yeah.” (Leon)

Conan-niisan would inherit the role of chairman, and Hein-niisan would support him as an executive. I had been told that ever since I was a child.

It was the customary eldest son inheritance system of the Cecilia Kingdom. The eldest son inherited the family business, the second supported it, and third sons and beyond became independent.

Our extended family followed this too. The second son uncle managed the merchant house’s royal capital branch, while the third and fourth son uncles had gone independent and ran their own small retail shops, still part of the group.

So, as the third son, when I turned fifteen in five more years and became an adult, I would have to choose either to remain as a regular employee or leave the house and become independent.

“So, in other words, you’re free to do what you want with your future. Unlike your brothers, you’re not bound. You don’t have to become a merchant.” (Mother)

“…” (Leon)

“But that’s not what I called you here to talk about. You might have already heard, but Morgan-sensei will be quitting.” (Mother)

“Conan-niisan told me earlier.” (Leon)

“I see. It’s because of his illness.” (Mother)

“What illness is it?” (Leon)

“I heard it’s tuberculosis. But don’t worry. He said it’s still mild, so he’ll probably recover.” (Mother)

So, it is tuberculosis. But if it’s mild, that’s a relief.

“And so, he asked me to take good care of you.” (Mother)

Huh?

“It’s a bit odd for a teacher to ask a parent to look after their child, I know.” (Mother)

True.

“What he meant was, about magic.” (Mother)

“Magic?” (Leon)

“Yes. Morgan-sensei said you, Leon, have talent in magic. Your mana is still small because you’re young, but your aptitude is excellent.” (Mother)

Oh… Well, that’s probably thanks to the system in my head.

“He asked me, if you say you want to continue magic, to absolutely let you.” (Mother)

Sensei…

“Well? Do you want to continue?” (Mother)

“Yeah, I do.” (Leon)

“Is that so? Can you work hard at it?” (Mother)

“Yes.” (Leon)

For some reason, I felt fired up. It felt like someone had pushed me forward.

“I see. I understand. I thought, since you’re the youngest, you’d always want to cling to others, but I see now you’re growing up.” (Mother)

U-uh… am I?

“I’ve been entrusted with a letter and a book from Sensei. Soon, a guest will be arriving here, so take them and read them in your own room.” (Mother)

“Yes.” (Leon)

There was a sealed letter and a large, leather-bound book on the side table. I picked them up and left Kaa-sama’s room, returning to mine.

I was curious about the book, but first I opened the envelope.

“To Leon-dono.”

Even though I must seem like nothing but a child to him, he addressed me formally and with respect.

“To Leon-dono. By the time you are reading this letter, I will have already left the town of Emilia. Now that my illness is out in the open, it cannot be helped, but I regret that I could not even say goodbye. Please also give my regards to Conan-dono and Hein-dono.”

So, this letter was addressed only to me.

“Perhaps Leon-dono has told Madam that he wishes to pursue magic. That makes me happy.”

Oh! So that’s how it was. If I had said earlier that I didn’t want to continue magic, Okaa-sama wouldn’t have shown me this letter.

Phew…

“However, I must write this. To pursue magic is to walk a path filled with hardship. I myself could not become a great magician. Even so, it contributes greatly to learning, so I ask that you devote yourself to it.”

“Of course, becoming a magician requires personal effort, and one’s natural aptitude is also important. Since Leon-dono is Madam’s child, I believe the latter is quite promising.”

Why Madam, I wonder? Could she use magic? I’ve never heard of it.

I returned my gaze to the letter.

“Leon-dono appears to have a different way of activating magic and elevating his thoughts compared to normal people.”

Ugh, he noticed…

“Please do not speak of this matter carelessly to others. There are still many narrow-minded people in this world, and you may be persecuted or exploited.”

I see…

“I deeply regret that I will not be able to witness Leon-dono’s growth, but this is the result of my own doing. I hope that we may meet again someday.”

“P.S.

I am entrusting Madam with a Beginner’s Grimoire of Activation Symbols. Please do not rush. Study them one by one at your own pace.”

Droplets fell on the paper. I quickly refolded the letter and returned it to the envelope, placing it gently into my desk drawer. I wiped my face and opened the leather-bound book.

After the table of contents, each page had a single large activation sigil drawn on it.

Wow… Ah, this one’s Aqua.

Sniffling, I looked at it again.

So, that’s what it was. Sensei had copied the symbols in this book onto parchment for us. Even the slightest deviation would prevent the spell from activating. He must have done it with extreme care. And he did that every time, for all three of us.

Sensei–…

 

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