「Have you finally stopped crying, Master Claude?」

「How many times do I have to tell you!? I wasn't even crying in the first place! I-It was just the sweat from my eyes.」

「I see! In that case, you sure are sweating a lot aren't you, Master Claude?」

「........You are doing this on purpose aren't you?」

「I am not sure I understand what you mean.」

I looked at the boy walking beside me just who said that with a smile on his face, 【Shu Halstead】.

Shu is a boy who followed me after I had been driven out from my house that was a Knight house──the Curzon House.

I, who is the third son the family, was driven out from the house because I wasn’t contributing anything towards the development of the territory and was instead being a burden on them.

When I who lost everything left the house like that, Shu came along with me. He followed me persistently even when I tried to turn him away.

Shu was a boy who was too good for someone like me. I actually felt very happy when he followed me outside the territory too!

It’s just, he is a bit……no, he is excessively reserved. Like, he won't drop the formalities no matter what happens! Had he done this with everyone I would've not cared much. But he does this exclusively with me. Can you even imagine how awkward it feels?

「Also, drop the formalities already. Please!」

「That is something I can't do, Master Claude.」

I failed to convince him yet again.

It has been about a week since I have left my house. 

During the first few days of the journey, I was fairly depressed but I am slowly starting to get over it now.

By the pace we were going, we should probably reach the next town soon. We could have reached earlier but we very taking a longer detour. This was because the other route goes from between the monster territory. I am rather confident in my ability to use magic but I have never fought monsters before, at best I have fought and killed bears and wolves. As such, I don't want to risk my chances.

I looked at the sky. It was starting to get dark. 

「It's getting dark. I think we should set up our camp now.」

I said while calling out to Shu. 

「Yes, Master Claude.」

After saying so, we started setting up our camp.

To tell you the truth, everything that has helped us in the journey so far has been brought by Shu. I had just brought my clothes and some food with me.

Now that I think about it, how the hell was I thinking of surviving with such things on me?

I thanked Shu once again in my heart and started to gather wood for igniting the fire. Although we don't need to be wary of monsters, wild animals can still pose some threat to us..............or at least that's my excuse as I don't know how to set up a camp in the first place.

After Shu had set the camp up, we started to have our meal. It was packaged food as we didn't have the ingredients on hand to make anything else. Well, you would have to know how to cook in the first place to make anything else anyway.

After we had eaten, I and Shu laid down on our bed that had been set up. We talked for some time before sleeping too.

「Master Claude, what are you thinking of doing now?」

「Hm? Well, I am hoping to become a Royal Mage at the moment. That's the only thing I probably got a shot at, don't I?」

「You could try to become an adventurer too.」

「Never! I ain't ever doing that kind of job in my life.」

「Is that so? I understand. I apologize for my remarks.」

「You were just giving you opinion. You don't have to apologize for such a little-」

「No! How can I not when this caused you such displeasure, Master Claude! When I said-」

And there he goes off on his own again.

You know what? I sometimes think that this guy is just making fun of me when he says things like this, but when I look at his face, I realized he is completely serious.

Still, I need to enrol in the Royal Magic Academy fast if I don't want to fall into the predicament of being forced to become an adventurer. 

Speaking of adventures, I didn't get to say my goodbyes to Aiden. I hope he is doing well.

「By the way, Master Claude. Where are we trying to go?」

「The capital city of Zariya. Its the place where the entrance exams for the Mage Academy are held.」

「But wouldn't enrolling require money, Master Claude?」

「Ah! Don't worry about that. Because Mages are so rare, the expense to train a promising candidate is born by the state.」

「Hoo!」

He exclaimed in surprise.

「Anyways, its getting dark. We should go to sleep now so that we wake up early tomorrow.」

「Yes.」

After talking for some time more, we fell asleep.

◆◇◆◇◆

The two boys had fallen asleep. From time to time, a gentle breeze would flow keeping the atmosphere cool. The sounds of insects could also be heard but it wasn't so loud that it would wake up the boys. 

Everything was quiet and peaceful.

That was until the sky suddenly started to be filled with dark clouds. Had it just been that it could have been brushed off as unexpected downpour, but what made this weird was that the clouds had only formed upon the two boys. 

Moreover, the clouds were swirling around their centre. Faster and faster and faster, steadily increasing their speed. The gentle breeze had slowly started turning into a gale. The insects, probably alarmed with the upcoming danger, fled into their nests. 

After a while, sparks could be seen forming at the centre of the storm. Then out of nowhere, lightning struck.

Normally, lighting is supposed to be of bright white dazzling colour. But this was red.

It was speedily approaching the two boys.....no, it was more like aiming towards one of the boys.

However, just before the moment it could strike, on top of the boy, a Black Book appeared. It had manifest out thin air. The book opened itself and the lighting sturk it instead.

One would have expected the book to burn. However, it looked like the book was absorbing the lightning instead!

This spectacle continued for a while until the black book completely absorbed the lightning and then closed itself with a loud sound, walking up one of the boys.