“...It’s hot.”

The month has changed, and I am in the garden and laying in the shade of the apple tree.

I couldn’t help to mutter, this place didn’t have air conditioners--which was one of the reasons I wanted to learn Magic, but it was one I wasn’t planning on spreading yet.

“Young Master.”

Hearing someone call out to me, I turned my eyes and looked over, it was Ian.

“It will only feel hotter if you complain about it. How about you think about something else?”

I sighed, looking away and closing my eyes again.

“It’s a matter of mental power.”

As if trying to get the last word in, Ian said one more thing.

I just sighed.

***

Nainiae had finished her work at around 2 p.m. and she rushed to my side--she even used the Fourth Circle Spell called Blink, which enabled  short-range teleportation.

I welcomed her with a smile, the frustration and irritation in her eye melted away in an instant--her face relaxing and a smile spreading.

“So, you finished already?”

“Yes, I worked really hard and got everything done as quickly as possible--I figured that you would be feeling hot.” Her face had a thin sheen of sweat and she was out of breath.

She cast the Spell called Ventilation, a Fifth Circle Spell, which used Mana to clean the air.

After thanking her, I closed my eyes.

“Young Master…”

I heard Nainiae whisper, she seems to have unconsciously spoken--I opened my eyes and looked up; she was kneeling by my side, a ball of black Ice hovering in the air, a gentle breeze wafting around us.

She was much better at cooling me down than Ian was, a living air conditioner.

I opened my eyes and glanced up at her--she blushed and her eye looked away.

“Ahh…I feel like I am alive again.” I stretched back with sigh.

“Are you--alright?” She asked carefully.

I responded with a smile, “Yes, it’s good.”

“I’m…relieved.” Nainiae smiled, sighing relief.

I gestured to her.

As if she had been waiting for it, like a puppy, she happily and carefully leaned her head down towards me.

“You have done very well again today.”

I gently stroked her fluffy hair, running my fingers through it carefully--it felt good against my skin and her happy look, and noises, was good.

***

“I have thought about it, and--”

It was dinner time, I was with the five people who went to Solia with me, and I brought up a subject, “We should go again this year.”

Iris looked at me with a smile, “To Rainfield?”

“Yes.”

Sera smiled, suppressing her laughter; while Ian’s face gradually filled with pain.

Since this was the first time that she had heard about it, Nainiae was tilting her head in confusion.

“We went there every year--it’s not like we have any reason to change it this year.” I raised an eyebrow at my mother’s question.

“Still, I figured that you wouldn’t go this year because Nainiae can keep you cool.” Sera shrugged, speaking with a grin.

Ian flinched, “Y-Young Master, there are bad rumours about Rainfield, so--I think that it would be for the best if you stayed in the mansion.”

“Come on, you have been been telling me to stop being so lazy and get out of the mansion,” I looked at him with a grin, “Why can’t you be consistent?”

Iris giggled at my words, Sera soon joining in.

“But…you can’t break a sweat in Rainfield!” Ian spoke, emphasizing his words by swinging his knife around.

I rolled my eyes at him--being raised as a soldier, he was obsessed with breaking a sweat and exercising and other unpleasant past-times.

“Excuse me, Ms. Sera. What’s Rainfield like? I…have heard rumours about the Black Mage--but never really heard about the place itself.” Nainiae leaned over and whispered to Sera.

“I will explain it later--but it’s a pretty good place.”

Rainfield, a city that was very different from Solia. According to many surveys, it was the highest-rated city for summer vacationing.

***

During the morning after I had alerted them about my plans to go to Rainfield, Sera and Nainiae were talking.

“You, say it’s a city where it is always raining?” Nainiae asked Sera, surprised.

“Yes, I always liked the summer visits. The rain never bothered me anyway--and I also disliked the heat…these uniforms get sticky when I sweat.”

Nainiae couldn’t hide her surprise when she heard about Rainfield.

“That’s the source of it’s name. No one remembers the name before the rain started, and no one knows how it started--but there are rumours that it used to be the home of a Blue Dragon.” Sera spoke in a conspiratorial whisper, “But…I don’t think Dragons actually exist.”

Nainiae could barely stop the laugh from coming up, she had to turn away and cover her mouth.

“Ahem, anyway, it’s not as large as Solia. But it is almost as famous.” Sera explained as she dusted off a shelf, “It’s a city where everyone, from commoners to nobles, even royalty go there when summer starts. So--it’s really cool.”

Nainiae nodded as she also dusted a nearby shelf.

Sera added that there were also a few festivals during the summer, one of the best was the fireworks along the waterfall path. Apparently the buildings in Rainfield were constructed with consideration for the constant rain, so their roof is designed in a unique way--there is a pathway where the rainwater falls in sheets like waterfalls.

Nainiae tried to imagine it, but she couldn’t--she ended up just staring at Sera with her head tilted.

Seeing her stop moving, like her brain had frozen, Sera flicked Nainiae’s forehead, “Anyway, it’s a really pretty pathway--and the light of the fireworks flash and flicker through the water.”

Sera’s eyes sparkled as she imagined.

Nainiae panted a little and rubbed her forehead, lowering her head, to hide her expression.

Raising her head and seeing Sera’s sparkling eyes, Nainiae showed curiousity and anticipation in her eye.

***

“...Alright, I’ll allow it.”

“You have been telling me almost every day to try going outside--other than during my yearly visits to Rainfield. How come you are being so hesitant this year?” I asked Stein, as I stood in his office.

Stein answered with a gaze full of expectations, “I was concerned that you might bring back something like another Medal of Honour--or Sixth Circle Mage.”

I rolled my eyes, “Absolutely no way.”

Stein shrugged his shoulders at my words.

With a laugh, and a wave, left his office.

“Well, now that I have his approval, Let’s quickly prepare and get going.” I looked out the window and at thought of Enda--she had said before that because she was a Fire Dragon, the Summer near the Iphelleta mansion would be hotter than other places.

Enda had then laughed when she saw my look of annoyance, she loved the heat.

“Young Master.” Ian greeted me from where he was standing on the other side of the corridor, “Did he…approve? He didn’t, right?”

I smirked at him, “He approved.”

“This can’t be.” Ian sighed and rubbed his temples.

“To begin with, it would be odd if he had disapproved--he gives his approval every year, since it is basically the only time I leave the mansion.”

Ian liked the heat…and absolutely hated the rain--it could be said that rain could be considered his worst enemy, if narcotics or Mages weren’t counted.

“Ian. What about you? Are you going to stay in the mansion this year again?”

“Urgh!” Ian looked wronged.

“Well, if you are going to stay here, I can have Sera come with us, or I could go with just Nainiae--it would be convenient too.”

It seems that he wasn’t going to go with me to Rainfield for vacation, this year either.

“How long are you going to stay there?” Ian asked me.

“I’m not sure?” I paused as I considered it, “I will probably stay there until late summer.”

“Late summer?”

“Why? I stayed there for about two months last year--don’t you remember? But, I’m not sure about this year…” I was worried that Stein’s words were prophetic.

“You will be looking after my mother while I’m away.” I looked intently at him, my eyes narrowed.

“Yes, Young Master.” Ian sighed deeply.