Tania Taru POV:

Like Lord Raizen instructed and foretold, I landed the job as Kei Kyuri's personal maid. I'll be spending a long time here, in the midst of the rumored prodigy household digging my way deeper. Shin Kyuri is an influential noble with considerable power and voice. He's experienced in dealing with others, finance, management, etc. Livia Kyuri is a retired hunter ace experienced in taking down monsters. The children of such people are even more terrifying; I need to be cautious. Luckily, I have years to fulfill the [Contract].

"Hey hey, Tania, how old are you?"

"Asking a woman her age is rude, you know. Well, I'm 17."

"Woah, you're older than Akari-neechan. Well, what did you used to do before being my maid?"

"I was working in the Raizen household, you should be acquainted one day."

"What about your family?"

"Hm? Well, my parents died when I was young and I have a sister."

"Ehehe, I bet you'd be a great sister~"

Her expressions were honestly seductively cute. But, I kept my head above the clouds and reasoned. At any rate, she sure is an inquisitive one. Perhaps this is why she asked me to tell the truth to her at all times, maybe she hates when people lie. Well, she's only 4 years of age, what could she possibly ask me that could throw me off?

---

Iris Viel POV:

There exists a girl with short red hair wearing an oversized black robe laced with gold corners; That's me. I am called, embarrassingly, [The Witch of Starless Nights]. I'm a magician you could say; Well, all I seem to be is an illusionist with too many credentials. That's the reason why I could land this job, to be the private magic tutor for the Kyuri family's daughters. There's good pay; I might be able to dent the debt I got from [Euvanistu Academy]. But, I didn't know what I was signing up for. That's because this household is full of geniuses.

The parents are distinguished, but the children have the potential to be even greater. At the least, they have more magic potential than I and will likely go on to achieve even higher heights. They soak up everything I teach them up too well.

Akari-sama, who's on her way to the academy now, was naturally gifted in magic. On top of containing a lot of natural magicules, she could control it like the back of her hand using vivid imagination. The same goes for Hoshiko-sama; In addition to such talent, they're also blessed with good personalities not common for young nobles nowadays. Sora-sama had fewer magicules than average, but it's made up for by her control. Her attention to detail is so exact and precise that it goes beyond the level of many professionals; I can only encourage her to practice expending all her magic constantly.

By expending magicules to the brink, your capacity can grow and new magicules will appear about you. Your affinity to attract the substance, so to say, increases. To expend it, you need to cast by imagining the result and action deeply. With that image, you can conjure up pretty much any phenomena with the right magicule amount. Power depends on imagery, the potency of magic is determined by your mind's sharpness for visualization. By the way, this is why cars and motorcycles are more uncommon, horse carriages boosted by magic are commonplace and convenient. 

Anyways, today is the first day for the fourth daughter, Kei Kyuri's lesson. I haven't heard much about her despite her supposed cleverness that allowed her the ability to read and converse well at a young age. I hope I have an actual job to do.

I slowly see her come out. Like the rest of the family, she dons darker hair with devilishly charming looks. She wears a properly cute and fluffy dress. I couldn't help but think of "spoiled" upon first contact.

"So, you're Kei-sama. Nice to meet you, I was the teacher for your sisters and now you, the name's Iris Viel. Iris is fine."

"Nice to meet you too. You already know who I am, but, I am Kei Kyuri: the fourth daughter of the Kyuris. Please take good care of me."

"O-Ou..."

She's not even 5 and that well-spoken? I get a bad premonition.

"Do you have a lesson planned today, Iris-sensei?"

"Oh, yes. An introductory magic explanation since I don't know how much you know about it yet."

"Yes."

I explained the basics of magic. She then, as if prepared for this moment, asked some strange questions.

"So, magic behaves like a fluid in this different plane? There's no gravity there and magic isn't attractive to itself."

"Well, I guess it's more or less like that. An ever-moving fluid that washes over the physical universe, a very interesting way to imagine it. There are some differences though, it is manipulated by things in Arcana. The bodies of lifeforms, temperature changes, electricity--really a variety of things."

"Hmm, what about things like metal? If it's exposed to magicules for a long period of time, would magic be attracted to it?"

"I don't think so. There are things that attract it and things that don't. If you hold metal and use it as a catalyst to produce effects with magicules, that works. But, the material by itself generally doesn't interact with magic."

Is this kid really keeping up with me?

"I see, one final question, where does magic come from?"

"Hm? Magic is just a part of the world, just like gravity and electromagnetism. Well, it isn't a force that directly affects us but a substance that we can use."

"Y-you're right about that..."

"Anyways, if that's all, I would like to do one last thing before we end the lesson today."

"What could it be?"

"Let's measure your amount and aptitude for magicules."

"Does that take a long time?"

"Not at all. Here, just grab my hand."

She grabbed my hand with her tiny one that barely had any power in the grip soon after. Let's see here, I imagine the flow of magicules. Measuring the area around for the same phenomena...

(Note: Magicules accumulate in people after birth so Kei couldn't feel any when she initially tried.)

I sense a denseness that interferes with my own flow.

"!?"

Oh, why? Why is there another genius here? What's with this exceptional amount of magicules?

"So, the result Iris-sensei?"

"It's honestly amazing."

As if expecting the answer, she cracked a grin. After I detailed a few more things about the result, we said our farewells.

"Well, thank you for everything today, Iris-sensei."

"No no, it's my job after all."

"With that, I bid goodbye."

"Ah, yeah."

She left. I let out a sigh. Here we go again; Though, I wouldn't say I wasn't excited for this new pupil.

---

Arida Ventiras POV:

Who am I? I'm just an old man (though I'm only in my late 40s), with greying hair, golden eyes, and bulk. They called me the best swordsman in the nation, but I'm retired from that life now; Now, I'm working for the Kyuris and living an easy life off the hefty sum they give. I don't see the benefit of employing me for this much, well, I guess those nobles can afford it.

The art of the sword is going obsolete with the furthering of firearms and mechanized vehicles. It's obvious, close-range vs. long-range. Additionally, it only powers up individuals, not war units. Well, magic can somewhat close the gap, making swords able to cut through most anything or reach further: though that takes intense training and time. Such time isn't demanded to be spent on it and as such, in war, and especially in this peaceful era, the sword will be forgotten. Though, there are still some who desire it: like I once did.

The first daughter, Akari, had good sense. Her handle on the sword I teach, which is a standard double-handed broad sword, was nearly impeccable (in the standard style of the Euvanistu Knight Order). Her situational awareness, reaction time, and health were already good. Brushing up on posture, technique, and resolve was what time was mostly spent on during lessons.

Sora, well, she was a disappointment in terms of swordsmanship. I got my hopes up because of Akari, but Sora obviously had no potential in it; She had no affinity with physical things in general. I tried my best, but the progress was significantly slower than what would be considered normal. These were my own teachings we're talking about! She decided to end the lessons of her own accord; There were no hard feelings.  

Hoshiko was much like Akari in terms of sword talent. It was beast-like instinct that drove her, yet it still somehow stayed elegant. Also, to name some differences in a simple way, Akari was an honor student, but Hoshiko was just unorthodox. She tried different styles and counters. She made up and tried her own techniques: many of which honestly sucked, though I applaud the creativity. She did take my techniques to heart, her effort put into them is obvious. The astounding thing is, she's still only 9.

So, I hope this isn't a pattern, one that alternates that is.

Then, she came for her first lesson. A girl prepped in stunted kevlar body armor, one for mobility. To her side was the hilt of the sword asked of her ahead of time.

"So, you're the new one eh?"

The fourth daughter of a noble family bears an interesting fate; You are not responsible for taking over the territory nor bringing significant profit to it. You can be freer, debatably since you might be signed off for political marriage. She might've been mistreated, in another family. 

"Yes, I am Kei Kyuri: the fourth daughter of the Kyuris. Please take care of me from now on!"

"Umu."

Well-spoken, I guess it's expected of the noble environment. Anyways, every first meeting is a test of sorts, a universal truth. So,

"Why do you think I called you here on our first meeting: to this plain space without obstacle?"

"You want to determine my level with a match."

"Excellent."

I unsheathed my real sword. I'm confident I won't hurt her, and she probably can't hurt me with hers.

"Come at me any way you like. I'll be analyzing your movements the whole time for future reference. We'll work out a curriculum from there."

Now, show me what you've got.

"Understood."

She unsheathed her sword with a sharp sling. I waited in anticipation. She assumed her stance, a strange forward one bisecting her small body from my perspective (Kendo--Kamae).

"Interesting."

Taking a breath, my glare sharpens.

"..."

"..."

My feet spring. A lunge from me flies straight at that small unit. I try to break her posture with my overwhelming strength.

*clang*

The swords echoed by each other. Did she just...parry that? She shouldn't have had prior training before this though? I recover and come at her side: pulling my blade back up again, shifting my front foot. I slash.

"Huu!"

But, I'm parried again. As I thought, it was no coincidence or luck. Utilizing the opening from that, her blade slithered towards the top of my head. Forcing my own blade up, I skillfully knocked it away in time. My legs put space between us, after which she assumed her original stance.

"This sword style, it reminds me of the East."

How do you know this? Was this all, I daresay, self-taught? If so, you are the greatest pupil I could hope to teach. Unresponsive to my comment, she charged. I began to forget this person wasn't even 5 yet, until this attack. The attempt was soft and batted away in a stroke, it was an insurmountable difference. In that time, her balanced wavered and soon enough, my blade was at her throat. Quickly retrieving it, she breathed out in some exhaustion. I began,

"Impressive, truly impressive. You have a talent that overcomes that of your sisters. I'll turn that talent into something that can change the world why don't I?"

I was getting heated up.

"Yes, once again, take care of me Arida-sensei."

She breathed out.

---

Kei Kyuri also began being privately tutored in general studies, ethics, and etiquette (things required of noble society such as dance, speech, etc).