“Is that for combat strength? Well, mages are desired anywhere…”
“I’m not saying I want mages as simple combat strength. After all, having those two in the back is sufficient for now.”
Though he’d suspected it, it seemed the people in the back were indeed mages.
If a mage with a strong will came to such a place, they would naturally come dressed casually and confidently. Their manner of speech to the princess went without saying.
(She doesn’t seem like the type to keep mages around just for status… so if that’s not why she wants a mage, then…)
Phil pondered for a moment.
And then—
“Ah, I see… So you’re a mage as well?”
“Oh my, to figure it out from just that statement? I hadn’t given you such generous hints. I’m quite taken aback.”
Sherry looked flustered as Phil shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, if you don’t want a mage for status or combat strength, then that’s the only option—After all, it’d be more convenient that way.”
Mages, regardless of their origins or positions, share one goal: pursuing their ideals.
Their desire for those ideals is stronger than anyone else’s, and while they possess both means and power, they’re often not easily accepted by those around them.
For example, Phil’s ideal is “freedom.” If he were to pursue it by indulging in a carefree lifestyle, what would those around him think?
Naturally, they’d complain about his audacity, questioning how he could live such a dissolute life. In fact, before Phil was labeled the “Hero in the Shadows,” he was mocked as a “playboy.”
To outsiders, even when the person is genuinely devoted to something, their actions appear eccentric. Being misunderstood is inevitable.
And when it comes to a future spouse, one might think about this delicately—it’s only natural for a woman to do so.
To be together forever without being accepted? If complaints are lodged or actions are hindered, the relationship risks breaking.
With that in mind, having a mage as a partner would be easier.
They would understand that their partner’s actions stem from the pursuit of ideals, just like their own, and would accept it.
In fact, marriages between mages aren’t rare. Though mages themselves are so uncommon that there simply aren’t many combinations possible.
“In that case, why not just marry one of the guards in the back? With a beauty like you, they’d probably present you with roses and a ring while grinning ear to ear.”
“Huh? I got no interest in women.”
“And so it came to pass that I was rejected by both, painting a tragic picture—but you understand my reasoning now, right? Besides, as I said at the beginning, the nation also wants the name of the ‘Hero in the Shadows.'”
And besides, Sherry shrugged her shoulders.
“Even if an ideal-pursuing mage can be my partner, I’m still a princess. I’m in a position where I must choose carefully. I can’t simply select a partner based on the reason ‘they’re a mage.'”
Certainly, if one held the position of a princess, they would be expected to choose someone of appropriate standing.
Choosing someone common from the street would face strong opposition from those around her. After all, Sherry is the kingdom’s sole heir to the throne.
From that perspective, while Phil was weak in terms of noble standing, the credibility of being the “Hero in the Shadows” made him more than adequate. Moreover, the fact that Sherry and Phil shared the trait of being mages fit the requirement perfectly.
Such a person wouldn’t easily come along.
“Sounds like you’re having a hard time too.”
“If that’s what you think, you could always help me out, you know?”
“I’ll have to decline. Becoming royalty would greatly obstruct my ideals.”
“How unfortunate.”
Sherry’s smile contradicted her words, wearing an enigmatic expression.
It was different from Nicola’s smile, carrying an inscrutable quality. It was somehow difficult to deal with, and Phil found himself scratching his head.
“That said, I’m afraid I won’t be giving up. It concerns my ideals after all—It would be cruel to hand someone a knife and fork in front of a feast and tell them to turn around and leave, wouldn’t it?”
“Unless that feast wasn’t prepared for you to begin with. Right now, it’s not on the menu for anyone.”
“Why not let have a taste then?”
“With the way you put it, sounds like I’d just get eaten and thrown away afterward?”
He could easily imagine a future where he was consumed and then discarded.
“Well, I suppose I’m being unreasonable. Let me show at least some sincerity.”
“What do you—“
“My ideal is ‘Inquiry.'”
The sudden revelation of her ideal left Phil momentarily dumbfounded.
Yet Sherry continued speaking.
“Everyone has curiosity. When something piques your interest, you can’t sleep at night… that anxiety comes from curiosity. I detest that more than anything. Simply put, once I direct my attention to something, I must know everything about it.”
In other words, her intellectual appetite was enormous.
She needed to know and understand all things. Her ideal was powerful enough to become a mage because of it… Perhaps she possessed this desire stronger than anyone else in the world.
“What will tomorrow’s meal be? What kind of person is the partner I chose? Things like that—from significant matters to trivial ones, I want to know everything. Though right now, I’m particularly fascinated by witches.”
“You…”
“Your manner of speech has changed, Phil-Salemabart-kun? Well, I suppose that’s unavoidable—After all, for a mage, a witch is both a benefactor and an enigma.”
Sherry maintained her composure even as Phil’s eyes sharpened.
“Is magic only wielded by those born with innate magical power? No, that’s wrong. Humans are born equal. No one is born special. And surely, you understand this better than anyone.”
That’s right. Phil understood what Sherry was getting at.
After all, he was a mage… and precisely because he was a mage, he understood well.
Why he became a mage.
It was because—
“To yearn for an ideal. That is the very key to becoming a mage, and Witches reveal themselves only to those who yearn. Ahh, that’s another way it’s been said, isn’t it?”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
───All mages originate from witches.
Those words from Sherry stirred up Phil’s memories.
He finally understood it now. Long ago, his childhood friend had written those same words in a letter—and he himself had touched a small piece of that truth.
“I just can’t stop thinking about it. What is a witch? Why does she appear only to those who crave an ideal? Where exactly is the line that must be crossed for her to appear? Fufu, intellectual curiosity truly is terrifying… Questions keep bubbling up one after another. And the bliss of having them answered is unbearably precious. Ahh, I want to be satisfied soon…!”
Sherry hugged her own body, cheeks flushed, wearing a dreamy, intoxicated expression.
Perhaps because she usually carried such a mature air, Sherry in that moment looked incredibly sensual.
“Ah—there she goes again… Princess making that dumb-looking face.”
“Hime-sama… you need… to behave properly… or Phil-sama… will be startled…”
A gothic-dressed girl tapped Sherry’s shoulder while she drifted into her own personal world.
Sherry suddenly snapped back to reality, and after a brief moment of freezing, gave an awkward cough to smooth over the atmosphere.
“Ahem! S–sorry… I’ve shown you a very improper side of myself.”
“Not at all. My mental folders have been thoroughly enriched. It was beautiful and very lovely. Thank you for the feast.”
“Oi, this one’s a real eccentric too.”
“Found someone… even more than… Hime-sama…”
“The way you say that makes it sound like I’m weird, you two underlings.”
Phil had the vague feeling they’d just said something rude, though he remained blissfully unaware.
“……Well, whatever. I’ll be taking my leave for today.”
With that, Sherry uncrossed her legs and stood up.
“Ah, right. Since I showed up so suddenly, I brought a small gift as an apology. Please accept it, if you’d like.”
She gave a signal to the boy standing behind her.
He reached into a bag that had been set on the floor and pulled out a small box.
“Our country prides itself on our seafood. This one keeps well, so please enjoy it.”
“How courteous of you. In that case, I must give you some strawberries from our lands as well. Believe it or not, the cookies made with our strawberries are delicious. I’d love for the Princess to try them as a return gift.”
“Fufu, I look forward to it.”
Phil accepted the box from the boy who responded to Sherry’s gesture.
Even though he had rejected the engagement, receiving a gift like this still made him happy. Up until now, none of the nobles who visited ever prepared anything of the sort. For Phil, it showed their sincerity, seriousness, and character—a very good impression.
(Besides, Alarde is famous for its seafood. I’ve always wanted to try it at least once.)
Smiling eagerly, Phil opened the neatly wrapped box—
Strawberry cookies ← extremely familiar-looking
“…………”
And the seafood… where did that go?
How nice—this was definitely a specialty snack from the Salemabart territory.
“Hey!! Even I can tell from that twitching face—it’s obviously not our local product but theirs! I told you to buy it beforehand, didn’t I!?”
“Don’t ask obvious things, Hime-san. I forgot to buy it, so I hurried and bought it here, yeah?”
“It… looks… tasty… though?”
“I know it looks tasty, but think about common sense! Now it looks like I’m the only one who messed up!”
What a mess…
Phil watched the noisy group with a strained smile tugging at his cheek.
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
BUY THE SOURCE MATERIAL TO SUPPORT THE AUTHOR !!!
Kindly click on the green button above and contribute to filling the green bar if you’re interested in having another LN from the request page translated. Also, every donation is being used to purchase the source material and to fund more English translations.
Please consider joining my Ko-Fi membership. By becoming a member, you’ll also gain access to 2-10 additional chapters of all of the novels from this site translated into English. Last but not least your support will also assist me in upholding the translation quality and speed. For more information, please follow the link.
Donation for faster release is always welcome
Additionally, I am now accepting translation requests.
