Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

Roy scoffed. Did Rudeus really not realize how little gratitude he usually showed? And now he had the audacity to spout such shameless words?

"I wouldn't look at me for help." Roy said with a slow, deliberate tone. "Dealing with kids is a hassle, and it's not my specialty."

Rudeus let out a dramatic groan, already picturing the bleak future ahead of him. A tutor's job with such a troublesome student seemed doomed to fail. To make matters worse, he wouldn't be able to see Sylphy anytime soon—not even write her letters.

Still, as he calmed down and thought about it, he begrudgingly admitted that Paul's reasoning wasn't entirely wrong.

If Sylphy continued to grow up as she was now, she might become one of those childhood friend archetypes in cliché 18+ games. You know, the kind of character orbiting the protagonist like a satellite, treating them as the center of her world while lacking her own individuality.

In reality, such dependence might naturally diminish through schooling, friendships, and broader experiences. But due to her hair color, Sylphy had no friends and limited interactions. Even in five years, it wasn't unthinkable that she'd still cling tightly to Rudeus.

Though Rudeus himself didn't mind, it seemed the adults around him thought otherwise.

With these thoughts swirling, he let out a resigned sigh. He understood Paul's point, but understanding didn't make it any easier to accept.

Ghislaine and Roy, meanwhile, watched his inner turmoil with mild amusement.

"What's the matter, Rudeus?" Ghislaine suddenly asked. "Did you break up with your lover?"

Rudeus sighed again. "No, I've just been kicked out of the house by Paul."

Returning his attention to the letter, Rudeus continued reading aloud.

"As for your payment, you'll receive two Asura silver coins every month. Although this is below the standard rate for a tutor, it's quite a lot for a child's allowance. Use this opportunity to learn how to manage money. If you never practice spending it wisely, you'll have no idea how to handle it in an emergency. That said, I'm confident my excellent son can figure it out... Just don't use it to buy women."

Roy's eyes narrowed slightly, meeting Rudeus's gaze. The two exchanged a knowing smirk.

"Tch." Ghislaine muttered, watching the subtle interplay between them. She didn't need to ask to know what they were both thinking.

So Roy was that kind of person, after all. His appearance had been deceiving.

What else could I expect? Like father, like son.

Rudeus read on.

"If you manage to stick it out for five years and successfully teach the young lady reading, writing, arithmetic, and magic, the contract stipulates that you'll receive a bonus equivalent to the tuition for three students at the Magic Academy as a special reward."

The next part caught Rudeus off guard.

"However, in five years, Sylphy may no longer want to follow you. It's also possible your feelings for her will cool, and you'll have moved on. We'll handle things on her end and talk with her properly."

At that, Rudeus froze, a wave of irritation washing over him. What do you mean by 'talk with her properly'? But what was done was done, and there was no changing it.

Lowering his gaze to the last line of the letter, Rudeus decided not to read it aloud.

"I hope that in these five years, you'll thrive in a new environment, gaining diverse knowledge and achieving a leap forward in your growth. From your overly intellectual and endlessly remarkable father, Paul."

Rudeus folded the letter, his lips twitching in annoyance at Paul's shameless self-praise. Handing it to Ghislaine, she waved it off, saying, "You've read it. Keep it. I don't need it."

Rudeus glanced at Roy, silently asking if he wanted the letter.

Roy curled his lip in disdain, waving dismissively. 

With no other choice, Rudeus tucked the letter away reluctantly. He didn't really want to keep it either.

Paul's reputation truly spoke for itself—it was in tatters.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Rudeus turned toward Roy. "Wait a second, Nii-san, isn't it unfair that you've got nothing to deal with? All you do is practice swordsmanship with Ghislaine every day."

Roy stretched lazily, his tone dripping with nonchalance. "You make it sound easy, but learning swordsmanship from Ghislaine isn't exactly a walk in the park. And besides, I'm preparing for the future. If something ever happens to you all, I'll be strong enough to save you. That's no small responsibility."

Rudeus nodded thoughtfully, as if Roy's reasoning was solid and irrefutable. Except it wasn't.

"That's completely unfair!" Rudeus exclaimed. "You're taking all the benefits for yourself. No way—I'm not letting you off the hook that easily. You need to pitch in!"

Roy furrowed his brow in thought, his mind inevitably wandering to the challenge that was Eris's personality. She was hardly the cooperative type.

But Rudeus had a point. Roy couldn't just freeload in someone else's house without contributing.

After a few moments of contemplation, Roy finally spoke. "Fine. Here's the plan, for the first two years, I'll teach Eris magic, and you can handle arithmetic and everything else. How does that sound?"

Rudeus opened his mouth, ready to negotiate further—maybe argue that teaching only magic wasn't enough—but one sharp glare from Roy silenced him immediately.

Weighing his options, Rudeus began considering the pros and cons. His arithmetic skills were more than adequate, especially for this world, which lacked even basic multiplication tables. Thanks to his past life on Earth, his knowledge of math was leagues ahead. Teaching arithmetic should be manageable.

As for magic, while Rudeus was skilled, Roy's abilities were on another level. It made sense for Roy to take that responsibility.

What Rudeus didn't realize, however, was the nightmare awaiting him. Teaching wasn't just about knowing the subject—it required the student to actually want to learn.

Roy wasn't sure if Eris would bother with magic, but he was absolutely certain she would despise arithmetic.

There was no way Eris would sit still and obediently learn arithmetic or anything else boring. At least with magic, its novelty might keep her somewhat engaged. Arithmetic, though? That was a recipe for disaster.

And that was precisely why Roy handed off the most troublesome task to Rudeus.

Watching Rudeus's self-satisfied grin, Roy suppressed a chuckle. His younger brother probably thought he'd struck a fair deal, but in reality, he was walking straight into a trap. If one person had to teach both magic and arithmetic, the student might at least begrudgingly tolerate it. But focusing solely on arithmetic? Good luck with that. Rudeus was in for a rough ride.

The carriage continued its slow, steady journey. Bored by the monotony, Roy dozed off for a while.

By the time they arrived, the sun was already dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple.

The distance between Buena Village and this bustling city required a full day's travel by carriage. In practical terms, the journey lasted six or seven hours.

Far? Perhaps. But close enough to feel within reach.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

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