… …… …
Crack!
The firewood in the fireplace crackled as sparks flew out, but before reaching the floor, they fizzled out into ashes.
Hulim had been staring at the flames for several days now.
“Fire element… where exactly are you?”
“Mother said that the presence of elements varies depending on the environment. This should be the place with the most fire element, but why can’t I see any?”
As Hulim crouched silently before the hearth, Amen hesitated before stepping up behind her.
“Uh… Hulim,”
“What is it, Brother Amen?”
Hulim turned to look at Amen.
“Well… can you not use the fireplace in weather like this? It’s really hot, honestly, it’s just way too hot!”
Thud!
At that moment, a huge fist landed on Amen’s head.
“Ow!”
Amen clutched his head and fell to the ground.
Behind him, Rezelian clenched his fist, his face fierce and scolding.
“Dad, what are you doing?”
“Why are you asking me? You brat, I haven’t even said a word and you’re already complaining?!”
“It’s rare that Hulim is this motivated. As the older brother, you should set a good example, not mess things up!”
“Hey, since when am I a bad example?”
Amen looked wronged, then muttered under his breath:“Besides, it’s perfectly normal for a beginner to take half a year just to get started with magic. Taking it slow is fine, what good does rushing do…”
“Eh?!”
Amen’s words struck Hulim like a bolt from the blue.
It takes… half a year just to get started?
For a moment, Hulim felt dizzy, her mind involuntarily recalling the scene by the lake where Semilis laughed and rolled around.
“Was fooled…”Hulim realized she had been played by Semilis!That person definitely knew the difficulty of starting magic and how much time it took.Seeing Hulim’s expression turn sour, Rezelian glared fiercely at Amen.“
You shut up!”Then he looked at Hulim, softening his tone as much as possible.“
Hulim, don’t pay attention to what he says, he just likes to talk nonsense! Anyway, it’s just a fireplace.
“Actually, Dad’s been craving some roasted meat lately. Guess what someone sent us today?”
“A big chunk of Holbivilor steak!”
“Really!?”
Amen’s excitement made him forget the lump on his head for a moment.
Hulim’s attention was also drawn away from magic by the talk of food.… …In the courtyard.
Butler Laurenz had already prepared a wooden picnic table.
Hulim and her family sat around it.
Next to the table was a charcoal brazier, atop which lay a grill holding several slices of cut meat.
Jessica held tongs, constantly turning the roasting meat.
The golden-brown crusted steaks oozed juices that dripped onto the charcoal below, sizzling and filling the entire courtyard with a mouthwatering aroma.
“Thank you for waiting!”Soon, Jessica served the first batch of grilled meat onto the table.
Lilia immediately distributed the steaks onto everyone’s plates.
“Hehe, dig in~!”Rezelian said with a smile,“The ranches in this year’s fiefdom villages have done really well. There’s enough steak for everyone today!”
The Hayeral family currently holds three village fiefdoms.
One village grows a large amount of fruit, which brings in a good income annually through winemaking.
Another village mainly cultivates staple crops, providing the Hayeral household with a steady supply of fresh grain.
But the final village is the main source of income for the Hayeral family.
This village boasts vast pastures where many Holbivilor graze.
Holbivilor are domesticated herbivores, one of the primary sources of meat in people’s diets.
By selling Holbivilor meat, the Hayeral family earns a considerable yearly income.
Though their three villages might seem modest, this income helps maintain the bare minimum appearance of nobility.
Originally, their ancestor Eurubet Hayeral, who earned a hereditary knight title as a Guardian Knight, had lands equivalent to that of a count.
Unfortunately, in this world, it is not easy for nobles to hold onto everything they own.
Unlike Eurubet, who reached the peak of A-rank strength, his descendants lacked such talent.
In the 300-year history of the Hayeral family, only a handful have barely reached B-rank, helping the family regain some ground at times.
Most others have been mediocre C-rank.
Decades ago, the Hayeral family was on the brink of losing even their last manor.
At that time, the head of the family, Rezelian’s grandfather, made a decisive move—abandoning all burdensome holdings and petitioning the Empire to participate in frontier development.
This decision proved to be the key to the Hayeral family’s continued survival.
The development of the Ment Mining Mountain Area and the establishment of a pioneer village there went smoothly.
Because of their contributions to the frontier, the Hayeral family was granted a village fief.
Since then, through the efforts of Rezelian and his father, the fiefdom increased to three villages.
Though it pales compared to their ancestor’s era, it was a rare second chance for the Hayeral family to be reborn from the brink of extinction.
Many nobles and founding heroes had vanished into the annals of history, never receiving such an opportunity…“Wow~!”
Hearing Rezelian’s words, the children of the Hayeral family cheered.
They then eagerly dug into the grilled meat on their plates with knives and forks.
“Delicious~!”
“So tasty!”
“Jessica, your cooking is amazing!”
“Hmph~!”
Hearing the praise, Jessica happily rubbed her nose, then rolled up her sleeves.
“Of course! As the daughter of an innkeeper, this much cooking is a breeze! Leave the rest to me. I’ll grill the best Holbivilor steaks for you!”Jessica energetically began grilling the second round of meat.
Hulim carefully cut a small piece of steak and put it in her mouth.
“Mm~!”A blissful expression immediately spread across her face.
“So good!”
“It’s like a dance on my tongue, I feel like I’m floating!”The delicious food swept away all the blows to Hulim’s heart from earlier.
She felt more relaxed than ever before.
Cutting another piece and savoring it, the lingering heat of the fire mixed with the tender texture of the meat, causing Hulim to close her eyes in happiness.
“What an… exquisite taste~! It feels like the whole world is rejoicing!”Surrounded by deliciousness, Hulim sensed the world around her shifting, becoming brighter and more vibrant.
Even the flames in the charcoal brazier leapt higher, their red glow wildly… dancing?
“… … “
Staring intently at the brazier, Hulim rubbed her eyes hard.
“Ah—”
“I see it.”
Hulim finally discerned the true form of the magical essence.