Chapter 217 - Lucy, One Day
Father Observation Diary, Lucy's Perspective:
Starting today, I'm going to observe Dad carefully.
Because Dad is the most powerful magician in the world. I want to learn from him!
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Early morning. Today I woke up on purpose.
Dad goes out every morning to practice swords with Windsor-nee, and I wanted to watch the whole thing for once.
After all, Dad is a magician. Why does he train his body like this?
I came to the courtyard. Windsor-nee, Red Mama, and Dad were all there.
When Dad saw me, he looked surprised.
"Lucy? Why are you up so early today?"
"I came to watch Dad practice swords."
"Hmm? Oh! Then I'd better take it seriously today."
"Go, Dad!"
After that, Dad started sparring with Red Mama.
To me, Dad's back looked really cool.
It's just... Dad didn't seem to be a match for Red Mama at all.
She had him pinned down the entire time.
Only, in the end, Dad still won.
I don't know what he did, but Red Mama seemed to stumble somehow, and that was it.
After winning, Dad turned to look at me, grinning smugly.
"Lucy! Dad won!"
"...Did Dad use some kind of magic? Why did Red Mama suddenly fall over?"
"Hmm? Ah... Dad used the magic of love."
"There's even that kind of magic?!"
"Of course."
At that moment, Red Mama stood up.
She hugged Dad from behind and rested her head on his shoulder.
Red Mama rubbed her face against Dad's cheek and spoke.
"Ah~ Rudeus was in really good form today. Even his swordsmanship was amazing!"
"Right, right?"
"Mhm mhm mhm! So Rudeus... tonight..."
"Mm..."
I heard the second half, you know.
Dad and Red Mama think I'm an idiot...
I couldn't understand the sparring on its own. But after Red Mama said that, I understood.
Red Mama went easy on him.
And even if she hadn't said anything, I would've figured it out.
Because Windsor-nee was trying very hard not to laugh.
Things that make Windsor-nee laugh like that are really rare...
Anyway. Morning swordsmanship practice has no direct connection to Dad becoming the strongest magician.
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After lunch.
Dad was alone in the living room, researching something.
He held a blueprint, muttering to himself.
I crept over quietly and crouched behind the sofa, and started eavesdropping.
"Hmm... if I do it this way, the stored mana could increase by a lot..."
Storing mana?
Ah! I remember now. The thing Nanahoshi-nee is researching.
They even gave Lara Greyrat a necklace that stores mana inside.
So Dad is researching that right now...
"Hmm? That's not right... there's no way Nanahoshi wouldn't have tried this before..."
While writing on the blueprint, Dad waved his hand absently.
"Ah..."
He knocked over a cup of tea.
I was just about to stand up and help when Mama came rushing over.
"Rudy? You didn't get burned, did you? Let me heal you right away..."
"You're panicking too much, Sylphie. The tea isn't hot."
"Honestly... every time Rudy researches anything magic-related, he gets so absorbed... You need to pay more attention to what's around you."
Mama said it with the corner of her mouth twitching up, then reached out and lightly tapped Dad's forehead with one finger.
"Hmm... mana detection... Looks like Rudy still needs a healing spell~"
"Oh? What kind of healing spell?"
"Like this~"
Mama hugged Dad and rested her head against his chest.
Dad froze for a moment. Then he laughed.
"This might be even more effective than an Orsted healing scroll..."
"Right?"
"Though, isn't something missing?"
"Hm?"
Dad cupped Mama's face in his hands.
Just as they were about to kiss, Mama gently pushed him back.
"Rudy..."
"What's wrong?"
"Lucy is here..."
Mama pointed at me, hiding behind the sofa.
Dad froze. He looked over in my direction.
"Lucy?"
"I'm sorry, Dad!"
I fled the scene.
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After dinner.
Dad and Blue Mama went out together.
Mama is sensitive to the heat. Summer Mama said something like "occasional solitude is necessary" — the kind of thing I can't quite understand — and decided not to go with Dad and Blue Mama.
Lara Greyrat also didn't want to go out because of the heat. Windsor-nee usually practices swords with Red Mama in the courtyard after dinner...
Anyway, I followed along.
Blue Mama patted my head.
"Lucy wants to come?"
"Mm!"
"Mhm~ Even though it's summer, it really isn't that hot at night. Lara is completely spoiled by Rudy."
Dad smiled wryly and didn't say anything to contradict her.
At the evening market, Dad and Blue Mama each held one of my hands.
Whenever they spotted a magic tool, they'd stop to look it over together.
Maybe because I was there, they didn't linger long.
Blue Mama and Dad stopped with me in front of a dessert stall. Blue Mama pointed at the colorful little pastries and said,
"Lucy, is there anything you want?"
"Uu..."
Looking at all of them, I really couldn't decide...
Then Blue Mama spoke again.
"Then let's have Dad choose for us~"
"Mm!"
Dad smiled. From the whole spread of desserts, he pointed to a cake that looked plain on the outside but was sprinkled with bits of colorful candy.
"Boss, two of this one."
"Right away, Lord Rudeus!"
Blue Mama and I walked along eating our desserts.
I had a feeling my being there had disrupted Dad's original plans...
Dad probably wasn't just planning to wander around, right?
There should've been more to it...
We drifted slowly deeper into the market. When we passed a game stall, Blue Mama excitedly pulled Dad and me over to play ring toss.
Dad cheered me on.
"Lucy, go for it."
Blue Mama was even more enthusiastic.
"Come on, Lucy can definitely do it!"
Dad and Blue Mama, honestly...
It's just tossing a ring!
I took a deep breath, aimed...
And missed.
It was much harder than I expected...
But there were plenty of tries left, so!
...In the end, I didn't land a single one...
Dad laughed and patted my head.
"Want to keep going?"
"Dad, you try..."
"Hehe, then Lucy had better watch closely!"
Dad bought a handful more rings and started tossing.
But well...
Dad's aim didn't seem much better than mine...
Blue Mama smiled wryly and patted Dad on the shoulder.
"Honestly~ Let me? You two, father and daughter, really..."
"That was just a fluke. Now I'm going to get serious!"
"Oh really?"
Blue Mama watched with a grin as Dad stubbornly kept going.
Dad still... didn't land any.
When there was only one ring left, Blue Mama stepped in.
She gave it one easy toss. It landed clean.
"Geez~ Rudy and Lucy, honestly..."
Anyway, after the game stalls, we slowly made our way home.
An after-dinner stroll might not be the secret to Dad's strength either...
------
Nighttime, before bed.
The courtyard was quiet and cool. Starlight scattered over the soft grass.
Dad and Summer Mama sat side by side, shoulders touching, each holding a cup of hot tea.
I crept over again.
Summer Mama pulled me right into her arms.
"Little Lucy~ I heard you followed Dad around all day today?"
"Mm..."
"Why?"
"It's just... I want to know the secret to Dad's strength!"
Summer Mama laughed at that.
She turned to look at Dad and asked,
"So~ what is the secret?"
Dad took a sip of hot tea and gazed up at the night sky.
He thought for a moment.
"Hmm~ For your happiness?"
"What a cliché answer~"
Even though Summer Mama said that, she also looked up at the night sky.
Her eyes were soft.
"But... I like this cliché answer. Is Lucy satisfied with it?"
I nodded.
Even though it wasn't really an answer at all, I felt like Dad actually meant it...
Summer Mama pinched my cheek, then looked over at Dad.
"Sitting on the lawn like this with Nii-sama every now and then, drinking hot tea and enjoying the evening breeze — it's not bad at all."
"That's only because of Nanahoshi's insect-repelling magic. Otherwise, in a summer like this... the bugs would be unbearable."
"Nii-sama really has no sense of romance~"
The three of us sat quietly. The night breeze drifted through. Starlight caught in Summer Mama's hair, like someone had dusted it with silver.
Dad smiled to himself. Summer Mama noticed.
"What is Nii-sama smiling about?"
"Nothing. Just thinking that we really should come sit on the lawn like this more often. Drink tea, watch the stars."
"Right~"
The night was gentle. The evening breeze came and went, and I slowly started to feel sleepy.
Summer Mama stroked my head softly...
Today's Dad Observation Diary... I think it ends here...
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➤ Next: Lara, A Day