The Sleeping Devil

My grandparents, whom I had just met, were wonderful people.

They didn't seem to mind the color of my hair, and they always had a warm smile on their faces, so kind and gentle that it could melt your heart, making it hard to believe they were Dior's parents.

"Sheriel, you must be tired. If there's anything you want, just let us know."

"Thank you, Grandma."

The guest room they led me to was even larger and tidier than my room in the castle. It was also conveniently located near Sergio's and Didier's rooms, which gave it a somewhat curious feeling. Since I had packed lightly for the journey and wore casual attire that allowed for relaxation, I considered staying in those clothes. However, I was advised to change into something similar, as my current outfit was somewhat soiled.

When it was time for dinner, I was escorted to the dining room, where a wide variety of dishes had already been laid out, and only servants brought from the castle were serving the food.

"I understand that you like vegetables, Sheriel, but can you also eat meat?"

"Thank you. I can eat anything, and it's all delicious."

"Here, this is a specialty fruit from a nearby village. It's refreshing, so it goes well with meat."

Ah, this feeling. It was just like being at my grandparents' house. Food kept appearing endlessly, and I ate an unimaginable amount. Could it be that even in the Beriard family, if you didn't inherit the curse, the atmosphere became so harmonious...?

There were no unsettling smiles or piercing glances. I was actually surprised by how peaceful the dining table was.

"How far do you plan to go tomorrow?"

"I thought we'd extend our journey a little to visit another territory. After all, it's Sheriel's birthday celebration."

That was news to me. It was my first time leaving the castle, so was it really okay to head to another territory right away? However, when I listened further, it turned out we wouldn't be visiting the lord of another territory, just making a slight detour. I was moved by the fact that Sergio, who disliked making plans, had planned this trip for me.

"Didier also expressed an interest in going, so it worked out well."

"Oh my, the ever-studious Didier is interested in sightseeing. He has truly grown."

Didier looked at me with his usual top student smile.

"Yes, it's all thanks to Sheriel. The castle has become quite lively lately. Grandma, you should come visit the castle again."

"Oh, that would be delightful. You should come to our place next year."

"Yes, let's do that."

Seeing this, I regretted not inviting Julius more properly. I hope he's eating properly and not just surviving on jerky.

Life in the castle was enjoyable, and I had no complaints. However, the warm smiles of my gentle grandparents gave me a different kind of warmth.

"Um, is it really okay for us to keep eating like this?"

"Oh, we're already quite old, you see. We can't eat as much anymore. Please, don't hesitate to eat our share."

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They hardly touched their meals and occasionally ate steamed chicken, mainly focusing on fruits. It seems that relying solely on meat can be challenging in old age.

"If you'd like, I can leave you some recipes for vegetable-based dishes to try."

"That would be delightful. I've heard about them from Hermes-san and wanted to taste them."

That's good; it seems they have no resistance to vegetables. I'll ask the chef to provide them with some recipes. If they like them, perhaps we can arrange to have locally grown vegetables sent to them.

With a bit of meddling and some calculation, I ended up giving the chef more work.

"We might not have talked much, but please rest well tonight. Long journeys can be tiring."

"Goodnight, Grandpa, Grandma."

Back in my room, I had Mary help me change out of my clothes. Since there was no bath available during the trip, I decided to cleanse myself using cleansing magic.

Oh, could it be that Dior volunteered for the role of staying behind because there's no bath here?

Dior had become such a fan of baths that she claimed she couldn't sleep well without one. While thinking about this, I enveloped my whole body in warm water. I also practiced cleansing Mary, who could only be cleansed partially.

Perhaps due to exhaustion, I fell asleep quickly, even though it wasn't my usual room.

The next morning, we left the mansion early. Grandpa and Grandma came to see us off, their eyes filled with emotion as they bid us farewell.

"It really passed by in the blink of an eye. Thank you for the recipes, Sheriel. Let's talk more leisurely next time."

"Yes, Grandma. Please take care of yourselves. I look forward to seeing you again."

After saying our goodbyes, we got into the carriage, and from somewhere unknown, Noah appeared. He curled up in my lap, and the second day of our journey began.

"Sheriel, how were the Beriards who didn't inherit the curse?"

"They were incredibly kind, almost to the point where it's worrying."

It's not in a bad way, but they are so good-hearted that you'd fear they might buy strange things like cursed pots. Dior had also learned peculiar beauty methods from foreign merchants.

"That's right. Those among the Beriards who don't inherit the curse tend to be overly kind; it's a common trait."

"It's amusing, isn't it? It's like they're collecting the conscience that we lack."

Didier laughed heartily as if it were someone else's problem. Although our extended family wasn't very large, everyone seemed to be unusually selfless and sensible.

In the main branch of the family, those who didn't inherit the curse usually took on the role of assistant to the lord, representing the family's conscience. But currently, it seemed there was a lack of conscience.

I had been considered for that position at some point, but honestly, after meeting my grandparents, I didn't think of myself as that good-hearted.

"What if I had inherited the curse, what would you do?"

"Well, that's why we gather nothing but sensible people among the servants and aides. The Zaris family has served our house for generations, and they're all so serious that it's almost boring."

Ah, so that's why there are only good people in the castle. While I did face confusion about my hair, there was never anyone openly disdainful or mean. Thinking that a few lunatics required hundreds of sensible people, it seemed like quite the task.

After a few breaks, we had breakfast just like yesterday. Today, we planned to verify magic circles using the carriage.

Julius had mentioned that he had finished his tasks and was on his way, so it seemed like we could have a relaxed lesson today.

"Is this the grimoire Sergio used? Indeed, these symbols in this section are different."

"That's right. He said that if even one part is different, the circle won't work, but it seems that's not the case."

Or maybe it's not a mistake. If both symbols have the same meaning, then there's nothing strange about it.

"Symbols with meanings, huh? Magic circles are like a form of language."

"Once again, you're saying strange things."

"Is that so? But look, there are identical symbols in multiple places, and even for water and wind, the same symbols are used. Oh, this one resembles a crest."

Unlike emblems based on animals or plants that I had seen in my previous life, noble family crests in this world looked like marks combining abstract symbols within a circle.

That reminded me of basic magic circles, and I noticed that some of these symbols appeared in advanced magic circles.

"Family crests are granted by the gods. It's not strange for them to resemble each other."

"Then maybe magic circles are a divine language after all. Let's try deciphering it a bit."

"Can you do it?" "Can you!?"

For some reason, Didier also joined in, and they both looked at me expectantly. I didn't know if I could do it, but since I learned foreign languages this way, there was a possibility with languages.

"I'll give it a try. Don't expect too much though."

With that disclaimer, I started flipping through the grimoire and began memorizing various magic circles. I already knew most of the basic ones because I'd been taught them. But now, I focused on the magic circles related to the Gifts, memorizing the ones I didn't know.

"Julius, if Sheriel doesn't respond for a while, you can leave her alone."

"In that case, shall I step out for a bit? If anything happens, call me."

I overheard their conversation from a distance, and eventually, I couldn't hear them anymore. I began identifying common elements among the magic circles I knew and cross-referenced recurring words in the spells. I looked for symbols that might correspond to deities and used them as starting points for deciphering.

However, interpreting seemingly scattered symbols without forming coherent sentences was challenging. It might be more important to find the inherent logic within the magic circles. So, I decided to start deciphering the largest magic circle---the Baptism of the Rite.

Perhaps the symbols where the mage stands are... it resembles the basic magic circle, perhaps a simplified version. Oh, these must be the names of the gods. I don't know how to pronounce them, though. And this might be an offering...

The carriage suddenly jolted, and when I looked up, Julius was no longer beside me, and I could hear bustling voices from outside. Moreover, it was getting close to sunset.

"Oh, where's Teacher?"

"Sheriel was so absorbed that he decided to come back later. And by the way, didn't you notice we've already entered another territory?"

"I didn't notice at all."

Peering outside again, it appeared we had reached a lively city. It was a neighboring territory, but it seemed we hadn't strayed too far from our course.

"The sun is about to set. Are we staying here tonight?"

"Hehe, I've prepared another birthday celebration for Sheriel tonight. Look forward to it. Oh, should we invite Julius too?"

"Let's do that!"

This city is famous as a tourist destination, and it seems that even nobles visit it regularly, which is quite unusual. Since there aren't such places in the Beriard territory, this seems to be a sort of social studies field trip for me. Nobles usually have a culture of hiding their hair color under robes with hoods, so I asked Noah to relay that to Julius and call him.

As I moved to the platform to change clothes, Julius leaned in closely.

"Sheriel, were you able to decipher it?"

"Come on, Julius, forget about the lessons for once and let's go sightseeing!"

Sergio put a hood on me, and Julius was taken aback with wide eyes. Didier muttered, "Give it up," and dressed me in the smaller robe I had commissioned.

"Oh, you guys should tie your hair. Julius, come over here, and I'll do it for you."

I had Mary tie my hair low to prevent it from coming undone, and when I looked over, Julius had the same hairstyle. There were no hair ties or anything, so we held our hair in place with our hands and tied it with strings. I still wasn't very skilled at doing it myself.

"Big brother, you can tie your hair too! That's amazing!"

"During swordsmanship lessons, neither the adjutant nor the maids can help me, so I have to do it myself."

Julius, who obediently allowed himself to have his hair tied, finally seemed ready to enjoy sightseeing after putting on his hood.

We disembarked from the carriage and entered the city. The city was bustling with people, and the magical lamps had been lit, casting a warm glow. Commoners mingled with nobles wearing hoods, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Shall we have dinner first? This city has turned into something like a market, so you can buy food from stalls and eat it right away."

Led by Sergio, we walked through the city with minimal security. Since groups wearing hoods were scattered throughout, we didn't stand out too much. The aroma of roasting meat, spices, and the sweet scent of fruits filled the air.

Since the food was prepared by commoners, there were even stalls selling steamed sweet potatoes. We each sampled the food while walking, with the adjutants taste-testing for poison.

"Is Didier alright? This must be his first time eating meals like this, right, as he's never been on a subjugation mission?"

"He seems a bit uneasy. After all, it's his first time having a meal in a place with so many people."

Indeed, after getting used to life in the castle, he might not be familiar with commoner culture. I looked at Julius, who was staring at a skewer of meat.

"Professor Julius, is something wrong?"

"Aren't these skewers dangerous?"

"Oh, you mean you're not sure how to eat them? You can turn the skewer sideways and slide the meat off like this."

"You've done this before? It's your first time, isn't it?"

That's right. Julius didn't know that I had memories from my previous life. I quickly pretended to imitate Sergio and started eating my meat.

"Father, where are we going next?"

"Haven't I told you? We're going to the Dark Auction."

I didn't hear that? I was about to choke on my meat when he mentioned it.