Conversation on the way to the guards quarters

On the way to the guards quarters, Lena's steps were light and long. Ethan struggled to keep up with her pace. Eventually, he started to fall behind.

"Um, Lena, can you walk a bit slower? I can't keep up with your speed."

She turned around, and seeing that Ethan was five meters away from her, she returned to him.

"Ah, sorry. After shortening the dress hem, it's become more comfortable to walk, and I didn't notice that my pace became faster. Sorry."

"No, it's okay. It's all because my body is still weak. You shouldn't feel sorry."

They started to walk again, and Lena tried her best to match Ethan's pace.

"So you want to train to become stronger?"

"Yes, I want to become stronger, so my family won't worry about me much."

"Then why don't you ask me to help you with training?"

Ask her? For training? Ethan was slightly shocked, so he stopped and looked at Lena. And seeing that Ethan had stopped, she stopped too and looked at him questioningly.

"Is something wrong with what I said?"

"Um, I thought you didn't know much about training."

Ethan resumed his walking, and so did Lena.

"You're right; I don't know much about training, but I know how to handle a sword."

Know how to handle a sword? Lena? Wasn't she a maid? It was another shocking revelation, so Ethan stopped in his tracks again.

"How do you know how to handle a sword? Ain't you a maid?"

He resumed walking again.

"Yes, I am a maid. But in the orphanage, there were kids who wanted to become adventurers. And they trained with the wooden sticks, thinking as if they were swords. Sometimes I trained with them."

"You wanted to become an adventurer? Isn't it dangerous to be an adventurer?"

"No, I didn't want to be an adventurer. I trained with them because it wasn't fun to simply watch from the sidelines. And, yes, it's dangerous to become an adventurer. But for kids from the orphanage, there isn't many options if they wanted to become knights or learn magic."

"Can adventurers become knights and learn magic?"

"Yes, we heard that if your reputation as an adventurer is good and you have talent for it, the adventurer's guild can teach you."

"Is that so? But I heard from my uncle that only nobles and royal families can teach other magic."

"It's because the adventurer's guild is under the royal family and most of the executives are nobles."

"Then, isn't it safer to study under the noble if you want to learn magic than to become an adventurer?"

"Yes, but it's impossible. Not all the nobles are good people like you and your family."

Ethan noticed while talking with Lena that when she talked about adventurers learning magic, she became slightly excited.

"So, Lena, do you want to learn magic?"

"Of course I want it, but I don't think that I have talent for it, even if I have mana in my body."

"Having mana in your body is enough."

Now it was Lena's turn to be surprised.

"But it's known to all that only nobles and people with talent can learn magic or become knights. Are you saying that all people can handle mana!?"

She was a smart girl, and the last half of her sentences she said with a quiet voice, almost whispering.

And Ethan, after checking that there weren't any other people around them, responded to her whispering.

"Yes. Do you remember that book I was reading yesterday about magic? Uncle said that it was banned by the royal family and nobles because it was written that all people can handle mana."

"But why did they ban it? Isn't it better if all people can learn to handle mana?"

Ethan can't answer this question. And he was curious too. He could ask his uncle, but he wasn't in the mansion, and he didn't want to disturb his aunt again. His only option was to ask his teacher, but he wasn't sure if it was okay because he was from a different world. Nonetheless, he decided to ask.

[Um, teacher...] 

[Are you curious why that book was banned? And only nobles can teach other magic?]

[Yes, but do you know the answer? You are from a different world after all.]

[It doesn't matter if I'm from a different world or not, because human nature should be the same in both worlds. So I am sure that they banned that book and made a rule that only nobles could teach other magic because they were afraid to lose control over the masses.]

[Um, I don't understand.]

[Ask your maid; she's a commoner and looks like she's smarter than you.]

Ethan didn't agree with the last part but thought that it would only annoy his teacher if he started to complain, so he didn't have a choice but to swallow the words that he wanted to say.

"Um, Lena, do you have an idea why nobles are afraid to lose control over others?"

"Is this a reason why commoners can't learn magic?"

"Yes, I heard so."

"Hm, I get it. When I think about it this way, it makes sense."

"Really?"

"Yes."

She nodded.

"You know, Ethan, we commoners don't have many rights. Even if someone wants to go to another city, first they need to receive permission from the local lord."

Ethan wanted to say that he could go to another city if he wanted, but remembering that he was noble, he shut his mouth.

"And most of the commoners don't like nobles, but they will never show it. Because they are afraid of them. Afraid and jealous. I can't imagine what they do to nobles if all commoners can wield magic. But it wouldn't be anything good."

[She does indeed get it. It looks like I should teach her instead of you.]

But Ethan ignored his words. His mind was more preoccupied with Lena's words, especially the part about commoners being afraid of nobles.

"Are you afraid of me, Lena?"

"No, I am not afraid of you now. And I am not afraid of the count's family."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Time went fast while conversing, and even though they walked slowly and made stops along the way, they reached the front door of the mansion. Lena opened the door, and they went outside.

After they left the mansion, they found themselves under a portico. If you went down the stairs, there was a straight path paved with stones. And if they walked along it for about twenty meters, there was a crossroads with a fountain in the center, which was adorned with the statue of the sitting, beautiful woman with long hair. She was dressed in armor, and her sword rested on her lap. And water flowed around her unnaturally, as if listening to her will. Further on were a wide iron gate and a long stone fence.

"Look, Ethan, the road to the left leads to the servants' quarters, and the road to the right leads to the guards quarters. And in the center of the crossroads is a fountain with the statue of the saint's companion and wife, Rebecca The Water Fairy."

"I know about this statue; after all, I was here a couple of times with my parents."

"If you were here before, then why do I need to show you around?"

She grumbled.

"But I never went to the guards quarters before."

They continued to walk.

"Lena, do you know that The Water Fairy Rebecca was a maid before?"

"Really?! Maid? Like me?"

She stopped in her tracks and looked at Ethan.

"Yes, I heard it yesterday from my uncle."

"I didn't know that."

She turned her head towards the statue, and after thinking for a couple of seconds about something, a smile formed on her face.

"Hehe, then let's hurry to the guards quarters."

And so they resumed their journey.

There were flower beds on the sides of the road, and gardeners were tending to them.

When they passed near them, Lena greeted them cheerfully, and they responded happily to her. They encountered other servants too, and Lena greeted them cheerfully as always, and they responded happily too.

Only now did Ethan notice that she had a good relationship with everyone, but he wasn't surprised; it was to be expected with her cheerful personality.

The guard's quarters were a ten-minute walk away. And when they came closer, they started to hear magic rifles shooting and the sounds of weapons clashing.

"Are you curious why we have only now started to hear these sounds?"

"Um, yes."

"Hehe, it's because magic formation was placed here, so guards wouldn't disturb other people living in the mansion while training."

"How did you know that?"

"Other servants told me. Should we go inside?"

"Okay, let's go inside."