Chapter 4

"Mother."

Zenith looked at me. She was tired and clearly stressed... I'd have to tread carefully here. Emotional people were always a pain to deal with, curse you, Paul!

"... I don't think Ms. Lilia should be punished at all."

"Why?" - She asked, a bit frustrated by my tone.

"She did nothing wrong. My Father... I mean, Paul forced himself onto her. Lilia never said anything because she was blackmailed. It was either lose her job or be obedient."

"How do you know that, Tany?" - My mother asked, her voice ever so slightly concerned.

"I heard them speak once when I was getting some water during the night. "Let's go to my room if you value your job.", was what he said... I didn't understand at the time, it could have meant a thousand different things, but it's clear now." - As I finished speaking, Zenith turned to the maid and asked her to confirm the story. Lilia denied it, of course, but her tone was meek... Bingo!

"Ah, you can't share it, of course." - Zenith breathed heavily and leaned back into her chair, likely both enraged and pitiful of Lilia's situation.

Paul tried to get up and defend himself, but a single combined glare from both me and my mom was enough to put him back in his place.

"She is also competent, and a long-time friend, no? We will struggle without her, Mom" - I stopped for a moment, looking down with a sad expression in my face.

"And... I want to see my sibling... I'm sure your baby would like to have a friend too! No?" - As I finished speaking, Zenith stood and and began to shake, obviously conflicted by the events unfolding before her. It probably wasn't a good thing given she was pregnant, I had further stressed her, yes, but she would be stressed regardless of what happened, so I didn't feel too bad for conflicting her further.

Still, she wasn't giving in quickly, so I had to employ rather shameful tactics I had only scarcely used before... Putting on my best puppy eyes, I looked at my mother with fake tears in my eyes, her look softened, but her shaking didn't stop.

"I don't wanna say goodbye to Lilia..." - That seemed to break my Mother, and she finally gave in,

- Ͼ - ⨀ - Ͽ -

Why was she saved? It was all Lilia would think about for the next few weeks. No matter how much she thought about it, she was in the wrong and deserved to be punished... But Tanya had saved her, despite knowing what she spoke was a lie. Lilia was the one to seduce Paul, and it was no accident... But she had been saved regardless, saved by the little girl she had distanced herself from for so long.

Just why?

She owed Tanya her life now, and she'd spend the rest of her days paying back her savior... It was the least she could do. If she were to have a healthy child, she'd put it on the path of servitude as well.

To attend to little Tanya... To serve her with all her soul, was her new life's mission now, and she was set on it.

- Ͼ - ⨀ - Ͽ -

Roxy had spent winter with the Greyrats as well. It was a little tense, but things had calmed down considerably since the incident. She spent most of her time with Tanya discussing magic theory and several other topics. She always knew the girl was smart, but her mind wasn't just that of a genius, she was an anomaly. She knew so much about so many different things it was honestly scary. Where had she gotten all that knowledge anyway? Maybe books from the other villagers? Who knew?

Tanya's magic also seemed to finally stabilize, She was a fully realized and versatile Saint Rank mage by the age of 5, probably one of the youngest in history by Roxy's estimation... How truly frightening her student was.

Her own magic growth also seemed to hit a ceiling, likely due to the lack of material to work with, but that was not to say her progress was fickle in any way. She had gotten a better understanding of chantless magic due to being in close proximity to Tanya all day long, and could now reliably cast Advanced level spells without uttering a single word! It was quite the feat indeed. She had also been able to cast king-level magic by then, and that was something not even Tanya could do just yet.

What a truly blissful life she lived. Developing spells with her apprentice, helping around the house, and eating good food... She'd miss this house.

]- Ͼ - ⨀ - Ͽ -

Norn and Aisha were born, and I was quite satisfied with my investments made. For one, Lilia was now eternally loyal to me, and we became quite close after getting to know each other after so long. Paul was also grateful for me, despite being somewhat upset in the weeks after the incident... And of course, there was Sylphy, who was just as devoted as Lilia, if not more. I didn't quite understand why, but I wouldn't complain.

Roxy still being around was also a great blessing. She was still as competent as ever, and with her help, I even managed to improve upon the protective spell she had made previously. It could now reliably shrug off any non-serious hits from Paul, who I came to understand was pulling back his strikes whenever we sparred, though he claimed he maneuvered at close full capacity, which was good enough for me. The training was intense enough as it was.

Another great thing was my acquisition of battle aura! Admittedly it was weak, incredibly so, but now I knew I was capable of it, and with my magic at a point I wouldn't be able to get any stronger without external influence, I was content in training my body to its absolute limits, even if it progressed slowly.

I now had two different ways to enhance my movements, and the advantages of it quickly paid off. For one, I felt much more confident in close-quarters combat now, even if I was inferior to my Father, and second, I could shrug off twice as many hits with little issue. Combined with my magic, these factors made my prowess in combat greater than ever. All I needed now was a way to fix my lack of reach, which was easy enough.

Upon insisting, Paul got me a spear for training, and it made a huge difference in combat! Admittedly, getting past the reach of my blade could result in defeat for me, but that was only if my opponent could move faster than I could pull back the shaft of my weapon and skewer them again.

By the time I had gotten my spear, my use of magic in combat had also improved. The use of wing magic to enhance my movement was still as crude as ever, but casting projectiles at point-blank range, and accurately as well was no problem now. With that, I began winning against Paul more often than not. Even if he was holding back, it was still a great thing.

Still, why was it my battle aura struggled so much to grow? Had it something to do with mana capacity perhaps? I wouldn't know, my knowledge of this world was still a bit limited, unfortunately.

Aside from that, both Zenith and Lilia took care of their babies, and I helped them whenever I could. Being the doting older sister would hardly hurt me after all.

Roxy also helped from time to time, but she was awkward with the kids for the most part and opted to stick to training with Sylphy, Paul, and me. She said she had gotten a good job offer in the Kingdom of Shirone, but it would take some time to get the necessary arrangements, so she would be staying for some time still.

She also suggested I attend the Ranoa University of Magic, which was apparently the best of the best in this world when it came to magic education. It was a tempting prospect, but Paul was quick to chime in. He wanted me to complete sword training before going off to complete my studies of magic, which I had no issue with. I was already quite proficient with my spells and was a King-ranked mage due to Roxy's influence. Improving my physical conditioning and battle technique wasn't a bad thing, especially since I wanted to take no chances in this life. Then there was Sylphy, who didn't want me to leave the village no matter what... I didn't really care, I knew I'd have her loyalty even if I did leave, but keeping her close by would be quite nice as well. For that though, I'd need the funds to enroll her in the university with me when the time came, and I was currently as penniless as they came.

I had grown complacent with my parent's assets. I had various ideas of how to expand my capital, but I was too young to effectively pull off any strategies I had in mind... It wasn't as if I hadn't tried, but anyone hardly ever listens to a 6-year-old's business proposition, much less a 3-year-old's.

Upon requesting my Father's help, I was declined, but quickly used the opportunity to negotiate. I argued that if me and Sylphy could find a job, we could pay for our own tuition without any issue, and if we could find the right employment, I could also finish my studies in swordsmanship while I worked. It was a win-win situation, and Paul quickly agreed to help us find a suitable job.

- Ͼ - ⨀ - Ͽ -

The day had come for me and Sylphy to be picked up. Apparently Paul found us a job with other Greyrats. We'd be tutors for the youngest daughter of Philip Boreas Greyrat, Eris. The pay was good if my Father was to be believed, and we wouldn't be too far from the village either, as well as that, my combat training would continue under Ghislaine, a sword king with a formidable reputation.

Roxy would also be departing today, a funny coincidence, but a convenient one.

Naturally, Lilia and Zenith lamented about the fact they would be losing 3 important people within the Greyrat household. Still, aside from being emotional, they didn't make much of a fuss, which I was grateful for. Norn and Aisha were also very well-behaved, which was nice.

Eventually, two different carriages stopped in front of the house. One for Roxy, one for me and Sylphy.

From one of them, a beast lady I identified as Ghislaine jumped out and greeted me. She also spoke with my parents, and Lilia as well before motioning us to join her.

I said my goodbyes to the family and only had to talk to Roxy one last time before departing.

"Master Roxy. It was a pleasure learning under you... Promise me to keep in contact, will you?"

"Of course little Tany, I will. I hope to meet you again soon, hopefully as an emperor-level mage." - She chuckled before embracing me. I didn't fight back, even if I disliked the act... Roxy was truly a blessing, I hoped she'd continue to improve in the future.

"Likewise. See you around, master!" - I broke off the hug, and Sylphy also displayed her affection towards Roxy. They exchanged a few words, and we were off.

- Ͼ - ⨀ - Ͽ -

The journey was pleasant enough. Sylply slept through almost all of it, and it was likely for the better. With nowhere to run, I'd be forced to endure her endless barrage of affectionate displays.

Still, I had big plans for the girl. She had grown since we met, that was undeniable, but she was still not quite what I had envisioned. She could defend herself quite well, but her autonomy was quite frankly pathetic. She struggled to navigate through basic conflicts and often sacrificed her comfort for the sake of others. It was a good thing in my case, but not in the case of others.

I'd take this job as an opportunity to mold her into the ideal subordinate, one I could trust to run things in my stead in case I wasn't available to do something. One I could trust to make arrangements In my stead, one I could trust to do paperwork when I became too tired to continue, and one I could trust to fight back against that damned false god whenever he decided to show himself!

Admittedly, it would be incredibly tough on her. She'd have a job to do after all, but no better place to learn than under pressure.

Ghislaine was also a tolerable companion. I prodded her for information constantly and ended up learning quite a bit from her. For one, I learned that this world's ceiling of power dwarfed my second life by a considerable margin. I also learned that I'd be mainly trained in the sword god style of fighting, which wasn't ideal, but I would be learning from the best of the best, so I couldn't complain.

I was also warned about Eris's temper... Not great. But I'd be getting paid, all I needed to do was find a way to make her docile, do my job and that's that.

It was a long ride, so I had plenty of time to figure out everything I needed to know, or at least everything Ghislaine could tell me. I got a rough understanding of the city's economy, the importance of the Greyrat family, and how much I'd probably be getting paid.

Satisfied, I remained silent for the rest of the journey.

- Ͼ - ⨀ - Ͽ -

Me and Sylphy sat in a luxurious but rustic-looking room. Around us were various beast women dressed in maid outfits... They were not at all shy with their preferences, huh?

"Tany... I didn't know we'd be teaching a noble... Are you sure it's okay?" - The green-haired girl asked. It was a foolish concern, but she was just a countryside villager, I couldn't blame her too much.

"Ah yes. of course. This is the Greyrat Boreas estate, we're distant family, we'll be fine, don't worry."

As I finished speaking, our employer, Philip, entered the room and quickly addressed us. Upon seeing him, I stood up and motioned for Sylphy to do the same. For all her faults, the girl was at least as obedient as they came, and so it was easy to guide her through situations she was unsure of how to tackle herself. All I needed was her trust, and that I had indeed.

I bowed down politely and motioned for my companion to do the same. From what I had read, the way to greet someone in nobility was to draw the left foot back and tug your skirts, if you were a lady, which I was, and so was Sylphy.

"Ah, you two know your manners, I see..."

"Sit sit. Let us talk." - He spoke with confidence, and was quite cordial. After taking our seats, he introduced himself as Philip Boreas Greyrat, the mayor of the city, which I already knew, but Sylphy seemed rather surprised, I managed to stop her from having a big reaction though.

He said he was Paul's cousin, which was closer than I expected him to be in the family tree. I was talking to my uncle, and I hadn't even realized it! Aside from that, I was impressed by the manor. My family was certainly more well off than I expected, even if I knew they were nobles.

"How much do you know?" - He asked while grasping a silver cup full of wine.

I looked at Sylphy and gave her the opportunity to talk. It would be a good opportunity for the girl, as there were no risks involved, and I had already explained the situation to her earlier. All she needed to do was open her mouth and gain some confidence. She got up and began speaking.

"T-Tany... I mean Tanya explained That W-We would be T-T-Tutoring a girl by the name of Eris for 5 years... We were told her temper is... Uhm... Fierce."

She had done well enough. I was quite proud of the girl, even if her performance wasn't ideal. I couldn't expect her to have perfect oratorical skills when she was so shy.

Motioning for Sylphy to sit down once more, I got up myself and began talking. - "We were also told you don't have much faith in us due to said temper. However, we would ask you to allow us a chance to make her more willing, should our first meeting go south."

I sat down again and observed Philip closely, looking for a reaction. He looked somewhat impressed by my boldness. which was good.

"Very well... Let's have you three meet first, shall we? We can discuss the details later."

And so we departed to see our student. I was looking forward to it, despite my worries about her allegedly intense nature.

It was only a short walk, but Philip had already warned us about potential physical harm. Naturally, I didn't think Sylphy could tackle this problem just yet if there were such risks involved, so I took the lead in talking to Eris. After some time, we stopped in front of a door, and upon opening it, I finally caught a glimpse of the lady.

"Eris, I've brought a new teacher for you."

Fiery. Intense. Violent.

That was all I could think as she turned around, her red hair waving around like actual flames... And that look on her face, superiority, and anger mixed into one. Goodness, it told me everything. She'd be a damn nightmare to work with!

"Greetings, I Am Tanya Greyrat. Pleased to meet you." - I greeted her politely, but was immediately met with her loud voice proclaiming I was too young.

I stayed silent, and simply stared at her intensely, remaining poised. I'd like to test the waters and see how much she would be willing to fight back against my tutorage.

"Hey! What's up with you? Why are you staring? Stop that! You're creepy!" - She ordered while turning her eyes away. There was a hint of discomfort in her eyes, but I continued to stare.

Sensing I had no intentions of turning away my gaze, she gritted her teeth and took hurried steps towards me before slapping me. Of course, I could have dodged it, but I had no reason to for this particular reason.

"You dare disob-"

"Do not ever slap me again." - Before she could finish her sentence, I had already cut her off. My tone was stern, full of authority. Of course, I didn't break eye contact as I spoke.

The girl recoiled upon perceiving the change in atmosphere, but she still had fight left in her, lots of it.

"I-I'll do what I want! Who do you think I am?!"

"Eris Boreas Greyrat, Daughter of Philip Boreas greyrat. You are a noble lady. It is okay to be fierce, but act with decorum, please." - I used healing magic to quickly undo the redness in my cheek. It wasn't really necessary, but theatrics were important.

She frowned upon hearing what I had to say, and simply looked away, refusing to make eye contact with me. I suspect she was intimidated.

"I don't accept you!"

"Then, what will make you? What can I do to gain your respect?"

"Nothing! There's nothing at all! Give up!"

"I won't. So tell me."

". . ." - She remained silent for a few seconds before turning back and rushing towards me, aiming to punch my jaw. I dodged, naturally.

What followed was 20 seconds of her frustrated attempts to hit me, much to no avail. I was the more conditioned between the two. Even if she was older, I was a much superior combatant, and she was beginning to realize that too, but she wasn't backing down. Instead, her fury only grew more and more with each failed hit.

Having had enough, I finally sent a gust of wind towards her. The entire room shook ever so slightly as my spell was cast. and Eris had been downed, although with no injuries. It was not my intention to hurt her after all.

"Why... Why don't you just take it?! Idiot Idiot Idiot!!!" - She screamed as she tried to get up. but I pushed her down with the wind once more.

Looking back at Philip, there were no signs he had any issues with this, so I proceeded.

"Don't you want to learn to do this? Don't you want to be able to impose your will onto others like that?" - I asked, approaching her slowly and offering a hand to her.

"I'm not weak!" - She slapped my hand away and got up, immediately creating some distance between herself and me before I continued to speak.

"Look, Eris-" I was interrupted before I could continue.

"Fight me! Fight me! And if you can win I'll be your student or whatever! But no magic! Magic is for cowards!"

What an amusing girl.

"Very well. But I must say, magic isn't for cowards, it is merely a tool, much like a sword, axe or hammer... Would you call Ghislaine a coward because she uses a sword?"

She huffed violently. - "It's not the same! Stupid girl!" - She hurried past me and out the door.

"One week! We will fight in one week! I wish you the worst of luck!" - And with that, she was off. Running past her dad, she disappeared within the manor.

Sylphy looked horrified, and Philip had a curious look on his face... This job would be a pain. Just my luck, huh?