The Second Son of the Kluoren Family

What exactly is a noble?

A noble is defined by this nation’s law as someone who oversees ten thousand or more subjects or who
pays the government an annual tax of one hundred million bels. The requirements were met, and my
father was made a viscount.

Although my family lacks a storied history or lineage, being second-generation newcomers, I have
always felt a sense of obligation to fulfill my duties as a scion of a family whose vocation lies in the
governance of people. My sister, possessing both intellectual acuity and physical aptitude, was chosen
to succeed our father as the heir to our estate, as a lord must entrust their domain to someone who
embodies a more comprehensive skill set.

As the eldest son, I recognized my own inadequacy and did not contest her selection. Instead, I accepted
the position of captain of the defense force for our estate, which I find to be a fitting role. In this
capacity, I have no grounds for complaint.

 What about your younger brother?

My brother stands in the verdant lawn, gazing wistfully into the distance with a hazy expression on his
countenance. Although he appears to be idle, an unseen force is steadily accumulating at his feet,
swirling with an otherworldly energy. A skilled magician in his own right, though not quite on par with
our accomplished sister, his abilities are nothing short of remarkable.

Regrettably, my brother has always been cognizant of the potential consequences that may arise from
flaunting his supernatural gifts, lest our family succumb to discord and strife. Thus, he has kept his
talents veiled from prying eyes, choosing instead to bide his time and wait for the opportune moment to
reveal himself.

As I reflect upon his disposition, I realize that he has never harbored any ambitions of inheriting our
family’s legacy as a lord. In fact, he made it abundantly clear on his seventh birthday, when he put it in
writing and distributed copies to all family members, that he would not partake in any disputes for
succession and would sever all ties with our family.

It strikes me as peculiar that my brother would have such a mentality. As someone who has a modicum
of dignity, I was raised in the midst of my father’s work and had always assumed that I would follow in
his footsteps.

Yet, when posed with the question of whether he aspired to live as a noble, my brother responded with
an unexpected answer, stating, “I respect the intention to live as a noble. However, I cannot bear the
burden of someone else’s life. I don’t want to do it.”

I cannot help but wonder where this unorthodox mindset originated from.

We both grew up in a noble family, so why did he have these ideas?

I’m not sure. I’m still baffled by my brother’s decision to quit the family.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s been seven days since I was born into another world, and I’m about to turn 15 and become an adult,
which means I’ll be able to leave home. I’m aware of how excited I am as I continue to pack my
belongings. I’ve had little freedom in my life, so just thinking about what’s to come makes me smile from
ear to ear. I adore my father and sister and their way of life, but I refuse to be expected to follow in their
footsteps.
It is essential that we safeguard and nurture the lives of the people in our domain in this world where
people are frequently attacked by monsters and bandits. However, with my sister’s magic prowess and
my brother’s martial arts expertise, both of which are among the best in the world, what can I possibly
contribute? I have a responsibility to uphold as a noble, so I’ve trained as hard as I could, but I lack their
level of talent.

“Self-assessment.”

Felis Klueren.

Martial strength: 5285.

Magical strength: 7842.

Special abilities: “Observation,” “Concentration,” “Health.”

Titles: “Klueren Viscount Family,” “Magic Core Artisan,” “Technique Specialist.”

To enlist in the Klueren family’s defense force, one must possess either a martial or magical prowess
exceeding 4000. Such power is essential to safeguarding the populace while battling the ravenous
monsters that lurk within the region. As an aside, it is worth noting that my siblings’ individual
capabilities surpassed the impressive threshold of 9000 last year.

Unfortunately, my lack of specialized skills has been a source of derision amongst the family’s retainers,
despite my unflagging effort to improve. Nevertheless, I remain optimistic that the training I have
undergone will serve me well as I set out on a solitary journey.

“There’s only one problem left.”

I’m bailing because I wanna pursue my own thing and not get tangled up in the family drama. But in
noble circles, it’s expected that you prove you can fend for yourself before you hit the road.

The thing is, the match is in three days and I still don’t know who I’m going up against. Just thinking
about it gets me all worked up and I can feel my chest tightening.

I could handle it if it was just a stalling tactic, but my opponent is a force to be reckoned with. The power
gap is so wide that I’d be lucky to win three out of 10 rounds.

Showing off my strength is a requirement, but winning isn’t necessary. However, I still want to leave on
a good note. I can’t help but wonder what I would do if my sister or brother were to show up.
As nobles, I think we can be pretty superficial at times, so maybe we should just ignore these rules
altogether and follow our hearts.

“What should I do…”

I’ve been told that there are no restrictions when it comes to using magic, martial arts, or tools in
combat. If I’m unable to face my opponents using just my natural abilities, I’ll have to rely on tools.
However, it’s currently difficult to prepare effective tools for my siblings. What exactly qualifies as an
effective tool anyway?

The setting of this scenario is the defense force’s training ground, assuming that my siblings are my
opponents. If my sister were to attack me, I can imagine a fire-based magic being launched at me,
obstructing my vision. By the time I set up defensive magic, the second attack would arrive. And just as
I’m dealing with that, a third one would come, putting me on the defensive for a while. Although I can
defend myself for a long period, I can’t strike back until I have a clear path to dodge their attacks. Even if
I could attack, it’s unclear whether I could penetrate my sister’s defenses.

If my opponent were my brother, things would be different. He tends to charge in with all his might,
wielding his sword with precision and power. In most cases, I would find myself engaged in a fierce
battle, struggling to keep him at bay until ultimately being defeated. However, if I were to use a bit of
magic to create some distance between us, I might have a better chance of holding my own.

I have a hidden trump card that I have not shown to anyone. That gives me a slightly better chance of
winning, but it’s a desperate measure. I don’t want to flaunt it too much because it isn’t well-liked by
many around me.

It’s difficult.

As I’m pondering, the door to the room suddenly knocks.

“Hey, Felis, are you there?”

“Huh? Yeah, I’m here. Come on in.”

It’s my older brother’s voice. I wonder if something happened.

In response to my invitation, my older brother Jito, my older sister Miru, and the magic squad captain
Glagas all entered the room. All three of them have slightly troubled expressions.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, I just wanted you to take a look at this.”

My older brother takes the dagger from Glagas and hands it to me. It’s something I made before when
Glagas asked for a blade to use for skinning monsters.

I check to see if there are any problems with it, and aside from the handle, the blade has swollen in a
strange shape.

“What’s this? Did you add more magic to it?”

“That’s right. And it turned out like this.”

Upon hearing Jito-nissan’s response, Miru-nee turns her face away. Seeing her reaction, Captain Gragas
hurriedly speaks up.

“Originally, it was my fault for mishandling it. I banged it against a bone and the blade chipped. Mirusama said she would fix it.”

“I see. Since it’s originally a magic core, it can certainly be fixed by adding more magic.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. The magic core can be shaped or hardened depending on the amount of magic added. The act
itself is not wrong.”

An amateur can’t just mimic a professional and expect to do the job right. Miru-nee may have had the
magical ability to fix the broken blade, but she didn’t have the skills to shape it into a sharp edge.

That’s where I came in.

I infused the short sword with my magic, sculpted it precisely, and sharpened it with a whetstone. I
made it quite some time ago and had been quietly refining it in my spare moments. To test it out, I ran a
sheet of paper across the blade, and it sliced through with ease.

“Is this okay? Here, take it for now.”

“Oh, it’s a wonderful piece.”

“You’re so skillful.”

No, it’s not that I’m skillful, it’s just that you’re clumsy, older sister.

I couldn’t say that, so I blurred it out ambiguously.

“Well, if there are any problems, I think it’s better to leave it to a professional craftsman.”

“But if we want to leave it to someone, we have to go out and find a specialist, right?”

“That’s true, but there are other magic core craftsmen besides me, right?”

“There are only four in the territory, including you…”

Are there really so few of them? Processing magic cores requires a considerable amount of magical
power, but it’s also a job with a decent level of demand. Based on the population of the territory, there
should be more, but if there aren’t, there’s not much we can do. I’ll just have to check periodically to see
if anyone new has set up shop.

“If there’s a problem, just call me. I do plan to leave home, but that doesn’t mean I won’t set foot in the
territory.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. Besides, if I become independent, won’t I not be able to visit home?”

I don’t harbor any hatred towards my family, nor do I believe our familial relationship to be strained. It’s
the political tensions among our retainers that have caused some discomfort. To avoid unnecessary
conflicts, I try to limit my interactions with my siblings outside of our home, although I do act cordially
towards them in everyday situations.

So, I’m not saying I’ll never return home again.

When my siblings caught wind of my decision, they visibly relaxed.

“What? You’re planning on coming back normally? I thought you detested the idea of returning home.”

“I simply don’t believe I’m cut out for noble society. And let’s be real, it’s not just me struggling to keep
up with the high expectations of nobility, is it?”

“That’s right. If you two were a little more reliable, I wouldn’t have had to become the lord.”

That’s true.

Miru-nee probably had plans to assist Jito-niisan as the lord, but with his unexpected stubbornness and
my lack of interest in the nobility, we were left with limited options. Despite the fact that female lords
are often looked down upon from the outside, she had to stand up for herself.

I am aware that I have put her in a disadvantageous position, so I intend to cooperate with her as much
as possible.

“Well, if I improve my skills a little more, I might aim to be an official craftsman.”

“I’ll give you five years, so become a high-level craftsman.”

“If it’s Felis-sama, I’m sure he can do it.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Craftsmen are evaluated on a ten-level scale to assess their skills, with upper level referring to those
who are at least seventh level skilled. It’s important to note that the craftsmen’s union exam only
certifies up to the seventh level, and beyond that, it is judged by the country or other institutions. That’s
why asking someone to obtain the upper level is synonymous with asking them to pass the most difficult
exam.

Currently, I am a fifth-level magic core craftsman, in the middle tier. I have always been reasonably good
at writing, so I think I made it to the intermediate level. However, my master has criticized me for being
fast but sloppy.

I have mostly made things for myself and my surroundings, so I haven’t had many jobs that involve
money. This means that I lack experience as a craftsman. The upper level is naturally the world of
craftsmen who have been tested by customers and are highly skilled. I don’t think I can easily enter it
without gaining more experience.

I took out the magic core from the drawer of the desk that I hadn’t touched yet and made a needle. If
it’s just a shape, it can be done immediately, and it is relatively sturdy.

That’s it.

I recall my master’s work that I once saw. Regardless of what my master made, it was always beautiful.
It was completely different from my things that could only be used.

“It’s amazing.”

“Is this excellent work? If it were my master, he would have decorated the needle as well.”

“The top craftsman in the territory is the comparison target, huh? Well, then I’m inclined to allow you to
go outside.”

“You’re really flattering me.”

The three of them relaxed their expressions when they heard my words. Jito-niisan opened his mouth
looking somewhat exasperated.

“I still don’t understand why people with skills to fight against the defense force are being looked down
upon.”

I shrugged my shoulders in respond.

While it’s nice to be recognized as a top performer by both teams, in the end, I’m just a craftsman and
not a member of the defense force. I’m just a customer who occasionally participates in training.

“Well, if you’re okay with it, then that’s fine… Now then, I have a message as the captain of the defense
force.”

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, Jito-niisan becomes serious, so I also straighten up.

“It’s about three days from now sasetto shiruga, who is ranked fourth in the martial arts team, wants to
be your opponent. Unless there’s a significant problem on your end, she’ll be your opponent.”

My heart is pounding.

First, I feel joy that my sister and brother are not my opponent. And secondly, I am happy that the
opponent is someone I am not completely unfamiliar with, namely Sasetto.

Although I’ve never won against her in training, she’s slightly better than me, making her a perfect
practice partner. She seemed to dislike me, so she probably wants to either tease or humiliate me.

Putting aside the enemy’s intentions, it’s a good flow.

“Felis, please do something about your mouth.”

“What?”

“You’re not hiding your grin well.”

I unconsciously cover my mouth with my hand. Am I smiling?

However, Miru-nee’s lips, who had just conveyed those words, were also irrepressibly raised.