Chapter 12: Anything Tasty?

I return to the estate at the end of the week with 20 lobsters in storage plus a fancy new sword and knife. Running magic through the new equipment will be part of my nighttime routine, though it’ll make them unusable around normal people.

“Brother you’re back! How far into the mountains did you get?” Oliver asks once I settle my things and change.

“Hey Oliver, I made it past the second peak and explored the forested area there. I saw a small herd of deer, but I didn’t want to haul one back from that distance so I stuck with smaller game” I reply.

“But there’s deer up there just like you thought! When can I go with you brother?” Oliver asks, this time beaming with joy.

“Aha you know the family rules, I wasn’t allowed to go on hunting trips until I was 8 and comfortable with the sword” I chuckle and say back him.

Father was spot on when he said Oliver needed training to gain confidence, ever since we started, he’s been like a different kid. I can count on one hand the number of times he burst into my room to talk before we started training, but now there’s no stopping him.

“But if you go with me I’d be safe, the biggest boar out there would take one look at you and run away!” Oliver yells with a humph.

“Oliver don’t make me sound so scary, I’m just a slightly bigger kid than you. But if you keep training hard and getting stronger I’ll talk to father about bringing you hunting earlier than I was allowed to” I say, conceding to my zealous little brother.

“Really!? Alright, I’m off to train, I’ll do all my sword strokes and stances 100 times today. Then I’ll run! I’ll run until I drop!” Oliver yells while rushing out of my room.

“DON’T OVERDO IT OLIVER!” I yell back, I could’ve yelled it an inch from his head and it wouldn’t have stopped him.

***
Before dinner that night father summoned to his office.

“Alfred, come in boy” he says, responding to my knock at the door.

“Good afternoon father, how were things while I was away?” I ask.

“Your mother worried and Oliver asked how long until you were back each morning. The same as every time you leave lately..” father replies with a slight frown.

“I see, Oliver was in good spirits when I saw him. He’s eager to join me on a hunting trip, but I told him he needed to be a bit older and stronger before he goes” I respond with a smile.

“Yes, he’s a fast learner, but he’d be entirely reliant on you for his safety. I’m sure you could manage that, but the point of his training is to improve, not to be cared for” father says while looking down at his desk.

“I agree father, I’ll continue seeing to his training. Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?” I ask, curious if he’s seeking more than small talk after my trip.

“There is, I met with Alec Dulec while you were away. The plants needed for your soap are starting to grow. His group also practiced with the material you left them and feel confident in the refinement process” father says before handing me two bricks of soap.

“Please test these and make sure they’re of sufficient quality” father requests.

“Understood father, I’ll use them over the next few days” I answer.

The soaps look similar and the smell is there. The process isn’t that hard, the only thing this world was lacking was an understanding of refining salt water into something more useful.

“Right, that’s the only business to discuss. But I found myself curious while you were away, you’ve read every travel account that’s been written. What is it you’re looking to find when you leave here?” father asks with somewhat curious, somewhat sad look.

“Hmm, I’ve read of an antlered animal larger than a horse in the forest to the northeast of the capital, during my school days I plan to explore that area thoroughly. And during breaks I’d like to start exploring the continent to the north, they should have foods and spices we’ve never seen before, and access to the ocean means seafood” I explain.

“But it’s what’s not written about that’s even more interesting father, I doubt I’ll have the chance during my school years, but maybe after, I’d like to make my way to the monster continent in the west. There’s very little information on the area, likely due to the danger, but with a few more years of training I’m confident I’ll be able to traverse it safely” I continue honestly.

I plan on seeing the monster continent while I’m in school, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“So, the cursed land is one of your travel destinations.. I’m confident in your ability with the sword, but you must not let ego beat out sense. And you cannot, under any circumstances, tell your mother you plan on seeing that place” father replies with a serious look in his eyes.

I think he’s more scared of mother than the monsters.

“It will be our secret father” I say.

“Alright, that’s all. See your mother and Sara, you know how they worry” father orders while waving me off.

***
Mother and Sara are attached at the hip, though it may be more accurate to say mother is always attached to her youngest at the hip. It’s part of why I wanted siblings so badly, children draw their parents’ attention.

“Mother are you in?” I call out into the study her and Sara spend their afternoons in.

“Alfred sweetheart you’re home, and you look well. Did you enjoy the mountains?” mother asks with a beaming smile.

I love the family I have in this world, despite how my manipulations and lies make it seem. But I feel awkward around mother. Babies really shouldn’t remember being breastfed, especially when their mind is almost 30.

“Yes mother, it was fruitful, the animals I expected to be roaming past the second mountain were there in significant numbers. And the forested area was large, I wouldn’t have been able to scout the area effectively with any less time” I reply.

“I see, I’m glad your safe and it was a good trip, but please remember you’ll be going away for school in a few years. We won’t see each other as much..” mother says with a concerned look.

“That’s three years away mother, you won’t be rid of me anytime soon” I reply with an internal sigh.

“..hmmmrr ahhh..” Sara groans as she lifts her head from mother’s lap.

Sara’s a cute child, she’s short for her age with strawberry blonde hair and light eyes. But her best feature is her smile, it could warm a room covered in ice. If I had a sweet little sister like her in my last life, I would’ve used her to help me pick up girls.

“Oh, Sara’s awake, sweetie greet your big brother, he just returned from another trip” mother prompts a bleary-eyed Sara.

“Big brother..welcome home. Did you get..anything tasty?” Sara asks, though tired she can still think of food.

“Only small game this time Sara, the mountains I was in were very far away. It’d be hard to transport anything large. But it’s good to see you, you can fall back asleep” I bend down and answer with an earnest smile.

Given permission, Sara’s eyes close and her head falls back onto mother’s lap.