Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord

“No aptitude for any of the four element magic attributes? To think such a failure would come from our marquis family.”

Those were my father’s words.

At eight years old, children in this country undergo a magical aptitude assessment. In a world where magic is common, knowing who has what kind of magical aptitude is important.

The reason the age of eight is the cutoff is because if the test is done too young—when children can’t control their magical power—the early awakening of their aptitude magic led to a string of tragic accidents in the past.

By the way, there are two types of magical aptitude nobles seek. The four element magic specialized in offense to protect the family and their subjects, or healing magic to protect them.

On the other hand, there are types of magic deemed unfit for nobles.

There’s theft magic that steals stamina, magical power, or even physical things from others. Transmutation magic that alters one’s own body. Brainwashing magic that uses sound and light to confuse or control others. Divination magic to see detailed information about people or things. Puppet magic that controls dolls or corpses, among various other types.

And the production magic, which I was judged to have aptitude for, was also considered unworthy of nobles.

Production magic creates things out of nothing. Sometimes it is called alchemy. This magic consumes a large amount of magical power but only produces mediocre results. Most production magicians simply gather materials like iron or copper and use their imagination to create swords or accessories.

Some invent things that never existed before, but they are rare.

That’s because even those with aptitude for other magics can do that. Inventors don’t need magical talent, and neither do blacksmiths.

Considering all this, production magicians are generally called the most unfortunate among magicians.

Magical aptitude is closely related to heredity. If both parents are four element magicians, there is over a 50% chance their child will have the same aptitude. If the grandparents are also four element users, that chance rises to over 70%.

Therefore, nobles have long had the tradition of marrying partners with four element magic aptitude. If the whole family uses four element magic, the likelihood of children inheriting the aptitude approaches 100%.

However, this tradition gradually became rigid to the point that having any aptitude other than four element or healing magic was considered a disgrace to the nobility.

This distorted thinking was not so widespread among minor nobles or knightly nobility in the provinces. But in count families and marquis families like ours, it was revered almost like scripture.

“Our marquis family is a martial house. The Fertio family, which had been counts for generations, rose to marquis because of my military achievements. That is why I married Mira, a flame magician stronger than any from a lower-ranked baron family, to further elevate my flame magic. She was a good wife and mother, but her body was weak despite her strong magical power. You, the fourth son, were the last boy to inherit the future of the marquis family.”

My father, Marquis Jharpa Blu Ati Fertio, spoke with a bitter expression.

My mother Mira died when I was five. There were a second and third wife, but strangely only my mother had boys.

Therefore, when my mother passed, my father’s disappointment was immense. From then on, the education of the four remaining boys became stricter and more severe.

My eldest brother, Murcia, had wind magic aptitude from our mother’s side. The second and third brothers had flame magic aptitude, just as father desired.

Murcia, who was thirteen and receiving head-of-family training, began to be ridiculed by his younger brothers who had flame magic aptitude. Seeing the favorable treatment they received, Murcia worked harder than anyone, sacrificing sleep to become a respectable noble in every way except magic.

His efforts bore fruit; his position as acting head of the family did not change. Though the younger siblings resented him, they always dismissed it as an age difference rather than ability and continued to mock him.