Jack of All Trades, Party of None

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I asked Ruella and Frederick to wait in the guest room, and the five of us—myself, Shion, Fuuka, Ms. Telshe, and Mr. Haruto—headed toward Christopher’s office.

I didn’t expect Ruella and the others to cause any trouble, but just to be safe, I kept checking the situation constantly with bird's-eye vision, so nothing should go wrong.

Following Ms. Telshe’s guidance, we entered the room, where Christopher was waiting for us, wearing his usual monocle as before.

The only difference was the surprised expression on his face when he saw me.

“I heard that Shion, who has awakened, would come, but I never expected all of you to show up as well.”

“Sorry for the sudden intrusion, Christopher.”

“No, I can make as much time as needed for you, Orun.”

Though he still seemed a little shaken, the look Christopher gave me was full of gentle affection, like an older brother caring tenderly for a much younger sibling.

It felt nostalgic and comforting at the same time.

Memories of when I was a child and he played with me came flooding back.

“Thank you. There are many things I want to talk to you about, but first, I’ve regained my memories.”

When I told him this, Christopher rested his head on his folded hands in front of his face and closed his eyes, as if thinking deeply.

But it was only for a moment, and then he smiled gently at me.

“...I had a feeling from the moment I saw you. If your memories have returned, you don’t have to call me ‘Christopher’ in such a formal way. You can call me ‘Chris-nii-san’ like you used to.”

He was a magical tool artisan who had studied under my father.

When I lived in the Village of Dawn, he often came to visit my father.

He also played with me on those occasions, and I looked up to him like a real older brother.

But...

“No, when we were kids, I just called you ‘Chris’ without any honorifics. Please don’t rewrite history.”

Yes. I always called him ‘Chris’.

He had stubbornly requested that I call him ‘Chris-nii-san’, but I ignored that and continued calling him ‘Chris’.

I liked the resigned smile he’d give me when I called him that.

“Haha! That’s true. ...So your memories really have returned. I’m glad, truly...”

Christopher’s eyes welled up as he muttered, as if savoring the reality of my words.

“If it’s okay with you, can I interact with you like before?”

I stepped closer to him, and he smiled happily.

“Of course. If you want, you can call me ‘Chris-nii-san’ from now on.”

“No, I’ll stick with just ‘Chris’.”

I cut him off flatly, and he gave me that familiar wry smile I liked.

As we reminisced like that, Shion stepped forward.

“Sorry to interrupt your nostalgia, but I’m actually mad at you, Chris.”

“What? Because I stole Orun from you?”

Chris teased Shion.

She frowned but shook her head.

“Not that. Chris, you’ve been hiding a lot from me, haven’t you? Like about Cavadel Evans.”

Cavadel Evans.

My grandfather, a legendary magical tool artisan who greatly advanced magical tool technology during the Northern War decades ago, raising the technical standards by a century.

The public believed he died by suicide about ten years ago.

But in reality, he was alive, running a general store in Tsutolairu while watching over me.

“Cavadel Evans...? The magical tool artisan who died ten years ago, right? I’m not hiding anything.”

Chris looked puzzled in front of Shion’s interrogation.

Not only him but Mr. Haruto and Ms. Telshe shared similar reactions.

Only Fuuka kept her usual indifferent attitude as if nothing concerned her.

“...?”

Shion also tilted her head, surprised by their unexpected reaction.

“Shion, I really think they don’t know anything beyond the public story about Grandpa — Cavadel Evans.”

“...What do you mean?”

“This world is one where time rewound in exchange for Grandpa’s existence. In other words, ‘a world where Grandpa died ten years ago.’”

I had thought Grandpa faked his death to reset the relationships around him.