About a week had passed since I became the son of Count Turun, the lord of Bohemia.

During that time, I had been focused on “information gathering” to fill the 11-year gap as the grown-up son of a lord.

I managed to learn about the key figures within the lord’s castle, the relationships among surrounding nobles, and the current internal affairs of Bohemia.

Fortunately, the 11 years I spent wandering since I was 13 provided me with a wonderful shield of “I hardly remember anything from this side.”

Thanks to that, both Count Turun and most others showed a generous tendency towards me, who seemed awkward both as a noble and as family.

With the power of this “buff,” I surprisingly absorbed information easily and quickly established my position as Santana, the son of Turun.

However, in the process, I once again realized clearly that the situation I found myself in was truly not good.

“After all… there are so many headaches involved…”

Bohemia was on the brink of war against Emperor Sijip of the Sacred Empire.

The total available military force was about 13,000, with an additional 7,000 expected from the Palatinate under Elector Friedrich.

In contrast, according to the original work, the emperor’s army invading this place would be around 25,000.

At first glance, the difference didn’t seem that significant, but this was simply the number that could be hastily gathered; given more time, there would be plenty more reinforcements to send out.

Moreover, even that did not reflect the significant power disparity hiding beneath the surface.

“The emperor’s army includes as many as 2,000 mages, while our total mage strength barely reaches 1,000… This is a difference that goes beyond mere numbers.”

In this world, mages wield power comparable to modern-day tanks.

Though individual capabilities vary, it is generally believed that one mage can take on 100 infantrymen, particularly powerful high mages can exhibit the strength of a one-man legion.

In that sense, the mage power gap indicated a substantial disparity between the emperor’s forces and our Bohemian army beyond mere numerical differences.

“Bohemia’s average-level mages are good, but facing the emperor’s forces head-on would be absolutely impossible. Adding the possibility of a troll appearing soon only makes the situation worse.”

Considering the looming issues that were still unclear, our chances of victory dwindled even further, eventually leading to the original Bohemia’s defeat and thorough devastation in the war.

“A war with minimal chances of winning… In such a situation, a swift escape would be the answer, but that’s impossible for now. Thus, the only option left is to somehow bridge this gap and secure a victory…”

Even though the ensuing events were numerous, surviving the first wave was crucial for any future in this life.

Additionally, not just for me but also to protect Cazerose and Polena, winning this war became an absolute necessity.

As I pondered how to achieve victory in this current situation, it was then that—

“Hmm… hmm…”

“!… Ah… Father.”

Count Turun, my father, appeared by my side at some point.

I felt a brief surprise and immediately stood up to greet him, but the count waved his hand lightly at me.

“Don’t worry, just sit down. I sensed you were deep in thought, and it seems I’ve accidentally interrupted something important.”

“No, it’s alright. I apologize for not noticing you earlier. But what brings you here without any notice?”

While it could simply be seen as a father coming to see his son, everyone knew the current situation left little room for leisure.

With war looming, Count Turun, as the lord and actual military commander, had a mountain of tasks ahead, meaning his visit to see me directly signified something of utmost importance.

“Well… actually, I came to propose something to you.”

“What is it?”

The count spoke with a certain cautiousness that hinted at the weight of his words.

From that, I felt that it wouldn’t be just a simple discussion.

It turned out that my instinct was spot on.

“First of all, this may be a selfish desire as a father, but I want to ask you one more time.”

With those words, Count Turun hesitated again.

Then finally, he seemed to make up his mind and asked me in a cautious tone.

“Santa… would you consider seriously walking the path of a mage again?”

“Yes?..”

I was slightly taken aback by the unexpected proposal.

In response, Count Turun began to speak, his voice filled with a tense quality, as if he were defending himself…

“I… I’m not trying to force you or anything… It’s just that in a situation like this, learning magic wouldn’t be such a bad idea… I mean, of course, I wouldn’t want to coerce you into something you dislike…”

“Alright.”

“…Huh?”

“I’ll do it. I don’t know how well it will go, but I will walk the path of a mage as you wish, Father.”

“Really… really? You really mean it? You truly want to become a mage?”

“Yes, if that is your wish, then I will gladly comply.”

“Thank you… truly… truly thank you, my son.”

With my firm response, Count Turun grabbed my hand, expressing his overwhelming joy.

Seeing my father’s reaction, I felt a strange feeling, along with a growing joy at this “opportunity.”

“A mage? Of course I’ll accept that. After all, I’ve felt so frustrated with this useless aura for so long…”

Though the proposal came in an unexpected manner, and I found it a bit puzzling how joyfully he responded to it, it made no difference to me. Since coming to this world, I had always desired power through magic.

Thus, I gladly accepted my father’s request to become a mage, and in turn, my father looked at me with a more tranquil expression, as if a burden had lifted from his heart.

“Well then, since you’ve made the decision, let’s get started as soon as possible. I have a wonderful teacher filled with passion all ready for you.”

“Yes, thank you, Father.”

Somehow, the description of the mage teacher felt overly grand, but I didn’t dwell on that and accepted it politely.

*

Having finished his conversation with his son, Count Turun left the room.

At that moment, he felt momentarily free from the various worries he carried, as if he were soaring through the sky.

“My son… my son has finally changed his mind… He has decided to become a mage just as I wished!”

Count Turun, one of the most powerful mages in Bohemia and even the Sacred Empire, naturally expected that his children would grow to be extraordinary mages as well.

In fact, his daughters had all grown into excellent mages who could stand anywhere, giving Count Turun great satisfaction.

However… his son was different.

From a young age, the son had shown a keen interest in the Holy Scriptures and religion.

At first, it seemed good in terms of nurturing faith, but as time went on, his obsession with religion grew excessively.

In that process, while he allowed him for practical reasons, Santa developed a negative view on the existence of mages, which the church fundamentally prohibited and, following a dispute with his father, eventually ran away.

Leaving behind words of wanting to live as a paladin in the service of the church.

Having experienced such a past, Count Turun had consistently blamed himself for putting too much pressure on his son and thus had to adopt a cautious attitude in proposing the mage’s path to his son this time.

Had he not heard that his son was expelled from the church as a paladin…

While he didn’t conclude that the series of events would lead to great disappointment in the church, he never even attempted the proposal he had made.

However, despite his concerns, his son accepted the proposal he had been troubled by for his entire life as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

With the words that he would follow his father’s wishes.

Count Turun felt immense happiness wash over him once again, and he sensed his love, trust, and expectations for his son swelling even larger.

Moreover, it was an added bonus to feel gratitude for the passionate “mage teacher” who had enthusiastically proposed this idea.