We can see Turin now. While it does have stone castle walls, they were clearly built when the town was smaller. I think it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that most of the town is only protected by a fence. It's a tall, dense and sturdy fence, but still just a fence nonetheless. It's like you took a wood wall (you know the kind, with various standing logs/planks with pointy tips on top) and spread it out a little bit.

Oh, now that i use magic to take a closer look, construction on an outer stone wall has already started. Cool.

We steadily approached the town with our enormous trail of merchants and travelers behind us. Good thing we are at the front, wouldn't want to wait at the end of this line... That guy in the back, you have my deepest condolences, rest in peace.

Those bounty hunter guys from earlier are still with us. Since they were so insistent, mom told them that if they proved themselves while serving as her sparring partners (read: punching bags) she would hire them.

At this point i feel we should hire them if only for their strong will alone... At least they are getting free food...

On the bright side, i can heal without leaving scars now, thanks to them.

After we reach the town's gate (just an opening in the fence with guards in front) we were let through almost straight alway. The insides of the town seem... inconsistent? We are on a paved road at the moment, but to the sides i often see dirt roads. And on the matter of houses, some were clearly made by professionals while others seem just like the houses you'd find in any village. The local higiene doesn't seem too bad at least... relatively...

But after we are through the inner wall, it's like a different place entirely. No dirt roads, no shabby houses, and i'm pretty sure that thing in the distance is an aqueduct. Yep, inconsistent.

Soon we arrive at the castle and get down from the carriage. As the front doors open we hear the cheerful voice of a woman saying "Welcome!"

On the other side we can see who i assume is Countess Eugene Monz, her husband, and four out of their six kids (the other two already married).

The countess looks to be around my grandmother's age, so not too old, but old enough to have some white in her hair. So does her husband, but he looks strong, if i don't remember wrongly he's a knight.

Two of her kids are young adults and the other two are in their teens.

The greetings proceed normally until it's my turn. "Nice to meet you, I'm Lance Chevalier and I'll soon become two years old."

"Oh my, i heard your youngest was a genius but i didn't expect him to speak so smoothly at that age." Yep, it wasn't easy to escape from the curse of baby speech. "Is it true that you can read, too?"

I nod, but mom speaks before i can say anything. "My claims weren't exaggerated, you should know me better than to think i'd brag about things that didn't happen." So you admit to bragging about things that did happen?

"Come on, Isabel, you know i didn't mean it that way." The Countess sighs.

"So it should also be true that the boy knows sorcery, right?" Interrupts her husband. I can't remember his name for the death of me, so i just nod. "Why don't you show us some spells then?"

What kind of spells should i use? In this situation illusion tricks would be best, i guess.

"Son," Mom interrupts me before i can begin. "Remember that game we played?" That totally unfair one? i nod. "Remember the second spell you used?" The overcharged disruption bolt? i nod again. "Show him that one." I furrow my brows in confusion, you want me to hit him? "Don't look at me like that, just do it." Well, i guess the spell doesn't do much actual damage aside from messing up the mana inside the target's body.

I shrug my shoulders and cast the spell, the spell flies together with a *crack* of lightning and hits the count before he has the time to dodge. The man shakes from the electrocution and falls to his knee in a pose that makes him seem as if he's enduring a great pressure, i'm pretty sure he's overreacting, the physical part of the spell is already completely over.

I look at mom, she has a smug look on her face... I'm pretty sure my mom's a show off.

"Did... Did he just cast a disruption spell in less than five seconds?" The Countess asks. Five seconds? Did she think i learned the runes just now or something? I mean, during a life or death situation, even two seconds would be a small eternity. You might as well just use raw magic or a different at that point.

After that, Count Whatshisname said some praises like 'as expected of a Chevalier' or something like that, and after we had a meal and were showed to our guest rooms, i was finally allowed to go shopping.

I want to buy a variety of books, like books on smelting, architecture and other production types. But my main target is enchanting and non-combat runes like for construction spells and navigation, and for that i need to head towards a specialized seller, good thing auntie knows where to go. It's a place with a fancy name like 'Hocuspocus Arcane Emporium' or something silly like that.

I'm on the carriage again, this time without mom and Athena but with two new people: Hugo and Carol Monz, the Countess' two youngest. Hugo is in his late teens while Carol is on her earlier teens.

"So," I start a conversation with the two. "What do you two do for fun around these parts?"

They look at each other for a moment and then back at me. Hugo starts "W-well, mostly we spend time with other young nobles, either sharing a cup of tea or riding a horse around town to look for something interesting."

"We often go watch plays or hear the music of traveling bards." Adds Carol.

"Oh, plays! I've never seen one, what are the plays about?" I ask, i have little hope for bards since i doubt they would match my tastes in music.

Carol seems to be a big theater fan, she talks about various plays and how touching such-and-such scene is. From what i gathered the plays are mostly romance and drama focused, not my kinda thing, but it might be fun to watch once.

With Carol talking about a play that sounds a lot like Romeo and Juliet we arrive at our destination.

The place looks as fancy as its name implies; it has a temple vibe with all its unnecessarily tall ceilings and pillars. The employees recognized the two siblings just as we entered the place and they guided us towards some big shot old sorcerer.

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"Hugo, Carol, what can i help you with today?" He glances at me. "And if you don't mind my curiosity, why do you have an infant with you?"

"Good afternoon, master Logan. We are here today just to accompany this child, he's Lance Chevalier, son of Isabel Chevalier, who guards the east border." Explains Hugo.

"Hello, i'm here to buy books!" I say with a smile.

The old man looks at me, then back at Hugo, then back at me. He clears his throat. "What kind of books are you here to buy, young Lance?"

"Books on enchantment and non-combat runes!"

"... For your father?" I shake my head.

Hugo interrupts. "I know he looks young, but please make no misunderstanding, Master Logan. Lance is a sorcerer, we've seen it ourselves." He says, as he looks at his sister, who nods.

"... Can you show me a spell, young man?" He asks.

Nice! I had a spell in mind earlier when mom decided to butt in. I nod and start casting, the spell takes five seconds and a lot of mana, but i cast it. A swarm of colorful butterflies appear and fly around us gently before gathering near the wall. There, they stack up on top of each other and their colorful wings form a tapestry of colors that results in an image.

The image is of a peaceful lake we passed by on our way here. It's a very pretty place, so it stayed on my mind. I also added a few forest critters and such to add some life to the place. I keep the spell up for about twenty seconds before i decide to stop wasting mana.

I look at the old man, but he's still staring at the now empty wall. After a while he turns back to me and speaks. "I've never seen such a use for the 'spell swarm' rune... and using that light based rune from the night vision spell to organize the colors was quite creative, well done young man."

"Thanks, i thought that was a good spell to prove i'm a sorcerer. But the butterflies are still too mana-intensive. Do you have any books on illusion spells?" I return.

"Of course we do! Come, i'll lead the way." He says as he starts walking.

I'm done picking books after a few hours, i got enough books to fill a big chest, but i managed to get a big discount on the books. Though the old man kept talking about meeting his great grandchildren near the end.

Why would i spend time with a bunch of kids?... I know my own age, okay? But it's the inside that counts!

The way back was peaceful and i went to sleep after dinner. Need to sleep well to grow faster.

~~

After breakfast, i still wasn't free to go. Mom wants me to meet the local military's big shots.

The Sylvian military is made up of three organizations: The army (land-based), the navy (sea-based), and the inquisition (who is more of an intelligence organization, honestly). Nobles are allowed to have private armed forces but there are limitations placed to prevent rebellion.

By the way, while the title 'Royal Knight' makes it seem like they would work only as mounted infantry, they actually take part in every one of the military organizations. Not only that, not all royal knights are from the Chevalier family, nor is every Chevalier a royal knight, only most.

I already know the local army's big shot, that's my grandma. Since there is no navy this far inland, the only big shot i don't know is the inquisition.

First, we go see grandma. I get to see the northern army headquarters and the noisy training grounds. Grandma is as cold as always. This time again, she had me shoot at a target, except this time with spells and with a bigger audience. I think i did well, grandma especially liked the stun bomb and the vampiric fire bomb that uses the enemies' mana to burn more (the trick to defend against it is just to take control of the flame, it's your mana in it after all).

She wanted me to use the flame burst again but i still have the whole day ahead of me, so she excused me this time. But before we left, mom taught her the 'Lance Breathing Technique' when we were in private. I think that name is kind of lame, but it's descriptive and simple enough so i can't complain.

Right now we are having lunch with the inquisition's big shot. No, i won't remember their ranks... maybe later.

He's a friendly man with slicked back black hair with a little white here and there. His name is Wiliam, and he's also a Chevalier.

We talked about lots of things and he mentioned that the town looks inconsistent because it expanded too quickly, but there is already a project in the works to turn it into a city. Turning a town into a city has something to do with quality of life stuff and not only size.

He also told me where i can find the kind of books i'm looking for, and that's where i went after lunch.

After i got to the bookstore i lost track of time until auntie scolded me, but it was worth it. With this i should have enough hobbies to pass the time until i'm old enough to have more freedom in the ways i spend my time.

I arrive a little late for dinner and go to sleep after that.

When i wake up next morning i realize i don't know what to do anymore. I could start reading right away, but it would be a waste of opportunity. So i think: What can i do here that i can't do back home?

1. watch plays and stuff like that.

2. watch professionals doing their jobs in person.

3. maybe heal some people to practice? In a town this big there should be plenty of people in need of healing.

4. ... Fight crime? No, scratch that, auntie wouldn't let me and mom would kill me... maybe buy stuff? i still have some leftover money... But what can i buy that i can't make?... art? No way, why would a baby buy art? That's silly... Souvenirs?

Well, one thing at a time. After Breakfast, i ask Carol about plays and she tells me there will be one in four days. Okay, i have four- no, four and a half days since the play only starts in the afternoon.

Let's start with healing, when i ask mom how i should go about it she tells me to talk to grandma. So i go to the army's headquarters again. I don't even have to wait, grandma welcomes me right away.

As we sit down (well, she sits down, i'm standing on Renee's lap.) i get straight to the point. "Grandma, i want to practice healing!" I state clearly.

Grandma stays quiet for a few moments before she raises her eyebrow and the corner of her lips. Uh-oh, something bad is coming. "I will arrange for it, wait here. I will get someone to bring tea and cookies, i should be done in less than an hour." She leaves before i can say anything, she looks excited?

I can hear lots of shouting being done outside, but i ignore that and take a look at grandma's books, there is always shouting in this place, nothing to worry about.

After a while, i'm reading a book on discipline training while munching on cookies when grandma comes back. "Follow me." She says and we do.

Grandma guides us to the training grounds, and there are tons of people there, both soldiers and knights. Grandma sits me down on the edge of the field and sends a signal to the mob. They divide in two groups and then... proceed to beat the living shit out of each other. Oh. As expected from my grandma.

I spent the whole morning healing people and watching soldiers simulating a civil war, i was using the breathing technique pretty much the entire time.

Honestly, it shouldn't be that bad since they were using blunt weapons made for sparring together with armor. But a bunch of the older guys had wounds from long ago that never healed properly, what a messy army.

I had lunch with the army and grandma organized an escort and announcements so that i could heal the townspeople. The escort was very well organized, they scanned the crowd for dangerous individuals while helping the weaker people to the front.

Healing diseases was quite new for me, there was this one guy that i'm pretty sure was drinking water contaminated with heavy metals and a considerable number of people had STDs.

Some people had diseases i had to pretty much wage a microscopic war against, they ended up pretty weak when i'm done so i asked the soldiers to get chicken soup for them.

Sadly, i can't heal old age, so while i did heal various symptoms from organ failure and that kind of thing, i couldn't heal the actual source of the problem, so i just told them to not overexert themselves.

By dinner time i was completely exhausted. But it was worth it, both my mana efficiency and casting time had improved by leaps and bounds. There were still lot's of people to heal, but they were all minor stuff, like scars and scratches. I asked grandma to take me to the houses of the people who couldn't come tomorrow and retired for the day.

The next morning i saw some gruesome situations while visiting the sick, i did the best i could but some people still had to lose some limbs, at least no one died AFTER i arrived.

With that done, grandma had me promise to help with the soldiers' training again and now i have a free afternoon and one item less on my to-do list. So i decided to visit pottery shops.

It was very... normal? Don't get me wrong, they did make pretty stuff, but i just expected more from a fantasy world.

After that i bought some materials to make porcelain and paint to use on pottery, and that's another day done.