With Rudeus getting older, it's time to expand his horizons.

He's going to Roa much, much earlier than planned.

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Please note that I do not own Mushoku Tensei or Fate

Also, sorry if the conversations sound forced.

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A few days passed since I showed Sylphie my house.

Nothing changed-aside from having much more room to work with-everything was normal. Sylphie was speeding through her magical studies, already reaching Advanced Rank in Water and Wind. Earth was okay-at Intermediate-Rank. Though her fire magic was still just as awful as before. I needed to increase the time she spent practicing.

"Ah, whatever."

Those thoughts are for another time. For now, I needed to get my act together. I'll start teaching Runes to Sylphie today. Science from my world was also another topic long due for discussion. My house should prevent pesky outsiders from peeping-a magus never reveals his art, after all.

Sylphie arrived a few moments later, carrying a small scroll in her left hand.

"Hi. Did you memorize everything on that list?"

Yesterday-before she went home-I gave her a list of every Rune and their meanings. Having her memorize the Runes' names, shapes, and what they represent will be much easier for me.

"Yep." She chirped, "But why did you have me memorize straight lines, anyway?"

"I'll explain that later." I held out my hand, "Come on."

Sylphie took my hand, and I teleported us to my house. I still couldn't get rid of the butterflies for some reason. Sylphie got used to teleporting soon enough, so she didn't yelp this time. I didn't bother stopping at the edge of the lake-simply teleporting us inside my house.

I let go of Sylphie's hand, and we walked over to the table in the living room. I snapped my fingers, and the scroll held in Sylphie's grip floated onto the table, spreading itself out with the use of wind magic. Another scroll landed in my hands with a small pop-my spatial transportation doesn't only work on people. That as well was spread on the table. A small stick appeared in my hands with a flick of my wrist.

"So, let's get straight to it, then." I spun the wood around my finger, "You've already reached Advanced Rank, a feat not many can do, and I doubt many children start learning magic at age six."

Sylphie lowered her head at the praise.

"Now, we'll be taking a turn on your lessons. You'll still practice magic, but not as often as before. I have to teach you something...secret. My personal magic, you could say. That's why I took you out here-to prevent anyone from finding out."

Sylphie cocked her head, "But magic isn't hated, Rudy. It's even worshipped in some places. You said that yourself."

She was getting bolder. Not even asking if this magic was dangerous or not. Well, not that it matters.

"That isn't what I said. My exact words were 'most kinds of magic are well known around the world, some even worshipped as gifts from god.' The key word there is 'most.' There are exceptions. Barrier and divine spells higher than beginner rank are hidden and kept by the Millis Church."

"But you can cast saint-ranked barriers, Rudy," Sylphie stated.

"True, but normal rules don't apply to me."

I left it at that. How could I explain that I wielded magic alien to this world?

"Another example: teleportation. Or rather, spatial transportation is often regarded as taboo and is illegal in many places. I just figured out how to do it with luck. Right now, I doubt there is anyone in the world that can teleport beside me and a select few others."

Teleportation circles were things I needed to find. People don't know how to teleport on their own in this world, so they require the help of magic circles. I wanted to find one and study it. It could bare fascinating fruit.

"Getting back on topic. The magic I'll have you learn is closely tied to the symbols I had you memorize."

"Symbols? Those straight lines?" Sylphie asked, "Are you going to teach me to carve magic circles?"

"Smart girl." I ruffled her hair, and she pouted, "But not quite. First, you have to understand there are many ways to cast magic. You can draw Mana from inside you, draining your Mana pool. This method is much more efficient. Or you could open your Mana pathways to the ambient Mana in the air. A painful and inefficient process, though you'll gain access to an unlimited amount of energy. I'll teach you how to open your pathways later."

Sylphie nodded, and I continued my lecture. "There are other even more complicated methods, ones only the highest caliber of mages can achieve, but that isn't the focus of today's lesson. These symbols," I pointed my stick at the Runes on the parchment, "Use the second method-drawing Mana from the world around them to enact mysteries. It is difficult to explain what actually happens, so I think a demonstration is in order."

I held up a hand and began carving each individual Rune. Slowly and carefully, the symbols took shape. It was nothing like how I usually cast. I was simply slowing down the process, so Sylphie could see. A Rune chain hung in the air, glowing an icy blue. It was the one that led to my parents' discovery of my abilities. A Rune chain that shoots icicles when inscribed. The Runes flashed, and ice shot out from them, shattering a window behind Sylphie. She screamed and rushed to get away from the broken glass. I calmly walked up to the broken window, slowly carving another chain. Sylphie watched, wide-eyed, as the shards of glass floated back up and joined together. When the Runes vanished, the window looked good as new, without a scratch on its surface. I turned to face her.

"These are Runes, symbols representing the laws of the planet. Lost to time thousands of years ago. They act as simple magic circles when inscribed. Realizing mysteries according to the meaning they represent." I dismissed the Runes floating in the air with a twirl of my index finger. "And one of my personal favorite styles of magic."

Sylphie didn't seem to be able to process information for a few seconds.

"That was amazing!" She finally exclaimed, "How'd you fix the glass like that?"

That simple skill? That was the basic of basics. But to this world, magecraft didn't exist. Hell, most of the mysteries from my world didn't exist here. Now, to explain how I fixed the glass. I think I should go with earth magic.

"You know glass is made of sand, which is a part of Earth, right?"

From the way she tilted her head, she didn't. Sigh. Another lesson to add.

...

"It didn't work."

Sylphie tearily turned towards me.

Half a week passed since I began teaching Sylphie runecraft. Things weren't going so well. She could carve the Runes well enough-though her speed was something I needed to work on-they just wouldn't reproduce the desired effects.

"That's not normal..." I muttered.

Runes were one of the most simple forms of magecraft. Though you needed a clear mental image to cast the ones from this world, it should still be simple. Wait.

"Sylphie, what do you think of when casting Runes?"

She pressed a finger to her chin as if thinking. "Well, you said it was like casting a spell without releasing it. So I think of nothing."

Yep. That was the problem. I sighed, turning towards her.

"We'll be adding an additional lesson today. I hope you don't mind."

Sylphie shook her head. I nodded with a smile, leading her back inside the house. I grabbed a napkin from the kitchen-this will be used later on. I waited for Sylphie to get seated.

"I think I know why you struggle with casting Runes."

"Why?" Her lip trembled, "Is it because I'm no good?"

"No, no." I quickly shook my head, "It has nothing to do with talent. I told you each Rune has a different meaning, right?"

Sylphie nodded.

"Well, I forgot to tell you a Rune can have more than one meaning. For example."

I took the napkin from my pocket and placed it on the table, drawing a Rune on its white surface.

"This Rune, Sowilo, represents the sun. What does the sun give us?"

"Um...light and warmth?"

"Right. So the Rune can manifest the different aspects of the sun."

I passed Mana through the Rune, and it began to glow.

"It can manifest as the light aspect, or..."

I carved the Rune once more, though this time, it looked different. The angles were sharper, the lines slightly longer. The napkin burst into flame.

"The heat aspect." I dunked the burning napkin into a glass full of water, "So, how do you think people separated the different aspects?"

"I...um-don't know." Sylphie shook her head.

"Mental images." I threw the napkin into the trash can. "You must have a clear picture of the Rune's intended effects. Take 'Ansuz,' for example. It usually represents god. If you imagine a god of thunder, it could manifest as a burst of lightning. If you think of a god of fire, it could manifest as a burst of flame."

"So I need to think of what I want to happen?"

"Exactly." I handed Sylphie another napkin. "Here, try again."

She closed her eyes, concentrating as she slowly carved the Rune representing ice. It glowed an icy blue for a split second, and the napkin was coated in a layer of frost. I grinned.

"Open your eyes, Sylphie."

She slowly peeped her eyes open. They went wide as she saw the ice-covered napkin.

"I did it." She stated. "I did it!"

"Yep. Great job." I had a goofy grin on my face. A teacher's pride is a powerful thing. "Now, let's see if you can cast the others."

"Okay!"

Progress was finally made.

...

...

A month passed since I corrected Sylphie in her way of casting. Now that she was over that initial blockade, her progress could only be described as astounding. I'll run out of things to teach her soon.

I wished I could teach her magecraft, but she didn't have any circuits. My artificial circuit project had come to a stand-still-thanks to the fact I can't just kill people and experiment on their brains. My only option was phantasmal beasts, but I couldn't kill them because I had to teach Sylphie.

Today was different, however. Sylphie couldn't attend lessons as her parents needed her help cleaning their house. I'll take this opportunity to sell some of the mystic codes I made and buy some furniture while I'm at it.

So today, I'm heading to Roa.

I'd gotten better at flying and teleporting, so it should be easy.

I hope.

"Do I have everything?"

I checked if I'd forgotten any mystic codes. I managed to make quite a few simple ones. Invisibility cloak-check. A wand that automatically forms a shield when the bearer is in danger-got it. Boots that make the user twice as light-yep. Random codes I do not want to explain the functions of-safe and sound. A pouch with a pocket dimension-resting in my hand. The last one was meant to carry the money I got. I wasn't about to sell something so valuable.

I triple-checked everything before deciding to leave.

"Alright, that's all."

I nodded and checked the map held firmly in my grasp. I stretched my cloak's wings and took off with a burst of wind.

...

I loved flying. I was never afraid of heights, and feeling the wind on my face was exquisite. I felt like a free butterfly, capable of going anywhere I wished. Speaking of butterflies.

"-To be one with the wind!"

My form dissolved into hundreds of them, reforming a few kilometers away. I did this several more times, and a city surrounded by a great wall that rivaled the Great Wall of China appeared.

The streets bustled with carriages and horses, and some children ran along the more spacious roads as their exasperated mothers chased after them. Clothes hung from balconies, and flowers and other decorative plants grew in planters. It was a far cry from the quiet village of Buena.

I flew as silently as an owl-people wouldn't react well if they saw a giant butterfly-landing in a narrow alleyway. I brushed my now wild hair with my fingers and patted down my clothes. Recently, I gathered enough silk to make something akin to a noble's clothes. I didn't mean to, but it just... happened. I don't think silk had been invented in this world yet, so commoners would think I was the child of a high-ranked noble with my fancy clothes and cloak. I walked out in the open when I finally tamed my hair.

"Now, where do I need to go...?"

I need to find a shop that sells magical implements and items. I wandered the streets for a few minutes before realizing I was just going in circles. Luckily, I was in a crowded area, so getting instructions would be as easy as talking to someone.

"Excuse me," I walked up to a lady with her crying daughter, "Could you tell me where they sell magical implements? It's my first time in Roa, so I'm a bit lost."

"Oh, um. Just go straight and turn left at the fourth intersection. It's where merchants and adventurers gather. You can't miss it."

She didn't question how a six-year-old could be so polite or why I was alone. Being a mother must be stressful. I glanced at her child, a girl no older than five.

I'll help her.

A good deed deserves a reward, after all. I knelt down beside the girl.

"Hello there, I'm Rudeus. What's your name?" I gently wiped her tears with a napkin, giving it to her when I was done.

"L-Lily."

"That's a nice name. Fitting for someone so cute." She dipped her head shyly. "Someone so cute shouldn't cry. Or else you'll lose your cuteness."

"B-but it-it hurts."

"Hm?" I glanced down at her knee. A red scrape was slowly leaking blood. "Oh no, you fell and scraped your knee?"

She nodded and sniffed.

"Here," I dabbed the blood away with another napkin, "Wanna see a magic trick?"

The girl nodded, wiping her nose on the napkin I gave her. I muttered a few words under my breath.

"Healing."

A soft green glow surrounded her wound before it began stitching itself back together. When the light faded, not even a scar remained.

"There." I stood up. "All better. And now..."

I waved my hand, and a clump of clay appeared above my palm. It changed and shifted a few times before turning into a perfect replica of Lily, holding a small lily flower in her hands. It wasn't very detailed-I didn't have much time to make it-but it could pass as an average doll. I placed it in Lily's hands.

"A small gift for being so brave."

The girl looked up at me, wide-eyed.

"How'd you do that?"

I smirked. "Magic."

It was the best answer.

"Can I do it, too?"

"With enough work, of course." I ruffled her hair. "But first, you must be tough and not cause trouble for mommy, alright?"

Lily nodded, and I smiled. "If you want to be a mage, here." I scribbled the Waterball spell on some paper I tore from my notebook. "This is a simple spell. Have your mommy read it and repeat it after her. It's best to start learning when you're young." I handed it to her. "Work hard, okay? I hope to see a powerful magician in a few years. And don't cause too much trouble for mommy. You can't be a good mage if you do that."

"Okay!"

I smiled, turning to the mother. "What a polite daughter you have, miss. Also, thank you for your directions."

I turned and walked away, not acknowledging the stares directed at my back.

Helping someone felt good, like a warm, fuzzy feeling in your chest.

Well, I've got things to sell and things to buy. Now, where was that shop again?

...

My first impression was big.

The ally was massive on the inside-much more than its entrance. I walked about, taking in the bustling sights.

Mages were checking out the various Magical Implements on sale. An adventurer was arguing with a salesman about the price of a dagger. A Magic Item, I presume. I wonder what its effects are. I spotted a few dwarves giving a few gold coins to a young man; he retreated to the back, handing them a few magic crystals when he returned for their money. That was an excellent place to buy magic crystals. Noted, though I doubt I'll ever need to buy them. I've got more than enough in those chests, and I can hunt phantasmal beasts.

Okay. Enough with observing and planning. I have to see if anyone would even want to see what a child has to offer, never mind buying it. My noble-ish clothes should help somewhat. I think. I walked up to a merchant's stand.

He was a tall, blond man with a short beard on his chin. He wore leather clothes with black boots made from a material I didn't know. His light amber eyes were checking the various items he had on shelves.

"Excuse me!" I tried to sound as confident as I could. But let's be serious-I'm probably as intimidating as a kitten.

"What? Ya lost, kid?" The man scanned my clothes. "I don't have time to help look for your parents. Just walk towards the end of this street, and you'll find some guards to help ya."

"Um...I'm actually here to sell some Magic Implements I have."

The man's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Really? What's a little kid like you doing with Magical Implements?" He rubbed his beard, and a metaphorical lightbulb lit up beside his head, "I know! You probably ran away from home 'cause you couldn't handle that etiquette stuff they teach you, right? And you stole some of your parents' things when you snuck out to get some money. You're a smart one. Most noble kids'll just run away with nothing on them. Then they'll either run back to their parents or get sold into slavery. Sad truth."

While he was rambling, I'd already taken out a wand I crafted. When the man saw it, he whistled.

"Oh my, that's a piece of art right there."

I handed it to the merchant and let him examine it. It was one of the lesser implements I'd crafted. I sometimes get bored at night and don't want to work on my magic or magecraft. So I resort to crafting trinkets such as wands or dolls.

This one was made on a night when I was extremely frustrated and couldn't sleep. The reasons causing my frustrations were the hot weather and half of my silkworms died. It wasn't difficult to replace them, but I almost finished my set of clothes, damn it! It was made of persimmon wood-it resonated best with fire-and was compressed down from a log the size of my arm into a small stick barely reaching thirty centimeters. It was now harder and more resilient than stone. The wand's bottom tip was made of copper, with a design that looked like a rose with fire for its petals. On the wand's shaft, moths and butterflies with wings seemingly made of flames were carved. This was inspired by the summer night's heat that killed off my silkworms. A reflection of the moths they could have become. On the tip rested an orange jewel in the shape of a butterfly's cocoon. It was one of the mid-ranked crystals I had at my disposal-somewhere between C and B rank. This wand wasn't powerful-it could neither increase the spell's lethality nor multiply one's Mana-but it could decrease the power needed to cast fire spells by half. The appearance made up for the rest.

"This is high-quality stuff!" The merchant exclaimed, "I'll give you ten gold coins."

Come on, that wand was worth at least twenty Asura gold coins.

"Sixteen coins." I decided to try haggling, "That wand can decrease the Mana required for fire spells by half and increase the strength of earth magic." That last one was just a lie.

"Smart little kid, aren't ya. I guess you learned something before running away." The merchant scratched his beard, "Eleven coins."

"Fourteen."

"Eleven."

"Fourteen."

"Twelve."

"Thirteen. That's as low as I can go."

"You've got yourself a deal."

I shook hands with the merchant. He handed me a pouch with a few gold coins. Once I checked my money, I gave him my wand. I walked away from the merchant's stand with a giddy feeling. That wasn't as hard as I thought. And who would've guessed a single wand would be worth one million and three hundred thousand yen? I still feel like that merchant scammed me, but it's too late to change that.

"Now..." I put the coins in my pocket dimension pouch, "Time to sell these other items."

...

It's now mid-afternoon.

I managed to sell everything I had and-to my great surprise-ended up with one hundred plus gold coins. That'll last me for quite some time. And making more will be as easy as breathing.

Now, to buy the furniture. I couldn't carry chairs and tables while flying, and teleporting could only get me so far. So I'll hire a carriage to deliver them.

I'll think about that later. For now, I'll get some grub. I didn't have time for lunch as I was too busy arguing with a stubborn trader trying to scam me. I offer him glasses that can make one's sight sharper than a hawk-priceless for archers-and he gives me two gold coins. I almost blasted his stand with flaming swords because of the disrespect.

I wandered for a bit before stopping in front of a small bar-I didn't want to spend too much money on the first day-I still had furniture and other things to buy, after all.

I heard this was a popular place-especially for adventurers and merchants. The food was okay, and the prices were bearable. I entered the bar and scanned the room. It wasn't crowded, but it wasn't empty, either. More than twenty people were sitting behind tables, and another ten were lined up at the counter. I noticed a few carried staffs or wands. No surprise there-mages often became adventurers. I took my place at the back of the line.

After several minutes of waiting, it was finally my turn; I walked up to the counter. I was so short that my head barely reached the top. The waiter on the other side looked confused at why the person behind me wasn't placing his order.

"Um, hello!" I called, and the waiter craned his neck to see me. I gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry! This'll just take a minute!"

I snapped my fingers.

"Carry me. Great wind."

There was a small gust of air, and my feet lifted up from the ground. The people around me gave small gasps of disbelief. I patted down my clothes.

"I apologize for that. Being a seven-year-old can be quite a pain. People just don't take you seriously." I scanned the menu, "Now, I think I'll have-is there something wrong?"

The waiter was giving me an odd look-it was like if you saw a bar of gold on the street and no one was picking it up.

"O-oh. Nothing, young man. Please continue."

"Right then. I'll have..."

...

I placed my order and went to wait behind a table; a worker should bring my meal soon enough. I looked around the bar as I waited, ducking out of the way from a flying sandwich. As I said before: this was a popular place for adventurers, so it wasn't decked out with fancy noble-ish equipment, and people didn't behave like nobles, either. People just sat where ever; you could even bring your own chair if you wanted-I don't understand why you'd do that, but it's listed in the rules.

I guess I was caught in my self-musings as my food had already been delivered. I looked at it before I dug in. I got some kind of meat and vegetable stew with bread and a root beer on the side. I took a bite.

"Not bad." I muttered, "I still prefer mother's home cooking, though."

I was about halfway through when I heard someone approach me.

He was a muscled young man with brown hair on the edge of black. His nose was sharp, and his chin defined. His eyes were slightly squinted but were still calculating. All in all, he was pretty handsome by this world's standards.

The most noticeable thing about him was the red tinge on his face and the smell of booze that followed in his wake.

I sighed. This was going to be a pain. I already know what he's going to say, and I don't want to deal with that today.

"Hey! Brat!"

"Do you mean me?" I asked in a monotone voice. It's best to not provoke this drunkard. I'll wait for him to get bored and level, or I can just hypnotize him if things get ugly.

"Yes! I mean you! Who else would I be talking to? The table?!"

"Oh, wow! Sarcasm! I didn't think that bicep brain of yours was capable of that. Even though I could have done better in my sleep."

I heard a vein pop. I looked over, and the black-haired man had literal steam coming from his ears. Oops, I said that aloud, didn't I? So much for not provoking him.

"Cheeky, aren't you? Brat. You know, I hate people like you. Who are children of nobles, strolling around like you own the place. And don't think that trick you did was intimidating. What can floating do in battle? It'll just make you easier to kill. You noble-born brats are born with a silver spoon in your mouth, learning magic tricks that won't do shit in battle."

"Language." I calmly stated. I may be making him madder, but who the hell cares? "You are speaking in front of a seven-year-old boy. Please have the decency to use proper language."

The man's face got even redder. "Don't fuck with me! And what's with that cloak of yours? It makes you look like a dark sorcerer."

"I made this cloak myself, thank you very much. And for your information, I can be considered a dark sorcerer."

"Hah! Sure, brat. Continue thinking you're a sorcerer. What can you do? Summon a dead fly? I doubt you're even a beginner-level mage. You probably hired your royal guards to levitate you or something."

"Provoke me, and you'll find out my level." I took a sip of my root beer. That gesture seemed to make the man even angrier.

At this point, his buddies were starting to calm him down. "Come on, Tom. Just leave the kid alone." "Yeah, let's just go, Thomas. You don't want his parents to kill you." It seems quite the crowd had gathered.

"Shaddup! This rick kid's pissing me off." Tom turned back to me, "You want a fight? I'll give you a fight."

He reared his arm back and aimed a punch at my face. Many people in the crowd winced, but I was calm. His fist stopped inches away from my face, blocked by a golden wall. When he was rambling, I set up my Runestones into a simple barrier.

"The hell?!"

Tom continued hitting the blockade, but he made no progress. It was considered advanced-rank for a reason, after all.

"An advanced-rank Barrier spell. Take your time trying to break it. This should prove I'm at least an advanced-rank mage. How I cast it silently and without magic circles just adds to my point."

I looked at his figure and sighed. His face was redder than a tomato at this point. He wasn't going to listen to reason. Seriously, how much booze did this guy have? Or was he just intolerant to alcohol? I waved my hand, and an earth wall rose up behind him. It swallowed his arms and legs, restraining him. I dropped the barrier and quickly cast detoxifying magic on him.

"Look, mister. I won't pretend to know why you hate nobles so much, but here's a word of advice." I activated my Demon Eyes slightly, only to the point where they'd glow. "Don't take your anger out on noble children. Not all are as forgiving or understanding as me. If you incur the wrath of their parents... Well, that won't be a happy ending for you."

To make my point, I projected a few swords around me with various rune chains. Making them fly, I stopped the blades inches away from his face before dismissing them.

I wiped my mouth on a napkin and stood up. The crowd parted for me-I guess they didn't want to anger me further. I placed a gold coin on the counter. "An apology for causing trouble." I walked out of the bar without looking back. The food there was good, so I might come back again. I just hope there won't be any drunkards.

"Now...where was that furniture store again?"

...

A day went by since I went to Roa.

The furniture I bought should arrive today. I requested that the carriage take the route through the woods so it won't be seen. I cleared out a small patch of the forest to unload it.

I was waiting below the tree on the tallest hill like I usually do. Sylphie finished helping her parents with housework, so today, I'll have her help me move furniture. Free manual labor! Bwahahahahaha!

No. Stop that. Sylphie is your friend. Stop thinking as if she's a slave.

I heard footsteps behind me.

"Did I miss anything yesterday?" Sylphie asked.

I stared at her in surprise. "You're wearing a dress."

Instead of her usual black shorts, she wore a brown dress.

Sylphie nodded, blushing shyly. "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful on you."

She averted her eyes, blushing.

I chucked, " To answer your previous question, no. You didn't miss a single thing." Nothing relevant, anyway. "Come on. I'll have to jam two days' worth of lessons in your brain today. I hope you're ready."

Sylphie gave a determined nod. She was just too cute in times like this.

I gave her my hand, and we vanished into a storm of white and gold.

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So, what do you all think? Not bad, I hope. I'll say this again. I'm just writing this fanfic cause I lost my creativity. I'm just trying to get rid of my writer's block. So I'll apologize if there are any mistakes.

Anyways, Please like, share, follow, and comment.

As always, good luck with your game of life.