SIAW Vol. 2 Chapter 18

Chapter 18 – Zanvert and Dorothea 

After Tenma hurried out of the room, an atmosphere of relief formed among Zanvert, Dorothea and the other people left inside.

After a brief time of looking at each other, gauging who was going to take the word first, Zanvert finally spoke up.

“Well… I knew the boy was special, but he exceeded all my expectations. It’s been nothing but surprises since this morning…honestly, I’m pretty exhausted.”

“What do you mean? Did something happen before you two came here today?”

Zanvert answered Dorothea’s question with a wry smile.

“These documents have all been written over the course of one night.”

The three women were left speechless.

Zanvert paused for a moment, then continued.

“He said he was going to prepare the documents in one night, but I couldn’t believe it. I thought he was going to come up with some notes at most. So you can imagine my surprise when he came to me with documents so well organized. Besided, during his rank F exam he managed to defeat a rank C examiner who had lost his temper. This man was hungover, yes, but Tenma managed to knock him out of commission and defuse the situation.”

Zanvert recalled how Tenma crushed Gust and stabbed his wooden sword into the stone floor, up to the hilt. After seeing the documents, Zanvert realized that such an incredible feat had been made possible by Tenma’s exceptional Physical Boost skill.

“Hmm, but this document only explains how to learn Physical Boost. How could he…ah! I suppose he had no intention of explaining everything he knows…the other documents too had some vague parts. I wondered why…but now I guess I understand.”

While talking, Dorothea realized that Tenma had registered the documents incomplete, on purpose.

Zanvert, who knew Tenma for a while longer than her, had reached the same conclusion.

“I believe that too. He changed the topic when I asked, but he probably took down the Silver Wolf pack all by himself too. He came to register a Silver Wolf cub as familiar today, you know? Hahahaha!!”

“What!? You usually need to mobilize the knights or the army to deal with Silver Wolves! Tenma did it…by himself…?”

Dorothea was at a loss for words.

Zanvert nodded and continued.

“I saw the Silver Wolves’ Mana Stones with my own eyes, there is no mistake. These documents have only affirmed my suspicions: he is a highly skilled user not only of sword arts and physical attacks, but magic too.”

One of Dorothea’s assistants, Calliana, nodded and joined in the conversation.

“I think there is more! I am sure he can use Alchemy too, and possesses powers that I cannot even dream of. He applied enchantments to the bracelets just before giving them to us. Status, Storage, and even mental communication functions…all in one second! It’s just…without precedent!”

Calliana was the effective leader of the Alchemists’ Guild, and as alchemist was on par with Dorothea: in other words, she was one, if not the best Alchemy user in the country.

Even in the eyes of such an expert, Tenma’s skills appeared to be next level.

“Calliana is absolutely right. Tenma is probably the absolute best user of Physical Boost and Alchemy in the country…he might surpass even me in terms of knowledge about magic, too.”

Dorothea’s last comment surprised Zanvert, to the point he swallowed his breath, yet he found it easily believable.

After a brief pause, the man sighed.

“My dearest sister, that’s the person you shamelessly lied to, just to have a glimpse of his status. If he had seriously gotten angry…I don’t even want to think about it.”

Dorothea looked down, feeling miserable.

“I…truly regret that, believe me. But…it is so frustrating. If only I had met him before becoming an adult, I would be so much more…”

“More importantly, please do be careful from now on! If you make him angry like that every time, terrible things are going to happen!”

“I-I know! I was in the wrong this time. But from now on, I will respect and admire Tenma as a mentor. Why, I might as well offer myself as his consort!”

Dorothea’s unexpected declaration left Zanvert and the other two women wide-eyed.

Zanvert, the shocked expression still lingering on his face, managed to somehow open his mouth.

“L-Listen now…Tenma just became of age. You, my sister, are already over 60 years old. If you really tell him something like that, he’s going to get really angry, you know?”

“I-I see…I was just thinking that I’d gladly marry someone more skilled than I am, but…indeed, the age gap is a wee bit too wide…oh dear, what is this! Just thinking about that boy makes my heart beat so fast!”

Zanvert and the two women glared at Dorothea.

Realizing the meaning of the gaze cast upon her, Dorothea looked down, embarrassed.

“I know…I know…”

Realizing that her words were not said completely in jest, Zanvert became even more worried.

“For the love of all that’s holy, sister, do NOT annoy Tenma even more, all right? I don’t even want to think about what could happen to Ronda if he got seriously angry…right, I’ll go talk with Barrol. Sister, you should go speak with Lord Albert!”

“Hmm, what a pain…well, I suppose I can do that much.”

In just one day, Dorothea had caused Zanvert to break into cold sweats multiple times.

The situation was now back to normal, but he knew in his heart that she was definitely going to stir up more trouble in the near future…