Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

Could a six-year-old really share a room with Roxy?

Rudeus silently scoffed, mocking his older brother Roy for his audacity. It was clear now, Roy had been scheming all along, a wolf in sheep's clothing. Just as he suspected, anyone sharing the same bloodline was bound to share the same mischief.

Under Roy's intense gaze, Rudeus had no choice but to relent. He spoke up reluctantly, "How about letting Nii-san share a room with Miss Roxy instead? My room is messy and quite small, but Nii-san's room is much bigger. It seems like it could easily accommodate two people."

Paul hesitated, scratching his head. "But your brother is still a boy. Having him share a room with a girl doesn't feel entirely proper."

Rudeus quickly countered, "Nii-san is only six! Miss Roxy can just think of him as her little brother."

Paul glanced at Roy's calm and composed demeanor. That delicate, doll-like face somehow made the whole arrangement seem... acceptable.

Roy seized the moment. "If my brother feels uncomfortable sharing with sensei." He said softly, "Then I believe I can manage just fine."

Rudeus stared in disbelief at his older brother, who wore the same serene expression as always. Inside, he was cursing Roy's shamelessness—shifting the blame entirely onto him.

With his childish voice and an androgynous tone that defied easy categorization, combined with his angelic face and cold, detached manner, Roy's demeanor was so convincing that Paul couldn't bring himself to object further.

After some deliberation, Paul turned to Roxy, who was happily devouring her meal, clearly famished. "Miss Roxy, would you mind sharing a room with Roy?"

Barely looking up from her food, Roxy gave Roy a quick glance. Without giving it much thought, she replied, "That's fine with me."

Hearing this, Roy's lips curled into a faint smile, though inside he was grinning triumphantly.

It wasn't until after dinner, when Roxy was preparing to head to the room, that she fully grasped the situation.

Grabbing Roy by the sleeve, she exclaimed, "Wait... I'm sharing a room with you?"

Roy nodded with an air of calm.

Seeing the blush creep across Roxy's face, Roy felt the need to explain. "My room is actually quite spacious." He offered gently.

Roxy sighed, resignation settling in. "Fine."

Carrying her luggage upstairs, Roxy entered Roy's room and was pleasantly surprised.

Just as Roy had said, the room was indeed spacious. It was also remarkably tidy. Against one wall stood a wooden desk, flanked by a sturdy chair. Neatly arranged books lined the desk, most of them related to magic or the world's history.

The floors gleamed, polished to perfection, and the bed was immaculately made. A faint, pleasant fragrance filled the room, identical to Roy's subtle scent.

The word "scented" flickered briefly through Roxy's mind.

"You must be tired after such a long journey." Roy said softly, his youthful voice carrying a hint of maturity. "Feel free to rest."

"Now that you mention it, I am a bit drowsy." Roxy admitted, stifling a yawn as she set her belongings down.

Roy, meanwhile, sat at the desk, a book in hand. Yet his mind was far from the text—he was engrossed in the mechanics of world capture.

The warm glow of the candlelight cast shadows on Roy's youthful face, accentuating his soft, golden hair that cascaded down to his waist. His golden eyes sparkled with a purity that resembled polished gemstones.

From the beginning, Roxy had noticed there was something different about this boy. He carried himself with a maturity far beyond his years, always composed, always reliable.

While removing her mage's cloak, she stole glances at Roy from the corner of her eye. If he dared so much as peek, she would insist on a room change immediately.

But to her disappointment—or perhaps relief—Roy appeared completely absorbed in his book, showing no sign of interest in her actions.

Sighing again, Roxy felt an odd mix of pride and dismay. Am I really that unappealing?

Unbeknownst to her, Roy was utterly fascinated by the system functions unfurling before him.

[World Detected: Sword Art Online – 1-Star Tier]

[World-Time Ratio: 4:1]

[Coordinates Established. Choose your mode of entry:]

[Soul Projection (Requires Manual Control)]

[Physical Traversal]

[Note 1: Soul projection death only injures the soul. Physical death is final.]

[Note 2: Experience from soul projection is partially transferable.]

[Note 3: Engage with the storyline to amass Temporal Energy for future traversals.]

[Note 4: Your chosen small-world is incomplete. Substantial Origin Power is required for restoration.]

Roy pondered the options. Soul projection allowed simultaneous activity in both worlds, albeit with reduced rewards. Physical traversal, on the other hand, meant abandoning one world entirely.

Given that Sword Art Online was a low-tier world, soul projection seemed the more practical choice.

After selecting soul projection, three identity options appeared:

[Sword Trainee: Slightly enhances swordsmanship aptitude.]

[The Fool (Special): A naïve, pure soul who embarks on a journey without fear.

Caution: Choosing this alters personality traits to include naivety, overconfidence, stubbornness, and instability.]

[Special Reward: Unlocks higher levels of Fool talent upon completion.]

[Student: Modestly improves learning capabilities.]

Roy hesitated upon seeing the Fool option. It had already elevated his magical aptitude significantly, despite its quirks.

"I'll choose the Fool."

The moment Roy made his decision, his mind stirred, and he felt his perspective split. His soul divided into two, allowing him to clearly perceive the vision, sensations, and state of this second self.

It was, in a word, a fascinating experience.

He began to multitask, controlling the second self while maintaining focus on his original body—a seamless exercise in duality.

This secondary self now existed as the Fool.

Interestingly, the time ratio for this projection was surprisingly low—just 1:4.

When not actively managed, the Fool would operate based on a simulation of his original personality and habits, akin to an AI autopilot mode.

Of course, Roy could switch perspectives at will, diving into the Sword Art Online world whenever he wanted. The experience itself was both novel and intriguing.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

***

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