Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

Another two years passed, and Roy had successfully set Rudeus up with his first wife—Sylphiette.

Bringing the shy Sylphy into the house and leaving her in Rudeus's care, Roy silently mused, You've got one already, so no being greedy now.

With his matchmaking duties temporarily set aside, Roy spent most of his time honing his magic and swordsmanship, though in the back of his mind, he was carefully counting the days.

What was he waiting for? Naturally, for Roxy.

If Rudeus had a wife wasn't it only fair for the elder brother to have one too?

When Rudeus turned four, Roy began subtly pitching his idea to Paul and Zenith.

"Father, Mother, I believe Rudeus and I would benefit greatly from having a magic tutor to guide us." He said in his usual calm, persuasive tone.

Before long, a girl with striking blue hair stepped out of a carriage parked outside their home.

"My name is Roxy. It's a pleasure to meet you." She said in a soft, composed voice.

Before them stood a petite figure clad in a traditional brown mage's robe, her cerulean hair braided neatly down her back. She had the air of a middle schooler, though her demeanor was both delicate and dignified. Half-lidded eyes that seemed perpetually tired paired with her stoic tone gave her an unmistakable impression: a weary but charming mage.

The moment Roy saw her, he didn't hesitate. He grabbed Rudeus by the arm and pulled him aside.

"Rudeus." Roy began, his expression deadly serious. "Do I treat you well?"

Rudeus, bewildered by the abrupt question, nodded. It was true—despite Roy's stoic and sometimes intimidating demeanor, he'd always been a good and fair elder brother.

Roy leaned in close, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "That girl... I've decided she's mine."

Rudeus's eyes widened in disbelief. He glanced at Roxy, her small frame and delicate features undeniably adorable. Then he looked back at Roy, the picture-perfect pretty boy. His mind immediately raced to vivid, very unbrotherly thoughts. His cheeks flushed as his imagination ran wild, conjuring scenes fit for a… particularly niche library.

Sensing that his words might not have landed, Roy repeated himself, unwavering. "That girl. She's mine."

Rudeus nodded slowly, his expression shifting to one of understanding. He leaned in and whispered, "So… what's the plan?"

Roy raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Plan? What plan?"

Rudeus's lips curled into a mischievous grin, his voice dropping as he whispered excitedly, "You know… that. You can't tell me you're not at least thinking about it with a girl this cute."

Roy fell silent, lost in thought. Seeing this as encouragement, Rudeus patted Roy's shoulder with a knowing look, then called out loudly, "Sylphy, you can come out and listen too!"

Paul, visibly annoyed at the boys' hushed scheming, barked, "Roy! Rudeus! Get over here and greet your teacher properly!"

Meanwhile, Roxy studied the two boys curiously. Adjusting her hat slightly, she asked Paul, "I was told there were two children needing instruction in magic… but where is the other one?"

Her confusion deepened when Paul gestured toward the taller, impeccably beautiful child. "This is my eldest son, Roy."

Then he pointed at the smaller, scruffy blond boy. "And this is my second son, Rudeus."

Roxy blinked, stunned. She glanced between the two boys, her gaze lingering on Roy, who seemed almost too polished to be real.

Roy, already accustomed to this kind of misunderstanding, bowed politely. "You must be our teacher. It's an honor to meet you. I am Roy Greyrat, but feel free to call me Roy."

Roxy was momentarily taken aback, staring at the delicate, doll-like boy in front of her. Her expression shifted to one of disbelief as she tentatively pointed at Roy. "You… you're a boy?"

Roy's eyebrow twitched slightly. He had been expecting this reaction—his ethereal looks often led to these kinds of misinterpretations. Keeping his composure, he nodded.

An awkward smile crossed Roxy's face as she continued to glance between Roy and Rudeus, clearly trying to make sense of the unusual pair of brothers before her.

"Are these the two children who will be learning magic?" Roxy asked, her gaze shifting between Roy and Rudeus.

Rudeus hesitantly raised his hand. "If it's alright, I was hoping Sylphy could also learn under your guidance."

"Eh? Me?" Sylphy's voice was tinged with shyness. "Just being with Rudeus and Roy is enough. Learning magic too… isn't that a bit much?"

Rudeus responded with a bright smile, waving his hand as if to say, Leave it to me.

Paul, however, pressed a hand to his forehead in frustration. "Hey, you two! Stop deciding things on your own! The plan was for the two of you—no more."

Roxy's smile faltered as her gaze fell on the timid Sylphy. After a sigh, she relented. "You may stay and observe. However, aren't all of you a bit too young for this? One of you is six, and the other two are only four."

The cheerful expressions on Rudeus and Sylphy's faces froze instantly.

Paul, on the other hand, puffed out his chest with pride. "My boys are geniuses!" he declared with no small amount of arrogance.

Roxy let out a resigned sigh, rubbing her temples as though warding off a headache. Her tone softened. "Alright then, let's start with the first lesson."

The four of them moved to an open spot in the courtyard and sat down.

Roxy pulled a heavy tome from her bag. After a moment's thought, she set it aside and addressed the three children seated cross-legged before her. "We'll start with this magic textbook—no, before that, let's first see how much magic each of you can actually use."

Rudeus was about to speak when Roy's calm, measured voice cut him off. "We've only studied the basics from books."

Roxy's finely shaped eyebrows rose ever so slightly. Her expression betrayed no surprise, only a knowing look. She exhaled softly and glanced around the group. "I'll demonstrate first. Watch closely and see if you can replicate it."

With a practiced tone, she chanted.

"Oh great water spirit, heed my call and bring forth the flowing stream to this place—Water Ball."

A sphere of water, roughly the size of a fist, materialized in her hand. It swirled in place before flying toward a distant railing.

Splat.

The water ball landed with a splash, drenching the wood but leaving no damage.

"Did you see that?" Roxy asked, her tone slightly listless. It was clear she had low expectations for her young pupils.

"Amazing!" Rudeus's voice was exaggerated in its admiration as he shot a playful glance at Roy.

Sylphy, however, tilted her head in confusion. She whispered to herself, "Haven't they already mastered this?"

Magic truly was a wondrous art—capable of summoning fire, wind, water, and earth seemingly out of thin air.

But it was also notoriously difficult to learn, requiring precise control and ample magical energy.

What Roxy didn't realize was that today, she had encountered three prodigies of the highest caliber.