Compensation θ ~ I might be late for reincarnation, but since I was born as the talented eldest son of a prestigious noble, I might be on the winning side.

Due to listening the turbulent history of my family, I felt like I needed a change of mood.

The blue sky outside the window offered perfect weather for a walk, so I decided to go outside to take in the fresh air.

I visited the central enclosure that I had been to recently.

Today, I plan to play in the moat surrounding the old main house and the tranquil field around it, rather than the old main house itself.

The moat is lined with short grass that spreads like a lawn.

On the other hand, the field is like a soft green carpet that would catch you if you fall.

Moreover, some of the trees growing here have thick branches at a reachable height.

Yeah. It’s perfect for children to play in.

“We have set up a seat in the shade.”

“Oh, it looks great. I’ll be resting there, so everyone, go ahead and play without worrying about me.”

“Then, we will ensure the children safety.”

“Be careful not to get hurt.”

Among the children playing together, the eldest is Archie, the eldest son of the Casper family.

He is carrying a curved wooden board with a string as a handle, known as a sled or grass sled.

In my past life as a child, he used to play in the nearby park.

In the grassy northern region of the Glass region, sleds are popular play equipment.

So, among the girls, only Elsie is wearing pants. She seems eager to slide.

The other girls, the Lloyd family’s three sisters, seem to be picking flowers delicately.

At their feet there are a lot of different plants growing. They resemble white clover, lamb’s quarters, shepherd’s purse, and dandelion, among others.

Since human hands have been involved to some extent in the creation of this meadow, the visibility is good, and the breeze feels nice. But the sunlight might be a bit strong.

At the urging of the attendants, I sat on a thick cushion laid out in the shade, leaning against a large cushion.

Children running energetically through the meadow. Even in a different world, it’s a scene symbolizing peace.

…Oops, I can’t let myself be dragged into the past again.

Besides changing my mood, I have another purpose.

I’ve been neglecting my magic training lately. I plan to do a bit of it today.

Of course, I can’t use magic in front of others, so today, I’m going to attempt transmutation.

Transmutation, or attribute transmutation, involves connecting to the primordial layer that covers the world, extracting primordial substance, and converting it into mana.

The process of conversion is roughly called structural transformation. It’s similar to rearranging the three-dimensional model of molecules.

To perform structural transformation, you use formula.

Formula are geometric patterns that unfold in three dimensions. Each attribute has basic shapes, and you apply operations like rotation, enlargement, reduction, and division to create a continuous pattern.

When primordial substance flows through the assembled imprints, attribute transmutation occurs, transforming it into mana. The efficiency of this transformation depends on how little distortion there is in the pattern.

This transmutation ability is one of the profession-specific traits of the [Emperor of Reason]

Normally, connecting to the primordial layer is a complex process that requires several steps, and precision is crucial for formula construction. Yet, I can perform it easily, as if turning on a tap. I can extract primordial substance by passing it through a formula engraved on my body, and instantly convert it into attribute specific-mana.

This is quite amazing.

The speed at which I can cast magic is probably unmatched by anyone. There are other factors that affect someone’s magical strength, but at this stage, I think the transmutation ability gives me a significant advantage.

Lyon, the Swift wind Mage. Maybe that’s what my future nickname will be.

Now then, let’s put it into practice.

First, I’ll start with “light”, which is considered the simplest attribute transmutation.

“Light” requires three transformations, and its basic shape is a triangle. The formula used is called the vertex formula.

The mana created through the vertex formula easily flows into the air one after another.

—There it goes.

—Want to play?

—Let’s play!

Perhaps the elemental spirits sensed the mana, as light elemental spirits quickly gathered.

Wait a minute. What are you all planning to do? Mana is not a toy… No, hold on. For elemental spirits, mana is like mud for making clay figurines. If it naturally wells up without them having to dig for it…

—It’s beautiful.

—So bright.

—It’s fun!

Yeah, I agree. It’s beautiful. And it’s so bright, with all those colors when it’s refracted. But it’s no good. Adults are watching. If the area around the children suddenly sparkles like this, people are going to notice. It was only for a moment (I hope), but it stood out a bit too much.

It seems like it’s impossible to transmute “light” any further.

Next is the “fire” of four transformations. The formula used is called the square formula. But I’ll pass on that for now. If I do that, it might lead to a disaster that can’t be dismissed as a mere illusion.

So, next.

“Air” is invisible, so I think it’s safe. Besides, there’s a reasonable amount of wind blowing, and if I transmute it little by little, it should blend in.

“Air” requires five transformations. The formula used is called the star formula. It consists of a pentagon and five triangles.

As the concentration of mana in the surroundings increases, the wind elemental spirits have come closer now.

The wind blows through the grass like a slide, forming swirls, scattering the grass, and climbing high into the sky like an inverse slider. Even though they’re small, elemental spirits are amazing. They can easily turn mana into phenomena and manipulate it freely.

As I watch in admiration, the wind elemental spirits start to gather in one place.

Their numbers are increasing, and a multitude of wind elemental spirits move as if they were one large living creature.

A school of young grass-colored fish swimming calmly through the pale blue sky.

That’s how it looked with my elemental sight.

I had seen elemental spirits acting in groups around Elemental Lake, but this was the first time I had witnessed such a large-scale event.

—Lyon, everyone, come over here.

Faein? Where are you?

—Everyone, come here.

If I look closely, there is a larger elemental spirit within the spirits cluster.

Faein, who came from Valenfield, has grown significantly since arriving in Glassbridge. He has become more prominent, and among the wind elemental spirits, he is becoming a leader.

The surroundings of Elemental Lake had a relatively high number of light and water elemental spirits.

Compared to that, there are clearly more wind elemental spirits around this region. Perhaps the environment had an influence.

Faein, I found you. Are you playing over there?

—No, everyone was waiting.

Waiting for what? Or who?

—I don’t know. We can’t help it.

Huh? I don’t understand. What are they trying to convey?

—We saw… for a long time…

—…Until… something… came…

—…Trouble… stop… turned…

—…It’s going… away…

Here we go again. I can’t understand a thing when they all speak at once. Faein, what are they saying… Faein?… No response. Did he leave?

The group scattered like mist, and the elemental spirits dispersed in all directions. At that moment, a strong wind blew, ruffling my hair and clothes.

Communication with wind elemental spirits is always like this. They are generally capricious, speaking their minds, and then disappearing somewhere.

Once the wind completely calmed down, the tranquil view of the meadow returned.

“Lord Lyon, would you like to join us soon? We’ve removed any stones or debris.”

“I’ll be fine in that area over there, probably.”

“There’s no “probably”. We’ve thoroughly checked for safety.”

“In that case, let’s give it a try.”

The Casper siblings invited me to join them on the grass sled.

“Please sit around here. Yes, just like that. Hold onto the string tightly. Now, we’ll let go of your hand.”

Wooden boards are difficult to steer. So, once you start leaning forward, it’s all about straight sliding.

The slope in the moat provides quite a bit of speed.

“Lord Lyon, you’re quite daring. You don’t seem like a beginner at all.”

“Really? But I’m not as fast as everyone else.”

“It’s about style and experience, I think.”

Playing like this is a first for me in this world. Sliding is fun. Returning to a child’s like activity isn’t a bad thing. In fact, I’m more excited and exhilarated than I thought.

The scent of fresh grass, the smell of slightly damp earth. It’s wonderful

Sadly, since I’m not used to physical activity, my cheeks flush quickly, and I’m out of breath. I should take a little break around here.

As I sit in the grass, the Lloyd family’s three sisters approach.

“Sliding looks like fun. Should I go do that too?”

“You didn’t bring pants, did you?”

“Elsie said she’d lend me clothes.”

“I see. Shall we go change, then?”

It seems that Claire is going to join the grass sled. She may look prim and proper, but she might be surprisingly active.

“Your cheeks are red. Are you okay?”

“Huh?”

Before I knew it, Cynthia was right next to me, peering at my face.

So close. I’m sitting, and Cynthia is standing, so I’m being looked down on by a two-year-old.

“No fever, no fever.”

“Well, I don’t have a fever… No, thanks.”

Cynthia’s tiny hand gently touched my forehead.

A seven-year-old being comforted by a two-year-old. It’s a misunderstanding, but I thought I’d accept her feelings sincerely.

“I’ll give you the ‘no fever’ flower.”

With that, Cynthia took off the flower crown on her head and, for some reason, put it on my head.

“Is it okay for me to have this?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, Cynthia! What are you doing?”

While talking with Claire, Mira, who had been with us, noticed our situation.

“No fever, no fever.”

“Oh no! Lord Lyon, are you not feeling well?”

Oops. I need to deny it properly here, or our outing will be in vain.

“I’m just a little tired, so I’ll be fine with a short rest.”

“That’s good to hear. I apologize for interrupting your break.”

“It’s okay. Cynthia said this flower crown is for ‘no fever.’ Do you know what it means?”

“Yes. The flowers on this crown are called star flowers, and they are often found near bodies of water. They are believed to have a soothing effect on fevers if kept nearby.”

“Just keeping the flowers can have such an effect?”

“Star flowers are special. They are favored by water spirits, and when attracted by them, the spirits help release the heat from the body.”

Wow. Even in a place like this, there’s a benefit from elemental spirits. And these flowers are favored by the spirits. They truly look like common wildflowers, small and white… It seems I need to visit that place again.

That’s what I thought as I looked up at the former main residence standing in the center of the empty moat.