The lobby of the Mage Guild went silent in a way that made my skin crawl, bringing back some old office trauma. It was the kind of silence that usually happens right before a boss starts yelling in a boardroom.
Everyone stopped what they were doing. The mages in their fine robes, the merchants with their heavy bags, and the guards with their shiny spears all turned their heads.
They wanted to see what would happen next. This was the best entertainment they had seen all day: a high-ranking noble girl was picking a fight with a young boy from a village.
Seraphina's attendant looked like he wanted to vanish into the floor. He was a thin man with a very neat mustache that was currently twitching with stress. He stepped forward and placed a trembling hand on the girl's shoulder, looking at the Guild staff with a pained smile.
"Lady Seraphina is simply tired from her lessons," the attendant said, talking very fast. "She is a bit excited today. Please, ignore the outburst. It is just the energy of youth."
The damage was already done. The girl was not listening to him. She shook his hand off her shoulder and kept her violet eyes locked on mine. She looked like she wanted to set me on fire just for existing in her line of sight.
My adult mind started running through a list of social traps. I recognized this situation instantly. In my previous life, I had dealt with the spoiled children of my company's executives during annual office parties.
Those kids were tiny terrors. If you were too nice to them, they would walk all over you. If you were even a little bit rude, their parents would make your life a living hell.
This was a thousand times worse. This was a world where nobility could literally make your family disappear.
If I show too much respect, I look like a weak target for her to bully, I thought. But if I am rude, I might bring the wrath of a Count down on my parents. This is a lose-lose situation. I really hate being a protagonist. Or a supporting character. Or whatever I am. I just want to go home and nap.
I decided to play the only card I had. I would be a child, a very polite, very harmless child. I gave a small, clumsy bow. I made sure to look a bit confused and overwhelmed.
"Hello." I said, trying to make my voice sound as small and innocent as possible. "My name is Cid. My mama and papa brought me here to see the shiny crystals."
I couldn't help but cringe at my own words.
I internally cursed my luck. I felt like a total fraud, but it was for a good cause. I just needed her to get bored and walk away.
Seraphina was not satisfied. She didn't want a polite response; she wanted a reaction. She walked directly up to me, ignoring her attendant's protests. She was slightly taller than me, and she used every bit of that height to look down her nose. She had probably spent hours practicing that look in a mirror.
"I can sense your mana," she announced. Her voice was loud enough for every person in the lobby to hear.
I knew she was lying. She couldn't sense my mana. That wouldn't make any sense. She was just showing off. But whatever, I'll roll with it.
"It is pathetically small," she said with a cruel little smile. "That is exactly what I would expect from a peasant. It is tiny. It is a joke. You shouldn't even be allowed to step a foot inside a guild like this. You are wasting everyone's time."
I felt a familiar twitch in my left eye. In my old life, this was the moment I would have gone to the break room to scream into a paper towel. Being mocked by a child was a new low, even for me. But I maintained my blank, childish smile. I didn't let the anger reach my face.
Grace moved to step forward. I could see her protective maternal instincts kicking in. She didn't care about titles or counts when someone was being mean to her son.
But Daniel was faster. He placed a heavy hand on her shoulder and held her back, shaking his head slightly.
He knew the rules of the city. If a commoner insulted a noble, the consequences would be fast and brutal. He was protecting her, and he was protecting our family.
I looked back at Seraphina. I realized I needed to say something to end this. If I just stood there, she would keep going until I cried.
"You're right, my lady," I said, keeping my tone very innocent. "My mana is very small. It is not a very big number. But an uncle once told me it's not the size that matters. He told me it is how you use it that counts."
The words left my mouth before I could stop them. In my mind, I was literally talking about my efficiency theory. I was thinking about my twenty-seven percent resonance and how I could do more with less.
But as soon as the words hit the air, I realized how they sounded to an adult audience.
The lobby went from silent to a chorus of stifled noises. Several adult mages near the reception desk began to cough loudly to hide their laughter. One man actually turned his back to us, his shoulders shaking. Even Gerald, who was still standing in the doorway of his office, had to cover his mouth with his hand.
The double entendre sailed completely over Seraphina's head. She was only a child. She didn't understand why the adults were acting so strange. She just knew that people were laughing, and she hated being the target of a joke.
I was genuinely surprised. I looked around at the laughing adults and felt a wave of shock. Wow, I thought. People in this world have really dirty minds. I was making a very serious point about magical theory and they all turned it into a joke about anatomy. This is the problem with adults. They are the true degenerates.
Seraphina's face turned a bright, angry red. She looked like she was about to explode. She didn't know why everyone was laughing, but she blamed me for it.
"Are you making fun of me?" she demanded. She held out her hand, and I could feel the heat rising. She was gathering mana again, ready to start another fire.
"No, I don't," I said, trying to look confused. "I just thought it was a good lesson. My uncle is a very wise man."
Seraphina stomped her foot. "I don't care about your uncle! You think you're better than me because you're clever? You're nothing! You have a thimble of power!"
She looked at her attendant and then back at me. She did exactly what I was afraid she would do, she reached for the most dramatic solution possible for a spoiled child.
"I challenge you!" she shouted. "I challenge you to a magic duel! Right here! Right now! I'll show everyone what real power looks like. I'll turn you into a pile of ash!"
The attendant looked ready to faint. He grabbed his hair with both hands. "Lady Seraphina, no! You cannot duel a commoner child in the middle of the Guild! Your father will have my head! Please, we must leave!"
I was horrified. A duel? Against a girl who could set a room on fire with a thought? My eighty-seven units would last about three seconds. I would be a crispy nugget before I could even cast a shield.
Thankfully, Gerald stepped in before the situation got even worse. He walked into the middle of the lobby with his arms crossed, using his authority as a Guild Examiner to bring the room under control.
"Lady Seraphina, that is enough," Gerald said, his voice firm. "Dueling in the Guild lobby is strictly prohibited. We are a place of learning and research, not a combat arena. If you want to demonstrate your superiority, you will have to wait."
Seraphina looked ready to argue, but Gerald didn't give her a chance.
"If you are as talented as you claim," Gerald said diplomatically, "you can prove it at the Magus Academy in the future. That is where such things are properly supervised. I am sure a girl of your status will be attending. Perhaps you can settle your differences there."
The girl huffed. She didn't like being told no, but she couldn't ignore an official Guild Examiner. She took a deep breath and smoothed out her dress. She looked at me one last time, her eyes narrowed.
"You're right. Anyone who can't even enter Magus Academy isn't worth fighting me," she said
Her attendant didn't wait for another word. He practically dragged her toward the exit. She went with him, but right before she reached the heavy doors, she turned back and pointed a finger at me again.
"Know your place, peasant boy!" she yelled.
I watched her go. I raised a hand and waved at her cheerfully, like a happy little kid saying goodbye to a new friend. I kept the smile on my face until the doors slammed shut behind her.
Inside, I was screaming.
Great, I thought. This is just great. I've been in the city for three hours and I've already made an enemy out of a Count's daughter. She is powerful, she is rich, and she is clearly insane. My plans for a peaceful, low-profile life are going splendidly.
I looked at my father. Daniel was looking at the door with a worried expression. Then he looked at me and sighed.
"You certainly have a way of making an impression, Cid," he said.
"I just wanted to be nice," I said, looking down at my feet.
"Who is that uncle you were talking about?" Grace asked.
Oops. What should I say now? I didn't even think they might ask who this imaginary uncle was. I tried to come up with an answer when my mouth suddenly said, "Uncle is uncle." Like an idiot.
"..."
My god, I felt so embarrassed right now. I wanted to crawl into a hole.
"Forget it," Grace said.
They left the uncle matter alone, muttering that they shouldn't let any weirdo get close to me from now on.