Chapter 1

Chapter 1

◇ Leon at age 4

“I want to be a baker when I grow up.”

“I see. You want to be a baker just like me. Good for you.”

That was my first memory as a child.

“Hey, father. He’s still only four years old. Don’t force him to say he wants to be a baker!”

“Eina. You also said you wanted to be a baker when you were young…wait. No, you didn’t.”

“Of course, I didn’t. My dream was and still is to become someone’s wife.”

“Someone like your father?”

“No way. I want to marry someone young and good looking.”

“Young and good looking…am I so different…”

“I want to be a baker!”

“Ye-yes. Your dream is to be a baker, Leon. And as your father, I’m going to teach you everything.”

My father looked happy. My sister looked annoyed. That was the day that I decided what my dream was.

◇ Leon at age 7

The people of Ryukoku(Dragon county) were able to attend school at the age of 7 if they wished.

“Leon. You must decide. Do you want to study? Or do you want to work?”

“I want to work!”

“Good. Then you will learn how to bake. If you try really hard starting from now, you will be a great baker one day.”

“Yes!!”

After that declaration, I earnestly studied baking every single day.

Up until then, I had mostly just cleaned and brought in firewood or set out the bread on the shelves to be sold.

I was sure that I was able to do all of those jobs perfectly.

The new things I learned to do when I was 7 was preparing the dough, shaping it, baking and tending the store when the others were away.

Father and mother taught me everything I would need to know to run a bakery.

Every day was fun and fulfilling.

Aside from that, there were other things that my father taught me in secret.

“Hey, Leon. Do you want to be a baker forever?”

“Yes. Of course!”

“In order to do that, this country must be at peace.”

“…Peace?”

When was that?

I was still very young, as my father talked to me with a serious expression.

“There are many bad people. And sometimes there can be war, which means people will come to this town to kill each other. And then no one will buy any bread.”

“…”

Father was talking in an ominous, hushed voice.

“If you want to continue to be a baker, then you have to make sure there are no bad people and no war.”

“Okay!”

It was difficult.

I didn’t understand what he meant, but I did remember the words he said.

“And so you must train with me.”

“Train?”

“You must train in order to continue to be a baker. So you can defeat the bad people and prevent war from occurring.”

“Okay! I’ll train.”

Surprisingly, in order to continue being a baker, I had to go through all kinds of training.

It started with putting on muscle and learning martial arts, swordsmanship, and archery.

But there was also infiltration, the art of escape and setting and deactivating traps as well.

And then, even magic…

“This is a medicine that was made in the demon kingdom. It will allow you to use magic. If you have the right qualities, the magic road will open to you. Of course, it won’t happen immediately. …Now, drink it.”“Okay!”

It was a type of grass juice. But the liquid was shining.

I took one sip, but it was very bitter.

Still, I forced myself to drink every last drop.

“Don’t tell your mother about this.”

“Okay!’

At this time, the number of secrets between us was increasing.

◇ Leon at age 13

I was now at the age where you were considered a grown-up in Ryukoku.

Those who started studying at age 7, would then go on to a special school in order to learn at a higher level.

As for those who had been working, they might start to work independently.

That’s what it meant to be 13.

As for me, I had spent the last 6 years baking and training every day.

Thanks to that, my skills had improved greatly, and both father and mother accepted me as a real baker.

I had worked hard during those 6 years, and now my future of taking on the bakery was all but assured.

I couldn’t think of any other path for me.

But there was one other thing.

“You are now 13 years old. That means you must also take my place regarding that other thing. Leon, you must protect this town in my place.”

“Do you mean, I have to become Her Majesty the Queen’s shadow?”

That was my father’s other job.

He was to secretly dispose of the villains and enemies of the country that were in town.

He protected the peace in the name of the queen.

Being a shadow was his job.

And now he was leaving that job to me.

“We will go and get Her Majesty the Queen’s permission. You’ve never been to the royal capital, have you, Leon?”

“No.”

“Then we will meet with Her Majesty so I can introduce you. If she gives her permission, you will become her right hand. You will protect this town in my place.”

One day, just before I turned 14, we left the town of Sol for the first time in order to see the queen.

I would become independent in order to be the ‘right hand’ who infiltrates, investigates and assassinates, just like father.

But there was no hesitation. Because I had watched him all of this time.

During the day, he baked and offered delicious bread to the town’s people.

At night, he accepted orders from Her Majesty and executed the villains of the town.

In the future, when I got married and my child grew up. I would have to train that child just like father trained me. And when that child was old enough, I would retire.

I had no doubts about what my future would be like.

Yes, until that day…