《Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¨C Prologue I was born on the battlefield. My mother, who was a young widow, died. My mother gave birth to me while the evacuation caravan was under attack, and we were evacuated to a friendly camp. However, shortly after giving birth, she became weak and passed away. I grew up on the battlefield. Initially, I was the soldiers¡¯ errand boy. Tasks like bringing supplies or cleaning weapons. In return, I grew up eating leftovers, but when I turned 14, I suddenly found myself going to war. I realized my talent on the battlefield. A battle where we had to fight without moving due to ack of troops. In that battle, I instantly killed 10 enemy soldiers with a sword I picked up by chance when my spear broke. Someone told me: ¡°You have talent with the sword.¡± So, from then on, I became a soldier instead of an errand boy and began honing my skills wielding a sword, albeit in a very poor environment. I realized this on the battlefield. The fact that my talent is greater than I thought. Three yearster, I chose the warrior ¡®ss¡¯ and created a ¡®Magic Core,¡¯ something that some people find difficult to create in their entire life. It settled in my heart and guided my movements and five senses to apletely different world from before. I could eliminate more enemies, and my skill with the sword, born on the battlefield, became quicker and stronger. And after another three years, I created a second magic core. From then on, I was no longer a soldier. I became amander leading hundreds of soldiers, and with my outstanding experience and talent born on the battlefield, I began to umte countless specialties. When I finally surpassed 3 magic cores and reached 4, I had the opportunity I unconsciously longed for. ¡°I will rmend you as a special candidate to be appointed a knight.¡± Appointment as a knight. An opportunity to change my life that was given to me, born and died on the battlefield, or had no idea what to do with my life after the war. ¡°Even the most outstanding hexa-rank knights did not reach quadruple rank at that age.¡± Quadruple ss. The moment I obtained four magic cores, I had already earned the status of a knight. Although I discovered my talentte, it only took me 11 years, and themander who rmended me said that only five people in the entire empire hold the ¡®hexa-rank¡¯ title, which would be sufficient to be considered a high-level knight. I thought that finally, even after the war ended, my life could find peace. But¡­ Just one day before heading to the capital after being rmended for a special appointment as a knight, ¡°An attack!¡± And so, I was fated to die on the battlefield. *** I thought that by allowing the talents awakened on the battlefield to fully blossom, a new life could unfold for me, one that had its roots on the battlefield. Even in that new life¡­ I thought I could have the family I longed for. But it was all an illusion. The 3rd Division of the Drennic Empire, where I was, was burned, copsed, and finallypletely destroyed by therge-scale attack from the 5th Division of the Altheon Empire. Many soldiers have died, and now I am the only one left. The reason was simple. Because I was stronger than the dead. But I will also die soon. ¡°He¡¯s persistent.¡± After all, I met someone who was several times, or even dozens, stronger than me. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since someone forced me to wield the sword more than ten times. Are you the famous Agrik? A talent that blossomed on the battlefield.¡± This person knows me. I never thought I would be so happy. ¡°You sound very content, Duke Thermion.¡± ¡°Haha. Do you know my name?¡± ¡°If you spend just one day in this battlefield, you will hear about the fame of the ¡®ck Wave.¡¯¡± Duke Thermion smiled. One of the six Hexa-Rank level knights in the Altheon Empire. I exchanged sword strikes with him more than ten times. As a result, my whole body was full of scars, but still, I was happy. ¡°You are worthy of respect.¡± Of course, my sword waspletely blocked. No matter how hard I tried, the result was the same. It was a talent at a different level than mine. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you. Do you have any intention of surrendering? Your talent is wasted. At your age, you¡¯re at the quadruple level¡­ Maybe you¡¯ll even surpass me.¡± I shook my head. ¡°No. I was born on the battlefield, so this is where I¡¯ll die.¡± He smiled as if he liked my answer. ¡°It¡¯s interesting. And it¡¯s great sword handling. If you had grown a little more, you could havepeted with me.¡± It¡¯s regrettable. Because I couldn¡¯t awaken all my talent. And when the war ended¡­ I also wanted to start a family. What envy I must have felt every time soldiers spoke of their wives and children waiting at home. Having a ce to return to is something very happy. ¡°Haha. It¡¯s really, it¡¯s a shame to lose a talent like yours. There¡¯s no fixed way in the art of the sword, which makes it even more terrifying. Even if you lose your arms, you¡¯ll have to fight with your sword in your mouth if necessary.¡± Duke Thermion stepped closer to me. I raised my sword. ¡°Your eyes are full of regret. In the next life, you¡¯ll be able to vent those regrets to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Suddenly. My sword and my neck were cut without even having the chance to block them. My vision jumps and spins, and finally stops. ¡°I also feel sad. If we had met somewhere other than the battlefield, we would have be good rivals.¡± In the faint voice of Duke Thermion, my world ended like this. My talent ended here, and my dream faded. I simply thought it was so. Until I opened my eyes again. *** Look at these eyes. Aren¡¯t they too clear?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, madam. Although we arrivedte, I believe she gave birth to a gem.¡± ¡°What does age have to do with anything? And I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anythingpared to gems. This child is a gift from God, a gift from God.¡± ¡°Haha. Exactly. It¡¯s a blessing. Dain. You¡¯ll be a greatncer and seed your father.¡± ¡°What are you talking about! Dain will be a great assassin.¡± ¡°Ah, an assassin is so terrifying! Men arencers! The spear is the ultimate embodiment of martial arts aesthetics.¡± ¡°What does it matter if he¡¯s little? It¡¯s more impressive to stealthily stalk, assassinate your target, and escape without being discovered! That¡¯s much cooler! Not so noisy!¡± ¡°Oh! I see his bone structure is perfect for wielding a spear!¡± ¡°Oh, dear. Anyone would say you have the perfect bone structure to be an assassin.¡± Both were intensely debating about my future. Sometimes, I wondered if, being the youngest, they expected me to follow in their footsteps. ¡°So, let¡¯s do this. We¡¯ll both try to teach him something!¡± ¡°Alright! Dain will surely be a great assassin!¡± ¡°Ancer! Ancer!¡± By the way, how did they end up married? What a friendly conversation. It won¡¯tst a lifetime, but it¡¯s an unusual sight for a while. But now, with less than a month since I was born, I could only express one thing. ¡°Wah.¡± I¡¯ve been reborn. Not as someone who lived in the Drennic Empire but as the youngest son of a noble count¡¯s family in the Altheon Empire, the enemy of my previous life. My father is the bestncer in the empire. My mother is the best assassin in the empire. ¡°Oh, it seems our Dain is hungry.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back quickly.¡± ¡°Alright. Come, take my hand.¡± ¡°Oh, please. What does it matter if family members see?¡± ¡°If my wife wants to take my hand, who cares? Come on, quickly¡­¡± I was reborn into a family as extravagant as no other in the world. And¡­ The house in which I was reborn possesses tremendous power. ¡°Let¡¯s return to our home.¡± What I see before my eyes now is a territory and a castle of immense proportions. Given that¡­ Disying my talent could be something very straightforward. *** ¡°Abubb.¡± Around two months, my expressions became more varied. It¡¯s good news. Since I could only make ¡°Wah¡± before, I made an effort to modte the tone a bit to give it a different meaning. Lily Sogres, or rather, my mother, burst intoughter every time I made ¡°Abubb¡± or ¡°Abuu.¡± ¡°Oh, our Dain is cooing now.¡± This is cooing. I should have taken care of a child before. I haven¡¯t even married yet. Being in constant battle on the battlefield didn¡¯t leave much time to see children. All I saw were babies wrapped in diapers constantly crying behind the cannons. Half of them had lost their parents, and the other half cried out of hunger, their cries bing softer and softer. In that sense, the Sogres House was a truly prosperous and fortunate ce, so I never had to go hungry. ¡°Haha! Dain! That¡¯s how you handle a spear!¡± Aken Sogres, my father, was a lover of spears¡­ no, he was crazy about them. I was barely less than 100 days old when he showed me a spear, which resulted in a scolding from my mother. By the way, as a former assassin, my mother remained hidden until she captured the situation. ¡°I told you that you couldn¡¯t teach him at such an early age! If that were the case, I would have taught stealth skills early too!¡± ¡°Ah! They say everyone does this these days! Even in the faraway Land of Teleportation Magic Masters, they put a wand next to babies when they¡¯re born!¡± ¡°Is a wand and a spear the same thing? The spear is sharp!¡± ¡°Well then, is it okay to put a knife when changing diapers?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a custom, a custom!¡± Despite everything, they seemed like a harmonious family. It was the hope of both of them. I have two older sisters, both tookpletely different paths unrted to spears or assassination. Arabell Sogres, my eldest sister. She¡¯s 12 years old. Magic was detected in her as soon as she was born, and now she¡¯s following the path of a mage. ¡°Dain, look at this! This is how¡­ ta-dah! You make cheeks chubbier!¡± ¡°Abubb!¡± Sometimes, if she got bored, she teased me with magic, but it was harmless and nothing dangerous, so I always found her adorable. By the way, it¡¯s said that our parents became desperate when they detected magic in my elder sister and called a famous imperial mage. ¡°Dad, no¡­ the father¡­ said that¡­ she could be the best mage! But he was very gloomy. Why would that be?¡± ¡°Abu!¡± She was too talented. Normally, one would explore other paths with exceptional abilities, but her talent was so superior that there was no other option but to choose the path of the mage. By the way, despite being only 12 years old, she was already a level 3 mage. As far as I know, the maximum level for a mage is 9, so surpassing the initial level at 12 years old is truly a genius. ¡°Dain, do you want to learn magic with meter? I get bored studying alone.¡± It seems my younger sister wants me to learn magic with her. And now, my other sister¡­ ire Sogress. She¡¯s 9 years old. ¡°Darling, I think ire is still having a hard time with Dain.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. She always had all the affection, but now all the attention has been focused on Dain. Because it matters a bit more.¡± Likewise, the daughter who brought despair to her father. She¡¯s a very promising summoner. This person is also very talented; she sessfully summoned for the first time around the age of seven and now manages up to two summoned familiars at the same time. Considering that summoners I saw on the battlefieldined even with a single summoned animal, this was truly an incredible talent. ¡°¡­.¡± Initially, I thought she didn¡¯t like me. She didn¡¯t seem very happy when I was born and didn¡¯t praise me, unlike my elder sister. But soon, I realized it was simply jealousy, amon feeling children experience when a younger sibling arrives. The sudden change in attention they always received from their parents. Still, when our parents aren¡¯t around, she oftenes to me to y secretly, pretending not to care and stroking my cheek. ¡°How can you be so soft?¡± If it bes a problem because it sometimes gets inmed from so much touching, it¡¯s because of my elder sister, who is quite strict. ¡°Dain, it would be fun if you learned summoning with me¡­ I¡¯ll teach youter.¡± It seems my younger sister wants to teach me summoning. And now, my father. A hexa-level spear master. My mother, on the other hand, was a former professional assassin. Though she¡¯s retired now, in the past, she even attempted to assassinate the emperor. My elder sister, a brilliant mage. And my younger sister, a prodigious summoner. The Sogres House was a perfect family. And I, having died due to my exceptional talents and reborn as Dain Sogress. ¡°Abubb!¡± This ce isn¡¯t a battlefield where supplies are alwayscking, and the people by your side might disappear tomorrow. It¡¯s the ideal family I always imagined. And it¡¯s the home of a count. I¡¯m fortunate to have been born into such a close-knit family. I¡¯ve always wished for a family. ¡°Lances are always the right choice.¡± ¡°But what if you learned stealth and assassination skills? Wouldn¡¯t they be more useful?¡± ¡°Magic is the trend, Dad, Mom!¡± ¡°Even summoning is pretty good¡­¡± I remembered a family gathering and having heated debates about who had the best field in their respective areas. A harmonious family¡­ right? Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ¨C Talented genius from a famous family (1) After reincarnation, the natural goal was to demonstrate my sword skills that I hadn¡¯t been able to showcase in my previous life. I didn¡¯t really have any other goals yet. If given the chance, I might visit people who helped me in my past life. I¡¯m not really interested in revenge either. Death itself was regrettable, but to begin with, it was a battlefield, not a peaceful ce. It¡¯s also funny that I¡¯d want to seek revenge on someone who won a fair fight against me. Born into a happy family, all I want to do is develop my talents through many experiences. This is a very natural goal for me, having already shown my talent on my first birthday. However, I¡¯m still very young, so even though I can remember my entire past life, I still need help. ¡°Dain, wait a moment.¡± My mother¡¯s hand movements are very quick. How fast? It takes less than 2 seconds to change a soiled diaper. Literally in the blink of an eye. Not even a sound is emitted there. Truly a former assassin. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it. There you go. Dain. Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°Abubb.¡± The unidentified powder sprinkled before putting on a new diaper is really good. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve felt warmth. Now, I never want to lose this warmth. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nice. Dain. Do you have to be a great assassinter, okay?¡± ¡­ However, it seems like my mother really wants to turn me into an assassin. ¡°Haha, that assassin sound again!¡± ¡°Dear. It can disappear at any moment without a trace!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re the husband of the best assassin in the empire, you should do this! Dain. You¡¯ll be a very goodncer!¡± Of course, my father wants to turn me into ancer. ¡°Abubb!¡± ¡°See, Dain. He says he doesn¡¯t likencers.¡± ¡°Abuuu.¡± ¡°He¡¯s happy. Besides, everyone says they don¡¯t like assassins. What do you mean?¡± ¡°Abubb.¡± I don¡¯t like either. ¡°Abubb! Abubu!¡± I shouted that I liked the sword. But all thates out of my mouth is the babbling of a newborn baby, and it seems to melt my parents¡¯ hearts. ¡°How can you be so cute? Arabel and ire were cute, but¡­ Dain is cute on another level! ¡°Look at these eyes. Do you say his green eyes are like jewels?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t his nose prettier?¡± ¡°Be it ance or an assassination, let¡¯s do it well, dear.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll teach him a bit about assassination.¡± ¡°And thence too.¡± ¡­ I think I need to learn a bit to not disappoint both of them. Well, I wish I could learn both, but I still prefer a sword. It was a shame I couldn¡¯t fully develop my talent with the sword in my previous life. Until my first birthday, I definitely thought that way.¡± *** Count Sogres was very excited today. ¡°Today is Young Master Dain Sogres¡¯s first birthday, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, even opened up the inner castle so that all the territory¡¯s residents could enjoy alcohol and food!¡± ¡°His Excellency, the Count, is truly a wonderful person.¡± ¡°It was the samest time on Miss Arabel and Miss ire¡¯s first birthdays!¡± A grand festival was held by the Sogres family to celebrate their youngest son, Dain Sogres¡¯s first birthday. The territory¡¯s neighbors finished their work early today and gathered at Count Sogres¡¯s Castle, where a lively celebration unfolded among the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s been a year since Young Master Dain was born. Time flies!¡± ¡°Will he resemble the Count? Or will he take after the Countess?¡± ¡°Which of the two would you like him to resemble more?¡± ¡°No matter whom he resembles, there¡¯s something even more important!¡± ¡°Lady Arabel and Lady ire became a mage and an invoker, respectively, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°So, what will Young Master Dain be?¡± The main topic among the territory¡¯s inhabitants was Dain¡¯s future career path. His father was the empire¡¯s finestnce wielder, while his mother was the former top assassin. The eldest daughter, Arabel, was a brilliant mage, and the younger daughter, ire, a prodigious invoker. In this distinguished family with no simr individuals, everyone was curious about the youngest son, Dain¡¯s, future path. ¡°I heard that the selection ceremony will start soon!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°What will Young Master Dain choose?¡± ¡°This time, it¡¯s the Lance. Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. You know something? Will he pick a book?¡± And everyone was anticipating the soon-to-be-held ¡°selection ceremony¡± of the Sogres family. A grand hall at the center of the house. A long banquet table covered with a red carpet at the hall¡¯s end where many residents were gathered. There, Aken Sogres and other Sogres family members were assembled, and on the tabley items each family member had chosen one by one. His father, Count Aken Sogres, handed Dragon Tail, ance that had remained with him throughout his life. ¡°If it¡¯s thisnce, Dain will have no choice but to look at it, right?¡± The mboyantnce painted in a luxurious crimson color, decorated as if a dragon serpent were climbing up it, with thence¡¯s edge made of a rare mineral called ¡®Dukran¡¯, was a true work of art. When magical energy was infused into it, the Dukran would imbue the user¡¯s energy, bing an infinitely sharp and powerful mysticalnce. If Dain had talent for thence, that ck edge would be suffused with a red glow. Because Dragon Tail only yielded its body to those worthy of it. Of course, it was fine if he had no talent. Aken thought it would be fine if Dain simply ced his hand on the dragon¡¯snce. ¡°He¡¯s too cute to be an assassin, so he¡¯ll definitely stand out¡­ Yet, he¡¯ll definitely choose this dagger!¡± His mother, Lily Sogres, gifted the dagger ¡®Nightshade¡¯ that she used in her days as an assassin. It could be considered simplepared to Dragon Tail, but it was also a dagger made of ¡®Etril¡¯, a mysterious mineral as mysterious as the Dukran. ¡®Etril¡¯ was a mineral that could ept and store all the ingredients existing in the world. In other words, it could be used tobine all the poisons in the world. Just like Dragon Tail, this dagger also reacted differently depending on the user. Meanwhile, ¡°Oh, thedy brought something this time too.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness, you¡¯re so cute. But when did you grow up like this?¡± The eldest daughter, Arabel Sogres, ced her small subspace bag with a proud face. An item that only mages can use and requires at least some magical talent to react. Otherwise, it¡¯s just a normal pocket. ¡®Dain might be a great mage!¡¯ ¡®He¡¯ll follow me to the academyter!¡¯ Arabel wanted Dain to attend the academy with her because he had as much talent in magic as she did. Originally, she wanted to be with ire, but ire had already decided her career as an invoker and was attending the Summoning Department, so there was no way they could meet. ¡®¡­ If Dain can use the invocation spell, I¡¯d like to ride the Dekaron and fly together through the skyter.¡¯ Lastly, ire ced an invocation scroll, which was the symbol of an invoker. Through this, the invoker received a ¡®Code¡¯ ording to their talent and could only summon summoned beasts through this mark. Simrly, unless you have the talent for summoning, this mark will never respond. A table with four items on it. Meanwhile, the maid finally appeared holding Dain. There were exmations of admiration among the territory¡¯s neighbors. ¡°Oh my, look at those eyes.¡± ¡°How can someone be so beautiful?¡± ¡°He looks like the Count!¡± ¡°Look closely! The mouth and eyes are exactly the same as the Countess!¡± Very distinct facial features, big clear eyes, a sharp nose, and other perfect traits from the head. He had a beauty that would make life seem veryfortable if he grew up like this. ¡°Dain this way, thank you.¡± Dain started to look at the four objects with curious eyes while being held by his mother. ¡°Come on, Dain. You choose what you like. As long as it has great reach and strength¡­¡± ¡°Dain, isn¡¯t this little pointy thing really pretty?¡± ¡°Dain! This is my sister¡¯s favorite bag. Do you remember what I showed you earlier?¡± ¡°Dain¡­ Summons with me¡­¡± The family¡¯s wishes, under the guise of apuse, sounded in Dain¡¯s ears. And that was the moment when they finally ced Dain on the table. Buzz, buzz, buzz! Four objects started vibrating simultaneously. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Everyone was in a panic. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s reacting even though I didn¡¯t even touch it.¡± Aken Sogress picked up Dane from the table again, unaware. Then the vibration subsided. ¡°¡­ No way.¡± The four objects react as Dane is ced back. Buzz, buzz, buzz! Everyone was speechless, seeing it asking them to choose quickly and looking iprehensibly at Dain, who wasughing. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Father Aken murmured, puzzled. The youngest son of the Sogres family. This was the moment when it was confirmed that Dain Sogres was the greatest genius of all time. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¨C Talented genius from a famous family (2) Dain Sogres grew rapidly. As if truly blessed, he grew healthy without minor illnesses. Dain¡¯s growth was a concern for the entire family, and each of his actions was a joy, much like Arabel and ire. ¡°Come on, Dain. This is magic! How is it?¡± ¡°Mabuh?¡± ¡°Magic. Want to take a look? This is what concentrates magical power and emits light. Zaz!¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t have a chain, it¡¯s not difficult to use magic as long as you have talent. But Dain is still young, so it¡¯ll be hard!¡± And Dain¡¯s talent emerged faster than expected. ¡°¡­Dain, what did you do now?¡± ¡°Mabuh!¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re our youngest genius, aren¡¯t you?¡± Arabel was speechless as she looked at Dain, who imitated the concentrated magical light she disyed without thinking. The condensing light of magical power can literally be created only if you have talent for ¡°magic¡±. Though it has nothing to do with the presence or absence of the ¡®chain¡¯ that determines a mage¡¯s level, the fact that he created it at this age is significant in itself. ¡°Will our youngest son be a mage?¡± As he showed on his first birthday, his talent didn¡¯t end there. ¡°Dain, today your sister will show you an invocation technique. I prepared a pet that Dain will find cute!¡± ¡°Joa!¡± ire summoned ¡°Aitz,¡± a small summoned animal, in front of Dain. It was a secondary summon with a small and cute body, rabbit-like ears, and tiny wings. ¡°Dain, you have to be careful. Most summonings are friendly to their summoner¡¯s face but be very cautious when others approach¡­¡± ¡°Kyaaa.¡± As soon as ire finished speaking, Aitz slowly walked toward Dain and nestled its body into his small hand. ire was speechless at what she saw for the first time in her life. ¡°Oh my goodness. Aitz.¡± For reference, Aitz is particrly sensitive among summoned beasts and is extremely cautious around any beings other than the summoner. It was unbelievable that such a creature would approach me first and start rubbing its body against me. There are two criteria for judging an invoker¡¯s talent. One is the talent for the summoning technique itself. The other¡­ An innate affinity for summoned animals. Probably, Dain seemed to belong to thetter category. However, it was also evident that he possessed abilities of the first type. ¡°Our youngest¡­ do you want to be an invoker and a mage?¡± Assassination was also something that couldn¡¯t be overlooked. ¡°Dain, Dain? Where did you go?¡± The year Dain turned 5. His mother searched for Dain for a long time, who suddenly disappeared. ¡°Where did he go¡­ Brother, have you seen Dain?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m also looking for him now¡­¡± And it was only after about two hours that they found Dain. The main garden. Dain¡¯s appearance hiding tenderly among the grass. ¡°Dain? How¡­¡± ¡°I did what my mother told me! Did I hide well?¡± Lily had a nk expression as she looked at her youngest son, asking with a proud expression. I let him know. Just in words. But did you hear and copy it? ¡°Our youngest will be an assassin, an invoker, and a mage¡­?¡± Dain was really growing. Unlike his previous life, he freely revealed his talents. *** The Count¡¯s Castle of Sogres is located in the southern part of the continent, renowned for its pleasant climate. I¡¯ve been spending quiet times here, where many high-quality fruits grow due to the warm and tranquil climate along with the ample sunlight. ¡°Time flies.¡± asionally, thoughts of the battlefield I experienced in my past life surfaced, but even those were swiftly forgotten when faced with the tranquility of Sogres¡¯ territory. Now, I was enjoying this peace by taking strolls. I was already seven years old. ¡°I¡¯m d time passed faster than I thought.¡± Of course, I learned to walk a long time ago. No, I picked it up faster than my elder sisters. As I have memories of my past life, I somehow try to walk, and my muscles seem to have developed earlier. However, my infancy wasn¡¯t that boring. After it was confirmed that I was the ¡°greatest genius of all time,¡± I suppose some sort of arrangement was made within the family, and from that day on, I could learn various things. To be precise, it was only a one-sided story. Should I say it¡¯s akin to a fairy tale? Everyone was very enthusiastic about early childhood education. When one person left, another quickly joined and chatted about their area of expertise. ¡°Come on, Dain. The spear is basically a weapon that can fully utilize the advantage of distance. It may be difficult to grasp something now, but if you listen repeatedly¡­¡± ¡°Dain, the basics for hiding is keeping silent prayers. Oh God, did I use a word that was too difficult? Umm, when my mom learned about assassination, she only used these words¡­¡± ¡°My little brother! Today, your sister will tell you about thepatibility of fire-type magic and water-type magic! This is what I learned today! It¡¯s about magical mechanics¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Pets must be treated with respect. Look closely. After summoning it like this, pet andmunicate with it first. If you tell it to attack as soon as it¡¯s summoned, you¡¯ll end up angering the summoned animal.¡± My father is a spearman. My mother is on hiatus for now (because assassination is too cruel). My elder sister is a mage. My younger sister is a summoner. At first, it was boring, but with time, it was worth listening to. As I learned to write, I was able to organize it in my own way. And now, I was first taking lessons from my mother. ¡°Dain, are you here?¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d find me already.¡± My mother and I were ying hide and seek. Would it be appropriate to call it ¡°stealth ss¡± under the pretext of ying? It was a kind of ¡°early education¡± that started when I was around five years old, when I got used to leaping and holding my breath. ¡°What are you talking about? 4 hours and 30 minutes. ¡°It¡¯s been 10 minutes longer thanst time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Then. Keep your ¡®breath low¡¯ well and barely make signs.¡± My mother patted my head as if she was proud of me. In short, ¡°Breath,¡± including ¡°Hide and Seek,¡± is part of ¡°Stealth ss.¡± The ss content involves hiding in a ce where the other person doesn¡¯t notice and holding your breath. Should we say it¡¯s the basis of assassination? Of course, it¡¯s not only used for assassinations. A technique that can be fully utilized for hiding in times of danger or monitoring an opponent. ¡°As expected, my son was born with the talent of an assassin. It¡¯s not easy to disy this kind of patience at seven years old.¡± Well, what I developed while fighting on the battlefield was patience. ¡°Shall we move to the next stealth ss if this is enough?¡± ¡°Okay, Mom.¡± ¡°Is it fun taking sses with Mom?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± It¡¯s really fun. If I had known these things earlier, I would have made use of them on the battlefield. It would have been much more useful than pretending to be dead. There was no particr feeling of resistance. These are techniques that noble knights I¡¯ve seen would have rejected as outdated, but in my opinion, they all seem incredible techniques. ¡°Hello, Countess. Young Master Dain is here.¡± At that moment, Herman approached. He¡¯s 15 years old. Though young, he¡¯s serious and calm, which is why I like him. He¡¯s the boy who has always been by my side since I turned one. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s alreadyte.¡± ¡°The Count sent a message. He seemed to be in very good spirits.¡± My father is a very good person. Because he¡¯s more excited than his son at the thought of giving a present on his birthday. However, today is the day before my seventh birthday. It was probably quite challenging for my father to wait until his birthday. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Let¡¯s go. Mom, then I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± I bid farewell to my mother and followed Herman. And when I entered the castle and reached my father¡¯s office, my father handed me the gift he had prepared. ¡°Happy seventh birthday in advance. Originally, I was going to give it to your mother at your birthday banquet, but I wanted to give it to you before your mom! Dain, I¡¯ll tell you again, it¡¯s sharp, but it¡¯s all good, but I prioritize uracy!¡± It was a truly heartfelt present. ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± I expressed my gratitude and epted the gift. I think I know what it is. An elongated package. Just by looking at it, it was a spear. Sruk. When I unpacked it, an elegant short spear appeared. It was a grand construction. The ck spear handle and the silver spear de created great harmony. Perhaps considering my age and strength, it was even very light. I was curious about what it was made of. ¡°It¡¯s a gift made two years ago at the special request of a famous artisan from the capital.¡± Dad said it was two years ago. You¡¯re very serious. ¡°It¡¯s so good!¡± ¡°Exactly! My son recognized it. Hahaha! We used a lightweight but sturdy lime wood and Godrik steel for thence de instead of regr steel.¡± Lime wood. Godrik steel. Both are excellent materials. I felt exactly what my father felt. ¡°Well, give it a try. Do you remember the stories I told you about thence?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± I tried to adopt a stance with thence. Hold it with both hands, leaving about two fists of space between your hands. Aim thence with the idea of targeting the opponent¡¯s head rather than facing it head-on, with one foot forward and the other behind. ¡°That¡¯s the perfect stance.¡± When my father saw my posture, he pped and got very excited. ¡°Instead of doing this, let¡¯s head to the training ground.¡± I nodded without hesitation. My body tingles when I grip thence. Even though it¡¯s not a sword, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve wielded a real weapon in my life. Per the agreement between my father and my mother, I wasn¡¯t even allowed to wield a weapon for practice. My father and I arrived at the training ground. ¡°Stay there and aim yournce at me.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± My father took a javelin of simr length to mine. Ance precisely forged for practice purposes. ¡°You should always be serious when handling ance.¡± It¡¯s clear my father means business with hisnce. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t pick up a realnce inbat against your 7-year-old son. But I never thought my father would actually aim at me. ¡°Dain, what did you say is the difference between ance and a sword?¡± ¡°The range. Unlike a sword, the purpose is to use distance to prevent the opponent from getting close.¡± ¡°Good. What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very efficient.¡± ¡°You guessed it right away. What do you think is the reason?¡± ¡°Ance has a smaller contact area than a sword. Particrly when stabbing, you can stab harder and deeper with less force than other weapons.¡± My father smiled with satisfaction. ¡°You remember it well. Yes, in that sense, thence is a very easy weapon to learn. However, once it surpasses a certain level, it bes more difficult than a sword. Do you know why?¡± A dull sound. At that moment, my father took a stance. An enormous pressure spread instantly in all directions. This is the stance of a hexa-levelnceman. ¡°It¡¯s because of the fundamental problem of thence. A minimum distance is required to attack an enemy. Compared to a sword, which can be gripped and swung by force, it¡¯s difficult to attack with a long or shortnce.¡± Said my father. ¡°Every weapon has pros and cons. Even the sword, which is said to be the best weapon, often turns out to be weak in certain situations. It¡¯s wrong to say which weapon is better without knowing it.¡± ¡°So, why do you use ance, father?¡± My father responded to my serious question as if it were obvious. ¡°I use it because it¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s much cooler than a dagger that looks like a child¡¯s toy. In reality, thence is the best. Better than a sword.¡± If you think about it that way, the sword is cooler¡­ Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¨C Talented genius from a famous family (3) The most urate reason is that I simply liked the spear. Haha When I was young, I went to watch a sparring tournament organized by the imperial family¡­ At that time, the winner was a knight who used a spear, and that knight looked really cool in your father¡¯s eyes.¡± My father smiled. ¡°Of course, if everyone could learn to use the spear just for that reason, your father wouldn¡¯t have been able to create six magic cores.¡± Magic Core. A type of concentration of magical energy that determines the ¡°level¡± of warriors. Magical power naturally umtes in the body through breathing and training, and the magic core is what gathers this magical power and concentrates it. Through this magic core, humans can exert physical abilities beyond their limits, and as the core increases, so does the limit. If you have one core, you can barely intercept a blind arrow flying toward you, but if you have four cores, you can survive a hail of arrows. And my father is a Hexa-level person with up to six magic cores. It¡¯s a level he could have reached if he hadn¡¯t died. ¡°Just so you know, your father has a whopping six magic cores. Hahaha!¡± My father smiled very proudly and continued his exnation. ¡°It has a slightly different meaning than the ¡®magic circle¡¯ that magicians have. ¡®Circle¡¯ is used to circte and refine magical power, while ¡®core¡¯ is used to concentrate magical power. Let¡¯s delve into more detailster. For now, you have to learn how to use a spear.¡± My father demonstrated the thrust first. Focus on a point. I just threw the spear¡­ Strong hit. The air is distorted. To my eyes, it seemed clear. ¡°Thrusting is the basic skill of a spear. It¡¯s nothing much and seems like a simple move, but you have to practice the impossible thrust to be able to stab with the most appropriate force and perfect depth when needed.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± ¡°The reason why the space is distorted like this is because I made a perfect thrust. When you apply perfect force in the area you want to stab, the magic inside your body reacts and instantly distorts the stabbed area.¡± My father said that with a very proud smile on his face. ¡°Just so you know, this is a technique developed by your father. Just wanted to boast. Haha.¡± If my mother had seen it, she would have teased him and called him silly, but I respect him. This is because it is very difficult to introduce new techniques into martial arts, such as sword and spear handling, which have been established and solidified by countless warriors throughout history. ¡°That technique only requires a high level of skill to release the magical power within the body at the same time as stabbing.¡± My father let his spear once in the air and aimed at my spear. ¡°Now it¡¯s a thrust. Now try it.¡± I grabbed the spear and took a stance. ¡°Rx. Shake off the thoughts thate to your mind and throw the spear. If you can¡¯t do that, the spear you¡¯re aiming for will eventually be blocked.¡± Spear. A weapon that didn¡¯t make much of an impression in my previous life. After realizing my sword talent, I only used it as an auxiliary weapon. However, when he starts treating the spear as my father said, I begin to feel something different. ¡°Concentrate, Dain.¡± I concentrated. Feeling something stirring inside my body. *** Aken thought his son was truly amazing. ¡°Did I realize something about thence only after seven years of holding it?¡± Aken recalled his experience as a supposed ¡°genius.¡± ¡°How long will it take the youngest one? I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯ll take him quite a while to get used to thence.¡± ¡°But you have a very good posture.¡± Indeed, whether with thence or the sword, the basics start with posture. Only then can you move on to the next move, whether swinging or stabbing. But for some reason, the youngest one¡¯s posture is alreadyplete. Like someone who has been training constantly. However, rather than doubting that fact, Aken simply dismissed his son¡¯s talent as being older than he thought. Click, click! But it wasn¡¯t at that level. ¡­ At this moment. Aken momentarily held his breath. The creation of a technique, that is, how long does it take to create andplete a technique that can be used in practice by studying already established theories? 1 year? 5 years? Or 10 years? For Aken, it took seven years. This is a technique that concentrates magical energy at the tip of ance and explodes it in an instant. However¡­ Gag! Why is the tip of the youngest Dain¡¯snce trembling? It definitely wasn¡¯t as good as his, but space was trembling. That is a phenomenon that urs when the magical power concentrated at a point explodes. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± After much thought, among tens of thousands of questions, Aken came up with one question. ¡°How did you do it?¡± The youngest Dain just picked up ance for the first time. But not only was his posture perfect, he even copied the technique he had created. Does this make sense? ¡°I gathered all my magical power and, at the moment I threw it, let it flow through the tip of thence. Then, I calcted the moment thence reached the target point and cut off the flow of magical power.¡± It was the perfect answer. On one hand, it was absurd. Seven years. It took seven years to theorize and organize that technique. But just¡­ At this moment, at the moment he held thence for the first time in his life, the technique? Not only by luck, but by learning the theory himself? ¡°That¡­¡± Aken burst intoughter as he saw his younger son looking at him with a proud expression, as if craving praise. ¡°Haha.¡± Then immediately, I was surprised again. ¡°Wait a minute, did my son just master magic?¡± Just now, he said that he ¡°gathered,¡± ¡°flowed,¡± and ¡°cut off¡± magical power. ¡°Dain, did you just say you manipted magical power?¡± Not only did he realize something he had never told him, but he also said he had just mastered magical powers. Aken swallowed dry saliva. And I was stunned by my son¡¯s subsequent response. ¡°Yes, I created a magic core. I still only have one.¡± Aken realized it. The owner of Dragon Tail, who would seed him, has appeared. ¡°¡­Could my son be a magic-wielding summoner assassin with ance?¡± *** After spending days repeating ¡®Mite¡¯ and ¡®Avv¡¯ and showcasing my talent on my first birthday, I never really had a chance to get bored. This is because family members took turns sharing theories about their areas of expertise. It was from then on that I learned and embraced my father¡¯s interesting theories about thence. ¡®Ance is simr to a sword in that it stabs and swings to cut. But there¡¯s definitely something different, Dain. It¡¯s precise. While a sword and ance both exist, ance will always have a clear advantage when fighting against an opponent with a sword.¡¯ ¡®Because thence has a small contact area, it can deliver an efficient blow with little force. Although a waste, the javelin is also a very powerful tool.¡¯ A technique to attack enemies and block attacks in a way different from that of a sword. That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s more interesting than a sword, but at least it¡¯s clear that there¡¯s a lot to learn. However, my father didn¡¯t teach me how to use magical power as a warrior. I¡¯m not sure if he simply thought it was still difficult for me to understand or if he just thought I wasn¡¯t ready at the moment. The important thing is, I already know that it wasn¡¯t very difficult for a child¡¯s body to ept magical power and create a magical core. ¡°Haha.¡± There¡¯s nothing easier than traversing a path you¡¯ve already traveled once. The only thing that¡¯s hard is the unfinished body of a child. The method to create a magical core is simple. ept magical energy through breathing, refine that magical energy within the body, and shape it into a core. However, the reason there are so few people who create magical cores and are eventually called ¡®warriors¡¯ is that each person¡¯s magical affinity and sense vary greatly. Fortunately, Dain Sogres¡¯ magical affinity was excellent. No, it was perfect. I realized this the moment I first received magical power in this body through ¡®magical breathing.¡¯ Agrik¡¯s body from his previous life, which he felt was considerable, was just so huge that he couldn¡¯t even think about it. It¡¯s so sensitive and perfect that you can vividly feel each and every particle of magic and know what the magic you breathe tastes like. Thanks to that, I was finally able to create a magical core from a three-year-old child¡¯s body¡­ Wow, bang! Now, when holding ance for the first time, I was able to mimic my father¡¯s skills, albeit in a fun way. ¡°Did you create a magical core? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± My father looked at me iprehensibly for a moment and then asked. ¡°Since when? How did you do it? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± My father is a caring man. And he¡¯s extremely calm on the battlefield. Thinking that such a person was asking me questions with uncontroble enthusiasm, it became clear that I was showing unprecedented talent. ¡°Did your mom tell you? Or Arabel? ire?¡± None of the three. Although I received help from some theories rted to magic, the creation of the magical core was solely the result of abination of Dain Sogres¡¯ affinity and his past life experience as Agrik. In the end, I could only give one answer. ¡°I was lucky to achieve it. I was following instructions from a book to create a magical core.¡± Of course, this answer seemed to cause an even greater shock to my father. ¡°Haha. Making a magical core after reading a book¡­ A true genius was born in our family.¡± My father muttered something, then he bent his knees to be at eye level with me and ced his hand on my shoulder. ¡°Dain. You¡¯ll definitely be a great warrior. This father thinks so. Nobody I know has created a magical core at this age. No, most people don¡¯t even understand the principle.¡± My father continued to speak with a more serious look than ever before. ¡°I felt it on your first birthday, but I knew it when I saw it in person. Just walking the path of anceman¡­ With your talent, Dain, it might be a waste. I believe it too. The sword will always be in my heart, but I didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity to learn other things. My father, the bestnceman in the Empire. My mother, one of the former best assassins. Elder sister, a genius mage. Little sister, a genius summoner. In this perfect environment with four great geniuses, my job is to watch and learn as much as possible. Of course, my father nailed it with his most serious gaze ever. ¡°Still, thence is better than assassination, magic, or summoning. Oh, whatever.¡± Why do I feel like I¡¯ll be asked simr questions three times more in the future? My father suddenly said that, then looked at my javelin and said this. ¡°I guess thisnce needs a name now.¡± ¡°What do you call it?¡± ¡°Well. Every weapon needs a name. When the person wielding the weapon is ready, give it a name and affection, and the weapon will respond with more strength.¡± My father was a much more romantic person than he seemed. That¡¯s how it seemed to me, who had never thought about giving a name while walking on the battlefield, destroying countless weapons. ¡°Go to bed early today. You¡¯ll be tired all day because of tomorrow¡¯s banquet, and if you sleep toote, you might end up falling asleep.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see youter in front of the main castle. Leave on time. Guests will be arriving soon.¡± I seriously thought about the name. It was the day before my seventh birthday. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¨C Seventh Birthday (1) The birthday banquet celebrating Dain Sogres, the youngest member of the Sogres family, has begun. A banquet held at Count Sogres¡¯ Castle for a total of three days. Nobles had been arriving at the Count¡¯s castle one after another since the day before, and even now, nobles who had received invitations from across the empire were still arriving. For them, this banquet isn¡¯t just an invitation to a ¡®party.¡¯ It¡¯s a golden opportunity to gain favor with Count Sogres, who achieved great feats in the war and became one of the strongest men on the continent. ¡°Oh my, Count Sogres, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re here like this.¡± ¡°Haha, then should the castle owner greet the guests himself, who else would I order?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry if you do this.¡± The seemingly benevolent Count Sogres naturally had this intention. The war has ended, and shall we say it was a means to gradually strengthen control over the south and promote the power of the Sogres family? Of course, the most important reason is to celebrate young Dain¡¯s birthday as loudly as possible. What kind of child is Dain? On his first birthday, didn¡¯t he react as if up to four items were vying to be chosen? That¡¯s why they held a banquet on the same scale as Arabel and ire¡¯s seventh birthday and invited nobles. In the meantime, the most special guest among the guests to this banquet also arrived. ¡°Hahaha! Aken! How long has it been?¡± ¡°Duke, how have you been?¡± ¡°Thisd, what kind of Duke is he? Do what you do¡­¡± ¡°There are many eyes watching. I¡¯ll talk morefortablyter.¡± It was Duke Thermion. A man called a war hero alongside Aken Sogres. He¡¯s Duke Thermion, thergest family in the Altheon Empire, and a Hexa-level swordsman nicknamed ¡®The ck Wave.¡¯ Moreover, he¡¯s the most powerful noble in the Altheon Empire, second only to the emperor in power, and his influence, needless to say, is vast. Also, it¡¯s a family owning Thermion Forge, known for crafting weapons only for a very small number of recognized individuals not only in the empire but throughout the continent. And¡­ ¡°Wow, you look handsome. Is this Dain, the youngest you were so proud of?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Dain, greet him. This is Duke Thermion.¡± This was a man whom Dain, whom he was facing now, could not have met. ¡°I am Dain Sogres. It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Duke Thermion.¡± ¡°Haha, you speak well and clearly!¡± Of course, Dain didn¡¯t show it at all. Even if I took your life in a past life, what matters is your current life. The battlefield was a natural environment to harbor feelings of revenge and rejection. However, I couldn¡¯t help but feel my blood boil. Shall we say it¡¯s the instinct of a warrior etched while rolling through the battlefield? ¡°So, are you learning to use thence?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What a shame. Your body is perfect for learning swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Are you still saying that to everyone you meet?¡± ¡°Haha, did I do that? Hm. Now that I see it, instead of a body to learn swordsmanship orncing¡­ You¡¯ll have to worry about making many women cryter.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because they resemble me?¡± ¡°What! Seriously, she looks like the countess. Is this the time for you to appear?¡± Perhaps it¡¯s because it¡¯s some sort of private meeting. Duke Thermion continued an informal conversation with a friendly and generous smile. ¡°Ah, look. This is our youngest daughter, Le. Le, say hello.¡± ¡°Hi, Count Sogres!¡± The girl who stepped forward with a lively greeting had dazzling beauty. ¡°Wow! This is the famous girl Le from the rumored capital. Delighted to meet you, Miss Le. Haha, as rumored, she¡¯s truly beautiful.¡± As Count Sogres said, her pink hair, distinctive features, and pure white skin were a beauty that showed why she was rumored about even in the south. ¡°Haha, nowadays, I really hate the word beauty. They say if you were born in the Thermion family, you should be judged by your sword.¡± Count Sogres nodded, proud of his words. ¡°Indeed. You¡¯ve trained her well.¡± ¡°She resembles her father so much that she can already hold and swing a sword better than her brothers. She¡¯s very smart. She¡¯s the same age as your son, seven years old. You two should greet each other.¡± Le extended her hand to me. ¡°Nice to meet you! I¡¯m Le Thermion.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too. I¡¯m Dain Sogres.¡± Before the cute first greeting of their two sons and daughters, the two people smiled without even thinking about who was first. ¡°Well, your wife¡­ How is she?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still no improvement. I¡¯m exploring every possible way, but¡­¡± Duke Thermion spoke with a dark expression on his face while discussing his sick wife. ¡°She¡¯ll definitely get better.¡± ¡°Okay, if I¡¯m gone. I¡¯ll hastily break the scroll and return to the capital.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Count Sogres nodded, remembering how Duke Thermion, known to be a kind husband, had no choice but toe here and leave his sick wife behind. ¡°The banquet is about to begin. Let¡¯s go in, Duke.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been blocking the main entrance for too long. Let¡¯s go.¡± In this way, Duke Thermion and his group followed Count Sogres¡¯ weing party and moved to the main castle. Meanwhile, Le looked at Dain. Could it be because he was the first boy of my age I met after enduring the long journey south? It didn¡¯t seem like that was the only reason. The banquet began shortly after. ¡°For the merciful Count Sogres!¡± ¡°May Count Sogres and Young Master Dain live a long and prosperous life!¡± At the Sogres family banquet, there were no boundaries dividing nobles or fiefs. Not only the nobles who visited from other territories to celebrate his birthday, but also Count¡¯s family members enjoyed this banquet, eating and drinking alongside the people from the territory. ¡°Hey, the person sitting there is the famous Duke Thermion of the Altheon Empire!¡± ¡°How majestic you are. I need to go serve him a drink!¡± ¡°How can his daughter look like a doll? From what I heard, she¡¯s the same age as our youngest master, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re also from Baron Sonnian! I think you also came to Miss ire¡¯s tenth birthday!¡± The Sogres family is one of the most prestigious families in the Altheon Empire. So the number of visiting nobles was also enormous. ¡°Here it is! Let¡¯s try the beer made in our district! I made it especially for you!¡± ¡°Try some mincedmb! If you dip it in our special sauce, it¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Oh, Baron Sonnian, who camest time, is here again? Would you like to try our special stew this time?¡± Father Aken Sogres, mother Lily Sogres, and other nobles who hade to celebrate the birthday of their youngest son, Dain Sogres, naturally socialized, ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves. ¡°Oh, oh! Countess. You have really quick hands. It was ten sses and took less than three seconds.¡± ¡°Hoho. Is that so?¡± Count Sogres and Duke Thermion, who had be friends during the war, also engaged in friendly conversation. ¡°Alright, how is it raising a son? Isn¡¯t it a bit different from your daughters?¡± ¡°Oh, I wonder if I did something because he grew up so well, let alone because he was talented. I think it¡¯s because he learned by watching his older sisters.¡± ¡°Haha. I see. He¡¯s been showing talent since he was 1 year old. Does this mean he¡¯s grown up already?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to act foolish and say so, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.¡± ¡°By the way, your daughters couldn¡¯t attend the academy because of the incident.¡± He was hinting at the engagement of his eldest son, Owen Thermion, with Arabel Sogres. ¡°It must be very disappointing.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s correct. What can you do? Haha.¡± ¡°Anyway, where did the birthday person go? He¡¯s a smart kid, so I wanted to exchange a few words with him.¡± However, it was not possible to see where Dain Sogres, the main character of this birthday, had actually gone. The same goes for Le Thermion, the youngest daughter of Duke Thermion. As if it were obvious, Aken took a sip of the drink that Duke Thermion had served him and then replied. ¡°He¡¯s still seven years old, so wouldn¡¯t he be ying outside?¡± *** I hadn¡¯t quite gotten used to banquets yet. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I remember my past life or because I¡¯m still young, but what I¡¯m sure of is that it¡¯s a far cry from my memories of war. So, I found a suitable opportunity and escaped. Of course, I told my mother in advance. ¡°The main event is in two hours¡­ It should be rxing.¡± I murmured as I walked through the garden. There¡¯s still plenty of time until the birthday gift-giving ceremony, which can be considered the highlight of the banquet. ¡°It would¡¯ve been nice if my sisters hade.¡± Naturally, my sisters who entered the academy before me sent a letter saying they couldn¡¯t attend my birthday this year because midterm exams were just around the corner. It¡¯s regrettable, but what can you do? It¡¯s quite far from the capital where the academy is located down south, and it won¡¯t be easy for the two of them to make it here. I was walking through the garden near the banquet hall, pondering this and that. Wow, wow! The sound of a weapon cutting through the air could be heard. Strange. The training ground must be quite far away. Are the guards training? That¡¯s not it either. It was my father who ordered everyone to participate in the banquet, leaving only the minimum security personnel, saying that everyone should participate in such a big event without exception. Even the staff rotate in shifts and maintain a minimum number. Soon I could find the source of the sound. ¡°Ha!¡± A little boy was practicing his swordsmanship in a ratherrge space near the garden fountain. The reason it wasn¡¯t described as swinging was that the boy was full of seriousness and his stance with the sword was also quite well-established. ¡°Why not¡­?¡± It seems there are also some serious concerns. I silently observed the figure near the fountain. The stabbing and shing movements are quite impressive. And somehow, the situation feels familiar to me. ¡°Ah.¡± I realized immediately. This girl is Le Thermion, brought by Duke Thermion, one of the nobles who visited our family to attend the previous banquet. But now, the sword Le Thermion held emitted the scent of the duke¡¯s swordsmanship. I am well acquainted with that sword technique. Meanwhile, Le, who had been diligently working with her hair tightly tied in the wind, suddenly sighed. ¡°Why not? If I create a magical core like my father¡¯s¡­ Is this type of movement possible?¡± Le probably doesn¡¯t like her swordsmanship. It¡¯s difficult to tell this to a child, but I think the same. Things that were going well tend to get disrupted. I seemed to understand the reason. Wow, wow! It was a time when I really appreciated sword handling. ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± When I deliberately signaled my presence, she startled and aimed her sword at me. I responded by raising both hands to confirm that I had no offense or ill intentions. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to interfere with your training.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve interfered from the moment you appeared.¡± The boy looked at me and tilted his head. ¡°But you¡­ It¡¯s amazing?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Because you look more handsome at night.¡± I was left speechless by the unexpected response. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ¨C Seventh Birthday (2) But it wasn¡¯t bad. Because you¡¯re handsome. That¡¯s right. Because even to me, I have a pretty face. Silver hair, big eyes, a high nose, and a beautiful jawline. It might be a little hard to say this, butpared to his previous life, his face is iparably beautiful. So, I said something Le was probably waiting for. ¡°You¡¯re pretty too.¡± Le responded with a smile. ¡°Thank you. Indeed, I feel good when I see a good-looking person. Whether they¡¯re a man or a woman. So, I felt good earlier. Honestly, I don¡¯t really like apanying my dad toe here, but I thought it might be a good idea toe here.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m d. Our territory is a quiet and pleasant ce.¡± Le continued speaking as if she was genuinely jealous. ¡°It seemed like it. Our Thermion territory is always noisy. Noblese to visit me every day, bow to my father, and sometimes even the imperial familyes to visit me. Every time, I have to put on a dress and greet them. I prefer wearingfortable clothes and wielding a sword.¡± Then, Le briefly waved her sword in the air. The moonlight reflected along the length of the de. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I like everything. It¡¯s not always as noisy as the capital. But I also train with thence every day.¡± ¡°Lance? Oh, right. The nickname of Count Sogres was ¡®Blue Storm.¡¯ I heard my father mention it several times. He¡¯s an incredibly cool person.¡± The corners of my mouth lifted unconsciously. ¡°And Duke Thermion too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My father is amazing. So¡­ Will I ever be as strong as my father? I think I will.¡± It wasn¡¯t something a seven-year-old should be concerned about, but her seriousness was evident. ¡°By the way, are you training with thence?¡± ¡°For now?¡± ¡°Then, are you also aspiring to enter the academy?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No. I¡¯m not practicing with thence to enter the academy.¡± ¡°Then why? Of course, you¡¯re practicing to get into the academy! How hard is it even to get in there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t train with thence to enter the academy; I train to do better once I¡¯m inside the academy.¡± ¡°Perhaps my words were too high for a seven-year-old?¡± Le didn¡¯t seem to understand. ¡°And if you don¡¯t get into the academy?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to try again next time. If that doesn¡¯t work, then maybe it¡¯s not my path.¡± ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you afraid of disappointing your family?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure.¡± My father, my mother, my sisters, and everyone else never told me that I had to go to the academy. Instead of an atmosphere of knowing that I would do well on my own, there was a greater atmosphere where everyone wanted me to take charge of their field of expertise. However, they are not people who pressure me. But it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case with Le¡¯s family. ¡°I envy you¡­ Our family doesn¡¯t tolerate failure¡­ Ah. Please pretend you didn¡¯t hear what you just heard.¡± Le lowered her head in embarrassment. I just shrugged and pretended not to hear. ¡°Ah. It seemed like the wind was blowing strongly earlier?¡± Because I don¡¯t think I¡¯m so narrow-minded as to tell someone what the child identally said. Le looked at me, puzzled, and smiled. ¡°Thank you. Would you like to see my sword skills in return? The sword skill of our Thermion family can¡¯t be used just anywhere.¡± For some reason, I was quite surprised when I saw it earlier. A family secret or something like that? Indeed, I wasn¡¯t particrly impressed because I had seen countless times the swordsmanship of families boasting of being famous for incessantly rolling on the battlefield. Of course, most warriors and knights are very reluctant to show their training. Partly because they were embarrassed, but swordsmanship was their daily bread. Of course, I nced at it before. Still, I didn¡¯t want to shatter this little kid¡¯s pride. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take a look.¡± I sat by the fountain. Le¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she started practicing swordy. Certainly, it¡¯s good swordsmanship. This is clearly the case, as the swordy performed in the hands of a seven-year-old feels impressive. I can see the offense changing and the defense is natural, and the timing to deepen the weaknesses is excellent. In a little over 10 years, she might reach the Quadruple level and is expected to reach the Hexa level, which in my opinion is excellent swordsmanship. Then, I suddenly realized that Le¡¯s swordsmanship was strangely off at a certain point. The stable state of swordsmanship slowly distorted, and soon it didn¡¯t differ from random swinging. But I waited until the swordy was over. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°That was great.¡± ¡°Really. Was it?¡± ¡°It was so good. It was fun to watch.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Well. However¡­ Doesn¡¯t it seem like your feet take half a step forward starting from the third movement?¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Le was embarrassed. Did she not know? ¡°?¡± ¡°It seems like thatpared to existing formats. I¡¯m not sure if it was originally like that, but it seems like all subsequent sword forms are unsynchronized because you take half a step forward.¡± Le looked at me, not understanding. Did I speak too harshly? Oh no, I thought. I was pointing out someone else¡¯s family swordy, not ours. If you be a daughter of an aristocrat, you¡¯ll have a great deal of pride. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I offended you. It¡¯s been a while since I saw swordy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Le let out an exmation. ¡°I never noticed!¡± And suddenly, she ran towards me and hugged me. In an instant, dry saliva ran down my face. It wasn¡¯t because I felt my heart beating fast from the child¡¯s hug. ¡°Thank you so much! Dain Sogres!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay but lower the sword¡­ ¡° ¡°Oops!¡± Le quickly stepped back and promptly sheathed her sword. She stared at me for a while. If I make a mistake, someone will be caught. ¡°It was for this. My swordsmanship has been off since the fourth grade. Thank you, Dain Sogres. I¡¯ll definitely remember it.¡± It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t have to remember it, so I hope that next time you keep the sword in its sheath and approach me. ¡°Wow. I¡¯ve been out for too long. Well then, see youter at the banquet hall!¡± And so Le quickly disappeared. I wondered if I should follow her, but I thought she might return to the banquet hall on her own. Hmm. Should I have brought ance too? A moment where I feel a little regret. ¡°Dain, you¡¯re here.¡± I turned my head when I heard a familiar voice. When I turned, my mother was standing there. Indeed, she was a former assassin. ¡°Mother. Did you find me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost time for the gift-giving ceremony, but I can¡¯t find my youngest son.¡± My mother seemed to be in a good mood. ¡°I think I made some friends along the way, and mom is in a very good mood today.¡± ¡°So am I.¡± It was an unexpected encounter, but that made it even more surprising. ¡°You look like a member of the Thermion family. What did you talk about?¡± ¡°About swordsmanship and the academy.¡± As I thought before, I didn¡¯t mention the story Le identally mentioned. I don¡¯t know if my mother found out, but she¡¯s not the kind of person who tells a story without me asking. I suddenly asked about the academy. ¡°But Mom, do I really have to go to the Academy?¡± ¡°Well? Your mom has never been to the academy.¡± My mother smiled cheerfully. ¡°Your mom received assassination lessons from your grandfather when her friends went to the academy.¡± Certainly, my mother is scarier than my father. ¡°Of course, I wanted to go to the academy and be with my friends. But when I actually learned it, assassination was fun too.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ .¡± ¡°Dain. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll be muchter when you¡¯ll learn about real assassination. If our Dain is still interested in it then. First, I n to teach my little son things that will be useful in the future, even if they are not assassinations, like stealth, infiltration, and tracking, which you are currently learning.¡± That¡¯s right. On the battlefield, it¡¯s not just about all-out war. You have to carry out various missions, like secretly infiltrating the enemy camp and gathering information, or if necessary, targeting key figures. ¡°But first and foremost, today is the banquet day, so enjoy itfortably.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you saddened that your sisters couldn¡¯te?¡± I shook my head at those words. ¡°I think I would really bother them if my sisters gave up their midterm exams because of my birthday.¡± My mother made aplicated expression at those words. She immediately bent her knees and stroked my head. ¡°Dain. You don¡¯t need to answer solely out of consideration for others. You¡¯re still young. If you¡¯re disappointed, you can ask for forgiveness.¡± I thought for a moment and then remembered. ¡°It¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°Well?¡± ¡°Yes. I miss my sisters.¡± Honestly, it¡¯s strange. Even though I still have memories of Agrik, I live as Dain Sogres, the youngest son of this family. Unconsciously, I tried to act like an adult. It¡¯s even stranger when I miss my older sisters who loved me and talked to me when I was a newborn and couldn¡¯t even speak properly. And¡­ Because it was exactly the ideal family I had imagined in my past life. ¡°They will definitelye when the holidays arrive. Because they are sisters who love Dain more than anyone else in the world.¡± Maybe I would be happy living as a child until I grow up. My mother and I returned to the banquet hall. ¡°Oh, the hero of this birthday has arrived. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Young master Dain. Try some of the stew here. The vor is very rich, isn¡¯t it?¡± I walked around a few tables, ate some food, and came face to face with Le, who was acting like a modestdy, as if she had never done such a thing before. However, Le only made eye contact with her father, Duke Thermion, to see what he was talking about. I looked at Duke Thermion. Naturally, he looked very different from how he looked when he cut me. You could feel the majesty of nobility, but there was no smell of blood. I¡¯m curious. Do they really remember me? Meanwhile, suddenly the sound of music was heard, a podium was ced at the end of the banquet hall, and the eagerly awaited gift-giving ceremony took ce. ¡°Dain! Hahaha. Come over here.¡± My father seemed to be in quite a good mood. There¡¯s no way you¡¯d get drunk since you have six magic cores, but there are days when you feel good even if you¡¯re not drunk. For my father, today felt like one of those days. ¡°Dain, congrattions on your seventh birthday.¡± My father had already given me ance. That¡¯s why my mother gave me a gift. It was a small, neatly packaged box. ¡°Congrattions on your first magic core. And I wish you a very happy birthday, Dain.¡± I saw my mother¡¯s fresh smile. ¡°Go ahead, open it.¡± When I opened the gift, I could see a brooch made with the Sogres family crest inside. A golden lion wrapped around a snake. I already knew this brooch with a beautiful relief. This is because my older sister and my younger sister each received it on their seventh birthday, and it¡¯s something they showed me. ¡°Take care of it, Dain. Now, this brooch will show your status and honor.¡± I nodded. It was a more precious gift than anything else in the world. My mother whispered quietly. ¡°If you do well in ss, I¡¯ll give you a weapon like dad¡¯s, so don¡¯t be so sad.¡± Is there any reason to regret? I received such a precious gift. My mother took the brooch and ced it on my chest, and the audience burst into apuse. ¡°Young Master Dain! Happy birthday!¡± ¡°Congrattions, grow up well like the Count!¡± Although I had been a member of the family from the beginning, at the moment they handed me the brooch, it felt like I could really use the name Sogres. Of course, it didn¡¯t seem like they were acknowledging it now. Rather, it was closer to meaning that now that the time hase, you should open your chest with more confidence. ¡°Thank you, Father and Mother.¡± My parents smiled when they saw me like this. If my sisters were here, I could have seen that bright smile twice more. That was when I thought. Wow, boom! At that moment, the entire banquet hall shook with vibrations. Silence fell, and shouts erupted in all directions. A vibration spread from the center of the banquet hall. ¡°Everyone, stay calm! Riders, take up arms!¡± The sound of a drawn sword was heard. Everyone was busy moving, and my father and the riders surrounded exactly the center of the banquet hall, the source of the vibration. That was the moment when I also swallowed and swallowed dry saliva. Kugugugung¡­ As the vibrations slowly diminished, suddenly a teleportation gate appeared in the air. And the person who appeared¡­ ¡°Dain! Am I notte?¡± It was my older sister. Arabel, who is diligently preparing for the academy¡¯s midterm exams. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­Oh, isn¡¯t that Miss Arabel?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I guess so?¡± Everyone was speechless and looked at my older sister without understanding. Not just my father, but also the riders who drew their weapons and were very nervous. Only my mother covered her mouth with a low exmation of ¡°My goodness.¡± ¡°Huh? Did I look too shy?¡± Sure, she¡¯s beautiful. Very. ¡°Then, did Lady Arabel use teleportation magic a moment ago?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh. I heard you have to be at Chain 5 just to barely open the small gate!¡± ¡°This kind of genius is our Miss!¡± He¡¯s right. However, who would have imagined that a teleportation gate would open exactly in the center of the banquet hall? And to celebrate her younger brother¡¯s birthday. ¡°But I can¡¯t help it! To open a gate wherever I want within this range! I¡¯ve been gathering my magic for a year for this day! Without anyone knowing!¡± I ended up bursting intoughter. A smile that will seem like the brightest smile in the world. But this wasn¡¯t the end. ¡°Kyaaaaaaa!¡± A scream was heard from outside the banquet hall. A loud roar so strong that it makes you shiver for a moment. Everyone could see it when they turned their heads toward the window. A huge wyvern¡­ The appearance of the younger sister riding on that wyvern. *Thud!* A clear sound of a wyvernnding was heard, and the door to the banquet hall opened. ¡°Oh my God, it¡¯s a wyvern!¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s Miss ire!¡± A gray wyvern with outspread wings. There I saw my younger sisternding lightly and walking majestically. ¡°Miss ire also came¡­¡± ¡°They say she¡¯s a genius summoner, indeed!¡± ¡°Is Miss ire 16 years old?¡± My younger sister looked at me from the other end, near the podium, and finally rxed her frosty face and smiled. ¡°Dain.¡± Just like that, my younger sister who was supposed to be at the academy also came here. ¡°Happy birthday, my brother.¡± To say one thing. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¨C Seventh Birthday (3) 19 years old. 16 years old. It¡¯s an age that can¡¯t be considered too old. However, the older sister Arabel and the younger sister ire are probably the most famous 19 and 16-year-olds in this empire, or maybe even the entire continent. She opened a teleportation gate at the age of 19. It¡¯s said she umted magical power for nearly a year to travel long distances, but teleportation magic, in the first ce, requires Chain 5 or higher to be used. A supposed magical genius. The most notable talent of the Imperial Academy Altheon. She was my older sister, Arabel. Simrly, my younger sister already knows how to handle a wyvern at the age of 16. Wyvern is a challenging summon that a mid-level summoner can barely summon with all their might. I have repeatedly seen summoners on the battlefield copsing from exhaustion as soon as they are summoned. However, my younger sister not only had enough power to summon it but also maintained the summon and flew from the distant academy on a wyvern. Moreover¡­ Along with her older sister, she was a genius who would receive the utmost attention at the Academy. ¡°Lady Arabel already opened the teleportation gate, and Lady ire is flying on a wyvern¡­¡± ¡°Eh, how many gods have blessed the Sogres family in this generation?¡± Anyone who sees it is filled with envious looks. Here was also my story. ¡°Young Master Dain, do you remember your first birthday? At that time, all the artifacts ced by each family member responded!¡± ¡°Perhaps Young Master Dain is the greatest talent.¡± The magic core activated, and every word people whispered was heard in my ears. I tried to control it, but it wasn¡¯t easy for a child¡¯s body. However, it wasn¡¯t a story I didn¡¯t want to hear. I could also hear my father muttering. ¡°I raised my children, and on their brother¡¯s birthday, they sent him a letter. On their younger brother¡¯s birthday, they even brought a wyvern and another with teleportation magic.¡± Of course, despite saying that, he was smiling cheerfully, as if he were very happy that his older sister and younger sister had appeared in the territory. ¡°Big sister, little sister.¡± I called my sisters. But soon, I took a step back. Both were holding something in their hands and running in my direction. Sparks flew in their eyes, and sparks flew when the mage¡¯s magic and the summoner¡¯s magic really collided. As if I were the first. ¡°Dain!¡± ¡°Dain!¡± And without even knowing who was first, they reached me and handed me a gift. The fire was still burning in their eyes. I knew how to calm my sisters. ¡°Thank you, sisters. Foring all the way here to celebrate my birthday.¡± When I epted both gifts at the same time, smiles appeared on their faces. ¡°Happy birthday! Dain!¡± ¡°Happy birthday, sincerely. Dain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious too!¡± Both were still children by my standards in my previous life, but in this body, they were older sisters who filled me with infinite love. ¡°Hurry up and open it! How many gifts will I receive today?¡± I returned to the podium at the end of the banquet hall with my sisters. It was because too much attention was focused on us. I began to unwrap the gift my older sister gave me. Inside was a ring. ¡°Subspace pocket! I designed it myself! Of course, subspace magic is the highest chain magic, so our professor injected it himself!¡± Thanks to the lectures from my older sister that I¡¯ve been taking since I was a baby, I know very well how difficult it is to give magic to objects, especially subspace magic. However, what¡¯s even more challenging is designing the artifact ording to the magic it will be given. Even designing it with someone else in mind¡­ ¡°Try it on, Dain. For your information, this is an item that has its gic code applied, so no one else but us, the Sogres, can use it. It¡¯s the only one in the world!¡± I tried on the ring. It fits perfectly. It was even beautiful. The silver ring had a blue gem embedded in it, as if aesthetic aspects were also taken into ount. Judging by the subtle waves passing through it, it was clearly a high-quality magic stone. As soon as I infused magical energy into it, something amazing happened. The air in front of the left hand wearing the ring split, leaving space for a hand to pass through. ¡°What do you think, Dain? Now the era of pockets is over!¡± A subspace pocket is literally a pocket. That¡¯s why it has the pocket with the name. It looks like a normal pocket, but when magical energy is injected, the assigned subspace activates and connects to the pocket entrance. ¡°Just activate the magic of the ring, and you¡¯ll be instantly transported to subspace! All you have to do is put your hand in and take it out! Now you don¡¯t have to bother taking your pockets out to open the entrance.¡± It was worth seeing my older sister looking proud and happy. It was a very innovative item. My sister designed this. ¡°Sister, thank you very much¡­ But can I really have it?¡± ¡°To whom would I give it if not to you? For your information, I worked hard to achieve this! So you have to appreciate it, okay?¡± I nodded. It was the perfect gift. It¡¯s a subspace pocket. In my past life, I had seen rich people like some noblemanders and mages use it several times, but I had never used it. I never thought I would receive this. ¡°Ah! For your information, the ring grows as you grow! It may gradually thin out, but it will be enough until my brother grows up. Actually, I wish Dain would stay a little child¡­¡± She was my older sister and had special affection for me since I was a baby. ¡°But as Dain still can¡¯t use it, we¡¯ll create a magic core or magic circleter to handle magical power¡­¡± While my sister spoke, I was already infusing magic into the ring. ¡®I was going to tell you that you could use it whenever¡­¡¯ Jiing. The ring briefly vibrated, and the subspace opened. ¡°¡­ Our younger brother is a genius too, isn¡¯t he?¡± Soon, my sister smiled happily, stating she knew this would happen. ¡°Eh. I created a magic core.¡± ¡°You¡¯re faster than me!¡± My older sister was surprised but lowered her voice so no one could hear. ¡°As expected, our younger brother is amazing! It¡¯s a shame it¡¯s not a magic circle¡­ What do you think? Because our little one is a genius! Maybe we¡¯ll have both a core and a circle at the same time!¡± I just smiled. While expressing my gratitude once again, I heard my little sister¡¯s voice filled with anxiety. ¡°Dain¡­ And what about mine?¡± I almostughed as I checked my little sister¡¯s expression. Was my older sister¡¯s gift so wonderful that she thought her own gift would be overshadowed? ¡°Open mine too.¡± ¡°Eh.¡± I quickly unwrapped my little sister¡¯s gift. For a moment, I felt the sharp gaze of my older sister, but I pretended not to notice and looked at the gift. It was a disy case. Inside, there was an egg. ¡°It¡¯s not an egg!¡± My little sister quickly added, probably surprised by my facial expression as she hadn¡¯t thought of a reaction yet. Who would think someone would give an egg as a birthday present? I looked at the egg. The golden shell was sttered with red spots. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen an egg. It¡¯s ridiculous, but if this were an egg, it would be incredibly expensive, wouldn¡¯t it? At that moment, I realized my little sister was a summoner. ¡°Sister, is this¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a familiar.¡± My eyes widened when I heard the word ¡®familiar¡¯ as if it were a whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of familiar it will be, but¡­ It was very difficult to get.¡± ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t that hard, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much!¡± Following my older sister, my little sister also made a huge gift. The younger sister continued to talk cautiously, wondering if anyone would hear her. ¡°One day, I tried a magic trick to summon Dekaron¡­ ¡­ That came out.¡± Familiar. In short, it¡¯s an invoker¡¯s ¡°mistake.¡± That¡¯s a very, very rare mistake. The summoned beings are connected with a ¡°code¡± through aplex process only the summoner can understand, but very asionally, ¡°mistakes¡± ur in this process. For example, instead of being the summoning target, another being with a code simr to the summoning target is summoned. In this case, it can be called ¡®Al.¡¯ And this egg is so rare that collectors, nobles, and even the imperial family drool over it. Because somehow, even after the summoning time ends, it will remain in this world permanently. In other words, you can permanently order summonings from other dimensions without the need forplex summoning techniques. In that sense, my little sister just gave me something incredible. ¡°No one knows yet. Dain, only you know. So we¡¯ll keep it a secret until it¡¯s born, okay? ¡°Okay.¡± I quickly covered the showcase with the wrapping and smiled happily. ¡°Thank you, sister.¡± Only then did my little sister smile happily. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it will take to be born. Instead, you have to infuse your magic every morning and every night so that it recognizes you as its owner in advance, okay? Until there¡¯s a response!¡± Until there¡¯s a response. I don¡¯t know how long it will take, but I definitely have to incubate it. ¡°Yes! I will. But little sister, isn¡¯t this too precious? I¡¯m very grateful, but I think it will be more useful for my sister.¡± I was serious. Although I appreciated the gift, this is a truly precious item. Especially for my sister, who is a summoner, it would be a difficult-to-see item even once in her life. But my little sister shook her head stubbornly. ¡°It¡¯s meaningless unless you understand it.¡± And my little sister looked at my older sister with a proud expression as if she had won. My older sister tried to pretend she didn¡¯t notice, but her hands were trembling. ¡°Coward¡­¡± Oh, I need to resolve this quickly before my sisters start fighting. ¡°Thank you very much, both of you.¡± I could only feel relieved after seeing the smiling faces of my two beloved sisters again. By the way, what about that wyvern and the teleportation gate? ¡°Kyaaaaaak!¡± ¡°Oh! Fool! You can¡¯t go in there! It¡¯s a gate that I don¡¯t know where it leads! Someone stop him!¡± Then, my younger sister rushed to cancel the wyvern summoning, and my older sister quickly waved her hand to block ess to the gate. ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice that your sisters came?¡± Before I knew it, my mother approached and patted my head. ¡°Yes, Mother. It¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°Mom, you¡¯re also very kind. Dad likes it too.¡± The whole family gathered. The banquet was starting now. ¡°Ladies, I¡¯m d you came despite saying you couldn¡¯t, but why not also wee Dad and Mom?¡± My father looked quite sad. My older and younger sisters were astonished and clung to their father. ¡°Oh, father! How have you been?¡± ¡°Father!¡± I chuckled as I saw my father¡¯s expression slowly rx at the bted greetings from my sisters. Amidst this, I suddenly made eye contact with Le. It was a very envious expression. It seemed like it wasn¡¯t just because I received a gift. A strange loneliness. I felt it in her eyes. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¨C Seventh Birthday (4) Duke Thermion, a warrior known as the ¡®ck Wave.¡¯ A man who became a hero alongside ¡®Blue Storm¡¯ Aken Sogres during the war against the Drennic Empire. The reason he left the capital and traveled south wasn¡¯t just to celebrate the seventh birthday of Dain Sogres, the youngest son of Count Sogres. ¡®Hmm. I think it would be a good idea to bring up the engagement story in today¡¯s conversation.¡¯ Owen Thermion, the eldest son. The most skilled person in the Imperial Academy¡¯s fencing department. The true intention of this visit to Count Sogres is to discuss the marriage of his eldest son. The target is Arabel Sogres. She is also the most talented person in the academy¡¯s magic department. ¡®Will the union of these two families create such a formidable influence that even the royalty would struggle to control?¡¯ Duke Thermion didn¡¯t pay much attention to politics. This was simr to Count Sogres. However, it was necessary to respond to the imperial family, which kept every noble family in check as their prestige and poprity grew after the war. That method is marriage. Of course, he didn¡¯t want to force an arranged marriage. It¡¯s something he wanted to discuss after seeing his close friend. Count Sogres is not the type to follow exactly what he dictates. Duke Thermion decided to enjoy the Southern atmosphere. ¡°The morning air is so pleasant. After all, I like the southern air.¡± It was when Duke Thermion was strolling through the garden of Count Sogres¡¯s castle, lost in many thoughts. ¡°Mmm.¡± A strange sound was heard. Instead of the dew forming and the sound of insects chirping, the sound of waves and cheers persisted in his ears. It was very faint, but he could hear it. He thought the guards of Count Sogres were training in the morning, but the only sound he could hear was that of a person. Duke Thermion walked in that direction without realizing it. If it was Count Sogres, he was nning to tell the story secretly while he was out. ¡°Eh.¡± However, Duke Thermion, who discovered the source of the sound, couldn¡¯t help but exim. It wasn¡¯t Count Sogres. It was Dain Sogres, the youngest son of Count Sogres. ¡°Haap.¡± A stab that unfolds in a brief and intense burst of energy. Although he is only seven years old, his posture is oriented at a certain angle, and the spear he throws stops at the exact point every time. ¡®Oh.¡¯ Duke Thermion was impressed by the movement and concentration that werepletely insensitive for a seven-year-old. How could he do that? As if a child was born to hold a spear, the strike he made with his little hand was excellent. In terms of simple stabbing, it¡¯s a level that even spear users who have been on the battlefield for several years would have to give up. ¡°Count Sogres has finally found a sessor.¡± He had heard that Count Sogres was very worried because his eldest daughter, Arabel, and his younger daughter, ire, went the path of magic and summoning. But it doesn¡¯t seem like there is anything to worry about. The potential and talent of Count¡¯s youngest son, Dain Sogres, can already be felt through the stabbing with a single spear. ¡°They say he already showed great talent when he was a year old¡­¡± He dismissed it as just a rumor, but was it true? At that moment, a posture suddenly caught his attention. Duke Thermion squinted. ¡°Did you learn how to handle a sword¡­?¡± Even swordy at such an early age? But curiously, it felt familiar to him. Where did he see it? ¡¯I think I saw it clearly¡­¡¯ If what he was holding was a sword and not a spear, he would have recognized it immediately. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is, but I think it would save face if you go out and see instead of hiding.¡± At that moment, a bold voice was heard. Duke Thermion felt embarrassed for a moment, but then he burst outughing and left. ¡°That¡¯s really cheeky.¡± Dain found Duke Thermion and bowed as if he had been waiting. Dain Sogres meets Duke Thermion. It seemed like he had received proper training in etiquette. It¡¯s also impressive that even though his whole body was soaked in sweat at this moment, he didn¡¯t tremble at all. Not because he had already created a magic core at that age, but anyway, he was an incredible child. ¡°From morning, I was absorbed for a moment as I watched the precious scene of Sogres¡¯ divine training. I didn¡¯t mean to spy on you, will you forgive me?¡± ¡°I forgive you.¡± Duke Thermion burst intoughter again. He was starting to like this bold kid in front of him. ¡°The stabbing was great. You really inherited the talent. Mmm. The spear you hold is no ordinary object¡­ Can I look at it?¡± Surprisingly, Dain handed over the spear without hesitation. Towards the handle, not towards the de of the spear. Duke Thermion smiled. The etiquette for handing over weapons is also clear. ¡°It¡¯s a very good spear. I can feel the affection of Count Sogres.¡± ¡°I know my father worked hard to prepare it, and I¡¯m grateful that you recognize it.¡± That¡¯s a very good answer. It¡¯s like his own son, Owen, the eldest son of the duke, is not inferior in manners or skills, but it wasn¡¯t like that when he was young. ¡®Is this something I should consider for an engagement?¡¯ Duke Thermion thought of his youngest daughter, Le. Although she is the youngest and too young to talk about marriage, he thought it would be good to look to the future with this kind of talent. Of course, he has to say that he likes his daughter. ¡°My daughter also practices swordsmanship. Since they are the same age, they¡¯ll be good friends if you ever enter the academy. By the way, I¡¯m leaving tomorrow, so I think it would be good to meet and talk before that date.¡± Dain remembered the day before when he met Le in the garden but didn¡¯t bother to mention it. ¡°Yes, Duke. I will.¡± ¡°Haha. I¡¯m d the response is refreshing. By the way, you were training, and I interrupted you for a long time.¡± Duke Thermion, who had spoken until that moment, remembered Dain¡¯s posture and movements he had seen before. And, just in case, he asked. ¡°Have you ever trained with a sword?¡± For a moment, Dain¡¯s hands, which had been sped politely, trembled. But soon Dain shook his head as if he didn¡¯t know what was going on. ¡°I¡¯ve read a textbook on swordsmanship, but I¡¯ve never practiced it.¡± ¡°Mmm. I see.¡± However, what Duke Thermion saw in Dain¡¯s spear skill was clearly the posture and habits of those who used swords. Infused with a raw smell. Could it be¡­ the smell of the battlefield? ¡°That can¡¯t be possible.¡± For a 7-year-old to have the smell of the battlefield. Duke Thermion chuckled at the idea of going too far. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to reveal it, there must be a reason.¡± Duke Thermion decided to pretend not to notice. ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve been taking too much for a walk. Well then, I¡¯ll see youter when I bid you farewell.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke. Pleasee back and take a look.¡± ¡°Alright. And if you evere to the capital, look for me. For the hospitality I received here at Count¡¯s castle and because I have personally be interested in you. Interest. Dain was startled by those words, but he responded without showing it. ¡°I will definitelye to visit.¡± Duke Thermion left the training ground, leaving behind Dain, who bowed his head. There was a happy smile on his lips. ¡°I came here to talk about marriage, and I ended up seeing something more interesting.¡± Meeting a boy named Dain seemed to be the greatest benefit of this trip south. *** ¡°Wow.¡± Duke Thermion was overwhelming. It wasn¡¯t just about unleashing magic against a child; he had recognized my sword skills just by observing my stance. Of course, I had no reason to hide it. However, when learning new skills, it¡¯s necessary to conceal old habits. Though I tried to learn the stabbing stance from my father without revealing the habits of my past life, he found out. ¡°Is a duke always a duke?¡± One of the 6 Hexa-level talents in the Altheon Empire. Among them, the man considered the strongest alongside my father. Duke Thermion, who had just chatted with me as if he were the uncle next door. ¡°Will he remember me?¡± I couldn¡¯t ask due to the strangeness, but if I were training with a sword instead of ance, maybe he would have recognized me. Maybe. That¡¯s why my heart was pounding. ¡°I will win this time in this life.¡± It¡¯s not a feeling of revenge. Could it be considered a secondary goal? To defeat the one who defeated me and fight again. ¡°I can do it,¡± step by step, one by one. Among them, he is a man considered the strongest alongside my father. But now I¡¯m in a very good environment that can¡¯t bepared to my past life. Anyway, what is Le doing? I thought about Le, whost night seemed strangely lonely as she watched me receive gifts one after another from my family. Since you said all your older siblings are at the academy, maybe you feel lonely? It¡¯s not something I can guess, but¡­ ¡°I would like to meet you for a moment before I leave.¡± Let¡¯s start with training. Anyway, I only stopped using thence after practicing the thrust to a level I was satisfied with. ¡°Wow.¡± And when I suddenly felt a presence, I turned around and saw Herman standing there. I felt like he was so focused that he didn¡¯t even notice. ¡°Herman. Were you waiting?¡± ¡°My task is to always serve you as a shadow.¡± Maybe he took assassination sses, or rather, hiding. As I came up with that thought, I asked, wiping off sweat with the cloth Herman gave me. ¡°How are you? Everyone seems busy, right?¡± ¡°Everyone seems busy preparing for tonight¡¯s second banquet.¡± Herman added then: ¡°And it seems that other nobles are arriving one after another. It¡¯s difficult for all the nobles to arrive on time.¡± For reference, at this banquet, which is also my birthday, more than 30 noble families will visit the Castle of Sogres one after another. Due to the distance, only the nobles who can afford to visit wille, but if you include attendees, the number will probably be huge. ¡°By the way, your sisters say they arrived safely.¡± ¡°I see.¡± My sisters gave me a gift, stayed for a while, and then left early in the morning. This time we opened the teleportation gate and headed to the academy. I think my younger sister insisted on returning on the wyvern, but my mother easily restrained her, telling her to go with her sister. Anyway, I guess she had no choice because the academy¡¯s midterms were just around the corner. As soon as I have time, I¡¯ll have to look at the gifts my sisters gave me. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Herman.¡± So I returned to the castle with Herman, and after bathing, I put on clean training clothes and left the room. I didn¡¯t forget to bring my shortnce. If I¡¯m armed, it¡¯s not a threat, and my father advised me to always carry a weapon anyway. As a birthday banquet was being held, I didn¡¯t mind taking a break and going out before the evening banquet, but it was to practice using magic as my older sister had told me. ¡°I do it from time to time, but¡­ After all, I guess I¡¯ll have to invest more time, right?¡± Being brimming with talent can sometimes beplicated. Because I still don¡¯t know what to focus on. For now, I¡¯m doing everything I can, but there hasn¡¯t been any ¡°great progress¡± in magic and summoning yet. There are many people at this age who can¡¯t even feel magical power or contact summoned beasts. So today, I was going to analyze the magical power of flowers as my older sister told me. It was said that the source of magical energy is nature and that flowers contain the greatest magical energy of nature. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± I looked at the flowers that bloomed abundantly in the garden, full of spring energy. When I looked at the flowers that gardener Mr. Dreno had so beautifully cared for, I strangely felt at ease. It¡¯s amazing to think about my past life when I wondered if a flower could be used as medicinal herbs. ¡°This is the magic of flowers.¡± I didn¡¯t notice it when I passed by without thinking, but when I focused, I could see a vague flow of magical power. Proof that Dain Sogres¡¯s body has tremendous magical affinity. Because I can see with my eyes what others feel with their senses. ¡°This¡­ She told me to bring it toward my own flow.¡± When I was about to throw it away, I took out the shortnce I had on my back, ced it next to me, and concentrated my mind. The magical power of nature. She said that making the flow yours is the beginning of true magical training. I really haven¡¯t started to imitate my older sister¡¯s magical obsession when she was young, just because of my affinity. I focused on the flow of magical power inside the flower. I can¡¯t believe such a small flower has such a huge flow. If you feel this flow of natural magical energy, make it yours, and finally let it settle inside your body, turning it into a circle. Of course, it¡¯s easier said than done. My older sister says that only a very small number of people can do it. But I have a feeling that I¡¯ll probably be included among them. Indeed, having a high magical affinity is a great advantage. It didn¡¯t take long after I found the magic of the flower that I almost understood its flow. ¡°Like this¡­ if¡­¡± And finally. ¡°I did it.¡± I followed the flow of the flower¡¯s magic with astonishing simplicity and unfolded it in my hands. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± There is a quiet joy in the air. The magical power that was only vaguely visible bes clearer. If you do this one by one, creating a circle won¡¯t be a task. ¡®What should I do if I create a circle and a core at the same time?¡¯ Well, let¡¯s think about itter. The important thing now is to use my talents to the fullest without spoiling them. ¡°Let¡¯s try again.¡± That was the moment when I was leaning towards another flower. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m bored. As soon as my father arrived, he was busy talking. What is this?¡± ¡°It took a month to arrive.¡± ¡°But the garden here is really beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°He has turned into a little kid and says things like how beautiful the garden is¡­ Oh, I¡¯m so bored. Is there anything interesting?¡± A voice came from the path inside the garden, and two kids appeared. For a moment, my hands trembled. The boys walked on the flowers. Bajak, Bajak. The flowers that had been carefully cultivated were being mercilessly crushed. ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a path there.¡± ¡°What do you think? Someone will say something if he stepped on this.¡± Iughed out loud. ¡°Ah.¡± They seemed to be the children of a noble family who visited the Count¡¯s castle today. ¡°Anyway, when will this damn garden end? It¡¯s not some kind of maze. Where the hell is the exit?¡± ¡°Maybe this way?¡± ¡°Ah, this idiot. It¡¯s the path we passed before!¡± ¡°Right. Hahaha.¡± And as soon as they found me, they shouted: ¡°Hi! What do you think? Or not¡­ Are you a gardener? Anyway, please show us the way out of here!¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¨C Talented Genius of the Sogres family (1) I slowly stood up. And I told the boys. ¡°Step away from there right now.¡± They squinted at my words and tilted their heads. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Step away from there. Can¡¯t you see now what¡¯s under your feet?¡± Upon those words, the taller of the boys looked at his feet and suddenly chuckled. ¡°Ah. Grass? What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a flower. A flower carefully cultivated by a gardener.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s flowers or grass. It¡¯s a nt.¡± The guy smiled as if he was dumbfounded. The little one next to him joined in. ¡°Is this guy now telling us that we stepped on the grass?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s absurd. Hey. What are you going to do? Are you going to punish us for stepping on a bit of grass?¡± ¡°Well. We are guests. We are the sons of Count Tyren, who were invited to this castle!¡± As expected, they were guests. ¡°We are the sons of Count Tyren. I¡¯m Digron Tyren, and my brother here is Denar Tyren.¡± If it¡¯s Count Tyren¡­ Is this the Count Tyren I know? That noble who was defeated by me on the battlefield and became a prisoner. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how noble a family is in the southern field; you¡¯ve probably heard of the Tyren family name, which has a great reputation even in the capital.¡± I remember Count Tyren was very ugly back then. After finding out that I was not from a noble family, he never admitted defeat and I remember how he behaved very rudely, saying I used a cowardly move or stole someone else¡¯s swordsmanship. I wondered where that attitude came from, and it came from his father. Anyway, I don¡¯t know how good their reputation is. The south is a bit far from the capital, but does that mean the Count of Sogres is really a family that should be ignored? ¡°Brother. No matter how I look at it, it seems like you¡¯re scared? ¡°But. It¡¯s normal for people to act like this just by hearing the name Tyren. Hey! Since you came as a guest, this time I will generously forgive you. Tell me then how to get out of this damn garden!¡± Instead of answering, I looked at them in silence. Then, a guy named Digron suddenly starteding towards me. ¡°Hey! Can¡¯t you hear me?¡± As expected, this is a guy you shouldn¡¯t talk about. ¡°This bastard is ignoring my words now!¡± Come on. I looked at Digron¡¯s face as he grabbed me by the cor. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you bow your head? Are you crazy? What kind of bastard is going to look like that! This is Crazy¡­¡± ¡°Puaj!¡± The moment Digron¡¯s hand rose, I hit his head on the nose. ¡°Brother!¡± And then he hid among the bushes that I had seen beforehand. My mother told me. It is said that the basics of hiding start with knowing the location. Even if it seems that there is no need to hide, always look carefully at any ce and find a hiding ce in advance. Those are the basics of hiding, and I faithfully followed those instructions and hid perfectly among the bushes that formed the walls of the garden maze. ¡°Nose, my nose! Blood, blood! I¡¯m going to kill this bastard!¡± ¡°Brother! The blood¡­¡± In addition, here you have to add fast movements. No matter how perfect you find the ce, it¡¯s useless if you hide at a speed slow enough for the other person to notice. ¡°Let me go! But where did this bastard go!¡± ¡°Good, he was there a moment ago!¡± As a result of learning these teachings, they couldn¡¯t find me at all. Of course, the fact that this garden is my area also influences. ¡°Find him! Right now! I¡¯m going to kill him!¡± By the way, do you have an anger management disorder? Is it possible for someone to get so angry after starting a discussion and then getting hit in the nose? Once you hit, you should be prepared to be hit. That¡¯s fighting, and, moreover, it¡¯s thew that applies to war. However, instead of thosews, it seemed like he had lived only by thews of the world that he always despised. ¡°Where the hell is this bastard!¡± I hid among the bushes and only moved after making sure they passed. ¡°Over there! Go this way!¡± ¡°Ah, okay, brother!¡± And at the moment one fell, a fleeting thought crossed my mind. The magical power flow I mimicked before. If I could mimic the flow at will, couldn¡¯t Ipress it to have tangible power? It was a hypothesis, but it was worth trying. If possible, even if it doesn¡¯t have much power, it will be enough to punish them. I focused my magic with my hands among the bushes where I was recently hidden. ¡°Appear.¡± I confirmed that the magical powerpressed into one and slowly took shape. I never thought this would happen. ¡°Where the hell are you?¡± And at that moment, his younger brother turned his back, heading to apletely different ce from where I was hiding. Whoosh I shot a bullet thatpressed the magical power flow from my hand. ¡°Ah!¡± A scream exploding from the back. The guy fell face down among the bushes and ended up in an unpleasant posture with his buttocks raised. ¡°Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!¡± The guy started trembling, and soon he came out, but his face and clothes were disheveled. I looked around with a confused expression, but was there any way to find him? ¡°Ah, brother! Shit! Th-there¡¯s something here!¡± I wanted to kick him, but I persevered. Because I have to find his older brother soon. I silentlypressed the magical power flow in my hands again and waited for Digron toe. ¡°Denar, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Bah, someone just attacked me on the ass¡­¡± And at that moment, that guy appeared and started smiling. ¡°Get out right now; I¡¯m going to kill you¡­!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The secondpressed magical bullet flew out and hit Digron¡¯s buttocks. Ah. Was my aim off? It seems like it hit between the two bones, not on the buttocks. ¡°Quaaaay¡­¡± I tried to ignore the growing sadness. But even for a moment. The guy shouted with so much rage that it made no difference to the pity I felt. ¡°Damn! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± And then something unexpected happened. ¡°Answer my call!¡± This guy was a summoner like my younger sister. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s as genius as my younger sister, who summoned a wyvern at the age of 16¡­ ¡°Crumbling.¡± That wolf summoning seems so violent that it doesn¡¯t fit at all with this beautiful garden. In contrast to the ck fur, the one with white fur on the forehead showed sharp teeth. Is he crazy, or did I provoke him too much? What¡¯s certain is that the summoned beast, ¡®Gendfu,¡¯ is fierce enough to destroy even a well-kept garden bush in an instant. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Noisy! What the hell¡­ How dare you mock me, Digron Tyren, like this? If it were our family, we would have killed you on the spot!¡± The guy gave an order with an evil expression on his face. ¡°Gendfu. Find him immediately by smell!¡± I toyed with the javelin tied to my back. The first thought that came to mind was my father¡¯s skills. If that were the case, I was sure I could subdue Gendfu in an instant before he found and attacked me. Good. ¡°This kid. You won¡¯t be able to hide anymore!¡± But the solution came from an unexpected ce. Sniff sniff. As I tried to grab the short spear and pull it out, I made eye contact with Gendfu, who had found my location. He found me among the bushes and stopped for a moment at the moment we made eye contact. Then he stared at me¡­ Under the tail. ¡°Kkiing, kiing.¡± Then, his tail swung gently from side to side, and he found me among the bushes. Then he started licking my hand with his tongue. ¡°W-what!¡± That seems to be my reaction. What happened? I extended my hand as a demonstration. Instead of shrinking or showing caution, Gendfu raised his head. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s good.¡± I came out of the bushes and patted Gendfu on the head. ¡°Hehe.¡± He was a perfect puppy, wagging his tail, licking my hand, and caressing my cheek. ¡°Haha. Do you like it when I scratch your chin?¡± Only then did I remember the fact that the beasts my younger sister often summoned were particrly friendly to me. In that case, I think it was probably because he smelled familiar and was some kind of blood rtionship. Because it wasn¡¯t summoned with the intention of attacking the enemy in the first ce. But in this case, where we are not blood rtives or anything¡­ ¡°What are you going to do! Uh, how could Gendfu¡­?¡± ¡°Well. I think I know how you usually treat your summonings.¡± This probably happened because his affinity was low. ¡°Nonsense! How can a summoned family member betray their master?¡± It¡¯s possible. The affinity between this guy and his summoned beast seems to have hit rock bottom. Inparison, my natural affinity with summoned animals is, ording to my younger sister, at an incredible level. The result ofbining these two. ¡°Did that guy regrly beat you?¡± ¡°Kkiing, kiing.¡± Probably. Digron had a face that literally lost everything in the world. I shrugged and replied. ¡°It seems like your familiar likes me more than you.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Anyway, how did that happen? This is what Gendfu did when he made eye contact with me and lowered his tail. Simr¡­ Should I say I felt like I lost the will to fight for a moment? I think it¡¯s better to ask my younger sister. ¡°Do you want to continue?¡± I asked the guys. There was no way I would get an answer. Copsing. As if reading my emotions, Gendfu turned his head to the other side and growled softly. ¡°Brother¡­¡± ¡°Ha, shut up! I¡¯m going to cancel the summoning now!¡± ¡°Eh¡­.¡± ¡°I told you to shut up¡­ What kind of smell is this!¡± I covered my nose at the lingering smell. ¡°Aaah!¡± Ah. Not only did he step on it, but he even urinated. I guided them very kindly. ¡°For your information, the bathhouse is in the first basement of the main building.¡± ¡°This bastard¡­ You¡¯ll regret this!¡± For a guy who says such things, I¡¯ve never seen him make me regret. I sighed as I watched them flee, forgetting even to cancel the summoning. ¡°Kkiing, kiing.¡± ¡°Haha, boy.¡± While patting Gendfu¡¯s head, I felt a new sense of surprise. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m suddenly handling a summoned familiar like this, even though I¡¯ve never summoned one before. It was a coincidence for many reasons, but it turned out to be an obvious fact that I could handle summoned animals. ¡°If my little sister finds out, will she be very happy?¡± Anyway, what is this Gendfu? Naturally, it will be canceled over time, but it can¡¯t just be left alone. This is because this is a garden where peoplee and go from time to time. ¡°Shall we try?¡± After thinking about it a lot, I came up with a method based on the theory my younger sister told me. ¡°I said it¡¯s important to break the bond with the summoned beast.¡± For an summoner, canceling the summoning is as important as summoning. It was said that breaking the bond at the right moment and properly conserving the summoning magic were the qualities of a good summoner. But Gendfu and I are not linked. It¡¯s rted to the guy who ran away with his younger brother who urinated earlier. ¡°And if I bring mine?¡± I looked closely at Gendfu. Then I noticed a very thin thread extending from his head and heading in the direction Digron had just fled. That¡¯s it. ¡°Traces of a link.¡± My magical affinity is so high that I can even see things like this. Considering that mages and summoners do their best to understand the flow of magical energy, I feel truly blessed in terms of talent. ¡°All right.¡± Carefully, I oveid my magical power on that weak magical power thread. Then the straight thread split into two, and one end connected to me. ¡°It¡¯s so simple.¡± This connected me with Gendfu. ¡°Kkiing, kiing.¡± The boy rubbed against me more affectionately than before. He almost pounced on me and licked me, so I could examine the magic thread only after I barely managed to pull Gendfu away. The magical thread that had split into two branches now only had one left, connecting it to me. And I immediately felt slightly dizzy. ¡°My magic is still draining.¡± My younger sister said that the amount of magical power consumed when summoning is considerable. There is no bigger problem with simple summoning, but it is said that maintaining it is a measure of a summoner¡¯s skill. However, the amount of magical power shouldn¡¯t simply berge. Should I say that using it efficiently is important? I was like that too. Because you¡¯re keeping a summoned beast without even attempting the summoning spell. To use an analogy, should I say it¡¯s like running instead of walking? ¡°Still, I think you¡¯ll be able to keep it up for quite some time like this?¡± But unfortunately, it seemed like I would have to return him now. We can¡¯t have something so frightening in the garden. ¡°Kkii¡­.¡± It is said that summoned beasts instinctively read the mind of the summoner; I guess it¡¯s true. Gendfu licked my hand as if telling me he didn¡¯t want to leave. ¡°Sorry, see you next time.¡± I patted Gendfu¡¯s head, and, naturally, cut the magic thread. Then Gendfu slowly became transparent and soon disappeared. The ce where those eyes full of regret seemed to shine. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be able to see you next time I summon Gendfu?¡± I¡¯ll have to ask my younger sisterter. Anyway, I never thought I could do something like this just because I have a great affinity, even though I had never tried a summoning spell before. I thought of trying to summon him next time. Of course, I haven¡¯t even been issued the essential code yet. ¡°This is the ce, father!¡± ¡°Yes! Why does this ce look so much like a maze?¡± ¡°I mean! Everything is here now!¡± At that moment, there was amotion in a corner of the garden. After a while, Digron and a man who seemed to be Count Tyren, unable to wipe his bloodied nose, appeared. Hmm. He seems to have gained more weight than when I captured him. Peace is good. I silently watched as Count Tyren approached. Then he came in front of me and made a terrifying expression. ¡°I am Mogard Tyren, the head of the Tyren family in the capital and lord of Tyren County.¡± It was a voice that tried to convey a lot of dignity but wasn¡¯t very majestic due to the strong tremors in the neck. ¡°As a guest today, I tried to endure it as much as possible, but when I heard that you made my son¡¯s face look like this and even forcefully took away the summoning, I couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, so I came here.¡± Count Tyren asked me. ¡°Please identify yourself.¡± I replied. ¡°My name is Dain Sogres, the youngest son of Count Aken Sogres, the Master of the South, and the head of the Sogres family.¡± Count Tyren¡¯s face distorted at my response. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¨C Talented Genius of the Sogres family (2) The annoying aristocrats from the capital have their own reasons to travel to the south. It was impossible that I came all the way here to celebrate the birthday of the youngest son of the Count of Sogres, whom I had never met. Count Tyren was also like that. Count Tyren hastely felt that he is drifting further and further from power. This is because he has not achieved significant aplishments during the 30 years of the imperial war. ¡®If only that guy hadn¡¯t made me a prisoner!¡¯ Was his name Agric? The guy who made him a prisoner. He was annoyed because he was defeated and captured by someone who was neither a noble nor a formal knight, but only released after the war ended. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t choose a specialty. No, it had to be this way. Because Count Tyren had no talent for swordy. For that reason, Count Tyren has now taken the initiative. ¡¯If we gather this, take responsibility, and use that as an excuse to demand stronger mining rights¡­¡¯ Even the nobles who secretly ignored him every time they met will look at him again. His son, who had been invited as a guest, got injured, and even his familiar was taken away. No matter who started the fight. ¡°Mmm. You¡¯re the famous Dain. I heard your name from Count Sogres.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°I need to meet Count Sogres. And take the initiative.¡± But the n was blocked from the beginning. ¡°Why should you do that?¡± ¡°UH Huh. It¡¯s a childish fight, but it¡¯s also something that adults should know. ¡°Did you try to hide it because you were afraid of getting scolded?¡± Dain shook his head at those words. ¡°No. I have no intention of hiding it, and I¡¯m not afraid.¡± ¡°Then take the initiative right now.¡± ¡°If I understand.¡± The little one endured it. That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do eventually. ¡°But before that, I need an apology.¡± ¡°What? Apologize?¡± Have you seen such an audacious guy? ¡°Yes. It¡¯s true that I hit your son¡¯s nose and hurt him.¡± ¡°You admit it. But why don¡¯t you tell me that you stole the summoned beast? ¡°I didn¡¯t steal the summoned beast, but the summoned beast obeyed me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Count Tyren had some knowledge of summoning, thanks to his eldest son Digron¡¯s talent for summoning. If a summoner obeys another summoner, it means they are a high-level summoner. ¡®Wait a minute, didn¡¯t you say that the second daughter here is a genius summoner? If that¡¯s the case, there is a high possibility that she taught him a cruel way to forcibly disconnect the link! Count Tyren couldn¡¯t even imagine that Dain had such an affinity for summoned familiars and immediately refuted it. ¡°Still, the feeling of loss when a summoned familiar is taken away is significant. So are you saying you won¡¯t apologize for this?¡± ¡°Do I have any reason to apologize for what naturally happened?¡± ¡°This kind of arrogant kid is rude even when adults are talking¡­¡± Count Tyren stopped talking and calmed his emotions. What are you doing in front of his son? The real target is Count Sogres. ¡°I won¡¯t criticize you or speak ill of you, so let¡¯s go to Count Sogres right away.¡± It was then. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± Count Sogres appeared from one side of the garden. ¡°I was taking a walk when I heard someone mentioning me, so I came here¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, Count Tyren?¡± Count Tyren¡¯s face momentarily filled with shame. Look at yourself getting angry. And the son of Count Sogres presented himself before him. ¡°So, Count Sogres.¡± And after him¡­ ¡°Duke Thermion!¡± It was also Duke Thermion. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I right? It sounded like your son¡¯s voice.¡± ¡°You also have sharp ears. Even though it¡¯s been quite a while.¡± ¡°This kid. Isn¡¯t this proof that I find your son very interesting?¡± ¡°Well, I have to think about the engagement of my younger son.¡± ¡°Haha. That¡¯s fine.¡± Duke Thermion suddenly looked at the situation, took a step back, and spread his hands. ¡°Ah. Just pretend I don¡¯t exist and continue. I¡¯ll let you talk if you want.¡± Is that possible? ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that big.¡± Count Sogres was going to visit us anyway. However, if Duke Thermion also intervenes, the story is different. A cold sweat began to break out on Count Tyren¡¯s back. *** My father, whom I know, is a man who cares deeply for his family, but he is not a man whose arms are severely bent inward. In other words, it means that in disputes with the outside world, you will be considered an enemy. That was the case in this instance. My father decided to hear from Digron and me separately. ¡°Digron. Would you like to exin first?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I was lost in the garden with my brother. So, I asked your son to guide me, but he seemed to ignore me, so when I approached him, he suddenly hit me on the nose with his forehead and then used strange tricks to y with me.¡± Seeing how skillfully she hides the facts and states things for her own benefit, it seems like a very dark story from the start. This is not the first time I¡¯ve seen someone like this. ¡°Weird method?¡± ¡°Yes. Suddenly, something flew out and hit my brother and me.¡± That¡¯s a magical solution I did. My father thought for a moment and then nodded as if to continue. ¡°After that, I summoned a familiar with the intention of finding him, but suddenly, my familiar was taken away from me¡­ Instead, they tried to attack me! There must be something I don¡¯t know. I saw it in a book. There is a secret way to forcibly take away a summoned familiar!¡± Count Tyren also joined in as if he had been waiting. ¡°Count Sogres. I tried to be cautious and go as far as possible.¡± In the midst of those words, my father turned his head to Count Tyren. Count Tyren continued speaking triumphantly. ¡°Of course, just because your son has a broken nose doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s any problem. There must be an expert healer in Count Sogres¡¯ castle. But the summoned familiar¡­ I don¡¯t know what your son did, but I think he will take care of it.¡± It¡¯s as if he¡¯s acting like a great man. It¡¯s a stark contrast to the way he was a captive, and they crowded around me, asking where to put their hands. Meanwhile, my father gave a simple response. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard Dain¡¯s story yet, Count Tyren.¡± ¡°Is there anything else you want to hear? Anyone can see that my son is injured¡­¡± ¡°In a fight, it¡¯s not always the one who¡¯s hurt that¡¯s the good one. I¡¯ll listen to Dain¡¯s story, judge it, and thene to a conclusion.¡± After saying that, my father looked towards Duke Thermion and then added: ¡°If you have any doubts about that, wouldn¡¯t it be good to ask Duke Thermion to judge?¡± ¡°Jahaha. Is that possible?¡± Duke Thermion willingly agreed. ¡°Well, if you need me, I¡¯ll do it.¡± While Count Tyren was talking, my father turned his head to me. ¡°Dain, exin yourself.¡± It wasn¡¯t a cold or friendly look. However, I don¡¯t feel sad. Because my father is trying to handle things now not as my father but as the Count of Sogres. ¡°There are some differences with the facts, but what the eldest son of the Tyren family said is true.¡± My father¡¯s eyebrows arched for a moment. ¡°Count Sogres, am I right.¡± ¡°Continue, Dain.¡± I looked at Count Tyren, who was confused when he stopped talking, and replied. ¡°But because he was arbitrarily stepping on the flowers that had been carefully cultivated while trampling the garden, I simply told him to step away from there, and the eldest son of the Tyren family was the one who got angry at those words and came at me and grabbed me by the neck.¡± Digron¡¯s face is turning pale. ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± Could it be a lie? My father didn¡¯t even look in that direction but looked at me as if telling me to continue. ¡°I also heard it clearly. The fact that you summoned Gendfu and ordered him to kill me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Count Tyren¡¯s mouth was wide open, and Digron was clearly embarrassed, not knowing what to do. I nailed it here. ¡°And it¡¯s not true that the summoned familiar was taken away. Strictly speaking, the summoned familiar naturally obeyed me.¡± ¡°Obey?¡± ¡°Yes. Gendfu made eye contact with me, and suddenly lowered his tail, showing his friendliness towards me.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± My father knew it. That I have a talent for summoning. So you¡¯ll have no choice but to believe this. ¡°This is a questionable statement, Count Sogres. I know very well that your son has a talent for summoning, but it¡¯s impossible for a summoned familiar to obey someone who is not its summoner! Obviously through some cowardly means¡­¡± I responded. ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There is none.¡± ¡°Did your sister tell you that?¡± ¡°No. It was just natural for me.¡± My father thought about those words for a moment and then asked. ¡°Can you prove it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did your sister tell you that?¡± ¡°No. It was just natural for me.¡± My father thought about those words for a moment and then asked. ¡°Can you prove it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± My father asked Count Tyren. ¡°Dain says he can prove it.¡± ¡°Oh, this doesn¡¯t make any sense in the first ce!¡± ¡°It is necessary to confirm that your eldest son¡¯s ims are true. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to do something that can be proven right now instead of wasting a lot of time wondering what kind of cunning means were used?¡± ¡°¡­¡± In the end, Count Tyren couldn¡¯t refute and took Digron with him. ¡°Boo, answer the call¡­¡± Should I say that the shaky appearance is more unpleasant than pitiable? Until now, you were the type who believed in your father and was ecstatic because you were in a big trouble now. But it seemed there was a problem. ¡°Why, why aren¡¯t youing out?¡± Although I used the summoning spell, nothing happened. Digron felt embarrassed and tried to call again, but there was no response. It didn¡¯t seem like he was nervous or scared. Perhaps, if my predictions are correct¡­ ¡°D-Digron. Hurry up and summon him.¡± ¡°Father, that¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s not working.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I do it when you¡¯ve done it several times a day?¡± Count Tyren scolded him, but Digron could only cry and do nothing. I moved my hands and tried to make a seal for the summoning technique, that is, a seal that could summon Gendfu. Yes. Yes. The magical power in my body reacts. I was surprised for a moment. I thought I was only temporarily connected to Gendfu, but was that not the case? ¡°¡­¡± After thinking about it, I told my father. ¡°Father. Maybe I can do it.¡± ¡°Can you exin what you mean?¡± ¡°I think I can perform the summoning that the eldest son of the Tyren family can¡¯t do right now.¡± At those words, all eyes turned to me. For a moment, my father shook his head slightly as if to say nothing, but after looking into my eyes, he opened his mouth. ¡°Can you prove it?¡± Of course, my answer was decided. ¡°Yes. I can.¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¨C Talented Genius of the Sogres family (3) ¡°Can you perform summonings? Since when, son, are you a summoner?¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m doing this.¡± Then I added: ¡°However, I believe we¡¯ll need the mark currently possessed by the eldest son of the Tyren family.¡± ¡°What?¡± Summoning techniques cannot be performed without a mark. In the same way that actions defined as magical cannot be performed without a circle. This is because a mark is an object that acts as a kind of medium. ¡°Give him the mark! What nonsense is this!¡± Count Tyren shouted almost in a fit ofughter. As a result, it seemed like he was a bit mistaken. ¡°Are you really trying to use this as an excuse to take the mark from my son?¡± ¡°Count Tyren, don¡¯t misunderstand. In any case, shouldn¡¯t the mark be used only by the summoner who has the code imprinted on it?¡± Upon the words of Duke Thermion, Count Tyren mumbled iprehensibly, as if it were absurd. ¡°Then why the hell¡­¡± ¡°If the younger son of Count Sogres can¡¯t prove it, wouldn¡¯t it be in favor of Count Tyren anyway?¡± Nothing happened. ¡°Well.¡± Count Tyren finally spoke to Digron. ¡°Hand over the scroll for a moment.¡± ¡°B-but father!¡± Digron seemed to resist for a moment, but finally handed me the summoning mark. ¡°Don¡¯t hold on tight! Never! If you break it¡­¡± It was so precious that I almost cried. Well, it¡¯s the treasure of a summoner. In the midst of this, I felt confidence the moment I received it. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m connected with Gendfu. In a general case, you obviously won¡¯t be able to use the summoner¡¯s mark, which has the unique code of the summoner engraved on it. However, my magic ovepped with Gendfu, whom Digron had summoned. This means that although the medium is the mark of this summoning, it can be assumed that Gendfu can only be summoned with my magical power. I¡¯ll have to check it for myself to see if it¡¯s true or not. ¡°Answer my call.¡± Sigh. I knew it. A light appeared, and Gendfu appeared. ¨C Howl! Gendfu growled softly, but as soon as he saw me, he approached and sat down, gently moving his tail. It was a sign of absolute obedience. Furthermore, there is even a magical thread connecting Gendfu and me that cannot be seen by those manipting magical power. ¡°Ah, father, how could my Gendfu¡­?¡± ¡°This is ridiculous¡­¡± If you had treated him well from the beginning, this wouldn¡¯t have happened, tsk. ¨C Grrr In the midst of this, Gendfu showed his teeth towards Count Tyren and his son, clearly demonstrating his hostility. ¡°Eh, it¡¯s amazing that you performed a summoning technique¡­ Even hostility towards the summoner who had the mark?¡± Duke Thermion seems very surprised by how much experience I have in summoning. And my father had nothing to say. ¡°Dain, when did you learn summoning skills¡­?¡± I was thinking about what to say, and then, thinking that I had no idea, I spoke the truth. ¡°I just tried it, and it worked.¡± ¡°¡­¡± My younger sister gave me some information, but that was a case of theory and method, and this case could be said to be a bit unusual. While the bond with the original summoner was very weak, I was connected with the summoner by affinity, and that had an effect. In short, I¡¯m not an official summoner, but in the eyes of others, it seems that I practiced summoning without fail. ¡°Eh. Even summoning¡­¡± In the midst of this, there were distrustful murmurs from Count Tyren. ¡°We don¡¯t know¡­¡± Soon, he finally lowered his head. ¡°It was¡­ my mistake¡­¡± I caressed Gendfu¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for calling you again. You¡¯ll answer my call next time, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Kki-ing! Kki-ing!¡± The guy responds happily. ¡°Why, why not!¡± And Digron was angry because his summoning had answered someone else¡¯s call, and whatever he was trying to do wasn¡¯t working. He probably made a self-indulgent attempt to cancel the summoning. I nailed itpletely. ¡°I summoned him, so only I can return him.¡± Of course, this only applies to Gendfu. ¡°Give it a try.¡± I nodded at my father¡¯s words and signed the cancetion of the summons. Then, Gendfu gradually faded away and then disappearedpletely. I have shown that this is true. Gendfu is such a fierce beast that he shows his teeth as soon as he is summoned, and I didn¡¯t make him obey, but he obeyed on his own. Duke Thermion resolved the situation. ¡°Even if it was stolen, I think it can be considered in terms of self-defense, Count Sogres.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± My father smiled for a moment as he said that. He¡¯s clearly proud. Duke Thermion also helped. ¡°Hmm, and I also heard that. Although this rarely happens in general, I heard that sometimes, even if the summoner is not a high-level summoner, the opponent¡¯s summons obey even without any special orders.¡± Is it because I left a deep impression in the morning? Duke Thermion looked at me with the same curious expression he had that morning. ¡°And in rarer cases¡­ I heard that your affinity is so great that something like that can happen even if you¡¯re not a summoner.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°Mmm. This can be interpreted in the sense that your son has a lot of talent. And since he himself performed the summoning spell, he is no different from a recognized summoner just because he is not officially recognized.¡± I smiled and continued with the momentum. ¡°After that, the eldest son of the Tyren House took his younger brother and ran away. That¡¯s all I can tell you.¡± My father listened to what I said and organized it. ¡°If webine the arguments of both parties, it is like this. The eldest son of the Tyren family stepped on a flower in the garden with his younger brother, and when Dain protested, he approached and grabbed him by the neck. Here, Dain hit him with the forehead, injuring him, and in response, the eldest son of the Tyren family summoned a summoned beast to attack Dain.¡± It¡¯s a simple summary. I ask Digron. ¡°Do you admit it?¡± ¡°Well, I only intended to scare you. It was never my intention to kill you!¡± ¡°Yes, Count Sogres. My son seems a bit angry, but that doesn¡¯t mean he would have done anything¡­¡± Amid the protests of father and son, my father also asked me a question. ¡°Dain, do you admit it?¡± ¡°Yes. I admit it.¡± ¡°Look at that, you say you admit it!¡± So I replied. ¡°Admitting it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you summoned an invoker and ordered them to kill me.¡± ¡°What! Obviously not¡­¡± It was the moment when Count Tyren¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°Father!¡± ¡°Le? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was taking a walk in the garden when I heard my father¡¯s voice.¡± Suddenly, Le, whom I had seenst night, appeared. She was Le Thermion, the daughter of Duke Thermion. ¡°Hello, Count Sogres! Count Tyren!¡± Then Le made eye contact with me, smiled, and waved. ¡°Hello, Dain!¡± I also smiled and greeted. A very bright face. It feels like a moment of peace amid a serious situation. Le fell into the arms of Duke Thermion. Duke Thermion smiled and stroked Le¡¯s head. ¡°Haha, didn¡¯t you say you were cleaning the sword?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done! And I was so bored.¡± ¡°I see. Let¡¯s take a walk with your fatherter. I have important matters to attend to now.¡± ¡°Is it important?¡± Le seemed to be examining the situation with wide-open eyes. Then she tilted her head for a moment and asked Duke Thermion. ¡°Is it about a fight between two or three kids in the garden?¡± ¡°Le, how do you know that?¡± ¡°I was taking a walk in the garden before.¡± This is an unexpected witness. ¡°Well? Then, if you¡¯re okay with it, Le, would you like to tell me what you saw?¡± ¡°Hmm. Count Tyren¡¯s eldest son grabbed Dain by the neck, and then Dain attacked him on the forehead. Then, when Dain hid, the two tried to find him, but he was hit by something I didn¡¯t know much about and fell, and Tyren¡¯s eldest son summoned a summon that looked like a wolf.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°He ordered the summon to kill Dain. It¡¯s very scary.¡± I see. Count Tyren¡¯s mouth opened, and Digron turned pale. Testimony from a third party, distinct from the involved parties. Just from this, all conclusions can be drawn. ¡°Is there a hint of a lie in what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°I just said what I saw.¡± ¡°Alright. I understand. Thank you.¡± Duke Thermion asked Count Sogres. ¡°Count Sogres, if Le¡¯s words are true, your son would have been in big trouble.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± My father approached Count Tyren. ¡°Count Tyren and Digron Tyren, the eldest son of the Tyren family. Do you acknowledge this?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± There was no response. It¡¯s a reaction that is not the same as acknowledging it. My father seemed to have reached a conclusion. ¡°I have no intention of tolerating this.¡± ¡°D-Digron. What are you doing! Hurry up and apologize!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I was wrong! I¡¯ll never let something like this happen again!¡± Digron bowed his head. Where did the expression that simply said no go? But my father wasn¡¯t the one who epted the apology here. ¡°The apology should be for my son, Dain, not me.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m about to do that now. Digron, don¡¯t go!¡± Digron approached me and urgently bowed his head. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I just looked at him without saying anything. I have no intention of epting your apologies. Enduring until the end and then bowing your head as if you had no other choice in response to a third-party testimony is not, in the first ce, an apology. ¡°Well. I¡¯ll ept it.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Digron raised his head and seemed happy. But that was only for a moment. ¡°Count Tyren. Do you remember what I just said I couldn¡¯t tolerate?¡± ¡°¡­ I remember.¡± ¡°As you know, yesterday and today have been happy days. I don¡¯t want to escte things and create a scandal.¡± ¡°Thank you. Count Sogres. I will definitely repay this debt someday¡­¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t overlook the shock my son received, the threat he must have felt, the fact that you didn¡¯t observe courtesy as a guest, and, above all, the fact that you tried to deceive the truth.¡± My father spoke with a cold voice that I had never heard before. ¡°More than anything, I can¡¯t forgive anything for giving orders to a summoned beast with the intent to kill my son, no matter how young he may be.¡± Ah. After all, he is my father. ¡°So, Count Sogres¡­ That only goes so far.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t listen anymore. Count Tyren. Please take your family out of the castle now.¡± It was a farewell message. ¡°Well, that¡¯s all now¡­!¡± ¡°It was hard toe this far, Count Tyren. From now on, you will never see the Count of Sogres again.¡± Without saying anything more, my father turned around and gave an order to the attendant following him. ¡°Please courteously escort Count Tyren and hispanions outside the castle.¡± ¡°Yes, Count.¡± Count Tyren hurriedly begged my father. ¡°Count Sogres, I¡¯ll take full responsibility! So please¡­¡± ¡°How will you take responsibility?¡± ¡°Well, well somehow¡­ I¡¯ll ept anything you ask, financially or in the future!¡± Count Tyren seemed desperate. Even if it were me, it would be difficult to ept being invited to a birthday banquet anding all the way south, only to be expelled from the castle within a few hours. But my father stood firm. ¡°I don¡¯t need any help from you.¡± If Count Tyren had been a bit wiser, he would have tried to objectively assess the situation on the spot rather than urging me to see my father immediately. But he couldn¡¯t do that and was busy urging me and protecting my son. Should I say it¡¯s good to work on your own terms? The only thing that had changed about his prisoner appearance was that the fat around his belly had berger. ¡°I was wrong, Count Sogres. My children and I have been here for a short time. Do you really want to go back like this? No, if I continue like this, all the nobles willugh at me!¡± A matter of appearances. However, my father ended the story with coldness. ¡°The return won¡¯t take more than 15 days. Please take a look and return, Count Tyren.¡± Count Tyren couldn¡¯t say anything more. His entire body went limp, as if he had given up. ¡°Pleasee. I will take you there.¡± And when the attendant approached, he walked with difficulty alongside Digron. Count Tyren and Digron soon disappeared from the garden. ¡°Well.¡± My father sighed for a moment, then smiled at me and patted my head. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, Dain. You must have suffered a lot while watching. You don¡¯t need to feel guilty just because Count Tyren was expelled. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes, father. I¡¯m fine.¡± My father seemed concerned, thinking that Count Tyren had been expelled because of my fight with Digron. I¡¯m not at peace with the lukewarm conclusion, but I feel calmer. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re not really injured, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Hmm, I heard that Count Tyren¡¯s eldest son is quite talented¡­ It seems that wasn¡¯t the case.¡± Then my father tilted his head. ¡°Or is my son too talented? Hahaha.¡± As expected, he is a man with many talents. ¡°Haha, that¡¯s true. My son almost experienced something bad the day after his birthday.¡± In the midst of this, Duke Themion intervened quietly. ¡°Duke. I apologize for dragging you into something unnecessary.¡± ¡°Is that possible? If you¡¯re invited as a guest, you should behave like one. Isn¡¯t a child¡¯s fault the parents¡¯ fault?¡± Duke Themion looked at me with a smile. ¡°Anyway, your son is really interesting. He knows how to use the spear, and he¡¯s really good, and he even has summoning abilities¡­ Dain, is summoning possible then?¡± I shook my head at those words. ¡°Not yet. This time, it just happened because several conditions were met, and I still don¡¯t have a mark.¡± ¡°Eh. Even more surprising. Is it possible to do something like that without being summoned? I heard that no matter how well the conditions are met, forming a seal in a summoning technique is veryplicated¡­¡± Duke Themion touched his chin. Then my father asked. ¡°But how did you punish those guys?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡± Ipressed the flow of magical power with my hands as before. Boom! And when I shot it into the ground, the garden path was slightly excavated, raising a bit of dust. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a magic solution?¡± Duke Themion asked me with a surprised expression. ¡°Do you know how to use magical power? This¡­ Although it¡¯s basic, it¡¯s a magic bullet that can only be used if you understand the flow of magical power.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± ¡°Ah, my goodness¡­ At this age? Then by no means¡­ Do you have a magical core too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Laughter was heard. My father smiled very happily. Duke Themion shook his head and spoke to my father as if he were jealous. ¡°Spear arts, summoning arts, and now even magic. Has there ever been another talent like this in history?¡± I haven¡¯t said anything about hiding. ¡°That¡¯s right, Duke. I think I have a good son. Hahaha.¡± ¡°Talent is talent, but you¡¯re very calm. When children fight among themselves, they usually not only get excited but also assert themselves. No child would be so calm, let alone the eldest son of House Tyren.¡± Duke Themion bent his knees slightly and was at eye level with me. ¡°When you grow up, help Count Sogres a lot.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± In the meantime, Le¡¯s gaze beside him is full of questions. It was as if she was asking, ¡°What is your identity?¡± Duke Themion stood up with a smile and patted Count Sogres on the shoulder. ¡°If you do this, you won¡¯t have to worry about your children¡¯s agriculture, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a long way to go. Wouldn¡¯t you know that when you¡¯re older?¡± ¡°Humility among us. Haha.¡± ¡°Well, thanks to Lady Le, I was able to finish the jobfortably. Maybe it would have been a bitplicated if it weren¡¯t for the testimony.¡± ¡°Oh. Don¡¯t worry too much. She just said what she saw. Well, if you really care, let¡¯s talk about the engagement¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s almost time for the banquet. I also have to check if Count Tyren is leaving, so I¡¯ll leave then!¡± ¡°Hey, hey! Count Sogres! Aken!¡± The two adults disappeared from the garden in an unexpected chase, leaving Le and me alone. ¡°Can¡¯t I go with the duke?¡± Le shook her head at my question. ¡°What will you do if you leave? It¡¯s more fun here.¡± ¡°Is the garden fun?¡± ¡°Not without you.¡± Look at this guy. ¡°You¡¯re something interesting.¡± At those words, I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m d you think so.¡± ¡°You¡¯re handsome too.¡± ¡°Is that the point?¡± ¡°Maybe yes, maybe no.¡± Le pretended not to notice and smiled, and suddenly asked. ¡°But how can a summoned animal obey you without even listening to the summoner? I¡¯ve met several famous summoners in the capital and seen them fight each other, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It just worked.¡± It¡¯s too bothersome to exin further. They say if you do it, it will work. ¡°Hmm. You¡¯re hiding something, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s annoying. I helped you.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°I helped you too. So let¡¯s say we¡¯re even and help each other from time to time.¡± Le easily nodded to what I said. ¡°Great!¡± And then she added immediately. ¡°Then I want to talk now!¡± I remembered what Duke Themion desperately wanted. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not an engagement story. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Tell me too. How did you attack Count Tyren¡¯s son! Shooting magical power so they can¡¯t see you!¡± I sighed in relief. ¡°Why do you want to learn?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I want to grow up fast! To catch up with my brothers, I want to make two cores before entering the academy.¡± At first nce, something simr to regret seemed to pass through Le¡¯s face as she said that. It seems that Duke Themion cares a lot, but he doesn¡¯t seem to like it. Or not¡­ It was said before that he doesn¡¯t tolerate ¡°failure,¡± so Duke Themion might be very strict about training and other things, contrary to his appearance. ¡°And I want to make my mother happy. My mother loves me a lot. So I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be happier if I grow up faster.¡± There was also a reason I didn¡¯t know. Duchess of Thermion. I heard she is sick. Anyway, Le clearly wants to improve her skills quickly. ¡°Can you tell me?¡± As simple as that. All you have to do is teach her how to use magical power. Whates next is a different matter. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s do it from tomorrow! I¡¯ll be here in the castle until the day after tomorrow! Or should we start from tonight?¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± Thank goodness. Because it¡¯s not about losing money. Magic Bullet is a technique that is not difficult at all as long as you understand the flow of magical power. Excited Le asked. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Dain, what is your wish then?¡± I responded with a smile. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 ¨C Talented Genius of the Sogres family (4) The banquet of the second day seemed to unfold without incidents. I met more nobles than yesterday, exchanged greetings with many, and ate until my stomach felt ready to burst. I overheard some gossip about Count Tyren, though it wasn¡¯t my intention. ¡°Count Tyren has been expelled from the castle, hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°What on earth did he do to deserve that? ¡­¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t achieve anything significant in thest war and has been drifting from ce to ce since it ended, and this is more or less his end.¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, Count Tyren¡¯s eldest son got into some trouble.¡± ¡°So the rumors are true, Count Tyren¡¯s eldest son, the summoner he boasted about, has been in trouble?¡± ¡°Hush. Hush. Anyway, how absurd is it toe here and get expelled for not keeping an eye on his son?¡± I could hear them talking. ¡°By the way, have you heard the rumors, Young Master Dain, that he¡¯s already a full-fledged summoner?¡± ¡°So, the Count Sogres¡¯s son is now a master summoner?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all; I heard he can also use magic!¡± ¡°Oh my God, does that even make sense?¡± News spreads. Although not all of it is urate. In any case, Count Tyren probably wouldn¡¯t have been expelled so dramatically if he had apologized and bowed his head in the first ce. I don¡¯t know if he was trying to gain something from this, but a bted apology doesn¡¯t help at all. It taught me something. Apologies are better than excuses. Apologies are immediate. I¡¯ve seen it a lot in my past life, but there¡¯s no better way to resolve a conflict than with a quick apology. Of course, there are asions when you shouldn¡¯t apologize. Meanwhile, when my mother heard the news, she grabbed me and asked. ¡°Dain, you¡¯re not hurt, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Phew, that¡¯s good to hear.¡± She¡¯s my mother, after all. Gentler than my father¡­ ¡°Have you ever used stealth?¡± ¡°Yes, I have¡­¡± ¡°I heard you use summoning and magic bullets, so I was wondering.¡± My father must be quite detailed. ¡°Yes, of course. I hid in the garden grass, and they didn¡¯t even notice.¡± My mother was delighted. ¡°That¡¯s very good,¡± she said, ¡°and it¡¯smendable that you did it right the first time. I¡¯ll have to teach you tracking next time.¡± Thankfully, my older sisters aren¡¯t around. They would have asked the same question. Is it good that I didn¡¯t use spear skills? After all, all I did directly was hit his nose against his forehead, so it doesn¡¯t seem like I did much wrong. Anyway, except for spear skills, the other three talents had practical use in unexpected circumstances. Well, technically, it¡¯s not magic; it¡¯s a magic bullet, but¡­ so what? I was inspired by the flower magic my older sister taught me, so it counts as magic. By the way, many people are interested in my talent. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Dain I¡¯ve only heard rumors about! I¡¯m Baron Offent. House Offent, in the east, have you heard of us?¡± ¡°Yes, Baron. I understand you¡¯re quite famous for your roasted trout and sapphires.¡± ¡°Haha, what a ce, it¡¯s true. We have the best trout and sapphires on the continent! Oh, and I heard you¡¯re talented in many aspects!¡± Partly due to my father¡¯s prestige, but mostly because of the sly way he looked at me. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just wanted you to meet my daughter, greet her. Haha.¡± Something like that. Duke Thermion was quite a gentleman. It¡¯s not my ce to approach Count Sogres and talk to him. ¡°Hello, my name is Sylvia.¡± ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Dain.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who will take care of the Sogres family someday, right?¡± What¡¯s with kids these days? ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know. They said you¡¯re very talented.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something I should be thinking about.¡± I reflected on how to return this annoying youngdy to Baron Offent and came up with an unexpected solution. Or rather, a solution urred to me. ¡°Dain, here you are.¡± It was Le. Sylvia jumped to her feet, panicked. ¡°Ley-Le.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Le looked at Sylvia, narrowing her eyes like needles. Sylvia seemed nervous, but she introduced herself very casually. ¡°Good evening, Lady Le. I¡¯m Sylvia Offent, the eldest daughter of Baron Offent.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯m Le Thermion. Nice to meet you.¡± Women are scary. Because even in those brief moments, they are scrutinizing every corner and crevice of each other. I suppose in a murderous aristocracy, it¡¯s a matter of routine, but¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to borrow Dain. He has a ¡®promise¡¯ to fulfill, right, Dain?¡± At those words, Sylvia looked at me. A cold sweat ran down my spine. The time to choose had arrived. I know it very well, as I¡¯ve often witnessed the bloody wars among my older sisters. In such cases, you have to make the best choice. I¡¯m sorry, Sylvia. I rose from my seat, feigning defeat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we¡¯ll talk another time.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah¡­¡± The Duke¡¯s honor, whose power is surpassed only by the Emperor in the capital. And the Baron from the East. It was a one-sided battle. Anyway, I left the main house with Le to quench my thirst and head to the gardens. ¡°What did you talk to her about, did she tell you anything?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ about the engagement?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Do you want to know?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, just curious, but¡­¡± You¡¯re curious. ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter if you¡¯re curious.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ah, stop kidding.¡± Jokes are fun. ¡°But did she really say that?¡± ¡°No. She didn¡¯t.¡± Why does she seem relieved? Anyway, Le and I reached the garden. It¡¯s a secret ce, to be precise, one you wouldn¡¯t know unless you lived here, in the Count¡¯s territory. ¡°You really can¡¯t see anything from here.¡± Le looked around curiously, her shining eyes locking onto me. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s your turn to make a wish. What do you want me to do first?¡± ¡°Let me ask you a few questions first.¡± ¡°As you wish! By the way, my birthday is only four months away!¡± I went straight to the point. ¡°Yes, yes. Have you ever felt magic?¡± ¡°A little?¡± ¡°How much is ¡®a little¡¯?¡± ¡°Not enough to form a¡­ magic core or something, but enough to sense and gather?¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re not at the release stage yet.¡± At those words, Le frowned and asked. ¡°Is it hard to learn, then?¡± ¡°No. You just have to learn it from now on.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I recalled rolling on the battlefield, naturally breathing in magic. The battlefield is a deste ce, filled with corpses, but paradoxically, it¡¯s a ce where I can breathe magic more freely. When knights, mages, summoners, and others who can handle magic die, the magic in their bodies slowly depletes. With such corpses, it was naturally a more energetic space than other ces. I¡¯m about to tell her how I learned to do it naturally. By the way, they don¡¯t teach you this at the ducal academy. Affinity for magic is highly individualized, but a duke should be able to tell you. Is Duke Thermion stricter than he seems? ¡°Firstly, you need to feel magic in your body.¡± ¡°Feel it in your body?¡± ¡°Yes. To release it from your body, you must be able to manipte the mana within you. The keyword is ¡®imagine.''¡± ¡°If you imagine¡­¡± ¡°Imagine mana flowing through your body. Close your eyes and imagine your body. And imagine magic running through your veins like blood.¡± Imagine. Or, in other words, create. It¡¯s not just about manipting magic; it¡¯s the foundation of everything you can do with it. ¡°It¡¯s not working¡­¡± And it¡¯s difficult at first. It¡¯s challenging to imagine something you¡¯ve never seen. ¡°Take it easy.¡± If merely epting the energy is a matter of affinity, releasing and properly blending it to form a core or a circle is a matter of imagination. Circles are much harder to form than cores; that¡¯s why mages talk to themselves all the time and get lost in their thoughts. If you can¡¯t do this, you won¡¯t end up with a core or a circle. And magic tends to disperse after a certain time unlesspressed into a core or a circle. ¡°Power¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to give you power.¡± After trying for a while, Le felt frustrated. ¡°It¡¯s not working.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s try this.¡± I enchanted the ring my older sister had given me, and a subspace appeared in front of my hand. Le gasped in surprise. ¡°Wow! Is this a subspace?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I took a mirror from the exposed subspace. It wasrge enough to reflect Le¡¯s entire body. ¡°Do you have a subspace pocket like this¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. My older sister made it herself this time and gave it to me.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ I¡¯m so jealous¡­ My brothers don¡¯t even pay attention to me because they¡¯re too busy training at the academy.¡± Le looked thoughtfully at my ring and then clenched her fist as if she had already made up her mind. ¡°I¡¯m going to be stronger than my brothers, no matter what.¡± I know it¡¯s none of my business, but it¡¯s a shame she doesn¡¯t care about her only sister. ¡°Okay, for that, stand in front of the mirror. I want to see your whole body.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Okay. Like that. From now on, instead of closing your eyes and imagining it, look at yourself in the mirror and picture it in your head. It will be much easier.¡± Imagining is difficult. Especially when ites to your own body. But it¡¯s much easier when you have a mirror. You can imagine looking at your own body with your own eyes. Mind you, I didn¡¯t have a mirror, so on rainy days, I used to run to the puddle to practice seeing my reflection. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Perhaps instinctively sensing that this would be easier, Le gathered her willpower and started looking at herself in the mirror. How much time had passed? ¡°Oh.¡± I let out a faint sigh and watched Le¡¯s excitement. It was a flow of magic that would be invisible to anyone but someone like me, with a strong affinity for magic, or Le herself. In other words, Le was radiating magic throughout her body. She has talent. Although not as much as me. ¡°Hmph.¡± Le was really struggling. Her face was flushed, her knuckles white, and her swollen eyes fluttering. The moment she finally realized that she was releasing magic. ¡°Pfft!¡± She let out a choked sigh and copsed to the ground. A breath that sounded tired, almost exhausted. But her expression was one of joy. ¡°That¡¯s it, that¡¯s it. Did I do it?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it.¡± As she was already breathing to receive magical power, it seemed to happen so quickly. But this is just the beginning. ¡°But it¡¯s only the beginning.¡± ¡°This, is the beginning?¡± Le asked, bewildered. ¡°Yes. Now that you know the emanations, you have to follow that sensation and concentrate them in one ce.¡± ¡°Ha, can¡¯t we take a break?¡± ¡°What did you just say? We have to go with the flow.¡± Le got up annoyed. She tried to look as pitiful as she could, but it wasn¡¯t working. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± In the end, Le manages to stand up and positions herself in front of the mirror again. I smiled satisfactorily and nodded. Then I tried to ignore the nces I felt behind me. How long is my father going to sneak a peek? Did you learn stealth from my mother? *** ¡°Ohhh.¡± Count Sogres looked at the two children and smiled with curiosity. Stealth is perfect. Hiding in the grass. He learned the art of stealth for his wife, Lily, who often used her stealth to surprise him with a pat on the back. ¡°My son Dain is already teaching others. He has grown.¡± Count Sogres smiled satisfactorily. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± ¡°Surprise! Oh, no, Duke.¡± ¡°Why are you hidden in the grass, is there some kind of nocturnal couple here?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Count Sogres seemed surprised that his perfect concealment had been discovered. ¡°I can see through you. How can such a poor concealment be called a concealment, tsk tsk. Your wife is a legendary assassin, and you, her husband, haven¡¯t learned anything from her.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point? The castle owner can¡¯t hide in the bushes like this, and if someone catches him spying, they¡¯ll insult him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m following my son.¡± ¡°Eh? You too? I¡¯m following my daughter.¡± Here were two elderly nobles. ¡°Let me see.¡± Duke Thermion peeked through the garden grass and smiled as if he knew. ¡°I see my daughter has taken a liking to him.¡± ¡°Does it seem that way?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s notmon for Le to give her heart so easily.¡± ¡°Has something happened to her? She seems like a bright girl.¡± ¡°Bright on the outside, being the Duke¡¯s favorite, but not on the inside. She distanced herself from her brothers when they went to the Academy.¡± ¡°I guess that would exin¡­¡± ¡°Her mother is also sick, and we don¡¯t spend as much time together as before, so she feels lonely.¡± Duke Thermion sighed. He buried his head in the grass. ¡°I thought about sending her to the academy to mingle with kids her age, but you know the aristocratic society.¡± ¡°I know, and that¡¯s why I kicked them out halfway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I brought her to this banquet, thought it would be good for her to meet other kids here, and it seems she¡¯s made good friends.¡± Duke Thermion smiled, relieved. He stuck his head in the grass. ¡°Hmm, is Dain teaching Le to manipte magic? That¡¯s what it looks like in the mirror.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right. I wonder if Dain offered to teach her first.¡± ¡°Le might have asked him first. In any case, she¡¯s been practicing without telling metely, saying she needs to create a magic core, and now she¡¯s had a breakthrough like this.¡± Count Sogres scratched his head and frowned. He buried his head in the grass, and the branches scratched his face. ¡°Ugh. Why aren¡¯t you being gentle with your daughter, anyway?¡± ¡°Because she is¡­ wait, did you notice?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like you cared at all.¡± ¡°I did it on purpose. I treated my children like this and then disguised it, especially when they were training.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself. It will hurt youter. It¡¯s the same with magic cores. Why didn¡¯t you ask Dain?¡± ¡°I remember when you used to¡­¡± Duke Thermion nodded, wondering if he felt the same. Once again, the branches scratched his face. ¡°Will your son be sent to the capitalter? If you send him, he¡¯ll stay in the duchy, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do what Dain wants, as Arabel and ire did, and if he tells me he wants to go to the capital, I¡¯ll send him.¡± ¡°And if you do, he¡¯lle with me.¡± ¡°Do you want him to go there and duel all day?¡± ¡°Look down. Eh.¡± In the midst of their discussions, neither of them took their eyes off Dain and Le, their son¡¯s yful but serious riding lesson with their daughter. And there was a woman with her eyes on their behinds. ¡°What are you two doing hidden in the garden?¡± It was Lily Sogres, searching for her missing husband and son. She sighed at the two bottoms wriggling, trying to hide somehow, and then decided. ¡°Let¡¯s pretend I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¨C Talented Genius of the Sogres family (5) Ipleted the lesson sessfully before Le fainted. I didn¡¯t want her to return exhausted to her room before the banquet ended, which wouldplicate things for Duke Thermion. For the record, both my father and Duke Thermion left very ¡°quietly¡± when our lesson seemed to being to an end. In their own words. They slipped out of the grass with a bang. Le didn¡¯t seem to notice, but I pretended not to until the end. ¡°Whoa. Refreshing.¡± Le, walking with me, took a deep breath. ¡°Wow. The air is so clear. How did I not notice?¡± ¡°Because the repetition of inhaling and exhaling expands the feeling, and when you perceive it, you create a core or circle.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. When will I be able to make a core?¡± Probably when you can do it at will. Do you have a sensation now?¡± ¡°I think I need to practice a bit more in the mirror, but I think I can do it on my own again! Thank you, Dain Sogres.¡± Le didn¡¯t forget to express her gratitude, even as she caught her breath. How charming. ¡°But how the heck do you know all these things? Honestly, I didn¡¯t believe anyone my age could be better than me¡­.¡± Le was the type of girl who could admit her shorings. And I was a very bad boy for her. ¡°I saw it in a book.¡± ¡°¡­You know you were just being a huge fool, and that makes sense?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all in the book.¡± ¡°So putting it into practice right after reading it makes¡­ it work. I¡¯m silly for asking.¡± I started to nod, but stopped when I realized I was going to get a punch. My hand would be quite warm. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re a genius, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ve been called a genius many times, but I feel like I¡¯m nothingpared to you.¡± This time Le looked at me like I was a curious object, rather than frowning. ¡°Others don¡¯t even get one talent, and you have summoning, magic, spear handling, and¡­ a whopping three?¡± And assassination and fencing. If I tell you all this here, you won¡¯t believe me, right? ¡°So you¡¯ll have toe to the Academyter because that¡¯s where all the geniuses in the Empire go.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What? You won¡¯t go to the Academy, right?¡± I scratched my head at that. ¡°Is that where I have to go?¡± ¡°Of course! What do you think the purpose of the Academy is?¡± ¡°Study?¡± ¡°Wrong. It¡¯s where the nobility builds power. They make connections from a very young age.¡± Lei was seven years old and seemed to have some idea of how the world worked. ¡°You¡¯re lucky not to go to the Academy. You¡¯re the only son of Count Sogres, talented, and even¡­¡± ¡°Even?¡± ¡°¡­Handsome.¡± I burst intoughter. ¡°I still don¡¯t think about the academy.¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to stay here and be bored?¡± ¡°Why not? It¡¯s so much fun, and there are still so many books in the library to read, and so much to learn from you.¡± ¡°But¡­ don¡¯t you want to y with other children? I thought your sisters were all at the Academy.¡± ¡°Maybeter, if I want to go.¡± Academies are not necessarily the solution. That doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t go. I¡¯m not against the academy, I¡¯m just curious. In my previous life, most of the nobles I met on the battlefield were from the Academy, and they often talked about it. Lei¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°So, will you tell me?¡± ¡°Yes. I will.¡± Lei smiled, relieved, and stretched out her arms. ¡°I¡¯m d I came on my father¡¯s inspection because I didn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s boring, I¡¯m stuck in the carriage all the way, and the driver gets angry at the slightest hint of mischief on my part. But now that I¡¯vee, I¡¯ve learned about my shorings in swordy, and I¡¯ve learned to release energy from you, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be bored on the way!¡± I feel proud to see Le smiling. On one hand, I¡¯m delighted that Le got me into this unexpected rtionship with Duke Thermion. ¡°So next time, you have toe, okay? You have toe and watch me practice again because I¡¯m leaving tomorrow.¡± For the record, Duke Thermion and his group are leaving the castle tomorrow. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll write to you when I reach the capital.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Le hummed excitedly. ¡°By the way, Dain, what are you going to do with your wish?¡± ¡°Oh, my wish?¡± ¡°Yes. I just granted you my wish now. You didn¡¯t tell me what your wish was then.¡± At that, I smiled with a grin that pretended to be meaningful. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when we get to the capital.¡± *** ¡°Haha, if I weren¡¯t a duke, I¡¯d stay for a month and then leave.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, it¡¯s awful.¡± ¡°How is that awful, man!¡± ¡°We should have met day and night on the battlefield, not like this.¡± ¡°Cancel my departure, I¡¯ll stay for two months!¡± Watching them argue, I felt I understood the kind of friendship that transcends rank and is forged on the battlefield. ¡°Anyway, since you¡¯re only staying a day, why not stay a few more?¡± ¡°I have a lot of work to do in the South, and if I were you, I¡¯d like to stay two or three months, just to chat with you and enjoy the scenery.¡± Unfortunately, the Duke of Thermion wasn¡¯t here to visit Count Sogres personally. Tour of the south. Several years have passed since the end of the war, and as Duke of the capital, it¡¯s your job to oversee the people and understand the trends of each noble. The scheduled banquet is over, and you head to your next destination. ¡°And while we¡¯re at it¡­ I was hoping to discuss the marriage of my son with your eldest daughter.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ hmm. Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± ¡°News?¡± ¡°The news that Arabel magically punched the nose of one of the boys she was flirting with.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Almost got called to the Academy as a responsible father.¡± ¡°Nose, punch¡­?¡± Duke Thermion broke into a cold sweat. He had thought she was strange, but he never imagined she was this bad. ¡°Yes. So you could say that the marriage of my eldest daughter is no longer in my hands.¡± ¡°Hahaha. I¡¯m not sure if my son will like her.¡± ¡°Rumor has it that the eldest son of Duke Thermion has already made a name for himself with his sword skills.¡± ¡°He has no family. He¡¯s a dual now. With two cores, how can he be called a knight?¡± Added Duke Thermion. ¡°I¡¯ve met young ones who have already made three cores at that age. In battle.¡± ¡°Ah. You mean that guy. It¡¯s a shame; he would have been a good fighter if not for his war wounds.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity because he died by my hand.¡± Duke Thermion remembered a warrior named Agric who had resisted to the end, refusing to surrender. A triple core at his age. He, if he had lived, would probably now be one of the hexa-ss knights of the Drennic Empire. ¡°In any case, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t give you an answer that satisfies you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, hahaha. In any case, I¡¯m d I¡¯m leaving with a more interesting friend than you.¡± ¡°An interesting friend?¡± ¡°Your son. Dain. Why didn¡¯t you raise him with me? Haha.¡± Duke Thermion chuckled. ¡°I look forward to him facing my daughter someday, and she¡¯s no slouch either. She doesn¡¯t have a magical core yet, and her sword skills are still young, but I assure you she¡¯s as talented as her two brothers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s curious; your daughter¡¯s eyes are different.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Then the monk nudged him. ¡°Duke, it¡¯s time for you to go.¡± ¡°Ah, have wee to this already?¡± Duke Thermion muttered nostalgically. ¡°Well, Count, I bid you farewell then.¡± ¡°Take care. The south is a warm ce, but sometimes the weather ys tricks on us.¡± ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Ah, and before I go, I¡¯d like to greet your son. I¡¯d like to have a chat with him that we didn¡¯t have this morning.¡± ¡°Sure. Dain,e over here.¡± Dain approached at his father¡¯s word and bowed to the Duke. ¡°Dain.¡± ¡°Well, have you trained to your satisfaction this morning?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s no satisfaction in cultivation; the moment one is satisfied, growth stops.¡± At those words, Duke Thermion smiled contentedly. ¡°Well, the count certainly raised a good son, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going anywhere.¡± ¡°I appreciate you thinking that way.¡± Said Duke Thermion dryly. ¡°But since he¡¯s here, I have one more question for you.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Why do you train?¡± Dain responded without the slightest hesitation. ¡°Train for myself.¡± Family. n. Empire. For a moment, everyone was taken aback by the answer that came out of Dain¡¯s mouth instead of the myriad of responses that many had thought of. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Duke Thermion burst intoughter. ¡°That¡¯s right. Straightforward, bold, and cheeky.¡± asked Duke Thermion. ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m the one training.¡± A intrigued smile proved that the answer was correct, and not only Duke Thermion but also Count Sogres were looking forward to what would happen next. ¡°Your son, is he seven years old?¡± ¡°I often think he¡¯s seventy.¡± ¡°Ha. How he bes so wise.¡± Count Sogres chuckled. ¡°Dain has grown.¡± In a way, he was a little disappointed. He couldn¡¯t believe he thought like this at his age. ¡°I have a gift for you. I know it¡¯s your birthday, but since you made me feel so good, I¡¯ll give you something even better.¡± Duke Thermion gestured with his hand. ¡°Bring me ¡®the crest.''¡± Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¨C Talent (1) Suddenly, there was amotion in Duke Thermion¡¯s group. ¡°Duke.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Bring it.¡± Soon, a servant brought a small package. Duke Thermion handed the package to Dain. ¡°Unwrap it.¡± Dain nodded and carefully unwrapped the package. Inside was a kind of emblem. A coat of arms with a hammer and an anvil intricately engraved. Below, the Thermion symbol, a man with a sword. ¡°Do you know what the Thermion symbol represents?¡± ¡°Vengeance, a sword, and¡­ it¡¯s a cksmith.¡± ¡°Huh. Right. You¡¯re correct, that phrase refers to thest cksmith.¡± Duke Thermion said, disying his own sword. ¡°Our ancestors were cksmiths, and it¡¯s thanks to them that we have thergest and most powerful forge in the Empire, and indeed on the continent. All Thermion¡¯s weapons, and the weapons of those ¡®acknowledged¡¯ by Thermion, are forged in our smithies.¡± Duke Thermion¡¯s gift was this. The Thermion Forge. It is the continent¡¯s best forge, where all the world¡¯s minerals are found, and where swords and mystical artifacts are forged. ¡°Go to the capital¡¯s forge, show them the emblem, and they will forge any weapon you desire.¡± The right to forge a weapon in the Thermion forge, which never hands out weapons to just anyone. ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± ¡°That precious forge!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s coveted even by the imperial family!¡± Onlookers were left dumbfounded. That phrase was not just a ¡°pass to the forge.¡± Not only the imperial family but also famous individuals and foreign nobles want to have weapons produced by that forge. But Duke Thermion only bestows them upon those he approves. It¡¯s ultimately a guarantee and a testament to the honor and skill of the recipient. You have the guarantee and recognition of the House of Thermion. ¡°It is indeed a precious item, Duke, and I ept it with gratitude.¡± ¡°Since you already have a goodnce, perhaps a sword would be a good idea, or maybe some armor. Whatever you decide, think carefully when you go to the forge.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± Everyone was astonished at this. A gift from Duke Thermion himself, and it was the Thermion Forge emblem. ¡°What kind of talent is this¡­¡± ¡°Never in my life have I felt such envy for a seven-year-old.¡± ¡°That coat of arms will pay the bills for three, maybe five generations.¡± Of course, from the viewpoint of the grant, the coat of arms is only symbolic. Although symbolism alone has immense value, it doesn¡¯t mean that someone other than the grantee can take it to a forge and have a weapon made with it. ¡°Are you sure you want to give away such a valuable item so easily?¡± the Count Sogres asked mockingly, and Duke Thermion smiled satisfied. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen something so interesting and fun, so I hope you won¡¯t be offended because I gave it to your son and not to you.¡± ¡°Do I look like someone who would be?¡± ¡°Haha, true. What other weapon would the master of Dragon Tail covet?¡± Duke Thermion ruffled Dain¡¯s hair. ¡°Grow up and help your father a lot.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± Not just because he was his friend¡¯s son, but because he seemed to genuinely like him. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t give something like this to a seven-year-old. It¡¯s something everyone would want. ¡°Hehe. It seems our little one is firmly in love.¡± At Count Sogres¡¯ words, Duke Thermion smiled satisfied and put a hand on Dain¡¯s shoulder. ¡°As you wish. It¡¯s been an excellent answer. I look forward to getting to know you when you grow up.¡± With that, the duke stepped away and prepared to leave, and Duke Thermion allowed Le a moment to bid farewell to Dain in the meantime. Le approached him with a gesture and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Make sure to call me when you reach the capital. Okay?¡± ¡°I promised the Duke, I¡¯ll do it when I get to the capital.¡± ¡°No, not that! Call me. No,e to the capital to see me! You must! You have a wish. You must tell me your wish.¡± Dain nodded with a huge smile on his face. ¡°I will.¡± At that moment, a gust of wind blew, tousling Dain¡¯s silver hair. Le stared as he brushed his hair back reflexively. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What? Is there something on my face?¡± ¡°No! Idiot!¡± ¡°Why, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Dain was puzzled but didn¡¯t understand why Le was suddenly so angry. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave anyway, you promised. You have toe.¡± The words sounded murderous, and Dain knew he had to go. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°And since I¡¯m going to take the name of Thermion, as the future head of the family, I need to know what kind of things are done in their forge.¡± Dainughed again, both for the reason of the digression and for Le¡¯s aspirations. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± ¡°At nothing. You have big dreams. You look good.¡± ¡°Don¡¯tugh. I¡¯m serious, and I¡¯m going to outsmart my brothers!¡± Dain nodded in response. ¡°I know. I hope so.¡± ¡°And you still haven¡¯t told me another reason why¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Come to¡­ watch my swordsmanship next time. You¡¯re the one who told me how to unleash my blocked sword skills, so take responsibility.¡± Dain nodded calmly, even though the reasoning was so borate and forced. ¡°I will. I will.¡± Dain Sogres. It was the moment he made a promise to the youngest daughter of one of thergest families in the Empire of Altheon, Duke Thermion. ¡°I¡¯m so grateful to your son. Le, who didn¡¯t talk to kids her age, has found a good friend.¡± The Duke of Thermion looked between them. It hadn¡¯t always been easy to approach Le because she was the youngest daughter of the Duke of Thermion. Innocence, if you will. Children who had already grown up watching power struggles and eating everything that fell into their hands didn¡¯t have that. But Dain did. It was like seeing the warmth of touch from Le¡¯s brothers that she had missed. ¡°Tell her when youe back. Think of our little one.¡± Count Sogres let out a hollowugh. ¡°Was there any reason you gave him a sentence?¡± So they say. It¡¯s good to get to know each other, right? To have a good friend.¡± ¡°Me too. I¡¯ll look for you when Dain goes to the capital.¡± ¡°Hmm. I promise to take care of him like a son.¡± With that, Duke Thermion and his group departed. Le peeked her head out of the carriage window as it passed through the gates, looked at me, and waved. I waved back. It¡¯s a strange feeling. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s love. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m parting with the first friend I¡¯ve made in my life? If you think about it, I never had a normal childhood. Not in my previous life, nor in this one. In my previous life, around this time, I would polish the weapons and armor of soldiers, boil bedding and fabrics, and transport food. My definition of ¡°normal¡± is a bitplicated, but at least I didn¡¯t y with kids my age. It¡¯s a strange way to put it, but at least we won¡¯t see them for a while. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, Dain.¡± ¡°Yeah, a lot.¡± I said honestly. Unfortunately, quite a lot, too. In my previous life, I didn¡¯t have many friends because I traveled from war zone to war zone. Although I had apanion who rode with me on the battlefield. So Le is like the first friend I made. ¡°You¡¯ll see her soon. One day you¡¯ll go to the capital. I¡¯ll be even more amazing, and Le will be very happy to see you.¡± When I nodded, my father asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Do you happen to like the duke¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°In what sense?¡± My father stammered, embarrassed by my unexpected response. ¡°Is there something you can¡¯t tell a child, Count?¡± It was then that my mother appropriately intervened, preventing my father¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Why, why, don¡¯t you like her too?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of telling such a thing to such a young boy like Dain, only to hurt his feelingster?¡± ¡°Injured, our Dain injured, huh, he¡¯s a boy who¡¯s going to go around fooling girls like me!¡± ¡°Ah. So you used to call many girls?¡± My father¡¯s pupils started to flutter. I slipped into the gap. I had seen this scene so many times that I knew how it would end. ¡°I need to talk to you, Aken Sogres.¡± When my mother calls my father by his full name, it¡¯s over. ¡°Hello, dear. Lily! Dain, where are you going, without your father¡­!¡± I sneaked away, leaving behind my father¡¯s pitiful voice. Dad, I¡¯m sorry. You know I can¡¯t do anything for you. ¡°The Count seems to be very calm again today.¡± I nodded, agreeing with Herman¡¯s general appreciation. ¡°Mmm. I guess so. Very calm.¡± When Duke Thermion left, the other nobles left the castle one by one. It wouldn¡¯t be right to be the first to leave when the noble of the highest status hasn¡¯t left. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll end up like Count Tyren. In any case, the castle will be quiet now. And I will attend to my daily affairs. ¡°Would you like to go back and rest, and if so, I¡¯ll prepare some snacks for you.¡± ¡°Mmm. No. I¡¯m going to train.¡± ¡°Sure, but I hope you won¡¯t overexert yourself.¡± ¡°I know. Thanks for caring.¡± I smiled reassuringly at Herman and then said: ¡°By the way, bring something to snack on. I have a sweet tooth when I sweat.¡± ¡°Yes, okay. What do you feel like?¡± ¡°A pie made with apples covered in cinnamon and blueberry butter cookies. And a tea made with moon tree leaves.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll put it in the kitchen.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re at it, tell them to prepare two.¡± A smile formed on the corner of Herman¡¯s lips. I already know. that Herman is very happy. And I know this. ¡°And tell them to bake four more cookies while they¡¯re at it.¡± ¡°Are you sure you want that many? We¡¯ll have dinner in a few hours.¡± ¡°Just say it.¡± The fact that Herman usually brings desserts home for his younger siblings when he¡¯s fortunate enough to taste them. I don¡¯t know if Herman caught my intentions, or if he simply assumed I would eat a lot, but he nodded anyway. ¡°Thank you, Young Master,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ll stop by the kitchen ande back for you.¡± ¡°Sure. See youter.¡± With that, I parted ways with Herman for a moment and returned to my room. I took off the clothes I had put on to bid him farewell, hung them up to dry, put on my training clothes, and grabbed my dagger, which was now my alter ego. Suddenly, I remembered the events from yesterday. Invocation. I must have a talent, a great talent. Although there was no invocation mark, and it was a special case, after listening to my younger sister and practicing a few times, I managed to form a connection and even seeded in dismissing the invocation. In that sense¡­ ¡°Will it react?¡± I wanted to bring out the gift from my younger sister, fearing it might break if I mishandled it. Chapter 15 Chapter 15: Talent Can Be Considered This (2) A familiar. To be more exact, an egg that will eventually be a familiar. It¡¯s a very precious item that can hatch a permanent summon rather than a temporary one. It can be hatched only by the person imprinted as its master by magic imbuement¡ªeven if the master is not a summoner. I carefully took out the ss case that contained the golden egg. The case, glowing brilliantly after absorbing sunlight, seemed so radiant that I thought it must be of great value itself. ¡°She told me to infuse it with magic every morning and night, right?¡± It was slowly approaching dusk. I lifted the case up and finally put the golden egg in my hands. I did not feel anything particrly special. I suppose that is natural since it¡¯s not time for it to hatch. ¡°Hm.¡± I imbued it with magic and thought of what re had told me. A familiar requires patience and a dedicated infusion of magic for it to hatch. On top of that, the magic attributes have to match and other difficult-to-meet conditions that have yet to be discovered have to be fulfilled to hatch it. Since there were not many examples of this before, that was all re knew. Therefore, some eggs have never been hatched because their hatching conditions were not discovered, leading to their masters changing over time. ¡°Will that happen to me, too?¡± It was too early to conclude, but even after infusing it with magic for a long time, there has not been any response from the egg. This could be natural. After that, I tried various ways of changing the magic¡¯s flow, such as infusing magic very slowly, and so on, but I could feel no difference in the egg¡¯s shell. I was neither disappointed nor let down, of course. ¡°If I want tond it on the first try, that would just be being greedy.¡± I was the one who had to silently endure the beatings the foul-mouthed soldiers gave me because they were in a bad mood or because theirrades had died. Patience is my strongest weapon. Knock knock. ¡°Young master, have you finished getting ready?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ming.¡± At that moment, I heard Herman¡¯s voice, so I ced the egg back in the ss case and ced it below a window that received plenty of sunshine. ¡°I am guessing that a sunny location is better than shade?¡± I grabbed my short spear and started heading out of the room when¡­ Whoong. ¡°Huh?¡± I thought I heard some sound. I approached the egg in disbelief. ¡°Herman, just a moment.¡± ¡°Yes, young master.¡± I opened the case and examined the egg. There did not seem to be any cracks or shifts in positioning. I could not feel any remnants of my magic, either. I infused more magic into it just in case, but there was no reaction. ¡°Eesh.¡± It had raised my hopes. Well, I suppose the thought of having it react overnight isughable, right? I put the egg back in the case and got up. I emptied my mind of thoughts of the egg for now. What I needed to do at that moment was train my spearmanship and magic. I had training in tracking with Mother scheduled forter tonight. ¡°I¡¯ll be off now.¡± I held back my feelings of anticipation and left the room to head to the training ground with Herman. Once we arrived at the training ground, Herman took his ce on one side. After I told him he should sit since I thought he may end up standing all day likest time, I took hold of my short spear. ¡°Whew.¡± After breathing in, I began with a stab. Training is a continual process however boring and dry it is. Only after repeating the same movement thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds of thousands of times can it be perfected. That is why I did not immediately focus on increasing the number of mana cores I had formed. Actually, at my current level of growth, even a single mana core was sufficient. I could always walk the same path I had walked before whenever I wanted. After executing 10 sets of 100 reps, I momentarily set my spear down and took a breather. ¡°Young master, have some water.¡± ¡°Ah, Herman. Thanks.¡± While he was handing me water, Herman delivered some praises. ¡°You look very impressive. The way you manage to do that a thousand times¡­ even seasoned knights would have difficulty executing them wlessly.¡± I smiled at hisment and handed back the water bottle. It was all thanks to my mana cores. From the moment you form a mana core, your body bes energized and does not tire easily. Even forming a single core could energize the body greatly. Naturally, mana cores are not all-powerful. Just because you have good stamina does not mean you can execute a thousand reps wlessly. I suppose I can say that patience is required. As someone who was stomping on battlefields since childhood, this was not particrly difficult to do. ¡°It gets better if you keep doing it.¡± I grinned and took a tart. I took a big bite and the sweetness of it spread in my mouth. This was it. It would not be good to have too much of it, but I could not give this taste up. My previous life is to me for all of this. Sugar was too precious amodity during the war. There was no way for such a precious item to reach the soldiers at the front line. That¡¯s why I considered sugar quite important. So much so that after forming a mana core and people treated me better, I considered taking sugar as payment instead of money. Sweets are absolutely the best. ¡°Please partake.¡± ¡°Ah, uh. Yes. Thank you.¡± I watched Herman wolf down the tart as soon as those words left my lips. I grinned. He must have really wanted to eat it. ¡°That was truly delicious, young master. Thank you.¡± ¡°Let me know whenever you want to eat some.¡± ¡°N-no. How could I dare to¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯d be a hassle for the chef to bake just one.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± I took another bite out of the tart and enjoyed the breeze blowing from the south. Suddenly, Le came to mind. Was she practicing hard? If she mistakenly fired a magic bullet in the carriage, she would surely get in trouble with the duke. I thought of Le¡¯s swordsmanship as well. She was talented, in her own way. Like how she so confidently dered she would surpass her brothers and be the next family head¡ªthat I had somehow contributed to that put a smile on my lips. Should I have sparred with her? Would that not have been awkward, sparring with a spear against a sword? ¡°Hm¡­¡± After contemting it briefly, I wrapped the short spear, put it down, and got up from my seat. Then I went to the weapon rack and picked out a practice sword. ¡°Young master? Are you going to train with a sword?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah. I just want to try it once.¡± Now that I thought about it, I had not wielded a sword even once after being reborn. I was enjoying learning a new weapon and I could not bring myself to grab a sword under Father¡¯s expectant gaze. However, neither could I abandon my talent for swords which hadpletely changed my past life. I had thought I would swing the sword someday¡­ And that day looked to be today. I picked a short sword out. I was a bit surprised at how different its center of gravity was from a spear¡¯s, but that was only for a brief moment. Swish swish. After swinging it in the air a few times, I quickly picked that familiar feel back up. The weapon I had swung millions of times on the battlefield as a matter of life and death. I got into a proper stance. Then I tried basic movements such as horizontal sh, vertical sh, and diagonal sh. ¡°Not bad.¡± I had not lost my touch with it at all. Perhaps it was due to the young age of the body I was in, but I was neither fast nor powerful. Nevertheless, I was satisfied. ¡°Should I train both of them from now on?¡± One day with the spear. One day with the sword. I did not think it was a bad n. I continued for ten minutes. Finally, when I put the sword down, I could see Herman¡¯s nk expression. ¡°Young master¡­ When did you train in the sword?¡± I was a bit flustered. Because I had swung the sword around as if it was not my first time even though it was my first time in Dane Sogres¡¯ body. Ah, should I say I had seen it in a dream? I was debating this when¡­ ¡°As expected¡­ You¡¯re a genius. You even have talent in swordsmanship¡­¡± Hm. Being a genius makes things convenient. * * * Peace had finallye to the castle which had been bustling during the celebration. Count Sogres stretched and yawned as if he could finally take a breather. ¡°Whew. Since it¡¯s like this every year, I¡¯m tired.¡± But the celebration this time had borne a lot of fruit. As many as 30 aristocratic families had attended the celebration. It was a reaffirmation that various nobles had taken an interest in the southern area. The majority of them hoped to establish good rtions with House Sogres. With the war over, the southern area, with such a great climate and abundance of resources, made the nobles drool. However, none of that couldpare to the attention his son Dane Sogres had drawn. ¡®The fight with Count Tyren¡¯s eldest son was unexpected but he handled himself wisely, uncharacteristically for a child.¡¯ Count Sogres was happier about how Dane handled the situation than the fact he defeated Digron. How Dane exined the situation logically, and of course, how calm he was in front of adults, gave undeniable proof of his talents. The count was satisfied with everything. Of course, he was also happy that Dane defeated Digron. However, truth be told¡­ he was probably a little too happy. ¡°It would be nice if he behaved a bit more like a child.¡± It would be nice if he threw tantrums sometimes, badgered people sometimes, or acted like a child at times. On one hand, it felt like a loss. Was it because he had learned so much from his sisters? Or was it because his talent was so excessive? If other people heard his thoughts, they would tell him off for having such thoughts, but this was his youngest, after all. And as such, he wanted to dote on Dane for a long, long time and watch him grow up for a long, long time. ¡°I wonder if my daughters did well on their exams?¡± Perhaps he wanted to send Dane out into the world a bitter than his two daughters, who ended up in the academy. Given that the two of them had demonstrated talent in magic and summoning, he had no choice but to send them to the academy, but Dane was different. At the very least, he wanted to use properly teaching Dane spearmanship as an excuse. ¡°Mmm. It¡¯s about time for him to go.¡± With that in mind, it was time for him to go train spearmanship with his son. Count Sogres got up and stopped to look at his weapon Dragon Tail he had left in one corner of his office. And with a big smile, he picked up Dragon Tail. ¡°Should I let him swing it once?¡± It would not be easy with a seven-year-old¡¯s body, but he was sure Dane¡¯s interest in spearmanship would deepen if he just tried to hold it. And so Count Sogres headed to the training ground with Dragon Tail, which he had not held in a long time, and was appalled at what he saw. ¡°A sword¡­?¡± His son was training not with a spear, but with a sword. In that instant, his heart dropped. Chapter 16 Chapter 16: Talent Can Be Considered This (3) ¡®Did you abandon the spear, Dane?¡¯ As a proponent of the spear who would im the spear is always better than the sword, this feeling was heartbreaking. At that moment, he thought of Duke Thermion. That bastard senior of his clearly must have said something deceiving. If not, Dane would not be swinging a sword around when he had been training so well with the spear. Count Sogres, feeling heartbroken, was going to approach Dane when¡­ ¡°Ha¡­¡± The stance in which Dane was swinging his sword felt extremely familiar. Why was it? How could that be for a kid who had never swung a sword before? Even the aura he was emanating could measure up to someone who had trained in swordsmanship to some extent. Woosh swoosh! But if you consider that Dane¡¯s body, it was strange. He could not understand this. When in the world did Dane learn this? When he was five? Or from a book? He couldn¡¯t know for sure, but he was certain about one thing. ¡®He has¡­ talent in swordsmanship, too.¡¯ It seemed ridiculous, but it was clearly true. Otherwise, he would not be able to exin Dane¡¯s sharp movements, footwork, and the force by which Dane was expressing his swordsmanship. Is this even possible? All this time, he had never seen Dane hold a sword once. And he was sure Dane had never been taught it either. But¡­ Are those basic skills a part of his abilities? Unless he was training in his dreams, this was unbelievable. I guess¡ª This is what ¡®talent¡¯ means, too? ¡°Haha.¡± Count Sogres broke out into a heartyugh. He wondered about the full details behind Dane learning swords. However, even before that, he had to confirm one thing. ¡°This castle is far too limiting for that child.¡± He had been holding onto the feeling of wanting to keep his son at the castle for a long, long time up until now. That feeling was now slowly dissipating. If Dane had that great amount of talent, he could not hold Dane here. Rather, the moment Dane showed talent in even just one specialization, be it spearmanship, assassination, magic, or summoning, he could no longer be restrained to the castle. The count had just been trying hard to disregard it. But now that Dane had shown talent in swordsmanship as well, it had be too difficult to continue disregarding it. ¡®Did Duke Thermion teach him?¡¯ That would be even more unbelievable. Regardless of Dane¡¯s rtionship with Duke Thermion, there would be no way the Duke would have taught Dane swords without letting the count know. ¡°Greetings, Count.¡± Amid all his thoughts, he was greeted by Herman. ¡°You¡¯vee out here early, no?¡± ¡°The young master asked toe out here an hour earlier.¡± ¡°An hour, was it¡­¡± ¡°Shall I call the young master over?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s wait until he is finished.¡± Count Sogres was lost in thought while Dane was wielding his sword. A whileter. ¡°Father, you were here?¡± In the middle of his training, the moment Dane noticed Count Sogres, he put his sword down and ran over. It seemed Dane¡¯s gaze was on Dragon Tail that his father had brought with him, but that was only for a short while. ¡°When did you learn swords?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I suppose¡­ because of your talent.¡± He nodded as if he knew that all along. Dane looked as if he wanted to say something but closed his mouth again. Count Sogres asked resolutely, ¡°Dane, aren¡¯t you curious about the world?¡± It was an abrupt question from his father. ¡°Spears and magic, assassination, summoning¡­ and now swords. If I were any other person, no one would believe that I had a child with talent in them all.¡± Count Sogres continued. ¡°Obviously, the world is not made up of just this castle. Dane, there is much you don¡¯t know. I¡¯m thinking¡­ this castle is far too small to contain a talent such as yours.¡± Count Sogres was very serious. With Dane¡¯s level of talent being so excessively high, having him stay at the castle would be a huge disfavor to him. The count realized he could no longer hold onto him with his paternal desires. That is why he asked Dane if he was curious about the world. ¡°I am curious.¡± And Dane¡¯s response was ¡®Indeed.¡¯ Very much so. How the world is. How much his talent can rise in this world. And above all else, what the world is like beyond the battlefield and outside the confines of the castle. These were the thoughts Dane was wondering about inside his head. Count Sogres smiled at Dane¡¯s response. He was disappointed, but it was inevitable since his son wanted this. ¡°Good. Then you¡¯ll need to get ready to step out into the world.¡± Count Sogres took Dragon Tail out. ¡°I brought this with me today intending to give it to you.¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s Dragon Tail. On your first birthday, it reacted to you.¡± He held Dragon Tail out to Dane. ¡°You want to hold it?¡± Dane took hold of Dragon Tail without hesitation. And at that moment¡ª Voom voom voom! Dragon Tail reacted as if it had been waiting. It was reacting even more strongly than it did when Dane was one year old. Count Sogres looked dumbfounded and then burst out intoughter. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Spearmanship. Assassination. Magic. Summoning. And even swordsmanship. One has to wonder if this was a genius level of talent to include all those. But once he saw Dragon Tail¡¯s reaction, he became greedy. Greedy to make spearmanship stand out the most among all those talents. ¡°At the very least, I will make sure to properly teach you spearmanship before sending you off. Be ready.¡± The count was warning Dane that he should expect the training to be intense. Dane nodded his head as if he had been waiting for it. ¡°Absolutely.¡± Count Sogres smiled, quite pleased. ¡°Someday this spear will be yours, Dane. Until that timees, make sure to improve your skills so you don¡¯t bring shame to this spear.¡± Dane provided an unexpected response to that statement. ¡°Rather than for Dragon Tail, I¡¯ll improve my skills to not bring shame to your teaching, Father.¡± ¡®Of course. As expected of my son.¡¯ He began to feel disappointed again that he would have to send his son off in a few years. After having my swordsmanship be ¡®discovered¡¯ by Father, I returned to my room and was lost in thought for a while. The battlefield. It was a still world. Even if the front lines moved, my own life did not change. I set up camp, cleaned weapons, ate tasteless food, and headed out to battle. There were only two ways of escaping it. Be discharged or die. But for me, I had no ce to return to if I was discharged so I remained there. ¡°Even then, I wondered about the outside world.¡± However, the knowledge that I had to return to the battlefield someday made me hesitate. As I was born and raised on the battlefield, I was unable to imagine what life would be like outside the battlefield. I was curious about it when I saw how happy soldiers were to receive discharge orders. I wondered what it would feel like to return ¡®home.¡¯ But when faced with death, I had my eyes opened to apletely different world from the one I knew¡­ ironically, it made me curious about the outside world. How I could use the talents I never thought I¡¯d get to use outside the battlefield. How would the world receive me? What would I be able to achieve in this world? ¡°Whether it¡¯s the academy or somewhere else¡­¡± If the promise I made with Le to go to the capital was vague before, I suppose I could say that it had be a bit more defined now. Until just now, I only had thoughts of remaining in this warm and inviting ce for a long, long time, but thanks to Father¡¯s words, my thoughts changed. ¡°Talent, huh.¡± Honestly, it would be ridiculous to let this talent go to waste. And that is why I resolved myself, once again. ¡°Let¡¯s go. To wherever.¡± But only after I have prepared properly. However, at that moment¡­ ¡°Seems you¡¯ve really made your decision, son.¡± Mother, who hade in at some point, was standing in my room. ¡°Mother?¡± I jumped out of bed. ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I didn¡¯t enter without knocking. Even though I knocked, you were so lost in thought you didn¡¯t hear me.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Mother approached carefully and sat next to me. She asked with a bit of a reluctant expression, ¡°So you¡¯re curious about what it¡¯s like outside of the castle, Dane?¡± I realized the mistake I made then. My sisters had all left the castle. Sometimes they returned, but only for a brief visit. Andter, when they be engaged, the castle will be a ce they only visit asionally. As a result, I was the only one left, and now I was speaking of being curious about the world. It felt like I had momentarily forgotten the precious feeling of family I had not been able to experience in my previous life. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mother.¡± ¡°Why are you sorry, Dane?¡± Mother stroked my head. ¡°I know. I know how incredible your talent is. How extraordinary it is. Even if you don¡¯t want it, the world may want you.¡± ¡°But Mother. I would also be fine with staying here for a long, long time.¡± Mother burst intoughter as if she had heard something cute. Mother¡¯s green eyes examined me. Those green eyes my sisters had been unable to inherit, but I had. ¡°If born in House Sogres, you must head out into the world. Of course, I would love for you to stay here for a long, long time, as well¡­ but I don¡¯t believe the world would let you do so.¡± Mother¡¯s hand moved from my head to my hand. ¡°That¡¯s why you should go out into the world as you wish, Dane.¡± As I wish. At those words, my eyes opened wide. ¡°¡­I want to see the world. And¡­¡± I brought forth the best response I could give. ¡°I¡¯lle back often to tell you about what I¡¯ve seen, Mother.¡± Mother shed the most radiant smile. ¡°Thanks, Dane. You¡¯re really considerate of me.¡± She embraced me. Thefort of her warm embrace felt like a dream for a brief moment. But it was only for a moment. ¡°Then, like your father, I guess I will have to prepare you to send you out into the world.¡± Like Father¡­ ¡°Originally I was going to teach you tracking one step at a time, but I¡¯ll begin by also adding how toy traps and avoid them.¡± As if it had juste to mind, Mother added, ¡°You need quite a variety of skills for assassination. It¡¯s important to know about the traps that exist in this world. Tracking skills, skills to avoid tracking, and even skills to hide bodies all exist. Ah! That¡¯s right. You need to learn about the structure of the human body. Depending on the stab, you could assassinate a target silently with just a pinhole-like wound.¡± I felt dazed. She is even including murder. And why are there so many to learn, Mother? ¡°Oh and um, dagger skills are a necessity. Well, since you have talent in swordsmanship, you should be able to learn daggers easily, maybe? Anyhow¡­ I¡¯ll be teaching you a whole lot, okay?¡± First Father. And now I predict another intense training. Having too much talent can be a problem, too. Should I¡­ tell my sisters about this or not? Chapter 17 Chapter 17: So, What Do You Do? (1) The climate in Count Sogres¡¯ territory in the southern parts of the Altheon Empire is excellent. As for how excellent, the sunshine there is so good that the harvest in that region is over twice that of other regions. That is why this ce became a tireless driving force of the Altheon Empire even during the war. Perhaps due to the weather and Count Sogres¡¯ humane rule, the Sogres territory was always a peaceful and warm ce. After the war was over, a few rebel forces were repressed, resulting in what seemed like an eternally peaceful time. Of course, even in such peaceful times, gossip would spread. And the center of all this gossip was the youngest son of Count Sogres, Dane Sogres. ¡°Hey, did you hear the gossip yesterday? The young lord hase to our area!¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Like I said. He dropped by Tonane¡¯s shop and bought something. Apparently, Tonane¡¯s eldest daughter fell ill on the same day.¡± ¡°Oh dear. He¡¯s looking more handsome as the days go by. I don¡¯t want anything else but to meet him at least once! I heard he isn¡¯t engaged yet so should I try to put myself out there?¡± ¡°Hey, get a hold of yourself. He¡¯s only 14. Although, from what I hear, he doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s 14 at all¡­¡± As such, Dane was the center of the firestorm of gossip. One could say it was amon topic of conversation in a region without really any other problems. There was no tyranny, taxes were not high, and there were noints about a war. One could see why given how he not only showed tremendous talent in multiple fields at a young age, but also sprouted so quickly that it was hard to believe he was only 14 years old. ¡°They say he¡¯s almost as tall as the count already.¡± ¡°Is it because the countess is tall?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d definitely believe it if they said he was 20 and not 14.¡± And so whenever Dane would venture out of the castle to various ces in the territory, everyone who saw Dane¡¯s silver hair and green eyes would constantly be eximing in admiration for him. ¡°Tenyu, you should have seen his beautiful silver hair and green eyes¡­¡± ¡°I need to see for myself next time, sis. When do you think he¡¯lle again?¡± ¡°I hear he¡¯s going around to various parts of the territory. He also goes outside the territory sometimes. ording to one of the forest keepers, he was once seen out training¡­¡± She also said that Dane is currently outside the territory. To be exact, he was wandering along the outskirts of the count¡¯s territory in the ¡®Forest of the Last Days¡¯ where one can feel ancient magic. ¡°Have roughly three hours passed?¡± Dane mumbled while tying his silver hair back. He had grown quite tall thanks to the mana core he had formed much earlier than others normally do. His sturdy body built up through training was shining impressively under the sunlight filtering through between the forest leaves. ¡°Three more hours to go.¡± Dane was currently carrying out a ¡®mission¡¯ given to him by his mother Lily. It was a part of his assassination training. What is most important to an assassin is assassination. After that is tracking. One of the important aspects of assassination is to not be caught by the enemy. While assassination is about causing chaos amongst the enemy and inciting internal conflict, if the assassin were to be caught immediately, it would render that pointless. The mission Dane was currently carrying out was just that. To escape from the forest where traps, snares, and various other threats lurk. He thought that this would probably be considered too dangerous for a 14-year-old to do, but Dane was neither nervous nor showed any agitation. Because he had talent. ¡°The wind is blowing from the¡­ south. I encountered a Cheryl spider at this spot before, so¡­ I should go west.¡± Dane tucked the rough map he had made in his clothes while exploring the forest. Only three hours left now. Toplete his mission he has to escape the forest. The Forest of the Last Days. It was a ce where ancient magic flowed, causing people who possessed normal magic to have difficulty wielding it. However, it was not that difficult for Dane. He was able to breathe freely and did not have much difficulty drawing out his magic. It seemed as if the breathing techniques his mother had taught him were effective here. ¡°Whew¡­¡± The key point was to take in the surrounding air and assimte it. If you focus on stealth and refuse to blend in with your surroundings, then that has the opposite effect. And so by using breathing to take in one¡¯s surroundings, like magic, you can then filter it within yourself and let it go again. This was one of the fundamentals for an assassin. Dane was able to aplish this perfectly. Of course¡­ This was naturally possible because of his high affinity for magic. It would otherwise be difficult for 14-year-old Dane to effortlessly pull off the breathing techniques that even skilled assassins make mistakes with sometimes. And that is precisely the reason he is considered a genius. Of course, Dane¡¯s mother did not give him a real mission. This was just a scenario to some extent. The real intent behind this training was to see how one can escape from dangerous circumstances. It could be thought of as a test of what he had learned over the past few years. ¡°Whew.¡± Dane took a step. He took one step carefully at a time rather than rushing because traps can be found in the most unexpected of ces. Between leaves, between branches, and even a meaningless-looking de of grass could be a trap. Just like right now. Whiiing. He brought forth magic when he had a strange feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The moment he drew out his magic he could clearly see a nearly transparent thread. It was a mechanism that triggered a trap the moment it was touched. It was the most basic and rudimentary, but also the most frightening of triggers. However, once you discover it, it is no longer frightening. Dane put one knee down to carefully disarm the trap, when¨C Sheek. He could hear a sharp breathing sound. Dane quickly left the trap he had been holding in his hand alone and moved away. Just before he was about to hide himself properly in the foliage, he let out a huge breath and left traces of himself behind. Soon, one of the monsters of the forest, the ruselts, appeared. Sheek. What had been letting out that sharp breathing was a creature as small as a young child but incredibly fast and fierce. It was always starving and afraid of sunlight so it could not live anywhere but the forest. The ruselt soon reached the spot Dane was at and started sniffing. It quickly looked around as if it thought it had found prey and discovered the traces Dane had left behind. The foliage. Over there. The scent trailed over in that direction. It could eat fresh meat today. The ruselt started moving there, before¡ª Ting! ¡°Grrr?¡± It felt its leg trip something. Very small projectiles flew simultaneously from all directions and embedded themselves in the ruselt¡¯s body. ¡°Kyaaaak!¡± It was the trap Dane had deliberately left alone. The ruselt was in pain. This was the first attack in its life it had suffered in this forest. What could it have been? A bug so small it did not notice it? Or one of those humans who rarely appeared? Before it could finish thinking, a human popped out of the foliage it was approaching thinking it would have fresh meat. Thump! In a sh, a spear had pierced the ruselt¡¯s chest. It was a stab fast and fierce enough that it would not have been able to react even if it was not caught in the trap. ¡°Krrrr!¡± Thest thing the ruselt saw while screaming its death throes was someone with silver hair tossed by the wind and green eyes. Thud. ¡°Whew. It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t disarm the trap.¡± Dane pulled the spear out of the ruselt¡¯s corpse and let out a sigh of relief. A single ruselt was not an issue but the problem was its tendency to call for more of its kind. And because of that, while it was important to approach it unnoticed and kill it with one strike, Dane had cleverly left the trap there and deliberately left traces of himself to lure it to the trap. After that, Dane took care of the ruselt¡¯s corpse and began moving, again. He continued for an hour. Finally, Dane reached what he guessed to be an exit. ¡°As I expected. It¡¯s difficult because it¡¯s thest trap.¡± Dane looked at the trap his mother had ced. The only thing that could be seen were two apparatuses installed on either side of the exit about as tall as Dane. He had heard about these from his mother. Because the trap was so incrediblyplicated, most people who saw it for the first time would not dare try to disarm it even if it was installed properly. In other words, it was a high-quality trap. And that is why Dane had a very cautious look on his face. ¡°Hm¡­¡± How long would it take for him to disarm it? An hour? Two hours? Dane looked at the trap¡¯s structure and tilted his head. ¡°Is it even right to disarm it if it is going to take that long?¡± Dane looked around him. The Forest of the Last Days turned out to not be as dangerous as he had thought. However, a real situation would be different. Was it right to be taking the time to disarm a trap when threats could approach at any time? ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡± To do so would be a good way to die. At that moment, Dane thought of a good idea. ¡°What if I were to break it instead?¡± Of course, because a trap is a trap, it would be hard to break. Because unless the one who set the trap was a fool, they are made to not be destroyed easily. For most traps, more than half the time, they are triggered identally before they can even be destroyed. However, Dane was a genius. ¡°Here. Nope. Ah, this was it.¡± Each trap has a ¡®point.¡¯ One can consider it a type of weak spot. It is the main ¡®apparatus¡¯ that triggers the trap. The one Dane¡¯s mother had installed was no different. At first nce, it looksplicated, and it isplicated in reality, but Dane could see that ¡®point.¡¯ Dane took out his short spear and drew his magic. The mana cores, which he had increased from one to two a while ago, circted magic to various parts of his body and began to react. And the moment the magic that had dispersed throughout his body focused on the tip of the spear¡ª Thump! Dane targeted a very small gear in the middle of the trap and struck it with his spear. The moment it touched the gear, the magic gathered at the tip of the spear flowed into the gear and caused a magic explosion. Crack¡ª The gear split. The technique injected magic from the tip of the spear into the gear and caused it to explode internally. In the end, the gear split apart. Creak¡­ A mechanical sound could be heard indicating the operation of the trap had ceased. It had been disarmed. Completely. ¡°There we go.¡± Dane was grinning when his mother chose to appear. ¡°That was excellent, Dane.¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Lily Sogres. As the empire¡¯s legendary (former) assassin, she specialized in various snares and traps. She looked proudly at her son. ¡®Three hours and 30 minutes¡­ who would have known you¡¯d be faster than me.¡¯ She thought about the test she had taken with a simr setup as this. At that time, she had taken almost five hours toplete the test. And, unlike Dane, she never thought of breaking the trap like that. ¡°Were you watching?¡± ¡°Of course. I need to be able to reassure myself. I know more than anyone what kind of talent you possess¡­ but as your mother, I can¡¯t hold myself back from worrying.¡± If he thought about it, no matter how rigorous the training, she would never have tossed her son into a ce where various dangers lurk around every corner without any countermeasures in ce. ¡°That was most excellent. You did very well. You were wless. Especially thatst part. I had no idea you would break the trap like that.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t feel it was right to waste so much time trying to break the trap.¡± That was the right answer. The goal of this test was not simply to disarm traps and escape the forest. Another key element for assassins¡ªadaptation to circumstances. Even if it differs from what you have learned, think of a method that fits the circumstance and apply it. Dane had executed on that point incredibly well. ¡°Son, you may end up being scouted as an assassin, don¡¯t you think?¡± Daneughed at that praise. Scouted as an assassin, huh? He has never once imagined an assassin¡¯s life in detail before. ¡°You were moving so well in the forest that even I find it difficult to move in for so long.¡± Lily smiled widely. ¡°I still have much to teach you, but¡­ I think you have proved yourself sufficiently. Take this.¡± Dane took the wooden box his mother had handed to him. ¡°Open it.¡± The moment he opened it, Dane gasped. His first birthday. The box contained his mother¡¯s dagger which was seen then with a pitch-ck de, ¡®Nighthorn.¡¯ And just like on that birthday¡­ Vwooom Vooom! The dagger reacted to Dane¡¯s touch as if it had been waiting for him and began to emit a faint light. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s more suited to be yours now.¡± Nighthorn. The dagger of Lily Sogres, the legendary assassin. The dagger whose de was forged from a mysterious ore called ¡®aethril¡¯ was something all assassins would want to get their hands on. ¡°Aethril, by nature, can absorbponents as they are. And that is why it can absorb all of the poisons that exist in the world.¡± It was for this very reason. If the wielder wished for it, this mysterious ore could be made to absorb any poison. Because it can absorbponents as they are, if needed, poisons could be mixed and used. ¡°I will take precious care of it, Mother.¡± Lily Sogres had a pleased smile on her face at Dane¡¯s words. ¡®I would have given it to him muchter if I had gone with my original n.¡¯ Her son had grown up astonishingly quickly. Even faster than her, who was educated at an institute for fostering assassins. He was already well-versed in all of the traps that exist in the world, he had long ago memorized all of the types of poisons and was almostpletely familiar with all the ways ofbining them. And then there was tracking and stealth. She had not taught him everything, but she could be sure of one thing. If her son chooses to officially walk the path of an assassin, he would far surpass her. ¡°May I use it now, Mother?¡± Her eyes sparkled at her son asking for permission like a child and nodded her head. ¡°You may. This forest has several poisonous herbs so this is a good ce for¡­¡­¡± It was at that moment¡­ ¡°Mother. I hear something.¡± Dane turned his head towards the forest. ¡°It sounded like a person groaning.¡± Lily also listened. And she really did hear a sound. But a very faint one¡­ so faint that even she would not have been able to detect it without focusing. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dane.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± The two of them ran into the woods, flying. They could hear the sound gradually be louder. While they were running, Lily was thinking. Her son¡¯s senses were developing even more. Much faster than hers at the same age. Suddenly she had a somber thought. ¡®It feels like he may have to leave me sooner than I had thought¡­¡¯ In the middle of those thoughts, the two of them had arrived at the source of the groaning. Below arge tree. A middle-aged man was lying face down on the ground, groaning. ¡°Urghh¡­¡± Exhaustion? Dehydration? Or a ruselt attack? With various possibilitiesing to mind, Dane approached him and examined his state. After examining the man¡¯s eyes, hands, and breathing, Dane said in a confident voice, ¡°It looks like poisoning. He looks to be in a lot of danger. We¡¯ll need an antidote.¡± And what Dane said after that surprised Lily. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m going to use Nighthorn to mix an antidote.¡± Because she had not taught him anything about antidotes, yet. Chapter 18 Chapter 18: So, What Do You Do? (2) It looks like this man had been poisoned by red-nosed mushrooms. The tips of his fingers were turning white, he was hyperventting, and hisplexion was pale. Judging from how his pupils have shrunk, I was certain. It was an incredibly dangerous poison. If we were to leave him like this, he could maybe survive, but his nerves would be paralyzed, resulting in improper breathing, and die from asphyxiation. Fortunately, judging from his symptoms, he had not ingested the mushrooms that long ago. Also luckily, the nts native to this forest could bebined to formte an antidote. Using the dagger Nighthorn Mother gave me just now. ¡°Dane, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve taught you anything about antidotes, yet.¡± ¡°I read about them in books.¡± I did read about them in books. However, I learned about antidotes on the battlefield. Getting poisoned by eating mushrooms you picked due to having nothing to eat forck of supplies was moremonce than one would think. From doing that, hearing other soldiers¡¯ experiences, and trying a few times, I learned. ¡°The antidote for the red-nosed mushroom needs wild grass, dark flower, and the sap of a gilly tree, right?¡± Mother nodded. I moved immediately to find them. Luckily, all of them were nearby. I was able to collect all of the ingredients in a short time. ¡°Dane, don¡¯t forget you must take out theponents in Nighthorn before using it.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± Aethril will release all of the properties stored within it when something makes contact with it. And that¡¯s why I buried Nighthorn in the soft earth. After a short while, I took it out, again. The pitch-ck de had returned to the ore¡¯s natural blue color. ¡°Son, did you really learn this from a book? You¡¯re a bit too good at this, no?¡± Mother admired my work as she watched me create the antidote. ¡°You told me before that there is barely a difference between poisons and antidotes. I was curious so I looked it up.¡± ¡°Somehow you¡­¡± My conscience was bothering me. However, what could I do? That was the only safe answer I could give. ¡°It was a good thing I had left books on antidotes in the library then.¡± How lucky. She epted my response and moved on. With one hand, I was checking the state of the man. With the other, I was scoring the ingredients with a different dagger and had Nighthorn absorb the appropriate amount of their juices for a dosage. Nighthorn¡¯s de turned dark again. It meant it had absorbed theponents. ¡°It looks like theybined well. Try it right now. You¡¯re going to have him absorb it by carefully inflicting a wound.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± I had no idea I would be using Nighthorn so quickly. I lifted the garments of the man who had been groaning all this time. I noticed his waistband and the emblem hanging off it. Arabe had told me about it once. A tower rising to the heavens and the legendary creature curled around it, Nixion. This¡­ was the emblem of the Nixion Magic Tower. ¡°He¡¯s not some ordinary man, it seems.¡± I muttered at Mother¡¯s words and worked the man¡¯s outer garments to expose his skin. In an appropriate part of the skin I cut with a different dagger and very gently ced Nighthorn on the cut. ¡°Urk¡­¡± I could hear the man groan. Nighthorn¡¯s de slowly returned to its original color. That meant the antidote had been administered. And a few secondster. ¡°Mm¡­¡± The man¡¯s white fingertips had returned to a healthy ruddy color, his face regained color, and his shaking body quieted down. ¡°You did great, Dane.¡± I could hear the love in Mother¡¯s praise. I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, took Nighthorn, and put it back in its scabbard. ¡°It looks like we¡¯ll have to move him immediately. I¡¯ll carry him.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± I lifted the man and followed Mother out carrying him. ¡°¡­You could save a person like this, too.¡± Amidst Mother¡¯s faint mutterings, I was kicking dirt up on the way back. * * * Reaper Scans [Trantor ¨C Kyuri] [Proofreader ¨C Alissa] Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapeics * * * The head of the Nixion Magic Tower. Cidrane Gauss opened his eyes and jerked himself upright. ¡°Ugh.¡± Cidrane looked around him. He was in a room filled with a faint fragrance. Given the decorations and soft sheets, it looked to be a room of a well-off family. ¡°Urk.¡± His pain returned. He suddenly recalled the situation he had been in before. ¡°That forest is crazy! Crazy!¡± The Nixion Magic Tower. One of a few magic towers in the Altheon Empire. It was a ce Cidrane was confident was the best magic tower on the continent, no matter what anyone said. Cidrane was the head of that magic tower. And now he was wandering the continent to shed himself of all the things that had annoyed him. Mages were that type of people. They were people who did not know where they would head off to and whose sense of their very actions is hard to read even from a criminal¡¯s point of view. A very good example of this was how Cidrane, after bing the head of the tower, left the position behind saying that whoever else could act as the head of the magic tower could do it. Truthfully, Cidrane was feeling fed up. 8-chain. It was a realm that was no different from being the apex of a mage¡¯s capabilities. He could see no signs that the path to his dream realm of 9-chain would open for him. And he had no one he cared to take in as a disciple. So he became fed up and blindly headed off somewhere and wandered the continent for a few months now. ¡°Who would have known I would lose my way in that forest¡± And for a few months. He had unluckily lost his way and entered the Forest of the Last Days. He was still fine up until that point. Because he just had to leave. That should have been a piece of cake for an 8-chain mage who was the head of a magic tower. However, he realized something was wrong from the moment his teleport magic failed to activate. The Forest of the Last Days. A ce known as being forbidden in the world. Cidrane knew at least that much. However, there was more to it. Ancient magic. The entire forest was steeped in ancient magic. However, no one had known about this because no one who had entered had been able toe out, except for House Sogres. Unaware, he attempted casting magic but suffered magic reflux, resulting in his body bing covered in wounds. ¡°Dammit, that was inevitable given how the flow of magic, itself, is different from what I know.¡± It was then his hardships begun. He spent two days in a magic reflux state. He also encountered monsters. Even though he had suffered from magic reflux, as a 8-chain mage, he had been able to wipe them out. The problem was that due to his magic reflux, it had been a very arduous effort. After that, he was starving and tried to find his way out over and over to no avail. ¡°And why are there so goddamn many traps and snares in this forest?¡± At that point, he was so starving that he picked a particr mushroom that had caught his eye and ate it. He had no memories of what happened after that. How can someone lose memories from being hungry? ¡°Who would have thought the head of the Nixion Magic Tower would get wasted from eating a mushroom?¡± If anyone heard that, they would mock him for a long time toe. Anyhow, it was clear someone had rescued him and brought him here. There would be no reason for them to have provided such a nice room and left his belongings with him if they had kidnapped him. ¡°Urk.¡± In any case, he was feeling sick and his head was woozy perhaps as an aftereffect of the poison. He wanted to get up but it was not easy. ¡°Dammit.¡± His head was woozy. He nearly died without even being able to pass on his magic. For reference, unless they are fairly ill-tempered, mages take on one disciple in the world. Before dying they teach their disciples basic magic and pass on their knowledge and their magic¡¯s traits to their disciples. While that is not strictly all there is to it, it does carry the meaning of having a literal disciple whom they teach various things to and raise while they are alive. However, Cidrane had yet to take a disciple. While it wasrgely due to his temperament that made him hate things that are a hassle, no one had caught his eye so far. ¡®Disciples¡­ well, it¡¯ll be fine either way, whether I can get one or not.¡¯ Who knows if there really is someone out there who can catch his eye. Knock knock. The door opened and someone entered. It was some man. With silver hair and green eyes. Distinctive features. Tall and a stocky build. ¡®He¡¯s too damn handsome.¡¯ With that as his first impression of the man, he could hear the man¡¯s voice addressing him. ¡°Since your body is still detoxifying, please do not move.¡± ¡°Detoxifying?¡± ¡°Yes. You had ingested red-nosed mushrooms. Luckily, we found you in time so we were able to administer an antidote and move you.¡± Red-nosed mushroom. He finally realized the crazy act he had done. ¡°It is an incredibly dangerous mushroom. Had a little more time passed, we would have found your corpse instead.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Cidrane checked his ailing body all over and asked suddenly, ¡°But wait, just where am I?¡± ¡°You are in the annex tower of Count Sogres¡¯ castle.¡± ¡°Count Sogres¡¯ castle¡­¡± He could hardly believe hended at Count Sogres¡¯ castle after having lost his way when he got to the south and then became severely poisoned. ¡°Please rest for now. I have submitted a report to my father so he will visit as soon as your body recovers.¡± ¡°Father?¡± ¡°Count Arken Sogres.¡± ¡°¡­Then you would be¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I am Count Sogres¡¯ youngest child, Dane Sogres.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± He thought of Arabe Sogres whose talent was sought by all the mage towers. So he is her younger brother. How interesting. ¡°You are Dane Sogres?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°You saved me. Who was it who found me?¡± ¡°I found you. I was in the middle of training with my mother.¡± This was not a matter of pride. While some people are fighting a desperate struggle at the crossroads of life and death, to think that others were training so freely in the forest. ¡°Anyone not a member of the Sogres household may frequent the forest. But it is a ce steeped in magic since ancient times making it easy to enter but difficult to leave. There are traps and monsters throughout making it difficult for someone to withstand the ce for a long time. Maniption of magic is also limited there.¡± Dane continued his exnation as if he had read Cidrane¡¯s mind. ¡°It was a ce used for confining criminals and making them wander around until they died.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a crazy forest. It¡¯s quite different from what I know.¡± Dane nodded his head. ¡°It is a ce passed down in our family only. Because the flow of magic is different from modern magic, it is basically a natural enemy of mages. As you now know from having eaten the mushroom. ¡°Ugh.¡± In short, the ce was like poison to mages. From the point of view of mages, who pour magic into ¡®circles¡¯ to leverage their magic flow, ancient magic which interferes with the maniption of that magic is their natural enemy. He hade close to them not even being able to find his body. ¡°But you can be rest assured now.¡± Wait a moment. Then does that mean this guy is already capable of training in that dangerous of a forest? ¡°Were you, perhaps, also the one who made the antidote?¡± ¡°That is right. Luckily, it looks like it was effective.¡± That was simply unbelievable. Cidrane may be a mage but he knew quite well how difficult it was to cure poison. The trifecta of mixing with the proper proportions, proper administration, and having aprehensive enough knowledge base about it is what producing an antidote takes. From what he had heard, this kid should only be 14 years old. Is that even possible for him? ¡°You really cured my red-nosed mushroom poisoning?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Haha.¡± Of course he could not believe it. However, neither could he regard it as a lie. Since this kid had nothing to gain from lying. ¡®In front of me, the head of a magic tower, no less.¡¯ And is that tall, sturdyd really only 14 years old? Count Sogres was famous for his burly, strong physique. But Dane was close to the count¡¯s height and given the breadth of his shoulders, it looked like he would overtake the count in a few years. ¡®The entire family is nuts. Just nuts.¡¯ There was Arabe Sogres with an unprecedented talent in magic. And there was re Sogres, a genius summoner whom he was not particrly interested in but whose name he had heard often. Finally, there was Dane Sogres who had received both of their talents and even their parents¡¯ talents. How could a family like this even exist? If the war was still going on, the greatest noble family of the Altheon Empire would probably have been House Sogres. ¡°Then, I am greatly indebted to you.¡± ¡°I suppose you are.¡± Look at this kid. How incredibly cheeky of him. Normally, someone would be modest here. Is this arrogance? Or¡­ Cidrane was determined to learn more. ¡°Mm. If I have incurred a debt, I should repay it. Is there anything you want? Not to really brag, but not long ago I was the head of the Nixion Magic Tower. I have be a wanderer as ofte, but I am not exactlycking anything.¡± He was referring to a subspace. There were quite many mages who lived without a home and mostly locked themselves up in theirbs thanks to their subspaces. ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± However, all he got was a disinterested reply. Maybe it was because his expectations were set so high, but Dane did not seem surprised at all. ¡®Huh? I said I¡¯m the head of a magic tower, you hear?¡¯ Normally he gets three types of reactions to him being the head of a magic tower. Surprise. Hostility. Or someone rubbing their hands together in anticipation of leeching something off him. However, this annoyingly handsome kid did not fit into any of those types of reactions. Cidrane was not about to submit. ¡°If you want something, just tell me. I¡¯ll give it to you. If I¡¯m able to, that is.¡± Dane crushed his hopes this time, as well. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Dane showed no signs of being excited, happy, or anticipating anything. He smiled gently. ¡°Then, you should get some rest now. It¡¯s time for my training, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± Dane bowed slightly and left. Click. After the door closed, Cidrane let out a hollowugh. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± He had nned to stay only a day or two to let his body recuperate, but now that would not do. Seeing how he has managed toe to the Sogres territory, he may as well look into that interesting boy. Wait a moment. From what he heard, that boy was also talented in magic, right? ¡°This has turned out well since I have to recover, anyway.¡± The corners of Cidrane¡¯s mouth curled up. Chapter 19 Chapter 19: So, What Do You Do? (3) The Forest of the Last Days is a forbidden area. Even if you wanted to enter, those who did not have the permission could never do so. It was because if you entered, you would end up dying. That was why a forest keeper was stationed. It looked like that magic tower head did not see the forest keeper and managed to step into the forest area. Sometimes that did ur. However, in those cases, only their corpses were usually discovered. This Cidrane man had incredibly good luck. ¡°Head of a magic tower, huh? Then he must be a magic expert.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he is. From what I know, he¡¯s 8-chain.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s 8-chain, then he¡¯s even higher than Lady Arabe.¡± Herman seemed to show an interest in today¡¯s events. Wooosh! The sword I had been unable to wield in the past two days sliced the air. Perhaps it was due to him forming a mana core much earlier than his peers that his strength and physique were much more developed than theirs. The very first sword heid his hands on, the short sword, now felt like a mere fork in his hands. ¡°Young master. This means that a powerful figure is indebted to you.¡± ¡°Is that really so?¡± ¡°Yes. Like nations, magic towers function as independent territories of this continent.¡± Well, after saving him, it turns out he is the head of a magic tower. Who would have thought he would be such a powerful figure? ¡°But I wonder what the head of a magic tower was doing wandering the forest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Looking at Arabe, it looks like being a mage causes a lot of stress. Maybe there¡¯s some reason we aren¡¯t aware of?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep what you said a secret from Lady Arabe.¡± ¡°Ah, thanks.¡± I replied vaguely to Herman¡¯s show of consideration and swung the sword again. The sword that stabbed and shed at an imaginary enemy was slowly heating up. It was because of the magic I was injecting it with. ¡°Seeing your sword¡¯s bluish color is always impressive.¡± ¡°Is that how you feel?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s very impressive.¡± In addition, I did not stop practicing gathering my magic and releasing it. I released the magic I had injected into the sword the moment I struck with it. The air rippled right where the sword had stopped and the wooden pir right in front of the sword cracked and split. Magic explosion strike. ¡°I did it.¡± It was the skill I had used in my previous life. It was iplete, but I could execute the skill without problems, now. It was an explosion in name only. There were neither fire nor mes, but it was a skill that could be more frightening than a real explosion. It can be more frightening because if yound the skill just right, it can break an opponent¡¯s weapon by just shing with it. Thanks to this skill, I managed to escape near-death situations several times and take down a few opponents stronger than me. ¡°That¡¯s the skill you were talking about that other time, right? Are you refining it forpletion?¡± ¡°Mm. For now. It¡¯s notplete.¡± ¡°Consider your age, young master, that is a remarkable feat.¡± I smiled at the words I had heard so many times I no longer had any interest in them and put away my sword. It looks like the time hase for me to part ways with this sword. It was too light and too short, on top of that. It is time for me to start getting used to a long sword. ¡°Looks like I need to get myself a new sword.¡± There were several usable swords in the castle. The majority of them were spoils of war Father had brought back. In my previous life, I was used to using swords until they broke so I did not have much of a sense of greed. Suddenly I thought of the smithy¡¯s crest Duke Thermion had given me on my seventh birthday. It has already been seven years since that day. It did not feel like a lot of time had passed, at all. Time passed by so quickly since I was training. Anyhow, shall I go get a sword made? Mm. I¡¯ll think it over once I decide on the day I head to the capital. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a practice longsword for you starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks. I guess I should wrap up my training now.¡± And so once I finished wrapping up my training for the day, I shared the tarts Herman had prepared with him. Ah, that was good. The sweetness melted in my mouth. Eating this tart after finishing training was like being in heaven. It¡¯d taste just as good any other time. If I had been reborn without memories of my previous life, I would have gained a lot of weight from eating this tart. ¡°Thanks to you, Young Master, it feels like I¡¯m always able to eat such delicious desserts.¡± ¡°Let me know if there¡¯s anything you want to eat. Ah, that¡¯s right, how are your younger sisters doing?¡± ¡°Ah, Lia and Agnes are both doing well.¡± ¡°Is that so? If you ever need anything, let me know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very grateful for the thought.¡± I was going to finish my training with that, but Father appeared at that time. Father smiled his ¡®signature¡¯ smile and spoke. ¡°Dane, it looks like you¡¯re training incredibly hard today too.¡± ¡°Father. I thought you had matters to attend to outside the castle. I see you¡¯ve returned early?¡± ¡°Mm¡­ Indeed. Things wrapped up earlier than expected. And I had a reason to hurry back faster.¡± ¡°Is it because of the head of the magic tower?¡± ¡°More or less.¡± Father seemed to be paying a bit of attention to this. Probably because mages are so few, you could cross a bridge and know all of them. ¡°Who knows? Maybe he could be of help to Arabe.¡± It seems like he has been thinking about whether Cidrane could be of help to Arabe who has already been active as a mage. Well, if you take into consideration Arabe¡¯s personality which led her to forcibly rearrange one nuisance of a senior mage¡¯s face by breaking his nose, I would think he would not care what people would say¡­ ¡°In any case, you did well. Dane, you saved a person¡¯s life. Your mother would be incredibly pleased to hear.¡± ¡°I just did what had to be done.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something just anyone can do. What you did was amazing.¡± Hearing Father¡¯s words felt fulfilling and I slowly nodded. ¡°Ah. It looks like Arabe and re have gotten busier these days. Why is it so hard to be able to see my daughters¡¯ faces?¡± Ah for reference, Arabe was about to finish up her extended semester and was picking a magic tower to join. It looks like she was looking to spend time as a researcher in a magic tower and then aim to be an imperial family mage. Anyhow, it was clear her life would be smooth sailing. re was about to graduate when she received a request from her summoning skills professor to take up an appointment as an assistant professor. The two of them were basically still at the academy. ¡°Once you leave us, this castle will be rather quiet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll visit often. Really.¡± ¡°Your sisters said that before leaving as well. They left rather excited too.¡± Father let out a deep sigh seemingly full of regret. The time for me to leave was slowly approaching. To, as Father said, see the world. I have finished making preparations. I learned the basics of spearmanship from Father. I learned the basics of assassination from Mother. I learned the basics of magic and summoning from my two sisters. ¡°But I have high expectations for you. Given that you have four, no five talents, I wonder how this world will treat you.¡± As Father had said, if you add swordsmanship in there, I would have five talents. I wonder which talent is the most dominant? ¡°I wonder, as well.¡± Father smiled as if wondering when I grew so much. ¡°My son, you¡¯ll do well.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°If I think about how surprised Duke Thermion, no brother Bout, will be, I can barely hold back myughter.¡± Duke Bout Thermion. It was a name I had not thought of in a long time. He is someone I wanted to cross swords with someday. Come to think of it, I wonder how Le is doing. Over the past seven years, we exchanged letters sometimes, but I have not seen her since my seventh birthday. Thest letter hade maybe a year ago. Well, guess I can just go meet her and find out. Surely she would not say anything about me not having written a letter. * * * Reaper Scans [Trantor ¨C Kyuri] [Proofreader ¨C Alissa] Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapeics * * * About four days after having been administered the antidote, Cidrane was able to put himself together and get out of bed. That was the result of the resident physician of the Sogres castle being persistent in saying he should not. However, he was unable to use magic temporarily. It was because his magic reflux had not yet been refined and the poison had not beenpletely resolved. If you also consider the vestiges of ancient magic left from his time in the Forest of the Last Days, Cidrane was a ¡®convalescent.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I was unable to use magic like this. It¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing.¡± As befitting his strong and harried personality, Cidrane ran about everywhere. He went up and down from the ground to the roof of the annex tower dozens of times repeatedly. He had abruptly disappeared only to be found a few hourster in the back garden looking at flowers. ¡°Mages are either geniuses or nutcases. Tsk tsk.¡± ¡°Did you hear? The person the young master had saved is an incredibly powerful figure among mages.¡± ¡°Lady Arabe is thankfully normal, but¡­¡± Despite the concerns of the residents, Cidrane paid absolutely no heed to the gazes of others upon him and went about everywhere looking around to his heart¡¯s content. ¡°I¡¯m a bit curious about the gardener. I had no idea flowers could possess such grand magic. Maybe I could learn the secrets behind this if I suck up to the person?¡± Cidrane was enjoying to his heart¡¯s content the unbounded peacefulness of the Sogres castle¡¯s atmosphere. ¡°I had gone to check up on you, but it looks like you were over here.¡± This is where Dane found Cidrane. Cidrane slowly got up and looked at Dane. ¡°Haha, did you think I¡¯d run off somewhere?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve cured of poison, I was concerned.¡± Cidrane waved his hand off as if dismissing the concern. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true. Hm. Well, it doesn¡¯t hurt a lot.¡± Actually, he was hurting quite a bit. But as the head of a magic tower, he did not want to let on that he was. ¡°In any case, until I¡¯m fully recovered, put up with my presence. As the head of a magic tower, I can¡¯t exactly leave and then die unexpectedly due to being unable to use magic, now can I?¡± Having said that, Cidrane turned his gaze to the flower garden. Somehow it felt like the magic became even more intense than before. ¡®That should be proof that my body is recovering.¡¯ Experiencing ancient magic or magic reflux is so terrifying for someone who has not experienced either of them that they would find it difficult to imagine the feeling. As a mage, there was no other time one would feel as helpless. ¡°This southern region is quite a lovely ce. I finally get why nobles flock to the southern region when vacation season hits.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an amazing ce. It¡¯s quite a good ce to live in. I feel a bit of regret since I will be leaving soon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°Yes. Not too long from now I¡¯ll be going to the capital.¡± Cidrane tilted his head at those words. ¡®Leaving such a good ce as this¡­¡¯ Means he is heading to the academy. It was the dream of all teenage noble children. But he did not look particrly excited about the notion. The teenage nobles he had seen so far would have a dreamy look on their faces the moment the academy was even mentioned. ¡°Hm. Since you¡¯re talented, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d do well. Ah, your older sisters are at the academy, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°They are.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have an easy life there.¡± Cidrane very carefully drew upon his magic power. A trace amount such that he would not be affected by the aftereffects of the magic reflux. ¡®I wonder just how great his talent is.¡¯ He had done so to assess this interesting boy¡¯s skills. Cidrane concentrated his magic in his eyes and took a look at Dane¡¯s body. ¡®What is this thick mana¡­¡¯ He was astonished. He felt unbelievably dense magic. The flow was incredible. If other boys this agemonly called ¡®geniuses¡¯ were to be likened to a stream, then Dane was like a raging rapid. A raging rapid that could immediately burst a dyke if slightly interfered with. However, Dane, who possessed this magic, looked absurdly calm. That amount of magic would normally be so unstable it would be bursting out! ¡®Crazy. This is nuts.¡¯ He could draw two conclusions. That the boy had an incredible talent capable of handling that much magic. Otherwise¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t you think that assessing another¡¯s magic without permission is a bit rude?¡± It was as if Dane had noticed what he had done. And it was as if Dane felt normal with thatrge amount of mana swirling around his body. Dane¡¯s affinity for magic was much higher than he had expected. Cidrane saw how Dane was looking at him a bit annoyed and forced augh. ¡°Haha¡­¡± ¡°Are you able to do so if you be the head of a magic tower?¡± ¡°Ahem. I¡¯ll apologize. That was thoughtless of me.¡± Cidrane realized at that moment. ¡®Wait, then that feeling I just had of the magic bing more intense¡­¡¯ Was not due to his body having recovered some, but¡­ Because Dane, who possessed incredibly dense magic, had been approaching. Chapter 20 Chapter 20: So, What Do You Do? (4) Contrary to popr belief, the amount of magic a mage possesses does not vary greatly from person to person. Because magic is a form of absorbing nature¡¯s magic, refining and purifying it, and then releasing it. The reason why a mage¡¯s body, unlike a knight¡¯s body, is weak and tires easily is for this very reason. And what can handle that purification is a circle. Maybe you can call it a type of filter with a ¡®channel¡¯ capability? This is the reason why a mage with more circles can use stronger spells than a mage with less. ¡®That is why the flow of magic and its density are normally limited without a circle¡­¡¯ However, Dane was different. He possesses an entirely different density of magic and magic flow from normal people. And what if he were to form a circle on top of all that? Then his dense magic would bepressed even further and refined enabling him to use even stronger spells. In normal cases, the circle would not be able to withstand the magic¡¯s density or pressure and burst. However, Dane was different. Because his affinity for magic was high. And extremely so. The amount of magic his body can absorb and utilize is already on another level. In Dane¡¯s case, his amount is far greater than any mage Cidrane has ever seen until now. ¡®But why¡­¡¯ Why does he not have a circle? Cidrane soon realized. Those eye-catching cores that draw out one¡¯s magic. Two mana cores were situated roughly around Dane¡¯s heart. ¡°Wh-what did you form mana cores for?!¡± Cidrane screamed in shock. Dane furrowed his brows and responded, ¡°Was I not supposed to?¡± ¡°Of course not! When you have such crazy dense mana, were you really thinking of swinging some weapon around?! How ridiculous!¡± Cidrane raised his voice out of frustration. ¡°When you have such unbelievable density and magic flow, you went and formed a core and not a circle?? You¡¯re renouncing your talent with your own hands!¡± Dane tilted his head at that statement. ¡°Can¡¯t I just use both of them?¡± From what point should he even start so he can exin this, thought Cidrane. Maybe why a ¡®magic swordsman¡¯ lifespan is so short would be a good start? Or why ¡®magic swordsman¡¯ is synonymous with a nomittal expression? Or¡­ how Cidrane thought Dane was a genius but he was actually an idiot? ¡°You really think you can?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dane was so confident that Cidrane was in utter disbelief. And that is why Cidrane had asked if he thought he could. ¡°Cores and circles interfere with each other. That¡¯s thew. When the magic that has beenpressed within a core is transmitted to the circle, if the circle is unable to handle it, it could burst!¡± It was a predeterminedw of sorts. And that is why the lifespan of a magic swordsman is short. In exchange for receiving both magic and physical abilities simultaneously, they end their lives in a ze of glory. If you were to analyze a magic swordsman¡¯s corpse, you would see that the paths in the body along which magic flows would be torn and aplete mess. In other words, ording to what Cidrane said, Dane could no longer form a magic circle. ¡®Such a waste of talent! A waste!¡¯ No matter how ill-tempered Cidrane was, as a mage, he did not look down on warriors who could use cold, hard weapons. However, from the point of view of a mage, he could only feel it was a waste. He thought that if he, himself, had such talent, Then he would have been able to approach the realm of 9-chain by now. He felt so frustrated, he was going to go crazy. Cidrane was about to pound his chest out of frustration when at that moment¡­ ¡°Is it really impossible to use magic without a circle?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s imposs¡ª¡± Cidrane paused all of a sudden. ¡°¡­While it is theoretically possible, it¡¯s closer to being impossible. How are you going to be able to use spells that require purified magic without a circle¡¯s refinement¡± In Cidrane¡¯s eyes, it was impossible. It was not as if no one had ever tried it before. However, most of them failed. ¡°Then, shall I try it?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try it without a circle.¡± What bullshit is this kid saying? ¡°Well, not that I¡¯ve tried this even once.¡± At the sudden sound, Cidrane doubted his ears. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± What is this crazy boy doing? Whether he does it or not. Dane repeated the code arrangement for a spell he had just recalled over and over and drew upon the magic from within himself. And at that moment he spread his palm¡­ Woooooosh! A burning fireball appeared out of thin air. It was a basic 1-chain level spell. However, this kid doesn¡¯t have a circle. So how in the world? ¡°Oh, it worked.¡± Dane smiled widely as Cidrane looked on. Cidrane let his jaw drop in shock. ¡°J-just how did you?¡± Neither had he forcibly created a circle. So just how was he able to manipte this subtle magic without a single circle¡­ ¡°This¡­ this is unbelievable¡­¡± ¡°Shall I try it again?¡± Dane let his magic disperse and dispel the fireball and shortly after unleashed another spell. Voooosh! A thin magic curtain unfolded before Dane¡¯s eyes. It was a 1-chain circle shield spell that could block physical damage. Cidrane wanted to faint. A kid without a circle used magic? And used it on the spot? ¡°Wow, this works too.¡± Cidrane watched the kid who was mumbling to himself excitedly and thought to himself. A circle. A type of vessel that refines magic power. The power and grade of a spell are determined by the purity of the magic used. For example, a 5-chain teleport spell is normally one that can be used by magic that has been purified by 5 circles. And that is why that fireball, which requires refinement at least once to be used, should be impossible to use without a circle¡­ ¡°My sister Arabe has said that my affinity for magic is overwhelmingly highpared to other people. Maybe that is the reason?¡± Ah. Cidrane realized at that moment. This kid must be¡­ Someone with overwhelming ¡®talent¡¯. So this is what overwhelming ¡®talent¡¯ is. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Cidrane let out another hollowugh. An affinity for innate magic power. And thanks to that, an iparably pure and dense magic. On top of that¡ª Such tant use of magic without the use of a circle and without showing any signs of fatigue. This boy was the real deal. Cidrane felt harried thinking he had finally found the disciple he had been looking for. ¡°Would you consider bing my disciple?¡± I already knew my affinity for magic was high at a young age because I could not only wield magic like Arabe, but I had already formed a magic core by the age of three. And that was why I had been able to breathe and move freely within the Forest of the Last Days without any problems. The Forest of the Last Days where someone with strong breathing techniques like Mother would still find it difficult to stay in for too long. The act of absorbing magic and releasing it again to allow me to stay there without issues for hours was an absolutely natural act for me. However, past that, ¡®now¡¯ was the first time I had learned that my magic was dense and pure or that I was capable of effortlessly using magic without a circle. ¡°Oh this really works.¡± I was actually pretty surprised. I had been trying to figure out how to form a circle after I formed my mana cores. However, I managed to resolve that more easily than I had thought. If it was difficult for me to form a circle, I would just not form one and use magic without it. Because my magic was already pure and dense without a circle. And it seems that concept is an earth-shattering one. Given how this head of a magic tower had given up all pretense ofposure and was chasing me around. ¡°Wait! Wait a moment! Let¡¯s have a talk!¡± Actually, the reason I had been unable to feel the weight of what ¡°being incredible¡± means is due to Arabe¡¯s constant praise. I heard from when I was a child about how she knew I would be able to do something since I was a genius. Well, from Arabe¡¯s perspective, I suppose she would have felt that it all made sense. Since she, herself, was a genius. ¡°I said let¡¯s have a talk!¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for bed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s broad daylight. What are you going to bed for?!¡± Ah. This man was persistent, for sure. I had told him in no uncertain terms I would not. I quickened my pace. However, just as I was to speed up, that mage unexpectedly appeared right before me. ¡°Hoo hoo. Did you see that? That was an eleration spell. It is a spell that temporarily elerates your body. If you be my disciple, you¡¯d be able to learn this and learn even more powerful spells¡­¡± I poured all my magic into my legs and took off. A chase began suddenly. ¡°Oh dear. Isn¡¯t that person the one who was poisoned by eating red-nosed mushrooms? Why is he chasing the young master?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t he a mage?¡± ¡°A mage was poisoned from eating red-nosed mushrooms? Wouldn¡¯t that make him a fool?¡± Amid all the residents of Father¡¯s territory, that is. ¡°This is gravity magic! If you use it below your feet you can feel like you¡¯re flying through the sky! What do you think? Do you find it interesting?¡± ¡°Arabe¡¯s already told me all about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± While I was running away from him, I was unable to shake Cidrane. Come on. If you be the head of a magic tower, any number of people would want to be your disciple. So why are you doing this to me? ¡°You absolutely have to be a mage! Letting that talent go to waste would be a crime. A crime! And should you learn from me, Cidrane Gauss, the head of the Nixion Magic Tower, then¡­ Urk!¡± Cidrane suddenly fell and rolled around on the ground. However, he seemed determined because he immediately got up and chased after me. What a pain. Are all mages like this? ¡°Huff. Hufff.¡± But soon Cidrane had to stop to catch his breath in one ce, fatigued. It was clear that due to the magic reflux, he was unable to use his magic anymore. ¡°Damn, if it wasn¡¯t for this magic reflux¡­¡± ¡°You would be better off heading back to rest.¡± ¡°Hm. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m out of options!¡± Cidrane took out what looked to be a feather from his clothes. The feather burst into mes and Cidrane¡¯s body rose and began floating. It was an artifact. Tsssss. After going afloat, Cidrane approaching me was the very definition of fear. ¡°Ahaha. What do you think? I could provide you with these kinds of artifacts for free! If you be my disciple, that is!¡± I had no moves left. I could not draw my sword on a patient. I could not use my fists on him. I could only handle him gently at this point. Maybe I could try using wind magic? After drawing up my magic, I arranged a code for a wind spell. The moment I released it from my hands¡ª Wooooosh! A strong wind blew toward Cidrane, who was floating in the air and pushed him away. Instantly, I could feel my magic drain away. But the spell somehow finished casting fine. ¡°Oh my!¡± Eximed Cidrane because he had fallen right on his buttocks on the ground. He will probably give up now, right? ¡°What in the world¡­ wind magic too?!¡± Oh goodness. ¡°You really have¡­ incredible talent!¡± ¡°Even so, I won¡¯t be your disciple.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure you do!¡± What. Is this old geezer going to kick the bucket if he cannot make me his disciple? ¡°Do you know how to use 2-chain magic? Will you try it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the code so I can¡¯t use it.¡± ¡°You, you you you you! With such genius talent, why don¡¯t you know the code for simple 2-chain spells?!¡± Simple, huh? Of course I would not know. Because I did not ask Arabe. And who would have known I could use magic in this manner? ¡°Haha, I didn¡¯t realize you had gotten so close to my son already.¡± At that moment, I heard the voice of a savior. It was Father. ¡°Oh look, the Count is here.¡± ¡°How can he look so grand even though he¡¯s older now?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s the count! Our count is probably the most magnificent out of all the nobles in the empire!¡± ¡°But I heard Duke Thermion over in the capital is quite handsome, himself. Everyone who saw himst time kept talking about it!¡± Father appeared in the midst of all the amusing chatter of the residents and looked at me and smiled. ¡°Son, are you this friendly with him already?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve been running away from him because he keeps telling me to be his disciple and I had told him no.¡± ¡°Disciple?¡± Cidrane hurried to interject in the face of my honesty. ¡°Count Sogres. Your son has an incredible level of talent in magic!¡± ¡°Haha, is that so?¡± ¡°Probably even greater than you can imagine! I had never seen a single person capable of using chain-level magic without a circle until now!¡± ¡°Is that true, Dane?¡± I nodded at Father¡¯s question and I produced a fireball in my hand. Father¡¯s jaw dropped at the sight of it. ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± Cidrane looking triumphant at that scene started a long speech. A speech along the lines of how my magic¡¯s density and purity were incredibly high, how my affinity for fundamental magic was high, how I could refine and smoothly circte magic without a circle, and so forth. ¡°Is that right? Ha. I did not know that my son was capable of using any magic aside from the basic release of magic¡­¡± ¡°And that is why his talent is so impressive!¡± Father kept nodding his head in response as if he found it interesting. ¡°You are indeed the head of a magic tower. You could immediately see my son¡¯s talent in magic.¡± ¡°Seeing his talent, no, it¡¯s not a matter of simply having talent! Your son¡¯s a genius. This could be the birth of a rare magic swordsman!¡± ¡°¡­magic swordsman?¡± Father¡¯s brows furrowed for a moment. Ah. That was not a good idea. ¡°That¡¯s right. A magic swordsman. What do you think? Caught your interest? If he bes my disciple, I¡¯ll take responsibility and make him the best magic swordsman! Of course, using a sword is¡­¡± ¡°Magic Tower Head, Cidrane,¡± abruptly Father¡¯s serious voice cut in. ¡°He cannot be a magic swordsman.¡± ¡°B-but why not? Didn¡¯t he excel in both talents?¡± Whether it was because he was being pressured by Fathers¡¯ aura, Cidrane had a bewildered expression on his face. A momentter Father said¡­ ¡°My Dane won¡¯t be a magic swordsman. He¡¯ll be a magic spearman instead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Father. I want to be a magic swordsman¡­ And I may as well add assassin and summoner to that. Chapter 21 Chapter 21: Please Teach Me Magic (1) Arabe hadn¡¯t told me about it, but it looked like being a ¡®disciple¡¯ held a deep meaning for mages. ¡°Mages yield to their sessors via an act called ¡®inheritance¡¯. After the time of Carnaxus, a so-called ¡®universal magic education¡¯ was established. However, in modern times, mages with particrly outstanding talent are still taught by famous mages so that when the mage dies, they receive that mage¡¯s magic¡­¡± I closed the book with a thump. That must be it. What Cidrane was looking for was not simply a disciple but a ¡®sessor¡¯. Given that an 8-chain mage was only now mentioning something about a sessor, his standards were clearly high. That also implied that my talent was that outstanding. Vwoosh. As soon as I opened my hand, a fireball formed from the magic I had rearranged. Using chain-level magic without a circle was an impressive feat, for sure. ¡°Now that I think about it, I do feel something swirling around in my body.¡± That was why I took out the crystal ball that Arabe had given me, meant for whenever I wanted to see and contact her, and imbued magic into it. A momentter, I could hear Arabe¡¯s voice. ?Oh! Dane?? It was good to hear her. ¡°Hey, sis. Sorry for calling on you so suddenly.¡± ?No, it¡¯s fine. I just finished some research with some professors and was on my way back! What¡¯s up, Dane? You wanted to see me?? ¡°Yeah. I did.¡± ?Tch. That didn¡¯t sound like you meant it.? ¡°No, I really did.¡± ?As expected of you, Dane. You¡¯re different. re, that hermit, can¡¯t be found anywhere these days¡­¡­? It wasn¡¯t surprising that what I thought the rtionship between my sisters was like was incorrect, ?So, Dane. What¡¯s up?? I summarized what happened that day to Arabe. However, her astonished voice rang out. ?What did you say? You used chain-level magic, Dane?? Turned out that Arabe was more focused on me using magic and not on the fact that the head of the mage tower was asking me to be his disciple. ¡°Yeah. I just tried it and it worked.¡± ?You just tried it and it worked¡­¡­? I could hear her let out a scoff. ?If our professors heard you, there¡¯d be a racket. Hm¡­¡­ While I knew your affinity for magic was high, this goes beyond my expectations¡­¡­? Upon seeing Arabe react like that when she was never perturbed by anything, I could tell what I had done was really amazing. ¡°A circle is in charge of purification and refinement. With that in mind, isn¡¯t it possible for me because my mana is already pure enough to not need refinement?¡± ?That¡¯s a usible hypothesis. We need to test this out. Dane, I¡¯m going to send a mana stone to the transmission machine in your roomter for sampling. Could you pour a bit of your mana into it and send it back?? ¡°Yeah, got it.¡± As expected of Arabe. She thought of something and took action quickly. While it was indeed true that my magic was outstanding, I had no confidence that I would be able to catch up to Arabe when it came to the theory behind magic. For reference, Arabe was currently twenty-six years old and already a 6-chain mage who had developed a number of practical artifacts. That was why the brand named after Arabe was selling like hotcakes among the nobles¡ªand, of course, the mages¡ªand was fairly famous. From what I heard, there were items Arabe made that one could not buy even if one were to pay a premium price for them¡­ One of those items was mypact crystal ball, which greatly improved the sound quality and connection speed and had been reduced in size to be portable. Another was the transmission machine she had just mentioned. It looked like Arabe had chosen to take the path of artifact and magic item development as her career path. Well, having her be both a mage and an inventor was a good thing. ?By the way, if you¡¯re already using chain-level magic¡­ you¡¯ll probably cause quite themotion soon when you arrive at the academy, no?? ¡°But I want to go and pass my time quietly there.¡± ?There¡¯s no way that¡¯s happening. Talent always draws the attention of others. But just in case, if anyone tries to bully you, tell me! I¡¯ll utterly destroy them!? While that sounded rather brutal, it was reassuring. After all, the one who broke the nose of a male student who had tried toy hands on her while teasing her was that very sister of mine. I think that male student was the second son of Duke Dwel, was it? Arabe continued talking as if she were very interested. ?By the way, as time passes, is your magic bing even purer, Dane? Without a circle, even? I need to keep an eye on this. Ah. Dane, I¡¯m getting a summons from the professor. Eesh. If I had known this would happen I wouldn¡¯t have given the professor a crystal ball for free, I¡¯d have made them pay¡­? It looked like all of the academy¡¯s professors were making things difficult for people. Otherwise, Arabe would not have said that. Or maybe her personality was just¡­ Mm. That would be something I should never let escape from my lips. ?I have to go!? ¡°Sure, Sis. I¡¯ll contact you againter.¡± ?Okay! Make sure you send back the mana stone!? After the crystal ball fell quiet again, I put it back. Then I drew a conclusion. I had somehow forged a path that had never existed before. No, rather than ¡®somehow¡¯, I had clearly done so. I drew upon my mana. I had never thought about it before because it felt so familiar to me, but to think my mana was dense and pure. I had not realized it. ¡°Do I have a dragon¡¯s heart inside of me or something?¡± While there may be evidence that the ancient magic kingdom of Archana existed, there was almost no evidence that dragons had, so they had be fairy tales. I grinned at that ridiculous thought and thought of Cidrane. That old geezer must have been suffering a fair amount right about then. Magic reflux was a dangerous phenomenon to mages that could lead to death. After using magic under such circumstances, he had to have been paying the price dearly, head of a mage tower or not. Though, that meant he would be staying for that much longer. Well, if I said I wouldn¡¯t be one, that should be it, but¡­ ¡°Wait a moment.¡± I still didn¡¯t really know the arrangement of code for 2-chain level magic because I hadn¡¯t been able to spend a lot of time with Arabe like I had before she headed off to the academy. I had been able to contact her through letters and the crystal ball, but teaching code arrangement required a fair amount of time to be dedicated to it. So, trying to pin Arabe down to spend all day with me to teach me codes when she only returned home once or twice a year wasn¡¯t possible. That naturally made me think of the ¡®debt¡¯ Cidrane had incurred with me when I saved him from the forest and cured him of poison. ¡°Shall I go try and ask him to teach me magic codes?¡± I was not one to let debts go unpaid. I was the type who would take on anything on the battlefield¡ªshort of dying. Cidrane was moaning in pain. It looked like producing even a trace amount of magic had caused him problems. ¡°I¡¯m dying here. Dying.¡± Originally, he thought he would be staying for a week and then leaving. However, now it would take twice as long. If only that kid was willing to be his disciple then none of this would have happened. ¡°What in the world must I present to him?¡± Should he give him some grand artifact? Or the inheritance magic passed down to him from previous generations that only he knew? ¡®No, that¡¯s too much.¡¯ If the kid were to scam him, he wouldn¡¯t have anything left. Seeing Dane¡¯s talent now, were he to develop it further, the likelihood that the student would be the master was high. ¡°Then maybe¡­ a letter of rmendation?¡± Given that Dane said he was entering the academy, that didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. If he were to receive a letter of rmendation from a powerful figure, it would be reflected in his academy entrance marks. But what was the point of a letter of rmendation when he was refusing to be a disciple of someone like the head of a mage tower? He was the youngest son of the war hero, Count Sogres, on top of that. His oldest sister was that unprecedented genius mage, and his other sister looked to be pretty famous among the summoners even if Cidrane wasn¡¯t sure about it himself. ¡®Maybe I should be studying this family¡¯s genes instead?¡¯ It was in the middle of various thoughts that Cidrane was wracking his brain for when he heard a knocking sound. ¡°It¡¯s me, Dane Sogres.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Cidrane swallowed drily. Did hee to apologize, perhaps? Or did he change his mind? ¡°May I enter?¡± ¡°S-Sure. Come in.¡± The door opened and Dane appeared. He was still as irritatingly handsome as ever. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Um. I feel like I¡¯m dying. Ugh, since I¡¯m older now, I have aches all over. Thanks to overdoing it with magic earlier¡­ ughhh.¡± He was acting like he was an elderly person who had been working all day rather than the head of a mage tower. However, his attempt at provoking sympathy failed. ¡°I keep telling you that I won¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°¡­I get it, I get it.¡± Cidrane tossed the question out anyway since he had nothing to lose, ¡°Do you have no interest in magic?¡± ¡°I am interested.¡± ¡°Then why won¡¯t you be my disciple?! Wait, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re already someone else¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°¡­Then why not??¡± Dane responded simply, ¡°I don¡¯t want to restrict my future to just the path of a mage.¡± Then what was he saying he would be doing? ¡°Are you really going to be a magic spearman?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll be a magic-spearman-assassin-summoner.¡± Cidrane¡¯s hands were shaking. He was clearly toying with him. Otherwise, how could he say such unheard-of things? Dane added insult to injury on top of that. ¡°I¡¯ll add swordsman to that as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be damned.¡± One had to doubt the brains of some of the people who learned magic. This seemed to be exactly such a case. It seemed like a likely guess given that Cidrane was unaware of how Dane, in his previous life, had fought on the battlefield so much that he was tired of fighting people. ¡°Even if you have no other chance at this if not now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ughhh¡­¡± Cidrane let out a sound as if he were in real pain. However, he could not give up and asked, ¡°Do you have any interest in a letter of rmendation?¡± ¡°Letter of rmendation?¡± That was it. It looked like he was showing some interest. ¡°That¡¯s right, a letter of rmendation. Didn¡¯t you say you were entering the academy? If you use someone like me, you could bypass the annoying entrance exam and build a great reputation from the very beginning.¡± Dane thought about it for a moment. Cidrane¡¯s heart was beating fast. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­?¡¯ Soon, Dane¡¯s head could be seen nodding. ¡°Yes, that does sound good.¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s right! Now you¡¯re starting to get it!¡± Cidrane sounded very pleased. Dane asked, ¡°Could I ask for another favor after that?¡± ¡°Of course! Whatever you want! I¡¯ll give you whatever you want! Actually, a letter of rmendation really isn¡¯t all that much! Ahaha!¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about the code arrangement for 2-chain magic. Would that be okay?¡± It was not difficult at all. He may have lost his way in the forest, eaten mushrooms, and suffered in great pain, but he was still an 8-chain mage and the head of a mage tower. ¡°Ahem. I know the code arrangements for all of the 2-chain spells.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Hoo hoo. Indeed it is.¡± He was a child, after all. A letter of rmendation for entrance into the academy and the code arrangements for 2-chain level magic. He could have given him many other things. ¡°Did you want to start learning immediately? I¡¯m not in the best shape right now, but I should have no problem with just that!¡± ¡°Yes, that sounds good.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Cidrane clenched his fists hidden under the nkets as if he had finally achieved something when¡­ ¡°Then we can consider this payment for the debt for being saved from the forest.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°You asked me to tell you what I wanted before because you incurred a debt with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Cidrane recalled what he had said at that very moment and was at a loss for words. ¡°Oh, was that not what you meant?¡± He had been yed. Completely, at that. By a little kid who is barely fourteen! It didn¡¯t matter that his body didn¡¯t look like it was a fourteen-year-old¡¯s! ¡°I-I incurred only one debt!¡± ¡°Saving you from the forest was one. Curing your poison was another. I was going to add moving you from where you were to our castle, but you can consider that a freebie.¡± At that moment, Cidrane realized that this must be what it felt like to have someone pull a fast one on him. Chapter 22 Chapter 22: Please Teach Me Magic (2) Cidrane ended up staying at Count Sogres¡¯ castle for a while, contrary to his expectations. Recovery is recovery, but he had no choice but to ept Dane¡¯s suggestion. It was times like these when he really hated having to save face as the head of a mage tower. He said he would repay his debt, so he was reaping what he had sown¡­ ¡®Damn. I thought he would be my disciple!¡¯ He was somehow unable to shake the feeling of humiliation after getting entangled with some kid. Cidrane usually paid no attention to mages who sought him out to be his disciple, so this was the first time in his life he had approached someone in hopes of a master-disciple rtionship. He had even promised everything possible! However, he was unable to capitalize on his effort to establish a master-disciple rtionship. Now, he has to write a letter of rmendation and was teaching the code arrangement for 2-chain level magic, to boot. ¡°You really are quite a bold one, aren¡¯t you?¡± But he was not out of options. Cidrane had not given up. He thought that perhaps if he built up goodwill, he might be able to get a favorable responseter. Mentioning his reputation as the head of a mage tower was because of Dane¡¯s incredible amount of talent and magic. Maybe he could even say he held a lofty sense of duty in this regard. ¡°People like this absolutely have to strive only for the path of magic.¡± What was so important about Dane having formed a core instead of a circle? It was more important that Dane could use chain-level magic even without a circle. It was the first time Cidrane had seen mana as pure and dense as Dane¡¯s. Somehow, he believed it would not stop just there with Dane. He may grow into a mage of unprecedented levels as the first-ever mage without a circle. ¡°The code arrangement for 2-chain magic that I will now exin is veryplicated. There have been countless individuals who weren¡¯t able to do this and gave up. So, focus and listen well.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Cidrane tried to puff up his dignity as much as he could because of this and began to exin the 2-chain magic code arrangement in as ¡®difficult¡¯ a manner as possible. ¡°2-chain codes are on an entirely different levelpared to 1-chain. In terms of forms, it goes beyond simple calctions. You need to assess the situation around you, your current mana, the concentration of mana in the air, and the state of your body. Only after calcting all of that can you activate it. The reason most people give up on magic is because of this. It is veryplicated¡­¡± He was basically emphasizing how great he was and showing off. Cidrane was convinced once he saw Dane¡¯s expressionless face. ¡®Hmph, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll try to ask me to exin it in simpler terms.¡¯ He could go all day long about theory, as an 8-chain mage should be able to. ¡°First. Magic is a state of¡­¡± And so, Cidrane continued with a boring lecture for an entire hour. ¡°And this concludes part one of the exnation of the basics. Did you understand?¡± Dane immediately nodded his head. ¡°I understand. I think I was able to understand in real detail about mana, magic power, and arrangement.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I had only thought of code arrangement for 2-chain magic, but you prepared the information in a way I was not expecting at all.¡± The response he received was not at all what he had been expecting, and it dumbfounded Cidrane. ¡°Tell me about thews of rearranging magic.¡± ¡°First is coexistence. Magic can always coexist in space with matter and even with other magic. Mages can activate magic by enabling the magic they refined to coexist with the magic in their surroundings.¡± This time, it was Dane¡¯s theory being exined. ¡°Second is conservation. As long as no artificial mana is added, the amount of mana in a lump will be conserved. Third is¡­¡± Dane was only recounting what Cidrane had said, without a single incorrect phrase, but he added his own interpretation. ¡°From that perspective, when enough magic of a unique property is gathered, that property can take on the aspect of simr properties. This allows each of the elemental properties of magic to manifest¡ªat least, that¡¯s what I understood.¡± Cidrane was dumbstruck. ¡®It didn¡¯t look like he was sleepy or doing anything else¡­¡¯ From his experience, kids would begin fidgeting after just thirty minutes, let alone an hour. If it was a boring lesson on magic theory, even more so. However, this kid had been sitting there taking notes from the very beginning. He had not been distracted even once, nor had he shown signs of being sick of it. In other words, he had been devotedly paying attention to the lecture. As a note, Cidrane had put an entire ss of students to sleep with one ss on theory in the past. ¡°Hm, I see.¡± Cidrane nced over at the notes Dane had taken. The notes were full of the theories Cidrane had exined without any unnecessary details. ¡®Where did someone like thise from?¡¯ People with an excess of talent sometimes ced too much confidence in their talents, leading to them neglecting theory and disregarding the basics. Then, they ended up falling behind those who worked hard because effort and luck had to add up to have talent finally able to y a role. However, Dane was quite different. Not only was his talent iparable to others, but his enthusiasm for learning was also overflowing. He even had the patience to withstand Cidrane¡¯s lessons on theory. What did that mean? ¡®I¡¯m absolutely going to make you my disciple.¡¯ He was even more determined to not give up on Dane now. ¡°Ahem. Yourprehension is quite excellent. That was amazing. Did you study by yourself?¡± ¡°My sister Arabe told me some, and I did some self-study in the library, as well.¡± Self-study, he said. Even when a dedicated teacher was assigned at a very young age to provide close care, whether one seeded or not at bing a mage was up in the air. Such was the profession of a mage. It felt like Cidrane had more and more reasons to try and entice Dane. In any case, since Cidrane had no more pretext left for exining the theory, he went straight into exining the code arrangement for 2-chain magic. ¡°Normally, what one calls ¡®magic¡¯ and uses to simply utilize magic is not actually considered so. It is basically the same as catching the flow of magic and releasing it to activate it. You disperse magic and purify the surrounding air, to put it simply. That is how magic bullets work.¡± He was speaking of the magic bullet Dane had used to teach the Tyren brothers a lesson. ¡°And the most decisive reason is that once you enter the realm of chain-level magic, the code bes iparablyplex. For each higher level of chain, the code¡¯splexity increases exponentially.¡± Cidrane went straight into demonstrating. He waved his hands in the air and magic threads appeared, weaving themselves together. ¡°For example, if 1-chain looks like this¡­¡± Magic threads began to form a square grid and did not look tooplicated. In fact, it was not. 1-chain magic code arrangements could be cast using simple rules. Of course, knowledge of magic was required to make that possible, but it was not that difficult. However, that changed from 2-chain onward. ¡°Then, 2-chain¡¯splexity cannot even bepared to 1-chain.¡± The grid in Cidrane¡¯s hand began to change, and the threads of magic began to move and twist. The magic threads began to intertwine dizzyingly and change into no particr shape. ¡°This would be the magic code arrangement for 2-chain.¡± Finally, what appeared seemed to beting that had been used for so long that it had been broken in various ces. The rest of it was soplex it could induce motion sickness just by looking at it. ¡°How¡¯s that? This is the code that forms the 2-chain fire magic, ¡®Fire Arrow¡¯. Also, if you want more of them, you¡¯ll need to use the same code many more times.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Dane was looking wordlessly at the magic threads. Cidrane suppressed augh. That¡¯s right. He had to be surprised now. After all, he had never seen the code arrangement of 2-chain magic before. He would probably stare at it for a long while and frown. Everyone that he had taught it to before reacted the same way, without exception. Cidrane was willing to wait for however long was required to see that extremely talented kid be flustered. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it lookplicated? Most people will take at least a year after mastering 1-chain code arrangements enough to freely use them before they can even understand a little bit of the code arrangement for 2-chain.¡± Cidrane was giggling inwardly as if goading Dane on to give it a try. No matter how good Dane was, Cidrane was sure Dane would understand only a part of the code. However, the important part was the rule. Even though it looked like there was no rhyme or reason to it, a rule was hidden beneath it all¡ªa so-called form. If he was unable to figure that out, then nothing else mattered. ¡®I¡¯ll observe him for about a week and slowly teach him the technique.¡¯ Cidrane was not being childish about it. All mages were like that because the forms and rules for understanding theory were a type of bread and butter for them. However, it did not take long for Dane to speak again. ¡°Should I try, as well? The formation of the code arrangement.¡± ¡°Hmm? You?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cidrane nodded his head without thinking. Then, Dane waved his hand and formed magic in the shape of threads. Cidrane was astonished by the very beginning of the process. Releasing magic in the shape of threads of uniform thickness and of a certain length was an incredibly difficult feat. Actually, it did not have much practical use in and of itself. It was mostly used for lectures or teaching. However, because the structure beingplex made it difficult, one needed basic sense and experience, but¡­ ¡°This is 1-chain, right?¡± Dane tossed aside such stereotypes and wove threads into a grid. It was amazing. Each grid was of the same size and had a perfectly square shape. Cidrane stared nkly and swallowed dryly. What was he witnessing just now? It was a far cry from a simple arrangement or showing the process of arrangement. However, the surprises did not stop there. ¡°And this was what you just showed me¡­¡± The magic threads that had been closely woven into a grid began to twist into the messy shape that Cidrane had shown him. ¡®Unbelievable¡­¡¯ The magic threads moved with a ¡®rule structure¡¯ clearly in ce. Finally, what waspleted was the same code arrangement structure Cidrane had just shown a moment ago for ¡®Fire Arrow¡¯. ¡°This is the code arrangement for ¡®Fire Arrow¡¯, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He was right. It was a perfect code arrangement, too. Cidrane asked nkly, ¡°How¡­ did you do that?¡± ¡°I was watching you and I could see the rule¡¯s structure. Arranging the code with the rule¡¯s structure in the center was not that difficult.¡± There had been mages who, at fourteen years old, were able to materialize 3-chain and even 4-chain magic. However, even among them, there was not a single one who could see the code arrangement of a 2-chain spell ¡®exactly just once¡¯ and immediately materialize it, themselves. Cidrane, who had been called a genius, knew this because he was a living witness to it. But this kid somehow had done it. He was able to understand the rule structure for a 2-chain spell without a circle by just seeing the code arrangement once. Maybe even¡­ ¡°Shall I try to cast it?¡± After asking that question, Dane scattered the threads of magic. A momentter¡ª Foooosh-! Fire arrows appeared in the air. ¡°Wow, it worked.¡± Dane was smiling with an innocent expression on his face. Cidrane became despondent. Then, he became jealous. If only he had such talent for himself¡ª He was hit with the type of regret that came from thinking that then maybe he would have been able to reach the realm of 9-chain that he had only been able to dream of. ¡®A mage without a circle¡­ others would lose their minds when they hear of this.¡¯ Cidrane thought to himself that he needed to hide that fact. The moment it was revealed, all sorts of people would try to get closer to Dane and interfere. He at least needed to hide it until he was able to make Dane his disciple. ¡®I¡¯ll need to think about how I¡¯ll write that letter of rmendation to the academy.¡¯ Cidrane, the head of the Nixion Mage Tower. That was the moment he decided to volunteer to write a letter of rmendation for the first time in his life. Chapter 23 Chapter 23: Please Teach Me Magic (3) One could argue that the environment I was in during my previous life had prevented me from being interested in studying. When I risked dying at any moment in some unknownnd, sitting down to read a book and think about the future was a luxury. Actualbat doubled as a method of studying swordsmanship for me. However, since that was a matter of life and death, we could leave that out of the picture. Up until one reached a certain realm of magic, magic was academic study, and thus far removed from actualbat. It was different from swordsmanship, where even in the hands of a child, one could stab into someone¡¯s flesh and cause bleeding. Only when theory and practice had been established with certainty could it be evaluated as ¡®being useful¡¯. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s that code. For sure. Cast it now!¡± With that in mind, learning magic had been extremely fun. I learned solid theory from Arabe in my childhood years. Then bybining theory and my magic¡ªin other words, my innate talent¡ªI could see explosive results through just a bit of simple guidance. It made learning fun. Vwoom¡­ A sphere of light appeared out of thin air. ¡°Ho¡­ it¡¯s very bright.¡± It was a light-type spell that could illuminate one¡¯s surroundings, and depending on its strength, could instantly blind a target. It was simple, but depending on how the code was arranged, the duration and strength of it could differ. Since it differed from person to person, in some cases it would ¡®pop¡¯ and then turn right back off. ¡°Enough, you can release it now. If you¡¯re able to hold your first cast for twenty minutes then there¡¯s nothing left to see. After all, normally people can only hold the first cast for five minutes.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s absolutely, incredibly good.¡± Cidrane nodded his head vigorously, as if I had done something very well, and then counted off on his fingers. ¡°This would be your fourth¡­ learning four over half a month is an impressive speed.¡± Four codes. That was the number of code arrangements I had mastered over the course of half a month. ¡°It normally takes up to a month to master one code, but four in half a month¡­ that¡¯s amazing. Extremely amazing.¡± Cidrane looked to be highly enjoying himself. I would not do so, but if I were to tell him I would be his disciple, he probably would have been doing somersaults. Anyway, things had been going well. Originally, I had been thinking of going to the academy to learn magic, but with this, I could be equipped with more than enough skills even before I made it to the academy. ¡°Good. I think that¡¯s enough for today,¡± Cidrane said. Then he asked, ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± I did. I asked about something I had seen in a book not long ago and became interested in it. ¡°I want to know a bit about magic reagents.¡± ¡°Magic reagents?¡± Cidrane blinked a few times. ¡°Why do you want to know about them all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I went to the library to find magic books to review and I saw one on magic reagents. It was quite interesting.¡± Magic reagents. They were a type of potion made by mixing magic ingredients together. Depending on their use, they could be far more powerful than casting a spell directly. Because that method was so incrediblyplicated, I had heard mages only really delved into rted disciplines. ¡°I wanted to ask if it would be a good idea if I were to try and make a reagent.¡± Cidrane burst intoughter suddenly. ¡°Hm. And how did you know I have a knack for magic reagents? Hahaha!¡± I did know. After all, I heard it from Arabe. ¡°Hm hm. Fine. Normally it would be difficult to teach someone this, but I¡¯ll make a special, really special exception and teach you, just this once! Hahaha!¡± The head of the mage tower looked to be in great spirits. Arabelle had told me that winning over a mage was a simple matter. You just needed to inquire about an area the mage was confident in. That was the quickest way to please a mage who pursued academic knowledge. ¡°Geniuses really are quite different. I would never have guessed you would be interested in magic reagents. I can¡¯t understand those who find magic reagents boring. Not at all!¡± I could understand. After all, when I talked to Arabe through the crystal ball, she wouldin about dying of boredom from her magic reagent ss. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll teach you personally. Hm. But I can¡¯t stay here for quite that long¡­ If you became my disciple, then it¡¯d be different¡­ Well, I¡¯m not telling you to be one, but if you were to be my disciple I would be able to satisfy all your curiosities. That¡¯s all I¡¯m saying.¡± I looked at the mage tower head who was dropping hints indirectly¡ªor, rather, openly¡ªand said, ¡°Now that I think about it, I think magic reagents will be boring, after all. Mm. I want to practice code arrangements again, instead.¡± ¡°N-No way! Just learn it first and you¡¯ll change your mind. It¡¯s so exciting, after all! The thrill of supplying the exact amount of ingredients and producing a perfect result! I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t have any idea what it¡¯s like unless you experience it for yourself!¡± I saw him trying to persuade me so hastily that I felt a bit sorry for him. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, of course! We shouldn¡¯t just stand here. Let¡¯s go buy some ingredients. You¡¯ll probably even enjoy the process of picking out the ingredients. I guarantee it!¡± But what was I supposed to do? Being a mage was just one path. Spearmanship, swordsmanship, assassination skills, and summoning skills were also so much fun. In any case, the mage tower head looked so excited. I had gained a new piece of knowledge. Would this not be considered a true win-win situation? After getting permission from Father, I departed the castle with Cidrane. Father had given permission easily, though he didn¡¯t forget to tell me to take the opportunity to tour the territory before returning home. He had taken me out of the castle every now and then once I had turned about nine years old, showing me how the territory was being run, how the people in it lived, and why we were able to live in the castle. Because of this, I had a general idea of what there was outside the territory, how the people lived, and what the atmosphere was like. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the young Lord Dane!¡± ¡°Lord Dane! Come and take some of these snacks with you! They¡¯re brand new products!¡± ¡°Oh look, his silver locks are flowing so beautifully today, too, but I¡¯m just getting more gray hairs!¡± The territory was peaceful, as always. It was probably due to Father¡¯s nature and his desire to always take care of his people with leisure, peace, and warmth. I did not say that simply because I was the son of the territory¡¯s lord. ¡°I¡¯m going to drop by there for a bit.¡± ¡°Hm? You¡¯re going to do what? But that ce doesn¡¯t sell any magic ingredients?¡± ¡°That there tastes really good. Would you like one?¡± Cidrane and I had been riding horses on the street. I got off my horse for a short while to head to the frozen candy store. ¡°Mr. Jeez, have you been doing well?¡± ¡°Oh, Lord Dane. How is it that whenever I see you, you seem to have shot up in height even more? Haha. Oh goodness, Herman, you¡¯re here, too?¡± Mr. Jeez greeted Herman and me warmly as I looked at the frozen candy stand and swallowed my saliva. Frozen candy looked like a transparent bead. If you ce one in your mouth, the sweetness slowly spreads in your mouth as you bite into it. It was a snack I enjoyed as much as I liked tarts. ¡°Later, when I¡¯m all grown up, I think I¡¯ll alwayse by to buy your frozen candies, mister.¡± ¡°Oh my, what are you saying? By that time, I will have retired. Hahaha.¡± I faced himughing and handed him a single silver crown that I had prepared ahead of time. ¡°Please give me six.¡± ¡°Six? But it¡¯ll be dinner soon. Won¡¯t you get in trouble with the countess?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sharing these.¡± I nced behind me furtively and Mr. Jeez nodded his head. ¡°Then I¡¯ll select a particrlyrge one for you today.¡± I returned with four frozen candies in each of my hands and handed two over to Cidrane. ¡°Try these. This is one of the snacks I like the most.¡± Cidrane took the frozen candies and put one in his mouth. He had a surprised look on his face. ¡°Ho, this is so refreshing.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make your mouth feel so refreshed?¡± ¡°Indeed it does. What is this made of?¡± ¡°They say it is made from ingredients extracted from grass only grown in the south.¡± One could call it a type of mint, but it grew better in the south, where there was a lot of sunlight, and its cooling sensation felt really good. ¡°There are quite a lot of good things in the south. Snacks, the weather, and¡­ the people.¡± Cidrane added, ¡°It¡¯s a sight you won¡¯t easily see in the capital.¡± What type of ce could the capital be? I was sure it would be a better ce to be than the battlefield, however. I headed to the magic ingredient shop with Cidrane. There was only one of them in the territory. I had never been there before. Arabe had told me the owner was a retired mage, so would he know of Cidrane? ¡°Young master, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± At that moment, Herman notified me of our arrival at the sole magic ingredient shop in the territory. After tying the horses up out front, the three of us entered the store. ¡°Oh my goodness, tower master! The rumors were true! I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d be staying in the territory.¡± Looks like he knew Cidrane all too well. The moment we entered the store, we found the store owner smiling brightly. ¡°Haha, you know of me?¡± ¡°I do indeed know of you! Who would have known a mage would not only enter the Forest of the Last Days but eat red-nose mushrooms on top of that and pass out?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed the rumors had spread in incredible detail. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± I turned away from Cidrane¡¯s glowering stare. ¡°Haha. It is such an honor to have you visit my store, tower master. Please let me know if you are in need of anything! I¡¯ll provide plenty of free items to you, as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be soo thankful.¡± Cidrane did not look thankful one bit but began to look around the store. ¡°Ah, you must be Lord Dane, right? It is a pleasure to meet you. I could tell immediately. Your silver hair and green eyes¡ªwhere else would you find them in this territory?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure. How has business been?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going as it always does. Haha. Who in this territory woulde purchasing magic ingredients? I usually sell to outsiders or to parents who can no longer endure the harassment of their children when they¡¯re interested in magic.¡± With that said, the store owner looked at Cidrane and smiled. ¡°But given that I have had a chance to see the head of a mage tower, I believe I made the right choice in opening this shop.¡± There is that. There were only as many mage towers in the empire as there were fingers on one¡¯s hand, after all, and the head of one among those towers was Cidrane. However, was it because it was a magic store? I was getting some kind of feeling. It was a rather strangely familiar type of feeling, I could say. Or maybe it was because I had learned some magic. ¡°Please take your time looking around. If there are any ingredients you want, I will go find them for you.¡± The store was filled to the brim with fascinating items I had never seen before. It was full of everything from mana crystals to ingredients whose purpose I could not determine and even dried nts I had seen in my previous life. I could see magic tools to one side. ¡°Ah, if you inject mana into those¡­ then mese out like this. Isn¡¯t it cool? Mages normally use this to light cigars. They would light them by hand in the past, but these days the trend has changed, so they light them with stylish items like these.¡± In my past life, I had smoked a pipe to soothe my mind and body when I was fatigued from battle. If I had something like this back then, it would have been a lot more convenient. Well, not that I was thinking of smoking now. ¡°This, likewise, is operated with mana¡­¡± The store owner was kind enough to stay by me and exin various things here and there and quickly satisfied my curiosity. ¡°Mm. But I¡¯m surprised.¡± ¡°Surprised by what?¡± ¡°Whenever you ce your hands on them, the tools react. Does it feel like you have very high magic sensitivity?¡± Cidrane interjected in response to those words, saying, ¡°You have observed quite well. Isn¡¯t it an impressive level of sensitivity?¡± ¡°It looks like his affinity is really high, too, given how sensitivity and affinity are normally proportional. My goodness, how pure must his mana be¡­¡± Oh dear. If the shop owner was going topliment me like that, I¡¯d have no idea what to say in response. To avoid being caught feeling embarrassed, I needed something to be absorbed in. Was that a magic tool, as well? I approached something that looked like a stone. The moment I approached it to touch it¡­ ¡°That is just a piece of decoration, Lord Dane.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Haha, did we make you feel a bit embarrassed?¡± ¡°Come over here and look over reagent ingredients with me. Mm, for a basic ingredient, I think moonroot would be suitable.¡± ¡°That is an excellent choice. There are maybe fifty different reagents that use moonroot. For your information, this is a high-quality product. I dried it myself and put it through a chemical process.¡± ¡°You¡¯re skilled.¡± I shrugged my shoulders as if in denial and took my hand away. I was about to walk towards the two of them when, at that moment¡­ Vooom voom. I felt something from the item I had intended to touch. I spun around again, stretching out my hand in disbelief, when¡­ Voom voom! It began to react again. The item was a square-shaped stone that did not look like anything in particr. ¡°Young master, is there something wrong?¡± I nodded very slightly at Herman¡¯s question and gestured at the stone, saying, ¡°I feel something.¡± I drew out my mana in hopes of something¡­ Vwwoom Voom! The stone was shaking as if it had been waiting. What was it? Did it only react to my mana? Chapter 24 Chapter 24: It Was a Fun Time (1) ¡°As expected, you have a keen eye. The reagent¡¯s reaction is also very good, so it¡¯ll be the perfect sample.¡± ¡°Hmm. Then this moonroot and the conwell berries would be good. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± While the two men talked about the materials, my gaze was fixed on that featureless stone. After much thought, I approached it and ced a hand on it. A strong vibration shook it as if it was resonating with my magic power. When I experimentally suppressed my magic power, the resonance miraculously disappeared. I asked the shop owner, ¡°What is this?¡± The shop owner tilted his head when he saw the ¡®stone¡¯ I was holding. ¡°Where did you find¡­ oh. It¡¯s just a decoration.¡± ¡°A decoration?¡± For a mere decoration, its resonance was quite strong. I heard the shop owner sigh, ¡°Fuu, just thinking about it annoys me.¡± ¡°Did you get scammed or something?¡± ¡°A few years ago, while on my way to the capital, a peddler approached me and asked if he could buy some food. He handed me a pouch he said was filled with money, but when I opened it, what I found inside was that stone.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Although it looks like that, it¡¯s worth five loaves of bread.¡± Five loaves of bread. For an item that resonated with my magic power, it was pretty cheap. ¡°Still, I thought it might be worth something, so I asked a mage I know to analyze it and asked around here and there, and the conclusion was that it was a stone. A stone. Ugh, I put it up there because I felt bad about it.¡± The shop owner spoke with a look of frustration on his face and then spoke to me. ¡°Young master, if you¡¯re looking for something that looks interesting, pleasee this way. There are a few magical artifacts here. I might not have as many as the capital, but there are quite a few.¡± I nced at the artifacts at his words. It definitely wasn¡¯t as good as the ones my older sister used to give me on my birthdays or whenever she thought of me, but I had plenty of space in my subspace. ¡°I¡¯ll buy a few. Can you rmend some? And while I¡¯m at it, I¡¯ll buy this, too.¡± ¡°Huh? You want to buy a useless piece of stone¡­? Well, then I¡¯ll just give it to you.¡± The shop owner didn¡¯t seem to know what the stone was. Of course, I didn¡¯t know either. However, if he had known that it reacted to magic, he wouldn¡¯t have left it like that. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Hmmm. This looks good. This is a business card holder. These days, you know that everyone in the capital carries around something called a ¡®business card¡¯, right? If you put a business card in here, it automatically reads the information and saves it. Once it¡¯s saved, all you have to do is say the person¡¯s name and it will disy that person¡¯s business card like this! Also¡­¡± I took the artifacts that the shopkeeper rmended. I didn¡¯t know when I would use them, but I guessed it couldn¡¯t hurt to take them. After picking three that seemed somewhat useful, I asked, ¡°How much is it all?¡± ¡°All together, it¡¯s worth one gold crown, but honestly, I don¡¯t want to ask for money.¡± ¡°No. I still have to pay the price.¡± One gold crown. It was expensive. However, it was reasonably priced considering they were magic artifacts, and above all¡­ I would own the stone. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Hahaha. I guess I can close shop for the day.¡± The shop owner¡¯s hands shook in excitement as he took the gold crown. ¡°Young master,e by anytime. I¡¯ll make sure to save the best for you every time youe from now on!¡± I just smiled. And so, Cidrane got the materials needed for his magic reagent lessons and I got some artifacts and a seemingly useless ¡®stone¡¯. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had any interest in collecting art pieces or decorations¡­ did you suddenly gain an interest?¡± Cidrane asked. I answered with a grin, ¡°You noticed?¡± ¡°Hmm. I thought it was strange that someone your age would buy useless decorations while pretending to buy artifacts.¡± Well, I didn¡¯t intend to hide it. Rather, I was thinking of how to bring it up and ask about it as soon as I got back. When I told him about how the stone had reacted to my magic, Cidrane stroked his beard in interest. ¡°If that thing really only responds to your magic power¡­ Depending on what that thing is, your magic power may be different from what I thought.¡± What the item was¡­ I took out the stone and injected magic into it. It resonated, and then there was a vibration. It seemed like something was going to change. ¡°This won¡¯t work here.¡± I needed to go back to the castle first. Cidrane nodded in agreement. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to postpone the magic reagent lesson for a bit.¡± Cidrane returned and cleaned one side of his room magically, then began taking out various tools from his subspace. They was closer to mechanisms than tools. ¡°These are experimental tools. I didn¡¯t expect that I¡¯d have to bring these out.¡± I handed Cidrane the stone and he ced it in the center of some device. He said it was a device that projected magical power. ¡°Didn¡¯t the shop owner say that even though he had it analyzed, nothing special was found?¡± ¡°Hmph. Whatever it was, how could it be the same as this? This is a device that I custom-made with almost all of my savings. It¡¯s state-of-the-art. It¡¯s something that can analyze hidden substances just by projecting magic power into it.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Cidrane sighed at my weak reaction and said, ¡°Others get excited the moment they see something like this, but this is how you react¡­ What is talent?¡± Well, that was because I didn¡¯t really get surprised by most things. Anyway, Cidrane ced the ¡®stone¡¯ I bought with two silver crowns on the device and injected his magic power into it. Then, his magical power shot out like needles in eight directions, covering the stone. It was quite the sight. Vrrrrr¡­ About twenty minutes, Cidrane pressed a button, the device stopped working, and letters made of magical power appeared above the device. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Cidrane read the words, sighed, and motioned to me. ¡°Come this way.¡± Then he pointed to the letters. They were runes that formed some kind of¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a code.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a code. But it¡¯s not an ordinary code.¡± The array, rules, and structure of this code were all things I¡¯d never seen before. Even the number was incrediblyrge. Of course, it was iparable to the 2-chain magic I digested that day, and the code was so numerous andplex that it was almostparable to 6-chain or 7-chain magic. ¡°So, that code is the magic that¡¯s hiding what this stone is.¡± ¡°Correct. And your magic is the key to unlocking this code, as it only responds to your magic.¡± My magic was the key, What on earth was it? What was the seal surrounding the stone that made it respond only to my magic? ¡°Hmm¡­ Magic seals aren¡¯t my specialty¡­ But I guess I should at least try it to save my face as the master of a magic tower.¡± It was a magic seal. I heard about them from my older sister. It was a separate specialized field like artifacts and magic reagents, but with fewer specialists than thetter. ¡°Once we break the seal and find out what this thing is¡­ then we can draw a conclusion.¡± I nodded. What would be revealed once the seal was broken? No, more than that¡ª ¡°We can figure out how my magic power is different from others.¡± I was more curious about that. * * * The one with the highest score in the history of the Imperial Academy¡¯s magic department. Having reached the realm of 6-chains at a young age, getting recruitment calls from every magic tower in existence, and possessing beauty that was no less than her talent. Countless people sought out Arabe Sogres, a mage who possessed everything and reached a level no one had ever reached before. ¡°Have you decided which tower you¡¯re going to? If you haven¡¯t decided yet, our tower master ising today. How about meeting him?¡± ¡°Arabe! This experiment is weird! Can you help me with it?¡± ¡°Damn it, Arabe, there¡¯s no one else but you. Please,e with me to the dig, okay?¡± Magic Tower. Professor. Alumni. Many people came looking for Arabe. She possessed insight that rivaled that of many professors and experience that was hard to believe someone only twenty-six years old possessed. She also had the magical power that formed the basis of all of that. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t make it today.¡± However, Arabe refused that day. The reason was simple. ¡®I think the analysis will be finished by today.¡¯ It was the analysis of her little brother Dane¡¯s magical power. No matter how busy Arabe was, her family came first¡ªespecially if it concerned her beautiful and precious little brother. Arabe hurried and returned to ¡®her¡¯boratory. It was a privateboratory, something that was difficult for anyone other than a professor to utilize. She had been given permission to use it by a professor she was close to while he was on a sabbatical. That alone showed just how high the professors¡¯ expectations were of Arabe. ¡°Alright. Shall we take another look?¡± Arabe recalled what Dane had said. She had already guessed to some extent that Dane¡¯s magic power was special, but considering what he had told her thest time they spoke, it seemed it was more special than she had thought. That was the reason she had asked Dane to imbue his magic power into a mana stone and send it to her. Whooooooong¡­ Arabe looked at the codes printed out by the device analyzing the mana stone. It wasn¡¯t much different from the day before, but once the overall analysis was over and it went into the detailed analysis, the differences started to appear little by little. CertainlyÒ» ¡°As expected, it¡¯s different.¡± It was certainly different from ¡®ordinary¡¯ magic power. Dane¡¯s unique magic code had something different, something that even she didn¡¯t have. Every now and then, special magic power was discovered. Magic codes could be said to be suitable for a specific magic. That was why mages were divided by their specialties. However, Arabe had yet to figure out what the Dane¡¯s magic code was suitable for. Magic reagents, magic gates, magic engineering, magic seals, siege magic¡­ she tried topare it to the codes of numerous fields but still hadn¡¯t reached a conclusion. ¡°Then let¡¯s try this.¡± Arabe finally decided topare it to some codes she hadn¡¯t tried before. It was unlikely, but in a situation without a conclusion, one should try everything. ¡°Alchemy, divination, spiritualism¡­ is that going too far? I should still put it in. There¡¯s necromancy¡­ there¡¯s also primitive magic code.¡± It could be said to be a lost field of magic, magic that was rarely used these days. As Arabe was inputting and substituting around ten magic codes, she recalled a magic field that she hadn¡¯t thought of. ¡°Ancient magic¡­is this going too far? After all, it¡¯s been 2,000 years since it disappeared.¡± Ancient Magic. The traditional magic of ¡®Archana¡¯, which was once known as the ¡®Kingdom of Magic¡¯. It was from 2,000 years ago, so naturally, no one remembered or knew about it, much less knew how to activate it. Only a single line of unknown magic code passed down as a legend, along with numerous oral tales and a few artifacts, proved Archana¡¯s existence. Simply put, it was the least likely code. ¡°Well, so what?¡± Figuring there was nothing to lose, Arabe entered the code for Ancient Magic and started the analysis device. Whooooong! Arabe decided that if no matching or simr code was found in this analysis, then her experiment should be put on hold for the time being. But just as she was thinking soÒ» BeepÒ» beepÒ» Less than five minutester, the device beeped, indicating that there was a result. Arabe ran over expectantly. ¡®What could it be? Alchemy? Divination? Or¡­ necromancy? I hope it¡¯s not necromancy.¡¯ But the moment she checked the results¡­ ¡°Oh my god.¡± Arabe¡¯s face was filled with shock. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 25 Chapter 25: It Was a Fun Time (2) As Arabe finished analyzing Dane¡¯s magical power, Cidrane had also just released the seal. It didn¡¯t take long. After all, he was an 8-chain mage and the head of a magic tower. ¡®I wonder what it is. Hmm, a dragon relic? No, there is evidence that Archana existed, but dragons are treated as fictional creatures¡­¡¯ Whatever it was, it seemed certain that something he didn¡¯t know woulde out of this. Finally, the seal was broken. Cr-craaaaackÒ» The outer shell of what was thought to be a slightlyrge ¡®stone¡¯ gradually cracked and then split apart, finally revealing what was inside. ¡°¡­a bracelet?¡± It was a silver bracelet. Just a simple bracelet without any special decoration or pattern, one that wouldn¡¯t look out of ce even if it were ced on a street stall. ¡°It¡¯s a bracelet.¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± However, it was still too early to be disappointed. After all, it was surrounded by a magic seal. Unless the person who put this seal had a bad sense of humor and liked sealing useless objects and causing suffering to those whoter discovered them, it was probably not an ordinary object. Whooooong. Cidrane gathered his magical power and put his hand on the bracelet. He ran aponent analysis on the bracelet. Though it would have been more detailed if he had the equipment, this should be enough for a simpleponent analysis. As he thought so¡­ ¡°Ergh. It¡¯s not working,¡± Cidrane groaned honestly. ¡°Just as it only reacts to your magic power, I think we¡¯ll only know once you put it on.¡± He could do something to the seal, but after that, it was up to Dane. After all, it was an item that only reacted to Dane from the beginning. ¡°Wait, before that. It¡¯s necessary to check for dangers with items like this.¡± ¡°Oh, because of curse-type magic.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I learned something new. Before putting on something of unknown origin, check for dangers. ¡°Most aren¡¯t dangerous, but it¡¯s an upational disease.¡± Cidrane cast a few spells and checked that the bracelet wasn¡¯t dangerous before handing it to Dane. ¡°Put it on.¡± Click. Dane put the bracelet on his wrist and gathered his magic, feeling awkward. Surprisingly, the bracelet started to react. Whooooooooonng! This time, even Cidrane could see how it vibrated, surrounded by a blue light. Moreover, clear writing appeared on the surface of the bracelet. ¡°This is¡­¡± Cidrane knew that writing. To be more exact, he knew about it. It was anguage that no one in the world knew how to read. Because¡­ ¡°It¡¯s Ancient Runes.¡± It was from the ancients. ¡°It¡¯s the runes used by the old Magic Kingdom, ¡®Archana¡¯.¡± At those words, Dane was also slightly surprised. Archana. He had heard about it from his older sister. It was an era where everything was done with magic. An era that then suddenly disappeared. All that remained were a few ruins, oral tales, and just a single line of code. Cidrane let out a dazedugh of disbelief and plopped down on his bed. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. This far surpassed what could be exined as talent. ¡®I tried to have someone like this as my disciple, huh.¡¯ This was¡­ apletely different story. The ancient magic kingdom, Archana¡­ He knew that this kid¡¯s magic power was different from others, but he didn¡¯t think it would be something like that. ¡°Runes have power in their very form. Until now, no one in the world has been able to imbue Ancient Runes with magic,¡± Cidrane said confidently. ¡°The fact that the rune is imbued with magic means that the magic you possess is not ordinary magic but Ancient Magic.¡± Only then was Dane struck by a realization. ¡°So, that¡¯s why I was able to move sofortably in the Forest of the Last Days.¡± ¡°Yes. That ce also contains Ancient Magic. If the magic of that forest came from Archana, then that exins why.¡± He had heard it from his mother. It was said that the forest had changed like that after mages stayed there a long time ago. It was a story that was considered a fairy tale¡­ So, could all the phenomena up to now be exined solely by the fact that it possessed the magic power of this ancient magic kingdom? Dane was a little confused. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t exin other things.¡± Then Cidrane said, ¡°Analyzing the magical rearrangement code in such a short time, the sense to maintain magic, analyzing the code and checking for weaknesses, making others¡¯ summons obey you¡­ all of that can be exined as innate talent. It¡¯s not because of that magic power.¡± Ancient Magic. It was definitely something great. Because the density and purity of his magical power were so greatpared to others, he could use magic without a circle and aplish many things with his high affinity. But as Cidrane said, not everything was thanks to that magic power. ¡°In short, you were born with a talent that matches that magic power.¡± Cidrane looked at Dane with a strange emotion on his face. ¡°You enviable little brat.¡± He was jealous. Even if he didn¡¯t have ancient magic, if he had that kind of talent, he might have reached 9-Chain, which was his dream. ¡°I see.¡± Meanwhile, Dane nodded, seeming a little pleased. It seemed like a very indifferent reaction to Cidrane. ¡°Ugh. Tsk.¡± He thought it might have been a good thing that Dane said he wouldn¡¯t be his disciple. Dane¡¯s talent was not something he could manage. Because at some point, without him even noticing, Dane would surpass him. And just like he said¡­ With those ancient magical powers and those ¡®talents¡¯, it would be a waste to focus on just one field. ¡®By the way, are there any among his ancestors who came from Archana? How curious.¡¯ Anyway, one thing seemed certain: this fact should be kept a secret for now. ¡®At least until he can withstand the storms of the world.¡¯ So, Cidrane decided to keep it to himself. ¡°By the way, there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything more to this bracelet. At least for now.¡± ¡°We can figure that out slowly, but don¡¯t tell others about it. I¡¯ll also keep it a secret.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± As soon as he returned to the Magic Tower, Cidrane decided to collect as much relevant literature and data as possible. It was also a challenge for him. He wanted to help this brash, talented, enviable¡­ and ultimately, favorable little kid. There was one more thing. ¡®How exciting.¡¯ It seemed like the desire to research, which he had thought had disappeared once he became the head of a magic tower, was revived. Didn¡¯t someone once say that being a mage was a lifelong learning profession? He had thought that there was nothing left to learn, he¡¯d already reached 8-chains and figured he¡¯d just spend the rest of his life wandering¡­ ¡°Seems like fun.¡± As the corners of Cidrane¡¯s mouth curled up at the new driving force he had regained¡­ BeepÒ» beepÒ» At the sharp beep, Cidrane urgently turned around. ¡°A monster attack?¡± Cidrane reflexively raised his magical power. ¡®I guess it¡¯s time to work.¡¯ His body was almost healed by now. He should be able to deal with small monsters with a single gesture. However, Dane sat up very calmly and took something out of hispel. ¡°What¡¯s that? Isn¡¯t it a monster attack?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a crystal ball. It¡¯s my elder sister.¡± ¡°¡­that sound is from that?¡± What kind of rm was that? ¡°There¡¯s about a hundred rm sounds, but I like this one the most.¡± Cidrane felt quite embarrassed. Well, what kind of monsters would there be in this country estate? Cidrane pretended as if nothing had happened and asked quietly, ¡°Ahem. Is that a crystal ball?¡± ¡°Yes. Oh, this is a crystal ball.¡± ¡®There was something like that?¡¯ Although Cidrane wasn¡¯t very certain about what it was, it was apact crystal ball that was already spreading like a fad among young mages, especially in the capital. Dane epted the call. ¡°Just a moment. Hi, sis.¡± ?Dane, is there anyone there with you?? Dane nced at Cidrane and continued. ¡°Is it because my magic power is Ancient Magic?¡± ?¡­How did you know?? Dane briefly exined the situation to the bewildered Arabe. Then he heard Arabe¡¯s surprised voice. ?So, you analyzed the stone that you identally obtained with the head of the magic tower, and it turned out to be an item from the ancient magic kingdom. Because of that, you found out that you have ancient magic power?? ¡°Yeah. My method was different from yours.¡± Arabe analyzed his magic power itself and found a matching code, revealing that the nature of Dane¡¯s magic was Ancient Magic. Cidrane discovered that the object with the magical seal only reacted to Dane¡¯s magic and that the object bore traces of the ancient magic kingdom. Even though the paths were different, the destination was the same. Cidrane was slightly¡ªno, very surprised. ¡®She found out through mana analysis¡­?¡¯ He had long heard that she was a genius, but mana analysis was a field that many experienced mages found difficult even just working the devices. But not only did she do so, she figured out it was Ancient Magic? ¡°Just what kind of family¡­?¡± Arabe asked Dane, ?Does anyone else know?? ¡°No.¡± ?Good. Dane, listen carefully. Sir, please listen as well. I think it would be best to keep this a secret since Dane won¡¯t be able to handle it right now.? At those words, Cidrane nodded. ¡°Ahem. Arabe, can you hear me?¡± ?Yes, sir. It¡¯s nice to make your acquaintance.? ¡°You as well. Uh, you don¡¯t have to worry about keeping this a secret. I was also thinking the same thing. If this leaks out, this child and your family would be swept up in a type of chaos that would be hard to endure. Is thismunication recorded, by any chance?¡± ?No. Ourmunication will be deleted the moment we hang up.? ¡°Good. It would be best not to leave any evidence of this. I n to secretly find out more once I go back to the magic tower.¡± ?Thank you for your help.? ¡°No, Arabe. I just think this is my duty as a mage.¡± After saying so, Cidrane subtly asked, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been hearing about this quite oftentely, but have you decided which tower to go to?¡± ?No, not yet. But I don¡¯t think I can go to the Nixion Tower. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just that the field I want isn¡¯t avable there.? ¡°¡­¡± He had wondered where this little brat got his confidence from, and it turned out he learned it from his older sister. ¡°Ahem. Hahaha. I suppose that¡¯s possible. Alright, well, I didn¡¯t ask you to invite you to our magic tower¡­¡± Flustered, Cidrane handed the crystal ball back to Dane. ?Anyway, Dane. Let¡¯s talk about the details again soon, okay?? ¡°Yeah, sis. See you¡± ?My little brother. You know your sister loves you very much, right?? ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± After the end of the love-filled goodbyes between the siblings, Cidrane said, ¡°You have a great older sister.¡± ¡°Right? Oh, and this crystal ball was made by my older sister. Isn¡¯t she great?¡± ¡°Ahem. Hmm. She is. You know, my peers all use this, too. What do you call it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s apact crystal ball.¡± ¡°Yes, apact crystal ball.¡± Cidrane was sensitive to trends. To be exact, he hated the idea of being behind the trend. Even so, it was a bit difficult to keep up with the abbreviations and trends used by young mages these days. ¡°Do you use one, too? Then please give me your crystal ball code¡­¡± ¡°Ahem. Even if I have one, I don¡¯t use it much. Once you reach 8-chains, you¡¯re not so concerned about contacting others. If it¡¯s urgent, they¡¯lle looking for you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I guess¡­¡± Cidrane tried his best to avoid Dane¡¯s suspicious gaze. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 26 Chapter 26: It Was a Fun Time (3) As expected, Mother and Father began to worry first. As always, they put my safety first. However, they didn¡¯t worry overly much either. ¡°If ever there¡¯s anyone who covets Dane¡¯s magic power, I¡¯ll have to break them. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Mother, who usually would have scolded him for saying such a thing, just nodded and stated, ¡°They¡¯d die without even knowing how they died. Isn¡¯t that so, Dane?¡± So bloodthirsty but trustworthy. Father, who was a Hexa ss spearman. Mother, who was a legendary (retired) assassin. What did I have to worry about when they were watching my back? Plus, there were also my sisters. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I was just going to sit back and be protected. ¡°I¡¯ll also work hard.¡± I also had to grow stronger. Talent. As Cidrane said, it would be a waste not to develop my talent. It might be a bit much to say so myself, but I even had numerous talents. Spearmanship. Assassination. Magic. Summoning. Swordsmanship. They were all talents that were hard to exin with just Ancient Magic. ¡°By the way¡­ Haha! It¡¯s truly amazing. It would shock anyone if they found out. Wait, the fact that this happened to Dane¡­ does that mean Ancient Magic was sleeping within our bloodline?¡± Hmm, it seemed like I had to look through a few history books. Did we have any ancestors with an unusual history? Well, it didn¡¯t really matter. The fact that I now possessed Ancient Magic meant that I was clearly different from others. Not only did I have Ancient Magic, but I also had great talent. Ancient Magic only served to highlight how special I wasÒ» ¡°Since it¡¯s be like this, I n to be good at everything.¡± It made me ambitious. ¡°Hehehe. Lily, it seems our Dane has developed some manly ambitions.¡± ¡°Yes, Arken. Then, I hope he will be the best assassin and assassinate the emperor of Drenik, who I failed to kill.¡± ¡°Ahem, what are you talking about? He has to be a spearman who¡¯ll be remembered by history and be greater than me! Assassination is after that! I hope he¡¯ll make all those who say they can use the sword kneel with his spear.¡± My parents were so brutal. If my sisters were here, wouldn¡¯t there be a serious family discussion about my future career path? ¡°Hmm. What is certain is that our historians will have a lot to record this time. Hahahaha!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Hahaha!¡± After theughter passed, it was time to be serious. ¡°Dane, it seems we¡¯ll have to talk about your trip to the capital.¡± It seemed like Father and Mother had already talked about it between themselves. ¡°As you may know, the minimum age for admission to the Academy is fourteen. That is your exact age right now.¡± The Imperial Academy. Unlike the graduation age limit, there was no age limit for admission. ¡°So, originally, I wanted Dane to enter the academy after he had studied and practiced enough¡­ but to be honest, Mom and Dad¡¯s greed was a bit mixed in with that decision, too.¡± My father winked and my mother continued, ¡°Dane, as long as you are of the minimum age for admission, you can enter the Academy whenever you want. Just say the word and we will start preparing.¡± They had expressions of regret on their faces, but it wasn¡¯t like before. It wasn¡¯t that they had lost their love for me, but it seemed like they had finally made up their minds to let me go. ¡°Dane, at your age, there¡¯s no better ce to go to learn and practice in the world than the Academy. You¡¯ll do well.¡± ¡°Show off your talents, my son.¡± I nodded at their generous support and stated, ¡°Yes, I will definitely do that.¡± I wondered if they were this affectionate when my two older sisters left. ¡°Oh, and Dragon Tail¡­ will be passed on to you, Dane, when the timees. So until then, you know, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The best spearman. I still needed to learn more about assassination, my summoning skills were still in their infancy, and I was just starting out with magic. I also needed to continue practicing my swordsmanship, so there was a lot to do, but I was confident. ¡°Dane, since I have already given it to you, be someone worthy of Nighthorn. And while you¡¯re at it¡­ I hope you save many people with that dagger.¡± I remembered what my mother said when I saved Cidrane in the Forest of the Last Days with Nighthorn. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± But I didn¡¯t feel burdened. After all, it was what I wanted. The world outside the battlefield and the best environment for me to develop and grow my talents. I was rather happy, not because I was going to the academy, but because I was finally going somewhere I could further develop my talents. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve decided?¡± ¡°Yes, I decided to go a little faster.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. It would be a waste to confine that talent in this castle. Well, it is a good enough estate and castle, but¡­¡± Cidrane reacted to my decision to go to the Academy as if it were to be expected. ¡°Were you originally nning to go a littleter?¡± ¡°Well, I was nning on practicing my spearmanship and swordsmanship a bit more, and then maybe reaching 4-chains since I¡¯m already learning it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already a monster, but a freshman who could almost wipe out all his seniors could have gone to school then.¡± ¡°Not now?¡± Cidrane chuckled at those words. ¡°If I were you, and the Academy admission age wasn¡¯t restricted, I would have entered when I was seven and graduated by now.¡± He added, ¡°Well, your current level is more than enough. Just don¡¯t reveal too much from the beginning. It will be very annoying. The Academy wees talent, but not all who study at the Academy are like that.¡± My older sister used to say the same thing often, having seen absurd situations where people were criticized for being good at magic. Of course, my older sister responded by blowing most of them apart. If our family had been like the Tyren or some other ambiguous family rather than Sogres, my parents would have been summoned by the academy a hundred times by now. ¡°Still, since you are a member of the Sogres family, those mediocre people won¡¯t even be able to make eye contact, let alone argue. And don¡¯t you have older sisters?¡± That was true. Life at the academy would probably be prettyfortable. ¡°Hmm, would it be different if it were a member of the Thermion duchy?¡± Oh, right. I remembered that I had to go meet Duke Thermion once I got to the capital. He would be very disappointed if I didn¡¯t. While there, I would stop by the Thermion¡¯s cksmiths and think about what kind of weapon I would have made the crest the Duke gave me. And¡­ I needed to write a letter to Le. ¡®I¡¯ll do it sooner orter.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s see, there are only about three months left until the entrance ceremony¡­ I guess I¡¯ll have to leave here in two months.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Two months. With all the preparations, it would go by in an instant. There would be no time to refine the spearmanship I learned from my father, hone my swordsmanship, or review the assassination techniques learned from my mother. ¡°What about you, sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of going back to the Magic Tower. I just remembered something I need to do.¡± Cidrane scoffed in disbelief. ¡°Who would have thought I would find the solution to my boredom here? I will return and tell you as soon as I find any clues about Ancient Magic.¡± He looked very excited. Were all mages like that? My older sister also seemed like a child who was excited rather than tired when inventing and researching something. ¡°I¡¯m having a lot of fun thanks to you, you little punk.¡± Cidrane then asked slyly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you sad that I¡¯m leaving?¡± I shook my head firmly and stated, ¡°No. Even if you leave, I hope you will teach me all of the 2-chain rearrangement codes before you leave. It was a promise, after all.¡± ¡°¡­What a shrewd boy.¡± Still, it seemed like Cidrane wasn¡¯t that upset. ¡°Well, you need to have this much shrewdness to survive with that talent. It¡¯s okay for a talented person to be a little cocky, but if you¡¯re too cocky, you¡¯ll get stabbed in the back.¡± He really said whatever was on his mind in front of a child. ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s do that. I¡¯ll teach you everything I have and then leave. If someone asks you where you learned magicter, how about telling them my name?¡± ¡°Then that¡¯d make me your disciple.¡± ¡°Damn, it didn¡¯t work.¡± I chuckled and said, ¡°Still, I¡¯ll say that I learned up to 2-chains from you.¡± ¡°That works. Thank you.¡± Cidrane groaned with an expression that showed no gratitude at all. ¡°Ugh. I¡¯m still the head of a Magic Tower¡­¡± ¡°Then how about up to 3-chain? That¡¯s a little bit better.¡± Cidrane hesitated for a moment before nodding at the suggestion in a subtle manner. ¡°Arrrgh! Alright, if rumors spread that I only taught up to 2-chain when I¡¯m the head of a magic tower, I¡¯ll be considered an embarrassment! Yes, the real magic is from 3-chain!¡± Somehow, he seemed like a very friendly uncle. ¡°Be prepared. My sses are going to be very difficult. Starting from 3-chain, it will be soplicated and difficult that it can¡¯t even bepared to 2-chain. You¡¯ll probably start to think about giving up on magic.¡± Despite the threats, I smiled broadly. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to learn.¡± ¡°Hmph, so annoying.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°That confident expression!¡± Cidrane eximed with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve never wanted to teach someone this much before¡­ I know you won¡¯t agree to be my disciple, but always keep this in mind. This is the first time I¡¯m putting so much effort into teaching someone!¡± At that, I bowed my head respectfully. ¡°Yes, sir. Thank you.¡± ¡°If only you weren¡¯t so eloquent. Ugh.¡± Cidrane acted as if he would punch me but stopped and shook his head. Seeing him like that made him look like a friendly next-door neighbor to me. I seemed to have grown a little attached to him in these few short days. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯d like to give you a gift, sir.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°You unsealed this bracelet, didn¡¯t you?¡± Of course, only Ancient Runes appeared on the bracelet, and it was not immediately clear what it could do. However, since we found out that my magic power was from an ancient kingdom, I had to repay him. ¡°That, uh, it wasn¡¯t much¡­ I¡¯m still the head of a magic tower.¡± ¡°Still, I don¡¯t think I would have gotten it if it weren¡¯t for you, sir.¡± But people shouldn¡¯t be so unscrupulous. From Cidrane¡¯s perspective, it might not be a big deal, but I wasn¡¯t the type to just wipe my mouth clean and go. ¡°Well, if you think so¡­¡± So, I took out the things I had prepared in advance. It was a hot item that I received from my older sister yesterday using Item Teleport Magic. Cidrane epted the well-packaged spherical object with a puzzled expression on his face. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Open it.¡± I saw how Cidrane¡¯s pupils and hands trembled for a moment as he checked out the item. ¡°It¡¯s a new product that hasn¡¯t even been released yet. My older sister developed it recently, and she sent it to me specifically because I asked her.¡± It was a crystal ball formunication, otherwise known as ¡®Compact Crystal Ball 2.0.¡¯ She said something about having improved it through user feedback. ¡°Ahem. Hmm. I told you I¡¯m not one for trends. Once you reach 8-chain, you can keep in touch and do whatever you want without something like this!¡± ¡°Give it a try. My elder sister even said that she hoped you would use it well.¡± Cidrane looked at the crystal ball and pretended to be defeated. ¡°Well, if you say so¡­¡± ¡°Oh, right. You need to register your magic code before using it.¡± ¡°Oh, wait a minute. I can do it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you. Here, inject your magic.¡± ¡°Hmm. I said I can do it¡­ like this?¡± ¡°Oh, good. It¡¯s starting to glow.¡± I nced at Cidrane, who was focused on the crystal ball, and almost burst outughing. I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d like it that much. It seemed giving him the crystal ball was a great idea. ¡°Using code like this¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s working. So it works like this.¡± ¡°Huh, didn¡¯t you say you knew how to use it?¡± ¡°O-of course! I was just confused because it¡¯s thetest item. Haha.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± After I exined how to use the crystal ball to Cidrane, I returned to my room. I needed to get some rest. ¡°Young master, you¡¯ve worked hard today. Rest well. Things will get busy starting from tomorrow,¡± Herman suddenly said. ¡°I guess so. After all, we¡¯ll need to prepare well. Oh, then, I guess I won¡¯t be able to see you for a while.¡± ¡°Unfortunately so.¡± After all, you weren¡¯t allowed to bring attendants to the academy. So, when I went to the academy, I would temporarily be separated from my loyal attendant. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the chef, so ask him to bake you a tart anytime. Oh, it might be a bit awkward to ask without me around. Then, I¡¯ll make a request at Uncle Hessus¡¯ bakery outside the estate so you can go there and eat.¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to do that, young master.¡± ¡°Of course, I do. Your siblings like it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± You could say this was a small reward for Herman, who had faithfully served me for so long. It could be said that he was just doing his job, but I was still grateful. ¡°Thank you, young master. I won¡¯t forget this favor. I will serve you until I die.¡± ¡°Really. Aren¡¯t you going to be the chambein?¡± ¡°If I can serve by your side, I don¡¯t need to be the chambein.¡± I burst outughing at that. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s see about that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being honest.¡± ¡°Yes, so don¡¯t change your mindter. Go rest.¡± ¡°Yes, young master.¡± Once the door closed, a chuckle slipped past my lips. ¡°I should practice and get used to it.¡± Once Herman was not by my side, I would have to do everything by myself. Since I did so in my previous life, I would probably adjust quickly, but I would still feel that gap. Anyway, other than such adjustments, there was a lot to prepare. Two months. While training, I had to prepare to go to the academy. Swordsmanship, spearmanship, assassination, magic, and¡­ ¡°Oh.¡± Remembering the golden egg my second sister gave me on my 7th birthday¡ªthat is, the familiar that didn¡¯t hatch¡ªI took it out. It was a cruel thing that didn¡¯t react even though I religiously injected it with magic twice a day for the past seven years. Whoooong. I habitually injected it with magic, but it still didn¡¯t react. However, I discovered a truth not long ago. The magic I injected into it didn¡¯t leak but was being absorbed. From that, I could gather that what I was doing was notpletely useless. ¡°Well, it should work someday.¡± I wouldn¡¯t worry about it too much. I recalled what had happened with the Tyren siblings. Back then, I made the summons of another summoner obey me without a sign. I was also able to summon using someone else¡¯s sign. A familiar was just a bonus. What I was interested in was summoning. ¡°Anyway, I have to go to the academy if I want to be a summoner.¡± One of my goals was to take the specialized sses for summoners and gain the opportunity to take the test to be issued a sign. Since my second sister was currently working there as an assistant professor, would we be able to meet each other often? Well, anyway. ¡°Ugh, I should get some rest.¡± I closed my eyes and soon fell asleep. That night, I dreamed of going to the academy¡ªlike the little kid Cidrane kept saying I was. Chapter 27 Chapter 27: Worried About the Kids Whether Awake or Asleep After deciding to go to the academy, I spent the next two months practicing my spearmanship, assassination kills, swordsmanship, and magic as before. It wasn¡¯t ¡®special training¡¯ before entering the academy or anything like that. ording to my father, special training was useless and you should practice regrly. I agreed with his words 100%. If you did well normally, there wouldn¡¯t be any problems. People tended to make mistakes when doing something they weren¡¯t used to doing. Still, I did make some ¡®special¡¯ preparations. ?The current entrance exam system is simple. You take two exams.? ¡°Two?¡± ?Yeah, amon exam and a specialization exam.? My eldest sister continued her exnation. ?Themon exam is a kind of preliminary exam for insight. It¡¯s a test aboutmon things like the culture and history of the empire¡­ If it¡¯s you, Dane, you should be able to pass without a problem. Of course, it¡¯s better if you do well because the score will be reflected in your admission score.? ording to her exnation, the overall grade was calcted at a ratio of 50 formon (1st) and 50 for specialization (2nd). ?Next is the specialization exam. You choose a major and take a set test. The test is at the discretion of a professor of that major. You¡¯ll definitely pass, Dane. Plus, you have a letter of rmendation.? ording to my elder sister, it really was an ordinary entrance exam. It was an entrance exam that both my eldest sister and second sister passed by simply demonstrating their skills. There were exams for each major, and students would follow the major they chose at the time of admission unless they changed their majors midway through. As a note, assassination was not included as the academy didn¡¯t teach it. ¡°What majors are there?¡± ?Magic, spearmanship, swordsmanship, summoning,merce, art, music¡­ I hope our youngest chooses magic.? ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± I decided to think about it on the way to the academy. Swordsmanship, spearmanship, magic, summoning. I was confident in all of them. Truthfully, I didn¡¯t think it mattered what I chose, but I wanted to be careful with my choice since it would affect my future. ¡°And you can¡¯t make any changes other thanpletely changing your major?¡± ?That¡¯s normally the case. Short of graduating anding back, that¡¯s it. While you can take sses in other majors, once you enter your third year, they normally don¡¯t allow non-majors to take the higher-level sses for that major. There aren¡¯t enough seats for everyone.? That meant I had to choose one no matter what. While I was listening, I heard a wee sound. ?For talented kids like our Dane, there is also a system called ¡®autonomous major¡¯.? ¡°That sounds good.¡± ?But no one applies for it unless they are determined to not enter the academy. It¡¯s a method that kids often use when they don¡¯t want to go but their family tries to force them to.? ¡°Why?¡± ?Well, no one has passed the test so far. Most people fail.? Was she telling me to jump into the fires of hell? Well, it would be a good idea for me to try to pass this time. That was when I heard a knock. I quickly said goodbye and ended the call. ¡°Are you done with the call?¡± Cidrane came in with something in his hand. He handed it to me. ¡°It¡¯s the rmendation letter I promised you before.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Cidrane must have put a lot of thought into it, as it was packed into a luxurious envelope and was even sealed with his seal as the head of a magic tower. ¡°I paid a lot of attention to the contents as well as the appearance. I¡¯ve written a few rmendation letters before, but this is the first time I¡¯ve written one that was so long and detailed.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°Haa. I wish you would agree to be my disciple. Well, even if I took you as my disciple, you wouldn¡¯t be the kind of person who would call me master right away¡­¡± How did he know? Our rtionship wasn¡¯t so strict and serious that I would call him master. Of course, when I was learning magic, I also approached our lessons with a humble attitude and seriousness. Cidrane also taught me as best as he could. ¡°I definitely felt it this time. To think that you mastered all of the existing 2-chain magic rearrangement codes in two months, and even mastered one 3-chain rearrangement code. I almost fainted.¡± Thanks to that, I learned a lot, just like Cidrane said. I learned all of the rearrangement codes for 2-chain magic, and I mastered the rearrangement code for ¡®just¡¯ one 3-chain magic. As warned, the 3-chain rearrangement code was quite difficult. I thought I would get it in a day, but it took me a whole two weeks to figure out the rules. ¡°I wonder if it makes sense that it only took two weeks. I don¡¯t know if the other tower heads would believe me if I told them this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright to tell them about it.¡± ¡°I hate being called a liar. Hmph. I never n on telling them.¡± Perhaps I could put aside my worries about Cidrane telling others about my ancient magic or skills. ¡°By the way, are you ready for your trip?¡± Cidrane asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m almost done. I actually don¡¯t have a lot to pack. Things like clothes are in my subspace, and I heard the dorm¡¯s facilities are quite good,¡± I replied. ¡°Hmm. The facilities are good. The problem is that only a few monopolize them. Well, it¡¯s not like that would stop you from using them.¡± Just listening to Cidrane¡¯s words, the academy felt like a gathering ce for noble thugs who used their families to run wild. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ll do well. I can tell just by looking at you.¡± ¡°Thanks to my talent?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a ce where only talented people go in the first ce. You have to have talent to start with. What I mean is that you¡¯re someone who can go anywhere, show off, and be proud.¡± Cidrane added, ¡°Don¡¯t forget. It may sound grim, but it¡¯s a ce where there are a lot of people who will bare their teeth at you if they think you don¡¯t amount to much.¡± Well, that couldn¡¯t be as bad as on a battlefield, right? If you looked weak, it was a ce where swords flew first. It was nothing for me to worry about. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± ¡°If you need anything, just let me know. That thing, thepact thing, it looks useful.¡± I guess he was using it well. And to think he said he didn¡¯t follow trends. By the way, this old man¡­ ¡°But you speak as if you are going to leave soon?¡± ¡°Oh, you noticed? I¡¯m leaving tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Was it because I got so used to having sses with Cidrane? I was a little taken aback when he said he was leaving tomorrow. ¡°Are you going to miss me, brat? Well, it¡¯s not like I can stay here forever, right? Your father didn¡¯t even offer me the position of a mage advisor, but I¡¯ll think about itter when I ¡®really¡¯ retire from being the head of the magic tower.¡± Cidrane smiled and tapped my shoulder. ¡°You know, right? That I have things to do when I go back? I thought I had done everything, but it turns out there are still things I can do.¡± Things he could do. He was talking about finding information rted to the magic of the ancient kingdom that was flowing through my body and analyzing the magic. It was a happy thing for me because it would be of great help to me. On the other hand, it also seemed to give pure joy to Cidrane. ¡°Mages often think that only magic is important, but magic is actually something that ispleted through constant exploration, analysis, and repetition. That¡¯s why I¡¯m searching for its essence.¡± Thanks to his words, I had be more interested in the study of magic. I guess I could say that I realized that there was more to it than just memorizing the rearrangement code and casting spells. I felt like I should go to the academy and study hard. ¡°Anyway, thanks, kiddo.¡± After enjoying a farewell party prepared by my father, Cidrane left the next day. I didn¡¯t forget to say, ¡°See you again next time.¡± ¡°If anything happens or you need my help, contact me anytime. I¡¯ll definitely pay off my debt and make you my disciple.¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t contact you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go find you!¡± It was quite a pity. Although we did not have a formal ¡®mage-style¡¯ master-disciple rtionship, we were very serious when it came to teaching and learning from each other. ¡°Take care. Avoid the forest.¡± ¡°You¡¯re definitely hitting a sore spot when I¡¯m about to leave, you little brat. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Cidrane really left, and I returned home with some sadness. There was no time to savor the sadness for long, though. After all, it was time for me to leave. Arken Sogres, who was about to send his son to the academy after his two daughters, tried to suppress his anxious feelings. Today was the day Dane left for the capital. That meant finally leaving his protection and going out into the world. If even his son left, the alreadyrge castle would look empty. ¡®Still, we can¡¯t keep such talent locked up.¡¯ Count Sogres recalled his past self, back when he begged his father to let him go to battle. He really resented his father for only allowing him to leave after he became a triple ss. He really was immature back then. Now, he thought he understood a little. ¡°I¡¯m relieved that he¡¯ll be there soon¡­ I hope there won¡¯t be any problems on the way there.¡± Lily Sogres was also feeling heavy-hearted. The children were raised by them as if they were as precious as gold and jade. It was the third time experiencing one leaving, so she thought she would get used to it, but it still didn¡¯t seem easy. ¡°Haha. What problems could there be with the teleportation gate that Arabe prepared? Is that all? When he gets near the capital, re says she wille and pick him up with her summoned beast.¡± Fortunately, the road didn¡¯t seem difficult or long. Arabe had been creating teleportation gates at each point for quite some time, allowing them to travel almost at warp speed to the capital. When Dane reached the capital, re woulde out to meet him with a ¡®summon¡¯. ¡°We raised our children well. The children of other families are busy fighting among themselves over who should inherit or not.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to make that choice someday as well, but any of them would be great at it.¡± As the two of them slowly rxed, Dane, who was finally ready to leave, approached them. ¡°Father, Mother, I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Of course. You have everything?¡± ¡°Yes. If there is anything I forgot, please send it to me. That way, I can use it as an excuse to listen to your voices.¡± He felt reluctant. Fourteen years old. Even for a child of a noble family, he matured too quickly. He was still at an age where he could act spoiled and remain in the embrace of his parents for a while longer¡­ ¡®Our Dane isn¡¯t one to do something like that, though.¡¯ It was a pity that he matured so quickly. ¡°Dane, you have Nighthorn and the mark I gave you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°If you really need help, go to the ce I told you about and show them that mark. Everything should be resolved after that.¡± Dane nodded his head. As expected from his mother, who was a legendary (retired) assassin), she gave Dane the mark of the assassin group she had briefly been a part of in the past. ¡°You gave him something that dangerous?¡± ¡°Dangerous? They¡¯re all good people.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Count Sogres still couldn¡¯t forget the gruesome memories of those days. Lily had taken him somewhere to meet her colleagues and in the blink of an eye, ten daggers were aimed at his neck. What had they said back then? They said they were all pretty good assassins. ¡®Surely Dane won¡¯t go there and start walking the path of a full-fledged assassin?¡¯ ¡°If you ever need to, don¡¯t dy going to them. Everyone will help you as if it were their own business.¡± ¡°Are they your friends, Mother?¡± ¡°Of course. They¡¯re very close friends. Though we haven¡¯t seen each other for over twenty years, they should still remember me.¡± Lily smiled and patted Dane¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Whenever and wherever you want, Mom and Dad will run right over to you.¡± Those were the most reassuring words in the world. If both his parents came running, all danger could be ovee. Plus, there were also his sisters. ¡°Oh, Dane. Did you pack the gift? When you get there, please greet Duke Thermion.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Dane wasn¡¯t going straight to the academy. In order to keep his promise to the duke, he was nning on stopping by and greeting Duke Thermion once he arrived at the capital. ¡°I suppose you should be going now, Dane.¡± It was finally time to leave the castle. ¡°Have a nice trip, young master!¡± ¡°Young master! Go and tten the noses of those swindlers in the capital!¡± ¡°Take care!¡± The people of the estate came out after hearing the news that Dane was going to the academy and waved goodbye. Some wereughing happily while others swallowed tears of sadness. Finally, Dane got on his horse and passed through the castle gate. ¡°Our son will do well.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Arken and Lily, who were watching, nodded happily as if they were no longer worried. But that was only for a moment. After the farewell ceremony, the two each gave orders to the people they had prepared in advance. ¡°Gid, tail him as carefully as you can. Make sure no one bothers him and he gets to the Teleport Gate safely before returning.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Shadow. You know what you must do? Make sure he gets to the gate safely and that nothing strange urs.¡± One way or another, parents seemed to worry about their children all the time. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 28 Chapter 28: Why Didn¡¯t You Write? I finally arrived at the teleportation point that my eldest sister had set up in advance. Everyone eximed in amazement. Hermann, who followed me here to see me off, was impressed. ¡°I think Lady Arabe is truly amazing.¡± It was only then that I realized why my eldest sister had invested a whole year into it. There was no other way to describe the sight other than ¡®amazing¡¯. ¡°They say that Teleport Magic is the most difficult and time-consuming of all magicks¡­ but from the perspective of someone who has only swung swords his entire life like me, it¡¯s like looking at an ancient relic.¡± That would be the case. A huge structure for teleportation now stood tall in the middle of the in. ¡°So, this is how you will move through two points?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± I stroked the structure that was obviously invented by my sister. How much effort must have gone into it? In fact, teleportation couldn¡¯t be activated in a snap like other magic by simply arranging the magic code. It was an incrediblyplex magic, to the point where it had its own specialized field. Usually, a huge magic circle was drawn, and people had to stand on top of it to prevent it from being damaged. Depending on the distance, the caster¡¯s magical power had to be continuously poured in for at least several weeks or up to a year before it could be cast. Because of this, enemy spies considered a magic circle that was continuously maintained in one area as evidence of invasion. ¡°I heard that Teleport Magic is veryplicated. Can you move to another location right away with just this?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± It seemed that the structures, which were as tall as two people, seemed to act as a magic circle. More importantly, it was not a magic circle that disappeared after one use like a normal teleportation spell, but a magic circle that acted semi-permanently. To think my sister made this for me. Would I have done something like that for a younger sibling? I felt like I should be nicer to my sisters. By the way, this wasn¡¯t a single-use thing, right? If I could use it toe back, I coulde and go from home whenever I wanted. ¡°Well then, young master, it is time for us to part ways. Please, take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Herman.¡± I climbed up the structure after saying goodbye to Herman. Arabe told me that if I poured my magic there, the starting trigger would be activated. Whooooong. Oh. It worked. And the moment I felt that wayÒ» I was sucked into a vortex of uncontroble magic. It wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought or heard from my eldest sister. How could I describe it? It was a strangely¡­fortable feeling? ¡°Neigh.¡± When I opened my eyes, I saw a horse that my sister must have prepared in advance trotting around. ¡°As expected.¡± She was always prepared for everything. It was a shame I couldn¡¯t see her in person, but this was better than nothing. Thanks to my eldest sister, I was able to get here in the blink of an eye, when it should have taken a month. ¡°That¡¯s right. Good girl.¡± I got on the horse straight away. It was gentle and rough, but I could feel its strength as I pet its mane. Not far away, the true scenery of the capital, ¡®Artenia¡¯, came into view. I pulled the reins. ¡°Hiya!¡± As I took my time and took breaks, it took me a day to get to the capital. When I arrived and presented my ID card, the gate guards saluted me. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, Lord Dane Sogres!¡± This was the first time I had received a salute if I excluded my past life. I returned the salute without realizing it. Then the captain of the guard was surprised. ¡°The angle of your salute is a work of art.¡± After my talent was discovered and I was promoted to officer rank, receiving salutes became a daily routine. I remembered thatter on, I just nodded my head because I was toozy to return the salute. By the way¡­ ¡°You were waiting for me?¡± Did my father contact him in advance by any chance? Or my sisters? ¡°Yes! The attendants sent by Duke Thermion are waiting for you now!¡± Aha. So fast. It seemed like my father had already contacted Duke Thermion. By the way, my older sisters weren¡¯t able toe out to see me because both of them were participating in the Imperial Academy¡¯s exam as examiners and supervisors. ording to the rules, to prevent leaking exam questions, they weren¡¯t allowed to meet anyone taking the exams. It was unfortunate, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. We would see each other at the academy anyway. Our meet-up would only be dyed a few days. ¡°Pleasee this way.¡± I finally entered the capital following the captain of the guard. A magnificent view unfolded before me. Completely different from the peaceful count¡¯s castle, the capital was noisy and chaotic. The streets were filled with people and the buildings appeared to be at least four or five stories high. ¡°Come and see some magic tricks before you go! It¡¯s not something you see every day! Mysterious and fun tricks!¡± ¡°Come, it¡¯s very cheap! Magically frozen parfait for only one bronze crown!¡± A capital I had never been to, even in my past life. To be exact, a ce I couldn¡¯t go. Finally, I was there to showcase my talents to the world. ¡°Lord Dane, it must have been harding such a long way.¡± I followed the captain of the guard to where five knights wearing the crest of the Thermion Duchy were waiting. Their armor was splendid. What was it that my eldest sister had said? The knights of Duke Thermion were just as popr as the Imperial Knights. A man with a scar across his face stepped forward and introduced himself. ¡°I am Lewik Asmar, captain of the First Corps of the knights of House Thermion.¡± The captain of the knights. I instinctively tried to gauge his skills. He was themander of the first knight division of House Thermion, so he should be at penta ss? ¡°It is an honor to serve the son of the war hero Count Sogres. From now on, I will do my best to serve you.¡± In the midst of this, I realized anew how great a person my father was. ¡°Please take good care of me, Knight Captain.¡± ¡°You may call me Sir Asmar. How do you feel about your visit to the capital?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice. It doesn¡¯t have the peace of the South, but all this bustle is impressive.¡± Sir Asmar smiled. ¡°The capital has its own charm. Of course, when I retire, I would like to go down to the south and live a peaceful life.¡± He seemed to be quite talkative despite his appearance. ¡°Oh yes, I have heard a lot about it. Was it seven years ago? It must have been after the lord visited the South. It was the first time I have heard His Grace praise someone like that.¡± To think Duke Thermion did such a thing. It felt really strange. It would never happen, but how would he react if he found out that I was Argrik in my past life? ¡°I heard that you have great talent for spearmanship. As expected from the son of Count Sogres.¡± ¡°You¡¯re praising me too much. Compared to my father, I¡¯m nothing much.¡± ¡°You say that, but you¡¯re already a head taller than your peers and your bone structure looks very sturdy. You are fourteen, correct? I don¡¯t mean to brag, but I was also called a talent, but even I didn¡¯t have such a figure when I was fourteen.¡± Did he receive any instructions from Duke Thermion? I felt like they were intentionally praising me. Still, it didn¡¯t feel bad, and that statement was true. I was a head¡ªno, two heads taller than my peers. My physical development was much faster as I developed my Mana Core at three years old. Now that I thought about it, it seemed like it might have been because my Mana Core contained Ancient Magic. ¡°I think you¡¯ll receive a lot of attention once you enter the academy.¡± I just hoped that nothing bothersome or unnecessary happened. Anyway, I moved with Sir Asmar and the four knights following him. As we walked down the street, I felt people¡¯s curious stares, but unlike at the count¡¯s castle, I didn¡¯t respond with a smile or wave. After all, this was the capital. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± It was a short walk to the duke¡¯s mansion. No, actually, we didn¡¯t move that much before I had a panoramic view of the huge mansion. It was not surrounded by a wall like the count¡¯s castle but was surrounded by a low fence, and it stood tall below the imperial castle. It was awe-inspiring. Although not as much as the count¡¯s castle, the mansion was also overflowing with its own style. That feeling became more intense the closer we got to the mansion¡­ I looked around when I felt as if someone was staring at me. I definitely felt it. Something simr to murderous intent¡­ ¡°Oh, by the way, I heard you¡¯re going to enter the academy soon. You¡¯ll be entering with Miss Le.¡± Oh. Le. It had been a long time since I¡¯d heard that name. I hoped she was doing well. Had her swordsmanship skills improved a lot? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. We will enroll together.¡± It would be fun if we went to school together. In the midst of all this, I finally arrived in front of the mansion and found many people waiting for me. As we entered the mansion, a huge garden unfolded before us. ¡°Isn¡¯t it wonderful? This garden is my favorite area in the mansion. All my worries disappear when I contemte here.¡± Well, I thought our gardener¡¯sndscaping skills were a little better. I entered the mansion amidst the proud words of Lord Asmar and found myself a little surprised. As soon as I entered, there were servants lined up on both sides of the central staircase. I should say that the rules and etiquette of our South felt very liberal. ¡°Wee, Lord Sogres. I am Yohaim, the chambein of House Thermion.¡± An old man wearing a monocle greeted me, and from then on he naturally guided me in. ¡°Pleasee this way.¡± Just as I started wondering when the escorting would endÒ» ¡°We are here.¡± I finally arrived in front of Duke Thermion¡¯s office. My heart wasn¡¯t pounding. Instead, it was excited. The man who killed me¡­ how would he see me upon meeting me again after seven years? ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s Yohaim. I have brought the youngest son of Count Sogres.¡± ¡°Oh,e in.¡± A spacious office was visible upon entering. In the middle of it all, a man stood as tall as a mountain. Bout Thermion. ¡°I, Dane Sogres, greet you, Duke Thermion.¡± He looked at me and smiled, replying, ¡°Long time no see, Dane.¡± Duke Thermion reacted more than I expected. ¡°Oho¡­ even at a nce, you arepletely different from seven years ago. The only thing that remained the same is your hair and eye color.¡± He wasn¡¯t just talking about physical growth. ¡°Your physical growth is one thing¡­ haha, truly. I can see that kids you¡¯re age¡ªno, even fifteen-year-olds won¡¯t be able to stand against you.¡± Rather than having an exact idea of what my level was, it seemed like he was just making a rough estimate. Of course, you could tell if someone had a core or a circle, but you couldn¡¯t check exactly how many there were unless you took a closer look. Duke Thermion patted me on the shoulder and said, ¡°Arken must be so proud.¡± I wondered if my father was doing well these days. I hoped Mother wasn¡¯t crying because I wasn¡¯t there. I should call themter. ¡°Make yourselffortable while you¡¯re at the mansion. It won¡¯t be asfortable as the count¡¯s castle, but I¡¯d like you to feel at ease for the next few days while you prepare for the entrance exam. I¡¯ll assign a dedicated attendant to you, so if you need anything, just ask. Ah, yes. Asking Le might be a good idea.¡± I supposed I would see Le soon. But then Duke Thermion frowned and asked sadly, ¡°By the way, did you fight with Le?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°She seemed to be in a bad mood whenever I brought you up these past few months.¡± I shook my head and replied, ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so?¡± ¡°Hmm. It shouldn¡¯t be what I¡¯m thinking, right?¡± I didn¡¯t know what he was thinking, but there was no reason why I wouldn¡¯t be on good terms with Le. We exchanged letters several times, and the atmosphere was always friendly. ¡°Hmm. Maybe it¡¯s because of the pressure of the entrance exam. Someone like Le should pass easily, but she¡¯s still fourteen.¡± Well, I guess I could just ask once we met. If she was nervous about the entrance exam, I could help her rx. By the way, it was a bit funny because Duke Thermion looked exactly like my father when he was worrying about my elder sisters. ¡°The son of my old friend hase to visit my mansion, so I will have to entertain him. We will discuss the detailster at the dinner banquet.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for your consideration, Your Grace.¡± ¡°What consideration?¡± Duke Thermion asked, smiling brightly. ¡°Arken has done very well raising his children. Arabe, re, and you, Dane. All three of you will grow up to be great people.¡± My father would have been very happy to hear that. ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯m letting you know just in case, but¡­ be gentle.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± I left the duke¡¯s office in such doubt. Yohaim, who had guided me here, was waiting for me. ¡°I will take you to your room, my lord.¡± So I followed him back to the central staircase and then changed directions toward the room I would be staying in. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for an attendant as you enter. If you need anything, please let me know.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Well then, please get some rest. I wille to escort you an hour before the banquet.¡± Yohaim left and I turned to the door that was much taller than me. I was going to stay for a week and then go take the entrance exam. After taking the first test, if I passed, I would choose a major for the second test. ¡®What should I study while I¡¯m here? Should I brush up on my swordsmanship or spearmanship a little?¡¯ ¡°Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think I asked where the training ground was.¡± ¡°I will guide you to the training ground.¡± A familiar yet unfamiliar voice came from behind me. I turned my head andÒ» ¡°I thought I¡¯d go crazy waiting for you to get here.¡± Le. She was different from the Le in my memories, but it was definitely Le who was standing there. Rose-colored hair, pale skin, and still shorter than me, but iparably taller than before. ¡°Le.¡± I smiled brightly in joy. ¡°How have you been doing?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve been doing well. I¡¯ve been doing very well.¡± What the heck? Why was she acting odd all of a sudden? Le narrowed her eyes in a rather menacing manner and asked me. ¡°You¡­ why didn¡¯t you write?¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 29 Chapter 29: Want to Spar? Only then did I realize why Duke Thermion had said what he had about Le seeming to be upset whenever I was brought up. Writing a letter. I forgot. I said I would reply, but I was so busy practicing magic with Cidrane that itpletely slipped my mind. ¡°You should have at least told me in advance that you wereing!¡± Le seemed quite upset. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I wanted to write you a letter, but I was so busy preparing that I didn¡¯t have much time on my hands.¡± Le pouted in disdain. ¡°¡­Ugh, it¡¯s not like I can stay mad at you.¡± She must have waited a long time. Feeling a bit of guilt, I made a slight suggestion. ¡°Well, is there anything I can do?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I feel really bad about it.¡± I hesitated for a moment and then said, ¡°For example, a light sparring match?¡± At those words, a corner of Le¡¯s lips went up. ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t regret it?¡± ¡°Regret?¡± ¡°Even though I look like this, I can¡¯tpare to how I was before. I¡¯m not the same as back when I was struggling to learn how to release magical power from you.¡± Judging from her confident expression, she seemed to have grown a lot over the past seven years. Yes, what was it that I read in a letter back then? ¡°You know, right? I won the Dant¨¨re Cup hosted by the Imperial Family?¡± Yeah, I remembered her saying she had won the Dant¨¨re Cup. It was a type of tournament in which boys and girls under the age of fifteen from the empirepeted. It was apetition created by Dant¨¨re I, who founded the current Altheon Empire, tomemorate the establishment of the empire. ¡°Yeah, I remember.¡± ¡°I wish you hade, too.¡± I didn¡¯t go because I didn¡¯t want to bother with the roundtrip journey. Now that I was in the capital, I considered going next time. Anyway, Le certainly seemed to have great talent. They said that the winner would be personally congratted by the emperor and given a reward and a cash prize. It was likely that all of the talented children from all over the country had gathered there, but Le had won thepetition. ¡°If you hade, I would have definitely fought you in the finals.¡± Le then asked, ¡°You¡¯re participating in the next one, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Tsk. Even if you say so, it¡¯s fine. So, let¡¯s spar. Is that okay? We have to take the entrance exam, what if you get hurt?¡± I barely managed to hold back myughter. I wasn¡¯t mocking her. It was just cute. Instead of the caution I had seen seven years ago, confidence seemed to have taken its ce. I smiled at those words and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Okay. Then shall we go right now?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± There was nothing better than a good spar to rx after a trip. Well, it wasn¡¯t much of a trip as it was almost instantaneous. Still, I had a feeling I knew why the Duke told me to take it easy. * * * Le Thermion. A girl who was considered stronger than anyone her age. The winner of the 299th Dant¨¨re Cup, she also possessed beauty that any heir to a prestigious family would treasure in their hearts. The daughter of Duke Thermion, you could say that she was a being who truly had everything. Because of this, the nobles all agreed that she would soon catch up with her two older brothers, who were already active as knights, and that she might even be the first female head of the House Thermion. It might have been because it made for a better topic of conversation, but it was also proof of Le¡¯s great talent. Truthfully, even Le didn¡¯t think she would grow so much. But seven years ago, her world changed when she met Dane at Count Sogres¡¯s house while following her father on his southern inspection tour. Mana Release. She had learned the basics of handling magical power much faster than her peers, and as a result, her growth began to elerate as she created a mana core a yearter. ¡®After that¡­ even I couldn¡¯t believe how fast I was growing.¡¯ And now, she had created two mana cores. Perhaps within two years, her mana cores would increase to three. Of course, that kind of growth would not have been possible without existing talent. However, the secret of mana release that Dane had taught her brought about great growth for Le, and as a result, she had won the Dant¨¨re Cup. Now, it was time to show off those skills to the person who taught her. ¡®If I win, will Dane be depressed? Should I take it easy?¡¯ Le was worried that Dane might be depressed after losing to her. ¡°This is the training ground.¡± ¡°It¡¯s big.¡± ¡°It really is, right? But I always use it by myself, so it¡¯s boring. Sometimes my brotherse and use it, but it¡¯s basically a ce only for members of the Thermion family.¡± Le looked proud. ¡°How should we spar?¡± Dane, on the other hand, didn¡¯t seem particrly interested. ¡°Do you have any practice weapons?¡± Practice weapons? It had been over two years since she had used one. ¡°Are you still using a deless weapon?¡± At those words, Dane shook his head and stated, ¡°I said it was light sparring. The principle is to use weapons for practice.¡± Dane continued firmly, ¡°No matter how skilled a warrior is, he can¡¯t handle every situation. If you or I get hurt, what will we do then?¡± ¡°Our family also has the best healer in the empire.¡± ¡°What if an ident happens before the healer can do anything?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dane¡¯s past life began on the battlefield and ended on the battlefield. Because of this, he knew very well how quickly people could get injured and die. Above all, sparring had to be sparring. ¡°If you are going to wield a weapon, you should have the right mindset.¡± A fear that came from such seriousness filled the training ground. Le reluctantly asked, ¡°¡­Why are you so serious about sparring?¡± ¡°You have to be serious whenever you draw your weapon. Even your practice weapon.¡± That was Arken Sogres, his father¡¯s teachings. Le eventually gave in to the pressure of the situation. However, it didn¡¯t seem like she waspletely convinced. ¡®Is it because youck confidence? Hmph.¡¯ Le asked immediately, ¡°Okay, so are you using a spear?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Within a few minutes, a practice sword and spear were brought in. ¡°The center of gravity ispletely off. I used this two years ago.¡± While Le grumbled, Dane swung his spear a few times without a second thought. As a spear with no de or any special features, Dane¡¯s weapon wasn¡¯t very bnced either. The short spear that his father gave him as a gift had been lengthened a year ago when he reced the shaft and had be a long spear. The spear was a masterpiece made of maple and godrick steel with an optimal center of gravity. Because of this, Dane felt a more acute sense of alienation. However, Dane didn¡¯t show it. After all, he still vividly remembered the battlefield where he would pick up any weapon he could and use it whenever his weapon broke. Dane turned to Le and said, ¡°The rule is that if your feet leave the ground, the spar begins, and if your arms or your butt touch the ground, or you drop your weapon, you lose. How about that?¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Le returned to her confident expression. The two distanced themselves and pointed their weapons at each other. Le learned the basic stance of the Thermion swordsmanship, and Dane the basic stance of the Sogres spearmanship. Le, as always, had imagined the duel in her head. Fortunately, she had faced spearmen during the Dant¨¨re Cup, so it wasn¡¯t difficult. ¡®Spears have a long range, but their destructive power drops sharply at close range. So¡­¡¯ Le finally took a step forward, making her own n. It was a movement that signaled the start of the duel. However, Le¡¯s thoughts could not continue any longer. Thunk! At the same time, Dane seemed to kick off from the ground, and then he suddenly rushed forward. ¡°Ugh.¡± He was within striking distance of Le. She felt a cool feeling on her neck. Dane¡¯s spear de, which had rushed in like lightning, stopped right in front of her neck. Le froze in ce and Dane spoke. ¡°If my skills had been just a little weaker while holding a real weapon, or if you had moved clumsily, you would have been stabbed in the neck.¡± Le couldn¡¯t nod because she couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. Dane¡¯s spear had stopped too close to her for her to nod, anyway. ¡°How¡­?¡± Dane put away his spear and answered, ¡°Shall we go again?¡± A drop of cold sweat ran down Le¡¯s spine. No, she had just let her guard down. Le raised her sword, trying to rationalize what had happened. That was whenÒ» ¡®Father.¡¯ She saw her father looking down at the training grounds from a terrace not that far away. Le tightened her grip on her sword. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Looking at Le¡­ There wasn¡¯t even a hint ofughter to be found on Dane¡¯s face. It was as if he were going to war. The third time The fourth. And the fifth. ¡°What do you think?¡± Duke Thermion asked Asmar while watching the two sparring. ¡°I mean, Le being subdued five times,¡± Asmar answered after trying to figure out the intention of Duke Thermion¡¯s question. ¡°It seems that Lord Dane is very skilled.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s not what I asked. That¡¯s a fact that anyone watching the duel can see.¡± As he spoke, Le was defeated for the sixth time. Not only was her newlyunched sword aura easily blocked, but she was also hit five times on the shoulder. They were weak blows, of course, but it would have been more painful than any attack she had received in recent years. ¡°I won¡¯t lose!¡± Duke Thermion continued speaking while watching Le, who was rushing at Dane again. ¡°Do you think this will ease Le¡¯s temper a little?¡± ¡°¡­You knew about it.¡± ¡°Of course. I knew it better than anyone. I saw the signs before the Dant¨¨re Cup, but after winning, she hadpletely changed.¡± Duke Thermion recalled Le¡¯s appearance, which went beyond confidence and into being prideful. He had wanted to scold her but thought she should figure it out on her own, so he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Le have two mana cores?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°In your opinion, how many mana cores does that boy have?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Asmar answered after much thought, ¡°At least three.¡± ¡°Truly? I think differently. I believe he has two, three at most.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Do you see that?¡± Duke Thermion pointed at Dane¡¯s attack. ¡°What is overwhelming Le is not his spearmanship or faster movements, but his tactics, which Le has never experienced.¡± As the duke had said, Dane¡¯s current speed was not much different from Le¡¯s. However, Le was consistently pushed back throughout the spar. ¡®I am the winner of the Dant¨¨re Cup!¡¯ This fact was a source of great pride for Le, but that pride could no longer be disyed. The swift swordsmanship that Le was proud of was always blocked, and the delicate swordsmanship unique to House Thermion was all parried away. Their speed was clearly the same. But why¡ª ¡°How are you blocking everything?¡± ¡°Because I can see everything.¡± Le burst out in anger at the simple answer. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± Dane was being honest. He could see everything. Dane had gained experience on the battlefield by facing all kinds of enemies and being several times faster than them. From that perspective, Le¡¯s attacks were inferior to those of a seasoned soldier. Their speed was simr. At least, the speed Dane was ¡®regting¡¯ right now. Though Dane might be a bit at an advantage when it came to physical strength, winning a spar did not solely rely on that alone. Of course, House Thermion¡¯s swordsmanship and the body movements enhanced by the mana core were dangerous¡­ But that too was when both opponents were of the same ¡®ss¡¯. Just like the ones whopeted in the Dant¨¨re Cup. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t he seem like a seasoned swordsman?¡± Asmar was impressed by Dane¡¯s movements, which reacted in ordance with Le¡¯s movements. Who would have thought someone of that age would be able to make those kinds of moves? Had he already had a lot of practical experience? No, that didn¡¯t make sense. However, could this be exined only with the word ¡®talent¡¯? ¡°Sir Asmar¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± ¡°There was a time when Le changed. Do you know when that was?¡± ¡°I think it was about seven years ago. It was after you returned from your inspection tour in the South.¡± ¡°Yes, to be exact, it was after she met a boy named Dane.¡± Duke Thermion smiled. ¡°It¡¯ll probably be the same this time too.¡± Perhaps, this time too, Le would grow because of Dane. Dane was thoroughly blocking Le¡¯s attacks, clearly showing the difference in their skill. ¡°Still, he seems incredible. The youngdy is the winner of the Dant¨¨re Cup, and it seems that Count Sogres trained him very harshly.¡± Duke Thermion shook his head at those words and replied, ¡°No, he¡¯s strict, but he¡¯s not the type who¡¯ll train you harshly. He¡¯s different from me. And training doesn¡¯t always have to be harsh.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Natural talent, the so-called genius. A genius greater than those we usually refer to as geniuses.¡± Genius. It was amonly used word, but this case was a little different. ¡°It¡¯s likely that he didn¡¯t participate in the Dant¨¨re Cup because he wasn¡¯t very interested in it.¡± Asmar was dumbfounded. Not interested in the Dant¨¨re Cup? The Dant¨¨re Cup was and always had been the most coveted prize for boys and girls. ¡°That boy¡¯s skills¡­ In my opinion, they are iparable to those who participated in the Dant¨¨re Cup.¡± Basics that were so solid that they were overflowing. Fast and intense speed Good sense of mana usage. And what made all of this possible¡­ Was the expertise that came from his experience in his past life. ¡®If someone who didn¡¯t know watched this, they would think a warrior from the past was fighting.¡¯ From using dirt and dust and actively using the spear¡¯s shaft instead of just the de, to irregr attacks following honest attacks. Did he learn it from Count Sogres? Instead of shy spearmanship, the unique spearmanship of Count Sogres, who stabbed and swung at the right ce at the right time, seemed to have evolved under Dane¡¯s touch. ¡°Truly great spearmanship, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Hmm. I agree.¡± What was certain was that there was no boy or girl who could oppose such great skills. ¡°Interesting, very interesting.¡± Duke Thermion hoped that in this duel, Le would realize her own shorings. He also hoped that she would let go of her pride and be more skilled at swordsmanship. Then she would be able topletely surpass her brothers. ¡°Haha, I told him to take it easy.¡± Duke Thermion smiled happily as he looked forward to his daughter¡¯s growth. * * * Seven years ago, Dane, who she had met in the garden of the count¡¯s castle, was an object of admiration for Le. He acted more mature than her. Had the skills to teach her how to release mana. And his meticulousness. And not only in words but also in the strength he disyed when subduing the Tyren brothers. So, he was an object of admiration for Le. At the same time, he was someone she wanted to surpass. To be more exactÒ» ¡®I wanted to prove myself.¡¯ She wanted to prove that she wasn¡¯t just a child who waited to be taught. So, she continued to train and tried to prove herself. Seven yearster, she met Dane again. She had been waiting for this day. But in the process, as she won the Dant¨¨re Cup, Le found herself more intoxicated with herself than with her goal of surpassing Dane. You are the best. No one your age can beat you. As expected of a child of House Thermion. With so many words surrounding her, her confidence soon turned into arrogance. She knew it. Still, intoxicated by the joy of being recognized, she tried to ignore it and even thought that she could easily defeat Dane. ¡°What the hell¡­ are you?¡± But that wasn¡¯t true. So far, she hadunched over a hundred attacks without a single sessful attack. If this were realbat, Le would have needed at least a hundred lives. That was because every time an attack was blocked, Dane¡¯s spear would rush in without fail, stopping exactly in front of her neck, heart, head, arms, and legs. ¡®Why does it feel like we¡¯re getting further apart?¡¯ Dane was barely panting when she could hardly breathe. If you looked closely, he moved twice as much as Le did because as he was attacking and defending at the same time¡­ ¡°How can it be like this?¡± Dane didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Eiiik!¡± Instead, he knocked Le¡¯s sword away as she rushed at him. ng! She watched the sword fall to the floor. It was Le¡¯s defeat. ¡°You lost¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rub it in,¡± Le grumbled and sighed. ¡°Yeah, I lost.¡± The winner of the Dant¨¨re Cup. It was the moment when Le¡¯s defeat in the duel was confirmed. ¡°You¡­ how on earth did you cultivate yourself?¡± ¡°Diligently.¡± ¡°¡­is there anyone who doesn¡¯t train diligently?¡± ¡°You just have to work harder.¡± Could she punch this guy? No. She couldn¡¯t even cut him with her sword, never mind a fist. ¡°¡­tsk.¡± Le turned her head away because she hated that smile. It was an absurd smile that made all herints and anger disappear when she saw it. Was it because he was handsome? ¡°I¡¯ll try again next time.¡± Anyway, Le made up her mind. Now that it hade to this, she was going to keep challenging him until she won. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 30 Chapter 30: Entrance Exam (1) Le, fortunately, seemed to have gotten over her pride. Her overconfidence and thinking that she would win without even knowing my own abilities disappeared. Of course it was because she nevernded a single sessful attack on me. ¡°Just wait and see, I¡¯ll definitely winter.¡± I thought she had be a little obsessed because she felt so wronged, but I just found it cute. The only way to develop was to have an obsession. It was much better than the self-centered emotions that ate away at a warrior. But thanks to that, I was able to sweat a bit. To be honest, it had been a long time since I¡¯d faced an opponent who attacked me so tenaciously. No matter how much my father told them not to give in to me, the knights who were my sparring partners soon began to treat me gently. Then, after they were allowed to strike me, they gritted their teeth and rushed at me. So, the so-called fatigue from the journey was washed away like that, and I watched Le practice her swordsmanship until the day before the entrance exam. ¡°Here, at this point. There should be no hesitation. Look carefully. When you are stabbing, think of focusing on a single point.¡± ¡°I know that! But how can you stop here like that?¡± ¡°Just.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Le seemed to be impressed with the technique of stopping my spear wherever I wanted that I used in our duel, so I taught her because she asked me to. However, it didn¡¯t seem to be easy. That was only natural. It was difficult. It required more than just long-term thinking to swing a weapon and make it stop where you wanted it to. It was a move that required more precise control of force. ¡°How the hell do you do that? Do you know how hard it is to do it with a sword? You¡¯re a spearman!¡± Instead of answering, I picked up the practice sword lying next to me. Then, I got into position and swung my swordÒ» Whoosh! Ò»which stopped exactly in front of the practice dummy¡¯s neck. ¡°¡­no way.¡± After that, two, three, four, and five times. Le seemedpletely speechless as I stopped my sword at exactly the same distance from the head, chest, arms, legs, and again, the neck. ¡°¡­¡± Putting down my sword, I said, ¡°See? It¡¯s also possible with a sword. The important thing is consistent effort.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Le looked down at her sword with a shocked expression on her face. I suppose it was because it was clearly no different from my sword, but she couldn¡¯t understand why I could do it but she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Don¡¯te looking for me. I¡¯m not eating dinner tonight.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, really. Don¡¯t look for me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I shrugged at Le¡¯s answer and she looked at me as if that was it. ¡°¡­You¡¯re not going to stay and help? Or anything like that?¡± ¡°Cultivation is originally a lonely path.¡± ¡°So stingy. We¡¯re enrolling in the academy together though.¡± As she mentioned the academy, I asked, ¡°Oh right. Are you taking the swordsmanship test?¡± ¡°Sure. I didn¡¯t think about the others. Aren¡¯t you going for spearmanship? Oh, you¡¯re also close with summons, right? Then, do you also have talent at summoning?¡± As I nodded, Le puffed out her cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s unfair. You¡¯re so good at spearmanship, but you¡¯re also talented at summoning!¡± It was a little cute to see her grumbling as if she was being wronged. ¡°What the hell are you? Honestly¡­ I thought there was no one my age who was better than me!¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh at Le¡¯s honest words. ¡°Y-you! Are youughing at me?!¡± How could I? I was justughing at the sudden honesty that popped out of her mouth. ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Le continued with a relieved expression, ¡°So, which major are you going to apply for? Well, I¡¯m sure you would get epted to any majors you applied to. But if you¡¯re aiming for the top position, I think it would be best if you applied for spearmanship.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°Liar. Do you know what an honor it is to be admitted as the top student?¡± I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of doing something fun.¡± Le shook her head and changed the subject, seemingly giving up on persuading me. ¡°Okay, do as you wish. I¡¯ll take the top position.¡± ¡°Do as you like.¡± ¡°By the way, tell me honestly, what kind of training did you receive?¡± ¡°Training?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s strange that you¡¯re so outstanding.¡± I crossed my arms and asked, ¡°Then what would you say if the person who lost to you asked you that?¡± ¡°¡­talent? effort?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I never knew teasing a child could be so fun. However, I thought I should do it in moderation. She might cry if I kept it up. ¡°I don¡¯t like you. Don¡¯t smile like that!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I smile?¡± ¡°J-just!¡± It was the same with my eldest sister and second sister. Women. Who could understand them? Well, that wasn¡¯t important in my life right now. Then, I said a little seriously as something urred to me, ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°What is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really important. I was going to ask you this before I came here.¡± Le¡¯s expression also grew serious. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Where is the best tart shop in the capital?¡± ¡°¡­¡± My eldest sister once said that the capital had as many different desserts as in the south. I wanted to start my dessert tour with a tart. Le looked at me with a bewildered expression on her face. ¡°¡­That¡¯s what was important?¡± ¡°Yeah. Very.¡± I was pretty serious. Tarts were a snack I could never get enough of. Le shook her head and finally gave me the answer I wanted. ¡°Our family¡¯s tarts are the most delicious.¡± Her voice was full of pride even amid the absurdity she felt about the situation. That was nice to hear. The Imperial Academy¡¯s entrance exam was a kind of festival because talented people flocked to the capital from all over the empire to take the entrance exam. With them were their families, and for the nobles, their attendants. Literally thousands of people poured into the capital all at once. For most people, it was just an event where a lot of people gathered, but for the people involved, it was a solemn and tense evaluation session. It was so not only for those taking the test but also for those evaluating it. ¡°Fuu¡­ it¡¯s going to be tough from today onwards. Didn¡¯t they say two thousand people passed the first test?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little more than that. It¡¯s going to be really busy these next few days.¡± The first test had just ended. The first test, along with the second test, were each worth 50% of the overall score. It was a pre-selection device to test basic skills and knowledge. The number of applicants for this year¡¯s Imperial Academy was approximately six thousand. Anyone who paid the appropriate examination fee was eligible to apply, unless you were from a family of traitors. However, about two-thirds of them did not pass the first test. In the end, about two thousand people would take the second specialization test. ¡°How many people do you think will pass this time?¡± ¡°Two hundred at most.¡± Ultimately, thepetition rate was 30 to 1, meaning that out of six thousand people, only about two hundred would pass. ¡°I wonder what kind of kids will take the entrance exam this year.¡± The professors in charge of evaluating the entrance exam today were all different. Some professors responded that they were already tired, while others were curious to see what kind of students would show up. ¡°By the way, is the first test checking not finished yet?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still doing it. Who do you reckon will get the highest score?¡± Meanwhile, opinions about the second test poured in. ¡°This time, the top student in the swordsmanship department will be Lady Le of House Thermion, right?¡± ¡°Of course. She won the Dant¨¨re Cup. I watched the final, and her basics were really nice.¡± ¡°Duke Thermion has done one good job raising his children.¡± The one who was definitely the talk of the town was Le Thermion, the youngest daughter of Duke Thermion, who came from the family of a war hero and was the winner of the Dant¨¨re Cup. ¡°At this rate, I guess we can expect the top student toe from the swordsmanship department.¡± ¡°Is it just something to look forward to? Isn¡¯t it almost certain?¡± The Academy¡¯s entrance exam was conducted ording to the majors chosen by each applicant, but only one person was selected as the top student. In the process, there were fights between professors, but generally, the student who everyone agreed on would be selected as the top student. This time, unless there were any unexpected changes, everyone thought that Le Thermion, the winner of the Dant¨¨re Cup, would be admitted as the top student. ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t quite agree with you.¡± Among them, Professor Dinavo, who was the head of the Magic Department and served as the head of the Antallion Magic Tower, expressed a different opinion. ¡°Cidrane wrote a rmendation letter.¡± A rmendation letter was just a piece of paper that every new student brought. Although it used to mean something, thepetition for admission to the Imperial Academy became fiercer by the day, and organizations that issued fake rmendation letters often emerged. Now, it was just reference material that didn¡¯t really have any particr meaning. ¡°Cidrane? That cranky mage?¡± ¡°Yes, here it is. The seal of the Nixion Magic Tower contains magic, so it can¡¯t have been tampered with.¡± The Head of the Nixion Magic Tower. Cidrane, who was famous for not taking on any disciples, even wrote a rmendation letter. ¡®Huh, already a 3-chain¡­ at the age of fourteen?¡¯ Dinavo¡¯s eyes sparkled. A talent. A talent like Arabe, which seemed like it would nevere again. And he was Arabe¡¯s younger brother. ¡°Who received the rmendation?¡± ¡°Dane Sogres¡± ¡°House Sogres¡­¡± Sogres. Another family that came to mind when thinking of war heroes, along with Thermion. It was also the family that produced great geniuses such as Arabe Sogres and re Sogres from the Magic Department and Summoning Department, respectively. ¡°Huh, a serious contender.¡± ¡°Wow. House Sogres, huh?¡± A sigh rang out. Thermion. Sogres. Two children from two families whose prestige was known not only across the empire but across the entire continent were now applying for the entrance exam at the same time. ¡°Wait a minute, isn¡¯t that house famous for spearmanship? The eldest daughter is good at magic, the second is good at summoning, and the son is good enough to get a rmendation letter from a mage.¡± One professor nodded and the others chimed in. ¡°Is he not following in his father¡¯s footsteps?¡± ¡°Hmm. Then House Sogres will be famous for magic now.¡± ¡°The Magic Department is blessed, truly blessed. Haa. I thought he would obviously apply for the Spearmanship Department¡­¡± Sighs and surprised exmations followed. Needless to say, the professors of the Magic Department were all smiling brightly. Even without that, the prestige of the Magic Department was already sky-high thanks to the extraordinary genius that was Arabe Sogres. It wasn¡¯t just because she got good grades. Arabe had developed numerous magical inventions since her undergraduate days and wrote three papers that shook up the academic world. There was a reason that in recent years, the professors of the Magic Department were said to be so proud that their shoulders could reach the sky. But now, there was a boy who received a letter of rmendation from Cidrane and was taking the entrance exam. ¡°Haha, it seems that we¡¯ll be taking the top spot again!¡± After all, unlike Le, whose skill was well known after winning the Dant¨¨re Cup, others didn¡¯t know what Dane Sogres was good at. But magic? ¡®After all, the Imperial Academy is famous for magic¡¯ As Professor Dinavoughed heartily, Professor Esterande, the head of the Swordsmanship Department, frowned as if displeased. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see. Do you know how difficult it is to win the Dant¨¨re Cup?¡± The Swordsmanship Department was also quite good. The winner of the Dant¨¨re Cup, and an overwhelming victory at that. She also came from House Thermion. ¡°Hmph. Of course it¡¯ll be our Magic Department.¡± ¡°No, the Swordsmanship Department.¡± As the professors were arguing in a way that didn¡¯t suit their ageÒ» ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt. The applicants have just finished selecting their specializations.¡± An assistant professor came running in and said that the exam selection was over and prepared a magic projector. Click. ¡°Swordsmanship Department, 1,367. Magic Department, 227. Summoning Department, 152¡­¡± The number of applicants for each major came up, and then the names were listed below. Traditionally, there were so many applicants to the Swordsmanship Department that it was impossible to fit them all on the projector screen all at once. Some unpopr departments seemed to have failed to gain applicants again this year. They sighed at the noticeably low number of applicants. Then Professor Dinavo waved his hand. ¡°Okay, just disy the list of students.¡± ¡°Yes, professor.¡± As the assistant professor operated the projector again, the names of the applicants disappeared in an instant, and only a few names from each department appeared. ¡°Oh.¡± Professor Esterande smiled when he found Le¡¯s name on the list of applicants for the Swordsmanship Department. On the other handÒ» ¡°What? Show it again.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Dane Sogres. I don¡¯t see his name.¡± Professor Dinavo tilted his head when he didn¡¯t see Dane¡¯s name on the list of applicants to the Magic Department. ¡°Oh, Dane Sogres didn¡¯t apply for the Magic Department.¡± Professor Dinavo¡¯s eyebrows twitched at those words. ¡°What are you talking about? There¡¯s a rmendation letter right here. Take a look again.¡± The assistant professor broke into a cold sweat, wondering if he had really checked it wrong. But it really didn¡¯t appear. There was absolutely no one named Dane Sogres on the list for the Magic Department. ¡°I looked again¡­ but it wasn¡¯t there.¡± The professors muttered and Professor Dinavo¡¯s expression darkened. The assistant professor quickly searched for the name before he could get any angrier. Without hesitation, he looked at Dane¡¯s major. ¡°Dane Sogres applied for the autonomous major.¡± Autonomous major? At those words, the professors¡¯ eyes all widened. ¡°The results of the first test just came out, and I¡¯m here to inform the professors.¡± The door opened and another assistant professor came in with some surprising news. ¡°Dane Sogres of House Sogres scored the highest in the first test among six thousand applicants.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 31 Chapter 31: Entrance Exam (2) The first test was held at separate locations provided by the Academy. For Le and me, it was a temple. You could say that due to the very holy atmosphere, one couldn¡¯t even think about cheating. Well, I wasn¡¯t going to cheat even in a different atmosphere. The test wasn¡¯t difficult, so I was able to submit my answer sheet and leave with a sense of relief. Afterpleting the first test, Le and I returned to the duke¡¯s mansion and were informed of the results of the first test the next morning. I was in first ce. Thanks to this, Le, who I had thought would devote herself to swordsmanship training, seemed to be greatly shocked when she received the results through themunication bracelet (this was also invented by my eldest sister) distributed to applicants before the exam. ¡°I thought I would naturally be first ce¡­¡± Le¡¯s pride seemed to havepletely disappeared. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d have such a gloomy expression. Was second ce really that disappointing? Le couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and pushed her face closer to mine, asking, ¡°How on earth did you study?¡± ¡°By focusing on past exam questions.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was true. The academy¡¯s first entrance exam was a well-rounded test designed to filter out the ignorant. So, all I did was ask my eldest sister to get me several past exam question books and ask her about them. It wasn¡¯t that difficult, either. ¡°It was really difficult¡­ especially military science¡­¡± For me, military science was the easiest and most fun. Military Science. That knowledge I had acquired through my previous life experience. Of course, there was a clear gap between theory and practice, but since they were essay-type questions, I faithfully wrote down the doctrines and methods of practice based on theory. I remembered it as probably the most enjoyable time during the entire exam. It was a hundred times better than boring things like art history or music history. It might also be because I knew it well. ¡°But why ask fourteen-year-olds like us about war strategy, tactics, and military management? Isn¡¯t that too much? No matter how much filtering is needed!¡± ¡°That was the easiest for me. Wasn¡¯t it fun?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? It wasn¡¯t just military science, there was art! And music! There was even a section about the history of the Drenik Empire!¡± That was my specialty. After all, I picked up a lot of things knowingly or unknowingly while rolling around on the battlefield.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om I was afraid that I would be treated as a spy for no reason, so I just wrote down fragmentary information¡ªthat is, information that everyone would know if they studied. Le looked at me with eyes that seemed to say she was looking at a weirdo, then shook her head. ¡°You always go beyond expectations. You taught me how to release mana, you beat me, and you came in first ce!¡± Le turned away with a face that was heavy with emotion. She hit her chest out of frustration. I shrugged my shoulders. There was still a long way to go before she knew everything. By the way, first ce, huh? Since both my sisters participated as test supervisors and examiners, they probably already knew, right? As soon as the second test was over, I should tell my parents. I had a feeling they would really like it. ¡°Oh, right. Where are you taking the second test? Hmm, mine¡¯s at Cedric Hall. It seems to be an auditorium.¡± Those words reminded me of what I had seen earlier. ¡°I¡¯m taking the test in three ces.¡± ¡°Three¡­ three ces?¡± Le¡¯s face lit up with horror. She was really good at using her facial muscles. Her expressions were so colorful. ¡°You¡­ No way! Did you apply for the autonomous major?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Le was silent for a while before nodding and saying, ¡°Right, I shouldn¡¯t try to understand.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°This is beyond my understanding!¡± Autonomous major. Swordsmanship, spearmanship, magic, summoning. ¡°Why on earth did you choose that?¡± ¡°Because I want to study all of them.¡± Honestly, I couldn¡¯t choose just one of those four because I liked everything. I didn¡¯t want to pick one and lose the opportunity to learn about the other three. So, I chose to take all four. The autonomous major boasted an extremely low passing rate. ¡°If I pass the autonomous major, I can take any ss I want until I graduate. I don¡¯t have to choose a major until I graduate, and I can do research with professors from all majors under the authority of the dean.¡± ¡°¡­Do you think others don¡¯t know that so they don¡¯t apply?¡± Le started to babble. ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t want to go to the academy with me¡­?¡± Tears welled up in her eyes. I guess she thought I probably wouldn¡¯t pass. ¡°Of course not,¡± I chuckled and reassured Le. ¡°How¡­ how could you choose the autonomous major¡­?¡± Le muttered nkly. Well, I suppose it was to be expected. After all, to attend under the autonomous major, you had to get the approval of all professors in three majors to pass. ¡°Be honest! What else do you have besides spearmanship and summoning magic?¡± There were many talented people in the world, and that ¡®talent¡¯ varied from person to person. Whilst some people could figure everything out just by looking at it once, others couldn¡¯t understand anything even after trying dozens of times. This was because their ¡®talent¡¯ was different. However, there were few who had a multitude of talents. Schrs said that even if there were such cases, they were mostly limited to taking charge of a few fields. The reason swordsmanship and magic couldn¡¯t¡¯ coexist was not only because of the conflicting characteristics of the core and circle. Since both were such difficult fields, it was difficult to learn just one. Therefore, the autonomous major program required one to choose three majors and receive approval from all professors of those majors before being approved. No one applied unless they were very savvy and overconfident or just in stupid. So, people wondered just why such a major existed. This time, there was only one applicant. Dane Sogres. Because Dane chose spearmanship, magic, and summoning, the three professors gathered together and were talking with bewildered expressions on their faces. ¡°Autonomous major¡­ Are there any students that still apply to that these days?¡± ¡°When it was first created, many people applied. But even if you try hard, you would only get two passes, and most people wouldn¡¯t get even one pass.¡± ¡°Right. If it¡¯s magic, then magic. If it¡¯s swordsmanship, then swordsmanship. If it¡¯s spearmanship, then spearmanship. It¡¯s better to support just one.¡± ¡°Being good at everything is the hardest thing in the world¡­¡± The Dean of the Magic Department, Dinavo. The Dean of the Spearmanship Department, Ingrid. The Dean of the Summoning Department, Delphineso. None of these three got their professorships through kid games, so they knew very well how difficult it was to do well in one field. But all three fields? ¡°It¡¯s been about two hundred years since the autonomous major was created, right? The passing rate is¡­¡± ¡°What passing rate? Almost no one passes.¡± ¡°You said it wasn¡¯t that difficult at first?¡± ¡°It was only in the beginning, back when the Academy needed talents. Three hundred years ago, it wasn¡¯t the empire it is now.¡± Autonomous major. A Special Major for the Talented. At first, several students passed. Back then, it was a time of conquest, where any talent that was even a little bit visible had to be utilized. Thanks to this, the status of autonomous majors rose significantly. Almost all of the empire¡¯s past talents came from the major. ¡°But as time went by, the standards got higher and higher. Selection and focus became important, and the atmosphere was such that it was better to do one thing well than to try several things.¡± ¡°Then why leave it? If no one will apply, or even if they do apply, they won¡¯t be epted.¡± Dinavo answered Ingrid¡¯s question seriously, ¡°It¡¯s symbolic.¡± Symbolism. The symbolism that only the best talents of the Imperial Academy could enter. Now, it was a faded and inefficient major, existing only in name. It happened often, and there were those who challenged this symbolism. ¡°So there were two in thest hundred years? One of them dropped out and converted, and the other was the previous emperor.¡± In other words, unless you were a true genius, passing the exam was impossible. Of course, since it was at the ¡®professor¡¯s discretion¡¯, if the professors were generous, it was possible to get in somehow. The problem was that it was impossible for the professors to be half-hearted due to their pride. ¡°¡­¡± The two professors swallowed their words at Dinavo¡¯s words. ¡°Let¡¯s see how confident a kid is to challenge such symbolism.¡± Amon thought urred to the three professors. Dane Sogres. The youngest son of war hero Arken Sogres. Unlike his two older sisters, he might just be a young man drunk on pride. The three professors, who were already busy and gathered because of one person who applied for the autonomous major, were starting to get nervous. ¡°Hello.¡± Today¡¯s main character, Dane, who the three professors had been waiting for with bated breath, opened the door to the examination room and entered. ¡°I am Dane Sogres, who applied to the Imperial Academy¡¯s autonomous major program.¡± All three liked the simple introduction. He didn¡¯t mention being someone¡¯s son, not even mentioning his father or siblings¡¯ backgrounds. But that was it¡­ ¡°Do you know what it means to apply for the autonomous major?¡± Delphineso asked. ¡°Yes. I understand that I have to pass the exams for the three majors I chose.¡± ¡°Does that mean you have the confidence?¡± What came back was an answer without hesitation. Ingrid, the dean of the Spearmanship Department, burst outughing. ¡°You said your name is Dane, right? Well, it¡¯s not toote. I have great respect for your father, Count Sogres. No one in this empire can wield a spear better than Count Sogres. I would hate to see his son go down in defeat.¡± Ingrid¡¯s advice was full of truth and sincerity. The professors rarely said such to the applicants. Ingrid thought it was a pity. Fourteen years old. It was an age where it would be hard to realize and cultivate a single talent. At that age, it made no sense to choose the autonomous major and apply for the exam. Moreover, he was the son of Arken Sogres, whom she respected. ¡°Thank you for your words. I will do my best.¡± Ingrid was dumbfounded by Dane¡¯s words. Confidence. It waspletely different from arrogance. ¡®Does he feel burdened by his elder sisters?¡¯ Delphineso, the dean of the Summoning Department, thought it might be usible. It was often the case that members of noble families, feeling overshadowed by their siblings, would do this. The eldest sister was a talented person who received recruitment calls from magic towers throughout the empire and was a great magical genius who had already created numerous inventions. The second sister was already a great warrior who could summon several giant summons and was considered the next great summoner. She thought it was only natural since they were both incredibly talented. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ Finally, Dinavo nodded. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s start the exam. The exam will test your skills in magic, summoning, and spearmanship. It will be a different type of exam from the normal specialization exam. Any questions?¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± ¡°If you fail, you will automatically fail the exam.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± The professors exchanged nces. The first one to step forward was Professor Delphineso of the Summoning Department. Delphineso Einz. A woman who was the highest-ranked summoner among the summoners of the Altheon Empire, and who had set a record of maintaining three summoned creatures of level 2 or higher at the same time, which were notoriously difficult to summon and even control. ¡°I¡¯ll start. The test is simple,¡± Delphineso said, crossing her arms. ¡°Satisfy me in any way you can with your summoning skills.¡± Autonomous major. It was a test where three professors from different majors randomly gave whatever exams they wanted. That was the moment when it became clear why there were no applicants. But Dane spoke without hesitation. ¡°Then would you please summon?¡± Summon? What followed was even more spectacr. ¡°Any summons will do.¡± ¡°What?¡± Delphineso was momentarily taken aback. Only those who hadpleted formal training as a summoner could receive the Summon Sign. That education only took ce in the academy. So, of course, she thought he¡¯d exin the theory behind summoning. But he was asking her to summon a beast? ¡°Are you nning to use the summons as a teaching aid?¡± Delphineso pretended to be fooled and went along. Obviously, any summons would be fine. ¡°Answer my call.¡± The moment she said the words, the air split, and the summons appeared. ¡°Oh my God.¡± Ingrid inhaled sharply. The same went for Dinavo. What was revealed through the air wasÒ» ¡°Okay, you said to summon any of them.¡± Eterarch. He was a 4th-rank summons, and among them, he was the most vicious one¡ªa so-called ¡®mad summons¡¯ that attacked anyone he saw except his summoner. His appearance was reminiscent of a giant wolf. ws that were muchrger and sharper than those of a wolf, red eyes, and, crucially, a vicious roar. ¡°Ggggrrrrrr!¡± It was said that his strength was so great that it took several dual-ss knights to defeat him. Even Delphineso was nervous at the sight that would make a faint-hearted person copse the moment they saw him. ¡®What is he trying to do?¡¯ Nothing would go wrong, but if he provoked Eterarch by doing something strange, she needed to immediately summon him back. It was at that time that Delphineso was making full preparations. Step, step. The boy took a step forward. Towards Eterarch. Delphineso was astonished and said, ¡°Stop right there! What are you trying to do?¡± Dane paused for a moment, tilted his head, and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to prove it in some way?¡± Yes, that was right. But she didn¡¯t ask him to prove it by jumping into a pit of fire. ¡°I will prove it to you.¡± Dane started walking again. It was at that moment that Eterarch bared his teeth at the approaching Dane. Delphineso raised her hands in an urgent gesture to make a reverse summoning sign, and the other two professors were shaking with nerves. Dane stared into space not far from Eterarch, then reached out his hand¡­ and then he grabbed something invisible and pulled it into his body. ¡°Yeah, good boy.¡± Eterarch¡¯s tail slowly went down. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Delphineso let out a sigh. The tail was down. That meant that his guard had been lowered. The bared teeth slowly disappeared. ¡°You¡¯re much bigger than Gendpu, aren¡¯t you?¡± Finally, he reached out and buried his face against Dane¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± What the hell was going on right now? ¡°Krr.¡± ¡°That tickles.¡± Delphineso was dumbfounded by the sight before her. That evil Eterarch, even if he never harbored any ¡®hostility¡¯ towards his summoner, had never wagged his tail and rubbed his face against her like that¡ªand even going so far as to lick the boy? ¡®Oh my God.¡¯ She quickly realized why, spotting it when she concentrated. A thread of magical power linked Dane and Eterarch. And one more thing. At that moment, the colors were slightly brighter on Dane¡¯s side than hers. It wasn¡¯t to the point of obeisance, but it was at least enough for Eterarch not to show any hostility. How did this make sense? Innate friendliness? It was an area that couldn¡¯t be exined by that alone. Guts. Boldness. Based on that, the previously linked magical power threads were analyzed in an instant, and then a simr magical power thread was created and connected. ¡®The only way to counter summoning or a method that can be used by unmarked summoners.¡¯ She recalled her past self. She remembered doing something simr and getting praised by her teacher. But Dane was greater than she was then. Delphineso quickly came to a conclusion. ¡°You pass.¡± Without further ado, she passed him. Chapter 32 Chapter 32: Entrance Exam (3) Three professors Dinavo. Delphineso Ingrid ¡°Haha.¡± The three of them wereughing in disbelief. This was because of Dane, who had just finished his exam. ¡°Finishing the test in thirty minutes¡­ and a unanimous pass at that¡­ If anyone heard about it, they would say that he bribed all three professors.¡± The other two professors burst intoughter at Ingrid¡¯s muttered words. It might seem that way. He was the first person to pass the exam in a hundred years, and hepletely satisfied the requirements of three professors in less than ten minutes for each major. ¡°To think he would analyze my magic link, copy it, and then connect it to himself¡­¡± Dinavo tilted his head in curiosity at the words of Delphineso, the dean of Summoning. ¡°Is that really so amazing?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a big deal. That he could analyze my mana in that short period¡­ His affinity, too.¡± Delphineso clicked her tongue and told Dinavo, ¡°You were worse. It was like your soul left your body a while ago.¡± ¡°Hmm. I suppose,¡± Dinavo admitted honestly The problem he posed was this: After drawing an unrecognized magic circle, he tasked Dane toplete the magic circle within a given time limit and rearrange his magic to perform the spell corresponding to the magic circle. It was a three-step problem that required one to finish drawing the magic circle, rearrange their magic power, and then cast the spell. If Dane were a normal applicant, he would probably be blocked by the fact that he had toplete the magic circle. Without knowing the rules, you¡¯d never be able toplete it. ¡°Who would have thought? Not only did heplete the magic circle, but he also performed ¡®another¡¯ spell.¡± But Dane took it a step further. It seemed like he was staring at the magic circle for a moment, but he immediately figured out the code and drew a magic circle, but then he changed the direction and cast a different spell that applied the same rule. From Dinavo¡¯s point of view, it was absurd. Not only did he get right a problem he was meant to get wrong, but he also showed off his genius by performing another spell. ¡°Understanding the codes and analyzing the structure of spells and magic circles are the basics of a mage, and the biggest difference is dependent on talent.¡± For that reason, Dane¡¯s analytical skills were already at a level that even average mages couldn¡¯t evenpare to. Some mages were able to analyze a magic circle that would make others go nk the moment they saw it with just a nce. ¡°And with that magic circle, he even cast 3-chain magic.¡± Naturally, he passed. ¡°You two, your shock can¡¯tpare to the one I received¡­¡± Meanwhile, Ingrid, the professor and dean of the Spearmanship Department, was just staring nkly into space. Dinavo and Delphineso tilted their heads. ¡°You passed him after seeing him stab his spear a few times. Why are you like this? What kind of shock did you get?¡± Ingrid shook his head at Dinavo¡¯s question. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just a simple stab.¡± Ingrid saw it clearly. ¡°It¡­ was more perfect than any stab I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°Perfect?¡± ¡°Yes. And it was even destructive.¡± The way magic exploded out and distorted the air the moment Dane stabbed forward and paused his movement. Dinavo and Delphineso also saw it. They just didn¡¯t think it was that great, as they didn¡¯t know spearmanship as well as Ingrid did. ¡°Perhaps, he may surpass Count Sogres¡­¡± In this way, the three professors witnessed a single boy disying three overwhelming talents. That was whyÒ» ¡®Since he got first ce in the first test, that means he¡¯s the top student.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s never been a year it was so easy to pick a top student.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s definitely the top student. Hah, so all the children of House Sogres are top students?¡¯ As if they had discussed it, all three were thinking simr things. My mother and father were very happy to hear the news of my passing. ?As expected of our son!? ?Thank you for your hard work, Dane!? At first, I thought they would be a little confused when I told them that I chose the autonomous major. I hadn¡¯t even told my sisters yet. My exams ended too early, and my sisters were banned from contacting the outside world until all the tests were over. Anyway, I passed. Now that I was fully enrolled, I could take any ss I wanted regardless of major. That made me happier than the fact that I passed. And of course, Le also passed. But as soon as she heard the news that I was epted to the autonomous major program, she became gloomy. ¡°It was over in thirty minutes¡­?¡± Should I have said it took two hours? Of course, Le did well too. She didn¡¯t just do good, she did incredibly well. It was said that the Swordsmanship Department¡¯s exam was conducted in a sparring format with practice weapons. Whether or not the duel with me had helped, Le took her opponent seriously and immediately crushed her opponents. Thanks to that, she took first ce by an overwhelming margin among the applicants for the Swordsmanship Department. ¡°Then you must be the top student¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been announced yet.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re the top student.¡± But I guess she thought I did better in the exam. Her gloom didn¡¯tst long as the banquet prepared by Duke Thermion to celebrate Le and my passing the exam began. It was a ¡®private¡¯ banquet held among members of the duke¡¯s household, where guests were not invited. Despite it being arge table, there were so many foods and dessertsid out on it that it looked like the table could break at any moment. Even my favorite tarts were avable in different varieties. ¡°I told the chef in advance that you like tarts,¡± Le mentioned slyly. Where else could I have ever met such a wonderful person? ¡°There are also strawberry tarts. They are hard to find in the South.¡± ¡°They were brought in from the North. Just cast a preservation spell on them.¡± After all, this was the capital. Considering how difficult it was to maintain preservation magic while traveling from North to South, doing so was an excessive luxury for me. I couldn¡¯t use teleport magic to import some strawberries, after all. ¡°Eat as much as you want, ¡®Top student¡¯.¡± I was dumbfounded at Le¡¯s words. ¡°Are you sulking?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that if you ask someone sulking that, they¡¯ll get angry?¡± Still, she was honest. If it had been a while ago, she would have said she wasn¡¯t sulking. ¡°How could you¡­ pass the autonomous major test? Ridiculous¡­ Do you know how that feels now?¡± Le met my gaze and continued with a disbelieving tone, ¡°I feel like I shouldn¡¯t even try to understand you. I should just ept it. Uncontroble? Natural disaster? Something like that?¡± ¡°What a niceparison.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking! Spearmanship, magic, and even summoning! Do you know how the rumors have spread?¡± We took the exams just that day, but the rumors had spread that fast? As expected of the capital. ¡°Haha, you two are like siblings now,¡± they heard Duke Thermion say. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Your Grace.¡± As always, there was no one beside him. It seemed that the duchess was sick, as usual. ¡°You both did amazingly. Congrattions, both of you. Le, I¡¯m very proud of you.¡± Le shyly nodded her head at those words. ¡°You are a talented child, so, don¡¯t be in such a rush. Just go your own way.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Then, Duke Thermion turned to me. ¡°Count Sogres would be very proud.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s thanks to your consideration during my stay.¡± ¡°Haha. You only stayed for two days. What could we have done?¡± Just being able to eat those delicious tarts was a wonderful thing for me. ¡°By the way, autonomous major? How on earth did Arken teach you?¡± Duke Thermion leaned in and whispered in a voice too small for Le to hear. ¡°I was lucky.¡± ¡°If passing the autonomous major could be done by luck, why haven¡¯t there been any sessful applicants so far?¡± Duke Thermion turned away again and smiled. ¡°Today is a celebration for these wonderful children, so eat and enjoy yourself.¡± As the banquet continued in such a grand manner, I talked about various things with Duke Thermion. There were also a few people who appeared to be rtives. ¡°Oh, how is the count? It seems like only yesterday that we spilled blood together on the battlefield, hahaha!¡± ¡°Listen, little brother, be honest. You¡¯ve never held a sword before, have you? Weren¡¯t you an executive officer?¡± ¡°Hmph. How many times have I told you? I was an executive officer, but the retreat operation I participated in at that time was the turning point of my life!¡± They showed great interest in me. If Duke Thermion hadn¡¯t stepped in so promptly, I would have been tormented with questions all night. ¡°They have a lot of questions, don¡¯t they? Please understand, Count Sogres is quite the man. By the way, have you thought about what you¡¯re going to make at the forge?¡± I shook my head. ¡°I have a sword in mind, but I have no ns to make it yet.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see. Is there a reason?¡± ¡°The first reason is that my body isn¡¯t fully grown yet. I also don¡¯t know what kind of sword I want.¡± I was being honest. I knew a lot about swordsmanship, but I didn¡¯t know much about the ¡®sword¡¯ as a weapon. If it broke, you picked up another and used it, and if that broke, you picked another and used it. It was not that they weren¡¯t well-maintained, but in a rough environment like a battlefield, most were easily damaged and broken. ¡°I¡¯m going to think about it for a little longer since this is a good opportunity.¡± ¡°Alright, you do that. Hahaha!¡± Duke Thermionughed brightly. How long did the banquetst like that? One of the attendants approached Duke Thermion and seemed to whisper something to him. Duke Thermion immediately stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Le. I think your mother is looking for me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Father.¡± Duke Thermion naturally left. Where was he going? The reason became clear soon enough. ¡°There is no cure for my mother¡¯s illness¡± Duchess Thermion. She was sick now. That was why she couldn¡¯t go on the southern inspection tour seven years ago. ¡°My mother says we shouldn¡¯t worry about her and just work, but how could my father do that?¡± Le¡¯s expression said it was okay, but her eyes and voice didn¡¯t. ¡°I think that¡¯s why he tells me to stay like that so that I don¡¯t feel left out. Last time he went to the pce, I thought he would stay for a week, but he came back in two days.¡± Le continued speaking heavily. ¡°Fortunately, Mother¡¯s condition didn¡¯t get worse, but it didn¡¯t get any better either. It just stayed the same for several years.¡± It was a shame. As someone who had never seen my parents get sick, I couldn¡¯t easily understand her feelings. So, rather than offering unnecessary constion, I chose to listen to her. ¡°I thought that if I told my mother the news of my eptance, she would be happy and wake up, but is that silly of me?¡± I shook my head and said, *Your mother will be happy just with that thought.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you¡± By the way, this was supposed to be a banquet, but there weren¡¯t many people. Duke Thermion had his reasons, but two others were nowhere to be seen. Le¡¯s two older brothers weren¡¯t there. ¡°Let¡¯s have fun together today. My older brother is currently on assignment in the East, and my second brother¡­ has been away from home for a while now.¡± Le forced herself to smile. ¡°But we exchanged nces a little while ago when I was taking the test, hehe!¡± It was only then that I realized the emotion in Le¡¯s eyes. It was loneliness. In my previous life, I hadrades and colleagues, and in this life, I had a happy family, so I couldn¡¯t feel it. ¡°It¡¯ll be exciting to enter the academy, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s going to be great.¡± Soon, we would enter the academy. The entrance ceremony was in two days. This was the first time both Le and I had left the castle or mansion that protected us. ¡°Dane, even if you¡¯re an autonomous major, you¡¯ll still hang out with me, right? Come to sses with me, and if possible, take a few sses as a swordsman, right?¡± I tilted my head at those words, which seemed earnest. ¡°Let¡¯s do it together. I mean that¡¯s what academy life is supposed to be, right?¡± I looked at Le¡¯s face, which was brightening again, and I returned her smile with a bright one of my own. Chapter 33 Chapter 33: You, Be My Comrade Six thousand applicants. Among them, two hundred people passed. Those who had sessfully be members of the Imperial Academy after beating the odds of 30:1 were now gathered together in therge Academy za, waiting for the entrance ceremony to begin. ¡°Look over there, there¡¯s our son!¡± ¡°To think our daughter entered the academy! This is a blessing to the family!¡± ¡°Great job, son! He got in after eight attempts! He¡¯s so cool!¡± Surrounding them were their families. Naturally, they outnumbered the new students by several times, and before the entrance ceremony began, they were shouting in excited voices to congratte the freshmen. ¡°Haha, do you see Dane over there?¡± ¡°Of course. Oh my. Who gave birth to such a handsome boy?¡± ¡°Ahem. He¡¯s shining because he looks like me.¡± ¡°Oh my, what are you talking about? He looks like me.¡± Among them were Arken and Lily Sogres. However, the difference was that Arken Sogres was a war hero borne of a long war, and because of this, he was seated in the center of a podium with the utmost courtesy. The two of them had just arrived at the capital that day, using the teleportation gate just like Dane with the help of their eldest daughter Arabe. ¡°Arabe and re are over there. How about taking the kids to Whale Star after the entrance ceremonyter?¡± ¡°That sounds good. I¡¯ve missed the star-salted crayfish there so much.¡± As the two were chatting away, a wee voice was heard. ¡°Hahaha! You look as close as always. Isn¡¯t that so, Arken?¡± It was Duke Thermion, who had just arrived. ¡°Bout, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Hmm. Seems you¡¯re doing well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one to talk.¡± ¡°Hahaha, my wife¡¯s doing better.¡± ¡°Your Grace, how have you been? You look happy.¡± ¡°Yes, mydy. hahaha.¡± Though he had been invited to the Academy¡¯s freshman orientation every year, he¡¯d never been happier than today. It was the day when his daughter, Le, would finally enter the academy like her brothers. ¡°You raised your children well, Arken.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. How could Ipare with you?¡± ¡°Haha, there¡¯s no use raising sons. Don¡¯t you have two daughters? I¡¯ve always been jealous of you.¡± ¡°I was exactly the same. But now that our daughter and son are both entering the academy, isn¡¯t that like getting our wishes fulfilled? Haha.¡± Duke Thermion smiled, but inside he felt bitter. He wished his wife could havee, too. ¡°Hey, do you see? That¡¯s my little brother. See over there? The one with silver hair.¡± ¡°Him? The one you always brag about? Wow, why is he so handsome? It¡¯s like he lives alone in the world.¡± ¡°My family is a bit like that.¡± Meanwhile, Arabe was shrugging her shoulders and bragging about Dane to her friend. ¡°Then, does he also draw five magic circles in one day?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll probably draw ten of them soon.¡± ¡°This is a dirty world where it¡¯s hard to survive without talent.¡± The friend who said that was also a mage of great talent. However, her talent was inferior to Arabe¡¯s. This showed just how talented the siblings of the Sogres family were. ¡®As expected of my younger brother. He stands out the most.¡¯ She was so happy to hear from Dane that he had passed the entrance exam and that he was one of only two students to pass the autonomous major in one hundred years. ¡°I¡¯ve known since I was little.¡± Not far away, re was standing next to Professor Delphineso, talking. ¡°re, about your brother.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± ¡°I heard that he was already close with Aitz when he was a baby, is that right?¡± re nodded, remembering how her small but very alert summons, Aitz, had rubbed his face against Dane the moment he saw him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Huh, there was a precedence, but for even Eterarch¡­¡± After the test, Professor Delphineso seemed to be in great shock. Eterarch was as vicious as a 2nd-rank summons, and when enraged, it would bite and kill a 3rd-rank summons. Despite this, he had even tucked his tail and rubbed against Dane. It wasn¡¯t something that could be exined as something so simple as innate affinity. Especially since he had analyzed the mana thread linking her to Eterarch and created something identical to it. ¡®What a monster.¡¯ A boy without a mark had done more than a summoner with a mark. ¡°With that level of friendliness and talent, wouldn¡¯t he be able to summon even the beasts from ¡®Beyond the Horizon¡¯?¡± Usually, she would have dismissed it as nonsense, even if it was re, her most beloved disciple saying so. But not now. Not because he was re¡¯s younger brother, but because she had seen his talent. Beyond the Horizon. It was another world, one where summons came from. Summoning a summoned beast from a world where the link was lost over one hundred years agoÒ» She wasn¡¯t certain. However, she thought it might be possible. After all, the summons from that ce ¡®chose¡¯ their summoners. Professor Delphineso burst intoughter without realizing it. In the midst of all this, the entrance ceremony began and the headmaster came up to the stage. Arkwald Homet. A mysterious figure who had served as the head of the Imperial Academy for a full forty years, he rarely showed up except for official events and did not interfere much with the running of the academy. Because of this, he was evaluated as someone who, in turn, gave professors greater discretion and thereby raised the status of the academy. Though he had white hair, his sturdy expression made it hard to believe that he was already in his eighties. ¡°Greetings, new students of the Imperial Academy. I am Arkwald Homet, the headmaster of the Imperial Academy.¡± His voice was amplified by magic and resonated throughout the za. ¡°Seeing the new students who have made it to this position after going through fiercepetition, I believe the future of the empire is very bright.¡± He observed the freshmen looking up at him and smiled. ¡°Everyone standing here must be a talent of the empire, but among the new students this time, there seems to be many who are particrly outstanding.¡± Outstanding talent. Those words made the freshmen¡¯s hearts flutter. Arkwald then said something that surprised all there. ¡°There was even someone who passed the ¡®autonomous major¡¯, bing one of only two people who have passed in one hundred years.¡± Mutters rang out at those words. ¡°Oh my God, an autonomous major?¡± ¡°Autonomous major? The major at the very bottom? Someone applied for that?¡± ¡°The dean just said that someone passed!¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! How can you pass that? Didn¡¯t three professors have to agree to pass you?¡± Some were shocked and shook their heads while others were quick to suspect foul y. The main reason was that only two people had appeared in one hundred years, and now the existence of the major was a mere symbol. However, everyone was silent when the Dean continued to speak. ¡°The student in question passed the autonomous major exam by receiving unanimous approval from the three deans of the Magic, Spearmanship, and Summoning Departments.¡± Professors. That three deans had passed him unanimously¡­ ¡°D-did he really pass?¡± ¡°What a crazy talent¡­¡± Immediately, Arkwald¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°I don¡¯t think a long speech is necessary, so I would like to congratte you again on your admission and move on to the Admission Oath.¡± Arkwald looked down from the podium. Silver hair and green eyes. His hair resembled that of Count Sogres, who was sitting at the back, while his green eyes resembled those of Countess Sogres. ¡®The autonomous major¡­¡¯ Historically, all those who passed the autonomous major had made a major impact on the empire, either for good or for bad. It would be interesting to see how this boy would influence this vast empire. Arkwald finally said, ¡°Top Student, Dane Sogres, step forward.¡± Top Student. At those words, everyone¡¯s mouths dropped open. Thud, thud. All eyes were on a boy making his way through the crowd toward the podium. Dane Sogres The first student to pass the autonomous major in decades, and the top student that Arkwald just mentioned. With his tall and stocky physique, which was taller than his peers, no one would have guessed that Dane was only fourteen years old. And then, one more thing. ¡°What kind of blessing was bestowed upon House Sogres¡­?¡± Someone eximed. Arken Sogres, a war hero and the greatest spearman of the Empire. Lily Sogres, a legendary assassin known to few, but whose name made those who did tremble at the mere mention of her. Arabe Sogres, the pride of the Magic Department, a great inventor, and the most talented person the Magic Department had produced. re Sogres, who was considered the most talented summoner in the history of the Summoning Department. She could not only summon a 3rd-rank summons but also managed two summons at the same time. In this family, where all of those ridiculous talents were gathered, another incredible talent was born. ¡°So, you¡¯re Dane Sogres.¡± Arkwald smiled at Dane as climbed up the podium and faced him, then handed him the oath. ¡°I hope you can fully demonstrate your talents at this academy.¡± Dane smiled at those words. That was exactly what he was hoping for. Dane took the oath, turned around, met the thousands of eyes focused on him, and finally opened his mouth. ¡°I swear¡­¡± On a warm spring day, Dane¡¯s academy life began. After the entrance ceremony, all the new students, including me, moved to the main auditorium of the academy. It was for a freshman orientation event. I could feel the excitement. It was not just the joy of admission. Whether in my past life or this life, I was finally stepping out into the world for the first time. ¡°Follow me! Don¡¯t touch the statues on the way! They are enchanted, and if you touch them by mistake¡­¡± ¡°Um, Assistant Professor! I think someone touched a statue over here!¡± ¡°Aaack!¡± There were a few idents along the way. On the long road from the main gate to the academy¡¯s main building, there were statues of great people who had graduated from the Academy, and they were protected by magic. ¡°H-he fainted!¡± ¡°Move him to the infirmary quickly!¡± I didn¡¯t know what kind of magic it was, but it seemed clear that I shouldn¡¯t touch the statues, and I could also see that the statues looked quite expensive. ¡°I heard that there are new students like that every year. I heard that there are many statues and buildings with magic like that in the academy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°Right? As expected from the Academy. Oh, by the way, I also heard that there are a lot of secret ces at the Academy!¡± Le, who was walking next to me, chattered excitedly. The academy was so big that there had to be at least one secret ce. ¡°Is that the Dane Sogres?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°They said he was an autonomous major. How does that make sense?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because he¡¯s the son of Count Sogres?¡± By the way, if gazes had a physical effect, would it be like this? It was not that I really cared, but no matter where I turned, I always made eye contact with someone. There were even ring eyes. It wasn¡¯t like they recognized me from my past life. I was stabbed and killed many on the battlefield. ¡°They¡¯re just jealous. They might be envious, or they might think of you aspetition.¡± I tilted my head at Le¡¯s words and asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? This is the stage for the survival of the fittest.¡± Why was this kid so cruel? Well, she wasn¡¯t wrong. It would be stranger if we didn¡¯tpete when all these talents were gathered together. It was just a little cute. My past life on the battlefield¡­ Now that was the very definition of thews of the jungle. If you were weak, you died. If you repeatedly survived by luck, it could be said to be a strength. Of course, I was able to survive on the battlefield for over twenty years by adding talent to such luck. ¡°Listen carefully, Dane. There are probably a lot of people out there who are after you. for good or bad. Be careful. If someone suggests something, think it through.¡± I would have thought that would be something my elder sisters would say, but I found it really cute that Le, who was the same age as me, was making such strong demands. ¡°There are a lot of crazy kids out there. I¡¯m talking about kids who weren¡¯t educated properly and who continue to act like they¡¯re at home.¡± I¡¯d seen it so many times in my past life. New noble knights who came to the battlefield as newlymissioned officers and oppressed and treated the soldiers unnecessarily, telling them what to do. By the way, their arrogance didn¡¯tst long. When you were thrown into battle and found yourself rolling around in a feast of swords, arrows, and magic, you realized that ss distinctions like nobility andmoners had no meaning. Those who were enlightened lived. Usually, they would die before that. ¡°Yeah, I got it.¡± ¡°Make sure!¡± ¡°I told you, I got it.¡± It wasn¡¯t like she was my senior or anything. We arrived at the auditorium and took our seats. Le still looked around with excitement. She kept admiring the auditorium and asked me, ¡°Dane, where are you going after the orientation? We¡¯re supposed to meet by department, but you¡¯re an autonomous major.¡± ¡°Me? I saw it earlier¡­¡± As I was about to continue speaking when a voice came from behind me. ¡°Are you Dane?¡± I turned my head wondering what was going on, and a guy with short hair was looking at me. After that, about five guys red at me with the same expression. ¡°Wow.¡± Le¡¯s exmation of pure admiration came from me¡­ I almost did that, too. He was a whole lot taller than me, had a muscr build that was more than stocky, and had twitching muscles. The five others behind him all looked the same. ¡°I am Dorian Artaq, the eldest son of the great warrior and knight Kabul Artaq and heir to House Artaq. I¡¯m also a 3rd year student of the Imperial Academy¡¯s Martial Arts Department.¡± The Martial Arts Department. Somehow, it suited him very well. He introduced himself with a deep voice, looked at me, and stroked his chin as if interested. ¡°Just looking at you, I can see that you have a great bone structure¡­ Even your muscles are already developed! Forearms, pectoralis major, deltoid muscles¡­!¡± What on earth could he see through my clothes? ¡°I can see it all. If you try just a little harder, you will be able to develop muscles that truly hold heavenly beauty¡­¡± Was it just me? That gave me goosebumps. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Le¡¯s exmation was the same sound but had a different meaning. ¡°Dane Sogres, we are currently promoting our club to freshmen.¡± I heard about this from my eldest sister. There were clubs at the academy, and most students joined at least one club. Something about club life being the cream on top of the academy. ¡°So, let me get straight to the point. Come join the ¡®Physical Beauty Club¡¯. There, we cultivate and train beautiful bodies.¡± Dorian, who was smiling while showing off his pure white teeth, suddenly took off his top. ¡°Look at this beauty!¡± Was that sweat or oil? I gave up thinking about it. Chapter 34 Chapter 34: The Academy is Hiding Swordsmanship (1) I refused outright. It wasn¡¯t that I hated muscles. Just¡­ They were too much¡­ ¡°Fufu, I¡¯ll leave for today, but you will definitely join! Oh, Lady Thermion. The path is open to women as well.¡± ¡°I refuse!¡± The offer from the ¡®Physical Beauty¡¯ club was just the beginning. After that, all sorts of club offers came flying in. ¡°Hello, freshman, I am the president of the ¡®Magic Research Society¡¯, or MRS for short. If you join our club, you will be provided with various privileges such as unlimited ess to various experimental equipment as well as valuable ancient books. As the president, I can lend you the key to the magic hall.¡± ¡°Hey, freshman. Would you like to join our ¡®Map Exploration Club¡¯? Great adventures and historical events await you! Normally, first-year freshmen are not allowed to go on ¡®explorations¡¯, but in your case, we¡¯ll allow you toe along on this semester¡¯s expedition as a special offer!¡± ¡°We are a club called the ¡®Imperial History Exploration¡¯. We focus on the wonderful history¡­¡± ¡°The Astrology Research Society is¡­¡± Le, who was next to me, was also receiving a flood of offers. I thought others would find it difficult to approach the Duke¡¯s daughter, but it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. All kinds of clubs were targeting Le and me. ¡°Sorry, but no.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Think about it! Club life is the best part of academy life! If you join our club¡­¡± ¡°I said no.¡± These guys were pretty persistent. Le and I had firmly drawn the line that we had no intention of joining anything yet, but they quickly crossed that line and made all sorts of suggestions. As it turned out, the auditorium where orientation was scheduled to be held was filled with ¡®seniors¡¯ who didn¡¯t look like freshmen at all walking around. However, those eyes were all like those of a wild beast hunting for prey. ¡°Hahaha! With this, I¡¯ve secured one new recruit!¡± ¡°Hey, grab that redhead! That¡¯s the talent we¡¯re looking for!¡± In particr, children from prestigious noble families were the number one targets. Le and I were on a level where we were in a league of our own. ¡°Dane Sogres. You are the one who passed the autonomous major. Our club will have you!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?! We¡¯ll take him!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Le Thermion. It is an honor to meet you, the daughter of Duke Thermion! If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to take a moment to tell you about our club¡­¡± They were as persistent as leeches. They didn¡¯t give up. If you refused, another would take advantage of the gap and make all sorts of appeals. ¡°I told you no!¡± It was at that moment that Le, who had been suffering, finally exploded. ¡°Students who are not freshmen who have entered the auditorium for reasons other than work-rted reasons are requested to leave the auditorium immediately. I repeat, you are requested to leave the auditorium immediately.¡± A voice clearly amplified by magic resonated throughout the auditorium. The auditorium fell silent for a moment at the sound of that clear, deep voice. However, that was only for a moment. ¡°Now! It¡¯s that guy! Let¡¯s take advantage of this opportunity!¡± ¡°You there! I got you!¡± As if nothing had happened, themotion broke out again. The auditorium was filled with the voices of seniors who rushed in to recruit new students. But this time, instead of wincing at the noise, I was able to smile. Because I heard a voice I knew well. ¡°Answer my call.¡± The air split open, and dozens of summoned creatures began to pour down from the ceiling of the auditorium. pping wings. Big eyes. ¡°Kie kie kie kie!¡± ¡°Kiekiek!¡± A mischievousugh that matched her cute appearance. It was a 5th-rank summons, ¡®Elmina¡¯, and the person who appeared among the Elminas wasÒ» ¡°This is your final warning.¡± Ò»my second sister. ¡°W-wow. Do you see those summons?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way. She summoned dozens of them at the same time?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s re Sogres!¡± The screams of those who saw the Elminas summoned by my second sister were heard, and the shock of those who recognized her also rang out. I just smiled. Was she here as an assistant? In the midst of this, my second sister spoke again. ¡°Please leave now.¡± She added, ¡°Please note that contact with Elmina will cause severe itching for a day. If you are willing to endure this, feel free to stay.¡± At her words, the auditorium became quiet again, and this time no one opened their mouths. ¡°I think everyone agrees, right?¡± No one answered. My second sister smiled faintly and raised her hand, pointing to the auditorium door. ¡°The exit is over there.¡± And then something miraculous happened. The hesitation onlysted for a moment. ¡°Hey, hey. If she says she¡¯s going to do it, she will. Get out quickly.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear about thest time? The Magic Department¡¯sb exploded! She took her summons and took care of everything at once!¡± Those persistent seniors were so scared that they quickly ran away. Thanks to that, the auditorium was cleaned up and tidy, and we freshmen were just standing there nkly, trying to figure out what had just happened. In the midst of all this, I made eye contact with my second sister, who was far away. ¡°See youter.¡± The shape of her mouth clearly said this. Then, my second sister waved her hand once to dispel all those Elminas and returned to her seat. ¡°Dane, Dane, is that your second sister?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Your sister is so cool¡­ As expected¡­ the little princess of the Summoning Department¡­¡± ¡°Is that what she¡¯s called?¡± ¡°She¡¯s your older sister and you don¡¯t even know that?¡± Little princess. Just hearing the name, I was sure my eldest sister must have teased her several times for that nickname. ¡°Oh. She¡¯s also known as the scariest and coldest assistant professor.¡± My second sister didn¡¯t really talk much. Compared to my eldest sister, she was more certain about making and breaking rtionships. But to me, she was an infinitely kind older sister. So, on the one hand, I could understand why she gained such a title, but on the other hand, I didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Your sisters are very famous in the capital.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s not like the South is some kind of rural vige. How can you not know?¡± Rather, it was because my parents weren¡¯t very interested in the politics of the capital. So, naturally, I didn¡¯t have much news about the capital. While other noble children my age enjoyed social parties and debuts, I was swinging my sword and spear, casting spells, ying with summons, and running wild. At best, we only maintained serious rtionships with a few nobles, including Duke Thermion. That didn¡¯t mean that my father¡¯s reputation as a war hero had disappeared. ¡°So, Dane, are you interested in joining a club?¡± ¡°No.¡± There wasn¡¯t a club that interested me. I wouldn¡¯t go for ¡®Physical Beauty¡¯ because I didn¡¯t want to apply that shiny oil, and the rest didn¡¯t really interest me either. I wondered if there was a club that could help me develop one of my talents. ¡°I was drawn to the ¡®Beautiful and Delicious Cooking Research Club¡¯.¡± ¡°Are you good at cooking?¡± ¡°Hmm. I haven¡¯t tried it!¡± I chuckled as I looked at Le smiling brightly. It looked like she was really excited about it. I¡¯d have to think about it after the entrance ceremony was over. By the way, I was the only one in the autonomous major. What should I do? The autonomous major gave me more freedom than I thought. Not only could I take all of the sses regardless of grade or major, but I could also freely use the facilities rted to the undergraduate program. ¡°Apologies for themotion. Alright, now we¡¯ll get started with the freshman orientation.¡± That was why, since I entered the academy as an autonomous major, I nned to shake off the regrets of my past life and use all of my talents to the fullest. ¡°From today onwards, you are proud members of the Imperial Academy¡­¡± Oh, right. I was told to go see a certain professorter. His name was¡­ ¡°Kelthas Redfield.¡± Kelthas Redfield. Until a few days ago, he was one of the most rxed men in the world. He had served as Commander of the Imperial Knights. This alone would have made the rest of his lifefortable, but after retirement, he was appointed a professor at the Imperial Academy. That professorship was for an ¡®honorary position¡¯, with only one professor in the Imperial Academy, and no students to teach. Autonomous major. A major that hadn¡¯t had a single student epted in the past few decades, However, given the nature of the Imperial Academy, which valued tradition, this was a department that would never disappear. So, he was the most rxed person in the world. For about ten years, that was certainly the case¡ªuntil a disturbance suddenly appeared. ¡®This is ridiculous.¡¯ Was it true that this student sitting quietly in front of him was really epted to the autonomous major program? ¡°Hello, Professor. My name is Dane Sogres.¡± ¡°Ahem. Okay. Ahem.¡± ¡°Are you ufortable?¡± ¡°Ahem. No.¡± He didn¡¯t feel ufortable, only confused. After all, the professorship in the Autonomous Department was effectively an honorary position. Since there were no students to be in charge of, there was nothing to instruct. It was the best of the best positions. He just had to write a paper or two asionally and produce some research results. ¡®Getting this position in the first ce was difficult!!¡¯ Therefore, thepetition for his position was very fierce. Kelthas was the formermander of the Imperial Knights. He became a professor in the Autonomous Department ten years ago, after passing apetition as fierce as the Imperial Academy entrance exam. Naturally, he thought there wouldn¡¯t be any new students admitted to the Autonomous Department until he retired. That was what the former professor had told him. ¡®He retired after living a leisurely life for thirty years without a single student, didn¡¯t he?¡¯ Kelthas had thought it would always be like that. He thought he would retirefortably¡­ ¡®If I had known this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have taken this post!¡¯ Kelthas screamed inwardly. He¡¯d heard there was an applicant while he was on vacation, but he didn¡¯t care. However, when he came back, they said the student had passed! Was this real? ¡®Was it through Sogres¡¯ connections¡­? No, he¡¯s not that kind of person.¡¯ He knew Count Sogres. Even though they weren¡¯t close friends, they were at least familiar with each other¡¯s character. That alone let him know that Count Sogres was not the kind of person who would do anything to force his son into the Imperial Academy. Above all, the boy had gotten a pass from the three pickiest deans in the academy. There was no room for doubt, so he got even angrier. ¡°¡­Why did you end up applying to the Autonomous Department?¡± ¡°So that I can do whatever I want.¡± ¡°Do you n on choosing a specific fieldter?¡± Dane pondered the question for a moment and then shook his head, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t want to miss out on other opportunities by being assigned to any one department in particr.¡± Professor Kelthas was truly devastated by that decisive answer. ¡®My leisurely life¡­¡¯ A thought crossed his mind at that moment. ¡®Maybe.¡¯ Being a professor meant having the right to evaluate your students. In other words, the student in front of him was one he could evaluate, and his future academic life would change depending on that score. Even if he took sses in other departments and got good grades because this was the autonomous major, he was the one who would beprehensively evaluating the boy. ¡®Alright.¡¯ Professor Kelthas intended to do this. ¡°You said you passed the exam with spearmanship, magic, and summoning.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing. You passed those difficult departments¡¯ exams three times.¡± ¡°I was lucky.¡± This time, you won¡¯t be so lucky. ¡°So, do you happen to have any talent for swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Yes, swordsmanship is the basis of all weapons. Of course, I do not mean to disparage the spearmanship taught by Count Sogres, but since you have entered the autonomous major and I am a professor, I think you should know at least some of swordsmanship.¡± It was pure nonsense. However, the boy in front of him was only fourteen years old, and he had the power to change this boy¡¯s score. ¡®I guess I can use this as an excuse to make him go away.¡¯ He came here to rest, not to teach students. If it was instructing others, he had done enough of that as a knightmander. He just chose the title of ¡®professor¡¯ because he didn¡¯t want to hear that he was an elder trapped in the back rooms after retirement. ¡°So, I want to see if you have any talent for swordsmanship.¡± Professor Kelthas naturally expected Dane to respond by saying he was embarrassed or untalented, or maybe that he had never studied it before. If he said that, Kelthas would reply with a disappointed tone, scold him appropriately, and then have him practice swordsmanship and find fault with him here and there. However, Dane¡¯s answer was different from what he had expected. ¡°Alright.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35: The Academy is Hiding Swordsmanship (2) Each full-time professor was assigned a sort of boratory¡¯ by the Academy. A full-time professor in the Magic Department was assigned aboratory or training ground for practicing magic, a full-time professor in the Summoning Department was assigned a space for summoning creatures, and a professor in the Spearmanship Department was assigned a training ground good for practicing spearmanship. In Kelthas¡¯ case, it was a small training ground. It was of a size that only 1 or 2 people could train in at most, and it was difficult to call it a training ground. On one side was a hammock, and on the other side was a sign that clearly said ¡®Practice In Progress¡¯, which had never been turned around. Kelthas casually pushed aside the hammock and opened a door. Then, with a loud crash, practice weapons fell. ¡°¡­¡± It was proof that he had not trained for a long time. However, Kelthas calmly picked up one of the scattered weapons and handed it to Dane. ¡°Is this alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dane epted the weapon as if he didn¡¯t care much about it. Did he know nothing or was he pretending to be ignorant? It didn¡¯t matter either way. ¡°We will now begin the test.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± ¡°The test is¡­ Alright, let¡¯s do this. If you can sessfully attack me with that sword even once, I¡¯ll consider you to have some skills.¡± It was ridiculous. Even though it had been nearly ten years since Kelthas had picked up his sword and lived like a vagabond, the position of Imperial Knight Commander was not earned through games. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll only move two steps. Isn¡¯t that enough of a penalty?¡± Dane didn¡¯t respond. He just stared nkly at the sword. ¡®It must be frustrating. Haha.¡¯ Kelthasughed inwardly. If he used this to ¡®evaluate¡¯, then it made for a great excuse. After returning from vacation and urgently looking up the school regtions, he found that even the professors of the autonomous major department were ¡®autonomous¡¯. What this meant was that the professor¡¯s evaluation method was at his or her discretion, regardless of the major the student had chosen or the grades of the sses the student had taken. So, Kelthas nned to send this guy to another major as soon as possible and go back to living a leisurely life. ¡®There¡¯s nothing better than nitpicking.¡¯ However, Kelthas could not help but tilt his head at Dane¡¯s answer when he finally spoke. ¡°You said that I only had to sessfully attack you once, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Did that mean he could do it? ¡°Get into position.¡± Professor Kelthas stepped away and roughly grabbed the sword he had picked up earlier with one hand. It was an unspoken warning that he was far above the boy and that there was absolutely no chance of a sessful attack. However, something was strange. ¡®Why¡­? Where have I seen this pose before?¡¯ Dane was holding a sword. However, it was not a neat and textbook-like posture like that of those trained by the Imperial Knights or the children of noble families. Instead, he was holding the sword with only one hand and staring at Kelthas. However, he didn¡¯t see any ¡®gaps¡¯ there. At first nce, it seemed like it was some kind of rxed pose, but Kelthas clearly saw it. ¡®Why does hee to mind?¡¯ The Imperial Knights were a group that protected the imperial family. However, there was just one time when they went to the front lines against the Drenik Empire to inspect the battlefield. He saw it there. The enemy¡¯s ¡®warrior¡¯ who mercilessly cut down the knights of the Altheon Empire. He wore no insignia, no g, no badge that symbolized he was a knight. He simply wore light armor and brandished two colorless swords. None of the knights he encountered were any match for him. Unlike the standard knights¡¯ swordsmanship, his weapon was as irregr as the ferocity he had acquired on the battlefield. If a sword broke, rather than panicking, he fought with the broken sword and even picked up another sword nearby to fight again. ¡®That man¡¯s name was¡­¡¯ As he was struggling to recall the impressive enemy knight¡¯s name¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll start.¡± ¡°Come at me, then.¡± Kelthas spread his arms wide. However, he soon had no choice but to close his outstretched arms. ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ Suddenly, Dane rushed in and seemed to be within arm¡¯s reach, but the direction of the sword that seemed to be aiming straight at his stomach suddenly changed to his neck. ¡°Hup.¡± Tang! He blocked it easily. It clearly bounced off, but¡­ Something wasn¡¯t right. He didn¡¯t know such an irregr sword path existed. But that wasn¡¯t the end.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Whoong! Dane stopped the deflected sword with his body¡¯s recoil, then used the momentum to cut in again, this time at the bottom. As Kelthas was considering whether to jump up or step back to dodge, Dane simply turned around and attempted a diagonal upward sh. Tang! It was blocked again, but Kelthas was bing increasingly confused. ¡®How does this make sense?¡¯ Boys at his age¡ªno, even fully grown men¡ªoften failed to swing and stab with an honest sword. But this boy was going beyond that and attacking by swinging his sword from apletely unpredictable direction. If one didn¡¯t know where the attack woulde from, they could only dodge. If you knew where it woulde from, you could block it, but you must have the skill to be able to do so. That meant that unless it was someone as skilled as Kelthas, it was difficult to block this sword right now. For reference, Kelthas had 6 cores. That meant he was a hexa-ss. Of course, it had been a long time since he put down his sword, but that didn¡¯t mean his swordsmanship hadpletely disappeared. ¡®I can¡¯t take this lightly.¡¯ He could only move two steps. He regretted limiting himself like that. Against a fourteen-year-old child, at that! No, more than that. Tang! ¡®Why is he so good at swordsmanship?¡¯ Kelthas questioned as he deflected Dane¡¯s third attack. Magic, sorcery, summoning. Plus, a fourth talent? ¡°Beside you.¡± Dane¡¯s sword approached at that moment. Kelthas was so lost in thought for a moment that he reflexively turned to the side at Dane¡¯s shout. Of course, just like before, he pretended to defend from the side and before defending from the front, expecting Dane¡¯s sword to stab him from the front¡­ Thud. Dane¡¯s sword hit hispel. ¡°Ha.¡± Kelthas felt speechless. The cor touched by the sword was torn. ¡®He knows how to release magical power with a sword as well?¡¯ Even with a practice sword, he could easily rip things like cors. However, he shouldn¡¯t have been able to cut it so cleanly. ¡°I think I made a hit.¡± This boy was a genius. An unbelievable genius, at that He didn¡¯t know how many cores Dane had. However, against someone with six cores, he used only pure swordsmanship to cut Kelthas¡¯s cor. Kelthas burst intoughter as he looked at Dane, who had already put away his sword. ¡°Yeah, you did,¡± Kelthas admitted honestly. Then he asked, ¡°With all this talent, why didn¡¯t you apply to the Swordsmanship Department?¡± He was just curious. Why didn¡¯t he choose swordsmanship when he had the skills to brush against the cor of a hexa ss knight? ¡°I thought my family would be sad.¡± ¡°What?¡± Spearmanship, magic, and summoning. Dane chose three of the talents he had learned and developed from his family, excluding assassination, which was impossible to choose. Of course, this was something that Kelthas couldn¡¯t understand. But one thing was certain: Dane was a genius. A genius in swordsmanship and a genius in talent. Only then did he understand why the three deans unanimously passed him, and why there was no great stir when he said he would test Dane¡¯s swordsmanship. ¡®Damn. I guess there¡¯s no other choice.¡¯ Kelthas realized that his leisurely life was overshadowed by dark clouds. If things went as he anticipated, he would have yed around for a bit and then nitpicked, saying that Dane had no talent for swordsmanship and that if he wanted to pursue this major, he had to pass his training as a professor. He¡¯d been thinking of just letting Dane train in swordsmanship for a bit and then ending it¡­ All his ns went down the drain. Kelthas was simply frustrated that he couldn¡¯t rest. However, he wasn¡¯t the kind of shameless person to ignore such crazy talent when it was right in front of him. ¡°¡­you can go back now. I¡¯ll call you again.¡± Now he had no choice but to be a real professor. ¡®This is going to be troublesome.¡¯ But why? Why was he bing curious about the boy in front of him? ¡°Yes. Thank you, Professor.¡± It was at that moment that Kelthas, who was standing in a daze and nning how to teachÒ» ¡°Oh, and, Professor? You took more than two steps at the end.¡± At Dane¡¯s words, Kelthas looked down. He had definitely moved more than ¡®two steps¡¯ from where he had been standing before. ¡°Haha.¡± Kelthas let out a hollowugh with aplicated expression on his face. Then suddenly it urred to him. ¡®Argrik.¡¯ The name of the warrior who was born on the battlefield and who ended his life on the battlefield, whom Duke Thermion once praised. Professor Kelthas¡¯ test was quite impressive. It wasn¡¯t like a fight to the death on a battlefield, but I still did my best. Professor Kelthas was a powerful man whom I couldn¡¯t defeat in this body. Rather, I felt like I was rushing in with everything I had, and it felt good. At thest minute, that deceptive tactic worked. If it had been a real fight, I would have lost because of the overwhelming difference in our cores without even trading a few blows. However, considering the situation, I¡¯d clearly dealt Professor Kelthas a blow. By the way, I didn¡¯t know there would be a test. Still, I was d I passed. After all, I knew that the professorship of the Autonomous Department was in fact an honorary position. However, there was still a professor in charge, and passing their test had considerable significance. For instance¡­ ¡°Dane.¡± There, my second sister, who was standing there fidgeting, came running to me as soon as she saw me. ¡°Are you alright? Was the professor annoyed by any chance?¡± My second sister looked at me over and over, checking to see if I had any wounds on my body. I burst outughing at how cute she looked. ¡°It¡¯s alright, nothing happened.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. I took the test and passed.¡± ¡°You passed the test?¡± My second sister¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. Professor Kelthas isn¡¯t the type of person who would give a test that could be passed¡­¡± Just what kind of professor was he that my second sister was reacting like this? ¡°That professor. He¡¯s only attended one regr faculty meeting so far. Even then, he only came because the dean called him over. He hates to be bothered.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He was a greater person than I thought. ¡°So, I came here because I was worried about what he would say to you and what he would make you do¡­¡± So, I passed such a person¡¯s test. It was certainly an impossible test to pass ordinarily. He was a hexa-ss warrior who came from the Imperial Knights, so he would be able to sweep away even a few carriage loads of new recruits on the spot. ¡°I¡¯m so d, Dane.¡± My second sister always felt relieved that I was safe. It was another reason why I liked my second sister. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± ¡°How can you say that? I¡¯ll keep worrying about you while I¡¯m here as an assistant professor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re busy with work, too. I¡¯ll take care of myself. I have friends and there are clubs. I haven¡¯t figured out which one to join yet, though.¡± ¡°Friends? Oh, you mean Le? The daughter of Duke Thermion. She¡¯s pretty. Oh, so the first and second ce are always together?¡± It seemed certain that I would be noticed wherever I went. Well, so what? Being in the spotlight wasn¡¯t a bad thing. In fact, it was wee. ¡°Take care. Having a close friend will be afort to you throughout your academy life.¡± That sounded right. In that sense, Le was a good person who always tried to teach me things. ¡°Dane. You weren¡¯t able to visit the dorm because you were held captive by the professor earlier, right? I¡¯ll take you there.¡± In the midst of all this, my second sister seemed to be really worried about me. I tried to tell her that I could do it on my own, but I gave up when I saw my sister¡¯s worried eyes. ¡°Yeah, alright.¡± I suddenly became curious. Would it be more noticeable to walk with Le, the daughter of Duke Thermion, or would it be more noticeable to walk with the genius of the Summoning Department and the ¡®terrifying assistant¡¯ who was my second sister? Chapter 36 Chapter 36: How Sincere ¡°Look over there, that¡¯s the assistant professor from the Summoning Department and this year¡¯s top student, right?¡± ¡°Is it true that they¡¯re siblings?¡± ¡°There have been rumors going around for the past few days that the youngest son of House Sogres would be enrolling. What have you been doing?¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve never seen the assistant professor from the Summoning Department take care of something like that before!¡± It seemed like I still got more attention when I hung out with my second sister. I could hear them, but when my second sister red at them, it felt as if a silencing spell had been cast. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Dane. There are many times when you have to keep a cool head when you work as an assistant professor. There are quite a few kids who try to use their family background to secretly ask the teacher to change their grades.¡± Rather, it was sad that it was not the professor but my sister who graded the papers. What were they doing instead of grading papers? ¡°Oh, hello, Miss!¡± In the midst of all this, loud greetings were heard. A few students with the Summoning Department badges on their chests were standing in front, bowing their heads. ¡°Yes, hello.¡± My second sister waved her hand very coolly. It seemed like a signal to go away, but one of the bowing boys did not leave. ¡°Oh, is that your younger brother, Miss? The rumored top student who passed the autonomous major program! House Sogres is truly amazing!¡± The boy pointed at me and showered me withpliments, thenughed heartily. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you well next time I meet you! I¡¯m really good at taking care of others!¡± However, my sister looked at the boy and spoke very coldly. ¡°Granx, you were held back twice, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Three times will lead to expulsion. You know that, right?¡± ¡°M-Miss¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to take care of my brother, so focus on passing.¡± Then my sister said the scariest thing in the world. ¡°Let¡¯s do our best, alright?¡± The boy named Granx eventually turned pale and retreated. It was the first time I¡¯d seen my second sister act so cold, except when she was fighting with our eldest sister. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dane.¡± I headed to the dorm with my sister. There were a few boys who greeted me loudly as I walked by, but seeing the expression on my sister¡¯s face, it seemed like they didn¡¯t have the courage to speak to me any further. It was reassuring yet scary. I was so d she was on my side. ¡°Oh my, Dane. I was looking for you, but I guess you were with re.¡± Oh right. There was one more person who was reassuring but scary. ¡°I heard you were meeting Professor Kelthas, so I was heading that way. But it seems our re go to you first?¡± My eldest sister had the kindest smile on her face. And¡­ My second sister¡¯s eyebrows were twitching. ¡°I¡¯m just showing Dane to his dorm.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Then I¡¯ll go with you. It¡¯s been a while since the three of us have had a cozy walk together.¡± Oh, this was dangerous. It was a big deal when my eldest sister spoke so affectionately to my second sister. ¡°I¡¯m sure the genius inventor of the Magic Department is busy, so why don¡¯t you go back? I¡¯ll take care of our youngest.¡± ¡°Why are you saying such saddening things? I was just finishing up what I wanted to do to see our youngest, but isn¡¯t life as an assistant professor hard for you? I don¡¯t know if you have time for this. Oh, the professors of the Summoning Department are a bit annoying, aren¡¯t they?¡± Although I was happy to see my eldest sister, I was seriously contemting whether or not I should leave. ¡°Oh my, look over there¡± ¡°All the children of House Sogres have gathered.¡± ¡°Ms. Arabe is a genius at magic, Ms. re is a genius at summoning, and Mr. Dane is a genius at both of those things plus spearmanship. What kind of family do they have?¡± ¡°I¡¯m jealous. What would it feel like to be among them?¡± What did it feel like? It felt like death. Eventually, my sisters followed me to the main gate of the dormitory. They said they couldn¡¯t enter.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om On principle, no one other than students may be on the dormitory premises, except for dormitory staff. ¡°Dorm life, along with club life, is the highlight of academy life!¡± As my eldest sister said, dormitory life could be very enjoyable for some people. This was because a practically ¡®autonomous¡¯ society centered around the dorms existed. It could be called a small society within the academy. In the midst of this, the two started fighting again. ¡°Oh. So that¡¯s why you were trying to burn down the dormitory grounds?¡± ¡°Where do you go bringing up something from more than five years ago? And it was a very minor ident that happened during the inventing process!¡± ¡°If almost burning everything down is a minor ident, then would it only be a major ident if you burn down the entire empire?¡± ¡°Hmph. Don¡¯t you remember when you suddenly took out a wyvern in the za where the festival was being held? The festival turned into a total mess, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Th-that! It was because someone gave me alcohol!¡± Maybe my eldest sister was the one that gave her that alcohol. However, if this went on, there would be no end to it. ¡°Sisters, I¡¯m going in.¡± At my words, my sisters came over to me without saying a word and hugged me tightly. ¡°Little brother, you have to be careful on your way. If there are any problems, call me. Even though it¡¯s off-limits, if you open the gate, we can go in. No one will know.¡± ¡°Dane, if there¡¯s any trouble, call me and I¡¯ll barge in.¡± Again, reassuring but scary. I was d they were on my side. With that, I finally passed through the dorm gate amidst a tearful farewell. The dorms were visible soon after I entered the gate. On the way, I saw several buildings, many students, and a few tents, but I went straight to the dormitory office. ¡°Oh, Student Dane Sogres. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± As I entered the office, a corporate-looking employee with neatlybed hair stood up to greet me. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re fourteen. You¡¯re so stocky and big.¡± He quickly introduced himself. ¡°My name is Max Hauer. I¡¯m in charge of all the general operations of this office.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Dane Sogres. Please take care of me. I hope I¡¯m not toote.¡± ¡°Not at all. The headmaster personally gave the order. Even if youe at dawn, I should personally guide you right away.¡± The headmaster personally gave the order? Max continued speaking as if it was nothing special while I tilted my head. ¡°It¡¯s to be expected, as you¡¯re the top student and a member of the Autonomous Department.¡± As expected, one should be good at what they do. ¡°Very well. Let me exin the documents first. First, Dane Sogres, you belong to the Dant¨¨re Hall. As you can guess from the name, it is the best dormitory.¡± I heard about it from my eldest sister. The dormitories were divided into three, and you could go to different ces depending on your grades. The Dant¨¨re Hall was the dorm for those with the highest grades. It was named after the first emperor of the empire. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°The Dant¨¨re Hall has everything a student could possibly want. There¡¯s a cafeteria, a lounge, a magic projection room, arge store, various training grounds, and even a city center. There are also ¡®secret¡¯ facilities,¡± Max added with a grin. ¡°Only three students from this year¡¯s freshmen entered, including you, as the top student, and the second ce, Le Thermion. Incidentally, three students left the Dant¨¨re Hall before the start of this semester.¡± That meant that it was a ce that you couldn¡¯t usually enter. And one more thing. ¡°I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t happen, but depending on your grades in the second semester, you may not be able to continue staying in the Dant¨¨re Hall.¡± I suppose he meant that if I got lower grades, I would have to go to another dorm. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that would apply to you. And¡­ I don¡¯t think you¡¯d cause any trouble in the dorms either.¡± What did that mean? ¡°Just so you know, Students Arabe Sogres and re Sogres only stayed at the Dant¨¨re Hall until they graduated.¡± Oh. It was then that I realized why he mentioned the word ¡®trouble¡¯. I shivered thinking about how they must have acted whenever they met in the dorms. Were sisters all like that? By the way, how did they graduate? ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve finished exining everything, so you can sign here. Oh, there are two ess keys, so if you lose one, you cane to the office and register for a new one. And also¡­¡± Through the following exnations, I confirmed that I was in room 905 of the Dant¨¨re Hall. ¡°If you go into the Dant¨¨re Hall, be careful. There are a lot of strange students there. It¡¯s not that they¡¯re bad, but sometimes you¡¯ll wonder what¡¯s wrong with them.¡± Well, I suppose that would apply to me, too The exnation wasn¡¯t very long, and Max handed me the key. ¡°You can check the details yourself. If you have any questions, please feel free toe to us at any time.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As I was epting the key and heading to the Dant¨¨re Hall, I felt like I was being watched. I was used to it by now. Something along the lines of my being the youngest son of House Sogres, entering the academy as the top student, being of the Autonomous Department, and if that meant I was alone. ¡°Did you just hear? There was almost a fight between the graduates at the main gate?¡± ¡°Really? Suddenly?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the Sogres sisters! The professor stopped them just before they cast magic and summoned something.¡± Oh, that was kind of interesting. I tried hard not to listen and quickened my pace. Finally, I arrived at the Dant¨¨re Hall. ¡°So amazing.¡± The splendid building stood tall. On the white base, I could see the various patterns and magic circles carved on the walls. As expected of a building built by a legendary architect, the unique decorations and style were impressive. The building had a total of nine floors. As I entered, I was greeted by some amazing sights, but I personally thought my home was prettier. I passed the lobby and got on the magic elevator heading to the ninth floor. The sign installed in front of the elevator caught my eye. Inventor: Arabe Sogres ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± I remembered my older sister bragging that if you looked closely, I would see her inventions all over the academy. Whoong, nk. The elevator stopped quickly. After confirming that I had reached the ninth floor, I got off the elevator and immediately sensed something strange. What was it? The entire ninth floor was enveloped in a great silence. Chairs, tables, teacups, sofa, magic projector, etc. There were traces of human presence. But no one was there. It was as if everyone had evaporated away. I checked the number on the entrance several times beforeing in, so I wasn¡¯t on the wrong floor. Then¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± The moment I drew up my magic power to expand my senses, strangely familiar sensations began to stimte my five senses. The very faint but clearly visible thread. The smell of lubricating oil that brushed the tip of my nose. A very subtle squeaking sound. They were all traps. ¡°Aha.¡± Suddenly, I remembered Max¡¯s words. He said there were a lot of weird people in the Dant¨¨re Hall. I also remembered what my second sister had said about a tradition called hazing that existed in the Dant¨¨re Hall. I guess it was that. Hazing. I barely kept myughter in. There were many traps. Nothing looked dangerous, however, it seemed that the traps had been modified to make it difficult to dismantle. Why was I so familiar with it? I learned it all from my mother. ¡°This is going to be fun.¡± How sincere. Then, should I just dismantle everything and see what happens, just to show my own sincerity? Chapter 37 Chapter 37: Dane Sogres, the Trap Genius (1) The Academy dorms were divided into three levels. The lowest grade was the Amaldi Hall, the middle grade was the Owell Hall, and finally, the highest grade was the Dant¨¨re Hall.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om However, as was the case with all ces where people lived, there were unofficial ¡®ranks¡¯ within the dorms. The ¡®ranks per grade¡¯ was implicitly discussed in each dormitory, where autonomy was granted, was an example of that. In the case of the Dant¨¨re Hall, the ninth floor was where the most ¡®excellent students¡¯ gathered. This was the case for the five students who were gathered in a secret room right now, holding their breath while watching the magical screen projected by the magic projector. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he moving?¡± ¡°Does he have good senses?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Arnold installed them, so how could he see them?¡± Arnold Curd. The eldest son of Baron Curd and a third-year student at the Imperial Academy. Uniquely, he was one of the few members of the Archery Department in the entire academy. Arnold pushed up his sses with his index finger and smiled smugly. ¡°You never know. The Curds have been hunters for hundreds of years, so we¡¯re very good at traps.¡± ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous?¡± ¡°Dangerous? I removed the danger. Where¡¯s the need to cut off a freshman¡¯s hand or leg? In return, the traps are extremely difficult to release or destroy.¡± Arnold majored in shooting¡ªthat was, archery. Arnold¡¯s house was famous for their archery from a long time ago. As a house famous for their archery skills, they were also expert hunters. In the process, Arnold learned how to create and set up traps. The problem was that those trap techniques were being used in the hazing of the new student arriving on the ninth floor. ¡°I¡¯m excited. This is my first time attending a ceremony like this.¡± ¡°Arnold was beaten up when he came here, so he¡¯s probably put a lot of thought into this.¡± ¡°Butpared to what I had to go through, it¡¯s nothing. I was interrogated and tied up! At the time, the concept was probably ¡®a terrorist group on the ninth floor of Dant¨¨re Hall¡¯, right?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve all had our share of ups and downs.¡± All five of the people who had gathered had gone through some kind of hazing when they first entered the ninth floor. The person who had gone through hazingst had to prepare the one for the next neer. Arnold was thest to enter the ninth floor and, as was tradition, prepared his own initiation ceremony. ¡®Fufu, he¡¯s going to faint soon.¡¯ Arnold chuckled as he imagined the boy in the video screaming in agony. ¡°But the top student, and the Autonomous Department at that¡­ maybe things will be a little different this time? His eldest sister is a genius, his second sister is also a genius. If he¡¯s in the Autonomous Department, he¡¯s bound to be a greater genius than them.¡± Then one person raised a question. It was a girl with one eye covered by her hair. Her name was Prisci. She was a fourth year student in the Theology Department. ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying my traps won¡¯t work?¡± Prisci chuckled as Arnold snapped and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that, but I guess you¡¯re not confident?¡± ¡°Of course I am!¡± Prisci ignored Arnold¡¯s objections and pointed to the video. ¡°Look, he¡¯s still not moving.¡± At those words, Arnold just scoffed, ¡°He¡¯s very alert. But how long do you think he can stay like that? The elevator¡¯s magic power has been cut off, so it can¡¯t go anywhere, but if he can only go forward, he will move.¡± But there was one more possibility. ¡°It seems to me that he is examining something closely.¡± As Prisci said, Dane didn¡¯t seem to be simply standing still. He was turning his head little by little, and where he stopped, his eyes were shining sharply. ¡®No way.¡¯ Arnold denied the absurd thought. That couldn¡¯t be possible. He¡¯d applied excellent paint to hide the traps, and he¡¯d also carefully applied lubricant to prevent the squeaking of the gears from being detected. It was a trap that even the most cautious animals would fall into, so there was no way he would have noticed. ¡°Oh. He¡¯s moving.¡± Dane finally moved and caught everyone¡¯s attention. Arnold pretended not to care, but at that moment, he gulped nervously. ¡®Three steps forward.¡¯ Just three more steps and the hazing would finally begin. He started lightly, with a wire trap. If the newbie touched it, the water bag installed on the ceiling would burst and he would get soaked. As he became flustered and unable to make sense of things, the ground trap would be activated. The floor trap was triggered by moisture. If he didn¡¯t move immediately, the floor would sink and he would be exposed to a smelly liquid. ¡®Even if he gets out of that, all kinds of traps are waiting for you.¡¯ If his calctions were right, the newbie would arrive before them while soaking wet, with a nasty smelling from his legs, beaten a couple of times with a cotton-filled glove, covered in feathers, and a nk mind. Arnold¡¯s heart was pounding at the thought of finally getting revenge for the hazing he had received. ¡°Huh?¡± Dane stopped exactly three steps forward and looked up. Was it a coincidence? No. Dane snapped his fingers toward the ceiling. Tang! The water bag installed on the ceiling burst and water poured out onto the floor. The floor trap activated at the same time. Creak! ¡°¡­¡± Dane was fine. His whole body did not get soaked or sink into the floor. He was just wrinkling his nose and frowning. Two of the traps that had been prepared with great care were blown away right from the start. He didn¡¯t even avoid it, he just destroyed it? Even though Arnold had hidden them so that no one would ever notice? ¡°What the¡­? I thought you said he would never find them.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s a coincidence! A coincidence!¡± Arnold¡¯s heart began to pound as he denied it. Meanwhile¡­ ¡®A hydraulic engine in front¡­ if I touch it, something might pop out from the curtains.¡¯ Dane, who had just destroyed two traps easily, jumped over the sunken floor and analyzed the next trap quickly. ¡®Should I shoot ?Mana Bullet? again?¡¯ Dane hesitated for a moment and then shook his head. Instead, he summoned a single arrow with attack power iparable to that of a ?Mana Bullet?. ¡°There should at least be this much impact.¡± Unlike ?Mana Bullet?, which could be used by anyone who knew how to manipte magic power, it was a spell that only ¡®mages¡¯ could cast. The 1-chain spell left Dane¡¯s hand and shot forwardÒ» Thump! It hit Arnold¡¯s well-hidden trap not far away. A glove filled with cotton fell from under the curtain the moment the trap was destroyed. Dane aimed for the core of the machine andpletely destroyed it without giving the trap a chance to be triggered. Arnold¡¯s jaw dropped, and the rest of the group had gone beyond surprise and began to get interested. ¡°As expected of House Sogres.¡± ¡°I heard that his older sisters were treated badly at their initiation ceremonies.¡± ¡°Those two were legends of the Dant¨¨re Hall. They never left from the time they entered school until they graduated.¡± ¡°Is that a big deal? They fought so much. It was a nightmare. I hope he¡¯s a bit quieter.¡± While Prisci and the rest of the students were growing excited, Arnold finally screamed when he saw Dane easily destroying the fourth trap. ¡°My¡­ my traps were all¡­¡± This time, it was a trap where feathers would burst out from all directions the moment Dane should have grabbed the doorknob to open it. If he was soaking wet, the feathers would have stuck to him, and even if he wasn¡¯t, it would have been enough to obscure his vision and cause panic¡­ ¡°It looks like he knows what kind of traps there are. Does House Sogres also teach hunting?¡± As one guy said, Dane went straight to the trap as if he already knew it and dismantled it in an instant. ¡°This time it¡¯s not destruction, but dismantling. That¡¯s even more amazing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing. He found everything Arnold worked so hard to hide so easily.¡± It was still too early to give up. Thest one was really difficult. ?Summoner¡¯s Illusion?. There was no need to avoid it or dismantle it. The moment he stepped into its area of effect, a realistic illusion would appear and force him to fight. Of course, it went a bit beyond what he had learned as a hunter, but Arnald was the one who cast it. Arnold trusted in the trap that he had even used magic on. ¡°What the hell?¡± But Dane stepped into the area of effect and tilted his head at the strange summon that appeared before his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s an illusion.¡± He had learned it from his eldest sister. Of course, he also knew how to disperse it. Dane drew up his magic power and released it toward the illusion. Although it didn¡¯t cause physical damage, it was effective against illusions that had no substance. It disturbed the flow of magic power, making it impossible for the illusion to function properly. ¡°¡­¡± Because of that, Arnold despaired, and the rest looked at Arnold with pity. Illusions were created with magic. ording to thew of magic, if the suppressing magic power was stronger, the illusion would be scattered like that. In simple terms, Dane¡¯s magic power was stronger than Arnold¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s ruined,¡± Prisci concluded simply. Even thest trap was easily defeated. Dane, the target of the hazing, looked very calm and rxed, not surprised. In a word, it was a mess. ¡°Never mind. The initiation ceremony was a bust, so let¡¯s just go out and have a weing ceremony.¡± ¡°Would you like to eat something?¡± ¡°Should I go to Donelf and get some grilled chicken legs?¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± As they chatted and were about to get up, Prisci pointed to the screen. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Dane, who had dispersed the illusion, was approaching the core of the trap, which had stopped functioning. ¡°What is he trying to do?¡± Prisci asked as she looked at Dane. He knelt on one knee in front of the core, raised his hand, and closed his eyes for a moment. ¡°Arnold, what¡¯s the new guy trying to do?¡± ¡°Is it because the core is expensive?¡± ¡°No way, he¡¯s from House Sogres.¡± ¡°Who knows? Their house might emphasize frugality. I guess it belongs to the newbie since he destroyed the traps. Arnold, how about giving in?¡± Amid the amusing spection, the trap in the screen began to shine. For a moment, theughter stopped. ¡°What did he do?¡± ¡°Is it core recovery?¡± As everyone was making their guesses, Prisci unconsciously turned her head at the strange feelinging from behind her and saw¡­ ¡°Kyyyyaaaa!¡± The summons Eterarch with its teeth bared. ¡°What the hell?!¡± ¡°Damn! What¡¯s going on all of a sudden!¡± ¡°No way, with that trap¡­¡± Then it must be an illusion, so why were they surprised? The reason was simple. Unlike Arnold¡¯s, the skill of the caster who has just sent the illusion into the room by using the trap was far superior. It could be called a ¡®realistic¡¯ illusion. It wasn¡¯t difficult for Dane. All he did was slightly change the structure of the already designed code to create one of his desired shape, and then he changed the activation instructions and conditions. ¡°So this is how you write it.¡± Who would have thought that the next talent he disyed after entering the academy after swordsmanship would be with traps? ¡°Should I leave it for about ten minutes?¡± Daneughed at the screamsing from inside the room. Chapter 38 Chapter 38: Dane Sogres, the Trap Genius (2) It took less than a minute for the surrender to be dered. Even though it was just an illusion, the way they came out in a panic made me think they really were just children. ¡°Aaaack! I-it¡¯sing at me!¡± ¡°Go away! I said go away!¡± ¡°Arnold, damn it! Do something!¡± Was it because theycked experience? Or because they didn¡¯t even imagine that they would be attacked? I leisurely watched as the people who burst through the door were chased by the illusionary Eterarch I had summoned. ¡°Newbie! Newbie! Do something about that!¡± ¡°Arnold! Undo it!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how either!¡± About five minutes passed. I didn¡¯t want to see my living space be more of a mess, so I channeled my magic into the trap to dismantle the illusion. ¡°I-it disappeared!¡± ¡°I survived!¡± The ones who were making a mess and sighing in relief were the ones I would have to live with from now on here on the ninth floor. It felt a bit awkward. Was it because they were scared when I was the one who should be going through the hazing? ¡°Hmmm. Ahem.¡± One of them got up as if nothing had happened, approached me, and stretched out a hand for a handshake. ¡°Hello. Newbie, ahem. The hazing was ruined. I am Drojan Valentine, a fifth-year student in the Alchemy Department. I am the only direct descendant of Marquess Valentine.¡± The sses of the guy who introduced himself as Drojan were cracked and chipped. ¡°Oh, just in case, don¡¯t worry about it. An alchemist has dozens of spare sses to prepare for the explosions that follow a failed experiment.¡± The boy seemed to be quite talkative. ¡°You¡¯re quite well built and very handsome. It¡¯s only natural since your sisters are very beautiful.¡± I quickly introduced myself before he could continue. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Dane Sogres. I am the youngest son of Count Sogres.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to introduce yourself to the people of this floor at the very least. Your sisters have given us a good idea of what kind of ce House Sogres is during their stay here.¡± I wondered what kind of impression they had left. I was curious but decided it was better not to ask. ¡°Hmm, by the way¡­ you¡¯re very skilled.¡± Drojan pointed at their surroundings. Everyone got up one by one and acted as if nothing had just happened. Perhaps they were ashamed of having been chased by an illusion. ¡°I heard you¡¯re talented in spearmanship, magic, and summoning? But to think the initiation ceremony we prepared would bepletely useless.¡± At those words, I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Arnold is very disappointed.¡± I could tell right away who Arnold was. ¡°Damn it!¡± It was the boy over there stamping his feet and eximing in anger. ¡°He is the heir to House Curd, famous for hunting.¡± If you were a hunter, you probably knew a lot about traps. However, the person who taught me about traps was a legendary assassin who was well-versed in all traps and assassination techniques. ¡°He¡¯ll be gloomy for a while. Don¡¯t worry about it too much, hahaha.¡± Drojan then introduced the others. ¡°This is Prisci, a fourth-year student of the Theology Department. It¡¯s best not to bother her. For someone dreaming of bing a cleric¡­¡± Then Prisci suddenly interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m good and beautiful. Nice to meet you. Prisci Neriel. I¡¯m the abandoned child of House Neriel. Once you enter the Theology Department, you can¡¯t even dream of marriage, you see.¡± I had heard that if you entered the Theology Department and became a priest, you would never be able to get married, regardless of your gender. However, I heard that everyone was having a good time with their significant others. I didn¡¯t really need to mention it here though. ¡°Anyway, I look forward to getting to know you, Dane Sogres.¡± Prisci held out her hand. I shook her hand lightly without thinking. ¡°Oh!¡± Prisci let go in surprise, then asked me with wide eyes, ¡°Wh-why is your magic so strong?¡± Well, because it was Ancient Magic. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°His magic is too strong!¡± Prisci muttered quickly while wringing her hands. ¡°Is this how it feels when you shake hands with a mage? No, it wasn¡¯t like that with the mage I met before¡­¡± Magic and divine power were conflicting powers. So, they could never be mixed. Of course, it didn¡¯t mean that anything would happen if a mage and cleric met. The same went for shaking hands. It was just that my magic power was a bit concentrated. ¡°Was that lover of yours a mage?¡± ¡°I-it wasn¡¯t like that!¡± ¡°If you keep doing that and get caught by the church one day, you¡¯ll be in big trouble. Be careful.¡± Prisci protested desperately, but Drojan ignored her as if he were used to it and introduced the other two. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Schaal Hasbro, a second-year Martial Arts student.¡± He was a bit smaller than the others from the martial arts department I saw before. Of course, that was justpared to them. He was already bigger than the average male. ¡°I¡¯m telling you this because I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll misunderstand, but I¡¯m different from those disgusting people. I¡¯m talking about the ones from the Physical Beauty club.¡± ¡°Just so you know, he really is different. A true martial artist¡­¡± Drojan added. ¡°Muscles are important, but they aren¡¯t everything. Those who only build up their muscles are building muscles, not training their bodies.¡± He was very firm about his opinions. Then there was only one left. ¡°¡­I¡¯m Arnold Curd.¡± He stretched out his hand with a very saddened expression. Drojan added that he was a third year Archery student from the side. So, he was the one who made the traps. ¡°I¡¯m Dane Sogres. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Yeaaahh¡­¡± It seemed that Arnold had lost all his confidence. So, I told him exactly what I thought of the traps. ¡°The traps were pretty good. You seem to know trap mechanics and how to set triggers very well.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°But they were a bit noticeable. It seemed to be a paint problem. Next time, instead of F6 ck, try mixing F3 Silver and D6 ck in a 4:6 ratio. It should be barely noticeable at this level of brightness.¡± Arnold¡¯s eyes widened and he asked, ¡°Would it really be less noticeable that way?¡± ¡°At least in this environment. Other than that, the traps were very well-made. Anyone could have fallen for them.¡± It was just a shame I was their opponent. Anyway, Arnold immediately became happier at my words and held out his hand again. ¡°I am the eldest son of Baron Curd. I have heard of the famous House Sogres. It is an honor to meet you, Dane Sogres.¡± What a quick turnaround. Was it because he was from the Archery Department? ¡°Now now. Let¡¯s end the introductions here. Dane Sogres? I¡¯ll show you to your room.¡± After entering the Academy, I was finally able to head to my dormitory. My room was at the end of the ninth floor of the Dant¨¨re Hall. ¡°Just so you know, the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors of the Dant¨¨re Hall have private single rooms. The best rooms are here on the ninth floor. Oh, and your room used to belong to a senior who graduated not long ago. It¡¯s been cleaned, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± While I was following Drojan, I heard various things about the Dant¨¨re Hall. ¡°Here, register your magic power. No one cane in or out without your say-so. If you don¡¯t have magic power, you can still use the key, but it doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯ll ever run out of magic power.¡± As I registered my magic, the door opened with a tingling sensation. What I saw was a room that was as big as the one I used at home. A wide space spread out before us. The first thing I saw was my luggage. My eldest sister had said she would take care of bringing my things over from home, and it seemed that she brought them over the moment my dorm was confirmed. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it, so take a look inside. I¡¯ll be leaving now. Oh, dinner is at seven. Don¡¯t bete ande down to the cafeteria. If anything happens, contact me through the crystal ball installed in the room. Bye.¡± Drojan, who ryed the information like a machine gun, left after that. I looked around the room and smiled. Was this where I would be staying from now on? The bedroom, reading room, and bathroom were all separated, and there was enough space to store clothes and other items. The interior also looked great. Actually, I didn¡¯t particrly feel anything. In my previous life, I spent over twenty years living in a tent. So, as long as there wasn¡¯t a hole somewhere that let wind in, it was fine. Still, a good thing was a good thing. Iy down on the bed and felt its soft texture enveloping my body, making me feel drowsy. ¡°Oh, I should call Mom and Dad.¡± I woke up with a start, thinking about all the things I had to do. I had to contact my parents, I had to tidy up the room, and I had to prepare for my sses, which started tomorrow. ¡°Oh.¡± Then I checked that two packages had been sent in addition to my luggage. Dane! Our youngest! Congrattions on your admission! It seemed like my eldest sister had prepared it, but upon looking inside the package, I saw that it was full of things that seemed to be books and supplies for the sses I would be taking in the future. ¡°Are these formal clothes?¡± There were also a few sets of clothes. One of them looked like formal clothes, and I thought it was something one would wear at a ball-like event at the Academy. ¡°I told her I¡¯d prepare them myself.¡± I felt gratitude while chuckling to myself. Anyway, it looked like it was going to be a very busy day. Students could choose their own majors and sses at the academy. Usually, you took two to three sses rted to your major, one mandatory elective ss, and one liberal arts ss that you could take regardless of your major, so about four to five sses in a semester. Of course, if you wanted, you could also take additional sses ording to your schedule. However, that was usually not the case for first years, as they had a set number of acknowledged credits. Originally, there was no such rule, but it was said that it was changed at the strong suggestion of a senior student who had been unable to enjoy academy life due to suffering from murderous homework since their first year. That senior was my eldest sister. Additionally, I was unable to receive the benefits my eldest sister fought for because I had to take all sses for the three majors I chose during the autonomous major exam. ¡°Wow, then¡­ you have six sses in a semester?¡± Le looked at my schedule and looked confused. ¡°Usually, first year students would have four at most¡­ Do you really n on only studying? Think carefully. You can cancel the first ss.¡± ¡°I think it should be fine.¡± I chose one major ss for each major, two liberal arts sses, and finally military science. ¡°Military Science¡­ if only it wasn¡¯t for this¡­¡± Le, who had lost points in the first test because of military science, gnashed her teeth and shook her hand in anger at the mere sight of it. ¡°Fuu. Anyway, I¡¯ll see youter at the swordsmanship ss. I have to go to my liberal arts ss.¡± ¡°Yeah. What are you taking?¡± ¡°¡®Understanding Cosmetics and Skin¡¯. What do you think? If you don¡¯t like the liberal arts ss you chose, do you want to join me?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°Aaaaalright¡­¡± Le looked sullen, as if she had been expecting me to agree with her. ¡°You, well¡­ I guess you don¡¯t need to wear makeup or anything like that since your skin is clear¡­¡± What was she talking about? ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Let¡¯s meet at the central fountain square after ss. Your next ss is the same as mine!¡± Oh right. The magic major ss. It looked like Le had chosen it, too. So I parted ways with Le and headed to the ¡®100th Anniversary Memorial Building¡¯, where my first ss was held. The academy had several buildings with different purposes, and the 100th Anniversary Memorial Building, where I was currently headed, was where sses on theoretical subjects were mainly held. The ss I was taking now was Military Science. The so-called ¡®Introduction to Military Science¡¯. ¡°Is that Dane Sogres?¡± ¡°Why did hee to our department?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ss even we don¡¯t want to take¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s really handsome. Should we talk to himter? Would he be a bit cold since he¡¯s from House Sogres?¡± ¡°He looks cold at first nce.¡± As I entered the ssroom and took my seat, I naturally heard everything. I just let them pass by and opened up my thick ¡®Introduction to Military Science¡¯ textbook. From what I read yesterday, there were some things I already knew, and some things that were directly at odds with reality. After all, if theory and practice always matched, which country would lose a war? However, the fact that a theory called military science was necessary meant that the basis of theory was that important in academics. ¡°Hello, gentle people. My name is Francisco Gavius, and I will be your professor in military theory. Feel free to call me Professor Gavius,¡± the professor who just appeared in the ssroom said. ¡°No matter how much you study military theories, they won¡¯t work on the battlefield. Soldiers are self-willed, officers have difficultymanding and controlling said soldiers, andmanders always have to bnce the lives of their soldiers against victory. However, theory is still important. Only when you have the theory as your foundation can you understand the field, correct your mistakes, and see the true usefulness of Military Science.¡± Professor Gavius had a long vertical scar on his face, but unlike his eerie appearance, he spoke in a very calm andposed tone. ¡°It has not even been twenty years since the war ended. We are not learning military science for a war that could break out at any time. However, the more excellent people who have learned military science there are, the higher the level of knowledge we have to win in future wars.¡± ¡°In that sense, I wonder how many people in this lecture will grow into elite military scientists in the future. Let me ask you one thing. What do you think is the most important thing in war?¡± he suddenly asked as he emphasized the importance of the subject he was teaching. I immediately raised my hand. Professor Gavius pointed to me. ¡°There, the silver-haired student with his hand raised.¡± ¡°Supply lines.¡± The corners of Professor Gavius¡¯ mouth curled up. ¡°Excellent answer. Victory and a triumphant return are only possible if supply lines are secured.¡± He stroked his chin as if he found something interesting. ¡°At least in this ss, the correct answer came from the first student. That¡¯s good.¡± Supply lines.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om In my previous life, I went through all sorts of things because of those damn supply lines. It was amon urrence that the promised food didn¡¯t arrive, and there was even a time when the supply line was cut off and I had to hunt to survive. It wasn¡¯t just food. In cases where clothing and armor were not properly supplied, weapons were worn out and couldn¡¯t be reced, there was no choice but to use those taken from dead soldiers or enemies. You could win a battle without supplies, but you couldn¡¯t win a war without them. But the questions did not end there, perhaps because he liked my first answer. ¡°Then, can you tell me the three most important things regarding supply lines?¡± Another question came flying. I smiled at the expectant gaze. I couldn¡¯t let him down, so I answered without hesitation once more. Chapter 39 Chapter 39: Misty Garden (1) ¡°The first is strict military management.¡± ¡°The reason?¡± ¡°The supply line from the capital to the front lines is not only stretched out over a long distance, but the system involved is also long andplicated. If even one person in the process has a different mind, corruption can easily ur, which will likely lead to supply shortages or errors.¡± In my experience, most supply problems urred because of people in the middle embezzling it when it was properly packaged and delivered. This was especially the case when the supply line was long. They recorded it as a loss and then sent it back to fill their own coffers. Thanks to that, the ones who were dying were the ones fighting on the front lines. ¡°What next?¡± In response to Professor Gavius¡¯ question, I immediately answered the second question. ¡°It is the standardization of supplies.¡± ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°If the specifications of the supplies, such as quantity, weight, length, and width, are the same, it has the advantage of being easy to mass-produce. This is of great help in rapid supply, and at the same time, it does not cause confusion in the frontline units.¡± This was also an answer based on what I experienced. Non-standardized supplies caused frustration and low morale among frontline soldiers. Imagine waiting for six months to receive clothes and armor, but the size was wrong, and the weapons were randomly distributed. This would make it very difficult for the soldiers to use the unfamiliar equipment. ¡°And finally? ¡°It¡¯s local procurement.¡± ¡°Local procurement? Are you talking about looting?¡± Professor Gavius narrowed his eyes for the first time as he looked at me. I shook my head. ¡°No, it¡¯s locally produced goods.¡± Producing food locally. When going through a war of attrition or a strategic battle, plunder was a limited and not very useful tactic. However, local production was different. ¡°Local procurement, huh.¡± The longer the war dragged on, and the more the two things I just mentioned were vited, the more the quality of supplies deteriorated. However, even if the above-mentioned cases weren¡¯t true, local production had many advantages. There were a few crops that would grow even if you just sowed them randomly and watered them. With those, the food situation would improve significantly. By the way, I felt like I was being watched from all sides. However, it seemed like the only people present in this space right now were me and Professor Gavius. ¡°Could you exin in more detail?¡± ¡°Local procurement has the advantage of enabling soldiers to achieve at least minimal self-sufficiency. For instance, in thend surrounding the longeststing frontlines of the war against the Drenik Empire, even without fertilizer, you could harvest coarse grains once every three months, and it¡¯s also possible to harvest two kinds of vegetables. Of course, the taste could be better, but it would be more than enough as an emergency food supply.¡± These were things that I had seen, felt, and experienced on the battlefield. I¡¯d also farmed and harvested as I mentioned. At my unhindered exnation, Professor Gavius was silent for a moment. I wondered if it was because I was being presumptuous for a freshman or something else. ¡°¡­¡± Then, he asked me, ¡°What year are you in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a first year, sir.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a freshman?¡± He looked at me in surprise for a moment. ¡°Strict military management, standardization of supplies, and finally, local procurement. All very excellent answers.¡± At his praise, an exmation of surprise rang out from those around me. They were probably Military science students. ¡°It¡¯s not the correct answer. From a theoretical perspective, it¡¯s not the perfect answer. But if you listen to the exnations, it¡¯s a convincing one.¡± Professor Gavius was quite sharp. ¡°However, your words remind me of soldiers and officers who have been on the battlefield.¡± Then in a questioning tone, he added, ¡°When you probably don¡¯t have any battlefield experience?¡± Of course I did. But I couldn¡¯t say that. ¡°I often heard stories from my father.¡± ¡°Your father, huh? Then, what is your name?¡± ¡°My name is Dane Sogres.¡± Prof Gavius nodded in understanding at that. ¡°The son of the Storm of Battle. Like father, like son, huh? Hahaha.¡± Professor Gavius suddenly tilted his head. ¡°Wait, then¡­ I didn¡¯t even recognize the biggest new celebrity in the academy even though he was right before my eyes.¡± Professor Gavius smiled and turned to the other students. ¡°Everyone, listen carefully. The Military Science that we will learn from now on is something along the lines of Dane Sogres¡¯ answer. It will be based on the textbook but can be applied appropriately in real-life situations. This is the ultimate goal of Military Science.¡± He continued with a click of his tongue. ¡°And Military Science students should be ashamed. Even though he is an Autonomous major, how could there be no one here who can give a better answer than a freshman? Tsk, tsk.¡± My answer seemed to have unintentionally hurt the actual major students. I could feel dejected stares from here and there. ¡°You may sit, Dane Sogres.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°I really hope to see you in the next ss. I don¡¯t know if you know this, but students from other majors tend to disappear from this ss after the first week.¡± That was an interesting fact. ¡°It¡¯s really strange. Military Science is such a fascinating field.¡± I thought it was amon characteristic among the professors that they thought their own field was always fascinating. ¡°Oh, if you have time,e to my office after ss.¡± Since I had a bit of time before my next ss, I nodded. Was it because he knew my father? But the moment I turned to sit, I saw the Military Science students looking at me with eyes filled with pity. ¡®Wh-what is it?¡¯ ¡°Then, let¡¯s start ss.¡± After ss, I realized why. My second sister had told me if someone invited me to the Imperial graduate school, I shouldn¡¯t say anything and leave immediately. At the time, I didn¡¯t quite understand why. Even she had chosen to go to graduate school and was currently working as an assistant professor at the academy. But now, I thought I understood. ¡°I almost went to graduate school.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om I had barely escaped from Professor Gavius¡¯ office. I breathed a sigh of relief. The professor¡¯s persuasion skills were no joke. He tried to win my favor by asking how my father was doing and offering me tea. Then, he started talking about Military Science and offering all sorts of advice. I had almost nodded my head in agreement when I felt something was off. Thankfully, I recalled my second sister¡¯s advice. ¡°I don¡¯t have any ns like that.¡± It would be one thing if there was something I truly wanted to learn more of, but I still wanted to learn about a wide variety of things and experience different things. However, as an assistant professor, I would have limited career paths and effectively be the professor¡¯s alter-ego. He didn¡¯t seem like the kind of person to give up right away, though¡­ ¡°Dropping the ss is a bit much.¡± Well, I¡¯d just have to avoid him. It was time to go to my next ss. I was supposed to meet Le by the central fountain square, right? I looked at the map and started walking towards the central fountain square. The academy was veryrge, so a map was essential. Even with one, it was easy to get lost. The path I chose was a maze-like garden also known as the ¡®Misty Garden¡¯. If the weather was even slightly cloudy, the garden would be covered in fog, making it very easy to lose your sense of direction inside. The alreadyplexbyrinthian garden became a ce people avoided once it was foggy. There were rumors that ghosts appeared at night. There was also a strange legend that the structure of the maze changed when it became foggy. I heard that several people got lost inside of it every year. ¡°For a ce like that, this ce is really good.¡± It felt like our family garden. While our family garden felt warm and cozy, this garden felt familiar, as if I had been there before. ¡°Is it because my eldest sister told me about it?¡± I didn¡¯t feel any rejection of the ce. I had a feeling I would be going through it more often in the future. Even though it was in the middle of the day, the garden was incredibly peaceful and quietÒ» ¡°Save me! Is anyone there?!¡± Not so quiet after all. I listened to any more sounds. ¡°Please save me! I¡¯m lost!¡± So, it was a lost soul. I checked the time, pondering for a moment. There was ample time. As long as I didn¡¯t get lost as well, I could just take them with me and get out. My mother always told me that if I saw someone in trouble, I shouldn¡¯t hesitate to help them. That was what I had to do as a noble, as a family member of war heroes, as someone from House Sogres. ¡°Please save me!¡± I walked towards where the sound came from and finally found the person calling for help. ¡°Th-thank god.¡± I saw a guy wearing thick sses. He was so thin that it looked like he would fall over if you poked him. He also looked terrible. The moment he saw me, he was so relieved that it made me feel sorry for him. ¡°I thought I¡¯d be lost forever¡­ I never thought there would be another person in this garden! Thank you! Thank you so much!¡± The guy who kept expressing his gratitude was sobbing. He quickly introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Ernest! Ernest Dn, a freshman from the Exploration Department.¡± Exploration Department. I heard that it was a major that focused on exploring and discovering various civilizations, wonders, relics, and treasures that existed in the world. It showed how diverse the majors offered in the academy were. However, the way he spoke about his family background seemed very unconfident. By the way¡­ ¡°Why is someone from the Exploration Department lost?¡± ¡°Th-that.. I was too excited and was running around¡­¡± How excited were you? ¡°If it¡¯s Baron Dn¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s located¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a house in the West, right? The emblem is probably a boat and a sailor?¡± ¡°Oh my goodness, you know that? Even what kind of house it is?¡± Of course I did. The battlefield was where the banners of all the noble houses in the empire gathered. Should I say that even if you didn¡¯t want to learn, you would naturallye to know it? After about ten years of rolling around on the battlefield, you could easily identify noble families just by looking at their coats of arms. The same went for the noble families of the Altheon Empire, which was the enemy country at the time. ¡°It¡¯s a house famous for exploration, right?¡± The guy nodded with an excited expression on his face, saying, ¡°That¡¯s right! Our family is very famous for exploring! For generations, our ancestors have explored the seas and unknownnds!¡± Although he seemed a bit scrawny, it seemed like he chose a fitting department. ¡°By the way, you¡¯re really smart. Wait, I¡¯ve seen you somewhere¡­¡± ¡°My name is Dane Sogres.¡± ¡°Dane Sogres!¡± Ernest covered his mouth in surprise. Great reaction. ¡°So you¡¯re the rumored top student? The first freshman who passed the autonomous major department in fifty years?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! What good luck! I really wanted to meet you at least once!¡± I tilted my head at those words and asked, ¡°Me? Why?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re really great! You¡¯re the top student, from the Autonomous Department, and even the son of Count Sogres, whom I respect!¡± Ernest suddenly grabbed my hand and shook it, then he scratched the back of his head with a startled expression on his face. ¡°S-sorry. Did I go too far?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Since he admired my father, this much was fine. It looked like there was a bruise under his clothes. Some scars too. Was it because he explored a lot? It looked a little different for something like that. I changed the subject for a moment. ¡°If you¡¯re from a house famous for exploration and from the Exploration Department, were you exploring in the garden?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± I just asked, but judging by the way his eyes widened, it must be true. ¡°Exploration excites me. In fact, everything new I encounter is an adventure! People, things, ces! And of course, thisbyrinthine garden!¡± Then the boy opened the backpack he was carrying and showed it to me. ¡°All of this is exploration equipment.¡± There was quite a lot. A map,pass, and various surveying equipment. It was probably quite heavy, but even though he looked scrawny, he seemed to be quite strong. Well, it would be funny if he could really ¡®explode¡¯ if he was really that scrawny and weak. There were a few bruises beneath his cor. There were also scars on his face and arms. Were they from exploring? ¡°Amazing.¡± ¡°Right? Aren¡¯t they amazing? My goal is to explore the whole academy!¡± Ernest became excited and continued talking when I showed interest. ¡°Actually, this ce is the same. Others don¡¯t realize it, but if you look closely, there¡¯s something here. It doesn¡¯t make sense that it always bes foggy just because the weather is a bit cloudy, right?¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°So?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something here. Some kind of force is at work here in this maze-like garden.¡± ¡°But no one has figured it out.¡± ¡°Yes, but what if it¡¯s because no one thought to look, or if they tried, there was a reason they couldn¡¯t find out?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°A reason they couldn¡¯t find out?¡± ¡°Yeah, a reason that is unknown at this point. But if we think of it in reverse¡­ it could be due to an unknown element, such as a legacy from a lost ancient kingdom or summons from Beyond the Horizon?¡± A legacy from an ancient kingdom, huh? That sounded interesting. But before that, we had to leave the garden since we couldn¡¯t bete. But just then¡­ ¡°Huh? Rain¡­?¡± Ernest covered the sky with his hand. Suddenly, the sky became cloudy and rain began to fall. A fog slowly began to rise, as if it had been waiting. ¡°Th-this is bad!¡± Ernest took something out of his pocket in a fluster. It was apass. Whiiiiirl But thepass needle was turning around and around. That meant that it had lost its sense of direction. ¡°I heard about this, but how did this happen¡­?¡± The rumor was true. I could understand why people were getting lost every year. ¡°This is bad, Dane. What should we do? We can¡¯t move until the fog disappears.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t it be solved through exploration?¡± ¡°No, not right now. I¡¯d be confident anywhere else, but seeing as even thepass isn¡¯t working, I think my guess is true.¡± His guess, huh? ¡°There must be some unknown force acting in this Misty Garden.¡± An unknown power. It wasn¡¯t a bad guess. Otherwise, thepass wouldn¡¯t spin around like that when we hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°My body feels like it¡¯s slowly getting heavier. What should we do?¡± I was fine. Rather, I felt strangely empowered. Was it just a feeling? Or¡­ ¡°Wait.¡± Could this phenomenon have something to do with the fact that the fog felt both new and familiar? I tried to gather some magic just in case. Then, the fog began to disperse from around my body. ¡°Aha.¡± This was it. I smiled at the hypothesis that came to mind. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I had a feeling that I knew the way out. And the garden¡­ There might be a secret hidden there that I could uncover. A secret that only I could uncover. Chapter 40 Chapter 40: Misty Garden (2) Ernest Dn loved exploring. That was the reason he visited the Misty Garden right after the orientation. Ernest wanted to unlock all the secrets of the world. It was the reason why adventure, exploration, and questing existed. It was also the reason why the members of House Dn had been wandering the continent like mad for generations while being satisfied with a tiny piece of territory. Ernest also inherited that spirit, so when he entered the academy, he wanted to uncover unknown mysteries like his famous ancestors and carve his name into history. The academy was just the first step. But he was almost blocked from the start due to the Misty Garden, the academy¡¯s mystery where you would be lost once you entered and where you absolutely could not move until the fog cleared. ¡®It¡¯s said that the fog began from the very creation of the academy.¡¯ For Ernest, who was talented butcked experience as an explorer, this was a trial. The fact he got lost when there wasn¡¯t even any fog meant that he had underestimated this garden. Meeting Dane was nothing short of luck. But that wasn¡¯t all. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s this way?¡± ¡°Yeah. Probably.¡± ¡°How do you know? Mypass is broken and I have no sense of direction in this fog.¡± ¡°I just know.¡± Dane was guiding them out even in the fog. In this scary foggy garden, which everyone said it was best to stay still in until the fog cleared up! ¡®What on earth is going on?¡¯ Additionally, Dane didn¡¯t show any sign of having any difficulty. The reason it was best to stay still was that the fog was known to absorb more of your stamina the more you moved. It was a mysterious fog that many mages had tried to analyze but had not been able to figure out. In such a fog, Dane moved quite normally. ¡°Huk, huk.¡± Ernest desperately kept walking even though it was killing him to keep up with Dane. Then, he witnessed a strange phenomenon. ¡®What is that?¡¯ It felt like the fog was clearing up around Dane. For a moment, the fog seemed to disappear wherever Dane passed. But it was only for a moment, and Ernest thought that he was hallucinating because he was exhausted. He continued to follow while looking at Dane¡¯s back. ¡°Wh-when will we get out?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Finally, they arrived at the widest part of the garden. That was, it was the middle of the Misty Garden. ¡°This is¡­¡± The center of the garden had a magically operated fountain and a few old benches. The only thing worth seeing was the fountain. There was an interesting legend about this fountain. ¡°This fountain¡­¡± Ernest approached the fountain. It was the reason he entered the Misty Garden. ¡°Is there something special about it?¡± ¡°Yes. Most students who enter the Misty Garden do so for this fountain¡ªexcept for ignorant freshmen or those like us.¡± Dane nodded and mused, ¡°It does look special.¡± Ernest was delighted. ¡°You also know about the legend surrounding this fountain?¡± ¡°No. A legend? There was something like that?¡± Ernest looked dumbfounded. If Dane didn¡¯t even know about it, what did he mean when he said it seemed special? ¡°The legend is that if you reach this fountain before the fog clears, you¡¯ll end up with the one you want. You don¡¯t know about it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± If it were Le, she would definitely have told him, but unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t there right now. At that moment, she was likely heading to another fountain. Dane figured he still had some time. Le might arrive there first, but there was nothing he could do about that. ¡°Then why do you think it¡¯s special?¡± At Ernest¡¯s question, Dane pointed to the fountain. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a magical fountain?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s how it sprays water every hour. Though there aren¡¯t that many who have seen it.¡± ¡°Then how does the fountain maintain its magic? Few people have seen it, and no one has continuously supplied it with mana.¡± What Dane meant to ask was this: There weren¡¯t that many people who visited the Misty Garden, and even those who did were only there because they were lost. With that in mind, how could this fountain consistently spray water every hour? Fountains were usually powered by mana or an equivalent amount of energy, so if it wasn¡¯t supplied with a steady supply of energy, they would naturally stop working. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Ernest answered nkly. He looked like he had been hit. ¡°It¡¯s one of two things. Either someone is constantly supplying it with magic power, or there¡¯s a power source sleeping here that¡¯s powerful enough not to need it.¡± An energy source. Ernest¡¯s eyes lit up. People often said that ancient ruins were ¡®alive and breathing¡¯. This was due to how the internal devices and facilities of the ruins were still functioning despite the passage of time. These devices and facilities, although often very old, were powered by a power source that could supply them with energy. That meant¡­ ¡°Do you think it¡¯s thetter?¡± ¡°Maybe. Maybe this fog has something to do with it.¡± There was something really special about it. It wasn¡¯t mana that made the fountain work once an hour. ¡®I¡¯m sure.¡¯ This feeling. This texture. The thing inside Dane¡¯s body reacted as if meeting an old friend. It was Ancient Magic. The fountain in front of him was clearly filled with Ancient Magic. The sensations that came to Dane were proof of that. ¡°I-it¡¯s dangerous.¡± As Dane approached, Ernest was momentarily taken aback, but he was also curious. What on earth was that? His explorer¡¯s blood was boiling. Meanwhile, Dane carefully examined the surface of the fountain. ¡°This¡­¡± It was covered in dust and it was hard to see at a nce, but upon closer inspection, he could see that it was writing. Dane furrowed his brows for a moment. ¡°This is the ancient Sekreitnguage.¡± Then Ernest interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Ancient Sekreitnguage?¡± ¡°Yes. The lost ancient kingdom of Sekreit. This is thenguage they used.¡± That meant there was no one who actually used it anymore. Language needed users to be alive.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om However, Ernest was an explorer. Dane asked, just in case, ¡°Do you know thisnguage?¡± ¡°Of course, I do. I¡¯m from House Dn.¡± Ernest smiled broadly. ¡°Explorers need to know a lot of things, butnguage is essential. It would be frustrating to arrive at a ruin and not be able to read the writings there.¡± The boy looked quite pleased with himself. ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t learned allnguages yet¡­ but I think this much is fine. I learned it from my father when I was little.¡± Anyway, that meantÒ» ¡°I¡¯ll take a look.¡± Ò»that Ernest could trante thisnguage. ¡°Hmm¡­ I think it says, ¡®If you are qualified, prove your strength¡¯¡­¡± Someone qualified, huh? Proof of strength. As Dane approached the center of the garden, he felt a sense of familiarity toward a power that only he possessed. Ancient Magic. ¡°Thank you, Ernest.¡± Whoong. As Dane instinctively summoned his magic powerÒ» ¡°Huh?¡± Ò»the ancient Sekreitnguage disappeared, and new writing emerged. ¡°What is this writing?¡± Ernest was surprised, but Dane was smiling. This time, it was a handwriting that Dane knew. ¡°As expected.¡± Dane raised his left arm. A in bracelet was around his wrist, but if he injected it with magic just so¡ª Whoooong. It vibrated and words appeared on its surface. The writing was simr to the one on the fountain. This proved that what he was feeling wasn¡¯t wrong¡­ Boom! The fountain, sensing Dane¡¯s power, finally reacted and began to slowly sink. ¡°Wh-what!¡± Ernest stepped back in shock. Fssshhaaaa. At first, the water in the fountain drained out. After the water receded, it stopped sinking, and soon the central part began to slowly spread apart. What was finally revealed was something glowing green on the ground. Whooooooong¡­ It was like a bead, emitting an enchanting light. It felt like a jewel. Dane could tell that this was what was causing the strange phenomenon in the garden and the constant spouting of water from the fountain. Ernest could tell, too. It wasn¡¯t something ordinary. However, unlike Dane, he didn¡¯t have the courage to approach it. It was instinct¡­ That thing seemed like a concentration of power and was warning him not toe near if he didn¡¯t have the qualifications to. But the boy who was approaching it now¡­ Grab. ¡­was well deserved. ¡°D-Dane!¡± Ernest¡¯s scream was short-lived. Dane enjoyed the feeling of the power flowing through his hand as he held it. Finally, Dane realized it. ¡°Aha.¡± This green power was the same power that he possessed. Ancient Magic. Clues that could not be found with just a bracelet he had obtained by chance. He couldn¡¯t believe it was right there. Should he look for other mysteries within the school? ¡°Dane? Dane? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine,¡± Dane answered calmly, holding out his hand. There was nothing there. Ernest¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°What the hell just happened¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± He was certain of two things. Saaaaaah¡­ One was that the fog that had filled the garden cleared in an instant. ¡°The fog¡­ disappeared.¡± Another thing was that he could now understand the ancientnguage that he had not been able to read until then. [Archana existed and perished. This is its legacy.] That meant he had just absorbed the legacy of the Magic Kingdom, Archana. ¡°Ernest, can you read this?¡± ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t know it at all¡­?¡± Only Dane could read this writing. This was because something had changed in his body. The change urred right near his heart. It was something he intentionally hadn¡¯t made because he wanted to create a core. Since he could use magic sufficiently without it anyway, he had no intention of making one in the future. But now, the power that was hidden under the fountain had been absorbed and finally created it, taking its ce near his heart. A circle. Core and Circle. Their roles were contradictory, so it was unlikely that someone would have both. It just wasn¡¯t efficient, nor was it good for the body. That was why magic swordsmen lived with heart disease, and why I had no intention of creating a circle in the future. From an overall perspective, the Core was a more rational choice for me to create because it had a significant impact on physical growth, unlike the Circle, which could only be used for magic. Fortunately, I learned that I could use magic without a circle, so I didn¡¯t have to worry much. However, I didn¡¯t expect to be forcibly injected with a circle like this. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± Thanks to that, Ernest became worried about me the whole time we were there. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m really okay.¡± ¡°Something unbelievable happened¡­¡± He was right. Not only did the fog that had been filling the garden clear in an instant, but the atmosphere of the entire garden, which had been filled with a strange aura, also became very ordinary. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like all the trees and flowers had withered. The garden was still beautiful. It would probably take some more time before people realized that the fog was no longer there. It felt strange to think that the legend surrounding the fountain would disappear someday, but that was none of my business. First of all, the fact that I had absorbed the condensed magic power, the legacy, of the Magic Kingdom Archana became important. If I thought a little more deeply about it, there would probably be more of these legacies. ¡°So that light was just meaningless? Or was it absorbed by you, Dane? And what about those letters?¡± Ernest seemed to have many questions. However, he didn¡¯t seem to know much about the nature of the power I possessed, the existence of the bracelet, or the writing on it. Maybe that would be more convenient for me. There was no need to make my academy life any busier than it was. ¡°I feel like my blood is boiling as an explorer. Okay. I¡¯ve set a goal.¡± ¡°A goal?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to discover all the mysterious and secret ces within the academy! The experience I just had was amazing!¡± It was a goal worthy of an explorer. ¡°How about it? Dane. Do you want toe with me? If you find anything unusual or find a ce here, let me know!¡± Things seemed to work out pretty well. Of course I weed it. ¡°Sure.¡± I just created a circle with Ancient Magic. That meant there might be other ces where this magic power was gathered. ¡°Nothing seems to be wrong.¡± By the way, strangely enough, there was no sense of incongruity in the coexistence of my circle and core. In cases where the core and circle were operated simultaneously, it was said that a distinct sense of incongruity was always felt near the heart. The magic power concentrated by the core would be circted and filtered by the circle, making it extremely inefficient and causing interference in the process. However, no matter how much magic I tried to generate now, I didn¡¯t feel anything unusual. In fact, it was the opposite. To put it simply¡­ The magical power concentrated in the core was filtered and circted through the circle, then gathered back into the core. The magical power gathered in that core was purer than before, as well. Anyway, it was interesting. I guess I¡¯d have to contact my eldest sisterter. ¡°But Dane, where are you going now? I have another ss, but it¡¯s an orientation, so I¡¯ll just skip¡­¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It was only then that I remembered that I had arranged to meet Le at the central fountain square. I was on my way there, and it didn¡¯t seem like I would bete. ¡°I¡¯ll leave first. See youter.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah! See you next time!¡± I started walking a little faster. By the way, my next ss was magic, right? Introduction to Practical Magic, at that. It was a ss rmended for second year students majoring in Magic. If so, this was a great opportunity to give this freshly created circle a try. Chapter 41 Chapter 41: The Student Acknowledged by a Magic Tower Head (1) Luckily, I was able to arrive on time. Le seemed to have arrived first and was waiting for me. ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly. At this rate, we¡¯ll bete.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we have enough time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to go and sit in the front row. You¡¯ll be seen by the professor more easily.¡± She¡¯s really determined, huh? I heard that freshmen usually try to sit in the back. ¡°But where did youe from, Dane? The direction you came from wasn¡¯t the 100th Anniversary Memorial Building.¡± ¡°You know that?¡± ¡°Yeah. As a freshman at the Academy, isn¡¯t memorizing the map a given?¡± In an instant, I became a student who didn¡¯t even know the basics. I told her about the fact that I had passed through the Misty Garden. ¡°What? You went through there?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already cloudy, how on earth did you get through?¡± The Misty Garden was a ce that would inevitably be covered in a fog when the weather turned cloudy. So, Le¡¯s question was reasonable. Of course, my answer wasn¡¯t so reasonable. ¡°It just happened?¡± ¡°¡­Sometimes, you¡¯re really annoying. Did you know that?¡± I shrugged my shoulders as if I didn¡¯t know. ¡°Really, you just happened to get through the Misty Garden, where they said you¡¯d disappear if you went in¡­¡± Funnily enough, Le didn¡¯t seem to be that curious. ¡°Well, since it¡¯s you, there must be a way. Did your older sisters tell you? I¡¯m jealous. If only the age gap between me and my older brothers wasn¡¯t so big, we could hang out together.¡± Anyway, Le and I headed to Hangston Hall, one of the lecture halls. It was named after Saul Hangston, a legendary mage from the Academy and the man who built the Hangston Magic Tower, one of the best magic towers on the continent. It was where lectures on magic were mainly held. ¡°So this is Hangston Hall. I¡¯ve only heard about it. Dane, look at this!¡± Even from its entrance, Hangston Hall was very unique. Because of its high wall, it required people to pass through an arched entrance, and uniquely, the entrance had a translucent, colorless curtain hanging down from it. ¡°This is the famous Mana Curtain.¡± ¡°Mana Curtain?¡± ¡°Yeah. It was made by Saul Hangston, and it¡¯s only used once a year for one day, for new students who show talent for magic.¡± Le continued her exnation, ¡°When you pass through, different colors appear depending on the quality or level of your magic power!¡± I understood what she meant. ¡°It was originally created to filter out dark mages who secretly infiltrated the Academy, but it seems to have changed to this after dark mages became extinct.¡± How interesting. Dark mages. It had probably been hundreds of years since they hadst appeared. ¡°If you have no talent at all, there will be no color change. If you have decent talent, it appears yellow. If you have considerable talent, it appears blue. If you have overwhelming talent, it appears red,¡± Le chattered excitedly. I looked at Le for a moment and then said, ¡°You seem smarter than me.¡± ¡°Well, I studied. I want to know everything about the Academy.¡± She was really determined. Anyway, it was a really interesting curtain. ¡°By the way, your two older sisters were red.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You must be red too, right?¡± Le seemed secretly nervous. It seemed like her burden was greater than mine. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°¡­It needs to be red.¡± ¡°So what if it¡¯s not red?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯tfort me at all when you say things like that. You do everything well!¡± Well, that was true. Anyway, what Le was worried about didn¡¯t happen. ¡°It¡¯s red!¡± Le¡¯s voice echoed through the curtain. The moment Le passed through the curtain, it turned red. It was also quite dark. ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± I was truly impressed. Le wasn¡¯t as untalented as she feared. The problem was that she tried topare herself with me. ¡°You too,e over quickly!¡± Le waved at me, looking quite excited. Her expression was full of confidence. Would mine be red? Or¡­a different color? ¡°Huh?¡± The moment I stepped through the curtain, I realized that the energy source filled with Ancient Magic I had absorbed from the Misty Garden Fountain had powers far greater than I had imagined. ¡°Why are you always different¡­?¡± I looked back at Le, who had a dumbstruck look on her face, her confidencepletely gone. The color of the curtain was green. If we were to name the department with the highest status in the academy, it would naturally be the Magic Department. Many legendary mages, including Saul Hangston, and many of the greatest figures in the empire hade out of that department. Thanks to this, thepetition rate for the Magic Department was at least twice that of other departments. It was why the students of the Magic Department had such great pride, but on the other hand, that pride often led to them looking down on students from other departments. Like right now. ¡°Did you see that guy¡¯s badge? He¡¯s from the finance department.¡± ¡°What? Finance? Why is a guy who handles money taking this ss?¡± ¡°Who knows? Our undergraduate sses have always been so popr. There must be so much riffraffing to take them.¡± Though not everyone was like that, there was a sense of so-called ¡®elitism¡¯. Due to the nature of the department, rather than one¡¯s family background, your ability and who taught you magic were more important and caused you to stand out even more. In reality, there were frequent rumors of children from noble families who believed in the power of their houses and got into fights with students of the magic department, only to end up losing. ¡°He¡¯s going to disappear after the orientation anyway. If not? Then he¡¯s definitely going to get an F.¡± And among the students in the magic department, the fifth-year student, Altur, was the one with the worst tendency toward that. Although his House, House Diomet, was a barony and not a very high-ranking one, Altur¡¯s status within the academy wasparable to that of students from ducal or marquis house. It was all thanks to talent. Perhaps that was why Altur was so proud of being in the Magic Department and looked down on students from other departments. ¡°I think that those from other departments just shouldn¡¯t be allowed to take sses in the Magic Department.¡± ¡°Altur is right. How dare they be so arrogant when they¡¯re not even from the Magic Department¡­¡± ¡°There are too many people who think magic is easy.¡± The fact that there were no students who objected to such extreme ims and instead there were those who actively agreed with him showed that Altur had overwhelming talent. This might be a natural phenomenon, given the nature of the academy, where various powers existed based on house, talent, and wealth. ¡°But Altur, have you heard the rumor about Dane Sogres, who passed the autonomous major exam?¡± ¡°Oh. I heard. I was sad he didn¡¯te to the Magic Department, but I heard he¡¯s joining this ss.¡± Altur smiled brightly. ¡°Since he passed the dean¡¯s test, that means he has some talent. Bring him to me when hees inter. He¡¯s Senior Arabe¡¯s younger brother, so I have to take special care of him,¡± Altur said matter-of-factly. Arabe was the senior in the Magic Department who Altur respected the most, so he naturally thought that Dane, Arabe¡¯s younger brother, was his responsibility to take care of. That was also the reason why a fifth-year student like him was in a second-year ss. He had told the professor that he would attend the ss because he had something to tell the students of the Magic Department, but he had other intentions. ¡°Oh, is that him over there?¡± Just then, a beautiful silver-haired student who caught everyone¡¯s attention walked in. Dane Sogres. His appearance was truly eye-catching. ¡°Oh my, he¡¯s really handsome.¡± ¡°Oh! Look at those eyes. I¡¯ve never seen such a bright emerald color before.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Le Thermion next to him?¡± Le, who came in with Dane, exuded elegant beauty. Even her rosy hair, unique to House Thermion, seemed to exude such an air. It was as if the space around the two had be a ballroom, and everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on them. At that moment, Altur was struck dumb as he recalled Arabe, whom he admired, and then came to his senses. ¡°He¡¯s here. Go tell them I have something to say.¡± At Altur¡¯s words, Grun, a third-year Magic student, quickly ran over. Then, he approached Dane, who had just sat down. ¡°Are you Dane Sogres?¡± ¡°Yes, and?¡± Grun¡¯s eyebrows twitched for a moment. However, soon Grun continued with why he hade over. ¡°Our fifth-year Magic student representative, Altur, wants to see you.¡± Dane tilted his head at those words. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you get there. By the way, I¡¯m very close with your eldest sister, Senior Arabe Sogres.¡± Dane reacted when his eldest sister¡¯s name was mentioned, but it was only for a moment. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything from my sister.¡± It wasn¡¯t easy. Grun, embarrassed, said, ¡°If a senior is talking to you, shouldn¡¯t you first say you understand and then get up? There are rules and manners in the academy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not from the Magic Department.¡± Grun¡¯s eyebrows were twisted into a slightly more peculiar angle. ¡®Fuu, I have to hold back.¡¯ As Altur himself said, it was important to bring him over without any problems. But then Dane added, ¡°If you don¡¯t n on telling me who you are, can you just go?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Look. ss is about to start.¡± Le, who was next to Dane, also gave him a cold look. Le was also from the Swordsmanship Department and had no connection to the Magic Department. Anyone could apply for sses, so there was no reason to be unconditionally polite to seniors from other departments just because you were taking sses at the Magic Department. But for Grun, who had never received such treatment before because he was always in Altur¡¯s group, this was absurd. ¡°How arrogant of a freshman¡­¡± He had just said whenÒ» ¡°Did you just call me arrogant?¡± Le stood up. The whole room¡¯s attention was focused on them in an instant, and Le spoke. ¡°I am Le Thermion, the only daughter of the great hero Bout Thermion of the great Thermion Duchy and the winner of the Dant¨¨re Cup.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Grun was embarrassed. Le asked in a cold voice, ¡°Who are you and where are you from?¡± A duchy. Looking at her, Dane realized that Le was indeed the daughter of a duke. The Empire¡¯s greatest family, Thermion. For Le, that dignity existed. ¡°F-family lineage doesn¡¯t matter at the Academy! Especially not in the Magic Department!¡± ¡°I am not from the Magic Department.¡± Le tilted her head. ¡°I simply asked about your affiliation and origin, so why are you saying such things?¡± Grun was so flustered that he barely managed to introduce his family. ¡°I-I¡¯m Grun Ortega¡­C-Count Ortega¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Count Ortega is the one who visited our family not long ago. He was a truly wonderful man. He was kind to me even when I was young.¡± There was a bite to her words. She seemed to be asking why he was so different when his father was such a wonderful person. Thanks to that, Grun¡¯s face turned bright red. This was a ssroom where everyone was gathered. The majority were students of the Magic Department. Even Altur, whom he followed, was watching this situation. ¡®What the hell is this?!¡¯ At the Academy, being a senior in the Magic Department was more magical than magic. Everyone bowed their heads first, and although some seemed to rebel a little and disagree, they never spoke up when they thought about how Altur¡¯s group was treated within the Magic Department. However, his opponent was from House Thermion. It was at that moment when reality bit him, who had been living buried in the academy. ¡°S-so, what do you want me to do? I just wanted to talk as a senior¡­¡± At that moment, Grun spoke hurriedly. ¡°I remember what my sister said.¡± Dane slowly got up and looked at Grun. ¡°The Arabe Sogres you just mentioned said this¡­¡± For a moment, Grun could see how the eyes of the boy he had looked down on seemed deep and distant, like the eyes of a predator. That was thanks to the magic power that Dane had quietly gathered. Dane¡¯s magic power began to overwhelm and pressure Grun without anyone noticing. ¡°If someone at the academy starts a fight for no reason, don¡¯t think about the consequences and just do what I think is right.¡± Was it an illusion or did his knees start to tingle for a moment? However, Grun soon realized that it was not an illusion, but fact. ¡°She said she would clean up after me.¡± Arabe Sogres. The greatest genius and talent in the history of the Magic Department, already a great inventor and an incredible mage that all magic towers aspired to get. He had just been acting cocky towards such a person¡¯s younger brother. ¡°So, what should we do now?¡± Grun couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°Oh, there was another person who said the same thing. re Sogres. My second sister.¡± Arabe Sogres. re Sogres. One was a genius from the Magic Department and the greatest inventor, one whose name was known to everyone in the Academy. The other was the most talented summoner of all time from the Summoning Department, recognized by everyone in the Academy as a terrifying assistant professor. At the mention of their names, fear began to creep in where confusion had settled. And one more thing¡­ ¡°But I don¡¯t think I need to tell my sisters about you.¡± There was Dane Sogres. The youngest son of Count Sogres, who might be a greater genius than Arabe and re. Chapter 42 Chapter 42: The Student Acknowledged by a Magic Tower Head (2) Grun gulped drily again and again. What was happening right now? He had gone over on Altur¡¯s orders, and he was just going to bring them back and introduce them to each other¡­ Of course, he thought they would be grateful. If anyone knew anything about the Magic Department, it was that the ¡®power¡¯ was centered around Altur, a student with overwhelming talent. In fact, among the freshmen, there were some who were moved just by being spoken to like this and by Altur showing interest in them. But, these two weren¡¯t like that. Was it because they were new and didn¡¯t know anything? ¡®What should I do¡­?¡¯ As Grun was at a loss at thepletely unexpected situationÒ» ¡°Oh my, oh my. How grim. I¡¯m sorry. I was just curious about the rumored top student. Though you are in the Autonomous Major, I heard that you passed our dean¡¯s test? Naturally, the Magic Department should pay attention.¡± Altur appeared. Grun felt like he had met his savior. ¡°That¡¯s right. I asked Grun to call you over. Someone with outstanding talent should be with us, after all.¡± At those words, several freshmen in the Magic Department looked at Dane with envy. Altur, the 5th-year representative. It was a name that the freshmen of the Magic Department had already heard before they entered school. Although not as talented as Arabe Sogres, he was someone loved by the professors for his abilities and skills. His influence within the department was enormous, and several magic towers had already shown interest in him. Getting Altur¡¯s interest was bound to make life in the academy easier. But Dane¡¯s reply shocked everyone. ¡°Who are you again?¡± The shock came for two reasons. One was that Dane didn¡¯t recognize Altur. Another was¡­ ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Magic Department teach its students to introduce themselves when meeting someone for the first time?¡± Dane gave Altur a blow by mentioning basic manners. Altur¡¯s face hardened coldly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you have something to say, I think you should tell me who you are first. That¡¯s how I was taught.¡± In an instant, Altur, who had been likened to an uneducated boy, realized that something was slowly starting to boil inside him. ¡®This insolent brat¡­¡¯ Arabe Sogres. He was the younger brother of the senior he admired, so he had asked someone to bring him over with the intention of helping him out, but he didn¡¯t even know that and was acting so arrogant? Alright, he was still young after all. Since he was new and didn¡¯t know anything, he probably thought the power of his house was his own. But didn¡¯t he know? His house¡¯s power didn¡¯t really mean anything here at the academy. Of course, as a member of House Sogres, he had already gained an advantage, but this was not the case for Altur. ¡°Have you ever considered that your actions right now could affect your family¡¯s reputation?¡± Altur asked softly, as if teaching and soothing. Of course, Dane¡¯s answer was simple. ¡°I haven¡¯t really thought about it.¡± Altur barely managed to suppress his urge to gather his magic power right away. ¡°¡­You seem to be the one whocks manners.¡± Dane went a step further and snickered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural when someonees and tries to teach you without even revealing their name and without even knowing who they are?¡± Another decisive blow. ¡°So who the hell are you?¡± The atmosphere became cold, stiff, and heavy. Altur was a scary being. At the very least, in the Magic Department, if you went against him, you could consider your life at the academy to be over. Altur knew how to use these facts to his advantage, always turning every situation to his advantage. Was that why? Even though this boy in front of him was the younger brother of his ideal Arabe, he felt like he had to take him down a peg. ¡®I¡¯m sure Senior will understand.¡¯ Because Arabe cared for him. Because she praised him in front of others and said that he had great talent. ¡°I think you need some training.¡± When Altur said that¡­ ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Professor Dinavo, the dean of the Magic Department, entered the ssroom. Everyone pretended nothing happened, as if they had made a promise. ¡°Haha, Altur, you¡¯ve already got your eye on him? Be careful, that boy is frightening. He¡¯s the first Autonomous student in fifty years, after all.¡± Altur answered with a smile on his face, ¡°No, Professor. I was just trying to say hello because he is the younger brother of my respected senior, Arabe Sogres.¡± ¡°Ah. That¡¯s right, Arabe. I met her on my way here. Haha. Okay, let¡¯s get to know each other after ss.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± Altur returned to his seat. He then gave instructions to Grun and the two students who were his subordinates next to him. ¡°Bring him ¡®there¡¯.¡± ¡°By ¡®there¡¯, you mean¡­¡± ¡°Grun. As soon as the lecture is over, pretend to apologize ¡®politely¡¯. As politely as possible. Then bring him over.¡± ¡°Uh¡­would that be alright? A while ago, he said you should personally¡­ o-okay.¡± Grun lowered his head when he saw Altur¡¯s expression. It was scary, so much so that it was hard to make eye contact. Altur smirked at the thought of what would happen after the lecture. ¡®Senior Arabe will understand, too.¡¯ How meaningless one¡¯s house was in the academy. Senior Arabe was like that, too. Rather than relying on her family name, shepeted solely with her skills and was respected by many people. It was time to show that boy how scary the world was. ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s keep today¡¯s orientation simple. I think that¡¯s what everyone wants. But since it¡¯s a ¡®practical¡¯ ss, I¡¯m going to do a light magic aptitude test.¡± Meanwhile, the lecture started. Professor Dinavo looked around at the hundred or so students and smiled. ¡°Measuring your magical power is simple. Youe in front of this machine and pour your magic power into it. Since everyone who is taking this ss knows how to handle magic power, I will skip over that part. This is how we measure your overall magic power rank.¡± Professor Dinavo then opened his subspace, took out a machine, and held it in his hand. And after a while¡­ ¡°Oooh!¡± ¡°As expected of the professor¡­¡± The machine projected magic power into the air, and the magic power wove itself like thread, forming eight rings. What that meant was simple. 8 circles. The first qualification to be the head of a magic tower, and the highest level among existing mages. Professor Dinavo waited for the cheering to die down and then shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s like this. Of course, even if the circle is the same, the color expresses how powerful it is, like this. The color will be darker if it¡¯s a little higher.¡± ¡°What if there is no circle?¡± In response to a question from a student who appeared to be from a department other than the Magic Department, Professor Dinavo told him not to worry. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just because you don¡¯t have a circle doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t have talent. A circle is literally a prerequisite for using chain-level magic, so just because you don¡¯t have a circle right now doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t have talent for magic.¡± The student who asked the question was relieved by the answer.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om But Professor Dinavo immediately added, ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t just test your magic power. At least if you take this ss, you should already know how to do basic introductory magic.¡± So-called prior learning. Amid the students¡¯ shock, Professor Dinavo took out something else from his subspace. It was a transparent bowl containing dozens of marbles. ¡°Look.¡± Whooong. As Professor Dinavo waved his hand in the air, dozens of marbles slowly rose to the surface. Then, when they rose above his head, the beads began to move and finally formed letters. It was one of the runes being used currently. It could be called a kind of performance. ¡°Oooh!¡± ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Telekinesis was basic magic. However, even for basic magic, the power could vary depending on the user. For example, in the case of someone who had just developed their magic and had just learned basic magic, no matter how overwhelming their talent may be, they could only float two, or at most three, marbles at the same time. After all, you had to apply magic power to each marble. Of course, they couldn¡¯t even dream of rearranging the beads to form letters, as Professor Dinavo showed them. ¡®Adorable.¡¯ Professor Dinavo smiled with satisfaction and gathered the marbles together again, cing them neatly in the bowl. Then he stepped aside and pointed at a student. ¡°Altur? You¡¯re just sitting in today, but if it¡¯s okay, would you pleasee up to the front and demonstrate?¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± Altur also stepped forward confidently. The students of the Magic Department looked at him with admiration. Altur was enjoying their gazes. ¡®I must show my majesty.¡¯ Altur nced at Dane as if to tell him to take a good look. Dane was expressionless, as if he wasn¡¯t interested, but Altur paid him no mind and ced his hand on the machine, injecting magic into it. ¡°Oho, you¡¯ve advanced already.¡± There were four rings floating in the air. It meant 4-chain. They were also very dark blue circles. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to the professor¡¯s teachings.¡± ¡°Haha. How did I help? Now now. Did you all see? Normally, 4-chain is something you can only achieve after graduating from the academy. Even then, most only reach 4-chain. However, your senior here is already a 4-chain. Truly an overwhelming talent. Be nice and maybe he can help you learn something and your skills can improve faster.¡± When Professor Dinavo praised him, the students looked in awe. As expected, Altur looked at Dane, enjoying those gazes. ¡®See? You might be the precious youngest son of Count Sogres, but I am superior to you in this academy.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡± Altur immediately put his hand towards the beads. How many were possible? What was certain was that he could lift a lot more than that boy over there. No matter how talented Dane was, Altur was still a 5th-year. The difference in experience could never be ignored. ¡°Hup.¡± The moment Altur gathered his magic powerÒ» ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°How many are there?¡± ¡°I see more than ten?¡± As many as fifteen beads floated into the air. ¡°Hmph!¡± Altur was giving it his all. His face was slowly turning red as he held his breath, and his hands were shaking slightly. He was overdoing it, but he couldn¡¯t get caught. ¡®I can do it.¡¯ Finally, the fifteen marbles that Altur had floated were divided into five groups and formed three lines. ¡°As expected. Great job. Now, everyone, apuse!¡± Altur barely managed to put the marbles down safely without being caught amidst the apuse. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, go sit.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± His legs and hands were shaking, but Altur kept smiling. He should always appear dignified and rxed. ¡°As expected of Senior Altur.¡± ¡°Which tower will he go to?¡± Professor Dinavo added, as if he had forgotten, ¡°Oh, by the way, if you have no magic power at all, nothing wille out, so if you¡¯re worried about that, you can leave now. It¡¯ll be hard to continue with this ss without magic power anyway.¡± No students got up. The other undergraduate students also came to this lecture knowing at least a little bit about magic. Professor Dinavo nodded after confirming that no students were leaving. ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s begin.¡± That was how the orientation began. In fact, it was almost like a test to showcase the students¡¯ talents in front of everyone. A talented person got attention, and a talentless person got the cold shoulder. If you worked hard and made a lot of effort, you would be lucky, but there were also cases where you lost confidence. But that was exactly the kind of ce the academy was. ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s try a little harder. Next.¡± Many students were shocked to realize that their magical talents were less impressive or more ordinary than they had thought. Some students couldn¡¯t even float a single marble properly, and at best, they dropped the marbles right away. ¡°Hmm.¡± Professor Dinavo called out the next person¡¯s name with a somewhat vague expression. ¡°Dane Sogres.¡± As Dane stood up, all eyes turned to him. It was aplex and subtle gaze. Most of the students in the Magic Department who had just seen what had happened with Altur were looking at him with a ¡®let¡¯s see how well you do¡¯ attitude. On the other hand, the eyes of the students from other departments were filled with curiosity. ¡®I¡¯llugh at you plenty.¡¯ He passed the dean¡¯s test, so he must have talent. However, Altur thought it wouldn¡¯t be as much as his own. ¡°Begin.¡± Until Dane put his hand on the machine and started injecting magic into it. Whoooooong. It seemed to glow with a green light beforeÒ» [Not measurable] A single sentence was magically projected into the air. ¡°Not¡­ measurable?¡± Professor Dinavo¡¯s eyes widened amidst the absentminded muttering of the students. As a mage, he was thinking of all sorts of possibilities in his head. This machine was 100% urate. It was enough to filter out all the guys who were lying about their level. But what did ¡®immeasurable¡¯ mean? He¡¯d never seen this before. ¡®Why does it look strangely green?¡¯ The color seemed a little different, but that wasn¡¯t important. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Professor Dinavo and Dane. In the end, Professor Dinavo had no choice but to exin the situation in a usible way. ¡°Ha, haha. Looks like the machine is overloaded.¡± He tried hard to hide his surprise, but it onlysted for a moment. Then, the moment Dane reached for the bowl of marbles, Professor Dinavo realized it. ¡®What the hell¡­?¡¯ Incredible talent. Overwhelming talent. Unsurpassable talent. ¡°Wh-what the hell is that?!¡± ¡°All of the beads floated¡­?¡± ¡°How does that make sense?¡± The bowl was empty, dozens of beads floating in the air. ¡°¡­¡± Thanks to that, Altur was speechless. ¡°There he goes again.¡± Le just shrugged, as if she wasn¡¯t surprised anymore. Chapter 43 Chapter 43: The Student Acknowledged by a Magic Tower Head (3) The power of Ancient Magic was beyond imagination. Dane figured he could probably float about twenty marbles, but all the marbles, more than forty in number, floated. ¡®It¡¯s better than I thought.¡¯ Dane¡¯s magic power was originally Ancient Magic. It became even stronger thanks to the concentration of Ancient Magic absorbed from the fountain. However, being able to carefully distribute magic to more than forty beads and make them move¡­ It was due to Dane¡¯s innate talent for understanding, utilizing, and analyzing magic. ¡°Huh.¡± Professor Dinavo sighed. The marbles Dane had floated into the air scattered throughout the ssroom. It was amazing that his magic could reach that far, but something even more amazing began to happen. The scattered beads gathered in one ce and then scattered again, beginning to form a picture. A lion and snake. It was the crest of House Sogres. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± ¡°They say he¡¯s mad talented¡­¡± All of the marbles in the bowl were floating. This alone would be astonishing, but he even rearranged them borately to create his own family crest. This was no longer something that could bepared to anyone here. Maybe Professor Dinavo. Professor Dinavo was also left with his mouth wide open in disbelief. ¡®Even Arabe wasn¡¯t like this.¡¯ Of course, the field was slightly different. Because Arabe showed tremendous talent in the ¡®development¡¯ field, such as invention and analysis, rather than magic itself. But that didn¡¯t matter. He was sure of it. Dane Sogres. He was the best he had ever seen. ¡°Indeed¡­ Cidrane, who had never had a single disciple before, said he ¡®taught you¡¯, and it was true¡­¡± Cidrane. At the mention of the head of the Nixion Magic Tower, which any Magic student would naturally know, amotion arose. ¡°He¡¯s the disciple of Cidrane?¡± ¡°Did you just hear? The head himself taught him?¡± ¡°Oh my! How great must one¡¯s talent be for the head of a magic tower to teach them?¡± Mages were not moved by family reputation or money. The essence of one¡¯s magic and whether you had the talent to utilize it. This alone determined whether one was worthy of bing a full-fledged disciple. In that sense, the fact that Cidrane, who had never had a single disciple until now, taught him¡­ ¡°He must have crazy talent.¡± ¡°I understand why he passed the autonomous major exam.¡± ¡°Did House Sogres receive some kind of blessing¡­?¡± There was some envy and a little jealousy mixed in, but it was almost non-existent. If something was too overwhelming, it was normal to not even feel likeparing. But that wasn¡¯t the end. ¡®Should I try adding some effects?¡¯ Dane came up with a series of magic arrangement codes that were of little use in actualbat but were great for show. Effects that instantly exploded magic power that caused overload. By the way, this was the method that Cidrane had taught him. It didn¡¯t seem to be of much use, so he never thought he¡¯d use it here. ¡°Huh?¡± The moment he made up his mind, Dane gathered his magic power even more, and dozens of beads floating up to the ceiling of the lecture room began to vibrate. Then everyone started to react. ¡°Dane? Dane Sogres?¡± As Professor Dinavo was flusteredÒ» Ping, ba-bang! A wonderful explosion erupted from the ceiling of the ssroom. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°A-awesome!¡± ¡°Damn!¡± The magic beads exploded like firecrackers everywhere, scattering beautiful sparks. It was truly a magnificent sight. It was like seeing the magic fireworks that decorated the night sky at every Academy Festival. Of course, it was carefully controlled so that it wasn¡¯t dangerous at all, and the sparks exploded beautifully on the ceiling, surprising everyone. ¡°He really is a genius¡­¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t even float a marble¡­¡± Professor Dinavo was speechless. Not only did he levitate all the marbles and make his family crest out of them, but he also overloaded them to create a magical explosion? ¡®This boy is really¡­¡¯ Professor Dinavo made up his mind to convince him to change his major from the Autonomous Department to the Magic Department. ¡°Alright, everyone. Apuse!¡± As soon as Professor Dinavo finished speaking, apuse poured in. Of course, it couldn¡¯t even bepared to the one Altur got. ¡°Excellent, Dane Sogres.¡± ¡°Thank you, professor.¡± ¡°If I had known this would happen, I would have fought with the other professors and forced you into the Magic Department¡­¡± Of course, it was impossible, but everyone could see Professor Dinavo¡¯s regret. ¡°Even though I¡¯m in a different department, I will work hard.¡± ¡°Haha. Did you all hear that? Magic students need to be a little more alert.¡± Professor Dinavo then whispered to Dane, ¡°Come see me whenever you have timeter.¡± Dane was a man who received much favor from professors in every ss he went to. When he came back, he received looks of bewilderment. ¡°Just what are you?¡± Dane just smiled at Le¡¯s dumbfounded question. Because of this, Le seemed to have lost all interest in attending sses at the Magic Department. ¡°Spearmanship, magic, summoning¡­ Is there anything else you¡¯re good at? Tell me now.¡± ¡°Well. You need to find out for yourself.¡± ¡°So stingy¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re good, too. You have talent too.¡± ¡°You saying things like that doesn¡¯t make me happy at all, okay?¡± Of course, Le wasn¡¯t that upset. Even Le had won the Dant¨¨re Cup based on what she learned from Dane about how to use magic. ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Le.¡± And such a foundation was better than expected. ¡°Oooh.¡± She levitated five marbles while other freshmen in the Magic Department floated only three at most. Unfortunately, all she could do was line up five of those marbles, but that was enough. ¡°Le Thermion, you said you were in the Swordsmanship Department?¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± ¡°Haha, this¡­ It seems the first and second ce of this ss will be held by students from other departments this year.¡± Professor Dinavo looked around at the Magic students and told them to cheer up. Of course, the expressions on the faces of the Magic students weren¡¯t great. After all, other students hade and taken the spotlight from them. There was no need to say anything about Altur. A rare look of shock was on his face. Thanks to that, some students were whispering in low voices. ¡°Is that Sogres boy stronger by any chance?¡± ¡°Look at the number of marbles he levitated. And the professor said that the head of Nixion Magic Tower acknowledged him as his disciple?¡± ¡°But it said ¡®immeasurable¡¯ earlier?¡± ¡°That must be a mechanical failure. How can there be such an aptitude?¡± Altur wanted to erase this lecture from his memory and pretend it never happened. ¡®What¡­the heck is this?¡± It was absurd. What on earth happened to House Sogres? Arabe and re, both of them were insanely talented, but that guy was even better. Oh my god. He was a first year and fourteen years old, but he not only picked up all the marbles but also moved them to make his crest and made them explode! Without any signs of difficulty? ¡°Altur?¡± ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m thinking right now.¡± Altur was quick-witted. It was why he was able to effectively be the student representative of the Magic Department now that Arabe had graduated. ¡®Persuasion would be better.¡¯ This required a change of ns. Though it wasn¡¯t likely, if he picked a fight and lost, it would bepletely humiliating. In that case, it would be more beneficial to gently coax him to create a good impression of the Magic Department and ultimately win him over to his side. ¡®If I had been a little less careful, I could have been in big trouble.¡¯ If there hadn¡¯t been an orientation with a test like this today, and he had just picked a fight without knowing Dane¡¯s talent¡­ ¡°There¡¯s been a change of ns.¡± Altur finally finished his thoughts and spoke. ¡°We need to get him into the student council.¡± ¡°Th-the student council?¡± ¡°Yeah. Since I¡¯m a student council member, it¡¯ll be easier for me to keep him under my thumb.¡± The Imperial Academy¡¯s Student Council. A group with enormous influence over things such as policy decisions, budget execution, and various privileges within the academy. As a simple example, the student council could decide on disciplinary actions against students or whether to approve or deny approval for individual departmental events. It could be said to be a tradition of the Imperial Academy. The reason Altur was able to exert such great influence within the Magic Department was not only because of his outstanding talent but also because he made full use of that talent to be a student council officer. Because of this, there was a bacsh from the people next to him, including Grun. ¡°He¡¯s only a first year student! You should at least be a second year student¡­¡± ¡°Even we can¡¯t go there yet¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early for a freshman? And even then, he¡¯s still a newbie!¡± Envy and jealousy, plus a feeling of resistance. As they said, it was almost unheard of for a student to join the student council in their first year. There were no written rules, but it was just how things were. However, Altur was smart and boldly broke the rules and offered the enormous ¡®honor¡¯ of being invited to the student council. ¡°I can invite them with my authority. I don¡¯t think the others will object.¡± ¡°Still. We aren¡¯t even in the same departments,¡± Grun protested, but it didn¡¯t work. ¡°So? Is there a rule that says I can¡¯t rmend students from other departments?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Trust me, Grun. He might not be from the Magic Department, but he¡¯ll definitely raise the reputation of the Magic Department.¡± Altur added in his mind, ¡®As a bonus, my status and path to sess.¡¯ Altur came from a barony. He believed that while talent might be great within the academy, it ultimately had its limits when it came to the outside world. So, knowing that there was such a limit to what he could do with just his talent, he tried his best to ovee that limit. And that method wasÒ» ¡®Him.¡¯ Altur smiled as he imagined Dane being shocked and at a loss when he received the offer. No matter how cocky someone was, they could never be indifferent to the words ¡®student council¡¯. Altur believed as much. ¡°The student council?¡± ¡°Yeah, the student council. Naturally, you¡¯ve heard of it, right?¡± I nodded and said, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. I don¡¯t need to exin. I will formally rmend you to the student council. The fact that you received high praise from the dean despite being from a different department, the fact that you are the only disciple of the head of the Nixion Magic Tower, and the fact that you are the first Autonomous student in fifty years. And¡­¡± A string of praises from Altur. I was looking at him, wondering what he ate wrong, and I had a general idea of what was going on. ¡°You¡¯re qualified. No, you¡¯re more than qualified. In my capacity as a student council officer, I rmend you to the student council.¡± There were looks of admiration and envy from all around. I heard about it from my eldest sister. The student council of the Imperial Academy was a very powerful group, and only a small number of students were allowed to enter. He was rmending me to that ce right now. ¡°For your information, if you¡¯re a member of the student council, you can almost certainly stay in the Dant¨¨re Hall. Unless there are any disciplinary measures, student council students are always members of the Dant¨¨re Hall.¡± I tilted my head at those words. ¡°I already belong to the Dant¨¨re Hall.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But being in the Dant¨¨re Hall now and continuing to be in the Dant¨¨re Hall in the future are two different things. And that¡¯s not all. You¡¯ll also get some immunity¡­¡± What followed was a long list of privileges. Just hearing about them would make a person think that the student council alone had extra rights. ¡°What do you think? Aren¡¯t you interested?¡± ¡°No. Not really.¡± Only then did I sense Altur¡¯s shock. I wasn¡¯t refusing just to tease Altur. ¡°I¡¯m not really interested unless I can get in on my own.¡± I didn¡¯t like the idea of joining based on some privilege rather than ability. If I took advantage of what I was born with, then that might be fine, but there was always a price to pay for the privilege of epting and enjoying inexplicable favors. I¡¯d already learned that on the battlefield. When was it? Someone offered me some bread, so I epted it without thinking, but the next day I was moved from the back row to the front row. There was no such thing as unreasonable kindness in this world. ¡°¡­Do you know what you¡¯re rejecting right now? The student council. I, Altur Diomet, am personally rmending you as the fifth year representative and a student council member.¡± Altur looked at me as if I were crazy. The student council. I didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of ce it was, but from what I could tell now, it was a ce that only a very small number of students could go. But I wasn¡¯t really interested. I told Altur, ¡°It doesn¡¯t really interest me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a position that everyone wants! It¡¯s the student council! If you live at the Academy for just a little while, you¡¯ll realize how great the offer you just rejected is.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure about that. ¡°Dane, if you¡¯rete there won¡¯t be any tarts. Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± ¡°Oh, are there tarts, too?¡± This sounded pretty awesome. As expected of Le. She was very perceptive. ¡°What are you two talking about right now¡­?¡± ¡°I have a prior engagement. We¡¯ll go first. It¡¯s lunchtime.¡± I pushed my way through the crowd, leaving the dazed Altur behind. I thought I heard a sound behind me. ¡°What do you think he¡¯s saying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really curious.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± We left Hangston Hall and were finally free from the gazes. If people¡¯s gazes had physical force, we would have been crushed to death long ago. ¡°But an offer to the student council? That¡¯s a bit surprising.¡± ¡°Is it a great ce? I heard a bit about it from my eldest sister.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°It¡¯s a great ce. Only a select few students can enter.¡± I had a rough idea of ??what it was like. ¡°I see that person, who¡¯s a representative, tried to rmend you to be on the student council. You did well to decline. If you had epted, he would have used that as an excuse to treat you like hisckey.¡± That level of intention was immediately apparent. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have offered me such a great position. He even personally rmended it to me. ¡°He¡¯s a bad guy. I don¡¯t like him. You can tell he¡¯s one of those snake-like people. I¡¯ve seen them a lot since I was little. People who would snoop around in our family, hoping to get something out of us.¡± True. Thermion was the best house in the capital and the best house in the empire. Even if Le didn¡¯t want to see it, she¡¯d probably seen a lot since she was little. Inparison, such people did not visit our house often. That was probably due to the differences in characteristics between the capital and the south. ¡°Those kinds of people are usually really persistent and annoying.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll think about it if ites to that.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried? Even though we¡¯re from prestigious houses, it¡¯s still the student council.¡± I tilted my head and asked, ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. You have your older sisters.¡± It wasn¡¯t just my older sisters. There was me, too. I wouldn¡¯t refuse if my older sisters helped me, but I didn¡¯t n on always relying on them. It wasn¡¯t like this was kindergarten. ¡°But couldn¡¯t that guy see me? Why didn¡¯t he ask me?¡± I burst outughing. This was why I liked Le. She knew how to speak purely and without embellishment. Others might find it embarrassing or unpleasant to say that they didn¡¯t receive any rmendations, so they wouldn¡¯t mention it. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s because you¡¯re so ridiculous.¡± Le seemed to have decided to admit it coolly now. ¡°By the way, are there really tarts here?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the Imperial Academy¡¯s student cafeteria. It must have every kind of dessert that exists in the Empire.¡± That sounded mouthwatering. When I was at home, I would eat just one a day without fail. It was a shame, but I guess I¡¯d have to do that here, too. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± But since today was the first day of ss, wouldn¡¯t it be okay to eat one more? ¡°Do you have ss after lunch?¡± ¡°No. What about you, Le?¡± ¡°Me neither. Good. There¡¯s a ce I want to go.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The Misty Garden!¡± Where did she just say? ¡°They say it¡¯s always foggy when the weather is cloudy, but if you reach the fountain through the fog and make a wish, your wish wille true!¡± I began to think seriously about how I could lessen the disappointment of a little girl who was intoxicated by this romantic legend. Chapter 44 Chapter 44: Should I Be Grateful to My Mother? Professor Dinavo recalled the events that had just urred in ss. He still couldn¡¯t believe it. Was it really possible for a fourteen-year-old freshman, the minimum age for admission, to not only pick up all the marbles in his ss but also move them to express something? ¡®Was it like that with Arabe, too?¡¯ It must have been so. However, things were slightly different at that time, making a directparison difficult seeing as how that magic measuring device itself was invented by Arabe. Before Arabe created it, Professor Dinavo had been measuring the students¡¯ magic power himself and asking them to cast the magic they were confident in. ¡°What an unbelievable talent¡­¡± If he had been born about twenty years earlier, wouldn¡¯t the war have ended a few years earlier? ¡°No. Fortunately, he was born in a time of peace.¡± The war was terrible. Talented children were taken away and forced to receive military training in the name of the glory of the empire. Professor Dinavo thought it was fortunate that Dane had appeared at this time. He would be able to freely disy his talents as he wished. ¡°What an amazing family.¡± House Sogres, one of the families of heroes who supported the empire together with House Thermion. It was no exaggeration to say that their status wasparable to that of House Thermion. Still, the fact that even the youngest Dane Sogres, following Arabe and re, showed such great talent¡­ ¡°Perhaps in the future, no house will be able to touch them.¡± Rumor had it that Count Sogres had turned down a dukedom to stay in the south, but Professor Dinavo couldn¡¯t tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°If I had known this would happen, I would have really tried to persuade him toe to the Magic Department.¡± He felt very sorry for losing such a talented person. Since he was in the Autonomous Department, there was no way that a student would give up that honor on their own. Of course, Dane chose it not because of the honor, but because he wanted to do what he wanted without restrictions, but Professor Dinavo had no way of knowing that. ¡°No. There is a chance.¡± If there was a will, there was a way. Professor Dinavo wanted to further elevate the already high status of the Magic Department. ¡°Altur. Can you hear me? Can youe to the dean¡¯s office right now?¡± ?Professor? Yes, I understand!? Professor Dinavo immediately called Altur through the crystal ball and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not really used to it. But whatever, it was a gift from my beloved disciple.¡± He looked at thepact crystal ball developed by his beloved disciple and his greatest pride, Arabe, with affectionate eyes. After some time¡­ ¡°Professor, may Ie in?¡± ¡°Oh, Altur. Come in.¡± Click. The door opened and Altur came in. He had a big smile on his face. Professor Dinavo smiled and offered him a seat, saying, ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± ¡°Did you see Dane earlier?¡± Altur, who was about to sit down, hesitated for a moment, before answering, ¡°Yes, he is quite a talent.¡± ¡°Haha! Right? Maybe even better than Arabe.¡± ¡°Do¡­ you really think so?¡± ¡°Hmm. I can¡¯t tell right now. Magic is such a vast field. Rather than asking which of them is more talented, maybe it would be better topare how much talent they have with ¡®magic power¡¯ itself?¡± Actually, this one was more amazing. Having a great talent for magic meant you could use magic more easily. However, Altur could not admit that Dane¡¯s talent was superior to that of Arabe, whom he greatly admired. Arabe. She was like the sun to Altur. ¡°So, Altur. How about you take good care of him?¡± Altur suddenly raised his head. Professor Dinavo smiled broadly. ¡°You are a student council member and also the fifth year representative. Above all, aren¡¯t you trusted by everyone in the Magic Department?¡± The conversation continued while Altur remained silent. ¡°So, you take good care of him. Convince him toe to the Magic Department.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose it¡¯s eptable to rmend him to the student council first. Wait, is there a precedent for a first year student joining the student council? Well, if there isn¡¯t, we can just create one. That boy¡¯s very existence seems to break all precedents. Hahaha¡­ But why is your expression like that?¡± Altur eventually confessed the truth that he had started off on the wrong foot with Dane. ¡°¡­Haha.¡± Professor Dinavo muttered,ughing for a moment. ¡°He turned down the student council offer¡­ Did Arabe tell him anything?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Hmm. He is getting more and more interesting.¡± Still, he was just a child. Professor Dinavo did not give up easily. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t just give up just because of one rejection. Altur. Try hard.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Professor.¡± Altur had no choice but to ept it. ¡°Oh, about that rmendation letter. I guess it won¡¯t be that simple.¡± ¡°I-is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t be so impatient. Don¡¯t you still have sixth and seventh years left? Think about it slowly. With your talent, magic towers will be lining up by the time you graduate.¡± Altur cursed inwardly. ¡®You said something like thatst year, too.¡¯ If you had talent, Magic Towers would take an interest in you. In fact, two magic towers had shown interest in Altur when he was in his third year. However, when he became a fourth year student and began to receive Professor Dinavo¡¯s ¡®favor¡¯, their interest suddenly disappeared. The reason was probably simple. If he interned at a magic tower early, Professor Dinavo would lose a student he couldfortably order around, so the dean was preventing it from happening. Even without that, he had tremendous influence as the head of the Antallion Magic Tower, so how many people would dare to go against his wishes? Then he would often subtly mention his house. It was a sad thing, theplex of being from a barony. This was why Altur so strongly disliked bringing up houses while emphasizing the ¡®rules of the Academy¡¯. ¡®Shit.¡¯ In the end, that meant that he had to follow this old man¡¯s words whether he liked it or not. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, of course not. I¡¯ll try to persuade him.¡± ¡°Haha. That¡¯s right. Altur, you can do it.¡± Altur internally shouted, ¡®Damn old man.¡¯ Le and I walked through the square on our way to the cafeteria. The square was literally teeming with people. When I met Le earlier, there weren¡¯t this many people. ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t this great?¡± Le was very excited. It was definitely a different reaction from mine. I just nced around and found it fascinating. ¡°Dane, look at that! The water is rising so high!¡± As I watched her, I felt like I was being too cynical, but then I would also get carried away by her brightness and find myself smiling without realizing it. She really was a kid. It was really amazing when I thought back to the dignified way she spoke before the magic ss started. ¡°Do you think they shoot the water out with magic?¡± ¡°Probably? But these days, there are also mechanical fountains!¡± Mechanical engineering. I hadn¡¯t heard those words in a long time. It was the pride of the Drenik Empire, which I belonged to in my previous life, and it was a discipline full of wonder in a different sense from magic. I was secretly d to hear of it, as I hadn¡¯t had much to do with it after being reborn in the Altheon Empire, where almost everything was solved with magic. By the way, mechanical engineering was also taught in the academy. As expected of the academy. ¡°There are so many amazing things.¡± Le was so excited that she forgot about lunch and just wandered around. She stopped in front of a stand selling cookies, bought one, and munched on it. Then, she squatted in front of a stand with strange toys. ¡°Are you that happy?¡± ¡°Yes! Aren¡¯t you excited?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Oh, so exciting. Also, I was hungry, but Le didn¡¯t seem to want to go. ¡°Dane, Dane. Look at that. It¡¯s so cool.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Magic tricks! It¡¯s different from magic!¡± Something called ¡®magic tricks¡¯ existed, a different concept from magic. I guess it was a kind of trick that provided enjoyment without any magic power used? ¡°Hey, did you pick this card earlier?¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s right! Oh, how did you know?¡± ¡°Magic tricks are mysterious, my dear. If you want to know more, why don¡¯t you join the magic tricks club?¡± Oh, so it was a club invitation. Such a method was truly interesting. Better than sweating profusely in the middle of the day and taking off your clothes like that in a shameful manner. ¡°A healthy mind resides in a healthy body! These beautiful muscles! This wonderful body! This fantastic bnce! Do you want a perfect body? Then you shoulde to ¡®Physical Beauty¡¯!¡± I tried hard to ignore the guys from the bodybuilding club, who were flexing their bronzed muscles with their shirts off. ¡°Alright, take this! Before and after! See? This skinny, reedy guy over here turned into this cool guy!¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± Unfortunately, it seemed like there were a few guys who were interested. By the way, was it just me or was it that all the clubs seemed strangely desperate? Beep-! Beep~! A sharp whistle rang out. ¡°This is the Academy Student Council! The members of the Physical Beauty Club are under arrest for disrupting the Academy¡¯s morale!¡± It seemed as if the apostles of justice had appeared. ¡°Damn it, run! If I get caught this time, I¡¯ll be in big trouble!¡± ¡°Apply more oil so that even if they catch you, you¡¯ll slide away!¡± I watched the student council chase after the bodybuilders and get further away,ughing in vain. Meanwhile, the square was still bustling as if nothing had happened. Was this amon urrence? ¡°I heard that if a club has too few new members that year or if it can¡¯t prove its activity results, it gets shut down.¡± So that was why they were so desperate. I thought I could understand. I wasn¡¯t sure about those muscle freaks though. Anyway, it was a unique experience. I figured this was what my eldest sister meant by ¡®the romance of the academy¡¯. ¡°Dane, let¡¯s just stop by there and go for lunch.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± I looked in the direction Le was pointing. What should I call that? There was a disc, divided into several areas, and each area had something written on it. ¡°I guess if you hit it, you get a prize!¡± ¡°Aha.¡± There was quite a crowd of students, and each time a dagger was thrown and hit the disc, sighs erupted from all directions. ¡°Ugh! What a waste!¡± ¡°You almost got it!¡± ¡°How on earth am I supposed to hit that?¡± As we got closer, I could see that the disc was spinning at a fast speed and the students had to throw a dagger at the spinning disc. You received the item written on the spot where the dagger was stuck. ¡°Oh my, what a shame! But please take this keychain with you!¡± Naturally, the areas were of a different size. There were areas where it was so big that I thought I could hit it even if I threw it without looking, but there were also areas where I wondered how on earth anyone couldnd a hit. There was even a single dot. I looked through the item lists. Keychains, cookie sets, lecture hall teleportation scrolls¡­ There were some strange and unique items, but among them, there was one item that really caught my eye. ¡°Academy Treasure Map?¡± It was the prize given when you hit the area corresponding to that ¡®dot¡¯. A treasure map. Maybe it was because I went to the fountain and heard from Ernest about the secret ces within the Academy, but I became very interested. ¡°Let me give it a try.¡± ¡°Then, me too! Um, I want a Lecture Hall teleportation scroll. If I have that, I can teleport right away, right?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Me? The Treasure Map¡± Le¡¯s eyes widened and she asked, ¡°Can you hit that?¡± I answered with a shrug. So Le and I stepped forward. Throwing daggers, huh? I should thank my mother, right? Chapter 45 Chapter 45: You Said I Could Throw It Multiple Times, Right? Many of the events held at the Academy za during the start of the new school year were marketing activities for clubs or academic societies to recruit new members. The academy was not just a ce to study in the narrow sense of simply reading textbooks and taking exams. Of course, there were cases where the focus was on making money rather than marketing¡ªsuch as thieves who kept showing up despite the student council¡¯s efforts or those who sold low-quality items to freshmen who didn¡¯t know much, iming they were academy essentials. There were also events like spinning a roulette or throwing daggers with the offer of a product as bait, just like now. ¡°Here, invest just one silver crown and you¡¯ll get your money¡¯s worth! This is a special event for freshmen! Even the fifth ce prize is a Mana Storage Bead worth a whopping two silver crowns! These Mana Storage Beads are a must-have for storing magic power in advance and using it when needed!¡± Kentner Dreife, a fifth-year finance major and host of the event, smiled inwardly as he watched the freshmen rushing to hand over their silver coins. This year, too, was a bumper harvest of crowns. Throwing daggers. It looked really easy, but for beginners, it was difficult to simply throw and hit something. The grip posture must be firm, and the timing of releasing the dagger was also important. Since the dagger was heavy, there were many cases where it was thrown but did not reach the target. ¡°Aww! What a shame! How about trying again?¡± ¡°One more time!¡± Kentner chuckled to himself at the sight of the freshmen rushing in. He guessed it was because they were from noble families. They treated a few silver crowns as little more than dust in their pockets. ¡®I¡¯m going to earn a lot this year, too!¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like it would be a problem to be rich if he just sucked up a lot of money like this every semester. There was almost no risk. As he said, the goods were worth more than a silver crown, but throwing the dagger was extremely difficult. ¡®My business will continue to prosper since it targets freshmen.¡¯ Just as Kentner thought so¡­ ¡°I think I¡¯ll take on the challenge.¡± A silver-haired boy approached with a rosy-haired girl. They looked strangely familiar. He¡¯d never seen them before, so how could that be? ¡®Silver hair¡­ Where have I seen it? Or heard of it?¡¯ Of course, that was not the important thing; the fact that these two freshmen were customers was. Kentner greeted them with a salesman smile on his face. ¡°Oh, wee! You¡¯re a freshman, right? Here, you just have to pay a silver crown. Have you tried throwing daggers?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The silver-haired boy, Dane, gave a short answer, took the dagger from Kentner, and stood in front of the disc. ¡°Can I throw this multiple times?¡± ¡°Of course! As long as you have the silver!¡± The corners of the host¡¯s mouth went up. He caught a big one. The rich young nobleman who kept trying until he got something was truly the best customer. Brrrrrr. A spinning disc seemed to have been waiting. Kentner eximed excitedly, ¡°Alright, get ready and throw!¡± Kentner smiled happily as he looked at the long line of clueless freshmen behind him. After repeating this for several years, word of mouth spread and now ordinary products couldn¡¯t interest people. Because of that, he ended up losing all his capital by putting out some pretty good products. In particr, the first prize, the ¡®Treasure Map¡¯, was the item that Kentner had invested the most money in. He was sure it was authentic because he bought it from the Arcaider Auction House, which guaranteed authenticity. Even though it was a blind auction, it was still an Arcaider auction item. In fact, it was thanks to this item that Kentner was able to hold this dagger-throwing event, thinking this would be thest time. ¡®It has to be this much for people toe.¡¯ In fact, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the so-called ¡®Treasure Map¡¯. However, there probably weren¡¯t many who would even get the fifth ce prize. So, if everyone just paid one silver crown, he would make a huge profit¡ªnot to mention getting back the initial investment. ¡®Even if they tried, they¡¯d just end up with thest prize.¡¯ Dane stared at the spinning disc and took hold of the dagger he had been handed, holding the de rather than the handle, and positioned himself so that the handle was facing out. It was apletely different posture from the freshmen who used to just grab and throw the dagger. At that moment, Kentner became uncertainÒ» Whoosh! Pow! The dagger flew at a speed he had never seen before and sank perfectly into the disc. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Did you just see that?¡± Amidst the exmations of admiration, the disc with the dagger embedded in it slowed down. Kentner gulped. ¡®No way. There¡¯s no way.¡¯ This sometimes happened. Should he call it a blind dagger? If you were lucky, you got something. However, even that didn¡¯t go beyond the fifth ce prize, which was the widest area on the disc. It might be a bit of a loss, but whatever. ¡°Ooooh!¡± Then the disc slowed downpletely. The ce where the dagger was stuck was not fifth ce. In fact¡­ ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that first ce?¡± ¡°First ce? Really?¡± ¡°Over there, over there! The red dot!¡± Unbelievable words rang out. It was true. Everyone could see the moment when the disc finally stopped. ¡°N-no way.¡± Just one. Only one, a red dot that Kentner had put there thinking no one would be able to hit it¡­ The dagger was stuck there quite precisely. ¡°It¡¯s really the first ce prize!¡± ¡°Wow! Oh my God!¡± ¡°Did he really get it? Really?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even get near the disc¡­¡± Everyone cheered. It was understandable because the people there either didn¡¯t get it, or if they did, they only got the constion prize¡ªassuming they even dared to try. But then someone came forward and didn¡¯t just hit the target but hit a tiny dot on the spinning disc, leaving Kentner breathless. ¡®My, my dream¡­ My homework¡­¡¯ By the way, this was not just a money-making venture. Finance Department. As an undergraduate studying economics and money, this was part of an assignment, and it was an activity that would soon be the subject of a great assignment for Kentner. But it was ruined. Was this the ¡®surprise and variables in economy¡¯ that the professor emphasized so much? No matter how perfect a n was, variables were bound toe up. Just like now¡­ ¡°Wait a minute, isn¡¯t that Dane Sogres?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. He has silver hair.¡± ¡°Then that girl next to him is Le Thermion, isn¡¯t she? She has rosy hair, right?¡± That variable was called Dane Sogres. ¡®Dane Sogres?¡¯ Now that he thought about it, he¡¯d heard about the other boy before. This new year¡¯s new top student. He passed the autonomous major exam for the first time in 50 years. The youngest son of the war hero Count Sogres. Even so, it was too big of a variable. ¡°R-red dot. It¡¯s first ce¡­¡± Kentner managed to shout in a trembling voice. He still had to give him the item. That was the iron rule. Paying for the goods was the logic of economics. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kentner handed over the case containing the treasure map with trembling hands, but the variables were just starting. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I could throw it as many times as I wanted?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll throw it again.¡± Dane searched his pockets and took out several silver coins. Kentner¡¯s mouth fell open. But this was not the end. ¡°Oh, you want to take it all by yourself? Don¡¯t be so greedy!¡± ¡°Why, are you going throw, too?¡± ¡°Of course. I also have a Mana Core, so I guess I can hit it?¡± Le also stepped forward. Drip. A tear began to flow from Kentner¡¯s heart. Le and I headed to the student cafeteria, very satisfied after gathering all the goods. It took longer than I thought, but there should be enough time to have lunch. I tried to infuse magic into my ring along the way. Objects contained in the subspace were projected by magic as if they were right before my eyes. Of course, I couldn¡¯t really feel the actual weight, but it felt very heavy. Le looked at the ring my eldest sister had given me as a gift as if she were envious. ¡°¡­having an inventor sister must be great. Arabe seems really famous in the magical engineering field.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that your eldest sister is famous?¡± I just didn¡¯t know to what extent. My eldest sister and second sister didn¡¯t really brag about themselves in front of me. So, it seemed like Le knew more about their reputation and achievements than I did. ¡°Your eldest sister is incredibly famous. She¡¯s almost a legend. A legend. It was your eldest sister who made themunication device the size of a person¡¯s head smaller than a fist and made it portable. She also made the teleport magic, which had to be drawn every time, fixed into a device so that it could be used at each base!¡± She knew it very well.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Additionally, she created a magic mirror to help with skin care, and also drastically reduced the cost of producing subspace devices. I told you, Arabe is everyone¡¯s idol.¡± My eldest sister was such an amazing person. I looked at the subspace ring my eldest sister had given me as a gift. It was like I could feel her love. ¡°You¡¯re so lucky, you know that?¡± ¡°I know. Thanks to you, I know better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m jealous, so jealous. My older brothers are also academy graduates, but I can¡¯t even see them¡­¡± Le¡¯s older brothers were also quite famous in the Academy. However, unlike my sisters, we couldn¡¯t see them around as they both worked outside the Academy. ¡°Ugh, whatever. So how many prizes did we get?¡± ¡°Well, twenty magic storage stones, fifteen lunch tickets, five regr meal tickets, eight store tickets¡­¡± We really got a lot. But wasn¡¯t it so much fun? I guess it was because I didn¡¯t usually have any reason to throw daggers. ¡°And a treasure map.¡± ¡°What do you think it actually is? A treasure map?¡± ¡°ording to the finance department senior who was there, it was something that was bought in a blind auction at the Arcaider Auction House.¡± ¡°Arcaider Auction House?¡± Le¡¯s eyes widened. Arcaider Auction House. I remembered my father often telling me stories about it. It was a ce where rare and beautiful items from all over the empire were gathered, and where the best appraisers in the empire thoroughly appraised and handled only genuine items. If it was true that he bought it there, then of course it was believable. ¡°Then we can be sure it¡¯s authentic?¡± ¡°Yeah. The seal here is still intact.¡± Judging from the fact that he had never opened it, it seemed like the senior hadn¡¯t examined what was inside carefully. Unfortunately, it was in my hands now, so what could he do? It just so happened to be a dagger-throwing event. ¡°An Academy Treasure Map, huh¡­? I heard that there are a lot of secret ces and mysteries in the Academy.¡± Le¡¯s eyes sparkled as she recalled what she had heard. ¡°So, what¡¯s on that treasure map?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to open it to find out. Let¡¯s open it togetherter.¡± There was one more person who just came to mind. Ernest Dn. I smiled as I thought of the person who would go crazy the moment he heard of the treasure map. Grrrr. The sound of my stomach demanding food rang out. Lunch seemed to have been dyed too much. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯m really hungry.¡± ¡°We can use these meal tickets, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We got meal tickets as a prize earlier, right? Let¡¯s try using those.¡± We hurried our steps toward the student cafeteria. By the way, I thought I heard a screaming from somewhere. Maybe I was mistaken? Chapter 46 Chapter 46: Who the Hell Are You? The student cafeteria was, strangely enough, quite different from the formal meals Le and I had eaten at home. Most of the time, all the food was put into one te. I didn¡¯t have any particr feeling of rejection. Rather, this was efficient. It didn¡¯t take up much space because it was divided into several containers, and it was easy to handle. When I was in the military in my previous life, a stew, where everything was boiled together, was my staple food. At a nce, it seemed to be because mealtimes were short, and that if all the people at the Imperial Academy were to eat the way they used to at home, there wouldn¡¯t be enough tables in the entire academy. ¡°Oh, this is alright.¡± It wasn¡¯t as good as what I used to eat at home, but I wasn¡¯t that picky. I lived longer in my previous life than I did in my current life. Rather, I was of the opinion that any food was fine as long as it filled my stomach, even if it didn¡¯t taste good. Except for tarts. So, as soon as I received the food, I ate it without much hesitation, but Le strangely remained still. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Le didn¡¯t even bother to pick up the dishes and just stared at her te. I was about to ask more because I thought it was strange, but Le barely managed to answer. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m still thinking about how to eat, so wait.¡± I burst outughing. It didn¡¯t matter to me, since in my previous life I ate and slept in an environment worse than this, but that wasn¡¯t the case for Le. So, I found it quite admirable that she tried to adapt without showing any signs of difort. ¡°It tastes good.¡± Luckily, Le adapted quickly. The food itself was delicious, even though it was all put together. ¡°Though it¡¯s not quite so formal, this is actually quitefortable.¡± ¡°You¡¯re adapting quickly. That¡¯s good.¡± It seemed that Le was not a nobledy who acted strict and arrogant. ¡°By the way, there are a lot of people. Does everyone gather here every lunchtime?¡± ¡°I heard that you can buy a snack or eat something like a sandwich at the za over there.¡± There were so many people. Was this what it felt like to be crowded? In the midst of all this, students who looked a bit older tended to finish their meals within five minutes of sitting down and left in a hurry. They said that studying got harder as you advanced in grade, and I think that saying was true. ¡°Are we going to end up like that, too?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think you would, Dane.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re good at everything.¡± I chuckled at those words and said, ¡°Even doing something well requires effort.¡± Of course, I had talent, but that didn¡¯t mean I just relied on that talent and went wild. ¡°Did you hear? Kentner, who did the roulette against freshmen, got ripped off this time.¡± ¡°Really? Hasn¡¯t he done that since he was in his second year? He said it was some kind of assignment?¡± Just then, I heard an interesting story. Le stopped eating and looked at me, then tilted her ear in that direction. ¡°That could be true. Or it could be a money-making scheme. Anyway, doesn¡¯t that mean he got ripped off by a freshman?¡± ¡°Ripped off? By a freshman?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. They say that every time he threw, it hit something.¡± I guess they were talking about me. ¡°Dane, aren¡¯t they talking about you?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± They continued talking while getting food. ¡°Well, apparently it was Dane Sogres. He¡¯s the new top student. He¡¯s enrolled in an autonomous major!¡± ¡°The top student is really different.¡± ¡°I¡¯m jealous, so jealous.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I think the rumor has spread?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re already famous.¡± It felt like a natural thing since I went around with the name Sogres. Of course, I had no idea I would be famous for throwing daggers. Anyway, we finished our meal and left the cafeteria. Instead of warm sunlight, we were greeted by a slightly cloudy sky. ¡°Dane, what¡¯s your next ss? I¡¯m taking Introduction to Swordsmanship!¡± ¡°I have a liberal arts ss.¡± ¡°Alright. Then when you¡¯re done, let¡¯s look at the treasure map together! Come straight to the garden! The first one to finish wille and wait!¡± The Misty Garden. Thinking about it, I felt a bit guilty, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell her the truth. Instead, I parted ways with Le and headed to Demert Hall. It was the ce where liberal arts sses were mainly held. Looking at the sign in front of the building, it said that it was one of the first buildings built when the academy was established. The liberal arts ss I was taking was ¡®Empire¡¯s History¡¯, one of the required liberal arts courses. I had already been educated by the head butler beforeing here. I knew most of the basics, so I wasn¡¯t too worried. I entered the ssroom and sat down in the empty seat by the window when I heard a voice next to me. ¡°Dane, can I sit next to you?¡± It was Ernest Dn. ¡°You¡¯re in this ss, too.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a required ss for freshmen. I was looking to see if you were here and¡­¡± Unlike his excited chattering self in the Misty Garden earlier, he asked in a very timid manner. ¡°Can I sit next to you¡­?¡± ¡°Do you need permission for things like that?¡± ¡°N-no. That¡¯s not it¡­¡± What a fascinating person. Anyway, Ernest sat down next to me with a broad smile. ¡°Oh, Dane. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything particrly strange. Just a little different?¡± ¡°What¡¯s changed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bitplicated, but I¡¯ll exin it in detailter. Oh, right. There¡¯s something I wanted to tell you.¡± I was just about to tell him about the Academy treasure map I had won first ce in the dagger-throwing contest¡­ ¡°Huh, are you Ernest?¡± ¡­When a sound came from behind us. As I was about to turn my head, my eyes met with Ernest¡¯s for a moment. He was afraid. His pupils were quivering, lips tightly shut, fists clenched, and body trembling. What was that about? He was like a soldier suffering from trauma. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s right! Ernest! To think we¡¯d meet here of all ces?¡± In the midst of this, five people approached us. Thergest one put a hand on Ernest¡¯s shoulder, and Ernest turned around in surprise. ¡°B-Bronn. H-hello.¡± ¡°What, you got in? You should have said something! I got in this year too!¡± Was this a friendship? It didn¡¯t look normal. ¡°Hey, how did you get in? I thought you wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the academy. Haha. Just kidding, kidding. I still remember how you shrank in fear whenever I just said something.¡± Ernest¡¯s expression grew darker and darker. Were they just frenemies? Or¡­ ¡°If I¡¯d known this would happen, I would have gone to the entrance ceremony. I thought it¡¯d be boring, so I didn¡¯t go.¡± As expected. ¡°But good timing. The cafeteria seemed far away, so I was annoyed. Let¡¯s talkter, and since we¡¯re here, go to the cafeteria and buy some sandwiches.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m with a friend right now¡­ It might be a little difficult right now¡­¡± ¡°A friend? You have a frieeend?¡± Watching him drag out his words, I think I might have cut his tongue out in the past. The one named Bronn looked at me and tilted his head. ¡°Are you Ernest¡¯s friend? A freshman?¡± I just stared at him without answering. Then Bronn snickered and said, ¡°Look at this kid. Aren¡¯t you going to answer? Is it because you¡¯re from another department? What department are you from? I¡¯m from the Swordsmanship Department. You know the Swordsmanship Department? Are you from the same department as Ernest?¡± I didn¡¯t know what family he came from, but his rough demeanor reminded me of the countless city thugs I¡¯d seen on the battlefield. By the way, I was a specialist in correcting that type of person. There were many people who got screwed over aftering to the battlefield thinking they were something because they used their fists in a back alley somewhere. As I was quietly thinkingÒ» ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get ready for ss. Everyone, get back to your seats.¡± The door opened and the professor came in. Bronn, who was about to approach me, licked his lips as if he were disappointed and turned his head towards Ernest. ¡°See you after ss, Ernest? It¡¯s nice to see you. We have a lot to talk about.¡± When he hit Ernest lightly on the back, Ernest¡¯s upper body tilted forward. ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°Punk, don¡¯t be such a pussy.¡± And as they left, Ernest was clearly shaking with fear. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°D-Dane¡­ I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ because of me¡­¡± ¡°Who are they? It seems like you already knew each other.¡± Ernest answered with a timid voice, ¡°Back at home¡­ they were from other Houses and bullied me¡­¡± I think I knew what it felt like. A friend from back home, huh? Of course, they didn¡¯t seem like friends. ¡°I thought we wouldn¡¯t run into each other because the academy is so big and there are so many departments¡­ I guess my expectations were too high. I¡¯m sorry, Dane. Just because I said I¡¯d sit next to you¡­¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I stated ndly. ¡°I¡¯ll go with youter.¡± ¡°Go¡­ go together? Where?¡± ¡°They said to meet upter, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°No! I-I can go by myself!¡± ¡°Then what will happen?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Since there was no answer, I figured my assumption was correct. ¡°If they keep looking down on you, you¡¯ll continue to suffer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Then do as you wish. Well, I¡¯m fine. I can just go to the dorm and rest.¡± I turned my head away from Ernest and looked at the professor. ¡°ss is starting.¡± * * * Reaper Scans [Trantor ¨C Rainypup] [Proofreader ¨C Harley] Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapeics * * * The Academy was both and of adventure and an escape for Ernest. An escape from trauma. Maybe it was a refuge. Local noble families had frequent exchanges with other noble families from a young age. The exchanges between the heads of the houses soon turned into ones between their children. In the process, the ranking of the children was determined by the status and reputation of their respective heads. In Ernest¡¯s case, the Dn family had no particr fame outside of exploration, so he had to naturally ept a lower rank. Ernest endured severe harassment from other noble children and eventually chose to enter the academy. But who would have thought that the other noble kids who had been bullying him would have entered school with him at the minimum age for admission? Among them, Bronn was the worst. ¡°Hey, who¡¯s that person with Ernest? Does he have any ¡®friends¡¯ other than us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He entered the academy. He might have just been lucky enough to meet someone.¡± Bronn Sauer chewed his gum and red at the back of Ernest¡¯s head. The silver-haired boy next to him was quite annoying, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Later, teach that kid where the store is so he can buy things right away when I ask him to.¡± Bronn smiled darkly. It was a great thing to have a subordinate at your beck and call at any time. Count Sauer. As the sessor to House Sauer, which had built up quite a powerful force in the West, he could trample on the likes of Baron Dn at any time. ¡°But that Thermion girl didn¡¯te here, right?¡± ¡°I think so. I guess she¡¯s taking another ss.¡± Bronn smacked his lips in disappointment. Le Thermion. They said she was very beautiful and cool. She had already be a hot topic among not only seniors but also freshmen. ¡®I¡¯ll get her.¡¯ Bronn had great ambition. He couldn¡¯t stay stuck in a remote corner of the western countryside forever. Now that he was at the academy, he was going to build up hiswork in the capital. Bronn intended to im Le Thermion as a trophy and the pinnacle of thatwork. The story of a provincial nobleman¡¯s rise to fame. Wasn¡¯t it usible? ¡°Today is orientation, so I¡¯ll wrap it up here. It¡¯s the first day of school, so I hope you all have a good time.¡± Since it was an orientation lesson, the ss didn¡¯tst long. Bronn got up from his seat right away. He didn¡¯t have another ss. He was thinking of taking that guy for a slow walk. Yeah, the Misty Garden would be nice, right? It was always foggy there when the weather was cloudy, and on foggy days, no one went there. Just as he thought so¡­ ¡°Uh, Bronn?¡± One of his subordinates called out to Bronn and pointed to the ssroom door. Ernest was leaving. He and the silver-haired guy. ¡°What, are they running away?¡± Bronn chuckled. Yes, they were ying within the palm of his hand. It didn¡¯t matter if they escaped. Since they were all at the academy anyway, they would encounter each other again. There was no way to escape. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s see how far they can go.¡± Was this what it felt like to chase down prey caught in a trap? Bronn left the ssroom with his group and followed Ernest. The silver-haired boy next to him was strangely annoying, but he didn¡¯t matter, anyway. Since those two were friends, they were probably of simr standing. Wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient to have one more subordinate? ¡°But where are they going?¡± How long did they have to chase after them like this? The crowd of people around them gradually decreased, and before they knew it, they had headed toward the garden. Bronn burst outughing. They came in so naturally. He was nning on going there anyway. ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you stop now? You have nowhere to go anyway.¡± The two stopped at Bronn¡¯s shout and turned their heads to face Bronn. Bronn snickered. Ernest was still shaking. The boy next to him looked calm, but he would soon be the same. ¡°Hey, what are you going to do? I just want to talk.¡± ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t seem to think so.¡± Dane pointed to Ernest and asked Bronn. ¡°Are you a friend?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Haha. Of course, we¡¯re friends. Very close friends. I¡¯ve known him longer than you. Right, Ernest?¡± Ernest didn¡¯t answer Bronn¡¯s question, and Bronn wiggled his eyebrows. ¡°Ernest, answer.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Dane chuckled. ¡°Look, you¡¯re not a friend.¡± Bronn changed his target. ¡°Who the hell are you? Why are you meddling? Hey, do you want to get beat up?¡± Dane looked at Bronn quietly and asked, ¡°I have a question to ask.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dane¡¯s cold voice rang out, ¡°Who the hell are you to interfere with my ns?¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47: Was My Introduction a Bit Late? Bronn looked at Dane in bewilderment. What was that crazy bastard talking about? ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I told you. I made an appointment first.¡± ¡°Appointment? Oooh. What, did you decide to go together? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s urgent, so maybeter¡­¡± ¡°How do you know if it¡¯s urgent or not?¡± Bronn¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ve achieved anything just because you entered the academy¡­?¡± ¡°What about you then?¡± ¡°Me? Have you heard of House Sauer? We¡¯re the most powerful house in the West.¡± Bronn then smirked. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not important when ites to taking care of you two.¡± Bronn raised his hand as if there was nothing more to say. ¡°Hey, go and get them.¡± Ernest trembled violently at those words. As they got closer, step by step, his trembling got stronger. In the academy, violence was sometimes justified. Openly wielding violence was against the school rules, but if it was done in a ce where no one could see and no one caught them, and both the person being hit and the person who hit kept their mouths shut, then it was okay. That was also thew of the world. ¡®We¡¯re dead.¡¯ Ernest shuddered with the helplessness he had learned from childhood. The reason he couldn¡¯t break off contact with Bronn, even though he was often beaten, was because he had learned to be helpless. Even though he had thought he had finally managed to muster up the courage to escape to the academy, the moment they met again, Ernest was ovee with even more helplessness and resignation than before. ¡®I can¡¯t get away.¡¯ Then Dane put his hand on Ernest¡¯s shoulder. Ernest spoke urgently, ¡°I think it would be best to avoid them even now. Even for you, they¡­ they¡¯re really scary!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m repaying you.¡± ¡°R-repaying me?¡± Repayment for what had happened at the Misty Garden. Ernest was flustered. ¡°Th-they¡¯re all scary! Bronn in particr has been called a swordsmanship genius since he was little!¡± A swordsmanship genius, huh? Daneughed at that remark, as if he found it rather amusing. ¡°I¡¯m curious about that.¡± Ernest¡¯s jaw dropped and he looked at Dane in a daze. What was he saying? Wait, by the way, did they know that he was Dane Sogres? If they did¡­ ¡°I¡¯m d they don¡¯t seem to know me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ernest. I¡¯ll give one to youter, so punch him in the jaw with your fist.¡± ¡°Me¡­ me?¡± ¡°Trust me, you can do it.¡± Dane muttered something iprehensible and then ced a hand on Ernest¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sometimes, there are often cases where it was nothing special after all.¡± Dane continued, ¡°You can¡¯t be scared of them forever, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Dane moved. ¡°Wh-what?!¡± It was only a matter of seconds before Dane reached the three people who had stepped forward first. One of the guys reflexively swung his fist, but Dane dodged it with a slight twist of his body and grinned. ¡°You swung first, got it?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ huh?¡± Pow! And then the unbelievable happened. ¡°Uuugh¡­¡± In the blink of an eye, Dane grabbed one of them and pinned him to the ground. A silence fell over the garden. Dane patted his hand and looked at the other two. ¡°You¡¯re nothing much.¡± Then he looked at Ernest for a moment before he approached the one closest to him among the two left standing. ¡°You bastard¡­¡± The one who didn¡¯t even introduce himself rushed in with an extremely sloppy and awkward posture. At least, that was what Dane thought. He didn¡¯t seem to be a genius. ¡°Ugh!¡± Dane snapped his fingers to fire a ?Mana Bullet? and he fell t on his face, covering his nose. He probably didn¡¯t even know what hit him. In general, ?Mana Bullet? was a non-chain magic that could be used even by non-mages, but that didn¡¯t mean they were easy to use. It required a tedious process of concentrating one¡¯s mind, reorganizing one¡¯s magic power, and then firing all at once. But Dane did it in a short period of time because he was a genius. A talented genius at that. ¡®It went out harder than I thought.¡¯ Dane himself was a little perplexed as he watched the boy, his nose bleeding profusely. Was it because he had created an Ancient Magic Core? He had thought it was shot with the power of a simple finger flick, but this was more like hitting someone with a fist. Now, there were only two left. ¡°How do you want to do this?¡± The remaining minion hesitated at Dane¡¯s question, and Bronn seemed bewildered and at a loss for words. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like much.¡± ¡°B-Bronn.¡± The remaining minion turned around and looked at Bronn with a desperate expression, but Bronn said nothing. But that was just for a moment. ¡°Get out of the way. I¡¯ll do it myself. You take care of that idiot over there, Ernest, and bring him in front of me.¡± ¡°A-alright.¡± Dane watched him quietly as he stepped aside in relief. Ernest was startled. He was reallying his way. ¡®How? How can I¡­¡¯ That was when Dane¡¯s eyes met his. It seemed like he was saying he should give it a try. Ernest gulped. ¡®I-I can do it.¡¯ A strange courage arose within him. Was it because he was with Dane? Yeah, he couldn¡¯t go on like this forever. He would have to keep running into them in the future anyway, so he couldn¡¯t just run away. Ernest finally clenched his fist, and the boy who had been trembling just a moment ago while looking at Dane approached, licking his lips as if he had finally found a good prey. ¡°What? Are you clenching your fists? Why don¡¯t you just take a few hits and we¡¯ll all go our merry way, okay? I¡¯ll hit you gently, gently.¡± The sight of him approaching while giggling was incredibly terrifying¡­ ¡°This won¡¯t work, just get hit.¡± He felt courage rise up, telling him he could do it. That was when the other boy approached. ¡°Huh?¡± He stopped for a moment. Pow! Before he knew it, Ernest¡¯s fist struck his jaw from bottom to top. ¡°Ugh!¡± For a moment, the world seemed to move slowly. A series of scenes where the boy floated in the air, a little blood burst out of his mouth, and he fell to the ground, all passed by in slow motion¡­ Thump. Ernest finally realized it. For the first time in his life, he had done something called ¡®resistance¡¯. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± His fists were trembling and his legs were shaking, but it was definitely true. The fallen boy didn¡¯t move at all. He had knocked him out. Dane smiled at the sight. ¡°I did it¡­¡± Ernest trembled with emotion. ¡°That idiot. He really lost to a loser like that¡­¡± In the midst of all this, Bronn looked at the unconscious boy with a belittling expression on his face and shook his head. But that was just for a moment. Bronn opened the subspace his father had given him as an entrance gift and suddenly took out a sword. ¡°It won¡¯t matter since no one can see me here.¡± Then he smiled like a crazy person. ¡°Did you know? It gets foggy here when the weather is cloudy. Sometimes they say you can¡¯t even find a body.¡± Was he reckless? Or just crazy? ¡°Oh, but I¡¯ll be gentle. Focusing on ces that won¡¯t be visible on the outside. Maybe a fancy scar on your chest would be enough?¡± It seemed clear it was thetter. Dane responded with augh at that. ¡°Thank God.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know me.¡± Bronn tilted his head and asked, ¡°What difference would it make if I knew who you were?¡± ¡°If you had known, you wouldn¡¯t have caused trouble like this. I¡¯m d you did.¡± Bronn burst outughing. ¡°What, so are you the son of Duke Thermion or Count Sogres? Don¡¯t you know Count Sauer? We¡¯re one of the great houses in the West and a war hero of the Imperial War!¡± Bronn swung his sword in the air as if he had nothing more to say. The sound of a sharp de cutting through the air was terrifying. However, Dane shrugged calmly and picked up a pole that happened to catch his eye. It looked like the gardener had left it there. Then he took a light stance as if he were holding a spear. ¡°What? You think you can fight me with that?¡± Dane looked at the pole once and answered calmly, not caring whether Bronnughed or not. ¡°Yeah. I think it will work.¡± ¡°This bastard¡­¡± Bronn had no intention of looking back. With House Sauer¡¯s backing, a bit of problem could be easily covered up. His father even has a small friendship with Duke Thermion, so whoever this boy was wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Bronn rushed in without further hesitation. ¡®I guess I should beat him up a bit and put a tattoo on the back of his neck.¡¯ So that every time he saw the scar, he would tremble with fear. By the way, he looked like he was holding a spear. Did he learn spearmanship? It was at that moment, after thinking that far, that he rushed in and was about to swing his sword. Pow! What happened? ¡°Kugh¡­¡± ng. Bronn¡¯s sword fell to the floor, and Bronn fell to the ground clutching his abdomen, choking on his breath. ¡®Wh-what just happened¡­?¡¯ It seemed like he¡¯d disappeared from in front of his eyes for a moment. But before he could think any further, he felt a strong impact to his abdomen and dropped his sword. ¡°Get up. If you draw a real sword, you have to finish.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°My father used to say that, outside of a fair duel, drawing a real weapon means you have to fight to the end.¡± There was no time to answer. Bronn barely managed to get up, but his vision started to blur and he felt nauseous. Just one. He never imagined that he would get hit in the stomach by a pole that didn¡¯t even look like a weapon. ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± Ernest¡¯s jaw dropped. It was the most shocking thing he had seen in years. Bronn was the strongest, most fearsome, and most terrifying being in Ernest¡¯s world. That very terror just copsed on the floor and was writhing in pain. Was Bronn weaker than he thought? No. Dane was¡­ ridiculously strong. ¡°Why? Do you feel like you¡¯re going to die?¡± ¡°H-how dare you¡­¡± Even as he felt like he was going to die, Bronn drew up his magic power and directed it towards his abdomen. The pain subsided slightly. His vision was still blurry, but he felt better. ¡°I¡¯ll make you realize it was just luck!¡± Bronn kicked off the ground again. He was holding his sword. The sword flew fiercely, but Ernest was no longer worried. Crack! ¡°Arrrgggh!¡± Amidst a desperate scream, Bronn was struck in the right arm, which was holding the sword, by a pole and copsed. ¡°My¡­ my arm!¡± It seemed like his arm was broken. Dane looked at Bronn quietly, as if he found him insignificant. Bronn screamed, his whole body shaking, and demanded, ¡°You! You¡­ who the hell are you?!¡± Only then, as if he had been waiting, did Dane introduce himself. ¡°Dane Sogres. The son of Arken Sogres and a first year student in the Autonomous Department.¡± Was this what it felt like when all the blood drained out of you? Bronn felt a pang in the back of his head. Rumors that suddenly came to mind. A rumor he¡¯d heard countless times since he entered school. The youngest son of Count Sogres had not only entered the academy with the highest honors but was also the first person to pass the autonomous major program in fifty years. Well, it was interesting, but that was it. He was just an incredibly great guy, nothing more, nothing less. Among all the rumors Bronn heard, there was one that particrly stood out. He was beautiful, with hair like woven silver. Exactly like that boy looking at him right now.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Oh, was my introduction a littlete?¡± And one more thing. Count Sogres, the Empire¡¯s greatest spearman, was known as the ¡®Blue Whirlwind.¡¯ He could see his form in Dane as he held the pole. ¡®Someone like this is hanging out with a weakling like that?¡¯ The strong should associate with the strong. The strong associating with the weak was nothing more than the strong taking pity on the weak and ¡®apanying¡¯ them for a while. Bronn had thought so until now, but thatmon sense was copsing. ¡®Fuck¡­¡¯ For the first time in a long time, Bronn felt that primal emotion called ¡®fear¡¯. Chapter 48 Chapter 48: He¡¯s from the Swordsmanship Department? Like most noble children, Bronn¡¯s family meant everything to him. To the aristocracy, their house was an honor and an identity that represented them. That didn¡¯t change even if they entered the academy. This was especially true since he was the eldest son of the prestigious Count Sauer from the West. Such pride sometimes copsed. Like right now, for example. ¡®Count¡­ Sogres¡­?¡¯ House Sogres. No matter how much House Sauer was called the ruler of the West, they couldn¡¯tpare to the fame of House Sogres. The war hero, Arken Sogres. His fame extended not only to the West but also to the remotest corners of the Empire. He couldn¡¯t believe it. Why would the young master of House Sogres hang out with that idiot Ernest?! It was apletely incongruousbination, but everything that had just happened pointed to it being true. That silver hair. Overwhelming strength that subdued him with just a deless pole. Then Dane approached and aimed his pole at Bronn. Bronn¡¯s body trembled instinctively. Only a fool wouldn¡¯t realize the fact that he was no match for Dane. ¡®I have two cores but I¡¯m losing¡­¡¯ Fourteen years old. It was amazing to have two cores at this age. The reason Bronn was called a genius and was able to reign like a king among the noble children of the West was thanks to his talent. But not anymore. A greater genius was before his eyes. The genius named Dane Sogres, who subdued him with just two strikes. ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You pulled out a real sword and lost like this.¡± Dane continued speaking nonchntly. ¡°Normally, I think I could take your life.¡± Bronn looked up in surprise and asked, ¡°What¡­ what are you talking about?!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case? Well, it¡¯s not a fair duel from my perspective¡­ but you pulled out a real sword.¡± Bronn felt a chill up his spine. The other boy didn¡¯t seem to be joking. The look in his eyes was not one he had ever seen before. Of course, Bronn couldn¡¯t know, but Dane¡¯s expression right now was no different from the one he had when he cut down his enemies as Argrik in his previous life. ¡°I¡¯ll give you time to get up.¡± Dane stepped back again after saying that. Then Bronn shouted urgently, ¡°W-wait a minute!¡± He was dizzy from being hit in the stomach and the pain of a broken arm. The moment their eyes met, he knew. He could really die if he did something wrong. The boys who had treated him like a king were watching from the side, but that wasn¡¯t what mattered now. ¡°Wait, what?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you have nothing to say, get up.¡± Bron finally shut his eyes tightly and shouted, ¡°I¡­ I will apologize¡­¡± Had he ever been this pitiful before? Probably not. He was begging for forgiveness more pitifully than when he was caught smoking by his father, Count Sauer. Of course, it was only Bronn and his group who felt it was pathetic. It was only natural to apologize. But the direction was wrong. ¡°To whom?¡± ¡°You¡­ you! I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t recognize you. I never dreamed you were Dane Sogres¡­¡± Dane, who had been quietly listening to the answer, shook his head and mused, ¡°You really can¡¯t be saved.¡± ¡°Wh-what are you talking about?¡± Dane spoke as he started to approach again, ¡°Think about it carefully.¡± Bronn¡¯s head spun like crazy. What did he do wrong? For drawing a real sword? Or for picking a fight with House Sogres? ¡°Who should I apologize to?¡± Only then did Bronn vaguely realize something. Ernest behind the approaching Dane. Pow! ¡°Ugh!¡± Dane struck Bronn¡¯s chest with the end of the pole. It wasn¡¯t a bone-breaking blow, but it was enough. Bronn, who had fallen to the ground again, shouted urgently, ¡°Keeek, ugh! Ugh, I¡¯m sorry! Ernest! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Dane tilted his head and said, ¡°You don¡¯t seem very sorry.¡± Then he gestured to Ernest. ¡°Ernest. Can youe here for a moment?¡± ¡°Uh, uh¡­ yeah.¡± Ernest¡¯s feelings wereplex. He was surprised by the sight of Dane doing something he had never imagined. And it was amazing. The most terrifying being in his world had be so helpless. Honestly, he felt refreshed. On the other hand, it was disappointing. Why didn¡¯t he even think of resisting in the past? ¡°You know what I mean, right?¡± Dane turned to Bronn and asked as Ernest approached. Bronn shuddered and stammered, ¡°E-Ernest. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry for bullying you¡­¡± Dane told Ernest, ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Either you beat him until you feel better, or you ept the apology and call it a day. Do whatever you want.¡± Dane added, ¡°No matter what, I don¡¯t think he will bother you from now on.¡± If he did and got caught, no one could even imagine what would happen. He was a friend of the young master of House Sogres. He was someone that Bronn would never even think about touching. Ernest thought about it for a moment. He really wanted to hit him once or dozens of times and let out some steam, but¡­ For some reason, he didn¡¯t want to do that. So after much thought, he said, ¡°Next time, fight me on even ground.¡± Ernest continued speaking with a determined expression as Bronn looked up nkly, ¡°I will fight you and win.¡± Each person overcame trauma differently. Even with Dane¡¯s help, Ernest didn¡¯t want to end things uncertainly. As Dane had said, he couldn¡¯t remain like this forever. ¡®That¡¯s good.¡¯ Dane grinned. He thought Ernest was weak, but he was stronger than he thought. Well, he guessed you needed this much guts to explore historical sites and travel to various remote ces, as befitting of a student from the Exploration Department. Thanks to this, Bronn was even more humiliated. It was crazy enough that he had to go through this, but now the boy he had treated worse than an insect was dering a fight. It would have been better to just get hit until he passed out. ¡®Shit¡­¡¯ Bronn swallowed his anger and Ernest turned around. Dane patted Ernest on the shoulder. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dane¡­¡± Ernest was sincere. If Dane hadn¡¯t been there, he might have had to struggle through his entire academy life in that helplessness again. But he gained courage after meeting Dane. He received such a great gift. ¡®I will pay you back, definitely.¡¯ Ernest nodded in affirmation. ¡°What? Dane! Is that you, Dane?¡± In the midst of all this, a voice suddenly called out. ¡°I waited so long but you didn¡¯te. You were here?¡± The person who came out of the garden corner was Le. Le looked at the four fallen, Dane, and Ernest in turn, then tilted her head. ¡°What the heck? Did you have a fight?¡± ¡°Yeah. There was some trouble. Did you wait for long?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve never waited like this before!¡± Le approached with a pointed expression and nced at the fallen group. ¡°What¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Ah. They started a fight.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. Why did it have to be you?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better than going against you, Le?¡± Bronn¡¯s eyes lit up at Le¡¯s name. ¡®L-Le?¡¯ If it was Le, wasn¡¯t it the youngdy of House Thermion that he was thinking of making his just a moment ago? He was sure. He wanted to deny it, but that rosy hair was proof that it was Le. ¡®This fucking¡­¡¯ Then Dane drove his pole into Bronn¡¯s chest. ¡°Oh, right. Le, he¡¯s in the Swordsmanship Department. A freshman like you.¡± ¡°Huh? Who? The one on the ground over there?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s what I heard. Do you know who he is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not really curious.¡± Le turned her head away as if she didn¡¯t even care, and Bronn lowered his head to the floor, his heart breaking. This was the moment when one more reason was added to why he shouldn¡¯t mess with Dane. And¡­ It was also the worst day of his life. Meeting Le was a surprise, but themotion was resolved well. In fact, it wasn¡¯t even amotion. Anyone who saw it would be shocked, but the only people who saw it were the people involved. Why did my mother¡¯s words that if there were no witnesses, it was an assassinatione to mind? Anyway, those boys wouldn¡¯t touch Ernest. It didn¡¯t matter if they didn¡¯te to their sense and did so. After all, Ernest had made up his mind. ¡°I must learn something, whether it be swordsmanship, spearmanship, or magic.¡± Judging from his firm determination, it was quite believable. ¡°But¡­ I didn¡¯t know I would knock him down in one go.¡± Oh. I remembered Ernest knocking down that boy with his fist earlier. It seemed that the two-chain magic suppression spell I learned from Cidrane worked quite well. Well, I guess I didn¡¯t have to tell the truth. I think that gave him a lot of confidence. ¡°But who are you?¡± Le asked. It was only then that I introduced her to Ernest. ¡°This is Ernest. Ernest Dn, the only son of Baron Dn. He¡¯s a freshman like us, in the Exploration Department. Ernest? This is Le. Le Thermion, the youngest daughter of Duke Thermion. She¡¯s also a freshman, and my friend.¡± ¡°N-nice to meet you¡­!¡± It was quite funny to see him being so surprised that he kept on being overly polite. Le red at Ernest as she shook his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not a senior?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°This is the Academy. Can you just treat me like a friend?¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Ernest nodded with an expression that was clearly extremely embarrassed. On the other hand, Le showed interest in Ernest¡¯s major. ¡°But the Exploration Department? What kind of things do you learn there?¡± ¡°Uhh. Facts about various ruins and secret ces¡­ and ces that can be explored!¡± I chimed in from the side, ¡°His House is very famous for exploration.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Le¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Oh, Dane. Then wouldn¡¯t it be better if we showed him the map we got?¡± ¡°We got it together, huh? I threw the dagger.¡± ¡°Why?! I threw it too! Why are you drawing a line between us?¡± ¡°Could you have hit that dot?¡± ¡°If I practiced, do you think I couldn¡¯t do it?¡± ¡°You could. What do you want?¡± ¡°Oh, so annoying!¡± Ernest asked as he saw Le and I bickering, ¡°You two look really close. Have you been together since you were little?¡± ¡°Not when we were very young. I first met him when we were seven. I went to the South to visit for his birthday.¡± ¡°Aha¡­¡± Ernest said curious. ¡°If you two stick together, you¡¯ll attract attention wherever you go. You¡¯re both from the best families on the continent. Plus, you¡¯re the top student and second ce¡­¡± Now that I thought about it, that was true. Wherever we went, we attracted attention. Well, that didn¡¯t matter. If I had worried about that, I wouldn¡¯t have even thought abouting to the academy in the first ce. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s good. I was going to talk to you about something anyway, Ernest.¡± ¡°M-me?¡± ¡°Yeah. This is a treasure map.¡± When I took out the case and showed it to him, Ernest¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°A-a treasure map? Oh, no way, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I got it from throwing daggers.¡± ¡°I just heard about it in passing! So it was you!¡± Ernest looked at the case with a dangerous expression on his face. I was surprised. His expression was like that of soldiers who had been starved for several days looking at food. A kind of crazed look? ¡°I-I want to see you quickly.¡± Map addiction, was it something like that? I hadn¡¯t heard of anything like that. I hesitated for a moment, then met Le¡¯s eyes, nodded, and handed him the case containing the map. ¡°Great!¡± Ernest looked at the map case very carefully, with a look of excitement on his face. He was incredibly meticulous, considering the madness in his eyes. ¡°Why is he like that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He might be like that when he looks at maps.¡± ¡°Aha. Is there that kind of taste, too?¡± I looked at Le in disbelief. Was there nothing she couldn¡¯t say? Chapter 49 Chapter 49: Academy Treasure Map I stopped trying to flick Le on the forehead and looked at Ernest, quietly asking, ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ This is definitely authentic. Here, see this engraving and certification text? It can only be engraved through a sophisticated process that a special machine only the Arcaider Auction House possesses.¡± Ernest then began to pour out professional jargon. Things like: special engravings, magical engravings, in this case, the engraving de was made with a machine exclusive to the Arcaider Auction House, using an extremely rare ore¡­ ¡°Was he always like that?¡± ¡°What kind of person did you think he was?¡± ¡°Just, um¡­ someone who seems really quiet and timid?¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. However, when his area of expertise came up, he exined it so passionately. The sight was so amazing that I didn¡¯t cut him off, instead waiting in silence for Ernest to finish speaking. About five minutes passed like that. ¡°¡­Anyway, the value of just this case alone is enormous!¡± ¡°Alright. Then you take that case.¡± ¡°H-huh?¡± Ernest¡¯s eyes looked like they were going to pop out. ¡°What I need is inside.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s true¡­ Are you really giving this to me?¡± Was the case really that good? Well, even so, I didn¡¯t need it. ¡°Yes. I think you need it more than I do. Don¡¯t you agree, Le?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Isn¡¯t a case just a case?¡± Ernest looked moved, saying, ¡°Both of you are worthy of being the children of the best houses¡­ Thank you!¡± I shrugged. If others needed something more than me, I¡¯d rather give it to them and see that kind of reaction than keep it to myself. Sometimes, what was unimportant to me could mean a lot to someone else. Anyway, I needed to get to the point. ¡°By the way, the map material or year description doesn¡¯t matter. Can you exin what the map means?¡± ¡°Yes! Of course!¡± Ernest opened the case with trembling hands and took out the map. Even at first nce, this map looked quite old. It was torn here and there, however, the leather itself wasn¡¯t in such bad condition. The corners were torn, but the contents of the map itself weren¡¯t difficult to read. ¡°Oh, it seems real?¡± ¡°I think it really was bought at the Arcaider Auction House.¡± Ernest nodded with a calm, yet even more maddened expression than before at Le¡¯s and my words. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure of it. It¡¯s genuine.¡± ¡°Do you want to know what it is about?¡± Ernest studied the map in silence. Le and I waited patiently, as Ernest¡¯s eyes looked too serious to rush him. It reminded me of when I was honing my spearmanship and practicing magic. ¡°This map¡­ it looks a bit difficult.¡± ¡°It does seem so.¡± I nodded at Le¡¯s words. Certainly, I didn¡¯t know if it was because it was a treasure map, but the map wasn¡¯t drawn in a way that was easy to read at a nce. You could say it felt like it was referring to a specific ce rather than the entire academy. ¡°What is this? Is it a code?¡± There were difficult-to-read letters written all over the map that seemed to be a code. Reading it was possible, but the meaning couldn¡¯t be parsed out. There seemed to be some kind of rule to it. Well, it was a treasure map. But we had Ernest. ¡°How is it?¡± Ernest was still worried, but there was no sign of panic or confusion. ¡°First of all, it doesn¡¯t seem to be a typical map. Whether it¡¯s the code or the locations marked,¡± he said. ¡°Then what should we do?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ First of all, I have to decipher the code¡­ and more importantly, I have to figure out who made this.¡± Le tilted her head at those words, asking, ¡°Is that important?¡± I answered, ¡°In the case of maps, since there are no separate standards, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to make a rough guess just by analyzing the creator¡¯s tastes or style?¡± Ernest looked at me with surprised eyes and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew that much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a guess.¡± It wasn¡¯t. Among the officers I met on the battlefield, there was one who had mastered map reading quite well. ¡°Dane is right. Objective facts are important when ites to maps, but treasure maps like this tend to incorporate the creator¡¯s ideas and tastes.¡± Unlike topographical maps that were made for the general public, treasure maps of this type were bound to reflect the creator¡¯s tastes to arge extent. If the creator was someone with bad taste, they could make it incredibly difficult with the intention of making the treasure impossible to find. ¡°Then it will be difficult to decipher?¡± Ernest was startled by my words. ¡°How could that be? I will definitely find out the truth, on the honor of the explorer House Dn!¡± It was a spirited answer. Ernest immediately looked at the map with a light in his eyes and said something sweet. ¡°One thing is certain, this treasure seems to be inside the Academy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Here, these forms were only used when building the Academy.¡± I could only understand up to there. From then on, it was a series of professional jargon. ¡°¡­Dane. How long do I have to listen to this?¡± ¡°Just leave it. He looks excited.¡± A few more minutes passed like that. ¡°¡­In conclusion, this architectural style used esoteric magic that only Saul Hangston could use at the time.¡± Now I could finally understand it again. Saul Hangston. He was one of the founders of the Academy and a legendary mage, and the lecture hall I visited that morning bore his name. So, I spoke of the knowledge that came to mind. ¡°So, it¡¯s a form that can never be used again?¡± Ernest¡¯s eyes widened at those words. ¡°You know?¡± ¡°Saul Hangston didn¡¯t leave any disciples. Isn¡¯t esoteric magic only passed down to disciples?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Dane. You know a lot.¡± If you stayed on the battlefield for a long time, you would meet all kinds of people and hear all kinds of stories, which would naturally lead to knowledge umtion. ¡°So, what is a unique style?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that unique on the surface. But here, this part is special. The way he added magic to the pirs and applied magic mud to the frame was his invention. It¡¯s not easy to recognize.¡± It seemed that to explore, you needed to have a lot of knowledge in many fields. His exnation was unexpected. ¡°So, it¡¯s referring to somewhere within the academy, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Of course, we can¡¯t investigate everything. There are so many buildings. I¡¯d estimate there are probably over a hundred.¡± Le continued Ernest¡¯s exnation, ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not realistically possible. There are buildings that even professors can¡¯t enter, and some arepletely closed right now.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± That meant it was better to make our target clear. ¡°So if you decipher the code, can we find out where this building is?¡± ¡°Probably. So, like I said before, we need to find out who created this map.¡± In the end, that was what mattered. First, we needed to find out who created it, then we could find clues to decipher the code, and only by deciphering the code could we decipher this map. My heart was secretly pounding. I felt like I understood why adventurers in stories were so obsessed with treasure maps now, at least a little bit. ¡°If we find out, let¡¯s all look for it together. What do you think?¡± Ernest nodded happily at my suggestion, and Le agreed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be fun? This is my first time doing something like this. In fact, beforeing to the Academy, even when I went outside the family, I always hung out with people from my house!¡± Le looked particrly excited. It was understandable, since Le also had little experience in the world. She might have gone out a few times with her father, Duke Thermion, but those were outings where she was ¡®served¡¯ underplete protection. ¡°What do you think we¡¯ll find once we decipher the code and go looking? An artifact? A jewel?¡± Le, who was excited, was disappointed when she heard Ernest¡¯s subsequent answer. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s nothing. Not all treasure maps are correct. Most of them have already been found, or they were made purely for the purpose of tricking people.¡± ¡°Then¡­there¡¯s no point in searching for it?¡± Ernest, seeing Le¡¯s disappointed expression, hastily waved his hand and said, ¡°Uh, but this is different! Even if it¡¯s a blind auction, the Arcaider Auction House strictly controls quality! That means that this map isn¡¯t fake, at least!¡± Only then did Le¡¯s expression rx a little. Thank god. I almost had tofort her the whole way there. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m d I met you, Ernest.¡± If it weren¡¯t for Ernest, I wouldn¡¯t have known what to do with this treasure map. If I said as much, he¡¯d work harder. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just tell me. I¡¯ll do anything you ask me to do!¡± Just as Ernest and I were trying to confirm our friendship, Le red. ¡°When did you two be so close?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s just how men are.¡± ¡°Boys only do that amongst yourselves? So stingy.¡± She always got jealous about weird things. ¡°Then it seems like it¡¯ll take some time, so no rush.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll look into it as soon as I get back to the dorm. Oh, I¡¯ll give this back to you, here.¡± I tilted my head as I looked at Ernest, who was holding out the map. ¡°Isn¡¯t it something you have to have to be able to decipher?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay. I memorized it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I was speechless for a moment. He memorized the map? ¡°What do you mean you memorized it? The code?¡± Ernest shook his head at Le¡¯s question and said, ¡°No. The map.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why¡­ Why are you looking at me like that¡­?¡± Well, because it didn¡¯t make sense. It was absurd. He didn¡¯t just memorize the code, but the entire map? ¡°I-I¡¯m not lying¡­ I could draw the same thing right here, right now! Without looking!¡± Why would anyone lie about something like that? It was just hard to believe. ¡°¡­ How good is your memory?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about anything else, but strangely, things like codes and maps are imprinted in my head the moment I see them¡­¡± So, that meant he had an incredible memory in certain areas, right? Our interests sometimes seemed to give us surprising abilities. ¡°Alright. If there¡¯s anything you need to decipher the code, just let me know. I¡¯ll help you with anything I can.¡± ¡°Me, too!¡± Ernest looks moved. ¡°Th-thank you. I¡­ am so happy. This is the first time I¡¯ve looked for something like this with someone other than my father.¡± This was our first time experiencing something like this, too. ¡°Then should we head back now? It¡¯s already gotten quitete, and it¡¯s time for dinner. I¡¯m going to eat something with the others on my floor.¡± Le was probably on the seventh floor. ¡°What about you, Dane?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t talk about anything like that.¡± Was it because I ruined the wee party? Well, it didn¡¯t matter. We would get to know each other little by little. It wasn¡¯t like we were sharing a room. ¡°What about you, Ernest?¡± ¡°I live in a four-person room at Amaldi Hall, but everyone seems busy¡­ Maybe it¡¯s because we¡¯re in different departments, but I haven¡¯t even seen them around yet.¡± Ernest offered a rather positive interpretation. ¡°It¡¯s alright! Since there¡¯s no one around, I can work harder to decipher the code!¡± I wondered if he would end up neglecting his academy life and only focusing on deciphering codes. ¡°Take your time. There¡¯s no rush.¡± Anyway, we walked towards the dormitory. I felt people staring at us as we walked, but we were already used to it and didn¡¯t notice anything. ¡°Everyone seems to be looking over here¡­¡± However, Ernest was unfamiliar with this kind of attention and was cowering. Le patted Ernest on the back. ¡°Shoulders up. You¡¯ll get used to it soon, right?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I-I¡¯m a little scared¡­¡± ¡°You were so confident when you exined the map.¡± Well, I guess he would get used to it soon. By the way, was it because I got the Ancient Magic from the fountain and made a circle? I felt like my senses had expanded more than before. I could feel the magic power around me more vividly. They said that everything in the world had magic power, but I never thought that even a single leaf could be filled with magic power. It seemed that Ancient Magic was truly amazing. As soon as I finished unpacking, I would have to test this out. After parting ways with Ernest, Le and I entered the Dant¨¨re Hall and got on the elevator. Le looked at me enviously as she pressed the buttons for the seventh and ninth floors. ¡°When will I go to the ninth floor?¡± ¡°Once there¡¯s a room avable?¡± ¡°They said they¡¯d check the people on the eighth floor first, then the seventh floor. That¡¯s why they tell you to go to the higher floors from the start.¡± I tilted my head at Le¡¯s grumbling. ¡°Why are floors so important?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the tradition. For generations, only the best students have ess to the top floor. I want to be an excellent student until I graduate.¡± If that was the case, I could give her the ninth floor. But if I said something like that out loud, I¡¯d just hear people say I was being arrogant and condescending, so I kept quiet. ¡°Dane, what are you doing tomorrow?¡± ¡°Attending ss.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to eat with my ssmates and seniors!¡± So, she asked because she wanted to say that. ¡°Yeah, sounds nice.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with your reaction? I told you so you¡¯d be jealous, but you¡¯re acting like a fool.¡± ¡°I can eat with you allter when I have time. There¡¯s Ernest, too.¡± Although I hadn¡¯t had many opportunities to do so since my reincarnation, I was still used to eating alone. ¡°Alright. Howe you¡¯re always so indifferent?¡± It was too long a story to exin. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m leaving. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes. See you tomorrow.¡± Le got off on the seventh floor, and then I arrived on the ninth floor. When the door opened, the first thing I saw was Prisci. Prisci from the Theology Department, who shook my hand and was startled by the bacsh from my magic power. ¡°Oh, freshman. How was your first day?¡± ¡°A bit hectic.¡± When I thought about it, a lot happened. In the first ss, a person named Altur suddenly came up to me and asked me to join the student council. Also, I gained unexpected harvests in the Misty Garden and created a circle filled with ancient magic¡­ Then, I beat up Bronn¡¯s group, who were harassing Ernest. Later, I won a treasure map I got from throwing daggers. ¡°It¡¯s like that on the first day. You, especially so. Was there anyone who bothered you?¡± I answered with a smirk. Prisci nodded as if she understood. By the way, it was strange¡­ ¡°Where are you going?¡± Prisci was quite taken aback by my question. ¡°Oh, um¡­ I have something to do.¡± ¡°Something to do?¡± Roll call wasing soon. Where was she going? ¡°It¡¯s alright! I¡¯ve never gotten caught before!¡± I shrugged and said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not my concern.¡± Prisci smiled brightly and said, ¡°As expected, you know my heart well.¡± We met for the first time yesterday. Prisci winked once, opened the window, and jumped out. I was a little surprised for a moment, but I didn¡¯t bother to go closer to look. I figured she¡¯d be alive. By the way, what would she be going to do just before the roll call? As I was thinking, I arrived at my room and immediately started to organize my piled-up luggage. ¡°There¡¯s not as much as I thought.¡± Books on the bookshelf, clothes in the closet, other items in drawers, and important items given to me by family where they could always be seen. Where should I put the small, precious familiar¡¯s egg? Things like the Nighthorn that my mother gave me could be carried around at all times, but the Familiar¡¯s Egg was a bit difficult to carry around in a case. My second sister said not to put living things in the subspace, so of course my subspace wasn¡¯t a good idea. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After thinking about it for a while, I decided to at least infuse some magic into it since I couldn¡¯t do it the day before. But that was when¡­ ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Whooooooong. Why was this egg suddenly reacting? Chapter 50 Chapter 50: Familiar¡¯s Egg (1) The Familiar¡¯s Egg was an item received on my seventh birthday. It hadn¡¯t shown any noticeable reaction despite being infused with magic power morning and night for seven years. It was reacting now. I immediately thought of what could have caused the change. The location changed to the Academy¡­ probably not the reason for the change. No matter how mysterious the Academy was, the distribution of magic power here was not much different from the room I stayed in at the castle. That meant¡­ ¡°The circle.¡± Today, the most likely cause was the Ancient Magic circle that was created by absorbing the power from the fountain. I thought about it for a moment and then added more magic power. Whooooooooong! Then, the Familiar¡¯s Egg begins to react even more strongly. I kept pouring in magic power just in case, but it really kept going in endlessly. If there had been a rejection reaction or if it was at a sufficient level, it should have rejected the magic, but that didn¡¯t happen at all. It was like that time I had starved for several days and then hastily eaten stew made with the supplies that arrivedte. ¡°Is it hatching now?¡± The reaction also gradually increased. The more I poured magic power into it, the more the Familiar¡¯s Egg screamed for more, so I stopped for the time being. ¡°It won¡¯t work here.¡± The first person I thought of was my second sister. As soon as I tried tomunicate with the crystal ball, I heard my second sister¡¯s voice. ?Dane? Today is roll call day. Did you get to the dorm? Did anything happen?? As expected, my second sister poured out her worries as soon as we got in touch. I quickly exined the whole story first, then I heard my second sister¡¯s startled voice. ?The egg is reacting? Now?? ¡°Yeah. Right now. And even though I stopped injecting it with magic power, it still seems to be vibrating.¡± ?Why now¡­? If you miss the first roll call, it won¡¯t be good for you, Dane.? I looked at the familiar¡¯s egg again. I didn¡¯t know the exact details, but I could get a general idea. The fact was that if I left it as it was, something would definitely happen. In the worst case, there was a possibility that my Familiar¡¯s Egg would be lost. I couldn¡¯t let that happen, so I had no choice but to ignore the roll call. Of course, I didn¡¯t intend to be penalized for that. ¡°Sister, are you in theb now?¡± ?Yeah. I guess I¡¯ll be up all night tonight?? ¡°Then I will go right away.¡± ?Right now? You¡¯reing now? How? If you miss the first day¡¯s roll call, you¡¯ll be caught by the disciplinarymittee.? I smiled and opened the subspace, thinking of the thing my eldest sister had given me, saying I would definitely use it. I never thought I¡¯d end up using it like this. * * * Roll calls were conducted uniformly in all dormitories within the Imperial Academy, regardless of whether it was the Amaldi Hall, Orwell Hall, or Dant¨¨re Hall. Of course, there was no interference from the school because it was conducted by the dormitory¡¯s disciplinarymittee, which was granted de facto autonomy, but it was conducted so strictly that some students said that it was better that way. If you werete for the monthly roll call, you would receive a one-point penalty. If you were absent, you would receive a two-point penalty. Regardless of the penalty points, if you werete more than three times per semester, you would be subject to disciplinary action and dormitory voluntary service. If you were absent more than twice, you would be demoted from the dormitory. If that didn¡¯t work, you might end up being kicked out of the dormitory. ¡°Oh, Arnold. Are you feeling anxious about your umted penalty points?¡± ¡°Shut up, Drojan. I told you. Two of those times were clearly unfair.¡± ¡°If you feel wronged, you should go to the disciplinarymittee andin. Whyin here?¡± Thanks to this, the ninth floor of the Dant¨¨re Hall was also unable to escape the fear of penalty points and roll calls, so everyone was keeping their seats. Except for Prisci. ¡°Where on earth did she run off to?¡± ¡°She said that the person doing the inspection today was someone she knew?¡± ¡°Is that okay? She almost got caught once before.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think she¡¯s really into the person she¡¯s meeting this time.¡± ¡°Love is what ruins people.¡± Prisci was not present. She was confident that she wouldn¡¯t get caught and left the dormitory. ording to their guesses, she went to meet the student she was dating. ¡°But is it okay for someone from the Theology Department to be like that?¡± ¡°You know what? They say that in the Theology Department, secret rtionships are allowed once you¡¯re in your fourth year. If you get caught before then, you¡¯ll be killed by your seniors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± In the first ce, the Theology Department itself was a ce where those who dreamed of bing priests studied. Priests couldn¡¯t form families, and dating was also prohibited. It was funny how in a ce like that, dating was banned only up to a certain grade. Well, it could be argued they were doing it before officially bing part of the clergy¡­ ¡°After observing Prisci, I understand the cleric profession a little bit.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to believe in religion.¡± ¡°Oh, such sphemy?¡± ¡°Oh, go tattle if you want.¡± Amidst the bickering, Drojan looked toward Dane¡¯s room. He seemed to havee in just now, but there was still no news. ¡°He knows about roll call, right?¡± ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why he came in just now, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a look.¡± Drojan immediately knocked on Dane¡¯s door. The door was open. When he went inside, he saw Dane tidying up the room. ¡°Dane, you know roll call ising up soon? Come out soon.¡± ¡°Alright. See youter.¡± It was a strangely low tone of answer. Of course, Drojan didn¡¯t feel anything strange about it. Drojan returned with a relieved expression, and soon it was time for roll call. Just then, Schaal, from the Martial Arts Department, yawned and opened the door toe out. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sleepy.¡± Soon, the elevator stopped and the doors opened, and the disciplinarymittee came in. Led by the president of the disciplinarymittee, who looked extremely strict, students with serious expressions walked in. ¡®Something¡¯s a bit weird today?¡¯ While Drojan felt uneasy inside, the president of the disciplinarymittee pushed up his thick-rimmed sses and spoke. ¡°Ninth floor of the Dant¨¨re Hall. You won¡¯t be able to get through today safely.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Then he snapped his fingers and an image was projected into the air using magic power. ¡°This is the magic surveince footage that was installed recently. Interestingly enough¡­ Prisci, a student on the ninth floor, was caught escaping.¡± Drojan was inwardly astonished. ¡°After tracking her, we confirmed that she left the dormitory grounds. That was five minutes ago. Surprisingly, Prisci is currently in the dormitory.¡± ¡®She¡¯s dead.¡¯ The president walked to Prisci¡¯s room as if there was nothing more to see, opened the door, and chuckled after confirming that there was no one inside. ¡°I usually don¡¯t check the bedrooms, but I guess I¡¯ll have to change the rules from now on. Drojan, do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Damn. As the president of the disciplinarymittee said, for the ninth floor of the Dant¨¨re Hall, they just roughly checked the number of people and passed them. There was that much trust. But today, that trust had been shattered, and now the wind of penalty points was blowing. ¡°Arnold, Drojan, and Schaal. You three will pass. However, Prisci will be penalized two points for being absent without permission, so please inform her.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm, and one more¡­ Dane Sogres. He¡¯s a freshman.¡± The president pushed up his sses and tilted his head. ¡°He didn¡¯t miss the first roll call, did he?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s impossible. He must be inside. I think it¡¯s because he¡¯s busy unpacking¡­¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll know when we go see.¡± The president approached the door without hesitation and opened it. Then, he saw Dane standing up from where he was unpacking his things. ¡°Dane Sogres? Didn¡¯t you know we were doing roll call?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just busy unpacking.¡± It seemed like the unpacking was almost finished. The president looked at Dane and waved his hand as if to say that it was okay. ¡°Oh, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s the first day, so that¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I have high hopes for you, Dane Sogres. I¡¯m d you¡¯ve been so well-behaved from day one, unlike your two older sisters.¡± The president immediately closed the door and addressed Drojan. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go down to the eighth floor.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Make sure to warn Prisci.¡± The president and the other disciplinarymittee members got on the elevator, and as soon as the door closed, Drojan sighed. ¡°It¡¯spletely ruined.¡± She could have just held on a little longer. Why did she have to crawl out like that on the first day of all days? ¡°Now we¡¯re screwed, what do we do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ugh, we¡¯ll need to take care for a while.¡± Drojan, who had been grumbling, asked as if something had just urred to him, ¡°Oh, by the way, should I order delivery for dinner? We can have a weing party for Dane or something.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. We can talk, too.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask Dane.¡± Drojan went back to Dane¡¯s room and opened the door, but¡ª ¡°Dane, are you free today? How about a wee party¡­ huh?¡± There was no one inside. It was as if it had been empty to begin with. ¡°What? Wasn¡¯t he here just a moment ago?¡± ¡°¡­Anyway, I haven¡¯t liked him from the beginning.¡± I chuckled at my second sister¡¯s grumbling. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just¡­ He acts like showing up for roll call is the most important thing in the world. If you don¡¯t show up for roll call, they scold you like youmitted some big crime. Who does he think he is?¡± Well, he did seem a bit picky. His voice was loud and sharp, but it seemed to have worked out well, so I didn¡¯t think he really suspected that I had left. ¡°But is that something Sister gave you? An illusion that projects your exact appearance?¡± ¡°Yeah. I think most people wouldn¡¯t even notice.¡± I waved my eldest sister¡¯s invention, the ¡®Illusion Generator Mk.1¡¯, which had the illusion magic installed. ¡°You used that?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s pretty useful, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°As far as I know, it¡¯s incredibly difficult to use¡­ Since it¡¯s controlled remotely, the connection is unstable, and if the flow is even slightly disrupted, it shows right away.¡± It was easier to use than I expected though. For reference, I left the dock connected to a generator in my room before the roll call started. At the same time as the roll call began, I used the generator to project my image, fooling the president into thinking I was there.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Its performance is solid.¡± If it could get past that picky person, then it was definitely effective. Of course, since it was only an illusion, it had no substance and would be exposed immediately if it touched something. So, I thought I should use it carefully depending on the situation. Anyway, I left the dorm and came to my second sister¡¯sb. There seemed to be a lot of really great stuff in there. ¡°Oh, this is myb. What do you think?¡± ¡°It looks amazing. It¡¯s so wide.¡± ¡°On the other hand, it¡¯s incredibly hard to retain. There¡¯s a lot of work that the professors ask you to do. It¡¯s actually less difficult for me because I¡¯m from House Sogres.¡± I decided not to ask any more questions because the words sounded somewhat bittersweet. It was time to get to the point. When I took the familiar¡¯s egg out, my second sister¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really¡­ it¡¯s reacting?¡± My second sister took the case very carefully. Her eyes, which had been worn out from fatigue, sparkled. It had been a long time since I had seen her eyes shine like that. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure of it. This egg is reacting to your magic. When that happens in cases like these, it typically means that there¡¯s a chance of it waking up.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a chance?¡± ¡°Yeah. As I saidst time, there are a lot of eggs that don¡¯t wake up even after reacting like this. Of course, just getting the reaction itself is incredibly difficult. However, that¡¯s just one step forward.¡± It was a bit of a disappointing conclusion, but still, it was something. The egg hadn¡¯t responded even after I put all my effort into it for seven years. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s reacting really strongly. Has it been like this for a while?¡± ¡°The more magic I put into it, the more it seems to act like that. I brought it to you because I thought something might happen if I put in more.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It certainly seems to absorb magic power. However, there¡¯s not much we know about Familiar¡¯s Eggs yet, so it might be a bit much to put it into a magic stabilizer.¡± By the way, the Familiar¡¯s Egg was reacting the whole time I was here. In the end, the point was that there was only one thing I had to do. ¡°How about continuing to add magic power?¡± My second sister seemed momentarily taken aback by those words and asked, ¡°Continuing to inject magic?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll keep going. I don¡¯t think we can stop here.¡± Whooooong! The egg continued to cry out. There was no guarantee that things would quiet down if we left it like that. On the other hand, if things became quiet, I had a feeling that there wouldn¡¯t be another chance. re was quiet at that. ¡°This might be the best ce. You said that there¡¯s a magic shield constantly flowing to protect the research secrets.¡± ¡°I did.¡± re thought for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do it.¡± In the midst of this secret agreement between me and my second sister, my sisterpletely cleaned up the experiment table and ced the Familiar¡¯s Egg on it. ¡°Dane, I¡¯ll install a magic filter just in case. Your magic is naturally pure, but just in case.¡± By the way, my second sister knew what happened to me during the day. There was no reason to hide it from my family. After all, she knew that what flowed through my body was Ancient Magic. ¡°Dane, if there¡¯s even the slightest danger, tell me right away. I¡¯ll stop it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± With that, I stood in front of the experiment table and immediately started injecting my magic power into the egg. Chapter 51 Chapter 51: Familiar¡¯s Egg (2) Even Dane, who no longer got nervous or shaken by simple things, seemed helpless in front of a new situation. He was trying to inject magic into it, but he was trembling, strangely enough. However, it wasn¡¯t because of nerves. It was because of excitement and curiosity. Dane thought, ¡®I wonder what¡¯s inside this?¡¯ And if it hatched, what woulde out? Familiar¡¯s Egg. Up to this point, anyone could get one if they had the money. It just took a lot of money. Hatching a Familiar¡¯s Egg was a different matter, as that was a problem that couldn¡¯t be solved with money. Not only had the hatching conditions not been fully discovered, but the user¡¯s magic power and the unknown familiar inside the egg had to have matching ¡®magic frequency¡¯, which wasn¡¯t even something one could tell until the egg hatched. The egg was already hard to get, but you needed a lot of luck to hatch it. However, if you could just hatch one, its value was indescribable. This was because a summoned creature that could only stay for a certain amount of time would end up staying in this world permanently. Needless to say, that was if the summons was a powerful one. Dane gathered his magic power as he recalled the stories his second sister used to tell him whenever she had the chance. It was clear that there was a reaction¡­ so what if it really woke up? ¡°I¡¯ll begin.¡± Dane proved his talent once again. ¡®An absurd talent at that.¡¯ re clicked her tongue. How did this make any sense? Just showing a reaction would shock summoners all over the world. After all, almost all of them had seen Familiar¡¯s Eggs but had been unable to make them react like this. Even though he was an amateur summoner without even a formal sign¡­ ¡®How far does this boy¡¯s talent extend?¡¯ At this point, she started to wonder¡­ What kind of kid was Dane? Whooooong! Dane had started injecting the egg with his magic power. Even though it was filtered, the magic power was almostpletely transferred to the egg. This meant that the magic power was already incredibly pure, without needing to be refined. She already knew it, but seeing it with her own eyes left her speechless. At least half of the magic power of most mages would have been filtered out. Whoooooooong! The egg reacted ordingly. re could tell that this was a reaction that urred before hatching, as there were cases of Familiar¡¯s Eggs hatching. However, it was more intense than she had anticipated. The more mana was put into it, the greater the reaction. About three minutes passed like that. re felt like it couldn¡¯t be done, so she walked up to Dane, who was concentrating, and said, ¡°Dane, let¡¯s take a break. If you keep this up, you¡¯ll run out of mana.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can still do it.¡± Dane didn¡¯t stop pouring his magic power in. It was as if he felt it would be a shame to stop there. re tried to talk him out of it, but she seemed to find his focused expression cute, so she just smiled and backed away instead. Then another three minutes passed. ¡®I wonder what woulde out?¡¯ As the tension reached its peak, there was finally a response. Crack. The egg started to crack. ¡°¡­!¡± re wanted to scream, but instead of reacting hastily, she kept her mouth shut. Dane was also calm and still. ¡®Is this boy really fourteen years old?¡¯ A thought suddenly urred to her. If she looked closely, there were times when he was calmer and more mature than her or their eldest sister. No, in many cases, this was true. She remembered Dane taking her to their eldest sister when they had a huge fight as a child and cleverly reconciling them. re found herselfughing inwardly at the stupid question she thought of. ¡®But he¡¯s so cute.¡¯ No matter how mature and cool he seemed to others, to her he¡¯d always been a childlike little brother and her only precious younger sibling. So it was also a shame. If the age difference was just a little smaller, she could have helped him a lot by spending two years, or even just one year, as an undergraduate student at the academy. As she thought soÒ» Craack. The egg cracked open more and more. The cracks on the shell, which had been appearing little by little, gradually widened in range¡­ Craaack! It spread everywhere in an instant. re regretted not having recorded this scene with magic. Why couldn¡¯t she have thought of that? Regret always came toote, no matter how fast or slow. Meanwhile, the shell cracked even more. Then¡ª Thunk. The cracked egg broke open and something popped out from inside. ¡°Whoa!¡± At that moment, Dane stopped channeling his power and took a small step back. ¡°Dane, are you okay?¡± re quickly caught Dane, who was staggering. At that moment, she didn¡¯t even care about the egg. The condition of her younger brother was more important. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I feel a little dizzy.¡± ¡°Should I give you some magic restoratives? Huh? How about your body? Are there any hot spots?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll feel better after a little rest.¡± Dane shook his head and pointed at the egg. ¡°But that aside, sis. Look.¡± re turned her head and saw it. ¡°Something¡­ seems to be trying toe out?¡± A ck object was wriggling and breaking out of an egg. ¡°Krrreuk.¡± The cry was clearly a response of life. re quickly calmed her magic and stepped back. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Just in case. There have been cases where a familiar recognized the first person it saw as its owner. Dane, that¡¯s your familiar, so go quickly!¡± It was re¡¯s considerate and loving side at y. Dane quickly approached, as his second sister told him to. What he encountered was¡­ ¡°Kikreuk?¡± Something that looked like a wyvern had hatched from the egg. ¡°Huh?¡± Dane was shocked. Wings that were still covered in mucus but definitely visible, small but strong-looking forelegs, and sharp teeth that looked simr but different from those of a wyvern¡­ ¡°Kek, kek.¡± The mes that came out every time it coughed¡­ Plus¡­ ¡°Kirrruk?¡± The bright, sparkling eyes that looked at him. ¡°Haha.¡± Dane cautiously reached out his hand, feeling an emotion he couldn¡¯t quite exin. Then the little guy finally broke out of his shell, crawled out, climbed onto Dane¡¯s hand, and met his eyes. Dane smiled brightly at the sight. ¡°Hello. Nice to meet you.¡± re¡¯s jaw dropped from where she had been hiding when she saw the beast in Dane¡¯s hand. Even Dane could guess from the expression on her face that she had never seen it before. The fact that the summons that just hatched from the egg was definitely not a normal one was soon proven. ¡°A summon¡­ from Beyond the Horizon?¡± A summons from Beyond the Horizon. They said that such beings were like dreams to summoners. ¡°Only a select few summoners could summon one¡ªonly five in all of history.¡± This was something my second sister had already told me before. ¡°In my case¡­ it¡¯s a slightly different field among summoning techniques. I just thought it waspletely impossible, but I didn¡¯t know that our youngest could summon something like this!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om By the way, my second sister was a bit of a special case among summoners. Although the field was not yet extensive, it was said that she had recently been able to summon some ¡®spirits¡¯. It could be said to be a case where abilities were expressed in a somewhat unusual manner. But ording to my second sister, it wasn¡¯t even ¡®special¡¯pared to me. ¡°This is a big deal, Dane. That creature in your hands right now is definitely a summons from Beyond the Horizon. All of its features point to it.¡± ¡°Does that mean it¡¯s not a previously existing summons?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the biggest reason. I know all of themon summons in the world, even their childhood forms. However, none of the summons I know of have a form like this. The wyvern is simr, but its detailed features are clearly different.¡± My second sister continued to exin step by step and carefully ced her finger on the creature that was wriggling on my hand. ¡°Kikreuk!¡± Then the little one retreated warily. When I put my hand out to try to calm him down, he rubbed against me instead. ¡°It seems like he definitely recognizes you as his master.¡± Well then, that was a good thing. ¡°You don¡¯t know what he is?¡± ¡°Right. I don¡¯t know. I should look into it now. But there are no summons simr to it in any of the literature. In the end, it is a new creature that has never been seen before.¡± A new creature. Why did hee to me? I recalled my Ancient Magic again. Maybe that was themon denominator. ¡°A new creature¡­¡± I stared nkly at the eggshell. Just in case, my second sister told me to take it. It was said that among the creatures that hatched from eggs, there were often cases where they ate the eggshells to obtain nutrients. I turned to her and asked, ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°First of all¡­ We need to approach this cautiously. Dane, let¡¯s keep a record of what this child likes and dislikes, what his characteristics are, how much he sleeps, if he gets aggressive, if he can fly, and how much he grows each day.¡± There were so many things to keep track of, but it was well worth it. The moment I saw it, an unknown emotion began to boil up deep inside my heart. Could it be called paternal love? Or maternal love? I wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but one thing was for sure: I felt like I had to protect him. ¡°Will youe to myb whenever you have time? It doesn¡¯t have to be every day, but whenever you have time. Alright?¡± ¡°Alright, I will.¡± It was just the first day, but I felt like my academy life was getting busier and busier. I also had to participate in Professor Kelthas¡¯s swordsmanship training. But it was rather enjoyable. After all, there were so many things that wouldn¡¯t have happened if I hadn¡¯te to the academy. ¡°Oh, and it would be better to take him with you if possible¡­ but if you did that and got caught, there¡¯d be chaos.¡± That was only natural. ¡°How about leaving him here in theb?¡± But I shook my head. ¡°He can¡¯t hide forever, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°So what if I get caught?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be in danger.¡± I grinned and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Because I was stronger than she thought. Of course, I thought as much, but there were always¡­ ¡°I have you two, right?¡± My older sisters who protected me. My second sister ended up justughing and said, ¡°Alright, alright. So what if you get caught?¡± ¡°Right?¡± As always, if there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way. However, there was one thing that was bothering me. ¡°Then how about I get an official sign issued this time?¡± ¡°A sign? A summon sign?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I originally nned to get the sign issued slowly. Not only was I a ¡®beginner¡¯ who hadn¡¯t even taken a ss on summoning, but I also didn¡¯t want to rush through multiple lessons at once and learn things in a rushed manner. ¡°Will you be okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± But now, I changed my mind. I¡¯d have to give it a try. Wasn¡¯t I a ¡®genius¡¯ in name? ¡°Alright. Dane, did you sign up for the summoning ss?¡± ¡°Yeah. Orientation is tomorrow. The professor¡¯s name is Temeric Spiano.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. If you listen to the lectures carefully and show off your talents, the special recruitment for summoners will definitelye up.¡± A special selection. ¡°It¡¯s hard to even meet those qualifications, but Dane, you¡¯re different. Of course, there will be a faculty meeting, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be granted the qualifications.¡± How interesting. ¡°Kikreuk?¡± Right, friend? By the way, the little one¡­ I needed a name for him. Chapter 52 Chapter 52: Your Name Is (1) Entry into the Imperial Academy dormitories was quite strict. It was a space where all the academy students resided, and since they were the talents who would lead the empire in the future, it was said that there had been several attacks by enemy countries in the past. Because of this, not only was entry prohibited outside of the designated times, but if you were caught attempting to enter, the entire dormitory would be put on emergency alert. If that happened, all of the students would wake up, and anyone who disturbed their sleep and entered without permission would be considered a traitor. It was a bloody system. That was why most ¡®unauthorized¡¯ entrants were said to sneak out ande back only after dawn, when it was safe to do so. My case was a little different. ¡°It was around here¡­¡± ¡°Kikreuk?¡± Because my second sister told me about the secret entrance. I suppose they were still sisters, as it was a ce shared only between the two of them. They said that I coulde and go through there at any time, regardless of the entry and exit times, but¡­ ¡°Damn.¡± It seemed like it had been discovered recently. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s blocked.¡± The entrance that was supposed to lead to the basement waspletely blocked by something. There was even a sign attached. [No entry allowed. Penalty points will be imposed for vition. -The Disciplinary Committee-] Apparently, it had been discovered and blocked by the disciplinarymittee. It seemed like my older sisters didn¡¯t know since it had been over a year since they both graduated. Only ¡®current students¡¯ were allowed to enter the dormitory on principle. ¡°What should I do?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om If I had known this would happen, I would have stayed overnight at my second sister¡¯sb. ¡°Kikreuk?¡± As if sensing my worries, the creature hiding in my clothes poked his head out and tilted his head. Those bright, sparkling eyes were really impressive. The more I looked at him, the cuter he looked. When I tickled the top of his head with my finger, he closed his eyes and made a purring sound. ¡°Shall we go back?¡± It was the best option, but I wanted to look further. I got greedy, so I decided to look into the ¡®cause¡¯ first. Cidrane had said that if there was a situation that couldn¡¯t be resolved easily, I should go back to the beginning. True to his teachings, I decided to find out why this ce was used as a ¡®secret passage¡¯. Whoong. I gathered my magic power. A circle was created by absorbing the condensed ancient magic, and as a result, my magic power expanded. Simply put, magic power referred to the overall ¡®feeling¡¯ of detecting and utilizing mana. Because of this, it was now possible for me to vaguely sense the flow of external mana. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± My worries didn¡¯tst long. I could see it. The flow of magic power was particrly weak. ¡°Aha.¡± The entire dormitory was said to be surrounded by a magical shield for detection, surveince, and defense. It was said to be a magic cast by none other than Saul Hangston himself. However, to maintain thatrge-scale shield, a ¡®hub¡¯ was needed, and that ¡®hub¡¯ tended to gradually deteriorate over time. That was where I was standing at that very moment. It was even at the very edge of an area covered by a single hub. The flow of magic power was extremely weak, which was why it could be used as a secret passage. But as long as the physical entrance to the passage was blocked¡­ ¡°I should find a simr ce.¡± The conclusion was simple. I started walking slowly along the barrier. ¡°Kireuk¡­¡± In the midst of all this, there was a little one who let out a strangely weak cry. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Kikreuk!¡± What? Did he really understand? ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°Kireuk! Kireuk!¡± My sister did say he was a summons from Beyond the Horizon. They really were different. I needed toe up with a name for him quickly. First, I needed to solve the problem of passing through the barrier. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± It wasn¡¯t difficult to find ces where the current was weak. It was a vague feeling, but it was easy to notice because of the huge flow that acted like the shield. However, there was a slight problem. ¡°The question is, how do I get through this?¡± A shield was a shield, even if the flow was weak. If I tried to force my way in, I¡¯d probably run into trouble. If that happened, everyone in the dorm would wake up, and I¡¯d be caught and get demerit points or, in severe cases, expelled. I truly didn¡¯t want something like that. ¡°Hmm.¡± As I was pondering over various methodsÒ» ¡°Kkireuk, kkireuk.¡± The little one who had been squirming in my arms suddenly lifted his head again. Then, he turned his head away from me and blew out a ¡®me¡¯ before I had a chance to stop him. Fwoosh. The fire seemed to hit the shield and disperse¡­ Suddenly, it started to extend straight past the shield. ¡°Kikreuk!¡± The shield was piercedpletely. I was startled, but that onlysted for a moment. It was quiet. They said that even touching the shield would cause chaos, but the surrounding area was surprisingly quiet. ¡°No way¡­¡± I gathered my mana and amplified my senses as much as I could. That was when I realized it. In some of the areas where the shield was located, the flow of magical power wasn¡¯t there at all. That meantÒ» ¡°Have youpletely neutralized it?¡± ¡°Kikreuk!¡± He seemed to say ¡®yes¡¯ as he cried out. I looked at him, speechless. He pressed his face against mine as if asking for apliment. ¡°Haha.¡± It really was a summons from ¡®Beyond the Horizon¡¯ if he had such tremendous abilities, even managing topletely disable the shield erected by Saul Hangston. All without being noticed. I¡¯d have to analyze his fireter. ¡°Alright.¡± I tried to stretch my hand towards the neutralized part as a test. Nothing happened. My hand passed through the barrier and entered the inner grounds of the dormitory, so I put the rest of my body through. It was a little cramped, but it was no problem. After setting foot on the ground inside the barrier, I looked back. Slowly, the shield was being restored. ¡°Kikreuk!¡± That really was interesting. To sum it up, did his me temporarily neutralize magic? Or could it be that, as with the shield installed by Saul Hangston, other people¡¯s magic power could bepletely neutralized? One thing was for sure, he was a great summons. ¡°Kikreuk! Kikreuk!¡± I didn¡¯t mind other people finding out about him, but I¡¯d be better off keeping his abilities hidden. After all, that could cause a real hassle. It might be difficult to hide him, but it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to hide his ability. ¡°Should we go in then?¡± I avoided the path illuminated by magic and finally arrived at the Dant¨¨re Hall. From that moment on, it was safe. That was because, outside of roll call, the power of the disciplinarymittee was only outside of the dorms. However, it seemed like there were people waiting for me. Ding. As soon as I reached the ninth floor and the door opened, I ran into Drojan, who seemed to have been waiting for me. ¡°¡­Did you go out by any chance?¡± I shrugged my shoulders at Drojan, who had a bewildered expression on his face as soon as he saw me. ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± I replied. ¡°You did go out, right? How on earth did you get out? I mean, Prisci was caught right away!¡± She was caught, huh? What she left, she was boasting that she would never be caught. ¡°I have my ways.¡± ¡°What method?¡± ¡°Secret.¡± Unfortunately, even if I told him, he couldn¡¯t use it, whether it was the illusion generator or temporarily neutralizing the shield. But Drojan had a look on his face as if he had been expecting as much. ¡°¡­You Sogreses really are amazing.¡± ¡°Did my sisters do it too?¡± ¡°Your sisters are legends in Dant¨¨re Hall. What¡¯s the point of saying anything? Grab anyone from Dant¨¨re Hall passing by and say either of their names, see what their reaction will be.¡± My sisters didn¡¯t really talk much about dorm life, but maybe I should ask themter? ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t get caught. If you had gotten caught, too, we all would¡¯ve been ruined. Prisci got caught and got penalized.¡± ¡°All of us?¡± ¡°No, just Prisci for now. However, surveince will be more intense. The disciplinarymittee is vicious, especially the president. I heard that if you get caught by him, you¡¯ll be tormented until you graduate.¡± It was a good thing I didn¡¯t get caught. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m the only one who knows you went out, so don¡¯t worry.¡± I grinned. He seemed to be a trustworthy guy. By the way, did he wait for me toe back? ¡°Ahem. I¡¯m sleepy. Then I¡¯ll go in.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± ¡°Thanks for what?¡± Drojan went back to his room, chuckling, and I headed straight for my room too. As I entered the room, I felt the quiet little one wriggling in my arms, so I quickly took him out. ¡°Kikreuk!¡± He looked pretty excited. It was a good thing the room was soundproof. He started to waddle around on the floor, exploring. I sat on a chair and watched him because he looked so cute before he suddenly jumped up onto the bed! ¡°Kikreuk, kireuk!¡± Then he sat down next to the pillow and curled up in a veryfortable position. It really was amazing. Did he even know that this was where I would be sleeping? Of course, that didn¡¯tst long, as he immediately got up and started crying out at the end of the bed. ¡°Kireuk¡­¡± Jumping up was possible, but getting down seemed difficult. I smiled and held out both my hands. He leaped into my arms as if he had been waiting and I put him back on the floor, watching as he shot off and ran all over the ce. After a moment, he came up to me and stared at me intently. Oh, he must be hungry. I immediately searched through my subspace and took out the eggshell, but he only shook his head. ¡°Hmm.¡± That wasn¡¯t it? I thought for a moment. There was no way to get food right now. At that moment, I suddenly remembered the object, or rather, the ¡®food¡¯, that I had found while unpacking my luggage earlier. That is¡­ It was magically preserved food. ¡°Here.¡± Should I say that it was the food my mother prepared for me to eat at night should I get hungry? Of course, the magic was cast by my eldest sister. As my eldest sister was the one who cast it, once I broke the seal and opened the lid, steam rose and a delicious smell wafted out as if it had just been made. ¡°Kikreuk! Kikreuk!¡± The little one dashed over wildly. It was stew. Since it was under preservation magic, there were hardly any spices added, so I didn¡¯t think it would be too irritating for the little one¡¯s stomach. ¡°Do you want to try it?¡± ¡°Kikreuk!¡± He nodded urgently, and I took some meat and vegetables out of the stew, tore them into small pieces, and offered them to him. ¡°Kikreub! Kikreub!¡± He practically devoured it, and I also took a bite while I was at it. Mmm, it was delicious. As expected, my mother¡¯s cooking was great. By the way, look at him! ¡°Kikreuk!¡± There was food, but it disappeared. He immediately tore into a piece of meat and it was gone in an instant. Look at his appetite. Did he have a subspace in his mouth? ¡°Kikreub?¡± I just took out a few more pieces of meat, tore them up again, and put them down gently. He immediately put his head down and started eating absentmindedly. Was that what it felt like to be full just by watching someone eat? ¡°Wait.¡± Preservation magic was 5-chain magic, right? ¡°Since I can now use 3-chain¡­¡± Anyway, I was nning to steadily practice chain-level magic. There was a lot to do, but that didn¡¯t mean I could neglect my magic training. While I was at it, how about I quickly go up to 5-chain? ¡°Should I contact Cidrane?¡± The treasure hunt. Rising to 5-chain. Giving the little one a name. Passing the special examination to be a Summoner. I thought about the things I had to do. Busy, busy. Was this what academy life was like? Chapter 53 Chapter 53: Your Name Is (2) After some thought and some advice from my second sister, I was able to settle on a name for this little one. Originally, I wanted to name him after the dog that had been with me in the barracks for quite some time in my previous life, but my sister was adamantly against it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ?What do you mean, ¡®Happy¡¯?! Who gives names like that these days?!? What was wrong with Happy? It was nice to say and had good connotations. Anyway, thanks to re¡¯s strong opposition, the name Happy was rejected. Eventually, I was able to decide on a name with Ernest¡¯s advice. Karnas. ¡°What do you think?¡± ?It sounds good. What does it mean?? ¡°Mystery.¡± ?That¡¯s perfect. Ask him if he likes it.? I asked him, ¡°Karnas. What do you think? That¡¯s your name.¡± ¡°Kikreuk!¡± From the way he was pping his wings, I guessed that he liked it. Anyway, I fell asleep soon after that, and when I woke up the next morning, I took a quick shower and got ready with Karnas¡ªboth because he was still too young to be left behind, and because I couldn¡¯t leave him behind and expect there to be no trouble. Since I wasn¡¯t nning on hiding him, I thought it might be a good idea to just bring him with me from a young age. ¡°Kikreuk! Kikreuk!¡± ¡°Are you that happy to go out?¡± ¡°Kikreuk!¡± Should I take him for a walk periodically? Since he was aplete mystery, I had no choice but to figure out how to care for him little by little. Still, he was pretty quick on the uptake. As soon as I started seeing other students around, he hid in my arms. ¡°Kikreuk.¡± The sight of him looking up at me from my arms was so cute that I burst outughing. Like that, I headed to the lecture hall where the first-year sses from the Summoning Department were held with Karnas. The name of the lecture hall was Bermudez Hall, named after the famous schr Bermudez. However, my second sister was waiting in front of the hall. ¡°Dane.¡± ¡°Sister?¡± re¡¯s eyes looked very puffy, as if she hadn¡¯t slept at allstnight. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I was doing experiments and writing papersst night. Since I couldn¡¯t sleep anyway, I came to observe your ss.¡± ¡°I am not a child.¡± ¡°Yes, you are. You¡¯re fourteen.¡± Oh right, I was fourteen. I¡¯d been living this new life for fourteen years, so I should be used to it, but sometimes I forgot that I was still a fourteen-year-old. ¡°By the way, did he really break through the dormitory barrier?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah. somehow?¡± I replied. ¡°Our youngest is really¡­ you¡¯re not hurt anywhere, right?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± When I smiled brightly, re asked with a relieved expression on her face, ¡°Oh, what about Karnas?¡± ¡°Here.¡± When I pointed to my chest, Karnas stuck his face out. Then, as soon as he saw my second sister, he cried out as if he were happy to see her. ¡°Kikreuk!¡± ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re so cute.¡± re came over with an enchanted expression and tickled Karnas¡¯ chin. Then, Karnas closed his eyes gently and sagged as if surrendering his body to my sister¡¯s touch. ¡°Kkireuuuk¡­¡± What a truly blissful expression. It wasn¡¯t like he was some kind of dog. ¡°But Dane, can you really take him with you?¡± ¡°Of course, why couldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried someone might covet him. Familiar eggs are incredibly valuable.¡± It was said that if a Familiar¡¯s Egg was confirmed to be real, it would be traded for an enormous price. I think it was enough to buy several mansions? But if it was a hatched familiar? There was no way to calcte how valuable that would be. ¡°Dane, are you sure you¡¯ll be alright?¡± Well. Even so, I had no intention of selling the little one to someone or having him stolen. I hatched him with my magic. I wondered if this was what it felt like to have a child. Of course, if you think about it, there were ruthless parents who sold their children to the battlefield as child soldiers for money, so it depended on the parents. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll take good care of him,¡± I stated. ¡°Kikreuk!¡± Karnas cried loudly, as if he liked that. My sister smiled helplessly and said, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure you can do it. And if anyone bothers you¡­¡± I think I knew what would happen next without even hearing it. Not only my sisters, but my whole family woulde forward. That was how my family was. So I wasn¡¯t worried. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s still young and might get stressed, so I¡¯m going to take him around like this until he grows up.¡± ¡°Good idea. Until then, try not to reveal him. Alright?¡± She was worried about me, but it was also for Karnas. I nodded. ¡°Alright, I understand. I¡¯ll go now.¡± ¡°Yes. Go and do well. And if possible¡­ I hope Professor Temeric doesn¡¯t find fault with you.¡± I guess he wasn¡¯t a very nice person. ¡°He gives a lot of work anyway.¡± For some reason, I felt regreting from my sister. ¡°Oh, right. Dane.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You said you received that ancient magic and the egg reacted.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It may even have an effect when you summon. So, if you ever do use it, you should be careful. Summons are extremely sensitive to their summoner¡¯s magic power.¡± It was sweet advice from my second sister. I hadn¡¯t tried summoning even once since my circle was formed with ancient magic. ¡°Of course, if you control it well, more might be possible. I need to look into it a bit more, though, since it¡¯s a different kind of magic from other people.¡± I smiled at that. I could do more. That meant¡­ ¡°I¡¯m going to go now. If anything happens, call me, alright?¡± ¡°Yes. I will.¡± She must be busy, so how could I do that? I wasn¡¯t a child. But I supposed she¡¯d feel reassured if I at least said something like that. I finally entered Bermudez Hall, leaving my second sister behind. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Dane Sogres?¡± ¡°Wow. This is my first time seeing him. His hair color is amazing.¡± ¡°He¡¯s so handsome¡­¡± ¡°Should I try to persuade him to join our club?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an Autonomous student, right? So does that mean he¡¯s taking our department¡¯s sses?¡± Amidst the sounds I heard, I went into the ssroom where the lecture was to be held. That morning¡¯s ss was ¡®Summoning Theory 1¡¯, taught by Professor Temeric Spiano. Just hearing the name alone gave off the feeling it was a ss for beginners. I was sure there were quite a few things I learned from my second sister, but the academy lectures were still a different story. As I was taking out my writing utensils, I suddenly felt someone staring at me and raised my head. However, no one was staring at me too much. Was I mistaken? ¡®D-did I make a mistake?¡¯ Digron Tyren. The eldest son of Count Tyren, who was now barely considered a noble of the capital. Digron, a third-year student in the Summoning Department who had his summons stolen by Dane a few years ago, calmed his heart that had suddenly sunk. ¡®Damn, he actually came to ss!¡¯ Digron wanted to cry. He had heard that Dane was admitted to the academy. He also knew that he was an Autonomous student, and that one of the three subjects he passed during the entrance exam was Summoning, so he knew that they would meet someday¡­ Who would have thought they would meet in the ss that he had failed in his first year and had to retake? ¡®Should I cancel the ss now? No, if I cancel this time, the professor will kill me¡­¡¯ Digron¡¯s hands were trembling. The memory of that day was still vivid. He was just trying to give him a little scolding, but he ended up getting scolded¡ªand without even being able to mount a proper counterattack! Even his summons was taken away. It didn¡¯t end there. ¡®From that day on, my father¡­¡¯ After being driven out of the castle by Count Sogres, rumors spread rapidly, and Count Tyrenpletely disappeared from the eyes of the capital¡¯s nobles. To be exact, it could be said that he fell out of favor with Duke Thermion, who was present at the time. Although they had somehow managed to maintain the title of ¡®capital noble¡¯, the reputation of House Tyren was now at rock bottom, making their title of count seem meaningless. It was to the extent that when his father attended the Imperial Noble Council led by Duke Thermion, no one spoke to him. Naturally¡­ Digron, who was the cause of the incident, also had to endure gloomy days. It was natural that his friends didn¡¯t talk to him, and Count Tyren often got drunk and swore at him. Of course, this was all his own doing. Count Tyren might have been the one who made things big, but it was Digron who caused it. Anyway, for this reason, Digron was now desperately avoiding Dane¡¯s gaze while peeking at him. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Digron, who entered the academy with talent, was able to forget the nightmare and trauma of that day for a while, but that was no longer the case. As Digron bit his nails, one of the seniors next to him tilted his head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Digron? Are you nervous because you¡¯re retaking the ss?¡± ¡°Ha. Haha. Th-that¡¯s right, senior.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about retaking a ss? Everyone has to do it at least once. You already know everything. As for the freshmen, just ignore them. All you have to do is get a good grade.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The senior treated Digron quite gently. By the way, Digron¡¯s image within the Summoning Department wasn¡¯t that bad. He was quite talented, and even though he was only a third year student, he could already summon fourth-rank summons without difficulty. Digron was already able to summon Gendpu, a 5th-rank summons, seven years ago. In that sense, unlike how he was treated outside of the academy, he was quite well-received there. He didn¡¯t even cause any trouble and was very well-behaved. ¡°Hey, do you see that boy over there?¡± ¡°Who?¡± Digron turned his head and was startled. The senior was pointing at Dane. ¡°Him, Dane Sogres. He chose the Summoning Department and passed when he took the Autonomous major exam this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he amazing? He¡¯s from House Sogres, and his older sister is re Sogres. I heard he¡¯s incredibly talented, too. Wow, a life like that would be worth living.¡± How could he not know? The problem was that he knew too much. The senior seemed unaware of how House Tyren ended up in such a state. ¡°He won¡¯t change his majorter, right? I really respect Senior re. Ha! If he were in the Summoning Department, I would have treated him really well. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s right.¡± The senior tilted his head and asked, ¡°Why are you sweating so much? Are you sick?¡± ¡°N-no. I need to go to the bathroom¡­¡± Drrrrk. Just then, the door opened and Professor Temeric Spiano, the professor of the Summoning Department, walked in. Digron held back his tears and sat back down. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Temeric Spiano, Professor of the Summoning Department at the Imperial Academy.¡± The lecture started without any time to spare. He had a very heavy voice. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because this is a morning ss, but everyone¡¯s eyes are really bad. By the way, anyone who falls asleep in my ss will get a warning the first time, and if they fall asleep a second time, they¡¯ll have to leave the ss and be penalized. Make sure to remember this.¡± The freshmen were shocked by the rules. Professor Temeric smiled at their reaction, then tilted his head at the strange feeling he suddenly felt. A strange yet mysterious energy caught his attention and then disappeared. ¡®Was I mistaken?¡¯ Instead of pursuing the feeling, Professor Temeric continued speaking. ¡°This ss, ¡®Summoning Theory 1¡¯, will teach you the theoretical aspects of Summoning from the basics. The students here, freshmen of the Summoning Department, will take their first steps as summoners by learning these theories. That¡¯s why the ss in which you learn the basics is extremely important. When you move on from the fourth or fifth year, you will take a regr exam to be a full-fledged summoner, and if you don¡¯t have this theory to back it up, you can¡¯t guarantee that you will pass the written exam.¡± The content was brutal. By the way, the regr exam to select summoners was known to be difficult. Above all, it was apetence test. That is, if you fell short, you would be eliminated without a fight, no matter who you were. ¡°Of course, there is a special selection test where you only need to prove a few qualifications¡­ but they are not easy exams.¡± At those words, one freshman raised his hand. ¡°Professor, I¡¯m Dean Vitrone, a freshman in the Summoning Department. I have a question.¡± ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°What kind of qualifications does this ¡®special selection test¡¯ look for?¡± Professor Temeric walked straight to the ckboard and wrote a few things down. ¡°It is as follows. First, you have to summon a 5th-rank or higher summons with the nk sign provided at the testing center.¡± The students murmured. Most of the people there were unsure whether they could even summon a 7th-rank summons, which was the lowest, even if they had a mark, let alone a 5th-rank summons. ¡°Second, you have to maintain the summons for more than thirty minutes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The murmurs soon died down. After all, the conditions were ridiculous. Thirty minutes. Students learning the summoning technique for the first time could barelyst maintaining their summons for five minutes. But thirty minutes? However, the highlight was the third condition. ¡°Third, you have to subjectively have the talent to pass the special selection.¡± The third one was the key. Subjective conditions. ¡°This means that special selection candidates can be disqualified even if they meet the two conditions above.¡± ¡°So, what exactly is that subjective condition?¡± Professor Temeric shrugged when asked. ¡°Whatever it is, they would have to grab attention. That¡¯s what it means to be a special case.¡± It was ridiculous. However, unlike the freshmen, the second year students and above of the Summoning Department who already knew of its infamy were nodding their heads. Ultimately, this meant that only truly special students could pass. ¡°Do you understand now why it¡¯s called ¡®special selection¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And one more thing.¡± It was a mountain beyond a mountain. ¡°You must receive at least two rmendations from authorities rted to Summoning to be eligible to apply for special selection.¡± The test was difficult, and so was the rmendation. In short, they were being told not to even dream of it. It seemed like it meant that they just shouldn¡¯t apply and wait quietly for the regr exam. Professor Temeric looked at the confused freshmen when his eyes suddenly met a student¡¯s. Dane Sogres. His eyes were fixed on him. ¡®Hmm. Those ridiculous words.¡¯ Professor Temeric had heard from the dean, Professor Delphineso, about what happened during the Autonomous Major test¡ªhow he had sessfully created a link with Eterarch, a 4th-rank summons personally summoned by Professor Delphineso. ¡®No, of course that doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯ It was absolutely impossible to ept such a story withmon sense. Professor Delphineso¡¯s authority was well-known, but in reality, Professor Temeric was the type who didn¡¯t believe stories at face value unless he had seen them with his own eyes. One never knew. Professor Delphineso might have colluded with Count Sogres somehow and passed his child with a made-up story. For Professor Temeric, who had remained in second ce for over ten years and couldn¡¯t even dream of bing the dean because of Professor Delphineso, this was a strangely reasonable doubt. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to check.¡¯ If the story wasn¡¯t true, he could use this to find fault and apply subtle pressure on Professor Delphineso. ¡°Anyway, the first step to passing the regr exam, which is the primary goal, will begin in this lecture, so I hope you will follow along well.¡± Professor Temeric added, ¡°Well, passing theory will be easy for those capable of summoning, but of course, there wouldn¡¯t be any freshmen who can do that. Right?¡± It was quiet. There was no way a freshman could use summoning magic. None of the freshmen there had taken a test to see if they could use ¡®summoning¡¯, they had only gone through theory and affinity tests. That was, if you majored in the ¡®Summoning Department.¡¯ ¡°Is there anyone who can do it? Though, I doubt it.¡± Then someone raised their hand. ¡°I can.¡± Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the freshman who raised his hand. A silver-haired freshman. The youngest son of Count Sogres. It was Dane Sogres. Chapter 54 Chapter 54: What Are You Trying to Show? Professor Temeric looked at Dane, who had raised his hand, and smiled to himself as if he had known that would happen. However, he asked as if that weren¡¯t the case, ¡°What is your major and name?¡± ¡°My name is Dane Sogres, and I am a freshman in the Autonomous Department.¡± ¡°Dane Sogres. Ah. I¡¯ve heard that name before. I heard you¡¯re very talented?¡± It was an obvious provocation. However, Dane did not get caught up in Professor Temeric¡¯s intentions and answered calmly. ¡°The deans evaluated me that way.¡± An answer that showed neither humility nor pride. ¡®Look at this kid.¡¯ Usually, students would act humble or arrogant, but he was different. ¡°I see. I heard that the dean was in charge of your test. She said that you created an additional link to Eterarch, who she had summoned?¡± There was amotion at those words. Everyone knew that he had passed the test, but they had no idea about the specifics. ¡°H-he created an additional link to Eterarch?¡± ¡°Does that make sense?¡± ¡°The professor said he connected a link to the dean¡¯s summons¡­?¡± There was amotion, but it quickly became quiet as soon as Professor Temeric spoke. ¡°Just hearing about it, it seems like you have incredible talent. But you know, that talent is something that doesn¡¯t followmon sense.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°So, show me. I think everyone is curious about the talent that the dean passed without hesitation.¡± Professor Temeric was curious. Was it really true? Whether it was true or not, he was nning on finding the answer. ¡°If you can sessfully summon here, today¡¯s lecture will end immediately. What do you think?¡± So, he threw out a subtle bait. But Dane wasn¡¯t easily fooled. ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of the ss ending.¡± Professor Temeric frowned and asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I came here to learn, but it would be a shame if the ss ended in exchange for showing my talent.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Look at that. He was truly a different kind of child. If it were any other student, they would have nodded because they wanted to be the hero who made the other students finish ss quickly. Of course, the other students didn¡¯t feel the same. ¡°Ugh, what¡¯s wrong with that freshman?¡± ¡°Ah. It¡¯s not often that Professor Temeric makes a suggestion like that!¡± ¡°Was it a lie? Maybe that¡¯s why he¡¯s trying to kill time?¡± Either way, Professor Temeric¡¯s curiosity was slowly turning into interest. ¡°Then is there anything you want?¡± The answer that came out of Dane¡¯s mouth was quite shocking. ¡°If I can demonstrate my qualifications, may I ask you to rmend me for a special selection test?¡± Professor Temeric suddenly burst into loudughter. ¡°Hahaha. You¡¯re really quite funny. A rmendation? You want me to write a letter of rmendation for the special selection test?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Whether heughed or not, Dane¡¯s tone remained the same. Professor Temeric¡¯s voice became heavy again. ¡°Do you know what that means?¡± ¡°I know. It means I have to truly show off my talent here.¡± ¡°Have you ever thought about a case where the opposite is true?¡± Dane shook his head and stated, ¡°No. I didn¡¯t think about it.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t think of such a thing, but that he didn¡¯t. Professor Temericughed at the confident answer. How could there be someone like that? Even his second sister, re Sogres, wasn¡¯t quite as confident. ¡®That crazy boy¡­¡¯ Digron was just staring nkly at Dane. When he thought about itter, he realized that he had incredible talent, so much so that it couldn¡¯t even bepared to himself. But going beyond that and making such a proposal? To the fearsome Professor Temeric, and as a freshman at that? ¡®House Sogres is full of crazy people.¡¯ Now, Digron¡¯s trauma had be so strong that he flinched at just the sound of the name Sogres. Professor Temeric finally said, ¡°Then prove it. If you satisfy my conditions, I can easily write you a letter of rmendation. Though, my hand might hurt a little.¡± At those words, a murmur arose among the other students from the Summoning Department. ¡°Does that make sense? He¡¯d write a rmendation letter for someone not in our department?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay as long as you have talent? And he¡¯s Senior re¡¯s younger brother.¡± ¡°Wow, House Sogres is really¡­¡± Professor Temeric continued, ¡°But if that doesn¡¯t work¡­ you¡¯ll have to be prepared.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like he was going to punish him, but it was scary enough. Of course, Dane nodded without a care. ¡°Yes. Alright.¡± ¡°Very well. Come down. The nk sign is here.¡± Professor Temeric stepped aside, cing a nk sign on the podium. Dane came up to the front of the podium in front of everyone and picked up the nk sign. Then he shouted without any preparation, ¡°Answer my call.¡± That was when a summons appeared in the air. ¡°Kurrrrrr¡­¡± It was a 5th-rank summons, Gendpu.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°O-oh my God.¡± ¡°It was real!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a 5th-rank summoner?¡± ¡°How is that possible with just a nk sign?¡± Dane¡¯s action caused an intense reaction. As soon as Gendpu saw Dane, he started wagging his tail and whining. ¡°Long time no see, how have you been?¡± ¡°Kkkking!¡± He had been frequently calling him to increase affinity, as well as to extend the duration of the summoning, but this was the first time he had called Gendpu since arriving at the academy. Thanks to that, Digron¡¯s heart started pounding. Digron could summon almost any summons below 4th-rank, but he couldn¡¯t summon Gendpu. This was precisely the reason for it. It was because his link had been broken once before. ¡®My¡­ my Gendpu¡­¡¯ It was heartbreaking to see Gendpu, his summons, wagging his tail and getting along with Dane. However, there was something bigger going on. The son of Count Sogres entered the school. His somewhat stable life at the academy waspletely shaken up. Even though the atmosphere of the Academy was evaluated based on Academy life regardless of the family background, it was not always like that. If anyone who knew what had happened between his family and House Sogres¡­ ¡®What if he says something bad about me?¡¯ At that time, academy life and everything else would be over. His younger brother Denar was supposed to be admitted next year, and this could block his future. ¡®Should I apologize again? Or should I go and have a word with him?¡¯ While Digron was clutching his head and desperately contemting, Dane said, ¡°I summoned Gendpu.¡± Professor Temeric was momentarily stunned by the sight of Dane stroking Gendpu¡¯s head. He had summoned him immediately using the nk sign¡­ Had he already signed a formal contract before? Or another way? Whatever it was, one thing was certain. ¡®Things might not go as nned.¡¯ His original n was to make Dane look like he didn¡¯t pass the test, and then use that to create a negative public opinion about Professor Delphineso, who had passed an unqualified child. But not yet. ¡®It¡¯s just a summoning, after all. Can he reallyst for thirty minutes?¡¯ Thirty minutes would be impossible. Not to mention it was the 5th-rank summons, Gendpu. No matter how high his affinity, there were things that were possible and things that were not. In most cases, after ten minutes, the link became faint and concentration was also lost. Of course, that wouldn¡¯t change for the boy in front of him even if he was a genius. ¡°The second condition remains.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± However, then Dane made a suggestion. ¡°But thirty minutes is too long. Can I do something else?¡± By something else¡­ ¡°The third condition.¡± The third condition. In addition to the other two conditions, it was to show ¡®specialness¡¯. ¡°Ha.¡± Professor Temeric eventually revealed his true feelings. Had he ever seen such an impudent little brat? The term ¡®specialness¡¯ used here was extremely subjective. So, if Professor Temeric had made up his mind, there was nothing he could do. Professor Temeric eventually nodded and said, ¡°Prove it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dane answered without hesitation, and Professor Temeric felt a hint of uneasiness. ¡®What are you trying to show me?¡¯ The three conditions for special admission. Two things had already been fulfilled. I had already summoned Gendpu, whom I¡¯d signed a contract with, and I could maintain him for about thirty minutes without any problems. Now all that was left was to show something ¡®special¡¯. The simplest thing was to show Karnas. If my second sister¡¯s guess was correct, this guy was a summon from Beyond the Horizon. If that were the case, that alone would be enough. This was especially true in that it was a summons hatched from a Familiar¡¯s Egg. However, it was too early to reveal Karnas now. The little one was sleeping in my arms right now, and he might feel burdened by the attention of other people since he was only a day old. I had to treat him carefully since he would be with me from now on. That was why it had to be proven by something else. What kind of things were there? How could I apply for special selection by demonstrating my ¡®talent¡¯ as a summoner? It wouldn¡¯t be possible to choose just anything. That was the feeling I got from this professor. I had never formally entered into a contract with any summons. Gendpu was truly a ¡®special¡¯ case. Simultaneous summoning was still physically impossible¡­ With the special magic I possessed, it might be possible. Every human being possessed magic power, but my magic was more special than anyone else¡¯s. Whoooong¡­ So I started using my ancient magic to do something that Professor Temeric probably wouldn¡¯t have expected. My magic power flowed through the path linked to Gendpu. ¡°You haven¡¯t started yet?¡± Professor Temeric didn¡¯t seem to have any idea what I was trying to do yet, but such a reaction was only temporary. ¡°Krrr¡­¡± Gendpu began to react to my magic. Then, Gendpu¡¯s body slowly began to grow. ¡°N-no way¡­¡± Professor Temeric¡¯s trembling voice was heard. ¡°Could this be ¡®Summons Strengthening¡¯?¡± ¡°Oh my God, does that make any sense?¡± Gendpu was now growing into a rather intimidating figure. ¡°Grrrrrrrrr!¡± His teeth grew and his fur became more voluminous. His body size seemed to have grown by almost 1.5 times. ¡°Oh my God¡­ you have to be at least a 5th year¡­¡± ¡°What the hell is with him? Is he ate bloomer or something?¡± ¡°Wow, damn. The Summoning Department is really being humiliated today¡­¡± Summons Strengthening. It was a skill that could generally be learned in thetter half of undergraduate life. Of course, it was said that not everyone who learned it could use it. It was said that there were students who barely seeded in strengthening their 7th-rank summons by the time they graduated. Anyway, to strengthen a summons, you had to rearrange the code of the summons linked to you, infuse it with magic power, and temporarily strengthen its characteristics. Since I was not a ¡®regr¡¯ summoner and did not have a sign, I couldn¡¯t summon any other summons besides Gendpu. However, something else was possible¡ªif you had pure talent and the magic power to back it up. Normally, ¡®Summon Strengthening¡¯ started at the 7th-rank and required reaching a certain level. Of course, I was currently fourteen years old and a freshman¡­ ¡°I wonder if this proves the ¡®specialness¡¯ that the professor spoke of.¡± Professor Temeric¡¯s mouth was wide open as he witnessed the 5th-grade summons being strengthened. It wasn¡¯t like everyone could do it once they reached 5th-year, either. What I did was a little more ¡®special¡¯ than the usual strengthening. ¡°Is this special?¡± The ¡®special¡¯ he wanted shouldn¡¯t be ¡®ordinary special¡¯. So, in addition to strengthening a summons without a sign, I also did ¡®Link Strengthening¡¯. Professor Temeric would have clearly seen this. If Summons Strengthening was all about external changes or making certain characteristics deeper¡­ Link Enhancement was a method that went beyond that, making the connection between the summons and summoner stronger, making them move almost as one. Ancient magic power and the talent I was born with. There was a lot of effort and honing that had been put in over the years. This was thebined result. Of course, I only seeded recently, so I couldn¡¯t maintain it for long¡­ but it should be enough to surprise him. ¡°¡­Link¡­ Enhancement as well¡­¡± Professor Temeric, who was quietly muttering in disbelief, just stared at my enhanced Gendpu for a long time. Chapter 55 Chapter 55: I Can Do It, Though? I felt Professor Temeric¡¯s gaze on me throughout the lecture, but I didn¡¯t pay him any particr mind to it. Rather, I found it quite interesting to watch Professor Temeric floundering about. ¡°E-excuse me, Professor. I¡¯m sorry, but this is the fifth time you¡¯ve exined the same thing.¡± ¡°Hmm, ahem. Well, for emphasis¡­¡± It was probably because of me. I¡¯d heard that he was quite prickly, so if I told my second sister about it, she might be quite happy. Anyway, with this, I was promised a letter of rmendation from Professor Temeric. Would Professor Delphineso be willing to write the other one? Well, I¡¯d take my time considering it. ¡°A-alright, then. I¡¯ll end the lecture here.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Professor Temeric almost ran out of the ssroom. After that, I received a lot of attention from a lot of people after the lecture. Freshmen from the Summoning Department approached me and talked to me, and some even showed their interest in me outright. One of them was the president of the Summoning Department. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the fame of House Sogres, but this is truly amazing. Another genius has been born. I heard you¡¯re also talented in both spearmanship and magic. So, if you¡¯re thinking of specializing in the Summoning Department in the future¡­¡± Of course, I expressed my refusal politely and left. If it were any other department, I would have rejected it outright and just pretended not to know, but I couldn¡¯t do that because I wanted to save face for my second sister. ¡°Kkireuk¡­¡± In the midst of this, Karnas opened his eyes in my arms. Such a little baby. He fell asleep shortly after the ss started and was only just waking up now. Well, babies did spend most of the day sleeping. ¡°Kireuk, Kikreuk.¡± He looked hungry. I was about to take out some of the meat I had put in my subspace but then changed my mind. I heard from my second sister that there was a shop in the central square that sold summoning supplies. Among the supplies, they also sold food to increase affinity with summons, so I should go have a look. I wondered what he would eat. Judging from the fact that he had chewed and swallowed meat right after he hatched, he didn¡¯t seem to be an ordinary summons. Should I have asked re about food for summons? By the way, what was this about? ¡°Karnas, can you go inside for a moment?¡± I briefly took Karnas into my arms because of the presence of a stalker who I had noticed for a while now. Then I turned around again and went back the way I came, stopping in front of arge trash can. ¡°Who are you?¡± There was no answer. There was no reason for him to. If he was someone who would answer right away, he wouldn¡¯t have followed me from the lecture hall to here and then hid when I noticed. Eventually, I gave an ultimatum. ¡°If you don¡¯te out, I¡¯ll blow this up.¡± An urgent voice rang out. ¡°I-I¡¯lle out!¡± The person who appeared was¡­ ¡°Who are you?¡± He looked strangely familiar. Where had I seen him before? But I didn¡¯t remember very well. ¡°D-don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± I tilted my head. Then he cried out in frustration, ¡°It¡¯s me! Digron Tyren!¡± It was only then that I realized who he was. ¡°You¡¯re that one from back then.¡± ¡°How could you forget me?¡± I looked at the teary-eyed boy in disbelief. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s possible to not remember very well.¡± ¡°How could you¡­?¡± By the way, was this what he looked like? He originally looked very sharp and grumpy. He looked very pitiful now. Had he had a hard time since then? I didn¡¯t hear any news about him, and I didn¡¯t even bother to ask my father. I hadpletely forgotten about it since that day, but I remembered it again when I summoned Gendpu. ¡°¡­You finally got into the academy.¡± I looked at him for a moment and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± Digron was shaking quite a bit. ¡°Why did you follow me? I may have forgotten, but you and I aren¡¯t on good terms. Is it for revenge?¡± That was the only reason I could think of. Even if I forgot, it must have been a bad situation for him, and if that was the case, the only motive for stalking me that came to mind was revenge. But apletely unexpected answer came from Digron. ¡°R-revenge?! No! Of course, I had a hard time and suffered a lot since then, and my father resented me a lot¡­ But I¡¯m not stupid enough to mess with the children of Count Sogres again!¡± He¡¯d be more intelligent since then. Well, if he had known back then, he wouldn¡¯t have picked a fight with me and yelled about killing me. ¡°Then what is it?¡± But questions still remained: Why did he follow me? ¡°I¡­ I was going to apologize¡­¡± ¡°I already received an apology back then. I forgot.¡± Of course, if he bothered me again, I would consider that incident and pay him back properly. ¡°S-so, can I still attend the academy like this?¡± Huh? I just stared at the boy who asked me a question I couldn¡¯t understand. Maybe it was because I didn¡¯t answer, but his response became even more withered. ¡°Please¡­ I have reflected on that time and I truly regret it. I will not cause any issues, I will never affect you, and I will quietly go on my way¡­¡± It was quite sad to see his trembling hands, but I still didn¡¯t answer. I was just wondering if he was being sincere. Hold on. He was in the Summoning Department, right? ¡°You¡¯ve really reflected on your actions?¡± ¡°Yes! Really!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the Summoning Shop together. I¡¯m going to buy some things I need. You¡¯ll probably know the ce well since you¡¯re in the Summoning Department, right?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± He nodded and suddenly took the lead. ¡°This way! I¡¯ll guide you!¡± I chuckled at the sight of his passionate expression. I didn¡¯t know how long it wouldst, but did that mean there was someone who would do whatever I asked unconditionally? Obviously, I still didn¡¯t trust him. Regardless of whether he was sincere or not, he was someone who had ordered my death once. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t believe him just because he apologized a few times. Was he trying to get Gendpu back? Well, that would never happen. ¡°But you¡¯re really amazing. One talent is amazing, but you have two more, so you entered the academy as an Autonomous student¡­¡± Digron talked to me all the way there. I didn¡¯t know if he was trying to avoid awkwardness or if he was trying to suck up to me, but my answers were either yes or no. However, he didn¡¯t give in and continued talking. ¡°Oh, the store we¡¯re going to now is called ?Eus and Boden?. You¡¯ll have to go there often when you take a ss, so it¡¯s a good idea to be familiar with it. It¡¯s a ce that was co-founded by two graduates, Eus and Boden, and it¡¯s been around for over thirty years¡­¡± Thanks to this, I felt like I¡¯d gained a little bit of knowledge. Meanwhile, Digron and I arrived in front of the store. Inside, there were a few students, and the shopkeeper was sitting with his arms crossed, looking indifferent. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Oh, this seems right.¡± ¡°Do you need anything? I can help you! No, instead, if you tell me which Summoning ss you¡¯re taking, I¡¯ll tell you what to prepare ordingly!¡± I was on the verge of tears as I looked at the boy beating on his chest as if telling me to trust him. ¡°Food.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Food for a summons.¡± Digron was a little taken aback by my unexpected answer, but soon told me not to worry. ¡°I¡¯m quite familiar with that! I was in charge of the freshman affinity training when I was a sophomore. I know a lot about summons food!¡± That was good. ¡°What summons are you trying to build up affinity with?¡± ¡°Wyvern.¡± ¡°Right. If it¡¯s a wyvern, then I¡­ Huh? W-wyvern?!¡± Wyvern. It was a 3rd-rank summons, so it was understandable for him to react like that. Of course, I didn¡¯t know because I hadn¡¯t tried summoning one yet. It was just that Karnas resembled a wyvern. There was no way I¡¯d reveal my true intentions to anyone unless I was crazy. I roughly made up a reason because I thought Karnas would have simr tastes to a wyvern since they looked simr. ¡°M-my goodness. You already know how to handle a wyvern¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°O-of course! You can trust me!¡± By the way, I was only going to tell him that lie. That way, if it leaked out, it meant he was the one who spread it. ¡°But it is a wyvern, and it¡¯s a baby wyvern.¡± ¡°Huuuuh?¡± ¡°So, do you know what kind of food a baby wyvern would eat?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a baby wyvern¡­ Hmm. Then it would be better to feed it mostly liquid food. As far as I know, wyverns have a good appetite even when they¡¯re babies, and I know they¡¯ll start eating meat after just a week.¡± Indeed. Even more strange, Karnas ate meat from the day he was born. ¡°Well, then, I think liquid food and dry food with condensed nutrients would be good. After all, you need to eat a lot when you¡¯re young.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll get that.¡± ¡°Alright! Then let¡¯s go inside. I¡¯ll show you and exin it to you!¡± He was full of passion. As I entered, attention turned to me. Some people recognized me and started whispering among themselves. I just focused on the food that Digron was pointing at. ¡°Here, condensed feed made with seventeen ingredients! This is liquid food, so you can grind this feed into small pieces, mix it with milk, and feed it to your summons. Buy both and feed them liquid food first¡­¡± I picked up the item right after he finished exining. ¡°Anything else you need?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s all for now. Is Theory 1 all you¡¯re taking? Well, then, you won¡¯t need anything besides the textbook¡­¡± I looked around the store and saw that there were quite a lot of items. There were so many things that even I, who had a sister who was a Summoner, had a hard time identifying them all. Among them, there was one that appeared to be a staff. Staves were the weapons of mages and Summoners. I heard that the tip of the staff had an borately crafted magic crystal embedded in it, which had the effect of storing magic power in case of an emergency, increasing magic power concentration, and increasing the efficiency of spell casting. However¡ª ¡°That¡¯s not something a freshman can use.¡± The shop owner¡¯s voice stopped me. Would he be Eus or Boden? ¡°Freshmen are always like that. They show interest in weapons even though they can¡¯t even summon properly.¡± He waved his hand as if he were annoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it and get your magic sucked out. Back off. If something goes wrong, you¡¯ll be unable to do anything for the whole day.¡± There was already a warning message written on the front of the staff. [Warning: do not touch out of curiosity. Especially freshmen. The store is not responsible for any idents that may ur as a result of touching. -Eus and Borden] It seems like there were many cases where things got out of hand after someone identally touched the staff. Digron also stopped me. ¡°Dane. You usually have to be a fourth-year undergraduate to use a staff. Just touching it sucks all your magic out of you!¡± What was the big deal? Was it that dangerous? However, I became more curious since they were telling me not to touch it. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we call the Academy ambnce?¡± ¡°Look. Isn¡¯t that him? He¡¯s really famous.¡± I could hear murmurs from my surroundings. ¡°Hey, freshman. Put that down and look at something else meant for freshmen. The toys for you are over here.¡± The owner looked at me and snickered, but¡ª ¡°¡­Dane!¡± I reached for the staff without hesitation. Whoong. I raised the staff, feeling it sucking away at my magic power slightly. ¡°Not bad.¡± The magic crystal at the end of the staff glowed blue. That meant that the magic power had been sufficiently absorbed and stabilized. I felt like I instinctively knew why a staff was used. Magic power was gathered and swirling in the crystal, which made it much easier to use magic power. However, my case seemed to be a little different. In most cases, people didn¡¯t have enough magic power to fill the crystal, and even if there was, it was often difficult to control. In my case¡ª ¡°I have a lot left, though?¡± I had a lot of magical power left, and it was easy to control. This didn¡¯t seem to be due to Ancient Magic. As my eldest sister had repeatedly emphasized, it must be my talent for magic. ¡°D-Dane?¡± Digron¡¯s surprised voice came from beside me. I could also see the shopkeeper¡¯s nk expression. I showed him the staff. ¡°It works.¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56: Right, No One Will Come The owner, who I still wasn¡¯t sure whether he was Eus or Borden, looked at me with a suspicious expression on his face. Then he turned his head towards Digron and asked, ¡°¡­Digron, who is he? Is he a new student in your department? I haven¡¯t heard of a new student like this in the Summoning Department. He¡¯s almost at re¡¯s level, right?¡± It seemed like everyone in the Summoning Department knew my second sister. Digron looked at me and managed to say, ¡°D-Dane Sogres¡­¡± ¡°Ah. Sogres. I know. Yeah, rumors. I heard the rumors. You¡¯re re¡¯s brother, right?¡± After that, the atmosphere became quite mild. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯re in the Autonomous Department. So it was true that you passed the exam with Summoning. Ha!¡± The shopkeeper looked at me in disbelief and muttered, ¡°In this store, even re wasn¡¯t able to hold a staff as a freshman¡­¡± I think my second sister was in her second or third year when she bragged about her staff? He crossed his arms and looked at me as if he found me very interesting, unlike before. ¡°You have talent.¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°What on earth do they teach at House Sogres? How can all three children be geniuses?¡± I still didn¡¯t know whether he was Eus or Boden. The man stroked his chin and mused, ¡°A freshman with a staff, huh¡­ Oh, are you fourteen, by any chance? Did you enroll a yearte?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fourteen years old.¡± ¡°Damn, why are kids so big these days?¡± I was a bit big. I¡¯d never seen a freshman taller than me. ¡°But who are you? Eus or Boden?¡± ¡°Ah. Eus is sleeping inside right now. By the way, I never sell anything to anyone who confuses me with Eus, so keep that in mind. Damn, how did we end up in business together?¡± Eus¡ªno, Boden looked inside, where Eus was supposed to be. Then he suddenly pointed to the staff I was holding and asked, ¡°So, are you going to buy it?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What? You can use it, so why don¡¯t you buy it?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s awkward.¡± There was no reason to use it right now. After all, I didn¡¯t need it. Of course, I could put it in my subspace and carry it around¡­ ¡°And the magic power storage capacity seems to be small.¡± If I wanted, I could get something better than that. I could just go and buy it when I needed it. ¡°¡­That seems like it has a low magic power storage capacity?¡± However, Boden¡¯s reaction was a little strange. ¡°It feels like it.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? How much magic power do you think that magical crystal holds? It should hold the magic power of an average fifth or sixth year student and still have some left over.¡± Was that so? But it felt small to me. It was like filling a small bucket of water with a well¡¯s worth of water. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯ll just buy this.¡± ¡°Why are all the children of House Sogres like this? Even re wasn¡¯t this bad.¡± ¡°How was my second sister?¡± ¡°Once students reach their fourth year, everyone is excited to carry a staff, but she thought it wasn¡¯t cool and was the only one who didn¡¯t carry one around.¡± As expected of my second sister. Anyway, I took out a few silver crowns and paid for the food before putting it in my subspace. Boden let out a disbelieving scoff. ¡°There¡¯s a subspace like that? That¡¯s amazing. It¡¯s easy to open and take things out of¡­ I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± I shrugged in answer and pocketed the change, saying, ¡°I¡¯lle again next time.¡± ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯te when Eus is around. He¡¯s incredibly curious. He¡¯ll probably annoy you a lot.¡± That was worthy advice. I went outside with Digron, and that was when I noticed his awe-filled eyes. ¡°You¡­ You really are an incredible genius, aren¡¯t you?¡± Why was he acting like this all of a sudden? ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone use a staff from their first year!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Digron asked, his eyes sparkling brightly, ¡°How high can you summon? Is it possible to summon 4th-rank or higher? Oh right, it¡¯ll be hard since you don¡¯t have the sign yet. However, you can also strengthen your summons, so if you get a sign, summoning up to 4th-rank¡­ ¡± I didn¡¯t know because I hadn¡¯t tried. After all, I didn¡¯t have any formal contracting authority. ¡°Is there anything else you need? Um, maybe I should show you around our department facilities? Or¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go have lunch soon.¡± ¡°Oh, r-right! Sorry! I was too oblivious. Ha. Haha. I guess I should go back, too.¡± I looked at Digron nkly and asked, ¡°Never mind the Summoning Department facilities. Do you happen to know of any dessert shops?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°A ce that makes good tarts, while we¡¯re at it.¡± Was it because I used magic? I was really craving sweets. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for desserts¡­Ah! I know a ce!¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ce called . I¡¯ll show you around!¡± I tilted my head at Digron¡¯s odd words. ¡°I told you I was going to eat.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right¡­ Enjoy your meal!¡± Digron turned away with a very sullen look on his face. Should I have just invited him to a meal? Well, we could eat togetherter. By the way, after eating, my ss was¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a liberal arts ss.¡± Le said that the professor would finish orientation in less than five minutes, so I could quickly finish and go back to the dormitory. By the way, why were my ears so itchy? Was someone talking about me? ¡°There you are! I found you, Dane Sogres!¡± Ah, it was them. I was speechless as I looked at the students from the Physical Beauty club blocking my way. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for you all day!¡± Why did they walk around with their tops off? No, why were they taking off their clothes in front of me? I couldn¡¯t bear to watch the twitching muscles any longer, so I closed my eyes tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. You, join our Physical Beauty Club! If you add muscle to that natural bone structure, you can have the most beautiful body in the world!¡± ¡®Oh my god, his trapezius muscles wiggle every time he talks.¡¯ ¡°Would you like to create a world filled with beautiful bodies with us? If the genius freshman of House Sogres joins us, the world will view these muscles more positively¡­ Oh, wait. It¡¯s time to drink a shake.¡± Muscle Man, I mean, the person whose name I couldn¡¯t even remember because of his muscles, suddenly stopped talking, took out some kind of water bottle from his subspace, opened the lid, and started gulping it down. Was it some kind of poison? Why was he frowning like that? ¡°Khuh¡­ As expected, the taste isn¡¯t that great because it¡¯s ground chicken breast. But this is also an ordeal for great muscles!¡± I stared nkly at him and said, ¡°I¡¯m not joining.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll follow you until you say you¡¯ll join!¡± That was stalking. ¡°Dane Sogres, not having someone as talented as you join our club is a great loss to all of humanity!¡± How did we go from not building muscles to a loss for the entire human race? ¡°Alright. If you join our club, we will consider you positively for the next president position.¡± The students next to him were terrified. ¡°P-president! You said you would give me that seat!¡± ¡°Th-that happened to me, too!¡± ¡°You said you would make me the honorary president!¡± Were they giving out the presidency in some order of stupidity? ¡°In addition to the presidency, I can also give you priority for using the exercise equipment!¡± ¡°President! How can that be?! That is an incredible privilege!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! How can you give priority to a ce that everyone uses?¡± I eventually lost my patience and snapped, ¡°I¡¯m hungry, are you going to keep blocking the road?¡± ¡°Oh! Then how about some chicken breast shakes with us?¡± It couldn¡¯t be helped. It would be hard to break through them with brute force. Then¡ª ¡°Oh, he¡¯s running away!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Catch him! We¡¯ll definitely bring him into our club!¡± I chose to run away. I ran towards the alley nearby. To be exact¡­ ¡°Wh-where did he go?¡± ¡°I definitely saw him go into this alley!¡± I used the stealth skills I learned from my mother¡¯s assassination lessons. First, stealth. Assess the situation. There were three ces to hide in the alley I discovered in an instant. The big trash can. Behind the wall. And¡­ The eaves of the two-story building, which was where I was currently at. Second¡­ ¡°Helden, find him quickly! I knew this would happen, so I brought Helden with me! Helden has sensed several students and seeded in enlisting them!¡± Hold your breath and put your magic to sleep. The world is wide, and hiding is often seen through. ¡°Helden, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t detect him? We¡¯re alone here?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡± Minimizing one¡¯s presence and stopping the flow of one¡¯s mana was also an assassin¡¯s skill that was used to hide from detection. I was doing it perfectly now. There was some luck involved, too. ¡°Helden! What¡¯s going on?!¡± ¡°Ugh, I suddenly feel dizzy¡­¡± Helden, who had been searching hard, couldn¡¯t hold out and stumbled and fell to the ground. ¡°I-I felt dizzy after sensing for so long¡­¡± ¡°Oh no! You¡¯re definitely anemic! I told you to take your iron supplements on time! Otherwise, you¡¯ll get dizzy when you lift weights!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go and feed him some iron-rich food!¡± What the hell¡­? No, they¡¯re talking shit. ¡°But President, where did Dane go?¡± ¡°It seems like he ran away, so let¡¯s stop here for today. But we¡¯ll definitely get him! We¡¯ll search again starting this evening!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to stop him at all costs if he ever tries to join another club. It¡¯ll be a big problem if he does!¡± The group of muscleheads left the alley. I remembered thest words the muscle-bound president had said. It would be bad if I joined another club? Was it true that students who joined a club couldn¡¯t join a second one? If that was true¡­ ¡°Look at this kid. Not lowering your eyes? You mad¡­?¡± ¡°Hey, just beat him near death. This little shit is a coward. If I beat him up a few times, he won¡¯t be able to talk.¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong? That guy from yesterday isn¡¯t here either.¡± Hold on. I listened to the soundsing from the other alley. ¡°I-I am not afraid of you guys anymore.¡± It was Ernest. I was certain of it. That thin, trembling voice¡­ And the others¡­ ¡°Haha! Hey, did you hear that? He said he wasn¡¯t scared.¡± ¡°He¡¯s shaking like he¡¯s going to wet his pants at any moment¡­ Hey, you want to die? Do you know what kind of shitty dream I hadst night because of yesterday?¡± ¡°You¡¯re dead. We drank our potions, you see? Just to kill you one day sooner. Huh, how dare you hit me on the chin?¡± Aha. Those minions from back then. But it seemed like the leader, Bronn, was nowhere to be seen. The others drank potions and came out to seek revenge, but was Bronn too shocked by what happened? ¡°Who wants to go first? We¡¯ve got plenty of time anyway. I looked out of the alley here, no one¡¯sing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first. My jaw still feels numb even after taking the potion.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯te over here!¡± ¡°Hey, hey, look at this loner Ernest with his fist up! Hahaha!¡± Without hesitation, I immediately got down from the eaves and jumped over the wall. ¡°Hello.¡± I greeted them warmly. ¡°Y-you!¡± ¡°Oh, oh, what happened?! You said no one wasing!¡± It was good that it was before lunch. If I exercised a little, food would taste better, right? By the way, look at them. I counted how many there were with a nk face and continued speaking. ¡°That¡¯s right. No one¡¯sing. That¡¯s good. Right?¡± I raised my magic power. I had never cast magic directly on another person before, so this would be a good opportunity. A good opportunity to check the power of my ancient magic. Chapter 57 Chapter 57: Let¡¯s Make a Club (1) The power of ancient magic was beyond imagination. I had to cast the magic with half the usual amount of magic power in order to control it. ¡°Hiek!¡± ¡°Wh-what is that?!¡± The arrow was bigger than I expected. It was closer to a spear than an arrow. Of course, I was born with Ancient Magic. However, after my circle was created, it seemed to be on a different level. ¡°Y-you can also use magic?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t House Sogres known for spearmanship?¡± ¡°His eldest sister is the Arabe Sogres!¡± The moment they saw the magic arrows I had summoned, they flinched and hesitated. It was only for a moment, however, before one of them shook off his fear. He shouted, ¡°L-let¡¯s attack together! I heard that mages are physically weak!¡± ¡°Idiot! Don¡¯t you remember passing out after a single hit from him yesterday?¡± ¡°That was one-on-one! Shit, I¡¯m going first!¡± Was it because they were kids? Were they reckless or full of courage? Or maybe they just weren¡¯t mature enough yet. Well, they weren¡¯t entirely wrong to think that mages were weak after they created circles around their hearts. However, they chose the wrong opponent. First, I just mmed the magic arrow straight into the ground. Crash! Then, debris flew up along with dust and screams. Its power was unrivaled. It wasn¡¯t like it was a gun or anything. If I shot it at them, I was pretty sure one of them would have died. ¡°D-damn it! Come on!¡± As confusion arose, they rushed in indiscriminately. There were four of them in total. ¡°Attack him all at once!¡± Their strategy was quite reasonable, but¡­ On the battlefield, you didn¡¯t just learn how to fight with weapons. I grabbed the fist of the first one who rushed at me, wrapped my arm around his arm, and threw him to the ground. ¡°Keuk!¡± The next attacker, I punched in the jaw. Before he could fall and hit the ground, I kicked the third bastard in the chest. ¡°You¡¯re the only one left?¡± ¡°S-save me¡­ Ack!¡± I hit him on the head with the palm of my hand and threw him to the floor. p p. I dusted my palms and looked at Ernest. ¡°D-Dane.¡± ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°Y-yes! Thanks. But how¡­?¡± I recalled the breathtaking chase I had just had with the people from the Physical Beauty club and roughly said, ¡°There were some circumstances that made it happen.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ernest said, as if he were apologetic, ¡°Oh, I tried not to give up somehow¡­ but my legs were shaking.¡± No. Trauma and fear were not things that could be ovee so easily. Rather, I should praise Ernest for speaking up courageously. ¡°No, good job.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°Yes. But you have to do better in the future.¡± Of course, I should praise him, but he should not be satisfied with this. Looking at the situation, I didn¡¯t think they would give up easily. Unless Ernest and I were always together, these types of people would always find an opening. When someone you originally thought was beneath you rebelled or got angry, you got flustered and ended up bullying them more. This was especially the case for the one who was knocked out after being hit by Ernest. ¡°Uuuuugh¡­¡± ¡°N-no way¡­¡± In that sense, there was one thing that needed to be done. I crouched down in front of the minions writhing on the floor and said, ¡°Hey. Next time,e at me again. Got it?¡± ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡± ¡°Not to me, but to him.¡± I pointed to Ernest. Then I got up again and said to Ernest, ¡°Next time, you win.¡± ¡°H-huh?¡± ¡°You promised. You said you would fight Bronn fair and square and win.¡± Ernest nodded with eyes full of determination. ¡°Th-that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk as we go.¡± I left the fallen behind and exited the alley, instinctively looking around. ¡°Wh-what are you doing, Dane?¡± ¡°Ah, there are some annoying pests.¡± Fortunately, the gnats from the Physical Beauty Club seemed to be gone. Anyway. ¡°Have you had lunch?¡± ¡°N-no. On the way to the cafeteria, they suddenly dragged me away¡­¡± ¡°Great. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ernest smiled as if he had never been nervous. I talked to Ernest as we headed to the student cafeteria. ¡°Ernest, have you joined any clubs?¡± ¡°Huh? A club? Oh, no. There¡¯s no club I want¡­¡± ¡°Which club do you want?¡± ¡°Oh! Clubs rted to exploration and excavation of historical sites.¡± This kid really only had one thought in his head. ¡°There are academic societies within the department, but those are just mandatory clubs that you have to participate in if you¡¯re enrolled in the department. Clubs are different. There¡¯s a map research club, but I was disappointed because I heard that it¡¯s just a club that uses map analysis as an excuse to have fun.¡± ¡°Oh, really? So that means you¡¯re not in any clubs right now?¡± ¡°I¡­ guess so? Why, Dane, are you interested in clubs? These days, all the freshmen are making a fuss about whether or not to join a club, and the clubs are also very noisy recruiting new members.¡± ¡°Is there a rule or something about that?¡± ¡°Rules? I don¡¯t know much about them, but from what I know, you have to choose very carefully. Once you join a club, you can¡¯t join another one for two years.¡± This was it. I suggested, ¡°Then let¡¯s make a club while we¡¯re at it.¡± Ernest stopped walking for a moment and looked at me with surprised eyes. ¡°A club? Us?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wh-what club?¡± ¡°Just a club that does this and that.¡± I heard that there were a ton of clubs at the academy. You just had to register and not ask for permission, so anyone with the right mindset and people could create a club. ¡°We can train, explore ancient ruins, and when we¡¯re bored, we get together and eat.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it! Let¡¯s make it! Let¡¯s do it together! I absolutely want to make it!¡± Ernest epted surprisingly easily. Actually, I had personal reasons for it. First of all, it was to avoid the people from other clubs, including the Physical Beauty club. If I belonged to apletely different club, there wouldn¡¯t be any bothersome peopleing at me. Also, if I had to go somewhere, wouldn¡¯t it be better if I made it? ¡°Though we will often go on expeditions, we will also train. Of course, you will join me.¡± ¡°Yes! Of course! Then, can I learn swordsmanship or spearmanship?¡± ¡°Yes, probably?¡± There was one more thing. I should try raising such a useful person. At the moment, he was a coward who trembled when fists were thrown in front of his eyes. However, since he promised to fight fairly, he should make sure that he could protect himself. I just didn¡¯t know if he had talent or not.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Alright! That sounds really good. Then, are you and I going to make it together first?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s one more.¡± ¡°Oh! Le?¡± ¡°Yes. But I haven¡¯t asked yet.¡± ¡°I heard that the minimum number of people is three¡­ What if Le doesn¡¯t agree?¡± I said with confidence, ¡°No, she probably will.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Though, I guess she¡¯ll refuse at first.¡± * * * Reaper Scans [Trantor ¨C Rainypup] [Proofreader ¨C Harley] Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapeics * * * ¡°Hmm. We¡¯re making a club? The three of us?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What are you going to do in the club?¡± ¡°This and that. Analyzing maps, finding treasures, training, going out to eat.¡± Le tilted her head at those words. ¡°Is that enough to make a club?¡± ¡°There are so many boring clubs, why wouldn¡¯t that work?¡± By the way, Ernest told me that there were all kinds of clubs at the Imperial Academy. It wasn¡¯t just clubs like that Physical Beauty Club from earlier, but also many others created just for the purpose of socializing. ¡°I was thinking of joining a social gathering or something.¡± Le refused at first. Social gathering. That was a very important factor for girls, as it was important to not fall out of the mainstream. ¡°Why are you doing that?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Thermion. Even if you don¡¯t go, people will gather around you.¡± Le seemed to think that made sense. ¡°¡­So, how do you want to make it?¡± As expected, I got her. ¡°You just need to go to the student affairs office, fill out a club creation application, and submit it. It¡¯s simple, right? I think I can just go and do it now.¡± ¡°R-right now?¡± ¡°Yes. Why put it off?¡± I wanted to get away from that damn bodybuilding club and its potential nuisances as soon as possible. No, I felt like if I didn¡¯t do it immediately, I would see muscles even in my dreams. ¡°I also got rmendations to join a club from my seniors¡­¡± ¡°What club?¡± ¡°The Dessert Exploration Club!¡± Wow. Dessert exploration. What a strong enemy. Of course, they¡¯d also eat tarts too, right? ¡°They said they meet up regrly and have a dessert-tasting event. What do you think?¡± ¡°That sounds grea¡ªno, but wouldn¡¯t this be more fun? We can explore together, train with each other, see what we¡¯recking, and hang out together when necessary. Right, Ernest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m definitely for it!¡± I gently teased Le, ¡°Dessert is nice, but can¡¯t we do that, too? I like tarts anyway.¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re going to hang out with your seniors, then do that. Ernest and I can have fun together.¡± Le was floundering and at a loss, and I added decisively, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about doing regr swordsmanship training. Oh, and I¡¯m also thinking about things that might help with sword¡­¡± ¡°I-it can¡¯t be helped! I¡¯ll exin things to my seniors!¡± See? I knew she was going to do it. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go right away.¡± But there was a slight hitch in my ns. ¡°Oh, club creation? Didn¡¯t you hear about the changes that were made recently?¡± ¡°Changes?¡± I was starting to feel uneasy about what the faculty member was saying. ¡°Yes. So far, there are over three thousand clubs registered in our academy.¡± My mind became dizzy at the number. ¡°Because there are too many clubs that only exist in name only, and they keep increasing, so it has be difficult to manage them at all. So, starting this year, we changed from a reporting system to a permit system.¡± ¡°Permission¡­¡± ¡°Yes. You need a rmendation from a full-time professor. Part-time professors are not allowed.¡± This was unexpected. ¡°What are you going to do, Dane?¡± ¡°I never thought this could happen¡­¡± Le and Ernest were looking at me and asking what I was going to do. ¡°We need a professor¡¯s rmendation. We¡¯re freshmen, so is there a professor who would help us? I haven¡¯t even met our department professors yet.¡± ¡°The professor responsible for freshmen in the Exploration Department is currently on leave because he is on an expedition to the North Sea¡­¡± As Le said, we were freshmen. There was no way we would know a professor. It might be different if it was a professor we knew before entering the academy¡­ I was the same. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like it was impossible. ¡°Then let¡¯s go and ask.¡± ¡°Huh? You want to ask?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s ask someone to give us a rmendation. It¡¯s not that hard, is it?¡± ¡°That may be true, but¡­ they¡¯re professors, right?¡± I tilted my head as if to ask what Le meant. ¡°Yes, professors. I¡¯ll go and ask.¡± ¡°Huh? Is there anyone you can ask?¡± ¡°Yes, there is.¡± Just then, a good person came to mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is, but will it be alright? We¡¯re freshmen. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll look at us favorably.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I said confidently. Chapter 58 Chapter 58: Let¡¯s Make a Club (2) Kelthas Redfield. The only professor in the Autonomous Department, the one who was forcibly deprived of his leisurely life due to Dane¡¯s admission. He was also the professor who tried to send Dane to another department but ended up not being able to do so due to his unexpected swordsmanship skills. ¡®Damn. I said I¡¯d pass him, but what do I do? Is there any way to send him to a different department?¡¯ Of course, Professor Kelthas still wanted to use any means necessary to live a leisurely life. The simplest thing would be for Dane to decide on a department around his second or third year and leave the Autonomous Department, but the problem was that it didn¡¯t seem like that was going to happen. So, when Dane came to see Professor Kelthas, he pretended to be annoyed. ¡°Yeah, is something wrong?¡± A professor was supposed to have some dignity. No matter how much he yed around, he must maintain his dignity in front of his students. Moreover, wasn¡¯t he a formermander of the imperial knights? Even if he was the only one in the Autonomous Department, shouldn¡¯t he save face?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It wasn¡¯t right to spoil him and treat him kindly, like a child. He was already a thorn in his side. ¡°I¡¯m very busy, so just get to the point.¡± Dane began to speak more hesitantly than he had expected. ¡°Yes, Professor. Actually, I have a question about swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Swordsmanship?¡± Professor Kelthas narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s strange. You grazed my clothes twice and you still have something to ask?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what made me even more curious. What can I do to be as at ease as the professor?¡± Professor Kelthas was momentarily surprised and smiled strangely inwardly. ¡®I suppose he¡¯s not that annoying.¡¯ It seemed that Count Sogres really made sure to educate him well. Well, from what he¡¯d seen so far, he didn¡¯t seem like a man with a bad personality. Asking questions about swordsmanship was one of the things these talented brats had trouble doing. They usually just lived off their own egos. So, Professor Kelthas thought for a moment and then nodded willingly, saying, ¡°Hmm¡­ Alright. Then I¡¯ll give you some time.¡± ¡°Thank you, Professor.¡± ¡°What are you curious about?¡± Dane began to ask questions like a storm, as if he had been waiting for him to agree. ¡°I felt this thest time I was sparring with the professor. When I turned to the right, my feet felt a bit twisted. Should I say that it felt like my left foot should step forward, but my right foot instinctively stepped forward instead? And the feeling of turning around in an instant, I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± Professor Kelthas listened to the questions silently and tried to organize his answers. The questions made him happy even if he tried to pretend not to know. How long had it been since he¡¯d received such detailed and passionate questions? ¡®When I was the knightmander, they were afraid to even ask me questions.¡¯ Professor Kelthas wasn¡¯t a very kind person during his time as the knightmander. It was already a ce with strict rules, and with the leader¡¯s personality being like that, who would ask questions? That was probably why the sight of a ¡®disciple¡¯ asking questions seemed so cute. ¡°¡­I couldn¡¯t sleepst night because of these worries.¡± ¡°Oho, you even lost sleep over it?¡± He even said that he couldn¡¯t sleep because of his worries. Professor Kelthas thought for a moment. Yes, he was a nuisance, but he guessed it wouldn¡¯t be right to just reject him. ¡®It might be better to focus on swordsmanship and train him well before sending him to the Swordsmanship Department.¡¯ Since it hade to this, it might not be a bad idea to teach him properly. ¡°Alright. If that¡¯s your problem, I can help you solve it. Get up and follow me to the training ground.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± Dane, who followed Professor Kelthas, arrived at the training ground where he had his evaluation test and picked up his practice sword as before. ¡°Watch what I do.¡± A hexa-ss knight. The training grounds shook slightly as Professor Kelthas raised his magic power. Just by raising his magic power, it was possible to affect the surrounding environment. Dane¡¯s eyes focused. Whooooong! The trembling of magic power could be felt even when he was only swinging a practice sword. Dane watched Professor Kelthas¡¯ movements with admiration in his heart. ¡°Would you like to try?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dane was able to mimic Professor Kelthas¡¯s movements almost perfectly with just a few tries. ¡°Ha!¡± It was absurd from Professor Kelthas¡¯ perspective. How did it make sense that he could copy his moves just because he saw them once? Professor Kelthas swung his sword around with the intention of telling him to try it out. Since he couldn¡¯t possibly seed, he was going to let Dane try until he could do it. But how many times did he try? The same thing kept happening. He showed Dane the answers to all his questions through swordsmanship, and Dane simply got them all right. ¡®Did he already know the answer?¡¯ It was to the point that such absurd thoughts came to mind. ¡®He¡¯s a genius. A genius. He¡¯s clearly a genius.¡¯ Even roughly guessing, the students who were called ¡®geniuses¡¯ in the Swordsmanship Department wouldn¡¯t even be able to stand in front of Dane. He even felt strangely seasoned, as if he were a warrior who had been inbat for quite some time. Of course, a fourteen-year-old would never have that experience. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t think you would understand so quickly.¡± ¡°It was all thanks to the professor¡¯s excellent demonstration.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Even though he pretended otherwise, Professor Kelthas smiled pleasantly inside. He was even humble. He was starting to like Dane a little. ¡°Alright, what else are you curious about?¡± ¡°Nothing for now. If it¡¯s okay with you, Professor, would it be okay if I came to youter if I have any questions? Of course, I¡¯ll make an appointment in advance. I came to you so suddenly today¡­¡± Professor Kelthas unconsciously waved his hand at the apology. ¡°No. It could happen. The original duty of a student is to constantly be curious. Good job. Hehehe.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Professor.¡± What a relief, he was even polite. ¡®Hmm. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to keep teaching him?¡¯ While his mind was wavering from one side to the other, Professor Kelthas felt better and asked, ¡®like a professor¡¯, without realizing it, ¡°So, how is your academy life? I¡¯ve been so busy that I haven¡¯t been able to properly look after you.¡± ¡°No, Professor. But thanks to your consideration, I think I will be able to enjoy my life at the academy in the future.¡± ¡°Haha, what did I do?¡± Professor Kelthas finally smiled happily. Then Dane continued naturally, ¡°I think it will be fun in the future, too. I¡¯m thinking of creating a club.¡± ¡°Oh, clubs are great. You made it yourself? What kind of club is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a club where we practice swordsmanship and explore the academy and other ces.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s a bit of a problem. Originally we just had to register, but now it¡¯s changed to a permit system, so they say I need a rmendation from a professor.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Professor Kelthas asked just in case, ¡°So what happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of looking for a professor to help rmend my club.¡± Professor Kelthas was momentarily flustered. ¡®Another professor?¡¯ What was he talking about now? There was a perfectly good professor right in front of him! ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a professor, isn¡¯t there me?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, you said you were very busy, so I was worried that I would be a bother¡­¡± ¡°Huh. What are you talking about? No matter how busy I am, this is still something I can do. What should I do?¡± In response to Professor Kelthas¡¯s words, Dane exined the process. ¡°Hmm. Alright. Then I just need to go to the student affairs office and say I will rmend your club.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. But if it¡¯s too much trouble, you can write a separate letter of rmendation¡­¡± ¡°Alright. My only student is starting a club. Even if it¡¯s a hassle, how could I just give you a letter and take care of it? Don¡¯t worry, just go back.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor. Thank you.¡± Dane bowed his head deeply. In the shadows of his hair, Dane¡­ ¡­was smiling in satisfaction. ¡°¡­you really did it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Dane is a student, too¡­¡± When I returned and told them that I had found a professor to rmend our club, Le and Ernest looked surprised. ¡°Why are you like this? I also belong to a department.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I never even thought about it since you were the only one¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that the professor of the Autonomous Department doesn¡¯t show up to faculty meetings and it¡¯s hard to see him.¡± That was right. ¡°But anyway, how did you get it? Did you know the professor before entering the academy?¡± ¡°We¡¯re freshmen, so it¡¯s hard to even talk to our professors!¡± He was easy to talk to, though? Anyway, by pretending to inquire about swordsmanship, I seeded in winning the professor¡¯s favor and getting him to promise to give a rmendation. I was a freshman and could see that he already considered me a nuisance, so if I had gone and just asked, it wouldn¡¯t have worked. I even got advice on swordsmanship. Wasn¡¯t this really the best of both worlds? Anyway, there was nothing good about making an enemy of the man since he was my professor, even if it was in name only. ¡°So, are we really starting a club now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite believe it. I thought I would just join a suitable club.¡± I didn¡¯t even think we could do it either. If only it weren¡¯t for those pests from the Physical Beauty Club. Well, this might be better. After all, this meant that we could do whatever we wanted. ¡°So, if we make a club, what do we do first? Swordsmanship training? Or treasure hunting?¡± ¡°Of course it should be ruin exploration! There¡¯s a ce that¡¯s only a three-day walk from the Academy¡­¡± I guess I¡¯d have to decide on a club concept, too. Of course, there was something more important than that. ¡°What should we name our club?¡± The two who were about to bicker turned to me at my question. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a name¡­¡± While the two of them were thinking about a name, I felt squirming under my clothes. It was Karnas. He was probably stretching while sleeping. By the way, he slept really well. I put him in my bag for a moment when I met Professor Kelthas earlier, but he didn¡¯t cry when I left him, and he was still sleeping soundly when I put him back in my clothes. Was it because he was a baby? Whether humans or animals, they tended to sleep a lot when they were young. ¡°Kikreuk¡­?¡± Karnas seemed to wake up slightly when he felt my touch. ¡°Dane, what should we name the club?¡± ¡°Yeah. Anything.¡± ¡°But what are you looking at?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something on my chest.¡± I was just talking and thinking about a name. What would be good? It wasn¡¯t that important, but it was a bit weird to just go with anything. That was when Karnas popped his head out from my clothes. Both of their eyes widened. ¡°Hey, Dane. Wh-what is that?¡± ¡°What! Suddenly! D-Dane. What is he?¡± The two of them looked at Karnas with mouths wide open after he popped his head out of my arms. I answered simply. ¡°A summons.¡± ¡°S-summons? When did you summon it?¡± ¡°So cute¡­¡± Nodding at the fact Karnas was a summons onlysted for a while. ¡°This is the little one I¡¯m raising.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re raising it¡­?¡± Le seemed to know a bit as she asked me. ¡°What do you mean by raising a summons¡­ No way!¡± I nodded and said, ¡°What you¡¯re thinking should be correct.¡± ¡°Really¡­ truly¡­ a Familiar?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­Wow.¡± Le was speechless, and Ernest seemed to be still searching for his words. ¡°That, uh, f-familiar?¡± It seemed like it was a big shock. ¡°Kikreuk?¡± In the midst of all this, Karnas was tilting his head towards the two who were looking at him in surprise. He looked so cute that I scratched the crown of his head with a finger. ¡°Found him! He¡¯s over there!¡± ¡°Dane Sogres! I finally found you! Hahahahaha!¡± Ah. It was them again. Weren¡¯t they tired? ¡°Could it be that they¡­¡± Le, who had seen the pests from the Physical Beauty Club with me, narrowed her eyes and looked astonished. It couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°Let¡¯s go first.¡± ¡°Huh? Where?¡± ¡°To the student affairs office. To register our club.¡± The moment I registered and created the club, they wouldn¡¯t be able to bother me anymore. We started running. ¡°Surround them!¡± ¡°Go get him!¡± In the midst of all this, I thought about the reaction Karnas had just shown. He was a perceptive little thing, so he didn¡¯t suddenly show up like this. Of course, it hadn¡¯t been that long since we met, but¡­ Did that mean¡­ Could he sense danger? Chapter 59 Chapter 59: Let¡¯s Make a Club (3) There was a slight problem. Ernest wasgging behind. ¡°Haa, haa!¡± Unlike Le and me, Ernest had not yet awakened his magic power. Because of this, he was quite inferior physically, and the gap between him and the pests from the Physical Beauty Club was gradually closing. ¡°D-Dane! I can¡¯t! You go first!¡± I couldn¡¯t let that happen. The basic rule for founding a club was that all founding members must register together. ¡°Haha! Catch the one who falls behind first!¡± ¡°President, he looks a bit shabby though?¡± ¡°Everyone has muscles! Muscles just need to be built up! Even someone shabby like that can turn into a great man in a few months!¡± Ernest looking back with a strangely interested expression was probably just my illusion. ¡°M-muscles¡­?¡± Anyway, I wondered what to do about Ernest, who was falling behind. I couldn¡¯t force him to run. If I used magic power on him directly, I didn¡¯t know what might happen. Subduing someone was one thing, but I hadn¡¯t reached ¡®that level¡¯ yet. ThenÒ» ¡°Answer my call.¡± I had no choice but to call on the only one I could summon. ¡°Aaaack!¡± Ernest was startled and rolled on the floor when Gendpu suddenly appeared. ¡°Ernest, get on. Gendpu. Please take care of him.¡± ¡°Krkkk!¡± Gendpu went over to Ernest, who had just gotten up, and lowered his body as if telling him to get on. Ernest jumped on Gendpu¡¯s back in a panic. ¡°Aaaaack! S-Save me!¡± They were so fast. ¡°P-president! Wh-what is that?¡± ¡°Oh my god! With that kind of frame, he can even summon! He¡¯s a talent that must be captured!¡± Should I have just attacked with Gendpu? ¡°Waaaa! Dane, he¡¯s so fast!¡± In the meantime, Ernest seemed to have adapted quickly. ¡°Dane, can you bring your summons out at the academy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It should be fine if I don¡¯t get caught.¡± Anyway, Gendpu ran down the street like that, and Le and I followed him. When we had gained some distance, I stopped Gendpu and unsummoned him. Whine. ¡°See you next time.¡± I felt sorry for not calling him for a proper reason, but what could I do in such an urgent situation? ¡°Let¡¯s run to the student affairs office.¡± ¡°What on earth is this?¡± ¡°Ouch, my butt.¡± We ran to the student affairs office, barely keeping some distance, and finally seeded in arriving there. I grabbed the first person I saw and spoke quickly. ¡°Some weirdos are chasing us. Please call the student council immediately.¡± ¡°W-weirdos?¡± The man who appeared to be a faculty member, looked at the members of the Physical Beauty Club chasing after us and then, as if understanding the situation, took out his crystal ball hurriedly. In the meantime, we practically slid into the office. ¡°What is¡ªoh my. Dane Sogres?¡± ¡°I¡¯vee to resubmit my club application. I¡¯ve already filled out the paperwork.¡± ¡°What about the professor rmendation?¡± ¡°Professor Kelthas Redfield, the dean of the Autonomous Department, has vouched for us. He has promised toe and sign the rmendation as soon as possible.¡± The faculty member in charge looked a little dubious at my words but soon nodded. ¡°Yes, I understand. I will believe it since it¡¯s you. If this is a lie¡ª¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s suspension or expulsion, I will take full responsibility. I promise on the honor of House Sogres.¡± The staff member looked surprised when I brought up my family¡¯s honor. ¡°N-n need to go to that extent¡­ Anyway, I understand. I¡¯ll check the documents. The three people who will found the club are¡­ Le Thermion, a first-year student from the Swordsmanship Department, and Ernest Dn, a first-year student from the Exploration Department. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°The club name field is nk?¡± I wrote down whatever came to mind. ¡°Please register this name.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. The club name is¡­¡± Bang! Just then, the door opened and the pests from the Physical Beauty Club came running in. ¡°Dane Sogres! You won¡¯t be able to run away any longer! Hahaha!¡± ¡°Just give up and join our club! Letting your bones rot away is a loss for all of humanity!¡± A sigh was heard from behind them. ¡°It¡¯s them again.¡± It seemed like this wasn¡¯t the first or second time this had happened. ¡°Just go,¡± I said nicely. However, it looked like the pests had no intention of giving up. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll just back down, Dane Sogres? I¡¯m going to make you a member of the Physical Beauty Club!¡± Was that shiny substance on their bodies oil or sweat? Hoping to never find out, I pointed behind me. ¡°Really? What should I do? I just created a club.¡± For a moment, the president¡¯s face twisted into a frown. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I made a club. I¡¯m so sorry, but what can you do? I don¡¯t think I can join the Physical Beauty Club.¡± ¡°S-such an unfair¡­¡± The president trembled as if he had been scammed. Then the faculty member behind him intervened. ¡°The club creation process has beenpleted.¡± Immediately afterward, the office door opened and a loud voice was heard saying, ¡°Physical Beauty Club, I¡¯ve finally caught you!¡± It was a member of the student council. His eyes were fierce, and it seemed like he had suffered just as much as everyone else. ¡°I can finally arrest you, those who are disrupting the peace of the Academy and causing public unrest!¡± ¡°D-damn it!¡± ¡°It was hard because you were spread out like a, but now I finally caught you!¡± They were hard to catch because they were spread out like a? Why didn¡¯t he just catch any guy that looked muscr and troublesome? It was at that moment that I questioned the capabilities of the student council. ¡°P-president! What should we do?¡± ¡°We have to run! The moment they catch us, our n to fill the entire Academy with a wave of muscles will be disrupted!¡± They had such a big dream. Wouldn¡¯t it be faster for the academy to copse? ¡°Quick, the smokescreen!¡± Bang! At that moment, a smoke bomb suddenly exploded and the room was filled with chaos in an instant. ¡°Cough! Cough! It¡¯s smoke again!¡± ¡°Shit! Grab them!¡± Laughter echoed through the smoke. ¡°Hahaha! You idiots! Come and catch us if you can!¡± But I could see them. No, I could sense them. The pests from the Physical Beauty Club were trying to escape through the smoke during the chaos. ¡°S-stop those guys!¡± Amidst the desperate cries of the student council members, I gathered my magic power. WhoongÒ» I directed my mana toward the exit. The magic power that had been cast like a curtain became a solid wall, blocking the pests from the Physical Beauty Club as they were about to leave. ¡°Wh-what?!¡± ¡°What the hell, we¡¯re stuck!¡± ¡°The door is definitely open!¡± They tried to push forward, bumping into each other like a tangle of muscles, but it didn¡¯t seem to work. 2-chain magic, ?Magic Barrier?. ¡°Gather your magic power and push!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not working, it won¡¯t budge!¡± ¡°President, what should we do?¡± I could tell these pests were using a lot of strength from the tremendous vibrations being transmitted through the barrier. The spell was truly worthy of its name. It seemed all their muscles weren¡¯t for show, but there was no way out. * * * Reaper Scans [Trantor ¨C Rainypup] [Proofreader ¨C Harley] Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapeics * * * Rattle. I walked towards the back and opened the window, and thanks to that the smoke began to clear. The pests from the Physical Beauty Club could be seen struggling in front of the door. ¡°You bastards! Cough! Block them so they can¡¯t go out!¡± Only then did the student council memberse to their senses and run toward the Physical Beauty Club members After a while¡­ ¡°D-Damn it! I got caught!¡± ¡°Hahaha! I finally got you!¡± All members of the Physical Beauty Club were arrested, strung together like fish on magic ropes. The person who appeared to be the leader of the student council was delighted, with an expression on his face that showed signs of at least thirty years of fatigue being erased. ¡°I can finally hand you pests who disrupt the order and peace of the Academy over to the disciplinarymittee!¡± ¡°To get caught by you lot, with your bby muscles¡­ What a disgrace to the Physical Beauty Club!¡± ¡°What the heck! The door was definitely open!¡± In the midst of this, the head of the student council members approached me. ¡°Hey, freshman. Did you help out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Thank you. Your name is¡­ No, judging by the hair, it looks like you are the freshman everyone¡¯s talking about. Dane Sogres.¡± The leader stretched out a hand and I shook it. ¡°I really appreciate you helping me catch those evil bodybuilders. I¡¯ve been chasing them for an entire year.¡± He¡¯d been chasing those idiots for a whole year? That made me question the qualifications of the Academy¡¯s student council. ¡°They are very cunning and meticulous. When they think they¡¯ll be caught, they escape, and it is not umon for them to cut off their tails. But now that we have caught the president, the Physical Beauty Club won¡¯t be able to cause chaos.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! How pitiful of you! To not know the beauty of muscles!¡± ¡°President! As expected of you!¡± I shook my head. I didn¡¯t really have any desire to join the student council, but at this moment, I agreed with the student council. ¡°Anyway, I would like to express my deepest gratitude on behalf of those who were harmed by the Physical Beauty Club. In that sense, our Student Council will actively cooperate if you, Dane Sogres, request assistance.¡± ¡°Oh, alright.¡± ¡°Of course, it will be even more so if you join the student council!¡± When a subtle sales offer came in, I turned back to the other two. ¡°Things are resolved, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Did you make the club because of those muscleheads?¡± ¡®Le, you sharp girl.¡¯ ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say they weren¡¯t part of the reason¡­ but isn¡¯t it important that we created it? Honestly, it would be annoying no matter which other club we joined.¡± Le seemed convinced, as if I wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Yeah, well. It¡¯s a bit disappointing, but whatever. We can just have fun.¡± Ernest nodded, saying, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m so excited! What should we do first? Exploration? Or training? I¡¯m up for anything!¡± Now that I thought about it, I needed to think about what to do. ¡°Let¡¯s start by solving the map we got. We¡¯ll think about the rest then.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°Alright. Wait. Then who¡¯s the president?¡± I tilted my head at Le¡¯s question, ¡°Obviously it¡¯s me, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Is that how it is?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s because I said I would make it.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± I offered a suggestion to Le, who seemed to be feeling a bit down. ¡°Le, how about you be the Vice President?¡± ¡°Well, if you insist.¡± I also made an offer to Ernest, who seemed equally down. ¡°How about Ernest as the executive director?¡± ¡°Execution¡­ director?¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ll decide on the execution of various events and budgets. I¡¯ve been thinking about it since I decided to create a club.¡± Actually, I just made it up. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s an incredibly important position.¡± Actually, there wasn¡¯t much to do right now. ¡°Y-you¡¯ll really entrust me with such an important task?¡± Ernest asked me with surprised eyes. There were only three of us, so what could you execute? Still, proper process was necessary. I put my hand on Ernest¡¯s shoulder with a very serious expression on my face and stated, ¡°You can do it. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone better suited for the job than you.¡± Because he was the only one left. ¡°Dane¡­ Can I really do this?¡± ¡°The position makes the man. If you adapt to it, it will happen. Of course, even if it doesn¡¯t, you will do well.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Ernest nodded with a rather serious expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°Good.¡± With this, even the most difficult position problem was easily resolved. I thought it was because they were children. I felt a little guilty.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get together when we have time.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°So now we¡¯re in the club, too!¡± ¡°To be exact, we made it.¡± Sword training. Exploration. Everything else. My club activities, which were called the ¡®flower¡¯ of academy life, had begun. ¡°Don¡¯t resist! Come along!¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t mean our muscles will disappear!¡± ¡°Muscle or whatever, just worry about the disciplinary actions you¡¯ll be facing!¡± Was it because those annoying pests who caused so many issues were being dragged away? For some reason, it felt like a good day. By the way, it had only been a few days since I started school, so why was this happening? ¡°Dane, what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m going back to the dorm.¡± I pointed to my chest in response to Le¡¯s question. ¡°I need to feed this little one.¡± ¡°Oh right!¡± ¡°I forgot about him!¡± Le and Ernest grabbed me excitedly. ¡°Show me quickly!¡± ¡°M-me too!¡± I looked at the two and shrugged helplessly. ¡°Not here. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Y-yeah!¡± Chapter 60 Chapter 60: The Professor¡¯s Call (1) Professor Temeric. Although not as talented and authoritative as Professor Delphineso, the dean of the Summoning Department, he was plenty skilled. As a summoner, he was able to summon 1st-rank summons, which was considered to be the ultimate level, and he was evaluated as unrivaled when it came to handling multiple small summons in multiple deployments. ¡°This¡­ doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± He was in shock right now. ¡°Dane Sogres.¡± Professor Temeric repeated the name of the person who had shocked him. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t understand it. Never mind the fact that someone without a Summon Sign was able to summon. After all, that happened every once in a while. It could happen if one¡¯s affinity with a summons was particrly high. The problem was that the summons in question was Gendpu, who was known for being particrly vicious among the 5th-rank summons. What kind of summons was Gendpu? In terms of simplebat power, it was about average among 4th-rank summons, and depending on the summoner¡¯s ability, it could easily deal with two 4th-rank summons. Not only did he summon such a being without a sign¡­ ¡®I certainly never expected enhancements.¡¯ In higher years, students learned how to enhance summons. It was a summoning assistance technique. The one Dane had used hadn¡¯t been a regr enhancement. He even achieved ?Link Enhancement?, which raised the connection with the summoned creature to a level where it could never be severed. Normal enhancement was something that could be done at a certain level, but ?Link Enhancement? was something that even the most skilled summoners couldn¡¯t do in their entire lives. It was something that was possible only if you were born with great affinity and continuously practiced increasing said affinity. At this point, Dane had surpassed the level of a typical ¡®genius¡¯. The standard for being called a genius in summoning was to seed in summoning around the second year. ¡°I ended up making a fool of myself. Ha!¡± Professor Temeric remembered the promise he had made. If Dane could prove his qualifications, he would write the child a letter of rmendation for special selection. He¡¯d made that promise in front of all the students. Of course, there were many loopholes. By Professor Temeric¡¯s standards, even most geniuses wouldn¡¯t even catch his eye. At best, they could sessfully summon another creature, or he figured that Dane would create a new link with a summons like he had shown when passing the entrance exam. But then somethingpletely unexpected happened. ¡°Shit.¡± Even though it was a n that came to mind spontaneously, he never thought it would go wrong like this. In this way, rather than pressuring Professor Delphineso, he ended up bing aughingstock¡ªeven to the point of having to write a letter of rmendation. In the end, the prestige he thought he had was damaged. Knock knock. Just as he was thinking so, there was a knock on the door. ¡°It¡¯s me¡ªDelphineso.¡± Professor Delphineso. She was the dean of the department. Professor Temeric was momentarily dumbfounded. ¡°I¡¯ming in.¡± And then, without even waiting for an answer, Delphineso entered the room. ¡°Are you busy?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Temeric forced a smile and offered her a seat. Delphineso Einz A woman who was once called the Witch of the Battlefield because all the summons she handled were as vicious as demons. Now, she was no different from any other middle-aged noblewoman, unable to even be connected to such an imagery. Professor Delphineso sat on the sofa in an elegant posture. Professor Temeric thought as he watched her, ¡®What is all of this? She¡¯s nevere to visit me before.¡¯ Professor Temeric hated this woman. No, it wasn¡¯t just that he didn¡¯t like her; he found her annoying. She always went against his opinions at every department meeting and never even thought about stepping down from her position as dean. Of course, his opinions were often wrong, but whenever he saw the other professor reject him outright, he felt like his authority was being undermined. ¡°I wonder if I came too suddenly.¡± ¡°Haha. How could that be, Dean?¡± Of course, he couldn¡¯t openly show his dislike, now could he? As the tea was ced between the two and steam was rising from the tea, Professor Delphineso picked up a teacup. ¡°I was wondering how things have beentely. Since bing the dean, I feel like I haven¡¯t been able to ask my fellow professors how they¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m doing fine.¡± ¡°Really? ¡®Thanks to you¡¯ are such nice words to hear.¡± Professor Delphineso smiled, but Professor Temeric could not. Did she notice that there were thorns hidden in those words? ¡°There are many talented students, and the number of undergraduate applicants is increasing, so I am a bit worried about the professors¡¯ workload. Especially¡­ when a student who really stands outes in.¡± Only then did Professor Temeric realize what she meant. ¡°For example¡­ Are you talking about a student like re?¡± ¡°re is nothing inparison. There¡¯s an even stronger studenting in.¡± Professor Delphineso smiled faintly and finally revealed her true intentions. ¡°I heard that something interesting happened in your ss. Is that true?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious. I don¡¯t mean to interfere with your ss, so please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± ¡°Haha. Of course not. But I didn¡¯t know you would be interested in my ss.¡± ¡°Of course. I am the dean of the department.¡± Just once. He had seen Professor Delphineso call on her summons to suppress the eastern rebels just once. Why did he recall that time? ¡°¡­There was an interesting student. More so than re.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Dane Sogres. He¡¯s the student I ¡®personally¡¯ passed.¡± What were her intentions this time? ¡°I heard that you promised to write him a letter of rmendation. Is that true?¡± ¡°That¡­ is true.¡± ¡°Is there something bothering you?¡± Professor Temeric quickly shook his head in response to Professor Delphineso¡¯s question. ¡°O-of course not. I was just wondering what to say in my letter of rmendation because he is such an outstanding student.¡± Professor Delphineso¡¯s smile blossomed brightly at those words. ¡°That¡¯s good. Since the special selection test requires two letters of rmendation, I¡¯m thinking of writing the other one.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He is a student who deserves to be epted, so as the dean, I can¡¯t just sit back and do nothing.¡± Ah. Now he understood. Professor Temeric barely suppressed his boiling anger. Had he ever seen such a sly woman? ¡®She¡¯s saying she¡¯s going to take all the credit!¡¯ When multiple letters of rmendation were written, the one with higher authority was generally given priority. In other words, in the current situation, between the two letters of rmendation that would be used, Professor Delphineso¡¯s would be the main rmendation rather than his own. If that happened, Professor Delphineso would naturally be recognized as the ¡®rmender¡¯, and depending on the situation, she might even be the ¡®discoverer¡¯ of the genius Dane Sogres. ¡®Ha! Yes, alright. That¡¯s the kind of woman she is.¡¯ Funnily enough, the person who had been reluctant to write the rmendation letter just now was Professor Temeric himself. Now, however, he was burning with anger instead. Damned if you do, damned if you don¡¯t. That summed up the situation quite well. ¡°Is there something bothering you?¡± Of course, there was no reason to refuse right now. That would further lower his reputation by branding him as a professor who couldn¡¯t even recognize a genius who was overflowing with talent. ¡®Just wait and see.¡¯ Professor Temeric shook his head and said, ¡°Of course not, Dean.¡± ¡°Good. By the way, when you¡¯re done writing your rmendation letter, please show it to me. I think I¡¯ll have to adjust my words a bit.¡± ¡°¡­Of course.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave first. I enjoyed the tea. Thank you for your time.¡± With that, Professor Delphineso, having gotten what she wanted, left with a satisfied look on her face. Professor Temeric sat on the sofa and thought, ¡®She¡¯s clearly trying to draw him to her side¡­ But¡­ It won¡¯t work this time.¡¯ Professor Temeric made up his mind to get that genius boy on his side. ¡®Hmm, what would he like? Artifacts? Or summoning secrets?¡¯ If only he could take that woman down a few pegs, he would do whatever it took. From the Magic Department to the Summoning Department. It was at that moment that the number of departments with people who wanted to bring Dane to their side increased. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to talk to him first.¡± Since he had to write a rmendation letter anyway, he had enough reason to call him over even though he was from a different department. ¡°Kikreuk! Kikreuk!¡± Karnas ate really well. He ate so well that I regretted not buying more food from ?Eus and Boden?. ¡°Kikreuk!¡± I shook my head as I watched Karnas screaming for more, saying, ¡°No. What if your stomach bursts?¡± ¡°Kkireuuuk¡­¡± It couldn¡¯t be helped. I offered another piece of food to Karnas, who bowed his head sullenly. ¡°This is thest one, got it?¡± ¡°Kikreuk! Kikreuk!¡± The little one pped his wings excitedly and quickly took the food from my hand. Was it just me, or did it seem like his body had grown bigger in just two days? ¡°Kikreuk!¡± Karnas moved in front of me andy down. Was he telling me to scratch him? I scratched his stomach just in case, and he made a ¡®purring¡¯ sound. Did that mean he felt good? ¡°Purrr¡­ purrrr¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t like he was some kind of cat. As I was scratching Karnas, I suddenly remembered Le and Ernest¡¯s reactions before we went our separate ways. Naturally, they were both extremely surprised. A Familiar¡¯s Egg. The egg itself was incredibly valuable, but so was the hatched familiar. Fortunately, their excitement didn¡¯t scare Karnas or anything. Rather, should I say that he looked bewildered by the interest shown? Their reactions were explosive, and Le in particr even pestered me to ask if I could get her one too. Of course, if I said that I received it as a gift, she¡¯d be very jealous and would not ask any further questions. By the way, Ernest¡ªas expected of someone from the Exploration Department¡ªwas excited to find another ce where we might be able to find a Familiar¡¯s Egg. Anyway, I felt like they would keep at it all day if I stayed, and I also had to feed Karnas, so I came back to the dorm. ¡°Kikreuk?¡± At that moment, Karnas tilted his head as he looked at me, as I had stopped scratching him while deep in thought. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep scratching.¡± As I started to scratch his stomach again, Karnas closed his eyes and surrendered his whole body, making a simr sound as before. It was very cute. ¡°But will you still be like this when you grow up?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how big he would be, but it was baffling to think that he might grow to be the size of a wyvern. When I thought of him lying down, rubbing his huge body against me and asking me to scratch his belly¡­ In preparation for that time, I should ask my sister to develop something like an ¡®automatic belly scratcher¡¯. No, actually, it was more important to think of where to keep him. ¡°Once you get to the size of a wyvern, you won¡¯t be able to stay here.¡± The dorm rooms were spacious enough, but that was on the basis that you were human. I doubted he could stay therefortably once he reached Gendpu¡¯s size. From then on, size would be a problem, but this little one will have other difficulties when ites to living. So, I¡¯d need arge space. A space where he could stay normally while still being able to answer my calls at any time. ¡°Kikreuk?¡± Upon seeing such a cute appearance, I wanted to keep him always by my side, but¡­ Still, a minimum amount of independence would be necessary. ¡°First of all, you¡¯ll need some training.¡± I would have to think about how to train himter. For now, he seemed to listen well. It might be a good idea to seek out an authority on summons from ¡®Beyond the Horizon¡¯. The problem was that there was no such authority within the academy right now. ¡°The only ss left today is¡­ a liberal arts one.¡± Now, the only thing left on my schedule was a history lecture titled . I fed Karnas a good meal, and then I packed him up and left the dorm. I couldn¡¯t stop by the dorm all the time, so next time I¡¯d just pack some food and feed him in an appropriate ce. ¡°Kikreuk?¡± Karnas looked up at me once and then fell back into a deep sleep. I chuckled at him and checked that I had some time left. Good. Since I had plenty of time, I should get a tart. ¡°Where was the ce that Digron told me about?¡± Just as I was making my way out¡­ ¡°Dane Sogres?¡± Someone spoke to me. I turned my head and saw a woman wearing a unique beret. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Hello. I am an Imperial Academy messenger. Professor Delphineso, the dean of the Summoning Department, has summoned you.¡± Professor Delphineso, not Professor Temeric? I hadn¡¯t seen her since the test, so what could this be about? ¡°For what reason?¡± ¡°She only said it was about the rmendation letter. She asked that youe right away. Should I go?¡± It was a sudden call. I looked at the messenger and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think that would work.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was on my way to eat some tart.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om For a moment, the messenger¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡°I heard there¡¯s a delicious restaurant. I haven¡¯t had a chance to go there since I entered school.¡± ¡°Whaaat?¡± I think it was ?Pascal Bakery?? I asked the messenger, who seemed momentarily flustered, ¡°Do you know where ?Pascal Bakery? is?¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61: The Professor¡¯s Call (2) Professor Delphineso Einz was the dean of the Summoning Department, which was considered the third most influential department within the Imperial Academy, following the Magic Department and the Swordsmanship Department. Of course, she wasn¡¯t very happy with this situation. ¡®Even being the eternal third should have its limits.¡¯ On the surface, the Imperial Academy appeared to be a cradle of great talent and a ce where academic passion blossomed, but thepetition that took ce within was no joke. In particr, the power struggles among professors were extreme. The budget, equipment, and facilities allocated varied greatly depending on the strength of the department within the academy. The so-called ¡®Big 3¡¯, namely the Swordsmanship Department, Magic Department, and Summoning Department, were the departments that received thergest budgets. Naturally, the authority and evaluation of the professors were different, and since the Imperial Academy was sorge, it affected their reputation. That was why Professor Delphineso couldn¡¯t be satisfied. How long was her department going to be pushed around by the others? She couldn¡¯t let it stand. She was very unhappy with the fact that she, who was considered the best in the world, had been evaluated as a perennial third-ce ever since she was appointed as a dean at the Imperial Academy. ¡°I have to bring him in, even if it¡¯s just for the sake of our department.¡± With that in mind, she made a n to bring Dane Sogres into the Summoning Department. Dane Sogres. He even passed the entrance exam for the Autonomous Department. Additionally, he was the son of Arken and Lily Sogres, and the younger brother of Arabe and re Sogres. Needless to say, talent was a given with him. If someone like that entered her department? Even if not the Swordsmanship Department, they should be able to easily beat the Magic Department. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡± The Autonomous Department. The symbolism behind it was enormous, and the professor in charge, Kelthas, was a former knightmander¡ªalbeit a bit of a bum now¡ªso he had a good reputation. It also had the advantage of allowing its students to take any ss they wanted regardless of major. So, the chances of himing over seemed low, butÒ» ¡°But there is always a way.¡± Professor Delphineso smiled as she thought of various methods. He was still a child, after all. Even though he was a genius, what would a fourteen-year-old know? She could use the rmendation letter as an excuse to suggest various things and make him see the attractiveness of the Summoning Department. Then there was the appropriate bait: re Sogres. ¡°Professor Temeric, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She thought of Professor Temeric, who had promised a rmendation letter in vain and now looked ridiculous, desperately trying to drag Dane to his side. Poor thing. He rushed in with his pettypetitive spirit, one that no one cared about, but Professor Delphineso had no intention of responding to it. She didn¡¯t think he was a threat. However, it was annoying, so she would just trample on him in advance. Professor Delphineso smiled happily as she imagined Professor Temeric running wild after hearing the news. By the wayÒ» ¡°He should be here soon.¡± It had been an hour since she had called for Dane. By now, the messenger would have arrived and slowly made their way to the researchb building. Professor Delphineso smiled happily as she organized what she wanted to say to Dane. ¡°Hmm.¡± But even after ten more minutes, there was no sign of theb door opening. Professor Delphineso, who had no idea that Dane would be so stubborn, decided to wait a little longer. Suddenly, a smile appeared on her face as she wondered how long it had been since she had waited for someone. ¡°He¡¯s that important.¡± She heard that the Magic Department was also keeping an eye on him. Professor Dinavo, at that. It seemed like deans of different departments werepeting with each other. However, she wouldn¡¯t let him be taken away. There were so many things she could offer him. ¡°He¡¯s taking a while.¡± As she was thinking, another five minutes passed, and Professor Delphineso¡¯s expression gradually hardened. Knock knockÒ» Finally, a knock was heard at her door. ¡°Please enter.¡± Professor Delphineso straightened her posture with a soft smile. The messenger entered first, saying, ¡°Professor, I brought Dane Sogres.¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work. You can go back now.¡± Then Dane came through the door. ¡°Hello, Professor. You called for me?¡± ¡°Oh, Dane Sogres. Nice to see you. This is the first time we¡¯ve interacted since the exam, right? Please, sit.¡± Dane sat down, and Professor Delphineso tilted her head. ¡®A sweet scent?¡¯ It was a pleasant scent. ¡°I apologize. I¡¯m a littlete because something came up.¡± ¡°No, things happen.¡± Professor Delphineso smiled, but in her head, a new n was forming with this as an excuse to seize control. But just then¡­ ¡°Please pardon me for a moment.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to open up my subspace.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Please do.¡± With permission granted, Dane infused a ring with magic power and opened his subspace. ¡®How unique. I¡¯ve never seen such subspace equipment before.¡¯ Anyone who could use mana could use a subspace, but the subspace ring that Arabe had developed and given only to Dane was quite an amazing item. Meanwhile, Dane pulled out a well-packaged box from his subspace and exined, ¡°Actually, I was a littlete because I was buying this.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Professor Delphineso¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°This is ¡®Special Dessert Set No. 1¡¯ from ?Pascal Bakery?.¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± Professor Delphineso covered her mouth in shock. ¡®A special dessert set.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t that a set that you couldn¡¯t buy even if you had money because it was always out of stock? It was a limited edition set of only the most delicious desserts from ?Pascal Bakery?, which were produced and packaged in limited quantities. Among the sets, they produced the most of the No. 1, but it still sold out immediately! ¡°How on earth did you get this¡­?¡± Professor Delphineso lifted the box very carefully, as if she were an explorer who had discovered a priceless jewel. ¡°I tried so hard to get one but couldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d like it, Professor.¡± ¡°Of course I like it! Oh my gosh. A No.1 Set¡­ How did you know I wanted one?¡± Dane smiled brightly at that and confessed, ¡°I actually really like desserts.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Tarts in particr.¡± Professor Delphineso nodded, seemingly impressed. ¡°You are a learned student.¡± It was impressive from the start. Being a littlete didn¡¯t matter any longer. No, she didn¡¯t even remember that he¡¯d beente. He had bought her a special dessert set! ¡°Thank you, Dane Sogres. Truly. I¡¯ll eat sparingly.¡± By the way, it was a very expensive set. That was because it had a preservation magic applied to it, so it hardly ever rotted. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± ¡°I like it. What a precious gift. Did re tell you, by any chance?¡± Dane shook his head and stated, ¡°I happened to stop by and thought of you, Professor.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Oh my.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t on purpose, there was one thing Dane realized while watching his two older sisters. Women generally liked sweet things. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but it was true. Anyway, the meeting was starting off well. Their conversation began in a warm atmosphere. ¡°You¡¯re a freshman, so things must be busy, right? Also¡­ You¡¯re also very talented, so there must be a lot of ces that want you.¡± Professor Delphineso tried to get a feel of things. However, instead of being caught, Dane answered skillfully, ¡°I still have a lot to learn. As a freshman, I just want to learn whatever I can.¡± ¡°How humble. Wanting to learn is a great attitude to have. Is there a subject that you particrly like?¡± Dane pondered those words for a moment before replying, ¡°It¡¯s hard to pick a specific subject right now. I want to do well in everything.¡± ¡°You want to do everything well¡­ I see. You are at the age where one thinks such things.¡± Professor Delphineso seemed to understand, then suddenly asked, ¡°Oh, by the way, something amazing happened in Professor Temeric¡¯s ss yesterday, right?¡± She continued with a grin, ¡°Actually, I called for you today because of that. It may be a bit sudden, but as the dean of the department, I couldn¡¯t just sit still after seeing such an incredible performance and talent. You even summoned Gendpu and enhanced your link.¡± Rumors traveled fast. However, Dane wasn¡¯t as flustered as Professor Temeric. ¡®Did he know this would happen?¡¯ Well, whatever. What did it matter if he did? He bought the special dessert set No. 1 from ?Pascal Bakery?. Professor Delphineso thought Dane looked more beautiful than any other student in the world. ¡°In that sense, I thought that with this level of talent, it was only natural that you should take the special selection test. That¡¯s why Professor Temeric and I agreed in advance to write you rmendation letters.¡± ¡°Thank you for thinking well of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something that a professor should naturally do for a talented student.¡± Professor Delphineso then stated slyly, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m writing a special rmendation letter even though the student is not a member of the Summoning Department.¡± ¡°I am truly thankful.¡± ¡°It just means that you are very talented.¡± Professor Delphineso winked. ¡°So, how about you take this opportunity to learn a little more about being a summoner?¡± ¡°Being a summoner?¡± ¡°Yes. In fact, I myself wonder if there is more to learn if you¡¯re talented enough to be rmended for the special selection exam¡­ on the other hand, that¡¯s also why I want to teach you more. If you want, I¡¯d teach you myself.¡± Professor Delphineso¡¯s eyes, emphasizing the word ¡®myself¡¯, showed strong determination. She was filled with a strong will to bring Dane into the Summoning Department by his second or third year. It was notmon for a dean to say something like this. ¡°By the way, have you joined any clubs?¡± However, Professor Delphineso faced difficulties from the start. ¡°Actually, there are a lot of good clubs in the Summoning Department. Of course, it¡¯s not just about summoning, but I think it would be helpful to join at least one.¡± ¡°Oh! I¡¯m really sorry¡­ but I created a club with my friends.¡± ¡°What?¡± He created a club? ¡°A club?¡± ¡°Yes. I just made it a little while ago¡­¡± Professor Delphineso was dumbfounded by Dane¡¯s words, which seemed to express great regret. A first year student created a club? When the rules had changed? ¡°H-how?¡± ¡°Fortunately, we were able to create it thanks to the rmendation of my dean, Professor Kelthas.¡± Ridiculous. Why would someone like that, who usually cked off and didn¡¯t even attend a faculty meeting, rmend anything? ¡®It seems there¡¯s more than one or two enemies.¡¯ Professor Dinavo, the dean of the Magic Department. Professor Temeric, who she had just put down a few pegs. Plus, the dean of the Autonomous Department, who she had never considered a threat, Kelthas Redfield. ¡®So, he¡¯s dering sovereignty, is he?¡¯ Since it would be too tant if she revealed her true intentions, she had nned to naturally increase his interest by suggesting he join a club affiliated with the Summoning Department. However, that n was ruined. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it. Ah, but congrattions on creating a club.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Professor Delphineso hid her emotions and asked, ¡°Then when you have time,e visit myb. There are a lot of fun things there. Oh, I also have something precious. It¡¯s called a Familiar¡¯s Egg.¡± She didn¡¯t forget to throw out a huge bait. A Familiar¡¯s Egg. It was a treasure among treasures that anyone who learned the art of summoning, or rather anyone who knew of its existence, would covet and find amazing. ¡°A Familiar¡¯s Egg?¡± As expected, Dane seemed to have taken the bait. ¡°Yes. I am the dean of the Summoning Department, after all. Of course, it hasn¡¯t hatched yet, but you know that you can buy a castle with just one unhatched familiar egg, right?¡± Professor Delphineso smiled as if satisfied. Of courseÒ» She didn¡¯t know that Dane had a familiar¡¯s egg, let alone hatched it. ¡°Pleasee again next time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t worry about the rmendation letters. They will be issued in my name and Professor Temeric¡¯s name soon. If you have any questions about the exam process, feel free to ask.¡± Professor Delphineso brought up the main topic. Dane nodded gratefully and said, ¡°Thank you for your care, Professor.¡± ¡°I should be thanking you. You are such a talented person. And you¡¯re even re¡¯s younger brother.¡± Even with the subtle emphasis, Dane didn¡¯t lose his smile. The meeting was concluded shortly thereafter. ¡°Take care.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor. Thank you.¡± The moment the door closed¡­ ¡°A special dessert set!¡± She returned to the table in a sh and picked up the box of desserts Dane had presented to her. Gulp. ¡°I can¡¯t believe thisnded in my hands¡­¡± Professor Delphineso¡¯s eyes were sparkling. Srrrk. Professor Delphineso¡¯s hands were shaking violently as she untied the ribbon. The moment the ribbon was released and the box openedÒ» ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Professor Delphineso looked as if she had seen a light in the darkness. The pride of ?Pascal Bakery? and the ¡®special dessert¡¯ that people in the capital and all over the empire mored to eat was right before her eyes. ¡°How can re¡¯s younger brother have such great sense?¡± Professor Delphineso made up her mind. She had to bring Dane over by any means necessary. ¡°Oh, right. I have to be patient for now.¡± Professor Delphineso put the box down for a moment with desperate patience and sat down at her desk. Then she took out some luxurious paper covered with gold leaf. ¡®After all, Professor Temeric might try to get ahead.¡¯ The rmendation letter for the special selection test. Not only that, but a letter from Professor Delphineso Einz, the dean of the Imperial Academy¡¯s Summoning Department and one of the best summoners in the world. ¡°I wonder how shocked those old fogeys proctoring the test will be?¡± Professor Delphineso quickly began to write the letter of rmendation amidst pleasant daydreams and the sweet scent of dessert. Chapter 62 Chapter 62: Summoner Special Selection (1) It was pure luck that I got the No. 1 set from ?Pascal Bakery?. The production times of ?Pascal Bakery?¡¯s desserts and special dessert sets were said to be confidential. Because of this, I heard that people didn¡¯t know when it woulde out¡ªthey spent whole days waiting or they visited at random to ask if it was in stock. It just so happened that the hot off-the-press No. 1 set was being made just as I stopped by. I was nning on buying a box of desserts, following my father¡¯s advice that we should bring at least one gift whenever we went somewhere, but who would have guessed that it would turn out to be a ¡®special dessert set¡¯? ¡°I didn¡¯t know there were two of them.¡± Thanks to that, there was one more No. 1 set in my subspace. I would share it with Le and Ernestter, and I¡¯d give some to my sisters too. Anyway, thanks to that, I was able to gain more favor with Professor Delphineso than I expected. I could take my time, but seeing as she was someone who I didn¡¯t need to antagonize, wasn¡¯t this a good result? ¡°Though, it doesn¡¯t seem like I¡¯ll be going to the Summoning Department.¡± Of course, I was sorry to say that theplete transfer Professor Delphineso seemed to wish for would be a bit difficult. There was so much I wanted to do. There were a lot of things I wanted to learn. Now that I¡¯d been promised rmendation letters, was it all done? ¡°Let¡¯s see. Then¡­¡± I¡¯d be getting the rmendation letters soon, so I could take the special selection test with those. Club activities could be done slowly going forward. Ernest would interpret the map himself. It hadn¡¯t even been a week since I arrived at the academy, but so much had happened that I needed to sort things out a bit. However, it didn¡¯t seem unmanageable. ¡°I should head to my liberal arts ss¡­ Oh, right.¡± As I was walking to the liberal arts lecture hall, I suddenly thought of my parents. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to contact them since I entered school.¡± I found a suitable spot and opened my crystal ball. Then I injected magic power into it and tried to call. Soon after, the crystal ball began to glow. ?Dane, my son!? It was my mother. ¡°Mother.¡± ?My son. I didn¡¯t know it would be this hard not seeing you for a few days. Are you well?? ¡°I¡¯m fine. I miss you both, too.¡± The weing voice I heard made my heart ache. So, this was what family was like. ?I-is that our son?!? ?Just wait a minute! I¡¯m talking to him!? ?Son! How are you?? My father was there too. They both talked like we hadn¡¯t seen each other in months, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I¡¯m doing well. I met up with my older sisters and made a lot of friends. Oh, and I also created a club.¡± ?Huh? A club? Already? Isn¡¯t our son great?? ?As expected, he¡¯s our son! If you¡¯re going to do it, how about making it the biggest club in the academy?? My father was still as silly as always, and my mother was always warm. I felt good. ¡°The sses are also really fun.¡± ?Yes, our son is very talented. Do you carry Nighthorn with you?? ?Dane, spearmanship alwayses first!? I felt like I needed to contact them more often. It must be lonely for the two of them to live in the castle now that I had left, too¡­ ?By the way, Dane. What would you think about having a younger sibling?? ?Is there nothing you won¡¯t say in front of our child?!? ?Wife! Be honest, aren¡¯t you curious what talent our fourth child could have?? ?Th-that¡¯s true, but¡­? ¡­they didn¡¯t seem that lonely after all. I also bragged about Karnas while I was at it. Their reactions were beyond shocked, almost to the point of fainting. ?Oh my goodness. The familiar¡¯s egg hatched!? ?Hahahaha! Our son is the best! This will go down in history!? ?Be quiet! What if someone hears you? After all, it¡¯s a hatched Familiar¡¯s Egg!? ?So what? Everyone will find outter anyway!? They fussed so much I wondered if I shouldn¡¯t have told them, but it was nice to see them happy. ¡°Kikreuk?¡± In the midst of this, Karnas, who had been sleeping soundly, slowly opened his eyes and stared at the crystal ball with a bewildered expression on his face. ?Oh my, he¡¯s so cute with his eyes open.? ?Haha! It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen such a creature. It¡¯s definitely a familiar.? Karnas instinctively smiled and wagged his tail. He really was like a puppy. ?Raise him well. If you have any problems because of that child, please contact me at any time.? ?We¡¯lle running anytime.? This reassurance¡­ I had my own talents and special qualities, but it was my family that allowed me to live with confidence and be happy in a world that was different from my previous life. So, I ended my long-awaited correspondence, headed straight to the liberal arts hall, entered the ssroom, and left after ten minutes. They said that the ss usually ended with a short and concise orientation, and that was exactly the case. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to call it a day. Upon returning to the dorm, I fed Karnas and ended the day by studying my ancient magic. First thing in the morning, I received a call from my second sister. ?Dane! I got a call from Professor Delphineso!? ¡°What?¡± ?She already sent the rmendation letters and the Summoner¡¯s Association contacted her today! They said the Association will immediately send an examiner to the Academy.? That was faster than I expected. ?Professor Delphineso seems really like you. How did you do it? She¡¯s such a picky person.? I smiled at those words. It seemed like desserts were the best gift. ?Anyway, it looks like your test will be soon¡­ In my case, I had to summon three summons at the same time, maintain them for an hour, and enhance our link.? Even in my opinion, it was a very difficult test. ¡°It must have been very difficult.¡± By the way, my second sister had also gone through the special selection test. re had probably passed it when she was sixteen. ?Actually, I don¡¯t know what kind of test you¡¯ll be given. They¡¯d make a rough preparation, but they won¡¯t tell you. Well, actually, Professor Delphineso¡¯s letter should be enough to qualify you¡­ However, there are also some power struggles within the association.? ¡°Power struggles?¡± ?Dane, it might be a little difficult to understand at your age, but um¡­ Professor Delphineso has a history of consistently refusing requests from the Summoner¡¯s Association. So, the association doesn¡¯t like her.? I think I roughly understood. ¡°So, does that mean the test might be difficult?¡± ?That could be true. I¡¯m not too worried, but, um¡­ Honestly, I think I¡¯d be a little sad if you got hurt in a fight between adults.? I smiled at that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Because that wouldn¡¯t happen. Professor Delphineso urged Professor Temeric to write the rmendation letter and send it to the association, and then she immediately started preparing for the test. In fact, there was nothing much to prepare for in the special selection test, as all one had to do was pass the arbitrary evaluations of the association¡¯s examiners. The Imperial Academy was full of ces that could be used as testing sites and was fully equipped with relevant tools. As a result, when rmendation letters were sent to the association and a request for quick processing was made, examiners were dispatched in less than two days. ¡°Ahem. Professor Delphineso. Long time no see.¡± ¡°Hello, Chairman. How have you been?¡± The Imperial Summoner¡¯s Association. Elgard Foden was the chairman of Altheon Empire¡¯s summoner association, to which all summoners were obligated to be a part of. He showed his difort when he saw Professor Delphineso, who hade out to greet him. ¡°Just how great is this child that you rushed me like that?¡± In any organization, the people above tended to have heavy butts. This was also true for Chairman Elgard, who ranked just below the president and vice president. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chairman. I couldn¡¯t help it because he is so talented.¡± ¡°Ahem. Then you should have taken the position when the association offered it and processed things quickly. Tsk tsk.¡± Elgard did not hide his disgruntlement. In terms of skill, Professor Delphineso was superior to him. But this world didn¡¯t revolve around ¡®ability¡¯ alone, did it? The title of Chairman of the Association, which held the reins of all Summoners, was not one to be taken lightly. ¡°You know that if you get a position, you have to work for it. I wouldn¡¯t be able to focus on my academy work.¡± Professor Delphineso smiled faintly without giving in. She knew well of Elgard¡¯s dark intentions, as he always tried to bring her in and use her. To be honest, she was sick of associations. Because of her outstanding skills, she was dragged here and there from a young age, and above all, she was mobilized to war countless times. Of course, she would have participated in the war even if she hadn¡¯t been in the association¡­ but because of the association¡¯s greed, she was thrown into reckless operations and battles, and she was exhausted or almost killed many times. ¡®Hmph. I¡¯ll take a look since they sent the rmendation letter, but¡­ I honestly don¡¯t like this.¡¯ Elgard looked at Professor Delphineso and scoffed inwardly. ¡°Alright, I understand. You said Dane Sogres? re Sogres¡¯s brother?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Blood is thicker than water, after all. That¡¯s a great talent.¡± ¡°From the rmendation letters, I see that he can already summon the 5th-rank Gendpu, strengthened the link, and during the Autonomous major exam, he even created a ¡®multi-link¡¯ with your summons?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s such an absurd talent that there was a lot of talk about it internally,¡± Elgard said with a dubious expression on his face. ¡°re Sogres¡­ I saw it with my own eyes, but I don¡¯t think her younger brother could be better than her. Wouldn¡¯t he be on the same level as ¡®Galderan¡¯?¡± Galderan. He was thest summoner who could summon from ¡®Beyond the Horizon¡¯, which was like a dream to summoners. Although he was a figure from two hundred years ago, he was a role model and a source of nostalgia for all summoners. That was why the fact that Elgard specifically mentioned ¡®Galderan¡¯ showed how much he thought this was nonsense. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he can bepared to ¡®Galderan¡¯, but you¡¯ll know if you see him.¡± Professor Delphineso smiled faintly, and Elgard shook his head helplessly. ¡°I will evaluate very, very strictly. As you well know, special selections have historically been like that.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Professor Delphineso smiled brightly, undeterred by Elgard¡¯s threatening appearance. ¡°Alright. Pleasee this way, Chairman.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Elgard led the evaluation team and followed Professor Delphineso. Naturally, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on them. ¡°What, what? Are they from the Summoner¡¯s Association?¡± ¡°What is it? Why are they here?¡± ¡°I heard that Dane Sogres got a special selection rmendation. You know, that freshman who took Professor Temeric down a peg in his ss.¡± ¡°Ah! That one who even strengthened his summons?¡± ¡°Damn. What the hell? Why is he so good at everything?¡± Amidst the murmurs of surprise, admiration, envy, and even jealousy, Elgard, the examiners, and Professor Delphineso finally arrived at the gymnasium where the test would be held. ¡°This is the ce.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Elgard, who entered, was satisfied at the sight of the well-equipped auditorium. Of course, he had no ns to pass Dane with that. After all, he had prepared the ¡®most difficult¡¯ test possible. ¡°Who is the examinee?¡± In response to Elgard¡¯s question, Professor Delphineso gestured, and the academy staff member who had been waiting opened the door. Dane walked in. ¡®Did they say he was fourteen?¡¯ A height and stocky physique that made it hard to believe he was fourteen. Silver hair that swayed with every step. Even his confident gait caught the eye. Elgard could see why Professor Delphineso sent that rmendation. ¡°I am Dane Sogres, the youngest son of Count Arken Sogres, the lord of the South and head of House Sogres. It is an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°I am Elgard Foden, the chairman of the Summoner¡¯s Association.¡± Elgard, either expressing his difort or wanting to exclude everything unrted to the evaluation as an examiner, ended the introduction there and got to the point. ¡°Whether or not you pass the exam is entirely up to me, Elgard Foden. If you have any objections, you may abandon the exam now.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Elgard¡¯s eyebrows twitched for a moment at the unhesitating answer. ¡°Please keep in mind that there should be no cheating during the exam, and if the exam is judged to be unfair, the results of this test can be invalidated at any time at our discretion. Even your qualification as a Summoner can be revoked.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± At the still unhesitating answer, Elgard realized that his threats were meaningless. Was he being cocky or just confident? He hoped it was the former.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°The basic condition of summoning a 5th-rank or higher summons with a nk sign and maintaining it for more than thirty minutes has already been met through many testimonies, so I will not bother testing it.¡± It wasn¡¯t really something to be happy about. ¡°But you have to show something special.¡± The third condition of the special selection testÒ» Showing something special. Elgard smiled strangely. ¡®Can he really pass?¡¯ He imagined the spectacle that would unfold, the sight of Professor Delphineso going crazy in shock because of itÒ» ¡°Let us start.¡± Finally, the test began. The remaining five examiners moved in unison. They came for the evaluation, but more specifically, for ¡®this¡¯. Whoong! The five moved to the end of the auditorium where the test was being held, then gathered their magic power to form a dome-shaped protective shield. Professor Delphineso¡¯s eyes widened at the sight. ¡°Surely not.¡± The reason the auditorium was protected with a dome-shaped shield was¡­ ¡°Answer my call.¡± It meant that an unexpected creature would be called upon. Chapter 63 Chapter 63: Summoner Special Selection (2) If you think about it, I wasn¡¯t given any ¡®test preparation¡¯ time. The dessert effect might have been too strong, as the association people came to see me the very next day. Well, not that I was worried about that. Preparing wouldn¡¯t make a difference, and wouldn¡¯t it be more embarrassing if I were given time to prepare but the results didn¡¯t reflect that? My past life was a series of variables. Although I lived in a stagnant space called a battlefield, what I faced on the battlefield were enemies that exceeded my expectations, a direck of supplies, and life-threatening situations. ¡°Answer my call.¡± So, I wasn¡¯t nervous. However, I was a little surprised. ¡°Kwaaaaaah!¡± I was surprised that the special selection test was thisrge in scale. I remembered seeing it in the Summoner¡¯s Dictionary. 3rd-rank summons, Antares. ¡°Grrrrr¡­¡± It was at least four meters tall and as wide as six people standing side by side. It had a lion-like mane and sharp teeth. It walked upright like a human and had strong ws that looked like they could sh your head off if you touched them. It was a summons that had no special abilities but was ssified as a 3rd-rank simply due to its size and strength. Ah.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Now I understood. This was the reason my second sister was worried that I would get hurt in a fight between adults. ¡°You¡¯re a ¡®genius¡¯, so you should be able to handle this much, right?¡± Elgard said. ¡°By any means necessary, subdue Antares.¡± He was asking me to do the impossible. ¡°This is the special selection test I am giving.¡± I stared nkly at Antares. It snorted and grumbled, ready to rush in and tear me to pieces at the slightestmand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be any danger as we¡¯ve put safety measures in ce. Well, you¡¯re a ¡®talent¡¯ that two professors praised so much that ink was overflowing from the page, so I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± What he meant with his nonchnt words was so obvious that it wasughable. I happened to see Professor Delphineso¡¯s expression. Of course, it wasn¡¯t good. Well, this was a ridiculous situation. Ordinarily, that was. ¡°Oh, of course, you can give up now if you want. Then you won¡¯t be able to apply for the special selection in the future and will have to wait for the regr exam¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the test.¡± I was a little different. ¡°Good.¡± My current talent was one reason, but¡­ I also had my memories of my past life. CraÒ»ack. I opened my subspace and pulled out the short spear my father had given me as a present for my seventh birthday. ¡°Grrrr!¡± Antares radiated a ferocious aura, as if responding to my spear. ¡°A spear? Oh, right. He is the son of Count Sogres.¡± Elgard looked at me as if it didn¡¯t matter. Whoong! As I gathered my magic power, his expression changed a little. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t think that a little magic power would do anything to Antares, a 3rd-rank summons that was a match for most knights. But I was different. In my previous life, I spent over twenty years on the battlefield. Naturally, I¡¯d also faced countless summons. ¡°Kwak!¡± I dodged Antares by jumping to the side as he charged straight at me, and at the same time, I struck his shin with the de of my spear. I quickly twisted my wrist, and the effect was immediate. Crash! He fell over at the same speed he was dashing at me and crashed to the ground. I didn¡¯t realize the assassin training would be this effective. Concentrating magic power in a part of the body and instantaneously releasing it was something my mother taught me for quick ¡®assassinations¡¯. I never imagined that I would be able to avoid Antares¡¯ attack with it. Amidst the dust settling, everything was quiet. ¡°Oh my god.¡± The voice that pierced through the silence was Professor Delphineso¡¯s. ¡°Wh-what just happened?¡± I could also see Professor Temeric, who seemed to have just arrived, with his mouth wide open. Before I knew it, there were several people in the auditorium other than the examiners. Students who I presumed to be from the Summoning Department, and I wasn¡¯t sure when he arrived¡­ but Professor Kelthas was also there. There seemed to be a lot of spectators. ¡°Grrrrrrrrr!¡± Then Antares got up. Anyone could tell that he was angry. Blood was flowing from his shin, but the wound did not appear deep. My wrists were a little numb, but I was protected by magic, so I wasn¡¯t unable to fight or anything. ¡°Alright.¡± I aimed my spear at him again. Then, Antares, as if excited, approached with brisk strides, and quickly kicked off the ground to close the distance between us. AndÒ» Plunk! Just as his attack reached me, I too used my magic power to kick off the ground and narrowly avoided his ws. Pshhhk! I stabbed Antares in the side with my spear. ¡°Kuaaaah!¡± A high-pitched scream echoed. At the same time, I let out a burst of magic power. It was the technique that my father showed me, which involved concentrating mana on the tip of a spear and causing it to explode. Boom! Flesh burst open and a scream rang out. ¡°Kwaaak!¡± At the same time, ws flew at me. ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± ¡°D-dodge!¡± But I had already retreated. I gave up on my spear cleanly. ¡°Haha.¡± I heardughter from somewhere. Perhaps it was Professor Kelthas? ¡°Kwaaagh!¡± Antares pulled out the spear stuck in his side and threw it far away. He was very tough. Even though his side was torn apart, he could still get up and walk. nk! ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Father, but sometimes you have to give up your weapons cleanly.¡¯ Because that was how I fought on the battlefield. Instead, I opened my subspace again and this time took out a sword that I had picked up when I left home. ¡°Huh, a sword?¡± This time, it seemed to be the chairman who had summoned Antares. The voice seemed to be filled with a strange tension, different from before. A sword, huh? If someone asked me now whether I was more familiar with a sword or a spear, I couldn¡¯t answer easily. But one thing was certain. I had rolled around in that fierce battlefield for over twenty years with my talent for the sword. ¡°Kwaaaaaah!¡± Antares rushed in. This time, I didn¡¯t dodge. I grabbed the sword and charged straight at him. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± A scream erupted among the students watching Dane¡¯s special selection test. That was a crazy stunt. After all, a human¡¯s physical strength was different from a summons. No matter how much you strengthened your body with magical power, it was absurd to confront Antares head-on. In fact, most high-level summons were physically much, if not iparably, stronger than humans. No matter how many safety measures were in ce, it was a crazy stunt. He was clearly out of his mind. Professor Delphineso prepared for a forced re-summoning by gathering her mana. Even though it was a 3rd-rank summons summoned by the chairman, she should be able to block it to some extent. Just as she was about to release her manaÒ» ¡°Just watch.¡± Professor Delphineso¡¯s magic power wavered momentarily as she heard someone¡¯s voice from beside her. In the meantimeÒ» sh! Blood sprayed into the air. ¡°Oh my god.¡± But Dane was alive. He had passed Antares perfectly fine and was swinging his sword. ¡°As expected.¡± Then the voice came from beside her again. ¡°Professor Kelthas?¡± It was Professor Kelthas, who was said to be illusive. Professor Delphineso¡¯s eyes widened. Then Professor Kelthas pointed at Dane and said, ¡°Maybe you should have summoned a stronger summons.¡± His voice reached the ears of the person sitting right in front of him¡ªChairman Elgard, who wanted to deny what he had just seen. ¡®Wh-what on earth¡­¡¯ Cold sweat ran down his face. It was toote for him to act. Dane had charged head-on with such confidence that Elgard watched, stunned, without even realizing it. Fortunately, the attack seemed to have seeded, but¡­ ¡°Kwaaaaaah!¡± If that student, Dane Sogres, had been torn apart by those ws¡­ He might have been subjugated by Count Sogres for the rest of his life. Also, he couldn¡¯t believe Dane¡¯s skills. Dane, who had just shed head-on with Antares, ended up injuring him instead. Fourteen years old. No matter how much of a genius he was¡­ ¡®How¡­ does that make sense?¡¯ Naturally, Elgard came with the intent to fail Dane. The ridiculous test of subduing a 3rd-rank summons was proof of that. However, Dane far exceeded expectations. ¡°Kuuk¡­ Kuuk¡­¡± While Dane was fine, Antares was now bleeding from his shins, side, and chest. ¡°I never thought he would be able to mix mana with swordsmanship in that short period of time¡­¡± Professor Kelthas muttered nkly. At those words, Elgard¡¯s eyes lit up. So that was it. He was said to have outstanding talent not only in summoning but also in other things. ¡®We absolutely must¡­ drag him into our department.¡¯ ¡®Swordsmanship and magic, how interesting. It would be fun to teach him, wouldn¡¯t it?¡¯ The professors who were watching thought so. ¡°How does that make sense¡­?¡± ¡°Thank God he didn¡¯te to the Summoning Department¡­¡± ¡°How can he fight Antares like that?¡± Students denied reality. ¡°This sword is quite sharp. Is it because of the mana?¡± Dane, the cause of all this surprise, was calmly examining his de. However, when Antares tried to rush at him again, he stretched out his hand. And¡­ Whoooooong! Three spears made of mana appeared in the air. 2-chain magic, ?Magic Spear? Not only was his casting speed excellent, but the size of the spell was also excellent. Likewise, it was a level of skill that was absolutely unbelievable for a fourteen-year-old. ¡°Kwaaagh!¡± The spears of magic struck Antares¡¯ body as he dashed toward Dane. Bang! Antares finally knelt. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Exmations rang out from all sides. It was an unbelievable sight. Spearmanship. Swordsmanship. Magic. Not only did he disy talents greater than those geniuses in each field, but he also used them all to subdue a 3rd-rank summons. ¡°Fuu.¡± But there was still one left. Talent as a summoner. Dane reached out to Antares, who was panting and down on one knee¡­ ¡°Respond to my power.¡± Finally, he created a link and connected it to himself. It was not for obedience like the one from his entrance exam but a forced link that prevented any more hostility. This time with the thought of ¡®subjugating¡¯. ¡°¡­ridiculous.¡± Professor Delphineso suddenly thought as she saw Dane¡¯s talents, which were far more tremendous than she had imagined. Galderan. Thest summoner who could summon from Beyond the Horizon. She wondered if Dane was his reincarnation. In the midst of this¡­ Crash! Finally, Antarespletely knelt fully. It was evidence that he had beenpletely subdued by Dane. Above all, it was a perfect performance, one that could not be faulted even a little. In other words¡­ ¡®He¡­ passed.¡¯ Dane had passed the test. ¡°Do I need to suppress him more?¡± Dane¡¯s question rang out at that moment. Elgard dered through gritted teeth as he looked at Dane, who spoke calmly, without a single scratch on him, ¡°¡­You have passed the test.¡± He tried to appear calm, but his voice was shaking against his will. It was absolutely ridiculous. However, because he had set an unreasonable test without thinking about the consequencesÒ» ¡°Chairman, the exam is finally over.¡± A test awaited him too. ¡°But it was a bit excessive.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 64 Chapter 64: Sometimes, Humility Can Be Poisonous ¡°What do you mean it was excessive!¡± Elgard protested. However, Professor Delphineso continued coldly, ¡°Let¡¯s be honest. No matter how talented, do you think it makes sense to summon a 3rd-rank summons and then immediately tell a student to subdue it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ there were so manypliments written on the letter¡­ and it turned out well, didn¡¯t it?!¡± ¡°Yes, it went well. He will probably go down in history as a great talent who subdued a 3rd-rank summons using spearmanship, swordsmanship, magic, and summoning¡ªin that order.¡± Professor Delphineso nced at Dane and continued speaking. ¡°But what about you, Chairman? Anyone who looks at the situation¡­ will remember you as someone who gave an unreasonable test in order to fail a student.¡± ¡°P-Professor Delphineso, I definitely put safety measures in ce!¡± ¡°Such a person just stood still when they confronted each other head-on earlier.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± Professor Delphineso smiled coldly and stated, ¡°I will not tolerate this, Chairman.¡± Eventually, Elgard could make no more excuses. Everyone was looking at him with strange looks. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ In the midst of this, Dane¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°The summons is in a lot of pain. Shouldn¡¯t we quickly reverse summon him?¡± It was a voice filled with guilt. Elgard was startled and made a reverse summoning sign, and Antares, already hazy,pletely scattered and disappeared. He returned to the world he lived in. At the same time, Elgard vomited some blood. There was a price to pay for summoning such a summons. If the summons was injured, its summoner shared the burden. Everything was a mess. If things had gone as nned, Elgard would have stopped the test at an appropriate time, dered that Dane had failed the test, and returned in high spirits. What the hell was this? ¡®Shit¡­¡¯ The test ended, and the dome-shaped shield that had surrounded the entire auditorium was immediately lifted. At the same time, cheers were heard as if they had been waiting for it. ¡°Really¡­ he really passed? I¡¯ve never seen anyone pass the special selection test before!¡± ¡°Really¡­ What is talent? I couldn¡¯t even summon a 6th-rank summons properly during my entire third year¡­¡± ¡°If there were students from the Magic, Swordsmanship, and Spearmanship Departments in addition to the Summoning Department, it would have been a mess¡­¡± The students¡¯ reactions were generally ones of surprise or disbelief. Talent had to be at a certain level for others to be jealous, but if the talent was that overwhelming, they couldn¡¯t even feel jealous. The examiners, excluding Elgard, were in a state of shock. ¡°The test is one thing, but how can this be¡­?¡± ¡°I thought it was unbelievable even as I watched.¡± ¡°How on earth does House Sogres educate their children?¡± ¡°Spearmanship, swordsmanship, magic, summoning¡­ What should we call such a talent?¡± Professor Kelthas, who was watching, came to a conclusion in his mind. ¡®A genius of talents.¡¯ Professor Kelthas thought back to when Dane had taken up arms and shed head-on with Antares. He didn¡¯t know what kind of magic it was, but Antares staggered for a moment, and Dane took advantage of the gap to swing his sword, stabbing him in the chest before leaping away. That series of actions could never, ever be attributed to a fourteen-year-old. It was as if¡­ as he had felt before. It felt as if he was watching a seasoned knight. ¡°I need to teach him better.¡± Professor Kelthas had no formal disciples because he thought it was too much of a hassle. But now, he thought a little differently. ¡°How high will he go?¡± Professor Kelthas muttered as he watched Dane put his spear and sword back into his subspace. ¡°As expected¡­ What a great talent.¡± Meanwhile, Professor Delphineso was finally able to smile. How anxious had she been throughout the exam? But he did it¡ªwith tremendous skill, at that. One fact became more certain. ¡®I must bring him to our department no matter what.¡¯ But then doubts began to grow. Was it really possible? ¡°Dane!¡± Just then, the auditorium door opened and two women came running in. Arabe Sogres. re Sogres. Dane¡¯s two older sisters. The two ran over and hugged Dane tightly. ¡°Little brother, are you okay?¡± re examined Dane first. ¡°I heard fighting Antares was your test! What kind of crazy bastard would do such nonsense¡­?!¡± Arabe, as was her nature, shouted first. Thanks to this, Elgard was left staring nkly at the sight without any time to react. ¡°That¡­ that¡­¡± Regardless, Arabe looked over Dane, not minding the people from the Summoning Department at all. She sighed in relief when she realized that he waspletely unscathed. ¡°Thank goodness. You¡¯re really not hurt, are you?¡± ¡°Yeah, this is nothing. I¡¯m just a little tired. Thanks foring, sisters.¡± ¡°I would have liked to have observed the test¡­ but family isn¡¯t allowed.¡± Naturally, to prevent cheating, family members weren¡¯t allowed to observe the test. Still, re felt very sorry about that fact and was stroking Dane¡¯s head. ¡°Hey, sorry to interrupt your family reunion, but can I borrow your little brother for a moment?¡± ¡°Oh, professor.¡± Professor Delphineso approached at that time. She looked at Dane with a grin. ¡°We have to award the sign.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did Dane¡¯s two older sisters step back, and Dane finally approached Elgard. He was shaking violently. However, what was even more pitiful was that even though he was shaking, he tried to keep a calm expression on his face. ¡°In ordance with Article 56 of the Summoner Association Rules¡­ Dane Sogres, the eldest son of House Sogres, who passed the special selection test¡­ is hereby granted the official status of Summoner and awarded with this insignia¡­¡± With that trembling deration, Dane was finally granted a sign, a golden one given only to those who passed the special selection test. The surface was slightly warm, as if it had just been engraved, and the golden mark was engraved with Dane¡¯s name and his unique code as a summoner. Dane epted the sign calmly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Then he asked Elgard, ¡°Would you mind if I gave it a try?¡± Elgard nodded in bewilderment. ¡°S-sure.¡± Dane walked slowly toward the center of the auditorium, holding the sign in his hands. ¡®I guess the code was just registered now¡­ What is he going to do?¡¯ Elgard¡¯s doubts were fleeting. ¡°Answer my call.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om sh! The golden sign in Dane¡¯s hand was engulfed in light, and the air split apart to reveal a summons. ¡°D-damn¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s his first summoning, right? His first summoning with a sign?¡± ¡°How does that make sense? I mean, what the¡­?¡± The one who appeared, to everyone¡¯s astonishment, was the 4th-rank summons, Altemar. Although it looked like a small and cute rabbit, it was a buff-type summons that greatly increased the overall physical abilities of its summoner. ¡°Kiyung?¡± Dane had done a tremendous job on his first summoning. Professor Delphineso looked at the sight and smiled. ¡®It¡¯s only a matter of time before word spreads around the academy.¡¯ Rumors spread incredibly fast. Everyone who passed by recognized me. ¡°Is that the boy who passed the special selection test for summoners?¡± ¡°Damn. What kind of house is House Sogres?¡± Gossip wasmonce, and invitations to join clubs were alsomon. ¡°Dane, if you join our club, you will have all the privileges that only the president can have¡­¡± ¡°I guarantee you 20% of the profits from the school festival!¡± Of course, when they heard I had made a club, they all got sullen and left. Thankfully, I decided to create a club. Of course, it wasn¡¯t all joyful. Professor Delphineso. I became more wary of her. Professor Delphineso probably thought highly of me, but I didn¡¯t think so. Her intentions were so obvious. It also seemed like I was used in her conflict with Elgard. I had no intention of being dragged into anything. ¡°Le, I just can¡¯t understand¡­ how is this possible?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t try to understand. It¡¯ll get easier once you get used to it. He¡¯s just a person from another world.¡± In the midst of all this, Ernest and Le¡¯s reactions when we met the next day were also worth seeing. Le seemed almost liberated, and Ernest would make a puzzled expression whenever he saw me before eventually making thisment. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not the ruins I should be investigating but Dane?¡± Well, it had a really strange nuance depending on how you hear it. Anyway, I got my sign, so I achieved my goal earlier than expected. It was my second sister¡¯s suggestion, and the test was more ridiculous than I thought, but I passed it anyway and proudly received the sign. My family was very happy and I felt proud. On the other hand¡­ It was fun. It really was a good decision to choose the Autonomous Department. ¡°Oh, Dane. I¡¯ve deciphered half the map.¡± ¡°Really?¡± In the midst of all this, I got this good news. ¡°That¡¯s great, Ernest.¡± ¡°Yes. It wasn¡¯t as difficult as I thought.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell even after looking at it, but as expected of you.¡± Ernest smiled shyly at mypliment, and Le chimed in, ¡°How did you decipher that? I don¡¯t think I could do it in a hundred years.¡± I had a feeling that our club¡¯s first meeting would be sooner than I thought. ¡°Then, as soon as you¡¯re done deciphering the map, let¡¯s have our first club meeting.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll try faster!¡± They both happily agreed to my suggestion. I was a little excited, too. What on earth was that treasure map for? Decoding the map didn¡¯t mean you¡¯d find treasure right away, but it was fun to try. ¡°I will work harder too.¡± Le suddenly made a promise. Why was she acting like this? ¡°So suddenly?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard you shed with Antares head-on with a sword in hand?¡± Ah. Look at her. It seemed like she was secretly concerned. Anyway, I thought she would be glum, but instead, it seemed to have ignited her fighting spirit. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s a bit unfair. But because it¡¯s you, I¡¯m more motivated.¡± ¡°Is that apliment?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a hugepliment. Just wait and see. I¡¯ll surprise you.¡± I smirked at the passionate promise and replied, ¡°Alright, I look forward to it.¡± In the midst of all this, my crystal ball began to vibrate. Whoong. ¡°Wait a sec,¡± I said and answered the call. ?Dane? Where are you now?? ¡°Professor.¡± It was Professor Kelthas. He was someone who found most things annoying, but the fact that he called must have something to do with the test. ¡°I¡¯m outside. I was just finishing ss and was heading back to the dorm.¡± ?Then stop by my office for a moment. I have something to say.? I wondered what it was about. Well, I¡¯d find out when I got there. ¡°Yes, professor.¡± I said goodbye to the other two and then turned around, heading to Professor Kelthas¡¯sb/training room/lodgings/office¡ªor, in other words, the ¡®multipurpose room¡¯. By the way, I made up that nickname. No matter how I looked at it, since the professor did all of his business there, it could only be called a multipurpose room. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Professor Kelthas stood up from his seat as soon as I entered. He looked at me nkly and then nodded suddenly. ¡°You¡¯re fine. As expected.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The skill you showed in the test back then. Antares is a formidable creature. I remember having a hard time when one of the Drenik Empire¡¯s summoners summoned two of them.¡± Those words brought back a memory. In my previous life, when I was a member of the Drenik Empire, I witnessed the might of a summoner. ¡°I lost dozens of soldiers that time up against just two summons. I also lost more than three knights.¡± It remembered that. In my previous life, Professor Kelthas and I were on the same battlefield. ¡°Several others and I camete and subdued them, but¡­ my memory of that time is still vivid.¡± I thought I knew what Professor Kelthas was trying to say. ¡°But you subdued him without getting a single scratch.¡± ¡°I was lucky.¡± He chuckled, ¡°Sometimes humility is poisonous. Like right now.¡± ¡°By using various methods, variables are created.¡± ¡°No.¡± Professor Kelthas shook his head. ¡°In my opinion, your swordsmanship was a decisive move.¡± In fact, at the time, the skill I was most confident in and used to deliver the final blow during the test was swordsmanship. Of course, there was help from assassination and spearmanship¡­ The basis of the movement, the counterattack, and the thing that stabbed Antares in the chest and made him kneel was my swordsmanship. As expected, he wasn¡¯t just a bum. ¡°You¡¯re fourteen years old, but your swordsmanship is beyondpare, both bold and skilled.¡± Professor Kelthas asked me with a serious look in his eyes that I had never seen on his face before, ¡°So, I ask you. Would you like to learn swordsmanship formally from me?¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!