“Just one portion…?”
Is that what you’re saying?
Julia, standing in the restroom, pondered the words she had just heard from Aslan.
Upon reflection, it was absurd and made no sense.
After all, the technique of separating mana is something you learn much later.
For me, who can’t even handle mana as a whole yet, it’s premature.
However, despite that…
Julia had diligently studied the theory of mana separation.
“Who are you to lecture me about myself… Just once. I’ll try it your way, just once.”
No matter how much she thought about it, it was nonsensical advice, or rather, a lecture.
Since there was nothing else she could do at a dead end, she decided to give it a try.
But why was she doing this in the bathroom?
Because it’s embarrassing.
It’s shameful to show failure.
She has always been seen as a genius who never fails.
To the orphans, she has always appeared as a genius who never fails…
‘Effort? I don’t want to show that.’
People ultimately only recognize geniuses.
Even if a dreadful dullard tries hard, people just pity and give a little applause, right?
She must be remembered as a genius, and she will become one.
With tears in her eyes, Julia focused on the flow of mana inside her chest.
“Separating mana and handling only part of it. I can do it. Let’s try.”
After wiping away her tears, she placed her hand on her chest.
The basic process isn’t different.
Gather mana into one point and condense it.
Then ignite the condensed mana in one go.
However, now there’s an additional step of separating a portion of the mana.
How much should she separate?
Let’s start with about half.
But can she, who doesn’t know how to handle mana, really separate it?
With somewhat diminished confidence, Julia hesitated and resumed.
Dividing it.
Separating it!
‘I did it…!’
She did it!
She distinctly felt the mana, which had been like a single lump, split into two.
However, she felt a tremendous force between the two lumps.
If her concentration wavered even slightly, they would immediately merge back into one.
Is this what they call an advanced technique?
At the same time as carefully preventing them from merging into one.
She must condense only one of them.
It was definitely a complex and difficult task.
‘It’s working!’
Progress was clearly being made.
One lump remained inside her chest.
She gathered the other lump along her arm to her fingertips.
And then, tightly. As if grasping a lump of mana, Julia clenched her small hand.
The mana lump condensed quickly under sudden pressure.
This time, there was no sign of it running wild.
The progress was surprisingly smooth.
‘Huh? This is as far as I’ve come?’
The progress was so rapid that Julia was soon bewildered.
Mana often went haywire around this point.
Reaching the ignition phase for the first time.
Depending on the type of magic, she had to choose a different ignition method.
Because she was so perplexed, she couldn’t decide which magic to use.
‘Ah! I don’t even know what magic I’m using…!’
What should she do?
If a fireball suddenly bursts out and sets the mansion on fire?
Should she stop? It was a moment of conflict.
‘I’m doing well enough. Don’t worry about disappointment, just keep trying hard.’
A voice, whose words she couldn’t place, echoed in her mind.
When did she hear that? She couldn’t remember.
Was it something her parents said, or someone else…?
I’m not sure.
But at least the warmth of that person was conveyed.
At the same time, the confidence that had been hitting rock bottom surged as if piercing the sky.
‘Here I go!!!’
Firmly.
Julia closed her eyes and stretched her arm forward.
Wooong, the noisy mana inside vanished in an instant.
The world fell silent.
Is it… over?
Julia cautiously opened one eye.
What kind of magic had been cast?
Baffled, she smiled weakly as she examined her hands, feet, and surroundings.
“Did it go wild again?”
Nothing happened at all.
It seemed like nothing had changed.
Julia thought it was going well, but in the end, did it run wild?
With a bitter smile, she left the bathroom and, with weary steps, trudged back to the library.
“You’re late.”
“…”
“If you sit on the toilet too long, you might get hemorrhoids…”
“Ah! It’s not like that…!”
Although her face turned bright red, Julia didn’t notice.
She didn’t realize that the mysterious voice that had been constantly tormenting her was now gone.
***
“I want a sword!”
“What?”
“I want a sword!”
“…I heard you correctly. Why are you suddenly saying that?”
Charlotte suddenly came to me and boldly shouted.
You want a sword?
“I want a cool sword like the one Knight Sylvia has!”
“How about being satisfied with a wooden sword for now? A real sword would be too heavy and sharp for you; it would be dangerous.”
“But I want to shoot things like ‘whoosh!’ like Sylvia!”
“That wasn’t shot with a sword; it was magic.”
“What!?”
Thud.
Charlotte, looking as if her world had collapsed, slumped down.
Did she really believe that was shot from a sword?
“Then! I want to study magic too!”
“Weren’t you holding a sword because you didn’t like studying magic?”
“I like magic better now!”
“…”
I was certain Charlotte would be a swordsman.
But that certainty began to waver.
This kid…
She lacks perseverance more than I imagined.
“Then will you start studying magic again?”
“Yes! But was Knight Sylvia originally a mage? Why does she carry a sword?”
“Sylvia is both a knight and a magician.”
Sylvia is a magic swordsman who uses both sword and magic.
However, she is not officially registered with the Magic Society because she learned magic on her own.
She never formally studied magic and uses mana in a completely unorthodox way, but she can still use magic.
Though this was before she injured her mana core.
‘If you say you want to study magic, Sylvia will be pleased.’
It seems like I won’t have to train her in swordsmanship for a while.
Sylvia will be happy to have some time to rest.
“A knight and a mage at the same time! That’s awesome! I want to be like that too!”
“What?”
“From now on, I’ll study magic and train too! I want to be a magic knight like Sylvia!”
“…”
For a moment, I was at a loss for words.
Does this kid even know what being a magic knight means?
‘A magic knight. That’s one of the character classes the protagonist can choose, right?’
When starting the game, there are several classes to choose from like swordsman, mage, martial artist (for fun), etc.
Among them, a special class unlocked for pre-registrants is the magic knight.
You might think a magic knight is a knight who uses magic, but that’s not it at all.
Strictly speaking, it’s a mage who uses a sword.
A typical mage uses their body as a medium to cast magic.
But a magic knight is an inherently different being who uses a weapon to cast magic.
‘Oh? Could it be?’
Hold on.
Could it be that Charlotte has the potential to be a magic knight…?
If so, it somewhat explains why she didn’t show much talent in either swordsmanship or magic.
Magic knights can’t manifest their abilities until they find the right sword for their body.
Most people in this world end their lives without ever holding a sword.
People with the potential to be magic knights often live their whole lives farming without ever realizing their potential.
But I have the financial means to buy as many swords as I want.
“Alright. Shall we go buy a real sword?”
“What? Really? Really? No takebacks!”
I guess it’s time to make a significant investment.
.
.
.
“Leon got fired?”
Crack.
The report in Irene’s hand crumpled.
Leon Verkus, the knight, lost in a duel and died.
And many employees, including the head chef, were massively laid off.
Since it was the result of a formal duel, there was no room for complaints?
Aslan, that b*stard.
How dare he do this without permission?
“Wow… My little brother has grown up. I thought he was just stupid, narrow-minded, and foolish. Did he notice the spies I planted?”
I was sure he wouldn’t notice.
I hid them so cleverly that I believed he would never find out.
I thought the family would collapse without ever guessing who the culprit was until it was in tatters.
But one day, he purged them all.
Not a single one was left.
All at once. It was baffling.
If it were the Aslan Irene knew, he would never have figured it out.
No, even if he had known, he would have stubbornly insisted that it couldn’t be Leon.
He was that short-sighted.
“So I checked for myself, and it really was Aslan…”
I even went to see that disgusting face after a long time, thinking maybe he had changed.
He still trembled like a scared puppy, unable to meet my eyes, just like the old Aslan.
His eyes and demeanor were undoubtedly Aslan’s…
“Should I say it’s a smarter Aslan? That’s what it felt like.”
There was indeed a strange sense of unfamiliarity.
Had he come to his senses late?
If not…
“Someone must have started interfering.”
It made more sense to think that someone else was controlling Aslan from behind.
Who could it be? Kali? No. That person seems a bit too dull-witted for this.
“Another evil god…”
Made another contract with a different evil god?
That would make sense.
An evil god actively interfering with Aslan and giving him advice.
If that wasn’t the case, there was no other explanation for what was happening.
“Who on earth is interfering with us…?”
Crack.
Irene clenched her fists.
Holding Aslan accountable, executing him, and bringing down the family. That plan was falling apart in real-time.
Who could it be? Which evil god is it?
Whoever it is, they must be ready to die if they’ve turned us into enemies.
A war between evil gods…
This could actually be a bit exciting.
Irene laughed shrilly, clutching the black mist that crept up behind her.
