Chapter 35
Could it be because I was away for half a month?
As Trastan came into view, it felt as if I had returned to my hometown.
“This place looks the same.”
After looking around Enfelrum, I could clearly feel how powerful the marquis family was.
From the size of the territory to the large buildings erected all over.
Trastan.
It was a territory that had developed so well that it almost felt unfair to compare it to Enfelrum.
Perhaps only a duke’s family, of which there are only three in the empire, or maybe the capital where the imperial palace is located, could rival the marquis family.
Thus, the magic carriage came to a halt in front of the annex.
Once inside, I plopped down onto the bed in my room.
“Hah,”
Indeed, my room is the best.
Looking inside myself through the Heart Eye, I saw a barrier blocking the area near the top of my head.
Perhaps due to my efforts over the past fifteen days to break through this barrier, the hole in it had become significantly wider than before.
“I’d say it’s about 70% broken through?”
I’d have to break through it today as well.
I moved the mana that had been fermented inside the circle for a whole day and directed it at the barrier.
Bang!
With a refreshing sound, I could see that the hole had widened further. Even with the passage widened, the mana was still unable to pass through.
It seemed that the mana could only pass through once the barrier was completely broken.
Recalling the vivid experiences documented in the writings of the mages, I licked my lips.
“…What a pity.”
In those writings, it was described that sending mana to the head made one feel as if their brain was operating much more intelligently.
I wanted to experience that feeling, but unfortunately, the part of the barrier blocking me was in the exact center of my head, meaning I couldn’t spread my mana there until it was broken through.
“If only I could break through this part.”
Then I would finally be able to experience what it feels like to operate intelligently.
I estimated it would take another week.
“I can deal with that later.”
Taking my time to break through the barrier wasn’t a problem.
Right now, what was more important was to achieve the second circle.
Last time, when I consumed the elixir, I hadn’t attempted it because my circle wasn’t trained.
But now, since time had passed, the circle residing in my heart had taken on a good shape.
This was a speed that could be considered unthinkable for an ordinary mage.
Typically, it took about two years for a first-circle mage to prepare to challenge the second circle.
However, I had not even been two months since forming my first circle and had already completed all the necessary preparations to challenge the second circle.
My body remembers.
Perhaps due to the phrase that the Heart Eye explained, mastering first-circle magic had not been particularly difficult.
Moreover, thanks to the mana entity, the speed at which my circle solidified was incomparable to that of ordinary mages.
Iris.
After that little girl learned magic.
“She said it took her four months to transition to the second circle.”
Four months was indeed a short time, but obviously, two months was much shorter.
This was the difference in talent.
In any case, a considerable amount of mana was needed to raise my circle.
Every time a circle was increased, mana was used to shape it.
Collecting this mana would typically require time and effort, which is why the children of wealthy noble families would often use special items like elixirs or inner pills.
Of course, since I was also one of the children of a wealthy noble family, I was planning to procure the mana needed for circle formation just like them.
However, the method I intended to use was quite special.
Mana stones.
I was thinking of gathering mana using them.
In truth, elixirs and inner pills were the best options.
If I were to ask for them just to achieve the second circle, I would have no complaints if I got slapped in the face.
“Usually, you start using those from the fourth circle and above.”
To just barely achieve the second circle, I would have to be the youngest son of the marquis family or at least the crown prince of the empire.
So my alternative choice was the mana stones.
Mana stones are typically found in mines or dropped as byproducts from monsters.
Literally, they are beings that contain mana, and they are items used in various magical tools.
For example, they are used in the magic carriage I had ridden and in the magical lamps that illuminate the annex.
“It wasn’t always like this from the beginning.”
Mana stones are divided into five grades: low-grade, middle-grade, upper-grade, and highest-grade.
High-grade mana stones contain pure mana that rivals most elixirs, and they are much easier to obtain than elixirs.
Naturally, there were countless wizards who attempted research to utilize the mana from mana stones.
If they could use it, raising their circles would become significantly easier.
However, the results were all failures.
This was because they could not resolve the side effects that occurred when absorbing the mana from mana stones into the human body.
The terrible side effects that would damage the body’s mana circuits and make the circles flimsy.
This was a problem that even the great wizards could not solve.
Ultimately, research on mana stones had been temporarily suspended for decades.
To determine whether this was effective or not, one would need to inject the mana extracted from the mana stones into their body.
‘Doing that would likely lead to death or make one a shell of their former self.’
Many researchers had ended up meeting their demise in such a manner, leading to an environment where no one even attempted research anymore.
It was understood that mana stones were meant solely for use in objects.
This was the public opinion and conclusion regarding mana stones across the continent.
However, that was merely the common sense of the continent’s inhabitants.
The common sense of someone like me, who was tainted by rotten water, was different.
‘It can be used.’
If the mana within the mana stones could be accepted into the body using a special magic circle, it could be utilized without any side effects.
The ancient empire.
It was a nation that was said to have existed in the central continent long ago.
During my previous gaming experiences, I had once accepted a quest related to the remnants of the ancient empire and successfully completed it.
Four months.
That was the time it took to clear the quest.
The reward I received from that quest was a blueprint for a magic circle that allowed the mana from mana stones to be accepted into the human body without side effects.
?
‘Was it forgotten ancient knowledge?’
That was probably the name it went by.
Of course, I had a lot of fun with this.
Whenever I chose the wizard class, and it became difficult to obtain elixirs, I simply used mana stones.
What I needed were low-grade and mid-grade mana stones.
‘Ten low-grade stones for one mid-grade.’
With this much, I could cover all the mana needed to create a circle.
Originally, mana stones were quite difficult for individuals to acquire, but I was in a situation where the brilliant light of the marquis family shone behind me.
Even if I couldn’t get my hands on top-grade and high-grade mana stones, this much would be enough to obtain.
Now that I had made my decision, it was time to go gather some mana stones.
As soon as I exited the room, I informed Leonhardt of my destination.
“Let’s head to the office in the inner castle.”
“Are you going to meet the lord?”
“Yeah. I have something to discuss. Oh, and could you also bring Erciel? We need to go together.”
I hadn’t reported back on the magical materials and the high-grade elemental stones I took last time. Thus, in order to utilize the family’s power again, I needed to show some meaningful results.
Give and take.
This saying wasn’t for nothing.
‘If it’s an ancient spirit…’
It was a level of achievement that would make even my lips curl upwards to the skies.
With this kind of achievement, my request would likely be granted easily.
If the marquis had been hostile towards me, I would have hidden the spirit.
However, Remton had shown me significant goodwill.
He generously provided expensive magical materials, discreetly mediated when Baron was criticized by the public for his actions, and even at the time of departure for Enfelrum.
‘He even let me use that expensive mana carriage as my means of transport.’
The once wayward youngest son had finally become a person, and he must have been quite pleased about it.
Therefore, there was no need to keep the spirit a secret from him.
I would just need to ask him to keep it under wraps for the time being, and he wouldn’t refuse.
With thoughts of Marquess Remton in my mind, a deep smile spread across my face.
Sword Master.
He was simply a human weapon.
There was no one better suited to fend off the impending villainous assaults that were about to begin.
For this reason, the marquess was one of the figures I had to bring to my side.
If I revealed the ancient spirit, it would surely etch my keen eye for talent in his mind, particularly concerning my exclusive maid.
After bringing her along, I engaged in a brief conversation with her before making my way to the office in the manor.
***
Erciel.
Her expression, as she started moving with me to the office, was quite tense.
She appeared noticeably anxious, which was understandable.
After all, she was about to meet someone at the very top of the pyramid that was the marquess family.
The man she was about to face was none other than Remton, a figure whose face was rarely seen even by those of her status.
“Are you nervous?”
“Ah. Yes, a little. It’s my first time meeting the head of the family directly…”
“There’s no need to worry too much. I just want to have a simple conversation about the spirits you can summon. Do you remember when you summoned a spirit last time and used those materials?”
“Yes.”
“Actually, those materials were given to me by my father. They’re quite expensive, so I need to show some results too. That’s why I brought you along, so you don’t need to be nervous.”
“I’ll try my best.”
“Good.”
That would be enough.
Since she had the trait of being cool-headed, she would probably manage to collect herself soon.
After parting ways with Leonhardt in the middle, Erciel and I arrived at the marquess’s office.
“Father, it’s Kyle. May we come in?”
“Come in”.
Soon after, Erciel and I faced the marquess.
The maid, meeting the marquess’s gaze, hurriedly lowered her head. At that sight, Remton nodded at me.
“I heard you went to Enfelrum; how was your visit?”
“Yes. It was indeed a beautiful city.”
“Indeed. It’s quite famous in the eastern region.”
“Yes. Thanks to the count’s generous hospitality, I lost track of time and spent the entire day there.”
“Is that so?”
At my nonchalant response, a flicker of curiosity appeared in the marquess’s eyes.
It would certainly pique his interest that I, known for being a reckless troublemaker, was claiming to have received generous hospitality from the count.
Soon, Remton spoke again.
“Has your reputation spread that far already?”
“Well, that, and I also mentioned that I would be teaching magic to the young lady. That’s likely a significant reason.”
Since the little girl was scheduled to visit me monthly, it was better to bring it up first.
Curiosity glimmered in the marquess’s eyes at my words.
“If it’s Iris… I’ve heard she’s quite a handful.”
The youngest daughter of Count Neiron.
It seemed Remton was aware of her reputation.
Given how famous she was, it would be strange if he didn’t know.
She was a reckless troublemaker without any brakes when it came to those beneath her.
This was the kind of rumor spreading around the lands surrounding Enfelrum.
“Indeed, the rumors weren’t unfounded.”
“You must have experienced it firsthand.”
“She asked me about my magic circle as soon as we met. When I told her it was the first circle, her expression changed completely. After that, well, she was just as the rumors suggested.”
“Probably so. I’ve heard that girl reacts particularly sensitively to matters related to magic. I doubt your first meeting went particularly well, yet you decided to teach her magic?”
“By chance, we ended up having a magical duel, and I think she was quite impressed after witnessing my magic.”
As soon as I mentioned the magical duel, Remton smiled with apparent interest.
“So, did you win?”
“Of course, I did.”
At my unhesitant response, a sense of satisfaction appeared in the Sword Master’s eyes.
—
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