Chapter 55
Six days had passed since my meeting with Abel and the start of my magic training.
A lot had happened during that time.
Leonhardt, having mastered the new Storm Sword, was teaching the modified swordsmanship to Seron, helping him improve his skills.
While my escort knight and Seron continued their training, I managed to develop a mixed activation technique for three types of 2-circle magic.
These were Cure, a spell for healing wounds, Sharpness, which sharpens weapons, and Stone Skin, a spell that hardens the skin.
All three were support-oriented magic.
There was a reason why I had quickly adapted these spells for the mixed activation technique.
The impending rebellion.
I believed that these support spells would be incredibly effective during that rebellion.
Although my magic was powerful, it wasn’t without its flaws.
The biggest issue was stamina.
Against lower-ranked knights, it would be possible to manage with the mixed activation technique.
However, when facing mid-ranked or high-ranked knights, I would have to rely on the true activation technique.
The problem was that with such spells, I could barely cast two at most.
The tremendous mana consumption and the dizziness that followed would inevitably hold me back.
Even with Erciel’s buffs, three casts would likely be my limit.
‘That won’t be enough to turn the tide of battle.’
Just three spells.
Even if the true activation technique was applied, the maximum output would be equivalent to 5-circle magic. While that could deal critical damage to mid-ranked knights, it would be a different story for high-ranked knights.
The top 3% of knights.
They could easily defend against even highly powerful magic.
‘And hitting them would be even harder.’
This wasn’t some amateur brawl. In the chaotic speed of a battle among skilled fighters, landing an attack spell accurately would be extremely difficult.
Even with homing spells targeting an enemy, there was a significant chance of misfire.
‘Increasing my circles is the obvious solution, but…’
Unfortunately, increasing my circles wasn’t something that could happen overnight. It required time and preparation.
So, the breakthrough I chose was support magic. Spells like Haste or Mental Cleaning that could aid knights.
Support magic consumed far less mana than typical attack spells, and despite the lower consumption, their ability to create advantages was much greater.
With the mixed activation technique, these support spells would surely be a great asset to the knights.
Moreover, since these spells could be applied before the battle even started, there was no risk of them failing during the fight.
Within my limited mana capacity, this would allow me to maximize efficiency.
The range of support spells I could learn as a 2-circle mage had also significantly expanded.
I planned to learn as many support spells as possible.
‘Tomorrow.’
The day I would embark on my journey to the magical city of Helena.
It would be just Leonhardt and me.
I had considered bringing Seron and Erciel, but the mana stone consumption would have been too high for such a large group.
Keeping the party small was the most practical choice.
Before departing, I had already left instructions for the two on what to do during my absence.
To summarize, I told them to train diligently.
In particular, I arranged for Erciel to practice freely in my room, informing the surrounding attendants that she would be staying there for a while to handle some tasks I had assigned her.
Given that the likes of Adolf and other adversaries were still around, my room was the safest place for her to train.
‘I’ve also stationed knights to guard the annex.’
Viscount Remington.
He was likely grinding his teeth over me at this very moment.
Anticipating that he might send assassins, I had requested support from the Marquis.
It wasn’t hard to justify.
I mentioned the magical experiments I had been conducting and how important it was to maintain the confidentiality of those experiments, requesting tighter security around the annex while I was away.
The Marquis didn’t question my reasoning at all.
For a mage, securing their lab was one of the most basic precautions, especially for someone as talented as me.
When Leonhardt and I were away, the family knights would guard the annex.
Additionally, I had set up alarm spells throughout the premises.
Even if assassins were to come, they would be met with strong resistance.
‘I should be able to protect the future talents.’
The preparations to safeguard my allies were nearly complete.
The next morning.
As soon as I woke up, Leonhardt and I headed to the inner castle.
When we entered the study, the Marquis was already there.
On the desk lay several large mana stones.
They were mid-tier and high-tier mana stones.
“Follow me.”
The Marquis, holding the mana stones, led us to the inner part of the study.
There, among the many bookshelves, he tapped something.
Click.
The bookshelf slid away, revealing a hidden space. Inside was an arched Gate.
It was a masterpiece of magical engineering.
An outrageously expensive item.
Which explained why it was securely stored within the inner study.
The Marquis turned to look at me.
“By passing through the Gate, you will arrive at the Hamilton Ducal Estate.”
The Hamilton Ducal Estate.
One of the most prominent families in the vast Alton Empire.
As rulers of Helena, the great magical city, they were renowned as a household of magical excellence.
“I have already informed them of your arrival. Rest there before participating in the tournament.”
Of course.
The power of the Marquis was immense.
Given that the host of the tournament was the Hamilton Ducal Estate, it was certain that I would be able to participate in the preliminaries with ease.
If I compared this to the regular magicians who would arrive in Helena a week before the tournament, endure long waiting lines, and only then submit their preliminary entry forms—
This was nothing short of a luxury.
“Thank you.”
“Right. By the way, this is your first time traveling through a Gate, isn’t it?”
“That’s correct.”
While I had used it plenty of times in the game, this was my first time doing so here. The Marquis nodded and began explaining a few precautions.
Once a Mana Stone was placed in the Gate, it would activate, but the window of activation would be brief, so we would have to move immediately.
Additionally, I might experience dizziness upon transferring to the other side of the Gate, so he advised me to be mentally prepared.
That much was fine.
It wasn’t as if my body would disintegrate while traveling through the Gate. If it was just dizziness, it was manageable.
Of course, I nodded with a serious expression, even if I was inwardly at ease.
“Well then, travel safely.”
“Yes.”
The moment a Mana Stone was inserted into the arch-shaped Gate, a faint blue energy began to rise from within its borders.
It looked similar to the portals I had seen when entering dungeons.
Without hesitation, Leonhardt and I stepped into it. The scenery before my eyes began to distort and blur until my vision turned completely white.
When I opened my eyes, the view in front of me had completely changed.
“Ho, you must be Kyle?”
Who else could I be?
Judging by the casual way I was being addressed, this must be one of those high-ranking individuals.
I turned toward the voice, and soon a red-haired noble came into view.
[Heart Eye is activating.]
[The target’s rank is high.]
[Helton Hamilton (18)]
[Abilities: ??, ??, ??]
[Traits: ??, ??, ??]
[Favorability: 0]
Helton.
The firstborn son of the Duke and the designated heir to the family. Essentially, he was the second most powerful figure in this vast ducal household.
A man of significantly higher status than me, without a doubt.
His Favorability being at zero suggested he hadn’t paid any attention to Kyle up until now.
Well, that was normal.
One only pays attention to someone who can affect them.
If it had been the real Kyle, he wouldn’t have dared to utter a word in front of this man.
Helton was a powerful magician who had reached the 4th Circle by the age of 15.
On top of that, his status alone placed him leagues above someone like Kyle. There was no way even a scoundrel would dare act out in front of him.
I lowered my head slightly toward him.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Kyle Seltarion.”
I greeted him respectfully.
“I hear you’re planning to participate in the upcoming magic tournament, in the theoretical field no less.”
“That’s correct.”
“A Gate, huh. It seems the Marquis has high expectations of you. I’ve heard the rumors. They say you overcame Hermemu?”
“To some extent.”
“Then it seems you haven’t entered lightly. Very well, I hope you achieve good results.”
Judging by his eyes, it didn’t seem like he had high expectations.
Even the most accomplished magicians couldn’t easily claim victory in the theoretical field of the tournament.
After all, creating a new form of magic was an incredibly challenging feat.
Of course, I wasn’t like them.
“Thank you.”
“I’ll have someone escort you to your quarters. You can rest until the preliminaries begin.”
Helton then guided Leonhardt and me to an elegantly furnished room.
Once inside, I looked around and clicked my tongue in amazement.
“As expected of a ducal household. It’s incredibly spacious. Bigger than our estate.”
“Well, it’s one of the three strongest families in the Empire. That’s only natural. While our Marquisate has made a name for itself as a prominent house of swordsmanship, it’s true that our reputation pales in comparison to the three ducal houses.”
He wasn’t wrong.
That was how they were perceived externally.
These prestigious families had been accumulating their legacy for centuries, so their influence had snowballed considerably.
The difference between a Duke and a Marquis was greater than one might think.
Seeing the Duke’s estate in person, I could feel its grandeur.
Since taking over Kyle’s body, the only noble estate I had visited was Count Neiron’s.
It’s hard to feel competitive when looking at someone far beneath you.
But a Ducal estate was different.
Just seeing the majestic structures outside the window made it clear that the Duke’s estate was a cut above the Marquisate.
‘Perhaps it’s because they’re a magical household.’
The architecture resembled several towers stacked together, like a series of magic towers.
Beneath this sprawling estate lay countless magicians bustling about.
Without golden connections, I would have been lost among those crowds, struggling to stand out.
‘One hour left.’
There was now an hour remaining until the preliminaries.
While I admired the ducal estate, time quickly passed.
Before the preliminaries officially began, a knight approached me and handed me a number.
The golden number card bore the number “11.”
“Are all the cards this extravagant?” I asked.
The knight shook his head.
“No, sir. These are exclusively for VIPs.”
“Ah, to expedite the evaluation process?”
“Precisely.”
I knew it.
Even with just a single number written on it, the card looked excessively luxurious.
‘As expected.’
Judging by the number of magicians arriving at the estate, it was clear that the evaluation process would take a considerable amount of time.
Without this, I would’ve had to wait for hours just to get through the preliminaries.
This is why power and influence are invaluable.
Holding my VIP evaluation card, Leonhardt and I stepped outside.
It was time to participate in the theoretical preliminaries.
Now, it was time to elevate the reputation of the Seltarion Marquisate.
—
Read More at – GENZNOVEL.COM!!
PLEASE JOIN OUR DISCORD AND SUBSCRIBE THE ROLE TO RECEIVE LATEST NOTIFICATIONS!!
Click here -> https://discord.gg/S8c2kGVr2g
Comment