NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10
010.
‘…A staff?’
The staff hanging at the waist seemed inappropriate for someone of his age. That was the first thought that crossed Duke Everchant Lakatus’ mind when he saw Kalen.
The glasses suited the boy well and were often used by mages to assist in rune calculations, but the staff, meant for amplifying power—a purpose now deemed obsolete—seemed rather unfitting.
“Esteemed elder… you’ve learned magic from Lady Blamia.”
“Yes.”
“But you’re neither her disciple nor her successor…”
To become the head of the Lakatus household required one to excel in many areas. Assessing the opponent through simple dialogue was also included in that.
“An intriguing performance.”
“It’s true.”
“Well, such is all good. What I’m truly interested in is…”
Duke Everchant untangled his fingers from supporting his chin and pointed at Kalen with his finger.
“Is this also something you learned from the esteemed elder?”
Mana.
Something that should inherently exist in a mage.
The element prioritized above all else in magic was not felt from the boy. It was exactly as he had heard before.
Curiosity? Or caution?
Kalen replied in a tone that suggested he didn’t particularly care.
“It’s always been like this. It’s also why the esteemed elder decided to teach me magic.”
“You still cling to that strange fascination, I see.”
Mage levels are generally determined by the amount of mana. The vastness of the mana flowing outward. Of course, someone at Blamia’s level could control even that.
“I’ve heard you can use a few Second Tier spells. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“Well, it’s impressive. For your age, being able to do that much is commendable. But how about the unique way you cast Second Tier magic?”
“I don’t think it’s particularly unique, but I do handle it in a somewhat different way compared to others.”
“Can you demonstrate briefly?”
Instead of answering, Kalen used the Second Tier magic ‘Ignition,’ and Everchant was visibly surprised to see the flame stretch out like a thread.
‘Unbound by form.’
That was the conclusion Everchant came to after observing all of Kalen’s few spells.
People naturally have a concept of certain shapes or forms. It’s something created by the environment and world they live in, thus mostly fixed and similar.
For instance, fire is often imagined as roaring flames. However, the boy was different.
“How old are you?”
“Fifteen.”
Even if the story about only mastering Second Tier magic was false, extraordinary talents tend to attract undue attention.
Indeed, it made sense now why someone like Blamia had taken an interest. Young age, unique constitution, glimpses of genius—it all added up. Living secluded with her granddaughter, was she trying to repeat something from the past?
“May I ask a question now?”
“…?”
Surprises didn’t end there. Based on his experiences navigating social circles, certain things were always a given. Young nobles, whether princes or ladies, inevitably trembled in the presence of authority. And his own son wasn’t much different from that.
But the boy before him seemed unfazed, boldly speaking his mind.
Had living with Blamia made him insensitive to such matters?
“I permit it.”
“To be honest, I didn’t want to bother myself with this too much, but I can’t hold back anymore. What exactly is my supposed duty?”
Or had he lost all fear? Judging from the uneasy manner he showed before the Duke, the latter seemed more plausible.
“Hm… haha…”
“The steward told me to ask you. What deal did you make with the elder, and why exactly did you give me such an important task like guarding Lady Lakatus?”
“Unreasonable…”
“What?”
“The second one.”
“What do you mean?”
Everchant chuckled deeply.
“A person who articulates themselves so clearly in front of me.”
*
“Have you ever felt an inescapable despair?”
Everchant casually skimmed through the mounds of papers, picking up one after another, and asked.
“I live every day in that despair.”
“When I strived to become the head, when I aimed to reach Fourth Tier, when I had to let go of my first love for my position—eventually, I received rewards for all those sacrifices, but not this time.”
Although requesting insight into the matter, Kalen was met with unclear personal anecdotes. However, he waited patiently, sensing that Everchant didn’t appear to be someone who missed the point.
In the middle of this,
“Boy, have you heard of a disease called ‘Mana Overload’?”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“I thought so. And I too had.”
Everchant’s voice grew increasingly stern.
“First, let’s discuss the deal. Yes, you’re curious about the deal I had with the elder?”
“Yes. It didn’t make sense. To watch my back for such a simple task.”
“Indeed, understandable.”
“It made a little more sense after hearing it several times and after the steward mentioned guarding Lady Lakatus, but I’d still like to hear it from you.”
Everchant rubbed his temples as he spoke.
“Initially, my request simply was: ‘Save my daughter.’”
“My daughter?”
“Yes, my daughter.”
The original request was to save his daughter. But what about the monster extermination jobs Kalen had completed?
“From what I can tell now, those were naturally tests and inspections for this protection task.”
“What would you have done if I had failed?”
“You couldn’t have helped with my request, thanks to that disease. A terrifying and mysterious demon that drove my daughter to this plight. It’s an already rejected plea, yet attempting it again is something I should be grateful for, isn’t it?”
Kalen now felt like the tangled threads were slowly untwisting.
In short, this was the situation:
Initially, Everchant had asked Blamia to cure his daughter’s incurable disease, but even the Archmage couldn’t help. However, Blamia was asked again.
“So why the protection duty…”
“Having realized that it couldn’t be cured, I had to let go. So, I changed my request.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know what my daughter’s wish is? It’s to see the landscape of Winter Island in the North just once. As her senses fade, I want to send her there before she dies.”
“So why must I be the one to guard her…”
“Because of the characteristics of the disease. Literally, it’s a disease where mana overheats, and it infects those around her. Because of this, I haven’t been able to approach my daughter in nine years.”
The reason why others couldn’t guard Lady Lakatus was now clear. Due to the disease, not only her own mana but that of those nearby would overheat dangerously upon approach.
“Now, sending my daughter, who can’t walk properly, alone to the North? Preposterous. Those without mana might fare a little better with hygiene or food, but even they complained of pain, making her a poor victim who has been confined to her room for nearly seven years.”
“Have you tried any other approach?”
“Of course. Do you think I holed up here reading thousands of pages of papers for fun?”
What must it feel like to spend seven years shut indoors? Kalen tried to understand but couldn’t.
Everchant’s voice was growing more and more resolute.
“As a father, I can’t even be by my daughter’s side. How am I supposed to watch her wither away? At the very least, I want to fulfill her one desperate wish.”
In fact, it was a pretty dangerous proposal. Kalen was no exception; attempting this with no guarantee of success while risking infection from such a disease was like asking someone to walk into certain death.
Duke Everchant stood up and approached Kalen.
“Too heavy to kneel, my legs can’t bend. Nevertheless, please try, Kalen, if only just once. I don’t want to be disappointed again, but upon hearing that you can perform magic without mana, I made up my mind.”
“…”
“If you want, I can offer billions of gold coins. If you desire the glory of the Dranunus family, I’ll support you with everything.”
Then Everchant met Kalen’s eyes and bowed from the waist.
It was the maximum courtesy the master of a ducal house could extend to a young boy.
From his outward appearance and character,
Everchant seemed like a rather stern man.
Even while explaining such a situation, he didn’t show much emotional upheaval.
Still, the emotion in his eyes could not be missed.
“Please test near Eliana if there are any issues.”
“…”
“I’m asking you.”
Kalen silently stared into his eyes, which looked somewhat weary.
Gluggul—Gluggul—
The corridor was so quiet that the sound of swallowing saliva was distinctly audible.
Walking there with the trainee maid he had met before, Kalen spoke.
“Can you stop swallowing so much?”
“Aah… sorry…”
I understand your situation.
Since you know what has happened this far, it’s understandable why you’re nervous. I appreciate your concern, but it makes me tense too. The swallowing sound is really bothering me.
“Uh, but… why did you accept?”
“Do you worry I’ll cause trouble?”
“No, no! It’s just curiosity…”
Why did you accept?
The reason was simple.
He trusted Blamia.
According to Everchant, Blamia must know the disease’s characteristics. This meant trust in her intention to send him nonetheless.
“Aah… so it’s like that…”
With the trainee maid trailing behind, both walked the long hallway for a while.
Undeniably, being a noble showed, as the trainee maid stopped and slowly turned around.
Her pale face was now streaked with tears.
“…I haven’t said anything…”
“It’s not that… just the tension… Is our Miss going to… pass away…?”
The complexity in Kalen’s heart seemed washed away by the maid’s tears. The expression of Everchant, his earnestness, and the maid’s tears—all derived from one person’s worries. Furthermore, even Blamia and Sinat were involved in these concerns.
“Well, let’s think positively.”
“Ugh, yes…?”
“If I succeed, she’s fulfilling one last wish, right? And if I fail, nothing changes anyway.”
With that, Kalen walked past the trainee maid toward the firmly closed door.
Click,
The hinge clicked ever so softly.
—
Translation completed as requested without comments.