5
“… Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding are you talking about?”
“Small beings cannot see inside a large vessel.”
It was an imperial saying.
Ordinary people find it difficult to understand geniuses.
Why would they suddenly talk about such things?
“…Did you eat something wrong? Are you stressed because of the half? It seems like you’ve lost a bit more hair.”
“I never had hair in the first place, Your Highness. This baldness is my pride.”
“…Right.”
Hans sent a sharp gaze, illuminating his bald head.
“I heard you agreed to have a match with Confucius.”
“Yeah. I plan to give him proper education that day.”
Hans let out a faint laughter.
An inscrutable smile.
“Indeed…? Your Majesty, it might be good for you to stay alert.”
“…What?”
“There might be a significant change coming, after all.”
Hans turned swiftly and left, leaving the Duke bewildered.
“What’s going on? Is he really being tormented by Ban to the point of madness from stress?”
Then, Ban’s voice swept through again.
-That day, I will present a shock to your father.
* * *
Time flew by.
The day of the duel with the Duke was fast approaching.
I had been studying magic diligently during that time.
“Is this enough to have knowledge similar to the Academy’s advanced class?”
I acquired magical knowledge up to the third rank.
It was a tremendous achievement in less than a month.
Thanks to Hans, who served as a great assistant and a valuable human textbook.
“The problem is, this is far from enough to be appointed as a professor.”
The impending duel with the Duke was also a problem.
“There’s absolutely no hope for me at the moment.”
I never had the intention of winning from the start.
My goal is to get a hit on the duke.
It still felt daunting.
＜The discernment of a strategist is revealed!＞
-Current probability of hitting the duke: 0%
I remained silent.
“…Should I beg for forgiveness now? I’m really good at winning at least once.”
But it seemed too early to give up.
Then, the following message came to mind.
-Probability of hitting the duke after successful training: 100%
So, it’s impossible now, but it will be possible after the training.
“It’s been almost a month already, right? I’ve studied enough, what more do they want me to do?”
It’s probably not about practicing magic.
My mana is at the level of a speck of dust, so after casting a few 1st-tier spells, my mana runs out, making further practice impossible.
At that moment, Hans’ voice was heard.
“Is there anything you need? I am at the service of the duke, so please just give me any order.”
It’s not sarcasm.
Hans’ eyes were filled with loyalty.
A sight I never imagined when we first met.
“Has the character changed too much?”
Following my orders, did he gain a great realization and find new hope?
From then on, he sent me such a burdensome look.
“I guess I can stop being your manservant now. Our studies together are coming to an end anyway.”
He no longer needed Hans, as it was impossible to acquire magic knowledge at a higher level through such means.
“Are you really planning to leave me now?”
“Huh?”
“I still want to serve you in the future. I can continue as your manservant. Please don’t abandon me!”
Hans pleaded with intense eyes.
Receiving the longing gaze of the middle-aged bald magician, I was startled, but Hans did not stop.
“I know! It’s because of your excessive genius that you have gone astray!! The world doesn’t appreciate you, so you’ve gone astray! Damn this world!!”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“Even if you had only 10% of the mana possessed by half… no, one-tenth of other magicians, you would have already surpassed the world!!”
At that moment, a realization struck me.
I knew what I lacked now.
“I need to obtain mana.”
After becoming a half, I had made no attempt to gather mana.
I was only one-hundredth as fast as a typical magician.
This meant that even if I struggled for a hundred years to accumulate mana, I would still not match the efforts of another magician in just one year.
“The difference would be even greater when compared to those so-called genius magicians.”
However, it was not entirely without a solution.
“I can use unconventional methods.”
Potions, they spoke of.
Certainly, even when consuming potions, the numbing effect on mana persisted.
While another mage might ingest a high-level potion to gain a decade’s worth of mana, I, on the other hand, would be content with a mere month’s supply, just a fraction of that.
‘Yet, even that much holds significance for me.’
After all, my goal isn’t to become a powerful mage.
Getting stronger would only lead to unnecessary hardships when caught up in future turmoil.
Having mana in moderation was sufficient for my needs.
‘But where can I obtain potions?’
Potions were incredibly expensive and rare.
Every mage coveted them.
‘With the wealth of a duke, I could probably acquire them, but they won’t be given to me, considered a ne’er-do-well. Finding a hidden place where potions are concealed would take too much time.’
At that moment, a thought flashed in my mind.
‘Even in this duke’s estate, there’s a hidden place.’
I swallowed my saliva.
It wasn’t a hidden place for potions.
Instead, it offered an alternative way to obtain mana.
The problem was…
‘This is extremely risky. It’s a hidden place even challenging for third-year students in the game.’
Instead of confronting ‘that existence,’ it might be better to be expelled from the duke’s estate.
Compared to facing ‘that existence,’ the current me was as insignificant as a fly.
At that moment, a message popped up.
＜Dangerous challenges ahead, the judgment of the strategist will be revealed!＞
– Probability of defeating ‘Lord of Shadows’: 63.3%
I remained silent.
‘…Why isn’t the chance of success 0%?’
It was even quite high.
A whopping 63.3%.
The issue was ambiguous.
It seemed worth a try, but the possibility of failure was also quite substantial.
‘What should I do? The risk is too great if I fail.’
Then, I heard a soft voice moving my heart.
“Do not worry, Your Grace. Even if you lose the duel and are driven away, I will accompany you until the end. This Hans!! Wherever you go, Your Grace, I will be with you.”
Looking at the middle-aged bald wizard’s eyes filled with longing directed towards me, I made a decision.
‘I must succeed, no matter what it takes.’
* * *
There was a secret in the mansion of the Duke of Ecclesia.
In the family tomb where ancestors were buried, the Lord of Shadows was sealed.
It was because one of the ancestors had captured the Lord of Shadows.
Unable to destroy it, they sealed it in the tomb filled with spiritual energy.
‘Defeating the sealed Lord of Shadows has been one of the long-cherished wishes of the Duke’s family.’
The content of Hidden Peace was to annihilate the Lord of Evil.
Hans asked cautiously.
“Do you really intend to drive away the Lord of Evil? Are you okay?”
A voice full of concern.
Of course.
‘After the seal is released, the power may not fully return, and it will be weakened, but it’s still beyond my control.’
Moreover, I couldn’t even get Hans’s help.
Gakyo was protected by a special barrier, so only the Duke’s bloodline could enter.
‘In the worst case, I can escape, so I won’t die.’
Even if the seal is released, the Lord of Evil cannot escape from Gakyo, so he can somehow flee.
Instead, the aftermath of his escape will turn Gakyo into a mess.
‘…I’m the one who caused this incident, so I’ll probably get scolded by the Duke.’
Cold sweat dripped, but I nodded.
‘But I have no choice. I must succeed no matter what.’
I recalled the memories of my past life when I used to run a business.
Just like the countless business successes I achieved in my previous life, I will definitely succeed this time.
‘Fighting for a sweet future!!’
The charisma of the Black Flame Dragon responded to my will.
A fierce spirit surged.
“Don’t worry. No matter how powerful he is, in front of my greatness, he’s nothing more than a mere evil spirit.”
Please let me know if you need any further assistance.
It seemed that as the transcendent translation progressed, it became increasingly grandiose.
Even as the speaker, my limbs felt weak, and Hans’s eyes sparkled.
“Ah! Truly, our master destined to become a star in the magical realm! I pledge my loyalty!”
“…Let’s head to Gamyo.”
“Yes! I’ll lead the way!”
Gamyo was situated on a hill behind the mansion.
Upon reaching the vicinity, a voice, unfamiliar at first, reached our ears.
“What’s happening here, sir?”
“!!”
Must be around the late teens now.
A face resembling ‘Ban.’
With a more mischievous look, he was a boy with a youthful appearance.
‘Karl Ecclesia!’
The fourth among the five siblings of the duke.
As with all the duke’s descendants, he was still a student at the academy, an important character.
‘Was he in his second year now? The vice president of a branch student council at one of the four prestigious academies.’
Being a vice president in the second year was quite remarkable. It spoke volumes about Karl’s exceptional talent.
‘He had quite a troublesome personality.’
Indeed.
“Are you causing trouble again? Aren’t you past the age of stirring up trouble in Gamyo? When will you finally grow up, sir?”
Carl is a tremendous hard worker by nature.
He despised his brother, who was the complete opposite of himself.
“You’re talking nonsense. I’ve just come to honor our ancestors’ spirits.”
“Hah! You, sir?! You’ve never even set foot in the ancestral rites in your entire life. Why now?”
Carl frowned deeply and grumbled.
“Hmm, how adorable.”
I inwardly chuckled.
I’ve experienced all sorts of nonsense on Earth, so his grumbling felt more like a cute gesture.
“There’s no need to fuss for nothing. Let’s just politely send him off with some nice words.”
With that in mind, I opened my mouth, but I overlooked something.
Carl’s hostility triggered the “Charisma of the Black Dragon.”
“Carl, you really need to learn proper etiquette.”
“W-what?”
“Well, I suppose it’s partly my fault too. I can consider it my responsibility as your elder for letting you grow up in such a manner.”
I was terrified, but my cursed mouth wouldn’t stop.
“Carl, you must have been under a lot of stress. I understand. You’ve worked so hard and yet you’re still just a mere 3rd-rank. I’m sorry I haven’t paid more attention to you as your elder. If you ever need my help, reach out. I’m your brother, I’ll guide you with my teachings.”
“!!”
Carl’s eyes turned to fury.
“This…!!”
At that moment, there was unexpected help.
“Stop right there, Kal.”
It was Hans who had followed along!
“…Teacher?”
“Is that how you address Master Ban Gongja? Did I teach you to speak like that?”
Kal wore a bewildered expression.
Kal belongs to the Department of Magic.
From Noble mtl dot com
So, it seemed like Hans, a magician from the family, played the role of a teacher.
“Why, why are you doing this?”
“Master Ban Gongja is the future of magic. He is a great figure incomparable to the likes of us. Kal, from now on, you should show proper respect to Master Ban Gongja as you walk the path of magic.”
Kal’s mouth hung open in shock.
It was an expression that seemed to say, ‘Are you out of your mind, teacher?’