Vermillian Drake

Vermillian Drake.

I’ve heard of that name too.

The grandson of Alberton Drake, who rose to the position of Black Magic Tower Lord in the past. A genius who was able to manifest magic at a young age through the innate magical power inherited from his family.

His speed was unprecedented even within the Drake family, known as a prestigious family. Alberton Drake, the former Magic Tower Lord, called him the only talent capable of surpassing himself.

Even before my regression, he was a pretty famous figure who was always mentioned when discussing the next generation of leaders.

He joined the Black Magic Tower at the young age of nineteen, which says it all.

“Verm, why don’t you take off those stuffy gloves and say hello? It’s not polite for a first meeting.”

Usually, when shaking hands, it’s polite to take off your gloves, even when dealing with subordinates. Seeing him shake hands with us while still wearing gloves, Georg frowned.

For the rigid Georg, this kind of behavior that deviated from etiquette didn’t seem very pleasing.

“Ah, right. Sorry. I wear them so often that I sometimes forget.”

Even Vermillian Drake, who seemed like he could gloss over most things with a playful attitude, couldn’t withstand Georg’s rebuke.

As if he had just realized the existence of the gloves he was wearing, he took them off, put them in his pocket, and asked to shake hands again.

“I’d like to greet you again. I’m Vermillian Drake. I apologize for showing you an impolite appearance at our first meeting.”

“It’s alright. Don’t worry about it.”

“Same here.”

“Thank you for your generosity.”

As I was about to take the hand he offered, my eyes widened in that instant.

“……!”

It wasn’t his outstretched right hand, but something faintly embedded in his left hand, which was slightly attached to his side and half-hidden.

At first, I thought it was just a big mole, but looking closely, it seemed to be a kind of hand piercing, as it was visible on both the back and palm of his hand.

I haven’t seen many cases of piercings on hands, but doing it itself isn’t a strange thing, so it wouldn’t have been such a surprising thing under normal circumstances.

The only reason I was so surprised was because I had seen exactly one person with the same piercing in the same location as the one on Vermillian Drake’s hand.

– A piercing on your hand, that’s a unique hobby.

– You’ll get one someday too.

– What does it mean?

– It means that this is our comrade.

I can still vividly recall the conversation I had with that bastard.

The guy who drove me, or rather, Sylvia, to that state.

The man who called himself a member of the Dawn’s Eye, always shrouded in a robe, and whose face I had never even seen.

At first, I thought that he had a pretty unique hobby for a shady guy, but he called it a mark that their comrades had.

I don’t know why he told me such important information when I hadn’t even passed the test yet, but whatever the reason, it was very crucial information for me now.

Maybe if other people had the same insignia, I would have considered it an overreaction, but since I had heard rumors from Ruben, I couldn’t help but look at Vermillian Drake with suspicious eyes.

The eldest son of the Drake family, who was rumored to be secretly supporting the Dawn’s Eye, not just contacting them, has the same insignia as that bastard.

Isn’t it too perfect to dismiss all of this as a coincidence?

“It might be rude, but, Princess Eleanor. By any chance, is that eye…?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m sorry for showing you something unpleasant.”

“No, it’s me who seems to have asked a rude question.”

Moreover, Vermillian Drake seemed subtly concerned about Sylvia.

It wasn’t the kind of reaction that men usually show when they find a woman they like, but the way he scanned her up and down as if she were an object was strangely unpleasant.

And to put it bluntly, it was unpleasant.

“Princess, I’m sorry, but could you get me a glass of water? I’ve been drinking hot tea, and my throat feels a little stuffy.”

“Hmm? If that’s the case, you could ask someone passing by…”

“Ah, no. It’s okay. I’ll go get it, so the three of you can chat comfortably.”

So, in order to keep her away from that bastard’s gaze for a while, I asked her to do a chore that I wouldn’t normally do.

Georg, who didn’t notice Vermillian Drake’s gaze, tried to say why he was making Sylvia do such chores, but Sylvia waved her hand and quickly left, so he couldn’t continue his words.

With just the three of us left, I decided to start seriously learning about this man.

“By the way, I’ve heard a lot about you. You must be the grandson of Alberton Drake-kyung, the former Black Magic Tower Lord.”

“That’s right. He’s my proud grandfather.”

“Then, Drake-gongja, you must be aiming to enter the Magic Tower as well.”

“Yes, I’m trying to set foot in it as soon as possible.”

He was outwardly calm, but I could tell that he was feeling quite elated through the twitching of his lips each time I asked a question.

So, he’s weak to compliments.

He was born as the talented eldest son of a prestigious family and has lived his whole life only hearing compliments, yet he has this kind of personality?

No, maybe it’s because he’s lived his whole life only hearing compliments that he has this kind of personality.

Either way, it’s fortunate that there seems to be enough room to dig into.

“Then, what stage of enlightenment have you reached in magic? I’m also walking the path of magic, so I’m very curious.”

“Yes? Magic… Do you also have some knowledge of magic, Layard-gongja?”

There aren’t many people who can use magic at this age, so Vermillian Drake seemed quite flustered by my sudden words.

“It’s not something to brag about, but I’m somewhat capable. At least, in terms of manifestation, I can freely use magic within the 5th Circle.”

5th Circle. It’s a realm that is generally said to be barely reachable if an ordinary person puts in lifelong effort.

Maybe with my current body, I could aim for the 6th Circle, maybe even the 7th Circle, but I deliberately lowered it to this level because I heard that Vermillian Drake’s skill when he entered the Black Magic Tower before my regression was around this level.

Even he, who achieved the 5th Circle at the age of nineteen, was called a genius, but since a fifteen-year-old bastard is spouting such words, he probably thinks I’m crazy.

“Is that really true? Kyle. You’re a 5th Circle mage…”

“T, there’s no way that’s true. Georg. It seems that Layard-gongja is surprisingly fond of jokes.”

Georg’s eyes widened and he asked if it was true.

On the other hand, Vermillian Drake, as I expected, didn’t believe these words at all. He looked at me with a dumbfounded expression for a moment, then smiled mockingly as if he found it ridiculous.

For some reason, I felt quite proud, rather than unpleasant, as if I had seen his true expression for the first time.

He showed his true colors as soon as I touched his pride head-on.

“It’s not a joke, and it’s not an exaggeration. You seem very surprised, Drake-gongja.”

“I can’t help but be surprised. If that’s really true, the Magic Tower Lords would be fighting over you right now. The position of the next Magic Tower Lord would also be a sure thing.”

“I’m not very interested in the position of Magic Tower Lord, so it’s okay.”

“…….”

He kept thinking that my words were an exaggerated lie, and the bastard, who had been smirking all along, frowned, expressing his blatant displeasure at my last words.

Well, if he’s the kind of guy who went into the Black Magic Tower on his own, he must be very interested in the position of Magic Tower Lord.

In front of such a guy, I blatantly said, ‘I have the ability to become a Magic Tower Lord, but I don’t intend to do it,’ so it’s natural for him to react like that.

In the first place, I tried to act pretentious, which is not in my nature, in order to scratch his temper, and it’s working well.

“Then, could you show me?”

As the expected reaction came back soon after, I feigned ignorance while wearing a triumphant smile.

“Show you what?”

“Of course, the magic that Layard-gongja is so proud of. Even if I look like this, my eyes aren’t peepholes, so if I see it once, I can roughly gauge how skilled you are.”

He’s trying to test me.

No, to be exact, he’s convinced that my words are lies, so his purpose is to reveal my ugly face and inflict shame on me.

Anyway, it’s welcome for me.

In the first place, it’s not just him who wants to check the other person’s strength, but me too.

If Vermillian Drake is really a member of the Dawn’s Eye, he might be using the same power as the man in the robe I encountered before my regression as a source.

Maybe he received some kind of support from the Dawn’s Eye like me and was able to manifest his power early on.

If so, the reason why he was called a genius who bloomed his talent at an unprecedented speed even within the Drake family may also be there.

It would be a shame if I guessed wrong, but at least it’s worth trying.

If that’s the fastest way to protect Sylvia, I’ll guess wrong dozens, even hundreds of times.

“Alright. Then, without wasting any time, let’s do it right now.”

“Now, you mean?”

When I nodded willingly, it was Vermillian Drake who showed a flustered expression instead.

He must have expected me to make various excuses and somehow avoid the situation.

But he’s wrong. Rather, the one who’s eager to test the other person is not you, but me.

“Yes, isn’t that what Drake-gongja wanted? To expose the ridiculousness of a fool who doesn’t know his place and is talking nonsense in order to save his face, in front of all these people.”

“…Alright. Then, without asking anyone else, I’ll personally ask Layard-gongja to show me a move.”

He bared his teeth as if it was a good thing and was about to ask Georg to borrow a place.

It was the moment I was about to move my feet to follow him.

Thump.

“Layard-gongja, don’t go.”

“…Princess?”

I don’t know where she came from or how much she heard, but Sylvia suddenly grabbed my wrist and stopped me.

With eyes that looked very sad for some reason.