Ch.91Awakened Hatchling (3)

The students immediately began to whisper.

“D-did you hear? They’re saying Lord Klein copied the formula?”

“No way… Why would someone from the Minerva Marquisate need to copy anything?”

“But still, Lord Ruide wouldn’t be wrong about this.”

‘He wouldn’t have brought it up if he wasn’t certain.’

Ruide’s eyes were special. He could see exactly what a person’s mana limit was and their current magical achievement level.

Klein’s mana quantity was exactly that of a 4th-rank mage.

However, his current level was 3rd-rank.

In other words, Klein Minerva had no talent for ‘theory.’ Simply put, he wasn’t intellectually gifted in magic.

From the beginning, if he had 5th-rank theoretical skills, he wouldn’t have lost his successor position to five-year-old Hersy.

So Ruide could be certain. That he had copied it.

“What do you… mean, Young Lord? I did not copy anyone’s magic circle.”

“You don’t have the skill for it.”

“…Of course my magical abilities are humble compared to yours. But I haven’t lived a life deserving of such disrespect. Copying? I am a Minerva.”

Klein’s tone was laced with anger.

Hersy looked back and forth between Klein and Ruide with wide rabbit-like eyes.

“Then you should be able to answer all the questions I ask.”

“…Of course.”

Ruide held up the paper with the magic circle drawn on it, wearing a bored expression.

Klein swallowed dryly.

“This magic circle is excellent. Flawless, in fact. It has the power of a 4th-rank spell but is designed so a 3rd-rank mage can use it. Klein Minerva, it’s perfectly suited for someone of your ability. That’s very difficult to achieve. And you’re claiming you did this yourself?”

Ruide could make such assertions because he could see Klein’s abilities, but others would inevitably be fooled.

They would more likely believe that ‘Klein Minerva has exceptional magical talent.’ After all, this magic circle wasn’t revolutionary, but it was impressive.

Preparing a magic circle that was both acceptable and impressive enough to show off considerable skill indicated quite a meticulous personality.

Just because his magical intelligence was low didn’t mean his overall intelligence was lacking.

“…In the end, it’s still only 3rd-rank magic. I cannot tolerate being accused of copying a magic circle I stayed up all night creating, even from you, Young Lord. Apologize.”

“To create a magic circle of this caliber, you’d need to be at least a 5th-rank mage, no matter how talented you are. Actually, 5th-rank is the minimum. This is more impressive than you think, Klein.”

“From the beginning, Young Lord, you’ve been making one error.”

Klein’s voice was filled with indignation.

His arm resting on the desk trembled. It was the typical attitude of a nobleman who couldn’t bear the insult.

“Why do you assume my magical theory skills are below average? As you said, my officially registered magic rank at the Academy is indeed 3rd-rank. However, I can confidently say that my theoretical skills are far above 3rd-rank.”

Humans are emotional creatures.

Klein’s performance of feeling wronged was perfect, and the students thought:

-Lord Ruide is being too judgmental and harsh.

Klein turned to Fenicia with an extremely wronged expression.

“Professor, you know best. Didn’t you call me aside before and tell me my theoretical abilities were quite good? Please… clear up this misunderstanding.”

Fenicia looked troubled.

As a magic theory professor, she naturally knew her students’ levels precisely.

She spoke carefully.

“Um… Young Lord, if I may, Klein’s magical theory skills are not poor. Rather, they’re quite excellent.”

“Young Lord, please ask me anything about that magic circle.”

“Well then.”

Ruide spoke in a languid voice, handing over a blank piece of paper.

“Draw the exact same magic circle you submitted.”

“Of course.”

Klein confidently took the paper and drew the magic circle.

Shortly after, Klein completed the magic circle. Ruide received it with an indifferent face.

“Perfect. You’ve practiced a lot.”

“Thank you.”

Ruide put down the newly drawn magic circle and examined the original one.

“But they’re different.”

Klein said with a confident face:

“Of course. The submitted magic circle was created with great care in the workshop. However, the one I just drew was done as quickly as possible, so it’s inevitably of lower quality than what I submitted.”

At this point, Klein thought:

The flow had turned in his favor.

The professor’s advice. And Ruide’s tight-lipped face, which to Klein appeared flustered.

‘Even a genius seems inexperienced in handling people.’

But pressing further would only harm himself.

It was common sense that there was nothing to gain from antagonizing the Windsor family.

Instead, he decided to use this opportunity to build a friendship with Lord Ruide.

Showing generosity—there was no better condition for becoming friends with someone.

“…But I’m pleased. If Lord Ruide said such things, it means I did well. I’ll take this as encouragement and let it go.”

“Young woman.”

“Pardon?”

“Based on the lack of unique magic, probably a commoner. Timid personality. Low self-esteem despite her abilities. Mentally deficient. Classic symptoms of depression.”

A magic circle is also a type of diagram.

There are countless possibilities, and everyone draws them differently.

Ruide was skilled at reading people’s psychology through their drawings.

This was entirely his own ability, not the ability of ‘lazy Ruide.’

After all, he had majored in psychology.

“Above all, this magic circle wasn’t created by someone from the Minerva family.”

But this wasn’t enough. No one would be convinced. He needed to present definitive evidence.

Ruide infused mana into the magic circle Klein had just drawn.

“…Huh?”

The lines of the magic circle turned emerald green. The color of nature that symbolized the Minerva family.

Next, he infused mana into the originally submitted magic circle. Then—

“…!”

It turned orange.

People couldn’t help but be shocked.

“H-how…?”

Mana is like a fingerprint.

The color manifested varies according to the flowing blood.

Windsor is blue.

The Imperial family is gold.

Minerva is emerald.

But what was surprising was that this magic circle wasn’t drawn with mana but with a pen.

If Lord Ruide had revealed the color of the magic circle, it should have been blue—

Such a color appearing was impossible.

“It’s not my mana. I merely amplified the mana embedded in the magic circle. So, this shows the mana of the person who drew it.”

The eyes that had been focused on the magic circle turned to Ruide.

“Klein Minerva. Why didn’t you draw the magic circle with your own hands?”

‘Though it’s a lie.’

Even for Ruide, what’s impossible is impossible.

Extracting and showing the mana from a magic circle written with a ballpoint pen was impossible.

But using magic to secretly fake the color wasn’t difficult for Ruide.

In other words, this was just a performance.

A manipulation to achieve the desired result.

Ruide’s indifferent eyes captured Klein.

Suddenly, he thought that Irene would really like this choice of his.

Though Amelia would be disappointed.

**

Klein’s punishment was left to Fenicia.

Fenicia hinted that it would most likely be expulsion.

The funny thing was that the academic dishonesty itself wasn’t the major issue.

What really mattered was that he had dared to commit ‘deception’ against someone who was both a duke’s son and an Academy professor.

That was an undeniable grave sin.

‘Because of the First Emperor or whatever, I hadn’t really felt it, but seeing this, it really is a class-based society.’

Anyway, Hersy’s problem was solved by removing Klein.

It wasn’t the best outcome, but Ruide didn’t mind.

He thought that he could make up for the family’s absence by doing well himself.

“Phew, I need to rest for a while now.”

This was tremendous progress.

Ruide already felt like he had transformed from a jobless person into a functioning member of society.

But had he run too hard with such small steps?

His body felt very languid, and he wanted to sleep. He was just thinking that he should lounge around for a few months.

“Y-young master.”

“Yes?”

“I think you need to go quickly.”

Sherry came out to greet him as he entered the mansion.

“Why?”

“…His Majesty has arrived.”

Ruide turned around.

He had a feeling that things were about to get very troublesome.

‘Could he be here to demand payment for the palace repairs?’

There was something that made him feel guilty!

“Y-young master. He’s been waiting for an hour already. He’s been waiting just for you to arrive. Lady Amelia is already pale.”

“……”

In that case, he had no choice.

The Emperor was a friend, but he was still clearly a superior.

“Why did he have to come…”

Reluctantly, Ruide entered the mansion.

When he went to the reception room, the Emperor and Amelia were sitting across from each other drinking tea.

Reinhardt was standing beside them like a wooden post.

Emperor Lucius, upon seeing Ruide, smiled brightly.

“Ruide. It’s been a while. Come, sit down. I’ve been waiting eagerly for you.”

Ruide sat down next to Amelia.

“Haha, seeing my beloved nephew’s face after so long makes me happy.”

“Me too.”

“I should have come sooner. It’s so simple.”

‘Every time I see him, he seems more like the neighbor’s older brother than an emperor.’

Ruide had this somewhat irreverent thought as he took a sip from a cup of warm milk.

“Your Majesty, what brings you here?”

“Amelia, you’re always so cold to me. Do you dislike me?”

When the Emperor said this jokingly, Amelia hastily replied:

“O-of course not.”

“I’m joking, just joking.”

The Emperor smiled warmly, then put down his tea and spoke somewhat solemnly.

“The recent incident was my oversight.”

“……”

“I came to apologize for that. Ruide, Amelia.”

Ruide held no ill feelings toward the Emperor over this incident.

How could the Emperor have known that the Teuton Knights would act that way?

“Y-Your Majesty, there’s no need for you to apologize.”

Amelia seemed to feel the same way. Ruide chimed in, hoping she wouldn’t think unnecessarily about it.

“I don’t think Your Majesty is at fault.”

“That’s a relief then. Truly… I have no words, even with a hundred mouths. I’ve always thought skill was most important, but now I understand why knights value chivalry so highly.”

Lucius took a sip of tea.

“I’ve disbanded the Teuton Knights.”

Surprised by this unknown fact, Amelia and Ruide looked at each other with wide eyes.

‘The Teuton Knights have been disbanded?’

But Ruide was surprised for a different reason.

That meant that a key player for the climax had disappeared.

Apart from the original story, he couldn’t believe that such a powerful group could vanish so easily.

“So, I have a favor to ask. You may refuse if you wish.”

Ruide and Amelia nodded simultaneously.

Lucius spoke with a gentle smile:

“I want to entrust the creation of a new knightly order to you two. Of course, it’s not for free. I’ll give you the right to use that knightly order as you wish while you remain in the empire.”