Chapter 83: Trial

“I sense a monster’s presence beyond the alley to our right.

“Size: small.

“Estimated number: three.”

“Small, and three of them…

“Does that mean they’re goblins?

“Or perhaps kobolds?”

“It could be a higher-level species, so it’s too early to make assumptions.”

“I and Gilbert will take the lead.

“Everyone, please stay behind us.”

Some time had passed since we entered the test maze.

Perhaps because we had proceeded in an almost straight line from the start, the frequency of monsters appearing in our path began to increase noticeably.

It was as if the test was saying it had seen enough of our navigation skills and now wanted to see our monster-hunting abilities in earnest.

As proof, the difficulty of the monsters we had to subjugate was steadily rising, starting with one of the weakest, the Lesser Rat—a small mouse monster.

“A spirit beast!?”

“No wonder the number was so low…”

The monster that appeared this time was an Igzad.

It was one of the many lower fire spirits that resembled a lizard.

In truth, it wasn’t a typical monster but an ordinary spirit that could even form contracts with humans.

However, the Empire officially classified any spirit other than the four major ones as a spirit beast.

In other words, they were treated as hostile spirits living in the wild and were categorized as monsters.

“It’s cuter than I thought, don’t you think?”

“You have no sense of tension whatsoever.”

Beside me, Rio lightly shook his head.

I paid him no mind.

As the children from the collateral branches formed up and prepared for battle, I peered over their shoulders, carefully observing the spirit I had only ever seen in books.

One might argue it was just a hallucination, but considering the detail of the monsters we had seen so far, I believed it was likely very close to the real thing.

“Still, for a spirit beast to appear already. It seems we’re being evaluated quite highly.”

“Overconfidence breeds carelessness.

“Stay focused until the test is over.”

“So stiff.”

Led by the siblings Gilbert and Hilverta, the collateral family members skillfully beat down the Igzad.

You ask who Gilbert and Hilverta are?

Gilbert was the one who challenged Roslin before the test began.

And the one who bashed her younger brother, Gilbert, on the back of the head with a steel mace was his older sister, Hilverta.

Contrary to their somewhat flippant first impression, they possessed skills that were easily comparable to Roslin, who was considered the most promising among the Gardeners.

They employed a fighting style distinctly different from the other collateral children, who used standard elemental magic or aura.

First, to explain their method, I must explain the principles of magic.

How is magic formed?

It’s incredibly complex, but I’ll explain it as simply as possible.

First, one releases mana from within the body through their circuits.

However, this released mana energy quickly dissipates, so one more step is required.

What’s needed here is a ritual formula.

By adding a formula to the mana energy released from the body, one imparts uniqueness and various effects to the mana.

For reference, imbuing one’s innate attribute also happens naturally at this stage.

That’s why if the magic’s attribute doesn’t match one’s own, a conflict arises, weakening the spell, or the formula can break down, preventing manifestation altogether.

Conversely, if the attributes match, the power is amplified.

Well, that much is obvious.

A standard ritual formula can be executed without an incantation, but complex formulas may require one depending on the user.

Of course, the presence or absence of an incantation doesn’t necessarily determine skill.

To make an analogy, it’s like mental math.

It’s convenient if you can do it, but it has no effect on the power or activation even if you can’t.

In any case, this is the process of casting a typical magic spell.

“Enough with the bravado, up the concentration!”

“…It’s not hot anymore.”

However, the Gilbert siblings skipped the release stage of this process entirely.

They performed the magic purely within their own bodies.

A type of magic where, depending on the situation, they transformed their mana into a corresponding potion-like substance for immediate administration.

Only… I question whether this can even be called magic.

It was a method far closer to Aura, which converts mana into physical energy, or Alchemy, which transmutes substances.

Perhaps it’s more accurate to call it alchemy rather than magic?

Considering the Rosegarden family is a family of alchemists, maybe it’s those two siblings who have inherited the most potent blood among the collateral branches.

Internal doping, of all things.

Regardless of its performance, I think it’s unique, one-of-a-kind, and incredibly cool.

A type of magic like that… couldn’t I find a way to use it too?

…

No, my circuits for channeling mana are broken, so it’s probably impossible, isn’t it…?

“…That’s amazing.”

“So it wasn’t just empty bravado?”

Roslin and the Gilbert siblings.

The other children marveled at the performance of these three, who had been particularly conspicuous since the maze test began.

What was admirable about the other children here was that, despite having every reason to be jealous, they remained faithful to their roles.

I mean, isn’t that impressive?

For these kids, who have just become adults, to silently perform their duties in a test environment where relative evaluation is inevitable?

“Everyone’s so mature.”

“Pardon?”

For a moment, the words I meant to keep in my head slipped out.

Thanks to the basic formation that kept Rio and me safely wrapped up, all the children turned to look at me in unison.

“Ah, no. I just thought, isn’t it natural to feel jealous of those three’s performance….”

Oops.

Lin, you fool…!

If you say it so honestly…!

I had just made a second mistake in a row.

I had just thrown a bucket of cold water on the smooth atmosphere.

“Umm…”

“Well, it would be a lie to say we’re not jealous at all, but…”

“Cooperation, not competition, is what’s important in this test.”

However, the children not only scooped the spilled cold water back up but also put it on a stove to boil.

You guys, aren’t you a little too mature for your age…?

It was to the point where I wished someone else being protected right next to me would watch and learn.

“It seems we’re near the exit.”

The child in charge of scouting reported.

Considering the time and the number of monsters we had passed, I figured the next one would be the final gateway.

“How is it?”

“Yes.

“Beyond, there’s one large monster.

“I can feel it clearly.”

“Then that fellow must be the last boss of this test.”

One might let their guard down at the very end.

But the children from the collateral branches were even more focused.

To be honest, while I found their demeanor commendable, I also felt a little uncomfortable.

…Hmm?

Why, you ask?

Because Rio and I have done nothing but walk from start to finish!!!

That’s right.

In this maze test, we of the direct bloodline had not contributed even once.

Before we could even encounter a monster, we were preciously pushed behind the formation as if locked in a cage.

They even had the thoughtfulness to place one more person at the very rear.

It was nothing short of meticulous.

Meanwhile, that cunning Rio had managed to sneak in a sword swing or two at just the right moments, getting his spoon in the pot…!

At this rate, my evaluation is going to plummet…!!

A psychological crisis unlike any I had experienced in my fifteen years of life.

The words “last boss” doubled my anxiety.

“Everyone, are you ready?”

“Yeah.”

“Ready whenever.”

Hilverta, the older of the Gilbert siblings, once again took the lead.

Clutching a shield and a steel mace in her hands, she slowly rounded the corner and advanced down the path.

After a few repeated steps, a faint mist cleared, revealing a small troll.

“Uwooooargh!”

“A t-troll…?”

…Huh?

It looks a little small for a troll….

Did they intentionally reduce its size since it’s a hallucination?

Well, it is a test for newly minted adults, so I guess they adjusted the difficulty to some extent.

As the small troll roared, the other children froze in place.

Having only faced small and medium-sized monsters until now, they seemed to be intimidated by the size of a large monster.

“…Hey, Rio.

“Do you think the blood of a troll made from a hallucination would still be effective?”

“What are you even talking about, you who already has a mountain of the real stuff piled up.”

Any trauma I had about trolls,

I had long since overcome it, to the point where I now saw them as nothing more than walking high-grade alchemy ingredients.

Thinking about the rapidly decreasing troll population recently, I couldn’t help but say it, even knowing it was absurd.

Given the last report, at this rate, the stock price of my precious Raphael Inc. will….

Should I really build a troll blood farm?

“What do you think?”

“I can certainly tell it’s a crazy idea.”

Trolls are ugly, so ethically there shouldn’t be much of a problem, but the most important thing in business is profitability, you know~….

As I looked at the small troll created by the hallucination, my head tilted at the sudden thought that popped into my mind.

“Ah…

“Look out!!”

“…Huh?”

At that moment, a troll’s club was slowly descending upon my head.

One of the collateral family members shouted urgently and threw their body forward.

***

“Do you understand?

“You two must protect Lady Lin.”

“Yes, Father.”

Before visiting the main house, my father spoke to us siblings.

He told us that Lady Lin of the direct bloodline was born with damaged mana circuits and could not use magic.

When I first heard that, I truly thought it was a terrible affliction.

To be born with such noble blood, yet to be unable to manifest it for a lifetime….

Considering that even commoners, who are born with very little mana, have perfectly fine circuits, it was nothing short of a devil’s curse.

A devil’s affliction with no known cure, not even a known cause.

It was then that I finally understood.

My brother’s and my constitution were, in fact, inherited to protect Lady Lin.

“Gilbert, you.

“You’d better not say anything strange when we go to the main house.”

“Ah, of course, my dear sister.”

“…I’m worried.”

The alchemy that allowed one to convert a portion of the blood in their veins into potions.

It was one of the many secret arts passed down through the Rosegarden family for generations.

While not on the grand scale of a bloodline magic, it required a body that was suited for it to some extent.

According to Father, among the Gardeners outside the main house, it manifested most often in our family.

For reference, he said that all direct descendants of the main house were born with such a constitution.

I felt the strength of this power as I learned to master it myself.

And the direct bloodline was born with this as a baseline….

As I felt the difference in our dimensions, I felt even more pity for Lady Lin.

To have everything, to have it all before her very eyes.

Yet to be unable to use it for her entire life, just how torn apart must her heart be….

I couldn’t even begin to imagine.

When I first entered Rosegarden Castle and met Lady Lin, that resolve became even firmer.

She was much cuter than I had thought….

…No, seeing Lady Lin, who was much smaller than I expected, fanned the flames in my heart even stronger.

“It’s cuter than I thought, don’t you think?”

The test went smoothly.

It was my first time in a real battle, but my diligent training had paid off.

I felt a sense of pride seeing Lady Lin walking behind us without a care in the world, as if on a stroll.

It meant that my skills, and those of the other Gardeners, were being proven.

I was sure everyone else felt the same way.

To be fair, Lord Rio helped out when things got a little tough….

Still, we forged ahead through the maze without any major obstacles.

The final monster was a single large entity.

At the sudden appearance of a large creature, I secretly swallowed a gulp of saliva.

Could I protect her properly?

Although I had been told it was a hallucination, everything felt real to me, which made me even more nervous.

A large entity meant a wide attack range, and it meant it would be difficult to block the path alone.

Even though I was constantly circulating a pain-numbing effect, I could still feel the ache.

What if Lady Lin were to be hit by a large monster’s attack?

As it was a hallucination created by a Gardener, her life would not be in danger, but the pain was another matter.

Enduring pain was our duty, not the duty of the poor Lady Lin.

“Uwooooargh!”

“A t-troll…?”

When the mist cleared.

What was revealed was a troll.

A monster immune to magic, an out-of-spec creature far too inappropriate for this test.

A heinous monster that even a skilled knight would struggle against.

Why was it standing before us, who had just become adults?

I glanced back.

Just as I feared.

Everyone else besides me was frozen in place.

It was only natural.

Who could have possibly imagined?

That after small groups of goblins and kobolds, and two orcs, a troll would suddenly appear.

Whoosh—

The troll’s wooden club swung, creating a great gust of wind.

As I reflexively raised my shield, I noticed that the target of the troll’s attack was not me, who stood at the very front.

“Ah…!”

Anxious, I looked back.

The troll was extending its massive front paw, about to bring its club down on Lady Lin who was behind me.

I forced acceleration potions into my veins and threw myself forward, running as fast as I could, but….

‘No… I’m too late…!’

The club was already moments away from reaching Lady Lin.

At that moment, as I squeezed my eyes shut without realizing it.

Slice—!!

A single maid doll appeared with a small summoning circle.

With a small, long sword held in her hand, she instantly diced the troll’s club.

“Are you alright?”

Simultaneously, my belated dash ended with me in Lady Lin’s arms.

I couldn’t bring myself to look directly into the eyes of Lady Lin, who was worried about me instead.

“I-I’m fine….”

“I see.

“That’s a relief.”

Lady Lin offered not a word of reprimand, but a warm smile.

Overcome with shame, I dared to turn my gaze away.

“…Another troll?”

The doll… is talking?

A small voice came from above my head.

No matter how I looked at it, it was an ordinary magitech maid doll.

I knew them very well, having played with them as a child.

The fact that magitech dolls did not have a speaking function.

“Judging by its size, it is still a small cub.

“However, this sword will show no mercy.”

Fwoosh—!!

The fact that it could use an Aura Blade, a skill that only a few masters could handle.

This was no ordinary doll.

It wasn’t even a spirit.

Then, something deep within my mind connected.

Something I had read in an old book I had chanced upon in my father’s study as a child.

‘An artificial spirit….’

Long, long ago.

The artificial spirit that the ancestors of the main family had repeatedly tried and failed to create, the Homunculus.

Lady Lin had created it herself.

That Lady Lin, who was so small and couldn’t even use magic.

“Fufu, well done, Exia.”

Lady Lin praised the artificial spirit that had cleanly sliced the troll like a slab of meat at a butcher’s shop.

It was then that I realized.

The greatness of Lady Lin, who, despite being unable to use magic, did not give up and honed her own path.

And that this person was a true noble, and my small, cute master to whom I would pledge my lifelong loyalty.