episode_0025

The Adelian family was a prestigious magic family.

This was an undeniable truth for everyone in the Croa Empire—no, for everyone on the entire continent. Everyone born with Adelian blood possessed magical talent.

The timing of mana awakening varied, but ordinary people usually awakened around age 10. However, members of the Adelian family awakened their mana at an average age of 6 to 7.

As such, people within the Adelian family, as well as those throughout the empire, were keenly interested in when a child born into the Adelian family would awaken their mana.

And when Bakummo Adelian, the current head of the Adelian family, awakened his mana, both the family members and the people of the empire were astonished. This was because he awakened his mana at the late age of 11, much later than the average.

‘For the head of the family’s son to awaken mana at age 11, he can’t be considered a true Adelian.’

For a direct descendant of the Adelian family to awaken mana at the late age of 11 – there was no greater gossip for the people of the empire.

Furthermore, collateral family members spread rumors that Bakummo Adelian’s mother had an affair with another man and gave birth to him. The reason they spread such rumors was to install their own children as the family head.

In this absurd situation where the collateral lines sought to usurp the direct line, Bakummo Adelian, at a young age, declared war on the collateral family members.

‘Do you covet the position of family head so much that you’d spread baseless rumors? If you’re so envious, defeat me and take it.’

Some collateral family members tried to defeat Bakummo Adelian and claim the position of family head, but Bakummo Adelian would wrap his body or fists in magic and beat his opponents senseless.

Unable to defeat Bakummo Adelian in a fight, the collateral lines began to raise objections. Their point was that Bakummo Adelian was not a normal mage.

‘Bakummo can’t possibly be considered a normal mage. Such a strange mage becoming the family head is unacceptable!’

‘Are you talking nonsense because I beat you senseless? Shall I show you whether or not I have the qualifications to be the family head?’

After that, Bakummo Adelian, along with the Adelian family members who followed him, helped the illegitimate prince instigate a rebellion.

‘Bakummo Adelian! What are you doing, instigating a rebellion!’

When Bakummo Adelian first helped the rebellion, the collateral family members tried to eliminate him, but once the rebellion succeeded and the Adelian family was elevated to a ducal house, they instantly shut their mouths and said nothing.

After becoming a duke, the first thing Bakummo Adelian did was a cleanup. He purged countless pieces of trash from the family: those who had insulted his mother, those who had tried to eliminate him, and so on.

After the purge, once the family had settled down, Bakummo Adelian also married and had children. At first, when he had children, everyone in the family worried internally. This was because they feared his children might fight as unconventionally as Bakummo did.

However, that worry quickly vanished. Both of Bakummo Adelian’s children were born with unprecedented talent as mages.

When Clara was born, everyone present was astonished. This was because Clara awakened her mana immediately after birth. Even by scouring the history of the empire and beyond, across the entire continent, there was no one like Clara.

Moreover, she possessed an overwhelming amount of mana, prompting family members to eagerly try to become Clara’s master. They believed that if Clara became famous, they, as her masters, would also gain renown.

However, none of them became her master. This was because the Head of the Magic Tower himself accepted Clara as his disciple. When the Head of the Magic Tower, who had never accepted anyone as a disciple, took Clara as his own, the empire was once again stirred into a commotion.

‘My son happens to be around the same age as Ducal Lady Adelian, so perhaps you’d consider letting them meet…’

‘My daughter wishes to befriend the Ducal Lady, and I’m hosting a tea party soon…’

Nobles with daughters tried everything to make their daughters friends with Clara, while nobles with sons hoped to somehow link their sons with Clara.

It’s common for siblings to be compared if one possesses exceptional talent, but Joden was never once compared to Clara.

Because he, too, was a genius.

Three years old. That was the age he awakened his mana. Before Clara was born, no one had broken his record.

His mana quantity, while not quite as boundless as Clara’s, still far surpassed the average.

From this perspective, he was exceptional in every way but could be seen as falling short of Clara. However, Joden possessed something no one else in the Adelian family had.

A unique magic.

Those who possessed it were extremely rare, and among them, less than one-tenth had a unique magic that was actually useful.

Joden’s unique magic was related to combat. He learned magic by himself through self-study, believing it to be the most comfortable method. If there was anything he learned from others, it was practical experience gained from fighting Bakummo Adelian.

Outstanding magical talent inherited from his family.

Practical experience gained from fighting Bakummo.

Lastly, his unique magic.

In his first year at the academy, he became the strongest among all academy students. What this meant was simple: he defeated the top student of the third year while still in his first year.

And during his two years at the academy, he was never once stripped of the title “strongest.”

.

.

.

“Weren’t you looking for who did it? I did.”

His red eyes, symbolizing the Adelian family, turned towards the vermin and his subordinates. Their bodies froze, unable to move, like frogs before a snake.

All the students in the lunchroom were watching this scene. Perhaps because all eyes were on them, the vermin feigned composure, smiling as he spoke to Joden.

“It seems there’s a misunderstanding. Won’t you release this magic?”

The man who had just drawn his sword on me was now writhing in pain, his hand frozen solid.

“Misunderstanding? I clearly saw him draw his sword with my own eyes. What could possibly be misunderstood?”

“This guy drew his sword merely to teach an arrogant junior a lesson.”

Joden let out a cold sneer upon hearing the vermin’s words.

“Ha, who granted you such authority? If there’s a professor who granted it, call them over.”

As Joden scoffed and dismissed him, the vermin’s voice became filled with anger, seemingly provoked.

“If you act like that, I can’t tolerate it any longer.”

“And what can a nobody like you do if you don’t tolerate it?”

Without any warning, the vermin and his subordinate were half-frozen. No mana was felt, no incantations were recited, and no separate signals were given.

No one sensed the vermin and his subordinates freezing, as if they had been frozen from the start.

Even seeing that after a long time, I still can’t grasp how to counter it.

“Ugh. What is this!”

“Release this, Joden!”

As far as I knew, that vermin, who was struggling to break free from the ice, was strong enough to be among the top ten in the third year. But his opponent was Joden.

Even if all the students ranked 2nd through 10th in the academy’s third year combined their attacks, they couldn’t defeat Joden.

When I trained by fighting Duke Adelian, I also fought Joden a few times at Duke Adelian’s recommendation. No, fighting Joden could barely be called a fight.

If the Adelian Family Head and Joden fought, naturally the Adelian Family Head would win.

However, when fighting me, it was always Joden who finished me off faster between the two. No matter how many illusions I created or tricks I set up, Joden simply froze everything.

“Don’t act so arrogant with such pathetic skill. Stay quiet.”

Joden said those words and then made the ice disappear in an instant.

As his frozen body was released, the vermin’s face was flushed, likely from immense shame, and one of his subordinates, lacking any sense, drew his sword and charged at Joden.

“How dare you be so disrespectful to His Highness the Prince!”

Come to think of it, that vermin, was he a prince from some royal palace? I couldn’t quite recall which kingdom it was.

Joden gazed at the man charging with his drawn sword, his eyes filled with contempt.

“Stop! You idiot!”

The vermin, too, seemed surprised by the foolish man’s judgment and shouted. That man wouldn’t be able to reach Joden anyway. He’d be frozen before he could.

While Joden dealt with the vermin, he managed to control his emotions. Yes, there still wasn’t enough justification to kill that vermin.

But I could at least give him a bit of trouble.

The man charging at Joden heard the vermin’s words and tried to stop, but having already charged forward so quickly, he couldn’t stop immediately.

“Whew~ My body feels stiff, probably from sitting for so long.”

I stretched and extended my leg to the side. As a result, the man who tripped over my leg plunged headfirst into the ground with the full momentum of his charge.

*Thud!*

Feigning ignorance, I approached the man and extended a hand.

“Oh dear, are you alright? You shouldn’t be sleeping in a place like this.”