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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 7
‘What the hell?’
Teren’s movements weren’t bad.
No, they weren’t just good—they were exceptional.
His techniques displayed a firm grasp of the fundamentals of combat, something unbelievable for someone his age.
Just by watching him move, one could tell how much grueling training he had endured.
On the other hand, that brat’s movements—
‘They were a mess. It was as if he didn’t even know the basics of combat.’
And yet, despite that—
‘He was strong. Overwhelmingly so.’
Melin was stunned as she realized the reason.
‘He completely saw through the flow of the battle.’
Teren’s attacks were powerful and fast.
But they never landed.
In contrast, Christian’s attacks were sloppy.
Yet, every single one struck true.
That was because Christian had predicted Teren’s every move.
Whether through intellect or sheer instinct.
‘Without an innate talent for combat, that would be impossible.’
But the real reason she was so shaken—
‘At the last moment, he struck the weakest point of the demonic energy and disrupted it.’
An impossible feat.
Theoretically, it could be done.
One would need extraordinary perception, reaction speed sharp enough to act within a fraction of a second, and the ability to pinpoint and exploit a vulnerability without fail.
All of those qualities combined—
Which was as good as saying it was practically impossible.
‘And yet, that brat, who hasn’t even built up proper demonic energy, pulled it off?’
She couldn’t believe it.
Even now, she wondered if her eyes had deceived her.
A single word flashed through Melin’s mind.
‘…Genius?’
It wasn’t impossible.
The bloodline of the Dark House was known for producing individuals far more gifted than ordinary people.
That was why they were one of the Twelve Pillars supporting the Magus Empire.
‘Come to think of it, that brat was called a genius when he was young. Though it’s hard to believe now.’
Being recognized as a genius in one of the great magical families meant they were truly exceptional.
‘But could even a genius achieve something like that?’
Melin was confused.
She couldn’t even begin to estimate how great a genius he would have to be for such a feat to be possible.
‘Perhaps… a talent that surpasses Lord Aesid de Varen.’
Aesid de Varen!
As indicated by the ‘de’ in his middle name, he was the direct heir of the Dark House.
The greatest prodigy among the younger generation of the Dark House—
And the one considered the heir apparent.
‘No, that’s overthinking it. There’s no comparison to him.’
Even if Christian was a genius, it was far too late.
While he wasted time in debauchery, his peers soared ahead.
The gap between them had already become impossible to close.
‘It seems like he’s finally come to his senses, but…’
Melin glanced at Chris.
He was still running laps around the training ground.
How many laps had it been?
Twenty? No, perhaps more than thirty. He had been running nonstop for quite some time.
An unexpectedly tenacious display.
Melin shook her head.
“What a shame. It’s already too late.”
The timing of one’s training was crucial to their achievements.
The later one started, the more impure their core would be, and their energy pathways would have already hardened.
There was a limit to how far they could go.
Chris was already fifteen. That was well past the age to begin.
‘At best, he might reach the level of a 3-star or 4-star intermediate Magian.’
That was what Melin thought.
‘How long will it take for him to reach 1-star? At least a year? No, since he started late, it could take over two years. And he has a handicap on top of that.’
A handicap.
Christian had once trained in demonic energy.
At the time, he had reached the 2-star level.
His unprecedentedly fast growth had even shaken the Dark House’s main family, but—
The genius grew arrogant, indulged in a life of excess, and ultimately scattered all the demonic energy he had built up.
Once lost, rebuilding one’s demonic energy became several times harder.
‘Such a waste of talent.’
Melin clicked her tongue as she looked at Chris.
---
A few days later.
‘So, he’s finally at 1-star.’
Chris took a deep breath in his room.
A new vessel had formed within his Core of Darkness.
He had reached the 1-star realm in the demonic path.
‘Since I’m not used to demonic energy, it took a long time.’
It had taken longer than expected.
Anyone else hearing this would gape in disbelief.
Even for the talented, reaching 1-star usually took at least half a year.
‘The remnants of the demonic energy I had once cultivated slowed me down. If not for that, I would have reached this stage even faster.’
Chris gathered demonic energy in his hand.
“…It feels awkward.”
A faint black aura swirled before dissipating.
‘Can I not use them together?’
Chris tried manifesting light ‘mana’ in one hand and dark ‘demonic energy’ in the other.
It worked.
On one side, a bright aura of light gathered, while on the other, a pitch-black aura of darkness coalesced.
‘The strain on my energy pathways is too much. Using this in actual combat is still impossible. I’ll need to reach a higher level before I can wield both forces simultaneously.’
Chris leaned back in his chair and pressed the buzzer.
A chilling voice echoed in response.
[Did… you call for me, young master?]
A faint, ghostly figure appeared.
No, it wasn’t like a ghost—it was a ghost.
The being that had emerged was a banshee, a notorious wraith!
Chris swallowed a curse.
‘What kind of madness…? Using a banshee as a maid? Even for a Demonic House, this is too much.’
By now, he had grown somewhat accustomed to it, but the first time she had appeared before him as his ‘maid,’ he had been utterly terrified.
To make it even worse, the banshee had an innocent, beautiful appearance and even wore a maid outfit, which only made the situation more unsettling.
‘I have to replace her. With a human servant.’
Even in the Magus Empire, ghosts weren’t commonly used as attendants.
His previous maid had been human.
But after the former delinquent Chris had repeatedly mistreated his servants, Count Khazar, enraged, had assigned the banshee as his personal maid.
[Young… master… what… do you need…?]
“Get me some juice.”
[Shall I prepare… maiden’s blood… as juice?]
“…Strawberry juice.”
[Maiden’s blood… is more… delicious, though?]
“…I said strawberry.”
No Magian actually drank maiden’s blood juice.
The banshee was merely playing a prank, but with her ghostly nature, it didn’t feel like a joke at all.
Cackling, the banshee vanished—only to reappear moments later with strawberry juice in hand.
‘Well, this part is nice at least.’
Chris sipped his juice through a straw, deep in thought.
‘This abundance… This is exactly what I wanted.’
Everything he desired was instantly provided.
Clothes, a luxurious bed, and gourmet meals—everything was perfect.
Except for the part where his maid was a banshee.
Still, this was the life he had dreamed of in his previous existence.
‘But I won’t be satisfied with just this. I’ll climb to the top of the Magus Empire and bask in the ultimate wealth and luxury.’
And save the world while he was at it.
With that determination, Chris rose from his seat.
He was heading to the training ground.
Truthfully, he was the type of genius who preferred laziness over effort, and he didn’t particularly enjoy such grueling training.
But with a goal in mind, he had no choice.
‘Wealth and glory—let’s go!’
Shouting his resolve inwardly, he made his way toward the training grounds.
However, just before he could leave the mansion, a voice called out to him.
“Heading to the training grounds again, young master?”
A deathly pale complexion.
Sharp, gleaming fangs.
It was Kox, the half-vampire butler of House Khazar.
As befitting a vampire lineage, his features were sharp, yet a gentle smile rested on his lips, softening his overall impression.
“Yes, I’m heading there now.”
“I worry that you might be overexerting yourself.”
Kox quickly shook his head.
“Oh, of course, I’m truly pleased and proud of your dedication, young master. I, Kox, never gave up on believing in you, even when others pointed fingers at you.”
Chris silently smiled at those words.
‘Look at this guy.’
His words were rather insolent.
His gaze… It seemed like he was acting concerned for Chris, but what was his true intention?
“What exactly do you believe in?”
“…Pardon?”
“I don’t recall asking you to believe in me. Who are you to talk about believing in me or giving up on me?”
“!!”
Kox took a sharp breath.
Only then did Chris’s figure fully come into his view again.
A completely different atmosphere than before.
The foolish delinquent was nowhere to be seen.
His eyes held confidence, and the noble dignity that had been hidden beneath his previous disgrace was now apparent.
His gaze, as if looking down from above, pierced through Kox.
“Be more careful next time.”
“M-My apologies.”
The butler hurriedly turned and disappeared.
Chris watched his retreating figure, his eyes darkening.
‘That guy… Something about him stinks.’
Deciding to keep an eye on him, Chris made his way to the training grounds.
As he arrived, the place fell silent.
Glances were cast in his direction.
‘At least the looks they’re giving me are much softer than before.’
Since he had simply been training quietly in a corner without causing any disturbances, the way people viewed him had gradually begun to shift.
Some had even started to regard him favorably.
‘Could that delinquent have really changed?’
‘He’s different from before…’
But not everyone thought that way.
“Tch, it’s only a matter of time before he goes back to his old ways.”
“Just watch. He won’t last long before he starts slacking off again.”
Not even a full week had passed.
It was too short of a time for perceptions to change completely.
The Magians of the knight order still openly sneered at him.
“If it weren’t for his status, I’d have beaten that bastard half to death by now.”
As the one who had spoken so crudely chuckled—
A different response came back this time.
“You there. Are you finished talking?”
“!!”
It was Chris.
The demon who had just been mocking him inhaled sharply.
“You. What’s your name?”
“…Cannen. I am a squire of the Black Swamp Knights.”
A squire—an attendant to a knight.
Chris nodded.
“Alright, Cannen. Repeat what you just said about me.”
“……”
Cannen’s face stiffened.
Chris smirked.
“What’s wrong? Having trouble saying it to my face? Squire Cannen, do you know what people call someone like you?”
“……”
“A coward.”
“!!”
Cannen’s face flushed red.
“That’s too much.”
“Too much? Do you think someone who badmouths others behind their backs has the right to say that?”
Chris shrugged.
“Pick up a training sword.”
“…What?”
“You and I—our honor has been tarnished, so there’s only one way to settle this.”
Chris’s lips curled.
“We’ll settle it with strength. Like true demons.”
It was time to start winning over the demons.
With power.
* * *
The unexpected duel caused an uproar in the training hall.
“Vice Captain, that—”
“Leave it.”
“What? But—”
The demon who had intended to intervene hesitated.
This was different from the previous duel.
Even if they were using wooden swords, they were still weapons, and there were no restrictions on demonic energy.
Chris could get seriously injured if things went wrong.
But Melin spoke coldly.
“He staked his honor as a demon. He’ll handle it himself. If he has strength, he will protect his honor.”
Melin watched Chris intently.
“If he lacks strength, he will pay the price.”
Truthfully, Melin wanted to see it.
To see what kind of potential Chris would display.
‘I must be a fool to expect anything.’
Melin shook her head at her own thoughts.
No matter how talented he seemed in the last duel, it was foolish to expect too much.
No, she wasn’t even sure if what she had witnessed back then was real.
Because it was simply unbelievable.
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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