Chapter 8
"Gasp."
"That is..."
What Kain held in his hand was the head of a large snow leopard.
Gasps of surprise echoed from here and there as they watched Kain holding the dead snow leopard's head.
'Wh-what? Is that really Young Master Kain?'
'He doesn't have the same aura as the Young Master Kain I knew.'
'He didn't go out much to begin with, but for the past month, we've barely seen him... What on earth happened during that time?'
Before they could even fully grasp the fact that Kain had caught a snow leopard, they froze at the sight of him nonchalantly lifting the snow leopard's head, with its blood dried and caked.
They didn't even have time to question whether Kain had actually caught the snow leopard himself.
While no one could open their mouths, the first to regain his senses was Blake Siers.
"...What exactly is that you're holding?"
"It's the head of a snow leopard."
"I mean, why are you holding it?"
At those words, Kain's expression turned slightly sullen.
"Didn't you ask me to bring one back, Lord?"
"I did?"
At Kain's words, everyone's gaze turned to Blake Siers.
Murmurs spread among them.
"Did the Lord ask the Young Master to do something like that?"
"Catching a snow leopard is a test usually given to those who have at least reached the intermediate stage of the 2nd Circle."
"Exactly. Wasn't he struggling to even complete a circle, let alone take a test?"
"The Lord must have been serious about expelling him this time..."
They seemed to think that Blake Siers had finally made a ruthless decision this time.
"Silence!"
Blake Siers roared, unable to bear it any longer, and silence fell again.
Blake Siers waited for Kain's reply.
Kain calmly opened his mouth.
"Yes. You clearly declared that if I didn't bring results within a month, I would be expelled. There are currently exactly two days left until the deadline, and I was planning to quietly complete the test and report to you separately before then, but..."
Kain looked around at everyone.
"It seems the timing wasn't good. I didn't know there was an event that would gather everyone here at this time."
"......"
Blake Siers let out a deep sigh.
He didn't know where the conversation had gone wrong, but he felt it was already too late to correct everything one by one.
"Alright. Fine. Let's say I did ask you to bring one back. So, are you saying you actually reached at least the 2nd Circle in just one month and caught that snow leopard all by yourself?"
"Yes?"
"You expect me to believe that right now?"
"Yes."
Without hesitation, Kain raised the snow leopard's head for them to see.
Fur scorched in places by the Fire Needles. And inside the snow leopard's open mouth, the traces of the Fire Arrow piercing through it remained intact.
As the head of the Siers clan, he should be able to tell what magic was used and how it struck just by looking at those traces, without having witnessed the battle.
Blake Siers alternated his gaze between the snow leopard's head and Kain, then nodded as if he understood what had happened.
After a moment, he opened his mouth.
"Alright. But it's also true that no one here directly witnessed you catching the snow leopard. So, demonstrate the magic you used to catch the snow leopard right here. Since you caught it, that much should be easy, right?"
"Understood."
Kain put down the snow leopard's head and lightly extended one hand, palm facing the sky.
"Fire Needle."
Along with the clear incantation, a dozen Fire Needles were created almost simultaneously on his palm.
Creating more than ten Fire Needles this easily was impossible for someone at the early stages of the 2nd Circle.
Moreover, each and every Fire Needle evenly contained a certain amount of mana, and the sharpness they possessed was no less than well-forged steel needles.
Of course, only a few, including the clan head, immediately noticed these details, but the disciples and servants present were already wide-eyed just at the fact that Kain had successfully cast the 2nd Circle magic, Fire Needle.
"...Good heavens. It was real."
"Young Master used 2nd Circle magic..."
"Then does that really mean the Young Master caught that snow leopard...?"
"It even looks like a fully grown adult, judging by its size."
"Someone who didn't even have a circle reached the 2nd Circle in just one month? That's unbelievable!"
Blake Siers glanced at the Fire Needles and gestured.
"Next."
"Yes. Fire Arrow."
The Fire Needles vanished instantly like a mirage, and soon mana gathered again, newly forming the shape of an arrow.
It was a single arrow, but the density of mana contained within it was more concentrated than the sum of a dozen Fire Needles.
The Fire Arrow, burning with an intense light, was enough to impress even the servants who knew little about magic.
The disciples, who had been doubtful after only seeing the Fire Needles briefly, had no choice but to acknowledge the Fire Arrow.
"No way that guy actually knows how to use Fire Arrow."
"Damn it. Since when did that brat...?"
"The magic itself is passable, but even so, for a guy with no combat experience to take down a snow leopard in a real fight..."
"I haven't even gone to hunt a snow leopard alone yet..."
But this time too, Blake Siers simply glanced at the Fire Arrow and nodded slightly.
"That's enough."
Then, turning to face the people looking at him, he said in a booming voice.
"Listen, all of you here!"
It wasn't a formal declaration in the Siers Hall, but everyone fell silent and focused on the clan head's words.
"Kain Siers has produced satisfactory results within the deadline, so as declared, I will withdraw his expulsion. And..."
Blake Siers looked at Kain and said.
"Starting tomorrow, make preparations so that Kain Siers can receive education on the second floor of the East Wing. That is all!"
The seventh son of the clan head, who had been driven to the brink of expulsion and had been hiding without even completing a single circle.
The disciples were momentarily frozen at the fact that he had not only avoided expulsion but had also been recognized by the clan head as a mage and would immediately enter the second floor of the East Wing.
'Even if he can use 2nd Circle magic, the second floor without even going through the first?'
'I suffered on the first floor for half a year before passing the test and barely got up...!'
'Still, it's the East Wing's matter, but even for the Lord, is it okay to decide without saying a word to the instructor?'
'I'm so jealous...'
Blake Sier’s brow furrowed as the disciples hesitated.
"What is it? Are you dissatisfied with my decision?"
"A-absolutely not!"
"Then we will take our leave!"
"Oh, right, I had something I was doing, I should finish it quickly..."
The disciples, having met the clan head's eyes, immediately left as if fleeing.
The servants also returned to their work, and only Alice and Nefty remained, watching Kain and Blake Siers from a short distance.
Blake Siers said to Kain, who was standing blankly.
"Kain."
"Yes, My Lord."
Blake Siers sighed as he looked at Kain, whose answer was still as firm as ever.
"The achievement you have shown is truly astonishing. The precision of your Fire Needle and Fire Arrow has reached the level of mastery, perhaps even beyond. You've been out of sight, but it seems you've had your own thoughts."
"Thank you."
"However, wasn't it unnecessary to go to such lengths, even risking danger?"
Blake Siers thought that Kain had deliberately taken advantage of his ambiguous words, "produce results," to prove his skills all at once in front of everyone.
In fact, the reason Blake Siers had vaguely said "produce results" in his declaration was to prepare for a case where Kain might succeed in casting "Fire" but fail to control its movement due to failing to change its coordinates, or in the worst case, not even be able to maintain it after implementation.
Since he had made a formal declaration in the Siers Hall, even the clan head himself couldn't go back on his word, so he had left some room for consideration.
But he hadn't expected Kain to use those words to cause such a stir.
"If you were going to do that, you should have at least reported it to me personally and quietly taken guards with you. Didn't you know we were looking for you because no one knew where you went?"
At those words, a look of surprise appeared on Kain's face for the first time.
"You were looking for me? But surely..."
And then.
"I'm sorry, Lord!"
Alice rushed forward and knelt before the clan head, her face pale.
"It's my fault. It's something that happened because I misunderstood what Young Master said. He clearly said he was going to show results, but I judged arbitrarily..."
"Enough. I understand. So that's what happened."
Blake Siers nodded, having confirmed that it was a meticulously planned act, so much so that Kain had even kept it a secret from Alice and left secretly.
"Since you have returned safely, I will not hold you or Alice responsible for this matter any further. However, Kain, since you have caused such a stir, you must continue to show clear results in the future."
"I will keep that in mind."
Blake Siers finished speaking with a stern face and returned to the Lord's residence.
Returning to his study, he slumped into his chair and leaned back.
Perhaps it was because he had been diligently searching for Kain and worrying, but fatigue was already washing over him.
However, an unmistakable smile hung on his lips.
Knock, knock!
"Lord, it's Rowen. May I come in?"
"Come in."
Blake Siers quickly composed his expression.
Rowen, the instructor who would soon be teaching Kain, entered and paid his respects to the clan head.
"I heard you're sending Kain Siers directly to the second floor. I haven't seen him myself, but has Kain really reached that level of mastery...?"
"Yes. If you don't believe me, you can see for yourself tomorrow, can't you?"
Rowen noticed the slight twitch at the corner of Blake Sier’s mouth and immediately lowered his head.
"No, sir. If it is your judgment, then it is undoubtedly correct. More importantly..."
Then, he raised his head and smiled.
"Congratulations, Lord."
"Ahem. What is there for me to be congratulated on? If you're going to congratulate someone, go tell Kain. It's his accomplishment."
"Understood. Then."
As Rowen withdrew, silence fell in the room again.
Blake Siers chuckled softly once more.
"...A capable fellow, isn't he? Heh heh."
The Fire Needles and Fire Arrow Kain had used were at the level of perfect mastery of the 2nd Circle.
There was no way he could have reached this level in a month from having no circle at all, so Kain had probably been steadily training before the declaration, waiting for this moment.
'In fact, just looking at the traces left on the snow leopard's head, there was no need for him to even demonstrate the spell.'
The only reason he had made him cast the spells directly was to visually show his skills to the disciples and servants.
"Right. Whose son would he be if he had no talent?"
Kain had finally given in and learned fire magic.
His gaze had also deepened somehow, and his attitude was more serious than ever before.
Blake Siers was extremely satisfied with the current situation.
Everything had turned out as he had wanted.
As he had wanted, and as he thought was right for the clan.
However.
'It's a bit bittersweet.'
A slight bitterness lingered in the smile that formed on his lips at the end.
***
As the clan head returned, only Kain, Alice, and Nefty remained in the northwest open space.
"Young Master..."
Alice looked at Kain with a face that seemed about to burst into tears.
'It's my fault that the Young Master got into trouble for no reason.'
Whether Kain had misunderstood the clan head's orders or had done it on purpose, it didn't matter.
Alice had arbitrarily interpreted Kain's words, causing a commotion within the clan and putting Kain in an unwanted situation.
"......"
Kain met Alice's gaze but said nothing.
'He must be angry.'
It was only because Kain had successfully caught the snow leopard and demonstrated his magic that he was spared.
Otherwise, he would probably have been severely scolded by the clan head and disgraced in front of everyone.
She deserved any punishment for this.
Thinking so, Alice opened her mouth.
And tried to apologize.
"I'm sorr..."
Just then, Kain spoke.
"I'm sorry, Alice."
"Yes...?"
Alice's eyes widened at the unexpected words.
"My communication was poor, causing you trouble. I should have explained things more clearly."
In his previous life, he had been the mage with the greatest talent on the continent. He never forgot any incantation he saw once, and he never made a calculation error.
Following the formulas according to theory always led to one definite answer, and that answer was the same anywhere, anytime, as long as there were no additional variables. Kain liked that.
But conversations with people were different.
Even the exact same words, without a single syllable out of place, could be received with completely different meanings.
Because of that, he had been misunderstood at times, but in his previous life, he ultimately failed to improve. He had tried, but according to his disciples' testimonies, nothing had changed.
And there was only one thing Kain could do.
Just honestly express his thoughts and feelings.
Kain approached Alice, who was still kneeling, and helped her up.
"Don't blame yourself. I am always grateful to you. You always cheer me on and try to assist me by my side, don't you?"
-Young Master! Good luck today!
-You can definitely do it!
-Is your lunchbox enough? If you need more, I can bring it to the training hall anytime!
-Nefty, Young Master likes lemon madeleines... Teach me how to make them!
-Young Master has such a beautiful smile, but I haven't seen it lately. Nefty, should I try telling a joke? If a radish cries, it's radish-tinct!
-Sister, stop it.
"I know that you are always working hard even when I can't see. So... huh?"
Kain, who was about to continue speaking, looked at Alice with a bewildered expression.
Tears were streaming down Alice's face.
"Why-why are you crying? Was it that difficult? The Lord said he wouldn't hold you responsible anymore. If he happens to go back on his word, I will appeal to him..."
"Young Maaaaster!"
Alice hugged Kain tightly and burst into tears.
Those tears contained all the worries she had held until now.
"No, Young Master. Please don't apologize to me. Sniffle!... You have no idea how relieved I am just that you've returned safely. Sob!... After searching and searching for you... I came back to your room, sniffle!. And the dagger on your desk was gone... I was so worried that you might have had some terrible thoughts, waaaaaah!..."
Alice continued to mumble through her tear-streaked face, but from the middle onwards, her pronunciation became garbled, and it was impossible to understand what she was saying.
However, Kain quietly listened to Alice until the end.
"Sniffl!... Ah, s-sorry. Young Master. I didn't mean to..."
Alice, who had been tightly hugging Kain, hurriedly stepped back and straightened her posture as her sobs subsided.
Kain didn't mind and bent down to pick up the basket placed next to Alice.
"This is... lemon madeleine. I happen to be hungry, so this is good."
"Ah, Young Master...! Those have already gone cold..."
She had carried them around while searching for Kain, worried that he might be hungry since he hadn't eaten breakfast, and because of that, the madeleines had been exposed to the cold wind and had already become hard and dry.
"I'll quickly make you some new ones when we get back..."
"Hmm."
Alice hurriedly tried to stop Kain from eating the madeleine, but he had already taken a large bite.
Kain, having chewed and swallowed the dry madeleine, smiled at Alice and gave his honest impression.
"It's delicious. Really."
