Chapter 9
Alice, having returned to their residence, immediately baked new lemon madeleines for Kain.
Kain, after eating the madeleines, was impressed.
"You're right, the newly baked ones are even more delicious. This is your true skill."
"Oh, come on, Young Master. What did you expect?"
Alice said with a pout.
To think that he had said the hard, dry lemon madeleine was delicious not because of her sincerity but because his expectations were low since it was the first one she had made.
"But I was sincere when I said it was delicious earlier. It wasn't just because my expectations were low."
"Young Master...!"
Alice's expression slowly melted with emotion.
"I went without breakfast, so I was very hungry. There's even a saying that hunger is the best sauce."
"......"
Alice's expression quickly returned to normal.
But soon, Alice smiled as she watched Kain enjoy the lemon madeleines.
'I'm so glad... that Young Master wasn't expelled...'
Alice recalled the moment when Kain had cast 2nd Circle magic in front of the clan head and the clan members.
'It really felt like I was dreaming back then...'
She had been so out of her mind while searching for Kain that she had wondered if she had collapsed somewhere and was seeing a dream where Kain miraculously returned and demonstrated magic.
'I don't know much about magic, but even at a glance, the magic Young Master used was, how should I put it, incredibly intense yet refined.'
It was a very mysterious sight.
Whenever she had to go to the East Wing, Alice would see the disciples practicing magic in the open space.
They would boast about how their magic was more intense and freely blazing, and they seemed to focus on making it bigger.
But Kain's magic was different.
The power it held was intense enough to make the viewer's heart race, but at the same time, it looked incredibly refined and calm.
'Intense yet calm... that's a contradiction.'
But that was the only way she could describe it.
The scene clearly existed, like a spear and shield meeting, endlessly replaying that fleeting moment that seemed as if the outcome was about to be decided.
She couldn't tell if it was the right direction or the wrong direction, but the moment she saw that, Alice couldn't help but be mesmerized.
'Well, I don't know much about magic. Anyway, Young Master will figure things out in a good way!'
What was important to Alice was that Kain had confidently succeeded in demonstrating magic in front of everyone, and furthermore, that he would immediately enter the East Wing.
'I have a good feeling about this.'
They say a late-blooming flower blooms more beautifully.
Among the mages praised in the empire, there were cases where talent blossomed at a later age than others.
Of course, Kain had bloomed much later than them, but hadn't he grown that much faster as a result?
Now that he could receive education in the East Wing, Alice sincerely hoped that he would continue to grow steadily.
"That was good. Please make them again next time."
"Anytime, Young Master!"
Kain wiped the bread crumbs from his lips and stood up.
"Then I'll go to the training grounds before dinner."
"Even after going to the snowy mountains today? Shouldn't you rest?"
"I'm entering the East Wing tomorrow, so I'm just organizing my mana before then. There's nothing to worry about. I'll be back before dinner."
Alice's expression brightened at the mention of the East Wing.
"Then I'll be waiting!"
Kain left the detached residence and headed for his personal training grounds.
As he passed through the central plaza, he heard whispers as people saw him.
"Oh? Young Master Kain is back?"
"Are you just realizing that now?"
"I was on duty downstairs earlier. Wow, when he went missing and everyone was looking for him, they asked me all sorts of things, but now that he's been found, no one told me the news? That's upsetting."
"Finding him isn't the end of it, you idiot. The Lord withdrew his expulsion order for the Young Master."
"What?"
"Apparently, he even caught a snow leopard with 2nd Circle magic and is going straight to the second floor of the East Wing?"
"Are you kidding me right now? Young Master reaching the 2nd Circle in a month is impossible..."
"Hey, shush! Haven't you heard that senses become more acute when a circle is formed? Lower your voice."
It was a widely known fact that not only mages but also those who felt and manipulated mana naturally had their other senses expand as they reached higher levels.
It seemed difficult to simply pretend not to hear and gather information anymore.
For Kain, who had been secretly enjoying listening to various conversations while going back and forth to the training room for the past month, this was a bit disappointing.
"Eek. See? He's looking this way."
"I-I got an errand to run..."
As Kain lightly glanced their way, the servants hurriedly left.
'It's become a bit more noisy than I expected... but there's nothing I can do about it.'
His initial plan to quietly report the test results to the clan head and gradually advance step by step was scrapped.
Kain thought that since things had turned out this way, going in a direction to openly solidify his position wouldn't be bad either.
'It seems like the Lord wants that too.'
Blake Siers would have been able to immediately guess Kain's approximate skill level just by looking at the traces left on the snow leopard.
Yet, the reason he had made him cast the magic was probably not for himself to see, but to show the people who were present.
Indeed, Blake Siers hadn't seemed that surprised when Kain actually cast the magic.
Instead, he had said this.
-You must continue to show clear results in the future.
'Of course, I will.'
His intention to solidify the foundations of both ice and fire magic from the ground up remained unchanged.
However, that didn't mean he intended to advance his mastery slower than others.
No matter how slowly and surely Kain progressed, by external standards, he could still advance his mastery at an absurdly fast pace.
'That's what's happening now.'
Click!
While thinking that, Kain arrived at his personal training room and immediately sat cross-legged in the center.
It was to begin the process of organizing his mana, as he had told Alice.
Though no one would think so, Kain was currently at the very beginning stages of the 2nd Circle.
'It hasn't even been a few days since I actually reached the 2nd Circle.'
What he could have crossed from the 1st Circle in a single day with just his will, he had spent about a month organizing and refining, laying a foundation that was more solid than anything else.
Thanks to that, highly pure mana had settled in Kain's heart, and because of this, others would see him as being at the proficient stage of the 2nd Circle.
"Hoo."
Kain closed his eyes.
He exhaled a deeply drawn breath and focused his mind.
Then, he began a repetitive but very delicate task.
***
"Have a good day, Young Master!"
"Please have a good day."
The next morning, after eating a hearty breakfast, Kain headed to the East Wing, seeing off Alice and Nefty.
It was his first time going towards the main building and training hall after passing the wide open space, instead of the personal training room in the corner of the East Wing.
To be precise, it was his first time since his reincarnation.
'The building looks newly built... but the structure seems to be the same.'
Kain looked up at the large main building standing tall across the open space.
The East Wing was where the disciples of the Siers clan gathered to receive education, compete with each other, and build their skills.
Among them, in the main building, the education was divided by floor according to each individual's skill level.
Starting today, Kain would receive education, train, and engage in friendly competition with other disciples on the second floor of this main building.
Normally, one would first enter the first floor, then reach the 2nd Circle, and only after passing a test could they ascend, but Kain had already far surpassed the test's difficulty and, with the clan head's official permission, was directly entering the second floor.
All that remained was to solidify his 2nd Circle again and move on to the 3rd Circle.
Of course, to go to the third floor, he would have to take another test.
'It would be good to finish preparing to advance to the 3rd Circle by the next test period.'
In fact, the content taught during education hours in the main building was only basic for Kain.
However, Kain had no intention of skipping education or being insincere.
'As a disciple of the clan, I have to do what I have to do.'
Even in his previous life, Kain had never skipped education without permission even for a single day while in the main building.
Instead, though it wasn't quite the same, Kain planned to continue the work of organizing his mana while sitting and listening to the education.
It wouldn't be as efficient as doing it in a fully concentrated state, but even this would accumulate to a significant amount.
'And, the archives and the library are attached to the main building. What I need is there.'
To find out what had happened to the Siers clan, which had been a prestigious ice magic clan, he needed to enter the main building and search through the books in the archives.
'I should go in and take a look when I have time later.'
While thinking that, he entered the East Wing and felt gazes from all directions.
"He's here."
"Wow, he's going straight to the second floor, right?"
"I'm so jealous."
"Tch. I'll definitely go up in the next test."
Those who looked at Kain with envious eyes were mostly those who had reached the 2nd Circle but hadn't passed the test to go up to the second floor.
'The atmosphere is still the same.'
Since they were divided by floor, the line separating the upper and lower floors was even more clearly defined.
Perhaps that was why the disciples on the lower floors envied the disciples on the upper floors even more.
"Kain!"
As he was about to go up to the second floor, a somewhat familiar voice called out from behind.
Turning his head, he saw a man with a blank expression and a woman with a bright smile looking at him.
It was the woman who had called Kain.
"Gasp, it's Lady Deborah."
"It really is...? What's going on?"
"Wow, it's my first time seeing Lady Deborah this close."
"Neville is here too...!"
Thanks to the surrounding whispers, Kain could recognize them instantly.
Deborah Siers, and Neville Siers.
Both were skilled individuals who had reached the 5th Circle at a young age, and they were Kain's relatives.
'Weren't they said to be rising fiercely as candidates for the next clan head?'
Kain combined some of his body's memories with the information he had gathered over the past month and opened his mouth.
"Greetings, Elder Sister."
Kain gave a light bow.
Then, Deborah lightly tapped Kain's shoulder.
"Oh my, look at you, acting like an old man just because you've grown up? You can still call me Debbie Nuna like you did when you were little."
"...Understood."
Deborah, who had a slightly disappointed expression when Kain didn't call her Debbie, soon smiled brightly.
"I came to congratulate you on entering. Neville, you should congratulate him too."
"...I didn't come to congratulate him. I came to fill my attendance."
"Come on. When have we ever cared about attendance? Don't be so stubborn. Just say one word."
Neville frowned, then glanced down at Kain.
"...Entry isn't the end. Remember that what comes next is more important."
"Understood."
"Ugh, honestly. He says things like that, but he came because he's worried about you, so understand."
"Thank you, Elder Brother."
"Hmph."
Neville turned his head sharply and went up the stairs first.
Deborah stroked Kain's head and said,
"Then I'll go too. I believe you'll work hard, little brother. I'll be cheering for you."
"I will do my best."
"Good! And..."
The smile briefly disappeared from Deborah's lips.
"Just like Neville said, what comes next will be more important. Among the direct line, there are siblings who won't tolerate anyone tarnishing the clan name."
Deborah finished speaking and then smiled brightly again before following Neville up the stairs.
Then, as if time had stopped and then started flowing again, the quiet surroundings became noisy once more.
"Wow... I'm so jealous."
"I wish Lady Deborah would pat my shoulder just once."
"That lucky bastard!"
Kain stared blankly at Deborah's retreating figure.
'Cheering for me...'
They were still competing for the position of the next clan head, but thinking that there was someone who would support him, even if only superficially, made him feel better than he expected.
Clink!
Arriving on the second floor, Kain opened the door and entered the training room, instantly becoming the center of everyone's attention.
"......"
"......"
Gazes filled with curiosity, contempt, and wariness were directed at Kain.
'The atmosphere here is the same too.'
Kain lightly ignored the gazes and tried to sit down in an empty seat.
"Hey, Kain."
Bolio, an initiated disciple, strode up to Kain.
Although direct line disciples and initiated disciples were theoretically equal, he was one of the disciples who harbored the most dissatisfaction with the special treatment Kain received, such as the provision of a personal training room and unseen favoritism.
"Why are you calling me?"
Kain looked straight up at Bolio, who was half a head taller than him, and replied.
He could tell at a glance that this guy was the strongest in this training room, but that didn't mean Kain would back down.
Bolio flinched slightly at Kain's icy gaze.
'What kind of look is that...? Was he always like this?'
The Kain that Bolio knew was usually holed up in a corner and barely visible, and whenever they happened to meet, he would avoid eye contact and hurriedly run away.
'No, he's just pretending to be strong. He must have gotten really arrogant after receiving a word of encouragement from Lady Deborah.'
Bolio clenched his fist tightly.
"Coming up to the second floor without even going through the first, don't you think that's a bit much even for you?"
"The Lord officially permitted it."
"That's the problem! There's no way you could have reached the 2nd Circle in a month, so you must have been plotting this from before. You just used the Lord to get attention like you did yesterday!"
Bolio shouted.
But Kain replied in an incredibly calm voice.
"I never used the Lord."
"Don't try to deny it! You..."
"Then let me ask you the opposite. Do you think the Lord was just being used by a mere disciple?"
"What?"
"You just said it yourself, didn't you? That I used the Lord."
Bolio was momentarily speechless.
If he reversed his own statement that 'Kain used the Lord,' it would mean that the head of the Siers clan was being played in the palm of a mere disciple's hand.
If Bolio insisted that Kain had used the Lord, he would be insulting the clan head.
If he backed down, he would be admitting that he had picked a fight for no good reason.
"T-that's not what I meant at all! This is all because you're being cunning..."
"I produced results according to the Lord's declaration, and the Lord acknowledged those results. What more is needed?"
Bolio bit his lip at Kain's words.
Unfortunately, Bolio couldn't immediately find a counterargument with his limited intellect.
"Y-you insolent brat!"
Frustration welled up in Bolio's chest, and he clenched his fists.
Kain prepared to infuse mana into his body.
And then.
"Stop it!"
The ones who shouted were surprisingly the twin brothers, Edward Siers and Fohn Siers.
"Kain didn't say anything wrong! The instructor will be here soon, so let's stop."
"Y-yeah. Let's stop."
As Fohn nodded in agreement with Edward's words, his voice trembling, Bolio's eyes widened instead.
"So the direct line protects their own, huh? That's why direct line members are...!"
Bolio, as if he had found a good target, strode past Kain towards Edward and Fohn.
And he raised his fist.
Whoosh!
"......!"
However, that fist had no choice but to stop in mid-air.
"...What is it?"
Kain was already standing between them.
And.
Whoosh!
On Kain's hand, a flame the size of a face was surging.
It was none other than the 'Fire' spell.
Bolio's fist stopped in front of the fire.
"Ha... hahaha!"
A sneer formed on Bolio's lips.
"You... do you even know what that means?"
"I know very well."
Facing an opponent and conjuring the basic magic of one's attribute on their hand.
That signified a duel request between mages.
'I didn't intend to go this far on the first day.'
He didn't know why Edward and Fohn were suddenly trying to protect him, but they had gotten caught up in it while trying to help him.
'I was planning to just beat him up a bit and end it without going as far as a duel...'
His thoughts changed.
'I guess it's better to just clean things up once and for all.'
Even 200 years ago, Kain had been picked on for being an initiated disciple favored by the clan head, and he had won against a disciple one circle higher in a duel, pacifying the entire floor.
Those who had picked on him had all become quiet afterward.
In other words, historically, there was no better remedy than this.
"Fire."
Soon, Bolio also cast Fire in response.
"Sorry I'm late, everyone. I had some paperwork to take care of... Huh?"
Rowen, who was just entering, discovered the two of them and smirked.
"It seems we'll have to move the practical training forward today."
