Chapter 13
Since ancient times, fire-based and ice-based magic clans have had a poor relationship.
There were reasons such as simply being opposing attributes and having different tendencies, but the biggest reason was that fire and ice magic could never be learned together.
'Disciples who entered a clan to learn magic had to give up one of the two, ice or fire, without fail.'
Of course, it wasn't easy to learn opposing attributes together even if they weren't completely incompatible.
However, there was a clear difference between 'difficult but possible' and 'structurally impossible.'
The number of circles one had to master would arithmetically double, and one had to train in both attributes with limited time, but the merit of being able to handle one more attribute couldn't be ignored, so mages often tried to learn a sub-attribute.
'And in that process, they would interact with clans that handled magic of the sub-attribute, and even send disciples to receive education.'
In other words, even clans of different attributes could become potential allies or have exchange relationships.
However.
Fire and ice magic were a matter of choosing one or the other, so a disciple who entered one side would almost never have any exchange regarding magic with the other side for their entire life.
'Actually, the number of mages trying to learn a sub-attribute isn't that large overall, and it's possible to form combat alliances like Harman and I did, but...'
Such objective calculations had long gone by the wayside.
Emotional rifts had only deepened over time, and with the feeling of losing out whenever a disciple entered the opposite side, the relationship between the two attribute clans could never improve.
'In such a situation, the more fire-based clans gained power, the more ice-based clans were inevitably undervalued.'
There was also that reason why ice-based magic was more undervalued than its actual worth before Kain became the clan head in his previous life.
'By the time I was taken in and entered, it was around the time when the perception was almost at rock bottom.'
This was because not a single clan worthy of being one of the four great clans had emerged from ice-based magic.
However, after Kain led the Siers clan to the ranks of the four great clans, ice-based magic began to revive little by little.
Conversely, the mediocre clans who had been strutting around relying solely on the name of fire-based magic began to lose power.
'And the Bederman clan was the one that suffered the most damage at that time.'
Bederman.
The clan that was pushed out of its position as one of the original four great clans by the Siers clan.
They were already in a perpetual second-place position among the fire-based clans, behind Flameforce, and being pushed out of the four great clans only made them harbor great resentment towards the Siers clan.
-Clan Head! The Bederman clan raided the high-orc camp that we were scheduled to subjugate!
-Clan Head!! The Bederman clan unilaterally canceled the exchange of trade goods in the Kendron region and is refusing to pay the penalty!
-Clan Head!!! That clan has caused trouble again!
-Clan Head! Those ba... I mean those bastards...
They couldn't dare to directly pick a fight with the Sein Siers' of that time, and instead tried to sabotage the Siers clan in every annoying way possible.
'They were cowards. I wish they had just attacked directly... I could have taken them all on, including the clan head and all the master-level mages at once.'
Aside from Harman, his relationship with the Flameforce clan wasn't particularly good either, but no matter what anyone said, the Bederman clan was probably the one that hated the Siers clan the most.
"And those bastards supported our clan out of goodwill? Saved us right before our clan was destroyed?"
There was no way.
Even if the heavens split in two, that possibility was zero.
'There's definitely something going on.'
Supporting clan.
Unlike exchange clans that interact on an equal footing, supporting clans that provide financial assistance or magic books inevitably create a certain hierarchical relationship.
'They're not a subordinate clan, so they'll pretend to respect us on the surface, but...'
There was a high possibility that they were using the support as an excuse to excessively push their own subjugations or missions onto them, or demanding materials and monster hides and hearts that could only be obtained from the snowy mountains.
'And perhaps.'
The fact that the Siers clan, which had been a prestigious ice magic clan, had somehow become a fire magic clan sometime after the war with Desmond might also be related.
At that thought, the fire mana nestled in one side of his heart reacted to Kain's emotions for a moment, flaring up like a spark meeting air.
That emotion was anger.
It was a deep-seated anger boiling up from within, different from the incomparably cold and heavy anger that Seine Siers had felt in his previous life.
But soon, Kain shook his head.
'No. Nothing can be solved with just anger. First, cool down and think calmly.'
Kain summoned a piece of ice and placed it on his forehead.
As his head cooled, it felt like the agitation of his emotions was also subsiding.
'I should go back and ask Alice or Nefty about the Bederman clan.'
All he could confirm now was the record that the Bederman clan had supported the Siers clan.
The right thing to do to find out how they actually treat the Siers clan was to ask the people in the clan.
Kain left the archives.
***
"Clan Head. Ro..."
"Come in."
Blake Siers let Rowen in as soon as he heard the knock.
"I've been seeing your face often lately."
"Haha, are you that glad to see me? Well, I do have a cheerful face..."
"Enough. What's the matter?"
"I'm hurt. Isn't today the day I originally came to report on the education situation?"
"...Has it already been that long? Alright, is everything proceeding smoothly without any issues?"
That was a question about whether the disciples on the second floor were growing well, but on the other hand, it also implied whether there had been any particular problems since Kain's arrival.
Rowen smiled and answered the clan head's question.
"Yes. There are no problems. Rather, there have been positive changes, if anything."
As the clan head nodded, signaling him to continue, Rowen went on.
"Immediately after Kain's entry, there was a minor conflict with Bolio, an initiated disciple."
"Something I had somewhat anticipated."
"However, it didn't end there. Following Kain's duel request, the two of them dueled in the field."
"Kain requested the duel first?"
The clan head's eyebrows rose, surprised.
"Yes. The result was Kain's overwhelming victory. Afterward, I had him spar with other disciples, but none of them could withstand even a single exchange."
"Hmm..."
Blake Siers straightened up from his seat.
"I knew his magic level had risen to the proficient stage of the 2nd Circle, but I never imagined it would be to this extent."
"More than anything, his practical combat sense was extraordinary. We'll have to observe him further to know for sure, but for now, it can only be described as immense talent..."
"Is that so?"
Blake Siers stroked his chin.
Even though Rowen looked easygoing, he was never one to make rash or exaggerated evaluations.
If he was saying this much, then the stage of worrying about Kain had passed.
However, Blake Siers added out of concern,
"Still, keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't neglect his training or show a poor attitude towards education."
Rowen chuckled involuntarily at those words.
"Heh, ahem. My apologies. But, at least in that regard, I really don't think you need to worry."
Rowen shook his head, recalling his conversation with Kain near the end of the lesson.
-Kain, it seems you've studied theory quite a bit while training alone. It was excellent.
-Thank you.
-It seems you've already mastered the content, so is there a reason why you're still diligently attending the lessons?
"It was a question I asked half-jokingly, but he instead looked at me with a strange gaze and answered like this."
-One must do what one has to do. If one is a disciple admitted to the East Wing of the Siers clan, shouldn't one naturally put their best effort into education?
-.......
Rowen was at a loss for words at such a model answer.
'He looks like he'd skip out and go play at the slightest opportunity, but the way he talks is like some stuffy old man.'
Of course, he didn't voice those words in front of the clan head.
"Hahahaha! That's a satisfying answer!"
"I knew you would like it."
"Is that a compliment?"
"Of course. Anyway, since then, the atmosphere in the training room has been completely reorganized, and the disciples are diligently training, perhaps stimulated by him."
"Indeed, a positive change."
Rowen nodded at the clan head's words.
"Yes. The Bederman clan will probably visit as early as tomorrow, so it's truly a relief that Kain has come to his senses."
Rowen genuinely thought it was a relief.
In the first place, Blake Siers had issued the ultimatum of 'expulsion' to Kain because of pressure from the Bederman clan.
'How long are they going to hold a grudge over something that happened three years ago...?'
Rowen hadn't been present due to an assignment outside at the time, so he didn't know the exact details, but he knew that Kain and Hayden, the fourth son of the Bederman clan head, had had a rather significant conflict three years ago.
'I heard Hayden saw Kain's personal maid and tried to take her away, coveting her.'
Kain had vehemently refused, and even though he hadn't mastered magic, he had attacked Hayden, and even while being hit by a Fire Ball, he had managed to land a punch on the guy's face.
'As bad luck would have it, Hayden was one of the Bederman clan head's most beloved sons.'
Kain had protected the maid, but having incurred the displeasure of the direct line of the supporting Bederman clan, he was pressured with expulsion, using the fact that he hadn't mastered magic as a pretext.
'There is a rule that direct line members who haven't mastered magic by the age of fifteen can be expelled, but even so, it's rare for a blood relative to actually be expelled.'
So Blake Siers had postponed it as much as possible, but now that Kain was almost fifteen, he couldn't avoid taking any action any longer.
The other clan members might not know, but Richter Bederman, the head of the Bederman clan, had said this during his last visit:
-By the time of my next visit, Kain Siers, who has not mastered magic, should not be seen in the clan.
In the end, Blake Siers had given Kain a grace period until just before this visit date.
And Kain, who had been practically holed up in the training room every day, had suddenly appeared as a 2nd Circle mage just as the grace period was about to end.
"He's not just a 1st Circle mage, but a 2nd Circle mage who has proven his skills, so the Bederman clan won't be able to find fault with this anymore."
"I suppose so."
However, the clan head's expression wasn't very bright.
"But I have a feeling that if they were really going to let it go cleanly just because he learned magic, they wouldn't have clung to this so persistently."
Blake Siers said, turning his gaze out the window.
"Well, in any case, we've passed the critical point, and now that he's starting to show his talent, we should just hope he continues to grow well."
"I will do my best to assist him."
Rowen bowed his head.
***
"Young Master! You're back?"
Alice greeted Kain with a bright smile all over her face as he returned.
"Yeah. Alice, there's something I want to ask you."
"Ask me anything! I'll tell you everything I know."
"What do you think about the Bederman clan?"
As soon as Kain said those words, for some reason, Alice wore a very expressive look, as if she had a lot to say.
"......?"
