Chapter 16
"They're coming!"
"Release the East Gate barrier!"
"Yes, sir!"
Whoosh!
The East Gate barrier was deactivated just as the Bederman clan arrived.
"Open the main gate!"
"Yes, sir!"
Rumble!
The massive main gate swung wide open just as the carriages passed through the barrier zone and arrived in front of the gate.
Thanks to this, the Bederman clan's carriages were able to enter the castle without stopping even once, passing through the barrier and the gate.
"Phew. Perfect timing."
The gatekeeper, who closed the gate again after all the carriages had entered, wiped his chest in relief.
And Kain, who had been watching this scene, sighed inwardly.
'Perfect timing my foot.'
Even if they were a supporting clan, to immediately release the barrier and swing open the main gate without any identification or minimal inspection...
This was something unimaginable in Kain's previous life when he was the clan head.
If, by any chance, the other party was an external hostile force disguised as the Bederman clan, then the current Siers clan had just welcomed the enemy with open arms.
'Or, while a part of the barrier is deactivated, the opposing side could take advantage of the weakened cohesion to launch an attack.'
If Kain were still the clan head, he would have severely reprimanded them and firmly instructed them to strictly adhere to the entry procedures.
But the current clan head was Blake Siers, not Kain.
'Even so, there's no way the clan head would have voluntarily simplified the procedures...'
No doubt, the Bederman side must have repeatedly asked for simplification.
Judging from Blake Siers' already tired-looking face, it seemed he had been quite tormented lately.
"Good, good. Isn't it great how quickly we can get in without any troublesome procedures like this? Especially with this bad weather."
Sure enough, Richter Bederman, the head of the Bederman clan, who was getting out of the carriage, looked at the gatekeeper with a condescending smile and spoke.
"Y-yes, sir!"
The gatekeeper tried his best to avoid eye contact and answered at attention.
Soon, Ray Bederman and then Hayden Bederman followed Richter Bederman out of the carriages.
As Richter stepped forward, Blake Siers, who had been waiting, also took two steps forward and bowed.
"I greet the head of the Bederman clan."
"I greet the head of the Siers clan."
Just listening to their words, it seemed both were showing respect, but their attitudes were clearly different.
Richter, who had barely lowered his head, straightened it again and casually scanned the inside of the clan grounds.
"Still quite desolate. How have you been doing lately?"
"As you can see, we are managing to hold on thanks to the support of the Bederman clan."
It was a sharp reply to the casual remark about the desolation without grand welcoming preparations, implying that it was because they had no allowance due to the Bederman clan reducing their support funds.
At those words, Richter laughed heartily and looked straight into Blake's eyes.
"Hahaha! It's something to be able to hold on well in these harsh snowy mountains. Any other clan wouldn't have survived until now."
"We thank you again for your support."
As Blake appropriately took a step back, Richter smiled and brought up the next topic.
"It seems the demand for white magic stones has recently increased a bit. We would like to receive about 20% more than the amount you have been supplying to distribute..."
At those words, Blake Siers' expression darkened slightly.
"Let's go inside and discuss the matters related to that. It's not something to talk about while standing in the cold wind."
As Blake tried to buy time, Richter shrugged as if he had expected this.
"Well, let's do that then."
"Then right away..."
"By the way."
Just as Blake was about to guide Richter to the North Wing, Richter cut him off.
Richter's gaze was directed behind Blake Siers, towards the disciples standing in neat rows.
More precisely, it was towards Kain, who was standing among the direct line disciples in the front row.
"It seems that one very important matter I mentioned last time has not been adhered to... Could you please explain what's going on, clan head?"
The smile that had been on his face just moments ago had vanished without a trace.
And at the same time, a venomous smile bloomed on Hayden's lips behind Richter.
'Finally...!'
Hayden had been waiting for this moment since earlier.
At first, he had been angry to see Kain standing confidently among the direct line disciples, as he had naturally assumed he would have been expelled and wouldn't be there.
But he had patiently waited, remembering Richter's words that he would definitely have him expelled.
'Just as Father said, that clan head must really cherish Kain.'
Even the direct line disciples beside him weren't openly looking at Kain with contempt, so it seemed the pressure had been quite strong.
'But that ends today.'
Fifteen. It was an age by which anyone with even a little talent for magic should have already formed a circle.
The probability that a guy who hadn't been able to use even the most basic magic until a month ago had suddenly gained enlightenment and could now use magic was close to zero.
'This is even better. I'll get to watch that bastard Kain get expelled.'
Seeing Kain's annoying face was unpleasant, but if he could personally witness Kain being disgracefully kicked out empty-handed, he could endure a little unpleasantness.
'I'm already looking forward to it.'
Blake Siers would probably start making all sorts of excuses about the interpretation of the clan rules.
'Then Father... I don't know exactly what he'll do, but he'll definitely make sure Kain gets expelled!'
Thinking that, Hayden almost felt his shoulders lift on their own.
'How dare you lay a hand on the face of the future head of the Bederman clan, you insignificant wretch? Today, you'll pay dearly for that.'
Hayden casually scanned the back of the row of standing disciples.
He spotted the servants and maids waiting at the very back.
Among them, Hayden immediately found Alice.
'If that Kain gets expelled, his personal maid will also become jobless.'
Once the nuisance was gone, bringing Alice over would be a simple matter.
Hayden suppressed a chuckle.
And he watched the situation with expectant eyes.
However, contrary to his expectations, Blake Siers asked Richter back with a nonchalant expression, as if he didn't understand what he meant.
"A matter that wasn't adhered to, you say? Aside from the white magic stone issue we will discuss later, the items you mentioned beforehand have been prepared according to the requested quantities."
Then, Richter frowned.
Even if he was the head of a supporting clan, directly asking for the expulsion of the other clan's direct lineage in such a public setting was against etiquette.
Richter judged that Blake was using this fact to pretend he didn't understand and try to evade the situation.
'But I can't let it slide like this today.'
Richter decided to take a stronger stance.
"I know that the Clan Head cherishes his son dearly. But you also know that we cannot forever ignore the rules that are universally applied to all clan’s on the continent and continue to protect a disciple who does not meet the qualifications, isn't that right, clan Head?"
With Richter's words, the surroundings fell completely silent.
He hadn't explicitly said to expel Kain, but at this point, it was difficult to continue to gloss over the issue.
However, contrary to Richter's expectations, Blake Siers smiled and quickly agreed.
"Ah, of course. Although it's not a mandatory rule, as a Siers clan with tradition, we cannot harbor a disciple who does not meet the qualifications. You are absolutely right."
Then Richter's expression twisted.
"That sounds like you're saying there isn't a disciple who doesn't meet the qualifications right now."
"All of our proud direct line disciples have mastered fire magic appropriate to their level and are diligently training every single day. Without exception."
"You'd better stop with the jokes. Isn't that Kain Siers over there still unable to even form a circle?"
As Kain Siers' name was mentioned, Blake smiled as if he had been waiting for this.
"Ah, I forgot to mention. Our Kain recently mastered fire magic and officially entered the East Wing. He is receiving education just like the other disciples."
"...What?"
Richter's informal language slipped out, but Blake Siers continued without paying it any mind.
"Oh, instead of talking like this, it would be quicker to show you directly. Kain, cast Fire."
"Yes, clan Head."
Kain stepped forward, extended his hand, and cast Fire.
"Fire."
Whoosh!
A small but clear and refined flame bloomed above Kain's palm.
"What...!"
Richter's eyes widened.
'It's not like some other guy nearby cast it for him.'
Richter wouldn't fall for such a clumsy trick.
Kain was clearly successfully casting and maintaining the Fire spell with his own power right now.
"W-what is this guy?"
"Did he really master magic in the meantime...?"
Hayden and even the servants behind him whispered in surprise at the unexpected situation.
Even Ray, who had been standing still with an expressionless face, now stared intently at Kain's magic, looking slightly surprised.
"Silence!"
At Richter's sharp command, the murmuring stopped instantly.
"Kain, you've proven yourself enough."
"Yes, clan Head."
Only Blake Siers smiled at Kain, telling him it was alright to cancel the magic.
Seeing this, Richter gritted his teeth and forced a smile.
"Ha, hahaha! I wondered what you were going to show... For a direct line disciple approaching sixteen to prove himself by successfully casting mere Fire magic, our clan's direct line disciples are at least at the 2nd Circle by sixteen..."
"Hmm, is that so? Kain, then show them Fire Arrow this time."
"Yes, clan Head. Fire Arrow."
Whoosh!
"......"
"......"
Richter, who had been about to retort further, was momentarily speechless at the unexpected situation.
Not missing the opportunity, Blake Siers added,
"Hehe, indeed, that must be the case. I also agree with the Clan Head's words that a direct line disciple must be at least at the 2nd Circle by sixteen to be qualified."
"You...!"
At Blake Siers' words, which flowed out as smoothly as if he were reading from a script, Richter finally realized he had been outmaneuvered.
'Even though he could cast Fire Arrow from the start, he deliberately cast Fire first.'
Blake, anticipating that Richter would find fault with whatever Kain showed, had deliberately made him cast a basic spell.
And seeing that, Richter had said with his own mouth, "Our clan's direct line are at least at the 2nd Circle by sixteen."
In this situation, if Richter didn't acknowledge Kain, it would be the same as saying that even the 2nd Circle direct line members of the Bederman clan at sixteen weren't qualified.
'Blake Siers...!'
Richter glared at Blake Siers, who wore a relaxed expression.
'2nd Circle in two months? How in the world...?'
No, that wasn't important right now.
He had to find a way to overcome this situation where he couldn't acknowledge Kain, nor could he deny him.
'I need to find something to pick a fight about...'
Just as he was thinking that, Hayden's small murmur came from behind.
"Fire Arrow... Even if he can do that, there's no way that brat could even catch a single snow rabbit in a real fight..."
Real fight? Snow rabbit?
Suddenly, the image of the snow rabbits that had attacked the carriage in the snowy mountains and the appearance of the ice troll flashed through Richter's mind.
'Ice troll...'
He had originally planned to bring up this story after entering the North Wing.
He had intended to squeeze more white magic stones out of them by saying that the clan's carriage had been unnecessarily delayed due to the snow rabbit attack, and that Hayden had almost been injured by the suddenly appearing ice troll.
However.
'This isn't the time to be using it for that.'
After a moment of thought, Richter instantly withdrew his anger.
Then he smiled.
"Indeed, to achieve the 2nd Circle in such a short period. Honestly, I'm surprised by his rapid progress. I'm even starting to become interested in Kain's abilities and talent."
"......?"
Blake's expression became strange this time as Richter readily acknowledged and praised Kain.
"If he can achieve such rapid progress, he must surely show outstanding abilities in actual combat. I'd like to see it for myself."
"Verification, you say..."
"Today, on our way here, our carriage was attacked by over a dozen snow rabbits. Even though we hadn't strayed from the path."
"What...!"
Blake's expression hardened.
If Richter's words were true, then regardless of the cause, the Siers clan, who managed the monsters in the snowy mountains, was responsible.
Blake quickly said,
"We will immediately dispatch personnel to investigate the cause..."
But Richter cut him off as if he had been waiting for it.
"How about we entrust that task to Kain this time?"
