Chapter 30
'That was quite a show.'
Hayden, Richter, and those Bederman bastards.
When he first created a circle, they insisted he must have been at least 2nd Circle.
Then, when he reached 2nd Circle, they sent him to the snowy mountains where Ice Trolls roamed, demanding proof of his skills.
When he brought back the head, they refused to acknowledge it, shamelessly grabbing at his pants leg, demanding a duel.
In the end, they lost everything they had wagered and scurried away in a mess – quite a sight to behold.
This was probably what they meant by 'serves them right.'
He had once asked his disciples in his previous life why they said 'serves them right' when it didn't look particularly good to him, and they explained that he should understand it as 'serves them right in their opinion,' which made sense.
"Serves them right."
Saying it out loud actually seemed to make me feel a bit better.
'Hoo. Still, I pushed myself a bit just now.'
The last thing he did, connecting Fire Walls to create a Flame Road, was actually a very inefficient method if one thinks about it.
It would have been simpler and clearer to just set up more Fire Walls as a defensive barrier in front to buy time, then compress and accelerate several Flame Spears to break through at one point.
Or even just summon a Flame Spear right above Hayden's head and slam it down on his crown.
And in a normal duel, Kain would have naturally chosen the efficient method.
However.
'This duel required an overwhelming victory.'
A victory so absolute and decisive that no one could dispute the result.
'And, among the various methods, overwhelming them head-on with firepower, which is what those Bederman bastards value most, was the best way.'
For those who think firepower is the absolute truth, there's no better way to shut them up than to defeat them with firepower.
So, Kain chose a method that would overwhelmingly defeat Hayden, even if it meant pushing himself a bit.
However.
'I feel like all the blood in my body has drained away.'
Connecting and controlling countless Fire Walls was an incredibly mana and mental power-consuming task.
Because of that, Kain was currently feeling quite drained.
In his fire-element circle room, his mana was complaining about being insufficient, acting like it would go out with a single puff.
His mana circuits, after the storm, were parched dry.
If it weren't for the steadfastly enduring 5th Circle of ice magic, he might have already collapsed.
'Still, this isn't bad. I didn't even have to use the mana I had separately stored in the circle room.'
Moreover, there were many eyes watching right now.
Not only the Clan Head and the elders, but also instructors, disciples from each floor, and even the servants had gathered to watch this one duel.
If he could use this opportunity to dispel people's doubts about Kain's abilities, his future steps would become a bit easier.
-Having stirred things up like this, I'll have to continue to show clear results in the future.
'I decided not to live as a quiet, obedient, kind, and exemplary disciple like I did in my past life.'
To restore the Siers clan to the rank of one of the four great clans and to achieve the unknown realm of the 10th Circle himself, he had a mountain of things to do.
Hoo.
Kain slowly inhaled.
He very faintly diluted pure water mana into his neutral mana and circulated it through his mana circuits.
Vitality slowly returned to his body, like the stem of a plant deeply drinking cool water.
His slightly blurred vision quickly cleared up as well.
"Well done."
He was savoring the coolness for a moment when someone extended a hand in front of him.
It was Instructor Rowen, who had been the referee.
"Ah, here it is."
Kain returned the brooch-type protective artifact he had removed after the duel to Rowen's hand.
"Not that, I was asking for a handshake."
"Ah."
Kain froze for a moment as Rowen smiled awkwardly.
Then, he immediately took Rowen's hand and shook it awkwardly.
Rowen then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! You look like you wouldn't bleed a single drop, but you've got a surprisingly cute side to you."
"I've heard that occasionally."
"Huh? The former, or the latter?"
"Both."
"I don't know when you heard it, but those people must not have been in their right minds."
"...I suppose they weren't."
Rowen looked at Kain's serious face and cleared his throat.
"Well, anyway. Good job. You gave us a very good show."
Whether he was talking about Kain's magic, the sight of the Bederman bastards retreating with their tails between their legs.
Or both.
In any case, Rowen patted Kain's shoulder with a quite satisfied expression.
"The Clan Head will be pleased too. No, he already is."
Only then did Kain turn around.
Blake Siers, contrary to his rough and stern appearance, had a warm smile spread across his face. He looked truly relieved.
"I don't know how you managed your expression earlier when the Bederman Clan Head was here."
The atmosphere, which had briefly sunk due to Richter, was quickly regaining its liveliness after all the Bederman people had left.
"They finally left...!"
"Hey, honestly, I couldn't really believe it until just now. But after seeing the Bederman Clan Head's expression, it started to sink in."
"Me too. He looked like he'd blast anyone who said another word with a fireball."
"I was jumping up and down earlier, and I almost made eye contact with him, so I immediately sat down quietly. I still have chills down my spine."
"Why are you so scared? If they had a problem, they should have won."
"Exactly. Our Young Master Kain completely crushed them without giving them any room to complain. Especially their precious Lord Hayden."
"Ugh. The fact that he just devoured 4th Circle magic with brute force still gives me goosebumps no matter how many times I think about it."
As it quickly became noisy, Blake Siers stood up, turned around, and quietly silenced the audience.
"It is, of course, something to be celebrated that our Kain has won the duel. However, the victor should always be mindful of the defeated. Everyone, please refrain from showing excessive joy."
Blake had already regained his composure.
At his words, the audience soon quieted down.
"Ahem, was I a bit too much?"
"You kind of were."
"He's really the Clan Head. Even though the opponent acted so despicably, he's so magnanimous."
And just as they were whispering and admiring him.
"Separately from this, although the Bederman Clan Head said we didn't need to see them off, they are still the clan that supports us, so we can't not see them off out of courtesy. Everyone, let's go out and see the Bederman clan off until the very end."
Blake Siers said with a gentle smile.
***
Unfortunately, by the time the Siers clan members quickly tidied up the area and came outside to see them off, the Bederman carriage had already departed.
"They sure are fast."
The box containing the support funds they had promised to pay was just sitting haphazardly in the open space.
Perhaps they hadn't expected to have to pay the increased support funds, so instead of the lacking cash, they had also left gold ornaments and some of the White Magic Stone they had tried to take, equivalent to the remaining value, next to the box.
"Still, they left the support funds properly."
"I was worried they might try to pull a fast one until the very end."
It was a bit disappointing that they didn't get to see their expressions when they left, but the clan members were overjoyed just looking at the box of support funds in front of them.
"Philip, Brooke. Move this to the finance office immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
"Understood!"
"I'll help too!"
The servants, with beaming faces, rushed to move the box of support funds and the valuables.
"Finance Officer Todd will be very pleased."
"When I asked him if he wasn't going to watch the duel since the support funds were on the line, he said he'd rather die of apoplexy and locked himself in the finance office..."
"Hehe, I'm curious about his reaction."
"Hey, I'll help you move the support funds too!"
"No, it's not heavy at all? Go back to what you were doing."
"Is that how you treat me?"
Following this, other servants and disciples also returned to their duties or training one by one.
Blake left with a few instructors and Kain at the scene.
"Kain."
"Yes, Clan Head."
"You did a truly excellent job. No, 'excellent' is an understatement. Thanks to you, we finally made the Bederman clan eat their words."
"Thank you."
Blake then looked at the instructors and asked,
"Rowen, Curtis, and Aiden. What do you think?"
"It was a magnificent duel."
"It was my first time seeing him in person, and his skills are considerable."
Blake asked again,
"Enough to send him straight to the 3rd floor?"
At those words, the instructors' eyes widened.
"Immediately, you mean?"
"It hasn't been long since he was moved up to the 2nd floor..."
"But when you think about it, he already handles 3rd Circle magic almost perfectly..."
Aiden looked at Kain and asked with genuine curiosity,
"Just one question. What in the world happened in the snowy mountains for someone who was at the 2nd Circle to come back as a 3rd Circle master in just a few days? Is that even possible?"
Since he couldn't say that he had absorbed the entire Snow Blossom Ice Crystal, Kain gave an answer that would cause the least amount of trouble.
"I believe it's because the theory itself was already in my head."
It wasn't actually a lie.
Kain had researched magic of all attributes up to the 9th Circle.
Rowen chimed in from the side.
"I also felt this while teaching him, but it seems he has already grasped all the necessary theory for the current stage."
"He disappeared for years... I don't know why he's suddenly reappeared now, but it seems he's been training hard all that time. Even so, it's surprising he's grown this much on his own."
Aiden nodded in agreement.
"Anyway, I think it's fine. At this rate, he'll probably reach the 4th Circle without any problems within a few years."
"If someone else had asked, I would have said no even if he was skilled enough, but if it's the Clan Head's opinion, I don't have any particular objections."
With Curtis, who was in charge of the 3rd floor, agreeing, Blake concluded,
"Then we'll send him to the 3rd floor."
After the instructors left, Blake, now alone with Kain, spoke again.
"Kain, I don't intend to just praise you with words. Sending you up to the 3rd floor without an exam... frankly, considering the difficulty of what you accomplished this time, it doesn't feel like adequate compensation. Tell me if there's anything you want."
"Anything I want, you say?"
"That's right. If it's within my power, I'll grant it."
Anything I want.
What I want right now is free access to the top floor of the archives, or to hear directly from Blake himself about the clan's past... but I can't exactly say that.
Then there's nothing in particular I deserve to receive.
'In times like this...'
-Sein, your contribution to this matter was significant. Especially when you helped me at the end...
-Don't worry about it. It wasn't like I wanted to help you.
-Yeah, yeah. Is there anything you need? Besides the basic compensation, let me give you a separate reward.
-Hmm... nothing comes to mind.
-Goodness, after thinking for so long, that's all you can come up with... If you don't know what to receive, just say you'll think about it. Leaving debt is always a good strategy. You're putting this Harman Flameforce in your debt right now.
"I don't have anything in mind right now, but I will think about it."
As he bowed his head after giving that answer, Blake Siers laughed heartily and nodded.
"Hahaha! Alright. Take your time and think about it."
"Understood."
***
The rumor that Kain would be going straight to the 3rd floor spread like wildfire even before the next day dawned.
"Young Masterrrrr...! That's really, really wonderful!"
Alice initially chattered about the duel, saying how refined and splendid Kain's magic was, but when she heard the rumor that Kain would be going to the 3rd floor, she jumped up and down so much that he worried she might hit her head on the ceiling.
'I was going to tell her slowly, but rumors sure travel fast.'
Alice, finally calmed down by Nefty, twirled around and went to clean.
'The only ones who were there when he said he'd send me straight to the 3rd floor were the Clan Head, the instructors, and me.'
Blake wouldn't have spread the rumor, and Kain hadn't said anything yet...
'I have a rough idea who it might be.'
-It's a shame to see you go already, but it's not like we'll only meet during training. Let's see each other again soon when we have the chance, Kain.
Rowen's nonchalant face, winking as he laughed and left, flashed through his mind.
'Well, it doesn't really matter much.'
Since he was going up without an exam, it might be better for the 3rd floor disciples to know in advance rather than suddenly being surprised by his presence in the morning.
'The 3rd floor, huh. Training aside... I'll be able to use the 3rd floor archives starting tomorrow.'
Besides the clan's past and their relationship with the Bedermans, Kain also needed time to look into what had generally happened on this continent over the past years.
'There are some things I'm concerned about.'
And he also needed to start looking for a way to secure finances to replace the Snow Blossom Ice Crystal that Kain had absorbed in the snowy mountains.
After all, having money was essential to break free from the Bederman clan's grasp.
As Kain was briefly outlining his future plans in his head.
Knock knock knock.
"Huh?"
A knock sounded at Kain's residence, where no one had ever visited before.
'Who could it be at this hour?'
Could it be someone who heard the rumor about him going straight to the 3rd floor and came to pick a fight or keep him in check because they were already displeased?
"I'll go see who it is."
Nefty, with a determined look on her face, cautiously opened the door.
"Kainnnnnn!!"
"You're going to the 3rd floor!"
Edward and Fohn stood there. Bolio was waiting with his arms crossed outside in the distance.
"Yeah, I am. But why?"
Both Edward and Fohn had restless expressions.
"The 3rd floor... Congratulations on going! But does that mean you're canceling your promise to help us train?"
"S-since you'll be receiving separate training now..."
"Are you abandoning us?! Huh?"
Kain chuckled as he looked at the two who were half-crying.
Then he shook his head.
"I have to keep my promises. You guys need to prepare so you can go up to the 3rd floor during the next exam... It would be best to start right tomorrow morning."
"We too..."
"The 3rd floor...!"
At the mention of the 3rd floor, Edward and Fohn's mouths fell open.
The faces of the two, who looked like they would burst into tears with a single touch, instantly brightened.
"Well, or we could start right now."
"I'll do it! I'll definitely do it!"
"M-me too!"
"Hey, I can't hear you well, but I'm in too!"
Kain nodded as he looked at the three who were overflowing with enthusiasm.
"Then go change into comfortable clothes and come out now. We're going to run."
"Huh?"
"W-what do you mean by that?"
Run?
