Chapter 23
His face turned pale. He looked at me with suspicion, as if wondering whether the mana contract he had made with me was actually a demonic pact.
I pulled a book out from my cloak.
It was something I had been writing whenever I had the chance.
“This is <Hebron Beginner’s Guide to Magic Part 2>. I’ve established the theory for second-class magic.”
“...T-The Theoretical Genius! Are you truly Lord Louis de Breio?”
There was only one person in the world capable of doing something like this, ‘Louis de Breio’.
The two volumes of <Hebron Beginner’s Guide to Magic> alone were more than enough to prove the identity of my former life.
There were dozens of second-class magic theory books in the world. While each mage had their own interpretation, most of them contained similar content. Whether copied or referenced, when you excluded the overlapping material, the remaining unique theories could barely fill ten volumes.
I took all of that and established it into a single cohesive theory. I presented one unified theory that ran through it all—and that was the essence of <Hebron Beginner’s Guide to Magic>.
“From now on, watch your tongue, even in my presence.”
Jansen shut his mouth and nodded silently.
He held <Hebron Beginner’s Guide to Magic Part 2> tightly, like a treasure.
In the past, he might have been angered by being called the “Theoretical Genius.”
But now, he accepted it. I was a genius. And now, he was inheriting that genius’s theory.
Even the Breio family had acknowledged my brilliance to some extent. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have tried to drain me dry in the basement instead of throwing me away immediately.
In that darkness, I memorized countless theories, established new ones, and revised existing ones.
But I never recorded them.
I didn’t have the luxury of doing so.
The theories poured out of me and lodged themselves in my mind the moment they were formed.
The only things I wrote down were intermediary calculations for finalizing the theories. Even those were surely analyzed thoroughly by House Breio to extract every last drop of value.
‘Why did you do it? Was I that much of a disgrace to you? Even someone like me could’ve helped the Breio family. If only you had reached out—even if your hand had no warmth—I would have given everything for my family, for you.’
In a way, it was better this way.
I could finally let go of all lingering attachments.
‘Your belief that only swords and magic rule the world... it’s nothing but arrogance and delusion.’
If I put Jansen, El, and the rest of the retainers to work non-stop, the cloud bridge could be completed within a week. The plan was to connect the handrails and support ropes with short links, then extend the thick central rope outward to stabilize the structure.
“At first, we’ll use it to move workers, but eventually, I intend to move carriages across.”
Jansen, who had been applying adhesive magic to the planks, looked up at me.
Each plank was two meters wide. To transport a carriage, at least four meters would be needed—and a bridge that swayed like this cloud bridge wouldn’t do. Timid horses would panic.
“You mean... you plan to build a new bridge?”
“Yes. A sturdy bridge—one that’ll let us charge double the toll.”
“Do you know how to build such a bridge?”
I knew a few construction techniques. Not in detail, just the general ideas.
But in construction, the details mattered. And even more important was whose hands were executing the work.
“I’ll bring someone from the Serpens Trading Company. With him, we can move the construction schedule forward.”
Jansen stared at me.
He looked overwhelmed—probably from hearing too much at once. Or perhaps his mind was still preoccupied with the book tucked inside his robe.
“Read the book after your work is done. You need to finish at least 300 meters of the bridge today.”
“Yes, young master.”
It was tough work. Based on Jansen’s mana reserves, he would have to repeat the process six or seven times to meet it. If he didn’t rest, refilled his mana efficiently, and kept working steadily, he’d barely make it by dusk. Whether he’d have any energy left to read afterward was questionable.
‘It’ll be tough for now, but once you get used to the new mana cultivation method, you’ll be able to cast the magic in that book with ease.’
The mana cultivation method I taught Jansen had originally been developed by the Breio family’s battle mages and later refined by the former Tower Master.
I had made further improvements.
The mages of Breio had a nickname for that cultivation method ‘The Labor Cultivation Method’.
A mana cultivation method designed to keep mages endlessly working.
‘Mana fills up at the fastest possible rate. The only issue is that it doesn't remain in your body in any way.’
It was a cultivation method imbued with the Breio family’s desire to wring out every last drop of effort and soul from their mages.
‘Hurry up. I want to see the theories I’ve developed put into action as soon as possible.’
I watched Jansen closely.
He was the lab rat through which my refined cultivation method would be realized.
* * *
“Louis de Hebron! My father’s enemy! I challenge you to a knight’s duel!”
A boy on horseback rode toward me. It was Mandarin de Nurha, the eldest son of Baron Nurha. Judging by the way he rushed here, he must’ve dropped everything at the Royal Academy’s Knight School when he heard about his father’s death and the seizure of his land.
Seventeen-year-old Mandarin had come alone. He didn’t even have a single servant with him.
“I’ll handle this.”
Brown moved to mount his beloved horse, Matiz, but I raised a hand to stop him.
“No. He’s not your opponent. That bastard Nurha—turns out not everything he said about his son was a lie.”
Mandarin’s momentum was no joke.
He was at least one level above Brown.
“You are the future of Hebron. You must not strain yourself.”
“That level of exertion isn't even worth mentioning. And if you're really concerned about me, you'd better improve your skills.”
I gestured to Mandarin.
It was a signal to follow me to the training grounds.
But Mandarin ignored my consideration. Instead, he charged at me with his sword drawn right in the middle of the estate.
“You insolent wretch!”
“Inferno.”
Inferno soared up like a phoenix.
Inferno, with his blazing flames, incinerated the warhorse Mandarin had been riding.
Swoooosh!
The horse screamed in agony and thrashed wildly.
Mandarin, galloping at full speed, was thrown off and crashed to the ground in a disgraceful heap.
“Ugh! You coward! What trickery is this in a sacred duel between knights?!”
“I’m not a knight.”
Inferno burned Mandarin. He was testing the young knight’s skills.
Mandarin was engulfed in a pillar of flame. He didn’t die, instead he endured. He drew up his aura to shield his body, but the heat still curled and burned away all his body hair. His eyebrows and hair were all gone, and his skin began to blister and distort.
Even so, the man struggled, forcing his way toward me.
“Do you think you can reclaim Nurha territory if you defeat me?”
“I’ll avenge my father!”
Snap!
I flicked my fingers. Inferno’s flames vanished instantly, and Mandarin lunged toward me.
But in that moment, a wall of fire erupted before him, blocking his path.
“Ever read a knight novel?”
“What?”
“I like Sir Geoffrey’s knight stories. In his novel <The Princess of Antaria and Her Guardian Knight>, the protagonist lives for revenge. Foolishly, the enemy mocks and underestimates him, then lets him go. He grows stronger and returns for vengeance. What a stupid thing to do!”
Shiiing!
I drew my sword.
Inferno synchronized with my blade.
“This isn’t a knight’s duel. This is a fight to the death. One of us dies here—no exceptions.”
“Raaahhhh!”
Mandarin with his bald head gleaming, exploded with aura.
‘He’s trained well.’
His fundamentals were solid. Judging by the quantity of aura pouring from his core, he had put in a lifetime of effort. His muscles were well-balanced, and his swordsmanship was efficient and precise.
I pointed my sword forward.
The flames enveloping my sword formed into spheres and launched.
BOOOOM!
Inferno’s firebombs rained down on Mandarin.
He raised his sword to block, but couldn’t stop the heat from searing his flesh.
Still, Mandarin charged ahead, willing to die.
He succeeded in approaching me.
CLAAANG!
Our swords clashed.
He had put all his strength into that strike. My hand stung from the impact.
Mandarin’s eyes trembled. He hadn’t expected a spirit summoner to block a knight’s blade.
‘As expected of the Zylson family’s treasured sword.’
The sword gifted to me by Viscount Zylson hummed as if roaring in triumph.
I channeled aura into it, and the sword shimmered with a soft light.
It was a technique only knights of a certain level could perform—but with the sword’s aid, I was able to coat it with aura.
Cracks formed in Mandarin’s sword.
Clang! The sword snapped.
Shocked, Mandarin stumbled back, reaching for the shield strapped to his back.
“I’ll remember you.”
“Snap!”
I slashed his neck.
To lose a life-or-death duel and survive would be a knight’s disgrace.
There was a woman who had witnessed everything. Standing beside her was the Serpens’ Guildmaster.
There was only one guest he would personally escort.
Just from her clothing and posture, it was easy to tell she was of noble blood.
“So it’s you.”
“I’m Amy de Ludwig. You were looking for me, weren’t you?”
Amy watched my reaction, her face tight with anxiety.
She had to be born with incredible talent, but…
If a woman aspired to be a knight, she had to give up any thoughts of bearing children. For in every knight order, pregnancy meant immediate expulsion.
So women without innate magical talent had no choice but to live as someone’s wife and mother.
The only reason House Breio turned away Amy— even after recognizing her talents, was because she was a woman.
“I will take you.”
Amy blinked.
For a moment, she looked dazed, then blushed and responded.
“...I already have a fiancé chosen by my father.”
Amy was five years older than me. At twenty-four, a noblewoman was already considered past her prime age for marriage.
“The Guildmaster must have explained things to you.”
“He said you held my abilities in high regard. Hard to believe, honestly. But I suppose your taste in literature, being a fan of Sir Geoffrey, says a lot about your judgement.”
Amy’s face flushed. She was a woman who wanted her capabilities to be recognized far and wide. But this world demanded that she play a supportive role.
I pitied the women of this world. Their circumstances weren’t so different from what I’d once experienced.
Unless they had the talent of a mage or knight, their only future was to become someone’s wife.
“Exactly. I heard you’re quick with numbers and skilled in drafting documents. I’m appointing you as Hebron’s administrator. I’ll notify Baron Ludwig, so you can begin as soon as you make up your mind.”
“This is so sudden. I’m not prepared at all.”
“Is there a reason to delay? You’re the one running out of time, not me. If you refuse my offer, you’ll be remembered not as Amy de Ludwig—but as someone’s wife.”
That struck a nerve.
But perhaps she was used to such wounds, Amy turned it into a joke.
“Don’t you need a wife?”
“She’d only get in the way.”
“An administrator of a barony… I’ve never even imagined holding such a position.”
“If Hebron is elevated to a viscounty in the future, I plan to create a new post—military strategist.”
“What kind of authority would that position entail?”
There was a gleam in Amy’s eyes.
The once-withdrawn woman, who had been carefully gauging my mood, now leaned in closer.
“You’d be responsible for formulating military strategies. In peacetime, you’d oversee military supplies, take part in domestic policy, and plan future expansions. In wartime, you’d design strategy, preside over military councils, and direct soldier deployments.”
“You would entrust me with that position…?”
