Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Every mage carried a ring of mana near the heart.

That was the Circle, often called the second heart.

A Circle was a kind of filter.

The mana in the atmosphere contained many impurities, and a Circle served to filter them out.

Mages used the high-purity mana extracted in that way to manifest magic.

‘In this world, that is what they call magical energy.’

Through books, Zeke had come to understand exactly what it was he had been absorbing all this time.

High-purity mana just before it was converted into magic.

The phenomenon immediately before or after magic manifested.

All of that, taken together, was called magical energy.

It was not a particularly difficult concept.

After all, he had read plenty of content far more difficult than that in the magical archive.

‘I even read ancient books written in runic script.’

That had been possible because he had the basic skill [Translation], which interpreted any kind of writing for him.

Thanks to that, his intellectual curiosity had now been satisfied to the point of weariness.

‘The problem is that I have to participate in the tiresome event called the Guidance Ceremony.’

The Guidance Ceremony.

It was a custom unique to prestigious magical families, also known as the Circle Bestowal Ceremony.

To create a Circle in the heart, mana with 100% purity was required.

That was why another mage had no choice but to personally supply filtered mana and guide the child.

After all, it was impossible to create a Circle alone.

It was a sacred rite in which one created the first Circle of one’s life at the age of twelve, said to be the best age for forming a Circle, but...

‘It has nothing to do with me, since I cannot form a Circle, does it?’

But what could he do?

For the children of a prestigious magical family, it was customary for everyone to undergo the Guidance Ceremony.

His half siblings had all gone through the Guidance Ceremony as well.

‘Though I am not especially close to them.’

Zeke looked at his siblings standing in a row with expressions even more annoyed than his own.

The Second Young Master, Russell McLaughlin.

The Third Young Master, Alex McLaughlin.

The First Young Lady, Luna McLaughlin.

All of them were mages who had reached the 2nd or 3rd Circle, but under their father’s orders, they had endured the inconvenience and appeared here.

All except the First Young Master, who had left for the Magic Tower to train in the magical arts.

“Why are you so late? Did you forget that the Guidance Ceremony is today?”

Gerard, his father, rebuked him sternly the moment he saw him, but Zeke did not shrink back.

He had confirmed his father’s love for him ever since the day he was born.

“I apologize. I was so absorbed in reading that I lost track of time.”

“Were you in the magical archive again?”

“Yes.”

It was an honest answer, but what returned was criticism from his siblings.

“Why does he keep going in and out of the archive when he has no talent? Good grief.”

“Does he not think about the people waiting for him? Tsk.”

“Enough! Be silent!”

Gerard silenced Alex and Luna, then looked at Zeke.

There was a faint trace of expectation in his gaze.

“So, has there been any progress?”

“No.”

Zeke answered immediately, shattering his father’s hopes.

His father must have had great expectations, but Zeke had no intention of lying.

‘He would find out as soon as he tested me anyway.’

Of course, if he turned off Mana Absorption, it would probably show that he had talent.

But Zeke had no intention of doing that.

‘Since I have already been judged to have no talent for mana, I should keep pushing this to the end.’

There was a reason he had to maintain this pretense.

Today, he planned to use his supposed lack of talent as an excuse to make one request of his father.

“...Whether there has been progress or not, we will know once we confirm it. Before the Guidance Ceremony, we will first take the time to check your talent. Fourth Young Master Zeke McLaughlin, step forward.”

“Yes.”

His father’s solemn tone felt somewhat awkward, but Zeke stepped forward without a word.

Before his siblings’ eyes, Gerard took Zeke’s wrist to determine his talent.

It was the second talent test conducted since the one twelve years ago.

***

Gerard wished earnestly.

‘Please, let our Zeke have developed Mana Affinity...’

His son had said there had been no progress, but he could not believe it until he confirmed it himself.

‘They say innate qualities do not change, but one never knows without effort.’

For twelve years, they had tried every possible means and method to make him familiar with mana. Surely there could not have been no progress at all.

At the very least, there should have been progress as small as a speck of bird droppings.

‘Even the smallest amount will do. If I can see even a thread of possibility... I will be satisfied with that.’

Before the talent test, Gerard had once hoped his son might be a genius, but now he did not even wish for that much.

Even if it was an ordinary level, or even below that, he only wished desperately for Zeke’s affinity to have increased.

Only then would he not be looked down on by his siblings for being the child of a concubine.

‘We have done something for twelve years, so surely there must be some change.’

However, it did not take long for Gerard’s hopes to collapse.

At the sensation of magical energy failing to remain in Zeke’s body and vanishing as before, Gerard let out a sigh first.

“What is wrong?”

“There really has been no improvement. Even after trying so hard for twelve years...”

As if they understood that this meant he had no talent, sighs flowed from various places.

His siblings’ sneers came as an added bonus.

“Of course. As if a constitution decided once at birth would change so easily.”

“Then did he waste twelve whole years doing useless things? Pfft.”

Alex and Luna laughed, but only for a moment.

Under Gerard’s terrifying glare, they had no choice but to shut their mouths and lower their gazes.

Their mockery was no different from laughing at Gerard’s efforts.

‘Haa... Zeke. I am sorry. It seems I have no choice but to let you go now.’

He had taken a concubine because he had wanted to have at least four sons, and this youngest son had been born with the feeling that he would be the last.

And how much effort had Gerard put into changing this youngest son’s constitution?

From the time Zeke was a hundred days old, he had kept mana stones close to him, and when Zeke grew old enough to read, he had allowed him to enter the magical archive where magical energy resonated.

It was because he had hoped that if Zeke became familiar with magical energy, perhaps even a little Mana Affinity would someday sprout in him.

That was also why he had endured and waited until Zeke turned twelve, the age at which the Guidance Ceremony was held.

‘But it seems it is now time to stop this.’

If his talent had not bloomed after this much effort, then it was right to assume he had none.

‘But...’

Gerard’s eyes examined Zeke’s rather calm expression.

‘Why is my son’s expression so peaceful, even though he has been judged to have no talent?’

The person who should have been more shocked than anyone looked unexpectedly unaffected.

Gerard could not understand it.

‘Was Zeke not the one who went in and out of the magical archive day and night, working harder than anyone to become a mage? Then how can he be like this?’

Unable to hold back his curiosity at the unexpected reaction, Gerard asked.

“Zeke. Are you all right? All the effort you have put in until now has come to nothing...”

“Yes, I am all right. I already knew there had been no progress with my affinity.”

“Is that so? I thought you would be greatly disappointed, but this is unexpected. Hahaha!”

Gerard laughed heartily, but his true thoughts were different.

‘He is pretending to be calm, but he must be very upset.’

Even if Zeke looked unaffected on the outside, his insides must have been burning black.

Gerard himself felt that way now.

‘Still, I am glad he is not acting as though the world has collapsed.’

Saying the reaction was unexpected had not been empty words.

He had thought Zeke would be dejected and despair, yet he was acting so composed...

He must have been hiding it so as not to show his disappointment in front of his father, who was surely disappointed as well.

‘He is a deeply considerate child.’

As Gerard looked at him with proud eyes, Zeke opened his mouth.

“Father, I have a question.”

“Very well. Speak.”

“Since I have been judged to have no talent, I cannot form a Circle, can I?”

“That would seem to be the case.”

“Then does the Guidance Ceremony end here for me?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“What will happen to me now?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“I was born into a prestigious magical family, but I cannot become a mage. Will I be cast aside now?”

“What?”

Gerard stared blankly for a moment at the absurd words, then let out a hearty laugh.

“Haha, you little rascal. That is a cruel joke. Why would I cast you aside? Even if you have no talent, the fact that you are the Fourth Young Master of the McLaughlin family does not change.”

“Then you will not drive me out of the family?”

“You are asking the obvious.”

Even as he answered, Gerard felt somewhat hurt.

After all, despite all the fatherly love he had shown until now, Zeke was worried about being expelled from the family.

‘Well, I suppose I have not expressed my feelings very much.’

Zeke was his adorable youngest son, but Gerard had deliberately treated him bluntly out of fear that his other children would grow jealous.

Because of that, he could understand this reaction to some extent.

“How is that? Now that you have heard my answer, do you feel relieved?”

“Yes, Father. I was worrying for no reason.”

“Do not worry. Even if you cannot become a mage, I can place you in a position in the Magic Tower. So...”

“Father, I apologize for interrupting, but I have not given up yet.”

“Hm?”

“I want to continue trying to improve my affinity as much as possible, just as I have until now.”

“Ha! That bastard is basically saying he wants to keep wasting his life reading books again, is he not?”

“Is he in his right mind or not?”

At Alex and Luna’s dissatisfied voices, Gerard glared at them as if telling them to be quiet.

“Zeke. Are you saying you will not give up the path of a mage like this?”

“Yes, Father.”

“But the results speak for themselves, do they not? You tried for twelve years, yet your affinity did not increase even by a hair’s breadth. We have already used every method worth trying.”

“No.”

Zeke firmly shook his head.

“We have not used every method.”

“What do you mean?”

“Beyond the Kalifa Mountains in the west, there are the Dragon Ruins, said to be the origin of magic. It is said that high-concentration mana seethes there just from being nearby.”

“Hm? How do you know that...?”

“So you already knew, Father?”

Of course he knew.

The ruins of the Kalifa Mountains were advanced information that any high-ranking mage would know.

‘How did my youngest son, who has had no interaction with other mages, learn such information...?’

Gerard maintained a deliberately stern expression as he asked.

“Where did you obtain that information?”

“From a certain book in the magical archive.”

“The magical archive?”

At that moment, Gerard recalled the existence of an ancient book he had shoved into a corner, where dust had piled upon it.

“Do you mean to say you read the runic script of an ancient book?”

“Yes. It was not particularly difficult.”

Runic script was an ancient writing system said to have been used by dragons, and ordinary mages were said to be unable to interpret it.

Only those with the makings of an archmage could understand and interpret the script.

‘My youngest son understood runic script on his own, though no one taught it to him?’

That meant Zeke possessed the talent of an archmage.

Runic script was not writing one could understand simply because someone taught it.

‘My son, whom I believed to have no talent, is showing the kind of talent an archmage would possess.’

It was welcome news, like rain after a drought, but Gerard’s expression darkened.

“Do you intend to ask me to send you to the ruins?”

“Yes.”

“No. Monsters may not appear there, but the power of mana is so strong in that place that even archmages hesitate to approach it. That is why I have never mentioned it until now.”

“That is all the more reason I should go and confirm it. Whether I truly have a body that cannot sense mana or not. Perhaps my dormant affinity might respond there, could it not?”

“Mmm...”

Certainly, if he went to the Dragon Ruins, there might be some kind of response.

“But it is dangerous. Something may happen to your body.”

“If it seems like there will be a problem, I will return immediately. I know my own body is precious too.”

At Zeke’s persuasion, Gerard closed his eyes and sank into thought.

Once he had finished organizing his thoughts, Gerard opened his eyes.

“Very well. I will permit it. I will provide one mana-powered vehicle and guards to accompany you as far as the Kalifa Mountains. However, if it becomes dangerous, you must leave the ruins immediately.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Zeke’s eyes flashed at the fact that he had obtained what he wanted.

***

‘Good! I received Father’s permission!’

As he lowered his head, Zeke inwardly cheered.

From the very beginning, he had not been interested in the Guidance Ceremony.

His goal had only been to go to the Dragon Ruins under the pretext of awakening his talent.

‘If he had said he would cast me out of the family, I was planning to go find the place on my own, but fortunately, I received permission.’

The reason he was so determined to go to the ruins was none other than the 2nd Awakening Skill he had acquired in the magical archive.

[2nd Awakening Skill : Master of Mana]

-Achievement Level : ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (1-Star)

-Type : Passive

-Proficiency : 5/100

-Effect : The range in which you can detect and absorb mana increases to 15m. The daily stat amount that can be increased through Mana Absorption increases to 2.

-Cooldown : None

-Special Notes : You can raise proficiency by using Mana Absorption. Upon reaching 9-Star Achievement Level, the 3rd Awakening Skill will be unlocked.

‘The 2nd Awakening Skill is a passive skill that strengthens Mana Absorption.’

It was a skill that increased the range of Mana Absorption, and its proficiency rose only by using Mana Absorption, the 1st Skill.

In other words, if he wanted to awaken the 3rd Skill, he had to continue absorbing mana.

‘The important part here is that. The daily stat amount increases to 2.’

The original Mana Absorption had been blocked by a limit of 1 stat per day.

Because of that, even after absorbing mana for twelve years, he had been forced to remain at the level of an A-Rank Hunter.

‘But if I raise the achievement level of the 2nd Skill, the story changes.’

If he raised its achievement level, not only the range of Mana Absorption, but also the stat limit might increase.

From 2 to 3, from 3 to 4.

If the amount of stats he could raise each day continued increasing like that, then eventually...

‘It may not be impossible to reach SSS-Rank level.’

That was precisely why Zeke intended to go to the ruins.

To rapidly raise his proficiency in a short period of time.

‘At the Dragon Ruins, where magical energy seethes, I will reach 9-Star in one stroke and awaken the 3rd Skill.’

That was Zeke’s grand plan.