Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Damn it.”

Alex, born as the Third Young Master, knew his position well.

He did not possess the talent of an archmage like the First Young Master, nor had he achieved a high Circle like the Second Young Master.

As of this year, the Circle he had achieved was only the 2nd Circle.

Considering that he had formed his 1st Circle at twelve and trained until he turned fourteen, it was a poor result.

Perhaps that was why his father did not have any particular expectations of him.

‘Then why! Why does he only give attention to that lowborn bastard Zeke?’

Gerard pretended otherwise, but the fact that he cherished Zeke was already an open secret known to all.

Because Alex was busy watching the mood from the middle of the family hierarchy, he at least had that much perception.

‘Ever since he was little, Father made such a fuss over awakening his talent, putting mana stones in his hands and caring for him in every possible way. And now what? He is sending him to the Dragon Ruins?’

In truth, Alex had not known there were Dragon Ruins in the Kalifa Mountains until Zeke mentioned it.

‘That bastard Zeke knew such high-level information?’

Zeke had claimed that he had read an ancient book and interpreted runic script, but Alex knew the truth.

All of it was a script he and Father had arranged beforehand.

‘Father probably gave him the information in advance and told him to say that. All so he could create a pretext to send him to the Dragon Ruins.’

Otherwise, why would Zeke have made such a request in front of his siblings?

‘What? He can read runic script? How dare a talentless son of a concubine...’

Alex could not simply tolerate an illegitimate child crawling above his station.

He immediately went to find his father.

“Father, it is Alex.”

“Come in.”

Gerard, seated in his office, only looked at the documents before him, as if he had no interest in Alex.

“What brings you here?”

“Ah, well, it is about Zeke.”

Only when Zeke was mentioned did Gerard lift his head.

“What about Zeke?”

“Well... did you not decide to send him to the Dragon Ruins?”

“And?”

“Well... I thought it was unreasonable for the youngest to go first to a place we siblings have never visited...”

“Unreasonable?”

Tap.

Gerard set down the glasses he had been wearing.

“Do you think your youngest brother is going there for amusement?”

“Th-That is not what I meant...”

“He is stepping into a harsh land even archmages cannot visit, all to improve a constitution that cannot feel mana. And yet you speak as though you are being discriminated against.”

“…….”

The atmosphere froze in an instant.

Alex could not even meet his eyes.

“If you want to go so badly, you may follow him. Go to the Dragon Ruins and let the mana tempest strike you until your Circle shatters. Whether you die or not, I will not concern myself.”

“I-I am sorry. I was short-sighted.”

“Tsk, tsk. You should be thinking of caring for your younger brother, who has not even awakened his talent. Instead, you are jealous? You should be ashamed.”

Alex had come to argue for no reason and had only received harsh words. The moment he turned away, his face twisted.

‘Damn it! What is so lovable about a youngest son who cannot even form a Circle...!’

As he returned, only his anger toward Zeke grew. On the way, Alex ran into one of his siblings.

It was Russell, his older brother by one year and the Second Young Master.

“Elder Brother. Where are you going?”

“Oh, Alex. I am on my way to the magical archive because there is a book I want to see.”

“Do you perhaps want to see the ancient book Zeke supposedly read?”

Russell nodded without hiding it.

“I grew curious because the youngest said he interpreted runic script...”

“Elder Brother, that is all lies. Do you not understand?”

“Hm? Lies?”

“You are far too innocent. Come closer.”

Alex glanced around, then whispered into his ear.

His utterly subjective conspiracy theory.

“What? Father and Zeke put on an act?”

“Shh. Keep your voice down. Someone will hear.”

“I only spoke like that because I heard something too absurd. There is no way Father and Zeke would put on such an act, is there?”

“If it was not an act, how could the youngest, who cannot even form a Circle, interpret runic script? Unless Father told him beforehand.”

“If he has talent, could he not interpret it?”

“A fellow with talent cannot even form a single Circle? Does that make sense to you, Elder Brother? It does not add up at all.”

Russell fell silent, unable to find any particular rebuttal.

“I am coming back after meeting Father just now.”

“You met Father? Why?”

“To question him about favoring the youngest. Do you know what he said?”

When Russell shook his head, Alex sighed.

“He practically treated the youngest like someone with an incurable disease and shielded him. It was truly unbelievable.”

“Father did...?”

Russell could not believe it, but he had no way to verify the truth.

“Are you just going to stand by while Father favors the youngest so blatantly?”

“Mmm... I can see that he favors him, but is the situation not desperate enough to justify it? We should understand.”

“Elder Brother, are you not angry?”

“Angry? What reason is there to be angry?”

At that easygoing answer, Alex inwardly sighed.

‘Good grief, how pathetic. Does he truly not understand that if this continues, the youngest may even take what belongs to us?’

Was he innocent, or simply foolish?

How could he not know that Father was trying to awaken the youngest’s talent so he could enter him in the successor competition three years from now?

Of course, the First Young Master, who had left for magical training, was the leading candidate to inherit the family.

But it was a family custom that the successor trial was conducted fairly, regardless of age.

As long as one passed the trial, even the youngest could be selected as the successor.

‘As expected, it would be better to keep some distance from Second Brother. I should stay close only to Eldest Brother, who is likely to become the next family head.’

Unaware of such thoughts, Russell remained utterly innocent, and Alex looked at him with pitying disdain.

“Haa, I will go first, Elder Brother.”

“Oh, yes. Go ahead.”

Watching Alex leave like that, Russell quietly shook his head.

***

Russell McLaughlin, the second son, born as the Second Young Master of the family.

He had been compared to another from the moment he was born.

Because the eldest, Peter McLaughlin, had been born with tremendous magical talent.

‘Elder Brother Peter has already reached the 5th Circle. He is showing historic talent, to the point that the Magic Tower extended him an invitation.’

Although Peter was only one year older than him, he boasted astonishing talent.

By comparison, what about Russell?

He was merely at the 3rd Circle, was he not?

At sixteen, that level was excellent, but compared to the First Young Master, it was nothing more than ordinary.

‘Still, compared to my younger siblings, I suppose I am doing better.’

Especially when he looked at the youngest, Zeke, even voicing dissatisfaction pricked his conscience.

There was someone who could not form a Circle at all, so how could he complain about such things?

If Zeke heard it by any chance, how frustrated would he be?

He must already feel wronged enough to have been born without talent.

Because of that, Russell always felt sorry for the youngest.

Though his younger siblings Alex and Luna seemed to think differently.

‘Alex. Father must know about your jealous nature too. Perhaps that is why he pours even more affection into Zeke.’

Russell looked at Alex for a moment, then turned away.

That did not mean Zeke only seemed pitiful.

Judging by the fact that he had interpreted runic script, it seemed he did possess a talent worthy of a child from a prestigious magical family.

Russell sincerely hoped this opportunity would bring good results for him at the ruins.

‘That aside, I wonder if I can read runic script too?’

Since he had never tried before, he felt expectant.

As soon as he arrived at the magical archive, he placed his hand on the orb.

-Russell McLaughlin. Confirmed.

RUMBLE.

As soon as the door opened, Russell was able to meet his adorable youngest brother.

Just as the rumors said, he was reading a book.

“Hm? Second Brother? What brings you here?”

“Ah, so you were inside? I heard there was an ancient book here, so I came to borrow it. A runic script dictionary too.”

“If that is what you want, it is here.”

When Zeke found the books for him, Russell accepted them with a smile.

“Thank you. But what are you doing here? You will be leaving for the ruins soon.”

“I had a little spare time, so I was reading.”

“You really are diligent. Hehe. I hope you achieve good results at the ruins. Return safely.”

“Thank you, Elder Brother.”

THUD.

After leaving the archive with a smile, Russell looked back at the closed door.

‘He is young, but he is polite and truly adorable, is he not?’

He was such a good younger brother. What reason was there for siblings to be at odds with one another?

‘There will be a successor trial three years from now, but even so, blood siblings should not behave like this.’

He simply could not understand it.

Even the books he had just borrowed were like that.

Rustle.

He tried reading a little as he walked, but he could not understand what it meant at all.

Even though the runic script dictionary was right beside him.

It seemed the saying that one needed magical talent to understand it was certainly true.

‘But if he can interpret runic script, why is his Mana Affinity in such a state?’

Just as he was both puzzled and pitying his younger brother’s circumstances, he happened to meet his father, who was coming out in a coat.

“Russell. Where are you going?”

“I was actually on my way to see you, Father.”

“To see me?”

Russell held up the book toward his puzzled father.

“This is the ancient book Zeke said he read. I took a brief look, but I could not understand it at all. I wanted to ask you about this. Do you have time?”

“I do not have time for that now. I intend to be away for a while.”

“Ah, are you going somewhere?”

“Your younger brother is about to go on his first outing, is he not?”

From that one sentence, Russell sensed it.

His father cherished and loved Zeke even more than he had thought.

Was it not only natural to worry more over an aching finger than one that was whole?

“Then I shall go now.”

“Yes. Please take care, Father.”

Russell understood his father.

Nor did he feel unnecessary jealousy over such a thing.

He had been compared to his eldest brother since the day he was born, so what could something like this possibly stir in him now?

Since his father was paying attention, Russell’s gaze naturally went to Zeke as well.

He might not have a Circle, but he was an outstanding younger brother who could even read runic script.

‘Now that I think about it, I have never really spent time with my younger siblings.’

Russell smiled.

When Zeke returned from his journey, he thought he should spend time becoming closer to him.

***

[You have absorbed 3 mana.]

[You have absorbed 3 mana.]

[You have absorbed 3 mana.]

[The achievement level of the skill ‘Master of Mana’ has reached 2-Star.]

[The mana detection and absorption range has been increased from 15m▶20m.]

[The amount of stats that can be increased per day through Mana Absorption has been increased from 2▶3.]

[Proficiency until 3-Star Achievement : 0/300]

At the message that appeared, Zeke let out a silent cheer.

‘As expected! Once I raised the achievement level, the daily stat amount increased!’

He had had a little spare time, so he had been reading books in the magical archive, and his proficiency had risen.

And, as expected, his daily stat amount had increased.

It seemed it rose by one each time he raised the achievement level.

At this rate, when he reached 9-Star, he might be able to raise ten stats per day.

‘Good. With this, I can grow much faster.’

If he could, he wanted to reach 9-Star here without even going to the Dragon Ruins, but that was impossible.

Once the magical energy in the magical archive was consumed, it recovered very slowly, so it was not suitable for raising proficiency.

‘I need to go to the Dragon Ruins as soon as possible and take in a large amount of mana.’

This was why he had waited until the Guidance Ceremony.

Only when he clearly showed that he had no talent would his father permit him to go.

“Young Master? Are you here? The preparations are complete.”

“Yes, I am coming, Helen!”

When he went outside, many people were there.

Helen, his personal nanny, and the servants who would help with camping.

He also saw the household guard knights in armor.

“Greetings, Young Master Zeke. I am Raker Van, the Captain of the Guard Knights who will accompany you on this journey. These are elite knights who will devote their lives to your protection.”

“I see. It is good to meet you, Sir Raker. And all of you knights as well. I look forward to your assistance.”

Perhaps because his tone was so open and unpretentious for the young master of a ducal house, a strange glint briefly passed through Raker’s eyes.

“Zeke.”

At that moment, Gerard, the Lord Patriarch, came out to see him off.

“Are you ready to leave?”

“Yes, Father. I will return safely.”

“Then let us go.”

Gerard took his coat and climbed into the mana-powered vehicle.

‘Hm?’

Zeke could only stare at him with a puzzled expression.

“Father, why are you getting in?”

“I will be accompanying you on this journey.”

“Pardon? Why?”

When Zeke asked back in disbelief, Gerard looked at him as if to ask what nonsense he was saying.

“Did I not say I would assign you a guard?”

“…….”

“Do not worry. I will take you safely to the ruins.”

An 8th-Circle archmage was personally guarding him.

His safety was now guaranteed.