Bedia Family Main House, 6th Floor.
The children of the family gathered in the head’s room on the 6th floor.
‘The room is full of all kinds of magic,’ Eugene thought, looking around the room for the first time.
Recalling the original memories of his body, Eugene realized he had never been in the head’s room before.
The reason was simple: he had never responded to a summons before.
Well, except once.
Once, he had responded to his father’s summons, but the other siblings harassed him, forcing him to leave.
Then, they lied to the head of the family, saying, “Eugene didn’t come.”
“This is your first time here, isn’t it?”
Eugene’s father, Alan Bedia, a 10-circle mage and sage, squinted at him.
“Yes, I apologize for not visiting sooner,” Eugene replied.
“Hmm…”
Alan grunted, pursing his lips, as Eugene offered a brief apology.
The other siblings frowned, displeased with the situation.
“The reason I’ve gathered you all here today is simple,” Alan said, holding up a piece of paper from his desk.
“What is that, Father?”
“It’s an admission letter,” Alan replied to Antonio’s question, showing the paper.
It was an admission letter for Landbard Academy, the top academy in the Seifran Empire.
“Am I finally going to attend Landbard Academy?” Antonio’s face lit up with excitement at the sight of the letter.
Landbard Academy was so prestigious that even noble children found it hard to gain entry.
Although it wasn’t exclusive to nobles, the competition was fierce.
“They’re recruiting students for the second half of this year (S3020),” Alan continued.
“Congratulations,” said Paul Bedia, the third sibling, smiling at Antonio.
Paul and Antonio, both children of Ketil Dain, were full siblings.
“Thankfully, all our siblings will be attending Landbard Academy,” Paul said with a grin, shrugging his shoulders.
Although there were other academies in Seifran, Landbard Academy was the best.
“But… what about the youngest?” Antonio asked, barely hiding his excitement as he glanced at Eugene, who remained silent.
The implication was clear: what about the talentless one with no circles?
“The youngest doesn’t need to attend the academy,” Alan said firmly, looking at Eugene.
Antonio was the only one admitted.
Eugene had never even formed a single circle and couldn’t use any magic.
Attending the academy would only make him fall further behind the other students.
While it was possible to form circles at the academy, it was rare; most students already had circles before admission.
“That makes sense… Pfft… Anyway…”
“I will also attend Landbard Academy,” Eugene interrupted Antonio’s sneer with a determined statement.
Both Alan and Antonio frowned simultaneously.
“If you really want to go to an academy, enroll in some backwater place. Don’t tarnish our family’s reputation at Landbard,” Antonio growled, glaring at Eugene.
Why the sudden defiance?
Attending Landbard Academy out of pride would only embarrass the family.
Landbard was filled with prodigies from the Seifran world, and Eugene would only become a laughingstock, potentially facing severe bullying.
“Do you truly intend to enroll at Landbard Academy?” Alan asked, his gaze intimidating.
One admission letter didn’t necessarily mean only one student could enroll.
“Yes,” Eugene replied.
“Hah! You’re more help by staying out of—”
“What are you doing?” Eugene cut off Antonio, staring at him.
“Can’t you see I’m having a conversation with the head? Your rudeness is astonishing,” Eugene said, his voice cold.
Antonio clenched his teeth and his face contorted with rage.
How humiliating, being reprimanded by Eugene in front of the other siblings.
“You little…”
“Enough,” Alan interjected as Antonio’s magic began to surge.
The eldest sibling, Aster, calmed Antonio down.
“Eugene is right.The youngest was talking with the head of the family.”
No matter how ridiculous or outrageous it seemed, no one should interrupt a conversation with the head.
“Let me ask again, do you really intend to enroll in Landbard Academy?”
“Yes.”
Alan tilted his head, finding something strange, and looked at Eugene.
It had been three years since he last saw his youngest.
He had only heard that Eugene was still alive and hadn’t formed a circle yet, but his personality and speech had changed drastically from three years ago.
“If you enroll in the academy without a circle, you won’t be able to do anything. Landbard Academy is not a place that teaches students without circles how to form them. It’s an academy for those who already have power, to further utilize and maximize it.”
Landbard Academy was indeed the best academy.
However, as Alan explained, it was not a place for someone without a circle to enroll.
In fact, no one without a circle had ever been admitted.
That was because Landbard Academy didn’t create circles for students.
Forming a circle was solely the student’s responsibility.
In other words, if Eugene, who had no circle, enrolled, he would be ridiculed and could even become a wreck due to bullying.
Moreover, Landbard Academy’s exams were known to be extremely difficult and dangerous.
Some students even lost their lives or became disabled during the exams.
At that moment, a flame flickered in Eugene’s hand.
“What?!”
Starting with Antonio, the other siblings gasped at the sight.
What Eugene just performed was a 1-circle spell called Fire.
“Did you form a circle?” Alan asked calmly, hiding his surprise.
“Yes.”
In reality, what others mistook for the Fire spell was a technique called Little Path Skill of the Common Sect, which created a small flame by rubbing internal energy in the direction of movement.
Eugene had slightly modified it to create a flame in his hand while standing still.
“It’s hot,” Alan said quietly, and Eugene immediately extinguished the flame in his hand.
“Even so, it’s too much for you, who just formed a circle, to enroll in Landbard.”
That was true.
It was unreasonable for Eugene, who had just formed a circle, to join Landbard Academy, full of geniuses and prodigies.
Even a well-utilized 1-circle or an intermediate level 1-star mage would struggle, but Eugene had just barely formed a circle.
“If you truly want to enroll in an academy, I’ll find another one for you.”
“Isn’t my brother Antonio, who is also 1-circle, going to enroll?”
Eugene looked at Antonio, who was in a daze.
According to his memory, Antonio, the seventh sibling, was still at 1-circle.
“What did you just say?” Antonio snapped out of his daze and frowned again.
Was Eugene comparing himself to Antonio, having barely formed a circle at his late age?
Antonio felt insulted and displeased by Eugene’s comparison.
“Antonio has enough mana to advance to 2-circle soon.”
“I’ve also accumulated a lot of mana and trained hard in the hut.”
“…”
Alan stroked his chin, groaning at Eugene’s words.
“If…”
“If I defeat Antonio in a duel, can I enroll in Landbard Academy too?”
“Hey!!” Antonio finally lost his temper and shouted.
Before entering an academy, the siblings at the main house had monthly duels to gain experience.
However, Eugene had never participated due to having no circle and living in a distant hut, but he remembered those duels.
“Has the youngest gone mad…?” Joel, the second sibling, chuckled and shook his head.
He understood Eugene’s excitement about forming a circle, but challenging Antonio to a duel was foolish.
Although Antonio was only 1-circle, his magic combination and understanding were exceptional.
In terms of power, excluding the circle, he was equivalent to 2-circle.
Challenging Antonio, while having just formed a circle, seemed like arrogance due to newfound power.
“Do you really want to duel Antonio?”
“Yes, and if I win, I can enroll in Landbard Academy, right?”
***
Main House Basement.
In the underground training hall, Antonio was loosening his wrist while glaring fiercely at Eugene.
‘What are you looking at, you little brat?’
Eugene, with a blank expression, stared back at Antonio.
Why was Eugene so determined to enter Landbard Academy?
It was to build fame and honor.
Before the Heavenly Demon Yoo-jin entered this body, the original owner, Eugene Bedia, always wanted to gain fame and honor in the world.
He wanted to be admired and looked up to by others.
And that desire was the same for the Heavenly Demon Eugene.
‘I also wanted to live anew if I were reborn.’
To be respected instead of despised by others.
To be an object of admiration rather than scorn.
That’s why Eugene aimed to enter Landbard Academy.
But if that’s the case, wouldn’t any academy suffice?
‘The starting point is different from other academies.’
No matter where you go, being a student of Landbard Academy garners respect.
Even for requests, being a Landbard graduate means you can choose which ones to accept and which to refuse.
Moreover, after graduating from the academy, even if you were employed as a mage in the Magic Tower, the employment rate for Landbard graduates was higher.
Other academies couldn’t compare.
Landbard graduates were preferred everywhere.
Of course, there were second and third-ranked academies below Landbard, but if you were going to enter an academy, it was best to go to the top.
“You picked the wrong opponent, you bastard.”
Antonio gritted his teeth and cursed at Eugene.
“How dare you Challenge me without knowing your place?”
It was humiliating.
To form a circle at such a late age and then Challenge him?
It felt like Eugene was putting him on the same level, which was extremely unpleasant.
‘I didn’t like him from the start. This is perfect.’
Antonio finished preparing, fiddling with his 60cm magic wand in his right hand.
Usually, when one grows up and becomes an adult, they use a magic staff instead of a wand, but Antonio, still a boy, used a magic wand.
Antonio’s wand, made with a magic stone from a griffon, allowed for 1.5 times faster casting speed.
‘Look at him, all tense…’
Eugene smirked inwardly, watching Antonio, who was eager to start.
No matter how much he disliked Eugene or how he requested the duel, being so tense would slow his reactions to any technique.
“If it gets dangerous, I will stop it immediately.”
“Yes, Father.”
Antonio and Eugene responded to Alan’s words, and Alan sighed, stepping back from the training hall.
Twinkle.
A small light appeared in Alan’s hand.
A tiny light that signaled the start of a duel between mages.
Buzz.
Bang!
“Begin.”
As the small light vibrated, expanded, and burst, Antonio and Eugene moved simultaneously.
Cliche Novel 