Rumors spread incredibly fast.
Especially for someone who is both an object of admiration and hostility.
Prime.
The de facto leader of the Emperor’s faction.
The strongest enemy of the Noble faction.
Because of such symbolism, rumors related to Luciana spread faster than anyone else’s.
The academy is so full of interest in Luciana that the upcoming coming-of-age ceremony of the crown prince is about to be dismissed as just a ‘ceremonial event.’
‘Even so, it’s still quite something that it’s being held at the academy on the birthdate of the empire’s eldest prince.’
There is still some promotion going on.
But that fervor is being overshadowed by a bigger rumor and seems unable to hold its ground.
Well, it was to be expected.
“Did you hear? Lady Speda has…….”
“Is she the youngest then? Oh my, she might become a Master later…”
“Keeping her as just the empress would be a waste of talent…”
‘That person has quite sharp judgment.’
Of course.
Compared to those who rely on lineage to play at being crown princes, Luciana, who has earned her place through her own efforts, is like the sun to a firefly.
Even as I walked through the corridors, all the stories I heard were about Luciana.
Even the faces of some I met from the royal faction were a sight to behold.
It was hard to tell whether they should be happy or sad.
After knocking, I opened the door.
A splendid interior greeted me.
The very person at the center of the rumors, the talk of the town.
I bowed to my lord.
“I had no idea you continued to train even after I left.”
“Seizing the opportunity when it comes is also a skill, as is realization. You know the results best, having heard the rumors.”
Yes.
I never thought that clumsy advice would be understood and taken to heart so perfectly.
A noble lady becoming a sword expert.
That alone could make a whole novel.
‘To think she could grow this much.’
If you consider how much investment it takes in the original work for a saint to become an expert or reach a comparable level.
Her growth could indeed be called exceptional.
‘Is this what they call a difference in talent? It’s definitely Luciana. She always exceeds expectations.’
A genius who also puts in effort.
With the knowledge of a reincarnator added, it was perhaps an inevitable result.
“Of course. Congratulations on the awakening of your aura.”
“Thanks to you, I’ve finally managed to break through a long-standing stagnation.”
With a gentle smile, she took my hand.
The soft skin and the warm temperature conveyed along with the expression of gratitude made my hand tremble slightly.
‘Ah, it’s a pity there’s no recording magic stone yet.’
Having become an expert, Luciana seemed to have more leisure time; she was smiling more and seemed gentler than before.
Just like yesterday.
Such expressions should be preserved forever.
Also, the image of us holding hands.
‘But, how long will she keep holding on?’
Of course, I’m not complaining.
Who would refuse the attention of their favorite character?
The problem is the pain.
Her fist, holding my hand, was clenched with force.
Without saying a word, she gazed at me.
As time passed, the pressure in my hand only increased.
“Lady Luciana?”
“Didn’t you feel something was wrong?”
If by ‘something wrong’ she meant every bone in my fingers screaming, then yes, I might have nodded.
But surely, that wasn’t the response Luciana was hoping for.
“I’m sorry, but with my humble senses, I can’t feel anything at all.”
“…Is that so? Sigh. Even having reached the realm of an expert, it’s not easy. Since I’ve already received help regarding my aura, might I seek one more piece of advice?”
“…Ah! Of course. Am I not your devoted servant? Ask me anything if it might help.”
Luciana spoke, her forehead furrowed as if troubled.
“It’s about telepathy.”
“Telepathy… you mean?”
“I had expected that naturally, as an aura expert, I would have acquired it, but seeing your reaction, it seems not.”
Luciana’s gaze, with a bitter smile, turned towards my shadow.
“Demon, you must be listening, so come out. We need to discuss matters related to my telepathy.”
“Ah, Lady Bathory has not been in my shadow recently.”
“What are you talking about? Hasn’t she always accompanied you?”
Well.
Perhaps that conversation back then truly irked her.
‘After all, it’s not strange to keep a distance from a lunatic who talks about consuming emotions.’
It would have been more surprising if there hadn’t been a proper clash yet.
“There was a minor quarrel.”
“Hmm. With that vampire? That’s unexpectedly pleasant news.”
After a few coughs,
Luciana, with a relaxed expression, let go of the hand she was holding.
“It can’t be helped. It’s unfortunate that I cannot get advice from that demon, but since it has come to this, I have no choice but to learn from you, who have already mastered telepathy.”
“Um, honestly, I’m hardly in a position to offer advice myself, as I know nothing about it.”
Isn’t that often the case?
Someone may be called a genius in a certain field, possessing outstanding talent, but when asked to explain, they can’t do it properly.
That was exactly me right now.
Anyway… elemental magic could be so clumsy, but flashes or levitation, and then this seems to fit the aptitude.
A grand mage certification, a magic aptitude loaded with utilities.
I had no difficulty learning telepathy either, so explaining it with any special technique was tremendously difficult.
“Even something minor would be fine. Tell me your own method.”
“Um, think of it as sending a letter directly into the other person’s mind, and it naturally works.”
“A letter…”
Luciana closed her eyes for a moment.
She seemed to be struggling to send a telepathic message.
Unfortunately, her voice did not reach me.
“It’s harder than I thought.”
-You can’t expect to be full after just the first spoonful. You will naturally master it someday, so don’t be hasty.
She seemed to be maintaining her composure, but it was clear to me.
Luciana, startled by my telepathy flowing into her mind,
“Ah, I told you it consumes too much mana. My head feels dizzy. Ha ha.”
Maybe it’s because I’m also without Bathory’s help.
Fatigue screamed from my head and quickly enveloped my whole body.
‘It’s terribly inefficient.’
Unless it’s for conversations that need to be kept secret quickly, it should be avoided.
Ah, of course, using Bathory’s mana for conversations with her is an exception..
“…Someday, if I master telepathy, you’ll be the first one I try it with.”
“I’ll be happily waiting!”
Secret conversations with my favorite character?
I can’t tolerate this.
Undoubtedly, telepathy is the best technique in the world!
‘But before that, I need to increase this trashy mana.’
It wasn’t just about telepathy.
How could a servant afford to be lazy when their master is striving to advance far ahead?
I too must strive to match pace with that soaring crane, even if it splits me at the seams.
‘Now that I think about it, there was something I needed to receive.’
It was time to visit Professor Marks, who, like me, handles both mana and aura at the same time.
***
“Yes, did you deliver the letter well?”
I bowed politely to the elderly gentleman in a neat suit in one corner of the faculty office.
“Yes, and although it wasn’t intended, I also heard its contents from Professor Chernia.”
“…Tch. That woman is still loose-lipped.”
A petition against biological experiments.
Honestly, it was surprising that even someone as cold as him had such a moral side.
“…Haha, seeing me with that look is quite burdensome. It wasn’t a decision based on any beliefs or values. Rather, it was closer to a hypocritical decision filled with personal desires.”
“What do you mean by that?”
He organized the textbooks in front of him and then answered my question.
“I’ve had a long bad history with the Magic Tower.”
The atmosphere suggested not to ask any more.
I shrugged my shoulders, playing along.
“It seems you have your personal reasons, Professor. I will not pry further.”
“Thank you for your understanding. Oh, that reminds me, there was something I promised you.”
After all, I only needed to receive what I was supposed to.
Towards me, he extended a pendant containing a rugged light.
…It’s a relic I’ve never seen before.
Perhaps, this is the tool he mentioned before that would be useful in handling both mana and aura simultaneously.
“Please take it. It’s something I often used when I was clumsy.”
“This is…?”
“It’s a locket made by a skilled alchemist. It will surely be of help to student Hans Byron.”
Professor Marks momentarily looked at the necklace in my hand with a distant gaze.
“The method of use is no different from any pendant. If you wear it around your neck, it will greatly assist you in using both mana and aura simultaneously.”
“It sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
“You’re right. It was a lifesaver when I was young.”
As if to prove that this worn pendant was indeed a relic.
Soon, a translucent status window appeared next to my hand in the air.
[Token of Loyalty]
[A masterpiece made by an alchemist and noble lady for her only ally]
[Marks. Though merely a commoner, he deserves to be called ‘Sir’ because… he was the only one by my side. – Creator]
My eyes sparkled upon encountering a story I didn’t know.
‘Wasn’t that gentleman an aristocrat-hater?’
I just learned of this past of a mid-boss who stirred up the spirit of rebellion across the academy by inciting commoner students.
And now to unexpectedly discover a connection with nobility.
‘Under the chandelier,’ the blood of the old hand whispered.
Knowing this secret could prove useful to her as well.
‘……I should visit Wolbaek later.’
Thinking about her face, which would surely wear a purely capitalistic smile, gave me a headache.
‘Ah, this isn’t the time for that.’
I hurriedly skipped over the story and directed my gaze to the lower section where there was a description of its actual performance.
The most important thing right now is to elevate my level so that I can be with Luciana.
[When worn by someone who handles both mana and aura, proficiency penalties are reduced]
[Magic can be performed using aura instead of mana]
[Aura can be utilized using mana instead of aura]
It was as expected.
The greatest barrier for those who use both mana and aura simultaneously is the proficiency penalty.
Perhaps the reason my growth has been noticeably slow is also because of this penalty.
This artifact was not just necessary for me, it was essential.
Furthermore, whether it’s mana or aura,
For someone like me who has only a tiny amount of both, the ability to interchange them is also a valuable feature.
“This will be a lot of help. It seems like quite a precious artifact, I’m not sure if I should accept it.”
“Ha ha, it’s of no further use to me anymore. I should pass it on for the sake of future generations.”
A polite reply fitting a ceremonial thank you.
Yet, perhaps because it was a long-held item,
It was inevitable to feel some reluctance to part with it.
However, what followed was not just for show.
A man’s lifetime.
His gaze, filled with all that was encapsulated in it, directed towards my hand.
“Please, make good use of it.”
As if shedding his past,
He forcefully turned his head away from me and continued organizing his materials.
***
A wizard’s workshop is usually neatly organized.
One must be able to find the necessary magical texts on time, and concentration is crucial for research.
Also, even a slight bit of dust could potentially ignite a dangerous experiment.
However, this dorm room turned workshop was far from conventional.
Books scattered here and there in disarray.
Bloodstains from monsters that couldn’t be wiped away smeared in several places.
Dust piled high on the desk, indicating it hadn’t been cleaned in who knows how long.
“Hmm, it’s quite bothersome.”
In the midst of it all, a man with ash-grey hair fiddled with a scalpel.
“To be able to use magic without a circle. Creating a ring in the heart isn’t the only way, is it?”
Ricky had rarely seen anyone like this before.
Yet, in this academy alone, this was already the second time.
And these were people who were, performance-wise, in the upper echelon.
One was Saint Rene, with whom he maintained a somewhat close relationship as a fellow in the Magic Department.
“…I’d like to ‘investigate’ her right away, but the clergy really bothers me.”
Moreover, perhaps it was because of the tools like the scalpel he brought in.
It seemed like the faculty, including a certain Professor Marks, were keeping an eye on him.
“Tch, there’s nothing more annoying than idiots moralizing as much as talking nonsense.”
Fortunately, perhaps heaven helped.
Besides the saint, there was another person.
Someone whose disappearance wouldn’t cause as big an uproar as the saint’s,
Rather, someone who could stand up boldly and legally on this side.
“They say the West is nothing but jailers and prisoners, and that’s exactly right.”
In his smiling eyes gleamed the madness of one thirsting for truth.
Cliche Novel 