Chapter 42 - Damn Reincarnation

@Akron

Eugene gazed at the crown prince, who was four years older than him. Honein was not merely Aroth’s crown prince; he was also an accomplished mage in his own right.

'Fifth Circle.'

Aroth’s royal family had produced exceptional mages for generations. It would hardly be an exaggeration to call theirs a bloodline refined for magic over hundreds of years.

Even among them, Honein was uniquely gifted. Aroth’s royalty began learning magic at an early age, but he was the first to reach the Fifth Circle before adulthood.

A genius.

Eugene had heard the stories about Honein—the crown prince, first in line to the throne. Hera had told him in advance, but coming face-to-face with the illustrious prince still felt strange.

'I barely met royalty even in my previous life, but now that I’ve been reborn as Vermouth’s descendant, here I am meeting them at seventeen.'

He had had little connection with royalty in his previous life. Vermouth received invitations from all over, but Hamel, who had no connections, received few. And ignoring the invitations he did receive had been a matter of course for him.

“You know why you’re here, don’t you?”

The abrupt question came from a stern-looking mage: the Blue Tower Master. He looked middle-aged, but his actual age was likely far greater. He glared at Eugene, his eyes full of displeasure and irritation.

“Eugene Lionheart. I’ve heard much about you. The... Red Tower Master and Black Tower Master here have been supporting you to what I consider an excessive degree.”

The Blue Tower Master looked at Lovellian and Balzac with narrowed eyes. Balzac responded with a faint smile and a slight nod, while Lovellian snorted.

“Ah, of course, I know you’re far more gifted than ordinary people. But... wielding a weapon and releasing sword aura is an entirely different matter from being proficient in magic, isn’t it?”

The Blue Tower Master was displeased with this meeting. The boy before him was only seventeen. Moreover, he was a fledgling who had begun studying magic mere months ago.

Yet this child had received recommendations from two tower masters and was seeking an entry permit to Akron. The Blue Tower Master could neither acknowledge nor accept it.

No matter how he looked at it, this could only be an attempt to pull strings. How good could a seventeen-year-old who had studied magic for only a few months possibly be? He certainly had talent, but not enough to warrant an Akron entry permit.

Aroth alone had no shortage of mages who had been called geniuses as children. Any mage admitted to a tower would have heard that praise at least once or twice in their youth. They were all unpolished gems brimming with talent.

Even those mages spent decades desperately hoping to set foot in Akron. Yet this young boy, a mere fledgling in terms of magical attainment, was to receive an entry permit? However he considered it, that was unfair.

'The Red Tower Master has been friends with the Lionheart family head for years, and the Black Tower Master... must want to use this disgraceful incident to establish ties with Lionheart.'

Wasn’t the timing impeccable, too? Eugene had arrived while Eward, the eldest son of the Lionheart main family, was making no notable progress. Not long afterward, Eugene’s recommendations had been written.

The Blue Tower Master was not alone in thinking this. The Green and White Tower Masters were also unhappy about being summoned here, though they did not openly show it.

“I understand what you’re saying, but what would you have me do?”

Eugene asked without shrinking back. Lovellian spoke as though he had been waiting for the question.

“You need only demonstrate your magic.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

Lovellian nodded and looked around at the other tower masters.

“Once you cast your magic, the distinguished mages gathered here will examine it.”

“Normally, we would also examine your research topics and papers. But I doubt you’ve conducted any research, let alone written a paper.”

Lovellian’s eyes narrowed at the Blue Tower Master’s sneering remark. He understood the man’s displeasure, but he did not like seeing him openly humiliate Eugene at a meeting arranged for this purpose.

“Very well.”

Eugene nodded slowly. He had prepared himself for a reception that would not be entirely welcoming. Steadying his breathing, he drew out his mana.

The stars at his heart shone. Every mage in the room watched him with composed eyes. Their attention was not on his flesh, but on the movement of mana within it.

Unable to perceive that with his own abilities, Honein settled a pair of thin glasses on the bridge of his nose. Before long, his lips parted in admiration.

“... Hmm...”

The Blue Tower Master’s expression changed. Indeed, Eugene did not use circles. But he was not relying solely on a core, either.

Three stars. The White Flame Formula of the Lionheart main family. The stars resonated with one another, drawing and amplifying mana. Pure white flames wrapped around Eugene’s body. Up to that point, there was nothing unusual.

The moment the White Flame Formula began operating in earnest, the cores’ movement changed. The resonating stars interlocked and began to rotate. Thus, the three stars became a single ring.

'A circle.'

'He hasn’t separated the cores from the circle. He’s made multiple cores resonate to form a single circle...'

Eugene had created only one circle. Yet not a single mage present considered it merely the First Circle.

'That mana density... is absurd.'

'He has trained his mana for several years... No, that makes it even more absurd. Eugene Lionheart has only trained his mana for four years.'

'Whatever his aptitude for martial arts, he certainly has an innate gift for handling mana.'

'That alone isn’t enough.'

The Blue Tower Master’s gaze turned cold.

'Skill at handling mana and understanding magic are entirely different things.'

Being adept at handling mana did not make one an archmage. Vermouth Lionheart had earned the epithet “the Great” and the title of All-Master because he had attained an unrivaled level not only in martial arts, but also in magic.

Using cores and circles together wasted enormous amounts of mana. Many people made names for themselves as magic swordsmen, but in most cases, when their martial and magical abilities were considered separately, neither was particularly outstanding.

Three hundred years had passed since Vermouth the Great. The Lionheart main family had produced numerous formidable individuals, but not one had achieved as much in magic as in martial arts.

The ability to create sword aura and concentrated aura from a core’s mana, or an aptitude for wielding weapons, offered no great advantage before the infinite depths of magic.

The reverse was also true. Among the archmages who had made names for themselves throughout history, none had excelled at fighting with weapons in their own hands.

Both might involve handling mana, but martial arts and magic could never be the same.

One by one.

Eugene manifested the spells he could cast. The flames of the White Flame Formula became blades of wind, then a blazing red fireball. Just as the fireball seemed to disperse, it turned into dozens of projectiles, which then coalesced into a single long blade.

Throughout these transformations, Eugene did not utter a single incantation. Even as a spell unraveled, none of its mana was wasted. All the mana used to create the initial spell went into the next.

“... Can you use magic and sword aura at the same time?”

The Green Tower Master, who had been watching silently, spoke up. Rather than answer, Eugene demonstrated. Without stopping the transformations of his magic, he extended his right hand.

There was no need to draw a sword or any other weapon. The White Flame Formula’s fire concentrated in one hand and became a blade of pure mana. The sight was enough to astonish the mages.

The circle did not collapse. The cores were taking the place of a circle while still functioning fully as cores. By then, even the Blue Tower Master’s expression had stiffened.

Was it possible to build a precision mechanism from components of entirely different specifications? Could it not merely look convincing, but function perfectly as well?

Even if it were possible, could a boy who had only begun studying magic a few months ago accomplish it?

'Incantationless casting.'

He was linking spell formulas through mental calculations alone and activating them by will alone. It meant that he understood every spell he had learned perfectly. The Blue Tower Master let out a low groan. Lovellian turned his head with a proud smile.

“What do you think?”

“... Hmm...”

“I was often called a prodigy as a child, but I certainly couldn’t use magic that ‘well’ just two months or so after beginning my studies.”

It was not just Lovellian. Every tower master had been called a genius from childhood and had taken pride in their boundless passion and talent for magic.

Yet none of them had wielded magic so well at Eugene’s age and level of experience.

“... I believe we need to discuss this.”

The Green Tower Master murmured. The Blue Tower Master nodded without a word.

“Indeed. Eugene, would you please step outside for a moment?”

“Yes.”

“It shouldn’t take long. You won’t be able to visit the other floors, but... there are plenty of things to see on the first floor, too. Please take a look around while you wait.”

Eugene bowed and left the room.

The Blue Tower Master immediately turned to Lovellian.

“Red Tower Master. Are you absolutely certain you haven’t instructed him at all?”

“How many times have I told you? I haven’t given Eugene any instruction whatsoever.”

“I simply cannot understand it. If what you say is true, Eugene Lionheart has reached that level through self-study, without anyone’s guidance.”

“He has been diligent about reading.”

“That makes it even harder to understand. I don’t mean to disparage the quality of the Red Tower’s spellbooks, but didn’t you say that Eugene Lionheart had read only introductory texts?”

The Blue Tower Master shook his head and continued.

“Can mastering introductory spellbooks alone... give someone that much understanding of magic?”

“He is a Lionheart, after all.”

The speaker was Honein, Aroth’s crown prince. His eyes gleamed as he gazed at the door Eugene had closed behind him.

“The Lionhearts of the Kiel Empire. Descendants of Vermouth the Great. Isn’t the excellence of their ‘blood’ known throughout the continent?”

“... Hmm...”

“But, Your Highness, Eugene Lionheart is an adopted son. He does not carry the main family’s blood.”

“That doesn’t make his surname any less Lionheart. Even if he comes from a collateral branch, Eugene Lionheart’s genius is unquestionably genuine. At least, that is how it appeared to me.”

Honein took off his glasses and looked around the gathering.

“What do you all think? I sensed a genius in Eugene Lionheart that could not be concealed. I believe he is more than qualified to enter Akron.”

“... But he is too young.”

The head of the Mages’ Guild, who had been listening in silence, spoke up.

“We have no choice but to acknowledge Eugene Lionheart’s genius. But that is separate from the fact that he is young and his magical attainment is still low.”

“Still.”

Balzac, the Black Tower Master, picked up the word.

“That is precisely why I believe this is such a crucial time. If Eugene gains access to Akron now, his magic will be able to develop rapidly.”

“I question whether we need to make such an accommodation.”

The Green Tower Master shook his head.

“Since he is young, there is no reason to rush, is there? We must consider Akron’s prestige as well. The Red Tower Master could instruct him personally for the next few years... Then, once he reaches a level no one can dispute, we can grant him entry without any issue.”

“I see no need for such a delay.”

Honein folded his arms.

“With the aptitude he demonstrated today, Eugene Lionheart will become an outstanding mage even without any particular guidance. I question whether his magical system should be classified by circles at all, but... if we must classify it that way, I believe he could easily cast Fourth Circle spells before reaching adulthood.”

“At the very least.”

This time, the White Tower Master, the only woman present, spoke. Twisting a lock of her curly hair around her fingers, she continued.

“The magic the Lionheart boy just demonstrated... may have been First Circle magic, but its power far exceeded the First Circle. You all sensed that, didn’t you?”

“... Hmm...”

“The purity of his mana, the precision of its arrangement... What was particularly astonishing was its cohesion. We would have to test it to be certain, but a Fourth Circle Dispel would not be able to dismantle his spells.”

“I agree.”

Lovellian nodded with a broad smile.

“... Perhaps we should consider it an investment.”

The court mage, who had been exchanging glances with Honein, broached the subject.

“Seventeen years old, exceptional aptitude, an adopted son of the Lionheart main family. He is young and his abilities are not yet sufficient, but doesn’t he have potential to spare? Once he is old and skilled enough, he will qualify for entry to Akron anyway. Issuing him a permit in advance would allow us to establish friendly relations.”

“Is that necessary? Our relations with Lionheart are already friendly enough.”

“I mean that showing goodwill directly to Eugene Lionheart, rather than to the Lionheart family, is worth the investment.”

“... But even then, he cannot become the family head, can he?”

The Green Tower Master murmured with a slight frown. Balzac chuckled and shrugged.

“Of course not. However skilled he may be, Eugene is an adopted son. Most likely... one of the main family’s twins will become the family head.”

“Cyan Lionheart.”

“Yes. Eward Lionheart may stand higher in the order of succession, but with this recent disgrace... and his far inferior abilities, he will inevitably fall behind in the succession contest.”

“Even if Eugene Lionheart cannot become the family head, his standing within the main family is by no means insignificant. The Lionheart family head’s second wife is well aware of that, too.”

“On the contrary, I believe his inability to become the family head makes him all the more worth investing in.”

The chief court mage looked calmly around at the tower masters and the guild head.

“Someday, Eugene Lionheart will have to leave the main family. Under Lionheart’s family laws, anyone who marries and has children must establish an independent household.”

“You want to invite him to Aroth then?”

“His abilities will be sufficient by that point anyway. I see no harm in preparing in advance.”

“Even if he doesn’t establish his own household, he will be well worth showing goodwill to. If he does not become the family head, he will have that much more freedom. And if he remembers Aroth’s kindness, he may become a dependable ally someday.”

Three people had opposed issuing an Akron entry permit: the Blue Tower Master, the Green Tower Master, and the head of the Mages’ Guild. But as the discussion progressed, they could not help being persuaded little by little.

The genius Eugene had demonstrated was that extraordinary. It also stirred their sheer curiosity. He was already so accomplished after only a few months of studying magic. If he encountered Akron’s great magic... just how far would he advance? If, rather than stopping at self-study, he received instruction from a proper teacher...

“... I hear he also displayed overwhelming skill at the Bloodline Succession Ceremony four years ago.”

Balzac spoke as he gazed at the closed door.

“Even the Lionheart main family acknowledged his aptitude. If Aroth supports him on top of that... perhaps we could speak of the second coming of Vermouth the Great.”

“Heh...”

The Green Tower Master laughed despite himself. The second coming of Vermouth the Great. He found it amusing that the Black Tower Master was the one speaking of it.

“... You’re so generous with your praise that it seems excessive. Balzac Ludbeth, are these opinions entirely your own?”

“What do you mean?”

“The Demon King of Incarceration, with whom you have a contract. I merely wonder whether his influence has played a part.”

“Hahaha.”

Balzac took off his glasses and burst out laughing.

“The Demon King of Incarceration is busy enough with Helmuth’s affairs. Besides... if I were acting on his wishes, I would not argue in this fashion. I would take a firmer stance and push it through by force.”

“By force?”

The Green Tower Master’s eyes turned cold. He was not alone in that response. Balzac shrugged, brushing off the hostility directed at him.

“I apologize if my wording sounded extreme, but to me, the Demon King’s wishes are more absolute than anything else.”

“Let’s not stray from the subject.”

The White Tower Master snorted and rose to her feet.

“It seems we won’t reach complete agreement anyway. Why not settle it with a majority vote? The longer we argue, the more bored the boy outside will be.”

“That would be better.”

Honein smiled in agreement.

“I vote in favor of issuing Eugene Lionheart an entry permit to Akron.”