Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Introduction to Magic (5)
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Aren's pectoral muscles had momentarily stolen Amelin's attention.
But she came to her senses at Aren's words after he removed his upper garments and turned his back to her.
"Let's get started."
"Ah, yes!"
Amelin placed her hands on Aren's back and channeled her mana into him.
This method of circulating one's mana through another's body to check their condition.
Amelin used this technique daily to inspect her familiars' states, so she could confidently claim her proficiency rivaled even that of imperial mages.
And as she circulated her mana through Aren's body to assess his condition, Amelin was stunned.
'What in the world is this? I-Is something like this even possible?'
The state of Aren's body, as revealed through her channeled mana, defied everything Amelin knew.
Normally, mana pathways gradually narrowed with age if not used, and the purity of the mana declined as well.
On the other hand, frequent use from a young age not only prevented the pathways from narrowing but also imbued the mana with the individual's unique traits, preventing any drop in purity.
In other words, by all common sense, Aren Eldiad's mana pathways should have been extremely constricted, with very low-purity mana flowing through them.
But reality was the complete opposite.
Aren Eldiad's body was like that of a newborn babe.
No, not just any infant—it was as if the mana itself adored him, with pathways opened wide and clear.
And that wasn't all.
The purity of the mana circulating through his body was extraordinarily high. If he cast a basic flame spell with this mana, it would pack three times the power of an ordinary mage's.
The total amount of mana was low.
But it didn't feel limited by any bottleneck.
'Like a child just starting to learn magic, if he uses it often, it'll grow tremendously. No doubt about it. But... h-how?'
How could the 9th Prince, now an adult, possess such mana pathways?
Amelin simply couldn't comprehend it.
"Is the inspection not done yet?"
"Uh, w-well... um..."
"Why are you hemming and hawing? Answer His Highness properly."
At Ridel's urging, Amelin recalled her position.
The 9th Prince's condition is abnormal?
A state that defies all common sense?
So what?
'Th-this is actually a good thing!'
She wouldn't have to force out compliments.
Either way, it was a condition she could teach.
A state where she could put in real effort without getting rejected.
With that, Amelin flashed the brightest smile she could muster and replied.
"Y-yes, he's in perfect health! An ab-absolutely ideal condition for learning magic!"
"I thought as much."
"Your Highness! Congratulations!"
"Thanks, Gillek. So the inspection's done now?"
"Y-yes!"
Amelin hastily withdrew her hands and stepped back.
After Ridel helped Aren dress, he turned to Amelin.
"Then tell me the details of just how healthy I am."
I listened as Amelin described the state of my mana.
She poured out praise laced with elaborate flattery, sweating bullets all the while, but it boiled down to this:
My mana pathways were as open and clear as a newborn's, and my mana's purity was incredibly high.
Hearing that, one thought was unavoidable.
'As expected, it's the marrow cleansing, huh?'
What Amelin described clicked perfectly with the idea from wuxia novels: after undergoing marrow cleansing, one's body reaches an optimal state, with meridians blasted wide open.
But watching her desperately squeeze out more compliments mid-explanation made her seem even more pitiful.
"I heard the explanation. Let's call it a day."
"Pardon!? B-but we haven't even done a proper les-lesson yet? I'm not lying! Your Highness truly has the perfect body for learning magic right now! So please, at least don't replace—!"
"I know. But think about it—you must be tired from the journey here. Let's rest today and start tomorrow. Also, I'll have someone build a place for your griffon, so let me know later if there's a good spot."
"Pardon? Mi-Mikel's home? Does that mean...?"
"I'm not replacing you."
"Ah, aaah! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Noble and merciful Your Highness! L-loyalty! I pledge my utmost loyalty!"
Amelin prostrated herself and tried to crawl toward my feet.
"I told you not to kiss my feet."
How on earth does this groveling woman turn into that mad witch?
Leaving Amelin behind, Ridel and I returned to my room.
Once we were alone, Ridel said to me,
"You've finally accepted her, haven't you, Aren?"
"Yeah."
"Why did you want to replace her right away at first?"
"Just had a bad feeling... Guess it was my imagination."
I couldn't mention Savior of the World, so I brushed it off vaguely.
"But to think that after that day, Your Highness's talent for magic has truly blossomed as well. Congratulations."
With a beaming smile, Ridel then grew serious and asked,
"Do you want to return to the capital, Aren? If so, I'll make preparations."
Not just physical talent, but magical talent too.
This was an unprecedented situation, even among my siblings.
So Ridel must have thought my mind had changed.
'If I'd suddenly gained these perks without Savior of the World or my memories, just as "me," I might have.'
But I knew succession struggles were pointless.
No matter how many more talents emerged or my two locked perks unlocked, I had no desire to become emperor.
So I told Ridel,
"Unless it's a short visit for fun, I have no intention of going back, Ridel. I like my life as it is now."
Going back to the capital would just cramp my style anyway.
"Understood. I like our life now too, Aren."
The next day.
After finishing my morning routine, I summoned Amelin to begin magic lessons.
"It's an honor to meet Your noble Highness again today! And thank you so much for entrusting me with the indescribable honor of teaching you!"
Amelin launched into praise the moment we met.
But unlike yesterday, she didn't seem groveling—rather, she was full of energy.
Finding it odd, I asked Ridel,
"Did something happen after I left yesterday?"
"No?"
If Ridel didn't know, I'd ask her directly.
"You're awfully chipper today? Something good happen?"
"Ah... Am I being a bother?"
She shrank back immediately.
"No, you just seem even more energetic than yesterday, and it looks good on you. Just curious why you're so perky."
At my question, Amelin blushed slightly and met my eyes.
"Th-the food tastes so good..."
"The food?"
Sure, the estate meals were top-notch since a prince like me footed the bill, but that much?
"What do you usually eat?"
"Ah, preserved rations specially developed at the academy... Compressed grains—one fills you up."
Those were just for nutrition, with zero thought to taste.
"You eat that normally?"
"When I have piles of reports due, even meal times get tight... But here, no extra reports, and it's been so long since I had real 'cooking'—I'm thrilled! Thanks to you, I wrote even more reports than usual!"
It's straight-up grad school.
No, worse than grad school if even meals are that bad.
Reports?
"You wrote reports? What reports? Don't tell me about me."
"N-no! Absolutely not! I-I had some academy reports I was working on..."
"You're supposed to teach me now—what reports? You should've handed those off before coming here."
"......"
Amelin averted her gaze, sweating like yesterday.
"I think I get the picture."
"What do you mean, Ridel?"
"Honestly, your situation is so unique, Aren. They probably figured there's nothing to teach even as a tutor, so they told her to finish her reports here."
"Is Ridel right?"
"Uh, uh, w-well. Uhhh...!"
Amelin's eyes darted wildly.
Looks like it.
"Ridel, send a letter to the academy. My tutor is busy teaching me, so don't bother her—handle the reports yourselves."
"Got it."
"N-nooo!? Y-you don't have to do th-that...!"
"This is about my pride. And no other weird requests, right?"
Even if they've treated her like a slave so far...
"Like sending back everything except meal costs or whatever."
"Aren, they wouldn't command something like that, even if..."
"Right? Just joking."
Becoming my tutor meant joining my household—something that ridiculous...
"......"
"For real?"
"N-not meal costs! Just, just subtract Mi-Mikel's feed costs...!"
"Ridel, add that to the letter."
"Yes, Aren. This needs a proper warning. They're taking imperial family way too lightly."