Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: A Late Birthday Present
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The twilight of dusk and the dark of the night sky interlocked like gears. Beyond the snow-white horizon, darkness was falling upon the land even faster.
“Dale.”
At his teacher Sephia’s words, Dale extended his arm. A zombie rabbit, brought back from the dead through necromancy. And the armor of ice enveloping it. The moment he focused his consciousness on the target…
*Crack!*
The Frozen Armor enveloping the rabbit shattered into pieces, exploding like a grenade. Countless ice fragments scattered in every direction.
Ice Explosion.
The baptism of explosions didn't end there. Immediately after the Frozen Armor shattered, the frozen flesh and bone beneath it burst apart.
Corpse Explosion.
Following the ice shards, bone fragments from within the body scattered like sharp blades, finally concluding the dual explosion.
A ridiculous feat, harmonizing the dual attributes of Water and Dark as fluently as flowing water.
“Well done.”
Destructive power capable of taking out at least five or six heavily armored soldiers in a single blow. At a glance, it looked like ordinary explosion magic. But Sephia did not miss the techniques hidden within.
‘He maximized the lethality through fragmentation.’
Dale had consciously fragmented his explosive, shredding the outer shell to enhance the shrapnel effect. Though Sephia had no way of knowing it was the same principle as a 21st-century grenade.
‘This is a level of sophistication unbelievable for an eight-year-old's work.’
Magic was, after all, the materialization of the user's mental image. That was why mages used conscious autosuggestion called 'formulas' to induce the 'individuality and form of magic' that suited their purpose.
And eight-year-old Dale was employing 'formulas of slaughter' on par with battle mages who had dedicated their entire lives to the battlefield.
A level beyond the combat magic doctrine of the Imperial Army, which had been accumulated through hundreds of years of war and refined through countless improvements. What kind of world existed in this child's mind?
“It's all thanks to you, Teacher!”
And yet, upon receiving his teacher's praise, the boy smiled brightly, just like any other child his age. Seeing this, Sephia wore a very complicated smile.
“Let's stop here for today.”
“Yes!”
It was at that moment.
*Hee-heeing!*
From beyond the twilight-shrouded horizon, a group of people on horseback appeared. They were knights in surcoats emblazoned with the crest of House Sachsen, worn over black armor.
They were the Night Raven Knights who had recently set out, led by Lord Helmut, to conquer a dungeon that had appeared in the Demon Lord's territory.
“Uncle Helmut!”
Seeing them, Dale waved his hand. Only then did the knights, who were about to pass the two, hastily turn their horses.
“Young Lord, and Lady Sephia, what are you doing here!”
“I'm learning magic from my teacher.”
At Dale's words, Lord Helmut blinked in surprise.
“You've already begun to master magic!”
Lord Helmut muttered in disbelief.
“Oh, I've only just begun to learn.”
Dale maintained a humility unbefitting an eight-year-old and smiled awkwardly.
“More importantly, Uncle Helmut, how did the dungeon raid go?”
After his smile, Dale asked again. Helmut slapped his breastplate and laughed heartily.
“This dungeon, too, has been successfully conquered!”
“As expected of you, Uncle.”
A swordsman ranked among the top seven on the entire continent. And the 'Black Cavalry' led by that very knight.
The military power of the Sachsen Duchy did not rely solely on Lord Black's necromancy.
“I, Helmut, pledge my life and loyalty to House Sachsen, so that I may one day safely pass this land on to you, Young Lord!”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
Dale smiled and nodded at Lord Helmut's loyal display. Having said that, Lord Helmut took hold of his reins again.
“I will report the rest to His Grace the Duke.”
“Ride safely, Uncle Helmut.”
“Yes, Young Lord!”
Lord Helmut pulled on his reins with a hearty smile. His black warhorse kicked off the ground, its mane flying.
“The land he will one day inherit.”
Sephia murmured nonchalantly as she watched them go. Her eyes were fixed on the endlessly stretching ridge of the white mountain range along the horizon.
“It truly is... a vast land.”
***
That night.
In Duke Sachsen's office, his vassals were lined up, including Lord Helmut, the steward of House Sachsen, and the elders of the Black Magic Tower. Sephia, the elder from the Blue Magic Tower serving as Dale's tutor, was no exception.
“How is Dale's training progressing?”
The first topic the Duke brought up was, as expected, a question about his son.
“He has mastered the first circle of both necromancy and water magic.”
“Necromancy and water magic? You don't mean... dual attributes?!”
Hearing her story, an elder from the Black Tower gasped in astonishment.
“However, I believe it is beyond my capabilities to teach the Young Lord any further in dark attribute magic.”
After saying this, Sephia's gaze turned to Duke Sachsen.
The greatest necromancer and dark mage on the continent. The Master of the Black Magic Tower, reigning at its apex.
And also, Dale's father.
For a mere elder of the Blue Tower to teach dark attribute magic in his presence was utterly laughable.
“For now, please continue to instruct Dale in water magic, as he wishes.”
Understanding her meaning, Lord Black nodded.
Elena still did not know that her son was learning necromancy. But if Dale continued to wish for dark magic, it would not be Sephia's place to teach him.
“I will speak to my wife about it again.”
With that, Lord Black concluded the topic of Dale.
***
In the early hours of that morning, in the ducal couple's bedroom.
“Oh, you're late.”
Elena smiled quietly at her husband, who had returned after finishing his meeting.
“You worked hard today.”
“Thank you.”
After smiling, she offered him a glass of wine. Lord Black accepted the glass with a gentle smile, one unlike his usual self.
“I have some very good news.”
A gentle smile he rarely showed to anyone but his wife, Elena. Before she came to know that smile, she too had feared Lord Black's infamous reputation, just as the people of the Empire whispered.
“It's about our son.”
“Dale?”
The moment she heard her son's name, Elena's face lit up.
“The Wise Elf said that he has already completed the first circle of magic.”
“Already!”
“That child possesses a brilliant talent, incomparable to anyone I have ever seen.”
Lord Black continued, sounding pleased. Revealing the undeniable joy of a father.
“Our child is truly extraordinary.”
“He certainly has aspects that are not like other children his age.”
It was to the point where even the word 'genius' felt inadequate. Though he never showed it, there were times Dale's unchildlike behavior was even unsettling.
“Still, he is our lovely child.”
Nevertheless, Elena's face held the unwavering smile of a mother.
“He is our son, without a doubt.”
Lord Black was no different.
“To that child…”
And so, Lord Black took a quiet, deep breath and remained silent for a moment.
“As his father, I want to teach him the power to protect our lands.”
After the silence, Lord Black spoke.
***
A few days later.
Dale was engrossed in his magic training on the plains outside the city, as usual.
Raising corpses and manipulating frost. Training to refine his two attributes, Water and Dark, and advance to the second circle.
And just as he was listening intently to Sephia's guidance, as always.
From the city gate in the distance, a procession bearing the crest of House Sachsen began to approach.
‘Father left for Necropolis, where the Black Magic Tower is, this morning. What could this procession be?’
For a moment, Dale tilted his head in confusion at the sight. The moment a figure emerged from the carriage, the knights guarding Dale and Sephia quickly knelt.
“M-Mother!”
It was Dale's mother, Elena.
Attended by her handmaidens, Elena approached. Dale momentarily swallowed his bewilderment, and Sephia was no different.
“Were you learning magic here?”
“Yes.”
Elena paid no mind and walked toward Dale. At her feet lay the rabbit that had been hopping around, brought back from the dead just moments ago. Although he had hastily dispelled the animation, the rabbit's corpse lying there looked utterly suspicious.
“L-Lady Elena. This is…”
It seemed even the great Sephia could not hide her fluster. Seeing this, Dale was about to say something himself.
“I made a promise to your father.”
Elena cut Dale off.
But her voice was not one of scolding. On the contrary, it held a maternal affection deeper than usual.
“How frightening his army of the dead was to me when I was young.”
Elena continued in a gentle voice, not at all angry.
“So when he confessed his feelings to me, I was so scared that I burst into tears right then and there.”
“Mother…”
“I was such a young and naive girl back then. I can still clearly picture how flustered he was in front of me.”
After saying that, Elena fell silent for a moment.
“But our domain is exposed to threats from so many enemies.”
After the silence, Elena spoke quietly. Her voice was filled with a firm resolve that surpassed her earlier affection.
Although Elena was the precious daughter of a count, raised like a sheltered flower, she was still a noble of the Empire. Furthermore, as the Duchess of Sachsen, Dale could keenly feel the hidden meaning behind her words 'so many enemies.'
The ugly reality of the Empire, stained by the dog-eat-dog struggle for desire.
“It seems I had forgotten that your father's power is what protects this land from those enemies.”
“…”
“It was my own immaturity not to have considered what you must bear as the eldest son of the ducal house.”
The things he must bear as the eldest son of the ducal house. Dale could not speak.
“This vast land, our family, your father and I, and your new sibling.”
“S-Sibling?”
“You said you wanted a little sister, didn't you?”
Elena smiled gently and stroked her belly. Feeling the faint stirrings of a small life within.
“It's a slightly late birthday present.”
The moment eight-year-old Dale's wish came true.