Chapter 34
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 34
"H-How did you know?"
Bell jumped, visibly startled that I had recognized her ‘blessing.’
I replied as if it were common knowledge.
"I may not look it, but I am the Student Council President. Even if the title is mostly for show, I still have access to basic student records."
Her snow-white hair and rabbit-like red eyes were unmistakable.
Bell was a descendant of the Ludwig clan, a rare bloodline hailing from the Valetta Kingdom. Long ago, her people had been branded as witches and hunted to near extinction.
They had since been exonerated, and the purge remained a dark stain on the history of the Lu Cult. Ever since that era of persecution, the Ludwig clan had discarded their name and scattered across the continent.
Bell likely didn't even know she belonged to that bloodline, let alone that her talent was an inherited trait.
That trait, passed down through the Ludwig blood, was [Extreme Flame].
It was a bloodline-exclusive attribute possessed by only a select few within the clan. It granted a peerless aptitude for all fire-based magic, provided various bonus effects, and unlocked the unique ability ‘Flame Imbuement.’
Right now, Bell is just a commoner student maintaining high enough grades to keep her full scholarship.
But in the distant future, she would use this trait to ascend to the position of a Tower Master.
Arranging this meal for her to meet Beatrice was all part of my plan to smooth Bell’s path. After all, the Cassandra Imperial Family was the largest shareholder of the empire’s seven Magic Towers.
If she made a good impression now, her future would be a breeze. This was why I had taken the small risk of revealing my knowledge of her trait.
When I mentioned accessing student records, Beatrice narrowed her eyes and fixed me with a sharp glare.
"Snooping through other students' private files... what a distasteful hobby. Have you looked at mine as well?"
"I haven't."
Because I already know everything about you without looking.
"...I find that hard to believe. Regardless, to think you would use Miss Bell's abilities for your own selfish ends. What exactly are you planning to make her do?"
"I have my reasons. It’s confidential, so I’m afraid I can’t share the details. I hope you understand."
"..."
As I remained tight-lipped, Beatrice’s brow furrowed. Her personality made it impossible for her to tolerate being left in the dark; she clearly felt slighted that I was withholding information.
But it couldn't be helped. I can't exactly go around advertising my own weaknesses.
For today, the information regarding the Dark Mana Stone and Bell’s ‘blessing’ was enough for Beatrice to chew on.
"Your food is here."
The dishes arrived at the perfect moment, just as the conversation began to stall.
"Let’s eat."
*
"This place is..."
"It’s humble, but this is my personal laboratory."
After lunch, Beatrice had departed to attend to urgent business, so I brought Bell back with me to the Student Council President’s office.
Attached to the office was my private lab. While not particularly spacious, very few students in the Union were granted the luxury of a private research space like this.
Bell’s eyes sparkled as she wandered through the room, taking everything in. She gently brushed her fingers against the experimental equipment, letting out a soft gasp of admiration.
"Wow, you really are like a real alchemist."
I don't just seem like one; I am one. Even if I’m only a Level 3 Novice.
After exploring the lab for a while, Bell turned to me.
"So, what is it you need my help with?"
"As you’re likely aware, I can’t use conventional magic."
The fact that Roen was a magical lost cause was common knowledge among the Union students. Bell nodded, having clearly heard the rumors.
"With my mana, I can’t even conjure a spark on my own. I’m incapable of any magic outside of alchemy."
"Oh..."
"But with your ability, I might be able to overcome that limitation."
"With my ability? How?"
"Your blessing, [Extreme Flame]. Specifically, the power of Flame Imbuement. I want you to infuse your flames into a Magic Orb. I’ll then ingest that orb to neutralize my body’s constitution."
Currently, due to my [Nine Yin Severed Meridians], the yin energy in my body was excessive, causing a total blockage of my mana hole and magic circuits.
In a normal situation, consuming a legendary item like the core of a fire-attribute spirit beast—a Red Dragon’s Heart, for instance—would slowly cure the condition.
But even for someone in my position, such an item wasn't easy to come by. They weren't just expensive; they were the kind of treasures you couldn't buy even if you had the gold.
Furthermore, curing the condition entirely right now would be a net loss, as I would lose the massive magic and intelligence stat boosts provided by the [Nine Yin Severed Meridians].
That was why I planned to use a Magic Orb filled with Bell’s [Extreme Flame] instead of a spirit beast core.
By ingesting a Magic Orb saturated with extreme yang properties, I could achieve a similar therapeutic effect while maintaining the stat bonuses from my unique constitution.
[Nine Yin Severed Meridians] and [Half-Demon].
If I could somehow neutralize the conflict between these two traits, I might finally be able to cast magic with this body.
It’s time to test this theory with Bell’s help.
Click—.
I opened a drawer and pulled out a transparent crystal orb.
"Can you imbue this Magic Orb with your flame? I’ll compensate you handsomely for the trouble."
"I mean, I can try, but won't there be side effects if you just swallow it? It sounds dangerous."
"Don't worry. No harm will come to you."
"No, I'm not worried about me... I'm worried you'll get hurt, Roen."
"I'll be fine. If I collapse, just go tell Ciel."
"Don't joke about that!"
I grinned at Bell’s worried cry and reassured her.
"I’ve already run the simulations. It’s safe. Besides, I’m not going to ingest it immediately. For now, I’m just collecting the flame. It needs to be processed and refined separately before it’s fit for consumption. Today is just about gathering the raw materials."
"Oh, really? Well, if you say so..."
"Here, take it."
Bell took the Magic Orb from me, clutching it tightly in both hands. After holding it for a moment, she gave a sheepish grin and asked, "So... how exactly do I do this 'Flame Imbuement' thing?"
"..."
Seriously? You're asking me?
"I-I've never actually done it before. Sorry."
Bell scratched her head apologetically. I swallowed a sigh and tried to calm her down.
"There’s nothing to be sorry for. First... close your eyes."
"Okay."
Bell squeezed her eyes shut, her grip tightening on the orb.
In truth, Flame Imbuement was a bloodline trait. It wasn't something that could be taught by an outsider. How could I possibly instruct her on the mechanics of her own heritage?
I’ll just have to trust in her raw talent.
Drawing on the descriptions I remembered from the original story and my knowledge of the game mechanics, I attempted to guide her.
"Picture it in your mind. The fire within your hands. Imagine the entire world condensing into a single point, gathering inside the orb you hold."
[Extreme Flame] was a phenomenon on a completely different level than ordinary fire magic. While standard magic rearranged atmospheric mana to mimic the properties of fire, the Ludwig clan’s [Extreme Flame] meant their very essence was fire itself.
It was a more destructive, primordial form of heat that burned until its target was nothing but ash. Within the fire attribute, it was a total upgrade over any other mage.
"The fire gathered in your hands will never flicker out, nor will it fade. Bring it forth."
"..."
Bell remained silent, her eyes shut tight as she drew upon her mana.
Swoosh—.
After a tense moment, the stagnant air in the lab began to churn. A current of mana, like a sudden gale, rustled Bell’s hair and sent a stack of research papers flying.
As the mana reacted, the Magic Orb began to glow with a dull, red heat.
Fwoosh!
Suddenly, a blazing torrent of flame began to swirl inside the orb, filling its interior. Watching the crystal burn crimson in Bell’s hands, I shrugged.
And she said she’d never done it before.
To succeed instantly with such vague advice... either Bell had been lying, or she was a monster of pure talent.
The temperature in the lab spiked. I reached over and flipped on the ventilation fan to vent the sweltering heat.
If [Extreme Flame] was stored in a high-quality Magic Orb, its property of burning until the target was consumed meant it could theoretically be stored almost indefinitely. Of course, I would have to keep replenishing it as the yin energy in my body neutralized the flame.
"Ugh..."
Bell grunted with the effort, continuing to pour her mana into the orb. Worried she might overexert herself, I stepped in.
"That’s enough for now. We only need a sample today."
"Oh, is that it?"
"Yes. You can stop the mana flow, but keep holding the orb for a second."
Bell was immune to her own heat, but if I grabbed that orb with my bare hands, I’d lose the skin. I pulled on a pair of heavy protective gloves before taking the orb from her.
[Flame Orb – Bell Ludwig]
* Classification: Consumable Item
* Grade: Rare
* Description: A Magic Orb containing Bell Ludwig’s [Extreme Flame]. While her talent has not yet fully blossomed, the quality of the flame shows immense potential for growth.
Just by infusing it with mana, she turned a common orb into a Rare-grade item.
It was a very satisfying result.
"Good."
I carefully placed the Flame Orb into a reinforced sample container and stripped off my gloves. Later, once I had gathered the rest of the ingredients, I would find a way to process it for consumption.
"Thank you for the help. Is there anything you want in return?"
"Nah, it's fine. You already bought me that fancy lunch."
"I see. Well, if you think of something later, just ask. For now, take this."
I handed Bell a thick stack of meal tickets.
"What are these?"
"They’re valid at almost every cafeteria and eatery in the Union. There are about a hundred here."
They were accepted at all the popular spots, excluding the high-end restaurants like the one we had visited today. Bell might have been on a full scholarship, but she still had to cover her own living expenses. The standard quarterly meal allowance was likely never enough for her.
For a glutton like Bell, this was the ultimate gift.
"I-I can't accept this..."
Her words said no, but she was already salivating.
"Please, take them. It’s a token of my sincerity. If you refuse, I’ll lose face as your senior."
When I pushed, Bell finally caved.
"If you insist... thanks. I’ll put them to good use!"
Swish—.
Bell snatched the tickets from my hand with lightning speed. I had to admire her honesty.
"Well, that’s all I needed. Do you want to look around a bit more before you head out?"
"Ah, I'm not sure..."
Just as Bell was hesitating, there was a sharp rap at the door.
Knock, knock—.
"I'm coming in."
Ciel entered without waiting for an answer.
"W-Who is that?" Bell squeaked, jumping at the sudden intrusion.
"Relax," I said, gesturing between them. "This is my secretary, Ciel Eurafia. Ciel, this is Bell."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bell," Ciel said with a polite bow.
"Ah... yes. Hello, Miss Ciel."
"Please, make yourself at home. You are a friend of Lord Roen’s, after all."
"F-Friend?" Bell stammered, her face flushing.
"Indeed. Lord Roen rarely invites anyone to the Student Council President’s office."
"...Didn't three people come by just yesterday?" I interjected.
"That was official business, was it not?"
She had a point.
"So, what do you have for me?"
"I have received word from the Chairman."
Ciel produced a document and unfurled it on the desk.
Flutter—.
It was an official permit authorizing the expansion and reconstruction of the Izelin Academy building, along with the rights to use the surrounding land for various purposes. At the bottom was Chairman Hengard’s seal, stamped so large it was impossible to miss.
To be honest, I didn't strictly need the Chairman's permission. Most academies handled construction within their own territory without ever notifying him.
I didn't really need the approval of that old, Anpanman-looking geezer, but it was better to stay on his good side. Rules might be ignored in practice, but procedures existed for a reason, and people have egos. If you treat the man in charge like a figurehead and bypass him entirely, he’s bound to get offended.
"How did he react?"
"He had a very satisfied smile on his face. He granted the permission immediately."
Given that the approval came through in a single day, the Chairman must have been waiting for an excuse to greenlight this.
I suppose I should help the old man save face.
"Good. Then let’s head to Izelin."