Chapter 40
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The Pre-Ceremony Banquet
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An unexpectedly harsh critique.
The Old Lord slowly walked toward the window.
*Chirp, chirp.* A monstrous black bird flew onto the Old Lord's shoulder.
The Old Lord stroked the monstrous bird's head and spoke.
“Of course, I know you are more outstanding than the other children. But... well. I'm not so sure you live up to this old man's expectations.”
“...”
“Talent is merely potential. Even if you are an exceptional seed, there is no telling how you will grow. Instead of a great tree, you might just end up as an empty husk.”
An utterly cold gaze, a chilling statement.
Anyone else would have turned pale.
But Chris merely closed his mouth for a moment before speaking calmly.
“You are right, my lord. I am still insufficient to meet your expectations.”
The Old Lord read between the lines of Chris's words.
“If you say 'yet,' does that mean you are confident about the future?”
“Yes, of course.”
Chris replied calmly.
A strange light flickered in the Old Lord's eyes.
“First, what you said is correct, my lord. Only time will tell what kind of person I will become. Whether I'll be an empty husk, as you said, or a great tree... or perhaps.”
Chris spoke with a direct gaze.
“Whether I will become a being so great that even giant trees will lie beneath my feet.”
“!!”
Chris didn't bother with false modesty.
To take control of the Dark Magic House, winning the Old Lord's favor was essential anyway.
It was better to make a strong impression, even if it seemed arrogant.
Worried that the Old Lord might think ill of him?
There was no need.
He just had to prove it with his actions.
“Of course, I know my words may sound like the baseless bravado of a child. So please, watch me closely from now on.”
The gazes of Chris and the Old Lord met in mid-air.
Chris's intense will was fully reflected in the Old Lord's empty eyes.
“I will show you directly. Whether I am a being worthy of your expectations or not. I dare say, you will not be disappointed.”
Silence filled the room.
Merian watched the Old Lord with a somewhat worried expression, gauging his reaction.
The Old Lord remained silent for a moment, then began to laugh.
A low laugh.
It was a laugh filled with an eerie energy.
“You have spirit. Good. I will be watching you from now on.”
The Old Lord's blood-red eyes glinted coldly.
“I do hope you will not disappoint me.”
* * *
After Chris left, Merian and the Old Lord had a conversation.
“What did you think?”
A cautious question.
She was worried the Old Lord might be angered by Christian's arrogant attitude.
But the Old Lord gave an unexpected reply.
“He was more than I expected. Far more splendid than I anticipated.”
A completely different answer from what he had told Chris.
“But then, why did you say what you did earlier?”
“Because it's the truth. Talent is just talent. Do you not know how many geniuses throughout history have been broken before they could even bloom?”
He was right.
How many talented people were there in the world?
But few among them ever bore fruit.
“Above all, that child possesses such outstanding talent that he will be swept up in even fiercer storms, and will likely perish with a much higher probability.”
Merian nodded.
Christian's talent was exceptional, too exceptional.
Would it truly be a boon for him?
It might have been better if his talent was merely moderate.
His inhuman talent would make him a target for everyone, and it was highly likely he was fated to be broken before he could fully bloom.
“...Couldn't you protect him?”
“What meaning would that have?”
A cold retort.
Merian snapped her mouth shut.
The Old Lord chuckled.
“A flower raised in a greenhouse is bound to break someday. Besides, you know as well as I do, don't you? What kind of bloody storm is brewing in the Magitech Empire.”
“...”
“Still, I have my hopes.”
The Old Lord smiled.
He looked somewhat pleased.
It wasn't a feigned smile like a mask, but a genuine one.
“If that child doesn't break, I wonder how he will bloom.”
The Old Lord said.
“Perhaps he might even fulfill my lifelong wish.”
Merian's eyes widened in surprise.
It was the highest praise.
As far as she knew, the Old Lord had never said such a thing to anyone before.
It was a sentiment that would be immediately withdrawn if Christian showed any sign of disappointment, but today, the Old Lord was clearly pleased with him.
* * *
Several days passed after arriving at the main house.
Nothing particular happened.
Time passed quietly, and Chris rested in his quarters.
But that, too, was coming to an end.
The day before the Sacred Black Ceremony arrived.
A banquet was held.
It was a pre-ceremony celebration.
‘This is an important event.’
To commemorate the Sacred Black Ceremony, a major event for the Dark Magic House, the young lords and ladies gather in one place.
It was the first time meeting his rivals.
‘First, Roin.’
The one he would face during the Sacred Black Ceremony.
It would be good to check out what kind of person he was beforehand.
‘And Eshid.’
Christian's gaze darkened.
His greatest adversary in the competition for succession, who was all but confirmed as the next heir.
He and Christian already had a bad history.
Eshid, envious of Christian's talent, had tried to ruin him.
‘I should also keep an eye on the First Princess.’
For reference, the First Princess was the third child, younger than the Second Prince, Eshid.
Merian's advice came to mind.
- Be wary of the First Princess.
It wasn't just them.
He had to keep a close watch on the First Prince, the Third Prince, and the Second Princess as well, as there was no telling what claws they might be hiding.
After all, they were all opponents he had to crush without exception.
[Are your preparations... complete? Ooh... you look truly splendid again today.]
Mari's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Chris in a tuxedo.
Indeed, Chris's appearance right now was magnificent.
He was already handsome, but dressed up, he was breathtaking.
He looked twice as handsome, and twice as insufferable.
Chris looked in the mirror and fell silent for a moment.
‘...Being handsome is nice, but why do I feel like my face is becoming more insufferable over time? I think I'm living a perfectly good life.’
Well, it wasn't important.
Chris gave an insufferably smug grin and said.
“Let's go.”
It was time to meet the oh-so-great young lords and ladies of the main house.
* * *
“Presenting the eldest son of the County of Cazar, Young Master Christian!”
The banquet hall fell silent.
As Christian appeared, all eyes turned to him.
An uncomfortable silence.
‘They're more interested in me than I thought.’
Chris shrugged.
It was less interest and more like hostility.
He was already hated by everyone for being a trashy scoundrel, but being summoned by the Old Lord recently had just added fuel to the fire.
[Why would the Old Lord summon a guy like that?]
[Is it because of the rumor that he fought demons at the County of Tiramin?]
[That trash fighting demons? Don't make me laugh. He probably just got lucky and they were unsummoned. What a piece of trash.]
The Old Lord was the absolute monarch at the pinnacle of the Dark Magic House, a being who commanded the respect and loyalty of all Majin.
Many wished to catch the Old Lord's eye even once, so they were furious that he had shown interest in such a trashy scoundrel.
Heedless of them, Chris took a sip of his ginger ale.
‘Are the other young lords not here yet?’
Just then, a piercingly sharp gaze was directed at him.
The appearance of a finely raised young nobleman.
He looked slightly older than Christian.
Sixteen? Seventeen?
Sharp eyes.
The black hair and blood-red eyes characteristic of the Dark Magic House.
Although it was their first meeting, Chris instantly knew who he was.
‘Roin.’
His competitor in the upcoming Sacred Black Ceremony.
An ice-cold gaze stared at Chris.
It was a look filled with clear hostility.
But Chris simply shrugged his shoulders.
‘Well, no need to exchange words here.’
They would have a 'deep conversation' during the Sacred Black Ceremony anyway.
However, a question arose.
Why did that guy Roin hate him—or more precisely, 'Christian'—so much?
Was it simple disgust for a scoundrel?
It seemed a bit too intense for that.
His eyes held a hostility so clear it was as if he were looking at a sworn enemy.
Fortunately, the question was soon answered.
He overheard conversations from those nearby.
“That Christian guy is in big trouble. Young Master Roin is absolutely grinding his teeth.”
“Of course. He had to kneel to a guy like that before. He must be planning to avenge that humiliation.”
So.
From what he could piece together, back when 'Christian' was a child.
It was when he was once called a prodigy.
Christian had apparently crushed Roin, who was of a similar age, in a duel.
He had held onto that incident and harbored a grudge ever since.
‘What a trivial matter. He lost because he was weak, yet he's as petty as those Alliance fools.’
Chris clicked his tongue.
Normally, Majin don't hold grudges after losing a duel.
On the contrary, they acknowledge their opponent's strength and respect it.
But the reason Roin harbored such a grudge was due to his thorough sense of elitism.
The humiliation of being a direct descendant who lost to someone from a branch family.
‘I don't like him.’
Chris crossed his arms.
Just then, a shout cut through the banquet's clamor, silencing it completely.
“Presenting the four Young Lords and Young Ladies!”
Four young lords and ladies entered the banquet hall at once.
At the lead stood a tall, handsome man.
He looked to be in his early to mid-twenties.
He had a refreshing, kind, and trustworthy appearance.
He had the look of a good man, but one shouldn't be fooled by appearances.
Because that young man was Eshid.
‘Finally seeing him in person. I wonder, how will he react when he sees me?’
Chris crossed his arms.
It hadn't been long since Eshid's plot to ruin Chris was exposed, causing quite a stir, so there was bound to be some reaction.
As it happened, Chris was in the direction Eshid and the other young lords and ladies were heading.
Chris calmly watched as Eshid drew closer.
The moment Eshid noticed Chris's presence and his blood-red eyes fell upon him.
“...”
There was no reaction at all.
He simply gave a casual glance, and that was it.
It wasn't that he didn't see him.
Nor was he deliberately pretending not to see him.
He was truly uninterested.
As if looking at a pebble on the street.
A gaze devoid of any emotion.
‘Well, look at this.’
Chris's lips curled into a smirk.
It wasn't that he was pathetically begging for attention or recognition.
He was simply curious what kind of reaction the perpetrator would show.
After all, he was the one who had wronged him.
Only then did Chris realize what had been in Eshid's mind when he did such a thing to Christian.
It wasn't because he considered Christian particularly great and was jealous.
It was simply for amusement.
Like stepping on an ant.
He had trampled a trivial, laughable opponent for fun.
That must be why he showed no feeling or reaction upon seeing Christian.
Because no human being takes seriously a wrong they committed against a lowly ant.