Chapter 50
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Teacher
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For Marquis Langham to say that, it must be no ordinary challenge.
Just how difficult would it be?
*‘It’s more fun when things are a little difficult now and then.’*
Above all, Chris knew.
The harder the challenge, the greater the reward.
No, it was the other way around.
The reward was so unimaginably immense that achieving it was bound to be difficult.
It was well worth enduring.
And more importantly.
*‘It doesn’t seem like it’ll be that hard, though?’*
It was a gut feeling.
Difficult was a standard for ordinary people.
Of course, even those ordinary people might be considered exceptional geniuses from a normal perspective, but by Chris's standards, geniuses and common folk were all more or less the same. For some reason, this felt doable too.
“…You have three months. If you are even a day late, your status as a young lord will be revoked.”
“Yes, I understand. But… for some reason, I don’t think it will take that long.”
Chris said with a smirk.
Was his confidence grating?
Marquis Langham frowned, glared at Chris for a moment, and then spoke.
“Enough chatter. Get out. I’ll tell you the details of the second test if you succeed in reaching the 3-Star level within three months.”
His tone implied he was certain Chris would never succeed in time.
Christian gave a light bow and left the room.
And he immediately realized a problem.
*‘But who’s going to teach me the Dark Demonic Arts?’*
The secret arts of the Dark Magic House.
Naturally, it was passed down orally.
No matter how much of a genius Christian was, he needed someone to teach him.
*‘All the elders of the family will refuse.’*
Originally, the branch families had separate teachers for the Dark Demonic Arts.
However, it was different from the main house’s version.
They learned the version for the branch families, which lacked the most crucial core incantations.
*‘I can’t learn that kind of garbage.’*
He had to learn the perfect Dark Demonic Arts of the direct line. The problem was, there was no one to teach him.
*‘Steal it? No, that’s not possible with this.’*
Of course, it wasn't impossible to steal and learn even the highest-level demonic arts.
Just as the Hero Evan had stolen and learned the supreme martial arts of a renowned sword family in the past, one could copy and learn them by watching repeatedly.
But that was only possible because the Hero's party was always together. In this case, it was impossible.
*‘Hmm, I’ll have to come up with a way. If all else fails, I’ll learn the branch family’s version first, then deduce the direct line’s incantations on my own….’*
He was pondering with his arms crossed when an unexpected voice reached him.
“Still causing trouble like a reckless child, I see.”
“!!”
He turned to see an unexpected person glaring at him with displeasure.
A calm demeanor.
But her gaze revealed a strong inner will. It was a woman.
It was Merian!
“Greetings, Aunt.”
Christian bowed his head.
*‘Why is she here?’*
Merian had never once sought him out before.
It seemed she had some business with him.
“Is there… something I can help you with?”
“……”
Instead of answering, Merian kept her lips sealed and simply stared straight at him.
A puzzling sight.
“Aunt?”
“Have you found a master to teach you the Dark Demonic Arts?”
“…Could it be you, Aunt?”
Chris’s eyes widened.
This was unexpected help!
A 6-Star Majin and one of the family’s strongest members, she was more than qualified to be his master.
But Merian shook her head.
“It’s not me.”
“No? Then who?”
Merian sealed her lips again.
For a moment, a complex emotion flickered in her eyes.
Then, an unimaginable name came from her lips.
“The Head of the family.”
“…What?”
Christian couldn’t help but ask back blankly.
As if to confirm he hadn't misheard, Merian repeated herself.
“The Head has decided to teach you the Dark Demonic Arts himself.”
***
Direct instruction from the Old Lord, Nordian!
It was completely unexpected.
“Follow me.”
Merian said coldly and turned her back.
But the direction was strange.
The opposite way, in fact.
“Aren’t we going to the annex where the Head resides?”
“Go to the annex and start what kind of rumors? The Head teaching you is an unofficial matter.”
Chris nodded.
The family was in an uproar just from him seeing the Old Lord’s face once.
But the Old Lord himself teaching the Dark Demonic Arts? That would cause an unprecedented commotion.
“It has been a very long time since the Head has personally taught anyone. There hasn’t been a single person in your generation.”
This meant that even Eshid, who was called a genius, had not received the Old Lord's guidance.
“To bestow such a privilege upon me. It’s unexpected.”
“A privilege?”
Merian frowned.
“I’m not so sure if… ‘privilege’ is the right word for it.”
“Pardon?”
Merian paused, choosing her words.
“You’ll find out once you experience it yourself. He is not a kind teacher.”
Creeak.
They entered a secluded building on the outskirts of the estate, where a staircase led down to a basement.
As they descended the stairs, Merian offered words that were part advice, part warning.
“For your information, none of my siblings could properly follow our father’s teachings.”
Her siblings.
This meant that not only Chris’s father, Count Cazar, and Merian, but even Marquis Langham, who had reached the 7-Star realm, had failed to properly receive the Old Lord’s teachings.
*‘Just how brutal are his teachings?’*
But Merian looked at Chris with a peculiar gaze.
“But you might be a little different.”
“Pardon?”
“Didn’t you say so yourself? That you’re a genius.”
Merian’s words were pointed.
“Show him that you deserve the title. This is an opportunity that will never come again.”
Chris understood what Merian was saying.
A chance to be taught directly by the Head of the family.
It wasn't just about meeting the best master.
It was a chance to get into the Head’s good graces.
To Merian, who was looking out for him in her own way, Chris bowed his head with a grin.
“Thank you for your words, Aunt. You’re truly the best. I will be sure to live up to your expectations.”
“Hmph. You’re all talk.”
“Not just talk. I’ll be sure to bake you some delicious cookies next time.”
Merian scoffed, but she didn’t refuse.
And then.
At the bottom of the stairs, an unexpected sight unfolded.
A vast training ground was situated underground.
Under the magical lights stood a familiar face: the head butler, Simon.
Next to him, an unfamiliar figure sat in a chair with narrowed eyes. Chris tilted his head.
*‘A kid?’*
He looked to be about seven years old.
A small boy.
He had the black hair characteristic of the Dark Magic House.
His half-closed eyes were also blood-red.
His gaze was vacant, as if he were asleep.
Despite his young age, he gave off a sinister chill rather than a cute impression.
*‘Was there a kid like that in the main house? Wait, could it be?’*
Tilting his head at the familiar sense of déjà vu, Chris realized the boy’s identity and his eyes widened.
Merian confirmed it.
“Pay your respects. This is the Head’s incarnation (avatar).”
“!!”
“His mobility is limited, so when he has business outside, he borrows the body of an avatar like this. The avatar is a child’s body to reduce unnecessary magi consumption.”
Christian couldn’t help but be astonished.
*‘Avatar manifestation is 7-Star illusion black magic. The Old Lord has reached the 7-Star realm in illusions as well?’*
When one reached the pinnacle of illusion magic, it was possible to manifest a part of the illusion into reality.
Among those, avatar manifestation was a supreme illusion black magic corresponding to the 7-Star level.
What was so shocking was that the Old Lord had not only mastered the Dark Demonic Arts of the Dark Magic House but had also reached the 7-Star realm in illusions.
Just then, the boy, who had been sitting with his eyes half-closed, suddenly opened them wide.
A blood-red light swirled within his previously vacant pupils.
A presence as vast as a giant’s settled into the small, doll-like body.
The Old Lord’s consciousness had descended upon the avatar.
He had merely opened his eyes, yet it felt as if a heavy gravity was pressing down on the entire training ground.
Chris bowed his head in respect.
“Greetings, Lord Head. I have come as you summoned.”
Nordian, as if to adapt to the boy’s body, moved his arms and legs for a moment with a creaking motion.
Then he turned his gaze to Chris.
[Yes. Did you hear from Merian why I summoned you?]
“Yes, I heard you would bestow your teachings upon me. I am grateful for your Lordship’s favor.”
[Favor, you say. I suppose you could put it that way. I was quite surprised to hear your story. To have obtained dark magi with a purity of over ninety percent… you’ve accomplished something remarkable. It seems I misjudged your vessel back then.]
Unexpected praise.
No, perhaps it was only natural.
He was the first to achieve it since the founder.
*‘But even the Head can’t discern the exact purity of my dark magi.’*
Everyone could only vaguely perceive it as over ninety percent; no one recognized it as a perfect hundred.
This was due to a peculiar characteristic of Chris’s dark magi.
As the purity of his dark magi reached one hundred percent, a small part of its nature had changed.
It was still dark magi, but its properties were different from the original. Even Chris hadn’t figured out the exact nature of this change.
That altered part felt different from conventional dark magi, which was why they didn't perceive it as one hundred percent.
[However.]
The Head’s expression changed.
It grew cold.
The Head’s true face had a gentle impression.
Even if his heart was like a viper, his outward appearance was as soft as water. The wrinkles that filled his real face, in particular, gave him a benevolent look.
But in the face of a young boy, that benevolent feeling vanished without a trace, leaving only an intensely cold impression.
[I cannot simply praise what you have done. You know the reason, I assume?]
“Yes, I do.”
It was the reason Marquis Langham had mentioned.
That the higher the purity of one’s dark magi, the harder it is to advance one’s realm.
[Frankly, it was a foolish choice. I had less than eighty percent, yet I had to face a far more daunting wall than others. In the end, though I was a late bloomer, my achievements came much later.]
Nordian had only reached 8-Star after he was over seventy.
Compared to other Demonic Lords, it was a very late achievement.
[And that was with luck. If heaven’s fortune hadn’t been with me, I would have died in vain without ever reaching that realm. The excessive absorption of Sacred Black had become a poison.]
“……”
[That is why I commanded my bloodline. I told them that an excess of Sacred Black is poison, so they should not absorb more than seventy percent.]
The unwritten rule passed down among the direct descendants had been Nordian’s command.
[But over ninety percent… No, looking at the purity, it might even be greater than the founder’s.]
Nordian let out a dry laugh.
[Even the founder said that without His Majesty the Demon Emperor’s grace, he would have never reached that realm. I cannot even begin to imagine what an impossibly high wall you will have to face.]
Having said that, Nordian made an unexpected proposal.
[Therefore, I will make you an offer. If you wish, I will reduce the purity of your dark magi.]
“…What do you mean by that?”
[Exactly what I said. With my power, I will turn a portion of your dark magi to nothingness and then implant magi of a different attribute. It is possible since it hasn't been long since you accepted the dark magi. I will lower the purity to… about eighty percent.]
To be able to change the attribute of magi.
Was such a thing even possible?
It was an ability so astounding it raised such questions.
Nordian was said to be one of the strongest among the Demonic Lords, and this display was in no way short of the rumors.
[Of course, it is an extremely difficult and troublesome task. But I make this offer because I think highly of you. It is clear that you possess a vessel so great it is rarely seen in ages.]
In other words.
This was an offer to prevent a promising young sprout of the family from being blocked by a wall and withering away in vain.
It was an offer made because he held Chris in very high regard, in his own way.
[Eighty percent purity is still high, but with the talent you have shown so far, you should be able to handle it.]
Eighty percent purity was the golden ratio that Nordian believed was most suitable for Christian.
Anything more was excessive greed.
[Even without such unreasonable greed, you can become a powerful warrior on the level of a Demonic Lord, following in my footsteps.]
Hearing the Old Lord’s high praise, Merian, who was listening from the side, looked surprised.
However.
“I’m sorry. I refuse.”