Chapter 72
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: The Perfect Lesson
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‘Let’s do this.’
Three months.
Chris resolved to gain the power to overcome the shackles of his constellation.
* * *
“I have followed your orders, my lady.”
Macfield, a high-ranking Majin of the Dark Magic House and a trusted subordinate of the Marquis and Marchioness Langham, bowed his head to Fresia.
“Did that bastard Christian accept his punishment obediently?”
“Yes, there were no particular disturbances.”
Fresia frowned.
‘Arrogant bastard. I will not let this stand.’
Remembering Christian's insolent behavior from yesterday, her fists trembled with rage.
‘The easiest way would be assassination, but that's problematic. It could bring disadvantages to Maisac.’
It would be less of a problem if Maisac challenged Chris to a duel and beat him to death himself.
But to assassinate him using his mother's power?
That would be tantamount to giving up the succession.
Fresia still hoped for her son, Maisac, to become the family head. She had to avoid anything that could bring even the slightest disadvantage to her son.
‘The best scenario is to have Maisac crush him.’
Using that bastard Christian as a sacrificial lamb to enhance Maisac's honor was the best course of action.
Fresia thought of a way.
“Summon the instructors.”
The Dark Magic House is a family of black magic swordsmen.
The power of the Dark Magic House lies in wielding various types of black magic.
Therefore, upon becoming a Young Lord, one learns to master all types of black magic professionally.
It's not just black magic.
The Dark Magi can also encompass all sorts of demonic arts.
They also learn various demonic arts from outside the family.
“Are you planning to interfere with Young Lord Christian's education? Perhaps you're aiming for the contest in three months?”
Fresia nodded.
“Yes, I will order the instructors. They are to ensure he makes no progress whatsoever. At the contest in three months, he will suffer the worst humiliation in front of the entire family.”
The Young Lords are obligated to demonstrate their progress to the family elders every three months.
At this time, if their performance was poor, they could be stripped of their title as a Young Lord.
Of course, it was rare for such a judgment to be passed, but if Fresia put her mind to it, it was entirely possible.
Because she would interfere with the instructors to ensure he made no progress for the next three months.
‘I must set the stage for the contest to inflict the worst possible insult. Especially so Maisac can crush him during the competition.’
Three months from now.
That bastard will be kicked out of the family in a miserable state.
‘Once he loses his position as Young Lord and is cast out, it won't matter if I kill him. I'll tear him limb from limb with my own hands then.’
Fresia's eyes gleamed coldly.
* * *
Time passed.
Chris quickly realized what kind of scheme Fresia had cooked up for him.
“I will give you an assignment. Understand the principle by which a compulsion curse breaks an opponent's mind, and research how to use it to disrupt their physical balance.”
“…Understood.”
The instructors' teaching was a mess.
No, calling it a mess was an overstatement.
It was on the level of no teaching at all.
They would only say a few words covering the very core of the core concepts, and the rest was all left as an assignment.
‘They're aiming for the contest in three months. Trying to kick me out for lack of progress.’
Chris snorted.
‘How can they be so perfectly helpful to my situation?’
As it happened, Chris was also aiming for the contest.
Conveniently, this particular contest was the 'Grand Contest' held once a year.
A time when not only the family elders but also the key executives gathered in one place.
It was an infinitely good opportunity to prove his excellence.
‘If they pull these kinds of tricks, it's actually much more advantageous for me.’
Fresia's scheme would only make him stand out even more.
‘Above all, this style of teaching is the perfect, tailor-made instruction for me.’
Just because they were intentionally teaching poorly didn't mean they could offer no instruction at all.
So, the instructors would only mention the phrases that corresponded to the very core of the core concepts and move on.
For example,
-A curse is the materialization of malice.
The principle of a curse.
But that phrase alone held no meaning.
How to materialize malice.
How to apply the materialized malice as a curse.
One had to understand and master countless processes.
And the role of the instructors was precisely to teach those intermediate processes.
‘I don't need any of that.’
Even just by hearing the core, he could intuitively understand the rest.
Because that was his talent.
So why would he bother listening to tedious explanations? It was a waste of time.
Also, even the few half-hearted words the instructors threw out were a great help to Chris.
‘Because before, I didn't even have these carelessly tossed-out teachings.’
Compared to his previous life, this was a luxurious learning environment.
Moreover, he was a Young Lord.
He could also use the Dark Magic House's vast library.
Countless books on black magic and demonic arts were wide open to him.
If he couldn't achieve anything in this fantastic (?) environment, he'd have to give back his 'genius' title.
‘And there are some helpful instructors, too.’
Not all the instructors were trash, of course.
Some followed the unfair orders because they couldn't withstand the Marchioness's pressure, but they felt guilty and ashamed.
Chris treated such people with the utmost respect.
“Thank you for your teachings today as well.”
The halfling vice-butler, Sebastian, closed his mouth.
He was the instructor for illusion arts.
“…I don't know if I'm worthy of receiving such thanks from you, Young Lord.”
His tone was embarrassed.
But Chris shook his head.
“I understand your difficult circumstances, Vice-Butler. On the contrary, I am the one who is sorry for dragging others into a family feud.”
“……”
His words made Sebastian even more ashamed.
“Still, it's not a lie to say your teachings were helpful. Although the explanation was abbreviated, you conveyed the correct principles without any deception, did you not? Look.”
Chris raised his hand.
An illusion of a dancing dark fairy appeared.
It was so vivid it seemed truly alive and moving.
The masterpiece was the darkness that scattered every time the fairy flapped its wings.
This was not an illusion. It was real darkness.
He had faintly demonstrated an illusion interfering with the boundary of reality.
“I was able to gain enlightenment thanks to your teaching that 'a true illusion tears through reality and emerges.'”
Sebastian was silent.
‘…Insane.’
The principle of the illusion art Chris had just displayed was content that spanned more than five specialized books.
Yet, it was as if he had seen only the book titles and figured out all the rest of the content on his own.
Moreover, he hadn't simply understood it; he had perfectly embodied and executed it.
What was even more absurd was the time it took.
‘…Didn't I tell him that the day before yesterday?’
A mere two days.
That was the time it took for Chris to pull off that insane feat.
Sebastian recalled how long it had taken him to learn that principle and found himself at a loss for what expression to make.
He, who had been called a prodigy in his own right, had taken six months to learn that principle.
‘The Marchioness was mistaken. Young Lord Maisac can never be a match for Young Lord Christian.’
For now, Maisac was ahead.
But how long would that advantage last?
It wouldn't be long.
‘Six months at most.’
Going from 3-Star to 4-Star takes five years at the earliest. Even those called geniuses usually take more than three years, yet he was thinking six months.
An absurd thought.
But the more Sebastian learned, the more he felt a sense of dread from the young boy before him.
It was a talent that went beyond admiration to the point of being terrifying.
Even those who received a special 'blessing' from a demon probably couldn't compare to this boy.
‘I need to conduct myself carefully.’
It seemed unlikely for now, but if this boy were to work a miracle in the family succession.
Sebastian could end up paying the price for backing the wrong horse.
At the very least, he shouldn't get on this boy's bad side. An instinctive warning flashed through his mind.
“A-ahem. Watch this.”
*Fwaat!*
From the halfling butler's hand, countless tiny fairies emerged as if a swarm of butterflies were spreading out, and flew into the air.
A festival of numerous fairies scattering darkness into the air.
The sound of the fairies' laughter whispered in Chris's ear.
An illusion indistinguishable from reality.
No, it wasn't just that.
This was an illusion, but at the same time, it was not.
An illusion with substance.
It was the level of a 5-Star illusion art.
Chris bowed his head politely.
“Thank you for the precious lesson.”
These were not empty words.
The demonstration was more valuable than a hundred words of teaching.
“A-ahem. It's nothing. It's just that I hope you don't hate me too much, Young Lord. I am always cheering for you inwardly. Really. I mean it.”
Seeing the halfling butler's inner thoughts as he furtively watched his reaction, Chris chuckled to himself.
“In that case, I have a favor to ask. Would you be willing to grant it?”
“What is it?”
“Please keep my achievements a secret from the Marchioness.”
“!!”
“That is… until the Grand Contest.”
The halfling butler flinched.
He realized that Christian was plotting something for the contest.
Facing Christian's gentle smile, an inexplicable chill ran down his spine.
‘Looking back, there has never been a time when Young Lord Christian made a move and it didn't cause a stir.’
At the County of Cazar.
At the County of Tiramin.
During the Sacred Black Ceremony.
And during the artifact expedition.
Christian always caused a huge commotion.
This time would be no different.
The only way not to get swept up in that commotion was to not go against Christian.
“I'll keep that in mind. I will always be cheering for you!”
Sebastian bowed his small body ninety degrees and left, and Chris entered his private room.
He recalled the illusion art Sebastian had shown him.
‘An illusion with substance. It was a great help. It will be a clue.’
He was learning various demonic arts and black magic, but in truth, that wasn't what Chris was currently focusing on.
The Black Aura Blade.
The power used by 5-Star Majin.
What Chris desired was precisely that power of destruction.
There was a reason Chris was obsessed with the Black Aura Blade.
‘No matter how much of a genius I am, it's impossible to overcome an absolute difference in power.’
It was something he'd realized after experiencing several fierce battles recently.
Of course, his talent was second to none.
Given a little time, he would be able to catch up quickly.
But that 'little' bit of time was the problem.
‘The enemies are too strong. I need a weapon to stand against them until I've grown.’
That weapon was the 'Black Aura Blade'.
If he could mix the properties of the 'Black Aura Blade' with his Black Sword, it could become a lethal weapon capable of facing enemies who surpassed his own strength.
‘The Black Aura Blade and the Black Sword are powers of completely different natures. How can I imbue will into the Black Sword, which is nothing more than a lump of magi?’
Chris closed his eyes.
The illusion art Sebastian had shown him earlier was drawn in his mind.
The banquet of dark fairies that filled the entire space.
The song of the fairies whispering in his ear. A feast of darkness.
An illusion like reality.
This too was an expression of will, manifesting an illusion into the world.
A faint clue seemed to shimmer, just within reach.
Chris's mind settled, and time flowed on.