Chapter 15
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Unique Ability
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The closer I got to the ritual hall, the more my heart pounded irregularly, thump, thump.
'Whoa, I'm really nervous...'
A mix of tension and anticipation sharpened my senses all over my body.
With every step I took, it felt like the ground was rumbling beneath my feet.
To shake off the nerves, I looked up at the sky.
A full moon, much larger and brighter than usual.
I clasped my hands together and prayed fervently to the moon, the origin of our house.
'Please. Ancestors. Take pity on this descendant who couldn't even gain a speck of mana, and grant me a truly great unique ability.'
I prayed so earnestly that my footsteps came to a halt.
"Fourth Young Master, you may enter."
"Ah, okay."
At the butler's voice, I opened my eyes and stood before the door.
A massive door engraved with a full moon in the center.
As the doors to the ritual hall swung wide open, moonlight poured in from the center.
The pure white marble floor gleamed so brightly it hurt the eyes.
'Ugh, my eyes...'
I stood in the center of the ritual hall.
Moonlight poured down over my head, and all eyes fixed on me.
I squeezed my eyes shut and gathered what little mana I had.
Then, a energy different from my own mana slowly seeped deep into my body.
"Ugh—!"
A chilling energy spread through me, cold enough to stop my heart.
A sensation like it was freezing me to the bone swept over my entire body and engulfed me.
Forget the ritual pose—I clutched my left chest.
'Nobody said it would hurt this much!'
Pain like someone was squeezing my heart.
My legs gave out, and I crumpled to the floor.
My vision blurred.
Even breathing became labored.
Was this awakening going to kill me?
The moment that thought crossed my mind—
My heart thumped loudly, sending a vibration like it was plummeting through my whole body.
'...What is this?'
My persistently hazy vision gradually sharpened.
I saw an illusion of the moonlight overwhelming my view shattering into pieces.
Darkness seeped in through the fragments of broken light.
From within that darkness came a voice resounding in my head.
⚙ ANCESTRAL WHISPER ⚙ —Take it. —The full moon grants you this chance. —Seize everything you desire. A voice I'd never heard before in my life.
But strangely, it didn't feel unfamiliar.
I nodded unconsciously, and the illusion before my eyes vanished in an instant.
The ordinary scene of the ritual hall came into view.
The pain that had bound my chest was gone.
'Is it over...?'
The elders were checking the magic tool that revealed the nature of the ability.
I stood up and looked up at the elders.
One of the elders peered into the magic tool and swallowed hard.
Soon, murmurs began rising from here and there.
"Good heavens..."
"I-Is this... possible?"
"To actually witness this ability..."
The whispers turned into a commotion.
The house elders stared at me one by one, their expressions hardening.
Even my father, who had checked the magic tool.
The ominous atmosphere made my hands clench involuntarily.
"Celen."
"Y-Yes."
"Your unique ability is named... Eclipse."
"......Pardon?"
Eclipse?
That thing where the moon gets covered?
Like, play hide-and-seek with the moon or something?
Absurd at the vague notion, I tilted my head.
Maybe because my expression looked so dubious.
One of the elders who had been about to explain handed me the magic tool.
'What the heck is making everyone freak out...'
With a sigh, I checked the text inscribed on the magic tool.
⚔ UNIQUE ABILITY ⚔ Eclipse
• Usable 1 time per full moon night
• Per target usage limit: Maximum 1 time
• Stolen items can be owned permanently
• Can steal any of the target's abilities, items, life force, etc.—everything the target possesses—without restrictions
My breath caught in my throat.
The words I'd read kept replaying in my mind.
'Everything the target possesses... without restrictions?'
Maximum once per target,
Only usable once when the full moon rises.
There were plenty of restrictions, but even they couldn't fully mask the ability's danger.
'This... is no joke.'
Only then did I understand the elders' reactions.
Depending on how it was used,
This power could control the rise and fall of an individual—or even an entire nation.
Sighs erupted from all around.
The ritual hall remained in chaos, the confusion not easily subsiding.
The one who shattered it was my father, the head of House Noir.
"Celen."
"Yes, Father."
"Your ability... resembles the power our progenitor wielded."
His words made my eyes widen in shock.
The progenitor of House Noir.
The infamous phantom thief known even across the neighboring continent.
On nights when the moon rose, he could steal anything in the world.
Rare treasures,
Shameful secrets tightly hidden,
Even others' thoughts and futures.
'Come to think of it...'
The fact that it could only be used under the moon,
And that it could steal anything—exactly the same.
To be precise, mine was a downgraded version.
'Unlike the progenitor, I can only use it once a month.'
Still, it was undeniably cheat-level.
Unrestricted theft—just once could upend the board.
The problem was—
'I never wished for something thieving at all?!'
I'd dreamed of a life far from theft,
Yet somehow, I'd become the pinnacle of thievery, comparable to our house's progenitor.
And moreover—
At my father's words, the elders began murmuring again.
They made a fuss among themselves,
And eventually, I overheard the horrifying suggestion that someone with a unique ability so akin to the progenitor's should be made the successor.
As the third son of a count's family, my life philosophy was to live modestly!
'...I'm screwed. Of all abilities.'
I wasn't sure if my prayers had been answered well or disastrously.
Was this that monkey's paw from the tales?
"Celen."
"......?"
Father's voice reached my ears as I wallowed in despair.
I lifted my bowed head and looked at him.
Father fixed his gaze on me, ignoring the surrounding commotion.
After staring at me wordlessly, he called my name again.
"Celen."
"...Yes, Father."
"Remember. The progenitor's end."
His low, resonant voice carried a heavy warning.
"Your ability is both a curse and a blessing."
"...It seems so."
"Yes. So never show it to anyone. Especially outside the house."
My mind a mess, I just nodded.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Half a year had passed since that stormy awakening ritual.
Surprisingly, my life remained peaceful.
There had been talk of making me the successor, but it hadn't gained much traction.
Father had firmly put a stop to it,
And the other adults showed no interest in fanning the flames.
After all, it was such a dangerous ability.
Thanks to that, my unique ability was downplayed within the house as merely a pickpocket-level talent.
And moreover—
We were House Noir.
The family my father, dreaming of escaping count status, viewed as eccentric.
House Noir had always been light on ambition for power.
We preferred personal freedom over power and honor,
An environment where dreams and talents could flourish freely.
Above all—
As long as we had enough wealth to sustain ourselves, we desired no more.
'Since we can steal whatever we want anytime.'
If even ten-year-old me thought this way,
The rest of the house probably felt the same.
Noirs gonna Noir.
For various reasons, my ability was treated as nothing special even within the family.
Thus, despite the chaos of the awakening ritual,
I was able to continue my life much as before.
'Aside from Father's training becoming even stricter.'
That much I could endure.
I'd nearly overtaken my brothers for successor just because of one wrong ability.
Ending with training was something to be grateful for. Truly.
And moreover—
I'd learned quite a bit about my ability.
Besides physical training, Father had me read every book on the subject.
'Precisely, books on the progenitor's ability...'
Still, thanks to Father—
I grasped even the fine details and limits of my power.
The most important thing—
Stealing mana or life force and making it mine could disrupt my essence and cause irreparable damage.
To use an analogy,
My essence is pure, untainted water.
Others' mana or life force is like salt or sugar.
The more it seeps in, the more the water loses its purity.
In other words, I lose my Noir essence,
Becoming an entirely different being overlaid with others' power.
Then, not only would I lose the power of House Noir, but my very existence could collapse.
'I was thinking of slowly siphoning mana once a month to become a grand mage.'
That plan had to be shelved before it even started.
If the price was my life, no amount of strength mattered.
If asked whether to live short and thick or thin and long—
I'd pick the latter without question.
'Moderation in all things is best.'
Yes.
I was very happy right now.
Even as the lowest in the pecking order, getting scolded by my brothers, sisters, and little sister.
I'd grown even closer to Ruena,
Close enough to share all sorts of stories.
'If things keep rolling smoothly, I might live comfortably forever.'
Truly, the past half year had sailed along peacefully, like a ship with the wind at its back.
"......Pardon?"
"I would prefer you not come to our estate anymore, Young Master Noir."
Until Ruena's father,
Grand Duke Eliad, said this to me.