Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Oceanis (2)
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Cled had not been back at his residence long when the materials sent by Rius arrived.
It was a compilation of all the reports that the guards watching over Elisa had sent in up to that point.
"……."
Cled's expression turned grave.
The three younger siblings had been steadily receiving reports and still struggled to make sense of them, so for Cled—who had stepped away from the front lines and had no idea what was going on—it was even more bewildering.
By the time he finally untangled the jumbled mess in his head after a long while...
"Brother!"
Before the pounding knocks even faded, the door burst open and an old man with a flushed red face barged in.
It was his youngest brother, Erwin. The man was over sixty, but his temper was as fiery as ever in his youth. At least his rosy complexion made him look healthy.
Cled gave him a calm rebuke.
"Keep that up, and you'll kick the bucket before I do. Quiet down—lower your voice."
"This isn't the time for that! Do you know what arrived for me?"
"Did Elisa send it?"
"That's right. Elisa... Huh?"
Erwin, who had been shaking the booklet in his hand wildly, froze in place.
Thanks to the long pause, his face regained some normal color by the time he finally spoke again.
"You got one too, Brother? This... book with its blasphemous contents?"
"I went straight to Rius the moment it arrived. Even heard him say it's the truth."
"What? It's real?"
"He rolled his eyes for a second, then admitted it outright, clean and simple. From the looks of it, all three of them conspired together."
"Those insane bastards!"
Erwin bellowed.
"What the hell were they thinking, pulling something like this? What's their excuse?"
"Well, I didn't ask. Figured if I heard the answer, I'd really lose it. But what grand reason could there be?"
Cled sneered mockingly.
That's why the phrase "bone and flesh turn against each other" exists—because people crave power enough to harm their own family.
But Rius and Jerbon had never even been rivals to begin with.
There was a fifteen-year age gap. By the time Jerbon came of age, Rius was already acting as family head.
If Rius had been incompetent, maybe—but he handled duties flawlessly, had Gold-rank skill, and lacked for nothing. Add in being the eldest son, and he was the undisputed heir in anyone's eyes.
No room for political maneuvering whatsoever.
Which meant it could only be personal reasons.
"I knew the upper three and lower two didn't get along, but... over something that petty? Just because they don't like each other?"
"Yeah, petty enough to assassinate a half-brother over it—and that makes him the next family head. What the hell did Droy teach his kids..."
Cled's expression soured bitterly as he mentioned his brother, who had been bedridden for years.
If he hadn't taken a second wife at all—or if he'd kept his eyes wide open even after—would any of this have dared happen?
Rius and Tarina were already Gold. Raven was expected to reach Gold soon. Elisa and Jerbon were still young, but even more genius than the three above.
It could have been the greatest era in Oceanis history—all five children reaching Gold, a record-breaking brood.
And those foolish kids shattered it with their own hands.
For Cled—who had accepted his younger brother overtaking him as family head (heartbreaking as it was at the time) and supported him his whole life—this was maddening.
"The real problem is that Elisa's the one who sent the book. If it came to us, it's gone to the other elders too. Isn't it a blunt question of whose side we're on?"
"But... even if Rius is outrageous, we can't impeach him over this. We'll have to swallow it and move on."
"You think Elisa, that sharp girl, didn't consider that?"
"...So there's a hidden reason."
"Rius asked me to look into it too."
"You gonna do it?"
"Already said yes. Shameless request aside, things are so tangled I need to check it out myself."
Cled handed over the report. Erwin read it carefully, his face mirroring Cled's earlier gravity.
"...I have no clue what's going on."
"Wanna come along?"
"Gotta. Can't trust it without seeing for myself."
His body was still hale enough at over sixty, but it wasn't the same as his youth. A long trip was burdensome.
Fortunately, Elisa was already in Quinis. Just three days by ship.
The next day.
The two old men boarded a ship with their retainers.
Quinis wasn't grand enough to slap a "great" in front of it, but it was a vital city for the Oceanis Family.
Among the continent's cities, it was the closest to the Sun Archipelago—perfect for launching expeditions or returning from them.
Their front yard of a city, and Galen and his group were rampaging openly.
He'd even told Quinis's mayor, Roxana, their exact location—like a billboard saying "come get us if you dare."
Clang! Clang!
In the widest annex of Quinis's finest inn, the clamor of metal rang out even in broad daylight.
Lilia swung her flanged mace with enough force to pulp a man, while Terti brandished his sword like he meant to bisect one—their sparring was brutal.
The black sword clashed with the mace without snapping; instead, it bit into the iron and sliced. The mace shrugged it off, roaring ferociously all the while.
Yet the conversation between the wielders was utterly peaceful.
"You're getting the hang of it."
"You too, Brother Terti!"
Lilia had battled plenty of "powerhouses," but oddly few "warriors." Her fight with Ilwol had been her first against a Gold-rank warrior.
And now, a Gold warrior had joined the group. How could a diligent girl like her sit idle?
Terti didn't refuse. Reaching Gold in the early Triple Heart stage was tough even for noble houses—talent alone wasn't enough; insane effort backed it. He knew the value of sparring opportunities.
Lilia honed her lacking blunt-weapon counters against swordplay while learning how to face a Gold warrior. Terti picked up how to handle someone stronger than himself.
Meanwhile, a short distance away, Galen was instructing Elisa.
"Like this."
"Ugh......"
"Feel it?"
"Y-yes."
"Grab it smoothly, like this."
"Ah!"
It sounded oddly suggestive out of context, but the two were squarely in the midst of magic training.
Galen's Water Flow Manipulation and Elisa's Oceanis Secret Magic were the same spell, just called differently.
A way to corral water within sensory range using invisible hands.
Which allowed for some interference. Like a martial arts master gripping a student's arm to guide the motion—Galen's invisible hand enveloped Elisa's, moving it for her.
This was a standard method for passing down magic anyway. Famous families stayed famous because their teaching systems were so refined.
But Galen's instruction was shockingly effective—even Elisa was stunned.
"Why are you so good at teaching, Galen?"
"The Young Lady picks it up so well."
"I... know you mean that nicely, but it feels like a brush-off coming from you."
"Ah, sorry."
"Kidding. If it was my talent, I'd have figured it out back home. This is you teaching well. Really well."
Galen could only give an awkward smile at Elisa's words.
Even with identical demonstrations, her family tutors topped out at Gold while Galen was Gem—the quality gap was astronomical.
But the biggest factor was the fine details.
No matter how refined the Oceanis training method was after generations...
Galen had the status window—his head was stuffed with the answer key.
Plus, Water Flow Manipulation was the spell he'd obsessed over longest and hardest.
He remembered exactly what performance was possible at each level, so he could perfectly gauge Elisa's and tailor instruction precisely.
"I've made more progress this past month than in the last few years combined."
"Your skill has shot up for sure. Your talent plays a part too. If you'd just kept training without interruption, you'd have hit Gold solo within a few years."
"Really?"
"Dead serious."
Of course, this was his first time teaching anyone else magic.
Even so, Elisa was undeniably a genius.
After ditching her guards—from Luata to Nijerte, then straight ship to Quinis over that month—he'd drilled her nonstop.
She'd rocketed from estimated early 40s level to late 40s.
Not just anyone hits the top university with private tutoring—she absorbed it better than he taught.
This was the talent to find her own path to Gold, even fumbling alone.
"I'll take that as 'work harder.'"
"It's true. Though working harder is good too. Still got mana left?"
"Plenty."
That was when the two were deep in training.
Galen sensed something in range and turned. Elisa reflexively followed his gaze.
Thud thud thud!
Someone knocked on the annex's main door.
Lilia and Terti sensed the knock amid the metal clangs and halted weapons almost in sync.
The door opened, and Cled and Erwin strode in.
"...Uncle. Step-uncle."
Elisa, shaken for a split second, quickly regained composure and bowed politely.
"It's been a while, both of you."
Galen offered a measured greeting. Having served Jerbon for years, he was no stranger to the family elders.
"...Yeah, it's been a while."
Cled spoke in a voice that couldn't fully hide his disorientation. Erwin wore a similar expression, even if he said nothing.
No matter what the reports said, cognitive dissonance was inevitable.
He really exists... Is he actually Gold?
"Come on in."
"R-right."
As Galen smoothly ushered the two elders inside, his eyes met Lilia's briefly.
She gave a slight nod. It was all arranged: Galen and Elisa would handle hosting the elders. Lilia, Terti, and maid Mary would wait outside.
Galen led Cled and Erwin to the annex parlor and personally brewed tea.
The difference from his butler days: he served it, then sat beside Elisa instead of stepping back.
To ease the two elders agonizing over where to start, Galen opened first.
"Knew you'd come."
"...You knew?"
"Not exactly you two specifically, but you both have more pull than the other elders. Specifically, you can confront Rius directly. Figured you'd move fastest."
They weren't so dense they couldn't follow that. Cled's eyes bulged.
"Did you send that book?"
"Yes. With the Young Lady's full consent, of course."
Elisa nodded in agreement.
Not wanting to browbeat his niece harshly, Cled rounded on Galen instead.
"What's your game! You put her up to it, didn't you?"
"Huh? Rius said nothing to you?"
"About what?"
"Whether the book's contents are true. I figured you'd have verified that much."
"Well..."
Cled faltered. Galen pressed.
"Did he call it a lie?"
"...No, he admitted it."
"Then isn't asking about a 'game' the weird part? From the Young Lady's position, it'd be letting Rius off light to tear him apart."
Cled faltered again, then shook his head slightly.
He'd been caught up in the whirlwind but had plenty of time en route to mull what to say to Elisa.
He addressed her directly, bypassing Galen.
"Elisa."
"Yes, Uncle."
"I get your feelings. But I don't grasp what you're aiming for. Can you explain?"
"It's exactly as I did—no hidden agenda. I just wanted to decry Rius's misdeeds to you and the other elders."
"You won't stop at just informing us?"
"No. I want him punished fitting his crimes."
"I've said it plenty: I understand. But we can't handle family matters on emotion. Removing Rius just isn't realistic."
"No, it is."
Galen answered for her.
To Cled's sour glare, he added with a smirk.
"You'll have to make it possible, even if it isn't."
"What?"
Galen didn't explain with words to the gruff retort.
Ziiing—
Revised World erodes the world.