Powerless Mage - 4
"Hoyiiiik!"
The moment his foot hit the ground, Darbarb slipped his hand under the Young Lady's side and gave her an airplane ride. She soared quite high.
"Huiik..."
She looked thrilled. I wanted to ask for a ride myself, but given my age, I kept the impudent request buried in my heart. Besides, I'm taller anyway.
The Wolfgang household servants bowed their heads the instant they saw Darbarb's face. Even a family fallen due to black magic hadn't lost an ounce of its prestige—though not in a good way, of course. Their infamy had only grown, never diminished. The Desmont family was the only one that could wield black magic and still maintain its house. In fact, people had cursed the emperor even more for the slap-on-the-wrist punishment.
"We see the empire's loyal servant."
"..."
Darbarb ignored the elderly butler who bowed to him, as if neither he nor his family existed in his memory. More precisely, he didn't even realize the word "loyal servant" was aimed at him.
"Are you the one who summoned me now?"
"Yes, my lord."
"I see."
Darbarb nodded and carefully set the Young Lady down on the floor.
"Daddy!"
"Yes, what is it?"
"Those jerks killed my ice cream!"
"Hm..."
Darbarb nodded readily. True to a family with no one who could think straight, his willing agreement to any action possible made me puff out my chest proudly. These are the people I serve.
The entire Wolfgang family bowed their heads without exception.
"That's not—"
Darbarb stroked his chin, eyeing the eagle badge on the old man's chest, and flashed a chilling smile.
"Wolfgang, is it."
"Yes."
"The Wolfgangs who own the western canal."
"..."
"Waterway business must pay well. Even the capital reeks of the sea now."
"...To my knowledge, the Desmont family also uses our canal. If you overlook this incident, I can speak to our lord on your behalf..."
"What nonsense is this."
Darbarb's smile faded as he spoke in a low voice.
"You were the first house to cut ties when the black magic scandal broke. Did the butler of a house not know that?"
"I spoke out of turn. My apologies."
"A servant speaking out of turn to nobility... Is that a western noble trait?"
I jotted a note in my mental provocation ledger at Darbarb's sharp words, which naturally discriminated against nobles. Nobles only understand when you tear into them like that. The educated ones are different, indeed. For the first time, my lack of learning felt like a true hardship.
The Young Lady spread her fingers and pointed at a Wolfgang child. The kid, slowly grasping the situation, pulled in his sticking-out tongue and bowed his head.
Adults stepping in was the best resolution for kids' fights, so I cheered on the proud Desmont family.
"Let's settle this house to house."
"...Please don't."
"It'll be a fine example to show Desmont still stands strong."
"My lord...!"
The price of that ice cream was heavier than I'd imagined.
A room without a sliver of light.
The young mage who had lost his magic trembled in terror.
-Kwaaaagh!!
"I'm no help."
-Do something...!
"I..."
-You said you see into the heart...
"I'm a liar."
Ruin was broken. A mage with nothing but his pride had lost his power and drowned in fear. It wasn't terror from the overwhelming gap in magic— that could be bridged with effort. There was only one reason Ruin trembled.
He had fled first among the very group he'd scorned and despised. That shame made his teeth chatter.
Mihail had fought with sword in hand. Hanna too. Even Yuria had rolled up her sleeves, thrown herself into the fierce melee to heal the wounded.
And I, in contrast...
-Huff... huff... I'm alive.
He'd sighed in relief at the tower master's arrival. Alive.
"What genius of the magic tower?"
"What fire mage?"
"A good-for-nothing coward scrambling to escape—what makes you top of the magic department?"
He felt stupid and pathetic. He wanted to crawl into a rat hole right then, burning with shame and rage.
"I..."
Today, too, Ruin closed his eyes. Even on a sunny afternoon, he drew the curtains and tried to sleep, but tangled thoughts kicked him relentlessly.
"Haa..."
Ruin slowly rose and stepped outside. He needed fresh air to ease this mood. People around him surely cursed him, but he had to live on.
Ruin dragged his heavy body toward the entrance.
-Freeze.
His reflection stared back from the mirror. Sharp jawline gone, face blunt and flabby, muscles wasted away—a ruined shell.
"Haha... fuck."
Ruin let out a hollow laugh at the ugly man in the mirror, sweeping back his overgrown hair.
"Pathetic."
No one would treat him like a person looking like this... A dark thought flickered, but hunger won out. He opened the dorm door.
And then.
-Sniffle.
"What the."
A sob echoed from the next room. A voice choking back grief with fake coughs filled the hall.
"Why's that guy like that."
Room 902 was Mihail's. Realizing the ghost haunting the corridor, Ruin shook his head with a wry chuckle.
"That guy's lost it too. Class time, and he's skipping? What the hell."
Not that I can talk.
Ruin scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile. This academy was a total mess anyway. Heretics. A mad butler. An evil woman wielding black magic. A dream team of chaos. Ruin coughed dryly and shook his head. He didn't even know anymore.
"Maybe those guys are the winners."
Those who bailed early might be the real victors. If he'd left the academy and holed up in the magic tower studying, he wouldn't be like this.
"Idiot."
Regret now changed nothing, so Ruin patted his mountain of a belly and sighed.
"Gotta eat. I'm starving."
The powerless mage was crumbling away.
Night fell on the mansion.
The regressed Young Lady finally slept beside the family head after so long.
-Huiiiik! Let gooo! Gonna sleep with Ricawdo!
-It's been ages since you slept with Daddy, Olivia.
-Iiiik!! Daddy stinks like a widower!
-Didn't think of that.
-I can't lie. If I do, I get the dying disease.
-Isn't that a lie?
-I died then.
-You died, huh.
Kyle and Rosanna sat at the living room table, chatting.
I'd come down for water and bowed to the pair in nightclothes. It was a welcome sight after so long. Cup in hand, I approached slowly.
"What deep conversation keeps you up so late?"
"Heehee... Just catching up with my son."
"..."
Kyle clamped his mouth shut and eyed me. Unwelcome intruder in a rare mother-son talk, it seemed—the heir's sharp gaze made me smile awkwardly.
"Ricardo, care to join us?"
Rosanna patted the chair beside her with a smile. I grinned and walked over. She was the family's true pillar, more important than the heir.
"Shall I brew some tea?"
"No need."
"Then some light refreshments?"
"Ooh... Such manners. Already scoring points with your mother-in-law."
"Haha..."
"I only need you to adore my girl as the prettiest. Take other wives if you want—no need to mind me."
I couldn't lift my head at the lady of the house's bold words. I was awed by noble banter, but that was my secret. Of course, my daughter gets monogamy. Hypocrite? Can't help it. I'll be a selfish dad.
Rosanna smiled faintly and addressed me as I sat.
"Perfect timing. We were just talking about you."
"Me?"
"Yep~ Our capable butler."
"Were you badmouthing me? The family's not done with me yet—plenty left to squeeze."
"Hahaha!! What more could you squeeze? Take it all! Our girl too."
"Haha..."
Kyle kept his mouth shut, staring at his teacup. No sign of dislike, just silent focus.
Serious talk, maybe? Even the quiet Kyle would react to jokes.
A awkward air lingered briefly. Rosanna smiled softly and spoke, her smile heavy, voice as usual.
"So, Ricardo."
"Yes."
"Why not quit now?"
Her sudden resignation suggestion froze me solid.
"Pardon? I don't follow."
Rosanna dropped her smile.
"Kyle told me."
She gripped her teacup tight.
"You're ruining your body fixing Olivia's legs."
"..."
"Even vomited blood."
"..."
"Couldn't even walk properly."
I answered Rosanna calmly, relieved it wasn't dismissal.
"I'm fine. It's not black magic—won't harm the family..."
"Think I'd fire you over that?"
"..."
"We rebuild if it falls. Flee abroad if needed."
"..."
"You'll die like this."
To her warning, I stated my unyielding resolve.
"It's almost done."
Truly.
"I won't give up."
Rosanna's face hardened coldly.