Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Grandfather's Summons
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"To obtain Bell Sidias requires seven years of training, and to obtain Bell Quirius requires seventy years."
That was the last will left behind by the family's founder, Ryuken Ludwig.
Seven years. Seven years.
The average time it took to master Bell Sidias. And that was only in cases where the family recognized one's genius and began training them in Bell Sidias.
'And he did it in just ten days...?'
The activation condition for Bell Sidias relied on triple spellcasting through multiple computations.
Multiple computations were the domain of Sages.
If you don't understand, try mentally calculating three equations at once right now. Can you do it? Impossible.
'But with Bell Sidias, you just have to memorize the set formulas and equations—so once you grasp the trick, you can use it...'
And grasping that trick alone took a minimum of seven years. Multiple computations for general spells, where all conditions and results kept changing, were a pipe dream...
'In history, only two Sages and the great archmage Lin, called the prodigy of multiple computations, ever achieved it.'
Gulp.
Elin Ludwig swallowed dryly.
'Rain, is this kid a genius?'
No, this went beyond genius.
This kid was—
"A vessel for Sagehood, maybe?"
After finishing his academy schedule and returning to the estate, Kevn blankly repeated his little sister's words.
Bell Sidias in just ten days?
Was that even possible?
No, if he'd already reached that level, it meant Kevn was no longer qualified to guide him.
"Bro, at this rate, Rain might propel our family to the forefront of the great magic houses. The kid's insane, I tell you."
After Elin chattered on and left, Kevn sat alone for a long time.
My son...
Witnessing his son's tremendous growth, Kevn felt his chest swell with pride even as a quiet melancholy settled in.
'As a father, to lack the talent to guide my own son because I'm inferior...'
But...
"Yud."
At Kevn's command, a shadow fell from behind the curtain. It was the capable head butler who'd managed the estate's affairs for twenty years.
[Yes, my lord. What is your command?]
"Contact my father."
A moment of silence.
Yud's shadow trembled.
[...The former lord?]
"Is there a problem?"
[I needed to confirm, knowing the strained relations between you and the lord. Forgive me.]
It wasn't wrong.
When Kevn married Brim, he'd clashed fiercely with his father, and in the end, his father had left for a professorship at a magic school in the central capital.
"Tell him that his son regrets none of his mistakes and doesn't even consider them mistakes."
[...?]
"But write that your son's son possesses talent surpassing your own, and politely request that you guide him."
For a moment, Yud let out a chuckle.
Rather than rebuke him, Kevn laughed along. Yud replied.
[When it comes to the young master, you truly spare no effort. I shall carry out your orders, my lord.]
* * *
Spring ended, and a brief summer arrived.
Summer lasted one year.
A pitch-black rainy front blanketed the continent, pounding the castle windows with endless sheets of rain day after day.
"Summer, huh..."
The summer when Rista had come looking for the boy was incomparably fiercer and crueler than this one.
That summer that dragged on for five years.
The summer when the world was endlessly splattered with blood.
—I'm Rista Alter Shyrfang, a FakeWarrior of the Light Dragon Church! Won't you come with me?
Listening to the rain, he recalled the day she'd come, a wry smile forming.
Why was that?
It had been truly grueling.
Hot, sticky, exhausting... a journey of pure torment. So why did he still miss those days so much? Even now, living in this peaceful golden age.
"O-ba, summer, when does summer end?"
"Not too long now. It's already late summer."
Then the world turned blinding white, thunder roared, and a terrified Seri clung tightly to the boy.
"Want me to tell you something scary?"
"Rea-lly!"
"When midsummer comes, lizardmen awaken from the abyss... But you can't see them... They use camouflage..."
"Ca-, camou-flage...?"
"They creep right up behind you, silent and formless... Raaah!"
The boy suddenly yelled, making Seri scream, her eyes rolling back white as she fainted.
Now I can get back to studying.
The boy was sly... but it wasn't a lie. It was just one of the demons Lin had faced. Seeing it in person would be even scarier.
"Take Seri out."
"Yes, young master."
That year, the boy was incredibly busy.
He took family magic lessons from his father and aunt, taught his little sister basic spells, and trained his stamina and mana in the evenings.
Stamina was truly vital.
It wasn't just useful for running like a warrior when needed; the biggest reason was that study focus stemmed from physical endurance.
And mana was crucial too.
Without mana, knowing 4-star or 5-star spells meant nothing if you couldn't cast them.
'Passing out from mana exhaustion would be fortunate.'
Mana overload often damaged the mana core. That could end a mage's career.
Truth be told, after mastering Bell Sidias, there was little left to learn from Elin or his father. The problem was Elin.
"How do you do this?"
"You seriously don't know? Ugh, give it here!"
She was still a nuisance as ever, asking questions like this several times a day.
Was this the etiquette defense battle?
Anyway, what lately captured Rain's interest was the progress of modern magic.
'They've streamlined formulas that used to be several times more complex...'
No need to mention the amplified power; the equations were massively simplified considering activation time and learning difficulty.
"You're not some old fogey, so why stick to all these outdated formulas? Trying to act cool? Hey, girls don't like that stuff. They'll just think you're showing off."
Elin's words had been the spark that ignited his interest in modern magic.
'The more I look, the more fascinating it is...'
In 300 years, math—and the world—had steadily advanced. While Lin had slept for 300 years.
'I've become completely obsolete...'
He might even lose to a modern 4-star mage, albeit with low odds. That was the level of modern magic's progress.
'Come to think of it, I wonder what happened to my old academy...'
The place where a kindly aunt with a warm face had given an orphan like Lin food, clothes, shelter, and taught him magic.
The academy's name was Osarius Academy.
It had deep roots but was just a minor academy with one dilapidated magic tower.
—This isn't the place for you.
She'd named him Rin—spring breeze—hoping he'd bring new winds to the magic world.
—Come with me, now.
For Lin, who'd grown rummaging trash in the slums without knowing his parents or even their voices, it was like dawn breaking.
The first kindness he'd ever received in his life. The first luxury he'd enjoyed... So he'd worked hard. Just worked hard.
Because he never wanted to be abandoned again.
"..."
Recalling his Lin days left only sorrow, so he shook his head to clear the thoughts.
He rummaged through his father's study. Soon he found a thick book titled *History of the Academies*.
He checked the table of contents from the back, but oddly, Osarius Academy wasn't listed anywhere.
"What? Did it disband?"
It had financial struggles, but it should've held on somehow... Feeling a strange sense of loss, he flipped forward through the pages—and nearly stopped breathing.
[Eight Great Academies]
· Belsedel Academy.
· Brina Academy.
· Harimun Academy.
· Rohwinen Academy.
· Melev Academy.
· Chaihak Academy.
· Rivendel Academy.
· Osarius Academy.
While the five great magic houses ruled like kings among the empire's famed magic families, the academies had been topped by the Seven Great Academies.
'Now it's the Eight Great Academies? Osarius made it up?'
Among all academies, those at the pinnacle had contributed immensely to academic progress and produced great figures—that was a key factor for great academy status.
Below them were sixteen mid-tier academies, and countless minor ones, making great academies as lofty as the heavens.
'Did a string of incredible geniuses emerge while I was gone?'
Chuckling wryly, he turned to the Osarius Academy page.
[Osarius Academy]
· Origins: Founded in Tersia Year 488 by the Glados (4-star) mage Osarius...
...
...
...
· Promotion to Great Academy: Recognized for producing the Aquizard (5-star) mage Lin and publicly releasing the mathematical theories Lin had established in his lifetime, promotion to great academy status was decided at the Magic Alliance's main conference in Tersia Year 1115.
His eyes widened, blinking for a long while before a wistful smile spread.
'Yeah, I helped after all.'
My path in life, the trail I'd blazed in battle, had helped that auntie.
'Is this repayment enough, Auntie?'
Every morning, as part of her "hopeful affirmations," she'd made the students chant, "Osarius Academy will become a great academy!"
—How long do we have to do this stupid crap?
—Yeah, it's embarrassing, Dean.
—Until it happens, you parasites! If you want to stop chanting, study hard and make the academy famous!
Back then, Osarius wasn't attracting promising students. It was mostly kids with magic talent but no means.
The dean had taken them in and taught them magic for free.
So those words were just her way of motivating us. I didn't realize it then, but now I do.
'Heh... To not fall behind my academy juniors, I'd better get my act together and work hard.'
Books.
He wanted more books.
He craved more knowledge.
The Ludwig family library had plenty, befitting a great magic house, but it wasn't enough.
Thirst.
An immense thirst for knowledge that constantly parched Rain. Inevitably, he brought it up at dinner.
"Father, I have one request."
"Hm?"
"Send me to the Magic Capital. About three years should do it."
Kevn and Brim startled at his words.
The Magic Capital, [Golden Rose].
True to its name as the magic world's Seoul, it was home to the foremost great magic house, Page Marquess, and the empire's top magic university, <Delaiten>.
"O-ba, where you going?"
"Yeah."
"Coo-l! Coo-l!"
Pushing away Seri, who annoyingly clung to him, Rain looked to his father, but Kevn firmly shook his head.
"No."
"Why?"
"First, your age. You're only ten, Rain. Too young to leave the family."
And when he turned sixteen, Rain, as a great magic house heir, would enroll in <Delaiten>. Heading to the capital then wouldn't be late.
"Besides, you have a more important commitment."
"A more important one?"
Kevn placed a letter envelope on the table. Sealed with the Ludwig lord's insignia.
"It's from my father—your grandfather."
Elin Ludwig, who'd been wolfing down her beef steak, froze mid-fork, startled.
"Father, to you, Bro?"
Skalji Ludwig.
One of the only ten Glados (4-star) mages alive... To Kevn's family and Elin, his influence was immense in many ways.
"And one of only three in the family to have awakened Bell Quirius."
Bell Quirius...!
As Rain blinked in surprise, Kevn nodded with a kindly smile.
"He's sent word that he'll personally handle your Bell Quirius training."
"Bell Quirius?"
"Yes. So Rain, you must go there first. Right after this summer ends."