Sharpening the Blade
The next morning.
When I stepped into the manor's hall feeling refreshed, Stern was sitting with his legs crossed, reading the imperial daily newspaper.
"Your face looks better than it did yesterday," Stern remarked, glancing up from his paper.
"..."
In the mirror, my face looked the same as always. But to Stern, I must have seemed much more at ease. I hated to admit it, but my conversation with Lunia last night had done wonders for my peace of mind.
Still, I couldn't exactly tell her father that his daughter and I had shared a secret late-night rendezvous. I offered a vague excuse.
"I suppose it's because I slept well last night."
"Is that so? To me, it looks like the result of flirting with Lunia."
"..."
Stern clearly knew Lunia had visited my room last night.
Then again, to a 7th-tier Archmage, this small manor was practically the palm of his hand. There was no hiding anything from him.
"We merely had a cup of tea."
"I understand you're both at a vigorous age, but do pace yourselves. You, of course, but Lunia is still quite young as well."
"Nothing of the sort you are worried about occurred, Patriarch."
"Of course not. As if Lunia would ever do such a thing."
I decided to keep my mouth shut about what his beloved daughter—both in the past and the future—had actually done with me.
"More importantly, if anything like that had happened, you wouldn't be walking on two feet right now, Raygan."
"..."
"Just a joke."
He was dead serious.
"...I will keep that in mind."
As I meekly backed down, Stern let out a chuckle, folded his newspaper, and tossed it onto the table.
"The news of this incident has already made the daily papers. Since any mention of House Eyrid is completely missing, it seems the Imperial Magic Academy has suppressed the information."
"Does the Imperial Magic Academy wield that much influence?"
"With the Imperial Family backing them, they are at least powerful enough to intimidate every media outlet in the empire. Besides, this incident is an embarrassment for House Eyrid, so it's better for them if it isn't made public."
Stern shrugged and continued.
"By the way, a gift has arrived for you."
"A gift? Where on earth is it from?"
"It was sent by House Eyrid."
At Stern's gesture, a servant brought forward a luxurious chest. The inverted triangle engraved in the center of the chest seemed to be the crest of House Eyrid.
"Is this a reward for rescuing that girl, Yusephin?"
"Precisely. Early this morning, Eyrid's forces arrived and escorted Lady Yusephin back."
Stern's expression stiffened slightly.
"However... strangely enough, the Patriarch of House Eyrid did not come himself."
"The Patriarch?"
"Yes. His only legitimate heir was kidnapped and rescued. Normally, it would be proper for the Patriarch to come in person to ensure her safety and express his gratitude. Yet, the ones who arrived in Rodel were merely a third-rate martial force of House Eyrid."
"...A third-rate force instead of their elites. That is certainly suspicious."
"No matter how busy he might be, his daughter's life was on the line. There is no way he would respond so half-heartedly. I suspect something has happened to the Patriarch of House Eyrid himself."
"Could it be related to the Black Plague?"
"Perhaps. Or it could be internal strife within the family. The worst-case scenario would be House Eyrid colluding with black mages... but well, we have no way of knowing for sure right now."
Stern stroked his chin and continued.
"We will have to find out the details at the Grand Magic Coalition Council next year. The Patriarch of House Eyrid will have no choice but to show his face then."
"Next year..."
In other words, we had to wait until next year.
Only then would we be able to sketch out a vague countermeasure against the Archduke of Demonic Magic. Time was of the essence, yet I was left with my hands tied.
Perhaps my frustration showed on my face. Stern let out a hearty laugh and spoke.
"Raygan, you don't need to rush so much. I don't know why you react so sensitively to black mages, but the empire's magic community is not so fragile as to be shaken by mere black mages."
Stern spoke with absolute confidence.
Yet even he, a 7th-tier Archmage and the head of a prestigious magic family, had no idea that the most heinous black mage of all was lurking within the Imperial Magic Academy.
Demian Carius. The Archduke of Demonic Magic.
He had deceived everyone to achieve his goals. To stop him, I had to think and act with even greater precision than he did.
Ultimately, what I needed most right now was information. I had to strip away the Archduke's hypocritical mask and expose his true face.
I had considered hiring an information guild, but there was no way they could dig up dirt on the Chief Investigator of the Imperial Magic Academy.
As my thoughts deepened, Stern took the chest from the servant and placed it on the table.
"Raygan, open this chest in front of me, just in case. Who knows if it might be cursed?"
"Yes."
I opened the lid of the chest.
Inside, resting on red silk, was a triangular, pyramid-shaped gemstone.
It was completely colorless and transparent, looking like a solidified droplet of water.
"...What is this?"
When I asked, even Stern stroked his beard in surprise.
"This is... a Prism."
"A Prism?"
"Yes. It's a magic tool frequently used by the mages of House Eyrid. When infused with mana, it has the effect of projecting only the specific attribute you desire."
"Is it valuable?"
"While it doesn't hold the same prestige as Benheim's Elixir, it is still one of those treasures that any mage would envy. House Eyrid has shown considerable sincerity. It's an item they rarely hand over to outsiders."
"Is it really alright for them to just give away such a precious item so easily?"
"House Eyrid is one of the five great magic families, just like our Benheim. They have their pride to maintain, so they cannot ignore a debt of gratitude."
I picked up the crystal.
A cold sensation traveled up my fingertips.
Projecting only a specific attribute when infused with mana. Just hearing about it made it hard to grasp its actual utility. It seemed I would have to use it myself to get a feel for it.
"I'll put it to good use."
"Yes, keep it. It is a gift from House Eyrid to you."
After watching me slip the Prism into my pocket, Stern stood up.
"We should start preparing to return to Benheim soon."
Just as Stern said, our immediate tasks were finished.
The black mages of the Mist Valley had been captured, and Markel von Benheim had fled. Now that he knew House Benheim was hunting him, he wouldn't show his face for a while.
In Benheim, a peaceful daily life would continue until the council next year.
But I must not grow complacent.
My mindset, which might have slackened slightly, tightened like a coiled spring because of the Archduke of Demonic Magic whom I had encountered just a few days ago.
Even at this very moment, the Archduke was operating behind the scenes, wearing his mask as an investigator for the Imperial Magic Academy.
My current level was far too inadequate to face him and his forces. The Archduke's current tier was the 7th. He might already be on the verge of reaching the 8th.
In the end, all I could do right now was grow stronger.
Wasn't that the whole reason I came to Benheim in the first place?
I had to build my strength under Benheim's protection and reach a level where I could strike down the Archduke of Demonic Magic.
Having finished my thoughts, I spoke.
"Father-in-law."
"..."
Stern's eyebrow twitched.
A title I hadn't uttered since our very first meeting in the Benheim dungeon. I brought out the word I had avoided because Stern himself detested it.
"I have a request."
Stern set down his teacup and stared at me.
He seemed to realize that the look in my eyes was different from usual.
"Very well. What is this request, Raygan?"
"Could you personally guide me?"
"...Guide you?"
Since I was in Benheim, I had to utilize everything at my disposal. And the greatest weapon here was none other than the Archmage Stern von Benheim himself.
"I want to receive direct instruction in magic from you, Patriarch."
At my words, Stern looked briefly surprised, then seemed to ponder for a moment before replying.
"Raygan, your determination is admirable... but reaching the 4th tier at the age of eighteen is beyond fast; it is miraculous. You do not need to rush."
"No. I must rush."
I spoke with absolute certainty.
Stern's eyes narrowed, searching my face as if trying to read my true intentions.
"Raygan, why are you in such a hurry?"
"I must become stronger. That is the only way to protect Lunia."
"...Did the mage who gave you that pendant give you some sort of warning?"
"..."
I hesitated for a moment at Stern's sharp question.
Telling him the truth was one option.
I, Raygan, have come from the future, and the entire empire, including Benheim, will be destroyed by a villain called the Archduke of Demonic Magic.
I didn't even have to reveal the regression. If I framed it as a message from the mage who gave me the pendant, Stern would believe it without a doubt and seek countermeasures.
But...
I can't do that.
Demian Carius, the Archduke of Demonic Magic, was a Chief Investigator on the imperial payroll. His power was immense enough to manipulate the empire's media like his own limbs. He enjoyed the Emperor's absolute trust and, on the surface, was a righteous mage who kept black mages in check.
Under such circumstances, House Benheim could not make hostile moves against an agency directly under the Imperial Family without clear, undeniable evidence.
Before we could even fight the Archduke's forces, Benheim would be isolated by the massive authority of the Imperial Magic Academy.
Above all...
...it was also Lunia's request.
"Please rebuild Benheim."
Those words meant protecting Benheim from crisis now that I had returned to the past.
Revealing the truth prematurely could drive Stern, and by extension, all of Benheim, into a deadly trap.
In my past life, Stern was assassinated by the brother he trusted. There was no guarantee something similar wouldn't happen in this life.
If the Archduke sensed any sign of hostility from Benheim, he would move to eliminate Stern—the greatest threat—first.
That was not the future Lunia wanted.
The time is not yet ripe.
I needed solid evidence.
A justification to tear off Demian's mask and drag him out from under the Imperial Family's protection.
Until then, I had no choice but to build my strength.
That was the purpose of my request.
"Raygan?"
Stern's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I put on the most casual smile I could muster and chose my words carefully.
"That mage... warned me of a massive shadow looming over the empire. There is nothing concrete I can share right now. However, it is clear that I must build my strength as quickly as possible."
"..."
"I beg of you."
I looked Stern straight in the eye, conveying my resolve.
Stern stared into my eyes for a long moment before letting out a soft sigh and nodding.
"Since you insist so strongly, I suppose I have no choice. It is a request from my son-in-law, after all; I must grant it."
"Thank you."
"But there is a condition. Private tutoring would be unfair, so I will teach Arno and Lunia alongside you. It will be good for the three of you to stimulate and hone one another."
"Actually, that is exactly what I hoped for."
Half a year had passed since the operation in the Mist Valley.
The harsh winter winds had receded, and spring had arrived in the Benheim gardens, coaxing the vegetation to raise its head.
"..."
Stern von Benheim stood on a raised platform, looking down. At the end of his gaze were three young people sparring and sweating profusely.
"Incredible,"
muttered Chief Butler Allet, who was observing alongside him, his voice filled with admiration.
"Both Young Master Arno and Lady Lunia have already settled into the 4th tier. Even the elders are unanimously praising this as the arrival of Benheim's golden age."
It was just as Allet said.
Arno and Lunia. The two direct descendants had crossed the high wall of the 4th tier before the year had even turned. It was a truly miraculous speed. Never in the past few centuries had direct descendants of Benheim grown so rapidly—and two of them at once, no less.
It was only natural that the family and the outside world were abuzz. Marriage proposals from numerous influential families were already pouring in for Arno.
"It is a good thing that my children's talents are outstanding."
However, Stern's gaze was fixed elsewhere.
"Allet, do you see it as well?"
"...Yes. I see it clearly."
In a corner of the garden, a gray-haired youth reached his hand out into the empty air.
Rune characters bloomed from his fingertips. Three runes connected sequentially, yet as naturally as flowing water, to form a single sentence.
A complex formula combining three or more runes.
This meant only one thing.
"Yesterday, he reached the 5th tier."
"...The 5th tier... at nineteen? And only a single year after entering the path of magic. I've lived a long life, but I have never witnessed such a bizarre sight."
Allet groaned under his breath.
Just a year ago, he was a commoner-born outsider mage who had rolled into the family. Now, he stood at a realm far superior to even the direct descendants of Benheim.
For Allet, who had strongly opposed Raygan's entry back then, a complex mix of emotions crossed his mind.
"And it is not even a simple 5th tier."
Stern narrowed his eyes, reading the mana flowing through Raygan's body. A core completely separated and blocked by a barrier. This allowed the independent casting of magic and aura.
"He operates a single mana core as if it were two. No mage in the empire, including myself, can cast magic in that manner."
The bizarrely structured mana core.
The dual-structured core that Raygan had modified himself was growing exponentially more efficient as his tier rose.
Not only had Raygan reached the 5th tier as a mage, but he had also already attained the level of a Sword Expert. Walking both paths simultaneously, his growth rate in each was unparalleled. It was a talent that left even Stern, a 7th-tier Archmage, utterly astounded.
"If the Magic Academy ever saw that mana core, they would all scramble like madmen to study it."
"...That is certainly true."
Furthermore, Raygan's outstanding talent was not his only asset.
"For the past half year, that boy has not rested for a single day."
Stern added.
Raygan's training regimen was murderous.
Without anyone prompting him, he woke up at the crack of dawn to swing his sword and delved into magic grimoires until late at night.
His demeanor seemed less like passion and more like an obsession, as if he were being chased by something.
What is driving that boy so hard?
Stern recalled the look in Raygan's eyes.
An experience so mature it felt precocious. A sharp insight and mold-breaking wit. And underlying it all, a chilling hatred for black mages.
What on earth had the future mage who gave him the pendant told this young man? He wanted to ask, but he kept it buried, figuring Raygan would tell him when the time was right.
One thing was certain: this young man, who did not possess a single drop of Benheim blood, was more desperate than anyone else to protect Stern's daughter and his family.
For Stern, that was more than enough.
"The council is drawing near."
The Grand Magic Coalition Council.
The largest conference in the magic world, attended by all five great magic families and the seven magic towers.
With the recent endless stream of incidents involving black mages, everyone was paying close attention to the agenda of this upcoming council.
"Who do you plan to bring with you to the council, Patriarch?"
"Normally, the custom would be to bring the successor, Arno, and one of the elders. However..."
Stern paused, looking at the three mages training in the garden. A deep smile spread across his lips.
"I plan to bring those three to this council."
"...Are you serious?"
Allet was shocked.
The Grand Magic Coalition Council was a historic event held once every few years. As strict as its authority, its requirements were equally rigorous; generally, only the patriarchs, elders, or successors of each family attended.
"For my part... I am somewhat concerned. A son-in-law attending the Grand Magic Coalition Council, and a commoner-born one at that. There will be backlash both inside and outside the family."
"I know. But even if I were to object, Raygan would surely ask to accompany us first. If I refused, he would probably stage a demonstration of force."
Stern had no doubt that Raygan was more than capable of doing exactly that.
"Above all, my intuition as a 7th-tier mage is telling me to bring those children to this council."
"Your... intuition, you say?"
Allet's expression grew complicated. It was hardly the kind of talk expected from a mage who valued logic above all, let alone the Patriarch of Benheim, one of the great pillars of the empire's magic community. Yet for Stern, there was no other way to explain it.
"I do not believe this current era of peace will last much longer. A crisis will surely arrive in the near future. Preparing for that time by nurturing the next generation is also the duty of those standing at the forefront of the magic world."
"Do you truly believe in the crisis of the continent... the one that boy spoke of, Patriarch?"
"I do. He is my son-in-law, after all."
Allet studied Stern's expression before carefully adding,
"In case, do you already view that man as your son-in-law, Patriarch?"
"..."
Stern was momentarily at a loss for words.
He had walked right into Allet's trap.
"...Not yet."
In the end, he salvaged his last bit of pride as a father.