Unnatural Currents
Exactly one year had passed since my regression, and I had turned nineteen.
Swept up in a rare moment of sentimentality, I stood before a mirror I usually ignored and scrutinized my reflection.
"...Hmm."
The chin of the man in the mirror was shaded with dark stubble. Well, I was at the age where facial hair was starting to grow. I'd have to ask Sheryl to fetch me a razor sometime soon.
Any lingering boyishness had long since vanished from my features.
Having celebrated my coming-of-age ceremony alongside Arno last month, the contours of my past life's face were now clearly defined.
"Not bad."
The greatest difference from my past life lay in my physique.
I hadn't been in poor shape back then, but perhaps because House Benheim had kept me on a highly nutritious diet over the past year, I had grown slightly taller, and my shoulders had broadened considerably.
It wasn't just a matter of size, either. When I pressed down on my forearm, it felt less like flesh and more like solid stone. Thanks to absorbing the elixir and the barrier stones, combined with Valen's brutal training regimen, my muscles were far denser than they appeared.
"...The perfect body for a swordsman."
Of course, that didn't mean it was a disadvantage for a mage.
After six months of personal instruction under the Great Mage Stern, my mastery of magic had also progressed by leaps and bounds.
Currently, my standing as a mage was at the 5th-tier.
As a swordsman, I was an Aura Expert. In my past life, I hadn't reached this level until I was around twenty-four. That alone would have been a miraculous achievement, but I was only nineteen now. My future was wide open.
...If I were to fight Barg again, I could probably win this time without even using magic.
After reaching the 5th-tier, I had tested my skills against the Rune Sentinels a few times. Aside from Valen, not a single one of them could lay a finger on me. Even Valen had to resort to 6th-tier magic just to subdue me.
Perhaps because of this, the glares I received from the local mages whenever I walked through the Benheim territory were incredibly sharp. In some corners, rumors had even begun to circulate that I was the illegitimate child of another prestigious magic family.
"...It's still not enough."
But I couldn't afford to be complacent with my current achievements.
There were less than six years left before the Archduke of Demonic Magic would begin his full-scale campaign.
I need to reach at least the 8th-tier to stand a chance against him.
Among the mages of the current era, those who had reached the 8th-tier could be counted on one hand. Throughout Benheim's thousand-year history, the only mages to ever reach the 8th-tier were the founder and Lunia.
With that in mind, I recalled once asking the Lunia of my past life about the 8th-tier.
Her response back then had been quite something.
"It's not a realm you can reach through sheer effort. It's more like... at some point, it just 'opened up' naturally."
"Opened up?"
"Yes. From the moment you reach the 8th-tier, the world looks completely different. Hmm... I suppose it's hard to put into words."
"Tsk."
There was no point in agonizing over it when I hadn't even reached the 6th-tier yet.
I raised my hand and condensed my mana. A thin, blue light sharpened into a small razor. Having mastered Sword Creation Magic to a certain degree, I was now able to alter the shape of the blades I forged at will.
After shaving and washing my face, I returned to the bedroom and spotted a formal uniform laid out on the bed. Sheryl must have brought it in while I was occupied.
"This really doesn't suit me."
It was a formal attire of deep black, embroidered with the Benheim crest in gold thread.
I hadn't spared it a single glance since wearing it once for my coming-of-age ceremony last month.
But today, I had no choice but to wear it.
"...The Grand Magic Coalition Council."
Today was the day we departed for the imperial capital to attend the council.
This council would be attended not only by the five great magic families but also by a vast number of the empire's influential magic houses.
Naturally, the primary agenda on the table was how to handle and counter the black mages who had been causing trouble recently.
Since Stern was the one who had called for the assembly, House Benheim would undoubtedly take center stage.
The Archduke of Demonic Magic will be there too.
There was no way he would miss such a massive event.
He would surely show up under the guise of an investigator from the Imperial Magic Academy to observe the situation.
Moreover, I had to investigate the suspicions surrounding House Eyrid, so I couldn't afford to let my guard down for even a second during this council.
"Focus."
I patted my cheeks to wake myself up as I adjusted my collar.
In front of the main gate of Castle Benheim, a line of carriages stood ready for departure.
"Raygan, over here!"
Lunia waved at me. Instead of her usual simple robes, she was wearing an elegant dress that symbolized her status as a direct descendant of House Benheim.
"You look quite dressed up today."
"Yeah... honestly, I don't really like this dress either. But Allette insisted that since House Benheim is the main focus of this council, we have to maintain proper etiquette."
Lunia spun around in front of me to show it off. The hem of her skirt fluttered like falling petals.
Was it because she was nearing adulthood, or was it simply the magic of the dress?
The Lunia standing before me now carried herself with the grace of a proper lady. Though it had only been a year, the young girl I had first met in the graveyard was nowhere to be found.
"You look beautiful."
"..."
When I spoke my mind so bluntly, Lunia blinked in surprise.
Perhaps she hadn't expected me to compliment her.
Her lips parted slightly as she struggled for words, before she cleared her throat and spoke.
"W-well, you don't look half bad yourself, Raygan. You finally look like a proper noble."
"This outfit is so uncomfortable it's killing me, though."
"Deal with it. I won't have my husband walking around looking like a beggar."
The word "husband" was still something I hadn't quite gotten used to.
Although we hadn't held the wedding yet, our relationship was already semi-officially recognized. Once Lunia came of age next year, House Benheim planned to host a formal ceremony.
Perhaps that was why Stern's expression seemed to grow gloomier by the day—though it was nothing compared to the young man currently stomping toward us.
"...Why does my brother look so angry?"
"He got utterly thrashed by me yesterday too."
"Shut up!"
Arno, who had suddenly closed the distance, barked at us.
When I reached the 5th-tier a few days ago, Arno was still lingering at the entry stage of the 4th-tier. That fact had apparently dealt a severe blow to his pride, prompting him to desperately demand a duel last night. He had been defeated without lasting a single exchange.
"What can you do, Arno? The wall of talent is high. And a younger brother can never defeat his elder brother."
"I told you...! Stop calling yourself...! My elder brother...! I told you not to say that! That bet was over half a year ago!"
Arno looked ready to pounce, but with the gap in our tiers now so pronounced, he couldn't bring himself to attack and could only fume in frustration.
Lunia burst into laughter as she watched her brother stomp his feet and gnash his teeth. Arno immediately redirected his anger toward her.
"And you, Lunia! You show absolutely no respect for your older brother! I am the one who will inherit this house!"
"But brother, the future head of the house has never beaten Raygan once. And since you lost the bet, why don't you call him your elder brother?"
"I told you, stop bringing that up!"
Watching Lunia and Arno bicker, a bitter smile tugged at my lips.
According to what Lunia had told me in my past life, the two of them hadn't reached the 4th-tier until after they came of age. In that sense, their current growth rate was noticeably faster than before my regression.
There was no need to worry about Lunia, as she would eventually reach the 8th-tier anyway.
But over the past year, I had realized that Arno's talent was nearly as exceptional. In this life, I would make sure he wouldn't fall helplessly to the Archduke of Demonic Magic, allowing him to grow even stronger.
Just as Lunia said, Arno was the future head of House Benheim, and securing him as an ally was crucial. Therefore, I had to continue serving as the fuel to stoke his competitive drive.
"So, aren't you going to bow to your elder brother, who has reached the 5th-tier?"
"Hey!"
And so, I provoked him.
It was a bit childish, but the effect was excellent.
"You all seem to be getting along well."
While I was busy teasing Arno, Stern emerged from the main manor.
Unlike Arno and Lunia, who were dressed to the nines, Stern wore his usual formal coat. He seemed to believe that dignity came from one's presence and position, not from flashy attire.
"It seems everyone is gathered. Let us depart."
The carriage we boarded this time was not drawn by pegasi. Unlike our journey to Rodel, the distance from the Benheim County to the imperial capital was not that great, making land travel far more practical.
Several hours passed after our carriage rolled out of the Benheim territory.
It was around the time we stopped at a post station to change horses and take a brief rest.
In the distance, a long procession of carriages approached, kicking up a thick cloud of dust. The lead carriage flew a lavish flag of black and red. Even without checking the crest, their affiliation was unmistakable.
"Well, look who it is. If it isn't Count Benheim."
Soon, mages began to disembark from the carriages. From the luxurious procession, a middle-aged man with long, reddish hair stepped forward.
"Kaiden. It has been a while. Have you been well?"
"Thanks to you, yes."
Kaiden, the head of House Lucen, offered Stern a handshake with a sly smile.
The Grand Magic Coalition Council was an event where all five great magic families gathered. House Lucen, as one of those pillars, was no exception. Since their territory was relatively close to Benheim's, running into them at a post station was hardly surprising.
"I heard your children have reached the 4th-tier. My congratulations."
"I believe your daughter has also reached the 4th-tier recently."
"Petra? Haha. Her talent is mediocre at best. She still has a long way to go."
While exchanging superficial pleasantries, Kaiden's gaze shifted to me, standing just behind Stern.
His expression stiffened as he sensed the aura radiating from my body.
"My, my... your future son-in-law's achievements are quite astonishing. He has grown strong beyond recognition."
Though phrased as a compliment, Kaiden's voice carried a distinct note of displeasure. He was undoubtedly unhappy that a mere commoner-born mage had ascended to the 5th-tier.
Stern, seeing right through his thinly veiled irritation, countered deliberately.
"You flatter him. If he has caught your eye, then my son-in-law must indeed be quite capable. Perhaps you should consider bringing some talented mages into your own house as well?"
"Haha. You jest, Count. House Lucen is a prestigious family of pure bloodlines."
Kaiden shot me a venomous, snake-like glare before continuing.
"That aside, bringing a lowborn to the council, even if he is your son-in-law... people will surely whisper."
"That is a pity, Kaiden. House Benheim is not so fragile as to be swayed by the idle gossip of others."
A tense war of nerves played out between the two family heads.
It seemed Kaiden still held a grudge over my imitation of House Lucen's unique magic formula.
If Kaiden knew that I had used Lucen's signature magic formula to shave my face this morning, he would probably try to kill me on the spot, regardless of House Benheim's protection.
It was not a particularly pleasant thought.
"...H-hello."
While I silently observed the exchange between the two patriarchs, someone spoke to me.
A woman with short, red hair.
It was Petra Lucen.
"Right. It's been a while. Have you been—"
I started to offer a casual greeting, but the words died in my throat.
The truth was, Petra looked terrible. No, "terrible" was an understatement.
Her complexion was not just pale, but a sickly, dark ash. Compared to when I had seen her during the hunting festival, she looked like an entirely different person.
It was unmistakably the face of someone gravely ill.
"...Petra? Are you alright? You look incredibly pale..."
Even Lunia, who usually found Petra difficult to deal with, spoke up out of genuine concern.
"Are you suffering from carriage sickness? Ah, we have some herbs in our carriage that are good for headaches. Would you like some?"
"N-no... I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Having overheard our conversation, Kaiden paused his talk with Stern and turned his head toward Petra.
The moment his cold gaze landed on her, Petra gasped softly, her shoulders trembling.
"..."
I had already witnessed during the hunting festival that Kaiden was a strict father, but Petra's current reaction was far too extreme. The look she directed at her father was filled with raw, unadulterated terror.
I examined the interior of Petra's body. Normally, I would have needed physical contact, but my unique vision allowed me to read the flow of mana within her without needing to touch her.
This is...
My brow furrowed.
Unstable, chaotic energies were raging inside Petra's body.
It was completely different from when I had met her ten months ago. Her mana core was a chaotic mess of conflicting mana. Different attributes of mana were violently clashing against one another, as if they had been forcibly crammed inside her.
In other words, this was not mana accumulated through natural training. It was the result of an artificial procedure or the influence of some suspicious elixir.
According to what Lunia had told me in my past life, Kaiden Lucen was an extreme pure-blood supremacist.
There was no way a man like Kaiden was unaware that his daughter's body was filled with such impure, clashing mana. Nor would he simply leave it unattended if he knew.
Could it be...
Unlike my past life, the hunting festival had been held successfully in this timeline.
If Kaiden had realized something during that festival and committed some horrific act upon his own daughter...
If Petra's current state was exactly what Kaiden had intended...
A dark suspicion began to take root.
Stern seemed to have reached the same conclusion, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Kaiden.
But before Stern could speak, Kaiden smiled thinly and pulled Petra toward him by the shoulder, his grip somewhat rough.
"Then, I shall see you in the capital, Count Benheim."
The Lucen carriage rattled away, leaving a trail of dust in its wake.
Stern stared after the departing carriage and murmured quietly.
"...I smell blood."
At those words, I could only nod in silent agreement.