In fact, "The Hero of Lacente" was nothing more than mere entertainment for the people of Imperial Capital.
Isn't Imperial Capital the gathering place for all the powerful and wealthy people of the continent?
Naturally, there were so many famous figures since childhood, and there were just as many promising newcomers.
‘But with titles like 'Magic Royal Family' and 'Radiant Star Duke' attached, things change.’
In the public eye, phrases like "The comeback of Melvinger family" or "The Return of the New Radiant Star Duke" were already circulating.
Of course, these were just exaggerated claims by the gossipers. But the central political world seemed to be watching Elric's actions without making any significant moves yet.
Still, from the perspective of citizens who cherished the memory of Usdun Melvinger, expectations were bound to be high.
The swarm of reporters gathered in front of the hospital to cover Elric was evidence enough.
And now, the various proposals and invitations laid out before Elric were further proof.
"'After hearing about Melvinger's unfortunate situation, we would like to provide support' from the Northern Merchant Union, 'We wish to contribute to the prestige of the Magic Royal Family,' from the Rhine River Association... Oh, even an invitation from Marquis René? I heard their hostess is quite proud and arrogant, so they must be quite curious about you?"
Sean chuckled as he casually scanned through the documents.
They all came in to try to tie Elric down in some way.
His friend, who had been ignored until now, was finally starting to gain recognition from people around the world.
Naturally, Sean couldn't help but feel pleased, as if it were his own accomplishment.
“But why is your expression so rotten? These are all the things you wanted, aren't they?"
However, Sean tilted his head when Elric was looking at the documents with a sullen expression.
"Despite so many offers, there's nothing worthwhile."
"Why do you say that? You got contacted by three of the top five companies, after all."
"They were just testing the waters, weren't they? There's nothing that seems genuinely beneficial to me. It's just unnecessary debt to get tangled up in. Besides, I’m not really in need of money anymore.”
Tuition was promised to be covered by the new headmaster with a full scholarship, and once the excavation began in earnest, there would be more than enough to cover living expenses.
No, there might even be an overflow.
Each item inside was worth the effort.
"Hehe."
Elric frowned as Sean suddenly started chuckling (?).
"Why are you laughing?"
"Wow, Elric, you've really grown up, haven't you?"
"What?"
"I remember just the other day you couldn't even afford to buy soup, so you had to resort to going to the basement student cafeteria."
"Don't bring that up. Anyway, if there's anything halfway decent among these... Ah, here it is."
"Hmm?"
Sean looked at the documents Elric pulled out from underneath and tilted his head.
From the looks of it, it seemed like an early proposal that had been buried below.
Even though it was clearly the first time seeing it, the envelope seemed strangely familiar.
The emblem of the plum blossom symbolizes the Nerester family.
And a red crescent moon surrounds it.
"Hey! That's...!"
Sean jumped up from his seat, but Elric was already whistling as he pulled out the documents from the envelope.
“A proposal for scholarship support and technical partnership for the Department of Elemental Studies where I am studying, as well as the offer of a first-class magical library access and the authority to open a personal experimental laboratory... Phew. If I accept all of this, I might suffocate, you know?"
Elric grinned and looked at Sean, who was stiff.
"This was sent by your sister, right?"
"The damned old hag, seriously!"
"It was right at the bottom. The dates and everything, they all indicate that this was sent to me even before the election for the headmaster began."
Sean had to contort his expression to contain his frustration.
'Then it wasn't a coincidence that she was looking at Elric at that time? What? Where on earth did the information leak out? And what on earth is she thinking?'
At this level, it was definitely not the level of simply nurturing talent or prospecting for successors. It was nothing short of explicit implication of support from top to bottom.
Of course, under these circumstances, one could hardly avoid having their nose tightly pressed against the grindstone right after graduation.
‘What are these additional conditions at the end?’
-No obligation for repayment or compulsory allocation regarding the aforementioned conditions.
The support came with the assurance that even if Elric were to later disavow it and feign ignorance, no legal consequences would be pursued against him.
Of course, this would undoubtedly leave him with no footing in academia... But would Elric, who had ousted even the headmaster, really care about such matters?
The problem was that Tasha couldn't have known Elric's personality.
And similarly, Tasha is not the type of person to ever take a loss.
There was definitely something going on.
‘What's her angle?’ Sean pondered.
Judging from the seal on the envelope, it is clear that she moved independently from their father.
At a time when Sean's mind was becoming complicated.
Elric couldn't help but be intrigued by the proposal, which contained only the things he needed, as if it had been taken directly from his head.
It indicated a great deal of consideration for both him and his circumstances.
‘Firebird Witch, one of three stars... Would I be able to meet and discuss things with her once I arrive?’
It was rumored that Tasha had already gained independence not only from her family but also from the sect, leading her own organization.
What did they say?
‘Firebird's Nest? Well, I thought it was that kind of name anyway. Is she trying to scout me?'
With such good opportunities laid out before him, there was no reason to refuse.
Just as his curiosity about the Nerester family filled his mind, they arrived at their destination, "Hill of Fog."
Finally, they had reached their destination.
* * *
"Wow! Wow! I've been fooled!"
"What do you mean, fooled?"
"You, buddy! I knew you were living well, but... If I had known it would be this bad, I would have bought it with a straw! I was too timid!"
Upon seeing Hill of Fog located at the northeast corner of the Imperial Capital, Elric let out a light exclamation of admiration.
His friend's ancestral home was impressive, to say the least.
No, could it even be simply defined as "impressive"?
It seemed more fitting to call it a "residential area."
Eight large and small hills rose along the ridge, each adorned with clusters of buildings with various functions. Grid-like roads led to a massive triple-layered castle.
And that wasn't all.
The magic circles carved into the castle walls were all exceptional, intricately woven yet seamlessly coordinated.
Barriers, summoning circles, constructions... Not a single detail lacked careful calculation.
‘So, this is Nerester’s main house…’
For a long time, this castle had supported the Magic Tower as one of the hexagram. Even amidst Melvinger's downfall, one side of the imposing gate stood tall, sending shivers down one's spine involuntarily.
Elric swallowed dryly.
‘I must surpass this place someday.’
And with that thought,
A faint smile crept onto his lips.
The walls were so vast that instead of feeling intimidated, it ignited a blazing fire of ambition in his chest.
『Hoho.』
Likewise, Mephisto wore an expression of keen interest as he surveyed the Hill of Fog.
『It seems I may need to reassess the evaluation of the magic civilization of this era. This holds the potential to pique the interest of this king.』
Sean sighed.
"Enough with the unnecessary chatter. We have to go to the deep place where my father is, so follow me carefully. Even the slightest misstep could lead to trouble."
As a place where the pinnacle of magic knowledge of the era was gathered, Sean knew that traps unknown to him could be triggered. So, outsiders had to be careful.
Nodding in understanding, Elric followed behind Sean. Passing through the scrutiny of the guards and signing in the guestbook, the main gate opened.
And the whole time Elric walked while being guided and watched by the soldiers.
Elric alternated between silent admiration and contemplation.
He was already opening his mind's eye and seeing a lot of things, but after gaining the dragon's knowledge, he was able to see much more things inside out.
The streams of magic flowed like mighty rivers.
Some currents were intense.
Some were gentle.
Some were sharp, while others were thick and painful.
There are so many different types of magic that they have no common characteristics.
All of them seemed to be of high caliber, undoubtedly exceptional, yet it made Elric wonder if this was truly the magic of the Nerester family.
But at some point, Elric was able to find common ground between these magic spells.
Once he began to observe the world not with a microscopic gaze but with a macroscopic perspective, everything changed completely.
‘Wind.’
Some were strong winds, while others were gentle breezes.
Cold wind, hot wind, spring wind, autumn wind... and even typhoons and storms. He felt that one could get into serious trouble if they stepped into a whirlwind.
It was fun to observe them, so at some point, Elric began to listen to what Sean was saying.
He might have heard there were not only members of the family but also eccentric elders and various guests who could be considered oddballs so it would be better to avoid attracting attention…… However, he couldn't recall exactly.
At some point, he hadn't heard Mephisto's voice chirping away either.
He didn't know it, but at some point, the people around him were being eliminated one by one.
The fog gradually closed in from all directions. The castle was erased, the road was erased, the people were erased, and in the end, his vision was erased.
And then.
[Interesting sight, isn't it?]
Elric's attention snapped to the voice that suddenly struck his ears.
And only then did he realize the changed surroundings.
‘Where am I...?’
[Oh, I see. Do you know what you are looking at? Or are you looking without knowing what it is?]
It was the calm and warm voice of an old man.
‘Someone is watching me!’
Elric felt a shiver down his spine.
It seemed like he was distracted and caught up in a magic circle full of illusions.
The problem was that the person who had caught him seemed to have sensed that he was using Mind’s eye.
Unauthorized peering into someone else's magic without prior consent or permission was a serious offense.
However, now that he had been caught, he couldn't do anything about it.
It was as if his hands were tied.
He had become accustomed to opening his Mind’s eye because no one would notice even if he opened his mind's eye even when fighting.
It seemed that he had become arrogant without realizing it, riding high on his success for a while.
‘Where the hell did that damn demon go? He acts all high and mighty, and then...!’
Elric quickly racked his brains, wondering what to do now that Mephisto was nowhere to be seen.
Judging by the fact that his opponent had been observing him without taking any action, it was clear that they were a powerful magician capable of handling at least 7-circles of magic with ease.
It was clear that they were interested in Elric as they were only observing him without punishing him.
[It's clear that your resolve is as firm and strong as a stake, and you are definitely on the right path... But perhaps because there's no one guiding you on that path, the sound of the pebbles rolling in your mind echoes loudly.]
Elric stood stiffly. It seemed that his thoughts were being read as well.
[Didn’t this old man ask? Child, do you know what you are looking at? Or are you looking without knowing what it is?]
Elric slowly opened his mouth after a brief moment of contemplation.
In fact, "The Hero of Lacente" was nothing more than mere entertainment for the people of Imperial Capital.
Isn't Imperial Capital the gathering place for all the powerful and wealthy people of the continent?
Naturally, there were so many famous figures since childhood, and there were just as many promising newcomers.
‘But with titles like 'Magic Royal Family' and 'Radiant Star Duke' attached, things change.’
In the public eye, phrases like "The comeback of Melvinger family" or "The Return of the New Radiant Star Duke" were already circulating.
Of course, these were just exaggerated claims by the gossipers. But the central political world seemed to be watching Elric's actions without making any significant moves yet.
Still, from the perspective of citizens who cherished the memory of Usdun Melvinger, expectations were bound to be high.
The swarm of reporters gathered in front of the hospital to cover Elric was evidence enough.
And now, the various proposals and invitations laid out before Elric were further proof.
"'After hearing about Melvinger's unfortunate situation, we would like to provide support' from the Northern Merchant Union, 'We wish to contribute to the prestige of the Magic Royal Family,' from the Rhine River Association... Oh, even an invitation from Marquis René? I heard their hostess is quite proud and arrogant, so they must be quite curious about you?"
Sean chuckled as he casually scanned through the documents.
They all came in to try to tie Elric down in some way.
His friend, who had been ignored until now, was finally starting to gain recognition from people around the world.
Naturally, Sean couldn't help but feel pleased, as if it were his own accomplishment.
“But why is your expression so rotten? These are all the things you wanted, aren't they?"
However, Sean tilted his head when Elric was looking at the documents with a sullen expression.
"Despite so many offers, there's nothing worthwhile."
"Why do you say that? You got contacted by three of the top five companies, after all."
"They were just testing the waters, weren't they? There's nothing that seems genuinely beneficial to me. It's just unnecessary debt to get tangled up in. Besides, I’m not really in need of money anymore.”
Tuition was promised to be covered by the new headmaster with a full scholarship, and once the excavation began in earnest, there would be more than enough to cover living expenses.
No, there might even be an overflow.
Each item inside was worth the effort.
"Hehe."
Elric frowned as Sean suddenly started chuckling (?).
"Why are you laughing?"
"Wow, Elric, you've really grown up, haven't you?"
"What?"
"I remember just the other day you couldn't even afford to buy soup, so you had to resort to going to the basement student cafeteria."
"Don't bring that up. Anyway, if there's anything halfway decent among these... Ah, here it is."
"Hmm?"
Sean looked at the documents Elric pulled out from underneath and tilted his head.
From the looks of it, it seemed like an early proposal that had been buried below.
Even though it was clearly the first time seeing it, the envelope seemed strangely familiar.
The emblem of the plum blossom symbolizes the Nerester family.
And a red crescent moon surrounds it.
"Hey! That's...!"
Sean jumped up from his seat, but Elric was already whistling as he pulled out the documents from the envelope.
“A proposal for scholarship support and technical partnership for the Department of Elemental Studies where I am studying, as well as the offer of a first-class magical library access and the authority to open a personal experimental laboratory... Phew. If I accept all of this, I might suffocate, you know?"
Elric grinned and looked at Sean, who was stiff.
"This was sent by your sister, right?"
"The damned old hag, seriously!"
"It was right at the bottom. The dates and everything, they all indicate that this was sent to me even before the election for the headmaster began."
Sean had to contort his expression to contain his frustration.
'Then it wasn't a coincidence that she was looking at Elric at that time? What? Where on earth did the information leak out? And what on earth is she thinking?'
At this level, it was definitely not the level of simply nurturing talent or prospecting for successors. It was nothing short of explicit implication of support from top to bottom.
Of course, under these circumstances, one could hardly avoid having their nose tightly pressed against the grindstone right after graduation.
‘What are these additional conditions at the end?’
-No obligation for repayment or compulsory allocation regarding the aforementioned conditions.
The support came with the assurance that even if Elric were to later disavow it and feign ignorance, no legal consequences would be pursued against him.
Of course, this would undoubtedly leave him with no footing in academia... But would Elric, who had ousted even the headmaster, really care about such matters?
The problem was that Tasha couldn't have known Elric's personality.
And similarly, Tasha is not the type of person to ever take a loss.
There was definitely something going on.
‘What's her angle?’ Sean pondered.
Judging from the seal on the envelope, it is clear that she moved independently from their father.
At a time when Sean's mind was becoming complicated.
Elric couldn't help but be intrigued by the proposal, which contained only the things he needed, as if it had been taken directly from his head.
It indicated a great deal of consideration for both him and his circumstances.
‘Firebird Witch, one of three stars... Would I be able to meet and discuss things with her once I arrive?’
It was rumored that Tasha had already gained independence not only from her family but also from the sect, leading her own organization.
What did they say?
‘Firebird's Nest? Well, I thought it was that kind of name anyway. Is she trying to scout me?'
With such good opportunities laid out before him, there was no reason to refuse.
Just as his curiosity about the Nerester family filled his mind, they arrived at their destination, "Hill of Fog."
Finally, they had reached their destination.
* * *
"Wow! Wow! I've been fooled!"
"What do you mean, fooled?"
"You, buddy! I knew you were living well, but... If I had known it would be this bad, I would have bought it with a straw! I was too timid!"
Upon seeing Hill of Fog located at the northeast corner of the Imperial Capital, Elric let out a light exclamation of admiration.
His friend's ancestral home was impressive, to say the least.
No, could it even be simply defined as "impressive"?
It seemed more fitting to call it a "residential area."
Eight large and small hills rose along the ridge, each adorned with clusters of buildings with various functions. Grid-like roads led to a massive triple-layered castle.
And that wasn't all.
The magic circles carved into the castle walls were all exceptional, intricately woven yet seamlessly coordinated.
Barriers, summoning circles, constructions... Not a single detail lacked careful calculation.
‘So, this is Nerester’s main house…’
For a long time, this castle had supported the Magic Tower as one of the hexagram. Even amidst Melvinger's downfall, one side of the imposing gate stood tall, sending shivers down one's spine involuntarily.
Elric swallowed dryly.
‘I must surpass this place someday.’
And with that thought,
A faint smile crept onto his lips.
The walls were so vast that instead of feeling intimidated, it ignited a blazing fire of ambition in his chest.
『Hoho.』
Likewise, Mephisto wore an expression of keen interest as he surveyed the Hill of Fog.
『It seems I may need to reassess the evaluation of the magic civilization of this era. This holds the potential to pique the interest of this king.』
Sean sighed.
"Enough with the unnecessary chatter. We have to go to the deep place where my father is, so follow me carefully. Even the slightest misstep could lead to trouble."
As a place where the pinnacle of magic knowledge of the era was gathered, Sean knew that traps unknown to him could be triggered. So, outsiders had to be careful.
Nodding in understanding, Elric followed behind Sean. Passing through the scrutiny of the guards and signing in the guestbook, the main gate opened.
And the whole time Elric walked while being guided and watched by the soldiers.
Elric alternated between silent admiration and contemplation.
He was already opening his mind's eye and seeing a lot of things, but after gaining the dragon's knowledge, he was able to see much more things inside out.
The streams of magic flowed like mighty rivers.
Some currents were intense.
Some were gentle.
Some were sharp, while others were thick and painful.
There are so many different types of magic that they have no common characteristics.
All of them seemed to be of high caliber, undoubtedly exceptional, yet it made Elric wonder if this was truly the magic of the Nerester family.
But at some point, Elric was able to find common ground between these magic spells.
Once he began to observe the world not with a microscopic gaze but with a macroscopic perspective, everything changed completely.
‘Wind.’
Some were strong winds, while others were gentle breezes.
Cold wind, hot wind, spring wind, autumn wind... and even typhoons and storms. He felt that one could get into serious trouble if they stepped into a whirlwind.
It was fun to observe them, so at some point, Elric began to listen to what Sean was saying.
He might have heard there were not only members of the family but also eccentric elders and various guests who could be considered oddballs so it would be better to avoid attracting attention…… However, he couldn't recall exactly.
At some point, he hadn't heard Mephisto's voice chirping away either.
He didn't know it, but at some point, the people around him were being eliminated one by one.
The fog gradually closed in from all directions. The castle was erased, the road was erased, the people were erased, and in the end, his vision was erased.
And then.
[Interesting sight, isn't it?]
Elric's attention snapped to the voice that suddenly struck his ears.
And only then did he realize the changed surroundings.
‘Where am I...?’
[Oh, I see. Do you know what you are looking at? Or are you looking without knowing what it is?]
It was the calm and warm voice of an old man.
‘Someone is watching me!’
Elric felt a shiver down his spine.
It seemed like he was distracted and caught up in a magic circle full of illusions.
The problem was that the person who had caught him seemed to have sensed that he was using Mind’s eye.
Unauthorized peering into someone else's magic without prior consent or permission was a serious offense.
However, now that he had been caught, he couldn't do anything about it.
It was as if his hands were tied.
He had become accustomed to opening his Mind’s eye because no one would notice even if he opened his mind's eye even when fighting.
It seemed that he had become arrogant without realizing it, riding high on his success for a while.
‘Where the hell did that damn demon go? He acts all high and mighty, and then...!’
Elric quickly racked his brains, wondering what to do now that Mephisto was nowhere to be seen.
Judging by the fact that his opponent had been observing him without taking any action, it was clear that they were a powerful magician capable of handling at least 7-circles of magic with ease.
It was clear that they were interested in Elric as they were only observing him without punishing him.
[It's clear that your resolve is as firm and strong as a stake, and you are definitely on the right path... But perhaps because there's no one guiding you on that path, the sound of the pebbles rolling in your mind echoes loudly.]
Elric stood stiffly. It seemed that his thoughts were being read as well.
[Didn’t this old man ask? Child, do you know what you are looking at? Or are you looking without knowing what it is?]
Elric slowly opened his mouth after a brief moment of contemplation.
