“What should I do from now on?”
After returning, Christian pondered.
The goal was set.
To rise to the top of the Magic Empire and achieve both glory and world salvation simultaneously.
How to achieve that?
“I need to first get my hands on this Dark Magus family.”
Fortunately, the family he was born into, Dark Magus, was one of the twelve pillars that supported the Magic Empire.
If he could have the Dark Magus family under his control, he would be closer to his goal.
“The problem is not that I’m an outsider, but I belong to the branch bloodline family.”
His name was “Christian van Balran Kazar.”
Coincidentally, it was similar to his original name, Christian.
But what mattered was the middle name.
“Van,” meaning the branch bloodline.
In other words, he was the son of the “Count Kazar,” a branch bloodline family of the “Balran Ducal House,” the Main family of the Dark Magus.
“But it doesn’t matter. The Magic Empire recognizes succession rights even if it was from a branch bloodline family.”
Even if he was from a branch bloodline family, it was possible to inherit the main family.
Of course, there were conditions.
– If he had the ability.
To put it more plainly,
– If he was overwhelmingly talented enough to trample over the main bloodline.
In other words, he had to demonstrate abilities far superior to countless contenders from the main bloodline.
One fortunate thing was that the Magic Empire was strict on meritocracy.
Those crazy about power.
That was the Magic Empire.
Just become stronger.
“For now, I need to break free from being a waste.”
With that in mind, he went to find his father.
The Count Kazar.
He was the head of the Kazar family.
“What is it?”
His father, Count Kazar, greeted him.
A sinister aura emanated from him.
‘A high-ranking mage of 6-Star.’
Even in his previous life, he could consider his father as an extraordinary individual rarely seen.
His father’s eyes were full of contempt.
Naturally.
‘I was just a waste in his eyes.’
More precisely, the owner of this body he inhabited was the waste.
He sighed, but it was something he had to overcome.
“How dare you show your face here without shame, just a few days after causing trouble? Didn’t I tell you to reflect? Or did you cause another trouble?”
“…It’s not like that.”
“Then? If you’re here to make empty apologies, get out. I feel like cutting your throat right now.”
His father, Count Kazar, seemed to have no desire to talk with his son.
Knowing about that, Christian immediately spoke.
“I’ve come to apologize for the mistakes I’ve made.”
“…What?”
“I apologize for all the mistakes I’ve made.”
Christian bowed his head as he spoke.
For a moment, Count Kazar stiffened.
Then he erupted in anger like a blazing fire.
“You, saying that now! After causing such terrible trouble! What? An apology? Are you mocking me?”
He could see that the Count was anger deep down to his bones.
It was the reaction he expected.
Christian calmly continued to speak.
“I understand if you don’t believe me.”
‘I’ve lost part of my memories since I inherited this body.’
“So I’ve been able to objectively think about my mistakes and deeply reflect on them.”
“…”
“I’ll say it again. I’m sorry.”
Count Kazar stared at Christian with a piercing gaze.
Naturally, it was full of distrust and anger.
Christian didn’t expect a simple apology to win his father over.
This apology had a different intention.
It was groundwork.
“Apologizing alone wouldn’t mean anything. I will reflect on the mistakes I’ve made. Please send me to the Punishment Dungeon.”
“!!”
“The period will be one month. I’ll reflect on my mistakes and then come out.”
Count Kazar’s face showed a different reaction for the first time.
“Do you know what the Punishment Dungeon is?”
“Yes.”
Christian was well aware of how does the Mages lives.
There was a mage among the hero’s party.
Exactly, the “Gossip of Darkness.”
As her nickname implied, she endlessly chattered about the world of mages, including stories about the Punishment Dungeon.
‘I knew about the Punishment Dungeon from her.’
It was a place where high-ranking mages received punishment when they committed a crime, and all senses were blocked without a single ray of light.
It was a place where even a few days would leave one’s mind in shambles when they came out.
However for Christian…
‘…It’s the place I need most right now. I need a place where I can be alone, away from others’ eyes for a while.’
Count Kazar smirked.
“Do you think you can last even half a day there? It’s a challenging place, but I think I have to endure it.”
“It’s difficult, I know. But I think I have to endure it.”
“Have to endure it?”
“Yes, because I think only then can I change.”
“!!”
Christian looked straight into Count Kazar’s eyes.
“From now on, I won’t live like this anymore. I’ll change.”
“…”
Did he sense something different in his son’s demeanor?
Count Kazar closed his mouth.
“Change? You?”
“Yes, definitely.”
But Count Kazar let out a bitter laugh.
“How many times have you told me that? Every time you have caused trouble, you said the same thing. That you’ll change. That I should just stand by and watch. I can even remember the times you have said it. And each time, you’ve only given me great disappointment.”
“…”
“Anyway, fine. I’ll open the family’s Punishment Dungeon for you. Even if you plead inside, the door won’t open until a month has passed. If you can’t endure it, you might as well die inside.”
It’s better to die.
Although his father’s words to his son were harsh, considering that this was the Magic Empire, Count Kazar’s reaction was quite ‘mild.’
“Understood.”
“And there’s one more thing.”
Count Kazar glared at Christian with a sharp gaze.
“This is the last time I’ll turn a blind eye to your foolishness. If, as you say, you don’t change, I’ll disown you from the family.”
Disown.
That means death.
His sins are so numerous that it won’t be just one punishment awaiting him.
The moment the family’s protection disappears, he will be torn to pieces and die.
“Understood. Instead, if I change as promised, please grant me one favor I ask.”
“A favor?”
Count Kazar’s face showed astonishment.
Then he spoke sharply.
“Fine, I agree. I’ll grant any favor as long as you change. But remember, if you disappoint me again, I won’t just spread rumors about you; I’ll throw you into a lion’s den while you’re still alive.”
Count Kazar spat out coldly.
With that, the conversation with his father ended, and Christian prepared to enter the Punishment Dungeon.
The family’s servants murmured quietly so that Christian couldn’t hear them.
“They said the troublemaker is going to the Punishment Dungeon?”
“What kind of scheme is he planning this time?”
“Well, considering how serious the recent incident was, maybe he’s trying to avoid the Count’s wrath for a while?”
“Yeah, he insulted the heir of the Grim Magus family. That too, a legitimate direct descendant.”
Grim Magus.
Like the Dark Magus, it was one of the twelve pillars supporting the Magic Empire.
Even though he was a bastard, insulting an heir in such a place.
He must have been out of his mind to do such a crazy thing.
“I heard the Count personally apologized to the Grim Magus in order to smoothen that troublemaker’s mistake.”
“Huh, the Count is truly not like a nobleman. If it were my son, I would have cut off at least an arm or a leg.”
“I heard that even the high-ranking members of our family were extremely angry about what that bastard did this time. He embarrassed us in front of our rivals, the Grim Magus.”
“So, that bastard is probably trying to go to the Punishment Dungeon to avoid punishment. Of course, even if he goes, he won’t last long.”
The servants smirked.
“How long do you think he’ll last?”
“At most two days?”
“I’ll give him a day.”
“I say half a day.”
The family members made bets on how long Christian would last in the Punishment Dungeon.
The longest bet was two days.
Most people expected Christian to beg for mercy within half a day, or even a few hours, crying to be spared.
While others chattered and speculated, Christian diligently prepared to enter the Punishment Dungeon.
“Alright. Ready.”
He admired the luggage he had prepared with a face full of admiration.
“It’s good to be from a prestigious family. It’s so easy to get the essentials. And they’re even categorized.”
Just talking about it, the people below brought exactly what he needed.
It was something unimaginable in his previous life.
“Isn’t this artifact really rare? I had to go through a lot of trouble with the hero to get it.”
Christian licked his lips and stood up from his seat.
He headed straight for the Punishment Dungeon.
A summoned Death Knight guarded the entrance to the Punishment Dungeon.
“To use a Death Knight as a guard. Impressive, very much like the Magic Empire. It won’t move on its own, right?”
Christian looked at the Death Knight with a puzzled look.
Fortunately, the Death Knight didn’t move at all.
Relieved, he was about to enter the Punishment Dungeon when an unexpected voice stopped him.
“Brother.”
When he turned his gaze, a boy who looked just like him was looking at him.
It was a familiar face.
Christian called out the name of the person in front.
“Theren.”
Theren Van Balren Kazar.
As the name suggests, he was his younger brother.
A model student unlike the waste he was.
And…
‘That’s the guy who will play a crucial role in killing this body in two years.’
The mage of the Hero’s Party in his previous life, the “Gossip of Darkness,” had told all sorts of stories about the events in the Magic Empire, including stories about Christian, the body he was in now.
She told him about what kind of troublemaker Christian was and how he eventually met a miserable end, and at the center of it all was Theren, who was standing before him.
“What’s the matter?”
Although it was about the future, thinking that he would be the one to kill his body, he didn’t speak politely.
After all, it didn’t seem like they had a good relationship.
Isn’t he here to pick a fight?
“I came to warn you.”
“!!”
Theren’s disdainful red pupils were fixed on Christian.
“I know well that you are a disgrace to the family, brother. I don’t know what other schemes you’re up to.”
Swish!
A sinister blade settled on Christian’s neck.
“If you tarnish the honor of the family again, I swear, I will kill you myself.”
“……”
Christian rolled his eyes briefly.
The skin touched by the blade stung, and blood trickled down.
‘It hurts, damn it.’
Christian swallowed the curse.
Rather than being scared of such a threat, he was annoyed.
‘How many times have I been through hell and back? Am I weak to be scared of a threat like that?’
Christian had experienced all sorts of things and achieved numerous accomplishments during the era of destruction.
Naturally, he had no room to feel threatened by such a threat.
“Move.”
“…What?”
“I said move.”
***
There is a Glossary/Characters/Settings page for this novel!
So when you forget some settings while reading, you are able to look for it.
There is also a description on why the Family is called Dark Magus even though the surname is Kazar and etc. Just go in the Index page of the Novel of this website.
