Melin made a face of disbelief.
He was essentially asking her to swear loyalty.
It was an absurd request for just one duel, especially one where powers were limited.
Moreover, hadn’t she already sworn loyalty to the main house of the Dark Magus family?
Her ‘Master’ was the Duke Nordian, the head of the Dark Magus family and a mage of the 8-star of Absolute Dominion.
“You realize that’s an impossible condition?”
“Well, I don’t think so,” Christian shrugged.
“If I were to become a ‘Prince’ of the Dark Magus family, it wouldn’t be impossible for you to follow me.”
Prince.
This referred to those within the Dark Magus lineage who were acknowledged as heirs to the succession.
Currently, there were five of them, each building their own factions within the family to vie for succession.
Naturally, all five were legitimate heirs, and there were none from any branch family.
“You, from any branch family, becoming a Prince? That’s impossible.”
“Do you really think it’s impossible?”
“!!”
Christian smirked, lowering his voice slightly.
“I think it’s possible.”
Melin, unknowingly, swallowed hard.
Something about the atmosphere had changed.
There was a tingling tension.
A heavy air.
Melin muttered under her breath, trying to identify the energy emanating from Christian.
“Charisma.”
Melin made a face as if to say it was unbelievable.
She knew things had changed.
The person before her was no longer the old scoundrel.
But Charisma?
This wasn’t just a matter of talent.
Charisma required a certain stature, something earned.
Yet the young man before her had no such qualifications.
Could it be innate?
Melin’s eyes fluttered nervously.
Sometimes such beings exist.
Born to rule over others from birth. Natural-born leaders.
Such individuals naturally acquire an intimidating Charisma as they grow.
“What in the world?”
Melin was confounded and astonished.
Meanwhile, Christian shrugged internally, watching her reaction.
“What a joke. My experiences are unlike any other.”
Vice Captain Melin.
Although she looked young due to magic suppressing her aging, she must be close to forty.
In a previous life, she would have been older than Christian.
However, Christian had experienced ten years of the Great War.
He had lived through countless events until the fall of the Realm of Light, Crusade Union, to the Magic Empire, accumulating numerous achievements.
Even before joining the hero’s party, he had briefly led a large group due to his exceptional abilities.
So, it was not out of reach for him to exert a pressure that could overwhelm Vice Captain Melin.
Christian thought Melin was almost persuaded and decided to drive the point home.
“Of course, I know it’s not an easy decision to make. It’s not something to be decided by a duel with restricted powers. So, let’s do this.”
“…What are you suggesting?”
“Let’s have a duel in a month. But this time, without any restrictions, a proper duel.”
“!!”
Melin looked puzzled.
It was an incomprehensible proposition.
“Without restrictions, you have no chance of beating me.”
“That’s true.”
Christian didn’t deny it.
Even for a genius like him, it was impossible to beat a 4-star mage in just a month.
‘It took me three years to reach 4-star in my previous life.’
The levels, represented by ‘star,’ become exponentially more challenging to achieve as one ascends, and the gap in skills becomes drastically wider.
However…
“Sometimes, an egg can crack a rock.”
“!!”
“Please observe me for the next month.”
Christian looked straight into Melin’s eyes.
“Watch what I do in the next month, how I present myself, and ultimately how I change. Then decide if I am worthy of your loyalty.”
Melin was silent.
She was at a loss for words.
‘What can possibly be done in just a month?’
A month was a very short time.
Even for a genius, there were limits imposed by time.
That was common sense.
But.
“…I agree.”
Melin responded, although confuse to herself.
“…Let’s observe for a month.”
For some reason, she felt a premonition that this being before her could achieve the impossible.
Christian smiled slyly.
“I’ll make sure not to disappoint.”
* * *
‘Excellent!’
Back in his room, Christian inwardly celebrated. He had achieved everything he intended during the duel. He had displayed his strength, altering the knights’ perceptions and had understood how the ‘Mud Sword Technique’ was executed.
And most importantly.
‘I’ve succeeded in shaking Melin’s resolve.’
Melin was a crucial figure, distinct from others, being a mage from the main house of the Dark Magus family.
Christian intended to engulf not just the Kazar count’s estate but the entire Dark Magus faction, so turning her into an ally would be tremendously beneficial.
‘Apart from that, Melin is destined to become a very renowned mage.’
During the Great War, Melin had reached the level of a 6-star, high-ranking mage.
6-star.
A level known as ‘Master.’
Thus, he absolutely needed to make her his ally.
‘Of course, she’s not entirely won over yet, but a month should be sufficient.’
The month he had promised Melin.
During that time, he planned to accomplish several things.
‘First, the Black Marsh library.’
The Black Marsh library.
It was where the Kazar count’s estate stored its secret dark magics.
He went to see his father, Count Kazar.
“Here, this is a recommendation letter from Vice Captain Melin. I obtained it after winning a duel against her.”
“……”
His father, Count Kazar, looked perplexed.
It was understandable.
Amid considerations of disowning him, his son had completely transformed.
“…You won a duel against the knights of the Black Marsh?”
“Yes, their fundamentals were lacking, so I won. The Black Marsh Knights aren’t really all that. They need to focus more on their training.”
Count Kazar shook his head disapprovingly.
‘Not really all that.’
The individuals Christian had defeated were well-known to Count Kazar.
While not of the highest magical levels, they were certainly not the kind to be easily defeated. They were dedicated to their training and had solid fundamentals.
Moreover, among those his son had defeated was an unbelievable opponent.
Christian had defeated Vice Captain Melin.
‘Unbelievable.’
Even with restricted power, it was an impossible occurrence.
Even after hearing the news, he couldn’t believe it until Melin herself confirmed it.
She admitted she had lost.
And she added,
‘That boy, a genius?’
Furthermore, she added an adjective.
A talent unbelievable even when seen with one’s own eyes.
Count Kazar cast a skeptical look.
“Why do you look at me like that?”
“I recalled a rumor I recently heard about you.”
“The one about being a genius? It turns out I might really be one.”
“……”
His statement lacked any humility.
Count Kazar chuckled wryly.
‘It seems he hasn’t changed after all.’
Or maybe not.
While the impertinent attitude was the same, he was definitely different now.
Previously, Christian was like a bad-tempered puppy, too meek to even meet his father’s gaze.
But the son standing before him now was brazenly confident, as arrogantly proud as a wild beast if one were to make a comparison.
‘Am I crazy? To think of him as a beast?’
Count Kazar forced himself to think this way.
He had had many disappointments in the past and was trying to think negatively on purpose.
But…
‘…This time, he seems genuinely different.’
Count Kazar narrowed his eyes.
How long had it been since his son had pretended to change before?
A week, ten days, a fortnight?
Regardless of the duration, there was something fundamentally different this time.
Specifically, his gaze.
His son had never shown such a look before.
“…Here, the key to the library. You know that nothing from inside is to be taken outside, right?”
Christian nodded.
“Then I will take my leave.”
“…Go ahead.”
As he was about to close the door, a hesitant voice came from behind him.
“Can I trust you this time?”
Christian turned his head to look at ‘Father’.
He saw Count Kazar’s pupils trembling faintly.
It was paternal affection.
‘Even demons have familial love.’
Their values may differ, but demons are human all the same.
‘Perhaps he’s much better than my real father ever was.’
Christian recalled his previous life, where his ‘real father’ at home had abused him, despite being highly respected outside.
His real father was trash in reality.
Until he escaped the family, he had to endure a hellish childhood because of ‘Father’.
Compared to that trash, even though a demon, Count Kazar was much more of a fatherly figure.
That was why.
This thought occurred to him.
“Expect something.”
Christian lifted the corners of his mouth.
“I’ll surprise you.”
He wanted to see his eyes widen in astonishment.
* * *
He headed to the Black Marsh Library.
The librarian ‘Banshee’ greeted him.
[Ohoho… Sir… please… come in…]
Christian made a grimace.
‘Why on earth is the librarian a Banshee?’
And this Banshee was his maid!
“Weren’t you my maid? Since when did you also become a librarian?”
[Uh… well… perhaps… that’s… your possessiveness? My heart… flutters…]
“…Shut up.”
[Even your harsh words… are too… thrilling.]
“…….”
Banshee chuckled.
It turned out that Banshee had always been the guardian and librarian here.
But then, Count Kazar had her serve Christian as well, as a punishment for his frequent misbehavior.
[If… Sir wishes… to possess me… I will serve… only you… beside you… Ohoho…]
“No, that’s enough. Go back.”
[Just imagining being possessed by you… makes my heart beat… thump thump…]
Christian made a disgusted face.
‘Once I shed my notorious reputation, I’ll hire new servants first. Definitely pure humans! I hate vampires and banshee! The life of a well-born heir I dreamed of wasn’t supposed to be like this!’
Before returning, he had imagined it.
As a member of a noble family, he would enjoy the luxury of having others take care of everything, without needing to lift a finger.
It was somewhat similar now.
The problem was that a ghost was doing it.
Every morning, some eerie whisper, whether a curse or something else, served as his wake-up call, and poltergeist phenomena served his meals, while a chilling ghostly touch helped him change clothes.
Even that ghost tried to help him bathe. He barely refused.
This was not the luxury life of a golden spoon he had desired.
‘The ghost might be pretty, but that just makes it even more annoying!’
