Book 13 Chapter 36
Episode 20
The audience, who had been bewildered by the disorganized progression, finally began to pour out applause for the historic accomplishment of a young boy passing the imperial examination (少年登科).
“……That's incredible!”
“……What was that just now? Why did Serman attack and Serman collapse?”
“……I don't know, everyone just says it's awesome, so you say it's awesome too! Don't ruin the mood!”
Lin couldn't even enjoy it.
Because Atlante, who had frantically burst into the examination hall, snatched the boy's wrist and dragged him out into the corridor leading to the Great Sage's garden.
“I told you, power is never something to be used recklessly!”
Never, not once until now, had she ever hit Lin. How could she hit a child more precious and beloved than anything else in this world?
However…….
It had to be this way. She had to do it. Because if she missed this moment, she believed this child would go somewhere she could never reach.
“I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Lin, holding his reddened, swollen cheek, looked up at Atlante defiantly.
It hurt. As if her chest was tearing apart.
Seeing those eyes, wet with tears of injustice, it felt as if her entire body was crumbling. It was Atlante herself who had clearly struck him, yet the one who struck him felt more pain.
“That guy insulted the Dean and the faction.”
“If someone insults you, if they humiliate you, can you just crush and kill them with that power? Did I teach you that? Did I ever act that way, even once?”
Lin, who had been about to argue defiantly, wore a speechless expression.
“Lin, about power, you see? You must never use it that way. Power is highly addictive; once you start using it violently, you become intoxicated by it. After that, you'll abuse it, coming up with all sorts of excuses……”
The reason Lin was speechless was because of Atlante's tears.
The northern twilight, brushing past the corridor pillars, was cool even in this summer.
It was because of Atlante's tears, faintly shimmering in that cool sunlight. Atlante hugged Lin tightly.
“Your power, that innate talent of yours, is not meant to harm someone like you just did, but to protect and care for others, a gift from the master of magic – I've always told you that, haven't I……”
Just as Lin blinked his eyes at the Dean's tears, who was weeping, trembling all over, Ken Serman appeared from the other side of the corridor.
His expression was filled with towering fury, but as his eyes met Lin's, perhaps due to the ingrained hierarchy of power, his striding footsteps faltered slightly.
However, he had status. Human society is influenced not only by sheer power but also by status.
“You bastard, a commoner from a minor faction dares to do something like that to me? I've memorized everything. I will report everything you did to me today to the magical academia. So you can never set foot in this field again.”
“I apologize, Young Master Serman. This child is still young……! I will make sure to educate him properly, so please, I beg for your leniency……”
“Shut up! You can't even manage one disciple properly or teach manners, and you call yourself a Dean? I am from the Serman family. Right above me is the Count Blado family. Our influence is completely different from minor factions like yours. I'll make you crawl in the shadows for the rest of your life.”
Atlante apologized so profusely her back bent, but his attitude was utterly unacceptable to Lin.
Should I kill him?
No, that's too easy.
Let's make him half a cripple.
A momentary death is not enough. He decided to grant him a life more painful than death itself.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz……!
A surge of explosive magical power emanated from Lin, at that very moment, as the magic took shape and was about to act as a force to instantly kill Ken.
Ken also unleashed his magical power.
At that moment, an overwhelming toxic energy enveloped the corridor and surged towards Lin and Atlante.
……Hum!
Instantly, the bodies of the two mages were trapped inside a kind of soap bubble. Along with the magical power they had emitted, imbued with murderous intent.
This was Sealing Magic (封印術).
It was a secret magic passed down through the Page family, the lineage of the Great Sage, researched and left behind by the Great Sage Emitsa to seal something that was not human.
‘What the…… Once I'm trapped, I can't use my magic.’
Beneath his anger, Lin felt joy at having directly witnessed and experienced this mysterious magic, which he had only encountered in books. For the [Strongest Mage], experience was power.
“Ken Serman, if things stay like this, it's you who will have to crawl in the shadows for the rest of your life.”
At that moment, the person who saved Ken Serman's life appeared.
It was Ulan Page.
He was leaning against a pillar in this corridor, having arrived nobody knew when. From his fingertips, afterimages of magic shimmered.
The Page family is called 'Drawing Mages' due to the unique nature of their secret magic.
Because they inherited the Great Sage Emitsa's method of manifesting magic by drawing runes in the air with their fingertips.
“L-Lord Leader……!”
For the first time, an expression of dismay appeared on Ken Serman's face.
“How can I place you in a position to lead mages, when you ignore minor factions, despise those of low status, and disdain their faction and its Dean?”
“No, that's……!”
“And you were insulting the Osarius faction…… Osarius was a close friend of Lyuken Ludwig, one of the Five Great Mages, during his lifetime. Therefore, you have just insulted the Count Ludwig family.”
The Ludwig family is also a member of the Five Great Magical Houses. Famous as 'Thieving Mages', they were the rulers of the central empire.
“May I convey your words to the Ludwig family? If I do, a dispute will arise between the Ludwig family and the Blado family, and it appears that your family will suffer the consequences.”
Ken Serman instinctively realized that he had no more cards to play. He was cornered.
“You may leave now. If you don't wish to face my wrath. Your fate will be decided in conjunction with your Glados (4-star) colleagues. Ah, and from now on, you will never be eligible to participate in the Glados (4-star) examination. Be aware of that.”