The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 13

“Ild.”

“What is it?”

“I will not go to the capital.”

“You won’t go to the capital?”

“I want to stay here.”

It’s said that when you look at someone’s face while talking, you can tell what they’re thinking. However, most people can only discern the other person’s emotions, not their specific thoughts. But right now, I felt like I knew what Ild was thinking.

Did I hear wrong?

Did he eat something wrong?

Did he sacrifice his intelligence to raise his circle [magical power level]?

He must be filled with thoughts of disbelief. And that’s probably what most people who heard this conversation would think.

Everyone wants to escape this place, but I’m refusing an offer from the Magic Tower to be escorted to the capital, which isn’t even illegal. To others, it must seem incredibly foolish. But even though it was a short time, it wasn’t a rash decision. Rather, it was a decision I made after careful consideration.

“No, why? Think carefully. You must seize opportunities when you can. Once you miss an opportunity and regret it, it won’t come again.”

“I’ve thought and worried enough to make this decision.”

“You don’t have to worry about threats to your life anymore. You’ll be able to receive higher-level teachings. They’re clearing the path ahead of you without any obstacles, so I don’t understand why you don’t want to go.”

Ild’s words were mostly correct. But one thing that was wrong was the idea that there would be no obstacles in my path. At least, according to what I knew or had heard from senior mages, the Magic Tower wasn’t such a great place.

If I could describe the current Magic Tower in a single word, it would be ‘stagnant water.’ Stagnant water splashing mud to take even a little more of the limited resources. I didn’t think I could quietly focus on training when a variable like me fell into such a place. As someone without any background, I would surely be swayed this way and that according to the wishes of the higher-ups.

And it wouldn’t just be from above. I would suffer a lot from below as well. There are only two kinds of gazes directed at someone with outstanding talent: awe or envy. Moreover, the mages of the Magic Tower were people who had been revered by those around them. Would they readily accept a newcomer like me? I didn’t think so.

“I don’t think going to the Magic Tower will be more helpful to me.”

In comparison, this place, the Terra Barrier, is better. I may face threats to my life, but if I prepare thoroughly, I can endure it. Because my life is openly in danger, it might be easier to defend against. Moreover, I don’t have to suffer from envy in this place. I can’t say that everyone is like that, but there was no reason to envy each other.

At least once, they had all owed each other their lives. The fact that the people around them were getting stronger meant that their chances of survival were also higher, and thanks to that, information exchange was also active, like with Greece’s gun [a reference to advanced technology or information sharing].

In addition, some of the people who came to this place had come after being caught up in such political struggles, so it was difficult for such an atmosphere to arise.

Ild had been away from the Magic Tower for a long time and had become accustomed to the atmosphere here, so he couldn’t think of such things. Soon, he would realize that going to the Magic Tower was by no means a good choice. Of course, he would realize it through a conversation with me before that.

“Sigh. Yes, you’re right. It’s sad that I can’t tell you that such a thing won’t happen. A true mage should think about honing themselves and reaching a higher level, but how did they become more focused on pulling others down…? But know this.

Just because you don’t want to go doesn’t mean you can’t. As a mage with a position in the Magic Tower, you must follow the Tower Lord’s orders unless there is a special reason. The reasons you mentioned will never be accepted.”

Ild was right about this. There was no way they wouldn’t summon me just because I didn’t want to mingle with other mages. But there was a way around this too. The Tower Lord was like an emperor to the mages of the Empire, but he wasn’t the real emperor. If I didn’t want to accept the orders from above, I just had to persuade someone higher up.

“To achieve so much at such a young age, it reminds me of my younger days and makes me feel new.”

“You flatter me.”

“Yes. I heard from Ild. Even if the Magic Tower summons you, you want to stay here?”

But that wasn’t as easy as it sounded. The only person who could make the Tower Lord kneel was the Emperor, but there was no way I could have a one-on-one conversation with the Emperor right now.

If that were possible, I would have just gone to the Magic Tower. Even if they envied and resented me in a place I didn’t know, they would flatter me in front of me.

Even if they were aware of the Emperor’s feelings, they wouldn’t be able to touch me. But that was realistically impossible. So I found a detour. As long as I arrive in the capital, no matter how I go, wouldn’t that be enough?

“Yes. So I would like the Elder to help persuade them.”

“Hmm, your intention to stay here is commendable, but persuading the Tower Lord is impossible even for me. Once he’s set on something, he doesn’t back down easily, so I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can help you.”

“It’s okay. The person I want the Elder to help persuade isn’t the Tower Lord.”

The person who was close to the Emperor and had a position no less than the Tower Lord himself. Furthermore, the person who would benefit from me staying here. The person I wanted to persuade through Wonder was not the Tower Lord, but the commander of the Terra Barrier, Duke Zieg.

#

Wonder stared at the young man in front of him. Not even twenty years old yet. But he was also an outstanding mage who had reached the 4th Circle, which others could only reach after at least twenty years of training. When he first saw him, he was quite a talented mage, and he had heard several times that he was adapting quickly, but he had not expected him to cause such an accident.

‘He wants to stay here….’

Isn’t it interesting? A genius who has exceeded everyone’s expectations is about to do something that exceeds everyone’s expectations once again. The starting point is the current conversation.

‘Seeing him say this, he seems to know roughly how the Magic Tower is going, and if I use him well, it seems like it could help me return to the center [of power].’

Wonder is old. At the same time, he was also one of the elders of the Magic Tower. Nevertheless, the reason he came to the Terra Barrier, which could be said to be the most remote of the remote, was because he had become a loser in the political struggle within the Magic Tower.

If he had given up his position as an elder and gone down to his hometown, he might not have come to this place, but his high pride did not allow it. Like that, four years. He was enduring in this place with the sole determination to return to the center.

“Okay. As you said, I will help persuade His Excellency the Duke.”

“Thank you.”

“Instead, there is a condition.”

“A condition, you say?”

“Yes. Become my disciple. Then I will do my best to help you.”

#

‘Become a disciple?’

It’s not a bad story. No matter how much he was pushed to this place, Wonder is an elder of the Magic Tower and a 6th Circle mage. If he could receive teachings from him, he would be able to receive the high-quality teachings that he would have to give up by staying here. However, the problem was that it was not only goodwill that was felt in that proposal.

‘What should I do?’

Wonder’s help is not essential to persuade Duke Zieg. Meeting Duke Zieg himself was possible through Ild, and he was confident in persuading him.

However, it was only a matter of probability and trust. Wouldn’t Wonder’s words carry a little more weight than the words of a mere mage? How can I get the result I want and not become Wonder’s disciple at the same time… there is a way.

“Thank you for your words, but I don’t think I can accept the Elder’s wishes.”

“Why?”

Wonder asked in a slightly angry voice, as if he had never thought that I would reject his offer. Simply put, the elders of the Magic Tower were among the best in the Empire in terms of magic. Considering that countless promising students are trying to become their disciples, he may not have thought of the answer of rejection in the first place.

“I already have a teacher. No matter how much of an Elder you are, I can’t abandon my relationship with my teacher.”

“Hmm.”

He frowned as if he hadn’t thought of that point in my answer. As it is in any place, a teacher can abandon a disciple, but a disciple abandoning a teacher is impossible.

Now that I’ve said this, even if Wonder tries to make me his disciple by force, he won’t be able to achieve his desired goal. At the same time, it was an answer that left room for him. His purpose is not to truly teach me.

“If you have a teacher, there’s nothing I can do. I’m sorry. It was rude to you and your teacher. Instead, I’ll make another suggestion. It doesn’t have to be a teacher. Come to me sometimes and receive teachings. If I can teach a talented child like you, it’s okay even if you’re not a teacher.”

“Since you say so much, how can I refuse? I will do so.”

#

It seems that Wonder definitely needed me. To be exact, he needed the reputation that his power was behind the birth of a genius like me. So he would bend his high pride even a little and say that he doesn’t have to be a disciple, it’s enough to receive his teachings.

It was a satisfactory deal for me as well. I avoided forming a deep relationship with Wonder, and I was able to get help in persuading Duke Zieg, who was my original goal.

In addition, I was able to receive teachings from a high-circle mage even though I was not a disciple. Isn’t this enough? Oh, by the way, I didn’t have a teacher. There were people who taught me magic, but I didn’t form a relationship of master and disciple, and I just fulfilled my role as a mage belonging to the family.

“To dare to say that you want to use me as a shield in front of me, it was an interesting thing to say.”

Thus, I was able to meet Duke Zieg with Wonder. Duke Zieg, who had heard both my intentions and Wonder’s persuasion, spat out the words above, but he didn’t seem to be in a bad mood. Rather, the smile on his lips seemed to have drawn his interest to some extent.

“Well, it’s not difficult. A talented young man like you wants to stay here of his own will, so there’s no reason why I can’t do that for you.”

“Thank you for understanding my intentions.”

“So, what’s the real reason?”

“What do you mean by the real reason….”

“Don’t lie. There is no one who wants to come to this place and wants to stay here. That’s why everyone wants to escape this place if they have the chance. But what? You’re going to stay because you have to follow the imperial order? I’m learning for the first time that you mages are so dead set on the imperial order.”

The atmosphere turned cold in an instant at Duke Zieg’s words. At the same time, I strongly felt that I had arrived at the moment of choice. I even thought that Duke Zieg’s gaze towards me would change depending on what answer I gave here.

“Haha. Your Excellency the Duke. What are you talking about? We always prioritize His Majesty the Emperor’s orders….”

“Your Excellency the Duke. Until when are you going to give the Empire’s precious people as food to those monsters?”

At this moment, there are several options, but there was no need to worry. Just be honest and break through head-on.

“Hoo?”

“There was a memorial service yesterday. There was also a colleague of mine in it, and countless comrades who had shared life and death. Next year, I will have to send off countless comrades, and it will be the same in a few years. I just want to cut off this terrible chain with my own hands.”

After finishing speaking, I carefully watched Duke Zieg’s mood. Duke Zieg, who was staring at my eyes intently as if my words were unexpected, soon began to laugh heartily.

“Keuhahaha! It was a completely unexpected thing to say. You want to break the chain? Do you think it’s possible? Do you think the Empire is satisfied with maintaining the situation even though it can break this chain?”

“It won’t be easy. But I will try. If I don’t even try, the Terra Barrier will remain a death zone forever. Decades later, my son may come to this place, and my grandson may come. So I will cut it off in my generation.”

Clap clap clap clap-

“Yes, nothing will change if you don’t even try! I never thought I would hear these words from a young friend who is not even twenty years old, not even a knight. Good. As you said, I will stop you from being able to stay here. Instead, make sure you keep your word. I will watch how long your will lasts.”

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