The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 47

Baron Family’s Second Son – Episode 47

The Freed Family.

A prestigious family that produced the current Master of the Magic Tower and left the names of numerous magicians in the long history of the Empire. If you include not only the direct line but also the collateral lines and the disciples they have raised, you cannot evaluate them simply by numbers. And the mana cultivation method passed down only to the direct line, along with that history, was truly remarkable.

It wasn’t that this method suited me best. My own method was already deeply rooted in my body.

Even if the Freed family’s method was more efficient and correct overall, there were aspects I couldn’t modify. So, as my teacher said, I incorporated what I could apply and boldly discarded what I didn’t need. In this process, the numerous resources held by my teacher and the Freed family were of great help.

Modification of the cultivation method.

In essence, it was simply modifying the path through which mana flowed. However, even the slightest mistake in the process could instantly turn a promising magician into a cripple.

“Not the absolute best, but the best possible.”

Not the absolute best, but the best possible. The Freed family’s mana cultivation method wasn’t a perfect, tailor-made solution for me. But it would be the best approach to ensure success, regardless of the situation or time. If the goal was solely to become an outstanding magician, directly adopting the Freed family’s mana cultivation method wouldn’t be a problem.

However, my goal wasn’t just to be an outstanding magician. Therefore, I had to make the optimal choice, not just the best possible one. There would be risks involved, but what choice comes without disadvantages?

So, I was taking each step very carefully, very slowly, towards the summit.

#

Within the Magic Tower, Renil’s existence was quite isolated. That was because Renil was a magician quite different from the magicians residing in the Magic Tower from the start.

The Magic Tower. It was the headquarters of the Empire’s magicians and, considering the Empire’s influence on the continent, a sacred place for magicians not only in the Empire but also around the world. Therefore, the Magic Tower was very large. But at the same time, it was also narrow.

Because many wanted to be a part of the Magic Tower, given its symbolic importance. It wasn’t enough to simply be talented. Although it was a sacred place for magicians, magicians were still people. There was no way there wouldn’t be factions in a place where people lived. Those with both talent and background joined the Magic Tower and competed among themselves. And people called them elites.

In that respect, Renil was different. He had talent, but not at a level to overwhelm everyone solely with talent. If that were the case, he wouldn’t have been sent to the Terra Barrier [a remote and dangerous outpost] in the first place. It was also difficult to consider him as having an outstanding background. Therefore, when walking inside the Magic Tower, Renil could easily overhear people whispering about him.

“He doesn’t seem that great.”

“Tch. A dropout got lucky, caught the Tower Master’s eye, and is acting all high and mighty.”

“Are they really thinking of grooming him as a successor?”

If resources are limited, or even if they aren’t, established figures resent newcomers. Especially if the newcomer is perceived as threatening their position. Renil keenly felt like a rolling stone among established stones. Then, an incident occurred.

#

Whisper… whisper…

I wondered if the whispering would decrease over time, but it didn’t at all. Rather, the number of people whispering increased, and naturally, I couldn’t help but hear more and more of their words.

From words of doubt about me to suspicion, jealousy, and criticism. One thing was certain: there was no whispering with good intentions. There might be some, but at least while I was staying in the Magic Tower, almost no one approached me with good intentions.

Of course, they couldn’t directly harm me. Whatever the circumstances, Gadel’s name stood behind me, and as long as we were walking the common path of magic, almost no one could ignore the weight of that name. They were just talking amongst themselves next to me.

If their strategy was to harass me, I would say it was quite successful. As they intended, I was quite stressed.

‘Lonely.’

Loneliness. I didn’t know I was such a lonely person. In fact, I hadn’t had time to feel lonely. In the early days of my reincarnation, I felt awkward with my current family, but soon we became a family. The same was true at the Terra Barrier, away from my family’s embrace.

Fighting battles with so many people gave me the feeling of being one entity, and although there was initial exclusion of newcomers, I quickly bridged the distance.

… Ild’s help was also instrumental, and rather, from then on, we forged much stronger bonds, commensurate with the initial exclusion. Even when I felt distant, there were people with whom I could have conversations as peers.

But this place was different. Everyone looked at me negatively, and there was no one I could have a casual conversation with. On top of that, they were pouring out emotions such as jealousy, criticism, and suspicion towards me, so it was beyond mere loneliness; it was deeply annoying. I was completely alone here.

Thud-

“Oh, my. Why don’t you watch where you’re going? Or does the Great Disciple not care about the likes of us?”

Haa. I sighed softly at the blatant provocation. It wasn’t common, but there were people who provoked me in this way. Nine out of ten were children of families with considerable prestige, and at the same time, they were fools who thought their family’s status reflected their own worth.

“Say something. Apart from not seeing, can’t you even hear?”

These types were one of two things: those who couldn’t tolerate the fact that someone like me, who was lower in status than them, was enjoying more success, or those who were confident in their talent or jealous of me becoming the Tower Master’s disciple. Judging from the provocations so far, it seemed more likely to be the latter.

“I see perfectly well. I hear perfectly well. It’s not me who needs to watch where they’re going, but someone like you.”

“What?!”

If it were me normally, I wouldn’t have paid attention to such trivial provocations. I would have just brushed it off and forgotten whatever the magician in front of me was babbling about. The path I had to take was too long and arduous to pay attention to each and every one of these trivial matters. After all, they were people who couldn’t do anything other than these ridiculous provocations.

But I was in a particularly bad mood today, and his actions, which I would have ignored and passed over normally, were particularly annoying. That was all.

“If you’re just going to run your mouth, don’t hang around me and get lost. I’m too busy to waste time on you.”

#

Willand considered himself a great magician in the making. And that was the consensus of others, not just his own opinion. Reaching the 3rd Circle [a level of magical proficiency] before the age of twenty was a testament to that. Even if excellent ingredients don’t always guarantee a delicious meal.

Therefore, he had never doubted his talent. And he couldn’t help but think so. He was one of the most outstanding among his peers. Of course, there were countless magicians more outstanding than him. Even if he didn’t consider the Tower Master and the elders, simply residing in the Magic Tower meant they were among the top magicians in the Empire.

And over time, he would become as good as them, or even better. Willand was sure of it. But with the appearance of a new magician named Renil, that certainty wavered. It wasn’t that he thought he couldn’t become an outstanding magician; it was just that he wondered if his talent, which he thought was exceptional, was actually commonplace.

‘Draghnil Barony? Where is that territory located?’

‘Reached the 3rd Circle before the age of twenty? … It’s decent, but nothing exceptional.’

‘The Terra Barrier, huh? Did dropouts comfort each other’s wounds there?’

The position of the Tower Master’s disciple. Willand also sincerely wanted that position. He thought he had the talent for it, and he actually asked his father to establish a connection with the Tower Master.

If he succeeded, it would be a major victory, and even if he failed, he wouldn’t lose anything, so his father granted his request. To cut to the chase, it was a failure. Therefore, he couldn’t help but feel jealousy and envy towards Renil, who had taken the position he so desired.

‘4th Circle at twenty-one? It’s commendable for a dropout, but if I work a little harder, if I’m a little luckier, I can reach it too. But I can’t, and that guy can?’

Even after continuing his investigation into Renil and confirming that he was in the 4th Circle, that feeling persisted. In his opinion, the 4th Circle was a realm that he could reach with a little more effort, and he thought that all he needed was a little more time, regardless of reality.

It was just luck. And he couldn’t accept the fact that the owner of the position he so desired had changed because of that slight difference.

‘This is wrong!’

He failed not only with his talent but also with the influence of his family. But Renil obtained that position purely with his own power. He couldn’t accept that fact, because that meant admitting that he was inferior to Renil. That’s why he provoked him.

Until now, it had been one-sided provocation. Renil ignored Willand, and because of that, Willand couldn’t escalate the situation. Whatever the circumstances, Renil was not just a talented magician from an insignificant family, but the Tower Master’s disciple, who was like an emperor within the Magic Tower. But today was different.

“If you’re just going to run your mouth, don’t hang around me and get lost. I’m too busy to waste time on you.”

‘What did this guy just say?’

Renil’s words were an outburst that Willand was hearing for the first time. He was born as the son of a high-ranking nobleman, and his talent drew praise from those who taught him. Everyone who met him praised him. They said he would enhance the family’s honor. But what did he just say? Get lost? Just because he got lucky and sat in a position that others wanted?

“Ah, you must be busy. If our Great Disciple isn’t busy, who would be? I don’t know what you’re so busy with that you abandoned your dropout colleagues who were licking each other’s wounds and survived alone to come here.”

Willand’s pride wasn’t low enough to stand still after receiving such an insult. Rather, it was higher than anyone else’s. Besides, this was the escalation he wanted. If it was his one-sided provocation, there would be a limit to just running his mouth, as he said, but if the other party responded, the situation would change.

“Or is giving your colleagues as food to monsters the secret to becoming the Tower Master’s disciple? Wow, if such a process is necessary, I think I’d have to think about it quite a bit. You really chose that path.”

And those words properly touched Renil’s raw nerve.

Baron Family’s Second Son – Episode 47 – End