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“Is there a possibility of a false report?”

“None. We brought the Dark Mage’s corpse back in a coffin.”

“Have you confirmed his identity?”

“It wasn’t difficult. He happened to be someone the Temple urgently wanted just recently. Age 39, name: Yan Etodi. He was skilled in necromancy and curses, with abilities at Level 5. During a raid on the Dark Mages’ hideout, the hero Abella inflicted severe wounds on him, but he escaped using teleportation magic.”

As Granod reached his office, he opened the door, walked in, and sat at the desk near the window.

The soft chair welcomed his weary body after the long march. Looking at Verdan, who stood across from him, Granod gestured with his chin.

“Explain it in more detail.”

Verdan recounted what he had heard from Mael and Mari. Granod listened quietly before letting out a small chuckle.

“Did Ian master Bane of Evil?”

“As far as I know, he only learned the basics.”

“That makes sense. The technique is only taught after the coming-of-age ceremony.”

However, as Granod recalled, after Ian’s coming-of-age ceremony, he became a recluse and was unable to even master the basics of Bane of Evil.

He had summoned Ian several times, both to reprimand and to encourage him, but Ian never got his act together, leading Granod to eventually dismiss him as a lost cause.

And now he had supposedly killed a Dark Mage?

Even though he had the help of the two Red Spear Knights, they only dealt with the summoned creatures. Essentially, Ian had fought and defeated the Dark Mage alone.

“It’s hard to believe. A mere Level 2 taking down a Level 5…”

Even though the Dark Mage had been injured by a hero, it still sounded ridiculous. It was like a lion being killed by a rabbit.

“There are witnesses, so I’ve sent people to the village to verify the truth. We’ll know in a few days if it’s true or not. Of course, there’s a possibility the villagers were bribed. But in my opinion, Mael and Mari aren’t foolish enough to deceive the Berger family.”

“Verdan.”

“Yes.”

“That’s something you can’t be certain of. Who’s to say they aren’t pretending to be foolish?”

“…”

“Even if Dior and Ian aren’t, as the future head of the family, you must not trust people easily. There are countless people in this world who would stab you in the back at the slightest chance. This doesn’t change, even with the common threat of the Outer Sea.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Granod leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes briefly, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest.

Regardless, Ian had killed a Dark Mage who had escaped from a hero.

While it may have been due to a mix of luck and coincidence, it undeniably enhanced the reputation of the Berger family. It was something to be praised.

“Is Ian staying in Lampus?”

“Yes, should I summon him?”

“Yes. I’d like to meet him.”

* * *

Ian suppressed a sigh rising in his throat and raised his hand. He lightly knocked on the dark, brown, antique door.

Knock, knock—

The sound was small but resonated clearly. He waited quietly for a response.

“Come in.”

When the deep voice granted him permission, Ian turned the doorknob and entered.

The office was excessively large for just one person. A middle-aged man sat at the desk near the window.

Granod Berger.

The head of the Berger family, the most influential family in the eastern part of the El Carda Empire.

A Level 7 Master, revered even by the Level 6 warriors known as the One-Man Legions. That was Ian’s father.

He lifted his gaze from the documents and met Ian’s eyes, which were as red as if they were burning.

“……!”

It was a miracle that Ian managed to suppress the groan that almost escaped him. At the same time, he felt a heavy magical force wrapping tightly around him.

The pressure was like being crushed all over his body. It was hard to breathe, and the gaze was fierce.

It felt as if his father was not looking at him as a parent but as a predator watching its prey.

But it wasn’t unbearable. Perhaps he was being tolerated. If it weren’t for that, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had already lost consciousness and collapsed.

“Come closer.”

Ian walked over, trying to maintain a nonchalant expression, and bowed respectfully.

Though he made an effort to stay calm, it was hard to hide his nervousness given the circumstances.

Before long, the pressure that had been constricting him seemed to wash away with a light chuckle. Cold sweat ran down his back.

“It seems you didn’t spend your time idly at the villa.”

“I couldn’t live like that forever.”

Granod chuckled softly.

“It’s a relief you’ve realized it now. As a father, I’m somewhat reassured to see my child has come to his senses.”

“I apologize for causing concern.”

“You’ve understood. I hope it’s not just words.”

A brief silence followed. Granod picked up the teacup next to him, took a sip, and then set it down.

“I’ve heard about what you did.”

It seemed Mael and Mari had reported properly. Considering their nature, they would have been more likely to add to their accomplishments rather than steal them.

Ian listened attentively as Granod continued.

“You witnessed the sudden appearance of an Outer Gate and responded immediately. You shot down the Hyolang and even took down the Dark Mage. Honestly, it’s hard to believe.”

“…….”

It’s understandable. A recluse who had been holed up at the villa wouldn’t be expected to accomplish such feats.

“The Dark Mage was a Level 5 expert who had been wanted by the Temple. Even though he was severely injured, he wasn’t someone who could be killed by a mere Level 2.”

“I was lucky.”

“Yes, you were. Really lucky. If things had gone slightly wrong, it would have been you lying dead instead.”

“I judged that fighting was the only option at the time.”

Ah, he had spoken defensively. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to have angered Granod. Still, Ian quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry.”

“Continue.”

“Yes?”

“Tell me why you made that judgment.”

Ian swallowed hard.

“If the Dark Mage had been a powerful opponent, he wouldn’t have used the Hyolang’s corpse as a decoy. He could have stormed the village and massacred the inhabitants without any need for that. But he didn’t. It was as if he was trying to induce fear, moving very slowly. He didn’t take any action until the villagers arrived at the entrance of the shabby wooden fence, armed with pitchforks.”

“Perhaps he was toying with you.”

“Of course, that’s possible. But if that were the case, there would have been no point in fleeing. He would have certainly pursued and killed me. On the other hand, if he had been weak enough for Mael and Mari to handle, he might have fled, but it would have further damaged my reputation and the Berger family’s name. People would have talked about how the third son of the Berger family fled on horseback upon encountering a Dark Mage. Such tales would have spread as rumors.”

“And you couldn’t tolerate that?”

“Yes.”

Granod nodded after listening to Verdan’s words and then spoke.

“Is there a possibility that the report is false?”

“That’s not possible. They actually brought the body of the Dark Mage in a coffin.”

“Was the identity confirmed?”

“It wasn’t difficult. It was someone recently urgently wanted by the Shrine of the Gods. Age 39, name Yan Etodi. He was a specialist in necromancy and curses, a Level 5 expert. The hero, Abella, seriously injured him during an assault on the Dark Mage’s residence, but he escaped using teleportation magic.”

Granod arrived at his office, opened the door, and sat at the desk by the window.

The plush chair welcomed his weary body from the long march. Seeing Verdan standing opposite him, Granod gestured for him to sit.

“Explain the battle process in detail. The report from Mael and Mari of the Red Spear’s 4th squad was inadequate. They were too preoccupied with the pile of corpses right in front of them to verify everything properly. So, you should explain directly how you defeated the Dark Mage.”

Though Ian blinked in surprise, he quickly composed himself and began to speak.

His skills as a treasure hunter and mercenary before his reincarnation made recounting the events easy for him.

However, since this was not a conversation with random people at a tavern, he carefully chose his words and maintained a calm tone.

The explanation was concise and brief, as it lacked embellishments.

“…Well done.”

“Thank you.”

“One thing was reckless.”

“…I apologize.”

“Is there anything you wish for? Given that you accomplished something beyond your abilities and enhanced the reputation of the Berger family, it is only right to commend you. If you have a request, I will grant it.”

Ian hesitated. After a moment, he cautiously replied.

“At the moment, I don’t have any requests. May I discuss this separately later?”

Though he worried that Granod might question or refuse his request, Granod simply agreed with a nod.

“Very well.”

“Thank you.”

Ian thought he might be dismissed now that the discussion was over, but Granod’s gaze suggested that there was still more to address.

The brief sense of nostalgia he felt seeing his father after a long time quickly gave way to discomfort in the tense atmosphere.

The fact that Granod’s gaze and tone were not as cold as he had expected was somewhat comforting, though it was still far from warm.

“Ian.”

“Yes?”

“Do you have any plans for the future?”

“……?”

This was an unexpected question. It came so suddenly that Ian was momentarily stunned and stared blankly.

“If you don’t have any, how about entering the Akashic? I’ll give you the choice.”

The Akashic.

This name referred to the highest educational institution in the El Carda Empire, dedicated to training talented individuals.

“…I’m probably too late to enroll.”

“Yes, it is late. Most enter the year they undergo their coming-of-age ceremony. But age is not a problem. There are cases of people entering a year or two late.”

The idea was tempting. Enrolling there would undoubtedly help in building connections.

There were several people who immediately came to mind, including some who were part of the hero’s party.

However, even if he knew them, he wasn’t confident in becoming close with them.

Not knowing their personal details made it a risk to approach them without solid ground.

He didn’t deliberate for long on this question.

“No. It’s alright. Going to the Akashic would be a good option, but I want to use this opportunity to properly learn Myeolak.”

“Myeolak?”

“Yes.”

Before his reincarnation, he had only learned the basics of the Heart Method.

Though that was valuable in itself, it only allowed him to create fire and use it to develop his own techniques.

While those techniques were useful, they were crude compared to the advancements made through extensive practical experience. Thus, his desire for more advanced skills was only natural.

A slight smile appeared on Granod’s lips. Its meaning was unclear.

Is it praise or disdain? I hope it’s the former.

“Indeed. As a member of the Berger family, you have the right to learn the art of destroying evil. Do as you see fit. You’re of age now, aren’t you? It’s time for you to make decisions and take responsibility.”

Fortunately, permission was granted. Although there was a weighty undertone to the words, Ian bowed his head in gratitude to Granod.

“That’s all I have to say. You may leave now.”

Although Ian wanted to leave immediately, he felt a pang of disappointment at being dismissed so abruptly. He had expected at least a bit of small talk.

But there was none. Perhaps it was his own fault. He should be content with having had this much conversation.

“Yes.”

Ian turned and exited the room. He carefully closed the door behind him and took a step back, finally letting out a small sigh he had been holding.

“Phew.”

He felt drained. Even though he had only exchanged a few words, the tension made his back feel damp with sweat.

‘I need to take a break.’

Not here, though. He needed to get away from this place to regain his composure.

He quickened his pace, but unfortunately, it seemed like his break would have to wait a bit longer.

A man was walking down the corridor ahead. With a tall stature and a handsome face that stood out even from a distance, he approached and stopped right in front of Ian.

“It’s been a while, Ian.”

It was his older brother, Verdan Berger.

———