🔊 TTS Settings
chapter 29
Dinner was, unsurprisingly, steak.
Of course, it was steak made from extraordinarily fresh meat that Lawrence had infused with his unique essence.
Rachel was truly the goddess of steak, presenting meat that was crisp on the outside yet tender and juicy inside, letting the natural juices remain perfectly intact.
Biting into the crisp exterior, the juices spread across the mouth, while the aroma of the meat teased the nose. Then came the texture of the inner flesh—perfect meat.
If there were a book titled “How to Cook Meat Properly,” its author would surely be Rachel.
“Ahh… this is really delicious.”
“Right? It’s strange… when I cook meat, I just know exactly when to stop and how long to rest it.”
“Mmm, I have to take you with me, if only for this taste.”
While savoring the meal, Lawrence asked a question. He wondered what kind of life Rachel had dreamed of.
“Rachel, what was your dream when you were little?”
“Huh? Me… I just… wanted to live an ordinary, comfortable life. Hehe.”
“You know I can’t believe that when your eyes are shaking like that, right? Be honest.”
“Umm… okay, but you can’t laugh at me. Got it?”
Lawrence wondered what grand dream she had that made her hesitate like this. He urged her to speak.
Blushing slightly, Rachel bowed her head and said:
“Ah… well… I wanted to be… an assassin!”
“What?”
“An assassin! Moving through the shadows, landing elegantly, protecting our mistress stylishly, that kind of assassin!”
“Pffft—.”
Lawrence couldn’t help but laugh.
Even generously speaking, Rachel had always been far from athletic. In modern terms, she would be more suited to being a model or an actress. Her mother’s keen eye, or perhaps natural growth, had made Rachel’s face objectively outstanding.
An assassin? That was absurd. Assassins are supposed to be unremarkable so that they aren’t remembered or identified easily.
“Don’t laugh! That’s why I didn’t want to say anything!”
“So, why did you dream of that?”
“When I was little, I read a book with an amazingly cool assassin as the protagonist. I was completely fascinated by it.”
Of course, she later realized it was an impossible dream. But that’s how childhood dreams often are. What mattered now was whether she still wanted that dream.
“So, would you still want to do that if you had the chance?”
“Yes. If I were stronger… the young master might still be at home, and you wouldn’t have had to worry about me.”
“Hm…”
Rachel seemed to harbor lingering frustration that she could only perform simple chores. She sighed repeatedly, either remembering unpleasant things or feeling self-deprecating.
Then, for the first time in front of Lawrence, she revealed her inner thoughts.
“I’m an adult now, so maybe I shouldn’t say this in front of you… but I think I’m pathetic. At the Montemer magic house, I can’t do anything besides cooking a steak well…”
“I’m used to listening to worries.”
“I’m sorry if I made your work twice as hard.”
Lawrence shook his head with a smile. There was nothing to apologize for. She had cared for him not just in the past, but even before his reincarnation. She had handed him a warm lunch even on the day he was sent for research.
By all measures, she was someone to be deeply grateful to. Lawrence said to her:
“So… you want to be an assassin?”
“Well… now, at this point, what can I do?”
“If you could?”
“…”
Rachel stared at Lawrence, whose eyes were full of conviction, and fell silent. If she could, she wanted to protect him forever in the shadows. But Lawrence’s knowing smile suggested that the process would be far stranger than she could imagine. Her experience as a long-time maid warned her of that.
“Answer quickly. Will you do it or not?”
“I-I’ll do it! I don’t even know what’s going on, but—!”
“Good. Just wait.”
Having finished the steak, Lawrence got up. Rachel’s resolve would be the first crucial step for Lawrence to expand his influence.
The Guardian left behind by the protector presented a perfect method to him:
“Activating Guardian System.”
“Guidance for the second arrangement of the Guardian, for the successor of the Dragon Lord and the one-of-a-kind Artificer.”
“Create a Guardian who serves only you.”
“A powerful Guardian protects the Dragon’s lair. The sentinel who guards everything about it will assist you.”
“A Guardian can be created by implanting an artifact. Proceed only after sufficient trust is established to influence the recipient’s mental state.”
“If the Guardian betrays you, the implanted artifact will explode, making them pay the price.”
A sentinel protecting the dragon. A being that guards the treasure, the sleeping dragon, with all its heart and body—the Guardian. Lawrence’s true companions and the foundation for his expanding influence were taking shape.
#2
Late at night, Lawrence continued etching magic circles.
Ever since gaining a dragon body, he no longer felt any fatigue from such work. The chronic shoulder stiffness he’d carried on Earth had vanished.
Scratch, scratch—he drew precise lines and filled in empty spaces. Filling geometric patterns was genuinely enjoyable. Each creation at his fingertips brought immense satisfaction. Even here, he felt the same fulfillment.
Artifact: Clean Hand Mirror
Grade: 3rd Circle
Manifestation: Fireball
Usage: 15/15 [Multiple Manifestation: 2]
Artifact: Empty Perfume Bottle
Grade: 3rd Circle
Manifestation: Chain Lightning
Usage: 20/20 [Multiple Manifestation: 1]
He had crafted artifacts for the upcoming preliminaries. Simultaneously, he pondered: How should he construct an artifact for Rachel?
“Training will be necessary, right?”
It would be ideal to give her artifacts that could manifest when needed. Unlike him, she had a mana rod, so the artifacts should be mostly engravings with minimal manifestation. Freedom to learn for oneself was the best.
The only remaining issue was whether the head of the Montemer family, who held the seal, would approve of all these plans. Once training at the magic tower ended, Medea would use every method to try to kill him—or exclude him. But there were ways around that.
“I must keep the Montemer name, but escape Medea’s grasp.”
For that, he needed to claim undeveloped territories in Montemer lands as his own. Accepting requests, earning rewards, and steadily building influence was the most reliable method—even if it seemed insane to outsiders.
“There are good people I can meet there too…”
He already thought of several. If he turned them into his allies, he could build an independent force. His mind planned the future while his hands busily crafted radiant artifacts.
Hetzling: 44%
50% will unlock new powers.
Even without a mana rod, it didn’t matter. A greater blessing was already upon him. And so, the morning of the preliminaries arrived.
#3
Preliminaries.
A test to select young wizards.
The formats varied: written exams, dungeon simulations, duels with other wizards, and duels against knights.
Many houses held preliminaries, but none were as diverse and brutal as Montemer’s. So brutal that some gave up on becoming wizards entirely due to trauma.
“Master, is it really okay for me to be here?”
“Of course. You’re a proud member of Montemer.”
“Ugh…”
Rachel, curled up nervously, entered Montemer’s main gate alongside Lawrence. Nobody failed to recognize him, so the gate opened naturally.
“Welcome, Young Master Lawrence.”
“Thank you for your work.”
“The preliminaries will begin on the first floor of the Tower of Wisdom. You should go there.”
“Thanks. Oh, I want to ask something.”
The gatekeeper spoke politely. In the past, he might have shown some disdain, but now Lawrence’s status had greatly changed.
“Ask anything!”
“Did the Iron Mage Tower master visit here?”
“Yes! It was sudden, so you weren’t on the list, but he did bring his nameplate.”
“I see. Thank you!”
Ikel had done well. Medea would have welcomed him enthusiastically if she had been informed. Lawrence felt satisfied thinking about surprising her.
Crossing the garden, Lawrence arrived at one of the two towers. He encountered many people who looked at him in various ways: curious, jealous, or friendly.
“He’s changed a lot.”
In his previous life, he would have faced ridicule and scorn the entire way. But this time was different. With his mother’s death and the family’s fall, he was determined to rise to the top.
As he admired the tall tower, a voice came from behind. It sounded slightly hoarse, revealing the speaker’s age.
“Oh, you must be the youngest master of Montemer?”
“Who are you?”
“I am the Iron Mage Tower master, Iron Hanma.”
The name suggested a muscular man. Indeed, a tall, white-haired man, likely over 2 meters, approached Lawrence. A wizard?
Lawrence bowed politely. Even as a Montemer young master, a tower master was treated as equal to the head of a house.
“I am Lawrence Montemer.”
“Haha. You look strong enough to wield iron well.”
“Do you like meat?”
The Iron Mage Tower master smiled kindly.
