Chapter 3

#1

The Montemer family was a world of survival of the fittest in miniature.

If you had skill, you rose. If not, you sank.

Age and rank were respected only until adulthood.
No, even before that, there was a tendency to subtly look down on others.

I was treated like I was invisible. I think it was after this evaluation.

This evaluation was a crucial turning point.

Afterward, I was summoned only once more before reaching adulthood, and then sold outside the family.

It must have been around when I was ten that they judged me hopeless.
That was why I was ignored entirely—and why I was eventually cast out.

“Mm, Rachel’s cooking really is the best. I’m so glad I’m back.”

Maybe because it was still a child’s body, the food went down easily.

Strength was national power. For a child, building strength meant eating well, sleeping well, and exercising diligently.

In this life, I intended to establish a basic routine and live regularly.

Phew, now that I’ve eaten… tonight I’ll stay up a bit late.

Even though I’d laid the groundwork, I still had no weapon to fight with.

This body couldn’t even use a simple 1st-circle spell like everyone else.

While others trained, Lawrence had to devote his time to crafting.

“Normally, children start storing mana in their Mana Roads at age two…”

Eight years.

Since opponents would be the same age, there was already an eight-year gap between us.

Bridging that difference would take a long time.

He searched every corner of the storage room for a second medium.
In a materials crate sitting in a corner, he found something useful.

[Medium: Feather of a Firebird, plumage all shed]
[Suitable for fire magic manifestation.]
[Faded and cracked ruby: Fire Arrow]
[Manifestation Level: 1st Circle]

The second artifact was decided.

After a light stretch, Lawrence immediately began extracting the spell.

[Manifestation: Fire Arrow]
[Extracting magic circle.]
[Please inscribe the circle onto the medium.]

Following the instructions, he set to work again.

Scratch, scratch—his fingertips moved fluidly.

Much easier than when he’d created the first artifact.

This is fun.

He worked with a faint smile.

Soon, the second artifact was complete.

[Artifact: Fire Arrow]
[Manifestation: Fire Arrow]
[Uses: 10] [Cooldown: 10 seconds] [Multi-Cast: 2]
[Implant Status: Possible]

An artifact that allowed him to use the spell ten times, once every ten seconds.

Lawrence quietly recalled his previous life.

Maybe he should make one more as insurance.

There was still plenty of time.

Crackle—!

Lawrence immediately implanted the artifact.

Text floated across his vision.

[Displaying artifact status.]
[10/10 – Fire Arrow]

“So this is how it looks.”

[Though weak now, in the future you will be able to create near-permanent artifacts.]

“Can’t they be recharged?”

[If you remove the implant and inscribe the magic circle again, yes. You simply need suitable materials or extracts.]

“So that’s how recharging works. Got it.”

The better the medium, the higher the capacity.
The better the extract, the stronger and fuller the recharge.

Simple in principle, yet requiring endless effort.

[Dragon Body Growth]
[Hatchling: 1%]

And growth, too.

Lawrence smirked.

Casting a spell like this at age ten, without incantation…?

The head of the family will be shocked.

The time was coming to repay all the humiliation of the past.

#2

Around the same time.

The Montemer family’s main estate.

A mansion so vast it was impractical to walk across.

At its center stood a man draped in a blue cloak.

The 8th circle.
A supreme archmage.
Master of the great house.

The man said to have mastered everything about mana—Edward Montemer.

Before him, a man knelt with his forehead to the floor.

“Should we bring that child as well?”

“Yes.”

Edward’s lips barely moved, yet mana surged.

He had already reached unity with nature—any who did not kneel would be swept away in the storm.

Though he could restrain it, he felt no need.

Even after witnessing that terrifying power, the kneeling man still tried to speak.

“But isn’t he the young master without a Mana Road? There’s no need for unnecessary blood—”

“Since when have there been exceptions?”

“…”

Rumble—

The family head’s voice shook the entire chamber.

The man who had dared to object clamped his mouth shut.

For the laws of Montemer came from Edward.
Every member of the household was bound to obey.

“As you command.”

“….”

“Then, I will take my leave.”

Edward’s chin moved slightly.

The kneeling man scrambled up and hurried out, closing the door behind him.

Edward turned his gaze toward the window.

How pitiful.

When had it last hurt to think of her?

Now even those emotions had faded so much he could hardly remember that time, her face, or his son’s.

Only one fact remained.

The boy called Lawrence had no Mana Road.

Still… who knows. Perhaps there’s been some slight change.

Moonlight streamed through the window.
The long shadows deepened his thoughts.

For the first time in ages, he recalled his son and the dead woman.

Slowly, Edward rose, shadows stretching around him.

In the coming evaluation, Lawrence’s fate would be decided.

He hoped for a favorable outcome.
A great house had no need for defective products.

Meanwhile, the man who had met Edward steadied his churning stomach as he met with someone else.

“Every time I face the master, I feel sick to my stomach.”

“How did it go?”

“He said to bring the youngest young master.”

“Why such a pointless thing…”

He had no answer.

The master’s will was Montemer’s will.

Whether it was to humiliate him publicly, or to test some faint possibility—his only role was to obey.

They would need to hurry to reach the estate by morning.
The annex was inconveniently located on the city outskirts.

“We must move quickly, lest we provoke the master’s displeasure. If you’re concerned, it would be wise to warn the young masters firmly.”

“Hmm, yes, I should.”

The man’s companion bustled away.

He himself mounted up and rode hard for the outskirts.

Watching through the window, a woman frowned.

“Why send such a fool… No, perhaps it’s better this way. This could be the perfect chance to erase him entirely.”

Her chilling laughter echoed faintly against the window.

In the glass, her eyes glowed with a sinister green light.

#3

The next morning.

A guest arrived at the annex outside the city.

“The master commands that you be brought.”

“I was already prepared.”

“Then let us go.”

Lawrence, waiting in the parlor, stepped toward the door.

Something about his confident demeanor made the man’s eyes flicker briefly.

“I’ll escort you. You stay here and tend the annex properly.”

“Yes, sir. And… young master, please be careful.”

“Don’t worry. When I’m back, let’s have something delicious.”

Lawrence smiled brightly at Rachel’s worried face.

She wanted to go with him, but could only give a self-mocking smile at the impossibility.

If only the lady were still alive…

“There’s no time.”

“Let’s go.”

Lawrence and the man boarded the carriage.

The man naturally observed Lawrence’s condition.

Not a speck of mana. Just as expected.

Not surprising. One could not change what was innate.

But Lawrence, in turn, was startled.

So this is mana.

A vivid blue glow.
Swaying with the user’s will—that shimmering aura was the true form of mana.

He’d never seen it in daily life, but now that he focused, it became visible.

Strangely, none of it appeared around himself.

Ordinary people can barely sense it, but an accomplished mage can.

So the idea was to store that energy through a Mana Road.

Lawrence had gained the ability to perceive mages’ magic.

Seeing with his own eyes conveyed more than a hundred explanations ever could.

After witnessing mana, he turned his gaze to the cityscape.

So many people, so many sights.

Some had faint traces of mana, others none at all.

Even commoners had a little mana—yet he, a direct heir of Montemer, had none.

No wonder they treated me like a cripple.

He could understand their perspective—if only a little.
That didn’t mean he accepted it.

While he stared blankly out the window, the man spoke.

“Young master.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Are you not afraid?”

“Hmm…”

“If you are, then it would be best to bow low.”

Lawrence nodded absently.

This man was familiar.

[5th-Circle Mage: Nicolai]

In childhood, Nicolai had occasionally come to check if he was alive.

He was both a magic instructor and the family head’s messenger, and an officer of the Green Tower besides.

Gentle in nature, he had pitied Lawrence—one of the few who had.

I remember now.

He had sometimes brought food and materials as well.

Lawrence recalled that warmth and answered with a faint smile.

“I’m not really afraid.”

“Truly? But to me it seems…”

“It’ll be fine. Probably.”

Of course, they would investigate.

If they learned he could use magic despite lacking a Mana Road, they wouldn’t leave him alone.

How would Edward, the family head, look at him?
What measures would he take?

“We’ve arrived. Please disembark.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen this place.”

“…”

What kind of ten-year-old speaks like that?

Nicolai eyed him through narrowed lids.

Either he’s had a change of heart, or he’s been thinking deeply…

There are only two reasons someone appears so composed—
Either they think the situation is trivial, or they’ve completely resigned themselves.

From what Nicolai could tell, Lawrence seemed to view the situation as trivial.

Was he simply detached from reality—or…?

While he thought this, the carriage reached the Montemer main estate.

The mansion’s grandeur was overwhelming.

Lawrence gazed at it and murmured softly.

“So this is what it looked like.”

Taking in the sight of the colossal estate, he stepped down from the carriage.

The front gates opened in utter silence, despite being hastily swung. Their perfect maintenance amazed him.

The small young master looked at the two towers and the central mansion in the distance, and thought—

That he wanted to make his name echo through this house, this family, and this world.

Not as the object of scorn, but as the one who enjoyed and ruled.

A desire welled up within him.

Create miracles with your fingertips.

The defective young master with no Mana Road.

It was time for that defect to perform a miracle.