Then, Lucia, wearing a mocking smile, gracefully got off the bed and approached him.
As Lucia got closer, Banshee's pupils trembled violently.
Small, withered Lucia.
A bug that crawled in the dirty streets and was lucky enough to roll into Rodbel.
In Banshee's eyes, Lucia was so trivial and ridiculous.
An insect that could be crushed to death with a finger whenever he felt like it.
A bastard who tarnished the name of Rodbel.
Nothing more, nothing less...
"Am I wrong? You're not as smart as the eldest son, Estio, or as lovely as Miracle. You're impulsive, and you pretend to be strong, but you're just a coward."
"You..."
Banshee's reddish-purple eyes blazed.
Lucia had accurately touched his weakness.
The fact that his weakness had been exposed to someone like Lucia filled him with a bone-chilling rage.
As if to prove that anger, a purple aura began to surge around Banshee.
'Rodbel's mana.'
Watching the purple aura rising around Banshee, I thought about it.
Typically, mana refers to a special power flowing in the body.
Processing this mana flowing in the body with formulas and strengthening and activating it through mana stones is what is commonly called magic.
Therefore, in order to use magic, a staff connected to a mana stone and formulas are essential, but Rodbel's mana skips that process and is several times more powerful than ordinary mana without going through a mana stone.
In addition, ordinary mana, which is not refined, scatters into energy as soon as it is expressed, but Rodbel's mana has organic properties, so it does not scatter and can be transformed into the desired form.
That is, if handled well, mana itself can be solidified into a shape. Of course.
'Only the first Rodbel was able to do that, though.'
It's just a theoretical story.
Therefore, the successive Rodbels invented a new technique combining swordsmanship and magic.
That was 'Madosul' (Magic Swordsmanship).
Using that technique, they fostered Mado Knights (Magic Knights) and founded the 'Rodbel Mado Knights Order,' which is called the strongest knight order on the continent.
'And Banshee will show outstanding talent as a Mado Knight in the future.'
In addition, Banshee, who took over the position of commander of the Rodbel Mado Knights Order, which was vacant due to the sudden death of the commander, even gained the glory of being the youngest Mado Knight Order commander.
Because of that, Estio's position as heir was shaken.
Well.
'That's a story for several years later.'
The Banshee in front of me right now is just a rookie who doesn't even know how to handle his own mana properly.
'So, this kind of provocation works.'
Perhaps I am the person who knows Banshee best in this world.
That's why I know what words Banshee hates the most in the world.
I took a moment to catch my breath, looked straight into Banshee's eyes, and said.
"You pretend not to be, but you're a coward."
"...Say that again."
"Coward-"
Slap-!
In an instant, my head turned. My cheek was burning as if it would burst.
Although he was a child, Banshee, who was learning swordsmanship, was as strong as an adult.
'It feels like my neck is going to break.'
It hurt so much that tears welled up in my eyes for a moment...
'I'm confident in hiding my emotions.'
I turned to Banshee with a straight face.
Then, I smirked and said.
"Is that all? I heard you're learning swordsmanship, but you're weak."
"You, you!!"
Finally, Banshee's eyes completely flipped.
"I'm going to kill you."
His mana raged, and the furniture in the room flew around as if caught in a whirlwind.
Sreung...
Banshee's sword was drawn with an eerie sound.
Just as the end of the sword was about to point at me.
"What, what is all this commotion!"
A roar fell from the door.
I turned to look at it.
'You're finally here.'
A man with a neatly pressed dark brown butler's uniform and green hair tied down in one, green eyes behind silver-rimmed glasses that formed a perfect horizontal line, and a seemingly dogmatic impression.
"Li, Ligrin..."
In an instant, Banshee's mana shrunk.
The head butler of the Rodbel ducal family, Ligrin Pedlan.
However, he is not an ordinary head butler.
Ligrin Pedlan is the head butler of Rodbel, as well as the Duke's aide, and above all, he was the teacher who educated the direct descendants of Rodbel.
Ligrin's cold green eyes turned to me and soon slipped to the restless Banshee.
As he parted his lips, a cold, even voice flowed out.
"Young Master, I clearly told you not to use mana or draw your sword outside of class."
"Th, this is a special circumstance...!"
"And what is this mess!"
Ligrin's gaze reached the attendant who was foaming at the mouth and lying sprawled out, and the corpses of snakes scattered around him.
His eyes became even colder.
"Can you explain?"
"N, no, this is..."
Banshee, who didn't even have the courage to confess his fault, stammered and avoided answering.
Watching Banshee's appearance, I burst into laughter inside.
Then, I took a step forward and bowed my head to Ligrin.
"May I explain, Head Butler?"
"...!"
Perhaps he didn't expect me to step in, he wore a surprised expression, unlike his usual self.
That's right. He had completely treated me as if I didn't exist.
Ligrin looked back at Banshee again instead of answering.
It meant that you should answer now, but the foolish Banshee just flinched and couldn't say anything.
"Haa... Yes, speak."
Ligrin, who seemed frustrated, sighed and gave me the right to speak.
I slightly bowed my waist as a sign of gratitude and told him the answer he wanted to hear.
"Ban... Little Brother's attendant locked me in this room with that snake. Little Brother, who belatedly realized this fact, came into the room with the attendant to save me, and then the snake bit the attendant's leg, so Brother killed the snake with his sword."
"...Then what was the mana from a while ago?"
"Well, Brother is also human..."
I turned my head and smiled at Banshee, who was looking at me with a dazed face.
Banshee's shoulders twitched.
"It seems like he was a little too much because he was scared of the snake."
"...You."
Banshee tried to say something, but I returned my gaze to Ligrin without regret.
He was looking at me with a strange expression.
I put on an anxious face and finished my words.
"It's all because Brother did it to save me, so please don't scold him too much, Head Butler."
"..."
Ligrin stared at me silently as if he had lost his words, then quickly turned his head and said.
"Even so, I can't just let this pass. I will report this matter to the head of the family."
"Ah, just a moment."
When I hurriedly called out to him as he was about to leave, Ligrin turned around with a what expression.
I smiled at Ligrin like a flower and said.
"It's Lucia."
"..."
"My name. I think you don't know it. I have to report it, but you can't if you don't know the name."
Gently, like an innocent girl. Naively, as if everything was for you.
Wearing a mask, I looked up at Ligrin and sneered inwardly.
'I'm seeing a precious sight.'
Seeing the great Ligrin waver.
But that was only a very short moment.
"Thank you for letting me know."
He answered curtly and bluntly, then immediately left the room.
I stared silently at the door he had left through and turned my head to the attendant who was still lying down.
I suddenly became curious.
Will that attendant lose his sense of taste? Like me?
'I don't know, I don't care.'
I wanted to go back to my room quickly, make future plans, and rest.
Just as I was about to take a step, Banshee hurriedly grabbed my wrist.
"Ah."
I groaned and distorted my face.
As I said, Banshee's grip was much stronger than children of the same age.
Banshee didn't know how strong he was, or maybe he knew but didn't care, and he gave strength as if my wrist would break.
I narrowed my brow and turned to Banshee.
Banshee's pupils seemed to shake, but soon he asked with an angry face.
"Why did you do that?"
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