Chapter 31

The scary guy, the bad guy, the last guy (1)

Dione raised her head from behind the fence. He had known for a while that she was there, but he had left without revealing it. She stepped through the muddy earth without worrying about getting her white lace skirt or pearly shoes dirty. The research wizard examined the shape and depth of the pits with her keen eyes to measure the power of magic. She dug through the dirt with her bare hands, finding fragments of the garden decorations that Kleio had smashed in his trials. Finding what she wanted, she sat down and opened a circle before implementing the magic formula of [Analyze], [Track], and [Play].

"[Shine, reveal, the path of power and light!]"

For a few minutes after using magic, the ether left in the air preserved the traces of the magic used. Formulas like [Analysis], [Tracking], and [Regeneration] could be used to find out what was used.

'It's a combination from Volume 3 of the Magic Encyclopedia. Dione's magic is so classic and neat.'

Kleio didn't stop Dione's search.

'I put confidentiality terms in our contract, so there's no need to hide it from Dione.'

Dione finally arose as the ether faded. She crossed the garden with her high-heeled shoes, beelining straight towards Kleio.

"Kleio!"

"Yes?"

"How many times can this magic be used in a row?"

Considering the amount of ether consumption and his concentration, he could probably conjure it up to three times, but he decided to reduce that estimate.

"As you can see, once or twice seems to be the limit."

"Meooow- (You can lie well!)."

Behemoth walked around his feet, but Kleio pretended not to hear him.

"Well, it is a magical formula that will eat a fair bit of ether... This isn't a joke."

Dione seemed to be impressed with the number he estimated. Still elegant even though she was covered in dirt, Dione laughed as she faced him. The wind blew past and took her hat away, causing her pinkish-gray hair to flutter in the wind. Her face seemed youthful, like a young girl.

"You're a real genius. No, that seems to be a weak expression. Such magic is unprecedented... It's like the sky has opened up."

Kleio, becoming shy at the compliments, scratched his cheek and avoided her eyes.

'Modern people are used to attacking from the skies, I suppose...'

It might be a matter of time, but looking at the newspapers, it seemed that airships hadn't been invented yet, and people used hot air balloons for leisure. Bombing from the air might be a concept ahead of its time here, but it was an ordinary idea that anyone could think of.

"It's like it belongs to an angel or some devil."

"Isn't that too much?"

"What is? Only with great coordination and ether sensitivity can this magic be achieved. Otherwise, the caster would be liable to hurt themselves."

During practice, Kleio had come close a couple of times, but he decided not to mention he had to use [Defense] magic.

"Look, the circle range is 20 meters, so level 4? I would've never believed this had I not seen it with my own eyes."

"Twenty meters is a distance even a junior swordsman could cross in a few steps, so it's not a technique usable in practice."

"Would you make those same excuses in front of another wizard? Will you remain level 4 forever?"

Dione raised her eyes and placed her hands on her waist. With a lower tone than usual, she denied Kleio's words without hesitation.

"When you go up to level 5, the circle will become 80 meters, then 200 at level 6. At that point, even intermediate swordsmen will take a few seconds to reach you. When your mantra comes out faster than their approach, it's clear how it will turn out."

"But like a 6th level wizard, a 6th level swordsman would be almost invincible within a 200-meter range. I don't think I could confront an advanced swordsman."

The limit on ether applied to both wizards and swordsmen. Like a wizard's circle, a swordsman's sword was proportional to their ether level. Just as Kleio could unfold a 20-meter diameter circle, a 4th level swordsman could only show his best skills within a range of 20 meters around his body.

"It's extraordinary to think that a wizard could even compete against a swordsman. In the first place, who would think of attacking with magic? It's a waste!"

Dione, having regained her composure, looked around the landscape.

"You did it."

Dione felt more authentic and beautiful as she looked at him.

"All the servants of this mansion are loyal, but ask Mrs. Canton to clean up. If you don't want to become a person of interest to the crown's secret intelligence, that is."

Kleio nodded, recalling the man who sent him the birthday invitation, Melchior.

"Thank you for the advice. I don't want to be in that situation either."

"There are less than thirty level 5 wizards in Albion and eleven level 6 ones. There are three at level 7 and only one at level 8. Most advanced wizards are also older. Even swordsmen, the supposedly most powerful force among mankind, cannot attack from a distance until they reach level 6."

"Meeeeoooooow."

Behemoth cut off Dione's explanation.

"-I wouldn't try to accept it."

Finishing, Dione then bent down with a melting expression despite her previously serious face.

"Ooh, was our talk boring?"

"Meeow (It's good, you know)."

Dione leaned down to catch the obese cat that jumped up to cling to her. She held Behemoth tightly, even though the cat was heavy and staggered her.

"It's been a while since I've been able to give you snacks since I've been so busy these days!"

"Meeeow (Yes, jerky is different)."

"Are you hungry? There's a snack waiting for you inside!"

"Meow!"

'Can she really not talk to him? She understands him so well.'

The sun was setting behind them as the two moved into the mansion. Kleio felt the exhaustion and drowsiness that had accumulated over the past month assail him like collected debt. Dione clicked her tongue and looked back at Kleio, who was lagging behind her.

"You can't have bags under your eyes, tsk tsk. You've torn up the garden too; it looks like some rural farmland prepared for sowing seeds."

Kleio stopped yawning as an idea flashed through his mind at her words.

'If war breaks out, the capital will be blocked. If it doesn't last long, it won't be an issue. But should I change this to a field in case of a food shortage?'

"Sowing... Edible crops would be best. Shall we plant potatoes and beans? Cabbage would be okay."

Dione raised her chin slightly and narrowed her eyes at him, and Behemoth looked at him with a similar expression.

"You mean it. Go in quickly and wash; you have more than one or two documents to look at. After reviewing the documents, the balanced will be paid this week and registered."

"All without omission?"

'Has she sorted out all those complicated relationships? I thought it would take longer, amazing...'

Kleio looked back at the girl hugging the cat as if it was the first time he saw her.

"Ahaha! Everything! I made the contract; I need you to sign it. I think I'm better at bargaining than magic."

"It's awesome. The title genius fits you, not me."

It was a compliment that came from his heart.

***

He signed the documents Dione ordered that weekend and read key casebooks related to land purchase and leasing. The following Monday, the transfer of ownership was completed. After that, he spent a few days playing with Behemoth, drinking alcohol, and listening to the magic stones rolling around the house. That dream-like week passed by quickly. Even today, Kleio woke up late and looked over at the closet on the left side of the bed happily. In it was a safe purchased for 50,000 dinars. The safe was a magic tool that couldn't be opened by any other than the user it was imprinted with, which, in this case, was him.

'I'll bring it to the dorm later. It'll be good to have land documents.'

The mayor of Orails stamped the land ownership certificate under the name of Kleio Asel. It had arrived the day before yesterday.

'Being registered at the age of seventeen feels the best. Even if I don't eat, I'm full.'

A polite knock came from outside his bedroom.

"Are you up, master?"

"Mrs. Canton, good morning."

The maid pushed in the trolley by hand. The tray in the uppermost compartment contained warm tea, milk, raspberries topped with syrup, poached eggs, softly cooked ham with toast, and marmalade. It was a breakfast that, considering Kleio, was served little by little. Mrs. Canton was burning with motivation to help him gain even a little fat before school began.

"Today, your complexion is getting better, so I'm relieved."

"All thanks to your devotion."

"It's good to focus on your training, but take care of your health first."

Kleio received the tray gratefully, still in his pajamas. The maid moved as if she was flowing to place four well-ironed newspapers on his sheets.

"Well, ring the bell when the meal is over."

"Thank you as always."

It was an elegant morning, and the meal was delicious. The staff who worked in the Kolpos home were all organized like an orchestra.

'I thought school was comfortable enough, but there was something even more luxurious... 1.2 million dinars is fine to give back to my father, but this mansion is a waste. How... Is there any way to keep it?'

He had run off, went to an auction house, practiced magic, and made repairs; it was a shame that he didn't have the chance to fully enjoy the hardware and software of this house.

'Should I focus on my school grades?'

His father had visited him once and never sent a message. Of course, Kleio was fine with that, so he didn't contact him first. Dione said that she was sending a letter to Gideon Asel with praise about him. If it were her, it could be relied on. After placing the tray down, Kleio opened up his newspaper while lying half down on his bed. His morning routine was to read the four newspapers he had, as he was waiting for certain news. Kleio buried himself in his soft pillow and flipped through the newspaper.

-Tiplaum vein found on the royal site in the city of Dubris, estimated to be the largest vein in Dernier.-

-Government investigates reserves-

-What is Tiplaum? Mineral at the cutting edge of progress-

-How will it change the industry in the northeast?-

From the royalist newspaper to the republican one, all of them talked about the tiplaum mine.

'The press regulation has finally been lifted!'