Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 306

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Reincarnated as a Legendary Talent Genius of a Noble Family Episode 306

197. Guardians of Del Orno (2)

It seems like I’ll be able to find it more easily than I thought.

So I stepped forward once again.

Since I only needed to search one location this time, I went with Leila.

“If any mercenaries approach, you know what to do, right?”

“Don’t worry.”

“Good. Shall we begin?”

The location is the center of the ruins.

On the map, it’s the part that looks like an ‘eye.’

I’ll conduct a mana search here, then find the entrance.

After that, I’ll check if it can be opened and decide on the next course of action.

“Keep your footsteps light, try to be natural rather than overly cautious.”

I took this opportunity to teach Leila how assassins walk.

Of course, I wasn’t asking her to master it immediately, just showing her some simple techniques.

“This isn’t easy, is it?”

“Of course not. Just learn the basics. You’ll find many uses for it later.”

“But I’m really curious about this – other things aside, where did you learn the assassins’ methods?”

“From Mother.”

“Ah, Mother… What? Mother?”

Since there was nothing to hide from Leila, I gave her a simple explanation.

“Mother was an assassin.”

“…I was unconsciously trying to understand again. Sorry.”

I just shrugged and slowly walked toward the central area.

I had already identified the mercenaries’ positions. And as soon as I entered the central area, I rearranged my mana.

“Reflect and deceive.”

What I activated around Leila and myself was the ‘Mirror Image’ magic.

It diffusely reflects mana to mirror the surroundings of the cast area, making it appear like the original scenery regardless of who’s inside.

By the way, it’s 5-Chain level magic, and I only recently learned the rearrangement method.

“Wow, it’s fascinating seeing it from inside.”

So the view from inside looking out is quite unique. It’s somewhat dizzying and complex, I’d say.

Magic really is amazing.

“It won’t last long. Let’s search quickly.”

“Okay.”

Although Ernest wasn’t here, the search itself didn’t take very long.

As long as there are clues, from this point on it can be solved with mana.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m flowing mana into the ground. I just need to identify the points where the mana reaches. Think of it like flowing water.”

“Ah.”

If it’s a completely blocked area, the mana will stop seeping in partway.

But if empty space exists, the mana flow will be different.

This isn’t just something I do – it’s one of the methods mages use to understand spatial structures.

However, since it requires a considerable amount of mana, there aren’t many cases where it’s used like I do.

“But Dane. About Priscilla and Dorian. They weren’t even talking to each other earlier.”

“They don’t have a bad relationship, do they?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“I brought them this far, so the rest is for them to handle.”

Dorian and Priscilla.

Both are important people to me.

So my role ends here.

What comes next is for the two of them to decide.

I don’t like getting deeply involved in relationships between people unless they’re family, and unless lives are at stake.

“Dane, you always have boundaries.”

Boundaries.

Probably something that developed in my previous life.

A place where at least dozens, sometimes hundreds, even thousands would die in a single day.

Since deep relationships only bring deep wounds, I learned to protect my people with all my might while not getting too close beyond a certain point.

Because it hurts terribly later.

But-

“Still, I have to cross them when necessary.”

Those boundaries aren’t absolute.

Meanwhile, I identified the empty space.

“I’ve got a rough idea now.”

When I drew the approximate structure in the air with colored mana, Leila was amazed.

“You can do this too?”

“It’s just basic stuff.”

“Understanding space isn’t easy work. Hmm, so… we enter through here?”

“Probably.”

The point Leila indicated was right where we were standing.

“This seems to be the most likely spot.”

Of course, it’s bare ground.

But it’s here.

While mana just seeps into other places, at this exact point the mana seeps in forming a perfect square.

Simply put, it means there’s a square entrance beneath this ground.

“This definitely seems to be the place.”

I’d need to dig to know the details, but it’s difficult to dig right now.

Because people were approaching from this direction.

“Let’s retreat.”

“Huh? Now?”

“Yeah. People are coming.”

Leila immediately prepared at my words.

She folded the map and put it away, then quickly dispelled the magic and moved to a different location.

And after some time passed, the people finally appeared.

“Is that person Count Arkent?”

“Yeah. I think so.”

Count Arkent.

The excavation sponsor of these ruins and the one searching for ‘secrets’ had coincidentally come around evening.

Bringing several men wearing robes.

“Did he bring archaeologists?”

“Hmm.”

I carefully observed the robed men.

Tattoos visible between their briefly exposed forearms.

Though hard to identify precisely, the problem was that all of them had ‘tattoos.’

Tattoos.

Something there’s little reason to have unless it carries shamanic meaning or indicates belonging to a specific group.

“They seem like suspicious fellows.”

Leila agreed.

“Robes are common enough, but there’s no reason for nobles’ servants to wear such secretive clothing.”

What the fellow said is right.

The servants that nobles bring along generally symbolize the noble’s authority.

In that sense, it’s normal to reveal them to display intimidation and authority, not hide them like that.

Besides, it’s almost night.

They’d already be hard to see in the darkness, yet they’re still wearing robes?

“It’s not even cold weather either.”

I raised my sensing ability to detect those fellows.

I don’t feel anything right now, but I’ll know the moment they use mana.

“You still haven’t found the entrance?”

“I’m sorry. It definitely seems to be around this area, but we’re still looking for a way…”

Conversation sounds could be heard in the midst of this.

When I focused on listening, Leila asked.

“Don’t tell me you can hear from here too?”

“Shh.”

The conversation continued.

“I gave you quite a long period of time. You find something in the ruins where I hold excavation rights, and I receive compensation from you in return.”

“…If you could just give us a little more time.”

“There isn’t much time left on the excavation rights. Once the excavation is finished, these ruins will belong to the Imperial Palace. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Those were Count Arkent’s words.

For reference, all ruins discovered in the Empire belong to the Imperial Palace, and excavation is done by obtaining excavation rights for those ruins.

Instead, they acquire some of the relics discovered during the excavation process.

Count Arkent seemed to be saying that the period for his excavation authority was running out.

“You said you were mages. From what I’ve learned, you can send mana into the ground to understand underground structures. You wouldn’t claim not to know a method that even I know about, would you?”

“Th-that’s certainly possible. But it’s very limited. The amount of mana we can release is finite, the range is very narrow, and to detect all the way underground would require tremendous time and mana…”

“Are you saying it’s impossible?”

“There probably isn’t anyone who could do it. Unless Saul Hanston came back alive.”

“…It’s three days now. Only three days left.”

Three days.

I memorized the timeframe.

“If you can’t find it, I’ll reveal your existence. If I can’t be compensated for the past three years of time and expenses…”

“We’ll definitely find it. There isn’t much left now. We’ve narrowed down the search area considerably…”

What are those fellows pleading to Count Arkent?

Those fellows are mages.

But I’ve never seen those tattoos at any Magic Tower.

By the way, this is strange.

The tattoos were there just a moment ago, but now they’ve disappeared.

Could they be tattoos drawn with magically enhanced powder?

Whooom.

I drew up my mana and expanded my sensing ability.

I can barely detect one person’s presence.

Maybe it’s because the tattoos have disappeared.

I don’t feel anything particular.

It’s like looking at a very ordinary person’s mana.

More precisely, it seems like I’m looking at a mage’s mana.

“Three days. I’ll say it again, three days. No matter how late, you must find it by tomorrow.”

“…We’ll keep that in mind.”

“If you fail to do so.”

Count Arkent paused for a moment, then added in a completely different, sharp voice.

“Not only will I reveal your existence, but you’ll also have to face all of my personal resentment.”

“…Then you won’t be safe either, Count.”

“I’ve never left alive anyone who deceived me. Even if I have to shed blood.”

“…”

Count Arkent.

It’s a name I’ve heard before, but I should look into it a bit more.

Anyway, Count Arkent left like that.

I followed the Count with my eyes for a moment, then turned my gaze back to the mysterious mages.

Those fellows started working with familiarity.

It seems those fellows just started investigating randomly from the beginning.

If they had approached it differently like us, it wouldn’t have taken even a day.

“Let’s go back.”

Leila and I returned to our friends and explained the general situation.

“…”

“…What got us involved again?”

“I knew this would happen…”

“When has our adventure ever been smooth?”

And there were the expected reactions.

In the midst of this, Altur reacted to Count Arkent.

“If it’s Count Arkent… he’s still a well-known noble in the capital.”

“You know him?”

“Of course. He’s someone interested in magic. I heard he wanted to become a mage when he was young, but couldn’t.”

I don’t know if that fact is related to him bringing those mysterious mages…

“Altur, do you know this?”

“What’s this?”

“The tattoos of the mages who were with Count Arkent. They were there at first, but suddenly disappeared.”

“This… it’s a tattoo I’ve never seen before? Even small to medium-sized Magic Towers don’t use tattoos of this shape. And it disappeared in the middle?”

Even Altur has never seen this tattoo before.

In that case.

“Ernest?”

“I don’t really know either.”

Then Jenna and Dorian also shook their heads.

But Priscilla was different.

“…Are you sure about this?”

“It’s a rough sketch so it’s not exact. But it’s right in the general framework.”

For reference, the tattoo I drew shows a small star, sickle, and staff crossing each other.

It’s an unfamiliar tattoo, but Priscilla seemed to know something about it.

“Do you know what it is?”

“It would have been better not to know.”

Priscilla sighed, then hesitated several times before finally opening her mouth.

“If this tattoo is real, this isn’t an ordinary incident.”

Just that was enough to make the fellows look enlightened.

“Right… she says it’s not an ordinary incident.”

“I knew this would happen…”

But I needed to know.

“What is it?”

“Black mages.”

At those simple yet devastating words, everyone around fell into shock.

Black mages.

Like necromancers, they were so ancient that they only appeared in fairy tales, so the shock was actually less.

Because it lacked reality.

However, only Priscilla was different.

“I read it in very old records. The tattoos of dark mages are similar to the sketches you’ve been doing, Dane. Most importantly… they only appeared momentarily when exerting power to hide their identity as dark mages, then disappeared.”

Then why didn’t I detect anything when the tattoo appeared?

“I didn’t particularly feel anything.”

“Maybe they’ve learned how to hide their power over time.”

Well, we can figure out what’s going on by investigating.

“Anyway, they’re dark mages. I have no idea how they appeared.”

Leila’s lament came from beside me.

“Secret societies, heretics, demons, tremendous beings… and now even dark mages.”

“What’s so surprising about that now?”

I patted Leila’s shoulder and then turned my head toward Priscilla.

“I’m glad I brought you along.”

“…Can’t I just go back?”

“Why?”

“When I think about solving this matter and reporting to the Grand Temple… Haa.”

I chuckled at her realistic concern.

“But why aren’t you surprised? They’re dark mages. The beings who once conspired with demons to plunge the continent into chaos have appeared again.”

I answered simply to that.

“They didn’t seem very strong though?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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