The Son-In-Law of the Magician Is a Transcendent Sword Master - Chapter 6
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 6
In the not-so-distant future, the Archmage King raises an army. The first thing he did after starting the war was to strike down the Empire’s Five Great Magic Families.
According to Renia, the Archmage King’s main objective was not the destruction of the magic families, but rather the secret arts they possessed.
The unique magical formulas passed down through generations in their families were each high-level magic that far transcended human understanding. Using the unique magical formulas of the Five Great Families as nourishment to break through the wall of the 9th circle was the Archmage King’s true goal.
The destruction and chaos of the world was merely a secondary result from his perspective.
The reason the Archmage King could conquer the world single-handedly was largely due to the power struggles between the Five Great Magic Families.
The five families stood in equal positions under the Empire’s emperor’s protection, but their relationship could hardly be called harmonious.
Even this incident of the Benheim family head’s pendant going missing was suspected by many to be a petty scheme planned by other magic families or dark mages.
“Rot there for the rest of your life, you filthy thief. Not only did you dare steal a family treasure, but you even attacked Miss Renia.”
Even the guards treated me almost like a traitor.
No matter how much I protested my innocence, they wouldn’t listen.
In the end, I was suddenly trapped in a solitary cell in the basement of Benheim Mage Tower, forced to listen only to the sound of water dripping from the ceiling.
“Now, what should I do?”
Sitting blankly in the solitary cell, I let out a deep sigh.
“I can’t even escape.”
The iron bars seemed to have magic inscribed on them.
I had a vague idea about the nature of the magic. It felt similar to the magic Renia had used on the ropes when capturing enemy prisoners.
Knowing the structure meant I could also interfere with it.
I raised my hand to try dismantling the magic carved into the iron bars, but it was a distant task with my current body that lacked a mana core.
Even after struggling for hours, I could only create the tiniest distortion.
However, it wasn’t impossible. If I spent time continuously wearing down the inscriptions, I could completely dismantle them.
The problem was that I didn’t have time to waste.
“Tch.”
Perhaps it was foolish to ask for Renia upon first meeting.
What father would give permission when some unknown vagrant asks for his daughter?
“…Was I too direct?”
“Yes. You were too direct.”
I looked up at the sudden response. Captain Allet of Benheim was standing right in front of the iron bars.
Allet’s gaze was fixed on the bars I had been touching moments before.
Had he noticed that I had tampered with the magic inscribed on the iron bars?
Allet stared at the iron bars for a while, then cleared his throat and spoke.
“The family head cherishes his children dearly. He is a warm father before being a great mage. Having spouted nonsense in front of such a person, it wouldn’t be strange at all if you rotted in prison for life.”
Though his voice was cold, I focused more on the meaning behind his words.
“You didn’t come all the way here just to mock me. If you intended to sentence me to life imprisonment, you wouldn’t have said such things.”
“Yes. The joke that Mr. Reagan made earlier will be graciously forgiven in consideration of your merit in retrieving the family treasure and your kindness in saving Miss Renia.”
“It wasn’t a joke, but sincere words.”
“Haha. You really are good at jokes.”
Allet made a laughing sound, but his eyes weren’t smiling.
When I quietly closed my mouth, only then did Allet bring up his business.
“Benheim never breaks a promise once made. Since the family head promised to accept Mr. Reagan as a member of the family, from now on Mr. Reagan will live as an outer mage of Benheim.”
This was probably why Allet’s speech had changed to honorifics.
“An outer mage… Is that like a retainer?”
“It’s a position closer to the family than a retainer. However, until Mr. Reagan fulfills his role as a mage, you will have to stay in the separate residence.”
“Separate residence?”
“Yes. You will need to practice magic alone for a while. You don’t need to worry. We will assign you a servant knowledgeable in magic, so it will help with your introduction to magic.”
I nodded at Allet’s words.
Currently, I was a nobody without even a mana core to be called a Benheim mage. They planned to exile me to the separate residence and have me learn from the basics.
“Well, that’s fine too.”
Whatever label was attached to me, I had become a mage of Benheim.
Compared to before my regression, this could be called the best start.
“Then while living in the separate residence, I’ll get to meet people from the family.”
I thought of Renia.
Earlier, because the situation was serious, I couldn’t have much conversation with Renia even after our reunion. What should I say when we meet again?
As I was pondering this, Captain Allet frowned and said:
“Let me give you one piece of advice: it would be better not to speak to family members. No, minimize contact altogether. At least until Mr. Reagan becomes a proper mage.”
“Why is that?”
“The direct bloodline doesn’t like associating with mages from outside the family. If even the branch families feel that way, how much more so for an outer mage? Many mages pass the tests and enter Benheim each year, but not many of them stay until the end.”
Elitism, or something like hazing?
Unlike the branch families who had even a little Benheim blood mixed in, I was a complete outsider. I was even suspected of stealing the family head’s relic, so they couldn’t view me favorably.
Allet’s advice was absolutely right.
However…
“That’s my decision to make.”
“…Are you not listening to what I’m saying?”
“I heard you. You’re telling me not to act rashly until I become a proper mage.”
“Then…”
“I will become not just a proper mage, but at least a mage worth ten people, so it’s fine.”
When I expressed confidence without basis, wrinkles formed on Allet’s brow.
Perhaps having received strict instructions from Stern, Allet sighed deeply and shook his head instead of getting angry.
“Do as you please. However, I will not resolve any damage that results from it.”
“Of course not.”
After all, Captain Allet was also a mage belonging to Benheim.
I smiled slyly and held out both hands with handcuffs on them.
“So, when exactly are you going to release me from this?”
“Ah, my apologies. I was so flustered that I forgot to relay the family head’s message.”
Captain Allet lifted the corners of his mouth.
It was the first smile he had shown me.
“The criminal Reagan shall reflect on his crimes in prison for one week, he said.”
“…Damn.”
That damned father-in-law.
* * *
“What did he say?”
“He didn’t say much, but he looked quite displeased.”
“I suppose he would. Telling someone at the peak of their youth to rot in prison for a whole week.”
Stern, the head of Benheim, listened to Captain Allet’s report with a bitter smile as he tilted his wine glass.
Allet hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“If I may add my humble opinion, that fellow seems to be a rebel by nature. I question whether it was truly the right decision to accept such a person as a member of our family.”
Stern nodded his head.
Indeed, when Reagan had spouted that nonsense about giving him his daughter just moments ago, even Stern had been furious to the tips of his hair. If he hadn’t exercised transcendent self-control, it wouldn’t have been strange for attack magic to fly right then and there.
“Allet, everything that boy said was true.”
Stern fingered the monocle placed on the table.
Though it appeared to be an ordinary pair of glasses, this was an artifact. It was a relic embedded with detection magic that could distinguish whether someone’s words were truth or lies.
Just in case, he had worn the glasses when meeting with Reagan.
“It was undoubtedly the truth.”
Everything that boy of unknown origin had said was correct.
Not a single lie.
A mysterious mage had handed him the pendant, told him about the rune characters contained within, and even instructed him to go to Benheim and return the pendant.
This fact alone was shocking enough, but what was most decisive was that Reagan had a vague understanding of the true nature of the rune characters in the pendant.
“Knowing about the power of the final rune is not a matter to be taken lightly. If that boy were to reveal this elsewhere, his life would surely be in danger. The same would be true for our family.”
The rune of time.
Magic grand enough to overturn the world.
The final research that would determine Benheim’s thousand-year history.
It was also a puzzle that successive family heads had devoted their entire lives to but failed to solve.
The greatest clue to it had been inside the family treasure.
“Who do you think the mage who entrusted the pendant was?”
“This rune deals with the power of time. Then there’s only one possibility we can think of, isn’t there?”
Stern tightened his grip on the pendant.
“A future heir, or an ancestor from the past, must have wanted to give us guidance. Since they were wearing old-fashioned clothes, it’s likely an ancestor, but since they knew that Renia would be attacked today, it could also be a descendant from the future.”
“Then why didn’t that person come directly instead of entrusting the task to that boy?”
“There must be reasons they cannot speak of. Surely we ordinary people wouldn’t understand. But if there’s one thing certain, it’s that Benheim, whether from the past or future, chose that boy. Therefore, that boy is a benefactor.”
Hearing Stern’s words, Allet nodded. Allet was also a mage of considerable level. Just moments ago in the prison, Allet had glimpsed considerable talent in the boy called Reagan.
‘Certainly that fellow was dismantling the magic carved into the iron bars.’
When he first grasped that fact, Allet couldn’t help but be shocked.
A greenhorn who hadn’t even entered the realm of mana had grasped the structure of the magic carved into the iron bars and tried to dismantle it. The fact that he had even succeeded to some degree meant that Reagan’s talent was truly heaven-sent.
Moreover, though the boy seemed somewhat rude at first glance, he possessed insight that didn’t match his age.
However, as someone in the position of captain who had to prioritize the family’s safety above all else, Allet carefully broached the subject.
“Family head, today that boy killed the attackers who assaulted Miss Renia with just a single sword.”
Allet had just received a field investigation report from Benheim’s guards.
The assassins weren’t well-trained, but they could use basic aura, and the ringleaders were dark mages – one 2nd rank and one 3rd rank.
Though they couldn’t be considered highly skilled, they were still considerable forces.
“The guard captain in charge of the investigation said this. All of them were stabbed precisely in vital spots. It was a single strike. The wound surfaces were clean, without even the slightest unnecessary mark.”
“….”
“Miss Renia’s testimony matched as well.”
Reagan had killed all the ruffians who attacked Renia.
An ordinary boy who hadn’t entered the realm of mana had slaughtered five attackers with just a cheap iron sword.
“Isn’t this clearly strange? The attack that happened at just the right time, the stolen pendant – I have an ominous feeling that everything seems to flow around that boy.”
“Allet, what are you trying to say?”
“We cannot help but consider the possibility that that boy, Reagan, might be a spy from another family or dark mages. Recently, with the change of the head of Rucen, various ominous rumors seem to be circulating. Miss Renia’s attack, considering this atmosphere…”
“I know.”
Stern cut off his words and nodded.
He too had sensed the unsettling currents surrounding Rucen County, another great magic family.
“However, Allet, Benheim exists to see the end of magic. Is that not so?”
“That is correct.”
“There’s no law saying only Benheim’s bloodline will stand at that end. Rather, not forgetting our ancestors’ words, if there are outstanding talents outside the family, we should accept them without hesitation and make them nourishment for Benheim.”
At this impeccable logic, Allet bowed his head deeply.
“However, Allet, your suspicions are quite reasonable too. First, have the family’s elite track down those despicable fellows who attacked Renia.”
“Yes. The Rune Surveillance Unit has already begun the pursuit.”
The Rune Surveillance Unit was a force composed only of Benheim’s most elite mages.
If they took action, the mastermind would be revealed soon.
Stern nodded and continued speaking.
“Additionally, assign a trained surveillance agent to Reagan. We should maintain at least minimal vigilance.”
“I shall obey your command.”
Allet, having received his instructions, left the room, and Stern, now alone, silently gazed out the window while tilting his wine glass.
Stern’s mind was still complicated.
“Give me your daughter….”
The boy, Reagan, had asked for his daughter.
Coincidentally, Stern had also thought of his daughter the moment he saw Reagan.
Renia Benheim.
Bold yet mischievous personality. Natural rebellious temperament. Yet outstanding talent. The two had many similar aspects.
Even today, Renia owed Reagan a debt of life.
Therefore, he had an intuition that if Renia were to be with Reagan, they would create a good synergistic effect for each other, and Benheim’s magical path could advance one step further. It was something Stern could understand because he had lived his entire life as a mage.
However….
“I hope that child Renia won’t be corrupted.”
As a father before being a family head, some anxiety was unavoidable.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
