The Genius Magician Hides His Swordsmanship - Chapter 10

Chapter 10. Rio’s Test (2)

“What?”

Her big eyes look up at me. Tears welled up in Ariel’s eyes. I can’t imagine how angry and frustrated this little girl must be.

“I’ll help you get revenge.”

In that fleeting moment. The look in her eyes changed dozens of times. Anger, doubt, hope. A swirl of emotions.

“What do you know?”

But the last emotion I saw was resignation. The tears that had been forming dried up like they had never been there.

“What?”
“You don’t know anything. You, a child born as a Delemar, have no way of knowing how unfair the world is. Go on your way with that foolish pity.”

I don’t know anything…those words made my heart burn. I knew the discrimination of not being born into a good family, more than anyone else.

“You’re the one who’s full of themselves.”
“What?”
“You’re not a Delemar, but you were born in a fairly good environment.”
“What…”
“Compared to the common people, aren’t you enjoying a full life so far?”
“Huh?”
“Have you ever woken up in the morning not having anything to fill your stomach with? Have you ever been left outside all night on the street on a cold winter day?”

The world was too harsh for a child who lost their parents at a young age, even among commoners. That was me in my previous life.

“It’s a living hell out there, and don’t even get me started on the unfairness of kids from rich families. You grew up being treated well by your family, and here you are, at the Delemar academy.”

I couldn’t help but think to myself. ‘How many people are even given this opportunity?’

[Aren’t you saying a bit too much?]

Oberon interrupted me in a fit of rage.

‘Whoa, yeah. She’s just an 11 year old kid.’

She was a strange child. She must have stirred my emotions with her maturity beyond her age.

“You don’t know our lives!”

Because of Ariel’s sudden outburst, I almost confessed that I experienced it all too.

“It doesn’t matter if I experienced it or not, it’s just the truth. If you were born a Delemar, wouldn’t you blame yourself for not being born into the imperial family? Stop comparing yourself to others, and find a way to make more use of your talents.”

What cold and straightforward advice this is. I was a commoner, yet I became a 9 star swordsman. Of course, she doesn’t know about it.
Before I knew it, Ariel was staring blankly at me. She seemed quite shocked because she had been pushed for a long time.

“Anyway, you let McDuff win when you could have beaten him, right? Because he brought up the Delemar name.”

Ariel silently nodded her head.

“If McDuff does that again, have it out with him. I’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything to harm your family.”
“…Really?”

With her eyes full of doubts, she asked whether I could really stop him.

“Are you looking down on me? I’m a Delemar too.”

Even so, Ariel did not readily take my hand.

“But why are you helping me?”
“I told you. It’s because I realized something thanks to you, so I think it’s just a reward for that. And my help is not for free.”

Ariel put on a face that said yes.

“What’s your price?”
“Give me all the mana stones you found. So I can win first place.”
“Mana stones?”
“Yes, I have something I want to use them for. I’ll borrow them for one day, and after that, I’ll share it equally with your teammates and mine.”

It was a condition that wouldn’t be bad for Ariel either. It’s not that I’m going to take them away, I’m giving them back later.
Eventually, Ariel nodded her head. A strange smile bloomed on her face as she stood up holding my hand.

‘McDuff’s expression must be worth seeing.’

I was curious about the expression on his face when Ariel, who had always been bullied by him, reverses the situation.

[But what kind of realization did you get from her?]
‘Oh, it’s no big deal. It’s just that Ariel used water to find magic stones.’
[She did?]
‘But that wasn’t standardized magic. She applied the elements she’s comfortable with.’

She created a stream of water to retrieve the magic stones. She looked as relaxed as if she were searching for it by hand.

‘I’m stuck in a rut. I tried to use magic from square one, but nothing worked.’
[Well, it could be because you’re more experienced with swordsmanship.]

During my time as a swordsman, I faced thousands of mages. They had all used specific, refined magic, and the images of such advanced spells were burned into my mind.

‘How can I run, when I can’t even take a step?’

There was no way that after I barely felt mana, I could use the spells in my head.

‘I’ll have to start practicing elemental summoning again.’

McDuff’s fire, Ariel’s water.
They were all manifestations of what their bodies were accustomed to, not specific magic.

[Well, I don’t know much about magic. By the way, how are you going to stop him? He’s starting to behave more like his mother. You can’t stop him from getting to you.]
‘Oberon, I may have no influence in the family, but I can’t not beat an 11 year old because of politics.’

It was time to show the young fool the life experience of a senior who has gone through a lot.

As expected, McDuff’s behavior was predictable. Once again, he went after Ariel’s magic stones.

“Oh! There’s another magic stone floating on the water!”

He had already oppressed Ariel once, so he came back with even more confidence. As if it were his right, he came to pick out the magic stone on top of the water spout.

[He’s choosing to do the wrong thing again.]
‘He’ll have to be kept in line, while he’s young.’

As I asked her to, this time Ariel didn’t put up with it.

“While I’m asking nicely, give it to me.”
“Nicely? What are you going to do if I don’t?”

McDuff approached Ariel without hesitation. A flame was burning in his hand.

“You must have lost your mind from being hit earlier? Shall I burn your hair?”

However, this time Ariel’s eyes didn’t waver.
Blip!
Water droplets began to gather in front of Ariel’s body.

“You dare, what are you doing… Hey?”

McDuff stopped in his tracks as he approached Ariel. Panic reflected in his eyes.

“You’re crazy”

She formed a water ball.

‘Has Ariel also become a 2 star?’

She made an obvious manifestation of 2 star magic. The condensed water droplets settled into a single sphere in front of Ariel.

“You need to get a grip. You have no talent, and you shouldn’t trust your family name.”

Ariel waved her hand, and a waterball shot quickly.
Chark!
Although it was about the size of a fist, its power would still be formidable.

“Splash!”

McDuff hastily raised both of his hands.
However, the weak flame in his hand was not enough to stop the water ball, so the water ball, which extinguished the flames in an instant, hit McDuff on the cheek.
Chaaaak!
As if she was taking revenge for being slapped earlier, the water ball exploded in all directions.

[Ouch, that had to have hurt!]

With that, he was launched into the air, rolling once on the floor before stopping.

“You! You…! Crazy girl!”

McDuff shouted in anger.

“How dare you strike Delemar!”

He leapt to his feet, ready to pounce, but it wasn’t Ariel who met McDuff’s gaze.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Aloy, who had now appeared, stood in the way of the two of them. Behind him, Drew raised an eyebrow at him.

‘Nice timing.’

I had Drew call Aloy over.

“Don’t you think you’re disrespecting your instructor?”

Aloy’s usually jovial expression was now full of coldness.

‘Wow, is that really a 5 star mage?’
[Yeah, why is his magical energy so sharp?]

It was more than what an 11 year old could handle. Even McDuff, who was arguing with him, became speechless.
Aloy took a deep breath and dropped his head.

“Whoo. How dare you, fighting in class like this. Five penalty points for all of you.”
“Five penalty points?!”

McDuff then tried to mutter something, but Aloy’s body radiated cold energy again. The boy had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

‘He now has 9 penalty points?’

This guy was always prone to trouble. He had previously accumulated 4 penalty points.
Which means.

‘If he accumulates 1 more point, he will be forced to leave the school.’

It was the penalty point system of the Delemar Academy. Anyone who accumulates 10 penalty points is required to pack.

“Today’s class ends here.”

Aloy hurriedly gathered the children. He ranked them using the mana stones they had collected so far. I managed to win first place.

“First place goes to Ian yet again.”

I even received Ariel’s mana stones, so the first place was easily mine. I was surprised. Ever since I joined the academy, I had unintentionally always gotten first place.

“Ian! Here!”

Drew had collected the other kids’ mana stones. He’d gotten all the stones as a reward for the first placed team.

‘There must be about 20 of them.’
[But why did you collect this? Isn’t this what you need to practice feeling mana? I don’t know about the other kids, but you don’t need it anymore.]
‘There’s a place I want to use it all in.’

I took the mana stones in my arms.

“Ian.”

Ariel approached me.

“Nice job. I told you beforehand that you would be penalized, right?”
“Yeah, it doesn’t matter though. I’ve never gotten penalized anyway. Rather than that, I really wanted to hit him at least once.”

Ariel had no problems with her usual conduct, so she was in a different position than McDuff. There will be no penalty points in the future.

“That was cool. You even used a water ball.”

Despite the praise, Ariel’s expression was full of worry.

“More than that, you must keep your promise that McDuff will not harm my family.”
“Of course, I always keep my promises.”

There was still no revenge that McDuff could take on her himself. After all, he was only an 11 year old child. The only possible scenario is telling Helena.

‘He won’t be able to do that right now.’

Because today is the day we meet Rio. He wouldn’t be able to visit Helena right away.

* * * 

Rio, whom we met at night, didn’t seem to care too much about McDuff’s injured face.

“Woah! When did you become a chestnut?”

He teased, almost amused, but there was a moment when his expression hardened.

“I was beaten by a classmate. With magic.”

That was after he heard that.

“…You were beaten by a classmate?”

At the sight of this, McDuff was emboldened again.

“Yes uncle, I want you to go and punish her right now, how dare she hit a Delemar!”

After a moment, however, Rio’s expression was anything but angry.

“Ho-ho.”

He opened his mouth in surprise.

“She must be a very talented child, if she can turn you into a 2 year old.”
“Uncle! aren’t you worried? I’m going to tell my mom who made me like this!”

As expected, he wanted revenge through Helena. Rio just threw his hands up, as if he had a headache.

“Kid, that’s your own business, and I’m not here to listen to your sob stories.”

He held out both his hands toward us.

“Let me check your homework. Both of you, show me.”