“I’m sorry, Count Rebrecca.” Cox got up quickly and shook his head. As a merchant, Cox was very sensitive when it came to reading the atmosphere—doubly so when he was in the same room as both a Count and a Grand Duke. Even though Cox was one of the most respected Counts of the Pontier family, he had no problem humbling himself.

“It’s fine. It’s not something to lower yourself for.” Count Poncel zin Rebrecca shook his head with a faint smile. “Moreover… I’ve heard that rumor too, Duke.”

“Well…”

“May I enquire, if it’s not too rude?”

“From what I’ve heard, he’s not half bad even if he’s a concubine’s son,” Charles spouted.

“Young Lady, please refrain from further rudeness!” Cox shouted before Charles could continue.

“What rudeness? I only said the truth,” she pouted.

“I don’t think the Count need to worry so much,” Chiffon chimed in, seeing how Duke Agnus remained silent.

“Sir Chiffon?” Cox tilted his head questioningly.

“Well… As the Young Lady’s words, Young Master Joshua is unwell, so he’s been recuperating.”

“My word… What manner of affliction?” Cox asked with a worried face. Chiffon eyed Duke Agnus before replying.

“From my observations, it seems to be congenital mana disorder.”

“The Curse of Mana!” Poncel shouted in surprise. This curse—congenital mana disorder—was rare enough to break his normally quiet atmosphere. A strange look passed through Iceline’s eyes, who otherwise sat expressionless like a doll.

“What the hell? A kid knocked out three soldiers with that kind of illness…” Charles mumbled with a sullen expression. Cox and Poncel shared a sympathetic look.

Their interest in Joshua, however, was cursory. Although they did not say it, they were only here for Babel von Agnus.

“Well, Poncel, how about you take a look at the boy?”

“Pardon?” Poncel stared blankly back at the Duke.

“After all, aren’t there only a few Class 5 mages in the Empire?”

A Class 5 mage was respected wherever they went; with the exception of the Magic Kingdom, Terra, someone with that level of skill could become the royal chief mage wherever they chose. Considering the relative lack of mages in the Avalon Empire, Poncel was especially valuable; indeed, he was one of the three most powerful people in the Avalon Empire.

“...All right.” Poncel nodded softly. It wasn’t too difficult, and he could earn the Duke’s regard for a simple favor.

“Thank you.”

Chiffon adopted a faint frown. It was his habit to frown when something was not to his liking.

“Your Grace, why don’t you go with him and evaluate Young Master Joshua’s talent too?”

“Huh?” Duke Agnus tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“I’m certain it’s congenital mana disorder but… if you’re willing, wouldn’t it be better to check his health before leaving for the capital? There’s… the rumor going around too.”

“Well…” Duke Agnus stroked his chin with a troubled expression.

“If Count Poncel is with you, you can observe him a little easier.” Mages were more sensitive to mana. The way mages and knights manipulated mana were fundamentally different, but mages could feel the “flow” of mana.

“That would be fantastic… Would that be okay? I mean I get to see my new younger brother.” Charles clapped her hands. “Oh, you said he’s nine years old, so he’s younger than me right? Three years younger.”

“Haa...” Cox shook his head, at a complete loss.

“How do you plan to evaluate him?” Duke Agnus asked Chiffon.

“With your orders, I will send one of my knights to spar with him.”

“One of the Red Knights?” Duke Agnus frowned. 

Chiffon was unperturbed.

“If Young Master Joshua can take down three centurions with his bare hands, then he should be able to take down a Red Knight as well.”

“I think we should consider the other knights outside of the three units too.” Duke Agnus’s answer was expected for the most prestigious family of knights in the empire.

“Of course, the other knights are excellent but, for the Young Master’s safety, wouldn’t it be better to have someone who can control their strength?”

“That’s—” When Duke Agnus seemed concerned, Chiffon quickly added.

“I have the perfect candidate.”

“A suitable member of the Red Knights…”

“You will definitely agree. He’s a knight you know well,” Chiffon continued with a smirk.

His voice was strangely chilly.

***

“Ugh!” Joshua took a deep breath and opened his eyes. “Where—”

The first thing he saw when he woke up was the ruins of the ancient temple. The white space he was in earlier was nowhere to be seen.

“Those memories…” Joshua mumbled. But the weight in his hand told him it was neither dream nor fantasy.

“Lugia?” The staff—he couldn’t bring himself to call it a spear—rested in his hand. 

This comfortable and familiar grip.... Clearly, it was Lugia, his dear friend and partner.

-As long as I’m by your side…

Lugia’s last words flashed through his mind. Joshua closed his eyes and began to practice his mana technique.

‘Now!’ Joshua’s eyes snapped open. An inscrutable black haze rose from his body, a phenomenon that only occurred when his mana technique was operating normally. Joshua hefted the iron rod and straightened his posture.

“Hooo!” Joshua took a short deep breath and stared straight ahead. 

The ancient spear technique named "Magic Spear Arts" was complex and divided into multiple levels, but one thing was clear. When he could draw even a handful of mana from the air, the first level was considered achieved.

‘I can do it.’ His grip on the iron rod firmed.

‘Lower your posture and contract your muscles, so that you can apply your full strength in one moment.’ His muscles tightened like they would snap into action at any moment.

The first form: Lightning Flash. 

There were only two spear forms in the first level of his technique. Joshua focused his entire mind on the first one. In a way, it was just a simple thrust—a straight line to the target. Concise and straightforward, but fast.

At the tip of the iron rod, a coin-sized mote of mana condensed. And when the mana was compressed to a point…

“Thunder.”

Bzzt.

A swarm of pure white light thrust forth from the end of the rod.