Duke Agnus and Count Rebrecca stood still and just watched as Babel, filled with jealousy, struck at Joshua with all his hatred. His eyes were cold and unforgiving, and filled with all the power the young successor could muster.

“HAH!” With his sword held high, he cut diagonally across Joshua’s body. However, Joshua read the attack and deliberately stepped closer, lowering his body to avoid the attack. Every muscle in Joshua’s body exploded into motion. His staff, which he held in an apparently careless grip, thrust at Babel.

Babel’s eyes widened. It was too fast!

One of the sword’s greatest strengths was its speed; a weapon as long as a spear, like Joshua’s staff, could not hope to compete. However, despite being the first to move, Babel’s sword somehow lagged behind Joshua’s staff.

Clung!

Rather than the clatter expected from two wooden weapons colliding, the hall was instead rattled by an explosion.

Not wood against wood, but mana against mana.

A collision of Joshua’s mana, no bigger than a coin but condensed to its limit, against Babel’s hazy mana.

Everyone watching was astonished; what happened defied all of their expectations. Unlike Joshua, who took a single step back, Babel stumbled backward three steps.

“Keugh!” Babel, stomach churning, let out a harsh cough. He couldn’t believe what was happening. He was indeed… losing.

‘Is… is it really mana?’

This unwanted bastard? A trash born from peasant blood? He could use mana?

Moreover, mana—the end-all, be-all of weaponry in the Empire— was wielded by someone younger than him?!

“Don’t make me laugh!” he shouted. Teeth grinding, Babel breathed more and more mana into his sword. His hazy mana began to take on a vivid color.

‘That’s not real mana! I don’t know what kind of trick he pulled…’ Unlike him, who cloaked his entire sword in mana, the scum in front of him had a tiny mote of mana on the tip of his stick. Surely there couldn’t be any mana in that.

‘It’s just a coincidence! This time I’ll prove it…’ Babel steadied his legs. He was preparing to attack Joshua again.

“STOP!” 

A mana-infused roar shook the walls of the training hall.

“Ugh!” 

Joshua and Babel, who were close to the Duke, clutched their ears. Count Rebrecca, standing right next to him, was no different. The boys came to their senses and turned to find the source of the sound: Duke Agnus.

“That’s enough,” he murmured. “Chiffon, isn’t this enough?”

Shaken, Chiffon recollected himself at the Duke’s question.

“Do you still think Joshua has a congenital mana disorder?”

“That—” Chiffon licked his lips and glanced to the side. There stood Joshua, silently gripping his staff.

Chiffon bowed his head briefly to Duke Agnus, hesitantly saying, “But Duke, that mana—”

“It was mana alright,” Count Rebrecca interrupted him. “Young Master Joshua’s mana was not normal mana at all. In terms of quantity, it was incomparable to Young Master Babel's. But the concentration…” 

Count Rebrecca swallowed hard as he sneaked a glance at Joshua while being cautious about his words before Babel.

The audience wore mixed expressions.

“Mmm… Then you’re really a mana user—a C-Class Knight?” Charles, mouth agape, bounced off her seat.

Iceline’s normally expressionless face hinted at her agitation.

“As expected…” Cain smiled, muttering so softly that only he could hear. He had seen it right. He thought that this little boy might one day overcome the Duke, this boundless colossus.

“Mana at the age of nine…” Though quiet, Duke Agnus’s voice was heard clearly. An obvious smile graced his lips. “How amusing.”

Sparing one last glance at Joshua, Duke Agnus turned away.

“Duke…?” Chiffon muttered blankly at Duke Agnus’s back.

“Don’t talk about whatever mana disorder anymore.”

Chiffon immediately shut his mouth and followed. He knew better than anyone how to act when Duke Agnus’s voice oozed with such a sense of intimidation. His master, Duke Aden von Agnus, was infinitely kind in front of his trustworthy subordinates, but would never show mercy to someone who crossed the line—no matter how talented they were.

“Poncel,” the Duke addressed as he walked away.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Thank you for today.”

“It’s nothing,” Count Rebrecca answered quietly, shaking his head.

“Let’s go back. And…” Duke Agnus glanced behind him. “Babel.”

Babel flinched evidently when he was called out.

“You, follow me,” the Duke ordered.

“...Yes,” Babel answered weakly.

“And lastly…” Duke Agnus paused for a moment. Joshua, noticing that he was the target of the Duke’s attention this time, straightened his posture. 

“Come to my room tonight.”

Chiffon and Babel were shaken. Duke Agnus had never invited anyone to his room until now. The Duke spent most of the day in his office. Even to his family, Duke Agnus’s room was akin to a secret vault.

“...Yes sir,” Joshua answered in a quiet voice.

Duke Agnus smiled with satisfaction and walked away.

Babel had been staring at Joshua for a long time. The two Counts were lost in thought. Charles was busy examining Joshua's face, and Iceline’s face was once again expressionless. They all then followed after Duke Agnus, leaving the training hall.

With only the two of them left, Cain quietly spoke up. “...I want my master to be someone strong.”

Joshua looked at Cain as the elder man broke the silence.

“Actually, as a knight sworn to lay down his life to protect his master, this is an absurd idea…” Cain watched Joshua’s expression, and continued.

“For ten years, I grew up watching the back of Duke Agnus… I hope the master I serve will be stronger than the Grand Duke. It’s going to be dull if the master suddenly weakens.” Cain bowed with a never before seen respect.

“I’ll be in your care, Young Master.”

***

Shortly after Count Cox von Wagen and Charles returned to their room…

“Cox, that’s great! This is AWESOME!”

“Young Lady, please calm down!” Watching Charles run around in excitement, Cox broke out in a cold sweat.

“A mana user at the age of nine! Does this make sense? Uncle and Babel were both in their teens when they made their achievement!”

“Hah… Young Lady, I’m surprised too… but please…”

“This can’t go on. There’s been a change in plans…” Charles continued without listening to Cox. “He is a bastard in my mind, sure, but...with that kind of talent, it’s a very different story!”

‘Why do bad omens always come true?’ Cox nervously awaited his young mistress’s next words.

“Shouldn’t he be back in the mansion by now?” Charles, who was rolling around on the bed, bounced back to a sitting posture.

“Young Lady, are you possibly…?” Cox frowned anxiously.

“Of course I must seduce him! With my beauty and prestige, how could he not fall for it?” Charles exclaimed.

“Young Lady!” Cox screamed at Charles’s disappearing back.

Slam!

Cox slumped as he stared at the tightly shut door.

“Oh, God,” Cox muttered as he was left all alone in the room.