*Unedited

TN: Yes, I was working on this chapter yesterday but I grew tired of it half-way so it’s delayed another day.
There is a price to fast chapters, MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *cough

” Abi’s mana was tremendous. According to what I can gauge, it’s over Father’s. ”

I ended with that conclusion for my report to the King as he groaned.

” Gion? How can it be, his mana level is 999. ”
” That’s right. ”

The King, whose elbows was propped on the table as he hugged his head, directed his gaze at me. And when he heard my answer, he groaned again.

” To tell you the truth Will, it’s quite impossible to believe you. ”

Of course, if I was the King I would not had believe me either. It was just the words of an 8 year old, plus in this world, which mana averages at around 100~150, no one would believe that Abi’s mana level was higher than my ridiculously out-of-the-norm father.

Again, I was just 8 years old. 8 years old (usually) have only about half of an adult’s mana level. They would had fainted the moment they were hit by Abi’s mana.

At my matter-of-fact way of speaking, the King stared at me in amazement.

” Can it be…. but… of course…. Erm, Will’s mana is… ”

The King mumbled.
I smiled in return.

” I understand, it is difficult to believe even for me. Would you mind if I show you? ”

A question mark appeared on top of the King’s head but he nodded. There was no need for worry as there were no one around. According to the mana the King let out just a moment ago, I was pretty sure his mana level was around 800.

So I let out just a bit of mana. It was not to the point of how many percent I was letting out but really just a little.

But, the King’s expression changed.

” ….!!? ”

The door which we entered from, rattled. The lock was a tool that opened upon reading the registered mana. That was why it was able to feel mana flowing and most likely, after reading mine, it overloaded it’s capacity.

Glancing at the door, I smiled at the King who raised his voice. Noticing my smile, his eyes opened wider. Then, I gradually stopped the released mana and with an image of rewinding, I returned it back inside.

” ….perhapes.. ”

The King said, feebly.

” Yes, Abi had about that amount of mana. ”

” Erm~…… Your Majesty? ”

I asked the frozen King in front of me. The King then gave a small jolt, as if he finally returned back to reality.

” Hmm. ….That is.. troublesome. ”

He said, squeezing that line out and I nodded.

” Yes. The summoner’s mana is unfathomable. Plus, even if it’s a summoned beast, it managed to infiltrate Phillis Academy which had a barrier up. ”
” Indeed, to enter without breaking the barrier.. ”
” Yes. It would be appropriate to think that there is someone who guided them in. ”
” What about you, Will? What do you think of this? ”

Asked the King, who had calmed down, as he looked straight at me. I was surprised. To asked an 8 year old for his opinion…. Though I was the party concerned and it might be thanks to me being Father’s son. Accepting the reason, I began to put my thoughts together.

” The aim of the summoner should be to test and measure my ability if I am not wrong. Selphy, who was attacked, had been living in the Elf Village prior to this so it would be hard to think she had any connection with this. As a coincidence, the timing of the attack was way too good. Although I asked Father to leak out information that it was the traps for the incident 3 years ago, the mastermind behind it seems to be doubting that. ”

I took a breather and looked at the King. His eyes were telling me to continue so I did.

” 3 years ago was the Shadows and this time, Abi. If it was the same person, he had the ability to keep the Shadows, as well as the technique to make Slave Collars and is capable of summoning Abi. I think it is an organization that is above the [Shadows]. ”
” Hm. So you don’t think it’s the [Shadows] who are behind this? ”

The King had caught on to the meanings behind my words. Our eyes met and we smiled at one another.

” That’s my conclusion as well. It is easy to linked it to them but I cannot see what their aim for doing this is. …..It would be their area of expertise if they are aiming for Will’s life but it’s too big an uproar for them. ”

As expected of the Wise King. He was able to see through to the heart of the problem immediately. In that case, I should tell him something that I had investigated.

” The one who guided the culprit in is most likely within my circle of friends who knew about my movements as well as how close Selphy and I are. ”
” Hoho…? ”

The king looked amused as the corners of his lips raised.

” I had contact with Father. Mi Sociunnov had contact with his father, Manuel Sociunnov but nothing was said regarding about Selphy. That’s everyone who had used my communication tool. There are other communication methods like letters but those are quite expensive so not many students used them. And within this month, no one had visited the reception area to send letters. There are students who used the weekends or the holidays to go out but all of them are always with friends, so the possibility is quite low. However, there was just 1 person who went out for lunch with her father. ”
” …….Who? ”

The King, who was listening to me speak with an amused face, turned serious in an instant. Yep. A j.a.panese face but beautiful. He was so ikemen that you would be surprised. Was it because of that? The mixed parentage of first founder and the people of this world. How irritating, what a s.e.xy ikemen! ….I can’t really say that out loud so let’s continue with my report, yes my report.

” Selphy’s roommate, Maria. Her father is Caralsdoni of the Caralsdoni Trading Company. And that’s my report. ”

――――――――At this time, the man himself.

A man in shabby clothing had collapsed along the roadside.

” Where am I…? ”

It seem like he had regained consciousness. Looking all around him, all he could see was unfamiliar scenery. Tilting his head in puzzlement, he then noticed the clothes he was wearing and frowned.

The previous dazzling white robe was stained brown by something like mud. Once aware, a stench wafted to his nose. Turning over his robe, he was not even wearing any underwear. He was beginning to feel like he was stripped.

Why was he in a place like this?
The man took another look around and hugged his head. The place where he was in was a side alley, a place that felt like the slums.

” Erm…. ”

For now, the man tried to remember what happened before he fainted.

” ….Hm? Eh? Huh? ”

He hugged his head again. He could not remember.

” Ah….. I am a man, a merchant, name’s Caralsdoni. I am supposed to be heading towards the capital with Caralsdoni Trading Company’s caravan…. ”

Caralsdoni said slowly, trying to reconfirmed his situation. He then paused in the middle of his sentence and reached for his beard, a habit he had when he was thinking and was startled. The short beard that he had always kept in order had became long.

” Ah, at the Demon Forest.. ”

Stroking his overgrown beard, he tried thinking back to the last scenery he had seen.

But his memories after that, traveling along the Iiza River to head towards the Capital and meeting with Maria, was very fuzzy. He reasoned that he must had been attacked by robbers or someone like that and was forced-fed some kind of medicine.

Normally, one would lose his bearings when he found out he was thrown by the road side with just a piece of robe on but don’t underestimate Caralsdoni. He had single-handedly built up his company and had been recognized as a medium-sized trading company. He had a tenacious spirit can’t be shaved off that easily.

” Money…none. But. ”

Caralsdoni grinned. If the G.o.ds of this world were watching, they would have grumbled at how he just leap over the trials they had planned for him. ‘As long as the world had money, he would fight for it any time!’ was the kind of positive thinking Caralsdoni had.

The fact that he would taste regret and despair later was unknown to the him now.

” Maria, I’m coming right now so wait for me. ”

Caralsdoni, with just 1 robe covering him, started on his journey.

Led by Alc.u.medes, Will left the King’s private quarters. Kesamu leaned back heavily onto the sofa, sighing in satisfaction.

” What ‘he is more useful than some of those around you’? Stop joking. ”

If he continued with his sentence, he would sound like the Knight’s leader, Gion. To tell the truth, Kesamu had belittled Will. He knew Gion was not joking when he said Will was more useful but he was only 8 years old. He thought Gion meant Will would be more useful than those useless n.o.bles from the Anti-Kingdom fraction.

How about meeting him, face to face?

Kesamu laughed wryly as he had thought he was on the right track as a politician but it seem like he still have some way to go. He was completely fooled by the Will’s age and his child appearance. He had looked at him with preconception so he would have to go back to to a blank state and look at him with fresh eyes.

Having inherited the First Founder’s blood, he had confidence in his mana power. Sitting on his throne, he would look at his opponent as he let out a bit of mana and most people can’t even stand when they are exposed to that.

To an 8 years old, he had childishly let out the same amount of mana as he did when he was meeting with n.o.bles he disliked. It was to test the extend of Gion’s idiot doting parent sense. But his son just stood there with a calm face.

Plus he was graceful. Each of his movement was so polished that it was unbelievable to think this child had defeated Abi.

How amusing, he had thought. As expected of Gion’s son, he had thought. As planned, he invited him over to his private room and Will had followed without faltering. It must be because he was still a child, unknown about the fear of people.

But this was where Kesamu received his first shock. The green tea which was pa.s.sed down only within the royal family as it was the First Founder’s favorite, was drank by Will without any question. Plus he drank it the correct way.

And from there, it were blows after blows from Will’s attack. His spirit was completely beaten down.

Will had let out enough mana to break the mana lock. Which meant he had mana that outdo that gigantic amount that he let out. And he did not seem to be drowning in the power of it, like he knew both the merit and the demerit of that power.

And the way his head turned.

He was a prodigy. There were rumors about him being a prodigy but to think that he was to that extent! Kesamu felt like punching himself for not meeting him sooner in those 8 years. He would have had fun talking.

Kesamu was being called as the Wise King. He was proud of how fast his brain can turn as compared to others. As the speed was different, he did not had much fun in conversations.

And now.
He felt like talking to Will would be fun. Will was able to follow and even exceed him before the conversation grew boring. Till now, the only one able to do was only Gion.

Actually, the skill to be able to guess what others were talking about with just a few words were trained by Will being a former j.a.panese. It was called ‘to read between the lines’.
[TN: 『空気を読む』, to read the air. I personally prefer them to speak out instead of requiring me to read though.]

” Alc.u.medes. ”

Kesamu called out to his partner, who had returned some unknown time ago, happily.

” Yes, how can I be of help? ”
” …..Fufufu. Call Zirco. ”
” As you wished. ”

Alc.u.medes, most probably with a smile, disparated.

” 8 years old… ”

Kesamu can’t think of him as an 8 years old.
Williams.
It would be great if they would be good friends like how he was with Gion.

◆◆◆