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Chapter 162: Starting the Physique Improvement (1)

Alfoy wasn’t someone who was usually swayed by compliments.

When he lived in the Mage Tower, he was an arrogant and confident man.

He had lived believing he was rich in background and talent, lacking nothing.

“Yeah, I’m Alfoy. I’m a man who never gives up.”

However, since coming to Ghislaine’s side, he had been struggling, and his self-esteem had taken quite a hit.

Lately, he often found himself wondering why he was even living and felt unexpectedly gloomy at times.

But after receiving a barrage of compliments for the first time in a while, it felt like the confidence from his Mage Tower days was returning.

“Of course, I can do it! Well… I’m a bit tired, so I just wanted to test the Lord, but it’s not that hard. If I can’t do that, can I even call myself the heir of the Mage Tower?”

As Alfoy arrogantly spoke, the nearby wizards looked at him in shock.

Having been through a lot with Alfoy, they knew his flaws well.

They recognized his character, full of bravado, and that he would lose his wits when flattered.

Before the uneasy wizards could intervene, more compliments were showered upon him.

“Indeed, that’s the spirit of the heir of the Mage Tower! Such spirit is not something just anyone can exhibit.”

“Isn’t this why the Tower of the Bloody Flame is called the best in the North?”

“To think such a person is the heir! The future of the Tower is looking bright.”

Ghislaine also gave a thumbs up, elevating the atmosphere even further.

“You’re the best, Alfoy.”

When someone praises him this highly, it’s truly serious. It’s definitely not a common occurrence.

“Tch… was I not that before?”

With a sulky expression, Alfoy began to bask in his own grandeur.

Claude then interjected, pointing at Alfoy’s hand.

“Hey, bro! Do you know what kind of hand you have, the one that uses magic?”

“…Right hand?”

“Not that, you idiot… No, the magic that starts from your hand will create miracles in this territory! So your hand is the hand of miracles! It doesn’t matter if it’s the right or left hand! You idiot…”

“Wow! The hand of miracles, Alfoy!”

People interrupted Claude’s words and cheered. Since they’d begun the emotional labor, it was better to finish strong.

Clap clap clap.

As the applause poured in, Alfoy became completely confident.

Seeing him, Claude didn’t bother hiding his pity and whispered to Wendy.

“That guy needs to taste society’s bitter flavor a bit more. He’s grown up spoiled in the Mage Tower and has no sense at all. How on earth did the Tower owner raise him?”

‘You’re the worst, huh.’

Wendy thought silently without answering.

As people’s applause and cheers continued, Alfoy’s nose grew higher and higher.

The flustered wizards tugged at his sleeve to stop him, but it was no use.

Just as the atmosphere reached a boiling point, Ghislaine asked in a casual voice.

“How about it? Can you handle it within the timeframe? We need to do it as soon as possible… Is it hard even for the genius wizard Alfoy?”

At those words, everyone held their breath, looking at Alfoy.

Alfoy scanned the expectant eyes of the people, slowly swept his hair back with one hand.

Then, with a very arrogant and haughty expression, he raised one hand.

“Don’t worry, I, Alfoy, will handle it all!”

“Wow! That’s our Alfoy!”

Once again, loud cheers and applause poured down upon Alfoy.

Alfoy lifted his chin high, while the other wizards hung their heads in a daze.

*

‘Why did I do that knowing I couldn’t?’

Alfoy regretted it while staring at the Runestone before him.

Having received potent praises close to a lethal dose after such a long time, he found himself unable to say he couldn’t do it.

Because… that would hurt his pride.

However, now that he faced the workload, there was so much to do that he couldn’t even begin.

Even now, wizards were desperately seeking him at each construction site, and the administration was urging him to provide the Runestones for the cultivated land quickly.

When it was time for compliments, everyone was supportive, but when it came to working, they were chillingly demanding.

Especially Claude sent people every hour to check on the schedule, being particularly ruthless.

— Hey, hand of miracles! Hurry up and show us that miracle! When will the work be done? You idiot!

‘You jerk! How dare you try to manipulate me with such sweet words? That guy must be casting ‘charm’ magic with his mouth.’

He, a genius wizard, thought he would fall for such words. It was as if ‘charm’ magic had been cast from that guy’s mouth.

If those around him had heard this, they would have laughed out loud, but Alfoy had no clue.

He kept biting his nails and muttering with an anxious expression.

“No way. When will I get this all done? If I have to create the Mana Convergence Circle in a week, I won’t have time for other work. But the schedule just doesn’t match up.”

Even though all the wizards clustered around him, he couldn’t get the schedule sorted.

Yet, he couldn’t just say he couldn’t do it. His pride wouldn’t allow that.

Alfoy, the heir of the Mage Tower, had to remain aloof and perfect at all times.

As he sat there lamenting, Vanessa cautiously spoke up.

“Um… I have a way.”

“What is it?”

“I can carve the magic circles… but the problem is the mana, you know?”

After all, Vanessa was currently leading the magic circle work.

But due to a significant lack of mana, everyone had to work under her guidance, and progress wasn’t very fast.

Alfoy replied gruffly.

“Then why? Are you bragging that you’re leading the magic circles? Wow, are you such a big shot? Hey, I’m the heir of the Mage Tower, the heir! I’m better at everything other than magic circles! It’s not something mainstream, so I never studied it.”

“No, no. It’s not that… If you could transfer some mana to me… I’ll try to finish it as quickly as possible.”

“What?! No way! You want me to do that again? Are you crazy? What if I die?”

Alfoy and the wizards recoiled in horror.

During the war, they had been dragged into who knows what without having a choice, but they would never think of doing something that dangerous while in their right minds.

Yet, contrary to her usual demeanor, Vanessa pressed forward firmly.

“If we don’t do this, we won’t meet our schedule! If we can’t meet it, it’ll all be a problem for the territory’s development! Lord Alfoy, youself said you could handle it confidently. If you can’t, there will be shame!”

“Shame? That won’t do… Ah, how about filling the mana while using the Runestones? There are plenty of Runestones, right?”

At the suggestion to use the territory’s valuable Runestones, Vanessa’s words sped up even more.

“How can we use that expensive thing so freely? No matter how much they’re Runestones, they can’t provide more mana than the wizards. To fill that much mana, we’d need to use a ton. We have a lot to use in the future, so the Lord won’t allow that.”

“Wow, you’re suddenly… so good at talking.”

Anyway, unable to refute her realistic points that were spot on, Alfoy just rubbed his head in frustration.

Vanessa then said soothingly to him.

“We won’t drain all your mana like during the war. It’s not as dangerous as back then… and we can finish the job quickly. And you’ll be praised even more.”

“….”

“If we finish quickly, you’ll get to rest at least a little, right? Isn’t it better to finish quickly and relax than to be humiliated?”

Influenced by Vanessa’s powerful persuasion, Alfoy and the wizards cautiously asked.

“If we give you mana, how much faster can we finish?”

“In two days! I can do it in two days. Then at least you can rest for another two days. If we work together in the remaining time… we can sufficiently handle the Runestones for cultivation.”

“Really… you mean we can finish it in two days?”

“Yes!”

After pondering for a while, Alfoy decided to risk the fear of death for the sake of his pride and rest.

“We have to do it… gently, right?”

“Yep!”

Once Vanessa received the mana transfer, she displayed astonishing concentration.

Her desire to help the territory ultimately created a small miracle.

In just two days, she managed to produce a hundred Mana Convergence Circles.

If anyone was to be called the “hand of miracles,” it was not Alfoy but Vanessa. The only one who didn’t know that was Alfoy himself.

Anyway, since they had forcibly rushed the schedule, everyone had to pay the price.

After the final process, around the staggering Vanessa, twenty-six wizards had already collapsed.

“Ugh… I can’t believe it’s actually possible….”

“Crazy… I feel like I’m going to die. You said to do it gently….”

“That’s just insane….”

Their bodies were so emaciated that they looked like skeletons.

At first, Vanessa had vowed to go easy on them, but as soon as she started the mana transfer, she ravenously drained mana as if crazed.

It seemed personal feelings were mixed in through it all.

Almost skeletal, Alfoy trembled as he said.

“I-I’ve finished this… so I can really rest for two days, right? Just make sure to say I led it successfully. That way, I won’t be humiliated….”

“Y-yes….”

Vanessa nodded her pale face.

Hearing the answer they had hoped for, Alfoy and the wizards fainted right then and there.

Each face was haggard, but a faint smile lingered on their lips.

‘What could a Lord do when the wizards couldn’t move due to mana depletion?’

In the end, the wizards’ plan succeeded.

They completed a task that would normally take over a week in just two days, allowing them to lay down and rest for at least that long.

Ghislaine even rushed over in surprise when she heard the news that the magic circles were completed.

“No way, did you really finish all this in two days? But… are you all okay? You’re not dead, are you?”

Looking around, Ghislaine gulped.

It was good to finish quickly, but everyone looked in poor condition.

Then, Vanessa smiled as if to assure her not to worry.

“If we just rest for about two days… we’ll have no problem returning to work. The next task is for the cultivation Runestones, which is a simple job.”

“R-Right. First, you should rest as well.”

“Oh, no. Lord Alfoy did it all, so I’m fine. But I need to check a bit more….”

Sniff.

Vanessa suddenly wiped her nose.

Upon seeing the bright red liquid on her finger, she urgently exclaimed.

“And, umm… this magic circle can last longer than the previous ones… it should hold at least this week….”

That was tremendous news. An increase in duration meant they could save more Runestones.

Truly, it was the mark of a genius wizard.

Ghislaine didn’t believe even a glimmer of the idea that Alfoy had completed it all. She was well aware that Alfoy and the wizards had neglected their studies on magic circles.

However, at the moment, there was no luxury to dwell on such trivialities.

The amount of blood flowing from Vanessa’s nose continued to increase. Seeing this, Ghislaine hurriedly said.

“I’ll handle the checks, so you need to rest. Your nose is bleeding, you know?”

“I’m fine. It’s just a result of sudden exposure to a large amount of mana and excessive mental strain that has overloaded my brain, and the solution is….”

As she rambled on with a lengthy explanation, Vanessa suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed forward.

“Vanessa!”

Ghislaine grabbed Vanessa’s shoulders, stabilizing her to prevent the fall.

Even reaching 6th Circle, it must have been a difficult feat.

Not only was her mana depleted, but her mental energy was incredibly exhausted too.

Nonetheless, Vanessa had pushed herself to her limit because she wanted to help the territory.

“Sigh….”

Ghislaine laughed gently, patting the back of Vanessa, who lay unconscious in her arms.

She had no presence on ordinary days, but when it mattered, she performed remarkably.

Feeling the heartfelt emotions made her gratitude swell.

And regardless of the reasons, she was proud of Alfoy and the wizards who had collapsed after using the dangerous mana transfer.

“But like the heir of the Mage Tower, he really pulls through when it counts. I’ll have to give him something later.”

Ghislaine ordered the servants to move the wizards and immediately called for Gillian.

“Did you call?”

“Gillian, we need to split the training and public order duties into a morning shift and an afternoon shift.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Right, we are now starting physique improvements.”

Ghislaine smiled as she turned her head.

Before her eyes spread a hundred magic circles glowing softly with blue light.

 

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