Chapter 8: Who Will Bell the Cat?
M6nuIn the world of mages, hierarchy is determined by circles.igI
Mh8o6WAmong the nobility, it was one of the few professions where rank was not granted by title, but by sheer skill.abY0sn3
cRtw1FIn that sense, Tesalos Wolcher had just received the greatest humiliation of his life.RmWh08
lD5z9cT— Nothing special.Yv8
TRPJjf‘Nothing special? Is he saying a mage means nothing to him?’zhsr
jQFLThe categories by circle were clear.HlngUvu
jtF1st Circle: mana worker.fdC0wn
XhQjPG2nd Circle: spell blower.VLJ
rghRG3rd Circle: magic worker.PoM
6ZFOHOnly upon reaching the 4th Circle are you finally called mage; from the name alone, you’re treated as a true magician.nLYloG
cF52Wjj‘And that mere mana worker says “nothing special” to a 4th?’H8kC
LSNlHE7Where did the 1st Circle even stand?vrydnlK
tjsBJ0Not only did he have to bow before a 3rd, he was expected to treat a 2nd with utmost respect.SknbZ
4f8And that brat had the nerve to say “nothing special” to a 4th.Vgd8x4
WriDQNothing special.Tnk
2PzNothing special.6XuUPx9
FjCoNothing special.Lwiw
qrYvjCNothing special.CwM
BXhYNqZNothing special.rGw
dE3tThat phrase alone had become an exposed nerve.e75i2xB
AfjFVThe circle in his abdomen was spinning tightly—he could fire magic at any moment.PmZzf
GncANeHe could have lost his mind and attacked right then, but Perda gave him a reason to be thankful—that 1st Circle brat had asked for a duel.vVR
N51gDnTesalos decided to teach him a lesson.TGCo
gCk03They moved to a clearing for the match.Xko
M8Bfcz3Both took their distance and prepared.AShS
PtpxVvn“I’d like to ask you something, do you mind?”NCcl
H8kaDLTesalos answered bluntly.xdr9ck
pyqYA“What?”kkZyT
7rlp4W“What kind of magic do you use?”ECUv
stt19K0“Asking about a spell before a mage duel? Don’t you think that’s rude?”UN4cImC
rZOdr“Oh, really? Hm, sorry. It’s been a while since I’ve fought in a formal duel.”oNde
2jnJgThThat a 1st Circle could say something like that left him baffled.asu
89P1Jb‘Where did this arrogant kid come from?’uCRVMAL
p04fzmyIn that moment, Tesalos made a decision—he would crush him with everything he had.G1G
Qp6R4Perda, for his part, wasn’t even thinking about him.alKGd
1mfE0C‘Now I remember…’JdJL
yx3It had been over twenty years since he’d done a “duel.”7SVrTU
W8FEZHe had his reasons—in the last one, the mage humiliated by Perda came back at night with a mob to ambush him.Q3Pn9Y
tz1YcqSince then, he hadn’t believed in fair fights—if a battle smelled wrong, he’d kill first.0vsL
XZxI5E‘A mage duel is like playing cards behind a screen.’Yy039c
uCTDLWithout knowing how many or what kind of cards your opponent holds, you reveal yours one by one—through theory, skill, and wit.zE8Pw
R81q2g‘If he’s 4th Circle, he can use at least eight spells in one battle, including one of 4th grade.’NZ35S2
N6zSpells by grade require a minimum circle to cast.2PTE
EkzXIf Tesalos was 4th, he mastered 4th-grade spells; his mana reserves were several times greater than Perda’s.a9krN
RmG‘It’s like hitting a rock with an egg.’jiMCJF
BCdPerda knew everything favored Tesalos.EB2
C6EeEven so, he never once thought he’d lose.VNwq
UmHVEPn‘I’m not foolish enough to fall to a mage who’s nothing special.’kcH6
M0CP“Since the handicap’s obvious, I’ll give you a hint.”Q78L
Nm4KTesalos sneered.ga4Y
SmHN6ZFree info—no reason not to listen.b5FL
jCObzNO“What is it?”pnUb
ATUOoSz“I, Tesalos Wolcher, will use magic blast here. As a mage, I’m sure you know what that means.”j1k
a5UPqThe lords watching from the side were the most shocked.zfNV1c
JK1J“Magic blast…?”kAdf
T2gudXE“That’s a raw power spell, isn’t it?”GmI
UYS3W5lA 4th-grade spell focused on destruction.4PHM
RabQsGLPrecisely because of its brutality, a 4th Circle mage could counter it—but those below couldn’t.DYwBANo
zKBlAFor someone like Perda, a 1st Circle, there was no hope.DIZad
HhpThe message was clear surrender now, you wretch.LL3efx
1XVM“Hm, I see.”oM6U
YDvJbCmPerda tilted his head, then nodded.k45bq
u9fUo77“Alright, I’ll tell you something too. The only spell I can use is mana shot.”zAwSh
alk“Mana shot? You think that basic nonsense will beat me?”P4JA
KvgAPerda waved his hand, unconcerned.BeAY
8w30FS8“Don’t worry about me. Unlike you, I know a lot of things.”Yq2ElH4
TuxyPvo“You brat…”0r5xNP
5j5aTesalos’s aura flared violently.lh2DPJy
ebmxsSM“I’ll erase you from this world without a trace.”4VA
rKv7MThe bloodlust didn’t reach Perda.Z1B4
VCzrzD‘So he has a red circle too.’RumGwp
rCF38If unleashing emotion made him stronger, he was one of those who trained from a place of inferiority—someone like Perda himself.GfkUdCL
XrL‘This feels familiar…’XcNno0
NzDHFaiLike poking the bottom of a bottle with chopsticks—he had it at his fingertips, but couldn’t quite touch it.DsE
jPtSomething tickled at his memory.3km31wk
AYoGI‘I’ll remember later. Now it’s duel time.’I3lN
BEChAs confident as he was, it was still a 1st versus a 4th.zGt
z20He had already calculated his limits.vfqB
XfxjA‘A typical 1st Circle can launch three mana shot spheres in total.’HzEqr
VcqFGDue to lack of training and focus.L7On
gEOcU‘I can form six. If I want to avoid exhaustion, the reasonable limit is five.’vx99Qh
s97rDJnFive chances.fQzX2OI
hXLa“Huup!”CeT
7IUHTesalos’s mana concentrated in his palm.t0Cz
RATzcThe swirling energy formed a wide ring—the diagram’s circle.bCrZ
4YmWithin it, the glyphs drew themselves from memory.KN0j8y
WPMGqYePerda felt the air brush his cheek—the killing intent was obvious.6kZ
AeIxH‘He’s aiming to kill.’DRHQn
6rYC7oZDidn’t matter.raOC2
eNARdWIf the bloodlust didn’t reach him, it meant nothing. Since Tesalos wanted to end it in one shot, so did Perda.28a
3rWYYHe formed his spheres faster than Tesalos.RaenHSL
3rM5DHOne per finger—five total on his hand.jPxHEU
JPkx0lWhile his attack was already set, Tesalos’s magic blast was still forming.6LzlWti
Ma5ZDzx“It’s over,” Perda said.GQv
mEt“I won.”PcNmp8t
boMmagWith that declaration, the five bullets flew at Tesalos, tracing five arcs.vakzMP
TFyDc“What…?”8mfSCz3
j7CB9Tesalos froze—before he could even finish his chant, Perda’s attack hit.EkJ7Tt
tV7Boom! Boom! Boom! Thud!gf3W
onb2Four explosions and one heavy thump shook the area where Tesalos stood.cjg
nwUtThe dirt flew, dust covering everything.2Qc9e
FSytSoon, everyone could see the result.VNY
k3yTTN“Ugh…”7EYy
mehp7Tesalos, who had been chanting the diagram, collapsed with a groan.KrO
WVfH0His right hand, swollen and red, was trembling.ZqJ3qS
PzUieHe looked at Perda and muttered hoarsely,IRlJdE
Lhs0sCs“I’ve lost…”I2ZtwR
7FZyWdxThe arrogant brat of the 1st Circle—Perda had won.3pyG4ja
OlLCbq***1J4I9
h6MVMCTesalos found himself facing a situation that could only be described as astonishing.sqhcW8
R0tjbzHe replayed the scenes over and over, still unable to fully understand them.O1SRWv
AqP‘That mana shot he fired straight at my face…’AowOM
zV7iThe sphere, launched from his middle finger, had flown toward his eye.SIt
W9EHMIf it had pierced his head, there would’ve been no salvation.QYeE1W4
z7cwAnd though a red circle mage could momentarily lose focus, no normal mage should be shaken so easily.inRXoV3
ZjUXBut an attack aimed at the eyes—that was different.i94JJKB
bhYEvery human being, without exception, would instinctively hesitate.Sus
mopwThat’s why Tesalos, while chanting his spell, had raised a defensive barrier.pK98
aALIHe was a 4th-circle mage, capable of attacking and defending at the same time. The three bullets he thought were aimed at his torso should’ve been blocked by the spell.tM0OH
Viwbxxe‘But the target wasn’t my body—it was my diagram.’eop
AfFThey exploded right in front of the magic circle and shattered it.6qzjsGo
hKxq‘He destroyed my diagram…’6mf0
dnAUOsIt was then that Tesalos truly felt awe.fBt
dxGyNo matter how perfect a magic circle might seem, there are always blind spots in its mana flow.iEC
6hkbmIf an explosion hits those, its effectiveness can be reduced.BDtyo
N7NBut reducing isn’t the same as destroying. That level of mastery is reserved for 5th-circle mages and above.RerT
WFlHAnd yet, that man had done it.ulLJ
80nn5sqThe diagram had been pulverized.VgL9D
uWUc8H‘And to top it off, he launched a low-power mana shot at my right hand…’3Nb
oECfBy lowering its power, he made it clear he hadn’t intended to kill.SU8Bz
IxgE2And at the same time, he showed that, had he wanted to, he could’ve ended it anytime.tt1ilm6
hKYuAll of that meant one thing Perda’s absolute victory.N1IN
ymcvEven Tesalos, with blood boiling in his head, had no choice but to admit defeat.55t
WooMkoEven those who didn’t understand magic could immediately grasp what had just happened.Kmp
v5k‘How is it possible that a 1st-circle mage defeated a 4th-circle one?’m1DX5oB
nTY0V‘Could he have cheated? Maybe someone protected him so the queen’s consort wouldn’t die…?’F26n5
BQj4‘If anyone could intervene like that, it would have to be a dragon…’5lCAKG
3K45They turned toward Luri suspiciously, but she shot back a glare of pure contempt with her silver eyes.aGqHiMF
DuwUxb4“Could you take those looks elsewhere before I rip them out of your faces?”CmX
U5x“Ugh!”5yy2
Kn3N“Ahem…”q11W
WonDpCShe didn’t bother hiding her disgust.Az2tsAm
m9KMUnlike Perda, she had no reason to be polite to them.Z13Kp
w6SMb“Do you accept your defeat?”scUGWy
bzm“…I do.”7YhWvV
24S2KLTesalos let out a bitter laugh and added,FZF
B8CAev“I never thought I’d witness a master of this level here. The world truly is vast.”2CIA
5yvAtHe bowed his head with respect and acknowledged Perda’s skill.H1ucB
j8aAC“You’re also one of the most outstanding mages of the 4th circle. It’s fortunate to have someone like you.”a5N
xZoZ“Ha… it’s an honor for me too to meet someone so formidable outside the capital. Maybe being sent here wasn’t so bad after all.”TTAQ
x4DXpUpon hearing that, Perda’s body tensed.xSNRW4V
vlvz“…Did you say you were demoted?”ydqGxM
Swg“That’s right.”FGFKPQn
DHfO6Kf“Because of politics?”BUQ
qbriNvx“Correct.”eaKS
LCYZThe words tumbled through Perda’s mind—a red circle mage, demoted over intrigue, filled with inferiority, carrying the same kind of mana and thirst for revenge.tCvfx
4pG1K“What was your name?”Vlwv
ENtV“Tesalos Wolcher.”NCG6
4y0cIn that instant, Perda understood.vF8vEk
GPrE“Tesalos Wolcher… of course… now I remember.”q5zIrV
thqGN“You know me?”sXluE
FByTesalos frowned, puzzled. He had no memory of having any connection to House Rosnova.5Es
ON1But Perda nodded.CFb
1Ni“I do know you. You’re my benefactor.”FL9t
gnrHC1“Benefactor…? When have we met?”EyUEZ
PdK“Not in the past. I’m talking about the future.”UDNcd
wGAHGP“The future? What the hell are you—”SeGJ8n
Q0b0Bang!qyQOU
GJwHe didn’t finish the sentence.1HrwUkD
JztpMA huge wound opened across his forehead.HEBJvA
6qHizPerda’s index finger was still pointing—a mana shot had pierced his head.MHv
SAfmL8W“That’s why I can’t let you live.”krEXk5
zgteJSU***tp0Kd
9a52bThose who witnessed it were horrified.hIe8Q9
UW4uPerda had killed a noble.Q4LPKo
EhMtGNo one could deliberately kill an aristocrat—not even the queen’s fiancé would be forgiven for that.3lE
JkZzgIt was a heinous act worthy of punishment and condemnation.8T4z
4625tBut Perda had his reasons too.pOYhN
hnG‘Tesalos also tried to kill me. In the end, it’s the same.’SPrPFQS
vLQfG‘Was it… self-defense?’TjN
l6LLs9GThe lords knew what Tesalos had done.7is
QJPgBDriven by emotion, he had nearly fired a 4th-grade spell to kill the queen’s consort.fMh
NviI4QXThat Perda had executed him outside the duel was indeed improper, but Tesalos had crossed the line.vSFcWz
An7uNormally, the nobles would have pounced like piranhas to tear him apart.GS7x7i
X5ErozOThis time, however, they looked at each other without saying a word.7vnn7KV
YRmx0fThey all thought the same thing.JZ8
J8JB‘Among rats like us who’s going to bell that cat?’9350Yw
LDNrPerda turned his head.YJNwDK
bJfrHGGHis face was stained with the blood that had sprayed from Tesalos’s skull.PR8
cAq3The contrast between his expressionless face and the crimson splatter made the lords shiver.9y3FJ
Kcwt4yHe, however, was unaware.IaJZ00
HJcJHHe had no energy left to care.ymRbV
yS0apdB‘I feel dizzy…’MM35O
vQmHe had used up every last drop of mana.NLs
fBuLeaving even 1% or draining it all made a world of difference.3bYmF
ayKC8Perda had chosen to squeeze out everything, and now he was suffering the backlash—headache, dizziness, trouble staying upright.2jF7
SxaVThat’s why his face looked like one twisted with rage.O6O
4J2“Why are you all staring at me like that?”mYHk
nSF“Th-that’s…”vK5SqC
aFnlTheir eyes drifted to Tesalos’s corpse.qkQof
LgWkLpSThen Perda understood.rq3t
f709“Oh, because of Tesalos? Don’t worry about it. He was someone who deserved to die long ago.”1KrFWpi
VMYKCHe swayed like a drunk.Qjv
FScO3A tic twitched across his face.c8YdiPe
ju04m“If he’d stayed alive, he would’ve done something that hurt the queen.”U4m0xuY
FqK“The queen… you say?”FoQ4do
pCnyO“Yes. She is kind. She loves humans and fights for them.”HZ4Uk
Qo0FLrAt that moment, pain tore through him.UJjZ
wXZEHis neutral expression twisted into a savage scowl, as if seething with hatred.rcQ
RBX“I can’t stand anyone who makes her suffer.”QBm
rLMz“You mean House Wolcher was going to…”hH3pxAw
2lYN“No, not yet. But sooner or later, they would’ve. And I couldn’t allow it.”lq7nHP
NQAgThe nobles were even more bewildered.M2wUH
L9i6cg‘What the hell is he saying?’nDG1ABe
c1f‘So they didn’t do it, but he says they would have?’nou2Kfn
zZm7pY‘The future consort of the queen is completely out of his mind.’kb6jI
6daBfNtCold sweat ran down their backs.NK95M
NzoUbHe was utterly unpredictable.bDkQ43
udiiPerda noticed their fear and tried to reassure them once more.n8UNr
7d4“Don’t worry. I truly don’t care what you all do.”Dq5nW
XbRKrSerious. Direct.pIq
C5Fy97hWho among them would dare bell this mad cat?m4qtnt
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