“Amazing,” Henderson muttered under his breath as he listened to the theory Harry and I proposed after a week of experiments.

Basically, mana cannot be directly absorbed into the dantian. Unlike the magic circuit of the heart where mana is not directly used by the human body but to create resonance with mana in nature.

Therefore, there is a need for a method to purify the mana before being stored in the dantian. That is when I suggested the breathing technique to Harry.

Now, after a week worth of work Harry has found a clue to the possibility of a cultivation method through breathing technique. Personally, I thought it’d take longer than just a week since we are coming up with something from scratch. But I guess Harry with his years of experience studying magic was just that capable.

How is someone of his caliber not a court mage?

Elise who had been listening to the mumbo jumbo between us suddenly had her eyes lit up and she looked at me with excitement on her face.

“This is so cool! How did you come up with this?” Elise started asking me questions.

I thought she was a shy girl, she looks like a puppy now. And she seems interested in these kinds of stuff.

“I didn’t come up with this, it was Harry.” I tried to divert the compliment to the green-haired wizard.

My ideas came from a web novel anyway. It was Harry who actually did something with those vague suggestions.

Elise started bothering Harry who looked flustered when I put the burden on him. Henderson was absorbed in Harry’s research papers, I guess he’d be excited too after I told him the potential of swordsmen of this continent could exponentially rise with this discovery.

I smiled at the joyful atmosphere of the room.

***

Elise and I were walking together towards the guest room where my parents and Duke Franz are probably having tea together.

“You stopped being shy when we got to the tower.”

“That... I was only quiet because we met for the first time.”

I teased Elise and she gave an excuse while blushing. She looked cute. Of course, I could only adore her as to how an adult would adore a child. She’s ten years too young for me to have any meaningful feelings towards her.

“Do you like magic?”

“I do! I’ve been studying magic at home too! My teacher said I had talent in magic...” she kept on talking about her magic studies.

I listened on with a smile while watching her cute demeanor while storytelling. Adorable.

We kept walking while conversing until we reached the guest room and Elise ran straight to her father to tell the exciting story she experienced just now. Even though we only went to the tower to listen to a presentation.

“Well don’t you look like you had fun?” Duke Franz caught the sight of her daughter running excitedly towards her

Although she’s running around with my parents’ presence in the room they seem to not mind, she’s a child after all, and Elise seems to be too excited about it to think about her manners.

Duke Franz listened to her story and he looked puzzled when Elise started talking about the theory Harry and I have been working on. He looked at my parents and asked.

“What is this breathing method Elise has been talking about, do you know?”

Oh no, due to our excitement we forgot to tell Elise to keep it a secret.

My parents looked equally confused and turned to me.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing before.” my father said with an expression that seems to demand an answer from me.

“It was Harry. I know nothing about it.” I quickly blamed Harry with my hand raised as if telling them I have nothing to do with it.

I don’t need more people calling me genius and whatnot. I’m clearly just the average child.

***

“It was actually the young master’s discovery. Even the theory on the breathing techniques was based on his ideas.” Harry explained to my parents and Duke Franz.

Just like that, the attention was back on me. Even though I had successfully put the responsibilities on him he skillfully turned it back on me instead. I had to praise him for that.

Both my parents and Duke Franz turned their heads towards me.

“Why did you lie and said that you had nothing to do with it?” my mother started asking.

I turned the other way and feigned ignorance with a face that says I don’t know a thing.

“Does this has something to do with how you fell unconscious that day?” mother asked again.

“Sigh....”

I give up. No use trying to escape responsibilities now, I looked at Harry fiercely although he seems to be enjoying my plight. Anyways, I started telling the story of how I found the existence of the dantian during my first experiment and how I got too excited with the discovery that I experienced qi deviation.

My parents and Duke Franz listened to my story seriously, Harry looks bored as he already knew about it but Elise, who was only hearing the story for the first time listened with those sparkling eyes of hers. I wanted to be cautious around Duke Franz, but my parents seemed to trust him.

After listening to my story they all had complicated expressions on their faces. Except for Elise, she was excited.

“To think this is possible. He’s a genius.” Duke Franz said to himself.

“How come we didn’t hear about this earlier?” my father asked with my mom nodding wanting to know the same.

“I don’t know ask Harry.” I blamed Harry again, successfully this time.

Harry got flustered and hung his head low as if admitting his loss. I smirked knowing I had triumphed over him this time.

“I was too absorbed with the research to tell anyone about it.” Harry truthfully said.

I sympathize with his sentiment, but he shouldn’t have put me into that situation.

“More importantly, this discovery could bring upon a massive change in the power balance in the whole continent. Swordsmen could now potentially be a great power in an army comparable to a mage.”

My father seemed to be seriously thinking about the possibilities we could arrive at. Duke Franz also stated his opinion.

“If we use this right the royal faction’s position in the kingdom could rise!”

“Hm.” my father stated his agreement.

Royal faction? Is there power division in the kingdom? I never heard about this in the lessons with the new tutor.

It seems that I might have to consider my plans now as the oldest heir of my father the Count. I never thought I would be put in a power struggle through my position. It seems I have been too near-sighted, I have only thought about magic and swordsmanship.

***

I investigated more about the situation in the kingdom a day after the meeting with Duke Franz and the cute Elise.

I found out that the nobilities of the kingdom are divided into three factions.

The Royal Faction, obviously as the name suggests with the royal family as the head. Duke Franz and my father were part of this faction. It seems that the royal family doesn’t hold as much authority in the kingdom. I’ve heard about this trope before, the weak royal family and an Aristocrat Faction trying to usurp the throne but not directly so that they can’t be charged with treason.

However, what surprises me is that my father, Count Hale is the one that balances the power of the Royal Faction with the other factions. I was never told that my father holds that much power in the kingdom. Furthermore, my father turned out to be a Great Mage, a mage with 8 magic circles and he had great achievements in past wars with the other kingdoms and even the Gaja Empire that made his standing in the kingdom rise.

The other remaining faction was Count Forad with the Gaja Empire as his backing. The situation in this kingdom is direr than I thought. To think that a noble could blatantly form relationships with the Empire who is the enemy of the kingdom and the King himself couldn’t do anything about it.

As a Count’s heir, I’m expected to form relationships within the noble society as I get older. I need to be careful with who to form friendships with and who to stay away from.

Sigh

I sighed and closed the book I was reading about the surrounding kingdoms. All this studying is tiring me out. I only wanted to study magic and swordsmanship but considering my position all of this is unavoidable. At least I need to get a head start.

I exited the library to get a breather, I walked to a nearby balcony to breathe in the fresh air. I contemplated on my new life.

I used to be an average person that dropped out of college. Who would have expected I’m a Count’s heir now? I closed my eyes and thought about my father. I wouldn’t have known he’s a Great Mage if no one had told me or I haven’t found out myself. I always imagined being a war general suited him more with his large body and stern face. What a great person. I opened my eyes to the beautiful scenery in front of me.

It’s not hard to conclude that a big war would happen in the not-so-far future. I need the power to protect what I have now. I walked out of the balcony to head to the training ground.

It’s time to take training seriously now.