14

Andrew, with his red, bloodshot eyes, shook his head slightly. What he heard from James Billford was that one had to make a manna hall around the heart. But he was not sure whether James’ information was correct or not. So far, William Cronos was the only person who had the ability to perform an extended aura blade, Aura Beam, and nobody knew where his manna hall had been built. Andrew asked with a stiff look on his face.

“Tell me everything that happened.”

Id described what had just happened nervously. Having heard that Id’s lower abdomen heated up and the manna accumulated in his body concentrated into a walnut-sized lump and settled in his abdomen, Andrew was at a loss for words.

Andrew realized that Id had just accomplished the task within a year, standing beside the magic circle, which he could not even start despite his constant efforts for more than ten years on the magic diagram using thousands of scrolls. Andrew recalled what James Billfold had said, laughing at him.

‘They say that to wield the extended aura blade; you must be gifted enough to overcome the Two Odds of a Wizard. It means that the manna affinity should be that high.’

The Two Odds of a Wizard was a saying suggesting that only one, endowed with natural talent, out of ten thousand, hoping to become a mage, can enter the world of magic. Of those that do successfully manage to become mages, only one mage endowed with exceptional talent out of a thousand mages can become a Wizard who has carved seven circles on his heart. James Billfold meant that only one talented person out of ten million people could be a wielder of the Aura Beam.

At that time, Andrew did not believe James’ words. Still, after listening to Id’s experience, he thought, to accomplish his task, it might be necessary to have a talent that could overcome the Two Odds of a Wizard, which apparently had not been endowed to him. Manna had started to build up in Id’s body within a few days of him starting breathing manna, while in Andrew’s body, not even a little manna had built up in spite of his constant efforts for the last ten years. Andrew had just witnessed the overwhelming meaning of the Two Odds of a Wizard.

Andrew stumbled into the log cabin without saying a word and did not come out for a long time. He did not even eat at all. Id had to keep clearing the untouched dishes he had been placing in front of the log cabin for Andrew. Having spent a week alone in the log cabin in endless agony, Andrew finally exited and opened the door to Id’s room.

“Follow me.”

Id, who was sitting in his room worrying about Andrew, came out with a surprised look. Andrew took Id to the backyard where they had been practicing manna breathing. Andrew tore up a scroll and a magic circle appeared. But he did not go up to the magic diagram and beckoned Id.

“Get into the magic circle and stand in the middle of the magic diagram.”

Id, slightly hesitant, walked onto the magic diagram.

“Start training. Just the way you’ve been doing until now.”

Having glanced at Andrew with a nervous look, Id closed his eyes and began breathing deeply and slowly. As Andrew was watching, Id could not concentrate at first, but a couple of minutes later, Id gradually forgot everything else and was drawn into a meditative state. As soon as he started breathing properly, the hard lump of manna in his lower abdomen trembled. Apparently, the training on the magic diagram was different from training beside it. Id noticed that manna was much denser in the magic circle than outside. Two hours, the duration of the magic circle, passed in the blink of an eye. Recognizing that the effect of the manna circle had run out and the amount of manna inhaled into his body significantly decreased, Id stopped manna breathing and opened his eyes.

“I’m done.”

Although Andrew did not comment anything, his expression showed that he was troubled. He clenched his fists, turned his body, and gave a long sigh. Having observed the stream of manna around Id closely for the two hours, Andrew was convinced of the existence of a manna hall in the boy’s body.

“Take a rest.”

Id worriedly looked at the back of Andrew, who walked into his cabin silently. Andrew stayed inside for another whole day alone, not eating anything again. The old man, who had spent the day clearing his thoughts, came out of his cabin and spoke in a calm voice.

“Prepare a meal.”

Id prepared porridge for Andrew, who had starved for over a week. As he put grains, shredded dried meat and vegetables in it and let it boil for a while, it exuded a savory smell.

“It’s done. Please try it.”

Andrew filled his stomach without saying a word. Id watched with bated breath. After the meal, Andrew beckoned Id.

“Follow me in.”

Id carefully followed Andrew into the log cabin. His heart was pounding as he entered the place he had been banned from entering until now. The atmosphere in the inner room was cozy. In one corner was a log bed, and in the middle of the room was a round table. Various kinds of hides were piled up in a corner, and weapons were hanging on the wall. A sword, a shield, a mace and a battle-ax; it was the primary armament of a Knight.

“Sit there.”

Id sat on the chair as Andrew told him to. The old man looking at Id with complex eyes sat opposite him. Id, who felt awkward, turned away slightly. As fate would have it, his gaze landed on the sword and shield. A shield engraved with a flying eagle and a longsword that exuded a light bluish glow. Andrew, who was following Id’s gaze, asked

“You’re interested in the sword and shield. Do you want to be a Knight?”

“Not really.”

Id’s eyes sank coldly.

“I just want to be strong. I don’t want anyone to be able to touch me.”

Andrew’s eyes flashed at Id’s unexpected answer, but he did not say a word. The time of silence slowly passed by. After quite a while, Andrew said.

“I’d like to make a suggestion.”

“A suggestion?”

“Yes, I want to make a contract with you,”

Id was bewildered, but Andrew went on regardless.

“I’ll make you a Knight. I’ll teach you all the top-class swordsmanship that I’ve learned at a high price as well as the secret swordsmanship of my family. And I’ll hand over all the information I’ve collected on the Aura Beam, such as the Bloody Beam of William Cronos.”

Id, who had yet to understand Andrew’s intention, was staring at him with a puzzled look.

“In return, I want you to fulfill my family's long-cherished desire. I want you to retrieve the gold mine that the Marquis Adelian family lost to Duke Cronos.”

Of course, Id could not understand Andrew’s words. However, Andrew was sincere. He decided to raise Id, who showed unbelievable talent, to fulfill his family’s long-cherished desire. In a quiet tone, he revealed his past to Id.

“I was the first son of the Adelian family, one of the most prominent aristocratic families in the Icarus Empire.”

Id listened to Andrew with a shocked look. He could not understand why such a high-class aristocrat would hide in a mountain village like Derevnya. Andrew talked about his past emotionlessly, as if he were reading a history book. He explained why he handed over the title of the Marquis to his brother, why he wandered around the continent, and even why he could not return to the Empire.

“Anyway, this is the path I’ve walked. I’ve never told anyone about it before. Do you know why I’m telling you my past?”

Id nodded slightly, looking uncertain. Andrew continued, looking up at the ceiling.

“William Cronos’ Aura Beam changed my life entirely. I call it Bloody Beam because his Aura Beam’s grotesque dark red glittering reminded me of blood-hungry vampire fangs. If he had beaten me with pure swordsmanship, I would have accepted the result and complied with fate. But he cut my arm only with the power and speed of the Bloody Beam, which is unacceptable to me.”

Andrew had never acknowledged William's sword skills as high-class swordsmanship. His skills seemed relatively poor. So poor that if it were not for the Aura Beam, Andrew would never have lost to William.

“The body of the Aura Beam owner must be filled with manna, which significantly increases their physical abilities, such as muscular strength, agility and cognitive capability, compared to ordinary people.”

Andrew continued, looking into id’s eyes.

“Sadly, even though I have made efforts for the past twenty years wandering around the world, I couldn’t obtain Aura Beam. For the last week, I’ve thought about various things… It seems to me that you are the closest person to the Aura Beam. You might be the one out of ten million people who will be able to overcome the Two Odds of a Wizard.”