Chapter 282 : Chapter 282

Chapter 282. Start with No-Chant Casting

“Is this how you treat me?!”

What an infuriating contractor.

The Spirit of the Library was dumbfounded, but in the end, it could only grumble and retreat at Radel’s words.

To think that a boy who possessed the Dragon’s Blessing would explain the essence of magic.

For Radel, who had not even been studying magic for a full year, this would be an enormous help.

Before leaving, the Spirit of the Library whispered in a furtive voice.

“Since it has come to this, squeeze him dry and take everything you can.”

It sounded as if it were telling him to steal the trade secrets of a successful shop.

Radel grinned.

He had been planning to do exactly that anyway.

‘This is an opportunity I never expected.’

Leon was always hostile whenever he saw Radel.

Because of that, there had never been time for a proper conversation.

Leon was always surrounded by followers, and he did not mix well with ordinary students either.

Even his attitude toward seniors was arrogant.

And yet, that Leon had offered to teach him first.

‘I might never get another chance like this.’

Determined not to waste what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Radel decided to give it his all.

“Wait a moment, Leon.”

Clack.

What Radel took out was a magic stove.

He reached into his space expansion pouch and kept pulling items out.

A kettle.

A small container.

A tiny teaspoon.

“Water.”

Radel took out his staff and filled the kettle with water.

Seeing droplets trickle down from the tip of the staff, Leon’s expression turned subtle.

“What is that?”

“Water element magic.”

Leon felt bewildered by Radel’s water element magic.

Among all the elemental magic he had seen, it ranked near the bottom in terms of flashiness.

However……

It was not completely worthless.

The amount of water flowing was remarkably consistent.

Setting everything else aside, his mana control was fairly decent.

For the first time, Leon began to dissect Radel’s magic piece by piece.

“Fire.”

After filling the kettle, Radel lit the magic stove and placed the kettle on top.

The magic stove was a magical tool that produced a steady flame once its activation word was spoken.

However, the principle by which it ignited was the same as magic.

Fire element magic.

Leon observed the flow of mana with a sharp gaze.

‘It was not my imagination. His mana control is quite good.’

With a sword, maybe.

But with magic, Leon had thought Radel was hopeless.

He had never believed someone that incompetent could take first place……

“Leon, take this.”

Radel held out a cup to the Leon who had sunk into thought.

Warm lemon tea.

“You remember, right? Mother used to drink this with us.”

“…….”

The tea he used to drink with his mother whenever winter came.

Leon pressed his lips together.

How devious.

To shake his heart like this……

Leon drank the tea in silence, his gaze sinking.

The essence of magic.

‘If he wants to know that, it means he has hit a wall.’

A wall Leon himself had collided with many times.

Without overcoming it, one could not grow as a mage.

Leon glanced at Radel as he drank his tea.

The same face as his own.

Naturally so—they were twins.

No matter how much he tried to deny it, when people looked at Radel, they would think of Leon.

‘I cannot leave him this incompetent.’

He was the twin brother of someone who possessed the Dragon’s Blessing.

If that idiot fell behind, suspicion would inevitably turn toward him as well.

At the very least, he had to meet the basics.

However, Leon overlooked one thing.

The “basics” he envisioned far exceeded any ordinary standard.

Having used magic as naturally as breathing since childhood, Leon had long since forgotten the sensibilities of an average mage.

Having reached his conclusion, Leon finally spoke.

“From now on, I will teach you the essence of magic.”

Radel’s eyes sparkled.

At last, he would hear about the essence of magic from Leon!

“First, we will start with no-chant casting.”

That was when Radel began to sense that something was very wrong.

***

RUMBLE!

Beyond the dense forest and swamp, a wall collapsed.

Behind it, a solid cavern wall was revealed.

“That must be the convergence point.”

“Let us hurry!”

After defeating the mid-boss, Inette and Gusto ran swiftly toward the convergence point.

Even now, the two were competing over how many magical beasts they had defeated.

Inette asked Gusto,

“How many did you get?”

“One hundred twenty-eight.”

“What?!”

Inette ground her teeth.

She was two behind!

At this rate, she might have to listen to that apprentice holy knight preach all day.

He would surely go on about how Prince Radel was blessed by the Supreme Deity, wise, brave, and magnanimous—utter nonsense.

And at the end, he would ask Inette for her agreement.

‘Do you now understand how generous and dignified His Highness the Prince is?’

Then she would have to give an answer she did not mean, all because she had lost the bet……

‘As if I would let that happen.’

WHOOSH!

Flames wrapped around Inette’s fist.

The moment they regrouped with the other first-years, she planned to enter the boss room immediately.

She also had to check on Radel’s condition.

The fact that he was alone with Leon was dangerous in itself.

‘Of all people, why did Radel have to go in with Leon!’

Anxiety quickened Inette’s steps.

The two arrived at the convergence point and looked around.

“Where is Radel?”

“It seems he has not arrived yet.”

As they waited, other first-years began arriving one by one.

Two first-years who appeared to be Leon’s followers had entered separately and were standing with their backs turned to each other.

Their behavior, as if treating each other like strangers, puzzled Inette.

“What is wrong with them? Did they not go in together as fellow followers?”

“It seems their opinions diverged. It happens often when faith is lacking.”

“How do you know that?”

“You can tell by looking. Even with the same goal, people think differently.”

Hearing Inette and Gusto’s words, the followers’ faces flushed.

But neither had any intention of reconciling.

They had confirmed that their beliefs were simply too different to understand one another.

Next, another group of first-years arrived.

They were Radel’s discreet followers.

“Has Prince Radel arrived yet?”

“Nothing happened to him, right?”

Of course, only they thought they were discreet……

One of the large boys who followed Radel noticed Leon’s followers and approached them.

“Hey, friends. Are you hurt or something?”

“Why are you asking us that here?”

“Well, seeing you followers of Prince Leon standing apart made me curious. Besides, we do not follow anyone, so you can speak freely.”

Was he serious……?

At the words of boys who were obviously Radel’s followers, Leon’s followers scowled.

“It is nothing.”

“Yeah. Nothing at all.”

For once, their opinions aligned perfectly.

Smiling, Radel’s followers walked away.

“Good thing you are not hurt. We were worried, you know.”

“You know friends should not fight, right?”

As expected of Radel’s followers—every last one of them was strange.

Leon’s followers felt an unusual sense of agreement inside the dungeon.

‘Let us not get involved with those guys.’

At that moment—

Inette spotted Radel approaching the convergence point and waved.

“Oh? That is Radel. Radel!”

“The 9th Prince appears to be with him as well.”

The followers’ faces brightened instantly.

Leon’s followers quickly turned toward the Leon they had been waiting for.

“Inette! Gusto!”

But the sight of the princes entering together was not what they had expected.

Inette’s mouth fell open in shock.

“What, when did they get like that…….”

Inette was at a loss for words.

Radel and Leon looked better than she had anticipated.

She could not explain it, but they somehow seemed close.

Close……?

Was that a word one could use for Leon and Radel……?

‘Do not tell me that secret friend operation actually worked?’

But Inette’s thoughts did not last long.

After counting the number of first-years gathered, Leon immediately threw open the door to the boss room.

CREEEAK!

Inette jumped.

“Hey! You cannot just open it like that!”

They were not prepared yet.

They had not even discussed how to deal with the boss, and he made such a unilateral decision!

“What is the problem?”

“The moment you open it, the boss will come rushing out! We are not ready at all!”

“I do not see why preparation is necessary. Are you lacking confidence?”

Leon asked arrogantly.

Inette’s pride was pricked, and her eyebrows shot upward.

“What did you just say?”

“I asked whether you lack the confidence to face a single boss monster in a dungeon like this.”

Sparks flew between the two royals.

-HISS.

Radel spotted the gleaming eyes of magical beasts beyond the door and shrugged.

“We should go in first. If you are not coming, I will go ahead.”

There was no way to close an already opened door.

Rather than wasting time, it was better to kill even one monster and clear the dungeon faster.

‘And I still have to find the Key of Seal.’

This was a location marked on the Academy Dungeon map left behind by Ancestor Hayden.

Since it was green, there was a high chance the key used to seal Asmodeus was here.

‘I have to obtain it without anyone noticing.’

For that, he had to defeat the boss himself.

As Radel passed the two, he checked his status window.

It was the skill window of Imperial Swordsmanship, which had advanced in last night’s dream.

DING.

Imperial Swordsmanship (B)

A sword art created for the imperial royal family.

One who seeks the crown must bear its weight.

Before this sword art, there is no escaping its overwhelming pressure.

The path of the sovereign—who could possibly block it?

Block (14/100,000)

Slash (34/100,000)

Thrust (25/100,000)

Path of the Sword (0/1)

After reading the description, Radel nodded.

No wonder the beasts had hesitated when he swung the dagger in the dream.

The path of the sovereign—who could possibly block it.

As the description implied, using Imperial Swordsmanship would impose a sense of pressure.

‘So after Facing the Sword comes the Path of the Sword.’

Another wall had appeared for the next stage.

And there was still one more wall left.

The essence of magic.

Radel recalled his conversation with Leon from the night before.

‘You have crossed a wall at least once.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘Because your pitiful amount of mana has increased, even if only a little.’

That reminded him of something.

What he had realized while enduring Professor Bronson’s attacks during defensive magic class.

Magic is will.

The moment he understood that, he had been able to advance Hayden’s Normal Mana Training Method.

Realizing then that he had grasped the essence of magic, Radel had looked at Leon.

‘If you understood, then it is time for practice.’

……In truth, he had not understood.

What did the essence of magic have to do with practice?

Just as Radel was about to enter the boss room—

Tap.

Leon’s arm blocked his path.

Then Leon asked in a low voice,

“You did not forget, did you?”

“Forget what?”

“Practice.”

Radel did not understand what he meant.

When Radel merely blinked, Leon spoke coldly.

“Use magic with no chanting. Until I say it is enough.”