Chapter 20: Dominator of Blood

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Dominator of Blood

A Mage talent test?

Hesia didn’t want to expose his own strength.

The threat of that Stalker hadn’t disappeared.

Although he didn’t know the other party’s objective, since they could find Print with such precision, there was no guarantee the town, or even the Baron’s Mansion, didn’t have their eyes and ears.

In a situation where the enemy was hidden and he was exposed, keeping his true strength a mystery was clearly the best choice.

But refusing outright would seem suspicious.

Hesia’s mind raced, but his face showed only curiosity. "Mr. Dugan came all the way to Print just to test your talent?"

"Mmm..."

Cyril mumbled a vague reply, his voice tinged with disappointment and embarrassment.

Hesia guessed the reason instantly.

’It seems Cyril’s test results weren’t ideal.’

He put on a gentle expression. "Becoming a Mage is surely not that simple, Cyril. Can you tell me how the test works? I’m quite curious about the Mage Realm myself."

Unlike with his two Attendants, Otto and Ferdinand, his master-servant relationship with them prevented any kind of equal exchange.

Cyril felt that with Hesia, he could open up more freely.

Hesia’s ideas were always wild and imaginative, and he was very understanding.

Without realizing it, Cyril poured out everything that had happened over the past few days—Dugan’s visit, the unique nature of an Insect Mage, the strange communication tests, and the frustration of trying countless insects yet failing to establish a "unique link"...

Hesia listened with great interest. He never expected the Mage Realm to have such an obscure and peculiar school of magic.

’Dealing with insects all day?’

Seeing the unconcealable disappointment on the Baron’s son’s face, Hesia decided to give him a hand.

After all, Cyril had always been good to him.

"Have you..." Hesia stroked his chin, feigning deep thought. "Have you tried mosquitoes?"

"Mosquitoes?" Cyril froze.

Over the past few days, he and Dugan had tried beetles, praying mantises, ladybugs, fireflies, and even ill-tempered rhinoceros beetles, but mosquitoes... They actually hadn’t tried that most common of insects.

"No..." Cyril answered honestly.

"Why not give it a try?" Hesia began his performance once again. "I think mosquitoes are actually incredibly powerful insects! They have huge potential!"

"Powerful?" Cyril looked utterly confused.

’Besides buzzing and sucking blood, what else can mosquitoes do?’

"Of course!" Hesia began to analyze with an air of great authority. "Just think, if you could control a massive swarm of mosquitoes."

"The sheer, overwhelming sound of their buzzing would be enough to drive your enemies mad, to cause a mental collapse."

He paused, then added with emphasis, "And there are so many types of mosquitoes! Some carry terrible diseases, like malaria, yellow fever... uh, anyway, they’re really powerful!"

Cyril listened, dumbfounded. ’Are mosquitoes really that amazing?’

’It sounds like it makes a bit of sense, but the key is...’

"But... Hesia," Cyril said with a pained expression, "the problem is I can’t command them! What Mr. Dugan is testing is the ability to communicate..."

Hesia gave a mysterious smile and lowered his voice, as if imparting some secret knowledge. "I’ve heard a rumor, not sure if it’s true... They say there’s a special ’ritual’."

"A ritual?" Cyril’s curiosity was piqued.

"That’s right!" Hesia said with a solemn face. "You need to willingly offer your blood as a ’tribute’."

"O-offer my blood?" Cyril subconsciously clutched his arm.

"Don’t be nervous!" Hesia waved his hand. "I’m not telling you to slit your wrist! It’s... just let the mosquitoes suck your blood!"

Cyril: "..."

"Of course, just letting any old mosquito bite you isn’t enough," Hesia continued his charade. "While the mosquitoes are drinking your blood, you need to concentrate all of your spirit and piously chant an ancient Spell..."

Cyril grew even more confused. "A Spell?"

Hesia cleared his throat and recited in a low, sonorous tone:

"O, wings that hum in the Dark Night,

O, messengers who sup on the nectar of life!

With my flowing blood, I make this offering,

I call to you!

Hear my Will!

Revere me as—

The ’Dominator of Blood’!"

Cyril: "..."

The corner of his mouth couldn’t help but twitch.

’This... sounds like some lame story made up by a Minstrel. And "Dominator of Blood"? That’s so embarrassing!’

Hesia seemed to see right through him, wearing a look that said, ’You just don’t get it.’ "Don’t find it strange, Cyril."

"All things have spirits. Mosquitoes have their own Faith and things they worship. You must show sincerity and respect, using your blood and the Spell to build a bridge of communication!"

He clapped Cyril on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Give it a shot! Mr. Dugan is still here, anyway. There’s no harm in trying. What if it works?"

The moment his palm touched Cyril’s shoulder, a thought flashed through Hesia’s mind.

’The [Mosquito Swarm Leader] trait is useless to me, but for Cyril, it might be his only chance to become a Mage.’

The thought had barely formed when the mysterious ball of light in his mind immediately responded.

[You have selected a target: Human · Cyril]

[Bestowing trait—Mosquito Swarm Leader]

After the series of prompts was complete,

Hesia calmly withdrew his hand, as if it had just been an ordinary, encouraging gesture.

Cyril, however, noticed nothing.

He just stared into Hesia’s sincere eyes, his heart a battlefield of conflicting emotions.

His rational mind told him it was absurd.

But deep down, his reluctance to give up and his desire to become a Mage scratched at him like tiny claws.

’Dugan is about to return to Fernandez... This might be my last chance...’

’I’ll just try it! What’s the worst that can happen... I’ll just get a few more mosquito bites!’

"Alright..." Cyril nodded with difficulty. "I’ll... I’ll give it a try."

Hesia smiled, satisfied, and added, "I won’t be going back to the mansion with you. I’ll probably be moving away soon."

"Moving away?" Cyril was startled. "Where are you going?"

"Who knows," Hesia shrugged, his gaze fixed on the distance. "Maybe... I’ll go check out Fernandez."

Cyril’s eyes lit up instantly. "Really? Hesia? You’re going to Fernandez?"

"Maybe," Hesia smiled. "If you pass the test and become an Insect Mage, perhaps we’ll even meet in Fernandez?"

The thought invigorated Cyril.

’If I can really become a Mage, not only will I get away from my annoying father and breathe the air of freedom, I’ll even get to see Hesia again!’

He was about to ask about Hesia’s specific plans when he caught a sudden glimpse out of the corner of his eye—

On the road in the distance, a caravan of carriages and horses, holding torches aloft, was heading toward the mansion.

In the flickering torchlight, he could vaguely make out the familiar banner with the sharp eagle’s claw at the head of the procession.

’I’m done for!’

’Father is back!’

’And... instead of training at the mansion, I’m out here gawking...’

Cyril’s face went white in an instant.

"Hesia! I have to go! My father’s back!" he shouted incoherently, forgetting all about his questions. "Thanks for the suggestion! I... I’ll go back and try it right now!"

Before his words had even faded, he turned and bolted like a startled rabbit, sprinting wildly toward the mansion. His speed nearly rivaled a Warrior’s Charge.

Hesia watched Cyril’s panicked retreat and waved, unable to hold back a smile.

He personally couldn’t stand the thought of willingly feeding himself to mosquitoes.

Giving the trait to Cyril, on the other hand, was putting it to good use.

As for how effective it would be...

’Well, the trait has been given away.’

’The rest is up to Cyril’s own luck... and the mood of the mosquitoes.’