A Genius Boy Who Was Exiled From His Family Home for “Not Being Able To Use Magic” Becomes a Witch’s Apprentice and Masters All Magic in the Right Way. This Is How You Use Your Magic, You Know?

Chapter 151.2. Countermeasure

“…My apologies, Lily-sama.”

These were the words that Liliana heard from Hermes before the battle.

“Laplace-sama is a formidable enemy. Even for me… protecting you during the fight would be difficult.” “That can’t be—!”

The fact that this man single-handedly wiped out the king’s personal mages showed just how monstrous he was. Liliana’s thoughts were consumed by despair—

“But even so, let me ask.”

Yet amidst it all, his voice was resolute and calm, piercing through Liliana. With unwavering intent, he spoke clearly.

“Can you defend yourself with your magic, Lily-sama, against Laplace-sama’s attacks?”

“—”

After explaining the threat posed by that man, he asked this question. Normally, one would immediately shake their head and say it was impossible.

Yet, in his words and gaze lay genuine trust. And most of all, hope. Feelings she had never received from anyone before, directed towards her by the person she most wanted them from.

At that moment—something ignited within Liliana.

“Leave it to me, Master.”

Before she realized it, she had already answered. Her tone was stronger than expected. Slightly embarrassed by Hermes’s surprise, Liliana covered it with a delicate blush and an upward glance, accompanied by a shy smile.

“In return… if it goes well, I want you to praise me a lot.”

Upon hearing this, he smiled lightly. As the chant ended, they confronted Laplace, who charged at them.

And, as expected, Laplace unleashed a terrifying spell in their direction mid-combat.

The assertion of him being an extraordinary opponent was no exaggeration; it was evident even from the moment he began the spell’s disruption-intercept process. Apart from Hermes, no opponent Liliana had faced possessed such precise, impenetrable magic. In her past state, even minor interference would have been impossible.

But now, with the emerald magic given by her Master, she held the power to better understand magic. And, most importantly—Hermes fought without a single worry for her safety, as he had promised, his trust and expectations unwavering.

—If I can’t live up to that, what kind of disciple would I be?

The desire to prove herself with her own power, a feeling she had just realized, burned brightly within her. Fueled by this, with unprecedented concentration, she successfully intervened in what was likely a top-tier enemy’s spell.

…She understood. The success owed partly to Laplace’s complacency toward her and his focus on Hermes. It would not work again. If he became serious, she would stand no chance. This was her current limit; even this fleeting moment of not being a hindrance was all she could manage.

—But one day, without fail. To be a disciple she could be proud of, she would aim for that place. With this resolve, Liliana fixed her gaze on Hermes. This time, it was she who displayed unwavering trust towards her Master.

◆

“Magnificent.”

Hermes offered his sincere praise. Opposite him, Laplace showed a brief moment of surprise at Liliana’s unexpected resistance.

—That was all Hermes needed.

“Don’t underestimate my dear apprentice.”

“D-damn—”

The momentum shifted. This time, Hermes gave Laplace no chance to recover, attacking with the full force of his Bloodline Magic.

…However, Laplace was formidable. He immediately countered and returned the situation to a stalemate. He used the black wall for defense this time, completely blocking Hermes’s bloodline magic. Moreover, a thin smile suggested he was planning his next move. He activated another black wall, one with a different aura, to counter Hermes’s magic—

But then.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while.”

Hermes did not release his activated magic. Instead, he used the activation as a feint to close the distance with Laplace.

“Your magic is clearly barrier-based. Yet back at the academy, I was gravely wounded by it.”

Transitioning into hand-to-hand combat, where Laplace was skilled but Hermes had the edge.

“Even if I couldn’t analyze the magic itself, I pieced things together. The type of wound, memories of combat, residual magical traces. Ever since our last encounter, I’ve been reflecting—and I realized.”

Gradually pressing Laplace back—Hermes voiced his conclusion.

“I suspect you are a counter-type mage.”

“!”

“You use your opponent’s magic to strike back. Perhaps not all, but it’s one of your key offensive strategies.”

In mid-combat, deception was not as effective. Laplace’s subtly strained expression confirmed Hermes’s deduction.

So this was the answer. If the opponent’s key offensive moves relied on countering magic, then simply not using magic was the best approach.

“Which means up close, you can’t exert the same power. You analyzed me as ‘not suited for defense’—but let me return the favor. You, on the other hand, aren’t suited for offense.”

The sole threat was being trapped by that black wall—but once seen through, its offensive threat halved. He had already analyzed the slight delay needed for that wall’s offensive activation. In close-quarters, this was the best scenario.

He feigned an overhead strike, then swept Laplace’s legs, sending him airborne. As a small act of reprisal for past struggles, he struck with a kick, loaded with his weight.

“Just as you’ve prepared for me—I’ve also prepared for you.”

His kick connected with Laplace’s head.

Laplace managed to soften the blow by blocking with his arms, but he couldn’t avoid damage, and he crashed heavily to the ground.

“Damn…”

Of course, a fighter like Laplace would not be defeated so easily. Rising swiftly, he fixed his unyielding gaze on them. Despite landing a solid hit, the battle was far from over—or so Laplace must have thought. But it would not continue. Because—

“—Sorry to keep you waiting, Herm.”

His beautiful and formidable leader arrived. With an army of underworld followers, she appeared at the perfect moment.

She—Katya—was followed by Sara, Albert, and Jurgen. The mages of Trakia family had gathered here. Though they bore some wounds, all were intact. They defeated the numerous assassins targeting House Trakia and came together here.

“…Everyone…”

With surprise and near tears, Liliana murmured. And behind her,

“No way. Have you already wiped out everyone I sent? Just how much manpower did I pour into that… damn it.”

Laplace muttered in disbelief. His face was known to Katya, Sara, and Albert. Immediately recognizing him as the cause of all this, everyone present directed their hostility toward Laplace.

The tide of battle had turned.

“…Time’s up, huh? Damn it…!”

The overwhelming numbers clearly put him at a disadvantage. With Laplace’s frustrated cry, Hermes finally sensed that this crisis had passed.