Chosen by the Northern Grand Duke

Chapter 51: Cassion (2)

Elaine had first seen Cassion when she was five years old.

He had a slender build, rare in the North.

And yet, he was strong like the other knights. However, he was educated. His impression was gentle, but he never revealed his emotions.

-He was a man who put Serzila first above all else.

But his principles were clear.

-Anyone who suspects that man of being a mage is the strange one.

-But your father did.

-What's so new about that.

Grand Duke Elaine had once recalled.

-Cassion is even more so.

Cassion was a stranger person than Grand Duke Aratus.

Elaine had never been able to figure Cassion out.

The same went for me.

Cassion had died at the hands of Grand Duke Aratus before I could figure him out.

-In my eyes, he was a knight.

However, from what Elaine had told me, Cassion was a knight.

A knight of Serzila, not a mage.

‘His acting is impeccable.’

I let out a disbelieving laugh as I looked at Cassion, who had drawn his sword.

The way he gripped the sword with both hands, he was truly a knight.

“If you don’t leave, I’ll kill you.”

Cassion was poised to swing at any moment.

“Kill me.”

He didn't swing right away.

It was a simple threat.

His killing intent was clear, but he showed no will to carry it out.

‘He still won’t kill me.’

Is it because the Red Tower and the Moon Tower are in a symbiotic relationship?

To dismiss it as such, he had come too far.

At this point, it would be right to kill me and pretend I never existed.

‘The Red Tower doesn’t know of my existence.’

It would be good if I sought asylum, but it wouldn't be a loss if I was killed.

And yet, Cassion was urging me to seek asylum.

‘The Fiery Watchtower?’

I couldn't think of anything else.

No fire from the Red Tower had been able to burn that watchtower.

I was the only one who had burned the watchtower and found the location of the king’s magical item…….

“Ah.”

I suddenly looked up at the sky.

The smoke from the watchtower was drawn like a line under the sun.

At the end of that smoke is the Red Tower’s king’s magical item.

“Only I can see it.”

Only then did I realize.

“It’s not that you won’t kill me, but you can’t.”

“……”

“Thanks to you, I learned something.”

The smoke from the watchtower is only visible to the one who burned it.

If I were to die, the Red Tower would not be able to retrieve its king’s magical item.

It was impressive information. And a clear merit.

And I needed merit.

If I wanted to increase the number of mages like Kubel.

“Thank you. I might be able to add one more mage freeloader.”

I smiled slyly.

It was then that Cassion’s form disappeared.

‘It’s a shadow type…….’

If it were a projection or a manifestation, maybe, but it’s nearly impossible to grasp an Origin just by seeing a few spells.

I simply remembered.

And in that memory, there is no mage Cassion.

My hand scratched the air.

It was to the right. The fire that bloomed from my five fingers clawed at the air.

The fire did not scatter but remained. It was burning something. It had burned the place where Cassion was hiding.

Cassion, whose form had been revealed, swung his sword.

I drew my sword from its scabbard in a reverse grip and blocked, staggering a few steps to the side.

My wrist tingled. It flowed up to my elbow. The power was considerable.

Other than that, there was nothing I could gauge.

It was surely power originating from mana, but I did not feel any mana.

Something cloudy and sticky flowed over Cassion’s sword.

It was undoubtedly mana, but…….

‘It’s just like Aura.’

Cassion’s sword was exactly like a knight’s sword.

If I hadn't regressed, I would have believed Cassion was a knight without a doubt.

‘A magical item? Magic?’

I remembered a magical item that made mana be mistaken for Aura.

It was a magical item that I had been indebted to in my past life.

‘If it were a magical item, I would have noticed.’

A cloudy, grayish-white Aura caught my eye.

That sword was aimed at my neck.

Instead of dodging, I parried.

Feeling the power and texture once again, I was sent flying a few meters. In return, I gained conviction.

‘Magic.’

That is Cassion’s magic.

Disguising mana as Aura.

That alone makes it a rare Origin, and it’s not even noticeable to a mage’s eye.

“You’re talented.”

I was genuinely impressed.

I thought anew how amazing the Grand Duke Aratus of my past life was for having noticed such a Cassion.

Cassion disappeared again. At the same time, I exhaled.

The exhaled breath hit my lower lip and flowed upwards. It rustled my bangs.

And in front of my eyes, it became a dazzling fire. It illuminated the already bright Sanctuary of Fire even more.

The disappeared Cassion was right in front of me.

A tear was forming in his tightly shut eyes, as if he had been directly hit by the light. It did not hinder him. Cassion’s sword flowed without hesitation.

The path of that sword was quite rough.

And heavy. Even after parrying it with Serzila’s family heirloom, Patern, my elbow throbbed.

Kwaaang! Cassion’s sword, its path bent, struck the ground. It was a sword strike, but it caved in as if a rock had fallen.

That power, I was reminded of a mace.

The mace, the symbol of the 2nd Knights.

The blood flowing from my torn palm soaked the hilt of Patern.

A small fire that bloomed evaporated the blood. It cauterized the torn palm and stopped the bleeding.

Cassion’s eyes were wide as if they would tear.

‘Because I parried his sword?’

That’s not it.

In terms of magic, he hadn't manifested his Origin, and in terms of Aura, he hadn't imbued it with a property.

Cassion was holding back.

Because he was in a position where he couldn't kill me.

“……That sword……”

Cassion was not looking at me, but at the sword I was holding.

It seemed he had recognized what sword it was.

“That’s right. It’s Patern.”

I held it out proudly.

“Serzila gave it to me, because I’m talented too.”

* * *

Cassion Disar.

His Origin is stealthy, related to the moon or shadows.

And thanks to that stealth, his mana can be disguised as Aura.

He had made up a story that the property of his Aura was also like that.

And so, the mage Cassion became the 2nd Knights Commander.

That was all I knew.

Habits, hobbies, relationships…… I had heard more from Elaine, but it was hard to believe it all.

If the first button was a lie, how much truth could there be.

However, the fact that Cassion was the only Swordmaster who could enter the boundary was certain.

Because the property of the Aura he had awakened was stealthy.

‘Though he’s actually a mage.’

In any case, the stealthy part is the same.

I thought his sword would be the same.

It was a prejudice.

The ground Cassion had kicked caved in.

The sound of the air being torn was so loud it was as if it would rip my eardrums. I parried that sword again.

‘It’s the complete opposite.’

Far from being stealthy, it was nothing but destructive.

If it hadn't been for Patern, my sword would have broken long ago.

If I hadn't tempered my body, it would have been destroyed.

‘If this wasn’t the Sanctuary of Fire, I would already be dead.’

Cassion was a Swordmaster of Serzila.

Only a 5th Rank mage could disguise themselves as a Swordmaster.

And yet, the reason I could hold on was because the sword was a masterpiece.

The swordsmanship I had learned in my past life also played a part, and it was also thanks to this place being the Sanctuary of Fire.

Crucially, it was because Cassion was still holding back.

“Are you just going to swing your sword?”

Cassion’s sword was destructive, but to put it badly, it was excessive.

It was a method of gathering and gathering stealth to make it stand out.

It was not efficient. It was bound to consume a lot of mana.

‘He’s deliberately taking a loss.’

It would be more efficient to conform to his Origin.

Cassion gripped his sword.

The grayish-white Aura condensed even more densely.

It was an attitude of speaking with his sword rather than words.

‘A sword.’

There was no reason to refuse.

No, on the contrary, it was good. It was easier than Cassion using magic.

Cassion’s sword was destructive, but because of that, the compatibility was good.

My swordsmanship was taught by the owner of the most destructive heavenly power in the world.

‘Though my body has changed.’

In any case, Cassion is also inferior compared to heavenly power.

The distance was closed without him even noticing. Cassion’s sword was brought down like a mace. It slid along the blade of Patern.

Cassion immediately noticed that the path of his sword was distorted. It was a scene he had seen dozens of times.

A grayish-white Aura was coated on his left hand, which had been detached at some point. It was fired from his side and shot towards my solar plexus.

I brought my raised arms straight down.

The pommel of Patern struck Cassion’s fist, which had dug into my chest. Bang. The moment they met, my lips formed a circle.

The explosion that started from the pommel slammed his fist into the ground.

The flames that spewed from my entire body covered the back of Cassion, whose posture was bent forward.

Then, Cassion was still holding his right hand up. Cassion’s sword, whose path had been bent mid-swing as he reacted to the punch, cut through the flames.

If not for the flames, my collarbone would have been cut.

‘Cut.’

I flicked my finger, but it slid without a sound.

It was because of the blood. The palm that had been cauterized with fire had burst open again.

I struck the blade of Patern with my fist.

The small friction that arose used the blood on it as kindling, swelled up, and exploded between me and Cassion.

I was not affected by the explosion.

On the other hand, Cassion was pushed back. So, it works.

It wasn't just the explosion just now.

Until now, Cassion had been constantly conscious of my sword. Blood was forming on Cassion’s skin, which was visible from afar.

It was a surprising sight, even if Cassion was holding back.

In fact, Cassion looked surprised.

It was only a scratch on his skin, but its meaning was great.

It was because Cassion was a 5th Rank mage.

‘For a mage, Rank is absolute.’

It wasn't just a scratch on his skin.

It was a small crack in that absoluteness.

Cassion’s expression became complicated.

It was only for a moment. He moved his body again.

That appearance was not stealthy at all.

Far from hiding his form, he rushed in head-on.

The grayish-white mana, disguised as Aura, was layered upon layered and became intense.

They said he was a stealthy Swordmaster who could enter the boundary.

‘He probably doesn’t usually do this.’

In my eyes, it looked like Cassion was denying something.

What? His Origin? A wind rose in the desolate Sanctuary of Fire. The sword that tore through it was swung towards my forehead.

I threw my upper body back and dodged.

I could see the sword in my eyes, which were turned towards the sky.

Cassion’s sword had stopped mid-air after cutting through the air.

He had forcibly stopped it as soon as he saw that I had dodged.

‘Reckless.’

The sword that had stopped in the air turned.

It turned its blade towards me and fell like a guillotine.

My right eye, looking at it, turned bright red.

A particularly dense and sticky fire bloomed above that eye. Crimson flame. That flame blocked the guillotine.

It didn't block it completely. It only slowed it down. For someone who was supposed to be stealthy, Cassion’s sword was as heavy as heavenly power.

But that much time was enough.

I immediately threw myself. Kwaaang! The ground where I had been was caved in as if struck by a mace.

I got up with the momentum of my roll.

I had gotten a taste of it in the meantime. There was blood on the blade of Patern. I had cut Cassion’s calf while rolling.

It’s called a taste, but it wasn't much of a wound. I had only slightly cut the muscle and cauterized it.

Of course, that small wound had a clear meaning.

‘It works better than I thought.’

Everything has a grade.

In the Otherworld, that grade is considered talent.

No matter how much you increase your mana, the concept of the Origin does not grow.

Cassion’s grade was low.

Though he was a 5th Rank, and his amount of mana was great…… the quality of his mana was not very good.

It means his Origin is ordinary.

‘His mana is great, but his Origin is poor.’

It means two things.

Either he’s a hard worker…….

I thought of the mage Horn had brought.

When he had mentioned Gu Poison, that mage had been enraged. It wasn't his anger.

“You were the one who got angry.”

“……”

“You were a Gu Poison.”

Cassion’s sword trembled slightly.

It was a direct hit, and a clear rage. He rushed in emotionally.

That was what was amazing.

‘An emotional Gu Poison.’

I thought of the 2nd Deputy Commander, Horn.

That reckless knight who had rushed in, unconcerned by the flames.

Cassion’s actions resembled that Horn.

However, every aspect was superior to Horn.

Cassion was filling his lack of quality with quantity.

The mana he had obtained as a Gu Poison and the mana he had accumulated over the years were crushing me.

I filled my lack of quantity with quality.

The crimson flame, represented by my left eye, wrapped around Patern like Aura.

Kwaaang! A loud roar erupted when the swords clashed. It was so even though I had deflected the sword strike. Every time they met, crimson flames scattered in all directions.

My footprints were pushed back. The tracks became deeper as I went back. The hand holding the sword became heavier and heavier.

My body jolted every time we clashed.

Cassion, who had been holding back, was slowly releasing his full power.

The Sanctuary of Fire.

Here, my Rank goes up by one. In the end, it was the 4th Rank. There is a limit to the power that can be handled with skill.

Crucially, my body was weaker than the body of my past life.

Klaang!

Patern was sent flying far away.

This damn body was the problem.

To be precise, my hand.

When I held up my palm, blood pooled like a puddle. When I poured it on the floor, I could see something white between the red-stained cracks.

It was no longer a problem that could be solved by cauterizing it with fire.

“Oh, dear.”

I looked down at my own hand, where the bone was visible, with a shocked face.

I felt like I had been doing that for quite a while, but Cassion did not rush in.

‘He really won’t kill me.’

Cassion just threw out some strange words.

“You, you’ve learned the sword.”

“……”

Is that what’s important right now?

I thought so, but I answered anyway.

“You only just realized?”

It was to my advantage to drag out the time.

“I knew from the beginning.”

It seemed Cassion had some pride in his swordsmanship.

“……”

Cassion’s lips twitched, and then he shook his head violently.

To me, it looked like he was shaking off some unnecessary idle thoughts.

“Now, get lost.”

“What if I say no?”

“I’ll break your limbs and leave you.”

It sounded like he was saying the Otherworld would collect me then.

‘Ah, so that’s why.’

I thought of my past life.

I wondered why he had pushed me into the tunnel.

‘It was to send me to the Otherworld.’

But to the extent of disobeying the Grand Duke's orders?

It wasn't an act a spy would choose.

“Why go to such lengths?”

“Your existence makes Serzila noisy.”

I widened my eyes exaggeratedly.

Then I sneered with all my might.

“Why are you worried about Serzila?”

“……”

“What are you to do so.”

A jet-black sun rose in the Sanctuary of Fire.