Chapter 4.2

“Are you still concerned about Yuuki-dono?”

“…Yes. Sensei”

“Again, it’s impossible for Yuuki-dono to use ‘Ancient Magic’. That’s because it’s a magic that can only be used by chosen ones”

“Y-Yes. I’m well aware of that, but…”

“I understand that Xellos-sama is wary of Yuuki-dono. Did you see how Baron-sama behaved earlier? He cared for Yuuki-sama so much. As expected, it seems that he is being ensnared. This proves that Yuuki-dono wants to overthrow you and take over as the heir”

“…Sensei, I’m…”

“Don’t let your guard down. Xellos-sama”

Tutor Kachel grabbed Xellos Grossalia by the shoulder.

“Yuuki-dono is steadily implementing a plan to get the servants on his side. The other day, he tried to treat the servants to prey that he had hunted. This is an obvious attempt to curry favor with the servants. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t stopped him”

“Is Yuuki…really trying to overthrow me?”

“It’s a common occurrence in noble families”

Kachel muttered bloodily.

“Things like an illegitimate child joining a noble family and eventually taking over the family. It’s unforgivable to neglect someone who is the legitimate son just because he is a little better. You must show them that this is not the true extent of your power”

“…Sensei?”

“Listen, Xellos-sama. The only one who is on your side is this Kachel Mieghem. Do you hear me, I’m your only ally”

Kachel repeated.

An illegitimate child invades the Baron family. 

The Baron even accepted Yuuki, everything is just a ploy to take over the Grossalia family. 

“I have faith in you. Xellos-sama”

“…Sensei”

“Xellos-sama is the one whom Kachel Mieghem should serve. If this body did not possess a great amount of magic power, then I might not be able to gain the trust of Xellos-sama ──”

“N-No. I trust Kachel-sensei”

“Then please repeat these words after me. Clutch this amulet tightly ── Yuuki Grossalia is our enemy ──. We have a common enemy, and we must fight against him” 

“W ── We have ── a common enemy”

“No matter what Yuuki-dono does, he can’t win against Xellos-sama. After all, I’ve already taken steps to make sure that my magic and Xellos-sama’s magic are one. So please be at ease on the day you’re taking the exam. Xellos-sama”

After returning to my own room in the detached building, I decided to look into the phenomenon earlier.

Xellos nii-sama’s ‘Ancient Magic’ was activated by drawing a crest in the air and chanting an incantation.

The crest could be read from the movement of his fingers.

I didn’t understand the incantation. As far as I know, that wasn’t the language of any country.

It’s probably a language used exclusively for ‘Ancient Magic’.

The only way to know is to learn it from the tutor, Kachel, or the ‘Magic Guild’.

That’s why I only drew the crest and didn’t chant the incantation. 

But the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic was activated and I don’t know why it did. 

── Let’s think about it from the beginning.

In this world, there’s the commonly used magic, and the ‘Ancient Magic’ discovered by the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’.

The differences between the two are power, duration, and magic power consumption.

Compared to common magic, ‘Ancient Magic’ has these 3 areas that put it in a different league.

Nii-sama with his ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic, fought evenly with Father who is a veteran soldier.

After the fight ended, I drew the same crest that nii-sama had shown me, then my body got stronger, too.

The question is, why did the magic activate?

“Let’s try out an experiment”

I took out a piece of parchment.

With pen and ink, I tried to draw the same crest again.

“…Nothing is happening”

Next, let’s use my ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’.

At the time, things started to change when I drew the crest on the palm of my hand with blood from the wound I made on my fingertip.

Let’s do the same thing here then.

I cut my fingertip with a knife and drew on my palm with the pen using my blood as the ink.

The magic activated.

My body feels light. When I bend and stretch…I feel unpleasantly fast.

Let’s not jump as I might crash into the ceiling.

I then silently count the number of seconds. 100…200…about 600 seconds. So, it can only last for 10 minutes, huh?

The crest I drew on my palm faded and disappeared as soon as the effect of the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic wore off. It seems that the magic power contained in my blood was exhausted. Looking at the crest, I can tell how long it’s been in effect, too.

Next, I’ll repeat what I did previously, but draw the crest on the parchment this time.

I tossed the parchment ── and it just fell normally.

It’s not possible to use the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic on a parchment, huh?

“…That means my ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’ is the cause?”

I displayed my status again.

‘Yuuki Nosferatu’

Age: 13 years old  Race: Unknown

Stamina: B   Strength: B   Agility: A   Magic: S   Dexterity: B

Skill: Flight. Magical Blood. Stealth. Ice Magic. Servant Creation. Multi-Species Linguistics. Erosion. Purification. Ancient Magic Aptitude.

My skills have increased.

What’s going on? Up until now, there was no such skill as ‘Ancient Magic Aptitude’.

In the first place, I never used ‘Ancient Magic’ in my previous life.

However, I was stabbed with the ‘Ancient Artifact’, Holy Sword, at the end….

“Could it be…that time!?”

When I died in my previous life, the Holy Sword was stained red with my blood.

And my blood is an extension of me like my limbs.

When I died, I was connected to the ‘Ancient Artifact’, Holy Sword.

In other words, I reincarnated being connected to the ‘Ancient Artifact’.

It seems that it had some sort of effect on my soul, and as a result, I’ve acquired the skill, Ancient Magic Aptitude.

So, ‘Ancient Magic’ could be activated just by using my ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’ as the medium to draw the crest?

“…Interesting”

When I reincarnated, I thought that the humans of this era might have analyzed ‘Ancient Artifacts’ and developed their own culture with what they discovered.

However, that didn’t happen.

Because of the war, ‘Ancient Artifacts’ have disappeared, and ‘Ancient Magic’ is being managed by ‘Lindbel Magic Guild’.

But…what if I were to master ‘Ancient Magic’…?

“Maybe I can develop the culture and make this world a more comfortable place”

Okay. End of delusion.

No way. It’s impossible.

I was called a frontier Demon King in my previous life, and I’m now an illegitimate child of a Baron family. Let’s not get my hopes high.

My desire is to study humans and be able to pretend to be human. That’s all.

Let’s leave the affairs of the human world to humans.

“Let’s hope Xellos nii-sama joins the ‘Magic Guild’ and rise to greatness”

I lay down on the bed.

From outside, I could hear my little sister, Rumia, and Martha’s voice.

“Yuuki nii-sama caught a rabbit! The lunch menu is going to be nii-sama’s meat!” 

“Yuuki-sama is amazing. I’m sure it will be delicious”

Rumia…that sounds like you’re going to eat my flesh.

Martha, you should lower down your voice a little, too.

Everyone in the mansion knows they’re good friends, but it would be troublesome if Kachel heard about it.

“…I’m fine with this”

Reincarnated as a human and have a normal family, too.

From now on, I can go to school and learn more about this era.

I was treated well enough as an illegitimate child of a noble family.

I’m no longer the ‘Local Demon King’ nor the ‘Vampire King, Vampire Lord’.

The ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ that cornered me is gone, too.

‘O Immortal Mage! As a Demon King, you’re plotting to conquer the human race, aren’t you!?’

I don’t think I’ll be accused of that anymore.

…Seriously. Nobody was plotting to conquer the human race.

All I wanted to do was improve my magic, make it easier for the people in the village to draw water…and reduce the rate of livestock contracting diseases so that they could have meat once a week ──

“…This is depressing. My previous life”

I decided to sleep until lunch, so I closed my eyes.

That night, the butler, Neil, told me about the coming day of Her Royal Highness, the Princess’s arrival.

He also told me that starting from tomorrow afternoon, the mountains behind the mansion would be off-limits as it could be one of the potential exam sites.

And so, I decided to sneak out of the mansion again.