Chapter 23 Code And Null

"… I can't use magic as well," Noir revealed.

"Wha—?!" Lorna and Galand both responded.

"That can't be true Sir Noir. You used Magic to heal Sir Galand and myself, remember?" Lorna quickly added, remembering her first encounter with Noir.

"Yes, and you also used it to transform that makeshift carriage. You also cast that Hibernation Spell on the Mage of the kidnappers right? You even taught the Young Lady Magic." Galand posited.

"Besides, I know Sir Noir is amazing, but it's impossible to have defeated all those bandits, and even the attackers last night without using magic. "

Noir smiled within himself. Since he had already told them so much, he decided to enlighten them a bit.

"No, other than two exceptions—Bloodline Magic and Magic Territory—I really can't use Magic… at all." Noir reaffirmed his earlier statement.

​ "B-but… if you didn't use Magic, what have you been doing?" Lorna murmured, conflicted on what to believe.

She trusted Noir and knew he had no reason to lie, but the results could not be denied. There was no way he could have achieved such feats without the use of Magic.

"Code." Noir responded, point blank.

"C-code?" Lorna and Galand's replies were simultaneous.

"Yes, I use Code… instead of Magic."

"What exactly is Code?" Galand asked.

He looked at Lorna and he could tell that she was also entirely confused. None of them had heard anything like this.

"In simple terms, Code is the method I use to interfere with The System, achieving the same result or effect as magic," Noir replied.

"E-eh…?" Galand answered, obviously still confused.

"C-can you explain in simpler terms?" Lorna asked with an awkward smile.

They both looked like bumpkins in the face of the young man's explanation.

"Hmmm," Noir said, thinking a bit.

Galand and Lorna, who appeared to be older than Noir, felt like children expecting explanations from a well-informed adult.

'So awkward.' Their minds rang.

"As you know, the system called Magic has existed for hundreds of thousands of years— since antiquity.

It has undergone several millennia of evolution and what we see now is a result of countless perfection of the concept of magic." Noir explained.

Galand and Lorna listened attentively, to avoid any confusion.

"Code is essentially a new system I developed, entirely different, yet similar to Magic.

By generating a completely different system and developing it, evolving it to a certain point, I can achieve results indistinguishable from Magic.

That's how I was able to do those things." Noir finally stopped.

Galand and Lorna's jaws dropped the moment their minds processed what he had just said.

To say they were amazed was an understatement. What Noir was essentially saying was that he had developed his own kind of system, from scratch for that matter. That was unbelievable.

Usually, anyone would call the young man insane. However, after all he had done and shown… none of these two had it in them to doubt his words.

"Sir Noir, that is unbelievable! If this is true, then there's no one greater than you in this Empire! To be able to generate any result you desire. Your Code is unparalleled" Galand said in awe.

"I didn't quite get some of your explanation, but Sir Noir is certainly amazing. To create your own system similar to Magic is so…" Lorna was dumbfounded.

"Again, you both overestimate me. Code is not without its faults. It isn't invincible." Noir corrected the two individuals who seemed to idolize him already.

"What do you mean by that?" Galand asked, curious for more knowledge.

"The Magic you all practice now is as a result of countless evolutions of hundreds of thousands of years. For me to develop Code from scratch, I somewhat imitate a Spell or otherwise, that has gone through that process. It's not simple."

Silence pervaded the hall as they all looked at Noir. His words were heavy.

"It takes me an unbearable amount of time and focus to imitate the effects of complex Magic. Plus, I can't create a new code on the spot since it takes time to develop it.

Finally, to create a Code for Magic that has never existed before, or one that I have never experienced before… is impossible." He further explained.

"O-oh… I never actually thought about all that. So you can only imitate magic that has existed and you've seen. Plus the process to create Code is difficult.

I mean, bypassing hundreds of thousands of years of development and evolution is not easy, or even possible, to begin with." Galand answered, also analyzing what Noir said.

Even with all that, the truth remained the same. Everything Noir said just showed how difficult it was. But for him to have achieved something so phenomenal, regardless…

"I don't quite get it. But, for Sir Noir to be able to even create Code in the first place is amazing! No one can do what you've done!" Lorna said with a bright smile, idolizing Noir even more.

"Wha—?" Noir got flustered instantly.

He had thought his explanation would make them discourage them.

"Lorna's right. Sir Noir… You're truly amazing. I have never met anyone as amazing as you… And so young for that matter." Galand smiled with a twinkle in his eyes.

Noir was in disbelief. He just couldn't believe these people.

He had explained these things to them so they wouldn't put him in such high regard, but it seemed their respect for him had even deepened even more.

'These guys…' A soft smile formed on his pale face.

The feeling within him wasn't so bad, though.

Being surrounded by two people who seemed to care for him, worry about him, and completely accepted him… it felt nice.

"It's fine. I just don't want you two to blame yourselves for what happened. There was nothing you both could have done…"

Noir's statement, though out of goodwill, made Galand and Lorna downcast. Even if their guilt had vanished, their feeling of powerlessness still plagued them.

"…So get stronger."

"Uh?" They both looked up in surprise, noticing Noir smiling at them.

"Don't worry. You both have it in you to become strong." He continued.

"E-even me?" Lorna was surprised.

"Yes, even you. I couldn't even use magic, and yet I was able to find something only I could do. You guys have more aptitude, to begin with… you'll be fine."

Noir's tone of understanding and friendship warmed the heart of both Mage and Maid.

"T-then, how can we grow stronger?" Galand asked.

As an old man, he had thought he had reached his limit in strength and could not ascend any further.

But, then came this young man who told him it was possible to surpass his limits. Galand could feel the excitement of his youth boiling.

He wanted this!

"Along with Ciara, I'll train you two. By the time Ciara's institute resumes in three months, both of you would have become stronger. So… how about it?"

"I want to become stronger, so I can protect Milady. I don't want to be a burden to Sir Galand and Sir Noir." Lorna quickly said, brimming with resolve.

"I want to attain new heights. To surpass my limits as a Mage and also be able to protect that which is precious to me!" Galand added.

"Good." Noir nodded

After a brief moment of silence, the young man's gaze shifted to the door.

"So then Ciara… what about you? What do you want?"

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The young girl, who stood behind the door to Noir's room, was surprised to hear her name.

She couldn't bring herself to face him when Galand and Lorna rushed in to see Noir, so she waited behind the door—listening to what went on in the room.

'I'm such a coward.' She had thought to herself.

But, then, Noir had to ask the question.

"U-uh…?" Tears fell from her surprised eyes as her heart raced for some reason.

What did she want?

As she opened the door and entered the room, she looked at how everyone's eyes were on her—waiting for her answer.

"I-I want to become stronger… so I can stand beside you, Noir. So that one day… I can also protect you." Ciara shouted, tears dropping from her eyes and cheeks as they landed on the cold, hard ground.

"Good. Then get ready. These three months will be the most unbearable moments of your lives. But, at the end of it… you'll be unrecognizable from your current selves." Noir smiled softly.

"Yes!" They all responded, ready to take on the new challenge before them.

The next three months could be hell, but it would be even worse to remain powerless. That was what the three thought within themselves.

The powerless handmaiden of Ciara, Lorna.

The powerless Tier 5 Mage and guard of Ciara, Galand.

And the powerless Tier 2 young lady, daughter of a Duke, Ciara.

They would emerge from their chrysalis with Noir's help, and then would become strong enough to live their lives.

"Then let us begin!" Noir said with a serious smile.

"Wait… Like, right now?!" Ciara sharply exclaimed with surprise.

The awkward air of silence in the room was too much for anyone to bear. They all burst into laughter.

Lorna, Galand, Ciara… And even Noir genuinely laughed for the first time in a while.

"This isn't so bad after all…" Noir thought to himself as he laughed some more.

'These people… this place… it isn't so bad.'

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[End Of The First Arc]

[Arc 2: Magic Institute Saga coming soon]