Chapter 15 - Misunderstanding

[Translator - Peptobismol][Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 15 - Misunderstanding

'Lloyd' possessed two overwhelming talents.

The first was his acute sensitivity.

His body was unnervingly sensitive.

Sight, smell, hearing... His five senses were so heightened that if he focused, he could differentiate between the sounds of various insect wings fluttering in the distance.

When Lee Han first woke up in this body, he had to immediately cover his ears and eyes. The bombardment of sensations felt like a storm, and even the rough texture of the bed sheets against his skin felt like a multitude of blades cutting into him, nearly driving him into a seizure.

This hypersensitivity also applied to 'mana.'

Lee Han could vividly sense the flow of mana around him, distinguishing the differences in mana density between forests, cities, indoors, and outdoors—a discovery that even his former self, who had been capable of defeating the Demon King, had never made.

The second talent was his computational ability.

Magic isn't just about releasing mana; it requires complex calculations to arrange elements and determine how to output them. These calculations are so intricate that ordinary minds can't keep up with them.

That's the fundamental reason why all mages have terrible tempers.

They all suffer from chronic headaches and glucose deficiencies, leading to rampant substance abuse among them.

But Lloyd handled these calculations effortlessly.

The process of calculating the output of mana flowed naturally and precisely, making it comparable to the abilities Lee Han had cultivated with great effort and countless trials in his previous life.

But the most significant advantage was when Lloyd's hypersensitivity combined with his computational ability, creating a synergy.

This allowed for the [Reverse Calculation of Magic].

During his battle with Ortega, Lloyd had clearly felt it. Movements and strange techniques that ordinary people wouldn't have noticed were partially deciphered by Lloyd.

This made him even more afraid of Ortega, but still.

Unlike 'Lloyd,' who had been crushed by these overwhelming talents, Lee Han could manage them.

The constant stimulation and irritation caused by his sensitivity, and the relentless analysis that forced him to see the truth behind everything, were endurable.

Having been betrayed by his comrades, witnessing their ugly truths, and having died once, Lee Han found these burdens bearable.

As a result, Lee Han welcomed Lloyd's talents.

He was determined to overcome the blockages in his mana circuits.

"Hey, are you ignoring me?"

A voice pulled Lloyd back to the present. The boy who had been loudly grumbling next to him, Hector, served as an example of Lloyd's talents.

Hector had some magical talent. He was using mid-level magic to enhance his body, utilizing earth-element mana in the process.

If he continued in the Blood Cult, he might eventually become a mid-level officer. In a normal path, he could barely make it into an academy.

In any case, Hector had gathered a fair amount of mana in his fists, likely planning to throw a punch.

Lloyd's body was frail, like that of a typical mage.

But he could still dodge a predictable attack.

Swoosh.

Swiftly, Lloyd ducked his head.

The road they were running on was muddy, and with Hector's punch missing its target, he went crashing face-first into the mud.

Lloyd didn't bother to look back. He sensed a few mana orbs nearby.

He decided to pick up two or three.

There was no need to reveal his magical talents; it wouldn't benefit him. In the worst-case scenario, he might need to use magic to escape.

For now, he could rely on his political abilities to gain the Duchess's favor.

"Here it is."

Lloyd stood on tiptoes, searching the branches above him. He could sense gray mana nearby. Sure enough.

"...A black pill?"

He found a dark orb emanating strong mana. He had heard that some cults consumed mana to grow stronger. This seemed to be one of those cases.

It wasn't something he'd want to consume.

He could already imagine being forced to eat as many as he collected.

Just two more to go, he decided.

As he turned his head—

"You bastard!"

He spotted Hector charging at him like a wild beast.

Should he bury him for good?

— Bury him.

Did I just have the same thought as Ortega?

A shiver ran down Lloyd's spine.

He bit his lip, trying to stay grounded. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the ɴøᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

His plan was to subdue Hector.

But then—

— Whoosh!

An unexpected projectile flew toward him.

The moment Lloyd sensed it, he jerked his head to the side.

A split-second later, the projectile—a dinner knife—whizzed past his ear and embedded itself in a tree.

— You should kill him. Are you really going to just take this?

The knife quivered where it had struck the tree.

Lloyd gritted his teeth, bracing himself.

He still had no intention of shedding blood.

He didn't know how Ortega might react.

Instead—

‘I'll make him wish he was dead.’

Lloyd intended to end this decisively.

He caught sight of Hector, who was charging at him with bloodshot eyes.

‘Stupid boy.’

A smart opponent would stop to think at this point.

Oh, he dodged my knife. I should assess his abilities.

But Hector didn't.

He was too young to think like that.

‘Hand-to-hand combat isn't ideal.’

Lloyd bit his lip. The body he inhabited had never engaged in physical activity. Every muscle ache would be magnified, making it even worse.

And his magic was still limited due to the blockages in his mana circuits. He had a few spells he could cast using the circuits he had recently managed to unblock.

He opted for a simple earth-tilting spell.

"Guh!"

Hector, who had been rushing at him with wild eyes, stumbled over the raised earth and rolled across the ground, becoming caked in mud. But Hector had enhanced his body with mana and quickly got back up, charging again.

Lloyd's fingers moved as if conducting an orchestra. This time, he spread a thin layer of water over the ground. Hector slipped and tumbled again.

"...You. Are you...?"

Hector finally started to catch on, but Lloyd didn't care. Hesitation in battle leads to death. Lloyd kicked up some mud.

Splat!

The mud struck Hector's eyes, blinding him as Lloyd took a step forward.

A frail body doesn't mean you can't engage in hand-to-hand combat.

With his hypersensitivity, he could control every muscle with precision.

Thud!

Hector's head snapped to the side.

"Keuk!"

Ignoring Hector's groan, Lloyd continued his attack.

He struck Hector's side, forcing the air from his lungs, and followed up with a blow to the chin, putting him in a daze.

A few more hits to the abdomen would make anyone beg for mercy.

"Wait, wait!"

Hector raised his hands in surrender.

Maybe it was worth hearing him out.

Killing Hector would only cause problems for Lloyd.

As Lloyd eased his stance, Hector reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

And then he tore it apart.

— Rip!

"Damn it."

Lloyd cursed under his breath.

A surge of mana suddenly filled the air.

It was a scroll.

‘Why does this bastard have a scroll...?’

Scrolls were expensive, with even the simplest ones costing over a million crone. Hector's unexpected use of one left Lloyd no time to react.

As mentioned earlier, panic in battle leads to defeat.

‘Is it a seed bomb?’

Lloyd's mind quickly calculated the spell.

The distance was too close. There was a 0% chance of dodging it.

He would at least suffer serious injuries.

‘Damn it.’

The best course was to drop to the ground.

As he ducked—

— Whiz!

Something sped past Lloyd's head.

And then—

— Bam!

Hector was sent flying as the seed bombs exploded harmlessly in the air.

Lloyd bit his lip as he looked up.

The strike that had just grazed his head...

It wasn't meant to help him.

It was meant to harm him.

And it had been no weak attack.

The assailant had controlled the mana perfectly, reducing the impact when they realized the attack had missed.

The person targeting him was someone Lloyd knew.

"...Ron?"

The butler who had introduced himself after Lloyd's battle with Ortega, nodded grimly.

"You are more fortunate than I expected."

"So this is how you serve, then?"

"I intended to end it quickly, before you even realized. That was my mistake."

His voice was still as polite as ever.

Lloyd swallowed and lowered his stance.

This man was strong.

Far too strong to be a mere servant. He had completely hidden his presence and had attacked with full force, even though his opponent was just a boy.

And at the same time, he was kind.

When his attack missed, he reduced the force to spare Hector from death, even at the cost of internal injuries.

The blood dripping from Ron's mouth proved that.

So Lloyd had to wonder.

Why was someone like this serving in the Gray Duke’s estate?

And why had he attacked Lloyd?

What had gone wrong?

Ron spoke.

"My name is Edward Arno. I am a member of the White Knights, serving the Emperor of the Britannia Empire. I am undercover here."

The White Knights were the Emperor's elite force, one of the two most prestigious knightly orders in the Empire.

Lloyd's mouth turned dry. Arno had revealed too much information all at once.

"For the Empire, I will execute you, Lloyd. The King of the Underworld, who will plunge the continent into darkness."

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]