Squirt!
Eugene was hit full in the face with a spout of water. Drops of water went into his eyes, trickled down his cheeks, and dripped to the floor. The water got Eugene’s collar and the cloak’s fur wet, but Eugene let them be for now since he had allowed the boy to spray water on himself.
However, while sitting inside the cloak, Mer didn’t know that, so her jaw dropped.
[Sir Eugene?]Mer called Eugene in her mind.
Drip, drip.
Standing silently, Eugene tasted the water that seeped in through his lips. It was sour…. That damn rascal must have mixed vinegar in the water. The sourness inside his mouth and the wetness on his face were so disgusting that Eugene turned his head sideways and spat.
“Ahahahaha!”
Eugene could hear someone bursting into laughter under the bed. Without wiping the water from his face, Eugene looked at the kid that crawled out from under the bed.
The ten-year-old kid, Leo Dragonic, had red hair and blue eyes, just like his father. He had a very fit body which was very unusual for a child, but he still had some baby fat on his round face.
The boy was smiling mischievously as he pointed his water gun at Eugene’s face.
“…Hehe.” Eugene nodded as he chuckled.
Of course, Leo didn’t apologize. If he had enough common sense to apologize, he wouldn’t have randomly squirted water — no, vinegar water with his water gun on a guest.
Squirt~.
Leo used his squirt gun again. Eugene still didn’t dodge it.
Splash!
The stronger spout of water splashed Eugene’s lips. That fucking rascal accurately aimed for that little gap between Eugene’s closed lips and put vinegar water in his mouth.
“You can’t even dodge that, Mister?” Leo giggled as he swung his squirt gun.
Eugene could see Leo had no worries about the aftermath of his action. Sure, this was the Dragonic mansion, the Dragonic Patriarch was Alchester Dragonic, and that damn rascal, who kept squirting water on Eugene’s face, was Leo Dragonic. The only people who could scold Leo in this mansion were his parents, but Alchester adored his son, whom he had in his later years, so much that he turned into a big softie around him.
Still chuckling, Eugene waved his fingers.
Pah!
The water drops that dripped to the floor after soaking Eugene’s face and clothes began to float in the air one by one.
“…Woah!” Leo innocently exclaimed as he watched the sight. “That’s magic, right? I heard, I heard a lot about you too, Mister. You are a great knight, but you are also a powerful wizard, am I right?”
After shouting so innocently, Leo slowly put down his squirt gun because he was now unsure about the story he had heard before. Then, looking at his squirt gun, then at Eugene, and the water drops floating in front of Eugene in succession, Leo mumbled, “…But why can’t you even dodge an attack from a squirt gun?”
“Hehe….” Grinning, Eugene flicked his fingers in Leo’s direction. “To do this, you son of a bitch.”
Pop!
The water drops instantly flew in Leo’s direction and exploded on his face. However, they didn’t explode in an ordinary way. Eugene had delicately controlled his mana to shove every water drop into Leo’s nose and mouth.
“Urgh!” Wriggling, Leo kept retching. “Blargh! Argh!”
There was no way a ten-year-old kid could have prepared for this kind of attack. As the water drops flowed from his nose to his mouth, the sourness overwhelmed his nose and mouth, making Leo roll around the floor in pain.
Eugene came up to Leo, who was still wriggling on the floor. After spending a while rubbing his nose and spitting out the water, Leo swiftly raised his head. The young boy was full of anger as he shouted, “Are you crazy, Mister?! What have you done to me?!”
“Did you use your squirt gun on me because you were crazy?”
“I… I thought you would avoid my attack…!”
“Does that allow you to use your squirt gun on a stranger? And I didn’t avoid your attack and got splashed with water, so isn’t this self-defense?”
“You… You… You are an adult…!”
“Age doesn’t matter when it comes to taking responsibility for your actions and refraining from doing stupid things. Do you know what I would like to do right now? I want to consider your action as an insult to me and cut you with my sword,” Eugene spoke, looking at Leo threateningly.
It made Leo’s face turn pale. Unable to talk back to Eugene anymore, Leo just looked at the floor as he hunched his shoulders.
“…But I won’t draw my sword since I know your father, Sir Alchester.” Eugene tapped Leo’s hunched shoulder.
Leo didn’t respond.
“Are you not going to answer me?”
“Ok — okay…,” Leo said haltingly.
“What happened to my apology?”
“I’m… sorry….” Leo lowered his head, choking up.
…Mer watched everything from inside the cloak. Eugene was intimidating a 10-year-old kid by acting scary…. She wasn’t sure what to think of Eugene — no, Hamel, the great hero from 300 years ago.
[…You are very… thorough… Sir Eugene,] Mer finally blurted out.
‘Somebody should teach these rascals some manners when they are still young. Thanks to me harassing them when we were young, Cyan and Ciel have become decent adults.’
[…Yeah… you are great….] Mer stayed silent after saying that.
After he had pulled up a chair from nearby, Eugene sat in front of the still-frightened Leo. Leo kept his eyes on the floor. His eyes were filled with tears, but he desperately held back from crying.
“Did Sir Alchester tell you to use a squirt gun on me?” Eugene tilted his head slightly.
“…No….”
“Then who did? Did somebody else in this mansion tell you to splash the annoying Eugene Lionheart’s face with vinegar water?”
“No, I — I just wanted to shoot you with water, Mister.”
“If you call me ‘mister’ one more time….” Not finishing his sentence, Eugene crossed his legs. Leo flinched as he saw Eugene. “…I’m going to do something much scarier than you can imagine right now.”
“Yeah, yes, brother.” Leo fervently nodded.
“So, why did you want to shoot me with water?”
“…People told me you are a great knight… so I thought you would dodge my attack…,” Leo timidly explained.
“Of course, I can avoid your attack. I didn’t do so on purpose,” Eugene said as he flicked his fingers, straightening Leo’s posture.
Baffled, Leo looked back and forth between himself and Eugene. “What, what was that? Was it mana? You used mana to move me, right?”
‘Huh.’ Eugene stared at Leo as he raised an eyebrow.
He hadn’t paid much attention when Alchester bragged about his talented son…. It seemed like Leo was talented enough for the best knight of the empire to be proud of.
“…Woah… Wow…!” Leo exclaimed as he felt a little bit of Eugene’s mana nudging his body.
It was common for children born in prestigious warrior families to study mana from a young age. Therefore the children often felt mana even though they were young. Even Ciel and Cyan had begun to study mana when they were little children.
However, Leo sensed mana better than Eugene had thought. He was using a tiny amount of mana to nudge Leo right now. Most knights wouldn’t be able to feel Eugene’s mana if he used it this way. He wasn’t perfect, but Leo was partially sensing Eugene’s mana as he moved his body around.
‘He is interesting.’ Eugene grinned.
He was here to contact the dragon, but Leo’s talent intrigued him. Holding Akasha inside his cloak, Eugene recalled a magic formula inside his head. He didn’t even need to chant. His will was enough to cast the spell.
Woosh.
As he focused on Leo, Eugene’s view changed a bit. He had used a high-level analysis spell to see Leo’s Core and mana flow. Eugene used magic but couldn’t see Leo’s Cores or mana flow.
[Eh?] Mer tilted her head in confusion too.
Showing an aptitude for mana control from a young age wasn’t surprising if the child was born and raised in a prestigious warrior family.
However, magic resistance was a different story.
Eugene had used a Sixth Circle spell named Detecteye, but the boy, who wasn’t even born from a wizard family, resisted the spell without using resistance magic or an artifact that held the magic. How was this possible?
[…This… isn’t magic resistance,] Mer deduced.
‘I know.’
If that were the case, Leo would have resisted when Eugene forced the vinegar water into his mouth and nose. Once again, Eugene recalled the formula, and Mer assisted him this time.
Zinnng!
He focused again, but he still couldn’t see Leo’s Core.
Just like Mer had said before, it didn’t make sense for Eugene to be unable to see Leo’s state at all, no matter how strong Leo’s magic resistance was. Was Leo using some kind of magic? No. Eugene couldn’t detect any magic right now.
‘…He is… not doing this on a conscious level. If a ten-year-old kid can nullify magic like this, this bastard would be Vermouth’s reincarnation.’
“Who do you like better, Sir Vermouth or Sir Hamel?” Eugene asked.
“Pardon?”
“Who do you like better?” Eugene repeated.
“…I… like Sir Orix Dragonic.”
There was no way that Vermouth would say such bullshit.
“Come here.” Eugene suddenly gestured to Leo, and he approached furtively. When Leo came close enough, Eugene swiftly reached out and snatched Leo’s wrist.
“What, what is it?”
“Stay still. I need to see your physical condition in order to teach you.” Squinting at Leo’s face, Eugene made up an excuse as he infused his mana through Leo’s wrist. Eugene’s mana circulated inside Leo’s body without any hindrance.
Since Leo had no idea what Eugene was doing, he just blinked. “…Something is crawling up my arm from my wrist…. You are doing this now, right?”
The analysis spell didn’t even work on Leo, but Eugene could infuse his mana into Leo’s body without a problem. It was hard to believe, but was Leo just born with great magic resistance? Since Eugene had a hard time believing it, he used Detecteye once again.
Just then, Eugene unwittingly let go of Leo’s hand, because a shiver suddenly ran down his spine, making Eugene put on a solemn face. When had Eugene felt this? He was sure he had felt this before. Brushing his arms full of goosebumps, Eugene took a step back.
Eugene wasn’t the only one who had felt it. Mer, who had been analyzing Leo’s peculiarity with Eugene from inside the cloak, shrieked. An unfamiliar, foreign sense of intense pressure had frightened Mer, so she buried her head in Eugene’s chest.
‘Fear.’ That was the first word that came to Eugene’s mind.
Mer had never acted this way when she had met the Demon King’s remnant and Iris, even though they also acted hostile, giving off intense pressure. Eugene finally realized what he had just felt. Leo wasn’t being hostile or showing a desire to kill, but he was using a skill that paralyzed and scattered the nearby mana, just like a beast’s howling petrified its prey.
‘…Dragon Fear.’
Raizakia had used this skill which could only be used by dragons. With this skill, those arrogant dragons could scatter magic and petrify mana.
“What… what’s wrong?” Leo looked at Eugene in a baffled state because he had just seen Eugene’s cloak wiggling and strands of purple hair through the cloak’s gap. Although Leo really wanted to ask about the small shriek he had just heard, he stayed quiet because Eugene’s face looked solemn.
‘…He subconsciously radiates Dragon Fear, but he can’t sense his own Fear?’Eugene swiftly began to think about what had triggered Leo’s Dragon Fear. Had Leo instinctively reacted to the foreign mana inside his body?
How in the world had he done that?
* * *
The Dragonics’ training center was a dome-shaped building located a little bit far from the Dragonic mansion.
“What do you think of my son?” Alchester asked with twinkling eyes.
“I can see why you are so proud of him, Sir Alchester.” Watching the spells that filled the building’s walls, Eugene continued, “He especially has an outstanding aptitude in mana control that made me feel like he is indeed a dragon’s heir.”
While he spoke, Eugene observed Alchester’s reaction to see if he revealed anything, but Alchester just smiled wildly when Eugene praised Leo.
“…That made me curious.”
“What are you curious about?”
“Every citizen in the Kiehl Empire knows that the first ancestor of the Dragonics, Orix Dragonic, was a half-dragon. Among his descendants, you, the best knight of the Kiehl Empire in this generation… and your son, Leo, inherited the ‘purest’ dragon blood, right?” Eugene spoke as he continued to observe Alchester’s reaction.
“…I’m so grateful and happy to hear that.” Feeling touched, Alchester nodded delightedly. “300 years have passed since my first ancestor established the Dragonic clan. The Dragonic clan was founded in the same era as the Lionheart clan, and we continued to live up to Sir Orix’s name. I am not supposed to say these things myself… but I have tried my best to take after my first ancestor who protected Kiehl in times of war.”
It wasn’t what Eugene wanted to hear.
“However, I can’t say I’m special, considering how every Dragonic Patriarch tried to protect Kiehl. Didn’t the Lionheart Patriarchs also do that? They must have trained themselves to take after the Great Vermouth because they respected him….”
Eugene listened quietly.
“I hope my son chooses the same path as me by following a code of chivalry, serving His Majesty as his lord, and protecting the empire. Someday… when my son inherits my position as His Majesty’s guard… then Leo will maintain a close relationship with your Lionheart—”
“I’m not a candidate for the Patriarch position.” Eugene interrupted.
“…Yes, that’s right. My bad, but you’ll still be a Lionheart then, right? So you and my son will be able to protect Kiehl later….”
“Are you able to use Dragon Fear, Sir Alchester?” Eugene simply asked since the conversation was never going to end if Eugene just kept beating around the bush.
“…Huh?”
“Dragon Fear. Can you use it?” Eugene repeated.
Orix wasn’t a half-dragon.
He had luckily obtained a Dragonheart.
Orix’s descendants didn’t have the dragon’s blood.
So how was it possible for Leo to use Dragon Fear? Even if it were possible, could a ten-year-old kid radiate Dragon Fear?
“When you are talking about Dragon Fear…. Uh…. You are talking about the feeling of intense pressure that a dragon radiates, right?” Alchester spoke, baffled.
“Yes, that’s right.” Eugene nodded.
“How can a person radiate Dragon Fear?” Alchester asked innocently.
“…But… aren’t you the descendant of Sir Orix, the half-dragon?”
“That is right. However, no Dragonic Patriarch was able to use Dragon Fear, including me.”
Eugene listened as Alchester continued.
“You… umm… are a bit similar to Lady Carmen.”
“Huh?” Eugene swiftly raised his head.
“No, no. Don’t take this the wrong way. I’m aware that you two don’t share blood and are very far from each other in the Lionheart family tree. It’s just that… you two have a similar personality.”
“What in the world are you talking about?” Eugene asked after managing to stop himself from cursing aloud. How could Alchester say Eugene was similar to a woman who couldn’t act her age and had a hobby and taste that ordinary people would only enjoy during adolescence?
“…Lady Carmen also asked… similar questions in this mansion a long time ago.”
“…What were the questions?” Eugene was almost scared to ask this.
“She asked if I could use Dragon Breath.”
Eugene didn’t know how to respond.
“She also asked if I was hiding wings in my back and a tail in my bottom… and whether or not a dark dragon was sealed in my right arm….”
“I know I am being really rude, but Lady Carmen is insane,” Eugene finally said without blinking.
“…I think she is a very consistent person.” Alchester cleared his throat as he stepped back. “And I respect her as a knight and a martial artist.”
“…Anyhow, so are you unable to use Dragon Fear?” Eugene bitterly asked.
“I don’t know how to use it.” Alchester shrugged.
He didn’t look like he was lying. Well, everyone around Alchester would have noticed it if he could really use Dragon Fear.
“…I think we talked enough about Dragon Fear, so I would like to talk about why I called you here….” Alchester cleared his throat again and straightened his posture. “…The Lionheart’s White Flame Formula and Red Flame Formula are very popular, but I’m aware of how it is forbidden to teach those formulas to outsiders.”
“Yes, that’s correct.” Eugene nodded.
“Of course, I am not expecting you to teach Leo the White Flame Formula and the Red Flame Formula. Although I wish you could teach Leo your swordsmanship, which you have shown before, it would be too difficult for Leo to learn that right now.”
“I will try….”
“No, what I’m trying to say is that you don’t have to try too hard in teaching Leo. Like I said, I just want you to be Leo’s… and the Dragonics’ friend for a long time.”
“But I have to teach him something, right?”
“Trick.” Alchester grinned as he spoke of one word. “I want you to teach my son about your trick in controlling mana.”
Alchester’s request made Eugene see him in a different light. Just like Carmen had said, Alchester may be a timid and well-mannered man, but he was indeed insightful enough to be called the best knight of the empire.
“There would be so many examples of tricks, such as the best method to distribute the person’s mana to create sword energy, the method to unite mana to transform sword energy into sword force, the best method to circulate mana through the person’s Core, or the first pathway in the person’s body that was supposed to be used while infusing mana.”
Leo was a genius in controlling mana. Other people would also consider Eugene a genius in mana control. Leo and Eugene had similar talent, but Eugene had mastered mana control, so Alchester wanted Eugene’s trick.
“…It’s not difficult to teach my trick….” .𝒎
“I’m not asking you to teach it for free,” Alchester said as he grabbed the sword on his waist. “In return, I’ll teach you the Dragonic Style.”
—I was Alchester’s martial art teacher. I didn’t prefer a sword or a spear since I was a child, so I taught him hand-to-hand combat. In return, the Dragonic Patriarch at the time taught me the clan’s martial arts…. It didn’t help me much.
“…Uhm….” Eugene bowed as he recalled what Carmen had said. “I look forward to our sparring.”
Alchester’s lesson hadn’t begun, but Eugene felt like he was already suffering a loss… until Alchester pulled out his sword.
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