Chapter 119 : Chapter 119

Chapter 119

Eddie read the letter from Marcel over and over again.

[Tomorrow night, 11 o’clock, Third Infirmary.]

A very simple message with only the time and place.

It was more like a note than a letter.

But for Eddie, that short single line was enough.

What was important was that Marcel had contacted him ‘first’ to meet.

‘Even in a situation where his family and I are in direct opposition, he himself wants to meet.’

Eddie folded the letter and placed it on his palm.

Then, the letter was engulfed in turquoise flames and burned up.

As Eddie watched the letter slowly burn away, he recalled what he had said to Joy a few hours ago.

‘It won’t be long now until he makes a big decision.’

It wasn’t a joke, but it wasn’t said with complete certainty either.

But Marcel had indeed taken exactly as much time as Eddie’s hunch had predicted to think and make a decision.

‘It seems I’ve gotten quite used to him over the past few months.’

As his thoughts deepened, the letter was completely burned away by the turquoise flames.

Eddie approached the window to cool the lingering heat on his hand.

As he reached his hand out the window and grasped the cool night air, his mind seemed to clear up as well.

Eddie stared blankly at the night sky from which Marcel’s paper bird had flown.

Then quietly, he muttered to himself so softly that no one could hear him.

“Since it came true, I hope my premonition about his choice comes true as well.”

* * *

The next day.

After classes, Eddie headed to the dormitory with Joy.

Thanks to having been together all week, their companionship was now perceived as a natural sight.

The daily routine was no longer a subject of gossip, and the number of gazes watching them had also decreased significantly.

So Eddie didn't take extra time and spoke to Joy right away.

About the letter that came from Marcel last night and the meeting that would take place tonight.

“So your hunch was right in the end.”

“I guess so.”

“Have a good talk. If possible, I hope your hunch about that young master’s choice is right too.”

Joy cheered him on, repeating his own words from the previous day.

Thanks to her, Eddie felt his heart become much lighter.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Receiving Joy’s support, Eddie went up to the dormitory.

And time passed, and it was the middle of the night.

Marcel was leaning against the infirmary bed and reading a textbook.

He turned the pages slower than usual, feeling the cool night breeze coming in through the window.

Then, feeling a change in the air, he lifted his head.

Eddie was standing there.

Dong- Dong- Dong-

The large grandfather clock in the infirmary hallway chimed, announcing that it was exactly 11 o’clock.

Eddie and Marcel looked at each other without a word until the grandfather clock had chimed eleven times.

And it was Marcel who spoke first.

“It’s been a while.”

“…Yes, it has been a while. Young master Marcel.”

“‘Young master Marcel’… Right, you’re not my assistant anymore.”

Marcel smiled bitterly and lowered his head slightly.

Eddie slowly looked Marcel over.

‘As expected, the rumor about him being bedridden wasn’t false.’

Marcel had lost a lot of weight since he had last seen him.

It wasn't just that he had lost weight.

His eyes were hollow, and his face was pale, devoid of color.

If one were to ask what emaciation due to mental anguish looked like, Marcel’s appearance could be shown as the correct answer.

‘The path to his decision must have been quite arduous.’

And the fact that the path was arduous meant that Marcel had been that much more careful in his decision.

Therefore, Eddie planned to accept whatever Marcel said without questioning it.

“So, have you made a decision?”

“……”

“What are your plans for the future?”

“……”

Instead of answering, Marcel slowly sat up and got off the bed.

Soon, the two were standing face to face.

As the moonlight shone on Marcel, his complexion looked even paler.

But even so, Eddie could see that his eyes were still alive.

“Hoo……”

Marcel looked straight at Eddie and took a slow, deep breath.

Then he opened his mouth in a heavy, unwavering voice.

“I am the next head of the Kirhausen family. Even if my family commits numerous wrongdoings, I will never forsake that fact.”

“…I see.”

“But that is why it is also my duty to acknowledge the wrongdoings of Kirhausen and to correct them.”

“……”

“My family is currently walking the wrong path. And unfortunately, it seems to have reached a point where it cannot return to the right path on its own. Therefore…”

His words trailing off, Marcel briefly bowed his head.

But as if he had composed himself, he briefly closed and opened his eyes, then lifted his head to look at Eddie.

His two eyes, looking at Eddie, shone even more clearly in the moonlight.

“Help me. So that I can lead Kirhausen to the right path.”

Eddie felt a faint shiver and clenched his fists.

He couldn't guess what his expression looked like as he looked at Marcel right now.

Was he properly hiding his emotions and maintaining a straight face?

Or had the uncontrollable thrill finally lifted the corners of his lips a little?

He wasn't sure.

The only thing certain was that his mouth, which had been tightly closed in a line, was slightly open.

While Eddie was worried about the leakage of his thrill, Marcel’s expression clouded over.

The reason could be seen immediately in his following words.

“Of course, it’s absurd for me to ask for such a favor from you, the enemy of my family. But my judgment is that what is putting the family in more danger right now is the family itself, which is committing wrongdoings, rather than you. Therefore…”

“You will lead the family to the right path even if it means receiving help from an enemy. Is that correct?”

“…Yes.”

The end of Marcel’s affirming voice trembled slightly.

Not missing that tremor, Eddie’s expression instantly hardened, and his sharp eyes gleamed.

To receive help from an enemy, just putting down one’s pride is not enough.

Of course, for Marcel, who was a high nobleman to the core, even that would have been a difficult thing.

But compared to what was to come, putting down one’s pride was not even in the category of difficulty.

So Marcel had to be prepared.

A resolve so firm that it wouldn’t break even if he received a shock greater than the one he had just received.

Step-

Eddie took a step towards Marcel.

His two eyes were already shining with a brilliant golden light.

As the air instantly grew heavy, Marcel unknowingly clenched his hands.

In a voice heavier than ever before, Eddie spoke to Marcel.

“I am not a nobleman, a politician, or a rich man. I am just a commoner who has gained fame through mana. So the most I can help with is probably your magic, young master.”

“……”

“So if I understand correctly, you are asking me to ‘help you become a mage who can lead the family down the right path.’”

“That’s right. Exactly that.”

“Then that means you will learn magic from me from now on.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what that means?”

“……”

At Eddie’s sharp question, Marcel couldn't affirm any further and closed his mouth.

To learn magic.

What did that really mean?

He had read so many books, but he had never thought about it.

As Marcel failed to produce an answer, Eddie opened his mouth instead.

“To learn magic from someone means to follow the direction and method of growth that they pursue as a mage. In short, it means to become a mage like them.”

“……!”

“Is Marcel Kirhausen, the next head of the great magical family Kirhausen, prepared to become a mage like Eddie Summerson?”

Marcel flinched involuntarily.

But Eddie paid no mind and urged for an answer with his brilliant gaze.

‘Become a mage like Eddie.’

The numerous thoughts he had held about Eddie and the countless moments he had seen of Eddie flashed through Marcel’s mind.

They all eventually converged to one conclusion.

The very conclusion he had been denying due to his inferiority complex.

That Eddie Summerson was a true mage.

Having made his decision, Marcel faced Eddie.

“I’m prepared. I will learn magic from you, become a mage like you, and set the great magical family Kirhausen right.”

Eddie didn't ask any more questions.

Instead, he opened his golden eyes even wider to suppress the hot something rising from within.

* * *

The next day at dawn.

Passing through the still-dark Corkis, Leodimir headed to his office.

After climbing the stairs and reaching the office entrance, he paused for a moment.

“……”

It was because of the presence he felt inside the office.

Leodimir quietly closed his eyes and gauged the aura inside the office.

The identity of the visitor was as expected.

But he couldn't guess the reason why he had come to the office at this hour without notice.

‘Something must have happened. Whether it’s good or bad.’

Leodimir opened his eyes and looked beyond the door with a worried expression, then reached out his hand.

As he opened the door and entered the office, he saw a familiar figure slumped on the sofa.

Eddie, leaning back against the backrest with his eyes closed.

He looked so exhausted that Leodimir let out a sigh.

On the coffee table were a bottle of hard liquor, about a third empty, and a glass.

They were things Eddie had taken from Leodimir’s display cabinet.

Leodimir stared at the table for a moment, then walked over to the display cabinet.

Then he took out a glass identical to the one in front of Eddie and sat down opposite him.

The amber-colored hard liquor was poured into Leodimir’s glass as well.

Leodimir, who usually didn't enjoy alcohol, felt that he had to have a drink with his master right now.

Eddie slowly opened his eyes and straightened his tilted head.

Then he drank the hard liquor with his disciple who had poured him a glass.

“Haa……”

Letting out a deep sigh mixed with the scent of alcohol, Eddie opened his mouth about what had happened a few hours ago.

“Marcel has made his decision. He acknowledged his family’s wrongdoings and said he wanted my help to lead the family to the right path.”

“……!”

Leodimir’s eyes widened in surprise.

What Eddie had just said was the news they had been waiting for.

The foothold for the opportunity to collapse the current Kirhausen from within had been prepared.

But-

‘Why does my master’s expression look like that….’

Leodimir looked at Eddie’s expression, which was far from joyful, and tried to guess his feelings.

But it wasn't easy.

Soon, Eddie drank all that was left in his glass.

Then he rolled the empty glass in his hand and said in a voice soaked with alcohol.

“Marcel asked to learn from me. He said he would follow my way of magic. Just like you and the other first-generation Palamedes who came to me in my past life.”

“Master…”

“Seeing the boy sincerely ask for learning and steel his resolve, I felt an unparalleled thrill. But that thrill was…”

As if he knew what Eddie was about to say, Leodimir closed his eyes.

“It was the thrill of thinking that if I taught him, he would become the most powerful weapon to destroy the current Kirhausen.”

The end of Eddie’s voice trembled faintly.

Leodimir knew well that the tremor was not just due to the alcohol.

“Hoo……”

Eddie let out another alcohol-scented sigh like a groan.

Leodimir slowly opened his eyes and looked at his master, who was enduring some kind of pain.

“After reincarnating, there were times when I felt like a monster over and over again. But each time, I shook my head and tried to ignore that feeling. And I comforted myself.”

“……”

“I told myself that all this was for revenge, so it couldn't be helped. That once the revenge was over, everything would go back to its place, and so would I.”

“Master…”

“But now I know. Even if the revenge ends, I won't be able to return to my former self. I will remain a monster forever.”

Eddie showed Leodimir a self-deprecating smile.

Today, he had clearly realized what revenge was.

It was to run towards the ruin of the opponent while losing one’s original self, one piece at a time.

That was what revenge was.

And last night, Eddie had left behind his former self as a true master from his past life and took another step towards revenge.

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