Chapter 43 : Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Homunculus.

The ancient term from Kenneth’s mouth made others widen their eyes.

Now overshadowed by mages, these forbidden dolls were crafted by ancient alchemists.

A successfully made homunculus was indistinguishable from humans and could wield any injected mana user’s abilities.

With a mana circle, it became a mage; with an aura hole, a knight.

Thus, homunculi had immense potential for misuse.

Moreover, their creation involved problematic processes, like using living mana users as materials.

So, the current empire strictly banned homunculus crafting.

Given the current Kirhausen’s behavior, breaking such a taboo wouldn’t be surprising.

But the professors’ shock wasn’t due to that.

It was because of the origin of Kenneth’s master, Gianni Monvero.

Gianni came from a heretical sorcerer background interested in homunculi, causing multiple issues within Palamedes.

Eddie silently met Kenneth’s gaze.

After a moment:

“You’re right. With Nymph’s Venom involved, we can’t rule out homunculi.”

Eddie calmly broke the silence without wavering.

As his master, he knew best that Gianni was from a heretical background.

But that was in the past.

Moreover, Kenneth bringing it up was something to be grateful for.

It meant personal discomforts tied to his master weren’t an issue in solving the current problem.

Leodimir echoed Kenneth’s opinion after Eddie.

“Indeed, given the suspicious activities Pasquier has conducted under the head’s orders, it’s plausible.”

“The name Mana Bloodstone itself is suspicious. It might be derived from the Bloodstone used in heretical sorcery.”

“If they’ve truly allied with heretical sorcerers, securing solid evidence would ensure impeachment.”

Rick and Brenda brightened, agreeing.

If uncovered, it would be as they said.

The current Kirhausen likely hid it nervously, knowing this.

Fred added his thoughts to his colleagues’.

“Then, the ‘they’ mentioned by Director Basilisa might involve Butler Ronan.”

“I share Fred’s thought. Perhaps the reason Master couldn’t sense his mana was…”

“Because he might have a sorcerer’s sorcery, not a mage’s mana.”

After lively discussion, Eddie sank into thought again.

Then he began giving orders to the Palamedes members.

The first was to Kenneth.

“Kenneth.”

“Yes, Sir Edmund.”

“With the Devon family’s expertise in herbology, find a way to neutralize Nymph’s Venom. And contact Gianni to inform him of the situation.”

“Yes, understood.”

Kenneth’s task, though a side issue, was fundamentally important.

Finding a way to save Noah and reuniting with a scattered ally.

“Leo.”

Next, Eddie called Leodimir.

As the strongest and most influential in Palamedes, he was given the toughest task.

“Yes, Master.”

“Investigate the Mana Bloodstone and the external forces Kirhausen contacts. Monitor everyone entering and leaving Pasquier and Shainborough, and closely track the movements of key family members.”

A task the other professors couldn’t handle.

Only Leodimir, with his power, influence, and private army, could do it.

“It seems we’ll need to mobilize Mercury in earnest.”

Mercury.

Leodimir’s secret private army, formed during his cold war with the current Kirhausen.

Its members were his disciples, mana users ostracized for various reasons.

Eddie had heard enough about Mercury through letters.

But their strength alone wasn’t reassuring.

“Your disciples are undoubtedly skilled. But the opponent is the current Kirhausen. We need to be thorough.”

“Do you have a method in mind?”

“Caliptus’ Eye.”

“…!”

“With Caliptus’ Eye, which distinguishes and detects all mana, we can investigate more reliably and safely. I’ll retrieve it from Pantheon.”

“No, Master. How could we use such a precious artifact…”

But Eddie cut off his disciple’s concern with a stern voice.

“Leo. We’ve already lost many people. Some we can find again, but many we cannot.”

“…”

“Your people are my people too. How could I recklessly deploy your disciples without such precautions?”

At his master’s stern rebuke, Leodimir bowed silently.

With a faint smile, he reflected on the earlier reprimand.

‘His cold tone delivering warm words is as ever.’

He also felt his master’s pain.

How could he argue against the one who lost the most, saying no more could be lost?

Eddie gave orders to the remaining three professors in turn.

“Rick, Brenda.”

“Yes, Sir Edmund.”

“You both teach general education courses. Track the trends of prominent magical families through the major family heirs in your classes.”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

Rick and Brenda were tasked with external matters, not Kirhausen’s internals.

To identify who would fall with the current Kirhausen as rotten flesh.

And who would support the void left by its collapse as pillars.

To distinguish them in advance.

Finally, Fred’s turn.

“And Fred. In your classes, have students use more mana. Conduct sparring tests for the midterm.”

“Yes, understood. But…”

Unable to contain his curiosity, Fred trailed off.

Eddie nodded, encouraging him to ask.

“Is having students use more mana to assess the first-years’ capabilities?”

“No. I’ve already gauged the capabilities of those I’ve noticed. This is to directly investigate Kirhausen internally.”

Puzzled by Eddie’s unclear words, everyone tilted their heads.

With a meaningful smile, Eddie clarified.

“The more mana Marcel uses, the more he’ll feel his capabilities declining and becoming unstable. I’ll make sure of it.”

Marcel’s current capabilities were influenced by the mana Eddie had planted in him.

Planting mana wasn’t just for maintaining the pretense of being an attendant.

“Then Kirhausen will think there’s a problem with the connection between Well and Deer. The next step, naturally…”

“Will be reorganizing the connection through Sylvia…!”

Fred, unable to help himself, interrupted Eddie with admiration.

He quickly apologized, bowing, and Eddie smiled, shaking his head to say it was fine.

“Yes. Whether they send Sylvia to the academy or summon me with Marcel, they’ll make me face Sylvia again. That’s when I’ll extract every bit of information, including her true nature.”

Eddie had already peered into Sylvia’s mind with Reverse once.

Back then, retrieving the artifact was the priority, leaving no time for other information, but not this time.

Eddie was determined to scrape every detail from Sylvia.

‘…Incredible.’

Fred couldn’t hide his admiration, gazing at Eddie.

‘How many steps ahead is he planning?’

His fists clenched with awe, feeling honored to be part of such a grand plan.

But the big picture wasn’t over.

Eddie continued.

“And this will be the last chance I give Marcel. I’ll also observe what choice he makes, pushed to the edge with insecurity and inferiority.”

“The choice Marcel will make…”

“One of two. Accept reality or deny it and embrace corrupt methods like his father.”

“If Marcel, unable to overcome his inferiority, tries to expel you from the family, what will you do?”

Leodimir voiced a hypothetical concern.

But Eddie scoffed.

“Don’t worry about that. Whether to expel me isn’t for him to decide.”

***

Solving Nymph’s Venom and reuniting scattered members.

Uncovering Kirhausen’s shadows.

Tracking magical world trends.

And setting a trap for Marcel.

The clandestine Palamedes master-disciple meeting concluded with meticulous planning and disbanded.

Thanks to it, the second-generation mages left Corkis with renewed sense of belonging.

Four lights stayed on late in the professors’ research building.

Three went out before dawn, but one remained lit until the dim morning light.

It was Kenneth’s office.

“…”

Kenneth sat at his desk all night, lost in thought.

As a senior herbology professor, his desk was filled with dried herbs and reagent bottles.

Though his family’s expertise brought shining achievements, his heart felt heavy, as if he’d swallowed a stone.

He had intended to follow his master’s path in sorcery, pursuing astrology.

But at the critical moment, it was none other than his master, Gianni, who dissuaded him.

‘What must he have felt, telling me to abandon the path he taught?’

Recalling their last meeting seven years ago, Kenneth sighed.

Gianni had refused his disciple’s plea to join the family.

After Palamedes effectively disbanded, he cut off all contact and went into seclusion.

Kenneth knew the reason for that decision stemmed from conflicting emotions toward someone who returned today.

Resentment toward a master whose views never aligned.

And guilt over the lost chance to reconcile with that master.

“Sigh…”

Kenneth took a deep breath, exhaling to clear his mind.

Then he picked up a pen and began writing a letter.

Hoping its contents would bring hope to the recipient.

Hoping it would alleviate the long-held guilt as much as the lingering resentment.

With that wish, he poured his heaviest sincerity into the final line.

[I will remain with Palamedes, led by the returned Sir Edmund, awaiting you, Master.]

***

A few days after the Emporium voucher theft incident and the Palamedes meeting.

The first-years reached their one-month mark at the academy.

Having adapted and gauged each other, they shed their newcomer status.

The hottest topic among them was, naturally, the resolution of the voucher theft incident.

“So, what? It was all orchestrated by Alexein?”

“Yeah, through his cousin Nordic Dickens, he got a new voucher and slipped it into that Ruben guy’s case.”

“Wow… He went that far, and it all got exposed, and now he’s doing campus service?”

“Exactly. Sloppy.”

But public opinion didn’t condemn ‘Alexein’s wrongdoing’ but rather expressed disappointment in ‘Alexein’s sloppiness.’

Reading this atmosphere, commoner students clenched their fists at the upper class’s malice.

Crunch.

Among them, Joy struggled to contain her rising anger.

“Sigh…”

But she only sighed.

Unlike before, Joy couldn’t actively counter the upper-class students’ whispers.

And she wasn’t the only one too disheartened to muster indignation.

Behind her, commoner students hung their heads, not exchanging a word.

‘How can reality be so cruel?’

The attitude of Alexein’s group, casually treating commoners as potential thieves, was shocking.

And they felt powerless, unable to raise their voices despite their innocence.

Meanwhile.

Eddie followed Marcel to the lecture hall.

Quietly observing Marcel’s mood from behind, he rubbed his tired eyes.

‘Maybe I should’ve retrieved Caliptus’ Eye and left right away.’

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