CHAPTER 154

"So, all of this happened because of that man, Paul Weyl?"

"That's correct."

Inside the carriage heading back to the imperial capital.

Protected by the Blue Horse and Blue Ram in case of an ambush, Elric listened to Lasalle and the Blue Hawks explain the situation that had unfolded.

He had heard that Herman and Isabelle had returned to the family, but since there had been no news for a while, he had suspected something might have happened.

He hadn't expected that Paul Weyl had been causing such trouble during that time.

In truth, Elric had only provoked Paul Weyl in the past and then left for the North, where he had completely forgotten about him.

By the time Elric was returning to the imperial capital, he thought he should settle things with him, but it seemed Herman and Isabelle had moved first.

'Well, if Isabelle took action, Paul would have been cornered.'

Elric had observed how sharp Isabelle was, so it wasn't surprising.

In particular, her military talents were blooming more every day.

However, hearing that Paul's resistance had caused some problems for him—though it hadn't posed any real threat—still annoyed Elric.

It was clear that Paul had continued being the scumbag he was, without any remorse for what had happened in Lacente City.

Elric couldn't just sit idly by.

"I thought something was up when those lackeys showed up, but knowing it's real is just annoying," Elric said, deciding to delay his plan to head straight to the battlefield as soon as he received his magus certification.

There was no way he could leave this unresolved and move on to something else.

It seemed he wouldn't be satisfied until he saw Paul Weyl's head on a pike.

'In fact, this might be the perfect opportunity to make the name of the Melvinger family known.'

Elric had been thinking about how to build his reputation to avoid the hassle of proving his skills on the battlefield. Paul Weyl's head would be more than enough to do that. It would suit the title of the "Hero of Lacente" perfectly.

'Might as well build it up properly.'

Elric stroked his chin and curled one side of his mouth.

『Another one bites the dust, huh?』 Mephisto muttered, shaking his head as if used to this by now, while Elric turned to Lasalle.

"Before we reach the capital, could I ask you for a favor?"

"Speak. If it's a request from my nephew-in-law, what couldn't I grant?"

Elric spoke to Lasalle, noticing the greedy glint in his eyes, which resembled the elders of Nerester family who were always eyeing him.

And the more Elric spoke, the more Lasalle's eyes curved with amusement.

It was a mischievous smile.

***

Brian, the fifth-grade examiner, kept glancing toward the window, sweating nervously.

"What's gotten into you? You've been on edge since earlier. You look like a puppy holding in its bladder."

Chaif, the chief of the administrator office who was watching this scene, tilted his head.

Chaif had been grooming Brian for various positions, intending to promote him to a higher office due to his exceptional talent.

Brian was always calm under pressure, even when unexpected situations arose. But recently, he seemed unable to focus.

Today, more than ever, his anxiousness was noticeable.

"I think he's coming today."

"Today?"

Chaif tilted his head, unsure of what Brian meant, but then smiled when he finally understood.

"Are you talking about the head of the Melvinger family?"

"Yes."

Chaif waved his hand dismissively, as if Brian had told a funny joke.

"Don't be ridiculous. Even if he did break the all-time record, how could he finish the quest in just three days? Do you really think that's possible?"

Although the Crimson Ghost Forest was not far from the capital, it still took an entire day by carriage to reach it.

That would mean two days just for the round trip, leaving only one day for the third exam—something that seemed impossible to achieve.

Besides, the monsters in the Crimson Ghost Forest weren't easy to deal with, and finding the stones needed for the quest was no simple task either.

You'd be lucky to get one stone for every ten monsters you defeated.

The task required a lot of time, effort, and stamina, so many who passed the second exam ended up failing this one.

Not many magicians maintained their physical condition well enough to endure long battles, and the efficient use of mana over time made the process even harder.

Becoming a magus was no easy feat.

So, Brian's mention of three days sounded absurd.

Chaif wondered if the shock from examining Elric had made Brian lose his sharp, rational judgment.

"But there are too many reporters gathered in front of the office."

Still, Brian seemed convinced of his belief.

Chaif, enjoying the aroma of his warm milk tea, glanced outside through the curtains.

"Hm, that's true."

Indeed, the front of the Central Magic Administration Office was more crowded than usual.

Rumors about Elric had spread throughout the capital. Reporters were flocking there in the hope of getting even a glimpse of him upon his return.

Among them were test-takers hoping for some inspiration from him, and curious citizens standing around for various reasons.

"But it's only natural that the number of reporters would increase. They're all trying to catch a scoop."

Chaif had already received requests from several friendly reporters asking him to tip them off if Elric made an appearance.

So, he didn't think much of it.

"It feels different this time."

"How so?"

"Unlike usual, the reporters seem to be watching the surroundings as if they've been tipped off."

"Hmm?"

Now Chaif felt something was off, widening his eyes.

Some of the reporters were higher-ranking members of their respective newspapers, individuals who rarely did fieldwork. So why…?

At that moment, a carriage emblazoned with the Blue Lion insignia of the Weyl family pulled into the Magic Administration Office.

Immediately, the reporters began to murmur and rush toward the carriage.

It was reminiscent of when one of the Three Stars or a famous imperial family member made a public appearance.

While the Blue Lion family had been receiving more attention lately, it didn't seem like enough to warrant this level of interest.

Chaif quickly realized the gravity of the situation and issued orders to his subordinates.

"Figure out what's going on! Move quickly!"

3rd-grade and 4-grade officers and examiners scrambled into action, with Brian leading the charge.

As the door to the carriage opened, a man slowly stepped out.

Click, click, click!

Instantly, the reporters rushed forward, their magic recording devices capturing every moment.

It was Elric Melvinger.

The man who had recently captured the attention of the entire empire.

"Hello, I'm Alexander from the Nature Tribune! Elric Melvinger, many citizens of the empire are keenly interested in your recent actions. Could you share a few words with us?"

"I'm Jaytun from The Chaser! Not only did you surpass the score of your grandfather, Usdun Melvinger, but you also broke the record held by Tasha Nerester, one of the Three New Stars. Could you tell us the secret behind such an outstanding achievement?"

"Recently, there's been talk of renaming the Three New Stars to the Four New Stars, with you included. Any thoughts on that?"

"You are restoring the name of the once-magic royal family, the Melvinger family. Could you share your thoughts on that?"

"As the hero of Lacente, how do you feel about the recent disturbance caused by Paul Weyl, with whom you've had past conflicts?"

"We'd also like to ask…"

"Can we…"

Despite the reporters bombarding him with questions, Elric walked silently toward the entrance of the Central Magic Administration Office without uttering a word.

As the Blue Horse and Blue Ram formed a barrier around him to keep the reporters at bay, the reporters grew even more desperate.

"Why is the atmosphere so tense for someone just picking up their magus certification?"

"Is something else going on?"

"Did he fail the quest?"

"No way. If that were the case, he wouldn't be rushing here like this."

"Something else must have happened."

The reporters could sense that something bigger was at play than just the certification quest.

Each of them had already been briefed by their respective newspapers that Elric would arrive at the Central Magic Administration Office to obtain his magus certification and make a significant announcement afterward.

And rumors had already been swirling that it might have something to do with the Weyl family, which had recently been causing a stir.

"Congratulations."

Inside, Elric received his full Magus certification from Brian, who had overseen his exam.

This meant that Elric was now one of the few magicians officially recognized by the empire, the imperial family, and the government.

But unlike before, when he had taken the qualifying exam, Elric's expression remained stiff and serious.

Because of this, Brian couldn't find the opportunity to say all the things he had wanted to. He had hoped to apologize for looking down on Elric before and express his support for Elric's future.

Instead, he simply hoped that nothing serious had happened during Elric's quest. Fortunately, Elric didn't appear to be physically injured.

"Lord Radiant Star Duke, if you have time, our Chief would like to invite you for a meal…!"

"Sorry, maybe next time."

Elric nodded in thanks but brushed past those trying to approach him.

As a result, Chief Chaif, who had been eager to get closer to Elric, found himself standing awkwardly, unable to stop him.

"Oh, he's coming out!"

"Lord Elric Melvinger, just one word, please!"

"It's been over thirty years since a magus has emerged from the magic royal family! How does it feel?"

Click, click, click!

As Elric stepped out again, the magic recording devices went into a frenzy.

Even as the flashes popped continuously, Elric's expression remained calm and composed as he slowly opened his mouth to speak.

"Before I share my thoughts, I have something to say."

His voice was solemn and measured.

The reporters immediately sensed that this was the "big announcement" they had been waiting for.

"During the past three days of the quest, I was ambushed by unknown forces and barely survived."

"…!"

"…!"

The reporters' eyes widened. This was a much bigger story than they had anticipated.

The head of the magic royal family had been targeted for assassination in broad daylight?

Considering that Fourth Prince Cromhel had recently faced an assassination attempt while visiting the border troops, this would undoubtedly be front-page news.

"As you can see, I was lucky enough to escape the crisis thanks to the timely help of the Weyl family, who realized the gravity of the situation and came to my aid. But after a long night of consideration, I have come to the conclusion that I cannot simply endure this humiliation."

Click, click, click!

"And so, I hereby declare a territorial war."

The reporters were stunned.

A territorial war.

While such conflicts had become rare due to the growing power of the imperial family, they were once common among nobles. These wars were fought for the honor of the family and control of the land, and they often didn't end until one side was completely destroyed.

For Elric Melvinger, who had only two members in his family, to declare a territorial war?

Naturally, this drew a mix of concerns, curiosity, and expectations.

Elric met their gazes, and with cold resolution, he said:

"My target is Paul Weyl, the traitor of the Weyl family."

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