Genius Gamer Reborn into a Family of Heroes

Chapter 41

Kaladan Bloodline Judgment

“Haaaaa…”

Harang, who had finished off Maspoff with the Dragon Sword First Form, took a deep breath and staggered to lean against a nearby wall before sitting down.

Nausea…!!

With his mana already depleted, he had forcibly used the Dragon Sword by raising the system’s blessing correction value. Perhaps because of this, the entire world spun and he felt like he was going to vomit.

As he leaned against the wall to catch his breath, he looked into the void and a message appeared, notifying him that the mission was complete.

[Quest Success!]

[The location of the ancient artifact is now marked on the map.]

[All stats increased!]

“Ugh, another map.”

Over the past four years, he had collected dozens of maps like this. This meant there were still unclaimed rewards piled up.

Some rewards were in the Principality of Kaladan or, broadly, the Herrael Empire. However, some impressive rewards could only be obtained by traveling to other regions. It was designed so that one couldn’t receive the rewards without going on a journey.

‘This reward is said to be an artifact in subspace… It should be a top priority.’

Fortunately, the map marked a location within the Principality of Kaladan. It seemed he wouldn’t need to travel far.

Thanks to the stat increase from the quest completion reward, he had finally broken through the demonic level of the 60s, which was previously unreachable through training alone. Since the 60s were an area that could only be surpassed through minor epiphanies, quests were incredibly valuable in this regard.

‘Magic is labeled as 3-star, as expected…’

Could he truly be considered a perfect 3-star mage just because he knew how to use 3-star magic?

‘It’s true that my magic is quite immature. But there’s no need to worry too much about it…’

After all, he was a swordsman, and learning magic as a supplementary skill was sufficient.

That’s how he thought until now.

‘…It’s more fun than I thought.’

The first time he used magic in actual combat, the thrill he felt at his fingertips nearly made him convulse.

The pleasure of freely wielding lightning, wind, earth, and fire while simultaneously swinging his sword was incomparable.

Above all, wasn’t the strategy of using both magic and the sword simultaneously almost impossible for ordinary people?

‘Thanks to Silver Heart, I could utilize Instructor Lauren Chaygan’s combat magic book much more effectively.’

If Harang could only use swordsmanship, it would have been quite challenging to complete this mission alone.

The gangsters were so weak compared to his expectations that it wouldn’t have been impossible with just swordsmanship, but the mere ability to use magic provided a variety of strategic possibilities.

‘Main focus on swordsmanship, magic as support.’

Since it was difficult to learn and use large-scale magic like a true mage, he wouldn’t even attempt to.

As long as he felt his swordsmanship was supported by magic like it was now… he thought it was worth learning as much as possible.

‘Is there a place where I can practice magic?’

While Harang pondered seriously, looking at Cheongwolheun.

Rustle!

“Ugh… W-What was that just now?!”

From among the debris of the broken shack, Castia poked her head out and looked up at the sky.

“…Hey, Harang.”

“Talking informally?”

“P-Prince Harang. Where is the mage?”

“…”

At that moment, Harang realized his mistake, but there was no way to pick up the spilled water.

‘If I use magic, maybe I could.’

Harang shook his head.

“I didn’t see one.”

“That can’t be…”

Castia looked around.

First, at the corpse of Maspoff.

His body was covered with wounds from lightning that were even more gruesome than the cuts from a sword. As Castia staggered over to examine Maspoff’s body…

“Ha, ha… I see. So that’s how it was.”

Realizing something, she alternated her gaze between Harang and the corpse, then elegantly swept her golden hair back.

“Of course. I was a bit surprised to find out you were a 4-star swordsman, but even so, it must have been impossible to face Maspoff alone, right? Hahaha, but still, I understand you received the White Night Castle ‘graduation task’…”

Castia wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, took a few steps back with a stagger, and grinned.

“But sneaking in a companion for help… and even a ‘mage companion’ at that… That’s unacceptable. It was never meant to be like that, Prince Harang.”

Muttering words of puzzlement, as Castia left, Harang planted Cheongwolheun firmly into the ground and untied his hair tie.

As the morning sun rose, the world began to bathe in a scarlet hue.

Swish…

He felt the soft touch of his black hair blowing freely.

‘…It was bound to happen eventually. I didn’t expect it to be on the first mission, though.’

Although part of his secret had been revealed, Harang was not greatly disturbed.

For now… he just wanted to savor this feeling of freedom.

Breathing in the dawn air that he had never easily experienced during his previous life as an incurable patient.

* * *

In the slum outside the city walls, a brilliant white lightning bolt struck.

With such a tumultuous battle, it was inevitable that there would be witnesses.

Firstly, the Inquisition of Makris.

After driving out the thugs who had attacked the church, they witnessed the lightning from the sky while racing through the alleys to join the fray late.

They had already known that someone had used magic in the church raid, but seeing such white lightning was a first for them, so it was deeply imprinted in their memory.

They were not the only ones. Many people passing near the royal capital and numerous residents within the city had also witnessed the striking lightning.

In the royal capital, attack magic was strictly prohibited, but it was permitted for the capture of criminals, so this was not a major issue.

Harang, as a Semi Polden of the White Night Castle in the Kaladan family, had successfully killed the heretics and defeated all their followers, thus not violating the imperial law.

…However.

‘He violated the Kaladan direct bloodline’s regulations.’

When Harang returned after completing the White Night Castle graduation mission, rumors spread among the knights within the castle.

Gate Knights were assigned graduation tasks in teams of at least three and up to six members.

However, the direct descendants of Kaladan were required to complete their tasks alone. Various complex reasons, such as achieving results with the help of outstanding subordinates or other factors, justified this strict rule.

Since the foundation of the family, this rule was established to judge one’s ability by completing a mission alone, and it had never been broken.

‘Semi Polden Harang received help from someone else during the graduation mission.’

It didn’t matter if the helper was a knight or a magician.

The important thing was that if the mission was completed with someone else’s help rather than through one’s own strength, even if the magician who defeated the Maspoff was ‘just a passerby’, Harang’s mission completion could be canceled.

Kaladan didn’t want the first mission to be disgracefully completed in such a way.

Because he was an adopted direct descendant, this issue was even more sensitive.

In fact, the inquisitors of the Makris had testified that they clearly saw magic being used with their own eyes, and the fallen cultists had clear marks of being struck by magic.

It wouldn’t take long, but once the Magic Investigation Squad began their full investigation, it would quickly become clear who used the magic.

Naturally, this story spread very quickly and reached not only the third generation of direct descendants but also the second generation.

“…So, that damned adopted brat dared to use a shortcut and got caught?”

Rachel, the wife of Kalel’s second son, Charen Paul Kaladan, spoke.

She looked at the golden-haired boy sitting across from her.

Castia, the second prince of the Herrael imperial family.

He had shown considerable skill as a knight and was highly regarded within the imperial family.

If he continued to grow at this rate, he could easily inherit the position of a general, thus holding significant influence within the family.

Rachel found it very interesting to have a private conversation with such a person.

“A shortcut, ha! Yes, it’s a shortcut. Even though he received his first mission as a blood relative, he didn’t understand its significance and took the help of a magician.”

“Hm…”

This wasn’t something to be taken lightly. If an ordinary pureblood had broken the family rules, they might have been severely punished, but Harang was an adopted branch member who had been registered in the family records as an official member.

Therefore, he was under even higher expectations than others. And he couldn’t complete his mission alone and had to take someone else’s help?

Moreover, if that someone was a magician, it became an even bigger issue.

Kaladan also had a mage corps, and it was natural for magicians to participate in wars. However, receiving help from an unregistered magician in a mission meant to prove oneself was absolutely unacceptable.

“Prince Castia, I offer my deepest condolences for losing your merit due to Semi Polden Harang’s cheating in this mission.”

“Ah, yes, of course.”

Castia nodded with a solemn smile. He tried to maintain a serious expression so as not to be looked down upon by the Kaladan bloodline, but it was inevitably awkward.

‘Even someone who isn’t a knight has this kind of spirit here?’

Honestly, Castia had been scared of Rachel since earlier, but he did his best not to show it.

“But, this is not a matter that can be overlooked with the merits taken away. Therefore, I intend to convene three members of the Council of Elders to hold a ‘Bloodline Judgment’… What do you think? As a witness, would you attend the Bloodline Judgment?”

“As a witness, you say?”

“Yes. As a witness that the magician helped Semi Polden Harang, Prince Castia’s testimony carries significant weight and credibility. There are already many eyewitness accounts of the magic… Your role will be sufficient if you simply testify to the facts.”

Gulp. Castia swallowed dryly. He thought it wasn’t an issue that would pass easily with the magician’s help, but he didn’t expect them to go as far as holding a Bloodline Judgment.

He hadn’t thought the matter would become this serious; he had met Rachel with a light heart…

“My son.”

“Yes, mother.”

At Rachel’s call, Hiron, who had been sitting quietly, lowered his head.

Hiron, who had turned 31 this year, was a prodigious supernova known to the world, having already achieved the rank of 8-star.

Although his husband, Charen Paul Kaladan, had his right hand severed and could not receive the blessing of regeneration, stopping at 8-star and losing all political power, rendering him nearly powerless within the family…

His wife Rachel was different.

In terms of influence within the family, she held a significantly high ceremonial rank, primarily because she was Hiron’s mother.

Hiron, who had grown up being evaluated as the greatest talent since Kalel. Even the supporters who believed he would become the next head of the family exceeded 20% of the family.

It was almost certain that he would inherit the position of the head of the family within a few years…

…Until seven years ago, when Duke Kalel brought in a rootless adoptee.

That child had no power within the family and had shown no significant achievements, but solely due to his talent in swordsmanship, he was threatening Hiron’s ‘number one’ position.

For Rachel, who had painstakingly built up her power to secure this position, it was utterly infuriating!

“Attend the Bloodline Judgment. Since the second prince of the Herrael imperial family, Castia, will be there as a witness, you should support their testimony.”

“Yes, mother.”

“Good. That’s my boy.”

Hiron nodded stiffly.

‘Such a pointless endeavor…’