41.

{3rd PoV}

Pram woke up to see a clean room. He realized that he was resting on a wall.

"Had a good rest?" Desir asked Pram who felt ashamed for letting them do the work that he should be doing as well.

"I wasn't able to help you though." Pram said but Desir just patted his shoulders.

"Its fine. We received some help." Desir said and Pram looked over to Aegis who's wearing a blue long sleeved shirt, sitting on the ground, meditating.

"The way he regulates his breathing. I've never seen anything like it. He's not even sweating from all the cleaning we did." Desir said to Pram.

"Now that you're awake. I think its time." Desir said seriously.

"Its time to go back to the dorms and rest right?" Romantica said with a hopeful eyes.

"Nope. We're going to train." Romantica stood frozen looking at Desir.

"You can't be serious right?" Romantica asked Desir.

"Of course. We already have a huge space to train. Why not use it?" Desir said to Romantica.

"B-B-But he said he'll provide us with a training space, right?" Romantica said, looking at Aegis.

"Even if Aegis provides us a training space. His support will end after the promotional battle. Its better for us to have our own training space." Desir said.

"What he said is right. As long as there's a good amount of space, you can train. My training space might be bigger than this but its all the same. My training equipment is specialized for me so it won't help you that much." Aegis said making Romantica fall down to her knees.

Desir then started teaching Romantica about wordless chanting. Its not that hard though, as long as anyone has the proper imagination and mana control, anyone can do it too.

Its one of the mysteries that we managed to crack down after Romantica told the party about her wordless casting in the past run.

After teaching Romantica what she should practice, Desir went over to Pram. Pram looked excited to see what Desir's plan for him.

"Honestly, there's really nothing much I could teach you. You're already a perfect swordmaster-" Desir said but Aegis cut him off.

"There's no such thing as a perfect warrior Desir." Aegis said looking at him.

"What do you mean by that?" Pram asked Aegis for answers. Desir also wants to know why Aegis said that because he knew that Pram was a swordmaster from what he knew in his own past run.

"The way of the sword is a simple but also complicated path. A perfect warrior doesn't exist, you always hone your skills to the limit and break that limit with your own strength, its honestly a never ending cycle." Aegis said making Desir understand what Aegis meant.

"I apologize for that. But there's really nothing I can't teach Pram since I'm not a swordmaster." Desir said as he looked over Pram. He realized that his way of thinking was wrong. He's not even a close quarter combat fighter, he's a mage so his evaluation about Pram was different from those who went the path of a fighter.

"First of all, Pram. You said that you are more proficient with the long sword, right?" Aegis asked and Pram nodded.

"You're indeed proficient with a long sword. But... are you comfortable using it? With your small body build, if you said that you are more proficient with the shortsword, I would believe you, but with a long sword?" Aegis shook his head making Pram think deeply.

"You're fast, that's your strength. Using a longsword reduces that advantage because of the heaviness of a longsword. Anyway, that's your choice, I'm not a part of your party, its your party leader's job to pull out your talent and use your abilities to the fullest. Since we're done here, I'm going back. Tell me if you need something." Aegis said and Desir nodded. Romantica was concentrated on practicing the wordless chanting and Pram was busy thinking for himself.

*

{1st PoV Aegis}

"*Sigh* I never thought that Professor Bridgette would have you, partner, but its good to have you again. Oh well, I just have to babysit them until the promotional battle I accepted a trade and a favor after all. Its just 2 weeks, a cheap price to pay for my sword." I said looking at the box containing Initio. I can't pass up on such a deal. Having my sword, from the past run, return in my grasp earlier is going to be beneficial for me. I got Initio in the past run from a travelling merchant. As for how it ended up in the hands of the merchant, I have no idea. The merchant just said that the sword is special that's it.

[A/N: Initio's appearance is from The Misfit of Demon King Academy. Its a sword used by Lay Glanzudlii]

As a mage's archnemesis, all of my equipment and artifacts contain anti-magic properties. In the past run, I fight using three different weapons. The spear as my mid-range weapon, a sword for close quarter combat, and a sniper rifle as my long range weapon.

Gae Bulg used to be my main spear but it was replaced by Vasavi Shakti. The sniper rifle wasn't invented yet but it seems like Desir is putting it to the table by commissioning them to the magic tower by using my funds. Lastly, my sword, Initio was my close quarter combat weapon. Its property of being able to cut through magic itself is the best in this world. It might not be as powerful as those from the other world like Asta's anti-magic blades but its passable. Initio's durability isn't something to laugh at either. Whoever forged this sword used an ore far greater than a blankšum.

I decided to return to my territory after informing Idom or Melissa to check up on Uncle Wilhelm. I still need to see what's going on in my territory.

After informing them, I immediately head to the teleportation array and teleported back to Blackwood Estate.

"Ugh, teleporting really feels like sh*t" I said to myself. Although I'm slowly getting used to it to the point that the feeling I get from using the teleportation array turned from being under the ocean to a falling elevator feeling.

"I didn't expect to see you. Lord Duke." Jon said with a laugh.

"Yeah... I need to return from time to check up on my territory after all." I said making Jon smile.

I left the building with the teleportation array and immediately ran the way back to the manor. On the way, many people recognized me and greeted me.

"Aegis, come try our new products! I'm sure you'll love it!" The bread making grandma said.

"Thank you, I'll come later to have a taste but I'm in a hurry so I apologize." I said and continued my way to the manor as soon as possible. Blackwood Estate may have been invaded by an unsightly piece of crap.

After returning to the manor, I immediately searched for Uncle Wilhelm. I received word that Uncle Wilhelm is at the training room with Felicia. Wilhelm was teaching Felicia the art of his swordsmanship when I came to check on them.

"Uncle Wilhelm." I said solemnly. Wilhelm and Felicia noticed the look on my face and they know that its serious business.

"Felicia, continue your practice." Wilhelm said and followed me to my room.

"What's the matter, Aegis? What happened?" Wilhelm asked.

"Outsiders may have infiltrated us." I said causing Wilhelm to tense up. Not only is the Empire and the Western Kingdoms felt threatened by the Outsiders, everyone who knows about them does. Not only are they mysterious, they are a bunch of crazy individuals who wouldn't mind killing everyone in a village just to get what they want

"Is that true? How did you know?" Wilhelm asked me.

"I saw it for myself. Jon may have hidden himself well but I could see the fluctuations of mana around his body. Either he's using an artifact to disguise himself or its a spell." I said to Wilhelm and he realized the gravity of the situation.

"Are you sure its an Outsider? Not a spy from the Western Kingdoms?" Wilhelm asked me.

"I'm sure of it." I'm confident that its him. I have never seen a disguise as perfect as his. If not for my ability to control mana in the air and sensing the slight fluctuation of mana around him, even I would've been fooled.

I know who invaded us in the dark. Its the Joker wannabe, Pierrot mask. He's a master of deception and could copy the face of a person and their habits, as for how he did it, I didn't know even in the past run. And I know that with his maniacal tendencies, I'm positive that Jon is dead.

"What do you want to do?" Wilhelm asked me.

"There's only one thing to do when facing an outsider, kill them. We better assassinate him." I said to Wilhelm and he nodded.

*

Jon was walking around the territory. He's currently on a mission to infiltrate the Blackwood Estate and gain information for the group. He was also told that if given the chance, he should assassinate the Duke and take over him.

Jon or Pierrot mask thought that he should've assassinated the Duke earlier but he felt danger so he didn't go through with it to blow his cover.

He decided to meet up with his subordinate to plan on assassinating the Duke when the Duke uses the teleportation array once more. He learned that he's studying in the academy so he's sure that the Duke would return soon.

He entered an alley and weaved the place before entering a house.

He entered the house and saw the Duke sitting in the table, as if waiting for him.

"Hello, Jon." I said looking at Jon with a smile.

"Is there something I can help you with, Lord Duke? Its rude to enter people's home, you know?" Jon said as he chuckled.

"Yes. There is indeed something that needs your attention. Is your wife home?" I asked him.

"I don't know, maybe she's out to buy some stuff." Jon said feeling an unsettling feeling of danger.

"Oh. 2 weeks is a long time for buying simple cooking ingredients or any stuff you need." I said gripping Vasavi Shakti under the table.

"What do you mean, Lord Duke." Jon asked me with a confused expression. I stood up with my spear at hand, and walked closer to Jon. Suddenly, Jon attacked me by throwing a knife at me.

I deflected the knife with Vasavi Shakti and saw Jon rushing at me with a knife.

Red arcs of lightning covered my body as I attacked Jon as well. I might have the range advantage but with Jon's strength, it will only be a matter of time before he gets me. I used <8 steps>, constantly evading direct attacks not letting him touch me.

We clashed for a full 30 seconds before Jon distanced himself.

"Ah~ I'm already busted? How did you know?" Jon who suddenly returned to Pierrot mask with a grin on his face.

"Red Sus." I said making Pierrot mask confused.

"What do you mean?" Pierrot questioned me again. I didn't answer him as I immediately charged straight at him.

"Ah~ what an impatient fellow." Pierrot mask threw a knife at me and distanced himself to me.

I chased after him. The house's interior was slowly being destroyed by my attacks. My speed with <8 steps> and the red lightning from Vasavi Shakti, made me able to catch up to him.

I thrust my spear as a bait and Pierrot mask used that opening to attack me. Seeing the attack aiming at my chest, I pulled out Initio from my waist and blocked the attack. I then used my full strength to kick him to the window. We only got one chance to do it.

Pierrot mask received a direct hit and flew outside the house. Suddenly, Wilhelm appeared at his back and stabbed a sword in his heart.

I'm still alert after seeing Wilhelm kill Pierrot mask... or so I thought. Pierrot mask raised his head and stared at me with bloodshot eyes, his anger and hate boring through me.

Wilhelm pulled out his sword with a frown and stabbed once more but an artifact blinded our eyes.

"Uncle Wilhelm! Kill him now!" I shouted as I covered my eyes from the blinding light.

As soon as the blinding light was gone, Pierrot mask was nowhere to be seen. The only thing left was two broken artifacts.

"F*ck!" I cursed as I let the piece of sh*t run away.

'If I was in my prime, I would've used that spell to stop him! F*ck!' I thought to myself. The spell I'm talking about is a spell I created when I was a 5th circle mage. I'm still a 3rd circle mage and my current mana won't be able to support it even if I forced myself to use it.

"Sorry, Aegis. If I was fast enough to realize that I didn't struck his heart. I would've killed him. I never thought that his heart wasn't on the left side but it was slightly leaning to the right." Wilhelm apologized.

"Its fine. Outsiders won't be infiltrating us for quite a while. Its no use tightening our security since that guy uses disguise and I only managed to identify him because of the magic fluctuations around his body. You wouldn't be able to realize it if you don't know the person well." I said with a somber expression.

'I got one chance and I blew it up.' I thought and a desire bloomed once again inside of me. A desire to overcome the helplessness of my lack of strength.

'Its time to use the gift Lucifer has given me.' I thought to myself.