Chapter 17

After that, I got on the limousine that had been waiting at the school gates and headed towards the main house for the first time in a year.

The main house was located about an hour away by car.

We rode alongside the well-maintained garden inside the main house for about 5 minutes and eventually were able to see the grand mansion that announced that its inhabitants were filthy rich.

All that was left was to pass by the heavily armed security guards and we were at our destination.

"We have arrived."

"Thank you for your hard work."

I bid my farewells to the chauffeur, who had safely taken us to our destination and got out of the car.

"The patriarch is waiting for you in the study."

I received the maid's instructions and headed to the study.

The study was the same as ever.

The interior completely reflected my father's disdain for mess.

As long as it's my father who is using this room, I can't envision it ever changing.

After walking around the inside of the mansion for about 2 minutes, I finally arrived at my destination.

"Clan leader. Master Hayul has arrived."

The maid knocked on the door and announced my arrival.

"Come in."

"Yes, Sir."

The maid lowered her head and opened the door.

The well-maintained door didn't even let out the quietest of creaks as it opened.

I gave my thanks to the maid and made my way inside the study.

"It's been a while, father."

"Don't bother with your needless greetings. Sit down."

My father gestured to sit down on the seat opposite him.

I sat there as he had asked.

"I had believed that you would never achieve success as a mage."

He didn't beat around the bush and cut straight to the chase, just as he had always done.

"Because as someone incompatible with AI, you faced countless disadvantages. Your casting speed was 20 times slower than that of an average mage, your magic formula would fail if you were to lose focus and you were unable to multicast to say the least."

In the modern study of magic, AI holds importance as great as the number of one's circles does.

In terms of the human body, if circles were the heart then AI would be the brain.

Just as if a human was missing one of those things, they would be unable to live, it's the same story for a mage.

To others, this was a fact that was set in stone.

"That is why I told you to forget becoming a mage and specialise in the field of artificial intelligence. Because that way, you would have made the most of your wits."

If I was in my father's position, perhaps I would've done the same thing.

Since if a son, who had a heart disease, were to say that he was going to become a swimming athlete, everyone would agree that would be ridiculous.

"So when you proposed your offer, I wasn't expecting much."

"Yes."

"When you said that you were going to place within the top 10 of the exam, I had thought that you had finally given up."

"I understand."

Even I would've thought in the same way.

"When you said to leave the articles that the Baek family had spread alone, I had thought to myself that this would be a good chance. If you had been humiliated and had finally regained your senses, I had thought that you would finally listen to what I say."

I had already predicted that would be the reason.

"However, the results were completely different to what I had anticipated. You have admirably overcome your disability of being incompatible with AI."

I could feel my father's mountainous presence.

"4-circles. Vision magic. You have used a method that only you are capable of to form your very own path. Your matches showed me that you are someone worthy of being called a 'mage'."

His voice was as deep as his presence was great.

"You have proved to me through your worth as a mage, that you are someone that I should support."

"..."

"You have won the bet. As promised, you have my absolute support. If you have anything you need, just ask for it. If it will help your magic then there is nothing the Magic Shin Clan will not do to support you."

"Yes. Thank you."

These words gave me no choice but to smile.

Magic was a subject that required a lot of money and starting from the second year I had to buckle down and start practising in earnest, so I was put under a lot of financial pressure.

I had no other option but to be happy after being released from that burden.

"In addition, I will permit you to return to the clan. As one with legitimate blood, I expect you to once more endeavour for the eternal peace of the Magic Shin Clan."

"Yes. I'll bear that in mind."

"And finally. I'll give you a warning."

My father's spirit squashed the mana in the surroundings.

It was the savage pressure emitted from the head of the Magic Shin Clan and one of Korea's three 8-circles mages.

"Giving you the Magic Shin Clan's absolute support once again does not mean that you are completely cleansed of your sin of being incompatible with AI, it merely means that sin has been temporarily relieved."

"If I feel that there is even a slight indication that you have plateaued or are going back to how you were before, then even if it's by force, you will have your circles destroyed."

"I'll keep those words close to heart."

But father.

Although it may be a big declaration, that will never happen.

Since I have the Bytenor style of magic.

But I stopped myself from saying those words.

"Hm. Alright. What do you plan on doing from now on?"

A moment of silence passed before my father spoke.

"What do you mean, father?"

"Your goal. Your goal of becoming the next family head. How do you plan on accomplishing that?"

My father rested his chin on his palm as he spoke.

My eldest brother, Shin Jihan was the candidate most likely to become the Clan head.

He's my most troublesome opponent in competing for that position.

On the flip side of the coin, there's my second oldest sister, Shin Miinji.

In truth, she was effectively out of the race.

Of all my siblings, she was the least influential.

'No, my sister isn't in last place anymore now that I've returned.'

I have even less influence than Shin Minji.

"Being a previously failed candidate, a year-long expulsion, no influence whatsoever and doubts about your newly found magic. You have quite the list of disadvantages."

If right now, Minji noonim and I were to compete for the position of clan head, she would win 10 - nil.

My influence within the Magic Shin Clan is just that small.

"Jihan, Minhyuk or at the very least Seha.

In your current situation, joining one of these three factions would be most wise."

My father is correct.

The rational thing to do would be to support one of the 3 powerful factions and receive at least a small crumb, instead of reaching for the position of clan leader for myself.

That's how low my influence is within the Magic Shin Clan.

"Do you really intend to become the next clan leader despite being in the worst possible situation to do so?"

My father's eyes drilled into mine.

An enormous pressure, like that of the sun or of the ocean, exerts on me from all directions.

An oppressive force that makes me feel as if I must kneel before him at this very instant.

This must be the pressure felt in the presence of an 8th circle mage.

It was suffocating.

Any conceit or arrogance is bound to immediately vanish when faced with this kind of strength.

But none of this applies to me.

"Yes."

Since my resolve and goals have nothing to do with conceit or arrogance.

"As I said before, my goal is to be the head of the Magic Shin Clan. That's all."

I faced his enormous presence straight on and spoke clearly.

"I have absolutely no intention of serving under my siblings."

Father's smile grew even wider.

"You asked what I planned to do going forward."

Had I got used to my father's presence?

Or perhaps Father was slowly easing the pressure.

I didn't know the exact reason, but the pressure exerting on my body was getting weaker.

"For a start, I'll make it so that everyone will have no choice but to acknowledge me."

As I looked at the corners of my father's mouth rising little by little, I confidently spoke out.

''I will accomplish things that no one else has accomplished one after another, to the point where others will not even be able to notice that I'm incompatible with AI."

I looked directly at my father, who now had a full-blown smile on his face, as I declared my aspirations.

"And like that, I will become the best in the world, and proudly take the place of my father as the head of the Magic Shin Clan."

Right now, I am confident that I can do that.

* * *

Reaper Scans

[Translator - Nya]

[Proofreader - Karane]

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* * *

Once Shin Hayul had left, Shin Inhyuk remained in the study alone and reflected on what Shin Hayul had said.

"...Keke.''

What he had said was truly delightful.

"You're going to accomplish things that no one else has accomplished one after another?"

He had said that as if he was announcing that he was going for a light walk.

"How daring."

What?

You're going to become the best in the world and take over the Magic Shin Clan?

They were words that invoked only laughter.

The last thing he had said was the icing on the cake.

'Of course just about anyone can make these bold statements so I doubt you'll believe me.'

'So, I'll make a promise this time.'

'I will take first place at the World Academy Olympiad that's to be held in two months.'

The World Academy Olympiad.

Held every year, it's a global festival where only academy students under the age of 20 are able to participate.

As the participants are all geniuses from around the world, the standard of this competition isn't all that different from the standards of competitions between regular adults.

"You're going to take first place?"

The only medal ever won by Korea in the World Academy Olympiad was a silver medal won by Kim Kangin.

That was the standard of this competition.

Shin Hayul had declared that he would take first place in this kind of competition.

As he declared this, he also said this.

'So for the two months before the tournament, please keep my brothers and sisters in check.'

'If you can just keep them in check, I will give Korea's first-ever gold medal to you, father.'

He's bold.

He's so bold that it's hard to stop laughing.

"To think that he would demand protection for now by offering a gold medal that he's not even certain to win."

Shin Inhyuk laughed out loud again.

"Since I accepted that baseless offer, I too must be out of my mind."

It was an absurd proposal that under ordinary circumstances, Shin Inhyuk wouldn't have paid any heed to, but for some reason this time he wanted to accept it.

There wasn't any grand reason for wanting to accept.

It was just a feeling that he had.

For some reason, he felt that if anyone could win a gold medal, it would be Hayul.

"A mantis blocking the path of a wagon wheel, huh." T/n: Chinese folk story used when one recklessly confronts a stronger enemy without realising their own limits. Shin Inhyuk leaned back on his chair with a satisfied expression.

"If it were human, it would be a terrifying warrior."

He recalled an old tale that he had forgotten.

* * *

Later in the evening. I returned to the dormitory, took a light shower, changed into some comfortable clothes and sat down at my desk.

It had been an incredibly long day.

I had finished a total of 4 battles starting from the round of 16 and had even finished negotiating with my father.

I had a lot to do today, so the day felt way longer than normal.

"It's fine though."

Though it was long, the day was rewarding.

I was able to take first place with no issues and returned to the family and was able to receive their support again.

Furthermore, I succeeded in earning two whole months of time.

"I didn't know that my father would accept the offer so easily."

Frankly, it was surprising.

To think that my father had accepted such an absurd offer.

Everything I had prepared to persuade him became meaningless.

Well, it doesn't really matter since it all worked out in the end.

I was just a bit disappointed.

"Anyway, with this, for at least the next two months, I can comfortably focus on my magic training while receiving the support of my family."

2 Months.

These 2 months should be used to their fullest extent.

"Then for starters..."

A thousand-mile journey starts with the first step.

I picked up Eadred's Grimoire, Ray Vell Bytenor, from the corner of the table and opened it.

I then started to resume deciphering and perusing from where I had got up to yesterday early in the morning.

[The circle of resonance's efficiency varies depending on the rate of rotations and the number of vibrations.]

[The state of being able to handle the circle of resonance perfectly is called 'resonance' in the Bytenor style of magic.]