In the world of mages, hierarchy is determined by circles.
Mage was one of the few professions in the noble world where superior-subordinate relationships were decided by pure ability, not status or rank.
In that sense, Tessalos Wolcheo heard the greatest insult of his entire life today.
-Not bad.
'What "not bad"? Does he mean a mage looks like shit?'
Mages have titles determined by their circles.
1st Circle is Mana Walker.
2nd Circle is Spell Blower.
3rd Circle is Magic Walker.
And only upon reaching 4th Circle can one finally be called a 'Mage'.
It's the stage where the title itself treats you as a real mage.
'A mere Mana Walker brat says what? Not bad?'
What position is 1st Circle?
They're nothing but small fry who have to be polite not only to 3rd Circle but even to 2nd Circle.
That bastard said "not bad" to a 4th Circle.
Not bad.
Not bad not bad not bad not bad.
That single phrase became a reverse scale in Tessalos's mind.
The circle in his danjeon spun tautly.
It wouldn't have been strange if he fired magic at any moment.
He could have lost reason and attacked right then, but fortunately Ferda made an offer worth thanking for.
A 1st Circle brat even requested a duel.
Tessalos intended to teach him a lesson.
For the magic duel, they had come out to an open clearing.
The two were keeping distance, each making their own preparations.
"I have a question, may I ask?"
Tessalos answered bluntly.
"What?"
"What magic do you use?"
At that question, Tessalos retorted as if dumbfounded.
"Asking about magic in a mage's duel, isn't that too rude?"
"Was that a rude act? Hmm, sorry. It's been a long time since I've dueled like this, you see."
At the words a 1st Circle couldn't possibly say, Tessalos was dumbfounded.
'What kind of arrogant brat is this!?'
At that moment, Tessalos resolved.
He would pour everything he had and kill that bastard.
Ferda himself, however, didn't give a damn about Tessalos.
'Right, now I remember a bit.'
As he said, it had been over 20 years since he'd done a duel.
Since then, all Ferda had were life-and-death duels, and that had become natural.
'A mage's duel is like playing a card game beyond a veil.'
Neither knowing what cards, how many the other holds, laying them down one by one.
A game requiring theory, skill, and wisdom.
'A mage who reached 4th Circle, so he can use at least 8 spells in a single battle. He'll use 4th-rank magic too.'
Rank magic is magic only those who've reached a specific circle can use.
Tessalos was a 4th Circle mage, so he could use up to 4th-rank magic.
His mana reserves would also easily exceed Ferda's several times over.
'Like hitting a rock with an egg.'
Everything being advantageous to Tessalos was something Ferda already knew.
However, Ferda never once thought he would lose.
'I'm not idiot enough to lose to a "not bad" mage.'
Ferda thought so.
"Well, since the handicap is clear, I'll tell you one thing."
Tessalos said with a sly smile.
Since he was offering info, there was no reason not to listen.
"What?"
"I, Tessalos Wolcheo, will use Magic Blast here. If you're a mage, I trust you know what that magic is."
Rather than Ferda, the watching lords were more surprised and buzzed.
"Magic Blast, you say......."
"Isn't it a powerful magic focused on firepower?"
A 4th-rank magic purely in charge of destructive power.
As its destructive power was outstanding, it was a technique easily countered by fellow 4th Circle mages.
But not for mages below that.
Especially for a 1st Circle mage like Ferda, there was no hope.
So Tessalos was saying this.
-Surrender now, you bastard.
"Hmm, is that so?"
Ferda tilted his head, then nodded as if understanding.
"Right, got it. I'll tell you one too. The only magic I can use is 'Mana Shot'."
"Mana Shot? You think you can beat me with that basic crap?"
Ferda waved his hand dismissively and answered.
"Ah, no need to worry about me. I know a lot more than you lot, see."
"This green wet-behind-the-ears brat......!"
The aura composing Tessalos shook violently.
"I'll make you vanish without a trace on this land!"
Even amidst the murderous intent, it didn't reach Ferda.
'This guy's also a Red Circle owner.'
Breaking composure and drawing out emotion yet getting stronger meant one thing.
A mage of similar nature to Ferda.
He too was someone who'd trained magic based on inferiority complex.
'Feels familiar somehow.'
Ferda was sure he knew this.
Like chopsticks deep inside a bottle.
A feeling like it could touch his fingertips yet doesn't.
Something kept tickling in Ferda's memory.
'Save it for later, focus on magic for now.'
Even so, it's a fight between 1st Circle and 4th Circle.
Ferda had already gauged his own capacity and reviewed it.
'A typical 1st Circle can fire 3 Mana Shot orbs total.'
That's just because unfamiliarity with magic drops concentration and senses.
'What I can make is 6 total.'
If I don't want mana depletion aftereffects, 5 is the limit.
So I had 5 chances.
"Haaaaah!"
The intensified mana flow condensed in Tessalos's palm.
The condensed mana swirled and drew a large circle as is.
The magic circle's circle.
And the hieroglyphs inside were drawn based on what Tessalos had memorized.
Ferda felt the wind grazing his cheek.
Killing intent runs deep.
'Output...... he intends to outright kill me.'
But doesn't matter.
If that killing intent doesn't reach the person himself, it has no meaning either.
Just as he declared he'd end it in one shot, Ferda also intended to end it with this one shot.
Ferda formed mana spheres at an even faster speed than him.
One on each finger, five spheres total rested on his hand.
Even while Ferda's attack completed, Tessalos's Magic Blast was still being drawn.
"Conclusion's reached."
Ferda said.
"I won."
With Ferda's victory declaration, five spheres flew toward Tessalos.
Five parabolas flew toward Tessalos.
"What......!"
Tessalos watching gasped in surprise, and before he could finish speaking, Ferda's attack ended.
Bang!
Pop-pop-pop!
Thud!
From Tessalos's position, 4 explosions and 1 dull sound rang out total.
Dirt from the clearing shot up, and dust thickly settled.
Shortly after, everyone there could confirm the result.
"Keuk......."
Tessalos who had been chanting the magic circle sat there groaning.
His gripped right hand was swollen bright red.
Trembling, Tessalos looked at Ferda and said quietly.
"I lost......."
The cheeky 1st Circle rookie, Ferda, won.
Tessalos faced a truly marvelous situation.
He replayed scenes that couldn't be understood in that situation.
'Mana Shot flying at my face.'
The sphere manifested from his middle finger flew at Tessalos's eyes.
If the head is pierced, anyone dies.
But you can't fluster a mage that easily.
Even a Red Circle mage, if focus breaks, magic breaks.
But something flying at the eyes is different.
For a human, it's a situation anyone would fluster at.
So Tessalos chanted while deploying defense magic.
He's a 4th Circle mage who can defend and attack simultaneously.
The three bullets flying at his torso should've been blocked by defense magic as expected.
'He wasn't aiming for my torso but the magic circle.'
But they exploded before the magic circle, destroying the magic circle maintaining its form.
'He destroyed the magic circle.......'
Tessalos felt wonder there.
If a magic circle isn't woven perfectly, a magic power blind spot exists.
If an explosion occurs precisely at that blind spot, the magic circle's effect can be reduced.
But reduction is possible, destroying is another realm entirely.
That bastard is using a technical realm you can only see upon becoming at least a 5th Circle mage.
Destroying the magic circle like that.
'Final finish with low-output Mana Shot on back of right hand.'
Lowering output meant no intent to kill.
At the same time, it also meant he could've killed you if he wanted.
Everything meant Ferda's complete victory, and even Tessalos with blood rushing to his head had to acknowledge his defeat.
Even those who don't know magic could clearly know the result.
'How can a 1st Circle mage beat a 4th Circle?'
'Did he pull some trick? Can't let the consort die so.......'
'Someone who can pull such a trick is.......'
Wondering if a dragon intervened, he sneakily turns his gaze.
Ruri, feeling that gaze, glared at them with silver death eyes.
"Can you clear out before I pluck those eyes out?"
"Hiiik!"
"K, kheum!"
Ruri openly expressing disgust.
Unlike with Ferda, she didn't need to maintain decorum for them.
"Will you accept defeat?"
"......I accept."
Tessalos gave a hearty laugh and said this.
"To think...... I'd see a master of this caliber here. The world truly is wide."
Tessalos politely bowed his head and acknowledged Ferda's skill.
"Your skill is also outstanding compared to other 4th Circles. I think it's truly fortunate we have a force like you."
"Haha....... I'm honored to meet a master like this outside the capital. Being demoted isn't all bad."
At those words, Ferda's body flinched.
"......Demoted, you say?"
"Yes."
"For political reasons?"
"Yes."
Words swirled in Ferda's head.
Red Circle mage.
Demotion due to political issues.
And inferiority complex.
Similar mana nature.
Vengeance.
"What was your name again?"
"Tessalos Wolcheo."
Ferda then understood.
"Tessalos Wolcheo...... Right...... Finally remember."
"You know me?"
Tessalos puts a question mark above his head.
Wondering if they'd met once, he searches memory but there was nothing to call a connection with Rosnova Family.
But Ferda nodded.
"I know. You're my benefactor."
"Benefactor......? When did we meet?"
"Not the past. This is a story of the distant future."
"Distant future? What the hell does thatâ."
Paangâ!
The words didn't continue.
A large hole opened in Tessalos's head.
What aimed at that hole was Ferda's index finger.
He'd pierced Tessalos's forehead with Mana Shot.
"So I can't let you live."
Everyone who watched Ferda's actions couldn't hide their shock.
Ferda killed a noble.
No one can intentionally kill a noble, and that's an unforgivable act even for the Archduke Valdrova's fiancé.
How could he commit such a heinous act!
It was something that should be condemned and criticized.
But Ferda had sufficient reasons too.
'Tessalos also tried to kill me, so it's mutual.......'
'Should I call it self...... defense?'
The lords knew what Tessalos tried to do too.
Personal feelings drove him to unfold 4th-rank magic, chanting magic strong enough to kill the consort.
He got a stain for executing outside the duel.
Normally they'd be piranhas tearing at him, but the lords just looked at each other's faces.
Their thoughts were the same.
Among rats like us, who will bell that cat?
Ferda who killed Tessalos turned his head.
Blood splattered from the pierced forehead was vividly on Ferda's face.
A face with not an ounce of emotion felt, and blood.
Those elements made all the lords creepy.
Ferda himself didn't know that fact at all.
He had no mental room to care about that.
'Dizzy.'
He used every last bit of mana in Ferda's body without leaving any.
The difference between leaving 1% and 0% is very severe.
Ferda poured it out leaving not even a little margin, and felt headache and dizziness from the recoil.
Maintaining consciousness was hard, and because of that managing expression was difficult too.
His face clearly looked like a pissed-off bastard.
"Why's everyone staring?"
"Uh...... th, that......."
Their eyes briefly dropped toward Tessalos.
Ferda then understood.
"Ah, because of Tessalos? Don't mind it. This guy did things deserving death, you see."
He swayed like he was drunk.
His facial muscles spasmed and twitched.
"If he'd lived, he'd have done something to make the Archduke sad."
"Th, the Archduke, you say?"
"Right. The Archduke is a merciful person. Likes humans, fights for them."
Then, a headache rose.
So intense his expressionless face distorted grimly.
Enough to be mistaken for expressing disgust.
"I dislike people who make that person sad."
"Th, the Wolcheo Family person...... m, made her sad, you mean?"
"No, just that he would've definitely made her sad, so I did it."
The lords who heard the answer were even more confused.
'What, what bullshit is that?'
'Definitely would've made her sad? Then he didn't do it.'
'The Archduke's consort is this kind of crazy bastard?!'
Cold sweat at his unpredictable moves.
Ferda felt fear from them.
Worried about causing misunderstanding, he emphasized his intent once more.
"Don't worry. I really don't give a rat's ass what you lot do."
Seriously.
Who's gonna bell this crazy cat.