Yuder and Kishiar review documents about a past incident and discuss Yuder's grandfather. Kishiar reveals his intention to question Helrem, the closest related party, about the incident and Yuder's own past. Yuder initially resists delving into his personal history, but after an intimate moment with Kishiar, he decides to proceed, acknowledging that understanding his grandfather requires understanding himself.
“The number of people sent from the Imperial Mana Institute was meticulously logged, yet details concerning the village residents back then are somewhat incomplete. Because of this, we can't definitively ascertain the exact number of children residing in that village at the time. However, if Helrem, who was the Chief then, conducted the investigation, he would have gathered the most thorough information possible.”
“That seems plausible.”
“But there was one child. Just one individual who was undoubtedly present.”
Sixteen individuals were officially dispatched. Among them were eight Royal Mages, seven support personnel, and then—
“...A family member accompanying a dispatched mage.”
“Precisely. The child brought along by Helrem’s son and his wife. While we couldn’t determine the child’s precise age, I discovered another document from the Imperial Mana Institute that offers a reasonable estimate.”
This document pertained to a leave request.
“About a year prior to the incident, two mages from the Institute’s investigation team, stationed at Caspir Castle, submitted requests for maternity leave. This was a document they wouldn’t have needed to file if they had remained in the capital, thus it was recorded during their field assignment. They took approximately a month off before resuming their duties as scheduled.”
They were traveling, working, and took only a month off for childbirth?
“...That is quite unusual.”
“Indeed.”
Even common laborers wouldn’t typically return to work so swiftly. Based on Melach Cantinto’s research logs, the duties of the investigation team primarily involved routine measurements of ambient mana concentration—not physically taxing work, but work nonetheless. And they brought a newborn infant with them during such a period?
Were mages simply built differently? Yuder had no close mage acquaintances, so he couldn’t offer an opinion.
Regardless, maternity leave is typically taken prior to childbirth. Consequently, the child in question would have been less than a year old at the time of the tragedy. This would imply...
No. Wait.
Yuder’s thoughts, which had been regaining clarity, abruptly faltered.
“...Are you suggesting... that I might be that child?”
He had secretly hoped Kishiar would dismiss this with a laugh, but no laughter came.
“Based on probability, I believe that is the most likely conclusion.”
“That’s absurd.”
The words escaped him involuntarily, before conscious thought could intervene.
“Why do you find it absurd?”
Why? Because he had always been utterly convinced that he could not possibly be of noble lineage. Wasn’t that reason enough?
Even after being granted a title and ascending to nobility, Yuder had never forgotten his humble origins. He had stoically endured the taunts of arrogant nobles, whose sole claim to status was the accident of their birth, referring to him as a rootless commoner. And now, this?
No. No, do not forget your earlier resolve.
The sudden wave of denial surged to a dangerous level, but Yuder fought to suppress it by focusing on Kishiar’s face. He stared intently, as if in anger, his breathing heavy—yet, thankfully, Kishiar did not press him for an explanation.
Regardless of anything else, he remained himself.
And Kishiar would always perceive Yuder Aile as Yuder Aile, no matter the circumstances.
That alone was sufficient. That was all that truly mattered...
“...Very well. Please continue.”
“What I stated was merely the most probable answer, not a confirmed fact. A village with approximately fifty inhabitants must have harbored more than a single child.”
“Naturally.”
“In instances of fire, a child’s body, due to its fragility, often leaves behind no trace, not even fragmented bone. Thus, there may have been infants whose births had not yet been officially recorded—making them impossible to count. In rural settings, it’s not uncommon for families to delay the registration of a child’s birth.”
“Yes, that is also true.”
“There are no magical artifacts capable of mysteriously detecting familial ties, as depicted in fairy tales. The victims back then were reduced to mere ashes. Even if we wished to perform comparisons now, there is no method available. While family resemblance might offer some indication, it is not always conclusive.”
After outlining all the reasons why absolute certainty was unattainable, Kishiar paused.
“However, Yuder.”
“...Yes.”
“Your mana sensitivity is exceptionally high. Far exceeding what could be considered ordinary. You are aware of this, are you not?”
“...”
Would it have been preferable if he had been able to deny it?
Yuder still recalled the words spoken to him by the mage Lorna in the West.
‘You possess an extraordinary affinity for mana. I wonder what might have transpired if you had undergone mana sensitivity testing as a child. ...You haven’t, have you?’
No, he had not. Yet, in the West, Yuder had been able to perceive residual traces of magic. Later, during the process of expelling the poison from his body, he had acquired the “mana insight,” a capability rumored to be exclusive to Great Mages.
This was a consequence of Kishiar’s mana influencing him—and it manifested in only one of his eyes—but how many extraordinary phenomena had he witnessed through that single eye? He had even recently discerned Great Mage Luma’s spells with it.
He was certainly not a mage... but as Kishiar had observed, his mana sensitivity could not be deemed ordinary.
“Magic ability isn’t always inherited exclusively through bloodline, though it can certainly be related. It’s quite common for offspring of two mages to exhibit strong mana reactions. House Caspir stands as a rare instance where mages have married across three consecutive generations.”
The majority of Helrem’s descendants, both children and grandchildren, eventually became mages. This fact alone implied that their magical aptitude had indeed been passed down through their lineage. Yuder was already aware of this.
“After I considered this, another thought emerged.”
Kishiar’s tone softened noticeably.
“Perhaps one significant reason for the isolated upbringing they provided you was precisely due to that extraordinary mana sensitivity you possess.”
“...I don’t quite grasp that. Why would such a—”
“Melach Cantinto was originally celebrated for his exceptional ability to perceive mana. It was solely for this skill that the Royal Mage Office selected him. If that particular ability, in any form, persisted even after his accident, don’t you believe he would have been able to recognize at least one of your latent traits immediately?”
So, was Kishiar implying that Melach Cantinto, upon detecting Yuder’s remarkable mana sensitivity, had deliberately opted to shield him from outside contact for that very reason?
Yuder felt a profound impact from this notion.
Mana sensitivity is widely considered to be an innate trait. If a mage happens to be present at the birth of a child, they might discern it instantly. However, mages are not exceedingly common, and even among them, only those with acute perception can clearly identify such potential. This is precisely why individuals journey great distances to undergo sensitivity testing.
But Yuder’s grandfather—the very man who raised him—had once possessed exceptional perceptual abilities. Although he ceased practicing magic after his accident, had he truly lost all his capabilities?
If, as Kishiar suggested, Melach Cantinto’s skill had endured to some extent, then there was no conceivable way he wouldn't have noticed Yuder’s sensitivity. This, in turn, implied... he had noticed, yet remained silent.
What could that possibly signify? It almost felt as though...
...as if he was actively trying to prevent me from ever becoming a mage.
But why?
Was it to stop Yuder from uncovering his past? Yet, if that were his goal, his grandfather wouldn’t have chosen to reside so near the site of the accident, nor would he have inquired if Yuder harbored curiosity about his parents. Even after his passing, Yuder could have easily returned to the region where he grew up and investigated his origins.
It might have been nothing more than a gut feeling—but Yuder firmly believed that had he ever answered “yes, I want to know about my parents,” his grandfather would have divulged everything. He had never once detected any animosity from the old man towards Yuder’s parents or anyone else.
Had he sensed such hostility, Yuder wouldn’t have felt that having only his grandfather was sufficient.
Then... was it truly the case that his grandfather had intentionally kept Yuder estranged from all things magical during his lifetime?
A child raised in isolation on a mountain, with no other individuals around, would never conceive of possessing a talent for magic. In reality, Yuder had never once considered himself capable of becoming a mage. Even in his previous life, he had lived without ever realizing it.
And if not for the unique circumstances of this current life, he likely wouldn't have discovered it this time either.
Because—
I am an Awakener.
There had been instances of mages becoming Awakeners.
But never the reverse. Magic was an arduous path, requiring years of dedicated study to master.
If Yuder had not Awakened, who knows what might have transpired. However, he had. Thus, it became a moot point.
“As we are already aware, Great Mage Luma harbored fears regarding the recurring calamities predicted for the future. He actively sought a method to leave behind a warning that would persist eternally. This endeavor culminated in the Blessing of the Great Mage. If your grandfather’s appearance is indeed a consequence of that...”
Kishiar’s narration continued. Yuder found himself unable to divert his gaze.
“...Then perhaps, just perhaps, he accomplished what he had hoped to achieve. He safeguarded a child—a nascent hero—who possessed a novel form of power reminiscent of ancient magic, and kept him protected from the world until he reached adulthood.”
