Chapter 55

Zick and Media’s mansion.

Werner laid Airi down in the cradle and let out a short sigh. As soon as he came out of the anthill, Lorcha, who had been waiting outside, gave him emergency treatment with bandages. If it weren’t for that, his life would have been in real danger. He had also asked Lorcha to examine the magic sword that had stabbed him, thinking that if there was any problem, he could just get treated. Werner brushed Airi’s hair as she giggled.

“Mom and Dad will be here soon, so just wait a little longer.”

His side had been unbearably hot since earlier, but Werner tried to endure it. He thought about how he would tell Zick and Media about how he found the clues, where he went with them, how he fought, and even the story of getting stabbed, hoping to be praised. They would surely praise him, worry about his wound, and scold him for not being careful.

Imagining this, Werner chuckled but then grimaced slightly, clutching his side. He had been stabbed before, but it had never been this painful. Feeling as if his entire body was boiling, Werner kept swallowing his saliva.

Thinking he would ask Media for treatment when she arrived, Werner tried to compose himself as he looked at Airi, who was smiling at him.

“Tsk, you made me get stabbed because you cried, and now you’re laughing. Is it that funny, you little rascal?”

Wondering what he was doing joking with a baby who could barely babble, Werner turned his gaze to the door, waiting for Zick and Media. He tidied up his clothes, which had become completely tattered, and had asked Lorcha for new ones.

Soon, the door opened, and Zick and Media entered with excited faces. Werner greeted them with a happy expression.

“Brother, Sister, I…”

But Zick and Media passed by Werner and rushed to Airi.

“My baby!”

Media hugged Airi and started crying. The worry and sadness she had suppressed while her child was missing burst out. She began checking if Airi was hurt, even though the baby couldn’t understand her words.

“My baby… my baby… are you hurt anywhere? Do you know how worried I was…? Where were you…?”

Even Zick didn’t spare a glance at Werner and was checking Airi’s condition.

Only then did Werner recall the meaning of family. Family is a group connected by blood. No matter how close they were, he was just a child-like younger brother to Zick and Media, not their real ‘family.’

Of course, they would worry more about a young child than a powerful mage like him. Airi was just a child, and he was the strongest archmage. They must trust his abilities and not worry about him. It was only natural to care for family they hadn’t seen in a long time. And with so many people targeting Airi, their worry was understandable. Media was a kind and gentle sister…

Desperately making excuses to brush off the situation, Werner’s memories of his orphaned childhood pointed to one harsh truth.

‘I am no one’s family, and Airi is Zick and Media’s real daughter.’

‘Of course, they would worry more about their own child than an orphan like me. I’m just a child-like younger brother, not real family.’

‘In the end, I’m just an outsider in this house.’

Werner turned his back and left the room. He didn’t want to show his ugly face now. He didn’t want to reveal the ugly truth that he, an outsider, was jealous of their real daughter. He thought it was best to maintain even a ‘family-like’ relationship.

Even as the door closed, Media was still checking Airi’s condition. But Zick, noticing the bloodstains on the floor, hurriedly ran out of the room.

“Werner.”

Werner didn’t turn around.

“Hey, brother, why? Go check on Airi. I’m a mage, so checking physical conditions isn’t my specialty… Besides, on a day like this, family should be together.”

Werner refused to show his face.

“Werner, you’re not hurt, are you? There’s blood on the floor…”

“Ah, it’s fine, I just had a nosebleed from being tired. My face is a mess now, haha…”

“Come here. If you’re hurt, you need to show Media.”

Zick grabbed Werner’s shoulder. But soon, he had to let go, feeling his beloved younger brother’s shoulder trembling.

“Brother, I’m really fine. On a day like this, you should spend time with Sister and Airi…”

“…Werner.”

“I’m hungry, so I’ll go join the others. They probably rented out the usual tavern for the whole day.”

“Sorry… I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be sorry, I’ll be going now.”

Werner forced his heavy legs to move.

“Take care, ‘Brother.'”

Not wanting the other servants in the mansion to see his face, Werner covered it with his robe and hurriedly ran out of the mansion. His vision was partially blocked, causing him to stumble and fall on the stairs, but his body felt no pain.

Outside the mansion, Werner was met by his friend Lorcha.

Lorcha was slightly surprised to see Werner’s face. He had been showing expressions that seemed out of character for him lately.

“Werner… are you crying…?”

“Shut up, I’m not crying.”

“Clearly, you’re crying! Who made you cry! I’ll kill them!”

“Try it, and you’ll be chopped into pieces in a second, you idiot…”

Lorcha gritted his teeth and then hugged Werner.

“Don’t be surprised…”

“What’s with the hugging, you lunatic…”

“Just retire from being an archmage.”

Lorcha’s sudden suggestion to retire shocked Werner.

“What nonsense…”

“I’ll take care of you for the rest of your life, so just quit. I’ll take care of you forever…”

“What kind of nonsense is that?!”

Lorcha had analyzed the magic sword that stabbed Werner and found traces of it in books. Explaining the sword’s effects and Werner’s condition, Lorcha hugged him tighter.

A mage’s body has magic circuits to activate magic. These circuits must function like a precise machine for magic to work properly. However, the magic sword Balisarda had completely destroyed Werner’s magic circuits. For a mage, this was akin to a death sentence. Of course, Werner, being an archmage, could still use simple magic.

But the grand spells Werner was proud of… he would have to give them up.

“So, quit being an archmage and just stay by my side…”

“Shut up… Why? Feeling good? So good you want to dance? Thinking I’ll be beneath you now?”

“This isn’t about that!”

“Shut up! You have a strong family even without magic! I… I…! Without it, I’m nothing!”

Werner roughly pushed Lorcha away. He wanted to believe that Lorcha was lying out of jealousy. He wanted to believe that the girl in front of him was lying because she envied him.

“Get out of my sight!”

Lorcha remained silent for a moment before turning her back.

“If your condition worsens, come find me. I know that area well.”

“Get lost…”

“…You jerk.”

Lorcha ran off, just like Werner had earlier.

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Werner felt guilty. Lorcha had clearly misunderstood, just worried about his condition… He decided to buy a gift tomorrow and apologize.

And he planned to show off his grand magic to prove her wrong and tease her for being a quack.

‘See, I can still cast grand magic like this.’

“O wind dragon swimming through the clouds, carry me and glide smoothly…”

Werner tried to ride the wind dragon to the tavern where his siblings were. But the wind didn’t blow, and only a tearing, burning pain engulfed his body.

Blood dripped from his nose, and Werner tried to chant the spell again. But the result was the same.

Werner dragged his dying body towards the tavern.

The tavern door opened, and Werner’s siblings, seeing the small figure enter, prepared to welcome him.

“You’re late. The leader must always keep time, a virtue across the ages…”

“Hey, youngest, I heard you saved the leader’s daughter. Let’s see that again…”

“Hey, youngest, I ordered your favorite goose meat…”

What the heroes saw was Werner, his entire body covered in red, grotesque blood vessels.

Thief Squar was the first to rush out and catch Werner as he was about to collapse.

“Youngest! What’s wrong with you! Who did this to you!”

Werner hid his crying face in Squar’s embrace, but everyone could tell. Werner, who only ever showed a smiling or annoyed face, was crying now.

“Sister… it hurts so much…”

No matter how powerful an archmage he was, Werner was still just a 14-year-old child. A child who wanted to be praised, worried about, and cried when hurt.

While one child slept peacefully in their parents’ arms, another child wept bitterly.