His younger sister, who was the ugly duckling of the Seymour family, suddenly created a groundbreaking improved formula and quickly became a prominent figure in the magic theory field.
It was hard to accept that this absurd situation was real, but something even worse had happened.
'This is fucked up.'
As soon as Belreck saw Deborah's formula, he felt a chill in his spine.
It looked very useful for battle wizards, for whom the casting speed was important.
And, of all things, his rival and twin brother, Rosad, was a battle wizard.
Simeon's magic formula was designed to win wars in the first place, and was inseparable from the battle wizards.
The formula is an arrangement of the regularity of mana circulating in the area, and using this regularity, battle wizards have amplified the magical effect and transformed its shape to hit the enemy.
However, it was also a difficult field for everyone because it used mana from an external space and not the mana circulating in the body.
'The casting especially takes a long time.'
But Deborah has condensed this slow and complicated casting process into a simple one.
He has even heard that if you use the improved formula devised by Deborah, there is hardly any mana loss, which happened due to the long chanting time.
It was literally a revolution for the battle wizards, for whom speed was life.
Rosad is probably going crazy with joy by now?
With only 7 silver, he can enjoy all the benefits.
Even though he has subscribed to the monthly subscription, he doesn't really enjoy anything.
"You don't look good."
The vassal said in a worried tone.
"My head hurts."
Belreck, who lowered his long eyelashes in a depressed manner with a gloomy expression, closed his eyes tightly.
"Mr. Belreck. Still, you've made great progress recently in your artifact research."
"And then what?! I should always have a comparative advantage! Both players were playing on two feet, but Deborah gave wings only to Rosad! Can't I get a headache?"
"Is the improved formula that great?"
Belreck let out a fake laugh.
Great?
He felt a sense of shame for being called the most talented genius among the researchers of the Wizardry Association.
Even his twin brother, who was always one step ahead of him, couldn't make him feel so miserable.
The moment he saw the formula, the past, in which he had neglected and despised Deborah, unfolded like a film, and Belreck experienced for the first time what it was like to want to hide in a mouse hole.
'Why did Deborah act like an idiot when she's smart?'
He was embarrassed and didn't have the confidence to face his sister.
He didn't want to run into her at all, so lately he has been stuck in the Wizardry Association instead of going to the townhouse.
"Did you say great?"
"I-Is it not?"
"Are you asking that kind of question?! I don't want to talk with a stupid person like you. I feel like I'm becoming ignorant too. Get lost."
After dismissing the vassal with an annoyed face, Belreck was left alone in the office and brought his hands to his face with a mixed feeling.
"But Louis Gargell, why is this western country bumpkin rushing suddenly? It's annoying."
He already had a headache thanks to Deborah, but Louis Gargell's arbitrariness made Belreck's mind even more disturbed.
A few days ago, he had exchanged letters with Louis Gargell several times with the meaning of introducing his sister.
In the process, he had received some silver as a reward, but it was a kind of a custom.
It was also common for an older brother to introduce his younger sister to those around him.
'I thought it would come to nothing.'
He tried to arrange an occasion, but he was so busy with research that it was delayed day after day; and Louis Gargell's side was also vague.
However, after hearing the news that Deborah was doing well, the Gargell bastard suddenly changed his half-hearted attitude and started a gift offensive.
Amid this, he couldn't quite understand what Deborah was thinking when she suddenly accepted the gifts from Louis Gargell.
Didn't she like Philap?
He thought she would throw away the gifts from the western country bumpkin without even looking at them.
While he was feeling bitter, his vassal rushed into the office.
"Prince."
"What is it?"
"Duke Seymour is calling you to his office right now."
Belreck, who rushed from the Wizardry Association to the main building of the mansion through a magic circle, was bewildered by the strange atmosphere.
"Sit down."
"Yes."
The expression on his father's face was especially unusual today.
There was a deep wrinkle between his brows, and his cold silver eyes showed signs of anger.
Feeling the pressure, Belreck lifted the hot teacup with an anxious feeling.
"Belreck."
"Yes, Father."
"I have heard rumors that you are trying to set up the eldest son of Count Gargell with Deborah."
Although he was indeed going to try something like that, why did it suddenly get rumored that it even reached his father's ears?
Duke Seymour spoke to Belreck, who looked suspicious, with a displeased expression.
"I heard that the reason Deborah can't throw away his gift is because of your honor as a facilitator."
'She was never one to care about my feelings, so why is she suddenly using me as an excuse…'
Belreck felt deeply baffled.
Also, he wondered why his father was giving off such a bloody atmosphere.
In the past, when Deborah harassed a young lady who was hovering around Philap and even demanded money from the opposing family, his father said this with a tired expression on his face.
"Even though he rejected her marriage proposal, for how long is she going to go on and on about that Montez guy? It's terribly embarrassing. If you have another young man in mind, introduce them quickly!"
So Belreck thought that there was nothing wrong with his actions.
Above all, Deborah is also of marriageable age.
"It is common for an older brother to introduce a good young man to his younger sister. Deborah is also old enough to think about marriage…"
Before Belreck could even finish speaking, the Duke of Seymour immediately gushed out.
"Hey, you punk! Is it normal to entrust your sister to the Count's family in the west, which is the farthest from Seymour's estate and, on top of that, is in the countryside? Why on earth are you doing something stupid that I didn't even tell you to do?"
"T-The Gargell family owns a large silver mine. Father also told me to introduce Deborah to a young man before…"
"When did I? I never did that!"
Belreck almost dropped the teacup in his hand because of how his father denied it so confidently.
'This is crazy. You clearly said that around this time last year.'
However, if he uttered such tactless words, the situation would be worse than it is now; so only Belreck's thin lips were trembling.
'You used to be the most level-headed and objective person.'
His father, who looked pathetic about Deborah, had disappeared.
In front of him, only a good-for-nothing person who has lost his reason remains.
'Something is wrong ever since you bought her the pink diamond.'
How did things get like this?
As he held back his confusion, Duke Seymour, who had calmed his anger a little, cleared his throat several times.
"Anyway, don't bother yourself with Deborah's marriage. Do you understand?"
"Still, if she continues not having someone to get engaged to, wouldn't it be better for me to step in?"
Although Deborah was demonstrating Seymour-like abilities for the first time, his desire to remove her from his eyes as soon as possible didn't change.
'Because of Deborah, I have lost one of my vassals that I had put in the library.'
For how long will he criticize him?
However, even if he pushed ahead with it, the marriage would only take place if the head of the family gave permission; but his father only got angry.
"Really, you think you are doing a good job, but your meddling is unnecessary! I don't know if it's because you're stuck every day in the Wizardry Association that you have no sense… Come on, tsk!"
"I was just worried about my sister as an older brother…"
"I'm more worried about you, but if you still want to be nosy, bring me a better ice wizard than me. Then I'll consider it carefully."
'Is this a joke?'
Is there anyone in this world who can surpass his father in his ice magic?
'You must mean that you want to have an excellent wizard as your son-in-law. Are you serious?'
"That… I'll keep that in mind. I am sorry for disturbing Father's mind with my rash actions."
"If you understand, you can leave."
"Yes."
Coming out of his father's office with a tired expression, Belreck let out a long sigh.
It feels like things keep getting twisted.
'When I was a child, whenever I caused unnecessary trouble, I had this eerie feeling.'
And his ominous premonition was quite correct.