Elric and Mephisto's deal ended much more easily than expected.
[I'll give you any demonic energy we get from taking down Gregory's forces, as long as they belong to a warlord-level or higher. Deal?]
『Deal!』
This arrangement was mutually beneficial for both Elric and Mephisto.
Given his family's duty to exterminate demons, Elric was inevitably at odds with Gregory's forces.
As for Mephisto, his relationship with Azazel, another great demon king, was not good to begin with. So, if he could take away their seals and faith, he had no reason to refuse.
Of course, giving too much demonic energy to Mephisto could lead to unfavorable outcomes.
'Then again, maybe not.'
Elric wasn't sure, but he thought that no matter how much power Mephisto regained, it would be difficult for him to fully escape the restraints imposed by the family.
After all, considering the depth of the power Mephisto originally held, reaching that level again would take considerable effort.
'And honestly, if that happens, I'll probably have amassed quite a few seals myself.'
In any case, the two decided to help each other to the best of their ability, at least until Gregory was completely destroyed.
***
"...Hmm?"
As Elric and Sean were about to leave the hallway, they suddenly felt numerous eyes on them.
"Oh!"
"He's finally here."
"I wasn't sure, since I'd only heard about him, but… not bad."
"Not bad? That's all? Are you blind? If you're backing out, I'll take over."
"What? Kernu, are you backing out? Great, everyone, Kernu's backing out!"
"A-ah! No, I didn't mean it like that, you guys!"
A growing buzz surrounded them.
A group of elderly men gathered around Elric, examining him from head to toe.
They looked as if they were studying a rare ancient artifact.
The problem was that despite their age, each of them possessed immense power.
Elric quickly realized that these were the reclusive elders and strange hermits from the Senate and the Guest House that Augustine had warned him about.
Sure enough, Augustine and Gility were standing in one corner, glaring at them with disapproval.
"What's going on here?" Sean asked, incredulous.
Their eyes all turned to him.
"Can't you see?"
"We're here to watch, of course."
"There's a rumor going around that the Senate Leader, that old geezer, got really lucky in his later years. So we came to see for ourselves."
Their eyes sparkled with curiosity and greed.
Sean couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"So, what are you going to do? Kidnap him like my great-uncle?"
"If we can."
"If possible."
"Definitely will."
"Then I'm in, too."
"…When I begged you to teach me magic, none of you even pretended to listen!"
"What can we do if you lack talent?"
"I'll give you a problem. Solve it, and I'll teach you."
"Damn it."
Sean, frustrated, cursed under his breath.
Despite his elite status and considerable talent, he was never deemed impressive by these stubborn old men.
Still, part of him was happy to see that the talent he recognized in Elric had finally caught the eye of even these finicky elders.
"While I'm standing here watching, you're all talking about kidnapping him!" Augustine suddenly stormed forward, worried that Elric might actually be dragged away by these people.
He even infused mana into his words, causing the elders and guests to back off a little, grumbling in displeasure.
"Look at him, so greedy!"
"See how he throws a tantrum in his old age? They say the older you get, the greedier you become. He's trying to hog all the good stuff for himself!"
"You think master-disciple relationships are like food? It's a divine bond, like that of parent and child, created by the heavens!"
Despite Augustine's fierce objection, the elders and guests remained unfazed.
"So, let us join in."
"Our interest is in Elric Melvinger here. Why are you making a fuss?"
"Damn it!"
Augustine gritted his teeth and swore.
He regretted ever bringing Elric to the Hill of Fog!
Word had already spread among the Senate and Guest House that Elric had successfully navigated the Labyrinth of Blue Fog. Augustine had become neurotic from constantly hearing people say they wanted to see Elric.
In truth, when Elric said he was going to the Black Snowfield, Augustine had secretly been pleased. He'd hoped that, with Elric away, the interest in him would fade.
But that hope had been in vain.
He never imagined that Elric's achievements would spread so quickly back to the family.
Still, out of concern, he had warned Elric to be careful before they arrived at the family mansion. But…
'I didn't think they'd go this far!'
The moment they heard that Elric had arrived, the elders and guests moved immediately, even before Augustine could intervene.
They'd known Augustine would try to block their access, so they acted preemptively.
Their evaluation of Elric was exceptionally high.
—He might be on par with Tasha… No, he might even surpass her!
That was the conclusion they all came to after observing Elric.
The last time the elders had caused such a fuss was when Tasha's talents had blossomed spectacularly.
And yet, Elric had caught up to Tasha's accomplishments in a much shorter time, making their eyes widen even more.
Augustine wanted to separate them from Elric at all costs.
He could accept that Gility was involved, but he couldn't allow Elric to be shared with these other people!
The problem was that the stubborn old men weren't listening to a word he said.
Should he just use magic to forcefully drive them away?
Or maybe he should grab Elric and escape from here?
Those thoughts flashed through his mind one by one, but before he could act—
"I'm sorry, but I am not only a magician seeking knowledge, I am also the head of the Melvinger family. I cannot personally study under you without considering my family's obligations. I hope you understand."
In an instant, the gloomy expressions of Augustine and Gility brightened.
They thought Elric was politely rejecting the offer.
'Yes! Learning magic means passing down a school's legacy, and that's simply not an option!'
For Augustine, preserving the lineage of Night's Chronicle was more important than anything else. Gility didn't care much about tradition, so he was fine putting everything into Elric.
But the same couldn't be said for other magicians.
Some schools of magic explicitly forbade their students from learning the techniques of other schools.
Several elders and guests, realizing this, clicked their tongues and began to back away.
However—
"But I've heard there are different categories of 'disciples.' For example, 'outer disciples' and 'unofficial disciples.'"
Outer disciples were those who weren't given access to the school's secrets but were taught basic principles to expand influence.
Unofficial disciples were not formally accepted but were taught as needed.
In other words, Elric was implying that he might be willing to learn if they accepted him in one of these categories.
Naturally, the elders and guests, who had been retreating, suddenly perked up.
Augustine and Gility's faces, however, paled again.
"Of course, I have my own stance on the matter, so I wouldn't follow blindly just because you're willing to teach. We'd need to discuss the specifics first."
Elric was essentially saying he would decide based on the content of the teachings.
To some, this might have seemed presumptuous—like a disciple choosing their master.
But rather than being offended, the elders and guests glanced around at each other, their eyes gleaming.
They all began calculating how to offer something impressive enough to attract Elric, and what they could show him to outshine everyone else.
And with every passing moment—
'Damn it!'
'This isn't good…!'
Augustine and Gility's faces grew more haggard.
***
"…To think you managed to squeeze something out of those old geezers."
Sean clicked his tongue as he and Elric rode in a carriage toward the Central Magic Administration Office under the Ministry of Magic in the heart of the capital.
Sean had known those elders and guests since he was a child, and they were all notoriously arrogant.
Each of them had left a significant mark on the field of magic, making them giants in their field, and they were incredibly proud of their achievements.
That pride didn't even falter in front of direct descendants. They wouldn't hesitate to snub anyone who didn't meet their standards.
For example, while they had shown great interest in Tasha, one of the Three New Stars, they remained indifferent toward Sean and the other siblings.
In fact, Sean had only ever received advice from them, and none had ever offered to take him as a disciple.
Even his father, Guy Nerester, generally avoided meddling with them, as long as they stayed within their limits.
But Elric had somehow turned those arrogant old men into rivals, competing to be his teacher.
As a result, the elders and guests had agreed to teach Elric some of their greatest secrets, even if it was as an "unofficial disciple."
Watching this unfold, Sean couldn't help but think, 'Are you kidding me?'
Of course, Elric couldn't possibly absorb all of that knowledge at once, so they had arranged a rotation system.
'And then they fought again over who would go first.'
Once they learned Elric had to leave for Wynz Province in a month, they realized that if they missed this turn, they'd have to wait indefinitely before they could meet him again. So, they fought tooth and nail for the first slot.
Sean had heard that the bickering nearly turned into a physical fight before they finally settled it with a draw of straws.
But given their stubborn personalities, Sean doubted they'd stick to that agreement.
And Augustine or Gility might try to interfere in their own ways.
'Ever since Elric came into our lives, it feels like my family has been turning upside down…'
A household known for its tranquility and calm had become chaotic since Elric's arrival.
It was as if he were the eye of a storm.
Still, the thing that was bothering Sean the most was something else entirely.
Across from him, his older sister, Tasha Nerester, was engaging in a lively conversation with Elric, smiling in a way that didn't quite suit her usual demeanor.
"Take a look at this. It's the list of items 'Firebird's Nest' discovered during last exploration."
Sean's eyebrow twitched.
What is she doing now?
His older sister, notorious for her tyrannical nature at home, was using a sweet voice. It was a sight he never thought he'd witness.
[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]