My expectations were not off the mark.
The triplets with their nasty expressions blocked my path.
Tony de Strange, who would one day grow into one of the five generals of the continent.
Johnny de Strange, who would become his right-hand man and loyal hunting dog.
And Ronnie de Strange, who would clean up their dirty work and become the ruler of the slums.
These trash would eventually form a group called 'Big Gang' and rebel against the family.
'Was it from this time?'
This was when they started tormenting me.
Those three were legitimate sons of the main family, unlike me, a child born out of wedlock.
But it wasn't like they had more talent than I did. Their mother's influence in the castle allowed them better education.
Even so, among the seven direct brothers of the Strange family, these three were not to be ignored.
"Hey, Dean, why are you so silent like a mute who swallowed honey?"
"Why are you so silent?"
"Why are you so silent?"
Their voices were as irritating as ever.
How could kids only six years old make such faces?
'Well….'
In the past, when I was five, I endured their bullying.
I thought it would be troublesome if I provoked them. Back then, I was intimidated by their collective behavior.
Even though I had outstanding talent, I wasn't sure if I was stronger than them.
When my talent started showing around the age of nine, those three quieted down.
Even after graduating from the academy, they would occasionally try to kill me, so calling them my life's enemies is fitting.
'Let's crush them now.'
This life is different from the previous one.
I am strong. Stronger than those three.
I know this.
Besides, if I beat them up now, it wouldn't cause any significant issues.
Father doesn't care about such trivial matters.
For him, legitimacy, birthright, and bloodlines are irrelevant.
He only keeps those who can survive the world of survival of the fittest close to him.
I know this from experience.
I understand what he thinks and what he's aiming for.
If, by any chance, he intervenes in a sibling fight, it's for only one reason.
'To keep an eye on the winner.'
By threatening me, they have given me a reason to protect myself.
They started this.
I responded without changing my expression.
"Shut up."
Tony, the eldest of the triplets, tilted his head.
"What did you just say?"
"What did you just say!"
"What did you just say!!"
Ronnie and Johnny echoed his words.
I shrugged slightly and pointed at Tony.
"I said, shut up."
Tony looked quite taken aback by my response.
No wonder, in the castle, even the adults, like nannies and knights, cower before them. Their younger brother, a year younger, was defying them.
"…Are you crazy? Did you just tell your brother to shut up?"
"Brother, I think he's lost his mind. We need to teach him a lesson."
"Yeah, how about we break his fingers? Or, better yet, pull out all his teeth so he can't say anything weird!"
Could this really be a conversation between six-year-olds? They were indeed worth crushing.
Tony stepped closer to me menacingly.
"Dean, aren't you going to answer? Are you crazy? Ah— I understand. It's because you don't have a mother, right? They say she died giving birth to you. Well, no wonder you've gone mad without a mother!"
My response didn't come out of my mouth.
Tony's eyes flashed. After a dull 'thud' sound from his mouth, my relentless punches began.
Blood poured from his split lips, and his broken front tooth fell to the ground.
"Ugh."
Tony groaned, his face contorted in pain. Ronnie and Johnny tried to stop me, but they couldn't overpower me.
I wasn't just strong. My battle sense, honed on the battlefield, was on a different level.
Far beyond the reach of children this age.
"I'll make sure you three can't mess with me again."
I swiftly struck each of the triplets in the ribs. Then, I stepped on Tony's chest and made Ronnie and Johnny headbutt each other.
A short, dull 'thud' sound echoed.
"Ack!"
"Ack!"
Ronnie and Johnny simultaneously clutched their heads in pain.
"Dean, you bastard!"
Tony screamed as he lunged at me.
"You're dead!"
He desperately wanted to retaliate, so he did something forbidden in the family.
In the castle, summoning one's guardian spirit without a valid reason could lead to immediate punishment.
This was a rule set directly by the family head, Lois. Disobeying it was not an option.
Unless one wanted to grow up out of his favor.
Still, Tony summoned his guardian spirit.
Hiss—
A ghostly figure emerged behind Tony, revealing his guardian spirit.
The former king of the west, Gary, known for his iron body that needed no armor, glared at me.
"You're dead!"
Tony wiped the blood off his face with his palm.
With a face full of rage, he pointed at me and summoned his guardian spirit into his body.
Swoosh!
In an instant, Tony's body turned muscular.
'Foolish brat.'
You're digging your own grave.
Knowing who my guardian spirit is, yet pulling this stunt.
"You're the one who summoned your guardian spirit first."
* * *
The tower was filled with monsters so strong that ordinary adventurers couldn't approach.
And those who desired to grow stronger by receiving the blessing of the 'god' who resided there.
One of them was Lois de Strange. The family's guardian knight came to meet him during his training.
The reason was simple: to report the fight between Berdin and his brothers.
"Dean fought all three by himself?"
"Yes."
"And Tony summoned his guardian spirit inside the castle?"
"…Yes, that's correct."
Lois rubbed his chin with an intrigued expression.
"Did anyone die?"
The guardian knight answered with a tense expression.
"No! Tony, Johnny, and Ronnie all have broken arms and legs, but their lives are not in danger."
"And Dean?"
"Master Dean has no injuries at all."
"Really?"
"Yes, according to the nanny, after fighting with his brothers, he returned to his room and said, 'I'm hungry after having fun for the first time in a while.'"
The guardian knight's answer made Lois's lips curl into a smile.
But the smile was fleeting. After a moment of contemplation, Lois spoke to the guardian knight with a cold expression.
"Alright. Then go to Valentine and deliver a message."
"Valentine?"
"Yes. Since my training is not yet complete, I cannot go to the castle. Tell her to handle this matter in my place."
"…Understood."
"And if Tony tried to harm someone by using his guardian spirit inside the castle, he should be punished accordingly."
With a meaningful expression, Lois handed a dagger from his waist to the guardian knight.
"Deliver this to Valentine as well."
* * *
A week had passed since the fight with my brothers.
As expected, my father didn't concern himself with the incident.
I anticipated at least a warning, but there was no reaction whatsoever.
Well, he's a man who believes only the strong survive, so he likely regarded this fight as mere child's play or a process of learning survival.
'Those guys could have died if I wasn't careful.'
Whoosh!
While I was lost in thought, my guardian spirit, Siegfried, burst into flames, setting his body ablaze.
I knew why he was doing this. Currently, we hadn't made a contract.
Yet, I used his power, so he was expressing his displeasure.
'I can't help it.'
The time isn't right yet.
There's a good reason I haven't contracted with him. Contracting with a guardian spirit imposes restrictions.
Knights cannot learn mana after opening their aura.
Similarly, wizards cannot learn aura after opening their mana.
In short, when one contracts with a guardian spirit, the latent energy within naturally opens, forcing a choice between mana and aura.
'But not this time.'
I plan to master both mana and aura.
To achieve this, I delayed my contract with Siegfried. It was semi-forcible, regardless of his opinion.
No one knows this now, but soon, a new form of technique will be discovered.
A transcendent power that uses both aura and mana simultaneously.
Of course, no one in this era possesses such a technique.
It will only emerge after the power struggle between our Strange family, renowned for swordsmanship, and the Glazier family, famed for magic, ends.
Knights contract with guardian spirits who grant aura after they learn mana.
Wizards contract with guardian spirits who grant mana after they learn aura.
Following this sequence is the only way to contain both energies within one body.
Ultimately, it means that knights and wizards must share their awakening methods.
'And….'
Even if the method is known, only a few can use both aura and mana simultaneously.
To wield both powers, one must separate the flows of mana and aura between the head and the heart. Failure results in death as one part of the body bursts.
Hence, it requires either immense talent and exceptional sensitivity to separate the two energies or learning the complex separation control techniques devised by the Grand Mage of the Glazier family.
'Of course, I can do both.'
Swish.
I concentrated, gathering energy in my palm. In my past life, I didn't master mana, but I learned how to open it.
It was a method I acquired while researching how to efficiently cut down wizards.
A blue energy began to form, writhing like a snake, before dissipating in the breeze blowing through the window.
It was still insufficient to call it mana. The blue light should become a sticky, flowing liquid for mana to be fully opened.
"!$!&!!!"
Siegfried opened his mouth wide, roaring in protest.
Ah, I should say he just opened his mouth since I couldn't hear his voice yet due to the lack of a contract.
"Not yet. Just a little longer."
"$^&!!!"
Siegfried's fiery temper flared up.
I had already explained why I hadn't contracted yet, but he still pushed the lengthy contract scroll towards my face with a displeased expression.
To an outsider, it would seem as if he was about to punch me in the face.
"…It will be over soon."
I ignited the seed of mana at my fingertips again and continued speaking.
Swish—
"If all goes well, by this evening or, at the latest, by lunchtime, I'll open my mana and immediately contract with you, so be patient."
Once I master mana, I'll be able to use both powers simultaneously.
That way, I'll be the only one on the continent capable of wielding two guardian spirits.
'The first and the last.'
Since I've returned.
This method will never be known again.
Knock, knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
I quickly hid my mana and picked up a random book.
Rustle.
"Come in—"
But before I could finish my sentence,
"I'm coming in."
The person outside responded and entered the room.
'…This voice.'
Click.
'Valentine de Strange.'
And following her, the three trashy brothers.
'Why are they with her?'