Chapter 178 - Freeze

An awkward silence flowed.

Both came from Wisdom, both were from collateral branches, and they must have known each other.

“Not going to say hello? You both came from Wisdom. One came openly as a messenger, and the one tied up over there came secretly.”

The difference in their restraints was that. The one who came secretly was tied up, and the one who didn't was sitting.

However, from the perspective of the one sitting, it was quite awkward to act friendly with the one tied up.

Especially if there had been talks of war before, and this side had denied it.

“If you can't, I'll do it for you.”

He put down his teacup and gestured to each of them.

“This is Paras, from a collateral branch who came to Millesdusk as a messenger. That guy over there is Sein of the Ice Chain, a sorcerer from a collateral branch of Wisdom. And I have a question for Sein.”

His head turned to him, along with the tip of his index finger.

“What were you doing on the Millesdusk foremost frontline?”

“…I was in a neutral zone. Strictly speaking, that place is not Millesdusk's land, so I have no reason to answer.”

Oh, is that so?

“Head Maid. Prepare all the Undead Private Soldiers. We will advance to the neutral zone adjacent to Wisdom.”

“U-understood.”

“We're just going on a picnic to the neutral zone, so there shouldn't be a problem. Right, messenger? Sein of the Ice Chain over there has guaranteed it.”

“Y-Young Lord-nim. Please wait a moment.”

In the end, Paras hurriedly stepped forward.

“It seems you are misunderstanding something.”

“What misunderstanding? As you said, I escalated the tense situation between the East and West through the Dark Elixir, and in that state, a sorcerer from your side was caught by my hand.”

And it was in a land close to Millesdusk's main gate.

This was the situation, this was a fact, and there was no room for misunderstanding or interpretation.

“Tell the truth. I saw everything you were doing there, yet you still have the mind to lie?”

Sein, who had been silent, opened his mouth.

“You know everything, so why do you want my answer?”

“There is a big difference between just thinking and saying it out loud. You, who chants magic spells, should know the power of words best.”

“……”

The collateral branches of Wisdom lowered their eyes and could not find the words to say.

At that point, Paras remembered what the Millesdusk messenger had said.

─Also, to give you a piece of advice, the Fifth Son-nim is absolutely not an easy person to talk to.

Only now did he understand and even empathize with why she had said that. At the same time, Paras realized his mistake.

‘I’ve entered a game that’s already lost. The moment the Fifth Son took Sein-nim as a hostage, my proposal or negotiation became meaningless.’

Soon, thought followed thought.

‘Is this a coincidence? Did Sein-nim get caught while the security around was tightened because of the news of the Wisdom messenger's arrival? …No. The Youngest Son was on the frontline before I was even here.’

His worries continued, but nothing became clear.

On the contrary, only questions spread like fog, making his head hazy.

The only one who could move freely in that gray mist was the Youngest Son himself, who was the fog itself.

“You carved a teleportation magic circle on Millesdusk's land and attempted a large-scale military movement.”

Swoosh─

He picked up the Elixir that Paras had placed in front of him.

“You tried to entice Millesdusk with a few Elixirs to uncover the secrets of the Dark Elixir and then exploit its weaknesses, but you failed. You tried to lure Josephine in, but that also failed.”

Paras's shoulders flinched at the sudden mention of a certain name. The Youngest Son did not miss it.

“Even so, since you left behind a precious Elixir, I can arrange for you to meet Josephine as a personal favor.”

“…I will not refuse.”

“That attitude is fine. I have no obligation to let you two meet. Josephine didn't seem that disappointed anyway.”

“D-don't lie.”

The trembling spread from his shoulders to his voice.

“Did you even tell Josephine my name?”

“Messenger Paras. Please use the proper title for the Young Lord-nim.”

Despite the Head Maid's restraint, Paras shot up from his seat.

“Do you! Even know what kind of child Josephine is, or how we grew up as collateral branches!”

“You lack the basics of conversation. I had expectations because I heard you were smart Wisdoms, but you're quite boring. Aren't you, Sein?”

As the arrow turned towards him, Sein needlessly avoided the bloodshot eyes and looked at Paras instead.

‘…He still gets worked up whenever Josephine is mentioned.’

Collateral branches usually got along with other collateral branches, but Sein's inferiority complex-ridden personality made even that uncomfortable.

He was worried that a collateral branch with more talent than him would appear and he would lose attention, and Paras was one of those worries.

But he had a clear weakness. A being named Josephine, with whom he had been close since they were young.

“…Young Lord-nim. Please forgive my rudeness. I implore you not as a messenger, but as her family, please let me meet Josephine.”

When Paras, who had finally calmed his anger, bowed his head, the Youngest Son finally nodded.

“Follow the Head Maid.”

“Thank you.”

“After you finish talking with Josephine, don't come back, just leave. Sein and I have things to talk about, so you go first.”

Paras's eyes turned to Sein.

Sein gave him a look pleading for him to stay a little longer, but the messenger coldly turned his head away.

“Understood. I shall take my leave then.”

To Paras, Sein was the culprit who had made this trip a waste.

The neutral zone was a place where human hands rarely reached, to the point of being called an uninhabited zone.

Saying that they would advance in the end no matter what happened, Sein led the sorcerers and headed for the neutral zone.

They were all family sorcerers blinded by success and power, just like Sein.

And for a while, they smoothly completed the teleportation magic circle, pleasing the family.

Then they shouldn't have gotten caught in the end.

‘Did the Youngest Son really go around that wide neutral zone just on suspicion? The frontline soldiers can't leave their posts, so there wouldn't have been any other manpower.’

Even while going to meet Josephine, he was puzzled as to why Sein had been caught.

But the lack of other manpower was also strange.

Because Sein was by no means someone who would be caught by a nobody.

‘There are only rampant rumors about the Fifth Son and the Dark Elixir, but there is little information about his combat power. Did Sein-nim really lose to the Fifth Son?’

In any case, the family would no longer care about Sein. That man was now abandoned.

“Miss Josephine is inside this tower.”

Following the Head Maid's guidance, he came to a tower close to the Dark Moon Grand Castle.

He didn't know what it was called, but just coming in and breathing gave off the scent of Wisdom.

The air was different from the cold outside. His shoulders naturally relaxed in the warm warmth that spread throughout his body.

At the end of it was Josephine.

“…Josephine.”

“Ah, hello, Oppa.”

He awkwardly faced his sister, who had grown taller since he last saw her.

***

The room where only the Youngest Son and Sein remained. The two had unfinished business.

“It’s been a day from now. Teach me.”

Swoosh─

He pulled out the long bloody needle that had been stuck close to his core.

Sein, whose magic was free again, felt a sense of liberation and naturally glanced around.

But it was a futile hope.

“If you're thinking of knocking me down and escaping, give it up. You're more curious about the Dark Elixir formula than that anyway.”

“That's right.”

A smile spread across Sein's lips as he affirmed.

It was the smile of someone who was confident of victory, and the same was true for the Youngest Son.

“First, before the ice attribute, you need to know how magic works. Unlike sorcery, we can't do it with just a moment's emotion.”

I knew it. He's still a detestable NPC who beats around the bush, leaving out the main point.

“That's enough with the theory. I've learned the water attribute, which is the basis of the ice attribute.”

“…You've learned it?”

The problem was that the water attribute was the water attribute, but it was the water attribute that came from this hand.

Swaaaaaaaaaaa─

A stream of blood danced in his open palm.

The pure sorcerer watching could only gape. The epitome of rigid thinking, Wisdom, said.

“…This is not the water attribute.”

“It is water attribute magic. It just looks peculiar because I am a Magic Assimilator.”

“M-magic Assimilator…”

The Youngest Son described the blood attribute as peculiar.

However, to Wisdom, it looked evil. It was heretical and strange.

To think that the water attribute, considered the purest among the Five Elemental Orders, had been corrupted into blood.

“I can also do Samche, which you guys consider precious among water attribute magic.”

He hardened the blood stream to shape a rose, and vaporized it from the petals to create a blood mist.

With every few blinks, the blood stream changed from solid to gas, and then back to liquid, and danced.

The Wisdom watching was shocked several times today.

“Who on earth…!”

His words were cut off. His smart head had guessed the culprit.

‘Josephine…. This is not a matter to be taken lightly.’

Whether Paras took her back to the family or not, this had to be held accountable.

But right now, the bet was more urgent than accountability.

“The water attribute has been confirmed. Now it's your turn to teach me about the ice attribute. Any objections?”

“…That's right.”

Sein answered with great reluctance.

The basics of magic, the principle of activation, and the runes were all explained by the fact that he could use Samche.

It was a sight that was definitely not in his expectations.

The Youngest Son smiled, and Enad, who had been watching, added a word.

[A guy who is good at making blood solid, why is he learning the ice attribute?]

‘Because the ice attribute is not just about freezing liquid and shooting it.’

Since there was a guest, he answered inwardly. It wasn't something Enad would hear either.

‘Besides, among the dragons in Wisdom, the one with the least prejudice against humans and the most curiosity is the Ice Dragon.’

He was learning magic to score points in preparation for meeting that dragon.

Just as humans get along quickly if they have the same interests, so do dragons.

Besides, if a human, and a human from the East at that, had learned ice magic that he had never taught, he would be quite surprised.

So he listened to the boring explanation for now. And he interrupted in the middle.

“The ice attribute is said to be the attribute of immobility. Here, immobility means not moving, but its range is extraordinary. Also, here─”

“Just the main point.”

“…It means you have to immobilize the flowing magic.”

“Clear and concise. From now on, speak like this. Don't say more than three lines when explaining something.”

There was a skip button here that couldn't be pressed outside the monitor.

Since he was a prisoner, not an ice attribute teacher, the speed and number of times he pressed the button were extraordinary.

Furthermore, the Youngest Son's speed of understanding was also extraordinary. If someone just nudged him, the blurry memories would become clear again.

“What is the most basic magic in the ice attribute?”

Sein became momentarily anxious and added.

“Learning the basic magic does not mean you will win the bet. My ice attribute is on a much higher level than the basics.”

“I know, so show me. You can skip the intermediate magic, so just teach me the basics in detail.”

“…Understood.”

Feeling a strong sense of unease, Sein brought his hands together.

Nothing was going according to plan. A guy from the East who suddenly came up with Samche, saying he knew nothing about magic.

He knew he was cunning, but his wickedness was truly no less than that of a demon. No, it was more than that.

As if he had completely forgotten what he had said just a moment ago, he brazenly demanded the next step.

‘This guy. He may have gotten the water attribute for free by luckily meeting Josephine, but do you think the ice attribute, which was the exclusive property of the dragons, will be at your beck and call!’