Chapter 7: Brave?

Yuria sees the head of the family more as a watcher.

At least since he became the next head of the family, he has been quite lenient.

That’s why I thought he would come looking for me someday after I declared my divorce from Yuria.

“It’s been half a year since we last saw each other properly.”

He didn’t say much.

It seemed he had roughly gauged the extent to which I had hidden my strength.

‘…A detection-type magic nearing level 50, perhaps.’

I didn’t know in my previous life, but he’s more of a monster than I had anticipated.

However, I met his gaze directly and spoke.

“It’s quite something to see your son-in-law only once every six months.”

My tone deliberately twisted the fact that he had sent me away to another mansion entirely.

It didn’t take long for the head’s face to harden.

“….. A guy who’s never held anything but a sword in his life. What happened in a day? Is the source of that confidence that fancy magic circle of yours?”

“Do you think I’d just tell you that secret? I barely know anything about the family as it is.”

“Your words aren’t wrong, but your attitude is quite grating. Should I sever your magic circuits so you can never use magic again and crawl on the ground like before?”

“Do as you please. But wouldn’t it be quite troublesome for you to get injured right before an important event for the family?”

“Huh, you think I’d lose to a brat like you?”

“If that weren’t the case, I wouldn’t have the audacity to act this boldly.”

I shrugged.

This was one of the few times I was being honest.

I was already pissed off, and now you want me to answer all your questions and spill everything? 

What’s the difference between now and before?

I’d rather fight and have my neck cut—or cut yours.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been in the mercenary world for too long. 

I feel like I’ve become too rebellious.

“…”

The head, holding his wand, stared at me for a moment.

His experienced gaze pierced through me.

It seemed he was trying to gauge the extent of the change in my capacity.

But I was no longer at a level where I would be intimidated by his gaze, so I met it head-on.

“….Impressive.”

A word of admiration escaped his lips.

The head’s eyebrows twitched, and a spark of interest in me began to swirl.

“Let me ask you. What is it that you want?”

“Exactly what I said. I no longer want to stay by Yuria’s side.”

“You know that’s impossible.”

“Then make it possible.

At least for the sake of the family’s dignity, you should.”

I spoke in a calm tone.

“…Then let me ask you this. Where will you go if you leave here? Do you even have a place to go?”

“I’ll go to the territory of Ravenscourt. To the place currently at war.”

I didn’t give a reason.

Simply because someone important to me is there.

“Huh, do you even know what a battlefield is like before you speak?”

It was a fair question. 

Most people who haven’t experienced war firsthand tend to underestimate it with naive thoughts.

But I answered without a hint of hesitation.

“I know.”

A smile crept onto his lips, followed by a quiet chuckle.

To him, it must have seemed like nothing more than the arrogant bravado of a greenhorn.

“A pup going to the battlefield, huh? You’re completely insane. Do you even know what that means?”

“I’ve seen it countless times. But I don’t know the meaning.”

The head laughed for a while, but his expression stiffened at my next words.

“I’ve experienced war countless times.”

“…”

“I know what hell looks like.”

“…”

“Isn’t that why you were laughing?”

My gaze, which should have wavered, remained steady.

The head smiled at this.

“You seem to know something, don’t you?”

I smiled back, as if responding to his gaze.

“If you understand, then that’s enough. You get it now, right? No matter who tries to stop me, I will leave this family.”

///

Back in the hallway.

The head of the family was deep in thought.

‘He’s truly a man of spirit.’

He’s completely different from my first impression.

A man who should have been a greenhorn is now remarkably bold.

It’s not just reckless bravado or arrogance.

He’s thoroughly calculated and assessed the situation, and he doesn’t doubt his judgment for a second.

But he’s not just relying on his head either.

‘The magic he showed earlier was clearly beyond level 17, surpassing Amon…’

He seemed to have already realized that I was observing him.

‘…Did he see through me?’

He’s changed as a person.

In just a few days, that man has grown to a level where he can withstand my pressure without flinching.

He quickly discerns the dark intentions hidden within and just as quickly dismisses them.

As if he’s had this kind of experience long before.

Even.

“I’ve experienced war countless times.”

“…:

“I know what hell looks like.”

When his expression suddenly came to mind, the head let out a faint smile.

“He knew what it was.”

What war is.

The gaze of someone who has experienced its cruelty.

In just a few days, the young man who seemed to know nothing has returned with the seasoned eyes of someone who has spent decades in the mercenary world.

Not even knights, let alone high-ranking mages, can easily withstand my pressure.

Seeing this difference, Yujin has become someone the head can no longer easily control.

‘Ravenscourt…’

The head chuckled for a moment.

The path Yujin was about to take seemed like it would be quite entertaining to watch.

//

In one of the offices of the Ehrenheit family.

Yuria’s face was visibly contorted.

“Divorce… are you saying?”

“That’s right. You were weighing that man against the family and ended up losing him. His reaction was also quite unusual, so it seems it’s time to let him go.”

When his gaze landed on her, her unusually long eyelashes fluttered.

“I can… hold onto him. Surely… Yujin would—”

“Judging by his temperament, he’s completely fed up. That’s no longer something you can control.”

Cutting her off mid-sentence, the reality that followed left Yuria at a loss for words.

He had initially not thought well of the divorce.

…Why?

While her mind was filled with thoughts of him, the reality of him leaving made her hands tremble.

“Is that the reason for the divorce…?”

At her question, the head lifted his teacup.

Yuria’s pupils began to shake.

The fact that he, who rarely changed his mind easily, had made a concession—and to none other than Yujin, whom he had disliked so much—was unusual.

It was an uncommon occurrence.

“There are many such people in the world. Those chosen by the heavens. Those who suddenly receive power. Those who gain knowledge. They are called sages.”

Sage.

A being chosen by the gods.

Classified as one of the chosen, a hero. 

At these words, Yuria’s face darkened.

“Then, then…”

“He must have been a born talent. No, it’s more accurate to say he stumbled upon it. That guy can now withstand my pressure without flinching. And being able to use magic without a wand is a skill even seasoned mages would find difficult.”

“…”

“Yujin, that guy, has gained wisdom and the power of magic.”

“It must be a misunderstanding.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Those who accidentally receive the power of a sage are said to change in temperament. Wisdom makes people calm, after all.

They act with confidence, knowing their answers are correct, and show true spirit. That’s what I saw in him.”

He was just a commoner with limited knowledge and magic.

No matter how much he had hidden it until now, the head wasn’t foolish enough to not see through it.

Surely, he must have gained power at some point and was waiting.

‘…No doubt. Wisdom and magic are the marks of a hero.’

He must be a vessel for a hero.

No doubt.

Just by looking at his eyes, which have seen everything, it’s clear.

They were the eyes of someone who had experienced war.

And just by looking at his purpose, it’s obvious.

The family where rumors of the hero’s mark have surfaced.

The reason he’s heading to Ravenscourt must be related to that.

He must be a hero.

‘He must have tried to hide the fact that he obtained the hero’s mark, but he can’t fool my eyes.’

The head smiled faintly, lifting his teacup.

“First, it would be better to talk to him directly.”

///

When I fell in love with her in my previous life.

…You might regret it.

She had tried to reject my confession.

Back then, were you saying that for my sake?

Or were you worried about me?

At the time, just her faint smile was enough to keep me going.

After that day, I lived devoted to her.

Even if I got burned, even if I got hurt, even if I was humiliated.

I cherished her unconditionally.

I was always by her side.

Even after all that, Yuria pushed me away. 

She told me to forget her and divorced me.

And then, at the end, she said she wanted to do something true to herself.

…What was the reason for keeping the ring with my name on it?

Unlike my incompetent past, maybe now things could be a little different.

Click.

A faint beam of light accompanied the opening of the door.

Soon after, the familiar sound of footsteps and a woman walking briskly entered.

“…How are you feeling?”

Yuria asked.

Standing a step away, I rose from the chair as I looked at her.

“I’m fine.”

“…That’s good.”

“Don’t worry about me. It’s not your body anyway.”

“Yujin… how did it come to this?”

“You’re the one who left me. That’s all.”

“Yujin… that’s—”

“Enough. I didn’t agree to talk to hear all that.”

Yuria’s lips twitched as if she wanted to say something.

After standing still for a while, looking at her, I felt a strange emotion.

I couldn’t quite imagine her crying.

“What were you thinking when you saw me that day?”

I tilted my head at her question.

“Are you talking about the divorce?”

“…I heard you’re going to the Ravenscourt family.”

So she finally heard about it.

A formal answer wouldn’t work.

There must be some intention behind her bringing this up.

When you think of the Ravenscourt family, the first thing that comes to mind is heroes.

The second is heroes.

The third is heroes.

A family that has produced countless heroes.

“Is this about the hero?”

“…!!!!!!”

I brought up the topic.

The reason I’m going to Ravenscourt is also because of someone there.

But Yuria’s reaction was unusual.

She bit her lip, and then her gaze wavered.

Maybe it was my imagination, but her breathing seemed to quicken.

“…I see.”

Her short words fell.

“Why… didn’t you tell me…?”

“Tell you what?”

“….The hero’s mark. Wisdom…. Magic…. A new circuit… I heard it all. Are you still going to deny it?”

The hero’s mark? Wisdom? Magic?

I questioned the sudden, out-of-context words.

“…What?”