Chapter 3: I Am The Target Practice?!

Lucas Eberun, the father of Rest and Cedric, is the court magician.

He's one of the best magic users in the country, and that talent has been passed down to his only son, Cedric.

However, it's not just the talent that's been inherited.

Cedric has also fully inherited his father's bad nature and twisted personality.

"Hahaha! Come on, run, run!"

"Ugh…!"

In the Eberun family mansion, Cedric is firing off spells one after another.

Fireballs the size of fists chase after Rest, scorching his clothes and skin.

"Hey, what's wrong? Tired already? If you stop, you'll get hit! Hahahaha!"

Cedric cackles obnoxiously as he hurls fireballs at Rest, who is running through the garden.

Though Cedric is the son of the court magician and aims to follow in his father's footsteps, he regularly uses Rest as a target for his magic.

Children grow up watching their parents.

Seeing his father look down on Rest and his mother abuse him, Cedric found enjoyment in bullying his half-brother in the same way.

With no one, including his parents, to stop him, the training that felt like attempted murder only escalated.

"Please forgive me… I beg you, have mercy…!"

(He really never gets tired of this… He's definitely a product of those parents. There's no way he'll grow up to be a decent adult.)

While desperately pleading for his life, Rest internally spews out words of contempt.

(Are all nobles like this worthless? Between a father who violated his mother and a stepmother who torments me out of jealousy, it's like they're all scum.)

"Hahaha! Here's the finishing blow! Try my new spell… [Thunderball]!"

"Waaaaahhh!"

A ball of lightning struck Rest's back.

A searing current sliced through his body, and Rest collapsed, motionless.

"What's this? Is it over already? I guess a powerless commoner kid just can't cut it!"

Cedric puffed out his chest in satisfaction and kicked the fallen Rest with his toe.

"Make sure to clean up the garden. If you slack off, you'll be in trouble!"

"......"

"Haha, you really are like trash! I can't believe this is my brother!"

Cedric spat out words of contempt until the very end and stomped off from the garden.

"…"

Rest pretended to be unconscious for a while, but once he sensed that Cedric had completely disappeared, he sat up.

"Phew… finally, it's over."

He stood up and immediately activated a spell.

Using the healing magic, he healed his wounds and used purification magic to completely wipe away the sand and mud from his body, leaving him clean.

It might have seemed like he was on the receiving end of one-sided magic, but in reality, he hadn't taken as much damage as it looked. He had deliberately exaggerated his escape and acted in pain.

In fact, he had minimized the damage by wrapping his body in magical energy.

(So now it's lightning magic… he's pretty skilled, that guy.)

Whenever Cedric learned a new spell, he always used Rest's body as a test subject. Being the son of a court magician, he must have genuine magical talent, regardless of his personality. He could use a wide variety of spells.

(I don't know any other mages my age… but he must be exceptional.)

If only he had a good personality too, he could have been someone to respect as an older brother.

They say that heaven doesn't give two gifts, and it seems that God only granted Cedric magical talent, without the goodness to use it properly.

"[Lightning Ball]"

He concentrated his magical energy and released it outward.

A lightning ball crackled with purple electricity appeared in his palm. It was the same spell Cedric had used earlier, but this one was noticeably larger.

"…As always, it's helpful that he shows off the spells he learned. It's quite educational."

That was the reason Rest didn't run away and instead accompanied Cedric in his training. This was probably a perk of his reincarnation, but Rest had an endless reservoir of magical energy and the ability to replicate any spell he had seen once.

As a commoner, Rest had no opportunities to learn magic through books or tutors, as he faced discrimination. However, thanks to Cedric using him as a test subject, he was able to learn many spells like this.

(...I wonder what kind of face that foolish brother will make when he realizes that I'm contributing to his growth.) Cedric might be a genius in magic. However, Rest was convinced that he was far superior in terms of talent. If he could show this talent to his father, perhaps his treatment would change… but honestly, he didn't want to be recognized by that man.

"Not yet… it's still too early. I just have to endure until I come of age…"

Rest clenched his fists and reminded himself. Rest was still twelve years old. In this country, adulthood was reached at fifteen, which meant he still had three more years to go. No matter how proficient he was in magic, he couldn't get a decent job as a minor. In fact, it was quite likely that dirty adults would exploit his magical powers without giving him much money in return.

So, for now, he wouldn't show his fangs. Killing his persecuting stepmother and Cedric would be easy, but he was honing his magical skills while enduring their one-sided attacks.

(I will definitely outsmart them someday. I will rise to a much greater height than my father and Cedric…!)

Wealth, status, power. He would surpass them in every aspect. He would reach a position where he could look down on and crush the people of the Eberun noble family!

(For that, I will endure being a magic test subject or treated like a dog.)

Now was the time to endure. To lie low and suffer. It was a time of patience, sleeping in a cold stable with drafts and eating scraps like a dog.

With determination, Rest clenched his fists and began tidying up the garden.

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