Chapter 138: Volume 6 Chapter 137 – The Big Picture (2)
Kidard Hall's residence was in a remote forest off of the road.
The nice-looking brick house looked no different than a regular house, but underneath it, there was a magic research facility.
It was the first time Kidard invited someone to this place.
He brewed some tea after seating Jin in the living room.
'What in the world is this? A Hister! In fact, if the mana got passed down, this child must be the possessor of the ultimate mana.'
Thump, thump.
Kidard's hands trembled as he held the teapot. On the other hand, Jin sat straight and tall, waiting for his tea.
Hister.
The Hister Clan was an ancient clan of magicians that threatened the Zipfels around the 1400s to 1500s.
Yet, as always, they lost to the Zipfel Clan and lost their place in history. Now, there were no books related to them, and their elegant magic was discontinued.
Despite that, Kidard knew the name as well as the great magic that came from them.
'When I was in the Zipfel Advanced Magic Academy's Administrative Council, I found a short history about the Hister Clan in the secret archive. What I read… was something that all magicians could only dream of.'
Since then, Kidard had been researching the Histers. He gathered the remnants of their history by travelling all around the world, going to various academies and auctions.
Artifacts, magic tomes—everything related to the Hister Clan.
However, it was all garbage. Anything of high magical regard or anything authentic were all in the Zipfels' secret archive.
Nevertheless, a few years ago, he miraculously found a magic tome while in the Huphester Alliance. And with it, he completed a unique magic that earned him the name 'Kidard of Profusion'. His newfound magic filled a portion of his puzzle for mana-overload-inducing spells.
'Kidard, I wonder how you would confirm that I am a Hister. And if you do, I wonder how much you want to take me in as an apprentice. I'm sure you are desperate… Just like what you did to my teacher.'
Kidard handed Jin a cup of tea, and Jin lightly nodded.
"Thank you, Mister Amel."
"If I knew you were a descendant of the Hister Clan… I wouldn't have treated you like that. At first, I thought you were Kelliark's son or another grand magician's underling."
"Honestly, I didn't want to reveal my name. I wanted to keep it a secret forever since I can easily get exterminated because of it. Since you know about my clan, you don't need to tell…"
"Ah, yeah. I know. The moment your existence becomes known to the Zipfels, you will never survive."
"…But you won't hand me over. If you wanted to, then you wouldn't have given me such nice tea. I don't know much about tea, but this one has a nice scent."
Kidard smiled.
"Fufu, it seems it hasn't been long since you found out about yourself. Do you know about the Zipfels' bounty on your clan?"
"I don't."
"At least one million gold coins. In fact, since you also have the magic, it'll be ten-fold!"
Pffft!
Jin purposefully spewed the drink out of his mouth.
"Huh… I'm… sorry. That's an inconceivable amount of money. A million… that would be more than the entirety of the Meltador emperor's storage."
It was genuinely surprising. In that case, it meant that his past life's magic teacher also had that same bounty.
"One million gold. This old man can't even spend that much until I die. First, I'll get out of this brick house, then use that good money to buy an entire island. And then, I would make that island my research lab. I don't have a reason not to hand you over."
"Hm."
"Hence, your destiny lies in my hands. My real name is Kidard Hall. Before you were even born, I was already a 9-star and making myself notorious."
"Are you saying that you are the Kidard of Profusion?"
Kidard smiled, satisfied with the response.
"You know my name? I wasn't active during your time."
Kidard gathered some mana in his palm.
Kiiing, keeng!
The mana spun like a whirlpool and let out a screech. It was the precursor of the overload spells that symbolized him in his prime.
"After becoming a student, I looked up to you the most. Whilst studying, you wouldn't know how many books I've read about you."
"Why's that?"
"Unlike me, you don't conceal your power or hide from the Zipfel Clan."
"Oho."
"Even after realizing my potential, I wanted to graduate from the Meltador Magic Academy and become a normal low-ranked magician to live the rest of my life in peace. In that place, my talent wouldn't be recognized and appreciated."
Not even third but fifth-rate. Kidard's judgement of the institution was precise. The professors and faculty remained at 4- to 5-star.
"Certainly… The trash of Meltador will never realize your talent. Yeah, I understand now since I also worried and pondered about my talent being stomped on by the Zipfels. Since you're a Hister, it must be worse."
Jin swallowed his scoff.
Before Kidard developed the overload spells, he tried his best to remain under the Zipfels. Yet he distanced himself from them after developing new magic.
"But you have attained 9-star without the Zipfels' assistance. Compared to you, I'm… Well, this is pointless, since I'm in a position where I can't even hide myself. I'm actually very thankful."
"Thankful for what?"
"Please think about it. While running away from them, I coincidentally met you, and you are doing me a big favor."
"A favor! Why do you think that? I can technically kill you in three seconds and sell you over to them. Well, no problem, though. No problem."
"If you were blinded by money, you would still be occupying a spot under the Zipfel Clan or Vermont Imperial Family. And as their affiliate, you would be honored and showered with wealth, and all magicians would respect you."
Picking his words wisely, Jin spoke some more.
"But you weren't. You left the comfortable life and kept distance from them. In a book I read about you, it was stated that 'Kidard Hall is a bold person with a powerful will and determination who didn't come from privilege.' That's what I see."
Throughout their conversation, there was nothing Kidard didn't like about Jin. As they continued, he fell more and more for him.
Not because he was good at flattery. Despite facing someone who could send him to his death, Jin's confidence didn't shrivel, and his eyes radiated dignity.
Those were the aspects that grasped Kidard's interest. To be exact, he fell due to the desire to have a successor.
'Meltador Magic Academy? This boy is a god-given prodigy that can't rot in that fifth-rate school among fifth-rate nobodies! And those eyes that shine with bold confidence… He holds what I wanted when I was young…'
A long silence ensued.
Kidard needed time to deal with his emotions.
'I have never dreamt of a family in which my own magic would be passed down. However, how long have I spent searching for someone who could succeed me?'
If this were a coincidence, the gods must've fallen in love with Kidard and given him a gift.
A meeting that would never happen twice.
Thinking this, Kidard was certain that Jin was the last descendant of the Hister Clan. However, there was no downside to checking again.
Kiiiiiiiing…!
He raised the mana in his palm and looked into Jin's eyes.
"You must prove to me that you are a Hister. And you must make a decision."
"…What decision?"
"I'll tell you after you prove yourself. Show me that you are a Hister. Any item or skill is alright."
Jin pulled out a tome from his worn leather bag.
"The mercenary group leader who raised me gave me this while telling me the truth. The author is Schugiel Hister, one of my ancestors. However, I don't know exactly who they are."
"Hand it here!"
Kidard instinctively reached forward, but Jin shook his head.
"I can show you, but I can't let you touch it."
"What?"
"I swore to myself that I wouldn't let anyone else touch this book even if I die. Please look from afar. If you don't intend to kill me."
The words that he prepared stung Kidard's heart. He didn't even think it was disrespectful. Jin had been leading their conversation all along.
"Alright… In that case, open it up and show me."
Fwip, fwip, fwip…
Every time Jin flipped a page, Kidard's mouth opened wider.
'This encoding… It's the real thing!'
Jin closed the magic tome and opened his mouth.
"I am 16, and as you may know, I have 7-star mana. I heard that only pureblood Histers with the 'complete mana-body' can obtain this kind of mana."
"You said you grew up under the mercenary leader. How'd you know about the complete mana-body? That is a term that's been lost in history."
"I found out about it in the succession temple. When I entered, all kinds of archival magic activated and told me everything. Then, they told me that I was compatible with the mana, so I inherited it. I can't prove that part, though."
"A-Archival magic! You experienced that too…?!"
The Zipfel Clan got rid of the Hister Clan because their potential threatened the entire clan. However, the main reason was due to their 'archival magic'. To a clan that manipulated history all the time, the Histers' archival magic was a hindrance in their eyes.
It was something that even Zipfel geniuses couldn't imitate. It was more like a glorious phenomena than magic.
"Is that enough proof, Mister Kidard?"
"What is the name of the mercenary leader who raised you?"
"He is Ocly Ben in the Schucheron Kingdom's southern region. He operated a small mercenary group called the Grey Owl Mercenaries, and everyone… died to the Zipfels, trying to save me. I came to Meltador so that their death wouldn't be in vain."
Smiling bitterly, Jin looked at the floor.
All of his lies were true stories that he heard from his old teacher. His teacher, who was 14 at the time of the incident, probably cried every night for the mercenaries' sacrifices.
'I'm sorry, Master. I'm using your pain for my revenge. When we meet again, I will return the favor when I have the chance.'
Kidard sighed.
"…Alright, you are proven to be a Hister. Now, decide."
"I'm listening."
"Do you want to live a meaningless life as a normal magician in Meltador, or do you want to continue the 'Profusion' title and leave your name in history?"
Jin whispered his answer.
Kidard clenched his fist and shook.
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