’We did it...’ Derek smiled weakly as he rose to his feet despite the lightheadedness that assailed him.
He looked around him and felt almost bewildered by the outcome.
It still felt unreal to him.
Like a dream he would wake up from at any moment.
’I... actually beat Klein?’
It was a close match, one that Derek had feared he would lose. He had run out of Magia at almost every turn and only barely managed to turn things around at the end because of Klein’s arrogance and carelessness.
’If not for Max’s ability to absorb Magia at a terrifying rate, I would have been stuck at the first step.’
Thanks to the Magus Codex, Derek was able to activate power beyond his current reach to detect Klein’s plan using Spell #35: Trace.
However, the moment he used this Spell, his Magia reserves reached rock bottom.
That was why he couldn’t use [Invigorate] to ease his pain or strengthen his body after he was hit by Klein.
He had to absorb an exorbitant amount of Magia to activate his second limit-exceeding Spell.
This Spell had only been recently gained thanks to Max detecting the distortion in the air and analyzing the Rune used to create the transparent wall.
This gave him access to Spell #53: Wall.
’After using that Spell, my Magia reserves went to rock bottom again, and I had to rapidly absorb Magia to attack Klein while his guard was down. I had to use a powerful Spell, else he could recover and deal a counterattack.’
Thankfully, Max had also analyzed Klein’s Rune and helped him transcribe it into a Spell.
That was what led to his use of Spell #11: Blast.
It was a truly close one.
Max had to rapidly absorb Magia while also dispersing it through Derek’s channels so he could use such advanced Spells.
As for Derek, he had to quickly strategize and find a path to victory.
The two of them worked together to come up with the current scenario that led them towards his eventual success.
’Now... I can register.’
Derek slowly walked away from the stage and towards his siblings.
Melanie was already by Klein’s side, administering emergency treatment with a Spell while Emma was prancing around in worry.
When he got to them, Derek noticed what was going on. Despite that, he still found the strength to speak up.
"Since I passed... I’d like to proceed with my registration."
His voice was low and gentle.
However, his words came with a firm tone that showed his resolution.
"You bastard!" Emma shouted while pointing at him. "This is all your fault! Look at the state Klein is in because of you!"
Derek sighed and shook his head.
"He used the same thing on me in the form of a more powerful Rune. I don’t see you criticizing him."
"That’s..." Derek’s gaze softened upon hearing Emma’s explanation. "I didn’t know that would happen. I’m sorry..."
"Sorry for yourself! Hmph!"
"...."
Derek clenched his fist, but didn’t say anything more.
He wondered if this was truly a bad time to mention his registration, considering how his only brother was in his current state because of his actions.
’But time is going. I have less than twenty-four hours left. The sooner I register, the better!’
"Go away, Derek!" Emma yelled with a mix of disgust and anger. "This is all your fault. Just like with our mum, you want to kill Klein!"
A sharp sting flared in Derek’s heart as soon as he heard that.
"I... I didn’t..."
"If anything happens to Klein... I swear... I swear..."
"That’s quite enough, Emma," Melanie finally retracted her focus from the charred body and interrupted the conversation. "Nothing is going to happen to Klein. Stop overreacting and leave Derek be."
"A-ah, really?!"
The relief on Emma’s face was unmistakable as she looked at her breathing brother with tender affection.
Derek witnessed this rapid change and hid his bitter smile.
Emma had never shown him even a smidgen of the concern she gave Klein during the many years they had known each other.
It almost felt like he wasn’t even her brother.
Even now, as Melanie knelt right next to Klein and Emma jumped around in concern for him, he felt like an outsider.
No one congratulated him for his hard-earned victory or showed amazement at his remarkable growth. He only heard one voice of encouragement amidst the filial void.
[You did well, Host. Don’t let anyone here take that away from you.]
’Thanks, Max...’ Derek fought back the tears as he lowered his head. He hadn’t realized just how much he wanted to hear those words from someone.
Anyone.
’That... really means a lot to me.’
"Derek," Melanie’s call shook him out of his emotional trance.
"Y-yeah?"
"Your registration will be promptly processed. I’ll also have a copy of whatever we send to Lucia Magus Academy delivered to your premises before the end of today..." After pausing for a few seconds, Melanie added with a meaningful nod.
"You have my word."
Derek could see his sister’s sincerity, and he knew just how seriously she took her word.
Thus, he chose to trust it.
"Alright."
Without waiting for anything else from his siblings that clearly didn’t want him in their midst, Derek took his leave. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
He tried to combat his sadness by reminding himself he had won the match.
But it was useless.
Deep down, he knew the obvious truth...
No one wanted him to win.
.....
"Klein..."
Emma quietly sobbed as she watched her brother’s unconscious body lying in the infirmary. She occupied a chair right next to him and she refused to take her teary eyes from him, not even for a moment.
Her emotions nearly overwhelmed her and her thoughts were in disarray, but memories of the past vividly played in her troubled mind.
She remembered how Klein personally helped her prepare for her Academy Entrance Exams and how she only barely succeeded because of the trick he had taught her.
She couldn’t forget how many times he came through for her in the Academy.
There were moments when she wanted to give up, or even drop out, due to how difficult student life was, but he kept encouraging her throughout.
He was like a strong pillar she could always rely on. Ever since they were kids, this had been the case.
Their father, the current patriarch, had abandoned them for his duties to the Eastern Theocracy.
He was too busy with the Great Forest to even attend to his children.
Melanie had always been too distant, while Derek had made them orphans and even threatened Klein’s position as future patriarch until he was declared Inept.
Now that he was no longer Inept, he had become a threat once again.
The Lewis Family was filled with too many enemies, and in such a cruel world, Klein was all Emma had.
She was also all he had.
After all, Emma was also the only one who unconditionally supported him, even despite his speech impediment.
She truly believed in his potential and always supported him.
That was why...
... She was glad to see Derek meet his end on that snowy night.
"Why? Why in the world is that bastard still alive?" Emma gritted her teeth to control her frustration and the fear that had quietly seeped into her heart.
"He’s supposed to be dead. How did he survive? How did he beat Klein? How can he use Spells so quickly? How is he able to do all these things?!"
The unknown terrified people, and Emma could feel it at this moment.
She was scared of Derek.
More than that, she feared for her and Klein’s future as long as the youngest son of the Lewis Family continued down the path of a Magus.
"For our sake... for Klein’s future..." With a shaky breath, Emma whispered while tears rolled down her eyes.
"... Derek has to die!"