[V8C12] Those Who Continue to Learn

One winter day in the third year of middle school, Isaac witnessed Cyril studying in the library and paused to observe him. Isaac had not been particularly interested in Cyril’s studies, but he found himself staring at the contents of the book Cyril had open.

Cyril was reading a book on magecraft, and one of the more practical ones.

“Wow, you seem to be reading some rather advanced content.”

With a start, Cyril looked up to see Isaac.

“Your Highness…!”

Cyril attempted to stand in order to properly greet Isaac, but Isaac gestured for him to remain seated, then took a seat on the adjacent chair.

Isaac loved magecraft. His heart would always leap when he read books on magic, and he had the constant urge to read and learn as much about it as possible. However, his position would not allow that.

If he were Isaac Walker instead of the Second Prince, perhaps there could have been a future where he studied magic alongside Cyril… But such an impossible future would never come, so Isaac plastered Felix’s smile on and started speaking.

“Now that I think about it, didn’t you choose Introductory Magecraft as your elective course?”

“Y-Yes! I’m honored you remembered.”

Cyril could not keep his mouth from twitching, so it was evident he felt honored beyond words.

Isaac did not keep track of the electives chosen by every single student. However, he made sure to check on the electives and grades of all student council candidates, as well as the top performers in each elective. Thus, he knew that Cyril Ashley was among the top students in the middle school division of the magecraft course.

(The Ashley family is related to the Starseer Witch’s Harvey family… They, too, are a lineage which often gives birth to individuals with high mana.)

Cyril was no exception, being blessed with outstanding mana capacity.

“Which school of magic is your specialty?”

“I specialize in ice magic.”

“Oh, that’s a pretty rare affinity.”

Even this trivial remark was enough to brighten Cyril’s face. He seemed to be having trouble reigning in his expression of joy.

Immediately after marking Cyril as a candidate for the student council, Isaac had thoroughly investigated Cyril’s background.

Former name, Cyril Wayne. In the commoner school, his grades were excellent, but due to his father’s influence, he had few friends. His personality could only be described as diligent and serious.

After transferring to Serendia Academy, he stood out at first, but from the day Isaac intervened in the dispute with Elliott, he gradually increased his interactions with classmates. What’s more, because of his good grades, those struggling with their studies sometimes asked Cyril for help.

(…However, being the stepbrother of Claudia Ashley must result in plenty of hardships.)

Claudia was a direct descendant of the Lineage of Knowledge, and possessed knowledge to the extent of being called a ‘walking library.’ Some ridiculed Cyril by comparing him to Claudia, leading Cyril to develop an inferiority complex to some extent.

Isaac’s contemplation came to end once he heard Cyril’s next words.

“I hope to assist my stepfather in the area of magic, since Claudia lacks the talent for it.”

(…Huh?)

Isaac knew the grades of all student council candidates, and among them was Cyril’s stepsister, Claudia Ashley.

According to his sources, Claudia possessed a mana capacity comparable to Cyril’s. What’s more, Isaac had witnessed her reading magecraft books on several occasions.

“Miss Claudia lacks the talent for magic?”

“Yes, she told me that she has no talent for practical magecraft, so she would rather study theory instead.”

Almost simultaneously with Isaac’s realization, he felt an increased pressure from the gaze that had been staring daggers into him since he approached Cyril’s seat.

While inwardly chuckling at the piercing stare aimed at his back, Isaac spoke cheerfully.

“I see. So you’re trying to help Marquis Highown in your own way.”

This caused Cyril to blush red, all the way to his ears.

At this point, Isaac understood the best way to handle Cyril. Rather than praising his abilities, it was more effective to praise his efforts in helping his stepfather. In that sense, referencing the story of ‘Bion, Bringer of Happiness’ may have been incredibly effective.

“As someone responsible for the future of this country, I am reassured to have talented people like you at my side.”

Isaac scoffed internally at how superficial that sounded. Even so, Cyril was already staring back with sparkling eyes of admiration.

And thus, Isaac decided to give him one last push.

“I’ll be counting on you, Cyril Ashley.”

“I am honored, Your Highness!”

Following a short exchange of goodbyes, Isaac stood up and walked quietly towards the exit. After passing a few shelves, Isaac made a sudden turn to find himself face to face with the source of the gaze from earlier, still staring at him with cold eyes.

“Perhaps I said something you found unnecessary? Miss Claudia Ashley.”

“…”

Claudia said nothing. However, Isaac sensed a quiet fury behind her beautiful and expressionless face. This was likely due to him mentioning Claudia’s lack of magical talent.

“Were you hiding your magical talent for the sake of your brother?”

In response to Isaac’s hushed inquiry, Claudia’s expressionless face transformed into one contorted in grief, as if she was on the verge of tears.

“…What an unpleasant misunderstanding. Me, hiding my talents out of pity for my brother’s inferiority complex? Only a foolish sister blinded by the love of her brother would do something so stupid.”

Isaac hadn’t intended to say that much. As he struggled to find a proper response, Claudia swept up her long black hair and continued.

“…I just find him incredibly troublesome. He always wants to compete.”

Since the moment she opened her mouth, Claudia had not once made eye contact with Isaac. In other words, she intended for her words to be considered as a soliloquy.

If Isaac were to reproach her for this behavior, she would only offer a polite apology and surface-level pleasantries to the prince. Isaac was convinced of that.

Claudia quietly slipped past Isaac, muttering out one last warning.

“…You’ll regret saying things like, ‘I’ll be counting on you‘… He’s bound to mess things up somehow.”

The true meaning of that warning would only become clear several months later. It was then that Cyril Ashley developed mana hyperabsorption after overexerting himself during magic training.

＊　＊　＊

“…Ugh…”

The hospitalized Cyril rolled over in his bed, clutching his throbbing head. While chanting, he pointed with convulsing fingers to a basin placed near the bed.

His magic created a clump of ice, which fell into the basin with a clattering sound. The draining of his mana somewhat alleviated the headache.

Nevertheless, his entire body felt feverish, and even trying to sit up was too painful.

(I… I need to drain a bit more mana…)

Cyril began a slightly longer incantation, but he fumbled the mana manipulation, causing the basin to become completely encased in ice. This was not the first time he had made this mistake.

(How long has it been since I contracted mana hyperabsorption…?)

His sense of time was clearly off, but Cyril felt it had been almost a month. He didn’t have the time to be lying around like this when he could be studying, or honing his skills in magecraft.

(Father-in-law and His Highness said they were counting on me… I must live up to their expectations…)

Cyril understood that it was his desperate attempts to meet expectations that had placed him in this mess. He had failed to match with Claudia in studies, and switching focus to magic only resulted in contracting mana hyperabsorption.

Still, desperately pushing himself forward was the only way of living that Cyril knew.

(What if they abandon me…)

A shiver ran down his spine at the thought.

If Marquis Highown gave up on Cyril, expelling him from the Ashley family, where could Cyril go then? He had no confidence that his mother would welcome him back.

——You are no longer my child.

What if his mother said that to him?

Imagining the cold stare from his mother caused Cyril’s entire body to freeze. Yet his eyes were burning and his head still throbbed.

Cyril huddled under the blanket to stop the shivers, when he heard a knocking sound on the door of the hospital room. However, it was still early for the doctor’s rounds.

He peeked through the gap in the blanket to see Marquis Highown approaching him at a brisk pace.

Cyril made a panicked attempt to leave the bed, but Marquis Highown gestured for him to remain.

“You should not be getting up yet.”

Noticing the completely frozen basin, Marquis Highown frowned and mumbled, “It seems quite severe.” Cyril’s vision went black.

Marquis Highown was disappointed in him. He would be abandoned, thrown away like the trash he was.

“…Please forgive me!”

Without any care for his disheveled hair, Cyril made one last desperate plea.

“I-I’ve already recovered, so I can attend classes tomorrow. I swear to make up for this by getting the top score in the next exam, so… so please…”

The words “don’t abandon me” got stuck before they could leave Cyril’s throat. He had always found himself unable to voice this phrase aloud. Even now, all Cyril could manage was to quiver his lips awkwardly.

However, Marquis Highown’s response was firm.

“No, what you need right now is proper treatment and rest. Studying can come later.”

Cyril let out a few heavy pants before his feverish head managed to comprehend Marquis Highown’s words.

(…I’m not being abandoned…?)

“I apologize for visiting so late. It took some time since I went to the royal capital to have this made.”

Marquis Highown took a small object from his pocket and placed it in Cyril’s palm: a brooch adorned with delicate goldwork and a blue gemstone.

With the brooch in his hand, Cyril felt a gradual decline in the uncomfortable heat enveloping his body.

“W-What is this…?”

“Is this your first time seeing a magical tool? This one has the ability to absorb and release mana in the form of simple magecraft. Apparently, the actual effect depends on the elemental affinity of the owner… I see, so in your case, it emits a cold air. I’m curious as to what would happen with the other attributes.

Magical tools were treasures that no commoner could afford. In fact, some were so luxurious that they could potentially cost as much as a mansion.

The blood drained from Cyril’s face in an instant.

“I-I can’t accept this…”

“Why not?”

“I am not… worthy of such a splendid magical tool.”

“The worth of an individual… Hmm, that is quite a difficult thing to define.”

Marquis Highown ran his fingers across his mustache in thought, before gazing at Cyril with his lapis eyes.

“What do you think it means to be a member of the Lineage of Knowledge? That you are someone who knows a lot? A cultured and well-educated individual?”

To Cyril, this meant someone as talented as his father-in-law and Claudia. However, Cyril fell silent, hesitant to give such an improper answer.

Marquis Highown continued in a soft tone.

“Surely, everyone will have their own definition… But I believe that we are those who never stop learning.”

Cyril lifted his face to see Marquis Highown nodding as he gently folded Cyril’s fingers onto the brooch.

“Your efforts in continuous learning should be rewarded. Consider this as proof of that.”

Cyril had failed at every turn, unable to accomplish anything, and caused trouble for many people.

Could he really be forgiven for this? Could he accept this brooch? Not all the anxiety in his chest had disappeared.

Even so, Cyril strongly felt that someday, he wanted to proudly declare himself as a member of the Lineage of Knowledge.

“You have a long life ahead of you. There’s no need to rush, keep learning at your own pace.”

Cyril tightened his grip on the brooch and nodded repeatedly. Droplets overflowed from his eyes and moistened the hand holding the brooch.

Marquis Highown handed a handkerchief to Cyril as he continued in a solemn tone.

“Of course, while I appreciate your efforts, we’ll need to have a thorough discussion about your reckless actions later. My lectures are long, so you had better prepare yourself.”

His father-in-law’s lectures were indeed lengthy, but there was nothing frightening about them. They always ended up diverging into discussions about how to improve so that the same problem will not occur in the future.

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