Chapter 49. Girl with Wolf Ears (1)
Elsyde Main House.
Fortress Central Hall.
The large-scale assembly held there had gathered far more mages than usual.
Whatever happens in any Main House inevitably spreads like wildfire throughout the Empire.
This time too, without fail, the eyes and ears of various famous media outlets responsible for such matters were gathered.
Broadcasting companies. Newspaper companies. Magazine companies, etc., journalists.
From their respective places, they were intently focused on the center of the hall, holding their breath.
- This assembly absolutely could not be missed.
While various announcements related to the Main House were often made during the daily assemblies, an event as significant as today's wasn't frequent.
Because it concerned none other than ‘one’ of the direct descendants of the Elsyde family, currently the hottest topic.
And just moments ago, the results achieved by that direct descendant in the assembly had been publicly announced to the world.
“…This concludes the report on the Nemesis 1st Examination.”
Teano’s concise report echoed through the room.
Meanwhile, the audience in the hall, having heard the unbelievable fact, had fallen deathly silent.
Except for just one person.
“…Did you truly say that Enoch passed the 1st entrance examination, Sir Teano?”
Dionil, the current 8th Circle, who attended the assembly.
As if representing the feelings of everyone around, he stammered, asking Teano again, who stood in the center of the hall.
“That is correct.”
Teano, neatly holding the removed formal cap against her uniform chest, replied calmly to his question.
“As reported. Lord Enoch Elsyde passed the Nemesis 1st Examination, intended to assess cooperative capabilities, with an exceptionally high score.”
Dionil, still seemingly unable to believe it, questioned her report again.
“Sir Teano. May I ask if there isn't some other reason for Enoch's passing the examination?”
“Dionil Elsyde, current 8th Circle Lord.”
Teano spoke in a concise tone.
“We knights of Nemesis have no family names.”
The surroundings fell silent for a moment at her polite yet composed answer.
- An answer implying to Dionil, ‘Stop talking nonsense any further’.
Knights joining the Nemesis Knight Order, which professes absolute neutrality, must discard the surnames representing their families upon being knighted.
Because in the Empire, run by talents from numerous renowned magic houses and influential families, severing one's own roots was the very foundation of absolute neutrality.
Therefore, all Nemesis knights have no surname (姓).
Only the name representing themselves remains.
「The Nameless Knights」
That was the epithet attached to Nemesis with reverence.
The Main House, the pillar of the Empire where all sorts of forces are subtly intertwined.
To maintain neutrality amidst those numerous mages, one must be flawless from the start.
And matters publicly announced by such a Knight Order carry corresponding weight.
Because it is perfectly objective fact, uninfluenced by the personal opinions or external pressures of other forces.
Precisely why the Main House had appointed them as the official certifiers to assess Enoch’s capabilities.
“Enoch Elsyde, current 9th Circle direct descendant, has officially passed the Nemesis 1st Examination.”
And Nemesis Deputy Commander Teano calmly announced their opinion again.
“Not only did he demonstrate outstanding capabilities in the examination grounds, but all knights supervising the examination also judged him suitable for the Allied Mission.”
Dionil’s face slightly crumpled at those words.
Teano looked straight at him and said.
“Therefore, we have concluded that Lord Enoch’s capabilities are impeccable for the role of a direct descendant officially leading the Allied Mission. That is our Nemesis assessment regarding Lord Enoch Elsyde.”
There was no room for doubt in her statement anymore.
If one didn't trust the words of the Nemesis Deputy Commander, it would be difficult to obtain more reliable objective information within the Main House.
Teano quietly turned her head.
“This concludes the report, Executive Officer.”
She bowed politely and glanced at Enoch sitting in the seat next to hers.
The boy with jet-black hair.
Teano’s eyelashes, looking at him, lowered very briefly beneath the shadow of her formal cap.
‘Enoch Elsyde.’
The examination was over. But still, her personal curiosity about him remained unresolved.
No, rather, the mystery surrounding Enoch's identity, which she thought would be resolved in this examination, had only deepened.
Through the video sent by the drone in the examination grounds, she had clearly watched Enoch's actions.
The secluded underground waterway in the ruined city.
A place beyond even the drone's reach.
There, Enoch lured Baphomet and killed it.
‘Certainly, only that person entered the waterway.’
Therefore, beyond doubt. Enoch faced the Special-grade Magical Beast alone there and killed it.
‘…Truly, to think he possessed the skill to kill such a Special-grade Magical Beast alone.’
But precisely because of that, even more questions arose.
‘Certainly, until recently, the current 9th Circle was a non-mage. Yet, to suddenly possess such immense power?’
How he managed to kill the Special-grade Magical Beast, classified as high-risk, alone, and what power he truly possessed, nothing was clearly revealed.
‘Still, suspicious.’
Teano’s eyes were hidden by the shadow of her formal cap.
Therefore, regardless of the outcome of this examination. She still couldn't take her eyes off Enoch Elsyde.
‘His skill exists, but the question of what power he possesses remains unresolved.’
Enoch didn't show any magic during the examination.
If so, the suspicion that he might be related to dark magic also remained unproven.
Therefore, as long as the magic he used couldn't be accurately identified, from the standpoint of Nemesis, which must uphold the family's precepts, the suspicion about him couldn't be dispelled.
Teano, having finished her report, slowly turned and passed Enoch as she exited the hall.
Click.
In the brief moment passing him, Teano turned her gaze under the shadow of her formal cap and glanced at Enoch.
‘I’ll have to watch him for a while.’
Anyway, the parts unconfirmed in the examination grounds would be revealed during this mission.
Besides, she herself would accompany the mission due to Nemesis dispatch. There was plenty of time for observation.
‘At least until I am convinced that the current 9th Circle, Lord Enoch Elsyde, is truly not a dark mage.’
Teano walked past Enoch and distanced herself.
Over the sound of her receding footsteps, the typing sounds of newspaper reporters recording the events just announced filled the vast hall.
Without a doubt, the news about Enoch this time would also spread rapidly throughout the Empire.
And unlike before, this time with the solid guarantee of the Nemesis Knight Order.
“…Following the report from Nemesis just now, the commander for this Allied Mission has been decided.”
As Teano exited, Grantel, who was presiding over the assembly as Executive Officer, subsequently announced.
“Current 9th Circle Lord Enoch Elsyde will undertake the Allied Mission related to the Beast-kin village, fulfilling his duty to prove Elsyde’s public service.”
Countless gazes focused on Enoch.
Swish.
Enoch, called upon by Grantel, slowly rose from his seat, bowed his head, and confirmed acceptance of the mission.
Meanwhile, in the opposite seat.
Dionil, sitting there, was seen staring this way with quite agitated eyes.
His expression, filled with question marks as if still unable to comprehend the examination results, was truly a sight.
“This concludes the assembly.”
Beyond his expression, Grantel, presiding over the assembly, looked around the audience and concluded.
“Soon, detailed mission information will be relayed separately via summons to the participating personnel, including the direct descendants.”
***
Immediately after the assembly ended.
As scheduled, a summons came from the executive office.
Enoch, heading towards the office, gathered his thoughts on the way, partly to shake off the fatigue from the examination.
‘First, passed the Nemesis Knight Order examination as expected.’
Originally, it wouldn't have been such a noteworthy event.
He was confident of passing from the start, and the Knight Order's 1st examination was merely the final qualification proof needed to go to the Beast-kin village.
‘I certainly thought it was nothing more and nothing less, but…’
Enoch paused in thought for a moment.
One unexpected event from the battle with the Special-grade Magical Beast at the end of the examination kept bothering him.
‘The Special-grade Magical Beast, merely an obstacle in the examination grounds in the original work, recognized the Empire's Last Sword Saint?’
When he finally unleashed Form 2, Fire Wheel, completed to a level close to the Sword Saint's realm.
Baphomet, in its final moments, clearly recognized his sword and died venerating it.
‘Come to think of it. I knew from before that the Empire's Last Sword Saint had some connection to Magical Beasts in the past.’
He had already guessed it from the term Magical Beastification experiment mentioned during the inheritance of the Last Sword Saint's memories.
But putting other things aside….
-The Special-grade Magical Beast knelt and even bowed before losing its life?
The creature’s final action was difficult to readily understand.
However, even if questions arose, there weren't many clues yet to even make guesses.
Somehow, the more he learned, the harder it felt to even guess what connection the Last Sword Saint had with Magical Beasts in the past.
Enoch decided to turn his attention elsewhere.
Anyway, dwelling further on the question here wouldn't yield answers right now.
There was something else that needed to be done immediately.
“Lord Enoch, the Executive Officer is waiting.”
The butler opened the door and guided him.
The lofty executive office located in the upper floors of the fortress, now somewhat familiar.
Grantel greeted him, standing with his back to the vast office window as usual.
“You’ve arrived, Young Master Enoch.”
As always, Grantel offered a brief greeting upon seeing Enoch enter the room.
Then he personally handed over a sealed document that was on his desk.
Swish.
The document containing the detailed contents of the Allied Mission.
Handing it over, Grantel spoke to Enoch.
“Congratulations. You have finally received the official mission you desired. And a large-scale Allied Mission at that.”
Official mission.
What meaning could that hold for Enoch?
No citizen of the Empire would be unaware.
The first steps of the boy, confined in a dark room for 17 years, towards a world full of light.
It was something everyone thought would never happen.
A faint smile seemed to appear on Grantel’s face for the first time as he looked at Enoch for a moment, as if finding him commendable. However, his expression soon turned serious.
“However, Young Master. It’s awkward to say this right away, but…”
Before he knew it, Grantel’s face, as he spoke, showed clear concern rather than congratulations.
“For this mission, you must be particularly careful.”
“Careful?”
“Yes. First, the document.”
He gestured with his eyes towards the document he handed over, indicating to open and check it, then continued.
“The Beast-kin residing in this mission area are a very powerful tribe. Because they are the only ones capable of residing in the southern Elsyde domain, teeming with ferocious Magical Beasts.”
Grantel added, watching Enoch break the seal.
“The Beast-kin are innately high in mana sensitivity, and are a race born with natural talent, especially in magic combat using physical enhancement magic. As such, they are all strong individuals.”
Enoch nodded absently.
Mages specialized in combat from birth.
That was a major characteristic of the Beast-kin.
“I see. I will be careful.”
“Yes. However, the Beast-kin have so far refused to follow the Empire's laws, remain uncontrolled, and are very dangerous, known only to follow the lineage of the ‘Great Chieftain’, the head of the Beast-kin.”
“Meaning, an uncontrollable combat race.”
“Precisely.”
He nodded.
“So in many ways, the Beast-kin have been regarded as a ticking time bomb in the Elsyde domain since the past…. But the Beast-kin have been relatively quiet until now, and the southern Elsyde domain they inhabit is difficult to access due to numerous Magical Beasts, so they have been left alone.”
Grantel added with a heavy expression.
“However, their recent movements are ominous.”
“Why?”
“Starting several months ago, reports came in that Beast-kin were attacking and kidnapping civilian Imperial citizens residing near the southern region. This is considered a clear danger.”
“Kidnapping, huh. Not just simple plunder then.”
Grantel nodded meaningfully.
“Yes. For some reason, they were reported to kidnap only ‘people’, not aiming for goods or money.”
Kidnapping people.
Enoch frowned slightly.
Somehow, Vendetta’s human experiments experienced in Leopold flashed through his mind.
“Thus, family mages were dispatched for investigation… but they disappeared after leaving word that the Beast-kin colluded with Vendetta and were plotting rebellion against the Empire.”
Having said that much, Grantel added in an extremely concerned tone.
“Honestly, I don't think it's just an ordinary burden for Young Master Enoch to undertake such a high-difficulty mission consecutively right after finishing the Exemption Mission, without even taking a rest…”
“Thank you for your concern.”
Enoch replied calmly.
“But I still have a long way to go.”
Grantel also nodded heavily.
“I can imagine your hardship, Young Master. Now that you remain a direct descendant, there will be many challenges to overcome.”
He looked at Enoch and said.
“Above all, you still haven’t recruited the most important ‘Follower Families’.”
Follower Family.
Those who pledged to share the same will in the Empire, declaring themselves the most trustworthy allies.
The best cooperative system that, depending on the case, could even receive support from the power of the family they belonged to.
As such, the Follower Family system was considered quite time-honored and important even in the modern Magic Empire.
However, as Grantel said, Enoch still lacked such dependable Follower Families to whom he could entrust his life. He continued worriedly.
“That point will particularly concern you in this Allied Mission too. After all, not having mages you can trust and act together with in emergencies will surely be a hindrance to you in all missions, Young Master.”
Enoch nodded.
As Grantel said, Follower Families were indeed important.
Not only could they trust each other with their backs in battles where life and death were decided in fleeting moments.
On a larger scale, ‘Follower Families’ were entities that could significantly influence political standing within the Empire depending on the family's power or affiliation.
Yet, the reason Enoch hadn't been able to bring in even one such important Follower Family until now was obvious.
Although Enoch was a direct descendant of the Main House, he was on the verge of disownment, and his standing within the family was unstable.
Being a non-mage and having a precarious position as a direct descendant made recruitment impossible until now.
Only now had that adverse condition finally disappeared.
But even so, he couldn't just randomly recruit any mages as Follower Families right away.
‘Recruiting a Follower Family isn’t the end.’
Enoch recalled his experience from the original work.
‘First, as companions on missions, ‘Follower Families’ are a kind of party concept.’
Even in the original work, when setting out on missions, Follower Families had to be chosen very carefully and organized into teams.
Indeed, he keenly felt the importance of combination even while taking the Knight Order examination this time.
Forming a team with usable Follower Families for a mission like this is called ‘formation’.
‘Knowing how to flexibly organize such combinations freely is one of the basic qualities a player of <Magic Empire Atlas> must possess.’
However, knowing the characteristics of all Follower Family characters, easily exceeding a hundred in the original game, inside out was solely the privilege of a seasoned player.
Having thought that far, Enoch smiled briefly.
Magic Empire Atlas.
Here, the mage he ‘absolutely had to recruit first as a Follower Family’ had been decided from the very beginning.
‘In the original work, there was a Tier 1 mage unaffected by any formation composition.’
An all-too-familiar silhouette of that individual flashed through Enoch’s mind.
A girl compared to a nuclear bomb when users in the community discussed characters’ combat power.
‘The mage who was consistently Tier 1 in the original work!’
Instantly, an all-too-familiar silhouette flashed through Enoch’s mind. Enoch smiled unknowingly.
His heart was pounding before he knew it.
The first Follower Family had to be none other than ‘her’.
Because…….
‘She was the mage I always used as my main character in the original work!’
Main character.
Usually called the ‘main character’, the character a player operates most centrally in a game.
Naturally, the girl he was most familiar with, understood better than anyone else, and knew how to maximize her already outstanding potential.
Meaning, now that he had become Enoch Elsyde.
The number one priority Follower Family to recruit was practically decided long ago.
Because he knew ‘her’ growth potential and usability better than any other mage in the Empire.
Gulp.
Thinking that far, Enoch unknowingly salivated.
Understandably so, because recruiting and nurturing Follower Families was practically the ultimate goal of spec improvement in the original work.
“…Young Master Enoch?”
Grantel called out to Enoch, who was momentarily lost in thought.
“Regarding the Follower Family I just mentioned. The choice of Follower Family must be very deliberate…”
“You need not worry.”
Enoch replied thus, half-pulling out the document containing the mission details.
His dark blue eyes turned towards the phrase written on the map enclosed in the document.
「Operation Area: Beast-kin Village」
The village where the Beast-kin, considered a very dangerous group among the ‘Demi-human race’ in the Empire, lived together.
In fact, this was one of the reasons why Enoch absolutely had to participate in this mission.
Enoch smiled faintly and added.
“My first Follower Family, I intend to welcome during this Beast-kin village mission.”
“Eh……?”
Grantel looked this way with a slightly puzzled expression. An expression as if he didn't quite understand what was being said.
But Enoch was already turning around and leaving the executive office. His mind had switched into seasoned player mode after a long time.
‘Absolutely. Recruit only the best Follower Families.’
Mages who reigned as Tier 1 in the original work.
Make all of them his allies.
Because that was also the way to survive as Enoch Elsyde in this perilous Magic Empire ahead.
‘And regarding the individuals who will become the most powerful mages in the Empire 5 years later……’
Enoch gave a meaningful smile.
‘I know them better than anyone else.’