Scene 019# Talent
Mondri looked at me with a shocked expression.
“How could the Count know that name…”
Knowing the identity of Myohail meant knowing the secrets of the Cremont family.
But Myohail’s expression did not change in the slightest.
“Haha. I never expected someone who remembers that name I used in the secular world to still exist.”
The Cremont family, among the seven prestigious magic families of the empire, had the longest history.
Myohail was the first head of the Cremont family and the legendary magician who first received the title of sage.
Having become a spiritual being, he was still enjoying life to this day.
“However, I have long abandoned the name Cremont. The imperial family wanted to seat this old man in the position of dean, but I found it too bothersome and passed it all to this unworthy disciple.”
“Master! It’s disheartening to hear you say that!”
Mondri was indignant at those words.
“Why? Weren’t both the position of the Cremont head and the university dean what you wanted?”
“Both positions were obtained through my own abilities!”
“You young chick! So, did you eventually become a sage?”
“Well, not exactly…”
Myohail clicked his tongue.
“Tsk tsk… Just looking at you, aren’t you the type who doesn’t even practice magic anymore now that you’re a bit older?”
“What? No, I do practice magic in my spare time…”
“Ha! Magic dulls the less it is used! That’s why, although I had no choice about the position of the Cremont head, I intended to pass the dean’s position to Millium.”
An unexpected name came up.
“Passing the position of dean of the magic university to someone who couldn’t even perform a single spell! Moreover, he was younger and less experienced than me!”
“Hmph. That guy was also my beloved disciple. Are you saying my judgment was wrong?”
“Master! That’s not what I meant!”
Millium was Myohail’s disciple?
This was news to me.
Since Millium did not appear in the original work, there was a lot of information I didn’t know about.
“Moreover, that guy had a better eye for people than you.”
“What?”
“If it were him, he would have selected students without the need for such useless magical tools.”
At this point, I almost felt sorry for Mondri.
The sight of a white-haired old man being flustered by a cat was bizarre beyond measure.
Myohail clicked his tongue.
“Tsk… But don’t worry. Even if we went back to that time, I would have still entrusted the dean’s position to you.”
“What?”
“That guy had a big problem…”
Myohail slowly approached me.
“Millium judged the world solely by value. That made him efficient and he never suffered losses. However, there were no emotions involved. He was like an empty shell.”
His amber eyes scrutinized me intently.
They shone like the eyes of a wild animal.
“Isn’t that right? Count. Or should I say, the son of Millium.”
Myohail’s long beard twitched.
He was scrutinizing me.
With his animalistic senses, honed over more than a thousand years living as both a human and a cat, he could read even the faintest fragments of emotions in others.
But I had no intention of showing even the slightest disturbance to Myohail.
Likewise, my personality ‘Pride’ wouldn’t allow it.
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Personality: Pride
Rank: SS
Detail: You are superior to everyone else. You are the best there is.
Therefore, you never show any weakness, not even in life-threatening situations. You never bend your pride, no matter what.
This personality shines even brighter in the presence of someone stronger than you.
Even at the moment of destruction, you can remain the best in the world.
*This personality is one of the seven deadly sins.
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[You use ‘Pride’!]
Thump.
“How dare…”
A displeasing emotion surfaced.
As if suffocating, a sense of claustrophobia.
“You dare…”
I faced Myohail’s sharp gaze head-on.
Even if he were to discover my identity, the legendary magician and sage,
I would not teach him anything.
He is older than me.
He is inferior to me.
He is lesser than me.
He dare not… do anything to me.
[You use ‘Patience’!]
[Your ‘Pride’ is suppressed by ‘Patience’.]
Exercising patience, I spoke up.
“…Is this also part of the test you mentioned?”
“Ho ho…? My, my… I apologize. This old man sometimes stares blankly at people… Hahaha.”
Myohail stroked his beard with a cat’s paw.
Then, he cunningly changed the subject as if he knew nothing.
“Haha. The evaluation will be conducted by Mondri and me. I doubt there’s ever been such a luxurious panel of judges.”
“Do as you please. Wendy.”
“Yes!”
I slowly approached Wendy.
Until then, her big eyes did not shy away from me.
“If you fail, I’ll kick you out.”
“Eek?!”
“Are you not confident?”
“Ma-May I speak honestly…?”
“The fact that you’re asking that question already shows you lack confidence, doesn’t it?”
“Right… This school is for high-born individuals… I’m not worthy to enter a place like this…”
Wendy sobbed.
“Sob… I’m too inadequate to serve the Count closely… I make many mistakes… and often cry like this… Sniffle.”
Saying so, Wendy bowed her head deeply.
I already knew that.
+
Character Profile.
Name: Wendy.
Age: 12.
Occupation: Exclusive maid of the Earl of Luelberta.
Personality: Crybaby, Clumsy, Frail, Unfortunate
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A deplorably inadequate set of traits.
A maid who is a crybaby, clumsy, frail, and beset with misfortune.
Utterly useless.
Moreover, a walking death flag for me.
However, the reason I made her my exclusive was not just to keep her alive and watch over her.
It was a shame.
Wendy, as a character, was too valuable to be treated as a discardable card.
Sora, the original author, once told me:
-Every character in a story exists for a reason. There are no characters without purpose.
Yes. I agree with that statement.
That’s also why I loved this story so much.
Because there are no characters to be discarded.
Even Tristan, at the very least, was a necessary villain in the story.
“Wendy.”
“…Yes. Sniff…”
Though obscured by her traits, appearing useless, Wendy is also a named character.
She has traits… for a reason.
She is alive… for a reason.
I believe so.
“Stop whining.”
“…Sob!”
“How did you climb the Stairs of Truth?”
“That, that was because the Count helped me-.”
“Wrong. You climbed it with your own feet.”
“I, I couldn’t even stand up there before the Count held me…! I’m a coward and a crybaby-.”
I sighed.
Recalling a line I once said to her.
“You cry at the drop of a hat, you’re frequently sick, skinny and
weak, and you’ve broken many dishes from falling.”
“Sob… I’m sorry…”
“But even then, didn’t you always get back up without me having to pick you up?”
“…Yes?”
“That’s your talent, Wendy.”
“……”
Silence followed.
Then Wendy spoke in a trembling voice.
“…That’s all I can do…”
“I know.”
“Jus-Just that…?”
“Yes. That’s fine.”
“Re-Really…? Is that okay…?”
“…I won’t say it twice.”
“Sniffle… Hehehe…”
Wendy laughed through tears and snot.
Then, wiping her tears with my coat sleeve, she said,
“If the Count says so, it must be right…”
And she said with a smile I had never seen before,
“I trust the Count…!”
“…Do as you like.”
“Yes!”
“Hahaha….”
Then, Myohail, who had been there without me knowing when, laughed and joined us.
“Little lady, are you ready?”
“Yes!”
“Full of energy, I see. Since the Count is here, let me explain the content of the test. The specialty test is…”
Myohail’s eyes curved like crescent moons.
“It’s to compete against me. Hahaha.”
Thanks for the chapter 😁