LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 100
To be blunt, I was getting complacent.
It was a semi-dystopian level of a controlled society, with CCTV cameras installed every block and personal information of every citizen registered on electronic servers—a place known for its remarkably good security during my past life on Earth.
In contrast, after my reincarnation, I had been living a life far removed from safety.
Outside the city and village lay a treacherous wilderness where life was constantly at risk.
But to avoid starving to death, I had no choice but to take those risks.
Even if it meant enduring at least 12 hours of grueling labor afterward.
Thanks to that, Karem faced life-threatening situations multiple times in the forests and fields.
Mostly from low-level monsters like goblins, which posed a huge threat to a starving child like me, even though I wasn’t fully grown.
Such hardened instincts for survival dulled in just a few months, compared to the affluent civilized life my past self in Karem would have envied.
Not to mention this was Winterhome, right at the heart of the Duke’s Family.
It seemed odd to anticipate danger here.
(Despite the experiments failing all the time, still…)
Suddenly, several metallic cubes came flying in.
If it were before, I would have reflexively dodged them, but Karem froze on the spot like an animal seeing headlights on the road.
The situation could have resulted in serious injury.
But Karem was not alone now.
“Whoa!”
Mary, who had stepped forward before I knew it, swung at the first incoming metal block. Clang! With a distinct imprint of her fist, the block fell to the ground.
“This feels surprisingly good.”
Catherine muttered, sounding nostalgic, as she waved her hand, and the remaining metal blocks that had been flying in were interrupted by a loud explosion of sound and metal shards scattered, stopped by a barrier.
“Is this what you miss?”
“BASIC 1 FOR WIZARDS. Before learning magic, you need to control your own mana first. The practice involves sensing mana and using it to move objects repeatedly.”
“Ah, the telekinesis you mentioned before?”
“Well, it may look similar from an outsider’s perspective. But just because the results are the same doesn’t mean the processes are identical.”
“When do I stop that practice?”
“Naturally until you can skillfully control your mana!”
That answer came not from Catherine but from the center of another room.
The metal blocks that had been stacked like a barricade quickly flew toward the center of the room.
At Olivier’s gesture, sitting opposite Robin, they piled up pyramid-style.
Only then did Karem get the chance to look around Olivier’s room for the first time.
Unlike Catherine’s room, which turned into a chaotic mess of materials, parchment, and books every single day despite Mary cleaning it daily, this room was very tidy and serene.
“Well, there’s no need to worry. Unlike that unfilial little disciple over there, the progress is fast, Robin.”
“Old man, have your brain wrinkles turned white like your beard? I finished this in three days.”
“And you completely destroyed my laboratory, with not a single powder left! You reckless child! Do you know how much that alchemical pot you punctured cost—”
“There’s a more important issue at hand.”
Mary abruptly interrupted the two arguing grand wizards.
“The dust piling between the bookshelves, the fluff fallen on the floor intertwined with hairs, the thin layers of dust that formed. Clearly, you haven’t aired out the place for three days. I’m starting the cleaning.”
“Are, are you starting now?”
Mary’s sudden declaration.
Olivier couldn’t help but be taken aback.
However, the House Fairy’s eyes had already turned upside down after seeing the (not particularly filthy in others’ eyes) unclean room.
Karem had anticipated this happening long ago.
Catherine silently agreed as well.
“Now, there are people in the room. Won’t the dust scatter around?”
“Prince Robin. You can’t postpone cleaning. Let’s purify the air like with purifying magic or something.”
Disregarding the discourtesy that couldn’t be shown to the direct lineage of the Duke’s Family, Mary marched straight to the window and flung it open.
“Karem, right?”
“Prince Robin. It’s my first time meeting you in person.”
“Is that dimwit over there usually so oblivious?”
“No. Mary just doesn’t pay attention.”
“Typically, our household maidservants are very aware of our family’s feelings.”
“Isn’t the immediate workload more important?”
Karem and Robin followed Catherine into the purifying barrier that Olivier had just stabilized.
Olivier pointed his chin toward Catherine.
“So, Kitty. What brings you to my room? Up until now, you wouldn’t even face me except when passing off work.”
“I was just curious about what the little one has been up to for over three days. I happened to be bored and followed along.”
“What? Just bored? And what about those piled approval documents—”
“Ha ha ha ha! You know my ability to handle work better than anyone, old man.”
“Grrr—”
Even though Olivier intended to delegate the workload to him while he was out, the final confirmation and approval always had to be made by Catherine, the one in charge, so it was only natural for work to pile up.
But Catherine had long since finished all her tasks on the day she arrived at the castle.
Olivier knew this about her, hence his groaning.
“Perfect timing, as there’s something to see, little one.”
“Yes! You called?”
“I’ll have today’s snack here.”
“Whoa…”
Karem glanced at Catherine with a dumbfounded expression, as if to confirm if it was real.
She would enjoy a leisurely break right in front of Olivier, who still had a tutoring session left with Prince Robin. In other words, she planned to have a delightful tea party.
Olivier, unable to resist, flicked his fingers.
He cast a spell that shaped and sent a fireball toward Catherine.
“Are you looking for a fight?”
The fireball that Catherine caught with a scoff immediately froze and shattered into countless pieces, flying straight at Olivier.
It was natural that Robin, who had just entered the world of magic for less than a week, couldn’t comprehend this sudden small war between the two grand wizards.
Karem empathized across ranks and absentmindedly patted Robin on the shoulder.
“You’ll adapt soon enough, Your Highness.”
“Really? Can I adapt to this?!”
“Seeing it every few days, you’ll acclimate whether you like it or not. I’ll come back again shortly.”
Karem bowed to Robin.
“Huh? Where are you going?”
“Following Sir Atanitas’ words. I’m off to prepare the snacks.”
Then Karem swiftly exited Olivier’s room before the fireball could explode.
Mary, who had just finished cleaning, followed behind him.
And thus, the long-awaited small battle between the two grand wizards finally concluded when Robin, unable to bear it, declared an armistice under the pretext that class hadn’t ended yet.
Catherine realized she had intruded during class, and since she couldn’t ignore what Robin said, she withdrew her magic and stepped back from the lesson.
“No, how did it turn out like this? Oh!?”
Whiiiiiing bang!
Of course, Robin’s blunders continued.
“Sir Atanitas!”
“Don’t worry about that guy, Prince. If he can’t stop that, a sage should have quit long ago.”
Olivier plopped down into a chair, suggesting he had no worries at all.
Catherine merely waved her hand, as if to say not to worry, remaining in her chair with her arms crossed.
“Now, let’s recap the reasons for the failures. Unsurprisingly, there’s one main issue. Prince.”
“But the blocks are too heavy, and controlling my mana is too difficult!”
“Calm your impatience. Just a few days ago, those blocks didn’t even budge, right?”
As Olivier pointed out, Robin had been growing anxious.
But it was hard not to be anxious.
Maybe it was because he had always been weak that he felt more familiar with the idea of sitting in a chair than standing outside, and more comfortable in bed than on a chair. Naturally, it made sense to envy the siblings who could move about freely.
Especially Alicia, who roamed Winterhome at her leisure.
However, after mana surged suddenly, and then he began learning magic, things changed.
His body, which could barely walk a few steps without gasping for breath, now felt unexpectedly light and he couldn’t contain his movements. On top of that, he found himself able to wield the magic he never thought he could.
Lying down all the time, Robin felt like the current situation was a dream.
And he wanted to handle the magic that had caused this change even more.
“Then, calm your breath and heart. Close your eyes and focus on your mana again.”
“Got it. I’ll give it a try.”
“That’s not it!”
Robin turned his head in surprise at the sudden denial.
Olivier emphasized while tapping on the ice sphere hanging from Robin’s chest, which was made of Scadi’s holy relic lent to him by Karem.
“There’s no ‘trying.’ You either do it or don’t. It’s possible or impossible. Thinking of trying means nothing. And in this old man’s eyes, Prince, you can do it.”
Olivier’s words rippled through Robin’s heart.
And he was right.
All this time, Robin had wanted to do things but could never manage to do them.
No, he hadn’t been able to. It was all due to his weakness.
But in just a few days, everything had completely changed.
His once unmovable body felt light as a feather, and his always rough breath became gentle. It was like starting anew.
Olivier was undoubtedly right.
Robin had no reason to be anxious.
He was still very young, and time was abundant for him.
‘I think I might be able to do it this time.’
With those thoughts, he felt his heart lighten.
Robin reached out once more toward the metal blocks.
The task was strikingly simple—just lower the stacked blocks slowly, one by one. Robin concentrated and manipulated the ambient mana, gripping the blocks.
Suddenly—
“Sir Atanitas, the snack you were waiting for has arrived.”
“Oh, finally. I was just about to get bored.”
Bang bang bang!
At the sudden noise, all the tension dissolved. Excess mana surged toward the blocks, causing a potential explosion, but they were caught and neatly stacked in a stair-like formation by Catherine’s unaffected telekinesis.
He thought it would finally work!
Robin glared angrily at Karem and Mary, but his intense emotions swiftly melted away.
“Is that a dessert cake? It’s smaller than I expected.”
“That’s the result after testing various desserts. Contractor. Karem helped with it.”
“It’s called financier.”
Among the plates and cups neatly stacked on the table, a small pound cake, resembling a sweet-smelling tiny gold bar, caught Robin’s eye.
The plump gold bar shape boasted a bright yellow and brown coloration.
The faded golden-colored little cake came in four varieties.
Each adorned with tiny seeds, almonds, and berries—the different versions mixed and stacked to resemble a miniature building mock-up.
And similarly, five large cups piled high with whipped cream scented sweetly and dusted with cinnamon like snow decorated the table.
“It’s good to study hard, but how about we eat since it’s snack time?”
At Karem’s question, Robin absentmindedly nodded.
So this was why that pig Alicia bragged about it all the time!
While Robin’s astonished mind raced, his body seemed to possess a ghostly power, making him sit at the table.