Chapter 4: Brotherly Conflict (3)
The underground level of the Renorf Marquis estate didn’t only have a prison.
As a family that had produced countless mages, it also had a training hall for magic users.
At dawn, I went there and kicked everyone out, including Albert.
Only after checking carefully that I was alone did I set down the sack I had been carrying on my back.
As it tipped over, valuables spilled out like grains of sand.
“Well then… let’s see how far I can push this.”
The only usable skill I had was my bonus skill.
So the goal of this training was simple.
Grow it as much as possible.
To gain points for using the skill, I crouched in front of the sack and reached out.
“Converting everything into points right away would be risky.”
I had no idea what might happen later.
It was better to keep some valuables as backup.
I selected a few ornaments and converted just enough to store 10,000 points.
“Now… how do I use this here?”
In the game, you could activate skills by pressing buttons.
That wasn’t possible here.
First, I had to figure out how to activate it.
“Maybe… like when I checked character info, I just have to think that I want to use it.”
As soon as I tried the idea, a familiar message appeared.
–How many points would you like to invest? –
‘Start with 1,000 points.’
The message disappeared.
A red burning sphere appeared in front of me.
–Combination Success–
–Basic Magic ‘Fireball’ activated–
When I stretched out my hand, the fireball shot straight toward the target.
It struck the wall of the training hall and exploded lightly before vanishing.
“So that’s how it works.”
Maybe because I had spent a year obsessively playing this game…
I understood the system after just one try.
“Good. This time, 2,000 points.”
–1,000 additional points spent–
–Choose a class–
‘Warrior.’
–Combination Success–
–Warrior Basic Skill ‘Smash’ activated–
Power surged into both my hands.
It seemed if I swung a weapon now, Smash would activate.
But there were no weapons nearby.
So I just stared at my hands.
After some time, the skill wore off and the power faded.
“So it auto-cancels after time passes. Same as the game.”
Sometimes even if you got a skill, you couldn’t use it without a proper weapon.
Knowing that alone was a valuable discovery.
“I should avoid spending only 1,000 points unless I have to.”
Today’s duel was a contest of magical ability.
No weapons allowed.
If I drew a warrior or archer skill in that situation, I’d be in trouble.
Better to spend 2,000 points and safely choose a class.
“Still… two successes in a row. I got lucky.”
The success rate of skill combination was only 35%.
And I had succeeded twice.
The odds didn’t decrease just because I succeeded consecutively…
But somehow I felt the next one would fail.
“If it fails, it’ll be a waste. Just 1,000 points.”
–Combination Success–
–Thief Basic Skill ‘Shadow Walk’ activated–
“This succeeded too?”
Each success was 35%.
But thinking of them in sequence, the odds dropped sharply.
Yes, it was the gambler’s fallacy.
But this time, I truly felt failure should come.
“One thousand points again.”
–Combination Success–
–Warrior Basic Skill ‘Smash’ activated–
“Huh?”
Something was strange.
Still, four successes in a row could happen.
With luck.
“One thousand points.”
–Combination Success–
“One thousand points.”
–Combination Success–
“One thousand points.”
–Combination Success–
…
Once the number of attempts passed two digits…
And eventually hit 100…
I became certain something was very wrong.
“How do you succeed one hundred times in a row?”
This wasn’t about probability anymore.
There had to be something forcing skill combinations to always succeed.
“But how? I can’t even use magic because of the poison…”
Then something occurred to me.
I hurriedly checked my traits.
–Half-Baked Blessing–
Right.
Ian had one more trait besides being unable to use magic.
A broken blessing.
No worst ending.
But also no best outcome.
“If there’s no worst and no best…”
“Then it guarantees the middle result.”
And for a skill with failure, success, and great success…
That was basically a cheat code.
“With this… this might actually work.”
The moment I realized a joke skill had real combat value…
Everything opened up.
Now that I had confirmed its potential, there was only one thing left.
Train it as much as possible before the deadline.
Thinking that, I grabbed the remaining valuables in the sack and replenished the points I had spent.
***
Even after the sun rose high…
Ian still hadn’t returned to the annex.
There was barely one hour left until the duel.
At last Albert couldn’t bear the anxiety and went underground.
“Young master! It’s almost time!”
He shouted and pounded hard on the iron door.
But it wouldn’t open.
Silence.
Like a grave.
Suddenly Albert grew afraid.
“Young master! Are you alright?! Young master!”
Maybe poison had spread again.
Maybe forcing magic had caused a backlash.
Or maybe he had despaired over his future and done something extreme.
Albert’s mind filled with dark thoughts.
“Alright already, stop pounding on the door!”
Only when Ian’s voice came from inside did Albert calm down.
He let out a breath of relief.
Then the iron door opened.
Ian stepped out.
“I’m trying to concentrate. Why are you making so much noise?”
“Young master! This is no time for that!”
“What now?”
“What do you mean, what? There’s less than an hour before the duel!”
“That’s all?”
Because of Albert’s panic, my training ended thirty minutes early.
But I had already achieved my goal.
So I picked up what remained and left the training hall without regret.
“Has everyone already gathered?”
“Last I saw, no one has arrived yet.”
“Then why call me this early?”
Grumbling as I climbed the stairs, I suddenly stopped.
A sound had reached my ears.
Albert looked at me strangely.
“What is it, young master?”
Instead of answering, I pointed.
From where I pointed came miserable groans, almost like ghosts were wailing.
“Why is it so noisy over there?”
“That’s where the thieves caught yesterday are imprisoned.”
“Oh? They sound like they’re being tortured.”
Albert shook his head.
“They’re not in pain. They are grieving after hearing their death sentences.”
“Death sentence? I never ordered that.”
“It was Young Master Yulian’s command.”
Hearing Yulian’s name, I looked surprised.
“I didn’t know he cared about me that much.”
On the surface, it looked like an older brother executing thieves who stole from his younger brother.
But I knew better.
There was no way Yulian acted out of pure intentions.
‘A guy who poisons his own brother in broad daylight isn’t normal.’
I didn’t know the details.
But obviously this was some act of venting anger.
And honestly…
I didn’t like Yulian trying to kill the people I had caught.
“If I order the executions stopped, what happens?”
“If opinions conflict, the higher-ranked person’s decision takes priority.”
“So it’s useless.”
For now, there was no way to help them.
Realizing that, I shrugged and started walking again.
“Young master… do you wish to save those prisoners?”
“It does seem a bit excessive. But what can I do?”
Honestly, death for theft felt too much.
But if that was noble custom…
I wasn’t eager to oppose it.
Getting used to this world would help me survive.
“If you win the duel, you can save them.”
Hearing Albert speak gravely behind me…
I let out a meaningful laugh.
“I have no intention of winning the duel.”
Albert thought perhaps age had made him go deaf.
So he asked again.
“What did you just say?”
“I said I don’t intend to win.”
Albert began to suspect Ian had gone mad again.
Not intending to win?
That was not a sane thing to say.
If Yulian won, he’d never leave Ian alone.
Even being exiled alive would be mercy.
“Young master… is that truly what you want?”
Unable to understand Ian, Albert tested him.
“Then what about Miss Kirolina?”
“…Why bring up her name?”
“In case you forgot the promise between you two.”
“What promise did I make?”
Ian looked genuinely blank.
Albert answered carefully.
“You said once you became family head, you would hold a formal engagement ceremony.”
I let out a hollow sound, half my mouth hanging open.
“You’re telling me that?”
“Then I definitely can’t win.”
Albert had no idea why Ian’s feelings had changed overnight.
But one thing was clear.
He meant it.
‘Did they have a lovers’ quarrel or something?’
That was the only explanation Albert, knowing nothing, could imagine.
