Chapter 196
The Child Who Sees Mana
“All the children who were with you have been sent to different orphanages. Some have already been adopted.”
Ceres called Jien over and briefly explained what had happened during that time.
After all, it had been the place where he had lived for a long time, so he felt he should let the child know that the orphanage no longer existed—and also update him about the children who had lived there.
“Mm.”
He hesitated a bit before delivering this next part. Talking about that person might hurt the child.
“The director there… is sick and dying.”
“…Sick?”
Still, Ceres thought it was better to tell him. It was better for the child to know that the one who had treated him horribly was paying the price somewhere, rather than imagining that the abuser was living well. This knowledge could ease some of the deep unease buried in the child’s heart.
“Yes. A disease that’s rotting his whole body.”
The child’s eyes widened slightly, then quickly returned to their blank expression, showing no interest in the director at all. Ceres didn’t mention it any further.
“You know you’ll start attending the academy next week, right?”
“Yes.”
Right now, the most urgent thing was sending the child to the academy.
‘He hasn’t done any basic learning at all.’
Attending the academy wasn’t mandatory—he could have been taught at home—but…
‘That’s not all there is to it.’
From Ceres’ perspective, what was most important for the child now was socializing—learning to interact with people.
‘He needs to learn how to be with kids his own age.’
Moreover, an academy diploma could be a significant opportunity for the child. In society, graduating from the academy could be seen as a mark of distinction. For now, Ceres planned to provide the child with these various opportunities.
The next concern, however, was…
“That ring.”
Ceres’ gaze remained on the ring gently resting on the child’s hand.
“I’ve told you before, having that ring means you have a talent for magic. If you want, I could even introduce you to the Mage Tower.”
Well, I know the head of the Mage Tower well—how could I not get you in?
“……”
The child was silent for a long moment, then stared intently at the ring on his hand.
“If I… learn magic, will you… be pleased, Ceres?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Meeting the child’s gaze, Ceres let out a long sigh.
‘Again, again.’
Every time he was asked to make a choice, the child would first look to him for his opinion or reaction, and it made him sigh automatically.
“Jien.”
Ceres called the child quietly.
“This is a decision for you. My opinion doesn’t matter.”
“……”
“I’ve told you before: if you want to do it, you can. If not, that’s fine too. It’s your decision.”
The child’s gaze shifted back to the ring, and once again, a long, silent pause followed.
Ceres, as always, didn’t rush him. He simply watched silently until the child had finished thinking.
“…I will.”
After a long while, the child finally spoke.
“I’ll learn magic.”
“Hello.”
“……”
“I’m Cheyan. Let’s get along from now on.”
“……”
Cheyan cheerfully greeted the child, but there was no response from Jien.
“You need to greet properly.”
“Hello, I’m Jien.”
But at Ceres’ word, as if remembering something, the child bowed deeply at the waist, giving a proper greeting.
“Uh…”
Right now, I’ve been ignored, haven’t I?
Cheyan, slightly shocked, looked at his secretary Luca standing behind him. When their eyes met, Luca said:
“You have all the qualities to become a member of the Mage Tower.”
“What? What makes you say that? Can you really see magical talent?”
“Magical talent, what does that matter? A steadfast attitude that isn’t swayed by Lord Cheyan—that alone is enough. You’re accepted.”
“…Why are you the one deciding acceptance?”
Cheyan, glaring at Luca with disapproval, then looked at the ring on the child’s hand. He had already been told about it by Ceres.
The ring of Archmage Artia.
“Ha… I spent so long looking for that.”
It was said that only exceptionally skilled mages, recognized by Archmage Artia herself, could wear the ring.
Naturally, Cheyan had never doubted that he himself would be the one to possess it.
Yet despite searching across the continent for years, he hadn’t even found the slightest clue. And now, this small child had suddenly appeared wearing it.
Does that mean the child’s magical talent surpasses mine?
Cheyan exhaled a long sigh, feeling a little disheartened. He had never once doubted his own genius… until now.
“You can’t get it with talent alone.”
“Huh?”
At that moment, Ceres’ voice reached him. It was as if he already knew exactly what Cheyan was thinking.
“Talent isn’t the only requirement. There’s one more thing.”
“One more thing? What is it?”
Cheyan tilted his head in confusion. Everyone knew that Archmage Artia’s ring could only go to the most talented—but apparently, there was more.
“Desperation.”
“…Desperation?”
“You were just a little less desperate than that child.”
The yearning, the desire for magic—that was one of the conditions to possess the ring.
‘Talent alone isn’t enough. You need the burning desire to be the best—that’s important too.’
Recalling what Artia had said long ago, Ceres looked at the child standing quietly beside him.
‘And yet, here he is.’
A child with such an overwhelming yearning for magic.
“If I… learn magic, will you… be pleased, Ceres?”
He desired it so desperately—enough to be the rightful owner of the ring.
‘And yet, he asked for my opinion first.’
Recalling the child’s earlier behavior, Ceres clicked his tongue lightly.
There was still so much he needed to teach this child. When would he be able to speak up confidently about what he truly wanted?
‘This is why childhood environment is so important.’
Ceres thought, half-jokingly, that perhaps he should return to the orphanage and curse the director one more time.
Not just Jien, but maybe other children were in a similar situation—constantly watching others’ reactions…
“Study hard.”
“Yes…”
Ceres gently patted the child’s head as he lowered it. Sometimes, time itself could be the best medicine.
‘I hope it will be so for this child as well.’
He sincerely wished that time would erase all the painful memories in the child’s heart.
[Long time no see, half-breed.]
“…When did you escape?”
[Escape?]
“Then Ceres must have let you out?”
After afternoon prayers, Ershi returned to her room and found an uninvited guest sitting comfortably as if she owned the place, legs crossed, holding a skewer of fruit.
A woman dressed in ethereal clothes—none other than Eliette, the goddess of curses and fortune.
[You.]
“What do you mean?”
[You were the one who encouraged Grace to lock me in the subspace.]
“I wouldn’t do something so troublesome.”
Crunch.
[You’ve always been wary of me because you know who I am.]
“I never was.”
[Then why else would that brat put me in subspace?]
“That’s because Lady Eliette was always clinging to handsome men, being completely useless.”
[Wow, you’re a capital-T too. Both teacher and student, gotta respect the brutal honesty.]
Crunch.
She popped the last piece of candied fruit into her mouth and rose from her seat.
[Ceres still doesn’t know, does he? Your true identity.]
“……”
[Not human, not really a god—just a half-breed.]
“I think I’m better than someone sealed in a fan, running around at will.”
Ershi chuckled softly and settled by the window.
[Ugh, this is why I hate you. You’re handsome, but your personality is such a pain. That guy should see how prickly you are.]
“…I don’t want my personality criticized by Lady Eliette.”
The owner of the world’s most infuriating personality said that? Ershi looked at Eliette in disbelief.
“So… did you come all this way just to pick a fight? You really have too much free time.”
[You saw it too, right?]
“Saw what?”
[That thing beside Ceres.]
