Reborn as the Head of the Stolen Mage Family

Chapter 48

“Hoo… Hah…!”

With a small shout, a first-year’s wand launched mana.

The mana was absorbed by the Wall of Ether, leaving a faint lightning-like trace on the black surface.

Embarrassed by the weaker-than-expected result, the student looked at Fred with an excusing expression, as if their mana couldn’t be that weak.

Fred smiled reassuringly but continued the lesson without comment.

“Next.”

The subsequent students’ launches were similarly lackluster.

Small ones left palm-sized traces.

Larger ones, two palms at most.

Even those faded within seconds.

‘No wonder they’re rattled. They’ve rarely handled raw mana.’

Eddie calmly observed their shocked expressions.

They were all pale.

For the first time, they saw their capabilities as undeniable visual results.

‘Young upper-class mages often mistake their strongest spell for their true skill.’

Given their early education, it wasn’t surprising.

They rarely faced raw evaluations.

Even Kirhausen’s tutors only praised Marcel’s magic unconditionally.

Such tailored training couldn’t foster real growth.

Launching raw mana was a way to break through that facade.

But judging by their reactions…

‘Even outside Kirhausen, no upper-class families use launching in early education. No wonder there’s no progress.’

Eddie shook his head at the unchanged conservative trends from 30 years ago.

The line dwindled, nearing his turn.

Flash-

“Ha… Damn…”

“If it takes time, that’s fine. Focus on gathering your maximum mana output.”

Frustrated by dozens of hasty launches, Fred advised the students.

The next student followed, gathering strength before launching.

As expected, it left a larger trace than the others.

“Oooh…!”

The noticeable change made students widen their eyes.

After dozens of failures, they’d found a clue.

The satisfied student stepped back, and Alexein was next.

Click-

As he aimed his wand at the Wall, all eyes focused.

Everyone anticipated the next Dickens head’s power.

“Hoo… Hah…”

Unlike his temperament, Alexein calmly regulated his breathing before channeling mana.

His methodical approach was impressive.

Then:

“…Hup!”

Flash-!

Alexein’s shimmering mana shot toward the Wall.

…Ssss-

A loud, clear trace appeared on the black surface.

The upper-body-sized mark showed his mana far surpassed the others.

“Wow-!”

“Amazing, Alexein!”

“Look at that size!”

His group clapped, hyping him up.

Normally, it’d be dismissed as flattery, but today it wasn’t.

It was genuinely impressive.

“Dickens is Dickens,” voices remarked, seeing him differently.

Alexein, stepping back, shot Marcel a mocking glance.

‘Did you see that?’ his eyes taunted, but Marcel ignored him.

“Next.”

The lesson continued.

Neither the next nor the one after surpassed Alexein’s mark.

Then, the student before Eddie finished.

It was Marcel’s turn.

“…”

As Marcel aimed his wand, a tense silence fell.

“Hoo…”

Like Alexein, he regulated his breathing, gathering mana.

All eyes in the classroom focused on the mana shimmering at his wand’s tip.

They naturally prepared to compare it to Alexein’s.

Thump.

Eddie felt his mana stirring within Marcel.

As Marcel channeled his own, their manas clashed.

But Eddie’s now-stronger mana quickly dominated.

Thump.

Marcel flinched as his mana circle was overtaken.

Having experienced it before, he dismissed it as overexertion.

His launch shot toward the Wall.

And:

“Huh…?”

A dazed voice spoke for everyone.

An utterly ordinary mark.

Two or three palms in size.

Not small, but pitiful compared to Alexein’s.

“What’s that…? Why’s it so small?”

“Was that really Marcel?”

“It’s smaller than Derrick’s!”

Small but numerous murmurs followed.

Students were shocked at the underperformance of the magical family’s next head and top enrollee.

But none was more stunned than Marcel.

He stood frozen, unable to lower his wand.

‘…Why?’

His expression was riddled with confusion.

The last time he’d maxed out his mana was during a spar with Eddie in Shainborough.

The same process, the same reaction.

He should’ve grown, not regressed.

So why?

‘A mistake…?’

It was the only conclusion.

Otherwise, it made no sense.

Eddie quietly watched Marcel’s rigid back.

‘He’ll aim for perfection next time.’

And now, Eddie’s turn.

“Next.”

Marcel snapped out of it at Fred’s voice and walked back.

He felt the sidelong glances but was too stunned to care.

All his focus was on Eddie’s turn.

Without delay, Eddie briefly gathered mana and launched it.

Whoosh-!

Unlike the dozens before, he didn’t take time.

But the mana from his wand felt different.

Students were startled by the intense aura sweeping past.

The next moment:

Sssss-

A spreading sound, and the Wall revealed the absorbed mana’s power.

“Gasp…”

A shocked breath echoed everyone’s feelings.

“What’s that…? There’s barely any black left…”

“He did it instantly, no prep.”

“Who is this guy?”

Like a black canvas scribbled with white chalk.

The Wall, covered in mana traces, was shocking.

Compared to Marcel’s lackluster performance, it was even more jarring.

Master and attendant.

A result more contrasting than their roles.

As Eddie walked back, students whispered:

“That rumor might be true. He got first in the practical exam.”

“Really? Not Marcel?”

“Marcel topped the written exam. He’s an attendant, so he probably did poorly there.”

“So he used stronger magic than Marcel’s 4-star spell in the practical?”

“Remember the central plaza? With that power, it’s plausible.”

The whispers revived buried rumors, shaping public opinion.

Though hushed, dozens of voices filled the room with uncomfortable murmurs.

“…”

Marcel gripped his wand tightly.

He wanted to cover his ears.

Soon, he’d hear, “So he’s been holding back for Marcel?”

Eddie sensed the unstable mana surging within Marcel.

‘Uncontrolled emotions drain stamina, affecting mana control.’

As expected, Marcel’s second and third attempts required longer mana channeling.

“Ha… Ha…”

Panting, Marcel stared at his mana trace on the Wall.

Suppressing anxiety consumed immense energy.

Two launches felt like six sparring matches.

Yet, despite his best effort…

‘This… is my maximum mana capacity?’

The trace was barely different from the first.

It wasn’t a mistake.

There was truly something wrong with his mana.

“Next.”

Marcel turned back but stopped, unconsciously watching Eddie’s launch.

A quick, controlled breath as he aimed his wand.

Then, mana shot from the shimmering tip.

Sssss-

White traces densely covered the Wall again.

Students shifted from shock to wariness.

Marcel’s lack of composure was evident.

Anyone could see he felt inferior to his attendant.

‘Tch.’

Marcel hid his expression too late; the rumors had already ignited.

Alexein, hearing the murmurs, quietly smirked.

***

That evening, behind the lower-year dormitory.

Commoner students gathered around Joy, excitedly recounting the day’s shocking events.

“It was really the Wall of Ether!”

“Marcel Kirhausen only managed average traces all three times.”

“I’ve never seen such a powerful launch. Who is Eddie Summerson?”

“Well…”

Joy, overwhelmed by their flood of information, was stunned.

“What did he do?”

Joy had skipped Fred’s class using an excused absence.

To revise her speech based on yesterday’s advice.

Meanwhile, incredible things had happened.

Most shocking was Marcel Kirhausen’s sudden slump.

Joy recalled part of Eddie’s plan from last night.

“Soon, Marcel and Alexein will clash heavily. The upper-class kids will hesitate to side with either. That’s your chance.”

‘…No way it’s a coincidence.’

“Why, Joy?”

“Huh? Nothing.”

She waved off their questions, keeping the rest of Eddie’s words to herself.