Reborn as the Head of the Stolen Mage Family

Chapter 50

Grip-

Alexein’s hand tightened on Eddie’s collar.

‘It worked.’

Confirming Alexein’s confident glare, Eddie inwardly cheered.

This plan to mislead Alexein hinged on one gamble.

Would Alexein, with a few clues, jump to the most likely conclusion—Dalton Kirhausen?

And Alexein’s quick thinking made Eddie’s gamble succeed.

“Are you mute? Did you meet Dalton Kirhausen or not…!”

In the upper-year dormitory, Alexein kept his voice low but threatening.

Eddie only averted his gaze.

Alexein let out a harsh, incredulous laugh.

“I knew something was off. Why would Dalton Kirhausen, with his path to success paved, curry favor with the next head? So this was the deal?”

Thud-

He roughly released Eddie’s collar.

Eddie staggered but caught every word.

“Unbelievable, Marcel Kirhausen. Acting all high and mighty while sending your attendant to do this?”

Eddie barely suppressed a laugh.

‘He’s furious. Forgot he sent his own attendant to steal.’

Alexein’s muttering trembled subtly.

Eddie knew it wasn’t just anger.

Alexein’s lips betrayed uncontainable glee.

‘Must be thrilling. He thinks he’s got dirt to ruin Marcel.’

Suppressing his amusement, Eddie trembled his voice, feigning excuses.

“Y-Young Master, it’s a misunderstanding. Marcel didn’t order me… I found it myself!”

“What nonsense? How could you find this?!”

“In… in the library archives… I stumbled on it while browsing old records!”

“…What?”

“…”

“The library archives?”

“Y-Yes… the library archives…”

“Haha… Hahaha! All that mana, but you’re a complete idiot!”

Alexein burst into laughter, forgetting to keep his voice down.

Then, his face hardened as he stepped closer.

“Hey.”

His voice dropped chillingly.

“This speech is my grandfather, Sir Eustaf von Dickens’s, student council election speech. He crushed Kirhausen with it to become president.”

“…”

“That means…”

Slowly, forcefully pressing Eddie’s shoulder.

Unhidden glee and triumph oozed from his fingertips.

“This document you have is a precious archive only student council officers can access, you dumb attendant.”

“…”

His scornful tone dripped with contempt.

Eddie clenched his teeth to keep from resisting.

It was expected, but Alexein’s demeanor was far more vulgar than anticipated.

‘Still, his reaction means he took the bait perfectly.’

Alexein’s misunderstanding was natural, his anger justified.

But only if his misunderstanding were true.

Thanks to his irreversible error, Eddie’s trap was complete.

Eddie recalled his conversation with Fred.

“Former Dean Galliard… You mean the dean from when you were a student?”

“Yes. He was an even bigger eccentric than young Leo. Saw everyone as a research subject.”

“I see. But what’s the connection between him and Sir Eustaf’s speech?”

“You know he wrote many books.”

“Yes. His literary prowess is renowned. Some are used in academy liberal arts courses.”

“Then you know his memoir from his deanship is in the academy library?”

“What does that mean…?”

“You didn’t know. Then you wouldn’t know it contains the full text of Eustaf’s speech.”

“…!”

“Students were his best material. Especially notable ones. How could he skip the student council election story of me and Eustaf, rivals for six years?”

“Why was it unpublished?”

“Shortly after the election, a major accident killed students. The dean resigned in disgrace.”

“…That accident.”

“Yes. But he couldn’t discard the manuscript, so he left it in the library archives. Only the librarian and I knew.”

“‘Only’ you two… So others learned of it later.”

“There’s always a bookworm among model students. Especially one who became a professor and married a librarian.”

“…Vice-Dean Sinclair.”

“I confirmed through Leo. She knows of the manuscript.”

“Wow… Alexein Dickens would never imagine this. Your past life’s memories make your plans flawless.”

“Seems so. I didn’t expect to use that incident like this.”

Eddie’s expression dimmed as he recalled it.

He hadn’t wavered when explaining to Fred, but emotions stirred now.

‘I’m still not hardened enough. Shaken by using that incident.’

It was inevitable.

That accident left a deep scar on Eddie.

Anyway.

Eddie bowed his head to hide his expression.

Alexein’s aggressive waving of the paper snapped him back to the present.

“Take this to Marcel. And don’t breathe a word of meeting me. Or a lowly attendant like you will spark a clash between two families.”

“…”

“No answer?”

“Y-Yes… Understood.”

Alexein smirked deeply.

Excited at the chance to crush Marcel, he could barely contain himself.

Then, an academy staff member approached from the dormitory entrance.

“You two first-years. What’s this commotion at night?”

Alexein casually flashed his pass.

Turning to the dormitory, he shot Eddie a warning glance.

Eddie showed his pass and apologized.

“Sorry for the disturbance.”

The staff’s scolding, even for pass-holders causing a ruckus, poured out, but Eddie didn’t hear it.

His mind echoed an unspoken apology.

‘I’m sorry for using our fierce rivalry like this, Eustaf. But it’s also to set your grandson right, so please understand.’

***

The next day.

In the first-year class president election, 20 more candidates withdrew.

Eleven supported Alexein, nine Marcel.

Alexein gained 23 advance votes.

A huge lead over others, including Marcel.

His group was in a festive mood, as if he’d already won.

Listening to their chatter, Eddie followed Marcel.

They headed to Rosetta Hall, the academy’s grand auditorium.

Today, all first-years would gather to hear the candidates’ speeches.

Step-step-step-

Marcel’s pace quickened, as if to escape Alexein’s group’s voices.

Eddie watched his back quietly.

‘He looks like he’d explode if poked.’

Marcel’s sensitivity was at its peak.

Eddie recalled Marcel returning late last night, drenched in sweat.

‘He came back from the training grounds near midnight. Then stayed up preparing his speech.’

Eddie had maintained his dominant mana within Marcel.

Even during the encounter with Alexein, he kept suppressing Marcel’s mana control.

‘He came back drained.’

A different pattern of weakened mana.

The hope that his poor Wall performance was due to nerves was shattered, pushing Marcel’s anxiety to the limit.

And hours ago, in Fred’s class, he showed low power again.

Meanwhile, Eddie whitened the Wall of Ether once more.

Outdone by his superior attendant, with Alexein’s many advance votes and mana anxiety, Marcel’s mind was on the verge of breaking.

Unaware of Marcel’s state, Alexein felt elation seeing him react to him for the first time.

‘Heh, forget the election, he won’t show his face for a while.’

At Rosetta Hall, the 15 remaining candidates sat in the front row.

Most, flipping their speeches, watched the two leading candidates’ contrasting expressions.

They hadn’t decided whom to support.

Then, a leading candidate’s voice echoed through the hall.

“Marcel, ready for your speech?”

“…What?”

The sudden conversation silenced the hall.

“I didn’t know you were so serious about this election. If you needed my grandfather’s speech, you should’ve asked me, not snuck it through your cousin.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Denying it so gracelessly? Disappointing. Last night, your attendant was caught with my grandfather’s speech leaving the upper-year dormitory.”

“…!”

Marcel’s shocked eyes turned to Eddie.

Students whispered throughout Rosetta Hall.

The longer the silence between the candidates, the louder the murmurs.

The hall became uncontrollably noisy.

So much that the vice-dean’s entrance was drowned out.