Reborn as the Head of the Stolen Mage Family

Chapter 63

Traditionally, field trip locations were chosen for places that could broaden students' perspectives.

The content learned there was included in the midterm exams, so the location selection was important for the professors as well.

Because the person making the questions couldn't be ignorant.

So in the past, senior professors pressured for locations related to their fields of expertise to be selected.

And that malpractice was completely eradicated only after Leodimir became the dean.

"Since there was no particular opposition from the senior professors, we can proceed with the field trip as planned."

"Those guys shouldn't have a say. They don't even show up for the meeting to decide the location and push the hard work onto the young professors."

Eddie frowned as he recalled the absent professors.

The more he thought about them, the more pathetic they seemed.

Of course, thanks to their laziness, a favorable outcome where both Fred and Brenda accompanied them emerged.

But a good result didn't make the pathetic situation any prettier.

Eddie sighed once more and gave his instructions.

"You two, during the supervision, tell the students a lot about the magical beasts of Valcon. You must emphasize that they are only active at night and only show themselves in response to strong magic."

"Yes, I understand."

"I understand. But……."

"What is it, Fred?"

"If the Mana Bloodstone has such a strong magic absorption effect, it must already be absorbing all the magic that reaches Valcon Ruins."

"That's right."

"My magic and Professor Jin's are one thing, but the students' immature magic will be absorbed as it is……."

Fred's words trailed off as he saw the change in Eddie's eyes.

A mysterious curve of the lips and narrowed eyes.

Eddie's unreadable expression created a sense of tension.

But what came out of Eddie's mouth was an unexpected word.

"Excellent."

"Pardon?"

"Your attitude as an educator, worrying about that part. But you don't have to worry. The moment the 1st-year students set foot in Valcon, the Mana Bloodstone will cease to function."

"Why is that?"

"Have you forgotten who is among the 1st years?"

"Ah!"

Fred, who had been pointed out, let out a belated exclamation.

He had been worried about what kind of accident or attack might occur at any time.

So he had forgotten about the safety measure in place for this field trip without realizing it.

"The ones who joined hands with Kirhausen can't absorb the magic of the next head of the Kirhausen family."

"Indeed, that would be the case."

"So you two must be especially careful to ensure that Marcel does not leave the ruins."

"Ah… as expected……."

Fred exclaimed once more and looked at him with eyes of awe.

But Brenda still had a question and raised her hand.

To be precise, it wasn't a question, but a part that needed to be confirmed.

"But… have you completely decided to include that child, Joy Lixiodor, in the plan?"

"You could say so. I've already revealed to her that I'm trying to bring down Kirhausen and have formalized a cooperative relationship."

"...I see."

"Is there something you're suspicious about with Joy, Brenda?"

"Rather than that……."

Brenda hesitated for a long time, as she had carefully brought up the topic.

Eddie didn't press for an answer and waited patiently.

Finally, Brenda voiced the concern she had while talking with Professor Powell.

"I think we should be more cautious before including someone with no connection to Palamedes in the plan."

"Hmm……."

"After all, that child has no reason to make an enemy of the current Kirhausen."

"That's right. And I can't just list my story and appeal to her emotions for help."

"According to your plan, His Lordship, there will be an opportunity for that child to make a name for herself in this field trip as well."

"Exactly."

"In that case… how about we twist the plan a little and test Joy's true willingness to help?"

Eddie's eyes twinkled once upon hearing those words.

He said, rather cautiously.

"Are you saying we should see if there's a possibility of betrayal in the future?"

"To put it coldly… yes, that's right. If the reason for participating in this is simply an inherent anger towards the establishment……."

"In the end, she might become the same when she stands in the same position as them."

Eddie agreed, finishing Brenda's sentence.

Considering the twisted success-oriented nature of the current magical world, it was a point worth considering.

The treatment of commoner mages in the magical world was very harsh.

Of course, this wasn't surprising.

The cliquishness of the establishment was boringly common.

The problem arose when a persecuted commoner mage came to stand shoulder to shoulder with those from the upper class.

When a self-made commoner mage gained a reputation that could not be ignored, the upper class changed their strategy from then on.

They invited them to noble family banquets, introduced them to upper-class connections, and gradually gave them opportunities to accumulate wealth.

On the surface, they treated them completely like the upper class.

What happened to the commoners who received such treatment for the first time?

Most of them settled for that sweet new life.

Turning a blind eye to the junior commoners who desperately needed their help.

Thus, they themselves discarded the common denominator of being a commoner.

Brenda knew many commoner mages who had been Powell's students.

Most of them had also come to Powell with the same bold aspirations as Joy at first, but they all abandoned their roots.

It was understandable for Brenda to be worried about Joy.

"I am not questioning your decision, Your Lordship…. I just hope you will be a little more cautious, as this is a chance for a comeback that has come after decades."

"It's fine. It's a valid point. How can all commoners be like Powell Showman?"

Eddie's expression also turned bitter.

Above all, he himself had experienced such things not a few times.

He couldn't repeat the same mistake.

"The imperial family and the council of elders don't want commoners to cause a stir in the magical world. I know that better than anyone."

"Lord Edmund……."

"Yes. Let's take this opportunity to see if what I saw was a promising bud."

Eddie soon steeled his resolve again and modified the plan.

And under his leadership, a detailed action plan was established.

"And one more thing……."

"Yes?"

"There's one more thing to discuss. We'll talk about this at the last meeting of the evening."

In addition, there was one more scheme that only Eddie was thinking about for now.

* * *

"What… Valcon Ruins?"

The next day.

A handout was posted on the 1st-year announcement bulletin board, stating that the field trip location had been decided as Valcon Ruins.

Students gathered in front of the bulletin board and murmured.

Valcon Ruins.

It was a perfect place for a field trip, but it was a place of a very different nature from the field trip locations of last year and the year before.

"Didn't we go to the magic tower where Professor Hoover's lab is last year?"

"I heard they went to the grand conference hall of the mages' council of elders the year before."

Eddie smiled with satisfaction as he looked at the students huddled in front of the bulletin board.

At first, the students couldn't go near the bulletin board because they were conscious of Alexein.

But as one or two announcements were posted and even a suggestion box was set up, the bulletin board quickly became active.

On the other hand, Alexein was sitting on the sofa in the center of the lounge, glaring at the bulletin board.

In fact, the same notice that Eddie had received was naturally delivered to Alexein, the president, as well.

But he hadn't really thought about how to deliver this to all the students.

In the meantime, Eddie had already posted his notice on the bulletin board.

Now Alexein's notice was completely useless.

……Crumple-

The notice crumpled in Alexein's hand.

He was annoyed with the unruly Eddie, but more than that, he felt a sense of anxiety that things couldn't go on like this.

‘I must remain a great grade representative in this situation to at least be forgiven for tarnishing the Dickens name,’ his father had said.

‘I have to show leadership somehow in this field trip.’

Alexein bit his lip and pondered about the future.

* * *

The day of the 1st-year field trip.

The 1st-year students, dressed in their activity clothes, gathered at the transport ship landing field to board Archimedes.

The supervising professors had not yet arrived, so the students were gathered in small groups, chatting.

Eddie stood in front of the students and asked for their attention, but most of the students didn't listen.

Eddie's influence was not yet enough to command the upper-class students with a single word.

But.

"Everyone, be quiet."

When Alexein stepped forward, the story changed.

When he spoke in a gruff voice, the chattering died down at once.

Alexein delivered the instructions with a completely different attitude than before.

"Originally, we were scheduled to move through a portal, but the dean said that the journey to the ruins is also part of the field trip, so we will be taking Archimedes. I assume no one has any complaints?"

There was no reason to complain when he spoke so eloquently.

Alexein continued to deliver the instructions in a gruff but clear tone.

He was flawless, as if he wouldn't give Eddie a chance to speak.

Eddie just smirked inwardly.

‘He should have done that from the beginning.’

With the sound of Alexein reciting the instructions as background music, Eddie looked at Archimedes entering the landing field.

Archimedes, which he was boarding again after decades.

Of course, the transport ship itself had been replaced with a new one several times in the meantime.

But its name was still Archimedes, so Eddie was a little excited.

‘Because I fought with that Eustaf fellow in Archimedes, the professor once abandoned me and that guy in the middle.’

The supervising professor at that time, who threw the two of them out of Archimedes, telling them not to come back until they reconciled.

It was a funny but dizzying memory from the past.

While reminiscing for a moment, Fred and Brenda arrived at the landing field.

The two professors led the students and boarded them on Archimedes, and the students sat with their close friends.

And Eddie naturally sat next to Marcel.

"……."

Marcel stared at Eddie for a moment, but then focused on the book he had brought.

The book he had brought was, of course, about Valcon Ruins.

Eddie caught a glimpse of a part on the page Marcel was reading.

[Valcon was a kingdom of ancient magical beasts, and the descendants of 'Rakan', one of the five founding magical beasts, still appear at night…….]

Rustle- rustle-

The sound of pages turning was heard regularly.

Eddie closed his eyes and only listened to the sound of the operating engine and the turning pages.

Vroooooom-

Whoooooosh-

Archimedes flew through the sky and headed for the northwest of the empire, where Valcon Ruins was located.

The students, excited about their first field trip, were actively chatting, but Marcel and Eddie didn't exchange a single word.

And a moment later.

"……."

The regular sound of pages turning stopped abruptly.

Eddie opened his closed eyes and saw Marcel's hand, which had stopped abruptly.

He knew, without looking, at which part Marcel had stopped his hand.

[The magical beasts only react to strong magic and show themselves.]

[They bow their heads to opponents with very strong magic, and explore opponents with similar magic…….]

[They devour opponents with weak magic.]