The Visitor Sent by the Patriarch

Since the patriarch himself said he would send someone.

There was no real need to attend any further classes after this.

There was no telling when his person would arrive.

And since I had already caused quite a stir during the sparring match, going out would only disrupt the class anyway.

‘Who will come.’

After being moved from the infirmary to my room, I lay on the bed and thought deeply.

This event didn’t originally exist in the game.

Standing out and gaining the family’s attention, and the brothers’ reactions to it, were already somewhat expected.

But this was the first time the patriarch had personally sent someone like this.

He probably arranged it secretly, but even so, it was still a risk.

‘Is it only possible because the succession struggle hasn’t intensified yet.’

Right now, it’s still the early phase.

But as it approaches the middle phase, and the time comes when one can leave the academy and return to the family.

That’s when the brothers start trying to kill Raon.

To eliminate even one more direct descendant and gain an advantage in the succession battle.

The brutality and deaths that occur in this struggle cannot be stopped by the patriarch.

If the patriarch were to favor one child and try to prevent their death or loss of power.

Then he would be directly participating in the succession competition.

And it would be no different from giving other factions an excuse to intervene.

Paradoxically.

Not protecting his child from bullying or neglect became the only way to truly protect them.

‘It hasn’t escalated yet, and even if it’s discovered, there’s still some justification… yeah. This is the perfect timing.’

The moment when a man who couldn’t act as a father can at least take care of his child a little.

‘The one who’ll come is probably….’

Someone distant from internal family power struggles, yet loyal to the patriarch’s orders.

‘…The wanderer? The old man?’

Strange names.

But they were names he had given himself.

Names he was even satisfied with, as they didn’t define who he was.

‘Either one is fine.’

Although I was tied to the academy and couldn’t spend much time in the family.

In the later stages, I would still be able to go out, and since I had to go through family-related events, I had already built familiarity with them and analyzed their characters.

Even if it’s the early phase, their personalities wouldn’t suddenly change completely, so I could roughly predict how they would act.

‘Before that, I should check the rewards.’

I got up from the bed and opened the drawer under the desk.

Click.

Inside were a normal-sized ring and a pair of leather gloves.

They looked ordinary—almost cheap compared to the luxurious items filling the room simply because I was a direct descendant.

I immediately checked their information.

[Magic Absorption Ring (Low Grade)]

Absorbs a portion of the user’s mana and allows size adjustment.

Absorption Limit: Mana (5)

[Chain Protection Gloves (Low Grade)]

Protects the body from injuries caused by chains.

However, it does not protect against external attacks.

‘Not bad.’

The moment I wore the ring, I could feel a tiny amount of mana being absorbed.

And when I grabbed the chain while wearing the gloves, it felt tighter and more comfortable compared to bare hands.

[Mana is being absorbed: 0.2]

[Your hands are protected from the chain.]

The performance wasn’t bad.

But it was a bit disappointing that this was all it offered.

Though expecting more from a low-grade item might be asking too much.

‘Looking at this, the belt really is impressive.’

The belt didn’t even have a grade displayed.

Which meant.

Its current level was already at the highest possible.

For an item obtainable in the early stages, it was incredibly generous.

Of course, it consumed a lot of mana in return.

‘Still, for me, that’s just a trivial amount.’

Each of these things adds up to saving my life, so I just have to use them gratefully.

‘But if I suddenly start wearing things I didn’t before, Abella might find it strange.’

To avoid being exposed as Raon, I had to act within his usual behavior patterns.

The belt was fine since he already wore it loosely.

But cheap items like this ring and gloves…

‘Ah.’

I should use that method.

“Young master! I’m here!”

Abella burst into the room, full of lively energy.

In her hands were expensive foods meant to help recovery.

I frowned and said.

“You’re loud.”

“Ah… I’m sorry….”

She looked down for a moment, but quickly brightened up again and began setting the food on the table.

“I brought this to help you recover—”

“I’m not injured.”

“I know, I know! But you pushed your body hard, so you need to eat well. Also, if someone from the family comes and sees this, the other young masters might say something.”

Even though I looked reluctant.

I eventually got up and sat at the table.

As soon as I sat down, Abella quickly set the spoon and chopsticks with a cheerful smile.

As I reached for the chopsticks, I rubbed the part of my fingers that had been pinched by gripping the chain too tightly.

“Abella.”

“Yes?”

“Do we have gloves?”

“…Gloves? One moment.”

Abella stood up and walked to the desk.

She opened the drawer I had slightly left open beforehand and made a surprised expression.

“Huh? What is this?”

“….”

I stayed silent on purpose.

Carefully, she took out the items inside.

The gloves and the ring.

Looking confused as if she had never seen them before, I frowned and asked.

“What is that? Why is there a cheap ring in my room?”

At my words, Abella thought for a moment.

As if filling in a plausible explanation.

She hesitated and spoke.

“Ah, this… I think it’s a gift that arrived before… from some young lady….”

“Name?”

“I’m not sure… it came as a parcel….”

‘So this is how it works.’

It was strange for a noble lady to give such items to someone labeled as trash like me.

But considering the ring was cheap and even had “mana absorption,” which was harmful to mages.

It was clearly meant as mockery, not kindness.

‘The plausibility isn’t bad.’

I nodded inwardly.

Perhaps misinterpreting my silence, Abella’s face turned pale as she tightly wrapped the ring and gloves in her hands.

“Sh-should I throw them away?!”

‘Is she crazy.’

“No. Bring them here.”

She awkwardly handed them to me.

I looked at them and deliberately clicked my tongue loudly.

“Tch. So cheap.”

Her expression said she was ready to throw them away immediately.

“Let me make this clear.”

Whoosh.

I snatched the items from her hand and growled.

“Don’t touch my belongings without permission.”

“…Y-Yes.”

“And don’t throw them away either.”

In other words, I’m keeping them.

Her expression became complicated.

‘He likes them but won’t show it.’

She seemed to think.

‘But these are clearly meant as an insult… and he’s happy without realizing….’

She seemed conflicted.

‘It’d be nice if I could still see dialogue bubbles like before.’

Still, since I had replayed this countless times, I could easily read her thoughts and patterns.

That’s one advantage of pretending to be Raon.

I could clearly see through the personalities of other characters.

“Sit down.”

“Yes….”

Abella carefully sat in front of me.

Normally, it would be unthinkable for a maid to sit at the same table as a noble.

But due to Raon’s lonely nature, it was allowed.

And knowing that, Abella quietly took her seat.

I scooped some soup and brought it to my mouth.

‘It’s good.’

Still, I wish it were spicier.

Ah… rosé tteokbokki, malatang, chicken, pizza—those rich, addictive foods that feel like they’d make you gain weight just by eating them.

This kind of fancy food doesn’t suit my taste.

Knock knock.

“Raon Rigbelto.”

Someone knocked on my door.

Abella stood up and carefully approached it.

“What is it?”

“A priest sent by the family has arrived.”

‘Already?’

My eyes widened slightly.

If he arrived this quickly…

“C-come in!”

“Excuse me.”

Creak.

As the door opened, a man entered.

“Greetings.”

He wore a pure white robe, hiding his face.

But from the glimpse of his eyes and hair, I could tell who he was.

“I am a priest sent to examine your condition, known as the Wanderer.”

A character who only appears in the mid-game.

The Wanderer had arrived.

The Wanderer.

As his name suggests, he was a priest who didn’t belong to any temple and only believed in the “Main God.”

Not belonging to a temple meant freedom—but also no protection.

Once, he nearly died in an accident.

But by chance, the patriarch passing by saved his life.

Seeing his talent, the patriarch made him an offer.

‘I appoint you as a priest of my family, but I will not restrict your freedom. However, in return for the benefits you receive, you must fulfill a few of my requests.’

‘I accept.’

Few lives were more dangerous than that of a priest standing against nobility.

No matter how much a priest loves and believes in God.

That doesn’t mean God loves the priest.

Thus, the Wanderer became affiliated with the Rigbelto family.

And while freely traveling the continent under the contract.

He came to the academy at the patriarch’s request.

‘He asked me to check on his child.’

Officially, it was to confirm whether the boy had made a pact with a demon or had issues with his bloodline.

‘Is this a father’s concern?’

As one of the patriarch’s closest aides, he already understood his true intentions.

The patriarch was like those who believe in God deep down.

Yet cannot show it due to reality.

However.

‘His personality must be terrible….’

Though he hadn’t met him often.

He knew from Raon’s circumstances and emotional neglect that his personality was twisted.

And also about the illness he suffered.

‘He cannot use mana.’

A rare disease without even a proper name.

It gnawed at Raon’s body and soul.

Without an artifact that constantly drained his massive mana, his body could explode at any moment.

In such a situation, maintaining a kind personality would be stranger.

“What are you looking at?”

‘What a rude brat.’

Even so, he couldn’t help but think that.

Hiding his expression beneath the robe, the Wanderer spoke.

“Nice to meet you, young master. I’ve come under the patriarch’s orders to examine your condition.”

“…Tch. Hurry up and finish it.”

‘Milder than expected?’

An elder who knew him had said he was like a “bad-tempered cat,” so he expected more resistance.

But Raon complied more easily than expected.

Was it because the patriarch personally sent him?

Regardless, his hands moved steadily.

He cleansed Raon Rigbelto’s body of dust and bacteria and purified the surrounding space.

“I will begin the examination.”

“….”

Though Raon didn’t reply, the Wanderer took it as consent.

His eyes glowed blue.

‘Divine Sight.’

A sacred technique only high-ranking priests could use scanned his body.

There were bruises on the outside.

But they were already healing.

His bones were thin but strong.

The real problem was.

‘His mana….’

It was enormous.

An unbelievable amount of mana swirled inside that small body.

Boiling violently as if it would explode at any moment.

If not for several large channels draining it.

It would have overflowed like a tidal wave and crushed his heart.

But what shocked him more was.

‘Impossible….’

Even in such chaos.

Raon’s heart beat calmly.

Like a moonlit lake.

As if it were used to it.

“Is there a problem?”

Raon asked calmly.

At the same time, his mana stirred slightly.

Even that small movement shook the draining channels dangerously.

‘The ring, the belt, and those chains….’

Even those brutal artifacts were too small to handle his mana.

Yet.

He remained calm?

“…There is no problem.”

There was no trace of demonic energy.

If there had been, the divine sight wouldn’t have worked.

‘…His mental strength is monstrous.’

The Wanderer felt a faint fear.

How could a human possess such willpower?

‘And this is someone labeled as trash?’

“With eyes and a mind like that?”

“When do we leave for the family?”

Raon’s calm voice broke his thoughts.

Unconsciously, the Wanderer answered politely.

“…After preparations. We will depart early tomorrow morning.”

“Tomorrow?”

“…Yes.”

The Wanderer couldn’t meet his eyes.

Those cold eyes, despite the raging mana.

Resembled his father—the patriarch.

“I’m coming with you.”

Naturally.

He had no right to refuse.