Carved into the high ceiling, nearly invisible in the shadows, was a vast, overlapping series of corporeal magic circles. They pulsed faintly with residual mana, arranged in an intricate lattice of runes and symbols—many foreign, not native to this continent.
A chill slid down her spine.
"This... This isn't just a magic circle. It's a hidden array. Dormant," she muttered, her voice tinged with unease.
She reached out, tracing one of the runes midair with her gloved finger.
"A sacrificial array... But for what?" Her thoughts raced. "This wasn't just to kill—it was to channel something. This is a medium. A medium for something much larger... There must be more of them."
Her head snapped toward one of the Inquisitors nearby. "Report this to Headquarters. Tell them we found a magic circle used as a medium. This one covers only a small region—there must be more . Tell them to find them. All of them."
"Yes, ma'am!" the man replied quickly before rushing off.
---
Ravengard Duchy – Noon
On the training grounds, sweat-soaked young men sprawled under the burning sun.
"Ugh... Why are we the ones stuck training like this while the others get to patrol or run missions?" grumbled Bob, a brown-haired youth wiping his forehead.
"All we do is guard the place at night," he added.
"We're treated like we're still trainees," muttered Finn, barely audible. "But we've hunted and fought too..."
A deep, commanding voice cut through the air like a blade.
"If you've got time to complain, train harder."
Zalthar had appeared. Towering and broad-shouldered, he was the man in charge of their daily torment—training. The moment they spotted him, the group snapped to attention, posture straight, silence falling over them like a hammer.
Zalthar gave them a hard stare, then finally said, "Wash that dust off your faces and go eat."
"Yes, sir!" they responded in unison, as they'd been drilled to do.
---
Inside the Manor
Within the dimly lit study, the heavy dark-blue curtains kept out most of the afternoon sun. Kaisel sat alone, flipping through one of several ancient tomes stacked beside him. His eyes eventually drifted from the page to the shadow that moved subtly across the room.
"You investigated them?" he asked calmly, not bothering to look up. His expression remained unreadable.
The shadow took form—an informant cloaked in darkness.
"Yes, my lord," the voice responded, bowing. "They spoke the truth. He is indeed from the Aconia Mountains. Jacob appears to be an orphan."
Kaisel remained quiet for a long ten seconds. Then, in a low voice, he said, "Even if he's from the Aconia region and is a lucky commoner with natural mana... why didn't he say anything?"
It didn't add up.
In this world, nearly everyone possessed mana—but only a rare few had enough to ever wield magic. Those born with high mana reserves were either nobility or the lucky few in places like the magic kingdom of Arcantrix, where the atmosphere itself was saturated with mana.
"Even without formal training, someone with innate mana would accidentally trigger low-grade spells while growing up. If Jacob really had magic potential... why hide it?"
"I will handle it. You may return," Kaisel said calmly, dismissing the figure with a slight nod.
The shadowy figure hesitated before speaking again, "There is one more matter, my lord."
Kaisel raised an eyebrow. "Speak."
""During the recent chaos in the Empire, the Inquisitorial Vanguard discovered several hidden magic circles beneath the city—specifically in the sewer regions where the highest casualties occurred. It's currently classified. But... there are also rumors. Rumors of revolution. Whispers of rebellion brewing among the commoners."
Kaisel's pupils narrowed.
Magic circles... underground... where the most death happened?
The figure disappeared. Kaisel leaned back in his chair, processing the implications.
"A medium for sacrifices...?"
The pattern was starting to emerge.
It wasn't just chaos. Luthbrecht hadn't caused widespread death as a diversion. It was intentional. A ritual.
And strangely, Luthbrecht had gone quiet since Kaisel stole those high-grade magic stones. The smugglers who had worked with him vanished—but there was no retaliation, no investigations, no noise at all.
"Why does he need that many sacrifices?" Kaisel wondered, eyes narrowing further. "And more importantly... what is he sacrificing to?"
He slowly leaned his head back, gazing at the ceiling, lips twisting ever so slightly.
"You're hiding something deep... Luthbrecht."
---
Later, at the Training Grounds
Jacob and his group had resumed sword training under Zalthar's harsh gaze when a knight approached.
"The Lord has summoned Jacob," the knight announced.
"Me?" Jacob blinked, surprised.
His companions—Bob, Ferd, Mark, and Finn—looked equally confused.
"Go," Zalthar ordered.
"R-right!" Jacob wiped his brow, set down his sword, and hurried toward the manor.
---
Kaisel's Study
The door was already open when Jacob arrived, but he stood at the threshold and bowed slightly—just as the senior knights had taught him.
"You called for me, my lord?" he asked, keeping his tone respectful.
"Enter," Kaisel said evenly.
Jacob stepped in, standing with his hands behind his back, posture rigid.
"I summoned you to ask some questions," Kaisel said flatly.
Jacob hesitated. "Y-Yes, my lord..."
Kaisel gestured, and the heavy doors behind Jacob shut on their own. The curtains followed, cloaking the room in deep shadow.
Goosebumps rose on Jacob's arms. He tried not to panic—but the chill crawling down his spine told him this wasn't just a normal conversation.
Kaisel leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on Jacob. "Why are you hiding the fact that you can use magic?"
Jacob's pupils dilated. His heart pounded. The air felt colder, heavier.
"Wh–What...?" A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his face.
"I'm quite sensitive to mana," Kaisel said calmly. "The moment I saw you, I knew you had enough to be a mage. Don't lie to me. Why hide it?"
Jacob opened his mouth, searching for a lie—but none came. His instincts screamed that any falsehood would mean death. His breaths came faster.
"B-Because I don't know how to use it properly!" he confessed.
The shadows in the room thickened. Light dimmed. The very air seemed to pulse.
Kaisel's voice cut through the gloom. "Even someone without a teacher can perform the lowest of spells. Tell me the truth—are you really from the Aconia Mountains? Or are you a spy from another noble house, the Empire, or perhaps... Arcantrix?"
At that last word—Arcantrix—Jacob flinched. His eye twitched involuntarily.
Kaisel's eyes darkened like twin voids, blood-colored depths swirling in them. The darkness surrounding him began to take shape, slowly consuming the room. Jacob felt it—an ancient pressure, suffocating and cold. He couldn't move. His body felt like it was chained.
Jacob knew what this darkness was. He had heard stories from both common folk and knights about the Ravengard family. Darkness was their main attribute—the only household in the entire empire that wielded the Darkness element. It was this rare power that made the Ravengard household truly unique.
Kaisel's voice echoed again, low and steady.
"Who are you?"
Jacob struggled, but managed a breath. "I-I'm Jacob Falken."
"Falken?" Kaisel narrowed his eyes. "That's not a name from the Empire... Where are you really from?"
"I'm from Arcantrix. I came to the Aconia Mountains when I was ten."
"Why?"
"I didn't have a choice... My family's gone. Dead. I ran and ended up in Aconia."
Kaisel remained silent, studying him for a long moment.
"He's... telling the truth," he finally thought to himself.
The darkness around them began to recede.
Kaisel's gaze hardened. "How did your family die?"
Jacob swallowed hard before answering, his voice low and steady. "My father was a renowned knight in the Royal Family of Arcantrix, captain of his division. One day, he was declared a traitor ,accused of crimes he never committed—and executed. They didn't spare anyone in my family. I was the only one who survived.
Jacob's hands clenched tightly at his sides. "I managed to escape on a small boat, slipping away under the cover of night. But the journey was cruel—the boat capsized halfway through the crossing. I remember cold water swallowing me, the world going dark as I struggled to breathe."
His gaze dropped, voice barely above a whisper. "I thought that would be the end... but fate had other plans. Some loggers from the Aconia Mountains found me—half-drowned and near death—and pulled me from the water. They took me in and saved my life."
He hesitated. "I was only ten. I never really knew much about magic... and I never tried to learn."
The oppressive darkness that had filled the room faded completely.
Kaisel's expression remained unreadable as he asked, "What is your attribute?"
"Lightning," Jacob answered quietly.
To be continued.