The New Intruder

In the gloomy winter rain, Ingram pulled his hood tighter and hurried down the somewhat desolate streets. His polished leather boots were spattered with mud, but he paid it no mind.

His clothing was utterly out of place in this era. If one had to put it bluntly, it was several centuries out of date, making him look like some eccentric who had stepped out of an ancient castle. The passersby looked at him with curiosity and other less pleasant expressions, but out of politeness, they pretended not to notice.

A pack of ignorant swine, and that damned Edelfelt...

Ingram cursed inwardly. Those gazes stung his sensitive heart, making him recall the extremely unpleasant experience from not long ago.

The matter was actually quite simple. His family had gone bankrupt, then been devoured by the hyenas they had always held in contempt. Of course, those hyenas had orchestrated the Edgington Family's bankruptcy from the beginning. Otherwise, how could Edgington, a Magecraft Family that had lasted seven generations, have collapsed so easily?

The Edelfelt Family was nothing more than a pack of upstarts from the Renaissance. Their lineage had risen through the theft of secret arts and Mage's Garments. They loved involving themselves in conflicts across the world and snatching away magecraft's greatest treasures. They were hyenas through and through.

The Edgington Family, on the other hand, traced its heritage back to Ancient Rome. It possessed a long history and had once come close to reaching the Root... Well, there was quite a bit of exaggeration in that claim, though the Edgington Family themselves would never admit it.

In truth, they had merely inherited an insignificant fragment of Ancient Rome's splendor. The magecraft passed down through the Family Heritage was Value Conversion. If all of Rome could be used as the condition for conversion, then perhaps they truly could reach the Root.

Yet even that tiny fragment had allowed Edgington to flourish for centuries. But as the times changed, some problems clearly could not be solved with magecraft alone—for example, financial troubles.

The foundation of Value Conversion magecraft came from Ancient Rome, and the medium generally used to cast it was ancient Roman coins. The family's reserves were nearly exhausted, while every ancient Roman coin still circulating on the market was outrageously expensive. This was also an important reason for the Edgington Family's decline.

Ingram no longer hoped to restore the Edgington Family to its former glory. He only wished for the family to endure. Finland was vast, yet there was no place for them there. They could only leave their homeland and come to the Far East, a barren land in the eyes of the Mage's world.

So far, everything had gone smoothly. Through information from the black market, he had learned that this remote little city contained a spiritual land. Its scale and quality were nothing exceptional, but its owner belonged to nothing more than a declining magecraft family, so it was a suitable match.

If it had been a spiritual land of excellent quality and scale, it would have long since been seized by some other powerful magecraft family. How could it have remained unclaimed until now?

That was what Ingram thought. The Edgington Family currently needed a place to settle, and he was confident he could revive it. At the very least, in the mystery-starved Far East, making the Edgington Family the leading power would be easy.

Thinking of the Edgington Family's future rise, Ingram unconsciously stroked his right arm. A lingering pain still remained there. Half of the Mage Crest inherited through seven generations had been plundered by the Edelfelt Family, leaving him only the scraps they considered useless.

His expression grew increasingly savage. It felt as though raging flames burned within his heart, flames that even the bleak winter rain could not extinguish.

Before long, however, Ingram sensed that he was being watched. Ever since he had entered the city, that spying gaze had followed him like a shadow.

A flock of crows circled above the city, looking down at the out-of-place anomaly among the crowd below. Their feathers seemed forged from metal, reflecting a cold, lifeless gleam beneath the winter sun.

"Familiars... It seems the people in charge here reacted rather quickly."

Ingram extended his palm toward the circling flock. Ominous dark-red mana gathered in his hand.

"Gandr."

This was rune magecraft passed down through Northern Europe, a curse that weakened the target's ability to move. However, when its mana density was high enough, it could possess power comparable to a bullet.

The howling dark-red Yin Qi Bullet streaked through the air in a dazzling crimson arc. Like Gungnir hurled by Odin, it struck the circling flock of crows.

One Crow Familiar exploded, black feathers drenched in flesh and blood scattering through the air. Ingram nodded in satisfaction. After applying a farsight spell, he took aim at the remaining Crow Familiars.

One Yin Qi Bullet after another tore through the sky like meteors traveling in reverse, slaughtering the flock of crows completely. Having vented the resentment in his heart, he felt much better. He examined the Crow Familiar remains scattered on the ground, turning them over with interest.

With only a glance, Ingram discovered that the Mage Circuits inside were quite crude and contained several subtle errors.

According to the information provided by the black market, the owner of this spiritual land was merely a high school girl who had never received systematic magecraft training. Being able to make Familiars like these was passable, but still far from excellent. Perhaps she could reach that level through future study, but she no longer had the time.

His judgment growing ever firmer, Ingram rose to his feet. He took out a white silk handkerchief and wiped away dust that did not exist from his hands.

Unknowingly, while hunting down those Crow Familiars, he had strayed from the main street and entered a quiet alley. He looked toward the shadows not far away, the corner of his mouth curling upward with a trace of arrogance.

"Is this how Far Eastern magecraft families welcome their guests? How novel."

After about a minute, the girl slowly emerged from the shadows.

She was vastly different from usual. Aozaki Aoko's imposing figure carried an intense will that seemed capable of piercing straight through her opponent. Cold phosphorescence flickered in her clear eyes. She was a vigorous, beautiful girl with an icy, inorganic quality to her, and Ingram could not help thinking of the Valkyries of myth.

His heart trembled violently. Of course, it was not some damned love at first sight, but a sudden surge of possessiveness. He would conquer the girl before him. Though her status was far beneath his own, she could barely be considered suitable for bearing heirs for the Edgington Family.

Aozaki Aoko's delicate brows drew together slightly. The intruder's gaze before her was becoming more and more infuriating. That look, woven from arrogance and greed, made her want to reward him with a flying kick.

Yet despite her usual temper, she restrained herself. This was her first battle, and she could not help feeling somewhat nervous. Half a month of training made her unconsciously adjust the rhythm of her breathing. Her stray thoughts were cast aside, leaving only herself and the intruder before her in the entire world.

Her magecraft formula silently unfolded. Surging mana coursed through her body, her condition adjusted to its peak. She could launch an attack at any moment.