The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years

Book 2: Chapter 315

After a while, his body began announcing its limit. Even when he stood still, he could feel his arm muscles trembling.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been training with the Zero Technique, but it seemed that he would have to stop for now.

“Huu.”

A sigh mixed with regret escaped his lips.

The environment was lacking.

There was too little mana in the Amalgam Forest. Because of the low mana concentration in the forest, Lukas was only able to cast 3 Star spells at best with his current weapon.

It would be more effective if he trained in a place where the mana concentration was more dense, like the Ispania Mountains.

After letting out another sigh, he returned to the area with the tents. There, he drank from the water he’d gather before going to pick fruits from the nearby trees. Of course, it was for food.

In all honesty, it was a very dangerous act to carelessly eat fruits in a forest, but there were half rotted fruit skins beside the tents which let him know that some of them were safe to eat. With that logic, he only picked fruits that had the same skin so that he wouldn’t have to worry about getting sick.

Crunch.

It was hard and sour. However, the aftertaste was a bit sweet.

In a word, it was edible.

While struggling to chew the fruit, Lukas looked up at the sky. It seemed that dawn was approaching.

It was only then that he belatedly realised two things.

One was the fact that he’d been focused on training for almost an entire day.

And the other was that Snow, who said she would come back soon, still hadn’t returned yet.

Whoosh.

“…”

The wind blew again.

And just like before, it felt warm and ominous.

* * *

—-Five days before.

In the capital of the Kastkau Empire, Kausymphony.

Swoosh.

A man appeared from the Warp Stone. The head guard gestured to stop the other guards who were prepared to approach the man and ask for his identification.

“…”

Peran looked around with a solemn gaze.

This could be said to be his first time returning home to Kausymphony, the empire’s capital, but he didn’t feel particularly nostalgic.

Of course, the same would be true for his destination. Or at least, that was what he thought now, but it might be different when he actually arrived.

He walked through the streets.

Even when it was late at night, the streets of Kausymphony were usually filled with people. Someone had once said that there is no night in the streets of the empire. That saying wasn’t completely wrong.

After walking for a while, Peran’s surroundings finally began to grow quieter. This was natural since this area was under the direct control of one of the noble families.

Finally, a familiar mansion appeared in his sight. In front of this beautiful mansion which exuded an opulent aura even in the darkness of night, was a structure that Peran was even more familiar with.

It was the main gate, which was large enough to accommodate four carriages passing simultaneously, and the four guards guarding it.

—The Jun Family Mansion.

The place where Peran had been born and raised.

“Welcome.”

“It’s been a while since we last greeted you, Young Master.”

The guards were not surprised and instead welcomed him politely.

This meant that they’d already gotten word. With a slow nod, he accepted their polite greeting.

As he passed through the main gate and entered the garden, a butler appeared before him. He claimed that he would guide him, but Peran thought that it was an unneeded luxury, so he continued on his own with a firm attitude.

“It’s fine.”

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.

The person he was about to meet would probably also want him to be alone.

Click.

The mansion was quiet. Even though the moon was high in the sky, maids could still be seen around, but there was no sign of the occupants of the house. The hallways were practically empty. Recalling the bustling downtown area that he’d just passed through, Peran couldn’t help but feel like he’d stepped into a completely different world.

…It gave him a strange feeling of incongruity, but he shook his head.

It was probably because this was his first time returning to the mansion in 5 years.

Before long, Peran finally stopped walking.

In front of him was a door made from cypress wood, and behind it was the study of the Family Head, a place that not only the servants but even Peran and Lylia could not enter without permission.

He knocked on the door lightly, and it wasn’t long before he got a response.

“Come in.”

Candles flickered in the room, and a middle aged man could be seen sitting behind an auburn desk.

“It’s been a while.”

His heart shook a bit when he heard the familiar, caring voice.

The man was Peran’s father, the Head of the Jun Family.

Shepard Jun smiled softly, and rejoiced at being reunited with his son after such a long time.

“Have you been well?”

“Right. Nothing happened. How about you? I worried a lot because you never sent any letters.”

“…please forgive me for being an unfilial child.”

“That’s enough. To think that you’d turn out like this…”

“…”

“Would you like some tea? I remember you preferred tea leaves from the Kalur Mountains. I think we got some high quality ones…”

“Father.”

Peran interrupted Shepard.

This was a rude action that was rarely committed by Peran, who was very strict when it came to manners. That’s why, instead of rebuking him, Shepard stopped talking and looked him in the eyes.

“I would like to know why you summoned me from Westroad Academy as the Head of the Jun Family.”

A few days ago, Shepard had summoned Peran, who was at the Westroad Academy, with the authority of the ‘Family Head’.

It had been almost 5 years since Peran had last set foot in this house. And in that time, Shepard had never interfered with Peran’s actions. No matter what he did, he let him do as he pleased. Of course, Peran had never done anything that was unbefitting of someone from the family.

“…”

Shepard realised that Peran wanted to hear the main point before they had their reunion conversation.

A bitter smile spread across his lips.

Talking about the private things before the public things was something that was often done by older politicians. Although it was simple, it allowed them to form a closer connection to the other person which made it difficult to deal with and the effect of the later conversation better.

However, since he had hit an iron wall like this, there was nothing more for Shepard to say.

“Hmm.”

Shepard let out a soft cough and his gaze became serious.

“Son.”

“Yes.”

“You don’t regret it, do you?”

Knowing what he meant by not regretting, Peran answered with a firm tone.

“I don’t.”

“…I don’t understand why you want to walk down such a thorny path.”

“…”

“I would like to hear an honest answer. I’m asking as your father, not as the Head of the Jun Family. Can you tell me a bit about your inner feelings?”

The sincerity in Shepard’s voice was clear.

Peran was silent for a while.

“…the ideology of the current Circle makes me uncomfortable.”

Then he spoke in a low, cold tone.

“Whenever I see them bickering with each other, I can’t help but find it pathetic. I’m disappointed in their clumsy decision making. I don’t want to be associated with their ideologies. I can’t even think about it. That’s why I chose a different path. A path I think is right.”

“What if that means becoming hostile with the Jun Family?”

“Even if I have to face the empire itself, my thoughts will not change.”

“…”

Shepard’s expression was a bit strange.

But it seemed that he’d expected such a response to some extent.

“It’s hard to have such unshaken subjectivity. It’s amazing.”

“…”

Of all the things he had expected, a compliment wasn’t one of them.

No matter how gentle Shepard appeared to be, he was a member of the Circle and an executive at that.

Even though he criticised his ideology, he still complimented his attitude.

…This was more than just ‘broad minded’.

“I’d like to make a suggestion.”

“…I have no intention of joining the Circle, Father. My answer is the same as it was 5 years ago.”

Regardless of whether it was an order from his father or the Family Head, his answer would not change.

Nevertheless, Shepard’s smile deepened when he heard his response.

“This time it’s different. This time, I will be the one not joining the Circle.”

“…what do you mean?”

“I’ll tell you one thing. Your father has also been displeased with the Circle’s ideologies for a long time.”

Sss.

Suddenly, black smoke began flowing from Shepard’s body.

No, it wasn’t smoke. It was mana that was so dark and thick that it was impossible to see through.

It was darker than the night sky and gave off a creepier feeling than the shining chitin of an insect.

Peran’s face became harder than a stone statue.

“Black Magic? Father, why…”