Genius 37

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Chapter 37. They Were Brothers

In Chris's back, Hermes's fist plunges deeply.

"Gu—"

It's a blow considering the propulsion force from the magic bullet. No matter how much a magic user can enhance their physical abilities with magic. So it's unbearable.

Indeed, Chris bends his body into a curve, completely drained of strength, and collapses.

"Gu...ah..."

Surprisingly, he seems to retain consciousness.

But it doesn't matter; he won't be able to stand up anymore.

Hermes, judging so, casually approaches Chris and first retrieves the artifact, Caduceus.

Chris relied entirely on this magic's performance. Even if he were to stand up now, there would be no way to win.

Ensuring safety, Hermes meets Chris's despairing gaze.

"Now, older brother. I apologize, but I'll have to restrain you. I want to detain His Highness and the others as much as possible."

Receiving Hermes's gaze and his declaration, Chris trembles lifts his face again, and says.

"—You're unfair!!"

In his eyes, there was an undeniable jealousy and hatred.

"—What?"

"You always get everything! You were born with high magic power and blessed with talent in magic! You took everything I wanted!"

Chris points to the emerald dial floating above Hermes's left hand and begins to shout.

"And what's with that magic? You said you were a failure without bloodline magic! I know, if you can use that, you can use any Bloodline Magic you want! What's that? It's cheating! It's unfair! Give it to me too!"

"—You've been benefiting from that unfairness all along."

However, it's unreasonable for him to complain now that he's on the inferior side.

...But.

"You're loud! You have a good position! You can do whatever you want with that blessed magic! You never even cared about us—"

"If you say so, would you like to try using it?"

Understanding the feelings of lamenting what one was born with, and wanting to correct one misunderstanding, Hermes proposed.

"—Huh?"

"I'll correct you. This magic—[Emerald Tablet] is not Bloodline Magic. It's magic that anyone can use regardless of lineage. That's how it was created."

So, if Chris wants to use it, he can.

In return, Hermes holds his own dial over Chris's hand.

Soon, the same thing appears above Chris's hand.

With this, the temporary transfer of magic is complete. Now, with [Emerald Tablet], Chris can use magic without the need for training to activate it.

"—Haha"

Understanding what Hermes meant, Chris laughs.

"I see. Is that so!? It's absurd for someone like you to be able to use such incredible magic! Now, I too—!"

Joyfully, he activates the dial that now belongs to him—

"—Huh?"

He freezes.

"Do you see it?"

In response, Hermes deploys [Mistle Teinn] in front of Chris for an easy understanding.

"What do you see on top of this magic through [Emerald Tablet]?"

"W-What is this? I can only see a jumble of incomprehensible characters and symbols!?"

"That's correct. That's what I always see."

Chris is stunned.

"W-What do these characters mean!?"

"They're magic circles, the foundation and essence of magic. For example, the cluster of round characters at the top. These are runic characters. In the case of [Mistle Teinn], it probably determines the property of [Enchant]."

"S-So, if I can read those runic characters, I can use it?"

"Yes. Think of it as learning a new language."

To Hermes's surprise, Chris understands quickly.

"By the way, there are about 68 more similar magical language systems."

"—What?"

Chris freezes again.

In other words, he's saying this.

To use [Emerald Tablet], he needs to learn about 69 new languages.

"First step."

That's the answer they've arrived at.

To Chris, it's overwhelming to read and understand all these symbols and be able to reproduce them. 

Furthermore— even if he understands the effort in acquiring them, just seeing the path ahead has already shattered his heart.

Turning his gaze to Hermes.

He was looking at him. Those jade eyes shone more beautifully than himself. Emotionally inscrutable as always— yet, to Chris, they seemed to hold a hint of pity.

"...Stop it..."

He had seen those eyes many times. When Hermes was at the Freimbleed household. When Hermes was praised as a prodigy, many times.

"Don't look at me with those eyes! Don't pity me! Have you ever thought about how I felt every time you looked at me with those eyes?!"

Those emotions turned to hatred swiftly. So when he was identified as unfit, he felt intense pleasure and ecstasy, treated him cruelly, and relished in it. He thought so from the bottom of his heart.

—Serves you right.

Yet now.

The one considered unfit had acquired tremendous magic, surpassed him in handling the bloodline magic that should have been his, and cried foul about that magic only to be given the same magic to use, proving beyond doubt that his talent, dedication, and effort in magic were all superior to his.

He no longer knew what emotions to direct.

But faced with Chris, who was glaring at him with a mixture of inertia and anger, Hermes thought.

"...I'm sorry."

He dared to apologize.

"Huh?"

"I don't intend to forgive what you've done to me. But—indeed, when I was at the ducal house, I looked down on you."

"Ugh!"

"At that time, I thought that enhancing magical power was everything. I had little interest in anything else—no, let's not mince words. It didn't matter."

Their interaction when they were at the ducal house was more frequent after Hermes was identified as unfit.

That's how little there was. Despite being born in the same family, and spending time under the same roof, they were actual brothers.

"But I've learned since then. Surely, just focusing on magic alone won't let you master magic."

And finally, Hermes looks at Chris again.

A gaze with somewhat different emotions than before.

"What you did to me and what I did to you won't disappear. So this last thing. I'm truly sorry."

"...Stop it...stop it..."

Was it regret or resignation?

Chris, whose emotions couldn't be put into words, overflowed with tears and said as if vomiting them out,

"Don't joke with me, isn't that the cruelest thing...to apologize now...it just makes me...feel more miserable!"

With that, Hermes had nothing more to say.

Only the sound of Chris's tears hitting the ground and his sobbing echoed for a while.

◆

Hermes, as a person, lacked interest in anything other than magic.

The tragedy that ensued was undoubtedly his own fault.

He firmly engraves that fact and returns to Katia, who awaits him.

"Ah, Hermes... about Chris-san..."

"I incapacitated him. He likely has no intention to fight anymore."

If, back when Hermes was with the Frembleed family,

he could have talked to Chris like normal siblings, maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this.

But even thinking about it now is futile. There's nothing Hermes can do for Chris anymore.

"I see... You did well, Hermes. But..."

Yet, despite hearing what should have been good news, Katia, with a somber expression, lowers her face.

It's understandable. In front of Katia's gaze—

"Ugh..."

"Why is this happening... It's too much...!"

The village is still ablaze, and the villagers lament as they watch.

"Once again... because of me..."

"...Hermes, as a person, lacked interest in anything other than magic.

However, that mindset changed as he delved deeper into magic upon meeting his mentor.

The human heart is crucial in handling magic. It serves as the driving force when facing others.

That's why he values his feelings. To reclaim what he naturally lacked,

besides the weariness from past experiences, Hermes didn't tamper with his perceived beauty of emotions,

nor did he approve of altering them himself.

But now.

That beautiful thing is on the verge of breaking.

Not being able to do anything about it was even more unbearable.

So he recalled the words the village chief said to him at the end.

And thus, he spoke to Katia.

"Katia-sama, let's leave this place first. And please, tell me. What is troubling you now?"