117 — Siblings Are Meant to Fight

1

Manus immediately made his way to the barracks.

He had heard that Tyrannis had headed there.

Whatever the case, staying in the same place would be the best way to prevent Tyrannis from going off on his own.

To provide input, one had to see and hear firsthand.

Walking around, observing with one’s own eyes and ears, was the foundation of any operation.

Especially when it came to a critical military mission, simply sitting behind a desk wouldn’t suffice.

‘I remember this. But in the original story, this place wasn’t important.’

The vast tropical rainforest region.

The southern part of the empire, known for its hot and humid climate, was also home to dangerous monsters.

In the original story, it was only briefly mentioned, with no reason for the protagonist to set foot there.

After all, the story wasn’t even finished.

The game only captured a fraction of the world.

The rest would have to be tackled with whatever modest wisdom Manus had accumulated, the intellect bolstered by Caeser’s innate talent, and the help from those around him.

“Welcome, my lord.”

“Where’s my brother?”

“He’s already upstairs. He called a meeting, so all the squad leaders are assembled there.”

Manus nodded and made his way up to the barracks.

The Knights.

Those who wielded swords and aura.

The Guardians.

Those who bore shields and protected everyone.

The Mage Battalion.

Those who wielded magic to deliver powerful attacks from the rear.

Some of the Caeser family’s formidable forces were gathered, awaiting Tyrannis’s decision.

As Manus climbed to the second floor, he entered a large conference room, where the faint scent of metal from the armor tickled his nose.

The heavy atmosphere, filled with tension, seemed to suppress the noise, creating an uneasy silence.

“We have volunteers from our squad.”

“Is that so? Let’s hear it.”

A calm voice resonated from within the conference room.

Manus grabbed the handle of the door that swung open on both sides and gently pushed it.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward him.

A young boy, still with the potential to grow, compared to an adult’s build.

But the aura he exuded was overwhelming.

Even the mage on the verge of becoming a great magician was momentarily overshadowed by his presence.

“I’m surprised you thought to come here. What, are you here to exercise your command authority as well?”

“Are these the squad leaders?”

“Yes.”

Manus looked around at them before turning his gaze back to Tyrannis.

He also glanced around the table to see if Tyrannis had brought any documents.

Nothing significant was visible.

The squad leaders began to shift uncomfortably.

Rumors had been circulating about how Manus’s talent had blossomed and that he was growing into a formidable magician.

Yet, that didn’t change the fact that his notoriously unruly personality was still a source of fear.

Skill and character were entirely separate issues.

“Is there a problem, my lord?”

“Where are the documents containing the personal details of the squad leaders and their members?”

“Those…”

“Are they not here?”

The squad leaders exchanged glances and lowered their eyes.

Manus sighed quietly and pointed to the door.

“Go and fetch them, or bring the squad leaders and their members here.”

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Brother, are you trying to do this carelessly at a critical moment?”

“-You better choose your next words carefully.”

The growling exchange made the people caught in the middle wince.

They might act like kings in front of their squad members, but they were nothing more than plankton before the two young lords.

Even the squad leaders, in the presence of these two powerful predators, had no idea when they might be devoured.

“We need to see their individual capabilities firsthand. Selecting people based solely on what the squad leaders say is like throwing our lives away.”

“These are the leaders responsible for managing their squads. If you don’t recognize their authority, how can you maintain discipline?”

It was a tense confrontation.

Both Tyrannis’s and Manus’s arguments had merit.

The squad leaders stood there, not knowing what to do.

Meanwhile, the eldest son of the dukedom was genuinely surprised.

He had expected his younger brother to know nothing, yet Manus was presenting a valid argument.

Upon hearing it, he had to admit it made sense.

‘This mission is one where lives are at stake. However—’

His pride had yet to break.

As the older brother, he refused to take a step back and relinquish his authority.

If the initiative slipped away, he would continue to lose ground.

That was unacceptable.

While he might not have absolute control over the mission, he needed to maintain command.

That way, he wouldn’t repeat the mistakes of the past.

“In that case, we should select based on their personal records and specialties. That’s acceptable, right?”

“…Fine. You have a point. Bring the documents containing the records of the squad leaders and their members.”

“-Yes, sir!”

The squad leaders rushed out, like they were on fire.

Manus looked at Tyrannis.

Would he handle this rationally?

The past.

Manus realized he needed to confront the events he couldn’t remember.

No matter how strong a person is, they can become strange in the face of trauma.

Just like Manus had been back on Earth.

“My memories have been a bit hazy lately.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“I don’t remember what wrongs I’ve committed. What happened? What did I do?”

So he asked directly.

His brother’s expression twisted strangely.

The mana that seemed ready to explode at any moment showed just how deeply this shame had etched itself into him.

Tyrannis couldn’t believe it.

No, he felt anger and murderous intent beyond belief.

How could he bring up that incident so shamelessly, with such a calm face?

“Do you truly… not remember what you did? That day—! You really don’t remember?!”

KWAANG!

Rage surged out in all directions.

The wooden table cracked with a loud snap.

The elegant curtains, made of fine fabric, fluttered violently, as if they would fall to the floor.

Even now, years later, Tyrannis often dreamed of that day.

Blood.

Screams and shouts.

The flushed faces of the enemy, mocking with sneers.

Every moment leading up to the worst outcome was still vivid in his mind.

“Then tell me. What should I do? Is there a way to set things right?”

“Have you lost your mind, or are you playing with me? Are you just trying to use this mission to take advantage?”

“…It doesn’t matter how you interpret it. I just want to hear it from you.”

Manus’s eyes did not waver.

This was once a timid child.

Filled with dissatisfaction and sarcasm, a pessimist who would avoid eye contact, a coward who couldn’t face his mistakes, a foolish and naïve boy.

The look in Manus’s eyes was not one that Tyrannis despised.

It was the same calm, profound gaze as their father’s—something characteristic of the Caeser family.

Eyes that only someone prepared to endure everything could possess.

“Right now, my emotions won’t let me. I feel like I’d cast a spell at you if I tried to talk about it. I’ll keep an eye on you for now, and maybe I’ll tell you later.”

“Understood.”

“Do your best. With everything.”

“That’s what I intend to do.”

Tyrannis turned his head, cutting off the conversation.

He felt uneasy, as if he was being drawn into his brother’s pace.

At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed, and twice the number of people who had left the room earlier now filled the conference room.

The squad leaders handed stacks of documents to the two brothers.

Even in this fantasy world, keeping written records was apparently essential.

Manus glanced over the dossiers, flipping through them while comparing the descriptions to his mental image of the individuals.

“You handle selecting the warriors and guardians, brother. I’ll handle the mages.”

“Fine.”

“Thank you.”

Manus bowed his head slightly and left the conference room.

Tyrannis watched his younger brother’s retreating figure for a moment before returning his gaze to the documents.

There was a lot to say, but he didn’t.

He still felt Manus wasn’t ready to hear it.

[Interference has begun.]

[A DLC story has started.]

[Forge your own destiny.]

[S5 — Verdant Hell]

[Reward: ???]

Manus, making his way out of the barracks and toward the mage tower, swallowed his own unspoken secret.

2

[Growl—]

“You’ve grown a lot. Haha.”

“…Do familiars normally grow this quickly?”

Albion, who had been led to his room by Wei, somehow managed to find Manus.

In the mage tower, this small dragon was quite the sensation.

It immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

The fact that Manus had contracted a familiar was already known from his previous visit.

Familiars usually grew very slowly, but his familiar’s appearance had changed significantly.

It was only natural for mages, who were fascinated by mysterious phenomena, to flock around him.

“You’ve heard the news, I assume?”

“Yes. The official document has been distributed. We’ve informed the mages as well.”

Avon, one of the key figures in the mage tower, responded courteously.

Even while speaking, Avon’s gaze kept darting to Albion.

Despite his considerable age and experience, even he had never encountered something so mystical.

Time seemed to have accelerated unnaturally.

If a familiar could grow this quickly, it would soon be more effective than many mages.

Avon suddenly felt a pang of envy.

‘Strange things keep happening around the second young master. How peculiar and enviable.’

“Gather the squad leaders and their members.”

“As you command.”

After Avon left, Manus spent his time playing lightly with Albion while waiting.

At some point, the door to the conference room opened, and a familiar figure entered.

His sister, Invidea, with her somewhat weary eyes.

His sister, looking unusually fatigued.

She approached and stood before Manus.

“So, I heard you had quite a showdown with our brother? He was quite fired up.”

“To think he’d talk behind my back. He’s more petty than I thought.”

“It’s not what you think.”

Manus let out a small chuckle and waited for people to arrive.

Invidea, curiosity in her eyes, extended her hand to the cute familiar observing her.

Albion sniffed at her, like a puppy, before nudging his head against her hand to show affection.

Whether he was just friendly or recognized family, Albion didn’t seem wary of Invidea.

“Is this the fluffball I saw before? I can’t believe it’s grown this much already…”

“He’s growing rather quickly. You must be disappointed.”

“I have my own work to do, so it’s fine. Lately… I’ve been feeling a bit worn out.”

Indeed, her complexion didn’t look good.

No matter how close to a superhuman a mage might be, overwork could slowly eat away at one’s health.

Manus cast a healing spell on his sister to encourage her to take it easy.

However, it seemed the magic didn’t work; her complexion showed no signs of improvement.

That was unusual.

Invidea yawned widely and waved her hand.

“Strange, isn’t it? Maybe it’s just mental fatigue building up. I’m sure I’ll feel better after a good sleep.”

“Maybe you should talk to our father and take some time off.”

“There’s still work to be done. The Dire Order bastards are good at evading capture.”

She scratched her head.

Troublesome tasks always seemed to gnaw away at people.

The Dire Order.

An enemy that had once seemed insignificant was now troubling the family’s people.

Or perhaps, many had been fighting hard in the places Manus couldn’t see, keeping the world spinning.

Manus turned his gaze to the people bustling into the room.

It was time to select those brave enough to step closer to death.

–TL Notes–
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