Show Them a Fierce One - chapter 11

In fact, even if Anuo hadn’t intervened to save them, the bystander students wouldn’t have been in mortal danger.

On one hand, both Anuo and Ludwig sensed the fluctuations of Ancient Dragon Language Magic-a protective spell of an ancient variant. While it couldn’t help one withstand attacks, it could push people away from danger. Anuo saw people scattering in the air; aside from students carrying flying devices, some were forcibly “pushed away” by the powerful magic of the Dragon Race. The force was a bit much, and everyone was blasted from their spots before they could react.

On the other hand, the Sky Fortress was equipped with defensive arrays, jointly constructed by several Grand Archmages and Magic Saints. The great array was nested with smaller ones, intricately linked like the precise gears of a clock. If anyone encountered danger on campus, the array would automatically activate a barrier.

Of course, since the array couldn’t judge situations with precision and to avoid interfering with students’ daily magical practice, the arrays covering the surrounding mountain Training Grounds had stricter activation conditions.

Over the years, the school had regularly maintained and inspected the arrays, so student safety was still assured.

However, not dying and not getting hurt or feeling pain are two different things.

The rescued students and their families, wrapped in lingering fear, still remembered to thank Anuo. It must be said, the golden carriage of the Elf Prince Brother was truly eye-catching, and many saw that the spell which saved everyone was cast from there.

As for Anuo himself, who was being thanked by so many, he was still in a state of prolonged shock-greater even than after the last makeup exam.

Even more shocked than Anuo was Ludwig. It wasn’t that he was surprised by his own Origin Power, famous for its destructive force, now saving so many people. Rather, he was stunned by Anuo’s Silent Spell.

Or rather… “You can already completely abandon chanting?”

Abandoning chanting to cast spells is theoretically possible. But on the Falres Continent, mages who can truly do this are exceedingly rare. Even among those who achieve it, many find their spell effects halved; the stronger the spell, the more likely it is to be weakened.

Yet Anuo could almost cast instantly without loss, to the point of being able to fight dragons bare-handed.

Most importantly, all of this had nothing to do with the Origin Power they had exchanged.

Anyone who’s taken an introductory magic theory course knows that Origin Power and the ability to abandon chanting for seamless spellcasting are entirely different in nature. It’s like saying someone’s talent for singing is causally linked to their ability to run and jump-there’s no necessary connection. A great artist might be clumsy, and a skilled athlete might be tone-deaf.

Anuo’s ability to abandon chanting in a critical moment only meant he could do so even before exchanging Origin Power. Yet, according to the Ravenfolk’s investigations, this Elf Prince Brother-often misunderstood as not very bright-had never shown such talent in public.

Anuo tilted his head, emerald eyes filled with earnest confusion-was this really such a difficult thing?

His sister could do it easily. Many everyday minor spells, like curling her hair or levitating a Parchment, Salamander could not only abandon chanting but even forgo her Staff. It was as if magic had become a part of her body, and she could command it at will.

Anuo only learned to abandon chanting because he spoke so slowly. When the twins first learned magic from the elder, Anuo’s chanting was always interrupted, so his sister Salamander gave him some devilish training.

Ludwig: …

So many Archmages who spend their lives researching spell chanting, pursuing this very thing, and here it was achieved so easily. Yet the one who did it thought it was just a matter of having hands? My sister is much better than me.

Anuo buried his head in his cardboard, writing, earnestly explaining that he couldn’t always abandon chanting-only in critical moments, somewhat like a reflex in life-or-death situations. Most of the time, he still had to rely on… “cheating.” The beautiful Elf gave his friend a slightly embarrassed, shy smile.

His Staff could actually “speak,” chanting in his stead.

But only he could hear it.

The origin of this goes back to Anuo’s childhood with his little curls. His chanting was always interrupted, and the elder teaching the twins the basics was both worried and anxious. In the end, she swallowed her pride and wrote to the retired Staff master, asking him to come out of retirement. The two had shared a passionate youth, and though reality kept them apart, they still remembered each other fondly.

The elderly Staff master poured all his wisdom into crafting a unique silver Staff for the young Prince Brother Anuolaide, using a fallen branch from the Kabbalah Tree of Life.
Not only does it possess powerful magic, but it can also act like a broadcaster, chanting spells for Anuo whenever he performs the spell gestures.

However, it does not possess intelligence.

To put it simply, it’s a preset voice program built on fixed underlying logic.

The inspiration for this Staff Master also came from Anuo’s previous life as a programmer in a major corporation. After countless precious magical materials were spent and many sleepless nights of tireless research, the Staff Master took away a reward that would allow her to enjoy her retirement, leaving behind a Tree of Life Staff that Anuo still uses to this day, as smooth as ever.

The birth of this Staff was filled with coincidences and luck. The creator herself admitted that even if given the same materials and time, she would probably never be able to recreate such a powerful Staff again.

It was Master Spinoza’s last and finest work in her twilight years.

Anuo stroked his silver Staff cherishingly, still reluctant to put it back into the Staff Bag. Because, even now, it continues to shout in his mind, following its programming:

[My child is amazing!]

[The brightest in all the continent!]

[Truly, sister’s pride!]

The troublemaking dragon was taken away by the sheriff of Thetis Port, and Anuo and Ludwig were also invited to the sheriff’s office, naturally as witnesses and kind passersby to receive commendations for their bravery.

While waiting in the small building of the sheriff’s office, Anuo saw the Female Knight Leya, looking thoroughly chastised, and the Third Prince Adam, who had hurried over to pay her bail.

It was especially awkward to meet acquaintances.

After some communication, both sides learned that Leya is the youngest Dragon Knight in the Glory Empire. To be recognized by the Dragon Race and sign a contract at her age is a feat that can be counted on one hand in the history of the continent. This is also why Leya was assigned to protect her cousin, the prince.

Leya’s dragon partner is not the drunken Red Dragon Beowulf, but his elder brother, the White Dragon Ladon, who is extremely skilled in ice magic but naturally lazy.

These two dragons are biological brothers, yet belong to two major factions on Dragon Island. Beowulf is part of the Free Dragon Faction, which advocates tearing up the ancient alliance contract signed with humans ten thousand years ago-how could the noble Dragon Race allow themselves to be commanded by humans forever? Especially when there are plenty of scoundrels among humans. Ladon, on the other hand, belongs to the Conservative Faction, insisting that a promise is a promise, and that the Dragon Race and humans should stand together for eternity.

Both sides have their own positions and reasons; it’s hard to say who is right or wrong.

Years ago, the younger brother Beowulf left Dragon Island in a fit of anger to study at Sky Fortress. Years later, the elder brother Ladon found his battle partner and accompanied him to escort the Third Prince to Sky Fortress.

By coincidence, on this sunny Sunday morning, Beowulf and Knight Leya met on campus.

Beowulf almost immediately sensed his brother’s aura on Leya, and the whole dragon exploded on the spot. Since fighting is forbidden on campus, and Beowulf didn’t dare attack his brother’s human partner, he impulsively challenged her to a drinking contest.

Leya, for reasons unknown even to herself, gritted her teeth and accepted.

As a result, the human and the dragon drank themselves senseless in the school’s paid restaurant, but neither was willing to admit defeat, so they proposed a second round of competition. As for what the second round was, the Magic Potion used to forcibly sober her up left Knight Leya unable to remember; she was now enduring a severe headache, trying to review with her cousin what foolish things she and Beowulf had done.

All she could recall was Beowulf suddenly transforming into a giant Red Dragon on the spot and staggering toward Morning Star. Fortunately, his instincts still remembered to use magic to protect the bystanders.

That was the source of the thunderous noise and dragon language magic.

Anuo had originally been sitting with Ludwig on the other side, but now found himself inching closer and closer to Knight Leya, listening with rapt attention. He didn’t even need to say anything; his beautiful eyes were already filled with, “Tell me more, tell me more, just a bit more!”

Ludwig looked at the Light Elf, who was getting farther and farther away from him: “???”

Author’s Note:

*Beowulf: Name comes from Celtic mythology, the epic poem “Beowulf.”

Ladon: Name comes from Greek mythology.

↑ Only the names are used, the settings may not match the myths exactly, mwah.