Damn Reincarnation

eo ’s wrist.

“What, what is it?”

Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.

“Stay still.
I need to see your physical condition in order to teach you.” Squinting at Leo’s face, Eugene made up an excuse as he infused his mana through Leo’s wrist.
Eugene’s mana circulated inside Leo’s body without any hindrance.

Since Leo had no idea what Eugene was doing, he just blinked.
“…Something is crawling up my arm from my wrist….
You are doing this now, right?”

The analysis spell didn’t even work on Leo, but Eugene could infuse his mana into Leo’s body without a problem.
It was hard to believe, but was Leo just born with great magic resistance? Since Eugene had a hard time believing it, he used Detecteye once again.

Just then, Eugene unwittingly let go of Leo’s hand, because a shiver suddenly ran down his spine, making Eugene put on a solemn face.
When had Eugene felt this? He was sure he had felt this before.
Brushing his arms full of goosebumps, Eugene took a step back.

Eugene wasn’t the only one who had felt it.
Mer, who had been analyzing Leo’s peculiarity with Eugene from inside the cloak, shrieked.
An unfamiliar, foreign sense of intense pressure had frightened Mer, so she buried her head in Eugene’s chest.

‘Fear.’ That was the first word that came to Eugene’s mind.

Mer had never acted this way when she had met the Demon King’s remnant and Iris, even though they also acted hostile, giving off intense pressure.
Eugene finally realized what he had just felt.
Leo wasn’t being hostile or showing a desire to kill, but he was using a skill that paralyzed and scattered the nearby mana, just like a beast’s howling petrified its prey.

‘…Dragon Fear.’

Raizakia had used this skill which could only be used by dragons.
With this skill, those arrogant dragons could scatter magic and petrify mana.

“What… what’s wrong?” Leo looked at Eugene in a baffled state because he had just seen Eugene’s cloak wiggling and strands of purple hair through the cloak’s gap.
Although Leo really wanted to ask about the small shriek he had just heard, he stayed quiet because Eugene’s face looked solemn.

‘…He subconsciously radiates Dragon Fear, but he can’t sense his own Fear?’ Eugene swiftly began to think about what had triggered Leo’s Dragon Fear.
Had Leo instinctively reacted to the foreign mana inside his body?

How in the world had he done that?

* * *

The Dragonics’ training center was a dome-shaped building located a little bit far from the Dragonic mansion.

“What do you think of my son?” Alchester asked with twinkling eyes.

“I can see why you are so proud of him, Sir Alchester.” Watching the spells that filled the building’s walls, Eugene continued, “He especially has an outstanding aptitude in mana control that made me feel like he is indeed a dragon’s heir.”

While he spoke, Eugene observed Alchester’s reaction to see if he revealed anything, but Alchester just smiled wildly when Eugene praised Leo.

“…That made me curious.”

“What are you curious about?”

“Every citizen in the Kiehl Empire knows that the first ancestor of the Dragonics, Orix Dragonic, was a half-dragon.
Among his descendants, you, the best knight of the Kiehl Empire in this generation… and your son, Leo, inherited the ‘purest’ dragon blood, right?” Eugene spoke as he continued to observe Alchester’s reaction.

“…I’m so grateful and happy to hear that.” Feeling touched, Alchester nodded delightedly.
“300 years have passed since my first ancestor established the Dragonic clan.
The Dragonic clan was founded in the same era as the Lionheart clan, and we continued to live up to Sir Orix’s name.
I am not supposed to say these things myself… but I have tried my best to take after my first ancestor who protected Kiehl in times of war.”

It wasn’t what Eugene wanted to hear.

“However, I can’t say I’m special, considering how every Dragonic Patriarch tried to protect Kiehl.
Didn’t the Lionheart Patriarchs also do that? They must have trained themselves to take after the Great Vermouth because they respected him….”

Eugene listened quietly.

“I hope my son chooses the same path as me by following a code of chivalry, serving His Majesty as his lord, and protecting the empire.
Someday… when my son inherits my position as His Majesty’s guard… then Leo will maintain a close relationship with your Lionheart—”

“I’m not a candidate for the Patriarch position.” Eugene interrupted.

“…Yes, that’s right.
My bad, but you’ll still be a Lionheart then, right? So you and my son will be able to protect Kiehl later….”

“Are you able to use Dragon Fear, Sir Alchester?” Eugene simply asked since the conversation was never going to end if Eugene just kept beating around the bush.

“…Huh?”

“Dragon Fear.
Can you use it?” Eugene repeated.

Orix wasn’t a half-dragon.

He had luckily obtained a Dragonheart.

Orix’s descendants didn’t have the dragon’s blood.

So how was it possible for Leo to use Dragon Fear? Even if it were possible, could a ten-year-old kid radiate Dragon Fear?

“When you are talking about Dragon Fear….
Uh….
You are talking about the feeling of intense pressure that a dragon radiates, right?” Alchester spoke, baffled.

“Yes, that’s right.” Eugene nodded.

“How can a person radiate Dragon Fear?” Alchester asked innocently.

“…But… aren’t you the descendant of Sir Orix, the half-dragon?”

“That is right.
However, no Dragonic Patriarch was able to use Dragon Fear, including me.”

Eugene listened as Alchester continued.

“You… umm… are a bit similar to Lady Carmen.”

“Huh?” Eugene swiftly raised his head.

“No, no.
Don’t take this the wrong way.
I’m aware that you two don’t share blood and are very far from each other in the Lionheart family tree.
It’s just that… you two have a similar personality.”

“What in the world are you talking about?” Eugene asked after managing to stop himself from cursing aloud.
How could Alchester say Eugene was similar to a woman who couldn’t act her age and had a hobby and taste that ordinary people would only enjoy during adolescence?

“…Lady Carmen also asked… similar questions in this mansion a long time ago.”

“…What were the questions?” Eugene was almost scared to ask this.

“She asked if I could use Dragon Breath.”

Eugene didn’t know how to respond.

“She also asked if I was hiding wings in my back and a tail in my bottom… and whether or not a dark dragon was sealed in my right arm….[1]”

“I know I am being really rude, but Lady Carmen is insane,” Eugene finally said without blinking.

“…I think she is a very consistent person.” Alchester cleared his throat as he stepped back.
“And I respect her as a knight and a martial artist.”

“…Anyhow, so are you unable to use Dragon Fear?” Eugene bitterly asked.

“I don’t know how to use it.” Alchester shrugged.

He didn’t look like he was lying.
Well, everyone around Alchester would have noticed it if he could really use Dragon Fear.

“…I think we talked enough about Dragon Fear, so I would like to talk about why I called you here….” Alchester cleared his throat again and straightened his posture.
“…The Lionheart’s White Flame Formula and Red Flame Formula are very popular, but I’m aware of how it is forbidden to teach those formulas to outsiders.”

“Yes, that’s correct.” Eugene nodded.

“Of course, I am not expecting you to teach Leo the White Flame Formula and the Red Flame Formula.
Although I wish you could teach Leo your swordsmanship, which you have shown before, it would be too difficult for Leo to learn that right now.”

“I will try….”

“No, what I’m trying to say is that you don’t have to try too hard in teaching Leo.
Like I said, I just want you to be Leo ’s… and the Dragonics’ friend for a long time.”

“But I have to teach him something, right?”

“Trick.” Alchester grinned as he spoke of one word.
“I want you to teach my son about your trick in controlling mana.”

Alchester’s request made Eugene see him in a different light.
Just like Carmen had said, Alchester may be a timid and well-mannered man, but he was indeed insightful enough to be called the best knight of the empire.

“There would be so many examples of tricks, such as the best method to distribute the person’s mana to create sword energy, the method to unite mana to transform sword energy into sword force, the best method to circulate mana through the person’s Core, or the first pathway in the person’s body that was supposed to be used while infusing mana.”

Leo was a genius in controlling mana.
Other people would also consider Eugene a genius in mana control.
Leo and Eugene had similar talent, but Eugene had mastered mana control, so Alchester wanted Eugene’s trick.

“…It’s not difficult to teach my trick….”

“I’m not asking you to teach it for free,” Alchester said as he grabbed the sword on his waist.
“In return, I’ll teach you the Dragonic Style.”

—I was Alchester’s martial art teacher.
I didn’t prefer a sword or a spear since I was a child, so I taught him hand-to-hand combat. In return, the Dragonic Patriarch at the time taught me the clan’s martial arts…. It didn’t help me much.

“…Uhm….” Eugene bowed as he recalled what Carmen had said.
“I look forward to our sparring.”

Alchester’s lesson hadn’t begun, but Eugene felt like he was already suffering a loss… until Alchester pulled out his sword.

1.
The part about the dark dragon is a meme in Korea.
Used to mock someone who is a chuuni, but Carmen was genuine when she asked the question.
☜