Reborn as the Head of the Stolen Magic Family

Chapter 5

As Furas took his seat at the head of the main hall, everyone stiffened with tension.

Well, almost everyone.

Except for me.

But only for a moment.

“Hah.”

Staring at Furas with gleaming eyes, I let out a hollow laugh.

The sudden sound startled the child beside me, who turned to look.

But I kept my eyes fixed on Furas, not even blinking.

“…”

Crunch-!

A shiver ran down my spine.

I quietly clenched my fists.

If Marcel’s face was merely ‘similar,’ this was like seeing Ivan alive.

To have two faces tied to such a long-standing grudge before me.

‘Even that unsettling gaze is exactly like his father’s.’

Furas' cold eyes reminded me of facing Ivan in the past.

Those foggy, unreadable eyes, impossible to discern.

I had once overlooked that gaze.

I failed to realize that the emptiness was actually boundless desire.

Consumed by endless challenges and ambition, I hadn’t noticed the enemy harboring venom so close.

I regretted not seeing the deep-seated inferiority complex of a legitimate heir toward a bastard, burning in the shadows.

‘There won’t be a second mistake.’

Vowing never to overlook that gaze again and to exact thorough revenge, I etched Furas' eyes into my memory.

One day, I’d stain those eyes with defeat.

That’s why I endured this brief moment of bowing my head.

Grit.

I clenched my teeth to suppress the rising anger.

Now wasn’t the time.

I wasn’t Edmund von Kirhausen, the one with power, but Eddie Summerson, a mere orphan.

To face Furas von Kirhausen as Edmund von Kirhausen, I needed to regain that strength.

So I quietly averted my gaze from Furas.

Swallowing my anger with cold resolve, I lowered my head and focused on the aura emanating from Furas in the hall.

‘…He’s grown strong.’

His pure, refined aura wasn’t flaunted ostentatiously but restrained, wrapping around him.

Yet, that alone was enough to shift the hall’s atmosphere.

“Ahem.”

At Furas' low cough, the other finalists flinched, their shoulders trembling.

‘They must be incredibly nervous.’

And understandably so.

To a commoner child, the head of Kirhausen was almost a mythical figure.

But the one even more nervous than the finalists was none other than the heir, Marcel.

“…”

Unlike his earlier relaxed demeanor, his posture and gaze were rigid, like a disciplined recruit.

‘Well, he didn’t seem like he’d be a kind father.’

Since childhood, Furas had a uniquely ruthless aura and cruel temperament compared to his siblings.

I thought that ruthlessness was likely why he surpassed his siblings to become head.

Then, Furas' gaze, scanning the candidates, landed on me.

“What’s with that boy?”

A child in tattered clothes, unlike the others.

His commanding voice, befitting his imposing presence, resonated through the hall.

The other children flinched at Furas' words directed at me.

Butler Ronan responded, “Teacher Patman personally vetted him. His background is…”

The fact that I was from an orphanage was already covered by the identification certificate.

Furas' brow furrowed slightly as he took the certificate from Ronan.

“Delphonso… Orphanage?”

“Yes, we’ve already sent someone to verify everything.”

Furas quietly folded the certificate in half, then looked at me.

“Even if Teacher Patman vetted him, an orphan?”

“…!!”

Furas' voice pressed heavily on the room once more.

The three other children trembled.

Even the seasoned butler Ronan showed signs of tension.

Then, the male tutor seated with Sylvia spoke up.

“Since he’s made it to the main hall, why not have him stand before the Glaciator?”

At his suggestion, Furas looked at me again.

Then, he slowly reached for the teacup in front of him.

‘Phew…’

Ronan let out a silent sigh of relief.

His master drinking tea here meant to proceed as planned.

The final selection for the enrollment assistant began.

.

.

.

The children, already filtered through multiple criteria, faced no further questions.

“As your name is called, step forward, place your hand on the Glaciator, and react your mana with Young Master Marcel’s mana stored inside.”

As expected.

But…

“Young Master Marcel’s mana…?”

“React it…?”

“This isn’t about testing magical skill…?”

The three children couldn’t hide their confusion, glancing at each other.

And understandably so.

‘They never dreamed the final test would be about compatibility.’

The Glaciator stored mana but also had another key function.

It showed the compatibility between the stored mana and external mana it came into contact with.

Past or present, the primary criterion for selecting a tail was always one thing.

Mana compatibility.

The more similar the mana’s texture, the more similar the magical wavelengths they produce.

Thus, a tail had to be the child with the best mana compatibility with the family’s heir.

That way, they could test elixirs or training methods developed by the family’s magicians on behalf of the young master and identify side effects.

‘The mana barrier at the gate must have been made using Marcel’s mana extracted from the Glaciator.’

My guess was correct.

The gate’s barrier was set up using Marcel’s mana from the Glaciator.

In other words, the barrier’s ripples reflected not only the children’s mana sensitivity but also their compatibility with Marcel’s mana.

“Haa…”

The three children visibly despaired.

‘And understandably so.’

After passing every selection stage to reach this point, the final test relied on luck.

It was only natural they’d feel defeated.

Hearing their sighs, I quietly stared at the Glaciator.

“…”

Wondering how much I should control my strength when my turn came.

Step, step.

The first to stand before the Glaciator was a chubby boy.

“Phew…”

Thud.

After a deep breath, he placed his hand on the conical structure.

Soon, golden mana particles began to glow within the transparent Glaciator.

But the light was visibly weak.

“Please… please…”

The boy muttered desperate pleas like a prayer.

But mana compatibility wasn’t something desperation could solve.

“Next.”

Furas' deep voice rang out firmly.

No need to see more.

“Sob, sob!”

The chubby boy returned to his place, teary-eyed, as the butler called the next candidate.

A tall, lanky boy stepped forward confidently to the Glaciator.

With assurance, he placed his hand on it.

Shwaaaa-

The Glaciator’s interior instantly glowed golden.

A reaction entirely different from the first candidate’s.

Golden particles swirled within the Glaciator.

‘The compatibility… is decent.’

A faint gleam flashed in my eyes.

This second candidate had also shown excellent sensitivity at the first gate.

As expected…

Murmur, murmur.

The family members began discussing among themselves, observing the Glaciator’s reaction.

But soon…

“Ha… haha…”

With a groan-like laugh, the lanky boy’s limbs began to tremble.

His eyes grew hollow, and two streams of blood trickled from his nose.

He was exhausting all his energy reacting with the mana.

The family members’ expressions hardened instantly.

“Tch.”

Furas clicked his tongue irritably.

“Next.”

Unable to watch further, Ronan spoke on Furas' behalf.

But…

“Ha… haha… ha.”

The boy, who had poured all his energy into the Glaciator, seemed deaf to the call.

Finally, at Ronan’s gesture, servants pulled the second candidate away from the Glaciator.

“Grrk…!”

His eyes rolled back as he collapsed.

The servants carried the unconscious boy out of the hall.

“Tch. Every one of them…”

Furas' low, irritated voice echoed.

This made Marcel and the family members even more tense.

“…Next.”

Watching Furas' mood, Ronan called the next candidate.

Step, step.

A freckled girl stepped forward at the third call.

Though tense from Furas' irritation, she took a deep breath and placed her hand on the Glaciator.

Shwaaaa-

Not as strong as the second boy, but it was visibly a decent reaction.

Even after removing her hand, she showed no signs of exhaustion like paleness.

The tutors nodded, exchanging opinions.

The knight commander and the institute director showed positive reactions as well.

Soon, a brief Q&A with the family members and the third candidate followed.

“Do you know exactly what role the Kirhausen enrollment assistant plays?”

“At the academy, I’d assist Young Master Marcel to ensure he faces no academic inconveniences, and within the family, I’d test magical tools and items on his behalf.”

“If you fail to properly assist the young master’s training due to your lack of ability, what will you do?”

“I’d train tirelessly to improve my skills to match the young master’s magic. But at the academy, I’d focus solely on my role as his assistant, not showcasing my improved skills!”

Her answers were textbook-perfect.

Fluent and unhesitant.

She responded without faltering to the barrage of questions.

Finally, satisfied expressions appeared on the family members’ faces.

Good compatibility, sustained energy, and a clear understanding of the family’s expectations—she was the perfect candidate.

“Hm.”

Furas, too, showed interest for the first time, a different reaction from before.

As the situation turned positive, the girl gained confidence and began stating her ambitions.

“If I’m chosen as the enrollment assistant for the great Kirhausen family…!”

As if she’d rehearsed a script, her words flowed effortlessly.

‘She memorized it well.’

The two children before her were clearly eliminated.

And the tattered boy after her was even an orphan.

She was certain she’d be chosen as the tail.

The girl squared her shoulders, raising her voice confidently.

But…

“If you choose me, I’ll do my utmost to be the perfect enrollment assistant for Young Master Alexein!”

Her bold final statement ruined everything.

“…”

“…”

A heavy silence fell over the vast main hall.

Not even the sound of breathing or blinking could be heard…

A suffocating silence.

“…Gasp!”

The girl’s startled gasp broke the silence.

She realized too late.

Her mouth had named the heir of another family, not Marcel.

“N-no, that’s not what I meant…”

Her freckled face turned pale instantly.

A mix of shock, despair, and fear crossed her expression.

In contrast…

“…”

Furas' expressionless gaze was eerily calm.

Not even a blink.

In that suffocating silence… the girl grew even more terrified.

As expected.

‘A spy for another family.’

Watching her tremble, I let out a small, hollow laugh.