Strongest Novel Extra: The Irregular Mage is an Exorcist

Standing before a tall wall and side gate, Vonn observed that Linn's estate was neither superior nor inferior to his own. The cobblestone walls, along with the gate and doors—where the guards in this part of the city were stationed—appeared to be less secure.

Vonn had a nagging thought, perhaps this was because Linn was on the verge of being cast out. Unlike himself, who had shown potential, the protagonist of the novel hadn't. In fact, Linn's condition was too poor to even be considered worthy of the Silverfein lineage.

He exhaled deeply, stretching his hands and flexing his fingers to calm himself. "Let's do this."

During his training, he'd managed to extract two elements from his combined mage and exorcist-talented soul—fire and shadow. Vonn had also gained control over shadow. Infiltrating wouldn't be easy, but with nightfall approaching, he had an advantage.

Shadow wasn't like other common elements, its uses were limited. However, it had exactly what he needed for this mission: surveillance.

Though he couldn't exactly "see" using the controlled shadow, he could detect life forms within a limited radius and sense the structure of whatever it covered.

Leaning against the wall, his back pressed to the rough texture, he took another deep breath, focusing on staying composed. Once he'd secured his spot, he moved a little away from the gate and slowly murmured, recalling how to summon a shadow.

After a few seconds, he succeeded, a smile crept onto his face as a small blob of shadow appeared before him. His senses heightened, feeling a keen awareness extending just beyond his body. He sensed a strong presence—likely himself—in relation to the shadow.

Vonn sent the shadow inside the estate, taking note of the layout and guard locations. After a few minutes, he called the shadow back, confirming he'd achieved his goal.

With a clear sense of the guards' positions, Vonn finalized his plan.

"Distraction, then infiltration," he murmured, setting his plan into motion.

As he neared the gates, he conjured a small flame at his fingertips. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it flying toward the gate, creating a powerful impact that nearly erupted into a small explosion.

A cloud of smoke billowed out, shrouding the area and obscuring him from view. The guards, alarmed, rushed out of the estate with their weapons drawn, on high alert.

Using his summoned shadow to scout the path ahead, Vonn slipped through the gates and into the estate undetected... at least for now.

"This won't last long," he thought, biting his lip as he navigated the estate's European-style lobby. Moving from door to door, he searched for Linn, using his conjured shadow to scout ahead. Though the shadow's limited range required his focus, he managed to keep it useful.

As he moved, the radius of the shadow's range began to shrink, until finally, it faded. He exhaled a cold breath, fatigue creeping in.

"The last room," Vonn thought as he reached for the doorknob and pushed inside, leaning into the strength of his legs. The exorcist skill had taken a toll on him, more than he'd anticipated. His control over the surrounding mana had faltered too, diminishing his precision with the shadow.

But his efforts weren't wasted—he'd finally found who he was looking for.

"W-Who are you?" came a small, frightened voice.

Vonn followed the voice and saw a frail figure—no older than five—huddled in the corner of a shabby, poorly patched room. The boy looked as if he barely had the strength to stand, and his room was falling apart, its walls surrendering to decay and neglect.

Vonn sighed. "That's his pitiful side... he must be Linn," he thought, sympathy and resolve hardening his gaze.

In the novel, Linn's traumatic past was well-documented. He'd been malnourished, the guards regularly stole his food, and his personal servants couldn't be bothered to care for him, let alone clean his room.

Seeing Linn's state, Vonn finally grasped the depth of the resentment that had driven him to seek revenge on his family. This miserable existence wasn't the only reason, but it certainly had its impact.

"Don't worry about me…" Vonn said, raising his hands in a calming gesture. "I'm here to help."

'In this condition… you wouldn't survive easily, even with the plot armor,' he thought, eyeing Linn's fragile form.

"Who are you?" Linn asked, still wary.

"I'm Vonn, your older brother—the second young master." Vonn introduced himself, speaking gently to ease Linn's fear.

Linn's sharp gaze belied his frailty. Despite his condition, he was observant, but his talent failed him in applying the things he learned. This was a symptom of an unrecognized special trait known as the Observant Eyes.

Observant Eyes, one of the four rare special eyes, allowed its bearer to absorb information quickly, but with a strange limitation: they struggled to use what they learned effectively. To others—especially Diana, who possessed the opposite All-Knowing Eyes like Cassie, the family guardian—Linn's talent seemed useless, reinforcing the perception that he was without potential, despite his gift.

What made the Observant Eyes even rarer was their undetectable nature, which made them nearly impossible to steal.

'I would want your Observant Eyes for myself… but you need them more than I do. To survive—and to help me in the future—you must become stronger, and fast,' Vonn thought, his resolve solidifying.

With newfound determination, Vonn pulled a small vial from his pocket and shook out three small, round purple pills.

"Open your mouth," he instructed.

Linn's Observant Eyes activated as he slowly opened his mouth, drawn to Vonn's words.

"You need to control your gift," Vonn said. "Observant Eyes aren't useless, no matter what the readers of the novel thought at first. They just need a certain trigger to let you apply what you've learned to yourself."

'The Observant Eyes didn't have a fixed description or function. While it grants keen insight into details, preventing the bearer from fully applying them to themselves, this limitation could be bypassed with the use of mana.'

Vonn carefully placed three pills in Linn's mouth, watching as the now-calmer boy swallowed them.

"What do you feel?" he asked, searching Linn's expression. "Any strange sensations?"

"No…" Linn replied, blinking in surprise.

Vonn exhaled in relief. 'Mana is a volatile substance. If Linn doesn't feel strange, it's safe to assume the pill is working. Guess this is an investment, then… Damn it, those mana pills were my reward,' he thought, biting his lip as he observed Linn closely. But when nothing seemed amiss, he steeled himself and turned to leave the room.

"Urgh."

Vonn's eyes snapped wide at the sound of Linn's grunt. Seeing the boy wince in pain, he tensed. 'It's happening—the activation!'

He pushed himself toward the door, but before he could reach it, the mana within Linn's Mana Heart surged violently, reacting to the sudden intake and triggering an explosive backlash.

An unseen force hurled Vonn against the wall, his back slamming hard enough to send a crack through his spine. His vision dimmed as he struggled to stay conscious, darkness closing in around him.