At the same time, in the woods.



　Brother Xellos and I were running in the 'Kittoral Forest'.
　I'm already accustomed to the 'body strengthening (boosted)' process of using the braces.
　We can move our arms and legs at twice the normal speed and slip through the trees.
　If Dick the bat was there, he could have guided me through the shortest course, but no. It wouldn't have mattered if I had won.
　So I asked Dick and his friends to stay out of the woods. I didn't call for them to come over, but they did.

Brother Xelloss!　I need to talk to you. Just listen to me while I run!

　I shouted.
　Brother Xellos, running in front of me, doesn't answer.
　He knows I'm right behind him. He's been looking back at me for a while now.

'Oh God!　Listen to me once in a while!　Don't get angry and pissed off all on your own!
Shut up.

　Brother Xellos looked at me with cold eyes.

''We already know that you're trying to take over the Baron family.
'Who?　When!　What month, what day, what time, what minute, what time, what time I planned that!
'I heard the maids talking!
I don't care!
'Dr. Kachel taught me that!　You're the one talking shit about me to the maids!
So when?
'Repeatedly!　Every day!　And the night before last!
'I wasn't even in the mansion the night before last!

　I was at an inn in town with Martha.
　Even Brother Xellos should have known that.

'Shut up, shut up, shut up!　I won't give the Baron's house to you!
'So I said I don't want it!
'That's how you always deny me!
All right, all right. Let me punch you in the face. Brother Xelloss!
''If you're not plotting to take over the baronial family, why would His Highness summon you as well!　Isn't that funny?　How could His Highness know about you, the bastard!
Then let's tell the truth, shall we? Don't say a word to anyone!　Good, brother!
All right. Tell me, Yuki!
'I snuck out of the house the other day and went up the hill behind the house and saw a man named Clara and an axe man named Barnes being attacked by a demon!　That's when I had a little help!　That's when you knew!　The barons have a dark-haired, dark-eyed child!　So, I don't know what you were thinking, but you even called me, a bastard. That's it!
Really?
If you think it's a lie, ask Mr. Barnes, the axe bearer!
"...you always do that....
What?
'You always do things like that that that I can't do!

　Brother Xellos' hand seen over his back is doing a strange movement.
Is it "Ancient Magic"?

"...Summon the Wind Spirit!
"The 'ancient magic' of summoning. That's awesome, brother!

　I drew my dagger.
　Pale white spheres arose around Brother Xellos. A few of them.
　From them, a bird-shaped messenger was born and flew towards me.

　Sharp as a knife, fluttering two pairs of wings.


　Gaiinin!


　I catch the first bird's wing with my dagger.
　The second one manages to cut it off; the third one rolls on the ground to avoid it.

'If you're so strong, why do you care about me!　Brother Xellos!
Shut up!　Stay down!　The bastard!

　The distance between you and Brother Xellos opens up. He's summoning demons as he runs.
　Are you going to keep me stuck in this whole thing?

I've had enough of this shit for one day.

　I don't care if I'm right. I don't care if I was exposed.
　After all, I'm not cut out to be human.
　I'm through with it.

　It doesn't matter if it's an exam or a magic guild.
　It's all just brotherly bickering from here on out.
　We're going to beat up Brother Xelloss, make him understand, and then beat up Teacher Kachel.

　I'm going to disappear from the House of Lords.

　I'm a Nosferatu.
　I'll just disappear from the family!

"Boosted!

　I drew the emblem of "magical blood" on my left hand.
It was a double dose of "Boosted".

　I kicked the ground and ran.



"Just listen to your words, you bastard!



"Fi!
Shut up!

　is good!

　I flicked the bird that had been wrapped around me with my fist.

"........geeee!

　The bird, made of magic, dissipates with a single blow.
That's double the amount of body strengthening. Even the fists themselves are strengthened.
　The back of my hand was ripped open and bleeding, but that's okay!

"Do it, Zeros!　Xellos-Glossiaaaaaaaaaa!
Yuki!
You need to hear my side of the story once in a while, a**h*le!
'Why?　How could you move that fast!
''The effect of the 'Ancient Artifact Replica' depends on how you use your magic power, right!　Keep it that way!
You've got to be kidding me!　Why you, more than me!
All right, then! I'll tell you!　I'm actually a reincarnation of a sorcerer who died 200 years ago!　He has a strange aptitude for the ancient arts!　Thanks to that, I'm doubling my magic, so I'm moving twice as fast and my body strength is doubled!　What do you think, you know, brother f*cker?
You're still here!　Ridiculous.

　Brother Xellos kicks a tree and changes direction. He comes towards us.

"I'm gonna shut your f*cking mouth!　Yuki!
At last you're looking at me, brother Xelloss!
'Oh, I didn't like you for a long time!
'I know!　You don't like the bastards!
'No!　You're driving me crazy!　I set out to become a 'magic guild' to pay you back!　It's a pain in the ass!　'Ancient magic' and study!　If it wasn't for you, none of this would have happened!
Don't blame me for this!
Shut up!　'Ancient Magic' - 'Wind Spirit Summoning' and 'Fire Spirit Summoning'.

　Your brother's fingers draw an intricate coat of arms.
　Two.
　Right hand in front of the body, left hand behind, two different sigils.

"Geeky! "GOOOOO!

　A bird of the wind and a lizard covered in flames appear from two pairs of magicians.

It's summoning magic!　Isn't this the place where me and my brother are supposed to be punching each other in the face!
I'm a bastard!　Joining the Sorcerer's Guild to raise the baron's name to Xellos-Grossaria!　So I'm going to beat you with everything I have!
Great!

　I activate my "body strengthening" again.
　I start running towards my brother at twice the speed.

Go!　"Wind Spirit" and "Fire Spirit".　Make Yuki kneel in front of me!
"f*ck you!　Such a little demon (Zako) would be a 'monster' (Nosferatu) to deal with!

　I cut away the blue bird with my fist and the flaming lizard with my dagger.
　A few steps in between. I close the distance. My brother invokes the summoning magic again.

　As expected of an "ancient magic" summoning technique. It's fast. Is it possible to use it continuously?
　But these are "monsters". I'm going to ignore a few wounds. A cut on my cheek from a bird's wing is nothing to worry about. The flames burned my clothes, but that's no problem. I'm going to end up with the baronial family here anyway.

　I'm going to beat up Brother Xellos and Kachel so that I don't have any regrets!

"Yuki.........you........ My hand.........blood!
Do you realize what a 'Nosferatu' I am? f*ck you.
No, no. You're my family. I'm not a....

　I'm in time.
　I'm going to swing my fist at him.
Double whack is good for your health, double whack is good for your health.
　My brother Xellos must rule the baronial household.


　I'm going to beat you up without you getting hurt, just like my human brothers and sisters.


Clench your teeth!　Don't bite your tongue!　Stamp your feet!　Brother Xellos ah!

　My fist hit my brother Xellos in the gut.

'Ugh!　Yuki....you...are...

　Brother Xellos' body rolls over and stops on the grass.
　The amulet my brother was holding is also blown off.

''Ow........ouch.''

　Blood is pouring out of the wound on my right hand.
　Aah, it's even splattered on Brother Xellos' face and arm.
　My right hand hurts like hell.
　After all, it was too reckless to strike out with an errand boy with my bare hands.......

.........Yuki.......blood.......hurt.....
Wake up, brother Xelloss.

　Gwi.

　I grabbed my brother Xellos's arm and pulled myself up.

"Do as you please with the barons. I'm a bastard. I've told you before, I don't care about titles. If you don't believe me, you should. I'll just disappear from the baronial family. Just like a monster.
...Yuki... You......
"If you want to remake the Baron family the way you want it, go ahead. But I will not allow you to touch my family. If I stop by here in the future, if they do something to Roumiya and Martha, I won't forgive my brother. I don't care about the Barons and the Magic Guild. I will use my entire life span as a monster to crush my brother.
Ugh.....

　My brother's body begins to tremble.
　When I let go of my hand, my brother sat down on the ground without any effort.

　........I've done it.
　I revealed my identity and used double (double) the 'Ancient Magic'.
　I'm completely out.

　Now let's get out of here before someone else comes along.

''What are you guys doing there!

　Suddenly, I heard a voice.
　A person walks in from the exit of the forest. It's the axe bearer, Mr. Barnes.
　Oh ... d*mn. You're late to the party.

"There can be no fighting between exams!　What the hell are you doing here?!
...and this is...

　Brother Xellos looked at me and at Mr. Barnes.

　I revealed my identity to him.
　Brother Xellos will tell Mr. Barnes.
　My brother has no reason to cover for me.

　My human life ends here.
　Mr. Barnes is the princess's bodyguard. You won't be able to miss me, Nosferatu, will you?
　We'll ask Dick and the other bats to keep me out of here while we escape to the mountains. After that, it's back to wandering.
　This is really annoying.
　I would have said goodbye to Martha if I could.

This is just a quarrel between brothers, Mr. Barnes. Mr. Barnes.

　...Brother?

"I'm the one who lunged at Yuki and she defied me. It was a sales pitch. So,
Hey, Brother Xelloss.

　I put my face close to my brother's ear.

''Well you don't have to tell me who I am?
''You can't say that!　Stupid!

　I was pissed.

''Well if it were known that there is a monster in the Baron's bloodline, it could destroy the house. As a legitimate son, I have to protect the house.
Oh, yeah?
"And I have no way of finding out who you really are. But you see I was defeated. It's clear to me that you're no match for me and it feels good to know that you're no match for me.

　My brother's shoulders slumped wearily and he picked up the fallen amulet.

'I knew it was a lie that you were talking shit about me. But I have to make the baronial family comparable to the higher nobility. In order to do that, I need to follow Dr. Kachel. That's why I had to take the man at his word. And the more I think about it the more I believe what he says the more I believe it's true. ...
My brother is too serious.
"...shut the f*ck up. You're my brother.
You haven't called me brother in a while. Brother Xellos.
Yeah, you're my brother. So don't go off on your own.
You know what?
'I don't want Lumia to cry over you after you're gone. His Highness Iris will be suspicious of you. I have a duty to protect the baronial family. I can't let the house fall apart because of me. So ... don't go away now.
Okay, all right. Jeez. People are so annoying.

　My brother won't tell anyone about me.
　If it's okay with you, Brother Xellos it's okay.
　There's no way for me to prove that I'm the reincarnation of Dean Nosferatu, either.
　It's not going to be easy living a vagabond life at 13 years old.
　I can vanish any time I want to.

End of story?　So what are you going to do?　You're going to continue the test, Xellos-Grossaria.

　Barnes thrust his axe handle into the ground.

'Your aptitude test will include fighting me. You don't have to defeat me. You can use your magic to avoid the attack and get through the forest. If you can do this, you will be admitted to the Magic Guild.
I abstain.

　My brother brushed the dirt from his pants and stood up.
　As it was, he bowed deeply to Mr. Barnes.

''I wasn't a vessel (depression) that could be admitted to the 'magic guild'. I.........with this.......strengthen the ancient magic in a cowardly way....
'It's really good, isn't it? Abstain.
Yes. I've made up my mind.
Okay.

　Barnes put down his axe and took out a small bow and arrow from his back instead.
　He also pulls out a red cloth and a black cloth from his pocket (bosom).
　He explains quickly. The red cloth is a sign of passing and the black cloth is a sign of disqualification.

　Slowly, Mr. Barnes ties the black cloth to the arrow.
　He points the arrow to the sky and draws the bow, as if waiting for his brother's reaction. My brother doesn't say anything.
　Without saying a word, Barnes released the arrow into the sky.

“That should be enough to make Her Highness understand. Good work, both of you.
Can I ask you one question, Mr. Barnes?
'What?　Xellos-Grossaria.
Is it true that Yuki helped Mr. Barnes?
Yeah.

　Mr. Barnes nodded easily.
　'I wanted you to cheat here,' he said.

'That's for sure. That's why I and Your Highness confused Xellos-Grossaria with Yuki-Grossaria. I didn't mean to offend Your Highness. I apologize for the mistake.
No, that's okay.

　Brother Xellos laughed, as if his shoulders were relaxed.

''........I just thought I couldn't compete with Yuki, after all......''

　When your brother said those words to me...



I...



　Suddenly, I heard a scream from across the forest.
　That's where Her Royal Highness is.

We'll talk later. We'll return to the princess. Follow me!

　Mr. Barnes started to run towards the entrance of the forest.
　Me and my brother Xellos looked at each other and then followed him.

　For a moment, the face of His Highness the Princess flashed in my mind.
　Lyle, who was a child substitute in my past life, that face, just like his daughter Alice.

'Sorry. Brother Xellos, I'm going to go ahead.

　I activated "Physical Strengthening, Double" again.
　Brother Xellos is unable to follow me. He's wobbling on his feet, probably because I hit him.
　I said to my brother, "I'm sorry. I'll go first," and then increase my speed. I pass Mr. Barnes and go further ahead.

"...Princess Iris, Your Highness?

　d*mn.
　If she didn't look so much like Alice, I'd let her go.
　Lyle and Alice both have a memory that sticks in my craw.
　They're such troublesome children. You people!