Since When Did You Have The Illusion That You Don’t Have Magical Powers?! - CH 8

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Sapphiras Perfectio, 2nd son of the Earl of Aldridge

Percival Belisario, 3rd son of Margrave of Vanderwall on the Eastern Frontier

Gilliam Anderson, son of Marquess of Spencer

Author’s note: Amazingly, it ranked 2nd on the daily ranking and 1st on the weekly ranking. I would like to thank everyone who read it from the bottom of my heart. I would like to pour the energy you have given me into Sapphiras’ matchlessness. If you don’t mind, I would be delighted if you would continue to accompany me.

Please take care of me again today.

I was born as the 3rd son of the Margrave of Vanderwall, in the Belisario family.

Born in Vanderwall, a territory with borders and forests full of monsters, I held a sword at the same time as when I could stand and walk. As far as I can remember, I had trained with my father, my two older brothers, and the knights and soldiers of the mighty Belisario army, and I was treated well. Of course, I also accompanied them on their subjugations.

As the 3rd son, I was going to continue to serve in Belisario’s army and protect the borders and territory, but when I turned 14, my father asked me to go to the Creare High School in the royal capital. When I told him that I have no intention to go and study there, he said that it was the duty of a nobleman to attend the academy. It is true that my two older brothers also attended the academy. I thought I was studying in order to inherit the family, but apparently that was not the case.

My parents and older brothers convinced me that there was a lot to learn at the academy, and that I could acquire knowledge that I couldn’t get just by wielding a sword in the territory, as well as a broad perspective by interacting with many nobles. Certainly, knowledge and connections are not a hindrance. It was a good opportunity for me to attend the academy in the royal capital. I decided to work hard to support my father and brothers.

It was the first time for me to leave the territory. I think I was a little nervous about what kind of place the royal capital and the academy I am heading to would be like. No matter how harsh the expeditions and subjugations were, the people around me were all people I knew.

But the academy is different. With only a little luggage and my own body, I went to a place I don’t know. But my older brothers have been through it too, and the sons and daughters of noble families who enter the academy at the same time as me are under the same conditions as me.

While everyone is more or less nervous about the unfamiliar environment, there is one student who has been the talk of the town since he first entered the academy.

The 2nd son of the Earl of Aldridge. Sapphiras Perfectio.

The Perfectio family, who made a name for themselves through magic and were given the title of Earl, are all said to have high magical power, but among them, Sapphiras was born with no magical power at all.

The story that he, who is the same age as me and has no magical powers, is known even in Vanderwall, which is a short distance from the royal capital.

The reputation of the Perfectio family is not so good these days, as rumour has it. Although the head of the Perfectio family has been the advisor to the Kingdom’s Magic Division for generations, he has made no notable achievements since his predecessors, and has no leadership skills to foster human resources. He is said to have a poor reputation among his subordinates.

Even I, who is still a young man, can hear the whispers of the silent nobles that the current head of the family is a magic earl in name only, who brandishes his past glory. Therefore, it seems that the Earl of Aldridge, who has high expectations for his next generation of sons, treats Sapphiras, who was born without magical power, quite coldly.

I saw the son of the Earl without magical powers at the entrance ceremony, but he was a thin, scrawny and shadowy boy.

After a short time of studying at the academy, I began to see Gilliam Anderson, the 2nd son of the Marquess of Spencer, who had a problem with his behaviour, treating Sapphiras very roughly. Apparently, Gilliam is Sapphiras’ fiancé. Everyone frowned at Gilliam’s arrogant behaviour towards his fiancée, but he is the son of a Marquess. No one outwardly defends Sapphiras. The attitude of those around him probably contributed to Gilliam’s arrogant attitude. As expected, I also wanted to complain, but I thought that the weak fiancée-dono’s position would become even worse because of an outsider’s meddling, so at that time I just waited and watched.

Although it has not been made public, Gilliam is said to be an illegitimate son of the Marquess. However, I suspected to a large extent that his mother is terrible, his behaviour makes people wonder what it’s like to be an aristocrat. He has no manners and no courtesy, he wields the prestige of his father’s title and treats the sons and daughters of lower ranking nobility in an arrogant manner. Even the soldiers of Vanderwall, who are known to be a rough bunch, maintain their civility.

Gilliam’s inadequacies are all the more glaring because his older brother and older sister, the children of the Marchioness, are exemplary ladies and gentlemen. The Marquess had closed his eyes to his 2nd son’s tyrannical behaviour, but his wife might have told him that her eldest daughter, whose engagement is almost finalised, must not be hindered by indulging him too much. It is thought that the 2nd son of the Earl of Aldridge, who has no magical powers, was chosen to avoid sowing unnecessary seeds. The quiet, non-rebellious Sapphiras was just the right person to keep by Gilliam’s side.

After Gilliam graduates from the academy, he may have planned to push him into one of his territories somewhere with Sapphiras. The Earl of Aldridge may also have offered Sapphiras to the Marquess, believing that his own foundation would be strengthened if he formed a relationship with the Marquess.

Such a scheme by both families would be a disaster for Sapphiras. The marriage with Gilliam is like a sacrifice, and there is not the slightest sign of happiness for Sapphiras. It is pitiful, but a betrothal is a contract between two families. It is not for a family that is not related to them to interfere.

Not long afterwards, Sapphiras fell from the 2nd floor of the boys’ dormitory. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured because there was a flower bed below, but after the accident, Gilliam and Sapphiras’ engagement was called off. I thought at the time that it was a good thing that the engagement with such a bad man had been called off.

After that, I forgot all about Sapphiras, who was in a different class and with whom I had no contact. At least, the breaking of the contract between the two families was an incident that had nothing to do with Belisario.

That day, I spent a lot of time cleaning up after the swordsmanship coaching and was completely late for lunch. Even if I went to the cafeteria at this time of the day, there would probably be no empty seats. With this in mind, I picked up my usual lunch plate from the waiter and looked around the hall to see if there were any empty seats. If I don’t eat my meal soon, I won’t be ready in time for my afternoon classes.

All the tables are crowded with students, but there is a seat in the first corner of the hall. For some reason, there was one table where no one was sitting at. One petite student was eating lunch alone. I wondered why, but I thought it was a good thing and headed for the empty table.

“Excuse me. Do you mind if I sit with you?”

He looked up at me in response to my voice. When our eyes meet, I gasp.

It is a beautiful deep sapphire shimmer. I even feel as if I am being sucked into the starry blue. His black hair shimmered like mica in the light coming through the window. I wondered vaguely if this was a person.

“Eh?……Ah, of course.”

I was momentarily stunned, but the voice brought me back to reality. His clear, slightly high-pitched voice was commensurate with his appearance, but the words that came out were that of a surprisingly normal youth. Considering he’s an academy student, it’s really quite natural.

I introduced myself anyway. It’s fate that we’re sitting together like this.

“I’m Percival Belisario, 1st year student. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Sapphiras Perfectio, 1st year. Nice to meet you too.”

I couldn’t hide my surprise when he showed me a broad smile.

“……Perfectio……?”

“Ah, that’s right, is there anything wrong?’

“Ah……no.”

Is this boy that Sapphiras Perfectio?

Gilliam’s ex-fiancé who was always downcast and oppressed by him?

I couldn’t believe it offhand and am inwardly perplexed.

I had heard that the 2nd son who had no magical powers had been locked up in the mansion until he entered the academy. As if to confirm the rumours, his translucent white skin and fragilely thin body are by no means healthy.

However, despite his fragile appearance, Sapphiras Perfectio is very lively. His deep, dark sapphire eyes sparkle and show no hint of the dimness of his inborn misfortune.

His face, which until recently had been hidden by long bangs, was clearly visible, and the gloominess of the past was completely gone. Above all, Sapphiras is so beautiful.

I see, if he knew about this beauty, it’s no wonder that Gilliam was obsessed with him.

After sharing a table that day, I began eating with Sapphiras. We were in different classes and different dormitories, so we could only interact to that extent, but I quickly got to know Sapphiras.

Being born into the Perfectio family but having no magical powers is probably a more difficult position than I thought, but the Sapphiras I know is very strong indeed.

He had been quiet since the incident of the fall, but he seemed to have changed completely. He looks straight at Gilliam, who he used to be at the beck and call of, and says things clearly. He showed no sign of being intimidated by threats, and his sapphire eyes, which represents his name, shone so brightly that they could be seen as almost belligerent. Interesting, I thought.

He’s a man I could never measure up to.

And my intuition that Sapphiras was no ordinary man seemed to have been proven in the magic class.

The story spread to my classroom from another class that he used high-level magic without incantation. If it’s that Sapphiras, it wouldn’t be strange if he can do that much.

I was secretly impressed. I was deeply convinced that that was the reason for the almost fearless look he was giving Gilliam in the cafeteria.

Not only the students present, but even the teachers seemed to doubt Sapphiras’ magic. However, there was no way that high-level magic could be reproduced by means of trickery. Even if he had faked high-level magic by trickery, his skill in setting up the trick would have been commendable.

While pretending to be incompetent, he must have been waiting for the day when he could unleash his exceptional abilities.

If I am with him, it will surely be an invaluable experience.

My intuition is often right. My intuition saved me many times when I went out on subjugations, and my father and two brothers also have that kind of intuition. My father used to tell me to follow my instincts. He said that it is usually a beacon that guides you in the right direction.

“I see, I should definitely attend the academy. Father was right.”

It will be a long relationship with Sapphiras. I was convinced of that.

Belisario’s intuition will never miss the mark.

melon: Percival’s pov!

Btw the author usually has a note at the start and end of each chapter saying ‘please take care of me again today’ and ‘thank you for reading. I’ll be happy if you give me a star and like’. I don’t bother adding it in because it’s the same almost every chapter.