Chương 27: The Mana Appraisal

Dinner was a drab, uneventful affair. All the core members of the family were present. Despite being a pariah, I was still a direct bloodline descendant of the Griffin house, which granted me a seat at the table during these "family banquets." Granted, that seat was at the very far end, rendering me practically invisible to everyone else. The head of the table, of course, belonged to the current family head - Marius Griffin.

He made a slow, deliberate entrance only after everyone else had been seated, signaling the official start of the feast. His gaze seemed to linger on me more than usual, but I didn't let it bother me. The food was served course by course, with individual portions for each guest. There was an abundance of dishes, but every single one of them tasted equally abysmal. I don't think I've mentioned this yet, have I? The food in Averula is terrible.

They oversalt everything—Averula has no shortage of salt, given that two-thirds of the national border is surrounded by the sea. While seafood is plentiful in the coastal regions, transporting it to central hubs like the capital, Varham, takes far too long. As a result, most of it arrives salted and dried. Vegetables aren't a priority here either; they primarily subside on tubers and fruits. For someone like me, born in a country where every meal requires green vegetables, this is a form of torture.

Only the bread and freshly grilled meats are remotely edible. During my first isekai life, I practically lived on bread alone just to survive. But that leads to a protein deficiency, so this time, I've forced myself to eat more meat and fruit. Tonight was no different; I choked down a portion of dry and salty grilled chicken to fuel up. What comes next is going to require a lot of energy. Marius and Jullius were the first to depart, a signal that the banquet could end at any moment.

I took the chance to finish my dessert apple before following. Apples are a luxury in Averula, typically reserved for the nobility. The butler was already waiting for me at the door to escort me to the Marquis's study.

"Sir, Asher has arrived." The Marquis was seated at his desk, with Jullius standing stiffly beside him. Jullius inherited nearly eighty percent of his father's features, with the exception of their eyes. Jullius possessed a gaze that felt direct and upright, a trait that had done wonders for building his image as a hero. In contrast, Marius had narrow, elongated eyes that always seemed to be calculating something. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road.

Please report it. I bowed deeply to the Marquis, making sure to project an air of nervous apprehension. Marius stared down at the crown of my head with cold, piercing eyes.

"You claim you can manipulate mana?"

"I believe so, My Lord..." The towering man stood up, his silhouette casting a long shadow that swallowed the light from the two lamps by the window.

"For your sake, I hope you aren't lying. I do not take kindly to having my time wasted. Follow me." I acted out my confusion.

"My Lord...?"

"Anyone bearing Griffin blood who can mobilize mana must undergo this test." With that, he stepped toward a nearby bookshelf and firmly pulled a metallic ornament. The shelf gave a slight shudder before sliding aside, revealing a hidden passage. This was a place I had never stepped foot in, even during my first isekai life. I suppose it's standard for noble estates to have these kinds of secret chambers. Beyond the bookshelf lay a corridor leading to a windowless room.

As we entered, torches along the four walls flared to life, illuminating a very peculiar object at the center of the room. Marius pointed toward it.

"Touch it and mobilize your mana. If it glows, I will know you aren't lying." The object was a stone pedestal reaching waist-height, topped with a transparent crystal orb. At the base of the pedestal was a complex, circular magic circle. This was clearly a device designed to verify one's mana aptitude. I stepped forward slowly and placed my right hand on the orb. It began to glow, dim at first.

"Hold it until I tell you to release," Marius commanded. I obeyed. As I focused, the orb grew brighter and brighter in response. Could this orb actually be measuring the volume of a person's mana through its luminosity? I only wanted them to know I could use mana, not exactly how much I possessed. To mask my true capacity, I subtly lifted my hand a fraction of an inch away from the surface of the orb. Even so, the light didn't fade.

By now, the orb was glowing so intensely that I had to squint just to see the silhouettes of the other two. I wasn't sure what rank this level of luminosity represented, but judging by the tremor in Jullius's voice, he was clearly shaken.

"Father... how is this possible?" Marius didn't answer his son. Instead, he spoke to me:"You may let go now." I obeyed and pulled away from the orb, stepping back. As I approached them, I caught a clear look at Jullius's face. He looked as if he'd just been punched in the gut. Hmph. My light was definitely brighter than his. Marius, however, maintained his stony, emotionless facade.

"What can you achieve with this mana?"

"Sir, during sword practice, I find I can track my opponent's movements much more clearly than before."

"And aside from that?"

"I haven't noticed anything else yet, sir." Marius asked no further questions and led us out of the secret chamber. Back at his desk, he spoke to me in the same detached tone as before.

"You have indeed manifested mana, Asher. Usually, those who undergo this appraisal feel quite exhausted afterward. How do you feel?"

"Yes... I do feel more tired than usual." In truth, I felt no different at all.

"You should return to your room and get some sleep. There's no school tomorrow, so take the day to rest. We will discuss the details of this later." I bowed and took my leave. The last thing I heard before the door clicked shut was Jullius's frantic exclamation:"Father! How could that brat possibly—"