'It hardly feels like modern times, more like a mage who has crossed over from the Age of Gods.'
At least, Gray's magic circuit indeed shared many similarities with the Age-of-Gods circuits Oriko knew.
The atmosphere in the room turned strange and silent for a moment.
Click!
At that moment, a very faint cracking sound came from the quiet workshop.
It was the sound of the doll breaking.
Thump! Thump!
A low heartbeat pulsed in Alvin's chest.
A black light quietly flared along the magic circuit in his body.
White Dragon core!
He had merely stood in front of the magic doll, yet that wildly frenzied aura, as if even the breath in the air had become chaotic, seemed to affect everyone present.
Oriko seemed to sense something; her gaze quickly left Gray and glanced toward Alvin with surprise.
'The magic doll cracked?'
'How is that possible?'
Oriko hurried forward and asked, "What happened?"
It should be known that the testing doll is called so because it can withstand and absorb large amounts of mana and then expel that mana by special means.
Even Oriko participating in this special test herself would not have been able to break this doll.
But when the woman gently touched the doll's surface, she soon noticed a fine crack on it.
From that crack, a certain mana quietly leaked out.
Unlike ordinary mana, that strand of mana appeared black and almost solid, profound and mysterious.
'Broken because it couldn't withstand the mana?'
'Even in the Age of Gods, such mana is rarely seen…'
'Is it caused by the girl Gray just now?'
'No… Gray's circuit is special, but her mana can not possibly be so vast.'
'After all, the one who just tested the doll isn't Gray—'
Boom!
As if sensing something, Oriko's pupils widened beneath her glasses and she stared at Alvin with incredulous eyes.
Not only Oriko reacted. Kayneth's face also shifted slightly, and he glanced at Alvin without thinking.
A flurry of thoughts crossed his mind, but he suppressed his astonishment and said, "Reines, Gray, wait by the door."
The two girls exchanged a look, each seeing some confusion in the other's eyes, but in the end they left the workshop.
As Gray passed Alvin, she glanced at him instinctively, worry faintly in her eyes.
Though she did not know what had happened, she vaguely guessed Oriko was searching for someone.
Facing the girl's anxious look, Alvin only offered a gentle smile and mouthed something.
He said, 'Don't worry.'
Gray paused. She recalled the day she first arrived at the Clock Tower; the boy had smiled at her like that then too.
Blackmore Village, that was where Gray was born.
Unlike other girls there who would grow up obscure and live ordinary lives, she had been worshiped by the villagers as the reincarnation of King Arthur, treated like a god.
She had long feared and been afraid of her appearance. From birth her days were planned for her, as if her life were already decided.
It was then that Kayneth had come to the village and brought her to the Clock Tower.
When Alvin first met her, he had said something similar.
("Don't worry, everyone at the Clock Tower is friendly. At worst, you still have me.")
His smile had been exceptionally warm.
And he had kept that promise. Whenever she needed him, Alvin was always there.
Gray relaxed slowly. As the girl closed the workshop door, the room quieted down again.
"You really surprised me, Alvin."
After a long while, Oriko calmed the shock in her heart, turned to the boy, and a trace of amazement soon appeared in her eyes.
"That just now was the White Dragon core?"
Alvin nodded lightly, openly admitting it.
"I remember your circuit wasn't like this before, did it change recently?"
This time Kayneth spoke. Even this Clock Tower ruler hadn't expected Alvin's circuit to mutate.
He recalled that when he once accepted Alvin as a disciple, the boy's circuit had not been like this.
"It probably has something to do with the recent crossings, right?"
Oriko guessed, then slowly looked at the boy, "If the Clock Tower's other high-ups find out, you'll become an extremely rare specimen for experiments."
A magic circuit is decided from birth. If someone's circuit actually mutated later in life, they would certainly attract attention.
Moreover, Alvin might well be a descendant of that dragon. Even if the Clock Tower later wanted to place a designated seal on him, they would have ample justification.
"But right now there are only the three of us here."
Alvin smiled, "If I couldn't trust even you and Master Kayneth, then I'd have no one to trust in the Clock Tower."
He had already considered this during the test.
What Oriko could guess, the Clock Tower's higher ranks could probably guess as well.
Rather than waiting for them to notice and come knocking later, it was better to prepare defenses beforehand.
Oriko was too clever and had once been betrayed by her family; she was especially sensitive.
If she found out later, she would make trouble.
So it was better to tell her plainly now.
After all, Alvin had inherited a game stat panel; although modern mana was thin, the White Dragon core was still the White Dragon core. Even if the Clock Tower later detected Alvin's anomaly, getting out of it wouldn't be impossible.
Besides, with Oriko and Kayneth here among the Clock Tower's higher ranks, there was actually no need to run.
The boy's calm attitude left the woman momentarily stunned. For someone who had been betrayed by an entire family, trust was a luxury, perhaps impossible.
Yet here she saw unconditional trust in a boy.
"Alvin, I've told you before, magi think differently from normal people. Don't try to trust any mage."
Kayneth's tone was very low as he said slowly, "Those you trust might push you into an abyss in the future."
Alvin fell silent for a moment.
Everyone understands the logic, but whether they can do it is another matter.
This teacher probably would not have imagined that the words he spoke today would pierce his own brow in a future Holy Grail War.
Arrogant personality, betrayed by his beloved fiancee, ultimately causing a ruler's tragic death in the Holy Grail War.
Of course, in that timeline Alvin did not exist. Now that he did, he would naturally try to change the original timeline.
Alvin thought this, then noticed Kayneth gesture toward the door.
Alvin considered, "You want me to set a concealment barrier so our conversation can't be overheard?"
Kayneth glanced at him coldly, "I want you to step outside."
"…"
Kayneth was fine in many ways, but his temper was really something. Alvin muttered, then walked out of the workshop.
At the door, Reines immediately came over when she saw him, her tone carrying concern and curiosity, "Alvin, what did they tell you?"
Gray also looked at him. She didn't speak, but clearly cared.
Alvin hesitated and said, "Master Kayneth discovered my talent and was discussing with Miss Aozaki how to train the next ruler."
Reines gave the boy a faint glare, "If you don't want to say, fine."
She had asked out of worry; seeing him still joking eased her a bit.
Gray, on the other hand, looked at him as if asking something.
Alvin only gave her a gentle smile.
"Don't worry," he said softly.
———
[Inside the Workshop]
Kayneth turned to the woman with the classical, gentle temperament.
Under the soft light, her orange hair gleamed with luster. She pursed her lips slightly, as if nothing had happened.
"What do you plan to do next?"
After a short silence, Kayneth asked slowly.
"Go inform the higher-ups?"
Both present were Clock Tower high-ranks, so after seeing the testing doll break they already had an idea.
"If I planned to inform them, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you now."
Oriko's voice was soft and pleasant, "But I didn't expect my initial guess to be true. Only a descendant of the White Dragon could damage the testing doll in an instant, right?"
Since Morgan entered the palace, the Clock Tower and the high families had been speculating about her purpose.
No one would have expected Morgan le Fay's true aim might be just because of one child.
Even saying it aloud, people might not believe it.
"And you? What will you do?", Oriko suddenly asked.
Kayneth snorted, "Alvin is my disciple. If I can't protect my own disciple, then the El-Melloi family's position as rulers might as well be handed to someone else."
For the proud Kayneth, protecting Alvin was about more than teacher-student ties. It was noble pride, even the family's honor.
Knowing Alvin's circuit resembled that dragon, cutting ties to save himself. For a man with pride carved into his bones, that was unacceptable.
Oriko sipped her black coffee and smiled gently, "If this is exposed, you won't be able to keep him."
Kayneth frowned, "As long as you don't say—"
"What I can guess, the Clock Tower's other high-ups can't fail to guess later," Oriko interrupted lightly, "Morgan's trip to the palace and Alvin's circuit issue will be exposed sooner or later."
"Do you have a plan?", Kayneth recognized Oriko's composure.
"Very simple."
The woman removed her glasses and revealed a bright, charming smile, "Hand Alvin over to me."
"In other words, you want to be Alvin's teacher from now on?"
"Impossible!", Kayneth refused at once.
In fact Oriko had asked Kayneth for this before and been refused.
He hadn't expected her to bring up the old request again.
Oriko's smile did not change, "Then another proposal."
"I've long been interested in his magic circuit. From now on, halve the time you teach Alvin, and have him spend the other half helping in my workshop."
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