"Brother, how hard is it to develop a theory in the academy?"
"With all the books and information about every magical field, it's not that hard to build a theory—if you have the talent that a true Malckoy descendant should have."
"Ooo, then brother, you should be a genius because you're a real Malckoy descendant!"
"Uh... Yeah... Yes. I am indeed talented enough to be fit as a direct descendant of the Malckoy family."
"Am I talented enough to develop a theory too, brother?"
"Of course you are, you're my little brother after all."
"Ohh, then brother, when I come up with a theory, will they call me a genius? Or will I become a prodigy, like our mother expected me to be?"
"You sure will—because, once again, you're my little brother."
"Hehe, do you know anyone else who's been called a genius or a prodigy besides you, brother?"
"Hmm, let me think... Oh right! How could I forget about him? Indeed, there was this guy who deserved both of those titles. He was truly hailed as a genius and a prodigy—even among other geniuses—for his overwhelming comprehension and calculating ability. I once saw him outsmart professors in their own fields using just the basics of spell theory."
"He was truly someone who stood alone. He wouldn't listen to anyone because he believed only in what he understood himself. And he wouldn't ask for help, even for a second, because he wasn't someone who needed assistance from those he considered inferior. He stood alone at a peak that we can only gaze at—neither reaching it nor fully grasping what he would become or accomplish."
"In truth, I believe that his sheer presence alone was enough to call him a prodigy."
"Eh, that sounds like someone who has a lot of ego in his head. Mother once said that those who think too highly of themselves would crumble sooner than others."
"Maybe, but I believe even if he falls one day, he would rise like a phoenix and outshine all others."
"For my great brother to think so highly of someone—what is his name, brother?"
"His name is..."
The conversation between little Henry and his older brother faded at that lone moment as Henry returned to reality, brought back by Nimuk's question.
"Are you alright, Henry? You've been staring into the same space for some time."
"I was just thinking about something... but that's not important now." After his answer, Henry stood up and cleaned his plate. Then, the four of them made their way to Section Two for work. However, once inside, they did not head for the mines but instead followed Marian from behind.
"Since you entered the ranks and became newbies, you get free time for three days without work. The main purpose is to give those who showed exceptional talent some time to get familiar with the situation in the sections."
"Although the sections can change from time to time, there's at least a week before you're moved to Section Three. The reason you were only put into Section One for a day is because only selected individuals with good behavior are placed there—it's close to the main residence of those who control this entire prison."
While Marian was explaining, they walked past the mine, and Auran slightly glanced at the rocks being brought out by the prisoners.
"I want Tentagun," he said suddenly, making the others stop and look at the mine.
"Are you serious? Although Tentagun is the main source of the mine and there's plenty of it, it's still highly observed by the officers for any signs of missing or stealing," asked Marian.
"I'm serious. I want as much as you can get in the next three days. After that, we'll begin the plan," said Auran in his half-sleeping state. After that, he closed his eyes again, seeming to fall asleep while standing.
Henry, Marian, and Nimuk looked at each other.
"Suddenly, free time doesn't sound good—I want to work," said Henry as he entered the mine, followed by Nimuk and Marian.
Only Auran walked to a solitary area where a giant rock was placed and leaned on it to sleep.
But from afar, a man was watching Auran—and Auran was completely unaware of this fact.
"There's that lowly bastard... He ruined all my plans and turned my brother into a slave again. That bastard has to pay for what he's done," Kahla muttered, gritting his teeth he move toward auran. But suddenly, a large figure stood in front of him.
"Ma... Marian? Why are you standing in my way?" asked Kahla. The figure before him was Marian, taller and larger than him—he had to look up just to speak to her.
"You think I don't know what happened yesterday? Trying to win using such cowardly methods isn't approved by any of us here. And if the boss man knew about this, do you really think he'd let you continue as a leader figure?"
Hearing Marian's words, Kahla suddenly flinched and took a step back.
"What... What are you up to? If you knew all of this, you should've told the boss directly. So why come to me? What do you want?" he asked.
"Stay away from the new newbies. You had a plan, and it failed—let it end there. But if you continue to go after them and try to harm them..."
Marian raised her hand, and five of her fingers extended toward Kahla's head. She placed her palm on his forehead, and a great amount of pressure forced him to bend forward.
"I won't come up with any excuse to stop you—my fist will be the one to stop you."
"Agh!" Kahla was flung a few feet away from the ground as Marian threw him. When he finally stood up—while nursing his ego and recovering from a few minutes of pain—he didn't see Marian where she was standing before. Instead, he only saw Auran, still lying against the rock in a peaceful sleep.
"Tch... Bitch. I'll let you protect him—until the next battle arrangement comes."
After a few minutes, Kahla left in frustration. What he didn't notice was that Marian was still watching him from the mine's shadows.
"He won't give up that easily, but my words should keep him low for the time being... and I think that time should be enough for him to turn the tables," she muttered as she looked at Auran, sleeping soundly against the rocks in the shadows.