It was an era when the power of mages was becoming increasingly weaker. The once omnipotent mages who could bring rain to parched lands and move mountains with a mere gesture no longer existed.
The first mages, who were revered almost like gods due to their overwhelming abilities, could now only be seen in records.
This phenomenon was first noticed by the mages themselves. It was natural, as with each generation, the number of notable talents significantly diminished.
“The level of mages these days is just not the same. It makes you wonder how they even got into the Mage Tower.”
“We need an alternative. What if one day we become just like those insignificant others?”
“Nonsense! How can we, who have attained enlightenment, become like the ignorant masses!”
“That’s right. It’s just that there are relatively fewer notable mages in this generation.”
There were fierce debates even within their ranks. Opinions were sharply divided between those who believed that they needed to be cautious from now on and those who thought it was a temporary situation that should be observed.
However, all of them harbored a common concern that the position of mages might be becoming unstable.
Magic was an innate power. Despite countless attempts to uncover when, how, and why such power was granted, all ended in failure, leading to this conclusion.
Therefore, mages sometimes trembled with anxiety, knowing that their innate power could suddenly disappear without any apparent reason.
The changing times, where the necessity for mages was diminishing, also contributed to the anxiety.
As the number of mages, once considered a measure of strength, became irrelevant with the reduction of wars between nations and territorial disputes, and centuries of technological advancement replaced the need for costly magical labor.
Still, the honor of potentially becoming a royal mage and the resurgence of monsters in some areas, against which mages fought, preserved their dignity, but it was not enough. For mages who were once celebrated as mythic heroes fighting monsters or as advisors to kings, such measures to save face were not particularly impressive.
Although many still revered mages, it was not the same as before. Their status was certainly in decline.
“How are things on Ingelos’ side? Shouldn’t we send an inquiry?”
“Well… I wonder if they’ll even respond. I hear their successor is quite capable, so they might not be too concerned.”
“But that’s still just a child, isn’t it? They’re not in a position to be boastful just because they got lucky once.”
“That child is still born from Ingelos, though.”
Those concerned about the future of mages soon turned their attention to Ingelos.
The descendants of Ingelos, the greatest archmage in the history of the Gaios Kingdom, continued to produce powerful mages generation after generation, proving their lineage, though even they gradually declined compared to the past.
Ingelos, considered an oddity even among the exclusive mage community, kept to themselves, interacting with the outside world only occasionally, such as when attending royal court banquets at the king’s summons.
Even among mages, it was a particularly unwelcome lineage, but when it came to naming the greatest mage family, everyone mentioned Ingelos.
“Do you think Ingelos’ next successor will try to enter the Mage Tower?”
“Would they even try? It would be a waste of effort.”
“Still, since it’s Ingelos, maybe we should try to build a connection somehow…”
Their arrogance notwithstanding, the conversation always turned towards securing a relationship with Ingelos, driven by the desire not to miss out on the vast research resources and innate power that Ingelos possessed.
In any case, that was the reputation of Ingelos within the mage community.
So, what about Ingelos? Now it was time to delve into the circumstances surrounding them.
***
“Even with Ingelos, one can never be sure.” This phrase treated Ingelos as the last bastion of mages, but Ingelos itself was facing its own difficulties.
The phenomenon of diminishing powers with each generation was a problem that even Ingelos was keenly aware of. Despite carrying the blood of a great archmage, which put them above the average, they were still far from replicating their ancestors’ glory.
Ingelos wasn’t just waiting for a new mage to emerge; they had already spent a long time seeking ways to strengthen existing mages. After numerous research projects and experiments failed, leaving them with considerable debt, they returned to a more primal method. They pinned their hopes on their lineage, which carried the blood of the greatest archmages.
“Richard just isn’t enough. He’s already eight years old and still needs to draw runes to cast spells.”
“When we think about our time, he’s definitely slower.”
Richard Ingelos.
The eldest son of the Ingelos ducal family and this year’s eight-year-old heir had been precocious and showed early talent in casting spells, garnering much expectation, but he was not a once-in-a-century genius.
The Duke and Duchess of Ingelos, who were swollen with anticipation of seeing a future great archmage, were greatly disappointed.
If asked whether Richard Ingelos was such an inadequate mage, the answer would not be affirmative. In fact, among his peers, he stood out as exceptionally talented.
The problem was that both the Duke and Duchess of Ingelos were promising mages who had been in the spotlight from a young age, and Richard Ingelos was the result of their union.
“Is this child really the best we can do?”
“Maybe not.”
The two quickly agreed. Since their marriage and having a child was akin to a form of research, they moved on to new experiments instead of dwelling on a failed one.
A great mage is born under a great mage.
The new experiment began with this immutable truth. Indeed, the most influential factor in inheriting magical power was undoubtedly the bloodline. Except for a few rare exceptions, mages were born within mage families, and such mages typically inherited similar magical tendencies to their parents.
“What if we conceive a child on the day when our magical powers are at their strongest?”
After consulting various research materials, the Duke and Duchess formulated such a hypothesis and embarked on an experiment.
They started by monitoring and charting each other’s magical power states throughout different times of the day and seasons.
After compiling records over three years and comparing them, they discovered that there were similar patterns in the fluctuations of magical power. Although similar research had been conducted before, it had never been linked to conception.
Based on their research findings, the Duke and Duchess of Ingelos decided that the first day of Almoriuus (*the first month, January) four years later would be the day of conception, as that was when the intersection of both mages’ powers was at its most potent.
After waiting for four long years, that day finally arrived. Various potions and magical rituals designed to increase the chances of conception were employed.
With dates calculated for a second and third attempt in case of unforeseen circumstances, the two mages retired to their bedroom.
About ten months later, a child was born.
***
Alessia Ingelos was a child born amidst such expectations, a child of mages.
With hair as bright as moonlight and eyes a vivid red, the child was born healthy at the onset of winter.
Though they had mated on the appointed day and achieved a result, whether their new experiment was a success remained uncertain. Therefore, the Duke of Ingelos prepared a massive mana stone.
Since a mana stone emits light by drawing out and responding to magical power, it could pre-emptively reveal the child’s potential abilities.
With the family’s key members watching, the Duke placed the prepared mana stone beside the newborn.
Eyes filled with a mix of anticipation and skepticism alternated between the child and the mana stone. Just as some began to furrow their brows, sensing failure as considerable time had passed,
“…!”
The mana stone, which had been quietly resting, suddenly began to emit light.
Thin as threads, the light spread out from the spherical stone in every direction, growing in strands. The stone, softly illuminating its surroundings, eventually shone so brightly that it was hard to look at directly, filling the room with a pure white light.
As everyone was spellbound by the miraculous sight, the now sixteen-year-old heir, Richard, quickly lifted the mana stone away from the child.
Like a lie, the streams of light receded, and the mana stone regained its original black color.
“Did everyone see that? Did you see that intense light?”
“It’s a success! A huge success!”
“Ah, finally!”
Those who snapped back to reality began to cheer. Many were rarely so moved to express their admiration.
It was extremely rare for a newborn child to possess such a level of magical power. Even if they had the qualities of a mage, at this age, the magical power is usually so minimal that the mana stone does not respond.
However, the child’s magical power was already displaying immense strength, as if it were engulfing the mana stone.
Overjoyed by the results that exceeded their expectations, the Duke and Duchess gifted the child a name after the middle name of the first Duke of Ingelos.
The news of the birth of the next great archmage, along with their name, spread not only within the Ingelos family but also to related families.
Alessia Ingelos.
The name, filled with all the glory, was thought by all in Ingelos to shine as brightly as the mana stone’s light, indefinitely.
That was the belief, at least until then.
🍉🍉🍉
