Chapter 11 The Interloper

Lumi's expression turned slightly somber as she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a hushed tone. "His name is Valerius Blackthorne. He's one of the council members of Luminecia and represents the MIS. Valerius has a reputation for being strict when it comes to enforcing magical laws. He's always dressed in his tailored black suit, and his piercing azure eyes seem to see through everything."

She paused for a moment as if gathering her thoughts. "Valerius has an air of suspicion surrounding him. There's something about him that makes me uneasy. Whenever our paths cross, his gaze is filled with a dark intensity, as if he's searching for any hint of wrongdoing in me. It's as if he's always watching, waiting for an opportunity to frame me for any magic-related issue."

Lumi's voice quivered slightly, a hint of fear creeping into her words. "He is the Headmaster of the MIS of Luminecia, he holds all the authority related to magic. Of course, the ruler of Luminecia Helen's word is most important in all sayings and is final but he is second in command to the magic-related issues. So, unless you are friends with Helen you have to answer to him. If he were to find out about me summoning you into this world, I don't know what would he do. But it would not be nice for both of us."

Her words sent a chill down my spine, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. 

"Well then, we better keep it our little secret. No one needs to know about it. But what else you can tell me?" I asked.

Lumi hesitated for a moment, her gaze shifting nervously before she finally spoke. "I think I know why he doesn't like me, I am aiming to take his seat as a Headmaster of MIS in Luminecia."

I said in a surprised tone, "What? Really? Well, I probably shouldn't be so surprised, you managed to summon me from another world after all. That's an achievement on its own. But still, how will you snatch the seat from under him?" 

 Lumi continued in a cute whisper, "You see Kazuki, MIS values the ones who possess genius minds, potential, smarts, cunning, and knowledge. I have been trying to rise to the top seat for a few years now, and finally, the opportunity raised. If I had succeded in creating my teleportation rune sequence I could have easily secured the top seat. But someone tampered with it and mixed some explosive properties into the mix. Someone smart enough, a regular person couldn't do it."

My mind raced, trying to comprehend the gravity of Lumi's words. If what she said was true, it would explain the evil glare Valerius directed toward her. It seemed he harbored a hidden agenda, one that could explain the attempt at the assassination.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room shifted, as if an invisible presence loomed over us. I glanced up and locked eyes with a man, who stood at the lab entrance. His cold gaze bore into my soul, sending shivers down my spine. I noticed right away that he was an elf, his long ears gave it away.

The man approached us with an air of assured confidence, his voice laced with unsettling charisma. "Lumi, it's quite fortunate for you to leave your lab doors open. Saves me the trouble of entering without breaking my wrist, knocking on your doors, and trying to get your attention. Though I must say, I didn't expect such carelessness from someone as intelligent as you. You should know better than anyone else that one's lab secrets are meant to be kept unseen by others' greedy eyes."

I could sense the malevolence emanating from him like a dark cloud, obscuring the light. The hairs on my neck stood on end, a clear sign that this man was dangerous.

Lumi stood up, her expression a mix of fear and resolve. "Mr. Valerius, what brings you here?"

Valerius took a step closer, his gloomy gaze fixed on Lumi. "Ah, Lumi, my purpose here is quite simple," he replied, indifference glinting in his eyes. "I heard about your accident and thought it prudent to inquire. As the Headmaster of MIS, it is my duty to investigate any magical disturbances. The explosion sequence was quite powerful, and I came to confirm your well-being."

Lumi's voice trembled as she spoke, her bravery shining through her fear. "Mr. Valerius, how did you learn about the explosion sequence? The assassin didn't place it, it was too complex. Also, my sister Alitia made sure that no one would reveal the details of the incident."

Valerius turned his piercing gaze toward me ignoring Lumis's question, a cold smile curling on his lips. "Ah, it seems you've acquired some unexpected company," he attempted to divert the conversation. "And who might this interloper be?"

Feeling the tension rise, I knew I couldn't remain silent. Stepping forward, I introduced myself with a firm tone. "Mr. Valerius, I am Kazuki Silvercrest, a mere lowly noble. However, I must insist that you address Miss Lumi's question."

Valerius's gaze shifted between Lumi and me, his eyes filled with annoyance and suspicion. "Both of you possess remarkable tenacity," he conceded. "Very well, I will explain. I made assumptions. However, it seems you are preoccupied, and I wouldn't want to interrupt whatever you are doing. I have confirmed that you are well and unharmed, so I shall take my leave."

Valerius turned and walked out of Lumi's lab, expressing his annoyance with a click of his tongue. Outside the lab, he addressed his three followers, saying, "Let's go. I am finished here. It appears she is unfazed by the incident."

Our attention was interrupted by Rabi-kun, who began running around Lumi's lab, playfully interacting with some crystals on the floor. Lumi let out an adorable shout, yelling, "Aaaaah! I completely forgot that we were supposed to check your magic box compatibility and mana pool level!"

I chuckled as the heavy tension dissipated. "There's no need to rush; let's take a moment to calm down first."

But Lumi's excitement was contagious. She hurriedly ran to her desk and gathered an armful of crystal tools. With her arms full, she wobbled towards me and placed the testing crystals on the table.

She began to explain, her voice filled with enthusiasm, "We don't have time to waste, Kazuki. I'm curious to see what the tests will reveal. First, we'll test your mana pool."

She handed me a crystal and said, "Take this and try infusing it with your mana. The brighter it shines, the better."

Closing my eyes, I focused my energy and infused the crystal with my mana. Slowly, it began to shine brighter and brighter until it cracked. Surprised, I asked, "Is it bad that the crystal cracked?"

Lumi reassured me, saying, "Oh no, it's perfectly fine! It means you have a five-star mana pool, which indicates a substantial amount of mana. Now, we'll test your compatibility with the Magic Box."

Lumi lined up various colored crystals on the table and explained, "Each of these crystals represents a known type of Magic Box. By infusing them with your mana, we'll determine which box is most suitable for you. It's similar to the mana test: the brighter it shines, the better the compatibility."

I picked up the first crystal from the line. It was red. As I held it in my hand, the crystal slowly started to shine dimly, then grew brighter until it emitted a vibrant red light. Lumi's face contorted into a mix of excitement and disappointment. With a sigh, she said, "You can rejoice, Kazuki. You got it on the first test. It looks like you're compatible with the fire Magic Box, and judging by the color emitted, I'd say you would be a five-star MBPU, just like my big sister Alitia."

I couldn't contain my excitement. This was unreal to me. I would be able to use magic. "That's amazing! Frankly, I didn't have high hopes for a full score. I was happy just to have a chance. And to think I got fire magic! That's so cool."

Lumi didn't look too impressed and said, "Well, the fact that you're a five-star MBPU is truly amazing, but getting fire magic is... ummm... not as cool as you think. Ice or earth magic would have been better. They're the most sought-after due to their usefulness. Not saying that fire magic is bad, it's just not my favorite."

I was just happy to have a chance at all. I didn't really care what type of magic I got. With that thought, I picked up another crystal and tried infusing it with my mana.

 Lumi cautioned me, "Oh, don't bother with another crystal. You can only be compatible with one..." 

But her face shifted to that of surprise when she saw the other crystal begin to glow. With adorable stuttering, she yelled, "W-w-w-what? How is that possible?"

Curiosity brimming within me, I asked Lumi, "What do you mean? What's wrong?"

Her eyes widened with astonishment as she responded, "No one has ever been compatible with more than one magic box before. This is truly incredible. You have to try another one, Kazuki."

Eager to explore the extent of my compatibility, I carefully picked up another crystal and pressed it in my hand. To my amazement, the crystal responded, emitting a soft glow. I continued the process, testing each crystal one by one, and to my astonishment, I was compatible with all of them. Lumi stood by, her expression a mix of shock and awe, realizing the significance of this extraordinary phenomenon.

After a few moments of thinking, Lumi's voice trembled with excitement as she spoke, "Kazuki, I believe your unique compatibility is a direct result of you being from another world. When you were teleported here, lacking your own mana, you absorbed the entire spectrum of our world's mana into your body. This absorption has allowed you to be compatible with all of the magic boxes."

My voice filled with anticipation, and I yelled, "So, you're saying I have the potential to wield the powers of all the magic boxes? Wouldn't that make me amazing?"

Lumi's voice grew calm and composed as she cautioned me, "Hold your horses, Kazuki. While it's true that you possess compatibility with all of the magic boxes, it doesn't mean you can acquire their powers simultaneously. The human body is simply unable to handle more than one magic box power. In the past, there have been numerous attempts to obtain multiple magic box powers, but those who tried ended up erupting into a horrifying spectacle of flesh and bone. Granted, their compatibility wasn't as high as yours, but it's a risk that's not worth taking."