The Hero Becomes the Duke’s Eldest Son

Chapter 78

Magic beasts were creatures that were born as spirit beasts, possessing an innate affinity for mana. They were considered half-spiritual beings, similar to fairies but in beast form.

The phoenix, which he had previously helped resurrect, belonged to this category of magical beasts. The eggs of such creatures were considered highly valuable.

‘This is because taming magical beasts is easiest when they hatch.’

A newly hatched magical beast imprinted on the first creature it saw as its mother, much like how chicks do when they hatch. Due to this, many sought after the eggs of magical beasts, but they were as rare as hen’s teeth.

‘This is my first time seeing one in person.’

Why was such an egg buried in the secret underground space of the Sacred Fire Order?

Ehad continued speaking.

“Magical beast eggs typically absorb the surrounding energy and grow slowly.”

Even eggs of the same species would be born differently depending on the type of energy they absorbed. For example, if an egg resembling a dragon absorbed the energy of water, it would become a water dragon; if it absorbed fire energy, it would become a fire dragon.

“But it appears that this egg has not been exposed to any energy, causing it to enter a dormant state. I’ve heard that such eggs develop very hard shells to protect themselves in this condition. It seems to be in such a state.”

“Hm, then is it impossible to hatch it?”

“No. It is possible.”

Ehad explained the method.

“In such cases, if you periodically infuse it with dense energy like aura or holy power, it will start growing again. And it can be tamed by the one who possesses the same type of energy it absorbed.”

In other words, if managed well from inside the egg, whatever was born could be properly tamed.

This was highly valuable information.

Ehad then handed Aden a translated version of the ancient fairy script.

“After decoding the book’s contents, it appears to be a type of mana cultivation technique used by mana warriors.”

“Mana cultivation technique…”

Since it was found in the temple’s secret storage, he had assumed it belonged to a priest. He hadn’t expected it to contain a mana cultivation technique.

Ehad looked apologetic.

“However, I’m not well-versed in this area, so I couldn’t fully understand it. I’m sorry.”

“No, you’ve done well. I’ll give you some lich bone powder when I get some later.”

“Huff! Thank you!”

Ents were all crazy about undead bone powder that had been purified of dark mana, especially lich bone powder, which was considered the finest delicacy. According to Ets, it had a rich aroma and taste. It was an extraordinarily bizarre taste.

‘I’ll have to stock up through Niketa sometime.’

After finishing his business, Aden packed his belongings and left the hut to meet Elise and Ets.

“Hey, can I touch that leaf on your head just once?”

“Huh? Oh… If you’re gentle…”

“Thanks! Wow, the leaf is moving!”

“Ow! Don’t pull there…!”

Being children, they quickly started talking and playing well together.

Aden chuckled softly.

“Looks like you’re having fun.”

“Oh! Aden oppa, you’re here?”

But Aden hadn’t come here just to introduce friends.

“That’s enough. Let’s get to work.”

“Oh right, I forgot.”

There was a specific reason Aden had brought Elise to the forest.

‘It’s time to plant the Fairy Tree’s Seed.’

In natural conditions, it would take about a year for the Fairy Tree to sprout. However, the Ent tribe, who couldn’t survive without the Fairy Tree, would grow weaker day by day. Waiting that long was not feasible, so with the help of the Saintess Elise, they decided to force the seed to sprout.

Aden and Elise went to an empty space in the center of the village where no trees naturally grew. All the Ents gathered around the clearing to witness the miraculous moment of the Fairy Tree’s regrowth.

After digging a small hole about a hand’s breadth deep, Aden took out the Fairy Tree’s Seed and placed it in the hole, covering it with soil to form a small mound, and then poured water over it.

With the preparations complete, it was Elise’s turn.

“Elise, please.”

“Leave it to me.”

Elise rolled up her sleeves and placed her small hand on the mound.

A soft golden holy power began to emanate from Elise’s body. The radiant golden wave flowed into the mound.

Some Ents exclaimed in admiration.

“A warm and pure energy…!”

“It’s amazing that a human can possess such energy…!”

When enough holy power had been infused, Elise began to pray to the god.

“Dear God, please help this seed grow!”

Elise’s prayer was simple yet endearing. However, the result was astonishing.

Pop.

A small sprout emerged from the mound, soon spreading its leaves wide.

“The Fairy Tree…!”

“It really sprouted!”

“Ah…!”

The Ents were moved by the sight of the Fairy Tree’s fresh green sprout. It would still take a long time for the sprout to grow into a full tree. Unlike ordinary trees, the Fairy Tree grew slowly, taking twenty to thirty years to reach an adult’s height. However, this small sprout was the hope of the Ent tribe.

Just as they were about to cheer in joy, one of the Ents shouted.

“Wait! Look at that!”

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The small sprout of the Fairy Tree began to grow rapidly. The trunk thickened and hardened, developing a brown bark. The trunk extended and branched out, with leaves sprouting at each node.

The process that should have taken hundreds of days and nights, thousands of sunsets and sunrises, happened in an instant. Before long, the sprout stopped growing and had become a full-grown tree about two meters tall.

“Oh my…”

Everyone was in awe, mesmerized by the scene.

A beautiful tree with leaves shimmering like emerald jewels had been born.

“…Huh?”

Elise looked up at the tree, blinking in astonishment.

“Wow, it’s pretty. But…”

She turned to Aden with a puzzled expression.

“Is this tree supposed to grow this fast?”

“…”

“…”

Aden and the Ents were all silent. Only the leaves on the Ents’ heads trembled as if they might fall off.

“Mir…”

Finally, after a long silence, an Ent spoke.

This was followed by a chorus of shouts from all the Ents.

“It’s a miracle, a miracle has happened!”

“Hurrah!”

“Saintess Elise, hurrah!”

“Waaah!”

The complete revival of the Fairy Tree threw the Ents into a frenzy of joy. The entire village became devout followers of Elise.

—

Back in the carriage returning to the duke’s house, Aden chuckled to himself.

“Elise’s abilities were even greater than I thought.”

He had known Elise possessed a substantial amount of holy power. Even so, this exceeded his expectations. He hadn’t imagined she could grow a small seed into a magnificent tree. She seemed to be highly favored by the gods.

Well, it was a good thing. Thanks to her, the Ents could quickly recover their strength and abilities, which benefited him.

Aden took out the translated manuscript from his pocket.

‘Mana cultivation technique…’

Honestly, after learning it was a mana cultivation technique, he wasn’t too excited about its contents.

‘Even if I learn about it, I won’t be able to use it.’

Once someone had learned a mana cultivation technique, they couldn’t adopt another one. If they had only learned the basics, they might switch paths, but it was impossible for someone who had achieved a certain level. Their body was already accustomed to the flow of the first technique, making it impossible to accept a new one. Forcing it could result in a mana overflow.

‘Still, I should at least see what’s in it.’

Aden turned to the next page and read the first sentence.

—

To the one who finds this book, you have obtained the greatest fortune. Bow down and shed tears of joy. You must already know who I am, so I won’t bother explaining.

—

Aden was speechless.

“…”

What was this, written by some pompous madman?

—

In my time, disrespectful brats, whose heads were still wet behind the ears, dared to challenge me! Those who committed such an outrageous act were crushed without a trace, and I showed them mercy by merely breaking their dantians and paralyzing them. They wept tears of blood, bowing before my magnanimity. Hahaha!

—

‘What a long-winded old man…’

Though there was no mention of age, this book was clearly written by a certified old geezer. This crazy old man spent over ten pages boasting and lecturing without any practical information.

‘Damn it…’

The only useful information was that the author wasn’t from this continent. Terms like dantian weren’t used here. Ehad had just translated them phonetically.

‘The roots of the Sacred Fire Order lie in another continent, so it must be from there.’

Aden wanted to close the book right then, but the author’s boastfulness annoyed him so much that he kept reading just to see how impressive this mana cultivation technique was.

—

To the future who discovers this book, it means you have the skill to sense and break my seal. Since you’re reading this, it means you’re either a fairy or someone with a connection to the fairies. They wouldn’t teach their language to anyone they didn’t acknowledge, so I trust it’s a good connection.

—

Judging by the way this person wrote, he had a close relationship with the Fairy Tribe. Hence, he wrote this book in the

fairy language.

—

Therefore, I acknowledge you as my disciple. Unlike those pretentious energy practitioners, I won’t bother with formalities and will immediately pass on my essence to you.

—

After a lengthy introduction, he finally got to the main point. Aden’s brow furrowed in irritation.

‘Disciple? Who’s your disciple? Damn old geezer…’

He decided to read the mana cultivation technique and then burn the book. Flipping the page, he found the mana cultivation technique he had been curious about.

As he studied it, Aden’s frown began to ease.

‘He boasted a lot, but maybe he’s not just any old man.’

The book detailed how to operate and control mana. Sometimes there were unfamiliar metaphors due to cultural differences between him and the author. But the explanations were simple enough for a novice who had only learned basic mana techniques to understand.

Such a detailed explanation indicated a deep understanding of the body and mana, achievable only by someone with considerable expertise. Aden found himself getting a little interested in the author.

‘So, mana is operated like that? If I did that, it might cause a mana overflow… No, another mana flow maintains balance. Interesting approach.’

Before he knew it, he was engrossed in the book, fascinated by the explanation of the mana cultivation technique.

Then, at one point, he noticed something odd.

“Huh?”

Aden’s expression grew perplexed.

“Could this be…?”

-What’s the matter, Dragon Slayer King?

“Wait, stay quiet, I need to check something.”

Kers noticed Aden’s strange demeanor and asked, but Aden was lost in thought. He re-read the mana cultivation technique, repeating the process multiple times. With each reading, his expression grew more serious and intrigued.

Thud.

He closed the manuscript with an indescribable expression.

At first, he thought he had misunderstood the book.

‘No, I didn’t misunderstand.’

The more he read, the more certain he became. But it was hard to accept as fact.

There was only one way to confirm.

“I’ll have to try it myself.”

Aden decided to apply the mana cultivation technique to his own body.