But Luane did not wait until then. Her already exhausted body was becoming weaker day by day.

─Varnen… Is your father… still not here?

─The butler went to inform him that mother is in critical condition, so he should be here soon. Please hold on a little longer, mother.

─Yes. Before I die… I have to see your father’s face…

Luane waited all night for Pellian, but Pellian did not come back to the mansion.

Luane’s forced smile as she waited endlessly, that was her last.

The next day, when Luane’s body had turned into a cold corpse, Pellian returned to the mansion, drunk.

The smell of alcohol and a woman’s perfume was so strong that it was obvious how Pellian had spent the night without even asking.

All remaining affection was gone.

That day, Varnen made a vow.

─I will not marry or have children even if I die. The line of the Kaldor family, which my father values so much, will end with me.

─What, what?

Pellian seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation then, but it was already too late.

─I will prove it with magic technology, which my father has so despised. How great the study my mother was researching was, and how narrow and biased my father’s view was.

─Varnen!

Pellian tried to stop Varnen from leaving the mansion in any way, but he didn’t even look at him.

There was no reason for him to stay in the Kaldor mansion where Luane had died.

If he brought anything from the Kaldor mansion, Varnen felt like he was losing, so he left for the street with nothing.

Thus, Varnen abandoned the name Kaldor and became Varnen Ad Teinando.

Once he got outside, it was even harder than he had feared. After all, he had grown up without financial constraints, and overnight he had to worry about meals.

Magic technology was a costly field because of the magic stones, and it was difficult to find a sponsor as it was not often used unless a war broke out.

In those days when he had nothing but a smart head, the Brellof family was the one who supported Varnen so that he could continue studying in the field of magic technology.

At that time, Orland was nothing short of a ray of light to him.

─Magic technology… everyone knows it’s a nonmainstream field, what would be the benefit for me if I sponsored it?

─I, I will surely repay your kindness when I succeed.

At those words, Orland responded with a meaningful smile.

─I am thorough in calculations, so you might regret it if you change your words later.

─Don’t worry about that. I keep my word!

Thus, with Orland’s sponsorship, Varnen, whose life was revitalized, was successful in the field of magic technology, and later, he was so successful that people from all sides were willing to support him.

He hadn’t forgotten the promise he made with Orland that day, but he didn’t expect Orland to really come to Varnen to repay that debt.

From Varnen’s perspective, the Brellof family seemed to lack nothing, so he didn’t think he could help.

─My daughter wants to study in the field of magic technology. Since you have become a prominent scholar in that field, it’s time to repay the favor.

That was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Honestly, he didn’t want to. He had heard about a girl named Noxia in the Brellof family, who had outstanding water manipulation abilities.

He judged that a family with such abilities would not be sincere about magic technology. Surely it was the whim of a noble lady.

Although he reluctantly went to the Brellof mansion with Matella, as soon as he arrived, he felt he couldn’t do it and planned to ask Orland for understanding to repay the favor in another way.

But…

─Hello, I’m Tanashia….

“I know. The daughter of Count Brellof. If I hadn’t owed the Count in the past, I wouldn’t have been dragged to this place. I heard from Matella that you are a genius, but it’s just a hobby before you get married. I have no intention of joining a noble young lady’s play…”

“Just a moment, there were so many things I wanted to ask when I saw you in person. This part here. I don’t understand why you explained it like this.”

Tanashia marked the content in the book written by Barnen. These were points that couldn’t be questioned unless one had deeply studied magic engineering.

In addition to that, a weapon blueprint that Tanashia had drawn for fun.

It was an innovative idea that hit Barnen’s head.

‘If that is… it could become a weapon that attracts people’s attention.’

Felien had already passed away over the long years. He only heard the news that he had failed to get another successor other than Barnen until the moment of his death.

The person Barnen wanted to prove had disappeared, but he wanted to develop a magic engineering weapon more significant than his achievements and leave it for posterity.

He had endured for that one purpose alone.

In case his heart weakened over time, he never touched good clothes or delicious food.

The reason why he always insisted on an uncomfortable bed and walked around in shabby clothes was to not forget the oath of his youth.