Chapter 318: The Worth of a Rozenberg

[Ruvian’s POV]

Gradually, Ruvian opened his eyes, and the strange weightlessness around his body was the first thing he noticed.

He found himself hovering in a vast space filled with nothing but darkness, with no ground or sky anywhere in sight. Yet scattered throughout that endless black space were countless huge white crystals, each one having a different shape and shade.

’Am I... already inside his memory?’

Ruvian wondered, slowly turning his body in the empty space.

No matter where he looked, more crystals could be seen floating far into the distance. Some were bright and clear, while others were dull enough that their light could barely be seen.

Ruvian narrowed his eyes and looked toward the crystal closest to him, which hovered only a short distance away.

Its surface was almost transparent, and something appeared to be moving deep inside it. When he focused on it, he was immediately surprised as he saw two figures clashing swords within the crystal.

’That... isn’t that me?’

Ruvian stared at the scene as the figures continued fighting, and he quickly recognized exactly when it had happened: it was his recent battle with Julian, with every movement playing out clearly inside the crystal.

Ruvian’s brows slowly drew together as he shifted his gaze toward the countless crystals surrounding him.

’So... are all these crystals his memories?’

If that was true, then thousands upon thousands of Julian’s memories were now hovering solemnly around him within this pitch-black realm. And judging by how far the crystals stretched into the darkness, there was no telling just how many there actually were.

Ruvian clicked his tongue inwardly, realizing just how troublesome this was going to be if he actually had to search through all of them.

’Seriously... how am I supposed to find him?’

Bringing one hand to his chin while the other supported his elbow, Ruvian fell into thought. His gaze wandered across the nearby crystals for a few moments before an idea suddenly came to mind.

’Hmm, would this... work?’

He had no idea, but since both of them were currently inside Julian’s memory, then logically, it should. At the very least, there was no harm in trying.

With that thought, Ruvian opened his [Bookmarks] skill. To his relief, the familiar interface appeared before his eyes without any problem.

’Great! It works perfectly...’

Ruvian immediately switched to the map tab and searched specifically for Julian’s location. If [Bookmarks] still treated this place normally, there was a chance the map could locate him even here.

’Please work...’

He silently begged as he waited for the map to respond.

A moment later, Ruvian’s eyes widened.

A marker had actually appeared on the map, showing Julian’s location somewhere slightly to his left. Better yet, it seemed to be a fair distance away, but at least he finally had a direction to follow.

Ruvian turned toward the direction shown on the map.

Using it like a compass, he began trying to swim through the empty space, kicking his legs and pulling his arms against the strange weightless air around him.

It felt awkward at first, but after a few attempts, his movements gradually became smoother.

’This feels exactly like swimming... close enough.’

Ruvian kept his eyes on the marker as he pushed himself through the darkness.

Countless white crystals slowly drifted past him on both sides, each containing fragments of Julian’s life, while he continued heading toward his location.

After a few more strokes, Ruvian finally arrived at where the marker was pointing.

Floating above him was a massive white crystal, its surface glowing faintly within the darkness. Compared to all the others around it, there was no doubt that this one was far larger for some reason.

Ruvian slowed to a stop beneath it and stared upward for a moment.

’Do I just have to touch it to enter the memory?’

The thought sounded simple enough, but before he could test it, another question quickly came to mind.

What kind of memory was this going to be?

Honestly, Ruvian could already make a fairly good guess. If this crystal was somehow different from all the others, then perhaps it contained one of Julian’s deepest memories, whether cherished or painful.

Ruvian knew a bit about Julian’s past from the novel, which only made his guess feel even more likely.

More importantly, the scene inside the crystal kept repeating, giving him enough glimpses to understand what he was about to see.

Within it was a woman with brunette hair and a pale face marked by a faint pallor, yet she was smiling warmly at Julian with a gentle, deeply affectionate look that seemed completely unconditional.

Ruvian stared at the woman for several seconds, his earlier curiosity gradually fading.

He already had a rough idea of who that woman was, and because of that, he could also guess what this memory was going to be about.

For a brief moment, his hand stopped just before reaching the crystal.

"Forgive me for intruding on your memories, Julian."

Ruvian muttered quietly before finally pressing his palm against the cold crystalline surface. Then, the instant he touched it, a brilliant flash of white light burst outward, forcing him to shut his eyes.

*****

Suddenly, he could no longer feel the crystal, the darkness, or even the weight of his own body.

Before he could process it, his feet came down on something solid. His body jolted slightly at the sudden return of weight, and he instinctively bent his knees, catching himself.

Slowly, Ruvian opened his eyes.

Bright sunlight immediately filled his vision, forcing him to blink several times before his sight finally adjusted.

It was then, he found himself standing in the middle of a wide stone courtyard.

Ruvian swept his gaze across the courtyard, taking in the scene before him: tall white walls rose around him, their surfaces lined with detailed carvings and long banners bearing a crest he immediately recognized.

The Rozenberg crest.

He suddenly grew cautious.

Several large buildings stood beyond the courtyard, all connected by long stone paths and neatly trimmed gardens.

Slowly, he raised one hand and looked at it, half expecting something about his body to be different.

Nothing seemed unusual, and when he reached for his dark cloak, he could clearly feel the fabric. That surprised him slightly, especially when even the faint warmth of the sunlight against his skin felt strangely real.

It was very different from OG Ruvian’s vision.

Before he could think any further, hurried footsteps sounded from behind him.

Following the sound, he saw a servant carrying several folded sheets walk directly toward him. Instinctively, he moved to the side, but the servant never slowed down or even looked in his direction.

The woman simply walked straight past him, unbothered. She couldn’t see him or feel his presence.

Ruvian immediately understood why.

He wasn’t part of this memory.

That meant he could watch, but he probably could not interfere.

’Honestly, what exactly did I expect? Did I learn nothing from that regression’s experience?’ he mused.

Just then, the sound of children talking reached him from somewhere ahead.

Ruvian turned toward the voices, and his gaze soon settled on a small figure standing near the far side of the courtyard.

The boy had neat white hair, pale skin, and a pair of crimson eyes that Ruvian recognized all too well.

It was Julian Rozenberg.

However, the sharp arrogance and constant irritation he was used to seeing were completely absent from that young face. Instead, the child stood stiffly with both hands held close to his sides, quietly staring toward a group of adults gathered ahead of him.

Ruvian’s brows slowly rose as he simply studied the boy from where he stood.

’He looks... like six or seven years old. This must be the memory of his childhood.’

Ruvian followed Julian’s gaze and finally understood why so many people had gathered in the courtyard.

A few children dressed in lavish clothing stood in a neat line near the center, while adult members of the Rozenberg family watched from the side alongside tutors and attendants.

Near them stood Julian’s father, stern and imposing, his eyes fixed on the testing area without once looking toward his own son.

At the center of the courtyard stood a tall crystal pillar mounted on a dark stone base.

Ruvian recognized the purpose of it almost immediately, since devices like this were commonly used by the nobles to measure the early growth and mana response of their children.

’This must’ve been one of the Rozenberg family’s evaluation days.’

Ruvian’s gaze returned to Julian, who had not moved from his place even once.

The child kept his back straight, but he kept stealing brief glances toward his father from the corner of his eye.

Later, one of the tutors stepped forward and looked down at the list in his hand.

"Next, Alexius Rozenberg."

Soon enough, a boy around Julian’s age stepped out from the line with a confident smile on his face.

Julian watched as Alexius — his cousin — walked toward the crystal with noble composure. His white hair had a faint blue tint and was neatly combed back, while the Rozenberg crest was pinned proudly against his chest.

Alexius placed his palm against the crystal.

For a few seconds, nothing happened, then bright blue light suddenly surged through the entire pillar, the glow climbing from the base all the way to the top.

Several of the adults immediately leaned forward, and quiet murmurs began spreading through the courtyard.

"Hohoho~ exceptional. To think his mana would already react this strongly at such a young age," one of the elders remarked, stroking his beard with clear satisfaction. "It seems Alexius has not wasted the talent he was born with."

One of the elders gave a pleased nod as he studied the crystal.

"His growth for Lightning and Light Affinities has improved again since the last evaluation, and his mana response is already far above what we expected at his age."

Alexius’s father smiled proudly from among the nobles, while one of the tutors quickly began writing down the result.

Another elder stepped closer to the crystal and examined the remaining glow with clear interest.

"At this rate, his future is certainly promising. If he continues growing without becoming complacent, he may very well become one of the strongest magus of his generation."

The elder paused for a moment before giving Alexius another approving look.

"Perhaps, in time, he may even become someone worthy of carrying the Rozenberg name at the highest level."

Hearing that, Alexius’s smile widened as he pulled his hand away from the crystal. A few of the other children looked at him with envy, while several adults continued praising his progress in low voices.

Through all of it, Julian remained completely silent.

Ruvian glanced toward him.

The young Julian was staring at the crystal, but his expression had already become noticeably stiff. Even at that age, he clearly understood exactly what kind of result everyone expected from someone carrying the Rozenberg name.

Alexius returned to the line and stopped only a few steps away from him. For a moment, the two boys looked at each other, and Alexius gave Julian a small, mocking smile.

"I suppose you are next. Do not look so nervous, cousin. If your result is terrible, I am sure everyone has already prepared themselves for it."

Alexius chuckled, patting Julian’s shoulder.

"Honestly, Julian... if you fail again, just admit it. You’re simply not worthy of bearing the Rozenberg name."

Somehow, hearing those words only made Julian lower his gaze even further.

Ruvian frowned as he watched them.

The tutor looked down at his list once more, then raised his head toward the waiting children. The courtyard gradually fell quiet as his voice carried clearly across the open space.

"Next, Julian Rozenberg."

Julian’s shoulders stiffened.

For a moment, he did not move, almost as though his feet had become stuck to the ground. Then he slowly forced his fingers to relax and stepped out from the line.

With every eye in the courtyard turning toward him, the seven-year-old Julian began walking toward the crystal.

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[Chapter 318: The Worth of a Rozenberg]

Plot Points= 83,000 PP