Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 141 - The Elixir of Ascendance

141 The Elixir of Ascendance

For years, he had considered his mana precious, honed through sweat and effort, but now? Now, compared to the raw, refined energy coursing through his body, his old mana felt… pathetic.

A voice cut through his swirling thoughts.

"How do you feel?"

Hugo flinched. His hand flew to his ear before he could stop himself.

It wasn’t just the unexpected question that startled him. It was the clarity of the sound. The crispness of each note, sharp and clean in a way his ears had never perceived before.

"I-It’s strange… This… this is…"

Words failed him. He touched his face, his breath uneven.

It wasn’t just his hearing.

His vision was sharper, colors more vivid. Every sense—touch, taste, smell—was heightened to a degree he had never imagined possible. He was keenly aware of the faintest shifts in the air around him, of the currents of mana that rippled through the space like invisible threads. If someone swung a blade at him, he was certain—he would sense it before it even struck.

"May I… may I test my sword?"

William gave a nod. "Go ahead."

Hugo took the sword with trembling hands.

Slowly, deliberately, he unsheathed the blade. The weight felt different, more balanced than ever before. He took a stance and swung.

The moment the blade sliced through the air, he saw it.

His expanded senses traced the sword’s arc with flawless clarity, measuring its reach, its speed, its strength. Every minute shift in the blade’s movement, every adjustment of his wrist and elbow, every ounce of force applied—it all fed back into his mind, clear as day.

So this…

This was what it was like to be truly gifted with the sword.

A rush of emotion swelled in his chest.

He swung again. And again.

Each stroke, though familiar in form, carried far more weight, far more power. Gone were the clumsy, mimicry-like movements of a man simply following form. Now, his body moved with purpose, instinctively adjusting to the most efficient motions possible.

By the time he finally lowered the blade, he had exhausted every technique he knew.

"Haaaah…"

A slow clap rang through the air.

"Well done," William remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Your technique has improved—sharply."

Hugo stiffened.

Only now did he realize what he had done.

He had drawn his sword and swung recklessly before his lord.

A grave mistake.

Panic seized him. He immediately fell to his knees.

"My lord—I…! Forgive me! I lost myself…!"

William merely shrugged, unfazed.

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"I understand. More than you think." He waved off the apology before tilting his head. "So? How’s the effect?"

Hugo hesitated.

How was it?

How could he possibly put it into words?

This wasn’t some mere enhancement—it was a complete transformation.

His mind raced, but no explanation seemed adequate.

But more than that—he couldn’t understand.

William had handed over this treasure without hesitation. This… concoction, this miracle—a single vial could turn the tides of war, command fortunes, sway even the most hardened of warriors.

And yet, William had given it to him.

Without hesitation.

Why?

A thought surfaced in his mind.

He said I was the first…

This wasn’t just an elixir.

It was the elixir.

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A single drop could rewrite a man’s limits, reduce all previously known enhancements to mere trinkets.

Something like this—couldn’t be given away so lightly.

If sold, it could replace gold itself in worth. If offered in service, it could earn the unwavering loyalty of kings.

Yet William had given it to him. Without a second thought.

More than the elixir itself, that was what unsettled Hugo.

"Do I… truly deserve this?"

The words left him before he could stop them.

William only chuckled.

"You’re going to be by my side for life, aren’t you?" He shrugged. "Consider it an investment."

A simple answer. Light. Casual.

But to Hugo, it struck deep.

As if the very question itself had been meaningless.

As if wondering about his worth had been a waste of breath.

His grip on his sword tightened.

Yes. Until my bones turn to dust upon the battlefield… I will remain by your side.

Pledging loyalty? He had done it more times than he could count. Words were just that—words.

This wasn’t a vow spoken for William’s sake.

It was a vow spoken for himself.

Even if he failed, even if he could never repay what he had been given… he would never leave.

"So," William prompted, "how does it feel?"

A slow smile spread across Hugo’s lips.

"Exhilarating," he admitted. "Like mana is roaring through me."

William smirked.

The tension from before faded, as if it had never been there at all.

But within Hugo, something had changed.

Something irreversible.

William had finished preparing for his departure to the north.

Unlike the grand send-off he had received when suppressing the rebellion, this time there was no elaborate ceremony. This wasn’t a matter of the ducal house—it was a personal affair, one that belonged to William alone.

Even so, his father, the Grand Duke, had come to see him off in person.

"Travel safely. Don’t overextend yourself. And if things become truly untenable, you must know when to withdraw."

Grand Duke Sigmund regarded him with a firm gaze as he spoke. It was the look of a man concerned for his son, yes, but more than that, it was the gaze of a patriarch worrying over his successor.

"Their actions may have been driven by greed, but that only means they desperately needed your inheritance. If you intend to undermine their claim, expect them to resort to extreme measures."

William met his father’s gaze evenly. "If they go that far, they will only bring the wrath of both Hern and the imperial family upon themselves."

"Of course. But nobles aren’t always wise. Sometimes, a moment of short-sighted greed leads to the gravest of mistakes."

William understood what his father was implying.

If the current head of the House of Count Calix truly harbored ambitions far beyond his means, then neither Hern nor the Empire would deter him. In the worst-case scenario, they wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate William if that was what it took to claim Grimaldi’s inheritance.

It would be a foolish decision, one that would invite devastating consequences, but history had proven that humans were more than capable of unfathomable stupidity.

"There are no absolutes in this world," the Grand Duke warned. "Prepare for the possibility that their recklessness knows no bounds. If necessary, you must step back. No matter what retribution you take later, those already lost will never return."

William inclined his head. "I’ll keep that in mind."

With that, he turned and mounted his horse.