Expulsion.
That meant officially severing all ties with the family.
Naturally, it meant being deprived of the residence and all financial support currently provided by the family, and even the family name.
"I will conclude. See you at the next regular meeting."
The conference ended not long after.
The wave of attendees leaving through the door indifferently passed Enoch.
Although Enoch was the topic of the meeting, people consciously tried not to even glance at him.
'How blatant.'
It wasn't hard to tell what position he held within the family.
Enoch was being thoroughly ignored.
No, it would be more appropriate to say despised.
'Well, this would be right for Enoch Elsyde.'
An empire where magic supremacy was rampant to a terrible degree.
It was obvious how Enoch, who couldn't manifest any magic there, would be treated.
'But… for now, it's actually fortunate.'
The fact that no one was talking to him was actually the best opportunity.
In this situation, if he talked to others without any knowledge, he didn't know what kind of suspicion he would be under.
He would have to live like a dead person for a while as he adapted to this life. And collecting the necessary information in the meantime would be the priority.
He got up from his seat.
There was no doubt that it was a daunting situation.
But his mind was strangely calm.
Was this also the influence of the original 'Enoch'?
"Please wait a moment, Young Master. I'll bring your breakfast soon."
When he returned to his room, Lien said, bowing politely. Enoch replied half-reflexively, lost in thought.
"Okay, thank you."
The moment he replied so carelessly.
Swoosh.
Suddenly, Lien raised her head slightly and looked at him with an emotionless gaze.
Unlike before, she clearly had an attitude that something was wrong with his words and actions.
Feeling a chill down his spine for some reason, Enoch swallowed hard without realizing it.
"Is something wrong?"
“…No. I'll prepare it right away."
Fortunately, as if nothing was wrong, Lien answered politely and left the room.
Enoch watched her back for a while.
'Was I caught?'
Well. From what he could see, she was the only maid who had been close to Enoch, who had been thoroughly isolated from the family.
It was only natural that she would feel strange if her master's words and actions suddenly changed one day.
Enoch let out the breath he had been holding back after her footsteps faded away.
He was not the original Enoch.
He shouldn't overlook that fact.
He might be suspected by someone at any time. Or maybe he was already being suspected.
What would happen if it was revealed that he was not the real Enoch?
The answer to this question was too obvious.
'I'd die.'
No one would believe such nonsense as his soul being switched or him entering the game.
And if it was considered a type of black magic that was forbidden in the Empire, he might not even die but be tied up and tortured.
Black magic was something the Empire was trying to eradicate with their eyes wide open.
'Even in the original story, anyone who used black magic in the Empire… all went to the coffin without exception.'
The end of mages who were believed to have used forbidden magic was all miserable.
The Empire hated black magic practitioners so much that it would be merciful to just execute them.
Of course, he couldn't die such a futile death.
'If I want to survive, I have to take action.'
Before he could even decide for himself, he made a judgment.
It was a strange feeling.
This unfamiliar impulsiveness, which he couldn't have imagined from his previous self, was leading him in a situation where he couldn't even get his bearings.
Was it the influence of Enoch's original habits?
No. In any case, that wasn't what mattered now.
Clatter-
He got up from his seat and opened the drawers of the desk and shelves.
'Now is my chance while the maid is gone.'
Enoch began to search his room thoroughly.
He didn't know if he could find even a small clue to understand this situation.
But no matter how much he searched the shelves and drawers, only thick books and notebooks of the same design came out.
Still, he managed to find something useful and opened it.
"<Elsyde Family: A Guide>… Is this some kind of family-specific textbook?"
The guide contained a simplified map showing the facilities and information of Elsyde Castle.
Perhaps it was a kind of pamphlet for the many people who visited the main family.
Magic Tool Rental Shop, Combat Training Ground, Office, Central Library, Restaurant, Conference Room, etc.
There wasn't much detailed information about the specific facilities, but it was necessary information.
There was nothing more suspicious than Enoch getting lost inside the castle where he had lived his whole life.
Of course, he had visited Elsyde's castle several times in the previous game.
But he only knew the places that were partially implemented in the game. He didn't know the detailed structure of the castle like this.
'This is an unexpected gain.'
Flip.
When he continued to flip through the textbook, the handwriting and the shapes of magic circles densely filled with the same handwriting made his eyes dizzy.
He could quickly tell that Enoch had been studying magic very hard.
He stared at it for a while, then muttered to himself without realizing it.
"He did a useless thing."
It was a meaningless act.
Enoch was originally a character who couldn't use magic according to the setting.
Since it was decided that way, it would have been impossible to manifest magic no matter how hard he tried.
Thud.
Then something caught on his foot.
Many forms of magic items were scattered here and there in the empty room.
Enoch shook his head as he looked at the wands and staffs scattered haphazardly in the empty room.
「Magic Item」 is a type of magic tool that is essential for the Empire's mages to carry around.
In the Magic Empire, where everything runs on magic, magic items were considered an important tool to assist and amplify the magic of mages.
'For mages, magic items are more essential than modern people's smartphones.'
Most people used magic items in the form of sleek modern metal staffs or wands.
However, depending on the purpose or magic, they also used unique magic items customized for individuals.
There were even quite a few unique magic items that were considered the mage's alias or symbol.
'But this is just a useful thing for mages who can manifest magic.'
Seeing Enoch, who can't even use magic, bring so many kinds into his room….
'Maybe the original Enoch had some vain expectations while practicing magic.'
Was it because he was now in his position?
He felt a bit bitter for some reason.
This was the Magic Empire.
An era where airships flew in the sky and giant mechanical carriages roamed the land.
An era of modern engineering and magical civilization where the lights of street lamps dazzled the city's night view instead of the stars in the night sky.
There was no place for a genius of the sword in such a place.
But he couldn't afford to be sentimental.
Enoch once again slowly recalled the traces of his past that he had read in the setting book.
「Enoch was unable to use magic until he was 10 years old. As a direct descendant of the Elsyde family, that fact was a great flaw. He had a talent for swordsmanship, but unfortunately, swordsmanship was not a talent that could be recognized in the Empire and the family.」
「Therefore, the family confined Enoch to one side of the abandoned [Underground Prison] of the family castle, and forced him to undergo education for magic manifestation there until he was 13 years old. However, the path to magic did not open to Enoch. Ironically, he only realized again that he had a talent for swordsmanship in the [Underground Prison].」
「He desperately tried to practice magic in order to be recognized by those around him, but in the end, all that returned was deep frustration. Not long after rumors spread around that he had no talent for magic, the confinement, which had virtually lost its meaning, was lifted. However, Enoch despaired at his own lack of talent and shut himself in his room.」
Enoch paused for a moment while retracing his memories.
'Wait. Underground prison?'
The only clue was the context of the incident that took place in the underground prison, which could be read in the script.
But it was certainly also the place where Enoch had awakened his power in the original story.
Then, there would be a clue to solve the problems ahead, whatever it was, in this place.
But the problem was….
"Of all places, it has to be an abandoned prison."
It was a troublesome place in many ways.
Would it be natural for Enoch, who was about to be expelled from the family and should be living like a dead person, to suddenly step in front of people and ask, "Please show me around the prison"?
'But I can't just stay still.'
All the scripts of the original story that he had read to the point of being worn out were engraved in his head.
Among them, one sentence that appeared in the original story was urging him to act.
「It is secretly known that there have been several attempts to assassinate Enoch Elsyde in the past, a direct descendant who tarnished the prestige of the magic family simply by being a non-mage.」
The world of <Magic Empire Atlas> that he had only seen in games.
And among them, the Elsyde family, one of the magic families at the pinnacle.
In order to survive as Enoch, a non-mage, in this place, he needed the power to protect himself right now.
He knew about the unfortunate futures that would befall him.
'There must be a way.'
Enoch unfolded the map he had seen earlier again.
Then, he recalled one by one the things he needed to do to get into the prison.
'First of all, it will be virtually impossible to deceive the family's mages guarding the front of the prison and enter.'
If they felt even a little bit suspicious, they would immediately use magic to detect Enoch.
Therefore, in order to enter the prison, he needed a way that would not arouse suspicion as much as possible.
'But what if I don't go in on my own?'
His black eyes narrowed for a moment.
Gradually, one plan began to take shape within him.
'…Is it possible?'
What he was about to do was nothing more than gambling. Gambling where he had to take risks and choose options.
If it wasn't really bad, he wouldn't have taken such an adventure from the beginning. But right now, this was the only option he could choose.
Click.
Enoch strode over and opened the door.
The hallway of the huge castle unfolded before his eyes.
Walking through the crowd of people, he recalled the plan in his head.
In the original 'Elsyde Family's Castle', there are several places that are not implemented in the game or are prohibited from entering.
If the 'prison' really existed in the family, it would be one of those places.
He couldn't know its location right now.
Even a seasoned player wouldn't be able to know the places that didn't exist in the game.
But it would be funny if Enoch, who had lived here all his life since birth, suddenly showed himself getting lost.
'But there is a way.'
Then, all he had to do was to have others 'guide' him to that place.
Because that's where what he was looking for would be.
***
“…Strange.”
The maid in the maid outfit, Lien, walked down the hallway with a tray in her hand and murmured in a clear voice.
The sense of incongruity had been there since this morning.
Trying to go out of the room in his pajamas. Seeming to forget the location of the closet. Even his strangely uneasy appearance.
It was clearly different from his usual self.
Well, if she were to talk about what was strange in the first place, the fact that he, who had never touched alcohol, had drunk that strong liquor straight from the bottle was a strange thing.
Of course, the official notice was at the conference today, but the expulsion from the family was virtually a foregone conclusion. That must have driven him away.
Thinking that way, it wasn't incomprehensible that he suddenly drank alcohol.
But….
'Thank you, huh.'
Grip.
Lien's hand holding the tray unconsciously tightened.
Enoch had just told her 'thank you'.
But as far as she knew, Enoch had never said that in such a way before.
To her, or to anyone else.
'I need to check it out.'
Several possibilities that came to mind flashed through her head.
If something was wrong with Enoch, she had to check it.
She was the only one who could help him in this huge castle.
Lien reached the front of Enoch's room and carefully opened the door.
"Young Master, the meal…?"
But her words stopped there.
Enoch's room was empty.
Clang!
The tray and dishes fell to the floor, screaming loudly.
But before that sharp echo could stop.
Lien's figure had already disappeared from in front of Enoch's room.