It took me some time to calm down after the unexpected emotional turmoil, but when the other heirs finally left, albeit with some reservations, I was finally able to check the reward I received from completing my killing quest.
[quest: kill the spawn of correction, completed.
Claim reward: y/n]
There was no need to hesitate and as soon as I willed my answer two letters materialised before me.
[Runner of Echoes] and [Standards for the Error].
Both letters were written on a deep green paper with silver ink and emitted a feint sense of my mana.
Before starting reading I created a couple of doppelgängers, one to stay outside my room to prevent people from entering and one to write down everything that I'd read for my own codex.
Especially the needed credentials would be of great help in understanding what path I was walking.
I opened the standards of the Error and started reading aloud.
"Dear Last Error,
Below I'll list the requirements needed to proceed walking the Path of the Error and although some might sound terrible, remember to trust the process.
An Error isn't something that naturally exists, just like a Correction it needs a catalyst to begin his journey.
That catalyst, more often than not, could feel distasteful.
Path of the Error:
•lie for enjoyment,
•trick the hands that feed you,
•stage at least one grand scale prank (min. 500pp.)
•trick someone into thinking they've got your weakness and then kill them revealing the truth.
•perfect sense of self.
•develop skill [ruler of mana] (evolved mana manipulation)
•develop skill [erratic body];
Now, I hope you aren't someone like those fools that think killing is bad, killing is necessary in this world, unless you want to die of course.
I'll also add the training method for the [erratic body], we believe when the time comes there won't be any other high human available to teach you, oh and you'll probably need to do some killing for it too."
I was speechless, not for the requirements, I was fine with them, but for the underlying meaning of the [ruler of mana] skill.
Did it mean that my mana control was already superior to what the skill could give but not enough to develop the ruler version?
I immediately tried to change the aspect of my mana into [divinity] and what do you know? The next moment, my mana flared with a beautiful golden shine.
"Fuck, this means that what the academy teaches is not enough…"
The erratic body training was also brutal, but still manageable compared to what I'd need to do for the mana skill.
"And finally, the ritual to become a Runner."
Just when I was about to start reading what would be the first step towards real power the door where my doppelgänger should have been guarding was opened violently.
My clone immobilised with a glare that could kill and as I dismissed it, I understood why.
"So now instructors are allowed to use violence when they don't get what they want?"
"There are things you can't ignore young man, this is one of them."
"Oh my, prey tell Gerd, what is so important that you'd need to abduct me, notice it wasn't really me, come back and knock down my door."
"You're being summoned by the academy board of elders for a testimony."
Was he really a fool or did he really believe I'd simply concede to that poor excuse?
"What about the others? They are more than able to give a report, I'm busy at the moment."
Gerd's grin grew wild, clearly happy I wasn't collaborating, but I honestly couldn't care less, after all, as a prospect butler I had something really useful in situations like these.
Something I was so sure it'd work I never even considered being backstabbed.
Yes. If that wasn't a backstab I didn't know what it was.
While I was channelling mana into the key I so thoroughly kept, my father appeared behind instructor Gerd himself.
"I knew something like this would happen. Crow son, let's just go. I have no power in such situations."
"As I said, take a doppelgänger, I'm busy."
"We can't, your doppelgänger can't use mana."
And that's how I was escorted like a prisoner by a duke and an overly excited instructor into a congress room full of old teachers and 12 teens that were anxiously looking around.
________________
"It has come to our attention, that Lord Crow Morvane, has fought, disposed of a Beyondspawn and refused to concede the body to the military for research. That is an act directly against the law and can therefore be punished as an act of treason against humanity."
Those were some of the high and mighty words that welcomed me once I reached the old bastards nest.
All around me, the 12 younglings were riddled with guilt, they clearly wanted for me to keep the body so that I could happily study it, on the other hand, they also knew the law and why it was so important for the body to go to the military.
"I don't know what you're all fussing about. I never fought a Beyondspawn."
Exactly, what they knew was a Beyondspawn, for me was a spawn of correction. In all fairness, in my brain they could be referring to something else.
"Lord Crow, lying will only worsen your already delicate situation."
The oldest dust collector spoke with solemnity that almost made me laugh.
"I'm not lying. Use a truth spell, I will allow its use for one question."
Not that it would work with my disillusioned skill.
Caelum was starting to sweat, Yom wanted to smack me and tell me to let it go. Even father was surprised by my stubbornness in front of dire consequences. But honestly, I didn't give a fuck.
It was simply to valuable for me to keep that body. It was my complete antithesis and I needed every advantage I could get if I wanted to live.
I felt the spell rushing into my brain only to be locked by my mana and readied myself for the moment their faces would be shocked beyond belief.
"The spell didn't take hold."
Only for the shocked face to be mine.
How could he notice? Judas didn't even doubt for a second that his magic worked.
"Young man, did you want to trick us?"
I sighed without masking my displeasure.
"I honestly wanted to see your shocked faces, but my standing remains, if there's a promise stating that the question will only be about the thing I fought against this afternoon, I'll allow the spell to take hold."
Everyone had exasperated faces but eventually nodded and the procedure continued. This time I focused to let the spell in, it was a disgusting feeling, but for my research… I'd do this and more.
"You can proceed vice-dean."
The old fucker nodded and with a glint of anticipation his lips moved, but the question he made was nothing anyone expected.
"What is your main rune?"
I barely had time to cast [Pretender] before my lips started moving on their own.
"Con-"
At the same moment a punch so strong it directly broke my mandibles hit me.
My father had saved the day, thank the gods.
However, now I really was angry.
I dispelled the spell the moment dad punched me. When I landed Auriel was already healing me and the next moment Dionen was taking hold of the old bastard's neck.
"THIS IS NOT WHAT WE AGREED UPON!"
The fool thought nothing could happen to him and was still smirking.
With difficulty he even managed to say it was just a prank like I loved to do so much. But the next second a mirror appeared in front of him and so one appeared before me.
"Dad! Disable his mental defences!"
"[Ruling Madness]"
He didn't wait for a second and neither did I.
"[Confessor's reflection]!"
Yes, I too needed some way to extract truth in the midst of the chaos I myself created and this was the perfect blend of [illusion], [confusion] and [divinity]. Only, I never imagined I'd use it against someone that should have such a high standing.
What nobody expected, were the words the reflection started to speak right after my spell took hold.
"You foolish humans, you think that just because all the heirs were saved this time you won something? We just need to send more beyonder beast and collect their runes hahahaha!"
Nobody questioned the validity of my spell, the moment the reflection spoke, they all sensed it.
That unequivocally wrong mana.
Dad didn't even wait for a second after he sniffed that disgusting mana. The head of the vice-dean directly exploded.
"All the heirs are to directly go to Morvane Palace. Crow, help me clean this mess."
My answer was full of mirth and joy.
"Yes dad!!!"