Chapter 46
“…Rachel?”
It wasn’t me who spoke first—it was the Mage Tower Master. His usual expressionless face had long since vanished.
Wait a minute… if Rachel is here, does that mean Ventus is here too?
There was no one behind her. I thought about asking her, but decided to keep my mouth shut around this Rachel who wasn’t smiling.
“Why did you call my friend?”
Rachel spoke slowly, one syllable at a time, radiating a terrifying energy. To me, it wasn’t a big deal, but objectively, it was intense.
Last time, she kept smiling and teasing me so I didn’t notice, but now I truly felt what it meant that she was a Great Mage. This level of power is what sealed the Circle; imagine what it would be like if the curse were lifted.
“Rachel, listen to me. It’s not like that—I was worried about you. Besides, the Mage Tower Master has the authority to check on the state of the tower’s mages.”
“So?”
“Uh… uh…?”
“Then, couldn’t you have just asked me directly? And Shuri said friends aren’t like the ones in books—they’re not that devoted! Idiot! Liar!”
“Ra-Rachel?”
The Mage Tower Master looked utterly helpless at her words. He clearly didn’t expect to be scolded like that by Rachel. I found the situation so amusing I wanted to tear open some popcorn.
While I was watching them, the Mage Tower Master glanced at me. His eyes clearly begged for help, but I pretended not to notice.
Huh? Shuri doesn’t get what you’re saying!
Ugh. Acting like Rel makes me tense. Of course, I kept it to myself because showing it outwardly would be too embarrassing. The internal cringe was almost as intense as saying the skill name while using a skill.
Still, since he kept looking at me, I decided to step in.
There’s no harm in showing the Mage Tower Master a little favor. In fact, it could be good. And he looked pitiful too.
“Rachel.”
“Hmm, Shuri.”
Rachel came closer and hugged me tightly.
Seeing her like this made her feel childlike. But… did her glare get worse, or was that just me imagining it?
Being stuck between them was better than being between Kiel and Ventus, but that was the only difference.
I don’t want to be the shrimp squeezed in the middle for anyone!
“Isn’t the Mage Tower Master your friend too?”
“Hmm… no!”
The Mage Tower Master’s face darkened.
Ah… rejected.
“Ardel is my superior! And also my future lover!”
Cough!
Cough, cough!
The unexpected declaration made the Mage Tower Master choke on his tea, and I wasn’t faring much better.
―Whew. Ahhh, so embarrassing!
“F-Future lover?”
“Yeah. Why? Kan said so! If two people like each other, they call each other lovers. So that means Ardel and I are the same, right?”
Rachel’s lack of knowledge outside of magic was staggering. She gave a perfect answer to the Mage Tower Master and almost hit him right in the heart.
“Kan said that?”
“Hmph.”
Rachel pouted. She was technically a ‘future lover,’ but clearly wasn’t pleased right now. The Mage Tower Master struggled to ease her mood.
Seeing the Mage Tower Master struggle was kind of funny, but couldn’t they do the lovey-dovey stuff somewhere else?
“Rachel, I’ll ask directly next time, so calm down. Sorry.”
“Hmm… okay. If you extend my vacation, I’ll forgive you!”
“Of course!”
The Mage Tower Master’s face brightened instantly. They continued talking and eventually seemed to resolve everything.
So… why did Rachel come back to the Mage Tower, and when will I get to see the dark magic? If they’re just going to flirt, just send me to the section with the dark magic books!
The Mage Tower Master had finished everything he needed. Judging by the situation, Rachel knew I was here and had called me, so now it was just my task to finish my business.
Since I was already here, I might as well get it done quickly.
“So, Rachel, why did you come here?”
“Ah! I’ll give this to you!”
“What’s this?”
A key, seemingly made of pure gold, dropped into my hand. I twirled it around, then looked up at her.
“This is the key to my treasure vault!”
“…What?”
My mind filled with question marks.
She suddenly handed me the key to her treasure vault? I couldn’t respond, so Rachel smiled lightly.
“In life, if you give, you get something too! And since Shuri loves money the most, it’s a gift! If you’re friends, this is normal!”
I grabbed my nape in disbelief at Rachel’s words.
I expected the Mage Tower Master to comment, but it was hopeless. With rose-colored glasses firmly on, he just looked at her as if she were wonderful and adorable.
“That’s not friendship, that’s being a pushover!”
“Huh…? Why?”
“Why is this being a pushover?”
I had forgotten that not only Rachel but all the mages in the tower lacked social skills.
They had no clue what was wrong. Please, just don’t live in the tower all your life studying magic—interact with people too…!
“Well… wait. Do you know the word ‘pushover’?”
Was there such a word here? Even if I shortened it, they probably wouldn’t understand. And yet… he understood!
“Melanik told me.”
“Before Melanik told you, did you already know the word?”
I asked anxiously, and the Mage Tower Master frowned and shook his head. Since he didn’t know, I turned my attention from dark magic to the fact that someone knew the word ‘pushover.’
“Can I meet them?”
“If it’s Shuri, sure!”
“Rachel!”
After Rachel answered, unbelievably, the Mage Tower Master raised his voice. She laughed, twirling her hair as if she had expected his reaction. Eventually, he nodded.
Thanks, Rachel. But this has to be clear.
“And Rachel, you don’t need this. No matter who helps you, don’t give away stuff like this. The dark magic exchange is over. Giving anything beyond that just makes you a pushover.”
Even without finding the Fire Dragon, Rachel wouldn’t die. She’d just live with her magic slightly sealed.
I knew mages treasure their magic like life itself, but dark magic alone was enough. There was no need to give away the treasure vault key.
Dark magic, condemned as rebellion, was rare. That meant information was scarce and kept here only.
“Hmm…”
Rachel nodded slightly at my unusually intense words.
Good. One problem solved.
I decided if someone didn’t understand, I’d imprint it in their mind. And since there was no time, I made sure Rachel would remember: “Doing this makes you a pushover!”
“And this is the magic circle to open my lab!”
A magic circle filled the page. The black lines outnumbered the white.
I couldn’t help but admire it. It wasn’t as complex as combining the four powers from my ancestor’s diary, but it was impressive.
“I just stopped by to give this to Shuri! And I’ll be back, Ardel!”
Rachel teleported away, as if all her business was finished. And of course, I was teleported with her.
No, wait! You should at least tell me where we’re going!
“…Who are you?”
Turning toward the voice, I saw a young boy. His hair shone silver, and in the dark room, his eyes glowed red.
“Ah. I’m Shuruer Klambeck.”
“…Why are you here? Did you come to capture me?”
“Why would I capture you?”
Something in our conversation didn’t match. I’d never seen hair so pure silver, and I didn’t understand why he’d capture me.
“…Aren’t you a noble?”
“I am. Only child of a count family.”
When I confirmed he was noble, the boy shut his mouth tight. He came to ask about the word ‘pushover,’ but the moment wasn’t right.
“Hmm… I don’t know, but I promise. I won’t capture you.”
“…Why? You don’t even know who I am. How can you make that promise?”
He flinched. His curious red eyes studied me.
Strangely, I couldn’t open my mouth. Facing those vivid red eyes, I slowly spoke.
“Do you want me to capture you?”
He shook his head.
“Since you don’t want it, I won’t capture you.”
His expression changed. He looked like he might cry, or like he just couldn’t understand.
“…Outside.”
“Huh?”
“…Now, outside, everyone looks like you?”
“Looks like me?”
Huh? What does that mean?
I didn’t understand. When I asked again, he shut his mouth tight and shook his head. His silver hair shimmered as it moved.
“…If you didn’t come to capture me, why are you here?”
“Ah.”
“Um… this might sound strange, but have you… reincarnated or something?”
His expression turned weirder. Earlier he looked almost about to cry, now he looked like he’d lost a screw.
I’m not that strange… Little one, seeing me like that hurts me too.
“Melanik, there’s no word ‘pushover’ in this world.”
Melanik’s eyes widened. This was the first clear emotion I’d seen from him.
“Do you… have memories?”
“Memories?”
“Strange memories…”
He hesitated, refusing to explain. From the word ‘memory,’ I guessed they were like mine.
“You know, I had those memories too. I knew the meaning of ‘pushover.’”
I smiled as harmlessly as possible.
I hadn’t smiled like this in a long time. I used to do it to coax Kiel, and now, at this age, I was doing it again.
Tears blurred my vision… really.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Do you know about South Korea?”
“Yes! I know!”
Finally, he seemed to trust me, his eyes shining.
Such eagerness… Even with memories, children are innocent.
Since Melanik had memories, it wasn’t impossible for others to have past-life memories too.
If someone tried to trick him with the word South Korea, he’d probably believe it immediately.
This innocent kid… what am I supposed to do?
“…I thought I had these strange memories because I’m the child of a murderer…”
Child of a murderer?
He realized his slip and covered his mouth with both hands, watching me nervously. Now I finally understood what he had said before.
“…Why are you here? Did you come to capture me?”
If someone asks that just because you’re noble, imagine how much he must have suffered. Now I understood why the Mage Tower Master reacted the way he did before.
Silver hair, red eyes, and a murderer…
“Liselle Sailot…”
The boy flinched visibly. Correct.
Ah, this is insane. I came to ask about dark magic, then met a kid who knows a word not even in this world, and somehow a legendary killer is involved?
I felt the absurdity of my fate as I watched the trembling Melanik Sailot.
