Chapter 33 – Is That Really a Mage?
#1
After running wild for a while, his body felt completely refreshed.
It seemed he had swung the club more often than usual to conserve the artifact’s capacity.
Still, it didn’t compare to the sensation of wielding a tomahawk.
“The feel just isn’t the same.”
He had killed over thirty kobolds.
Occasionally, he felt a stinging sensation, probably from needles stuck in his forearms or calves.
But even that could be cleanly ignored thanks to his strength.
[Negative Energy]
[Absorbing negative energy.]
Even here, the artifact worked perfectly.
Perhaps because it was part of the same artifact family, it seemed to harmonize seamlessly.
And its benefits didn’t end there.
[Negative energy aids in the growth of your body.]
[Dragon Body grows.]
[Hatchling Stage: 48%]
“Oh?”
Does this mean he could grind experience even here?
He couldn’t die even if he wanted to, making this place no different from a bonus dungeon.
Lawrence chuckled softly.
While others might despair in this situation, he could reap its benefits.
How could he resist?
He decided to thoroughly search every corner of the dungeon and kill even the smallest monsters.
Lawrence moved swiftly.
“Kerrrk—!?”
“Oh, there you are!”
A dungeon and its monsters.
To someone encountering them for the first time, they would be a source of terror and fear.
But to Lawrence, they were just bundles of experience points.
Diligently moving his body, he accumulated negative energy little by little.
For someone like Lawrence, who had been cooped up in his room, this was an exciting game.
Boom—!
Wherever he went, explosions and the screams of the undead echoed.
“Hahahaha! Where do you think you’re going?”
“Kerrrk—! Kiiieeek!”
The screams of undead kobolds and Lawrence’s laughter reverberated throughout the dungeon.
Meanwhile, the Tower Masters watching through the crystal orb were stunned, mouths agape, repeatedly exclaiming their amazement.
“Now I see why the Grand Duke of the North favors Young Master Lawrence.”
“To be honest, he’s not a good fit for the Blue Tower.”
“Is that so?”
The Blue Tower Master clicked his tongue in regret but soon shook his head.
The Blue Tower mainly focused on lightning magic.
Their aesthetic values were based on cleanliness, discipline, and precision.
Lawrence’s wild laughter and demeanor didn’t match their temperament.
“If his personality is the problem, we can fix that. But…”
“What’s the hesitation? If none of you want him, I’ll take him to the Iron Tower.”
As everyone hesitated due to their dealings with Medeia, the Iron Tower Master spoke up.
Perfect.
Lawrence already displayed the ideal qualities of a battle mage.
He had to bring the young master to the Iron Tower.
At that moment, the doors to the test hall opened, and Medeia entered.
She came because the selection test had been delayed.
“Is the selection test proceeding well?”
“Madam Medeia, welcome. Although there has been some delay, it’s progressing smoothly.”
“I see. May I observe for a moment?”
“Of course.”
Medeia looked around before her gaze landed on Lawrence’s crystal orb.
Inside, Lawrence was seen leisurely strolling through the dungeon without even using light magic.
Her expression instantly crumpled.
For a boy without a mana core to move so confidently…
Something was clearly wrong—very wrong.
She glanced at the Tower Masters, who met her gaze and nodded slightly.
A silent reminder of their prior agreement.
‘Still, you will never see the light.’
Either bound to this family or banished to the wilderness to be endlessly exploited.
As long as she remained the matron of this family, Lawrence’s fate was sealed.
To Medeia, Lawrence’s actions looked like desperate flailing.
But for some reason, she felt a faint unease.
An inexplicable chill that passed in a fleeting moment.
However, she quickly shook her head to dismiss it.
“Iron Tower Master, is there someone you’re particularly interested in?”
“Young Master Lawrence is a talent possessing intellect, virtue, and strength. I’d like to take him, but it seems the competition will be fierce.”
“Indeed. Thank you for thinking highly of Montemer’s child.”
“Haha, not at all. He’s grown well on his own, hasn’t he?”
Iron Hanma chuckled as he spoke.
Though Medeia smiled in return, the corners of her lips trembled slightly.
The Iron Tower Master’s words were a veiled criticism.
<The child you neglected and discarded has grown so well on his own.>
It was a statement that pricked Medeia’s pride, but arguing here would only make her look foolish.
Instead, she shifted the topic.
“Would it be alright if you accepted one more person into your household?”
“If you’re referring to a maid, we have no issues.”
“That’s perfect. I was considering disposing of the annex anyway…”
Medeia intended to send Rachel, who was supposedly brainwashed, to the Iron Tower.
The Iron Tower Master readily nodded, and Medeia smiled in satisfaction.
But was she aware?
Rachel was completely fine and fully aware, while Ikel had been filing false reports.
The very nature of brainwashing magic made it difficult to detect unless specific commands or the caster’s mana were triggered.
‘This works out perfectly. I’ll erase all traces of him and speed up my preparations.’
The Iron Tower was a wilderness among wildernesses.
Moreover, their magic was notoriously inefficient.
Even if Lawrence grew there, he wouldn’t survive Montemer’s next test.
Medeia consoled herself with such thoughts and turned away.
“I must be taking up too much of your time. Please ensure the rest of the tests proceed smoothly. I’ll be in the training hall.”
“As you wish.”
Medeia headed outside the place where the artifact was kept.
The next trial was to face one of the tower mages in a magical duel.
Though the rule stated that as long as one didn’t die, they could be healed with magic, accidents could happen at any time and place.
“There’s no harm in trying.”
She was the queen of connections and the matron of a prestigious family.
With just a word or a small amount of money, countless people would bow down before her.
However, there was someone determined to block her resolve.
“Mother.”
“Didn’t I tell you to stay at the training hall, Loras?”
“I will fight Lawrence.”
“What?”
Loras Montemer. The youngest of Medeia’s children, who had just entered puberty.
He said he wanted to fight and defeat Lawrence?
Medeia shook her head.
“Not yet. Now’s not the time. Train further at the tower, and when the time comes, you can defeat him. By then… killing someone will be no big deal.”
“Are you aware that lately, all your attention has been on him, Mother?”
“What did you say?”
Setting aside her calm demeanor, Medeia stared into her son’s eyes.
Although he was born in a cold, calculating family of mages, to her, he was still a son she cherished deeply.
Occasionally, he would do something foolish, but because he was her son, she let it slide.
Now, in Medeia’s eyes, he seemed just like any child of his age, wanting to vent his frustrations.
For a moment, her heart softened.
Because, as he pointed out, her attention had indeed been entirely on Lawrence recently.
“Instead of wasting time on that defective product, why don’t you care more about me and my siblings, Mother?”
“……”
Medeia was momentarily speechless, her son’s words piercing her like a dagger.
Yes. I, too, wish I could spend time peacefully with you.
Eat delicious meals together, read you good books.
That was what she truly felt inside.
But the words that came out of her mouth were entirely different.
Because she knew how dangerous their position truly was.
“Don’t spout nonsense. Take care of you? Lawrence grew this much all by himself in that trash storage. What? Do you want to humiliate yourself like Arthur Goldvain?”
“Mother……”
“Deal with things properly and train adequately. Who do you think I’m doing all this hard work for?”
Medeia’s fierce gaze silenced Loras.
If he said one more word, he felt like his entire body would freeze over.
As Medeia stormed off, the cold air brushed past him.
Loras stared blankly at her retreating figure, and an emotion began to grow in his eyes.
#2
“Seriously, is that a mage?”
“He’s more like a berserker.”
Boom—!
The final moments of the trial.
The tower masters watching Lawrence’s crystal orb had expressions of disbelief.
Several candidates had already been eliminated and sent to the training hall.
Three remained.
Lawrence Montemer, Arthur Goldvain, and Piazé Brixir.
The Brixir family was known for their mastery of dual-element magic.
Their unique abilities were highly regarded among mages.
‘Those two are remarkable, but they’re still novices. They follow the fundamentals, sure, but…’
Humans are inherently adaptable and threshold-driven beings.
After witnessing Lawrence’s overwhelmingly stimulating performance, the slow casting and fundamental tactics of the others—drawing out distance, luring monsters, and casting magic—barely registered anymore.
Still, the evaluation had to be fair.
After all, the goal was to recruit decent talent.
Other candidates from prestigious families watched the three from a distance.
Arthur Goldvain showcased powerful, wide-range magic.
Piazé, with her jewel-like heterochromatic eyes, manipulated water and fire elements effortlessly.
“Wow…”
“As expected, they’re incredible.”
Aside from Montemer, they were children of families considered great in their own right.
Both displayed sufficient talent to be deemed outstanding mages.
Especially Piazé, whose magic was refined, clean, and dazzling, shaped by her experience in subjugation battles.
Yet, the spectators couldn’t take their eyes off the next contestant.
“Is that really… a mage?”
“What’s with that overwhelming speed?”
[Fireball.]
The sight of him conjuring a massive fireball with just the trigger word alone was enough to stun them.
If not chanting spells was his unique ability…?
Chills ran down the spines of the watching children.
He’s a monster.
Not merely one of this era but one who could leave a mark in history—a true monster.
‘There will be many who’ll covet him.’
The Iron Tower Master thought as much.
While some might wish to refine such a brilliant gem, others would seek to crush it entirely.
Because, as the tower master knew, what people fear varies.
The solution was surprisingly simple.
‘Raise him to the point where no one can touch him. Hohoho—.’
Meat and iron.
With unimaginable training intensity and mastery of magical theory, if his foundation was built in safety, no small fries would dare challenge him.
While saplings are easier to trample, fully-grown monsters must either be coexisted with or domesticated.
If he could be nurtured until that point…
“This will be fun.”
The tower master’s smile grew wider.
Boom—!
Meanwhile, the virtual dungeon trial was nearing its conclusion.
Lawrence was about to enter the boss room at the dungeon’s end.
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