Chapter 67
Simton’s talents were surprisingly decent.
Magic Circuitry.
When crafting artifacts, it is necessary to engrave magical circuits.
His talent aided in engraving those circuits more intricately and precisely.
Additionally, Alchemy helped him instinctively discover optimal ratios when creating items such as potions.
Combining that with Magical Research,
‘This guy is basically an engineer, isn’t he?’
It was convenient.
For crafting intermediate-level magical items that I found bothersome to make myself,
He could oversee the production and management of such items with exceptional efficiency.
And then there was his third trait, which was equally notable.
Diligent.
It simply meant he worked hard.
With such a trait, it was no surprise that he reached the level of a 4th Circle mage at a young age.
Of course, seeing the word Ambitious in his traits meant I’d have to ensure he was guaranteed some level of position and authority.
Still, he was definitely worth nurturing.
“Where do you live?”
“In the northern region.”
“With your family?”
“Yes.”
“Can you settle your affairs and come down?”
At my question, Simton nodded.
“I can. Just give me about a month…”
A month, huh.
That timing worked out pretty well.
By then, the succession ceremony would have concluded, and the cleanup phase would be underway.
“Alright then. Settle everything by then and come to the Marquisate.”
When I handed him a platinum coin, his eyes widened in astonishment.
“What’s this…?”
“You’ll need money to handle your affairs, right? Consider it a bonus.”
“…Thank you.”
“By the way, what were you doing before participating in the competition?”
“I was employed by Baron Brahman’s estate in the north.”
“Your contract there is over?”
“Yes, I didn’t extend it any further.”
“Didn’t they try to keep you? A 4th Circle mage seems valuable enough.”
“Well, uh…”
Scratching his head, Simton spoke hesitantly.
“They only knew me as a 2nd Circle mage.”
“Ah, so you hid your abilities?”
“Yes.”
It wasn’t unusual for mages to conceal their circles.
I, too, was currently hiding my true circle from the public.
“Alright. Then come by mid-June. If I’m not around when you arrive, look for my brother Abel. He’ll let you know where I’ve gone.”
“Understood.”
After leaving the terrace with Simton,
I spent the remaining time exchanging casual conversations with the other mages.
The questions were all the same.
How on earth did I create such magic?
What inspired me?
To scrape even a crumb of knowledge from me, they bombarded me with all sorts of questions.
Of course, my answer was predetermined.
“I got lucky.”
That was all I needed to say.
There was no need to act overly proud, so my response was measured.
After all, it wasn’t entirely untrue.
Without Heart Eye and Mana Stagnation, winning this competition wouldn’t even have been a possibility.
When the three-hour banquet finally came to an end,
I used mana to flush the alcohol from my system, clearing my fuzzy head.
“This is so convenient.”
“…What is, my lord?”
“Whether it’s mages or knights, we don’t get drunk easily. Just circulate energy through our heads, and we’re instantly sober.”
Leonhardt’s eyes widened at my words.
“You’ve already cleared the blockage near the crown of your head?”
“That’s right.”
“That was fast. Gathering mana there must not have been easy.”
Oh, right.
He doesn’t know I acquired the Ogre’s Mana Core.
In moments like this, it’s best to feign ignorance.
If I started explaining about taking the Ogre’s core, it might cause unnecessary trouble.
“I just worked hard, and it paid off.”
“If you’ve cleared the crown, the rest should be easier.”
“Yes, I can feel it too. It’s like going downhill now. And since I’ve reached the 2nd Circle, it’s been much easier. I don’t think it’ll take long to clear the rest.”
After clearing the crown of my head,
I was now working on the blockage on my left side.
Currently, I was focusing on clearing the pathway through my left face, and I estimated it would take only two or three days to fully break through.
“By the way, is that really your biggest impression of clearing the crown?”
“Pretty much. No more hangovers—how great is that?”
“Most people mention other benefits, my lord.”
“Sure, there are other perks, but this one’s my favorite.”
Thinking back to the days of suffering from hangovers, this truly felt like a revolution.
Long live the fantasy world.
With that thought, I entered the lavish room assigned to me,
Resting my head on the soft bed.
***
While the sky grew darker,
Erciel entered Kyle’s room,
Immediately summoning a spirit of light.
Flap!
“Sorry. You must’ve felt stuffy.”
At that moment,
A rather cute boyish voice echoed in her mind.
-“No, it’s fine, Master. This place just doesn’t feel very pleasant.”
“…Huh?”
-“What’s wrong?”
“You… can talk?”
-“Yes, I can. Learning human language isn’t hard.”
“Then… why didn’t you speak until now?”
-“Because your elemental power was insufficient. You didn’t meet the qualifications.”
“So, does that mean I meet them now?”
-“Yes. That necklace is quite good.”
The spirit pointed its small hand toward the necklace.
Lewel’s Necklace.
It was the necklace Kyle had given her after clearing the dungeon.
Not only could it store elemental energy, but it also accelerated the absorption of natural energy, making it an item she always wore.
“…I see.”
-“Yes. By the way, I think I understand why that Kyle guy said what he did. If you were to summon me recklessly around here, it would indeed be dangerous.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
-“I can sense a lot of evil energy here, Master. Has it already spread this far? There seem to be quite a number of puppets around.”
“Puppets? Spread how?”
-“I’m talking about humans who have traded their souls in exchange for power. The place is boiling.”
“Boiling?”
Flap!
At those words, the spirit’s wings fluttered energetically.
-“Yes. When suppression rituals are used to repress the will of many humans, it often boils over. Judging by the state of things, it’s been building up for quite a while. It might burst soon.”
Asiris.
Erciel tilted her head at the spirit’s words.
She didn’t fully understand, but it was clear that the situation was far from good.
As she furrowed her brows, the spirit shivered slightly.
-“It’s sickening… Anyway, if they notice us, I can’t protect you right now. So be careful. Stick close to Kyle; he seems to know something.”
“…Understood.”
Speaking in a firm tone, as if warning her, the spirit flapped its wings before flying into the arms of the maid.
-“Ahhh, what a lovely scent.”
Asiris nestled against her chest and began surveying the room.
-“There’s magic here.”
“Magic?”
-“An alarm spell. Quite an interesting fellow.”
The spirit’s voice was filled with fascination.
“What’s interesting?”
-“The way he uses magic—it’s quite unique. Like in the old days.”
“The old days?”
-“Yes. He seems like someone with many secrets.”
It seemed the spirit was referring to Kyle Seltarion, her master.
“…Is that so?”
-“Yes. It’s nostalgic. My previous master used similar magic.”
“When you say ‘previous’…?”
-“Just a story from a long time ago. Anyway, I’m bored. Entertain me, Master.”
The spirit began acting spoiled while nestled in the maid’s arms.
As she played with the spirit and built their bond,
Flap!
It suddenly flapped its wings vigorously and began circling around Erciel.
-“Looks like an unwelcome guest has arrived. Be careful.”
“…Huh?”
At that moment,
Wheeeeeeeee!
A sharp alarm sound reverberated through the annex.
Clang!
“Intruders!”
“Capture them!”
The knights stationed in the annex began moving simultaneously.
The sound of clashing blades spread rapidly.
The peaceful annex was suddenly thrown into chaos, and worry filled her eyes.
“…What should we do?”
Hide, Master.
At that moment, the door burst open.
“Lady Erciel!”
It was Seron who had come to find her.
Scanning the room with an urgent expression, he quickly approached her.
“Follow me!”
“What’s going on?”
“…Assassins! They seem to be searching for someone. For now, you must stay close to me!”
“Understood.”
Find them!
Kyaaaaah!
We don’t have time! We also need to find that gladiator, so hurry up and search!
The voices that had been echoing from all directions now drew closer to the room.
It was clear who the assassins were searching for.
The targets were the two people in this room. Hearing the voices, Seron seemed to make up his mind and drew his sword.
At that moment, his presence transformed, becoming as sharp as a blade.
“I’ll buy you as much time as I can. In the meantime, escape through the window.”
“…What?”
“Judging by the fact that they’ve taken down the knights and are searching for us, they’re determined to capture us. I can’t hold them off alone. You must escape quickly.”
Erciel shook her head at his words.
“No. Let’s fight together.”
As she firmly spoke,
Masked figures began entering the room one by one.
There were five in total.
With murderous intent in their eyes, they glanced at the two before nodding to each other.
“They’re the targets. Kill them.”
As soon as the words were spoken, poisoned daggers flew toward them.
Dozens of daggers filled the confined space, leaving little room to evade.
As the daggers aimed for Erciel, Seron made a split-second decision and leaped forward.
Ting!
Ting!
Ting!
A massive shield of light effortlessly blocked the daggers.
The assassins froze at the sight.
“…A spirit wielder? That wasn’t in the mission details…”
“We have no choice. All of you, attack! Three of you handle the one with the sword!”
As the assassins charged, light began flowing toward Seron, enveloping his body.
After a brief moment of surprise,
He quickly grasped the situation and began confronting them.
He wielded the modified Storm Sword.
‘This is doable.’
The power of light was impressive.
Though he had only been learning the technique for a week,
A faint amount of aura had begun to accumulate in his body. Normally, such a small amount wouldn’t have been enough to wield the modified Storm Sword.
Its aura consumption was significant, after all.
But now, it was different.
After receiving the light, the aura within him had become much purer, and his recovery rate was significantly faster.
With that, the five paths of the first form of the Storm Sword began to unfold from his body.
Moving seamlessly among the three assassins, Seron’s movements caused their expressions to harden like stone.
Clang!
“Gah!”
“What is this…? He’s a monster!”
“We must kill him quickly, brother! Time is running out!”
While the three assassins engaged in a deadly dance with Seron,
The remaining two assassins closed the distance toward Erciel.
-“Master. Don’t panic. Release the power stored in the necklace. Now’s the time to use it.”
As the two assassins closed in,
Woooong!
The power stored in the necklace flowed through her body.
Flash!
Accompanied by a brilliant burst of light, white spears materialized and shot toward the assassins.
Seeing the ten or more light spears flying toward them, the assassins’ faces twisted in shock.
The power of an Ancient Spirit.
The room was engulfed by its force.
Two of the assassins fighting Seron were struck by the spears of light, disrupting the balance of the battle.
The ensuing fight didn’t last long.
Three minutes.
That was how long it took for the five assassins to fall to the two monstrous opponents.
As she looked at the corpses, Erciel spoke to Seron.
“…Could you clean up the traces?”
“Understood. I’ll do my best.”
Seron approached the bodies with his sword in hand.
Thud.
Piercing the corpses with his blade, he began erasing the marks of their wounds swiftly and efficiently.
There was no hesitation in his movements.
—
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