Chapter 133

From the elevated heights of Azure Magic School, gazing down at the overlapping azure sea and sky made it feel as though one were floating in midair.

Evan sat perched on the terrace, looking down at the scenery below, when he called out to Beatrice.

“Witch. What do you think?”

“About what?”

Beatrice replied without taking her eyes off the book she was reading. Her white hair was tied up carelessly, and she sat comfortably in an armchair.

‘Kid, is being a prisoner starting to feel like home?’ Evan suddenly wanted to ask, but he held back and continued with his intended question.

“About the Shadow Library. You heard it too, right? About the Administrator, the creation…”

Thud!

Beatrice closed her book irritably.

“Ah-so? What? Are you saying that mages weren’t the knights’ enemies after all? Why, are you going to whine and repent for your sins? How pathetic. They all look the same to me! Adversaries who interfere with the sacred destruction! Go ahead and form an alliance while you’re at it. I’ll smash you all to pieces anyway!”

Evan narrowed his eyes.

“You’re strangely excited? See, you’re feeling something too, aren’t you? The Well of Wisdom, Mimir, was it? You’ve been deceived by it all along, haven’t you?”

“Deceived? How dare you…!”

“Think about it. The Shadow Library is a relic from the mythological era. What kind of enemy would such a relic be guarding against? It seems fitting that it would be the mastermind controlling your Ragnarok, doesn’t it?”

“Controlling? Mastermind…? Are you trying to die?!”

Beatrice stood up on the armchair. Though the chair wobbled, she somehow maintained her balance while glaring at Evan. To an outsider, it might have looked cute, but Evan didn’t smile. Instead, he hardened his expression and lowered his voice.

“Shut up and think about what I’m saying seriously. You said the world is still incomplete. That the current world must perish for the true world to be born, right? But what did the Shadow Library say to Baek Jun-woo?”

Beatrice bit her lip firmly, avoiding the question.

“Not going to answer? Then I’ll say it for you. ‘Please complete the work of creation.’ What do you think that means? Does it mean that destruction automatically leads to creation? Or does it mean we need to protect this incomplete world to achieve true creation?”

“…I don’t know! Ask your precious coin!”

“It was taken from me. And when I asked Monggu, he said the Shadow Library’s ego is in hibernation, so it won’t answer questions. Come on, tell me what you think. This is an important question. Do you feel a contradiction between the Shadow Library and Mimir’s wisdom? Which one do you think is correct?”

Crunch.

Beatrice gritted her teeth.

“Hmph! Aren’t you the one feeling the contradiction? You’ve been taught that all mages are enemies, but now you’re faced with the possibility that they might actually prevent the world’s destruction, and it’s driving you crazy, isn’t it?”

“You’re right.”

His unexpectedly frank admission.

Beatrice closed her mouth. When she suddenly looked up, she saw a brown-haired young man with the expression of someone given a terminal diagnosis, at a complete loss.

“I feel like I’m going insane. What should I do now? What’s the truth…?”

As she watched Evan clutching his head with trembling hands, Beatrice subtly averted her eyes.

‘What…? Why are you suddenly acting pitiful?’

She unconsciously muttered to herself.

“…I’m troubled too.”

Then, as if startled by her own words, she covered her small mouth with her small hand.

* * *

“Are you ready?”

“Uh… hmm… Is this how I’m supposed to wear it?”

“Let me help you.”

“No. Wait a moment.”

“Stay still. There’s a dignity to being the Senior Elder of ‘Pathfinder.’ You can’t go around looking this disheveled.”

“Yesss…”

Right.

Senior Elder.

That was the title now bestowed upon me, just as I was about to turn 17.

Hwarin had volunteered to help me put on my Senior Elder robes. After all, as someone from the wilderness, I had no idea how to wear such complicated and elaborate clothing.

“Heheheh. The robes suit you so well, Master. Hehe.”

As I successfully exited the room with Hwarin’s help, gloomy mages unanimously bowed their heads. These were Magic Tower remnants who had sworn allegiance to me, seeking protection and teaching after being defeated by Ragnarok. Despite wearing the sky-blue robes designated as Pathfinder’s formal attire, they still couldn’t shake their inherently somber demeanor.

“Hey, Magiro. Are you going to keep calling me ‘Master’?”

Being called “Master” by a 5th Circle elderly mage covered in wrinkles made me feel like breaking out in hives.

“Heheh. Who else would be Master but the one who teaches magic?”

Are you protesting for more magic lessons? Is that it? Not even grateful for saving your life!

I stared at Magiro, but he just kept smiling slimily.

I sighed and hastened my steps toward the banquet hall.

Right. Today was the “Celebration! Pathfinder Foundation Banquet.”

Is this my first proper banquet? Somehow, I feel more nervous than when I’m fighting.

Still, I need to be dignified.

I entered with my chest held high. The long, sky-blue robe adorned with elaborate congratulatory inscriptions fluttered lightly. Was it meant to symbolize the will to soar to the top of the Tower? I wasn’t sure, but it certainly seemed like clothing meant for important people—it billowed with the slightest movement yet never dragged on the ground.

“Ah! Senior Elder!”

As soon as I entered the banquet hall, people swarmed around me. I felt like I might drown in the sea of people.

As I floundered helplessly, a small hand suddenly reached out and grabbed my wrist.

It was Refinement. The guy who’d been sticking to me like glue recently. He skillfully fended off the others and whispered,

“Show them.”

“…What?”

What’s with the abrupt statement with no context?

“The broadcast has attracted mages from all over. Three of them are Wizards who applied for membership without question. They’re willing to join despite the wars we’ll face in the future. They’ve shown their trust first. But who knows what’s really in their hearts?”

Ah, so that’s what he meant.

“They must be anxious.”

“Exactly. They all have their own power bases… and they’ve brought everything to offer to a brand-new organization.”

“So you want me to show them something?”

“Yes. Show them clearly why you’re the Senior Elder.”

Refinement led me away. Pan-Dalus and Hedric were conversing with three individuals.

“Oh, if it isn’t the Mage of Refinement? I’ve long admired your esteemed reputation.”

One of the three, an elderly mage with elegantly trimmed white beard, raised his hand enthusiastically in greeting. Refinement responded with a slight bow.

“A pleasure to meet you, Wizard of Resonance. However, there’s one correction.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s no longer ‘mage,’ but ‘wizard.'” (TLN: Okay I hope you don’t mind that I’m changing a term this late in the story. It’s my bad that I didn’t notice the Author wrote different term for, I believe, a mage that is classified as 6th Circle and above. They use 마도사 for 6th Circle mage. Which from now on I will translate it as “wizard” (not “Mages” with capital M). I’m really really really sorry about this.)

Wooong-!

Refinement’s Circle let out a great wail. Behind the fifth Circle, which corresponds to the tongue, appeared a thin cylinder. It was compressed into an oval shape, repeatedly connecting and separating to create a massive resonance. A sound so immense it made the mana throughout the entire hall vibrate.

This ring, corresponding to the vocal cords in humans, was the sixth Circle.

After fulfilling our promise to hack every staircase and city (well, it wasn’t really hacking, but the result was the same), Refinement had become a wizard. I had also raised my Ki-blood magic level.

Refinement showed off his new achievement, and everyone in the banquet hall marveled.

“Well… well well. And your age is…?”

“I’ve just turned thirty-nine.”

“Truly remarkable. A wizard before forty…”

Oh my goodness!

Thirty-nine?

I’d completely forgotten, with all our bickering, that Master Refinement was more than twice my age…

“Thank you. But it’s nothing compared to our Senior Elder here. Senior Elder, this is the Wizard of Resonance, Sonnet, who has just joined Pathfinder.”

Refinement was giving me proper respect as Senior Elder in front of others. This guy… no, this man… no, this uncle…?

Anyway, putting aside the confusion, I straightened my shoulders and calmly greeted the warlocks.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Baek Jun-woo, the Divine Mage, Senior Elder of Pathfinder.”

“Ohh! I’ve been so eager to meet you!”

The elderly mage with the elegantly trimmed white beard, Sonnet, firmly grasped my hand.

“It is an honor to meet you. I am Kim Ji-woong, the Wizar of Boundary.”

Next, a middle-aged mage standing gracefully like a brush pen bowed at the waist.

And then…

“Ha! Well… this is… heheh… I am Ak-hu, the Wizard of Extraction. And I practice Ki-blood magic.”

There was a hairy figure looking at me perplexedly. This person had no Circle but rather a complex interweaving of magical power throughout his body.

A Ki-blood magic practitioner?

“But I never imagined that the Senior Elder would practice Ki-blood magic himself… and at such an advanced level despite your age? Where is your sect from?”

A smile involuntarily formed on my lips.

Becoming famous really is nice. Even a Ki-blood magic practitioner I wanted to meet comes looking for me like this!

I was so curious I could hardly contain myself about the differences between my self-taught Ki-blood magic and the traditional Ki-blood magic developed over the ages.

“What? You learned it alone? Ki-blood magic? Such an absurd…”

“Would a mage lie?”

“Well…”

The Wizard of Extraction, Ak-hu, gave me a meaningful look.

“I’m truly glad I joined. Let’s have many discussions in the future, Senior Elder.”

“That’s my wish as well.”

As Ak-hu laughed heartily and took the lead in conversation, the initial awkwardness dissolved before it had even settled.

“But who are those people? They seem to be wearing powerful restraining devices that don’t match the banquet atmosphere.”

The Wizard of Boundary, Kim Ji-woong, pointed to where Beatrice and Evan were holding plates and eating with bland expressions. On their wrists were bracelets jointly created by me, Hedric, and Refinement. While wearing those bracelets, not only was it impossible to use abilities, but the mental restraint prevented even throwing a punch.

“What? The witch of Ragnarok and Evan, the Doom Knight’s disciple?”

All three were startled simultaneously.

“Yes. Beatrice was captured personally by the Senior Elder, and Evan was captured by Monggu, a knight in the Senior Elder’s nomad, together with Princess Hwi Someong from Truth Tower.”

Refinement was fulfilling his role as hype-man perfectly.

“Well… I’d heard rumors, but how… I heard that witch was a powerhouse even 6th Circle warlocks couldn’t handle…”

“Beatrice is a 5th Circle mage, and at the time, the Senior Elder was a mage who combined 3rd Circle and 3-star. However, they’re both skilled enough to easily capture wizards. In fact, the Mage of Illusion Hedric here was also defeated by the Senior Elder when he was still 3rd Circle.”

“Ahem. Ahem.”

Hedric awkwardly popped a fire grape into his mouth.

“The magical system you’re about to encounter is powerful enough to overturn the existing hierarchy based on Circles.”

Refinement had done an excellent job of building up excitement, and the faces of the three wizards lit up with anticipation.

This is truly moving.

At first, even Refinement had dismissed my magical theories… but now even wizards I’ve never met before aspire to learn them. This is how I’ve been proving myself to the world and to magical powers.

The banquet atmosphere couldn’t have been better.

Although Yuria, whom I found after finishing my conversation with the three wizards, seemed frozen stiff.

“Jun-woo. Do I look weird…?”

Yuria was wearing a sky-blue dress. She usually wore thick leather pants and a long coat, so she seemed uncomfortable in the floaty dress. She kept grabbing the hem of her skirt and avoiding eye contact.

“No. You’re beautiful. Dressed like that, you look like a wind spirit.”

-Did you call me?

Let’s ignore Ari’s intrusion.

“Really?”

“Yes. Really beautiful.”

Wow…

Goodness.

Did I just cast a spell?

I simply spoke what I felt, but…

The previously fidgeting Yuria suddenly blossomed radiantly. Brimming with confidence, she even twirled around in place.

“Of course. Of course. Obviously I look beautiful! See? My legs are pretty too, right?”

She showed off her legs with sweeping motions.

The show-off was back.

Oh well. Yes, you’re beautiful.

I smiled, and…

“Cough!”

Monggu, who had been drinking a beverage nearby, suddenly spat out his water and collapsed.

“What, what! Was it that disgusting?!”

Yuria shouted in panic.

But Monggu didn’t get up after collapsing.

Instead, he crashed to the ground, his head hitting the floor.

The previously warm and lively banquet atmosphere was now in shambles.

Thud! Thud!

People were foaming at the mouth and collapsing everywhere.

“Is, is it because of me…?”

Yuria’s face crumpled.

“There’s no way, silly.”

[Simulation]

I simulated the beverage Monggu had drunk and the bodies of the collapsed people.

It wasn’t poison.

It wasn’t magic either.

Instead, I discovered a severely distorted mana pattern.

It was familiar. A mana pattern I had already researched and explained several times.

“Already…?”

The mana pattern that constituted water had undergone permanent mutation.

There had been occasional distortions that reverted back to normal, but this one was different in both scale and quality.

Yes.

This was the beginning of the great cataclysm.

That which we had been saying was coming had dropped right into the middle of the banquet.