Chapter 49 – Magic Conference (2)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Penia, vice tower master of the Blue Tower, was a genius, but there were not many mages who actually liked her.

There were three reasons.

Because she was very rude.

Because she was very rude.

And because she was also very rude.

Basically, among mages, if someone’s rank was high enough, other mages gathered around them no matter what kind of personality they had.

What mattered to mages was not personality but study.

In other words, no matter how rotten someone’s temperament was, a typical mage would still try to stick close and pry out even a little knowledge as long as there was something to learn.

But even those mages could not stay beside Penia.

She was a genius, but she was arrogant to a degree no one could endure.

Because of that, Penia’s presence always created all kinds of noise at the conference.

Whenever she met another mage, if they were not at the tower-master level, she openly ignored them, so fights were inevitable.

That was why every mage called Penia a delinquent and disliked her, and Millan of the Green Tower, who had just been fighting with her a moment ago, was no different.

He had many grievances with Penia.

How many? Enough that for seven years his cherished wish had been to crush her with magic and force an apology out of her whenever she spat abuse at him, which she did every time they met.

That was because she had been tormenting him ever since he had become a proper mage and a recognized member of the tower, qualified to present theories at the conference.

So Millan could not understand the situation unfolding in front of him.

“How long has it been? …Hm, I think it’s been over half a year.”

“Y-yes, it has.”

“You don’t have to be so uncomfortable. I think I told you last time that you could speak casually to me.”

“S-speak casually… should I?”

“Ah, now that I think about it, I believe I just told you to do whatever felt comfortable. Do whatever feels comfortable.”

“Y-yes…”

Millan blinked without realizing it as he watched Penia let out a sigh of relief, looking genuinely delighted that she could keep using polite speech.

Is this… illusion magic?

He even cast a dispel spell, wondering if he had somehow fallen under one of Penia’s vicious illusion spells, but the scene before him still did not change.

“Anyway, it’s nice to see you here.”

“I-I’m happy to see you too.”

The sight of Penia, the delinquent who would not even use polite speech unless the other party was tower-master class, acting like more than a meek lamb, more like a neighborhood puppy rolling over to show its belly, shocked everyone.

Even Millan’s teacher, standing nearby, was shaken enough to cast dispel magic more than five times already.

But that was not the end of their shock.

“…Come to think of it, did something happen?”

“Ah, that…”

“It’s not really my place to interfere, but wouldn’t it be better if mages got along with each other?”

He was not scolding her.

It was just a single casual remark.

But the moment she heard it, Penia turned around and looked at Millan.

“I’m sorry!”

She apologized.

“???”

At that point, every mage wore a stunned expression.

The sight of that delinquent, who had seemed absolutely incapable of apologizing, bowing her head and even using polite speech was far too unreal.

Even Millan, whose seven-year wish had been fulfilled in an absurdly hollow way, could not react in the slightest despite finally receiving the apology he had always dreamed of.

“No… how?”

Riyan, who had been with Alon, was also staring between Penia and him with an expression that said she could not believe it at all.

A little later.

“Then I’ll see you again tomorrow.”

“Y-yes, yes…”

Penia nodded hard at the man’s words, then hurried away almost like she was fleeing.

Everyone who had been staring blankly after her soon turned their eyes toward a single man.

Count Palladio, the man who had not only turned that delinquent into a meek lamb but seemed able to handle her however he pleased.

She seems even stiffer than last time.

That, meanwhile, was what Alon was thinking as he looked at Penia running off into the distance.

Then.

He remembered the nearby mages and Riyan were staring at him with their mouths hanging open.

Did I do something wrong?

Feeling somewhat awkward, he quietly rolled his eyes and tried to read the room.

* * *

After Penia vanished in a panic.

The other mages, who had likewise been looking at Alon, finally realized he was Count Palladio, let out sounds of mystified admiration, and drifted away.

“…Penia is called a delinquent?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting.”

Listening to Riyan talk about Penia, Alon tilted his head.

Even in the game I knew Penia was extremely arrogant… but I didn’t know she was notorious enough among mages to be called a delinquent. Then again, it wasn’t an important setting, so maybe it just never came up.

Come to think of it, the protagonist only recruits Penia years from now, and always when the kingdom has already half collapsed, so as he thought that over and shrugged.

“If anything, I’d like to ask you the same thing. How does that delinquent become so quiet in front of you, Count?”

At Riyan’s question, Alon fell silent for a moment.

A little absurdly, the truth was that even he did not really know what misunderstanding Penia had developed to make her behave that way.

But saying he simply had no idea would also look a little strange, so he was still considering how to answer when.

“Here it is.”

He turned at the sound of Riyan’s voice.

“This is….”

“The floor transfer device.”

Standing there was a structure that felt very much like the elevators from his old world.

“So, you said you wanted to go to the thirty-eighth floor… the library, right?”

Remembering what he had requested before coming to the tower, Riyan asked that, and Alon nodded.

“That’s right. Can I go in now?”

“Yes. I just have a few things to prepare beforehand, so I don’t think I can stay with you.”

“You don’t have to. I’m just curious about the library.”

In truth, considering what he planned to do in the library, it was actually better for Alon if Riyan was not there, so when he nodded, Riyan pressed the button attached to the right side of the structure.

“So how exactly are you able to handle Penia like that, Count?”

Just as that question came from Riyan once again.

Wooong.

With a deep resonant sound, the door of the floor transfer device, which had been tightly shut, opened.

“…”

Riyan’s face, which had been wearing a light smile until a moment ago, twisted savagely.

That sudden emotional change made Alon naturally turn his head in the direction of her gaze. There, a man who looked dissatisfied with everything in the world stepped out.

And then.

“Oh, well, if it isn’t our cute little Riyan?”

“…Baruk.”

At the smiling man’s words, Riyan replied in a tone that openly showed how much she disliked him.

“Did you come to see me?”

“As if.”

“Really? I wanted to see you. That’s a shame.”

The man called Baruk gave a small laugh, took his gaze off Riyan glaring at him, and stared right at Alon.

“Who? I haven’t seen this face before.”

“Count Palladio.”

At Riyan’s answer, Baruk paused, then slowly looked Alon over.

It was not a pleasant gaze. It was the sort of look a superior might sweep over someone beneath him.

A moment later, as though something had clicked, he let out a soft, “Ah.”

“Ah, that person. The one who supposedly helped deal with the Outer God that appeared for the first time in hundreds of years?”

Baruk wore a sly smile and nodded to himself.

“A pleasure to meet you, Count Palladio. I’m Baruk, a mage of the Violet Tower. I’m sure we’ll meet again.”

He gave Alon a slight nod, then passed by him.

* * *

A little while later.

So he’s the Violet Tower Master’s son.

Riding the floor transfer device, Alon felt the sensation of his whole body floating and thought back on what Riyan had just told him.

I don’t think he ever showed up in the game.

He did not believe in physiognomy, but thinking of how that man had behaved exactly as rudely as his face suggested, Alon quickly decided to stop caring about him.

From what Riyan said, he seemed to do underhanded things like stealing other people’s research results to present as his own, or subtly badmouthing people behind their backs, but he was not anyone important to Alon.

How much time passed after that thought?

Wooooong.

“Oh.”

With a huge resonant sound, the closed door opened, and Alon let out a quiet sound of admiration at the sight beyond it.

Because what lay before him was a space that was truly made of endless books.

A surreal place where everything from the floor people walked on to the ceiling was covered in shelves and books, fitting the name Tower of Magic so perfectly that he could not help admiring it.

There are two things I need to find here.

That admiration lasted only a moment. Alon immediately started moving through the countless books.

He had come here dozens of times through the game already, so even if the reality of the place still impressed him, his movements were practiced and unhesitating. Still, because the game and reality were different, it took a little longer than he expected.

But before long he found a single book.

A book whose cover was notably blacker than all the others.

This is it.

Feeling satisfaction behind his expressionless face, he pulled it out and examined it.

Nothing was written on the cover.

No title. No author. No clue who had made it.

Even so, Alon opened the book without hesitation and looked at the pages, which were as blank as the black cover suggested.

Then, as though this were the most ordinary thing in the world, he began turning those empty pages one by one.

When he had passed roughly a third of the book.

Found it.

Alon found the hidden compartment built into the book.

And inside it, he found a finger-worn ornament.

A finger guard.

Its dark color looked ready to swallow even light itself, just like the clothes he wore.

Alon naturally slipped it into his pocket and returned the book to its proper place.

That takes care of the first one. The second will need more time, so for now I should just set things up and go.

He checked the feel of the finger guard inside his pocket, then immediately moved to prepare in advance for retrieving the second item.

That’s done. The rest… I can come back for in two days.

At the left side of the library stood a giant broken clock that looked as though it was no longer used. Alon set its second hand to twelve regardless of the actual time, then touched the finger guard again.

I want to try it right away.

If his expectations were correct, this finger guard would be a great help in his current magic use, so he wanted to test it immediately.

But.

It’s not as if today is my only chance.

Remembering that it was already late evening, he gave a slight shrug and left the library.

The next day, after obtaining what he wanted.

The magic conference began.

And then.

Right after the Green Tower’s conference presentation ended, during the friendly match attended by most of the mages who had come to the conference.

“I would like to test my ability against Count Palladio, the man who helped deal with the Outer God in the north after hundreds of years. What do you say?”

Alon received a duel request.

From Baruk, the Violet Tower Master’s son, who wore a sly smile that made it obvious he was after something.