Chapter 75 – It Is Merely a Groundless Fear (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Verification, you say.

I said it grandiosely, but it was nothing special.

[Five-Pointed Star of Impure Knowledge].

Because its ability is a sealed demon’s item.

It meant that simply purification was needed, you see.

In that sense, I couldn’t check the item’s effect right away.

“Everything has its appropriate time.”

Even purifying a demon’s item through [Exorcism Ritual].

Is possible only when there is a demon to hunt.

Of course, there was also a method of utilizing the Mage Tower’s services.

And that too without spending a single penny with the authority of the Chief.

However.

‘There wouldn’t be a need to go out of my way to do that.’

If I entrust the Mage Tower with appraisal including purification.

The Mage Tower will also come to know the existence of this item, its effect.

Finding out the effect through someone else?

That alone is a somewhat anticlimactic matter.

Furthermore, what kind of existences are the Mage Tower?

A group that endlessly explores knowledge.

Why, they might request a rental like the item obtained after defeating Count Ascura, the [Vampire Count’s Orb].

Of course, even if they requested it, I would refuse but.

‘Above all, there were no duds when I purified them myself.’

Right, actually that was the most important reason.

The demon’s items purified through [Exorcism Ritual], their effects were exceptional without exception.

From the mentioned [Vampire Count’s Orb].

To the equipment I am currently wearing.

‘Of course, it’s not like I can do it just because I want to hunt a demon.’

Because I am a Demon Hunter, I know.

Demons are a despicable breed that hides even more the more you try to find them.

Rather, when you’re forgetting about them.

They are the guys who reveal their presence.

If that’s the case, the conclusion has come out.

For now, the right thing to do is to handle the matters right in front of me.

The matter right in front of me here is naturally the quest.

─The Weight of the Chief (Repeat) ▲

●Proceed with the verification at the Topaz Hall. (Success)

●Successfully proceed with the regular academic conference. (Ongoing)…….

It is to successfully proceed with the regular academic conference.

The actions needed to do that?

That also I knew all too well.

“Reading is food for the mind.”

Slide

As expected, it is natural that only the sound of flipping pages is heard…….

*

The regular academic conference of the Mage Tower.

From the days when Arcana was a game.

It was an event that proceeded regularly.

I can confidently say there would have never been a session receiving world-wide attention like this regular academic conference.

The reason naturally was because of Ho-yeol.

“What kind of place is the Mage Tower? One of the top martial groups of the Arcana continent. Not just that, aren’t they existences piling up an ivory tower of knowledge?”

“To be officially recognized by such a Mage Tower. It is amazing, Player Lee Ho-yeol!”

“And what kind of ordinary recognition is it? Not an apprentice, not a skilled mage, not even a senior mage! To be recognized with the same status as the Chief Mage, of which there is only one…….”

So the broadcasting station guys in South Korea started popping champagne early on. Because this was one of the materials that guaranteed viewership ratings.

VBC.

A studio in the middle of recording.

The producer, Hyun Yong-seok, nodded his head with a satisfying expression.

“Since the old days, there’s no cheat key quite like Gukppong(National Pride).”

“Does that still work these days, Sunbae-nim? When I see young kids these days, they freak out. Saying we’re making a fuss over nothing. Sometimes when I check social media to see the reactions, it’s totally a mess!”

“Tsk tsk. Even Gukppong depends on the kind of Gukppong.”

It did.

If one had to be specific, this was legal Gukppong.

And it wasn’t just limited to South Korea, but a world-wide scale.

It wasn’t an exaggeration.

“Look. There’s even an uproar in Japan. Saying looking at Lee Ho-yeol proves the superiority of East Asia. Saying such Lee Ho-yeol played an active part for Hokkaido.”

“……Wow shit. It’s real?”

“Everyone’s bodies are honest, that’s what it means.”

Hyun Yong-seok was the same.

No, beyond simply Gukppong, he felt a sense of exhilaration.

“Honestly, I felt a bit like that. Mmm, the attitude of the Mage Tower. Of course, it’s not something to say from the standpoint of having benefited greatly from the Mage Tower but. Anyway, the Mage Tower clearly looked down on us, on humanity, right?”

An overbearing attitude matching its reputation.

Except for leaving the portals open at all times.

The Mage Tower hadn’t shown a cooperative attitude.

They hadn’t even shown their faces properly.

If the Mage Tower had come out with a cooperative attitude.

Wouldn’t the situation in reality have been a bit better?

Even as that kind of criticism continued, there was no change in the Mage Tower.

Right, into such a lofty, even stiff Mage Tower.

Ho-yeol entered triumphantly for all to see.

And that too, with a status equivalent to the Chief Mage.

“Just that alone somewhat feels like landing a solid blow to the Mage Tower?”

“Ayy, Sunbae. Aren’t you going too far.”

“Since he landed one, I just wish he could land another proper one.”

“No matter if it’s Ho-yeol-ssi, that’s impossible. Sunbae.”

At Hyun Yong-seok’s words, the assistant director seemed to have a lot to say.

“Just think how much our Ho-yeol-ssi must be walking on eggshells. How much of an eyesore must he be in the eyes of those great gentlemen? When I first changed jobs, how much did I have to walk on eggshells at every idea meeting……!”

“What, it was like that? You should have said something.”

“With words, sure. When you, Sunbae, just sighed heavily at every meeting. Anyway, even just me it was like that, so imagine how burdened he must be. Here, there, all Arcanians. Even only the mages of that great Mage Tower.”

“Mmm. That’s a valid point. That.”

Anyway, it was Ho-yeol who entered the Mage Tower by getting his abilities recognized.

However, Hyun Yong-seok knew well that society doesn’t run on abilities alone.

The Mage Tower wouldn’t be any different.

So here, it was right to support rather than expect.

“Still, let’s watch. If it’s Lee Ho-yeol, who knows.”

It wasn’t just the media that was paying attention to the regular academic conference.

Players.

Moreover, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that mage-class Players put their lives on the line for this regular academic conference.

Players gathering thoroughly at the Mage Tower.

Their faces were full of grim resolve.

Naturally, that was also because of Ho-yeol.

“I really shouldn’t doze off today.”

“That’s basic. I have to try to understand it with my head.”

“……But is that something that works by trying?”

Ho-yeol’s achievement of entering the Mage Tower!

Because that started right from ‘that incident’ that occurred during the last regular academic conference.

Inside the memories of the Players who watched that incident firsthand.

Ho-yeol’s figure was still vivid.

“It makes me dizzy just thinking about it again. Really.”

“How did he even think of throwing a tackle?”

“And to the Chief Mage Marcelo at that……!”

That shock must have been incredibly intense.

But who would have known?

To think that bold pointing out would be connected to a Mage Tower quest.

Because they watched that sight.

The Players couldn’t help but be grimly resolute.

“Honestly, couldn’t we do it too?”

“Does anyone happen to remember Lee Ho-yeol’s line from back then?”

“Exploration something. Seemed like he said something. Hah, my empty head.”

Sighs were also brief.

It was the moment the Players were taking out their regular academic conference invitations.

Someone brushed past them.

It was Jesica Highness, who was wearing a large pointed hat.

Gulp

At that moment, a silence descended among the mage class Players.

Ho-yeol, who had already distanced himself to an unreachable height.

You couldn’t see such Ho-yeol as a competitor.

‘The most bothersome one is Jesica.’

‘The biggest obstacle in this conference.’

‘If we weight the probabilities, as expected Jesica Highness is…….’

Thanks to that, Jesica unintentionally became everyone’s competitor.

Whether she knew that fact or not.

Jesica’s mouth corners were turned upwards significantly.

“Hey, she’s smiling?”

“Somehow feels like I’m seeing this for the first time? Jesica smiling?”

“……She’s prettier when she smiles.”

“You crazy bastard. Snap out of it. I’m telling you she’s a competitor?!”

Of course, there was no one who could ask Jesica for the reason.

Even if she had the ‘hat’.

On top of Jesica’s head, the pointed hat bobbed up and down.

-Disciple, your look of anticipating the academic conference is very nice to see. Looking at you exploring truth, you finally look like a mage. It was worth teaching you diligently all this time!

However, silence

No answer returned.

In that silence, the pointed hat suddenly ended up realizing something.

The pointed hat bobbed even more violently.

-……Disciple. You’re feeling butterflies because of the academic conference, right?

No way, it couldn’t be, right?

Please, at least say something in answer.

However, despite the desperate plea, the disciple’s answer didn’t return.

Tap tap tap.

Jesica, who was climbing the dizzying stairs of the Mage Tower, suddenly stopped in her tracks.

The Crystal Hall, the place where the regular academic conference proceeds.

Jesica took a small deep breath at that entrance.

‘……Why am I the one trembling!’

Right, the one who should be nervous was Ho-yeol.

Unlike other Players.

Jesica had been sensing the changed atmosphere in advance while frequently visiting the Mage Tower.

Ho-yeol, who was in charge of the pre-verification of the regular academic conference.

Because of such Ho-yeol, the frozen atmosphere of the Mage Tower.

She knew it very well.

‘Everyone must be watching closely.’

Especially the senior mages who would have their eyes lit up.

Because it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the honor and position of a school would change depending on the results of the regular academic conference.

It was another matter entirely from Ho-yeol proving his own abilities.

Because it’s a separate issue.

There’s no way the senior mages would send favorable gazes toward Ho-yeol.

“!”

Just as expected.

As she entered the Crystal Hall, the senior mages were visible.

Counting their numbers, it was a full attendance.

‘Even Sir Mathis?’

She even saw the Senior Mage of Dark Magic, Mathis Dean Karl, who rarely attended the academic conferences.

Certainly, an air current different from up until now was lingering in the Crystal Hall.

Right.

At this moment, the silence flowing in the Crystal Hall.

Inside it, different thoughts were coming and going.

Someone was burning with desire for a quest.

Someone was harboring dissatisfaction with the pre-verification.

And someone else was worrying about Ho-yeol.

However, those thoughts didn’t last long.

Soon, the sound of formal shoes echoing in the hall.

Because as soon as Ho-yeol revealed his appearance, he declared it.

“The host of the regular academic conference. The Chief Mage, Marcelo will be absent from this regular academic conference due to attending the Round Table Conference. Therefore, according to its procedure.”

To the extent of rendering someone’s worries pointless.

With a tranquil voice.

“I shall become the host of this regular academic conference.”

*

Regular academic conference.

Round Table Conference.

Of all things, the two important events of the Mage Tower overlap!

I don’t know who set the schedule but.

If this were real society.

Even a letter of apology wouldn’t be enough. This?

‘Marcelo, you trust me way too excessively.’

To pass the burden of the regular academic conference onto me.

I didn’t sense even a hint of worry from Marcelo.

No, rather he was rejoicing.

-“Thanks to your help, I am able to attend the Round Table Conference.”

What in the world is the Round Table Conference.

To even pass off the duties of the regular academic conference to me and attend?

At first I was puzzled but.

Hearing the circumstances, my head naturally nodded.

The Chief Mage called the powerhouse of the Mage Tower.

It means Marcelo’s position was the lowest in the Round Table Conference.

The Tower Master.

The Elder Mages.

And the Chief Mage, Marcelo.

Their meeting is exactly the Round Table Conference.

Concretely what kind of conversations go back and forth in that conference.

It was something I couldn’t possibly know.

‘Since I don’t even know what they look like. What.’

Because I hadn’t met the Elder Mages, let alone the Tower Master.

It did seem like they were existences whose faces were originally hard to see.

They said even among the senior mages.

Those who have faced the higher-ups can be counted on one hand.

In that sense, I’m slightly anticipating it.

-“I will definitely bring back good news.”

Because Marcelo added that.

A conference attended by high-ranking people.

If it’s good news among the agendas going back and forth there…….

‘Something big is coming.’

Regardless of what it is, shouldn’t I be allowed to at least anticipate it.

Of course, that was merely the stray thoughts of me, Lee Ho-yeol.

It meant it’s an inner thought that is absolutely never revealed on the outside.

“I attempted various variations during the interference process…….”

Thanks to that, I was concentrating on the academic conference.

I listened attentively without missing a single word from the skilled mage presenting the research.

As mentioned, the magic presented at the regular academic conference are high-level yet new magic that have completed one round of verification.

Since I have to use whatever I can, it could be helpful to me in many ways.

However.

That alone wasn’t enough.

Above all, I am in a state of shouldering the weight of the Chief.

What is a Chief?

The topmost seat in terms of grade or position.

As long as I took the seat that has to lead others.

It means pride cannot be satisfied with that.

……Damn pride!

Because of it, I was someone who looked through all sorts of magic books even until dawn.

To such me.

Research from a skilled mage couldn’t possibly look satisfying.

If this were the Topaz Hall, I would have mercilessly declared it a fail.

However, this place is the Crystal Hall where the regular academic conference is in progress.

Not only that.

According to the procedure, I became its host on behalf of Marcelo.

Therefore.

I generously opened my mouth as the Chief.

“Do you truly think that is the best?”

“……!!!”

The problem was that that is my standard though.

.

.

.

“Do you truly think that is the best?”

“……!!!”

Ho-yeol’s words connecting.

The face of the Senior Mage, Nasrow, was gradually changing.

‘How dare you, what do you know about hallucination magic!’

From anger

“……Th-This cannot be.”

To astonishment