Trio's Counterattack #1
Obviously, the mercenaries were the ones who attacked first.
The mercenaries retreated to the rear of the barrier and pulled out something from their waist. Then they loaded it with stones piled up nearby and started to spin it. The item was a sling, a ranged weapon which used centrifugal force to launch rocks like they were arrows.
Slings were easier to carry than bows, and unlike arrows, rocks could be found everywhere. Such advantages were attractive to mercenaries who couldn't afford expensive equipment.
"Fire!" Instead of Randolph, the vice commander Hank shouted, and the stones flew.
Pak! Pakak! Pak! Puhak!
The small undead like kobolds and goblins were broken in one hit by the stones. The orcs didn't fall instantly, but it was the same result after being hit three or four times. In a flash, the remnants of the undead fell to the ground.
However, that damage was nothing when there were thousands of corpses gathered.
"They are like a swarm of ants."
Theo, Sylvia, and Randolph observed the bodies from their position on a barrier. Looking at the crowd of rotten undead approaching was enough to make a person nauseous. One undead wasn't much, but the story was different if there were thousands. It was a disaster similar to grasshoppers devastating a field of crops.
Randolph's mouth dropped open as he stared at the scene.
According to the plan set up by his employer, Theodore, the three of them had to go to the rear of the wave of undead. However, it was impossible to open a path among such numbers, even with the firepower of a magician. If they used 4th and 5th Circle spells, there was a chance, but then they would lose the capacity to fight by the time they reached the warlock's base.
So, Theo thought of a way to get through without fighting.
"Weight Reduction." Theo's magic was completed a step ahead of Sylvia's and wrapped around the two of them.
It was a lightweight magic frequently applied to objects but not humans. With that, Theo and Sylvia's body weight was reduced by half. The magic which Sylvia had been preparing was also completed now.
"Hidden Mana Force." Magic power emerged from her staff and wrapped around all three people this time.
It was a magic which hid the mana pouring from their bodies. It wasn't a good magic to use against an opponent with all five senses, but there was nothing better against undead which only pursued mana.
With this, the basic setup was done. Theo confirmed that the spells were working properly and nodded.
"It's done. We can start at any time."
"Young Lady?"
"I'm ready."
"…Right then, both of you come over here."
After hearing their answers, Randolph clicked his tongue and tied his sword more firmly to his waist. Then his large hands grabbed the boy and girl, and he hoisted them over his shoulders. As Randolph's great strength was now combined with the lightweight magic, he couldn't feel the weight of the two people at all. Their appearance was indecent, but that couldn't be helped.
In next moment, Randolph jumped fearlessly toward the wave of undead while carrying the two people!
"Don't open your mouth, Employer! You might bite your tongue off!"
As a first rate swordsman, Randolph's power was already beyond the domain of an ordinary human.
He jumped 10 meters high in a single step, and the distance he leaped covered 50 meters. It was a leap which defied the existence of gravity. However, he didn't have wings, so he would eventually have to fall down, even if he jumped high.
Soon enough, Randolph began to fall at a terrifying speed.
'Kuk, opening a path this way…' He chuckled as he gathered aura in the soles of his feet.
When he thought the it, he realised it wasn't that difficult. Even if the undead were rotten, it was a lot easier to trample on their heads and move that way! Randolph's foot landed on the head of an orc zombie.
Peng!
The impact of the fall and the resistance from Randolph's aura caused the zombie to explode. As soon as the orc zombie's head exploded, Randolph jumped again.
It wasn't just that. The heads of a goblin and hobgoblin further away soon burst open as well. Randolph used them as stepping stones as he crossed the group of undead. This was method called 'flying on grass' in the east, but Randolph used aura to replicate the trick. (TL: Meaning to run so fast that it is like you are flying on grass)
As a result, the three people were able to get through the wave of corpses, like a fish swimming up a waterfall.
'Amazing…! Is this movement due to aura? To think a human can move like this without magic…'
In the meantime, Theodore was busy observing Randolph's movements. He understood the concept of aura when studying at the academy, but he had never experienced it at the level of someone like Randolph.
Unlike magic which refined mana in the body, aura was a way of strengthening the human body. It was one of the tricks for those without magic power, and this was also the national power of the arch rival of Meltor Kingdom, the Andras Empire.
It was different from magic which utilized mana in various ways. Aura was the crystallization of pure power, a method developed from studying fighting from beginning to end. An extremely skilled aura user could compete with an ogre, which was an advanced monster, or be reborn as a monster who could split apart a wall with a single sword.
"This… last one!"
Puhak! Randolph crushed the head of a troll zombie and jumped forward. From now on, he could use the tree branches instead of stepping on the undead.
Randolph looked at his right shoulder and said to Theo, "From here on, I will follow the instructions of my employer. Guide me to the fastest path, even if the terrain is a little steep."
"I understand," Theo acknowledged.
This was a place where he'd played frequently during his childhood. The vegetation was a bit different, but he was able to find the location of the cave written in the report. Without considering the arduous terrain, a map with the straightest line to the cave appeared in Theo's head.
"40 degrees to the left until you see a small cliff!"
Following Theodore's instructions, Randolph shot off again like an arrow. The undead passing below them never noticed the presence of the party. Even if they did, there was nothing they could do to the three people in the trees.
The trio's counterattack began in the darkness.
***
The leader of the Wandering Wolves, Randolph, was indisputably worth 300 gold. He stepped on the undead and tree branches, and even climbed up small cliffs and waterfalls. Thanks to that, the trip was reduced from one hour to 20 minutes. However, Theodore's expression was stiff.
Starting from where they'd entered the forest to their present location, Theo estimated that the number of undead was close to 10,000.
'That number is ridiculous… What did the warlock do to invoke such a large number of undead? Does this grimoire specialize in summoning undead?'
In particular, the warlock had summoned wyverns and ogres which didn't exist in this area. It was more likely that he'd called the bodies from somewhere else instead of making them personally. Or maybe he released the undead from the 'Negative Dimension' available only for outstanding necromancers. There would nothing unusual about that if he possessed a grimoire.
Just like how Theo unlocked Gluttony's seals, maybe the warlock had released a seal which gave him access to the Negative Dimension.
"Hey, Employer." At that moment, Randolph stopped and pointed somewhere. "We've arrived at the target area. What are your next instructions?"
"…Put me down first."
"Whoops, I forgot since you are so light." In less than five seconds, Randolph's grin broke his serious expression.
Theodore and Sylvia had been lightened by magic, but Randolph showed no signs of hard breathing even despite all the running. Rather, it was Sylvia who wobbled when she was put down, like she had motion sickness.
Theo walked calmly before the cave.
"View Mana Force." Blue magic power flashed in his eyes.
The 2nd Circle magic allowed him to visualize mana in the air, so he would be able to tell if the warlock was in the cave. Indeed, the result of the magic was quite good.
"Ack…?!" Theo's vision was suddenly covered in darkness.
The dark mana spread like a poisonous gas and entered his eyes. He suffered no injuries, but the sudden loss of sight could be called terrible. The density of the dark mana, which he countered for the first time, was at a level which Theo couldn't have guessed.
He turned off View Mana Force and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I'm certain. That guy is in there. The mana spread around the cave is filled with darkness. It can truly be called hell."
If the warlock had left this cave, then Theo's group would be like a dog chasing after chickens. The counterattack plan would fail, and they would have to immediately return to the Miller Barony to prepare for the evacuation.
The 200 gold received as collateral for the swords would also have to be returned to Randolph.
"Sylvia, how's your condition?"
"Yes, it is okay. I was just dizzy for a moment."
"Randolph, are your legs okay?"
"Of course. I can't be a mercenary if I am already tired."
After verifying their conditions, Theo fell deep into thought. It had been successful thus far, but he couldn't be sure what would happen next. The dark cave was the warlock's base, and he didn't know what was being done in there.
At the crossroad of victory or defeat, he took a step forward.
"Let's go in."
It had taken them a long time to reach this location. If the warlock became aware of the trio's strike, he could escape and bring back the undead. They couldn't afford to stop due to tension or fear.
"Randolph will be in the lead, I'll be in the middle, and Sylvia will be at the rear. Keep this formation as much as possible. If you encounter the warlock, then you can move freely."
"Yes, understood."
"I understand."
Theo hadn't known it, but the memories he obtained from Alfred awakened his abilities as a commander. The two people naturally accepted his direction as they lined up around Theo, and Randolph entered the cave first.
There was no need for them to carry separate tools like torches.
"Light." Simultaneously, two balls of light appeared in the darkness. The shadows in the cave were pushed away, and its appearance was revealed.
Indeed, not all the undead had been sent to fight. The three of them prepared for battle.
It was at this moment that…
[Rats…! You dare to… invade my residence…!] An ugly and distorted voice echoed through the cave!
It seemed like a voice from the depths of hell instead of a human voice. The negative mana responded, and Theodore's party was covered with a cold chill.
[You may have found my dwelling place, but…! You will never be able to go back alive…!] Anger filled the terrible voice as the undead started moving.
A burned orc warrior picked up an axe, and a direwolf zombie revealed its fangs. A moderate number of undead had been left here as protection.
[Kill…! And, die…] This sentence of death was spoken by the grimoire!
However, Theodore just laughed at the sentence. "I guess we made it in time."
"Yes. Shall we make that fool shit himself while begging?" Randolph noticed and also spoke in a ridiculing manner.
A lion didn't bark; a person convinced of their victory would have no need to threaten their opponent. If they ran away from this threat, they would miss their prey. Only those who sensed defeat would bark like this while asking the opponent not to approach.
"Let's go." With renewed confidence, a crimson flame ignited in the palm of Theodore's hand.
Trio's Counterattack #2 (End of Book 2)
The combination of three people, also known as a three-man cell, was really effective in small-scale engagements.
In Meltor Kingdom, the tactics of two magicians and one warrior or two warriors and one magician had been established. There were numerous proven combinations, so nobody doubted its utility.
Theodore's group agreed with this theory.
Shaaack!
At the front of the party, there was flashes of light as Randolph's two swords moved. He used aura as well while his blades moved through the ghouls. The two blades swung about like whips and mercilessly destroyed five orc ghouls. Before Randolph could be hit by the undead, magic was used.
"Resist Cold."
"Frost Wave."
Theo's resistance spell protected Randolph from Sylvia's wave of cold air.
All living creatures and the undead froze from the cold, but Randolph had the cold resistance, so he quickly shattered the frozen undead without a moment of delay. The intermediate ranked undead ghouls were washed away like garbage.
Randolph clicked his tongue in admiration as he felt like he was hitting scarecrows. 'Wow, amazing. My employer and the girl are linking their magics in accordance with my movements. I guess he isn't just talk. This is why he planned the counterattack.'
Even if the combination of three people was excellent, it was useless if the hands and feet of the members didn't fit together. Bad teamwork could interfere with the movements of their allies and in the worst case, even help the enemy kill each other.
Therefore, Randolph had to appreciate the work of this three-man combination.
"Randolph, jump!"
He followed the sudden command without any panic.
"Wind Cutter!"
Simultaneously, a wind blade appeared underneath Randolph's shoes as he jumped. It was several times faster than an ordinary Wind Cutter but just as sharp! A ghoul's ankles were severed, causing it to fall, and Randolph's sword finished them off.
As the unstoppable linked movements of the three flowed, the passage was filled with the wreckage of the undead.
"Hoooo… Let me breathe for a moment." Theodore caught his breath after the third battle and looked at Randolph.
Despite the fact that Randolph had to swing his two falchions continuously, his breathing was still calm. It was evidence that he still had a lot of energy to spare.
'It is reassuring having someone as powerful as Randolph here.'
Just as Randolph admired Theodore's skills, Theodore was also amazed at Randolph. Randolph's sword skill which didn't retreat at all was truly ruthless. Even the orc ghoul couldn't withstand the two whirling swords.
Theo was relieved that he was an ally, but he also felt the need to improve in close combat. If Theodore had to fight Randolph now, he would only last 10 seconds. There were fighting tactics which used magic as well as close combat martial arts like the ones Blundell used. Once Theo finished this job, he was going to find one.
Theo finished arranging his thoughts and looked around him. "Sylvia, how is your magic power?"
"Around 80%? There is still a lot."
"Randolph."
"I'm the same. I can keep fighting at this pace."
Theodore confirmed their statuses and looked at the path covered in darkness again. After three attacks and as many as 100 ghouls, only silence was remaining in the darkness. Was he imagining it? If he didn't hurry, it seemed like there would be an uncontrollable situation in the darkness.
"…Then let's move on."
As the two light spells led the way, Theodore once again began to advance into the darkness.
***
How long did they move through the darkness?
Theodore felt a sense of incongruity and paused for a moment. According to what he'd read in the report, the depth of the cave was only a few hundred meters, so they should've reached the end by now.
However, they path hadn't ended, and the room containing artifacts was nowhere to be seen. One possible hypothesis popped up into Theo's head.
"Randolph."
"Huh?"
"Carve the cave wall with your sword. If you can afford it, please use aura."
"…I will try it once." Randolph was confused but complied with Theo's order without questioning it.
It was due to his previous experience with Theo that he knew Theo wouldn't speak for no reason. So, Randolph placed his hand on the hilt of his left sword and held it at an angle while concentrating.
One strike lashed out. A blue flash emerged, and the wall cracked. The ordinary wall couldn't stop the aura blade. However, Randolph's eyes soon widened. "No…?"
The cracked wall was closing up again right before his eyes!
As a swordsman since birth, Randolph didn't know what it was, but Theodore's and Sylvia's faces became serious as they understood the situation. Severely dark mana leaked from the wall, like guts emerging from a living creature. The two people muttered almost simultaneously as they were reminded of a magic.
"Dungeon…"
It was a powerful 6th Circle black magic spell which turned an area of a certain range into the user's domain.
The time and resources consumed were huge, but if the magic was completed, the power of the dungeon master would increase significantly. Whether it was due to the grimoire or the warlock already reaching this level, this was absolutely not a good situation.
The warlock had turned this cave into a dungeon and could freely shape the structure. At that moment, a creepy noise started to ring in their ears.
Kieeeeeeek-!
Chills ran down Theodore's spine. The physiological aversion was three or four times more powerful due to the sound waves echoing in the cave. The group automatically activated their aura and magic power as the source of the chill emerged. They were translucent shapes floating in the air.
"Specters?!"
"Damn, I don't have any holy water…!"
The group frowned at the specters. Unlike the undead, specters didn't have physical shapes and were collections of grudges which united together. They attacked by stealing a living body or draining vitality from it.
Since they existed as spiritual bodies, physical attacks were ineffective, and divine magic was essential. Cutting them with a sword was like throwing a duck into the frying pan. For Randolph, they were tricky opponents because he didn't have any holy water.
Shortly after that, the specters discovered the living beings and ran forward aggressively.
"It can't be helped, let's try it first!"
Although it was unfavourable, the two magicians would be in danger if Randolph stepped back here. Being in the vanguard meant blocking the enemy's attack first and then becoming a wall. Therefore, aura sprang up fiercely around Randolph's blades. He would stop the specters even if he had to overuse his aura.
However, he then received an order he hadn't considered.
"Randolph, fall behind me!"
"What?"
"Quickly!"
"…Damn, understood!"
It was confusing, but Theo didn't disappoint him. Despite delaying by half a beat, Randolph stepped behind in accordance with the order. As soon as he backed away, Theodore stepped forward without any fear.
Kkieeeek! Kikikiiiik!
Kikikiiiik! Kihihihik!
Why didn't Theo feel afraid of them? The specters laughed wildly and flew at them. It was a charge which intended to suck out every bit of vitality from Theo's body.
As Sylvia and Randolph watched in preparation to jump in, the specters reached Theo.
–Eat everything…
This wasn't his voice. It was the instinct of Gluttony sleeping in his left hand. The unknown hunger was why Theodore was laughing at the specters and why he went forward without hesitation.
He felt Gluttony's tongue emerging from the hole in his left palm. There was a saying which went like this, 'There is no predator that is afraid of its food.'
Then the eating began.
Kiaaaaaaack!
In the face of the original predator, the specters lost their madness. Even though all the grudges and despair tried to escape, Gluttony had already caught them. The cries filled with pain, horror, and fear were heard as the ghosts were sucked into his palm. They were different from the undead like ghouls and zombies. Specters were born with black magic and were made of magic themselves, so they met the conditions for what Gluttony perceived as 'food.��
[The ghost of the goblin shaman has been consumed.]
[The ghost of the orc warrior has been consumed.]
[The ghost of a foolish troll has been consumed.]
[...]
[The user still hasn't unlocked the function yet.]
Theodore's consumption of the specters caused an unknown feeling to fill up his body. It was different from eating artifacts or magic books. This was an abstract representation, but Theo felt like his 'bowl' was full.
Theo opened his eyes as he enjoyed the sense of fulfillment. By then all the specters filling the corridor were gone. They had all been eaten, or perhaps the rest had run away. Either way, his original goal of stopping the specters was achieved.
"Hey, Employer?"
"…Theo?"
However, the other two people were another story.
"What happened just now? You raised your left hand, and the specters were sucked into it…"
"Theo, teach me that! What did you do? Is it from the drain system? Or a modified version of sealing magic?"
Fortunately, Sylvia and Randolph had been behind him. The hole in his hand and the tongue moving were at an angle which they couldn't see. This was enough for Theo to evade it vaguely. He was planning to make an excuse by saying it was the ability of a pendant he'd pulled out.
However, the surrounding space began to shake before he could say anything.
"Wah! What is going on?"
"This…!"
"It is getting wider…?"
This was Dimension Expansion!
Suddenly, the area where the three people were standing widened into a dome. Theo went from standing in a narrow corridor to a huge room, but he quickly regained his composure. Only the warlock could do something like this inside the dungeon.
Unsurprisingly, there was an ornately decorated door.
Kkiiik-
As the doorknob turned by itself, the door opened, and someone in black robes emerged. Instead of walking out like a person, he slowly appeared in midair.
Then a sound was heard from inside the black robes, [Well…you broke my creations.]
It was a loud and terrible voice which resonated through the cave. The physique inside the robes didn't seem strong, but the three people could see the eerie and enormous flow of power enveloping him.
A darkness, which couldn't be seen through, surrounded the robe, and the evil voice resonated like it was singing.
[You can kill my creatures, but you can't kill me. If you were here a day, no half a day earlier, you would have stopped me from completing it. But now, the destiny you will suffer is death!]
The magic power expanded as the voice became louder. The black robes flapped. Unable to withstand the pressure anymore, the robes burst like a popped bubble. The two magicians turned pale at the nightmare which was revealed amidst the torn cloth.
[Look, the image of death itself! The greatness of the one who is beyond the bounds of a lowly mortal!]
It was a skull without any flesh left, and blue light appeared in the hollow holes where the eyes should be. The black magic gathered there so deeply that even people who weren't magicians would be able to see it circling around like a fog, while the soil which the death magic touched became rotten, and bodies sleeping in the ground raised themselves.
This was a top level undead made by a corrupted magician. Even the magic towers would be stunned. Its name was Elder Lich.
Unlike a lich which evaded death by keeping its soul bound, a magician had to extract their own soul from their body and seal it. The elder lich would be immortal unless the Life Vessel was destroyed.
A monster which the magic tower would designate with a level 3 difficulty had appeared before Theodore's party.
The bones floated naturally in the air. [At first, I wanted to kill all of you and turn your bodies into my servants, but…]
In front of the three nervous people, the elder lich raised its bony index finger. Then he pointed to Theo in the middle of the party.
[Your body will be an interesting experiment. I will take you alive.]
Uh, This is Eating? #1
It was truly a prideful declaration. The elder lich's appearance of black robes cloaked in darkness made resembled a reaper leading the living to death. An ordinary person would panic if they heard those words.
"Ha, you bark well!"
"Who do you want to take on, Theo?"
However, the three people weren't overwhelmed by the elder lich. It was a top ranking opponent who could use 6th Circle black magic, but they weren't weak either. They had an expert aiming to become a sword master, the disciple of the Blue Tower Master, and the owner of a grimoire. In regards to their combat strength, there was no reason for them to be incapable of defeating a necromancer.
Randolph raised his two swords, while frost emerged from the end of Sylvia's staff. The three people instantly got into their fighting postures as the momentum of the elder lich's attack hit them.
Wuooooong!
They stiffened! Neither side was pushed back, so the boundary between them didn't break. It meant that the three people were equal in power to the elder lich. No, they were slightly ahead in some ways. The three people had the benefits of a three-in-one combination, while the elder lich would have to deal with them coming at him from all sides.
The elder lich floating in the air realized that he was at a disadvantage. [Hrmm…it will be hard to adapt to your trivial power in this unfamiliar body.]
However, his voice still sounded confident. [Experiment… You have a unique power, but in the end, you are a 4th Circle magician… I'll deal with you later.]
As the words struck Theo with a wave of nervousness, the elder lich suddenly pointed his finger at Theo, and a dreadful magic power streamed from the end of his bony finger.
[Disappear!]
"What―?" Theo's figure disappeared without even a crack in the air.
"Theo?!"
"Employer!"
Confused, Sylvia and Randolph turned to look at the place where Theo had disappeared from, but he never returned. Sylvia cried out as she belatedly noticed what the elder lich had done. It was a magic which someone who had just entered the 6th Circle couldn't learn without great difficulty, but the opponent had succeeded easily.
"Space Transformation…!"
[That's right.] The elder lich, who had broken the balance of power with a single magic, spoke in an even more relaxed manner. [This cave is already in my hands… Didn't I say that? You missed out on your opportunity to beat me. While lamenting your fate, be reborn as my servant…!]
Simultaneously, the shape of a man rose from a shadow on the ground.
Wearing broken armour and an old-fashioned helmet, the knight shone with a red light. A great knight had clearly been produced. Anyone would feel a sense of intimidation from the presence of the skull knight.
Most of all, Randolph's eyes were drawn to the two swords it was holding.
"…It can't be!"
The pattern of howling wolves on the swords showed they were the heirloom swords lost more than 100 years ago. The horizontal stance of the arms was also familiar. Randolph's eyes were blank for a moment before anger started to boil inside them. "Kill… I'll kill you no matter what!"
[Hoh? Do you think you can beat the blades your ancestor couldn't?]
"That doesn't matter," Randolph spoke curtly and took his position.
The skeleton knight responded with the same stance. It was like facing a mirror, but the skull knight had a greyish white aura around it. The elder lich watched the confrontation between the two swordsmen before glancing at Sylvia, who was holding her staff.
[You're a prized disciple of the Blue Tower Master of this era… A strange sense of inferiority is coming from my host.]
He was truly excited. To be exact, it was the elder lich, the grimoire, who thought so. If the host felt negative feelings, then the rate of erosion would increase. He would have two specimens to experiment with and the erosion rate would increase even more. He would make the swordsman into a dullahan and the female into a banshee.
[Come play with me.]
"What if I don't want to?" Sylvia replied in a cold voice as she waved her staff.
Then the air cooled as magic power emerged.
"I will get Theo back." There was no further conversations after her declaration.
The irrational tag match of Randolph and Sylvia going against the skull knight and the elder lich began.
***
On the other hand, Theodore was subjected to the elder lich's forced transfer and fell to an unknown place.
Darkness completely covered his view. Theo instantly activated Light, but the dark mana floating in the air reduced the brightness of the light to less than half. Still, dim lighting was better than nothing.
Theo gulped inadvertently as his surroundings were revealed by the hazy lighting.
"This place…?"
It wasn't a big space. At best, it could be compared to one of the rooms in the academy. However, it was different in that there were no windows, and it seemed thoroughly enclosed. Surrounded by dark red walls, there was no visible way to go outside this room.
The red crystal in the center was the sole thing which told him where this place was; it was the Core Room, the heart of the dungeon. However, rather than being stunned by the fact that he'd been moved to the core room, Theo was stunned by the identity of the red crystal which functioned as the core of the dungeon.
A high-density black magic power was coming from the red crystal. It was the elder lich's sealed life, the Life Vessel.
'He put his heart into the core of the dungeon… That was how he could use Space Transformation!'
Life Vessel… It was the word for the life stone where the elder lich sealed his own soul.
Unlike ordinary liches who died when their bodies were destroyed, the elder lich wouldn't die no matter what happened to him. Even if his bones were turned to ash and thrown into a volcano, he would eventually be restored.
The Life Vessel was the reason why the two magicians, Theo and Sylvia, had become desperate after seeing the elder lich.
In fact, there was no reason to be afraid of the elder lich aside from the fact that he sealed his life outside his body. If he considered it in terms of a human, their heart would be detached from their chest. Was the elder lich afraid of the three-man combination so much that he exposed his own weakness?
However, the reason for this was simple.
"Blaze Shell!" Crimson flames emerged from Theodore's hand as he completed the 4th Circle magic in a flash.
It was a massive fireball which could destroy rock formations and kill trolls famous for their regenerative power! The powerful attack, which war magicians from the Red Tower enjoyed, rushed toward the red crystal.
That rushing fireball exploded right away. Puhwakak!
However, as soon as it approached the Life Vessel, it disappeared without a trace. Despite it being what he'd expected, Theo cursed with a dark expression. "…Dammit."
This mysterious defense was also a reason for the elder lich's existence. It nullified all attacks below a certain level. According to historical records, only the aura of a sword master or the firepower of a 7th Circle magician worked against it.
In other words, Theodore Miller had no available means to damage it.
'Rejoining the other two… It will be hard to do that. I don't know the direction, and I would be finished if the ceiling collapsed while I destroy the wall.'
His group would die if he couldn't overcome the Life Vessel's defense. However, it was too risky to create a passage by destroying the wall. Theo was in a situation where he had no sense of direction and didn't know how far he had fallen. It was more likely that he would collapse from exhaustion after wasting magic power.
This was why the elder lich had confined him in here.
"…Should I try a last hurrah?"
According to common sense, there was no way to be free of this predicament. Theo couldn't escape from here nor destroy the Life Vessel.
The checkmate situation drove Theodore's thoughts into an extreme direction. 'If I concentrate all my remaining magic power and sacrifice one of my arms to use Magic Bullet…!' He may be able to break through the Life Vessel's defense.
A blue light covered Theo's arm, and his blood vessels began to burst as he concentrating on pushing his magic power beyond his limit. The flash would be enough to even break through the defenses of 6th Circle magic. So, he tried to recreate the power contained in Magic Bullet during Alfred's prime.
He might lose his right arm, but wasn't that better than dying? It was at this moment that…
"…Eh?"
A memory floated into his mind and dispersed the gathered magic power.
–The undead only moves through magic. They aren't made of magic power or wisdom.
Gluttony had continued. What else had it said?
-There are some exceptions, but…
Theodore's mind started spinning faster.
Gluttony couldn't eat zombies and ghouls, but it did eat specters. What was the difference? The presence or absence of the flesh? No, that wasn't it. If so, it would be possible to eat spirit,s but Gluttony had never showed interest in Mitra.
Then the noteworthy part should be, 'Did it have magic power or wisdom dwelling inside it?'
"Is that right?"
The Life Vessel which contained the elder lich's immortality should fit that condition! Theo unconsciously walked a few steps and raised his left hand. The Life Vessel only negated attacks and didn't have the ability to intercept any approaching objects. That nature served as a deadly poison for it this time.
The cohabitant of Theo's left hand, the primordial predator, recognized its prey and stretched out its tongue!
"Appraisal."
Indeed, Gluttony didn't betray Theo's expectations.
[+13 Giovanni's Life Vessel (Magic Tool)]
[This is a seal created using evil wisdom. It contains the soul of Giovanni who was corrupted by black magic. A negative resource contract protects this seal. It invalidates all attacks below a certain level and can't be targeted by spatial magic spells. As long as this seal exists, Giovanni will acquire limited immortality.
* The rating of this magic tool is 'Treasure.'
* When consumed, a large amount of magic power will be absorbed.
* When consumed, the digestion time is three days.
* When consumed, some of Giovanni's knowledge and proficiency will be absorbed.
* When consumed, a hostile relationship will form with ????.]
After Rare and Precious, the first Treasure-rated item had appeared! The fact that Gluttony's Appraisal worked was proof that the Life Vessel was suitable for eating.
Theodore recognized this fact and quickly said, "Eat it right now!"
There was no choice left except for Gluttony to eat it. Above all, Sylvia and Randolph were fighting the elder lich in his absence. If he didn't hurry, they might be placed in an irreversible situation. Did it notice the urgency of its owner? The tongue was moving a lot faster than before.
Then it quickly swallowed the crystal.
Gulp.
The moment that the Life Vessel of the top ranking elder lich was eaten…
[You have overcome 'Giovanni's Life Vessel.' The amount of magic power it contains is huge.]
[You have absorbed some of the knowledge and proficiency of the warlock 'Giovanni.'
[It will take three days to completely digest.]
[...]
[An unknown person is interested in your existence.]
Uh, This is Eating? #2
At the time when Gluttony was eating a huge jackpot, the Sylvia and Randolph's tag match was slowly ending. Obviously, it was the elder lich who had the edge.
[Rot away…!]
The black magic spread and rotted everything, regardless of whether it was organic or inorganic matter. The ground became compost, and the air turned into a poison which would decay the lungs. It was a level of pollution which even aura users couldn't tolerate.
The 6th Circle magic, Life Drain, was completed. The elder lich, the top ranking undead, was immortal. Fighting him with 5th Circle magic was unreasonable.
Thanks to that desperate gap, Sylvia reacted one beat later. "Freeze!"
The air and ground froze, stopping the pollution. The high speed freezing was due to the artifact, 'Jack Frost's staff.' Addition, if it wasn't for her overwhelming sensitivity, she would've suffered more.
Other magicians would've already reached their limits, but she had just under 3% magic power remaining.
"Hah…! Hah…!" Her hair stuck to her sweaty face in an unpleasant manner.
She wiped angrily at her hair and glared at the white bones floating before her.
Her opponent's capabilities were a few times higher than hers. The amount of magic power and speed of magic casting didn't fall behind either. If the immortality was added, there seemed to be no way for Sylvia to attack.
The situation was similar for Randolph who was fighting nearby.
Kakiing! The two swords collided with two swords, causing sparks to fly from the four swords.
The blades moved faster than the sound. Randolph's left sword broke the opponent's shoulder, while the skull knight drew a line of blood on Randolph's neck. The incessant attacks caused a fearsome wind to rise around the two swordsmen.
The knight was just a mere skeleton, so its swordsmanship lacked flexibility after becoming an undead, Randolph cleverly moved through those gaps. However, that didn't change the fact that the skeleton knight was a tough opponent.
'Damn old geezer!'
At the same time, Randolph blocked three of the skeleton knight's stabs with a single blow.
Keeng! Randolph let out a huge sword pressure.
He retreated a few steps from the pressure. It was a perfect type of counter attack which could have come straight from a textbook. If the opponent wasn't hardened as an undead, his head would've fallen off around 10 times now.
'Still… I found a gap I can dig into.'
The skeleton was using a swordsmanship which had stopped improving 100 years ago, so Randolph didn't miss the small loopholes which were revealed.
[Young Lady.] Randolph's voice was heard using a trick which directed his voice toward only one person. [I will give you a gap. Use the biggest technique you have available…!]
Without waiting for a reaction, Randolph focused on his dual wield. For the first time in this battle, the skeleton was thrown back by pure strength. Randolph's momentum had changed in a very short moment.
'Have I seen this posture before? An old-fashioned inspiration…'
If a technique had been lost 100 years ago, there would also be a new technique born 100 years later. However, there was no such posture in Randolph's family's swordsmanship. The moment it changed from a familiar posture to an unfamiliar one, there was a gap in his body's defense. It was a mistake Randolph wouldn't have done if his opponent were alive.
'Now!'
Randolph's two swords were like two fangs—two streaks of light!
Gwarurung!
Cracks occurred in the two swords as they accelerated to the extreme, and light flowed from the cracks. Just like a thunderbolt running through the ground, the two swords, which were covered in aura, struck the skull knight's upper body. Then an intense shock wave was generated and knocked firmly against the skeleton knight.
The large skull knight flew right toward the elder lich.
[What is this…?] The elder lich's chanting stopped at the unexpected situation.
If he completed the magic, then he might destroy the precious corpse with his own hands. Right now it was just a skull knight, but it was valuable material which could someday be transformed into a death knight.
During that moment of hesitation, the cold magic power grew. "Master of the cold, Ymir! I beseech you…!"
It was the final magic Sylvia had used in the final match of the tournament, but its completeness and power had greatly increased. The elder lich belatedly noticed the movements of the magic power, but the skeleton knight before him hindered him from avoiding it. At that moment, Sylvia's magic was completed.
'Minor Force. Blizzard.'
A terrible whirlwind swallowed up the two undead!
Jjejejeok! Jjejeok! Jjejejeok!
The ground and even the water in the atmosphere froze. Even the black magic power had no way to resist this overwhelming cold. The skeleton knight turned into a statue as it brandished its swords, while the elder lich's skull was visible in the translucent ice.
In a sense, it was the best attack. The Life Vessel couldn't be destroyed while the elder lich was still safe. If so, using ice magic which restrained his freedom was the most effective thing to do. In an instant, a huge sheet of ice was built in the middle of the room.
[…How great. Truly excellent skill, girl from the Blue Tower.]
However, his attitude was unchanged.
Despite being trapped in the ice, the elder lich was still in a relaxed state. There was no way for them to destroy his immortality. The result had been decided from the beginning, and this battle was just a process of getting there.
[Nevertheless, you can't escape from death. The moment that your magic power runs out and this ice dissolves, that will be your last moment!]
"Ah, you're still barking a lot even until the end," Randolph murmured as he released his grip on his two swords. He knew this was a fight which couldn't be won. It would've been the same if all three people were present.
As long as there was no means to overthrow the elder lich, it was all was just a meaningless struggle. Sylvia's magic power, which had been maintaining the ice, reached its limit.
Jjejejeok… The ice capturing the two undead started to split apart.
As Sylvia's magic power was depleted, the cold air thinned. Small cracks spread, and the ice mountain soon collapsed. Finally, the skeletons emerged from it.
[This is the end… From now on, you will become my servants and forever serve the great death…!]
Sylvia and Randolph had no power to resist or get away. As the two people stood in place, the black magic of the elder lich reached out like a wave of fog. It was black magic which would rot the body of a living person in an instant. Not long after that, Randolph would become a skull knight and Sylvia a banshee.
Then at this moment, an unpleasant sound rang out from somewhere. Gulp.
The fog stopped and the skull made a confused sound. [Um? What does this mean…?]
The sound was accompanied by a strange sense of loss. It felt like something had disappeared from his body as an inexplicable emptiness tickled his head. The soul of the grimoire's host, the man called Giovanni, had ended up in someone's stomach.
His end came shortly after that.
[———–!!!] The elder lich struggled noiselessly as his soul melted. The skeletal body rattled, and magic power was scattered randomly.
Sylvia and Randolph saw the immortal flesh turn into ashes. This was the fateful end of the elder lich, Giovanni.
Pusususu…
As he disappeared into ashes, the two people gaped with blank expressions. Victory and defeat had been decided in a place they didn't know.
***
The dungeon which had lost its core would certainly collapse. According to that principle, the dungeon created by the elder lich started to shatter back to its original form. It became a cave which was just a few meters wide and a few hundred meters deep.
The core room that Theodore was trapped in was no exception.
Kukukukukung…
As the earth trembled, everything returned to its original state. The expanded walls, the bizarre sculptures, and the soil contaminated with a red power all recovered their original vitality. The core room wasn't a newly created space but a remodelled one.
Theodore understood this fact as he looked around. "Indeed, this is the room that was written in the report."
He nodded while looking at the antiques and ragged parchment paper on the ground. According to Giovanni's report, he had found a room full of treasures, including Randolph's heirlooms.
'But there isn't anything that looks like a sword… Perhaps it is somewhere else?'
The positioning of the items might have changed after the dungeon had been created and then removed. Theo placed the antiques into the dimension pocket and stepped out of the room to join the party.
No, it was more correct to say that he tried to.
Wuooooong!
Feeling an eerie presence behind him, Theo widened the distance reflexively. He was one step ahead of the ominous presence due to his sensory perception. Theo's eyes looked around quickly, and he found a book covered in darkness.
It was a book which stretched out chains of darkness!
"Grimoire!" As Theo cried out with shock, a hole opened in the palm of his hand.
–Huhu, you found it! Leave it to me from here on, User!
Gluttony's usually emotionless voice was filled with a fierce joy. The tongue extended, grabbed the dark grimoire and threw it to the ground.
(■■■■■■■…!)
–A fresh guy!
Gluttony ignored the eerie scream coming from the grimoire and continued to beat the book. The grimoire was just like a fly caught by a toad. Darkness occasionally seeped into the cave, but Gluttony's tongue ignored the shock and continued to hit the grimoire persistently.
[■■…■■■…]
Gluttony's attack proved to be effective as the darkness gradually became silent. It was like a person getting thrashed. Theo felt sorry for the grimoire as he was forced to stand still and watch the scene.
The grimoire was probably hit roughly 30 times? It flopped wildly on the ground.
–Impertinent fellow! Daring to take over my user… It would have been better to pick a random person to run away.
Gluttony laughed in a pleased tone. Based on his ridiculing words, the grimoire seemed to have attempted to steal Theo's body as its next host. The grimoire admitted defeat and became like a piece of food as it rolled toward Gluttony.
Just like a beast grabbing its prey, Gluttony placed its tongue on the cover of the grimoire. At the same time, the information of the grimoire flashed in Theo's head.
[Death's Worship]
[This grimoire contains the soul of the legendary warlock, Jerem. As a 9th Circle necromancer who attacked mankind on the side of the demons, Jerem will steal the body of any creature who reads the grimoire and turn them into an undead. He dreams of the perfect resurrection as his soul awaits in the abyss.
* The rating of the grimoire is 'Legend.'
*When consumed, there is a very low chance of absorbing 50-100% of the abilities possessed by the warlock, Jerem. The 'Negative Dimension' and undead which belong to Jerem will also belong to you.
* When consumed, there is a very high probability that the warlock, Jerem, will rob your body. If you want to hinder this possibility, release another one of Gluttony's seals and increase your achievements.]
"…9th Circle?" Theo let out a shocked cry when he saw the number.
The peak of magic, the 9th Circle magicians had disappeared from the continent for nearly 1,000 years.
Only the Blue Tower Master and Red Tower Master had reached the 8th Circle, and they were transcendents who dealt with power beyond the limits of humans. They were also the reason why the Meltor Kingdom was able to compete with the giant Andras Empire who surpassed them in size and strength.
However, the 9th Circle? If a 9th Circle magician reappeared, they would be able to dominate the continent alone. Alas, the advice written on the explanation suppressed his greed.
"…Hey, you can't eat this now."
–Let's see? This is an extremely rare chance. Isn't the opportunity to become a 9th Circle magician worth the cost to your life?
"Don't speak such funny words."
Theo could tell by the exchange of words. If he had nothing to do with Jerem, Gluttony wouldn't have prevented the grimoire from eating Theo. Maybe Gluttony had a separate means of capturing the book or the ability to suppress it.
Theodore's conviction caused him to open his mouth and say, "You… do you have a way to handle that grimoire?"
–Yes and no.
It was a vague answer, but that was enough.
Theo's concentration reached its peak, and he quickly found the answer: feed it the dimension pocket and open the hidden function. It was the reason why Gluttony had given Theo the hint without any price.
"A hidden feature. Right?"
Theo might be imagining it but Gluttony's mouth seemed to distort.
–I can't answer any more than that. Ah, and the time I can hold onto the book is only five minutes from now. I just wanted to let you know, so don't worry.
"This bastard…!"
It was a devilish and enticing answer. If Theo didn't unlock the hidden function, he would be unable to capture the book. Once that happened, the grimoire would escape from Gluttony's tongue and find another host.
In the near future, the elder lich or a host, which had reached a higher level, could cause an unprecedented catastrophe. Thanks to the dangerous grimoire, he didn't have time to worry about the value of the dimension pocket.
In the end, Theo's right hand reached into his clothes.
Uh, This is Eating? #3
'Dimension pocket… It is an item I borrowed from Master, but I don't have the means to spare it in this situation.'
If it entered Gluttony's mouth, then it wouldn't be considered as lost or sold. Just like the magic books, the devoured dimension pocket would leave no traces. He could use the excuse that it was destroyed during the battle with the elder lich.
However, if he missed eating the grimoire here, it was clear that a second or third Giovanni would appear.
In barely two months, a 5th Circle magician had been transformed into a 6th Circle elder lich. If given half a year or a year, a legendary undead like an arch lich might be born. At the scale, it was a disaster which would need to be dealt with by the continent, not one single kingdom.
More than anything else, Theo couldn't feel assured that the grimoire wouldn't have a grudge against his existence. He thought for a moment before making a firm decision. "…Gluttony."
–What?
"What will happen to the contents of the dimension pocket if it is eaten?"
Gluttony then replied with a pleased voice,
–There is no need to worry. They won't disappear.
"It is an ambiguous answer… but, hoo… it can't be helped."
Theo put the dimension pocket on the ground. It was still hard to believe that the pocket made of ragged cloth and tattered strings was worth hundreds of gold. It was a tremendous luxury which would be the target of any thieves.
Theodore hesitated once more before letting the artifact worth hundreds of gold be eaten. "Now, eat."
The tongue swallowed the dimension pocket before Theo even finished speaking.
[The 'dimension pocket' has been eaten. Error! An unknown phenomenon has occurred due to eating a dimension magic essence!]
[A hidden function of Gluttony has been discovered. The user should check the information about the function. This function will work normally regardless of the rank.]
[Grimoire "Gluttony"/ E Rank]
[One of the hidden functions of Gluttony has been opened after eating the dimension pocket. The grimoire Gluttony has a storage space to store the prey that it can't digest. The previous owners kept their possessions in it and called it 'Inventory.' If the owner wants, the name can be changed.
* Incomplete state. Most of the functions are sealed.
* Once a day, it will wake up to relieve its hunger.
* Immediately after relieving its hunger, it will answer one question.
* The abilities it feeds on will be given to its owner.
* Extracts an essence from eaten books or items. The higher the owner's understanding, the greater the efficiency.
* Absorbs some magic power from an item that contains magic power.
* The Memorize function has been activated.
* The Inventory function has been activated.]
Theo looked at the information quietly before opening his mouth to say, "Inventory… a type of space storage. If it has the same function as the dimension pocket, then it wouldn't have been necessary to eat it. You don't mean to push me to open one more function do you?"
–I don't do that type of thing, User.
It was a reasonable question, but Gluttony spoke in a low voice like it was scowling. It seemed like Gluttony was dissatisfied about being compared to a mere artifact. Then that meant the dimension pocket must lag behind the 'inventory' and couldn't be compared to Gluttony.
–You can't hold a grimoire with a dimension pocket. Well, you might keep it for a while but as soon as it regains consciousness, it will flee through the space.
"That won't happen with the inventory?"
-That's right. The inventory is a dimensional entity that exists within me and differs from other spaces. Without a power to travel beyond dimensions, the grimoire can't escape by any means.
Indeed, the story was different if that was the case. It was a dimensional space which could even block the grimoire's space jump! If he gained that ability, then it was worth sacrificing the dimension pocket. Furthermore, the storage space of the inventory was larger than the dimension pocket, so Theodore had nothing else to say.
Theo finished the conversation and looked down at the book on the ground.
Wuooooong!
The book was covered in a faint darkness, and an ominous vibration was coming from it. This was the legacy of a legendary warlock, but he probably hadn't expected to meet a predator like Gluttony. Theodore had never imagined a grimoire which ate other grimoires until he met Gluttony.
"Well, I always considered myself unlucky."
Shortly afterwards, Theo's left handed extended toward the ground.
Gulp!
Thus, the grimoire, 'Death's Worship', immediately entered the inventory where it couldn't escape.
There were no more items left in the room, and he didn't know when the cave, which had been greatly altered, would collapse. He also needed to join the group which he had inadvertently been separated from; Theo didn't know what might have changed during his disappearance.
However, the two people found Theodore first.
"���Theo!" There was a high pitched voice accompanied by fluttering, torn robes. Sylvia ran over to Theo on wobbly legs and hugged him.
"Uh? Sylvia?" Theo uttered.
"You're safe, Employer! You seem to look much better than us?"
"…Captain Randolph."
Randolph, who came a beat later, hit Theo's shoulders as they celebrated each other's safety. They didn't think he would look this well after the lich had caused him to disappear. Come to think of it, it was a wonder that both sides were safe.
The two people had survived the battle with the elder lich, while Theodore had destroyed it. In the meantime, Theo noticed that something had changed about the swords hanging from Randolph's waist.
"It seems like you got your hands on them."
"Oh, you noticed?"
Despite the blood pouring from his body, Randolph laughed like a child and touched his swords. For swordsmen, swords were like another limb, and it seemed to be the case with him. Randolph wanted to show off the swords, but there was no more time remaining.
Kukukung!
There was a loud noise and the shaking began as a blazing sound echoed through the cave. Thanks to the dungeon conversion being removed, the cave had started to collapse.
The three people stared at each other before they started running without a word more. The victory over the elder lich took a backseat to escaping.
***
As a result, the Miller Barony was rescued.
Once the elder lich had been destroyed, all the undead had turned into ashes. The things based on the existence of the grimoire couldn't stay in this world anymore. Those which hadn't been made directly, like the specters, were forcibly returned to the negative dimension. The undead made of corpses weren't removed in this way. Thanks to that, the residents were forced to get rid of the rotten flesh and blood personally.
Once peace was finally found, a small festival was held to celebrate the defeat of the disaster. The wife of the miller, Becky, opened her warehouse. Albert of the pastry shop lit up his hearths. The pub owner, Stephen, poured the wine.
Only a short time in a mercenary's life was filled with wine, leisure, and money, so they didn't let their fatigue keep them from celebrating. However, there was one person who couldn't fit in easily with this raucous atmosphere.
"Huuuu…" A deep sigh emerged from Theodore's mouth as he looked at the rubble stacked up. It was a fortunate victory they had gained with luck. If he had made the wrong decision, then it would've been impossible to protect his own life as well as his hometown.
He wouldn't have been able to look at the full moon in the sky like right now.
'I don't have enough strength. No, I am lacking time.'
There was a number of means he could use to become stronger. With Alfred's Magic Bullet, the Memorize Function, and fusion magic, he could become several times stronger. Theo couldn't expect another situation to occur like how he had found a solution to the Life Vessel. He really shouldn't expect it. Relying on luck would get him killed one day.
Rather than basking in the victory, Theo looked back on what he was lacking.
"Hey, Young Master! Why are you looking so grouchy?"
At that time, he heard a voice from behind.
'This voice…'
As he looked back, he saw Randolph holding a glass of beer, and his face was red. Theo didn't know how many glasses Randolph had drunk, but his red nose was a sight. Maybe it was because Randolph had just left the festival, but he didn't seem to have any of the dignity of a first rate swordsman.
Theo smiled at the funny sight and asked, "Are you calling me Young Master now?"
"Kuhuhu, it is natural. After giving you 200 gold, didn't you try to get overtime? I need to get rid of you quickly."
"I gave you the heirlooms you were looking for."
"What, do you want me to show them to you just once? Men have been crazy about swords since ancient times." Randolph was delighted by Theo's reaction and drew the two swords the skeleton knight had dropped.
Kakiing! There was a sharp sound as the swords were drawn.
Even Theodore, who knew nothing about swords, felt like the sound was sharp enough to cut the skin. These were excellent swords and were similar to some of the best swords, despite not going through a magical process.
"…Wow." Theo's attention was captured by the image of the wolves.
They almost seemed alive. Every time Randolph raised his sword, a bunch of wolves seemed to charge through the air. The pattern which was reflected in the moonlight seemed like a work of art. Even now, the howling of the wolves seemed to come from the sword.
Randolph turned the blades a few times and said with an elated expression, "As Young Master said, I wouldn't exchange this for 200 gold. Even if they weren't heirlooms, I like these guys. In conclusion, their value is one that I won't give up until death."
"Should I make you give me more money?"
"…Young Master, how about becoming a merchant instead of a magician? I've never seen a noble as shameful as Young Master."
The two men faced each other and laughed. Maybe it was because Randolph's light mood moved him, but Theodore's gloomy face brightened. The two men talked for a while before Randolph turned around, saying that his subordinates were waiting.
"Ah, and Young Master." He pointed his finger in a direction and said mischievously, "You shouldn't let your girl wait too long."
"What?" Theo looked in the direction Randolph was pointing and stiffened as his gaze met a pair of blue puppy dog eyes.
'…This… I knew it would be like this.' Theo scratched his head as he realized his lack of consideration for Sylvia. Sylvia wasn't cold towards people, she just didn't know how to interact with them. She might seem indifferent, but she was actually awkward toward anyone who approached her.
It was a new experience for her to have people introducing themselves to her and saying she was their future mistress.
"Ah, it isn't like that." He let out a sigh which was much lighter than before as he walked toward Sylvia, who was surrounded. Theo stopped the miller's wife from talking and thought about how to send Grandfather Albert back home to rest.
He had now finally stepped back into the comfort of his hometown.
The Voices Calling Him #1
A few days later…
'Today is the fourth day, and there will be some time for the next three days.'
After finishing his mission, Theodore sent word to the Magic Society the next day. The procedure was to report directly after returning, but in a serious situation like this, word should be sent first.
As soon as the news was heard, it was clear that a senior investigator from Mana-vil would be sent to the Miller Barony. Theo assumed the person would arrive in three days if they rode a limited express carriage like Theo.
Until then, he needed to calm his unstable circles.
Wuuuong…
While Theo focused his mind, he was sweating. The bed sheet grew damp with his sweat. He had spent almost half a day in meditation, but the shaking 5th Circle in his body showed no signs of stopping.
The 5th Circle, which had generated from eating the Life Vessel, was quite unstable since it hadn't been reached through the normal process.
"…Hoo, there seems to be discrimination against taking shortcuts." Theo closed his circles and grumbled as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.
Still, it was fortunate that they had become more stable over time. Circles were mandatory for magicians, and they were also another organ fused onto the heart. The movement of unstable circles was no different from a heart disease which could cause life-threatening situations.
As a result, a fortnight hadn't even passed since Theodore jumped to the next circle.
'Grimoires are really absurd.'
The same was true for 'Death's Worship.' Giovanni was a magician who had just entered the 5th Circle. He was a man who had been jealous of Sylvia's accomplishment and had been turned into an elder lich in two months. In retrospect, reaching the 5th Circle wasn't that great.
"How can I tell Master about this…?" Theo thought about this as he left his room and approached the living room.
His father gestured to him from where he was chewing bread at the table. Thanks to the disappearance of the undead, his father's face seemed calmer than usual.
"My eldest son has woken up. Did you sleep well last night?"
"Yes, Father."
"I don't have a lot to worry about now. A trustworthy son has come home. Hehehe!"
He was the noble of a village, but he wasn't a fool. If Theo hadn't come back, then Dennis couldn't guess what the village would've been like. His son, who he thought was young, had ended up solving the problem.
Dennis didn't know about magicians and the monster called the elder lich, but he knew one thing: he had raised his son well. Theo smiled at the voice which was filled with warmth.
"Cough. Father's words are too much."
"Oh, that reminds me about the child called Sylvia."
"Huh? Ah, yes." Theo blinked as Sylvia's name appeared.
He wasn't sure what his father was going to say, so he couldn't help waiting nervously. Fortunately, there was nothing to worry about.
"She went to the front gate as soon as she got up. I think someone came?"
"Who would come?"
"That child clearly said…"
Right now, it was around the time that his message would've reached the capital. Unless they rode a legendary pegasus, an investigator from the Magic Society wouldn't have reached the Miller Barony.
'Did someone else come?' As Theo cocked his head with confusion…
"I think it was an elder from the White Tower?"
It was like a fireball had appeared in front of Theo.
***
'Sylvia, you should use that good head of yours!'
Theo ran out of the house as soon as he heard it. He had to arrive at the appointed place as quickly as possible. Sylvia seemed to be comfortable, but what type of new magician would keep their elders waiting?
Furthermore, 'elder' generally referred to Prime rank magicians, which meant they were above Vince. Theo might be at a disadvantage if he was pushed by such a person. He used Haste and managed to find Sylvia near the entrance of the village. "Sylvia!"
"You came! …Huh?" She welcomed him, but her expression became one of confusion when she turned around. Indeed, it was strange that he was sweating so much.
"Theo, why are you in such a rush? I thought you would be tired, so I asked someone to send word when you woke up."
"No, an elder of the White Tower has come?"
"Yes, Grandfather Shugel."
"Do you know already?"
Sylvia nodded in affirmation. Then she pointed her finger at a place near the village entrance.
There was a tent which hadn't been there a few days ago. The magic used on the terrain during the fight against the undead had been refined into neat pillars. He didn't know when it happened, but it had been reshaped into a fairly organized defense.
The elder from the White Tower, Shugel, seemed to be staying there.
Theo tried to calm down his breathing as he gestured to Sylvia. "Then shall we go in?"
"Yes, he asked me to bring you in today."
"…I rushed here for nothing." Theo cooled off his body with magic and arranged his clothes before stepping into the tent.
There wasn't as much tension as he'd expected. Was it because he had already met big names like the Blue Tower Master and King Kurt III? He slipped through the tent entrance and bowed with a calm expression.
Inside, a deep and aged voice welcomed the two. "Ohh…you came."
The magician with a beard and hair as white as his robes laughed. Unlike his hair, the aged magician's skin was taut, and there were no signs of aging found anywhere. Like a child, his bright eyes were filled with overflowing energy.
Sylvia walked belatedly into the tent and stood closer to the aged mage. "Grandfather Shugel, this is Theo."
"Yes, thank you for the hard work." He patted Sylvia's head gently like she was cute and turned his eyes toward Theo. Theo bowed as soon as the magician looked at him. However, it wasn't because he was pushed by the pressure. He was a young magician paying homage to an adult magician.
"Theodore Miller, disciple of Vince Haidel, greets Elder Shugel of the White Tower."
"Yes, I am called Shugel from the White Tower. This time, I came as an examiner of the situation that you reported."
"What is an examiner?" Theo knew about investigators, but it was the first time he had heard about an examiner.
Shugel laughed and stroked his beard at the question. It was always the responsibility of the senior to answer the curiosity of his juniors.
"Usually, I wouldn't be dispatched. However, this is an extraordinary incident, so I was sent down separately to determine the causal relationship. It is the reason why the existence of examiners are almost unknown," Shugel explained.
"Ah…, I see."
"Isn't there one more thing that you'd like to ask?"
Theodore flinched at Shugel's words. He did indeed have one more thing he wanted to ask.
Even by horse, it would take one week to go back and forth from the Miller Barony to the capital, yet Shugel had gotten there within less than a day since the news reached the capital. It was a speed which defied common sense in many ways.
However, Theo found the answer instead of asking the question. "Elder Shugel is a space magician."
His voice was filled with a lot of respect. It couldn't be helped since space magic was a magic system which was classified as having top level difficulty. Wind attribute magicians had a fairly high aptitude, but nevertheless, those who could be called, 'space magicians,' could be counted with fingers. Moreover, sitting right before Theo's eyes was Shugel, who had crossed the distance with rare space magic!
"Huh… That is the right answer. You should feel bad for intercepting what this old man wanted to say to you."
"Huh? Ah, I'm sorry."
"Hahaha! It was a joke, a joke. It isn't bad to be serious, but life will get tiring if you don't have a sense of humour."
"I-Is that so?" Just like the Blue Tower Master, it was difficult for Theo to deal with the elderly people of the magic towers.
Theo inwardly sighed as he already felt tired. Meanwhile, Sylvia was just sitting down and reading a book. She must have already finished her conversation, or Shugel must want to hear the report entirely from Theo.
***
Indeed, the old man stopped with the small talk and began hearing the story of the elder lich.
"Finally, I heard that you were the target of the elder lich…" Shugel smiled as he looked at Theo and then continued saying, "Even if you were transferred to the core room, how did you destroy the Life Vessel? Theoretically, it can only be done by a sword master or 7th Circle magician."
"For me, it was a last ditch effort." Theo had prepared an answer for the difficult question a long time ago. He had a simple answer to the trick which could destroy the Life Vessel.
"I put the Life Vessel into the dimension pocket I borrowed from Master and destroyed the entire pouch. It is crazy when I think about it now."
According to Gluttony's explanation, the Life Vessel had only been protected by the negative resource, so there had been a possibility of destroying it if it had been isolated in a dimension pocket. Of course, it was just a possibility, so it couldn't be for certain.
However, in this situation, there was no way to verify it and it didn't sound ridiculous. It was also a great excuse for how he managed to destroy the dimension pocket.
The astonished Shugel repeated his words, "Ah, you destroyed a dimension pocket?"
"Yes, it happened by accident."
"Dimension pocket… Oh, the dimension pocket? I didn't think it could be used for such a purpose… Indeed, truly creative…" Shugel muttered with blank eyes like the answer was quite shocking. Anyone who saw him would be afraid that the old man had lost his soul. However, Elder Shugel of the White Tower gradually regained his original complexion.
"I was thinking in the wrong direction… It is possible. In the end, you did do it."
"O-Of course."
"Huh… Killing an elder lich with a dimension pocket… It is truly lucky."
In fact, it was. If the elder lich hadn't moved Theodore, the owner of Gluttony, down to the core room, then the elder lich would've won. Subsequently, he would have destroyed the Miller Barony and completely eroded the host, causing a worldwide catastrophe. As Shugel said, the catastrophe had been averted due to luck.
Shugel calmed his rough breathing and continued to speak, "Thank you for cooperating. Your words make sense. It matches the testimonies of the other people… I'm sorry that I thought you were an accomplice in this situation."
"No. You just did your job." Theo finished the conversation with a polite expression.
Thanks to his thorough preparation, he convinced the examiner without revealing any dubious parts by mistake.
However, Shugel looked at Theo with a warm expression, like he was impressed by Theo's attitude. "Your words have eased by heart. Then I will give you the final message and end this old man's job."
Theo's eyebrows twitched as the warm atmosphere finished. His work as a examiner was over, so what was left?
Sylvia also looked up from her book like she was worried. Was Theo's peaceful routine going to be caught up in a big whirlpool again? A strange feeling went down his spine.
"If I just came as an examiner, other magicians would be sufficient. But I came here personally because I received an order to bring you."
"Bring… me?"
"That's right." Shugel pulled out a piece of paper and read out its contents, "The investigators dispatched to the Miller Barony, Theodore MIller and Sylvia, should return as soon as possible. I give this instruction to Elder Shugel of the White Tower… In the Meltor Kingdom, only three people can command me directly like this."
The old man spoke as he folded his wrinkled fingers one by one, "Red Tower Master Veronica, Blue Tower Master Blundell, and His Majesty Kurt III."
At this point, Theodore's tension reached its peak. Was it the call of the Red Tower Master who didn't know his face, the Blue Tower Master who had given him the mission, or His Majesty the King?
Theo made assumptions for all three cases, but none of them fit his expectations.
"But this is the first time I've seen all three names on the command. Theodore Miller, you seem to have caught the eyes of those in the upper echelons."
The Voices Calling Him #2
The power structure of the Meltor Kingdom differed from other kingdoms in many ways. The Meltor Kingdom had been founded by a great magician and prospered due to magic. In modern times, the magic towers occupied the center of its national power.
Thus, the nobles were just custodians of wealth and status. The ones who wielded power in the kingdom were the senior magicians. It went without saying that the royal family had risen to the throne due to the support by the magic towers.
In particular, the Red Tower Master and Blue Tower Master were treated as being of a higher rank than the other tower masters. Nobody could beat them in rank except for the king. In other words, Theo was called by the three people at the peak of the Meltor Kingdom.
After finishing his conversation with Elder Shugel, Theodore immediately informed his family. Thanks to his inventory, he didn't need to bother about packing, but he needed to say goodbye to his family.
"…Something like this happened, so I have to return to the capital immediately."
His family had blank expressions after he told them the news. His Majesty and two tower masters…? That was a far cry for a family that was just the head of a village. His father, Dennis, came back to his senses first, while his mother was busy taking care of his little brother.
"Huh… His Majesty has called you, so you can't go slowly." Dennis sighed deeply.
He had thought Theo would stay for a few more days, but there was a sudden decree. This was the reason for the heavy atmosphere around his family. For a rural nobleman, Dennis had done nothing except inherit his title.
Dennis approached his son, who had become much greater than him, and spoke while grabbing Theo's hand, "Theo, live for yourself in the future."
"…Yes?"
"I've felt it in the past. We were blind. I, as well as the villagers, had too many expectations of you… the expectations for you to become an important person and increase the fortune of this village."
Theodore tried to speak, but he couldn't.
He had never hated their expectations. Theo had believed that he could be a special and great person, just as they had said. It was because of them that he had decided to enter the Bergen Academy which was far away.
However, it had sometimes been a burden. There had been days when he didn't want to go home looking pitiful, so he'd struck his back to move.
Now, he felt like a knot tightening his throat had been released.
"If it wasn't for you, this village wouldn't be around right now. No, with the money you added, the sick and poor will be able to have a warm winter. At the very least, you are a much bigger man than this small Miller Barony."
"…Father."
"So, I'm looking forward to it. Walk to the point that you want and then come back when you want to rest. That is enough for us."
The body temperature transmitted through his father's palm was hot. Instead of answering, Theo nodded with a tight neck. In his heart, he'd always thought he was alone, but his father had touched on that pain.
It was the same for his mother, who spoke belatedly, "Your father has said everything I wanted to say. And when did you start understanding this? You talk like that even though you don't know anything about it."
"C-Cough!" Dennis coughed at her words.
His mother looked askance at Dennis before smiling and hugging Theodore. "There is no need for you to be a big man or to go far away. Don't get hurt and be healthy. Please remember that we've wished for nothing else since you were born."
"…Yes, I'll keep that in mind."
"And that Sylvia, I like her."
Finally, she kissed Theo's cheek and hugged his little brother again. The child called Leo waved his fingers toward his much bigger brother. As Theo grabbed those small hands, he wondered what his brother wanted to be when he was older. Magician or knight… Maybe he would be a farmer.
Theo stepped out his house, filled with expectations for that day. It was time for him to go back into the world.
"What, are you going, Young Master?"
At that moment, a man leaning near the entrance spoke to him.
"…Randolph."
"We will also be leaving this territory. I wanted to say goodbye before you left." Randolph fidgeted with the two swords at his waist and said in a laughing voice, "It is a shame about the 200 gold, but the time I spent with Young Master was a lot of fun. If you want to hire me for something next time, I'll do it for half price."
"Maybe it won't end up as just half price?"
"Ha, you are a rotten employer. But will I be tricked twice?" With those words, he walked away with his usual light footsteps.
Randolph placed his life on the edge of his swords and tried to tempt fate in unknown locations. Maybe he was more suited to life as a mercenary than the descendant of a warrior.
'I hope I meet him again.' Theo also turned in the opposite direction.
The two men went on their own way as they hoped for a day of reunion. So, the magician and mercenary went different ways at the intersection.
***
"Okay, are you ready?" Elder Shugel looked at both of them in turn as he finished painting a magic circle on the outskirts.
"Yes, everything has finished."
"I'm ready."
The two robed people nodded without hesitation. Theo had said farewell to his family, and Sylvia had quickly finished her preparations.
After confirming their answers, Shugel nodded slowly and talked to the investigator who came with him. "We will return to the capital first. Examine the residual black magic remaining here and report it to the Magic Society when you return."
"Yes, I understand!"
"I'm sorry, but… then I'll be going." As he finished speaking, there was a sudden wave of magic power.
Huuuuong! Shugel's white hair and beard were pushed up from the stirring magic power. It was different from Theodore's heavy magic power and Sylvia's cold power. The magic power of a Prime magician who trained in the wind attribute filled the surroundings like real wind, and the magic circle painted on the ground began to shine with a silver colour.
A haze emerged as the space around them seemed to distort.
[Hold your breath…] Shugel's voice echoed.
Even though he was speaking clearly, the sound wave wasn't transmitted properly. This was the aftermath of the space starting to bend inside the magic circle.
Theo and Sylvia held their breaths simultaneously. As well as its high difficulty, space magic was famous for being dangerous. They didn't want to see the devastation which would occur if they didn't follow the advice.
Shugel quickly finished his magic spell and slammed his staff in the center of the circle. [Mass Teleport!]
The appearance of the three people distorted and then disappeared.
'Ugh…!' Theo almost exhaled due to his fear. There was an instinctive rejection as the magic circle was activated.
First, colour disappeared and then shapes collapsed. As his five senses shook, he felt dizzy and nauseous. They were travelling through a gap in time and space which wasn't allowed for living things, so it was inevitable that the magicians would suffer.
Was it for one minute or just 10 seconds?
"Huuuu!"
"Hah…!"
Theodore and Sylvia let out their breaths with surprise when they felt like their original senses returned. Theo took a moment to restore his balance before looking around.
'This place…?'
It was a wide, clean room without any furniture. On the floor was a magic circle similar to the one Theo had just travelled through.
Shugel noticed his curiosity, and after recovering his breathing from the aftermath of the space magic, he explained, "Space movement requires an empty space like this one. If there are any objects or people on the other side, then I can't guarantee the party's safety."
Theo was convinced of this as Shugel moved to the door. There weren't many space magicians, but it was wise not to stay in the transfer room for too long. The probability of Theo and Sylvia overlapping with each other was like being hit by lightning.
"I will guide you to the reception room. First, I need to go to His Majesty and tell him about your work."
They exited the transfer room, and Shugel led the two people down the corridor. Theo had not spent a lot of time at the Magic Society, but the structure around him seemed like the inner areas. This was because space magicians were normally dispatched for important missions.
Yet Shugel's footsteps soon came to a stop as he encountered someone. "You…?"
The person had dark brown hair and had on a red robe symbolizing the Red Tower. Theodore looked over from behind Shugel and discovered the person's appearance. Surprise, curiosity, and welcome entered his eyes.
Theo cried out without even knowing it, "Master!"
The person who Theo's group were encountering was Vince Haidel.
Shugel's eyes wrinkled as he realized who it was. "Vince… Yes, there was that name. Did they contact you as Theodore's teacher? Otherwise, you wouldn't have known that we would be back at this time."
The dispatch of a space magician was always kept secret. They were valuable workers for the Meltor Kingdom, but there was also a need to conceal them. Apart from the three people who could send them places and the White Tower Master, no one else had the authority to find out the missions of a space magician.
However, Vince dismissed him without replying. He was looking at Theo with a pleasant gaze, but it was uncomfortable for him to be in this spot.
He confessed like it was embarrassing, "Huu. Elder Shugel, I would've stopped you properly, but I hope you consider that I didn't have time to communicate it properly."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
The three people were confused for a moment because of Vince's words.
'H-Heok!' A violent presence appeared behind Theo and made his spine freeze forcibly.
This presence was different from that of the elder lich, and the quality of it was different from that of the Blue Tower Master. It was a pressure which pushed at him. Perhaps the other person didn't even intend to do it. Even though the person was just standing there, the pressure coming from them crushed the surroundings.
This was the presence of an absolutely strong person which couldn't be hidden!
"What, this little guy is our newbie?" A sweet and deep voice, similar to a well-aged wine, rang out. The voice emerged casually as the speaker appeared before Theodore and Sylvia.
They had really bright crimson hair and golden eyes which were bright like the sun. The robe which wrapped around their body was deep red. The robe covered a feminine and curvaceous body which was truly amazing, but nobody would dare stare at this woman.
'The air… It's hot?' It wasn't a hallucination.
This was a terrible magic power which caused the mana in their air to respond and raise the temperature. Despite the cool weather, the heat tickled his skin. There was only one person who was so transcendent she could change the environment and who looked so beautiful in red.
"Looking at his face for the first time, he is quite a handsome kid," the Red Tower Master said as she held Theo's chin. "From here onward, this Veronica will guide him."
The Voices Calling Him #3
The Red Tower Master, who called herself Veronica, met Theo's gaze naturally. Her gold eyes, shining with curiosity and interest, were burdensome in a way that was different from the Blue Tower Master's.
As Theo tried to step back unconsciously, Veronica's white hand gripped his shoulder. Unlike the soft texture, there was a monstrous strength coming from it.
"Eh? You are different from what I heard." She looked Theodore up and down before asking Vince behind her, "Vince, didn't you say your disciple was a 4th Circle?"
"Yes, that's right."
"This guy, isn't he clearly a 5th Circle… No, wait a minute."
Veronica spotted his circle with one glance, but then her expression suddenly changed. She gazed into Theo's heart with sharp eyes and instantly saw the problem he had been struggling with for a few days.
"It is unstable. Did it wake up through this incident? This is what happens if you cross the 'wall' with an unprepared body."
Indeed, he couldn't fool the eyes of Veronica who was a 8th Circle magician. Theo admired her inwardly while nodding.
Speaking of which, Blundell had also instantly seen that Vince had achieved the 6th Circle. So, it wouldn't be hard for Veronica, a magician of equal rank, to figure out that his 5th Circle was unstable.
"Kid, is your magic power wriggling by itself, and the circle keeps opening and closing?"
"Yes."
"It is a typical symptom of disharmony. It occurs when the body can't accept something your head understands, or when the body awakens without an enlightenment. It isn't a problem that can be solved with time."
Theodore flinched at her words. He had accumulated a great deal of knowledge from the library books, but he had never seen a single book describing disharmony when crossing a 'wall.' Basically, it was something which was experienced only after the 5th Circle, so information about it wasn't placed in the academy.
Veronica smiled like she knew that and said to Shugel, "Then can I take this kid, Old Man Shugel?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. Even if you did submit the call, His Majesty is the top priority."
"Hah, Old Man, who do you think I am? I'm just trying to bring him to the reception room instead. Is there anything strange about bringing them to the reception room?"
It seemed like Shugel found her difficult to deal with as he couldn't come up with a response easily. It involved a large incident which could lead to a disaster. However, he thought it was more dangerous to stimulate Veronica, so he eventually stepped back. "Hoo, then please do so."
"Okay! It has been decided," Veronica said as she placed an arm around Theo's shoulder.
Theo stiffened at the sudden contact. It was truly tempting to feel something touch his back while in such a tight hold. This was fatal to a 19-year-old young man. He could feel Sylvia's stinging gaze on him, but Veronica spoke quickly, "Hey kid. Can you tell me about the tournament on the way to the reception room? I wasn't in the capital at the time."
"…I understand."
There was no time to spare for his reunion with his master as Theo was now firmly caught by the Red Tower Master.
***
Her identity was unknown, and her age was unknown. She was one of the few dragon slayers currently in existence. Veronica was the peak of the war magicians, and the strongest and most dangerous person from the magic towers.
Until now, he had only heard about the Red Tower Master through rumours, but he was now having a conversation with her.
��This person… She doesn't hide her feelings at all.'
To put it mildly, Veronica was crude and honest. She was the opposite of Blundell, who always had something behind his smiling face. If Veronica was happy, then she would laugh. If she was surprised, then her mouth would drop open. The sight of her beautiful face change in various ways was quite eye-catching. As for Veronica's violent aspect, it was probably due to her personality, as she wouldn't hesitate to go crazy when she was angry.
As the conversation reached the moment when Theodore became victorious, she laughed without any formalities and knocked against his shoulder. "Fusion Magic! It is an old theory, but it must be quite powerful if you used it to win. It had enough strength to eat that kid over there."
"…I'm not a kid." Sylvia complained in a disgruntled voice as she followed behind them. In response, Veronica stopped walking and just said a few ridiculing words, "No, you are a kid if you are only 17."
However, her reply wasn't the reason why she had stopped. It was because they arrived at the reception room that was their destination. There were magnificent and luxurious doors before the party.
"Then let's go!"
At that moment, the destructive instincts of the Red Tower Master ignited.
Dukwang! She lifted her foot without hesitation and kicked the door! The heavy doors which seemed difficult to push were opened with one strike. This was her strength without using magic?
Even Vince, who was familiar with Veronica's strength, gaped as the door to the reception room was thrown open, and the figures of the two people waiting inside appeared.
"V-Veronica?!" One of them, who had an astonished expression on his face, was the Blue Tower Master, Blundell. The robed covered muscles were still twitching. Veronica frowned at him before turning to the person sitting next to him.
"Uh, Your Majesty. Hasn't it been a while?"
"That's right. Is this the first time since you left for the south?" Kurt III, the blonde middle-aged man sitting in a chair, replied lightly.
"Y-Your Majesty!" The shocked Theodore and his companions immediately fell to one knee.
They hadn't been prepared for it. Theo's head became blank as he had met Veronica and then the king so suddenly. Considering the king's presence, it would've been a big deal if someone other than the Red Tower Master had kicked open the door.
Fortunately, Kurt III didn't care about that. "Oh, don't worry too much about that. It will be hard to praise your efforts if you maintain that position."
"As you wish."
"First of all, get up. Theodore Miller and Sylvia, please step forward." Despite the king's quiet voice, it still contained tremendous power.
Naturally, the two people stepped forward.
The king's purple eyes alternated between Sylvia and Theodore while gleaming with a pleased light. As the master of the kingdom, the appearance of a Superior magician would lead to the advancement of the national power. So, there was no reason not to be pleased.
"I acknowledge your merit for the subjugation of the elder lich that appeared in the Miller Barony. If it wasn't for you, then he might've ravaged the area by now. This isn't the official position, but I wanted to communicate it directly."
"I am much obliged for your words." The two people accepted the praise according to court formalities and bowed.
"A Class 3 dangerous object, the elder lich… Either way, it was a situation that could have developed into a nation-wide disaster. The merit is too big to be recognized with just a few words. Therefore…" Kurt reached out, and Blundell handed him two pieces of paper.
The two pieces of paper were tied with a red string. Kurt handed them over to Theo and Sylvia, who politely accepted the item with both hands.
The contents of the paper were heard directly from Kurt's mouth, "This time, Theodore Miller's and Sylvia's ranks will be upgraded from Basic to Average. We will pay for the additional expenses incurred and reward for a Class 3 dangerous mission, as well as reissue the dimension pocket that was destroyed during the mission. That is the edict of Kurt III."
As the two people were shocked by the words, Kurt gazed at Theodore. "This mission's main contributor, Theodore Miller?"
"Yes." Theo suppressed the shaking in his heart and faced Kurt III.
The king wouldn't call someone's name carelessly. Even if a person were to be called, the king was likely to borrow the mouth of another person. It wasn't an official thing, but he had to have a good reason to call Theodore's name.
Unsurprisingly, Kurt III pulled out an extraordinary reward. "I have determined that your merit is too large to be judged under the existing rules. So, after discussing with the Blue Tower Master Blundell, I have decided to ask you directly."
"I am listening."
"Theodore Miller, tell me what you want."
Theo trembled as the voice of the king resonated through the reception room. "I, at the discretion of Kurt III and Blue Tower Master Blundell Adruncus, will grant you a wish. However, it can't exceed your merit level."
A wish that he desired… There was no greater reward in heaven and earth than this!
Theo listened to the words but couldn't understand them. No, he couldn't accept them. The national power of the Meltor Kingdom might be somewhat lower than the Andras Empire, but the Meltor Kingdom was still classified as a powerful nation in the continent.
Yet, the Meltor King was granting him a wish? It was truly a lucky event which would only occur once in a lifetime.
'…Wish… I will be granted a wish.' Theo's head started rolling before he could feel alarmed. In fact, it was surprising that he was rather calm. Theo calmly measured the gravity of this opportunity. Anyone wouldn't end without just one or two small wishes. Desire was a part of human nature, and Theodore was no different.
'To have one national treasure… No, the risk is too great. I don't know if the elder lich is worth a national treasure and asking about it is too much.'
Perhaps artifacts which exceeded the 'Precious' rating such as 'Treasure' and 'Legend' would be treated as national treasures. Theo wanted to get a national treasure with all his heart, but he wasn't sure if the value of the elder lich was worth one.
Like the old saying, he should refrain from being too greedy or else he might lose more than he gained.
At this moment, he was reminded of a conversation he'd had with Gluttony.
-The quality of the food. Don't just feed me commonplace books.
Thanks to its advice, Theo had been able to obtain Death's Worship after the inventory feature had opened. Until now, Gluttony had never given a suggestion to him. Perhaps it would demand to be fed higher grade books as Theo grew.
'Come to think of it, Gluttony never ate Rare books until recently. Maybe this is a good chance to stabilize the 5th Circle.'
The magic books in the Magic Society and the palace couldn't be read unless he had permission. If he wasn't at least a Superior rank, he couldn't put in a rental application. Additionally, there was a place which was only available when he reached the Prime rank.
The name of the place was the Zero Library. It was the Meltor Kingdom's treasure house which contained magic books and 'grimoires' that couldn't be replicated.
Theodore finally made a decision and opened his mouth, "Your Majesty, I have an impudent request."
"I will listen."
Theo took a deep breath and then uttered his wish in a voice which was as calm as he could make it, "Your Majesty and Tower Masters, if you forgive my impudence, I would like to ask for a book from the Zero Library."