… 30 minutes ago.
Symposium evaluator's waiting room.
"Louina unnie. Is this answer real?" The Ethereal-ranked wizard, Rose Rio, asked out of suspicion.
Louina shrugged. "What do you mean?"
"Did Deculein really write this answer?"
Rose Rio was an Ethereal-level mage with impressive short pink hair, but she was actually younger than her, hence why she called Louina unnie.
She was a support and healing genius who only stayed in the Magic Tower for six months, climbed up to the Isle of Wizard's Wealth afterward, and reached the Ethereal rank at 25 years old.
"Yeah. Deculain wrote it himself."
"…"
Rose Rio still couldn't believe it. Gindalf, sitting quietly in another chair, asked, "Really? I'm suspicious of Deculein's nature. I know his situation, after all."
Gindalf, who was now in his 70s, was the personification of old wizards in fairy tales. He wore round glasses and had long grey hair and a beard.
"No, this bothers me more than that." Rose Rio pointed to the last part of Deculein's Theorem.
[… In addition, 48 runes were successfully interpreted and organized, but they were not published since they didn't fit the topic.]
"Is this for real? He said he interpreted several runes? That's got to be a lie."
Louina laughed bitterly. "I already took a look at his interpretation paper. I even saw it recited."
Deculein had shown her some of the rune interpretation paper.
Of course, they might think he was wrong, but it was surprisingly easy to tell whether it was correct or not.
He had to memorize the pronunciation. The runic language itself was imbued with magic, so just speaking it correctly would consume mana.
"That guy, Deculein, has linguistic talent. I heard he speaks ten languages."
"Huh, really? I can't bring myself to believe that."
Rose Rio's eyes remained squinted as Gindalf chuckled, stroking his beard.
"Rose, feel free to think about it as you deem fitting~"
In fact, runes weren't even her current priority.
The five-year period Deculein demanded was still stuck in her head.
'It can't be, right? There isn't a disease that can't be cured even with Yukline's financial and political power.'
Even after repeating that in her mind, she couldn't think of any other way to explain it.
'… I promised, didn't I? Five years. You will not be my stumbling block, and I will not be your stumbling block.'
Why did he promise five years?
'Aren't you four years younger than me? You still can grow a lot, so time is definitely on your side.'
Why did he say that?
"… It doesn't make sense."
Time was definitely on his side.
If it were the usual arrogant Deculein, no, even if it weren't, he wouldn't say things like 'time is on your side' while solving the Symposium problem.
The honor and feat of interpreting the runes would shine brighter as time went by.
Louina soon shook her head, however.
"Phew. What does it matter?"
Whenever she remembered all that Deculein did to her in the past, her body still trembled. Deep inside, her hatred for him continued to burn like embers.
However, no matter if she liked it or not, Louina was a thorough wizard. She was accustomed to the law of the jungle and was an extremely rational animal.
Therefore, rather than burning with passion, she calmly set herself up to achieve her true goal.
The McQueens' magic vision.
The title of head professor.
She didn't care about anything else other than that. She would willingly bury the humiliation, personal feelings, and family resentment she suffered from him for those objectives.
Besides, as Deculein, she'd be free in 5 years anyway…
"Is he going to release this '48 Runes Interpretations' today as well?" Rose Rio asked. Before Louina could answer, she continued with a sigh. "In any case, let's head out now."
She created wind and rolled the curtains in the waiting room.
Behind it stood the short chairman like a statue.
"… Ahaha." Receiving Rose Rio and Gindalf's gazes, she laughed and, clenching her fists, asked, "Deculein has the interpretation of 48 runes?! Did he really interpret 48 runes?! Is he going to reveal it today?! It'll be a mess!"
"You'll have to ask him since he's the only one who can answer that, Chairman."
"No! This is not the time!"
The chairman's eyes filled up with mischief, her expression screaming, 'I'm going to spread the word right away.'
Watching the chairman run away, Rose Rio burst out laughing.
"That unnie doesn't change~"
"Your accent is still noticeable."
"… Me? What do you mean? I'm speaking using the standard accent."
Rose Rio's hometown was Rococo, which was on the outskirts of the empire. It was a rural area famous for its strong accent.
"Actually, yours isn't that strong. When I first went to Rococo, I thought I was in a different country~"
"What? Wow, your regionalism is too strong. I didn't think you were this type. For your information, it's not that different."
"Say 'bullfight.' 'Bullfight.'"
"…"
Rose Rio stayed quiet.
*
The capacity of the Grand Hall was 400 people. Although it was small for its awe-inspiring name, it was still more than good enough to prove the solution of the Symposium.
Actually, the word 'Grand' in its name itself wasn't wrong.
About 300 years ago, when the designer and archmage of the Isle of Wizard's Wealth, Loplan, built the Megiseon, this was the widest hall.
It had become the place of culture and tradition since the beginning of the floating island.
"How… H-h-how…"
Perhaps that was why Allen was now showing symptoms of anxiety disorder.
"Calm down."
"Yes, yes. Yes."
He couldn't stay still even while in his seat.
He clenched his left hand around his trembling right hand, causing the tremor to spread throughout his body.
Like some kind of gym nerd.
"…"
"…"
Seeing him like that, I felt like Allen was impressive.
His original personality was nothing like that.
His acting was very natural.
"Whew. Whew. Whew… Hic! No— hic! This is going to be a problem. Why am I getting hiccups now?!"
I silently looked at my [Rune Interpretation Summary], a compilation of the 48 different rune interpretations in addition to the 14 runes that had been interpreted in the magical world.
I thought about making it public, but I decided against it since it was impossible to predict what kind of impact that would make. It would be better to keep it in my head for now.
Misuse of it could lead to an atomic-bomb-level disaster like the Manhattan Project, after all.
"Pfff."
But it was really weird.
When I looked at this font, I smiled involuntarily.
Maybe it was because it reminded me of a voice, almost like I was experiencing a hallucination.
'Kim Woo-jin! Look at this.'
Memories of the past played back like a faded film.
'It's a rune that is being conceived by the setting team. Did they mix Hebrew and Latin?' She put her hands together under her chin as she acted as cute as usual.
'Now, Woojin, you just need to clean it up. Try other fonts too. Make it look a little old.' While talking about its setting, her gaze on me felt sincere and clear.
'Woojin, you look handsome when you are concentrating.'
Her name was Yuli.
'Hmmm.'
Kim Woojin's memories remained in me.
'What? If that's the case, I'm way out of your league…'
However, her voice gradually faded.
Was it because time had passed?
It felt like I could forget about her now.
… Brrrr.
Allen's vibrating sound brought me to reality. What was he, an alarm clock?
"Allen. What about the slab of stone?"
"H-here! it's here!"
Allen handed me the slate. It was a type of intermediary in which a large mana stone was processed into a slab and then engraved with runes.
—Knock, knock.
Finally, the knock came, indicating that the time had come.
"Let's go."
Allen got up, trembling, and went out of the waiting room with me.
"Follow me."
We followed the guide and stood on the stage of the hall with the curtains lowered.
"It will start soon. There's only two of you?"
"Yes."
"Y-Y-Yes."
Behind me was a large blackboard and chalk. The hall was 30 years old, so its fixtures had a classic feel to them.
—Professor Deculein of the Imperial University Magic Tower will now defend his answer to Symposium Question Number 6.
The voice of the moderator resonated in the hall.
As expected from the Isle of Wizard's Wealth, not a single noise could be heard.
Swooosh—
Beyond the opening curtains was the Grand Hall's audience area, which had been filled to maximum capacity. Nevertheless, I immediately noticed one person.
… Julie.
I could find her instantly, no matter where she was or what kind of crowd she was buried in.
It was due to the affection that became part of my nature.
The judges for today's proof were Ethereal-ranked Rose Rio and Gindalf, Monarch-ranked Louina, and Astal, an addict.
I wasn't nervous at all. As I once said, the attention and stares that were pouring on me felt rather proper.
Such was the effect of very natural elitism.
"Nice to meet you," I said calmly. "I'm Head Professor Deculein. I will now begin discussing my answer for Symposium Problem 6, Proof of Runes."
* * *
… Deculein's theorem was carried out step by step, and the Grand Hall watched him in a quiet atmosphere.
A document titled 'Deculein's Theorem' was distributed to all attendees.
"If I were to interpret the inscription in question 6, that is, the runes, the following sentences are revealed."
[Where there is light and will, there is God.]
[God hid out of fear of human worship.]
About half of the interpretation of this inscription had already been achieved by 'Routen,' a Monarch-ranked wizard, along with the linguist' Frange,' leaving nothing special about my discussion regarding it.
However, past that was where my main point began.
"Get rid of the second sentence here. It's useless."
Deculein boldly deleted the second sentence.
"Only the three runes corresponding to 'light,' 'will,' and 'god' in the first sentence serve as a magic circuit, and the rest are just materials for combination."
[Where there is light and will, there is God.]
[איΘ פה שיφש אור ומל ח ζ, יש]
The first sentence hovered in the air.
Although the runic language seemed to reject the interpretation itself, I insisted on it.
"The first step in deciphering these runes is 'segmentation.'"
Deculein shredded the runes. The entire sentence scattered in the air, forming several pieces.
"The first sentence has a total of 13 syllables, but there are 45 segments in those 13 syllables as well."
It was similar to how the syllable 'hib' was segmented into three phonemes: 'h,' 'i', and 'b.'
Runes were still languages , after all.
"But the number of combinations of these 45 segments is nearly innumerable, reaching at least 3,923,023,104,000, possibly more."
Three trillion nine hundred and twenty-three billion twenty-three million and one hundred and four thousand or more.
"But there is a second process in that number. It's about 'discovering' and identifying the most meaningful rune combinations among them. The process is as follows…"
From then on, Deculein's theorem entered a field that ordinary people couldn't understand.
For almost two hours, countless combinations of runes unfolded like waves, which then turned into a certain shape, forming a magic formula.
It was a job that required a lot of effort and time.
That was the result of breaking through a certain limit after combining [Understanding] with the 'setting knowledge" in the head of game designer Kim Woojin.
"…Now, take a close look at this."
If he summarized all of the above in two sentences…
"The runes were disassembled, and a magic circle was created from that combination. However, it's very different from the standard magic circle of modern times."
Rose Rio asked, "Is that combination certain? If the number of branches is that large, other combinations are also possible, aren't they?"
Her voice had a strong accent.
"Runes can be considered the magic of language itself. Think of it as a proverb that gives strength to your voice."
She was becoming a bit bothersome, but Deculein continued talking without showing any emotion.
"I only selected combinations that are 'easy for humans to pronounce' because they are 'oral' rather than abdominal, peritoneal, and cerebral."
More than the difficulty of pronouncing the standard language for Rose Rio, there were clearly structures that humans couldn't even voice out.
Deculein dug into that point.
"Hmm." Rose Rio was convinced, and Deculein gestured at Allen through a glance. Allen ran and handed him the magic slab.
Deculein placed his hand on it.
"Now, let me demonstrate the answer."
At that moment, a quiet heat dawned upon the stillness of the Grand Hall.
Excitement engulfed everyone's eyes.
"…"
Deculein closed his eyes. In that state, he carefully repeated the process demonstrated today.
He disassembled the runes, summarized the rune combination formula, reconstructed the combination into a magic circle, and finally…
He mumbled an unknown rune.
"───."
Where there was light and will, there was God.
Through that single sentence…
Whooooosh…
A blue light rose from the slab. The wind blew as an apparition appeared, filling the Grand Hall with unidentified scenery.
It depicted the past where runes were very common.
The scene moved slowly as if borrowing a human eye.
The white marble floor, the beautiful statue, a priest kneeling in the middle of the temple…
After a while, the priest opened his mouth, putting his hands together as if in prayer.
────.
A beautiful sound rang out, its gentleness spreading throughout the hall. Everyone closed their eyes to focus their attention on their ears.
The divine tone itself, unfortunately, did not last long. It just burned like a match and then faded away.
…
The sound that rang like a low tide was swept away by a high tide of silence.
Deculein then continued, "This inscription was a hymn to the gods."
It was magic that had already been lost and a fragment of the past known as the 'age of the gods.'
Some might mistake it for nothing but a hymn at first glance, but the archaeological value of its entirety was immense, and the ideas that came from that answer would lead to other magical inventions.
"The proof is over."
Deculein finished his theorem like that.
The auditorium was quiet, the feeling of runes lingering around every person like drizzle.
Judge Gindalf asked, "… That's impressive. But is this the end?"
"There is a paragraph at the end saying that other runes were interpreted and compiled into a summary."
Gindalf remained subtle, but Rose Rio decided to be upfront.
Deculein understood what she meant, but he shook his head.
"I will not reveal the interpretation paper."
"Hmm. Do you refuse to reveal the interpretation paper? Or is it that you don't have it?" Rose Rio asked.
Deculein looked at her sternly and pulled out the documents from his inner pocket.
"This is the interpretation paper of 48 runes. This is the only original in the world, and I made no copies of it."
Then the Grand Hall swelled with a small commotion.
Deculein looked into the interpretation paper and muttered softly.
"אתה ──לאכ──לם──"
The sound of runes echoed through the space around him. Most of his mana was consumed just by reciting three words, but it would be enough to prove its content.
"… I interpreted many runes that remain unknown to the magical world."
Deculein's words stopped abruptly, looking at the document he made. His expression seemed to wriggle with worry.
"Since they don't fit the topic and they can be misused if I were to reveal any more than this…"
In an instant, a fire broke out, its creator being Deculein, and transferred to the [Rune Interpretation Summary] held in his hand.
"I will destroy it here."
Flames engulfed the document, causing it to cry out with a strange sound. The runes written in it resonated with the magic.
Just like that, the research that Deculein had been working on for about three years turned into ashes swept away by the wind.
"Oh?"
The Grand Hall grew speechless. The surprised wizards' mouths sank more heavily than any commotion, but Deculein, after cleaning the mess he left behind, only said, "Now, let's start the Q&A."
No one asked questions.
* * *
[Player: Yulia]
– Level: [ 7 ]
– Mana: [ 4,507 ]
– Mana Rating: [Rank 4]
– Talent Type: [ Origin ]
– Attributes: [ 3 ]
– Personality: [ 7 ]
– Appearance: [ Blonde・Red Eyes ]
… Yulia was lying on an empty bed, contemplating her own identity.
Blue letters fluttered in the air, displaying information about her character, including her levels and attributes under the category called player.
It was a system that only Lia could see.
She didn't know why she came to this world.
She knew neither the process nor the culprit of this phenomenon. She didn't even know their ultimate motive. There was no way she would, considering this phenomenon itself was far beyond science.
As the lightning at night heated the entire company building, she closed her eyes once and then opened them.
She just became a player in the game.
It was something she had read in novels, but she didn't struggle like the main characters.
Lia was, by nature, very adaptable and talented, and her appearance was the same as the original Yulia, although she was a bit prettier. Hence, it wasn't difficult for her to adjust to her new life.
The problem was her age and starting point.
She began at the 'The Archipelago Sea,' which was far from the game's main quest.
At 14 years old, she was thirteen years younger than her actual age.
Fortunately, her body had grown rapidly, and her unique survivability and spirit of improvement allowed her to reach mana rating level 4, but…
"Reconciliation? Nonsense!"
Deculein.
She didn't know what kind of trickery it was, but the villain, whom she left alone since she couldn't react with her current body, reconciled with Julie!
She still couldn't believe it!
"…"
Lia bit her nails.
Julie and Deculein had an irreconcilable relationship. Although they were opposites, her final puzzle was him.
The game system itself was built that way.
The core of Julie's story, a Named character, was, in the end, Deculein.
She suffered endlessly from Deculein, overcame her scars, and bloomed desperately as a flower of eternal winter.
Hence, reconciliation could never happen.
No, it was only when she had a conflict with Deculein that Julie would be able to overcome her own injury…
"Man… It's chaos beyond chaos…"
Of course, Lia had some doubts.
Just as she became a player herself, wouldn't Deculein be a player as well?
According to the novels she read, people from reality often possessed villains.
"… No way."
That was nonsensical.
Deculein's actions, which Lia read in newspapers, were by no means at a level that the player could do. Deculein was too damn hard to play in the first place.
"Tsk."
But again, whenever she thought of Deculein, he reminded her of that guy.
Kim Woojin, his role model.
When she first heard that from the author, she was jealous, and there were many complaints about why they did it without Woojin's permission, but the Deculein she saw in the photo definitely resembled him.
Of course, only in appearance.
"… He must be fine."
Lia laughed lightly.
He was brittle, indecisive, and fragile, but that only showed how delicate and wounded he was.
Even though they broke up without being able to be together until the end, he remained by her side as her friend.
"At least… I wish you weren't here."
No matter how much she missed him, this world didn't suit him.
He was far too childish, so she thought she alone was enough for this kind of hardship.
"Even though I miss you sometimes…"
Lia looked out the window. Beyond that, the daily life of the Principality of Yuren was tumbling.
"Not bad."
Day by day, Kim Woojin aside, she was getting farther away from Deculein, but she had the characteristic of being an "adventurer."
──[Adventurer]──
◆ Rating: Unique
◆ Description:
— Gains the qualities of a natural adventurer.
— The more one wanders the continent, the higher their growth rate.
— One's mana and stamina increase according to the number of areas they have explored.
──────
Thanks to this, her growth was rather steep, and above all, the princess named Maho lurked in Yuren.
Her first goal was to get her quest from her.
"Sigh."
After brushing her thoughts away, Lia looked around her, then moved and pulled out the wooden barrel she had hidden under her desk.
'When you're sad, Look at the money box.'
Occasionally, she received pocket money from Ganesha or earned it by doing chores and errands secretly.
After she crossed over from the archipelago to the continent, she earned about 5,000 Elnes per month, but unfortunately, she couldn't collect all of them.
She sometimes lost her temper, wasting her Elnes on gummy candy and chocolate.
Her character's personality was so childish.
Regardless, although she had spent a lot of money, she had also saved quite a lot.
"Huhuhuhu…"
Lia took out the money box and looked at its contents.
Ten bundles of fifty ten Elne bills, a bundle of fifty 100 Elne bills, three silver coins, and five copper coins she found along the way.
A total of 10,035 Elnes.
10 million Korean Won.
"This is swelling up. Yes, yes. Yes."
First of all, after collecting 30,000 Elnes and investing in the redevelopment of Yuren, her savings would grow larger again through real estate and gambling…
Giggle—
Lia, who had been smiling slyly, suddenly looked innocent again, blinking emptily.
"… Should I buy some sweets? I think it'll be fine since I have a lot of money."
She blankly grabbed the three silver coins.
"Oh, no!"
But she immediately came to her senses and put it down.
That occurrence always surprised her. It might be perhaps because of her personality, but whenever she was just a bit negligent, she recklessly pulled out and wasted money.
'Gather money→ Watch it happily→ A little carelessness→ Hey, I have a lot of money→ Buying some sweets should be okay → I'll grab chocolate and ice cream since I'm already here…'
That was the flow of her thoughts.
That was especially the case with chocolate, a very expensive snack in this world.
Knock, knock—
She then heard sounds coming from outside her room. Lia immediately hid her money box.
The Red Garnett Adventure Team had a lot of debt, so if they found her stash, they'd act like a mother stealing her children's new year's allowance money while saying things like, 'I'll give it to you later, leave it to me~'
"Who is it?" Lia opened the door, speaking as brightly as possible.