Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Became the Greatest Genius in History
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The Magic Artifact Hall was in the midst of a bustling exhibition.
"The Storm School has always focused on researching spells. The spell we're presenting to you today is the pinnacle of our school's mages' efforts over the years—undoubtedly the most powerful one, far more efficient than others…."
Babel was a grand event.
Since it was hosted by the Magic Tower, they didn't scrutinize visitors' statuses too closely. Any kingdom citizen could enter with just the admission fee, without much burden.
The hall was packed.
From commoners to academy students, wandering mages, magic practitioners, Magic Tower mages, nobles, and all sorts in between wandered around, taking in the sights.
Among them were local lords, heads of major merchant guilds, and high-ranking kingdom officials, making it easy to see just how much influence the Babel event wielded.
What the visitors had in common was a greater interest in magic than most.
Otherwise, busy folks living their daily lives wouldn't spend precious time coming to see Babel.
"Our Shadow School, for the betterment of people's lives…."
"The magic artifact just completed by the Winter School is revolutionary, no exaggeration…."
People watched the shows from various schools, who were diligently displaying and demonstrating their works in each section.
"Wow, that's incredible. With a magic artifact that can chill things so quickly, I could give my lady cool water anytime, anywhere…."
"Rang, no time. Hurry up."
Etilla urged her entranced maid, who was glued to the Winter School's magic artifact, to come along.
"Ah, I wanted to look a bit longer."
"You'll see stuff way more amazing than that on the third floor, so don't be too bummed."
"Got it."
Etilla looked utterly drained.
Just moments ago, she'd been cornered by crowds of people, forced into long conversations.
—Miss Etilla's magical talent seems to mature like fine wine over time. To think she'd solve the Millennium Problem!
—Are you considering marriage by any chance? My son just turned twenty this year—handsome and sharp as a tack.
Ever since inventing Cross Blend and solving the Millennium Problem, Etilla had become the shining star of the magic world.
Just like Ester in the old days.
Wherever she went, people pretended to know her, and like most mages, being introverted, she found the situation exhausting.
Having tasted the woes of fame, Etilla had no desire to linger in crowds.
"Oh, long time no see. We met at the conference before—remember me?"
"Miss Etilla, care to chat with me for a moment…."
Otherwise, she'd keep getting swarmed, her time and energy drained away.
"I'm a bit busy right now."
Etilla gently brushed off the approaching people and hurried along with Rang.
Their destination was the third floor, where the special exhibition was about to begin.
Unlike the general exhibition, the special one was invite-only.
'For VIPs and the press, to preview without any mix-ups, I think….'
The general exhibition was mostly for fringe schools.
If they shared the stage and time with mainstream schools, no one would bother looking at fringe works.
So, mainstream schools' entries were previewed to VIPs in the special exhibition first, then opened to the general public after a gap—a considerate touch from the organizers.
She'd heard Ester's Metal School was participating in this special exhibition too.
That was highly unusual.
No fringe school had ever joined a special exhibition since Babel's inception.
The gap in name value and influence between mainstream and fringe schools was like night and day.
But.
'Ester Tristy, after all.'
The moment she heard the name, Etilla understood.
A genius was about to pull off something big again.
'But why pick the Metal School? I thought it was a ghost school with no one left.'
As she climbed the stairs, pondering Ester's moves.
"Meeting the young master at the academy was a stroke of luck, in a way."
Etilla tilted her head at the sudden comment.
"Huh? Why bring that up out of nowhere?"
When she asked the reason, Rang smiled and replied.
"Because I think Young Master Ester was good motivation. Without that encounter, would you have pushed yourself this hard to grow? Hehe, back then you were crying and carrying on like crazy…."
"……."
Etilla's face flushed red in an instant.
It was the one black mark on her life.
Seeing Etilla's eyes well up with embarrassment, Rang panicked.
"We agreed not to talk about that…."
"Oh dear, my mistake. I'm truly sorry…."
Rang soothed Etilla, just like in the old days.
"I'll make a ton of your favorite cake when we get back, okay? Cheer up."
"This is the last time…."
Once Etilla calmed at the mention of cake, Rang sighed in relief.
And so, the two reached the third floor.
"Our seats… over there."
"They all look like big shots. Lots of reporters too—I'm getting super nervous."
The general and special exhibitions felt worlds apart.
There was a stage and podium, proceeding sequentially like an academic conference.
The quality of entries was so superior to fringe school works that comparing them would be rude.
Truly, Babel's main event.
Etilla took her seat.
And looked ahead.
A short while later.
Aria, once a professor at Tristy Academy and Etilla's mentor, stepped onto the stage.
'She's back at the Red Magic Tower….'
Etilla focused on her joyful face and began listening intently.
"I'm Aria, a mage of the Flame School, hosting this special exhibition. Thank you all for taking the time to attend Babel."
Aria smoothly wrapped up the formalities and announced the start of the special exhibition.
As the host stepped back.
Flame School mages naturally followed, wheeling in their Babel entry: a magic artifact.
"The Red Magic Tower has developed a new weapon by adapting the Hell Tank's alpha and omega—the Hellfire Main Cannon—combined with Cross Blend. It's a mobile cannon with about 1.5 times the output of the Hell Tank's."
The Flame School claimed deploying it alongside Hell Tanks on the eastern front would bring meaningful changes, then unveiled the cloth.
Gasps rippled through as the weapon was revealed.
Confirming the audience's positive reaction, they projected test footage on the screen set up behind the stage.
"What tremendous power. I wouldn't mind owning one."
"I'd buy one myself. It'd be a huge help defending my territory."
"Isn't that the projector they use at the Veliscaire Grand Theater for movies…?"
Unlike the awestruck crowd, Etilla's expression remained impassive.
Even the Flame School's devastating new weapon.
Or the Life School's chimera, soon to be introduced, capable of handling grueling labor in place of humans with enough energy.
Not even the Celestial School's new spell, maximizing mana purity, sparked her interest.
She wasn't belittling the mainstream schools' works.
They were impressive achievements with real impact on the kingdom.
Etilla, with her exceptional talent as a mage, knew that full well.
'But what will he bring?'
Right now, her sole focus was Ester.
The special exhibition allowed only about 20 minutes to explain entries to the audience.
School mages rattled off their works' advantages quickly before switching with the next.
How much time passed like that.
Just as boredom crept over faces, including Etilla's.
Click-clack.
Heels echoed sharply.
The presenter this time ascended the stage with an expressionless maid carrying a backpack.
Ester, once just a boy, was now a young man, far more masculine, his striking features even more refined.
The audience's gazes were stolen by the youth, beautiful as a statue.
Not just for his looks, surely.
The man on stage was the kingdom's hottest topic.
"Today is the day I've been counting down to for the past year and a half."
Unlike other mages, Ester skipped introductions.
Having tossed out the hook and drawn all eyes, he signaled from the stage.
The Imagine Projector activated, playing footage.
While other schools showed mere test clips.
Ester was entirely different.
"Today, groundbreaking and innovative inventions have changed our lives. And the Metal School product I'll introduce will do the same."
【Artificial Mithril】
Huge letters and an image of the metal filled the screen, holding the room in silence.
With the visuals firmly imprinted, Ester spoke.
"I will now explain artificial mithril and mass production of magic artifacts using it."
Boredom vanished in an instant.
Even the presentation itself, in the voice of that extraordinary genius, had everyone swallowing hard.
"……."
Etilla blinked.
Was he born with that creativity, or had he earned it through effort like her?
For now, she had no idea.