Chapter 172
Chapter 172
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: The Use of a Treacherous Subject
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Meme~?"
"Huh? How do I know an alchemist? What's wrong with me? And we're not even dating yet."
"Mee mee~"
"Yes, yes, I understand. Here you go. This is the magic tome we got thanks to this gentleman."
After a bizarre conversation that defied comprehension, Selina pulled a magic tome from her bosom and handed it to Professor Gemini.
Professor Gemini, who received it with his hoof(?), began flipping through the book with shining eyes.
Beonald smiled knowingly, thinking it was only natural he'd be pleased—it was a genuine book from the golden age of the Magic Tower 500 years ago.
"Mee mee!"
"Huh? Where did I get it? This gentleman got it. He's an alchemist, a magic scholar, and a dungeon explorer. Don't think I brought him here for no reason."
"Mee! Meeeeeh?"
'...What is he saying?'
Overjoyed, the goat professor approached Beonald, grabbed his shoulders, and excitedly chattered away, but Beonald couldn't understand a word.
He turned to Selina for help, but she just tilted her head, seemingly unaware of the problem.
Beonald, finding it absurd, decided to be direct about the goat professor.
"...Excuse me, but I can't understand a single thing this person is saying."
"Meh-it! Meeeh-it! Meh... Ahem! Ah, right. I forgot. Ordinary people wouldn't know our school's unique communication method."
"You spoke?"
"My apologies. Meheheheh! Anyway, let me reintroduce myself. I am Gemini Cotrain, a first-class mage and head of the Elemental School here at the 'Tower of Truth.' Meheheheh."
Though the voice was a bizarre mix with goat-like bleats, Beonald was grateful just to hear intelligible words.
After reintroductions and a handshake, the professor showed Beonald the magic tome he'd just received and began asking proper questions.
"Then let's return to our conversation. Beo... nald, was it? Where and how did you obtain this book?"
"From an ancient ruin. Didn't I say I'm a dungeon explorer?"
"Meheheh, are you mocking me? Though I'm a mere 155 years old, I majored in classical literature and ancient text deciphering as a hobby. Meheheh. I can perfectly see the owner and contents of these books."
For Beonald, who studied to survive, the idea of studying as a hobby was mind-boggling. However, he understood that to become a professor among mages, one had to be this obsessed with learning, so he wasn't overly surprised. Instead, he smiled warmly.
"In that case, I'm all the more glad to be speaking with someone who understands."
"Meheheheh, I'm pleased to hear that too. Selina, you know the restaurant we always go to, right? Make a reservation and tell them a precious guest has arrived."
"Huh? Oh, yes!"
After sending Selina on the errand, Professor Gemini waved his hoof(?) in the air to close the door and cast a barrier. A chair floated into place behind Beonald, and then the professor tapped his hoof twice. A table appeared before them, automatically setting tea and snacks, boiling water, and brewing tea before placing it before Beonald.
"Meme~ Shall we talk comfortably now? Mr. Beonald, or should I call you Duke Neumel?"
"Just call me Mr. Beonald normally. Should I thank you for recognizing me? Or should I ask why you aren't suspicious?"
"Mee, this book has a production date of 500 years ago and bears the Neumel family seal. Moreover, the engraved 'spellcraft' method is identical to the Neumel family's, confirming it's genuine."
"Even if the item is genuine, how can you be sure I'm the same person as the past Duke Neumel? I could have brought it from a ruin, and the name could just be a coincidence."
"Meheheheh, the name might be a coincidence, and claiming it's from a ruin might fool my mediocre students or other ordinary humans. But as someone who has personally raided the 'Den of Venom,' I know full well that even a prodigy in his early twenties couldn't solo-break through a Neumel family ruin."
"I see. You've been to the 'Den of Venom'?"
"Yes. A very... dreadful place it was."
"Well, there's a reason it's dreadful."
The 'Den of Venom' was the location among Beonald's legacies that held the most dreadful items. It contained various poisons and mass-destruction magical tools prepared for emergencies.
Most could slaughter a minimum of thousands to tens of thousands if used. The reason for creating them was... naturally, to use them.
'Of all places, he had to go there.'
To cultivate a garden, sometimes one must cruelly apply pesticides. They were for use when compromise was impossible, when the other party refused to submit or show humility, or when showing mercy would make one appear weak.
He had actually used them a few times. Each time was a considerable burden, but afterward, Beonald's power became more solid.
And naturally, as a place containing such weapons, its traps and security level were far superior to other dens.
"Meheheheh, you know there's something dreadful there. I see you have no intention of denying it?"
"I judged it'd be easier if you understood. Frankly, I didn't speak up before because no one would believe me. Even now, my reputation has spread in a negative light."
"Meheheheh, ordinary people try to understand phenomena as they are. One should research why something happened. I am very pleased. Meheheh!"
Mages often encountered bizarre phenomena from the start. Even when faced with mysterious occurrences, they didn't fear or hastily judge them but sought to explore and recreate the phenomena themselves. That's why they could accept Beonald like this.
As proof, Professor Gemini clapped his hooves excitedly, his eyes filled with curiosity about Beonald's existence.
"Mehehe~ So, what is the reason for your revived appearance here?"
"I thought you'd ask about the revival method first... Unexpected."
"Meheheheh, that's something I'll research directly now. Besides, you wouldn't tell me anyway, would you? Duke Neumel. Meheheheh, the Necromancy or Black Magic schools would go wild if they knew. Meheheheh."
A dead person returning to life like this, retaining memories—they wouldn't just stand by and watch.
Of course, Beonald had no intention of revealing himself to them, so he calmly continued his story.
"Anyway, let's get to the point... I came to trace Darken Daina's footsteps. To check if forbidden research is still ongoing and, if so, how far it has progressed."
"The Mage King Darken Daina died long ago, but... *Ahem*... Well, the Daina family could continue the research. But how dangerous is that research?"
"Frankly, the damage from trial and error is significant, and the cost is no small matter... I halted it because there was no practical feasibility, to prevent collateral damage. But seeing this country changed my mind. Moreover, I heard that old man... lived quite a long time after my death."
If so, the probability that the forbidden research had progressed considerably was high. If that was the reason for the Goddess's concern, then all the pieces fit together in Beonald's mind.
If that world-endangering forbidden research was completed, the slaughterfest Lala was causing below would be nothing but a minor incident.
"So, if that research is nearing completion, I believe I must stop it."
"*Ahem*... But this 'Tower of Truth' guarantees freedom for all magic-related research. To intervene, you need at least evidence that it infringes upon other research, Duke Neumel."
"Evidence. That's the hardest part. At minimum, I'd need to conduct experiments at the same level to prove it... That's impossible."
"Mehehe, indeed."
"But if that research is completed, only the 'Daina family' will monopolize the legacy of magic and mana. Can you tolerate that?"
Clatter!
Shocked by Beonald's words, Professor Gemini dropped the teacup he was drinking from.
Though not easily visible due to his covering of black fur, he was sweating coldly and asked Beonald for details.
"Meh-it? What do you mean by that......?"
"Exactly as I said. Divine Magic. Literally, magic that reaches the realm of the gods, magic that touches the rules. As you know, 'magic' is the method of utilizing mana existing in the world to realize various effects and changes. Then Divine Magic, aiming one level above that, isn't about creating simple changes but about touching the world's rules..."
"Meh-it, so that means... for example, it could make tea flowing from top to bottom here flow in reverse."
"Correct. Ordinary mages can borrow mana's power to temporarily reverse this flow but cannot permanently fix that rule. But Darken Daina tried to do that. If he said, 'From today, rivers flow from bottom to top,' then all rivers in this world would flow in reverse—meaning... the rule itself changes. If that happens, all other magic loses its reason for existence."
"Meh-sit... This is something we cannot just stand by and watch."
"...Of course, this is merely Darken Daina's goal, so it's unclear if he completed Divine Magic. I'm trying to find out now."
"Meeeuuum......"
Professor Gemini began to agonize with a completely different expression from before.
If Beonald's words were true, the Daina family's research was a critical matter that required immediate intervention by all faculty professors and archmages.
Of course, credibility and evidence needed verification, but the fact that Beonald von Neumel said this confused Professor Gemini's mind.
"But if we investigate without reason, that itself would be research infringement, and we could be counterattacked."
"That's why I came to investigate. Once I find evidence or trends, you can move then. So please prepare to contact other faculty professors and mages when the time comes."
"Meehee-it... Understood."
"Also, for safety's sake, I'd like you to keep Selina here. She's a collaborator, but this is too dangerous. So just inform me about the Daina family's labs, residences, and known matters."
"Mehehehe, understood."
Not only was he unafraid of the danger, but he also showed consideration for his disciple. Professor Gemini couldn't ask for more, so he immediately agreed and readily provided Beonald with all the information he had about the Daina family.
He even prepared a mark identifying Beonald as an errand-runner for the Elemental School professor, allowing him to pass anywhere in the 'Tower of Truth' without hindrance.
"Carry this, and you won't be ignored or treated as an experimental animal anywhere in this Tower of Truth. Mehehet."
"Good, thank you. Then I'll start work immediately. Please take good care of Selina."
"Mehehe, I pray for your safe return. And I gratefully accept the magic tome."
"I'll reward you handsomely when I return, so look forward to it."
Beonald left Professor Gemini's lab alone, without taking Selina, and headed straight for the Daina family mansion.
Strike while the iron is hot. The faster he moved, the less likely his identity or other matters would be exposed. He planned to throw out an appropriate bait and shake up the Daina family.