Chapter 302
Chapter 302
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 302
Chapter Title: Return to the Magic Tower (3)
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Whoooosh!!
A blizzard raged atop a rocky mountain, where a grand mansion stood.
Inside, three men had just finished their meal.
Archive Merlin, Magic Tower Master and Professor Kevin, and Oliver.
Oliver wiped his mouth with a pristine white napkin and bowed to Merlin, who sat at the head of the table.
"Thank you for the wonderful meal, sir."
"Glad you enjoyed it... I noticed it at breakfast last time too, but you're quite the big eater."
Merlin pointed to the stack of plates piled like a small tower beside Oliver.
Those plates had once held thick steaks, but now they were all inside Oliver's stomach.
"The wooden golem servants took good care of us."
"I told them to keep serving until the guest was satisfied. Are you full?"
Oliver rolled his eyes thoughtfully for a moment before nodding.
"...Yes, I ate my fill."
"That's good to hear... What about you, Kevin?"
"I ate well too."
"Music to my ears. I was worried you'd turn down my invitation again. Getting old makes rejection scary."
"I had some time today... And I wanted to hear what this guy has to say."
Kevin nodded toward Oliver.
He was referring to Eve, and Merlin nodded in agreement.
"Me too. That's why I treated my disciple to a meal... Dave?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you really just ask a furious Eve to hold back a bit?"
"Yes... She listened surprisingly well."
Oliver recalled the moment as he answered.
Freed from the druids' bindings, Eve had glowed intensely, radiating fury and hatred.
You could feel it in your skin.
Whether it was Seamus's fault or the accumulated information, Oliver couldn't pinpoint the reason, but Eve looked ready to kill if given the chance.
Oliver watched silently before making his request.
"I asked her not to get too angry and to hold back a little."
"Why did you do that?"
At Merlin's question, Oliver tilted his head.
"Well... Isn't that what you do?"
It was such a natural response that Oliver said it like it was obvious.
How could he tell her not to hold back and just let loose?
Especially with a sentient World Tree like Eve—who knew what she might do?
"Ah... Sorry. It's obvious, but hearing it from you makes it... Yeah, you're right."
Merlin trailed off oddly. Oliver couldn't read his emotions, but the words seemed loaded with meaning.
Oliver tilted his head again.
"Sir, I'm not quite following. Are you joking?"
"Doubt it."
Kevin sipped his after-dinner coffee. He meant it.
Oliver was baffled by the reaction. What had he done to deserve this?
"Anyway, moving on... What happened after your request?"
"As I mentioned earlier, Eve calmed down. Well, less 'calmed' and more 'suppressed her anger'... She doesn't seem like a bad entity."
"And then?"
"I asked her to secure the ABC investment locations and data on Seamus, as promised. She found and stored it at an astonishing speed. Impressive enough to make you want to learn from her."
"Eve is essentially the World Tree itself, so that's expected."
"True. Still, seeing it in person was impressive."
"After that?"
"I told her again not to get too angry, then said it was time to go. She seemed eager to leave."
Oliver spoke as if sending off a drinking buddy from a bar.
Even knowing what Eve was from Merlin's book.
Such an attitude was utterly beyond common sense. Even Archive Merlin found it hard to grasp.
More analytical than angry, he asked,
"Hmm... Did you read the book I gave you? World Tree Evolution Theory?"
"Yes."
"And you still just let her go? Not blaming you."
"Yes, we had an agreement... And..."
"And?"
"...Even with her own will, forcing her to stay felt wrong, don't you think?"
A far too casual reason compared to Eve's value and danger.
Kevin, who had been listening quietly, pointed it out.
"Even so, you should've kept her bound. With Eve, World Tree studies could've revolutionized the field... Maybe even surpassed druids."
"Sorry. It crossed my mind right after releasing her, but it was too late."
"Couldn't you bind her again?"
Bind her again... Oliver pondered. Could he have?
Eve would resist, so it wouldn't be easy, but not impossible either.
Fifty-fifty odds?
The druids could've cast bindings simultaneously to subdue her.
After some thought, Oliver shook his head.
"Not sure. But breaking a promise feels wrong, doesn't it?"
"What if Eve can't hold back and goes on a rampage? She couldn't cause physical harm, but a World Tree could do far worse."
Kevin's words weren't exaggeration.
If Eve rampaged, the damage would be unpredictable.
Just leaking scandals and secrets from the World Tree could plunge the world into chaos.
There were plenty of people with dirty secrets.
"She won't. She agreed to hold back when I asked."
"What if she changes her mind?"
"...Then what can you do?"
Kevin was speechless.
He'd felt it before, but Oliver's emotional wiring was so different it gave him chills...
Merlin wrapped things up lightly.
"Spilled milk. No point arguing now. We're both Elemental School affiliates anyway—no real loss."
"True, but as a scholar, it's regrettable."
"That's life—things don't go as planned. Keeps it interesting... Dave?"
"Yes, sir."
"Don't want to meddle in a grown man's affairs, but stick to just mentioning you released Eve in your report."
"Pardon?"
"For the Moirae Faction report. Omit Eve's hatred for humans and your request to hold back."
"Ah, yes... May I ask why?"
"Nothing major. Telling the full truth might stir trouble. A long-lost Eve hating humans? Emergency for Moirae Faction."
Oliver nodded in understanding.
"Plus, they'd suspect you for releasing such an Eve and hound you. Merlin and I might get dragged in too. Moirae's info network is top-notch."
"Ah..."
"So just say you released her."
Oliver nodded without resistance.
"Yes, understood... Um, sir. May I ask something?"
"What?"
"Personal curiosity—why do you think Eve suddenly emerged?"
"It's in the book."
"I read it. Artificial consciousness from vast data accumulation manifesting will... But I don't get it. Does piling up data alone create mind and will?"
"Quantity becomes quality. Entirely possible."
"Then why now?"
Oliver's eyes gleamed with scholarly curiosity.
Merlin answered.
"Logical reason. This era uses World Trees more than any in history—thanks to mages. More users, more data. Not surprising it happened now. Maybe even natural."
Not fully satisfying, but Oliver couldn't argue.
World Tree usage had surged lately, accumulating data that birthed Eve. It made sense.
'...Still feels off somehow.'
As Oliver wrestled with lingering doubt—not serious, but unresolved—Merlin stood.
"Alright, we've eaten, chatted about what I wanted. Time to call it."
"Pardon?"
Oliver blinked at the abruptness.
"Why?"
"No... I still have more questions. Did you hear anything else?"
Merlin pondered briefly before speaking.
"Extracting nature's power and mixing emotions with mana?"
"Yes. My acquaintance said it's the first time seeing a black mage extract and use nature's power."
"First I've heard too, but not that strange."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Some call this humanity's golden age, peak of knowledge. But to me, it's an era of fools knowing less than they don't. A new black mage trait isn't odd. Fifty years ago, people didn't even know black swans existed."
Merlin's calm demeanor convinced Oliver immediately.
The world had much to teach; it rang true.
Forest had exaggerated to scare him anyway.
Then Kevin interjected.
"What about mixing mana and emotions?"
Merlin and Oliver turned to him. Kevin shrugged.
Composed on the surface, but burning with curiosity inside.
"First time for me. Mixing emotions and mana... Is that even possible?"
Oliver looked to Merlin, curious too.
It had happened by accident; he didn't know if it was intentional.
Like flying without knowing flight was a concept.
Merlin provided the answer.
"Mixing mana and emotions is an existing research field. Niche, though."
Both Kevin and Oliver perked up.
"Really?"
"Yes. A few mages interested in black magic and emotions—even some past Archives. Some tried fusing mana and emotions."
"News to me."
"Told you—niche. Somewhat taboo."
Oliver got it instantly.
Black magic had poor social perception; barriers to research were natural.
Plus, talents differed, demanding double the effort.
"Still, they researched it for a reason."
Oliver hit the mark.
Barriers existed, but researchers persisted for value.
Merlin didn't deny it.
"Past Archive studies say mixing boosts power several-fold. Danger too."
Oliver understood right away. He'd felt it with Greedy Fire, Heavy Thunder, Heavy Wind, Hunger.
"What's the reason? The principle behind the boost?"
"Dunno. Scattered personal research, not systematic. But there's a hypothesis."
"Hypothesis?"
"Yeah. Know the common thread between mana and emotions?"
Oliver tilted his head at the sudden question.
"No idea."
"They're both energies derived from the soul."