Chapter 319
Chapter 319
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 319
Chapter Title: Arrival (1)
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Randa's summer was beautiful.
That made sense, because everything else about it wasn't.
It was the most prosperous, glamorous, and advanced city in the world, yet its weather was utterly depressing.
No wonder there was even a theory that the high suicide rate in Randa was due to the weather.
Summer was the sole exception.
Strangely enough, even perpetually overcast Randa was always clear and pleasantly warm during summer.
The increase in people strolling through the parks was proof enough.
Of course, come nightfall, it grew cold enough to kill again, but that had nothing to do with Theodore.
As the Grand Master of the School of Life, cold meant nothing to him. Yeah, cold and all that.
"Warm... Cozy, even."
A voice echoed from the bedroom of Theodore Brandt, Grand Master and head of the School of Life.
A space where he was clearly alone.
Yet he wasn't startled. He knew who the voice belonged to.
"You still love popping up out of nowhere, huh. Merlin."
Theodore craned his neck from his chair to eye his lifelong friend, who had appeared via magic.
"Bear with me. You know I like dropping in unannounced... And you sent an invitation to my disciple and me out of the blue too."
Merlin placed the invitation he held onto the table.
It was an invite to the conference jointly hosted by the School of Life and the Department of Life Alchemy.
Theodore glanced at it and rose from his seat.
Surprisingly, the man who stood from that massive chair looked far too young to be an 80-year-old.
Just by the eye, he seemed late 30s, maybe early 40s?
And his appearance was striking enough to draw anyone's gaze.
At least by the standards of current society.
His golden hair gleamed artificially, like something out of a grandson's dye job; his kind eyes sparkled; his white skin was flawless; his physique was toned with muscle; his legs were long and straight; his posture ramrod straight; and his eyes didn't even need glasses. Theodore was, objectively, beautiful.
As if sculpted on purpose.
It was easy to see why tycoons like those in Randa poured fortunes into the School of Life.
By contrast, Merlin, facing Theodore, looked utterly shabby.
His face was wrinkled with age, cheeks sunken, scalp bald as an egg at the crown, fringe hair grown long. There wasn't a single redeeming feature, no matter how you looked.
The ancient coat he wore only amplified the wretched vibe.
Strangers might be shocked to learn these two were friends. Lifelong friends who acknowledged each other as such.
"Was it rude to invite a friend to show off my research?"
"...Don't you remember me washing my hands of that line of research?"
It was true. Merlin, who had delved so deep into eugenics that even Theodore was awed, conducting countless legal and illegal human experiments, had suddenly dropped it one day.
Right after officially becoming an Archive ahead of Theodore.
It still rankled Theodore.
"People change their minds. It's been years."
"...That's not changing; that's backsliding. Anyway, I politely decline."
"That's a shame. I hinted you might show, and now the invitees will be disappointed."
"Sorry about that."
"Planning to stop your disciple too? That... Kevin kid?"
"Yeah. Asked him, and he wants to go. Can't pass up the opportunity."
"Smart kid. For an inferior breed. Don't hold him back forcibly. You're retired from the Magic Tower anyway."
"No plans to. ...Is this conference your last hurrah?"
"Last hurrah? What are you talking about! I'll work till I drop. Just groundwork for my next phase. As always."
Classic Theodore. He never knew how to rest.
That's how he'd amassed such renowned knowledge, even earning Merlin's respect.
Still, it worried Merlin too.
A car that never stops is bound to crash. That's the law of the world.
Merlin wanted to stop his friend, but he couldn't in his current state. That was the tragedy.
"What about you? Taking a break?"
"What? I'm retired."
"Oh, right. Forgot. Heard you went to the Sleeping Forest and met the princess."
"...You had me tailed?"
"Ha! No way. As if I'd dare tail an Archive. I even looked the other way on that black mage who broke into my lab after years away, at your request."
Theodore mocked openly. Childish for men in their twilight years, but proof of their long friendship.
"I'll apologize for that."
"It's fine. You had reasons. The Sleeping Forest thing too... For the record, no tails. You know I have plenty of whispering friends."
Merlin fell silent.
The School of Life had wide reach, and he didn't want to press his friend further.
Besides, the clock had already started ticking. No room for rash interference.
He could only react to the flow as it came.
Merlin mulled his powerlessness and stood.
"Leaving already?"
"Got research to do."
"You?"
"Yeah. For real. I've... got a lot to learn too. So don't get too obsessed. We can't awaken the whole world."
Theodore said nothing.
What could he say to a being several moves ahead—maybe more?
Just smile and shut up.
"Safe travels."
"I'll drop by later... For drinks, no agenda."
Merlin bid farewell and left. Seeing him off, Theodore muttered low.
"Damn bastard..."
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
Oliver stepped onto the deck and listened to the relentless crash of waves.
Then he surveyed the vast blue sea and the sky even bluer beyond.
It was quite the novel experience. Sailing out to sea like this.
He wasn't one to get cocky, but he'd assumed Randa, the world's grandest city, had exhausted all landscapes worth marveling at. Apparently a delightful miscalculation.
Seeing the ocean he'd only glimpsed from afar up close like this was refreshingly wondrous.
The icy lands were the same. Natural spectacles unlike man-made structures.
He didn't yet know what the conference held, but this alone made it worthwhile.
"First time on a ship?"
Kevin asked as he came up to the deck.
The redhead's appearance on the first-class deck drew glances from the well-dressed passengers.
Like water droplets on an oil drum.
Mages recognized Kevin and ignored him, but regular folk kept staring, as if at some exotic beast.
"Yes, first time sailing."
"Surprising."
"Never had the chance... Have you sailed much, Professor?"
"Not by choice, but yeah, a bit. Had to travel during my army mage days... We'll hit Halfway soon."
Halfway.
A region across the Celland Sea on the continent.
Midway between Galos and the central continent. Site of this conference.
Geographically neutral, less interference from either side, relatively secure.
"Too bad. Wanted to sail more."
"Easy to say in first class. Not so for third-class folks."
The third-class students were those sponsored by Edith to attend.
About ten of them. More had wanted to come, but Edith refused to fund "fools" out of pocket, selecting only the worthiest idiots via one-on-one interviews.
For the record, she'd met Kevin during the process for a deep chat.
'Idiots?'
'If you want to go somewhere but can't without money, aren't you an idiot? Might as well rob for it.'
Oliver had watched silently.
He'd done his part, and Edith had a point...
Anyway, her sponsored students were down in third class.
"We really don't need to escort those who followed us?"
"Nah. I'm a professor, not a babysitter. Plenty of other students too—the Tower admins will handle them. They hate profs slacking on research for this."
Oh, pretty good. Everyone focuses on their own work.
"Feels just like when I first left the mines."
"Huh?"
"First ship, first trip abroad... Reminds me of leaving the mines with Master for the first time."
"Good times?"
"Yeah, fine. The innkeeper and staff tried to kill Master and me, but overall good. First time out in the world."
Kevin stared wordlessly. Every question got an insane answer... Or maybe it was a good thing.
"Not bad."
"Pardon?"
"Our destination isn't all safe either. Near Galos, but close to central continent too. So no slacking like your first mine trip."
"Got it... Why hold the conference there, though?"
Oliver asked out of genuine curiosity.
Seemed common sense to pick somewhere safe.
Kevin explained.
"Safest spots are under national admin, and those mean heavy interference. Tower's a partial exception, but not fully... Anyway, they risk danger in remote spots to dodge oversight. Common practice. Like Mountain Face."
"Ah..."
"Conferences also draw big shots networking and dealing. Prefer no surveillance over safety."
"I see."
"So stay sharp. Not just Tower and Rokuri University—central continent mage families too. One slip, and headaches galore."
Oliver nodded, and the docks came into view.
They'd arrived at Halfway.
Neigh...!
As they disembarked, grabbed their luggage, and headed for the reserved carriage to the conference site, a snag arose.
The horses, waiting patiently for their booked passengers, suddenly panicked and bolted out of control. Unworkably so.
Sea-weary passengers grew irritated and exhausted amid the chaos, drivers looking equally stumped.
If just one or two, fine—but every horse going mad? Ghostly.
The docks turned to pandemonium.
No one knew why... Correction. One person did.
"Uh... Any cars around?"
Oliver asked Felix amid the crowd.
Felix looked troubled.
"Probably not. Might find one, but it'd be a hassle. Cars aren't common here. Carriages rule."
"Figures for a backwater."
Derek grumbled irritably.
Oliver eyed the drivers again. Over a hundred horses still rearing, no calming in sight.
He weaved through the throng and whispered to Kevin.
"Professor."
"What? Not urgent, save it."
"Seems kinda important."
Kevin eyed him questioningly.
"What?"
"If it's okay... Can I run ahead alone?"
"You know the conference spot?"
"Read the pamphlet beforehand, checked latest map. I can make it."
"Distance check?"
"Did. Takes time, but we'll be stuck otherwise."
"...? What're you on about?"
"Animals hate me."
Outlandish, but Kevin's face lit up with 'Ah!'
He'd seen his summoned spirit flee Oliver before.
Embarrassed he hadn't clocked it sooner.
"...Why?"
"Dunno. Always been... My scent, maybe."
"So you'll go solo?"
"Why solo?"
A lively voice cut in mid-chat.
Turning, they saw a man: Terence of the Roer family, who'd covered for Oliver during his vacation.
He waved cheerfully.
"Hey."