Chapter 323
Chapter 323
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 323
Chapter Title: Lake Village (2)
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"Hmm... Has it been three days?"
In one room of Lake Village's most luxurious hotel, Rose spoke.
At her side were Grand Master Teodore of the School of Life, his grandson Carl, and Degize Durans, the dean of the Life Alchemy Department.
Among these four, the one who looked the youngest by far was undoubtedly Rose.
The other three had enjoyed a degree of youth through the School of Life's magic, but they still appeared much older compared to Rose, who looked to be in her early twenties.
In reality, it was the complete opposite.
Rose continued confidently.
"If I may humbly ask our Grand Master, how is the persuasion going?"
Teodore, who valued authority, frowned at the playful question that carried no hint of respect.
However, he couldn't say a word in response.
They were equal allies... or perhaps Teodore was slightly at a disadvantage.
He had attained everything a human could desire—knowledge, status, wealth, fame, power, influence—but the lifespan decreed by the gods was strangling him.
To escape this absolute death, he needed their help now.
The help of vile, filthy black mages.
"Oh my... Having been raised so preciously your whole life, you really can't manage your expressions. Well, I suppose everyone has always tiptoed around you just from a frown. How cute."
It was truly an unpleasant sight.
A young woman barely past twenty mocking a man who appeared middle-aged but was actually over eighty like a child.
Teodore, who had never faced such treatment in his life, trembled with rage, his lips twitching. Fortunately, his only family, Carl, intervened just before he erupted.
"Listen here. We are formal allies, and my grandfather is the leader. If you want to maintain this relationship, show some respect. One more breach, and I won't stand by idly."
Carl spoke with the same boldness and arrogance he showed in the Magic Tower.
An attitude possible only with both skill and backing.
However, unlike his outward demeanor, Teodore was tense inside.
He knew the young woman before him was actually a black mage who had lived for centuries.
A witch who extended her life by devouring people with demonic power and knowledge.
Of course, Rose was aware of this fact as well. She knew Carl feared her.
Unlike her brother, she focused on regular magic rather than black magic, but she was still a black mage.
Rose chuckled and stepped back.
"Sorry. I'm from a poor woodcutter's family, so I get this inferiority complex around rich folks. I can't help picking fights. I sincerely apologize."
Everyone present knew it wasn't sincere, but no one pressed the issue.
For something so trivial, the matter at hand was far more important.
Rose asked again.
"This time, I'll ask politely. Grand Master Teodore of the School of Life, how is the persuasion going?"
Teodore glared at Rose before opening his mouth.
"I've persuaded almost all those tainted by greed you mentioned."
With his answer, Teodore pulled out the guest list for this conference from his pocket and placed it on the table.
Several names were crossed out, as if completed.
"Hmm... The ones without lines are failures, then?"
"Not yet attempted. It's important, so I can't just probe randomly... I'll gather those I'm not confident about and persuade them all at once at the end."
It wasn't a bad idea, so Rose said nothing.
A careless leak would be troublesome, so securing those who could definitely be persuaded first to build an advantageous position was key.
"Hmm... Sounds like a good plan."
"And you? How's it going on your end?"
"Swimmingly. We started our careful work before you did... Right?"
Rose glanced back at Degize Durans, the dean of Life Alchemy standing behind her.
Officially, they were student and dean, but here, their positions were reversed.
"Yes... Master."
Satisfied with the response, Rose examined the list Teodore had pulled out.
"Hmm. Looks like quite a few need last-minute persuasion?"
"Don't worry. Only a few like Philip Lore and Tilda Iceeye need caution."
"Good, then. If we can't persuade them, we'll split as promised?"
"As promised. But you must hand over Kevin and his group to me alive, as agreed."
"Of course. Though... I'm curious why? With so many superior materials, why insist on that inferior redhead? Hiding something?"
"Nothing hidden. No interest in the boy himself. Just his master."
"Ah... Got it. Then let's move as planned tomorrow, Teodore."
"Looking forward to it, Gretel."
"This is the leyline?"
"Yes. It's a rush job, so not precise, but it should be roughly accurate."
It was the afternoon of the fourth day since the conference began.
While visiting the various conference halls and demonstration grounds set up around the village with Derek and Felix, Oliver showed Kevin the leyline map he'd drawn over three days.
Drawn arbitrarily on a pamphlet, but the clean lines made it easy to read.
According to the markings Oliver showed Kevin, the artificial leyline dug beneath the lake encircled the entire Lake Village.
"No matter how I look at it, this seems like a barrier."
"A barrier, sir?"
"You don't know?"
"No, I know the concept. A large-scale spell that envelops an entire area with magic using vast mana and magic circles for physical defense or illusions to cause confusion and block movement, right? I skimmed a book on it in the old man's study. Not in detail."
That's right. Oliver had once read about it in Merlin's study.
It required immense time, mana, and tricky conditions, and since it wasn't his field of interest, he'd only glanced at the concepts and types.
"This looks like one too. But mixed with multiple barriers."
"Can you mix barriers?"
"If you have the skill to handle it. But who could manage incantations this complex on this scale? Questionable."
In other words, extremely difficult—even by Kevin's standards, who boasted considerable skill among Magic Tower masters.
Kevin frowned, feeling uneasy.
It made sense: a tourist village, a small one declining for nearly fifty years, with such a barrier? Suspicious.
Maybe installed during its prosperous days, but still unsettling.
Even if dug during peak times, maintenance would be needed, but according to Oliver, that wasn't the case.
"The leylines are clear and flowing strongly."
At Oliver's words, Kevin narrowed his eyes and pondered deeply.
"Xenon."
"Yes, Professor."
"You said the hotel staff bothered you too?"
"Yes. Can't explain specifically. And the villagers have a similar vibe."
"Villagers too?"
"Yes, not all, but some. That same inexplicable unease as the hotel staff? Their emotions feel too... regular...? But the most concerning thing is separate."
"The most concerning?"
"Yes, I haven't found the right timing to mention it, but the professors from Roculi University—"
"—Professor. The wide-area binding magic demo is about to start. Aren't you coming?"
As Kevin and Oliver huddled, discussing the situation, Derek and Felix approached at just the right— or wrong—moment.
The interruption wasn't pleasant, but considering the schedule and upcoming free time, Kevin decided to postpone.
"Sorry. Got lost in thought."
Derek shook his head as if it was fine.
"No problem. I understand why, Professor. Compared to Dean Degize's appearance on day one, the conference itself has been dull."
Derek voiced his disappointment honestly.
And he wasn't alone. The conference guests, stunned by Degize's sudden youth at the first day's social, couldn't hide their letdown at the unexpectedly mundane schedule and content.
The initial excitement and tension faded, leaving most treating it more like a vacation than demonstrations.
The halls and demo grounds spread across the village only fueled this.
Some wanted to leave outright, but they stayed, enduring for the School of Life and Life Alchemy presentations starting properly tomorrow.
"Let's hold off on talk and catch the demo first."
Kevin said to Oliver, then blended into the crowd heading to the Roculi University Pure Mana Department's wide-area binding magic demo ground.
The site was a field on Lake Village's outskirts, already gathering a decent crowd.
No big shots like Philip Lore or Tilda Iceeye, but some notables dotted around.
"Quite a crowd."
Oliver remarked at the higher-than-expected numbers.
"Magic isn't just about raw firepower. There's demand for non-lethal spells too."
"Local colonial wars?"
"Exactly."
Kevin nodded approval, and Oliver nodded back, pleased to have learned correctly.
While fetching research materials for Kevin, Derek, and Felix as a professor's aide and brewing coffee, Oliver had picked up bits on military magic research.
Surprisingly, chosen nations like the Alliance Kingdoms restrained force in wars among themselves, despite stirring conflicts worldwide.
They used it when needed, but frequency and intensity were low.
Unlike colonies... Oliver still didn't grasp why.
'What's the difference in... Huh?'
As the presenting professor took the demo stage, Oliver noticed the previously still fog thickening again.
Not obvious to the naked eye, but clear to a black mage's sight piercing emotions, life force, and mana.
Definitely artificial, not natural.
Oliver cautiously called to Kevin.
"Professor..."
"I know."
Kevin replied lowly.
By now, the fog was thick enough to notice, but the lead professor on stage drew all eyes with a mana-infused voice.
The watching mages, true scholars, focused immediately.
The presenting professor snapped his fingers, using a pre-set device to project an image in the air.
The footage showed multiple mages cooperating to install the spell, then combat mages and soldiers above it being instantly bound when it activated.
A mix of snare traps and bear traps.
Someone raised a hand.
"Binding magic might catch a mage, but 'neutralize' seems overstated. Any specific evidence?"
Some showed interest at the convincing explanation.