Knowledge
"I guess I don't have to keep this up anymore."
As Adel stepped into the space, a voice emerged from Avalin's mouth—no longer the deep, aged tone of an old man, but a slightly youthful yet low bass.
Click. He snapped his fingers, and mana flowed into his body, revealing an astonishing sight.
Hum. The old man's face gradually regained its youth, as if returning to the past, and even his once-lush white hair began to change color. The clothes he wore transformed into a white uniform, and golden hair as bright as the sun cascaded over his shoulders, making the pure white robe embroidered with golden threads even more splendid.
"Finally, I can breathe easy."
His transformed appearance reminded anyone who saw him of a dignified mage. Thud. Avalin slumped down in front of the door. Not a speck of dust clung to his uniform or robe.
"Haa. Acting was killing me."
For three months, he had maintained Polymorph while pretending to be an examiner, all to find the person the Sage had mentioned. Since the old man didn't match his actual age, forcing the act had drained him completely.
Now I can relax.
Polymorph was high-level magic that only mages above a certain level could use. Even as the Vice Tower Master of the Magic Tower, maintaining Polymorph for over eight hours a day for three months was bound to be exhausting.
He looked toward the door Adel had entered.
Interesting.
Though he had played the role of an old man, he hadn't lied about his name. It was quite a novel experience that Adel hadn't realized he was the Vice Tower Master even after hearing the name Avalin.
Anyway, it must be Adel, right?
When the Sage had described the person in detail, it was someone with long black-and-red hair, wearing black robes, who used flames and possessed knowledge of science. Most of it matched, but he hadn't brought Adel here from the start because there was a chance it wasn't him. Still, since Adel also knew about science, it was probably correct.
Should I follow the Sage's words?
The Sage had given several instructions along with the arrangement. One of them was to publicly disclose all the Magic Tower's research results on science to the world.
The Magic Tower had a history of at least three hundred years, similar to the Jakshin Cult. The research accumulated over those years would revolutionize the current magic system and daily life. The reason they hadn't announced it until now was because the details about the Jakshin Cult hadn't been fully revealed, and only high-ranking executives knew about science—there might have been Jakshin Cult spies or priests among them. They couldn't let the Magic Tower's research fall into the Jakshin Cult's hands.
In the current situation, where they didn't know how much scientific research the Jakshin Cult had conducted, he wondered if it was right to disclose everything first.
I think it's better to trust him, though……
The Sage was someone who could see the future. Even if there were other negative factors, he must be telling them to disclose it because the outcome would be positive. It seemed he would have to ask the Tower Master.
……I should've just listened to Lady Elena.
A year ago, Elena had come to the Magic Tower and asked him to become a magic instructor at the Academy. At the time, he thought it would be better to focus on research at the Magic Tower, but now he realized that if he had known he'd be working this hard and worrying this much, he should've just taken the instructor position. After all, research could be done anywhere.
He considered asking Elena now, but Avalin had already become the Vice Tower Master.
……How lamentable.
Avalin ran his hand along the surface of the door.
What could be inside?
Even Avalin, the Vice Tower Master, and the Tower Master had never entered this space. According to the Sage, no one except the chosen one could enter anyway. In fact, this was only his second time coming here, aside from when he was first given the coordinates.
Well, it should be helpful.
Hum. Not knowing when Adel would come out, Avalin raised his mana again to resume his act, transforming back into the old man's appearance even though it was no longer necessary.
***
Step. I was walking through a pitch-black space where nothing could be seen.
Flash! Just as I started to feel a creeping sense of dread, light filled the space, illuminating the darkness brightly.
A door?
The revealed space was dyed pure white, but dozens of black doors marked with numbers made the space recognizable. As I wondered what was going on—
Hum.
—Greetings.
"……!"
Along with the vibration of mana, an alien voice echoed in my head.
Telepathy……?
It was the same method Cain had used on me before. As I looked around to see if anyone was there, the voice came again.
—Unfortunately, these are merely words I have stored. Naturally, a conversation isn't possible.
I stopped turning my head and stood still. I thought this voice would give me the answers.
—Let me introduce myself first. Though it may be presumptuous, I am the one known in the world as the Sage.
"……."
It was only natural that the Sage's voice would come from a space created by the Sage.
—You must have many questions. If you enter one of the doors, your doubts will be resolved to some extent. Go ahead and enter. You will hear my voice again then.
Thud. The vibration stopped, and the voice disappeared.
Enter one of the doors?
Which door should I go through?
Whirr. A faint vibration rang out, and a strange pattern was engraved beneath my feet. Upon closer inspection, it looked like some kind of text. I stared at it intently.
"Door 1: Family, Door 2: Magic Tower, Door 3: Heroes……?"
After that, words related to Door 4, Door 5, and Door 6 were written.
What is this?
It seemed I would only know after entering the doors. Step. Since there was no other way to find out, and the Sage had told me to enter, I moved my feet and approached the door marked with 1.
"Hoo."
Just in case, I steadied my mind and opened the door, stepping inside.
Thud. At that moment, my consciousness plunged into darkness.
"……."
After some time had passed and I woke up, I realized it. This space was a vault of knowledge and opportunity that the Sage had prepared for me.
***
"This is insane."
Having emerged from the first door, I was feeling a thrill I had never experienced before.
It's crazy.
Inside was a vault of knowledge. Simply by entering, I could learn all the information related to the word written on the door. From information that would normally take at least a day of searching to details that even high-ranking executives wouldn't know—everything was now in my head upon waking.
What kind of insane information will be in the next door?
With anticipation, I returned to the center.
Thud.
"……."
I waited again for the Sage's voice, which he had said would come.
A moment later.
Hum. Mana vibrated.
—This space is a vault of knowledge prepared for you. It contains several pieces of information you need to know, as well as general knowledge that everyone is aware of.
"Information I need to know?"
—As you now understand, things like the corruption within your family that you must deal with, the secrets of the heroes, and information about the demons that you absolutely must know.
"……."
Contrary to what he had said about not being able to converse, it somehow felt like a conversation was happening.
……I have to handle those things?
Was there really a reason I had to? Wouldn't someone stronger and smarter than me be better suited for it? Among them were large-scale terrorist acts that couldn't be stopped alone. It was natural for such questions to arise.
"Is there a reason I have to handle them?"
—I trust you.
"……."
It was an ambiguous statement that seemed like a conversation yet also like he was answering a different question. The Sage continued.
—Time does not flow in this place. Take your time entering and exiting all the doors. I will give you my final words then.
Thud. The voice cut off, as if he had finished speaking.
"……."
I still had questions.
……He says I have to do it.
He hadn't explained in detail. I had to do things that others could do. A great person trusted me. It felt familiar, like……
Like the protagonist……
What did the Sage know, and how had he prepared this place and this knowledge?
Did he see something about me?
What would my future self do? Or was I just being overly self-conscious, and it didn't matter if it wasn't me?
I want to meet him.
Unless I met the Sage, these questions wouldn't be properly resolved.
For now, let's enter the other doors.
He had said that if I entered and exited all the doors, he would come again. I just had to do what I needed to do.
Step. I moved my feet toward the second door.
Creak. Once again, I lost consciousness and woke up.
Demonic Humans……?
Sometimes, information about strange factions came in.
……There's a place like this in the Demon Realm?
There were also hidden secret locations.
I'll have to visit someday.
At times, information about reclusive masters came in. This process repeated continuously.
· · ·
Step. In front of the eighteenth door.
Demons, huh.
If I entered this door, I would learn more detailed information about the demons. I believed the knowledge I needed to know was inside this room.
Creak. I opened the door and entered, losing consciousness as usual.
"……."
When I came to my senses, my mouth fell open on its own.
Five of the Seven Evils have been extinguished?
It was the most shocking piece of information I had obtained so far.