Chapter 135
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Chapter 135
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Archmage Duke's Purpose
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Feed me, nya!
(Rough summary of the goals I heard from Duchess Nuna about what the Archmage Dukes are after)
...So that's supposedly the Archmage Dukes' goal. What do you guys think?
There's some subtle stuff that doesn't line up with what the chairman said,
and it just gives me this weird sense of unease, y'know?
One thing's for sure—that magic level is pathetic.
Duchess Nuna... I'm disappointed...
But I still like her! Go ahead and yas her!
Anyway, "Sacrifice an offering and you hit 10th Circle" <- that's total bullshit lol
No way 10th Circle works like that lol
Did you think magic was that easy?
Those guys calling themselves top mages... that dimension has no choice but to be like that...
Still, dragons are strong...
Weak.
After I posted my conversation with Isua on the Gallery, the reactions from the galrum were all the same.
The idea of reaching the 10th Circle by sacrificing an offering? Total nonsense.
Well, even I thought that part was fishy.
But maybe those dimension's folks are so low-level they actually buy into it?
Yeah, possible lol
Knew it since their house game bullshit sigh
I think Duchess Nuna showed some sincerity.
No way someone followed by that many people isn't kind-hearted.
Agreed. They might be clueless about 10th Circle. But stopping the other Archmage Dukes from "sacrificing offerings" seems legit.
Duchess Nuna said she even takes care of little kids, so she's got a kind heart!
I think there's something even shadier.
Assuming Duchess Nuna is genuinely good, maybe the other Archmage Dukes are doing even dirtier shit, and she wants to stop them.
Isua said she wanted to stop the Archmage Dukes from offering up sacrifices.
That meant sacrificing some innocent soul.
Isua ran massive charity work and commanded fanatical respect and loyalty from her retainers.
That kind heart of hers seemed genuine, at least.
Anyway, so we can trust Duchess Nuna?
Trust your inner voice.
Can't say trust 100%. But at least until you become that "candidate," she should be fine.
Only trust your own power. Get stronger.
Mighty power!
Fuckin idiots. What we're saying is, she looks fine for now, but don't plan on relying on Duchess Nuna your whole life. You gotta get strong enough no one can touch you.
That's what a mage is.
With us here, you're not settling for 9th Circle, right? lol
Separate from that, go ahead and yas!
"Hmm... Guess becoming a retainer is off the table."
In the end, I have to get strong on my own.
A mage stands great alone. That's how it has to be.
Becoming a retainer would tie me down to the Ilimost Archmage Duke Family forever.
Yeah, better pass on this.
Scary as it is, I've got a sturdier Gallery backing me up.
Yeah, fuck it. I only trust you guys, my mage bros!
9th Circle mages vs. 11th Circle mages.
Two whole circles apart—obviously, I trust them.
And I couldn't be 100% sure Isua was telling the full truth.
All I knew for sure was she had no plans to harm me right now.
So, what next?
While I pondered that, the Gallery was buzzing with fresh bait from the topic.
The Archmage Dukes are looking for the reincarnation of a great mage, right?
This part feels true.
Reincarnation or whatever?
Any galrum reincarnated before?
Not me, at least.
All life cycles naturally.
But remembering past lives doesn't happen.
Then what the hell are the Archmage Dukes even looking for?
That dimension probably had an archmage once in history. Maybe they're after him.
Or maybe that dimension's real archmage lost his power for some reason, and they think it's a reincarnation.
In the end, meditation is something you do yourself... tsk tsk
No use without personal training, and they're 9th Circle chasing this crap lol
Hmm
The post that caught my eye was the one about the reincarnation.
The reincarnation the Archmage Dukes were chasing.
I had no idea where they got the clue to pursue something like a reincarnation.
But according to the galrum, you couldn't raise your circle with sacrifices.
Not even forbidden magic.
No matter how forbidden, it couldn't elevate your actual realm.
Your realm only came through persistent training.
So, was Harisha right?
Or maybe awakening the reincarnation to receive magical teachings.
But reincarnations didn't necessarily remember past lives.
So, were they hunting a depowered archmage?
Was "offering" the term for the awakening process?
I had no clue.
The galrum threw around theories, but no answers.
The Archmage Dukes' antics were idiot stuff no true archmage would do.
Galrum said meditate and train instead.
"Maybe talk to the chairman when I get back."
Harisha might figure something out.
For now, keep this info close.
I was about to scroll more when the selection exam popped into my head.
Isua said she'd be gone a few hours for business.
Hopefully, I could say goodbye to Ilno, Taebor, and Chinya in the meantime.
Right on cue, as I stepped out, the chief steward passed down the hall.
"Ah, excuse me, Chief Steward."
"...What is it, Ian Isaac."
"Is there any way I can go back to the selection exam site? I want to say goodbye to my teammates."
"Hm. Sorry, but that's not possible. The passers have already left."
His answer threw me.
"They've left?"
"Passers undergo six months of training after the selection exam. If they complete it safely, they become official retainers. The training involves wandering the continent's various regions. To serve Her Grace in any environment."
That intense?
No matter how I thought about it, Isua didn't seem to demand that much.
Ah, right—this guy created the selection exam.
"...Got it."
No choice—I headed back to my room.
No goodbyes.
Just three days, but I'd grown a bit attached.
Well, we'll meet again someday.
I passed the time cultivating or memorizing spell formulas.
In the meantime, I decided to skip the Founding Festival with Isua.
I wasn't joining her family, so going with her might draw unwanted attention, per galrum advice.
I'd already achieved my goal of uncovering the Archmage Duke's purpose.
No reason to stick around.
Lucky that Isua wasn't a hostile Archmage Duke.
Still, tangling with her long-term seemed unwise.
Soon, Isua returned.
I told her my decisions.
"Sorry, but I'll have to decline."
"...Pardon?"
"And I'll go to the Founding Festival alone."
Isua looked like her heart had dropped out.
"I appreciate the concern, but I can protect myself. I've still got a long way till academy graduation."
"B-but if you join the family, you wouldn't even need to graduate! Isn't academy study boring?"
"Hm... I want to graduate."
Staying at the academy meant Chi Yong's protection.
Chi Yong wasn't the most reliable, but it'd do for a while.
"Th-that's... then... um..."
"I said it before—truly grateful. But what if I'm not the 'candidate'? Even if I get sacrificed, I won't resent Your Grace, so don't worry."
"No, that's not it, Ian. I-I..."
"Then, until we meet again under better circumstances."
"I-Ian!"
I bowed very politely to Isua and pulled out my broomstick.
Not becoming a retainer didn't mean forever goodbye.
Isua was definitely a good person.
Unlike the other Archmage Dukes who seemed like total scumbags, she had humanity.
But I couldn't tie myself down there.
We'd cross paths again. The academy had Professor Multipl too.
No, do the yas before you go, you bastard!!!!
WannaYas was losing it in the Gallery, but he was always like this, so ignore.
He'd freak out about yas-ing with Mamma Tong back at the academy anyway.
"Well then."
"W-wait! Ian, that's not— I mean, me and you, m-marri—"
I grabbed the broom and jumped out the window.
Mid-fall, the broom whooshed to life, slicing through the dry western air as it flew.
Felt like Isua's shout echoed from the Archmage Castle, but probably imagination.
I flew to the nearest city, caught a carriage, and returned to the academy.
Back at the academy, I sought out Harisha first.
To tell her about what happened with Isua.
"...The chairman went back to her family?"
"Yeah. She usually stays at the academy even during break, but something came up this time."
Harisha had returned home.
The vice chairman told me when I checked the student council room.
He was buried in paperwork, filling in for her.
"Uh, by the way, could you help with this? Break means no staff..."
"Good luck."
I quickly bowed to the vice chairman and left the student council room.
Well, I could talk to Harisha when she got back.
She'd return before next semester, at least.
Next, I found Yuuna.
"Ian? Weren't you coming with the Ilimost Archmage Duchess?"
"Things happened, and I came back early. Bit late, but can I hitch a ride?"
"Of course. Welcome back. I was planning to head out tomorrow morning anyway."
"See you tomorrow then."
For the Founding Festival, I'd go with Yuuna as scheduled.
Riding in an imperial carriage? Exciting.
After that, back to routine.
Grabbed takeout spicy pork and headed to the dorm.
Planned to enjoy some cozy time in the dorm with spicy pork and Gallery scrolling.
-Yuri-nya, I hate you nya! Get lost nya!
-No! Listen, Chur! Understood? You can't go into Ian's bed or anything!
-Hmph nya! I like the bed nya! Gonna cuddle with hubby nya!
-Ian is not Chur's husband!!
"...?"
As I neared the dorm, a headache-inducing conversation drifted over.
Before heading to the Archmage Castle, I'd asked Chayuri to look after Chur.
Nothing big—just feed her occasionally.
After her first polymorph, Chur's intelligence shot up fast.
She could hold basic conversations in human form.
Last I checked, her smarts were like a early-teens girl.
Chur used to always pop out naked during polymorph.
I trained her that humans wear clothes, and eventually, she started polymorphing dressed.
Apparently, polymorph could adjust outfits too.
No more naked cat-eared girl roaming the academy.
And with Kim Chur smarter, I could teach her stuff.
Before leaving for the Archmage Castle, I'd told Chur Chayuri's dorm room location.
To have Chayuri feed her while I was gone.
Chayuri accepted readily.
Chur used to wary of everyone but me.
But gradually, she warmed up to my circle.
Not as much as Hisenna, but she followed Chayuri well.
Chayuri liked Chur too. She was cute.
So I figured they'd get along fine without me.
"Yuri-nya, hate nya! Gonna tell hubby everything nya!"
"Keep this up, and no food!"
"Feed me nya!"
What the hell are these two doing...
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