Chapter 65
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Are You the Archmage Duke?
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I squinted at the magic formula Lia had shown me.
I had a vague sense of what it was.
But the moment I tried to pin it down, my head started throbbing.
It felt like I was bumping up against a concept way beyond my level.
"You'll probably struggle just to get the imagery started. It's not a spell built around a concept humans can even imagine in the first place."
"But I'm human. So how am I supposed to use it?"
"That's for you to figure out. One thing's for sure—it'll be a huge help once you can."
"Figure out what..."
Thinking about it again, the idea of a human using dragon magic was arrogant to begin with.
I should've just asked for a pile of gold, jewels, or something.
"Just give me an artifact or something. Like a massive magic stone."
"No dice. I already gave you the formula. It's not impossible, so practice. Your hierarchy's still too low anyway, right?"
"I doubt reaching 6th hierarchy will let me use this... At least give me a hint."
Even 6th hierarchy formations were complex, but that wasn't the only issue.
How was I supposed to use something I couldn't even imagine?
"A hint... It's a concept humans don't know, but it does exist. Keep at it, and you'll get it."
"Not that kind—something more direct?"
"Hm... Humans have five senses, right? What if those senses transcended the five? Start there."
Transcending the five senses.
That's impossible. Our sense organs are limited to those.
"Ha... Got it."
No more hints seemed forthcoming, so I nodded reluctantly.
"Hope that helps. Haha. I did a lot for you, huh?"
"Yeah. Thanks anyway. You saved my life."
"Sure, sure. Win-win. The Archmage Duke's coming soon, by the way."
"Oh, what do I do when he gets here? Explain the situation?"
"Well... Thing is, what I told the Archmage Duke earlier..."
I thought everything was wrapped up.
Right before the Archmage Duke arrived, Lia brought it up with an awkward look.
"Your Grace... Not here..."
"So what if someone sees?"
The Floridel Archmage Duke slid his hand under the dress of a certain young lady.
She playfully twisted away in feigned protest but subtly parted her thighs.
This young lady was a mage from a noble house.
She'd graduated top of her class from the academy and served as an imperial mage.
Her potential and skill were both exceptional.
And with her foxlike face, seductive thin neckline flowing into voluptuous curves...
She checked every box for the woman the Floridel Archmage Duke wanted to claim.
Having caught his eye recently, she had no intention of letting the opportunity slip.
She'd be just one of his many wives, but joining the Archmage Duke family was a clear win.
"Ahh... Your Grace. Not there..."
She slyly rocked her hips.
She was determined to get pregnant this time.
Even if this was the wide-open corridor of the Archmage Duke's estate,
magic had already sealed off sound and space—no one would interrupt.
The thrill only made it better...
"—Are you the Archmage Duke?"
"Kyaa, kyaaak?!"
"Uh, ugh?!"
Just as the Archmage Duke's hand slipped between her thighs,
a sudden voice made them both jump.
They'd perfectly sealed it with magic—how had it pierced the Archmage Duke's spell?
In that impossible moment, even the Archmage Duke lost his composure and yanked his hand back.
The young lady shrank in shock too.
Turning toward the voice, they saw a tall woman in a blue dragon robe hovering in midair.
More precisely, a tall woman floating there.
"What are you... No..."
The Archmage Duke started to snap but instinctively shut his mouth upon sensing her.
The massive mana swirling openly around her froze even him solid.
"...Who are you?"
The Floridel Archmage Duke wasn't stupid enough to play around carelessly.
He was always cautious, even with women.
Wherever this being had come from,
the Floridels weren't fools to blunder against someone vastly superior.
"Playboy Archmage Duke... Hm. Top house, huh. Grabbed the first one I saw, and it worked out."
The being eyed the Floridel Archmage Duke and muttered to herself.
In that moment, he guessed her identity.
'Human in form, but not human. Robe embroidered with dragon-scale patterns, this overwhelming blue mana flow. Don't tell me.'
A dragon. The Floridel Archmage Duke deduced it easily.
She wasn't even hiding her power.
But not just any dragon.
Even among dragonkind, levels varied. This one felt impossibly distant, leagues beyond the strongest.
Only one such dragon existed in history.
But why would she appear in his castle now?
She was supposed to be long dormant, a legend frozen in history.
The Floridel Archmage Duke silenced his swirling questions and spoke.
"Are you... the Dormant Dragon?"
"Hm. Something like that. I think that's what humans called me."
It matched. Why had history's greatest dragon appeared?
But he was one of the continent's premier Archmage Dukes.
Great or not, he wouldn't bow foolishly.
Thankfully, the Dormant Dragon didn't seem here to fight.
"I came looking for this 'Archmage Duke' guy. I was sleeping, and those taboo mages slapped a seal on me."
Sealed the Dormant Dragon?
Even taboo mages attempting that was insane.
Low odds of success, and failure meant getting shredded by dragon claws.
Unless the dragon was lying there oblivious, which never happened.
"So I gave them a little payback, and turns out they were up to some fun stuff. Cleaned that up too."
As the Floridel Archmage Duke's mind reeled, Lia peered through dragon eyes at something.
Out in the world after so long, her dragon sight revealed much.
Among it, futures tied to this Archmage Duke flickered vaguely.
'...Better keep Kim Muggle out of this.'
Lia made a decision.
The human who'd earned the biggest credit was obviously Kim Muggle—Ian Isaac.
But that couldn't get out.
Ian might feel hard done by, staying in the shadows. But from her dragon-sight contemplation, now wasn't the time.
'I'll drop some hint or other instead.'
Kim Muggle was still weak anyway.
Hype him too much, and it'd poison him. Better stay humble and learn.
Plus, hiding her embarrassing gallery binge and sealing could stay secret.
An esteemed archmage waking thanks to some muggle? Mortifying to admit. For Lia, it worked out perfectly.
Lia briefed the Floridel Archmage Duke, omitting Ian entirely.
"The chancellor was possessed by taboo mages? Hm..."
The briefed Floridel Archmage Duke furrowed his brow.
Archmage Dukes funded the academy but left operations alone.
Their heirs attended, but academy life was personal.
True Archmage Dukes differed from petty nobles fretting over heirs and prestige.
The family name alone secured prestige.
Direct descendants or not, the unworthy got no attention.
Thus, the academy ran independently, steered by the board and chancellor.
From this, the chancellor was dead, board likely compromised.
External attacks on the academy had precedents, but this scale?
Maybe they'd been too hands-off, treating it like kids' play.
Archmage Dukes cared little for nurturing, but perhaps some oversight was due.
"But why come tell me personally?"
"None of your business. Handle it."
"Hm. The palace is close geographically, so request them—they'll sort it quick. I'll notify other Archmage Duke houses too. Send people for cleanup..."
"No. You handle it personally and take responsibility."
"Wh-what?"
"Other Archmage Dukes or the palace won't cut it. Playboy Archmage Duke—you do it."
"Why me?"
"'Cause I said so?"
"Ugh..."
For some reason, the Dormant Dragon tasked the Floridel Archmage Duke directly.
Even if houses handled cleanup, underlings did it.
An Archmage Duke meddling personally? Unheard of.
"Archmage Dukes are the strongest human mages, right? Only then will this never happen again. You'll need a new professor too—pick and place one."
"Ugh..."
And plant his own as professor too?
Sure, candidates abounded in Archmage Duke houses.
"...Understood."
The Floridel Archmage Duke nodded at last.
Archmage Duke or not, he couldn't beat the Dormant Dragon.
She was pissed at the taboo mages—mess up here, and she might sink the continent.
"Do well."
The Dormant Dragon vanished.
The Floridel Archmage Duke stared blankly, then sighed.
'Might as well plant some family in there too.'
He had to handle academy cleanup now.
Alert other houses, collaborate.
As ordered, send new professors from each.
'But why'd the Dormant Dragon get involved?'
More nagging: why seek him out?
Punishing taboo mages for offending her made sense.
But coming for cleanup delegation? Unnecessary.
'...Something's up at the academy.'
His conclusion was clear.
Dragons had taken interest in the academy before.
Especially ones with 'potential'—unpredictable young things to amuse their boredom.
A cadet worthy of dragon interest.
And if from the Dormant Dragon...
'Could be fun. No one cares about kids' games, but...'
Archmage Dukes ignored the academy.
Most didn't raise kids personally anyway—one or two exceptions aside.
Mages proved themselves: academy graduation, mage society career—all self-made.
Reach the Archmage Duke's heels, then maybe notice.
True interests lay elsewhere.
But this would draw all Archmage Duke houses' eyes a bit.
'A child the Dormant Dragon fancies. That's value.'
At least that one cadet would intrigue every Archmage Duke.
Perfect timing too.
Whoever finds them first—who knows.
Especially her, who bore no children—she'd pay extra heed.
"Actually, this works out. Hey, someone here?"
"Yes! Your Grace!"
For the Floridel Archmage Duke, this could be opportunity.
The Dormant Dragon came to him—he'd lead.
He planned to head to the scene as ordered.
"Contact the Archmage Dukes. We have somewhere to go."
"Y-Your Grace! What about me? Things were heating up..."
As he ordered men and donned his robe, the young lady clung.
Whatever was happening, her tie to Floridel was her shot.
The Floridel Archmage Duke clicked his tongue at her.
"...Tch. Scram. You killed the mood."
"Kyaaak!"
For the first time in ages, the world felt interesting again.
Time to shake off tedium and ennui.
"Shall we go see the baby mages?"
"...So that's why your feats stay secret."
"Whaaat? No way! You're just hiding it 'cause getting sealed hurt your pride!"
"You want me, a great archmage, to tell humans I got sealed by mere taboo mages and helped by a muggle like you? No chance!"
"Then why'd you get sealed?!"
"I could've broken it anytime!"
"Why didn't you?!"
"Th-that's a secret!"
Lia lied to Kim Muggle.
Best if the Archmage Dukes never noticed him.
Her pride was at stake too.
Truth was, she'd been too strong for taboo mages to matter.
But admitting she lay sealed to guard Gonnick? Pathetic if exposed.
Gallery would meme it forever.
"Anyway, don't tell a soul. I gave you magic instead!"
"No! I can't even use that spell!"
"Leak it, and I'll hunt you down! Sleep while we clean up. Nice meeting you. Catch you in the gallery!"
"Wait, you bi—"
Thwack—
With that, Lia knocked Ian out.
No more real-world meetings with Ian, Kim Muggle.
She'd gallery-dive from her lair, uninvolved in human affairs—that was her rule.
"Kinda sad, but this'll be more fun."
No real meets, but she'd watch in the gallery.
Watching this muggle climb solo was more exciting.
Maybe even reach Gonnick-tier with that talent.
Gallery bait for ages.
Still reluctant to leave, she snapped a few more pics.
"Heh. This'll hit the front page."
Kim Muggle pic? Instant upvotes, top post.
Mosaic it, but envy galore.
"And that blue orb. Maybe..."
Kim Muggle's bracelet's mystery blue orb.
Time to inform the gallery masses.
Lia ignored research, but gallery had experts.
If dimension magic-related...
Next big poster might not be FlapFlap—someone else.
Losing her unique 'saw-real-muggle' cred stung, but fine by her.
No plans to emerge again.
Regret lingered faintly.
After deep thought, Lia acted.
"Let's see... Closest one's..."
Dragons aplenty in this dimension—not just Lia.
She was strongest, but could command any.
Lia found a nearby dragon's lair.
A pink-obsessed dragon played with pink magic stones.
"Heehee, so pretty~ Hee heeek?!"
"Hi? Busy?"
"R-Riftlord Lupulvihil Mirimilelia-nim?"
"You know me, so decent age. Do me a favor."
"Y-yes?"
"Go be academy chancellor as I say. No mentioning me. Check in sometimes for reports."
"Ch-chancellor? Too hassly, don't wanna~!"
"Do it."
"Hiiing~"
She conscripted a dragon as chancellor.
Now, real-world Kim Muggle updates via proxy.
"This is fun. Fun guy. Reminds me of him."
Lia smiled satisfied, flying home.
A faint bitterness tinged old memories,
but the outing's joy remained.
Back to FlapFlap, lounging eons in her lair.