Chapter 255
Chapter 255
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 255
Chapter Title: Ariya's Test
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***
With Ariya’s appearance, Cheon-seong naturally began to move with her.
Putting his surprise aside, he was now slowly making his way to the upper floors of the Mage Tower. The structure of the tower, as he saw it, could be described in a single word: bizarre.
It wasn't that Cheon-seong was strange.
Most, if not all, first-time visitors to the Mage Tower failed to comprehend its structure.
The principle by which the portals within the tower operated, and how so many of them could exist in every corner—it was all an incomprehensible reality.
Portals were indispensable, special spaces that required an astronomical sum to install.
A semi-permanently functioning portal was said to be of immeasurable value.
But the interior of the Mage Tower defied such worldly concepts. Even to move between floors, portals were everywhere.
*Step.*
And now.
This was a reality Cheon-seong was experiencing firsthand as he slowly moved through the tower's interior.
“……”
*Glance.*
His eyes fell on Ariya, who walked about half a step ahead of him. Like a chick following its mother, Cheon-seong simply followed her.
And then, once again, a change occurred in an instant.
*Click.*
The moment Ariya’s foot stepped onto what seemed like an ordinary space.
—!
A strange light flashed, and her form vanished from the space for a moment. Following behind her, Cheon-seong cautiously took a step.
*Flash!*
A pure white light enveloped him, and his vision shifted abruptly.
“Ugh…”
A severe wave of dizziness once again pierced his mind.
Amidst the aftereffects of the portal, which he couldn't seem to get used to, the sight that met his eyes was astonishing.
“……!”
If the space in the Mage Tower just moments ago had been a refreshing place painted in light green, the space now in his view was another mysterious area, this one composed of indigo.
A sense of mystery instantly filled his heart.
Soon, his gaze met Ariya’s, who had already arrived.
“……”
“……”
As their gazes crossed in silence.
The look in their eyes was completely different. Compared to Ariya’s composed gaze, Cheon-seong’s was filled with surprise, admiration, wonder…
At his honest gaze, which couldn't hide his various emotions, Ariya let out a small laugh and spoke.
“Don’t be so nervous. Since this is your first time at the Mage Tower, I’m giving you a personal tour. You’ll get used to the portals soon enough.”
As Ariya spoke, Cheon-seong replied with a faint smile.
"...I'm fine."
But his heart felt otherwise.
‘She tells me not to be nervous.’
He couldn't help but be.
The Mage Tower’s structure seemed linear, yet it had a bizarre method of movement, using portals to travel between floors. There should have been stairs, but there were none.
He had already used a portal several times, but each time, his stomach churned, making it difficult to even maintain his composure.
“You know an experience like this is rare, right?”
“...I know.”
“So, you should just gratefully accept it.”
With those light words, Ariya began to walk again, and Cheon-seong, composing himself, followed her.
*Step, click.*
As he walked with her, he continuously took in the surrounding space.
What struck Cheon-seong most was how vast it was. The structure of the Mage Tower was not just bizarre; it was wondrous.
‘How can it possibly be this spacious?’
The floor they were on now was an indigo-colored space. He now understood that each floor of the tower seemed to have its characteristics defined by color, but he still couldn't get used to it.
Even the various mages in his line of sight were all wearing indigo robes, which further amplified the unique sense of mystery.
Moreover, they all carried staves or short wands with their robes, looking as if they had been brought to life directly from a fantasy movie or a foreign drama.
No.
‘It’s far more realistic than that.’
It was different, if he had to say.
In fantasy movies or dramas, it felt natural watching actors perform. But now, he was seeing what ‘real mages’ looked like, and that made all the difference.
Mages with extraordinary gazes and appearances. Some were gathered, chatting amongst themselves, while another mage seemed to be contemplating something alone, as if conducting an experiment.
“...We greet the great Master of the Mage Tower.”
But whenever Ariya, who was with him, passed by, they each showed profound respect, bowing their heads.
*Rustle….*
The way their unique, elegant hats shifted each time was also impressive.
“Yes.”
However, in contrast to them, Ariya treated them with an indifferent attitude, making Cheon-seong feel a profound sense of incongruity.
‘She’s very... cold, I’d say.’
From the moment he met her at the entrance, Ariya had been treating him well, giving him a feeling of kindness, but when dealing with other mages, that side of her was nowhere to be seen.
Cold.
He could feel a detachment that seemed to offer not a shred of affection.
He didn't know if she was doing it intentionally to display her authority as the Master of the Mage Tower, but he couldn't shake the feeling of dissonance.
*Click, click.*
Following the leisurely walking Ariya, Cheon-seong busily took in the visible space.
There were open, accessible areas with their doors open, but there were also completely closed-off spaces where he couldn't tell what was happening. Yet, what was consistently amazing was the dense concentration of mana in the air, which seemed to make his body tense up.
“……”
He could feel the mana within his body stirring with every breath.
Was it because of the mana emanating from the other mages, or was the mana within the Mage Tower just naturally like this?
‘Calmly... control your breathing.’
While steeling himself inwardly, he carefully took his steps, trying to feign composure on the outside.
—Confidence.
He tried to show a calm demeanor to make a good impression on Ariya, but it wasn't as easy as he'd hoped.
Still, he knew this was a place he might never see again, a space some people would never see in their entire lives. So, despite his tension, he carefully took in his surroundings.
Just as Cheon-seong was composing his attitude.
*Glance.*
Ariya, who had been subtly observing him, would occasionally flash a small smile before quickly erasing it.
In fact, Cheon-seong's visit to the Mage Tower was unplanned on her part.
She had intended to visit him within a few days, but she never imagined he would come to her on his own.
‘I don’t know what he was thinking, but it saved me the trouble.’
Moreover, showing him around the Mage Tower like this was partly an act of goodwill, but it was also a kind of test.
In her eyes, Cheon-seong had absolutely no talent for mana.
A level so low that, compared to others, it could be called a lack of any natural gift. Therefore, facing mages directly would be a kind of burden for him.
And yet, she was leisurely guiding him through the various floors of the tower. He would be visiting often in the future, so he needed to become aware, starting now.
Among all the beings to whom she had given her token, Cheon-seong had by far the least talent for mana, which made this all the more necessary.
He would be subjected to countless stares from the mages, and he needed to realize it himself.
His own position.
A prime example of such a person was right there.
“……”
Disheveled, dark blue hair. Through the messy strands, a golden glint in her eyes shone like starlight.
She was the mage in charge of this indigo floor.
—Chloe Perulian.
“We greet the great Master of the Mage Tower.”
“Yes.”
Responding indifferently to Chloe’s calm display of respect, just as she had with the others, Ariya walked past her.
*Click.*
“…”
***
Chloe’s eyes, her head slightly bowed, trembled violently.
“…”
She had sensed the Tower Master’s arrival on the indigo floor from her overwhelming mana presence alone. She had immediately composed herself and come out to greet her, but…
The sight she beheld was nothing short of surreal.
The great Master of the Mage Tower was with another being.
And a strangely dressed man at that.
*Step.*
As she watched that man walk beside the Tower Master as if it were the most natural thing in the world, her vision blurred.
'Why?'
Who in the world was that man, to be walking beside the Tower Master so casually?
She watched, but she couldn't understand.
And she realized she wasn't the only one.
All the other mages were looking at the man with the same expression as her.
How could someone who wasn't even a mage walk beside the Tower Master?
The answer was simple.
...But the answer was so simple that it was impossible to accept.
—!
Even when she lightly spread her mana to sense the being's own, it was insignificant. In fact, he possessed such a ridiculously small amount of mana that it was baffling.
“……”
Staring at Cheon-seong's back, Chloe bit her lip, her brow furrowing deeply.
'A man like that received the token.'
...Otherwise, there was no way he could be walking by her side.
The only reason a non-high-ranking mage could be near the Tower Master was for that reason alone.
Because she knew well that the Master only permitted those to whom she had given a token to be near her.
...And that black-haired man must possess it.
'How could a non-mage...'
How could he have received a token from the Tower Master?
***
As they made their way to the highest floor of the Mage Tower, Ariya continued to test Cheon-seong in subtle ways.
The clammy stares of various mages. How he would hold up while receiving their gloomy, intrusive thoughts.
In the Mage Tower, where talent was a given, envy and jealousy were a part of daily life.
And that would become their driving force, pushing them forward. Ariya, having spent a long time as the Master of the Mage Tower, knew this better than anyone.
And in the end, Ariya was quite satisfied.
*Halt.*
Upon reaching the entrance to the top floor, she turned to look at Cheon-seong.
“……”
The black eyes that naturally met hers were wavering gently.
He hadn't been intimidated by those gazes.
He was able to maintain his composure.
Those eyes were still looking straight at her.
Knowing full well that he couldn't actually feel that way inside, Ariya found herself rather fond of Han Cheon-seong for it.
"Wait here for a moment."
"Understood."
Hearing his calm reply, she curled her lips into a smile and naturally headed toward a space to the side.
*Click. Click...*
The beings to whom she had given her token deserved to be treated accordingly.
Besides, now that he had passed her test, he deserved a reward. That thought naturally came to her.
'And as for that reward.'
Another 'test' seemed appropriate.