Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Flexible Misunderstanding (2)
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"That won't happen, so calm down."
Watching Oz's eyes filled with worry, anxiety... and anger made sweat pour down my face.
Calming Oz down wasn't easy for me.
"How can I believe that? You said if we go, we'll definitely die. You said there's a Transcendent! But now you're saying we can come back alive? How can your words change like that?"
Sure enough, it sounded unreasonable when I heard it.
Unless I had come up with some brilliant method, this was a sudden shift in attitude.
And what brilliant method could a 5th Circle mage like me possibly have?
It was natural for Oz to suspect something odd.
But did I expect things to turn out like this?
I had no intention of making some noble sacrifice either...
"Then I'll go too."
The moment she said it resolutely—
"Absolutely not!"
The one who shouted was Parovian.
His voice startled me so much that my shoulders twitched involuntarily.
Parovian glared at Oz with a cold expression.
It was a far more sunken, much scarier face than when he was angry.
Watching that, a strange feeling hit me belatedly.
His reaction was worlds apart from when I said I'd go.
...Well, that was only natural.
"What nonsense are you thinking?"
"I'm no longer someone who can only be protected. If Ivan's going, I can go too."
Oz didn't back down.
Her words carried confidence, and at the same time, a resolve suppressing her fear.
I'd heard she had reached the brink of 6th Circle.
Whether she'd break into 7th Circle within a year... that had been quite the hot topic.
So, was she the youngest 7th Circle mage? No, not quite.
She'd been famous since her Academy days. People said Oz might become the youngest 7th Circle mage.
But in this vast world... especially with its incredibly long history, there were too many ancient monsters (humans) for that record to be possible.
"Abandon any thoughts of following. If you persist, then I won't treat you as my granddaughter... but as Combat Commander dealing with you. What you're doing right now is blatant interference with operations. If you don't want graver consequences, stop here."
Parovian went beyond a mere threat, implying he'd crush her with magic if needed.
Of course, he had no desire to use force on his granddaughter.
So those words were a declaration that he absolutely wouldn't reverse his decision.
In the end, tears fell from Oz's eyes.
She approached me step by step, speechless.
...Why me?
"...You have to come back alive, no matter what. You have to keep your word."
Her voice trembled, but it was clear.
"If you come back alive..."
"Come back?"
She hesitated for a moment before changing her words.
"...If you don't... I'll resent you."
"..."
It was a disarmingly simple threat for a duke's daughter to make.
Or maybe, precisely because she was a duke's daughter, she could say it like that.
In any case, Oz finally gave up, and we decided to head straight to the ancient ruins.
Preparations for departure were swift yet thorough.
An elite knight order of battalion size assembled.
Their atmosphere was far from ordinary.
It felt like you could almost see their resolve to face death burning fiercely.
Just before departure, Parovian stood before nearly 500 troops, including not just knights but also the mage unit.
"The place we're heading is a land where death awaits. As commander, as one soldier, and... as a comrade who's shed blood alongside you all, I want to speak."
His solemn speech continued.
"Why are we here? Why must we walk this path shrouded in death? I know the fear you carry. I feel it too. However!"
His hand thrust toward the sky.
"Courage is not the privilege of those without fear! It's for those who press forward despite it! That's true courage!"
In the atmosphere solidifying into unity... why was I plagued by this odd guilt?
No. No need for that.
Being fully prepared was never a bad thing, and the certainty of death was gone.
Good was good.
I convinced myself like that, gazing at the resounding speech through slightly blurred vision.
We set off for the Barma Mountains.
The elite force marched swiftly through the dense forest.
The multi-day mountain trek was quite grueling for me.
If the accompanying mages hadn't matched my pace, I definitely would've fallen behind midway.
Just as sweat dried only to be replaced by more, and stamina drained away—
The mountain path seemed to end, and an open vista suddenly unfolded before us.
No one could close their mouths at the sight.
The forest was utterly devastated.
Giant trees lay uprooted and scattered, the ground torn in ways impossible by natural forces.
Traces like something massive had coiled and thrashed, shredding a wide area.
A scene impossible to explain without Transcendents clashing.
Parovian at the front raised his hand sharply.
Instead of shouting to halt—perhaps deeming caution necessary—he signaled with hand gestures.
At once, the forward banner waved side to side.
The troops stopped in unison at the signal.
"Be extra vigilant from now on. These are traces of battle between Transcendents."
Parovian's voice emanated from the Communication Orbs held by commanders in each section.
"This is where it begins. They might still be here."
Seeing my invention used in real combat felt surreal, but there was no time to dwell.
I was just as shocked by the wrecked forest.
'From my request... traces of Anonymous (1) and Philip Deran fighting?'
Even from the marks, it didn't seem like a simple fight—trap magics had detonated too.
Traces of buried traps exploding deep underground, mana remnants scattered like shrapnel after chain reactions.
Obvious enough for any decent mage to spot.
As expected, Parovian noticed and immediately called for scouts, adjusting the march plan.
Since I'd relayed prior info that 'the Lord of Evil uses Fortress Magic as a Transcendent,' he'd kept it in mind.
Sending scouts first meant slowing our advance.
Knowing the ruins were far and speed would suffer, I slipped ahead of the scouts, leaving the rear.
I'd said Anonymous (1) wouldn't go anywhere, but without reasons, I couldn't dawdle on faith alone.
"Ivan?"
Parovian looked puzzled at me stepping forward.
Actually, wasn't it odd for the commander to be at the vanguard?
No reason I was the only one thinking that.
"I think my abilities will help with scouting. It's not overconfidence."
"I don't see it as overconfidence... but it's extremely dangerous."
"It's fine. I won't recklessly step into hazardous spots."
"..."
That impressed look was burdensome.
"Not just empty words, then. Your sense of responsibility... I truly admire it."
"Ah... yes..."
I headed first to the area with deep combat traces.
I pulled various artifacts from my subspace artifact.
I promptly analyzed the lingering mana residues there.
Two Unique Mana Patterns emerged.
Both unknown to me.
Not Vinsen's pattern.
'One's Anonymous (1)'s pattern... the other's Philip Deran's?'
I could guess which was which...
One pattern was unmistakably ominous and distorted to anyone looking.
Similar to the feeling from Vinsen's pattern.
I stored both patterns into artifacts, color-coding them.
Yellow for what seemed Anonymous (1)'s. Black for presumed Philip Deran's mana.
Then I cast the colorization magic right away.
The surrounding ground dyed in vibrant hues instantly.
This discoloration was visible to everyone nearby.
I could limit it to my eyes only, or make it universal.
The latter consumed overwhelming mana, but my mana capacity had once been my sole edge.
I could handle it.
"Whoa..."
As the green-and-brown forest bloomed in colors, people stared in wonder briefly.
Areas looking like battle sites were prominently yellow and black.
Once colors spread to a certain range, I told Parovian.
"Black marks the Lord of Evil's influence. Avoiding those spots... should at least dodge the traps."
Of course, not all black meant traps, but it beat inching forward sensing mana step by step—far faster and safer.
"Impressive. You... really no thought of joining the military? Seems specialized for tactical magic. No joke, I'm serious."
"No such plans."
"...If you survive and return, how about it? Worth considering."
"No. I don't want to."
"Come on, can't you say that much? Morale matters for soldiers."
"Since survival's certain, I hate making promises I can't keep."
Parovian gaped like he'd gained enlightenment, letting out a soft gasp of admiration.
...Please, stop.
"A man needs that much confidence... You've taught me something."
"..."
He shook his head as if shedding regret, stepped forward a few paces to inspect traces, then stood.
"The Transcendent traces here are old. When mana thickens deeper in, we'll send scouts then."
In truth, the two Transcendents had fought here, the Lord of Evil died, and the other left far away... but I couldn't say that.
We proceeded carefully onward.
Transcendents' power exceeded my imagination.
The remnants of their clash were unbelievably vast and profound for just two fighters.
At this scale, vibrations must've reached beyond the forest.
The devastation was that brutal.
Fortunately, traces didn't intensify deeper.
Probably because they'd left some time ago.
Still, Parovian advanced without easing vigilance.
Then, at some point, we spotted a golden castle.
...But could you call that a castle?
Most of it had collapsed from massive impacts.
The outer walls too.
Shattered debris littered everywhere.
The desolate scene screamed finality, but Anonymous (1) said Vinsen lived, so extra caution was needed.
Parovian, sensing it instinctively despite lacking details, raised his mana, bracing for imminent battle.
And before advancing far, we found Vinsen.
"..."
"..."
Everyone fell silent again.
Recognizing him as Vinsen was easy.
His face melted away, bones half-exposed. Yet somehow breathing.
Anybody could see he was on the verge of lichdom.
No way the Lord of Evil was this half-baked lich remnant, so it had to be Vinsen. Pattern sampling would confirm.
But... he was embedded in the ground.
Only his face protruded like a mole. As if nailed down forcibly, frozen in place.
The surroundings were hardened like packed stones around him.
Parovian gestured for a knight.
One approached Vinsen cautiously, examined him, then reported back.
"He's definitely breathing. Seems unconscious now."
"Can't fathom what happened."
I stared bemusedly at Vinsen stuck in the earth.
This... was what 'won't go anywhere' meant?
"No other Transcendent found yet, so stay alert."
Parovian said that, then deployed personnel to thoroughly search the castle grounds.
But no signs of life amid the ruins.
"I'm certain Transcendents clashed here..."
Parovian pondered long before muttering.
"Either the other Transcendent won... or Vinsen's master fled first."
Nearly spot-on reasoning.
But he hesitated to conclude.
No wonder—with full prep and 500 strong, arriving to find it over felt empty.
Yet overriding that emotion was...
"...Can't ask for better than this."
Relief.
Relief that the fated slaughter was averted.
We began a full search of the castle interior.
Mostly crumbled from battle aftershocks, but a Transcendent had resided here.
Something valuable was surely left.
I took the lead.
No telling if traps lingered even in a lived-in castle.
I cast colorization magic once more.
But this time, something was off.
The entire castle dyed black. Like slathered in the owner's mana.
"This means... we need a close inspection."
Parovian decided swiftly; the army camped before the castle and probed for traps in earnest.
It took ages.
All accompanying mages were deployed.
After exhaustive checks, they confirmed no traps inside.
Others concluded it was normal—Transcendent residue everywhere.
But I thought differently. During the long wait, I'd mulled it over; no matter how, it felt wrong.
Even if my simple colorization magic was basic...
Layered traces this thick were rare.
It seemed deliberate, mana painted over to conceal something.
Classic misdirection, right?
Felt like research I'd seen collecting data.
I fixated on it.
So while everyone entered, I stayed, analyzing each trace meticulously.
'There must be a shift point.'
A spot where mana density changed.
And I found it—a subtly mismatched section.
Where mana grain differed slightly.
Leading into the castle.
Soon after entering, I stood before an unremarkable blank wall.
I thrust my hand into it.
It sank in smoothly.
Secret space found.
Fully entering revealed another passage.
Ingenious structure. Fitting for a Fortress Magic master...
I proceeded cautiously down the passage.
At its end, a door appeared.
I inspected thoroughly without touching—no trap traces.
But... something familiar caught my eye.
'This is... pattern recognition?'
A thin plate on the handle.
My invention—a Unique Mana Pattern recognition device.
If this secret room was Philip Deran's, only his pattern would open it.
Wait, more than that...
He was using my tech?
Did Vinsen tell him?
Never imagined a Transcendent mage installing my tech on his secret room.
Though... for securing private spaces, nothing more practical.
I felt my lips curl up involuntarily.
Pride in creating tech even a Transcendent used?
No. Not that.
Because I could open this door far easier than expected.
Since I could forge others' Unique Mana Patterns.