Chapter 174: Mage (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 174: Mage (4)
With every step, magic tools flashed and pulsed with light, catching the eye.
Each one was an artifact powered by magic stones. They were so well-proportioned and common that they could be easily found even in the Leon Kingdom.
…Of course, those were civilian-made. The Leon Magic Tower seemed to have neither the ability nor the intention to produce such things.
“Why are you even packing those?”
Despite their common appearance, our junior was busy prying them out and tucking them away as we went.
She was only taking them from spots where it wouldn't cause a problem, but still. It wasn't like she looked short on cash, yet here she was, plucking them out one by one.
I guess the saying is true: the rich are the stingiest.
“You don't know what these are?”
“I know what they are. They’re not worth much.”
“You really don't know…”
She muttered to herself, seemingly debating whether to enlighten me, before finally explaining why she was hoarding such common magic tools.
“This dungeon was created during the early days of the Empire, wasn't it?”
“Right.”
“That means the magic tools used here are from the early Imperial era—or perhaps even earlier.”
“……?”
“I heard you didn't know anything about magic, but I guess it was true…”
That stung.
I was the mage recognized by the Leon Tower Master, a High Elf, and even the Dragonkin.
“You only need to know a little bit of magic history to understand this…”
“I know zero history.”
I had to admit what I didn't know.
“Even so, surely you know Lord Belarus? The Archmage who changed the history of the magic world?”
“Of course I do. The first Tower Master of Leon was Belarus’s disciple, wasn't he?”
“…I have a lot I could say about that, but it’s too much to get into, so I’ll skip it!”
A long explanation followed, but the summary I gathered was this:
“So, magic tools from before Belarus’s time were absolute garbage in terms of convenience and were incredibly difficult to make?”
“Exactly. There’s a reason he’s called the Father of Magic Tools and the Mage of the People.”
“So, magic tools from the era before him are…”
“They look like common tools now, but they’re actually incredibly expensive.”
She explained that they were valuable not just for their historical or market price, but because of the sheer quality of the materials used in that era.
“Even if you sold them secretly on the black market, they’d fetch a high price. But even if you just dismantled them for the magic stones and other processed parts, they’d be worth a fortune.”
“…Should we strip the whole place?”
“How are we going to see on the way back?!”
Besides, there was no guarantee we could clear the whole place this time. She explained they were essential for future dungeon runs, so I had to give up on the idea.
Instead.
“Can’t we just buy some lamp artifacts from the surface with the money we make and swap them out?”
“Are you a genius?”
“I have my moments.”
In terms of the sword, I was one of the best in Leon, second only to Prince Ellen.
And I even held the title of Mage, something even Prince Ellen hadn't achieved.
“It’s a bit uncool to admit it so readily… but sure.”
We descended the spiral staircase for quite a while.
Just as a straight dungeon path appeared before us again, three golems that looked to be made of bronze lunged out.
“You said you were strong. I’ll leave this to you, Senior?”
“Look at you, putting me to work immediately.”
I could feel the real dungeon exploration was finally beginning.
Nea Elleras
Adam Smith.
I had known that name even before entering the Academy.
After all, wasn't he the lover of the woman my own brother had fallen for?
He was even the lover of my brother's ex-lover. It was impossible not to be interested.
‘Of course, I found out it was a fake relationship.’
Even setting that aside, he was surrounded by conditions that piqued my curiosity.
But the most important thing wasn't any of that; it was the Empire’s evaluation of him.
—Essential cooperation required.
It was an absurd statement.
To demand "essential cooperation" from a citizen of another country—and not just a civilian, but an agent?
Even nobles who had dedicated their lives to the Empire rarely received such an evaluation.
However, after confirming his achievements at the Academy and learning that he was even cooperating in the production of magic swords, I had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Of course.
‘Is it really a fake relationship?’
I wondered if he was actually dating the Saintess or the daughter of Duke Jeyka.
Perhaps the Empire was planning to bring him in as a live-in son-in-law in the future…
The situation was so unprecedented that such suspicions were only natural.
But as time passed, my thoughts began to change.
‘To be honest, Senior Violet is more suspicious.’
Violet was someone I happened to meet frequently while she worked as a librarian at the Academy.
At first, she was evaluated as a rising star of the Magic Department.
After that, it seemed the Empire tried to contact her because she was the Saintess’s childhood friend.
Then, after a few incidents, she supposedly betrayed the Empire and was recruited by Leon.
They said the one who recruited her was Adam Smith, and since she had been helpful in several important matters afterward, the Empire let it slide.
After all, her talent was at a level that could be replaced by any top-tier student in the Magic Department, and her main value was her position as Daisy the Saintess’s best friend.
However, having met Violet in person, I couldn't help but feel something strange.
‘There’s something there.’
I didn't have any proof. It was just a hunch.
But I tended to trust my instincts, and that trust had usually led to good results.
So, trusting my gut, I intentionally approached Violet.
Of course, since it was only a suspicion, I didn't hover around her or send agents to tail her.
I simply made sure to strike up a conversation whenever she visited the library and checked the books she was looking for under the guise of helping her find them.
But my observations yielded nothing particularly special.
At most, the books she looked for were strangely focused on magic from the old days—the era commonly referred to as ancient—rather than modern magic.
But she wasn't the only one interested in ancient texts, so I didn't suspect her based on that alone.
As we continued to talk, I simply felt it was a shame that someone so knowledgeable had defected to another country.
‘I can't believe she pulled one over on me like this.’
It had already been half a year since I became a librarian under the name Leah and started roaming the library.
There were all sorts of rumors about the Imperial Academy Library.
I had even confirmed a few of those rumors myself.
But I hadn't been able to find the most sought-after secret underground dungeon.
‘To think she knew about it all along.’
There were even traces that she had been wandering around here alone, which was exasperating.
Still, perhaps the rapport I had built with her paid off, because she was asked by an acquaintance to guide someone, and thanks to that, I was able to enter the dungeon like this.
Of course, when I first heard the entry conditions, I suspected she was playing a prank on me.
But once the dungeon actually opened, my suspicions only deepened.
However.
‘This place is…’
I could feel something strange from the moment we started descending the stairs.
There were too few traces of people… No, it was more like there were none at all.
I checked carefully while pretending to tuck away nearby items.
‘Senior Violet hasn't been down here either.’
I became certain of this when our first enemies turned out to be three bronze golems.
‘Bronze golems from the records of the Great Emperor.’
Unlike golems that form naturally by accidentally using a magic stone as a core to guard a specific area, these were said to be golems created by dragons to serve a specific purpose.
Of course, since dragons made them half-heartedly, they weren't supposed to be particularly powerful enemies.
But that was by the standards of humans whose average strength approached that of a Sword Master, so I was bracing myself…
“Senior. You’re incredibly strong…”
“I was rank one in the first semester.”
I could only fall silent as I watched him carve through them with ease.
‘No, this is…’
As I pretended to collect items, I checked the golems' wounds and was left stunned.
The marks left behind weren't cuts; they were traces of melting.
“Magic…?”
When the word slipped out, he didn't seem to have any intention of hiding it.
“You noticed?”
In fact, he showed off his glowing red sword as if he wanted to brag.
“Is it a magic sword?”
I suddenly remembered he was a collaborator in the Empire’s magic sword project and asked cautiously.
If such a magic sword had been developed, I wouldn't be surprised if one of my brothers started claiming they could conquer the world…
“It’s pure magic.”
“……?”
His next words were even more unrealistic.
“Uh, well…”
Princess Nea naturally recalled the conflict between the Swordsmanship Department and the Magic Department that had shaken the Academy a few months ago.
It was an incident so significant that even the Imperial Family felt its gravity and grilled the Academy Director.
I knew the man in front of me was at the center of it, but…
‘If you look at the composition… is it… really magic?’
Even with the evidence right before her eyes, her mind was filled with question marks.
She struggled to find the right words.
“What’s the most expensive thing here?”
“It’s ancient bronze imbued with magic. The cuts are clean, so it might be possible to restore them… but the magic stones are generally the most expensive part.”
“You say they're recyclable?”
Watching him stuff the entire golem into his subspace pouch at her explanation, Princess Nea decided to observe a little longer and judge the situation.
They cleared the rest of the second floor, found the gate to the third floor, and descended.
On the third floor, they encountered even stronger bronze golems and giant bones that looked like they belonged to something once very powerful.
By the time they finally found the door to the fourth floor.
“Shall we take a break?”
She checked the watch on her wrist and suggested a rest.
“Is it night?”
“Yes. The golems on the third floor were stronger than the second, and the second stronger than the first. It would be best to maintain our condition before heading down further, just in case.”
“True. But… is it okay for you to be out this late? I heard the girls' dormitory has a curfew.”
“I’ve already cleared it in advance because of my library work.”
That was a lie.
She hadn't told the dormitory, nor had she told those who followed her.
She had only mentioned it to her most trusted aide…
‘But I didn't say I was going with a man alone.’
But what else could she do?
He said he wouldn't tell her unless she did this.
Originally, he only intended to show her the entrance, but she had insisted until he let her follow.
Of course, she could have just confirmed the entrance and come back later with her people, but…
‘Considering the entry method, I made the right choice.’
She could understand everything else, but she never would have figured out that final triple-jump.
So, they would understand once she explained everything later.
And even if they didn't, what could they do?
‘I am the Princess of the Empire!’
However, there was still one point of anxiety.
The fact that she had to spend a day isolated in a dungeon with a hot-blooded man…
“What is that?”
“A bed artifact.”
“…Leon has things like that?”
“In a country where the Magic Tower can't even make a lightbulb? No way. This is Imperial-made. The Ilias Merchant Guild gave it to me as a prototype, saying they’re going to sell it as an 'Academy Essential Item Set' starting next year.”
“…Aha.”
She wanted to ask why on earth that would be an Academy essential, but remembering what her own flesh and blood had experienced at the Academy, she found herself naturally understanding.
“But, Senior.”
“Yeah?”
“I only have one blanket…”
“I only got one prototype, so I don't have a spare.”
“……”
He looked like he had absolutely no intention of giving it up.
No, perhaps it was silent pressure to sleep next to him if she wanted to use it!
On a bed that was exactly the right size for one person!
‘…Well, I am pretty, after all!’
Since it was a fact both subjectively and objectively, she glared at him with a sharp expression.
“……”
Adam Smith seemed to ponder for a moment.
“…What is this?”
“A sleeping bag. I carry it for emergencies, but I’m not using it right now.”
“……”
“I’ve set up the sentry magic tools, so goodnight.”
“……”
Watching him throw himself onto the soft-looking bed without a hint of lingering attachment, Princess Nea felt a wave of embarrassment and crawled into the sleeping bag.
The fact that she silently kicked the sleeping bag about three times was a bonus.