Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Magician Scammer?
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This was a special psychiatric ward housing only those who had awakened—and gone mad.
The man lying there with an IV drip was a promising talent from the White Tiger Guild.
He appeared to be sleeping at a glance, but it was a bizarre state that wasn't true sleep.
"How is he?"
"Whung?"
"His thoughts have stopped."
Making contact with the Grimoire and ending up like this...
Moon Byul could guess the reason. The flood of information that had crashed over him like waves when he first touched the Grimoire.
He had passed out, but perhaps he had ended up in a similar state, his thoughts frozen.
"I think I can fix him."
What if he had absorbed an overwhelming amount of Star Power all at once in the past? Would he have ended up like this?
Moon Byul praised himself for slowly expanding his vessel over a long period.
Information beyond human capacity paralyzes the human mind.
To compare it to a computer, it's like downloading data that exceeds disk capacity, causing overload and shutdown.
Humans aren't computers, but in cases like this, usually...
'A reboot should do it.'
Rebooting a human was a dangerous idea, but nothing else came to mind.
What to do?
He knew the cause. The problem was that this was a human, not a computer.
He needed to shut down brain function once, but that was no different from brain death. A safe mode like sleep wouldn't cut it.
Besides, Moon Byul had no confidence in reactivating a dead brain. He wasn't a god.
It might be possible, but he couldn't leave it to chance—not when a life was at stake.
Even mastering magic couldn't revive the dead. Life existed above magic.
"Is it difficult?"
"I'm thinking of a method."
"Little Saintess..."
The doctor watching from the side spoke up.
"Is that man a doctor?"
"Not a doctor, but I'm sure he can heal him."
To the doctor, Moon Byul seemed like a fraud. Diagnosing just by placing a hand on the shoulder—not the wrist or head? And saying he could heal?
An unheard-of diagnostic method.
And not "I can heal him," but "I think I can"? Classic scammer talk.
From an expert's view, it made more sense that the young "immature" Little Saintess had been duped than a twenty-something youth healing what no one else could.
"Little Saintess, a moment."
The doctor pulled Iru Ri aside to another room. Leaving the patient alone with that young man didn't seem risky, and since Iru Ri—highly recognized—had brought him, what could go wrong?
"Is that man trustworthy?"
Iru Ri caught the doctor's concern from his words.
"Not... famous, but he's a skilled mage."
Ha.
The doctor clicked his tongue inwardly.
'Not even a doctor—a mage.'
Of course, he acknowledged that magic surpassed science in certain ways in this changed world.
But as a brain science expert, that state was barely different from brain death. He'd even gained fame in academia with related papers.
What difference was there from brain death if a living brain showed no response? Spontaneous breathing aside.
Magic? He'd never heard of magic kneading a brain back to life.
Moreover, mana stone MRI scans showed no traces of spells. No mana wavelengths detected.
The doctor carefully emphasized that Moon Byul was a fake, backing it with logical evidence.
"He's not that kind of person."
"I... see."
This was bad—terminal "blind faith." People hate admitting their beliefs are wrong.
The Little Saintess was completely hooked on that man. Seduced by his looks? That damn con artist.
As a knowledgeable member of society and a father, the doctor couldn't stand by while a fraud like that toyed with his daughter-like Little Saintess.
He vowed to expose the scammer's true face and bring judgment.
"Understood, Little Saintess. Let's watch together for now."
He resolved to contact the Wolverine Guild Master directly. And report to the Association too.
Awakener crimes were handled swiftly by the Association upon report.
Whether that guy was a fake mage pretending to be an awakener or the real deal, better safe than sorry.
When they returned to the room...
"Oh! Isn't that the Little Saintess?"
"Whungma dad—shit, what the hell."
The awakened patient was waving and greeting the Little Saintess beside me.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Sorry... I was so startled I swore."
The doctor bowed repeatedly in apology. What a polite man.
Surprisingly, the solution was simple.
In short, I rerouted the information flow to my Grimoire.
Since processing it myself would take time, I used the super external disk—my Grimoire. It was faster than expected. Maybe because it was pre-existing data.
To hide that I was a Grimoire mage with the Cosmic Grimoire, I continued treating patients one by one alone in the room afterward.
"See? I was right, wasn't I?"
"Yes... you were."
The doctor felt good despite his learned knowledge being overturned.
Why wouldn't he? A truly skilled mage was healing the patients.
The patients had regained their lives—that was enough.
Though his study load had suddenly exploded, he accepted it as karma for choosing medicine.
Soon, all treatments ended. Patients went through simple procedures and left thanks.
Some criminals waited for police. Being a mental hospital made restraining them easy.
"Thank you so much. Mage, and sorry for mistaking you for a scammer."
"No need. I did what I could. Wasn't certain, but it worked out. Thanks for telling me."
"Whung!"
What a humble, polite man. For a moment, the doctor felt like the sinner for suspecting him.
"Magic truly is an omnipotent power. My medical knowledge seems so meager."
The doctor felt a strange loneliness. Humanity had built medicine's tower through countless trials, yet it paled against newborn magic.
"Not at all! It's thanks to your good care, Doctor."
"Whung."
Iru Ri offered small comfort, sensing the doctor's sigh and grief.
Moon Byul pondered briefly, then smiled brightly and spoke.
"Magic may seem omnipotent at first glance."
Not fitting consolation at all. The doctor smiled bitterly.
"But here's the thing. Magic is close to omnipotent but never truly so—because it's personal."
Moon Byul touched the heart monitor as he continued.
"Even if I die someday, my magic dies with me. It ends there. In my view, you're the omnipotent one, Doctor."
The doctor and Iru Ri looked at him, uncomprehending.
"I'm deeper into academia than I seem—humanities, history, philosophy, math, engineering, even magic. Yet I..."
Moon Byul caressed the monitor.
"...can't make even this simple computer despite mastering magic and scholarship. Know why?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm just one person."
Moon Byul's face held a wistful reminiscence.
"I can't wire circuits, produce semiconductors, or build displays—no matter my omnipotent magic."
The doctor and Iru Ri listened calmly.
"Medicine's the same. Without humanity's accumulated knowledge, I wouldn't know what a brain is, let alone heal them."
Now the doctor grasped Moon Byul's point.
"In other words, what healed them wasn't my magic, but omnipotent humanity's enduring knowledge."
Who expresses comfort like this?
"That knowledge lingers as scholarship, taught by people like you, generating more. Eventually, humanity will conquer that field. That's my idea of omnipotence."
What a unique person.
"With enough time, you'd have healed them without magic. So don't call it meager."
"Hahaha, thank you, Mage Moon Byul."
"Honored to meet a fine doctor."
The doctor's face looked somehow at peace.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ City tree-lined street.
"Wow, this is really relaxing."
"Whung."
Occasionally recognized, Iru Ri had perception-block magic cast. Celebrities had nothing on her—blonde cuteness drew crowds.
Thus, they enjoyed a leisurely stroll.
An ordinary walk, but meaningful to each.
Iru Ri hadn't freely wandered streets since fame hit.
Photo requests, magic shows, rude folks...
So she rarely went out.
An stress-free normal walk—everyday life to some, special escapade to her.
Moon Byul too.
Natural breeze, bustling people, mart calls, car horns.
Finally back in society. A social human isolated 100 years.
Overcoming endless solitude, driven by desire to live with others.
Good ties birthed home. Sister-like friend, job too.
A full-fledged citizen.
Simple sidewalk steps brought happiness.
Truly escaped that damned cosmic void.
Not perfect yet—chained to Grimoire, buried in books. But this was something.
Daily study, endless stargazing, tea—barely human.
'Good I didn't give up.'
Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of suicidal urges. Persisted for one connection.
'So this is dying without regrets.'
Even if it fell apart again, maybe okay. Desires fulfilled.
"That cafe's good. Want something? I got rich lately. My treat."
"......"
"Moon Byul?"
"Sounds good."
Correction: Dying would leave regrets. Human greed endless—I was human after all.
Dead is dead, can't lose this.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "I'll have an iced Americano."
"How'd you know that?"
"Who doesn't know coffee?"
Becoming Korean made him truly Korean-like.
'Where's he studying extra?'
Perfectly attuned to Korean sensibilities. Ordering iced? Now unsure if fake or real.
28-year-old Moon Byul, named 140 years ago. Asks clueless questions yet oddly knowledgeable of society.
Cold weather, so Iru Ri ordered hot. Both came hot.
"One was iced..."
"Ah! Sorry, I'll remake it."
"No need. Just a big cup?"
Taking the cup, Moon Byul poured coffee, huffed breath.
Cup crackled, frost formed.
Staff's eyes widened. Iru Ri hurried out, glancing.
"...Magic too?"
"Party trick."
Magic sans chant or mana via breath was absurd, but she accepted it now.
"Don't use magic anywhere. Scares people."
"I see. Didn't seem startling."
"'People' get scared. Many fear awakeners."
Usually grand chants and mana swirls scared folk—not for Moon Byul.
Harmless now, but no guarantee forever. Might need big spells later.
Sneakily sensible, yet off-kilter.
'Really human?'
Catching Iru Ri's emphasized "people," Moon Byul nipped misunderstanding.
"Ruri."
"Yes?"
"I'm human."
"Ah, right."
Ah, definitely not.
"What'd you do before?"
"Hmm......"
Moon Byul sipped coffee, avoiding.
He'd discarded pre-Grimoire identity. New one fit fresh start.
Grimoire life bred odd suspicions, but they'd fade with time.
His ID showed name uni grad, military done.
No reviving old self for army duty after hard-won freedom.
Probably listed missing or dead anyway—no need complicating, not rejoining civil service.
Climbers exempt from draft for special status, unknown to him.
"Secret."
"......"
Definitely not.
"Watch out."
"Eek!"
Iru Ri, staring intently while walking, bumped a passerby despite warning.
Moon Byul subtly magicked to prevent fall.
"Sir! Sorry! Okay? Hurt anywhere...?"
"Fine. Was on phone, lost... "
As Iru Ri apologized profusely, the hurried elder brushed off and left.
"Watch where you're going. Seoul rush hour's dangerous."
"Y-yes... sorry."
"Whung!"
"Sorry, got it... I'll be careful. Huh?"
A bag lay on ground—dropped by the elder.
Moon Byul carefully picked it, peeked inside.
'This is...'
"D-don't just take it! Return it. That's crime!"
"...I wouldn't. I'll return it."
"I'll go too."