Chapter 212
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: Tail Chasing
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"You look exhausted, Belles."
"Ah... I have no excuse, Master."
"No, it's understandable. Go and get some rest."
"Thank you for your consideration."
It could be seen as a polite dismissal, but Belles quietly returned to her room.
For one thing, she'd just heard a string of shocking news that left her stunned.
And somehow, it felt like she shouldn't interrupt their conversation.
Once Belles had stepped out, Ranes continued.
"Jun. You said the Imperial Family is on the move?"
"Yes."
"And they're preparing for war because of this organization called the Heavenly Firmament Sect."
"So you knew about it."
"I didn't realize things had escalated this far."
Of course. Ranes held a position where gathering information was no hardship. She simply didn't bother most of the time, but she was Imperial blood all the same.
"I'll need to make preparations myself. But the key will be how seriously the mages take this news."
"I've already secured some leads."
"Hm. During your presentation earlier?"
"Yes. Did you sense it too, Lady Ranes?"
"It was so faint I thought it might be my imagination. But by the end of the duel, I was nearly certain."
"Yes. There was malice mixed in with the way some of them looked at me."
Anyone overhearing would think it absurd.
Malice?
Malice conveyed through a mere glance?
Jun obviously had no ability to read minds from eye contact alone.
But when it came to mana, it was different.
Having reached the 6th circle and grown even more adept at handling his [Demon God Body] with Ranes's guidance, Jun could sense the involuntary shifts in mana flow caused by killing intent.
'Thanks to my [Demon God Body], and because it was directed at me, I noticed it...'
Ranes, lacking such advantages, had still detected the killing intent aimed at Jun during the presentation.
"You think that person is a Heavenly Firmament Sect lackey?"
"It's just suspicion for now. And given my position, it's not like there'd only be one or two people with reason to hate me."
"Just because of your talent?"
"No. Ah, you wouldn't know, Lady Ranes. There are people behind me who act as both business partners and patrons."
"Golden Hand... no, the Gilenoi Merchant Guild?"
"Yes. And lately, the Gilenoi Merchant Guild has been aggressively expanding their potion business inside Blackout alongside the Ariclotos Church."
"Ah."
Ranes had little interest in business affairs and left all related matters to her disciples, so her response was delayed.
"That explains it."
"Yes."
Potions were the field where mages had the most confidence—and raked in the biggest profits.
With the Gilenoi Merchant Guild's immense capital and the Ariclotos Church—famed for their healing god—fully entering the market, they were snatching market share at a speed that made "enormous" sound like an understatement.
'Not to mention, because of my involvement, they've been collaborating with the Imperial Family on multiple fronts.'
Their own revenues were visibly plummeting, and then Jun had the nerve to step up here and present that outrageous paper.
It would have been weirder if there wasn't killing intent.
"So it's hard to say if that malice stems purely from their losses, or if it's tied to the Heavenly Firmament Sect."
"Still, we should look into it."
"Will you handle it personally?"
"I can't stand the thought of a rat infesting mage society."
"In that case... I'll make a move myself."
"You? But you should be careful. This place..."
"I know. It's not exactly welcoming for outsiders to stir things up."
But now that he was here, there was no reason to sit idle.
"If things blow up, shouldn't we at least find a way to position ourselves as allies?"
"Hm."
From Ranes's perspective, she doubted the mages would budge so easily.
'But this child I've come to know... he just might pull it off.'
He'd accomplished so much just last season alone.
And this season was proving no different.
A mage like him might just stir up a massive wave of change.
The thought made her heart race.
It was a thrilling feeling.
"Is there anything else I can help with?"
"Yes. I need information."
"Information?"
"The paper. Could you fetch that paper for me?"
"...?"
"From about 30 years ago. The title is..."
<Where Does Modern Magic Begin?>
"That paper..."
"Yes. I read a summary before coming here."
"I see what you're thinking. So that's the kind of person you are."
Their brief exchange—unintelligible to outsiders—ended with the two sharing a knowing, gentle smile.
"You look like a mess, Hegar."
The voice came as he rested in his room.
He'd half-expected it, so Hegar merely scowled dismissively.
"Losing to some punk who just hit 6th circle this year, and now you can't even make excuses?"
"Shut it, Ran. What makes you think you can talk like that?"
"What's this? You know our roles at the convention are set. I handle the outside, you the inside. The other masters are pretty pissed."
"Ridiculous. Are you saying that because you've done so well on the outside?"
"..."
Ran scowled at Hegar's retort.
"Isn't it common knowledge that we've lost over 30% of the existing market to the Gilenoi Merchant Guild?"
"That's..."
"And now you're trying to pin the blame on me? You dare? Don't shove your failures onto me."
"..."
Ran raised both hands at the razor-sharp words.
"Tried poking the bear and got burned. Sorry about that."
"Hmph."
"Anyway, are you just going to let it slide?"
"Let what slide?"
"You saw the shift among those young mages."
Hegar clicked his tongue.
In truth, what the mage named Jun had prepared barely qualified as a paper.
Just fancy talk dressing up the magic he'd learned.
But its ripple effect was far stronger than they'd anticipated.
"We have no immediate options. At minimum, we need a paper solid enough to counter it."
"Hm."
"What, got another idea?"
"Feels too tame, don't you think?"
"Tame?"
"Yeah."
"You don't mean..."
"Hey, just a thought. But didn't you just get humiliated? I'm a bit hot-headed myself."
"Don't spout nonsense. Neither of us is the type to look out for the other."
Ran shrugged, as if conceding the point.
In reality, he was quite desperate.
The Gilenoi Merchant Guild and Ariclotos Church's moves were inflicting massive losses on the potion business.
It was happening so fast it was hard to keep up.
That was how terrifying the Gilenoi Merchant Guild became once they started throwing money around.
'If only the Ariclotos Church would back out, we could find an opening.'
The problem was how tightly knit the Gilenoi Merchant Guild and Ariclotos Church were.
'And the reason has to be the White Whale Mercenary Corps.'
The White Whale Mercenary Corps was already backed by the Gilenoi Merchant Guild... and it included a high priest from the Ariclotos Church.
What if something happened to the White Whale Mercenary Corps?
'Say... like the captain dying.'
His death alone could solve multiple problems.
Ran surely wasn't the only one thinking this way.
'Hegar. Tested the waters, but no dice. Maybe I should pull him into the church after all...'
Hegar closed his eyes, his expression signaling it was time to leave.
So he missed Ran's chilling gaze.
'I'll have to exclude Hegar from this operation.'
Of course, Ran had no intention of acting immediately.
The White Whale Mercenary Corps had recently forged ties with the Imperial Family.
Assassinating Jun here would naturally draw suspicion their way.
'Anything but drawing the Imperial Family's attention...'
With that, Ran quietly slipped out of Hegar's room.
And shortly after.
Another visitor arrived in the room Ran had left.
Despite the late hour, Hegar—still awake—widened his eyes at the intruder.
"You...?"
"Good evening, Senior."
The man at the center of it all.
Jun.
"...Here to mock me?"
"Pardon?"
He knew he wouldn't be welcomed.
But coming to mock him?
Jun didn't have time to waste like that.
Hegar awkwardly shook his head under Jun's baffled stare.
Ran's visit and nonsense had left him on edge.
"I have nothing to say to you. What do you want?"
"Just a junior dropping by to chat with his senior."
"Hah."
Did he have adamantium plating over his face or something?
Acting like they went way back with that senior-junior talk.
It was almost laughable now.
"Fine. You'd need nerves of steel to present that so-called paper."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Jun smoothly entered and sat on the sofa.
Hegar clicked his tongue, sat across from him.
"I was curious how you took my presentation."
"Now? After the fact?"
"Yes. It was my first time in a spot like that, so I was a bit nervous."
"Spare me the false humility. I despise that sort of thing."
"Sorry. Not scared-nervous, more like excited. Haha... You know how it is for Tower outsiders."
"Hmph. They deserve the grief. Look at how they've tarnished mages' reputations out there."
He wasn't entirely wrong.
If Jun put himself in Hegar's shoes, he'd probably feel the same.
'Lady Ranes said the early Conventional Sorcerers worked hard to change perceptions.'
And it was true that untalented mages exiled to the outside had somewhat undone those efforts.
"Besides, it wasn't even a real paper. Just some graphs and a pep talk to try harder."
"Fair point. But I didn't just talk."
I proved it against you, didn't I?
Hegar debated whether to throw the punk out right then.
"But as you saw, my magic isn't the easy-to-learn type."
"..."
"That said, it's not impossible. It might be less efficient, but there are plenty of ways to improve it."
"So what are you getting at? You want me to collaborate? Don't make me laugh. I still believe modern magic is superior."
"Do you really think that?"
"Yes."
"Then... why haven't you thrown this paper away?"
"That's... You brat!"
Jun placed a thick stack of paper in front of Hegar.
<Where Does Modern Magic Begin?>
It was the paper his master had left behind before departing the world long ago.