Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Phantasm Library: Celestia (3)
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Apprentice mage, Lua Polaris.
She had spent quite a long time as an apprentice mage affiliated with the Blue Tower.
It was common knowledge among mages that a mage's talent could be recognized from childhood.
As such, Lua had caught her master's eye at a young age and been selected.
There had even been a time when she alone displayed unparalleled skill, monopolizing her master's praise—.
"Tsk tsk… When exactly do you plan on becoming independent?"
"…I'm sorry."
By now, however, every one of her peers except her had surpassed her.
A year ago marked the last time, but all her fellow apprentices except Lua had earned the badge of 'full-fledged mage.'
Lua was the only mage still lingering as an apprentice.
Only Lua's thesis had failed to pass, continually rejected up to now.
The pride of the girl who had once been a genius could not tolerate this situation.
For that reason, she threw herself into research every night, suffering from overwork, but no significant results had emerged yet.
Today was no different.
Lua today, too, scribbled away at her promotion thesis with eyes heavy from fatigue, but she made no meaningful progress.
Nod, nod—.
Rather, her head, unable to bear the accumulated fatigue of the past few days, kept dipping toward the desk and returning.
No matter how hard she tried to suppress it, was there a limit to staving off sleep?
As her head nodded like that, when she finally managed to lift it again.
"…Huh?"
Lua Polaris stood at the entrance of some enormous library.
She had somehow entered the library without any warning or precursor.
A library filled with countless tomes, exuding an antique atmosphere.
If the empire's greatest artist were to design a library, would it look like this?
Centered around the sunlit first-floor hall, spiral staircases wound their way up to the rooftop.
Atop the roof was a garden with a massive tree planted there.
The vast library's scenery was breathtaking enough to awe even mages who pursued all the world's mysteries.
"Ah—."
Lua's eyes sparkled as she took in the majestic library.
Her heart raced at the sight of this grand library.
Had the god of magic bestowed this beautiful dream upon the struggling Lua?
As she gazed at the library with such thoughts, her hand moved to her cheek.
Pinch—.
It didn't take long for panic to color Lua's face as she pinched her own cheek.
"Ugh… Why does it hurt?"
Even though it should clearly be a dream, a stinging pain emanated from her cheek.
It went beyond mere vividness; the pinched cheek hurt terribly.
Ow—.
The harder she pinched, the clearer the cries of pain from Lua's lips.
Giving up on pinching her cheek, Lua finally stepped toward the depths of the library.
She decided to wander the vast library and inspect its interior firsthand.
"Well, I'll be. I thought I was the only one to stumble upon this fortune."
"…Hello."
As Lua wandered the library, she soon encountered another person there.
A middle-aged mage carrying a staff.
A small magic tome seemed embedded with incantations hung from his staff.
He was the picture of a typical combat mage.
"Huh, judging by that emblem, you're from the Blue Tower, eh? As a matter of fact, I hail from the Blue Tower myself. Though I've since left the tower to join a magic soldier regiment."
"Apprentice mage of the Blue Tower, Lua Polaris. I'm delighted to meet a senior from the tower in a place like this."
"Crayton Lukbart. You've got some serious luck, kid. Do you have any idea how valuable the magic tomes in this place are?"
The mage, who introduced himself as Crayton, pulled out one of the library's books as he spoke.
Lua wondered if Crayton might be the owner of this place, but from their conversation, that didn't seem to be the case.
Crayton appeared to have entered this place for the first time today as well.
Crayton told Lua that every magic tome here was a priceless treasure.
He was right.
Mages transmitted magic in highly secretive ways.
Unless one entered a tower as an apprentice like Lua, learning magic from another mage was nearly impossible.
To think such precious magical knowledge was stored here in the form of magic tomes.
It was undoubtedly worthy of being called treasure.
"You don't seem to grasp what I'm saying. Pull out any one and give it a read."
But Crayton just chuckled at Lua and urged her to take a book, as if she had no idea of the value of the magic tomes here.
At Crayton's attitude, Lua pulled out a nearby book and opened it.
Rustle—.
After the book in her hand flipped open wide.
As Lua read through the incantations of the magic tome line by line, the corners of her mouth began to twitch.
"Th-this is…!"
"Now do you get it? You've grasped an incredible stroke of luck! A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
The contents of the magic tome in Lua's hand.
It was no mere basic, low-level incantation.
It was an advanced magical formula one might encounter only in the upper levels of a tower.
A single tome like this would suffice for a lifetime of comfort.
"Fire-element compound incantation… And at a level only taught in the tower's upper floors. Combat mages would kill for a formula like this."
"The spells around here are all of similar caliber. Worlds apart from lowly beginner manuals!"
Lua's eyes spun as she stared at the magic tome in her hand.
A single one of these could buy a grand mansion in the city.
And here they were, not just one, but packed floor to ceiling on the shelves.
It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime fortune, just as Crayton said.
Clutching the book to her chest, Lua asked Crayton.
"Senior, can I take this with me, by any chance?"
"From what I can tell, this library is clearly the legacy of an archmage. More than enough for you and me to split the fortune."
"Th-then… can I take this one too? And this?"
Lua's hand began pulling more magic tomes from the shelf.
Crayton just watched her with a hollow laugh.
"I don't mind… but are you sure you're okay with that? There might be even more astonishing spells stacked up above."
Crayton's finger pointed toward the rooftop garden of the library.
Even the library's lowest floor was filled with high-level magic tomes.
So what unimaginable treasures might lie in the upper levels?
Crayton's reasoning was quite logical.
"I'm good with this. I've decided not to get too greedy."
However, Lua chose to refuse Crayton's advice.
The fortune granted to her was more than sufficient already.
Rather than wish for more, she wanted to savor the knowledge now in her hands.
"But we don't know when we might be able to return here…"
"Let's go, Senior."
"Right. For now, it might be best to explore a bit more."
Crayton eyed Lua with the look of one pitying a poor junior as he started walking.
This place was no different from a treasure trove overflowing with gold and jewels.
It was baffling how she could settle for just a few luxurious mansions when a little more greed was warranted.
But Lua paid little heed to Crayton's gaze.
Excessive greed always invited disaster.
Lua Polaris was content with a modest dream of living in a splendid mansion on the capital's outskirts with ten servants.
"Anyway, let's look around some more."
"In case there are other treasures hidden somewhere."
And so Lua followed Crayton, continuing to walk through the library's interior—.
The result was the god of magic, indulgent of her modest dream, manifesting right now.
"To think I'd live to see thieves break into my library."
"Th-thief…? N-no, that's not…."
Scattered magic tomes on the floor.
And a black-haired young man staring at Lua, who had dropped the countless magic tomes.
The sharp-featured youth's gaze alternated between Lua and Crayton, the two mages.
—Thief.
The youth, who had been sipping tea while reading a magic tome, called Lua a thief.
The implication was clear.
The many magic tomes Lua and Crayton had been reading until moments ago all belonged to him.
'Wh-what do I do? Was I too greedy? Should I have taken just one instead of several…!'
All sorts of thoughts raced through Lua's mind as she dropped the magic tomes.
Had she taken too many magic tomes?
Had her greed for a capital mansion with servants been excessive?
No matter what, shouldn't she have sought out the owner first and asked permission?
Such thoughts flashed through Lua's head.
"For starters, why don't I hear how you two got in here—."
Moreover, the youth wore a cold smile as he began interrogating the pair.
Perhaps because they had been strutting through the library moments ago, boldly clutching others' magic tomes.
Lua felt an urge to flee at the youth's demeanor.
As Lua's trembling eyes desperately avoided the youth's gaze.
Thud—.
Suddenly, the sound of a staff slamming the floor rang out beside her.
"You bastard! Who the hell do you think you're trying to deceive!"
The one who slammed the staff was none other than the combat mage Crayton.
Was it that the youth's aggressive attitude rubbed him the wrong way?
Crayton, in turn, bellowed at the youth.
The youth, clearly not expecting such a reaction, let out a hollow laugh and asked him.
"…What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"You're the one—how dare you claim ownership of this place! No matter how you look at it, this is clearly a ruin centuries old!"
"…"
"A great archmage left this legacy for future generations, and here you are, a snot-nosed kid trying to hog it all for yourself!"
Crayton spread his arms wide, boldly declaring to the youth before him.
Don't try to devour the great archmage's legacy alone—share it nicely.
The youth regarded him with a complicated look for a moment.
Then, running a hand through his hair, he spoke again.
"Every magic tome in this place was penned by me. I have no idea where you get the confidence to claim ownership of my library."
"You whelp, younger than even I, Crayton—now you're impersonating an archmage? Know your place and get some conscience, you scum!"
"…"
"If you spout one more word of nonsense, the Iron Wall of the Northern Frontline—I, Crayton—will teach you what magic really is!"
Crayton, refuting the youth, raised his staff high as he spoke.
Don't let some fresh-faced young punk impersonate an archmage.
The youth's appearance was far too young for his claims.
Lua could somewhat sympathize.
If not for what the youth did next.
"Fine."
The youth smirked hollowly at Crayton for a moment.
He pondered briefly, then raised his right hand.
"Let's see that 'Iron Wall of the Northern Frontline' magic you're so proud of—."
Snap—.
Right after immense mana flowed from the finger-snapping youth.
Countless magic circles began manifesting throughout the vast library.
If one dragged the stars of the night sky down to earth, would it look like this?
Magic circles spread out around Crayton in all directions, scattering soft light.
Hummm—.
The number of magic circles filling the air numbered in the thousands.
They had all deployed in less than a second.
As the myriad circles in the sky resonated, unleashing their majesty.
The Iron Wall of the Northern Frontline—combat mage Crayton Lukbart—moved swiftly.
"Oh no, Senior!"
Thud—.
Crayton dropped to his knees at lightning speed.
Then, in a thunderous voice, he began pouring out apologies.
"This foolish junior failed to recognize a senior as lofty as the heavens and committed a grave discourtesy!"
"…"
"…"
Lua and the youth's cold gazes fell upon Crayton.
Both stares carried a hint of contempt for the combat mage.