Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Leobrant Brotherhood: Celestia (1)
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How much time had passed before my eyes since the library welcomed its very first guest?
The secret society, which had started with just two members, had now grown to five.
The official mage of the Blue Tower.
The lead mage of the Magitech Legion.
The acting marquess of House Alperatz.
The technical advisor of the Extremist Magitech Research Society.
And now, even a holy knight of the church mounted in a magitech armor.
The secret society, gathering members from diverse factions, was steadily evolving into an even better form with each passing day.
"So, you're saying it would be better for Sirius to investigate the Great Forest."
"...That's right. It keeps us from any direct connection, doesn't it?"
That very fact was being demonstrated right there on the first floor of Celestia, where the regular meeting was underway.
The members of the secret society.
They had once relied on my assistance to get things moving, but now they were conducting meetings on their own even without my presence.
The members themselves were setting the society's direction and taking action accordingly.
"I heard they even built a separate workshop outside to hide that dwarf."
"Of course, Austin has plenty of time on his hands, so it shouldn't be an issue. But if we want to add Creighton's personal request to the mix, just asking nicely might not cut it."
"What are you on about all of a sudden? What kind of relationship do we have? We're seniors and juniors from the Blue Tower—we've got to give and take. I've never been stingy with my junior."
I was leaning against the railing of Celestia's second archive, looking down at the members.
Was it because the society now allowed free transport of goods through Celestia?
It seemed dealings were starting to happen among the members themselves.
Rustle, rustle.
Even as I turned the pages of the magitech tome in my hand, the conversation among the members continued on the library's lowest floor.
"You said the same thing last time, and you just kept using me! Like when you asked me to dig up info on the mages in the Tower!"
"Well, that was... because I thought it would help with your studies, Lua."
"I'm about to get a position on the Tower's oversight committee! It's way past the time when I need your 'guidance,' Senior."
"Already? That's faster than I thought. Fine, tsk—whatever. What do you want?"
"The most famous desserts from the North!"
The exchange between Lua Polaris and Creighton Lukbart ended in a surprisingly straightforward manner.
Creighton had agreed to send Lua some desserts.
Through the magitech devices Lua had gifted to the members, they could exchange small items right away.
I had only been quietly reading my magitech tome while observing their conversation for a short while.
...
Creak.
Hearing the sound from the magitech tome, I quietly closed it.
Thud.
I stroked the cover of the now-closed tome, checking the name of the spell inscribed there.
—Shatterstone Flow.
It was a spell that had been checked out through Creighton.
"So this one changed too."
Holding the closed magitech tome, I shifted my gaze to the bookshelves in the second archive.
Lately, I had noticed something off about certain books stored in Celestia.
The contents of the spells inscribed in each magitech tome.
They were starting to mutate into something incomprehensible.
"The magitech tome 'Thunder God Descent' from the fourth archive was likely the starting point."
Most of the spells I created followed set rules to replicate and apply phenomena of the world.
In other words, magic in the form of magitech tomes was supposed to operate within the scope of my calculations.
However, the recent 'mutations' in the magitech tomes were completely exceeding that scope.
Parts of the spells were transforming into something that wasn't a spell at all.
It meant the magic, built through meticulous calculations, was changing into a form I could no longer control.
...
My gaze swept over the library's bookshelves as I pondered briefly.
Step, step.
Soon, I stepped away from the railing and headed deeper into the second archive.
My footsteps echoed in the empty archive.
"Parts of the spells have mutated. But using the magic itself presented no issues."
Parts of the spells had changed.
This 'mutation' had begun mostly in spells that had been checked out at least once.
Yet, the essential properties of the mutated spells hadn't vanished.
I'd tested them directly in the training grounds, and the magic functioned normally.
"Actually, the changes enhanced the spells' performance. Is that the right way to see it?"
The changes were all in forms that didn't stray far from their original roles.
Efficiency. Output. Casting speed.
They were surpassing the ideal performance I'd calculated, exhibiting even greater effects.
"The mystery beyond human comprehension... You said the magic stored in Celestia holds a single mystery."
As I mulled over the mutations in the magitech tomes, I recalled a conversation I'd once had with a mysterious girl.
A mystery dwells in magitech tomes.
The girl in my dream had clearly told me that.
The magic I created has its own ego.
They have essence, roles, and wills unique to themselves.
If the will inherent in the magic was altering its own structure...
Should I view the changes in the magitech tomes as a form of evolution?
Such thoughts surfaced in my mind.
"The will of the magic itself... I'm not sure yet."
My complicated gaze swept over the library's bookshelves.
There were still things I couldn't understand.
The structure of the illusory archive Celestia.
The grand laws surrounding me and the library.
The secrets hidden in the books stored here.
Pondering these questions one by one, I stopped before a magitech tome that had most recently undergone a 'mutation.'
"—Tyrant Dragon."
A relatively recent magitech tome from the second archive.
Created for a single girl, about thirty percent of its contents had mutated into undecipherable forms.
Stroke.
I caressed the cover of the magitech tome before me.
An alien sensation transmitted through my fingertips.
...
Offensive spells had grown more powerful.
Support spells had become faster.
So, what results would this 'mutation' bring to this spell?
The answer would surely become a task for my future self to uncover.
* * * * * *
In an annex of the lord's castle in the Alperatz Marquessate.
There, Perry Alperatz—the true number one of House Alperatz—was moving about with gifts in both hands.
A pure white baby dragon yawned blankly atop Perry's shoulder as she clutched the gifts.
—Tyrant Dragon.
The beautiful dragon, received from a brilliant grand mage of some library, was still protecting Perry by her side.
"Philip! Have you been well?"
With the baby dragon on her shoulder, Perry opened the door and entered the room, gifts in hand.
Creak.
As Perry entered with her gifts, a young man with disheveled blond hair looked up at her.
Philip Alperatz.
The young man, who had been showing remarkable improvement lately, was wrestling with a pile of documents.
"...Sister Perry, you're skipping work again to come here?"
A deep sigh escaped Philip's lips, along with a rebuke directed at Perry.
The reason was obvious, of course.
As far as Philip knew, the marquess's duties weren't leisurely enough to allow playing around all day.
Of course, Perry paid no heed to her brother's scolding.
Thud.
Setting down the large box, Perry spoke to Philip before her with a confident voice.
"Philip! This time I brought dragon statues made by a dwarf artisan!"
"That's not the point..."
"It's fine! No one in this house can stop me anymore!"
Philip let out a deep sigh at the sight of Perry proudly declaring her slacking off with chest puffed out.
Hoo.
Before Philip's eyes, after his heavy sigh, lay countless documents.
Each one required review by the territory's person in charge.
In other words, these were Perry's responsibilities.
"Can't you just handle some of this, please..."
Naturally, the person in question, Perry, had no intention of looking at them.
Because of that, the territory's paperwork had naturally fallen to Philip, who sat at his desk all day.
Flip, flip.
Even as Philip quietly turned the pages, Perry's chatter continued without pause.
"Philip, look at this! Isn't it incredibly delicate and beautiful?"
...
"It's a gift from a friend far away, commissioned from a dwarf artisan. Especially these detailed wing scales... Who but a dwarf could make something like this?"
She held up a wooden carving from the box, expounding on its artistic value.
It was certainly well-crafted, even in Philip's eyes.
Probably meant for display in his room, so he'd take a look once Perry left.
Nom.
Meanwhile, the pure white baby dragon on Perry's shoulder was chomping on the statue's head with its mouth wide open.
"Oh my, it must recognize the statue's value...!"
...
Om nom nom.
The baby dragon was munching away with the statue's head in its mouth.
Of course, it was just holding it in its mouth, not actually chewing or eating the statue.
It was common for the white dragon to chew on things in its mouth like this.
"Well, you didn't come just to give me this gift and have your dragon bite me. What's the other business?"
Ignoring the baby dragon's antics, Philip pressed Perry about her other purpose.
Perry had cleared out all the servants from the annex before entering.
Meaning there was some secret talk left.
As Philip asked, Perry—stroking the baby dragon while holding the statue—opened her mouth.
"Oh, right. Soon, I'm taking you to see the Doctor."
"What? That weird mage?"
Perry's business.
Hearing it, Philip looked up with a dizzy expression.
A dreadful memory resurfaced in his mind.
"Yeah. It's been quite a while since your last checkup, Philip."
"No, I think I can hold out for a bit longer? Do we really have to go see that guy...?"
Philip protested to Perry with a face full of reluctance.
The image of the monocled researcher was vividly reviving in his mind.
Of course, the number one of House Alperatz had no intention of entertaining her brother's complaints.
"Philip! It's all for your health!"
...
"And the Doctor isn't a bad person. He does some slightly dangerous research, but... his heart is so kind!"
At Perry's firm insistence on the need for a checkup, Philip reluctantly nodded.
He couldn't agree with the last part—
But his reluctance to worry Perry was genuine.
Thus, as the talk of her mysterious secret friend—of unknown origin—wrapped up.
Perry suddenly remembered something and tossed out a disjointed warning to Philip.
"Oh, but... if the Doctor suggests replacing your arm or leg with better ones, you have to refuse for sure?"
"...He really is a weird guy."
Philip Alperatz.
He still couldn't understand Perry's secret friend.
* * * * * *
In the heart of the Great Forest, shrouded in dense trees.
There sat a young man with his chest wrapped in pure white bandages, his face twisted in a scowl.
Isaac Leobrant, leader of the Leobrant Brotherhood.
One of the continent's famed "Seven Corners," the powerhouse was receiving treatment for a massive wound.
"Ha, damn it..."
"...Leader."
"Ugh... What the hell happened to that woman...?"
Isaac's face, bared upper body exposed for treatment, was contorted in rage.
The cause was, naturally, the elf he'd crossed swords with.
—Sword Ghost, Rafaria.
A sword prodigy who had lived through countless ages.
Isaac had been routed by that monster.
"After the battle ended, she returned to the village. According to the slaves' intel, the elves took significant losses this time... so even the Sword Ghost couldn't escape the backlash."
"I see. Ugh... So that's how it is."
"The Eight Swords Society seems to be making some moves too because of this."
The subordinate standing beside him reported to Isaac like that.
Having just returned from scouting, the subordinate's breathing seemed oddly ragged.
As Isaac listened, he spat blood-mixed saliva at the ground.
Ptoo.
A metallic tang spread in Isaac's mouth.
"Of course. An exile trying to play hero out of nowhere—who'd welcome that? Those who overstep their place always meet the same end."
Hearing something that brought a shred of satisfaction, a bitter smile twisted Isaac's lips.
Of course, the subordinate beside him didn't share the expression.
Because of the bandages starting to stain with blood.
"By the way, Leader... Wouldn't it be better to get treatment from the Empire right away? Now that you've even sent Brother Korer back..."
The reporting subordinate bowed his head, urging Isaac to seek treatment.
However, the brotherhood's leader ignored his subordinate's advice, sweeping back his sweat-soaked hair with one hand.
Ha.
A pained sigh escaped Isaac's lips.
"No need. With all the elf slaves we've lost this time, and the fruits about to ripen, I can't back off now."
"...Leader."
"In fact, her showing up here made it clear. Even the Eight Swords Society's Sword Ghost entered the Great Forest aiming for the World Tree's fruits."
Swoosh.
Isaac's hand lifted the demonic sword placed beside him.
"I'll claim this batch of fruits myself."
Leader Isaac Leobrant.
The magic swordsman's eyes were dyed with deep greed.