Chapter 629: The Equivalent Exchange of Emotions
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 629: The Equivalent Exchange of Emotions
Half a month had already passed since they began their stay at the Floating Castle. While Hughes was engrossed in his studies at the Crystal Tower, Shei focused on her recovery.
She had fought a fierce battle with Nevida at the Tree of Genesis, suffered the grievous injury of having both arms torn off, and then pushed herself to fight again after they were barely reattached. And though she couldn't remember it, she had even wielded a power that should not exist in the current era.
No matter how masterful her Qi Art or how precious her elixirs, the injuries had been too severe. Only after controlling her rampaging qi and consuming potions and nourishing food was Shei able to get her body back in order. She clenched and unclenched her hands, which still trembled faintly, recalibrating her senses.
"They still feel awkward. Not that it matters when I'm using my Gam Qi Art to control my whole body during a fight, but..."
An injury was an injury, and a scar was a scar. Shei was no vampire; a limb, once severed and reattached, would leave its mark on her body.
The Mage Federation had screens made of crystal. Shei approached one and pressed the second gem on its frame. With a soft chime, the crystals flipped over, transforming the screen into a mirror that reflected her image. Staring into it for a moment, Shei shrugged off her shirt with a stiffness in her shoulders.
A healthy, well-defined body was reflected on the crystal screen. A long time ago, it had been gaunt and unimpressive, but the body she had forged through repeated regressions now showed its worth.
However, the scars encircling her shoulders stood out like a blemish on a masterpiece.
Bloodcraft, Qi Art, elixirs, and Hughes’s surgery. They had sealed the wounds cleanly, but the scars remained. Though Shei was not one to fuss over her body, the sight of the large scars filled her with a strange, bitter feeling.
But she quickly shook her head, dismissing the concern.
"This body will just reset when I regress anyway. It's weird to even care."
She didn't know why she was feeling this way in the first place. She had never once had the luxury of complaining about a scar.
"It must be because I haven't moved my body at all. My mind is wandering."
Shei changed her bandages and put her shirt back on. She glanced at the mirror that had been silently reflecting her, turned it back into a screen, and walked away.
"Maybe I'll check out the Crystal Tower."
She was hopeless when it came to studying, but she might be able to pick up some knowledge about magic.
And Hughes would be there.
So Shei visited the Crystal Tower.
And witnessed Hughes swinging a hammer.
"Haaaah! Crystal Ember!"
A mage shouted powerfully and crouched down. In the next instant, crystals sprouted from his body, encasing him completely. Solidified like an insect trapped in amber, the mage went rolling down the corridor.
It was a defensive spell devised by Ember, a disciple from the 6th floor of the Crystal Tower. Crystal Ember. It created a hard crystal shell around the caster to protect them from attacks.
I slowly examined the crystal surrounding the mage, scribbling on a piece of paper.
"Casting time, good. Crystal formation, good. Caster's condition... Ah, Senior. If you can hear me, roll your eyes up and down... Good."
So far, so good. I nodded, then picked up the hammer I had set aside and brought it down hard on Ember's crystal. With a loud CLANG!, shattered crystal fragments flew in every direction, the recoil vibrating up my arm.
"Crystal strength, good. Hmm, excellent. I think you can present this at the demonstration."
‘Wait! The crystal is too hard, I can't dispel it! Help me, Hughes! I can't... breathe!’
"I take back what I just said. It seems there are still some kinks to work out. I'll have to change the structure so it can be dispelled from the inside."
Looks like it worked a little too well. I tied a rope around the crystal-encased senior, hoisted him up, and tossed him into the central elevator. A mage who happened to be riding the elevator up gasped in surprise at the sight of my senior trapped in the crystal. I looked at the mage and said.
"Senior Glecia, please take Senior Ember to Senior Detrox on the 7th floor. Tell him I said we need his crystal dissolution ability."
"Uh, uh... Detrox? That senior is scary..."
"Tell him I sent you. And that I'll forget about the time he disintegrated my Highcrystal. Got it?"
"Uh, yeah..."
The mage nodded and ascended with my crystallized senior. Without a second glance, I turned around.
"Senior Avant-garde."
"Oh! Yes...!"
Avant-garde, who had been waiting nearby, scampered over like a puppy when I called. I paused for a moment until she reached me. She stuck close to my side, and we began walking together.
"I've arranged to borrow Senior Ember's lab for today. We'll be practicing with Overlapping Magic Circles there. You, of course, Senior Avant-garde. I don't have any mana, so I'll just observe from the back."
"H-Hey...! Junior!"
"Yes?"
"W-Well, I found a new method for mana amplification... It's called... r-resonance amplification... Maybe..."
Just as Avant-garde was timidly trying to speak, as if she had made a great resolution, a voice called out.
"Disciple of the 6th floor, Hughes-nim. You have a visitor."
"Hm?"
I turned at the call to see an apprentice mage from the 1st floor calling to me, with Shei in tow. I excused myself from Avant-garde and walked over.
"Technically, outside visitors aren't allowed on the middle floors, but..."
"I owe you one. Thanks. I'll treat you to something big someday."
"...Please, take your time. I'll always respect you."
The apprentice mage, who had just made it to the 3rd floor, bowed deeply and retreated. I'd gifted him a few Highcrystals from the 8th floor a while back, and he'd been doing me favors ever since. See, it pays to treat people well. You get something back like this.
‘...Something's weird. That Hughes bastard acts as if he's lived here for years. Did he brainwash them or something?’
You don't need years to get close to people. And you certainly don't need to brainwash them. Do you need to brainwash people to befriend them?
"Shei-ssi. What brings you all the way to the Crystal Tower?"
"Oh, you know. My body's all healed, so I thought I'd try to learn some magic."
‘It's awkward to say... I had nothing better to do.’
So she had nothing better to do.
The Floating Castle was the heart of the Mage Federation, a city in the sky ruled by the Mage King. It was exceedingly safe and stable. It was a fortunate opportunity, to be sure, but the only thing to be gained from the Floating Castle was magic.
"Is that so? We were just about to practice with Overlapping Magic Circles. Would you like to observe, Shei-ssi?"
"Overlapping Magic Circles? What's that?"
"It's a method where you overlap two magic circles to artificially create a mana distortion, then use that distortion to amplify the mana. The complexity doubles and it's unstable, making it difficult to control, but the amplification is enormous. Since my only weakness is my low mana, I'm aiming to amplify it through this method."
"Hmm... Ah, that thing?"
‘What the hell is that? Isn’t a magic circle just a drawing? It can amplify mana?’
Look at her nodding when she didn't understand a single word. It would be so much better if she just admitted she didn't know.
Shei put on the characteristic bravado of a Regressor.
"I'll take a look, too. I might be able to help."
"Alright. Follow me. Senior Avant-garde, Shei-ssi would like to observe as well. Is that okay?"
"Ugh..."
Avant-garde's lips tightened into a pout, her face full of displeasure.
"H-Hey, Junior! You can't show the Crystal Tower's knowledge to an outsider!"
"Well, Shei-ssi does have a crest, doesn't she? Even if it's just a visitor's pass."
"Y-Yes, but! It's my research! Even a guest can't just look at someone else's research!"
‘Who does that woman think she is, showing up out of nowhere!’
Avant-garde was stubbornly opposed. Hmm. What to do. Kicking Shei out seemed like it would cause its own set of problems. But I couldn't just ignore Avant-garde either.
Time to placate her. I faced Avant-garde and said.
"It's our research. A mana amplification method that you and I researched together, for my sake."
"That's right! Our research!"
"But, Senior Avant-garde, I'm desperate. This isn't the time to be picky about my methods."
"Huh?"
I lowered my eyes, putting on a half-resigned expression as I continued.
"The Descent is in a week, right? When the Floating Castle descends near the Lower World, I'll have to leave and prepare for the Gateway."
The Floating Castle was a place only for the chosen among the chosen. My presence here was a special privilege in itself.
They couldn't just toss me out, so they were letting me stay for now, but once the Descent happened, I would have to leave. I only had one week left.
It was enough time to learn the knowledge of the Crystal Tower, but it was far too short to fix my chronic condition.
"I don't have the luxury of being picky about people or methods. If I go down to the Lower World like this, I'll be eliminated for mana deficiency before I even get to attempt the Gateway."
At that, Avant-garde shook her head frantically and cried out.
"N-No...! Junior, you have to come to the Crystal Tower! With you here, the Spire can break out of its long stagnation and rise even higher! I... I became a disciple of the 6th floor thanks to you!"
"I want that too. And to do that, I need a way to amplify my innate mana."
"I'll find it for you!"
"I believe you will. But to not look for other ways in the meantime would be nothing short of indulgence. Just as you are searching for a method, I must also search diligently. With anyone's help, I can get."
Not that Shei would be of any help.
Avant-garde couldn't win against me. With a face full of dissatisfaction, she went to Ember's lab, inserted a disposable key, and channeled her mana into it. The disposable crystal key melted away, and the door to Ember's lab opened.
Shei grumbled as she watched Avant-garde.
"What's her problem? Making such a fuss over watching a little magic."
"She has every right to make a fuss. Even Qi practitioners hide their training to conceal their weaknesses, so why would mages be any different? This is a magic tower. You should follow the customs of mages."
"...Look at you, acting like a real mage! Good for you!"
I could say with certainty that Shei was of no help whatsoever.
"Why are you trying to amplify such a tiny amount of mana? It's not even amplifying by much."
Shei said listlessly, staring at the flow of mana with her Seven Colored Eyes.
Mana? Shei's body had been exposed to all sorts of treasures and relics, and she had drunk countless elixirs. Her mana capacity was comparable to that of a Spire Lord.
Mana detection? Shei's Seven Colored Eyes could visualize even mana. On top of that, her unique sensitivity allowed her to react keenly to all kinds of power.
She truly had the talent of someone born to be a mage.
It wasn't for nothing that the Green Tower Master had called her one of the chosen, or that the Blue Tower Master had tried to take her as a disciple.
She was the complete opposite of me.
Including her comprehension.
"The mana flowing through the magic circle isn't mine. I need to increase my own activation mana, you see? Please distinguish between activation mana and manifestation mana."
"Forget it, Junior. It's like talking to a wall. Let's just do this ourselves."
Avant-garde was treating Shei like a complete idiot. A precise insight, befitting a mage.
Shei was an idiot, but she was an idiot who knew when she was being treated like one. With a sulky expression, Shei plopped down on a chair and asked.
"Hughes. Are you really planning on becoming a mage?"
I wonder. What do you think?
I stopped Avant-garde before she could retort and answered.
"Shei-ssi. I think I've finally found my calling."
"Which is what?"
"To be honest, my past self, who tried to solve everything with brute force, was the strange one. People should do what they're suited for. Someone with a lofty and brilliant intellect like myself is meant to do work befitting of it."
"So you're really going to attempt the Gateway and learn magic at the Floating Castle?"
"Yes. And who knows? If I can just solve my chronic mana deficiency, I'll have an incredible card up my sleeve!"
‘True. The King of Humans should be able to use all sorts of magic. The Divine can use it, so why not him.’
"And wouldn't a magic-wielding me be more helpful to you, Shei-ssi?"
I'd meant it as a persuasion, but Shei thought for a moment before shaking her head.
"Not really. You're more than enough just the way you are now."
How could she say something so heart-fluttering so thoughtlessly? She probably didn't mean anything by it, but still.
"They say those who pass the Gateway can receive special advice from the Mage King. Any question, as long as it's within the Mage King's knowledge, will be answered."
"Wait. The Mage King?"
At the mention of the Mage King, Shei's expression changed. Right now, there was only one person in the Floating Castle that Shei had business with: the Mage King.
The Mage King, who held the button for 'Pride', the Star of the Apocalypse, was a crucial key.
"Yes. If I pass the Gateway and get a private audience with the Mage King... wouldn't that be the greatest achievement of all?"
"You hadn't forgotten."
"How could I forget something so important? That's my top priority."
‘And here I was, thinking you'd put Pride on the back burner to learn magic.’
Shedding one of her worries, Shei stood up, looking relieved. With a cheerful face that was a complete contrast to when she'd arrived, she headed for the lab door.
"Looks like I won't be of any help. Work hard, Hughes. I'm going to get moving, too."
"Yes. Take care."
"And... Avant-garde? Take good care of Hughes."
"Tch!"
A click of the tongue came from Avant-garde. Wearing the smile of a victor, Shei heard the sound but left the lab cheerfully anyway.
So she was just bored after all. As long as she felt better, that was all that mattered.
"Focus, Junior! You said you don't have time, so stop dawdling!"
For some reason, though, Avant-garde’s mood seemed to have soured by the exact amount that Shei’s had improved. What’s with you now?