Chapter 198
Chapter 198
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 198
Chapter Title: Epilogue: The Strange Adventure of 7% -3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A rumor peddled as "fact-based slander" by an unidentified mage from the Violet Magic Tower to a small-time info broker in some utterly unremarkable territory wouldn't spread across the world. Normally.
Selling unverified information ruins your business in the long run. It destroys trust with your clients. So, you never peddle that kind of intel without solid proof.
That's why the info broker rated Evil God-chan's testimony as low reliability and shoved it into a dusty corner of his filing cabinet.
Under normal circumstances, intel like that never sees the light of day.
Unless a big-shot client comes along in a real pinch... like, "Bring me everything you've got on this guy, hold nothing back"—the kind of cash splash that says, "I'll buy out your entire stock."
But this was Elmeister territory. Just a few weeks ago, succubi had been lurking right under the Goddess Church's local chapter.
Naturally, black mages had their tentacles sunk deep from top to bottom. And every black mage had recently received a top-priority directive from on high: "Gather all intel on the mad mage."
Why had the aggro meter suddenly spiked toward the mad mage?
The named black mages operated independently but loosely cooperated—so news of the "Pleasure-Drinking Virgin," one pillar of their four-man setup, vanishing overnight had reached them long ago.
In response, Duke Redburn, the "Noose that Etches Despair," jacked the mad mage's threat level to maximum. Equivalent to a Magic Tower Master.
The Succubus Queen had completed the Evil God statue, hadn't she? The premise that even Transcendent-class forces could win against her at 100% Evil God power had been shaken, just a bit.
Reasons for the Queen's defeat? Plenty came to mind.
For dream demons with middling physical prowess outside mental manipulation, the Violet Magic Tower's illusion magic was a perfect counter.
Black mages figured it'd take at least a year to master the Evil God statue's powers, so the Queen had likely been inexperienced in wielding them.
High chance the Violet Magic Tower Master was there too, meaning she'd effectively fought a Transcendent plus the mad mage.
So, one could think the mad mage wasn't as strong as feared... In fact, that scenario seemed more likely. Because...
If the worst-case held, it meant the mad mage could battle Transcendents without even undergoing Apotheosis. Ridiculous. If so, was he a dragon or something?
No way.
The mad mage's past was well-documented. Both parents human, born fully human without any magical experiments.
But still—better to always assume the worst.
"Should I have stepped in myself back then...?"
If Roderus had used his Foreknowing Lantern at the cost of exhaustion when he'd nearly killed the mad mage. If he'd taken the little lamb's advice more seriously.
No, no. Regrets over the past were pointless. Better to have reconfirmed the variable now.
Duke Redburn's Apotheosis, Foreknowing Lantern, required intel on the target. It then enforced fate based on that info.
The more prior knowledge, the stronger the enforcement. If the mad mage was a potential archenemy, prep started now.
Gather it. Gather everything on the mad mage!
And so, the scandal Evil God-chan had spread flowed straight to House Redburn.
Drawing on his long political savvy, Duke Redburn judged.
"This is usable."
The Violet Magic Tower's public image was negative. Barely any outward activity, plus dealing in minds—it made them seem maniacal.
Even the Crimson Magic Tower Master's temperament was eccentric, but their rep was solid. Social contributions buffered their image.
So, poke the Violet Tower where it hurts.
Until now, with shaky links between the Second Prince and the Violet Tower, he'd held off to avoid provoking Yuna Yurensuto Violetiris.
But now was the time for schemes.
After reviewing the intel, Duke Maxim Redburn ordered attacks on the Violet Magic Tower and mad mage's reputations—to check the Second Prince's faction too.
"There's a lunatic mage right by the Second Prince! He's the one muddying His Highness's pure intentions!"
"That lunatic from the Violet Magic Tower's got a twisted mind—collects all sorts of perverted hobbies and indulges in them!"
"Imperial Defense Bureau docs label him 'Mad Mage'—what else would they call him?"
"Someone said we gotta chase him out before he lays hands on academy girls and boys!"
Separate from the radical claims... these were baseless rumors.
For now, just subtle whispers of unknown origin. "I heard someone say..." Nothing concrete.
But the moment the mad mage slipped up publicly even once, the powder keg would blow. The black mages would see to it. Duke Redburn quietly prepped a social assassination.
Of course, Roderus Redburn knew the plan.
But he'd been thoroughly enchanted by the magical girl Blue Rose, so he spilled the family secrets.
The Magical Girl Big Five passed it to Envers Redburn.
Envers could only gaze at the pristine magical girl with unease and discomfort. Bitterly, he said,
"...I told you not to approach my brother."
"Then build some standing inside House Redburn yourself."
"I even sat in on classes under the Professor. Now I'm under even hotter suspicion. They think I'm a mole... If brother didn't trust me, I'd be dead already."
"Then manage your image better inside."
Oh Dae-soo clicked his tongue. This little brother had no clue about reputation management. Act moderately materialistic and villainous, intimidate the family members, play the evil exec to earn the Duke's trust.
'Fight me fair and square. If I win, never insult me again, you lowly servant.'
Behaving like that? When would he ever gain trust? Roderus would've half-killed him first.
Anyway, the mad mage.
Oh Dae-soo shuddered, recalling the headache-inducing otherworldliness stuck in his mind. Looking back, even his fighting style was bizarre. Alien.
In a world with Apotheosis granting "special abilities," nothing was weird. Summoning living armor out of nowhere or a mage going melee? Barely comprehensible.
But confidence? Or that gaze...
Like looking down from a superior plane. Bleeding profusely from Roderus's attacks, yet he never seemed desperate.
If—he burned his soul, threw his whole body in desperation—what then? Oh Dae-soo didn't want to check or imagine.
Shaking off the thoughts, Oh Dae-soo returned to the main topic and probed Envers casually. About the rumors House Redburn was spreading. Fact or baseless slander?
Envers had watched the mad mage at the academy, so he could judge.
"...That Professor guy. How is he? As rumored?"
"Hmm. Not a bad person... but he really likes tentacles. Suspiciously so."
"?"
"He targeted female classmates with tentacles relentlessly..."
"........."
Oh Dae-soo shuddered again as old nightmares resurfaced. The merciless tentacle assaults of the Four Heavenly Kings' Slime Frostlover.
Come to think of it, odd.
Her current incarnation fought mainly in close quarters, couldn't handle plants or tentacles. Sure, monster powers were separate from Apotheosis, so different abilities were possible...
But usually, didn't you lean into your specialties?
Oh Dae-soo himself mained rapier. No way he'd abandon a lifetime of training for weird new tricks.
Just a what-if. What if... among the Four Heavenly Kings... the mad mage was one?
Those slimy tentacles a joint development product...?
Then the mad bastard fit perfectly.
He shelved the unprovable suspicion. Plenty else to think about.
Oh Dae-soo and Namgoong Cheonghwi stopped at leaking intel, leaving counters to rumors and politics to the Second Prince's side. They had bigger fish.
"Use the imperial throne contest as bait. It'll boil the whole Empire—Duke won't stay out."
"Pin that reaching hand, then lop off his head. Right."
"Yeah, opportunity will come... Just stay alert. It'll happen. Like how I finally snagged that famous patissier’s roll cake."
"Girly metaphor, huh...?"
The Redburn Duke hunt plan.
In an Elmeister tavern, a man and woman clinked beer mugs.
One was a handsome man with an 28 part, hair swept back, tear mole under his eye striking. His foxy eyes emphasized charm over suspicion.
His leather armor was top-shelf. Any expert would peg him as a veteran adventurer.
He was Rowillen, the silver-plate mercenary who'd traveled with the mad mage. Tear Mole Guy to Mimi.
Across from him sat a woman in practical adventurer gear, huge scar across her left eye.
This was the Violet Magic Tower mage Puppet Lorelei. Face Scar Senior to Mimi.
Lorelei needed monster hunts for magic research materials, hired Rowillen as frontliner. Now, post-job drinks.
Lorelei tilted her mug, gulped beer, wiped her mouth with a satisfied kha. Then asked about recent events.
"How's it going lately? Heard both your wives are pregnant."
"Great. All good. Never dreamed days could be this happy. Becoming a dad soon weighs heavy, but..."
"It'll work out. If just one wife, I'd advise two kids each. Hm. Even one each makes siblings—harem bonus."
"Wives... want more, it seems. Grinding quests hard. Gotta feed two mouths at once, as they say."
Kids coming meant staying home post-birth, so earning big during pregnancy. That's why he'd come to far-off Elmeister.
"Ahem... Keep appealing like that, might have to up the bonus. Hate being the bad guy."
"Ahaha. That obvious? Thanks."
"Thanks? Send baby portraits later. Haven't seen half-elf, half-beastkin births in ages."
"Yes, definitely."
Lorelei mentally tallied. Reagents for extending flesh-swap duration piled high... but a baby's coming. How to skimp?
Kids need parents. Loosening the purse for family peace? Good deal.
In the warm vibe, Rowillen lowered his voice cautiously.
"By the way... Lorelei, rumors 'bout the Violet Tower in Elmeister lately... not great. Something up?"
"Oh, that... one mage with a screw loose?"
"Yeah. Seems like the guy who called me Tear Mole Guy on first meet. Heard he even went after a little girl, so if that's too personal..."
"Nah. Rumors are fake. Junior's a bit off, but knows boundaries. Probably distorted from seeing him flirt with the Tower Master..."
Thud!
A coin pouch hit the table.
Startled by the noise, Lorelei and Rowillen whipped around, eyes wide. There stood a prickly-looking girl, arms crossed, pouty-faced.
The girl declared confidently.
"No."
"?"
"Rumors are fact. At least the part about molesting a little girl. Happened to me!"
"...Who are you?"
As Lorelei stunned by the direct junior slander, veteran adventurer Rowillen peeked into the pouch. Client-worthy sum.
The girl, Evil God-chan, puffed her chest proudly.
"Mad mage's lovechild."
"What."
"And your new client. All this gold—escort me to the academy? You pros, right?"
"...Lovechild? With the Tower Master? No. Didn't go that far. Then who..."
Evil God-chan had found her guides.