Chapter 242
Chapter 242
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: If I Could Burn Like the Sun -2
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No.
Selbia reasoned coldly and logically, concluding that the crazy wizard was not her childhood friend. Their personalities were completely different to begin with.
Listing them out one by one made it crystal clear. Really.
First off, her childhood friend was an incredibly kind person who never abandoned anyone in trouble. He always helped in some way.
"I guess I have no talent for fire magic. I'm just a lump of human ice. Useless for boosting firepower..."
"There's beauty in low-temperature flames too. There are plenty of things high heat can't do. Like cooking. Let's find magic that can only be done with low temps!"
"...Now that you mention it, that kinda makes sense...?"
Yeah, advice like that to cheer her up...
No, anyway, it's not him. Approaching people openly and solving their problems is a bit similar, but her childhood friend would have done it more perfectly.
Second, her childhood friend always showed concern when Selbia was in a tough spot. And not just nosy meddling either.
"Oh, this is that problem from the bulletin board, right? For stuff like this, it's important to broaden your thinking. Even if the basics are calculations, surprisingly unrelated knowledge can help sometimes."
"...Don't butt in! I have to solve this on my own!"
"I know, I know. It's like a job-change quest or something. But what if I taught you how to fish...?"
Guiding her indirectly so she could build the strength to think and challenge it herself... Yeah, this considerate, prince-like side was a little similar.
Finally, third.
Her childhood friend never backed down from any injustice or pressure if it was for something he believed in.
Even in that horrific one-eyed village where everyone was revolted, he stood firm, insisting he was right. He argued that kids deserved a happy childhood, never stopping his defiance against the adults despite his small body.
Challenging adults as a child is incredibly tough. Her childhood friend was often caught and beaten mercilessly with clubs.
Even as his bones broke and blood poured out, his spirit never broke.
He always stood up for me. No matter what, even this part...
"Ah, the Crimson Magic Tower Master put a restriction on this? Damn, no choice then. I'll head up for a bit and negotiate to lift the restriction."
"Hey, you lunatic-!!"
Selbia grabbed a broom and charged to smack the crazy wizard. Sure, he was an academy professor and an illusion magic expert, but you don't just waltz up to a Magic Tower Master like she's your pet dog!
Plus, the Crimson Magic Tower Master was quite moody and eccentric.
She might laugh off the crazy wizard's cheekiness, but she could just as easily erupt in fury and hand down terrifying punishment.
So she stopped him physically.
Whack whack whack-!
"Ow, that hurts!"
"It's supposed to hurt! There's a hierarchy in the tower, and you're still just an apprentice—how dare you talk about meeting the Tower Master?!"
"Then the academy has hierarchy too, so a student beating a professor is fine?!"
"Ugh...! Just listen to me!"
This could be seen as similar, but no, it wasn't.
Her childhood friend's unyielding conviction was cool, but this was just reckless stubbornness—like charging naked into a burning house.
So anyway, it wasn't him.
Absolutely not.
And yet...
"What? Why the long face all of a sudden? You sick? Want me to walk you back to the dorm?"
"...It's nothing."
She hated how she kept seeing traces of her childhood friend in this guy, while repeatedly denying it to herself.
A spoonful of pitifulness for failing to recognize the sun she'd admired her whole life at a glance, waffling between real or fake.
If it really was him, she should be thrilled at the reunion, but thinking of the two women stuck to his side made her boil with rage—a spoonful of pitifulness.
If it was worth agonizing this much, he could just ask outright if they'd met somewhere before. But hesitating to open the box out of fear—a spoonful of pitifulness.
Three spoonfuls total: utterly pathetic.
Still, she had to move forward someday. Her childhood friend had taught her that.
But she needed time to sort her thoughts. And evidence. If she assumed the crazy wizard was her childhood friend and he wasn't, it'd be a devastating betrayal for both.
Nothing was certain. Right?
So she had to be cautious—
I trailed after Selbia like a puppy.
About 30% was planning to ask her to tag along for a quick academy visit. The remaining 70% was some weird impulse.
Like reuniting with a cute cousin cousin you hadn't seen in ages. Back in the day, she'd followed me around, but now puberty hit and she was snapping at her uncle like she didn't want to play anymore.
For some reason, she felt familiar.
We had no direct connection, which was odd. Her hometown was Mountain Weasel Village, same as mine... Was there a meeting in my lost memories?
Or just the joy of meeting a fellow villager.
I stared openly at Selbia's profile as she glared daggers at the Promotion Gate. Red hair like the sun, slightly fierce eyes. Even the way she'd braided her hair and let it hang forward.
For the record, her bust was average.
"Hey."
"........."
Sharp instincts.
To escape the awkward vibe, I shifted my gaze to where she was looking. Her eyes were fixed on a task in one corner of the Promotion Gate.
[Practical Section - Subjugate the Exiled Red Tower Mage Kravelin Render.]
A vaguely familiar name. Exiled mage, fire specialist, starts with Kr... Wasn't he a top contender in the Hero Selection Tournament?
I'd thought Red Tower exiles were lenient since they roamed freely casting spells, but they just hadn't caught him yet.
He'd probably gotten swept up in Forced Exile too and crash-landed somewhere on the continent.
"...I'm not picking that one. Professor, there are plenty of other tasks on the Promotion Gate, so don't choose it."
"Why?"
"Lots of Red Tower mages tried, but they all came back as ashes. Subjugating Kravelin Render is the hardest task on the Promotion Gate. You could pass easily, so..."
Don't take the hard road.
I hadn't planned to hunt Mr. Kr anyway, but I nodded agreeably. No hobby of turning an easy exam into hardcore mode.
I didn't even want to pass.
Studying fire magic on the sly already made me paranoid about Yuna spotting it; becoming the Crimson Tower Master's prized disciple? She'd seriously kidnap and lock me up.
And Yuna would sob right in front of me until I repented. My heart would shatter; I couldn't endure it.
I asked Selbia casually.
"Your goal was to become the Crimson Tower Master's direct disciple, right?"
"Yes. The Crimson Tower Master grants each disciple one wish."
"So more interest in the rice bowl than magic fun. What's the wish? To find...?"
"...Yes. To find my childhood friend from childhood."
Childhood friend.
I'd heard bits about Selbia's gentlemanly childhood friend. When she'd clung to me for counseling sessions.
His quotes were pure gold.
Emotions should be accepted as they are, without burying or cutting them out.
Just because the one you like rejects you doesn't mean denying the love ever existed.
The wisdom passed through Selbia had helped me a lot. And thinking back, I hadn't paid her counseling fee yet.
That was around when I heard the bolt-from-the-blue news that Pingbalrez was comatose, and I'd half-lost my mind.
Selbia advised not getting swept by emotions, to devise a plan. Said I could brag to her if I succeeded, and she'd take back calling me an idiot.
Maybe now was the time.
I owed her, so payback was due. Perfect timing: I was a Red Tower apprentice with some fire magic proficiency. Couldn't ask for better to help her hurdle.
Her drive sparkled and was cool, so I wouldn't solve everything for her. But I could cut out the unnecessary hardship.
Yeah. Help her smash the Promotion Gate, then back to Violet Tower. By then, I'd be ogre-soloing level. I resolved and nodded.
Oh, and on a related note.
"Ah, right. Thanks to you, I got two girlfriends."
"...Why tell me that now, bragging like?"
"No, you said I could brag after the plan succeeded..."
"Bragging about getting a girlfriend in front of someone searching for her childhood friend means you're ready to pay the price, right?!"
Selbia's grip tightened on the broom. Even with nerfed math skills, she got the message instantly. It meant a world of hurt.
Should I Heavenly Demon-Guard up, or Heavenly Demon-Run away? As I pondered...
Beeeep-!
The portable thermometer issued to Red Tower mages shot up to 43 degrees in seconds.
Sizzle...!!
Steam boiling off. Abnormal heat source approaching from behind. And massive mana like a mountain shifting.
Mana rivaling Yuna's. I turned.
Red hair flowing like lava, eyes blazing like the sun. Skin flawlessly pale and smooth, outfit ridiculously light.
Draped more than dressed.
Foxy eyes full of charm, teardrop mole adding allure. She embodied national-toppling seductiveness, but to someone who handled mana...
Fear and dread over lust or awe. If a volcano walked in human form, beauty aside, wouldn't it terrify?
First time meeting, but I knew who she was.
The Crimson Magic Tower Master.
Selbia's face lit with admiration and tension as she bowed at ninety degrees.
"H-Hello, Crimson Tower Master...!"
"Oh my, it's been ages, dear. Thought you'd gone to Violet Tower, but did you finally see the merits of fire magic?"
"......?"
After a brief silence.
I realized the Crimson Tower Master had ignored Selbia's greeting and addressed me directly. Selbia blinked between us, dumbfounded.
I frowned slightly, asking awkwardly.
"You know me?"
"How rude. After you personally asked me... and now pretending not to know? Hm?"
"No, I have... a condition. Yes. Amnesia."
Her blazing eyes narrowed, scanning my whole body in an instant.
"Hmmm... I see. Your condition isn't normal. Mana circuits totally shattered, wisdom in your eyes down to average human level."
One glance to read my specs.
And she knew me? Well... when the Tower Masters scouted me. I definitely saw her then. She saw me too. Of course she knew.
Memories fuzzy, reality blurred. Couldn't even confirm if we'd really met, tempted to ask if she knew me.
The Crimson Tower Master glanced between me and Selbia, smiling foxily. She pressed a finger to her lips like sharing a secret.
"Got it. I'll keep that day's private bits hushed. But... you're still planning to help Selbia, right?"
"...Yeah."
"Not fair. A talent that tilts the world favoring one person nullifies the Promotion Gate's point."
She flicked her hand lightly, and the top parchment on the Promotion Gate flew into her grasp.
Exiled mage Mr. Kr subjugation. The one Selbia called the hardest.
"Here, I'll count it even if you two team up. Selbia, if you want to be my direct disciple from now on... you'll have to catch Kravelin Render."
"...?!?"
Selbia froze white as her job-change quest locked to extreme. I opened my mouth to cover somehow.
"You just saw, Crimson Tower Master. If I were fine, whatever, but I'm genuinely in 30 pieces."
"I factored in your poor condition fully."
"What if I bail on helping Selbia right now?"
"Then poor Selbia can never be my direct disciple."
No dice.
Mischief sparkled in the Crimson Tower Master's eyes.
I got it instantly. Before fairness of me helping Selbia, it was grudge for ditching Red Tower for Violet... She wanted to toy with me over that resentment.
But also seemed to think it balanced perfectly.
Gutted-spec me plus Selbia challenging the top difficulty? Appropriate adjustment.
...No way, right?
Quest summary: 'Two scrubs vs. Immortal Fire Mage.' Obvious winner: latter.
Overestimating my talent? Already nerfed and wheezing here?
"Our dear's underselling himself, surely?"
"Grateful for the faith, but if this sticks, I'm in deep trouble. Right now, uh..."
Selbia was glaring murderously.
Eyes itching to chew out the difficulty hiker.
The Crimson Tower Master beamed.
"Oh dear. Too bad. But I'll reward the boosted difficulty. For you and Selbia both... you have things you want, right?"
Whoosh!
And didn't she just combust into flames and vanish!
I froze like hit by a bomb, then creakily turned to Selbia. She was practically feral now.
"You! Because of you, the difficulty...!!"
"No, I was trying to help. Pure goodwill. Not my fault!"
"Why was an academy professor infiltrating as an apprentice in the first place-!!"
Whack whack whack whack-!
I took the broom's unfair wrath on my body.
But I could see her pulling punches to not hurt too much, so while play-acting agony, I grinned inwardly. Situation was kinda fun.
Selbia, who preached trials were academy life essentials, now tasted her own words!