Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: The Mana Pact
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Kenyon summoned Allen and Lee Si-woo to his office.
He wanted to hear the full story and grasp the situation.
As if seeing through Kenyon's intentions, Allen answered his question about how he had returned alive bluntly.
“I fell into a trap set by the Wilderness Magic Tower, but thanks to Lee Si-woo, I made it out alive. I was extremely fortunate. However, the process... I'm sorry. From my perspective, it was a deeply humiliating experience, so if the Tower Master would permit, I'd like to explain it in detail later.”
Kenyon arched an eyebrow.
Strangely, Allen's expression was exceedingly impassive.
There was no sign of joy at having returned alive, nor any hint of gratitude toward Lee Si-woo for saving him.
Instead, he exuded a cold, rigid aura, strongly suggesting he was wearing a mask to hide his true feelings and thoughts.
‘And he’s subtly watching Lee Si-woo’s reactions. Ho ho, the great Allen, glancing sideways at Si-woo… What on earth has that fox of a man been plotting?’
In contrast to his inner thoughts, which were filled with suspicion and doubt, Kenyon wore a placid expression as he clapped Allen on the shoulder in encouragement.
“That's enough. What you went through isn't as important as the fact that you returned alive. And… Lee Si-woo. You've performed a great service this time. Well done.”
“As a mage of the Senior Magic Tower, I only did what was expected of me.”
Kenyon's eyes glinted as he asked in a suggestive tone.
“A great service deserves a great reward. Is there anything you desire?”
Lee Si-woo realized Kenyon was probing him, trying to discern his intentions.
But it didn't matter what the man was thinking.
Getting Allen under his control was an outcome even Si-woo hadn't anticipated.
It was like being handed a gun when he expected to fight a war with only a knife. How could the situation not change drastically?
Everything had changed.
Si-woo's objectives, his plans.
All for the better, in a more radical direction.
“I would like the opportunity to perform an even greater service.”
“…An opportunity to perform a greater service, you say?”
“Yes. The Wilderness Magic Tower has already crossed the line, and war is now inevitable. As proof, the reason they are quiet now isn't because they're timid, but because they are forming an alliance with the Old Tree Magic Tower.”
“That's right. They've already formed a united front. It won't be long before they launch a large-scale terrorist attack against key figures in our tower.”
Wars between mages rarely unfolded on a grand scale.
After all, no matter how many low-Circle mages you killed, you couldn't win the war without taking down the high-Circle ones.
Lee Si-woo, with his ability to defy the Circle hierarchy, was the exception. Ordinary low-level mages were typically unable to penetrate the Breakers and Mana Shields of high-level mages, and would be utterly crushed.
Thus, wars between magic towers usually proceeded as a shadowy conflict of assassinations, terrorism, schemes, and traps.
“Grant me full authority, including personnel command.”
“Personnel command? Who do you need?”
“Lady Isabelle and Lord Allen. I wish to carry out an operation with these two.”
Kenyon scoffed at the idea of placing his own daughter and an elder under Si-woo's command.
He spoke resolutely, leaving no room for negotiation.
“Impossible.”
Lee Si-woo held up two fingers.
“Two days.”
As Kenyon's distrustful gaze fixed on his fingertips, Si-woo continued.
“I will kill Hirkhus, the Master of the Wilderness Magic Tower, within two days.”
At Si-woo's bombshell declaration, Kenyon's expression hardened, and even Allen stared at him with a look that said, *Has this crazy bastard lost his mind?*
*Step.*
Kenyon took a step toward Lee Si-woo.
He got so close that the blood vessels in his pupils were visible, so close that their turbulent emotions were palpable. From that distance, Kenyon spoke in a voice laced with a sinister energy.
“If you truly have that ability, there's no reason I couldn't grant you full authority. But, is there any guarantee that my daughter won't be taken hostage, or that Elder Allen won't be killed? I'm talking about the possibility that you... are a traitor.”
Unfazed by Kenyon's sharp gaze, which felt like being pierced by iron bars, Lee Si-woo replied nonchalantly.
“If I were a traitor, I would have had no reason to save Elder Allen, Tower Master.”
“True. That's why I haven't bothered to mention the unpleasant rumors circulating within the tower. For instance, the one about you framing Elder Allen...”
It seemed that Hirkhus, having lost Allen and suspecting Si-woo's trickery, had already spread rumors throughout the tower.
But Si-woo didn't think much of it.
Whether things went well or not, he never expected Hirkhus to remain loyal to him.
Lee Si-woo said with a deadpan expression.
“Tower Master. I think we should end this tedious conversation here. We both know, don't we? That there's a solution that can clear up all this suspicion.”
Realizing what Si-woo was implying, Kenyon's eyes lit up.
“A pact?”
A corner of Si-woo's mouth curled up.
“Yes. It seems to be the only way to prove my innocence and earn your trust.”
“Hmm, a pact is certainly trustworthy... but are you sure? A single misstep could cause you to lose all your mana and become a cripple.”
Lee Si-woo answered without a hint of hesitation.
“Prepare the documents. I will undertake the pact.”
Kenyon, who had been staring at Si-woo in silence, suddenly let out a small laugh and pulled a document from his office desk drawer.
It was a pact contract that brought down the iron hammer of mana loss upon anyone who lied or broke their promise.
As Si-woo silently waited for Kenyon to meticulously fill out the contract, Allen, who had moved closer, nudged him in the ribs with his elbow.
Wondering why Si-woo was doing this, a flicker of hope that he might self-destruct, anxiety over how this would affect him and his sister...
Seeing the whirlwind of complex emotions in Allen's eyes, Lee Si-woo smiled brightly.
“Don't worry. I'm the kind of person who has never told a lie in his life. So, a pact like this is just a simple procedure to prove my innocence and purity. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Allen's jaw dropped at Si-woo's shamelessness.
He was lying even now, with every word he spoke. How could he possibly be immune to a Mana Pact?
He was bound to suffer severe consequences.
But why?
Why this unsettling feeling that Si-woo would slip through the pact's snare like an eel?
‘Tsk, no matter how I think about it, there's no way that cunning bastard would agree to a pact without some kind of trick up his sleeve... Dammit, Tower Master Kenyon. If you can just knock that arrogant, demonic son of a bitch down a peg, I'll do anything you ask. Please, you've got this. Please…’
Oblivious to Allen's silent cheering, Lee Si-woo took a seat across the desk at Kenyon's gesture.
Kenyon handed the pact contract to Lee Si-woo.
“I've added three clauses. Read them over.”
Lee Si-woo agrees to enter into a Mana Pact with Kenyon, and agrees to forfeit all of his mana should he make a false oath or break the pact.
Lee Si-woo has never made a secret agreement with the Wilderness Magic Tower, nor will he in the future, and as a member of the Senior Magic Tower, he will pledge lifelong loyalty to the tower.
Lee Si-woo will never commit any act that conflicts with the interests of the Senior Magic Tower.
Just three clauses.
But these three alone were enough to understand the dangers of a Mana Pact.
‘Lifelong loyalty? Ha, the moment I try to transfer, I'll lose all my mana. And never act against the tower's interests? Clever. Doesn't that mean if hiding what I have is deemed against the tower's interests, I'll lose my mana? Tsk, Kenyon. This old man is just as black-hearted as I am.’
This was why mages were reluctant to make Mana Pacts.
A carelessly made pact could leave one at the mercy of the other party for life.
However, far from objecting, Lee Si-woo actually requested to add another clause.
“Clause 4. Let's add, ‘During this operation, Lee Si-woo will, no matter what happens, bring back Isabelle and Allen alive.’”
When Si-woo voluntarily added a clause, Kenyon became convinced that he was truly determined to make the pact and let out a sound of admiration.
“Hoh... adding a clause yourself? You really intend to make this pact, don't you?”
Lee Si-woo said with a sly expression.
“My, did you think I would try to back out of the pact now? It seems you've misunderstood me, Tower Master. If it means proving my innocence and loyalty, I would make a pact like this a hundred, even a thousand times.”
At this point, even Kenyon couldn't doubt Si-woo's intentions.
In fact, he was even slightly moved.
It was like discovering that the man he thought was a fox was actually a bear; he was delighted by Si-woo's foolishness.
Lest Si-woo change his mind, Kenyon quickly added the clause. Si-woo then took the pen and the contract, speaking politely.
“I'll just give it one final review.”
Kenyon, his voice softened by Si-woo's compliant attitude, replied.
“Mm, go ahead.”
Pretending to review the contract by lifting it in front of his face, hiding his hand and the pen from Kenyon's view, Si-woo focused the energy of Barathrum into the pen in his right hand.
And then, he exercised the ‘Authority of Annulment’.
Annulment, the first Authority of Barathrum that Si-woo had awakened, destroyed all magical effects.
In other words, the Mana Pact, the very essence of a magical contract, was no exception.
‘Kenyon. Sorry, but while I don't mind proposing a fraudulent contract, I hate signing one. So let's just get rid of these absurd clauses.’
As the pen imbued with the Authority of Annulment passed over clauses 1, 2, and 3, the pact's power infused within them vanished.
The link to the contract had been shattered by the Authority of Annulment.
Of course, if he simply erased the clauses, the contract itself would become null and void, and Kenyon would notice immediately.
That was why he had added clause 4.
As long as even one clause remained active, the pact contract would retain its validity.
‘Bringing back Isabelle and Allen alive? I never planned to kill them anyway, and with Barathrum, I can save them even in the worst-case scenario. I just have to invite Isabelle, and as for Allen, I just have to retrieve him.’
Lee Si-woo signed the pact contract and handed it to Kenyon.
His heart pounded slightly as Kenyon checked the contract for any issues, but it was just a light tension, not genuine concern.
He had already finished experimenting with Harman on how the Authority of Annulment affected pact contracts.
“No issues here. Ha, Lee Si-woo. It seems I've misunderstood you. Good. Since you've shown the sincerity to draw up a pact contract... I will not only grant you the authority to command Isabelle and Allen, but also give you full power to utilize the tower's personnel as you see fit. Here, take this. It's my ring. This will serve as proof of your authority.”
Was it because he felt pleased at having secured a pact from Si-woo?
Kenyon readily handed over full authority to Si-woo.
And so, Lee Si-woo and Kenyon looked at each other and smiled with satisfaction.
It was a deal that left both of them perfectly content.
Allen stared blankly at the back of Si-woo's head.
His expression was one of someone who desperately wanted to crawl inside Si-woo's mind and see what was going on.
* * *
After finalizing the contract with Kenyon, Lee Si-woo shook off a clinging Allen, who was demanding to know what his scheme was, and headed for the slums.
He had an appointment with Roben.
Inside a shabby tent in the slums, Lee Si-woo met with Roben and spoke.
“Did you bring the item?”
Roben, scratching the back of his head with a sigh, asked.
“Um... if you don't mind, may I ask a question?”
“Yes. If it's something I can answer.”
“You asked me to bring it, so I did... but why on earth do you need something like this?”
Roben glanced at the black plastic bag he'd brought with a look of disgust, as if staring at a pile of dung.
He shook his head, horrified at even imagining its contents, and Si-woo spoke.
“The specifics are a personal matter, so I can't say. Just know that I plan to use it for something interesting.”
With Si-woo giving that answer, Roben couldn't press further and just smacked his lips.
“...Is that so? Um, more importantly, Lord Si-woo. This might be presumptuous, but would you be willing to grant me a favor?”
Si-woo tilted his head.
“A favor? Hmm, go on.”
“My circumstances are not very good at the moment. Um... my brother and I would like to transfer to the Senior Magic Tower... Could you perhaps pull some strings for us, Lord Si-woo?”
Si-woo replied with a deliberately serious expression.
“You've run into trouble because of what I did last time, haven't you?”
“Yes. That's why it wasn't easy to acquire that item this time. Fortunately, my boys worked hard, so I was able to fulfill your request. But... I don't think I can hold on much longer. My treatment was already poor because I'm human, but after this incident, my reputation has completely hit rock bottom...”
“I can guess what the situation is like. Hmm, don't worry about that. Soon, the source of your trouble will disappear entirely.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that...?”
Lee Si-woo grinned and began to speak.
“Tell Badu this. I wish to transfer to the Wilderness Magic Tower, and as a gift, I will bring Isabelle and Allen as prisoners. Hmm, of course, they won't be able to trust me. So, not only can they decide the location...”
Si-woo moistened his dry lips with his tongue and continued.
“Tell them that if they wish, I'm even willing to make a Mana Pact, so I implore them to trust me. Oh, and add that since I don't know when Kenyon might turn on me, I'd like to meet as soon as tomorrow.”
Was it because he'd heard something so unimaginable?
Lee Si-woo watched Roben, who was gaping like a goldfish, with smiling eyes.