Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: An Exchange of Interests
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Lee Si-woo wanted to use the tea time as a forum for exchange, a way to compensate for his own shortcomings.
Given his current situation, where his foundation and assets were both meager, he had to get whatever he could from the Deposed Prince, the Young Lady, the Marauder, and the Glutton.
The problem, however, was maintaining his dignity and prestige as the Lord of Barathrum.
Since they saw him as a god, or perhaps something even greater, he couldn't endlessly present the petty demands of the human Lee Si-woo.
So, after much deliberation, he created the clone, ‘Pierrot.’
In truth, it was less a clone and more a doll with a speaker, but that didn't matter.
As long as it wore the Pierrot mask, they would never realize the clone's true nature.
"I would like to make a proposition."
At Si-woo's suggestion, coming right after introductions, the Marauder let out a cynical snort, Isabelle shook her head as if to say, *what is this guy up to now*, and Paris crossed his arms with interest.
The Glutton, however, was not interested.
"Our gathering may be a coincidence, but our meeting is fate. So how about we make this tea time a forum for exchange? What do the rest of you think?"
The Marauder reacted most sensitively to the word "exchange."
"Exchange? Not with the Lord… but with you?"
"Why would the Lord bother exchanging anything with the likes of us? Of course, it would be among all of us."
The Marauder tapped the table, his index finger scratching the surface.
"Do I have anything to gain from you?"
"That remains to be seen. I, too, need to gauge what I might gain from you, Marauder. But… what's the harm in trying? Since we have all been chosen by the Lord, surely each of us has at least one special quality, no?"
At Si-woo's affable words, the Marauder quietly clicked his tongue and took an orange coin from his pocket.
Seeing the coin, Si-woo's eyebrows twitched involuntarily.
He recognized the orange coin as one of the four one-cent coins issued by the United States in 2009 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth.
‘…From Earth?’
*Ting!*
The Marauder flicked the one-cent coin with his thumb, and as it flew into the air, he snatched it with his right hand.
The result was heads.
After confirming the heads side of the coin, which bore the image of the White House and the motto *E pluribus unum* below it, the Marauder spoke.
"I accept."
Si-woo briefly debated whether to feign knowledge of the coin.
After calculating the potential gains and losses of revealing his shared origins to the Marauder, Si-woo opened his mouth.
"Marauder, that coin, is it newly minted here?"
The blue eyes behind the bandit mask shot a cold glare at Si-woo.
"You know of this coin?"
"The 200th-anniversary Lincoln commemorative one-cent coin. Unless you personally minted it, Marauder, it's a coin that shouldn't exist in the Main Dimension."
The Marauder stared intently at Si-woo, his gaze a mixture of complex emotions.
He asked in a gruff voice.
"Are you human?"
"Yes. I am human."
The Marauder tucked the one-cent coin back into his pocket and muttered.
"Our gathering is a coincidence, but our meeting is fate, was it…? Interesting."
With those words, the Marauder fell silent, as if to say he would refrain from any further unnecessary talk.
But Si-woo could tell that the man's gaze toward him had softened considerably.
By revealing they were from the same world, he had succeeded in gaining the favor of the most difficult individual.
Following the Marauder, Paris and Isabelle also agreed to Si-woo's proposal.
Perhaps because, as Si-woo had said, there was nothing to lose whether they participated or not, things proceeded smoothly.
Si-woo turned to his main body, seated at the head of the table, and asked.
"My Lord. Forgive me for asking so late. Would it be acceptable for us to use this tea time as a forum for exchange from now on?"
When his main body gave a slight nod, Si-woo bowed his waist in a show of gratitude.
It was Si-woo, putting on a one-man show—his main body maintaining a dignified silence while his clone, Pierrot, chattered away relentlessly.
Once Si-woo seemed to have finished, the Butler stepped forward and placed ten Circle Potions on the table.
An emerald liquid sloshed within the elegant bottles.
At the sight of their brilliant glow, not only Paris but even the Marauder couldn't hide his agitation.
It was a rare experience for any of them to see ten Circle Potions, the treasure that could change one's life, all in one place.
"Circle Potions…!"
The Marauder, in particular, twitched his arm as if he might reach out at any moment, showing just how much he coveted them.
The Butler pointed to the ten Circle Potions and spoke to Isabelle.
"Young Lady. These are the Circle Potions the Lord promised you. There was some ambiguity regarding their provision due to the unfortunate incident that occurred, but after hearing Pierrot's testimony, the Lord has graciously decided to grant them to you."
Isabelle, unable to hide her delight, swiftly stored the ten Circle Potions in her inventory ring.
It felt as though all her hardships had been rewarded with something far greater.
"Thank you, my Lord. And thank you, Pierrot."
At Isabelle's words of gratitude, Si-woo, wearing the Pierrot mask, waved his hands dismissively.
"Don't mention it. I merely did the work I was paid for."
"I'll be counting on you again in the future."
Isabelle spoke formally, perhaps because of the watchful eyes. It seemed she still wanted to keep her acquaintance with Si-woo hidden.
"Of course."
The Marauder, who had been watching Isabelle with envious eyes, turned to the main body at the head of the table and asked.
"My Lord, I too would like to receive Circle Potions like the Young Lady. What must I do to…."
Before the Marauder could finish his sentence, the indifferent gaze of the main body met his.
Black eyes peered from beyond the featureless mask.
As the deep, dark pupils, so profound that even shadows couldn't conceal them, fixed on him, the Marauder gasped.
Only then did he realize he had made a mistake, blinded by greed.
The Butler spoke in a low, somber voice.
"Marauder, the Lord does not accept any requests or demands. He is one who gives when he wishes to give and takes when he wishes to take."
The Marauder rose from his seat, placed a hand on his stomach, and bowed deeply.
"I misspoke. My apologies."
The Butler glanced at the main body, who silently sank deeper into his chair.
Interpreting this as a sign of forgiveness, the Butler addressed the Marauder.
"This is only your second time attending the tea party, so I will let it pass."
"Thank you."
Sensing the atmosphere had become too tense, the Butler clapped his hands lightly and said.
"Well then, why don't we begin the exchange as Sir Pierrot suggested? Who knows, perhaps this meeting today will become an opportunity for you to give and receive chances from one another."
As the Butler finished speaking, they glanced at each other before starting a conversation, led by Si-woo.
Even so, Paris and the Marauder didn't exchange a single word, so the exchange wasn't exactly smooth, but one couldn't expect a feast from the first bite.
Though the first exchange was more of a reconnaissance and didn't yield much of substance, it wasn't a meaningless time.
At the very least, he was able to learn that the fat lizard happily tearing into meat throughout the tea time was of no use.
* * *
"We're here. Get out."
Stepping out of Isabelle's car, Si-woo looked up at the gray tower that soared in the middle of the bustling city.
As Si-woo examined the ancient-looking tower, which seemed out of place against the city's backdrop, Isabelle handed him a yellow robe.
"This is a robe for 1st Circle mages, so take it and make sure you wear it from now on. Don't go wandering around without a robe and get yourself into trouble."
Looking at the robe, which was a color more suited for a kindergartener, Si-woo scratched the back of his head and said.
"I'm not a fan of the color… Do I really have to wear this?"
"Stop complaining. If you don't like it, advance in your Circle. Oh, and until the season broadcast airs, don't go around showing off that you're the winner of the selection trial. I mean, rumors will spread here and there, but… as long as you don't go blabbing about it yourself, they can't be sure."
"Is there really a need for that?"
"There is. As you can see from me, your seniors aren't exactly the kindest bunch."
Isabelle chuckled and slapped Si-woo on the back as she continued.
"I'm sure you know this and will do well, but… mages are fundamentally very sensitive to the fame and achievements of others. In other words, envy and jealousy are a given."
"So you're saying I shouldn't stand out and get on their bad side?"
"Exactly. Well, it won't matter today, though. You're just getting a scan and going straight home."
"A scan… right."
Si-woo had been stagnant at the 1st Circle for a considerable time, but it couldn't be helped.
He still didn't even know how his own Magic Root was formed, let alone having learned any related mana techniques.
Isabelle took the lead, handling the security procedures for Si-woo.
"Hey, how much do you know about Magic Roots?"
Having absorbed Harman's knowledge, it was impossible for Si-woo not to know.
"I know as much as anyone else."
Although Si-woo said he knew, Isabelle, considering the generally shallow knowledge of wandering mages, explained anyway.
"Still, I'll give you a brief explanation just in case. As you know, talent is determined by the quality of the Magic Root. Why is that?"
"Because the better the quality of the Magic Root, the more efficient the mana absorption, which leads to faster growth."
"Correct. Now, here's a question. The number of Magic Roots is typically one, but on rare occasions, there are mages with multiple Magic Roots. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"
"It's both good and bad. The more Magic Roots one has, the more diverse the magic they can wield, but on the other hand, it means there are more vessels to fill with mana, which slows down their growth."
"You little punk, so you weren't just talking big when you said you knew? That's right. To advance in Circle, you have to fill the vessel—the Magic Root in your body—with mana… and the more you have, the more mana you need to absorb, which is a pain."
"Still, having multiple Magic Roots has its own advantages, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, it does. Having a Magic Root of a certain school means you can wield that school's magic, which means the more Magic Roots you have, the more diverse schools of magic you can handle."
"So if you have one Magic Root, your growth is fast, but you have the disadvantage of not being able to use a wide variety of magic."
"Disadvantage? Kid, that growth speed covers everything else. You should know after fighting that Yuryung guy in the selection trial, right? The gap between Circles is nearly impossible to bridge."
As she said, Si-woo had struggled against Yuryung, who wasn't even a true 2nd Circle mage but merely level 200.
But what if Yuryung had not only reached that level but also ascended to the 2nd Circle?
Would Si-woo have been able to win then?
"So what you're saying, Isabelle, is that while there are pros and cons, it's ultimately better to have fewer Magic Roots."
"Sometimes, being ordinary is for the best. You may not know this, but there are a few multi-rooted mages in our tower. They all boast skills a level above their peers… but not a single one of them is a 4th Circle mage. Get what I mean?"
Si-woo nodded, understanding Isabelle's point that what truly mattered was one's Circle.
"I understand. But what can I do about it? It's not like my Magic Roots will change just because I want them to."
"That's true. Well, just keep it in mind. It won't hurt to know."
While listening to Isabelle's meddlesome advice, a security guard approached them, indicating that the security check was complete, and offered to guide Isabelle.
As Si-woo unthinkingly started to follow Isabelle, another security guard came to his side.
"Mr. Lee Si-woo, I need to do a quick body search. Is that alright with you?"
"Yes, go ahead."
As the security guard patted down Si-woo's body, he whispered discreetly.
"Mr. Lee Si-woo, I am one of Mr. Rios's people. Please don't show any reaction and listen quietly."
Si-woo stared at the security guard, his expression unchanging.
Seeing Si-woo's calm demeanor, the security guard continued.
"Mr. Rios is disappointed to see someone like you joining a stuffy organization like the Magic Tower. I don't know if you're aware, Mr. Lee Si-woo, but the Magic Tower is a rotten, corrupt organization. It's a place where you can't get ahead without connections, no matter how skilled you are. Corporations, on the other hand, favor the capable. They are places prepared for people like you, Mr. Lee Si-woo."
Si-woo let out a small smirk and said quietly.
"That's good to hear. A rotten, corrupt organization. That's exactly the kind of organization I was looking for."
Taken aback by the unexpected reply, the security guard stared at Si-woo, dumbfounded. Realizing that talking too much in a place with so many eyes would only arouse suspicion, he sighed and said.
"…If that's the case, then I can't force you. Still, if you change your mind, feel free to come find me anytime. I am a man of the corporation. However, I should tell you just in case, reporting me to the higher-ups of the Senior Magic Tower will do you no good…."
Si-woo cut him off, as if there was no need to hear the rest.
"There's no need to say more. I'm not foolish enough to do something so pointless. Besides… from my perspective, wouldn't it be better to have one more string to pull, just in case?"
At Si-woo's smooth response, the security guard gave a wry smile.
"The search is complete. You may proceed."
As Si-woo finished the search, Isabelle, who had passed through security without a check and was waiting for him, asked.
"What were you talking so much about with the security guard? So unnecessary."
Si-woo replied with a nonchalant tone.
"Just some small talk. You know I'm a friendly person."
"You're ridiculous. Whatever, just follow me. My father and that oh-so-great Allen are waiting for you."
"The Tower Master and that 5th Circle mage, Allen, are waiting for me? Huh, but why…?"
Isabelle said with a displeased expression.
"Why else? It's curiosity about the scan results of a selection trial winner, a rare sight these days. Since those with an aptitude for combat magic are rare, everyone takes a special interest in a selection trial winner whose combat skills have been proven. It's because if their magical talent is also outstanding, it's a huge jackpot."
After saying that much, Isabelle nudged Si-woo's shoulder and shot at him.
"Hey, I'm telling you this just in case. Even if that punk Allen acts all friendly, don't you dare smile back. I'll kill you. You know, right? I freaking hate that bastard. So even if your results are good and he approaches you, make it obvious you don't like him. Got it?"
"What if the results are bad?"
A bitter smile formed on Isabelle's lips.
"Then you'll have to cling to my coattails. There's no one in the Magic Tower idle enough to take in someone useless."