Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: The Scan Results
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The Senior Magic Tower conference room.
In a place accessible only to the key figures of the Magic Tower, a handsome young elf wearing the red robe symbolic of the 5th Circle spoke, his brown hair swaying.
“How surprising.”
As the young man, who had watched all of Lee Si-woo's videos on a smart pad, let out an exclamation with a feigned look of surprise, Kenyon asked.
“So, Allen, what do you think? Does he seem useful?”
The handsome young man, with his charmingly relaxed, drooping eyes and long eyelashes, nodded.
It was Allen, the youngest elder of the Senior Magic Tower and the youngest 5th Circle mage.
“Useful is an understatement. With that kind of sense, he's bound to be a great success if he has the aptitude to back it up.”
“So you think so too...”
“But this fellow. It looked like he was using Invisibility. What's the deal with that?”
Kenyon chuckled at Allen's question.
“Ah, that? It's a Talent, apparently. To have Invisibility as a Talent... he's really something else.”
Allen said, resting his chin on his hand with interest.
“Wow, you mean he's a Mutant? This is one person who shouldn't be discovered by summoners. He could be snatched away without a trace.”
Mutant.
A variant whose Talent has been changed or altered due to innate factors like natural aptitude, or acquired factors like a fortunate encounter or a curse.
Because they appeared with an extremely low probability, they were highly sought after by summoners.
“He's an interesting one. On top of that, I don't know what trick he pulled, but he's won my daughter's favor.”
When Kenyon mentioned Isabelle, Allen's eyes hardened slightly, almost imperceptibly.
It was a reaction closer to displeasure than wariness.
“Lady Isabelle's favor?”
“Yes, he's her boyfriend, apparently.”
“...Boyfriend? That train wreck of a personality... Ah, my apologies. I have quite a bit of built-up frustration with Lady Isabelle.”
“It's fine. I understand. She's no small headache for me either.”
“Thank you for understanding. Hmm, but to be Lady Isabelle's boyfriend... I don't know about his aptitude, but he certainly has no taste.”
Such repeated insults?
This time, even Kenyon was incredulous and gave him a scolding.
“Allen, no matter how much you dislike her. Surely, you haven't forgotten who is sitting in front of you, have you?”
“What can I do? It's the truth. And it's not like I can put on a facade in front of you, Lord of the Tower, who knows me so well.”
Kenyon shook his head as if to say Allen was incorrigible.
As their conversation seemed to be winding down, the other mages began to speak up one by one.
They were all mages of the 4th Circle or higher, possessing the authority to take on disciples.
“He's good and all, but it's a shame he's human.”
“What's wrong with being human? Are you a racist?”
“Racist? I'm just stating reality. As you all know, there are few societies as harsh as that of mages. It won't be easy for him to adapt among the more aggressive disciples.”
“So you're saying you won't take Lee Si-woo? Good. I'll take him.”
“That's not what I meant...”
“You're all counting your chickens before they hatch. Aren't you even going to hear him out?”
“We should hear what Elder Allen has to say. Who knows, maybe Elder Allen will take him.”
“Did you not hear that Lee Si-woo is connected to Lady Isabelle? They'd both refuse each other, so why bring up Elder Allen?”
As the conference room instantly became as noisy as a marketplace, Kenyon lightly tapped the table to call for silence.
With a single gesture from Kenyon, a complete silence fell over the room.
It was a moment that showed the authority of Kenyon, the Lord of the Tower and the sole 6th Circle mage.
“We don't even have Lee Si-woo's scan results yet, what is this disgraceful behavior? That's enough. And don't forget. No matter how outstanding Lee Si-woo may seem, he is still just a 1st Circle beginner whose aptitude hasn't even been verified.”
As soon as Kenyon finished speaking, the conference room door opened and a beautiful woman with a sharp, golden bob cut entered.
Elegant crescent eyebrows and violet lips. And a sharp impression reminiscent of a black panther.
It was Isabelle.
“Lee Si-woo's scan results are in.”
Seeing the strangely stiff expression on her face, the corners of Allen's mouth parted, revealing his white teeth.
A faint smile on his face, Allen rested his chin on his hand.
It was the smile of a mischievous brat ready to enjoy someone else's misfortune.
“Bring it here.”
“......”
Isabelle handed the document displaying the scan results to Kenyon.
Kenyon, receiving the results from the detailed scan of Lee Si-woo conducted over several hours with expensive equipment, raised an eyebrow.
After letting out a low groan, Kenyon cleared his throat and began to go over the key points of the results, one by one.
“Mana Absorption Rate: S.”
When the highest grade appeared for absorption rate, a measure of mana growth, gasps of admiration flowed from here and there.
“Mana Control: S.”
With even his control, related to the casting speed of magic, at the highest level, Allen also straightened his posture.
His brow was furrowed, as if displeased that the situation was unfolding contrary to his expectations.
“Mana Perception: S.”
With an S in three categories, a so-called Triple S, no one could even let out a gasp anymore.
Someone, sensing the birth of an all-time genius, even clenched their fists, their eyebrows trembling.
However, the surprise ended there.
“Mana Pattern Calculation: D.”
The mages began to murmur at the result, so different from the previous three categories.
It was that unexpected.
“Mana Pattern Calculation is D? No way. At this level, isn't he unfit to be a mage?”
“Hah, if his calculation is D, he'll have trouble learning any magic beyond the basics...”
“How can this be? Lee Si-woo definitely used Homage. As I recall, Homage is a spell with a considerably high learning difficulty.”
*Tap, tap.*
When Kenyon tapped the conference table, everyone fell silent as if they had never been talking.
Of the five aptitudes confirmed by the scan, four had been determined, leaving only one.
The matter of his magic roots.
Kenyon let out a faint sigh and scratched his chin.
Kenyon, who had been hesitating with an indescribable expression, finally spoke.
“Magic roots. Elemental, Radiance, Darkness, Arcane, Space. And one unidentified magic root, for a total of six. The result... Hexa-root.”
At the thunderbolt-like words that came from Kenyon's mouth, every mage in the conference room was left dumbfounded.
The typical mage has one magic root.
As a result, mages with multiple magic roots are hard to find.
However, there are exceptions, and multi-root mages occasionally appeared, most of them being dual- or tri-root mages capable of using magic from up to three of the five great schools.
But a hexa-root?
Doesn't that mean he can not only learn magic from all five great schools, but also magic from a school that doesn't even exist?
But no one here considered this an advantage.
The terrible penalty of Lee Si-woo's growth rate being six times slower than other mages was all that stood out.
“Puhahaha!”
Allen's convulsive laughter broke the silence and echoed through the room.
As incredulous gazes, as if asking "You're laughing now?", poured onto him, Allen wiped the corner of his eye with his index finger as if he'd teared up from laughing and said.
“Ah, excuse me. My apologies. But isn't it funny? To have all the magic roots of the five great schools is mysterious enough... but an unidentified one too? Where in the world did such a mutant pop out from?”
At Allen's words, Isabelle rubbed her face with her hands and ground her teeth.
By now, there was no one in the world who didn't know Lee Si-woo was her man.
But of all things, that bastard had to be an unprecedented hexa-root mage?
Her face burned with shame and embarrassment.
Allen, sensing her feelings as if by magic, sneered.
“My, my, our young lady. Wherever did you find such a talent? Truly amazing of you. It's a jackpot, a real jackpot!”
“...You son of a bitch, you wanna die? Hey, shut your trap.”
“Hm? What was that? Did you say something? Ah, you must be boasting. And you have every right to. After all, bringing in such a talent... Wow, you're really something.”
As Isabelle's face turned red and purple as if it would explode any second, Kenyon slammed his palm on the conference table, stopping Allen.
“Allen, that's enough. You're crossing the line.”
“Oops, my apologies. I got a little carried away after encountering such a peculiar case.”
Kenyon clicked his tongue and said.
“Tsk, I think that's enough... Everyone, please share your thoughts. Lee Si-woo, who received S in three aptitudes but was revealed to be abysmal in the other two. Ahem, yes, who will take this young man?”
No one opened their mouth in response to Kenyon's question.
It would have been a different story if he had received poor ratings in the first three and decent ones in the last two.
The low calculation ability, related to magic acquisition, combined with having six magic roots, which meant a growth rate six times slower than other mages, was an impossible handicap to overcome.
Who would want to take on a disciple with talent that, even in the best light, was impossible to utilize?
It was only natural that everyone avoided him.
“Hah, not a single one of you?”
Kenyon scanned the mages, but they all avoided his gaze.
With the number of disciples they could accept already limited, there was no one willing to take in Lee Si-woo, who was as good as a dud.
But they couldn't just cast out the winner of the selection tournament.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, Kenyon licked his lips and turned to look at Isabelle this time.
“It seems no one is willing to take Lee Si-woo. So, it looks like you'll have to take him.”
At Kenyon's subtle suggestion, Isabelle pouted and said firmly.
“No thanks.”
Not expecting Isabelle's refusal, Kenyon's voice grew sharp.
“What? You won't take him either?”
“Yes. I won't.”
“Hey, how can you say that? He's your boyfriend, isn't he?”
“That's why I won't. Who makes their boyfriend their disciple? It would be unfair.”
It was a valid point in its own way, so even Kenyon was at a loss for words.
In truth, though Kenyon couldn't have known, Isabelle had been about to reluctantly take Lee Si-woo as her disciple.
She had clearly pictured the scene of the mages refusing to take Lee Si-woo.
But Lee Si-woo had refused her offer.
His reason was that he didn't want to be a burden to Isabelle, but it seemed he had other intentions.
She felt that Lee Si-woo, who had a subtly shameless side, wouldn't willingly choose a difficult path just for her sake.
On the other hand, Kenyon, unaware of these circumstances, was in a difficult position.
According to the Magic Tower's principles, a newcomer absolutely had to have a master, but since Lee Si-woo's aptitude was so abysmal, it was difficult to force an arrangement.
In the Magic Tower's structure, where a disciple's ability cultivates the master's power, forcing someone to take Lee Si-woo could lead to unhappiness for both master and disciple.
“Kekeke, our Lord of the Tower. You seem to be in a bind. Kekeke... What to do about this. Shall this old man offer some help?”
Flowing white hair and a long, messy beard that reached his abdomen.
Pointed ears, symbolic of elves, and deep-set wrinkles.
Flushed skin, as if heavily drunk.
A red robe so old it had become rags.
A liquor bottle dangling precariously from the tips of his fingers.
A former elder who was once promising, but lost his Circle in the racial war and became a has-been.
It was the half-elf, Autoreu.
“...Autoreu. You?”
Autoreu was one of the few individuals Kenyon felt uncomfortable around.
This was because Autoreu was a master of his time, who would have certainly become the next Lord of the Tower if he hadn't lost his Circle during the war.
And that wasn't all. Although he was treated as a has-been after losing all his magical abilities, he was secretly well-connected, making him difficult to neglect.
“Why? You don't seem keen on the idea? Kekeke, well, I suppose this old man doesn't have much time left to raise a disciple now.”
Despite being hale enough to still chug liquor straight from the bottle, Autoreu played frail, causing Kenyon to become slightly flustered and wave his hands in dismissal.
“No, no. That's not what I meant. Hmm, right. There's you. But... will you be alright? As you know, Lee Si-woo's aptitude is a bit...”
“Kekeke, my circumstances are hardly ideal for being picky with disciples, are they? I needed an errand boy anyway, so this works out well.”
“An errand boy... Well, if that's the case, then so be it.”
Isabelle was baffled by Kenyon's decision to throw Lee Si-woo to such a has-been, but it wasn't easy for her to step forward and object.
If Autoreu hadn't stepped up, it might have been different, but since he had volunteered to take Lee Si-woo, who was essentially a white elephant, she had no grounds to oppose it.
‘Damn it! Hey, Lee Si-woo! You idiot! Didn't I tell you? To come under me! You bastard! You're totally screwed now, you punk!’
In the end, Isabelle could only watch in silence as Lee Si-woo was decided as Autoreu's disciple, unable to offer any real objection.
* * *
Meanwhile, unlike Isabelle's worries, Lee Si-woo was conversing with Jin without any particular sign of concern.
“My magic roots are strange, but you don't seem as surprised as I expected.”
“What's there to be surprised about? It's not like this is the first time you've been special.”
Lee Si-woo found Jin's unconditional faith to be a bit of a burden, but at the same time, it was also reassuring.
Whenever he talked with Jin, the anxiety lingering in his heart would vanish like a mirage, replaced by an unfounded belief that things would somehow work out.
Was that why?
Lee Si-woo sometimes felt that Jin was like his own long-lost younger brother.
“Well, it's a bad kind of special, so I'm not exactly thrilled... Anyway, forget it. You. You told me yesterday, right? That there's something for me to find at the Senior Magic Tower, and to find it, it would be better not to go under Isabelle.”
“Yep, I did.”
“So? What is it I have to find? And just so you know, if you told me to give up on Isabelle for some trivial reason, I'm going to sulk, so be prepared.”
When Lee Si-woo openly threatened to sulk, Jin made a pained face.
“Sulk! Don't say such scary things. You're freaking me out.”
“Shut up and just tell me the reason already.”
“Ruins.”
“...Ruins?”
“There are old ruins in the basement of the Senior Magic Tower that Kenyon has designated as a forbidden zone, inaccessible to just anyone. Go there.”
“Why do I have to stay away from Isabelle to go there?”
“Because Isabelle has a history of breaking in there before. So if you're her disciple, the security will be much tighter. Well, it might not be that different even if you were another mage's disciple... but it's still better to lower the difficulty even a little if we can.”
“Hmm... What can I find in those ruins?”
Jin giggled and shook his head.
“I don't know either.”
For a moment, Lee Si-woo's face changed as if to say, ‘This little shit?’
Flinching at that fierce expression, Jin quickly turned his head to the side and whistled.
Lee Si-woo said in an incredibly grave voice.
“Hey, can I sulk now?”
“No, that's a bit...”
“Then can I get angry?”
“Hehe, what's with you? I'm telling you, I guarantee you won't regret it if you go.”
“Alright. Then I'm sulking.”
“...Really?”
Lee Si-woo did not answer.