Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: The Price of Fame
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A week had passed since Lee Si-woo returned from the Niam Mountains, and in that time, the Senior Magic Tower had been thrown into chaos.
News that Lee Si-woo had obtained an Element Stone had spread throughout the entire tower.
The name of Lee Si-woo, the disciple of the has-been elder Autoreu and a six-root mage, was forcefully imprinted on the minds of the mages belonging to the Senior Magic Tower.
For better or for worse.
“Hey, are you really a 2nd Circle Master?”
Having fully recovered from the injuries inflicted by Yoana thanks to the tower's meticulous care, Lee Si-woo shrugged at Isabelle's sullen question and replied.
“How many times are you going to ask? Yes, I'm a 2nd Circle Master.”
“Ha, a 1st Circle beginner punk became a 2nd Circle Master in less than a month of being at the tower? A six-root mage, who has to fill up all six magic roots to grow? Shit, for real? Does that even make sense?”
“Doesn't that just mean the Element Stone is that good of an elixir?”
“Is that so? Wow~ You've got some ridiculously good luck, don't you?”
“I wish it were just good luck, but over the past few days, I've noticed my popularity has grown too. Excessively so.”
Isabelle tucked her golden bob, which looked like cascading gold dust, behind her ear and said.
“You idiot, you think that's popularity? It's envy and jealousy.”
“You think I don't know that? As they say, if you can't avoid it, enjoy it. Since there's nothing I can do, I'm trying to think of it in a positive light.”
“Good mindset. Great, keep it up. Living as a villainous side character is more exciting than being a useless extra, anyway.”
“Why am I the villain? I'm the one getting harassed. Just yesterday, strangers bumped into my shoulder three times as they passed.”
“Well, get ready for that to happen all the time from now on. There's no one in this field benevolent enough to stay quiet when a human mage consumes an Element Stone. You know, right? All these mage bastards are petty and lazy good-for-nothings.”
“Yes. Except for you, Isabelle.”
Isabelle's purple lips curled into a smirk as she chuckled.
“Oh? Did you start spitting honey instead of saliva after eating that Element Stone? Your shamelessness is on another level.”
“I guess my skin got a little thicker after coming back from the dead.”
“Anyway, my father wants to see you, so be prepared. You'll get a message soon.”
“…The Tower Master wants to see me?”
“Of course, you moron. His only daughter's boyfriend is a bug-like human, and on top of that, he ate a precious Element Stone. You think he wouldn't want to see your face?”
“That's true, but… it's a bit sudden.”
“Nothing sudden about it. I'm the one who asked.”
“You, Isabelle?”
Isabelle's cat-like eyes twinkled as she spoke.
“Of course. My one and only show-window boyfriend is about to get completely ignored, you think I'd just stand by? If things continue like this, it won't end with just a few harassments. I'm telling you, you'll be subjected to malicious terror attacks non-stop.”
Lee Si-woo said with a faint sigh.
“Because I'm human?”
“You get it. That's right. If a mage of another race had eaten the Element Stone? Sure, they'd be jealous, but they could get over it. But a human punk ate it? And the disciple of a washed-up elder with no background to speak of? Ah, they can't stand that. They won't sleep well until they've slit your throat.”
Lee Si-woo bowed his head slightly.
“Thank you for your concern. I hadn't thought that far ahead. If it weren't for you, Isabelle, I think I would have been in a lot of trouble.”
As Lee Si-woo repeatedly expressed his gratitude with a bow, Isabelle waved her hands as if it were a burden.
“Hey, don't overdo it. I'm not doing this for free, you know. You know how our tea time has been getting pretty interesting lately, right?”
“Yes. It started as a friendly gathering, but recently it's started to transform into a trading ground.”
“That Orc, in particular, seems pretty well-connected. I heard he's even been to the Infinite World.”
“Yes. From what I've seen, he's not only well-traveled but also seems quite capable.”
“Maybe that's why he has some pretty valuable things… The problem is, he doesn't trade for points.”
“Yes. He was looking for recipes or ingredients for Body Fortification elixirs.”
“Tsk, where are we supposed to find a Body Fortification elixir when we can't even get our hands on magic elixirs? So, here's the thing, I want you to ask the Lord about a Body Fortification elixir recipe. The Lord probably knows everything.”
As Isabelle made this unexpected proposal, Lee Si-woo was inwardly bewildered.
He wasn't some magic wand; how was he supposed to know about Body Fortification elixirs?
Lee Si-woo forced a smile and said.
“It's not a particularly difficult task, but I wonder if the Lord would even bother with such a trivial matter.”
“No, I've been watching closely. Maybe because you're an old-timer, it seems like the Lord looks out for you, even if it's just a tiny bit. You're the one he's seen the longest, you know? So just ask. You've got nothing to lose.”
Looking troubled, Lee Si-woo scratched his chin and clicked his tongue.
It seemed that during the tea times, he had unknowingly given off an air of favoritism.
Lee Si-woo repeatedly thought that he needed to be more careful as he replied.
“I suppose I have no choice. I'll try asking.”
“Good, that's enough. It's just my opinion, but I think he'll at least give you a hint if you ask. Oh, and I transferred 100 coins to your coin banking account.”
“What? 100 coins?”
“Yep, use those coins to buy and learn a couple of 2nd Circle magic books. 100 coins should be enough for two. Well, for a six-root mage like you, it's barely a drop in the bucket, but just deal with it. A few people in my circle asked to borrow some coins, so I'm a bit short after loaning them out.”
“Not at all. Thank you just for thinking of me. I'll put them to good use.”
Isabelle patted Lee Si-woo's shoulder and said.
“Just keep doing what you're doing. You're doing great. At this rate, you'll be a great help to me soon. You know, right? From the 3rd Circle, you're classified as an important talent within the tower and get voting rights.”
Voting rights.
When the Magic Tower selects people for administrative or high-ranking positions, they favor those who receive the most votes, which is why the treatment one receives from the 3rd Circle onward is on a completely different level.
This is because mages in administrative positions pay as much attention as possible to 3rd Circle mages to secure their precious votes.
“You're just one step away. It won't be long.”
“I will do my best.”
“Good, I'll see you later then.”
***
Leaning back against the pillow on his bed while organizing his future plans, Lee Si-woo's ears perked up.
Jin had entered the room like a cat testing the waters.
“Hyung, I'm here.”
As Jin, his white hair swaying, stealthily approached Lee Si-woo's side, Lee Si-woo spoke in a sharp tone.
“Sit.”
Startled by Lee Si-woo's cold voice, Jin glanced around nervously like a guilty retriever and said.
“…Are you still mad?”
Lee Si-woo stared intently at Jin with his obsidian-black eyes.
A gaze that seemed to pierce through a person's innermost thoughts.
As if burdened by that gaze, Jin twiddled his index fingers and looked away.
“Jin, you didn't tell me why the Graves family's grand magic circle was set up in the Niam Mountains, did you?”
“That was just a coincidence…”
“Do you take me for a fool?”
“……”
His brow throbbing at Jin's persistent silence, Lee Si-woo frowned and said.
“You want to be brothers with me, yet you still won't open up.”
“Hyung, not all brothers share their innermost thoughts.”
“That's because they're bound by blood. Even if they don't intentionally build a bond, the sticky red thread of kinship ties them together. But we're different. We still don't know each other well, so we need to learn more about each other, talk more. But… you won't even properly answer my questions.”
Jin squeezed his eyes shut and muttered.
“Because it's better for you not to know.”
“Jin, I don't like it when someone pushes me down a path I don't know. Understand? I want to choose the path I walk, and I want to decide the things I do.”
“I know, Hyung. You like to be the one in control. That's why I try not to force you.”
“But you guided me implicitly. Didn't you?”
“I won't deny it. But as you know, I've never done anything to harm you…”
“Jin, whether you're looking out for me or not isn't important. What's important is the feeling that I'm being played without my knowledge.”
“I'll say it again, I never intended to play you…”
Lee Si-woo cut Jin off sharply.
“I know, but it feels bad. So tell me. Even if you don't tell me the whole story, give me a reason I can accept.”
“……”
Staring blankly at Jin, who kept his mouth firmly shut as if in silent protest, Lee Si-woo sighed.
“Huu… Fine, the grand magic circle. I'll admit it was a huge help to me. Thanks to it, I got the Element Stone and gained considerable influence in the tower… In the end, I'm the one who benefited immensely. But…”
Lee Si-woo crossed his arms and continued in a flat tone.
“Why do I have this suspicion that you're deceiving me?”
Under Lee Si-woo's calm pressure, Jin remained silent as if his lips were sealed.
Finally, judging that he wouldn't get an answer from Jin, Lee Si-woo sighed and leaned his head against the wall.
In truth, keeping such an enigmatic person by his side wasn't Lee Si-woo's style.
Nevertheless, Lee Si-woo couldn't bring himself to push Jin away or treat him more harshly.
Outwardly, it was because he owed Jin a great debt; inwardly, it was because an inexplicable sympathy would well up whenever he dealt with Jin.
“Haa, Jin. Am I being too whiny? Am I just making a scene even though I'm the one who benefited thanks to you?”
“That's not it. Your thoughts are… completely valid. After all, it's true that I'm hiding things from you.”
“Jin, I told you before, right? I owe you my life, so I'll do whatever you ask. So if you're not happy, just say the word. I'm ready to drop this ridiculous pretense of being brothers at any time and enter a business relationship where you're the boss.”
“No, I'll never ask for that. Because I want to call you Hyung.”
“…Is that so? Fine. If that's what you want, we'll do it your way. But know this: if you want this kind of relationship, then I'll also say whatever I feel like. After all, there's no older brother who has to walk on eggshells around his younger brother, right?”
“Go ahead. But Hyung, please know this one thing. The reason I'm hiding things from you isn't for my sake, but for yours.”
“For my sake? Why?”
Jin slowly looked around the room, where only he and Lee Si-woo were present.
After scanning the room once with a gaze that seemed to be searching for something hidden, Jin opened his mouth.
“You may not know this, Hyung, but this world has belonged to the night for a very long time. That's why wherever you go in this world, there are the ears of the night and the eyes of the night. That's why I can't speak. I can't let you be dragged into the shadows of the night.”
As if afraid of jinxing it, Jin couldn't bring himself to say their name, but having encountered them in the Niam Mountains, Lee Si-woo could guess who Jin was referring to as "the night."
‘Black Night? Is Jin afraid of Black Night too? Why? Just… what in the world are they?’
Lee Si-woo was curious, but he didn't ask Jin.
He knew he wouldn't get an answer even if he asked.
***
The next day, Lee Si-woo headed to the Coin Shop within the tower to buy magic books with his coins.
The Senior Magic Tower's Coin Shop sold magic books and elixirs needed by mages from the 1st to the 3rd Circle, but unfortunately, they only had a small stock of items for 3rd Circle mages.
This was because magic of the 3rd Circle and above was rare, and the tower encouraged learning what they considered mid-tier magic from a master rather than from a shop.
Of course, most of what Lee Si-woo, a 2nd Circle Master, needed was available, so he entered with an excited heart, eager to learn new magic.
That is, until the Coin Shop employee declared that they would not sell to him.
“Why can't I buy magic books?”
The elf employee, wearing the gray robe that signified a 2nd Circle mage, said with a cold expression.
“If I say I'm not selling, then I'm not selling.”
“No, isn't that strange? As far as I know, the Coin Shop is open to all mages belonging to the tower.”
“It's true that it's open to all mages. But our shop has a clause. We do not sell goods to customers whose origins appear unclear and are suspicious. And that authority lies with the employee. For your information, I'm the employee here, and you're the customer with unclear and suspicious origins. That's why I'm not selling.”
“What part of me is of unclear origin… Ha, are you doing this because I'm human?”
“That's one of the reasons. So if you want to buy something, find a guarantor, bring your master, or go to my superior and get a permit.”
Annoyed at being discriminated against in such an unexpected place, Lee Si-woo pressed his thumbs into his temples.
He wanted to throw a fit, relying on Isabelle as his backer, but with a meeting with the Tower Master scheduled soon, he didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble and barely held himself back.
“Fine. Then give me your superior's contact information. I'll go get the permit myself.”
“Sorry, but I can't do that.”
“…What?”
“How can I trust someone with unclear and suspicious origins like you with my superior's contact information? Find my superior yourself and get the permit. I can't say a single word about my superior.”
At this point, it was blatant stonewalling. Just as Lee Si-woo was about to lose his temper and raise his voice, a green-skinned troll slung an arm around his shoulders.
“Hey, friend. Need a guarantor?”
Lee Si-woo recognized the troll's familiar face and opened his mouth.
“Yahalong?”
Yahalong, seemingly delighted to see Lee Si-woo, let out a booming laugh and said.
“Haha, Lee Si-woo, my savior. I finally get to see your face. Sorry, I should have looked for you sooner. I've been busy getting chewed out to dust by my grandfather. Ah, but more importantly…”
Yahalong pulled his ID from his clothes, threw it at the employee's face, and snapped.
“I'll vouch for this friend. Contact your superior right now. And tell them this. I don't know who the hell your superior is, but the way they've trained their staff is a real spectacle, and I, Yahalong, would very much like to see their face.”