Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Trust and Persuasion
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When Lee Si-woo asked when Kenyon would make his move, the gem began to write letters on the dirt floor.
『In a fortnight.』
After giving its first answer, the gem’s surface cracked.
Four questions remained. Lee Si-woo chose his next one carefully.
“When will I die?”
『In a fortnight.』
Lee Si-woo frowned at the identical answer and immediately posed his next question.
“By what method will Kenyon try to harm me?”
『Unknown.』
Lee Si-woo sighed.
Even with a 3rd Circle divination, all he could find out was that he had only a fortnight left.
‘Hoo… A 6th Circle mage is truly something else. To think that even a divination borrowing the power of Barathrum can’t properly grasp the details. But… it’s too early to give up.’
Two questions were left. Lee Si-woo changed the subject of his inquiry.
“Will a war break out between the Magic Towers?”
『It will not.』
Lee Si-woo asked his final question.
“And if I intervene?”
『It will.』
Once all five questions had been used, the ruby shattered like glass fragments.
Having heard the answer he wanted, Lee Si-woo licked his dry lips and stood up, then took the Brain Hunter out of his inventory ring.
-Grrrr.
The Brain Hunter was a mosquito-type insect, the size of a cat, with a grotesque appearance. Its head, a mass of writhing brain matter, took up half its body.
And that wasn’t all.
This insect’s feeding method was utterly repulsive. Unlike other mosquitoes that pierced the skin with a sharp proboscis to suck blood, this one, true to its name, would plunge its proboscis into the crown of another species’ head and suck out the brain.
The reason Lee Si-woo had requested this disgusting insect, which was said to inhabit only the Infinite World, from Pames was simple.
He needed the Brain Hunter’s 3-star Talent, ‘Brain Power Enhancement.’
“Hmm…”
Normally, it would be a tall order for Lee Si-woo, a mere 3rd Circle Expert, to subdue a Brain Hunter, but this was Barathrum.
As Lee Si-woo took a step closer, the growling Brain Hunter began to tremble like a mouse before a snake.
Soon after, the Brain Hunter shyly folded its wings and buried its head in the ground.
Overwhelmed by Lee Si-woo, it had willingly offered its submission.
【There is a consumable lifeform nearby. Would you like to consume it?】
Perhaps because it had already been pushed to its limit by Pames, the system message appeared as soon as its spirit was broken.
Lee Si-woo pressed the accept button to summon a white portal. After lightly consuming the Brain Hunter, he immediately headed to the Hall and changed his 3-star Talent ‘Antennae’ to ‘Brain Power Enhancement.’
‘My brain capacity has increased by about forty percent. This should be enough to somehow absorb Ixion’s magical knowledge. Well, it’s a shame to lose the Antennae, which I found quite useful… but it can’t be helped. I’ll just have to endure it until I can get a higher-tier talent that increases brain capacity.’
As Lee Si-woo was lost in thought, Harman spoke to him.
-My Lord. If you have no further use for me, may I be dismissed? My research on the Hexagram is not yet complete.
‘Ah, please do. You’ve worked hard on the Advancement Pills.’
-It was nothing. I was merely doing what was expected of me.
After sending Harman, who had been residing in a corner of his mind, back to focus on his magic research, Lee Si-woo stopped by the library to update himself with Ixion’s magical knowledge.
He felt a light sense of accomplishment upon successfully acquiring all the 3rd Circle magic that Ixion had mastered.
With this, he could now cast Ixion’s signature spell, ‘Quetzalcoatl’s Claw.’
Of course, being a high-level spell, it was difficult for Lee Si-woo, who was weak at magical calculations, to handle. But that was nothing to worry about, as he could simply use Harman for that part.
Having achieved meaningful growth, Lee Si-woo brought up his status window.
「Lee Si-woo」 ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
Level: 307 > 403
Race: Human
Talents: [1] Danger Sense (Anetium) [2] Mana’s Blessing (Will) [3] Brain Power Enhancement (Brain Hunter) [4] Mental Link (Tentacle)
Technique: Hexagram
Inherent Ability: Mineral Body (Diamond)
His level, which should have been in the mid-300s after reaching 3rd Circle Expert, had risen to the low 400s thanks to the evolution of his mineralization ability.
Since the 400s marked the entry-level for a 4th Circle mage, his level alone put him within sight of becoming a 4th Circle Beginner.
However, that was only based on his level. His actual prowess was enough to make short work of most 4th Circle mages.
Powerful physical abilities, magic from all schools, key talents from various species, and even Forbidden Arts.
Today, Lee Si-woo had grown to the point where he could look down on the 4th Circle mages who formed the established elite of the border continent.
“I congratulate you on achieving this new level of accomplishment.”
Lee Si-woo replied nonchalantly to the Butler’s congratulations.
“I still have a long way to go, but I suppose I won’t be looked down on anywhere I go now.”
“Who would dare disrespect you, my Lord, a Ranker? At least within the border continent, there will be few foolish enough to look down on you simply for being human.”
“I should hope so. Ahem, how are the Cells doing these days? The mining operations must be slowing down, so I expect we’ll have some surplus forces soon.”
“Yes. We are currently in a situation where we have no suitable use for the low-tier monsters you consumed when your circumstances were less favorable. The elf Will also has no particular use since mastering his hammering skills… It seems the best solution is for you, my Lord, to find a ruin as soon as possible and upgrade Barathrum’s tier.”
“It seems this next tier upgrade has some pretty useful functions?”
“It’s not just pretty useful; there will be a very significant change. The 4th tier upgrade is that special. Why else do you think we couldn’t upgrade even after absorbing the entire energy of a ruin before?”
It was rare for the faceless Butler to speak with such emphasis, so Lee Si-woo decided to pay close attention.
“Hmm… that’s true. I understand. But as you know, Butler, finding ruins is quite a difficult task. What level of mage would I need to consume for the upgrade?”
“It would have to be a 5th Circle mage.”
The Butler’s firm reply drew an involuntary sigh from Lee Si-woo.
A 4th Circle mage was one thing, but a 5th Circle mage?
He was keenly aware of how difficult it was to develop Barathrum.
In the end, the only answer Lee Si-woo could give was utterly conventional.
“…I’ll do my best.”
* * *
After leaving Barathrum, Lee Si-woo decided to take a short break to catch his breath.
He walked past the white marble floor to a wall made of black granite. The granite wall slid open to the left and right.
It was a granite refrigerator, a feature exclusive to the 4th Circle mage officetels.
Enjoying the cool air that tickled his face, Lee Si-woo surveyed the various desserts and drinks inside.
He soon took out a gaseous beverage called Strawberry Cloud and a cheesecake, then sat on the sofa.
He propped his long, straight legs on the table, placed the snacks on his thigh, and spoke with a look of leisurely contentment.
“News channel.”
Responding to Lee Si-woo’s voice, the home system projected a holographic screen before his eyes.
On the news channel, a field reporter was covering the hottest topic on the border continent.
-The first case of Scelestus, a new virus trending on the central continent, has been confirmed on the border continent. This virus has become a major topic of discussion as it strangely only affects humans and has a fatality rate approaching fifty percent. It is said to spread through the respiratory system, making its transmission rate several times faster than that of ordinary viruses.
‘A virus…’
Lee Si-woo opened the lid of the Strawberry Cloud and took a drink. The sweet, strawberry-flavored gas filled his mouth, delighting his tongue.
It felt like drinking a strawberry-flavored fog. The unique taste and texture seemed to wash away his fatigue.
Lee Si-woo listened to the news while taking a bite of his cheesecake with a fork.
-Another name for Scelestus is the Winter Disease. This nickname was given because the moment a person is confirmed to be infected, all the pigment seems to drain from their body, turning their skin, hair, and eye color completely white. Furthermore, once the disease progresses to this stage, the patient falls into a brain-dead state and…
“Music channel.”
Was it because the beastkin reporter’s face showed no hint of gloom despite the rapid spread of this unprecedented virus?
Or was it because he didn’t want to spend his rare break in a somber mood?
Having finished about half his snacks, Lee Si-woo put them aside, switched to a music channel playing jazz, and leaned his head back against the plush sofa.
Zzzing.
The sofa moved smoothly along the line of his waist, transforming into a bed.
The officetel’s residential system, which scanned the occupant’s brainwaves to provide efficient rest, had detected a sleep signal from Lee Si-woo and taken action.
‘Not bad.’
Perhaps a person really did need to be successful. Unlike the utterly ordinary shared dorms, the advanced facilities of the 4th Circle mage’s officetel were truly satisfying.
Thanks to them, Lee Si-woo had recently begun to think that this place was quite livable.
As long as one possessed a reasonable amount of money, fame, and status, the culture here surpassed Earth’s in many ways.
Was it because the synergy between science, which explored truth, and magic, which dealt with mystery, had been maximized?
In the Main Dimension, things that were only imaginable on Earth happened as a matter of daily life.
Virtual reality games were a given, and people would invite holographic avatars of their friends into their homes, enjoying their company as if they were right there beside them.
And that wasn’t all.
One could even feel like they were traveling just by changing the theme of their living environment.
“Space theme.”
The residential system reacted instantly to Lee Si-woo’s words.
A space-themed Hologram Texture covered all the furniture in the officetel, transforming the entire space, visually, into something indistinguishable from outer space.
Lee Si-woo gazed at the sea of stars unfolding before his eyes in real-time, then closed them.
He intended to yield to the drowsiness that washed over him in the peaceful atmosphere.
-Even if the whole world doubts you, I believe in you.
Just then, a familiar and nostalgic voice tickled his ear, and Lee Si-woo’s eyes shot open.
He sat up on the sofa and rubbed his face with his hands, his head bowed.
As he felt the rough texture of his skin beneath his palms, past memories surfaced.
-You’re bored with me, aren’t you? I’m sorry. For being a boring woman.
‘I wasn’t bored. I was at ease. The time I spent with you was so peaceful… I wished that time would just stop.’
-Why do you always wear those horn-rimmed glasses? They just make your already plain face look worse. No, why are you telling me not to wear makeup? You know you’re strange sometimes, right?
‘I hated others looking at you. Because I wanted you all to myself. I hated it when you made yourself pretty. Because I hated it when you stood out.’
Suddenly, he imagined what she, alone on Earth, might be doing.
The thought of her in a world without him, with people he didn’t know, made his blood boil.
Crash!
The table Lee Si-woo kicked went tumbling across the marble floor.
The sea of stars that had been spread before him had vanished without a trace, replaced by the view of the lavish, yet spacious and empty, officetel.
‘Yoon. Don’t worry. No matter how long it takes, I will return. That was our promise. And don’t forget…’
Lee Si-woo’s bloodshot eyes glittered as he breathed heavily.
‘Wherever you are, whoever you’re with. You are mine. Forever.’
His red lips twisted into a faint, warped smile.
* * *
Of the six Forbidden Arts Lee Si-woo had inherited from his master, Autoreu, the first and second were Puppetry and Alchemy.
Of these, Puppetry was a type of curse magic, a useful tool that could act as a game-changer. Alchemy, however, was nothing more than a potion-making skill.
The only difference from the work of other alchemists was that its process was not just bizarre, but macabre.
‘The most important thing in alchemy is communication with the Yellow Eye. If it wishes, any potion can be made, but if it does not, even the most trivial potion cannot be created.’
Attempting alchemy itself wasn’t particularly difficult.
One simply infused mana into the sixth magic root to open a ‘channel’ with the Yellow Eye, then requested the desired type of potion, and it would provide a recipe.
Then, one would create the potion based on that recipe.
That was the gist of alchemy.
Lee Si-woo took the alchemy recipe from his pocket.
「Trust and Persuasion」
Ingredients: Tongue of a Holli, poisonous mushroom from the Marp Forest, rotten native wheat from Granada, vocal cords of a Kariana, lips of a smooth talker.
Effect: The person who drinks this potion will have an increased probability of being persuaded by the user. This probability depends on how much the target trusts the user.
Condition: The target must trust the user.
Risk: If this potion is used when a sufficient level of trust has not been established, the target will come to hate the user.
‘Except for the most important ingredient, the tongue of a Holli, the rest were tricky but not difficult to obtain. Hmm, my master said alchemy wasn’t very useful because the ingredients the Yellow Eye demands are too ridiculous… Is this happening because the Yellow Eye is showing me favor?’
In Autoreu’s case, he had struggled to use alchemy, failing nine times out of ten.
Most of the time, the Yellow Eye wouldn’t even bother to give him a recipe through the channel, let alone speak to him.
But Lee Si-woo was different.
The moment he opened the channel, the Yellow Eye would speak to him as if it had been waiting, and when he named the potion he wanted, it kindly provided the recipe like Santa Claus.
Lee Si-woo couldn’t tell if he should be happy or frightened by this phenomenon.
He couldn’t shake the question of whether the favor of an incomprehensible being like the Yellow Eye would ultimately have a positive effect on him.
Ding-dong.
Hearing the bell, Lee Si-woo put the potion recipe back in his pocket and placed the coffee, mixed with the potion created with the Yellow Eye’s help, on the table.
‘Worrying about it now is pointless. I’ll just use it and think about it later. Even if borrowing the Yellow Eye’s power has negative consequences down the line, I’m in a position where I desperately need its power right now, so I can’t refuse its goodwill.’
Having made up his mind, Lee Si-woo headed for the door to greet the guest who was about to receive the gift he had prepared.