Chapter 171
Chapter 171
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: Madman, and Nightmare (1)
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'It's going smoothly.'
Three days into the special lectures, the thought suddenly crossed my mind.
Mana Trading Studies professor's office.
I had my feet propped up on the desk, flipping through the reports one by one. If my master saw this, he'd keel over in shock, but whatever. He wasn't here right now.
"Hmph, hm-hmm."
I hummed a little tune.
'What can I do? This position is the most comfortable.'
Feet up on the table, head tilted back just a bit, body relaxed. Everyone's tried it at least once, but parents or elders scold you for being frivolous or tacky, so you stop. But as with all things in the world, truth often lies in the humblest places.
'It's the most comfortable position. Basically the truth.'
Mages are beings who always pursue truth.
I was merely fulfilling my duty as a mage.
Flip.
The stack of reports came to an end before I knew it.
I turned my gaze to the final page. It didn't take long to check the remaining content.
"Hm."
Thud. I set the report down and muttered to myself.
"Nice and tidy."
Hypothesis, setup, proof, conclusion.
Everything flowed seamlessly. Perfect. Not a single flaw—an impeccably clean report.
"As expected from the next Mage Tower Lord."
Next Mage Tower Lord, Resti Eleanor.
Her report was quite satisfying. We'd only had one class so far, but Resti seemed to be getting the hang of it already.
'She's got a good head on her shoulders.'
Some people grasp ten things from one explanation.
Resti was exactly that type. I smiled as I looked at the 'hypotheses' she hadn't proven yet—the ones she planned to cover in the next report.
"No worries on Resti's end..."
That left Chloe.
I glanced at the assignment Chloe had turned in early that morning. I'd told her to submit it as soon as she finished, so she'd done just that... but...
"...Faster than I expected?"
The volume was substantial.
I'd given her a week's worth of assignments.
And this morning, with three days still left, what Chloe submitted was... about 80% complete, by the looks of it.
'Doesn't seem like she rushed through it.'
She'd even drawn thick underlines with colored pencils. Compared to Resti's, the report had its shortcomings, but it was passable enough.
"Oh..."
I was quietly impressed.
My expectations had been off. Since she'd only been learning spells from the Black Tower Lord for less than a year, I'd planned to start from the basics. But from the looks of things, that wouldn't be necessary.
'At this rate, we can push ahead right away.'
She was applying what I taught her immediately, so she seemed to have a solid knack for studying too.
"Hm."
I stroked my chin.
I'd adjusted the assignment volume for the first week, but at this pace, maybe I could accelerate the plan a bit.
'I was going to ramp it up gradually.'
Step by step, to avoid overwhelming her and having it all fall apart...
"...Maybe I don't need to?"
I could bump it up a little next class.
All in all, satisfying results.
The hero-training plan was proceeding smoothly.
'That's settled.'
I turned to look at the clock.
It was almost time for the appointment.
'Guess it's time to head out.'
Tap tap.
I gathered the papers on the desk, straightened the stack with a couple of taps, shoved it into a corner, then kicked the desk away with my foot.
Scraaaape.
I pulled the chair back to make space, then sprang up from my seat. Every motion flowed perfectly. Movements worthy of being called flawless.
"Phew."
I let out a short breath, inwardly pleased with my perfect form and wearing a satisfied smile—
"Putting on quite the show, aren't you? A real spectacle."
A voice came from behind me.
I flinched, shoulders jumping, and turned around... to find my master leaning casually against the open door.
"Uh, um..."
"Why not keep going? Wouldn't it be even cooler if you did a backflip on the way out?"
My face flushed red.
No, why'd he have to show up at this exact moment?
"Wh-where'd you start watching from?"
"From when you had your feet on the table and were wagging your head side to side."
"You could've said something..."
"I wanted to see how far you'd go."
My master shook his head.
He let out a short sigh, then casually tossed a question my way.
"Heading out somewhere?"
"Going to pick someone up."
"That mage from foreign lands?"
The mage visiting Aphria from afar.
The Madman, Kelrhalim's visit was packaged that way. Only a select few knew the truth. I nodded slowly.
"...Coming at a time like this was already a bit suspicious."
My master rubbed his forehead.
"Seeing you personally going to greet him, he's clearly no ordinary fellow."
"Uh... is it that obvious?"
"Nine out of ten things you get involved in turn into incidents. I won't pry into the details, but... one request."
My master put on a grave expression.
"Lania, try not to stir up trouble from the start of the semester. Live peacefully, quietly. Just don't cause any accidents, please."
I nodded.
I had no intention of turning Aphria upside down either.
'Peacefully might be a stretch, but quietly. Discreetly. I'll handle it without a trace... so yeah.'
That should cover it.
If there are no witnesses, it's handled quietly.
"Then I'll be off."
"Go ahead."
I passed by my master and stepped out of the office.
I pulled a magic tool from my pocket; it was blinking steadily. The one I'd exchanged with Calt earlier. It showed the meeting spot.
[Arriving in thirty minutes.] The Madman, Kelrhalim.
He was approaching Aphria.
2.
'Should I just quit.'
These days, the tracker Calt found himself lamenting his situation more often. He had no complaints about retiring from the battlefield to work as a Hound.
'Good pay, great benefits, honor, power...'
It had everything.
It suited him perfectly—a great job. His colleagues called him 'senior' and respected him for once fighting alongside the Hero Party.
'No workplace drama either.'
Everything was perfect.
Except for one issue...
'Too much work!'
The workload was insane. Way too much.
No matter how he looked at it, there was a problem with the volume. Lately, incidents kept popping up one after another. Most were tied to his 'old senior,' but not this one.
The magic tool shutdown at the royal castle.
The collapse of the frontline communication network.
To resolve it, everyone at the castle was running ragged. Hounds and knights were hauling new magic tools to the front lines, repairing the network—no time to breathe.
And in the midst of that, another incident erupted.
One of the superhumans, who had been quiet until now, announced a visit to the capital. 'Visit' was putting it mildly—it was more like a declaration.
'Most superhumans don't listen to reason.'
Superhumans—those who surpassed mortal limits.
In exchange for transcending human boundaries, they lost something. That loss bred distortion. Most superhumans had some mental issues.
'Actually, "surpassing by losing something" is more accurate...'
Either way, superhumans were arrogant.
Them stating their intent was like saying, 'This is what I'm doing, so get out of the way and clear the path.' Opposing that declaration was never easy. Truly.
Superhumans transcended humanity.
Only another superhuman or the Hero could stand against them. The royals knew better than to provoke them.
So they usually accommodated reasonable requests. It was the cheapest option.
'Still, isn't this a bit risky?'
Calt kept his senses sharp, wary of his surroundings—especially behind him. A superhuman was following him.
The capital. Aphria Academy, no less.
The superhuman who had declared a visit there.
'Visiting Aphria itself is fine.'
The problem was who made the declaration.
Calt glanced back. The superhuman he was escorting was staring this way.
The Madman, Kelrhalim.
The superhuman who shattered the wall with madness.
The one requiring the most caution among them.
Normally, he was banned from the capital. Yet for some reason, permission was granted this time. Calt couldn't make sense of it.
'What were they thinking, letting him in?'
It was like bringing a bomb—one that could level a city—right into the kingdom's heart.
"Hoo..."
Calt stopped walking with a short exhale.
"Someone from Aphria should be here to guide you soon. Just wait here a moment."
"I see."
Kelrhalim replied in a flat, emotionless voice. In the middle of the forest, he stood without leaning on a tree or sitting on a stump.
"......"
Calt sat on a stump, silently observing him.
'The Madman, Kelrhalim.'
A superhuman he'd encountered a few times on the battlefield.
But Calt still knew nothing about him.
'Looks mid-to-late twenties.'
Seemed about Calt's age.
Outwardly a young man in his twenties, but his actual age was around 130, as Calt recalled. His homeland, the magic academy city of Artia, had vanished into history's shadows about a century ago.
Rumors said he'd massacred spirits and extended his life with their blood. Details were unclear, but he'd definitely prolonged his lifespan somehow.
'A shady character.'
That's how Calt assessed him.
Impossible to read his thoughts.
No idea what drove him or his principles. Most inscrutable were those eyes.
'Gray irises.'
Inhumanly cold eyes.
Empty inside, like voids.
Words like expressionless, indifferent, hollow fit him. He even seemed like a puppet following orders.
"Looks like they've arrived."
As Calt kept watch without lowering his guard, Kelrhalim raised an arm. He pointed with spread fingers.
"That the one?"
Calt turned.
Someone was approaching from across the forest. Still distant, but even from afar, her distinctive features were clear.
Ash-gray hair.
Her signature trait swayed in the wind. Maintaining steady strides, she approached Calt.
"Good work, Calt."
She patted his shoulder lightly and passed him by. Her steps led to Kelrhalim, standing in the forest's center.
Chin.
She stopped before him.
Bowing slightly, she looked him up and down, then spoke with a faint smile.
"Shell's still intact, huh?"
"......"
Kelrhalim furrowed his brow at her words.
His first notable expression.
"You know me?"
"Pretty well."
The madman questioned; the ash-gray mage answered.
One question, one reply exchanged. They faced each other. Blue eyes met gray, inches apart, reflecting each other's hue.
"Kelrhalim Bell Artia."
Calling his name, Lania extended her hand.
As if offering a handshake.
"I'm Lania van Trias. Your guide."
Author's Note Lania speaking casually to a 130-year-old! Actually, she talks informally even to Cardi, who's over a thousand years old, so it should be fine, right?