Episode 1111
Episode 1111
"No matter how I think about it, this is suspicious..."
"I-I'm telling you, it's not like that."
Professor Garcia was doing her best to explain.
Even so, she couldn't just let them be mistaken for Evil God Worshippers when all the mages of the tower had been mobilized and were working so hard because of her student.
"So you're saying... the tower prepared all this just to welcome one guest?"
"That's right!"
"......"
The adventurer comrades behind Jute couldn't hold back and whispered to him.
"Is this a trick?"
"If it's a trick, it's too bizarre. Do tricks even involve telling such ridiculous lies?"
Just as his comrades were confused, Jute was equally bewildered.
Even after hearing the explanation from the mages in front of him, it was hard to believe.
The mages of the tower, who should be busy with their work, are causing this huge commotion just for one guest???
'Does that even make sense?'
He knew the tower was greedy for talent, but this was beyond imagination.
No matter how you look at it...
"...I see."
Jute nodded for the time being.
It was truly confusing, but the other party's explanation was more convincing than the idea that the entire tower had fallen into Evil God worship.
"Then... we'll go look for the knights."
"Ah. Yes."
Professor Garcia and the rest of the group politely bowed.
Truthfully, they also had nothing more to say.
What could they say to people who were giving them suspicious looks, wondering, 'Aren't these people also in cahoots with the tower mages?'
And the adventurers also had nothing particular to say, so they politely bowed in return.
It wasn't that the thought 'Aren't these people also in cahoots with the tower mages?' didn't cross their minds, but the adventurers weren't naive enough to press the issue.
If they had suspicions, they should investigate discreetly—who would answer if they asked outright?
"First... let's find the knights first."
Jute shook his head from side to side. He needed to focus, as he was extremely confused.
His comrades seemed to agree and nodded.
"Right. The important thing is the artifact. Let's find the knights first."
"Even if this tower is a bit... strange, that's something for the mages here to deal with."
"...But are we really sure it's okay?"
"I didn't sense any evil energy... though I can't be certain."
Normally, Jute would have spoken confidently, but this time his voice wavered slightly.
The scene he had witnessed was so shocking that his confidence had vanished.
'Has the Daylily Magic Tower's time come...?'
And the two groups met again.
In front of the guest room where the White Poplar Knights were staying.
"......"
"...Uh, what brings you here?"
Professor Garcia, unaware that the knights were still inside the guest room, asked in puzzlement.
"We came to see the knights."
"The knights?"
Professor Garcia paused, then lowered her voice and whispered to Lee Han and Professor Voladi.
"Everyone. It seems the dangerous spirit is hiding among the knights."
"Aha. It appears the White Poplar Knights brought the artifact containing the hidden spirit."
Lee Han immediately grasped the situation.
Well, if the spirit had originally been sealed in the tower, Saratan would likely have noticed as soon as he arrived here.
Rather than the seal weakening by chance, it made more sense that the knights from outside had come seeking the tower's help, bringing the sealed artifact with them...
"This is a bit troublesome."
"Why do you say that?"
"From the looks of it, those adventurers over there seem to be tracking that dangerous spirit as well."
Professor Garcia, observing their reactions, deduced the underlying circumstances.
For a mage, the most infuriating moment was when something they had tracked for a long time was taken by someone else.
How enraging it was when, after painstakingly deciphering ancient texts to locate an item and planning to purchase it at an auction, some clueless nouveau riche noble would rudely sweep it away with money.
"Professor. I don't mind conceding. As long as we can prevent the danger, that's enough for me."
"Lee Han!"
Professor Garcia felt her heart swell with emotion at her student's noble words.
There were many skilled magic students at Einrogard, but it was rare to find one who would so readily and selflessly yield without demanding anything in return.
How could someone be this kind?
"So if it's alright with you, Professor, please forgive those adventurers as well."
"...W-wait. I'm not angry, Lee Han. Did you perhaps think I was upset because there was competition?"
Professor Garcia was bewildered by her student's words.
The way he spoke made it sound like he was trying to calm down an angry version of herself.
'Must be my imagination?'
If she had encountered another mage who'd been tracking the target first in this situation, Professor Garcia would have gladly conceded.
As fellow mages, she could certainly extend that much generosity, but...
"...Of course not! Do you really think I'd be like that?"
"......"
At her suspicious student's behavior, Professor Garcia glanced toward Professor Voladi.
'Could it be because I've been associating with Professor Bagrak lately that I'm being misunderstood like this???!'
Otherwise, there was no reason for her student to harbor such suspicions.
No matter how she thought about it, Professor Garcia had always lived diligently to set an example for her students.
"...I understand for now. Still, just in case, I should observe how they handle this."
Regardless of yielding, Professor Garcia intended to watch from the sidelines how the adventurers would deal with the situation.
No matter who had tracked it first, she couldn't entrust something dangerous to incompetent hands.
When the professor explained their conversation, Jute flinched.
'So they're mages from Einrogard!'
No wonder they didn't seem like magic tower mages—they were from another magic academy.
Moreover, judging by their appearance, they were clearly professors. Jute couldn't help but feel intimidated.
Being a professor at a magic academy—especially Einrogard—was no ordinary feat.
Only the most distinguished and honorable mages renowned across the Empire could hold such a position.
That was what it meant to be an Einrogard professor.
'Wait. If they're Einrogard professors, was the earlier incident staged by the Daylily Magic Tower to recruit them?'
Jute found the idea quite plausible.
If they could lure an Einrogard professor into the tower, an event like the earlier one would have been worth the effort.
Though how effective that would be remained questionable.
Surely an Einrogard professor wouldn't be foolish enough to be swayed just by the promise of comfortable leisure and events.
'They'd probably only fall for that if they were lower-year students, not professors...'
"We appreciate your concession. Hmm. I must admit, I feel cautious about displaying my lacking skills before you."
"Not at all. We'll be watching with great interest."
With that exchange, the mages knocked on the guest chamber door. The knights inside, who had been waiting anxiously, rose eagerly from their seats.
"Finally, it's over... Wait, where did the magic tower mages go?"
The knights were visibly flustered when they saw a group of visitors who were clearly not from the magic tower enter.
"There's no need to worry. We've come to resolve the issue, you see."
Jute spoke with proper etiquette but didn't hide his confidence in his abilities.
In truth, among everyone in this room, he was the one who knew the most about the artifact sealed within those chains.
He had spent time gathering and deciphering materials, preparing thoroughly for this confrontation.
"And who might you be? You don't look like mages from the tower."
"I am Jute, leader of the adventurer party <Guardians of the Shadow Valley>."
"Ah! That party. I believe I've heard the name before."
As knights who frequently traveled, the White Poplar Knights were well-informed.
They had even heard of the <Guardians of the Shadow Valley>, a party that had been quite active recently.
"We've been searching for that artifact for a very long time. Because what's sealed inside is an unimaginably dangerous being."
"Indeed, is that so!"
Even though no mage from the Daylily Magic Tower had come in person, the elderly knight responded quite favorably.
It was clear that the black mage before him had prepared thoroughly, and that much was evident.
Professor Garcia, watching from behind, also nodded in approval.
"Indeed, the preparations are well done. The research is thorough as well."
"Quite so."
"However, the referenced texts could use some improvement. Among the ancient texts you just mentioned, many of Arlmegeng's works are forgeries. If you take them at face value, you could end up in serious trouble."
'Strange. The other party is clearly a graduate.'
Lee Han inwardly expressed his puzzlement.
The man before them wasn't even an Einrogard student—he was a graduate—yet Professor Garcia was still grading him.
It was fortunate the man hadn't heard, or he would've been deeply offended.
"I understand well now. I see just how thoroughly you've prepared. Then, may this old knight ask one more question?"
As Bamandam spoke after hearing the explanation, Jute readily nodded.
"Of course. Ask me anything."
"You mentioned subduing this spirit—but how do you plan to perform the Reverse Summoning?"
Spirits possessed considerable resistance to ordinary attacks, and if it was a high-ranking spirit, that resistance would be even greater.
If there was no proper method to Reverse Summon the spirit sealed within this artifact, they couldn't recklessly break the seal. Doing so could lead to an unforeseen catastrophe.
"Would you take a look at this?"
"!"
What Jute pulled out startled not only the knights but also Professor Garcia and Lee Han.
It was no ordinary object.
"Is that... a sword from another dimension?"
Even Professor Garcia, who was naturally well-versed in magical knowledge, and Lee Han, who had recently encountered multiple spells utilizing other dimensions, could easily recognize it.
Even if the energy emitted by an object from another dimension was the same as mana, its texture was distinctly different.
"This is a sword forged by an angel. According to the records, this spirit's weakness is precisely a sword made by an angel."
"Ooh...!"
The knights gasped in admiration. So did Lee Han.
A sword forged by an angel.
The resourcefulness of renowned adventurers truly surpassed all expectations.
"How on earth did you manage to acquire something like that?"
At Lee Han's astonished question, Jute grinned.
Even the mages from Einrogard were impressed, filling him with pride as a mage.
"I explained the situation and borrowed it from a noble family indebted to me."
"That's incredible. No noble family would lend out such a sword so easily. Just how much have you achieved as an imperial adventurer to—"
"Hahaha. You flatter me."
The black mage basked in the rare shower of praise, while his companions looked at him with pity.
'Maybe he should've gone to Einrogard instead of Kallarogard.'
At that moment, Lee Han suddenly felt his vision waver.
To be precise, it wasn't his vision that was shaking. It was more like a dissonance he sensed—a strong disturbance occurring in the Spirit Realm, overlapping with reality.
From the monochrome world, a familiar angel revealed itself.
It was Apazragon, the angel he had met before.
Professor Garcia and Professor Voladi noticed the sudden appearance of the outsider from the Spirit Realm and reacted, but the others seemed oblivious for now. Lee Han, flustered, asked:
—What? What's going on?
—I have something to tell you.
—???
—That is not an angel's sword. The mage seems to be mistaken. Well then, I'll take my leave.
—...W-wait!
As the angel coolly delivered his warning and turned to leave, Lee Han felt a chill run down his spine.
To appear so precisely, as if he had been watching all along...
This angel...
Just where had he been and what had he been doing until now??