Episode 634
Episode 634
"Junior. You shouldn't dislike learning."
"Ugh."
"Studying is all for your own good. You can take it easy here, right? Once you enter Einrogard, they'll torment you even more. If you fail an exam, you get sent to the Punishment Room!"
'That's such an outrageous lie.'
Alsicle inwardly recoiled in disgust.
Of course, Alsicle agreed that this barbarian needed education. Especially regarding the history of noble families like the Pengerin Family and lessons in respect—those were absolutely necessary.
But who would possibly fall for such an obvious lie?
"I don't wanna go to the Punishment Room..."
"Right, right. Then you better study."
'Wait. It actually worked on him.'
Zzzt—
A reply arrived at the main gate of the <Room of Exploration>.
Alsicle, who had been waiting eagerly, immediately rushed over.
-Welcome. The Director has departed.
"?"
Alsicle tilted his head in confusion.
Who was this "Director"?
"Who's the Director? Is it your elder brother?"
"What did it say?"
"Here. It says the Director has departed."
Lee Han came running over in shock.
Seeing Lee Han—usually unflappable as a Wardanaz—acting so frantic made Alsicle flustered as well.
"Wh-what? Did something go wrong?"
"That can't be..."
Lee Han took the reply and read it.
But the message remained unchanged.
-Welcome. The Director has departed.
"No... Could it have been sent to the wrong place?"
"Who is this Director you're talking about?"
"Uh, it's Gamonim."
Gamo.
In other words—Lee Han's mother.
Alsicle was stunned.
"Your mother exists?!?!"
"......"
"......"
Lee Han and Eandurde stared blankly at Alsicle.
Eandurde, in particular, looked at him as if he were trash.
Realizing belatedly how rude he had been, Alsicle panicked and blurted out:
"S-sorry! I mean, it's just—"
"Trash..."
"No! That's not it! I didn't mean it like that! The Wardanaz Family Head at least makes occasional appearances, but the Lady of the house has never once been seen in public—I didn't even know she existed!"
Alsicle desperately defended himself.
Normally, even among the highest noble families, the identities of the Family Head and their spouse were known throughout the Empire, no matter how reclusive they were.
No matter how unsociable someone might be, there were official events they had to attend—so rumors about them inevitably spread.
But the Wardanaz Family Head's wife had no rumors whatsoever.
The Family Head made rare appearances, but there was absolutely no information about his wife—so Alsicle had even wondered, 'Did she pass away young?'
"Ah. The Director is just... particularly unsociable. She dislikes public appearances."
"?"
Alsicle couldn't make sense of this nonsense.
The Wardanaz Family was already the most reclusive noble house in the Empire.
The Family Head himself wouldn't show up unless the Empire desperately needed an Archmage—what kind of absurdity was this?
"Uh... Wardanaz. No offense, but... your family is already unsociable, right? The Family Head isn't exactly sociable either..."
"Eh. Compared to the Director, the Family Head is practically sociable."
"...!!!"
While Alsicle was reeling in shock, Lee Han added a bit more explanation.
Though most people in the Empire didn't even know she existed—leading to misunderstandings—Lee Han's mother, the Gamo of the Wardanaz Family and Director of the Dawn Library, was very much alive.
She just really hated public appearances.
"But no matter how much she dislikes it, how can someone remain this unknown?! The officials involved—"
"Hmm. Magic."
"...I'm a mage too, you know. Magic isn't omnipotent."
"Well, it's like this."
When the Wardanaz Family Head received a message like 'A severe drought has struck the western Empire—please help!', he would move an entire sea, desalinate it, and create a reservoir.
That much, he would do.
But the Lady? She would just ignore the message.
Then she'd erase the memory of the messenger who delivered it, erase the memory of the bureaucrat who sent the messenger, and if their superiors were involved, she'd erase their memories too...
"......"
Alsicle was so horrified he couldn't even close his mouth.
Of course, among the highest realms of Illusion Magic, there were spells capable of selectively erasing memories.
But that was only for brief moments, barely touching the most recent memories.
To manipulate the memories of every single imperial official involved with someone as important as the Wardanaz family head—without missing a single one?
"That's impossible!"
"It's possible precisely because you didn't know about it, Lord Archlich."
"...Right."
Archlich shuddered as if ice had been pressed against his spine.
When he first arrived, he'd been in a lighthearted mood, eager to witness the Wardanaz family's astonishing magic and the family head's exceptional wisdom. But now, he felt only awe mixed with fear—like a boy just learning magic meeting an archmage for the first time.
Is this what magic truly is?
"Hmm. I don't really know why the Director comes out. Honestly, I haven't spoken with her much either."
"When was the last time you talked?"
"Maybe on my eighth birthday? She came, gave me a present, and immediately went back into another dimension."
Archlich knew it was a pointless question, but his curiosity got the better of him.
"What did she give you?"
"An expensive-looking magic tome, but the family head took it back, saying it was dangerous. Should've just given me money."
Lee Han grumbled regretfully.
'That's not the issue here...'
Clunk.
With a small sound, the door to the Room of Exploration opened.
From within emerged the most vicious and threatening-looking demon Archlich had ever seen.
He realized his defensive artifact's glow was dimming.
Some demons could harm living beings just by being looked upon—and the one before him was clearly one of them.
Lee Han quickly covered Eandurde's eyes.
"Director! You haven't undone your transformation!"
—Ah.
The demon, as if belatedly realizing, dispelled its transformation magic, revealing a pale and frail human mage.
Looking at her, Archlich wondered if what the Wardanaz had said earlier was truly a joke or a lie.
How could a mage with such intelligent and dignified eyes be such an eccentric figure?
"Ah, a penguin beastkin."
"Yes. This is Lord Archlich of the Pengerin family."
"I see."
Rayana, the Director of the Dawn Library and Lee Han's mother, extended a finger.
Archlich, unaware of what was about to happen, stood there innocently.
"Director! You can't erase his memories!"
"Why not?"
"Lord Archlich's lips are the tightest in the empire!"
"...Gasp! I-I swear I won't tell anyone!"
Archlich, realizing his memories had almost been wiped, cried out in panic.
Rayana nodded—not so much out of trust in Lee Han or Archlich, but more out of disinterest.
"You enrolled at Einrogard."
"Yes. I'm striving to become a mage who won't bring shame to my family's name."
"I'm not sure learning under mediocre mages is the best method."
The professors of Einrogard had suddenly been demoted to "mediocre mages."
Lee Han, unfazed, replied:
"Given my low level, I think it's effective enough."
"I see. Do you need any magic tomes?"
"No, I'm fine."
Archlich shot him a look—Why refuse!?—but Lee Han remained firm.
Even if he named a tome he needed, he knew it wouldn't come back properly anyway.
She'd probably recommend some bizarre tome with a warning like "Don't read that mediocre book"—one that could shatter his mind the moment he opened it.
"But why did you come out, Director?"
"You've been training at Einrogard for a year since enrolling."
Archlich felt a slight lump in his throat.
"You were worried about me."
"I came to see how much your magic has improved. I suppose you could call that worry. Is that gorgon hybrid next to you a child you had with the penguin beastkin?"
"No."
Archlich gasped, his beak snapping open, but the Wardanaz matriarch paid no heed.
"If you need any magic tomes for your work as Headmaster, don't hesitate to ask."
"...Director. I just finished my first year."
"Ah."
A brief silence hung in the air.
Rayana spoke as if she'd been mistaken.
"Perhaps I overused my foresight."
"So your magic failed."
"My magic isn't wrong, Lee Han. If one of us is mistaken, it's the future that's wrong."
'This is absurd stubbornness.' Lee Han inwardly rebelled against his mother's words.
How could she spout such nonsense after seeing that ridiculous future where he'd become Einrogard's headmaster?
"If you ever miss the magic tomes while studying under those mundane mages, just send me a letter. Even if my reply is late, I'll make sure to send one."
"Yes. Thank you."
"Well then, I'm busy, so I'll take my leave."
With a casual wave, Rayana stepped back through the door and vanished into the dimensional rift.
Only then did Alsicle release his tension with a heavy sigh.
There had been rumors that the Wardanaz family head was "a magic creature wearing human skin," but the lady seemed more like magic that couldn't even be bothered to wear skin.
To attempt severing Alsicle's memories with just a finger—without even using a staff!
"That was... that was truly an incredible experience!"
As his fear subsided, Alsicle exclaimed with excitement.
Overwhelmed in the moment, he hadn't realized it, but looking back, it had been an awe-inspiring encounter.
From the lady's sudden appearance to her departure.
Every strand of mana in the vicinity had been under her absolute control. Even attempting to cast magic with just a finger—without a staff—was a testament to that confidence.
As a mage himself, Alsicle couldn't help but tremble at that overwhelming display, fear aside.
"Is she insane...?"
"Shh. Keep that thought to yourself. Saying it out loud would be rude."
Eandurde and Lee Han recoiled in distaste at Alsicle's reaction.
How could anyone call that a good experience?
"N-no, I mean—hey, Wardanaz! Maybe you're used to seeing her since she's family, but I was shocked!"
"I've barely met her a handful of times in my life, though?"
'Ah. This guy's less affected because of his mana resistance.'
Come to think of it, even when she was in her demonic form earlier, Wardanaz had remained completely unfazed.
Resistance was one thing, but control over ambient mana was as fundamental to a mage as breathing.
The moment a mage lost confidence in their control over surrounding mana, their mind suffered severe damage.
Since well-honed focus and conviction were the very source of magic, this was devastating.
But Wardanaz was different.
Even if all control over ambient mana was stripped away, his sheer abundance of mana ensured that a certain degree of authority remained around him.
Like an immovable boulder against the fiercest winds—that was Wardanaz.
"Anyway! I was really shocked."
"Yeah... sure..."
"Given that the lady introduced herself as the Archivist, it must be an extraordinary repository."
In the Empire, libraries and archives weren't built to spread knowledge—they existed to safeguard great secrets.
Such positions were often hereditary, passed down through families, and the title itself carried immense prestige.
If Lady Wardanaz claimed the title of Archivist, it must be an ancient repository dating back to antiquity.
"My brother received one book from there as a gift when we were kids. He almost died."
"Sounds like a really impressive repository, then."
Alsicle pretended not to hear and changed the subject.
Now that he thought about it, a couple whose hobby was dimensional exploration wouldn't bother collecting ordinary magic tomes.
Every single volume there was probably a lethally forbidden text.
"Still, I'm jealous."
'Is he actually insane?'
Ignoring Lee Han's thoughts, Alsicle spoke with deep admiration.
"One is the head of the Wardanaz family, the other the Archivist of an ancient repository. They must have joined hands to perfect some great magic. I'd love to find a partner like that."
To Alsicle, the most trivial marriages were those born of lust.
Next came those arranged for family honor and benefit—common enough.
But the greatest unions were those forged for noble purpose and knowledge.
A marriage dedicated solely to the grand pursuit of magic, free from selfish desires or carnal urges...
"They just fell in love at first sight and got married."
"......"