Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: Elder (1)
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“That’s the Magic Realm……”
“Pretty impressive, isn’t it?”
Jamie gazed at the colossal tower that seemed to pierce the heavens.
It was so tall that the sun appeared to hang from its pinnacle.
The city sprawled around it in a perfect cross shape, with smaller towers erected at the four cardinal points as if guarding the central spire.
They were called “smaller” only because the central tower was outrageously high; those four towers were themselves marvels of height.
And that wasn’t all.
The entire city formed a flawless symmetry.
With the central tower and the four surrounding ones as the main axes, every building connected in dots and lines.
“It looks like a magic circle.”
“I figured a young master like you would notice.”
Siegfried continued with a smile.
“They say the founding king designed it himself five hundred years ago.”
“What kind of magic circle is it?”
“That’d spoil the fun if I told you now.”
Jamie gave a wry smile at that.
He hadn’t expected Siegfried to tell him anyway. From traveling together, he’d learned the man had a maniacal love for teasing people.
A grade-A villain who turned even the smallest things into pranks.
“Wasn’t hoping for it anyway.”
“What a boring reaction.”
Jamie shook his head.
“Let’s get going. We’re pretty late already.”
“Shall we?”
From Haise to the Magic Realm.
It should have been instantaneous, but they’d gone through far too much along the way.
‘I thought we’d head straight there after Saint-Derman.’
They’d detoured through several more cities.
When he’d asked why they were taking it so leisurely, the answer was something about broadening horizons.
And then, quietly added, “It’s fun thinking about those old fogeys shitting themselves.”
“Anyway, let’s head in.”
Siegfried snapped his fingers, and space rippled before rapidly shifting.
When it stabilized,
“What do you think up close?”
“Ho.”
Jamie couldn’t help but widen his eyes.
Oddly shaped iron rails crisscrossed the sky, with bizarre carriages racing along them at tremendous speeds.
Above them loomed massive airships. A giant screen on one broadcasted an advertisement.
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“Magic vision, huh?”
“You know it?”
“Hard to miss next-gen tech like that.”
Recording and visualizing magic wasn’t hard.
Jamie had used it plenty when first training with the sword. Artifacting it, though—that was advanced.
Magic fundamentally targeted the caster. So even visualized recordings were visible only to them.
But this broadcasted recordings to public screens for all to see.
“I don’t know the details, but they say it reflects hundreds of ultra-thin mana stones off a core stone holding the recording to project it. No idea how that works exactly, but it’s tech advancing rapidly these days.”
“Ho. The Magic Realm lives up to its name.”
“There’s plenty more wonders. Take that Artrein—you seeing it for the first time?”
Apparently, those sky carriages were called Artreins.
As he said, it was quite novel even to Jamie.
The rails encircled the entire Magic Realm at speeds incomparable to horses, letting you reach anywhere in no time.
Far more efficient than pricey warp devices.
“Wish they’d install something like that in Haise.”
“The Magic Realm’s magitech is growing fast. A few are already in the capital, from what I hear.”
“No envy for the Magic Kingdom then.”
“We only lag behind the Magic Kingdom in headcount.”
As he said, the Magic Realm of the Kingdom of Seldam held its own against the Magic Kingdom.
“Anyway, young master, go sightseeing while I handle this.”
“Pardon?”
“Gotta report back. And there’s stuff to discuss about you.”
“Can’t I just come with?”
“It’ll be quick, so no whining. Here.”
Siegfried handed Jamie ten silvers.
“I can track you anywhere, so wander freely. Security’s good here. Ah, but you don’t need to worry about that anyway?”
A 6th-class archmage whose swordsmanship improved by the day—any threat to Jamie Welton could endanger the whole Magic Realm.
Thinking that, city security seemed irrelevant for him.
“Got it.”
“See you later.”
Siegfried vanished after that.
Left alone, Jamie looked at the ten silvers in his hand and surveyed his surroundings. Told to sightsee, but where to start?
He just started walking wherever his feet took him.
“So busy, so busy!”
A young girl with sky-blue hair in twin tails scurried about frantically.
Her name was Ann Mayer. Ten years old this year, she was a student at the Phoenix Academy in the Magic Realm, studying magitech.
The reason for her frenzy? Today was enrollment day at Phoenix Academy.
She was rushing back with supplies her homeroom teacher had asked her to fetch.
“I wonder if Ami and Mom and Dad have arrived.”
Ami was her little brother, turning eight this year and entering as a freshman.
The Mayer family had produced Phoenix Academy graduates for generations.
Not a powerhouse magic lineage, but they had a solid standing in the Magic Realm.
“When will Elder Siegfried arrive, I wonder.”
Siegfried, one of the Magic Realm’s eight elders.
As Phoenix Academy’s headmaster, he was Ann’s magic master in her dreams, at least.
He had no intention of taking disciples, but Ann was determined to become his student.
A dream she’d nurtured since entering the Magic Realm two years ago.
“I wish he’d hurry back.”
She itched to show off her new spell. He’d surely say it was brilliant, ask how she’d conceived such a thing.
—Ann, you’re a true genius. And I adore geniuses.
—Master…… I adore you too.
—Haha, Ann. Shall we study magic together?
—Anything’s fine, as long as I’m by your side……
—Ann.
—Master……
That handsome face, golden hair like silk flowing as he……
“Master……”
As Ann hugged herself in a weird pose lost in delusion,
Her vision cleared to reveal a boy wandering with a dazed(?) expression.
Emerald hair and eyes—an unfamiliar face.
‘Looks about my age?’
He glanced around like a lost lamb, clearly a first-time visitor.
And today was Phoenix Academy’s enrollment day.
A boy who looked like a first-time visitor today.
Pieces clicked in Ann’s mind, an exclamation mark popping up.
“Hey, you!”
Ann dashed toward the boy with mysterious hair color. Unaware he was being called, he ignored her and kept sightseeing.
“Hey!”
Ann yanked his wrist.
In that instant, she felt something eerie.
Like breath on her nape, or facing a ferocious beast.
She hadn’t experienced it much, but it was unforgettable. Ann froze, speechless.
The boy looked at her.
“Do you need something from me?”
“Uh?”
Unsure how to respond, she stammered before snapping out of it.
“Ah! You’re a Phoenix Academy freshman, right?”
“What academy?”
“Phoenix! No time for this! Enrollment’s soon, and you look lost. I’ll take you!”
“No, I……”
“Hurry! We’re late!”
“Wha—hey!”
Ignoring him, Ann bolted toward Phoenix Academy.
She recalled that eerie sensation but shook it off.
Just my imagination.
Too many errands for enrollment lately—she was just tired. A good night’s sleep would fix it.
With that, Ann led the boy to Phoenix Academy.
Jamie was a bit flustered by the sudden turn.
He didn’t like following Siegfried’s orders to the letter, but he’d been sightseeing anyway.
Then this cute blue-haired girl ran up and dragged him off.
He’d almost unleashed killing intent instinctively, but checked himself upon seeing it was just a kid.
‘But where the hell is she taking me?’
Phoenix Academy enrollment, apparently. But Jamie had no clue what that was.
The girl was clearly misunderstanding something fierce, but with nothing else to do, he followed silently.
“Almost there!”
She turned back with a bright voice.
As she said, a grand building and vast grounds came into view nearby.
A large gate blocked the entrance, radiating strong mana—likely powerful security magic.
“Guard uncle! I’m back!”
Addressing the gate, a magic circle appeared, and a voice emanated.
—Oh, Ann. Errands done?
“Yep! And I brought a lost freshman.”
—Haha. Gotta love Ann’s nosiness. Opening now.
Her name was Ann, it seemed.
The guard’s gentle tone suggested she was quite beloved.
The gate opened, revealing the interior.
“Oh.”
“Pretty, right?”
Jamie’s soft admiration drew a proud response from Ann.
Strong sense of belonging.
“It is pretty.”
“Right? Come on in.”
Ann grabbed his hand again.
Phoenix Academy’s grounds were vast beyond imagination.
Lush green lawns, large brown-brick buildings, a silver bell atop giving an antique air.
“Enrollment’s in Amel Hall, further in.”
“Amel? Amel Fast?”
“Yep. The court mage from the founding dynasty. He was Phoenix Academy’s first headmaster and founder.”
“I see.”
“Anyway, straight down that path.”
“But I……”
“Gotta go—I’m busy!”
The spirited girl vanished like a shot, ignoring him.
Jamie scratched his head and looked around.
Kids holding parents’ hands headed that way, faces worried or excited.
All freshmen, apparently.
“Hm.”
With nothing better to do, Jamie followed along.
Amel Hall was unmistakable even from afar, massively huge.
A large portrait of who must be Amel hung at the top. While the Magic Realm felt futuristic, this building screamed old-world.
Inside Amel Hall teemed with people.
About two hundred, half of them Phoenix Academy freshmen.
“Crowded.”
First time in a place this packed since the Gehenna Auction House.
As Jamie wandered, sightseeing,
“Y-you!”
A voice called from behind.
Familiar somehow.
He turned to see a red-haired boy.
Familiar face. The boy pointed accusingly.
“J-Jamie Welton! Why are you here?!”
Jamie replied to the outburst.
“Who are you?”
The face rang a bell, but sorry to say, Jamie couldn’t recall who.
Simon Count’s second son, Lennon Simon, was left dumbfounded.