Shall We Head Down Now?
“How about we head down now?”
“Just a little more looking around.”
Ignoring Iris's grumbling as she urged them to descend, Maness quickened his steps toward the spot where the mana collision had occurred. He couldn't outright say they were searching for something, so the best approach was to let her find it herself. Unlike him, with his abnormally overflowing mana, she should be able to sense it once they got close enough.
Iris, trailing behind him, tossed out reluctant words of her own but still didn't want to head back empty-handed. Something felt shrouded in mystery, which was why she'd stuck with him—but he seemed like the type who was weak against the strong. Even chatting with him hadn't revealed anything special. Sure, he'd caught Professor Metaph's eye, so maybe he had some magical talent. But he couldn't replicate her mana sensing feat, so he clearly lacked aptitude there.
To Iris, Maness embodied the free-spirited life and grand wizard she dreamed of becoming—an illusion she'd conjured herself. Right now, that's all he was to her.
“If we'd searched the base of the mountain from the start, we'd have our hands full by now.”
“Then let's head down now. I'll look around here.”
“It's way too late for that. We need to salvage something.”
“You followed me?”
His pointed jab left Iris swallowing a retort. Unlike her, who thought they'd found nothing, Maness was inwardly cheering. He'd been worrying whether the vast mana in his Mana Well was real or if he even had the talent to use it. Iris had dispelled those doubts in one go.
The top freshman in magical talent couldn't pull it off, but he'd nailed it on the first try. It gave Maness, who was pondering the path of a mage, rock-solid certainty. That moment when they'd both sensed mana together was like the world declaring, You have what it takes to walk the mage's path.
And classes? No worries there either. He'd already pinpointed the mana collision site. All they had to do was find whatever the professor had hidden. Knowing it in advance, Maness brightened at the sight of the cliff blocking their path ahead.
No matter how much you gathered, bringing back just that one item would have secured victory for your team.
Too bad a tiger beast had snatched it and fled to the cliff.
Tiger beast and cliff—like a riddle. During the game's free time, he'd scoured the forest from Kyle's perspective and found a rock shaped just like a tiger's head at the base of the cliff. The target had to be hidden inside.
*
“Let's sense again.”
“Here?”
Now close enough to their goal, Maness prompted Iris to check for mana. At this range, even a freshman's untrained mana should pick it up.
“Feels like a pointless waste of effort...”
“If we come up empty this time, we give up and head down. Time's getting tight anyway.”
His declaration that this was the last try drew a deep sigh from Iris as she slipped into meditation. Maness followed suit, scattering his mana. Moments later, a clear mana signature pinged nearby. He opened his eyes first and waited; soon Iris emerged from her trance too.
He was ready with his prepared response—There's been a mana collision; follow the cliff and we'll find it—when she spoke.
“No mana at all.”
“Then, over th—”
Maness trailed off, unable to continue. It was so close, exaggeration wouldn't even cover it. Just a short walk along the cliff, and it'd be in sight—yet Iris said she hadn't sensed it.
“Nothing at all?”
“Not with my ability, anyway.”
This wasn't just about his superior talent. In the original story, she'd have baskets full of mana-infused items by now, thanks to her top-tier sensing among freshmen. Her failure made no sense.
“Your reaction's weird, though? You look seriously rattled.”
“...We're this close and might still go back empty-handed. Wouldn't you be?”
Brushing it off, Maness sank into thought. Regardless of her sensing, the item was right there. But he'd already played it like he couldn't detect it either, so claiming faint mana now would blow his cover.
“Let's walk along the cliff a bit.”
“Isn't this enough? You said we'd quit if nothing here.”
“You said you've read books by mages, right?”
If logic wouldn't sway her, use her herself. Iris obsessed over mages' journals.
“Everything in the mansion library, yeah.”
“I skimmed a few helping with the trading company. One had this line.”
Maness adopted his sternest expression.
“When you suddenly feel like giving up, take one more step. That's the driving force behind magic's progress and a virtue every mage must possess.”
A hint from a mid-game quest he'd cleared—he remembered it perfectly. Her eyes widened at the great-man quote.
“Yeah! I remember— from Footsteps of the Archmage Fornyong!”
“Er, don't remember the source.”
“How could I forget such a key mindset? I swore never to a bunch of times...”
Watching her mutter in self-absorbed rapture, Maness broke into a cold sweat. He knew she was magic-obsessed, but seeing it up close was intimidating.
“Alright! Let's scour this whole cliff area!”
“No need for that. Time's short.”
“Time? We've got plenty left, right?”
Subjectively, only half the allotted time had passed. Descent was faster than ascent, so plenty of search time remained—assuming no interruptions.
“Doubt Snowrobe professors would make it that easy.”
“What's that mean?”
“Heard they're all a bit crazy.”
Her eyes widened at “crazy”—a first-year badmouthing professors already. But she recalled one napping on the dirt floor in broad daylight.
“Yeah, kinda.”
“It's not just about grabbing mana items. There's more to it.”
Obviously. Students wouldn't grind their teeth over a dirt-nap alone—though it was reason enough to call them crazy.
“Let's look quick.”
Sorting his thoughts, Maness urged her on. The summit drop was imminent.
*
“Some standouts, yeah. Jerman Archduke's daughter had remarkably refined mana.”
“As expected from a grant magic master. Spotting that just by looking.”
“Tch, flattery.”
Almond grimaced at the goosebumps; Metaph grinned and steered back.
“Anyone else?”
“No expert on bodies, but that nomadic kid was freakish.”
“Conien, right?”
“Yeah. Wouldn't bet against him in a tussle with top seniors.”
A breeze tousled his bangs. In the brief silence, Metaph pressed.
“Anyone else?”
“...What are you fishing for?”
“Nothing, then.”
“That's why? The mid-mountain cache.”
Her silence confirmed it; Almond sighed.
“It's been years since I infused that illusion mana at your request.”
“Rare talents enroll sometimes.”
“It's rare even among Magic Tower records. Not blaming you, but don't get hopes up.”
“I've been skeptical too, but I know one freshman with potential.”
Illusion affinity potential. Almond perked up from her apathy.
“Potential?”
“Mana control class this morning—a kid with colorless mana.”
“Not pure?”
“I'm no rookie who can't tell pure from illusion. And...”
Metaph patted his chest.
“I'm an illusion mage, aren't I?”
Period. The young controversy-stirrer in illusion magic left Almond no choice but to agree.
“True, the eyes see what they know.”
“...I'll take that as a compliment.”
“If you say so, maybe someone'll snag the magic stone.”
“If they don't fall for your nasty pranks, senior.”
“It's all for the students.”
Every professor running torturous classes claimed the same. Metaph was sick of hearing it. Refilling her cooling teacup, he probed casually.
“What'd you prep this time?”
“Nothing big. Aligned with Professor Zentina's interests.”
“Necromancy prof. Interests...?”
“Found a way for skeletons to perform at peak even in daylight. Testing by dumping a horde from the summit.”
Metaph could only grimace.
*
“That rock doesn't look kinda weird?”
Shortly after following the cliff, Maness casually pointed at a boulder. It matched a snarling tiger's head perfectly.
“Yeah. Looks like a live tiger.”
“Maybe a mage petrified it?”
Feigning ignorance, Maness feigned fascination as he drew nearer. With each step, the sensed mana grew thicker. Reaching the rock, he patted its crown; Iris joined, inspecting curiously.
Like her, he stalled before probing the mouth. Peering in, a glint winked from deep inside. Eyes closed wouldn't matter—the rippling mana was unmistakable.
“What's this?”
Playing dumb again, he reached in. A cold orb met his fingers. Pulling it out revealed a bluish-glowing bead pulsing faintly.
“Pretty bead.”
“Inside the mouth. Not something you'd expect here.”
“Huh? Lemme see.”
Iris rolled it in her palm, then meditated holding it. Her face lit up.
“Faint, but mana.”
“Professor's hidden item, then.”
“Phew. Thought we'd go back empty. How're we supposed to find stuff with that little mana!”
It hadn't felt faint to him, but he shrugged in agreement.
“Lucky.”
“Yeah. The archmage was right! Answer right in front...”
Seeing her bask in the quote's wisdom, Maness gave a wry smile. Better this way. Her focus shifted to the archmage, not him—and he'd honed his sensing. Now, just descend before daytime skeletons swarmed.
“Hey, you two.”
But a voice thick with malice shattered that hope.