Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Magic Genius with Korean Patch
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The central force behind establishing the White Mage Tower was undoubtedly the Silvermont mages.
However, they had been operating in secret to uncover the Ruin Church.
After the White Mage Tower was founded,
the Silvermont mages had been working as the tower's dedication corps under the name White Silver, concealing their identities.
That said, it was just a name; given that the White Mage Tower's roots were tied to White Silver, it was fair to see them as the tower's core force.
Yet now they had ceased all activity.
"What... do you mean by that?"
Jeon couldn't believe what Connect had said and asked again.
In response to Jeon's question, Connect gave a bitter smile and continued.
"Well... for the past few months, we've been unable to contact the Silvermont mages."
"What? What do you mean...?"
"About half a year ago, we received an urgent request for cooperation from the Silvermont mages."
"A request for cooperation?"
"Yes. We sent three mages to assist them as per the request..."
White Silver was primarily composed of Silvermont mages operating outside,
and the White Mage Tower supported them by dispatching personnel under the guise of handling missions from the tower.
So up to that point, what Connect described was perfectly in line with White Silver's standard operations.
"After that mission, the three mages we sent, along with all the Silvermont mages, went missing."
"Missing? You mean not just our dispatched mages, but every single Silvermont mage?"
It was utterly unbelievable.
After leaving for the continent, they hadn't obsessed over expanding their numbers,
but excluding White Silver's own forces, there were still over fifty Silvermont mages outside.
Moreover, considering they were all mages,
all of them vanishing at once was next to impossible.
"What in the world happened...?"
"I'm hesitant to use the word 'missing,' but at first, we thought there might be some reason they couldn't contact us temporarily. But as one month turned into two, nothing else came to mind."
"That's..."
But there was no reason for Connect to lie.
'All of them missing as a group.'
That meant, one way or another, a large-scale disappearance of the mages had actually occurred.
'Maybe I can confirm it through Silver.'
The first thing that came to Jeon's mind was the Guardian Rune created through the Silvermont mages,
and the entity that formed it: Silver.
Arrangements left at the ruins site had been passed on to Jeon,
but Silver existed in a realm entirely separate from reality, where their will continued unbroken.
'...Though it might be better if nothing remains there.'
However, the will stored in Silver, which formed the Guardian Rune via the Will Rune, only gathered upon the death of Silvermont mages.
Still, it was worth trying.
'If someone's will remains, I can learn some truth about what happened. If no new will has accumulated, at least it means they're alive.'
But that was a matter for later.
For now, focusing on Connect's continuing explanation was more important.
"Of course, we haven't given up. We've continued investigating the missing persons, and the probes are still ongoing."
"Any results?"
"Not none, but so far, we only have a few plausible hypotheses."
Connect wore a somewhat despairing expression.
"As a result, the entire White Silver organization has halted activities. The Silvermont mages were the backbone, after all."
As he said,
White Silver existed solely to assist the external Silvermont mages.
Without them, there was nothing White Silver could do.
"Truth be told, for the first couple of months, I was secretly hoping someone like you, Lord Jeon, might show up."
"...So none of the disciples left behind by the Silvermont mages over the past half year have come looking?"
"No, none. If something urgent prevented direct contact, I thought at least word would come through their disciples..."
Cases like Jeon's, contacting White Silver via the mage tower qualification exam, were typically how Silvermont mages who took on disciples by chance would communicate—once those disciples grew and wished to join them.
Due to their secretive nature, they couldn't consistently mentor disciples,
so their tradition was to give basic instruction to the talented, and if the disciple showed willingness to join, simply tell them to seek out White Silver this way.
"Normally, one or two show up every couple of months like this, but since the disappearance, not even those disciples have appeared."
The arrival of Silvermont mages' disciples at the White Mage Tower was a huge boost to maintaining the White Silver force.
And among them, those particularly close to their masters sometimes kept in sporadic contact via letters or otherwise, so Connect had waited for them too, just in case.
"Truth be told, you too, Lord Jeon... since you came from the Silvermont in Rangley, not directly from the mages, it must mean contact is still severed there as well."
"Such a thing..."
Having heard the full explanation from Connect, Jeon trailed off with a hollow expression.
'What now?'
After inheriting Merimure's arrangements at the ruins,
he had come to the White Mage Tower to collaborate with White Silver and offer aid.
But White Silver had suspended operations.
'No, either way, I have to help them.'
Yet the decision Jeon could make was ultimately one.
He wasn't of Silvermont blood,
but having received their will, he couldn't just hear of their disappearance and shrug it off with "Oh well."
"Is there any way I can help?"
"...You, Lord Jeon?"
Connect looked at Jeon with surprise at his offer to help, wondering if there was any possible way.
They shared the Silvermont name, but
the Silvermont in Rangley and the Silvermont mages could practically be considered separate groups.
'I thought he'd just back off.'
Thus, Connect had expected Jeon to naturally withdraw upon learning of White Silver's situation, rather than step forward.
To think he'd step even closer instead.
"Hmm... Right now, honestly, no. Once the investigations wrap up and we understand what happened... depending on the nature of the incident, we might figure out how you could assist."
In other words, since they didn't even know how or why the mages had disappeared, it would take time before Jeon could provide tangible help.
"How long will that take?"
"Personally, I think in two or three months, we'll have results from the more promising leads among our ongoing probes, but there's no guarantee they'll be conclusive."
There was no set timeline.
But even so, giving up wasn't an option.
"Then, is there a way for me to stay at the White Mage Tower until then?"
"You want to remain in the tower?"
"Yes. That way, I'd get the results fastest, and if needed for the investigations, I could help out."
"Hmm..."
Connect stroked his goatee at Jeon's proactive attitude.
"If you mean until the results come in... you don't plan to stay indefinitely, then?"
"I don't know how things will turn out, but... for now, yes."
He had come to the White Mage Tower to contact White Silver,
but Jeon had no intention of being tied to the tower itself.
His plan was to connect with the main body—the Silvermont mages—and then exchange substantial aid.
"Then there's a way. It's normally an option for those who barely passed the qualification exam... a three-month short-term apprenticeship contract at the tower."
A three-month apprenticeship.
Something similar existed in Jeon's previous life.
'Like an internship?'
Viewing the mage tower as a major corporation, an apprenticeship was no different from a corporate internship.
Of course, it was an option top qualification exam performers wouldn't even glance at normally.
"Sounds good to me."
It was perfect for Jeon's current needs.
"...You're really going to do it?"
"Yes. Why not?"
Connect was slightly flustered seeing Jeon nod without much deliberation.
He had suggested the most fitting option for Jeon's request, but
Jeon wasn't just the monthly qualification exam top scorer—he was among the all-time greats in exam history.
'Such a person taking an apprenticeship.'
If anything, recommending it could earn him scorn, yet here Jeon was, readily agreeing, leaving the recommender feeling a bit awkward.
"Then, joining the dispatch team as an apprentice?"
"For now... yes. Being part of our dispatch team means I can be deployed immediately if something comes up."
Jeon nodded as if he'd expected it.
In fact, the reason Jeon had singled out Connect among White Silver's executives for a one-on-one meal was precisely because he was the dispatch team leader, most sensitive to developments.
"But... are you really coming aboard?"
"Yes, of course."
Even with Connect double-checking just in case, Jeon nodded firmly, leaving Connect no choice but to nod as well.
'This... is the right call, right?'
White Silver's matters aside,
an all-time top qualification exam passer entering as an apprentice.
'Won't this stir up a fuss?'
A flicker of anxiety crossed Connect's mind—externally, as a White Mage Tower matter, it could draw quite a bit of attention.
And soon after, Connect would learn that his unease was spot on.
After finishing the meal with Connect,
Jeon headed straight back to his lodging.
'First day on the job is next week.'
Of course, "next week" meant only about three days including today.
Starting work at the mage tower required no major preparations.
'They said they'd provide everything once I arrive.'
So if it were just for starting work, the only preparation needed was mental readiness for ending up with a commuting job life even in this lifetime.
But Jeon had other things to do as well.
"Silver."
The moment he returned to his lodging and locked the door, Jeon called out the Silver nestled in his bosom.
-Kyaaang.
At Jeon's call, Silver leaped out from his bosom and stood before him.
It was currently the size of Jeon's finger, tiny,
but 'the main body is different.'
This was merely a fragment of Silver.
The true body was formed from generations of accumulated will of Silvermont mages,
so Jeon intended to summon as close to the main body as possible now.
Of course, manifesting the main body itself was impossible at present.
'But the more mana I pour into Silver, the closer to the main body it manifests.'
Right now, this Silver could only cry out "Kyaaang," unable to speak,
but infusing it with mana to enlarge it would enable clear communication through speech.
However, mere communication differed from accessing all the main body's knowledge,
so Jeon planned to pour mana into Silver until he could communicate directly with the main body.
"Hoo."
Jeon's body was currently filled to the brim with mana cultivated via the mana cultivation method.
But he needed more,
so he took two artifacts from his bosom, one in each hand.
One was the mana stone Jeon had crafted himself, the other a red artifact.
Crunch.
He bit the finger holding the red artifact, drawing blood.
He wondered if it had to come to this, but to get even a step closer to the truth, there was no other way.
Vmmm!
As Jeon's blood touched it, mana flowed from the red artifact into him.
Along with it, mana from the mana stone flowed in as well.
'I need maximum output all at once.'
Maintaining Silver's form and activating its Guardian Rune defense required steady mana flow.
But enlarging Silver hinged on instantaneous output,
so Jeon held onto the incoming mana from the artifacts to the limit.
As mana beyond his body's capacity flooded in, Jeon felt intense heat surging through him.
To cool it, sweat beaded up immediately, soon drenching his clothes in seconds.
'A bit more, a bit more... now!'
Then, using the mana gathered to its absolute utmost limit, he deployed the Guardian Rune.
Fwaaaah!
Splendid silver light erupted from Silver in front of him, filling the lodging.
But the light, expected to flash and fade, persisted, saturating the entire space.
-Long time no see.
And for good reason.
The silver light filling the lodging was none other than Silver itself, massively enlarged.