It Was You All Along

If someone had overheard, they would've called it nonsense. Of course they would. Me, the creator of anomaly? There's no way to prove it.

But you, Grand Archmage, must know. How Jessie, who had virtually no magical knowledge, could know of anomaly, a concept superior to magic.

“……No way?”

There might be no such thing as master and disciple among mages? I agree. But I'm not a mage—I'm a demon hunter. So Jessie and I had some pretty in-depth conversations about magic and anomaly.

The Grand Archmage lets out a hearty chuckle. “Right, I do recall that. Damn it all.”

He's probably sifting through the memories in Jessie's head—or her pointed hat. The perpetually relaxed expression has turned a bit grave. He's finally grasping the situation.

Too late, though.

Grandfell lives by pride and dies by pride. If you dared belittle another's pride before him...

You'd have to pay the price. And that price? No need to spell it out.

Let's see, then, whose pride is more unyielding and fanatical.

“Yet you forbid us from approaching anomaly. Even if you're its creator, do you have the right? I don't quite follow.”

He's right. The path to anomaly isn't mine to block.

But I'm the Mage Tower's chief mage, despite not being a mage. And I know well what mages fear most.

“The pinnacle of magic you all pursued.”

So I declared:

“I shall reach the end of anomaly first.”

“……!”

In other words, I'll steal your truth. That's the one way to shatter a Grand Archmage's pride.

After a brief silence, the question returns.

“Should I take that as a declaration of war?”

Silence is affirmation. Of course.

Ah, but the fainted Jessie is innocent—exclude her.

I racked my brain.

What a relentlessly chaotic day, right to the end.

Opposites attract, they say? Not one, but multiple Grand Archmages turning hostile.

I had to wonder if this skyrocketing luck was working right.

Still, I didn't doubt it.

I've confirmed luck's effects properly.

So... let's think backwards?

There must be a reason this situation counts as 'luck.'

Reflecting on today's unusually grueling day, a memory from the Mage Tower surfaced. Specifically, Marcelo's words.

And with it, the Grand Archmage's voice echoed.

-“As the Mage Tower's chief, you know better than anyone, don't you?”

-“Indeed. In Mage Tower terms, it's the 'truth.'”

The Grand Archmage before me knew the Mage Tower in excessive detail. Plus, entering the Spacetime Salon as a transcendent meant forming at least a 'circle' as a mage.

In my knowledge, only one mage in the tower had formed a circle.

I spoke softly.

“It was you.”

At that moment, the quest window flickered.

The moment conjecture turned to certainty. The aftertaste couldn't be more bitter.

So that's why the waters below weren't clear.

The Tower Master's idea of truth was this warped.

Karimjeva and the elders. The seniors, skilled, and apprentice mages below them. All trapped within the fence of 'truth.'

But now, the flickering quest objectives weren't just that.

Find the true truth. (In Progress)

Yes—the Mage Tower had discarded its hollow 'truth' and begun seeking the real one. It had changed.

Tower Master, things have changed a lot while you floated in that mana sphere.

No more words to exchange, then.

“What do you mean, 'you'?”

I rose from my seat.

“You're no actor.”

“……Acting?”

“I advise you to quit now.”

“You've been spouting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠riddles since earlier. First time I've met a guy this tough. And acting? I quit that ages ago, thanks to you, Chief—getting all serious over petty pranks.”

No. The acting I'm telling you to quit isn't mimicking Jessie.

“Adventurer Jessie Haynes. Did you grant her apprentice mage status to observe the vessel of a Grand Archmage up close?”

“……!”

“But one question lingers.”

The Grand Archmage's face hardened at my words.

“Unlike previous Grand Archmages, your body isn't floating in the mana sphere. If your words are true, that violates the succession procedure blatantly.”

“……No idea what you're on about.”

“As I said, you're no actor, Tower Master.”

“!”

What I'm telling you to quit is that self-directed play. Whatever scheme led you to break procedure and separate body from soul in such a reckless act—I don't know.

“I'll keep this confidential for now.”

Not out of worry for you, Tower Master.

“I don't want to disappoint Chief Marcelo.”

Even as he faced death from a terminal curse, Marcelo worried for you. That's why. Don't get the wrong idea.

The moment I mentioned Marcelo, any trace of leisure vanished from the Tower Master's face.

Drag! The chair scraped irritably. A sharpened voice followed.

“Hold on—leaving just like that? I'd be worried if I were you. You haven't forgotten I'm controlling this girl's body, have you?”

A threat? You still haven't grasped the situation.

I can throw that line right back.

I shot back coldly. “Tower Master, remember your body is in my hands too. And one last piece of advice: you're utterly talentless at acting.”

Moreover, I vaguely suspected my skyrocketing luck played a part in the Tower Master possessing Jessie's body.

Even from your own mouth: 'By sheer luck, I finally got to see the world after so long.'

Who knew occupational hazard would pay off like this.

Dealing with such vile demons must've honed it.

When it comes to discerning malice, no one beats me.

So whatever the story behind this stunt, I sensed no malice from the Tower Master using Jessie as a hostage.

And there's ironclad proof besides.

The Tower Master whom even the great Marcelo revered. Denying his judgment would deny ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my own chief position, earned through Marcelo.

So the acting I've been telling you to drop? It's that ill-fitting bad guy act, Tower Master.

Grind. The Tower Master bit Jessie's lower lip.

Then looked at me. “……Rude, aren't you, Chief?”

What? Rude?

Me, who lives and dies by propriety?

“Must you expose your superior's flaws like that?”

……Damn, bringing up rank leaves me speechless.

I had nothing to say, staying silent. The Tower Master's complexion shifted again.

Changing hues with the situation—like my boss, eerily so. Scary.

Experience is undeniable.

As I inwardly clicked my tongue—

“Chief. Since you've seen through everything, no choice now. You'll have to be my accomplice.”

……Accomplice?! Have I lost my mind to team up with a reeking superior?

Never grab a rotten rope—that's the rule of office life.

But then, my vision flickered.

Then it hit me.

……Wait, that's where the acting started?

Guess I take back the no-talent comment.

*

The dragon dove!

News spread worldwide. The impact was massive. Even players hunting monsters fearlessly in the Zero Mountains froze.

“……That thing isn't diving straight at us, right?”

“Nah, what boss mob comes to greet you at the entrance?”

“Yeah, just overthinking it.”

Until AAU relayed the info, Zero Mountains players sensed nothing. The peaks were too high. No massive roar like when Hoyeol clashed with Sword Saint and Shreyg—no way to hear it.

Zero Mountains southwest. Giant Alliance base camp.

Analyst Nam Cheolmin recited incoming data. “Phenomenon similar to the dimensional rift crack at the summit detected... That's all for now. Nothing on your end?”

-Yeah. Just the rabbits being brutally tough.

“Good. No dragon sightings post-dive anywhere... Probably headed to Arcana Continent via the new rift—highest probability.”

-Really? The expert next to me said the same.

“……Expert?”

Nam Taemin's words made Nam Cheolmin tilt his head. Dragon experts? Wait—surely not with Hoyeol?

-Not Hoyeol—Dragon Knight Skal.

“I thought... Wait, S-Skal?! Why's Skal there?!”

-He joined us just now.

“Wh-what?!”

Nam Cheolmin's eyes bulged. Skal? The epitome of mystery. Never in a guild, yet eternally rank 1. And a Dragon Knight—top-tier class potential!

Skal joining Giant Alliance? Calculator whirred in his head.

If we're lucky, we could surpass Shining... even Cheonha Tongil...

But Nam Cheolmin's fantasies didn't last. Nam Taemin, finishing off rabbits, added:

“Yeah, pride.”

Zap. Leoni nearby shot him a glare.

Explaining that away with one word?

From Hoyeol and the dragon to class quests. Skal's convoluted joining saga needed volumes.

One word like 'pride' to cover it?!

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

“Knew you'd get it, bro.”

“?!”

……But someone did. Leoni's mind reeled again.

Am I the weird one...?

Damn, headache incoming.

“Everyone's insane...”

But Leoni's pain didn't linger.

“Gah, gaaaah!!”

Skal, brushing Alexander's tail, freaked out.

Neigh! Thud! Startled Alexander bucked, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but Skal took it in stride—no flinch. Hisagi and Shreyg fretted instead.

“You alright, Mr. Skal?”

“Heard something ominous.”

“......Skal doesn't match the image I had. Sis?”

Murmurs rose everywhere, but Skal ignored them. Worse than the hoof to the groin: a horrific message floating before him.

“......No, no way.”

Hearing of the diving dragon, he'd hoped not. Denied it, looked away.

But now, the new quest sparkled undeniable.

Tears welled in Skal's eyes.

“......Great clan? Back to Arcana Continent? All dragons assemble?! What is this?! How long since the dragon moved, and now—what did they do to trigger this quest...!!”

The aftershocks of heavenly luck began.