Terrifying in Your Absence. Humans Are the Scariest After All.
Swish─
On the desk. Piled high with the chief mage's duties. Even as I wielded the quill pen furiously, I couldn't calm my startled heart.
It was inevitable. I never imagined from the start that it was all an act.
'In simple terms.'
The Tower Master's act was hidden in the pointed hat. An act to fool the previous grand archmages…!
In that sense, the Tower Master wasn't Tower Master for nothing.
Just as the Tower Master had scanned Jessie's memories. The grand archmages could surely peer into the Tower Master's memories of conversing with me.
'If you only look at the words the Tower Master spoke…'
There wasn't the slightest cause for suspicion.
That's why they acted so prickly. Thanks to that method acting, no one would catch on.
Not even me, who was face-to-face with her from the start.
Stop the Conspiracy of the Grand Archmages
(In Progress)
If the quest window hadn't flickered. I wouldn't have noticed the hidden meaning in those words.
That doesn't mean I'm oblivious, though.
Asking me out of the blue to be an accomplice! Anyone would misunderstand that, right?
'No wonder Marcelo reveres her.'
The system window, exclusive to players. Something the previous grand archmages couldn't detect.
She used that blind spot—the system window—to convey the sequence of events to me.
'That means she understands the system.'
Just as players struggle to comprehend magic, Arcana natives found the [system] equally baffling.
You could tell from how even the great Marcelo struggled with it.
I spoke calmly.
"Indeed, the Tower Master's position was not attained lightly."
Though it sounds odd coming from someone who parachuted into chief mage…
Still, when it came to the arcane, I could afford to puff out my chest a bit.
'Anyway.'
In the end, the Tower Master had been sizing me up right to the last.
Whether she could trust me or not.
Considering the quest content, it was inevitable.
'How many sly foxes do I have to deal with here?'
Not just a grand archmage's conspiracy. A quest to thwart the conspiracy of the grand archmages.
The Tower Master had been handling this ultra-high-difficulty quest alone.
Even while sharing all her senses with those enemies, no less.
'Now it's starting to make sense.'
Why the Tower Master brought Jessie into the Mage Tower.
She chose Jessie. As an ally to thwart the grand archmages' conspiracy together.
In gaming terms from when Arcana was just a game. That was the storyline for the grand archmage class quest.
—"Master and disciple… Maybe one or two thought that. But the majority, including me, didn't."
Saying that when she was the master herself.
Well, it was an act that even had to fool herself.
This wasn't the time to nitpick her lies.
What mattered most was what those grand archmages' conspiracy entailed.
What plot had the Tower Master uncovered to forcibly separate her body and consciousness, dive into the tiger's den of the pointed hat, and gamble by handing the grand archmage seat to Jessie…?
'In the end, it's that damn truth again?'
Speaking of truth, one person naturally came to mind.
Karimjeva.
In the Mage Tower's underground. Unlike the two elder mages who crumbled in the abyss.
Karimjeva, frozen in absolute zero, never wavered in her thirst for true truth.
And what she did to reach that true truth was none other than reviving an upper demon king…
Sure enough, no matter how I thought about it, it reeked.
I, who had faced one of the upper demon kings, Gamigin, at the end of the demon king struggle.
Thanks to that, I confirmed firsthand how extraordinary upper demon kings were.
For starters, you couldn't even communicate with them.
—"□□."
But let's hypothesize. If Karimjeva's 'true truth' and the grand archmages' goal of 'magic's pinnacle' are one and the same…
'Does that mean the arcane becomes the true truth?'
Through my conversation with the Tower Master, I grasped that magic's pinnacle was the arcane.
No, beyond grasping it—I'd proudly boasted that I was the arcane's creator.
Since it came from my own mouth. Not just the Tower Master.
The other grand archmages would have realized it too.
'Truly, loose lips sink ships.'
If some other grand archmage's personality emerged instead of the Tower Master's, things would get messy.
I could only pray Jessie wouldn't suffer mana exhaustion.
My sigh was brief. At the end of my thoughts.
I recalled one possibility.
'Wait, if upper demon kings exist in the realm of the arcane.'
Under that premise. One mystery unraveled instantly.
Yes. The reason Gamigin could resist [The Arcane].
The arcane had truly bizarre effects.
Even Karimjeva, called the Fire Dragon, had lost to my past self—who was incomparably weaker—due to no resistance to the arcane.
But Gamigin was the exception.
Recalling the battle with Gamigin. Without the aid of the Akkshan seniors, even manifesting the arcane wouldn't have sent Gamigin to hell.
So the conclusion was clear.
Upper demon kings. They too had entered the 'realm of the arcane,' just like me.
That explained their overwhelming power.
It was an arcane force no one could resist.
I murmured.
"I see."
So it wasn't just me and Marcelo charging toward the arcane.
Upper demon kings, demons, and even grand archmages were advancing toward it.
But listen up, everyone. Know your place.
"However, dare not stand on the same eye level as I."
With my dark history glaring wide-eyed. I was confident I'd reach the arcane first.
Not just talk.
Now that I knew upper demon kings and demons were tied to the arcane. Grandfell had no choice but to get serious.
Swish swish─!
…No, not this serious.
Why was the quill moving even faster?
There, I realized once more.
Oh no. The path to the arcane seemed clearer than the path of hardship.
Stop the Conspiracy of the Grand Archmages
(In Progress)
● Confront the Tower Master's Body (In Progress)
But every journey begins with a single step.
The Tower Master's body would be floating in the mana sphere at the Mage Tower's top floor.
As always, everything follows procedure.
Finding the top floor comes after finishing the chief mage's duties.
And as always.
"Unfit. Bensy William."
Scribble─!
*
Yusra Kingdom. The new captain of the Golden Palace guard was Enoch Loren, one of Lion Heart's three pillars.
Enoch suddenly thought of Jessica.
Why had she freaked out so much?
"Yawn─"
There was so little to do he could yawn.
—"Captain, I want to join the Zero Mountains expedition."
Jessica's declaration. Who knew she'd step up for the perilous Zero Mountains expedition in his place.
Enoch had no reason to object.
With Harkon's approval, Jessica and Enoch had swapped roles today.
That didn't make guarding the Golden Palace easy, though.
But.
"…Somehow, it puts my mind at ease."
It was inevitable.
Who would dare approach the Golden Palace with impure intentions?
Grand Commander Lee Hoyeol visited daily.
Of course, the Grand Commander was so busy. He wouldn't stay forever.
Then, wouldn't someone exploit his absence?
No, what nonsense.
'Beyond the mountains lies another mountain.'
Yes. In the Golden Palace's annex was Elcidoir.
The elf with no blood or tears glaring wide-eyed.
How the Grand Commander tamed such an elf was a mystery…
Well, it was all the Grand Commander's prowess.
"How long has it been since I tasted such honey?"
Plus Jessica's favor in yielding this sweet gig.
But Enoch was mistaken.
The Golden Palace guard duty hadn't even begun.
The moment the sun hit midday, the clock struck noon precisely.
"…Wh-what is this?"
Rumble─ Like they'd rehearsed it.
People swarmed toward the Golden Palace like clouds.
Reporters gathered to cover Hoyeol.
The sudden crowd. Enoch reflexively shouted.
"Halt! Grand Commander Lee Hoyeol has not returned yet!"
Then, something amazing happened.
The uncontrollable masses lined up neatly, as if on cue. Voluntarily, without orders.
"Rock-paper-scissors!"
"Aja! VBC goes first."
"No, Director Yoon. You've just been practicing rock-paper-scissors after meals?"
They even had their own procedure for order.
Enoch intuited. This too was thanks to Grand Commander Lee Hoyeol.
Rumors abounded even in Lion Heart.
—"When the Grand Commander speaks, the area goes dead silent?"
—"I heard it from a Mage Tower mage too."
—"What from the Mage Tower?!"
—"Rumor has it the Grand Commander hails from a very noble bloodline in this world. Even haughty Mage Tower mages said so."
—"Even something called Homen? A prayer like that?"
Just Homen.
…Is this right?
As Enoch muttered inwardly.
Clop clop─ Sudden hoofbeats.
With them. Sighs erupted from the reporters.
"Sigh."
It was Skal, riding his beloved Alexander.
Skal, who'd maintained a mystique until now.
The reason reporters didn't cheer his arrival was simple.
"Ugh, him again?"
"More annoying than welcome now."
"Not worried about Ryu Ojuncheon? Just one level difference?"
Surprise and cameras were old news!
What business did he have with Hoyeol?
His mystique faded; around Hoyeol, Skal was clingy.
Chasing Hoyeol to the Mage Tower, Yusra Kingdom, and Zero Mountains.
"This time it's really insanely urgent."
"Another scoop, Skal?"
"Of course. If resolved, I'll hold a proper press conference."
Not content, he always used the same excuse to slip to the front.
As always, about to plead with Jessica. Skal flinched.
"…Lady Jessica Bright?"
"She departed for the Zero Mountains expedition. From today, I, Enoch Loren, am the Golden Palace guard captain."
"Ah, I see. Enoch."
"…?"
Jessica gets "Lady," but I'm just "Enoch"?
It grated, but arguing seemed petty. Especially against Skal.
'Dragon Knight Skal.'
One of the few adventurers famed across the Empire pre-cataclysm.
As a knight, Enoch knew of Dragon Knight Skal.
Yet such a famed adventurer.
"No. More than that, it's urgent, Enoch!"
Fidgeting. Unable to calm.
"Unlike usual, I have something I must convey!"
Insisting he had to see Hoyeol.
Now Enoch understood Jessica's dismay.
Dealt with this daily, huh…
Unlike firm Jessica, Enoch was soft-hearted.
"When she returns, I'll relay your message."
Skal's pleading tone was persuasive.
But above all. Skal said he had vital news for Hoyeol.
"Today's lines are different from usual?"
The murmuring reporters egged him on.
Regrettably. Skal failed again.
"What time is it now?"
"Huh? Wait, it's way past?"
"Hoyeol wouldn't do this."
"Did something happen?!"
"…No way?! Oh no!"
Lee Hoyeol, never missing a day.
Today, of all days, he was absent.
…
Mage Tower's top floor.
The soaked floor told the tale.
Halt─ The elder mage witnessing it.
"…Chief Mage Lee Hoyeol?"
Yugweed barely continued.
"May I ask what happened?"
The shattered mana sphere.
Its essence spilled on the floor.
The Tower Master was gone.