Behemoth's Maw (1)

Marcelo set down his quill pen and let out a sigh.

"It's truly no easy task, my lord."

Theoretical Magic. The concept of systematizing all existing magic into theory. Yet Reversal Magic, founded by Hoyeol, refused to fit neatly into any theoretical framework.

"I've been at it nonstop since yesterday."

Marcelo had temporarily set aside his duties as chief mage. No matter how captivated he was by organizing Reversal Magic, neglecting his responsibilities as chief was unthinkable for him. There had to be a valid reason.

"It's good to see you up and about again."

Yes—the Tower Master had returned to the Mage Tower. Marcelo had handed over his empty seat to the Tower Master. Someone might call it insubordination. Especially since the Tower Master herself had shoved ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her duties aside to slack off.

"I never taught you to do this, little chief."

The Tower Master sprawled out in her cat form, licking her fur with her tongue. She looked utterly lazy.

"Above all, I'm an invalid. The injuries from that rampage haven't fully healed. Ugh, my joints still ache all over. Spare me the animal cruelty, little chief."

Her words rang false. Her tail swished unmistakably with delight. The Tower Master, lounging and wagging her tail, showed zero intention of working.

'No helping it, then.'

Marcelo resorted to his final weapon.

"According to Lord Hoyeol."

"...?"

"He says there's a saying in the adventurers' world: 'He who does not work, neither shall he eat.'"

Quoting Hoyeol directly. The Tower Master's tail stiffened straight up.

Snap!

"What? You're going to starve me?"

"Of course not. How could I let the Tower Master go hungry? But now that you've taught me how to manifest modern tools, I've become quite adept at using them myself."

"Th-that...!"

What Marcelo pulled out was none other than a smartphone. In the Mage Tower, using products of [Science] counted as manifesting modern tools. Infected by Hoyeol's sophistry, Marcelo continued.

"Do you know? With a flick of my finger, I can summon anything right to the office door. Without spending any mana."

"...Is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that true?"

The Tower Master's eyes went wide. It was a usage she'd never seen, even while hanging out with Jessie.

Impressive, sure, but...

"What does that have to do with starving me?"

Twitch— As the Tower Master's ears perked up, Marcelo moved his finger.

"Cat treats."

"...Treats?"

"Have you ever heard of churrip, perhaps?"

Creak—

Higher transformation magic fully embodied the traits of the transformed form. Instinct took over for the Tower Master. She couldn't help twitching her nose at the scent wafting over.

"What is that?"

Indeed. What Marcelo pulled from the drawer was a long stick. A modern tool—churrip in anchovy flavor, ordered via Rocket Delivery.

Pounce!

The Tower Master lunged at Marcelo, driven by instinct, but it was futile. With the time-limit curse unlocked, Marcelo's vitality was fully restored. No mere cat was snatching his churrip.

"'He who does not work, neither shall he eat,' you said."

"Give it first, and I'll work."

"You haven't worked yet, Tower Master."

"...Nyaa."

Instinct was unbeatable. Squish—squish—squish— In the end, the Tower Master had no choice but to press her paw prints onto the parchment.

Marcelo picked up his quill again and resumed organizing Reversal Magic.

'As you can see, there's no need to worry about the Mage Tower, my lord.'

Short and sweet. A week's rest. He prayed Hoyeol found what he sought.

......

Yusra. The Golden Palace.

King Hakuna of Yusra wiped away his beaded sweat. The sword felt late in coming to him, but he sensed real talent in himself. The number of exchanges per day was increasing, one by one.

Hakuna smiled faintly.

'With more diligence, I can pull my weight.'

He had to help his benefactor. As Hakuna rested and reaffirmed his resolve, he was startled by Harcon Kingsguard's words during their training.

"Our benefactor has taken leave from the Mage Tower as well?"

"Yes."

"I thought he'd be swamped with tower duties..."

It made sense. Hoyeol had informed Yusra Kingdom—and Hakuna himself—of his break. Of course, it was just a week, extremely short. But the unprecedented nature of it carried weight.

Harcon polished his sword, pondering.

'Something's afoot, as expected, my lord.'

The fury Hoyeol had shown in the Demon King's Castle was unfamiliar even to Harcon. So he could vaguely guess.

'Something tying my lord to the Claudy family.'

Harcon regretted being stuck here. If this were the Arcana Continent, he'd rush to the empire's capital, Antonium, gain access to the Archive of War Chronicles from His Majesty, and...

Archive of War Chronicles. The sanctuary of knowledge upholding the empire. It held the entire history of the Arcana Continent, practically. From the meaning of Claudy to answers for Hoyeol's doubts about it.

As he swallowed a sigh, Hakuna spoke up.

"It's agonizing not to be of help."

"I feel the same."

"We must grow stronger."

Hakuna clenched his fist. Only now had he overcome his past and gripped the sword properly. He knew confronting demons immediately was impossible, but...

'If only I could join the expedition.'

He might learn what had befallen his benefactor. But there was no time for regrets. Hakuna gripped his sword.

"Harcon, please continue my training."

"Such enthusiasm."

"I can't keep freeloading forever."

"That's my line."

Clang— Swords of shared purpose clashed.

*

He'd submitted leave not just to the Mage Tower, but Yusra Kingdom too. Why the sudden leave? Simple—something more important than work came up.

Indeed. Skal had come looking for me. His Dragon Knight class quest was flashing! Now that I knew dragons tied ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to Claudy, Skal's quest was no longer someone else's problem.

Stamping rejections on Bensy's tower exit application and checking on Yusra's folks were important, sure. But this was an emergency.

'Still...'

The fading portal light revealed Skal's mansion, nearly knocking me out.

His overly noble speech from our first meeting made sense now... His tastes were ridiculously refined, mismatched with his class.

'Size aside, it's excessively antique?'

Statues everywhere in the courtyard? And not ordinary ones. Grandfell hadn't spat venom at them.

"Splendid."

Praise, no less? Simple—the statues were all masterpieces for the history books. He'd dumped his No.1 ranker earnings into this?

As I pondered vulgarly, hooves clopped.

Clop-clop—

A horse? No, Skal.

"I apologize for making you come yourself, Lord Hoyeol!"

Even more archaic than a historical drama. Players calling me "lord" never got easier. But this thick-skinned soul showed no emotion. I replied calmly.

"No need for concern. It was a fine impression."

After appraising the statues on the spot, Skal dismounted and guided me. The interior was grander. Portraits everywhere—like a true noble's estate.

'It should feel alien and uncomfortable...'

This guy's formality was something else. Feeling at ease—no, familiar—in such a mansion stirred thoughts.

Anyway, enough distractions. I'd filed a week's leave and visited his mansion for one reason.

"You said you wouldn't believe it—my apologies."

"No need to apologize for that."

"I'm grateful for your understanding. Then, to business."

...I was the one nearly fainting from his "grateful."

Skal continued with utmost seriousness.

"The All-Dragon Assembly, led by the Old Dragon, has concluded."

Time on the Arcana Continent flowed four times faster than reality. Even with much discussion, it should be done by now. But...

"First... I'll share the quest objective!"

I flinched at the updated quest.

Dragons. What the hell had they done gathering like that...?

'Yunak Seus is suddenly dying...?'

One thing I could swear to: Yunak Seus wasn't hostile to High El. Far from anger at High El riding his nose, he'd even telepathed to me watching.

-"No ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠need for worry. It's all Mother's will. Even if I die, there's no reason for sorrow. Dawn."

No better sibling than an older brother, they say. Yunak Seus, you keeping your word too?

Or had something unforeseen happened at the assembly?

I couldn't know. But one thing was clear.

"You refuse to yield, as expected."

I kept my words and made them reality. When Yunak Seus telepathed, I'd murmured:

-"Mother's will? You're delusional."

-"No parent wishes their child's death."

-"We need to talk, Yunak Seus."

So my task was set. I looked at Skal. He fidgeted, legs trembling.

"No good. That means one less dragon for me to ride..."

...His worries were off-target, but whatever. I declared to Skal.

From the [Evil Dragon Hunter] quest onward. It felt like I was hijacking his quests, but oh well.

"Skal, I seek your permission."

"Permission from me to you, my lord...?"

"I have words for Yunak Seus."

"Yunak Seus... Is that the Old Dragon's name?"

"Indeed."

"!"

Shocked? He hadn't expected me to know the quest's Old Dragon by name. I'd learned it peeking via the Demon Eye Telescope, but...

Grandfell, never correcting overestimations.

"As expected, you're leagues ahead."

Even as Skal's voice drooped sadly, I could only listen. Before I could comfort him, he spoke.

"Truth be told, I was prepared."

...Eyes glistening—really prepared?

"It's surely about pride. I can yield anytime. Of course, failing as a Dragon Knight would sadden me greatly, but..."

So that's his worry. No dragon mount? Skal's thinking was refreshingly direct.

"I know it's too soon for me to face dragons. Even if I tagged along stubbornly, I'd just hinder you, Lord Hoyeol. My quest advancing suddenly was thanks to you."

Skal nodded resolutely.

"Please encounter Yunak Seus in my stead. If it's you, Lord Hoyeol—not anyone else—I can entrust my dragon to... you."

His trailing voice carried anguish. Still, thanks for understanding, Skal. Gratitude means answering questions.

"But aren't Yunak Seus and the dragons on the Arcana Continent? By my knowledge, there's no way to reach it..."

I wanted to answer clearly out of thanks, but honestly, I didn't know yet. But words spoken must become reality.

Hadn't our Grandfell declared it? We'd return to the Arcana Continent.

"No need for your concern."

Someone frets ahead, yet speaks so smoothly.

'For me, going's a problem, not going's a problem.'

Going ties to Claudy. Not going ties to Yunak Seus. I'd act based on outcomes.

'Find a way, and go.'

Methods to enter the Arcana Continent. Searching for one was part of why I filed leave. Now, full effort to find means.

Start by purifying Andras's demon king loot?

'Who knows if it'll have [Omniscient] effects again?'

To purify demon items, demons were needed. Time to focus on demon hunter duties.

"My haste overlooked decorum. Shall I brew some black tea...?"

"I decline."

"Gasp."

Don't misunderstand, Skal. No special feelings. I just hate black tea.

'I'd have gulped green tea.'

As I rose, leaving Skal behind—

Vrrr—

Sudden vibration. Message from AAU Korea Branch Chief Park Minjae. Like a coworker text, sort of. Come to think, I hadn't filed leave with AAU.

'Too many younglings around.'

Grandfell was strictest on rules. No matter how busy, I'd handle Yusra branch duties.

Reading the message, I froze.

...Behemoth's Maw had nothing on this. Grandfell said we'd return to Arcana, and...