Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: The Fourth
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A massive black fortress. The Karadun Royal Palace felt less like a place for respite and more like a military encampment. The towering spires served as watchtowers, and thick black walls encircled it on all sides. Unlike ordinary stone bricks, these walls were forged from enormous slabs of steel, exuding an overwhelming sense of intimidation.
The entire wall...
Rune letters were engraved across the whole surface of the wall. They weren't actively channeling magic at the moment, but with a sufficient supply of mana, they could activate instantly—that was the nature of runes.
Reinforcement, absorption, endurance, severance. Massive runes embodying various laws of magic were carved into it. The moment they activated, they would fortify the entire wall while severing the surrounding space to protect the interior completely.
Mana supply...?
The most crucial condition for activating magic: supplying mana. Where on earth were they getting the enormous amount of mana needed to power the runes etched into these massive walls?
The eyes that beheld mysteries. His pupils, inscribed with Arcana, moved ceaselessly, tracing the flow of mana.
The center of the castle...
A faint afterimage of mana led toward the castle's heart. Yet whatever lay there was invisible, concealed just like that nameless elf who had completely evaded detection magic.
It piqued his curiosity. What exactly was hidden in the castle's center that they guarded so tightly? It was at that moment he felt glad he'd accepted Torbal's invitation.
"Well, this is the Karadun Kingdom's fortress—the Black Iron Palace. What do you think?"
"It's magnificent."
He answered Torbal's question honestly.
Rather than a grand palace courtyard, the space before the gates resembled a vast training ground assembled for troops in full formation. Inside the gates, catapults and other siege weapons lined the walls, gleaming coldly.
-Over there! Clear the way! Wyvern coming through!
-Call the handlers!
-Watch out so it doesn't bump into anything! Do you know how much one of these costs?!
Between the gates, a cart laden with a bound wyvern rumbled slowly past. Dwarves came dashing out from within the castle, faces frantic as they rushed to inspect the beast first. Their attire differed markedly from the regular soldiers—they appeared to be the wyvern handlers.
After that, the journey inward passed in silence, with no further conversation. Once inside, Torbal handed their group over to a dwarf knight named Aleph, who escorted them straight to the annex mansion.
"If you need anything, just tell the servants inside the mansion. Note that wandering the castle grounds outside the annex without permission will result in punishment."
Aleph delivered his warning and promptly departed, as if his duty was complete.
He gazed up at the grand mansion alongside his two disciples. They were to wait here until word of the day's events reached the king's ears. No telling how long that might take, but providing an entire mansion suggested it wouldn't be quick.
"Master, shall we head in?"
"What a majestic mansion... Thanks to you, Master, we're feasting tonight."
Simo muttered softly. He planned to whip up plenty of that oily blood dish.
With a nod, he approached the mansion's main entrance at a leisurely pace. The massive doors, firmly shut, suddenly swung open, and several dwarves in crisp uniforms burst out in a flurry.
One who seemed to be the leader introduced himself.
"Greetings! I'm Brix! It's an honor to serve you!"
Frankly, it was a bit surprising. Dwarves typically sported long beards, bulging muscles, and sweat-stained clothes as their default. But Brix was different. His beard was neatly trimmed, his build reasonably fit without excess bulk, and the blue uniform lent him a tidy, polished air.
They handed their luggage to the dwarf servants and entered the mansion, settling in naturally for some rest. No one had suggested dining together, so they had the servants bring food and quenched their thirst with beer chilled over ice, savoring the moment.
"Master, try this. It's delicious."
Smooth—
Durel slid his white plate toward him. Atop it sat bite-sized chunks of meat, perfectly portioned. Just as he reached for his fork to spear one,
another plate slid in beside it.
"Try this first. Seems like fresh seafood."
Simo had pushed it over this time.
Durel and Simo shot each other a glance. Then they scooped more food onto fresh plates and began shoving them toward him competitively. Of course, their rivalry didn't stop there.
Running out of table space, they started lifting plates directly, spoons poised to feed him.
"Master, this one..."
"No, this first..."
Why were they acting like this? It wasn't their usual behavior. Honestly, it felt overwhelming.
"I'll eat on my own. You two eat."
"Yes..."
"Okay..."
As he stifled a chuckle at his dejected disciples, a sharp gaze pierced the mansion interior, accompanied by a vivid surge of mana.
Magic in use. And that gaze—someone was scrying on them with magic. The instant he realized it, the authority of his second Mana Circle activated fiercely: its concealment function.
Shaaaa—
Gentle Wind spread wide, enveloping the entire mansion. Yet it couldn't block every line of sight.
Mana control feels unstable...
It wasn't as precise as before. Something special must have been active throughout the castle.
Even this slipped by... Guess I need to refine Arcana too...
Glance—
Durel and Simo hadn't noticed yet. No sense worrying them needlessly. Mug of beer in hand, he rose from his seat.
"Master?"
"Where are you going?"
"Bathroom."
He brushed off his disciples' attempts to follow and strolled slowly around the mansion. It didn't take long to spot the runes.
He hadn't noticed at first, but now that magic was active, they were impossible to miss.
Never seen these runes before... Connection, gaze. Someone's watching from afar.
With a light smile, he placed his hand on the vast wall. Runes were engraved on the other side.
There was a saying: stare into the abyss long enough, and the abyss stares back. Maybe not the perfect context, but who cared.
Mana flowed from his hand against the wall, tracing the massive runes and lightly probing within. He analyzed the spell's structure and reverse-traced it in one go. Interfering with an established spell was child's play for him.
Especially with no interfering mage nearby.
If you're watching here, that means I can see you too.
Control over the spell clashed. In that instant, for a fleeting moment, he glimpsed a dwarf mage standing before an enormous orb. He couldn't pinpoint the exact location, but the distance collapsed in a flash.
Buildings and thick walls posed no obstacle. The mana flow supplying the runes bridged the gap, melting the scenery away as if facing the dwarf mage eye-to-eye. But it was brief.
A touch of vertigo hit as the mystic connection severed.
This...?
The link had been short, but in that sliver of time, he'd gleaned a wealth of information. That's what shocked him. Not the dwarf mage, nor the quick severance of the spell.
It was the orb behind the dwarf mage. That colossal thing delivered a tremendous shock. It pulsed as if alive, structured to endlessly absorb natural mana.
His Mana Circle hadn't leaked—it wasn't magic. Yet it was a mystery in its own right, by virtue of its existence.
An organ from a living creature...? But it's too big... A colossal beast...?
The intel was too limited. To confirm, he'd need a closer look.
Once more...
He poured mana again to reach the spell's origin. But this time, no connection. The dwarf mage watching this place had severed the link entirely.
Startled, no doubt. But the mage wasn't the priority now. A sudden inspiration burned hot in his mind. Mana whispered to him. The theme of the fourth Mana Circle had arrived. A new mystery was budding in his heart.
But it wasn't clear yet. Just once more—just one more glimpse.
No other way, though. Without the spell's connection, he had no means to peer there.