Traces of the Black Mage (1)

Eunhyeon arrived at a place he had visited several times before: the principal's office at Aiter Royal School. Without hesitation, he knocked to announce his presence.

Knock knock.

"Come in."

After two knocks, Oliver Baotman's voice granted permission from inside. Eunhyeon entered the principal's office, offering a brief bow and greeting. Oliver acknowledged it with a stiff expression.

"I got word you were coming. I heard there was an unfortunate incident at the school."

"That's been handled."

"...So you're not here about that female student?"

Oliver eyed Eunhyeon suspiciously. His face screamed, What scheme is this man plotting now to come all the way here? He was clearly on high alert. He had assumed Eunhyeon, as Erin Hersha's guardian, would use the bullying incident to blackmail him again over those female students. But Eunhyeon showed no interest in that at all.

"I need Elvin Hersha's grades from his time enrolled here at Aiter, information on his homeroom professor, and details on his classmates."

Oliver scowled at the outrageous demand.

"That's confidential information not to be shared with outsiders. Especially not with you, who isn't even a citizen of the kingdom. Handing over personal details of the kingdom's noble children? Absolutely not."

Eunhyeon had expected as much and nodded calmly. Oliver, irked by his easy acceptance and wary of whatever he was scheming next, pressed on without lowering his guard.

"If you're trying to leverage this in exchange for covering up the facts about those girls who assaulted Erin, forget it."

"I understand. But Principal."

Eunhyeon, who had been silently listening, finally spoke.

"What if there's a chance Elvin learned the basics of black magic right here inside Aiter?"

"W-what are you saying?!"

"Wouldn't his inner circle be the first place to investigate?"

With that unexpected bombshell of a "possibility," Eunhyeon continued.

"Shall we talk this over again, Principal?"

"Uh, um...."

Oliver hesitated, swallowing hard. Faced once more with the serpent's tongue offering an irresistible proposal, he sighed and decided to hear out the devilish whisper.

"What exactly do you want to discuss? Tell me in detail."

Black magic was, on the Arkena continent, all but a lost art. The public labeled it as evil sorcery born from the death qi leaking from corpses of humans, livestock, or other lifeforms—or from the caster's own life force. But black magic encompassed far more than that: curses and hexes that induced misfortune, necromancy summoning souls of the dead back to the living world, hypnosis, and more. Unlike physical attack spells, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it specialized in manipulating spiritual and mental phenomena and outcomes.

Regular magic drew from bodily or natural mana; holy magic stemmed from devout faith in the gods. Black magic's requirements, however, were sinister and demanding. The most common method involved using a living body as a medium. In Elvin's case with shadow puppetry, it started by manifesting his thoughts within his own shadow, but the shadows possessing intellect began to erode his flesh—a backlash effect. Other black magics carried equal or worse repercussions.

Elvin had been fortunate to cling to his morals and humanity. To minimize personal risks, black mages often ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠used others' bodies as mediums. The true malice lay in shifting the burden onto the host. This was why black magic had faded and its practitioners were shunned on Arkena: it was too dangerous. The power came at a definite, crushing cost. Worse were the twisted minds of those who wielded it—men who trampled lives without scruple to achieve their ends.

Elvin hadn't wanted to become such a monster. That's why he'd begged Eunhyeon to kill him while he still retained his humanity.

And here, Eunhyeon raised a key issue.

"Where and how did Elvin even encounter black magic knowledge and master shadow puppetry?"

"......"

Oliver pondered the question without immediate reply. His own knowledge of black magic was limited to necromancy—turning dead corpses into zombie minions. He was clueless about other forms. A lifelong magic researcher who prided himself on continental expertise, yet black magic was a void in his knowledge. How had a youth like Elvin Hersha accessed even a fragment like shadow puppetry? Fundamentally, no one had questioned how he'd become a black mage in the first place.

"Are you suspecting someone inside Aiter taught Elvin black magic?"

"Not yet. Elvin said he found a black magic tome containing shadow puppetry knowledge in a northern cave. We confirmed he wasn't directly taught by anyone. But...."

"But?"

"A few things bothered me, so I came to request your cooperation."

"What things? Speak."

"First, Elvin's rapid growth as a mage during his time here at Aiter."

"Didn't you already explain that? Something about the Divine Tree."

The "Pernias Divine Tree," also called the Wish Tree—a massive ancient guarding Aiter since its founding. Eunhyeon had exposed its history and Aiter's true purpose during the Hersha baronet investigation. Oliver grimaced at the unpleasant memory.

"Right. To accelerate student growth, cultivate exceptional knights and mages, bolster national power—and reinforce noble privilege, widening the gap with commoners."

"Hmph. Get to the point."

Oliver bristled at the blunt words.

"Doesn't it strike you as too steep compared to other students? Elites prepped by top tutors, boasting foundations, lost top spots in the Meygers Mage Corps to a commoner freshman who barely knew the 'm' in magic."

Put simply, elites starting at 50 got overtaken by a talentless dullard from zero, claiming the summit.

"You're saying someone aided that student's growth?"

An ignorant Elvin achieving that alone? Impossible. Someone close must have guided him.

"Elvin mentioned a female student who approached him to study together. Same low-noble background, so they bonded quickly. She gave him tons of magic training advice."

By heeding her and exchanging ideas, Elvin grew astonishingly. Amid Aiter's relentless rejection, she was his pillar. Her talks soothed wounds from his abusive father and sister's death. Bitterly recalling, Elvin shared those memories with Eunhyeon.

After graduating and joining Meygers, amid hectic days, they reunited for dinner, catching up joyfully. There, she dropped a topic: a northern cave hiding a "dead archmage's legacy."

Curiosity piqued, Elvin took leave days later, venturing north alone. In that cave, he found a black magic tome on shadow puppetry.

"One thing doesn't add up. Why trust her word and head north alone? Objectively, plenty suspicious."

"Elvin knew that. But he firmly believed she wouldn't feed him harmful info. To him, she was his benefactor."

She'd guided his ignorant self to mage prowess and Meygers entry. Despite doubts, his trust held firm, so he acted on her tip. Eunhyeon had asked if he resented her for leading him to black magic.

Betrayed as it was, Elvin spoke calmly.

"She introduced herself as Lira Baranov. But that's all Elvin knew—her name."

Circumstantially, this Lira Baranov nurtured his talent and nudged him toward black magehood.

"If she truly cultivated his mage potential from the start, her obsession is terrifying."

Four years from enrollment to graduation—an unrelenting investment.

"That's why I hope my grim hunch is wrong, but came to verify facts."

To trace Lira, Eunhyeon figured investigating Elvin alone wasn't enough; probe all relationships.

"I need info on everyone linked to Elvin, however slightly. Who watched his growth up close? Who was he with? All friendships, comprehensively."

"Hmm...."

Oliver's face grew graver with each word.

"Principal. If it turns out someone inside Aiter orchestrated Elvin becoming a black mage? You know that's no small matter. Even rumors would damage Aiter—and you most of all."

Oliver's silence was assent.

"Let me investigate. Can't consult court nobles or royals on this."

Exposed, it wouldn't end with resignation; "black mage traces" in the kingdom was dire. To preserve his position—after hiding the Divine Tree secret and failing Erin's search—Oliver relented.

Like Helena for Yuria/Alex rescue, or Elenoa—issues too sensitive for nationals. Limited allies for threats to status. Eunhyeon fit: secret-keeper, unlinked to kingdom, proven capable. He'd dangled the bait, as they had sought him.

Conversation done, Eunhyeon walked the hall toward the promised document spot.

"Whether he accepted or not, it wouldn't matter."

"Kingdom folk aren't fools. Give it time; they'd sense something off."

The question: How did Elvin Hersha learn black magic?

"Black magic, nearly extinct, isn't self-taught. First suspects: places tied to mage Elvin—Aiter school, Meygers corps."

A new domestic black mage? Grave. Infiltrator ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠possible, but a fresh grad? Far worse—hints at secret training programs. Baseless, yet the incident fueled suspicions ripe for foreign exploitation. Royals would probe Elvin's history regardless.

"Such a probe would naturally go to Artia, with records battling black mages. I could join via Riod."

No loss if Oliver refused.

"But I pushed this deal first because that shadowy woman won't stop at this."

Best prepare by facing inconsistencies head-on. At the library door, Eunhyeon entered and greeted the waiting woman.

"Hello. Eunhyeon here. Principal said to come."

"I've been expecting you. Cecilia Clarice. Let me show you in."

Exchanging greetings, Eunhyeon followed to a small inner room. Piles of documents towered on the low central table. He bowed thanks to Cecilia, sat on the sofa, and swiftly scanned student records.

Let's see this woman's face.

First, find clues.