The Only Cure
“How on earth did you do this?”
Iline asked, staring intently at the paper I had handed her.
“There is no way you could draw a schematic of your own body in such precise detail. Did House Benheim run some kind of advanced diagnostic on you?”
“No.”
“Then… how did you manage it?”
“I just… have good eyes. I can see mana with a glance, so to speak. And I can understand its structure.”
“Your eyes, huh…”
Iline rested her chin on her hand, mulling over my words.
In my past life, most people didn't believe me when I said this. Even Lunia only acknowledged my ability after I dismantled her magic several times.
But Iline was different.
“Yes. I suppose that is entirely possible.”
“You believe me?”
“Of course I do. You drew such a perfect schematic, after all. Though your drawing skills… well, they leave a bit to be desired.”
Iline teased with a mischievous grin.
“Actually, throughout the history of magic, there have been extremely rare cases of individuals with unique constitutions that allow them to read mana with the naked eye. Ancient documents even mention that one of Arkamen's distant ancestors possessed such eyes.”
“……”
“In that sense, Raygan, you are practically blessed as a mage.”
That was news to me.
Someone with eyes like mine existed in the past?
Iline set the paper down on the table and clapped her hands together as if a brilliant idea had just struck her.
“Raygan, you might actually be able to fix it.”
“Fix it? Fix what?”
“The Engine in our Arkamen territory.”
“The Engine? What is that?”
“I don't know either.”
Iline replied with a bright, innocent smile. When I frowned, wondering if she was pulling my leg, she waved her hands dismissively.
“I'm not joking. I really don't know. The Engine is a bizarre device—we don't know its purpose, how it operates, when it was built, or why it broke down. The only thing we know for certain is that its precision is so high that it's impossible to replicate even with today's technology.”
“Why is such a device in Arkamen?”
“It has been there since long before the Arkamen Magic Tower was even founded. There is actually a hypothesis that our territory was established in the northern snowy mountains specifically because of the Engine.”
Her eyes turned serious as she spoke of the Engine.
“And how am I supposed to fix it?”
“It's not so much you fixing it as us needing your eyes. To understand the design, we have to insert diagnostic equipment inside the Engine, but the space is far too cramped. On top of that, because the device is so ancient, using diagnostic tools might cause the surrounding circuits to react to the minute mana fluctuations, leading to accidental contact.”
“I see…”
“So, to repair the Engine without using mana, we desperately need your help—someone who can read the flow of mana with the naked eye.”
An ancient mechanical device whose principles couldn't be deciphered by conventional magic tools. And they needed someone with a unique constitution like mine to map its structure.
“So, Raygan, let me ask you a favor.”
Iline leaned forward, her face filled with the excitement of a child.
“I want you to come to the Arkamen territory and take a look at the Engine. What do you say? Of course, no one will blame you if you can't fix it. But if you succeed, you'll be a hero of Arkamen. You've got nothing to lose, right?”
“…Hmm.”
Frankly, I didn't care about being a hero.
But Arkamen was a prestigious family that produced the continent's finest weapons and magic tools. Unlike my past life, if Arkamen didn't fall, they would be a massive asset in the future war against the Archduke of Demonic Magic. Having them in my debt was a solid move.
“Very well. I will visit Arkamen when I have some time to spare.”
“Excellent!”
I nodded in agreement, and Iline pumped her fist in celebration.
“In return, I would like to propose a condition of my own.”
“…Oh? Another condition? You really love making deals, don't you?”
Iline chuckled and gestured with her chin.
“Fine. I enjoy a good trade myself. If it's for the sake of repairing the Engine, there's almost nothing I wouldn't do. I'm listening. Tell me, what is your condition?”
“I want to speak with the head of the Airid family. Since you are the head of Arkamen, surely you can arrange a meeting for me. I would like a private audience as soon as possible.”
Iline let out a soft hum, looking intrigued.
“Hmm… The Airid family will certainly view this as an insolent request.”
“It's not as if you care about such minor breaches of etiquette anyway, Lady Iline.”
“Oh? You speak as if you know me so well. It's almost frustrating.”
Iline let out a soft laugh.
She had the face of a mischievous troublemaker, but she didn't deny it.
Seeing that, I was certain.
She's cut from the same cloth as Lunia.
The type of person who, once interested in something, would dig into it by any means necessary.
If so, her answer was already decided.
“Fine.”
Sure enough, Iline nodded without a moment's hesitation.
“Let's do that.”
The next day, the council chamber.
Just like yesterday, a thick tension hung in the air as the speaker opened his mouth.
“I declare the 178th Allied Council of Great Mages reconvened. First, regarding the formation of the Allied Subjugation Force discussed yesterday, have the families finalized their stances?”
There was no way their positions would change in just a single day.
The Maellen family, who had abstained yesterday, was absent entirely, and Demian Carius sat with his usual smug, smiling face.
Finally, Oswald Airid merely stared blankly into space, his face pale and sickly.
“Then, assuming everyone's opinions remain the same as yesterday…”
Just as the speaker was about to raise his gavel, an unexpected voice broke the silence.
“Arkamen would like to speak, if I may.”
When Iline Arkamen raised her hand, all eyes fell upon her. Everyone was curious to hear what Arkamen, who had maintained a neutral—or rather, bystander—attitude until yesterday, had to say.
“House Arkamen fully supports House Benheim's proposal.”
A murmur rippled through the chamber at Iline's declaration.
Stern looked at Iline with intrigue.
“And we won't just be sending supplies. We will dispatch Arkamen's battle mages and engineers to actively cooperate in the subjugation of the black mages.”
“I express my deepest gratitude for House Arkamen's cooperation.”
Stern stood up and bowed politely.
With this, the balance of power had shattered.
Benheim, Lucen, and Arkamen. Three of the five great magic families had cast votes in favor.
Demian Carius, seated at the high table, smiled with amusement. He had likely intended to suppress them using the influence of the Imperial family, but with the majority of the great magic families in agreement, even the Empire could not easily ignore them.
“…What in the world…”
The most bewildered person in the room was Oswald, the head of the Airid family. He scowled, glaring fiercely at Iline.
Yet Iline merely shrugged, completely unfazed by his gaze.
“Ahem… Since Arkamen has agreed, we shall proceed to the specifics of…”
Ultimately, under Benheim's leadership, the council shifted toward concrete discussions on launching the joint subjugation force.
Immediately after the meeting concluded, as expected, an infuriated Oswald Airid burst into the private chamber where Arkamen was staying.
“Iline! What is the meaning of this?!”
Oswald roared, kicking the door open.
“You said you would remain neutral just yesterday, and now you change your mind overnight?! Are you truly the head of Arkamen?! To choose Benheim over Airid?!”
“Calm down, Old Man Oswald. You're going to collapse at this rate.”
Iline replied casually.
“We had a perfectly rational reason for changing our stance.”
“A reason? What reason could you possibly have?”
“This kid here will explain it to you.”
At Iline's gesture, I stepped out from the back of the waiting room.
“……”
Oswald's face stiffened as he recognized me.
“Iline. Why on earth is Benheim's son-in-law here?”
“If you want to change my mind, you'll have to convince this kid first. Because he's the one who convinced me.”
Oswald scowled at her words.
“Iline, are you telling me a mere brat swayed House Arkamen?”
“Yes. This 'mere brat' offered a rather enticing deal. I simply couldn't refuse.”
“And was that deal worth siding with Benheim over Airid?”
“Of course. It concerns our family's long-cherished wish.”
Iline smiled and nodded. Oswald's eyes narrowed. As he stared intently at her face, trying to read her, I spoke up.
“I'll get straight to the point. The Black Sickness—I can cure it.”
At those words, Oswald's mouth twisted.
“What did you just say?”
“The Black Sickness. The genetic disease that is eating away at the Airid family.”
“That nonsense again. How absurd. I was willing to overlook your insolence out of gratitude for saving my daughter, but you have crossed the line. If you value your life, you would do well to drop this.”
Oswald snorted and turned to leave.
I drove the nail in, speaking to his retreating back.
“That disease was created by a black mage.”
Oswald froze in his tracks.
Yesterday, we were in the middle of the council chamber with too many listening ears, but now we were in a private room. There was no need to worry about our conversation leaking.
Oswald slowly turned around to face me. His gray eyes had gone cold.
“A disease made by a black mage? How can you be so sure?”
“I know that disease well. I've seen it before.”
“You've seen it? The Black Sickness is a novel disease that only recently appeared. It's a rare illness that hasn't even been reported to the Academy. Do you think I haven't investigated it myself?”
“Of course you have.”
At this point in time, it would indeed be considered a new disease.
But coming from the future, I knew better.
When the Archduke of Demonic Magic conquered the continent, he didn't rely solely on military might. The true terror of his army lay in the plagues they unleashed.
A disease that contaminated mana and turned the mana core as hard as stone.
A curse manifested through black magic.
Back then, this curse was called by a far more terrifying name than the Black Sickness.
Petrification Fever.
It was a horrific disease and a curse. Countless knights and mages had lost their lives to it.
Fortunately, Lunia had been a great mage bordering on the 8th circle. Within the resistance, she had managed to halt the spread of the Petrification Fever.
I didn't recognize it at first because the name was different...
I retraced those memories.
“First, the color of your mana turns turbid. Then, gradually, you lose sensation in your extremities, starting from your fingertips and toes, and your skin turns gray. Finally, your mana core hardens like stone, leaving you a cripple or dead. Am I correct?”
“……”
Oswald's pupils trembled.
The symptoms I described matched the ones he and Yusefin were currently experiencing, down to the very last detail.
“…It doesn't seem like you're lying. How do you know about this disease?”
“I will remain silent on that matter. But just as I have spoken the truth, you should speak the truth as well, Patriarch.”
“The truth?”
“Currently, House Airid is colluding with black mages. Is that correct?”
“……”
Iline looked out the window, resting her chin on her hand as if she couldn't hear us.
“This is not worth listening to…!”
Oswald's expression turned murderous. He neither confirmed nor denied it, but his reaction gave me all the confirmation I needed.
Just as I thought.
House Airid was indeed cooperating with the black mages.
The reason, of course, was to cure the Black Sickness.
“Just because you have a mouth doesn't mean you can spew whatever nonsense you please!”
Oswald turned in a rage, preparing to leave the room. I spoke to his back once more.
“If you continue down this path, House Airid will be manipulated by those black mages until your entire family is destroyed.”
Oswald stopped in his tracks again.
Now, the outline of how House Airid had met its demise in my past life was perfectly clear.
Oswald had allied with the black mages to cure Yusefin's Black Sickness. It was a classic case of the arsonist offering the cure.
The Archduke of Demonic Magic had dismantled House Airid—a massive wall on par with House Benheim—from the inside out.
“More than anything, don't you want to save your daughter?”
Yusefin Airid had been in the black mages' hideout for treatment. In other words, the primary reason Oswald had joined hands with them was her worsening condition.
Just like the black mages, I intended to exploit that exact weakness.
“I can save her.”
“…How dare a lowborn like you…”
Mana surged around Oswald. It was the prelude to Spectrum Magic. Iline quickly gathered her own mana, preparing to protect me.
But Oswald's mana failed to shine with its brilliant light. Only a dull, ink-black mana seeped from his fingertips. It was a pathetic, colorless display for a master of Spectrum Magic, which was supposed to utilize vibrant colors.
It was symbolic of the fall of the once-glorious House Airid.
“…Damn it.”
Oswald glared at me for a long moment before finally collapsing into a chair, utterly defeated. When he finally spoke, he looked like a weary, aged old man.
“…Speak. What is this cure you claim to know?”
“It's simple.”
I pulled the purified barrier stone from my coat.
“You simply need to completely purify all the mana inside the body.”