Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Crossroads (4)
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Luwen gave a bitter smile.
"High understanding of seals and barriers, plenty of potential as a mage. You're still a student, but Master said you handle imperial magic better than he does."
"The proof he gave was that you 'can see mana.' Indeed...... If mana is visible to you, your skills would grow quickly."
"H-ha, but, teacher. I......"
"The demons are targeting you? That's true too."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
I was so confused I didn't know what to say.
Really? Did Claus think this was possible?
Me...... joining the Silver Moon Knights, leaving Prion for the seal chamber?
The patter of rain against the window grew steady and rhythmic.
Luwen, lost in thought as he gazed out the window, slowly opened his mouth.
"There's a lot to consider, so I'm not certain yet myself. As you know, Master doesn't overthink things—he handles everything simply and swiftly."
"Surprisingly, it's worked out well so far. So I'm torn on whether to trust his judgment this time."
"Father would never allow it."
"You think so?"
Luwen grinned. I blinked in surprise.
"Let's put that aside for now. What matters here is your will."
My will......
Luwen clasped his hands together and regarded me carefully.
"This is dangerous and difficult, Lib. Especially for you. So even if it's Master's recommendation, I can't force it on you."
"If you say you'll go, I'll respect that decision. I can even help persuade your father. But if you say no...... I'll respect that too."
It was a hard, dangerous choice that demanded responsibility and resolve—one that could shape my entire future.
I nodded.
"Then, teacher...... do you want me to go? Or stay here?"
Luwen lowered his gaze and tapped the desk.
"Both...... I suppose. It's a tough call for me too."
"If you stay here, you could live safely and peacefully for a while. But looking at the situation at the seal chamber and Prion, I'm not sure how long that safety will last."
"What if the seal chamber's barrier weakens and demons attack, stealing the seal orb? Would locking you away here and guarding you really help?"
"Ah......"
"On the other hand, you're only fifteen and haven't even graduated knight school. Is handing the seal chamber to you really the best option? It's supposed to be the tower mages' responsibility."
"And if something happened to you...... I don't even want to think about it."
"......Yeah."
I didn't want to think about it either.
"The Silver Guard Knights will stay another week. If you go, you'd head to the ruins with the new Silver Moon Knights recruits after that."
"Think it over carefully, whatever you decide. And for now, stay out of the cabin."
"Why?"
Luwen gave a wry smile.
"Master will just push his opinion on you otherwise. Decide based on your own will, not his."
"Yes...... Got it. Thank you, teacher."
"No need. I'm sorry for putting you in this tough spot. It's late. I'll walk you partway."
Luwen stood. I did the same, grabbing my coat and preparing to leave.
My mind was a tangled mess, too many thoughts swirling to focus on any one.
As we descended the silent, darkened tower, Luwen and I exchanged no words. He seemed deep in thought too.
"This way."
Luwen headed not for the tower's main gate but a small side door on the west side.
He pushed it open, and rain poured down in sheets into the darkness.
I pulled up my hood and inhaled the cold air. The scent of forest and rain cleared my head a bit.
"Where are we going?"
"The walls. There's an issue with the barrier device—I want to check it before it gets worse. Take the fork down ahead; you'll see the path home."
The northern forest slumbered quietly in the dark, while the distant white walls scattered faint light.
I sensed Ash quietly trailing us through the rain-soaked woods.
"What's wrong with the barrier device?"
"Stability issues, of course. Maintaining the barrier requires recharging mana and adjusting the formula, but we've had to cut staff lately."
"We're short on mages to dispatch for knight orders too...... Ah, it's nothing for you to worry about. Don't mind it."
Luwen quickly corrected himself, not wanting to burden me. I smiled faintly.
"Got it. Still, I'd like to help if I can......"
BOOM!
Something exploded with a deafening roar.
Luwen and I snapped our heads upward simultaneously.
Thick smoke billowed from a watchtower on the white walls.
No flames were visible, but my eyes caught mana exploding outward in all directions.
"Damn......!"
The startled Luwen bolted toward the walls. I chased right after him.
The mana explosion from the barrier spell had torn away the watchtower entrance and chunks of the wall.
Fortunately, no fire broke out and the tower didn't collapse, but the sudden commotion drew everyone nearby.
As soldiers guarding the walls gathered and murmured, Luwen and I pushed through the crowd.
While knights cleared the fallen rubble, a young mage stamped his feet in panic.
It was the same mage who'd visited Luwen's office earlier.
"Ah, Mr. Luwen!"
He lit up at the sight of Luwen. Luwen tsked after glancing inside the tower.
"What the hell happened?"
"W-we did as you said, but the coefficient must've been off. The whole barrier blew."
"Anyone hurt?"
"Luckily, it was empty at the time......"
"Whoa, what a mess."
Claus Sage emerged from the crowd, parting it with his long staff.
The Silver Guard Knight was with him.
"The barrier exploded? How did you manage it?"
Luwen groaned, clutching his forehead at Claus's scolding.
"I was just on my way to check......"
"We need to reinforce it fast. No time to waste."
"Master, repairing this much damage will take half a day. We'll need more ecronium too......"
"Luwen, go fetch some usable ecronium. Liberic, follow me inside."
"Pardon? Master, why Lib......"
Before I could even respond, Luwen beat me to it.
But as always, Claus didn't explain himself.
He grabbed my arm, dragging me along while waving Luwen off to hurry.
"I'll handle things here. Go get the ecronium. If we don't fix this quick, the whole Prion barrier could go up."
The mere thought paled Luwen's face.
Claus yanked me so roughly I didn't even see Luwen head down from the walls.
Only the Silver Guard Knight watched me with a careful gaze.
"Here. Now focus."
Claus pulled me into the watchtower and raised his staff.
I let out a small sigh.
"You're so arbitrary, Master."
Claus grinned, oblivious to others' feelings.
"That's my charm. Time to show your skills, Liberic."
"Why......"
Flabbergasted by the suddenness, I still focused my eyes on the mana flows.
"......do I have to do it?"
The mana explosion had left things chaotic, but I quickly grasped the barrier spell's structure.
A standard long-term mana circulation formula—common enough. Thankfully familiar, though far more complex as part of Prion's massive city-wide barrier.
Barrier spells typically have one core.
But this one used nine ecroniums, each acting as a core in their own sub-formulas, interacting with one another.
"Because you're faster. Figured it out?"
"......Yeah, more or less."
"How would you reinforce it?"
Hmm. I pondered for a moment.
Claus peered down at me with keen interest.
"Restructuring the circulation formulas inside each ecronium...... All nine."
"Delete the damaged outer formulas and simplify any that could conflict—no more tangles."
I explained to Claus while acting on it.
Normally, fixing a formula meant materializing it on paper, erasing and rewriting physically.
But imperial magic, controllable by will, skipped that.
Just think: Change this rune, redirect that sigil—and it happened.
I adjusted all nine ecroniums that way, simplifying the outer barrier too.
I had to agree with Claus—you're faster.
"Some formulas I don't know well, though...... This is the limit."
"Good enough."
As I withdrew my hands, the barrier hummed back to life, glowing steadily.
The nine ecroniums spun smoothly in place, emitting mana evenly.
I watched a moment to confirm no issues, then told Claus.
"Four ecroniums lack mana. I injected some temporarily, but without fresh ones, the barrier will fail again in days."
"Right, then swap with what Luwen brings."
Claus chuckled in satisfaction.
Relief that the barrier was safe, but a nagging unease lingered.
Stepping back, I watched Claus raise his staff and inscribe runes into the outer barrier's gaps.
An unfamiliar formula.
"Better make it more versatile for others. Thought of a few books to recommend too."
By the time he finished, Luwen returned with five fist-sized high-quality ecroniums.
As instructed, I replaced the four low-mana ones, reinscribing their inner formulas.
Soon after, the White Guard Knight and Father arrived at the tower.
Luwen reported the barrier explosion incident. Follow-up measures and prevention were needed, but it hadn't escalated, and we'd contained it quickly—fortunate.
Luwen and the White Guard Knight brushed back their soaked hair, sighing in relief.
Amid it all, Father spotted me among the adults and startled. Panicking, he grabbed my arm to send me home.
Caught by Father, I hurried down from the walls without properly greeting the White Guard Knight, Silver Guard Knight, Luwen, or Claus.