Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: EP.115 The More It Hurts, the More You Mature - 2
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After finishing her meditation, Lucille cast spells just as I instructed.
She started with chaining, then rapid casting, double casting, and spell canceling.
Along with basic combat techniques and mage-specific combat methods, and more.
Lucille had reached a fairly advanced level in every area.
"How is it? Is your most beloved disciple's skill up to your standards?"
"Very impressive, but do we have to keep using that modifier?"
"Isn't it okay? You don't care about what others think, right, Master?"
She tilted her head, pretending not to know, but a smile played on Lucille's lips.
Had her strengthened mentality turned her into a little devil?!
"Well, that's true."
Yeah. What did titles matter? What was important was that Lucille was now ready to learn an ultimate skill.
"An ultimate skill..."
"It's your entry into the ranks of true mages. The difference in mage rank depends on whether you master one or not. And to become an archmage, you need to have one under your belt. You don't plan to stop here, right?"
"I see... So how do I learn it?"
"First, we head to the Mage Guild."
In the game, to learn an ultimate skill, you had to pass the Mage Guild's test to prove your first qualification—usually something like conquering a dungeon or slaying a monster.
"Can I do it alone?"
"No. You can't originally. You need party members... I'll help. If we need more, we'll recruit on site."
"Really?!"
"Of course."
It wouldn't sit right to just ditch her after getting the achievement.
Lucille had never rebelled against me or caused me headaches while learning.
"Won't it be a bother to you, Master...?"
"A bother? And you're not even that."
Hadn't I said something similar during her first outside lesson?
Compared to the trolls I'd dealt with so far, she was much better?
Lucille seemed to remember too, giggling as she smiled.
After finishing training and sending Lucille off, I entered the annex to find the messy garden had been cleaned up.
Baltin, Lukendi, and Lark were about to leave as well. Lucille had been disappointed, but they were adventurers.
They couldn't stay in one place forever.
"See you later~."
"Next time, we'll invite you over. Come visit~. We need to have a housewarming~."
"That housewarming performance will be even cooler!"
"Don't come."
I averted my eyes from Lark and looked at Baltin. Puzzled by my gaze, Lukendi asked instead.
"Why?"
"Anyway, where are you all headed?"
"Hm. Marquis Raysi asked for some help, so we're going there. Why? Will you come too, Sage?"
"No. Too far... Ah. Speaking of which, the promise with Raysi..."
That was when Raysi appeared, walking toward the annex in her travel white uniform. Standing beside her was none other than Veronica.
"Why are you two together again?"
"Hehe. Heading to the Tralman territory for a bit."
Veronica? Why? Nothing special there.
I wondered if devil worshippers were there, but she just smiled and explained.
"I agreed to help Marquis Raysi."
"Why? Ah. Right. And I with Raysi..."
"Sage."
Just as I was about to mention the engagement proposal, she cut me off. Grabbing Veronica's arm lightly, she spoke leisurely.
"Can we cancel that proposal? Veronica here has agreed to help me instead."
Veronica?
If she personally went to the territory and showed her closeness and support, it would solve a lot of the Tralman family's issues.
They had plenty of devout believers there.
"Should I call it a substitute? Sage. About that debt of mine. Can I request something else instead?"
"What is it? Let's hear it."
"I'm thinking of finally leaving the palace..."
She wanted me to set up a base in Tralman Marquis territory?
That might be...
"How about setting up a base at the church?"
Huh? What was this now?
I glanced at Raysi, then quickly turned to Veronica. Meeting my eyes, she looked sullen and said.
"What. Why. What."
"Ah, no."
She was so bold I had nothing to say.
Actually, after Lucille learned her ultimate, I planned to leave the capital too.
So a base didn't matter much, but...
"But the summer festival—I have to attend that, so we'll go after it ends."
"...Fine...!! Ah. Don't forget, you're partnering with me for the festival? It's a promise. A promise."
"You better not be late. Going to Tralman territory and back here means you'll have to hustle. If you're late, I'll take someone else."
"Don't worry!"
She laughed brightly, spun around, and left with Raysi. With them gone, Baltin, Lukendi, and Lark departed too.
I was left alone in the annex.
But I didn't feel particularly lonely.
After preparing to head to the Mage Guild, I went to the White Rock Palace, where I saw Lucille talking with the queen.
Catching my eye, the queen sighed with a face full of bitterness and called me over.
"...Sage. If that's your choice, I won't complain. So? You need to go out with Lucille?"
"Yes. It's about time Lucille became a proper mage."
"Is that so... Alright. Take care of her."
She looked exhausted as she patted Lucille's shoulder lightly and went inside. Leaving the castle with Lucille, I headed to the Mage Guild and asked.
"By the way, what were you talking about with Her Majesty?"
"Just this and that. And... hehe. The rest is a secret."
I shrugged at her winking, lively response.
"Ah. Isn't that the Mage Guild?"
Spotting the building I'd seen during my adventurer experience, Lucille grabbed my arm and led me.
As we entered the guild with my nagging disciple, the receptionist mage greeted us politely.
"Isn't that the Sage? And even the Princess. What brings you here in person? A request...?"
"Not a request. Lucille needs to learn an ultimate skill."
"...Princess Lucille already?"
The guild already knew of Lucille's talent as a mage.
But they hadn't expected such rapid growth. The receptionist hurried inside, and soon a turtle beastkin mage with a large staff descended—the Mage Guild Kingdom Capital Branch Chief, Turtleman.
"Hoo... Impressive. Grown this much already."
"All thanks to Master."
"You worked hard to keep up. Don't downplay your own efforts."
"Ehehe..."
"That's remarkable, Sage. I know some talents... How about it? Care to be a lecturer? I'll pay handsomely."
"I've decided one disciple is enough for my life."
Raising disciples was work enough; no need for more.
Lucille wriggled happily, while Turtleman looked disappointed, smacked his lips, and nodded.
"Anyway... She seems qualified, but we still need a test. Princess. To the testing room."
Lucille went inside with the guild master.
Soon after, a boom echoed from within—evidence of high-grade magic, Ember's Remnant, being used. Then they emerged.
"Spell level, completion, casting speed—all perfect. More than qualified. Compared to the Princess from a few years ago, she's a different person."
"If she's Master's most beloved, cherished, and proud disciple, this is the least she should do."
"...Heh. Must be nice being loved by your disciple. Tsk. If only my disciples were half as good. These days' kids call me old fogey, geezer... I changed their diapers and raised them, and now. Sigh. Might as well die when old."
"No plans to die, huh? I know turtle beastkin live longer than elves, and I know your age. Cut the nonsense and tell us what the test is."
Turtleman in the game turned chatty when triggered like this.
Best not to engage guild masters in personal talk.
I cut him off quick. Disappointed at not chattering, he smacked his lips and reached into his shell.
He pulled out a scroll.
"The Mage Guild recently discovered the Skende Ruins."
"And?"
"The third-floor guardian is confirmed as a Diamond Golem. Slay it and bring its heart."
In the game, a Diamond Golem heart was needed for mages' ultimates, so nothing odd.
Skende Ruins, huh...
"Um... But third floor means... Are the first and second floors safe?"
"Think so?"
A newly discovered ruin wouldn't be properly surveyed.
Without destroying the core, defenses stayed active—no safety guaranteed.
Lucille gawked at Turtleman, but he just grinned slyly.
"Ah. And though newly found, adventurers are already inside. You know, Sage? Fail this, and retry in half a year."
"Um... Doesn't the guardian respawn? As long as the core isn't destroyed, it should..."
She thought just getting the heart was enough, but no.
Guardians blocking path to next floor don't respawn once slain.
After our brief explanation, Lucille panicked.
"No way..."
Tsk. Hardcore mode indeed.
Wish they'd skip pointless time limits.
But the world wasn't that easy.
Ruin delves tempted adventurers greatly.
Clearing escort or survey requests meant all finds were theirs.
Harder ruins meant bigger rewards, drawing mercenaries too.
But ruins belonged to guilds or states.
Discover one, and you couldn't just dig in. But this time was different.
The Mage Guild handling Skende Ruins ordered anyone to enter, explore, destroy core, and collapse it.
Mercenaries and adventurers flocking was natural.
Didn't expect this many.
"...What, no bazaar? Why so many randos?"
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. Make way, let us through."
Leading Lucille, I wove through mercenaries, adventurers, and merchants selling to them.
If it were a dungeon raid, not this chaotic.
Hardcore mode effect?
Not even archmage promotion—just ultimate skill test, yet headache-inducing.
"Hey! Mages over there! Tons of traps here! Need a thief? Thief?"
"Archers needed! Let's go together!"
"Ultimate-skilled mage ready! 1,000 gold for first-floor scout!"
"Why so many people?"
"Who knows."
I pieced together info from the chatter.
At discovery, magic materials and gems found.
Traps, defenses, monsters dropped high-quality mana stones—alchemists bought pricey.
Hence the crowd.
As I summed it up to explain,
A cocky voice from behind.
"...Hm? Hey, isn't that the Sage?"
A gray-haired dog beastkin in black leather and eyepatch.
Twirling his dagger, he approached, eyed Lucille curiously.
"That's your disciple, Princess Lucille, right? Hello."
"Um... Hello. But who are you...?"
"Eh? The guy waving his flag right now is me. Don't know me?"
"Eh? Isn't Master the most famous lately?"
"...Comparing to the Sage is unfair. He's a four-dimensional wall no one crosses. Ahem. Anyway. Shadow Thief Chin. Call me that."
He fumbled out a business card.
Thief handing business cards was funny, but whatever.
Thieves Guild rookie, next guild master.
One of Eight Star Seekers.
Master of daggers, trap disarming, ruin delving, theft—'righteous thief' Chin, banned from some city-states, here? Unexpected.
"Why are you here?"
"Side gig. Trap disarms pay nuts."
Grinning, he glanced around, whispered to us.
"Ruin found days ago, right? Doing first-floor survey gigs. Guess who I worked with last night? Big shot client. Heh."
"Who?"
"Cecil Claudia. The Archduke herself. Man, duchies are loaded. Trap disarms and pathfinding? Jackpot."
"...Ah. Yeah? How far she going?"
"Dunno? Wanted more, but gig's first floor only. Details fuzzy..."
Chin sheathed his dagger casually.
"Destination? Probably all the way. Super prepared."
"Prepared?"
"Ruin's dangerous, important? Lots to investigate. Her mentor, Archmage Karin Cloud came too? Bikini Knights aplenty."