“Ugh, ugh….”
Lennok rose from his seat and gazed down at Archiwood, who had fainted while tears streamed down his face.
Despite the chaotic situation, the mana within Archiwood’s form hadn’t dissipated.
Rather, the circulation of his mana had only diminished by fifty percent.
Despite his brusque words, Lennok was, in reality, an ordinary researcher within these walls.
Beyond the experiment involving the domain, he had to navigate the aftermath with caution.
‘Even if I really get rid of all his mana here, it’ll be a problem.’
For those possessing a robust network to partake in such a conference, losing their mana would prove to be a complication.
If Archiwood had delved deeper into his thoughts, he might have discerned the lack of authenticity in Lennok’s declaration.
However, when faced with the dread of losing one’s mana, profound contemplation became a challenge.
Lennok gently shook the unconscious Archiwood as he retracted the domain’s influence.
Even while suppressing his own apprehension, he had to ensure the sealing of Archiwood’s lips.
How might that be achieved? Lennok pondered and soon devised an ingenious plan, a faint smirk forming.
“Archiwood.”
“…M, mana…”
Lennok tapped the shoulder of Archiwood, who remained bewildered by the recent events.
“I left about half of your mana. Do you understand what that means?”
“What?”
“Who knows? If you’re careful with your words, the remaining half of your mana that was sent into the void might suddenly return to your body.”
“…”
Even in his befuddled state, he couldn’t misconstrue those words.
Of course, Lennok possessed no knowledge of how to rectify Archiwood’s contorted mana to its original state. Nevertheless, if a falsehood could permanently seal his lips, it was a trade-off worth making.
Leaving Archiwood seated there, his expression one of misery, Lennok departed the desolate forest without hesitation.
He found satisfaction in having eradicated one bothersome obstacle from his college life.
Organizing the information extracted through the domain activation took precedence now.
‘It takes a lot of mana to use a self-sustaining domain.’
Despite the significant surge in mana resulting from the mission, the consumption remained substantial.
Irrespective of the domain’s utility, deploying it in direct combat was a weighty endeavor.
It was an ability best reserved for critical scenarios where a single spell could determine the outcome, much like the showdown with Craig.
Discussing this matter with a skilled wizard like Aris was imperative. Yet, how could he introduce the topic seamlessly, weaving it into natural conversation?
As he walked toward the tent, his thoughts occupied, Davi suddenly spoke from his arms.
[Master.]
“Hmm?”
[Someone is approaching.]
“Someone?”
Davi, whose reactions had never been triggered by anyone else’s approach before, now spoke up. What could it signify?
The possibilities were twofold: either the approaching individual held significant importance to Lennok, or this ‘someone’ shared similarities with Davi.
The truth revealed itself soon enough.
Swoosh!
A gentle breeze swept in.
For a fleeting moment, Lennok’s mind veered towards the possibility of Archiwood’s magic, but then a warm, verdant energy enfolded the descending wind, taking on a tangible form.
The shape of a keen-eyed hawk.
The spirit squinted, its gaze sweeping leisurely across the surroundings before fixing onto Lennok, whereupon it spoke.
[I am gratified to relay a message in this manner.]
The voice, dry, devoid of emotion, emanated from what seemed to be a woman.
Lennok’s intuition indicated that these words weren’t her own but were spoken on someone else’s behalf.
“Do you have business with me?”he inquired.
[On the surface, you masquerade as an ordinary university researcher. Yet, your remarkable talents are not completely concealed. It is through this that I have identified you.]
“Identify?”
Lennok probed, arms folded.
The other party had a penchant for veiled speech.
Whether they were aware of Lennok’s current freelance work under an alias was unclear, but they had managed to elicit a response from him without explicitly mentioning that pivotal detail.
Immediate concession wasn’t necessary.
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at, but I’m just a researcher who followed a professor to a conference. Talent is a far-fetched concept for me.”
Coy play would be prudent, affording him an opportunity to gauge the other’s reaction once more.
Contemplating the worst-case scenario, Lennok realized he might have to capture the spirit before him and trace its origin.
While Lennok calculated various countermeasures with a detached demeanor, the hawk rustled its feathers lightly and lowered its head.
The words that flowed from its beak differed entirely from Lennok’s expectations.
[No, it must be you. You are the sole individual privy to the final testament of the Great Seer, Madria Falcia.]
In that instant, Lennok’s gaze turned icy.
***
An expanse of vacant plateau.
It lay quite a distance from the forest where Archiwood had lost consciousness.
A barren panorama, where anyone approaching would be immediately conspicuous.
Should Lennok return to his quarters later, he could concoct a reasonable excuse.
Instead of fixing his gaze on the hawk flapping its wings upon his shoulder, Lennok produced another cigarette and spoke,
“So you’re saying the next ‘lighthouse keeper’ is you?”
The lighthouse keeper of Philenom.
The transcendent who had borne the duty of observing the outer sea had left a will for Lennok, a matter no one else should have been privy to.
It wouldn’t have been extraordinary if a being of transcendental nature, the only one capable of intercepting the message, had come to eliminate Lennok from the outset.
However, if someone aware of this fact had emerged, what could be the motivation?
[It was my grandmother.]
Lennok’s raised eyebrow accompanied the calm response, lacking any emotional undertones.
“Even if I deny it now, it would be pointless. So, what’s your business? Do you want to know what she said to me?”
Unfortunately, that is unattainable.
Madria’s words for Lennok had pierced through his talent and penalty with precision akin to a lethal blade.
Perhaps only she, with her epithet of ‘seeing through the heavens,’ possessed such an ability.
On the flip side, it implied that from the instant of the Great Seer’s passing, no other transcendent could have discerned this.
Revealing such knowledge to her granddaughter wouldn’t have been a simple matter.
[… My grandmother always carved her own destiny. If her testament reached only one person, I have no entitlement to its content.]
“……”
[My objective is distinct. More accurately, it pertains to the scenario wherein the ‘observation’ falters following an ascendant’s demise, and the creatures of the outer sea draw near.]
“Why should I listen to this? There are plenty of stronger and more noble wizards than me.”
[I might lack the right to access my grandmother’s parting words, but I believe you possess the right to be informed about this world’s enigmas.]
At the perpetually composed rejoinder, Lennok refrained from further speech.
The chill wilderness stretched before him.
In this moment, it seemed as though the only entity in existence was this desolate expanse. Yet, Lennok hadn’t forgotten.
The expansive, shadowy sea beyond this realm—the outer sea.
And the monstrosities surveilling it from the abyss.
A stagnant world. Alcaid, transcendent beings, apocalyptic prospects, and the world’s enigmas.
Hadn’t Lennok been awaiting the juncture where these seldom-recalled fragments coalesced seamlessly?
Perhaps this instant marked the initial stride he had awaited so long.
[If you are the wizard chosen by Grandmother, you undoubtedly have something more than what one see on the outside… Now we desperately need the help of such people.]
Flap…!!
In unison with Lennok’s sentiments, the hawk flapped its wings, ascending into the sky.
[There’s no need for a long explanation.]
As the spectral figure soared higher and higher, her final words gently descended upon the plateau.
[If you’ve made a decision, please visit the lighthouse in Philenom. I’ll be waiting.]
Lennok, who observed the spirit’s departure, belatedly grasped something and nodded.
“The Philenom Autonomous Region… I see.”
The plateau, where the current conference unfolded, stood among numerous plains, situated between the colossal city of Vulcan and the Philenom Autonomous Region.
The reason the next lighthouse keeper contacted him might indeed be intertwined with the ongoing circumstances.
From the outset, her intent had been to convey the message of visiting the autonomous region if he desired the complete truth, thus she had summoned the spirit.
“Haah…”
The predicament lay in the strained relations between the enormous city of Vulcan and the autonomous region.
Considering Lennok’s shadowy occupation and his anticipation of a looming conflict, the rapport between these regions showed no signs of amelioration.
He needed to hear her words at least once, and inevitably, someday, he had to journey to the autonomous region… Yet, unless he selected an opportune context and time, his freelance existence could be jeopardized.
Particularly fresh off executing an operation alongside an agent, he should be cautious of actions that run counter to the city’s disposition if he hoped to avoid attracting attention.
Ultimately, it appeared venturing to the autonomous region without a plausible pretext would prove challenging…
‘I need to ask for Jenny’s help.’
Crushing the cigarette beneath his foot, Lennok smoothed his coat and pressed forward.
Aris was aware of Lennok’s smoking habit, though she held a distaste for the smell.
He should return now, if only to provide a reason for briefly leaving his seat.
Before making his way back to his lodgings, Lennok cast a final gaze at the spot where the spirit had vanished.
In the wake of the emerald gust, the parched plateau air had long erased any trace of its passage.
***
Fatigued, Aris concluded the first day of the conference and retired.
The ensuing day promptly arrived.
In contrast to the theoretical discussions of the prior day, today would focus on direct practical validations.
Naturally, Lennok accompanied Aris to the demonstration venue.
“Pay attention.”she murmured, ensuring her words remained unheard by others.
“Since the topic of this conference is quite related to the application of high-level magic, there will be parts you can learn theoretically.”
“I’ve heard what the theme of the conference is.”
The demonstration and attestation of techniques for optimizing control on the battlefield constituted the conference’s focal point.
Initially, Lennok hadn’t granted it much consideration. However, his perspective shifted somewhat following the encounter with the new lighthouse keeper of Philenom yesterday.
The fact that the conference transpired between Vulcan and the autonomous region.
And the theme centering on the execution of strategies grounded in battlefield control.
Perhaps this served as a signal from Vulcan and its allies directed towards the autonomous region.
“By the way, Professor Richellen, you’re unusual.”
While absorbed in thought, a fellow wizard walking alongside Lennok and Aris interjected.
An individual of middle age with a keen countenance. The mana exuding from her form was nothing short of remarkable.
At least a level 5 wizard. Her skill set comfortably positioned her as an adept within her specialization.
She regarded Lennok with acuity, the man who had silently trailed Aris, and remarked,
“You brought along a friend who seems to have just awakened his mana to this conference… Is there some other meaning to it?”
“Director Baila, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
“I understand Professor Richellen’s feelings, but it’s time to stop giving false hope to hopeless friends.”
Aris’s gaze turned frosty in response to the candid words.
“…”
“It’s been almost 2 years since you haven’t brought in a new researcher to your lab… It’s time to stop showing fruitless generosity to students.”
Whether the other individual held a comparable position to Aris or not, she refrained from mincing her words.
From the critique of Aris’s conduct to the undertone of her voice, her approach was strikingly forthright.
It seemed evident that she possessed a solid understanding of Aris and recognized Aris’s inherently compassionate nature.
At first glance, her words might come across as reproach, yet upon deeper reflection, they seemed more akin to genuine concern for Aris.
“That talent is too precious to be wasted on trifles. I heard that Sinclair Magic Tower has been calling you back repeatedly. How about breaking your stubbornness and returning?”
“Thank you for the offer, but…”
“That friend standing in the back there, I hope you understand as well.”
Baila’s pointed words ushered in a weighty silence within the room.
Her forceful rhetoric bordered on expelling Lennok from the premises then and there.
However, Lennok offered no retort, instead allowing his gaze to drift beyond Baila’s penetrating stare.
One’s disposition could appear virtuous to some while manifesting as antagonistic to others.
Though her comment might have stemmed from concern for Aris, to Lennok, it seemed nothing more than a petty altercation.
His attention, in contrast, gravitated toward the distinctly unfamiliar mana coursing within her.
It was a mana flow distinct from that of other wizards, appearing as if it experienced intermittent disruptions.
Such an irregular flow of mana couldn’t be attributed to a conventional constitution. It presupposed an innate peculiarity for a wizard to exhibit such anomalies.
Amid his contemplation, Aris’s voice resonated, measured and deliberate.
“Director, Evan is a researcher who I personally observed his abilities and invited to my laboratory.”
“A researcher?”
“Having talent for research in magic is not only given to high-level wizards.”
“But that-“
“And I will not stand idly by and watch someone I chose be insulted.”
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