The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 51

After that, my father questioned me about my magic.

He repeated the questions Kim Kang-in had asked me, including the nature of the magic I used in the duel with Joo Han-wook.

I told him, just as I had told Kim Kang-in, that I couldn’t reveal it.

My father chuckled, as if amused by my answer, and said he understood.

‘…So far, it’s as expected.’

I knew my father wouldn’t pry into my magic. As an 8th Circle Archmage who had dedicated his life to magic, I figured he would respect the secrecy of magic.

The problem was the meaningful remark he had made earlier.

‘Is it an ancient book again this time? Hayul, you seem to be incredibly lucky.’

In the back seat of the limousine heading to the dorm, I recalled my father’s words and expression.

‘He suspects me after all.’

From interference magic to this ancient elixir.

I’ve claimed to have obtained quite a few things from ancient books.

It’s only natural that my father would be suspicious, considering I’ve been getting such amazing things one after another from ancient texts, which are difficult to get even a single piece of proper information from.

‘Maybe the day will come when I have to talk to my father about my magic.’

I wouldn’t mind telling my father about my magic, unlike other people.

In fact, it would be better to tell him.

If my father knew how amazing my magic system was, his support for me would be incomparable to what it is now.

‘I need to seriously think about it.’

It might have been different when my credibility was close to zero at the beginning of my second year.

But now, my father wouldn’t dismiss my words as nonsense.

I should seriously consider telling him about the Vaitner method.

‘Even if I don’t reveal everything about the Vaitner method, I could explain it in a more general way.’

As I was thinking that and looking out the window, the school building of Obelisk Academy came into view.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Thank you.”

I thanked the driver who had dropped me off and got out of the car.

“Go in safely.”

“Please call me again if you need anything.”

The driver said those words and quietly drove away.

‘Well, the three most problematic high-priced materials have been taken care of.’

I looked at the receding limousine and thought about my schedule for tomorrow.

‘Then tomorrow, I should go to the monster byproduct street to get the remaining materials.’

* * *

The next morning.

I was talking to Mimir before heading to the training room.

“So, today’s schedule is training in the training room, then a strategy meeting. After that, we go to the byproduct street and then evening training?”

“Yeah.”

“So, the return will be similar to usual?”

“Probably?”

Not having to attend school classes starts today, and the special training for the Olympiad begins tomorrow.

In other words, there’s nothing scheduled for today.

Thanks to that, I was able to freely go to the monster byproduct street.

“Just in case, be careful when buying materials. I don’t know if it’s still the same, but back then, most of the byproduct sellers were scammers.”

“…Was it like that back then too?”

“Yeah. Monster byproducts are so easy to scam with.”

“It’s hard to tell if it’s real or fake unless you’re a veteran.”

You have to be careful when buying monster byproducts.

Especially when buying something like leather or a heart. You must always doubt whether it’s the real leather or heart of that monster.

The place where a Bloodclaw Wolf’s heart can be swapped for a Fenrir’s heart is the monster byproduct street.

“So, be careful. The materials you need are all unique. Even if you’re a Successor, you could easily get ripped off.”

Mimir urged me.

“I’ll be careful.”

I had received thorough education about monster byproducts from the Magic God Clan.

I didn’t think I’d get scammed, but it wouldn’t hurt to be extra careful.

I honestly accepted Mimir’s advice.

“Oh, and Successor. Could you buy some more books when you come back?”

Mimir pointed to the books on the table. They were books about modern magic.

“I prepared 20 books for you, and you’ve already read them all?”

“Yep.”

Mimir has been studying modern magic lately.

“Was it fun?”

“It was fun. It was also surprising how versatile magic could change. It was interesting in many ways.”

How versatile magic has changed with modern technology.

She seems to be immersed in the fun of studying that.

“Anyway, please.”

Mimir’s eyes sparkled.

It was the eyes of a mage shining with a thirst for knowledge.

“You used to say I was obsessed with books, but Mimir, you’re the same.”

“……”

Mimir slightly turned her head.

It was obvious that she was trying to avoid an unfavorable topic.

That brazenness was kind of cute.

“Okay, I got it. I’ll buy more this time.”

“If possible, please get expert books instead of basic ones.”

Mimir’s eyes sparkled again, confirming that I had no intention of adding any more conditions.

“If possible, please get some special materials too. Oh, and if you have time, some of the latest papers…”

I can’t be sure because I have no way of seeing myself directly.

But I think my appearance when I’m immersed in something is probably similar to Mimir’s right now.

That’s what I thought.

* * *

After that.

After finishing my physical training as usual.

After finishing the strategy and tactics meeting for the Olympiad with Adela and Soonchan.

I was moving to the shopping district with the two of them.

“Adela said she’s going to the bookstore. Where are you going, Soonchan?”

“I’m going to buy some gifts.”

“Gifts?”

“Gifts for my parents. I’m going to go home since I have time today.”

“Ah, I see. Have you decided what to buy?”

“I was thinking of buying a bottle of liquor at the department store.”

“Why liquor all of a sudden?”

“They’re both heavy drinkers. They usually refrain because they’re busy with work. Since there’s good news this time, I thought buying them a good bottle of liquor would let them relax and enjoy a drink for a change.”

“Wow, you’re such a filial son.”

“Filial son, my foot…”

Soonchan scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed at the word ‘filial son.’

He always gets embarrassed like that whenever someone says something that sounds like a compliment about him.

“Adela, don’t you want to go home?”

“…Honestly, I wasn’t really thinking about it. But after hearing that, I think I should go too.”

Adela was lost in thought with a serious expression.

“Your father also loves liquor, right? Why don’t you buy him a gift like Soonchan? I think he’d be very happy.”

The love of the head of the Shinbi family, Wi Sang-cheol, for his daughter is very famous.

If Adela gave him a gift, he would be happy even if he received a pebble she picked up from the street.

“…Hmm.”

Adela groaned, looking even more troubled.

‘It’s good to give a gift, but I really want to read a book today…’ is what her expression clearly said.

Wi Sang-cheol would probably mutter, ‘Ji, Jisu…’ and shed tears if he saw that.

“Isn’t it that you haven’t gone home since the start of the second year?”

“…Yes, that’s true.”

I thought so, and she really hadn’t gone home.

“If you don’t want to become a fire-attribute filial child, go home.”

“A fire-attribute filial child?”

Adela tilted her head as if asking what that meant.

“Go home if you don’t want to be an unfilial child. How much do you think your parents miss you?”

“Ah…”

That was the moment Adela’s return home was decided.

“By the way, Hayul, how’s that going?”

While we were quietly walking.

Soonchan asked casually.

“What do you mean by ‘that’?”

Soonchan scanned his surroundings, making sure no one was listening, and then whispered.

“Can you see beyond the wall of the 5th Circle?”

“Oh, that’s what you were talking about?”

Adela’s ears perked up.

She was already curious, and she seemed happy that Soonchan had asked first.

“It’s no different from yesterday. How could I see anything in just one day?”

The ring of expansion was really not easy.

I had been devouring all sorts of books in Mimir’s library, trying to find a way to weave the ring in the most efficient way, but there was no reaction.

“Is that so?”

“…I guess not.”

The two of them were disappointed.

“It seems like you guys are more disappointed than I am?”

“Of course, we’re disappointed. You need to become a 5th Circle quickly so we can get the gold medal easily.”

“…This guy is already trying to live life on easy mode.”

“Me. Like. Easy mode.”

“You have to be careful about eating raw things in the summer. You’ll get a stomachache.”

“…Wow. I didn’t expect you to take that literally.”

Our silly banter continued until we parted ways.

* * *

Monster Byproduct Street.

The largest monster byproduct market in Seoul, famous for selling monster byproducts throughout the entire street.

I lightly pulled down my hood and strolled through the street.

“Ask if you need anything.”

“How much have you looked around?”

“I’ll give you a good price. I have some cheap Pihaneilamos carapace.”

As soon as I entered the street, all sorts of touts called out to me.

It seems like I look like a pretty tasty prey.

‘I must look like a pushover since I’m young and walking around this street alone.’

The eyes of the touts gesturing at me are gleaming with desire.

It’s obvious that they’re trying to rip me off and make a big profit.

“Young man. Don’t you need this? I just got some new Seiratin Spider webs.”

Among them, one tout even brought out the material directly.

It was a ball of thread that he claimed was the web of a Seiratin Spider.

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at it.

‘It’s worse than I heard.’

I can’t help but laugh.

This is the web of a Seiratin Spider?

“Since when did the web of a One-Horned Spider become the web of a Seiratin Spider?”

It seems like they really think I’m a pushover.

“What are you talking about? This is the web of a One-Horned Spider. Don’t try to find fault with it.”

“…Hah.”

As if this kind of scam wasn’t a one-time thing, the tout was very confident.

It’s like I’m the one being a difficult customer.

“The web of a Seiratin Spider is characterized by emitting a special glow in response to the mana in the air.”

“You know it well. Can’t you see the glow here?”

“Yes, it does glow. From the luminescent liquid spread all over the web.”

“……”

“You made it quite well. You must have worked hard to make the luminescent liquid.”

The tout’s expression hardened in real time.

“If you have nothing more to say, may I pass?”

“……”

The tout slowly made way.

“Young man, you have a better eye for byproducts than I thought. Heh heh.”

This time, a kind-looking old man blocked my path.

Then, he whispered in my ear.

“I wanted to help you, but I couldn’t because of the organization that protects that guy’s shop. I’m sorry.”

The old man frowned with a look of regret.

“It’s okay. It’s the fault of the person who gets scammed.”

The price of monster byproducts doesn’t have a fixed international price.

That’s why scams like the one just now are rampant.

Even if you report it, they just pay a small fine and it’s over.

The connections of the back organization that controls this street reach the upper echelons of the police.

“Heh heh. You’re a cool young man. I like you more and more. How about it? Come and look around my shop. I’ll give you a good price.”

The old man chuckled.

“Is that so? Then, could you show me the horn of a Black Bull first?”

“Oh, that’s perfect. I just got one recently. Wait a moment.”

The old man went inside the shop and soon came back with a box.

“Here. It’s a Black Bull’s horn. It’s an S-grade with almost no damage, and the purity is 99%. Check it out here.”

The old man put the mana purity measuring device he brought with him on the horn.

The internal mana level was 99.4%.

“Since we’ve met, I’ll give it to you cheap. 27 million won. How about it?”

A Black Bull’s horn is a relatively high-end material that costs around 30 million won.

With this condition and purity, it could easily fetch 43 million won.

Giving it for 27 million won is practically giving it away for free.

“Since when did the horn of an African Baing Bull become the horn of a Black Bull?”

If this was a real Black Bull’s horn, that is.

“……”

“I thought it was strange that the first tout was so blatantly fake. If it was bait, then I understand.”

It’s highly likely that the Seiratin Spider web seller and this kind-looking old man are working together.

They seem to enjoy scamming people by approaching those who were almost scammed with a kind face, pretending to be friendly.

“Scams don’t work on me. So, don’t waste your time and show me the real thing. If there is a real one, that is.”

At that moment, the old man’s expression changed 180 degrees. The kind expression disappeared in an instant, replaced by a dry, expressionless face.

“…You’re quite experienced for a young man.”

The old man turned his body into the shop.

“Follow me.”