The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 149

After about 30 minutes of conversation,

Sophia, guided by Charles, secretly left the hospital.

“Whew. That was close.”

Once they were a good distance from the hospital,

Charles, who was driving, let out a sigh of relief.

Concealing this meeting was by no means an easy task.

They had expected about 20 minutes, but the conversation had lasted a full 30 minutes, making it even more precarious.

If it had been just one minute later, the fact that Sophia and Shin Ha-yul had met alone would have been revealed.

In a worst-case scenario, even the relationship between Sophia and Charles could have been exposed.

“Ugh.”

Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine.

To almost have a secret he had kept for over a decade exposed by something like this.

“So, Madam. Did the talk go well?”

Charles asked, glancing at Sophia in the back seat through the rearview mirror while driving.

Her expression was quite serious, as if she was deep in thought.

“He said he’d think about it.”

Sophia, emerging from her reverie, met Charles’s eyes in the mirror.

“Think about it? About what?”

Charles tilted his head, puzzled.

The purpose of today’s meeting was to convey information about the Black Magic King to Shin Ha-yul.

As such, Sophia’s one-sided information delivery-style conversation should have been the main focus.

Why would a response like ‘think about it’ come up?

“I asked if he had any intention of becoming my disciple.”

“……Wh-what?”

Charles’s eyes widened as he turned his head.

He stared blankly at Sophia, as if wondering what he had just heard.

Baaang-!

At that moment, a car horn blared from behind.

Horrified by the sight of the car in front of them swerving left and right as if driven by a drunk person, they honked their horn.

“Charles. If you’re going to be distracted, switch to self-driving mode first.”

“Ah.”

Charles quickly turned his gaze back to the front and activated the car’s self-driving mode.

“There.”

The car, which had been swaying from side to side like Charles’s complicated feelings, stabilized abruptly.

After finishing the settings, Charles now turned his body 180 degrees, hugging the headrest and making direct eye contact with Sophia.

“You asked Shin Ha-yul to become your disciple?”

“Yes.”

“Why all of a sudden? You said you wouldn’t take on a disciple. It would be more troublesome if you caught the Black Magic King’s eye.”

The throne that Sophia Aneschev sits on has no title, but it is no exaggeration to call it the best seat in the world.

She can control the 12 Magic Towers as she pleases.

She can also directly interfere with the governments of various countries.

It is, in fact, a position akin to a one-person nation, a seat that only a mage who has reached the pinnacle can occupy.

Throughout history, no one but Sophia Aneschev has ever reached this supreme position.

“No, more than that, he said he’d think about it? Does he not know what kind of position being Madam’s disciple is?”

For reference, the reason why Sophia’s position has no particular title is because Sophia wanted it that way.

She proposed that the name of her position be ‘Nameless’ under the belief that having a title would inevitably place her within the boundaries of power and status, and that she would maintain strict neutrality. The various governments and world associations were moved by her noble intentions and accepted her proposal.

“No, if he’s a mage, there’s no way he wouldn’t know about the uncrowned throne.”

This is as much common sense as a mage knowing about circles [a fundamental concept in magic, referring to the patterns and structures used to channel magical energy].

“Yes. He must have known.”

“But he still said he’d think about it?”

“Yes.”

Money, fame, status.

To succeed Sophia’s position is tantamount to having everything in the world at one’s feet.

To reject such a position by saying he’d think about it.

“……Is he crazy?”

It was something that Charles couldn’t understand with his common sense.

“Or what, does his pride not allow him to go under someone?”

To reject such an offer meant he was either crazy or an arrogant fool.

One of the two.

“No. That wasn’t the reason.”

Sophia smiled bitterly.

“That child said that the position of my disciple is too much for him right now. He said it was excessive.”

Shin Ha-yul had said.

He was still only 18 years old.

He was still too young and weak to expend his energy on other things already.

He wanted to focus solely on achieving magical mastery rather than worrying about other things right now.

“It’s not wrong, but……”

Power that exceeds one’s capacity can ruin a person.

That’s exactly what the position of Sophia Aneschev’s disciple is for the current Shin Ha-yul. If he accepted it half-heartedly, he would be destroyed.

“……He’s very level-headed. Usually, people wouldn’t think that far.”

“Yes. He’s a smart child. More so than I thought.”

Sophia’s eyes shone brightly.

“That makes me want him even more.”

Despite being a genius with immense talent, he had the ability to look at himself objectively.

Such an existence is never common.

Especially if it’s an existence with talent like Shin Ha-yul.

“Our Madam. You’ve really fallen for him.”

“Yes. I believe he is the only one who can succeed me.”

It was something she had thought about when they met before, but today’s meeting had made that thought even more firm.

The only person in this world who can stop the Black Magic King.

It’s only Shin Ha-yul.

“Ah~ So that’s why you asked him to become your disciple? Regardless of whether he catches the Black Magic King’s eye, it’s to focus power on him?”

“Yes. It would be impossible to pass on all of my position, but I can lay some groundwork in about three years.”

That’s why she was trying to accept Shin Ha-yul as her disciple, taking some risks.

To give Shin Ha-yul power.

To prepare a system so that the power of that position could be fully concentrated on Shin Ha-yul after Sophia’s death.

‘In the first place, that child will catch the Black Magic King’s eye soon enough. Whether I interfere or not.’

With that much potential, there is a high possibility that he will catch the Black Magic King’s eye immediately after graduating from the academy.

If that’s the case, it’s better to accept him as a disciple in advance and give him power.

That’s how Sophia judged it and made the offer to Shin Ha-yul to become her disciple.

“But, if he even used the phrase ‘excessive’ and said he’d think about it…… isn’t that practically saying he’s refusing?”

“……Yes. That’s right.”

There was a high probability that Shin Ha-yul’s ‘I’ll think about it’ was a subtle way of refusing.

“Hmm. Is that so? That’s a bit of a shame. If he had become Madam’s disciple, he would have become my junior, right? Then I could have made him do a lot of work.”

“Charles. You can’t do that. You have to treat him well, thinking of him as your younger brother.”

Sophia glared at Charles with sharp eyes.

“I’m just kidding. Just kidding. Do you think I’d be like some old geezer? It’s just that if he had come under me, it would have been easier to gather information about the Black Magic Tower, that’s all.”

Through the black mana hidden deep within the Three-Colored Tiger, he had an observation ability so outstanding that it was reminiscent of the Black Magic King.

If he had that power, the investigation into the Black Magic Tower, which had made no progress for 10 years, would have been revitalized.

It was a bit of a shame, even thinking about it again.

“You don’t have to worry about that. I got a promise of cooperation on that matter.”

“……Huh?”

Immediately after Shin Ha-yul subtly rejected the request to become a disciple.

Sophia, as planned, began to reveal the events that had occurred at the The Feast transfer ceremony one by one.

The Black Magic King had overcome the human weakness of time.

He had a high probability of reaching the 10th circle [the highest level of magic mastery].

And for some reason, he seemed reluctant to kill her.

From the beginning of the incident to the end, she revealed everything within the limits of the time allowed.

“After the conversation was over. That child said this. If my help is ever needed, just say so. He’s already at odds with the Black Magic Tower. He said he would cooperate to the best of his ability.”

As if understanding the flow of the conversation.

Before Sophia could even make the offer, Shin Ha-yul had made a counter-offer first.

Even thinking about it again, his brain was truly brilliant.

“Is that so? That’s a relief. That will be a great help.”

Charles grinned.

Shin Ha-yul’s eyes would surely be of great help.

‘Then how should I get help? First of all, I’m his senior, so it’s legal to tease him a little, right? Then……’

It was when Charles was thinking such thoughts.

“So Charles. Please assist that child well.”

“Leave it to me. I’m great at assisting…… Huh? Assisting?”

Charles’s eyes widened as he asked back.

“I’m the assistant? Not him assisting me?”

“Yes.”

“……I’m the subordinate?”

“Yes.”

“……Why?”

“You’re a mercenary. That child is the employer. Of course, you, Charles, are below him.”

Sophia smiled.

Charles’s face contorted at that smile.

* * *

Two days had passed in an instant. I thought it would be a boring time, but unexpectedly, I spent two full days.

During the day, Soon-chan, Adela, and my seniors visited me in the hospital one after another, and I had a good time.

Before and after that, my father, the Red Magic Tower Lord, and the Green Magic Tower Lord came to visit me, and I had a beneficial time.

During the late nights when hospital visits were prohibited, I spent time having late-night discussions with Kyle, Dahlia, and the Blue Magic Tower Lord, who were also hospitalized in this hospital, as well as other patients.

In addition, during my alone time, I focused on stabilizing the Infinity Circle, including mana circulation.

In my spare time, I took time to organize the information I had heard from Sophia, my father, and the various Magic Tower Lords.

This routine was repeated the next day, and two days passed without a moment of boredom.

And now, I have safely completed my discharge from the hospital and returned to the hotel.

“Then, young master. Please rest well.”

Seok-hyun, who had escorted me from the hospital to the hotel, bowed his head after opening the door to my room for the last time.

“If anything happens, please call me right away. Here. This is an emergency bell.”

The man handed me a crude remote control that looked like a nurse call button.

“You don’t have to go this far……”

I know my body best.

I’m as normal as can be. There’s no reason to accept something like this.

“No. Although you are fine now, until yesterday, your body was like a bomb about to explode. Since it’s a symptom with an unknown cause, there’s a possibility that something might happen. This is a call device in preparation for that.”

“……I see.”

As if recalling the doctor’s words before discharge, who had told him to prepare for the worst with a serious expression.

Seok-hyun’s expression was very serious and solemn.

“Then I’ll be waiting nearby. Please rest well.”

“Yes. I’ll see you later.”

Seok-hyun bowed his head once again and closed the door.

Thus, I was left alone in the room.

“Whew.”

Even though it wasn’t my house, I felt a sense of comfort as if it were my own.

Is it because I’ve stayed here for quite a while?

Or is it because it feels comfortable in contrast to the discomfort of the hospital?

It’s probably the latter.

I immediately took off my coat and headed for the magic vault.

‘Mimir must be very worried.’

It had been three days since the open raid ended.

Since I, who should have come in a day, hadn’t come, she must be very worried.

I need to go quickly and report.

With familiar movements, I deactivated the security of the magic vault, took out Mimir’s book inside, and opened it as it was.

The familiar reversal of vision.

The interior view of the library, which had become much larger after reaching the 5th circle, came into view.

And in the center, Mimir was seen reading a book alone.

‘Hmm?’

Her expression is somewhat listless.

I should say her expression is full of annoyance.

“Mimir. I’m here……”

As I was approaching Mimir, waving my hand.

“Uh……?”

A third person, hidden behind a bookshelf, came into view.

“You’re finally here.”

A man with a sharp impression, dressed all in black.

“Aslan… Polohamruin?”

“Where did you sell your honorifics?”

Aslan.

He was sitting next to Mimir, holding a book with his legs crossed.

“Why is Aslan-nim…… in Mimir’s book?”

Aslan closed the book he was reading, changed his posture to a slant, and chuckled with his chin resting on his hand.

“I came to visit because I was bored.”

“……”

“I also wanted to say hello to Mimir-nim after a long time.”

Mimir’s expression crumpled at those words.

“……If you’re done greeting, please get out. Aslan.”

Mimir’s expression as she forced a smile was quite a sight to behold.

‘……What is this situation?’

Dozens of question marks popped up in my head.