The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 159

Aslan Polohamruin.

He was an irreplaceable asset to the Vaitener Empire, fulfilling a multitude of crucial roles.

As a mage who wielded spatial magic, this was only natural.

He was responsible for supplying war materials, conducting guerrilla warfare, and evacuating units in crisis.

The versatility of spatial magic was immeasurable.

Without Aslan, it would have taken at least 50 more years for the Vaitener Empire to achieve victory. His presence was so significant that such remarks were often heard.

Of course, as an irreplaceable specialist, he didn’t often go to the front lines.

Aslan’s role was a kind of insurance policy.

His main duty was to provide backup or rescue units if something happened to them.

Therefore, Aslan inevitably spent many days on standby in the royal palace.

When the battlefield situation reached its worst, he would be the first to rush to the front lines, but such critical situations were rare.

Out of ten battles, he would be on standby in the royal palace nine times.

This was Aslan’s routine.

Moreover, among Ray’s direct retainers, the top forces of the Vaitener Empire, Aslan was the only one who spent so much time on standby.

This was also understandable.

They were busy with the war against the Veil Four Nations, so there was no way the top forces would be idly waiting in the royal palace.

Therefore, Aslan inevitably took on all the rear support duties.

Material support, troop distribution, situation briefings, and so on.

Aslan was in charge of at least ten different roles.

And among those numerous roles, there was also the role of ‘interrogator.’

99% of the Veil Four Nations were made up of the dead, the undead, but the remaining 1% were living black mages.

If black mages were captured alive, interrogation was inevitable.

Aslan was the one who mainly handled those interrogations.

…or so Mimir said.

He added that there was no one better than Aslan to find traces of a suggestion, so I should go and ask for his help.

So, I immediately went to the fifth trial page [a location or area] and asked Aslan for help.

“You want me to tell you how to find traces of a suggestion?” Aslan asked, as if my suggestion was absurd.

“It’s not that…”

I told Aslan everything Mimir and I had discussed.

As concisely as possible, but making sure he understood the content.

I continued to explain calmly.

“Indeed. The traces of a suggestion themselves could be a kind of evidence… That’s an interesting situation.”

After about five minutes of explanation, Aslan, having grasped the entire situation, laughed as if he found it amusing.

“In that case, I think I can be of help. As you may have already heard from Mimir, I’ve been working as an interrogator for 20 years. There’s no one in the empire who can surpass me in finding traces of a suggestion.”

“Oh.”

That was quite a reliable statement.

“Of course, it would be difficult for an ordinary person, but your eyes are none other than the ‘Divine Eyes’ [a special ability]. If you learn the knack for about a day, you’ll be able to easily find traces of a suggestion.”

Aslan smiled confidently, as if telling me to trust him.

* * *

The next day at lunch.

“…I really didn’t expect you to get the hang of it in just one day.”

Aslan chuckled in disbelief.

“It took me a full five years to master this.”

“Isn’t that because the leader is so excellent?”

I praised Aslan appropriately.

“Excellent leader, my foot. It’s just that your eyes are a cheat.”

It wasn’t Aslan who responded to my words, but Mimir.

“More importantly, Successor. If you’re done, can you take your hand off my head? It’s been held down for too long, and it’s all messed up.”

“Ah. Sorry.”

I took my hand off Mimir’s head. I had only intended to touch it lightly, but it seems I had put a bit too much force into it while concentrating.

“Ugh. It’s a mess.”

Mimir stroked his messed-up hair, looking upset.

“Sigh. I get suggested by my subordinate, and treated like a guinea pig by the Successor… My life is so miserable~ so miserable.”

Finding traces of a suggestion.

This is an area that requires a kind of intuition that cannot be explained in words.

No matter how much you explain it, you can’t learn it without practicing it yourself.

Therefore, a practice subject was inevitably needed.

Since I was the one who had to practice, I obviously couldn’t be the subject.

Aslan had to guide me, so he couldn’t be the practice subject either.

In the first place, Aslan was the only one who could apply a suggestion.

He couldn’t apply a suggestion to himself, so he couldn’t be the practice subject from the start.

That’s why we went to Mimir.

We wanted to use Mimir as a practice subject to train in finding traces of a suggestion. We formally asked him that.

Mimir naturally showed a reluctant reaction. But he nodded as if he couldn’t help it.

Even Mimir must have thought there was no other alternative, so he must have accepted it with a heavy heart.

“Even so, isn’t the expression ‘guinea pig’ a bit much?”

“Why? It’s true. Anyone can see you’re a test subject.”

“There’s a milder expression, like ‘training partner.'”

“Sob sob. The Successor used my body as a test subject.”

Mimir pretended to cry.

It was obvious that he was acting.

“…What do you want?”

It was obvious that he wanted something. Otherwise, there was no reason for Mimir to bother with such acting.

Unlike me, Mimir wasn’t the type to enjoy the act of playing pranks itself.

“As expected of the Successor. I like how quick you are.”

Mimir stopped pretending to cry and smiled brightly.

“It’s just that…”

He was about to say something, but he coughed, noticing Aslan’s strange expression beside him.

“Ahem.”

Then, he snapped his fingers and gestured for me to bring my face closer.

Was it something Aslan shouldn’t hear?

I slowly brought my face closer.

Mimir immediately brought his mouth to my ear.

“…I’ve finished all the manga. Bring me some more.”

My eyes widened slightly at those words.

“You finished them all? You don’t read such childish things…”

“Shhh.”

Mimir covered my mouth.

With my mouth covered, he threatened me with his eyes, saying, ‘If you say anything more, I’ll kill you.’

‘Ah. He doesn’t want Aslan to find out that he’s reading manga?’

Since he had said he didn’t read childish things like manga, he must be embarrassed to be caught by Aslan.

If that’s the case, then fine.

With my mouth still covered, I nodded slightly to Mimir.

It was a signal that I wouldn’t say anything.

Mimir seemed to have understood my signal well, as he nodded and took his hand off my mouth.

“Hmm.”

Aslan’s smile deepened.

Even I, who didn’t know Aslan well, could tell that he was definitely thinking something bad.

“Aslan. You seem to be thinking of asking the Successor what you heard when you’re alone with him later. I’ll warn you in advance. Drop that idea.”

“…I don’t know what you mean.”

Aslan replied to Mimir’s words with an expression that said he had no intention of doing that at all.

“I told you, do you think I don’t know you? I know everything, so don’t pretend you don’t.”

Mimir smiled menacingly.

“You put a suggestion on me during training, didn’t you? You know that’s blasphemy, right?”

“That’s…”

Aslan looked flustered.

It was the first time I had seen that expression.

So, Aslan also gets flustered.

“I’ll pretend that didn’t happen, so don’t ask. Okay?”

“…Yes. I understand.”

Aslan nodded with a helpless expression.

It was a great suppression using Aslan’s loyalty.

‘As expected of a princess.’

Judging by the fact that she brought up the word ‘blasphemy’ during the training just now,

It wasn’t her first time scolding someone.

Is this what a princess is like?

“…Successor? Are you thinking something strange?”

As if sensing that I was thinking something bad through my gaze.

Mimir smiled menacingly and called out to me coldly.

I quickly erased my thoughts and managed my expression.

“What strange thoughts?”

Mimir glared at me with narrowed eyes.

“…Hmm. Never mind.”

Mimir tilted his head with a suspicious expression and then turned his gaze to me.

Phew. I survived.

“So, is the training all done now?”

Mimir, looking as if he had just remembered, touched his hair here and there again.

Thinking that there was no solution with his hair being so messed up, he used the string placed on the table to tie his hair up.

That hairstyle suits him quite well too.

“Why aren’t you answering? Is the training all done?”

“Huh? Oh. It’s all done. Thanks to you, it’s perfect.”

I gave him a thumbs up.

Mimir chuckled.

“Okay. Then that’s good.”

Soon after, Mimir, having finished tidying his hair, stood in front of the mirror next to him.

He seemed quite pleased with his hair, as his expression was quite bright.

“Then, you’ll go straight to the hospital, right?”

He asked without even looking at me, while touching his tied-back hair.

“Yeah. I have to go and check.”

“Okay. Go well. I’ll be expecting good news.”

“Good news… Does finding traces of a suggestion count as good news?”

“Wouldn’t it? It means we can at least figure out some of that trash’s plan.”

“I guess so.”

It’s better to have information than not to have it.

In that sense, finding traces of a suggestion is better.

“Hmm…”

Mimir turned his body this way and that, examining his hair in the mirror. He stared at the hair tie with a sulky expression.

Everything was fine, but he didn’t seem to like the hair tie.

‘I should buy him a hair tie on the way.’

I can buy a hair tie when I get the manga.

“Then, I’ll head back first.”

Aslan, who had been listening to our conversation with a cheerful expression, said that he would head back first.

“Okay. Go ahead.”

Mimir replied without even looking at Aslan.

He waved his hand as if he was chasing away an approaching dog.

“I’ll come again.”

Mimir frowned at Aslan’s words.

The next words Mimir would say were obvious.

‘Don’t come.’

In fact, Mimir was making an expression that seemed to insist, ‘Absolutely don’t come.’

Mimir slowly opened his mouth.

“Come again. I’ll always be waiting.”

“…Huh?”

What did he say?

It was an unexpected answer.

“…What did I just say?”

I was surprised, but Mimir seemed even more surprised than I was.

Looking at Mimir, Aslan smiled.

He looked as happy as could be.

“You… !”

Looking at that expression, Mimir frowned.

“You didn’t say you’d put this kind of suggestion on me!”

“I apologize. It seems I made a mistake, as it’s been a while since I’ve applied a suggestion.”

“Who makes this kind of mistake! It was on purpose!”

“Yes. Actually, it was on purpose.”

“…Y-you, y-y-you!”

Mimir’s face turned bright red. He looked as if he was furious.

“Then, I’ll be going now. Ah, the promise that you would pretend that everything that happened today didn’t happen. I trust you haven’t forgotten.”

“Hey! Aslan! Don’t you stop there!”

Aslan quickly tore through the air, creating a portal.

“Then, I’ll come again.”

“Come again! Absolutely come! Don’t you dare not come!”

Mimir shouted, watching Aslan disappear into the portal.

Mimir’s appearance, shouting to come again due to Aslan’s suggestion, was quite amusing.

‘So, that’s why Mimir dislikes Aslan.’

I learned a little more about their relationship.

* * *

After that, I left Mimir, who was furious, and headed to the hospital.

The purpose was, of course, to visit my sister, Se-ah. To be precise, it was to find traces of a suggestion under the guise of a visit.

“Sister. I’m here.”

“Welcome.”

She was lying on a half-raised bed, raising her upper body to greet me.

Was it because the anesthesia had worn off?

She looked much better than yesterday.

“You don’t have to come every day like this.”

However, despite her improved complexion, her expression was as gloomy as it could be.

That was only natural.

My sister had been a Shinji-han devotee since childhood.

It was no exaggeration to say that he was almost a parent figure to her.

She had been betrayed by such an existence. There was no way her expression could be bright.

“I’m coming because I want to.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. Because we’re family.”

My sister looked out the window with a sad expression.

“Family. I see…”

She had a very thoughtful expression. An expression that seemed regretful, self-deprecating, and angry.

That kind of expression.

“Sister. Your hair is a mess.”

“Hair? It’s okay. No one’s going to see it…”

“I’m seeing it.”

I approached my sister and placed my hand on her head.

Of course, it was all an excuse. I needed to touch her head to find traces of a suggestion.

I thought this was the most efficient way.

“…Ah.”

My sister looked at me with a surprised expression. She stared at my eyes with trembling eyes, then lowered her head as if she had done something wrong.

Given the situation, many thoughts must be going through her mind.

“Then, I’ll be excused for a moment.”

“…Okay.”

I left my sister as she was and infused mana into her.

Mana that was 100% synchronized with my sister’s unique mana nature, circulating through her body.

‘Hoo. Let’s begin.’

Original mana, that is, mana before it has been refined as magic, is poison when it directly affects the brain.

However, external mana, that is, mana that someone has refined once as magic, does not greatly affect the brain.

This is because mana loses all will as it transforms into magic.

Therefore, to detect the target’s brain, it is necessary to use magic, not mana.

‘Brain Searching.’

I activated the magic I had learned from Aslan and transferred mana to my sister’s brain.

“…Thank you.”

I continued to focus on mind searching, listening to my sister’s incomprehensible gratitude.

And about three minutes passed.

‘I found it.’

I succeeded in finding what I had been searching for.

‘Traces of a suggestion. It’s certain.’

As Mimir had predicted, my sister had been suggested.