The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 236

That dawn.

Hermes was working as usual.

‘No particular issues in Europe.’

Keyboards and holographic monitors filled the surroundings.

Everything was state-of-the-art, except for one thing: the keyboard, which was an old-fashioned analog type.

Apparently, holographic keyboards didn’t have the tactile feedback, which caused frequent typos.

Tatatatatat-!

‘Next, Asia.’

The sound of the keyboard filled the workspace.

The sound was as if the keyboard was being struck not just dozens, but hundreds of times per second.

‘No particular issues in China and Japan either.’

For an ordinary person, hitting a keyboard hundreds of times per second would be impossible.

But Hermes was no ordinary person; she was an executive of the Black Magic Tower.

‘Finally, Korea.’

Her abilities were specialized for handling computers.

She could accelerate the movement of her fingers on the keyboard.

She could also enhance her eyesight when looking at monitors.

Furthermore, her cognitive abilities were enhanced when using computers.

It was no exaggeration to say that she was born to be a hacker.

The speed at which she handled tasks was faster than 300 skilled hackers combined.

She was recognized for this ability and became an executive.

‘There’s no special activity in Korea either. Shin Hayul and Charles are both acting as usual.’

How convenient.

The power to infiltrate anything that is processed electronically, no matter where it is in the world.

‘It’s nice that it’s quiet, but it’s too quiet.’

The Black Magic King valued this power highly and appointed a civilian with virtually no combat abilities to an executive position.

Appointing a civilian who couldn’t even use corrupted mana to an executive position was unprecedented in the history of the Black Magic Tower.

‘As expected, Shadow isn’t showing any particular reaction either.’

Hermes took her hands off the keyboard and quickly gulped down the water next to her.

“Haa…”

Then, she closed her eyes and slumped back in her chair.

‘My abilities are all good, but they’re just so exhausting.’

Her head was throbbing from the aftereffects of accelerated thinking, her eyes were sore from enhanced vision, and her fingertips were tingling from the backlash of finger enhancement.

Because of these aftereffects, she couldn’t maintain work for more than 10 minutes.

She could work for more than 20 minutes if she pushed herself, but then she would be knocked out for about a day due to the aftereffects.

It was a huge loss in terms of work efficiency.

‘Ugh, my eyes are so stiff.’

Hermes rubbed her throbbing eyes over her eyelids.

The pain was particularly severe today.

Hermes moved her hand to where she usually kept her eye drops.

But the eye drops weren’t there.

‘Did I use them all already?’

She must have used them all up because she had been pushing herself too hard recently.

Hermes sighed deeply.

“…Nothing’s going right, really.”

Just as she was enduring the aftereffects, it happened.

[A new message has arrived from Doctor.]

The AI’s characteristic stiff voice was heard.

It was the report of a new mission from the auxiliary AI that Hermes had created.

“Read it to me.”

Hermes replied casually, still in the same position.

[Yes. Understood.]

The AI quickly began the briefing. This auxiliary AI was originally created for times like today when Hermes had difficulty opening her eyes.

It was natural for it to show this level of performance.

[The transporter, Mael Nadal, has died in an unexpected accident.]

The name of a familiar person came from the AI’s mouth.

Mael Nadal.

It was the name of the black magician recently dealt with by Shin Hayul.

[Please prepare a separate transporter.]

Hermes’s expression soured.

“Does this guy think I’m his errand runner? He should find his own transporter.”

She was genuinely annoyed.

What did he think an executive was?

“We should respect each other as fellow executives.”

If he wasn’t a fellow executive, she would have flipped the table a long time ago.

Hermes gritted her teeth.

[Additionally, the research itself is progressing very well.]

At least he had a conscience; the research results reports were always good.

[If this momentum continues, the commercialization of Ignis is also expected to be possible within two months.]

The commercialization of Ignis.

It was something that would make Shin Hayul’s eyes widen if he heard it.

‘I hate to admit it, but Doctor is good at what he does. The research is already in the final stages.’

If he didn’t have the ability, she would have ignored him a long time ago.

In fact, she often refused personal requests from executives with one-dimensional tendencies like Parade, saying she didn’t have time.

[This is the second success. Even if the first was a coincidence, the second is considered inevitable.]

[If this project succeeds, it means that all the remaining relics of myth that we obtain in the future can also be commercialized.]

[The day we can give a good report to the Black Magic King is not far away.]

The second.

And the relics of myth.

All of these were words that would surprise Shin Hayul if he heard them.

[When I give the report, I will be sure to mention that it wouldn’t have been possible without your perfect backup, so don’t worry.]

“…You’re stating the obvious.”

She had gone through the trouble of providing backup to get in the Black Magic King’s good graces and earn points.

And he was acting like he was doing her a favor by reporting it.

[That’s the end of the report. I’ll contact you again if I need anything else.]

Hermes’s brow furrowed slightly again at the words ‘if I need anything else.’

Why couldn’t he contact her regularly for reports instead of only when he needed something?

‘Maybe I should just flip the table…’

* * *

The next day at lunchtime.

I headed to the National Knight Academy on time for our appointment.

Since it was just before the end of lunchtime, there weren’t many people around.

“Ruan-nim.”

Stella greeted me as I arrived at the gate.

“Thank you for coming.”

The lively feeling from yesterday was almost gone.

She had a cold, mature feeling, or something like that.

It was an atmosphere that perfectly matched her nickname, the ‘Ice Queen.’

I glanced to the side and saw a person who appeared to be an instructor standing there, along with two guards.

“Ruan Palatia-nim. Welcome. I’ve heard the news.”

The instructor with a stylish beard welcomed me.

I wondered if he was just pretending to welcome me, but it didn’t seem so.

He was genuinely welcoming me.

“I watched your duel yesterday. It was amazing.”

“Ah.”

I realized why he was so genuinely welcoming me; he was someone who had directly witnessed my battle with Sein-nim yesterday.

Then it was understandable that he would react like this.

“I was truly impressed. If it’s not too much to ask, could I request a match with you sometime?”

A request for a match right away.

Are all knights like this?

I glanced at Stella, who was standing demurely beside me.

Well, it seemed like they might all be like this.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Was it rude of me?”

The instructor bowed his head, as if he had taken my silence to mean that I was troubled.

“No. It’s not that I’m troubled. It’s just that for the two months I’m here as an instructor, I want to prioritize the students.”

“Prioritize the students…”

The instructor’s eyes widened.

“You’re saying that you’ll save the time you would spend dueling with me to teach the other students even a little more? Is that what you mean?”

His gaze was sharp.

Was he angry that I prioritized the students over himself?

If so, that would be a bit disappointing.

“Yes. Even if it’s temporary, I’m an instructor. I think I should do my best for the students.”

I believe that an instructor should always prioritize the students.

If he was angry at the idea of prioritizing the students, he couldn’t be called an instructor.

“Oh my…”

The instructor looked at me with an even more intense gaze.

“How can you be so wonderful…”

A slight tear formed in the instructor’s eyes.

“You want to dedicate all your energy to the students for that short time. What a wonderful educational philosophy. I, Khan, am deeply moved.”

…It seemed like he was a passionate instructor.

That gaze from earlier wasn’t anger, but emotion.

“I understand. Then I’ll let the other instructors know as well. I’ll tell them not to request a duel separately.”

“…”

So, the other instructors were also planning to request a duel with me.

I didn’t know that.

“Well, then, let’s go to the main building first and greet the other instructors…”

The excited instructor grabbed my hand.

And just as he was about to drag me to the main building.

“Instructor.”

Stella grabbed the instructor’s hand.

It was cold. It was as if a chill had descended around her.

“The tour is my responsibility.”

“O-oh, that’s right.”

The instructor let go of my wrist. Then he coughed repeatedly.

‘…This guy. Is he a little intimidated right now?’

He seemed to have shrunk back a little at Stella’s gaze and aura.

“Instructor, you should go back and prepare for your next class. The other instructors are busy too. Wouldn’t it be better to greet them formally tomorrow?”

Stella smiled faintly.

But her eyes weren’t smiling.

It was a very scary smile.

“…Y-yes, that’s right. Ahem.”

The instructor coughed again and turned his gaze towards me.

“Ruan Instructor. Then I’ll see you again later.”

“Yes. See you tomorrow.”

With that, the instructor turned around and began walking towards the largest building, which seemed to be the main building.

“Could I have the temporary pass?”

Stella reached out to the guards who were watching from the side.

“Yes. Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

Stella took the temporary pass and then approached me.

She immediately hung the pass around my neck.

“Then let’s go. I’ll start by showing you the outer areas.”

After looking at the pass around my neck, she smiled faintly and then grabbed my wrist, pulling me somewhere.

* * *

After that, I toured the grounds with Stella’s guidance.

From the outer gardens to the sports field, the main auditorium, and the club rooms, etc.

Since it was class time, I didn’t meet anyone in particular.

Seeing that there was no one in the sports field or the auditorium, it seemed like today was an indoor class day.

This was similar to the Obelisk Academy.

“Next, this is the annex. It’s the school building used by the first-year students, and we can’t go in now because classes are in session.”

Stella introduced the building with a cheerful expression.

She looked very happy.

Was this the same person who had been coldly sneering at the gate earlier?

It was like she was a completely different person.

“…? Do you want to go inside?”

She seemed to have taken my gaze to mean that I wanted to go inside.

“It’s not that I’m not interested, but it’s okay for now.”

“Okay.”

Stella tilted her head slightly. She had a look that seemed to say, ‘Then why did you look at it like that?’

“Then let’s go to the next place…”

Just as Stella was about to guide me to the next place.

“Oh. Stella-nim.”

Two female students appeared from behind Stella.

Judging by the fact that they were holding something in their arms, it seemed like they were running an errand.

“It’s class time… What are you doing here?”

At that moment, Stella’s expression changed.

The smile that had been like a flower was nowhere to be seen, and she had an expression like a Siberian winter with a raging storm.

“We were showing the facilities to our guest.”

“Guest?”

The two female students stretched their necks out to the side and looked at my face.

Their faces sticking out from either side of Stella’s shoulders was quite cute.

“Yes. He’s the one who will be our instructor for two months starting tomorrow.”

“Ah!”

The two female students ran out and bowed to me.

“Hello.”

“Yes. Nice to meet you.”

The two of them looked at me with sparkling eyes.

They had an expression that said they were curious about something.

“Um… Is he the one?”

“The one? What do you mean?”

It was a question with too much omitted.

“You idiot. How can he understand if you ask like that?”

The other female student poked her in the side with her elbow.

It was as if she was saying, ‘I’ll speak, so you be quiet.’

“There’s a rumor that the person who fought Sein-nim to a draw yesterday will be our temporary instructor starting tomorrow. We were asking if that was him.”

“…”

It seemed that the rumors about yesterday’s duel were spreading not only among the instructors but also among the students.

How did it spread so quickly?

“It was just luck. Sein-nim was also holding back a lot.”

The eyes of the two widened at my answer.

“The fact that you’re not denying it… does that mean it’s not just a rumor?”

“Waaah!”

The two of them made a fuss.

“Amazing, amazing.”

“Stella-nim isn’t denying it either. It must be true!”

“You’re teaching the first-years too, right? You’re not just teaching the second and third-years, right?”

The two of them leaned their faces towards me.

At that moment.

“My dear juniors. Aren’t you on an errand right now?”

Stella smiled sweetly and separated the two.

“Ah, that’s right.”

As if they had realized that they were on an errand, they took their faces away from me.

“S-sorry. We’ll go first.”

“We’ll get scolded if we’re late…”

The two of them bowed again and then walked away quickly.

They were full of energy, just like first-year students.

This was also similar to the Obelisk Academy.

“The rumors have already spread to the first-year students…”

Stella, who had returned to her friendly expression from before, twisted her hair as if she was troubled.

“You don’t have to worry about it. It was something that was going to spread eventually anyway.”

From the moment I dueled with Sein-nim, this was inevitable.

It was true that the rumors were spreading a bit fast.

But it wasn’t something to worry about.

“How can I not worry…? If this happens, it will interfere with my plan to monopolize you when no one else is paying attention…”

“…Monopolize?”

“Oops.”

Stella covered her mouth with her right hand.

“Ah, it’s nothing. Hahaha.”

Then, she changed the subject with an expression that was suspicious to anyone.

“Then, let’s go to the next place…”

Just as Stella was about to turn around.

Thud.

Something caught on her foot.

There was an object that looked like a brooch on the floor.

“A training brooch… It looks like the kids dropped it.”

Stella picked up the brooch.

“They’ll get demerits if they lose it. They should be more careful. Sigh. I’ll go take it to them quickly. Please wait a moment.”

Stella sighed deeply and walked towards the annex.

No, she was about to walk.

Tap-!

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

If I hadn’t grabbed her hand, she would have done so.

“This brooch. Can I check it?”

“It’s just a normal training brooch…?”

Stella tilted her head.

“It’ll only take a moment.”

“…Yes.”

Stella handed me the brooch.

I took the brooch and immediately activated my Divine Eye.

Then, I focused all my senses and examined the brooch.

‘…As I thought.’

It wasn’t just my imagination.

‘It’s the aura of Ignis.’

The aura of Ignis was emanating from the brooch.