The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 265

The Rebirth of the Mythical Archmage-266

The next day.

It was an ambiguous time, not quite dawn and not quite morning.

I sat alone in a corner of the room, circulating my mana.

‘Indeed. My circle has become incomparably stronger than before.’

After my master entered and left my body.

My circle had grown to an extent that was incomparable to before.

How should I put this?

It’s like hardware that wasn’t functioning properly due to software deficiencies is now finally working at its full capacity.

It might sound arrogant to say it myself, but I feel pathetic about my past self.

To think I was letting such a treasure rot like that.

I should apologize to the Infinity Circle for that.

I’m sorry for not using you properly until now.

“Hoo.”

Mana flowed through the Infinity Circle at a much faster rate than before.

I released that mana directly outside my body, condensing it into a single form.

The Möbius strip, symbolizing infinity [a loop with no beginning or end].

A symbol representing the ring of awakening was formed above my head, emitting a soft light.

It was the first stage of acquiring the ring of awakening: activating the symbol.

‘That’s the first stage.’

Next, I reduced the mana output to shrink the symbol.

The symbol shrank to about half the size of my fingernail.

With this, the second stage of acquiring the ring of awakening, ‘reduction,’ was also complete.

‘Stage two is also clear.’

Now, all that’s left are stages three and four.

Expansion and division.

I took another deep breath. Then, I maximized the mana output that I had reduced.

‘It feels like opening all the faucets on my body at once….’

Mana flowed out in an instant.

The mana output speed was so fast that my body emptied out in an instant.

The sudden mana outflow made my head spin for a moment.

It seems I released too much mana.

Next time, I should leave at least 3% more mana before releasing it.

I reflected on my mistake and controlled the released mana.

The vast mana gathered into the Möbius symbol according to my will.

And then, it became one with the Möbius symbol.

Whoosh!

It expanded.

The Möbius symbol, which was only half the size of my fingernail, suddenly grew, becoming large enough to cover about half the room.

‘With this, stage three is also clear.’

Expansion is also clear with this.

Now, all that’s left is the final stage, stage four.

Division.

Before making the final attempt, I took another deep breath.

I focused my mind and controlled the mana I had released again.

Then, I split the symbol into two.

‘The feeling of cutting clay in half and then putting it back together.’

The symbol slowly split in half, like an amoeba dividing.

Cold sweat poured down my forehead like rain.

Division is on a different level than making the symbol bigger or smaller.

It’s a considerable challenge to divide something that was originally one into two, but it’s an even bigger challenge to perfectly control the two divided symbols.

Moreover, this isn’t done in stages, but simultaneously.

This is ridiculously difficult.

Even with my circle fully matured thanks to my master’s grace, I haven’t succeeded properly even once.

‘…Just a little more. Just a little… just a little…!’

I desperately controlled my mana, focusing on dividing the symbol.

I tried my best to soothe the symbol that was trying to escape my control.

I suppressed my throbbing head as much as possible.

I poured all my strength into controlling the mana.

It’s really not much left now.

‘1mm. Just 1mm is enough!’

I just need to go that much further.

But.

“Kuh!”

Clang!

Unfortunately, I couldn’t go that 1mm further.

Or rather, I did go further, but I failed to control it because I was too impatient.

I was too impatient because it was the last step.

‘If I had been a little more calm, I would have succeeded.’

It’s a shame.

I’m truly disappointed.

Success was right in front of me.

I held my throbbing head, trying to soothe my disappointment after the symbol was destroyed.

But still, I did go one step further than yesterday.

Let’s be satisfied with this for today.

I can succeed tomorrow.

Thanks to my master, I’ve also achieved rapid growth unintentionally.

There’s no need to be impatient at all.

“Hoo.”

I focused on calming the aftereffects while controlling my mind like that.

* * *

That day at lunch.

After recovering from the aftereffects of failing to control the Möbius symbol.

I headed straight to Vinoche.

‘How will it go?’

Today, I plan to tell Stella everything.

I wonder what kind of reaction Stella will have.

Honestly, I’m worried.

Won’t she be furious with betrayal?

Maybe she’ll glare at me with murderous eyes, saying, ‘You’ve been deceiving me all this time.’

If I were her, I think I would.

I would have felt betrayed and furious.

‘Hoo. It’s my karma, though….’

Even though it was to achieve my goal, the fact that I deceived everyone in Vinoche remains unchanged.

It’s entirely my fault if Stella resents me.

Therefore, accepting Stella’s anger is my responsibility and duty.

I will humbly accept it, take all the anger, and then.

I’ll try to reconcile somehow.

I made that resolution.

‘Let’s go.’

My mind is clear.

I headed straight to the guest room where Stella was waiting.

And just as I was about to knock.

Tap tap tap tap-!

I heard someone rushing from inside the room.

Then, before I could even knock, the door swung open.

Stella appeared, looking flustered.

And before she could even check my face, she shouted.

“Lu, Luan-nim!?”

“……!”

My eyes widened at the sudden mention of Luan’s name.

What on earth is going on?

Did Sein-nim perhaps tell Stella beforehand?

No, that can’t be.

She wouldn’t do that.

Since she told me to tell her, she wouldn’t say a word until I did.

Sein-nim definitely didn’t say anything.

‘Then what is it?’

Why did Stella suddenly say that?

Why did she suddenly come out and mention Luan?

I couldn’t understand this situation at all.

Since I don’t understand, I don’t know what to say.

I came to reveal the truth, but I can’t say it’s not true.

And I can’t just suddenly say, ‘Yes, that’s right.’

I had no choice but to remain silent.

“…….”

“…….”

After checking my face and realizing that I wasn’t Luan.

Stella stammered with a bewildered expression. I could tell just by her expression and gestures. Stella is very confused right now.

“I, I’m sorry. I made a mistake….”

Stella, who was in chaos, seemed to have finished organizing her thoughts and bowed her head to me.

It seems she thinks she made a mistake.

“No, it’s not something you need to apologize for.”

It’s not that she made a mistake, and in the first place, I’m the one who should apologize.

It’s not something Stella should apologize for.

I gestured with my hands and feet, urging Stella to raise her head.

But Stella didn’t seem to want to raise her head.

She just kept her head down, staring blankly at the ground.

“Um, Stella-yang?”

As I called Stella’s name again.

Stella muttered softly with her head down.

“……No. It can’t be. It’s definitely him.”

Then, she slowly raised her head and stared straight at my face.

“Definitely… it’s him.”

As if looking at my face wasn’t enough, she reached out and touched my face here and there.

Eyes, nose, cheeks, and even lips.

“It’s definitely a different person. Why…?”

A confused expression.

A face like a pitiful lamb agonizing over the discrepancy.

“No. It’s him. This mana is Luan-nim’s.”

But that was only for a moment.

As if she had come to a conclusion herself, she looked straight into my eyes with a determined expression.

She grabbed my cheeks with both hands and fixed my face as if to make me look straight into her eyes.

“You are Luan-nim, right?”

“…….”

I remained silent.

It was the moment to affirm, but I couldn’t read the situation, so I couldn’t speak.

“Not denying it means it’s true.”

Silence is affirmation.

Stella smiled brightly, as if she was sure that I was Luan.

And then, just like that.

“Luan-nim!”

She hugged me.

“You’re alive! Yes. I thought so. Of course. You’re none other than Luan-nim. There’s no way you’d die from just that.”

Then, she buried her face in my shoulder and cried out as if sobbing.

“I knew it all along. I… I knew it all….”

My shoulder was gradually getting wet. Stella’s tears were soaking my clothes.

Stella’s trembling back.

I gently stroked Stella’s back as she cried so sadly.

How she knew that I was Luan Palatia.

Whether she was angry or not.

There were a mountain of things I was curious about, but I didn’t bother to say them out loud.

I’m not so clueless as to say such things in this situation.

“……Sorry.”

I stroked Stella’s back as gently as possible and said sorry with all my heart.

Was it because of my apology that all the pent-up resentment, worry, and sadness burst out at once?

“Waaaaah!”

Stella started crying loudly.

The tears flowing down my shoulder felt like shackles of guilt, tightening around my heart.

* * *

After that, I headed to Sein-nim’s room.

“Come in.”

As if she had sensed my presence, the moment I stood in front of the room, I heard her telling me to come in before I could even knock.

I opened the door and stepped into the room.

“So. Did the talk go well?”

“……Yes. It went well.”

After that, I told her everything, including the reason and purpose for acting as Luan Palatia.

I successfully achieved my goal of telling Stella everything.

“I could hear the sound of someone wailing all the way here.”

Sein-nim trailed off meaningfully with a sly expression.

She had an expression that showed she was looking forward to what I would say.

“……Yes. I, I am the sinner.”

As if it didn’t matter that I had deceived her.

Stella was genuinely happy about my survival.

That made my heart ache even more.

To think I deceived such a kind child and hurt her feelings.

I felt like guilt was weighing down my entire body.

“She’s so pure and kind, unlike me.”

Sein-nim smiled softly, as if thinking of Stella.

It was a mother’s smile.

“I’ll give you one last warning. If you hurt that child one more time. Then….”

Then.

There was no need to say what would come after that.

“Yes. I will keep it in mind.”

I nodded with a bitter smile.

Seeing me like that, Sein-nim chuckled.

“So. What is Stella doing now?”

“She’s asleep.”

“Is she sleeping soundly?”

“Yes. She’s sleeping without a care in the world.”

“……Okay. That’s good then.”

Sein-nim let out a small sigh, looking relieved.

Judging by her reaction and words, it seems Stella hasn’t been sleeping properly until now.

That’s why she’s so relieved that she’s asleep.

“Then, I can move on to the main topic with peace of mind.”

At that moment, Sein-nim’s atmosphere changed completely.

From an atmosphere like a mother who worries about and loves her daughter, to an atmosphere like a swordsman facing an enemy.

The warmth disappeared like melting snow, and only a coldness like the Siberian north wind filled the surroundings.

“Alright. Now, tell me. What is the true meaning of what you said? The swordsmanship of Vinoche. And all swordsmanship….”

She had a murderous expression, as if she would swallow me whole right now.

“What does it mean to be a half-baked thing that has lost its honor?”

Sein-nim’s murderous intent tightened around my entire body like a rope.