Genius Wizard Hides His Sword Skills [EN]: Chapter 119

119. Aileen Dolf (2)

“……Ah, ah.”

Admun’s hand reached out, trembling, towards the black letters embroidered in the air.

-Aileen Dolf has been found.

Aileen Dolf. The name made Admun’s body tremble. He had remained indifferent even when discussing the downfall of their family.

“Aileen…….”

Tears welled up in Admun’s eyes as he saw his sister’s name, threatening to spill over at any moment.

“Is she really… really alive?”

Horizo’s message stated that Aileen Dolf had been found, meaning she was still alive.

The guy even knelt down and started wailing at the mention of her name.

‘Huh.’

I couldn’t help but be shocked. In truth, the possibility of Aileen Dolf being alive was slim.

I was searching for her with a hopeful heart, not wanting to give up as long as even a sliver of hope remained.

It had been several years since she was taken away, and I simply wanted to know if she was alive or dead.

[Fortunately, she seems to have survived.]

The news that she was alive made my head spin. Perhaps not as intensely as Admun, but it was news I had desperately hoped for.

‘…So what happened?’

That was my next thought. Horizo wouldn’t have taken such a risk just to tell me she was alive. If that were the case, it would have been more sensible to wait until I returned.

“Angel… Is that the end of the message?”

I looked at Angel’s face, desperately hoping it wasn’t.

“There’s more.”

Fortunately, he shook his head.

“If you wait a moment, it will appear.”

“…Okay.”

Following Angel’s gestures as he muttered something…

Swish!

The black particles floating in the air began to scatter.

[Oh, is it changing to different words?]

The particles rearranged themselves and gathered again, forming new phrases in the air.

-Information has been obtained that violent criminals are being transferred to the Empire’s underground prison. Aileen Dolf has also been classified as one of them.

Angel let out a groan at the phrase.

“V, violent criminal, you say!”

Admun, still kneeling, shouted as if in agony.

“Taking a child who was just minding her own business and calling her a violent criminal!”

Admun looked ready to storm the Magic Tower immediately. Seeing him so agitated for the first time broke my heart.

‘Those damn bastards…’

What kind of place was the Empire’s underground prison? It was known as hell on earth, a prison facility housing only the continent’s most heinous criminals.

It was no place for an ordinary girl like Aileen.

“What did Aileen do!”

Once you went in, there was no getting out; it was a graveyard for criminals. I understood Admun’s feelings completely.

‘They’re obviously sending her away because she won’t listen to them.’

Aileen Dolf had kept the secret of my residence for years. This was a measure taken because they deemed her disobedient.

“…Let’s look at the next phrase for now.”

Angel’s hand, with a frown, moved again.

Swish!

Accordingly, the black particles shifted their arrangement once more. There was more to Horizo’s message.

-The transfer starts at midnight four days from now. It is said to be the route that passes through the Guide’s Road. I thought I should let you know urgently, so I caused a commotion. I’m sorry.

With that phrase, the black dust scattered and fluttered away. That was the end of the message left by Horizo.

‘So that’s why he suddenly escaped.’

Because the time for Aileen’s transfer to the Empire’s underground prison was rapidly approaching. Horizo somehow conveyed the information to me today, coinciding with the Magic Tower’s semester starting.

“Ah, Aileen…….”

Admun shed a tear as he watched the dust dissipate. Aries patted him on the shoulder.

“Sorry for the serious atmosphere… What are you guys talking about?”

Aries looked at me while comforting Admun. She was hearing about Aileen for the first time.

“I don’t understand any of it either. Who is this Aileen, and what is the Empire’s underground prison?”

Carles also wore a frown.

Aileen Dolf, as well as the Empire’s underground prison, were unfamiliar concepts to them.

“Aileen is Admun’s sister.”

Only then did Carles’ eyes widen.

“What? Why is she in prison? A violent criminal? What did she do?”

“…She didn’t do anything. She was just living here with Admun.”

For a while, the story of Admun and Aileen unfolded.

How the Dolf family had lived here and the humiliation they had suffered at the hands of the Magic Tower’s wizards.

Before the story could even be finished…

“These wicked bastards! They’ve taken away their entire livelihood!”

Carles’ roar echoed through the common area.

“Geez! They did such bad things? I knew wizards couldn’t be trusted!”

Aries was also glaring, equally angered by the unfair treatment Admun had endured.

“What are you going to do?”

Angel, with a complicated expression, spoke.

“What else can we do? We have to save her no matter what.”

I had also confirmed that Aileen was alive. Knowing that, I couldn’t allow her to be sent to the Empire’s underground prison. She was Admun’s sister and the last remaining member of the Dolf family.

“Three days from now at midnight…”

There wasn’t much time left before her transfer to the Empire’s underground prison.

“There’s no time for this. Let’s stay up all night and make a plan.”

From now on, there was no time to rest.

* * *

A day passed quickly as I attended the professors’ classes during the day and spent my evenings in the lab.

Three days was not a long time.

“Ian, it’s clear you didn’t just play around during the vacation. Your knowledge has broadened a lot.”

I was simply jotting down my vacation reflections in my research notes, but Alois didn’t hold back his compliments.

“It’s nothing. I just organized the thoughts that came to mind.”

“Hmm. No. Each one is a pretty good idea. Did you spend the vacation with Drew?”

“Yes. We talked a lot and I gained a lot of perspective seeing this and that.”

“Excellent. It must have been a good stimulus for each other.”

Alois gave a pleased smile.

“Are you having dinner outside the Magic Tower again today?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Hmm. You must really like the restaurant in that market. Ah, are you perhaps the protagonist of that rumor?”

“What rumor?”

“The store you frequent. I heard that a boy from Delema [referring to Ian’s noble family] is going to take it over.”

It seemed the rumor had already reached his ears.

“That’s right. I’m in the process of coordinating with the current store owner.”

There was no need to lie; it was the truth.

“Huh… Amazing. You’re really a Delema after all. You like the food so much that you even buy the restaurant.”

Alois’ mouth was slightly agape.

[He’s having a proper reality check.]

It was a behavior that the children of prestigious families sometimes exhibited, a custom to flaunt their wealth by acquiring their favorite stores or inns.

‘That’s not my intention…’

It wasn’t Delema’s money, but the money I earned by selling my own things.

“Haha… Professor, come and eat often too. I’ll give you a discount.”

There was no need to explain the truth. It would have been even stranger if I had already earned such a large sum of money.

“Ah. Um, Professor Alois.”

“Yes?”

“I have some things to do with the restaurant, so can I leave a little early today?”

“Oh, sure, sure. Then go quickly. You have to learn about running a restaurant.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

After a light bow, I left the lab.

Whoosh!

I immediately grabbed the moving marble [a form of transportation] and went outside the Magic Tower.

[…It’s finally midnight today.]

Oberon, with a serious expression. In just a few hours, I would have to fight to get Aileen back.

‘I wonder if I’m nervous; my heart is beating.’

Oberon seemed to understand my feelings, and for once, his expression lacked its usual playfulness.

[You’ll be able to do it.]

The first place I headed to was, of course, the residence. Everyone there was needed for the operation.

The place I arrived at through the crowds of the market was a general store.

“For one.”

The employee, after confirming my face, quietly recited the code. A member of the Council of Origin guided me to the warehouse in the back.

“Thank you.”

Whoosh!

The portal was running inside. Thanks to this portal prepared by Aries, I was able to travel easily.

Whoa…

As the blue light that briefly enveloped me disappeared…

“You’ve arrived.”

The scenery in front of me had changed to the familiar common area.

“Yeah. Angel came back early too.”

“Because we have to carry out the great task in a little while.”

Angel nodded solemnly, and Admun approached him.

“…Thank you. I’m sorry to ask you for this favor, but please help my sister just this once.”

He repeatedly bowed his head whenever he met me.

“Admun.”

“Yes.”

“I’m telling you clearly, I’m not trying to save Aileen because of you. I’m trying to save that child solely because of my greed.”

“E, even if you say that…”

“I’m sorry, but it’s to repay the favor to Ru Dolf [Admun and Aileen’s father], not you. I hope you don’t say anything more about this. You’re not going to argue with me, are you?”

“…No.”

Given Admun’s personality, I had no choice but to speak firmly. Otherwise, he would have felt indebted to me all day long.

“The person who needs to strengthen their heart the most right now is you. Are you going to show this weak side even when facing the wizards of the Magic Tower? Don’t show a weak side.”

Only then did Admun clench his fists.

“I understand.”

At the words “wizards of the Magic Tower,” a strong fighting spirit ignited in his eyes.

“Then check the things you’ve prepared again. Your role is by no means small.”

“Yes. I will prepare without any setbacks.”

Admun went to a corner of the common area and organized his things. No more discouraged 모습 [Korean: appearance] could be found on his back.

“Heh. You’re a master at manipulating people?”

It was Aries who was drawing a magic circle.

“Is there a problem?”

“No way. Sigh, but I really can’t be left out, can I?”

“Don’t say such a thing. Not even one of us can be left out.”

“Tsk! It’s my fate! I’m going to end up fighting the wizards of the Magic Tower because I got caught up in something wrong! Aigo! [Korean exclamation of frustration]”

That’s what she said, but she was the most furious when she heard Aileen’s story.

‘She’s already prepared everything.’

The makeshift magic circles engraved on her body were shining black, but she was just making groaning sounds for no reason.

“Ahem. I’m done preparing too.”

“Carles-nim [honorific title]. Thank you for lending your strength.”

Carles smiled, waving his big hand.

“It’s to help a friend; how can I be 빠질 수 있는가 [Korean: be left out]?”

He was reliable just by being there. Carles, who would not be 밀리지 않을 [Korean: be pushed back] to anyone in 무위 [Korean: unarmed combat].

“When are you going to 출정 [Korean: depart]?”

“I’m going to leave right now.”

A struggle to save Aileen Dolf. A small movement of the night began.