Genius Wizard Hides His Sword Skills [EN]: Chapter 54

54. Forgotten Time

“Closed… you mean?”

Admun’s voice trembled. The moonlight, which had risen unnoticed, illuminated the boy’s turned face. His gently wavering eyes turned to me.

“Yeah. It’s useless for the time being. No matter how well you know it, I’m worried about you sneaking in and out among the Magic Tower researchers.”

“I see.”

Admun simply nodded. He must have been disappointed.

‘It’s a place the Dolph family has protected for a thousand years.’

Even without it being Adonis Khan’s hideout, it was a place where the descendants of the Dolph family had lived for generations.

“I’m okay.”

But he soon wore a small smile.

“What I’ve been protecting isn’t just that place. Protecting the roots Khan left behind was our true calling. Now that I’ve met Ain-nim, that place no longer holds great meaning.”

“I’m grateful that you think so. We’re just taking the items out for now, not getting rid of it entirely, so don’t worry too much.”

After all, without the help of the Gui-gwang Clan, it was impossible to even dismantle the barrier. It was merely being vacated for a while.

“If you go now, the timing will be perfect. The mages will be at dinner, so they’ll be away for about an hour.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

As expected, Admun was very familiar with the geography of this place. He moved through the ruins excavation site as if it were his own home.

[It seems like no one’s here.]

As we entered the familiar tent, the orange barrier greeted us.

“Then, let’s begin.”

Admun wore a determined expression. He continued with the 20 questions and answers.

[Kyak!]

The questions were filled only with praise for the knight Adonis. Oberon clutched his stomach.

‘…This is why it needs to be closed.’

I shook my head and stepped forward. Thanks to Admun, who quickly finished the questions and answers, the barrier was revealing its entrance.

“So, are you going to move the items to a subspace?”

“That’s the plan. There’s no limit to space there.”

“I see.”

The first thing I took when I arrived at the underground plaza was…

“Let’s take these odds and ends first.”

A shelf filled with loot.

‘I need to pay off some debts with this.’

They were of little use to me, but if they were revealed to the world, they would attract the attention of merchants. Each one was clearly a piece of equipment that would shake up the market.

Wooong!

I opened Illimita’s portal and picked up the items. The portal grew to fit the size of the items. It looked as if it was opening its mouth to swallow them.

[Indeed, it’s a masterpiece.]

After putting all the spoils away, my next gaze turned to…

“Let’s take those over there too.”

Another barrier inside. I had to take all the numerous martial arts books and the weapons I used in my past life without exception.

* * *

“I was a little sad, but after organizing and coming out, I feel refreshed.”

We hurried out before the mages finished their meal and returned.

“Yeah. We might need it again someday. Let’s leave it like this for now.”

If the Magic Tower researchers couldn’t break the barrier, it could be useful someday.

Of course, even if they did break the barrier, there was nothing to worry about now. Since I had taken all the items inside, they would just suffer and come up empty-handed.

[If they break the barrier and go inside, their expressions will be worth seeing, right?]

Instead, we left a small gift in preparation for when the mages broke the barrier.

‘They’ll be pissed.’

We wrote ‘You Dumbasses’ in large letters on the floor of the plaza before we left.

“It’s almost time for them to come, so let’s get out of here quickly.”

Admun pointed in a different direction than when we came in.

“It’s safer this way to get out.”

We were about to move our feet according to his words for a moment.

“Wait.”

I whispered quietly and put my hand on the dagger at my waist.

“Wasn’t that tent pulled up earlier?”

One of the tents near where we were heading. It was clearly pulled up, but now it was down.

“Yes. Something’s wrong.”

Admun also sensed something and clenched his fist.

Thud!

At that moment, a sound came from inside the tent. It was the sound of a branch breaking.

‘There’s definitely someone there.’

If someone was watching us, we couldn’t just pass by quietly. I took out my dagger and carefully moved towards the tent.

[Is it a Magic Tower researcher?]

It was a headache. He must be at least a 5-star mage. Moreover, even if I succeeded in harming him, the aftermath would be a problem.

‘But I can’t just let it go.’

Since they saw us coming out of the barrier, the water had already been spilled [the situation is irreversible].

‘First, I’ll take care of it.’

I summoned a fireball in my left hand and waited for the timing for a moment.

‘…!’

It was the other party who broke the momentary silence.

Flap-

A person fell forward, pushing aside the tent. Just as I was about to extend my left hand to fire the fireball.

“G- Young Master!”

The other party shouted, bowing deeply.

“It’s me! Don’t attack!”

A huge man trembling with his head bowed.

“Aiteo…?”

The man I saw in Anti gave an awkward smile.

“S-Sorry. I was just trying to time when to leave, but….”

I was a little embarrassed, but my mind quickly calmed down.

‘…It’s not a mage, that’s what matters.’

I was just grateful that the situation wouldn’t become complicated.

“Why are you in the ruins? Did you follow me?”

“Ah, yes. Angel-nim told me to wait near the Magic Tower and let you know our hideout when you came out.”

“The location of the Circle of Reason?”

“Yes. I was going to tell you when you got a little further away, because I thought you’d be in trouble if I talked to you near the Magic Tower. But I missed the timing and came all the way here….”

He had been following me from the Magic Tower.

‘His ability to hide is really good.’

His ability to sneak in here without being noticed was commendable.

“Hoo. Next time, don’t surprise me, tell me in advance.”

“I’m sorry.”

“So, where did you set up the hideout? No, let’s go together now. I have something to ask Angel too.”

“Oh! I’ll take you there.”

Aiteo, who had finally gotten up from the floor. His expression was much more relaxed.

“And next time, don’t kneel or anything. I hate that.”

“Ah, yes!”

He happily took the lead.

“You have to go this way to get out. You can’t go that way now.”

Of course, Admun’s words made him stutter.

* * *

[It seems they’ve set up shop in the market.]

The place Aiteo led me to was a corner of Ias’s market.

“Here it is.”

Among them, the most familiar place.

‘Oh?’

It was right next to the restaurant I had visited on the first day.

“Let’s go in.”

A two-story building without a sign. When I opened the door and went inside.

“Welcome.”

A female employee sitting at a small counter greeted us with a smile.

‘The exterior is a general store.’

The odds and ends visible beyond that. It was the Circle of Reason, disguised as a general store, gathering various items.

“We’ve been waiting for you.”

The employee who greeted me, who was looking around. As if she knew of my existence, she bowed again.

[This woman must be a member of the Circle of Reason, right?]

‘Probably.’

She headed behind the counter.

“You can come this way.”

A wooden door appeared when the carpet on the floor was removed. Creak- When the employee lifted the door, stairs leading down were stretched out. It seemed that a separate space was prepared underground.

“Thank you.”

I left her, who was bowing, behind and took a step.

[It’s quite deep.]

The stairs continued for a while. Relying on the occasional torch, I walked for a while.

‘Oho.’

A huge cavity greeted us.

“Have you arrived?”

Angel was smiling inside.

“It’s a secret place.”

“It’s the perfect place for people like us to settle down.”

The cavity was quite spacious, comparable to the space inside my barrier. It was enough for an organization to settle down.

“When did you scout out a place like this?”

“This place was originally one of our branches. Fortunately, the space was large, so there was no problem moving it.”

“That’s a great organizational power. Are there many such branches in other cities?”

“Yes. Not in small and medium-sized cities, but most major cities have them.”

As expected, it was a huge scale.

“How many members are there?”

“There are three hundred mages with 5 stars or more. There are about a hundred who have honed their martial arts.”

It was a more amazing group than I had imagined.

‘Are they spread all over the continent?’

I wondered how they had hidden this power until now.

“That’s amazing.”

“You flatter me. We were just preparing to carry out the words that Angelos-nim left a thousand years ago.”

Angel bowed lightly. But I couldn’t help but tilt my head.

‘Words left a thousand years ago…?’

I couldn’t guess what the content was.

“If it’s the words of a thousand years ago?”

I asked, trying to maintain a calm expression.

“Wasn’t the reason the Preacher found us to carry out the great cause soon?”

Angel asked back.

‘The great cause….’

But I couldn’t get a sense of it at all.

‘I shouldn’t make a mistake. I can’t say I don’t know what it is.’

If I said something wrong, it could be revealed that I was not the Preacher of Angelos.

[Let’s just say yes for now.]

‘That would be better, right?’

For now, I had no choice but to pretend to know and match his tone.

“That’s right. Angelos says he will also carry out the great cause.”

As if there was an Angelos next to me. I nodded.

‘What is it?’

Then Angel’s expression hardened a little.

‘Did I make a mistake?’

My heart sank. It was possible that he had just said something to test me, since he was so thorough.

Just as I was about to turn the conversation around, Angel bowed his head first.

“I’m sorry. You came to save the world, but our preparations are not yet perfect. It seems that we need a little more time to start the great cause.”

I didn’t know what he was talking about, but I maintained my composure.

“Is that so? That can’t be helped.”

“But at the current trajectory, it will be possible to execute it within a few years. Maybe by the time you graduate from the Magic Tower, our scale will be about that much.”

It was a relief. It meant that there would be no immediate accidents.

‘I’ve been worried for ten years.’

I was worried that they would start a war against the world for no reason. Now, I just had to find out what the great cause was naturally.

[I bought some time.]

I stroked my surprised heart.

‘What are those?’

A bookshelf placed behind Angel. There were several books in it.

As my gaze turned to it, Angel’s explanation followed.

“These are the books that Angelos passed down a thousand years ago and the records of the past leaders. You can think of it as the history of the Circle of Reason.”

“Can I take a look?”

“Of course. Feel free to look.”

Naturally, I headed towards the bookshelf. I might be able to find out what the great cause that Angelos wanted to carry out was.

[I can also find out how these guys have survived.]

It was a moment when I could also uncover the reason why the Circle of Reason was able to continue its history for the past thousand years.

“Excuse me. Then, the rest of you can talk comfortably.”

I picked up the book on the far left of the bookshelf.