The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 138

The dream I had wasn’t a fabrication, but something that actually happened.

That thought complicated my mind.

‘You seem to have a complicated mind.’

Asran spoke nonchalantly, as if he had read my complex feelings through my expression.

‘May I ask you just one thing?’

‘What is it?’

I paused for a moment, then slowly began to speak.

‘The world in the dream was very peaceful. There wasn’t even a hint of discord, let alone a small squabble. The city was full of hope.’

‘That’s right. It was right after the long war had ended, and complete peace had arrived.’

The capital of the Vaitainer Empire was very beautiful and peaceful.

The birds were chirping, the children were laughing, and the adults were full of energy.

As Asran said, it was the very picture of peace right after all the wars had ended.

‘Nevertheless, Master was convinced that he would die soon.’

But even in that peaceful world, Master didn’t seem happy at all.

Looking at his trembling right arm, Master said that his lifespan wouldn’t be long, and he looked quite pitiful.

I couldn’t understand that scene at all.

‘What on earth happened in the past?’

The fact that the war ended and peace came meant that the Vaitainer Empire had won the war.

I don’t know who the enemy was, but judging from the atmosphere of the capital, it must have been a victory close to perfect.

Yet, despite that, Master was dying.

‘Did he suffer a major injury in the final battle?’

There is no victory without wounds.

Was Master’s injury the price of victory?

Did he suffer a fatal wound while fighting an unknown enemy, and did that wound lead to his death?

‘If so, who was it that inflicted such a great wound on Master? Who on earth could have inflicted such a wound on Ray Bell Vaitainer… the founder of the Vaitainer style?’

This was the most incomprehensible thing.

The founder of the Vaitainer style, and the founder of magic.

A legendary archmage who shattered the sky, overturned the earth, rained down lightning, and transcended time and space.

I, who have inherited the Vaitainer style, know better than anyone how powerful a mage he was.

No, I can tell just by looking at this place. Ray Bell Vaitainer had such great power that he could create a new world based on past records. That is my master.

Who on earth, and how, could have led such a master to his death?

‘What on earth…’

I couldn’t understand it at all.

‘Hmm. I thought you said you’d only ask one question.’

Asran replied with a still nonchalant expression.

‘…I’m sorry. As I talked, one question kept leading to another.’

‘Well, it doesn’t matter. After all, the context was all the same question. In short, you want to know what happened in the past. Isn’t that right?’

‘Yes. That’s correct.’

Asran closed his mouth and met my gaze for a moment.

As if trying to see something through my gaze, he stared intently only at my pupils.

‘Hmm.’

About a minute passed like that.

Asran suddenly closed his eyes.

His furrowed brow showed his complicated feelings.

‘If it was a question that was difficult to answer…’

‘No. It’s not that it’s difficult. The reason I’m hesitating like this is because I don’t know where to start and how much to explain. It might be surprising, but I’m not good at explaining things.’

‘…’

That was very unexpected.

I thought he seemed cool and intelligent, so I thought he would be good at explaining things like this.

‘…No, saying it’s not difficult would be a lie. To be honest, it is difficult. It’s like explaining my own flaws with my own mouth.’

Asran frowned even more sharply. From that expression, feelings like regret were conveyed without filter.

‘…A flaw.’

For Asran, who was Master’s vassal, Master’s death was a flaw in itself.

He must still hate himself for not being able to protect Master.

I don’t know for sure, but if Asran’s personality in the dream is anything to go by, he’s probably still holding it in his heart.

‘Okay. I don’t know how to explain it, and it’s also difficult to explain, so I won’t answer your question.’

‘What? That’s…’

I was momentarily stunned by his utterly selfish words.

He doesn’t want to, so he won’t do it.

What kind of irresponsible thing is that to say?

‘Don’t misunderstand. I said I wouldn’t answer, but I didn’t say I wouldn’t resolve your questions.’

‘…What?’

It was an incomprehensible statement.

How can he resolve my questions without answering them?

‘Besides me, there’s one more person who can resolve your questions.’

A person other than Asran who can resolve my questions.

If there is such a person…

‘Are you talking about Mimir?’

As far as I know, there’s only Mimir.

‘Yes. Go back and hear the details from Mimir.’

‘…’

I glared at Asran.

Doesn’t he know that Mimir can’t talk about that until I pass the fifth trial page?

‘If you look at me like that one more time, I’ll pluck those eyeballs out.’

Was my gaze a bit much?

Asran sent a warning with a sharp gaze.

I quickly turned my gaze away.

‘Just so you know, I’m well aware of Mimir’s restrictions.’

…He knew.

‘Then why…?’

Knowing that Mimir can’t speak because of the restrictions, he’s telling me to listen to Mimir.

What kind of bizarre logic is this?

‘Hmm. You seem smart, but you’re also strangely stupid in these areas. I didn’t think you wouldn’t notice something this obvious.’

Asran clicked his tongue softly, looking at me like I was a hopeless case.

‘Mimir can’t talk about the past because of the restrictions until you pass the fifth trial page.’

Asran said calmly.

‘And I, who know that, just told you to go out and listen to Mimir.’

My eyes slowly widened.

‘I, who am in charge of the fifth trial page.’

‘Could it be…’

I felt like I knew what Asran was about to say.

‘What you said earlier about me passing… it wasn’t just about passing the first gate…’

‘That’s right. I told you. Your wit, wisdom, and skill were more than enough to give you a passing grade.’

The corners of Asran’s mouth slightly lifted.

‘You have passed the fifth trial page, the test of qualification.’

My eyes widened as much as they could.

‘If you understand, go to Mimir now.’

Asran moved his right hand once horizontally and once vertically, drawing a cross shape.

At that moment, the air swirled and a rift was created.

No, not a rift, but a gate, or a portal.

‘Get up. You should be able to move soon.’

‘What? There’s no way I can get up already…’

Considering the pain from earlier, it didn’t make sense that I could get up already.

‘Just get up.’

‘Ah, yes.’

I slowly got up from my seat.

I expected a tremendous pain to come, but unlike my expectations, the pain wasn’t that great.

There was still a little recovery pain left, but it wasn’t to the point where I couldn’t move.

‘What kind of medicine has such a fast effect?’

The hellish pain from earlier felt like a lie.

What kind of medicine did he give me?

‘Instead of looking at me like that, just go in.’

Asran pointed his chin at the portal. I looked at the portal once, then turned my gaze back to Asran.

‘Th, thank you.’

‘What are you talking about all of a sudden?’

Asran frowned with a cold expression.

‘For saving my life and even giving me this medicine. Thank you so much.’

‘…’

‘And for even letting me pass so quickly. I don’t know how to thank you…’

Asran’s gaze became increasingly narrow.

‘I won’t forget this favor. Thank you again…’

‘You. You don’t think this is the end, do you?’

‘…What?’

Asran scoffed.

‘The role I was given by my lord is to evaluate you and teach you. Of these two, I haven’t even started teaching yet.’

‘Ah.’

This was what Elena had also said.

She said that she was an examiner and a training instructor at the same time.

‘That means…’

‘What you passed was just the first test. The second test hasn’t even started yet. You fool.’

‘…Oh, I see.’

I felt awkward for a moment.

I said those words because I thought it was the end. I didn’t know it wasn’t the end.

In the third trial page, the page disappeared at the same time as passing. So, I thought it would disappear this time as well.

‘Don’t be arrogant. You’re still lacking. The reason I said you passed is because I thought you would be able to pass the Labyrinth of Desire safely. You’re not ready to become a 6-circle yet.’

‘…Yes. I’m sorry.’

‘If you understand, go now. Don’t bother me anymore.’

‘Yes. I understand.’

I stood in front of the portal, suppressing the recovery pain.

‘Then, I’ll see you later.’

Asran didn’t answer.

He just gestured with his chin to tell me to go.

I bowed slightly to Asran and stepped into the portal.

* * *

I returned to my room and immediately headed to Mimir.

‘Mimir. I’m back.’

‘Successor! It’s only been 5 hours, how did you pass…’

Mimir, who was running towards me with a shocked expression, lost her words when she saw my appearance.

‘What happened to you? What happened? Where are you hurt?’

Mimir quickly sat me down on the sofa and examined my body with a serious expression.

‘Your Infinity Circle [a core of magical power] is a mess. Ugh. And what is this wound? What mistake did you make to end up like this?’

Mimir pressed her lips together with an expression that she was upset to death.

‘Looking at you coming back in 5 hours… Successor. Did you push yourself to clear the labyrinth quickly? Ignoring my warning…’

‘It’s not like that, so calm down.’

I moved my hands up and down, gesturing for her to calm down.

‘Then what is it? No matter how dangerous the fifth trial page is, it’s not to the point where you can’t clear it if you keep your mind straight.’

Mimir glared at me with a fierce look. It was an expression that said, ‘Try saying something.’

‘Well, at the first gate…’

I slowly talked about what happened on the fifth trial page.

The fact that four out-of-rank disaster species were waiting in each passage.

The fact that I made Darkness and Horus fight to get through the passage.

The fact that I was injured in the battle between the two monsters.

Finally, I told her everything, from passing the first gate through the solution to Asran saving me.

‘That’s how it happened.’

Mimir’s expression became even more serious than before after hearing the story. Before, it was a resentful expression born from worry, but now it was a murderous expression.

‘That idiot Asran… He said he took out all four at the first gate…’

Mimir gritted her teeth.

It was an expression that showed she felt genuine murderous intent towards Asran.

‘He’s always like that. He’s always acting on his own. He doesn’t even think about other people’s feelings and judges things on his own. That’s why he and Elena…’

As if some pent-up resentment had burst out, she began to grumble endlessly.

‘…I wondered why Mimir didn’t tell me about the out-of-rank disaster species. She just didn’t know.’

I was wondering why she told me everything else but didn’t tell me about the most dangerous out-of-rank disaster species.

Now my question was answered.

‘It’s annoying. Asran is really annoying.’

Mimir chewed her lips. As expected, the relationship between Asran and Mimir wasn’t that good.

No, Asran didn’t seem to dislike her that much.

Is Mimir the only one who dislikes him?

‘Anyway, you ate the medicine that Asran gave you, right?’

‘Huh? Oh. It was effective.’

‘Okay. That’s good.’

The color of worry completely disappeared from Mimir’s expression.

All that remained was annoyance towards Asran.

‘Since you ate Asran’s elixir, your wounds will be completely healed within 5 hours. You can just leave it alone.’

‘…Elixir? What I ate was an elixir?’

Elixir.

A panacea that only appears in myths. I ate that?

‘Yeah. You ate it without even knowing?’

‘…Yeah. I just ate it because he told me to.’

I didn’t know it was such a great medicine.

‘Can’t he just explain things…’

Mimir frowned again.

‘Sigh. What’s the point of talking?’

Then, she realized that it was meaningless and sighed deeply.

‘But seeing that he even made an elixir, it seems like the successor is to his liking.’

‘…Really?’

He didn’t seem to like me that much.

‘Yeah. Seeing that he even let you pass, it’s 100%.’

‘…Hmm.’

Well.

Whatever the case, since the condition for passing was clearing the labyrinth, he didn’t have to let me pass.

Looking at it that way, it seems like he does like me.

His attitude didn’t show any signs of it though.

‘Anyway, congratulations on passing the fifth trial page.’

‘Thank you.’

Mimir clapped her hands lightly and congratulated me on passing.

‘But you came back really quickly? Didn’t you ask Asran about Ray?’

‘I did ask. I asked, but…’

‘But?’

‘He told me to go out and listen to you?’

‘…’

Mimir’s brow furrowed again.

‘He’s passing it on to me again…? Seriously…’

Mimir gritted her teeth.

I roughly knew what the relationship between Mimir and Asran was like.

Mimir was ranting about Asran at a speed that would put a machine gun to shame.

About 3 minutes passed like that.

‘Sigh. I, the kind one, have to be patient.’

Mimir, who had a somewhat refreshed expression, turned her gaze to me.

‘Okay. What are you curious about? No, how much do you know?’

‘Hmm. I don’t know the details. Just that Master received a terminal diagnosis for some reason after the war ended…?’

‘…How do you know only the important points so accurately?’

‘I experienced Asran’s memories as a dream while I was unconscious.’

‘…That’s a crazy situation.’

Mimir nodded, looking at me with an expression as if she was looking at a strange animal.

‘Whatever the case, I’ll have to explain from the beginning. Since you only know the result.’

‘Right.’

‘Okay. I roughly understand.’

Mimir got up from her seat, cleared her throat slightly, and bowed her head to me.

‘First, before I explain. I need to reintroduce myself.’

‘Why… now?’

‘Just be quiet and listen.’

Mimir lifted her skirt and bowed her head slightly.

It was like a noble’s etiquette. I don’t know which country’s greeting it was, but I knew right away that it was a formal etiquette.

‘My name is Mimir. Mimir Bell Vaitainer.’

‘…Huh?’

What did she just say?

‘I am the only direct descendant of Ray Bell Vaitainer, and the first princess of the Vaitainer Empire.’

‘…Princess?’

My eyes widened like lanterns.

Mimir is Master’s daughter?