The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 281

—Three months from now. We plan to raid the Black Magic Tower’s base.

Sophia got straight to the point.

“The Black Magic Tower’s base… you found it?”

—Yes. We found it.

The Blue Magic Tower Lord’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Then the reason you called me here is…”

—Yes. It’s to ask for your cooperation.

“……”

The Blue Magic Tower Lord, with wide eyes, pondered for a moment.

Then, as if suddenly realizing something, he looked at me, the Red Magic Tower Lord, and the Green Magic Tower Lord in turn.

“…You all aren’t surprised. Did you already know?”

“I knew.”

“It’s been a while.”

Min Ga-yeon and James answered in turn.

I nodded slightly to affirm.

“So, I was the only one who didn’t know…”

Kim Kang-in’s brow furrowed slightly.

He looked like he wanted to ask why they were only telling him now.

—I hope you don’t misunderstand. It’s not that we didn’t trust the Blue Magic Tower Lord.

“Then why…”

—The situation wasn’t favorable.

Sophia smiled wryly and slowly explained the reason.

—There was a spy from the Black Magic Tower infiltrated in the Blue Magic Tower. It was too risky to approach carelessly. That’s why we didn’t tell you.

The Blue Magic Tower Lord’s eyes widened, and he jumped up from his seat.

“You said there’s a spy… in our tower?”

—Yes.

“Is that confirmed?”

—It is. I guarantee it with my name.

“That… can’t be…”

The Blue Magic Tower Lord slumped down, looking dazed.

Since he thought of the people in the Blue Magic Tower as family, the shock must be greater than I imagined.

“Who is it?”

The Blue Magic Tower Lord’s expression was filled with murderous intent.

“Who is the traitor… who dared to betray their comrades… their family?”

The raw hatred for the traitor was evident in his eyes.

—I knew you’d react like that.

Sophia looked at the Blue Magic Tower Lord with a sad expression.

Whether there was a spy in the Blue Magic Tower or not, we could have contacted the Blue Magic Tower Lord if we wanted to.

But we didn’t do that on purpose.

What was the reason?

—The reason we didn’t share the information with you is precisely because of your personality. You wouldn’t be able to choose to leave the spy alone, knowing there’s a spy in the tower.

That was the reason.

The Blue Magic Tower Lord wasn’t someone who could pretend not to know about the spy’s existence.

—In the previous situation where we had to leave the spy alone to eliminate them, your personality was too big of a variable.

“If I had known you were preparing such an operation, I wouldn’t have acted. I’m not that foolish.”

The Blue Magic Tower Lord frowned, looking somewhat offended.

—I know. Of course, you could have endured it.

“Then…”

—But that would only be enduring. You wouldn’t have been able to treat the spy with the same natural attitude as before. And there’s a high probability that the spy would have noticed something was off.

“That’s…”

The Blue Magic Tower Lord lowered his gaze and trailed off.

He wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t.

—We didn’t share the information with you to avoid that uncertainty.

That’s why we acted without the Blue Magic Tower Lord.

—Do you understand?

“…Yes.”

The Blue Magic Tower Lord bowed his head with a complicated expression.

He seemed to be deep in thought.

“Then, the reason you’re sharing that information with me now is…”

—Yes.

Sophia’s eyes gleamed with a fierce light.

—It’s because the preparations for the spy roundup operation are almost complete. Now you don’t have to endure it anymore.

The spy roundup operation that we had been preparing since before I left for France.

Now, the only thing left to do is to execute the operation.

Now, there’s no problem in sharing everything with the Blue Magic Tower Lord.

—So, I’ll ask you again formally. Will you please lend me your strength?

Sophia looked directly into the Blue Magic Tower Lord’s eyes with a determined gaze.

“That’s a question that doesn’t need an answer.”

The Blue Magic Tower Lord’s eyes blazed with hatred and anger.

“What do you need me to do?”

* * *

That dawn.

After returning to my dorm room, I immediately contacted Adela.

“Sorry. The talk went on a bit long. I almost missed it.”

The current time was 4:30 AM.

It was time for Adela to leave for the airport. It was quite close.

—No, it’s our fault for delaying the schedule because we were watching a movie. We’re more sorry. Right, Miho?

—Mii….

Miho made a weak whimper, as if she felt apologetic.

“It’s okay. I understand. I know how stressful it is to have something cut off while watching.”

I understand.

It must have been really interesting to make them do that.

“Anyway, it worked out, so it’s fine.”

The result was good, so it was fine.

—Young lady. It’s almost time for you to leave.

At that moment, the butler’s voice was heard over the phone.

—Yes. I’ll be out soon.

It seemed like it was really time to leave for the airport.

—Well, I think I have to go now.

“I heard you. Then I’ll summon you right away.”

I held the red gem hanging around my neck and used ‘Factio’ [a type of magic].

Since it was a simple use, there was no need for a chant.

—Miho. See you when you get back to Korea.

Adela’s voice was dripping with honey.

—Mii~.

Miho’s voice was the same.

It seemed like they had become very close in the past two days.

—A magic circle has appeared here.

It seemed like the Factio I activated was fully connected to Miho.

—Is this the formula for space magic…?

Adela immediately went into contemplation mode.

She seemed unable to contain her interest in the structure of the magic circle she was seeing for the first time.

“Then, see you in Korea. I’ll pick you up.”

—Huh? You’re going to pick us up?

Adela, who had immediately snapped out of her thoughts at my voice, replied with a slightly dazed voice.

“Of course. I’ll go with Soon-chan.”

—You don’t have to go to the trouble….

“Don’t feel uncomfortable. I want to chat with the three of us for a while.”

It would be difficult for me to cheer up the sulking Soon-chan alone.

Adela’s help was essential.

—If that’s the reason… Okay.

Adela’s tone of voice rose slightly. She said that I didn’t have to go to the trouble, but she didn’t seem to dislike the idea of me picking them up.

—Young lady. You really have to go now.

—Yes! I’m going!

Adela shouted loudly to the butler.

And at that moment.

“Mii~!”

Miho’s summoning was complete.

Miho, who had finished summoning, ran into my arms with a cry full of affection.

—It seems like she arrived safely.

“Yeah. She arrived safely.”

The cry was so sweet that it couldn’t be compared to the cry I heard over the phone earlier.

As expected, Miho likes me the most. I realized that.

—It seems like Miho likes you the most. …Though it’s obvious.

It seemed like Miho’s affectionate voice had been conveyed over the phone.

I could feel the envy in Adela’s voice.

—Young lady?

—Yes, yes! Anyway, I really have to go now. See you later.

“Okay. Come back safely.”

With that, the call ended with the sound of Adela running away.

“Our Miho. Did you have a good two days?”

I threw my phone on the bed and hugged Miho tightly with both hands.

“Mii~!”

Miho buried her head a little deeper, as if she liked being in my arms.

* * *

After that.

Miho fell asleep in my arms.

According to Adela, she didn’t sleep much while she was with Adela.

But as soon as she came next to me, she fell asleep like this again.

Is it because she can’t rest well unless she’s near me?

That means she trusts me that much, right? That’s kind of nice.

I gently stroked Miho’s head.

Miho giggled and purred as if she was talking in her sleep.

She looks like a real angel when she’s sleeping.

Of course, she looks like an angel when she’s awake too.

I stroked Miho’s head about two more times.

I wanted to stroke her more, but that might wake Miho up.

That wouldn’t do.

I put Miho on the bed and moved to the desk.

And I opened the Book of Mimir that was placed next to it.

Since there was still some time until morning, I was thinking of using the free time to study.

‘I don’t know if studying by reading it again will help…’

I smiled wryly and opened the Book of Mimir.

Before, if I opened the Book of Mimir like this, I would have immediately moved to the Book of Mimir where Mimir was waiting, but not now.

The Book of Mimir has lost all its power.

The current Book of Mimir is just an ordinary book.

Of course, even if it’s an ordinary book, it just means that there are no special magical devices, but it doesn’t mean that the contents inside are ordinary.

‘The seventh Infinity Circle. The Ring of Neutrality.’

The Book of Mimir contained information about ‘how to weave the seventh Infinity Circle’.

Since the Book of Mimir was designed to disappear at the same time as passing the sixth test page, it must have been left in the Book of Mimir in preparation for that time.

It was indeed the thoroughness of my master.

Using the fact that opening the Book of Mimir would immediately move you inside, he recorded the information about the 7th circle here in advance.

By doing this, you can’t see anything about the seventh Infinity Circle until you pass the sixth test page.

‘Honestly, I don’t think anything would have changed even if I had seen it in advance.’

I understand my master’s intention to provide only information about the realm that matches my realm.

But honestly, I don’t think anything would have changed if I had seen this in advance.

Was it really necessary to do this kind of work?

‘I still don’t understand what it means…’

Even now, after passing the sixth test page, I don’t understand what it means at all, so what would have changed if I had seen this before?

I would have just dismissed it as some incomprehensible alien language and left it alone.

I wouldn’t have even tried to do anything.

Analysis or contemplation is only possible if there is some possibility, but this is really hopeless.

I can’t imagine a future where I’ll understand this at all.

The contents written here were that difficult, complex, and challenging.

‘I still don’t understand anything.’

It’s true that the more you learn, the more difficult academics become.

‘But this doesn’t seem right…’

This is not it.

This has really crossed the line.

When I was weaving the sixth Infinity Circle, there was at least some possibility.

But this one shows no hope at all.

I don’t usually say this.

But this is really hopeless.

It’s too hopeless.

‘Thinking about it, it’s natural…’

Until now, when I was studying a new circle, I used dozens to hundreds of reference books to study.

But what about now?

What about now that the Book of Mimir has disappeared?

There’s only one book with 572 pages.

Even when I was weaving the sixth Infinity Circle, I barely understood it after reading 172 books.

There’s no way I can understand it with just one book.

‘There’s not enough information.’

The loss of the Book of Mimir is painful.

If the Book of Mimir was still there, it wouldn’t be this hopeless.

‘I can’t do it like this. I need information.’

The seventh Infinity Circle.

To weave the Ring of Neutrality, I need information.

Information that is equal to or greater than what I got from the Book of Mimir before.

‘Then what I need to prioritize now is…’

I slowly turned the book to the last page.

[If you are having trouble weaving the Ring of Neutrality, find the Book of Dante Roa.]

The Book of Dante Roa.

One of the proper nouns I heard through my master’s voice when the Book of Idred finished its role and disappeared.

‘Let’s meet again in the Book of Mimir, in the Book of Dante Roa, and in the Hallamanium Site.’

[There you will find everything you are looking for.]

The Book of Dante Roa.

One of the legacies left by my master.

I have to find that first.