◈ Episode 216. Lesson (1)

“!”

It’s Jesse Heinness this time, judging by the obvious exclamation marks in his eyes. I’m the one who should be surprised, but somehow she looks more surprised.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in a place like this, Chief Lee!”

First of all, she doesn’t seem to remember what happened in the spacetime social hall.

Nodding─

The posture of bending at a right angle was so polite that I responded without realizing it.

“The after-effects of your magic exhaustion seem to have improved.”

This is it, it’s okay to ask how you are.

But, there are some twists and turns!

Did you just say that?

‘It seems like she doesn’t remember what happened at the social hall.’

I don’t even remember meeting you.

How do you know I was suffering from magic exhaustion?

What if she asks me about it?

What if she looked at me strangely?

“Magic exhaustion……? So, it’s you, Chief Lee! You noticed that my magic flow was unstable! Thank you for your concern. I’m fine now!”

……Sometimes good karma comes in handy.

By the way, I looked at Jesse.

This place is a little dangerous, to say the least.

‘Early to mid-level 500.’

I dare say.

This battlefield was too much for her.

The evidence was already showing.

The slightest hitch in her shoulders.

It was Jesse, emerging from the portal.

The more distant the destination, the more rapidly the amount of magic required to manifest the portal.

I could practically hear her breathing. Jesse must have used a lot of magic to manifest the portal.

Jesse couldn’t have tracked the Tower Master’s magic trail.

Then again.

She’s following a class quest.

I sneak a look around.

Tower Master hasn’t shown himself yet.

I need to talk to Jesse.

The more information we have on the enemy, the better.

In that sense, Jesse is a reliable ally.

‘We’re allies in a way.’

I had some idea of the story behind this case from my conversation with Tower Master.

I didn’t know the specific purpose.

There was a quest, they were overly concise.

─Stop the conspiracy of the Archmages. (Ongoing)

●Meet the physical body of the Top Lord. (Failed)

●Defeat the rampaging body of a Tower Master. (Ongoing)

Defeat it.

That’s what it says.

But it won’t be the Archmage, Jesse.

My guess was correct.

“Indeed, you guessed it! It’s the class quest, and while I may not be up to par with this chief……. I’ve been working hard on my own!”

I nodded sincerely.

Not because Jesse was special.

It’s because I, Lee Hoyeol, are special.

I’m happy for me, because I’m really struggling every day!

Why, just today alone.

Let’s say I somehow manage to get through the emergency update and get back to work.

It was obvious what I would do when I returned, whether it was Yusra or Magic Tower.

I’m going to improve my [tenacity], I’m going to improve my body.

I’d push myself to the limit.

Is that all?

Ever since I realized that there are competitors in the realm of Anomaly, including high ranking demon kings.

I can’t neglect my research on the Anomaly.

‘I’m tired just thinking about it.’

But my pride is high.

I couldn’t afford to be harsh in front of others.

I spoke courageously to Jesse.

“I know.”

I know what Tower Master said.

Even if that wasn’t the case, I was suffering from magical exhaustion.

Oh, and by the way.

Speaking of which, one more thing.

I spoke shamelessly.

“But the most important thing is not to sink.”

“……Oh, you’re talking about magical exhaustion!”

“Yes.”

I didn’t just say that, I meant it.

I hope you don’t push yourself to the point of exhaustion.

My luck is already over. I can’t guarantee what kind of archmage personality will pop out of your cone hat.

“Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind!”

Jesse replied with an exclamation point.

I cut to the chase.

So what, the goal of the Archmage class quest.

What is Tower Master’s plan…!

“This class quest is [Class]!”

……Class?

The moment I heard that word.

The questions that had been scattered like a puzzle began to fit together.

From the time Tower Master invited Jesse to the Magic Tower to this moment.

Even the reason that led her to this space, which was overwhelming for her.

Even after Tower Master had taken up residence in the cone hat.

To teach Jesse, the next Archmage.

He left his body behind.

Jesse is an adventurer.

She knows nothing about magic.

Nevertheless, the existence of another world is absolutely necessary to stop the Archmages’ conspiracy.

It would take a special method to impart his vast magical knowledge.

Jesse gripped her staff with both hands and spoke.

“The quest objective is to encounter the physical body of a former Archmage! I’m a little nervous and excited, because I’ve never seen a physical body other than a cone hat!”

Compare my and Jesse’s quest objectives.

‘…… For me, defeat. Jesse: Encounter.

That’s quite a different twist.

Not surprisingly.

Jesse won’t know about my quest unless I tell her.

So I can understand his excitement.

But I do know.

“Jesse Heinness.”

“Yes, I hear you. Chief Lee!”

“This class is not going to be easy.”

Why, before the actual class even started.

I’ve been in enough damned situations, in the physical body of a Tower Master who unleashed ten Meteor Strikes on Earth, that I’ve gotten a little bit of a feel for it.

As if to confirm my suspicions.

Beyond the shifting landscape of illusion magic.

Amidst the pulsing waves of magic.

Tower Master’s physical form appeared.

“Looks like class has begun.”

At those words, Jesse’s pupils drop away from me for the first time.

The body of the tower master that escaped from the opaque magic sphere.

Is it a man or a woman?

An androgynous appearance that makes it difficult to determine gender.

What was more noticeable was the empty, unfocused eyes.

Suddenly, Jesse’s urgent voice rang out.

” …… Chief Lee!”

She doesn’t have to say it, I know it.

“Your quest objective has been updated! And…….”

“You can say it.”

“It says, ‘Survive this class……!”

Survive, isn’t that an impossible quest objective for Jesse?

But I can see why you’d give Jesse this crappy quest objective already.

Obviously, in that cone hat. Between the consciousnesses of the Archmages. Something strange is going on, isn’t it, Tower Master?

Time is running out.

It no longer exists in a cone hat.

There’s not enough time left to take care of Jesse.

That’s why you thought of me.

If I were to form a circle.

And if I, the founder of the Anomaly, were with Jesse.

Arrangements for Jesse in the distant future.

They decided it was okay to start now.

To summarize the situation in one word.

‘……It’s a little bit like an observation class, isn’t it?’

It’s impossible for a Tower Master to control his body when his consciousness is separated from his body. Just in case, his body goes crazy and tries to run away from Jesse.

It was clear that he wanted me to kill him.

‘No, he’s just like my boss.’

What kind of a boss does he think he is, bossing his subordinates around with quest objectives?

But I’m not going to complain.

Of course.

All the magic Tower Master was currently manifesting was literally for Jesse, the next Archmage.

It’s the kind of high-level magic you don’t even see in grimoires like Meteor Strike.

In that sense, keep your eyes wide open.

Let’s change our minds, Hoyeol.

Think of it as a lesson, not an observer.

『His innate magical talent was such that he could mimic most magic simply by watching.』

As far as I’m concerned, Grandfell had a talent for absorbing everything he saw.

Good.

Let the lessons begin in earnest, Tower Master.

I blurted out shamelessly.

“I hope you have something to learn.”

*

Magic Tower.

Yugweed looked at the assembled senior mages.

Then the corners of her lips twitched upward in amusement.

“And so, Magic Tower’s dishonor has been exposed to the world.”

This chief, especially you, has no shame.

Since the rebellion of Karimzeva and the others.

To defend the Tower.

To keep it upright.

He’d turned all attention to himself.

But that sacrifice becomes insignificant.

“This is the manifestation of super-high level magic. You are full of energy.”

A tower master who can be said to be the magic tower itself.

Our tower master gave us a big slap on the back.

Needless to say, Yugweed and the other seniors gathered here didn’t know exactly what had happened.

However, one thing was clear to them.

“I think I know why this chief has remained silent.”

“He just couldn’t bring himself to say it.”

“Matisse.”

Matisse, the senior Black Mage, spoke up.

“Chief Lee has always prioritized the Magic Tower.”

The silence in the Crystal Hall was also clearly respectful.

If Tower Master were to unleash his hostility, the Magic Tower would have to step in and stop him. No one in this room would be pleased to see that happen.

But.

“It’s time to make a decision.”

It didn’t really matter who Tower Master had a grudge against.

What mattered was that his actions were a threat to this place.

And that it posed a great threat to the world of adventurers.

“We can’t leave everything to this chief.”

“I feel the same way, Yugweed.”

“Oh my, you’re senior Bellier.”

“Me too.”

“Ohhh, Senior Naslow?”

Between them, all twenty senior mages agreed.

Yugweed smiled again.

Perhaps she had been worried for nothing.

“That’s good, so I don’t have to worry about going out alone.”

Then Yugweed’s expression changed.

Yugweed, the Gentle Giant.

It was not a nickname derived from 『Magic』 like Karimzeva or Senios.

Not even after entering the Tower.

It was a nickname that was given to me later, as I rose through the ranks from senior to chief to elder.

The reason for Yugweed’s nickname was simple.

“So, shall we get started?”

A cool-headed judgment hidden behind a benevolent smile.

Yugweed was determined.

No one can stop a giant that has begun to take steps.

In that sense, Yugweed was a giant.

Because I have never once backed down from a decision I made.

A cool joke continued.

“Technically, this would be treason against the tower master, right? Well, that’s not a bad idea. Since you have already entered the magic tower, it would be nice to show off your age and sit in the tower master’s seat, Hehehe.”

Yugweed immediately traced the magic marks.

Rather than the Tower Master’s magic marks…….

It would be much easier to trace this chief’s magic marks.

That’s what I thought.

Yugweed spat out a woolly laugh.

“…… Isn’t this really normal, Chief Lee?”

Even the magic marks can’t be traced.

Is this what you mean by [『Anomaly』]?

You were right.

To you, the Circle was just a passing phase.

“That’s why you returned the Tower Master’s Meteor Strike to the sky.”

An anomaly that even the elder Yugweed could not have guessed.

After a moment of stunned silence.

Yugweed spoke up.

“If this old man is not senile, it seems that this chief’s magic power has reached a level that ordinary people like us cannot dare to trace. Isn’t that right, Matisse?”

“The elder is right.”

“And how does it seem to you, Vangrit?”

“Yes, yes! Now, just a moment!”

Vangrit, a senior in Pure Magic.

He had one of the best magical sensitivities among the seniors.

It could be said that he had been chosen by magic. It was safe to say that this blessed gift had elevated Vangrit, a commoner without a proper magic education, to a senior position.

“Perhaps Elder Yugweed was right.”

Of course, it was too much even for Vangrit.

“I suppose it can’t be helped.”

Yugweed shrugged.

“Perhaps we should enlist Chief Marcelo’s help.”

“Marcelo would be…….”

“Come to think of it, I don’t see him, do I?”

Marcelo walked alongside Hoyeol on the path to Anomaly.

He should be able to track down the magic traces.

Yugweed sent a telepathic message to Marcelo.

Or tried to.

“Oh, no.”

Bellier asked, dumbfounded.

“What is it, Elder Yugweed?”

“It looks like we were procrastinating.”

“What?”

“I can’t seem to reach Marcelo telepathically.”

“You mean……?”

“Perhaps Chief Marcelo has entered the same space as this Chief, a vortex of magic manifested by the Tower Master. Does this mean that an old man is too old to chase after two Chiefs?”

Of course, it was a thumbs down.

As I said, the giant had already stepped out.

Yugweed followed Marcelo’s magic trail.

Soon, a portal appeared.

Yugweed spoke.

“It’s late, but let’s be diligent in our pursuit of the two chiefs.”

.

.

.

I looked at Marcelo, who stood across from me.

“Chief Lee Hoyeol. I cannot trust you.”

Marcelo drew on his magic as he said that.

He sounded so serious.

To me, it was the funniest thing he’d ever said.

I couldn’t help it.

Marcelo’s title to me, even in this private setting, was fixed at ‘Sir’. Didn’t I tell you, Tower Master? The situation between the Magic Tower you knew and the Magic Tower now is a bit different.

So get rid of this childish fantasy.

“It’s too light to be called a class.”

I continued speaking with sincerity.

Topaz Hall, where pre-qualification for regular academic conferences was conducted.

Like the venomous words spoken there.

“I hope you don’t disgrace Magic Tower. Tower Master.”

Then I heard a voice.

“I also agree with that opinion.”

This time it was real.

“I doubt you realize this, but my lord calls me simply Marcelo. He doesn’t give unnecessary titles to anyone, not even seniors, of course.”

……I feel like they’re calling me a guy who doesn’t even know how to use respect.

Anyway.

Nice to meet you, real Marcelo.

But somehow Marcelo’s reaction was unusual.

The gaze that should be faint in front of the tower master…….

Why does he look like he’s on fire……?

I soon realized why.

Marcelo was a mage.

He was.

Those fiery eyes belonged to Senios.

“Well, that’s just the way you are.”

I.

“No, I rather like the fact that you seem the same.”

I guess.

“That way it’ll be worth it to beat you, won’t it?”

I think I completely misunderstood the relationship between Tower Master and Marcelo……!