◈ Episode 223. If you need an explanation (1)

Magic Tower.

The mood in the air was strange.

“I’m actually already worried…….”

“How many people are going to steal my tears this time.”

“I’m just going to give up this conference, I’m not confident.”

Because of the pressure of the upcoming conference?

Don’t get me wrong.

To be fair, it was a little different.

It’s not the conclave that adept mages fear.

It was the Topaz Hall pre-qualification that they had to go through before the conference.

Shhh.

I walked up and down the stairs of the magic tower.

Gazes naturally drifted towards the Topaz Hall.

Adept mages couldn’t forget the sounds they heard there.

“I can still feel my stomach churning…….”

And words without feet were prone to exaggeration.

“Did you guys hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“No, I’m talking about the Tower ghost story……!”

“Ghost stories? Is this a school or something?”

“No, it’s not weird, I’ve heard it for sure. Why, it’s what the Adepts say. They say there’s a lot of pitiful wailing in the Topaz Hall whenever it’s close to a regular meeting.”

Even a newborn chick is too much.

The players were unfamiliar with everything in the tower. What’s more, apprentice mages didn’t have much to do with regular conferences. They weren’t even aware of the pre-qualification process at Topaz Hall.

As a result, the rumor spread quickly among the players.

But as rumors go.

The truth of the tale could not be confirmed.

Floating gardens.

“……Wait, is that true?”

“Gasp, of course!”

Adept Mage, Lynne, letting out a short breath.

Jibril, also an Adept Mage, grabbed his shoulder and shook him.

“Chief Lee Hoyeol won’t be attending the preliminary verification, is that true? Are you sure it’s true?”

“Excuse me. Ms. Jibril, can you take a moment to catch your breath and…….”

“This is important, Lynne!”

“Oh, it’s true, I just checked and I’m on my way!”

There was a reason why Ms. Jibril was pursuing Lynne.

Jibril wasn’t the kind of person to be intimidated by pre-verification.

Yes, it was because Hoyeol.

“It’s not in my common sense!”

The weight of the chief.

Lee Hoyeol is the one who bears that weight. Even in the midst of his heavy schedule, he would personally sign countless applications for attendance.

Why would Mr. Lee miss the preliminary verification?

“Obviously, there’s a reason.”

Jibril muttered meaningfully.

” …… What the hell is wrong with him?”

Does this mean he’s skipping pre-verification?

Aside from Jibril, the faces of some of the more adept mages lit up. Chief Lee Hoyeol, who had brought tear winds to the tower, was not attending the pre-qualification?

“Isn’t this our chance……?”

“…… I changed my mind, I’m going to apply for verification right now.”

“Wow, it was a good idea to be prepared to break the law and apply for pre-verification.”

But it was a big mistake.

Hoyeol was gone.

It meant that he had made arrangements to fill his place.

In Topaz Hall, a breeze was blowing, not tears.

A sullen voice echoed through the corridors of the tower.

“Next, Adept Mage Andante Ruth.”

Yes.

Senior Mage of Black Magic.

Matisse Deankarl.

A man feared even by his fellow senior mages (and, indeed, by Bensch alone).

He had taken Hoyeol’s place.

“Please don’t let me down, Andante.”

It was a mountain to climb for the adept mages…….

*

Contradiction.

There was no better word to describe how I felt right now.

“Mmm.”

The green tea flavored cookie I bought because it was half price.

Even though the cookie tastes good.

It’s not because I’m not satisfied.

Part of being a chief.

It was because I was freed from the Topaz Hall pre-verification.

Thanks to a quest handed to me by none other than Tower Master.

“I am deeply disappointed.”

……Get your language straight, Grandfell.

Don’t you think I look like someone who’s disappointed in a green tea cookie?

Of course, this sentiment was directed at pre-verification.

Damn responsibility.

After all, it’s the job of the chief.

Naturally, I wouldn’t pass it off to just anyone.

“I’m sure you can handle it.”

I left Matisse to take my place.

Marcelo had a lot on his plate right now.

Matisse, who had been a strong candidate for Chief Mage before Marcelo.

I’m sure he can fill my void.

-“I will repay your trust.”

Matisse was never much of a public figure.

I’ve asked him to pre-verify for the first time in his life.

Perhaps I should treat him to a cup of tea.

I muttered.

“There’s still a lot of red tape in the Tower.”

Even if there’s a quest at stake.

Granfell was not a great man who would pass on his burden to others without a reasonable reason. Nevertheless, there was no separate reason for asking Matisse for prior verification.

It was because of the rules of the Magic Tower.

“I will comply this time.”

okay. Is there anything else you can do to comply, Grandfell?

It’s weird, even for you.

A regular member of the Society being in charge of pre-verification.

‘That goes beyond the level of nonsense.’

By the way, a regular member of the Society.

Really, it’s my friend.

I checked the quest window.

[Quest: Founding a School].

You have achieved a great magical feat.

Demonstrate your accomplishments at a regular conference.

Announce the creation of new magic.

Present ‘Reversal Magic’ at a regular meeting. (in progress)

I recognized you when you turned into a cat!

Tower Master was really sly.

He’s really good at using sarcasm.

Founding a school is something I’m very reluctant to do.

‘No matter what, it’s still better than the next tower master…….’

Unknowingly.

I was thinking such weak thoughts.

What kind of conference is this, anyway?

‘Unless it’s a really big accomplishment, I don’t know.’

Reversal magic.

I mean, literally.

I just did it backwards.

‘What kind of school of thought is that, like, founding and presenting at…….’

But of course, Tower Master.

Marcelo was more sincere than ever.

Marcelo’s voice comes back to haunt me.

-“The rules say that in order to become a Master, you must prove your worth and contribute to the Magic Tower. I’m sure your reversal magic would be enough to fulfill that contribution, as it’s a level of magic that can’t even be compared to the theoretical magic I created.”

‘No, I’m not the least bit greedy for promotion, Marcelo.’

In my heart I want to give up this quest.

But after hearing Marcelo’s words, I couldn’t help myself.

‘…… contribute.’

I guess that means [relationships] and [influence], right?

It’s amazing how the human mind works.

The desire to maximize everything.

At the same time, I, Lee Hoyeol’s material desires are surging.

‘When you reach the maximum and activate the [Authority] feature…….’

Can I literally rub the magic tower?

Suddenly, the determination I had when I stepped into the Magic Tower came to mind.

Really, if that day ever comes.

I will use the magic tools piled up in the magic tower as I wish.

I made a promise, I guess.

Of course, his pride wouldn’t allow him to uproot the Magic Tower for selfish reasons……. I’ve seen it with Yusra, I’ve seen it with Muon, I’ve been there.

We have too many connections and too much influence to lose.

‘Okay, let’s do it.’

It’s been a while since I’ve actually had a positive mindset.

The problem is, it’s not just a matter of making up my mind.

How do you present something like that?

‘Marcelo, even Tower Master didn’t understand.’

No matter how nicely I explain it.

I don’t think the mages at the regular conference will understand it.

The problem doesn’t end there.

Because I’m sure Grandfell, if I knew him, would have taken it a step further.

“Magic doesn’t get much more intuitive than this.”

I’m afraid the audience will criticize me for not understanding.

My mind was already racing.

That’s why I was putting my best foot forward.

I mean, I’m really preparing for the presentation.

“But I understand.”

What’s more, Magic Tower isn’t the closed Magic Tower it once was.

More players than before will participate in regular conferences as mage. Thanks to this, my every move will spread around the world through the fingers of players.

‘…… Please, let’s not do anything weird.’

It’s an unknown life, by the way.

In reality, it’s just a bunch of reversal magic.

I can’t believe I founded a school of thought in Magic Tower.

It wouldn’t be strange to call it the Bubble School.

I’m almost embarrassed now.

Mm-hmm.

From now on, I had to make the bubbles as convincing as possible.

In front of the vast Crystal Hall audience.

My bubble needed to be painted with gold.

I swallowed hard as I flicked my quill.

……The green tea cookies are unusually bitter.

*

On the day of a scheduled conference.

When the mages checked the conference schedule, they were horrified.

“Wha, the last thing on the agenda is……?”

“Chief Lee’s presentation?!”

“Is this why he didn’t attend the pre-verification!”

“What, Chief Lee Hoyeol made an presentation?!”

Jibril, Klee, and the other adept mages were stunned. In addition to being the chief of the Magic Tower, wasn’t Chief Lee Hoyeol the one with so many responsibilities?

Klee was genuinely impressed.

“You are truly amazing. I can’t help but admire you.”

How to nurture an elixir.

Klee had experienced the pressure of preparing a presentation for a regular conference. Her head was full of thoughts leading up to the moment she stepped up to the podium in the Crystal Hall, not to mention the pre-verification.

“I couldn’t eat or sleep. I couldn’t get the research out of my head…….. But Chief Lee, you were preparing for the conference presentation while doing other things, right?”

Lynne, who had been silent, grabbed the pod.

“No. Strictly speaking, that’s not true, Ms. Klee.”

” ……yes?”

“Why, Chief Lee did not participate in this preliminary verification?! Oh, Miss Jibril?! Why are you suddenly pinching my forearm?”

Jibril shot a disdainful glare at Lynne.

“For a mage of your caliber, you’d do well to familiarize yourself with the discipline of the Magic Tower, Lynne. Do you think, based on common sense, that conference presenters can pre-verify other people’s research?”

“……ah.”

“I think you’re being a little hasty with this comment, Ms. Lynne.”

What a damning remark, even for Klee.

I wonder if she would have said something to Lynne.

When she shut up, Jibril’s face grew serious again.

“I’m sure you have a big presentation to make, Chief!”

An apprentice mage.

The players’ thoughts were not far off.

The regular conference hadn’t even started yet.

The player community was full of posts about the conference.

──────

The official schedule is out hahahahahaha

Is this true? It’s a presentation by Chief Lee Hoyeol.

Is there something big coming at the end???

It looks like it will definitely decorate the finale haha.

Just homen

──────

My mouth was watering, but no one dared to open it.

As I said, there was plenty of time until the opening.

For some reason, all of the senior mages were seated in the Crystal Hall.

Someone whispered.

“…… I guess this really isn’t a normal presentation.”

Even the elder mage, Yugweed.

Thanks to you, the regular conference is held.

It started with expectations as high as bubbles.

.

.

.

Let’s start with the results.

The impact of this regular conference was truly the highest ever.

Of course, a magical achievement.

Not only in the Magic Tower, but also in the general public.

It made it clear to everyone in the world.

What 『Reversal Magic』 is to everyone around the world.

Yes.

It all started with a small disturbance.

The Last Order.

The moment Hoyeol stood at the podium.

Someone muttered in a low voice.

“……Claudi?”

–

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note: Who’s muttering?