Chapter 632 – Even So, Leave It to Me (3)
The Magic Tower.
No—somewhere within the Arcana Continent.
A fortress within the Imperial Territory.
“You’ve all done well.”
Marcelo, the Tower Master, addressed the gathered Senior Mages.
The Magic Tower’s leadership had stepped onto the Arcana Continent for a simple reason— to hunt down the newly emerged [Blessed] monsters under orders from the Supreme Commander as part of the Holy War Alliance.
The fact that everyone was here could only mean one thing:
they had flawlessly completed their mission.
However—
‘…Something feels off.’
One seat remained vacant.
Bensch William, the Senior Mage of Fire Magic, was missing.
He was the only Senior Mage left behind at the Magic Tower.
But there was no need for concern.
The Ghost of the Magic Tower…
No, that title was no longer appropriate
now that the Amethyst Hall had been fully opened.
The former Senior Mages continued to safeguard the Magic Tower.
For Bensch, however, it was likely an uncomfortable arrangement.
‘A rather unwelcome cohabitation, I imagine.’
Vangrit recalled Bensch’s not-quite-final words:
-“Why am I always the one who has to stay behind during these incidents? Huh?! Vangrit, can’t you at least—if not to Chief Lee, then to Tower Master Marcelo—put in a word for me? You’re practically their favorite…!”
Vangrit shook his head slightly.
‘Apologies, but this isn’t the time for that.’
A Boss Monster at level 2,000 or above.
Such a number meant nothing to the Senior Mages.
Everyone in this conference room had already stepped
into the realm of the Anomaly.
Even if the distance they had crossed varied.
“Despite the difficulty of the battle, you have all returned safely.”
Because their talents were the real deal.
“We’ve gathered the data the adventurers requested, Tower Master.”
The Magic Tower’s leadership had not merely hunted monsters.
They had analyzed the [Forest] attribute monsters
to uncover their weaknesses.
“You, too, have done well.”
Receiving the magic tool, [Vial of Memories], from Matisse,
Marcelo did not hesitate.
He immediately activated its effects.
“Let us begin the review.”
His expression turned solemn.
“There is something we must address.”
“…!!!”
No one needed to be told what it was.
As stated earlier,
this was not a room filled with ordinary adventurers or Arcanians.
They were the Magic Tower’s finest.
Among the countless gems gathered from across the continent,
these were the ones deemed of a different caliber.
Soon, visions emerged from the Vial of Memories.
Like an adventurer’s recorded footage,
it recreated the battle between the Senior Mages and the [Blessed] monsters.
Then, the Senior Mage of Black Magic, Matisse, spoke.
“I traced the suitable magic power signatures in the area. As I reversed the background of these traces, I realized the root cause of this phenomenon… is none other than a ‘World Tree consumed by fear.'”
Matisse continued in an unwavering tone.
“Surely, I am not the only one who sensed it. The World Tree is the very foundation of the Arcana Continent, revered as the ‘Mother of Magic.’ If we trace back far enough, even magic itself finds its roots in the World Tree.”
And he was not wrong.
Magic was founded upon magic power,
and magic power was widely believed to originate from the World Tree.
Regarding this, there was an expert present.
“…That is correct.”
The Senior Mage of Pure Magic, Vangrit,
gave a small nod.
Upon hearing their analysis,
Marcelo smiled faintly.
As expected—
the Senior Mages of the Magic Tower had already reached the answer.
“You had already deduced it.”
Then there was no need for unnecessary explanations.
Just as the next vision began to emerge,
Marcelo closed the Vial of Memories.
And without hesitation, he got straight to the point.
“Yes. Your assumptions are correct. This was no ordinary expedition. The conflict between Chief Lee and the World Tree—this is the core of this operation.”
Thanks to their persistent pursuit of the Anomaly,
Marcelo had no difficulty imagining the consequences.
If such a declaration were made in the adventurers’ world…
‘It would likely be torn apart.’
To Marcelo, the adventurers’ world was something he had never understood.
To be more honest…
‘If not for the Lord’s mercy, I would have…’
He had never once considered its stability
when making his decisions.
Observing the adventurers’ world was always bewildering.
Despite knowing that without the Lord,
the world would have long since been destroyed,
they were consumed with biting the hand that saved them.
In that regard—
“This is neither a joke nor a falsehood.”
The impact of this truth would be beyond comprehension.
“As stated, the World Tree is akin to the creator of the Arcana Continent. Even if its original body has long since decayed, its will still lingers, carried on by the new World Trees scattered throughout the land.”
The Amethyst Hall.
No records or books contained anything remotely like this.
The World Tree had never taken such direct action before.
“Not even when the Primordial Evil rotted away, nor when Baal descended upon the Arcana Continent, did the World Tree move.”
“And yet, it now openly reveals hostility toward Chief Lee.”
Which meant only one thing.
“It sees him as a greater threat than even them.”
Marcelo paused.
The Senior Mages needed time to process.
Was he interested in debating morality?
At least for Marcelo, the answer was clear.
There was no room for doubt.
Even if the World Tree’s actions were to protect the Arcana Continent…
‘I will remain by the Lord’s side.’
Marcelo.
Or more precisely—
Marcelo Simoard had never forgotten.
The Simoard’s Terminal Ill Curse.
This life he now enjoyed
—the joy of exploring the Anomaly,
—the luxury of sipping green tea,
was all granted by the Lord’s mercy.
‘Had it not been for Him, I would have died knowing nothing.’
So even if the Lord were to threaten the Arcana Continent,
even if He were to fall into the depths of Hell…
Marcelo was prepared to follow Him.
But…
‘They may not share my reason.’
So Marcelo prepared himself.
“Everything must proceed according to protocol and order.”
If the majority of the Senior Mages opposed him,
he was prepared to step down as Tower Master.
For the Lord, he was even willing to stand against them all.
However—
“…It seems I was worried for nothing.”
The gleam in their eyes told him everything.
Yes.
These were the Magic Tower’s Senior Mages.
And they began to speak, one by one.
“To be honest, haven’t we received more help from Chief Lee than from the World Tree? Besides, I never quite liked the idea. Who exactly is supposed to be whose mother here?”
“The World Tree? To me, it’s nothing more than a giant pile of firewood.”
“Following Chief Lee certainly seems more intriguing. My desires tell me that, much like our Magic Tower, the Arcana Continent needs a complete transformation.”
Marcelo gently shook his head.
‘This isn’t quite the reaction I expected…’
But as you can see, there’s no real need for concern, my Lord.
At the same time, Marcelo did not overlook one thing.
His gaze eventually fell upon an empty seat.
Aside from Bensch William, who had remained at the Magic Tower,
one more seat was left vacant.
And there was no need to count to know who it belonged to.
‘We’ve known each other for a long time, Bellier.’
Since childhood until now.
You’ve always been unpredictable at times.
You’ve done things I could never have imagined.
Though you were veiled behind the gentle title of Senior Mage of the Healing School,
you were strong.
And I don’t mean just in magic prowess.
‘I know.’
You would never betray Chief Lee.
The magic tool, [Vial of Memories].
As visions surfaced, Marcelo noticed it sooner than the others.
The silhouette of Bellier,
disappearing discreetly beyond the forest.
Thus, before the other Senior Mages could perceive it,
Marcelo sealed the vial.
Underneath his robe,
his fist clenched subtly.
‘…Bellier.’
Even in the past and even now,
I do not understand your actions.
‘But I pray for your safety.’
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Bellier Recalled the Voice.
-“Pursue the truth, Bellier Yusia.”
The enigmatic voice, claiming to be the “Avatar of the World Tree,” had led Bellier forward, as if guiding her. That was why she had discreetly vanished from the battlefield.
‘It’s a relief my presence was always subtle.’
It was a battlefield where only Senior Mages were present.
Naturally, they had no need for healing magic.
After all, there was no chance of them getting injured in the first place.
‘Slipping into enemy territory like this… I must look like the worst kind of traitor.’
Now then—by this time…
At the very least, you must have noticed I was gone.
If not,
then I won’t call you my childhood friend anymore, Marcelo.
“So just act like you know, even if you don’t, alright?”
Bellier muttered to herself as she walked through the forest.
It wasn’t for any particular reason—
just a way to ease her nerves.
If someone were to ask,
Does even a Senior Mage have something to fear?
Bellier would fire back.
Would you be any different in my position?
From this moment on, Bellier had to deceive the World Tree itself.
She had to fool the Avatar of the World Tree that had reached out to her through telepathy,
unravel their intentions, and gather crucial information.
Bellier clenched her teeth.
‘…Because that’s the only way to protect Chief Lee.’
The World Tree had spoken.
-“I fear Lee Hoyeol.”
There was no doubt in its trembling voice.
The reason why the World Tree was lashing out in fear—
was because of him.
It wasn’t surprising.
Even Chief Lee himself seemed to have suspected as much.
However—
‘It’s not enough. The opponent is the World Tree.’
The Arcana Continent itself had become Chief Lee’s enemy.
Bellier had to gather as much intel as possible.
She couldn’t afford to waste this opportunity.
‘Why did it reach out to me?’
Did it see me as an easy target?
‘If so, it made a grave miscalculation.’
Perhaps another Senior Mage would have been different—
but I owe Chief Lee a debt through Marcelo.
A debt far too great to ignore.
Srrk.
Bellier pushed aside a branch and stepped forward—
then suddenly, she sensed movement in the distance.
One person…
And another presence that wasn’t quite human.
“…!!!”
Bellier Yusia.
Harkon Kingsguard.
Elsidor.
Three figures, all guided by the Avatar of the World Tree,
had now converged in one place.
No words were needed.
Each of them already knew.
That they all owed an unpayable debt to Hoyeol.
Harkon swallowed his thoughts.
‘Is there anyone in this world who doesn’t owe him a debt?’
Perhaps it was because he had found comrades in this moment.
Harkon’s gaze grew even sharper and more resolute.
But that determination did not last long.
For when the Avatar of the World Tree finally appeared—
“L-Lady Hiel?”
Her appearance was far too familiar.
“W-What are you saying?”
The words she spoke were simply too much to believe.
“You say that His Grace has been possessed by a demon…?!!”
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Numerous Player Communities.
Among them, the most credible was, of course—
the official Arcana Continent Chronicle website.
A place where only players could create posts.
[Title: Insane Breaking News! It’s about Lee Hoyeol ㄷㄷ]
A new hot topic had surfaced.
[Content: My friend just got back from the Holy War Alliance expedition, and they said a World Quest popped up. But the contents are crazy;; Apparently, Lee Hoyeol is the enemy of the World Tree! They said the whole reason the World Tree is going berserk is because of him???]
At the AAU South Korea Branch,
Park Minjae frowned deeply.
“What kind of bullshit is this now?”
It didn’t take long
for him to realize it wasn’t just bullshit.
Wudangtang.
A door slammed open with an urgent commotion.
“B-Branch Manager!”
“What?”
“H-Harkon! Sir Harkon, the commander of the Lionheart Knights, he…!!”
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