◈ Chapter 75. It’s just a fluke (2)
Verification.
I spoke grandly, but it was nothing.
[The pentagram of impure knowledge].
It’s a demonic item with a sealed power.
It simply means that it needs to be purified.
In that sense, the effect of the item could not be seen immediately.
“There is a time for everything.”
Even purifying a demonic item through the [Exorcism Ritual].
It’s only possible when there are demons to hunt.
Of course, there was also the option of utilizing the services of a magic tower.
With the authority of the Chief, and without paying a dime.
But.
“It won’t be necessary.
If you entrusted it with your purification and emotions.
It will know of the item’s existence and its effects.
Learning of its effects through others?
That alone is a bit of a leak.
And what kind of beings are they?
A group with an endless pursuit of knowledge.
Why, they might even ask to borrow an item like the Vampire Count’s Orb, which was obtained after defeating Count Ascura.
Of course, even if they did, I’d probably refuse.
“First and foremost, I didn’t have any crap when I purified it.”
Yes, that was actually the most important reason.
The demonic items that were purified through the [Exorcism Ritual] were all extraordinary in their effects.
From the Vampire Count’s Orb I mentioned.
Even the equipment he was currently wearing.
‘Of course, you can’t say that you want to hunt demons.
As a demon hunter, I know.
Demons are a despicable lot, the more you try to find them, the more they hide.
Just when you think you’ve forgotten.
They make themselves known.
Well, that brings us to our conclusion.
Shut up and deal with what’s happening.
In this case, that means, of course, the quest.
The Weight of the Chief (Repeat)
Proceed to Topaz Hall for verification. (Success)
Successfully organize a regular conference. (Ongoing)…….
Successfully organize a regular conference.
The actions required to do so?
That, too, I knew only too well.
“Reading is the food of the mind.”
Sigh.
No wonder all I can hear is the sound of books being turned over…….
* https://pindangscans.com
Regular conferences of the Magic Tower.
Since the days when Arcana was a game.
It was a regularly scheduled event.
Perhaps no other event has received as much global attention as this one.
The reason for this was, of course, the hype.
“What kind of place is the Magic Tower? One of the best military groups on the Arcana continent. Aren’t those beings who build an ivory tower of knowledge because that’s not enough?”
“To be officially recognized by such a powerful organization, that’s amazing, Player Lee Ho-yeol!”
“What kind of recognition is that? Not an apprentice, not a junior adept, not even a senior mage, who is recognized with the same status as the one and only senior mage…….”
So the Korean broadcasters started popping the champagne early. This was one of those guaranteed ratings stories.
VBC.
The studio is in full swing.
The producer, Hyun Yong-seok, nodded in approval.
“There’s no better cheat than the old Korean noodle.”
“Does that still work these days, Hyun? Young people are so freaked out these days. They make a big deal out of nothing. Sometimes I go on social media to see what’s going on, and it’s just crazy!”
“Tsk tsk. To each his own.”
It was.
To put it bluntly, it was a legitimate national anthem.
And not just in Korea, but on a global scale.
It was not an exaggeration.
“Look, look. Even in Japan, they’re talking about how Lee Ho-yeol proved East Asia’s superiority. That Lee Ho-yeol did a great job for Hokkaido.”
“… … wow. Is it real?”
“Everyone is honest with their bodies.”
Hyun Yong-seok was no different.
No, it wasn’t just patriotic, it was exhilarating.
“Honestly, it was a little bit. Of course, I shouldn’t say that from a position of great benefit to Magic Tower, but he clearly looked down on us, on humanity, didn’t he?”
An attitude as high-handed as his reputation.
Except the portal was always open.
The Magic Tower hadn’t been cooperative.
He never even showed his face.
If only he had been more cooperative.
things would have been a little better.
That kind of criticism didn’t change anything.
That’s right, such a high-minded and stiff Magic Tower.
Ho-yeol had entered the Tower with great prestige.
With the same status as a chief mage.
“That alone makes me feel like I’ve struck a blow to the Magic Tower.”
“Oh, senior, not so fast.”
“It would be nice if you fed me another shot properly.”
“Even if you’re Mr. Ho-yeol, that’s not possible, senior.”
At Hyun Yong-seok’s words, Jo Yeon-chul seemed to have a lot to say.
“Our Mr. Ho-yeol, how much do you think you’re being glared at by those great people? When I first joined the company, I was also glared at every idea conference ……!”
“What, did you? Let’s talk.”
“Not verbally, sir, you just sighed heavily in every conference . Anyway, I can’t imagine how much of a burden it must be for you to be like that. Here, there, and everywhere, all arcanine. Even the mages of that great tower.”
“Hmm. That makes sense. That.”
After all, he had been recognized for his abilities and had been accepted into the Tower.
But Hyun Yong-seok knew that society didn’t run on merit alone.
It would be no different in the Magic Tower.
So it was better to cheer him on than to expect anything from him.
“Still, we’ll see. If it’s Lee Ho-yeol, who knows?”
It wasn’t just the media that paid attention to the regular conference s.
Players.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that players of the Mage class were risking their lives for this conference .
One after another, players flocked to the Magic Tower.
Their faces were filled with excitement.
Naturally, it was because of the excitement.
“I really shouldn’t sleep today.”
“That’s basic. You have to try to understand with your head.”
“……But does that count as trying?”
Ho-yeol’s achievement of being inducted into the Magic Tower!
It all started with ‘the incident’ that happened at the last regular conference .
In the memories of the players who witnessed it.
Ho Yeol’s image was still vivid.
“Even thinking about it again makes me dizzy. Really.”
“How did you even think to tackle him?”
“By asking Marcelo, the chief mage……!”
The impact must have been intense.
But who knows?
I had no idea that that snarky comment was connected to the quest in the tower.
I watched it happen.
The players had no choice but to hold their tongues.
“Honestly, don’t you think we can do it too?”
“Do any of you remember Lee Ho-yeol’s line from that time?”
“Something about navigation, I think. Ha, my ass.”
More sighing.
The players were just pulling out their invitations to the regular conference .
A figure flashed past them.
It was Jesse Heinness, wearing a giant fedora hat.
Boom.
For a moment, silence descended on the Mage class players.
He had already moved on to higher ground.
They couldn’t possibly consider him a competitor.
‘Jesse is the most annoying.’
The biggest obstacle to this conference.
“Odds are, it’s Jesse Heinness…….
So Jesse has unwittingly become everybody’s competitor.
Whether he realizes it or not.
The corners of Jesse’s mouth turned upward.
“Hey, are you smiling?”
“Why do I feel like I’ve never seen her smile before?”
“……She’s even prettier when she smiles.”
“Get a grip, as*hole. We’re competitors!”
Of course, no one could ask Jesse why.
Even with the hat.
Atop Jesse’s head, the top hat bobbed.
-Pupil, I can see how you’re looking forward to the conclave, and I can see how you’re searching for truth, and I can see that you’re finally becoming a mage. It’s worth all the hard work I’ve put into teaching you!
But silence.
No answer.
In the silence, the tin foil hat suddenly realized something.
The tin foil hat rattled more furiously.
-……, apprentice, you’re excited about the conference, aren’t you?
No, no, no.
Please, give me some kind of answer.
But no answer came from the disciple, despite his desperate pleas.
Tadadak.
As Jesse climbed the dizzying staircase of the magic tower, he stopped dead in his tracks.
The Crystal Hall, the place where regular conference s were held.
Jesse took a small, deep breath at the entrance.
“……Why am I nervous!”
Yes, it was Ho Yeol who should be nervous.
Unlike the other players.
She had already sensed the different air as she walked in and out of the tower.
Ho-yeol was in charge of pre-qualification for the regular conference.
Because of that, he knew the atmosphere of the frozen Magic Tower.
He knew it very well.
“I’m sure everyone is watching.
Especially the senior mages, whose eyes would be lit up.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the outcome of the regular conference would determine the honor and position of the school.
It was one thing for Ho Yeol to prove himself.
It’s another thing entirely.
There was no way the senior mages would give him a favorable glance.
“!”
As expected.
When I entered the Crystal Hall, I saw the senior mages.
I counted them all, and they were all present.
“Even Mathis?
Even Senior Mage Mathis Dean Karl of the Black Mages, who rarely attended conferences, was there.
There was definitely a different atmosphere hovering in the Crystal Hall.
That’s right.
Silence in the Crystal Hall at this moment.
In the midst of it, different thoughts were running through their minds.
Some were fueled by the desire for the quest.
Some were complaining about pre-qualification.
Others were worried about their fate.
But their thoughts didn’t last long.
Soon, the sound of shoes echoed through the hall.
As soon as Ho-yeol appeared, he announced.
“Regular conference called to order. The Chief Mage, Marcelo, will be absent from this conference due to his attendance at the Round Table. Therefore, according to protocol.”
As if anyone’s worries were irrelevant.
In a calm voice.
“I will preside over this conference .”
* https://pindangscans.com
Regular conferences.
Roundtable.
What a coincidence that these two important events overlap!
I don’t know who organized the schedule.
This was a real society.
It’s not enough to write about. And this?
“Marcelo, you’re putting too much trust in me.”
I can’t believe you’re putting this burden on me.
Marcelo didn’t sound the least bit concerned.
In fact, he was delighted.
-“Thanks to your help, I was able to attend the roundtable.”
What the hell is a roundtable?
Does he mean he’s going to send me to a regular conference?
I was puzzled at first.
When I heard the explanation, I nodded in agreement.
The chief mage, the real power in the tower.
Marcelo was the lowest ranking member of the Round Table.
Lord of the Tower.
The elder mage.
And Marcelo, the chief mage.
Their meeting is called the Round Table.
What exactly was said and done in those meetings.
I couldn’t possibly know.
“I don’t even know what it looks like.
I’d never met any of the elder mages, let alone the top lords.
They always seemed to be the most elusive of beings.
Even among the senior mages.
I’ve heard that only a handful of people have ever met them.
In that sense, I’m kind of looking forward to it.
-“I’ll be sure to bring good news.”
Marcelo added.
High-level meetings.
If there’s good news on the agenda there, it’s good news…….
“Something big is coming.”
I don’t know what it is, but I think it’s safe to expect it.
Of course, that was just me, Lee Ho-yeol’s preoccupation.
It’s about what’s inside that never shows on the outside.
“I tried different variations of the interference process…….”
Thanks to him, I was focused on the conference.
I listened to every word of the experienced mages presenting their research.
As I said, the spells presented at conferences are tried-and-true, advanced, and new.
They could be of use to me in many ways.
But.
It wasn’t enough.
First and foremost, I had the weight of being Chief.
What is a chief?
The top spot in a rank or position.
You’ve earned the right to lead others.
Pride is not being satisfied with that.
……Pride to die for!
That’s why I stayed up until dawn reading all kinds of magic books.
To me.
I could never be satisfied with the work of a skilled mage.
Had this been Topaz Hall, I would have shouted my failure at the top of my lungs.
But this was Crystal Hall, where a regular conference was being held.
As if that weren’t enough.
I have been duly appointed to take Marcelo’s place as its organizer.
In other words.
I opened my mouth to speak with the generosity of a senior.
“Do you really think that’s the best thing to do?”
“……!!!”
The problem was that it was my standard.
.
. https://pindangscans.com
.
“Do you really think that’s the best?”
“……!!!”
Ho Yeol’s words followed.
The face of the senior mage, Naslow, gradually changed.
“How dare you say you know anything about illusion magic!
From anger─
“……, how could you?”
To astonishment.