◈ Episode 224. If you need an explanation (2)
63rd in the hierarchy.
Demon, Andras.
The owl-headed demon opened its beak.
“You are a demonic mongrel.”
An unmistakable insult.
But Andras’s reaction was different than usual.
Instead of his usual destructive behavior, he merely gazed at the object in front of him with interest.
He can’t help it.
He was facing a great evil, the Seven Deadly Sins of Gluttony.
Gluttony grinned.
“You who call yourself a demon king.”
“!”
It wasn’t Andras who was surprised.
The leaders of the demonic legions under Andras were stunned.
It wasn’t enough to be insulted as a demonic mongrel, but to insult the throne.
Isn’t that too much, even for the most wicked evil?
But Andras was not angry this time.
He simply spoke blandly.
“Indeed, you are correct.”
“……!!!”
You’re actually admitting to that?
The Demon Legion Leaders looked confused.
In contrast, the corners of Glutony’s mouth turned to the sky.
“Do you understand the subject? You are a mongrel. That means you are a half-breed, neither born of evil like me and my foolish brothers, nor born with great power like the demons of the Ten Seats.”
Andras remained silent.
‘Indeed, a great evil is a great evil.’
After Akshan’s resurrection.
Andras was acutely aware of his limitations.
Now that the Arcana continent was on the brink of extinction.
The demon kings, including himself, were powerless to do anything about Akshan, the last survivor. And in the midst of it all, Gluttony had come to him.
“But I can tell you how to overcome the mongrel blood.”
What a tempting offer.
Gluttony.
As he had said himself, he was evil.
Evil born of evil, he was evil itself.
Even if he could see through the minds of other demons to some degree.
It was not easy to see through such pure evil.
Andras asked.
“Do you think I would trust your word?”
Gluttony laughed.
“You are free to believe it or not. But I assure you, you have nothing to lose by listening. It’s the blood of a lowly demon, and you’ll overcome it by consuming a deeper evil.”
“……Deeper evil.”
The blood that flows may be thick and thin.
The same demonic blood flowed through them, so they understood what was being said.
They drew strength from negativity.
Andras’s beak opened.
“Funny story, great evil.”
“Funny?”
“The Throne has killed and killed everything on this continent. I have built mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. Those who have resisted me have been torn to pieces and thrown to the beast’s feeding grounds, and those who have managed to survive have been ravaged and killed.”
“Oh my.”
“Are you saying that there is some evil deed I have not done?”
Gluttony laughed.
“Of course there is.”
“What is it?”
“Have you not heard it yet?”
” …… haven’t heard of?”
“The ‘past’.”
At the mention of “the past,” even the giggling Gluttony changed.
His face changed.
Andras could feel it.
He could feel it.
In that ‘past’.
That something terrible was buried there.
So he said.
“So, that’s why you came to me.”
“Exactly. I intend to use you as bait to uncover the past.”
“Bait.”
“It means that I will throw you away to reveal the past. If you can face the past and survive… … . Maybe you will be reborn as a true demon king. As you know, there has been a vacancy, right?”
A vacancy, he meant, Gamigin’s place.
“Do you think I would accept such an offer?”
Gluttony shrugged.
“Do you know why mongrels are mongrels?”
“?”
“They’re mongrels because they’re motley and full of it.”
It was pure evil.
He knew the demon’s temper so well.
I felt like I was playing in the palm of his hand.
But it was also an offer I couldn’t refuse.
After a moment, Andras replied.
“I’ll take you up on your offer.”
“An owl is an owl, and a bird is a bird.”
“So what is the past that I need to reveal?”
If it’s such a great past.
Surely, I thought, it must have a complicated story to tell.
But it wasn’t.
Gluttony had only spat out a single word.
“Claudi. That’s enough.”
“……?”
“Because that one word will set the world on fire.”
*
The Crystal Hall.
As befits a space in a magic tower, its structure is deeply fantastical.
From the outside, it appears to be a simply ornate circular space.
On the other side, connected by a door, is a special space.
A waiting area.
In other words, a waiting room for the next speaker.
Of course, if it was a normal waiting room.
“Not bad.”
This is not the reaction that would have come out of Grandfell’s mouth.
There would be no fuss about the special design.
Looking down at my feet.
A dizzying view of the Crystal Hall.
Apparently, this was the waiting room that I entered through the doors attached to the Crystal Hall.
I was watching the Crystal Hall from the ceiling!
‘I should just admire it purely.’
If this was an occupational disease, it would be an occupational disease.
“So this isn’t illusion magic.”
The process of search, interference, and manifestation ran through my head.
“But it’s familiar to me.”
Of course it’s familiar.
It was a projector-like magic of interference.
Or, to put it in Arcana terms…….
I guess you could call it the Magic Tower version of the Telescope of Evil Eye.
‘But only in the Crystal Hall.’
It’s not called the Crystal Hall for nothing.
It’s a space built with ‘magic crystals’, the rarest of the various types of magic stones. The magic crystals everywhere amplify the magic power, allowing for such luxurious manifestations of magic.
‘By the way…….’
It was getting close.
I was looking down on the Crystal Hall from above.
I could almost feel the anticipation in the hall.
Was I nervous?
Of course not.
If anything, I was shamelessly enjoying it!
“Reversal Magic”
As I prepared for the presentation announcing the founding of the new school, I realized once again that the thickness of Grandfell’s iron skin was more than I dared to anticipate.
“I trust you will understand.”
The meaning of those words was clear.
If I didn’t understand.
It’s not my fault.
It’s your fault for not understanding.
‘You’re just plain proud, my dear Grandfell……!’
I looked down into the crystal hall once more.
I see the mages looking forward to learning the true nature of Grandfell.
I can’t be at ease if I want to be at ease.
‘It won’t be long before that anticipation turns to dread.’
What will you do today?
What kind of trouble will this bring to the Magic Tower?
Even I can’t guess.
But I’ll make the best of it while I can.
That’s why I packed so hard.
To make it look as plausible as possible.
‘Actually…….’
This again suited me well.
Why, packaging something that’s nothing.
Isn’t that what Grandfell is all about?
A grueling physical workout?
The sublime challenge of pushing yourself to the limit.
Teabagged green tea?
The most perfect tea in the world.
Simple web surfing?
Another quest for anomaly.
‘……I’m deeply embarrassed to admit it.’
Good thing, though.
Thanks to this packing skill.
Because I no longer have to worry about not being able to fill the presentation time.
Clap clap clap─
I hear the sound of applause.
Finally, after the presentation of the Senior Freeze Magic Professor, Curtain Rebel.
My turn had come.
I stand tall and proud.
Ttogak─
I walked into the Crystal Hall in my usual stance.
I made my way to the podium.
Of course, the jacket of dawn was slung over my shoulders as always.
Normally, this would have made me feel ashamed, but…
‘I can’t afford to worry about that.’
All I can think about now is pulling off the reversal magic.
All I could think about was making it a success.
First, I took a quick look around the Crystal Hall.
From Yugweed to Vangrit.
All the senior mages were present.
‘……Stretching is disgusting.’
Continuing─
As soon as I appeared, I could see Tower Master stretching his cat’s body.
Now that everyone’s here, there’s no point in dragging it out.
I cut straight to the chase.
Goooo─
As the magic power is raised, the magic crystal decorating the crystal hall responds and sparkles. The magic power that passes through the magic crystal is scattered in the air as if unfolding a huge piece of drawing paper.
‘Now that I think about it, it’s kind of like a system window.’
Soon, the magic particles are carving letters into the air.
I don’t even have to lift a finger.
It’s enough to repeat the words in my head.
The words appeared out of thin air.
“Reversal Magic.”
There are murmurs all around.
Although our Granfell is a bit picky, he is not eccentric.
He’s not the kind of personality that screams at you for making a fuss.
“……Reversal Magic? What is that?”
Players, of course.
“Reversal Magic……. Do you know anything about it, Miss Klee?!”
“What? Why did I……?”
Adept mage.
“Hey, Senior Vangrit, do you know what it is?”
“No, I don’t. This is the first I’ve heard of it either……!”
“Why don’t you concentrate for a moment, Bensch William Senior.”
“Hmph.”
All the senior mages, including Matisse and Bensch.
“Wow, I never thought of this.”
Even the elder mage, Yugweed.
Everyone’s eyes widen in disbelief.
It’s an expected reaction.
The current state of knowledge of Reversal Magic in the Crystal Hall.
It was just me, Marcelo, and that smirking cat.
I opened my mouth.
“Reversal magic, the creator is me.”
Fastball from the first word.
It was my own words, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more honest fastball. But words are only as good as the person who says them.
With all the attention, I continued.
“Reversal Magic. The principles are simple. Search, Interfere, Manifest. It’s just the structure of magic in reverse. That’s right. In reversal magic, the object of search is already manifested magic, and the process of interference is reversed, reversed to its original state.”
Instead of decreasing, the murmur grows louder.
“……that sounds very easy for you, Chief.”
“Is it really possible to manifest like that?”
“No, that’s not a matter of magic manifestation!”
Yeah, it’s not a matter of manifestation.
It’s all wrapped up and gold-plated.
I recognized it.
“The sheer magnitude of Grandfell’s talent.’
As the creator of reversal magic, I can assure you.
No matter how many times I explain it to you, no matter how many times you understand how it works, there is not a single person who can perform it in real life.
To put it simply.
Reversal magic is only for Grandfell.
Knowing that, I said nonchalantly.
“I will not wish for you to be able to manifest it.”
It may seem like I’m trying to embarrass myself, but I’m sincere.
“It is enough for you to understand.”
Even after I said that.
The mood was not easily calmed.
You’re only as good as your knowledge.
The more you know about magic.
you’re bound to be shocked by reversal magic.
It’s why Grandfell has become so generous.
Sometimes, Grandfell’s generosity manifests itself in strange ways. There was no way that our gracious Grandfell could turn a blind eye to an audience that was shocked and horrified by the introduction.
I declared.
“Nevertheless, don’t worry.”
“……?”
“Until you understand the reversal magic.”
“……!”
“Because the regular conference will never end.”
Wait a minute.
A class that doesn’t end until you understand……?
Do you really think that’s for the audience, Grandfell?
I realize with a start.
Mr. Grandfell, you should never get a job teaching anyone.
The National Association of Teachers would be shocked.
You’ve made a terrible declaration, you are!
‘More than that.’
What am I supposed to do……?
Damn it.
I narrowly avoided death from shame, but death from overwork was waiting for me.
But I was mistaken.
Suddenly, I hear a voice.
“……What is this?”
And then a smartphone vibrating in the crystal hall.
I knew what it was.
The players couldn’t focus on my explanation of the reversal magic.
They wouldn’t have understood what I was saying.
‘I keep my word. I do.’
Because I generously said I understood.
I can only understand what it means to check smartphone notifications during a conference.
But then I heard a conversation.
“This is an emergency update?”
“……What, the demon? Out of the blue?!”
“No, wait, it’s not a rift, it’s a region add-on?”
Emergency update.
Demon King.
Region add-on, not rift.
I guess I didn’t set off all those vibrations for nothing.
But still.
Accidents could follow.
What kind of creatures are demons?
Akshan’s resurrection.
I didn’t expect the effectiveness of Gamigin’s treatment to last forever.
But the next words made me realize.
There’s no avoiding shame……!
“Who does the demon say he’s looking for?”
“Looking for a player or an Arcanian?”
“Wait, it must be…….”
One word that pierced my eardrums.
“Claudi! He said Claudi!”
My mind went blank.
Krrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!
My name…….
No, why does that name come up there!!