Episode 1176
by CristaeEpisode 1176
Despite the chilly response, the Heirs of Ahrak did not waver.
Black magicians who lived over a hundred years were fundamentally shameless.
“Why do you say it’s impossible without even trying? Maybe it’ll work, right?”
“Kurrrrk (Don’t pretend to be close, it’s embarrassing).”
“Let’s just take out more of the spare money and buy it up. Donate to the Einrogard Black Magic School too.”
The suggestion from the Obsidian Tower had a sharp edge. Lee Han stopped without realizing it.
If they were giving it only to him, maybe it would be different, but donating to the Einrogard Black Magic School shook his heart.
Suddenly, Senior Di Mo’s happy face flickered befo…
“You brat, do you even know which family that one is from? He’s from the Wardanaz family. You think you can buy him out just by giving him some bribe?”
“Prejudice is not good.”
Lee Han muttered, but the black magicians were already too busy arguing among themselves to listen at all.
“And donate to the Einrogard Black Magic School? Brat, would you agree to a request if someone from the Obsidian Tower donated to you?”
“…My thinking was shallow. I must admit.”
Even the magician from the Obsidian Tower could only admit this one was a slip of the tongue.
Who would be stupid enough to do something just for a donation to their school?
“Anyway, stop saying it won’t work without even trying! If you learn, your thoughts might change!”
“Hm. -Eye of Ahrak- is one I’d like to try learning though.”
Lee Han spoke lightly.
A semi-permanent surveillance summon spell?
Seemed like it would be good for spying on White Tiger Tower students, Blue Dragon Tower students, or Black Turtle Tower students.
“Krrrrrk (That’s not magic you can learn so easily)…”
The undead answered as if dumbfounded.
It just sounded easy because that old four-circle black magician spoke lightly, but it was a black magic spell starting at the 5th circle.
Even then, it included a lot of summoning school elements. Magic with complex structures like that were always much more difficult, even within the same circle.
“Why do you keep trying to crush the young one’s spirit? Stay quiet.”
The Heir of Ahrak scolded the undead.
At times like this, you should be tempting the young one as much as possible, but instead you kept pouring cold water on things.
“Think about it. Consider how thirsty that boy is for magic when he hears about it.”
It wasn’t a question of whether he could or could not learn the magic. The point was to incite thirst.
A thirst for knowledge!
For a magician, that was the most deadly and sharp poison.
How many magicians had destroyed themselves because of that thirst?
“Krk (Indeed)!”
“That is surely a reasonable strategy…”
When the debate ended, the old black magician called to Lee Han with a kindly face.
“Are you curious about the Eye of Ahrak?”
“Well, if it’s difficult I don’t really—”
“No, no! You must learn if you’re curious. Don’t you know it’s a crime for a magician to suppress their curiosity, boy?”
“Well, you can’t just learn every magic you see on the street. I also have to meet the Hag soon.”
“……”
The Heir of Ahrak internally swore dozens of times and then opened his mouth.
“…This magic is inspired by ancient black magic.”
Ancient black magic.
Just the term was enough to make the hearts of black magicians flutter.
But honestly, it wasn’t all good.
Ancient black magic, unlike the relatively cleanly separated current imperial magical system, required learning and preparing far more for casting.
“The Coffin of Black Control… You probably don’t know about it since you’re so young…”
“I do.”
“…You do?”
The Heir of Ahrak paused.
The Coffin of Black Control was not just magic for making seal coffins, but magic to control artificially created demigods.
It was rare for any magician to even know of it, especially a mere second-year at Einrogard.
“Looks like you’ve read all sorts of strange books in the Archive. But what you read would only be the most shallow and easy part. This Coffin of Black Control magic…”
“I also helped summon it.”
Lee Han answered indifferently.
Recalling memories with the Mad Clone made it hard to respond positively.
Besides, Professor Voladi had absconded like Gainando…
“What?!?!?”
Of course, the Heir of Ahrak did not care at all about the sorrow of the magician beside him.
What mattered was the claim of having assisted with the Coffin of Black Control summon.
For a magic school student to say he helped with ancient black magic—no matter how battle-hardened, even old black magicians would be shocked near to fainting.
“Who on earth… Don’t say, could it be Gonadaltes?!”
There was only one name to come to mind. The Heir of Ahrak asked with a trembling voice.
“Oh… well, strictly speaking, yes.”
‘Lunatic!’
The Heir could do nothing but be appalled.
Even so, imperial folks called the Heirs of Ahrak evil.
The truly evil magician was at Einrogard!
‘I knew he treated his disciples rough, but this is, really… isn’t this just too much?’
No matter how rough, this was beyond all bounds—making a second-year assist in summoning the Coffin of Black Control.
Faced with true madness, the Heir of Ahrak snapped back to his senses as if doused in cold water.
“S-still… you just played a simple role, right? No matter what, Gonadaltes wouldn’t… It’s not like this is the dark ages… Right?”
“I only played a simple role.”
“Whew.”
Now, the old black magician could finally breathe again. The undead watching nearby managed to exhale too.
‘Thought he was truly insane!’
“The discussion has gotten off track. Anyway, -Eye of Ahrak- starts from a similar principle as the Coffin of Black Control. Compared to a demigod, it’s embarrassing, but… you make an eye of black magic, which doesn’t exist in reality, inside the darkness element and then summon it.”
To a magician, the material world, the continent of reality, was full of restrictions and rules.
Not legal rules of the Empire. The rules of nature.
Why does the ground pull things down? Why can’t a man walk through a solid wall?
If a magician could manipulate these as they wished, much more would be possible.
This was one method born from such thinking.
Instead of making it in reality, you create it inside a mass of pure element and then summon it—thus bypassing the rules of nature and realizing the magic as desired.
“Ah, I understand!”
“You catch on quick, since you helped with the Coffin of Black Control. Yes. That’s the kind of magic. Do you understand what magic it is?”
“I don’t mean I know what the spell is; I mean I understand how to cast it.”
Lee Han corrected the misunderstanding.
At first, he couldn’t guess what method was used to cast the spell—but upon hearing about the Coffin of Black Control, he could see its structure.
Several spell techniques used in summoning the Coffin were placed here and there.
“……”
“……”
To the black magicians, this was, of course, bizarre and creepy.
He was claiming to understand how to cast -Eye of Ahrak- before the explanation even started?
“Young man. Don’t bluff. This isn’t that kind of spell.”
“In any case, I don’t think you need to explain further. May I ask about another spell instead? There was a useful one…”
“…This brat, seriously!”
Lee Han’s attitude only made the Heir of Ahrak more indignant.
If you’re caught, you should say ‘I’m sorry,’ not act all brazen like that!
“Then let’s see you cast it! If you can do it, I’ll crawl on all fours around this keep myself!”
At those words, Lee Han suddenly wondered.
‘Why do magicians always make bets about crawling on all fours?’
Why not just say ‘Try it and see’? Why always add that forfeit?
Did he actually want to crawl on all fours?
“Understood. I’ll try preparing.”
“Hmph!”
And ten minutes later.
“Oh. Looks like it worked. Is this right?”
“……”
“……”
The black magicians just blinked silently.
Floating in the air in kind, the -Eye of Ahrak- blinked slowly as well. Judging by its response, the summon seemed successful.
‘…Right. This boy is no ordinary genius…!’
He’d forgotten in the heat of emotion, but the boy in front of him was a mad genius taking not just the black magic school but multiple ones.
If Professor Mortum had only bragged a little less, he’d have remembered this handy detail…
So much irrelevant bragging had driven the important facts from mind.
‘I kept thinking of his contact with the Hag and didn’t focus deeply on his skill. How ridiculous.’
‘Still, summoning it on the spot? Did he really only “help” with the Coffin of Black Control?’
“The eye is…”
“The eye?”
“A bit murky.”
The Heir of Ahrak shamelessly nitpicked.
He flailed to find fault, desperate to avoid crawling on all fours.
“Krk (Not true).”
“Sorry, but it’s nearly perfect.”
“…Fine, you damned bastards. Got it! Happy now?!”
Unable to rely on unhelpful black magician words, the Heir of Ahrak burst out in frustration.
Like most magicians out in the field, the Heirs of Ahrak made periodic contact with their peers.
Found traces of the Hag
Very likely to blockade the north (the Patriarch is nearly here)
…like this.
Of course, that wasn’t the only message sent. The next report followed.
Found traces of the Hag
Heard an Einrogard magician made contact (northern situation is resolved)
“The situation is resolved?!”
“More amazing that an Einrogard magician managed to make contact. Impressive kid. Maybe we could make him a new heir?”
“No matter how long our ranks remain unchanged and boring, we can’t just add a new heir so carelessly.”
The Heirs of Ahrak around the round table hid their faces behind hoods and masks as they spoke.
Not being able to see each other’s faces posed no problem identifying one another.
While the other heirs were stunned, more messages came flying in.
To ask the Hag questions, you must formally contact the Einrogard black magic school…
“No!”
“That Mortum, does he want to strut about again?”
…Thank goodness, it’s not Mortum but his apprentice Direte you need to ask.
“Whew!”
“That’s some relief. We should decide what questions to ask the Hag.”
And then, moments later.
Einrogard magician learned -Eye of Ahrak- on the spot (never planned to teach all our magic)
Seriously, learned it just by listening to a few words, without proper instruction
“……”
“…What the hell kind of brat is he?”
Even the usually calm heirs’ faces changed in surprise.
Just picked it up, on the spot?
No matter how talented…
“That’s not what matters now. What matters is how we respond.”
“Agreed. If he learned -Eye of Ahrak- so easily, doesn’t that mean he’s fated to be involved with us? Might as well invite him once, even if not adding right away.”
“The ones in the north now are the second and third, right?”
“Right.”
“Aren’t those two the worst for invitations?? We’d better send someone else.”
“But who among us has a good personality for inviting others…”
Meanwhile, another message arrived.
Good news
The Legion of Oondorgu also lost their Living Wall spell right away
“……”
“Told you, should’ve sent someone else.”