Episode 634

Episode 634

“Junior. You shouldn’t dislike learning.”

“Ugh.”

“Studying is all for your own good. It’s easy here, right? Once you enter Einrogard, it’ll get worse. If you fail the exam, you’ll go to the punishment room!”

‘That’s way too much of a lie.’

Alsicle was appalled inwardly.

Of course, Alsicle also agreed that barbarian needed some education. Especially, teaching about the history and respect for noble families like the Pengerine family was urgently needed.

But who would fall for such a lie?

“I don’t like the punishment room…”

“Right, right. Then you need to study.”

‘No way. That actually worked.’

Crackle—

A reply arrived from the main entrance of the -Exploration Chamber-.

Alsicle, who was eagerly waiting, hurried over.

– Welcome. Director departing.

“?”

Alsicle tilted his head.

Who’s the director?

“Who is the director? Is it your elder?”

“What did you say?”

“Here. It says the director has departed.”

Lee Han was shocked and came running.

Alsicle was also flustered by the urgency he had never seen from Wardanaz before.

“Why, why? Is something wrong?”

“That can’t be.”

Lee Han read the reply.

But the contents did not change.

– Welcome. Director departing.

“Wait… Could it be a mistake?”

“Who is the director, anyway?”

“Oh, it’s the Lady Mother.”

Lady Mother (家母).

That meant Lee Han’s mother.

Alsicle was shocked.

“Mother is here?!?!”

“……”

“……”

Lee Han and Eandurde stared intently at Alsicle.

Eandurde, in particular, looked at him as if looking at trash. Realizing his rudeness late, Alsicle panicked and shouted.

“Sorry, sorry. That’s, well, I mean—”

“Trash…”

“No! That’s not it. I mean! Patriarch Wardanaz appears from time to time, but I’ve never seen the Lady even once, so I didn’t even know she existed!”

Alsicle pleaded desperately.

Normally, regardless of how sociable the patriarch or his spouse of a great noble house was, their status would be known in the Empire.

Even those who weren’t sociable had to attend official events, so rumors were bound to spread.

But there were simply no rumors at all about the spouse of Patriarch Wardanaz.

The patriarch sometimes appeared, but there was nothing about his wife, so Alsicle had just assumed, ‘Did she maybe pass away early?’…

“Oh. The director just happens to be particularly unsociable. She doesn’t like outside activities.”

“?”

Alsicle didn’t understand what nonsense this was.

The Wardanaz family was already the most unsociable family in the Empire.

Even the patriarch wouldn’t appear unless there were urgent reasons requiring an archmage in the Empire, so what…?

“Um… Wardanaz, this may be rude, but your family is already… quite unsociable? The patriarch isn’t exactly sociable either…”

“Oh no. Compared to the director, Patriarch is actually sociable.”

“…!!!”

While Alsicle was in shock, Lee Han added more explanation.

People of the Empire often didn’t know about her existence and were prone to mistakes, but Lee Han’s mother, the Lady Mother and the director of the Dawn Archive, was alive and well.

She just disliked outside activities.

“No matter how much she dislikes it, could she be this unknown?! What about the people involved…”

“Hmm. Magic.”

“…I’m a mage too. Magic isn’t omnipotent.”

“It’s like this.”

When the Wardanaz patriarch received a message like ‘There is a great drought in the Western Empire, please help us’, he moved the entire sea, removed the salt, and made a reservoir.

He at least did that much.

But his wife just ignored any such messages.

Then she erased the memory of the messenger who delivered the message, erased the memory of the official who sent the messenger, and if a superior was involved, erased that memory too…

“……”

Alsicle was speechless from shock.

Sure, among the highest levels of illusion magic, there were spells that could cut out a person’s memory.

But only for a very brief moment, and at most slightly altering the immediate memory before.

To manipulate every memory related to such an important person as a member of House Wardanaz, leaving not a single person among the Empire’s related personnel out?

“How is that possible?!”

“It must be possible, since you don’t know, Alsicle-nim.”

“…Yeah, you’re right.”

Alsicle shuddered as if cold ice slid down his spine.

When he came here, he had a light heart, wanting to witness Wardanaz House’s amazing magic and the patriarch’s wisdom, but now, he felt a reverence mixed with fear like a child who just met a grand mage for the first time.

Is this magic?

“Hmm. I’m not sure why the director is coming, either. Actually, I haven’t talked to her many times myself.”

“When was the last time you talked?”

“My eighth birthday, was it? She gave me a present and immediately entered a dimension.”

Alsicle knew it was a pointless question, but couldn’t resist his curiosity.

“What did she give you?”

“It was a magic book that looked expensive, but the patriarch took it back saying it was dangerous. Should have just given me money.”

Lee Han grumbled as if disappointed.

‘That’s not the problem, though…’

Clunk.

With a small sound, the -Exploration Chamber- door opened.

Out from it walked the most vicious and threatening demon Alsicle had ever seen.

Alsicle realized the light from his defensive artifact was fading.

Some demons could harm living beings just by being seen, and the one before him was exactly that.

Lee Han quickly covered Eandurde’s eyes.

“Director! You haven’t dispelled your transformation yet!”

– Ah.

As if realizing late, the demon dispelled its transformation magic. A pale and frail human mage was revealed.

From this, Alsicle briefly wondered if what Wardanaz said earlier was just a joke or a lie.

How could a mage with such an intellectual and melancholic gaze be such an eccentric person?

“A penguin beastkin, I see.”

“Yes. This is Alsicle-nim of the Pengerine family.”

“Alright.”

Rayana, Director of the Dawn Archive and Lee Han’s mother, extended her finger.

Alsicle, not knowing what was about to happen, stood innocently still.

“Director! Please don’t erase my memory!”

“Why?”

“Alsicle-nim’s lips are the most sealed in the Empire!”

“…Hah! I-I absolutely won’t speak of this anywhere!”

Realizing his memory was about to be blown away, Alsicle cried out in fright.

Rayana nodded. It was more of an indifferent nod than one of trust in Lee Han or Alsicle’s words.

“I heard you entered Einrogard.”

“Yes. I am striving to become a mage who does not bring shame to the family name.”

“I’m not sure learning under ordinary mages is a good way.”

Suddenly, the professors of Einrogard were reduced to being ordinary mages.

Lee Han responded as if he wasn’t even surprised.

“My level is so low that I think it’s actually effective.”

“Alright. Don’t you need any magic books?”

“I’m fine.”

Alsicle looked at him as if to say, ‘Why refuse?!’ but Lee Han was cold.

Even if he named a magic book, it was obvious it wouldn’t come back properly.

She’d no doubt recommend some weird magic book, saying ‘Don’t read that ordinary magic book,’ and reading it might collapse your mind.

“Then, Director, what brings you out here?”

“I heard you entered Einrogard and have been training for a year.”

Alsicle felt slightly moved.

“You were worried if he was doing ok, weren’t you?”

“I came to see how much magic you’ve improved. That can also be called worrying if you’re ok. Is the gorgon half-blood beside you your child with the penguin beastkin?”

“No.”

Alsicle was shocked, his beak opened and closed, but Madam Wardanaz paid it no mind.

“As principal, if you need any magic books, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“…Director. I just finished my first year, you know.”

“Oh.”

A brief silence filled the air.

Rayana spoke as if realizing a mistake.

“Maybe I overused my foresight.”

“So your magic failed.”

“My magic never fails. Lee Han. If one of us is wrong, it’s the future that was wrong.”

‘That’s a ridiculous assertion.’

Lee Han rebelled inwardly to his mother’s words.

To say she foresaw a future where he was principal of Einrogard, and then insist the future must have been wrong?

“If you start missing magic books while learning under ordinary mages, write me a letter whenever. Even if the reply is late, I’ll find and send it.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“I’m busy, so that’s it.”

Rayana lightly waved her hand and went back through the door into the dimension.

Only then did Alsicle relax and let out a heavy sigh.

Rumors once went around that the patriarch of Wardanaz was ‘magic wearing a human hide,’ but the Lady felt like magic didn’t even bother putting on a human hide.

She almost cut out Alsicle’s memory with just a finger, not even using a staff.

“Really… what an amazing experience!”

Once his fear subsided, Alsicle spoke in an excited voice.

He hadn’t noticed while overwhelmed, but upon reflection, it really was an incredible experience.

From the Lady’s entrance to her exit.

All the magical energy in the area was in the director’s grasp. Even attempting to cast magic with her finger instead of a staff showed her confidence.

Alsicle, being a mage, couldn’t help but shiver at that grandeur, fear aside.

“Isn’t that crazy…?”

“Shh. Only think it inside. Saying it out loud is rude.”

Eandurde and Lee Han moved away, repulsed by Alsicle’s reaction.

Calling that an amazing experience after seeing it?

“No, but… Hey, Wardanaz. You may be used to seeing her since you’re family, but for me, it was a shock.”

“I’ve barely met her a few times in my life myself.”

‘Oh, right. This guy must feel less of a shock because of his magic power.’

Come to think of it, even when the Lady was in her demon form, Wardanaz remained calm.

It was partly magic resistance, but also, for mages, control over the magical energy around you is vital.

Losing confidence in your control over the surrounding magic severely damages a mage’s mind.

With focused concentration and conviction being the sources of magic, this was extremely dangerous.

But Wardanaz was different.

No matter how much control over the surroundings was lost, his own magic was so copious that the control around him never dropped below a certain point.

Like a heavy rock unmoved by wild winds, that’s how Wardanaz was.

“Anyway! I was really surprised.”

“Yeah… well…”

“Since the Lady calls herself the director, that archive must be something else.”

In the Empire, archives and libraries were made not to spread knowledge widely, but to protect great visions.

The positions of director of such archives or libraries were hereditary along with the family and themselves were an honorable title.

For Madam Wardanaz to call herself director, this must have been an archive handed down since ancient times.

“When I was young, my elder brother received a book from there and nearly died.”

“That really must be quite an archive.”

Alsicle pretended not to hear and changed the subject.

Come to think of it, a couple who traveled dimensions as a hobby wouldn’t include ordinary magic books there.

Each book was probably a deadly forbidden tome.

“Still, I’m envious.”

‘Is he actually crazy?’

Alsicle said with an impressed face, not caring about what Lee Han thought.

“One is the patriarch of House Wardanaz, and the other is director of an archive handed down from ancient times. Surely, the two joined hands for the completion of great magic. I want to meet a spouse like that too.”

In Alsicle’s view, the most insignificant marriage was a union of mere lust.

Next was a marriage for family honor and gain. That was an ordinary marriage.

The most noble marriage was a union for a sublime purpose and for knowledge.

With no selfishness or lust, but for the great study of magic…

“The two just fell in love at first sight and got married, though.”

“……”