Episode 954

“It was a pleasure speaking with you. Thank you.”

“Lord Gonadaltes also says he enjoyed it.”

“Hahaha! Thank you!”

The mages left the suite, delighted.

To think they’d get to converse directly with a great archmage like this.

And he was much kinder than they’d expected.

“……”

“……”

When the boisterous mages left, the room fell silent.

The Mad Clone didn’t say a word, maintaining the silence.

Mad though he was, the intellect of a clone derived from an archmage couldn’t be hidden.

He’d finally realized there was no point in rebuking or scolding a disciple who simply wouldn’t listen.

Instead, the Mad Clone silently began his magical explanation once more.

“I will speak about the Black Emperor spell again.”

“Yes.”

“……”

Ellendil now felt awe beyond fear or shock.

Could his Junior possess the Mad Clone’s reliquary or something?

Otherwise, there was no reason for him to be treated this kindly.

“The last time, the casting was done with the help of the royal family.”

To welcome those accursed, or rather, Baldrogard students, Lee Han had been half-forced to cast the Black Emperor.

“…Whaaaat???”

Of course, this was news to Ellendil.

To hear that his 2nd-year Junior had cast the Black Emperor spell, Ellendil screamed before he realized it.

“When?!”

“Be quiet. Don’t you know your manners?”

“S-s-sorry…”

Ellendil shriveled up immediately.

Even though his head knew the Mad Clone was surprisingly generous, directly facing him flooded Ellendil with fear.

“I used it when the Baldrogard students came last time.”

“I don’t remember hearing that…”

“I even mentioned it at the Watchman Club, didn’t I? When we talked about forbidden ancient magic.”

“…?”

Ellendil, tilting his head, finally recalled.

-Hey. Someone from another magic school used forbidden ancient magic this time, right?

-Hmph. I know who did it. 5th-year of the Blue Dragon Tower, highest of the Enchantment Magic School, scion of a great line—Yukveltire, of course.

“…You!!”

Along with the key memory, Ellendil also recalled a pointless one and was further appalled.

When the Watchman Club members discussed “who cast that forbidden ancient magic,” this Junior, under the name Gonadaltes, had framed Yukveltire.

All the club members had nodded, thinking “of course, if it’s Yukveltire, I can believe it…”

To learn the real culprit was someone else sent chills down Ellendil’s spine.

“H-how could you tell such a lie…?”

“Pardon? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Framed…! You framed Senior Yukveltire…!”

“I don’t remember that.”

Lee Han sparkled his eyes innocently, as if he knew nothing.

Ellendil was confused—did his Junior really forget?

‘Did he, did he really forget?’

“Enough. This idle talk has gone too far.”

The Mad Clone cut off their chit-chat.

To wait through conversation unrelated to magic like this was a rare event itself.

“How much do you remember?”

“I remember the general structure, but any more specific…”

Lee Han glanced cautiously.

At that time, the Mad Clone had provided all the instructions, from magical structure, staff motions, script in the language of the Three Kingdoms, orientation and flames—almost every element.

All Lee Han had really done was provide magical power.

And he had no choice; summoning the Black Emperor was simply too difficult for Lee Han at his current level.

He wanted to participate more, but simply couldn’t.

In fact, the fact he even remembered the general structure showed his growth.

‘I did my best to remember, so surely he won’t get mad…’

“You remember the structure. Good.”

“!”

Seeing the Mad Clone’s reaction, Lee Han realized—he probably wouldn’t have gotten mad if Lee Han had just said he didn’t know.

‘Ugh. I should have just said to start from the beginning.’

Trying to speed up only raised the learning difficulty. Painful mistake.

“As I said, this artifact operates on a principle similar to the Black Emperor.”

The Mad Clone continued his explanation calmly.

Despite the calm and even tone, the content was terribly complex and difficult.

If the listeners weren’t a genius 4th-year and a 2nd-year Junior, they’d have soon failed and collapsed.

Lee Han focused, desperately trying to organize and summarize.

‘So…’

Where Lee Han had prepared the Black Emperor invocation himself under the Mad Clone’s guidance, this artifact could replace those steps using its own power.

Though, since it was now tied to an evil god, disconnection and purification were essential, but even taking that into account, it was amazing.

‘Honestly, I’m not confident I could cast it alone.’

“Um… can I ask a question?”

Ellendil asked nervously, glancing over. The Mad Clone gave no reaction.

Unable to stand it, Lee Han spoke instead.

“You can.”

“Are—are you sure it’s okay…?”

“If you ask, I’ll relay it.”

“…Once it’s severed from the evil god, I’d have to connect it to a new god. Is there a way to link it to the god I want?”

Ellendil, after every word, nervously checked the Mad Clone’s mood.

Lee Han translated directly:

“Is there a way to link it to a new, chosen god once disconnected from the evil god?”

‘A parrot…?’

“It is not difficult. This artifact, after all, amplifies divine power for connection with a divine being. As long as you have a symbol with strong symbolism and divinity, that will suffice.”

With such a positive answer, Ellendil’s face lit up.

She had coveted this artifact precisely to harness a god’s power compatible with the forest’s recovery and growth.

Naturally, she had such symbols prepared. According to the Mad Clone, it wasn’t difficult.

Lee Han’s face brightened too.

“That’s great. We don’t have to obsess over the Black Emperor but use this as an artifact for borrowing divine power.”

Even if the artifact’s principles were like the Black Emperor, that didn’t mean he had to use it as such.

Instead of using a dangerous, difficult, and evil forbidden magic, it seemed easier to borrow the power of a good god.

Besides, Lee Han was rather close with divine magic.

‘Groups like the Afha Order or the Fleming Order probably won’t reject me.’

“Prepare to link an artificial demigod.”

“…Master?”

If you gaze too long into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

Just as Lee Han had adapted to the Mad Clone, the Mad Clone had also adapted to Lee Han.

Now he simply ignored what should be ignored!

“Master, you heard you can borrow divine power, right?”

“I know. But if you are a royal apprentice, you must go beyond the methods of ordinary folk.”

‘I don’t want to go beyond…’

Just linking it to a benevolent god would make it a convenient artifact, but his Master was ordering him to connect it to some evil elemental artificial demigod.

Lee Han’s face soured.

Even Ellendil, now relegated to “ordinary folk,” found it distasteful. But he did not show it.

The one before him was far too frightening for careless emotion.

Lee Han eventually gave up.

Even with all his newfound flexibility, the Mad Clone would not compromise in certain matters. Magic legacy was one of those.

“Understood. How do I link to the artificial demigod?”

“Normally you would have to make a new one, but as a royal apprentice, there’s no need.”

“Ah. You already made one previously.”

Recalling the recent continental conquest incident, Lee Han frowned.

Thinking about it, since he summoned an army of artificial demigods then, there must be plenty left.

The Mad Clone lifted the artifact and issued a simple command. An alien order pervaded the space, just as it did when the Black Emperor was summoned last time.

Colliding worlds, different rules, different orders—a flood of dark elements through the rift…

And then a voice familiar to Lee Han spoke.

Why didn’tyou conquerthe continent?

“……”

Lee Han ignored it. But the voice within the artifact called again.

Why didn’tyou conquerthe continent?

“My disciple, it is calling for you. Why do you ignore it?”

“Indeed… Um, well, it wasn’t the right time to conquer the continent then…”

Ellendil looked at his Junior with his mouth agape.

So there’s a time when conquering the continent is the right move?

“You aren’t holding a grudge over what happened before, right?”

To prevent the descent of the demigod army, Lee Han had fought a fierce battle.

He’d turned it into a hamster, pierced it with Brainfire, torched it with Joulin’s breath…

‘Wouldn’t it have a grudge?’

No matter how you looked at it, it would be hard not to.

Yet surprisingly, the demigod answered calmly.

If the Commander thinks so, then it must be so.

‘Huh?’

The artificial demigod was kinder than expected.

Instead of vowing grudge or revenge, it respected and acknowledged the authority of Lee Han, disciple of the Mad Clone.

He had expected a god of blood and rage…

“From now on, you will tame this demigod.”

When you heard “god,” it sounded awe-inspiring, but in reality, there were often childlike sides.

In the case of artificially created demigods, calling them infants wasn’t far off.

The artificial demigod the Mad Clone had just summoned should have been learning to maximize destructive efficiency for continental conquest, but with the plan scrapped, its learning was wiped clean.

The task of a mage was not just to summon an artificial demigod, but to tame and skillfully employ its power.

The most immediate thing for Lee Han to do was tame and handle the raw, unrefined power of this artificial demigod.

Of course, to Lee Han, it all sounded like nonsense. To be precise, from “tame it” onward, it all just sounded like rubbish.

“Is that even possible?”

“It is. Start refraining from foolish questions.”

The total control or reverse-summoning of all nearby undead, neutralizing or dominating attacks—all these were the result of gathering and refining the nearly omnipotent power of a demigod.

Clearly and specifically.

Otherwise, even the power of a god would just dissipate uselessly.

“Tame it and, once you get used to using that power, you’ll be able to summon the Black Emperor directly someday.”

“Wow. That’s really… so exciting.”

“Don’t display your joy in front of onlookers. It’s vulgar; restrain yourself.”

Certainly, direct experience is a faster teacher than theory and study.

If you left aside the fact that the difficulty of the magic was beyond imagination.

Honestly, Lee Han was dubious there’d be much difference between following the Mad Clone’s directions to repeatedly practice Black Emperor summoning and learning firsthand like this with the relic.

Both seemed like they’d just take forever…

Lee Han held in a sigh and looked at the ancient artifact. Then a faint, vague voice drifted over.

Even if you deny my authority, you can never escape.

“…Master, I don’t think this relic is properly purified??”

At the evil god’s voice, which he hadn’t expected, Lee Han jumped.

“That’s right.”

“I thought you’d give it to me after purifying and severing it.”

“Why should I bother? It won’t be able to affect you anyway.”

“Well, true, that’s fair.”

‘How is that fair…’

Ellendil suppressed the instinct to point it out.

He wasn’t much for conversation, but talking with these two made him especially weary. He missed the forest so much it brought tears to his eyes.

Ellendil made up his mind.

Once this is over, I’ll hole up in the forest and never deal with anyone for a while…

“But Senior, since you’ll be keeping this in the forest, please purify it. Just taming the artificial demigod will be enough of a headache—even you shouldn’t have to worry about carrying the evil god in there.”

“…Huh?”

Taken aback by the unexpected remark, Ellendil looked up.

Perhaps he’d misheard, but his Junior’s words sounded like Lee Han was planning to go to Ellendil’s forest to practice forbidden evil magic.

…Surely he misheard, right?