Banished from the Floating Fortress by the Green Tower Lord, Lancart betrayed everyone's expectations: he did not die. Nor did he fall.
Even while falling, Lancart flawlessly wielded Reverse Gravity, returning to the Floating Fortress entirely unharmed.
"As expected, right-handers are so trite. Obvious, and boring."
Lancart is a genius. That was an acknowledged truth even in the Floating Fortress, where renowned geniuses gathered. There are many stories of prodigies who believed themselves to be geniuses, only to face reality and despair, but Lancart had experienced no such despair since arriving at the Floating Fortress.
"I can't even blame the right-handers. They simply ride the massive current that drives the world. They become right-handers and wield power because they are wise and rational... But even so, it's equally boring."
That was less because Lancart was an irregular genius...
And more because he had already experienced a massive despair once before.
"For a 'leap', a left-hander is necessary. Only then can one gaze upon a higher dimension."
Muttering to himself, Lancart returned to his workshop and suddenly sensed a presence. Shaking his head at the presence that shouldn't be there, Lancart denied it.
Archmages are granted a workshop within 'Babel.' Lancart's mansion was situated in a particularly secluded corner of Babel, making it nearly impossible to find without Rene's guidance.
Yet, at the exact moment Lancart had been away... if someone had sneaked into his mansion...
"Hughes? Is that you?"
There were plenty of other candidates. However, Lancart intuitively believed it was him.
And just as Lancart anticipated, the one who appeared before him was 'him.'
Hughes was casually toying with cards in his workshop. Glancing over, it seemed he had arbitrarily used a few of Lancart's gemstones and alchemical gold.
One of the things a mage hates most is having their workshop disturbed. Yet, the very first thought that crossed Lancart's mind was, 'How?'
"How did you do it? The Green Tower Lord wouldn't have just let you go."
"I was caught. Imprisoned, and escaped."
"From the Gravity Barrier?"
"It was manageable."
*Shuffle.* Hughes shuffled the magically inscribed clover cards, trudged over, and sat on the sofa. As if he were the master of the house. Watching his back, Lancart wore a smile of half-rapture.
"As expected, you're magnificent. Unlike that right-hander. Your mana is weak and your vitality is negligible. But you ultimately accomplish anything."
"That's right. I am weak."
"It's fine even if you're weak. Because you're a left-hander. A left-hander who forced this world to see itself as a right-hander's world holds sufficient value in that alone...!"
"Then why do you keep making things so cumbersome?"
Hughes stared at him coldly.
"You're trying to test me. Because I am weak, I overcome hardships in ways you, the strong, cannot even imagine. You keep pushing me into danger, wondering how I'll surmount it this time... Must I remain your friend even knowing that?"
At the cold tone of his former comrade, Lancart abruptly looked up and offered an excuse.
"Ah, no. This time, it wasn't a test. I was planning to release you the moment I returned!"
"The phrase 'the moment I returned' is hardly appropriate. You could have been a bit more attentive. Having learned Orthodox magic, I am either a plebeian or a black mage here. A being ostracized by the Floating Fortress. You are the only one I can rely on."
Hughes pierced through Lancart's mind with his narrow, frigid eyes.
Lancart is smart. They say geniuses fail to understand the human heart, but that is merely due to a lack of interest. He fully comprehends humans as a 'phenomenon.'
How the Green Tower Lord would act was practically a predetermined sequence, and Lancart had made no attempt to overcome it.
Because restricting and controlling the operational radius of Shay and Hughes was to Lancart's advantage.
"You suggested we 'cooperate'? But in the end, you were merely a right-hander too. Trite, obvious, and boring—but you ride the current because it benefits you. Even the 'politics' you found so tiresome when you were on the losing end becomes an acceptable tool when you're the one wielding it, no?"
Mages are rational. They simply live by a different set of rules; their principles of action are founded on cold reason and rational judgment. Utilizing politics, too, is the outcome of a logical decision.
Lancart had merely done the same. Though he likely never wished to become such a person.
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"Shall we end our cooperation here?"
"I'm sorry!"
Lancart, who had quickly raised his head, immediately bowed deeply.
It was a shocking sight.
Lancart Spendry was an unparalleled genius, the very man who had elevated the Military Nation's Six Fortress Cities into Seven Stars. Even after betraying the Military Nation and coming to the Archmage Federation, he was resented, but never ignored.
Arrogant, overbearing, and cursed with talent worthy of such traits... Lancart was now groveling before a mere plebeian from outside the Floating Fortress.
"I made a mistake. I forgot my place and rode the current of the right-hander's world. Hughes, I must have momentarily forgotten because we were separated for so long!"
"What forgetfulness? It's not like you've forgotten much since the day you were born."
"Or perhaps my judgment was simply clouded. After all, I'm not the kind of genius you are."
It wasn't flattery. Lancart genuinely believed that. When Hughes showed a slight sign of softening, Lancart raised his head and asked ingratiatingly.
"Would you care for something to drink? Water, tea, coffee, milk. I have everything."
"Milk? Do you keep dairy cows in the Floating Fortress?"
"I brought it from the Lower World and preserved it using the Crystallogy Faction's preservation magic. Here."
Pulling a milk crystal from the cabinet, Lancart dropped it into a cup and snapped his fingers. The crystal shattered, and the milk reverted into a pristine white liquid, filling the cup to the brim. Lancart set the cup before Hughes and quietly observed him until he picked up the glass.
After a brief wait, Hughes picked up the glass and took a sip of milk. Lancart watched until Hughes gulped the milk down, then asked.
"How did you escape the Gravity Barrier?"
"A swing."
Hughes answered curtly. Lancart instantly grasped the meaning contained within those two syllables and marveled.
"So that's how you did it! The Gravity Barrier holds you to those coordinates, but it doesn't confine energy. If you oscillate back and forth like a swing, you'll eventually reach escape velocity! To think you came up with that method right after arriving in Cheonchu. As expected, you're magnificent!"
"I wouldn't call it magnificent. I only managed to escape after trying every filthy trick in the book."
"That is exactly what's magnificent! Because you can utilize absolutely anything!"
Thoroughly excited, Lancart clenched his right hand and exclaimed.
"Magic, Qi Gong. Alchemy or sleight of hand. Tools and flesh, regimes and systems. And even the delusions and hearts of others. Bound by nothing, reliant on nothing. You simply get it done."
"I do what I must."
"That is what matters, Hughes. Unbound by convention, refusing to ride the massive current. Reading the counter-current, possessing the ability to weigh both sides."
World of the Right-Hander. An Innate Magic Path centered around Lancart that restricted the direction of all force to a right-handed rotation.
Everyone focused on the absolute defensive power of that Innate Magic Path, attempting to analyze and breach it. But in truth, the conceptual core of the 'World of the Right-Hander' did not lie on the right.
Lancart stared at his right hand, yet remained deeply aware of the hand on the opposite side.
"—The gaze of the left-hander."
To establish the concept of positive numbers, negative numbers must exist. Without negative numbers, positive numbers would have arrogantly reigned supreme under the name of natural numbers.
It is the same. Only with a left-hander can one directly confront this world of right-handers.
This world spins to the right. From the movements of the constellations to the very minute elements of mana, everything moves with a right-handed rotation. Though unpredictable chaos occasionally births a left-hander, they are merely buried and swallowed by the colossal world of right-handers.
One day, Lancart, who had been riding a wave of success in the minor emerging nation known as the Military Nation, was defeated by Hughes and abruptly awakened to that truth.
As well as the truth that a left-hander is necessary to 'leap' to greater heights.
The Archmage had personally explained his Innate Magic Path, but Hughes merely yawned wearily and gulped down the milk.
"Like the Demon God?"
"Yes. The Demon God is also a left-hander. Though they all perished, swept away by the world of right-handers."
"What about the Demon God of the Floating Fortress?"
"I've got a grasp on it. If you wish, I can approach it even now."
"A little later. I need to look around the Floating Fortress first. There might be other clues."
For the time being, the status quo would be maintained. It was the flow he had anticipated, so Lancart didn't bother saying otherwise. Instead, he asked something else.
"Hughes. What about the girl who was with you? Are you discarding her now?"
Hughes brought the remaining milk to his lips and spoke.
"Not likely. She's useful."
"Have you still failed to seduce that girl?"
This question seemed entirely unexpected, as Hughes spat out half the milk he was drinking. Wiping his mouth, Hughes said.
"Cough. What the hell are you talking about."
"The fact that you came here alone means there was a compelling reason to separate from her, right? If she's still useful, you wouldn't be discarding her. Therefore, you must still be working on her."
Lancart overestimates Hughes. He believes that if Hughes truly planned something, he would unconditionally accomplish it.
While Hughes had intentionally fostered some of that overestimation, as a result, Lancart interpreted Hughes's actions rather than inferring his intentions.
"Speaking of Shay, she's that dangerous figure locked in Tantalus after my prison break, right? You've been together constantly since then, and you still haven't conquered her?"
"Conquered? My ass! Do you think I walk around casting hypnosis or something? How would that even work?!"
"You did, didn't you? There were hordes of them at the Hameln Military Academy too. If that bitch Historia hadn't chased them all away, there would be dozens of your children in the Military Nation by now."
"Children, you bastard! No, I don't! As a decent human being, I don't make kids I can't take responsibility for!"
Surprisingly, that line of reasoning was close to the mark. One can hide their heart, but not their actions. Hughes squeezed his eyes shut.
"Lancart. There's one thing I need to set straight. You're free to believe it or not, but hear me out."
"I'll listen. Go ahead."
Hughes took quite a while to choose his words. After an uncharacteristic struggle, he finally forced his mouth open.
"That's not the sort of thing that goes my way. It's riddled with variables."
"A woman's whims are just like that. That's precisely why I respect you. Because you manipulate even those capricious hearts to your will."
"What are you talking about? I'm just as tongue-tied when it comes to women's hearts. I survive by desperately kissing up to them. And Shay is exceptional even among them."
Sticking his tongue out at the thought of Shay, Hughes soon continued with a serious tone.
"Also, I can't afford to let Shay grow too fond of me. I need to maintain a proper psychological distance... so I can plot for the future."
Whatever had happened, whatever he was plotting—Lancart still hadn't completely figured out the man named Hughes. Yet, Lancart felt no regret over that.
Could one blame a storm for blowing away their house? It would be better to spend that time repairing the house. Nature is an object of observation, not of expectation. Expectation is the domain of religion.
Hughes was exactly that kind of existence to Lancart. Lancart decided to accommodate Hughes's wishes.
Because doing so would allow him to analyze him in even greater detail.