◈ Episode 123. It Isn’t Stiff, It’s Upright
Munch, munch.
Was it because she was nervous?
Her hunger would not go away.
Feiyan Lot, senior mage of Spiritology.
Beneath the robe she had pulled over herself, she retraced her memories.
She recalled the words of her senior who had left the Tower, the seasoned mage Cle Odia.
—“More than anything, the gazes pouring in on you will sting terribly!”
Indeed, her senior had been right.
The looks pouring in from the entrance of the rift were no joke, were they?
Considering the influence of the Magic Tower, she could understand it, but.
‘……
How did things end up getting this big?’
Feiyan felt restless.
When her application to leave the Tower had been accepted, she had simply been delighted.
‘I didn’t think he would say something like that.’
To think he would place no limit on the number of people leaving the Tower!
She had never imagined such a development.
Was it because Chief Lee Hoyeol had taken her purpose for leaving the Tower seriously?
Seasoned mages, and even apprentice mages.
All of a sudden, the Spiritology school had ended up setting out as a group to explore the rift.
‘Is it because I’m nervous? I keep getting hungrier.’
From munch, munch to chomp, chomp.
The burden pressing down on her shoulders was by no means light.
Was she not the senior of these fledgling, snot-nosed mages?
If this place had been the Arcana Continent.
Then, at least, she might have been able to show some dignity as their senior……
‘I’m trembling because it’s unfamiliar even to me. Like hell I can.’
But this was the world of adventurers.
In other words, Feiyan had her hands full just looking after herself.
Of course, whether they knew what was going on inside her or not.
“Wow, so this is a rift.”
“……
It’s unfamiliar~ It’s strange~”
“But why do people’s outfits look kind of familiar?”
“You idiot. It’s because they’re adventurers.”
The fledglings themselves seemed nothing but excited.
In that sense, Feiyan had no choice but to look up to Hoyeol.
Once again, she recalled Cle’s advice.
—“But you don’t have to worry too much. Their gazes might sting, but no one will come all that close to you. As long as Chief Lee Hoyeol is by your side, that is!”
When she first heard those words.
—‘What kind of bullshit is that?’
She had not been able to understand immediately.
But seeing once was better than hearing a hundred times.
The moment they entered the rift.
Feiyan understood what Cle had meant.
‘……
They really are all just watching from a distance, aren’t they?’
Feiyan looked at themselves coldly.
Even from a third party’s point of view, this would not be a common spectacle.
Even if they had pulled robes over themselves, there was no hiding the spirits they had summoned.
As if it were not enough for mages of the Magic Tower to appear in droves.
They had even summoned spirits as a group?
‘It would be an incident big enough to cause an uproar even on the Arcana Continent.’
Strangely enough.
‘They’re far enough away that I can barely hear their voices.’
The adventurers inside the rift were maintaining a fixed distance from them.
‘It can’t be because they’re afraid of the Fire Drake…… can it?’
It was hard to mistake it for that……
Because those gazes were clearly directed at Hoyeol.
‘That many adventurers are watching the Chief’s mood?’
Gulp—
Feiyan swallowed dryly.
She glanced sidelong at Hoyeol.
‘……
Is he really some incredibly great noble in this world?’
Just like the rumors that had been circulating among the fledglings.
Could he truly be the heir of some great family……?
However, Feiyan’s idle thoughts did not last long.
“……
W-wait. What did you say?”
Because of the news from the Arcana Continent brought by the higher fire spirit.
The Fire Drake.
In truth, Feiyan had also guessed to some extent.
She had entered the Demon King’s Castle rift.
And contributed to crushing the Demon King.
“That’s impossible!”
However, this was a ripple far beyond what she had predicted.
The news brought by the other spirits was not much different.
Reports of victory had come from all across the Arcana Continent, they said.
The Fire Drake spoke in a voice mixed with heat.
“It is likely thanks to the newly born World Tree exerting a positive influence on all life.”
“……!”
Murmur, murmur.
The World Tree?
The fledglings seemed shocked by that alone.
But Feiyan was shocked by something else.
Because Feiyan knew who had caused that World Tree to sprout.
‘Chief Lee Hoyeol……!’
In that fleeting instant.
Her mind spun furiously.
If so, the current changes on the Arcana Continent.
‘Are you telling me all of them originated from Chief Lee Hoyeol’s hand?’
After all, causing the World Tree to sprout.
Crushing the Demon King.
All of it had proceeded under Hoyeol’s plans and procedures.
Glance—
Feiyan gauged Hoyeol’s expression.
‘Even after accomplishing something so incredible, he doesn’t show off even once.’
Though Hoyeol, the person in question, showed not the slightest change in expression.
Why was her own heart swelling for no reason?
Growl—
Thanks to that, her body with its poor fuel efficiency was in turmoil.
Rustle, rustle.
The moment Feiyan rummaged through her robe and shoved something into her mouth.
One of the fledglings’ bewildered voices rang out.
“The Quirnberg Machine Tower? That thing started moving?”
“It did not merely move. It is clearly hunting demons.”
“……
H-hunting demons? That machine tower?”
“Cough, cough.”
“Are you all right, Senior Feiyan……?”
“Y-yes. I’m fine.”
Cough.
She had nearly choked.
‘More importantly, what? The Quirnberg Machine Tower is moving?’
Feiyan knew that much at the level of common knowledge.
Only that it was a machine tower built by the dwarves.
But not only had it moved, it was hunting demons.
Pat, pat—
As Feiyan brushed the bread crumbs from her lips, she thought.
‘……
Right, no matter how amazing Chief Lee Hoyeol is.’
It would be impossible for him alone to act enough to shake the state of the Arcana Continent. Above all, was this world not cut off from the Arcana Continent?
‘I can’t know who activated it or for what purpose, but.’
The advance of the Quirnberg Machine Tower.
It must have had no small effect on the reports of victory they were hearing.
‘That’s right. Chief Lee Hoyeol is human too.’
Yes, that was Feiyan’s common sense.
No matter how exceptional one’s abilities were, an individual was still an individual.
There had to be limits to that influence.
Of course, that common sense immediately collapsed.
“Hiel.”
The moment Hoyeol called that name.
A spirit appeared in midair.
“!!!”
Everyone present, including Feiyan, was a mage of the Spiritology school.
That was why they could recognize it.
“……
Senior Feiyan, that spirit is?”
A small body.
However, the aura it gave off was by no means small.
That was right.
That was a {Unique Spirit}, transcending rank itself.
At the seasoned mages’ question, Feiyan nodded.
“That’s right. It’s a Unique Spirit.”
“……
A Unique Spirit!”
“Chief Lee Hoyeol was the contractor of a Unique Spirit?”
The fledglings were so astonished.
That they could not easily stop chirping.
They were this surprised just by seeing it.
How shocked would they be if they learned the truth that Hiel had sprouted the World Tree and been reborn as a {Unique Spirit}? However, Feiyan had no intention of babbling about Hoyeol’s deeds.
Shrug—
‘You will only get hurt if you know.’
……
In truth, I’m doing this because I’m afraid the Chief will mark me.
Of course, Feiyan’s smugness did not last long.
Soon, Hiel delivered her message.
“Chainwalker Hardrock, leader of the dwarves. I have conveyed Lord Hoyeol’s will to him. In addition, Chainwalker Hardrock had a message to convey to Lord Hoyeol.”
Hiel had not actually said a single word about that message.
Yet goosebumps rose on Feiyan’s skin.
Wait, the leader of the dwarves?
‘……
Why was Hiel together with the dwarves?’
Dwarves.
Quirnberg Machine Tower.
Hiel.
Chief Lee Hoyeol.
In that instant.
The words fit together in her head one by one.
At the same time, an exclamation mark appeared on Feiyan’s face.
‘……
No way?!’
And soon, Hiel’s words followed—words that proved that “no way” was the very thing that got people.
“First, Chainwalker expressed his gratitude for operating the Quirnberg Machine Tower without forgetting the covenant. Second, regarding the fact that you personally took action for them when they encountered the Demon King…….”
……
W-wait a moment.
What am I hearing right now?
Beyond an exclamation mark, sheer astonishment rose on Feiyan’s face.
It could not be helped.
Because those words meant that all of this.
Was as good as having begun from the hands of one person.
From Hoyeol’s hands!
*
What a spectacle.
During the crushing of the Demon King, we had entered different Demon King’s Castle rifts.
So this was the first time I had seen Feiyan’s Fire Drake with my own eyes.
Still, it really wasn’t a higher fire spirit for nothing.
Whoosh—
A body as massive as a freight truck.
If only it had wings, I might have mistaken it for a hatchling dragon.
Most of all, flames flickered every time it exhaled.
Just looking at it made me feel hot.
With that Fire Drake at the head.
There were roughly twenty summoned spirits.
Each spirit had a different attribute.
So the surroundings became hot, then chilly, then dazzling……
In any case.
Even if only to avoid being caught up in that clamorous influence. Feiyan and the rest of the mages had all taken a step away from the group of spirits.
Of course.
‘……
I really do live an exhausting life. Truly.’
Live by style, die by style.
There was no way our dear Granfell would retreat from the magnificent backdrop called an army of spirits. I considered it a tremendous relief that I had at least secured the [Warmth] buff.
I thanked the [Gem Box Imbued with Warmth] once again.
[Warmth keeps your body in optimal condition.]
The Siberian high-pressure system.
The [Warmth] buff that could even block Frost’s severe cold.
And the fire-attribute affinity effect attached to my handkerchief.
Thanks to that, I stood upright even among the spirits.
‘In any case, it was worth it.’
Indeed, the more, the better.
There had been value in going through the trouble of visiting the rift with this many people.
Even for me, there was quite a bit of new news from the Arcana Continent.
Of course, the major news.
All the things that could be called incidents were stories I had already heard through Hiel.
‘There’s nothing surprising.’
Now, then, it was Hiel’s turn.
I summoned Hiel.
Mana drained away.
Still, it was not to the point where I needed to whine about it anymore.
It must have been thanks to my [Mana] stat approaching 400.
Soon, Hiel appeared among the spirits.
……
Yes, if nothing else, your appearance alone certainly stands out.
Exceedingly so.
Wasn’t it a bit too extravagant for a spirit that had only just been reborn as a {Unique Spirit}? I wondered, but I stopped thinking about it. It wasn’t as if a dog covered in filth could scold another……
In the end, it would only be spitting in my own face.
‘By the way.’
The leader, Chainwalker Hardrock.
It seemed that the dwarves, including him, had also been resisting demons in their own way.
Listening to Hiel’s story.
It seemed the number of demons they had driven out was not small.
Hiel’s solemn gaze met mine.
“That is correct. Everything was flowing exactly as you had anticipated.”
……
No. Well, I did anticipate it.
But I did not anticipate everything in such detail to that extent, you know?
Just what kind of telepathy did you receive, Hiel?
Of course, I could not deny it.
“……
Cough, cough.”
Feiyan, startled by Hiel’s words, beat her chest.
And on top of that.
“Y-you anticipated it? Everything?!”
“Hey, be quiet.”
“……
Shh!”
The seasoned and apprentice mages looked even more astonished than she did.
Truly, because of this damned exhausting personality……
I could not deny this burdensome overestimation.
“I see.”
I answered calmly.
What a pinnacle of shamelessness.
In the midst of that, unease suddenly descended on me.
‘……
Hiel, don’t tell me.’
Did you say the same thing to the dwarves?
I looked at Hiel.
As if she would bow to no one.
Her neck and back were held straight and upright.
Her gaze shone loftily.
Even before the Fire Drake, she showed not a hint of shrinking back.
What in the world was this figure that felt like looking in a mirror?
……
No, forget it.
Nothing would change now.
It did not matter what illusion Hiel had planted in the dwarves.
Even if my body became not merely exhausted.
But ground into powder.
I, Granfell.
Would make the overestimation pouring down on me come true.
In that sense…….
[Tepern Fence]
[Appropriate Level: Lv.450]
[Collapse Progress: 3.8%]
It would be a shame to simply pass by a rift like this.
I looked at Feiyan and the mages of the Spiritology school.
It must have been quite a long-awaited reunion for all of them and their contracted spirits.
“You’ve worked hard on your own, Nix.”
“Gnome, somehow it looks like you’ve gotten bigger? I guess you were comfortable while I was gone, huh? No one to put you to work, right? Tell me the truth!”
“……
Sylphid. No matter how happy you are to see me, could you stop mussing up my hair with the wind?”
As I watched that scene.
A passage from a book on spirit studies suddenly came to mind.──────The most important quality for a spirit mage is the ability to commune with spirits. Spirit magic is fundamentally different from other magic. For spirit magic does not begin with mana, but with perceiving the existence of spirits…….──────The purpose of the tower sortie had been achieved.
Given Grandfell’s procedure-abiding nature.
It wouldn’t have been strange for him to order an immediate return to the Magic Tower.
However.
I looked at the quest window.─The Weight of the Chief (Repeat)▲●Successfully conduct the tower sortie. (Repeat)…….
Ensuring that they could preserve their essence as spirit mages.
That, too, was surely a goal of a successful tower sortie, and the weight of being Chief.
I said to Feiyan.
“The objective has been achieved, but I will postpone our return for a while.”
“……
Pardon? Yes, I’ll do as you say!”
Feiyan didn’t understand why, but she seemed inwardly delighted.
Even if this wasn’t her first time summoning the Fire Drake.
This was likely the first moment she’d been given the leisure to properly commune with it.‘……
Commune, huh.’I looked at Hiel.
As I said.
Even now, it felt like I was looking into a mirror……!
I thought there was no need for any deeper communion between us.
I said to Hiel.
“Let’s go, Hiel.”
“I shall follow your will.”
We had mountains of things to do besides communing.
Starting with exploring the possibilities of a new [{『Oddity』}]
using Hiel’s {Nature} ability.[Natural Enemy Relationship]
And assessing my strength in a state where it had not activated.‘It’s time to check the results of all that diligent well-digging.’As an opponent for that, the monsters appearing in [Tetpern Fence]
would be perfectly suitable.[Tetpern Scarecrow]
Then let’s begin right away.
Clang─I immediately raised my sword....
Clang─Feiyan wondered if she was seeing things.……
What?
Chief Lee Hoyeol had drawn a sword?
A mage, with a sword……?
At first, she thought it was simply a magic tool shaped like a sword.
But it wasn’t.
What on earth was with those nimble movements?
Because he always kept his spine so perfectly straight.
Had it been a mistake to assume he would naturally be stiff?
Srrrk─A movement as fluid as flowing water.
Swaak─A blade slicing through the air, swift and decisive.
Thud─At the same time, the Tetpern Scarecrow collapsed.……
Huh?
A single syllable stretched out from Feiyan’s lips.
“……
Eh?!”