◈ Episode 127. An Infinitely Deep Darkness (3)
The Explorers’ League.
Their lofty fame and status had begun on the Arcana Continent.
And even after the Cataclysm, it remained valid to this day.
The AAU had played a large part in why they were so highly regarded.
“Knowing information about Arcana does not mean the problem is solved. You need to predict variables through that information. In that regard, League explorers are experts. The fact that they appeared in reality may perhaps be a great blessing for humanity.”
In reality, the Explorers’ League had cooperated greatly with humanity, including the AAU.
Because they had conveyed information about the Arcana Continent that only they knew to humanity.
Of course, it had not been for free.
Mad about exploration though they were,
they were thoroughly sharp when it came to weighing interests.
And in return, they had taken quite a lot.
Thanks to that, a reputation that was not quite infamy but close enough inevitably spread among players.
“Explorers? Of course it’s good to have one. But a half-baked explorer is more of a hindrance, and only the upper ranks among League explorers are worth bringing along…… and their fees are no joke, are they?”
Even rankers who practically raked in money shuddered at the thought!
Because of that, some top guilds had gone so far as to seek out players who possessed the explorer class and begin raising them belatedly.
They had calculated that it would be cheaper that way.
In that sense, this incident was bound to become a hot topic.
[Explorers’ League: “What we want is only to investigate Teferrn…… We require no compensation.”]
The Explorers’ League of all organizations had declared that they would work without pay.
[Explorers’ League Master Fabian Delon: “I wish to be of help to Player Lee Hoyeol.”]
As if that were not enough, they had come forward in an extremely courteous manner.
The ones who reacted with the greatest bewilderment were the ranker players who had dealings with the Explorers’ League.
Players with strangely complicated expressions.
“D-do we call this satisfying? Or bitter?”
Wasn’t this attitude far too different?!
The League Master, Fabian Delon.
Who would have thought that arrogant curly-haired bastard with his nose in the air knew how to speak so politely! However, feeling nothing but bitterness also pricked at their conscience.
After all, Fabian’s counterpart was Hoyeol.
-Honestly, I kind of understand why Fabian is acting like that lol
-Right? The amount of fame he’s built up must be on a completely different level
-Just look at what Lee Hoyeol has done and you can figure it out lolol
-Fr lol, to put it bluntly, now that Lee Hoyeol has received the Teferrn quest, this is probably a golden opportunity for the Explorers’ League?? That’s why they’re lowering themselves like that lol
-……
Then are those guys doing this because they’re trying to get carried???
At that time, in the Yusra Kingdom.
The Explorers’ League main headquarters.
High-ranking League explorers were seated in their places.
A subtle war of nerves flowed through the glances exchanged.
‘The one participating in the Teferrn Labyrinth investigation will be me.’
‘They’ll definitely try to keep me in check.’
‘Even if there’s nothing to gain, I need the achievement.’
The League Master, Fabian, understood the meaning contained in those gazes.
‘Everyone has something up their sleeve. Among them, there are even those aiming for my seat.’
The next League Master election was fast approaching.
He was not the type to cling to a title.
But Fabian had no intention of easily handing over his position.
Because Fabian had confidence in himself.
Crack—
Fabian lightly turned his neck.
“For your reference, I also intend to participate in the Teferrn Labyrinth investigation.”
“……!!!”
At Fabian’s declaration, the League explorers’ pupils widened.
It was understandable.
After all, it had truly been a long time since Fabian had taken part in outside activities.
Someone spoke in a sneering tone.
“Now that election season is approaching, you seem to be getting impatient?”
An obvious provocation.
However, Fabian merely gave a light shrug.
“Impatient? Even if I’ve rested for several years, I still have confidence that I am the greatest explorer. However, the opinions of you gentlemen holding the votes may differ. I simply thought it would be a good opportunity to prove that I am still alive and well.”
Gulp—
The explorers swallowed dryly.
‘It isn’t a bluff.’
Fabian was past middle age, but his appearance, as well as his body, still remained at its prime.
The muscles revealed as he lightly loosened up were proof enough.
“Furthermore, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the League’s honor is at stake in the Teferrn Labyrinth investigation. The Magic Tower, the Ryan Heart Knights, even Muon. Just as they showed that they are still standing strong, the Explorers’ League also needs to step forward.”
A silence flowed.
Because everyone had understood the meaning behind Fabian’s words.
A few players even bit down hard on their lips.
‘He’s saying he’ll go with the very best, isn’t he?’
‘There’s no chance the turn will come to us.’
‘……
Damn it, I thought I might get carried by Lee Hoyeol for once.’
‘Damn level.’
The meeting ended with his declaration of participation.
Left alone at the round table, Fabian shrugged.
“Newcomers these days have no spirit. No spirit at all.”
He muttered playfully.
“Since when did explorers depend on the League?”
Fabian had a conviction.
An explorer, by nature, had to possess stubbornness.
A stubbornness that would not bend to anyone.
In that sense,
he had not seen that conviction in those who had attended today’s meeting.
“At this rate, it looks like I’ll have to do something that doesn’t suit my nature again.”
If this had been the Arcana Continent,
Fabian would have relinquished the position of League Master without a shred of regret.
But this was the adventurers’ world.
He could not entrust the future of the Explorers’ League to such unreliable people.
“In any case, he truly is remarkable.”
Adventurer, Lee Hoyeol.
Had he said he discovered, through the dark spirit, that a labyrinth existed in Teferrn?
A labyrinth. To some, it might be information of little consequence, but to Fabian, it was invaluable.
The labyrinths he had conquered on the Arcana Continent alone numbered in the hundreds.
Fabian possessed experience more than sufficient to be called an expert on labyrinths.
On top of that, Lee Hoyeol—who was he?
“At the very least, I won’t have to worry about this old man’s life.”
The man who had crushed the Demon King, the king of demons.
At the same time, he was the Chief Mage of the Magic Tower and the true power of the Yusra Kingdom. As if that were not enough, he was the savior of the holy land, Muon, and had sprouted the seed of the World Tree……
“……
And finally, he even bears the alias of the Infinitely Deep Darkness.”
Were all of these truly achievements accomplished by a single person?
Fabian unconsciously clicked his tongue in amazement.
“So it wasn’t as if there were ten wonders for nothing.”
That was why, on the other hand, he was looking forward to it.
Just what kind of man was Lee Hoyeol?
However, Fabian’s expectations—
“League Master Fabian. A reply has arrived.”
“A reply?”
“It is a letter sent by Sir Lee Hoyeol.”
“Oh, thank you.”
—collapsed the moment he received the letter returned from Hoyeol.
Paper adorned with dazzling gold leaf.
This was the very letter he had sent.
“……
Hm?”
The letter he had sent had come back exactly as it was?
An ominous premonition.
Fabian flinched and unfolded the letter, only to be shocked.
“!”
Truly elegant handwriting.
Beneath the letter he had sent,
Hoyeol’s reply was written.
──────
According to procedure, present a more detailed objective.
──────
“……
Procedure? Objective?”
A single line.
No, even including the postscript, it was only two lines.
──────
P.S. Unnecessary extravagance is not desirable.
──────
“E-extravagance?”
Hoyeol placed the utmost importance on formality.
He had chosen expensive gold-leaf paper to suit his tastes.
And yet he had been criticized for extravagance.
No, beyond that, what did he mean by a specific objective?
Fabian muttered in disbelief.
“……
This won’t be easy from the start.”
A tension he had not felt in a long time.
Before he knew it,
cold sweat had begun to flow down Fabian’s forehead.
*
“Rejected. Its objective is unclear.”
In truth, I can guess the reason.
With the Magic Tower and other Arcana forces currently active,
the Explorers’ League must have felt that they had to do something as well.
[Teferrn Labyrinth]
If it was that, it would suit their aptitude, so they may have judged it to be an appropriate opportunity.
However, everything must be done according to procedure.
In other words, everything had to be made clear.
So that they could not change their words later.
Even an application to leave the tower had to state its objective clearly, after all.
“Bensch William. It seems you do not find this tedious.”
Rejected.
I tossed aside Bensch’s application to leave the tower and thought.
Still, if they properly presented their objective……
‘As expected, it would be best to review it positively.’
A labyrinth.
Content notorious since the days when Arcana had been nothing more than a game.
Not only were all sorts of vicious traps lurking within,
but the monsters that appeared were also troublesome enough to be on the level of named mobs.
Depending on the case, it was even said to be more difficult than a [Dungeon] of a similar appropriate level……
‘It’s only natural that I’d need the help of experts.’
Now that the activities of demons had decreased,
the probability of [Natural Enemy Relationship] activating was low as well.
‘I have no confidence. None at all.’
In that sense, there would be no reinforcements more excellent than the Explorers’ League.
Of course, if I dragged along a crowd of mages from the Magic Tower,
we could somehow conquer something like a labyrinth.
“I alone am sufficient.”
……Sufficient, my ass. All talk, as usual.
Anyway, as you can see,
there was no way this lofty pride would permit me to move the mages of the Magic Tower for personal use.
For the time being, I set aside my thoughts about Teferrn and the Explorers’ League there.
‘There’s no point in worrying about it any further.’
I had already sent a reply to the Explorers’ League.
And the [Teferrn Labyrinth] rift had not even surfaced yet.
So for now—
─The Weight of the Chief (Repeat)
▼
I should be faithful to the weight I bore.
I checked the quest objective.
A new objective that had appeared among the many goals.
●Successfully conduct the Round Table Conference. (In Progress)
The Round Table Conference.
This was not the Round Table Conference of the past, attended only by the Tower Master, the Elder Mages,
and the Chief Mage.
To begin with, even if we wanted to hold that one, we couldn’t.
The Tower Master was absent due to circumstances.
And among the five Elder Mages, only one remained.
That was right.
This was not the old Round Table Conference.
It was a new Round Table Conference.
A change for the Magic Tower so that it would not repeat its past mistakes.
I rose from my seat and recited.
“Time is like tea enjoyed in the afternoon.”
To put it simply, it meant time was gold……
……Would it kill him to just say it normally?
In any case, it meant there could be no such thing as tardiness in my dictionary.
I straightened my clothes and moved on.
Toward the Crystal Hall, where the Round Table Conference would be held.
*
Murmur, murmur—
The commotion in the Crystal Hall showed no sign of subsiding.
This kind of gathering, this kind of event, was a first for everyone.
The fledglings of the Magic Tower, the apprentice mages.
Like actual chicks looking around their surroundings, they kept turning their heads without pause.
They had attended this gathering as representatives of the apprentice mages. Yet they could not maintain what little dignity they had.
“……
Wow, that’s Senior Mage Bellier!”
“It’s my first time. Seeing the senior mages all gathered in one place!”
“They’re all seriously so cool!”
Twenty senior mages.
Every single one of them was seated in the Crystal Hall.
This was a sight that could not easily be seen even at a regular conference.
“The others are going to be so jealous, right?”
“I know!”
“What’s there to be jealous about? They can just attend the next meeting.”
“Ahh, right! It’s hard to get used to.”
At the new Round Table Conference, apprentices, adept mages, senior mages, the chief, and the elder.
Every mage of the Magic Tower could attend regardless of rank.
Unlike the apprentice mages,
the adept mages, who had spent even a little more time drinking the waters of the Magic Tower,
narrowed their eyes.
Jibril examined the atmosphere of the Crystal Hall, then opened her mouth.
“What does everyone think?”
At her question, several adept mages stepped forward and replied.
“You are certainly beautiful today as well, Miss Jibril…….”
“No, I don’t need that flattery. I’m talking about the Round Table Conference.”
“Ah, my apologies.”
A meeting where all the mages of the Magic Tower gathered in one place.
A symbol of closure.
Something that could not even have been imagined in the Magic Tower of the past was happening.
Jibril’s eyes gleamed sharply.
“……
Between this and leaving the tower, the Magic Tower is definitely changing.”
Of course, if anything, she welcomed it.
It was absolutely not something to dislike.
She was simply curious about the catalyst behind this change.
Jibril poked the arm of Klee, who had been sitting quietly.
Poke—
“J-Jibril?”
“As expected, this is also due to that person’s influence, isn’t it, Miss Klee?”
“Haha, wouldn’t it be?”
“He truly is no ordinary person.”
After all, there was no need to go far back.
Even what had happened during the tower departure just before this was enough.
It had been enough to shake the Magic Tower.
“To think he made a spirit of darkness submit.”
Including the senior, Feiyan.
It had been a departure from the tower in which skilled and apprentice mages of the Spirit School had gone out as a group.
And since mages of various ranks had set out from the tower.
The incident that had occurred that day at [Tetpern Fence]
could not help but become known to everyone in the Magic Tower.
Murmur, murmur—in other words, amid the commotion.
“An infinitely deep darkness, they said……”
“If a spirit calls him that, it must be incredible, right?”
“An infinitely deep darkness…… Somehow, it suits him. Don’t you think?”
“I even heard he was really good with a sword.”
An infinitely deep darkness.
Hoyeol’s epithet
being mentioned again and again was, in a way, only natural.
The senior mages were no exception. Each of them looked at Feiyan and offered a word.
“Not only were you the first among the seniors to leave the tower, you even got to witness something remarkable, Senior Feiyan.”
“You achieved the purpose of your departure and even obtained information about a spirit of darkness. I suppose that means you have less to worry about for the next regular conference? I’m jealous.”
After all, he had benefited greatly from Chief Lee in many ways.
Feiyan moved his lips awkwardly and smiled sheepishly.
“Well, that’s not wrong. Haha.”
The senior of fire magic, Bensh William.
He even pleaded with desperate eyes.
“How on earth did you write your statement of purpose for leaving the tower, Senior Feiyan? To be honest, I feel rather wronged. Is there any senior who longs to leave the tower more desperately than I do? Look. The applications I’ve written for leaving the tower alone already number in the dozens……!”
Of course, that chatter did not last long.
Because his natural enemy, Matisse, opened his mouth.
“Bensh William, it seems you need to learn silence.”
“……”
Once Bensh got going, his lamentations over his lot rarely stopped.
Feiyan sent Matisse a grateful look.
Matisse gave a light nod and thought. ‘A spirit of darkness.’ The sole intersection between black magic and spirit studies.
However, just like Feiyan.
Even Matisse, who had established black magic as a discipline, did not possess much knowledge about spirits of darkness.
Still, he could guess why Hoyeol had been able to make the thing submit. ‘……
Darkness is consumed by an even deeper darkness.’ A conversation they had shared about the nature of black magic.
Perhaps Chief Lee had remembered that conversation.
In a way, it was only natural. ‘Chief Lee Hoyeol’s potential in black magic cannot be measured.’ A quantity of “compatible mana” beyond imagination.
Just what sort of past did he possess
to have come to hold such compatible mana?
There had been a time when Matisse worried about that very point.
As he had said.
Darkness was consumed by an even deeper darkness.
Matisse knew the nature of black magic better than anyone. ‘……
Blackening (黑化).’ If Hoyeol’s compatible mana were to run wild……
The aftermath would be dreadful beyond imagination.
But such concerns had vanished from Matisse’s mind.
Had he not witnessed it?
“Elder Mage Senios……”
“The Place Where the Perpetual Snow Sleeps.”
There, he had seen Hoyeol mourning Senios.
Yes, Chief Lee Hoyeol was better than anyone at keeping the balance.
His ever-unwavering posture was proof of that.
The moment Matisse finished his thought.
Click—clear footsteps echoed through the Crystal Hall.
Hoyeol and Marcelo.
At last, the two chiefs had attended the round table conference.
The commotion died down with their mere appearance.
Everyone’s gazes focused on the two of them.……
Gulp—but why was it?
Hoyeol’s eyes looked far more sunken than usual.
Beyond composed, they seemed almost cold....……
It is no use being quiet now.
I heard everything from outside.
All those whispers calling me an “infinitely deep darkness”!
I am seriously worried.
Will I end up dying of shame before I live out my natural lifespan?
At least the fortunate thing is that these inner thoughts do not show on my face.
I spoke calmly to Marcelo and moved forward.
“Let’s begin.”
As for enjoying it.
The title of infinitely deep darkness was far too much for me to bear.
If I can neither avoid it nor enjoy it, then let us end this as quickly as possible……