◈ Episode 75. Nothing but Needless Worry (2)
Verification, was it?
He had put it grandly, but it was nothing special. [Pentagram of Impure Knowledge].
Because it was a demonic item whose ability had been sealed.
It simply meant that it needed to be purified.
In that sense, I couldn’t check the item’s effect right away.
“Everything has its proper time.”
Purifying a demonic item through [Exorcism Ritual].
That was only possible when there was a demon to hunt.
Of course, there was also the method of using the Magic Tower’s services.
And with my authority as chief, it wouldn’t cost me a single coin.
However.
‘There’s no need to go that far.’
If I entrusted the Magic Tower with appraisal, including purification,
the Magic Tower would also learn of this item’s existence, and its effect.
Learning the effect through someone else?
That alone would take some of the fun out of it.
And, on top of that, what sort of beings were the Magic Tower?
A group that endlessly pursued knowledge.
Why, they might even request to borrow it, just like the item I obtained after defeating Count Ascurra, [Vampire Count’s Orb].
Of course, even if they did request it, I would refuse.
‘More than anything, when I purified them myself, there were no duds.’
Yes, in truth, that was the most important reason.
The demonic items purified through [Exorcism Ritual] had all possessed exceptional effects.
Starting from the aforementioned [Vampire Count’s Orb].
To the equipment I was currently wearing.
‘Of course, it’s not as if I can hunt demons just because I want to.’
I knew because I was a demon hunter.
The more one tried to find demons, the more those vile creatures hid themselves.
Rather, when one had forgotten about them,
that was when they revealed their presence.
Then the conclusion was already clear.
For now, it was right to deal with the matter right in front of me.
And the matter right in front of me was, naturally, the quest.
─The Weight of the Chief (Repeat)
▲
●Proceed with the verification in the Topaz Hall. (Success)
●Successfully conduct the regular conference. (In Progress)
…….
Successfully conduct the regular conference.
The action needed for that?
I knew that all too well, too.
“Reading is nourishment for the mind.”
Rustle—
As expected, it was only natural that the sound of pages turning could be heard…….
*
The Magic Tower’s regular conference.
Since the days when Arcana had been a game,
it had been an event held regularly.
But I could say with certainty that no session had ever received as much global attention as this regular conference.
The reason, of course, was Hoyeol.
“What kind of place is the Magic Tower? One of the greatest armed forces on the Arcana Continent. And as if that were not enough, they are beings who have built an ivory tower of knowledge, are they not?”
“To be officially acknowledged by such a Magic Tower. Incredible, Player Lee Hoyeol!”
“And is that any ordinary acknowledgment? Not an apprentice, not an adept, not even a senior mage! He has been acknowledged as holding the same position as the one and only Chief Mage…….”
In other words, the broadcasting stations of South Korea had started popping champagne early. This was one of those topics with guaranteed ratings.
VBC.
A studio in the middle of filming.
Producer Hyeon Yongseok nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Since the old days, there’s never been a cheat code quite like national pride.”
“Does that still work these days, sunbae? When I look at young people lately, they absolutely hate it. They say people make a fuss over nothing. Sometimes when I check SNS to gauge reactions, it’s just chaos!”
“Tsk, tsk. There are different kinds of national pride.”
That was right.
If one had to define it, this was legal national pride.
And not merely on the scale of South Korea, but on a worldwide scale.
It was no exaggeration.
“Look. Even Japan is in an uproar. They’re saying Lee Hoyeol proved the excellence of East Asia. That this Lee Hoyeol performed brilliantly for Hokkaido.”
“……Whoa. You’re right?”
“Everyone’s body is honest, that’s all.”
Hyeon Yongseok was the same.
No, it went beyond simple national pride and felt downright exhilarating.
“To be honest, I felt a bit that way. About the Magic Tower’s attitude, I mean. Of course, considering how much we benefited from the Magic Tower, it’s not exactly my place to say this. But in any case, the Magic Tower clearly looked down on us, on humanity, didn’t it?”
A high-handed attitude worthy of its reputation.
Aside from keeping the portal permanently open,
the Magic Tower had not shown a cooperative attitude.
They had not even properly shown their faces.
If the Magic Tower had taken a more cooperative stance,
wouldn’t the situation in reality have improved a little?
Even as criticism of that sort continued, there was no change in the Magic Tower.
Yes, into that noble to the point of rigid Magic Tower,
Hoyeol had entered as if to show them.
And with a position equal to the Chief Mage, no less.
“Just that alone feels like he landed a blow on the Magic Tower, doesn’t it?”
“Come on, sunbae. You’re taking it too far.”
“Since he’s already landed one, it’d be nice if he landed another proper one.”
“Even if it’s Mr. Hoyeol, that’s impossible, sunbae.”
At Hyeon Yongseok’s words, the assistant director looked like he had a lot to say.
“How much must our Mr. Hoyeol be walking on eggshells? How much of a thorn in the eye must he be to those amazing people? When I first transferred jobs, I was so conscious of everyone during every ideas meeting……!”
“What, really? You should’ve said something.”
“As if saying it would help. Sunbae, you sighed heavily at every meeting. Anyway, even I felt that way, so imagine how burdened he must feel. Here, there, everywhere, they’re all people from Arcana. And not just anyone, but the mages of that supposedly incredible Magic Tower.”
“Mm. That does make sense.”
In any case, Hoyeol had entered the Magic Tower because his abilities had been acknowledged.
However, Hyeon Yongseok knew well that society did not run on ability alone.
The Magic Tower would be no different.
So here, rather than expecting something, it was right to support him.
“Still, let’s watch. If it’s Lee Hoyeol, you never know.”
It was not only the mass media that was paying attention to the regular conference.
Players.
And among them, it would not be an exaggeration to say that players with mage-type classes had staked their lives on this regular conference.
Players gathered at the Magic Tower one after another.
Their faces were filled with solemn determination.
Naturally, that too was because of Hoyeol.
“I really won’t doze off today.”
“That’s a given. We have to try to understand it with our heads.”
“……But is that something you can do just by trying?”
Hoyeol’s achievement that led to his entry into the Magic Tower!
It had begun from “that incident” that occurred during the last regular conference.
In the memories of the players who had witnessed that incident firsthand,
Hoyeol’s figure was still vivid.
“It’s terrifying even thinking about it again. Seriously.”
“How did he even think of nitpicking?”
“And at the Chief Mage, Marcelo, of all people……!”
The shock had been that intense.
But who could have known?
That bold criticism would be connected to a Magic Tower quest.
Because they had witnessed that scene,
the players had no choice but to be solemn.
“To be honest, can’t we do it too?”
“Does anyone remember what Lee Hoyeol said back then?”
“Something about exploration. I think he said something like that. Ha, my dumb head.”
Their sighs were brief.
Just as the players were taking out their invitations to the regular conference,
someone brushed past them.
It was Jesse Hainnes, wearing a large conical hat.
Gulp—
In that instant, silence fell among the mage-class players.
Hoyeol had already gone far away to an unreachable height.
They could hardly see such a Hoyeol as a competitor.
‘The one who bothers me the most is Jesse.’
‘The biggest obstacle in this conference.’
‘If we’re talking probability, then it’s definitely Jesse Hainnes…….’
Thanks to that, Jesse had unintentionally become everyone’s rival.
Whether she knew that fact or not,
the corners of Jesse’s mouth were raised high.
“Hey, she’s smiling?”
“Isn’t this the first time seeing Jesse smile?”
“……She’s even prettier when she smiles.”
“You crazy bastard. Get a hold of yourself. She’s our competitor?!”
Of course, there was no one who could ask Jesse the reason.
Even though there was a “hat.”
On Jesse’s head, the conical hat wriggled.
—My disciple, it is very good to see you looking forward to the conference. In your pursuit of truth, you finally look like a mage. All my diligent teaching has been worthwhile!
However, silence—
No answer returned.
At that stillness, the conical hat suddenly realized.
The conical hat wriggled even more violently.
—……My disciple. You are excited because of the conference, yes?
Surely not, right?
Please, at least answer me.
But despite its desperate plea, no answer came from its disciple.
Tap, tap.
Jesse, who had been climbing the dizzying stairs of the Magic Tower, suddenly stopped.
The place where the regular conference was held, the Crystal Hall.
At its entrance, Jesse took a small deep breath.
‘……Why am I the one trembling!’
Yes, the one who should be nervous was Hoyeol.
Unlike the other players,
Jesse had been going in and out of the Magic Tower and had already felt the changed atmosphere.
Hoyeol had been in charge of the preliminary verification for the regular conference.
Thanks to that Hoyeol, the Magic Tower’s atmosphere had frozen over.
She knew that very well.
‘Everyone must be watching.’
Especially the senior mages, whose eyes would be blazing.
Depending on the results of the regular conference, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the honor and position of their schools would change.
This was something separate
from Hoyeol proving his own abilities.
There was no way the senior mages would look kindly upon Hoyeol.
“!”
Just as expected.
When she entered the Crystal Hall, she saw the senior mages.
Counting their number, every single one of them was in attendance.
‘Even Sir Mathis?’
She even saw Mathis Dean Karl, the senior mage of Black Magic, who rarely attended conferences.
A current clearly different from all previous times was swirling in the Crystal Hall.
Yes.
At this moment, the silence flowing through the Crystal Hall.
Within it, everyone’s thoughts were moving in different directions.
Someone was burning with desire for the quest.
Someone harbored dissatisfaction about the preliminary verification.
And someone else was worrying about Hoyeol.
However, those thoughts did not last long.
Soon, the sound of shoes echoed through the hall.
The moment Hoyeol appeared, he declared,
“The presider of the regular conference, Chief Mage Marcelo, will be absent from this regular conference due to his attendance at the Round Table Conference. Therefore, in accordance with procedure.”
To the point that someone’s worry seemed pointless.
In a calm voice.
“I will be the presider of this regular conference.”
*
The regular conference.
The Round Table Conference.
Of all things, two important events of the Magic Tower had to overlap!
I didn’t know who had made the schedule.
But if this place had been a company,
a written apology wouldn’t even be enough for this. Would it?
‘Marcelo trusts me far too much.’
To shove the burden of the regular conference onto me.
There had not been even the slightest hint of concern from Marcelo.
No, he had actually been delighted.
—“Thanks to your help, I am now able to attend the Round Table Conference.”
Just what was the Round Table Conference?
For him to dump even the regular conference on me and attend it?
At first, I had wondered.
But after hearing the circumstances, I nodded on my own.
The Chief Mage, who was called the true power of the Magic Tower.
Marcelo was apparently the lowest-ranking position at the Round Table Conference.
The Tower Master.
The Elder Mages.
And the Chief Mage, Marcelo.
Their meeting was the Round Table Conference.
As for what specifically was discussed at that conference,
there was no way for me to know.
‘I don’t even know what they look like. What could I possibly know?’
I had never met the Elder Mages, let alone the Tower Master.
Though it did seem that they were beings whose faces were hard to see from the beginning.
Even among the senior mages,
I heard there were only a handful who had faced those higher-ups.
In that sense, I was a little expectant.
—“I will certainly return with good news.”
Because Marcelo had added that.
A meeting attended by the higher-ups.
If there was good news among the agenda items discussed there…….
‘Something big is coming.’
I didn’t know what it was, but perhaps I could at least look forward to it.
Of course, that was nothing more than my idle thought as Lee Hoyeol.
It was an inner thought that would never be revealed outwardly.
“I attempted various variations during the process of interference…….”
Thanks to that, I was focused on the conference.
I listened attentively without missing a single word of the adept mage presenting his research.
As I said, the magic presented at the regular conference had already gone through one round of verification, and consisted of high-level yet new magic.
For someone like me, who had to make use of anything, it could be helpful in many ways.
However.
That alone was not enough.
Above all, I was in a state of bearing the weight of the chief.
Chief (首席).
What did it mean?
The highest seat in a grade, rank, or position.
Since I had taken a position that had to lead others,
my pride could not be satisfied with that.
……Damn pride!
Thanks to that, I had been flipping through all sorts of magic books until dawn.
To such a me,
the research of an adept mage could not possibly look satisfactory.
If this had been the Topaz Hall, I would have mercilessly shouted that it failed.
But this was the Crystal Hall, where the regular conference was in progress.
And on top of that,
I had become its presider in accordance with procedure, in Marcelo’s place.
Therefore.
As chief, I opened my mouth magnanimously.
“Do you truly believe that was your best?”
“……!!!”
The problem was that this was my standard....
“Do you truly believe that was your best?”
“……!!!”
At Hoyeol’s ensuing words,
Senior Mage Nasrow’s face gradually changed.
‘How dare he, when what does he know about illusion magic!’
From anger—
“……Th-this cannot be.”
To astonishment—