trail (6)
“Here you are.”
The work of looking at the research papers has also come to an end.
And by the time the sunlight falling outside the window gradually turned yellow, Layton, who had finally run outside, returned.
What does he touch his leg. He was so dazed that he didn’t even know his elbow had hit the door. However, he just kept muttering that something was wrong.
I asked as I put down the book I was reading.
“Looking at that, it seems that the activation of the ancient magic circle failed.”
“Uh, how… … .”
And he shrugged his shoulders at the absurd question.
Well, that’ll happen.
Soon, her gaze moved and landed on his chest.
“Seeing that the brooch is gone, it must have been expelled from the society, right?”
“… … .”
“What a pity.”
Contrary to those words of regret, the corners of my mouth went up slightly. Layton clenched his fists and shook his body before firing at the owner of the mage tower.
“Why didn’t the magic circle activate?”
“Sorry, but I didn’t know that the magic circle wouldn’t activate either.”
“then… … !”
That was the moment.
“Can it be activated?”
“… … What do you mean by that?”
At my calmly thrown voice, this time his miserable gaze reached me. There was a little anger in that expression.
“Are you saying you knew it wouldn’t work?”
“The obvious.”
I shrugged. There’s no way it could be activated that easily, can it?
If the mere fact of understanding was enough to activate ancient magic, there was no reason Layton couldn’t do it until now.
It was the same with the Ancient Magic Resurrection Project that took place before the return.
‘There was literally no progress.’
In fact, it was resurrected. However, only some of the elder-level high-ranking wizards, including the great wizards, could use it.
The level of arithmetic ability required to activate the restored ancient magic was too high for ordinary wizards to use.
Layton, who did not know the details, said as if he was unfair.
“Ha, but why didn’t you tell me in advance that I would fail?”
“He ran off before I could tell him. I didn’t know you would run out so busy, did you?”
“That, that… … .”
Layton stuttered as if caught off guard. Excited by the momentary realization, he hadn’t even thought of such a simple thing.
If you think about it, he was the one who caused this situation, but there was nothing wrong with those who proved the research.
“Magic is a science that has been improved and propagated over a long period of time to make it easier to use. What was restored with only that fragmentary information is only the original form.”
“The form and improvement of the original… … That’s right, it was a fact that I didn’t think of because I took it for granted.”
The Magic Tower Master nodded slightly. Even though he didn’t explain in detail, he seemed to have grasped what he was trying to say.
If that was the case, it was like an added task for him right away.
“It must be a problem to improve such a thing so that a lower level wizard can use it.”
“okay.”
There was a movement to improve this even before the return, but that was later. At least until I returned, there was no news of success.
Perhaps the biggest reason is that Layton, who was supposed to lead the project, was executed for the failure.
‘To the 4th prince who became the emperor of Carrot at the time.’
But I wasn’t.
I will walk a different path than that guy, and I will produce different results. It would also be me to prove it.
Thinking so, my eyes curled arrogantly.
“Is it unfair? Even though the research so far has confirmed that it is correct, it has not proved anything?”
“that… … .”
“Then I’ll give you a chance to work under me.”
“… … !”
I will give you a chance to work… … ?
It was so arrogant, but it was more suitable than anyone else. His eyes, which had been shaking wildly without being able to catch the direction, came to their senses and stopped.
And what surprised me even more was the owner of the magic tower and George, who had been listening to the story.
“… … He is a member of the Commonwealth.”
“I know.”
It was not the case with George who ‘became’ a staff member of the Federation Empire.
He was already a member of the Commonwealth Empire, and even a scholar who belonged to a national institution called the Society.
Even so, it mattered what he himself thought.
“A person who has been expelled from the academic society has no way to make a comeback. You will not know that.”
“… … .”
The Federation Empire’s academy was too rotten.
no. It was already rotten from the root, from the root. He was the one who knew best about him.
“There is only one way to prove that you, who have been ignored until now, are right with them.”
“… … in another country. Do you mean to continue your research where you came from?”
“okay.”
“… … .”
It was an offer to leave the motherland.
But why doesn’t that somehow sound undesirable or rude?
‘perhaps… … .’
People who say that their research results are correct and even prove them.
There was no choice now that even the minimum qualifications of the society had been lost, but even if there was such a thing, the heart would have headed to one place.
Maybe it was destined to be like this from the beginning.
“… … I will follow you.”
“Good.”
At least there, you’ll be able to live a life of recognition, not crawling on the floor like you are now.
You won’t have to continue your pathetic research in this rotten land.
“They want my work recognized. Then, I will be loyal to the person who recognizes my worth.”
“I hope that oath will be fulfilled.”
“… … !”
Squeak-
I slowly took off the hood that was hiding my face.
Brilliant silver hair. Arrogant bloody eyes looking down at me. The elements that make up me were revealing themselves in the land of the Commonwealth Empire.
And I said
“My name is Allen Esteban.”
1st Prince of Esteban. And the ruler of a country that will be reborn as an enemy of the Federation Empire in the future.
“That is the name of the master you will serve.”
* * *
“… … yes? Are you leaving home?”
Layton’s daughter, Reika, was embarrassed by her father’s sudden words.
But what followed was nothing but astonishment.
“Reika, you want to pack only the things you need and come out. I will leave the bookstore behind.”
“Why, why?”
“I decided to follow them.”
He didn’t know that the ‘they’ that Layton was talking about were the three guests who came to visit my father.
That made me even more embarrassed.
“If I abandon the bookstore, how will I make a living… … .”
“He said he would make a seat in the mage tower. He said he would appoint you under the direct command of the Master of the Magic Tower, so I don’t think he’ll be entrusting his livelihood to you like he is now.”
“… … .”
snug-
Layton stroked his daughter’s head with care.
Come to think of it, the hair that had grown unkemptly had been trimmed neatly to some extent.
“Now I want to do what I want to do.”
“… … dad.”
“I remember you said you wanted to be a merchant. He also said he would let you take care of trade from the top of the kingdom to the southern continent if you wanted, so that’s okay. It wouldn’t be bad to travel far away.”
“The top of the kingdom… … that… … .”
But the story ended there.
Layton came out of the bookstore with his daughter who was ready, and before he knew it, the Mage Tower Master was ready to return to Esteban.
My gaze turned to Layton, who came out with only his simple luggage.
From noble mtl dot com.
“Are you ready?”
“It is over, Your Highness.”
“majesty… … .”
“good.”
My daughter’s question came out, but it didn’t matter.
I winked at the lord of the tower, and soon the robe of the lord of the tower, whose eyes were closed, began to flutter little by little with the flow of artificial magic.
The power of the Archmage. It was a precursor to teleportation.
Woo-woo-!
The magic power has grown stronger. Every time that happened, the fluttering of the robe only increased, and before I knew it, a wind that would blow away dust began to blow around me.
At that moment, my gaze suddenly turned to something standing tall on the other side of the bookstore.
It was a gigantic, golden building that glistened in the setting sun.
‘… … Is it the old imperial palace of Carrot?’
The gilded outer wall symbolized glory. The glory of the time when he commanded the continent through a war of conquest.
Although it has already become an obsolete building through the transfer of capital, its symbolic meaning was like an exploitation agency to Esteban.
I couldn’t help but feel really happy just thinking about it.
‘It’s so disgusting.’
Dig-!
Eventually, when the magic circle of teleportation was completed, the wave of magical power that was flowing around the archmage gradually subsided.
The two women, already staring blankly at the scene, had long since disappeared.
But even then, I just stood still, gazing at the imperial palace. After confirming the fact, the mage tower owner wiped the sweat from his forehead and expressed his doubts.
“hmm? Your Highness, the magic circle has already been completed. Please go back soon.”
“Let’s wait a moment.”
“… … .”
At the moment when the Master of the Magic Tower showed his doubts again, I pulled out the Elbern that was tied to my left waist and slowly moved my steps.
“majesty… … .”
“There are things I don’t like.”
Woo-woo-!
Above my sword as I said that, before I knew it, the blood-colored sword began to gleam clearly. The wrinkly eyes of the Master of the Magic Tower opened wide in unknown anxiety.
“Dae, what are you trying to do in a place like this… … .”
The sword energy gradually condensed and formed another sword that wrapped around the sword, which soon fused with the wind that blew from somewhere and began to whirl.
—Then the atmosphere vibrated. However, it was a vibration tinged with thick flesh, unlike when the Mage Tower Master used his powers.
… … A bloody whirlwind wrapped around the sword.
The force of the wind, which began to gather from the atmosphere, grew out of control.
It was different from any sword form he had ever seen. It was also more threatening than anything else.
Before the master of the Magic Tower could understand the fact, he felt his head stand on end when he finally realized the true nature of his anxiety in the storm that came.
“… … no way.”
“Yes, I’ve come this far, but I can’t go without a present.”
The corners of my lips rose slowly. At the same time, the arm holding the sword was extended obliquely. That was the signal flare.
Chow-!
Kwagwagwagwa-!
The power of the wind gathered like a whirlwind exploded and cut through the atmosphere along the trail of the sword.
And there was nothing left where the trajectory headed.
like a storm Also like the Reaper. It began to ruthlessly destroy everything in a straight line.
It wasn’t much different from the golden imperial palace in the direction of the storm.
Koo Goo Goong-!
“M-M-My God… … !”
… … The old imperial palace collapsed. And it was collapsing.
The golden building, which had been shining brilliantly until just a moment ago, had been cut out as if it had been torn apart by something, and even the remaining parts were slowly sinking down, showing signs of collapse.
The tower master trembled in awe at that unbelievable appearance, and I smiled contentedly as I retrieved the sword.
“It’s worth seeing now.”
My body was sucked into the magic circle with a ray of light.