The room had fallen into a heavy silence.
The sealing spells that Daniel had activated moments before had spread like invisible layers over the walls, ceiling, and floor of the room, trapping every fluctuation of mana within.
Even the light of the candles inside the room no longer burned as before; the flames stood motionless and straight, as if time itself was flowing more slowly within this enclosed space.
This was a complete seal. Daniel had completely isolated this room from the world, so no one outside could tell what was happening inside.
Ryndor was still sitting on his chair, a faint smile at the corner of his lips.
A smile that, more than a sign of calm, was an attempt to hide the anxiety slowly taking root in the depths of his being.
’Damn it, how does this bastard have such power? How can he isolate this entire room? I didn’t even notice!’ It was then that he understood this boy had probably been hiding his power all along.
Serys’s gaze shifted between Daniel and Ryndor. She still didn’t know exactly what Daniel had decided.
But from his calm look alone, one could tell the real interrogation was only about to begin.
"From here on... you don’t need to be here." Daniel said quietly without even turning toward Serys.
Serys was momentarily stunned.
"What?" This was not what she had expected to hear.
Daniel, with his gaze still fixed on Ryndor, continued:
"What I’m about to do... it’s better you don’t see."
Serys frowned.
"But this interrogation... I’m in charge of this case."
"That’s right. That’s why it’s better you wait outside."
Ryndor, who had remained silent until then, suddenly let out a short laugh.
"Finally decided to drop the act?"
He looked at Daniel mockingly.
"You think you can get me to talk with torture? Haha, what made you think you can break me that you want to torture me?"
Serys looked at Daniel with concern. He still hadn’t said anything, and this silence was more terrifying than any threat.
A few seconds later, Serys sighed.
"Don’t take too long."
Daniel just nodded in confirmation.
Serys cast one last look at Ryndor; a look mixed with doubt and worry. Then she opened the door, and as soon as she left, the heavy door of the room closed quietly.
At that moment, the last layer of the seal was also activated.
The sound of magical locks clicking echoed through the room like invisible chains.
Now... no sound would escape this room.
No mana would leak out. No one outside could sense what was happening within these four walls.
Ryndor had kept his smile.
"Well? Go ahead, let’s see what you’re going to do to me. Let’s see if you can even do anything." He also rose from his seat, ready to fight.
Daniel didn’t answer. He just took a step forward, slowly raised his right hand, and the air around him suddenly rippled.
The room’s shadows moved against the direction of the candlelight.
One after another, black and golden magic circles appeared in the air.
Each circle was covered with thousands of fine, complex lines; runes that even Ryndor didn’t recognize many of.
The circles began to spin slowly around him.
First one.
Then three.
Then seven circles.
The room’s atmosphere grew strangely heavy. For the first time, Ryndor frowned.
"This..." His eyes narrowed slightly.
"What magic is this?" He suddenly felt all his power slowly fading away.
"What did you bastard do to my magic?" Terror filled his entire being.
The power he was going to use to fight Daniel had completely vanished!
What the hell was this? What kind of monster was this boy? What had just happened?
But it was too late. Before he could even understand what had happened, he had lost all his power. Of course, "lost" was the wrong word.
More precisely, Daniel had sealed all of his powers.
"You’re not going to be mentally tortured or anything like that. You’re just going to tell the truth." And then he added.
[Enchanter of Hearts]
No explosion occurred, no destructive wave was released, no pressure was applied to Ryndor’s body. But something much deeper happened.
He felt all the walls he had built in his mind over the years begin to tremble one by one.
As if someone, without attacking the gates of his mind, had stepped directly into his memories and emotions.
Ryndor suddenly screamed.
All his mental defense spells lit up on his body. Dozens of protective seals appeared around his head like transparent shields.
True, his magic had disappeared, but his defensive equipment and items were still there!
But the first shield... cracked.
The second shield... shattered.
The third...
The fourth...
One after another, they crumbled.
"Impossible..."
Ryndor gritted his teeth, the veins in his neck bulging.
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead. But the black and golden circles continued spinning without the slightest change.
Not with force, not with violence, but with terrifying patience. Finally... Ryndor’s pupils slowly dilated.
His eyes went empty. His body slumped limply into the chair. His breathing became steady.
Daniel looked at him for a few seconds. This was an upgraded version of a skill he had obtained on the second floor. It had been a long time since he had used it.
And it was much better than he had expected. It practically allowed him to control the mind of anyone weaker than him.
Then he asked only one question.
"Why does the founder support Lioran?"
A few moments of silence passed, and then Ryndor’s lips moved slowly.
"...Because he is not the heir."
"Continue." Daniel frowned for the first time.
"...He is a vessel." Ryndor’s voice was lifeless and monotone.
"What do you mean?"
"Lioran’s body... has the capacity to carry Divinity. The only body that can withstand the founder’s Divinity."
Daniel’s eyes narrowed for a moment. Divinity... the foundation of a Demi-God and true gods.
He himself also had a Divinity.
Ryndor continued without stopping.
"The founder... is dying. Not from illness, not from a wound... his life essence... has come to an end."
"Thousands of years have passed beyond a Demi-God’s natural lifespan. Even I don’t know how he has survived until today. I only know... he doesn’t have much time left."
Daniel showed no reaction. Demi-Gods have long lifespans, reaching thousands of years, but in the end, they are not immortal, and sooner or later their lifespan limit catches up to them.
If they are severely injured in battle, that lifespan limit might arrive even sooner.
The only way to escape the lifespan limit is to become a god... but it seemed the living founder of the tower had not succeeded in this.
"Lioran... has been cultivated since four years ago, when he awakened his talents."
"Every advancement... every resource... every opportunity... every success... was to prepare his body."
"When his body is complete..." Ryndor paused briefly and then said in that same hollow voice:
"The founder... will transfer his Divinity into him. And Lioran... will cease to exist."
Even Daniel was completely silent for a few seconds. All the puzzle pieces he had gathered until today suddenly took on new meaning.
The heir, unparalleled talent, unconditional support, immunity from any punishment.
Everything... was not to preserve a successor. It was to build a body.
"Does Lioran know this?" Of course, Daniel guessed that boy had no idea. He only thought he was being favored by the founder because of his talents.
’So those murders were also just because he’s a vengeful person. He wanted revenge, and after he killed them, the founder had no choice but to cover up the murders. Otherwise, Lioran would have been executed, and his plans would have fallen apart.’ Now he understood what was going on.
Now everything fell into place.
But right at that moment... the black and golden circles suddenly began to tremble.
Ryndor’s lifeless eyes suddenly came back to life. He suddenly coughed violently, blood spraying from the corner of his mouth.
"N... no..." He stared at Daniel with indescribable horror.
As if he had just realized what he had said. At that moment, on his chest, beneath his professorial robe, a crimson light lit up.
Daniel looked down. Several complex magical lines had appeared on Ryndor’s skin.
Runes that had been completely hidden until that moment. Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
"Damn it..."
"Silence Curse."
Before he could even finish his sentence, the red lines on Ryndor’s body began to move like living snakes.
The sound of chains breaking echoed from the depths of his being. A moment later, black magical chains burst from within his body.
Not through his skin... but from the depths of his soul. They wrapped around Ryndor’s body like living creatures and began sinking into his being with terrifying speed.
Ryndor screamed in pain. His face contorted. The light of life in his eyes dimmed with every passing moment.
Daniel immediately stepped forward and released his power.
"Not yet..." He reached his hand toward the magical chains.
"I won’t let you die before you tell me the whole truth."