Shake, shake.
Selvier stirred groggily, woken up by a steady, rhythmic motion. Her body felt strangely warm and secure.
A deep sense of relaxation settled over her—the kind that lingers after a really good sleep. It had been a dreamless but deep sleep. She felt incredibly satisfied, with a quiet sense of satisfaction welled up inside her.
Without thinking, she tightened her arms and legs around whatever she was holding, shifting slightly. It smelled nice and had just the right firmness—like the perfect hugging pillow.
Did I buy something like this before⋯⋯?
She unconsciously let out a whimpering sound.
“Eueueung⋯⋯.”
Should I sleep a little more? Just a little more.
Finding Kravellin Render could wait for a bit longer──.
“⋯⋯?” No, Selvier. This wasn’t something that could wait.
Her eyes shot open and began assessing the situation. She had blacked out, and now she was being carried somewhere. Am I being kidnapped?!
After all, in Swallowtail Village, nine out of ten disappearances were kidnappings!
Her body tensed instinctively, but before she could react, the unidentified kidnapper calmly spoke.
“Are you awake?”
“Ah, it’s you⋯⋯ phew.”
It wasn’t a kidnapper—just the Crazy Wizard.
Selvier let out a breath and relaxed a little. Instead of waking her, he had chosen to carry her on his back?
As her drowsiness gradually cleared, Selvier looked around. They were moving through the city, and Crazy Wizard⋯⋯ was drenched in sweat. He was struggling under the weight of the bags he was carrying in both hands.
Yet, instead of waking her up, he had carried her on his back. Even though he had to carry everything alone.
A mix of gratitude and guilt stirred in her chest. To cover it, she grumbled.
“⋯⋯Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“You were sleeping too well. Consider it my contribution to your skincare?”
“What would a Fire Wizard care about good skin for?”
“For marriage of course?”
Marriage.
Selvier flinched. The unexpected word caught her off guard.
She tightened her arms slightly around his shoulders, murmuring in a barely audible voice—
“⋯⋯Aren’t I heavy?
“Not at all. If anything, I think you should eat a bit more?”
Liar. He was clearly struggling right now.
Since Crazy Wizard was a man whose mischievousness reached the heavens, she expected him to tease her if she asked if she was heavy and say things like ‘I thought I was carrying an elephant’, or ‘the fact that you’re asking means you already know the answer.’
But he didn’t say anything like that.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Her mind still felt hazy. Was there still sleepy? She hesitated, debating whether to get down or not⋯⋯ but decided to stay like this a little longer. She would get down soon—but not yet.
Selvier’s face looked strangely excited as she buried her nose slightly into the curve of his neck. Then she took a quiet breath, careful not to get caught. The sweat-dampened skin carried the scent of a man.
So this is what he smells like….
“⋯⋯It tickles.”
“⋯⋯What?”
“Stop breathing on my neck. I lose strength when I’m ticklish.”
“A p-person can’t just stop breathing!”
Selvier’s mind snapped fully awake.
Heat flooded her face, asd everything turned bright red. What was I doing just now? And why in the world did I smell him?!
You’re crazy. You’re crazy, Selvier!
Selvier hurriedly slid off Crazy Wizard’s back and snatched both bags from his hands.
“Hey, give me one.”
“No. You must be exhausted from carrying a whole person too⋯⋯ I’ll handle these from now on, got it?!”
“No, well⋯⋯ it wasn’t that heavy?”
“Say that after you hide your trembling arms.”
The moment Selvier pointed it out, Crazy Wizard awkwardly averted his gaze. He might have been a master of facial expressions, , but even he couldn’t fake the state of his overworked muscles.
Truthfully, he had carried Selvier to the brink of exhaustion.
He had planned to wake her up once it got too tiring, but… there was a reason he didn’t. After all, wasn’t there an unwritten rule that when you’ve done something wrong, you make up for it by enthusiastically doing housework, cooking, and everything in between?
Massaging his sore arms, Crazy Wizard glanced at Selvier’s back as she walked briskly ahead.
“Uh, I have something to confess.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯?”
“Things got a bit complicated.”
===============================================================
“So, a fragment of your soul did something⋯⋯ and now the entire city is full of uncooperative people?”
“Not the entire city⋯⋯ but probably most of it?”
“So it’s true that that your soul got split into 30 piec⋯⋯ wait, no! Why are you getting involved in such dangerous things?! Aren’t Academy professors supposed to just safely teach students?!”
I got scolded for having my soul split.
Anyway, the situation wasn’t exactly great.
The module officially known as the 『Psychopath Module』 existed to protect the mind in extreme situations. It ensured that even if a loved one died before my eyes, I wouldn’t feel anything—allowing me to do what needed to be done without hesitation.
And for some reason, the citizens of Polmaker were affected by it.
To the point where they wouldn’t even answer a simple question about an inn. They just walked past without a care.
The reason why this was a bad situation was because it essentially meant gathering information through interrogation was completely off the table.
Currently, I was in Red Tower Wizard mode. That meant illusion magic was harder to use due to compatibility issues. Even if I forced it, it wouldn’t be efficient—After all, I had become an idiot with reduced computational power.
In other words, my magical search options were limited.
Normally, I would have just asked around for K-something’s location, but with everyone ignoring me, that plan was useless.
I would have deployed NPCs throughout the city usual, but—
“⋯⋯So we really have to search on foot? Since we can’t even use the information guild?”
That’s right. Earlier, when I tried to buy an apple because I was thirsty, they kicked me out, saying they weren’t open today.
“There should be some normal people around, but finding them will be another hassle. So we have two options: track down K-something the hard way, or recover my soul fragment first and then search.”
“There’s certainly more work now⋯⋯.”
“S-Sorry Selvier⋯⋯ don’t hit me, uuu⋯⋯.”
“I wasn’t going to hit you?!”
Selvier smacked my bicep as she said that.
I had planned to avoid getting hit by using reverse psychology, but it seemed like she was the type whose hands moved faster than her mouth.
In the end, we decided to recover my soul fragment first before searching for K-something. It seemed like that would be faster.
First, we needed to analyze the exact phenomenon.
I spotted a passing mercenary with a build I could easily subdue and asked:
“Excuse me, I’d like to ask something.”
“I don’t want to.”
“I don’t like your ‘I don’t want to.’ Come here.”
“I said I don’t wa⋯⋯!”
Wooosh.
I neutralized them in an instant using well-practiced ground techniques. After thoroughly binding their limbs, I drew a magic circle on the beastkin’s belly and began status analysis.
Technically, I didn’t need the magic circle.
But this felt like solving multiplication tables by writing out each step in a notebook—it hurt my pride, but in my current state, it was necessary for using Illusion Magic.
“Eup, mmph⋯⋯!!”
“Heuhahaha! No one passing by will help you! Just as you ignored others, everyone is indifferent to you now!”
“⋯⋯Do you really have to say things like that?”
Analysis results.
“Selvier, I can give you a detailed explanation full of complex theories, or a simple and brief one⋯⋯ which would you prefer?”
“The simple one.”
“Dark Wizards are using my soul fragment.”
“⋯⋯Could you explain that a bit more?”
I had countered the Goddess’s mistake by changing my race on the spot, forcibly splitting my soul using whatever was at hand as targets for『Forced Exile』.
The division wasn’t precise or clean—it had been a rushed and imperfect process, so mistakes were inevitable.
Now, from here on, it was speculation.
Some fragments contained ‘personality’, while others existed purely as data chunks—with little to no personality or will.
A fragment with function but no consciousness. In other words──
“An Artifact?”
“Right.”
“⋯⋯So part of your soul became an Artifact when you split it? And Dark Wizards are using it.”
“Rig⋯⋯ht?”
It did sound kind of ridiculous when phrased like that.
However, because of the Module’s characteristics, drawing out the power of the data fragment wouldn’t have been easy. It would have rejected everything with an ‘I don’t want to’.
So, instead, they had forced it open—and this was the result of using its power crudely and incompetently.
Wo wo wooong──!
A black Will-O’-Wisp rose from the magic circle drawn on the beastkin’s belly.
“A trace was left behind. This should be enough to track them. Judging by their mana, they’re not that strong. Let’s go find them.”
“⋯⋯Red Magic Tower Master increasing the difficulty like that⋯⋯I thought it was unfair at first, but I’m starting to understand.”
“If you learn under a great teacher like me, you could do this much too.”
“That’s rich coming from someone who never stays at the Academy!”
Right. I may have been somewhat negligent in my duties as a professor, given how much time I spent wandering outside.
I should make up for it when I return. By handing out plenty of assignments. Enough to make up for my absence.
The 『Psychopath Module』 had a highly infectious nature.
This was because my Illusion Magic was based on the principle of ‘The more you believe, the stronger it becomes.’
Just as one person being indifferent on the street would seem odd, but an entire alley ignoring a scene would make it feel normal—the more people were affected, the greater the power became, spreading faster and stronger.
And when it reached its peak.
Polmaker would become a silent city.
A place where people wouldn’t even blink if someone was sacrificed right in front of them.
The Dark Wizards must be thrilled.
I needed to retrieve my fragment before its influence consumed the entire city.
Doong doong.
We tracked the Will-O’-Wisp as it floated into the sky.
===============================================================
Day 1. Successfully limited the search range.
“⋯⋯The Will-O’-Wisp went out?”
“I ran out of mana. Can I borrow some of yours?”
“Y-You’re not gonna take it through a y-yawn, right?!”
“A handshake is enough.”
----------
Day 2. Narrowed it down to three target buildings.
“I’ll look around this area a bit more. If you just lend me the Will-O’-Wisp⋯⋯.”
“We haven’t had dinner yet. Let’s eat first. You might disappear if you lose any more weight.”
“But what if they escape while we’re eating? That’d just make things more complicated.”
----------
Day 3. Only one likely target remained.
“I think I understand how it works now. I should be able to summon it too. I’ll cast it tomorrow, so save your mana.”
“⋯⋯It’s 1 AM right now. If you start drawing magic circles, you’ll be up all night?”
“Not sleeping for a day is fine. You go to sleep first, I’ll handle it on my—hyaa, heuyack!”
“No way, you fool. I hereby declare this room a space that cannot be left until you sleep. Try to get past me if you can!”
----------
And finally, on Day 4.
We were about to enter the Dark Wizard’s (presumed) base. An antique wooden building.
Searching an entire city wasn’t easy. I hadn’t expected it to take this long.
Of course, if I were in perfect condition, I could’ve handled it easily, but⋯⋯.
I realized just how convenient my life had been before.
“⋯⋯Heung.”
Selvier seemed a bit sulky.
Was she annoyed because I had stopped her from overworking herself?
Or… was she angry because when I tried to trip her to stop her from leaving, I accidentally buried my face in her chest?
It was soft.
…Still, I stand by my decision. It was a necessary measure.
Of course, people should try hard—but in Selvier’s case, she felt too desperate.
It was like watching someone wear clothes that didn’t fit them.
Just before entering, I casually asked:
“Hey, Selvier. Isn’t it exhausting moving forward like that?”
“…Why are you suddenly asking that?”
“Just… worried.”
“This is my way of remembering my childhood friend, Professor. Since I wanted to be like him, I’m just doing my best to become him.”
Selvier drew the line firmly.
But I thought there was a contradiction in her words.
I had no memory of my past self. In fact, Selvier likely knew more about who I used to be than I did. But because I was that person—because I had once lived that life—there was something I did understand.
People who burned themselves out always had a purpose.
So I needed to ask Selvier—
‘What does the sun burn for?’
“Wh—“
“Let’s go in.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Selvier abruptly ended the conversation, as if she didn’t want to continue—or as if she wanted to avoid the conversation.
Right. This wasn’t something to say before the battle. It would be hard to fight with a distracted mind.
“Heeup.”
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus.
===============================================================
Selvier and Crazy wizard carefully pushed open the building’s door and stepped inside.
She drew upon her mana, preparing to cast at a moment’s notice. The circuits within her body heated up—right to the edge of activation—and waited.
Pre-casting was tricky. It required keeping the spell from leaking mana to avoid being detected, and also control the light.
But as if he was mocking that, Crazy Wizard strode forward with a Flame Harpoon loaded beneath his sleeve.
It was fully cast.
She could see it with her naked eye. But no mana was radiating from it, and the light was strangely minimal, and the form was stable without any wavering. It just looked like a red metal arrow.
She was simply overwhelmed by that extreme skill.
“⋯⋯Really, a monster.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
She quickened her pace a little.
As they walked down the long and old corridor, a sharp, acrid scent reached their nostrils.
Crazy Wizard covered his nose with his sleeve and said quietly.
“⋯⋯It smells like something burnt.”
“They probably⋯⋯ didn’t burn their food.”
At the end of the hallway, there was a single door. They had checked every other room along the way.
This was the last one.
If there were Dark Wizards in the building—they were in here.
The burning smell grew stronger. Crazy Wizard pressed the back of his hand against the doorknob to check its temperature. It wasn’t hot. Just lukewarm.
And then bang .
He slammed the door open with his shoulder.
Both of them entered the room, aiming their magic⋯⋯
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
The room was filled with charred corpses(燒死體) burnt black. Soot spiraled across the walls and floor, marking the aftermath of destruction. Though there were signs of resistance, they were faint.
This was the mark of a one-sided slaughter.
Whoever had done this had incinerated the Dark Wizards in an instant, unleashing an overwhelming firepower—then calmly walked away.
But what stood out the most was where this had happened.
This was a wooden building.
Fire Magic had been unleashed inside a structure that should have gone up in flames within seconds. And yet, apart from a few soot stains, the walls and ceiling remained intact. The fire had never spread—and it still managed to kill every Dark Wizard inside.
It meant he had absolute control over the flames.
“⋯⋯Kravellin Render.”
Selvier’s voice wavered as fear seeped into her. She was overwhelmed.
Fire Magic had high destructive power in exchange for being hard to control. For someone to wield such flames with surgical precision—how devastating would that concentrated force be?
It was a level she could just dream of reaching. The fact that he was still alive, even after being expelled from the Red Tower, was proof enough of his talent and power.
She couldn’t win. Absolutely not.
Unless—
She had a monster by her side, one capable of matching or even exceeding Kravellin Render.
Her gaze shifted to Crazy Wizard. He didn’t seem afraid or even disturbed by the scene.
Instead, he looked at the burned remains with an expression as if he found it interesting.
“Wow, he’s pretty good? Looks like he took my soul fragment too.”
“⋯⋯This is just ‘pretty good’?!”
How high are your standards⋯⋯!
Selvier’s voice rose unconsciously before she forcibly calmed herself. Taking a breath, she scanned the room and asked,
“Does this mean… we’ve lost our way to track him?”
“No. I think⋯⋯ this fireworks show happened recently. If we follow now, we can catch up. He couldn’t have gone far. Selvier, let’s go!”
And just like that, Crazy Wizard took off, following the lingering mana traces.
“⋯⋯Huh? O-Okay. I’m coming!”
Selvier rushed after him.
But even as she ran, a question settled in her mind—
Like soot clinging to her skin.
A feeling that preceded fear and hesitation.
Between two genius wizards, will I really be able to help?
This time too── am I going to end up just receiving from him again?
***
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