✦ Chapter 81 – Suspicious Couple (7) ✦
「Translator – Creator」
Seina. The young Elder of the Blue Tower.
The title itself felt incongruous. Judging by her appearance, she looked like she could be a first-year student at the academy.
Crack—! Crack—! Crack—!
Her ice magic was imbued with liveliness.
That was what Ezekiel focused on.
‘Her sheltered life is reflected in her ice.’
He had once said something similar to Agnes.
From Seina’s ice, one could sense brightness, liveliness, and cheerfulness. It was a reflection of a life lived with privilege, a path free of hardship and suffering.
In many ways, she was the opposite of Ezekiel.
— Fast mana manipulation.
— This technique relies on speed. Maintain a quick tempo.
— Understood. I’ve transcribed everything.
Agnes confirmed she had recorded everything. Ezekiel nodded, satisfied. He had deciphered all of Seina’s techniques.
It was time to strike.
‘I could show her something truly spectacular.’
But he hesitated.
How far should I push her? How much of her true potential could I draw out? He was no longer concerned with winning or losing. He was simply enjoying the challenge.
He drew upon his chilling aura, unleashing a fraction of its power.
He had been abstaining from sun crystals lately, and his aura had grown even stronger.
He channeled his mana, mimicking Ether’s movements when he drew back his bow. Only this time, instead of shooting an arrow of energy, he fired a concentrated blast of ice.
Kaboom—!
The ice projectile shattered Seina’s whips and grazed her shoulder; her eyes widened, surprised.
“You are indeed… no ordinary mage!”
“Didn’t we just introduce ourselves? I am an Inspector, after all.”
“Well, most inspectors aren’t… quite so impressive.”
Seina grinned, conjuring new ice whips.
Crack—! Boom—!
And the duel escalated, turning into a chaotic dance of ice and frost.
Ezekiel gradually increased his aura’s intensity, pushing Seina to retaliate with increasingly powerful techniques. It was exhilarating, drawing out every ounce of her potential.
‘…Is this how the Emperor feels when he spars with me? ’ Ezekiel wondered.
But he quickly forgot his worries, lost in the joy of the battle.
It had been so long since he had faced another ice mage.
Perhaps, in his excitement, he had overdone it.
Bang—!
“Ugh! ”
Seina stumbled back, her shoulder struck by a blunt ice projectile. Ezekiel immediately dialed back his power. He needed to be more careful.
Meanwhile, The old Blue Tower mage watched the scene and muttered to himself.
“…Is this truly the level of a self-taught mage?” he murmured. “No… he’s definitely self-taught. There’s no trace of any specific school of magic in his style. How can he be so… free? It’s as if he’s inventing these techniques on the fly!”
Agnes and Tether exchanged telepathic messages.
— He seems to have made quite an impression.
— It’s to be expected. The Blue Tower has dedicated itself to the study of ice magic for centuries. And now they’ve met Ezekiel.
Agnes reviewed her notes as she said this.
‘So detailed… I could practice these techniques right now.’
Of course, what Ezekiel had gleaned from Seina wasn’t the secretive magic techniques of the Blue Tower, but that wasn’t the point. The ease of his understanding was what mattered.
‘Just by observing her a few times? He learned this much?’
The mere ability and fact of learning techniques by merely witnessing them was astounding. It was a pathway to unlocking the secrets of even the most forbidden techniques.
Agnes thought back to the sheer number of mages gathered here. Mages from five towers, all with their own unique skills and knowledge.
…If I observed all their presentations…
…If I could analyze them all, just like Ezekiel…
Her goal, once considered impossible, suddenly felt within reach.
As she pondered, the duel came to an end.
Swishhh─!
Seina withdrew, her ice whips dissolving into mist.
“Inspector, your skill is far greater than I anticipated. If we continue, there won’t be anything left of this clearing.”
“Then I concede. I forfeit.”
“……………?”
Seina blinked.
She was confused. The situation had never been in her favor. At best, it could have been considered a draw.
But from Ezekiel’s perspective, it was a calculated decision.
‘A connection to the Blue Tower, an opportunity to visit… these are valuable assets.’
He had already gained a great deal from this duel, but a visit to the Blue Tower would yield even greater rewards.
He could acquire new techniques and forge a relationship with the Blue Tower, strengthening his own forces. There was no need to insist on a meaningless victory.
“I’ll… visit the Blue Tower sometime. For your ‘moral instruction’.”
“………..….”
Seina stared at him, her silver braid still draped over her shoulder. And then… her eyes widened, sparkling with excitement.
“…Inspector! You are… far more impressive than I initially thought! ”
“What exactly were you expecting?”
“When I received your… rather provocative invitation, I assumed you were arrogant and overconfident. But your mastery of ice magic… your mindset… it’s truly remarkable! ”
Seina pulled out the flask of Frost Elixir.
“You acknowledged your defeat, and with that simple act… you’ve made me realize that I’ve lost as well, in terms of character. Please, take the Frost Elixir. Consider it a token of my gratitude for accepting my challenge.”
“Um… ”
“Go on, take it!”
“…Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Ezekiel took the flask, still feeling slightly bewildered.
Was it really okay for him to accept this?
He had already analyzed her magic and obtained a valuable potion…
He felt a twinge of guilt.
He then quickly reviewed everything that had happened.
The Blue Tower’s magic, the Frost Elixir, the Black Tower’s suspicious activities…
Each one of these things was significant on its own, and he had managed to gain all three in one fell swoop. And he’d even made a valuable connection with the Blue Tower.
‘I never expected to build relationships like this.’
He had always been so focused on concealing his true identity that he had never allowed himself to form any meaningful connections. This… felt different.
“We must share a meal together, to truly mark the end of our duel. Shall we move on and continue our conversation over lunch? Don’t worry, it’s on me!”
Seina chirped, her earlier seriousness replaced with a cheerful enthusiasm.
Ezekiel’s group nodded in agreement.
• • • ₪ • • •
On their way to the restaurant, they took a detour to… clear out a few bandit camps. It didn’t take long for the entire area to be rid of them, leaving it much cleaner.
The restaurant owners, grateful for getting rid of the troublemakers, brought out a plethora of additional dishes for Ezekiel and his group as a token of appreciation, even though they hadn’t ordered them.
However, there was one person more focused on talking than eating. That person was, of course, Seina.
“The ice element is the most noble and powerful element,” Seina declared, her voice ringing with conviction. “Therefore, ice mages must carry out the will of the Seolgwi with a sense of duty and responsibility. We must—”
She launched into a lecture on the proper mindset of the Seolgwi, espousing the Blue Tower’s unique philosophy. It seemed to have no end.
Tether, her mouth full of food, sent a telepathic message to her companions.
— So, who exactly is this Seolgwi they keep mentioning?
— I’ve been curious about that too. It might be good to ask since we have the opportunity.
— But isn’t Seolgwi a sensitive topic for the Blue Tower? I’m not sure if it’s appropriate for me to ask…
The two women turned their gaze towards Ezekiel.
Their intention was clear — they wanted him to ask on their behalf.
“So, who exactly is this Seolgwi?” he said, giving in to their silent pleas. He had to admit, he was curious, too.
“Ah, typically, it’s forbidden for non-Blue Tower members to discuss that figure. But…”
Seina smiled.
“You wield the power of the ice element, and you’ve already agreed to visit our tower. I think it’s fair to consider you part of the Blue Tower. Very well, I’ll tell you.”
The story that followed was simple.
During a past war with the Demon Realm, there had been an Ice mage who made a name for themself, striking fear into the hearts of the demons. They had become known as the Seolgwi.
“…And we, the Blue Tower, follow that person’s will.”
Tether and Agnes exchanged telepathic messages again, seemingly in perfect sync now.
— It’s fascinating. We humans didn’t know about this person, but records of them exist among the demons, passed down based on those records?
— Perhaps Seolgwi never actually existed. Maybe they’re just a mythical figure created to inspire ice mages.
“……..….”
Ezekiel, however, was having a very different thought.
‘…That’s me, isn’t it?’
It seemed too good to be true, but it was.
The Seolgwi the Blue Tower revered… was none other than Ezekiel himself.