Chapter 34: How big of a mess is this?

Long ago, when several great mages gathered to establish an academy on the peninsula, people were puzzled.  

It wasn’t a powerful nation, it lacked resources, and it had been reduced to rags after the Second Great Magic War.  

Why build a tower and a school in a destitute country with no advantages?  

When asked, the great mage replied,  

“My heart.”  

People criticized the flippant response, but the great mages proved themselves through results.  

The tower and school they built transformed the poorest nation in the East into a land of learning.  

When sages united their strength, the ignorant rose above beastly ignorance, enjoying the refinement of ordinary people.  

The world marveled at this enlightened community, and people—everyone—flocked to it.  

At sixteen, Elnair Grantz, the future Blue Tower Master, set out for the peninsula with a heart full of anticipation.  

After the Magic War left every nation in tatters, educational systems had hit rock bottom.  

Amid this, the cradle crafted by the great mages was too precious to miss.  

The young sorceress Elnair Grantz became a student at the peninsula’s magic school—the predecessor to Seoul’s Superpower Academy.  

Decades later, Elnair Grantz, trained by her seniors, became a high-ranking mage, built her own tower, and passed on her teachings to juniors.  

She was ambitious.  

She dreamed of etching her name in history, remembered as a mage as great as her predecessors.  

Of surpassing humanity to become a star.  

Not just a seeker of magic, but a transcendent being contemplating the records of the universe.  

Yet she also craved human adoration—a perfectly ordinary human, in that sense.  

Elnair was ambitious.  

She didn’t want to die.  

So she resolved to close her eyes for a moment and break the sacred taboo she’d learned as a child at school.  

To treat her disciple, dear as a daughter, as an elixir to be consumed.  

Now, over a century old, the Blue Tower Master, Elnair Grantz, saw her.  

Creak.  

A younger mage, pale with illness, cautiously opened the door.  

Seeing Seol Yeonhwa, her face whiter than usual and her breath labored, Elnair smiled kindly.  

See, Erneong?  

What’s this about taking it slow? It’s urgent.  

For a high-ranking mage who had studied countless spells, even a moment’s intuition worked like magic.  

“No wonder I felt uneasy—you look very sick, Yeonhwa.”  

She couldn’t die yet.  

There was something to be gained, and it would be troublesome if she died alone.  

Elnair’s eyes gleamed as she grabbed her disciple’s hand.  

“Shall Grandma take care of you?”  

What a pitiful, icy body—so desperately in need of devoted care.  

Yes, the hand she held was chillingly cold.  

But to Elnair, Seol Yeonhwa’s hand, colder than ice, felt delightful.  

“Let’s go together.”  

She gripped the hand tightly, never to let go.  

***

There wasn’t any school work to deliver, but I had a potion to give as a gift, so I stopped by the department office to get her address.  

Oh, right, we’re in the same apartment complex, aren’t we?  

I wondered if it was okay to share, but since she’d been absent for three days, I worried she might actually be dead.  

As a neighbor, I decided to quietly visit her home.  

The address showed it was a five-minute walk from my place—mostly because of waiting for the elevator.  

It’s practically next door, closer than the convenience store.  

To finish the potion quickly, I urgently gathered the party after school and tackled the dungeon.  

Grugh! Kweeeek!  

Roaaar!!  

I held a shield but fought more aggressively than usual, taking down orcs and trolls.  

We reached the treasure chest room in no time.  

Maho’s ultra-lucky hands pulled out every needed ingredient, and we gathered the rest in under an hour.  

…She’s already incredible, but is it even possible for her luck to get better?  

I was genuinely impressed.  

I don’t know what kind of mage she’ll become, but even as a pack mule, she’d be cost-effective.  

If I ever form a formal party in the distant future, this lucky girl is a must-have.  

That’s what I vowed.  

By the way, Imir handled the rear as usual, documenting the dungeon run, while Sephine couldn’t make it due to the last-minute call.  

I later heard she was frantically texting complaints.  

It’s understandable—she had prior plans, so no reason to hold a grudge.  

Especially since the pulls were so good.  

Hwaaaa—  

Back home, I added the newly acquired ingredients to complete the vitality potion.  

A liquid radiating a scarlet glow, like the sun.  

Packed with nutrients and yang energy, it tastes like strawberries with a citrus scent—the ultimate remedy.  

It won’t make her jump out of bed instantly, and I’ll need to lend a hand, but her condition should improve significantly.  

“Alright, let’s go.”  

[The Goddess nods with a proud expression.]  

With the finished potion in hand, I headed to Seol Yeonhwa’s address, obtained from the department office.  

Visiting a female student’s home in the evening might be rude, but in a reversed world, maybe it’s fine.  

I mean, I’m in the “girl” role, right?  

[The Goddess tilts her head, questioning if that’s right.]  

One minute walking.  

Four minutes for the elevator.  

Five minutes total, and I stood at her door, ringing the bell.  

Ding-dong—  

Ding-dong—ding-dong—  

No response, even after several rings.  

“…Hm?”  

It wasn’t that the house was too big to hear.  

When I extended my senses, which I’d kept restrained for privacy, there was no one inside.  

Risking a bit of rudeness, I analyzed the surrounding mana and traces and suddenly realized something.  

“She’s definitely been kidnapped!”  

[The Goddess widens her eyes, asking where I found any clues.]  

“Just kidding.”  

[The Goddess grimaces, contemplating how to deal with this hero.]  

Whoa, that’s a creepy thought.  

“I don’t know about kidnapping, but someone was here recently.”  

At the door, I sensed traces of someone other than Seol Yeonhwa.  

A similarly cold but far deeper mana, with a refined presence.  

In short, a highly skilled mage.  

Probably someone from her organization visiting for some reason.  

Maybe she’s out for work?  

But no matter how busy or important it is, skipping school?  

If she can’t come, she should at least notify the school!  

To be fair, I skipped a day once, but it was handled as sick leave.  

[The Goddess jeers, calling me a professor’s pet (corrupt).]  

If I’m loved, isn’t that a good thing either way?  

[She glares and jeers harder.]  

Since the homeowner wasn’t here, I thought about leaving, but something felt off.  

Decades of surviving countless dangers had honed my instincts—they weren’t to be ignored.  

Sometimes it’s just a chill down the spine, but when it’s right, it feels awful.  

The regret of ‘I should’ve acted’ lingers forever.  

Hmm, how big of a meddler am I being?  

After stroking my chin, I made up my mind.  

“It’s the weekend tomorrow, so sparing some time should be fine, right?”  

Besides, it’s about saving someone.  

If she’s not sick but safe, that’s good too.  

Checking on a same-age friend at their workplace shouldn’t be too rude.  

Probably?  

[The Goddess nods with a benevolent smile.]  

With even the Goddess approving, there was no reason to hesitate.  

***

“…This feels too hasty.”  

When Blue Tower Master Elnair Grantz brought the deathly pale Seol Yeonhwa, Dr. Erneong frowned.  

Elnair, her expression colder than usual, stared at him and said,  

“Being too leisurely might make us miss our chance entirely.”  

“It’s not just about being leisurely—there’s a process to follow.”  

“Follow that process, and the girl will die.”  

As Elnair promptly placed Seol Yeonhwa on the operating table, Erneong blinked in disbelief.  

What’s wrong with this crazy old hag?  

Just days ago, things seemed fine, but now even he, her ally, felt her icy demeanor.  

“Listen, sister. To fully transfer her constitution, we need time. She needs to see you as an ally. Her mana circuits must feel as familiar with you as her own body.”  

“If we proceed that slowly, I’ll be the one dead. Erneong, you’re not planning to experiment after we’re both gone, are you? To avoid being late, we need to act now.”  

“…Hah.”  

Erneong felt like he’d been hit in the back of the head.  

This old crone, so paranoid about her lifespan, had grown distrustful of everything—even him, despite their prior agreement.  

The desperate mind of an ancient mage, clawing to escape death, was ugly and clingy.  

He reconsidered.  

…Maybe it’s time to flip the board.  

Glancing between the groaning Seol Yeonhwa on the table and the old mage before him, Erneong furrowed his brow and twitched his hand.  

Yes, starting anew might not be bad.  

Just as Dr. Erneong, a high-ranking dark mage, began to channel his mana—  

Beep!  

With a primary alarm sound—  

WEEEEENG!!  

The tower’s security system suddenly blared.  

To be continued…