Ch.105The Green Tower Isolation Incident (Interlude)

The M Generation, having been heated up by the “척화목” (anti-foreign policy), finally declared war.

It might sound ridiculous to declare war in a mere community, but they seemed quite serious as they began fighting fiercely with each other.

Though it was amusing to see them just hurling insults at each other.

Seria seemed to have half given up, posting announcements and continuing to delete only the most serious posts.

“Things seem to have gotten complicated again, but I guess this is better…”

Her message to me seemed remarkably calm, as if she thought the situation had already slipped beyond her control.

Of course, the reality was far from calm.

She probably wouldn’t get any sleep tonight trying to calm down the Green Tower forum.

The anger over losing the forum might be justified, but they had brought out what was supposed to be a tactical weapon that everyone had tacitly agreed not to use.

I don’t know much about elven history…

But they had brought out this “anti-foreign policy” thing that was supposedly meant to keep others out, and now Seria would have a headache.

What’s worse, the older elves had discovered it too, so now war was all they had left.

“War, never again war!” they shouted as they fought each other…

‘Well… I suppose this might be better.’

Compared to nearly failing without even attempting war just moments ago, this might indeed be better…

I’d hoped they would act like elves with the intelligence of mages, but unfortunately, the young elves consumed by anger seemed to have no such intention.

Although somewhat aggressive methods were used to occupy the forum, Seria had wanted to resolve things through at least formal negotiations afterward. Now she could only shed tears as the situation had become thoroughly tangled.

‘Well… not my problem.’

There was nothing more I could do now.

I had my own complicated issues to deal with…

– Should I go out right now?

– Why now of all times?

– Why? Is that a problem?

Well, it’s not that it’s a problem…

I scratched my head.

It was just a bit sudden.

– Fine… let’s go

But where are we going?

* * *

“Times like this really show how convenient magic is…”

While I might be simply stronger, magic offers a convenience that’s incomparable.

I may have boasted that Blood Claw Art could replace most magic, but there are many things like teleportation magic that Blood Claw Art simply cannot replicate.

Spatial movement…

I can do something similar, but it’s impossible to move with other people like this.

“Hehe… Jealous? Want to learn magic? I could teach you.”

“No thanks. At my age, my brain’s too stiff to want to study.”

Eterna pouted at my joking response.

“You’re younger than me.”

“I’ve lived longer than you.”

“Hmm. I suppose if you count the time you spent sleeping. Must be nice being so old?”

“Sure, sure. Call me big sister.”

“Grandma.”

“…”

I never expected to be called grandma instead of grandpa.

And from someone I never anticipated, no less.

‘She’s lived over a thousand years herself.’

Though I’ve lived longer than a thousand years too, in my heart I’ve only experienced a few decades of life.

I spent most of that thousand years sleeping.

So from my perspective, I’m being called grandma after living only a few decades, which doesn’t feel good at all.

It’s like someone in their 20s or 30s being called grandpa or grandma.

…

Of course, considering my actual age, I should count about 50 years of living…

But my heart is in its 20s.

Anyway, it’s depressing.

‘Well… whatever…’

There’s no need to feel bad about it.

I should ask what I want to know.

“So what wind blew your way that you suddenly want to go out?”

“Do I need a reason to go out?”

“I think you do.”

She knows it best herself.

That she’s not particularly fond of going out.

From my perspective, it’s like seeing a shut-in who normally stays locked in her room browsing forums suddenly open her door and ask to go out together.

People around would naturally be surprised.

“That’s harsh.”

Eterna pouted in displeasure.

But that doesn’t change my thoughts.

“I’ve just been thinking a lot since I lost to you.”

“… Shock therapy?”

“Will you just listen?”

Oops… did I go too far?

She looks quite angry.

“Like I said before, there’s nothing strange about you losing to me.”

She still seems to be holding onto that incident, but losing to me is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

After spending time in the Hero’s party and fighting countless enemies, how could she not lose to someone who’s never fought before?

Of course, weight classes exist, and if I were still Count Vladimir from back then rather than the current Life Transcendent, I wouldn’t have been able to defeat her no matter how skilled I was.

It was only because the gap had narrowed enough that I could overcome the difference in weight class.

Combat skills and experience aren’t shallow enough for a mage who’s never fought to overcome.

“I did defeat the Demon King, after all.”

Well… thinking about it now, if Eterna had become a Transcendent, defeating the Demon King might have been much easier.

The Demon King was also a kind of Transcendent with powers, so even though she couldn’t overwhelm him, the situation back then might have been different.

No, it could have been very different.

Either way, the fact that Eterna possessed powerful strength remained unchanged.

“Yeah… that’s true…”

Eterna had a somewhat dazed expression.

Is she that upset about losing to me?

Before, she was someone whose emotions were so absent I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

Now I can see exactly how she feels just by looking at her expression, which feels strange.

“Did something happen?”

At this point, I’m genuinely curious.

What could have happened to change someone who seemed soulless into this?

“Yeah… I guess so… Honestly, I don’t really understand why I’m acting this way either. But…”

Eterna paused briefly before continuing.

With a faint smile.

“I think I’m excited because I finally have a goal after a thousand years.”

“A goal…”

This was beyond my understanding at the moment.

I don’t know what thoughts Eterna has lived with.

But I could make some guesses.

“You said you admired Seria and me.”

The current situation is quite ironic.

Eterna, who should have been a junior mage far behind Seria, possessed overwhelming talent that shouldn’t have been possible and, through tremendous effort, rose to become the Transcendent of Magic.

She mastered all the laws of magic.

But by the time she reached this position, it was already too late.

She had long surpassed the mage she admired, and the other one had disappeared without a trace.

The girl who had strived looking up to only those two had lost her way.

Thinking of it that way, it’s not surprising that Eterna, who suddenly lost her life’s driving force, ended up living like a shut-in.

She succeeded in ascending to the position of Transcendent, founding the Magical Kingdom, and creating a good country for mages to live in, but she no longer felt the sense of achievement that comes from setting and reaching goals.

To have realized everything… that’s what it means.

Eterna could no longer live like a human.

At least, that’s how it seemed to me.

“You changed after meeting me.”

I don’t know why.

She probably knows best herself, but Eterna doesn’t seem to want to talk about it.

I scratched my head.

To be honest, I don’t know Eterna.

I only heard that she was a Transcendent who had awakened and founded the Magical Kingdom, and I was merely an acquaintance maintaining a strangely close yet distant relationship with her, calling each other sister.

But the more I heard, the more I learned about Eterna.

When I first met her, I thought she was incredibly rude…

“I’m glad.”

I don’t want to see Eterna, who has become part of my circle, living like a shut-in.

Whatever the reason, if meeting me helped her find meaning in life again, I’m glad.

“…Yeah.”

Eterna smiled faintly.

Then she chuckled and continued.

“Come to think of it, I don’t know the way well. This big sister will show you around the capital.”

“You’re being cocky.”

“Ow.”

I lightly tapped Eterna’s forehead as I said that.

As if she knows the way well herself.