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Episode 24
Arcadia (3)
“By the way, why is your expression so stiff?”
“My pride is hurt.”
To be honest, giving Riley three chances to attack was tantamount to underestimating Riley.
No matter how high-ranking the opponent was, the old man’s attitude was enough to damage Riley’s pride.
“Umm… … .”
But the old man swallowed his breath with a complicated expression after hearing Riley’s words.
After a moment of hesitation, he opened his mouth.
“So you want me to spar with you on equal terms? Without any restrictions?”
“yes.”
“… … .”
The old man, who had been silent for a moment, shook his head and opened his mouth.
“… … You have no idea who you are dealing with.”
It was a pitiful face, as if he was looking at a child’s guesthouse. He let out a complicated sigh and slowly looked around before stopping.
“Oh, yeah. There was this.”
[… … What, why are you taking our books away?]
The old man suddenly reached out to the book in front of us.
It was a book on modern and contemporary magic history that Riley had borrowed from the Bronze and Silver values a little while ago.
Garon Theobald, who took the book, looked at the title written on the cover and burst into laughter.
“100 great people who shone in the modern and contemporary history of the empire… … It’s a really good book. There aren’t many distortions of historical facts.”
“… … .”
The old man, who was muttering to himself and flipping through the pages, stopped in his tracks when he discovered something.
Swish─.
He handed us an open book and said:
“Read it.”
I don’t know what kind of reading recommendation is out of the blue.
I grumbled and started reading along with Riley through the pages the old man had opened.
〈 67. Garon Edward von Theobald
Gaon Theobald, who served as the leader of the magic unit on the Western Front, is famous for his achievement of single-handedly fending off hundreds of demons.
The incident is called the “Battle of Haslpart Mountains.” His Majesty the Emperor highly regarded the achievements of Garon Edward von Theobald and inducted his name into the Hall of Fame… .
[……uh?]
I was speechless for a moment.
Because right underneath that fingerprint was a portrait of a familiar old man.
I turned my gaze forward. The figure in the portrait in the book was staring at Riley indifferently.
[Uh, so… … .]
That old man’s name is Garon Edward von Theobald, right?
Were you a war hero who saved the empire in your day?
[… … He wasn’t just any high-ranking magician.]
Just because they were high-ranking magicians, it didn’t mean they all had the same skills.
While there are magicians who lock themselves in their rooms and train only to raise their level, there are also magicians who struggle to raise their level in the midst of bloody battles.
Even among the high-ranking magicians, Garon Theobald could be said to be a giant.
A veteran who has risen to the top through decades of battles against demons.
The experience he gained on the battlefield, crossing the line between life and death, was not something that Riley could simply surpass with her talents.
‘Did you say that for nothing?’
[I think so.]
No matter how much Riley trained with Richie, it would be difficult to deal with the full force of Garon Theobald, who devoted his entire life to battle.
“Excuse me, Grandfather… … no, Sir Gaon Theobald.”
“Why are you doing that?”
Riley asked, carefully closing the book.
“Three times is too few, but could you increase the attack opportunities to five?”
“… … Don’t you have a conscience?”
“I’m joking.”
Garon Theobald was more resolute than expected.
When her offer was so soundly rejected, Riley coughed awkwardly and quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, this doesn’t seem like a suitable place to spar.”
It was just as Riley said.
This is a library.
It felt a bit odd to cast magic in a space with bookshelves, desks, and chairs all around.
It seemed necessary to move to a different location for a smooth sparring session.
But our worries were in vain as Garon Theobald answered in a calm voice.
“Don’t worry about that.”
Exactly─!
He snapped his fingers.
Then, a strong wind suddenly blew in.
Hwaaaa …
It was clearly a closed room with no wind, but wind blew in from all directions.
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The wind curtain formed a small arena in the shape of a dome, surrounding Riley and Garon Theobald on all sides.
Boom─!
Thump──!
“… … .”
[… … .]
The strong wind pushed all the desks and chairs around them back.
Even in the midst of all this, Riley was completely unaffected by the strong winds. Not a single strand of hair was disturbed.
In the meantime, the magic power was finely adjusted.
Riley is immune to the effects of magic.
[… … It’s a monster.]
monster.
It was truly a monster.
A level of magical skill worthy of a high-ranking wizard.
As if someone were a veteran who had been fighting on the battlefield for decades, Garon Theobald was already displaying skills close to perfection.
“Is this amount of space enough?”
Garon Theobald continued speaking with a leisurely smile.
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about your magic damaging the library’s facilities. Your magic won’t leak out of this curtain.”
“If it leaks out.”
“Well, that’s okay. All facilities with platinum value have been treated with demon warding.”
I already knew from the librarian’s explanation that Arcadia’s important facilities had been tampered with.
And since Riley wasn’t the type to attack by sweeping the surrounding area with powerful magic in the first place, there was no need to worry about the library being destroyed.
[Then Riley.]
‘yes.’
[Let’s go right now.]
It was a great opportunity to safely see how far Riley’s attacks would go against a high-ranking veteran.
Oh, of course, if you miss a valid hit, one of your legs will break… … .
[Let’s hurry and flatten that yandere grandpa’s nose.]
… … We’re not so sloppy that we can’t even get one valid hit, right?
* * *
Garon Theobald looked at the girl in front of him and thought to himself.
‘… … It’s definitely amazing.’
She is a girl who looks difficult at first glance.
The fact that such a young child had already reached the level of the lower-ranked “Novice” was truly astonishing.
‘Usually, a magician who has reached a lower level before the age of 20 is called a genius.’
Every wizard goes through two awakenings in his lifetime.
The first awakening was at the age of 10.
A child who receives the so-called ‘Blessing of Mana’ begins to take his first steps as a magician.
Those who instinctively come to understand the truth about magic, mana, and sorcery are called apprentices and undergo repeated training to lay the foundation for becoming a magician.
The second awakening occurs exactly in the year these apprentices become adults.
From this point on, the apprentice is granted the qualifications of a full-fledged ‘wizard’.
This means that the “seed of attribute” that was dormant in the mana heart will bloom, granting you your own attribute, and through this, you will be able to implement more sophisticated and powerful magic.
like that.
By the time a wizard becomes accustomed to the magical powers imbued with attributes, he leaves the realm of apprentice and enters a lower rank.
‘… … The criteria for classifying these realms are simple.’
How much horsepower can it handle?
That’s it.
But that alone creates a huge difference among wizards.
The more mana you use, the stronger your mana heart must be, the more precise your operation must be, and the faster your casting speed must be.
In other words, it was said that the level of a magician was clearly classified according to the difference in this ‘vessel’.
‘… … This is also why the skills of adult magicians increase exponentially.’
Starting with the second awakening, the wizard can hold more magical power. The power of that magical power also increases through attribute blooming.
That’s why wizards who become adults naturally become stronger.
It was for this reason that many apprentices reached lower levels by the age of 20.
‘But if we say it the other way around… … .’
Before experiencing the second awakening.
therefore.
Wizards who have already crossed the barrier of inferiority before reaching adulthood… … .
‘… … That in itself is already a monster.’
It was Gaon Theobald, who had already lived for nearly 70 years.
But even so, I’ve only seen a few wizards reach a lower level before completing their second awakening.
‘Most of them grew into giant trees that formed the axis of the magical world.’
To be honest, I was really curious.
Riley, how much stronger will she be when she completes her second awakening?
Perhaps she could rise above the walls of the High Order and grow into another great wizard?
‘I want to see that girl’s future.’
But that’s why we shouldn’t let Riley take the screening test.
If she were to take the test, the magical world would lose another future.
‘So this time… … .’
By any means necessary.
‘… … I have to turn this girl’s heart around.’
Kuk─.
With that determination, Garon Theobald clenched his fists and faced the genius standing before him.
Contrary to his rather complicated feelings, he let out a calm voice.
“As I said before, I will concede a total of three attacks. If I move even one step during that time, it will be your victory.”
The purpose of this match is simple.
This immediately breaks Riley’s will to continue taking the screening test.
To do that, there is only one thing you need to do.
‘It shows an overwhelming gap. It makes you feel scared enough to give up on the test.’
It was a cruel method, but it was the only way to save the girl.
“Then let’s get started right away.”
“All right.”
Woof─!
As soon as the answer was finished, magical power began to shake from all directions.
Wheaaa …
The sharp sound of cutting through the wind.
Arrows made of magical power began to fly quickly towards Garon Theobald’s vital points.
‘… … That’s fast.’
It was an amazing speed.
A speed so fast that an inexperienced wizard would be unable to react and would give up his life.
but…….
‘… That’s it.’
It wasn’t a heavy attack carrying massive magical power.
It wasn’t a fancy attack with a twisted rotation or orbit.
Just a cheap attack that’s fast.
Garon Theobald responded by calmly casting defensive magic.
Although the defensive barrier he created was merely a basic “mana shield” that did not contain any attributes, it was enough to block such an honest attack.
‘As expected.’
He thought to himself.
‘If I had made him take the screening test like this, that child would have died before he could even last long… … .’
Right at that moment.
An eerie shiver runs down my spine.
“… … !”
Gaon Theobald could feel his body stiffening for a moment.
‘… …Paralyze?’
no.
This was not a magical effect.
The fear felt at the brink of death.
Because of that, my body became stiff.
As if, like an animal standing in front of a predator.
‘what…….’
