The Reincarnated Archmage’s Journey Chapter 3

Episode 3.

A changed world

I left the restaurant and headed to the library.

As I walked down the hallway, I felt a growing sense of alienation.

That's understandable, because it's not the school I knew.

"Yes, this magic school isn't the one I was the principal of. And since it's called the Ed Branch School, it must be a separate school created by Etar."

From the bricks in the hallway to the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

As if to reflect the nature of Ed Etar, the head of the fire elemental family, everything is red.

The exterior of the magic school I was at looked like a multi-story building, but the moment I stepped inside, a different world unfolded.

There is another building on each floor, and the weather and time are different on each floor.

That is, each floor is a world.

This is because a magic school is a special space created through magic.

It can be increased or decreased at any time without any limitations on area or size.

So, the Ed branch school I am in is a school and a new world created by Ed Etar.

I found the library with Mob's guidance.

So I arrived safely at the library and immediately started looking for related books.

《Admission Requirements for Our School》

While looking through the titles of books lined up in a large library, this was an ordinary-sized book that caught my eye.

I quickly picked up the book and opened it.

Only graduates of each branch campus can enter the school after taking a special exam.

The book contained a photo of the school and its principal, Draco Tyrant.

This book was also created by magic.

Books created through magic are classified as 'magic books', and only very special books are created by magicians.

The photos of our school show the weather changing in real time, with the sun setting and the moon rising, and sometimes rain and snowstorms.

The Tyrant in the photo actually seemed to be speaking right in front of me, but his mouth moved, although he made no sound.

I stared at him blankly for a while, then turned my gaze to look at the photo of our school.

And then I realized.

The place we call our school in this day and age is the magic school where I was the principal.

Only exceptionally talented students are admitted to our school. Our doors will be open only to those students.

This is an introduction to our school.

But something is strange.

It seemed as if the message he was trying to convey was a warning: 'Don't even look down on students who lack talent.'

Neither when I was the principal, nor when my teacher was the principal, did we discriminate against wizards based solely on their talent and specialness.

For a wizard, the only special and talented thing is the power of magic.

It seemed that Tyrant, who had killed me out of blindness to power, only wanted to have such disciples.

“You fell so low that you killed me, Master, so you’re saying there’s still room for you to fall, Tyrant…….”

And the end of the introduction was decorated with the contents of Tyrant's interview.

The highest floor of the school, the "Top," houses everything a wizard could desire: the ability to wield powerful magic, power, wealth. The headmaster simply hopes many students will rise to the top and enjoy the privileges reserved for wizards.

What on earth are you thinking, Tyrant?

At the top, there is only an iron gate and a sealing stone that confines the sillard.

There's really nothing else besides that.

Why promote and motivate such a place to innocent students?

"no way……."

For a moment, I got goosebumps.

I got a clue from the phrase that only special and talented students can enter the school where Tyrant is the principal.

Tyrant killed the sealing stone on the day he was guarding it, in order to absorb Cylard's power and make it his own.

This means that he knows how to absorb the power of other wizards as well.

Such magic has existed for a long time, but it was strictly forbidden in magical society as it was considered a sin.

But it was clear that Tyrant, full of desire, had eventually tampered with the magic.

So, wouldn't he have boasted that he would absorb Cyrus even when he killed me?

Tyrant's promotion of the top to students and the illusion it created seemed to be a plan to absorb the power of talented students and create a strong mind capable of absorbing the power of the Cylard.

All magic is a power that comes from the mind.

It seemed that he was trying to train himself by using his students, as the power of the Cyrus was so strong and enormous that if he absorbed it too much, his ego would collapse.

“The situation is more serious than we thought….”

Tyrant, what you said when you killed me.

Is this all you mean by saying you will lead the remaining wizards and the magical society?

There's no difference between you and Silard.

Because you treat the wizard's life as trivial.

I looked through the book more like that.

As I turned the pages of the book, I found information about the branch school.

'Light Ruth Branch School, Headmaster Ruth Alfric.'

'Ramus Branch School of the Earth, Principal Ramus Thresha.'

'Wind Mirne Branch School, Principal Mirne Kabir.'

'Ed Fire School Branch, Principal Ed Etar.'

'Water Ramik Branch Principal Ramik Livia.'

They are all wizards who were my disciples.

They are now the principals of five branch schools.

At the end of the book, the background of the branch school's birth is explained.

300 years ago, the archmage Arkis Aimer attempted to resurrect Sylard, the worst wizard who had wreaked havoc on both the magical and swordsman communities. The archmage, who was supposed to protect magical society, instead sought to destroy it all. His only ambition was a twisted desire to make the world his own.

Me… …? When?

This is a sentence that makes you frown from the very beginning.

Besides, why would my name be mentioned when explaining the background of my birth?

What does the background of the branch school's birth have to do with me?

I read the rest of the sentence first.

However, his then-disciple, Draco Tyrant (now the Archmage), learned of Arkis Eimer's plan and joined forces with Arkis Eimer's other five disciples (now the branch schoolmasters) to defeat him. The brilliant disciples stood in the way of their master's misguided path. Naturally, the damage was severe. Ed Etar, who was particularly severely attacked, was in danger of dying, but barely managed to survive.

I wanted to rip the pages of the book apart the whole time I was reading it.

He's blaming me for everything he did to Etar.

As expected, he's a really good guy with a dirty mind.

Tyrant realized that stopping a single mad archmage would incur enormous losses, and he learned the lesson that multiple, powerful magicians were essential. Fifty years later, he opened a branch school and began training elite magicians through more specialized and systematic training. It was his wise decision to minimize the damage in the event of the Arkis incident.

At the end of the sentence, a total of seven pictures were listed.

The first picture is of me in my past life.

Long white hair reaching down to the waist, white eyes, and a white robe with long sleeves.

And the remaining six were pictures of my disciples.

What the book says is not true.

But by making it into a masochist, they completely distorted the truth.

Tyrant killed Cylard on the day he was guarding the sealing stone, saying he would rather absorb his power.

But there is only one reason why all the truth is distorted in this book.

The one who killed me, Tyrant, manipulated everything.

Since he didn't become a great wizard through normal means, he must hide his ambitions and corruption.

And soon I was able to learn about this era too.

“The era I was reincarnated into is… the era 300 years from now….”

Since this book is a magic book, the 300 years written in the book are automatically calculated and displayed.

That is, if one more year passes, it is automatically corrected to 301 years.

So this time can be said to be accurate.

And the branch school was established 50 years after I died.

300 years.

That's a pretty long time, even for a wizard.

By the way, why was I reincarnated 300 years ago?

I took my eyes off the book for a moment and looked out the window.

“Master…….”

Were you watching from somewhere when I was killed by my disciple?

So you saved my life… …?

I wanted to believe that.

It is regrettable that I was killed by the disciple I raised, but the greatest regret is that I was unable to keep my teacher's will.

The Master gave his life to seal the Cyrus, and left, asking us to watch over him.

Now I've closed the book.

I got all the basic information I wanted to know in one book.

I was lost in thought.

'Tylant is now the Archmage. And the place where I was the headmaster became the main school, while the remaining students created a separate branch school and became the branch schoolmasters.'

What does this mean?

In particular, Etar is the only disciple who witnessed my death that day.

He created a branch school with other disciples, became its principal, and has been the principal of the branch school for 250 years.

'Etar… … Are you also ultimately siding with Tyrant?'

I hate to believe it, but that's all I could think.

Soon, his gaze turned to the flame-shaped badge on his left chest.

By some coincidence, I was reincarnated into the body of a student at this school where Etar is the principal.

I also know the plans of the current Archmage, Tyrant.

It is certain that he will ultimately ascend to the top by absorbing the power of the Cyphers and subduing the wizards with powerful magic.

I will stop his plan and destroy the Seal Stone of Silar at the top of the main temple.

To do that, you must first enter our school.

'They said that admission to the main school was limited to graduates of the branch school.'

Graduating from the branch school is the priority.

Because the only place where you can meet Tyrant is at our school.

And another piece of information I got from the book.

The former great wizard of this era, Arkis Aimer, is treated the same as the worst wizard, Sylard.

It means I have to hide that I am Arkis Aimer.

Still, reincarnation is an opportunity that came by chance.

Although the activity may be difficult, I will never miss the opportunity.

“Okay, now what I have to do is….”

Meeting Etar, the headmaster of this branch school.

That's the first gate.

***

I came out of the library and walked down the hallway, thinking.

First of all, how can I meet Etar?

It just so happened that the magic school was on summer vacation.

For the next two months, I will not be able to see any other students or teachers.

And it's quite a special thing for a student to meet the principal.

Based on my past life, I, as the principal, only met students who were recognized as members of the 6th Circle.

This is because, starting from the 6th circle wizards, they are classified as advanced wizards, and they are wizards with wide potential to grow into higher circle wizards, including archmages.

There was a set time, like a class, for the Grand Wizard and Headmaster to personally meet the new wizards, chat with them, and congratulate them.

Will the branch school also follow that same operating method?

Kiena and Hey would know this.

'Are you still at the restaurant?'

As I was heading to the restaurant, I ran into them in the hallway.

In particular, Kiena was holding a plate of food that appeared to have been brought from a restaurant.

“Artel~! Don’t eat anything all day! Force yourself to eat!”

It seems that Kiena always took great care of Artel, just like her older sister or mother.

'That's perfect timing.'

Still, since you came to see me in person, it saved me the trouble of going there.

“Kiena.”

“Yeah, why?”

“If you want to meet the principal, you have to be in the 6th circle, right?”

Asking questions as if you know nothing can make you feel suspicious.

So I asked as naturally as possible.

"That's why I told you not to sleep during class! Every time you advance in a circle, you get epaulets on your uniform. The principal personally puts on the epaulets for Class 6."

A student who usually just sleeps.

That's Artel's true identity.

That lazy personality was now a helpful thing.

‘Pauldrons… … .’

After hearing Kiena's answer, I looked at her shoulder.

Me too, hey Kiena, your three shoulders are clean with nothing on them.

Since it's a 0 class, it's natural that it doesn't have shoulder pads.

“Artel, are you trying to become a 6th circle wizard?”

Hey asked with a voice full of doubt.

“I was just curious, so I asked.”

To meet Etar, you need to first reach the 6th circle.

Fortunately, the way it was run was no different from the magic school I was at.

"I don't even want to be in the 6th Circle, but I'd like to at least be in the 1st Circle. If we don't make it to the 1st Circle before this winter break, we'll be expelled."

Now Hey's voice turned gloomy.

“Expulsion?”

The school is kicking out students?

I did the same, and my teacher never expelled a student.

It seems like there is a reason why this book distorts the truth.

I told Hey to explain it to me in detail.