The Reincarnated Archmage’s Journey Chapter 340

Episode 340: Sleeping with the Enemy (1)

I thought… … .

Honestly, no sharp numbers came to mind.

But before finding that sharp number, I wanted to know Cyrus' intentions first.

“Why do you ask my opinion?”

'I just wanted to know if you were going to just sit there and be absorbed by that guy named Calito, or if you were going to rebel.'

“What if it’s the latter?”

'I was thinking about that too.'

As expected, Cyrus's anger was completely directed at Calito.

"What if you think that? You're inside me and can't do anything."

However, I do not intend to completely trust Cyrus and accept everything.

I warned you clearly about that fact.

Even though we have the same goal now, I cannot trust you completely just because of that, and I am in a position to dominate you.

'I can't help it.'

But Cyrus answered as if he had been waiting and showed off a magic trick.

It's the magic that turns one of my arms into a wolf's head.

"You're not in a position to completely subdue me. You can't yet manifest all the magic I originally possessed. Besides, given the form of Carlito you've shown me, you wouldn't be able to do it on your own, would you?"

What made him so confident?

And what clever idea did Cyrus come up with?

Suddenly, I wondered about that.

He could figure it out by linking, but he couldn't figure it out right away because he stopped thinking.

As expected, since he has grown up under the master for quite some time, he is quick to respond like this.

In the end, Cyrus had to speak his mind.

“Does that mean you’re confident that we can do it together?”

'Yes.'

It was really amazing.

Siler also shows his honest side like this.

What is hopeful, though, is that he didn't show any negative behavior in our conversation.

I will tell you everything without hiding anything.

It seemed to say something like this.

"You can just absorb it. It's the ultimate weapon that only I possess, and that you can't utilize."

That was the purpose of the silo.

“Absorption…….”

He wants to use his greatest weapon, absorption, for me, so he suggests that we absorb our creator, Calito.

But I don't think this idea is a groundbreaking plan.

“That’s on hold.”

"Why? The only way to counter Carlito is through absorption. That's the surest way to completely eliminate his existence. Do you think you can defeat him magically?"

“That means that plan is even more impossible.”

Silard didn't seem to understand.

Why I'm reluctant to absorb Calito.

That's because it's impossible to predict what kind of magic Calito possesses.

In the world we live in, Pleud is the strongest.

But this is not a definition we created, it is one that Calito created.

That is, in Aspanada, Plewood may just be an ordinary single elemental wizard.

We are currently fish in a fishbowl.

They should be seen as inferior beings who can only fill their stomachs when their master feeds them.

But in the world we live in, does the common sense of justice absorb Calito, who has no application?

This may actually be what Calito wants.

This means that if we absorb him without even fully understanding the power he possesses, we could end up being eaten in return.

The talent of absorption that Silard possesses was ultimately passed on to him by Calito, so it means that Calito can also use it.

If you blindly absorb Calito's power without even knowing its limits, will his existence disappear in vain?

Just looking at Cyrus's appearance now, you can tell that's not the case.

Even though I trapped him inside my body, Cyrus is not completely under my control and can rebel on his own.

So I wondered if the best option might be to confine our Creator, who I and Silard might only be able to keep up with, inside my body.

I explained them to Silerard.

'… … .'

Silard remained silent.

Even when I tried to poke around in his head through the linking, I couldn't hear or see anything, so his thoughts were literally at a complete standstill.

'It's frustrating.'

Soon, Cyrus said exactly what I wanted to say.

And then he said:

"Doesn't Plewood have a secret weapon? A magic with unexpected variables, like the one that wounded me forever, like your former disciple Etar? Just like summoners have spirits."

“Etar…….”

The moment I heard that name from Siler, a thought flashed through my mind.

“Hey, Silard.”

'I can tell something has come to mind, judging by the change in your voice.'

“Yes. But before that, there’s one thing you have to make clear to me.”

'what?'

“Will you accept me?”

'I don't know what you mean all of a sudden?'

“Will you use all the magic you have for me with all your heart?”

'Of course, there's no other way anyway.'

“If there was another way, it sounds like you wouldn’t do it?”

"Isn't that the point? Ultimately, you, me, and the Master—shouldn't we all be focused on the fact that we were all played by that one guy, Carlito? I'm just focused on that essence."

That's not wrong.

But… there are parts of me that don’t feel right about accepting him kindly as if I were a great sage.

If I were truly a great sage, I would have tried to educate Tyrant instead of seeking revenge.

That's why I'm far from a great sage.

I have absolutely no desire to be like that.

Also, the evil deeds that Cyrus committed in the past.

Even though it was all Calito's intention, in hindsight, what Cyrus did was right.

Here, my mind is so complicated that I can't even decide on one thing for sure.

Is Cyrus the victim or the perpetrator?

In order for magic to develop, Calito had to deliberately instill hardship and adversity in the world he created.

Silerard is that very hardship and adversity.

And should we really consider the many people that Cyrus has killed in the past as 'people'?

After all, they are nothing more than creatures created by Calito's summoning magic.

But the question is whether we can truly view them, who were originally fish in a fishbowl, as 'people' with independent and free thoughts.

This is the same problem that Cyrus created Kiena, Hei, Kuro, and Tesla to escape from the top iron gate, and lured the four to the top to absorb their power.

But I couldn't simply define Cyrus as a victim based on that alone.

In the process, I lost my beloved disciple, Etar.

Even if we who live in this world cannot be defined as 'people', Etar is someone I cherish.

Therefore, if we simply define Cylard as a victim, we would also be denying the dignity of Etar and the existence of the Ed family, so it was impossible to clearly define him in either direction.

“Well… I think my head hurts more now than when I was taking lessons from the teacher.”

My worries continued.

Then, what was to come finally came before me.

A white portal opened right away.

'This is… … .'

"Yes, Calito is calling. Once we pass through this portal, our future is decided."

"You asked me if I would accept you, clearly because you had a plan to get out of the situation. I told you I trusted you and accepted you. So, you must confirm it."

Siler now urged with a palpable sense of impatience.

“…….”

But perhaps frustrated that my answer wasn't readily available, he added a word.

'I still remember what you said to me when you locked me in that tree.'

“What do you mean?”

"It was when I said I was going to establish a magician's school. You clearly told me that if I hadn't gone astray, I could have founded a summoner's school, and that I ruined everything."

This is what I said to Silas in the garden.

It wasn't that long ago, so I remember it clearly.

“That’s right.”

'At the time, it felt like hypocrisy… … but after seeing the linking you showed me, I know for sure. I was right to kick myself.'

"Wow, how strange. For the world's greatest sylph to suddenly change his attitude like this."

"Living with your back to the world. Even if you possess absolute power and authority, it's a path that ultimately leads to loneliness. It's the same as walking alone, without companions and without a destination."

The emotion was felt again in Silas's voice.

That feeling is the longing I felt when I forcibly retrieved Silard's memories using linking and Silard yelled at me to stop.

It was so strange to hear the emotion of longing in the voice of the world's best sylph, but in fact, there was a reason for it all.

That feeling had been lodged deep within Cyrus for a long time.

"It was my choice to set foot on this path. Therefore, there was no turning back. I had to keep walking. Back then, my destination was you, Archmage Plewood, but not anymore, is it? Our destinations are the same."

Yes, that's right.

Siler and I now have a destination called Calito.

The fact that we were born and that we fought and sacrificed so much was all for Calito, so the fighting had to stop.

It's like giving a piece of meat to a dog, with no benefit to either party.

"That's why I said I accept you. I can't think of a way to defeat the Creator, Carlito, but you definitely exist. I'm not asking you to trust me. But if I can catch Carlito, I can trust you."

“Hmm…….”

It was the first time I heard a sincere story from Siler.

I answered.

“Okay. Then, as if I were the summoner and you were my divine being, will you use magic as I instruct?”

I decided to accept the silo.

You shouldn't trust him.

Our relationship is simply a temporary alliance that arose out of shared interests.

Cyrus said he trusted me, but I still don't fully trust Cyrus.

But that doesn't mean I can't join hands with Silard.

Because now is the time when we need the abilities that Cyrus possesses.

"It hurts my pride, but I'm willing to do it. If only I could get revenge on Carlito."

Sailor answered without hesitation.

“Yes, I will accept you temporarily.”

I also emphasized the word temporary.

'Are we allies until Carlito is gone?'

“Let’s just say we’re sleeping with the enemy.”

This distance seemed just right.

I stood in front of the portal like that.

"You're already starting? You haven't even told me your plans yet?"

"It's better if you don't know. If I explain it to you, Carlito will understand too."

Kalito is a character that can be linked through linking in Aspanada.

So, my plan had to be kept to myself for now.

Before I thrust myself into the portal, I cast a spell that would affect the entire world below.