21st Century Archmage

Chapter 204: The Wisdom of Tarkania

“Nerman is in your capable hands.”

“Just go ahead and suck the life out of your old Master already, you rascal,” complained Master Aidal, the only person in the world I could believe in right now,

“I am sure that with you, an archmage, that bastard Altakas won’t be able to do a thing to Nerman.”

“Of course. What could that pitch-black mage do with me around? Just trust me and come back soon.”

“If you are uncomfortable anywhere, please let me know.”

“Huhu, there are none. I’m very satisfied. If I knew it’d be like this, I would’ve come from Earth earlier.”

Unfortunately, Master had taken a liking to my Nerman mansion and all of its 21st century’s conveniences.

Knock knock.

“Tower Master Aidal! The mages are waiting.”

“Yes, yes, I’m coming.”

On top of that, Master was getting top treatment from the mages of the territory. When I revealed he was the Golden-Eyed Reaper Aidal, it was nearly delirious joy rather than fear that filled the faces of the mages. Truly, mages were wicked little bastards who knew no kin or sin in front of magic.

‘I will find it on my own. The wall of the 8th Circle… I will topple it, without fail.’

It was my journey to walk. Even Master Aidal could do nothing for me.

I was departing on that journey. More specifically, I was going to the Temple of the Temir folk, which housed the relic of the Gold Dragon Tarkania who became a 9th Circle black mage with a human body after descending to the Middle Realm for amusement.

* * *

“L-Lord Kyre is still alive…”

A letter flew in from Nerman to the Kesmire Kingdom, which had attacked the Laviter Imperial Capital according to Kyre’s plan. Over 100 Skyknights lost their lives in the unexpected attack of black mages and Death Wyverns, and when Kyre told them to run, they retreated without looking back.

“I’m so glad. I’m so, so glad.”

When the Kingdom received information that Kyre died and that Emperor Hadveria declared the Dark Empire, the Kesmire Kingdom halted all operations, focusing their energy on figuring out the scale of the storm that would blow over the continent.

“Hmph, he sure is tenacious.”

Unlike Chrisia, who was tearfully clutching the letter sent by Kyre, Elsia was pursing her lips. She was still deeply upset that the Kingdom’s precious Skyknights lost their lives because of Kyre.

“You need to be thankful to Lord Kyre, Sister. If not for him, your life would have been forfeit.”

“I’m grateful for that, but if not for him, such a thing wouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

“It is an operation Royal Father permitted anyway. Putting the blame on Lord Kyre is not something a royal of Kesmire should do.”

Elsia pursed her lips, shutting her mouth. Kyre was the one who proposed the attack on the Laviter Imperial Capital, but it was the King of Kesmire who agreed and actively offered his cooperation. Moreover, Elsia didn’t have much ground to argue when she was admittedly blinded by the treasures of the Imperial Palace.

“Not like I said anything,” she grumbled. “I just said he’s amazing for coming back alive.”

Elsia didn’t have a bad temperament, but after growing up on the rough seas, she was clumsy at expressing her feelings. Chrisia looked at her brusque sister with a small smile.

“Your Highnesses, His Majesty the King wishes to see you.”

“Royal Father does?”

“Yes. He has also convened the commanders of every fleet and the nobles.”

The two women were surprised by the knight’s words.

“This is only right. We can’t just cower like whipped dogs. The law of the sea is to do unto others ten times what is done to you. We must… get revenge.”

“Yes. Most of the casualties were my subordinates… I will never forgive that crazy emperor bastard.”

Though they were princesses, the two were commanders leading major fleets in the Kesmire Kingdom. Their fighting spirit blazed at the King’s summons. Although they had suffered an unexpected blow, they would not back down.

The law and pride of the Kesmire Kingdom that prided itself as the rulers of the rough sea would not allow that.

* * *

“The Great Guardian Warrior has come! The Great Guardian Warrior has come!!!!”

“YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!”

‘Woah…’

When I landed in the clearing of the temple where Lokoroïa resided, thousands of warriors joined their voices in a resounding cheer, welcoming me with greater fervor than the territory’s knights. 

‘It’s been a while.’

It didn’t feel like much time had passed, but it had. The Temir Temple wasn’t terribly far from the territory, but I simply hadn’t had the time to come all this way.

“K-Kyre!”

The lass opened the door of the temple, calling my name.

‘Woah!’

I turned my head towards her familiar voice and felt my body stiffen in shock.

“Why did it take you so long? I’ve been waiting.”

A woman was running towards me. The cute, golden-haired girl I remembered was nowhere to be seen. Instead, an approximately 165 cm tall, slender beauty was charging at me full sprint.

While I was staring at her in a daze, she jumped into my arms.

“L-Lokoroïa?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Your lifelong partner, Lokoroïa.”

The kid—no, woman!—raised her head from my chest to respond, smiling radiantly.

‘Just when did you grow this big! Is it… really okay for you to have such a sexy figure?!’

She was smiling from ear to ear. It wasn’t that long ago that she was running around with tiny boobs and a short body, but in just a few months, she shot up like a bean sprout.

‘Hmm…’

In addition, my downward pointing eyes glimpsed two significant something somethings.

‘Killer. Just killer.’

She wasn’t nurtured by dairy cows like Hyneth, but Lokoroïa’s boobs made me nod in satisfaction. They weren’t even mine, but I couldn’t suppress my surprise.

“Wow! Lokoroïa, you’ve really grown.”

I stroked the head of this Great Shaman, who was like a god to the Temir people.

“I don’t get it either. My mana quantity suddenly grew, and then I just started shooting up. Hoho, take a look at these breasts. I think I can definitely bear the Great Guardian Warrior’s children now.”

“…”

There was no page called embarrassment in Lokoroïa’s books. She was cupping her bountiful chest with a satisfied grin.

“A-Amazing,” I stuttered, my face reddening.

“Right? I knew you’d like them, Great Guardian Warrior.”

‘W-What does she mean by that?’

Lokoroïa had completely seen through my facade to the instinct lurking deep within me. She might be young, but she was absolutely not to be underestimated.

“Hurry, come in. The Great Guardian Warrior has come, so we cannot stand around like this. Heed me!”

“May you impart your will!”

At a single word of the lass, every warrior bowed his head.

“We shall hold a grand welcoming ceremony today, so do not neglect the preparations.”

“YEAAAAAHHH!”

The Temir warriors burst out in a cheer, rejoicing with such elation that they seemed to have nothing to do with what was happening on the Continent at the moment.

‘That’s right, nothing’ll come out of worrying you guys. Ignorance is bliss.’

Unlike the incredibly complicated people of the Continent, the Temir knew how to find joy in the little things. In my eyes, they were the truly happy ones blessed by the gods.

* * *

Reaper Scans

* * *

“We’ll need to dispatch troops, right…?”

“Yes, most likely.”

At an abandoned fort located on the border between the Kerpe and Tove Kingdoms in the Kobionne Mountains, two friends were tipping their glasses, having met for the first time in a while. It was the general of the Kerpe Kingdom, Duke Hardaim, and the advisor of the Tove Kingdom, Duke Galphois. Once the storm that was the Bajran Empire invasion abated and everything calmed down, they were left with nothing to do. The two of them had dreamed of glorious futures for their kingdoms, but the power they had left was barely enough to maintain the kingdom’s existence.

“How laughable that I must join in to help the person who was my enemy a day before.”

Duke Hardaim, who was defeated in a duel with the master of Nerman, Kyre, smiled bitterly.

“My position is no less laughable. I trusted you guys and invaded the Onsk Kingdom, but had to scramble back in a hurry… after paying the war reparations, the kingdom’s treasury is as empty as this bottle.”

The two dukes, the figures hailed as the cores of the Kerpe and Tove Kingdoms, laughed hollowly as they thought about sending troops to the culprit behind their sorry plights.

“But still, it’s fun. I didn’t think another day would come for me to wield my spear, but we must wage war with the Laviter Em—  No, the Dark Empire.”

“Agreed. It will take at least 30 years to recover the kingdom’s national power. What guarantee is there that we’ll still be alive for all those years? We should thank Hadveria, no, that Altakas guy, for giving us the opportunity to fight one last time before we waste away.”

Duke Galphois knew the importance of information more than anyone. He had recently come to know that the Emperor of the Dark Empire was not Hadveria, but a 8th Circle black magic swordsman named Altakas.

“To think that he’s strong enough to crush Lord Kyre in one hit… Just how strong is that bastard?”

“As an 8th Circle black magic swordsman, he must be beyond our imagination.”

“Dammit, was the bastard born holding a sword and sucked mana instead of milk? Why’s he so fucking strong.”

In front of his friend, Hardaim freely spat out curses.

“Still, let’s not hate him. The poor sop doesn’t have a friend he can have a drink with like this, no?”

“Haha, you’re right about that. A man of absolute strength without a single friend… is more pitiful than I.”

Hardaim let out a laugh of mirth. Though the topic was grim, his eyes were sparkling. This world was full of people stronger than himself. He was enjoying the fact that he still had something to strive for.

“Our kingdom is pretty much ready. Onsk, Gapitz, Dapis, and Indesse have also agreed to dispatch Skyknights. All things aside, they’re not idiots. They know that if Nerman falls, the blade will fall on them next.”

“Kuviran, Andain, Pakinch, and Yohaim say they are sending Skyknights as well. I never dreamed a continental allied force would come to be in my lifetime… All sorts of things happen in life, don’t they.”

“Hearing that from you, I guess you’re old now too.”

“It’s not just me, my friend. A little bird told me you became a grandpa recently. Congratulations, Old Man Galphois.”

“The years really flew by. I used to run with all my might towards the sun that comes up every morning, but I’ve already reached the age matching that sunset over there…”

Duke Galphois, who had a handsome head of graying golden hair, reflected on his life while gazing at the last flickers of sunset disappearing over the Kobionne Mountains.

“I have no regrets. When it comes to life and death, God’s scales are impartial to all, no matter who they are. I lived doing my very best. And because I have you as my friend, I need not envy anyone.”

“Thank you, my friend…”

With those words, the two grew silent. They stood shoulder to shoulder, and as they watched the sun slowly go down, they remembered the sun that was once as lively as their lives…

* * *

‘With indiscriminate mana and a human’s inborn abilities, those who are faithful to their emotions can reach the 9th Circle…’

I was in the underground chamber that still hummed with the wisdom of the founder of the Temir people, the Gold Dragon Tarkania. My eyes lingered on the message about reaching the 9th Circle written on the stone slate I’d read in the past.

“All this time, I have worked hard to train according to Father’s wisdom. Seven circles have formed in my chest.”

Lokoroïa smashed her way to the 7th Circle faster than me, as if to prove she was truly a daughter of a dragon, a dragonia. She was an absolutely amazing woman.

“May I stay here and study for a little while?”

“Of course. The Great Guardian Warrior is essentially my clone. Father would happily permit it too.”

Lokoroïa smiled toothily, casually giving me her permission. I was thankful. This place was forbidden to everyone except for me. Seriously, you had to stick to the mighty in order to get a little whiff of greatness.

I picked up a magic tome from the bookshelf.

[The Origin and Terminus of Mana]

The magic book was written in ancient Runic.

I gently turned to the first page.

‘The undiscriminating nature of mana…’

Comparing what I read to the magic knowledge Master engraved in my head, I slowly turned the pages.

『Be it an upper circle mage or a mage who has just begun their journey, mana will never refuse them.

For mana, nothing is dirty or unsightly. There is no birth or death.

Only those who realize mana’s undiscriminating nature will come face to face with mana’s true form.』

That was something all regular mages knew. And yet, it was a little different. I couldn’t quite put it into words, but the definition of mana was tinged with a cold, rational edge.

I moved to the next page.

『That logic also holds the method to reach the ultimate magic.

All things are made to exist. One must never fear or grow impatient.

Those who have realized the attributelessness and undiscriminating nature of mana will gain the power to realize magic with but a single thought.

But not all can reach that point. Only one who can utilize and realize the true form of mana, that which exists and then does not exist, can become a friend of mana.

An equal partner who neither rules nor is ruled over.』

It was difficult. It seemed easy at first glance, but the basic theory of mana was actually incredibly abstruse. Although it sounded different from what Master said about not needing anything in the world other than magic, the meaning was the same. You had to sincerely desire to become a friend of mana, where a million fake friends were unnecessary as long as you had one true friend. Rather than being someone who used mana, the relationship one should have with mana was one of helping and being helped.

I closed my eyes. Then, I thought about what I’d considered mana to be up until now.

Someone once said that the moment you realized you were late was the fastest start. It wasn’t too late for me to revise my thoughts.

I emptied my mind.

At this moment, at this point when I needed to gain a new enlightenment, I discarded all trivial thoughts. Right now, I wanted to try losing myself to my mana, my magic, and that intense love that I needed to find within me.

Until the moment I achieved enlightenment.

* * *

‘I know you can do it.’

Lokoroïa silently watched her Great Guardian Warrior. He had always treated her like a kid, and thanks to him, she was able to escape the clutches of the black mages and become the Great Shaman she was today, one capable of safely absorbing Father’s wisdom. The man who made it all possible was deeply lost in thought.

‘The Temir warriors will be able to die for you while smiling to the end. Just like how I feel…’

As she looked at the meditating Kyre, Lokoroïa made her plans. She already knew. She knew that a powerful black mage had appeared on the Continent and was wreaking havoc. And she knew that her beloved Great Guardian Warrior, Kyre, would need to stop him.

She smoothly rose to her feet and quietly left. This was all she could do for him. Enlightenment was not something you could share, but something that belonged to you alone.

In her heart, she prayed that Kyre would be successful in breaking the wall and reaching a whole new realm.

—-

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