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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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The prestigious magical gathering, Luigh Kiran, took place 1,000 meters above ground.
A space composed solely of magic and magical engineering.
A space that existed by, and for, mages.
Given the extreme pursuit of the inherent ‘selfishness’ of mages, it was naturally a place that rejected outsiders.
Flying up was, of course, impossible due to the barrier.
Only mages who received an ‘invitation’ could enter. A place where accomplished mages compared their magical achievements and engaged in scholarly debates…
“Master, Master. There are so many fascinating things here.”
“Stay still.”
…And here I was, stuck babysitting Regita.
The number of accomplished mages roaming this space was a staggering one thousand.
They interacted with each other quickly and efficiently, their interactions as selfish as their pursuits.
If there was something to be gained, they would interact with utmost haste, and if there was nothing left to gain, they would part ways just as quickly.
My goals were twofold: first, protect Regita; second, network.
I strived to accomplish both admirably, but simply keeping Regita safe was proving to be a monumental task.
“Oh? Hello.”
Just then, a female mage approached us.
This made it the fortieth person to approach us.
Regita was attracting that much attention.
“I’m Riley~ Wow, your eyes are really unique. What kind of magic did you use to make them like that?”
The golden cross pattern embedded in Regita’s pupils was an unprecedented phenomenon to human mages, hence the immense interest.
Dragonkin typically possessed vertically slit pupils, characteristic of reptiles.
However, Regita was the purest of the Gold Dragon bloodline, and possessed the traits of a Radiant Dragon, giving her pupils that differed drastically from other Dragonkin.
Thus, they couldn’t even suspect that Regita’s eyes were those of a Dragonkin.
Regita was the one questioned, but I answered in her stead.
“We suspect it might be a Harmony-type. Perhaps mana of extreme harmony manifested in a cross shape within her pupils.”
“Really? Hmm, Harmony-type, huh? Certainly, it seems more plausible than other types…”
Despite the ensuing silence, Riley remained, seemingly brimming with curiosity.
Her orange hair shimmered under the lights.
Then, as if another thought had struck her, she spoke again.
“Oh, right, where are my manners! I forgot to ask who you are?”
“Adrian. Just Adrian.”
The reason I added ‘just’ was to inform the other party that I was a commoner.
It wasn’t that I had a family but chose not to introduce it, but rather that I truly had nothing to introduce.
It was a minimal courtesy.
It was best to send away bothersome people quickly.
I hoped that revealing my commoner status would make her leave sooner.
However, Riley’s eyes lit up instead.
“Oh? Aha! Are you Professor Adrian from Rahel Academy? I’ve heard about you! Wow~ Nice to meet you! I’m a commoner too!”
She grabbed my hand and shook it vigorously. I
examined her closely.
Orange hair, blue eyes, freckled face.
I’ve never seen her before.
It was strange.
I should have known most of the renowned mages who received invitations to ‘Luigh Kiran’.
Yet, I was certain I had never encountered Riley before today.
“The story of a commoner professor raising a failing class, and the story of how you protected the academy from demons, they were very inspiring to me! Thanks to you, I’m here today.”
“Ah.”
I had acted differently from the original story, and those actions had positively influenced this person, leading her to this place.
It was a story that filled me with a bit of pride.
Only then did I relax my expression and return her handshake.
“What brings you to Luigh Kiran, Miss Riley?”
“Purpose? Um… purpose… I just came to look around. I was surprised to be invited to a place like this.”
Perhaps the fact that I was Adrian gave her a sense of familiarity.
Normally, interactions between mages were quite stiff and formal, but she rummaged through her belongings without hesitation and pulled something out.
“If I had to find a purpose, it would be this? I’m planning to go here too!”
“Hmm.”
It was an admission ticket to the ‘Magic Workshop’ located on the lowest level of Luigh Kiran.
A very important ticket for mages, as they usually crafted their lifelong treasured magical artifacts in the Magic Workshop.
Possessing the ticket alone made one a potential target, yet she showed it to me so readily.
“Congratulations. I hope you create a treasured artifact to your liking.”
“Oh, right?! I’m so excited, you know? Once it’s done, I’ll use it for the rest of my life!”
She bounced up and down in excitement, then suddenly tilted her head.
“But why did I get two tickets? Was it a delivery error…?”
“It’s best to be careful about saying such things. Mages are more selfish than you can imagine.”
“Oh, it’s okay with you, Adrian!”
“I am a mage as well.”
“Even so!”
Just then, a voice called out “Riley—” from afar.
It seemed to be her companions who had come with her.
“Ah, ah! I’m coming! Adrian! Let’s talk more next time! Definitely!”
I watched her walk away, still speaking. …It was a relief that she was more interested in me than in Regita.
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Demeri arrived at Luigh Kiran looking exhausted.
She hadn’t received an invitation, but fortunately, Luigh Kiran graciously allowed our meeting.
Despite the short time allotted, I could tell from Demeri’s expression that she had discovered something.
The usual fear was absent from her face.
“You’ve done well, Demeri.”
I started with praise.
Honestly, it was a rather difficult request, and I was impressed that she had managed to fulfill it.
“Yes. Shall we get straight to the point?”
“I’d like to ask how you’ve been, but it seems we should. Our time is limited.”
“Alright. First, the method to return Regita to her senses… is practically non-existent.”
Demeri spread out several reports.
They were all materials related to dragon horns.
“Dragon horns are organs that should never be touched. If they’ve been touched, it’s a very serious matter. So, if she’s gone mad because her horn was touched, there’s practically no way to fix it, but…”
“But there’s still one way, is that it?”
“Yes. Exactly one.”
Demeri nodded.
“You need to create an external organ as powerful as the horn, so that it can perform the horn’s function from the outside.”
“An external organ, you say?”
“Well, of course, there’s only one thing. The weapons that Dragonkin carry. In Regita’s case, it would be a greatsword.”
The conditions were demanding.
Not only did I have to create a greatsword that Regita could wield, but it also had to be powerful enough to replace the function of her horn…
“How much magical power must it be able to contain?”
“A lot. A lot. So, to be specific…”
Demeri tapped her chin with her index finger.
“You know, Violet, the Headmistress of Rahel Academy. It has to be at least at the level of crafting her treasured artifact. And this is the minimum, not a generous estimate.”
A moment of silence followed.
Demeri broke out in a cold sweat.
“Perhaps it’s better to consider it impossible? The cost would be astronomical, and the location is also unsuitable…”
“The cost is manageable. If I forgot my own treasured artifact and invested in this.”
“Then what about the location?”
“The location…”
There was only one place that came to mind.
‘The Magic Workshop.’
A space where renowned mages crafted their treasured artifacts.
With their help, it might have just been possible.
‘The problem is, how do I utilize that place…’
Did I have a way?
It was impossible through normal means.
That meant I had to consider unconventional methods.
It was, of course, difficult to seriously consider such methods.
There were so many things to consider to create Regita’s weapon.
Securing the cooperation of the workshop, avoiding the attention of others, and even if production began, minimizing the production time…
Just then, a sudden ominous feeling made me turn my head.
The murmuring from behind was growing louder, which was strange.
Kyaaaak—!
Simultaneously, someone’s sharp scream began to echo.
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[Riley Reid?]
