Ch 214
Greater Black Magic!
Lisir, though not in detail, vaguely anticipated the value it held.
Greater Black Magic refers to expert knowledge dealing with Greater Black Magic, doesn’t it?
Isn’t Black Magic, right now, a forbidden power not easily accessible?
An expert in Greater Black Magic who would satisfy the Two Mage Towers regarding dungeon investigation.
Such a thing was unlikely, and naturally, finding such an expert would take a long time.
Even Lisir, who had no experience in the work of recruiting personnel out of necessity, could understand that much.
Just that.
I understand it takes a long time.
But, how long will it take?
Lisir had too little experience and data to make an objective judgment.
He had not yet been a part of the magical world outside his Family for even a year.
In that situation.
Lisir had two reasons to judge Rocard’s proposal.
One was Rocard’s humble（?） character, experienced and felt firsthand.
And another was-
The conversation he had with Dangaleon right before accepting the proposal.
-That worm dug his own grave!!! Master! How about watching how that guy will react after accepting his proposal!? A Greater Black Magic expert! In this continent, there is no one more suitable than Master!
‘It’s true that I have a certain level of knowledge, but I’m not an expert, am I?’
-Master!!! Master must not forget that there is a being born to annihilate disgusting Black Magic by Master’s side!!!’
‘A being born to annihilate wicked Black Magic?’
-That’s right! I’m talking about Dangaleon, the sunshine that caresses the world with light!
Lisir suddenly murmured faintly to himself.
‘Everyone. Are you all doing well?’
While recalling the Demon Worshippers who followed Dangaleon.
Anyway.
‘Then. I’ll accept that proposal, trusting Dangaleon?’
Lisir was going to accept Rocard’s proposal, trusting Dangaleon.
-Kuaaaak!!! You trust me!!! What an ecstasy!!! I, Dangaleon, don’t know what to do with this honor!!! Nevertheless━ no, that is! I must say this!
‘Huh?’
-Master!!! To tell you the truth, Dangaleon’s true feelings are that I don’t want to advise you to accept his proposal! Even if it’s to use his trick to strangle him, to go along with such a pathetic deception…!
‘What are you saying, Dangaleon? To such a good person.’
-Master!?
‘Think about it.’
In the past.
Lisir, seeing the Masters suffering and complaining to Rocard, could only realize one fact.
Rocard.
The kindness and humility he showed to himself might just be an illusion created by his own distorted senses.
Lisir tried to look at and treat Rocard with a newly corrected viewpoint.
However.
Lisir was keenly aware.
The tenacious and stubborn power of prejudice.
It was quite difficult for Lisir.
That is, to view Rocard from a negative perspective.
Perhaps, it was because he had a good impression of him at first.
And above all-
‘Right now, he’s trying to make such a big concession for our Grey Tower, isn’t he? With ‘pure goodwill’.’
Lisir thought.
That he could be such a good person without prejudice（?）.
-Oh, oh…!?
Even after realizing the truth, nothing changed.
Rocard.
To Lisir, he was still a humble and kind person.
✦✦✦
“Sir Lisir…? To do that━ I don’t understand what you mean━”
“What do you mean? As Sir Rocard said. This Grey Tower will accept the Yellow Tower’s request.”
“…Request?”
“Yes, request.”
“…So, you mean that we can find a Greater Black Magic expert faster than the deadline mentioned by this Tower?”
“Yes.”
“…Do you happen to remember the deadline I mentioned?”
“Didn’t you say a week?”
“…Are you serious?”
He readily makes a proposal, but when the other party accepts, he clings to the words.
This was the behavior of Rocard, the Golden Divinity, in an official position.
That appearance was undoubtedly petty-
But right now, no one present was paying attention to Rocard’s behavior.
Because they knew that Rocard’s proposal was not sincere, but a part of a deception.
In that sense, what truly surprised them was not Rocard’s behavior, but the young Grey Mage’s behavior.
“Li, Lisir!?”
“What the…!”
His actions even horrified those on his own side.
The Grey Masters, overwhelmed by confusion, openly displayed their surprise in front of others.
Instead of pretending to be calm and supporting the young Mage.
“Ah.”
A wry smile appeared on the lips of Rocard and the Yellow Mages.
Judging from the Masters’ reactions, they realized that the young Mage’s actions were an unscheduled impulsive act.
The Yellow Mages smiled wryly, understanding.
A young student in the prime of their youth loses their composure, unable to bear the insult to the Tower-
Isn’t that a perfectly plausible story?
Of course.
But from the Grey Tower’s point of view, they couldn’t take it so lightly.
Taking back words spoken in such an official setting!
It was more difficult than picking up water spilled on the floor.
The impetuous arrogance of the young student.
The responsibility for it fell entirely on the Grey Tower.
The Yellow Tower had absolutely no intention of letting go of that opportunity.
“Oh my. I was quite surprised for a moment? I never expected you to accept our Tower’s unreasonable request so readily. Then, let’s conclude this matter by entrusting it entirely to the Grey Tower regarding this matter.”
Rocard acted quickly before the Grey Tower took action.
If this continues, the Grey Tower will be held responsible for making too many broken promises.
‘As the Grey Tower claimed, we entrusted them with the part related to Greater Black Magic━ but in the end, the Grey Tower failed to meet the deadline…’
Rocard let out a very satisfied smile inwardly.
Could there be a more suitable reason to exclude the Grey Tower from the dungeon investigation?
Even as things progressed according to the Yellow Tower’s plan, the ‘justification’ held by the Grey Tower was a major headache for them.
But now.
The opportunity to take away that justification has been given.
Rocard looked at the person who gave him such a golden opportunity.
The young Mage, Lisir, whose passion surpasses reason.
“I look forward to working with you, Sir Lisir.”
Rocard said, full of satisfaction.
‘I thought something was off from the beginning. He finally did something big.’
Rocard suddenly recalled the aspects Lisir had shown at their first meeting.
That stubbornness.
That arrogance!
Rocard thought.
‘This is the first guy I’ve liked in recent times. In many ways.’
Rocard’s eyes were full of affection as he looked at Lisir.
He offered Lisir his hand.
“Yes! I will certainly live up to your expectations, Sir Rocard!”
Lisir readily took his hand.
Those who were present and watched this scene felt a slight sense of unease.
Let’s say Rocard is sinister.
Lisir.
That young man with a simple impression was looking at him with an expression strangely similar to Rocard’s.
“Ahem.”
Anyway.
Once the conversation was settled, the woman sitting on the White Iron Guild’s side cleared her throat to start the conversation.
An atmosphere where a sharp and agile impression seemed to be suppressed by artificial composure.
Laretta, the leader of the White Iron Guild.
“Sir Lisir, was it?”
Laretta had already heard about Lisir from her meetings with the city’s powerholders.
They fully guaranteed Lisir’s skills and trustworthiness.
That was the reason why, even though she leaned towards the Yellow Tower, she kept the possibility of the Grey Tower open.
However.
Now that she had met Lisir, she couldn’t help but feel a little doubt about the powerholders’ guarantee.
‘He’s such a young Mage!?’
The amazing achievements the powerholders had mentioned.
Laretta thought Lisir was naturally a Mage with experience.
In her mind, she had naturally pictured a grumpy middle-aged man with deep wrinkles.
But what a surprise.
The Mage who appeared before her was surprisingly young.
Young enough to use the word “young”.
‘Did they exaggerate…?’
The calm energy, like a still pond, did not allow for the assessment of his realm.
There were two main possibilities.
He is a master who has mastered controlling his energy-
Or, he is protected by some magical means.
Racheta naturally and objectively thought it was the latter.
Thus.
Her polite attitude revealed her hidden worry.
“Regarding the matter you just mentioned… I wonder if it’s something that has been fully discussed with your colleagues…”
Bringing up a finished matter again would only stir up trouble.
Of course, Laretta knew that-
But she was worried that this matter might have an unnecessary influence on the dungeon investigation.
If the relationship between the two Towers deteriorates because of this, the White Iron Guild, caught in the middle, will be in a very awkward position.
Ahem.
The Masters, having barely regained their composure, cautiously gestured to Lisir.
They too thought that Lisir’s impulsive actions stemmed from his pride in his Tower.
-Since this is the Tower I belong to, it must naturally be superior to the Yellow Tower!?
That kind of feeling.
The Masters didn’t intend to scold Lisir for it.
Rather, they were scolding themselves.
For their inability to live up to his expectations!
“Ah.”
At that moment.
Lisir made a small sound, saying he had belatedly remembered something.
‘Come to think of it. I haven’t told the Masters about this yet.’
Currently, all they knew about him was that he had tracked down the Black Mage ‘Tulan’ who had infiltrated the Master Tower.
It was a great achievement, but it was not enough to call himself an expert in Greater Black Magic.
Their worries were justified, and Lisir wanted to put an end to those justified worries, so he said.
“I happened to make a new friend recently. I’ve learned a few things from that friend.”
My goodness.
Racheta beside him sighed involuntarily.
Should I say it’s fortunate?
The young Mage had something to rely on.
However, the basis of that confidence was extremely flimsy.
He happened to make a new friend recently-
And he learned something from that new friend.
Knowledge of Greater Black Magic is not something you gain by drinking tea and gossiping with a friend.
It was knowledge that could only be obtained by being directly involved with Black Magic-
And those beings related to Black Magic were undoubtedly the most dangerous beings on this continent.
“Oh dear.”
This time, Rocard and the Yellow Mages couldn’t help but feel pity for the Grey Tower.
They had involuntarily empathized.
If.
If the Yellow Tower’s young student had made such a ridiculous mistake, what kind of reaction would they have shown?
There was no need to think about it.
Definitely like the Grey Mages now-
“Ah, I see! Yes! That’s how it was!”
“?”
The Grey Mages immediately understood.
For the first time, a different expression appeared on the faces of the Yellow Mages, who had consistently looked down on the Grey Tower.
‘Is that right?’
They went beyond ignoring the Grey Tower to the point of worrying about them.
✦✦✦
Four days later.
The three groups met again at the location designated by the Yellow Tower.
It was a place for an interim check to coordinate the details of the dungeon investigation plan-
And a place to deliver the final blow to the Grey Tower.
The reason why the Yellow Tower set the meeting date for that day was none other than this.
The Greater Black Magic expert they had invited from outside arrived earlier than expected.
“Is this the Yellow Tower…”
The mansion that the Yellow Tower had entirely prepared in Bondales.
The White Iron Adventurer’s Guild was speechless at the dungeon investigation preparations that were proceeding smoothly there.
The structure and material of the sculptures. The mana flowing inside and the accumulated energy.
The Yellow Tower had already formed a group based on the given information and clues, and was systematically analyzing the dungeon.
The shortage of personnel had already been filled from outside.
The basis of that formidable execution power must have been their overwhelming resources.
‘I’m glad I entrusted it to the Yellow Tower…’
Laretta, the leader of the White Iron Adventurer’s Guild, couldn’t help but think that unconsciously.
Since when?
She had been avoiding the eyes of the Grey Mages with an uneasy feeling.
“Well then━ let’s head to the place where they’re waiting.”
Following Rocard’s guidance, they headed to a room in the mansion.
A large oval desk large enough to fill the room.
It was densely covered with various materials and documents.
And a group surrounded it.
Laretta’s eyes widened at the sight of them already working.
“No way…”
Does that mean each and every one of them is a Greater Black Magic expert?
A group of high-level personnel who are difficult to find even one?
Laretta involuntarily looked at Rocard.
“…”
Rocard responded with a self-satisfied smile.
Laretta realized.
The Yellow Tower.
The fact that they had already begun preparing for the dungeon investigation at full force from the moment they received the request.
This large number of personnel cannot be explained otherwise.
“Huh.”
Laretta involuntarily chuckled.
Ignoring the Grey Tower’s intentions-
The ignorant execution power stemming from an extremely self-centered nature.
It couldn’t be more disgusting to the Grey Tower, but from the client’s point of view, it couldn’t be more reliable.
By now.
The White Iron Guild’s heart had completely leaned towards the Yellow Tower.
Even if the Grey Tower were to be excluded from the dungeon investigation, they would not object.
“Wait.”
“Please step back. This is material that outsiders cannot view.”
At that time.
The Greater Black Magic experts prevented the Grey Mages from approaching the desk.
Huh!
What the!
Goodness!
The Grey Mages expressed their exasperation with their whole bodies.
“What’s going on here! Did you already start the investigation without consulting us!?”
Rocard said without the slightest hesitation.
“Of course not. How could we? The analysis of Greater Black Magic, the most important part of this dungeon investigation. Devising countermeasures against Black Magic! Sir Lisir is the person in charge of that, isn’t he? We have only prepared in advance to make Sir Lisir’s work easier.”
“…”
Once again, the Grey Mages were furious at the deception.
“Sir Lisir. Come here. Please. Would you mind looking at the materials we have prepared and giving us your opinion? This dungeon exploration depends entirely on Sir Lisir’s opinion.”
The Greater Black Magic experts stepped back obediently, but they shook their heads at Rocard’s appearance.
The materials they had documented over several days.
It was not something that a single person could understand at a glance.
“Well, well.”
“Then, gladly━”
Lisir approached the desk under Rocard’s guidance.
Several pieces of paper were arranged to create one giant drawing.
“Huh?”
Lisir tilted his head, looking at the drawing.
Rocard and the others considered it a very natural reaction.
It was too far removed from the patterns and characters that Mages commonly encountered.
It looked like a Giant’s haphazard scribbles.
Surprisingly, it was the magic circle━ the barrier of Black Magic protecting the dungeon.
That was why the knowledge of Greater Black Magic was extremely difficult.
Black Magic was completely outside the standards shared by ordinary magic.
“This is the magic circle found at the entrance of the dungeon. At present, all that is known is that it is a magic circle related to Black Magic. Well. Do you have any insights?”
It was a lie.
The Yellow Tower had already built up considerable information and hypotheses regarding the magic circle.
Rocard observed Lisir’s reaction with his characteristic sinister smile.
“…”
Lisir just stared at the magic circle silently.
Rocard thought it was because he was speechless at the situation suddenly unfolding before him.
It wasn’t.
Lisir was listening to what was being said.
The story of someone else, not Rocard.
“…What?”
Suddenly, Lisir opened his eyes wide.
“Huh…!”
Then he chuckled as if he couldn’t believe it.
Rocard was simply delighted with that meaningful reaction.
“It seems you’re having a flash of insight. If you don’t mind, would you tell me as well?”
“This is quite something, the world is small, or should I say I’m lucky. It seems things will go more smoothly than expected.”
“Oh really? Did your ‘friend’ tell you that?”
“Yes. Apparently, this pattern. It’s based on the branch created by that friend.”
What kind of ‘friend’ could possibly impart sufficient knowledge of Greater Black Magic?
Rocard subtly mocked Lisir and watched his reaction.
“Hahaha, is that so?”
He echoed his words without soul, keeping his characteristic smile.
“Huh?”
Then suddenly━ he furrowed his brow.
The word that stuck in his ear.
“Created?”
✦✦✦
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