A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special - Chapter 34

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 34. The Magic Tower, Time Chess (6)

Elhaiм exhaled slowly at Azest’s answer.
“You’re trying to repeat what the Duke of Nifleca did.”
Within the Hebrion Empire, there was scarcely a soul who hadn’t heard of the Duke of Nifleca.
Twelve years prior, when civil war erupted in the Hebrion Empire, the Nifleca family had been one of five houses supporting the current emperor, Giltian Jed, and the Roghpalace lineage.
Braham, the lord of the Nifleca House, had played a decisive role in recapturing the capital from revolutionary forces during the war, and in recognition of his merit, he’d been elevated to the rank of duke.
In the executions he orchestrated then, roughly eighty thousand perished. Whenever even a single commoner was suspected of collaborating with the republicans—woman or child made no difference—massacres were carried out. To this day, the Duke of Nifleca remained an object of terror.
Then, a voice scraped across their eardrums like something sharp and harsh, calling out their names.
“I’ve been searching for you quite some time, Elhaiм Triquinsi. And Azest Kingscrown.”
“I simply wanted some fresh air.”
Pugman smiled at Elhaiм’s words.
“Elhaiм, you mustn’t abandon your position as party leader. There are so many young ladies who’ve come to the gathering hoping to see you. Especially the lady from House Redwen—she’s been searching for you quite desperately.”
“Then I’ve kept her waiting, I’m afraid.”
“Indeed you have. So don’t linger on the terrace—return to the ballroom and grace us with your presence, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
As Elhaiм moved to pass Pugman and return to the ballroom, Pugman suddenly seized his shoulder and pulled him close.
“A mouth is safest when left unused, Triquinsi.”
The deliberate use of his family name rather than his given name was unmistakably a warning.
“…I’ll remember that.”
Once Elhaiм had left the terrace, only Azest and Pugman remained, the cold night breeze sweeping across the stone.
Pugman’s expression hardened with displeasure.
“To speak so carelessly—how utterly disrespectful.”
“I spoke only the truth.”
“Before you speak truth, you might consider what relationship exists between you and me. Our families are deeply intertwined, are they not? The house that saved the nation, Nifleca, and the great imperial house of Roghpalace. This manner of confrontation will bring neither of us any good.”
Azest Kingscrown—or rather, Azest Roghpalace’s—eyes trembled faintly.
“Family and individual are bound together by inescapable chains, Azest. A family is everything to an individual. One’s position, status, relations—all are determined by one’s family. Take, for instance, a matter such as marriage…”
His words went no further.
…
A chill so profound it seemed to freeze all moisture in her body flooded the terrace.
Seeing the expression on Azest’s face, Pugman swiftly changed the subject.
“In any case, refrain from speaking carelessly about other people’s families. Nothing good comes of spreading such talk. You wouldn’t want to ruin the gathering, would you?”
“I’d sooner this meaningless party were over.”
“Meaningless? I told you. Today’s gathering is—”
“To announce that your party has been recognized by the Magic Tower as the strongest. Yet Dezir’s party, the one you were so eager to defeat, hasn’t even submitted an application.”
The moment those words reached his ears, Pugman’s voice rose sharply.
“I wasn’t aware of that. But why should I concern myself with their affairs?”
“You didn’t know?”
“What?”
“You changed the application deadline on your own authority, and then you never notified Dezir’s party of the change.”
“That was—”
“Because you were afraid.”
“Azest!”
Unmoved by Pugman’s outburst, she continued without so much as a blink.
“You couldn’t bear the thought of being seen as incompetent—losing to a commoner despite all your talk of overthrowing the common people.”
“In the first place—”
Pugman pointed an accusing finger at Azest.
“If you’d simply defeated Dezir’s party in the first place, there would’ve been no need for any of this!”
“You’re saying this is my fault?”
Pugman nodded vehemently.
“Yes! This is all because of you! Because you lost to Dezir’s party! And now you have the audacity to reproach me for handling it?”
…
“Cowardly? Afraid? Azest Roghpalace! Have you the right to speak thus? You, a loser!”
Pugman’s face had turned red and purple, his words tumbling out in an unbroken torrent.
At last he recalled his hypertension and managed to compose himself, his voice emerging tinged with the acrid scent of rage.
“If you wish to blame someone, then leave this gathering at once. At least I have won, and you have lost.”
Azest’s eyes swept over him as he breathed hard, his shoulders heaving.
‘And I’ve been giving my time to a party led by a man like this?’
Azest felt the last thread of hesitation dissolve completely from her heart.
She had never truly chosen to join this party in the first place.
“You can’t do it, can you? You can’t leave? Then stop this nonsense and get back to the party hall. Right now!”
Azest recalled Pugman’s words—that the family decides everything.
She had largely agreed with him. It was true that she had joined the Blue Moon Party for the sake of maintaining relations between the Nifleca and Roghpalace families.
The common story of family members cultivating relationships with one another for the sake of family ties.
Could something like that even be called a party?
By the time Azest had reached that thought, her fingers were already unhesitatingly peeling the blue crescent badge from her chest.

* * *

A few minutes after Azest left the terrace.
Crackle.
Static erupted from Pugman’s communication device—he had been brooding until that very moment. It was the sound of a communication spell connecting.
After a brief pause, the static cleared and the channel opened. The moment Pugman confirmed that the caller was from the Magic Tower, the anger that had twisted his face melted away instantly.
“Ah, so it’s the honorable guests from the Magic Tower. What brings you to call?”
-Yes, well, something urgent has come up. I’m afraid we’ll have to leave first.
“Leaving already?”
Pugman deliberately let a note of disappointment color his voice.
“What a shame. But if it’s urgent, there’s nothing to be done. Please, don’t let me keep you.”
-If you hold another party, I hope we can attend next time.
“Ah, well, I’d appreciate that.”
A faint smile played across Pugman’s lips.
-I do hope the party is a success.
Just as Pugman was about to end the call, a brief murmur of voices could be heard, and the man spoke up again.
-Ah, Pugman. We’ve just had a new technical advisor arrive at the Magic Tower. Do you happen to know anything about them?
The Magic Tower’s expertise in magical engineering was renowned as the finest in the world. A technical advisor to such an institution would surely rank among the world’s greatest magical engineers.
Pugman chuckled.
“How would I know the affairs of the Magic Tower? You people there would know better than I.”
-Well, as it happens, this new technical advisor is an alumnus of Hebrion Academy.
Pugman’s eyes snapped open wide.
“Oh, really? A technical advisor to the Magic Tower from Hebrion? Impressive. So which year did they graduate?”
-According to what we’ve heard, they’re still a student at Hebrion—they haven’t graduated yet.
“Still a student? Extraordinary! A technical advisor to the Magic Tower while still in school? This is a remarkable achievement! So who is this person?”
Pugman leaned forward impatiently, his eagerness to recruit this prodigy to his party transparent.
-Well, that’s the thing—their name is… give me just a moment.
“Don’t drag it out on me!”
-Ah, I have it here. So the name is… it’s… Dezir Armang. Dezir Armang, a first-year student at Hebrion Academy.

July eighth.
Twelve days remained until the Shadow World emerged.
It all began with words Dezir had casually dropped.
“After facing the Magic Tower’s Outer, you must all have realized your shortcomings.”
“Our shortcomings?”
“Yes. First, Fram—you lack experience.”
Experience.
How many battlefields had he traversed?
How flexibly could he adapt to changing circumstances?
By that measure, Fram’s inexperience was undeniable.
“Your enemy positioning was clumsy. If Romantica hadn’t intervened midway, things could have gone badly.”
“…You’re right. I didn’t even know where to begin.”
Fram acknowledged his weakness clearly. That was a good sign. The first step toward improvement was recognizing one’s own failings.
“And Romantica.”
“Erk.”
Romantica shrank back the moment Dezir’s gaze turned toward her.
She braced herself for harsh criticism, but contrary to her expectation, Dezir’s assessment was lenient.
“Romantica, you did everything you could.”
For someone who had steeled herself for rigorous censure, the praise came as a surprise.
She lifted herself up with a touch of arrogance.
“Of course! You should see how hard I’ve worked on my Sniping.”
“That’s not praise. What I meant was that you performed well *for your level*. Your Circle — specifically, you’re at 2-Circle Magic standard.”
Well, that much was true.
“Now that you’ve become a Single Ranker, you need to reach a higher realm.”
“3-Circle Magic isn’t something you just talk about achieving so easily…….”
From 3-Circle Magic onward, a mage was formally recognized as graduate-level from Hebrion Academy.
“Now that I’ve finished pointing out your weaknesses, it’s time for my questions.”
Dezir smiled with genuine amusement.
“If you have weaknesses, should you fix them — or leave them alone?”
“Well, of course…… you fix them.”
Romantica felt a flicker of unease.
Déjà vu? She could have sworn she’d been cornered like this not long ago…….
“Exactly. So if you need to fix your weaknesses, should you train — or not?”
“Y-yes, you should train.”
Gulp.
Fram swallowed hard. The atmosphere had shifted. And her bad premonitions, as always, came true.
“Then it’s decided — starting today, hellish training awaits. Report to the Blue Moon Party office every day before and after classes!”
“You devil! There’s barely any time before the exams!”
Despite Romantica’s protests, Dezir refused to yield.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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