A Talentless Mage Devours a Disaster-Class Future - Chapter 22

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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 22

He unfolded the parchment.
Light from the magic lantern Aion held spilled across the text.

He steadied his breath and began reading from the beginning again.

The title written at the top.

『Mana Consumption Synthesis — Dark Matter.』

Below it, a synthesis formula filling the center.

Geometric patterns were densely inscribed within concentric circular arrays.

At first glance, it differed fundamentally from an ordinary magic circle. Rather than drawing mana inward, the structure appeared designed to block mana’s very contact.

A sketch of the finished material was drawn beside the synthesis formula.

It resembled a topaz in form.
Transparent yet opaque at once, the illustration showed light not refracting at its surface but instead drawn inward—as if being swallowed.
It was less a jewel than something that imprisoned light itself.

Aion lowered his gaze to the research notes.

Synthesis materials.

— Morflam: An eternal flame that burns by its own nature, emitting black light and releasing heat without cessation. Cannot be generated or extinguished through ordinary magic.

— Anigma: The remnant essence of a soul that has not fully dispersed. Formless and resembling drifting smoke, yet possessing tangible substance. Unstable to an extreme degree; preservation impossible without sealing.

— Fracvitum: A mineral formed from crystallized mana. Surface cracks allow faint light to seep through. Mana depletion begins upon extraction; immediate sealing imperative.

— Caelferrum: Metal powder harvested from meteorites. Composed of minute silver particles; unlike common iron, it possesses the property of absorbing mana.

Aion finished scanning the list and paused.

【Flame: What exactly are we looking at right now?】

“Mana Consumption Synthesis… hmm….”

The Terminus Points responded to Aion’s words.

【Lightning: Ehehehehehe! Consuming mana?! That’s impossible nonsense!!】
【Mado: …Intriguing. A substance that nullifies mana. Theoretically, it’s not an impossible concept. Only…】

A moment of silence fell.

【Mado: Whether it can be realized in the material world is another matter entirely.】
【Water Flow: Look at the materials. Morflam, Anigma, Fracvitum, Caelferrum. None of them have ever been discovered.】
【Flame: No wait, I’ve actually seen one of those before.】
【Earth: I’ve seen those two minerals myself.】
【Water Flow: …What?】

Aion looked back down at the list.
Materials each more bizarre than the last.

【Flame: Well… seeing them and actually obtaining them are two entirely different things, after all….】
【Earth: I have some vague recollection of seeing it somewhere, though I can’t quite place it….】

Aion said nothing.

【Water Flow: So in conclusion, you’re saying it doesn’t actually exist, aren’t you?】
【Mado: It’s premature to draw such a conclusion.】

Mado’s voice settled low and measured.

【Mado: The very fact that this parchment exists before our eyes right now is proof that someone actually researched this.】

Silence.

【Mado: Quite intriguing, I must say.】

Aion studied the parchment slowly, drawing it closer.
Dense formulas crammed into every space, sketches rendered with meticulous detail, traces of repeated corrections overlaid across the surface.

This was no mere fantasy. It was the product of someone’s sustained, deliberate research—months or years condensed into these pages.

‘Dante… what in the world was he trying to create?’

【Flame: Regardless, there’s nothing we can use right now. We don’t have a single one of these materials on hand.】
【Earth: True enough. For now, it’s just a scrap of worthless paper.】

As Aion moved to fold the parchment, his fingers stilled. It was not a single sheet—it was multiple layers bound together.

‘…Special parchment, then?’

Slide—

Perhaps time had weakened the adhesive.
The layers, bound together by some specialized substance, separated smoothly in his hands.

【Flame: …What?】

Additional notes lay hidden beneath the research section.
The handwriting was markedly different—hurried, jagged strokes, the unmistakable trail of someone writing in haste.

– Addendum: Anigma
Through records of legend, I have confirmed the existence of a ruin somewhere in the northern Irgass Mountain Range—a place where the spirit of the unforgiving sleeps.

‘The location of one of the materials?’

– In the legends, this place is called the Tomb of Regret, and records indicate that an expedition was sent to explore the ruin centuries ago. Of that entire expedition, only one returned. Even that sole survivor’s mind was not whole. Yet according to his account, there is a high probability that the sealed entity within the ruin possesses the Anigma.

‘The Irgass Mountain Range… yes, it makes sense that such a place could exist there.’

Aion had once traversed the Irgass Mountain Range himself. Unlike ordinary mountain ranges, the entire massif was suffused with a sinister, oppressive presence.

Aion’s gaze descended further. At the margin of the notes, tiny writing had been appended.

– However, according to our current understanding, entry to the Tomb of Regret requires a special key. We are still tracking down the whereabouts of the key that the original expedition carried.

A brief silence fell.

【Life: …The Tomb of Regret.】

A gentle voice emerged.

【Life : Perhaps… you’re speaking of that place…】

Aion lifted his head.

“Have you heard of it?”

【Life : Merely heard of it?】

“…Then?”

【Life : I’ve been inside directly.】
【Flame : What?】
【Life : Beyond Anigma, there were all manner of knowledge and objects that could prove useful to you.】

At those words, the Terminus Points grew animated.

【Earth : Then what are we waiting for!? Why don’t we depart at once!】
【Lightning : Hehehehe! Plundering! Plundering!】

Life quieted the excited Terminus Points.

【Life : It’s not so simple. You said yourself a key is needed. We require the one who possesses that key.】

“…Who has it?”

【Life : I have no intention of pouring out information you don’t yet need. To speak only of what matters—as far as I know, you will come to know the one who holds the key to open the ruins’ door.】
【Mado : So we let it flow naturally.】
【Life : Exactly. At least, not now. To go there… you are still far too weak.】

Aion sat with those words for a moment, turning them over in his mind.
Then he folded the parchment slowly.

“It’s postponed for now, then. Well, there’s no rush.”

Aion spoke, tucking the parchment into his breast.

“Dark Matter, then…”

The words lingered strangely on his tongue.

***

Thunk.

Another nail drove in.

Aion set down the hammer and surveyed the wall. Definitely better than yesterday.
Thanks to Laila’s steady assistance, the work was gathering momentum.

“Hold this.”
“Right.”

Laila braced the board with both hands. Aion aimed the nail.

Bang!

“A bit higher.”
“Like this?”
“That’s it.”

Ground!

After working for some time, the two of them decided to take a break, straightening their backs.

Creak—

The door swung open and Laila stepped outside. She had only meant to catch some fresh air.

But then.

“…Laila?”

It was a familiar voice.

Laila looked up.

At the far end of the narrow path leading to the cottage stood a girl, a large basket clutched in one hand, her face radiant with excitement.

“There you are!”

It was Luana Belmora.
Laila’s only friend from Exion.
The moment she spotted Laila, she hurried forward with quick steps.

“Laila, how could you move your quarters out here without a word? Do you have any idea how hard I searched for you? I had to beg the staff at the administrative office to find out!”

Laila blinked as she listened.

“You went to all that trouble.”
“Trouble? You’re supposed to say thank you!”
“Thank you.”

Luana puffed out her cheeks.

“And look at this. Father just brought back oranges from the southern Solentia Kingdom. They’re rare, you know. I brought them specially for you…!”

As she stepped toward the cottage, about to offer the basket, it happened.

Creak—

At the sound, Luana’s gaze naturally shifted to the door behind Laila.

Aion appeared through the open doorway.

…….

Luana’s words dried up.
Aion froze as well.

Their eyes met, if only for an instant.

“Er…Luana?”

Slip—

Aion quietly withdrew behind the door. As though nothing had happened at all.
And vanished without a sound.

The strength drained from Luana’s hand.

Thud―

The basket she’d been holding tumbled to the ground.

Roll-roll-roll-roll―

Oranges scattered across the floor in all directions.

“Oh.”

Laila spoke.

“They’re rolling.”

She soon toddled after them, gathering the oranges and placing them back in the basket.

Luana stood in place for a long moment.

“……That, that was……”
“Aion.”

Laila picked up an orange and answered matter-of-factly.

“…That’s all?”
“Yes.”

Luana looked at Laila, then shifted her gaze to the doorway where Aion had vanished, then back to Laila.

“…No, Laila! What on earth is going on?”

Laila tilted her head.

“What do you mean?”
“What do I mean! A man—a man came out of your house! Is that really all there is to it, just ‘oh, it’s Aion’? Am I supposed to nod and move on?”

Laila thought for a moment.

“…We live together?”
“That makes it worse!!”

Luana covered her face with both hands.
She took one deep breath.

As if trying to maintain the dignity of a rational being in the midst of overwhelming absurdity.

She slowly approached Laila and began picking up oranges alongside her.

“…You know what, Laila.”
“Yes?”
“No matter where you live or what choices you make, I’m not here to stop you. Your life is yours.”

Luana said this as she picked up an orange.

“But I’m going to be honest. I was really hurt. That you left without saying a word.”

Laila looked at Luana for a moment.
Searching for what one ought to say at a time like this.

“I’m sorry.”
“…That’s enough.”

Luana chuckled softly, then placed the orange back in the basket and continued.

“But Laila, I think this is something I really need to tell you. A lady must always be mindful of her bearing.”

Laila tilted her head, puzzled.

“Why?”

Luana blinked.

“Why, you ask? Well, it’s just… that’s how it has to be. For instance, being alone with an unfamiliar man is enough to start rumors. Those rumors can reflect badly on your family. And later, when marriage proposals come, they might be affected. So you can’t wander about alone at night. And you have to be careful about holding a man’s gaze too long. Speaking loudly in public is frowned upon too. Even your posture while eating…”
“……….”

Laila listened silently to Luana’s words, her head gradually tilting to one side.

Luana didn’t stop.

“…your legs must be kept together when sitting. Covering your mouth when you laugh is basic etiquette. Adjusting your eye level depending on who you’re speaking with matters too. And establishing a residence in some remote place alone is absolutely…”

Laila raised her hand.

“Wait.”

Luana stopped.

“You have to do all of that?”
“Yes.”

Laila turned the words over in her mind for a moment.

“…Why?”

Luana pressed her lips together.

“Why, you ask? Well, that’s just how it has to be, Laila. There are people who look for those openings. If you’re not careful, bad people will get close to you.”

And with that, Luana’s gaze drifted—very slightly—toward the door.

Aion had emerged again.
He’d been reaching for his tools, about to say something to Laila, when he noticed both their eyes turned toward him and he froze mid-motion.

Luana turned her body toward Aion.

“Pardon me for saying this.”
“…Yes?”
“If you’re thinking of treating Laila carelessly just because she comes from the countryside—”

Luana spoke with absolute clarity.

“I absolutely won’t forgive it! I’m watching everything about Laila very carefully. If you so much as eye this girl with intent… then!”

Aion regarded Luana silently.

Then he looked at Laila.
Laila was contentedly peeling an orange with her small hands, entirely oblivious.

Aion turned his gaze back to Luana.

“……”

Luana cleared her throat awkwardly.

“…Well, ahem. This is all hypothetical, you understand. So I should probably get going now….”
“Listen.”

The moment Aion spoke, Luana’s body went rigid.

‘Did I say something to upset him…?’

Just as Luana’s mind began spinning through terrible possibilities,

“While you’re here, help me out.”

Silence fell.

“…Huh?”

The Talentless Mage Consumes a Catastrophic Future — Episode 22

Author
Wang Mozzi
Publisher
Daon Creative
Planning / Editing / Production
Yeon
Cover Design
Dali

UCI
G720:N+A036-20260706063.0022

ⓒ2026, Wang Mozzi

※ This e-book is protected under the copyright law of the Republic of Korea.
Without permission from the author and publisher, all or any part of this work may not be reproduced or modified in any form.

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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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