A Talentless Mage Devours a Disaster-Class Future - Chapter 27

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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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Chapter 27

The moment Aion’s Iron Sphere shattered the target two hundred meters away, the Training Grounds—silent until then—erupted into a frenzy of whispers.

“…did, did anyone else see that?”
“He hit that distant target on the first attempt?”
“…that’s impossible.”

Gasps of astonishment rippled through the grounds. Eyes converged on Aion from every direction—most of them wide with wonder.

“Isn’t that… isn’t that the person from the fire incident?”

The voice came out hesitantly.

“……yes, I think so.”

A brief silence fell.

“But is that Telekinesis? That’s not… that’s not the Telekinesis I know. How could it extend so cleanly to the target like that?”

All eyes locked on Aion at once.

Even among those who’d been trading barbs, a note of confusion crept into their voices.

“……is that real?”

Someone let out a hollow laugh—the sound of disbelief.

“Impossible. How could he—”

Those who resented Aion clenched their teeth as they spoke.

“……it was luck. That’s all. If he tries again, he won’t manage it.”

But no one nodded in agreement. Even the speaker didn’t sound convinced.

Words tumbling out like a hypnotic incantation—self-directed, unconvincing.

One student simply stared blankly at the shattered remains of the target Aion had demolished.

And someone standing at the far edge of the crowd muttered softly.

“……that’s impressive.”

An exclamation that slipped out unbidden.
Pure admiration, not mockery.

“……Kael.”

The female student who’d spoken to him earlier.
She glanced toward Aion, then turned her attention to Kael.

“Th-there must have been something wrong. It d-doesn’t make sense! Doesn’t it?”

Kael said nothing.

“No one but Professor Rowell could hit a target two hundred meters away with Telekinesis….”
“…….”

Again, no answer came.

He’d disliked the boy from the first moment. Someone without talent or connections had no business being here—that’s what he’d thought.

He was certain of it then.

But after the fire, something shifted. Every time that boy entered his field of vision, an inexplicable irritation crept in.

‘Perhaps it started that day….’

He recalled the day he’d met the Inspector Raven in the reception room.

Whether that boy had truly seen him standing before the lecture hall door, or whether he hadn’t.
And if he had, why he testified otherwise.

No matter how he turned it over in his mind, he couldn’t find an answer.

…Yes, it began then.
The moment he started paying attention to that boy.

And in the days that followed, without even realizing it, one truth emerged.

Perhaps his initial judgment had been wrong.

An unpleasant fact: that boy was indeed capable enough to belong in Exion.

Just as always, he achieved unexpected results in the most unforeseen moments.

Kael’s gaze shifted from the shattered target remains back to Aion.

‘What exactly… are you?’

While Kael watched, Aion stood motionless in that spot.

Tremor-tremor…

His hands quivered faintly.

【Flame: I thought so. Your Celestial Kinesis proficiency has risen considerably since that day. At this distance, I figured the target would be within reach.】
【Earth: That power is remarkable. I assumed it was basic magic, but… how is this even possible? I’d believe you if you told me that was the Telekinesis of a third-tier mage.】

At the far end of the Training Grounds, the shattered target fragments slowly sank into the earth, beginning to decompose.

【Flame: This magic isn’t Telekinesis. It’s a difference in purpose. Yes, Celestial Kinesis is…】

Flame’s voice dropped lower.

【Flame: A magic created to kill people.】

Magic designed to kill.

Aion stared down at his own hands, silent. Until a few weeks ago, the only magic he’d known was basic Telekinesis, yet somehow in that short span he’d accomplished something absurd.

That’s when it happened.

“…Impressive.”

A low, clear voice came from beside him.

‘…Was it Xiao Lin?’

Xiao Lin.
An exchange student from Daeryeon.

She stood with her arms crossed, studying Aion, her eyes narrowing sharply.

“…That just now—was that Daeryeon magic?”
“…!?”
“…Or maybe not?”

She murmured this to herself and returned to her seat.

【Flame: Anyway, students from Daeryeon can instinctively recognize magic from their homeland. I can’t tell the difference myself.】
【Life: I’ve heard that the Daeryeon magic system is quite isolated, so it has a distinct character unlike the Lavatie Empire’s cultural sphere. It’s just something I’ve heard, though.】

Aion, listening to their exchange, gripped another Iron Sphere in his hand.

‘This time…’

He intended to become more familiar with Celestial Kinesis by reducing his strength slightly compared to his previous attempt.

But then,

Tap. Tap.

Someone tapped his shoulder.

“Aion?”
“…Professor?”

Professor Rowell spoke with a smile.

Grin—

“Aion, come to my office now and wait there. I have something to discuss with you once the lecture ends.”
“…You mean go now, sir?”

Rowell answered without the slightest hesitation.

“Yes, now.”

***

Professor Rowell’s office was not far from the lecture hall.

As Aion opened the door and stepped inside, the smell reached him first—an unmistakable blend of aged parchment and lingering Mana.

The sight before him was even more chaotic.

The walls were lined with bookshelves, and books were stacked across the floor.
Magical Artifacts were scattered across the desk—some disassembled, others half-assembled and left as they were.

‘…Quite the mess.’

Aion found an empty chair and sat. Professor Rowell would likely arrive some time later.

【Flame: However you look at it, didn’t that Rowell fellow fall out of favor?】

“Fall out of favor? Why would you say that?”

【Flame: How would I know? If I felt anger toward some youngster who’s gotten this far ahead of the curriculum?】
【Life: Professor Rowell isn’t that kind of person. There must be a reason.】
【Flame: Hm? You seem to know the professor rather well.】
【Life: Not entirely. I’ve attended a lecture or two of Rowell’s during my time here.】

Aion had never intended to fall out of anyone’s favor, nor did he wish to stand out.
Magic, to him, was not something learned to show off or earn recognition from others.

A long stretch of time passed, and even the voices in his head—those beings of the Terminus—gradually fell silent.

Click―

Professor Rowell entered.

“Sigh….”

He draped his outer coat over something and crossed the laboratory toward his desk.

Creak―

He repeated the motion of opening and closing drawers as if searching for something, then sat down empty-handed in the chair across from Aion.

His appearance was quite different from the composed figure he cut during lectures.

“You waited, then.”

Aion nodded.

The professor folded his arms and regarded Aion.

“The fire incident—you worked hard. I was genuinely pleased to learn that you accomplished something important in such circumstances. And….”

He paused for a moment.

“On the other hand, I had my doubts.”
“…?”
“You see, in the last class, your performance was extraordinarily modest.”

Aion didn’t deny it. There was no reason to—it was the truth.

Rowell shifted his posture and continued.

“I’ll be direct with you. Through my teaching, I want every student to achieve something of their own. Whether they learn slowly or quickly.”

Rowell spoke of his lectures with a serious expression, his eyes meeting Aion’s.

“But sudden, overnight breakthroughs like yours have a negative effect on the other students. It dampens their motivation, you might say. In fact, I already noticed signs of that in today’s class.”

Aion listened without comment.

“That said, I have a proposal that would benefit both you and me.”

Professor Rowell held up one finger distinctly.

“There’s someone I know. They reside within Exion’s grounds, but in an unmonitored sector.”
“…Is that even possible at Exion?”
“Normally, no. Exion maintains strict control over outside personnel. But… well, the world being what it is, exceptions do arise for various reasons.”

In other words, the academy’s rigid regulations did not apply to this person.

‘Who in the world could this person be?’

The professor paused, choosing his words carefully.

“Before, I used to visit that place fairly often, but it’s become difficult during the semester. Which is why I wanted to ask…”

Aion could already guess what proposal was coming.

“Would you be willing to visit that place once a week or so in my stead and help this person?”
“Help them? But I’m still just a student. I’m not sure what help I could offer.”
“Of course you can. I’m certain you’ll be a great help.”

Aion considered this for a moment.

“May I ask who this person is?”

The professor’s lips curved slightly upward.

“That’s a secret. For both our sakes.”
“I see…”
“Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the compensation. If you accept this proposal, you won’t need to attend Advanced Telekinesis classes for the remainder of this semester.”

As expected.
Still, there were matters he needed to clarify.

“But…”
“You’ve already acquired what you need from this class. No point in wasting time for either of us, is there?”

One more thing.

“And my grade…?”
“Full marks.”

Aion turned to Professor Rowell.

“What if I end up offending this person or hurting their feelings? What would happen then?”

“That won’t happen. Or rather…”

Professor Rowell smiled with undisguised amusement.

“I’d almost hope for it. Hehehehe…”
“……!?”
“Ahem… So, what’s your decision?”

There was no need to deliberate.

“I accept.”

***

The Northern Mistbeil Forest bore little resemblance to the region where Aion stayed.

The mist hung thicker here. With each step, humid air pressed through his collar, and tangled branches wove overhead, obscuring the sky.

‘It’s not nearly as far from the cabin as I thought.’

Aion’s quarters lay on the forest’s eastern edge. The location Rowell had shown him was to the north.

Caw—

Crows continued to dot the landscape all the way to the destination.

Not just one or two. They perched on every branch, watching Aion from above.
There was something peculiar in their gaze—nothing like the eyes of mere beasts.

‘…Ill-omened.’

Then, a scent drifted from somewhere.

‘Hmm? What is that smell…’

A faint waft—

Stew.

Rich, savory aromas threaded through the mist, utterly at odds with the dark atmosphere.

Following the scent, a cottage materialized as if conjured.
Smoke curled from the chimney, and strange ornaments hung from the eaves, swaying in the breeze.

Beside the door, a bundle of withered medicinal herbs hung bound.

‘…I don’t want to go in here.’

The moment Aion raised his hand to knock, a voice emerged from within.

“This morning, the divination spoke of an unexpected visitor.”

A pause.

“So it’s you.”

The cottage’s inhabitant already knew of Aion’s arrival.

“I’ve come on the recommendation of Professor Rowell.”
“Recommendation? …A recommendation, you say? …That damnable brat.”

Only the voice continued through the door; it remained closed.

“He’s grown careless, it seems. Though surely he didn’t forget that I don’t just let anyone into my home.”

Silence stretched between them.

“That uniform… you’re a student at this godforsaken academy.”

Creak—

The door opened of its own accord.

The interior was surprisingly welcoming. Flames crackled in a fireplace, mysterious herbs hung from the ceiling, and warm lamplight pooled low across the space.

In one corner, a pot of stew bubbled gently over a brazier.

And an armchair.

The woman who seemed to be the voice’s owner sat in it, her back to Aion.

“Now that you know I’m here… even a young life such as yourself cannot be spared. It will serve as a lesson for Rowell as well.”

Creep-creep—

Something bloomed into the air.
The atmosphere shifted in an instant.

‘…Killing Intent!’

Aion’s hand shot toward his Short Sword. In that very moment, as he moved to counter the surge—

Tap—

The woman’s sharp fingernail pressed against his forehead.

“Any last words?”

Aion hadn’t reacted to her movement at all.

‘…What!?’

The woman now stood before him.

Her platinum hair fell long past her shoulders.

Her skin was pale as if it drank in light itself, and her features held a strange blend of beauty and chill.

The defining feature was a black Eyepatch covering one eye.

And lastly, her ears—not human, but elongated and swept back.

‘…An elf?’

As Aion began to piece together the clues to determine her identity, a violent resonance erupted in his mind.

【Flame: …Who on earth is this!?】
【Life: She’s definitely hiding her power. Was there ever a mage like this in Exion?】
【Water: …This is unexpected.】

“…Hm? Dissonance?”

The woman’s brow creased.

“Wait. Something’s off about you.”

Aion stood frozen, cold sweat trickling down his face. The opponent before him was someone he couldn’t even summon the courage to resist.

‘…Move.’

Still, his hand reached for the Short Sword at his waist.

“Understood.”

But the moment the blade began to draw, the woman’s hand was already pressing down on the short sword’s hilt.

And with her remaining hand, she slowly lifted away the eyepatch.

Shhhhhhh—

The eye revealed beneath the eyepatch was a different color from the other.

“You.”

That ominous gaze fixed itself upon Aion.

“Your soul is not one.”

The Talentless Mage Swallows a Catastrophic Future — Chapter 27

Author
Wang Mozhi
Publisher
Daon Creative
Planning / Editing / Production
Yeon
Cover Art
Dali

UCI
G720:N+A036-20260706063.0027

ⓒ2026, Wang Mozhi

※ This e-book is a work protected under the copyright law of the Republic of Korea.
No part or all of the content of this work may be reprocessed in any form without the permission of the author and publisher.

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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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