Memoirs of a Wicked Magician - Chapter 112

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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 112

◆Danger Level: High
◆Mana Attribute: Darkness
◆Capacity: 1/6
◆Activation Limit: 1/3
◆Contamination Concentration: 72%
‘Someone’s already entered the ruin?’
The text visible only to Liriope’s eyes contained information about the magical artifact Milena had stepped on.
This was one of Od’s abilities that had developed over the past two years.
Whether Od grew stronger the more they ventured in and out of the Defiled Holy Ground and Ruined Relics, or whether some sealed power was awakening, Liriope couldn’t say.
Either way, Od had become capable of gleaning information simply by examining most magical artifacts.
So now, just as he was doing, he arranged the details so Liriope could see them at a glance—something that was undeniably very useful.
‘High-level danger is worth attempting, but… of all things, it’s an artifact connected to Harth.’
The name and type of a magical artifact were intimately linked to the location one would be transported to.
This artifact was scissors.
Moreover, as far as Liriope knew, artifacts bearing the name Harth…
‘…were likely to connect to the destroyed Ancient Magic Laboratory within the ruins.’
“W-what do we do, Liriope?”
“What do you mean what? It’s already activated!”
A blast of power erupted.
Just as Cassel said, a fierce surge of mana began rising from beneath Milena’s feet.
While unexpected, it was hardly the first crisis they’d faced tumbling through the Magic Tower.
‘Od, show me the remaining mana of all three.’
The moment Liriope spoke, numbers materialized before her eyes.
[7,720/10,500]
[5,398/7,990]
[5,600/8,130]
Caliona’s, Cassel’s, and Milena’s mana reserves, in that order.
Fortunately, they still had considerable reserves.
Liriope bound the four of them together with threads of magic so they wouldn’t become separated in the ruin.
Caliona erected a formidable barrier, while Cassel swiftly swept the bag containing components they’d collected from the Defiled Holy Ground into the Illusory Space.
“I-I’m s-so s-sorry, everyone!”
Finally, Milena, her eyes welling with tears, fired a Distress Flare high into the air as a precaution.
Immediately after, the magical artifact swallowed the four of them as if it had been waiting all along.
* * *
Scritch-scratch!
Clang! Clang—!
“Something keeps flying at us!”
“Damn it, why is it so dark?”
The moment the space shifted, something sharp began striking the barrier.
But the instant light bloomed, the surroundings fell eerily silent.
Whatever had been attacking them ferociously just moments before had vanished without a trace.
Still, no one relaxed their guard, each holding their breath as they surveyed the darkness around them.
“Where are we?”
“Some kind of collection room? But something feels off about the displayed items.”
The dark chamber was lined with glass bottles in dense rows.
Most of what they contained were preserved specimens of various creatures. Some appeared to be body parts or organs of unknown beings.
Naturally, everyone who saw them grimaced in disgust.
“Milena, did you get a look at what magical artifact you stepped on?”
“I did! I saw it before we got transported here—I pulled my foot away just in time. It was a metal rod with two round things attached to it.”
Milena answered eagerly to Caliona’s question.
She even drew what she’d seen directly on the floor using mana. But the problem was…
“What is that? Glasses?”
“No, it looks more like a clamp? Or maybe just some decoration?”
“N-now that you mention it… the way those two round things are attached almost looks like a heart, doesn’t it?”
“…”
[Milena, really… it looks just like a drawing made with feet instead of hands. And since the artifact was buried in the floor, she probably only saw part of it.]
Liriope opened her mouth to move things along.
“Could it be scissors? The handle shape seems similar.”
Fortunately, Milena suddenly nodded vigorously.
“Oh, oh yes! That—that sounds right! It might have been scissors! Wow, you’re amazing, Liriope! You understand me so well!”
Just as one would expect from someone who’d agree the sun was the moon if Liriope said so.
“Anyway, let’s look for the scissors or whatever it is.”
“Before that, I want to check something first… Keep your barrier up, sister. I’m just going to turn off the light for a moment.”
Caliona looked puzzled, but she complied with Liriope’s request.
The moment darkness returned, a commotion stirred around them as if on cue.
Scratch-scratch-scratch!
Clang, clang-clang!
“…! They only attack when it’s dark?”
“What’s throwing things at us from where?”
“Surgical knives.”
Liriope showed the others what she’d caught moments before.
“And saws, scissors, needles… It looks like it wants to make us one of its collection pieces.”
As Liriope opened her palm, they writhed like snakes disappearing into a burrow, vanishing into the darkness in an instant.
“All right, everyone make sure the light stays on no matter what.”
They began their search using Detection Magic, each sweeping their surroundings.
Their first objective: locate and secure the core bearing the same appearance as the magical artifact they’d contacted.
This was the basic protocol when falling into a Ruined Relic.
Whether driven by scholarly curiosity or the need for other components, thorough exploration came only after that.
[The mana activity in this ruin is unusually vigorous. That’s why the core’s presence feels very faint—go outside the chamber first.]
‘Understood. I was already feeling something vaguely off from outside the Corridor anyway.’
Clatter!
“Tch, these are scissors all right, but I don’t feel any mana in them.”
But at the sound from behind, Liriope’s body suddenly went rigid.
Noticing her sister’s movement from beside her, Caliona turned her head.
Yet Liriope’s face remained as composed as always. So Caliona cocked her head curiously and resumed searching elsewhere.
After finishing their sweep of the initial chamber, they emerged into the Corridor shortly after.
“Man, this atmosphere is genuinely eerie.”
“A-are those blood stains?”
“Watch your footing. There are lots of broken things scattered around.”
“…”
As they walked through the Corridor, Liriope remained unnaturally quiet.
Then, suddenly, Cassel nudged her with his elbow and said, “Hey, Liriope. Can you ease up on the mana? The threads are squeezing so tight my waist is about to split.”
“Oh, sorry. I was concentrating on the search and didn’t notice.”
‘Right! Liriope, take the right passage!’]
Just then, Od urgently directed Liriope.
Liriope followed his command and turned right down the Corridor, then abruptly stopped.
Whoosh.
“…!”
There was someone so close they could feel each other’s breath.
No—it was another creature wearing the shape of a person.
Dressed in rags, its face covered with something like a sack, a ruin-dwelling monster mimicking human form.
Boom, crash!
The creatures swept up in Liriope’s overwhelming mana flew like rag dolls and crashed mercilessly into the walls.
Those beings, never aggressive to begin with, turned into viscous liquid in an instant, staining walls, ceiling, and floor.
“Ah, damn it…”
A very rare sound escaped Liriope’s lips.
“Liriope! Are you okay?”
Liriope couldn’t bring herself to say she was fine, so she quietly steadied her breathing.
Her heart was still pounding hard enough she thought it might burst from the shock.
This was why Liriope hated Harth’s ruins. Not that she’d ever directly entered one of Harth’s relics before.
But she’d gained enough indirect experience through records and sketches left by other mages.
Everyone had their vulnerabilities, and Liriope simply had no immunity to these eerie spaces that felt like they might summon ghosts at any moment.
The terrible fact was that there were currently twelve confirmed Ancient Magic Laboratories of Harth’s.
Once she accomplished today’s objective, Liriope resolved never to lay eyes again on Harth’s Hammer, Harth’s Needle, Harth’s Left Hand Preserved Specimen, Harth’s Scale, Harth’s Shackle, or any of the rest.
She had to be grateful that today’s discovered artifact was scissors and not a needle.
Finding scissors in a vast ruin was naturally far better than searching for a needle.
‘But Od, the core is in this chamber? I don’t sense any mana-infused objects here.’
[Not a magical artifact. Something far greater—a priceless legacy worth more than gold itself!]
Od’s voice carried palpable excitement as he urged Liriope onward.
[Hurry, open the drawer. Fetch the Research Journal inside.]
A Research Journal?
Liriope opened the desk drawer with skepticism, and indeed, a sheaf of stained papers caught her eye.
‘Od… you know this place well, don’t you? Don’t tell me you’re Harth?’
Liriope asked half-joking, half-suspicious. But Od’s response was unexpectedly vehement.

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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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