Memoirs of a Wicked Magician - Chapter 116

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

Chapter 116
“If we’re done here, let’s head back.”
“I still need to find the magical artifact.”
“Then I’ll help you search. And Liriope—”
Everyone seemed on edge about the approaching Flood Period, yet Belkiers alone remained unmoved, his demeanor unchanged from any other day.
He tilted his head toward Liriope and whispered into her ear.
“Come to my room tonight. I have something for you.”
Her ear tickled and she flinched, but her eyes immediately gleamed with curiosity.
“Did you find it?”
“I did.”
[This fool could’ve just cast Soundproofing Magic, but no—had to whisper like that.]
Od muttered in displeasure.
“Ugh, my head…”
Just then, Caliona—who had been watching Liriope and Belkiers—suddenly swayed slightly. Milena, standing nearby, started in alarm and caught her.
“C-Caliona? What’s wrong all of a sudden?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just felt dizzy for a moment.”
Liriope rushed over to her and checked her condition.
“Are you okay, sister? You weren’t injured by the ruins’ magic or any monsters, were you?”
“No, I think it’s just because I’ve been so tense since earlier. I got startled when we were separated for that moment.”
“Your hands are cold. Let’s find the magical artifact quickly and get out of here.”
Caliona smiled weakly and glanced away from Liriope. The instant she did, her eyes met the sharp golden gaze that had been watching her intently.
Caliona’s body stiffened almost reflexively at the tension. But Belkiers, despite seeing through her pretense, merely offered a cold smile and didn’t press the matter of her feigned illness.
Just as Caliona had hoped, from that moment on Liriope stayed away from Belkiers and fretted over her sister for the rest of the ruins expedition. Not that she forgot to carefully collect everything Od mentioned along the way.
When they finally emerged from the Hart Ruins, they found themselves in Outer Zone 3, not Outer Zone 2 where they’d started. The magical artifact had been pushed further outward by then.
Belkiers and Tirysha set off to report to the Magic Tower Master about the approaching Flood Period, while Liriope and her group headed to inform the administrator of what they’d discovered in the Corrupted Sacred Ground.
* * *
That night, on the 80th Floor of the Magic Tower.
“Wow, so this is the Heart of Aquilium.”
Liriope had come to Belkiers’ room late at night, when the moon hung caught upon the tower’s spire.
Her eyes examined the crude, dark-blue object on the table with keen interest.
The final ingredient for the Magical Enhancement Potion that they hadn’t managed to find even in the Hart Ruins.
So eager was she that after washing and changing for bed, Liriope had come straight to Belkiers’ room without even fully drying her hair, still in her nightclothes.
Had Caliona known, she would have pressed her fingers to her forehead in despair—but fortunately or otherwise, she remained unaware that her younger sister was visiting Belkiers at this late hour.
“I brought it with minimal damage, just as you wanted. Does it please you?”
Belkiers too was dressed simply.
Moreover, this was entirely his domain, so his expression and bearing were far more relaxed than they were outside.
Belkiers sat perched on the table edge and reached toward Liriope’s damp hair. Her wet strands immediately became fluffy and dry at his touch.
Yet even after that, Belkiers’ hand didn’t immediately leave her hair. The golden strands felt as soft as they looked—sweet as honey—making it difficult for him to withdraw his hand on his own.
Ever since he’d first brought her here two years ago, he’d granted her permission to visit his room whenever she wished.
When Liriope was in his space, his heart felt inexplicably satisfied, and truth be told, he’d have wanted to keep her here every day.
Though he was well aware that acting on such impulses was far from simple.
“Yes, thank you, Belkiers. Can I just take this as it is?”
Liriope reached forward eagerly, but Belkiers stopped her.
“We need to dispel the magic first.”
“The magic? Ah… right. Items like this need the magic dispelling done before use, don’t they?”
Objects found closer to the heart of the Corrupted Sacred Ground tended to require more complicated post-processing.
[Right. Magic dispelling can be dangerous—just have him do it.]
Od, who ordinarily looked unfavorably upon Belkiers, seized the opportunity to put him to work.
Belkiers immediately began the Magic Dispelling process.
As expected, intricate Magic Circles boasting perfect symmetry bloomed one after another in the air.
Liriope held her breath and watched intently.
There was always much to learn simply by watching a skilled mage at work. But quite apart from that, Belkiers’ magic was so beautiful that she found it difficult to look away.
Though occasionally even Liriope herself grew a bit confused—whether it was his enchanting magic that captivated her gaze, or rather the beautiful person wielding it.
Belkiers, now straddling the boundary between boy and youth, had grown noticeably more robust in frame, his face and body displaying stronger, more defined lines.
To his refined features, touched with the chill of predawn mist, had been added a subtle presence that sometimes made those who beheld him feel an odd stirring in their hearts.
Crack!
But then, all at once, something went wrong with the smoothly proceeding dispelling.
The Heart of Aquilium resisted the mana dissecting it, triggering a violent backlash.
Strange symbols carved themselves up Belkiers’ arm in an instant, and dark crimson blood dripped heavily.
“Belkiers!”
Belkiers stretched out his other arm to keep Liriope from rushing toward him.
Meanwhile, the aggressive mana crept up to his elbow, and the blood spilling onto the floor grew more profuse.
Belkiers clenched his arm’s muscles and continued the Magic Dispelling without so much as a blink, even as the mana burrowed through as if to carve bone itself.
Then, moments later, the light illuminating his vision vanished completely.
“It’s done. You can take it now.”
The instant Belkiers spoke, Liriope seized his arm.
“Are you alright? Your arm—”
“This is nothing.”
“But it has to hurt, doesn’t it? I’m sorry. I had no idea Magic Dispelling was so dangerous.”
Liriope stared at Belkiers’ tattered arm, not knowing what to do.
Until now, there had been only one exception—Belkiers had never been injured before her. And even that had been three years ago.
Seeing him now, bearing such a grave wound because of her, left her both startled and deeply sorry.
Belkiers paused for a moment at the sight of Liriope’s distress, then carefully observed her reaction.
She wasn’t even glancing at the Heart of Aquilium she’d so desperately wanted, but was instead tending to his wound with concern.
Belkiers stopped his wound’s regeneration.
The bleeding, which had been slowing, began again—drip, drip, drip—spilling onto the floor once more.
Seeing this, Liriope gasped, opening her mouth in surprise.
“The bleeding—it won’t stop?”
Belkiers pretended to look troubled and hid his arm behind his back.
“Sometimes my Regeneration gets slower. It’s nothing serious.”
He used magic to wrap his arm in bandages as if concealing his condition from her, then swept away the bloodstains from the floor. The metallic smell lingering in the room dissipated as well.
Yet to Liriope’s eyes, this very act of concealment made Belkiers seem all the more disturbing.
“Regeneration getting slower? For how long?”
“Well… maybe a few days.”
“So you’re just going to endure it like that until then?”
Liriope already knew that Belkiers, bearing the legacy of the Magic Tower Master’s power and thus an abnormal constitution, would not visit the Recovery Chamber.
Belkiers, seeing Liriope’s darkened expression, recalled the irritating sight of Caliona from earlier today.
He promptly acted on the impulse that rose in his heart.
Liriope started in surprise as Belkiers suddenly tilted his body to the side as if in discomfort.
“Sorry, I lost blood—I think I’m getting a bit dizzy.”
And he didn’t stop there, leaning his head against her shoulder.
Liriope instinctively supported Belkiers, entirely unaware that a smile had flickered across his lips in that moment.

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