Memoirs of a Wicked Magician - Chapter 29

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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 29
6. The Monsters of Blue Forest
[The problem is what you said after you finished off that wretch.]
Even as they traveled along the distant road, the voice in her head wouldn’t let go of the unresolved doubt, mocking Liriope with meaningless chatter.
[My previous contractor used to say things like that. ‘Is he dead?’ ‘Did I finish him off?’ — words like those are cursed lines that resurrect the dead even in plays and novels, so one must be especially careful. Somehow, hearing you carelessly blurt out such things while you were smashing that Zed fellow’s head just left me deeply uneasy.]
‘What’s wrong with your head? That absurd sophistry sounds as ridiculous as saying a worm has front legs. What on earth is that nonsense?’
[It means your actions were recklessly careless to an astounding degree!]
It was only natural to answer mockery with mockery.
The voice in her head bristled at Liriope’s sarcasm and rebuked her.
[If you’d at least properly confirmed that Mana Gauge thing or whatever, you could’ve known beforehand that that seaweed-looking wretch wasn’t dead, couldn’t you?]
‘I did check.’
[What?]
‘My Mana Gauge rose slightly after I finished off Zed.’
[What did you say? What on earth does that mean? Then what about that thing moving around alive over there?]
Liriope’s doubt was precisely the same.
Her violet eyes, mingled with disbelief and suspicion, fixed on the back of the boy walking ahead.
Bandages were wrapped tightly around him, so the details of his wound weren’t visible, but even now, closing her eyes brought back that moment with almost unbearable clarity.
His head, brought down with ruthless determination to kill, had quickly lost its original form and sprayed crimson blood in all directions.
In all her life, Liriope had never heard of anyone surviving such a fatal wound and walking about so completely unscathed.
“Ugh, damn it. This fucking headache……”
“Zed, are you alright?”
“What do you mean, you little bastard? Of course I’m fine—what, you hoping I’ve become a cripple?! Want me to drill a hole through your skull instead? Would you like that?!”
Though to be fair, he didn’t appear to be in completely normal condition.
Zed frequently complained of headaches, gripping the head Liriope had crushed and crying out in pain.
Yet whenever his companions grew worried, he would display a terrifyingly ferocious demeanor, boasting of his own well-being.
“Tch, let’s rest for a bit! You useless lot, so damn slow. If any one of you so much as grabs my ankle, you’ll die—remember that!”
Liriope observed Zed, who was sweating cold drops enough to soak through the bandages, but then her breath caught as she felt pain bloom once more in her chest.
Since her encounter with the silver-haired boy, violent pain would strike like lightning, making it difficult even to straighten her spine.
It was only because the suffering passed quickly that she hadn’t long since collapsed and remained lying down.
‘Listen.’
Liriope quietly called out to the presence parasitic within her.
She hesitated, fearing she might hear an answer she didn’t want, but she couldn’t put off checking her condition forever.
‘My Mana Core—is it alright?’
[Hmm, so you are worried after all? Fine then, you claim to be concerned about your Mana Core, yet you use magic so recklessly without any restraint?]
‘But it was unavoidable back there.’
[Hmph. So are you saying now that you acted correctly?]
Was it just her imagination? For some reason, it seemed to be being a bit nitpicky from before.
Still, judging by its tone, it seemed the Core hadn’t been permanently damaged, which was at least a relief.
It was somewhat annoying to deal with the voice’s owner, but thinking about it, she supposed she had been a bit reckless.
Of course, she had no choice, as she’d been desperately trying to overcome a situation that kept spiraling beyond her control.
[More importantly, do you know that silver-haired one?]
At that question resonating in her head, Liriope could only hesitate.
‘I don’t know. Would you call us acquaintances?’
[What kind of answer is that—neither this nor that? So you don’t even know why that wretch tried to kill you outright?]
Liriope wanted to know that herself.
Was that silver-haired boy really Evangeline?
At first, she’d naturally recalled him upon seeing the striking silver hair and red eyes, but as she thought about it, doubt crept in.
Liriope recalled the overwhelmingly refined magic that had unfolded before her eyes, and her still-tingling chest constricted.
Compared to that perfectly distilled magic, how feeble and insignificant her own makeshift spell had been.
At first, she’d almost unconsciously used Defensive Magic, but in hindsight, not doing so had been a stroke of fortune.
Convinced that a direct clash with the boy’s magic would mean her destruction, all she could do was desperately search for a way to evade that devastating force.
But having never properly used magic even once in her life, her Mana Control was a mess, and there were clear limits to recreating magic remembered only in theory.
Liriope’s mind was inscribed with all manner of magnificent spells, but what she could actually accomplish was merely creating tiny gaps.
At best, she could barely buy herself an instant to dodge an incoming attack by twisting her body slightly—no more than that.
Even that much worked only because the magic happened to align well with her nature; if it hadn’t, the spell would never have activated and would have crumbled to dust.
Just like the other children there.
‘Come to think of it… I haven’t had a chance to say hello to you until now. Thank you.’
And there was one more thing.
That day, there had been another reason Liriope had survived the boy’s terrible attack.
[What are you talking about?]
‘When I was being attacked by Evangeline—no, that silver-haired one—you guided my Mana Flow Guidance, didn’t you? That’s how I survived.’
That moment, Liriope had surely been on the verge of magical failure.
But when the uncontrollable mana was about to scatter and lose its way, an invisible hand had guided the spell to completion, helping her through.
Since that power was the same as what she’d felt during the sacred ceremony, Liriope realized she had received enormous help at that critical moment.
So when she belatedly offered her thanks, a notably softened voice emerged from the head that had been quiet.
[Hmm… So you have at least the conscience to recognize kindness? Very well. Without me, how could you possibly be alive right now with all your limbs intact? And since the subject’s come up, the recklessness this time has created a small crack in your Mana Core. I’m currently wrapping it with my own power to prevent the fissure from widening. It’s not a fatal problem, so at this rate you’ll recover quickly enough, but even so, be more careful from now on.]
‘Ah… Really? I didn’t know that. I’m truly grateful.’
[Enough. Since I know the circumstances were unavoidable, I won’t nag you further. Instead, praise me more, and be grateful to me with all your heart!]
At the shameless way it seized the opportunity to take credit, Liriope felt laughter bubble up, though its words held no falsehood.
If she’d been alone, she certainly wouldn’t be alive and well right now.
It stung to admit it to herself, but honestly, she was still at a level where she had to crawl along the ground like a worm, begging others to spare her life in order to survive.
In reality, had the boy not had a change of heart at the very end, Liriope would have vanished from this world without leaving a trace.
Realizing her own worthlessness was always a bitter taste, no matter how many times she experienced it.
‘Say, I have one request… Could you teach me magic?’
She had to grow stronger as quickly as possible.
Driven by that hunger, Liriope spoke the words somewhat impulsively.

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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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