Memoirs of a Wicked Magician - Chapter 79

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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 79
“Me, me. I can manage both, at least a little.”
“I know how to use Purification Magic.”
Liriope raised her hand slightly as well.
“I can use both.”
Caliona swept her eyes across Liriope and several others with perfect impartiality, her gaze utterly devoid of feeling.
“More than I expected. We deployed a Defensive Barrier immediately after spatial transfer, but just in case anyone’s developed Contamination symptoms in the meantime, start applying Purification Magic right now. And before we begin the formal search, I’ll first confirm what Magic each of you can actually use.”
Not all the children who passed the Outer Estate trial had necessarily mastered Magic, but this year’s cohort happened to have an unusually high proportion who had.
That was thanks in no small part to Liriope’s assistance.
It was one of the reasons the children called Liriope their captain and followed her.
Beyond Defensive Barrier and Purification Magic, one child admitted to knowing Cutting Magic, another to Light Magic, and yet another to both Fire Magic and Detection Magic.
Caliona seemed somewhat surprised that so many children had mastered Magic beyond what she’d anticipated.
“Half of you can use Magic? Did most of you spend at least two to three years at the Outer Estate as a baseline?”
“There are rare cases like that, but most of us only spent about a year. Magic is… our captain taught us!”
“Your captain?”
“Yes!”
At that, Caliona and Stella’s gazes turned toward Liriope simultaneously.
Stella tilted her head with visible perplexity.
“The one who completed initiation training first, Liriope—is she your captain? But I was under the impression you can only use Purification Magic and Defensive Barrier Magic, correct?”
“Yes, I can only use those two types of Magic.”
Liriope gave the same answer as before.
Then, whether Stella believed her or not, a suspicious smile played across the older woman’s lips.
“Wait, our captain is actually Peter!”
Just then, one of the children listening to their conversation suddenly raised his voice and pointed to another boy.
For whatever reason, he’d noticed that Liriope was trying to hide her magical prowess.
The boy named Peter, thus singled out, looked bewildered for a moment before catching on a beat too late, offering an awkward laugh.
“Y-yes! I’m the captain, that’s right. Haha…”
“Yes, Peter is our captain! Hehe!”
“C-captain, thanks for teaching us Magic!”
Liriope, of course, understood their noble intentions. So she couldn’t help but send them a glance tinged with complex emotion.
Caliona, however, had noticed that Liriope and the other children were lying, and her eyes narrowed with displeasure.
But without betraying her awareness, she turned her gaze away and gave the children a brief explanation of the precautions they should take when using each type of Magic in emergencies, then confirmed the purpose of today’s search.
“Let’s review what we need to do today. First priority: collecting medicinal plants for use as medicine, recovering minerals that serve as raw materials for Mana Crystals, and obtaining various by-products including shed skins, horns, and bones from contaminated creatures. If you discover what appears to be a Magical Artifact or human remains, do not touch it rashly—report it first.”
Among all those items, Magical Artifacts required the most careful handling.
“Magical Artifacts in particular can trigger unpredictable Magic the moment you touch them incorrectly, so exercise special caution. If you find something you don’t quite understand, don’t touch it frivolously—bring it to our attention first.”
Though Liriope already knew all of this, she still listened attentively to Caliona’s words.
Whether it was bias or not, Caliona’s voice seemed to sink into Liriope’s ears far more easily than Stella’s ever did.
“Now then, let’s depart. Senior Stella? Would you lead the way? I’ll watch our rear.”
“You don’t mind? I’m fine with it.”
After Stella agreed with a bright smile, the formal search began in earnest.
The children showed obvious signs of tension the moment they took their first steps.
Moreover, there seemed to be an unspoken atmosphere in which they followed Stella’s instructions more readily and relied on her more—likely due to the impression she made by her outward appearance alone.
Though everything Liriope could see was merely affectation, Stella was certainly easier to approach than the cold-seeming Caliona, and that much was true.
Of course, Caliona appeared utterly indifferent to which of them the children followed.
“Stop. Watch your footing carefully.”
Yet even as Caliona wore a face so cold that someone could die beside her without drawing her concern, she was observing the children more thoroughly than anyone else.
When she blocked the path of a child walking at the far right end and struck at the ground with her Mana, what they’d all taken for a small stone suddenly erupted with spines in all directions.
The spines collided with Caliona’s Defensive Barrier and naturally caused the group no harm whatsoever.
“The spines carry poison—contact will cause hemorrhaging that won’t stop. You need to be careful.”
“Gasp! Th-thank you!”
Liriope found herself gazing enviously at the child who’d been protected by Caliona, even though she knew this wasn’t the moment for such feelings.
But she’d be able to spend time with her sister soon enough, so she decided not to dwell on it too much now.
Liriope’s eyes, which had been as still and deep as a quiet well since earlier, slipped toward Stella once more.
The search proceeded quite smoothly from that point onward.
Checking the status of the Guardian Stone, it seemed they weren’t yet in an Overflow Period; the Contamination density in the outer zones appeared generally safe overall.
Furthermore, there were no visible signs of other hazards like traps or contaminated creatures. It felt as though other Mages had swept the area clean not long ago.
Once the newcomers had adapted somewhat to the situation, the guides divided the children into two groups to search the vicinity.
Naturally, Stella and Caliona each took charge of one group, moving together while leading the children.
Liriope ended up in Stella’s group.
This was by her own choice.
Caliona turned a suspicious, troubled gaze to the side, unable to fathom her sister’s decision. But this time, Liriope wasn’t looking at Caliona at all.
Stella seemed delighted that her target, Liriope, had fallen into her grasp.
Oblivious that it was she herself who’d been caught in the snare.
“Since I’m keeping watch, you can all focus on the search with peace of mind. If anything becomes difficult, speak up anytime. Understood?”
“Yes!”
While the other children threw themselves into the search with wide eyes, Liriope leisurely surveyed her surroundings.
She’d been feeling Caliona’s gaze since a moment ago—the weight of her sister’s attention upon her.
Caliona had been the one to insist their relationship remain hidden from others, yet now that circumstances had forced this separation, she seemed anxious, as if Liriope were a child abandoned on a riverbank.
The concern mixed in Caliona’s distant affection was both sweet and bitter to Liriope’s taste.
Caliona claimed she was keeping distance for Liriope’s own sake, but why couldn’t she see that such a method had limits?
So today, Liriope intended to change her sister’s mind.

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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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