The AI Archmage - Chapter 42

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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AI Archmage Episode 42

 

“Mr. Sion, this was enclosed in the letter envelope sent by the Workshop Alliance.”

 

Lumia said this while holding something out to Sion.

 

It was a cylinder about the size of a finger.

 

However, it wasn’t just a simple cylinder.

 

“It’s a magic tool.”

 

“I thought so too. It was so small that I wasn’t sure.”

 

Sion examined the cylindrical magic tool from various angles and chuckled.

 

“Ah, this…”

 

“Do you happen to know what this magic tool is?”

 

“Yes, it’s not that remarkable of an item. However… from the Workshop Alliance leader’s perspective, it would serve as a means for minimal verification.”

 

Sion was well familiar with this magic tool.

 

As he had just explained, the performance itself wasn’t particularly impressive.

 

For ordinary people, it could be considered a toy.

 

But for certain individuals, the story was quite different.

 

Sion skillfully opened the cylinder’s lid in front of everyone and took out what was inside.

 

“…Is that a keypad?”

 

“Yes, it’s a keypad. It consists of 8 rows and 8 columns, totaling 64 keys. Each key is so small that it can’t be operated without considerable skill.”

 

At those words, Lumia tilted her head.

 

“Um… is it useful? Does something amazing happen if you input an arrangement?”

 

“No. As I mentioned, this isn’t such a remarkable item.”

 

Seeing the old item brought back memories, and Sion couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

“You solve a riddle, and when you input the answer on this keypad, the magic tool will automatically send that signal to the Workshop Alliance leader.”

 

“Is that its only function?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Hmm… Ah! I understand!”

 

Lumia nodded as if she understood and continued speaking.

 

“To properly input the correct answer, you need ‘manual dexterity’ that the Workshop Alliance leader would acknowledge. That’s how they primarily verify one’s skill as an artisan.”

 

“You understand well.”

 

“Moreover, secondarily, they can confirm whether Mr. Sion has the appropriate knowledge through the riddle. No, even before that, you’d need the insight to recognize exactly what kind of magic tool this is…”

 

Lumia’s eyes lit up.

 

“Now that I think about it, there’s no better magic tool for verification than this.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Sion nodded with a satisfied expression.

 

A growth rate beyond expectations.

 

When he first saw her, she was so hopeless that he genuinely doubted Belusian’s judgment…

 

‘Not much time has passed, but with this level of growth, she might be worth expecting something from in the future.’

 

It meant that Belusian’s insight hadn’t gone anywhere after all.

 

“Then I just need to solve the riddle. But there aren’t really any clues to speak of…”

 

“Ah, that’s fine.”

 

The riddle Casen sent to Sion was ultimately proof regarding that signature.

 

If you know about Altair, then try proving it.

 

If you can write the signature, you should naturally know ‘that thing’ which only the disciples know.

 

…Well, that would be his thinking.

 

‘Haha, Casen.’

 

You’ve always been quite sensitive about such things.

 

How could I, your master, not know you.

 

Sion began tapping the keypad while recalling memories of him.

 

Using mana to create extremely fine needles, he tapped the keypad without any error whatsoever.

 

After completing the necessary process, he closed the lid.

 

At that moment, the magic tool flashed with light once, then the cylinder cracked and broke apart.

 

“Did it… work?”

 

“Yes, it worked.”

 

“Um… Mr. Sion, I don’t quite understand, so what did you write as the answer?”

 

“Just a place.”

 

Sion continued while recalling old memories.

 

“A place where someone long ago took in an orphan.”

 

* * *

 

Workshop Alliance leader, Casen Kobella.

 

He was feeling an emotion called ‘excitement’ for the first time in a long while.

 

It had been truly a long time.

 

After his master met such an unfortunate end, he had been living with hatred and anger all this time.

 

In the midst of that, he confirmed the signature.

 

A ‘special signature’ known only to his master and his disciples.

 

Then it was one of two things.

 

Either some madman dared to imitate that signature to deceive him, or…

 

‘A disciple of master like myself.’

 

If that were the case, then this Sion Rostery at the Blue Tower would be a new disciple of his master that he didn’t know about.

 

But there was a major problem.

 

The timing didn’t match.

 

Master passed away 20 years ago.

 

But Sion Rostery’s age is eighteen.

 

If master truly passed away 20 years ago, this would be physically impossible.

 

Then, assuming Sion was master’s ‘last disciple,’ two possibilities arose.

 

First, that Sion Rostery had discovered some kind of ‘arrangement’ that master had made.

 

It was a plausible assumption.

 

But the second possibility he thought of.

 

“The possibility that Master is still alive and has taken on a new disciple.”

 

Until now, Casen had believed that Altair had met an unfortunate end.

 

But what if that wasn’t the case?

 

What if Master had overcome even those harsh circumstances and survived, hiding himself for some reason?

 

If that were the case…

 

“Heh, heheh…”

 

The source of Casen’s torment and anguish would be resolved.

 

Of course, nothing was certain.

 

That’s why he hadn’t informed his other brothers about this matter.

 

How long had he waited like this?

 

Wooong.

 

A signal came from the magic tool he had been waiting for.

 

“…!”

 

Casen bolted upright and checked the signal.

 

The fact that a signal had come meant that Sion Rostery possessed the ‘ability’ to identify the magic tool’s nature and purpose, and to input the correct answer.

 

Now for the most important part – the correct answer.

 

How would Sion Rostery have answered the question he posed?

 

And the moment he confirmed it.

 

“…!”

 

Casen’s eyes widened larger than ever before.

 

Sion Rostery’s answer was.

 

【Caule’s Back Alley, Dawn】

 

“Ah.”

 

The moment he confirmed it, Casen’s pupils trembled more than ever before.

 

It was the correct answer.

 

An answer that could only be known by hearing it directly from Master.

 

This was… the place where he had been taken in by Altair long ago.

 

“Kuh, hahahahahaha!”

 

Unable to contain himself, he burst into wild laughter.

 

Casen didn’t stop laughing until a startled Tyren hurriedly came to his room.

 

“E-Elder! What’s happening!”

 

Casen hadn’t laughed properly in a long time.

 

It was natural for Tyren to be surprised when someone who rarely laughed suddenly acted like this.

 

Casen stopped laughing and said.

 

“Prepare yourself, Tyren.”

 

“Wh… what do you mean?”

 

“Prepare to welcome someone.”

 

Then he looked at the puzzled Tyren with gleaming eyes.

 

“It seems we’ll be receiving a very precious guest.”

 

* * *

 

A few days later, Sion finally finished preparing to head to the Artisan Union.

 

And his companion would be.

 

“Tsk.”

 

Eira, who was making a face like she’d eaten shit.

 

The executive-level mages except for Sion couldn’t accompany him.

 

After all, it hadn’t been long since Belusian’s magic was restored.

 

Not only Tower Master Lumia, but Vice Tower Master Serentia also had to put all their effort into analyzing and maintaining the restored magic.

 

And in Barean’s case…

 

“Senior, please.”

 

“Alright…”

 

Barean nodded with a resolute expression.

 

“I’ll make sure to keep a close watch so she doesn’t do anything foolish.”

 

“Yes, please do.”

 

Vice Tower Master Serentia was intelligent and handled her duties well, but even so, there were times when she would occasionally lose her mind too.

 

This was a precautionary measure for such cases.

 

A line of defense that could block even the slightest possibility of any nonsense happening in the Blue Tower.

 

“Oh, and Sion.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“As compensation for taking over your duties while you’re away, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

 

“Please go ahead.”

 

Barean spoke to Sion cautiously.

 

“That grimoire. I’d like it if you could increase the output and upgrade the specifications…”

 

“Ah, if it’s that…”

 

Sion chuckled and said.

 

“I’ve already prepared it. If you go to your room now, you should be able to check it out. This one should be able to handle up to 4th Circle.”

 

“…!”

 

At those words, Barean’s eyes widened greatly.

 

Mages are fundamentally a race that lives and dies by magic.

 

Barean was no different.

 

“4th, 4th Circle! How did you know that I was frustrated with only being able to use up to 3rd Circle until now…!”

 

“The mana capacity can also handle up to 4th Circle without any problems, so you can keep that in mind.”

 

“Thank you!”

 

Barean beamed with a full smile, continuously expressing his gratitude to Sion.

 

“Of course, you’ll need to keep practicing to adapt this time as well. The usage method itself isn’t much different, but there are still some subtle differences.”

 

“Haha, don’t worry!”

 

Barean’s mind was already filled with thoughts of utilizing new magic.

 

‘Well, I’m grateful too.’

 

Of course, Sion also had something to gain.

 

Precisely, data.

 

The grimoire he had created currently lacked proper data.

 

In the past, the grimoire was never distributed and remained at the prototype stage.

 

If Barean could directly utilize the grimoire and fill in the data, nothing would be better than that.

 

“Then I’ll ask this of you.”

 

“Gladly!”

 

Barean saw Sion off with a smile befitting a mage.

 

Eira muttered with a gloomy expression.

 

“…Master Barean looks really happy.”

 

“Because he can use magic.”

 

Moreover, magic using the grimoire was a new realm even for Barean.

 

The exploration of that new realm was something any mage would desire.

 

Sion immediately boarded the prepared carriage, and Eira followed suit, sitting across from him.

 

Silence passed between the two.

 

Since they had never built any great rapport to begin with, it was natural if anything.

 

Sion didn’t find this uncomfortable and quietly became lost in thought.

 

Though he had established a rough plan, there were still things he needed to think about.

 

‘…So I’m known to have died by assassination. But why exactly do those guys think I died by assassination?’

 

Simply because the Council usually interfered with Sion’s affairs at every turn?

 

It wasn’t entirely baseless suspicion.

 

When he was actually Altair, the Council had indeed regarded Sion as a thorn in their side.

 

The Council recognized the necessity of workshops, so they didn’t outright antagonize the workshops.

 

However, they thoroughly guarded against Altair’s goals and ideals, pressuring Altair whenever they saw even the slightest hint of such things.

 

His disciples had watched that entire process from the sidelines.

 

Therefore, reaching the conclusion of assassination wasn’t entirely strange either.

 

‘Even so, it’s too hasty.’

 

How should he put this?

 

Casen was acting as if he had seen definitive evidence of Altair’s assassination.

 

Tap tap.

 

Sion drummed his fingers as he continued his thoughts.

 

‘Could it be that someone intentionally spread false information to create friction between the Magic Council and the Workshop Alliance?’

 

…Perhaps that was going too far.

 

But he kept that possibility in mind.

 

As he continued his thoughts.

 

“Teacher.”

 

Eira, who had been quietly looking out the window, asked him a question.

 

“I have one question.”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

Eira asked him as if she had made up her mind about something.

 

“Just what kind of relationship do you have with Altair, Teacher?”

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