The AI Archmage - Chapter 43

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

AI Archmage Episode 43

 

Since it wasn’t a question he hadn’t expected, Sion responded nonchalantly.

 

“What nonsense are you talking about.”

 

“There’s some connection though, isn’t there.”

 

“What if I say there isn’t?”

 

“Then there isn’t, I guess…”

 

As he stared intently at her as she slightly averted her eyes, she hesitantly revealed her reasoning.

 

“I didn’t just blurt it out without any basis. First, about Teacher Barean recently being able to use magic. That’s a grimoire, right?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Sion readily affirmed Eira’s speculation.

 

As expected of that guy’s daughter, she figured it out right away.

 

“I knew it…”

 

Eira seemed to gain confidence from Sion’s affirmation and continued speaking.

 

“Then perhaps… going to the Workshop Alliance now is also related to that?”

 

“It might be, or it might not be.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean…”

 

“But either way, you won’t suffer any loss by accompanying me. I guarantee that.”

 

At those words, Eira asked back with a flustered expression.

 

“H-how can you be so certain? It could actually be worse.”

 

“Because I promised.”

 

“Promised…”

 

“I’m the one who decided on your accompaniment. So I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

 

It’s not a matter of circumstances.

 

Whatever situation may come, Sion would not create a situation that would be problematic for Eira.

 

“Yes…”

 

At those confident words, Eira could only nod her head.

 

She couldn’t explain it, but Sion’s words had a power that made her feel at ease.

 

“So get some sleep. It’ll get busy once we arrive.”

 

“…Yes!”

 

Eira nodded and closed her eyes.

 

For some reason, she wasn’t worried anymore.

 

* * *

 

The Workshop Alliance is located in Ate, the city of art and technology.

 

Ate is one of the most developed cities on the Continent, and in such a city, the Workshop Alliance’s position was very solid.

 

And today, Dute, an artisan belonging to the Workshop Alliance, was entrusted with a momentous task.

 

“Ah, you’re saying the young lady is returning?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Tyren nodded at Dute’s words.

 

Dute spoke with a reluctant expression.

 

“B-but for that young lady to return like this… surely she hasn’t reconciled with Master Casen?”

 

“That’s not it.”

 

Tyren spoke as if feeling sorry.

 

“Unfortunately, the rift between those two isn’t something that can be easily mended.”

 

“Then why is she coming? If she enters this time, she’ll never be able to leave again…”

 

“She must have a good reason for doing so. The young lady isn’t someone to be taken lightly either.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

Dute clicked his tongue as if troubled and continued speaking.

 

“But… why does it have to be now? The atmosphere in the Union hasn’t been good lately either.”

 

“…Hmm.”

 

At those words, Tyren let out a groan.

 

As Dute said, the Union’s current situation wasn’t good.

 

Originally, the Artisan Union was a group built thoroughly around Altair’s genius.

 

Altair had displayed overwhelming genius, creating countless magic tools and advancing the level of engineering.

 

Thanks to that, the Artisan Union’s prestige became very high, and even the Magic Council couldn’t carelessly interfere with them.

 

But twenty years had passed since Altair disappeared.

 

The current Union leader, Casen Kobella, was an extremely skilled artisan, but he couldn’t compare to Altair.

 

As a result, the Artisan Union was gradually weakening.

 

“Not long ago, there was an argument between the Union leader and Master Prinon. There’s even talk of Prinon Workshop withdrawing from the Union…”

 

“…It’s fine. There have been arguments before, and Master Prinon isn’t someone who would easily withdraw from the Union. Master Prinon is also a disciple of Master Altair.”

 

“That may be true, but…”

 

A moment of silence continued between the two.

 

Thinking about the Union’s current state with its growing cracks naturally made them feel gloomy.

 

Tyren cleared the somber atmosphere and returned to the original topic.

 

“Anyway, there’s a mage coming with the young lady this time.”

 

“…A mage?”

 

Tyren’s face scrunched up.

 

Most artisans don’t like mages.

 

Although the status of artisans had risen considerably after Altair’s appearance and the emergence of the Artisan Union, the arrogance of mages was unavoidable.

 

At least top-tier artisans like Casen received some respect, but most artisans were regarded by mages as mere servants needed when making tools.

 

“I heard that the young lady has been staying at that Blue Tower, but surely she hasn’t become unnecessarily close to those unpleasant fellows?”

 

“Well. For now, they say he’s a teacher at the Blue Tower.”

 

“A teacher!”

 

Even more displeasing.

 

Among mages, types like teachers had even worse personalities.

 

At least the ones Dute had met so far were like that.

 

“Just recently, a professor from the Red Tower commissioned work at my workshop, and you should have seen how arrogant and presumptuous his demands were…”

 

“…Anyway, when the young lady arrives in the city, I want you to handle the reception. While you’re at it, deal with that teacher as well.”

 

At those words, Dute tilted his head.

 

“You seem to be strangely emphasizing that instructor. Is there something going on?”

 

“The Elder is paying attention to him.”

 

“…What?”

 

At those words, Dute’s eyes widened greatly.

 

Paying attention?

 

That Elder?

 

And not even a fellow artisan, but a mage?

 

“Does that… make sense?”

 

“It makes sense, which is why I’m telling you this now.”

 

Tyren sighed and continued speaking.

 

“The Elder has ordered preparations for a welcome, but I judged that we first need to verify this person.”

 

“Understood.”

 

In short, he was being told to use various means to verify that mage.

 

“I’ll make sure to kill him good.”

 

“No, don’t kill him.”

 

“Then I’ll half-kill him.”

 

“Just verify him, just verify!”

 

Tyren shouted with an exasperated expression.

 

Usually he was calm and quick-witted, but whenever mages were involved, his personality became violent and his intelligence dropped.

 

Tyren pressed his forehead firmly and warned again.

 

“…Do it sensibly. Really.”

 

“Just leave it to me!”

 

“Really…”

 

If there were other capable talents available, it would be different, but the fact that this guy was the first one that came to mind was Tyren’s misfortune.

 

* * *

 

“Finally… we’ve arrived.”

 

Sion and Eira were able to reach the gateway leading to Ate, the city where the Artisan Union was located, after two days.

 

“It would have been convenient if our Tower had a long-distance teleportation circle too…”

 

“What can you do? The maintenance costs are ridiculously high, and the Tower is in a remote location with no cities nearby that have such teleportation circles.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

Basically, teleportation circles that could move distances spanning two or three cities were expensive.

 

Naturally, cities without money didn’t have such teleportation circles.

 

Actually, the Blue Tower had one too.

 

Twenty years ago, when Belusian was Tower Master, the Blue Tower definitely had a long-distance teleportation circle.

 

However.

 

‘They couldn’t handle the maintenance costs and eventually had to dismantle it.’

 

The maintenance costs were too expensive for the fallen Blue Tower to handle.

 

And the necessity for it had also greatly diminished.

 

So the two of them had traveled by carriage like this.

 

As Eira stepped down from the carriage, her expression was bright and filled with anticipation.

 

“Why do you have that look on your face again?”

 

“…Because I’ll soon get to see my teacher’s surprised expression.”

 

Eira said with sparkling eyes.

 

“Ate is different from the typical cities on the Continent. It’s a city that realized Altair’s ideal vision in the past.”

 

“…Hmm.”

 

“Ah, you have that expression that says you can’t really feel it. Well, that’s natural. Everyone who comes here for the first time makes that face.”

 

At those words, Sion let out a hollow laugh.

 

Naturally, he knew the city of Ate better than anyone else.

 

‘After all, I designed and built Ate in the first place.’

 

Altair hadn’t just charged ahead with only grimoires for the popularization of magic.

 

Nor had he clashed with the Council with just that alone.

 

Naturally, for this purpose, he had gone through numerous experimental processes in cities, which were smaller units.

 

How far was it possible when magic and technology combined, and how much could magic be replaced by technological power, and so on.

 

With such thoughts, he had distributed countless magic tools in Ate, the city where the Artisan Union was established.

 

As a result, Ate could be considered the city with the most advanced magic engineering on the Continent.

 

‘I wonder just how much it has developed.’

 

Twenty years.

 

When it comes to technological advancement, twenty years is nothing to scoff at.

 

Just how would it have changed?

 

There was definitely a slightly excited feeling in his heart.

 

He arrived at the gateway like that.

 

According to the plan, someone from the Workshop Alliance should be waiting here. They had said they would send someone to the gateway in advance.

 

As he was leisurely waiting for the person.

 

“Miss.”

 

Someone called out to Eira and approached the two of them.

 

It was a young man who appeared to be in his early thirties.

 

“…Eck.”

 

The moment she saw the young man, Eira hastily turned her head away.

 

But it was already too late.

 

The young man smiled broadly and said.

 

“It’s no use. I’m here because I already heard the news that you were coming, Miss.”

 

“…Ah.”

 

At those words, Eira rolled her eyes for a moment, then soon gave up and sighed deeply before speaking.

 

“It’s been a while, Uncle Dute.”

 

The young man called Dute froze for a moment at Eira’s words.

 

“U-Uncle… No, what about me looks…?”

 

“What does it matter?”

 

Eira casually brushed off the topic and introduced him to Sion.

 

“Teacher, this is Uncle Dute, the owner of the 3-Star Workshop.”

 

“A 3-Star Workshop…”

 

Sion raised his head to look at Dute.

 

He appeared to be in his early thirties, and to be the owner of a 3-Star Workshop at that age.

 

‘Not bad.’

 

It certainly meant his talent as a craftsman was exceptional.

 

Dute’s gaze turned toward Sion.

 

But at that moment.

 

“…Tch.”

 

He clicked his tongue as if displeased and turned his head away.

 

Not having expected this, Eira froze and looked back and forth between Sion and Dute.

 

“Um, Uncle? This is… my teacher?”

 

“I know.”

 

“Then why is your reaction…”

 

Just as Eira was about to speak, Dute glared at Sion with cold eyes and said.

 

“You’re a mage, aren’t you.”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

“I have no intention of treating a mage well. Even if he is the young lady’s teacher.”

 

Dute continued speaking boldly even with Sion right in front of him.

 

“When I think about how Lord Altair, who founded the Union, passed away, I just can’t…”

 

“Uncle!”

 

Eira shouted at Dute.

 

“I’m a mage too! Just like my teacher here!”

 

“That’s…!”

 

“Besides, acting so rudely just because someone is a mage isn’t good for our image either!”

 

Eira’s words were sound logic.

 

That’s why Dute couldn’t respond immediately either.

 

‘They’re having quite the argument.’

 

Sion listened to the conversation between Dute and Eira before opening his mouth.

 

“Mr. Dute.”

 

“Hmph. I’ll tell you in advance, don’t expect good treatment just because you’re the young lady’s teacher. Not just me, but all the craftsmen in Ate dislike mages.”

 

“That’s fine. It’s understandable to dislike mages.”

 

Sion nodded as if it didn’t matter.

 

It was Dute who was surprised by such a reaction.

 

‘A mage is showing this kind of reaction?’

 

‘That teacher is accepting this so readily?’

 

Eira was surprised too.

 

Sion spoke as if he didn’t care how either of them reacted.

 

“Yes, that’s fine. However…”

 

The two of them perked up their ears.

 

“It’s a bit awkward hearing that from a 3-star craftsman who can’t even make Magic Tools better than me.”

 

“….”

 

For a moment, silence fell among the three of them.

 

And after a brief pause.

 

“What?”

 

Veins bulged on Dute’s forehead.

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