The AI Archmage - 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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The AI Grand Mage — Episode 79

“Sob!”
Tears streamed down Sion’s face like drops of rain.
At the same time, the peaceful forest transformed into utter devastation.
“Wind Cutter, Fire Field, Multi Casting…….”
Sion recalled memories of the Blue Tower’s Nature Preservation Zone from the past and began indiscriminately tearing apart the forest.
The truth was, he had no real memories to speak of, but he decided to pretend he did anyway.
Lumia was no different.
“Wait, there was a swing here that my Master specially made for me when I was little!”
Crash!
“And I’m sure this was a precious place where my Master and I went on an outing — I think!”
She had no clear memories, but she figured she might as well act as though she did.
Lumia had always been quick to adapt, after all.
Of course, she wasn’t alone in this.
Barean, casting magic frantically in the rear, destroyed an imaginary wish-granting tree and a few fabricated memory spots, while Serentia simply decided she’d had romantic outings with someone in this place.
And so the members of the Blue Tower worked in perfect unison to “clear” the Blue Tower’s Forest.
And shortly after.
“We’ve made excellent progress!”
Lumia smiled brightly as she surveyed the forest, now reduced to ashes with craters and crushed patches scattered everywhere.
At first she hadn’t really thought about it, but now that she’d destroyed everything, she found herself vaguely remembering an intense battle she’d fought with Kaelds just days ago, staking the Blue Tower’s fate on the outcome.
Tears began to flow.
Not tears of joy — merely the tears that came from recalling sad memories that had never existed.
Sion, arms crossed, surveyed the devastated landscape and spoke.
“We’ll officially clear this area in about a month. We needed new paths cut through anyway, so let’s just think of this as getting ahead on the work.”
“Understood.”
Lumia quickly brushed aside all notions of the past, wiped her tears, and nodded.
“Do you think we might get paid a bit more for this?”
“Hard to say without negotiating, but with just the restoration costs alone, we’re looking at a minimum of 1000 Gold, aren’t we?”
“1000 Gold! I’m actually starting to remember more memory spots now — should we destroy a bit more while we’re at it?”
“Ah, that’s a bit excessive, Tower Master.”
…….
Barean, Maxwell, and Serentia, who had been watching this unfold, were left speechless.
Maxwell, the most recent to join, turned to Serentia with a question.
“Junior, I’m asking just to be sure — was Lumia always like this?”
“She’s evolving.”
“Dark evolution?”
“Well, either way she’s evolved, so isn’t that a good thing?”
……Is it?
Maxwell tilted his head, but soon his expression softened into acceptance.
Well, what does it matter?
Let’s just say Lumia’s practical survival skills have increased dramatically.
With that skill tree, she’d never fall prey to being an easy mark again.
Maxwell glanced at Serentia beside him.
She was the one who had guided this Tower alongside Lumia in his absence.
And she had come to understand Sion far better than he had.
So it wouldn’t be strange if her judgment was more sound than his own.
“……Hmm, perhaps we should destroy this more carefully to maximize the naturalness of it? With this tree being set as a sacred tree that symbolizes the Blue Tower’s history…….”
…….
Right…… probably. Maybe.
And so, with Maxwell’s internal conflict, the Blue Tower’s day gradually wore on.
When the Blue Tower’s students learned of it later, unwilling to be outdone, a minor incident occurred involving some damage to the Tower’s buildings…….
But it was hardly a matter of importance.

* * *

The Blue Tower was busily engaged in various preparations to receive Count Minelius.
Most of them were excuses fabricated to extract additional compensation money, though they were making genuine preparations befitting a Magic Tower as well.
And amid all this, Nerin stood silent and vacant, gazing absently up at the sky.
“Why do you stare at the sky with such a troubled expression?”
“Oh.”
At the voice from behind, Nerin turned reflexively to look.
It was Sion.
“Oh, Sion.”
“Sion?”
“You’re family, so I thought I should settle on a proper way to address you.”
“But you’re older than I am, aren’t you?”
“I don’t think age matters when determining family names.”
“Just call me Sion.”
At those words, Nerin found herself nodding without thinking.
She watched the students moving busily below the Tower.
Then she opened her mouth.
“Thank you, Sion.”
“Hmm?”
“For everything.”
Nerin continued quietly.
“To be honest, coming back to the Blue Tower even knowing it could be dangerous—that was my own selfishness.”
……
“I just wanted to spend my final days at home, with my family.”
Sion waited a moment for Nerin to compose herself, then told her why he had come.
“We’ve secured the blood. I’ve completed the analysis, and stabilizing your condition is possible.”
“Ah…”
Nerin’s pupils trembled slightly. Sion watched her quietly.
He could empathize with her feelings to some extent. When he was Altair, he had harbored similar thoughts.
The difference was that Altair’s situation had been impossible. And Nerin had him by her side.
‘There’s no reason for another to suffer the same experience I did. I’ll refuse that on my end.’
[Whether that’s very human or not very human of you, I’m not sure.]
Sion smiled faintly at Akasha’s words, then handed Nerin a bottle of pills.
“Take one a day and circulate the Mana in your body the way I explained before.”
“This is…”
“This Kaelds—who would be your uncle, I suppose—I analyzed his blood to create these pills.”
Of course, they had extracted far more than just blood.
They had inserted a tube into his Mana Heart and drawn out the Mana itself.
It had inflicted suffering on Kaelds that was scarcely different from torture.
But what could he possibly say about that?
It was Kaelds who attacked the Blue Tower first and even threatened the Blue Tower Master.
“If you continue steadily for a month, your condition will be resolved. There’s no need to tear open your body and undergo surgery.”
“…Yes.”
“Of course, you’ll need to stabilize your condition through Magical Tool Implantation later, but that comes after the month’s work is finished.”
Nerin carefully tucked the pill bottle into her embrace.
“Why don’t you fear me? That person said a demon dwells in my blood, that I should be eliminated.”
“Is there any reason to?”
He meant it sincerely.
Even if the situation Kaelds feared came to pass, Sion was confident he could control it.
Because of that, the fact that demonic power slumbered in her blood was no problem at all.
“You’re not a demon. Even if your blood truly is close to demonic, if your spirit doesn’t submit, you’re human.”
“But still…”
“Ignore what others say about you. You know yourself better than anyone.”
“…!”
Nerin’s eyes widened at those words.
Sion was speaking the truth.
He believed it genuinely, without a shred of pretense.
“Y-you’re really strange.”
“What is?”
“It’s just—this is such a serious matter, yet you seem completely unconcerned.”
“Because it isn’t serious.”
Sion let out a short laugh.
Serious?
What was truly serious was Altair’s life—nearly cut short in this world because of that incurable disease, his purpose unfulfilled.
Nerin’s troubles were not particularly serious by Sion’s standards.
“So now that you know your bloodline, does anything feel different to you?”
“Huh?”
“Demon Blood and all—don’t you sense some kind of remarkable ability?”
Truth be told, Nerin’s existence was rather fascinating from Sion’s perspective.
She was a mage with quite a unique constitution.
But add Demon Blood to that? Then she became all the more worthy of study.
“If you notice anything unusual or discover some new change, report it to me without delay. Sounds quite interesting.”
“Isn’t it normal for people to say they’re worried in this situation?”
“Worried? You’re not going to die, so why should I trouble myself with worry?”
Sion replied with brazen candor.
Watching him, Nerin found herself laughing despite herself. She’d felt it from the moment they first met—he showed no discrimination in the most unusual ways.
It was particularly strange how he seemed to think he could handle anything, no matter what, and that made it everyone else’s non-concern.
How much confidence in himself did one need to carry oneself that way?
“What you should be worried about now isn’t Demon Blood or any of that.”
“Then what?”
“Count Minelius. The man who is, biologically speaking, your father.”
At those words, Nerin’s body tensed involuntarily.
“How you should treat him is entirely your own judgment to make.”
Sion was right.
How to deal with Count Minelius was her decision alone.
Nerin opened her mouth with a complicated expression.
“I, if… if things actually go well and I end up going to his family, what happens then?”
“Then you go.”
His answer was remarkably simple, and it was Nerin who felt taken aback.
“N-no, didn’t you say you needed labor? You said I was high-grade labor.”
“What are you talking about?”
Sion chuckled softly as he spoke.
“You said it yourself. ‘Family.'”
“…Oh.”
“If you forcibly hold onto someone just because they’re useful, is that what family is?”
Nerin’s mouth fell open.
His answer, arriving at such a poignant moment, was surprisingly grave in a way that didn’t suit Sion at all.
“Do as you wish.”
“Okay!”
She nodded her head late and thought.
‘Family.’
That was what family truly was, after all.

* * *

Several days later, a carriage was passing toward the Blue Tower. It was quite ornate.
Knights on horseback escorted the carriage, and a magical battalion followed in case of any unforeseen situation.
Soon after, at the gateway leading to the Blue Tower.
The carriage came to a halt.
Inside the carriage was none other than Count Minelius.
He gazed at the desolate landscape near the Blue Tower with a bewildered expression and spoke.
“Such devastation. Do you mean to tell me my brother caused all this?”
“Ah, Count. This area appears to be simply neglected land, as it is old and worn.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Hmm…”
The Count turned his head slightly.
What filled his mind at that moment was, surprisingly, not about his brother.
‘Something lost long ago…’
If what Sion Rostery had said matched what the Count was now thinking, then many things—beginning with his brother’s situation—would fall into place in order.
But if that were true, it would be far too painful to bear.
“Sigh.”
The Count exhaled a heavy sigh at his frustration and opened his eyes, which had been squeezed tightly shut.
And as he gathered his thoughts.
Thump.
“We’ve arrived, sir.”
The carriage carrying him finally pulled up to the Blue Tower.
“…I see.”
The nobleman rose with a heavy sigh.
It was time to face what awaited him.

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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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