The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - Chapter 341

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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 341. Langritd Magic Tower (2)
Within the Library section of Langritd Magic Tower.
A temple of learning where countless layers of knowledge had accumulated.
Mages had built their understanding here with quiet diligence.
They pursued learning through measured inquiry and meticulous reasoning.
…Yet today was different.
“The Dragon should naturally take priority within our High Alchemy School!”
“Priority? That’s ridiculous.”
The High Alchemy School and the Applied Magic School.
Their representatives were raising their voices against each other.
“We clearly told you that comparative analysis with ancient alchemy formulas is urgent!”
“What’s so special about some ancient formula?”
“We can uncover the principles of alchemy that have been unsolved for centuries! What could you people in the Applied School possibly understand?”
The atmosphere grew increasingly heated.
It wouldn’t have been surprising if magic erupted at any moment.
And it wasn’t just those two.
Mages from different schools, factions, and institutions within the Magic Tower.
They all fought with their voices raised, their loyalties divided.
-What?! Did you just say that?!
-I did! So what?!
Thus the Library, which should have been quiet, was filled with clamor.
“…This is absolute chaos.”
Gwendolyn, the Deputy Archivist, sighed softly.
Even as she did, the shouting continued unabated.
“Is this a Magic Tower or a marketplace?”
Well, it was a Dragon, after all.
It would be strange if there weren’t chaos.
Gwendolyn quietly closed her book.
Reading was impossible in this atmosphere.
-Hey, that’s the application we submitted!
-So what? What are you going to do about it?
-You bastard!!
…Concentration itself was impossible.
In such a chaotic environment, nothing could be done properly.
“In that sense, Iliana really is something remarkable.”
She was completely indifferent to her surroundings.
Even when the mana leak alarm had sounded.
Even when explosives had detonated in the adjacent laboratory.
When was it again?
Probably when the Meteor spell experiment in the central research wing had spiraled out of control.
A meteorite had obliterated the research wing entirely.
The surrounding area was absolute chaos.
While mages throughout the Magic Tower fled in panic,
“I was sitting at my desk organizing magical papers.”
It was a level of concentration that defied sanity.
Gwendolyn recalled that moment as she surveyed the Library from corner to corner.
There was no one here.
An empty Library.
Of course there was.
With a Dragon looming before their eyes, no mage would leisurely read books in the Library.
Which meant.
“…She’s not here today either.”
Iliana was nowhere to be found.
A neglected corner seat.
The desk where Iliana always sat was covered in dust.
Iliana seemed like the type who would remain in the Library even if the world ended… yet she was absent.
Did Iliana have an interest in the Dragon too?
That wasn’t it.
“It’s been days since I’ve seen her.”
Gwendolyn placed her hand on the desk.
Dust swirled into the air.
Clear evidence that no one had touched it in days.
“Could something have happened to Iliana—”
“Pardon me.”
“Eek!”
Gwendolyn let out a startled cry.
A voice had suddenly come from behind her.
…She hadn’t sensed any presence at all.
Gwendolyn slowly turned around.
‘There’s no one here?’
For some reason, only the desolate expanse of the Library came into view.
* * *
Pale blonde hair and neatly bound locks.
Kind eyes.
Colorless irises.
That woman staring at me with wide, round eyes.
Unfortunately, it was not Iliana.
But it was a woman I knew.
More precisely, a woman from my memories.
‘That person is….’
I activated my predator’s instinct, and the woman’s information materialized before my eyes.
==【Character Information】==
Name: Gwendolyn Noswell
Classification: Animalia, Mammalia, Hominidae, Human
Gender: Female
Age: 29
Traits: Contextual Comprehension [E]
Gwendolyn Noswell.
During my time with the Allied Forces, she served as a staff officer in the Mage Corps.
Assisting Commander Iliana with operation planning, strategic analysis, and weapon deployment.
She was the architect and coordinator of virtually every magical operation we conducted.
‘I’d heard she had connections with Iliana dating back to their Magic Tower days.’
It appeared that rumor was true.
Though there was never any reason to doubt it in the first place.
In any case, if anyone knew Iliana’s whereabouts, it would be Gwendolyn—
“A g-g-ghost!!”
Gwendolyn suddenly shrieked.
Her eyes had lost all focus.
Her shoulders trembled uncontrollably.
She looked absolutely terrified.
‘Ah.’
I’d forgotten to deactivate my phantom form.
Phantom form merges seamlessly with the surrounding environment.
Combined with the multiple mimicry abilities I’d extracted and designed through my Perfect Organism [UL] status, my camouflage had become flawless.
No natural ability could detect me anymore.
And with my specialization in anti-mana, even mana detection was impossible.
I had approached her like a true phantom.
“A b-banshee?! Or a specter?!!”
Gwendolyn braced herself defensively.
She looked like a cat with its fur standing on end.
I quietly deactivated my phantom form.
“Eek?!”
Gwendolyn gasped and leaped backward.
But then—
her large eyes sparkled with sudden interest.
“Wow!!”
She covered her mouth as if breathless.
The half-intoxicated gaze she turned upon me was quite something.
“Never in my life did I think I’d encounter such a handsome ghost…!!”
She appeared utterly captivated by my appearance.
To be precise, it wasn’t me—it was Kim Fujiwara—but regardless.
‘She hasn’t changed one bit.’
Her obsession with beauty remained exactly the same as before.
“If this ghost were my husband, I wouldn’t mind at all—.”
“I’m not a ghost.”
“Gasp!!”
Gwendolyn caught her breath in surprise.
Then she began scrutinizing my face, examining it piece by piece.
“This… this is actually a real person’s face?!”
“It is.”
“That’s impossible!!”
Gwendolyn cried out in disbelief.
‘I should have consulted Isolde about this.’
A wave of regret washed over me.
Soon after, Gwendolyn cupped her cheeks in both hands and spoke.
“S-so what brings you to me…!!”
Yet her eyes remained fixed on my face.
…She truly hadn’t changed at all.
In any case.
She was one of the few people who knew Iliana’s whereabouts—.
No, the only person who did.
I met Gwendolyn’s gaze and asked.
“Do you happen to know where Iliana is?”
In that moment, Gwendolyn’s pupils wavered.
A brief silence.
Gwendolyn opened her mouth carefully.
“…Why are you looking for Iliana?”
Her wariness was unmistakable.
It went beyond merely bristling.
She was like a cat baring its fangs.
This was… unexpected.
Gwendolyn, so genuine in her appreciation of beauty.
I had thought she wouldn’t harbor suspicion, having been captivated by my face.
Yet her clear separation of personal feelings and professional judgment was evident.
She indulged her emotions freely.
But her decisions were always cold and calculated—Gwendolyn.
It was no accident she had become an advisor to the Mage Corps.
I chose my words carefully to ease her guard.
“Well, I just need to have a conversation with her. There’s something I received from her before.”
“Something you received?”
“Yes, well… research materials. From a long time ago.”
Gwendolyn’s eyes sharpened to a blade’s edge.
Her wariness didn’t ease—it only grew more acute.
Even I could hear how hollow my excuse sounded.
Especially given Gwendolyn’s ability.
◆Correlation Reading [E]
: The user does not perceive individual events as isolated information, but interprets them interconnectedly and simultaneously. As a result, she reads the overall structure of events before surface-level details.
No excuse weak enough to fool an Epic [E]-ranked ability would suffice.
“…You’re lying.”
Caught, as expected.
“There’s only one person in this world Iliana would hand over her research materials to.”
She seemed to be referring to me.
Adrian Whitewolf.
But right now, I was Kim Fujiwara Bloodhound.
“…And you’re not him.”
Gwendolyn’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.
The moment I activated Weakness Hunting, I could see her hormone levels spike dramatically.
Through them, I could read her emotional state.
Excitement, anticipation, curiosity, immersion….
“He’s not breathtakingly handsome like you are!”
And hostility.
Gwendolyn had classified me as an ‘enemy’.
“You took Iliana, didn’t you?”
Gwendolyn drew up her mana.
The mana gathered at her fingertips vibrated, warping the air around it.
“What did you do to Iliana—”
Thwack!
I struck the back of Gwendolyn’s neck with a knife hand.
Her eyes went blank.
She collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
I caught her, cradling her in my arms.
In that moment.
◆The type to knock someone out first when a nerve gets struck?
Mungu materialized before my eyes with that thought.
But no.
I hadn’t knocked her out in a fit of rage over a beauty comparison.
I’d barely managed to divert the Magic Tower’s attention with the Dragon.
I’d simply prevented any unnecessary commotion before it could start.
Most importantly, Gwendolyn knew something about Iliana’s whereabouts—
◆Ooh, hitting a woman—what a villain you are!
To hear the details, let’s move to a quieter place first—
◆You’re taking an unconscious woman to a quiet place?!!
…Sigh, forget it.
* * *
Eyelids trembled softly.
Drowsy consciousness gradually returned.
Gwendolyn slowly opened her eyes.
“Mm… where am I….”
As I forced my eyes open, a face came into view.
Skin without a single blemish.
Features perfectly arranged.
Hair whiter than snow itself.
That face—one could hardly exaggerate calling it divine craftsmanship—
‘Wow, he’s incredibly handsome!!’
My heart was about to sink when—this wasn’t the time for that.
“Gasp!!”
Gwendolyn jolted upright in panic.
Reflexively backing away, I hit something with a thud!
My head struck something hard.
Tumbling back to the floor, Gwendolyn let out a scream.
“Kyaaaa—mph!”
But her mouth was sealed shut.
The handsome man’s hand covered Gwendolyn’s mouth.
His body pressed against hers.
It looked like he was pinning her down.
Gwendolyn’s eyes went wide.
Her heart pounded violently, her mind went blank.
Then the man’s soft voice tickled her ear.
“If you promise not to scream, I’ll let you go.”
Gwendolyn nodded.
The hand covering her mouth was carefully removed.
Gwendolyn immediately screamed.
“Kyaa—mph!”
But her mouth was sealed shut again just as quickly.
Gwendolyn, who hadn’t expected her mouth to be covered again, could only blink rapidly.
* * *
Gwendolyn screaming despite her promise.
‘…I should have seen that coming.’
Gwendolyn, who seized opportunities even in crisis situations.
She must have judged that resisting here gave her a better chance of survival, so she struggled desperately.
“Mmph! Mmmph!!”
Yet she couldn’t break free from my grip.
With her mouth sealed shut, casting a spell was impossible.
But communication had failed.
She didn’t trust me.
More precisely, she didn’t trust Kim Fujiwara Bloodhound.
‘…There’s no way around it.’
I would have to release the disguise.
That would reveal Adrian and Kim Fujiwara were the same person—.
‘I have no choice but to trust Gwendolyn.’
Gwendolyn was an advisor to the Mage Corps.
She was someone Iliana had known since her time at the Magic Tower, and one of the few people the mentally fractured Iliana actually trusted.
After a moment’s hesitation, I released the disguise.
Crack, crackle!
The carved bone and flesh returned to their original form.
My eyes tore open—.
“Mmmph!!!!”
Gwendolyn’s eyes flew wide open in shock.
Soon after, my facial features returned to normal.
“Do you recognize my face?”
She might not have known it.
We had never met directly in this life.
But the crimson eyes.
The black hair, uncommon on the Continent.
And my reputation, which had been making waves across the Continent lately.
With Gwendolyn’s Superior Comprehension [E], she should be able to recognize me.
“Mmmph??”
“I’ll release my hand. I trust you won’t scream this time.”
I slowly removed my hand.
Gwendolyn didn’t scream.
“Y-you…!! Adrian… Whitewolf?”
As expected, Gwendolyn had recognized me.
“Iliana’s patron… am I right? She said you’ve been helping her tremendously.”
It seemed Iliana had spoken of me quite a bit.
“That’s correct.”
“But how did this… happen? Just moments ago you were… incredibly handsome…?”
Gwendolyn’s gaze swept across my face.
Her words trailed off.
But her expression alone said everything.
Disappointment.
As Adrian replaced Kim Fujiwara, Gwendolyn’s expression grew visibly dejected.
◆Should I hit you once more?
…What exactly does she take me for?
◆But you’re not unattractive, are you?
It seemed she’d grown accustomed to Kim Fujiwara’s appearance, making mine pale by comparison.
It was the same principle as standing beside Isolde—anyone would look like an orc or goblin in contrast.
In any case.
I rose quietly to my feet.
Gwendolyn flinched reflexively.
Her expression was still bewildered.
I met her gaze directly and spoke.
“As I mentioned earlier, I’ve come to find Iliana.”
Gwendolyn’s eyes wavered for a moment.
But unlike before, there was no wariness in them.
“However, I haven’t been able to reach Iliana recently—”
“What was that face just now?”
“…A disguised identity.”
“A disguised identity?”
Gwendolyn’s eyes widened in surprise.
It was less shock than something else entirely.
“So… that face doesn’t actually exist?”
Her eyes were brimming with disappointment.
“That’s correct.”
“Ah…”
“Would you be willing to keep this confidential?”
Gwendolyn studied me for a long moment before giving a small nod.
“…I understand.”
“Thank you.”
“But honestly… he was so handsome…”
Gwendolyn truly hadn’t changed one bit.
Regardless.
That wasn’t what mattered now.
“To continue, I’ve been unable to make contact with Iliana recently.”
“…Ah, yes.”
“Do you happen to know where Iliana might be?”
“Well, there is something.”
Gwendolyn’s expression grew serious as she answered.
“I haven’t seen Iliana for several days either.”
“Has she gone missing?”
“I’m not entirely certain about that.”
Gwendolyn chose her words with deliberate care.
“Iliana has a habit of disappearing for days at a time. Especially when she finds an intriguing research topic—it’s always been that way.”
Old habits die hard, as they say.
Gwendolyn and Iliana.
Both of them were exactly the same now as they had always been.
“But still, something feels off about this.”
Gwendolyn furrowed her brow and continued.
“Even during those times, she would always visit the Library to search for related research papers.”
“So even when she vanished, she would still appear in the Library?”
“Yes. Even if I never saw her directly, there were always visit logs or traces proving Iliana had been there.”
….
“But this time, there’s nothing. It’s been days.”
The likelihood that Iliana had become entangled in something was growing by the moment.
I pressed Gwendolyn further.
“Then where was the last place you saw Iliana?”
“That’s….”
Gwendolyn paused to gather her memories before speaking.
“It was in the Archive of Truth.”

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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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