The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - Chapter 93

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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 93. Continuing Bonds (2)
An unexpected intruder burst through the door.
“Eek!?”
Startled, Iliana leaped to her feet, her blue hair scattering in all directions—
And with it, her alchemical tools went flying everywhere.
The dropper in her hand soared into the air, and Iliana frantically reached out to catch it—
“Ah, no…!”
Instead, she lost her balance and tumbled down with a thud.
The impact sent her workbench shaking violently, and beakers toppled over—
Crash!
A small owl-shaped glass vial shattered, and a silver spoon engraved with magical runes flew far across the room.
Colorful fine powders from a small container scattered across the floor, while volatile liquid from a beaker spilled and dispersed like mist.
The workspace had become absolute chaos.
“Iliana!!”
“Eep!?”
At the thunderous voice, Iliana’s body trembled violently.
The fall had hurt terribly, but as heavy footsteps approached, she forgot the pain entirely and quivered uncontrollably.
The presence drew closer with each step.
Iliana slowly raised her gaze.
First, she saw the hem of a robe embroidered with golden insignia gleaming brilliantly.
Lifting her eyes further, she noticed ornate rings adorning his fingers.
His robe, woven from fine silk, sparkled with gilded magical runes and glittering gemstones.
When Iliana finally looked up completely, she saw an elderly man with a hooked nose, his expression deeply furrowed in displeasure.
His name was Craven.
He was an Endowed Chair Mage of the Langritd Magic Tower to which Iliana belonged.
The Langritd Magic Tower.
This tower was the first magic tower ever established by Arcanis Rilsein, the first mage.
Arcanis had imparted magic to humanity and, seeking to bring change to the world through it, opened the opportunity for anyone with dedication to magic to learn its mysteries.
Founded on such principles, the Langritd Magic Tower had maintained its legacy for thousands of years, producing countless sages and mages.
Today, it stood as the origin of all magical knowledge on the Continent and the cradle of mages.
In that sense, Craven, an Endowed Chair Mage of the Langritd Magic Tower—
He represented a venerable elder who had achieved outstanding accomplishments in the magical realm and a high-ranking mage who received the tower’s support for special research projects.
Craven spearheaded important research for the deepening and advancement of magical knowledge, and could be called an authority among mages who guided and supervised others—
“What in the world are you doing!!”
Craven’s voice was aged yet sharp.
Iliana’s nerves snapped taut, and her body shrank instinctively.
Apprentice mage, Iliana.
Before an Endowed Chair Mage like Craven, she was nothing but a mouse before a cat.
“I’m… I’m terribly sorry…”
“Sorry? Don’t you know how much this commission is worth? Did you deliberately set out to tarnish my reputation?”
“No, no! Absolutely not!”
“Then what is this scene I’m witnessing right now?”
“I made a mistake without thinking…”
“A mistake? Does this situation look like something that can be brushed off as a mistake?”
“Please, don’t worry! Not a single important material has been damaged…!”
Iliana scrambled to her feet and showed me the materials wrapped in cloth.
Materials commissioned by the Freche Merchant Guild—each one worth over 20,000 gold, extraordinarily expensive components.
“Hmm, truly nothing has been damaged, yes?”
“Of course!”
“Should anything go wrong, Iliana, it will all be your responsibility, understood?”
“…”
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“…Yes.”
Only after Iliana’s response did Craven nod his head.
“Ahem.”
Craven cleared his throat and ventilated the surrounding area.
He seemed to have something he wanted to say.
“Do you… have something to tell me…?”
“It’s about that thesis you wrote this time.”
“Which one are you referring to…?”
“The one where you discussed the possibility of removing the madness genetically inscribed in monsters.”
“Ah, yes.”
“How would it be if that thesis were published under my name instead of yours?”
“…Eh? But that…!”
“It would yield greater results if it were known as research led by me, a Seated Mage, rather than by an apprentice mage like you.”
Iliana hung her head low.
“Have you forgotten whose pocket pays for the books you read and the food you eat?”
“I… I’m always grateful for that…”
“Then you’ll have it published under my name, won’t you?”
“…Yes.”
I didn’t think this was wrong.
Equivalent exchange is the absolute law of magic, and one of the fundamental truths especially in alchemy.
To obtain something, one must pay a corresponding price.
To light a fire, one needs firewood.
To earn money, one must provide compensation.
For Iliana to live in the Magic Tower, read her beloved grimoires, and conduct magical research—
“Yes, yes. And from now on, all such theses must be published through me. It will be better for you that way.”
she must pay a corresponding price.
Iliana’s head drooped slightly, and seeing her compliant attitude, Craven smiled with satisfaction.
“Then when the cure is completed, Iliana, you’ll deliver it yourself. I need to focus on publishing the thesis.”
With that, Craven swept out of the laboratory.
Iliana bit her trembling lower lip softly.
Tears welled up over her blue eyes, glistening and full—
But she swallowed them down, forcing them back.
Iliana tidied up the scattered instruments with careful, deliberate movements.
Her pale blue hair cascaded down, obscuring her face. Yet between the strands, glimpses emerged—her eyes reddened, her lips quivering ever so slightly.
Her fingertips trembled faintly as she gathered the shattered fragments of glass vials.
She slowly wiped away the colorful powder scattered across the floor—
Then paused, her gaze hollow as she surveyed the laboratory—
Taking a deep breath to steady herself—
“….”
She lowered her head in silence, pressing down the tears she could not release, swallowing them back—
“…*sob*.”
Yet her cry finally broke free, echoing and scattering throughout the laboratory.
* * *
A relentless struggle with the golden leech, our positions constantly reversing.
For a moment, it oddly reminded me of that race through Whitewolf Territory.
Thanks to that(?), I managed to reach Adlern’s Shop in a single bound.
I pushed open the shop door and stepped inside—
*Ding!*
A light bell chimed.
Soon after, Adlern, who had been sitting at the counter, spotted me—
“Welcome!! Adrian!!”
He sprang up energetically and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.
At least he didn’t smash his head into the counter like last time.
It seemed he’d learned the technique.
Adlern lifted his head again and noticed Kai entering behind me.
“Oh, Kai has come as well!”
Adlern greeted him with a smile.
It appeared the two had built quite a rapport in the meantime.
But since there was nothing particularly worth asking about, I got straight to the point.
“How did it go?”
“If you’re referring to the cure for your sister first… *ahem!*”
Adlern cleared his throat with a light cough.
From the look of him, he seemed ready to launch into another lengthy explanation—
“I gave considerable thought to what you instructed me to do then. I wondered what would be the cleanest way to handle this situation—”
“Just the results, briefly.”
“…It was completed three days ago, he says.”
Adlern answered with a thoroughly dejected expression.
His face resembled a scolded ferret, though only for a moment.
“Still, this fellow’s skills are absolutely remarkable, and I commissioned a brilliant alchemist whose nose for opportunity is unmatched!”
Adlern’s eyes gleamed like a ferret seeking praise.
“Every paper and theory they’ve published recently has sent the magical academic world into absolute upheaval—a true prodigy of sorcery, wouldn’t you say?”
Well, judging by such unwavering confidence, the alchemist certainly seemed to possess genuine skill.
“You’ve done well.”
“Oh, come now! It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done for me, Adrian!”
“Still, legwork like that couldn’t have been easy.”
“Nonsense! This is for your sister, after all! Of course I threw myself into it!”
Adlern’s ferret-like eyebrows twitched up and down.
His shameless perceptiveness was truly unmatched.
“Above all, Kai provided tremendous assistance.”
“The golden leech?”
“Huh…? The golden leech?”
Adlern tilted his head in confusion.
When I waved my hand dismissively, Adlern continued.
“Kai dealt with all the flies that swarmed at the scent of money, cleaning them up quite thoroughly.”
Indeed, a transaction involving a million gold had taken place.
As Adlern put it, it was inevitable that various parasites would gather.
“Being able to place requests with Langritd Magic Tower smoothly was entirely thanks to Kai.”
Well, I had assigned Kai for precisely that reason—
“It seems there was more interference than expected.”
“Don’t even mention it. Without Kai, I truly… Kai is exceptionally capable!”
Adlern spoke with passionate fervor.
I wasn’t sure what had transpired, but it appeared Kai had performed quite admirably.
“So where is the completed cure?”
“Ah! I just received word it’s arriving soon, so it should be here shortly!”
The cure was effectively secured.
“What about the mage I told you to contact?”
“You mean the mage named Iliana?”
Adlern cleared his throat—
“Well, you see! I racked my brains to figure out the quickest and most effective way to approach the mage named Iliana—”
“Just the result.”
“…Unfortunately, I was unable to make contact.”
Adlern’s expression suddenly grew dejected.
I wondered why he kept doing this.
In any case.
It wasn’t that contact had failed.
It was that contact “could not be made,” as Adlern had phrased it.
“What’s the reason?”
“The mage named Iliana you mentioned was an ‘apprentice mage’ at Langritd Magic Tower.”
“But?”
“According to the rules of Langritd Magic Tower, apprentice mages are strictly forbidden from contacting outsiders without permission from their assigned Seat Mage, you see.”
The intention was to protect apprentice mages from external factions.
I understood the reasoning, but it had become an unexpected obstacle.
“The problem is, this Seat Mage refuses to grant permission….”
“Have you attempted to contact the Seat Mage?”
“Of course!”
Adlern shouted forcefully, as if to say there was nothing more to discuss.
But soon his shoulders drooped in defeat.
“That Seat Mage fellow is just so incredibly rigid and stubborn. He completely shut the door on us, you know?”
…In that case, there was no way forward.
Langritd Magic Tower was the homeland of all mages across The Continent.
It was a Magic Tower that wielded tremendous influence across the entire Continent.
In other words, my position as an executive of the Merchant Guild was nothing compared to a Seat Mage of Langritd Magic Tower.
Even the authority I possessed as the firstborn of Count Whitewolf’s House could not establish superiority.
A level that even true nobility could not treat carelessly.
In other words, there was currently no way to make contact with Iliana.
‘I don’t necessarily need to contact Iliana right now.’
Establishing the foundation of the Allied Forces and strengthening my own power and influence were the immediate priorities.
But it was a connection I would have to forge eventually.
Above all, considering my understanding of Infinity[M], it would be beneficial to establish the connection beforehand.
‘Should I spend more money?’
Fortunately, I had ninety million gold in my inventory.
If I poured vast capital into it, I could persuade Iliana’s Seat Mage, but—.
‘The fund consumption is greater than expected….’
As I was organizing my thoughts like this—.
“No wonder this fellow is turning the magical academic world upside down with every paper and theory published recently, being the prodigy mage that he is! Ugh!”
“…Hm?”
“But this one here! I’ve been racking my brains over how to faithfully carry out your instructions, Adrian!”
“Wait. A prodigy mage—isn’t that the mage who recently accepted the alchemy commission?”
“Exactly! Since that fellow has the ability anyway, if I entrust the alchemy commission to them, wouldn’t that create an opportunity to make contact with the mage Iliana—!”
It happened before Adlern could even finish speaking.
Ding—.
The shop door opened and someone entered.
“Um, I came because of the alchemy commission….”
From the voice, it was a woman.
And from the content of her words, I could immediately tell she was the alchemist from Langritd Magic Tower that Adlern had hired.
My gaze naturally turned toward the direction from which the voice came—.
A robe combining blue and silver tones.
Eyes gleaming with a sapphire-like blue light.
Hair the color of pale sky, as if cradling the heavens themselves.
A delicate bridge of nose and lips somewhat thin.
Features carved with exquisite precision and crystalline clarity, achieving perfect harmony with her unblemished skin.
The moment I confirmed her appearance.
My eyes widened so dramatically I thought they might split.
Because I recognized her.
The name of the woman lingering before the shop’s entrance was—
“Iliana, Commander…?”
Iliana Secretus.
The very person who had just occupied my thoughts—
A hero of the Allied Forces—
The final mage of The Continent, and simultaneously—
“Huh…?”
The Grand Mage of the Allied Forces, regarded as the greatest mage in all of The Continent’s history.

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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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