The Son-In-Law of the Magician Is a Transcendent Sword Master - Chapter 96

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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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Chapter 96

Rosalindr shook her head in disbelief after hearing my request.

“Are you out of your mind?”

That was Rosalindr’s first reaction.

“Shadow Tower is now one of the Seven Great Towers. It’s not in the same position as before. If we carelessly provoke them, it could cause internal strife throughout the entire Great Mage Alliance.”

It was an extremely rational and natural response. No Mage Tower Lord would readily accept a proposal to kidnap mages from another tower without any evidence.

However, I had no intention of backing down either.

“I understand. I’m asking this knowing full well what it means.”

“…”

Rosalindr, who had been staring intently at my serious expression, let out a deep sigh.

“Fine. Reagan, you are… still a benefactor of the Spiral Tower, so I’ll at least ask for your reasons. Do you have some problem with Shadow Tower?”

“Lady Rosalindr. Do you remember the black-haired maid who was with me during the Trion incident two months ago?”

“Yes. She was a covert mage. A high-level 5th Rank at that.”

“That covert mage is currently in danger of becoming Shadow Tower’s next Archmage.”

“…”

Rosalindr looked puzzled after hearing my words.

“I don’t know where to begin objecting. Why would that covert mage who was in Benheim become the next Archmage, and why is becoming an Archmage a crisis?”

“It’s a long story.”

“Tell me. Out of respect for someone who came all this way.”

Rosalindr shot back sharply, and I nodded, explaining Sheril’s real name and identity, as well as my speculation about the succession ritual.

“…That’s how it happened.”

After hearing the entire story, Rosalindr’s complexion subtly hardened. Instead of speaking, she looked around. She was being cautious in case any mages were eavesdropping on the conversation.

“…Do you, seriously… think that’s true?”

After a moment, Rosalindr looked directly into my eyes and asked carefully.

“It’s still just speculation… but I think there’s sufficient possibility.”

“…No, but… even so…”

Rosalindr rubbed her face with a troubled expression.

She seemed to be seriously considering the possibility that my speculation was true.

Eventually, Rosalindr shook her head.

“That doesn’t make sense. Shadow Tower is… one of the Seven Great Towers. They’re legitimate mages like us.”

“If my speculation doesn’t make sense, then Malik Elrayson brainwashing the citizens of Trion makes even less sense.”

“…”

When I brought up the Trion incident, Rosalindr fell silent.

I drove the point home.

“Since there’s precedent, I think we need to investigate further. If my speculation is true… this would be a problem for the entire Empire, beyond just the Great Mage Alliance.”

“…”

Rosalindr let out a contemplative sound.

She seemed to be hesitating.

Since Shadow Tower had just become one of the Seven Great Towers, stirring things up from another Tower Lord’s perspective could potentially become a seed of internal conflict.

So I decided to give Rosalindr a push.

“If my speculation is wrong, I will take full responsibility for it, or rather… the head of Benheim will. So please lend me your hand just this once.”

When Steren’s name came up, Rosalindr brightened.

“…I’ll remember those words.”

Please forgive me just this once, father-in-law.

* * *

The southeastern gorge region of the continent where Shadow Tower was located.

In the small city of Elpis situated nearby, a massive black market frequented mainly by covert mages would open whenever the day of the lunar eclipse approached.

“…”

And Xenon Sierik, an elder of Shadow Tower, was walking through the alleys of the black market with his robe pulled deep over his head.

He had come out to personally procure rare catalysts and materials to be used in the upcoming succession ritual, following the orders of Archmage Arania Sheydi.

‘This should be… roughly enough preparation.’

Though he had slightly exceeded the budget, this much would surely satisfy the Archmage.

Thinking this, Jeonon tightly secured the items in his robes and was about to turn around.

That was the moment.

“…Hmm?”

A sharp and dense fragrance of mana brushed past Jeonon’s nose.

Thanks to his experience accumulated over many years, he could immediately recognize it.

“…Is this a ‘Yaksha Flower’?”

A plant imbued with abyssal poison that was difficult to obtain even in the black market.

It was also a supreme quality material that could significantly enhance the perfection of the succession ritual.

If he could obtain this plant and return with it, the Archmage might praise him and allow him a corner of the ritual.

It was a golden opportunity to escape from this tiresome old body.

What a windfall.

Thinking this, Jeonon instinctively moved toward the black market alley where the fragrance was flowing from.

“Ho…”

In the darkness, an unidentifiable figure wearing a robe was sitting at a stall, and right in front of him, a Yaksha Flower was emitting a faint purple light from within a glass bottle.

‘To think such a supreme item is being sold in this back alley.’

It was worth being suspicious about, but greed came first.

“…Are you selling this? I’ll buy it. I’ll pay whatever price you name.”

At those words, the robed man slowly extended his hand.

When Jeonon momentarily relaxed, thinking the man was asking for money, the man grabbed Jeonon’s wrist.

Simultaneously.

—Crack!

Thick thorn vines burst up from the shadows on the ground and instantly wrapped around Jeonon’s ankles, snatching him.

“Mmph!”

Before Jeonon could even scream, the vines covered his mouth and perfectly bound his limbs.

A flawlessly smooth combination that didn’t allow even a moment to resist. If it surpassed even Jeonon, a 5th Rank mage…

‘This is at least 6th Rank magic…!’

Moreover, binding the limbs meant they knew how to deal with covert mages.

Soon, from the end of the alley, a woman with red wine-colored hair emerged from the deep darkness. Though her face was hidden behind a wooden mask, she was a tall woman who exuded an extraordinary presence.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

The man who had been sitting at the stall spoke to the woman.

Just as he thought that voice sounded strangely familiar, the man removed his robe.

‘…You bastard!’

Jeonon immediately recognized the man’s face.

It was a face he had clearly seen just a few days ago at Benheim Estate.

‘…Reagan von Benheim…!’

Why on earth had Benheim’s son-in-law come all the way to this southeastern black market to attack him?

Contrary to the confused Jeonon’s thoughts, Reagan approached with leisurely steps. He drew a sword that gleamed with a cold light from his waist and placed it against Jeonon’s nape.

“Xenon Sierik, I have a few things I’m curious about.”

“…Mmph.”

“Right. I’ll have to remove the gag if you want to speak. However… if you make a loud noise, you’ll get a breathing hole in your neck.”

His coldly hardened blue-green eyes showed not a trace of hesitation.

He was definitely serious.

When Jeonon silently nodded, Reagan gestured. The masked woman waved her hand and the vines covering Jeonon’s mouth disappeared.

“…Wh-what is this supposed to be? How dare you kidnap an elder from another tower. I will definitely report this matter to the Archmage…”

“Perfect. I was just about to ask questions about that Archmage.”

“Wh-what?”

“To be precise, about Shadow Tower’s succession ritual.”

Jeonon frowned, and Reagan asked with a hardened expression.

“The succession ritual. You’re an elder, so you must know all the inside details.”

“…I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t play dumb.”

Reagan grinned and raised his hand to pat Xenon’s cheek mockingly.

Just as anger was about to surge at that rude behavior, Reagan spoke.

“The succession ritual has some other ulterior motive, doesn’t it?”

“…”

Xenon was momentarily flustered. How had this brat from Benheim figured out the Shadow Tower’s secret?

“The ritual has been conducted several times so far, but Arania Sheydi still sits as the Shadow Tower Lord. That means the succession ritual has some other ulterior motive. Tell me everything you know about its true nature.”

Sharp instincts.

No wonder Benheim had taken a commoner as their son-in-law.

But his confusion was brief.

Xenon let out a sneer.

“Even if I knew, do you think I’d tell you? I’m a covert mage.”

Covert mages were those who had mastered not only assassination and infiltration, but also enduring torture and interrogation.

They weren’t so naive as to spill secrets just because some green kid pointed a blade at them.

“Really? That’s too bad then.”

Reagan turned his head and gestured to the masked woman. She silently pulled out a vial containing green liquid from her robes.

—Click.

Without hesitation, Reagan gripped Xenon’s jaw with crushing force and forcibly poured the liquid down his throat.

“Gugh, cough!”

Xenon struggled not to swallow, but Reagan mercilessly struck his throat, causing him to gasp and swallow all the liquid that had entered his mouth.

“Co-cough! What… is this!”

“What do you think? It’s poison.”

“…Po-poison?”

“That’s right. You have three minutes. Then you die.”

Xenon’s face turned pale.

No, that couldn’t be. Someone who came to interrogate wouldn’t just give poison before getting any information, would they?

This was clearly a bluff.

Thinking this, Xenon glared at Reagan’s face.

“…”

However, there wasn’t the slightest waver in the gray-haired young man’s eyes.

He was serious. And cold as a sharpened blade.

Xenon had seen countless types of people during his time as an elder of the Shadow Tower.

But he had never once seen someone lie with eyes like Reagan von Benheim’s.

In other words, Reagan was undoubtedly speaking only the truth.

“Gugh… huk…”

Sure enough.

Exactly one minute later.

Xenon’s heart began beating erratically.

His breathing became labored along with a burning sensation as if his lungs were on fire. He tried to circulate mana through his body to stop the poison from spreading, but that too was futile.

‘What? Is this real?’

The pain was so convincing he had no choice but to believe it.

His vision gradually flashed red.

At this rate, he would die.

That couldn’t happen.

“Don’t you want the antidote? Well, I suppose dying at your age would be considered a good death.”

Reagan said dryly.

At that indifferent remark…

“I-I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!”

Xenon Sierik surrendered.

“The forbidden art of body theft!”

“…”

“The Tower Lord has… every ten years transferred her soul into the body of a young daughter with exceptional talent! That is… the true nature of the succession ritual!”

He had told everything.

Xenon looked at Reagan while panting. It was a silent plea for the antidote.

However, Reagan said this without changing his expression at all.

“Sorry, but there’s no antidote. Where in the world would you find such a convenient poison?”

* * *

Thud.

“Ugh.”

Lashelle Sheydi, who had been thrown down, came to her senses thanks to the cold, damp sensation of the prison stone floor against her cheek.

She tried to push herself up from the floor, but terrible pain struck her fingertips.

“Argh.”

All ten fingernails on both hands had been pulled out. She couldn’t even put strength into her fingertips.

In the end, Lashelle couldn’t maintain her balance and collapsed, hitting her nose on the floor. Blood trickled down, staining the stone floor.

“…Oh my, sister. You look terrible.”

“Vera, look closely. That’s the fate of someone who betrayed mother.”

When she turned her head, she saw two women looking down at her from beyond the iron bars.

Vera and Sierra.

Her stepsisters who had dragged her from Benheim.

“That place will be your home until the day of the ritual. Or should I say tomb?”

“Oh Sierra, that’s rude to say. Sister isn’t going to die, she’s going to become mother’s new vessel.”

The two women covered their mouths and giggled.

“…”

Lashelle wiped the blood flowing down her philtrum and bit her lip.

Lashelle knew that fact well enough.

Being designated as the next Tower Lord meant being offered as mother’s new body.

A soul that lost its body and had nowhere to go would wander the nine heavens before fading away meaninglessly.

The reason she had fled the tower ten years ago and lived hidden as a servant in Benheim was all to avoid that terrible fate of becoming a ‘vessel.’

The reason she returned to this hell despite knowing that fact…

“Where is sister?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“…I asked where sister Elisia is.”

Elisia.

Her benefactor and most precious sister who had risked her life to help Lashelle escape from the tower.

Elisia, whom she thought had died helping her escape, was alive.

At those words, Lashelle had abandoned her peaceful life in Benheim and returned here.

At the very least, if she became the vessel for the ritual… Elisia could preserve her life.

“Ah, you mean sister Elisia?”

At Lashelle’s words, Vera giggled and pointed to the back of the prison.

“She’s right behind you.”

“What?”

“What a touching reunion, sister.”

Lashelle’s heart sank. She hurriedly turned her trembling body to examine the inside of the prison.

Thanks to her eyes adjusting to the darkness, she could see the figure of a woman sitting huddled in a corner of the prison.

However…

“Eli… sia… sister?”

Lashelle called out to Elisia with a trembling voice.

But no answer came back.

It was only natural.

Empty eyes without focus. Saliva was dripping from her half-open mouth.

There was no trace of the intelligent and beautiful Elisia she had seen ten years ago.

What was before Lashelle’s eyes now… was not so much a living person as just a lump of flesh that was merely breathing.

There was no doubt. Through forbidden arts… her soul and body had been separated.

“Yes. This is Sister Elisia.”

Vera said with a smile, and Sierra added.

“Well, she’s just an empty shell though.”

“…”

“No, that’s not right. She’s an unqualified vessel that can’t even be used as a shell, I suppose?”

Ah.

Lashelle’s vision went dark.

She couldn’t breathe.

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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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