C93
"Good judgment. Ignoring 9 out of 10 just because you got 1 is a foolish act. You should never stop thinking in any situation. Everything in the world is determined by the amount of thought. The same goes for battle."
"Don't be mistaken. I will never forgive you."
“Kaka! If you have the guts, there is nothing better. Shall I guess? You're the type who grows in actual combat. A school that teaches only the conventional things doesn't suit you. What do you say? Won't you come with me? Then I'll make you the best mage."
"Don't talk nonsense. The teachers here are much more respectable than a murderer like you."
"Then tell me, what have you learned here? Photon Cannon? Red Wave? If not that, do they even give advice on the Immortal Function?"
Shirone's eyes widened slightly.
"How did you know...?"
Arcane burst into laughter. It seemed he enjoyed being a teacher for this reason. Gathering children who didn't know the ways of the world and talking nonsense to their hearts' content.
"Truly rare. Rare indeed. Is the Immortal Function an ordinary realm? However, my child, there are many terrifying monsters living in places you don't know. If you get along with them there..."
Arcane smiled, squinting one eye.
"Unlockers aren't that rare either."
Shirone swallowed dry saliva. How many battlefield do he have to cross to be able to say that an Unlocker is not rare? The accumulated experience itself was a different character regardless of skill.
"I've met 7 in 100 years. Four were decent and three were killed. The Unlocker's hallmark is its uniqueness. The possibility of distortion is infinite. But untempered uniqueness tends to die in front of greater stability."
It was an annoying but irrefutable statement. Individuality could be a variable that ignores objective power, but on the other hand, it was a double-edged sword that sometimes loses its strength in front of a regular method.
"There's nothing for you to learn at a school that teaches only the same things, ignoring individuality. You need to sharpen your unique talents. If it were me, I could do that.”
"I don't learn magic to take someone down. Don't label me as the same person as you."
Arcane read the conflict in Shirone's eyes. No wonder. Without an obsession for magic and a similar ambition,he wouldn't have reached the position he is now.
"You might think everyone likes you now. But people are inherently friendly to great individuals. It's not because they particularly like you as a person. Do you think you can interact with such hypocritical people forever?"
Everyone frowned at Arcane's words.
But Shirone just listened in silence.
"Get stronger. So they can't ignore you forever. If not, they will trample on you. Can you avoid fighting with a nice excuse when such a situation comes?"
Arcane spread three fingers.
"3 years. I'll make you skilled enough that no one on the continent can ignore you within that time. Do you think 3 years is short? I don't. If we maximize your individuality, it's not impossible at all."
At least for Shirone, it was not nonsense. As an Unlocker, there was almost no benefit for him to give up the guidance of an archmage and stay at school. At best, it would make it easier for him to get a job in the mage society?
“You are right.”
Iruki and Nade's faces darkened.
"Shirone...."
If it was true, there was no need to deny it. Unlockers had a unique position in the mage society, and there were limits to improving their skills through the standardized education of magic schools.
"Maybe you're right. But even so, I won't follow you. School is not a place for me to fight, but where my life is contained. Teachers, friends, a sense of belonging. I don't think you can give me any of that."
Arcane frowned. He couldn't help but admire the brainwashing ability that Alpheas had used on the students, whatever tricks he had employed.
"You're being deceived now. Once you live your life, such things are not important. If you weren't strong, you would have been just mediocre kid at school. Proving your strength is everything in life."
"If that's really everything, then why are you doing this?"
"What?"
"What's left for you, now that you've fought your way to becoming an archmage? Everyone hates you. In fact, aren't you lonely too? You can't prove yourself any other way since nobody cares about you."
Arcane gritted his teeth with a reddened face.
"You're talking nonsense. It's the law of the strong to be lonely. The weak gather because they are weak. Look at the situation now. Everyone is kneeling at my feet. I rule over them. This is loneliness."
"No. You're just a murderer that no one cares about."
The word murderer sparked madness in Arcane's eyes.
"Hahaha! That might be true. But did you know? I once had a comrade too. But he led everyone around him to ruin. That's Alpheas, whom you admire."
Shirone didn't believe it. He had heard from Ethella that the two had a grudge. The Alpheas he knew was never the one to lead others to ruin.
"I don't know what happened in the past, but I won't listen to you. Because you're a murderer. And because you're still committing murder."
"A murderer, huh? Even if I told you… that Alpheas is a murderer just like me?"
Shirone's eyes widened. This time, he couldn't help but be shocked.
"That's a lie. What do you know about Principal Alpheas?”
“Kakaka! Of course, I know. That little brat was my disciple."
"What... did you say?"
Shirone was at a loss for words. Since childhood, Alpheas has been a pioneer of light magic. How could someone who practices dark magic be his master?
Arcane seemed to feel the irony himself, as he looked up at the sky with a distant look in his eyes. The events of that day were still as vivid as yesterday. He stopped thinking and looked back at Ethella.
"No. He has been dedicating himself to education, living alone all his life."
"I see."
A moment of sadness passed in Arcane's eyes. Although he had hated Alpheas for 40 years, if there was one thing left to sympathize with, it was Erina's case.
"I don't know if you're aware, but Alpheas was once married."
Ethella tilted her head. As far as she knew, Alpheas was unmarried. Even if he had been married and separated, it should have been recorded as a union of families.
"But Principal Alpheus is single, even on paper."
"It seems he didn't get acknowledged, after all. But Alpheas did get married. They lived together for three years. She was a woman named Erina. She was a great woman. She shone brighter and was more beautiful than anyone else."
"What happened between the two of you? Is it something that has kept hatred alive even after 50 years?"
"At that time, Alpheas was one of the promising rising stars who had been recognized for his Light-quantum (Photon) theory. He was awarded the Gold Circle by the Emperor. Can you imagine how much of honor he receive? He had a confirmed position in the Magic Department of Thunder Dragon, and he had set up a household with a woman from the Bastard Family. He had nothing to envy in the world. But he had his concerns."
Arcane tapped his head and said.
"His wife, Erina, was a little slow-witted. She had the intelligence of a 10-year-old."
“I see.”
"But Alpheas didn't care. He truly loved his wife. His love was never out of pity or pretense."
Arcane's memories went back in time. The time was 40 years ago. It was a time when Arcane ruled the world and Alpheas, who just entered the world of magic, was called a supernova.
"The Gold Circle Award of this year! Mirhi Alpheas!"
Fanfare echoed in the Grand Hall. As Alpheas shed tears of joy under the colorful confetti pouring from the ceiling, he won the Gold Circle Award. The Gold Circle Award given to the mage with the best achievement in a year. Once he was awarded, not only could he enter the Thunder Dragon, but he could also receive support from numerous noble families.
"Congratulations, Alpheas. I knew you would win, of course."
"I hope we get along in the future. You won't forget your old classmates just because you've become successful, right?"
Numerous mages gathered around Alpheas. His stock was bound to rise endlessly, so they tried to leave their mark on him beforehand.
H However, there were clearly some displeased gazes. In particular, the face of Saroph, who had been fighting for the award until the end, was crumpled as if he had chewed shit.
"Hmph. He caught a slow-witted one and climbed the social ladder. How could I beat the combination of Mirhi and Bastard?"
"That's true. Friends can be a medicine. But what can we do? The result is this. We should be careful with what we say to Alpheas in the future."
Saroph knew it, too. In any case, it was better to be close to Alpheas as long as they couldn't leave the world of mages.
"What should we do, Saroph? Meeting separately would only make things worse. Why don't we secretly join now and ask for reconciliation?"
"No, I'm not in the mood for that. I'm fine, but you should go."
"I feel the same way. Let's just do it later. It's better to have two people than one. Shall we go for a drink?"
"Right, I don't want to stay here any longer."
Saroph took his friends and left the castle. Although he was also a close finalist for the prestigious Gold Circle Award, nobody paid attention to the loser.
Klump burst into a big laugh and dragged Alpheas out of the crowd. Alpheas seemed to want to catch his breath, but Klump's arm wrapped around his face, shaking him violently.
“Uhahahaha! this bastard! You did it! My friend won the Gold Circle! I can't believe it!"
"Ouch! It hurts!"
Alpheas screamed, but Klump's celebration didn't stop.
"I wanted to smack you when you were acting devilishly smart, but it turns out you're a genius, huh? You did it!"
Alpheas felt dizzy and was about to die, but didn't want to escape. It's the Gold Circle. When else would he get to experience such thrilling pain?
"Now! It's a good day, so let's drink until our noses are crooked. The bar is reserved, so you can leave your brain and go with your stomach.”
Alpheas finally got out of the head lock and said with an apologetic smile.
"Ah, I don't think I can go right away. I'll go somewhere for a while."
"What? How can we toast without the main character?"
"I want to go home. I want to give my medal to my wife."
Even Klump couldn't stop him. Alpheas had married Erina a year ago, but due to the opposition of both families, they didn't receive any support and lived in a small newlywed house in the civilian district.
It started with the Mirhi family. There was no way they could agree to their son, whom they had sent to study abroad, marrying a foolish woman.
Then the Bastard Family responded without losing. Even among the same first-class nobles, there was a clear difference between provincial and capital families, so they wouldn't compromise even if their daughter was a bit slow.
In the end, Alpheas and Erina had no choice but to have an informal wedding ceremony at a gathering of only their friends.
"I see. There is your wife. Why don't you bring her along?"
"It's okay. What wife would love to see her husband play with a drunkard? I'll just go for a moment."
"You do have tact. Then hurry back."
"I'll be back soon. Go to the bar first!"
Alpheas ran out of the hall as if escaping. He was exhausted from working day and night on his research, but today, he didn't feel out of breath.
'I did it! I made it!'
He had won the most prestigious award in the kingdom. With such an achievement, the Mirhi Family would have no choice but to accept him again, and holding a formal wedding ceremony with Erina wouldn't be a dream.
"Honey, I'm back."
Erina knew it was the day the winner would be announced. In any other household, there would be a surprise party prepared, but she came out of the kitchen just as she had yesterday.
"Are you back? Have you eaten?"
---
Tags:
Infinite Mage (Novel)
