C95
Arcane knew that someone broke into his dungeon last night. But he didn't care. It was because there were many people who entered the Archmage's dungeon aiming for riches. By now, the intruder would have been turned into a corpse from a monster or trap.
Arcane shook off his thoughts for a while and focused on his research again. Lately, he had been delving into the effects of dark magic on memory. His hands, which were frantically writing down the thesis, suddenly stopped. He took off his glasses and looked toward the door. Mechanical devices were being rapidly disarmed. This intruder was not ordinary.
"Did I catch a big fish for the first time in a while?"
Dungeon raiders were good entertainment for Arcane, who would lock himself away in his dungeon for years. Moreover, today's intruder seemed to be quite a promising human.
As the iron door opened with a thud, Arcane looked at his watch. Exactly 32 hours 28 minutes 5 seconds. hat was the time it took for the intruder to disarm the devices and reach this point.
“The Archmage…. Are you Viltor Arcane?”
The man was covered in blood. He had a decent appearance, and his eyes shone like a barrel of guns.
"You don't seem like someone after money or power. Who are you?"
"My name is Mirhi Alpheas. I had no other way to meet you, so I had to come to you directly."
“Hoo?”
Arcane's eyebrows went up. It doesn't make sense to turn a blind eye to the outside situation just because he’s stuck in a dungeon. He had already come across Alpheas' Photon Theory through a secret route.
"A Light Mage seeking a Dark Mage. A truly unusual event. Sit down, and I'll heal you."
Arcane activated the life support device. Alpheas, who entered the hemispherical device filled with green liquid, fell into a deep sleep as soon as he was submerged.
3 hours after that.
“Puha! Haak!”
Alpheas raised his upper body above the water. He had nearly suffocated. But how could he fall asleep? As he turned his head with his doubts, Arcane was sitting at his desk writing his thesis. He had a scholarly demeanor that made it hard to believe he was the Archmage who had thrown the continent into chaos.
"Thank you for the treatment. It's a good device. I'm curious about the principle behind it."
"No need to beat around the bush. That doesn't change the fact that you're an uninvited guest. Tell me why you came to see me."
A person driven by curiosity and interest would not need to waste time.
Alpheas went straight to the point.
"I want to learn dark magic. Please accept me as your disciple."
“Hoo?”
It was a fascinating statement, even for Arcane, that the hottest issue, Alpheas, wanted to become his disciple.
"Is there a particular reason?"
"I have a wife. But she has low intellectual abilities. I heard rumors that you were researching how to store memories using dark magic, and I want to give my memories to her."
Arcane's eyes flashed. There was no need for lengthy words since they both had a good understanding of each other's fields of study.
"I've done quite a bit of research on memory manipulation. But what you're asking for is on another level. There are issues with personality, and most importantly, it is a work that requires the entire life of one person to be moved.”
"I think it's possible. Combining the absorptive power of dark magic and the information transmission ability of photons, might it not be possible to implement virtual intelligence?"
"Hmm, build a neural network with photon magic and endow it with memories?"
It was definitely a novel idea. Until now, photon magic had limited effectiveness enough to be called time magic, but with the discovery of Photon Theory, Arcane predicted that it would stand out in the field of information. (He means the Light Quantum Theory, which stated that light consists of minute particles that have properties of waves that are associated with them. Light and Photon aren’t interchangeable terms since it is a different term already but that is outside of my editing capability so forgive me for this.)
"One question before reviewing the theory. Did your wife allow the experiment?"
"I don't know yet. But she will definitely agree."
“I wonder if there is a story behind it.”
Alpheas revealed the circumstances that led him here. Upon hearing the story, Arcane understood his feelings. Moreover, the proposal was undeniably brilliant. Over the course of a day, the two reviewed the possibilities. Upon agreeing on the theoretical foundation, Arcane also agreed that it wasn't a vain delusion.
"Alright. If you're really prepared to risk your life, I'll accept you as my disciple. But convincing your family won't be easy."
Although he would become a disciple of an Archmage, Alpheas was also a son of a prestigious family. He thought that the possibility of leaving the future of a job in the Dragon Thunder Magic Department and entering the gloomy laboratory was slim.
However, Alpheas did not have other routes in mind. If Erina was unhappy, he was unhappy too. He wished only for Erina's happiness.
"Thank you. I will bring my family here soon."
After returning home, Alpheas consulted with Erina. Since it was a matter that involved their lives, Klump was also seated. Alpheus emphasized the point that Erina's intellectual future could be treated. But as soon as the words ended, Klump opposed.
"Alpheas, what are you talking about? Why would you go to such a person? He's a criminal!"
"Such things don't matter to mages. What's really important is that he understands dark magic better than anyone else on the continent. He's also knowledgeable about human memory and brain structure. It won't be a loss."
"No, it is a loss. You're being enchanted by something. Planting memories in a human brain? There's no way that could be possible!”
"Klump, the reason you think that way is…"
"Yeah! I'm stupid! I'm not as smart or as much of a genius as you! But I know one thing. You're throwing away the fortune you've stumbled upon. If you associate with such a person, your entry to Dragon Thunder will be canceled. What about your family? They'll really abandon you!"
There was no way Alpheas was unaware of that fact. But it was a conclusion he had reached after countless thoughts.
"It doesn't matter. Such things can't determine my life. I don't need Dragon Thunder or my family. If Erina can be happy, I can be much happier than I am now."
Erina was troubled. However, the decision had already been made with Alpheas's last words. If her husband was happy, Erina could be happy too.
"Honey, let's do it."
“Ms. Wife! This is a matter that needs consideration."
"I'll do it. Because I trust my husband. Alpheas will make me happy."
"Of course! Who am I? A mage who received the Gold Circle. And my master is Archmages. If we join hands, we can easily fix your weaknesses."
Klump came every day to persuade Alpheas, but he couldn't break the couple's stubbornness. In the end, Alpheas arranged all his assets and entered Arcane's dungeon with Erina.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Viltor Arcane."
"Hello. My husband owes you a lot."
Erina greeted him politely. From now on, he would be her husband's teacher, so she couldn't be careless in her behavior.
But Arcane reassured her as if he didn't mind.
"Don't worry too much. I've been immersed in this field for decades. You've made a big decision. If successful, we can cure many patients with mental disorders. Your husband will gain a reputation incomparable to what he had in the Gold Circle."
To become a disciple of an Archmage. Besides, if the reward for his success was to get back everything her husband had given up, Erina thought it was worth a try.
For the next two years, Alpheas resided in the dungeon and conducted research on transferring memories to his wife. Arcane was an expert in conducting experiments, running a private dungeon. With his rational care, Erina was able to spend time in the dungeon without any significant discomfort.
“Hey, Ms. Wife. How are you?”
Once a week, Klump brought food to them. Even if the two of them were busy experimenting, wouldn't it be possible to make Erina eat the bitter food?
"It's okay. The experiment is almost over. Then my husband can go back into the world."
Klump let out a hearty laugh. It must have been hard for her to do this and that for two years, but she endured it very well. So he was also bitter at the same time. What if her intelligence was a little lower? Her heart for sacrificing for her husband was never low.
Upon hearing that Klump had arrived, Alpheas went to the room. As Erina said, he looked increasingly haggard whenever he visited.
"Did you come? Thanks, every time."
"How's the experiment? Is there any progress?"
"It's almost complete. We've successfully completed the clinical trials. Next month, Erina will be free from the annoying glances of others."
"Next month? That soon?"
"What are you talking about? It's been two years. I stayed up every night with Master to research. Anyway, you have to come that day. Bring plenty of alcohol instead of food."
A month was a long time for everyone.
Eventually, however, time passed and the long-awaited moment of execution arrived.
Erina lay down on the bed and waited. Since Arcane and Alpheas were busy checking the equipment, Klump talked to her so she wouldn't be nervous.
“Ms. Wife, how are you feeling? After today, Ms. Wife will have the memories of Alpheas. Even the memory of wetting the bed as a child. Be sure to remember if he ever had a wandering eye for another woman. Hahaha!"
Erina burst into laughter at Klump's joke. It was impossible not to be nervous, but the atmosphere was good. It was one of those days when everything seemed to go well, and the experimental equipment was judged to be problem-free.
“Then let’s begin, Erina.”
Alpheas lay down next to Erina and stroked her hair. He could give her his memories because she was the person he loved the most in the world. Neither his embarrassing nor his shameful memories mattered to him if it was her.
“Honey, thank you."
"What are you talking about? I should be grateful. You've endured so much. Let's live happily together. And have children."
Alpheas was worried that his smile was awkward. To be honest, he was on the verge of losing his mind due to the tension. Arcane approached and attached the device to both their heads. The experiment was a culmination of all fields, including magical engineering, magical biology, alchemy, photon dynamics, and human biology.
“I will begin. Relax. It will be over soon.”
As Arcane prepared to activate the device, Klump walked to the corner and rubbed his hands nervously. The mechanical device came down with a clanking sound. Dozens of intricate mechanisms whirred, and crystals emitted light, creating a dazzling scene.
Alpheas accepted the invading dark magic in his head without resistance.
The core principle was simple. Absorb Alpheus's memories through dark magic. Then transmit them as photon output and overwrite them onto Erina's memories.
“Keuh!”
Erina's eyes widened. A massive amount of information poured in, causing sparks to fly from her eyes. From Alpheas's first memory of his life to the conversation they just had, all the moments that made up him were being transmitted at the speed of light.
Erina smiled faintly. She felt truly united with Alpheas.
The excitement and worries of when they first met, the anticipation of marriage, the happiness of newlywed life. The heart that loved her without prejudice was conveyed to her in its entirety.
'Honey, thank you. And I love you.'
Erina closed her eyes. She had no regrets. She had received an overwhelming amount of love since she was born into the world.
Meeting Alpheas... was a blessing.
The light disappeared, and the experiment ended. Arcane checked the instrument panel. Information transfer rate: 100 percent. All memories were perfectly transmitted.
"Honey! Honey!"
Alpheas turned to Erina. She was pale and sweating cold sweat.
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Tags:
Infinite Mage (Novel)
