Chapter 654: Fatigue (5)
The Age of Magic and Industry.
This phrase was a hallmark of the present era, a golden age for humanity. Every field—technology, production, economy, and military—had reached its peak.
Perhaps no one could deny that neither the future nor the past could ever rival it.
However, a true sage would argue that the real beneficiaries of this age were not humanity but the magicians.
This wasn’t a baseless claim.
Even from the phrase “the Age of Magic and Industry,” one could glean the truth. Magic had become indispensable in vital fields such as the economy and military.
Thus, it could be said that the magicians, those who mastered the discipline of magic, were the true protagonists of the current era. Every day, countless protagonists emerged, establishing prestigious families with themselves as the founding ancestor.
Part of this was due to the favorable flow of the times, but there was also the lax social perception that as long as one accumulated wealth and produced a remarkable individual to elevate the family’s reputation, they would be regarded as an established noble family.
In fact, to become a truly renowned noble family, there was one more requirement.
That was none other than history and tradition.
Though it was a materialistic era where people claimed there was nothing money couldn’t buy, even such an age couldn’t purchase history and tradition.
This wasn’t merely a matter of cost; it was a matter of domain.
Since history and tradition belonged to the realm of time, they could not be infringed upon by wealth, which belonged to the realm of material.
However, curiously enough, the reverse was possible.
Through time-bound history and tradition, one could amass material wealth.
The Ice-eye Family, to which Yareli belonged, was a prime example.
With a legacy that spanned an ancient history, achievements that produced an archive, and a magical eye capable of freezing anything at a glance, the Ice-eye Family was an undeniable noble house...
Once, they had to flee their homeland due to the magical eye they possessed, enduring a long period of wandering, but thanks to the family’s history, they eventually settled in Landa...
Not just as an ornament to raise the early prestige of the Tower of Magic, which was initially an alliance of various schools...
But even so, the Ice-eye Family wasn’t defined by history and tradition alone.
If that were the case, they would have faded into the background as mere decoration, yet they not only survived but became an essential component of the Tower of Magic.
This strength stemmed from the family’s magical talent, their magical eye, and their ability to perceive the tides of the times and navigate adversity, a skill honed over years of hardship.
Thanks to this insight and adeptness, they seized opportunities and avoided crises.
The fact that Tilda Ice-eye hadn’t aligned with Theodor was one example.
And the reason Yareli now followed Zenon to the center of the continent wasn’t much different.
It was to witness the tides of the times up close.
As a disciple—or experiment, as some called him—of the Archive, a hero of Landa, and someone attempting to establish a school single-handedly, Zenon was practically synonymous with the tide of the Tower of Magic itself.
Thus, Tilda, Yareli’s grandmother, and head of the Ice-eye Family, as well as the Archmaster of the Skadi Sub-School, placed her granddaughter with Zenon under the guise of an attendant...
In case an opportunity arose, or to distance her from an unforeseen crisis.
Although the results were different from Tilda’s expectations, Yareli was able to witness incredible things as her grandmother had intended.
One of the most striking examples was the presence of the Eves right before her eyes.
Currently affiliated with the Moirai School, Eve was having a casual conversation with Zenon through a communication device attached to her clothing, while another Eve, Pandora, was also assisting him.
At first, she thought they were human, but once she realized they were corpse puppets, she knew they were Eves.
Yet, what was more surprising than the existence of these new Eves was the fact that Pandora called Zenon “Father.”
This suggested that Zenon might have created Pandora, or perhaps even the Eves within the Moirai School.
Despite the gravity of this revelation, no one commented on it, possibly due to the presence of the Pied Piper, a two-legged calamity...
It was an incredible revelation—significant enough to occupy a few pages in the annals of magic history.
But strangely, although Yareli was indeed surprised, she didn’t feel overwhelmingly shocked.
It was almost as if she could believe that Zenon was capable of such things.
After all, he had been at the center of numerous monumental events, and he was the one who had stabilized her magical eye with just a touch on her forehead.
So, even the idea that he had created the Eves felt oddly convincing.
Perhaps because of this, Yareli found herself more concerned with her own thoughts than with information about Zenon.
Her grandmother, Tilda, had repeatedly instructed her to observe Zenon thoroughly and report frequently, yet here Yareli was, withholding any reports...
A granddaughter who, from childhood, had worked hard to be obedient.
On the contrary, Yareli was secretly gathering news from Landa without her grandmother’s knowledge.
She had noticed something strange about her grandmother’s state when they last exchanged messages.
Outwardly, Tilda had her usual calm and cool demeanor, yet Yareli sensed subtle changes beneath the surface...
A slight sense of urgency and desire. Changes so minor that only a family member could perceive them.
Rather than questioning her grandmother about this, Yareli used the communication network she had set up to collect information from Landa. During this process, she uncovered one particular piece of information...
That the City of Landa and the upper levels of the Tower of Magic were jointly closing off certain areas for a covert investigation. Yareli brought up this information just as Zenon was about to leave with the Eves.
She herself wasn’t entirely sure why she mentioned it.
Perhaps it was because of the existence of the Pied Piper, the memory of witnessing Derek’s death, her conversation with the Holy Knight Joanna, or maybe her own personal feelings.
Whatever the reason, despite the tense atmosphere making it difficult to speak, Yareli shared the information in an attempt to stop Oliver.
"Please, wait a moment. There’s something I need to tell you."
"...What is it?"
"It’s news from Landa. The city and the upper echelons of the Tower have closed off certain areas… The closed zones are those that suffered the most during the Pied Piper’s invasion."
Oliver’s eyes flickered with interest.
"So wouldn’t it be wise to return to Landa? With both the city and the Tower moving together, it’s likely something significant. The Redevelopment Coalition has also found these closed zones but remains silent on the matter."
Oliver’s interest was piqued. This was indeed unusual news.
The mere fact that the city and the Tower were cooperating so swiftly indicated the gravity of the situation.
Moreover, the closed zones were among the areas hardest hit by the Pied Piper’s onslaught.
Given the seriousness of the situation, returning to Landa on his own could be easily justifiable.
However, once Oliver had set his direction, he showed interest but did not reverse his decision.
"The Tower has many capable people, so there’s no need to worry. Above all, the Elder is there as well."
The "Elder" referred to Archive Merlin.
With him present, there likely wouldn’t be any problems. Archive Merlin was, after all, the greatest wizard of the current era. If an issue arose that even he couldn’t solve, it would probably be a disaster no matter who was there.
Still, curious, Oliver turned to Kevin and asked.
"Professor, are you aware of this?"
"No, I’ve been too occupied monitoring the situation here. Because—"
—Knock, knock.
Before Kevin could finish, a knock sounded at the door.
Standing outside were Holy Knights, and as Oliver opened the door, two knights in the front with another dozen or so behind them appeared, accompanied by a nun.
The leading Holy Knight addressed them.
"Zenon Bright. His Highness Roderick and the King of the Aizen Kingdom have summoned you. Please come with us."
"...So the King of the Aizen Kingdom is here."
Kevin added a remark to Oliver.
Only then did Oliver realize who had taken Kevin’s quarters—none other than the King of Aizen.
It seemed he had come personally to lead a force against the black magicians in the area.
Though military strategy wasn’t Oliver’s specialty, he thought it would be an imposing scene to lead a force of knights personally, especially alongside the Holy Knights, to purge the black magicians.
It wasn’t particularly complex; the fundamental mechanisms were similar to those of dealing with criminal syndicates in the underworld.
The complication arose because the Pied Piper appeared at that precise time.
It was likely that the nighttime curfew had been imposed not only to prevent chaos within the city but also to avoid gatherings of people voicing grievances against the King.
Dissatisfaction kept within the individual was merely a grievance, but once shared among many, it could escalate into catastrophe.
This, too, was not unlike the business sense of the underworld.
As if to affirm this, Oliver inquired, and the Holy Knight replied.
"Sir Knight, may I ask why His Highness Roderick and His Majesty are seeking me?"
"They wish to question you regarding the Pied Piper. Now, come along quickly. His Majesty and the High Archpriest of the Pater Church await you."
"I must decline."
Oliver, who was generally considerate and even cautious to the point of timidity, refused outright.
The Holy Knights were taken aback by his response, and so were Rosburn and Yareli.
Pandora and Kevin, however, weren’t surprised.
It was simply a matter of understanding Oliver’s personality on a deeper level.
Oliver’s usual consideration and generosity only extended to things he didn’t particularly value.
Money, military achievements, honor—things that most people would fight for with their lives—were among them.
As such, though he often seemed frustratingly accommodating, that was not the case in reality.
For Oliver, those things were simply not important enough to hold onto.
Money was merely a convenient tool, achievements could always be gained later, and honor was hardly a priority for him.
On the other hand, if there was something he desired, his attitude changed completely.
No matter what it was, who stood in his way, or the circumstances, these became irrelevant to him.
Demonstrating this resolve, Oliver unilaterally announced his intent to the Holy Knights.
"I have urgent business to attend to. I ask for your understanding."
At the same time, he attempted to pass through the Holy Knights gathered around him.
Naturally, the Holy Knight who had been ordered by the High Archpriest couldn’t simply let Oliver go.
One of the knights reached out to place a restraining hand on Oliver’s shoulder.
"Hmm?!"
But rather than stopping him, the knight found himself being pulled off balance, unable to hold his ground...
And Oliver wasn’t even using black magic, merely his own strength.
The startled Holy Knight readjusted his stance and tried to strengthen his grip, but Oliver easily brushed him aside with his quarterstaff.
"Stop right there!"
The knights waiting behind quickly moved to surround Oliver, shouting to halt him.
They seemed to have anticipated that Oliver might not comply readily, and when he paused, a particularly stern-looking knight shouted at him.
"Have you forgotten that you are here under the command of His Highness Roderick?!"
"I’m sorry, but I am not here at the command of His Highness, Sir Knight. I came to assist him, not to receive his orders. There is a clear difference between the two."
"What?!"
"More importantly, I am here to help the black magic refugees, not to deal with the matter of the Pied Piper."
"So you’re running aw—"
Just as one of the indignant knights was about to shout, an older Holy Knight intervened to calm him down.
This knight, distinguished by his well-groomed hair and fine mustache, looked somewhat familiar. It was Galahad.
He was the Holy Knight who had come to Landa with Archpriest Roderick after trying to root out the “Chosen Ones” with Mari in Wineham.
When Oliver had attempted to impersonate a druid in Wineham, Galahad had immediately seen through him and had remembered him ever since.
Recognizing Oliver now, he finally spoke, introducing himself in formal greeting.
"I am Holy Knight Galahad."
"I am Zenon Bright."
"I will first acknowledge that your words are correct."
Several of the knights, particularly the younger ones, looked surprised at this unexpected statement.
It was unusual for a Holy Knight to address a black magician with such respect.
Though Oliver was indeed an unusual black magician, he was still a black magician.
"You simply accepted His Highness Roderick’s proposal. You have no obligation to obey his every command."
The knights all held their breath, watching Galahad.
"However, as you may know, the current situation is quite special. Your insight into the Pied Piper is of particular importance."
"Doesn’t the Pater Church and the Aizen Kingdom have more information on the Pied Piper than I do? Is it truly information you’re seeking by calling me here?"
Oliver saw right through their intentions.
The summons wasn’t solely about gathering information. Rather, it was more likely an attempt to involve him in a confrontation with the Pied Piper.
Perhaps that was why they had called him to the central continent in the first place.
After all, he was widely known for having saved Landa from the Pied Piper.
"I think I know what rumors you may have heard, but unfortunately, they are distorted accounts."
"Are you saying you never faced the Pied Piper?"
"I did face him, but I did not defeat him. I was merely lucky enough that he withdrew on his own."
Hearing that the Pied Piper had left on his own, Galahad’s eyebrow twitched. The other knights and the nun were also visibly shaken.
"I was no match for the Pied Piper. In fact, I’m not yet courageous enough to face him again."
This was his honest feeling. The Pied Piper, beyond his raw power, was an uncomfortable presence to Oliver.
While he sensed a certain kinship with him, that similarity only made it harder to meet him again.
"So, when you say ‘not yet,’ does that mean you intend to face him later? Is your urgent business related to that?"
"It’s somewhat related. I need to find someone first, however."
"Someone?"
"Yes, a certain acquaintance who may be in trouble."
Oliver recalled what the Burnt One had said.
If what he said was true, then Amelin, the director of Arkh Orphanage, wasn’t yet dead. The Burnt One had said that the angriest one would leave her neither alive nor dead.
Galahad looked astonished, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
"So, you mean to say that, due to a friend in distress, you’re refusing the summons of the High Archpriest and the King?"
"Yes."
"You’re serious?"
"Yes, is there a problem?"
"The High Archpriest and the King, no less."
"Aren’t they all the same in the end? Simply children of our Heavenly Father."
Oliver voiced what he had long felt and confirmed through scripture.
Though society was filled with priests, politicians, businessmen, magicians, fixers, ordinary citizens, gangsters, criminals, beggars, and so on, they were all people.
Everyone had their unique strengths and weaknesses, but ultimately, they were all just people.
Even royalty, with supposedly “special” bloodlines, was no exception.
Even Prince Albert was just another young man.
In truth, it wasn’t worth discussing. The scriptures taught that all people were equally children of one Heavenly Father.
However, Galahad seemed to think otherwise, remaining silent, his surprise apparent.
"...You speak boldly."
"I’m only repeating what’s written in the scriptures, Sir Knight. So, would you mind letting me pass? Professor Kevin will stay here in my place."
Oliver pointed to Kevin, who nodded in agreement.
But Galahad remained unconvinced.
"I understand your words, but we too have our duties."
As Galahad spoke, the Holy Knights subtly reached for their weapons.
Oliver politely made his final request.
"Could you please let me pass? I, too, have my own obligations."
At that moment, Oliver’s shadow began to stir and swell as if waking from slumber, growing rapidly in size as it absorbed the surrounding darkness...
It resembled the shadow he had confronted the Pied Piper with in Neverland, though this time it was under his own control.
This intention was evident in the way the shadow expanded steadily, reaching the floor and climbing the walls behind him.
Countless eyes, unsettling to look upon, bubbled up within the shadow, each one fixed intently on the Holy Knights.
A chilling, hair-raising sensation ran through each of them as their eyes met those of the shadow—a feeling worse than being surrounded by hordes of creatures.
Oddly enough, a few of the Holy Knights remaining in the city recalled only one term in their minds.
The Pied Piper...
Shortly after, Oliver and Pandora passed through the ranks of the Holy Knights as if nothing had happened, leaving them standing in place.
Quietly, the nuns who had observed the scene moved to inform another nun of what had transpired.
This nun was a companion of Roderick.
"He has left."
"Will it be alright?"
"He assured us that he would return here with the key..."
The nuns, chirping like birds, fell silent as one nun, filled with confidence, responded.
"Don’t worry. Destiny cannot be defied. He will return here eventually... by divine will."
She spoke with the confidence of someone who seemed to hear an answer whispered directly into her ear.