126: Encounter in the Magic Realm (3)
It seemed my attempt to deceive him had failed—or at best, it was only half-successful.
‘From here on out, it’s a battle of wits!’
Still, I decided to push through with an air of composure until the end.
“Whether you believe me or not, Master of the Golden Tower, is entirely your choice. I have no intention of coercing or convincing you.”
“……”
When I switched from telepathy to speaking aloud in a dispassionate tone, Yulkanes continued to look at me with a gaze that carried lingering suspicion. Through his expression, I could sense his conflicted feelings: it seemed fabricated, yet something about it made him uneasy enough not to dismiss it outright.
“Fine, believing it or not is my prerogative. That being said…”
His golden eyes gleamed subtly once again.
‘Is this another mental spell?’I frowned as I observed the light in his eyes.
‘No, it’s not mental magic.’
It appeared to be one of Yulkanes’ traits that his eyes would shine whenever he cast a spell.
A rumbling vibration suddenly shook the Magic Realm violently, as if an earthquake had struck.
“What are you up to now?”
“A final test.”
“A test?”
“Yes. A test to confirm whether what you said is true.”
“You must be mistaken about something. As you’ve seen from my Circle, I’m not a battle mage or a spell caster.”
“Don’t worry. I’m well aware of that.”
The shaking of the Magic Realm grew even more intense.
“Kill the Master of the Golden Tower!”
The tension rose to a critical level, and Balzac, along with the knights, swung their swords at Yulkanes.
Swish! Slash!
The blades were abruptly halted, mere inches from Yulkanes.
“A barrier!”
“When did he cast it?!”
“There wasn’t the slightest hint!”
As expected of an 8th Circle Archmage. While communicating with me via telepathy, he had stealthily and effortlessly cast a protective barrier.
“Get out of the Magic Realm!”
“Prioritize protecting Count Jin!”
With their attempt to strike Yulkanes thwarted, the mages and priests hastily tried to flee the Magic Realm.
“No need to panic. I don’t intend to kill anyone. I don’t even have the ability to collapse this ruin in one blow.”
Watching the scrambling figures, Yulkanes spoke with a cryptic tone.
“The Magic Realm won’t collapse. However, the labyrinthine barrier I painstakingly crafted will engulf this ruin.”
As he spoke, transparent glass-like walls began to materialize on all sides.
The mages and priests, who had been trying to escape, were trapped within and could no longer leave.
“Once the barrier is fully deployed, not even a sorcerer from the North could escape in less than six months.”
“!!”
It was impossible to dismiss Yulkanes’ warning as an empty threat. He had arrived at the Magic Realm long before we did, giving him ample time to set up all kinds of totems, barriers, and traps. If this was a barrier he had created with full intent, it was certainly no ordinary spell. ꞦÂŊƟ𐌱Ěš
“What is it you want?”
While I had impressive luck stats, my dimensional pocket, and the Arad Radar, I had no intention of underestimating an Archmage’s warning and bringing unnecessary hardship upon myself.
“If what you’ve said so far is true, then answer my question.”
“Ask.”
“For some time now, my disciples and I at the Tower have been devoting ourselves to a particular area of research.”
“?!”
I had an inkling of what he was about to say, but I kept my mouth shut and listened attentively.
“If you’re truly the great sorcerer who lived at the end of the Era, then you’d know about the Magic Core.”
“……”
I stayed silent, but Yulkanes seemed to take my silence as confirmation.
“The dream-like energy system that turns the impossible into possible, creating something from nothing. An innovation far beyond the steam engine you unleashed on the Empire—the Magic Core!”
Yulkanes’ golden eyes burned with desire and longing.
“We’ve been researching it, but we keep hitting one particular obstacle.”
“……”
I was cornered. Answering Yulkanes’ question about the Magic Core’s core principles would perfectly complete the narrative of the deception I had spun moments ago. But at the same time, revealing such knowledge would be a perilous act of aiding the enemy.
‘If I make even the slightest misstep, he’ll realize I’m lying…’
I considered feeding him false information to throw him off track but quickly dismissed the idea.
This was an 8th Circle Archmage who had dedicated his life to this research. He’d see through any inaccuracies instantly.
Fwoosh!
A glowing magic circle formed at Yulkanes’ feet.
It was a teleportation spell.
“You have one minute. If you don’t give me a convincing answer within that time, I’ll activate the labyrinth and teleport myself back to the Empire.”
Yulkanes gave me a sly smile. This old man was far from ordinary.
“What’s the obstacle you’re facing?”
“Guess.”
“……”
The subtext of his tone practically screamed, ‘How dare you claim to be an ancient sorcerer if you can’t even guess that?’ I ground my teeth in frustration.
“Without knowing the progress of your research, how can I even attempt to guess?”
“Fair enough.”
With that, Yulkanes sent me a telepathic message.
[Here’s where we stand in the research.]
Zap!
It seemed that being an 8th Circle Archmage granted him all kinds of remarkable abilities.
‘Tsk, so they’ve hit a wall with rubber.’
After verifying the image Yulkanes had transmitted, I clicked my tongue internally and opened my mouth.
“...You need a material that is durable yet flexible, capable of expanding and contracting, perfectly sealing magic, and light yet tough. It must also be able to stretch extensively and return to its original form instantly.”
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
“Correct!”
Yulkanes’ face lit up with awe and surprise, as if emotions were playing out in a panorama before me.
“Can you tell me? Does such a material exist? Can it be created through alchemy?”
“So, even the great Empire and its Magic Tower can’t obtain everything.”
“It’s because all the functioning Magic Cores were wiped out during the cursed transitions.”
By now, the earthquake-like tremors that had been shaking the Magic Realm had ceased.
Only two spells remained active: the protective barrier shielding Yulkanes and the teleportation magic circle ready to whisk him away to the Imperial capital at any moment.
“If you tell me this one thing, I’ll believe in your identity. And I’ll quietly disappear without pulling any tricks.”
Yulkanes’ vow seemed trustworthy. The circumstances proved his sincerity—if his research hit another roadblock, he would likely seek me out for answers again.
“......”
After a moment of thought, I spoke.
“I’ll give you a hint.”
“Yes! A hint will do!”
“The Southern Continent.”
“The Southern Continent? That’s it?”
“I think that’s sufficient, don’t you?”
“Hmm... So the required material is on the Southern Continent?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then you and Renslet won’t be able to create a Magic Core yourselves.”
“Which is why I invented the steam engine instead.”
“Ahh! That explains it!”
A sardonic grin spread across Yulkanes’ face.
“When the Empire eventually procures that material, I hope you’ll consider selling it to the North.”
“That’s a decision for the Emperor to make.”
The way Yulkanes switched gears so quickly left me feeling bitter. For all his name and achievements, Yulkanes was a remarkably petty individual.
“By the way, what did they call that material during the Golden Era?”
“...Rubber.”
I briefly considered giving him a misleading answer, but quickly dismissed the idea. An 8th Circle Archmage likely had mind-reading at max level.
“I’ll have to search for old elven texts to see if there’s a word resembling ‘rubber’ or its origins.”
“But do you believe me? The hint I gave you?”
“Of course.”
“?”
“Because I’d already suspected the Southern Continent. I searched all of Arcadia and found nothing. If it’s not here, then it must be in the Eastern or Southern Continent. I simply wasn’t certain.”
So he’d already decided on the answer. Yulkanes had just been fishing for confirmation from me.
“Thanks to you, I can now focus on exploring the Southern Continent.”
“I’m glad to have been of help.”
“Are you, really? Ha ha ha ha ha!”
While it was a significant hint—and borderline treason—I didn’t feel much guilt.
‘The Empire isn’t in any position to project its power toward the Southern Continent.’
This Empire was fundamentally different from the one in the original timeline. Without a unified front led by the Imperial family, they couldn’t possibly open a new front in the sealed lands of the Southern Continent.
“The Southern Continent is a land sealed by other races. Even for the Empire, advancing there won’t be easy.”
To confirm, I asked Yulkanes how he planned to reach the Southern Continent.
“Not all mages are confined to the Empire. I have connections with several mages in Bardenheim.”
Bardenheim was the capital of the United Kingdoms, located at the confluence of four nations: the Feze Republic, Scania, Aurelia, and the Gargant Kingdom. It was also the most advanced port city in the world.
“Does that mean…”
“I don’t have to rely solely on the Empire. The Southern Continent is vast, after all.”
“......”
For mages, nationality and borders held little significance. Their highest priority was always the path of magic.
‘Mages across the continent will soon start persuading their rulers and nobles.’
I suddenly felt like I had sown the seeds of colonial imperialism.
The problem was that this could disrupt my plans to introduce steampunk technology to Arcadia.
‘I’ll have to spread the steam engine across the continent quickly—not just in the Empire—to delay the development and dissemination of Magic Cores as much as possible.’
While outwardly conversing with Yulkanes, I internally laid out my next steps the moment this encounter ended.
“I’ll keep my promise. I may call upon your expertise again.”
Whether he was unaware of my thoughts or simply unfazed by them, Yulkanes smiled broadly, showing no signs of hiding his intentions.
“I’d prefer not to meet you again.”
“Next time, let’s have a deep conversation in a different setting. We can talk about the culture and history of the Golden Era.”
“......”
“I’ll be off now. I’ll drop by Renslet from time to time, so don’t be too dismissive.”
With a hint of narcissism, Yulkanes continued to ramble, hearing only what he wanted while ignoring my responses.
[For now, I’ll believe you, Glorious One of the Great Era.]
At last, through telepathy, he acknowledged the elaborate story I had woven.
[If the Magic Core is ever completed… I vow this: if the Imperial family tries to act against the North, neither I nor my disciples will cooperate with them.]
Yulkanes’ demeanor toward me became notably respectful.
[Consider this my tribute to the Glorious Era.]
Flash!
With that, Yulkanes disappeared.
“……”
“……”
“……”
As Yulkanes disappeared, silence fell upon the group.
And then—
“Phew!”
“He’s gone...”
“It seems the Magic Realm is safe now!”
“I can’t sense any transparent walls or barriers!”
Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, as though a raging storm had just dissipated.
‘Should I feel relieved or not?’
In the midst of this, I furrowed my brow, recalling the exhausting and nerve-wracking exchange I had just had with Yulkanes.
I had revealed a critical piece of information to the mages of the Empire—essentially the continent at large.
‘Still, I’ve taken a step toward fracturing the Empire!’
On the other hand, I had forged a connection with Yulkanes, one of the continent’s most formidable mages.
Moreover, despite the chaotic process, the ancient sorcerer facade I had spun had ultimately worked.
‘Driving a wedge between the nobility, the Church, and now the Magic Tower against the Imperial family? That alone makes it a worthwhile trade.’
It was a painful compromise, but I could at least comfort myself with a bit of mental gymnastics.
“Is everyone all right?”
Having gathered my thoughts, I turned to check on the group.
“Thanks to Count Jin pacifying the Master of the Golden Tower, we are safe.”
“If not for Count Jin, things could have gone terribly wrong.”
“We would’ve likely been wandering inside the barrier he cast by now.”
None of them criticized the dubious conversation I’d had with Yulkanes.
“What’s our next step?”
Balzac approached me with a question.
“There’s nothing left for us in the Magic Realm. Let’s head to the Jin Territory immediately.”
“To the Jin Territory? Not the High Tower?”
“Yes. Time is tighter than I anticipated.”
“What are we doing in the Jin Territory?”
“We’re going to build an airship dockyard there.”
It was my land, after all. Having at least one Arad Group subsidiary there was a must.
“And as soon as we’re on the carriage, we’ll need to communicate with the High Tower.”
I then turned to the mages accompanying us.
“Prepare the magic communication device. What message shall we send?”
The mages nodded, waiting for instructions.
“Tell them to halt all current construction projects at the High Tower and send both mages and laborers to the Jin Territory.”
“!!”
“And one more thing—leave about ten White Serpent Scales behind, but send the rest to the Jin Territory as well.”
“If we move so many people and resources at once, the information about the dockyard might leak to the Empire,” a senior knight from the Frost Knights expressed concern.
“With the Frost Knights, Mage Society, and the Church working together, I doubt it’ll be detected. Renslet is the most isolated nation in the world; if we want to, we can completely shield it from external eyes.”
When I responded confidently, a mage beside me nodded and chimed in.
“Hmm... The knights can monitor the people, and familiars can be used for surveillance by the mages and priests. I’ll relay the matter of familiars to Lady Isabelle via magic communication.”
“Please do.”
“Uh… but is magic communication safe?”
“If we were within Imperial territory, perhaps not. But here in the North, especially in the Magic Realm, there’s no need to worry. Even an 8th Circle Archmage can’t outmatch me in magic devices.”
As I spoke, I scanned our surroundings and pulled out the Arad Radar.
I wanted to ensure no familiars left by Yulkanes were lingering nearby.
The group, understanding my intentions, heightened their senses and checked the area. Some even turned on their own Arad Radars.
‘Clear. Nothing here.’
Even an 8th Circle Archmage wouldn’t be able to teleport and manage a familiar simultaneously.
“We can relax about familiars for now. Let’s move quickly; this is our best chance to keep our destination hidden from the Master of the Golden Tower.”
Having completed a thorough scan, I climbed into the carriage.
The urgency to build Arad Shipyards could no longer be ignored.
‘I won’t let the Empire and the United Kingdoms reap all the benefits of the Southern Continent!’
The airships constructed in Renslet wouldn’t just dominate Bardenheim but would also make their mark on the Southern Continent.
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