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Chapter 127

“...Where did you say?”

“I said Spirit Mountain,” Lise Ladygoth replied flatly, her gaze fixed on my stunned expression. “On the eastern edge of the continent, there’s a strangely shaped peninsula. It is one of the large mountains there. It is considered one of the largest demon zones on the continent now.”

“...”

My mind snapped back to reality from her explanation. The Spirit Mountain she spoke of and the Spirit Mountain I knew were two completely different places.

But thinking about it, that was only logical.

“That’s a rather... unique name for a mountain.”

“I hear the followers of Black and White gave it that name.”

...I didn’t think she was intentionally lying to me, but that probably wasn’t the truth.

I didn’t know what this world’s Spirit Mountain was like, but it couldn’t be a coincidence that the place where Eldest Senior Brother resided was also called Spirit Mountain.

Eldest Senior Brother had to have been the one to name it. His followers were just parroting him.

But why?

Eldest Senior Brother left Spirit Mountain of his own volition.

At first, I’d thought there might have been some misunderstanding, but now that I’d met him in person, I knew that wasn’t the case.

Eldest Senior Brother had abandoned everything. His ties, his relationships, even his memories of his master and fellow disciples...

It was a common sight with people who prioritized their mission above all else.

So why would Eldest Senior Brother, who had given up everything, name it Spirit Mountain?

...

I tried to recall my eldest senior brother—not the demon lord I’d seen in Hell but the one in my memories.

Eldest Senior Brother was always smiling, but not to hide his true feelings.

His laughter boomed when he was happy. He smiled awkwardly when he was troubled. He always offered a prayer of thanks before every meal. And after killing the monsters that dwelled on Spirit Mountain, he always repented in silence.

Even if it was his master’s orders, which were like the heavens themselves, he would fight back if there was anything he couldn’t accept.

That was why I respected and followed Eldest Senior Brother second only to Master...

I’d always thought that he was always smiling because he approached life with constant joy. After all, laughter stemmed from peace of mind.

But in my world, the Demon Lord of Black and White had destroyed an entire nation.

An entire nation.

Just how much blood had been spilled because of him?

Clap clap.

“—Well then,” Lise Ladygoth clapped her hands together, bringing me back to reality. “That should be more than enough information for 35 points. You would have had to search through hundreds of ancient texts at least to find this information out in the world.”

She was right.

Today’s Q&A session had probably saved me at least a few months’ worth of time.

But it left my heart feeling strangely heavy.

“You look troubled.”

“...Do I? Perhaps I’m just tired from lack of sleep,” I replied as I shook my head. But the fog in my mind wouldn’t clear.

“If you’re done, you may leave. My throat is parched from speaking so much after all this time. You can exit the way you came.”

“...”

“What are you waiting for? Leave.”

I looked at Lise Ladygoth and asked, “May I come here again?”

“The Underground Library does not welcome repeat visitors. Every guest is allowed only one visit.”

I’d thought as much.

As befitting a place with a grandiose name like the Tomb of Forbidden Text, most of the knowledge here was likely dangerous—the kind of knowledge that ordinary people were better off not knowing.

In other words, it’s absolutely essential for me.

One way or another, my life was going to be deeply intertwined with the cult.

On top of that, there was the Martial God, the Sword of Seven Sins, the forgotten age, the Divine Throne... The list of things I needed to know seemed to only grow longer.

If I could make the knowledge of the Underground Library my own, it would undoubtedly be a great help in my future endeavors.

“Is there no other way? I’d like to visit this library regularly in the future.”

“There’s no clause pertaining to that in the contract. Now scram,” she said, her tone starting to sharpen.

I felt like her limp hair was about to stand on end again.

Before it could take the form of a snake, I said, “Then how about a deal?”

“A deal?”

“If you allow me to borrow books, I’ll give you something of equal value in return.”

A look of disbelief flashed across her eyes. “Do you truly understand what a deal is?”

“Of course I—”

“Don’t answer yet. I don’t think you’re unfamiliar with the definition. What I’m curious about, child, is what a little brat like you could possibly offer me.”

I felt like this was the crucial moment.

This magician, eccentric as she was, could be reasoned with. Of course, there was no telling how quickly that attitude could change. Magicians were a fickle bunch. However...

“Is there anything you desire?”

“No.”

Could she be lying?

If she truly desired nothing, there would be no reason for her to continue this conversation, even if she bore no ill intent toward me. She could kick me out by force at any time.

Of course, judging by her earlier mention of a “contract,” there might be some condition preventing her from directly harming me...

Either way, Lise Ladygoth was testing me.

She was devious, but that was also why it seemed doable.

I quickly made a mental list of what I could offer her.

I could simply offer money as payment. I was currently a wealthy individual with a whopping 5,000 gold to my name. Alternatively, I could use that money to bring her materials needed for magic research.

But...

A strange certainty washed over me. All the ideas I had come up with so far were definitely wrong.

“Let’s hear it. But if your answer doesn’t please me, you will pay the price.”

“What price?”

“I won’t take your life, seeing as you’re still young. But you’ll have to at least give up your right arm.”

I almost sighed. At this point, it felt like my right arm was cursed.

I was reminded of when Kayan severed the tendons in my arm, and again when the high priest cut off my arm right before my regression.

Half out of spite, I blurted out, “I’ll teach you magic.”

“...”

“You’ll teach me magic?”

“Yes.”

“...Hak.” She looked taken aback, then let out a strange sound before I could even respond. “Aha, hak, hahak, hahahaha...”

It took me a moment to realize it was laughter.

This magician’s laughter was just as bizarre as her appearance.

“How amusing, child. It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed like this...”

“...”

“You’ll teach me magic? That’s a first in centuries. Child, do you have any idea who I am?”

“...You’re the Serpent Divine Beast of Bednicker, an ancient dark fairy, Librarian of the Underground Library, and a magician.”

“That is but a fraction of who I am,” she said, her voice thick with amusement.

“I’ll ask again, child. You claim to be able to teach magic to me, Lise Ladygoth? Warden of the Night Sky, rightful master of the Dark Tower, and creator of the nine runes? Can you take responsibility for your promise?”

I could sense the anger laced in her voice. She seemed to think I was mocking her.

Despite that...

I answered, “Yes.”

There was no way this magician could know, but I was rather pleased with how this situation was turning out.

“I can teach you magic you’ve never experienced before.”

* * * * *

* * * * *

Lise Ladygoth observed the young boy before her.

His traits were incredibly faint for being of Bednicker blood.

For one, that irritatingly bright platinum-blonde hair was a trait not found in dark fairies. His skin was also as white as porcelain.

If not for the color of his eyes, she wouldn’t even know he was a Bednicker.

In other words, even face-to-face like this, her heart shouldn’t be swayed.

How strange.

He was courteous at the very least.

At times, she could see a flicker of wariness in his surprised and flustered expressions, a typical reaction from those who met her.

The difference, however, was...

He’s not afraid.

That was the strangest part.

Lise Ladygoth was well aware of how her aura affected others. To a certain extent, it was intentional.

Unless someone had gone through a great amount of mental training, they would find it difficult to remain unaffected.

But this brat... Despite the considerable effort she’d put into intimidating him, his demeanor remained unshaken.

Judging by his age, it was unlikely he had much experience with this sort of thing. Was it just his natural disposition?

“...Very well. Tell me, then: What is this magic I’ve never experienced before?”

In any case, whatever this boy’s true intentions were, he had succeeded in one thing.

He had brought her to the negotiating table.

He had piqued her curiosity, a magician’s most important emotion.

But there was one more thing this boy needed to know.

“If you are trying to make a fool of me with your meager knowledge, you will pay the price.”

Depending on the situation, piquing a magician’s curiosity could be a life-threatening endeavor.

***

“What price will I have to pay?” I asked.

The magician replied in an indifferent tone, “As I said before, I’ll start with your right arm. And I’ll take your tongue as well. A wagging tongue that spouts nonsense should be of no use to you.”

Taking my arm and my tongue...

The old Kayan seemed like a saint compared to her.

“But child, you ask unnecessary questions. Are you trying to deceive me?”

“Of course not.”

There was something I wanted to know, and our conversation so far had given me the confirmation I needed.

“Then... Miss Lady Lisegoth.”

“It’s Lise Ladygoth.”

“Lila Sedigoth—”

“Just call me Lise.”

“Yes.”

“Let me preface. My talents are not limited to magic,” Lise said matter-of-factly. “Alchemy, summoning magic, and elemental spirit arts are a given. I have dabbled in the holy arts as well as ancient shamanism practiced by the small tribes on the plains. Not to mention I even possess knowledge of curses, demon contracts, and necromancy.”

I paused at her words.

“If the magic you intend to teach me happens to be one of these, this is your last chance to stop. I’ll at least spare your tongue if you do.”

So she’d still take my arm? That wasn’t a real improvement to me.

The only saving grace was that the magic I was going to teach her was a fundamentally different kind of power than anything Lise had mentioned.

“About the magic you cast on the cave...” I began, watching Lise’s expression closely. “It was impressive.”

They said flattery could even make a whale dance, but it didn’t seem to apply here.

Lise’s expression remained unchanged.

“What about it?” she responded in her usual dry tone.

“Usually, that kind of magic prefers to distort the intruder’s senses, but you didn’t do that. You cast magic on the entire cave.”

The reason for employing the former method was simple: It was more efficient to cast a spell that distorted the intruder’s perception than to constantly change the cave with magic.

Despite my rather pointed compliment, Lise remained indifferent. It was a natural response, really; no adult would be flattered by a child telling them they were smart.

“I could already tell you were a magician of considerable skill just from that, but that’s not all.”

I abruptly decided to switch gears.

“I once went to the old training grounds beyond the mansion’s back garden.”

This was something I had never planned to tell anyone in my family, but if my hunch was correct, there was no need to hide it from Lise.

“It was completely neglected, with no sign of human activity.”

“And?”

“I saw an undead there.”

I kept my gaze locked on Lise as I spoke. Avoiding her eyes wouldn’t be effective in this situation.

“To me, the flow of mana is like written letters. It’s not something one can hide even if they want to.”

Everyone senses mana, a.k.a. ki, differently.

—Some distinguish it by color, while others sense it through touch. In rare cases, some even identify it by smell.

Second Senior Sister had particularly keen senses.

—Luan, how do you see the flow of ki?

She had asked me in her usual soft-spoken manner, and I had replied...

That I saw the flow like calligraphy.

The mana signature I had sensed from the undead back then matched the one I’d seen while passing through the cave earlier.

In other words...

The mysterious necromancer who had been handling undead in Bednicker was none other than Lise herself.

“...”

Lise silently closed her mouth.