Chapter 174
Th is was c o p i e d f ro m k i ng mt l . o r g
The 7th Main Tower (5)
Jeremie doesn’t do things that won’t benefit him. In other words, he doesn’t do things for others. To explain further, he only moves ‘for himself.’
He had never once sacrificed himself for someone else in his life and likely never would in the future.
Even if the subject were Flame, that wouldn’t change. Sacrifice for a loved one? What does that even mean?
In the end, if he couldn’t have her, it was all meaningless.
‘How amusing…’
Surrounded by ghosts and shadows, Jeremie closed his eyes and delved into his own world.
Ghosts do not exert direct physical force. Their terror lies in shattering the psyche of intelligent beings.
By stimulating negative emotions like despair, chaos, fear, and sorrow, they turn people into complete wrecks.
That’s the true power of these ghosts.
However… none of that mattered to Jeremie.
He had a solid mental structure, allowing entry but not emotional disturbance.
It felt like floating on a still lake. Being surrounded by ghosts wasn’t a bad feeling.
‘This should be enough.’
Though he didn’t do something as foolish as sacrificing himself for Flame, he believed he had at least achieved the purpose of helping her.
Thi s wa s co p ie d f r om k i n g m tl. or g
Jeremie closed his eyes, intending to rest until this situation was resolved.
He slowly sank into the depths of his consciousness.
* * *
“Headmaster!”
Bang!
Rudely, the door to the headmaster’s office burst open, and several staff members rushed in. However, the office was already filled with staff who had come to see Eltemon Eltrine.
“It’s a disaster! Students roaming the main towers are disappearing!”
Despite repeatedly warning students not to wander alone in the main towers and to be accompanied by staff or seek permission, mysterious disappearances kept happening.
T h is wa s c o p i e d f r o m k i n g m t l .o rg
Even groups of students, wandering together, were disappearing all at once.
“This is… truly a crisis.”
An unprecedented crisis in Stella’s history.
Students were disappearing one by one into an unknown space, and the school had no idea how to respond.
With a shadowed face, Eltemon raised his head. The overwhelming pressure caused everyone, including the faculty, to tense up.
But even in such a situation, some things had to be said.
“Headmaster… the culprit is intentionally taking only students while avoiding the faculty. We must find a way to stop this quickly…”
A way to stop it.
If there were such a way, they would have done it already.
The culprit’s objective was obvious.
Half a century ago, he was a student at Stella… Abeline Stabererk, who possessed the trait [Magic Absorption].
It was an unprecedented, fraudulent ability that allowed him to make others’ magic his own, but its severe penalties imposed heavy restrictions on its use.
But what if he could handle that ability perfectly?
T h is w a s c o p i e d f r o m kin g m t l .o rg
…What if he absorbed the magic of all twelve disciples, whose magic was divided and passed down by the Progenitor Mage?
What would happen?
Perhaps, it would create power strong enough to oppose the Progenitor Mage.
Abeline had great dreams and ambitions since childhood.
Eltemon tried to correct Abeline’s dangerous thoughts and imposed countless restrictions, but Abeline continued causing trouble until he eventually dropped out.
On the day of his withdrawal, Abeline said,
‘Headmaster, you won’t be able to stop me. You will be betrayed by everything you believe in.’
And now, half a century later.
He was tormenting Eltemon with the legacy he left behind fifty years ago.
T h is wa s c o p i e d f r o m k i n gm t l.o rg
‘He plans to absorb the magic of the Twelve Heirs.’
Currently, two descendants of the Twelve Disciples are enrolled in Stella.
Hong Bi-yeon Adolevit and Aiselle Morf.
Their magic might seem like ordinary fire and ice attributes, but since it was left by the Progenitor Mage, it holds very special potential.
But.
Even Abeline himself couldn’t handle the trait [Magic Absorption] properly, so how could a fragment created from a shattered soul absorb magic perfectly?
It’s absolutely impossible.
‘He must have another goal.’
Yes. He might succeed in absorbing the magic. But then, the ‘fragmented soul’ would completely disappear.
But in return, the descendants of the Twelve Disciples would lose their magic completely, which would be a significant gain for Abeline.
He hated the Progenitor Mage more than anyone.
‘The Progenitor Mage was wrong. The world, society, system, and even the past and future he created were all wrong.’
Eltemon stood up and flicked his fingers. The robe hanging on the coat rack flew to his shoulders by itself.
“Headmaster, are you finally stepping in?”
“I have to go do my job.”
“As expected…!”
Though they might be expecting it, he wasn’t going to resolve the situation at the 7th Main Tower.
Instead, he planned to address the issues occurring outside.
The rats hiding in the shadows, causing this situation…
He would deal with them.
* * *
The rooftop of the 7th Main Tower.
With an open view and supported by twelve columns with a dome, this space was once called the ‘Stella Balcony.’
The instruments and maps for observing constellations remained as evidence of that.
Professor Laydin observed the sky of the 7th Main Tower through a mirror.
Though he hadn’t crossed over to that world, he continuously monitored everything happening there.
– Are you anxious?
The mirror spoke.
Professor Laydin didn’t respond.
Thi s w a s c o pi ed f r o m ki n gm t l. o r g
– You’re afraid.
“…Yes.”
This time, he answered.
He wasn’t anxious. Everything would proceed as planned.
In that world.
The two descendants of the Twelve Disciples and Flame would have their bodies and minds completely taken over by Abeline’s fragmented soul.
The girls, who dreamed of a bright future and lived the most brilliant and beautiful lives, would perish here.
Abeline’s fragmented soul said,
Thi s wa s c op i e d f r o m k i ngm t l .o r g
‘It’s just sacrificing the few for the many.’
But could those girls be called ‘the few’?
As a Dark Mage, it was only right to hate and control all magic.
Magic was the decisive cause that led the world down the path of destruction.
All of this was for the future.
For the world.
That’s why Professor Laydin was loyal to the ‘Dark Mage King.’
– You seem to have unnecessary thoughts.
“Not really.”
T h i s w as co p ie d f r o m k i ng mt l .o r g
– You need to meet me.
“…May I ask why?”
– Because you resemble me.
He paused for a moment.
– We don’t need to hesitate. Do you feel sorry for those young girls? If you do, abandon your duties and leave this place.
– Uproot all the weeds so they don’t grow again. Those girls are just weeds that devour the world.
“Yes, I understand.”
– So, do your job. By now, Eltemon Eltrine must have noticed. You should hurry.
“…Understood.”
Professor Laydin turned and left the hall. Abeline’s fragmented soul, watching his back, turned back to his world.
“Hehehe! Hehe, heh! Hihihik!”
Professor Checyrin, an idiot of a Dark Mage, burst into laughter as if something was amusing.
He couldn’t contain his joy at the thought of absorbing the powers of Adolevit and Morf.
“You foolish girls! Come on, come!”
The child of the stars, unaware of anything, was leading another descendant of the Twelve Disciples toward this place.
They would face countless curses from ghost stories on the way but, as the child of the stars, would overcome all those trials and finally reach here.
Th i s w a s cop i ed fro m k i n g m tl. o rg
However, what awaited them was not hope of rescuing everyone but endless despair.
– Blame your ‘past life.’
Your previous life has driven you to this harsh fate.
“This wretched life ends today! Haha!”
Professor Checyrin laughed, imagining his future.
As Aiselle and Flame, along with countless students, were continuously drawn into the 7th Main Tower, absorbing all those possibilities might grant him ultimate power.
…Which was a delusion.
A blatant lie.
Professor Checyrin was nothing but Abeline’s puppet, unable to act on his own. His body would explode the moment he absorbed the magic of another descendant of the Twelve Disciples and the ‘child of the stars.’
With their demise, he too would vanish from this world forever.
But as long as the true ‘me’ could get one step closer to the goal…
T h i s w a s c opie d fr o m k i ng m t l. o r g
Hmm?
But.
He sensed something amiss.
What was this… indescribable, alien presence?
As if it didn’t belong to this world.
Such an absurd presence.
It had stepped into the 7th Main Tower.
– This presence is, as if…!
Indeed, it existed in this world but simultaneously did not.
What kind of nonsensical explanation is this? Human language was so trifling and insignificant.
‘Something is wrong.’
That thought crossed his mind, but it was too late. That presence had already stepped into the 7th Main Tower.
It traversed the space swiftly, as if it had been here before. Using unknown magic, it ignored the hidden paths that even Abeline, the master of the 7th Main Tower, was unaware of.
Very quickly, at high speed.
It was approaching this place.
‘…No need to panic.’
Fate is already decided.
Clang!
“Ah, finally here!”
As the door to the Stella Balcony opened, the girls Professor Checyrin had awaited appeared.
Their uniforms were in tatters and drenched in sweat, showing they were already exhausted, but their eyes gleamed brightly.
They had no intention of giving up here.
Limping, Flame stepped forward and faced Checyrin. Beside her, Aiselle and Anella stood confidently, their determination commendable.
“Hmm! I like the look in your eyes! I’d love to pluck them out and display them. But…”
Speaking with satisfaction, Checyrin frowned when he saw Anella standing behind them.
“Aren’t you one of ‘us’? Why are you over there? Come this way, no, actually… It’s better this way. You will defeat them. In return for saving me the trouble, I’ll share ‘power’ with you.”
Flinch.
At Checyrin’s words, Anella trembled.
Power. That damned power. In the Dark Mage society, everything was decided by power, and Anella, with only one unique trait, was treated worse than trash.
If she had power… she could live boldly from now on.
If she subdued Flame and Aiselle here, gained power, and then killed Baek Yu-seol?
Her future as a ‘Dark Mage’ would be guaranteed.
“…No.”
But Anella said firmly, her eyes resolute.
“I choose to live as a ‘human,’ even if I am wretched.”
Then.
Checyrin went silent.
As if he had heard something absurd, his expression turned incredulous.
“Puhahahaha!”
He burst into laughter.
“Human? H-uman? Live as a human? You gave up being human to become a Dark Mage, and now you think you can go back? Foolish girl!”
Of course, it was impossible.
There had never been a precedent of a Dark Mage returning to humanity.
But Anella firmly believed.
“No. It’s possible.”
These were words Baek Yu-seol had directly spoken to her.
Though there was no evidence, his words carried weight, and Anella fully trusted him.
She stepped forward, standing in front of Flame and Aiselle as if to protect them.
“I will prove my sincerity.”
Anella had discovered her other talent while escaping the 7th Main Tower.
The destructive power contained in her crude punches and kicks.
But…
‘It’s not enough.’
She would undoubtedly lose.
Her opponent exuded infinite power, while she had nothing but unrefined physical attacks.
Even so, she believed.
Even if I’ve fallen now, if I repent and atone by doing the right thing… I will surely see the light someday.
With a determined expression, Anella extended her fist and spoke boldly to the superior Dark Mage she once had to kneel before.
“So come at me, Dark Mage.”
Even knowing she would fail today, she would never give up.
End of Chapter.