Chapter 33
Eddie sighed in relief; his gamble had worked.
But Joan’s next words—
“He lost a leg that day. Debris crushed him as he leapt into the portal.”
“…”
“That’s why we thought we’d find him quickly. ‘A child bleeding black blood and a man missing a leg’ would stand out anywhere.”
The color drained from Eddie’s face.
A child bleeding black blood.
Now he understood why Joan assumed Noah was beyond recovery.
And she drove the point home.
“Yes. As you said, we can clear Area A-1. Poisoned by Nymph’s Venom, even if Noah Kirhausen could break the seal, there’s no way he survives. Even if he does, his days as a mage are over.”
Nymph.
A legendary creature said to have envied mages’ mana, luring and killing them.
Their essence was the poison mages feared most.
It rendered a mage’s mana circle unusable.
A corrupted mana circle became a threat, draining the mage’s life force.
For a mage poisoned by Nymph’s Venom, there was only one path: to live in seclusion, never using magic.
To abandon the path of a mage entirely.
‘They attacked my grandson with such a poison…’
Amid surging anger and murderous intent, Eddie clung to a thread of rationality.
He wanted to bury Joan and all of Pasquier in the ground, but he restrained himself.
The time wasn’t right.
He fought to control his emotions, ensuring his magic over Mikael didn’t waver.
‘Get a grip. It’s time to move to the next plan.’
The news was devastating, but Noah was alive.
His whereabouts remained unknown.
Despite steering the conversation this far, no location was mentioned, meaning even the Kirhausen Family didn’t know where Noah was.
For now, tracking Noah couldn’t be the priority.
‘I’ll have to find ways to search for him while building my strength.’
Eddie had gained both hope and despair. But the fact that Noah wasn’t dead kept a spark of hope alive.
Comforting himself, he prepared to wrap up the conversation with Joan.
“Then, as suggested, we’ll clear Area A-1 to make space in the underground storage.”
“Fine. I’ll explain it to Lord Furas. And tell the First Synthesis Chamber to produce results within two weeks, or else…”
At that moment—
Vrrr—!
A mana gem on Joan’s desk glowed red and vibrated.
“…!”
Joan’s expression changed instantly.
She glared at the gem and stood slowly.
It was Pasquier’s barrier stone, signaling an intrusion.
“A rat’s gotten in…?” Joan muttered.
As she reached out, an object flew naturally into her hand.
It looked like a wand but was a whip, tightly woven with black leather.
The unfurled whip sliced through the air with menacing force.
Swish—Swish—
Eddie had Mikael follow Joan as she stormed out, slamming the door.
Bang!
They reached the situation room where security mages were stationed.
As Joan burst in, the mages reported.
“What’s going on?”
“Intruders attempting to breach the underground were detected. We’ve activated Snare.”
“Hmph, I don’t know which foolish family sent them, but their plan’s pathetic. Did they think Pasquier’s barriers don’t reach underground?”
Twirling her whip, Joan smirked.
Perhaps underestimating the sloppy intrusion, she was already thinking beyond neutralizing the intruders.
Maybe catching spies from rival towers to earn a reward from Furas.
Eddie wondered how her expression would change in the coming moments.
‘Oh, and Master,’ Leodimir had said.
‘What is it?’
‘Since you’re infiltrating Pasquier, why not dig for other information too?’
‘I’m confident in infiltrating, but lingering too long is risky. There’s no time to dig for more…’
‘You won’t need to dig. They’ll reveal it themselves.’
Direct confrontation was impossible.
But if he wasn’t caught, subterfuge was fair game.
Leodimir had suggested a diversion tactic.
Stage an intrusion to gauge Joan’s reaction.
‘When the intruders’ identities are revealed, watch what the director prioritizes,’ Leodimir had advised. ‘He’s gotten cunning with age, that Leo.’
Eddie stifled a laugh, recalling Leodimir’s seasoned cunning.
The next moment—
“Director! The Snare has captured the intruders. But…”
A security mage trailed off, looking bewildered.
Guards soon brought the bound intruders before Joan, tied in red lassos.
Joan lifted one’s chin with her whip to inspect its face.
She froze.
“Patrols?”
The intruders weren’t human.
They were Patrols—wax dolls controlled by mana, used for reconnaissance, exploration, or measuring magical power in unsafe conditions.
Most mages would dismiss them as trivial.
“It seems they were sent to test our security items’ strength.”
“Didn’t news of the Snare’s completion recently spread through the magical community? Other towers must feel threatened.”
“…No,” Joan said.
Her expression darkened as she stared at the Patrols.
Raising her voice, she barked orders to the mages.
“Lock down all entrances and move all the Mana Bloodstones in the basement to the Ninth Synthesis Chamber! Now!”
Her face was flushed with urgency.
Mana Bloodstones.
Eddie stored the term in his mind.
That must be another dirty secret of Joan and the current Kirhausen Family.
It didn’t sound like an ordinary item.
As Eddie had Mikael speak calmly, the truth became clearer.
“The intruders’ intentions are still unclear. Rather than acting hastily, perhaps we should observe the situation further…”
Crack!
Before Mikael could finish, Joan’s whip lashed through the air.
It struck Mikael’s cheek, leaving a deep, bleeding gash.
The room’s atmosphere froze, and the mages flinched, wary of Joan’s mood.
Unfazed by their gazes, she shouted, even more enraged, “Observe what?! If this is a ploy by someone who’s caught wind of the Mana Bloodstones, we’re done for!”
Her reaction bordered on paranoia.
Eddie was now certain.
The situation was unfolding as Leodimir predicted.
‘When security is breached, people instinctively check their most guarded secrets first. Whatever it is, it holds the current Kirhausen’s secrets,’ Leodimir had said.
Still fuming, Joan glared at the scattered Patrols and muttered, “A mere butler calls Pasquier a ‘laboratory’ and disrespects it. If we can’t even manage the Mana Bloodstones properly… Lord Furas might fall for their sweet talk. Understood?”
Eddie memorized every word.
The mysterious Mana Bloodstones.
And the subtle power struggle between Pasquier’s institute and the butler Ronan.
Having gathered all the information he needed, Eddie moved Mikael one last time.
“My thinking was shortsighted, Director. I’ll follow your orders.”
Under Eddie’s control, Mikael swiftly left the situation room.
As the researchers scrambled to relay his orders, Eddie summoned Mikael’s body to him.
Swish—
It was time to leave.
Eddie waved his wand, dispelling all spells except Raptor-Animus, which controlled Mikael’s mind.
Before releasing him, Eddie cast his unique spell, Illusion Veil, to manipulate Mikael’s mind.
‘It’s not as effective as Circe’s mind manipulation, but it’s enough to muddle memories.’
He altered Mikael’s memories to believe everything he’d seen and heard was his own.
Then, Eddie dispelled Raptor-Animus and drew up his mana.
His destination: Lieferden Academy.
His ultra-fast calculations for long-distance teleportation were completed in a blink.
Flash!
By the time Mikael regained consciousness and stood, Eddie had vanished from the office.
***
Returning to the academy, Eddie headed straight to Leodimir’s office.
Leodimir was relieved to see his master return safely from Pasquier but was stunned by the news.
“Nymph’s Venom?”
“He’s alive, so that’s something, but it means his days as a mage are over.”
“Ugh.”
Leodimir closed his eyes and swallowed a sigh.
His heart sank, but Eddie, the one who should be most devastated, remained composed, so he hid his reaction.
Eddie’s gaze shifted from the void to a display case in the office.
His murky anger faded, and a clear golden light filled his eyes.
“It’s alright. As long as Noah’s alive, that’s enough. I’m back now. I’ll find a way.”
“Yes. You always find answers when given a chance, Master.”
“Jasper earned that chance. Securing Opsigno was a brilliant move.”
Praising his trusted lawyer, Eddie slowly rose.
He approached the display case with photos of Leodimir’s grandchildren.
Though he reassured himself it would be fine, seeing the children stirred his emotions.
He pictured Noah, sealed in time for decades.
With a steadied voice, Eddie spoke.
“I need to regain my strength quickly, Leo. No, not just regain—it’s got to be stronger than in my past life.”
A powerful aura, beyond mere mana, emanated from him.
Confidence and urgency.
Leodimir sensed those emotions and nodded silently in agreement.
“Nymph’s Venom has been a scourge in the magical world for ages. Everyone’s tried and failed to find an antidote. Even I did.”
“Every poison has a cure, but Nymph’s Venom has always been the exception.”
“Not anymore. I’ll make sure of it.”
Shedding his doubts, Eddie spoke with bold confidence.
If he said he’d do it, he would.
No matter how extraordinary the method or idea.
He would make it happen.
For the first time since his reincarnation, he dreamed of a promising future, reclaiming his old self.
Leodimir felt a chill watching his master’s presence grow larger.
“We’ll do our utmost to support you, Master.”
Eddie nodded slowly at Leodimir’s resolute determination.
A plan born of uncertainty, perhaps destined to hit a dead end, had taken its first step.
At its end wasn’t a wall but a path.
Bitter, yet hopeful.