Chapter 123

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In the early morning, at the entrance of the Source of Magic.

A crowd of about forty gathered. Among them, thirty were a delegation from Eloden, while the rest were made up of a professor, members of the Special Operations Division, and four students from Arsen.

The composition was quite unusual.

Typically, third-year students who were familiar with the Source of Magic would attend such events, but today, all four were freshmen.

Ulan, Noa, Ivella, and Delia. It was none other than Ulan’s party.

Aside from being freshmen, they had an additional commonality—they all had encountered incidents related to the Source of Magic before.

Consequently, the department requested the four to provide guidance for the tour, and as Ulan agreed, everyone’s attendance was naturally set.

Meanwhile, after checking the list from Arsen, Ian sighed repeatedly. Noticing this, Laurea quietly whispered.

“Hey, Ian.”

“What?”

“Why have you been sighing since earlier?”

“Are you really asking me that?”

“If I knew, would I bother to ask?”

Her brow furrowed, as if demanding him to give an explanation.

Ian sighed again and looked towards where Ulan was. He shook his fist and replied.

“… It’s nine times.”

“Huh? What’s that?”

“In the past three days, I fainted nine times while fighting that monster!”

Three days ago, due to Laurea’s unilateral decision, Ian had been forced to receive Ulan’s teachings against his will.

‘Well, so far, so good.’

Opportunities to be taught by a Master are certainly not common. However, there were two significant issues with Ulan’s teachings.

One, his training consisted of pure duels, and two, every duel was serious enough to be compared to a real battle.

When Ian first dueled with Ulan, he felt the imminent danger of actually dying due to the murderous intent Ulan exuded.

After all, the nine times he fainted were proof of that.

That wasn’t the only problem.

“And look at this!”

“What now?”

“This uniform! You wouldn’t pretend not to notice it, would you?!”

Ian’s uniform was notably full of holes and torn areas compared to the others.

It looked as if it had been sliced by a sharp blade.

Seeing this, Laurea frowned and scolded him.

“It’s too worn out. Clean your clothes!”

“I mean, it’s because of that monster!”

Ian shouted incredulously.

During his duels with Ulan, unlike Ian, who was armed with a sword and shield, Ulan used no weapons at all. He faced him with nothing but his bare fists.

‘However, instead…’

Ulan showed no mercy.

He relentlessly pressured Ian, smashing through his shield and even his armor with his bare fists.

What terrified Ian the most was that just the shockwaves from Ulan’s punches ripped his uniform apart.

“And you saw this yourself, right? I was covered in bruises, and even yesterday morning, I had broken ribs!”

That wasn’t all.

His arm twisted in a direction it shouldn’t have, and the bones in his fingers that held the shield crumbled like dust.

Faced with his complaints, Laurea shrugged.

“But I treated you, didn’t I?”

“That, that’s…!”

“Shouldn’t you be grateful that the future Saintess used a Sacred Item to heal you?”

She asked him as if confused about what the problem was.

The audacity of her response left Ian speechless. After a moment, he pouted and muttered.

“…When you think about it, it’s your fault too.”

“What? How’s that my fault?”

“I could have taken a break under the pretense of being injured, but you kept healing me every time!”

Even went so far as to borrow the power of a Sacred Item.

The result? It took less than ten minutes for his broken ribs and crumbled finger bones to get healed back to normal.

After that, the teachings resumed.

Amidst the unending duels, Ian repeatedly fainted and woke up again. Recalling that time sent shivers down his spine.

‘My Master wouldn’t do this.’

His master, the famed Paladin Master Shanktus, never pushed him that hard.

While he was busy complaining, Laurea suddenly spoke up.

“But your skills have improved, haven’t they?”

“…….”

Ian’s mouth snapped shut. It was indeed true.

Over the past three days of hellish treatment, Ian’s skills had indeed improved dramatically.

He’d practically rolled around in a battlefield where his life was threatened. It felt like this was how it would feel in a real war.

‘But even so…’

This kind of teaching was far too mindless.

It would be better to go back to Eloden and ask his Master for guidance once more.

However, that was merely a dream.

He still had a week left before he could go back. As he sighed again, feeling defeated by the grim reality,

“Hah.”

Someone else also sighed.

A girl with neatly tied pale blonde hair.

It was Ivella Elea’ad.

“Ugh, I can’t believe I’m here again.”

In fact, she was reluctant to come to the Source of Magic.

It was due to the memories of being swept away by a rapid current and getting trapped in an underground ruin months ago.

Recalling that time made her weak in the knees, so when she was first approached with the proposal for the tour, she was ready to decline without an ounce of hesitation.

‘However…’

She couldn’t do that.

Because Ulan had said he would go.

Then Noa and Delia also expressed their willingness to attend as well. It was at that point Ivella decided to accept the proposal for the tour guide.

Only one reason.

‘I can’t let Noa be alone with Ulan and Delia!’

Ivella noticed it before anyone else.

Delia had feelings for Ulan.

And it seemed Delia was aware of her own feelings too.

‘So…’

I can’t let this opportunity arise.

Her turquoise eyes blazed with flames.

Just then, a voice broke her thoughts. It was Laurea’s voice.

“By the way, Lady Elea’ad.”

“Huh?”

“I heard you were swept away by a rapid current at the Source of Magic. What happened?”

“Oh, um…”

Ivella began to explain, relaying a concise summary of her ordeal when she was trapped in the ruins and how she escaped.

After the story was wrapped up,

“That really was a massive ordeal, huh?”

Laurea nodded, looking somewhat surprised.

“I never would have imagined there was such a ruin beneath the Source of Magic. Wasn’t it scary?”

“It was terrifying. I thought I was going to die. But it was okay because Ulan was there.”

Recalling that time, Ivella smiled faintly.

Then suddenly, she mustered a memory, her cheeks turning slightly red as she spoke.

“Of course, when I first woke up, I was surprised because I was completely naked.”

“Oh, you were naked?!”

It was an unexpected revelation, and Laurea looked shocked. Meanwhile, Ivella responded nonchalantly.

“Yeah, I heard later it was to prevent my body temperature from dropping.”

As she glanced at Ulan.

With a slightly shy expression.

Upon hearing that, Laurea shot a glance at Ulan.

This meant that it was Ulan who suggested stripping Ivella in that situation.

“But I’m fine with that.”

“No, even so…”

“It’s not like it was someone else, it was Ulan.”

So there was no need for concern.

Ivella confidently stated.

Laurea, originally looking shocked, then broke into a grin.

It was a playful smile.

“You sure make it sound like Ulan is special, huh?”

“Yep, that’s right.”

Ivella nodded enthusiastically.

Without a hint of hesitation.

“To me, Ulan is special.”

“……”

Laurea fell silent.

That wasn’t the reaction she had expected.

She’d intended to tease Ivella, wanting to see her flustered, but she hadn’t expected such a sincere response.

‘What’s this?’

She felt a bit strange.

If she had to describe it, it felt like someone had grabbed her heart quite firmly, making her chest feel tight.

It was a new feeling she had never experienced before.

Yet, it wasn’t particularly pleasant, so Laurea frowned silently.

Meanwhile, Ulan, oblivious to becoming the topic of discussion between the two girls, continued to gaze intently at the Source of Magic.

The reason he was there today.

Accepting the proposal to act as a tour guide, he had another purpose.

‘The Axe of Demon Slaying, Osei.’

The axe strapped to Ulan’s waist.

According to the first book he read, Osei was said to be located somewhere within the Source of Magic.

‘And if I’m close enough, it should resonate with Gula.’

However, there had been no resonance in the areas he had visited, Zones 1 and 2.

This indicated that Osei was deeper within.

‘I’m not sure if I can go there or not.’

If the opportunity arose, he planned to make a brief visit.

It felt a bit lacking to only have Gula, and he needed to prepare thoroughly for future encounters with other Lords of the Abyss.

Lost in his personal thoughts, a sudden interruption broke his contemplation.

“Huh? Who are those people?”

“A bunch of Mages from the Magic Tower, right?”

“What brings the Empire’s Mages here?”

Students were murmuring. Coming to his senses, Ulan looked towards the center of the commotion. Then, a familiar voice rang in his ears.

“I overheard something earlier.”

Pointed ears like rabbit ears.

It was Delia’s voice. Whispering as she gazed in the same direction as Ulan.

“It seems the Empire sent an investigation team.”

“An investigation team?”

“Yeah, from the Rubens Empire.”

She nodded and then looked up at him with her golden eyes.

“They’re probably here to investigate the Abyssal Rift.”

That made sense.

After all, even the Holy Nation had sent a student investigation team, so the Empire wouldn’t just sit back and do nothing.

At that moment,

“…!”

Ulan’s eyes widened slightly.

It wasn’t just him. Noa, who had noticed someone, also widened her eyes.

The Empire’s investigation team, made up of Mages. Among them, he spotted a familiar face.

“You’re….”

It was a wizard in his mid-forties.

With golden hair and brown eyes resembling earth. He too, after spotting Ulan and Noa, showed a look of surprise.

But only for a moment.

The man strode over to them with a warm smile.

“Long time no see. How have you been?”

He extended his hand for a handshake.

It was the man who had written them a recommendation for admission to Arsen Academy.

D’muehl Ron Dermore.

It was Count Dermore.

After the entrance permission to the Source of Magic was granted, a massive wave of people began to move.

However, perhaps due to the Empire’s investigation team joining them, the crowd grew significantly larger compared to before.

Initially, there were just over forty people, and now there were effortlessly over sixty.

Since their direction was the same, the Eloden delegation decided to accompany the Empire’s investigation team. After all, Eloden had intended to investigate as well.

As they entered Zone 1, suddenly Count Dermore, leading the investigation team, spoke up.

“By the way, our fates seem quite intertwined.”

“Huh?”

“I was actually looking for you. I never thought I would meet you here.”

“You were looking for us?”

“Yes. We’ve been dispatched under an Imperial Decree. We have the duty to ascertain the existence of the Abyss through detailed investigation.”

As he explained, it seemed the Marquis Gorphant had submitted a report, but the Imperial Family deemed further investigation necessary and dispatched an investigation team.

“Thus, we needed testimonies from those who experienced the incident firsthand.”

And just like that, the individuals involved were all gathered here. Ulan, Noa, and Delia.

However, the Count selectively spoke to Ulan and Noa, excluding Delia.

“So, may I ask for your cooperation?”

The Count suggested firmly.

Without hesitation, Ulan agreed.

“Of course. I owe you a debt.”

“Haha, thank you.”

Count Dermore’s expression lightened considerably.

Meanwhile, during this exchange, Noa stepped back, carefully observing the Count as he rejoined the team.

‘Why is that man here?’

While there was nothing particularly strange about it.

After all, the original Count Dermore did visit the Source of Magic with the investigation team.

‘But not at this time.’

The Count was supposed to visit this place six years later when events were gearing up to resurrect his daughter.

‘…First, let’s sort out the situation.’

Fundamentally, the Count was here to conduct a detailed investigation of the incident that opened the Abyssal Rift.

This event was an unprecedented variable in the original story, so it was not surprising that the Empire would dispatch an investigation team.

‘But why that man?!’

D’muehl Ron Dermore.

This wizard, affiliated with the Earth’s Magic Tower, held an extreme aversion to visiting the Source of Magic.

So, remaining absent from this place, he only realized six years later that the key component necessary for his plans was here, making the trip only then.

‘And…’

The Count’s investigation team would meet destruction.

Not exactly destruction, to be precise.

At least the Count would return alive.

But he would come back as a hollow shell of his former self, almost entirely incapacitated. That was the story of Count Dermore’s character.

‘But why…’

Why would a man who is usually averse to approaching the Source of Magic come here before his plans have even come to fruition?

Was it a mere coincidence?

Or had the incident meant to happen six years from now already been advanced? Noa wrinkled her face, feeling an unsettling fog cloud her mind.

‘If the events meant for six years later are arriving sooner, then the situation is much more serious than I thought.’

That’s because the speed at which the Gates of the Abyss would open post that event would increase.

The timer indicating the time until the gate opened in the game had shown that it was now running twice as fast compared to before.

‘Ugh, this is really bad!’

Nothing good would come from the Gates of the Abyss opening early. Noa’s expression hardened.

Meanwhile, around the same time, it wasn’t just her that looked serious.

Ulan, too, kept a stony expression as he focused intently on the core of the Source of Magic.

And at that moment.

“What are you looking at?”

Delia asked, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Ulan answered candidly.

“I have a strange feeling.”

“A strange feeling?”

“Look beyond that mist.”

He pointed towards the veil of mist that marked the boundary between Zones 2 and 3. There, something unusual grabbed their attention.

“What’s that…?”

The scene reflected in her golden eyes.

Something akin to black smoke was faintly rising beyond the mist.

“Did we see this last time?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

Delia shook her head.

The last time they had visited the Source of Magic, they could only see the mist.

It wasn’t just that; the more they looked at the black smoke, the more uneasy they felt.

“Should I check it out?”

“Is there a way?”

“You just need to use magic.”

Simple and straightforward answer.

Ulan immediately nodded.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“Okay, leave it to me.”

After her crisp response, a glowing orb formed in the air.

Observation magic, the Eye of the Watcher.

A magic spell that lets one see distant landscapes. But there was one issue with it.

“To be honest, this is the first time I’m using this spell.”

“Which means…?”

“It’s hard to use the magic while walking.”

This meant she wasn’t very skilled at maneuvering it.

And perhaps that’s why?

The Eye of the Watcher she conjured fluttered through the air as if it were dizzy from alcohol.

“So, um, can you hold my hand and walk with me?”

It wasn’t a particularly difficult request.

So he immediately took her hand.

“Is this alright?”

“Yep, that’s enough.”

Delia beamed with a smile.

Like a hunter who had just captured what she desired.

At that moment, the Eye of the Watcher burst forth into the air.

For a first-time spell, it moved incredibly steadily and swiftly.

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