How much information to share with Professor Pelina.
Since I had to entrust her with the artifact to construct the Magic Realm, it was essential to share information about the intruders of the Chamber of Trials.
However, there was a problem.
- Junior, I decided not to pry into your true identity, but convincing Professor Pelina is a tough task for me.
A vagrant from the gray zone, a lucky one in Blando's eyes, a student at the Academy, and so on.
'I said that no single descriptor could define me.'
To define a relationship, one needs a standpoint.
One's own standpoint, the other's standpoint.
When standpoints clash, they become enemies; when they share common ground, they become allies.
But what about me?
I lack that standpoint.
To be precise...
'I don't have one in this life.'
To understand me, one must understand my past life.
The foundation, purpose, beliefs, definitions, and everything that defines me were originally non-existent.
They were built through my past life.
Therefore, the solution was...
- It's risky to involve Blando in defining you. So, let's say you're the descendant of an old war mage. Your teacher, who harbors a grudge against Dekulan or Bimar, is one of them.
Many old war mages hide their identities and wander the continent.
While it won't completely dispel all doubts, it should suffice as a 'standpoint' to build a relationship with Professor Pelina.
It also resonated with the standpoint I actually held.
Anyway, we had aligned our stories like this...
Creak, thud.
The counseling room where I arrived with Professor Pelina.
"Do you know why I called you here?"
Professor Pelina's gaze was quite stern.
I scratched my head and nodded.
"It's not for counseling, I know."
In the cafeteria earlier, Professor Pelina summoned me under the pretext of counseling the victimized students.
Of course, this was just a public excuse.
"Right, I heard the story. A descendant of an old war mage, you said? The culprit of this incident... Bimar, was it?"
"They're scum."
"Those who associate with Dekulan are generally scum."
With my interjection, Professor Pelina nodded.
Though she didn't completely dispel her wariness towards me, it seemed our thoughts on Dekulan aligned.
"Anyway, there are many questionable points, but with the principal's guarantee, I'll let it slide for now. But before that..."
Professor Pelina's eyes suddenly gleamed.
Her gaze was chilling.
She opened and closed her lips several times, as if trying to say something.
Then, with a deep sigh, she forced her lips open.
"Let's put everything aside for now. At least, you don't seem to be a threat to the Academy. And, and..."
She tried to say something else, her lips twitching a few times.
I narrowed my eyes and watched her.
Suddenly, I thought,
"Professor."
"What is it?"
"I'm sorry, but I'm a student, and you're a professor..."
"What the hell?"
I shut my mouth.
Her aura was fiercely intimidating.
Professor Pelina glared at me as if she could devour me, then shook her head as if she had resigned to everything.
However, her next action was incomprehensible to me.
"Thank you."
Professor Pelina bowed deeply.
"Damn, it's hard to say these words that don't fit my personality. But I have to say it. Thank you."
I blinked.
"You know, the principal told me everything. Thanks to you, the students are safe. And... the Chamber of Trials wasn't defiled."
Professor Pelina was a truly remarkable person.
Though it seemed like a reluctant apology, her actions and voice conveyed genuine sincerity.
If I only looked at her expression and demeanor, it would be strange to think she wasn't challenging me to a duel, yet her sincerity was somehow well conveyed.
Watching her, I suddenly thought,
"Professor."
"What is it?"
"..."
Perhaps feeling embarrassed by the recent gratitude, Professor Pelina chose her words roughly.
After a moment of silence, she awkwardly cleared her throat.
Anyway, I am a broad-minded person. If I hadn't been grateful, I wouldn't have had much to say, but since I was grateful, I wanted to receive a favor in return.
And that favor was, of course, library sponsorship.
I cautiously asked if I could receive Professor Pelina's books as part of the library sponsorship.
Not just any books, but ones that could teach the roots of her magic without a teacher.
To which, Professor Pelina readily nodded.
"By the way, you said you want to establish a library. An open library for everyone... That's not bad. Let's try writing such a book."
Perhaps my senior had also mentioned the library.
The library wasn't really a secret.
In fact, the more people who knew about it, the better.
'Except for the fact that it will house the secret books of Dekulan and the noble families.'
Of course, I hadn't mentioned that part even to my senior.
Anyway,
"The principal's books will be placed on the top floor, so prepare the lower floor for mine."
I nodded at Professor Pelina's words.
Originally, I had planned to use the lower floor as my living space, but if the sponsor wanted it, I didn't mind sleeping on the street.
After that, we discussed the elements that the sponsored books should have.
It was a different level of detail compared to Phalun or my senior.
However, it wasn't bad.
After about thirty minutes of discussion,
"This part should be enough. Now, let's get to the main topic, shall we?"
Professor Pelina brought up the main purpose of our meeting.
That main purpose was, of course...
The Magic Realm
The artifact to construct that cursed land.
"Researching the utilization of the ancient artifact to construct the Magic Realm could take a considerable amount of time. It's quite dangerous, but it's not a huge problem. However..."
It was a natural statement.
The structure of the artifact would be as complex as its dangers.
Even if Professor Pelina was an outstanding magic engineer, it wasn't something she could solve in a day or two.
And most importantly,
'If we can't find a way to use it, we can just destroy it.'
If it seems impossible to find a way to use it, we can discard it without hesitation.
In other words, while the risk it poses is unparalleled, its essence is merely a fragile spark that can be extinguished at any time.
However,
"..."
I felt a sense of déjà vu.
There was something peculiar about Professor Pelina's tone.
'Is she saying that the real problem is something else?'
With this question in mind, I looked at Professor Pelina and realized my guess was correct.
Her expression was slightly stiff.
Though she usually had a fierce appearance, now it seemed more like her expression had sunk.
It was as if she was rolling a word in her mind that she didn't want to say out loud.
Her lips opened at that moment.
"However... the biggest danger is the people who will come after the artifact."
"The people who will come after it...?"
"Do you know the Order of Forbidden Magic?"
I tilted my head.
It was a name I had never heard before.
"They are called Salvatium."
When it comes to forbidden magic, it refers to magic that is prohibited, but an order?
In my past life, I had met several people who had learned forbidden magic, but I had never heard that they formed an alliance.
Those who practiced forbidden magic generally acted alone and didn't form groups.
Phalun was also...
'No, I don't know everything about Phalun.'
I didn't know everything about Phalun.
"Seems you don't know."
I gathered my thoughts at Professor Pelina's words.
It felt like I had discovered a rusty box that I hadn't explored in my past life.
And it was indeed the case.
"The Order of Forbidden Magic, or Salvatium, is an alliance of those who have learned forbidden magic. However, they have a common wish. And that wish is..."
To recreate the Magic Realm.
No, to dye the entire continent in the Magic Realm.
"I don't know how much Phalun has learned about forbidden magic, but given that he dealt with the Magic Realm, he must be associated with the Order of Forbidden Magic."
In other words, what Professor Pelina was warning me about was this.
"When he died."
The artifact disappeared.
So...
"They will definitely chase you to recover the artifact. And their persistence is on a different level from Dekulan."
Since the incident happened inside the Chamber of Trials, it wouldn't take long to investigate all the affected students.
However, according to Professor Pelina, they don't act hastily.
They will move quietly and secretly until the day they dye the continent in the Magic Realm.
But, regardless of when that day comes...
'You will inevitably clash with them?'
I quietly looked at Professor Pelina.
A short silence had settled between us.
If I hadn't known, I wouldn't have known, but now that I did, parts of my past life that had been unclear started to surface.
When I was chasing Phalun.
'How could he evade me?'
Though I had lost him, the fact that Phalun could evade me was almost impossible.
So, in between—
'They were there?'
"Choose."
"Choose what?"
Professor Pelina looked at me with a stern face.
"Whatever you're hiding, whatever power you have, if you become a target of the Order of Forbidden Magic, it will be hard to survive. Eventually..."
"You might die?"
Professor Pelina nodded.
Her expression was filled with a strange sorrow.
How she knew about such a secretive organization, I wanted to ask, but seeing her expression, my curiosity subsided.
Clearly, she had some connection with the Order of Forbidden Magic.
I looked at Professor Pelina and nodded.
"Okay, what?"
"..."
"I'll keep it in mind."
Professor Pelina's face was full of questions. I scratched my ear and continued.
"Since they're going to chase me anyway, right?"
"Right."
"And you can't shake them off, right?"
"Right."
The utility of forbidden magic is truly terrifying.
To be in a situation where I'm being chased by a group of mages who have learned forbidden magic?
Depending on who hears it, it might feel like the end of the world.
But,
"Then, I'll break them when the time comes."
"Break them?"
I nodded.
"Whether they've learned forbidden magic or not, whether it's dangerous or not. In the end, if we clash and break, one dies and the other survives."
That's how I see it.
Who the opponent is isn't that important.
If they clash and break, it's over; if not, it's death.
It's not a big deal.
And to be honest...
'I'll just crush them all.'
The scale and the level of danger don't matter.
I just walk my path and break whatever stands in my way.
"..."
Professor Pelina burst into a laugh, sounding exasperated.
I shrugged at her.
Anyway, my first meeting with Professor Pelina was smoother than I had imagined.
Of course, her wariness towards me wouldn't disappear.
She would think she needs to stop me if I ever threaten the Academy.
But that's only natural.
And this level of relationship was just right.
So, I handed over Phalun's artifact to Professor Pelina and started to wrap up the situation.
But then,
Bam!
The door suddenly opened.
"Huff, huff...! P, Professor Pelina...! You're here, you're here!"
The assistant professor, who had been searching for Professor Pelina, was in a mess.
His body was drenched in sweat.
"Is something wrong?"
Professor Pelina, who had quietly tucked the artifact into a subspace, asked.
Her expression was subtly displeased.
Under normal circumstances, she would have scolded the assistant professor without hesitation.
"You shouldn't be here now."
The news the assistant professor brought was something that even surprised Professor Pelina.
After all,
"The head of the Dekulan family has come to the Academy. Pharren, Pharren himself!"
The head of the Dekulan family.
A monster who would become the strongest mage in history.
The one who could be considered the mastermind behind the Chamber of Trials incident.
'Pharren?'
This was not a piece of news I could just brush off.