Was It Placed Here from the Past? (2)
"What is that, Branch Head?"
A mage behind him asked, and Alpoi awkwardly smiled while shaking his head.
"It's nothing. Just a new tavern's promotional flyer. Let's check it out later. My treat!"
Despite having no money, Alpoi boldly declared. The mages laughed at his words.
"Sounds great. I've been feeling a bit tired lately. Hahaha!"
They had no real work to do, yet they were always exhausted. Still, they were quite content with their current life.
Unlike in Fenris, they didn't have to do construction work, nor was anyone bothering them. There were no dangerous fights to deal with either.
The fact that they were slaves no longer mattered. Living an easy, carefree life was far more important.
Alpoi, his face flushed red, simply nodded and returned to his quarters.
"What could this be? Some kind of treasure? Or is it just a prank?"
Back in his room, he examined the map for a long time. The location marked on the map was relatively close to his quarters.
As the night deepened, his curiosity got the better of him. Grabbing the map, he stepped outside.
"It's nearby. I should check it out quickly."
It was most likely nothing special, but he couldn't just ignore it. Who knew? This might be a stroke of fortune granted by the heavens.
Alpoi had always considered himself special.
"What brings you out at this hour?"
The slave mages' quarters were heavily guarded to prevent any escapes. When a guard blocked his path, Alpoi snapped in irritation.
"I'm just taking a walk! What? You think I'm going to run away? I'm Alpoi, you know!"
His reaction was overly sensitive, but no one found it strange. Alpoi had always been quick to anger.
"... Very well. Be careful."
The guards clicked their tongues but stepped aside. Though Alpoi was technically a slave, no one dared to restrain him. He was a slave in name only—he was practically a noble.
"Hmph! I can't stand this! All because of that damn Claude!"
Muttering in frustration, Alpoi strode off.
Once he was far enough from the quarters, he used magic to conceal his presence. Back when he had been on the run from Belinda—before she snapped his neck—he had refined this particular spell, making it quite effective.
Moving stealthily toward a nearby mountain, he searched the area marked on the map.
Soon, he unearthed a buried chest.
With a heart pounding in anticipation, he opened it—only to find a book.
"T-This is…!"
[9th-Circle Magic That Only a 5th-Circle Slave Mage Who Defeated Goddess and Dragon Can Learn]
The title was both strangely familiar and utterly ridiculous.
Urgently flipping through the pages, Alpoi quickly skimmed the contents. He was a mage, after all, so he could roughly understand what it contained.
After a moment, his expression twisted into one of ecstasy.
"A-Amazing! This really looks like 9th-Circle magic!"
The explanations were well-detailed, making it seem easy to learn.
"I knew it! I am special!"
The title was unusual, but the contents were even more extraordinary.
It was a remarkable magic system he had never seen before.
And now, it was in his hands. How could this be mere coincidence?
No, this was nothing short of fate.
"Ahahahaha! Once I master this, I'll be a 9th-Circle mage too!"
Becoming a 9th-Circle mage wasn't that easy, but Alpoi thought otherwise. His lack of study had ingrained a habit of taking things lightly.
From a distance, Jerome watched Alpoi with a satisfied smile.
"Good. Now he'll start studying properly."
He had deliberately set it up so that Alpoi would stumble upon the magic tome.
If he had just handed it over, Alpoi's pride would have made him complain and doubt it. Worse, he might have refused to study out of sheer stubbornness.
Hadn't he done the same before when Vanessa tried to teach him advanced magic? He had run away, saying he didn't want to study.
But this method was perfect for someone like Alpoi, who believed himself to be special. If he thought the magic was a gift from the heavens, he'd be eager to learn it.
"When he masters it, I can tell him it was a gift from Ghislain."
Jerome took one last glance at the elated Alpoi before quietly leaving. He needed to report his success to Fenris.
From that day on, Alpoi devoted himself to studying.
His fellow mages were worried. It was extremely rare for him to study at all.
"Branch Head, studying will ruin your health."
"You're a slave anyway. What's the point of studying?"
"Come on, let's go have a drink instead."
They all tried to dissuade him. But Alpoi was adamant.
"Ah! Stop bothering me! I need to study!"
He was actually studying. If Vanessa had seen this, she would have cried tears of joy.
The mages exchanged dumbfounded looks and shook their heads.
They simply assumed Alpoi was acting up again. Surely, he would go back to his old self soon.
Despite their concerns (or lack thereof), Alpoi remained determined. But it wasn't easy.
"Ugh… I don't get it…"
His lack of prior study had left him with weak fundamentals, making progress slow. Still, he never once considered asking for help.
"This is mine! I'm the only one who can see it!"
This was a divine blessing meant for him alone. He had no intention of sharing it with anyone else.
He wanted to master it on his own, then flaunt it in front of others.
With Alpoi locked away in his quarters studying, his fellow mages could finally enjoy some peace.
The Eastern Research Institute grew quiet.
The other mages hoped this tranquility would last.
But peace never lasts forever. Eventually, Alpoi succeeded in learning the magic.
"Phew… I knew I was a genius."
Running a hand through his hair, he stepped outside for the first time in ages.
The sun was warm, and the birds' chirping tickled his ears. Everything seemed beautiful.
"Ahh… So this is the leisure of an 'absolute being.' I think I finally understand how a lord must feel."
Alpoi's demeanor had completely changed.
After mastering a new system of magic, his confidence had skyrocketed.
He had become even more arrogant than before. And he was already insufferable to begin with.
Now, he carried himself as if he were among the continent's most powerful figures.
A strange aura of relaxation, extreme self-assurance, and overwhelming arrogance surrounded him.
Neigh?
A nearby horse, Koko, gazed at him with teary eyes. It was as if he were seeing his former master, Idun.
Of course, the difference in skill between the two was like heaven and earth.
Regardless, from that day on, Alpoi began tormenting the mages with newfound vigor.
"Ah… Is this really the best you can do? How pathetic."
"You call yourselves mages? Oh, wait—you aren't 9th-Circle, are you?"
"Hah… This is why ordinary mages are so disappointing. Just talking to you is degrading."
Before, he had simply been short-tempered.
Now, he was deliberately condescending.
His smug attitude irritated everyone even more.
The research institute's mages started avoiding him like the plague.
But the younger disciple mages weren't so tolerant.
Their youthful energy burned with resentment. They couldn't stand his arrogance any longer.
A group of thirty disciples—who didn't know much about Alpoi—banded together and ambushed him on his way back to the quarters.
The enforcers accompanying Alpoi were caught off guard. The disciples greatly outnumbered them.
"W-What's going on? Who are you?!"
"You must be the research institute's disciples! Do you think covering your faces with masks will fool me?"
"Do you really think you'll get away with this? Back off now!"
In terms of magic, they had the advantage. Most of the disciples were only 1st or 2nd Circle.
But the disciples had sheer numbers on their side. They even carried clubs, and their determined expressions showed they were ready for a real fight.
This was bad.
If they actually got beaten by a bunch of kids, they'd never live it down.
Sure enough, the disciples boldly shouted,
"Hmph! We won't let you act high and mighty anymore!"
"With this many of us, you won't walk away unscathed!"
"We'll teach you some humility today!"
The enforcer mages panicked.
For some reason, they felt like they were the villains here.
So they pointed at Alpoi and said,
"Do you even know who this is?"
"He's the man who caught a dragon and saved the world!"
"You can't just gang up on someone like this just because he gave you a little advice!"
It wasn't entirely true, but it wasn't completely false either. If it weren't for Alpoi, who knew what might have happened to the world?
But the disciples just scoffed.
"Who would believe that nonsense?"
"If he was that great, why is he living as a slave here?"
"And isn't he terrible at magic?"
The young mages didn't believe a word of it. Alpoi's reputation was in shambles, after all.
Moreover, the researchers at the institute rarely spoke of him.
And even when they did, they only pointed out his flaws, never his strengths. Considering how little Alpoi actually knew about magic, their complaints weren't baseless.
It was only natural that the disciples harbored resentment toward him. Even if half of the rumors were true, there was no way someone like him would be living as a slave instead of lording over others.
This whole situation was the result of Claude's schemes and Alpoi's own personality flaws, but no one present knew the full story.
"You insolent brats! Show some respect for your elders!"
"Who are your masters? I'm going to have a word with them!"
"Do you really think we're actual slaves just because we wear the title?"
The enforcer mages were furious. Not because they particularly cared about Alpoi, but because if they lost even to disciples, life in this place would become unbearable.
The argument quickly devolved into shouting and finger-pointing. The enforcers were trying to intimidate the disciples into backing down, while the disciples were on the verge of swinging their clubs.
Just as the tension reached its peak, Alpoi slowly raised one arm.
"Silence."
There was something about his voice—an unexpected weight to it. The surroundings fell quiet for a moment.
Expressionless, Alpoi raised a single finger.
"Do not raise your voices."
The disciples flinched.
For a brief moment, he exuded an aura akin to that of an absolute ruler.
Of course, his long-time slave friends, the enforcer mages, saw things differently.
'Why the hell is this guy acting all dramatic?'
'He's always been unpredictable, but I have no idea what's going through his head now.'
Alpoi, however, was too immersed in his own performance to care what others thought.
With a graceful motion, he spread his arms.
"It seems I must demonstrate the difference in our abilities. With my '9th-Circle magic,' of course."
The disciples stiffened.
The phrase 9th-Circle alone was enough to make them hesitate. Even the enforcer mages stared at Alpoi like he'd lost his mind.
Fwoosh.
A small flame flickered into existence before Alpoi.
It split into two, then four, then eight.
By the time the division stopped, there were a total of thirty-two fireballs. They spread out around Alpoi, floating ominously in the air.
The disciples gasped in shock.
"M-Multi-casting?"
"And thirty-two at once?"
"T-This is impossible…! A 5th-Circle mage shouldn't be able to do this…!"
They trembled, instinctively stepping back.
Multi-casting was a skill reserved for geniuses. And even among those who could do it, handling thirty-two spells at once was far beyond conventional limits.
Could this actually be 9th-Circle magic?
To those unaware of Ghislain's modified spell system, it certainly seemed that way.
Even the enforcer mages were left gaping.
"Is he serious? What the hell is this?"
"Alpoi, of all people, can do something like this?"
"Did… did just studying for a bit really turn him into a genius?"
The fireballs were a bit small, but that didn't change the fact that this was a feat no one else could pull off.
As the shock spread, Alpoi spoke.
"You are still young and ignorant. I will forgive you this once. Now, go back."
In truth, Alpoi was desperately maintaining his expression.
Normally, he would have laughed and showered himself in praise.
But now… he understood the concept of 'coolness.' He wanted to keep up his sophisticated image.
And… well, the fireballs were a little too tiny for his liking.
So, he decided to bluff.
And it worked spectacularly.
"F-Forgive us!"
"We didn't know you were this powerful…!"
"Please accept our apologies!"
One by one, the disciples dropped their clubs.
They genuinely believed they had misjudged Alpoi.
Wearing his usual smug expression, he replied.
"Fine. I will overlook it this time. Do not challenge me again."
"U-Understood!"
The disciples fled in a hurry.
Only then did Alpoi dispel his magic and let out a quiet scoff.
The enforcer mages, still stunned, bombarded him with questions.
"W-When did you learn to do that?!"
"Is that really 9th-Circle magic?"
"Wait, you're telling me studying for a short while made you this strong?!"
Ignoring them, Alpoi abruptly changed the subject.
"The lord… he lost consciousness, didn't he?"
"Uh… yes?"
"Then the power vacuum must have thrown the kingdom into chaos. Many must be eyeing the throne."
That wasn't true at all.
Ghislain had established a solid system, and Fenris was filled with vassals loyal to him.
Furthermore, Zwalter was governing wisely, keeping the kingdom in a state of stability.
But Alpoi didn't know any of that.
He was too intoxicated with his own supposed power.
"Yes… The lord didn't start out in his position either. But the unbearable void left by his absence must come to an end. From now on…"
Alpoi's eyes gleamed sharply.
"I will stand above the heavens."
'This idiot has completely lost it.'
The enforcer mages' gazes turned cold.
Just because he learned one magic spell, he had gone completely delusional. His narcissism had spiraled out of control.
But what could they do?
No one in the Eastern Research Institute had the knowledge to debunk his magic.
Soon, rumors about Alpoi spread like wildfire.
Many young mages began idolizing him, flocking to his side.
Thus, Alpoi rose as a new power within the Eastern Research Institute.
And at the same time…
His ambitions grew boundlessly.
***
"If Alpoi learns a new magic system, he'll probably change a lot, right? Maybe he'll even start liking studying."
Jerome hummed happily as he returned to Fenris.
He was pleased with himself for successfully delivering the magic tome.
Of course, he had no idea that Alpoi had changed in a very bizarre way.
Jerome eagerly looked forward to researching the new magic with Vanessa.
However, upon his arrival, he was met with shocking news.
"Lord Jerome!"
"Oh, Vanessa. I was just about to visit you…"
"The book! New content has appeared!"
Jerome immediately forgot about everything else.
He bolted toward the book.
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