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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: The Magic Tower Genius Descends into the Labyrinth
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Deep into the night.
As the city's lights flickered out one by one, Sylbian returned to the inn's back room.
"This isn't easy."
He let out a heavy sigh and leaned against the wall in a daze.
He had thought deep down that bringing Cherentia on board as a companion would be straightforward.
Her straightforward personality and blunt way of speaking made him think he could easily win her over.
But things hadn't gone as expected.
"She showed me some goodwill for treating her to a meal, but she knows how to judge worth properly, huh."
The reason Cherentia turned him down was incredibly simple.
She clearly had no prejudice against the stigma.
However, she saw no value in him as a fighting force.
That's all it was. Just that.
That was the only reason she couldn't travel with him.
He gnawed at his lips and clenched his fists tightly before releasing them.
Honestly.
Her rejection had hurt him deeply.
Cherentia's speech was straightforward, without even a hint of malice toward him.
She had even shown visible goodwill for the meal he'd bought her.
That might be why the shock hit him even harder.
"No value as a companion..."
He had been called the Magic Tower's genius for a full ten years.
During those long years, his talent had been revered as unparalleled.
Even the mages who taught him had never skimped on their praise for his magical aptitude.
And yet.
Now, his worth was such that even a mere beastkin could reject him outright.
"Ha..."
A hollow laugh escaped his lips in sheer absurdity.
But he had to accept this reality.
And the silver lining was that he had made another appointment with Cherentia, so there was still a chance.
"When I meet Cherentia in three days, I need to prepare even more thoroughly."
Today didn't mean the end of their connection.
It meant there was still a possibility to change her mind.
And as he parted ways with her, he had a faint feeling.
The next meeting would likely be his last shot.
If he couldn't convince her then, there would be no after.
"No ordinary magic will sway her heart."
Thud.
He sat on the edge of the bed and calmed his mind. For now, he needed to take a closer look at himself.
"Status Window."
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⚡ Strength: 8 💨 Agility: 8 💪 Stamina: 7 🧠 Intelligence: 71 ✨ Magic Power: 500
Unique Traits (3)
Mana Interference (S Rank) - Can interfere with and distort mana flows. Mana Affinity (S Rank) - Greatly boosts magic acquisition speed and mana recovery. Ancient Magic Understanding (B Rank) - Provides correction for understanding ancient magic.
Restrictions (1)
Stigma - Due to the Western Magic Tower's stigma, 90% of mana is sealed.
The more he looked at the status window, the more frustration welled up inside him.
"A half-baked mage..."
All he could see was the drastically reduced mana.
Since leaving the Magic Tower, he had only cast magic twice.
The first time to reach the city, the second to prove his worth.
"Even recovery rates are different."
That made him uneasy.
He had to be cautious when casting spells as he pleased.
"And I only get one shot."
Today, he had deliberately not revealed that he could use magic.
He couldn't show his true value properly.
Suddenly, Cherentia's voice echoed in his mind.
[Sylbian. This is what I think about companions.]
[Only someone I can truly trust with my back deserves to be called a companion.]
[That's why I can't go with you. I'm truly sorry to reject your offer.]
Cherentia's tone lingered vividly even now.
He understood her intent, but the shock was immense all the same.
His current worth,
his current strength.
It meant they held absolutely no value.
So he completely changed his mindset too.
"I need to show her the greatest magic I can cast right now."
He declared it firmly, resolving himself.
He might have to push himself to the limit.
Attempting a spell beyond his mana capacity was utter recklessness.
If any other mage knew his plan, they'd call him insane.
But it was worth the risk.
"Cherentia called herself the second elder's daughter. That means she holds a high position in the Fern Tribe."
Honestly, her first impression hadn't been that impressive.
But thinking about it, there were plenty of reasons to take her seriously.
She had strong convictions and stuck firmly to her principles when giving him her answer.
Above all, she didn't change her attitude upon seeing the stigma.
That had won him over.
'And she chooses her companions carefully.'
So Cherentia must be confident in her own abilities too.
"Hoo..."
He dismissed the status window and slowly steadied his breathing.
Once he made up his mind, he knew exactly what he had to do next.
"Even if it means pulling an all-nighter, I have to fully recover my mana."
Mana recovery progresses naturally once it passes a certain threshold, handled by the body itself.
So there was no need to focus on it consciously.
But he knew another way to recover even more mana.
"..."
Amid his deep, settled breaths, he became aware of the mana flows within his body.
Hundreds, thousands of mana streams.
'I need to infuse my will into all these streams.'
To accelerate the mana flow even a little.
Soon, the flows in his body began to shift gradually.
Shwaaaaa...!
At first, he only attuned his consciousness to a small amount of mana.
But before long, all the mana in his body began to synchronize with his will.
'This is all I have right now.'
Due to the stigma, the mana he could wield was greatly reduced.
But his will to manipulate mana hadn't diminished.
So he could do this.
No, he believed in himself more strongly than anything.
Meet Cherentia after recovering every last bit of mana possible.
That was all that mattered now.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A few days passed since then.
"..."
Cherentia glanced steadily at Sylbian walking beside her.
Right now, as they headed to the city's outskirts together.
She had gladly accepted his invitation to show her something, but her mind wasn't at ease.
'His words and actions don't seem like those of a bad person.'
Still, she couldn't grant a human's request just like that.
She could easily guess why he was seeking a companion.
A stigmatized mage would find it nearly impossible to stand alone.
But she had no intention of accepting now after already refusing.
For her, forming a companion bond held great significance too.
Thud!
Reaching a wide open field, Sylbian came to a halt. Cherentia stopped as well and fixed her gaze on him.
"Sylbian, so what did you bring me all the way out here to show me?"
"When a mage says he has something to show, it's magic, isn't it?"
He answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and Cherentia blinked in surprise.
Her black ears perked up sharply, mirroring her shifting emotions.
Her glossy tail stopped its faint swaying.
"From what I know, exiles can't use magic. Sylbian, is the information I have wrong?"
Was he trying to bluff now,
or cast some trivial spell to dazzle her?
Whatever it was, Sylbian's attitude put her on slight guard.
"No, it's exactly as you know. Exiles generally can't use magic. That's the common perception."
Cherentia narrowed her eyes slightly.
His words sounded almost like he was different.
"...Sylbian. You don't need to push yourself."
So she shook her head gently.
"I'm not pushing myself now. I just want to show you.
That I have value as a companion."
"Then I'll say it again. Even if you show me magic, I have no intention of becoming your companion."
Cherentia's voice was icily firm.
She understood Sylbian's attitude but ultimately rejected it.
Back in the tribe, the elder had told her about mages.
They were among the wisest of humans, wielders of the mystery called magic.
That's why she couldn't understand this even more.
Sylbian before her was showing an inexplicably baffling attitude.
It was disappointing to her.
At that moment, Sylbian suddenly let out a small chuckle.
"I knew you'd answer that way. That's exactly why I have to show you magic."
"Sylbian."
It was the instant Cherentia called his name in an even more skeptical tone.
Shwaaaaa...!
Suddenly, the air currents shifted dramatically.
A massive gust swept through the open field like a gale.
The flows soon took on a vivid blue glow, illuminating the air brightly.
"I'll prove my worth with this magic."
Yet amid the vivid mana flows, Sylbian's voice rang out clearly and proudly.
A tone filled with serene confidence.
Cherentia, watching him, doubted her ears for a moment.
'What is this unbelievable confidence?'
He didn't seem like someone bluffing or acting on bravado.
Cherentia couldn't even think to question him.
"..."
She held her breath, taking in the sight of Sylbian orchestrating the vast mana.
"The name of the spell is..."
And even greater certainty crept into his voice.
Unconsciously, a flicker of anticipation stirred within Cherentia.
The mystery one human was about to unleash,
the scene unfolding toward an even greater mystery filled her with a strange exhilaration.