Chapter 99
S7qPHow much time had passed? Aint opened his eyes.t2eOEov
96rlyAll attention turned to his mouth.pmH
M67o“…Ah uh…”lR1FQ9
EAU6xSSurprised by their stares, Aint grew nervous, but soon regained his composure.ddwB
ZR3tL75“I did everything I could, but as the senior said, I couldn’t detect any traces of forbidden magic.”UueG
9dnNsj3“Not even a little?”d2a
JzYUZPG“Not even a little.”97sn
yrNK0“So, was Brother Fernan wrong…?”TxVZ
YsACnDBut neither Fernan nor Rosalia showed the slightest change in expression.kg49ny
KNs5kb“Professor, now show us the real work.”tVZ26Se
zzwHb7“The real one?”7Vz4C
2GcY“Something else? But what we saw already was impressive.”JDSamqu
7Ak“Follow me.”kDY4U
gheZCmRosalia led them to a small door in the corner of the lab.HT0d
3iyUpon opening it, a large room full of magical artifacts appeared, and in the center, another orb.51iJH
yMppUv“This…?”nmXOKqk
wTC“This is the real one. The other was an experimental prototype.”YrLZx
gvvNjwUnlike the outer ice block, this was a sphere made from hundreds of interwoven magic stones.fJDE
7izRFIts surface was covered with countless inscriptions and magic circles, and the power it radiated was much more intense.IQz9ZK0
KHKW“…I never thought I’d see something like this, brother.”JHed7iF
8k4Jace, the magic fanatic, inhaled with difficulty.Aoo
Ko0YR“This is like…”KRpkCN
2PcaopX“Like what?”UEVK0l2
ahRf2“A sun. It looks like an artificial sun.”EZ6139
nx4jL1“In a broad sense, that comparison isn’t wrong.”RzWQ7T
wUmBThough its principles, uses, and form were different, the fact that it held nearly unlimited mana made the comparison fitting.vMr
C74“Professor, may I examine it more closely?”cPlm
ToQ“How different your tone is now.”xqzTtVR
5koMY“That ice block already amazed me. Creating artificial magic stones… but this is in another league.”HllE
dbvJace swallowed, eyes gleaming like a child before a new toy, yet holding the seriousness of a scholar.cCnUHu8
mR6uzYb“Do what you want. It’ll be presented at the Continental Congress anyway.”Rknx
IsTd“Thank you, thank you so much!”0O2btS
7BCHe understood the value of what he was seeing, more than anyone there—except Rosalia.0Ru
Vz16Yyq“How did you inscribe these runes? Oh, and here you even made opposing formulas interact…!”NzCB0zo
HkF478uAs Jace immersed himself in analysis, Fernan turned to Aint.AwIDY5Z
NN27“Aint, your task is the same. Check if there’s forbidden magic inside.”PvOu
7OI“And if I don’t find anything?”JFEbTwR
bqlTc9“That would be best.”E26Ncbm
8tHaNxC“The best?”cOZ
PjH“Of course. Better to double the research funding than let a corrupted sabotage the project and ruin the Congress.”7O2nS6f
CWkwO“I never said I’d be satisfied with just double.”zu67
CfyK“No matter how many times I have to invest.”xDVg
HeaMAfter all, the burden was Fernan’s. And after handing the three legendary metals to his father, he knew massive profits were on the way.IuS
4aJ1awAint approached the orb. His skin tingled from the density of the mana.4Nkz
ba5‘No wonder they hadn’t noticed—the walls are covered with concealment seals.’jX5
SzcNSThe room’s inscriptions hid and contained the core’s power. With dozens of overlapping layers, it was impossible to sense from the outside.nHiVGwb
0pcZcU— That guy compared it to the sun, and rightfully so. Its energy is enough for a summoning ritual.Swq4c
UpGEzrk‘Without sacrificing lives? Just mana?’GjGgECc
rkKHhi— To pierce the dimensional barrier and bring something from another world requires an absurd amount of energy. Doesn’t matter if it’s life force or magical.923BQ
i2T2— Life is purer and more efficient, that’s why the corrupted prefer it.0tfDi6
qRZQwn— But remember how Andromalius was summoned.45lKi5u
pzpfeg9‘Ah…’TLhNqN
b2rAint recalled the use of World Tree branches in that ritual.TlzwpG2
OLitS‘If the corrupted got their hands on this… what would they do?’YAahL
UtCK— What else? Summon a demon.JFSH
beFA— Or even entire legions of monsters, to plunge the continent into chaos.NGoG
A41‘Then I really hope the senior is wrong.’0nKBo
Y2nVz— That would be ideal.WXT7bM
CJ37Aint took a deep breath, placed his sword-shaped pendant against the orb, and closed his eyes.bsRL1c5
CDbXF“…Externally, there’s no problem.”6a4eu10
dPRRosalia’s brow furrowed.bc0BJ
eszC“So internally, there is?”jAkBeQ
7NXqhTk“I’ll be honest—I don’t know enough magic to spot flaws in formulas or circles. But I do know how to sense forbidden magic.”4BFam
KVUYq9hThat was the power inherited from the Armian line since the First Emperor.IVL
RlL“What did you find?”dWf9djo
MjRB“A seed.”S6i6ie
sxnOp“A seed?”q80iD
aQmgX“Surrounded by magic stones, hidden under so much mana it was hard to find. But I’m sure—it’s a seed of forbidden magic.”Sxs74k
D2jztbDuring the earlier inspection, when Rosalia activated the core, Aint noticed how that dark fragment absorbed mana and grew, just barely perceptibly.sEv
Iq4rHe didn’t know what would sprout from it—and that uncertainty was the most sinister part.nApaK0
qH0P“Aint Armian.”fYyi
zY6R“Yes, Professor.”WyJ9wQu
qlFgV“Are you sure?”gwH4dHt
prh“I’d swear it a thousand times. I may be inferior to you in magic, but when it comes to sensing demonic magic, I’m second to none. I say this in the name of my lineage, the founders of the Empire.”tYeD6
fEK5w1“It can’t be…”UQZ
0qBo8bL“Such a miracle, tainted by forbidden magic? I won’t accept it! Are you sure you’re not mistaken, Aint?”XW0G8R
gCrarH7Rosalia examined the orb.foBuQg
CdmJNothing seemed strange. She had inspected it every day, and had even rechecked it after Fernan’s warning.W2Wtg5u
ABQiNothing.0cdQW
joNMhiXAnd yet Aint claimed otherwise.EbMCp0M
z0VFor a genius like Rosalia, it was unacceptable.aPcA
RWqZtI“There’s one way for everyone to verify—destroy it.”uCIe
evTzq2t“That’s absurd. The Congress is in two weeks! You want me to destroy it now?”isTuR
88eaNKcIt wasn’t even worth debating, she thought.jN1
JFQBut she couldn’t ignore the fact that the one proposing this was Fernan Pellenberg, and the one insisting with such certainty was Aint Armian.K0q
rmJK“There is another way.”tWSNCZ
dI3NIt was Fernan.sV8U0Iv
sHAt0DT“What is it?”c4QTmDT
lKgNi“No need to destroy the piece. Just catch the one who planted the seed.”Eqo4
zFk“…A corrupted?”sVPZSI
RlXnn“Yes. It was someone from inside. Do you think an outsider could have inserted it without understanding your research in depth?”Z3JICZO
umQJsBk“……”0JqJ8pB
s3oRosalia pressed her lips together.ZmG2
Wx6The answer lay among her assistants.1hISCY
KVkPJIt had to be.pphOW
xlQuJT***UqklN
MqSKr6Something in the air felt different.bQCRyZ
tmLWva3After a day of rest, when Aaron returned to Professor Rosalia’s lab, he sensed it immediately.tRca
J2BhjndNothing seemed to have changed in appearance.rZNVtO
5qdKlVoNot the arrangement of objects and documents, not the behavior of the other assistants, nor that of the professor herself.27U
3QMkmAnd yet, everything felt different.MKbx8o
dhs9vCpHe couldn’t pinpoint exactly why, but his instincts screamed that something was wrong.hD9I
BsB0Before he could figure it out, Rosalia entered.VtXN
yr1OkN“Pay attention.”J09Nra
7N77Clack.HkZXQ
a9BQ7The door closed.hsV9dH
TJOzBoThe professor gathered all the assistants and took out an object.XNM7FI
pdeZusvA transparent orb, pure, spotless.eMZEX
yG3“Some of you will know what this is, others maybe not.”lpZZ
uuRy2r‘That’s…’tDW
JtFAaron recognized it immediately.9PM7Shk
AnV7An artifact created by the Cult of the Dragon God to detect forbidden magic.Wn8a
T5Lbo‘Did they discover the seed I planted…?’XVTUfm
2RaNo, impossible.tAN
sk1aWMNIf they had been able to find it, they would’ve done so long ago.qi6blY
NwFkL‘Or is this another order from the headmaster? Maybe they found new clues after turning the Academy upside down looking for corrupteds?’uQq
Dv3wLmIf that were the case, there was no problem.uhCXp
xny1n“You’ve all heard what happened in Altrierc with the monsters and the corrupted, right?”pboW
y8Z“Yes, Professor…”Af1
wfEiP“That’s why the Academy has also decided to strengthen its measures. This is an artifact from the Cult of the Dragon God, capable of detecting forbidden magic in mana.”O0K
0rHsL“In other words… we’re suspected of being corrupted?”ITxk
0DW“The order applies to all staff, not just you.”zYp90s
SqL7Oa“I see.”fDeDtbF
hCEYsdBAaron smiled and placed his hand on the orb.j0t6
wkqtez“All we have to do is inject mana?”nRNiyJ1
Hjg“That’s right.”e6COT0
RgRMana flowed, but the orb didn’t react.EJj
sTileU7“Next.”PgEWcJu
YuSk8In this way, all five assistants were checked.VbtP
JM7QRosalia remained expressionless.hUA3
T9ej8eInside, Aaron mocked her.NjkzGV
t9VAuw‘Check all you want, you’ll find nothing.’fPik
XjUkUj7“You’ve all passed the test. Now, let’s move on to the next step.”Boz59oS
CfR“The next…?”GxaNR
e1RoBG“Enter.”3zD
u0aThe door opened.KGMA
7KTk“A pleasure to meet you. I’m Aint Armian. Professor Rosalia called me.”ZLSEe
5CgThe newcomer had golden hair that shone like the sun, and blue eyes as clear as gemstones.DDg7Cq
SoIAaron felt a chill crawl down his spine.FTiLV1
cjcASomething was wrong.BBxTB
OVDw6kDSuddenly, he felt like an insect trapped in a mage’s jar.15uApg
UM3z8Z“I suppose there’s no need to introduce him. The natural enemy of demons will now personally inspect you.”rwLcS3
IeP‘I need to escape… I can’t let this happen.’UMqTuAi
sVuoLC“You expect us to allow that boy to probe into us? That’s outrageous!”KHqdZ
C0NJ“Indeed, it’s unacceptable.”IGmnUt
fWMxs“No matter who you are, Professor…”cqf
2RRDp4The other assistants joined Aaron’s protest.6kMNt
JaQcAllowing someone to inspect the interior of their mana, their circuits and inscriptions, was something one only permitted to a master or closest family.521G31
tFn2Y“Once the Continental Congress ends, each of you will receive a bonus of five hundred gold coins and a month’s vacation. I’ll also review and assist with your theses.”LM8Uh9j
kRkI4Ru“You think that will convince us…?”xcDyoAB
xrANe“One thousand gold coins.”76fvjow
McS“…That might do it.”OYsZ
bOET“…Glup.”EgfpHeH
f0yp‘What the hell are they saying!?’ZbT
fFYCzXoWhat Aaron hadn’t expected was that the other assistants were little more than lab slaves.m1PEj
tNDgiExploited daily, they couldn’t resist such an offer.WvlbQRW
oGG7ayZ“I won’t examine anything beyond whether you carry forbidden magic or not.”cXYQ
05G3BVv“If Aint Armian harms or abuses any of you, I, Vienderk, will take responsibility for your compensation—and your vengeance.”IEW
kfc4rPy“…If you say so…”kJ4
mAu120“I trust you, Professor.”DU0
n24mMQSOne by one, the assistants nodded.Frxab
nCKWZn‘They’ve been treated like slaves for so long their minds became slave-like too. How can they let a brat examine them inside for a few coins?’OdFSu
RQyw9KAaron wanted to protest, to scream that it was absurd.YQN
6AVBut the moment his eyes met Rosalia’s, he understood.spW78
Y3za“…”QN7NT
SZscwK“…”3t9dPP
FnEl9No matter what he said, she would go through with it anyway.UP3I
dMkqThere was no point in resisting.VML
IDzXx7jHe couldn’t flee either.xkQ
WVd5IzAll he could do was rely on the power that had kept him hidden until now.LWVw
R37S8E4And then—EhROYT
SRcUO“Your name is Aaron, right?”9HcR
JTPNKu“Yes.”GMyU
c8rX2Zg“I’m not good at beating around the bush, so I’ll be direct.”D5lEq
QYx9OYd“What…?”hYhxL
R4dW9bWhack!nGkuT
Bt6lqLAaron’s face twisted from a brutal punch.DPhYV
v9wXd“W-what does this mean?!”PbE
2UCrK“They say the best medicine for the corrupted is a good beating.”kQS4dP7
2QpAnd his hope crumbled in just ten seconds.EPhZ
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