The Secret Room on the Second Floor of the Mansion
The secret room on the second floor of the mansion. It was a small chamber, sealed off on all sides, accessible only through a hidden passage.
If we imagine the mansion as a sphere, this would be the point where the radius meets the axis of rotation. In other words, it’s the core of all the magic cast on the mansion.
There was an extraordinary treasure here that maintained all the magic of the mansion.
“To wager your own brain…”
Floating in midair within the room was a shriveled brain, encased in a translucent black jewel.
I guessed that this brain belonged to Count Furst’s grandfather, the founder of this mansion.
He must have been a mage too, and his talent must have been passed down to Fabre.
The jewel was intangible like an illusion, probably due to some special protective magic. I could see it, but any other interaction was impossible.
I slumped down and took out my staff and magic book.
Along with the transparent jewel Princess Elisabeth had given me.
I pondered for a moment, alternately looking at the magic book and staff before me.
Should I complete my magic book first, or should I make a new staff, even if it’s imperfect?
Then I naturally recalled what Dorma had said.
‘Later, if you find more of the same material, bring it close to the magic book and infuse it with magical power. The magic book will absorb it. Of course, if you want to make a matching staff, come to me.’
So it would be best to use it for the magic book first, and if there’s any left, I’ll take it to Dorma.
I looked at the transparent jewel and slowly infused magical power into the magic book. The book’s presence became even more vivid.
I continued to infuse magical power, gauging the size of the transparent jewel.
That’s when it happened.
“Ugh.”
Suddenly, a powerful suction force was felt from the magic book, and it instantly sucked in the transparent jewel.
Not only that, but it also tried to forcibly absorb the magical power within me.
It was clear that if I stayed still like this, all my magical power would be drained and I would become a corpse.
“Argh.”
Indeed, it’s not good to start things without expert help.
I gritted my teeth, desperately trying to resist.
I used every thought I could muster, even my innate strength, to try not to lose my magical power.
However, it only stopped the suction force for a very brief moment. Soon, the magic book endlessly sucked in my magical power.
My consciousness gradually faded and my vision narrowed into darkness.
In the encroaching darkness, the red eye that had always watched over me was nowhere to be found.
If I close my eyes now, I’ll surely die!
At that moment, a memory flashed through my mind.
The black orb that Dorma had pulled out when first creating the magic book.
She had imbued that orb with my innate magic, then used the transparent jewel to bring it into reality.
That’s how my magic book came to be.
So what’s sucking in the magical power now is not my magic book, but the innate magic inside it.
My magic book wants to absorb the transparent jewel, not my magical power.
In my fading consciousness, I focused on that memory.
At that time, Dorma’s black orb couldn’t contain my magic. So it was about to burst, unable to withstand it.
Just like how I can’t withstand it now.
But how did I stop it back then?
I.
Said.
“Stop taking it.”
As soon as I finished speaking, the suction force from the magic book disappeared without a trace.
I couldn’t help but fall back, all the strength drained from my body.
“Haa. Haa. Haa.”
Now that I thought about it, it had always been like this.
When I stopped the weapons in mid-air on the ship.
When I rose during Master Avana’s test.
When I moved in the face of Kalasta’s majesty.
I raised my hand and touched my lips.
“I commanded. I did.”
And nothing was consumed in executing that command.
I sprang to my feet.
And opened the magic book to the first page.
“Language magic. What on earth does this mean? Is it perhaps similar to giving commands?”
I slowly reread the language magic once again.
But I still couldn’t understand most of it.
There’s no more time to devote to research. I haven’t properly checked on Oshalo yet.
At that moment, I noticed something new about the magic book, which had fully absorbed the transparent jewel. Patterns were engraved on the corners, and the texture of each page had improved.
Just by infusing magical power into the transparent jewel, it becomes part of the magic book.
It seems like it will be a serious problem later when making a staff.
It seems difficult without expert help after all.
I shook my head vigorously.
“Get a grip. I need to prepare for battle first.”
I grabbed the staff and magic book in my hands and swirled my robe.
Then, Oshalo, a skeleton frozen in clear ice, popped out from within.
Oshalo lowered his hand after looking around while holding a sharp icicle in his right hand.
“Oshalo. Look at me.”
Oshalo looked at me with fierce, murderous eyes.
But he showed no signs of speaking.
Corpses revived by death magic don’t originally speak. Even with Undine present, the thoughts contained within seem stronger.
I could talk with Undine, but I still couldn’t talk with the corpse.
“I promise. If you faithfully follow my orders, I’ll listen to your last wishes. So if there’s anything you want, write it on the floor.”
Then the skeleton’s eyes glowed red.
The skeleton stretched out its left hand. Then, ice crystals formed like an awl from his left hand.
Creak. Creak.
The skeleton wrote on the floor by scratching with the ice crystal.
I read it all and nodded.
“Alright. I’ll fulfill that wish, Oshalo.”
The skeleton’s mouth opened slightly, releasing a frosty breath.
It’s time to test his loyalty.
Without letting go of my staff, I said,
“Through my memories, go to Fabre’s room. Bring the thirty or so skeletons there to me.”
Oshalo stared at me for a while and then moved with heavy steps.
He left the room through the secret passage.
I heaved a deep sigh.
“It’s a fortunate that I named him Oshalo. He’s much more obedient than I thought.”
Now I looked up at the core of the mansion’s magic.
Since Fabre had already revealed a considerable part of it, there wasn’t much difficulty in figuring out the protective spells through it.
In between, Oshalo brought the skeletons, and each time, I cast death magic. For those with too little thought, I gathered them at once and put them into a single skeleton.
That way, I resurrected ten skeletons full of thoughts.
For the next five days, I consumed countless water herbs, endlessly meditated, frequently discussed plans with Fabre, and raised my magical power beyond its peak.
The dark and narrow indoor space disrupts the sense of time.
But I can tell.
The day had come.
Fabre left the secret room, leaving only Jangshir behind.
I commanded the skeletons to take their positions, then sent magical power to Jangshir to see everything happening in the mansion at once.
My consciousness floated up and soon left the secret room. Then it flew up high enough to see the entire view of the mansion at a glance.
A full, radiant moon hung in the sky.
Suddenly, a streak of flame shot up from the deep darkness.
And that flame, like a comet, created a long tail as it flew and fell in front of the mansion.
Bang-!
As a crater about three-meter-wide was formed, earthquakes occurred all around.
Rumble.
The mansion’s defensive magic worked noisily, protecting the mansion from the intense earthquake.
However, the surrounding landscape, except for the mansion, collapsed as it was swept away by the shock and strong winds.
Whoosh-!
Flames shot up from the center of the crater in an instant.
And an old man slowly walked up.
The old man’s appearance was ordinary. He looked like a kind-faced grandfather you could see in any city or village. His eyes were gentle and his slightly held smile was soft.
If there was anything unusual, it was that he was wearing clothes like feathers all over his body.
The old man raised both hands and extended his index fingers.
At that moment, the feathers surrounding the old man spewed out flames.
Whoosh-!
Two streams of powerful flames that seemed to burn the night flew towards the mansion.
But just before reaching the mansion, the flames disappeared in an instant as if they had never existed in the first place.
The old man’s smile distorted for a moment.
“You’ve prepared somewhat, I see. I wondered why you weren’t running away.”
The old man slowly moved his feet.
Wherever his feet touched the ground, it bubbled and boiled. His footprints formed a triangle, like those of a bird.
“I, Merlin, once again declare with my life on the line. You will die here, Ran. If I fail to kill you, I will die instead.”
No sooner had those words ended than a red bird figure emerged from the feathers Merlin was wearing. And that figure flew like an arrow towards the main gate of the mansion.
All sorts of noisy defensive magic activated, but the bird paid no heed and pierced through the mansion’s main gate.
Boom-!
With a thunderous sound, the main gate exploded entirely, revealing the interior of the mansion.
Merlin smirked.
“How ridiculous! Did you think you could stop me when you’ve barely left apprenticeship? Did you think you could stop me, who has been promoted by staking even my life, just by somehow raising your magical power?”
As the firebird that had blasted the main gate flew back to him, he slowly walked into the mansion like a victorious general who had breached a massive city gate.
Stopping briefly at the entrance, he raised his head and stared towards the secret room where I was.
“The master of this castle is already dead. You’re just using it for your purposes. Fine. At least it won’t be boring.”
He confidently stepped into the mansion.
But then the flames of his red-burning feathers rapidly diminished.
He looked at his body and smirked.
Merlin put his right hand behind his back and stroked his beard with his left, as if he were an old man out for a stroll. But flames flickered in his eyes.
“Let’s see. The core of this mansion is on the second floor. Normally, I would savour this, but I have no such intention now. I will burn you with all my might from the start, Ran.”
Merlin grinned and slowly moved towards the stairs to the second floor.
As he placed his foot on the stairs, everything suddenly darkened. Merlin frowned once, then slightly raised his right hand.
Whoosh!
As expected, flames shot up to the tips of his hair, brightly illuminating the surroundings.
But the surroundings were still dark.
“Something is moving?”
Merlin furrowed his brows and rubbed his ear.
Rustle.
Rustle.
At first, it was barely audible.
But the more he listened, the louder it became, until it turned into a strong noise that made him want to cover his eardrums.
It must be a sound that gradually gnaws at the nerves.
After all, senses tend to amplify their volume the moment they are recognized. The more alert he becomes, the louder the sound will seem.
Merlin’s brow furrowed and his eyes scanned the surroundings.
It must be quite noisy.
“I don’t know what it is, but I’ll turn everything to ashes.”
Lowering his hand from his ear, Merlin clenched both fists tightly.
Then, the feather flames that had dimmed when he entered the mansion regained their vitality and burned hot again.
Everything within a two-meter radius from where he stood began to turn to ashes.
His flames engulfed not only the darkness covering the floor and walls but also the darkness covering the ceiling.
Thud.
Thud.
Merlin caught a small piece of darkness falling on his head. Just before it turned to ashes, he recognized what it was.
“A beetle?”
That’s when it happened.
Flutter.
A swarm of beetles burst through the flames and flew toward Merlin’s face.
Of course, they were all burned to a crisp as soon as they touched the fire, but the last beetle in the swarm managed to reach Merlin’s face.
That beetle shot a sticky liquid towards Merlin.
Merlin immediately swung his right hand, unleashing a torrent of flames.
Boom-!
An intense explosion occurred right in front of Merlin’s nose.
It was like a small bomb had gone off.
But the smoke from the explosion disappeared instantly, revealing Merlin’s enraged face.
“How dare you!”
There wasn’t even a scorch mark on his face. But his hair was messy, and he had stepped back several paces.
I quickly said,
“As expected. He’s immune to fire and heat, but he can’t do anything about the momentum contained in the explosion.”
[Understood. I’ll keep trying.]
Soon, five swarms of beetles flew towards Merlin’s face.
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