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TL: ALT
Chapter 220 – The Vampire and Elf Cleanup Part 6
“Even though the plants don’t move, it’s a rich forest.”
I left the Toulon family’s spirit tree behind and moved steadily westward through the Elven Kingdom forest.
There was more food than I’d imagined—so much so that I wondered if the Elven Kingdom could survive without farming.
If I had to nitpick, the nuts were small. With so many root vegetables, I thought stews and simmered dishes could have more variety.
But then again, no elf would bother researching such things.
“Exploring the elf kingdom from an outsider’s perspective, huh? I wonder what would happen if I sent Makyo and Chel on a journey.”
If they arrived with hostile intent, the country might collapse within ten days. In that sense, the Elf Kingdom’s defenses are lousy.
“How dare they even think of invading the demonic land.”
Rather, they would probably become interested in the elves’ way of life.
I thought the same thing when they came to pick up the dwarves—the demonic land and the elven kingdom have different values, so they misjudged how to entertain guests.
A refined lifestyle should be the essence of elven culture.
During the harshest winter, communication with other spirit tree towns is nearly cut off. I’ve never heard of other nations making preserved foods or having indoor gardens like the elves do.
They probably don’t realize how unique the elves are.
Having long ears yet refusing to listen to other races is a bad habit.
I drew water while listening to the stream’s beautiful babbling, then scared off a wild bear that approached. A mother and child Fenrir with fluffy white fur opened their mouths wide, so I checked them for cavities. Their jaws were dislocated, so I put them back in place.
I basked in the midday sun, savoring the scent of flowers, and dozed off with my eyes half-closed. Listening closely, I heard a poisonous bee flying right in front of me. Without hesitation, I crushed it. As for the cute bees, I’ll burn their entire nest.
This is truly life in the Elf Kingdom.
No, wait! This is life in the demonic land.
“Huh!? Where did I go wrong? This is weird!”
I’m completely immersed in the demonic land.
To learn about people’s lives, I headed to the Western Capital.
The Western Capital has a Magic Academy. It should have the most advanced magical artifacts in the Elf Kingdom.
It wasn’t far from the river where I’d been resting, so I reached it quickly.
While searching for a general store, I found cups, cloths, pots, and other items for sale bearing incomplete magic circles. If I completed the magic circles, the dungeon dwellers or the harpies from Cliff Garuda might be able to use them.
I bought various items intending to fix them in a corner of the tavern. When I stepped outside, I was surrounded by figures wearing black hoods.
Unlike assassins, they weren’t carrying weapons. I didn’t smell poison, nor did they show any signs of using magic.
“You’re the Dark Mage, Helgen-sama, right!?”
“No… I suppose so.”
“We are the Dark Magic Society! We’ve been waiting for you for a long time. Please come!”
It seemed I was being welcomed.
“Aren’t you guys misunderstanding something?”
“No! We found part of your research at the Magic Academy. The Magic Academy is full of fake scholars. You, the true mage, are the foremost authority on elven magic!”
“Would you please teach us your craft?”
They must be students from the Magic Academy.
“I can’t use magic.”
“But we’ve received intelligence that, after undergoing unimaginable training in the demonic land, you incapacitated the guards near the border with the Kingdom of Estinia!”
“Hmm…true enough. But the ‘magic’ that elves speak of only works in this country.”
“I see! So the elven magical realm itself is the problem!”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but I do believe research is restricted by classification.”
“””Oh! So it is!”””
“What kind of devil did you make a contract with?” One of them asked.
“I haven’t made a contract with a devil. I just have a demon friend.”
“A legendary demon!?”
“We’d love to hear more about that!”
Would you consider coming to the Magic Academy?”
What should I do? The students seem to have formed some rather unflattering fantasies about me. Best to dispel them early.
I could use a bath, wash my robes, and check if the Magic Academy has a magic tool workshop.
“All right. I’ll come if you lend me a bath and let me use the magic tool workshop. But wasn’t I banned from entering, even as a top graduate?”
“It’s fine! Your ban was lifted when you visited the Elf Kingdom as an envoy from the demonic land. Please teach us the ways of the demonic land!”
“I see. Then that’s fine.”
I headed to the Magic Academy with the students. Their black robes looked strange, and the elves on the street cowered. Had the robe design changed?
As we passed through the academy gates, a guard suddenly bellowed,
“Long live the Dark Mage!”
The guard was immediately seized and dragged away.
“Didn’t he misunderstand something?”
“No, there’s no misunderstanding. I’ll have it changed immediately.”
“Is that so? Could I borrow a bath for now?”
“A bath? Is that so? Yes, of course.”
It had been years since I’d been to the Magic Academy, but the location of the bath hadn’t changed.
I stopped at the dining hall halfway down the hallway and asked the cook if they could make a dish with the gibier deer meat I had brought.
“Ara, isn’t that Helly?”
The person who called me by my nickname was a classmate. She was practically the only elf I ever talked to. I thought she would end up working at the Ministry of Magic, but apparently, she became a cook. She had chubby cheeks and a face that looked like she was from the country.
“Hey, Imoko. Long time no see.”
“It’s Imuralda, you know! It really has been ages. Helly, you’ve been making quite a stir in the world, haven’t you?”
“Really?”
“I’m just working as a cook here because my kids have grown up and I have a bit more time. I haven’t left this town at all.”
“No, Imoko, you’re much happier. I envy your life.”
“Where do you live now?”
“In the demonic land. It’s hard enough living where huge monsters roam, but I live alongside those monstrous creatures.”
“I heard you became an envoy to the demonic land. So it’s true. How is it? Exciting?”
“I’m never bored. It’s so stimulating that I wonder what our research was even about.”
“If even Helly, who only ever did research, says that, it must be significant. Tell me about it later. I’ll cook the gibier deer meat. This meat isn’t rotten at all.”
“I just hunted it.”
“Helly’s stories really come alive when you hear them. Interesting.”
“I’m looking forward to dinner. I smell a bit, so I’ll take a bath first.”
“Sure. If you have laundry, hang it by the well.”
“It’s fine. I’ll do it myself.”
It felt surprisingly good to be taken care of by a classmate I hadn’t seen in ages.
After washing and hanging my robe by the well behind the kitchen, I headed to the large bathhouse at the Magic Academy.
Perhaps because of the time of day, I had the place to myself.
I slowly soaked in the tub, washing away the fatigue of my journey.
“Where to begin? Even saying ‘dark magic’ won’t convey much, I suppose. Without understanding the difference between magic and the manipulation of magical power, comprehension would be impossible.”
They seemed interested in me as a dark mage, but how much did the students actually understand? Maybe I should start with a sparring session. I owed them at least that much for the bath and laundry.
I dried off and slipped into a robe that looked like nightwear. Outwardly, I resembled a mage who had just entered the academy.
As I stepped out into the hallway, still wiping my hair, I saw that the black-robed students who had brought me there and the teachers were already fighting.
Thud! Splash! Pfft!
Magicians everywhere drew their staffs and unleashed spells.
I caught a teacher who had been blown away and checked their injuries.
“You should run. The dark magicians are here.”
She looked serious, but her injuries weren’t severe—just a few cuts and burns. She probably didn’t even need herbs.
“What are you all afraid of?”
“No…it can’t be…you…”
BOOM!
Holes began appearing in the walls and ceiling.
With no other choice, I dashed into the courtyard, climbed up a pillar, and ran across the roof to the bell tower.
I struck the bell that signaled the start of class with a magic-charged fist.
Dong, dong, dong.
“Cease this futile struggle! Helgen Toulon is here. If you wish to fight, I will be your opponent!”
I leapt from the bell tower and landed in the courtyard. The students and faculty turned their attention to me.
“Since the bell has rung, let’s begin class. Shall we start with the definition of dark magic? In the magical world of the Elven Kingdom, they seem to lump all unclassifiable magical power together as dark magic. However, that leaves far too many spells unaccounted for. Ah, you teacher over there, would you mind casting an offensive spell at me?”
“Me!?”
A bearded elf who looked quite skilled in magic stepped forward, staff at the ready.
“Any kind of magic is acceptable?”
“Anything will do.”
The bearded elf conjured a bird with fire magic and sent it flying toward me.
Its shape was decent, but its speed and power were insufficient. I crushed the firebird’s head with my magic-enveloped palm.
“If anyone else wants to attack me with magic, go ahead.”
Teachers from all directions began casting spells at me in the courtyard.
I melted ice spells with warmed magical power and shattered earth spells with my fists. Light spells? They didn’t hurt me in the first place.
“Bright, isn’t it? Light up the darkness for us.”
The teacher who cast the light magic hid their staff in their robes. Were they embarrassed? Or did they think it would affect me because I’m a dark mage? How shallow.
“As you can see from this tattoo, I still can’t use magic. What I just showed you wasn’t defensive magic. I simply crushed the spells with raw magic power. Those who cannot comprehend this are merely labeling it ‘dark magic’.”
Teachers and students, finally beginning to listen, gathered in the courtyard. Students watched from the second and third-floor corridors, too.
“In other words, the magic the elves speak of is only the magic the elves of today can comprehend. Countless forms of magic have vanished from history. Some magic was even forbidden to study.”
“Wasn’t it because it was dangerous?”
The bearded elf asked.
“Exactly. But that only applies within the elf kingdom. I have one unfortunate piece of news, though. In the demonic land of the Estinia Kingdom, where I live, a human who can create magic has appeared.”
“Is it primitive magic?”
A female student called out from the second-floor hallway.
“Yes, I thought it was probably close to primitive magic, so I was observing it myself. But something seems off.”
“Like what, for example?”
“Hmmm… How should I put it? For example, as a matter of basic common sense, to get from here to the second floor, I need to use the stairs. Otherwise, someone would need to set up a rope for me to climb up. But the one creating magic in the demonic land…”
I channeled magic into my legs, kicked off a pillar, and ascended to the second floor. A murmur rippled through the audience.
“It might look like a type of enhancement magic, but I’m just timing my magic infusion perfectly. If I push it further…”
I circled the courtyard wall, running. I stepped on the fence installed to prevent falls and landed on the third floor. The students there were wide-eyed and laughing.
I landed in the courtyard.
“Well, this happens. Mastering this allows you to run faster than a horse. He also used it to probe the ground and interfere with the force of upheaval, raising the ground.”
“The force of upheaval? Raise the ground?”
Even the teachers had questions.
“Sounds strange, right? I thought so too. But recently, he’s been using magic from his fingers to cut through trees and rocks. He’s even lifted the curse from a friend afflicted by a devil’s curse effortlessly.”
“Does he fly in the sky?”
A male student asked teasingly.
“Yeah, he started flying through the air without any support a few days ago. It’s hard to believe, but he says anyone can fly if they interfere with buoyancy. Frankly, magic is advancing at a pace far beyond our common sense or imagination.
“For those who study magic, isn’t that a cause for celebration?”
The black-haired teacher asked, his robe fluttering.
“It’s good news for the world’s mages. But what if it’s happening in the demonic land that the elven kingdom invaded alongside East Kenya half a year ago?”
The elves suddenly fell silent.
“In other words, from the elves’ perspective, it means that unclassifiable dark magic is developing rapidly in the demonic land—the very place they challenged. Even if the Elven Kingdom were to march into the demonic land now with its finest magicians, they’d be annihilated in seconds. They wouldn’t survive even half a day. Why?”
“…”
No answer came from the teachers.
“It’s because it falls under banned magic, so research was neglected. Of course, I understand that research requires money and that creating a course requires popularity. But if you only chase money and popularity, magic itself won’t develop. Only mental magic and the like will advance. They won’t contribute directly to cultural development or national defense. I hope you’ll understand this without fear. By the way, in the demonic land, they don’t call it dark magic. They call any method that uses magical power “magic.” It’s research you can do without attacking teachers or destroying walls and floors. If you’re interested, give it a try.”
I exited the courtyard, ending the lesson. On my way to the cafeteria, I heard applause, but the faculty probably wouldn’t approve of researching incomprehensible magic.
“That was good. Helly’s lesson.”
Imoko, arms crossed, praised me.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’ll tell the folks at my old workplace, too. The venison herb roast is ready.”
“It’s my favorite.”
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