Chapter 291 – Figures of the Old Era (One)

Holographic letters and numbers appeared on the stage.

[Imaginarius School]

[Total voting score: 1249 points]

[Average score: 9.992 points]

“My God….”

“Hah, I expected it to some extent, but I never thought such a score would actually come out.”

Even presentations of extremely high completion rarely received scores above the low 9-point range, and even that level only occurred maybe once or twice a year.

But 9.992 points?

It was an unprecedented score in history.

While the School Masters felt dizzy, they were also relieved that a perfect score hadn’t been given.

That was the last pride they had to maintain as those standing at the pinnacle of the magic world.

In fact, if you considered only the theory of imagination, it was sufficient to receive a perfect score.

Breaking the limits of existing magic rules and allowing free combination of elements?

If such a theory didn’t deserve a perfect score, what theory would?

But their pride intervened.

Giving a perfect score to someone not yet an adult, who claimed to be from Beyond the Wall at that.

They felt strong aversion, but considering they might face disadvantages in future exchanges, giving a perfect score was a rational judgment.

So they entered perfect scores into their panels.

Hoping that someone other than themselves would give a low score, of course.

Since a perfect score didn’t actually appear, that game of reading the room seemed successful.

Gustak, who had been staring blankly at the hologram, collected himself and spoke.

“I never thought I’d see such a score in my lifetime. Truly unprecedented. It’s practically a perfect score, I suppose… but the fact that it’s not actually perfect is quite regrettable. It seems one person gave a score that wasn’t perfect. Could you perhaps tell us the reason?”

The School Masters in the audience seats busily looked around at each other.

They too were curious about who had been brave enough to give a non-perfect score.

The answer to the question came not from the audience seats but from the stage.

“Because the theory still has much room for development. That’s why I gave it 9 points, not 10.”

Everyone hurriedly looked forward.

The owner of the voice was Ray.

His calm gaze was directed at one empty seat in the front row of the audience, and based on the residual mana, it was clear that the score had been entered through that seat’s panel.

Unperturbed by the flustered gazes, Ray continued.

“I’m also a School Master. I understand that even if it’s my own presentation, I have the right to score it.”

“That is true, but….”

Gustak couldn’t hide his bewilderment and trailed off.

When a School Master was the presenter, they either entered their score for their own presentation in advance or entered it at the same time as others after the presentation.

Usually, they gave a perfect 10.

No, not usually—always.

Because it was a matter of pride and self-respect as a School, separate from influence.

But to deliberately give a 9 point…

That was the moment everyone present realized the boy’s thoughts and actions were beyond their predictable scope.

“Ah….”

“This is….”

They also learned one more fact.

That meant all School Masters except the boy had given perfect scores.

A few days later, a wide vacant lot in Sector 11.

Dozens of Wizards in work clothes were busily moving about, carrying out the expansion of the Mage Tower.

“This way! Lift it up this way!”

“Careful! That’s it! The 7th floor is done!”

Given the large construction magic equipment installed here and there, it was clearly a fairly large-scale project.

While the work was in full swing, the construction chief arrived at the site, and the manager, while giving a report, cautiously asked.

“Um, Chief… but is this correct? Jumping from 5 floors to 22 floors at once? We’ve handled hundreds of commissions, but we’ve never had such an extreme expansion case, have we?”

His concern was natural.

The height of a Mage Tower increased in proportion to the points the School accumulated in the academic conference.

But since points usually increased gradually, even for well-performing Schools, the number of floors typically increased by only 1 or 2 per year.

Seeing the manager’s cautious demeanor, the chief smiled meaningfully.

“Don’t worry. I just came from checking with the Association.”

“Oh…! What did they say?”

“I received confirmation that there’s no problem with the expansion of the Imaginarius Mage Tower. They even gave me the permit here.”

“Hah, then it seems all those rumors shaking the city are true.”

The manager let out a sigh.

There were many rumors.

That the School Master of the Imaginarius School was truly a young boy.

That he had presented a theory close to a revolution at this academic conference.

That all Schools in the city had entered a busy internal phase to select Exchange Scholars.

“And there’s even talk that the prestigious Metana School has reached a level near extinction. I don’t know what happened at the conference. And what kind of theory was presented that…”

“By the way, I heard the theory’s theme was imagination.”

“Huh? Imagination, you say?”

“I don’t know the details either. Once exchanges begin between Imaginarius and other Schools, information will probably slowly come out then.”

The chief, looking at the Mage Tower under expansion, said with a satisfied smile.

“Anyway, we just need to enjoy this huge construction project.”

“Yes! That’s absolutely right! We can finally receive our salaries that have been delayed for over a year! No more days of making do with hard bread for every meal!”

As they were firing celebratory tears into the air, a savior appeared at the entrance of the vacant lot with a halo.

After receiving a report on the current situation amidst their utmost hospitality, Ray looked up at the Mage Tower.

The expansion framework was all in place, allowing him to gauge its height upon completion.

‘It feels taller than I thought.’

If 22 floors feels like this, how enormous must the Mage Tower of the Harmony School, with over 100 floors, be?

While lost in such admiration for a moment.

Ray muttered without turning his gaze.

“You have something to report, don’t you?”

“……!”

The man standing beside Ray flinched in surprise.

He was a top agent of the information broker Nila, who had trained Stealth Magic to the extreme for covert activities, so most people couldn’t detect their presence.

“…Since when did you know?”

“Since you first arrived.”

“You seemed deeply lost in thought, so I was waiting for a moment… but it seems that wasn’t necessary.”

The man handed over a high-quality envelope sealed with wax, bowed his waist, and left the spot.

Rip—

Inside the envelope were documents containing the information he had requested.

[Information Classification – Top Secret]

[Keywords – Mercread, Doctor, Mask, Sunglasses, Nearly 2-meter physique, Bandage-wrapped skin, Red gem]

[Person matching the described appearance spotted in Dark Alley, Sector 17.]

Dark Alley.

A kind of massive back alley in the city where dangerous individuals not affiliated with any School flowed into.

[Based on statements from 6 witnesses, it is presumed that the codename Doctor was searching for a person called the Scientist in Dark Alley.]

[4 residents who encountered the Doctor during this process appear dazed as if their emotions have vanished. Cause unknown. No traces of any mana detected. They continue their previous actions as if habitually repeating ingrained habits.]

[Information regarding the Scientist is attached as a separate document on the back.]

Scientist.

To confirm if the person he instantly thought of was correct, Ray moved on to the next document.

A small note in Nila’s handwriting was attached at the very top.

[Originally, I should charge for information about the Scientist too, but since the customer is handsome, I’m attaching it as a service, okay? Remember that?]

Ray tore off the note, roughly tossed it aside, and checked the information.

[Scientist, a person rapidly gaining fame within Dark Alley recently.]

[Estimated to have appeared in Dark Alley approximately 4 months ago.]

[The magic engineering products he manufactures and distributes on the Black Market overwhelm existing items and are traded at high prices.]

[Representative items are the firearms used by suspects in the two recent terrorist incidents.]

‘It’s the person I was thinking of.’

Ray continued reading the document.

[He is known to have set up a workshop deep in Dark Alley, rarely showing himself outside, and handling clients through servants.]

[Based on statements from 3 witnesses, the Scientist has the appearance of a Dwarf. Whether it’s illusion magic or his true form has not yet been confirmed.]

Dwarf.

It was a moment that lent weight to the hypothesis that the Scientist might be Rael, who had survived since the Ancient Era.

‘…Thinking that way creates a sufficient connection between the two figures, Doctor and Scientist. Because both are Guardians from the Ancient Era who protected the Rainbow Shard.’

It seemed necessary to meet this Scientist person.

Just as he thought that, a sentence written at the bottom of the document caught his eye.

[Early this morning, a massive fire broke out at the Scientist’s workshop. Based on statements from 4 witnesses, a person presumed to be the Doctor was spotted at the scene. Currently, the workshop at Street 17-9 is completely burned down, and the Scientist is missing. Agents are continuing tracking of the Doctor and Scientist.]

“…….”

It seemed the Doctor had met the Scientist and pulled some trick.

Leaving the vacant lot, Ray took a train to Sector 17.

Entering the dark back alleys that clearly felt less maintained compared to the central areas, he moved quickly.

‘According to the attached map, left here.’

Ray confidently turned corner after corner and arrived at the exact same place he had passed 5 minutes ago.

‘It was right, not left.’

Nodding, Ray moved again and arrived at the exact same place he had passed 10 minutes ago.

…The complexity was beyond imagination.

As Ray paused his movement for a moment and was seriously considering the method of advancing by breaking all the walls.

Thud thud—*

He sensed stealthy presences approaching this way.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Ray lured the thugs to a secluded spot and turned them into beings on the boundary between life and death.

And, towards one he had intentionally left with both legs intact, he held out the map and said.

“Guide me.”

“Huh, what?”

“Guide.”

“Ah, understood!”

The thug, suppressing his bewilderment to survive, began guiding the way.

Shivering from the menacing killing intent felt from behind, he thought:

To subdue seven battle-hardened 3rd Circle Wizards without breaking a sweat—where did such a monster come from?

“Um… but this place on the map is…”

“You know it?”

“Yes, I know. Among Dark Alley residents, those who don’t know are rarer. It’s the person who’s been distributing all sorts of items on the Black Market recently and making an enormous amount of money.”

Money held absolute value even Inside the Wall.

Many coveted the Scientist’s wealth, but the workshop was equipped with all sorts of security weapons, leaving everyone just licking their lips, he said.

“But just yesterday, a fire broke out at that workshop. The flames shot up to the sky, making it seem like midday had arrived at dawn.”

Whether the flames were truly tremendous, the thug even gestured while explaining.

“Did you hear anything like fighting sounds?”

“Th-that, I’m not sure. The Scientist’s workshop had no windows to the outside and was thoroughly secured.”

While asking various questions, the ruined workshop appeared before them.

All that was visible was black ash and the bare remaining framework.

The surroundings were deserted with no one around because residents had already swept through once in the morning, thinking there might be nothing left to take.

“Th-then, since the guiding is done, c-can I go now?”

“You may go.”

“Thank you!”

“If you don’t value your life.”

The thug, who had been trying to leave the spot with all his might, stopped in his tracks with a face about to cry.

Ray slowly wandered among the debris, lost in thought.

‘According to Madam Philia, the Doctor’s current goal is to go to a sealed Ruins and absorb the power of an ancient being.’

Could the reason the Doctor sought the Scientist be related to that?

What happened between the two last night?

Is the Scientist dead?

If alive, where did he go?

And then.

───.

A faint presence was felt.

Beneath the floor he was standing on.