Chapter 38

Unexpectedly, the practical training proceeded in a plausible manner.

This was because Taewoon himself possessed a deep understanding of how to use one’s body in actual combat, and he had already grasped their methods to some extent by fighting the magicians within this Theater.

“…Well then, we shall end today’s lesson here. Next time, I will provide more detailed instruction on maintaining distance in actual combat.”

Ending the class with such improvisation, Taewoon let out a small sigh, left the training ground, and began to leisurely circle the academy grounds.

‘There must be some sorts of arrangements left here as well… but how do I find them?’

Judging from his experience in the 1st Cycle, Taewoon and his party had nearly a month and two weeks remaining.

If they failed to reach the core part of the Theater within that period, the same thing would happen again, and they would meet an abrupt end.

‘Damn, I don’t know. On the surface, nothing looks particularly special.’

He looked all around the academy grounds, but he only thought that the facilities were excellent; he didn’t feel anything special or secret.

Since he heard the next class was in two days, Taewoon cautiously slipped out of the staff quarters that evening and set out.

He intended to check the exact distance from the academy grounds to the Ancient Ruins excavation site.

‘It’s farther than I thought. I don’t see any plausible connection either.’

He wondered if there might be some kind of relationship between the history of the academy and the secrets of the Ancient Ruins, but for now, nothing particularly stood out.

While doing so, Taewoon spotted a girl diligently making her way about 1 km ahead. He tilted his head, focusing his gaze on her.

‘Looking at her clothes, she seems to be a student of the Magic Academy… what is she doing at this hour?’

Something smelled fishy.

Soon, after concealing his Presence and cautiously following the girl, Taewoon was able to detect her Presence as she dug into a small space between rock walls and headed toward a tunnel beyond.

‘A secret space… looking at the direction, it doesn’t seem to have much to do with the Ruins.’

Still, he couldn’t help but be curious. Having made up his mind, Taewoon briefly used the Red Man’s power to bypass the cramped entrance and headed straight down into the tunnel.

Then, he decided to attempt contact with the girl.

“What are you doing here?”

“Hieek…! Y-you startled me! Who are you?”

The girl, her eyes full of wariness, pulled a dagger from her bosom and pointed it toward where Taewoon’s voice had come from.

Seeing her on high alert, Taewoon raised both hands and approached, making it clear he had no intention of harming her.

“I’m an invited lecturer at the academy. I just happened to discover a suspicious detour and followed you out of concern.”

“H-how am I supposed to believe that?”

“You’ll know if you look at the certification badge.”

When Taewoon subtly showed the seal attached to his right chest, the girl finally felt half-relieved and let out a complaint full of resentment.

“Y-you really scared me. You should have spoken to me from the outside.”

“My apologies. I just got curious. So, what on earth were you doing in a place like this?”

“It’s nothing special… it’s just that my family situation is very bad, so I occasionally come out to see if I can pick up something that might be worth money.”

Listening to the girl, Charlotte, he learned that this area was a region where small Relics had been excavated even before the current Ancient Ruins were discovered.

Of course, most of them had found their respective owners long ago, but it seemed that places where the forms were preserved still existed rarely.

“I don’t have much talent as a magician… but I’m surprisingly good at finding things like this. Would you believe me if I said I covered all of last year’s tuition by collecting things this way?”

Perhaps because she had wanted to pour out her inner thoughts to someone, Charlotte began to recount a vast number of heroic tales to Taewoon.

However, Taewoon’s interest lay elsewhere.

‘So, she has been periodically leaving the academy to explore the surrounding area?’

He felt a hunch that was close to certainty.

Just as he had met Jain in the Red Man Theater, or encountered Theogenes in the Theater of the Final Rampart.

He felt an instinctive sense that this girl held some kind of role in this Theater.

“Then, you must also know that traces of Ancient Ruins were recently discovered nearby?”

“Yes, of course! It’s incredibly interesting… but a half-baked magician like me can’t even set foot in a place like that. Too many outstanding people have gathered and are making a fuss to find treasure.”

Charlotte stamped her feet with a look of regret, and seeing the bag on her back, Taewoon subtly shifted the topic to continue the conversation.

“So, did you salvage anything?”

“Ah, yes. I found a small silver candlestick and one old book.”

“Were there any other items around?”

“No. Only these. Why do you ask?”

Taewoon didn’t have plausible expertise in ruin exploration or treasure hunting, but for some reason, the feeling emanating from this space was quite mysterious.

He had a groundless imagination that perhaps this place had originally been a location for storing something important.

“No, it’s nothing. So, what do you plan to do now?”

“I have to sell the items as soon as morning comes. Since the carriage fare is a waste, I plan to walk to the village from now.”

At that firm declaration, Taewoon tilted his head, showing a hint of bewilderment.

No matter how much she had to save money, walking from here to the nearest village would take a considerable amount of time.

“Walk? From here?”

“Yes. It was agonizing at first, but I’ve adapted now, so it’s manageable.”

At those absurd words, Taewoon held his head and let out a small groan.

Then, jingling the pouch containing his money, he made a proposal to Charlotte.

“I’ll pay for the carriage fare, so leave in the morning. And if it’s alright, may I accompany you to the village?”

“Huh? Why? Uh, excuse me, but do you perhaps…”

“I just have a few things I want to ask, so don’t say anything strange.”

“Yes! In that case, I’ll gladly accept.”

The next day, Taewoon and Charlotte took a carriage early in the morning and headed toward the outskirts of Tilman.

Clop, clop.

Click!

“…We’re almost at the street where I live. If you have questions, I’ll answer them there.”

“I understand.”

As they passed through the central street and flowed into the outskirts of the city, an old goods warehouse that barely maintained its shape came into view.

That was Charlotte’s home.

“I-it looks like this, but it’s livable, so please don’t misunderstand.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“…Then, let’s go in.”

After entering the house and organizing all her belongings, Charlotte immediately placed the items on the desk as if to mask her embarrassment and began to ask Taewoon questions.

“I brought you here without much thought, but so, what business does the lecturer have with me?”

“Well, I’m not sure if I should tell you this honestly or not…”

“Then why did you come…”

Taewoon knew as well.

However, he was simply desperate not to miss the clue before his eyes; in reality, he still felt vague about which direction he should lead the situation.

Thus, Taewoon decided to give an honest answer for now.

“My goal is the Ancient Ruins. To be precise, I am making every possible effort to uncover the secrets of that place and prevent any potential catastrophe.”

“Geez, even if you are our academy lecturer, isn’t that too much of a bluff? Even here, so many prominent people have gathered and are competing to seize the treasure…”

“That’s exactly the problem. I can’t reveal the exact source, but from what I know, those ruins aren’t exactly a harmless bunch.”

At those words, Charlotte tilted her head, and suddenly, a strange voice intervened from somewhere, confusing the ears of the two.

[Ho, is there still someone who knows the facts reasonably well? This is unexpected indeed.]

“You scared me! What was that just now?”

[It is I, young lady. It’s stifling, so how about opening this musty bag and taking me out?]

At that absurd remark, Charlotte looked disgusted, opened the bag, and pulled out the old book contained within.

Then.

[Phew, how refreshing. I woke up from my sleep after a long time, and lo and behold, it was pitch black all around, so I was quite startled, wasn’t I?]

“A-a Magic Tome? This was a Magic Tome? I didn’t feel any Magical Power at all!”

[Do not make such a fuss; the young master beside you seemed to have sensed something. The absence of Magical Power is purely because you are far too dull, young lady.]

To say such a thing, Taewoon had also only felt some unknown sensation and did not possess that level of certainty.

Anyway, the talking Magic Tome introduced its name as Reje, and soon, a hearing—or something like one—began inside the shabby warehouse.

“I have a lot to ask, so please answer truthfully.”

[I shall.]

“I managed to bring you here somehow, but so, what kind of Magic Tome are you exactly?”

[A masterpiece created by the great magic smith of the century.]

“I could just make something up and say that too.”

At Charlotte’s indifferent reaction, Reje fell silent for a moment.

Then, subtly lowering its voice, it gave an honest answer.

[…U-um. To be honest, I don’t know well myself. Before I was perfectly completed, I was buried in the ground by a powerful earthquake and haven’t seen the light until now. You are my first master, young lady.]

Upon hearing the answer, Charlotte suddenly stood up holding the book, opened the old window, and began to take a splendid helmet-throwing posture.

[W-what! Why are you suddenly doing that!]

“As I thought, you’re just a useless and suspicious Third-rate Magic Tome. I learned at the academy that Magic Tomes without the emblem representing a workshop or Magic Workshop are mostly fakes or Third-rate failures.”

[What on earth does that mean? In my time, there was no such thing. No, young master! Young master! Save me!]

At the desperate cry containing all the sorrow of the world, Taewoon hurriedly stopped Charlotte’s action, closed the window, and returned the book to its place.

Charlotte, who collapsed onto a cloth that served as a bed with powerless steps, wrapped a stained blanket around her body and muttered in a gloomy voice.

“This is no time to be doing this… I have no time left, and I have to earn living expenses for my younger siblings.”

[U-um.]

“I have no time to play around with a suspicious Magic Tome like you. I pulled you out from where you were buried, so please just go away now.”

[…….]

No, even if she said that, the book had no legs.

While it was just watching her reaction, unable to say anything in that awkward situation, a much softer voice began to offer words of encouragement to Charlotte.

[First, please listen to me. The moment we recognized each other in that underground, a kind of Temporary Contract was established between you and me.]

“…What contract?”

[A Temporary Contract between a magician and a Magic Tome. I was also desperate to escape from beneath the ground.]

“You really are a scammer! Damn it, I should bury you in the backyard and burn you right now…”

[C-calm down. Regardless of the process, doesn’t it mean that you have the aptitude to handle me, young lady? You don’t understand at all how immense the meaning of that is!]

Just as the argument was about to intensify, Charlotte was startled by a sudden noise, hurriedly put Reje down, and roughly pushed Taewoon under the bed.

“Here! Just stay in here for now! I’ll handle it, so don’t come out!”

“Hey! I came here knowing you’re inside, so come out quickly!”

“Yes! Yes! I’m coming!”

When she opened the door, the ones who revealed their faces were ruffians, all of whom were large and had menacing impressions.

“I’ve come for the money, Charlotte.”

At the sight of Charlotte, whose face turned white in an instant and was paralyzed with fear, Taewoon simply kept his mouth shut, observing the situation.