Chapter 612: Hol (7)

Starting the day after he arrived at the Central Mage Tower, Alon began his magic training in earnest.

That said, calling it magic training did not mean he was using magic.

What he was doing was true “studying.”

“To be honest, you know your magical knowledge is lower than other mages’, right?”

Alon nodded.

Because what she said was true.

To begin with, Alon was stronger than other mages only because he could use True Mage magic. In reality, his magical aptitude had still not risen any further beyond the 6th tier.

“Well, to be honest, it isn’t that your magical aptitude is lacking. True Mage magic is that much more difficult, so strictly speaking, you should be seen as having developed in a different direction. In fact, in one sense, it’s impressive.”

Heinkel added, “Since you can use mage tiers above the 6th tier, and True Mage magic beyond that as well,” then continued.

“But the fortunate thing is that the magic formulas themselves probably won’t be that difficult for you. The formulas themselves are far harder in True Mage magic.”

“Then—”

“In other words, what you need to do right now is study. 7th-tier study. Mm—calling it calculation methods would be better. Let’s start with that first. As for the 8th tier...... as you know, that’s an area you should think about after you reach the 7th tier.”

“.......”

Alon let out a small sigh.

He had resolved himself, but now that it was right in front of him, it felt slightly overwhelming.

But only for a moment.

Alon firmed his will.

He had to do it anyway.

No, he had to accomplish it.

And so.

“I will be in your care.”

Alon’s studying began.

####

A week had already passed since Alon, without even returning to Palantia, shut himself in the Central Mage Tower and began studying.

One week.

If one called that the time needed to move from the 6th tier to the 7th tier, it was such a short period that every mage would stare in disbelief.

Of course, that did not mean Alon had moved from the 6th tier to the 7th tier within that time.

“.......”

From one side of the library, Heinkel looked at Alon, who had already been absorbed in studying for more than ten hours without even sleeping properly.

The sight of him taking only the bare minimum time to sleep and pouring every remaining moment into studying was enough to make even Heinkel look a little fed up.

Because mages above the 6th tier usually did not study like that.

But naturally, even devoting himself that much and still failing to reach the 7th tier would not be strange.

The wall of the 7th tier was unimaginably high.

The reason the mages who held elder or professor positions among the most renowned mages of the Mage Tower were at the 6th tier was not because they had grown complacent.

It was because they could not rise.

To the 7th tier.

That was why, even if Alon invested his time with that much effort, no one could know whether he would become 7th-tier or not.

Even if he had talent as a True Mage, True Mage magic and mage magic had many fundamentally different parts aside from their calculation formulas.

Of course, if Alon were a genius like Penia, he might be able to rise to the 7th tier through that kind of rapid study, but—

“.......”

Heinkel shook her head.

Unfortunately, Alon was not a genius like Penia.

In other words, Alon had to view reaching the 7th tier as a marathon.

The same long marathon as other mages.

That was reality.

However, even though she knew that well, there was one reason Heinkel did not deliberately stop Alon.

That reason was simple.

Because she had discovered something strange in Alon.

“.......”

Heinkel silently looked at the books piled up beside Alon.

Books already stacked like a mountain.

Each one of those enormous books was almost as thick as a dictionary, and astonishingly, that was the amount Alon had read through over the past week.

She knew that simply reading and turning the pages meant nothing.

However, through several checks already, Heinkel had confirmed that, as far as the books Alon had read were concerned, he had a proper understanding and logical structure for all of them.

And that, naturally, made no sense.

“.......”

As she watched Alon turn a page with a rustling sound, Heinkel continued thinking.

‘......I’m sure he isn’t a genius.’

Alon Palatio was, objectively speaking, not a genius.

At best, his talent was that of a gifted student. It did not go beyond that.

And yet, right now, Alon was showing an absurd ability.

Because he had read through dozens of books alone in one week, when even 6th-tier mages would need at least two weeks or more to get through a single one.

And he had put all of them into his head without a single error.

That was something even Penia, who was called a genius, could not do.

......At the same time, a person could not change like that just because they had willpower.

No matter how much will and drive someone had, that did not create talent.

That was why Alon’s current state was extremely strange.

And along with that, through several rounds of questions and answers, Heinkel had been able to find something odd.

‘......It feels less like he’s reading books and more like he’s reviewing something he lost.’

Alon was certainly reading books.

But rather than reading them to obtain information, it felt closer to him remembering the contents.

As though he were rereading and recalling something he had lost.

However, as far as she knew, and since Alon himself had said he had never advanced beyond the 6th tier, that left her puzzled for a while.

“Lord Alon.”

“......Deus?”

Deus came to Alon, who was reading a book.

“Elivan has come.”

Deus bowed his head slightly and whispered to Alon, who was holding the book.

At that, Alon briefly made a dazed expression.

“......Ah, I see.”

As if he had forgotten, he let out a low exclamation and rose from his seat.

“I will go meet him right away. Lady Heinkel, I will be back.”

“Uh, yeah—go on.”

Heinkel answered.

With that, Alon immediately began moving, as though he had no intention of wasting time.

“Hmm—”

And around the time Heinkel began thinking once again—

“Hello?”

“?”

Heinkel heard a voice from behind her and turned around.

“!”

Soon, she saw a girl.

A girl smiling at Heinkel.

“Hello?”

“......You—”

The moment she saw the girl—no, Yutia—Heinkel muttered in a tense voice.

“You don’t need to be so wary.”

However, Yutia still wore a relaxed expression.

“I did come today to tell you something you should be careful of, but at the same time, I also came to answer something you’re curious about.”

That was what she said.

####

After hearing Deus’s words and returning to his room, Alon found Elivan waiting for him.

“Hello!”

“Elivan.”

Elivan greeted him brightly.

Watching him, Alon briefly went blank, then soon gathered himself.

“I apologize. I heard you had already been waiting a week.”

When Alon mentioned what Deus had told him just before he arrived here, Elivan waved his hand.

“Oh, no, it’s fine. I also happened to have various things to do nearby, so it was nice to have time to move around.”

“......Is that so?”

“Yes, truly.”

Elivan soon let out an “Mm—” and slowly continued speaking.

“More importantly, are you all right?”

He had not explained every little thing in detail, but from the way Elivan asked, it seemed clear he had looked into Alon’s situation.

“......I am fine.”

“That’s a relief.”

When Alon answered, Elivan gave a small smile.

“Ahem—actually, I came to answer various things because I thought you might be curious, but you seem to have many urgent matters...... so should I come another time?”

“No, I was planning to ask you as well.”

He meant it.

Right now, Alon’s entire attention was focused on the tier of his magic, but Alon had not forgotten what Elivan had said.

It was simply that this matter was more important, so he was clinging to it. Elivan’s words were important as well.

That was why, when Alon said that, Elivan made another “Mm—” sound.

“Then I’ll start with what you’re probably most curious about right now. That is, how I noticed the Wanderer’s betrayal.”

Then he began speaking with a smile.

And so, after a little time passed.

“—That’s how, in the end, I was able to notice it.”

Alon looked at Elivan, who had finished the long story, stayed silent for a moment, then continued speaking.

“So, the Wanderer had always been passing on false information.”

“Of course, since she had to deceive ‘above,’ she did release accurate information at first.”

Seeing Elivan nod, Alon rubbed his chin.

According to Elivan, the reason he had been able to notice the Wanderer’s betrayal was because she had been giving false information.

“......Information that could kill me, you mean.”

More precisely, it would be correct to say that she had only passed on the kind of information that would drive Alon into deadly situations.

“Yes, that’s right. The Wanderer wanted to kill you, Lord Alon. Mm—ah, if I put it coldly, from the middle onward, I think it was less that she wanted to kill you and more that she was thinking of using you.”

“......And you knew that?”

“That’s right? My body was unconscious, but I could still perceive my surroundings steadily. So while I was like that—when it seemed like she was definitely going to do something—”

“You deliberately turned into a Sin and called me?”

“Yes! Because I didn’t know what the Wanderer would do if she realized I knew the truth. And while I was at it—ah, this is a bit harsh, so I won’t bother saying it.”

At Elivan’s smiling words, Alon organized his thoughts for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth.

“Elivan.”

“Yes.”

“Are you—a person from the previous world?”

Alon spoke with a little tension.

And to that question, Elivan answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“That’s right. Ah, but rather than saying I’m a person from the previous world, saying I have the memories is probably a little more accurate.”

“I see.......”

“Because I am not a different person,” Elivan said, and Alon gave a short affirmation.

Looking at Alon, Elivan smiled again.

“And actually, it’s not as if I have most of the memories either. This—there seems to be quite a lot of loss.”

“......Is that so?”

“Yes, I do still remember the truly important things. For example, where the tragic incidents began, around when other countries would fall into danger, or if not that, when Father would get married. I remember those things overall, but—”

“......Wait.”

“Yes?”

“First, by Father, are you referring to me?”

“Uh...... that’s right?”

“Then does that mean I got married?”

“......That’s right?”

At Elivan’s completely unexpected words, which he had never anticipated at all, Alon closed his mouth.

And.

“?”

“I don’t have that memory......?”

“......Huh?”

“Eh.......”

Rine, Seollang, Magrina, Ryang-a, and the rest of the group, who had naturally gathered at the Central Mage Tower to comfort Alon even a little after learning that something sad had happened to him, also held their breath in front of the doorknob.

......For some reason, tension filled the air.