Chapter 1045 – (Side Story)23. A Witch’s First Love (20)
“Umm…”
Among the red, blue and green of the Magic Tower, the highest-ranking wizard belonging to the Blue Tower.
Arden was currently in her lab, letting out a groan filled with worry.
“Are you worried?”
Aden’s assistant understood the meaning of the painful groan and asked.
“Well… Wouldn’t it be natural? “I haven’t heard from you for several months now.”
It has been nearly three months since Illyana left the Magic Tower for her external evaluation.
Soon the evaluation period will end and the time for settlement will come, but there has been no news since this disciple left the Magic Tower.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t understand the teacher’s concerns.
“There is a saying that no news is good news. I will come back safely. “Because he’s a smart kid.”
“Even so… That guy is still a kid. “I just got older, and my body became more mature, and I don’t know what the world is like.”
He is a child who has lived in the magic tower his whole life since he was young.
Even though she had become an adult, she was constantly worried about how well she would adapt to life outside the magic tower.
“I wonder if she got picked on by a pickpocket or something and lost all her travel expenses…”
“Ah, you really don’t want to do that…”
She tried to brush aside Arden’s words, saying that she was too worried, but even her assistant couldn’t finish it.
Because there was a thought in her head, ‘No way?’
But Illyana acts so straight-forward, would she fall for such a lame snatcher?
“It’s okay to give up on the test at least, so I hope you come back safely…”
It was natural for Aden to be worried about Illyana.
Before becoming her disciple, it was Aden who brought Illyana, an orphan, to the Magic Tower and raised her after losing her parents due to damage from her demonic beast.
As she gave up on her exam and received a failing grade, she truly hoped that her student would return safely, even if it meant tarnishing her reputation.
“I don’t think he can tolerate that?”
“Embrace. That guy’s personality is like that. “Ugh.”
She would rather be dead, she would never get a failing grade.
As she spent several years as a student at the Magic Tower, she always won the top spot through her own efforts and skills without anyone’s help. There was no way Illyana’s pride would allow it.
She just said that because she was worried.
Seeing Aden sighing in frustration, the assistant just smiled bitterly.
“Until the last day of the evaluation… Will you come back?”
“I guess so.”
As Aden listened to the assistant’s answer, she decided to wait for that day.
◆ ◆ ◆
Last day of external evaluation exam.
As it was her last day to prove her abilities as a mage, the magic tower was noisy, unlike her usual quiet atmosphere.
“Here are a bunch of orc skins and a certificate of subjugation!”
“I will submit dozens of herbs that are used as ingredients for the summoning team’s elixir.”
Proof of subduing various demonic beasts.
Magic materials and reagents used in artifacts and alchemy.
The various pieces of evidence submitted to be recognized as a wizard are scored by a majority of high-ranking wizards who serve as evaluation committee members.
In addition, a comprehensive score is calculated, including the credits earned as a student so far, and the ‘number of digits’ of the student who graduates is determined based on the score.
“Is there still any news from your disciple?”
“…”
Evaluation committee members who evaluate students’ submissions together.
Aden did not answer his question, which was no different from being appointed as the next elder of the Red Tower.
The question itself was nerve-wracking, but there was no reason to give an answer to his attitude of arguing with me about everything.
“Looking at this expression, it seems like this is still the case. “I guess something happened?”
The way he spoke as if he wished he had it.
Aden twitched his eyebrows when he heard that, but barely suppressed his answer by biting his lip.
“Haha, I’m worried that something unpleasant has happened somewhere. As you know, isn’t your student the most outstanding and most beautiful woman among the students at the Magic Tower? I’m worried that some kind of accident might have occurred due to her beauty…”
“If you say one more word, I may personally cause the unpleasant things you mentioned.”
Aden could not be ignored until the end.
I almost could have summoned my magic power and poured attack magic at him at any moment.
If this wasn’t a public situation, I would definitely have done it.
A tremor full of passionate emotions flows from Aden’s voice.
But that reaction was exactly what the next Jeok Elder wanted to see.
“Kkkk, I’m sorry. “I was so worried that I almost had a low-level imagination without even realizing it.”
He laughed and apologized to Aden.
The tone of voice was full of ridicule and sarcasm, and did not contain any sense of apology, so it could not be called an apology.
Arden again continued her work as a committee member by grading the assessments submitted by the students.
When the number of submitted evaluation items passed ten and reached one hundred.
Aden’s nervousness deepened as time passed.
The end of today, the evaluation deadline, was getting closer.
If Illyana does not show up with about 2 hours left, you are guaranteed to receive a failing grade.
Not only was the score a problem, but Aden was worried that something might have happened to Illyana.
“Master!”
Aden reacted immediately to the word ‘master’, but was soon disappointed.
This is because I realized that the voice calling my teacher was not calling me.
The owner of the voice was a man, not a woman.
The man who appeared at the evaluation site wore a distinctive formal robe and a red robe that proved his membership in the Red Tower.
“Oh, you’re here.”
The next elder Jeok recognized him and welcomed him with a smile on his face.
The word ‘Master’ he called was addressed to the next elder.
“You guy. Why did you come so late? “I heard she arrived yesterday.”
“Haha, sorry. “I was so tired when I arrived yesterday that I wanted to get some rest.”
“Hmph.”
The next elder scoffed at the disciple’s words as he scratched his head and made nonsensical excuses.
As soon as we arrived, we had already been informed that he was having a drinking party with women.
Although both knew that the excuse was ridiculous, the next elder did not criticize his disciple’s excuse.
I already knew about his personality of revealing women even before I became his disciple.
What we expect when taking him as a disciple is not his talent as a magician.
As the son of a prestigious aristocratic family, he took him as a disciple, and it was because of the various support he could receive from his background.
That’s why I was able to put up with this ridiculous excuse.
In fact, the next Red Elder looked satisfied upon seeing the whereabouts of the demon beast and the subjugation certificates submitted by his disciple.
He spent a huge amount of money and hired veteran adventurers, so this level of achievement was natural.
“Hmm. “Illyana hasn’t she arrived yet?”
Aden’s head turned to face him.
Surprisingly, I heard news about Illyana from a completely unexpected person.
The next elder asked, tilting his head.
“Hmm? “Have you met that guy?”
“…”
I tried to pretend not to be interested, but this is news from a student who lost contact with me three months ago.
Aden also had no choice but to listen.
He shrugged his shoulders and answered the question of his mentor, the next elder Jeok.
“Yes. About a month ago, we met at the Adventurer’s Guild. From the looks of it, it looks like they went through a lot of trouble trying to dig up perennial snow ginseng all the way to the snow mountain, but it doesn’t seem to have worked out well.”
“Huh, perennial snow ginseng? That precious thing… Did you find it?”
The next Red Elder looked surprised.
If you actually obtain it, Illyana will naturally take first place with the highest score in this external evaluation.
The value of perennial ginseng, which is considered one of the best elixir ingredients, is said to be equivalent to several years’ worth of the kingdom’s budget.
However, looking at his relaxed expression, it seemed like Illyana was unable to save Permanent Ginseng.
“No. It seemed like she couldn’t be saved. And it is said that they captured the dangerous magical beast of the snowy mountain, but it seems that their performance in subjugating was not recognized? Kkkk.”
It was none other than himself who used a trick with the head of the Adventurer’s Guild to prevent the proof of subjugation from being recognized.
Perhaps because he realized that, the next elder, who had a satisfied expression on his face, also burst into laughter.
Haha! I see. Thank god. “It seems like your student is working hard to get an external evaluation?”
“…”
The next elder’s sarcasm began again, but Aden was able to feel a little relieved.
Because I heard the news that my disciple was safe.
“It was hard. “I think you will be the valedictorian this year.”
“Sure. Aren’t you the master’s disciple? Haha!”
The next elder Jeok and his disciple were confident in the seniority.
Even though they had not yet graduated or even settled their accounts, the intent was clear just by looking at one Magic Tower student wearing a red robe that proved he belonged to the Red Tower.
He holds the title of Chief and makes his grand debut as an official wizard of the Magic Tower, clearly showing his efforts to solidify his position as the next Red Elder.
“Who gets to be the chief at will?”
It was the calm yet quiet voice of a woman that drowned out the commotion of the evaluation room where she was sure of first place.
Everyone’s eyes, including the students submitting evaluation materials and the wizards who were evaluators, turned toward the entrance where the voice was heard.
It was only one voice, but it was no coincidence that everyone’s attention was instantly captured.
“This…”
The students may not know it, but the evaluators are all high-ranking magicians.
There is no way he could not have noticed the intimidation of the dense mana in his voice.
The owner of that voice was Illyana.
“Illyana!”
When the long-awaited disciple appeared in person, Aden called her name, half in surprise and half in joy.
Illyana nodded her head calmly and slowly walked towards the evaluators.
Naturally, everyone’s eyes turned to the backpack Illyana was carrying.
“Ah, Mr. It’s heavy…”
I could tell the weight of the backpack just by hearing her voice grumbling in frustration.
Soon, Illyana’s backpack floats in the air as it pleases.
[Four-digit sub-magic]
[Psychokinesis]
“… !”
Everyone in the evaluation room looked shocked at Illyana’s magic.
It was a level of magic that a student of the Magic Tower could never see.
The students felt that they could not catch up, let alone that there was an invisible gap, but the evaluators had a different reason.
“The implementation of the spell and the amount of magic power…”
It’s ridiculously fast, and it’s a huge amount.
What surprised her the most was Aden, who knew her skills best three months ago, before she left the Magic Tower.
‘It’s not a lower digit.’
Even though Illyana was considered a genius, she was only a double-digit wizard.
Her current skills are in the four digits.
Even though her digits were different, she was sure that she had reached the same level as herself.
Even so, how in these three months?
In an evaluation room full of questions and astonishment, the only one who was not caught up in the atmosphere was Illyana.
Illyana stood in front of Aden with a grave expression.
“Sorry. Master. “She was late because she came right after receiving the final subjugation certificate at dawn.”
“Uh, no. Hmm… Yes.”
That means that until last night, she was still carrying out the quest to subdue demonic beasts.
In reality, Illyana’s appearance was beyond words.
Not only did he have a tired, frowning expression on his face, but the wizard’s robe was torn in several places, as if he had gone through some trouble, and was barely maintaining its shape.
“It was hard. Go inside and rest. “Let’s talk about it later.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Illyana bowed her head.
That was also an amazing change.
Normally, she would have treated her with the respect of a teacher, but this was not her reaction as she was arrogant and had high pride and would not bow her head once in most situations.
During these three months, Illyana changed.
Aden was very curious as to what on earth she had been through, but when he saw her tired face, he couldn’t hold on any longer.
“Then, please evaluate it.”
Boom!
Illyana’s backpack, which had been floating in the air thanks to her magic, landed on her desk.
The evaluators’ desks vibrated as if dozens of heavy pieces of iron had been dropped.
Illyana bowed her head to Aden and turned her body indifferently, as if she wanted to rest as quickly as possible.
As soon as Illyana left the evaluation room, there was a quiet silence.
Regardless of whether it was a student or an evaluator, all eyes were focused on the backpack that Iliana had brought.
Their thoughts were unanimous.
What on earth is in that backpack?
