WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Wizard of the Abyss

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 40 - Declaration of War (3)

I didn't bother to answer him.

As I was fathering my thoughts, the elder waved me off as if it was nothing.

"Would you really not know even after experiencing it? Don’t worry. If you had any connections with Scarlet Abyss, your master wouldn’t keep you by her side. This old man isn’t so dull as to not be able to tell the difference.”

"...My master said only very few people could recognize that I’m of the Abyss Realm.”

"Hah, did you think a member of the Dark Magic Tower’s council wouldn’t be one of those few?”

"Ah, I’m a commoner… and an orphan, so I didn’t really know. I’m sorry.”

The elder’s eyes widened in surprise at that.

"A commoner…? So you’re a natural-born?”

"Yes."

"Tsk, tsk, poor thing, it seems like all misfortunes of the world decided to swoop down on you.”

The elder, making a small cross sign as he looked at me with pity in his eyes, led me down a flight of stairs, brushing past countless veils.

"..."

Although I’d only learned basic magic like elemental magic or Growth, Form, and Purge, I could still tell that the flow of mana here wasn’t normal.

Security seemed incredibly tight. Following right behind the elder, I arrived at a small, bare chamber.

He opened the door, and inside there was…

Nothing. Literally nothing.

No windows, just a square, gray box.

I blinked, feeling kind of puzzled.

"Is this my workshop?”

"You’ll be picking one now.”

"...?"

What was he talking about? As I was pondering over his words, the elder opened the box beside the door.

Inside were countless keys, thousands of them, each different. Different materials, sizes, and colors. A huge variety.

"Hmm, which will be good… How about this one?”

Pondering for a while, the elder handed me a key made out of some unfamiliar bluish metal.

The moment I touched it, I felt coldness spread from it. Unsure of what to do, I just held it. Seeing that the elder slapped his forehead, scolding himself, seemingly having realized something.

"Ah, right! Commoners wouldn’t know. Try opening that door with the key you’re holding.”

"Okay."

I closed the door leading nowhere, inserted the key into the knob, and turned it.

And when the door opened again with a click—

Instead of the gray box, a vast room filled with a cauldron, a workbench, a simple bed, tables, shelves, and all manner of tools unfolded before me.

The elder casually stepped in and began explaining.

"This is the kind of workshop those studying alchemical magic use. It has most of the basics. Apprentices who don’t have much to store usually pick workshops like this.”

I followed him and touched the cauldron. Sure enough, it was real.

... A slight chill ran down my skin.

Yeah, this was magic.

"So that’s how it works. So can I use this method on doors without doorknobs as well?”

“As long as it's a sealed room, you can just walk up to a closed door and open the workshop simply by pretending to turn a key in front of it. In places like inns, for example, it activates when you close all the windows, so that’s how it’s usually used.”

"What happens if someone else opens the door to the room where one had opened their workshop?”

"That depends on the settings. If the person who opened the workshop permits it, it’s open to others, and if they don't, others will just see an empty room.”

My own secret space. Had quite the appealing ring to it.

"Would you like to try opening them one by one?”

"Yes."

I used every kind of key to open each workshop one after the other until I found a very strange one.

Plants were growing from its floor. And they didn’t just go up to my ankles but up to my knees.

"What’s this?”

"A workshop doesn’t just describe rooms. Some have herbs or poisonous plants growing in them used for potions.”

"Hmm…”

There sure was a huge variety to them.

After hesitating a little, I asked another question to the elder since I felt like I had nothing to lose anyway.

"Then, are there any rooms used for healing, by any chance?”

"Healing?”

"Yes. Like a place where you can quickly recover from illness… Are there ones like that?”

"Hmm, wait a moment.”

After digging through the box, the elder handed me a pretty key seemingly carved from white ivory.

"This one isn’t used very often, but go ahead and take a look.”

This workshop—which was actually less like a workshop and more like a clinic.

A white bed, shelves full of all sorts of medicines and bandages, and even surgical instruments.

This place felt like a combination of a small clinic and a pharmacy. There was even a desk with equipment for compounding medicines in the middle of the room.

There were several books on drugs, illnesses, and treatment on the desk as well.

Skimming through them, I saw clear, easy-to-understand explanations. They were so easy to understand, in fact, that I could treat even severe wounds if I followed these instructions.

I liked it a lot. I nodded and slipped the key in my pocket.

"I’ll take this one.”

"That is quite an unusual choice. Are you sure about this?”

"Yes."

If I were to use this workshop—

It would be more as a hideout than to train my magic.

With that in mind, I would take painkillers over cauldrons. It was a simple matter of efficiency.

The elder, seeing my rather satisfied smile, let out a sympathetic sigh.

"What is it?”

"...Is your master hurting you?”

"?"

"Think from my point of view. If you saw a ten-year-old boy picking a workshop containing a clinic filled with medicine and surgical tools rather than things directly related to magic, what would you think?”

"..."

"If you're being abused, tell me. I can’t really do anything right now, since we need Dercia’s help, but afterwards, I’ll do my best to help you with everything I have.”

"I guess she’s treating me a bit like a test subject sometimes, but it’s not like I’m being abused or tortured…"

I thought back to the time when she made me walk around the library while getting my muscles torn apart by ‘Form’ to train and trailed off.

"…Probably not."

Unfortunately, I couldn’t give him a definitive answer.

* * *

I put the key on a chain and wore it around my neck, then went back up, where Dercia was already waiting.

"Have you chosen your workshop?”

"Yes. I chose the one I liked best… Should I change it or something?”

"It should be fine. We’ve done everything we came here for, so let us leave immediately."

"Dercia."

Just as she was about to open the nearest door, seeming sullen, the elders, their faces solemn, called out to her.

"We’ll be in your care. And please be careful. From what I felt when I first saw them, they didn’t seem to be anything normal.”

"Spells of the Abyss Realm have always been strange. Or did you think those who declared war on the world would be anywhere near normal?”

"No…”

One of the elders shook his head, sweat dripping down his forehead.

"That’s…not what I meant. Even if they are of the Abyss Realm, there are certain limits. But those guys felt a bit different.”

"Hmm."

"Don’t let arrogance blind you. I know it may sound presumptuous, but do it for your disciple’s sake at least.”

"I’ll handle it to the best of my judgement.”

Her tone chilly, Dercia opened the door and stepped through.

The library was on the other side. I was about to follow after her, but seeing that she wasn’t really paying attention, I turned back and bowed slightly.

"Let me apologize in her stead. My master doesn’t have fond memories of the Dark Magic Tower, so her words seem to come out a bit harsh.”

"...That’s partly our fault. Dercia sees us as cowards who chose comfort over progress.”

One of the elders sighed as he shook his head.

"However— we’re short-lived. Even if we live a bit longer than most humans, that truth doesn’t change. We can’t hold the ambition we had in our youth for an entire lifetime.”

"I think my master chose magic, and you chose the Magic Tower. This isn’t a matter of right or wrong.”

As I was about to turn to follow Dercia, the curious voice of one of the elders made me stop in my tracks again.

"...You truly are unusual.”

"Pardon?"

"Didn’t your master tell you that your lifespan will be incredibly short?”

"She did. I know full well that what I’m doing is nothing but a desperate struggle that won’t change the outcome in the slightest other than making my death more painful.”

"...If you understand all that, then why did you choose to keep moving forward? It’s quite hard to understand.”

"Hmm. I could explain, but…”

After thinking for a moment, I shrugged and gave him an answer.

"Just as my long-lived master can’t truly understand you short-lived people, you won’t be able to understand someone like me, whose lifespan is close to that of a mayfly.”

"..."

The elders looked quite stunned for a moment, but then—

They nodded, letting out hollow laughter.

"...Hahaha! You’re right. A foolish question indeed.”

"Now I understand why Dercia took you as her disciple.”

"I’ll take that as a compliment.”

As I finally passed through the door, the elders, their expressions far gentler than when we first met, offered me their farewells.

"If you survive, come back again. Even if it wasn’t for Dercia’s request, we’d welcome you as a member of the Tower.”

Thunk.

I glanced at the closed door, lost in thought.

They didn’t seem as bad as I thought.

...Maybe my master was the actual problem here.

Dercia sighed, spread out a map, marked something on it, and asked,

"Jern.”

"Yes."

"Did you choose a proper workshop?”

"I chose one I liked. You didn’t really give me a hint as to which I should pick, so… Did I make a mistake?”

"No. That’s enough. The fact that you received a workshop is all that matters.”

"...Hmm, I still don’t quite get it… Is there a reason I need a workshop right now?”

"All wizards need workshops… but it’s necessary for you for safety reasons.”

"Safety?”

"Yes. This is supposed to be confidential information, but a few facts about Scarlet Abyss have come to light. From the floors of the castle they occupied, drowned corpses swollen with water along with various research notes have been found. Incidentally, the corpses were all natural-born mages. The sheer quantity of them was simply absurd, and analysis showed they all shared similar bloodlines. It looks like they kidnapped natural-born mages and set up breeding farms to keep up their supply.”

"That is truly…disgusting."

"And it also shows they’ve been preparing for a very long time. Of course, that’s not the key point. The most important part is the liquid they used to drown those natural-borns. It was seawater, which is quite hard to procure. Why would they bother using seawater?”

"...Wait, no way.”

"They are trying to create people like you, Jern. That much is certain.”

The moment I heard Dercia speak in that assertive tone, I suddenly remembered what Faris had said.

The Three Calamities.

... I don’t know why they’d want to create them, but that seemed to be their goal.

"I can’t stay by your side my whole life. And you can’t hide that you’re of the Abyss Realm forever. At least until you grow stronger, it’s best to train your Abyssal magic inside the workshop. If you get discovered, the Fallen will target you, and you won’t be able to resist.”

"I guess so.”

Even though I had beaten Faris, it was more through a stroke of luck created by taking advantage of our gap of information and compatibility.

If those guys who attacked the Magic Tower seriously decided to hunt me, I wouldn’t really know what to do. A single step away from Dercia would be risky and dangerous.

As I fiddled with the key in my pocket, Dercia busied herself packing her books.

"Where are you going?”

"Now that we’ve received what we came for, I must go finish my task. While it is annoying, I’ll have to go on a trip for some days to retrieve the Tome of Heavenly Growth.”

"A few days? Can’t you just open the door, teleport to where those thieves are, beat them up, and bring it back?”

"The Gate of Myriad Worlds isn’t omnipotent. I can only access places I personally carved the prevalent sigil in. And Jern, don’t speak of this like it’s someone else’s problem. You are coming with me.”

"Why?”

"To train? You still need to learn ‘Form.’”

"...Can’t I just rest for a few days?”

"No."

I had hoped that I might get to rest for a tiny bit.

Sighing, I opened the library door to leave.

"I’ll just tell the others that I’ll be going away for a bit.”

“You must return by evening.”

"Okay."

Lately, Elisia’s growth had become quite noticeable.

That, in turn, had significantly changed how I was treated as her teacher.

The moment I arrived at Aletus’ mansion, the butler rushed out to greet me, seeming quite flustered.

"S-sir, I thought you wouldn’t be teaching any lessons today.”

"I just have a message for Elisia.”

"Please wait a moment; I’ll take you to the parlor.”

I sat in the parlor, which was far nicer than even my own room, and sipped some tea until a much more radiant-looking Elisia came running up to me.

"Jern! What’s the matter? We have no classes today, right?”

"Sorry to bother you. I just came to give you a report.”

"Hmm, no! You’re not a bother! Actually, I was about to send someone to call you anyway, so this works perfectly!”

"...Call me? Why?”

Even though she had the option to sit across from me, she decided to sit right beside me, her eyes sparkling, as she grabbed my shoulders and shook me.

"Father said we’re going on a trip! He said you can come too!”

"When?"

"In two days!”

"Hrmm, that overlaps with the matter I came to talk to you about.”

I carefully pried her off of me and explained why I was here.

"I’m going somewhere with my master soon, so I won’t be able to give you any lessons for a few days.”

"I-is that so? That’s too bad…”

Elisia’s face dropped instantly, clearly showing her disappointment in a way a kid her age would.

"If you want, I could delay the trip a little…”

"No, why would you delay this just for me? It’s a family trip anyway. It would be a bit weird if I tagged along. I’ll just be grateful that you thought of me.”

"Hmm..."

"So, what’s the occasion? Why are you going on a trip all of a sudden?”

"Ah, don’t be too surprised!”

Elisia puffed out a chest proudly, her face beaming, as she held out her palm—

She then stared at it with intense focus.

"Hrrrrrn...!"

That pose looked the same as usual.

Except this time, instead of nothing happening…

A tiny spark flickered to life in her palm.

I applauded, feeling quite a bit of surprise.

"Wow, that’s amazing! You’ve already gotten that far?”

"Ehehehe…”

Even though she was panting like she had just exhausted all her strength, she definitely showed real progress here.

It meant that she could now choose to suppress or release her mana if she put in some conscious effort.

Elisia grinned brightly.

"It’s all thanks to you, Jern! I heard I can even go back to the Academy next term!”

"You were the one working hard. I hardly did anything.”

In truth, what I had taught her wasn’t really magic and was more like meditation techniques and mental control exercises.

Elisia’s problem had always been that her mind had been dominated by fear and negativity.

"No way, I could have never been able to come so far without you, you know?”

"I'm glad if I was of any help, but it really was all you. Next time I visit, let’s talk more about your anti-magic ability…”

I was about to add, “And try to control it. And if possible, try it on me—”

Elisia immediately cut me off, though.

"Today’s not a lesson day! So listen! Guess where we’re going! We’re going to Azellin in the west! It’s supposed to be super, super pretty. You have to book months ahead to go there, but since people haven’t been traveling much lately, we were finally able to get some tickets—”

"..."

I just smiled bitterly and nodded.

It seemed like I would have to keep her company until the evening.

* * *

Bright moonlight spilled across the land.

In the darkness of night, which didn’t allow one to look an inch ahead—

A unit of Knights crept toward a city bathed in light.

Reaching the high ridge overlooking it, the unit halted and quickly set up a base.

"Commander, we’ve arrived at our destination.”

"Hm, begin reconnaissance.”

Though the night was dark, the Knights’ eyesight easily suppressed that of any binoculars. Surveying the city posed no issue to them.

After some time, they shook their heads.

"It seems the enemy hasn’t taken it over. There seems to be some kind of festival going on. People are dancing in the streets in the middle of the night.”

"I see, then we can switch to infiltration now.”

The Knight commander nodded, looking around at the Knights and gave his men low, stern orders.

"Listen well—things might seem normal to you for now, but don’t let your guard down. Enter in disguise and blend in. Don’t even think of taking any rash actions for the next three days. Observe your surroundings and report anything unusual you may notice before moving! Remember, recklessness can mean the death of your comrades!”

"Yes!"

The Knights, all of them looking at their commander with a disciplined look of respect, began changing into civilian clothes they would use as a disguise.

Their weapons and armor were hidden away in a carriage so that they could be smuggled in.

In the midst of this, a young recruit who had been carefully watching the city with alert eyes suddenly clamped a hand over his mouth.

"...Huh? Huuuh?”

"Hey, rookie. Keep it down! Are you trying to ruin our operation?!”

"I-I’m sorry, but look at that!”

Wearing an annoyed scowl, the senior Knight turned his gaze to look at the city again but found nothing of note.

"What do you want me to see?”

"The citizens’ movements are…too unnatural!”

"...What?"

At those words, the Knights looked at the festival again.

"...Wait. What is that?”

At first glance, it just seemed like some people dancing at some festival, which was normal enough.

Children and adults all smiled joyfully, clapping their hands as they danced.

But…

"They’re repeating their actions…?”

They were moving as if they were training for a ritual.

After reproducing the dance flawlessly in reverse for a minute, they repeated it again and again.

All the citizens, without exception.

A chill ran down the Knights’ spines as they watched that staged spectacle.

"This is absurd…”

"Wha-what is this?!”

This festival was a giant trap set to be seen by someone.

And that someone—was probably them.

The panicking Knights turned to their commander.

"Commander. I think our mission has been exposed.”

"There’s a traitor. We must report this immediately!”

"This can’t be…!”

Stunned, the commander grabbed the hilt of his sword, trembling, and barked.

"Isn’t this far too sloppy?!”

"...? Yes, it is.”

"What—useless idiots!”

-Crunch!

Before anyone could react, the Knight’s throat dropped to the ground.

"...Huh?"

The Commander's sword erupted in flames.

His expression had changed from his expression filled with stern dignity to one filled with irritation and boredom.

"If we’d fooled those guys well enough. We could’ve had a safe haven for at least a month… Am I the only one doing things properly here?”

"Co…mmander?”

"Get a grip, rookie! That’s not our comman—!”

‘That thing’ used the commander’s swordsmanship and tore through the Knights.

"Ugh, aaaaaaargh!

"Ugh, tsk, seriously…”

There was some resistance, but no effective counterattack.

It didn’t take long for the sighing commander to slaughter all of them.

Amid the blood-soaked scene, the thing that had been sitting on the Knight corpses let out a deep sigh.

Click, clack… The fasteners on the armor it wore began to loosen.

The thing impersonating the Knight commander stretched, grew, multiplied…

Not too long after, it became an inexplicable, writhing, massive lump of raw flesh.

The mass faced the sky and roared.

"Hey, you idiot. How could you not do that one little thing right?”

The mass twitched, split open, and formed a second, new mouth.

"...You should’ve cut them down before they noticed. Do you think organizing this many people is easy? This was the best I could do.”

"Ugh… My mouth hurts. So what now? Once they find out that an entire Knight unit is dead, we’ll be targeted immediately."

"We’ll just abandon this place. We have to stay hidden until Great Void finishes his work.”

"Then where do we go after abandoning this place?”

"Hmm…”

The second mouth muttered casually, as if choosing a nice picnic spot.

"How about Azellin? I heard it’s pretty there.”

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