Genius Warlock

Chapter 307

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"What did you say?"

Oliver asked again.

It wasn't so much that he hadn't heard Kevin correctly, but he wanted to make sure he had heard correctly.

"I said I defeated Yareli's father. In front of everyone in the Tower. Thoroughly."

Kevin answered again. As expected, Oliver hadn't misheard.

Kevin had defeated Yareli's father. And that, too, in front of everyone in the Tower... Oliver had thought there might be some backstory, but this was beyond that.

"May I ask a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Why did you fight with Ms. Yareli's father?"

At that, Kevin raised an eyebrow as if he had heard a stupid question.

"Ask the question the other way around. Don't you find it strange that I'm in the Tower?"

"Should I find it strange?"

"Usually, it's strange... What image comes to mind when you think of the Tower?"

"Wizards, a major institution representing Landa, advanced magical technology, vast wealth, elitism... I think of survival of the fittest and eugenics."

"You've learned well. Let me ask again. Isn't it strange that I'm in the Tower?"

"...Ah."

Oliver responded, albeit a beat late.

He was finally able to grasp the crux of the matter.

Kevin was a Red man. From the perspective of the wizards, he was a very inferior race.

Stupid, barbaric, unable to develop on their own...Fôll0w current novÊls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

Although he personally disagreed, the current Tower was on such a course.

This was evident from just a few general education courses and books.

In such a Tower, a Red man wizard. Even serving as a master professor was indeed an extraordinary event.

He had noticed this when he first came to the Tower, but had momentarily forgotten it due to Kevin's diligence and ability.

"When you put it that way, it does seem a bit strange... But, aren't you a student of Elder?"

The elder referred to none other than Archiver Merlin.

He didn't know the details, but based on what Oliver had seen, heard, and experienced so far, Merlin was definitely a being of high standing.

"So isn't there no problem?"

Click!

Kevin snapped his fingers.

"Correct. But it's only half correct."

"Half correct?"

"Yes, thanks to my excellent Master, I was able to get the opportunity to enter the Tower, but that doesn't mean I was accepted by the Tower."

"Is that so?"

"Do you think the Master would give everything from one to ten?"

At Kevin's question, Oliver thought about the Merlin he had seen so far.

He would recommend good books but take money for them, give advice but not direct help, and when he stepped in, he demanded proof of his worth. His classes only provided the environment and direction; the studying had to be done by the student.

"Hmm... No, I think he only gives the opportunity."

"Right... In return for putting me in the Tower, Master laid out a stage. A stage for me to prove myself. The Tower couldn't refuse Master's demand. The weight of his demand was unique, and for the sake of the Tower's honor, they couldn't refuse... They couldn't give the impression that they were scared of a mere Red man."

"Then, did you fight with Yareli's father then?"

"Including him, I fought with the wizards of all the factions of the Elemental faction – the Agni faction, the Mjolnir faction, the Enlil faction, the Gaia faction."

"...Why the Elemental faction?"

"I wanted to join the Elemental faction. Besides being my Master's faction, it's the most powerful faction... Well, it's relatively in decline these days."

"Ah..."

Oliver nodded, letting out a sound.

It was indeed a bizarre conversation.

A Red Wizard fights against the traditional Elemental school, and Oliver reacting at the odd part.

Even more bizarre was that Kevin, before he knew it, had not just gotten used to it, but had assimilated into it.

"Everyone was at a Master Wizard level. Or wizards of similar level.... I fought against each of them, one by one, in front of everyone gathered in the Magic Tower, and crushed them. Thoroughly."

Thoroughly... Oliver realized that it wasn't just a word casually thrown in.

Because he had already fought against Kevin once.

He showed no mercy in a fight.

"I defeated each one of them unequivocally, trampled on them and gave them scars they couldn't erase. As a way of demanding respect."

"Do you gain respect by leaving scars?"

"Of course, scars are pain, and pain is fear, fear brings respect... Especially to the prestigious family, to the father of Yareli who used to belittle me, I gave the deepest respect. Even on his face. Eventually, the Elemental school had no choice but to accept me as a wizard."

"Um... What happened to them? The others who had fought against you."

"They became extinct."

Extinct. A simple word but more definitive than any other.

Exhausted from the liberation of finishing boring paperwork, Kevin leaned back in his chair and sighed for a moment.

"......Now you just come in whenever you want."

Kevin commented on the presence he felt during his short break.

Merlin, who had entered the office using his mana, responded.

"Sorry, mate. But, didn't I say-"

"-that a master has the right to intrude on the disciple's private life and disrupt their peace of mind? I know from experience....... but what if you're caught entering like this? The One Masters might not like it."

"Don't stress, mate. There's no chance of getting nicked. I suss it out beforehand."

As Merlin brought a chair and sat down across from Kevin, he spoke.

Kevin couldn't say more because it wasn't just comforting words, but a fact. After all, his master was Archiver Merlin.

"......You are real tough on the grades this semester, too."

Merlin suddenly said. Kevin responded casually.

"Well, it's the professor's discretion to give grades."

"If you do this, students won't take your class next semester."

"I don't care. Whether they take it or not....... I'd rather refuse those who want good grades but lack the ability."

"Well, wouldn't that put you in the crosshairs for the faculty review? Masters are judged by the number of students they turn out. And later, those students become wizards and start throwing their weight around."

"I can make up for the faculty evaluation elsewhere, and I don't need that kind of politics. All I need is overwhelming ability. Did you come to talk about this?"

"No, I'm here to say thanks. You were probably planning to crack on with personal research over the hols, but you took on a seasonal semester, didn't ya?"

"No, it's fine. I'm interested in it too. Besides, I've found something more interesting than research."

Kevin was sincere. He was more interested in the idea that fused emotions and mana than his original plan to establish a foothold by studying military magic.

If the research in military magic was a short-term achievement, the idea that mixed emotion and mana could elevate Kevin's level by one step, or even several steps permanently.

Of course, it could be risky as it was black magic, but he judged that it was worth taking the risk. That's what power was about.

"Good on ya, that's good to hear."

"Yes....... Since you're here, can I ask a question?"

"Is it about the business trip?"

"No. I'm curious, but you're not going to talk about it anyway, are you? If you were going to tell me, you would have already."

"Ha, you've got me all figured out, haven't ya? What do you wanna ask then?"

"It's not anything big, just something that's been bothering me. You talked about Eve when you had dinner with Dave last time, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did."

"No matter how much I think about it, it's puzzling. Weren't you skeptical that Eve could be born from merely accumulating information?"

That was true.

Eve, the will of the world tree, which hadn't yet been born, but was believed to be born at any time.

Wizards who had researched in this field gave their own opinions about Eve and wrote papers.

It was like another revolution.

Among them, Merlin also had an opinion, but unlike the mainstream, he thought Eve could not be born from simply accumulating information.

It was the same logic that just because you have many bricks doesn't mean you can build a tower.

Merlin argued strongly that you need cement and rebar to support the bricks.

So it bothered him that Merlin claimed Eve could be born from simply accumulating information while having dinner with Dave. It wasn't a big deal, but it was nerve-racking.

"Did your thoughts change late?"

"Uh... no."

"Then why?"

"I reckoned it'd be good to say that there."

Kevin remained silent. It was something he had felt a long time ago, but Merlin treated Dave like some dangerous tumor.

After all, the reason he entrusted Dave to him was to observe from a proper distance.

Well, looking at his talent, abilities, and unfathomable characteristics, it's understandable.

"Yes, I understand."

"Uh... since we're chinwagging, let me pop a question. What do you reckon caused Eve to suddenly show up?"

"? I don't know. Aren't all authorities, including you, just talking about grabbing at clouds in the end?"

"What if, just if. What do you reckon would happen if a glitch happened that let someone connect to the world tree with emotions?"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm asking what do you reckon would happen if someone could connect to the world tree with emotions."

"That... isn't it impossible?"

"That's why I said it's just a ‘what if' scenario, and why I called it a glitch."

"Well... emotions would flow into the world tree, and those emotions would react with the accumulated mana and information... ah."

Kevin let out a half-dazed exclamation.

Because he knew just one being who could accomplish such a thing.

(To be Continued)

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