Chapter 350

Chapter 350. The New Master of the Mage Tower (1)

Crash!

A ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍desk carved with ornate decorations shattered into splinters with a horrific cracking sound.

Amid ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the storm of wooden fragments scattering through the room, the ragged breathing of the Mage Tower Master’s proxy, Aaron Daryu, echoed like that of a wounded beast.

“Where… ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍where did they go?!”

Aaron’s ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍bloodshot red eyes burned fiercely.

Things ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that had been within his grasp vanished like smoke.

The 6th Prince, who should have become the masterpiece of his life.

Even his master, who had long shackled him.

An unbearable mix of rage and helplessness churned violently within him.

‘It cannot end like this.’

Failing to find his master and the 6th Prince would spell disaster.

He had already provoked the imperial family by ordering a search even of the imperial delegation’s lodgings.

If he could not present a proper justification, he himself would be the one to suffer the consequences.

Yet, even if he wished to accuse Armandy of abducting his master, there was no physical evidence.

The old mages of the Mage Tower would seize this opportunity to challenge his authority and plunge the tower into chaos.

A suffocating anxiety washed over him, as though the tower he had painstakingly built was collapsing around him.

‘Perhaps…’

Perhaps he would once again be buried beneath his master’s shadow.

Perhaps he would forever be eclipsed by Armandy, never able to claim the Mage Tower as his own.

“Am I to accept that fate…?!”

Aaron growled in hatred.

At that moment, a smooth and honeyed whisper seeped into his ear.

—There is no need to lose your reason over something so trivial.

It was the voice of Mammon, the Great Demon of Avarice.

A dark, bluish-black miasma rose like mist over Aaron’s shoulders, coiling around his body.

—I will find your master for you. But in return…

Mammon chuckled softly.

The Great Demon’s laughter sounded grotesque, as though countless screams were intertwined within it.

—You do understand what must be offered in exchange for a demon’s aid, do you not?

At Mammon’s words, Aaron froze.

He stared into the empty air for a moment, then slowly twisted his lips into a crooked smile.

Yes. He had no other choice.

From the moment he grasped the demon’s hand.

Without hesitation, Aaron left his chamber.

In the corridor, his personal mages stood in formation, awaiting his orders.

The malevolent aura pouring from Aaron was incomparable to anything before, making them tremble involuntarily, yet none dared to raise their heads.

“Follow me.”

At his short command, the mages followed him as though bewitched.

They arrived at the Mage Tower’s central hall.

Responding to Aaron’s emergency summons, the mid- to high-ranking mages of the tower had gathered, murmuring uneasily.

When Aaron ascended the dais, the noisy hall fell silent in an instant.

All eyes turned toward him.

One of the mages loyal to Aaron stepped forward and asked.

Perhaps unsettled by the unfamiliar aura radiating from him, his voice trembled like a leaf in the wind.

“Lord Aaron, have you found them? The Mage Tower Master and… the culprit…”

Aaron did not answer.

Instead, he regarded the mage with a cold smile.

Then he extended his hand.

The dark energy blooming at his fingertips pierced straight through the mage’s heart without hesitation.

Thud!

“Guh—!”

The mage collapsed, staring in disbelief at the hole in his chest.

His vitality and mana turned into black smoke, which was sucked into Aaron’s body.

“A, a demon! The Mage Tower Master’s proxy has contracted with a demon!”

An elderly mage at the very front of the hall screamed in horror at the sight.

That cry became the signal that plunged the entire hall into dreadful chaos.

“So noisy.”

Aaron waved his hand irritably.

Bang!

The old mage who had screamed was flung across the hall and smashed into the wall.

With a dull cracking sound, no further screams followed.

Every mage in the hall froze in terror.

Faces drained of color.

Eyes trembling with fear.

As Aaron faced their pure, unfiltered terror, a strange exhilaration surged within him.

‘Why did I not realize this sooner?’

Why had he tried to take the Mage Tower peacefully?

He understood now.

Before overwhelming power, all of that had been meaningless.

The past version of himself—pleading with gentle words, trying to win hearts, pandering to the whims of old men to beg for recognition—felt utterly contemptible.

Why had he done that?

“I should have done this from the beginning.”

Aaron’s red eyes gleamed.

—Kukukuk… yes. That look.

Along with Mammon’s satisfied whisper, dark, bluish-black miasma erupted from Aaron’s entire body like a storm.

“Gah!”

“Ugh!”

The thick demonic energy engulfed the hall, causing the mages to collapse one after another in agony.

Their minds were swallowed by the vile aura.

Reason was paralyzed, their eyes growing dull and unfocused.

Stagger.

At last, those completely consumed by the miasma slowly rose to their feet.

Then, as though on cue, they dropped to their knees before Aaron.

Boom!

Hundreds of mages slammed their foreheads to the floor simultaneously.

Boom. Boom.

It was worship.

A ritual of absolute submission to their new master.

Boom.

Perhaps it was only imagination.

Yet it felt as though the entire Mage Tower trembled lowly.

As though the tower itself were shuddering and weeping in grief.

As though it mourned the wretched state of the mages it had nurtured.

The will of the Mage Tower.

The old legend his master used to repeat surfaced in Aaron’s mind.

‘In the end, it is nothing more than a tower.’

Aaron sneered as he looked down at the mages who had submitted to him.

Look closely, you relics.

I have won.

Even if the tower has a will of its own, I have ultimately seized power.

Now I need no one’s permission.

Aaron’s lips twisted in contempt.

Omniscient, omnipotent power.

The authority willingly bestowed by a Great Demon marked a single coordinate in his mind.

“So that is where you went… the top floor.”

With a cruel smile, Aaron began to walk.

Behind him, the mages who had lost their souls rose like zombies and followed in his wake.

***

Boom!

With a thunderous roar that shook the ground, the old storeroom convulsed violently.

Dust rained down from the ceiling, and various magic tools stacked precariously on shelves rolled and clattered to the floor.

“Ugh…!”

Armandy, who was pouring his mana into the edge of the magic circle, staggered under the impact.

As his concentration wavered, the intricate pattern inscribed on the floor flickered dangerously and began to lose its light.

“Get a hold of yourself!”

Arteo shouted sharply.

If the magic circle were to collapse now, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Inette’s soul, left alone in the spirit realm, could lose its way and become eternally lost.

“I—I am sorry!”

Sweat pouring down his face, Armandy refocused on controlling his mana.

But the pressure from outside far exceeded anything he had imagined.

The walls of the storeroom creaked as though they might collapse at any moment, and the crushing flow of mana flooding the confined space weighed heavily on everyone.

Boom!

“They have found us.”

Arteo clenched his teeth.

The Mage Tower Master’s proxy had finally tracked them down.

He sensed the presence outside the storeroom.

Dozens of faint mana signatures.

Aaron and the mages following him had completely surrounded the place.

Armandy’s eyes wavered as he struggled to maintain the magic circle.

‘How did they find this place…?’

It was a secret space known to no one else, not even his master.

But if Aaron had contracted with a Great Demon…

Seeing Armandy falter, Arteo stepped forward.

“Focus only on the magic circle. I will hold them off.”

No sooner had he spoken than Arteo deployed a defensive spell.

“Block them.”

Blue mana spread from his fingertips, forming a spherical barrier that enveloped the entire storeroom.

Crack!

But under the onslaught of mana from outside, the barrier fractured like glass and began to crumble.

As though he had anticipated this, Arteo continued casting spells without pause.

“Twist.”

“Deflect.”

“Hold.”

An unrelenting exchange.

His reserves of mana were in no way inferior to those of the Mage Tower’s senior mages.

But shouldering the combined force of dozens of mages alone was too much.

As his defensive spells shattered and reformed repeatedly, beads of sweat gathered on Arteo’s brow.

Boom!

A violent impact shook the surroundings.

In the corner of the storeroom, Radel, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, finally opened them.

His golden eyes quickly swept the room.

‘So the Mage Tower Master’s proxy has arrived.’

It was an entirely predictable development.

The fact that they had managed to buy this much time was already a significant gain.

‘Is Inette still not done?’

Inette had yet to regain consciousness.

Armandy was focused on the magic circle.

Arteo was pouring his last strength into holding back the external assault.

As Radel assessed the situation, the Library Spirit flew over and shouted at him.

“You brat! How can you sit there with your eyes closed in a crisis like this?!”

But Radel showed no sign of panic.

He first checked on Sylvan, who was curled up asleep in the corner.

A peaceful sleeping face, steady breathing.

Fortunately, there was no sign of him waking yet.

“Can you tell how many mages are outside?”

“Of course I can. Roughly over thirty, all with at least mid-level mana. It is too much for the Second Prince to handle alone!”

Just as the spirit said, Radel could tell at a glance that Arteo was nearing his limit, seeing his pale face and trembling fingertips.

“Please stay here and watch Sylvan. Make sure he does not wake up.”

“With this much noise, he is bound to wake up!”

The Library Spirit snapped, but Radel replied calmly.

“He will not wake easily. I gave him some medicine beforehand, just in case.”

“W-What?!”

The spirit’s pages stiffened in shock.

No wonder the child had not woken despite the storeroom shaking so violently.

While giving him marshmallows earlier, Radel had slipped him a sleeping drug.

“If he shows even the slightest sign of waking, inform me immediately.”

“Y-You…!”

Such an absurd—

No wonder he was Hayden’s descendant; his methods were vicious beyond belief.

Yet, even as he was dumbfounded, the spirit could not deny that Radel’s judgment might be correct.

To control a beast whose ego was still unstable, such extreme measures might indeed be necessary.

Shaken by Radel’s approach, the spirit asked in a serious voice,

“And what if the beast does wake up?”

“What else would I do? I would put him back to sleep.”

Radel pulled out a small glass vial from his pocket.

A clear liquid shimmered inside.

“A special sleeping potion for magical beasts. It can put even a griffin down in one dose. I brought it just in case. This works out nicely.”

Another dose of sleeping medicine?

The Library Spirit gaped in disbelief.

Radel handed him several marshmallows and added,

“If he shows any sign of regaining consciousness, do not hesitate. Stuff this into his mouth along with the marshmallows. Do not give him even a moment to wake.”

The Library Spirit’s pages trembled violently in shock.

‘Even demons would recoil at such a method.’

His contractor was truly not an ordinary individual.

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