Chapter 211 : Chapter 211

Chapter 211 - Customer Acquisition

“Our ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍vocal cords vibrate on their own, but mana does not. The first step is to create that trembling mana.”

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Youngest Son rested his chin on his hand and concentrated on Akiell’s words.

“What ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is the method for creating trembling mana?”

“The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍way one grasps the sensation differs from person to person. You might imagine trembling mana and try to manipulate it directly, or you might make your body itself tremble while releasing mana.”

“How ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did you do it?”

“I ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did it by instinct. But a certain mage of the past once... No. Never mind that.”

The Youngest Son’s eyebrows curved.

“Do you know that there is nothing more effective at making someone angry than stopping halfway through what you were saying?”

“...It is only an anecdote about a famous telepathy mage in Wisdom’s history. You do not need to know it.”

“But I still want to hear it.”

“Do two days seem like a great deal of time to you?”

The Youngest Son raised one corner of his mouth.

“It is enough time to go to the bathroom now and then. So tell me. We can say it was as though I went to the bathroom once.”

Akiell let out a long sigh and stared into empty air for a moment.

“There are never more than five telepathy mages in a single era.”

“The sorcery I learned does not even allow one person per era. Five sounds rather generous.”

“Only geniuses can even attempt such magic, and because only geniuses attempt it, extremely rare cases do sometimes occur.”

Akiell now naturally ignored the Youngest Son’s words and continued speaking.

“A century ago, there was a mage regarded as the greatest among telepathy mages. Her name was Georgia. She sent voices across several kilometers without a dedicated magic circle.”

“At that distance, I suppose there must be a great deal to prepare.”

“Of course. The farther the distance grows, the more variables there are, and the greater the possibility that the voice converted through mana will be distorted incorrectly.”

Akiell shut his mouth again and met the bloodshot eyes.

―It does not matter when we are this close, but once the target vanishes from sight and moves farther away, the difficulty becomes entirely different.

“Then does that mean the difficulty becomes much lower as long as the target is within sight?”

“Telepathy Magic itself is difficult, but if one were to divide the difficulty within it, then yes.”

Akiell nodded in acknowledgment and continued speaking about Georgia.

“However, Mage Georgia was extraordinary even from this trembling mana stage.”

“How was she extraordinary?”

“Sending vibrating mana over a short distance is not difficult, but maintaining that vibration over a greater distance is extremely hard.”

“So that is why an auxiliary magic circle is needed.”

“Yes. However, Mage Georgia was more outstanding than anyone when it came to creating and maintaining vibrations.”

The Youngest Son opened his palm. Trembling mana. Vibrating mana. And maintenance. It was time to try it for himself.

Akiell silently watched his first attempt. From theory to basic use, it had taken him one week. Among those steps, creating trembling mana had taken a full day.

‘I was considered talented even among telepathy mages, and it took me a day. Yet he claims he will manage practical use within two days?’

Utter nonsense. It was something that would make Mage Georgia leap from her grave and snort in derision.

WHOOOOOSH—

Mana gathered above the Youngest Son’s palm. It was a small amount for casting any kind of sorcery or magic, but it was suitable for practicing trembling mana.

‘Go ahead and try as hard as you like. Do you think you, who must have spent your entire life handling only the flowing mana of the East, can suddenly place vibration within it?’

The West explored mana itself and studied its various properties and reactions.

With dragons as splendid predecessors and advisers, that research had advanced as though it had been given wings.

Trembling mana was also a product of that research and one of the West’s thousand years of wisdom. There was no way a lowly sorcerer of the East could do it.

“It is certainly difficult.”

As expected, the bloodline member of the East narrowed his eyes and manipulated the mana above his palm.

However, far from trembling, the mana could not control its water-like flowing nature and slipped from side to side.

“It is fascinating that mana in this state can vibrate.”

“Shall I show you an example?”

“That would be good.”

Akiell had expected him to refuse once out of pride or to at least feel his pride wounded. Instead, the bloodline member of the East accepted without the slightest hesitation.

“...Have you no pride?”

“Why would such a thing be necessary here? I am learning because I do not know, and learning means that I do not know. Were you ashamed when you sought instruction from your teacher?”

“Of course not. But I am not your teacher.”

“Correct. You are not my teacher.”

“......”

It was an obvious fact, but for some reason, it made Akiell’s expression twist. The Youngest Son gave a faint laugh and played with the mana above his palm.

The mana still only flowed. It occasionally shuddered, but he had yet to grasp the sensation. This was a moment when a teacher was needed.

“Even if you are not my teacher, for the next two days, I will seek instruction from you, and you have agreed to respond to that. That much is certain. Is it not?”

“...Yes.”

“For the next two days, remove the East and the West from your mind. I am simply a talented and somewhat insolent student.”

Akiell fell silent and mulled over the Youngest Son’s words. He rolled them around in his mouth and over his tongue, then gave a hollow laugh.

“The insolent part is certain. As for whether you are talented, we shall find that out now.”

WHOOOOOSH—

Above Akiell’s outstretched palm floated the trembling mana he had been speaking of all along.

The mana he displayed had not lost its flowing nature.

Rather, he had strengthened the differences in height that arose as it flowed, the current that rose and fell like waves.

The countless waves that occurred within a brief span of time gradually became a single vibration, creating trembling mana.

“I think I understand a little.”

“Then try it.”

“However, in this state, it will be difficult to grasp the sensation from the beginning. Excuse me for a moment.”

CRACK CRACK CRACK—

Blood vessels rose from his heart outward. Akiell flinched in shock at the red veins revealed from his neck to his jaw.

It was a form he had seen before. At that time, it had been in the library, and there had been far more mages present. They had all died before that form.

Because he had seen and experienced that cruelty firsthand, undisguised fury entered Akiell’s eyes.

The bloodshot eyes, now holding an even redder glow, focused on the mana as he spoke.

“I told you to remove the East and the West from your mind.”

“...How could I do that? You killed my subordinates, and I saw it happen right before my eyes.”

“Then that is something you should be angry at me for. Do not spread your thoughts as far as the East and the West.”

“......”

Akiell pressed his lips tightly together and lowered his head.

“More importantly.”

In the meantime, a change had also occurred.

“Is it roughly like this?”

“...?”

It was not enough mana to be visible to the naked eye, but to a mage of Wisdom, it was more than enough to sense.

At first, the mana that had produced a single wave accelerated into two, then passed three and four as it gradually grew faster.

The mana, which created an amount of waves too numerous to count in the time it took to blink, could no longer be described as flowing.

“It is a fascinating sensation. Is this what it feels like when mana vibrates?”

When it possessed a fundamentally flowing nature, it still felt like one whole even when it was stretched out or reduced.

Just because clay was stretched long did not mean it became two pieces. But vibrating mana was different.

“Whether I stretch it, shrink it, or gather it together, I feel as though I can sense each and every particle that makes up this handful of mana.”

“It has to be divided that finely to be delivered to another person. If it is any larger, the body will block it.”

“You do not seem that surprised.”

“Do you intend to boast just because you have become able to add a single vibration to mana?”

The Youngest Son moved the vibrating mana here and there and shook his head.

“That is not really it. Before you, Sein’s eyes grew so wide that I thought they would pop out if I struck the back of his head.”

“...He was precisely what you people call a mage.”

“A clever fool?”

“Yes. He learned magic from a dragon and only grew arrogant. Tsk.”

When one considered the matter, the reason Akiell was now captured in front of the Youngest Son was essentially because of that clever fool.

Pure hatred bloomed within him, but as he had just seen, Sein was dead. Even after death, he would not be allowed to rest.

“Now then, I have created vibrating mana. What is the next step?”

Akiell did not show it, but he felt the same fear Sein had once felt.

‘Even if he is a bloodline member of a great family, I thought this step would take him at least a day.’

The Fifth Son’s speed of learning was terrifying. How long had Mage Georgia in the records taken to clear the first step?

That had not been recorded, but Akiell prayed inwardly. Whatever that record might have been, he begged that she had been faster than the sorcerer before his eyes.

If not, a telepathy mage who surpassed Georgia would emerge from the East.

Akiell shuddered. For some reason, he kept feeling that even uttering a single word now would be a tremendous mistake.

“Are you listening?”

“...Yes. It has been a long time since I learned this, so I was refining it to match your level.”

“If that is the case, thank you.”

Thank you. Akiell had heard those words many times since birth, but he had never imagined he would hear them from an Eastern sorcerer, much less one of the Millesdusk bloodline.

This bloodline member of the East did not seem to harbor even a trace of resentment between the East and the West. But Akiell found it hard to believe that was truly the case.

If there were no resentment, there was no reason he would create something like Dark Elixir, which was clearly aimed at the West no matter who looked at it.

“The next step is to place human language into the vibrating mana.”

“I look forward to it. Let us begin at once.”

“Yes. You may look forward to it.”

This time, it was truly difficult. The legend of Mage Georgia also began at this exact point.

Her record, as the woman literally known as the legend of Telepathy Magic, was eighteen hours.

‘This is something I truly cannot say aloud, but this fellow has more talent than I do. Even if he is similar to Mage Georgia, it should take him more than a day.’

***

The Forest Witch met Lubosch again sooner than expected. The two conversed only with their eyes.

‘Forest Witch? Why are you here?’

‘I do not know either. Ask that Princess.’

Their eye-conversation did not last long. It could not, because the Princess was standing between them.

“That one is a cleaner I hired. Do not mind him, and sit.”

“...All right.”

She did not mind him. He was far too familiar a person for that. It would be fortunate enough if she did not speak casually to him by accident.

The Forest Witch forced her eyes beneath the brim of her hat toward the Princess.

“So. Why did you call me? I am busy.”

“I know that the only person among your delegation who is actually active is your Fifth Son.”

“That does not mean I have nothing to do.”

“Your landscaping ability, the one that earned you the name Forest Witch. Have you any thought of using it here?”

The Princess’s hand pointed to one corner of the room. Though it was called one corner, it was completely empty, without a single piece of furniture.

It was like another room within the room, but the outer wall had been removed to make it feel like a single space.

In that space, atop a platform, there was a single elegant, transparent vase. The vase contained no water, and only one flower sat there alone.

The rose, which seemed to have been carved from ice, was red as blood.

Moreover, sunlight streamed in through the full-length windows surrounding the room, yet not a single drop of water came from the Ice Rose.

On the contrary, it used the sunlight as nourishment and made itself shine even more elegantly.

“...So. You want me to decorate that room with nothing but a vase in it.”

“Yes. I would like you to make sure it suits the Ice Rose.”

“Goodbye.”

The Forest Witch turned her back without hesitation.

“I will pay you, of course.”

“...Money?”

“A reward that will go only to you, not to the Fifth Son.”

The Forest Witch turned away from the door without hesitation.