In truth, the fact that Laness had come to see Jun in person was an extraordinary event.
While she was known for her interest in talented mages, leading a faction carried a weight far beyond mere personal curiosity.
That’s why, when she announced she would visit in person, not only her students but even the elders of the Magic Tower were shocked.
And they all asked the same question Jun was asking now.
“Why are you going so far for someone like me?”
“It’s just my nature. Teaching gifted mages. I can’t stand to see someone with real talent collapse before they have a chance to blossom.”
“……”
Jun had a general understanding of who Laness was, but not the finer details of her past.
There was something going on with her in the game, too, if I remember right.
Even with his [Exceptional Memory], he couldn’t recall any specific information related to it.
“And your talent surpasses any I’ve seen before.”
It wasn’t just because of the [Mana Body].
Though, of course, that accounted for about half the reason.
The other half was his sheer persistence.
Or perhaps it should be called ferocity.
Such refined sixth-circle magic… Even I wasn’t at that level at his age. And beyond the circle itself, I can feel another force. Intense and precise. Fire attribute, perhaps?
As an eighth-circle mage, Laness instantly grasped Jun’s condition.
And to think he reached that level without a teacher, entirely on his own.
It hardly seemed possible.
That kind of achievement couldn’t come from talent alone.
It must have been the result of surviving countless brushes with death, clawing his way out of the gutters of reality, and relentlessly driving himself forward with no one else to rely on.
If a divine masterpiece crafted by God truly existed, surely it would be the being standing before her now.
It was the kind of praise that would make even the one hearing it bow their head in embarrassment.
To an outsider, it might have seemed like an overreaction for a first meeting.
But such awe was only natural. Because it was Laness, who stood far above the norm, who was speaking.
And with that admiration came a growing sense of urgency in her heart.
If it’s him… he might be able to reach it. The realm I had to give up on.
Even Laness, who referred to her own talent as one in ten thousand, had been forced to abandon that domain.
The Ninth Circle.
But this young mage before her…he might very well be able to reach that supreme height.
The problem was… this young mage was like a wildflower.
Even if storms raged around him and the world turned upside down, all one could do was watch.
Try to possess him too hastily, and he might wither and die.
I heard he’s already tied closely to the Imperial Family.
Even if Jun had left a good impression on two members of the imperial family, the Empire with its long and winding history was a place where even talents like his could be broken without warning.
And that only made her all the more anxious.
“I’m not sure what you see in me to speak so highly.”
“Any mage with a proper mind would want to take you as their disciple.”
“The mages I’ve seen so far weren’t like that.”
“How many mages in this world do you think are actually in their right mind?”
“Hmm.”
Jun had no idea how to respond to that and fell silent.
But Laness was different.
She knew better than anyone how rotten the mage society had become.
“As a fellow mage, it’s strange to say this, but… we’re all a little mad, every single one of us. And I’m no exception.”
“Why is that?”
“Because we lock ourselves away in narrow, dark rooms and devote ourselves entirely to our research. Naturally, we become selfish people who prioritize only ourselves. We’re afraid our findings might leak out, so we don’t share our results even with our own students, convinced that only we can solve the problems we’re working on.”
“…Huh.”
Jun was already somewhat aware of this reality.
But he had never imagined he’d hear such words come directly from the mouth of an eighth-circle mage.
“Young mages suffer under such masters, and they learn from that suffering only to repeat the same mistakes with their own students. In the process, countless geniuses who couldn’t endure it end up walking the path to ruin.”
Was there a personal story behind this?
A faint sadness could be seen on Laness’s face.
And that, in itself, was quite a surprise.
That an eighth-circle archmage could harbor such human emotions.
To reach that level… a normal life wouldn’t have been enough. Maybe her very growth was shaped by that outlook.
Having said her piece, Laness looked at Jun once again.
“I’ve long told mages to experience the world outside their towers. But they never listened. Still, with you….your very existence, maybe you’ll be the one to shatter their preconceptions.”
So that’s why she wanted to take him with her?
Jun could more or less guess what her intention was.
And yet, he couldn’t help but feel hesitant.
For one simple reason:
It’s far too optimistic.
Would all mages really change their mindset just because someone stronger took a different path?
If that were possible, wouldn’t they have already followed Laness’s example by now?
Laness must have recognized that look on Jun’s face, because she smiled wryly.
“I know I’m being naïve. But at the very least, maybe I can give them a reason to look back.”
“Still, I think you’re overestimating me. As you know, I severely lack formal knowledge of orthodox magic.”
“That’s exactly what makes it so interesting. You’ve proven that there are ways for mages to grow outside of the so-called ‘orthodox path’ they blindly worship.”
“But I don’t stand on equal footing with other mages.”
Yes, Jun had come this far thanks to tireless effort—
But most of all, it was due to the [Mana Body].
If any other mage tried to use magic the way he did, their mana circuits would have burned out, leaving them crippled….or worse, dead.
Jun had reached this point only because of a combination of effort, experience, and sheer luck.
“So, are you saying you won’t come with me?”
“Hmm…”
Now that she was asking him like that, it made him hesitate.
No, the truth was, this entire situation was absurd to begin with.
Wasn’t it none other than an eighth-circle archmage asking him to come along?
If it had been any other apprentice mage, they might have clutched their chest and collapsed on the spot.
Well, it’s not like Laness has that kind of personality in the first place. And since I’m connected to the Imperial Family, she probably can’t treat me carelessly either.
Now that the surge of emotion from earlier had somewhat settled, Jun was finally able to look at her proposal from a more objective standpoint.
“How long of a commitment are you expecting?”
“Until the end of this season should be fine.”
“Until the end of the season… Understood.”
Only then did Laness’s expression brighten.
For an eighth-circle mage, it was an incredibly human reaction.
Maybe that’s what a normal reaction is supposed to look like.
At that, images of his own Master and of Sergy unnecessarily came to mind, and Jun shook his head.
“When should I begin?”
“Let’s make it tomorrow. I have another appointment right now.”
Her gaze turned toward the castle where Dexter and Javier, the two princes, were staying.
Which meant… she had come to see him even before visiting the imperial heirs.
I figured as much, but she really meant it.
Growing more curious about the true nature of her obsession, Jun saw her off as she departed.
***
“It’s been a while, Javier.”
“It’s an honor to see you again, Lady Laness.”
“Haha. Who would’ve thought that little boy would grow up this much? How’s your magic training going?”
“To be honest, I haven’t been too devoted.”
“I can tell. It’s written all over your face.”
Back when Javier was a child learning magic, it had been Laness who taught him.
She had recognized his potential early on and, despite her high status, had offered him support in various ways.
Unfortunately, that period didn’t last very long.
It was because Javier’s mother, Beneth, hadn’t wanted it.
– This should be enough to protect himself. Thank you so much for all your help, Lady Laness.
Javier had shown a strong passion for magic, so Laness had tried her best to persuade Beneth.
But at the time, Beneth flatly dismissed her.
To Beneth, Laness was nothing more than a loser who had fled from the struggle for the throne.
“So then, what made you call for me?”
Given that history, Laness found it rather strange that Javier had sent her a letter.
Had something changed in his heart?
Even after all that had happened, Laness had occasionally checked in on Javier through her private informants, but what she saw hadn’t been very encouraging.
He always looked gloomy when alone, and even around others, there was a strange sense of disconnect, as if he were wearing a mask.
A boy who couldn’t voice his own thoughts. Like a puppet, through and through.
But now, things were different.
There was a look of determination in his eyes, suggesting that something inside him had indeed shifted.
“I would like to study magic under you, Lady Laness.”
“Under me?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s hear your reason.”
Still, Laness was not someone who could be swayed easily.
True, she had shown unusual interest in the mage named Jun, enough to question whether she truly fit the image of a grand mage.
But frankly, Javier hadn’t been born with that same level of talent.
Objectively speaking, he could be called gifted or even a prodigy but not to the degree that Jun was.
At least, that had been Laness’s assessment in the past.
“Before I explain… I’d first like to apologize for what happened before.”
“Hmm?”
Javier rose from his seat and bowed….not just his head, but at the waist and spoke in a respectful tone.
Laness wasn’t sure what he was trying to do but decided to let him continue for now.
“In the past, my mother treated you with disrespect. And I just stood there, watching it happen.”
“Hmph.”
“I don’t think it was just the thoughtless behavior of a child. I’m sorry.”
“Well… to be honest, I wasn’t exactly pleased back then.”
At the time, Laness was a formidable mage who had reached the Seventh Circle.
Naturally, her influence within Blackout was by no means small.
And yet, after calling someone like her in, she had offered only a half-hearted education before turning her away.
Even before that, Laness had never liked being involved with the royal family, but after that incident, she became even more reluctant.
Even up until just now, that hadn’t changed.
If it hadn’t been for the letter from her former student Javier or rather, if the mage named Jun hadn’t been here, she wouldn’t have come in person at all.
“Even so, I’d like to make a shameless request.”
In that moment, she truly felt the passage of time.
In Javier’s eyes, his head raised but waist still deeply bowed, she could see a clear emotion.
It was the “will” to accomplish something.
His childhood.
She could still picture the young Javier who used to laugh so freely, simply enjoying the study of magic for its own sake.
“Please give me your guidance once more.”
“That won’t be difficult.”
…“…!”
“Provided, of course, that you can persuade your mother.”
“……”
“Do you think you can do that?”
“Yes. I’ll make sure of it, no matter what.”
“Hooh.”
The little boy who used to shrink whenever he heard his mother’s voice…
Now stood tall, looking straight at her with squared shoulders.
Even his once-bowed back was now upright and firm.
Absurd as it was, in that moment, Laness felt a sense of imperial dignity radiating from Javier.
Blood really does tell.
For the first time in a while, she found herself wondering where this change in Javier had begun.
From what she’d gathered, it seemed to be connected to the mage she had just met. Jun.
“Tell me everything. Why you want to learn magic, and what brought you to that decision. In full detail.”
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