The Third Lord, Mage Ekyon.
His character in the original could be summarized in two words.
A radical rationalist who makes all judgments through thorough calculations and pure reason.
And a notorious egotist who pursues only his own interest.
At first glance, he might have seemed like a cold-blooded individual, but for me, his tendencies were rather easy to handle.
As long as I didn’t initiate any conflict, there was no reason for him to be wary of me, and he was depicted in the original as one of the most rational Lords.
Ekyon was surely aware that he was the guest, and therefore, it was highly unlikely that he would recklessly cause trouble in someone else’s territory by testing the qualities of a Lord.
Thus, when I first met him, I felt a sense of relief.
Unlike Quan-seong, he acted with proper etiquette, respectfully offering a handshake.
Of course, true to his title as a peak magician, his every step condensed and pressed upon the atmosphere with his magic. But what did that matter to me, who already had an omnipresent, unshakable barrier around me?
Though my body possessed no trace of magic, making strong reactions improbable, suppressing the minutest physical reactions was impossible.
The pressure from the magic he exuded affected the air around us, which was much closer to a physical rather than a spiritual oppression.
Any keen observer, such as this peak wizard, would surely have detected some significant discomfort from me.
Ekyon suggested that even such encounters formed a bond of fate and that we should take our time conversing.
There was no reason for me to decline, and I had no intention of missing out on this rare opportunity for a gentlemanly exchange. So, I naturally accepted his handshake, even raising my lips slightly to show my goodwill in response.
However…
“…?”
He suddenly fell silent.
For reasons unknown, beads of cold sweat trickled down his forehead, though we were merely exchanging a handshake.
His reaction was puzzling from such a simple gesture.
As a result, I asked about his wellbeing in as indifferent a manner as I could.
“Is there a problem?”
“…”
“You don’t look so well.”
The blue magical luminescence in Ekyon’s eyes flickered eerily.
After staring at me intently for a while, he let out a strained chuckle.
“This should be enough… let’s call it a day.”
“…?”
Enough? What exactly was supposed to end?
I was momentarily speechless at his unexpected remark, thus I merely loosened my grip and concluded our handshake.
“I can’t quite comprehend your meaning. For someone of your caliber to reveal himself now as one of the Sixth Lord, is quite surprising. I had initially heard rumors about your defeat of Jin-jo and gathered a fair bit of information about you. I thought I had a solid understanding of your capabilities, but it appears I was mistaken.”
“… I’m not exactly sure what you’re trying to say.”
“It’s not anything particular. If anything, it signifies my newfound interest. When I first heard of an ordinary human ascending to a Lord position, I questioned the wisdom of the Grand Lord. But it seems my ignorance was at fault.”
He muttered in a metallic voice that grated like metal on metal.
His incessant muttering of incomprehensible words left me no room to interject, so I stood silently listening. When I showed no reaction, he glanced briefly at me, smirking faintly.
“That’s a face indicating boredom, isn’t it?”
“…”
“Then let me proceed to the main topic.”
As he removed the hood of his black robe, his silver hair gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight.
His features, striking like that of a youthful aristocrat, matched perfectly with the original depiction.
He sat down and began speaking.
“Are you aware of the Outside Beings?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve recently heard that the Lord Council acquired the corpse of one such entity. To further its study, I requested its loan, on which the Grand Lord has sent me to obtain your consent.”
At last, I understood why he had come here.
After slaying Ouroboros, I had entrusted Arkhan with the task of cleaning up the body.
The remains of Ouroboros, by themselves, held value equivalent to the treasures of an entire nation.
It would be sheer folly to leave the body, devoid of even a scale, to rot in the Abyss. Hence, I asked Arkhan to collect and store it with the council for future use.
‘True, I intended to give it to the protagonist later.’
As the story approached the original timeline, an unavoidable meeting with the original protagonist awaited me.
I planned to find an appropriate justification to hand it over then.
In a way, it was a gift for the protagonist, who would be bewildered by the altered future due to my involvement.
‘Till then, I planned to keep it stored with the council.’
Unexpectedly, this situation had unfolded.
Though it was natural for a magician like him to show interest in the corpse of Ouroboros, given that its use had already been predetermined, it was not something I could simply hand over.
As if sensing this, Ekyon subtly examined my expression before carefully asking,
“It seems you have specific uses planned.”
“That’s correct.”
“By that, you mean the corpse belongs to you, right? Am I understanding things correctly?”
“Yes, it was I, not the Grand Lord, who killed Ouroboros.”
In the solemn silence, Ekyon’s bright blue pupils pierced me with a discerning gaze.
He soon nodded slowly.
“In that case, I’ll revise my proposal. Would you consider lending me the corpse of the Outer God you killed?”
“Lending?”
“Yes, I promise to use it solely for research without any further processing or alteration. Once my studies are complete, I will return it as is. What do you say?”
Mages are beings who explore the essence of all things.
When one thinks of a mage, the picture that comes to mind is someone who manipulates elements and bends the laws of nature, but this is merely a means, not the ultimate goal.
That’s why a mage of Ekyon’s caliber would naturally be fascinated by the corpse of Ouroboros.
A body from Beyond represents the Unknown, and exploring that Unknown could be the key for a mage to transcend his limits.
“But outright?”
I wasn’t a charity.
Knowing the true value of what I held, I couldn’t find any reason to hand it over without due compensation.
If anyone felt regret, it wasn’t me, but him.
When I openly demanded some form of return, Ekyon’s lips parted.
“Of course, I had no intention of asking outright. If the Sixth Lord has a desired exchange, I’m open to discuss terms.”
Ekyon’s tone was measured, almost a tone of resignation rather than warning or threat.
There are many desirable options available as bargaining chips for a First Lord.
The ownership of precious magical artifacts or the command of his magical legions were typically among the most attractive. However, to me, these were not compelling options.
I was no longer vulnerable enough to depend on others’ powers.
What I truly needed wasn’t his might, but his influence, which naturally shaped my conditions.
“The First Lord’s domain, as I’ve heard, is directly opposite the main temple of the Star Sect. They reportedly maintain a close relationship, correct?”
“Yes, but?”
“My demand is a single one. Break your relationship with the Star Sect, turning it into an adversarial one, and announce this change across the entire continent. Adding that their Saint is a fraud should suffice as the reasoning for this change.”
At this, Ekyon’s eyes widened in shock, staring at me.
I simply held his gaze, giving no response.
“…Are you serious?”
“Of course.”
Whether serious or not,
Given that a confrontation with the Star Sect was inevitable, I had no choice but to make the first move.
However, for a newly seated Lord like me, confronting the Star Sect was a task beyond my current influence.
Thus, the only option I had was to stir up some chaos.
And my first step would begin with the First Lord, Ekyon.
The Magic City known as the First Lord’s Domain was the most massive and influential among all Lord realms, wielding considerable influence across the continent.
With two of the continent’s five Magic Towers located within its borders, the realm was undeniably the most advanced civilization in terms of magical development.
The Star Sect was keenly aware of this power, hence maintaining a tight-knit relationship with the First Lord for centuries.
However, Ekyon would inevitably accept my proposal.
The relationship with the Star Sect, however deep, was ultimately based on mutual benefit for the First Lord.
Given his nature as an extreme egotist, he was likely weighing the value of the Star Sect relationship against the allure of Ouroboros’ corpse right now.
And, being a mage, his decision was already predictable.
I asked in a calm tone,
“Will you agree to this arrangement?”
At this, Ekyon’s turquoise pupils slit like a predator’s.
His lips twisted violently, revealing an intense grin.
“Is that enough?”
Gazing unflinchingly at Ekyon, I replied,
“Enough?”
Of course it was…
“Far from it.”
“Wha—”
“In addition to this, I require separate rental fees, deployment of research staff, and a request for Artifacts. Oh, and also a partial transfer of shares in the Magic Stone mine located in the northern part of the First Lord’s domain, priority access to the Magic Stone Refinery under the First Lord’s direct jurisdiction, 300 volumes of fundamental theoretical magic books, and…”
“…Huh.”
Ekyon, who had been staring dumbfounded at me, burst into a forced laugh.
