Gerbus first calmed his teacher Anton by offering him a cup of tea. The old man settled his excitement with a sip of the tea.
Next, the disciple recited at length to his teacher about what kind of person Yuric was: a mage who had improved the boundary magic of the southern front and developed a treatment for Mana Blockage Disease.
The old man exclaimed “Oh!” and tapped his thigh with his palm as an interjection. He had already guessed that Yuric wasn’t an ordinary talent, but this young handsome mage turned out to be even more extraordinary than he had imagined.
“Now I remember! Yuric! You’re the genius who made such a stir in the magical community this time!”
Yuric waved his hand, saying he didn’t deserve to be called a genius. Of course, neither Gerbus nor Anton took his modesty at face value. If this wasn’t a genius, then who would be?
“Who would have thought you’d take an interest in our Curse Studies?”
Curse Studies was an official field with its own research lab, but it was extremely unpopular. After all, curses generally had a bad reputation and weren’t considered an attractive area in the magical world.
Of course, being overlooked due to prestige is an unavoidable phenomenon, but Yuric believed that Curse Studies was a field that must not disappear. And he wanted to express his gratitude to the two individuals who, detached from material rewards, sincerely worked for the advancement of Curse Studies. Wasn’t it thanks to people like them that the world was protected from various dangers?
“I think it’s a very rewarding thing if it helps the development of Curse Studies. I believe there are valuable things in this world that cannot simply be converted into material rewards. Isn’t Curse Studies one of those?”
Anton seemed not to have expected Yuric to say such things. The old man, who was an emotionally rich character, was moved to tears by the evaluation of such a historical genius. It felt like receiving acknowledgment that the path he had silently pursued all these years had not been in vain.
“Ho ho, I’m grateful you think so. Yes, thank you…”
Then, recalling the circuit diagrams, his expression suddenly changed, and he quickly pulled Yuric to the table. He seemed very curious about how and why Yuric had improved the sealing magic and boundary magic. Truly, the attitude of a seasoned mage.
“Can you explain how this happened?”
“Of course.”
Gerbus smiled happily watching the two getting along so quickly. He was well aware of how picky and eccentric his teacher Anton could be. But he believed that even such a teacher would accept Yuric wholeheartedly. After all, Yuric was a broad-minded and kind person who could embrace even someone like him, who was a drunkard with a dark personality.
Anton and Yuric were so absorbed in interpreting the circuits that they lost track of time. Every time Yuric pointed out key points and solved them in ingenious ways, Anton would bang the table in surprise. He had thought that improving just one aspect in a generation would be sufficient progress, yet Yuric had improved six aspects.
In fact, when viewed functionally, it was six aspects, but from a circuitry perspective, it was truly a massive change. It was only because Anton had spent his life studying sealing magic that he was able to recognize it quickly; otherwise, it might have taken a long time to understand. The changes were that significant.
‘The Mage Tower wasn’t making a fuss over nothing.’
It went beyond mere exceptional talent—it was an overwhelming level. When Gerbus brought some mage, he hadn’t expected him to be such a giant among giants.
The circuit interpretation that began in the late afternoon ended in the early morning. The three men, who had stayed up all night, looked disheveled but wore satisfied smiles on their faces.
“I also need to study again until I become proficient. It’s been a while since my passion has surged like this!”
And Yuric, upon Anton’s invitation, decided to stay at the dormitory of the research lab. Though the room wasn’t large, it was spacious enough for only two people. Of course, Yuric didn’t mind as long as it was a place that could shelter him from wind and rain.
Thus, after washing up and eating, Yuric slept through the morning and woke up around noon. He then wandered around the grounds of the Sacred-Magic Guild.
At the center of the vast grounds stood a tall main building, with annexes located in each of the four directions. Mages referred to these annexes as the East Wing, West Wing, South Wing, and North Wing.
The East Wing housed lecture rooms where classes were conducted, while the West Wing was entirely used as student dormitories. The South Wing contained individual research labs and a library, and the North Wing gathered shops, teahouses, and workshops.
Yuric went to a teahouse in the North Wing and sat in a corner where the garden was well visible, enjoying a cup of black tea. Many mages were seen throughout the teahouse drinking tea and eating cookies while studying.
The joy of sitting in the teahouse, basking in the warm sunlight, and indulging in leisurely contemplation was a romance that one wouldn’t know unless experienced. Yuric loved this romance.
Eventually, unable to resist, he took out a piece of paper and began drawing. It was a cozy and serene depiction of the teahouse. He also drew the garden where mages sat on the grass debating, reading, or lying down taking naps.
Yuric’s figure, drawing while sitting in the teahouse, was charming enough to captivate anyone at first sight. Quite a few women were casting their gazes at him, wondering which research lab he belonged to.
After finishing his drawing, Yuric tidied up his seat, stood up, and entered the bookstore. The enormous bookstore was artistic and sophisticated. In the section displaying new arrivals, the smell of ink was stronger than that of paper. Standing in front of the bookshelves, Yuric skimmed through the titles and occasionally pulled out an interesting book to read.
After touring the North Wing, Yuric returned to the Curse Studies lab in the main building. Anton and Gerbus, who had been asleep when he left, were already awake and busily preparing something.
“Oh, you’re here.”
“What are you preparing?”
“We’re going to completely destroy the sealed box containing the curse.”
Ah, Yuric recalled Gerbus talking to Master Anton about the sealed box yesterday.
“Is it alright if I observe as well?”
“Is it okay, Master?”
When Gerbus asked Anton, the old man thought for a moment and then nodded.
“Well, there shouldn’t be any problems.”
Yuric carried a box filled with various items and followed behind Anton and Gerbus. Anton boarded the automatic elevator in the main building and pressed the basement floor.
“Try not to disclose what you see here. It’s not something that should be widely known.”
“I understand.”
The elevator doors opened, and Yuric followed Anton and Gerbus down a long corridor. The corridor, reminiscent of a dungeon passage, had a different atmosphere from the upper floors.
At the end of the corridor was a checkpoint, where Anton showed his credentials, allowing the three to pass.
“Do I not need separate inspection?”
“We’re going to the incineration chamber, so the presence of one responsible person is enough. Even though I look this way, I hold the position of elder at the Sacred-Magic Guild. My status itself is practically a certificate.”
Anton proudly revealed his rank. An elder was akin to a senior member in the Mage Tower.
Occasionally, signposts hung from the high ceiling of the wide corridor, and Yuric clearly saw the words “detention cells” and “storage rooms.”
“Who is detained in the detention cells?”
“Those who commit heinous crimes or those who cannot control themselves, as far as I know. I don’t know much about it, and I don’t really care.”
“I see.”
Yuric was curious about who was detained, but he suppressed his curiosity. He had a gut feeling that knowing wouldn’t benefit him.
After walking for quite a while, they finally arrived at the incineration chamber. It was a place permeated with an eerie atmosphere. Gerbus explained that it was where magically treated objects were incinerated.
“Let’s prepare.”
“Yes, Master.”
Yuric carefully observed what the two were doing.
Anton started engraving a complex magic circle on the floor. Gerbus arranged holy water and mana orbs in various places.
Soon the preparations were complete, and Anton placed the box containing the sealed curse in the center of the magic circle. Yuric felt as if he could hear faint screams from somewhere.
“It begins.”
Anton and Gerbus slowly infused mana into the magic circle. Then the mana orbs lit up, and the holy water rose, enveloping the box.
Soon thereafter, blue flames engulfed the box.
—!
The sealed box began burning fiercely with an immense momentum. The intense flames started consuming the weakened curse along with the box.
At that moment, Yuric felt a severe dizziness. It felt as if the world was wavering. When he tightly closed and reopened his eyes, the surroundings had suddenly transformed into another world.
‘…This is…!’
It resembled the vision shown by the watchtower at the southern front line.
A sky painted red and hot steam rising everywhere. The surroundings stretched endlessly with barren land.
Just then, something flew from afar in the sky. …It was paper. Stained with blood and written in an unreadable language!
Upon seeing it, Yuric instinctively realized.
That was the Codex of Hell.
The Codex unfolded fully and stopped right before Yuric. It was emitting an overwhelmingly dark and sinister aura.
Just looking at it made Yuric feel nauseous.
= Human mage. We have been watching you. =
The aura gradually enveloped Yuric.
= The land of immortality is approaching. Mortal human, do not refuse. =
A laughter-like scream echoed and then abruptly disappeared as if it were a lie.
It coincided perfectly with the moment the sealed box was completely burned away.
For a moment, Yuric panted breathlessly, slightly dazed.
‘…Could it be…’
…Yuric had a premonition that perhaps the final page of the Codex might soon appear in this land.
