Chapter 181 : Chapter 181
Chapter 181 - Redout
The Youngest Son’s contemplation exceeded three hours.
Sein joyfully waited for those three hours. He spent the time meditating in a cross-legged position in the corner of the room.
He couldn't hide the occasional twitch of his lips. Wasn't this, for all intents and purposes, the first time he had seized victory?
Until now, whenever he had been shown something, the Youngest Son had found the hints on his own and even mastered it.
In a word, a madman. He was a monster the likes of which Sein had never seen before; not even the direct descendants of Wisdom were on this level.
The only one comparable was the eldest daughter of Wisdom.
She, too, was called a genius among geniuses, to the extent that she had learned runes before human language.
Although he got the impression of her being an oddball whenever they met, she was undoubtedly a genius.
But the Youngest Son before his eyes seemed to be both a psycho and a genius.
Only now had he grasped the chance to win against such a psycho.
Time continued to flow, and the Youngest Son remained lost in thought without uttering a single word.
He only drank the tea the Head Maid occasionally poured for him, saying and doing nothing else.
From Sein's perspective, it was a truly delightful sight. He wished it would stay that way.
‘There are 8 hours left. If I can just hold out for about half a day more, I win. Then the Dark Elixir combination table and the ingredient list will be mine.’
No matter how much he tried to hold it in, a smile kept breaking through.
The card everyone thought was discarded was not dead yet. He had watched for an opportunity in the mire and finally seized it.
‘How should I report this situation to the Family Head? I’m already looking forward to what kind of reward he will bestow upon me. If I can, I want to see the Ice Dragon again.’
Or it would be fine to receive a key position in the Magic Tower.
As the one who had cleanly resolved the Dark Elixir issue that had been a constant annoyance to the Family Head of Wisdom, what could he not receive?
‘It would be good to get permission to enter the snowy mountain where the Ice Dragon used to reside. If I train in ice magic there, the synergistic effect will be tremendous.’
Eight hours to go. After just eight hours, the goods and treasures in his imagination would appear in reality.
The dream that felt within Sein's grasp was filled with the Ice Dragon, who had been like a teacher to him.
Likewise, the Ice Dragon also lingered in the mind of the silent Youngest Son.
‘It’s been a long time since I saw that old man.’
I had met him a few times during my playthrough. Not as a Millesdusk, but as a direct blood relative of Wisdom.
The Ice Dragon, whom one meets after breaking through Sein's ice magic for the first time, was favorable to humans.
As with most dragons, the Ice Dragon also spoke a lot in its own language.
‘They were turns of phrase that had solidified over long years of life, things they felt no need to explain to humans. This kind of thing always came out when they were teaching or saying something.’
Thus, one could not take what dragons said at face value.
It was straightforward from their perspective, but to the listening human, it was no different from a riddle.
‘It must have been the same when he spoke to Sein.’
From the viewpoint of magic, humans are outsiders. All of it was talk that would only resonate from the perspective of those who had lived for several centuries.
However, their perspective was not the only one.
A human who had conversed with dragons many times also had their own perspective and could make their own interpretations.
‘I hope this is right.’
Srrk─
After long deliberation, I rose from my seat.
Sein, who had been sitting cross-legged and just smiling, flinched and looked this way.
Enad, who had been silent with his mouth shut, also said a word.
[Have you finally found a clue?]
“……”
I showed him with my actions instead of words.
I cupped my palms as if to wash my face. To the naked eye, there was nothing on my hands.
But there was definitely something there.
There was something that everyone in this world acknowledged, and it was not only on my hands but spread throughout this world.
[Well, it's not like you to meekly hand over what the enemy wants. It's impossible with your personality. Yes, that's right.]
It seemed Enad, too, was quite concerned, judging by his sudden talkativeness.
He was someone who equated this body's defeat with his own.
I smiled so faintly that Sein couldn't see it.
“I’m sorry, but it will be a little different from the world the Ice Dragon showed you.”
“Wha- what…! Are you saying you’ve realized the dragon’s magic now…!”
Well. That wasn't it.
“A dragon’s magic probably isn't like this. I can't even affect the weather, I can barely fill this room.”
But it was more than enough to win the bet.
Shwaaaaaaaah─
The magic that spread from my palms like a mist soon filled the room.
This was the first step.
“The way the Ice Dragon seemed to control even the weather was, in the end, by replacing the natural magic with its own magic, thanks to its innate magic reserves.”
The solving time began now.
“You said humans are outsiders to the world. The same goes for dragons. But dragons, as you know, are arrogant beings.”
That was why the Ice Dragon changed the world as much as its magic allowed.
It changed all the magic that existed in that amount of the world into its own.
It was a crazy act at a glance. It was the same as being told to perceive all the air that existed in this room right now.
“The process of recognizing natural magic and changing it to my own. This took an enormous amount of time. It’s a problem truly worth presenting with confidence.”
As soon as I figured out the solution, I also felt that Sein would never be able to solve it in his lifetime.
No, not just Sein, but 99 out of 100 people in this world would not be able to do it.
Magic that a human mind, even a talented one, could not even attempt. But half of this body was not human.
Duddeudeuk─
“If it weren't for this, it would have been hard for me to get a grasp of it.”
Entering the Dracul state, my magic became more sensitive to the concept of blood.
I could feel where and how much of the magic I had scattered into the air was in the room.
“The Ice Dragon said it. From the viewpoint of magic, freezing is when something stops and clings to other magic particles.”
Seureuk─
A single snowflake fell onto the bridge of Sein's wrinkled nose.
“…!”
It was a chillingly red snowflake.
“That was telling me how to swap natural magic with my own.”
Gasping, Sein instinctively stepped back, shaking his head frantically.
The Ice Dragon's magic, which painted the whole world white and made it seem as if one had stepped into another dimension, was utterly mystical.
However, my world was the same as the thing that had fallen on his nose.
“I told you. It wouldn't be like the Ice Dragon.”
“W-wait a minute…!!”
Sein shouted urgently, gathering his magic.
“Sorry, but this is my first time casting it. I can't pay much attention to you.”
I flicked my fingers.
Tak─
[Red-Out]
The room, where natural magic had been erased and filled with personal magic, completely changed its color.
It appeared before Sein's eyes in a color distinctly different from the Ice Dragon's.
As a noble of blood and a Magic Assimilator who used blood like magic, the room became filled with the scent of blood.
It was another sight entirely from the Ice Dragon's, which had been filled with a clean scent like the first snow.
However, the result brought about by the magic was no different.
“Are you alive?”
“Hooo….”
For an ice sorcerer, one collateral branch member was shivering and barely breathing.
He was on one knee, and the other trembled as if it would soon touch the ground.
If he hadn't spread his magic throughout his body or lacked the basic resistance from ice magic, he would have frozen to death.
“Is this a passing grade?”
The room, which had chairs for people to sit on, a table for placing things, and a bookshelf, was now filled with a single color.
There was no way to visually distinguish that there was something different.
The feeling of being left alone in a red world was the same as with the Ice Dragon.
However, the word ‘pass’ would not come out, even if it meant death.
It wasn't because his beard, and even his neck, were frozen by the red ice.
It was because the moment he acknowledged this, he would have to give up his life because of the bet.
To die like this, just like this…? It couldn't be. Absolutely not.
If that was the case, I would rather.
“…I will give you a final lesson. It is about another weakness of the ice attribute.”
“Go on.”
Straightening his knelt leg, Sein slowly stood up.
“As with other pure magic, the ice attribute also has outstanding power in an environment similar to itself. However, that is the same for other mages!”
Jjeojeojeojeok─!!
Icicles frozen in mid-air targeted me as if thrown like javelins.
Sein's magic was the main force, but red ice was interspersed throughout.
It meant that even if another mage changed the environment, the opponent could also use it.
“Thank you for the great lesson until the very end.”
I stepped on the red snow and slid backward.
“Huuup!”
Sein's icicles didn't stop there, creating more icicles as if sprouting branches.
The places to escape gradually disappeared, and the ice sorcerer skillfully created his own domain within the red world.
“Give up any expectation that you can take my head easily.”
“Do I even need to have expectations for something like that?”
However, I, the one whose domain enveloped his, was still superior.
“Your attacks. I can see them all.”
Whether the icicles tried to pierce my neck or shot up from below, I avoided them with minimal movement.
My eyes didn't follow each attack one by one, nor could they, but strangely, I saw them all.
Even the icicle stabbing at my back, I broke by just kicking my foot backward.
“H-how….”
“It means an outsider’s attack is in the palm of the master's hand.”
I answered indifferently. Sein could not understand at all.
‘It's not as wide-ranged as the Ice Dragon's, and even though it's his first demonstration, this level of adaptability… Kugh, it makes no sense…!!’
Jjeojeojeojeojeok─!!
Dozens of icicles bloomed like flowers. It was still ice mixed with red.
Furthermore, no matter what magic was used here, it would touch the magic in the air and turn red like that.
The red, spreading like spots, signified that the outsider had been tinged by the world.
So, I had indulged his little show long enough.
“You're using my magic against me, how could it be effective?”
I clapped my hands lightly.
Wajangchangchang─
The sound of shattering glass echoed repeatedly, grating on the eardrums.
Sein's ice magic, which had failed to shake off the red, was all neutralized and vanished into thin air.
“Uh, uh….”
Faced with the unknown once again, Sein let out a dazed sound.
“The cold caused by another sorcerer's magic is of nature. But within this space, even the cold is mine.”
It was because I was literally the master of this domain.
“Besides, I’ve already won.”
Tak─
I flicked my fingers once again.
“Kugh…!!”
Sein bent over as if collapsing from the pain rising from within his body.
“What did you do….”
“I let a little of my blood flow when I pricked you with the needle. You were already in my snare.”
My blood circulated within Sein's body, exerting an influence only I could.
Utilizing its properties as both magic and blood, it disrupted the concentration of magic.
“N-no….”
The magic he had gathered for defense and attack gradually dispersed. His guard was being lowered.
As if on cue, the red snow began to consume Sein.
“S-Son…! As a collateral branch of Wisdom, I know many of their secrets…! If you let me live, you will surely gain a lot of information…!!”
“Well. I may be an outsider now, but I once held a position in the West.”
“Wh-what…?”
“It means that what you know is not particularly valuable.”
Then, this is it.
“This time, the heart's preservation will be excellent.”
Jjeojeojeojeojeok─
The only outsider in the red world disappeared. It was painted the same red, becoming indistinguishable from everything else.
I curled my middle finger and lightly flicked the forehead of the red statue.
Ureureureureu─
The body crumbled into bright red chunks of ice and rolled on the floor.
The only useful thing within it was the heart, frozen solid.
“I’ve unexpectedly obtained a bonus.”
In the crimson frozen kingdom, I picked up the equally red heart.
Unfortunately, Sein of the Ice Chain could no longer return to Wisdom.
Instead, he would serve with loyalty here by the side of Millesdusk's Fifth Son.
Dalgeurak─
Sein was reborn and stood again with an unfrozen body.
Now that I had obtained a cooling device and learned a decent amount of ice magic, I should be able to go to the basement soon.
Deureureureuk─
The outer wall opened, revealing a world of a different color for the first time in a while.
Outside, the Head Maid spoke politely.
“Young Master. The Butler says the preparations for the Fire Dragon’s environment are complete.”