Chapter 390

Words : 2607 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

The shaking of the mansion seemed like a warning to those who remained inside. As if telling them to flee, for something was about to happen. “Leader! What’s going on?” “I don’t know either.” Supported by Arpa, Rudger reached where Roina and Sempas were. Perhaps due to the massive vibrations, the two had just regained consciousness. “Wh-what’s happening?” To the bewildered Roina, Rudger briefly explained what had just happened. Limrei’s betrayal. And the mansion’s situation after their fight. Sempas spoke with a gloomy voice. “The old man?” “He retreated.” “Impressive.” Though directed at Rudger, it wasn’t sarcasm but genuine admiration. Limrei is a 6th Circle magician. He wasn’t someone Rudger could easily face. Sempas certainly doesn’t think hierarchy is everything in practical magic battles but hierarchy represents the total amount of power, and it plays the most significant role. Moreover, Limrei wasn’t a magician who stayed cooped up in his study doing research, but a practical type who traveled the world exploring magic. It was already miraculous to hold out against such a Limrei, let alone make him retreat. He would have been even more surprised if he had heard that Rudger had fought equally and driven him away. Of course, Rudger didn’t explain the detailed process of the fight, he only said that Limrei fled due to the mansion’s situation. Roina couldn’t escape the shock of betrayal. “How could this be? Why would Sage Limrei do such a thing...” “That’s not what’s important right now. Look outside there.” Sempas gestured toward the window with his chin. Everyone’s gaze turned to the window at his action and they couldn’t help but be surprised. The view beyond the window, which should have been hazy with mystical fog, was clear. Clear enough to see the outside of the mansion that had never been visible before. The group finally noticed the changes that had occurred to the mansion. “The mystical phenomenon...it’s fading.” At Roina’s murmur, Rudger realized what was happening. ‘Could this be the aftermath of my fight with the old man?’ It was entirely possible. Come to think of it, the mansion originally recovered quickly from whatever happened to it. It was sturdy enough to withstand even fairly powerful magic but the recent battle between Limrei and Rudger far exceeded what the mansion could handle. It was a collision of 6th Circle magic, after all. The magic of the two collided with and exploded the dense magical power surrounding the mansion, pushing it away. The resulting shock was bound to affect even a mansion protected by mystical phenomena. Above all, the biggest reason was the location where Rudger and Limrei fought. ‘The summoning array for shadow knights. That place was the core of the mansion’s main defense system.’ The core’s location was also a channel drawing energy from the ley lines flowing beneath the mansion and they fought right above it. It was essentially like setting off fireworks in a powder magazine. With the channel drawing from the underground ley lines destroyed, the mansion could no longer receive magical power from them. However, that didn’t mean the flow was blocked. Instead, the distorted flow of the ley lines began to affect the mansion in reverse. As if to prove this, the entire mansion shook violently, and small cracks appeared in the walls. “At, at this rate, it’ll collapse!” Rudger agreed with Roina’s cry. They obviously needed to escape. At that moment, Rudger remembered something he hadn’t checked yet. ‘The library!’ He hadn’t yet examined the books that were in the secret room hidden inside the library. Perhaps catching Rudger’s subtle change Arpa spoke to him. “Leader. Go ahead.” Rudger was surprised to receive such consideration from Arpa, but soon nodded. “I will.” Rudger stood up. By then, his strength had recovered considerably. His depleted magical power was also recovering thanks to the potion. His head was throbbing, but he could bear it. “I have somewhere I need to stop by briefly. The rest of you should escape first. Now that the mansion’s barriers are down, you should be able to get out.” After saying this, Rudger ran down the corridor without looking back. He heard Roina shouting something behind him but ignored it. ‘I need to find it as quickly as possible.’ The vibrations grew stronger. Cracks formed in the walls, and dust fell from the ceiling. The mansion, once protected by the ley lines, was now collapsing due to their power. Rudger stopped while running down the shaking corridor. Ahead, a group emerged as a door opened. “Everyone hurry up! Gather everything you can!” “The mystical protection of the mansion is gone! We can take things out!” “Make sure to secure the most important books properly!” They were Truth Faction magicians. They were carrying armfuls of books. Among them, one person caught his attention. Tortei, the Truth Faction representative who had a confrontation with Rudger earlier. Unlike the others, he held only one book in his hands. Rudger immediately recognized what book it was. ‘The book about non-attribute magical power!’ The item Rudger had been desperately searching for. Tortei now had it. Just as Rudger discovered the Truth Faction, they too noticed him. “Well. You managed to survive somehow.” Tortei recognized Rudger and sneered. They had been hiding in the library during the series of events but they weren’t unaware that something had happened outside. Rudger didn’t bother responding to those words. Instead, his gaze silently fixed on the book Tortei was holding. “Ha.” Tortei wasn’t a fool. Realizing that Rudger coveted what he held, he wore a deeply mocking expression. “What? You want this?” “...” “Judging by your reaction, you know this is something important. You found that hidden room before us, didn’t you?” Tortei had been lucky. When the mansion shook, the library couldn’t escape its effects. Some bookshelves collapsed then, and discovering the hidden space there was pure fortune. Their endless greed for knowledge didn’t miss that opportunity. Tortei swept up everything inside. He personally took what seemed most important. “Your reaction makes it even more certain. How frustrating this must be to miss out on the discovery of the century right under your nose.” Rudger didn’t answer. Instead, he just stared at Tortei with a hardened expression. Tortei was about to say something more, enjoying that reaction, when he belatedly realized something. ‘This bastard. He’s not looking at me.’ Rudger wasn’t looking at Tortei but behind him. He was looking at something over his shoulder. “What on earth...” Just as Tortei spoke and turned around, a massive explosion engulfed him. The constantly vibrating mansion shook violently again, and Tortei, caught in the explosion’s impact, fell to the ground. If he hadn’t hastily cast a defensive spell, he would have been blown to pieces right there. In fact, several Truth Faction magicians caught in it lay fallen with severe injuries. “Wh-what is this...!” Tortei was about to ask what was happening when he realized his hand felt empty. The book he had been holding had bounced away to the distance, right to Rudger’s feet. “W-wait!” Rudger bent down and picked up the fallen book. He lightly dusted off the dirt that had settled on the book. “This...! What are you doing! Give it back immediately! That’s mine!” Tortei shouted angrily. His wrinkled face, twisted with rage, was full of greed. “Now that it’s in my hands, why should I give it to you?” “You dare play word games with me now!” “This isn’t wordplay. And you seem to have forgotten, but you were just ambushed.” That’s right. At Rudger’s reminder, Tortei belatedly realized the situation and turned around as he got up to see who dared attack him, a Truth Faction magician. Tortei’s face, thoroughly angered, was covered with bewilderment. “You’re still as quick to anger without grasping the situation as ever, Tortei.” “...Limrei.” His former colleague was there. “What is the meaning of this?” Tortei couldn’t understand why Limrei had attacked him. “Did we become such great enemies? No. Weren’t we companions who sought truth together!” “That might be how you thought of it.” Limrei scoffed at Tortei’s words. His cynical attitude was enough to guess how worthless he found Tortei’s words. “Tortei. You’re always like this. You claim everything you do stems from good intentions.” “What? Of course! I move only to pursue knowledge! If that’s not good intentions, what is!” “Right. That’s the problem. You firmly believe you understand knowledge better than anyone else. You think it’s fine as long as you survive, even if hundreds or thousands of others die.” “What did you say?” “You don’t even care when people die. You don’t feel sorry for them, or sad about it. Let me ask you one thing seriously. Did you ever truly feel sad?” “Sad about what...” “About my daughter.” “...” At that moment, Tortei fell silent as if sensing something. “...That was an accident. Why are you talking as if it was my responsibility?” “Because it was an accident that could have been fully prevented.” Limrei raised his staff to point at Tortei with a cold sneer. “If you hadn’t fled that place with your direct disciples, no one would have died.” “...” “Did you think I wouldn’t know? Did you think it didn’t matter since everyone there kept their mouths shut and those involved were dead? Far from it.” Saying this, Limrei pulled something from his waist. It was a bell-shaped artifact. -Ding. When Limrei shook it, pale souls appeared from various parts of the mansion and circled around him. “Tortei. Do you know something? This mansion is full of the souls of the dead. The entire Kasar Basin is the same. Those who close their eyes here must spend eternity trapped here.” Limrei chuckled darkly at the bewildered Tortei. “This place is like a massive cage, a terrible cage that prevents people’s souls from finding rest.” “What, what...” “My daughter died here. Here, where there isn’t even peace. These souls are the same. They just keep wandering somewhere in this prison.” -Ding. Ding. Limrei kept ringing the bell. “What did they do wrong? Why must they suffer in a place like this?” “What does that have to do with me!” “Why wouldn’t it? The souls of people you secretly killed here for cleanup, and the souls of those who died caught up in your excessive greed and reckless actions are here too.” “...” The Truth Faction magicians flinched. It wasn’t a reaction to surprising news, but rather to the revelation of a truth they had wanted to keep hidden. The Truth Faction too were people who didn’t hesitate to kill others for their goals and desires. They simply hadn’t been exposed to the public, but if this fact came to light, they would have no defense against being treated as dark magicians. Tortei glared at Limrei with cold eyes. “So. Those guys were complaining? Asking you to avenge them? While killing everyone in the mansion?” “Did I say what I was going to do?” Limrei asked but this time, it wasn’t directed at Tortei, it was meant for Rudger, who stood beyond him. “I seek salvation. I don’t care what happens to others. But my daughter is different. Her soul is still trapped here. So I must set her free. Let her find peace.” Even if that peace might be meager. It would still be better than being trapped in a place like this. It was truly a selfish reason but Rudger couldn’t argue with Limrei about it because Limrei himself knew this better than anyone. “Did you plan all this, making the mansion like this?” Limrei shrugged his shoulders as if telling him to judge for himself. “The mansion will collapse soon. Since I twisted the ley lines’ flow, it won’t be able to withstand their power anymore. I can’t guarantee what the rampaging magical power will cause. So if you’re going to escape, do it now.” The person who had been fighting desperately until just now was now advising him to preserve his life. Which was his true face? No. Perhaps they were all genuine. People don’t have just one side to them, after all. Tortei, who suddenly found himself between Rudger and Limrei, burst with anger. He wasn’t stupid enough to not understand the conversation passing between Rudger and Limrei. “Limrei! You’ve gone completely mad! You caused all this? Do you know how important this place is!” “Yes. I’m mad. But from my perspective, you’re just as mad.” “What?” “And that’s not all. Those old fogeys around you are the same. We’re all mad. Mad with knowledge, mad with desire, mad with revenge. We’re beings that shouldn’t exist in this world.” Limrei, who had been muttering as if in self-mockery, opened his eyes sharply. “So we madmen should disappear for the sake of this world, shouldn’t we?” “You, you...!” Tortei tried to shout something but hurriedly implemented a spell formation. Limrei’s surprise attack scattered across the barrier. “Time is short as it is, let’s stop with the trivial chatter. What I want isn’t just this.” “...Fine. If that’s how you want it, I won’t hold back either.” When Tortei said this, the Truth Faction magicians around him each drew their staffs. The terrifying magical power flowing from their bodies collectively pressed against Limrei but Limrei maintained his balance even in that torrent of magical power. More than that, he spoke leisurely. “Now then. Outsiders should get lost.” Though he said that, Rudger knows Limrei wasn’t in his best condition right now. Though he might have hastily treated the wounds from fighting with Rudger, he couldn’t recover the blood he had lost. Even if he drank potions, he couldn’t have recovered all his spent magical power yet he remained in this collapsing mansion. Rudger saw the vision again. This time too, Limrei stood in burning flames but this time he wasn’t alone. All the people he would leave with were gathered here now. Was this what the hell in his mind’s eye was for? “Where do you think you’re going! You can’t leave either!” Tortei glared at Rudger with bloodshot eyes full of rage. It was a natural reaction, having overheard the truth and even having his coveted book taken. “Tortei. You’re not in a position to worry about others right now.” Such obstinacy from Tortei had to be folded by Limrei. Limrei raised his presence, telling him to focus only on himself. Tortei had no choice but to concentrate on Limrei. “Now get lost.” “...” Before leaving, Rudger looked at Limrei one last time. Since Limrei was also looking at Rudger, the two could see each other. Did he know he would end up like this? Did he notice that the portrait in the frame seen through the mystical phenomenon was himself? Rudger didn’t ask that because Limrei smiled slightly while looking at him. That smile was the kind grandfather’s smile he had shown only to Arpa. ‘I see.’ He had known everything. Rudger nodded and turned his back to leave the place. ‘Farewell, you fool.’ Behind Rudger’s departing back, he seemed to hear Limrei’s voice saying that.

Chapter 390

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