‘It's clear now.'
As Lennok stepped out onto the street, bidding farewell to the courteous Dyke employees, his thoughts raced.
‘Daring, yet inexperienced.'
Panua appeared to be someone capable of making rational yet audacious decisions at first glance, but compared to Jenny, who truly excelled in handling matters, there was a noticeable difference.
The decision to hand over a rare artifact and delegate the chain of command in this plan wasn't a bad move, but Lennok couldn't easily shake off the regret over the bloodshed that had occurred along the way.
Perhaps that was why Panua didn't readily trust Lennok and instead showed a tendency to increase the stakes.
It all stemmed from Panua's lack of initial trust in Lennok as an individual.
"……."
Lennok understood.
It's difficult to feel at ease when entrusting important matters to someone you've only just met.
However, there should be no doubts once the payment has been exchanged in this field.
In that sense, Panua wasn't quite suited for this line of work.
‘I'll have to do as much as I've received and pull out. Considering the value of the artifact, it won't be easy….'
With that thought, Lennok glanced inside his coat.
He could surmise the amount of effort Panua must have put in to acquire the Ring of Fire and Ice, even without hearing about it.
An artifact.
To Lennok, who understood the difficulty of imbuing magic into an object, it was a treasure akin to pure gold.
While he didn't instantly possess the Five Fingers of Enakphil, obtaining an artifact imbued with magic was a tangible accomplishment.
Even if he couldn't make significant progress immediately, having the opportunity to witness how magic was imbued and operated within an artifact was uncommon.
‘I'd like to achieve visible results in a short period, but… I'll need to be patient.'
For Lennok, who extensively employed shield magic, the protective magic embedded in the ring held immense significance.
Unlike shield magic that merely lessened external shocks, the unique protective magic could safeguard the user in various ways.
It was likely capable of deflecting impacts to the inner structure and skeleton, or blocking harmful substances that a simple shield couldn't handle.
This was certainly a positive development for Lennok, who heavily relied on shields for defense.
His unusual obsession with safety was what had led him to develop his inflexible shield magic to this point, after all.
In this regard, the protective magic within the ring would serve as excellent insurance for Lennok.
Gradually calming his slight excitement, Lennok pulled out his cellphone.
He swiftly dialed a number from his contacts and disappeared into the bustling crowd in an instant.
Unbeknownst to them, someone observing from a high vantage point lost track of where to direct their complex gaze.
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
"I've been pondering something lately."
Aris, who had been quietly engrossed in a book, suddenly spoke up.
The library was filled with warm sunlight and the scent of paper. Her melodious voice resonated in the orderly space.
"It seems you have a rather poor attention span, don't you?"
"What?"
To suggest that Lennok, who could be considered the epitome of concentration when it came to his wizardry talents, lacked focus was preposterous.
Even in the face of a blade whirling before his eyes, the idea of Lennok, who could manipulate mana down to its minutest particles, lacking concentration seemed entirely novel.
Yet, despite Lennok's incredulity, Aris seemed to have a lot to say on the matter.
She cast a glance at Lennok as she decisively placed her book on the glass table.
"Isn't that right? Am I mistaken?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Every time we come to the library, I take the time to explain the theory myself, but your mind always seems elsewhere. This is the third time! Did you think I wouldn't notice?"
"………"
Indeed, it was true. This was his third meeting with Aris, which took place once every two weeks.
It wasn't surprising. A significant amount of time had passed since Lennok arranged this meeting with her, whom he had reconnected with at the library.
Lennok, who took a substantial break as soon as a commission ended, often spent a considerable amount of time in the library.
He responded, closing the book he had been holding with a thud.
"You seem to have a ridiculous misunderstanding. Where's the evidence that I'm not focused?"
"The one who gets caught is usually the first to look for evidence."
"But I've never given a wrong answer during the Q&A sessions."
"………"
Aris fell silent, wearing a displeased expression.
As Lennok gazed at her face, he slightly bit his lip, suppressing a laugh.
In truth, there was nothing wrong with what she said.
The theories that Aris taught Lennok were mostly basic, aimed at those who hadn't properly learned magic. And it was true that Lennok wasn't fully engaged in such explanations.
However, the questions she posed during their lessons were so simple that he could answer them correctly without even paying attention to the lecture.
After seeing his face a few times, she seemed to have noticed that Lennok's mind was elsewhere during class… But Lennok's acting was too flawless to be caught.
Lennok gazed at Aris, who stuck out her lips and wordlessly picked up her book.
"…….."
‘Is it time?'
Even if Lennok merely listened to her questions with one ear and ignored them, there was no reason to unnecessarily offend Aris.
Especially considering that Lennok had planned to ask for her help.
In fact, even during their previous meeting in the library, Lennok was content with attending her lessons as he was doing now.
Revealing his true intentions carried inherent risks, and Lennok wasn't yet strong enough to bear that burden.
But things were different now.
Thanks to his encounter with the Ascendant, Lennok couldn't help but desire more.
Wasn't it part of the plan to take risks and join forces with Dyke to increase his influence in the underworld?
And if he took a step forward in the underworld, what couldn't he accomplish in the light?
Through their three meetings, Lennok had found Aris Richellen to be a more trustworthy person than the nameless mercenaries in the underworld.
Lennok took a deep breath before speaking.
He had been contemplating what to say ever since before this meeting today.
Reiterating the words he needed to express, he slowly opened his mouth.
"The truth is, you're right."
"What did you say?"
"There have been instances where I couldn't focus during the lessons."
Lennok stood up from his seat and approached Aris, stating his admission.
Ignoring Aris's surprised reaction as she shrank back, he looked closely at her face.
If she showed discomfort at this point, it could be problematic.
Her flowing blonde hair cascaded to one side.
Blue eyes so clear and vibrant that it was almost unbelievable to look into them directly.
Careful not to be captivated by her striking beauty, Lennok took the book she had been holding.
"The Principles of Mana Operation. It primarily delves into the operational principles of mana commonly used in magic, but there are aspects that I personally struggle to comprehend."
Comparing practical knowledge acquired through the use of mana with the underlying theory.
For the first time, he sought answers to his curiosities that arose from the gap between the two.
"The acceleration of mana using rotation and pumping through continuous pressure. This interpretation describes these two techniques very simply. However, there is no explanation at all for cases where control becomes difficult when the amount of mana used at once exceeds a certain level."
"Wait, how do you…"
"In other interpretations and papers, such a phenomenon is often dismissed as a rare exception and vaguely interpreted. But I have a different perspective."
Lennok's calm gaze locked onto Aris's eyes.
"I believe that the knowledge of this particular aspect is a rare theory only accessible to wizards who have reached a certain level…"
"………."
Observing Aris in silence, Lennok reaffirmed the principles he had set for himself.
‘Keep my talent hidden. Share only the knowledge about the theory I possess and seek assistance.'
While the library contained countless books on magic, at some point, Lennok realized that the principles of magic he experienced firsthand were slightly different from what was written in the books.
Was Lennok's abundant talent leading him down a completely unique path?
Or perhaps the information about magic theory available to the general public was severely limited.
Lennok had harbored suspicions about this hypothesis for quite some time, and Aris's reaction only served to confirm it.
Seated once again across from Aris, Lennok resumed speaking smoothly.
"It has been several years since I started reading these books."
"………."
"However, the more I learn, the more I realize that there is a growing disparity between the knowledge I possess and what I thought I knew. It's becoming a peculiar kind of knowledge."
From this point on, it required some acting.
Lennok, as if troubled, subtly avoided Aris's gaze and spoke slowly.
"Do you know why I'm bringing this up just now?"
He briefly closed his eyes, then opened them again to meet her gaze.
In her eyes, he needed to appear as a student whose progress in studying had been hindered by talent and circumstances.
If Lennok's acting was successful, Aris's gaze would reflect a discernible desire for scholarly enthusiasm.
"….You deceived me."
"I apologize. But… it's not an easy topic to bring up. Who could I possibly discuss this with?"
A quiet silence hung between them.
Before long, only two individuals remained on the library's eighth floor.
Aris sat blankly for a moment, then slowly responded.
"Your speculation is correct. There is indeed information that is not disclosed to wizards below level 4, who are not recognized by the city government. The same applies to the citizens of Vulcan."
"………."
"It is extremely rare for these restrictions to be lifted unless one finds a master and becomes a direct disciple or joins the Magic Tower. It could be seen as a de facto measure of information isolation."
"I see…"
Merely bringing up this issue implied that Aris couldn't breach such restrictions.
That was only natural. To her, Lennok was merely a stranger whose name she didn't even properly know.
Their irregular meetings thus far were solely due to her personal favor. Their relationship meant nothing beyond that.
‘How can I persuade her…'
What Lennok desired was not simply a teacher who would impart forbidden knowledge to him.
He simply needed a wizard who would listen to his thoughts and concerns about the magic theory he had studied, someone who could inspire him through discussions.
"I'm not asking you to casually divulge the knowledge you possess."
He needed to phrase it carefully.
"But what if we change our teaching approach, like we're doing now?"
"What do you mean…?"
"This time, you listen to my thoughts while I discuss the theoretical book I've been reading. In fact, I have many ideas I've wanted to share while studying magic."
A bewildered expression adorned her face as she stared at Lennok, who grinned.
This time, his smile was filled with genuine sincerity.
"Doesn't it sound exciting?"
(TO BE CONTINUED)
