Please, Just Read It

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Please read this!

Chapter 44

Reverse (7)

[Why is she still alive?]

‘…I don’t know either.’

How strange.

Garon Theobalt clearly said he killed Becky.

With that thought in mind, I silently stared at Becky.

Drip, drip—.

She was covered in the skin of a dragon, with blue slime dripping down.

Well, whatever.

I guess that’s why Becky felt so weak.

I looked into her condition, tied to a tree inside the dragon skin.

“Hey, what are you doing? Stop staring and untie me!”

“……”

[……]

Becky’s body was tightly bound to the branches.

Ropes intertwined with magical energy.

Given the wind attribute, it was undoubtedly a binding spell cast by Garon Theobalt.

“Hey! Answer me! Stop just staring!”

“……”

[……]

I continued inspecting Becky’s condition. However, I didn’t see any serious injuries.

There were some deep wounds on her legs, but…..

Wait a second.

Those wounds were from before the fight with Garon Theobalt.

[……What’s going on?]

Why is she so fine?

‘It’s like Theobalt didn’t even fight her?’

[I think so too.]

Riley seemed to be thinking the same thing as me.

With a puzzled look, Riley finally spoke.

“Becky.”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“Why are you still alive?”

“……What?”

Becky frowned and answered.

“Is it not okay for me to be alive?”

“……”

“Well, I thought maybe you’re not crazy, but you jump right into annoying questions when we meet.”

Upon hearing her response, Riley looked even more confused.

“But Theobalt said he killed you?”

“Ha!”

Becky let out a hollow laugh.

In a voice that showed her disbelief, she answered Riley.

“That old man was lying. He said that to make you give up on the test.”

“……”

[……]

But, I mean.

We know Garon Theobalt lied, but why did he spare your life?

Riley asked what I was thinking.

“Hah……”

Then Becky sighed and began to explain again.

“I don’t know. He said that if he killed me, he’d become the same as me or something. So he just forgave me and let me live.”

“……”

“He said to give up this test as a sign of repentance. Seriously, it’s ridiculous.”

I heard her answer, but there were still many points I didn’t understand.

So Garon Theobalt forgave Becky?

For that ridiculous reason of not wanting to kill?

That makes no sense.

The intense killing intent Garon Theobalt emitted wasn’t something you acquire from petty grudges.

Becky must have inflicted an unforgivable wound on him.

A wound so deep he could never let her go without killing her.

“Are you done? Hurry up and untie me. Hanging upside down makes my head dizzy from blood rushing to it.”

[……]

But despite that, Becky was still perfectly alive.

‘Seems she doesn’t plan on telling the truth, huh?’

[Yeah.]

Becky wanted to hide what happened with Garon Theobalt.

To be precise.

She was reluctant to reveal the details of the incident ‘right here.’

Maybe because those related to the “Five Great Towers” could be watching us in real-time, she thought that it wasn’t something to bring up carelessly?

[……]

I don’t know.

Anyway, what was important for us was just the fact that Becky was alive.

There was no need to think unnecessarily about what happened with Garon Theobalt.

After all, that’s their personal matter.

[Right, well……]

Although Becky might be a bit of a reckless person, she was certainly no fool.

There must be a reason behind her saying such obvious lies.

So I decided to play along with her for now.

“Understood. I’ll untie the ropes now.”

“Okay.”

“Be careful. You’ll drop down all at once.”

“I’m fine. Just hurry.”

Woom—.

Riley, having heard Becky’s reply, unleashed “Dispel.”

The binding spell was entangled with a complex formula, but it was no big deal for Riley. She’s untied even more intricate spells in the Lich’s hideout.

Snap—!

The ropes binding Becky vanished in an instant.

However, contrary to my worries, she didn’t crash to the ground. Like a feather, Becky slowly began to float down.

‘So she’s using magic to cushion her fall.’

[Yeah.]

In any case, she had amazing control over her skills.

“Phew, that’s much better.”

Becky smiled as she landed softly on the ground. She looked at Riley and said.

“Every time I see it, your dispel skills are really impressive. How do you break those spells so fast? I couldn’t even manage to untie those ropes.”

“It’s the result of hard work.”

“I’d say it’s talent.”

If we got down to it, it was a result of both effort and talent.

Unless someone had mana affinity as outstanding as Riley’s, it was impossible to reach that level, no matter how much you trained in “Dispel.”

Indeed, that rapid dispel was an advantage unique to Riley.

I was lost in thought when suddenly, a loud noise caught my attention from beside me.

Thud, thud—!

“Ugh……”

“……”

Becky was stretching her neck. After lightly loosening up, she glanced down at Riley.

“Well, since I’m still alive, I guess that means I gave up on the test.”

“……”

“What did that old man say? Because I died, I had to hand over the core and give up the test, right?”

Riley didn’t respond.

Interpreting the silence as a sign of guilt, Becky sighed deeply.

“Then I’m practically guaranteed to fail the third time. Waah! I’m already happy just imagining it! The third time, the third time! I could seriously lose my mind! Hahaha!”

Becky let out a hollow laugh. With a blank expression, she sighed deeply again.

“Ha, this is exhausting.”

Thud.

She plopped down.

“Guess you’re disappointed.”

“Yeah.”

Becky nodded in response to Riley’s question.

“I was secretly hoping you could escape from Theobalt.”

“……”

“But that was a fantasy.”

Becky, musing drowsily, eventually lay flat on the ground.

Staring at the ceiling with empty eyes, she muttered softly.

“Such a shame. It’s really too bad.”

“Why?”

“Because I had a reason to enter the Five Great Towers this year…….”

At that moment.

Becky stopped speaking as if she had seen something.

“……Wait, what’s that?”

“This?”

Riley pulled out a golden sphere from her pocket, shaking it gently with a faint smile.

“Can’t you tell? It’s the core of the Golden Golem.”

Becky’s eyes widened in shock at the answer.

“No, no, no! How did you……?”

“……”

“What does that mean? Seriously, how do you have that core?”

Becky’s voice grew more frantic.

Once lifeless on the ground, she suddenly regained her lively expression and jumped up.

“You didn’t get it taken from you by Theobalt, did you? How? You ran away? You outsmarted Garon Theobalt?”

“……”

“No! Talk properly! What the heck happened? Huh?”

Riley didn’t respond.

Instead, she just kept smiling quietly to tease Becky.

[Are you messing with her again?]

‘Yep.’

[……Why?]

‘You pretended to send me to Sky Whale’s Rest, so you have to pay for it.’

No way.

She’s still keeping that bottled up.

She truly is relentless.

“Ahhh! This jerk is being all quiet again!”

When Riley didn’t answer, Becky turned her head to Olivia.

“Hey, you blockhead.”

“……Y-yes?”

“Why don’t you say something? You were with her, so you should know what happened.”

“Ah… um, um, um… that…”

“Eh? Why are you stuttering?”

Becky began to rib Olivia.

But unlike her usual annoyed expression, a faint smile played on Becky’s lips now.

Riley smiled softly at their exchange.

‘What a crazy team.’

*

Crackle, crackle—!

A burning garden.

Even now, the ground radiated strong heat while three magicians marched along in silence.

Step, step—.

“……”

“……”

A Gray-haired Woman.

A dark green-haired man.

And Garon Theobalt, also carried on the man’s back.

“Ugh, sniff.”

Suddenly, a sob broke the silence.

“Sorry, Grandpa. Because of me……”

“Calm down, Dorothy. Theobalt is fine.”

“B-but……”

“If we head to the temple right after the test, he’ll recover quickly.”

“……Ughhhh!”

Hearing Arpel’s words, Dorothy finally broke down in tears.

She clung to Arpel and began to weep.

“Ha…….”

Arpel sighed.

Already struggling because he was carrying Theobalt, now he had Dorothy clinging to him, he was nearly at his wit’s end.

‘……I’m losing my mind.’

He shook his head as he painfully pulled his tired body along.

“It’s all my carelessness.”

“……”

“I thought I could afford to look down on a mere low-tier magician. I never imagined that girl would have that much power.”

Arpel continued speaking to Garon Theobalt on his back.

“If I had gone all out from the start, we could’ve subdued her easily.”

“……”

“It’s entirely my fault. I’m truly sorry, Theobalt.”

Garon Theobalt didn’t respond.

The upcoming thoughts he struggled to voice made it hard for him.

‘If I could’ve subdued her from my side, huh……’

He smirked.

‘As expected……’

Garon Theobalt witnessed the aftermath of the battle Riley created.

Hundreds of wilted flowers.

And the shadows of Dorothy’s plants that disappeared underground.

Those were not traces left by careless people. Even if he said that, Dorothy and Arpel had given it their all.

Yes.

Arpel and Dorothy had lost.

To a mere low-tier girl, no less.

Moreover……

‘……At the last moment, that girl fought me on equal terms.’

No matter how it was a battle with lost senses, it was still true that Riley fought Garon Theobalt on equal footing.

Even if only for a moment, she bridged the gap between ‘skill’ and ‘experience’ with just her talent.

‘How is that even possible……?’

It felt like his common sense shattered.

Genius that transcends realms actually exists.

It was unbelievable.

‘I knew she was a monster, but I didn’t expect her to be this extraordinary.’

Garon Theobalt sighed bitterly and opened his mouth.

“Put me down.”

“……Huh?”

“I’ve recovered enough to walk now.”

“But you should still rest a little more…….”

“Quickly.”

At Garon Theobalt’s firm voice, Arpel set him down on the ground.

Garon Theobalt stared blankly ahead as he opened his mouth again.

“It’s all my fault.”

“……”

“……”

Having heard his self-reproach, Arpel and Dorothy fell silent.

After a long pause, Garon Theobalt murmured to himself again.

“What a shame. There was a reason I had to enter the Five Great Towers this year.”

“There’s always next year.”

“Haha……”

Hearing Arpel’s reply, Garon Theobalt gave a feeble smile.

“I’m not in the shape I was years ago. I wonder if my body will hold up until then.”

“You can do it, Theobalt.”

“Thanks, even if it’s just empty words.”

Garon Theobalt smiled.

“Well then, as you said, I’ll try again next year…….”

Step, step—.

Just then.

Faint footsteps could be heard.

Garon Theobalt quickly stopped talking.

Dorothy and Arpel also froze in place upon hearing the footsteps.

“……”

With all their mana drained, they weren’t using “Mana Detection,” and to think they would encounter other contestants here.

‘……I really have the worst luck.’

Garon Theobalt’s expression hardened more and more.

“……”

“……”

Just then, other contestants appeared.

Three figures cloaked in black robes.

One of them held tightly wrapped golden core encased in dragon skin.

‘Damn…….’

Garon Theobalt recognized the face of that man.

‘……Pamela von Hasselpacht.’

Pamela von Hasselpacht.

He was the leader of a prominent guild of skilled pathfinders and one of the veteran magicians reaching the upper mid-tier.

‘Of all times to encounter such an opponent when my mana is completely drained…….’

Just because he specialized in pathfinding, didn’t mean he should be underestimated.

Rather, a magician who clearly sees the ‘path’ was the most troublesome opponent in a duel with other magicians.

With depleted mana and exhausted stamina, it was nearly impossible to defeat them.

Naturally, taking the core of the Golden Golem from them was out of the question.

In this situation, avoiding a fight would be the best option.

‘Before misunderstandings escalate, I need to quickly express I have no intention to fight.’

Since they were acquaintances, it’s likely the opponent would also want to avoid unnecessary conflict.

Having finished that thought, Garon Theobalt quickly opened his mouth to state his surrender.

“Pamela, we—”

“I-I surrender!”

But right at that moment.

“……What?”

“I surrender! I’ll willingly give you the core! Please just spare my life!”

The opponent made the first move.

Thud—!

Pamela dropped to the ground.

He offered the core of the Golden Golem to Garon Theobalt with polite gestures as if presenting a tribute to a king.

‘What the hell…….’

In an instant, a look of confusion crossed Garon Theobalt’s face.

‘……Did he actually misunderstand that we were chasing after their cores?’

That’s not it.

That’s really not it.

Out of nowhere, he had acquired a ridiculous misunderstanding.

“Uh… Hah, Headmaster? Is it surrender again?”

“Yeah.”

Just then, one of the others voiced their displeasure towards Pamela.

“Headmaster! Honestly, I don’t get it! Surrendering against those little brats earlier was one thing, but are we just going to give up without a fight?”

“……”

“What’s there to fear from an old man who looks like he could collapse any moment?”

Hearing that, Pamela frowned.

“Then you try and fight him.”

“……Huh?”

“You have the confidence to fight Theobalt and win, right? Sure, I won’t stop you. Go ahead and fight.”

“Teo—? N-no, Garon Theobalt?”

Their faces went pale.

“……I-I’m so sorry!”

“Gilbert. You also apologize quickly.”

The last man who had been standing expressionlessly sideways reluctantly bent down to apologize.

“I apologize for the disrespect, Garon Theobalt.”

“……”

Suddenly handed the core of the Golden Golem, Garon Theobalt stood there at a loss for words.

Unaware of his inner thoughts, Pamela and his group quickly began to move away.

Amidst the fading figures, faint conversation could still be heard.

“By the way, what are we going to do, Headmaster? If this keeps up, we’ll be eliminated from the test……”

“Don’t worry. We still have about ten minutes. We’ll have to keep searching.”

“Is that even possible? Finding another core within ten minutes?”

“Yeah.”

Pamela took a deep breath. It wasn’t a weak sigh. It was a deep breath to reinforce her will.

“There are no impossibilities in this world.”

“……You’re really optimistic.”

With that final exchange, Pamela’s group disappeared from view.

“Phew…….”

Finally, Garon Theobalt was able to let out a long-awaited sigh of relief. He muttered with a hollow smile.

“……What good fortune.”

*

〈 Second Test 〉

───List of Successful Candidates ───

Rebecca Duncan

Riley

Olivia Mage Triwizard

Garon Edward von Theobalt

Arpel Mage Stingwood

Dorothy Mage Grayard

Pamela von Hasselpacht

Darin Underblade

Gilbert Winifred