The Wizard in the Game Is Rewarded in Reality

Chapter 22

My initiation into magic was decided abruptly.

After the elders left, only Master and I remained in the office.

“How do you feel? Didn’t you want to learn magic and go to the Infinite Tower?”

“That’s true, but now that I’m actually going to learn magic, I feel strange.”

“Of course. Fear of the unknown, and anticipation. Don’t worry. You’re my disciple. Is there anything you’re curious about magic? Or is there any magic you want to learn?”

“I have something I’m curious about.”

“Tell me.”

A video I watched on YouTube a while ago came to mind.

“Do you know about the great upheaval that my world went through?”

“I’ve heard stories passed down through outsiders. They say the Infinite Tower suddenly appeared in your world? I’ve also heard that many people died. The same is true for the Azelium continent. Many people died because of the Infinite Tower. And many are still dying.”

“There is a disease that emerged after the Great Cataclysm.”

“Disease?”

My master looks at me with curiosity.

“It’s called mana poisoning.”

“Mana poisoning? What a strange name for a disease. What are its symptoms?”

“As the name suggests, it’s a disease where mana accumulates in the body and becomes toxic.”

“Mana is the source of all life. How can such mana become toxic?”

My master seems unable to understand.

“According to the scholars of my world, a new energy emerged on Earth, the world I live in, after the Great Cataclysm.”

“Is that mana?”

“Yes. Mana is a blessing for those who have awakened, but it becomes toxic for those who haven’t.”

“Hmm. That makes sense.”

“So, what I’m asking is, is there a way to cure mana poisoning?”

My master falls into thought.

“There are rare symptoms that appear in wizards or knights. Mana rampage and aura rampage. It’s a phenomenon where mana and aura run wild in the body due to incorrect training methods or special circumstances. Excessive mana that cannot be handled by one’s abilities becomes toxic. There is a method used in such cases. There is a potion made through alchemy. That potion forces mana out of the body.”

“Oh! Is there really such a potion? If we have that potion, we can cure mana poisoning.”

“Listen to the end.”

It seems my master hasn’t finished speaking yet.

“That potion fundamentally expels about half of the mana in the body. For reference, once expelled, mana cannot be recovered.”

The inability to recover mana would be fatal for wizards or knights here, but it doesn’t matter to those suffering from mana poisoning on Earth.

Because they are all ordinary people who haven’t awakened.

“Can’t we expel all of it?”

“Didn’t I tell you? Mana is the foundation of life. If you expel more than that, you will die. Of course, we have also researched potions that expel more for malicious purposes.”

I can guess the purpose without needing an explanation.

“But there has been no progress. The maximum we can make at the Magic Tower is about half.”

“Hmm. That might help, but it won’t be a fundamental cure.”

Expelling half of the mana from the body of a patient suffering from mana poisoning would help. But since half of the mana would still remain in the body, it can’t be called a complete cure.

“Is there no other way?”

“Hmm. If it’s that, it might be possible.”

“Is there a way?”

The master smiles and says,

“There is a magic that almost no one learns anymore. It’s called Mana Drain of the 7th Circle.”

“Mana Drain?”

“Yes. It’s a magic that forcibly takes mana from others or objects.”

“It doesn’t sound like a good magic.”

“It depends on the criteria for distinguishing good magic from bad magic. In the past, wizards used Mana Drain to get through emergencies. But as time passed, the effect of Mana Recovery Potions became better than Mana Drain, so those who wanted to learn it gradually disappeared.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be good to learn it?”

The master shakes his head.

“Didn’t I say it’s a 7th Circle magic? It means you have to combine a whopping 128 runes to manifest it. How long do you think it takes for a wizard who has reached the level of the 7th Circle to learn a single magic? It takes at least a few months, at most a year.”

“That long?”

The master sighs as if frustrated.

“Memorizing runes is not all there is to magic. You have to go through a very complicated process. Do you know why wizards cast?”

Casting refers to the act of chanting like a song to use magic.

For example-.

– Oh mana. Lava flowing deep underground. I earnestly seek your help. Grant your wrath, the unquenchable flames of hell, to my enemy.

Like this.

“The reason wizards cast is to go through the process of combining many runes. It’s practice to place the promised runes in specific words and rhythms used in casting. Those without talent cast even when using 3rd Circle magic. Let alone 7th Circle magic. It means they can’t manifest and combine runes in their mind to use magic.”

I understood.

“From the 6th Circle onwards, the magic to be learned becomes specific. They don’t want to waste time learning magic they don’t usually use. Mana Drain is a bit special. Mana Recovery Potions can replace it, and some wizards have used Mana Drain for bad purposes, so it is taboo.”

“For bad purposes…”

“Imagine creating a Mana Drain artifact and hiding it in a village where people ignorant of magic live. The artifact would voraciously devour the surrounding mana. It wouldn’t distinguish between the mana of people and objects. Eventually, the place where the artifact is installed would be without mana, and all living things would die.”

It was a very frightening magic.

“Is there no way?”

“Couldn’t you limit the function of the artifact? Make it one-time use, or make the artifact’s performance poor.”

“It doesn’t seem like a bad method, but it doesn’t seem like a fundamental solution.”

The number of people suffering from mana addiction is enormous.

You can’t make artifacts to match their number. Isn’t it a 7th Circle artifact? Unless mass production is possible, you have to engrave the magic circle on each one by hand.

“Let’s think about it a little more. If you consult with Elder Pal, wouldn’t you see a solution?”

*

I step out of the capsule.

Seolgi is in a deep sleep.

Lying on his back with his belly up, he looks so cute. I want to tickle his belly, which has black spots on a white background, but I resist.

I turn on the computer and open my email.

I write the subject of the email to send to Dark Merchant.

– Business Proposal.

I ponder how to write the body of the email and slowly start typing.

“I may not have a talent for magic, but I certainly don’t have a knack for writing.”

I finish the rambling email. Even though I lack writing skills, this should be enough to convey my message.

“Ugh-.”

I stretch and look around.

“There’s nothing much to pack.”

Today is moving day.

The only things to take from this house are the capsule to play Doomsday and Seolgi’s carrier.

Since there’s no moving load, there’s no need to hurry. Once I leave, the real estate agent will take care of the furniture and other items left behind.

This house, where I’ve lived since my parents passed away, has grown on me.

I bid farewell to this small but cozy sanctuary.

“Thank you for everything. Take good care of the next owner.”

*

What was supposed to be a short nap turned into a deep sleep.

When I open my eyes, it’s just past 4 PM.

“Meow-.”

Seolgi is beside me.

“Seolgi. Did you sleep well? We’re moving to a new house now.”

I prepare Seolgi’s formula and take a shower.

After getting ready, I put Seolgi in his carrier and leave the house. I won’t be coming back here.

I take a taxi to the new house.

“Boss, you’re here.”

Baek Seong-hoon, who will be living with me and helping out, greets me with a bow.

“All the furniture and electronics arrived this morning. I placed them where you wanted.”

“Haha. I should have been here, but I overslept. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s my duty, after all. Should I ask my wife to prepare a meal?”

“No, it’s moving day, isn’t it? On moving day, you order food. Is there a good Chinese restaurant around here?”

“Yes, there’s a decent place. What should we order?”

“Order whatever you think is best.”

As I step inside, Baek Seong-hoon’s wife, Cha Mi-ryeong, is cleaning with a rag.

“Hello, ma’am.”

“Hello.”

Next to her is a girl who looks about ten years old, clinging closely.

“You’re Song-i, right?”

“Yes, I’m Baek Song-i.”

She looks at me with big eyes and speaks clearly.

“Your mom has been bragging about how pretty you are. You really are pretty. Let’s get along well from now on.”

“Yes.”

Song-i glances at the carrier in my hand.

“Shall we introduce Seol-gi?”

“Is Seol-gi the name?”

When I open the carrier, Seol-gi cautiously steps out. Trying to adapt to the unfamiliar environment, she lies flat on the floor and looks around for a long time.

“Wow! She’s so pretty.”

“Really? You said you used to have a cat too, right?”

“Yes! Can I touch her?”

“Of course. But Seol-gi might avoid you because she’s not used to this place.”

Song-i carefully approaches and extends her hand to Seol-gi. Seol-gi, who had been staring at Song-i, sticks out her tongue and licks her hand.

“Hehe, it tickles.”

Song-i gently scratches Seol-gi’s chin and then picks her up.

She said she had raised a cat before, and her way of holding Seol-gi is very stable.

I felt sorry for Seol-gi being alone every time I logged into Doomsday, but it seems like she has found a good friend.

“Song-i, do you like Chinese food?”

“Yes, I like it.”

“Great. Dad is going to order Chinese food.”

I pat Song-i’s head and head towards the master room on the first floor that I’ll be using.

The furniture, including the bed, is neatly arranged.

In the dressing room, the clothes purchased in advance are organized.

I can vividly imagine Baek Seong-hoon and Cha Mi-ryeong struggling since the morning.

I lie down on the bed.

Perhaps because it’s an expensive bed, my body sinks deeply, offering comfort.

If I keep lying down, I feel like I might fall asleep, so I get up abruptly.

Ding-!

I hear the notification sound of a message on my phone.

“An email?”

An email has arrived from Dark Merchant.

The content is very short.

– Can we talk?

A phone number is listed below.

This is the first time this has happened during several transactions, so I hesitate for a moment before making the call.

I hear the dial tone, and soon the other party answers the phone.

– Hello, Tower of Kraksha.

“Yes, hello.”

– I am Park Dong-hyuk, the head of the Korean branch of Dark Merchant. I am also the person in charge of Tower of Kraksha.

Park Dong-hyuk, the head of the Korean branch, must already know a lot about me. Knowing my email address and home address, it would be easy to find out about me.

Nevertheless, Park Dong-hyuk calls me by the alias ‘Tower of Kraksha’ instead of my name.

– First of all, thank you for calling.

“You’re welcome. May I ask the reason?”

– It’s about the business proposal you made, Tower of Kraksha.

“Ah-.”

– Before we proceed with the conversation, I would like to ask if it is really possible. Ah-, of course, I am not doubting your words, Tower of Kraksha. It’s just that the matter is so serious that I need to confirm.

I understand.

The business I proposed to Dark Merchant is related to mana addiction.

– A medicine that can alleviate the symptoms of mana addiction. Is that really possible?

“It is possible. I wouldn’t have contacted you otherwise.”

Until I master the 7th circle magic mana drain and create an artifact, a complete cure for mana addiction is impossible. The best I can do is alleviate the symptoms.

– “You are truly amazing. I already knew you were incredible from the artifacts and potions you’ve sent so far, but this one is really…”

Park Dong-hyuk continuously exclaims in admiration.

– “How would you like to sell this, Master of the Tower of Kraksha?”

“I want to start a company.”

– “A company, hmm. Unlike potions, it would be appropriate to establish a formal company to sell it as a pharmaceutical.”

The reason I proposed a business deal to Dark Merchant.

The process of establishing a company, producing something, and selling it in a country like Korea is extremely complicated.

Especially for pharmaceutical companies, the process is even more stringent.

It can only be sold after passing various tests and obtaining approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

At that time, I thought that if it were Dark Merchant, they might have a faster way to sell it than I, an individual.

– “If that’s the reason, you’ve made a very good choice. Our Dark Merchant is connected to power holders in all countries around the world, not just Korea. If the performance is verified, we can skip many complicated processes and sell it.”

“That’s a relief.”

Even during the time wasted obtaining approval, many people would suffer from mana addiction.

The goal is to minimize that time.

It’s not because I’m a great saint that I’m thinking this way.

I, too, will make a lot of money from it, so it’s a win-win situation.

– “How would you like to handle the shares? Before you speak, let me share my thoughts. Just give us 5% of the total shares. Then we will take responsibility for the production facilities and sales at Dark Merchant.”

“Will that be enough?”

He is saying that he will invest all the capital and take only 5% of the shares.

– “It’s sufficient. No, it’s rather excessive. The other benefits we will gain from the drug are greater.”

If he says so, it must be true.

– “There are things to prepare from the establishment of the company, so let’s discuss the details later.”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you for always being considerate.”

– “So, what I’m saying is…”

He trails off, as if it’s difficult to say.

– “The auction for the artifact you sent will be held in a few days. If it’s alright with you, could we meet then?”

“……”

– “I promise in the name of Dark Merchant that there will be no danger to you, Master of the Tower of Kraksha, and that no information about you will leak out.”

As I hesitated to answer, Park Dong-hyuk’s voice was heard.

– “Will you accept the invitation?”