The Book Eating Magician Chapter 339:

Chapter 339 - Five Years Later (4)

Marquis Fergana was one of the 7th circle magicians in the continent and one of the three masters in the Soldun Kingdom . He was also the master of a prestigious family and a person who possessed 30% of the kingdom .

That’s right . This was until he was defeated in the Elsid Civil War that occurred several years ago and was arrested .  Originally, it was a crime that would cause him to be executed . However, the royal family was in a weak state after the civil war, so they used a special punishment to prevent the damage which would be caused by Marquis Fergana’s vacancy .

It was the Oath of Obedience .  At the time, Theodore had been dispatched with the allied forces, and his power had been borrowed to carve the oath onto the marquis’ heart . There was no way for the marquis to get rid of the brand on his heart . So, from that day onward, Fergana became a slave to King Elsid and the royal family .

His days of exploring magic were long gone . First of all, he was a royal hound who followed the royal family’s will and acted for national events, rather than family affairs . It was too big a cost due to his family .

‘ . . . It was my own mistake for falling for Cornwall’s words and not being able to refuse my daughter . I know in my mind that I shouldn’t blame anyone else . ’ Marquis Fergana was lost in thought as he sat at an old-fashioned table in a reception room .

He could feel it without any effort—the shackle carved onto his heart that even his seven circles couldn’t resist . Was it called the Oath of Obedience? It was a very terrible name . He reconfirmed the enchantment on his heart and smiled bitterly . After being defeated by a young man not even 30 years of age, Fergana now had no freedom . He felt more disappointment, rather than resentment, for the loss .

“Now, that young man is the greatest magician on the entire continent . . . I wonder if I was fortunate that I encountered him before that . ”

Either way, Fergana’s defeat wouldn’t be changed . He drank the bitter tea as his heart filled with messy feelings he couldn’t determine .  There were feelings of a magician’s jealousy and the inferiority complex of the underdog, as well as a mixture of vengefulness, awe, and admiration .  

Marquis Fergana let out a long breath .

Kkiiik .  

The door of the reception room opened, and Theodore walked in . “It has been a while, Marquis Fergana . I heard you were looking for me . ” 

It was different from the past . Theodore was wearing a black robe instead of a red one, and his eyes had added depth as he looked at Marquis Fergana .

Theodore Miller, the chief tower master, was the youngest magician in the continent to reach the 8th circle .  Their eyes met, and they each had different reactions .

‘―Heoook!’ Marquis Fergana’s eyes filled with astonishment . ‘D-Deep . So deep that I can’t see the bottom . It is like looking into another dimension . . . !’

They were different types of magicians . It was like the difference between a person standing on a mountain peak and a person on the middle of the mountain . The gap between the two magicians could be seen from their eyes as pressure pushed down at Marquis Fergana .

The 7th circle and the 8th circle . . .

The 8th circles which could be seen in Theodore’s eyes were difficult to face . Therefore, Marquis Fergana couldn’t say a word .

“Ah, I’m sorry . ” Theodore belatedly noticed the reason and reduced the amount of power in his eyes .

It wasn’t necessary to say that Marquis Fergan’s fear increased . “I-It has been a long time, Chief Tower Master Theodore . ”

“Yes . Is this the first time since the civil war?”

“Yes, it is as you said . ” The pride that Marquis Fergana had built over decades vanished like a mirage, and he gathered his hands together politely .

As a magician of the 7th circle, Marquis Fergana could tell that Theodore Miller was already in a realm beyond his imagination . It would be too much if the marquis tried to curry favor with Theodore . The bad feelings related to the incident of the past faded and only awe remained .

After exchanging greetings and drinking a cup of tea, the conversation between the two people truly began .

“His Majesty asked me to consult with you about this issue . ”

Theodore made a strange expression as King Elsid of Soldun was mentioned .  There were no signs of taking out a letter, so the marquis was going to say it directly .  It meant this was a problem that couldn’t be conveyed through letters and was important enough for a master to come in person .   Theodore’s eyebrows raised in interest .

Meanwhile, Marquis Fergana started talking, “It happened three months ago . Monsters kept attacking the kingdoms in the south-west . ”

This wasn’t uncommon . The Southern Continent, filled with infamous swamps, was located a few kilometers south of the Soldun Kingdom, and it wasn’t unusual for monsters from the swamp to leave the area . There were many beasts who tried to avoid the human species . However, the number and strength of those who wandered away from their habitat weren’t great, and they were easily blocked by the standing army at the border areas .

The royal family had thought the same thing three months ago .

“But after a month or two, the number of creatures attacking the border didn’t diminish . No, it was estimated that they increased . ”

“It is an abnormal situation . ”

“Yes, I saw that this situation was a monster wave . ”

‘Monster wave’ was a term that referred to a phenomenon where at least 1,000 monsters moved in a single direction, regardless of species or ecology . It was a phenomenon that could be found in encyclopedias . The number of monster waves had greatly reduced over the centuries . However, there must be a reason for Marquis Fergana’s certainty .

“I don’t know . The swamp monsters are adapted to their environment, and it is difficult for them to survive in other areas . The swamps in the south are filled with poison, and the vegetation is drenched with this evil energy, mutating the monsters . ”

“Did you try exploring inside?”

Marquis Fergana nodded firmly at Theodore’s question and answered, “It was just the edges, but yes . ”

“You couldn’t find the cause?”

“Unfortunately, I didn’t see anything .  Ah! There was something unusual . ”

“What is it?”

Marquis Fergana made a fearful expression as he recalled what he felt at that time . “From outside the forest, I felt a pressure that refused to let me approach . The soldiers and skilled knights were reluctant to take even a step inside . I was able to cope, but it consumed a considerable amount of mental energy . ”

“It was a mental energy, not physical?”

“Yes . It was a type of rejection . ”

A fear that spread across a wide area and drove the creatures out of the swamp . . . ? A light flashed in Theodore’s head at this thought . It was a puzzle piece that wouldn’t have fit without Paragranum’s story .

‘Is this the influence of Dragon Fear?’

Dragons that grew to adulthood could release their presence and drive out all life forms in the area . Even ogres felt a sense of oppression that couldn’t be tolerated . Undoubtedly, the strong monsters in the swamp areas couldn’t compare to a dragon .

Marquis Fergana saw how Theodore was silent and asked with expectations in his eyes, “ . . . Do you perhaps have any guesses?”

“No . I don’t know either . But . . . ” Theodore casually turned his cup round and round . “I am going to the Southern Continent . I’ll try to investigate the cause during my expedition . If there is helpful information, I will give it to Soldun immediately . ”

“Oh! That is more than I was expecting!"

From Soldun’s perspective, it was difficult to make a request directly to Theodore, who was the chief tower master and the backbone of the magic kingdom .  However, to think that Theodore was now going to the Southern Continent and that he would help them . . . ? This was an unexpected windfall for Marquis Fergana .

Theodore’s expedition to the Southern Continent was becoming more complicated .

 

*     *     *

 

A few days after that . . .

“What? Monster wave?” Randolph was surprised after coming to Mana-vil at Theodore’s call .  

Randolph had received monster subjugation requests several times before, but he had never experienced a monster wave . A wave of thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of monsters . . . ? Moreover, these were swamp monsters that were twice as strong as the other monsters in the area . It was obvious that a careless person would lose their life .

Theodore saw his reaction and asked playfully, “So? Are you afraid?”

“No way! I am looking forward to the good picnic ahead!” Randolph grabbed his two swords and chuckled .  “I don’t hate peace . Still, I am someone who likes battlefields . Any danger is welcome!”

“Savage human,” the high elf Titania scolded Randolph’s exuberance before turning to Theodore . There was no change in appearance for a high elf who lived for thousands of years .  A period of five years for her was like a few months for humans . Nevertheless, she didn’t stop training and had a stronger momentum than before .

“I heard that swamp creatures are different from those living in other areas . Can I ask for an explanation?”

“Of course . I was already going to do that,” Theodore answered positively to Titania’s question .  “The swamps in the Southern Continent contain more mana than those in other regions . If we compare the average concentration of mana to ‘water’, then the Southern Continent is a ‘swamp . ’ After thousands of years, the mana is enough to alter the ecosystem . This is why the swamp monsters are stronger . ”

Mana was a source of power . Both aura and magic were powers that converted mana . Monsters lacked the capacity to handle the powers as well as other species . However, by accumulating the mana in their bodies, they gained more durability and strength than natural .

Among them, the ‘mutants’ were the heads of the creatures . It was the case for the twin head ogres, mutant trolls with horns on their foreheads, and wyverns that could shoot out breaths .

“These mutations are common in the swamps . It’s different from the central or northern part of the continent where there’s a big commotion if one mutant is found . The adventurer who explored the swamps a long time ago wrote in his autobiography that it was **** . ”

“ . . . Hrmm, that is interesting . ”

“Yes, it is some fun after a long time . ”

Both Titania and Randolph weren’t intimidated as they made curious expressions . Clearly, the elf hunter and mercenary weren’t concerned about monsters .  In response, Theodore sighed and talked about the equipment he had prepared, “This is a place where humans haven’t stepped in for a thousand years . It is necessary to have the proper equipment . ”

“Ohh . . . ! This is enough for a war!”

There were dozens of artifacts more expensive than some estates, hundreds of magic scrolls, and more than 10 varieties of potions . Randolph’s eyes recognized the value of the items at a glance . He enjoyed a fairly abundant life as a noble, but the goods in front of him were equivalent to 10 years of budget for an estate .

While Randolph was staring blankly, Titania came to Theodore’s side and took something out . “Theodore, I was asked to give you this . ”

“Hmm?”

It was a handful of flowers . Theodore stared at the purple and white petals and blinked .  There was only one person who would send this gift to him .

“ . . . Ella sent them . ” (TL: Theo's new nickname for Ellenoa)

Theodore touched the stems with slender fingers and recalled her body odor . Ellenoa’s smile that he saw last week was still vivid in his mind . A smile spread across Theodore’s face .

Then Titania said, “Statice . Do you know what it means in the flower language?”

Theodore didn’t know and looked at her blankly . Titania shrugged with a smile . “Eternal lo . . . ve . In fact, I don’t know the language of flowers . ”

“What? It was just a good act?”

“I was made the messenger between you two, so give me this much . I have been getting goosebumps because of you . ”

“T-That…” Theodore had nothing to say .

Meanwhile, Titania moved onto another topic, “The recovery of the world tree is smooth . Thank you, Theodore . The young spirits who migrated to the forest are living well, and the reconstruction of the east forest is taking place at a rapid pace . ”

“How many more years until it recovers completely?”

“Well, around 50?”

Theodore's face stiffened . “ . . . Too late . ”

“Well, you started it . There is no need to be impatient . You and Ellenoa will be able to live that long . ”

“But I can’t let Ella be restrained . ”

“Hoh?”

Theodore ignored Titania’s confusion and looked down at the map of the swamp .

The accuracy was frustrating, but it was better than nothing . Dragons were suddenly gathering in the swamps where humans hadn’t stepped in for a thousand years . He wondered if there was a way to restore the power of the world tree more quickly .

“I don’t want to make Ella wait anymore . ”

They had a promise for the day she was rid of this obligation .