Chapter 41
"Where's Raphael?"
I asked before sitting. In the room I was guided to, there wasn't even a hint of blonde hair, let alone Raphael.
Though I'm not worried, I came all this way because of her so I'll be really angry if she's not here.
When I wouldn't sit until getting an answer, the Association President sighed and snapped his fingers with a sharp sound.
Then a screen appeared showing.
─Can I really eat all this?!
─Of course. Eat up.
─Wow. It just melts in my mouth? But Seonghoon is coming right? It's strange since Seonghoon has no friends.
─They are friends. He'll come if you wait. Just eat that.
─Nom.
Munch munch.
The damn blonde came into view with her cheeks puffed up, stuffing all the food into her mouth.
"Haah."
This is crazy. I need to give her safety education later. Did she not get education in the celestial realm? Don't follow strangers. Please.
What are you thinking following strangers because of food? Even elementary students these days don't do that.
"Done? Will you sit?"
"...Yes."
Though very uncomfortable, I did as told. Why did he call me here? The reason is obvious isn't it? But perhaps wanting to escape reality, my frontal lobe kept bringing up strange thoughts.
Did he see my match and come to scout me?
Did Ishia say something bad about me?
Maybe this is? Peak popularity? Such escape from reality didn't last long.
"I tried to kill you."
"What?"
"You know that rank 500s student who challenged you earlier?"
I know. I know too well. Can't forget that guy.
"I hired him. Told him to kill you."
"?"
My brain can't follow the conversation because it's too shocking. But the Association President's words don't stop.
"He failed. You were unexpectedly strong. Yes. Thinking about it, it was wrong to think someone of rank 500 could beat someone who defeated my daughter."
Wait. He tried to kill me? Why? Don't tell me because I make Ishia work as a maid? Just for that? Aren't you too daughter-obsessed?
"Wait a moment. Let's resolve this through dialogue. Not everything is solved by killing people."
Right. From the start, saying he "tried" to kill means it's not anymore right?
"That's correct. Not everything is solved by killing people."
See. We can resolve this through dialogue. There might be the miraculous situation where he heard my conversation with Lucy earlier?
Well I only said good things. For some reason my heart told me to say good things. It was for this moment. This is where he says something like "This is your only chance" and acknowledges me right?
Good. With my dazzling wordplay─
"But almost every situation is resolved. When the other person dies."
"What?"
Snap─
With another finger snap sound, my vision went dark. What I see is darkness and gradually thinning oxygen, blue window.
[Threat detected, unique magic "Magic Eye" activates.]
And I hear a voice.
"It's my life motto."
While hearing the echoing voice, I thought 'Who? Who made such a daughter-obsessed character?!' but.
That was me.
Damn it.
Karma can be quite harsh.
***
"Hmm."
The Association President sitting with crossed legs checked his watch. Not even 30 seconds since Lee Seonghoon entered.
Soon he'll start writhing.
What he deployed was a 6-line intermediate magic. Magic that slowly kills by trapping the target in darkness.
Commonly called torture magic, you can even talk to the person inside. Though one-sided.
"At first I didn't intend to kill."
It's quite funny talking to someone you're trying to kill. But shouldn't they know why they're dying?
It's minimum courtesy for the dying.
"Well. It was something my daughter chose herself. She accepted the bet, and she lost. I was going to let her resolve it herself."
It's true. Though it hurt his heart to be harsh to his daughter, he thought it would lead to her growth.
"However, hearing such words directly from my daughter's mouth became unbearable. Please understand. You'll understand when you have children. Ah. I don't mind if you understand in your next life, please just do."
As if responding to the Association President's words, crack─!! A crack appeared in the sphere of darkness. The technique should have been perfect? Tilting his head, he reinforces the technique.
Feeling magic power rotating in his hands, he opened his mouth again.
"Of course I know you saved our daughter. Thanks to you catching Park Shinwoo, Julia could pinpoint the location and make the 'Anti-Magic' almost incapacitated. I'm grateful for that."
That's that and this is this.
As if those words were a trigger.
Crack─!!!
The sphere shook even more violently. Only then realizing it wasn't a problem with the technique, the Association President's pupils widened.
Though shocked, he didn't do anything undignified. Only his pupils widened while staying seated.
'It's 6-line incantation magic.'
Though the power is slightly lowered due to "Magic Chant Breaking", it's not magic a student should be able to break. Moreover, he is the Magic Association President.
Meaning, he's one of only 5 grand magicians existing in the world.
Meaning, an intermediate magic of different caliber from such a grand magician. Just a student? As if answering his question crack─!!
Another crack in the darkness.
Gulp.
The Association President swallowed. Is this really possible? This can't happen no matter how high magic resistance is.
This magic has killed countless "Anti-Magic" specialists. It's never been broken. Not even once.
But─
Crack─!!!!
"Crazy."
Words from a subordinate waiting beside. Usually the Association President's sharp glare would have pierced him immediately, but not now.
"F...fuck..."
Huff huff.
Because of the man breaking the sphere of darkness while breathing roughly. Black hair fluttering wet with sweat. Unfocused eyes looking up at him with difficulty.
"I didn't want to say this but.. huff.. you..."
The man smiled. As if he'd won.
"Don't talk shit. It's hard to listen to."
***
Association President. Lee Siwoo.
The revolution in the magic world who created the first magic institution besides the Magic Tower for magic by magic.
Such a person currently.
His two pupils are trembling. Staring at the black-haired man.
Usually he would have deployed magic to tear apart limbs the moment he heard those words, but now he's too shocked.
To the point of thinking 'Is this a dream?' for the first time in his life.
Even more surprising is that man's attitude. After breaking through the magic he's sitting casually in the chair.
Though sweat is pouring down, seems he's recovering. Not an ordinary human.
'Could he be a dragon?'
Dragon.
Their scales nullify magic. If not that, this situation can't be understood.
But thanks to that, something else was understood. Why his daughter lost. When he so easily breaks even his magic, how could his daughter's magic not break?
For a magician to have no magic is. Like a soldier without a gun. Like a martial artist without fists.
It would be strange to win.
"Phew. Now I can breathe."
The man wiped his sweat. Yet his posture has become arrogant. The earlier tension gone somewhere, he looks down while crossing his legs and resting both arms on the chair.
'Should I kill him.'
The torture magic failed, but what about attack magic? He immediately put away such thoughts.
He wasn't stupid enough to use it after knowing magic doesn't work.
"Now let's talk. You damn daughter-obsessed mister."
"Fix your way of speaking."
"Would you speak politely to someone who tried to kill you?"
When Lee Siwoo didn't answer, a tsk! sound was heard.
"Whatever. In the end you don't like me having Ishia as a maid right?"
"No. Your personality might have bad influence on my daughter─"
The words couldn't continue. Because the man sitting arrogantly held out his hand.
In his hand was a small electronic device. A smartphone.
The very thing modern magicians carry around that made fire communication obsolete.
"Really? Then can I tell Ishia about this?"
"What?"
"You know. Would she know her dad goes around killing people? Because they're a hindrance to his daughter?"
"Are you provoking me?"
Nope. Lee Seonghoon made a firm gesture with his hand.
"This is self-defense. These days technology is good so contacts can be made with one button press. Who knows? Maybe Ishia would cut ties with you if she knew about this situation? Ah. Don't think anything stupid. The button gets pressed if you kill me."
What? As soon as Lee Siwoo heard those words, all sorts of thoughts ran through his mind.
His daughter.
His precious daughter who wouldn't hurt even if put in his eye. Cut ties..?
─Father. Don't contact me anymore.
─I don't know someone like father anymore!!
─You murderer. I'm ashamed to share blood with you.
Such scenes from dramas he'd seen were playing in his head. Just imagining it felt like crying tears of blood.
The daughter he raised like gold and jade. Cutting ties with him─
So it's the natural progression. For these words to come from his mouth.
"What. Do you want?"
Those corrupted by power all think the same. Money can cover up anything. Can get past any situation.
Of course some things can't be done, but Lee Seonghoon before him is that kind of person.
A person who goes crazy for money and items.
He grinned and raised his other hand. There a hand shape of money was made.
"The treasure vault should be opened~ A life was at stake so we can't just let it go right??"
Does this guy think the treasure vault is someone's bedroom? To tell him to open a place even he rarely enters─
"Hello~ Ishia? Yeah. Are you free tomorrow? No you see something happened to me today─"
Grab.
He hurriedly hung up the phone while pushing down the smartphone Lee Seonghoon was holding. Lee Siwoo dripping cold sweat no longer cared about formality or dignity or whatever.
"Fine. I'll open it. I'll open it. But only if you prove it's okay for you to be with my daughter─"
The words cut off. Though Lee Seonghoon was quiet it cut off. Following his gaze there was the smartphone.
Smartphone. The greatest invention of the 21st century.
It doesn't even take 1 second for a text message to arrive. Meaning─
[I don't know what happened, but okay. Sorry about today. Because father came. But, but!! Tomorrow is fine!! I'll come right out whenever you contact me!! For sure!!]
[Sender: Ishia]
"Haha."
Lee Siwoo laughed helplessly. Lee Seonghoon laughed along.
3 seconds of silence.
During that time many thoughts went through his head.
It's definitely his usual daughter. His daughter's way of speaking, and it's lovely.
But why is it going to this man? What is this innocence?
"There's a reason for this? I can explain?"
Thud.
"Don't come. Stop!! Wait a moment!!"
Thud.
"Stop! Please stop. Hey!? This is really just normal conversation? Not what you're thinking? Kids these days all talk like this?!"
"Then I should kill all kids these days too."
That's going too far isn't it─?! The echoing voice was extremely urgent.
***
Smack─!!
"Ow!! Why did you hit me?!"
"From now on you go with me wherever you go. Don't go alone. You'll really die."
"What?! Why. Are you jealous because I ate something delicious alone?"
"That's not it. I'll give you moderate work from now on so don't run away."
Hehe~ Raphael smiled annoyingly. Should I kill her and revive her?
"As expected, you've realized my preciousness. In just half a day, you've deeply realized my preciousness!!"
It's because you cause trouble when you're not around. More importantly, why does your face look strangely happy?
"Enough. Let's stop talking."
Just today I almost died because of this one. Why did you get caught by the Association while wandering alone and make me suffer too.
Honestly speaking, I thought I was dead when trapped in that magic.
If not for "Dragon's Blessing" I would have been crushed to death.
Even after coming out you know. It was hard pretending to be fine. Almost died trying to explain because of Ishia thoughtlessly sending messages.
Really almost died, while this one was just eating leisurely.
The world is unfair. Too unfair.
But it's not like there was no gain. Since his condition for opening the treasure vault is 'prove you're not harmful to Ishia'? Since I made a bet with Lucy anyway?
"From tomorrow is hell training."
"That's unusual?"
"Because I'm not the one doing it."
Somehow~ I ignored Raphael nodding as if understanding and on the way back to the dormitory.
Something came into view.
A girl. A woman of age ambiguous to call a girl.
Like a child lost and confused without parents. She had red hair and red eyes.
She saw us. Then makes an expression like she's about to cry.
"Seonghoon?"
Raphael looks at me with an expression like what should we do, what do I look like trash who would leave a young kid?
"What a pain."
You saw right.