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Chapter 117
Mage Tower, Bregemin (High Council Meeting).
The special conference room on the top floor of the Sky Tower had been opened for the Mage Tower’s highest-ranking members, the elders scattered across the world.
In this dark space, dominated only by a large round table engraved with various magical circles, faint shadows of figures began to appear.
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“Isn’t this being called too often lately?”
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“I’m busy.”
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“Ah, my research was going so well!”
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“What on earth is going on?”
The Bregemin had been suddenly convened.
Today’s agenda had two items.
The first concerned the expected birth of a new Grand Mage’s disciple.
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“Ether has chosen a master?”
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“That willful lump of energy that has never chosen a master among any previous mages?”
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“I was hoping to study that…”
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“But they’re not even a mage yet. If they’re a prospective disciple… I get it.”
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“If Ether dislikes the star’s energy, then it makes sense.”
The news that Ether had been taken after being discovered in the Secret Room was somewhat surprising, but only that much.
The elder mages, all socially inept geniuses, wondered why everyone was making such a fuss.
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“But if we don’t show up, aren’t we just kicking our own luck? Don’t we have to look for it ourselves? Ether will be automatically summoned to the territory if the master dies, right?”
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“Does this really need to reach Bregemin? Can I go back to my research?”
Robert, who had just barely escaped the “honor” of serving the Grand Mage, swallowed his tears at this new “punishment” of being the Bregemin’s host.
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“It’s not that… the prospective Grand Mage disciple has a high chance of possessing the Purification ability…”
Purification ability.
The moment those five words were spoken, the elder mages, who had been passive and distracted, instantly changed their demeanor.
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“What?! Purification?!”
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“Purification?!”
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“We need to find them immediately! Research can wait!”
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“Why haven’t we found them yet?!”
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“Does this really need to reach Bregemin? Of course, we have to go find them!”
The elders’ eyes lit up with urgency.
For mages, the top “panic button” had always been contamination—first, second, and third.
Thus, they moved on to the second agenda item.
A first-class warning issued by the Mage Tower’s head.
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“……”
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“……”
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“……”
The once noisy meeting hall fell silent.
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“If it’s the ‘Nightmare of the Stars’…”
Throughout the long history of the Mage Tower, there had been three major blemishes that were never revealed to outsiders:
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The murder of the “First Grand Mage,” called the “God of Mages.”
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The birth of an incomplete “God of Mages.”
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Mages who hunt mages (traitors).
The “Nightmare of the Stars” corresponded to the second incident.
At the time, the Mage Tower, shocked by the loss of its spiritual pillar, dreamed of restoring the murdered “God of Mages.”
During an experiment called “Achieving the State of God through Magic”, an incomplete God of Mages was born.
But this was not a blessing—it was a disaster. Records still banned as forbidden books noted that the Black Star engulfed the sky, destroying all the stars above.
The name “Nightmare of the Stars” came from that event.
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“It’s been sealed for…”
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“At least a thousand years.”
Everyone spoke cautiously, trembling with fear. The title “Nightmare of the Stars” was not given lightly. Even incomplete, it was still a God of Mages. Its affinity with other mages was so high that the Mage Tower alone could not oppose it.
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“Ah! So that’s why Sharit was devoured.”
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“Ah…”
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“Ah…”
Recalling a recent meeting agenda, the elder’s words drew collective sighs.
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“Excuse me? Why?”
A relatively recent elder mage questioned.
An elder familiar with the situation groaned and explained:
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“It’s called the Great Demon Beast Sealing Array, but in reality, it’s a continental stability barrier.”
It was one of the legacies left by the First Grand Mage.
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“A complex system separating human areas from monster zones… ah, forget it. This isn’t the time for research.”
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“Sigh… the Great Demon Beast is basically a magical energy charger.”
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“It’s not even a real Great Demon Beast. If it were, that region would have been devastated already. It seals divine beasts that live among the stars…”
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“Since it lives on star energy, did it survive by consuming divine beasts?”
The elder mages’ minds quickly became cluttered. Their work also increased—they needed to examine old records and check the seals.
Most importantly:
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“Should we ask the temple for help?”
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“We should.”
It was a precaution against the “Nightmare of the Stars.”
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“But will they even be of any help? There are too few high priests.”
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“Compared to a thousand years ago, the number of priests is only a tenth.”
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“The Saintess needs to come out.”
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“Do you think she’ll come out easily?”
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“She must! She couldn’t become a god because she didn’t attain divinity, but she’s immortal. That’s why they couldn’t kill her a thousand years ago and only sealed her.”
A dark cloud settled over the once peaceful Mage Tower, and mages sighed.
They decided to request help from the temple and also ask the only three Grand Mages in the Mage Tower for assistance, but the bleak future lingered.
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“Except for Master Marsedes, none of the others appear, whether it’s the Mage Tower or Sky Tower.”
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“Even reclusive experts have their limits. At this point, they’ve gone beyond reclusive to hiding masters.”
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“What are we really going to do?”
Just as they were lamenting that all mages might get devoured and die:
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“But what if the Purification ability emerges here?”
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“!”
The mages’ eyes widened.
Could it really be that someone doesn’t have to die after all?
Purification wasn’t just about erasing star energy, after all.
The topic returned to agenda item one.
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“Find that prospective Grand Mage disciple!”
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“Just bring them here!”
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“I’ll even take them as my disciple!”
The Mage Tower was thrown into chaos once again.
Halbern Mansion.
I was trapped in exercise hell.
“Ugh… this is exhausting.”
Am I going to be the first person to die from exercising?
Vuuuu—
Ether, clinging to me like an accessory, argued that it wasn’t possible.
Ridiculous. You don’t even know.
“Ha… I want to be free.”
Pain → Phaesyon gets stimulated → Forces me to exercise → I suffer → More pain
I wanted to escape this vicious cycle.
“Cion, I’m in pain.”
“Muscle soreness is proof that you’re getting healthier!”
“No, I mean mentally, you idiot.”
Phaesyon, already half-crazed, obsessed over my health and ignored me.
The physician kept repeating the obvious that moderate exercise is good for body and mind.
“Your daughter’s struggling.”
My dad openly enjoyed watching me suffer.
This human…?
I mischievously ripped off the sticker on his face that said “Work harder!”
“This is confiscated.”
“Waaah.”
“You won’t get it even if you act cute.”
“Then… should I bribe you?”
“Do you think that’ll work?”
While tussling with Dad, he suddenly grabbed me and refused to let go.
“I’ll hold you until I put on a new sticker.”
“Hmph.”
Well, that actually works out fine for me.
“……”
Phaesyon glared at Dad. He clearly looked annoyed, but Dad just laughed and hugged me tighter. Phaesyon, frustrated, stepped back.
Watching the two of them, I tilted my head.
“Dad, do you dislike Phaesyon?”
“No.”
Dad replied in a joking tone.
“I think he dislikes me more than I dislike him.”
“That’s just because you keep provoking him, you human.”
I slapped him once, but it had no effect. Dad looked at me with zero remorse.
“Can’t be helped.”
“Why?”
“Because I like my daughter.”
“……”
Dad declared proudly.
How am I supposed to deal with this hopeless human?
