The day the archmage died (2)
Archmage Glokt is a character from the past, but he is mentioned quite often in scenarios. This is because he left behind so many traces.
He has been recognized by various academic societies for his research achievements in various fields such as elemental science, monster ecology, herbalism, magic management, sensitivity principle, and elemental science. He also worked as a magician directly under the royal family to subdue the monster tribe, and also spent several years as a mercenary. such as saving a city-state on the border from a crisis, or subduing the highest-ranking fire spirit Theorpis and the highest-ranking water spirit Friede at the same time… . He truly lived the life of a hero.
After retiring, he followed the will of his teacher, the great sage Sylvania, and devoted his efforts to nurturing the next generation, and invested all of the assets he had accumulated throughout his life in the field of education or as funds for academic research. He is said to have spent almost no money on himself.
Those traces clearly remain at Sylvania Academy.
The Glokt Hall, one of the three buildings in the student center, the Glokt Scholarship Foundation, to which I was also indebted, and Glokt’s magic theories that remain in the regular curriculum.
If Great Sage Sylvania is the one who founded the Sylvania Academy, it can be said that Archmage Glokt was the person who took over and developed the academy into the world’s best educational institution.
There were also materials that I simply read from the setting books, and when I came to this world, I memorized the great people’s stories until I could. This is because he is one of the characters that is treated as quite important in magic history subjects.
However, nothing is known about his final fate. At least historically.
still… I knew roughly. This is because it deals with Lucy’s past to some extent.
When he thought he had drained all his assets and had done everything he could… It hides in a huge mountain range in the Rameln region in the northwest of the continent.
He discovered Lucy, who had been abandoned in a monastery there, and took in and raised her. Recognizing the girl’s magical talent at once, he bestowed the blessing of the star, allowing her talent to blossom in an instant.
However, if there was something unexpected… Lucy’s magical talent was even greater than Glockt thought.
Even if she had been left alone, she would have realized her magical powers and made a name for herself as a wizard, but she ended up meeting a great wizard who would go down in history as her teacher… She became a gemstone with tremendous talent through a chemical reaction of possibility and possibility.
Anyway, Archmage Glokt spent his twilight years in the Rameln Mountains.
I spent my life writing as a hobby, doing survival work, and polishing the gem of humanity called Lucy Mayril… Eventually, its lifespan comes to an end.
Rainy Day. Shabby cabin.
Archmage Glokt was completely haggard, to the point where his past as a great man who commanded the world and led the history of mankind was in vain.
My back was bent and wrinkles were all over my body. You can’t see half of his face because of his bushy beard, and his bleached white hair is dull and lacks any shine.
There is no family to watch over him. Her wife, whom she had met in her youth, lost her life while suppressing Theorpis, and all who could be called her companions also passed away.
After becoming a great man, all the people he met were either in awe of him or trying to take advantage of his fame. Those who stand at the top are always so lonely.
It was a long trip.
It was so eventful that if it were to be compiled into a book, it could easily turn into a huge adventure action epic.
Still, there was someone at the destination who would carry on the cause. With that alone, he could congratulate himself on having lived a fairly successful life.
At night, the sound of rain pattering against the roof of the cabin.
That’s how one wizard’s journey ended.
“And so, my journey began. “It’s over now.”
“It’s over… ?”
At sunset.
The time zone that connects Aken Island’s lively daytime and calm nighttime.
The sky was dyed red, ready to face the long night ahead.
As the eastern sky was slowly becoming dark, Lucy and I were walking together for a while.
Lucy was leading the way, holding my arm tightly and pulling me, and I was walking at an appropriate pace.
Lucy can use all kinds of lightweight magic to fly around, or if she uses magic more boldly, she can even travel long distances using spatial magic. There was also an experience where, when I made up my mind and poured out all my magic power, I was able to fly from the Ofilis Pavilion to the northern forest in an instant.
Nevertheless, Lucy walked slowly. It feels like he just wants to keep pace with me, and there seems to be a story he wants to tell while heading to his destination.
“For now, you can leave your hands alone and walk. “I’m not going anywhere.”
After leaving the northern forest and passing through the living quarters, I arrived near the western coastal area. It means that we have already walked quite a long time.
As I passed through the living quarters on the way, my face started to itch because so many people around me were staring at me.
This is because the current situation in which Lucy was pulling me and I was being led was a sight that seemed quite strange even to the people around me.
Lucy is renowned as the most senior wizard in all of Sylvania and a rare genius wizard. Although his face is not well known… Anyway, it means that those who recognize recognize others. This is especially true for Sylvania students.
It’s already uncomfortable to get so many strange looks as I pass by the living quarters, and since I’ve been stretching my arms out for such a long time, I’m starting to feel numb.
“Because I’m doing this, it feels like I’m being dragged along. That’s okay.”
As I added those words, Lucy quickly looked down at her arms and then looked at my face again.
His eyes are still blank, but he seems a little more emotional than before. Anyway, they say that if you get to know each other for a long time, your heart will somehow open up, but it’s just amazing that this girl who used to be like a talking doll is starting to look like a person.
Lucy relaxed her arms and twisted the ends of her pure white hair for a moment. Then she pulled down her large witch hat and nodded.
“So, where are you going now… ? What’s the point if you just tell me first? .”
“Coastal area west of Aken Island. “We’re almost there.”
“Isn’t that just the coast? Did you suddenly want to see the sea? “It won’t be like that.”
“… … .”
Lucy tried to say something, but because it was difficult to explain, she just shook her head.
Then he flaps his excess sleeves and waves his hand in the direction he is going. I didn’t try to say anything, I just said that I understood and continued walking after Lucy.
“I know where that old man’s hometown is… ?”
“Archmage Glokt? “From what I learned in private school class, you said you were from the Kohelton lawless area.”
Lucy shook her head.
“It’s just a place where that old man once spent his childhood.”
“what… ?”
“History books are wrong.”
This was another strange point. There is a person right around the corner who can confidently say that the book itself is wrong.
This is a story Lucy heard from Glokt herself, so what she said is probably correct.
“then… ?”
“Here, this is Aken Island.”
“… … .”
As Lucy adjusted her hat and looked up at the sky, the early evening sky stretched out wide.
Several birds were disappearing into the distant forest, bathed in the setting sun.
From here on, it’s an area completely outside the scenario. And it is an area outside of history.
It’s not in the setting books, and it’s not even in the history books of this world. It was completely underground content.
“When that old man was going to study, there was no big school like this on Aken Island, and it was just filled with a few indigenous villages and monster tribes.”
“It must have been like that at the time. “In the first place, the large-scale subjugation of the monster tribe on Aken Island occurred after Sylvania Academy was established.”
“Actually, there was Sylvania Academy at that time, but its scale was very small… It was embarrassing to even call it a school. “I said it was just a building for private classes.”
A school established on Aken Island by the great sage Sylvania. It was a time when it wasn’t very famous and didn’t have the ability to recruit worthy students.
What kind of childhood did Glockt, who met Sylvania on Aken Island, have? Neither I nor Lucy can tell.
― ‘Sylvania Academy is a treasure created by my teacher, Sylvania Robester, who dedicated her life to the advancement of learning.’
– ‘There are so many trials that have already been observed for this precious treasure. Of course, it would only have been visible to the eyes of Sylvania, a researcher of astrology.’
― ‘The ground hardens after the rain, so Sylvania Academy will overcome most of the trials on its own… There will definitely come an ordeal that you cannot overcome without your own strength.’
– ‘When that time comes, even if I see this old man… Will you please lend me your strength? ? Lucy.’
“What was so fun about it was that I always kept telling stories about the time I was studying at Aken Island, and even until the moment of my death, I was worried about this school. “He was a really stupid old man.”
“… … .”
“The hometown of that old man’s heart was this Aken Island. … Then there’s nothing we can do.”
What on earth does it mean that you can’t help it? As I was about to ask that question, I suddenly became speechless.
When I tried to imagine it on my own, I ended up guessing it.
As I said, from here on, the story is completely behind the scenes.
It’s a story that isn’t in the scenario or in the history books… Still, I couldn’t help but consider it.
The archmage Glokt met his end in a hut in the Rameln Mountains at the northern tip of the continent. And Lucy was guarding next to him.
Although he was in mourning over the loss of his grandfather, his father and teacher, reality still moves on. Now all that’s left of Lucy is a shabby cabin without an owner and a cold corpse.
There comes a time when you have to choose your own life. The time of being protected by someone in the cradle is over.
So, what did Lucy want to do first? First he had to retrieve his teacher’s body.
It’s terrible and sad, but it’s not difficult. Lucy at that time would have already developed some level of magic skill. It would be nice to use some magic and bury the teacher.
However, Lucy didn’t do that.
From this point on, I had to listen to Lucy’s explanation.
“… … .”
Lucy continued her story as we walked along the west coast. I just listened to Lucy, giving intermittent answers.
The body is covered with a blanket, tied tightly with leather straps, and kept under a constant freezing spell to prevent decomposition. And if you use floating magic well, you can transport it without difficulty, although the magic efficiency is not that great.
However, even if you keep doing this for just an hour, most wizards will get exhausted. It’s possible because you’re around Lucy.
I roughly packed all the food and miscellaneous items in the cabin into a leather backpack and set off for the Rameln Mountains.
The destination is… This is Aken Island, the southernmost point of the continent.
A ray of goosebumps runs down my back.
Even if you open a map of the world, take a quill and draw a straight line… It is a distance that can only be reached by descending for a long time.
Starting from the Rameln Mountains, heading south and south.
After passing through the Great Forest of Urekle, the Great Lake of Aika, the Land of Pension, Cret, the Meilan Plain, passing the capital of Karpea, and crossing the Denkin Wetlands, you reach the border of the Cloel Empire. As it continues along the lower reaches of the Telden River, it passes the commercial city of Oldeck, and passes through the Counties of Aorn, Baron Islan, Viscounty of Sale, Duchy of Rothtaylor, Marquis of Feder, and Counties of Tis.
After crossing the Zenit Mountains, crossing the River Dres, passing through the territory of the Margrave Zahoor, heading southwest, passing through the Great Forest of Cranfell and further along the plains, the Mexes Bridge, which connects to Aken Island, comes into view in the distance. .
I endured that journey by manifesting all of the magic to maintain my teacher’s body, the floating magic to transport it, and the magic to maintain and move my own body.
“… “How long did it take?”
“3 months. “I got a little lost.”
By the time we arrived… It would have been difficult to see that he was wearing the appearance of a human being.
The place Lucy guided us to was a coastal cave that we had to go further into on the outskirts of the western coastal zone.
This is a cave that you can only find when you walk along the sea road and get close to the cliff area. The entrance was smaller than expected, so it was hard to notice.
When I went inside side by side with Lucy, the inside was quite large. It is unknown whether it is a natural cave or expanded by Lucy.
It was a cave, and the light from outside leaked in from here and there through the cracks in the broken rocks, so the inside was bright.
After continuing for a while, the scenery is wide open again. The outer wall itself was completely destroyed, so the wide open sea was visible at a glance.
It is a quite sunny place with plenty of sunlight, a cool sea breeze blowing in, and flowers blooming here and there swaying between the rocks.
Along with the tomb, there is a tombstone roughly made of stone standing between them.
And there were various miscellaneous items placed in front of the tombstone. These are probably items that the owner of the tombstone had while he was alive.
“here is… .”
“It was difficult to find it after only hearing fragmentary testimonies from long ago… “But after searching around the island for a whole week, I somehow managed to find it.”
Lucy walked past the monument and sat down facing the sea.
“It is said to be a place where great magicians and great sages exchanged teachings and trained.”
This cave overlooking the sea was a place of memories buried in the distant memories of the dead archmage.
Could it be that the time when he was training his magic while bickering with his teacher was a scene he remembered at the end of his life, rather than when he was actively traveling around the continent?
At least that’s what Lucy thought, and only the towering tombstone was located in this open cave.
The Wind Blows. It is a humid sea breeze.
Lucy’s hair, beautifully tied into two braids, dances with the wind and takes on a strangely red color as it catches the light of the red sky in the late evening.
I calmly approached the tombstone and looked at the memorabilia placed there. These are miscellaneous items such as shabby walking sticks and old robes.
“… … .”
However, one book caught my eye among them.
If you’re an ordinary person… I couldn’t help but swallow my breath.
[ Introduction to Aspect Magic – Author, Glokt Elderbane ]
“… … .”
I didn’t bother to show that I was feeling the same way. However, if you have studied magic at all, you will know everything.
Aspect magic… There is no such thing as an ‘introduction’.
A field in which a clear system has not been established even though rare wizards have rushed into it and studied it for a long time. It is a realm of magic that is like a mountain that has not yet been conquered.
Archmage Glokt until the moment of his death… He was writing a book that established this aspect of magic. Although it was not published in the end, the first draft has already been completed to some extent in the form of a book.
Its magical value is indescribable, and the same holds true even if it is converted into monetary value.
An old-fashioned travelogue in which Glokt visited the southern continent and studied the magic of that region was sold for about 7,000 flen gold coins.
He said that Travels in the South would be his last work, but was he really gathering his last strength to prepare his final work?
If this book is his posthumous work and contains an interpretation of aspect magic… First of all, I cannot measure its value in my own way.
“You can take it. “I know how to do everything anyway, so there’s no need.”
Lucy, who was sitting holding her knees while looking at the sea… He spoke carefully.
This book is Glokt’s keepsake. I couldn’t give a careless answer because I fully understood what it would mean to Lucy.
However, Lucy spoke while looking at the sky.
“This is where my journey ends.”
From the Rameln Mountains to Aken Island.
It was a hellish journey just imagining it, but the reason he was able to complete the journey in the end was probably the regret left behind by his teacher.
“But I haven’t even lived half of the life I was given. I might go on a new journey, or I might just continue living like this. still… “I plan to keep the promise I made to that old man.”
“A promise that you will keep it at least once if a crisis comes to Sylvania?”
“That’s the last duty I have left.”
The question of how he knew that was not returned. This is because I had already heard about Glokt’s will to Lucy.
That last promise is the reason why Lucy has not left Sylvania, and it can be said to be the last spell left in her life.
Only after keeping that promise will you be able to completely let Glockt go…
“I am afraid of the ‘emptiness’ that will come after I shake off all of this.”
For Lucy, she talks a lot.
However, the voice that appears to be completely blank and dazed still remains.
On the other hand, the sky I looked up at was still peaceful and beautiful.
As Lucy, who lived and watched Glokt’s twilight years up close, she realizes how scary it is to be thrown into this wide world without any reason to live.
I know it myself. Lucy was born with ridiculously strong strength.
Of course, if you decide to do it, you can become the best wizard on the continent, and you might even be able to threaten the heyday of Sylvania and Glokt, who are known as rare wizards.
But if what remains at the end is nothing but nothingness, then what is the meaning of life?
That’s why the girl finds a reason to live. Just like the teacher did, he lives his whole life running away from the void.
The teacher had memories of this coastal cave and Sylvania. In the end, there were still quite a few memories worth reflecting on at the end of that life.
How far will Lucy be allowed to go? Sometimes it turns into anticipation, sometimes it turns into fear, and it constantly lies asleep, curled up on one side of the girl’s chest.
So, I have no choice but to become lazy.
You lose interest in the world and have no choice but to just go with the flow.
By coming to Aken Island and burying my teacher, the first journey of my life has been completed to some extent.
At that point, the girl’s world was gradually becoming colorless.
Does coming to this grave make me feel depressed for some reason?
The girl sniffled and closed her eyes while hugging her knees. She doesn’t cry, she just gets a little depressed. Because it’s already happened.
Lucy speaks in a soft tone.
“It’s not a very pleasant story, and it wouldn’t be enjoyable to hear. It would only be a hassle to come to a place like this again… .”
Behind him, sitting quietly in front of the tombstone, I listened quietly without answering.
“I just wanted to show it to you.”
There is only one ordeal left in the life of the girl who quietly looks at the sky.
Once I go through that, I will be able to escape from the shadow and obsession of my teacher and lead my life fully.
However, a life without direction is like a ship lost in the ocean currents.
Because I don’t know that feeling at all… I just sat with Lucy for a while.
The sun was setting in the western sky.
The sound of waves rising from time to time echoed against the walls of the cave.
Thanks to the cool breeze of late spring, I didn’t feel cold or hot even if I sat there for a long time.
It was a fortunate thing.
