Genius Prismatic Mage Chapter 272

#272. The City of Wizards (1)

A specific word the man uttered really grabbed Ray's nerves.

'The city of wizards.'

I'm guessing it's above sector 26, beyond the distortion field.

It was a place that was highly likely to be the next destination.

Ray checked the business card.

[Ristoan School]

[Vice President Gerard]

“The School of Ristorante?”

“Yes. It is a school that focuses on studying and dealing with healing and defensive magic.”

Ray turned his face slightly and asked Veronica.

“Have you ever heard of it?”

“I’ve never heard of it before. I saw a magic tower in Sector 33 as I was passing by….”

“It wasn’t very large in scale. There wasn’t even a separate school.”

Rather than a research group with a clear goal, it was more like a small community that recruited talented children and taught them magic.

He turned his head again and asked.

“You came from the city of wizards?”

“Yes, that’s right. I guess that might require some explanation.”

Ray glanced down.

The man's attitude was very businesslike.

But the bowl was overflowing with an uncontrollable feeling of joy.

'I think it's because of Veronica's healing magic.'

Ray, after scanning the other emotions, came to a conclusion.

That I'm not lying.

You really came from the city of wizards.

It could be said that this was a situation where much-needed information rolled in on its own.

“If you come from the city of wizards, you must know a lot about it.”

“Yes, of course. But why are your eyes like that…?”

The next moment, the sight the man saw was that of a boy holding high a thick dictionary with a red cover.

Boom!

Thud!

“That was comfortable!”

“Not effective.”

Ray, who had answered Veronica's words, stared at the swollen back of the man's head.

I had no intention of missing out on the information that had just rolled in.

*

“Ugh… .”

Man, Gerard opened his eyes to find himself in a dark basement.

Torture devices were visible through the flickering lights.

“This place is…?”

As I was panicking, I heard a voice from the darkness ahead.

“I’m nervous. I only studied the theory at the training center, but this is my first time actually putting it into practice.”

“How about starting with just one nail? If you increase the number, you can even reveal the location of the secret base.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea.”

"what…!"

At that moment, the voices stopped.

There was a brief noise, and then a young man and a boy wearing strange iron masks appeared from the darkness.

“I think you’re awake.”

“I think we can start right away.”

“Hey, who are you guys? Why are you doing this to me!”

Gerard writhed in terror as he saw two figures slowly approaching him, carrying hideous instruments.

However, his limbs were tied to the chair and he could not move.

Even when I tried to cast magic, for some reason my mana was scattered and I couldn't move.

A young man who had arrived in front of Gerard's eyes caught his fingernails with a pair of tongs and whispered in his ear.

“Don’t worry. It’s written in the theory book. Pain is momentary, pleasure is eternal.”

“Ah, no! Wait! Wait!”

“That’s a nice saying. I don’t quite understand what it means, though.”

“That voice! That boy from earlier! Why are you doing this to me!

I felt the cold metal digging into my fingernails.

Gerard, who realized the force being applied gradually, began to feel cold sweat on his face and body.

“First! First! Stop! Let’s talk! Shouldn’t you tell me why you’re doing this!”

“If you had just blown it like that, you wouldn’t have seen any blood.”

“What should I have asked! No! No! Stop you guys! I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you anything! Everything!”

The moving tongs stopped.

“Anything?”

“Anything! No, you didn’t even ask me anything in the first place!”

Ray and Solitaire looked at each other and took off their masks as they spoke.

“That’s too bad.”

“That’s too bad.”

As Ray floated the ball of light, the room became as bright as day.

Veronica, who had been standing on one side, approached carrying three chairs.

Knock, knock.

Ray, sitting in the middle, asked.

“Why did you chase us down the street?”

“Hoo, hoo, can you please let this go for now?”

“Solitaire, tongs.”

“I saw a girl next to me perform a miracle. She lifted a crippled person out of his seat.”

Gerard's eyes became hazy as if he was reliving the scene from earlier.

“The pure white halo, the magic of the elements combining in a way that defied the laws of reality… was truly a miracle.”

“Was it a form that broke the rules?”

“Yes, any school of thought would have said it was a miracle.”

“If you use your imagination, you can do that.”

“Yes…? What do you mean?”

Ray, seeing the bewildered reaction, was able to make one inference.

Imagination is said to have been used by all wizards of old.

The power that allows elements to move beyond laws and limits seems to have been put to use not only here, but also within the city of magicians.

Then Gerard looked at Veronica with longing eyes and said:

“The people here are the girl─.”

“It’s Veronica.”

“─Yes, it seems that Lady Veronica is already called a saint. I believe that you are truly worthy of such a title. You are the one who will one day be able to save the world. Not only here, outside the walls, but also in the city of wizards.”

Ray interjected, reacting to the mention of the city of wizards.

“The city of wizards, it’s located above sector 26, right? Coordinates 162, 32, 72.”

“How, how do you know that?”

Gerard opened his eyes wide.

“Did you hear it from someone? I guess the information has spread recently since there have been many people going outside the walls, but even so, you know the location. Who are you? Who revealed the location?”

I didn't hear anything specifically.

I just guessed at the location of the giant distortion field seen from the top of the World Tree.

“It doesn’t matter how I know. What matters is that you must now tell me everything you know about the City of Wizards.”

“… … .”

Gerard was deep in thought.

He did not waver even when the tongs were waved in front of his eyes, and only after a long while did he speak as if he had come to his own conclusion.

“I will tell you everything. I think you already know a little about the city of wizards. Also, it will be revealed to the world someday, and I cannot hide it forever if I want to ask for help.”

The story continued quietly.

Gerard knew nothing about the city's history.

It is said that the origin is that the people of the Red Guardians wandered the world after winning the war and settled in the upper reaches of the Elton River.

Its original name was the Red Citadel, and it was said that those who were defeated in a struggle were expelled outside the walls.

'I have no idea what you're talking about.'

It seems that the history was lost over a long period of time.

The stories that came out of Gerard's mouth were all about the current state of the wizard city.

“First of all, magic has developed to a level that is incomparable to that here.”

There is no place in real life where magic is not used.

All residents are connected through technology.

“We are also aware of the world outside the walls.”

However, the city has been hiding its existence and not coming out.

Because I had the value that there was no need to mix with the inferior world.

“The vast majority of people have that kind of fundamental sense of being chosen people. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t.”

Solitaire, who was listening to the story at that time, expressed her displeasure and said.

“You said earlier that many people have recently come out of the walls. You must be one of them. Those who have turned their backs on the outside world, hoping to live well among themselves, why are they coming out of the walls now?”

“… … .”

“Please answer.”

The silence continues.

Solitaire shouted.

“Answer─! Please─!”

“…to live.”

Gerard hung his head as if he had no face.

According to his subsequent words, there were countless schools in the city of magicians, and the conflicts were also fierce.

The authority of the school is established by powerful magic.

Everyone was eager to develop magic, and excessive experimentation and use of magic caused continuous pollution.

“Does that pollution mean black clouds?”

“That’s right. It’s gotten to the point where it can’t be dealt with by just letting it flow out of the walls, and now the entire city… .”

Thud!

Solitaire, who got up by pushing the chair away, grabbed Gerard by the collar.

He growled fiercely, showing extreme anger that was unusual for him.

“Have some shame! You have been passing on the cost of your comfortable life to us, and now you are asking for help because you are in a disadvantageous situation!”

Thud!

The top button of his shirt was ripped off, exposing the nape of Gerard's neck.

A black mark larger than the palm of one's hand covered the place.

“Ugh! Ugh! Ha, but please understand! Not all schools have a selfish attitude. Lee, the Listoa School is one of the schools that has advocated for opening the walls to the outside world since its inception and has been working to solve pollution!”

Gerard, who was lifted up on a chair, shouted desperately.

A little later.

Thud!

“Whoa! Whoosh! Whoosh, whoosh.”

Solitaire glared coldly at Gerard, who was catching his breath.

“Let’s live with the guilt for the rest of our lives. No matter how hard you try to solve the problem, the fact remains that you have been living a comfortable life inside the walls.”

Then he turned his head and apologized in an embarrassed voice.

“Ray, Veronica, I’m sorry. It was my fault that our conversation was interrupted for a moment.”

“I don’t have to worry about it.”

“It’s okay. You did a good job.”

After the mood had calmed down somewhat, Ray asked Gerard.

“So what you want to say is, I want you to cure me?”

“No. I don’t care what happens to that kind of person. But my daughter… what wrong could that young person, the innocent people of the city do?”

Disease caused by black rain, black disease.

According to Gerard, the number of sick people caused by it is just as high as outside the walls.

No, rather, it is a more serious situation in terms of the type and degree of symptoms.

“I know it’s shameless. But since you came… sob, could you please just look at my daughter who is falling into an eternal sleep just once, just once?”

Gerard began to cry as he spoke, his emotions running high.

Ray, who was staring at the true emotions contained in his bowl, looked back at Veronica and said.

“The choice is yours.”

“… … .”

Solitaire also spoke to Veronica.

“I didn’t see the miracle that happened on the street, but Veronica really has the power of a blessing. However, the church will respect Veronica’s will and intention. Not only this, if you want, you don’t have to become a saint of the church either. If you turn around and continue on the path you were on, we won’t complain.”

“… … .”

Veronica pursed her lips with a complicated expression.

Then, after a while.

“I want to go.”

He opened his mouth and spoke firmly.

“If there are sick people there.”

Knock—knock—knock.

Veronica stopped in front of Gerard and put her hand on the back of his neck.

“I’m not leaving right away. I’m going to leave after I fully understand my abilities and take care of all the sick people here. I don’t know when that will be, but if that’s okay, please wait.”

A bright halo of light radiated out, covering the nape of Gerard's neck.

The black marks slowly disappeared.

Like darkness facing light.