Memorize Chapter 259

<Flashback>

“Su-Hyeon.”

“…”

“Why’s your face all puffy again?”

“It’s not puffy.”

I tried to sound calm, but my tone betrayed an unmistakable sulkiness. My long-awaited brother had finally visited, but I deliberately kept my head turned away. A sigh, presumably his, drifted from the doorway.

“Ugh. Are you mad because I didn’t take you on this expedition? It was too dangerous, I had no choice.”

“It’s not just this expedition. And am I the only one in danger? You and the clan members are at risk too. It’s the same for everyone.”

“I told you, it’s okay if I’m in danger. But not you.”

“What kind of logic is that? You don’t get it. Do you know how the others—brothers, sisters, everyone—look at me? Like I’m some coward hiding in your shadow! Doing nothing but eating and sleeping, a freeloader.”

“No one thinks that.”

A gentle hand began ruffling my hair—he’d approached without me noticing. I considered turning around but held firm. This time, I was determined to wring out a promise to join the next expedition.

“No tasks? Who said that? You only skip expeditions. Everything else, you handle almost single-handedly. Everyone thinks you’re an amazing manager. Haha.”

“They’re just saying that to your face. And you think I enjoy those tasks? I do them because there’s nothing else to do.”

His calm, almost coaxing voice made my resolve waver, but I steeled myself. How many times have I been through this? Giving in now would render all my pent-up frustration meaningless. But…

“Here, a gift.”

“What’s this?”

“Expedition reports. Not just our clan’s, but the neighboring group found and explored ruins in the Gorge of Hallucination. These are the records. You wanted to read them, right?”

“Hmph. T-The information will come out eventually, so don’t act so smug.”

My head whipped around at the sight of the stack of reports. Realizing my mistake, I hesitated, but our eyes had already met. His gentle smile sparked irritation, and I snatched the records like a hawk seizing prey.

“The Gorge of Hallucination, the ancient magical city of Magia…? A magical city?”

“Yeah, it’s in the later pages. They say it’s a city akin to a mage’s tower from ancient times. They call it the Mage Tower for short. Essentially, it’s a city built around it.”

“Oh.”

“But you know what’s really interesting? The boss of those ruins…”

Reading expedition reports was one of my small joys, especially since I couldn’t join large-scale ones. I was about to ask for silence to read when he spoke again, as if to ruin my fun.

“It’s said to be a mage from ancient times, at least hundreds of years old.”

“…”

“They say he was incredibly powerful. Even the famous IstanTel Law expedition failed once. So this time, they prepared a near-extermination-level force… Su-Hyeon? Why are you glaring at me?”

“You spoiled it…!”

*

<Native Status>

1. Name: Marvolo de Aylight + Magia  

2. Class: Normal Mage Master  

3. Nation: -  

4. Clan: -  

5. True Name · Nationality: Betrayer Dreaming of a False God · Arsilion (a fallen nation)  

6. Sex: Male (276)  

7. Height · Weight: 187.6 cm · 67.2 kg  

8. Alignment: Lunatic · Perversion  

[Strength 56] [Resistance 48] [Agility 52] [Vitality 40] [Magic 100] [Luck 92]

(Embodies the essence of the magical city of Magia, the pinnacle of magic in Hall Plain 300 years ago. This power can temporarily defy natural laws, akin to a walking magical city. However, despite defying nature temporarily, he cannot escape human limitations.)

<Unique Ability (1/1)>  

1. Ancient Magical City Magia (Rank: S Zero)

<Special Ability (1/1)>  

1. Mind Manipulation (Rank: A +++)

<Potential Abilities (3/3)>  

1. Ancient Magic (Rank: EX)  

2. Unextinguished Light of Wisdom (Rank: S Zero)  

3. Chantless Casting (Rank: S Zero)

'So this is the guy.'

Reading his status, I let out a hollow laugh. The great mage of ancient Hall Plain, Marvolo de Aylight, who reached the pinnacle of magic. His title, nationality, and alignment were unsettling, but his stats were impeccable.

“What’s this? I suddenly feel uneasy,” Marvolo grumbled, frowning and waving his hand, likely sensing my Third Eye scanning him. Even as a figure from the past, his heroic status wasn’t unearned. This boss fight wouldn’t be easy, unlike others.

Despite his apology and polite invitation, my raised sword didn’t waver. He raised an eyebrow and spoke.

“Put that menacing thing away before I snap it.”

“…”

“Stubborn guest, huh? Fine, no need to go to the castle.”

Snap!

With a resigned look, he snapped his fingers again. The air trembled faintly. Tracing the flow, I sensed vibrations spreading outward from him in a circular pattern.

“Then allow me, the master of this city, to welcome you once more.”

Marvolo spoke warmly, his kind expression intact. The ground, made of square stones, began to change. The stones melted into liquid, then transformed into soft, light-brown soil. Grass sprouted, swaying gently, and beautiful flowers and trees emerged sporadically.

Inhaling deeply, I caught a refreshing scent, like that of the Plateau of Delusion, clearing my mind. Glancing forward, I saw Marvolo seated leisurely on a wooden chair that had appeared out of nowhere, sipping tea and gazing at me.

“Welcome to the magical city of Magia, players. I am Marvolo de Aylight, its master. …Well, I think that’s enough hospitality. Will you sit?”

“This is…”

“Just a small trick. Come, sit. We can fight anytime. I’d prefer to meet you in one piece, so please don’t reject my gesture.”

'Definitely a lunatic.'

His final words carried a cryptic undertone. As a chair slid toward me, I fell into thought.

*

The situation was tricky. Only two chairs faced each other, and Marvolo’s remark—“Leaders of each side should talk; underlings have no place interfering”—meant I alone sat. I’d planned to fight immediately, but hearing him out didn’t seem like a bad idea.

“Finally got you to sit. Let’s get to it—I’m curious about you.”

“I’ve got questions too, so I’ll go first.”

“What? Tsk, don’t they teach you to respect elders in your world?”

“Respect? I know how to attack. Shall I show you?”

I stomped the ground, sending a wave of force. Marvolo, unimpressed, raised a hand and effortlessly nullified it.

“Cheeky brat. My mistake.”

“I don’t want to waste time. Let’s get to it. How do you know about the ‘player’?”

“Tch, so impatient. Some people—players like you—stumbled here before. Dealing with them taught me about you.”

“Dealing with them?”

“Better to show than tell a hundred times. Excuse me for a moment.”

Whoosh!

As he finished, a sharp sound cut through the air, followed by a faint scream behind me.

“Eek!”

“There. Take a look.”

The voice belonged to Kim Han-Byeol. Turning as Marvolo suggested, I witnessed an extraordinary sight. Her arms were raised, hands forming a heart shape above her head, knees slightly bent—an adorably exaggerated pose unimaginable for the usual her. Her face, however, was flushed with embarrassment.

“W-What? Huh?”

“Hoho, splendid. This is the first stage of my mind manipulation. And the second stage is… Hm?”

Bang!

Another sharp sound cut through the air. Without hesitation, I swung my sword from my seated position. A firecracker-like pop echoed, and Kim Han-Byeol, mid-dance, stumbled like a puppet with cut strings, regaining her stance. Marvolo, genuinely shocked, fixed his gaze on me.

“What was that? How’d you do it? Did you break it? Or cut it?”

“I cut it. Think of it as one of our player abilities, if you know about them. And if you want to show off, use your own lackeys, not my comrades.”

My sharp retort made him smack his lips and retract his hand. His display confirmed my suspicion: the players—or vagrants—who’d given him information about us were likely manipulated into spilling everything.

“Oh, right, some players with exceptional classes pop up now and then. Fine, I’ve answered your question. Your turn.”

We traded questions, an unspoken agreement forming. Amid the relaxed yet subtly murderous atmosphere, I felt a familiar tension—the confidence of those certain of their strength. His expression suggested he found this situation highly amusing.

“There were players who entered here recently, in two groups.”

“Indeed. Time means little to me, so I don’t recall exactly when, but two groups, yes.”

“Where are they now?”

“Hm. Some are locked in my castle.”

'Some.' A clear answer, but it meant that of the ten from the Riverside group and fourteen from the first rescue team, several were already dead. I nodded once or twice, gesturing for him to ask his question.

“…”

Marvolo didn’t speak immediately. His eyes, growing increasingly intrigued, studied me. After a moment, just as I wondered if he was overheating, his lips parted.

“Strange, very strange. You’re different from the others.”

“No question?”

“I debated, but I’m curious. Aren’t you wondering who I am?”

“…”

“Most humans, upon entering and seeing me, always ask, ‘Who are you?’ in some form. But you seem utterly uninterested. I just said time means nothing to me, yet you show no curiosity. It’s… like you already know who I am.”

His words stung, but I kept my face neutral, lighting a cigarette. I felt a sudden gratitude toward An Hyun.

Sizzle, sizzle.

“I have a rough idea. Marvolo de Aylight, the great mage of ancient Hall Plain.”

His face stiffened slightly as I spoke his name. Unfazed, I continued leisurely.

“A hero who defeated evil forces but became a betrayer, kidnapping the hero and the fairy queen out of love for her… or so the records say.”

“Betrayer… Betrayer, huh. Not entirely wrong. But aren’t you curious? Like how I’m still alive after all this time?”

“Players don’t care about trivial details. To us, you’re just the master of these ruins—nothing more, nothing less. We’re here for the ruins, and you’re just a target to defeat.”

“I see. Cutting through the nonsense to get to the point.”

Marvolo chewed over my words, chuckling faintly in agreement. Sighing deeply, he spoke quietly.

“Honestly, I wasn’t that interested in you lot. I achieved my original goal here and was content to enjoy it. But recently, a problem arose.”

“…”

“You say you don’t care, but I am this city. Magia is the culmination of ancient Hall Plain’s magical technology. I absorbed its essence, gaining godlike power.”

'Half a god, more like.'

“No way. Is that even possible?” Kim Han-Byeol interjected, her face cold from the earlier manipulation.

Marvolo, clearly displeased by the interruption, frowned and rolled up one sleeve, revealing intricate metaphysical symbols etched densely into his skin, continuing beyond the robe.

“Players. You’re granted powers by angels, right? I’m almost jealous of how easily you wield them.”

“But…”

“But? Child, we natives are different. We build magic through grueling effort from childhood—studying until our heads burst, practicing spells until our fingers break. So don’t question our achievements when you gain power through half-hearted training. It’s possible, I tell you. Now, child—”

“…”

“I’m here to talk to your master, not the likes of you. If you open that mouth again, I’ll personally tear you apart from your thighs.”

His tone remained gentle, his expression soft, with no overt malice. Yet his words carried undeniable sincerity. Kim Han-Byeol, sensing it, stayed silent, only letting out a sharp breath.

“Hmph. Sorry about that. I can be generous to those worth my time, but others are like insects to me. She’s your subordinate, but it’s a principle of mine, so please respect it.”

“That’s not my concern. Done with your question?”

“Impatient brat. You seem eager to wrap this up, and I’m not in the best mood either. Shall we speed things up? One last question each. I’ll go first. What was that power you used to tear through my barrier?”

“Fire.”

A simple answer. Unsurprisingly, he frowned, pressing further.

“More specifically. That barrier isn’t something a mere individual’s power can breach. The others only got through because I let them, but I actively tried to stop you. Yet you broke it easily. That’s why I’m truly curious about you.”

“It’s part of the player system, you could say. To elaborate, it’s power gained through a fair deal with an angel.”

He’d said he let others through and mentioned a recent problem. This suggested the problem required a solution involving players—or rather, human sacrifices. Recalling my first life, I had a rough idea of what that problem was.

As I sank into thought, Marvolo, assuming I wouldn’t elaborate, kept his displeased expression. It was my turn to ask. After a moment’s thought, I voiced a sudden curiosity.

“What happened to the hero and the fairy queen?”

“Lloyd and Margarita? They reached superhuman levels, but it’s been a while. Lloyd’s been dead for some time. I never intended to let him live.”

“And the fairy queen?”

“Margarita…”

In my first life, I recalled her body being found, relatively intact, suggesting she hadn’t been dead long. She might still be alive. Waiting for his answer, Marvolo gave a sinister smile, his lips curling almost to his ears as he chuckled.

“Margarita… Hmm, what do you think happened to her? Kehkehkeh..”

“…Never mind.”

“Don’t take it personally. You gave me half-answers too. I at least answered half your question.”

“It’s fine. I was about to end this ‘elder respect’ anyway.”

“Pity. I thought those with powers beyond human limits might connect. Power from an angel must be something humans can’t handle.”

“Everyone, prepare for combat.”

“You really think you can defeat me? In this city, I’m no different from a god.”

His confident voice rang out, but I didn’t respond. Sheathing the Sun-Moon Divine Sword, I gripped the hilt of the Nameless Sword, staring at him through my Third Eye.

“Well, all I see is a ruined city and a half-baked god.”