Chapter 96

◈ Chapter 96: The Feast of Flames (1)

Rudger was taken aback to find Rine here.

"Rine, what are you doing here?"

"Well, um..."

Rine hesitated, wondering whether to tell him, but since there was nothing to hide, she decided to be honest.

"Part-time job... sir."

"Part-time job?"

"Yes. I heard they needed someone to serve here, so a senior recommended me. They said the pay was good for the time."

"Ah, a part-time job."

He wondered if this was something that had to be entrusted to a student from Seoln. However, it wasn't as unusual as he thought.

The city of Leiderbalk had an agreement with Seoln.

It stipulated that Seoln students would be specially hired for various tasks needed in Leiderbalk.

The bulletin boards at Seoln also served this purpose.

The agreement aimed to provide students with the opportunity to earn the funds they needed by hiring them for relatively easy tasks.

Conversely, Leiderbalk could arrange meetings with these students, leaving a positive impression of the city and potentially recruiting talented future mages. It was a win-win situation.

Even in such a grand hall, it wasn't uncommon for a few students to come for part-time jobs.

"Besides me, there are a few other Seoln classmates here. So it's fine."

Rine laughed and reassured him.

She hadn't expected to be in such a setting either.

According to Senior Henry, it was just a part-time job to pass the time, but who would have thought it would be a grand hall where teachers and important figures gathered.

"Alright, I see."

"Oh, right. Would you like a drink?"

"Sure."

Rudger took a glass from Rine's tray and immediately quenched his thirst.

Finding Rine here was a bit unexpected, but it wasn't a big issue.

He was just a bit surprised.

There was no need for him to worry about it.

'But...'

Every time he saw her, memories of the past would resurface.

Especially now, as she stood quietly, watching him drink with sparkling eyes, it reminded him of her.

Her image, identical to Rine, wouldn't leave his mind.

"Rine, you..."

"Yes? What is it?"

Rudger, who had suddenly wanted to say something to her, couldn't finish his sentence.

"No, nothing. It's nothing."

He couldn't tell her. It was a 'promise' from the beginning, so he couldn't reveal it.

He could only give her the book.

"Don't overwork yourself and go home early."

That was the only slightly worried advice Rudger could give.

"Ah, yes. Thank you. I'll be going now."

"Alright."

After Rine bowed and left, Selina, who had just noticed her, approached Rudger and asked.

"Hey, wasn't that Rine? That girl just now?"

"Do you know her? I thought she wasn't in your class."

"Yes, I met her separately before. But why is Rine here?"

"She said she's doing a part-time job."

Selina clapped her hands.

"Oh, I see. I heard that some students who don't receive scholarships earn money through other jobs. It's surprising to see even our teaching assistant here."

"Teaching assistant?"

Rudger recalled the scene where Selina had taken students for the elemental test.

At that time, she had three teaching assistants.

"Who is it?"

"That girl over there."

Selina pointed to one side.

There was a girl with long, dark brown hair braided over her shoulder.

Her face was mostly hidden behind large glasses, but Rudger immediately recognized her.

She was definitely one of the three teaching assistants he had seen before.

"Her name is Joanna Rabbit. She's a new student at Seoln and has a deep understanding of elemental studies, so I hired her as a teaching assistant."

"I see."

Joanna Rabbit, huh.

He had never heard her name before since she wasn't in his class.

Rudger carefully observed her without drawing attention.

She was standing still, holding an empty tray, and looked like she had come for a part-time job.

'Well, maybe she just put the empty tray down.'

Perhaps he was being too sensitive.

Rudger glanced around the hall.

He could hear the murmur of people talking.

"Have you heard the news recently?"

"What news?"

"Apparently, the movements of the vagrants in the back alleys are unusual."

"Hehe. Those lower-class scoundrels? Isn't that always the case?"

"If it were just that, I wouldn't care. But this time, it's a bit different."

"How so?"

The middle-aged man cleared his throat.

"Well, they say these guys are starting a business."

Pfft.

The laughter was drowned out by the general chatter, but Rudger, who was listening closely, heard it clearly.

It was a mocking laugh.

"Hehe. Lower-class scoundrels starting a business? Are you sure you didn't see it wrong?"

"I haven't seen it myself, but I heard it's not just a rumor."

"Not just a rumor?"

"Recently, the guys who used to fight every day are now working together. They're cleaning up the slums, registering unused buildings as offices, and even bringing in large amounts of fabric."

"Wow. What are they planning to do?"

"It seems they're trying to get into the clothing business, but it won't amount to much, right?"

"Hehe. Of course. With the high-end tailors dominating the market, what can those lower-class people do?"

"It's ridiculous. They should just be content with the scraps that fall from above, dreaming of luxury."

"Don't get too angry. We don't need to go out of our way to crush them. They'll destroy themselves eventually. Let's just enjoy the wine and watch the show."

Hahaha.

They couldn't hold back their laughter.

Fools.

Rudger shook his head. They might laugh now, thinking it's foolish, but would they still see it that way later?

It's natural for individuals to fail to grasp the flow of the times.

The human world is so small, while the world itself is vast.

Beyond what can be seen, known, or mapped, the world is so immense that it can seem to stand still from their perspective.

But the world is not standing still.

'The world is endlessly moving and heading towards the future.'

History, viewed from a distance, proved this.

Though nothing might seem to happen in a day or two, looking back after a year or two reveals significant changes.

Every moment, every second, is a time of change and transformation.

'Soon, they will realize. They and others will see it.'

Having finished his thoughts, Rudger suddenly swayed in his seat.

"Professor Rudger? Are you okay?"

"It's nothing. The floor is a bit slippery."

Selina, who was looking at him with concern, asked.

"Are you... I... can I..."

"I'll just go get some fresh air."

The voices around him began to blend into noise.

Rudger took a deep breath and immediately left his seat.

Selina looked worried, but she didn't follow when he insisted.

He stepped out onto the outdoor balcony, which was empty as the feast was in full swing.

"Huh."

Buzz.

The ringing in his ears, like needles pricking his forehead, temples, and skull, made Rudger grab the marble railing.

The indistinct noise gradually took on a clearer form.

[Accept...]

[Our... power...]

[You are... chosen...]

"Shut up."

Rudger lightly shouted at the voices and pulled out a pill from his pocket.

Unlike the usual 2 or 3 pills, he stuffed as many as he could into his mouth.

The massive magical power and the analgesic effect began to reduce his headache.

At the same time, the voices that had become clearer started to fade again, as if trapped behind a fog.

The noise gradually diminished, like an echo fading into the distance.

"Huh."

Rudger sighed in relief and gazed at the night view of Leiderbalk beyond the balcony railing.

The city, with its lights shining through, was radiant even in the darkness.

Rudger felt the night breeze, which was gradually growing warm.

He closed his eyes for a moment and thought.

What he should do next. What he could do.

The answer was always clear in his heart.

* * *

'Rudger Chellis?'

Chris Benimoor, who was taking a break and wandering around, saw Rudger Chellis standing alone on the outdoor balcony and instinctively hid behind a wall.

'What is he doing alone here?'

Just 30 minutes ago, he had decisively defeated the mage hired by Luxa in front of everyone.

Chris Benimoor had watched the duel.

He had hoped Rudger would be defeated disgracefully, but that didn't happen.

Rudger had overwhelmed his opponent with powerful magic in front of everyone.

The speed of his magic was instantaneous, and Chris realized it was the [Source Code] magic.

A formidable man. He tried to ignore the growing inferiority complex in his heart.

'He should be surrounded by people, hearing all sorts of flattery.'

But here, now.

He witnessed Rudger's suspicious behavior.

'He's eating something?'

The usually expressionless man, who never showed his emotions, now looked visibly exhausted.

He pulled something out of his pocket and started putting it in his mouth.

'A pill?'

The way he was eating it hastily suggested it was something he usually took. Maybe he had a chronic illness?

Or perhaps...

Chris Benimoor's thoughts reached a conclusion at that moment.

'He wouldn't be taking pills in such excess. No matter what kind of pill, taking too many is always harmful.'

But there was one type of pill that didn't follow this rule.

A potion that restores magical power.

'Pills that restore magical power are rare, but they do exist. If he's taking them, it means he's running low on magical power?'

Then why?

Chris's mind raced.

'Because of the duel just now.'

Rudger had used flashy magic one after another in front of everyone.

The power of the magic wasn't great, and most were 2nd or 3rd tier spells, but Chris knew.

Rudger was running low on magical power.

Chris Benimoor had discovered Rudger's weakness for the first time.

'So that's it. The reason he ended the magic duel so quickly was because of this.'

Rudger Chellis's hidden secret, unknown to anyone.

He had an absurdly low amount of magical power.

Whether it was congenital or due to some reason, the result was the same.

He must have been taking magical power restoration potions regularly to keep it hidden.

Chris Benimoor couldn't help but smile slyly.

He had found his weakness, something no one else knew.

He was already happy thinking about how to use this information.

'Right. The upcoming Magic Festival. That's where I'll do it.'

Chris Benimoor fled, fearing Rudger might notice him before he fully recovered.

* * *

'Finally, it's over.'

The excessive use of magical power during the magic duel earlier was the root cause.

At first, he thought it was fine, but as he conversed with others, he didn't realize his magical power was running out.

'I've really become lax.'

He had to take pills regularly, but he had forgotten.

There were many other things on his mind, but he needed to reflect on himself a bit.

'Anyway, I managed to narrow down the suspects for who Esmeralda is, but...'

Just as he thought this and returned to the hall,

Screams erupted almost simultaneously from all directions.

"Ah!"

"It's a, a monster!"

Everyone screamed in terror.

Rudger, who had just returned to the hall, also saw it.

At the center of the hall, a giant made of burning flames appeared on the table.

The giant, towering almost to the high ceiling of the grand hall, swept its glowing eyes over the interior.

'Esmeralda!'

Rudger realized who was behind this.

The First Order of the Black Dawn Society, Esmeralda, had summoned an elemental.