### Chapter: 271
“Oh boy, I really messed up.”
Kraush quickly realized what that meant.
It was because of the terrifying glare in the Mage King’s eyes that were now directed at him.
Somehow, Baioren had crossed a line she definitely shouldn’t have.
“……Talking about it just gets me heated.”
Baioren coughed again, acknowledging her blunder.
Looking at the Mage King, it was clear he hadn’t even bothered to register what she was saying.
Given his personality, he was probably more interested in digging into Baioren’s motivations instead.
And in a fit of anger, Baioren blurted something she shouldn’t have.
“What did you say?”
“He outright denied the real goal that bastard wants to achieve with his magic.”
Upon hearing Baioren’s response, Kraush finally understood.
It made perfect sense why the Mage King was so furious.
Kraush treated the Mage King like a lunatic, unlike the other Holy Swords.
The Holy Swords at least strengthened themselves for a greater cause.
But the Mage King? He climbed to the top solely to fulfill his personal ambitions.
And not just that; he had even dulled his emotions and memories through magic just to achieve his goals—talk about a nutcase.
His one and only life’s goal?
To create a race made entirely of magic.
The only thing that got a reaction out of him was anything related to his dream.
Even Kraush had no clue how the Mage King’s obsession came to be.
The Mage King’s inner workings were a mystery.
But one thing was for sure: when he feels his dream is denied, he shows some serious emotion.
“What do you think you’re playing at?”
“Anything I say gets twisted, so what’s the point?”
Baioren spat as she awkwardly pulled away from Kraush’s embrace.
“Kraush.”
Just then, Aslan stepped up beside Kraush.
He shot glances between Baioren and the Mage King before focusing back on Kraush.
If Temarin Jeblam were truly just his son, Aslan could have overwhelmed him with magic.
But unfortunately, he was the Mage King they were dealing with.
Before long, Haring and Bianca had also gotten up and were looking this way.
When Blaire’s eyes met Kraush’s, he nodded reassuringly to show he was okay.
The innkeeper was peeking over from a corner, startled by the unexpected explosion.
Thankfully, there were no other guests around.
Thud—
Meanwhile, the Mage King landed on the floor.
The pressure he once emanated had gradually subsided.
Kraush noted the Mage King’s self-restraint.
One would wonder what kind of madman would cast mental magic on themselves, but the Mage King was that kind of guy.
The Mage King’s calm eyes rested on Kraush.
“You’ve caused quite the ruckus.”
After some short words, he turned and left.
What the hell, it was obvious he noticed Baioren trying to speak up for him.
‘Right now, I guess he’s lost interest since he’s holding back his emotions.’
But with time, he could pull some tricks, and that made Kraush’s head pound.
Just then, Baioren, still feverish, suddenly yelled out.
“Hey! If you’re gonna throw a fit, you better take responsibility!”
And what she said next stunned everyone.
While she was clearly blaming him for her birth, everyone else—totally in the dark—would interpret her words very differently.
As everyone stared blankly at Baioren, Kraush just facepalmed and sighed.
But not even the Mage King, who was known for being stoic, flinched at her outburst as he departed.
“Some nutjob who got obsessed with a sorceress he met in the past…”
Muttering with a mix of anger, Kraush realized Baioren seemed to know about the Mage King’s past.
“Baioren.”
At Kraush’s call, Baioren glanced over.
“I want to hear more about that story.”
Who knows, it might be useful for dealing with the Mage King.
—
After briefly calming down the chaos caused by the Mage King and Baioren, Kraush shook his head, trying to dismiss the irritated faces of the women lamenting the Mage King.
It was unfortunate that Baioren found herself in a precarious situation, feeling abandoned by the Mage King.
But Kraush decided to stop worrying about it.
“So, Baioren, I get the feeling you know something about the Mage King’s past.”
After guzzling down some water, Baioren exhaled and looked at Kraush.
“Can’t help but know. After all, that bastard’s family.”
She seemed really displeased by that fact.
“That guy has a drawer where he keeps memories and emotions on purpose. I happened to open it once.”
“Is it okay to talk about that?”
“Shouldn’t be an issue.”
Whether or not the Mage King approved was another matter, but it seemed Baioren felt free to discuss it.
“Can you tell me? I’ll gladly give that loser a hard time if I can.”
She still seemed quite peeved.
“Please.”
So, Kraush decided to hear Baioren out.
Terasius Jeblam.
The reason he dreamed of creating a magical race stemmed from a certain sorceress.
In his childhood, Terasius’s family, the Jeblam, was a poor clan, barely surviving outside the main kingdom.
At the time, there was no Jeblam Magic Kingdom, just a small town and a magic tower.
That’s where Terasius grew up.
His interest in magic sparked from a single magic book filling his family’s bookshelf.
Basics of Magic.
A pure, innocent introductory book about magic.
But the moment Terasius laid his eyes on it, he absorbed its information and even managed to apply it.
His achievements came just a week into self-study—despite never having undergone proper training.
Genius.
That was the best description for him.
But there was no environment in that backwater town for his talents to flourish.
“Magic? When are you even going to learn that? We don’t even have money here! Ugh, your father’s coming back! Go plow the fields!”
“Hey, you lousy woman, bring me a drink! What do you mean a noble just came back from work!”
His father, a mere figurehead, drank and gambled every day.
Add to that, he wasn’t shy about raising a hand against his family.
His mother was a prostitute he brought home from the inn he visited regularly.
She married him thinking he was a noble, but her life only worsened in the marriage.
Soon enough, she disappeared entirely.
Terasius didn’t care.
He didn’t want the warmth of family.
He just wanted magic.
However, his magical pursuits hit a wall in that backwater town.
No matter how much of a genius he was, self-taught knowledge meant a slow learning curve.
So, Terasius left home.
He aimed for the nearest magic tower.
But the outskirts weren’t peaceful enough for a child to roam freely.
Not long after, he encountered an erosion creature.
Using the magic he had learned, he tried to fight the creature.
But with just basic magic, he couldn’t hope to win.
Nevertheless, not wanting to look like a fool, he slightly injured the creature, but failed to finish it off.
Just when the genius was about to meet his end,
“Hey, Magic Boy, you’ve got some pretty unique spells there.”
A woman appeared, incinerating the erosion creature in one fell swoop.
The woman, with red-red hair, smiled at the bloodied Terasius.
“Moreover, you have talent. I’m just a passing sorceress, shall we have a good long chat?”
The sorceress, whom Terasius met in the forest, treated his wounds.
From then on, he discussed endless topics about magic with her throughout the night.
Having survived in harsh circumstances, many of his emotions had dulled.
But when he met her, he felt joy for the first time.
It was an emotion he had never experienced before, tied solely to learning magic.
That left a profound impact on Terasius.
Endless debates about magic went on through the night with that passing sorceress.
Then, just as suddenly as she appeared, she disappeared.
Terasius, at the time, hadn’t thought to look for her.
Instead, he cherished the magical conversations they had.
Because he believed other sorcerers would be similar to her.
Once he reached the tower, he indeed met numerous sorcerers and had casual talks with them.
But before long, he realized one crushing truth.
None of the sorcerers he met could engage in a genuine conversation that reached the same truth about magic as that sorceress had.
Frustration consumed him.
Wondering if he had become too powerful, he sought out renowned sorcerers only to find they too revered him, leaving no room for equal dialogue.
Terasius found the world paradoxically dull.
So, he obsessively searched for that woman to reclaim the connection he had felt.
After an arduous search, he finally stumbled upon her.
But she was lifeless, a corpse.
She had long since perished, buried unceremoniously in the ground.
The reason for her death was unclear.
Though he found multiple ailments in her, they didn’t seem to be the cause of her passing.
Despair washed over Terasius.
He felt as if the world was crumbling around him.
He had amassed so much magic over time, yet the only one he could converse with about its truths was gone.
He felt utterly alone in this world.
And not long after, Terasius made a radical decision.
If there was no one left to discuss magic with, then he’d just create them.
A madman’s ridiculous notion.
But he was a genius above all.
Sorcerers were those who tirelessly pursued knowledge of magic.
They would sell their souls for it if need be.
Terasius began teaching his magic to others.
Even renowned sorcerers began to flock to him for a taste of his teachings.
Taking those followers, he sought to explore the bounds of magic and founded a nation.
None dared to thwart the nation-building of Terasius.
When even the nation’s own sorcerers yearned to learn from him, opposing the establishment of the Jeblam Kingdom would mean all the sorcerers would defect to him.
Neighboring nations had no choice but to accept the founding of Jeblam and even foster good relations for future cooperation.
Thus, from the tangled web of interests, the Jeblam Magic Kingdom was born.
But people remained oblivious.
The reason Terasius founded his kingdom was purely due to the vast resources needed to create a magical race.
Terasius simultaneously progressed in many magical studies alongside pursuing the creation of magical beings.
To sorcerers, the birth of a magical race was akin to a dream.
Eventually, many sorcerers pooled resources and began supporting the creation of a magical race.
Gathering resources via the kingdom, Terasius allocated numerous sorcerers to engage in simultaneous studies.
With both processes underway, Terasius was tirelessly invested in creating magical beings.
Over time, that dream became all-consuming for Terasius.
That was why Terasius Jeblam became the Mage King, obsessively pursuing his aspiration.
Listening to everything, Kraush pressed his chin thoughtfully.
“Wow, what a crazy idiot, right? He’s so lonely he wants to create his own kind or something.”
Baioren shivered as if the thought itself was distasteful.
But Kraush remained silent, contemplating.
Noticing Kraush’s thoughts, Baioren narrowed her eyes and glanced at him.
“Why, do you think it’s a good idea or something?”
“No, not that exactly. Baioren, could you give me a precise description of that woman you met?”
“Her appearance?”
Baioren pondered for a bit.
“Red hair, looking like she’s in her mid-20s, with red eyes.”
“……”
Kraush, upon hearing that, peeked out the window.
A crow had been sitting quietly but suddenly flapped its wings and flew away.
A vast knowledge of magic.
Red hair and crimson eyes.
And her distinctive way of speaking.
Kraush finally pinpointed who the Mage King’s enticing sorceress was.
“……I think I know who turned the Mage King into this mess.”
The one who discussed the truth of magic with the Mage King.
And the one responsible for his current state.
It was none other than the Crimson Garden’s August.
This jerk’s handiwork, without a doubt.
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