The Book Eating Magician - Chapter 380
Wuuuong…!
The space gate connected to the Baekun Mountains shone, and people started to emerge. Starting with Theodore in the front, Veronica, Aquilo, and the others traveled over thousands of kilometers back to Meltor. Once the last person emerged, Theodore cut off the supply of magic power that was being consumed with every second.
「 Close. 」
It was scary to see the space gate close immediately.
“Eh? It takes a bit of time when I do it.” Veronica was surprised when she saw the space gate close in a matter of seconds.
Theodore answered with a smile, “It is due to the priority of the command authority. If users other than me use it, the power is reduced by a few percent. To be exact, I am the user with the ‘key’.”
When designing the structure of the central tower, including the space gates, Theodore had created ‘keys’ and designated several people as the sub-masters.
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There was a ring of pure silver on his right hand. It was the prohibited book, Lemegeton, that controlled all facilities in the central magic tower. Despite having lost close to 80% of his function, he was the prohibited book that been made personally by King Solomon. There was no way to break through the security system.
[Ahem! I am a precious body!]
Theodore smiled at Goetia and spoke to the people nearby, “Now! Let’s disband. We have traveled a long way. Rest, or move if you have any work to do.”
The people gathered around him started to disperse. Randolph and Titania were tired from the battle and moved toward a room to rest. Theodore hadn’t healed Aquilo completely, so she moved to the infirmary as he recommended. Only three people were left behind in the research laboratory.
“White Tower Master, please give your report to His Majesty first. I will visit you in the afternoon.”
“Yes, Chief Tower Master. I will do so.”
“Sorry to bother you, but I have a lot of work to do. I will leave it up to you.”
“It is nothing.” Orta was already accustomed to being overworked and left at the same pace as usual.
Theodore looked at his back with a bittersweet expression and opened his mouth, “Goetia, please call the Blue Tower and contact Sylvia.
[Yes, Master. What business do you have?]
“Just a private matter. Is it so uncommon?”
[Yes… I have called her. She said she is coming.]
“Well done.”
Veronica watched him from the side and asked, “Theo, why Sylvia? I am also here… Do you have a story for us?”
“Yes. Please wait a bit.” He could only talk about it once Sylvia came.
Veronica understood this and stepped back.
A few minutes passed by.
[Identifying visitor. Blue Tower Master Sylvia Adruncus. Opening door E-5.]
There was a machine sound, and the entrance to the research laboratory was opened.
“Theo!” A woman with beautiful shining silver hair and feminine curves entered. It was Sylvia Adruncus, the master of the Blue Tower and one of the axes of the magic tower. She was about to plunge into Theodore’s arms but hesitated when she saw Veronica. However, Veronica just laughed and pulled Sylvia down.
“Aye, don’t be like that. What are you doing? Come here!”
“W-Wait a minute…!”
Without magic, Veronica’s strength couldn’t be blocked.
Ah! The three people’s nose struck each other as they became much closer together. Their warm, moist breaths mingled together. Sylvia’s face was red because she didn’t have much immunity to skin-ship. Furthermore, the place where she and Theodore shared love had been a dark room. Yet, in a bright place right now, their noses were now close enough to touch.
“Are you a bit more relaxed?”
“H-Huh? Ah, yes…”
It was counterproductive in a way. Sylvia returned to being a teenage girl and shook her head. Veronica saw her face but didn’t release her. Theodore realized this was the right atmosphere to talk and looked between the two of them.
“―Veronica, Sylvia. I have something to say.”
He had decided on what to do after hearing the reality of Wrath from Gluttony. It was so he could leave with no regrets. However, it was also something necessary to solidify his will.
“I’m sorry. Thank you. I love you.”
Theodore hadn’t spoken these words because he hadn’t been ready until now. It was really adorable as both women’s eyes widened due to the sudden confusion. He was relieved to see the eyes fill with delight a few minutes later. Then he blamed himself for waiting until now.
After a few deep breaths, he said, “Veronica, Sylvia Adruncus.”
Theodore grasped the hands of the two women and barely spoke in a trembling voice, “Will you marry me?”
* * *
It was unknown to others, but there was another reason why Theodore didn’t accept the offer to be a royal duke.
The kingdom of Meltor was now in its second golden period. It might suffer financial difficulties building the Miller Grand Duchy, but it would be able to grow into a superpower in one or two generations. In fact, it might become better than Andras and the greatest empire in the East Continent.
‘In 300 years, it will be a nation with no opposition in the whole world… I can’t leave it alone if it blocks the development of all humanity.’
A number of wars had killed many masters. In a world where mana had started to diminish, it would be more difficult for masters to emerge. Let’s assume that both sword masters and great magicians had disappeared. Then what would dominate the flow of a war? It was a magician who could destroy dozens or hundreds of enemy troops in a single attack. In such a situation, the Meltor Kingdom had large-scale magic units and developed magic further than any other nation. So, they would have absolute power.
It was the birth of a nation that would place the whole world under its feet.
‘Well, it is still okay.’
There was no concept of good and evil in human history. It didn’t matter if a hegemonic nation was born. The thing Theodore was worried about was a setback in civilization. If Meltor became a hegemonic nation as he predicted, all nations would be swept into a single magic civilization, and a magic civilization was confirmed to decline after centuries.
‘As long as I stay as the chief tower master, I can thoroughly prepare for this.’
It would be better if he could study magic engineering, which linked magic and science, or spread out into disciplines that could develop without magic. This was a blueprint that would cover almost a thousand years, but it wasn’t impossible for a transcendent who had overcome the frame of life. It was hard to separate what he could do and couldn’t do from one another.
Theodore drew the future and let out a deep sigh.
“Chief Tower Master, we’ve arrived.” A few steps ahead of him, a palace servant awakened Theodore from his thoughts.
They had come all the way to the audience room where Kurt III was waiting.
“From here on, I will go alone.” Theodore opened the door without any hesitation. The king’s room wasn’t bright or dark. It was adjusted to the proper lighting with magic, and the light from the chandelier created faint shadows.
Theodore walked down the red carpet past the sculptures and arrived before the throne. “The Chief Tower Master, Theodore Miller. I am reporting that the eastern expedition has finished today, and I have returned to Capital Mana-vil.”
Kurt III nodded at the formal words. “Yes! I have heard about Chief Tower Master’s efforts from the White Tower Master earlier. I am relieved that you have come back without any problems.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
“Haha, I should be thankful. I didn’t do anything for Chief Tower Master.”
It made sense. The following group led by Orta had a great deal of success against the variants, but Theodore was the main protagonist who had ended the disaster. Without him, all of the group members would’ve been lost. The value of the mines and land obtained in the East Continent was so large that the people of Meltor wouldn’t have to pay taxes for the next 50 years.
“Do you really think so, Your Majesty?”
However, Theodore had a strange look, and Kurt III played along.
“Of course. I am even willing to bring out national treasures. However, I don’t think there is anything to help you now that you are a transcendent.”
“It seems so. Therefore, I would like to ask for help regarding something else. Can you please do me a favor?”
“Hoh, the Chief Tower Master wants something? It is rare.”
Theodore had refused even the position of royal duke, yet he now wanted a favor. As such, Kurt III waited to find out what it was with an excited expression.
…However, it was completely different from his expectations.
“What?” Kurt’s mouth gaped open with amazement as he heard the story from Theodore.
“I am going to marry the Red Tower Master and Blue Tower Master. I will do it in secret and want to ask for your cooperation.”
“…I know about Veronica, but since when have you been in a relationship with the Blue Tower Master? Did something happen in the East Continent?”
“Well, let’s say that.”
“Young people these days, your progress is very fast… I didn’t realize it, but I have become quite old.” Kurt III stared into the air due to this shocking news, but he soon recovered.
Theodore said to keep it confidential. Now that there was a nonaggression treaty with Andras and the enemies had disappeared, why did he want to keep it a secret from the outside? The world’s greatest magician stood firmly as the king questioned it.
“We’re keeping it a secret from everyone except Your Majesty, the tower masters, and a few guests.”
If he wanted to be luxurious, he could raise the scale as much as he liked. However, neither Theodore nor his two lovers wanted this. The guests were just his family, Vince, Randolph, and a few others. Sylvia and Veronica would also want to invite a few people too. Including them, the number of guests wouldn’t exceed 30.
Kurt III thought about it and asked, “…Don’t you need a holiday? How long would you like?”
Theodore answered with a smile. “It doesn’t need to be long.”
“I’ll give you three months. If the three tower masters are absent for more than that, the national projects will be shaken.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“By the way, the marriage of a 9th circle great magician and two tower masters… Looking at the brides and groom, it will be a bold stroke in the continent’s history.”
The half-resigned Kurt and Theodore faced each other, and the two people filled the room with laughter. Kurt was the first to stop laughing. “But you are marrying two women at the same time. Didn’t Veronica say anything?”
“She didn’t…?” Theodore smiled bitterly and opened up the front of his robe. His abdomen clearly showed a fist mark where Veronica had punched him. There had been no killing intent in it, but the blow had contained her criticism. After the proposal and acceptance, the groom had been hit.
“Veronica’s jealous punch, it is eerie just imagining it.”
“No, it wasn’t jealousy.”
It was blaming him for his insensitivity in suggesting a three-person marriage in front of Sylvia without any consultation. Unlike Veronica who had been willing to accept Sylvia, Sylvia hadn’t been prepared for this situation. It was also part of his reflection that he couldn’t use healing magic.
“Then I am asking this favor of you, Your Majesty.”
“Well, leave it to me. I will do my best.”
After finishing the story, Theodore was about to leave the room when he remembered something and came back. He looked up at the throne and said, “Your Majesty.”
“What is it?”
“Can I take some jewelry from the royal treasury? I wish to find a gift for both of them.”
“…I will allow it.” The king maintained his steadfast expression and barely refrained from revealing his smile. It was true that he had gotten a bit nervous after Theodore became a transcendent. If a monster without any human emotions was born, the mortals would have to obey him.
However, Kurt III was no longer worried. A person who would ask for gifts for his lovers… Such a man couldn’t be non-human.
