From the Start, a Boss? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Suhyeon.”
”…”
“Why is your face all puffy again?”
“It’s not puffy.”
I tried to sound as calm as possible, but even I could hear the irritation in my voice. My brother, whom I had been eagerly waiting for, had finally come to visit. Yet, I deliberately didn’t turn my head. I wondered if he sensed my displeasure, as I heard a sigh, presumably his, from the direction of the door.
“Are you upset because I didn’t take you on this expedition? It was really dangerous, so I had no choice.”
“It’s not just this expedition. And am I the only one in danger? You’re in danger too, as are the other clan members. 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? Do you even know how others see me? They think I’m a coward hiding under your shadow, doing nothing but eating and sleeping.”
“No one thinks that.”
Before I knew it, he was close enough to ruffle my hair gently. I considered turning my head, but I held back. This time, I was determined to get a promise from him to let me join the next expedition.
“Who says you do nothing? You just don’t go on expeditions. You handle everything else. Everyone knows you’re a great homemaker. Haha.”
“You’re only saying that because you’re my brother. Do you think I do it because I like it? I do it because there’s nothing else for me to do.”
His voice was calm, almost as if he were soothing a child. For a moment, I felt my resolve weaken, but I steeled myself again. How many times had I been through this? If I gave in now, all those days of waiting and grinding my teeth would be for nothing. But then…
“Here, a gift.”
“What is it?”
“Expedition reports. Not just from our clan, but from the neighboring town that discovered and explored the ruins in the Illusion Canyon. You wanted to read them, right?”
“Hmph. Don’t act so smug. These things will be public knowledge eventually.”
I couldn’t help but turn my head at the stack of reports he handed me. I hesitated, realizing I’d already made eye contact. Seeing his amused smile, I snatched the reports like a hawk catching prey.
“Illusion Canyon, ancient magic city Magia…? A magic city?”
“Yeah, it’s on the next page. They say it’s similar to the ancient Mage’s Tower. They call it the Magic Tower City. Anyway, it’s like they turned it into a city.”
“Wow.”
“But do you know what’s really interesting? The boss of those ruins…”
Reading expedition reports was one of my small pleasures since I couldn’t join the large-scale expeditions. Just as I was about to ask him to be quiet so I could read, he spoke up, interrupting my enjoyment.
“They say it’s a mage from ancient times, at least a few hundred years old.”
”…”
“And apparently, it was really powerful. Even the famous Istantel Rowe expedition failed once. So this time, they went all out, almost like a subjugation force… Suhyeon? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Why would you spoil it like that…!”
Name: Mavolo de Ailight + Magia
Class: Normal Mage Master
Nation: -
Clan: -
True Name · Nationality: Apostate Dreaming of a False God · Arcilion (a fallen nation)
Sex: Male (276)
Height · Weight: 187.6cm · 67.2kg
Disposition: Lunatic · Perversion
[Strength 56] [Endurance 48] [Agility 52] [Stamina 40] [Magic 100] [Luck 92]
(He embodies the essence of the magic city Magia, which was at the pinnacle of all magic in the Hol Plain 300 years ago. His power is strong enough to temporarily defy the laws of nature. He has forsaken his humanity, becoming akin to a magic city. However, despite defying nature temporarily, he cannot escape human limitations.)
<Unique Ability (1/1)>
<Special Ability (1/1)>
<Potential Abilities (3/3)>
Ancient Magic (Rank: EX)
Unquenchable Light of Wisdom (Rank: S Zero)
No Incantation (Rank: S Zero)
‘So this is the guy.’
Reading through the user information, I couldn’t help but chuckle. The great mage of ancient Hol Plain, Mavolo de Ailight. The city name and true name attached to him were unsettling, but the information was impeccable.
“Why do I suddenly feel annoyed?”
Mavolo grumbled, furrowing his brow. Judging by his gestures, he seemed to sense that I was reading him with my third eye. Even if it’s in the past, the title of hero wasn’t earned lightly. This wouldn’t be as easy as previous boss battles, I thought.
Despite my polite invitation and apology, the sword aimed at him didn’t waver. He raised an eyebrow and said, “Put that dangerous thing away before I break it.”
”…”
“Such a troublesome guest. Well, fine. No need to go to the castle.”
Snap!
Mavolo snapped his fingers again, and the air around us trembled slightly. As I calmly observed the flow, I noticed the vibrations spreading out in a circle around Mavolo.
“Then let the master of this city welcome you once more.”
Mavolo spoke with a pleasant expression. It was then that the ground beneath us, made of square stones, began to change. The stones melted into a liquid state, then transformed into soft, ochre-colored soil. Soon, grass sprouted from the earth, and beautiful flowers and trees appeared.
Taking a deep breath, the refreshing scent reminiscent of the Plateau of Illusions cleared my mind. Surprised, I looked ahead to see Mavolo leisurely seated on a newly formed wooden chair, watching me. He took a sip of tea from his right hand and spoke in a gentle voice.
“Welcome to the magic city of Magia, users. I am Mavolo de Ailight, the master of this city. …Hmm. I think I’ve been a good host. Would you take a seat in the chair before you?”
“This is…”
“It’s just a simple trick. Come, sit down. We can fight anytime. I’d like to welcome you in your best state, so please don’t refuse my hospitality.”
‘He really is a lunatic.’
His last words carried a significant meaning. As I watched the chair slide towards me, I pondered for a moment.
The situation was indeed ambiguous. There were only two chairs facing each other. According to Mavolo, “When leaders of each faction are talking, where do the underlings think they can butt in?” So, I ended up sitting alone. Originally, I planned to fight immediately, but now I thought it might not be a bad idea to hear him out.
“Finally got you seated. Now, let’s get to the conversation. I’m curious about many things regarding you.”
“I have a few questions myself, so I’ll start.”
“Oh, is that so? Hmm. What was it again? In your country, don’t they teach you how to attack the elderly?”
“Attack? I can do that. Let me show you.”
I lightly stomped the ground, sending a wave towards him. Mavolo raised his hand, easily neutralizing my wave.
“You cheeky brat. That was a slip of the tongue.”
“I don’t want to waste time. Let’s get straight to the questions. Where did you learn about the user settings?”
“Tsk. So impatient. Well, some users like you stumbled upon this place by chance. I learned about you by dealing with them.”
“Dealing with them?”
“Seeing is believing. Allow me to demonstrate.”
Whoosh!
As soon as Mavolo finished speaking, a soft sound of air being sliced passed by me, followed by a faint scream from behind.
“Eek!”
“There, now turn around and see for yourself.”
The voice belonged to Kim Hanbyul. As I turned my head as she instructed, I was greeted by an unusual sight. Kim Hanbyul raised her arms to the sky, then brought them together above her head in a heart shape, even bending her knees slightly. It was an unexpectedly cute gesture, one I couldn’t have imagined from her normally. Her face, however, was flushed with embarrassment.
“Uh, uh? Uh?”
“Hoho, delightful. This is just the first stage of my mind control ability. And the second stage is… hmm?”
Bang!
The sound of something slicing through the air reached my ears, and without hesitation, I swung my sword from where I sat. A firecracker-like explosion echoed in the air, and Kim Hanbyul, who had been dancing moments before, staggered as if she were a puppet with its strings cut. Marvolo looked at me with genuine surprise.
“What, what just happened? How did you do that? Did you cut it? Or should I say you sliced it?”
“I cut it. If you know about user settings, you can think of it as one of those. And if you want a demonstration, try it on your own subordinates. Leave my companions alone.”
I shot back, and Marvolo clicked his tongue, withdrawing his hand. The display of my ability seemed to have given him some confidence. It was likely that the user (or vagrant) who had provided him with information about the settings had been manipulated into revealing what they knew.
“Ah, now that I think about it, there are users with exceptional classes, aren’t there? Well, I think I’ve got enough answers to my questions. Now it’s your turn.”
We exchanged questions, almost as if it were a silent agreement. In the midst of this, I felt a familiar sense of tension in the air, a calm yet deadly atmosphere that came from being certain of each other’s capabilities. Judging by the expression on his face, he seemed to be enjoying the situation immensely.
“Recently, some users entered this place. In two separate groups.”
“Indeed, they did. Time doesn’t mean much to me, so I can’t say exactly when, but they definitely came in two groups.”
“Where are they now?”
“Hmm. Some are imprisoned within my castle.”
Some. It was a clear answer, but it implied that some of the ten from the first group and fourteen from the second rescue team were already dead. I nodded a couple of times and gestured slightly to Marvolo, indicating it was his turn to ask a question.
”…”
But Marvolo didn’t speak immediately. His eyes, fixed on me, grew more intrigued. After a moment, just as I was beginning to wonder if the heat had gotten to him, his lips slowly parted.
“Strange, very strange. You’re definitely different from the others.”
“Aren’t you going to ask a question?”
“I was debating whether to ask, but my curiosity got the better of me. Aren’t you curious about who I am?”
”…”
“Most humans, when they first set foot here and see me, always ask the same thing. It varies slightly, but essentially, it’s ‘Who are you?’ Yet you don’t seem curious about me at all. Even when I mentioned that time means nothing to me, you showed no interest. It’s as if you already know who I am.”
His words made my insides prickle, but I maintained a calm expression, lighting a cigarette. I suddenly felt grateful to Ahn Hyun.
Sizzle, sizzle.
“I have a rough idea. The great wizard Marvolo de Ailight of the ancient Hall Plain.”
At the mention of his name, I noticed Marvolo’s face stiffen slightly. Unperturbed, I continued in a relaxed tone.
“Recorded as a hero who defeated the forces of evil, but a traitor who kidnapped the fairy queen and the hero out of love for her.”
“A traitor… a traitor… I see. Records, you say. Well, that’s not entirely inaccurate. But surely you have more questions? Like how I’m still alive, for instance.”
“Users aren’t interested in such trivialities. To us, you’re just the master of this ruin, nothing more, nothing less. Our goal is the ruin itself, so you’re just one of the obstacles we need to overcome.”
“I see. So you’re saying we should cut to the chase.”
Marvolo seemed to mull over my words, then nodded with a faint chuckle. He let out a deep sigh before speaking quietly.
“To be honest, I wasn’t particularly interested in you people either. I’ve achieved what I set out to do here, so I was just enjoying myself. But recently, a problem has arisen.”
”…”
“You said you weren’t interested, but I am this city. Magia is a place where the magical techniques of the ancient Hall Plain are concentrated. I’ve absorbed its essence, gaining powers akin to a god.”
‘A half-baked god, perhaps.’
“That’s impossible. Is such a thing even feasible?”
While I scoffed internally, the response came from behind me. Kim Hanbyul, still upset about being manipulated earlier, maintained a cold demeanor.
But Marvolo, displeased by the interruption, rolled up one sleeve to reveal his arm.
“Look.”
His arm was covered in intricate metaphysical engravings. Though the rest was hidden by his robe, it was clear the markings extended beyond just his arm.
“Users. You receive settings from beings called angels and use those abilities. In a way, I’m envious. You wield your powers so effortlessly.”
”…But.”
“But? Child, we and the residents here are different. From a young age, we painstakingly accumulate magic, read spellbooks until our heads ache, and practice incantations until our fingers break. So, for those of you who gain abilities with what seems like trivial training, I hope you don’t doubt the achievements we’ve made. Anyway, the answer is yes, it’s possible. So, child.”
”…”
“I’m here to converse with your master, not to chat with the likes of you. If you dare to speak out of turn again, I’ll personally tear you in half from the crotch up.”
His tone remained gentle, his expression soft, and he exuded no malice. But his words carried a genuine threat. Kim Hanbyul seemed to sense this and fell silent, her breath coming in sharp, angry bursts.
“Ah, my apologies. I can be quite generous to those I deem worthy, but I tend to view others as mere insects. Even though she’s your subordinate, I hope you can respect my life’s principles.”
“That’s none of my concern. Are you done with your questions?”
“Impatient, aren’t you? Well, since you seem eager to wrap this up and I’m not in the best mood, let’s speed things up. Let’s each ask one final question and be done with it. I’ll go first. What was the power that allowed you to break through my barrier?”
“Fire.”
A simple answer. Clearly dissatisfied, he furrowed his brow and pressed further.
“More detail. That barrier isn’t something a mere individual can breach. I let the previous ones through on purpose, but I was actively trying to block you. Yet you broke through effortlessly. That’s the real reason I’m curious about you.”
“You could say it’s part of the user settings. But to elaborate, it’s a power obtained through a legitimate deal with an angel.”
He mentioned letting them through on purpose and a recent problem. From this, I could infer that there was a solution to this problem, and it involved a user. Specifically, a human sacrifice. Recalling memories from the first round, I had a rough idea of what the problem might be.
While I was lost in thought, he seemed to decide I wouldn’t answer further, his displeasure evident. Regardless, it was my turn to ask a question. After a moment’s consideration, I chose one that had just occurred to me.
“By the way, what happened to the hero and the fairy queen?”
“Lloyd and Margarita? They both reached the pinnacle of their abilities, but it’s been a long time. Lloyd has been dead for quite a while. I never intended to keep him alive.”
“And the fairy queen?”
“Margarita…”
In the first round, I remembered reading that she was found dead, but her body was relatively intact, suggesting she hadn’t been dead long. If so, she might still be alive now. Curious, I waited for his answer, and for the first time, Marvolo’s face twisted into a sinister smile. His lips curled up to his earlobes as he replied in a mocking tone.
“Who knows? What do you think happened?”
”…Let’s just drop it.”
“Don’t take it the wrong way. You only gave me vague answers, so I returned the favor. At least I answered half of your question.”
“It’s fine. I was planning to stop treating you like an elder anyway.”
“Is that so? A pity. If it’s a power granted by an angel, it must be beyond human control. I thought there might be some understanding between those with powers beyond the norm.”
“Everyone, prepare for battle.”
“Do you really think you can defeat me? In this city, where I am nothing short of a god?”
Mavolo’s voice dripped with confidence, but I didn’t bother to respond. Instead, I sheathed the Sun and Moon Sword and reached for the hilt of the Sword of Nothingness. Fixing my third eye on him, I spoke.
“Well, all I see is a ruined city and a half-baked god.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
Hmm. I’ve been thinking, and it seems that “Memorize” might not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially for some female readers. I understand. There are genres I find uncomfortable too. My apologies to those who feel this way. (__)
The solution arc will continue until the ruins are connected, but those with a keen sense might have picked up on some clues in this chapter. :D
『 Reader Comments 』
HammerofWar: Congratulations on being first! I’ve noticed a lot of new faces in the first comment spot lately. Haha. :) Enjoy this chapter!
SeoRiHan: A high recommendation? Thank you. Please do send it my way. I’ll make sure to hold onto it. Oh, never mind. Ahem.
RoughWave: I think it might be the T Store. :)
hohokoya1: Hmm. I should do a continuous update, right? ㅜ.ㅠ Instead, I’ve packed today’s chapter with content. Hehe.
MasterWolong: How about increasing the length of the chapters? :)
UnderTheNameOfLegend: It’s one of the secondary reasons. The scope of both is so vast that it tends to get a bit overshadowed.
HwangGeol: It’s a bit delicate to bring up. The solution was hinted at when Suhyeon slammed Belphegor’s head into the lab floor. ㅜ.ㅠ
BrokenFan: Yes, it’s about time the Sword of Nothingness sees the light of day. Haha.
LatiDoll: Oh, I was a fish! Flap flap! Flap flap!
FreeSpirit: Well, it’s a living setting. -_-a In a way, Mavolo de Ailight can be seen as a resident, a much higher version than Vivian.
Thank you all for reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great source of strength.
I hope you always read with a relaxed mind.
Pre-selections, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.