Chapter 515: Daniel’s Past

That was one of the Typhon Empire’s most powerful spellcasters—the supreme leader of the Royal Mage Association, Her Majesty the Emperor’s chief magical advisor, Lady Windsor Mapel, Duchess by rank.

She was far more ordinary than Mary had imagined.

Mary cautiously studied the imposing figure standing by the desk, her awe barely contained. She had expected the legendary mage to be a woman of striking distinction—perhaps an elderly matron clad in a star-studded robe, radiating authority, or maybe a breathtaking beauty who had used magic to preserve her youthful appearance. But none of that was true. Windsor Mapel looked like an average middle-aged woman, somewhere between thirty and forty. Though her features still held a certain charm, the marks of time were evident on her face. She wore a simple purple robe, and her long, pale lavender hair was casually pinned back. She stood there quietly, without any hint of grandeur or presence.

Then Mary saw her mentor move. The old mage strolled over to Windsor Mapel at a leisurely pace, casting a gaze over her with a frankness bordering on disrespect—something that shocked Mary to the core. The old mage nodded slowly. “So you’ve finally reached this position.”

“You will always be my mentor,” Windsor Mapel said with a complex expression, bowing deeply before the old mage as Mary watched, stunned and a little fearful.

The old mage waved a hand dismissively. “But you’re no longer my apprentice.”

Mary suddenly took a deep breath—she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding it in her shock. The sound caught Daniel’s attention. He beckoned to her, “Come here. Say hello to Windsor Mapel. She’s the president of the Royal Mage Association.”

Dizzy and overwhelmed, Mary stepped forward. Before she could speak, the formidable lady glanced at her—as if only now noticing the stranger in the room. “Who is she?”

“My apprentice,” Daniel chuckled, “less gifted than you, but smarter.”

It was the first time in her life Mary had ever heard Daniel praise her—even if it wasn’t directed solely at her.

“Your… apprentice?” Windsor Mapel said in disbelief, but quickly regained her composure and nodded at Mary. “Hello, I’m Windsor Mapel, Daniel’s first apprentice. Since you’re also his apprentice, you needn’t mind my position as president.”

“I… I’m Mary,” she said nervously, “It’s an honor to meet you.”

Windsor Mapel frowned slightly and asked instinctively, “No surname? I mean no offense.”

“She’s a foundling from the countryside. No surname to speak of,” Daniel said offhandedly, shooting Mary a slightly annoyed glance before waving his hand impatiently. “No progress—stand aside and don’t interrupt.”

Mary obediently stepped back, clamping her mouth shut despite the flood of questions swirling in her mind.

Windsor Mapel then gave Mary a long, serious look. By all accounts, Mary was far from an outstanding mage; her magical energy was weak and barely responsive. Turning to Daniel, she said solemnly, “Master, I’ve been searching for you all these years…”

“As president of the Royal Mage Association, if you really wanted to find me, you would have,” Daniel let out a hoarse laugh. “Besides, why would you want to? To keep enduring the mockery of those fools? Or to invite the Association to come gawk at a famous freak?”

Windsor Mapel’s expression shifted slightly. She shook her head immediately. “Master, you know what I mean. No one doubts your magical achievements, but your neural interface magic…”

Her words suddenly trailed off.

Her eyes widened as she fixed her gaze on something behind Daniel’s black robe. Restless artificial nerve cords writhed there—several slender, twisted strands that shimmered faintly with electric sparks, seeming to be a grotesque fusion of flesh and metal. They extended from the hem of his robe, swaying slowly like blind earthworms, carrying an almost blasphemous aura.

The powerful mage whispered in shock, “You… you actually… succeeded?!”

“I failed, but I also succeeded. Those narrow-minded fools probably won’t admit it, but I don’t care. Neural interface magic theory is meaningful. I’ve broken through my talent limits to do what was once impossible,” Daniel said in a low voice. “Windsor Mapel, that’s not what we’re here to discuss today.”

“…Yes, we’re not here to talk about that,” Windsor Mapel paused, sighed softly, then said, “Master, when I received your letter, I could hardly believe it. But you really came—you’re truly willing to return to the Association and serve Typhon again?”

Daniel snorted. “I’ll serve Typhon, sure. But I have no interest in the Association anymore. As far as I know, His Majesty the Emperor never required recruited mages to join the Association, right?”

“…That’s true,” Windsor Mapel frowned, then composed herself and looked at Daniel earnestly. “Your expertise in mathematics and ancient Gondor magic is unmatched. Even without my recommendation, His Majesty has heard of your reputation. He would be delighted to have a mind like yours serve the Empire again. I will immediately arrange for your laboratory and mage tower to be prepared—they’ve been preserved all these years.”

“No need. I’m no longer used to working where there are too many people. The folks in the Royal Mage District probably wouldn’t want to live on the same block as a modified freak like me,” Daniel sneered, shaking his head. “I’ve already found a place to settle and plan to rebuild my lab myself. You know my habits—I only trust an environment I create myself. I don’t want anyone meddling or disturbing me.”

Windsor Mapel looked into Daniel’s eyes. Though he was far older than she remembered—his aging strangely accelerated—and his temperament seemed changed, the stubborn determination in his gaze was exactly the same. She gave up trying to persuade him further and nodded slightly. “Understood. I will arrange everything according to your wishes.”

After a brief pause, she hesitated, then asked, “Master, where have you been living all these years?”

“Is this part of your investigation?”

This time Windsor Mapel didn’t hesitate. “It’s my duty.”

“Good answer. I’ve been in Typhon, in the southwest. The Royal Mage Association can investigate freely, including anyone I’ve been in contact with. Any other questions?”

Windsor shook her head. “None.”

“Alright, then I’m leaving. This place isn’t comfortable.”

Daniel called Mary, who was still dazed nearby, and turned toward the door. But just then, the Association president spoke again. “Master, you really didn’t have to leave back then. Those who ostracized and mocked you were just mediocre fools. They’ve all…”

Daniel stopped and looked back at Windsor. “Because I was jealous of you.”

Windsor Mapel’s voice cut off abruptly. She stood there, her expression complicated. After several seconds, she broke the silence. “Master, you know I don’t believe that.”

“But it’s true. Many mediocre mages think it’s an honor when their apprentices become legends. But I never took pride in it, because I know you became a legend only because of your talent. That’s not my achievement. Talent is something no amount of effort can make up for, no acquired skill can change, and it has nothing to do with the mentor’s ability. Any mediocre, lousy mage could have been your mentor and you’d still become a legend. Even if the Goddess of Magic herself descended, she couldn’t have helped me break through to the higher ranks.”

Daniel said this quietly, then turned and left the Association president’s room without another word.

Windsor Mapel watched the old mage’s stooped figure disappear behind the door, saying nothing.

She knew her former teacher wasn’t truly jealous of her. What he resented was the ironclad rule that “talent decides everything.”

He didn’t mind that his apprentice had risen to legend early, or that she had far surpassed him in magical skill. What he couldn’t accept was that it was all determined by talent—a boundary that no amount of effort could shift.

Windsor Mapel sighed softly. Perhaps long before she reached the higher ranks, before her mentor hit his own talent ceiling, he had foreseen what was to come. That was why he embarked on what was considered heretical and fanciful research.

Neural interface magic theory.

A technology to modify the human body through implants, neurosurgery, and lifelong enhancers.

The mentor who never believed in fate chose to fight against it over twenty years ago. Everyone thought he had failed. But now, he was back.

Though he had changed greatly, and called himself a “monster” made by surgery, everything would be alright.

…

Daniel remained silent all the way. Mary carefully kept her mouth shut, quietly following behind him. She had so many questions—today’s events had shattered her understanding and even challenged the worldview she had built so far. The president of the Royal Mage Association was her mentor’s apprentice? The youngest legendary mage in Typhon’s history was her “senior sister”? Her mentor had once been such a great figure?

None of this was something Mary had dared to imagine.

Yet, without her mentor’s permission, she didn’t dare utter a single word.

The suffocating silence lasted a long time until they stepped out of the Royal Mage Association’s gates. Daniel finally broke the silence. “Lots of questions, huh?”

“Ah… yes,” Mary jumped, then quickly nodded. “I… I never expected that back then… the president of the Royal Mage Association was your apprentice?!”

“Stupid question. At this point, you still need to ask?” Daniel glanced at her. “She was indeed my apprentice, but she became president after I left. Her promotion happened after that too. When I left, she was just an ordinary high-rank mage like me.”

“So you really left the Association because of your research into neural modification? Now that you’ve succeeded, those who mocked you must be utterly ashamed…”

Mary blurted out, then immediately realized she’d said something too bold. Daniel never liked anyone mentioning his ties to the Royal Mage Association—it was a forbidden topic that could bring punishment under any circumstances!

The poor girl tensed up, every muscle tight with anxiety.

Daniel sneered. “Success? If you think these nerve cords are success, I’d put them on you right now.”

Mary shuddered all over, but just as she thought she was about to face some terrible fate, she realized it was nothing more than an old wizard’s joke—

“Look at you,” Daniel waved his hand dismissively. “You really think I’d waste my patience on a transformation like that? Your talent’s no better than a monkey’s. Any modification would just be a waste of materials.”

Mary didn’t pay the slightest attention to her mentor’s harsh judgment. Instead, she felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. Then, with a hint of awe, she said, “No one else would believe it—Lady Windsor Mapel is actually one of our predecessors…”

“You don’t need to hold Windsor in such reverence.”

Daniel cut her off abruptly. Then, catching Mary’s slightly puzzled gaze, he lifted his head and stared out at the foggy streets of Aldernan.

“If you truly understood His power, you wouldn’t fear anyone.”

The old wizard stepped forward, leading Mary deeper into the mist-shrouded city.

“Don’t waste the master’s time. We have much to do.”

(End of chapter)