parentshiftbook Chapter 185: Distortion (2)
Chapter 185: Distortion (2)
[Translator - Prøks][Proofreader - Prøks]
Chapter 185: Distortion (2)
When I didn't respond, Mahon slowly scanned me from head to toe.
His gaze carried a clear intent—not to miss a single reaction.
I suddenly let out a dry chuckle.
“An interesting question.”
Mahon, looking puzzled, asked back,
“Interesting? If you don't know, you don't know. If you do, you wouldn't say something like that. Do you even understand what I'm talking about?”
“I know. I know that the expedition actually existed. I also know that our Samael took part in it.”
Mahon’s brows furrowed as he fixed his gaze on me.
As our eyes locked, I realized that Mahon’s reaction wasn’t fabricated.
I couldn’t tell how much he actually knew or why he was bringing this up in front of me. Whatever his intentions were, I had no intention of playing along.
“Are you saying you truly know?”
“Of course. I even know that the White Magic Tower didn’t participate in the final expedition.”
At that moment, as I saw Mahon’s eyes widen, I knew my guess was correct.
‘Just as I thought.’
The White Magic Tower—still standing today and the only magic tower that existed 300 years ago.
If this man was truly one of the current head of the White Magic Tower, it wouldn’t be strange for him to be aware of records from the past.
Mahon muttered to himself,
“So, it’s true. I thought you might know something. The final expedition—the turning point when Samael’s incantation magic disappeared. That was then.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“I was curious. Samael’s lost magic has resurfaced, and the demons have returned—after 300 years. It’s too coincidental to dismiss as chance.”
I looked at Mahon and said,
“For someone who knows about the demons, you seem rather calm.”
Mahon shook his head.
“I’m fully aware of the gravity of the situation. There are already forces moving in the shadows. Preparations are being made.”
“How much do you know about the demons?”
“I know the records of the expedition. They weren’t easy opponents.”
A dry laugh escaped me again.
“‘They weren’t easy opponents’? Is that all?”
“There aren’t many records left. It’s been too long.”
“300 years isn’t exactly ancient history.”
“If you know something, share it. It could be useful.”
“Shallow.”
“Shallow?”
Mahon threw a single remark back at me.
“Sorcerer, I know that Samael once had mages who could wield high-circle incantation magic.”
“So, you’ve heard scraps of information, it seems.”
“What?”
It must have been a comment he thought would hit its mark, but I could see the limits of his knowledge.
He only had fragments.
This man doesn’t understand the demons.
If he did, he wouldn’t be making such remarks.
Even in the past, the White Magic Tower existed, but they only observed Samael from a distance and merely recorded the expedition from afar.
He doesn’t know what really happened during the expedition.
And because he doesn’t know, he can afford to take it lightly.
Or maybe… he’s one of those Myriad Demons Assembly members.
A brief silence fell.
Mahon took a sip from his teacup, stared at me for a long moment, and then said,
"It's been a while since I've had a conversation like this. I highly respect Samael's will. However, as you know better than anyone, there are limits. Much has been lost. Naturally, it won't be the same as in the past."
"..."
"The White Magic Tower has been re
[The Six Directions, Classification of the Vassal Clans]
[History of the Magic Towers: Centered on the White Magic Tower]
History books that were not easily accessible occupied one side of the bookshelf first, followed by books related to cultivation techniques.
[The Knight System and Classification of Swordsmanship]
[Erenhart Clan Swordsmanship]
[Advanced Cultivation Techniques of the Rhine Mercenary Corps]
[Blue Magic Tower Specialized Magic Book: Hand Sign Magic Manifestation]
[Yellow Magic Tower Specialized Magic Book: and Sign Magic Manifestation]
They said all the books on the continent were gathered here.
Indeed.
There were swordsmanship techniques and cultivation methods of past prestigious clans that were now extinct, and even books related to specialized magic considered secrets within each Magic Tower.
As I continued to scan the titles, my gaze suddenly stopped at one spot.
"This is here too?"
[Atark Clan Mana Cultivation Technique]
A cultivation technique placed amongst those of prestigious clans.
It contained the same content as the cultivation technique I had retrieved for the FullKhao Brotherhood.
I remembered being surprised by the high level of the technique for a clan I had never heard of, but seeing it here, it seems they were indeed one of the renowned clans of the past.
I put the cultivation technique back on the shelf and continued to examine the titles.
[Manifestation of Incantation Imagery: Part 1]
[Utilization of Mana Circles: Simplified Magic Barrier Formation with 5 People]
I came across some books related to incantations and skimmed through them, only to let out a hollow laugh.
The high-circle incantations they boasted about casting together were, at best, at the 5th-circle level.
Moreover, there was no mention of powerful incantations like 'Explosion,' the pinnacle of 5th-circle magic, or multi-casting.
It was inevitable, considering that Samael hadn't handed over any core magic books to the White Magic Tower in the first place.
[Classification of Demi-humans]
[Classification System of Demon Realms: Focused on Mutated Monsters]
[Conflict and Extinction of the Spirit Tribe and the Black Clan]
[TL/N: I am still not sure if Black Clad Tribe and Black Clan are the same. So unless confirmed otherwise I will consider them the same, i.e, will call them as Black Clan]
[Records of the Land of Death: Focused on the Twilight of the Giants]
"Hmm."
After scanning through to the last bookshelf, I sat down on a small chair placed to one side and pondered.
"There's nothing strange about the titles..."
Actually looking around the library myself, I found a contradiction.
No matter the entry restrictions on the 4th floor, surely quite a few people must have entered by now.
Even the lower floors where Kazen had found the records about the expedition had no entry restrictions.
That meant someone else could have seen the records related to the expedition.
"And yet, they didn't notice anything strange?"
For example, what if a record about the expedition was randomly inserted into a mana cultivation technique book?
What if a record about the expedition was randomly inserted into a book about demi-humans?
Surely the person reading the book would have noticed something strange.
Even if one or two people missed it, it couldn't have been left unattended.
Eventually, it would have been reported to the librarian with high probability.
A book where a record about the expedition could be inserted without arousing suspicion.
A record where only those who knew about the expedition would notice something strange.
I suddenly moved towards the bookshelf containing novels, legends, and journals.
I started reading each book from the leftmost shelf.
[Record of the Discovery of the First Level 1 Demon Realm - Hexen Signwall]
[Record of Participation in the War between Bellusia and Ardehain - Cain, Mercenary Captain]
[Exploration of the Hwarin Mountain Range]
I continued to read through the books, from when sunlight streamed through the window to when moonlight filled it, and then back to sunlight and moonlight again.
Some records were written like novels, others like essays.
There were accurate records, but also fictional ones embellished with imagination.
The record about the war between the vassal clans written by that guy called Cain, the mercenary captain, was completely different from what I knew.
It was purely an exaggerated record of his own achievements.
Again, a long time passed, and I was forcing myself to read a meaningless book.
[Extinction of the Black Clan: Record of the Expedition - Author Unknown]
A record written as if proofreading one's own experience.
I don't know who wrote it, but it's full of falsehoods.
A record about the 'Black Clan' that Samael exterminated, fabricated as if the writer had witnessed it firsthand.
I was about to skim through it and pick up the next book when my eyes suddenly stopped at one spot.
[Day 1,527.
The Ion Mercenary Corps was annihilated by a cunning attack from the Black Clan. But we had the great Sky Sword. It was Aiolli Baltahar who finally beheaded Iosa, the leader of the Black Clan.]
I read the sentence intently.
Once, twice, three times, four times, five times.
'...I'm certain.'
This isn't about the Black Clan.
It's a record of the final expedition.
And this record has clearly been fabricated.
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]