The 31st Piece Turns the Tables
chapter-179

Ur slowly began his explanation.

“The easiest way to revive a shadow wolf is to restore it as a summon. By forging a strong bond like that, returning them to their original form becomes easy."

“Then why can’t I do that?”

"Well, there are two reasons. First, you told me the shadow wolf wasn’t your summon, right? And secondly, your pathetic shadow."

“My shadow?”

Fwirl!

As if capable of changing its body as it pleased, the small spirit assumed the arrogant expression of an old man before explaining.

“Precisely. Your shadow is at a dreadful level.”

“What are you…”

“I’ve looked through the souls in your shadows and… they were quite good. Not to mention how each of them has their own circumstances, but… Currently, you are too inexperienced to handle them.”

“......”

- Look, you little shit….

- Hey! Snowman might be a bit inexperienced, but that’s too far!

- He’s a good kid!

With a disinterested look, Ur grabbed a snack from earlier.

Nom nom…

“You had me, the pinnacle of wizardry, join you… but you want to add a shadow wolf on top of that too? Not only will it not fit, it might even be completely destroyed.”

“What would?”

“Obviously, your shadow.”

“......”

Seol was shocked.

‘Did I grow too quickly?’

In games, characters' stats are often depicted as a hexagonal graph. When a character is well-developed, their stats form a perfect hexagon. However, if Seol were to describe himself currently… it would be closer to a triangle.

‘The quality of my summons, my combat ability, and my level of closeness with them…’

Ur criticized how Seol’s shadow magic and shadow space fell far below the level of his other aspects.

‘But I expanded my Shadow Space by a lot already…’

Seol had Purga’s blessing, Tuner, and the bonus from equipping multiple Abominations.

Seol had plenty of effects that increased his maximum Shadow Space.

‘But to think it still isn’t enough…’

Seol’s maximum Shadow Space definitely wasn’t lacking.

However, considering the rank of his shadows for someone whose level was in the early 20’s, it was definitely lacking.

2 Legendary-ranks, 1 Transcendent-rank, and 1 Immortal-rank.

It was especially problematic since the Twin Knights seemed on the verge of improving their ranks after meeting with the Black Knight.

As Seol donned a serious expression, Ur continued.

"Don’t be too disappointed, though. Shadows, too, are a power that has stemmed from me. Just a bit of my attention is more than enough to make you strong.”

- Ur… you’re a good guy, aren’t you?

- I’m still not letting you go, though…

- Dobby doubts Master will be parting with his socks...

“There is one thing you must know first, though. Even though you succeeded in getting close with the shadow wolf, you were unable to use even half of his powers. Did you know that?”

“Half… of his powers?”

“Yeah, but… I guess you can’t really consider that your mistake. It’s likely he has never been a part of a pack. The best way to survive in the wild is to learn the most effective methods from your parents, after all. There’s no way you’d fail, and it’s safe. Did you know this, though? Shadow wolves normally don’t grow that big.”

“Then why was Koko that big?”

“He likely chose to make his body bigger himself. But if he had allocated his strengths elsewhere, he would have been exponentially stronger. Shadow wolves are notorious, after all. Not to mention…”

Ur smirked.

“You just so happen to have a perfect ability for this situation.”

“A perfect… ability?”

“Yes, but I will tell you that in time. More importantly, since we can’t revive him as a summon, we need to use a different method. In my opinion… it would be best for you to use your other ability.”

“And by other ability, you mean…”

Seol hadn't particularly used skills other than his summoning skills.

He especially didn’t use any spells either.

‘Ah, did he mean…?’

Ur raised a finger.

“Those noisy crows of yours. They’re your creations, right?”

“They are.”

“We will be making Koko or whatever his name was into your summon.”

“Isn’t that what I’m not supposed to do? If we do that, his consciousness will…”

“Obviously,we’d be using his core when we recreate him. Don’t worry. He will maintain his memories and intellect. That was how they were made in the first place, after all.”

“That’s a relief, but… how?”

“Doing it right now would be difficult.”

“......”

“To do so, we’d need a considerable amount of shadow essence. But… you don’t have any on you, right?”

“What’s ‘shadow essence’?”

“As you can assume, it’s the byproduct of using a shadow as a sacrifice. Well, it isn’t too painful for them since they’d just be reverting back to their original form, and it isn’t particularly painful either, but a sacrifice is still a sacrifice. In the past, we used to catch living things for shadow essence, but I don’t know if that’s considered fine in this period.”

“Was it considered fine in your period?”

“It wasn’t necessarily considered moral back then either. But people did do it openly.”

- So you just committed crimes like nothing? LMFAO

- This is like those youtube videos where they bring a former mob boss

“Regardless, I will find you a method.”

After Ur's confident declaration, Seol stared at him before asking another question.

“Ur, how strong are you right now?”

"I can’t even use a tenth of my original strength, and I’m not exaggerating either. But… my skills heavily rely on my powers, so if you use them wisely, you can certainly narrow the gap."

Powers.

By ‘powers’ Ur was likely referring to Wizardry and Maverick.

‘I was luckily able to grab one more skill through Tuner…’

Ur continued.

“I don’t know if it’s something that you did, but because you kept my powers intact somewhat well, I’ll be able to recover my strength faster than expected. Also… If it wasn’t for some unknown circumstances, you wouldn't have been able to be my opponent at all.”

- Ur (0 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss)

- Excuses pffft

- But Snowman really did almost lose, though LOL

"Because I had a more difficult time gathering the malevolent energies inside Alcatron than I expected, not only was my resurrection delayed, but my strength was also below what I anticipated. It's quite strange, but… there may have been a leak somewhere. Well, regardless, that’s in the past now. Hey, summoner. I have a goal now."

“Is it to find the traces of Cagon?”

"You’re quicker than I expected, you’re right. I'll search for tracks of Cagon by your side. I need to find out how the powerful Cagon Empire fell… how none of you know anything about it… I need to uncover it all."

That was a question lingering in Seol's mind as well.

He still needed to understand how he could decipher Cagon’s magic words.

“Still, my goals come first,” said Seol.

Nonetheless, that wasn’t Seol’s primary objective.

“Of course. Your goals are nothing compared to mine. I will take care of them easily.”

“I don’t know about that…” snickered Jamad from the Shadow Space.

* * *

Translator - goguma

Proofreader - Karane

* * *

Rumble rumble!

The expedition party looked back at the Black Thunder Tribe, which had left after confirming their identities.

Most of the people who stared at the trolls were people who took the roundabout path.

“Oh my god… they even gave us food before they left.”

"Are we sure they're still the same Black Thunder Tribe we once knew?"

"They're big and look just as fearsome as rumors suggest, though…”

The Steel Lion then asked Mael a question.

“...How did you manage to pass through here before?”

"We encountered a couple of obstacles, but Snowman took care of them too, so it wasn't too challenging."

The Steel Lion then shifted his glance from Mael to Seol.

The expedition posed a significant challenge for the Steel Lion as well. However, as the mission progressed, he came to realize that the two individuals who had initially irked him were actually two of the most crucial pillars of the expedition.

“How incredible… really,” said the Steel Lion without realizing it himself.

“...He really is incredible.”

"Seeing as how I am having a difficult time accepting it... I might truly be getting old. By the way, what's your name?"

“Mael.”

“And its meaning?”

“Child of the stars.”

“A good name,” said the Steel Lion, rubbing his chin. “I’ll remember it.”

“What about your name?” asked Mael in response.

“Neal. Neal, the Steel Lion. You can just call me Steel Lion, though.”

“Neal, I see. I will remember that as well.”

“We might split up once this mission is over, but… I will definitely remember both of your names.”

Nevertheless, nothing too eventful happened as the expedition party traversed the Wet Fog Hills.

As they continued on their way, they eventually passed through Adeline’s borders once more.

This news was then relayed to the Libra Tower, which was a relief for them as it meant there was at least someone who could provide a detailed explanation of what had occurred.

Rumble rumble…

All the magicians residing in the magic tower directed their attention toward the returning expedition party, to the extent that all activity came to a halt in anticipation of their arrival.

“They’re coming! I can see them!”

“You idiot, I told you to give your report before noon! If it was late because you were too distracted…”

“Ah, I-I’m sorry!”

The young magician wasn't the only individual distracted.

“Woahhhhhhh!”

“The expedition party is returning!”

However, the next person’s words damped the mood.

“...There are fewer wagons than before.”

“Obviously, there would be les—”

“It’s a lot less…”

“......”

The magicians all quieted down.

There were also magicians who had been dispatched from the other towers to hear the results.

Among them was Blaine and his apprentice, Fryn.

“Fryn…”

“He… did it.”

"Are you telling me... that this small group of people was the best-case scenario?"

“Yes! In fact, he brought a better future than the one I caught a hazy glimpse of!”

Blaine smiled bitterly.

"Then that's more than sufficient. It appears he's accomplished a great deal."

Creaaaaaaak…

Click.

The carriage’s door opened as its passengers stepped out.

There was no one who appeared uninjured.

“......”

Step…

The gatekeeper gasped, as Frannan stepped out of the carriage with a bandage wrapped around one of his eyes.

“A-Aspect Magician Frannan!”

“Gather the other Aspect Magicians,” said Frannan. “I need to report the results of the expedition and discuss the future.”

* * *

The expedition party felt like monkeys in a cage.

[You begin your Rest.]

[This place is a simple base.]

[Your Key Location Rest is starting.]

[Break 10. Libra Magic Tower]

[Break 10. ‘Libra Magic Tower’

The Libra Magic Tower plays a significant role in Zodiac.

Although they are typically extremely reluctant to permit outsiders to stay within its premises for an extended period, as they generally dislike outsiders, currently, there are numerous outsiders within it.

As treatment toward the expedition members will be determined according to the tower's decision, in the worst-case scenario, you could be forced to depart.

Adventurers must take plenty of rest and training here, or at another rest location, before preparing for the next Adventure.

Objective: Rest and maintenance.

You will be tired upon failure.

Remaining Time: [Unknown]]

‘Does the countdown start once the tower makes a decision? That's a relief. More importantly...’

Seol was in a suffocating situation with Frannan.

While the other expedition party members were relaxing and removing their equipment, Seol, in his exhausted state, was dragged to a room with Franan and seated in a chair.

It was because he was deeply involved in this expedition.

Ridwen and Cartesin.

The two other Aspect Magicians of Libra wore menacing looks as they sat across from Seol and Frannan.

Cartesin ran his hands through his long, white beard before speaking.

“Are you telling us to believe that right now?”

“And if you don’t?”

“That’s insane… This is completely insane…”

“Libra is dead. Well, more accurately, his soul has been combined with an extremely evil individual’s soul.”

“Even though you’ve lost a majority of the expedition party, your words are..”

Suddenly, Bornuil, from within Ur's body, interjected.

“Ohohoho… Cartesin, it seems you’re still fond of worrying about pointless details.”

“...Bornuil?”

"Did I not tell you multiple times that this stunts your growth? Ohohoho... Or maybe I didn't?"

“B-Bornuil! Are you really Libra?”

"I don't know what I could do to make you believe, but I am. I am Bornuil."

Bornuil then began to speak about the events at Alcatron, providing detailed accounts of the expedition party's struggles.

“So that’s why Frannan’s eye is…”

"It's unfortunate, but there was no other method. The decision he made was just what I expected from him."

“......”

Frannan spoke next.

“I believe the details about what happened in Alcatron must not be leaked.”

“What?! But if you do, then…”

"I agree. If rumors about Ur spread, it could attract countless individuals obsessed with magic or power-hungry tyrants eager to analyze me, Bornuil."

“Haah… that might be difficult, though. Do you think it’s possible to keep the expedition party’s mouth shut?”

“If we give them ample reward… we would at least have time to prepare before the rumors spread. Wouldn’t you agree?”

"You are absolutely right. I will compensate them based on their achievements outlined in the report."

“Alright.”

Ridwen then glanced at Bornuil.

"More importantly... Can you still fulfill your duty as tower master with a body like that?"

“Why would I do something like that?”

“...What?”

"I am considered dead. Since the Libra Tower has lost its tower master, a new one is required. And for that... I need all of your opinions."

Bornuil slowly looked at the three Aspect Magicians.

“I need to know which of the three of you is most apt for that position.”

“......”

“......”

Frannan closed his eyes while the other Aspect Magicians looked around. Frannan looked exhausted.

Cartesin spoke up.

“Frannan, do you remember how you ruined my research before?”

"Ah... that? I was trying to help you, but the results were dreadful."

“Apologize for it.”

“What?”

“Apologize for it. Right now.”

"How pointless... Fine. To be honest with you, I've also still felt remorseful about ruining that."

“Good. Then I want you to become the next Libra.”

Ridwen glanced at Cartesin while Frannan wore a perplexed look.

“What?”

"Because once it's after the fact that you apologized, you're the one who's best suited to become Libra."

“You must be out of your mind… I’m just a drunkard…”

"This is something I've contemplated for a long time, even before you departed. It's just all falling into place now."

Ridwen agreed as well.

"Exactly. It's something we've discussed extensively in the past. We've had conversations about who should be the next Libra before, haha..."

“We?”

Ridwen and Cartesin exchanged glances.

“Yurin whole-heartedly shared the same sentiment as well.”

“...Yurin?”

"She never once ceased complimenting you. If you overlook the negative aspects... well, it might still be bad, but she's a bit better now, isn't she?"

Frannan continued to repeat Yurin’s name under his breath.

“Yurin… I…”

"You are a great magician, Frannan. Though it seems like you still don't believe it yourself."

“......”

“Even if it’s just for Yurin’s sake… become the next Libra.”

Bornuil interjected once more.

"Ohohoho! We can discuss that among ourselves later. Our guest should be our priority for now."

“I agree. So this child is the one who saved the expedition party, correct?”

“If you look at it more broadly, he saved more than just that.”

“And he will likely be traveling with Bornuil in the future… We should prepare some additional rewards.”

Ridwen, Catesin, and Bornuil exchanged opinions.

“What about the Lie Seeking Staff?”

“That’s too awful.”

“What about a male and female pair of Illusion Butterflies?”

“They aren’t mythical creatures that adventurers can handle.”

“Then…”

This was bad for one reason, and that was bad for another reason.

Bornuil gave a reason to reject every single one of their proposals.

“This… almost seems like you’re doing this on purpose.”

“There’s something you want to give him, isn’t there? You know you’re being unreasonable right now, right?”

“Ohohoho… is that so?”

“Just tell us what you want to give him.”

Bornuil looked at each of their expressions before throwing in the bomb.

“The Crown of Order.”

Stand…

Stand…

“Bornuil!”

“Have you lost your mind?!”

“Ohohoho…”

All Bornuil could do was awkwardly laugh.