Book 14 Chapter 26

Episode 37

I silenced Subal, who was having a seizure, with force, and infiltrated the inner castle.

"No, what's with this sudden gust of wind?"

"Agh, what's with this sudden blizzard!"

"Kyaa, what's with this sudden downpour!"

I, who had very peacefully diverted the guards' attention, chased after Rudien towards the source of magic.

That place was the lord's study.

As expected of a class society, there were far more high-quality books than in a public library. It was even immeasurably vast.

Oh…

I was impressed.

It's true that I expected to be able to indulge in grimoires that weren't in the North when I arrived in the South.

But it seemed the lord of this city liked magic, as there were truly many grimoires and math books. The book I was looking for was also there.

"The Story of Creation Left by the <Ones Who Came>."

Now, all I had to do was dive into that wave of knowledge, but there was a problem.

There was a previous guest.

Someone was sitting at the desk, sobbing quietly.

A child of nobility, perhaps, with long, soft hair… it's even bothersome to describe.

Roughly the same age as Gizella, and as beautiful as Rista.

Oh~ what is this?

My standards for beautiful women had become very strict after seeing Rista, but to think there was a woman who looked so similar to Rista.

I observed from behind the bookshelf, wondering how long they would keep crying and then leave, but there was no sign of the crying stopping.

"Kyu-kyu-kyut?"

Subal asked, "Shall I kill them, Master?", but I, being a human with humanity before being the strongest magician, refused it outright.

"Kyut? Kyu-kyu-kyu-kyu-kyut?!"

As the saying goes, "The one who farted gets angry." Perhaps embarrassed that its wicked intentions were discovered, Subal barked furiously. Then, the one who was crying looked up.

"Who's there?!"

Because of this son of a bitch Subal, the situation had become such that I really had no choice but to kill someone.

"What are *you* doing here?"

"H-How did you get in here?"

I calmly approached the girl. Wasting time by hesitating didn't suit my temperament.

Walking proudly everywhere. That was my philosophy as the strongest magician.

But this person, with their hair down to their shoulders, actually looked like a boy, not a girl, upon closer inspection.

"No, seriously… are you a beast in human form? I thought you were crying all day, but it turns out you just couldn't solve a basic matrix problem."

"W-What did you say? Such insolence… Reveal yourself! Before I call the guards!"

"Do you know what's characteristic of people bad at math? They intentionally try to solve it with overly complicated formulas. Of course it's hard when they write things like this."

I wrote down a few formulas on a sheet of paper. It made me sigh to see such an easy thing being solved so difficultly.

Their intelligence level seems very similar to Gizella's, so the two might become good friends. Therefore, from now on, for convenience, I'll call them Gorilla 2.

Gorilla 2, who had been growling cautiously, blinked, then quietly sat down and began to wield the pen.

"Wow, what is this? It's as if… you cast magic on the problem. Who are you?"

"Choi Kang."

"?"

"If you've solved it, won't you get out now? I want to read my book."

"Your book?"

"That's just how I say it. To explain it properly, it's a book I want to read. Got it?"

"Do you know where this is?"

"The inner castle of <Central North>."

"You're doing this knowing that? Are you perhaps crazy?"

"My intelligence level is perfectly normal."

"No, I think you're crazy."

"The world is crazy. I'm normal."

Then Gorilla 2 suddenly burst into hearty laughter. At first, they laughed covering their mouth, but later they held their stomach and even shed tears.

"Seeing you in a hanbok… I heard an important guest from the North would arrive this week, are you their son?"

"I don't have parents."

"Oh… sorry, I didn't know."

I reiterate, "no family history" is an excellent background for the strongest magician. It makes one 100% immune to impious provocations from others.

"Are you angry?"

"I'm angry."

If I say I'm angry even when I'm not, I can be alone for a while.

I learned this golden tip at the Magic Tower.

And by evening, they'll bring delicious things and I can even receive an apology. There's no logical reason to say I'm not angry.

"I'm sorry."

"If you're sorry, then get out. I want to read my book."

"Do you like reading books?"

I, finding further questions and answers bothersome, drew two circles on the paper.

[ㅇㅇ.]

The two circles, at a glance, seem to signify agreement. Therefore, this is an advanced version of the [Reading Grimoires to a Cow's Ear] mode.

If the other person says, 'You agreed,' I have a perfect loophole to escape with, saying, 'When did I? All I did was draw two circles.' Now, all questions and answers with Gorilla 2 will be resolved by these circles.

Focusing my consciousness on the book, all I had to do was tap these circles with my finger whenever a voice was heard.

"…Do you want to keep reading books here…?"

[ㅇㅇ.]

"…Then let's make a contract. If you teach me when I ask about math and magic I don't know, I'll let you read books during that time…!"

[ㅇㅇ.]

"…Good! Then you can always come here at this time. Only I am here then. I'll tell my employees well. That you're my teacher…."

[ㅇㅇ.]

By the time the advanced version of [Reading Grimoires to a Cow's Ear Mode] ended, it was already evening.

When I lifted my head at the fragrant aroma, a butler and maid served cake and black tea on the table.

Needing sugar at the moment, I ate it deliciously, then exited the inner castle, receiving their most courteous farewell.

"Then, Teacher, I'll see you next time."

My head was tired, my stomach was full, and I collapsed as soon as I returned to my dormitory. Before closing my eyes, I finally felt a sense of incongruity and tilted my head.

"That's really strange. Why are they giving me dessert and calling me Teacher?"