Chapter 360 – The Price of Teaching

“It is possible to give a teaching about the realm of an archmage. But in exchange for teaching, I have a favor to ask of you.”

After all, is there a law that nothing is free in this world?
There was a price to pay for Lawrence’s teaching.

You might ask your father-in-law what price he wants, but the story is different when it comes to the teachings of the archmage.
As much as Lawrence shed blood and sweat to reach the level of a great wizard, he would not be able to teach for free.

“Are you a master? What can I do for you?”

I even thought of giving all my possessions if it was to pay.
Becoming an archmage has been my lifelong goal.
But if it’s asking too much, I’m inclined to refuse.
If it’s a theoretical way to raise the realm, wouldn’t it be possible to learn from Rumi?
If Rumi knows anything about magic, she should be able to teach me the theory.

It’s just that Remi doesn’t have the same practical experience as Lawrence.
Because Rumi’s status was the same as mine.

‘I don’t necessarily have to learn from Lawrence.’

I would not blindly be dragged around by my father-in-law to become a great wizard.
He listened to what Lawrence wanted, vowing not to be a hogu.

“Luke. The price you have to pay to receive the teaching is your strength. When I fight against the Master in this war, I want you to fight alongside me. As a candidate for the Archmage, you will have great strength in the battle against the Master. It will be.”
“Yes? Is asking for a fight together as a price?”
“Barely? Are you making fun of the Master?”

I don’t mean to look down on Master.
As the head of the Wiseman family, the Master must have the power to reach the pinnacle as a wizard.
If the Northern Kingdom had Lawrence the Archmage, then the Demon Army had a Master.

“I’m not kidding, I originally intended to fight. I can’t leave a guy like Master alive.”

However, my long-cherished wish is to annihilate the Wiseman.
If Wiseman’s traces are removed from this world, the connection between me and them will naturally disappear.
Even if Lawrence didn’t do it, he was going to fight Master anyway.

Lawrence, of course, was unaware of my complexities.

“You have to risk your own life to defeat the Master. Even a righteous person with a sense of justice reveals his true nature in the face of death. If you’re a genius mage like you, can’t you give up fighting and run abroad? Even if you can’t save the world, , He must have enough strength to protect himself.”
“…That’s right. If you run away well, how can you survive on your own? If you use a little more strength, you can save your loved ones.”

Now I see what you mean.
Lawrence was treating me as a righteous person who was participating in the war against the demon king’s army.
A hero who doesn’t want anything and acts just for a sense of justice.

In fact, for a wizard like me, it was possible to take lovers and bounce abroad.
If you ignore the devil worshipers who conquered the Northern Kingdom and live with your breath, you will be able to preserve your life.

Lawrence wanted me to go to war.
That’s why I’m asking for a favor to fight to the end in return.

“A person who originally wants nothing is the most dangerous law.”
“That’s right. It’s the law to be most wary of those who pretend to be righteous. If it’s the teachings of the Archmage, it’s worth risking your life. I’ll fight with you until the end.”
“If it’s a lecture on the great work of wizards, I’ll do it tomorrow.”

The transaction was successfully completed.
With this, I was able to receive instruction from the active archmage.
Tomorrow we can start training in earnest again.

“Luke oppa, that’s great! I didn’t even have to ask my father. Now after tomorrow’s lecture, oppa will become the archmage, too?”
“It’s not like that. There’s no way it can be done in one day.”
“Hee hee, I just did it.”

Delia, who had been listening to Lawrence’s conversation with me, smiled broadly.
Originally, she intended to use Delia Chance if the story didn’t work out, but she didn’t have to.

As we chatted, it was already 8:00 PM.
There was no reason to hold on to Lawrence any longer.
It was when I was about to leave the lab.

“CEO, I’m going to go back now. I hope the cake I gave you will suit your taste.”
“Are you going to leave already?”
“Yes, because the boss is busy too.”
“Hmm… It’s true that I’m busy, but the most important thing is to devise a plan to defeat the Master. You’ll be on the same boat with me until the war is over. There’s someone I’d like to introduce to you today.”
“Who can I introduce you to?”

Are you trying to introduce me to a competent helper?
Lawrence might have recruited another strong person besides me to defeat the Master.

“He’s a mercenary who will be with us in the battle against the master. He’s a soldier brought to Yoensuu at a very high price.”

Are you a mercenary?
Who the hell is a mercenary who can play an active part in the battle with the Master?
At least in the Northern Kingdom, it would be hard to find anyone other than me… ?

“Who is that?”
“Wait a minute. It’s time for the ‘mercenary’ to arrive at the lab. I was called here on purpose to have you and the mercenary meet in one place. We should go to the battlefield together, so shouldn’t we get used to each other?”
“Hmm… If you arrive soon, let’s wait.”

Out of curiosity, I decided to stay for a while without leaving the lab.
As Lawrence said, the mercenary soon arrived at the underground lab.

Footsteps echoed on the stairs leading upstairs.
Eventually, a black-haired warrior wearing a curved sword came down the stairs and appeared.
The moment I saw that soldier, I couldn’t help but be amazed.
Next to me, Lawrence’s voice, introducing the unmanned identity, resonated.

“Let me introduce you. This woman’s name is Pamela, she is a sword master from the desert kingdom! She has the ability to freely handle the aura blade, the essence of martial arts.”

No need to introduce yourself!
That black-haired female swordsman was someone I knew.

“Pa-Pamela?”
“That’s right.”

She was Rebecca’s teacher who had visited Yoensu before.

Among the Jakartans who stayed in Yoensu with the Jakarta princess for diplomatic talks, there was that woman named Pamela.
At that time, I still remember that she showed the people of Jakarta the magic of making rain.

Pamela also looked at me and pretended to know me.
A husky voice came out of her mouth.

“I didn’t expect to see you again, horned mage.”
“I-I think the same way!”

I didn’t expect to meet Sword Master Pamela again.
I thought I’d see you after the war ended…

When I asked Rebecca the other day where her master had gone.

Pamela, she was told, had left to find a magician who could solve Jakarta’s drought.

After seeing me make rain with magic, he said he went to the temple in Ninggard to hire a rune mage like me.

I don’t know what the hell happened to her at her temple!
Pamela, who met again, had become a mercenary in Ninggard.

“Why the hell is Pamela here? Why is she working as a mercenary in the Nine Gards?”
“Because I made a deal with an old man named Lawrence. He said he would hire me as a mercenary instead of sending a water magician to Jakarta. He said he needed me to kill the Master.”
“Ah… You’re here because of the wizard.”

In the end, Pamela was successful in making her deal with Nine Gard.
Instead of receiving water attribute rune mage support, the sword master is directly working as a mercenary.
I don’t know what the situation is like for Pamela, who is fighting a war that has nothing to do with her hometown.

“That’s okay, right? Did she give permission to work as a mercenary in the Kingdom of Jakarta? Isn’t Pamela-sama working for the royal family in Jakarta?”
“I don’t care about the permission of the royal family. Do you think a sword master lives like a servant of the royal family? I always wield my sword as I will.”

Is it okay not to ask for permission?
Thats so fucking cool

Pamela seemed to be free to act, even though she didn’t notice her royally.
Well, there is no country in the world that can control the sword master.

“The plan is to end the war safely and get support from wizards in her hometown. We need foreign wizards to save Jakarta.”
“Okay! Thank you for being with us.”

To be honest, from my point of view, it’s something to be welcomed.

The Sword Master is here!
It could be said that Lawrence and her peers joined as allies.

At this rate, you can see that the continent’s best combination has been completed.
Can’t we say that we almost won against Master?

Three against one!
No matter how strong the master is, how will he use his strength against three superhumans?
Although I don’t know the exact power of the Master, I had no choice but to have hope.

I quickly spoke to Lawrence.

“Chief, I didn’t know you brought the sword master. The preparations are thorough.”
“It’s a law that you shouldn’t choose any means against the Master. I can’t be relieved yet.”
“Still, if the three of us join forces like this, wouldn’t even the Master have anything to do with it? Among the Wiseman, only one Master can deal with the Archmage. Or is there a secret weapon hidden from the Demon King’s side?”
“I haven’t heard of any information that there is a secret weapon. The only thing we have to deal with is the Master. But I need to make this clear so you don’t get caught off guard.”

Lawrence opened her mouth to me with a solemn expression.

“Even if the three of us work together, we cannot guarantee that we will win the battle against the master. Rather, there is a high possibility of defeat.”

Are you likely to lose?
Does that make sense?

Three of us and only one enemy?

“Why?”
“Because Wiseman, who is of divine blood, can handle holy relics. Among them, a Master is very special. He can utilize the power of a holy relic 100%.”

Lawrence told me something that impressed me.

“It means that you can perfectly handle the power of the gods. It is possible enough for the master to destroy the Northern Kingdom alone.”