021 – Next Archmage, Graduate School

“The Archmage will be here in ten minutes.”

Professor Layton had just announced that the Archmage would arrive within the next ten minutes.

‘This is my chance… to make a lasting impression on the Archmage… I can do this!’

The importance of first impressions was not to be underestimated.

He resolved to give the Archmage, seeing him for the first time, the best possible first impression.

‘Smile maintained, posture straight, overflowing with confidence – preparations complete!’

Keep smiling.

Present himself with perfect posture.

Let his confident voice show his conviction in his abilities.

In this meeting, he had to prove that the Archmage’s support had not been misplaced.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sound of knocking on the treatment room door had him attempting to leap from the bed.

“Stay seated; the Archmage is already aware of your condition.”

Unbelievable.

After so much emphasis on the importance of first impressions, he was being told to remain sitting on the bed in front of the Archmage!

Surely, kneeling before someone so high in status was basic knowledge known the world over!

“…Excuse me?”

A wink.

“???”

“I’ve already explained your condition in detail to the Archmage.”

“?????”

The Professor, winking one eye, was saying he’d already fully explained his condition to the Archmage.

He’d been noticing lately… the Professor’s excessive doting on him had begun to bother him, strangely.

‘I am a bit frail, that’s true… but this is excessive…’

When he thought about what he’d done to the Professor…

It was merely a threat, nothing more, regarding his daughter.

‘…Could it be?’

Was he being looked after so well because the Professor feared he might harm Lillian Isoldes?

‘That wasn’t the meaning behind my words… Hmm…’

He should find Lillian Isoldes soon and do his best to help her…

And subtly ask her to stop her father’s not-quite-a-rampage.

‘If not that…’

If it wasn’t that, then it was either the five correct answers on the exam,

Or the fact that he could distinguish doppelgangers.

He couldn’t think of anything else.

He might need to have a serious conversation with the Professor sometime soon.

“You may enter, Archmage.”

Snapping back to reality, Alexander watched the infirmary door slowly begin to open, almost before Professor Layton had finished speaking.

* * *

*Click-*

Beyond the door swung open like that, one could see an elder entering, easily appearing over eighty years old.

—

Chris Leandri (106)

[Kidnap] – Activated

[Surveillance] – Leighton Isolde

[Sleep] – Activated

—

“Greetings, Tower Lord.”

“No need for such formalities.”

Despite appearing well over eighty, contrary to the information on the status window stating 106, the Tower Lord strode in with a straight back.

*How is that even 106 years old?*

*And what are those arm muscles on a mage, anyway??*

“You are Mihan?”

“Y-yes..! I am Mihan..! It is truly an honor to meet the Tower Lord!”

Burying the bewilderment deep inside.

I offered my greetings to the Tower Lord with all sincerity.

“Hoh hoh, youth is a fine thing. I would like to have many discussions with you, but I must first confirm what intrigues me the most.”

“Ask me anything. I will answer to the best of my ability!”

At that very moment…

“In your eyes, am I a doppelganger?”

‘..?’

The Tower Lord, with a significant smile, asking me to confirm if he is a doppelganger.

“Tower Lord, you are clearly human.”

The status window clearly displays the Tower Lord’s information; there’s no way the Tower Lord before me is a doppelganger.

As I answered with a voice full of confidence.

“Hmm…”

The Tower Lord’s brows furrowed deeply.

“Indeed, as you said, Leighton.”

“…So, it is as you suspected?”

“?”

I was puzzled by the conversation between the two, whom I did not know, for only a moment.

“Tell me, Mihan. What you used just now… it wasn’t magic, was it?”

“…!”

I could hear the Tower Lord’s words striking right to the core.

*‘I’ve been found out… that it’s a skill?’*

I’m calling it a ‘skill’ for convenience, but…

Even I don’t know exactly what kind of power the status window operates on if it’s not magic.

“…”

With no knowledge, my confidence began to dwindle.

Knowing I’d only diminish my credibility by feigning knowledge, I couldn’t help but remain silent.

*Tap…*

Tower Lord, placing a hand upon my shoulder…

…began to reveal a shocking truth.

“As you appraised me just now, I took the liberty of examining the aether flowing within you.”

*’…He can do that, can he?’*

“It remained utterly still. Not only is the amount of aether you possess meager, but aether wasn’t used to discern the doppelganger. Meaning, it wasn’t magic.”

“…”

“..So, you truly are employing Innate Vitality.”

“..Pardon?”

Employing Innate Vitality?

Paying with my very life force??

“This gauntness, this emaciation… it’s undoubtedly a consequence of constantly drawing upon Innate Vitality, is it not?”

“Uh…”

“Looking at you, I’d wager you’re a fellow who’s already died once and been resurrected. ‘Semi-corpse’ seems a rather apt description.”

*’…Spot on, actually?’*

“Clinging to life by any means necessary, eh? …Perhaps striving to live until your purpose is fulfilled…”

The shocking realization that my life was draining away with each use of the Status Window threatened to fill me with dread, but only for a moment.

*’…But the Tower Lord wouldn’t even know what a Status Window is…?’*

I began to wonder how the Tower Lord, ignorant of the Status Window’s existence, had come to the conclusion that I was dying.

Mikhail’s body, already once deceased and revived.

A body withered and starved, as if on the brink of death.

A body plagued by frequent nosebleeds, riddled with anemia.

Hmm…

*’He’s not entirely wrong to think that.’*

Were I in the Tower Lord’s shoes, I’d likely draw the same conclusion upon seeing such a gaunt specimen.

If someone were wielding something akin to magic without utilizing aether, it would stand to reason that they were paying the price with their very life force, like some form of dark sorcery.

Thus, I was about to speak up and correct the Tower Lord’s misunderstanding, but…

“O-oh…”

“While you are here, worry not.”

“Pardon?”

“For as long as you remain at the Academy, I shall bear all the expenses you may require, Mihaen. Here, you need not fret over finances.”

“Thank you!”

“Instead, you ought to ponder… how you might best survive, for as long as you can.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Such vigor is a welcome sight. That fearlessness of death… it reminds me of my younger self.”

“I’m honored!”

“Ahahaha!”

Perhaps allowing him to continue in his slight misapprehension wouldn’t be so bad.

Since I’ll be in the Academy for around four years, that means I don’t have to fret about money for that long.

‘Must save diligently!’

Gotta save diligently for four years, and on the day I graduate from the Academy, I’ll use the money I’ve saved to open a chicken shop, or something.

‘If they ask me later why I’m still kicking, I’ll just say I took good care of my health.’

If they ask how I still look fine even after using my life force by then…

‘I’ll just make up some excuse about “Longevity Clapping,” claiming even a single clap extends my lifespan.’

*

Scr-ritch.

Already sliced down the 12th doppelganger.

“Next student, please come in.”

This was inside the infirmary.

Considering Mihen-gun’s physical condition, the doppelganger detection was decided to take place here, so he could receive treatment immediately in case of emergency.

A quick glance…

My eyes shifted to steal a glance at Mihen-gun.

This was to catch the signal we had arranged beforehand.

If the student entering the infirmary was human, he would lower both hands and remain still.

If the student was a doppelganger, he would touch both cheeks for two seconds or longer with his right hand.

‘Touching them.’

The moment I saw Mihen touching his cheeks for longer than two seconds.

“You are… a doppelganger.”

“M-Magus Tower Lord…!”

It sounded as if the Tower Lord could discern whether someone was a doppelganger or not.

This ensured that even if the doppelgangers were communicating with each other through some unknown method, the fact that Mihen was the one distinguishing them wouldn’t be exposed.

Furthermore, the faculty members of the Academy who were witnessing this could only mistake it for the Magus Tower Lord’s ability.

‘…Such a terrifying ability.’

It was an ability that was remarkably convenient.

It was an ability that was remarkably terrifying.

Distinguishing doppelgangers from humans without lifting a finger was a power bordering on omnipotence, but…

As the Tower Lord confirmed… Mihen was likely paying the price with his life force even in this situation.

‘…I’m sorry, Lillian…’

It was a panacea I originally intended to save for Lillian.

But seeing the man sacrificing his life even now, for the future of the Magocracy…

I could only think that, so Lillian could live in a Magocracy free of doppelgangers… I had to give him the panacea.

…

52 bodies.

Out of the 128 students in the at-risk group, a staggering 52 were doppelgangers disguised as humans.

“As expected of the Tower Lord! To perfectly distinguish doppelgangers from humans, something no one in human history has ever achieved!”

“I believed it! As expected… the Magus Tower Lord has written a new chapter in human history right now!”

“Shall we summon the students in neutral standing immediately?”

The faculty broke into applause and approached the Tower Lord.

Having deemed the Tower Lord the most successful in his search for the perfect doppelganger, everyone sought to exchange even a word more with the man who’d etched his name in human history.

“It’s well past lunchtime. Shouldn’t we eat? Everyone, please clear the room.”

At the Tower Lord’s clear dismissal, everyone swiftly vacated their places.

Finally, with the unwelcome guests gone, I prepared to assess Meehan’s physical state, but then–

“What’s this, Layton?”

“Pardon?”

“You should leave as well. If you stay here to converse with Meehan, won’t it needlessly draw suspicion to Meehan, whom we’ve so carefully kept hidden?”

“Ah.”

“You mustn’t show any undue closeness with Meehan here. I at least have the excuse of being concerned for the health of the child I sponsor… you, however, do not.”

“You are quite right. Should I be needed, summon me at once.”

At the Tower Lord’s words, I had no choice but to leave.

‘No matter what, Meehan’s abilities must not be exposed.’

Not to the doppelganger, nor to the professor who was so impressed by the Tower Lord’s capabilities.

Keeping Meehan’s abilities a secret from everyone was, above all else, my first priority.

I left the infirmary at once, making my way to my office.

‘Just how many elixirs did I have stockpiled?’

*

“Thank you, Meehan. I am eternally grateful.”

*Bow…*

The moment Professor Layton left, the Tower Lord began to bow deeply towards me.

“No, Tower Lord! Please, raise your head…!”

To receive a bow from someone so far above…

Isn’t it more burdensome for the receiver than the giver?

As a native of the Land of Courtesy, I was desperate to prevent the calamity of an elder’s back bending so low…

“The moment has come… when my name will be etched into the annals of human history.”

I could only remain silent at the Tower Lord’s subsequent words.

“It was my lifelong goal… to have my name, Chris Leandri, recorded as one of the greatest mages among mages in human history…”

‘But you already are one of the greatest mages, aren’t you?’

“Today, I have finally achieved that goal, but… not through my own power. I apologize… for stealing your accomplishment.”

Stealing my accomplishment?

This was clearly a fair trade.

I had received four years of funding from the Tower Lord to use in the academy.

Compared to that, what was a few glances at a status window and a scratch of my cheek to identify a doppelganger?

“No, Tower Lord. You haven’t taken anything. The grace you’ve already shown me is so great, how could I not be overjoyed to offer even this much?”

As I spoke from the depths of my sincerity…

“…Are you, perhaps…”

“Yes?”

“…Interested in the position of the next Tower Lord?”

I could almost hear the echoes of a professor searching for graduate students.

“…As you know, I have a terminal illness. *Cough, cough*…”

No slaves.

Especially no graduate students!