022 – Demonic Enchantment

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[My Precious!!]

Woah, frick.

Just look at these insane specs.

(Photo)

What, were you wearing the One Ring, or somethin’?! ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

You should’ve told me you had somethin’ this good sooner ㅋㅋ

I’ll be sure to put this treasure to good use, Archmage-nim~

[Comments]

– ???????????????????

– Don’t tell me you actually killed the Archmage?

ㄴ (OP): Yup?

ㄴ Wow.

ㄴ (OP): ? Why? Is it forbidden to kill the Archmage?

ㄴ No, just kinda amazed. How’d you even manage to kill the Archmage, anyway?

– Seriously, how’d you off him? How’d you manage to get rid of the Archmage???

– Turning humanity’s ultimate weapon into a toilet;

ㄴ Ooh la la…

ㄴ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Don’t get turned on by a geezer, ya sicko ㅋㅋ

– (OP): What’s with everyone being so surprised about me killing the Archmage?

ㄴ Because you’re the first one to ever succeed in killing the Archmage. That old codger’s obsessed with eternal life, so his will to survive is extraordinary. You broke through that. Seriously, how’d you do it?

ㄴ (OP): After about six times of using my hands, mouth, and nether regions, he just keeled over and died.

ㄴ ????????????????????????????????????

ㄴ ??????????????????????????????????????????????????

ㄴ OP, are you perhaps a female character?

ㄴ (OP): Yup.

– The first-ever strategy for conquering the Archmage has been revealed. You have to give him *coitus interruptus* apparently.. and be a female character.. Wow…

– ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ So, if you can’t beat him with strength, you gotta beat him with your body ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

—

“Apologies.”

“Cough cough… Pardon?”

“Is there a particular reason you feel the need to vocally announce the action of ‘coughing cough’?”

How embarrassing…

It’s not fair to nitpick about things like that.

“Ahem ahem… As you know, I am terminally ill, Archmage-nim…”

Anyway.

The position of next Archmage, huh…?

All I yearned for was a life of leisure as a wealthy loafer.

Not some lofty perch burdened with the woes of the entire populace.

“…Ah well, my apologies. Seems I was about to saddle you with unnecessary pressure…”

“Not at all. I am honored that Grand Magus regards me so highly.”

I did my best to avoid the Top Magus’s gaze, which betrayed his disappointment at being unable to find a graduate student.

“Hmm…”

The Top Magus, lost in thought, intertwined his fingers, then removed the ring from his hand and offered it to me.

“Take it.”

“…What is this?”

“The Madoe Hwan, it’s called.”

A name I’d never heard before, but…

There was no way a ring worn by the Top Magus could be ordinary.

“It’s a ring I no longer need.”

“Might I inquire as to what capabilities this ring possesses?”

After accepting the ring, I asked what this Madoe Hwan was exactly.

The response was far more astounding than I could have imagined.

“It will amplify the amount of aether you possess.”

“Oh…”

“If you were to find yourself in a situation where you were about to die, just once, that ring will save your life.”

“Oh, oh…”

“It will also sharpen your senses.”

“Oh, oh, oh!”

“It will even extend your lifespan.”

“Oh… uh, what?”

Wait a moment…

Extend my lifespan?

“Isn’t that precisely what you require?”

“…But what about you, Top Magus?”

“As I said, it’s something I no longer need.”

This is…!

If I accept this ring, it would be like ripping the oxygen mask off a dying elder so I could breathe a little easier!

“Absolutely not!!”

“Hmm?”

I immediately attempted to return the ring to the Top Magus’s finger.

“Are you into that sort of thing?”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t really fancy having a ring placed on my finger by a man…”

“No! Top Magus, that’s not the point here…!”

“I’m feeling rather peckish. I shall go grab a bite. Perhaps we shall meet again on another occasion.”

“Wait- Eh? He actually left?!”

The old fox had already slipped out of the treatment room.

“Eh…? Really? You’re really just leaving like this? Ah, come on, you’re just outside the door, aren’t you? Master Magus?”

No matter how much I called for the Master Magus, no voice returned, so…

“…”

That fellow…

He really just gave me the ring and left…

“Ehhh…?..”

…

After the Master Magus disappeared, I honestly confessed everything to Professor Layton, who brought my lunch.

“Wouldn’t it be wise to try it on?”

“Pardon?”

Professor Layton was suggesting I try on the ring.

“…How can I possibly wear this? Such a precious artifact…”

“As the Master Magus himself said, didn’t he say he’d see you next time?”

“…He did, didn’t he?”

“Then until that time comes, wouldn’t it be best if you wore it and returned it to the Master Magus?”

“Aha.”

Hearing that, it made sense.

Why couldn’t I think of that?

Perhaps my mind hadn’t reached that far, worried that I’d stolen the wheelchair and dentures of my grandfather in the nursing home.

*Shhk…*

For now, until I met the Master Magus again, I thought it might be alright to experience the ring’s effects a little, so I slipped it on.

“Aha! Just as I thought!”

“??”

I could see the Master Magus bursting through the treatment room door.

“You put it on!”

“Yes??”

“Just so you know, the Madoehwan ring, once removed from your finger even once, its benefits can never be enjoyed again! Think of it like a curse, it’s easier.”

“????????????”

Such immense responsibility woven into such a cheerful explanation.

“Why on earth would you give me something like this…! Master Magus should be wearing it. Master Magus is more worthy than a wretch like me…!”

Without realizing it, my voice rose.

Why would he take off such a precious ring?

Master Magus, rather than a wretch like me… Master Magus wearing it would be much more beneficial, wouldn’t it?

As soon as I spat out those words…

“That is true, come to think of it…”

The Master Magus replied with a serious voice.

“Do you know how I found out that the effects disappear when you take off the ring?”

“…How did you find out?”

“I found out after taking it off once to take a bath.”

“Ah…!”

*Kekeke*

Satisfied with his own words, the Archmage reached out a hand, beginning to stroke my hair.

“Did I not say it was an item I no longer required?”

“But… if it’s something so important, someone like Professor Leighton should be the one to have it…”

“For the record, I’m not giving this to you for free, you know?”

“…Pardon?”

“I need to continue searching for doppelgangers within the Magic Kingdom, and who else’s help could I possibly enlist but yours?”

“I will do my utmost to eradicate every last doppelganger!”

“Aha ha! Good, that’s the spirit, Mihaen.”

*Ai, cham…*

If there were such circumstances, it couldn’t be helped.

To be perfectly honest, it would have been a lie to say I wasn’t tempted after hearing about the ring’s effectiveness.

I’d also received the Mana Diffusion Ring.

I resolved to traverse the entire Magic Kingdom, lending my strength to the Archmage’s search for doppelgangers.

*

“Why would you give me something like this…! The Archmage should be wearing it! The Archmage is far more deserving than a wretch like me…!”

The Archmage’s heart swelled with pride at the youth’s voice, laced with resentment.

*’My choice was not mistaken.’*

The burden he felt, palpable in his voice.

The guilt he carried, evident in his voice.

The responsibility he bore, resonating in his voice.

All those emotions intertwined, how could one not be filled with pride?

Indeed.

*’As you said, it might be more effective for me to use the Mana Diffusion Ring.’*

The Mana Diffusion Ring amplified the wearer’s aether.

And naturally, that effect would be even greater the more aether one possessed.

*’But I must look to the future.’*

Looking ahead to the future.

Even if I, myself, lived another mere 5 to 10 years, I lacked the confidence to produce greater results than the young man Mihaen would create.

“Do you know how I came to realize that the ring’s effects disappear once it’s removed?”

“…How did you come to realize that?”

“I discovered it after taking it off once to bathe.”

Therefore, he told him.

Never to remove that ring again.

That once the Mana Diffusion Ring was taken off, its effects would be gone forever. But…

*’What utter nonsense.’*

How could such a thing be possible in this world?

It wasn’t as if the ring could recognize its owner, nor did the Mana Diffusion Ring possess sentience.

It was merely a pretext, a reason to ensure that Mihaen would not return the ring to him.

‘Even if you realize the truth someday.’

By then, I would be gone, so it was of no consequence to me.

“Didn’t I say it’s an object I no longer need?”

“But… if it’s such an important artifact, shouldn’t someone like Professor Layton possess it…”

“For the record, I’m not giving this to you for free, you know?”

“…Pardon?”

“We must continue the search for doppelgangers within the Magic Kingdom, and who else’s help can I rely on if not yours?”

“I will do my utmost to eradicate the doppelgangers to their very roots.”

“Aha ha! Good, I like that spirit, young Mihen.”

Having lived for 106 years, I’ve had only one goal in my life.

To be praised as one of the greatest mages in human history, I, Chris Lyandri.

I have already walked countless paths to prove myself.

But this doppelganger search process was clearly a monumental achievement that would remain for all time.

I am only human, so I cannot help but desire recognition.

I gave him the Madoehwan as compensation, I hope he will understand my ambition to steal the glory with an open heart.

“First, will you partake of this?”

“What is this?!”

“A miraculous elixir. It will replenish your deficient innate essence and increase your etheric capacity.”

“Uh… um… uhm… euum… Wouldn’t it be better for the Master of the Magic Tower to drink it?…”

“Layton, catch.”

“Uheuueup!-“