Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Misty Garden (2)Ernest Dylan loved exploring.

That was the reason he visited the Misty Garden right after the orientation.

Ernest wanted to unlock all the secrets of the world.

It was the reason why adventure, exploration, and questing existed. It was also the reason why the members of House Dylan had been wandering the continent like mad for generations while being satisfied with a tiny piece of territory.

Ernest also inherited that spirit, so when he entered the academy, he wanted to uncover unknown mysteries like his famous ancestors and carve his name into history.

The academy was just the first step.

But he was almost blocked from the start due to the Misty Garden, the academy’s mystery where you would be lost once you entered and where you absolutely could not move until the fog cleared.

‘It’s said that the fog began from the very creation of the academy.’

For Ernest, who was talented but lacked experience as an explorer, this was a trial. The fact he got lost when there wasn’t even any fog meant that he had underestimated this garden.

Meeting Dane was nothing short of luck.

But that wasn’t all.

“Are you sure it’s this way?”

“Yeah. Probably.”

“How do you know? My compass is broken and I have no sense of direction in this fog.”

“I just know.”

Dane was guiding them out even in the fog. In this scary foggy garden, which everyone said it was best to stay still in until the fog cleared up!

‘What on earth is going on?’

Additionally, Dane didn’t show any sign of having any difficulty.

The reason it was best to stay still was that the fog was known to absorb more of your stamina the more you moved. It was a mysterious fog that many mages had tried to analyze but had not been able to figure out.

In such a fog, Dane moved quite normally.

“Huk, huk.”

Ernest desperately kept walking even though it was killing him to keep up with Dane. Then, he witnessed a strange phenomenon.

‘What is that?’

It felt like the fog was clearing up around Dane. For a moment, the fog seemed to disappear wherever Dane passed. But it was only for a moment, and Ernest thought that he was hallucinating because he was exhausted. He continued to follow while looking at Dane’s back.

“Wh-when will we get out?”

“We’re almost there.”

Finally, they arrived at the widest part of the garden. That was, it was the middle of the Misty Garden.

“This is…”

The center of the garden had a magically operated fountain and a few old benches. The only thing worth seeing was the fountain.

There was an interesting legend about this fountain.

“This fountain…”

Ernest approached the fountain. It was the reason he entered the Misty Garden.

“Is there something special about it?”

“Yes. Most students who enter the Misty Garden do so for this fountain—except for ignorant freshmen or those like us.”

Dane nodded and mused, “It does look special.”

Ernest was delighted.

“You also know about the legend surrounding this fountain?”

“No. A legend? There was something like that?”

Ernest looked dumbfounded. If Dane didn’t even know about it, what did he mean when he said it seemed special?

“The legend is that if you reach this fountain before the fog clears, you’ll end up with the one you want. You don’t know about it?”

“I don’t.”

If it were Leila, she would definitely have told him, but unfortunately, she wasn’t there right now. At that moment, she was likely heading to another fountain.

Dane figured he still had some time. Leila might arrive there first, but there was nothing he could do about that.

“Then why do you think it’s special?”

At Ernest’s question, Dane pointed to the fountain.

“Isn’t this a magical fountain?”

“Yeah. That’s how it sprays water every hour. Though there aren’t that many who have seen it.”

“Then how does the fountain maintain its magic? Few people have seen it, and no one has continuously supplied it with mana.”

What Dane meant to ask was this:

There weren’t that many people who visited the Misty Garden, and even those who did were only there because they were lost. With that in mind, how could this fountain consistently spray water every hour?

Fountains were usually powered by mana or an equivalent amount of energy, so if it wasn’t supplied with a steady supply of energy, they would naturally stop working.

“You’re right,” Ernest answered blankly. He looked like he had been hit.

“It’s one of two things. Either someone is constantly supplying it with magic power, or there’s a power source sleeping here that’s powerful enough not to need it.”

An energy source.

Ernest’s eyes lit up.

People often said that ancient ruins were ‘alive and breathing’. This was due to how the internal devices and facilities of the ruins were still functioning despite the passage of time. These devices and facilities, although often very old, were powered by a power source that could supply them with energy.

That meant…

“Do you think it’s the latter?”

“Maybe. Maybe this fog has something to do with it.”

There was something really special about it. It wasn’t mana that made the fountain work once an hour.

‘I’m sure.’

This feeling.

This texture.

The thing inside Dane’s body reacted as if meeting an old friend.

It was Ancient Magic.

The fountain in front of him was clearly filled with Ancient Magic. The sensations that came to Dane were proof of that.

“I-it’s dangerous.”

As Dane approached, Ernest was momentarily taken aback, but he was also curious.

What on earth was that?

His explorer’s blood was boiling.

Meanwhile, Dane carefully examined the surface of the fountain.

“This…”

It was covered in dust and it was hard to see at a glance, but upon closer inspection, he could see that it was writing. Dane furrowed his brows for a moment.

“This is the ancient Sekreit language.”

Then Ernest interrupted his thoughts.

“Ancient Sekreit language?”

“Yes. The lost ancient kingdom of Sekreit. This is the language they used.”

That meant there was no one who actually used it anymore. Language needed users to be alive.

However, Ernest was an explorer.

Dane asked, just in case, “Do you know this language?”

“Of course, I do. I’m from House Dylan.” Ernest smiled broadly. “Explorers need to know a lot of things, but language is essential. It would be frustrating to arrive at a ruin and not be able to read the writings there.”

The boy looked quite pleased with himself.

“Of course, I haven’t learned all languages yet… but I think this much is fine. I learned it from my father when I was little.”

Anyway, that meant一

“I’ll take a look.”

一that Ernest could translate this language.

“Hmm… I think it says, ‘If you are qualified, prove your strength’…”

Someone qualified, huh?

Proof of strength. seaʀᴄh thё Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

As Dane approached the center of the garden, he felt a sense of familiarity toward a power that only he possessed.

Ancient Magic.

“Thank you, Ernest.”

Whoong.

As Dane instinctively summoned his magic power一

“Huh?”

一the ancient Sekreit language disappeared, and new writing emerged.

“What is this writing?”

Ernest was surprised, but Dane was smiling.

This time, it was a handwriting that Dane knew.

“As expected.”

Dane raised his left arm.

A plain bracelet was around his wrist, but if he injected it with magic just so—

Whoooong.

It vibrated and words appeared on its surface.

The writing was similar to the one on the fountain. This proved that what he was feeling wasn’t wrong…

Boom!

The fountain, sensing Dane’s power, finally reacted and began to slowly sink.

“Wh-what!”

Ernest stepped back in shock.

Fssshhaaaa.

At first, the water in the fountain drained out.

After the water receded, it stopped sinking, and soon the central part began to slowly spread apart.

What was finally revealed was something glowing green on the ground.

Whooooooong…

It was like a bead, emitting an enchanting light. It felt like a jewel. Dane could tell that this was what was causing the strange phenomenon in the garden and the constant spouting of water from the fountain.

Ernest could tell, too.

It wasn’t something ordinary.

However, unlike Dane, he didn’t have the courage to approach it.

It was instinct…

That thing seemed like a concentration of power and was warning him not to come near if he didn’t have the qualifications to.

But the boy who was approaching it now…

Grab.

…was well deserved.

“D-Dane!”

Ernest’s scream was short-lived. Dane enjoyed the feeling of the power flowing through his hand as he held it.

Finally, Dane realized it.

“Aha.”

This green power was the same power that he possessed.

Ancient Magic.

Clues that could not be found with just a bracelet he had obtained by chance.

He couldn’t believe it was right there.

Should he look for other mysteries within the school?

“Dane? Dane? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine,” Dane answered calmly, holding out his hand. There was nothing there.

Ernest’s mouth fell open.

“What the hell just happened…?”

“I’m not sure.”

He was certain of two things.

Saaaaaah…

One was that the fog that had filled the garden cleared in an instant.

“The fog… disappeared.”

Another thing was that he could now understand the ancient language that he had not been able to read until then.

[Archana existed and perished. This is its legacy.]

That meant he had just absorbed the legacy of the Magic Kingdom, Archana.

“Ernest, can you read this?”

“No… I don’t know it at all…?”

Only Dane could read this writing. This was because something had changed in his body.

The change occurred right near his heart.

It was something he intentionally hadn’t made because he wanted to create a core. Since he could use magic sufficiently without it anyway, he had no intention of making one in the future.

But now, the power that was hidden under the fountain had been absorbed and finally created it, taking its place near his heart.

A circle.

Core and Circle.

Their roles were contradictory, so it was unlikely that someone would have both. It just wasn’t efficient, nor was it good for the body. That was why magic swordsmen lived with heart disease, and why I had no intention of creating a circle in the future.

From an overall perspective, the Core was a more rational choice for me to create because it had a significant impact on physical growth, unlike the Circle, which could only be used for magic.

Fortunately, I learned that I could use magic without a circle, so I didn’t have to worry much. However, I didn’t expect to be forcibly injected with a circle like this.

“Are you really okay?”

Thanks to that, Ernest became worried about me the whole time we were there.

“Yes. I’m really okay.”

“Something unbelievable happened…”

He was right.

Not only did the fog that had been filling the garden clear in an instant, but the atmosphere of the entire garden, which had been filled with a strange aura, also became very ordinary.

Of course, it wasn’t like all the trees and flowers had withered. The garden was still beautiful. It would probably take some more time before people realized that the fog was no longer there.

It felt strange to think that the legend surrounding the fountain would disappear someday, but that was none of my business.

First of all, the fact that I had absorbed the condensed magic power, the legacy, of the Magic Kingdom Archana became important. If I thought a little more deeply about it, there would probably be more of these legacies.

“So that light was just meaningless? Or was it absorbed by you, Dane? And what about those letters?”

Ernest seemed to have many questions. However, he didn’t seem to know much about the nature of the power I possessed, the existence of the bracelet, or the writing on it.

Maybe that would be more convenient for me. There was no need to make my academy life any busier than it was.

“I feel like my blood is boiling as an explorer. Okay. I’ve set a goal.”

“A goal?”

“Yeah. I’m going to discover all the mysterious and secret places within the academy! The experience I just had was amazing!”

It was a goal worthy of an explorer.

“How about it? Dane. Do you want to come with me? If you find anything unusual or find a place here, let me know!”

Things seemed to work out pretty well. Of course I welcomed it.

“Sure.”

I just created a circle with Ancient Magic. That meant there might be other places where this magic power was gathered.

“Nothing seems to be wrong.”

By the way, strangely enough, there was no sense of incongruity in the coexistence of my circle and core.

In cases where the core and circle were operated simultaneously, it was said that a distinct sense of incongruity was always felt near the heart. The magic power concentrated by the core would be circulated and filtered by the circle, making it extremely inefficient and causing interference in the process.

However, no matter how much magic I tried to generate now, I didn’t feel anything unusual.

In fact, it was the opposite. To put it simply…

The magical power concentrated in the core was filtered and circulated through the circle, then gathered back into the core. The magical power gathered in that core was purer than before, as well.

Anyway, it was interesting. I guess I’d have to contact my eldest sister later.

“But Dane, where are you going now? I have another class, but it’s an orientation, so I’ll just skip…”

“Oh.”

It was only then that I remembered that I had arranged to meet Leila at the central fountain square. I was on my way there, and it didn’t seem like I would be late.

“I’ll leave first. See you later.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah! See you next time!”

I started walking a little faster.

By the way, my next class was magic, right? Introduction to Practical Magic, at that. It was a class recommended for second year students majoring in Magic.

If so, this was a great opportunity to give this freshly created circle a try.