89 Prodigy

In the highest tower of the Magic Association's facilities. Located in a rural city known as the Magus City, the head wizard and the chairman of the Royal Academy Graponia, Rezar sat down on his seat.

He was staring at a particular name.

Light.

"...."

'Why have I never heard of this person before?'

Rezar was the one that went through all the lists of villages and other regions after they conduct a magic aptitude test. He had to keep his eyes peeled for any talented mages that he could take under his wing.

Recently, a boy known to have the most mana out of every test run by the MA had been discovered. Although, what Light was able to achieve lessened that impact.

27th rune. Also known as one of the three most difficult runes to ever be discovered in the Red Abyss' relic tombs located in its dungeon worlds. The effect of the rune broke the entire continent's common sense of magical science and alchemy.

This had forced the Magic Association to hold back the curious mages from other towers located around the continent, from barging right into the kingdom. Mages were people that were interested in only one thing.

Magic talent. It was the same for Rezar as well. He had adopted several children that showed high talent for magic. Yet, none of them come close to Light.

Usually, mages were people destined to pursue the path of magic. In other words; those born with magic power and an arcane core. This was true up until only recently.

"Whatcha reading?"

An old female voice asked as she appeared behind him silently. She was wearing a dark purple robe and a wizard's hat. Her gloves and heels were the same colour.

"Lady Odette. The fact that you can teleport so silently between nations is truly a scary thing to think about. You'll give me a heart attack."

Rezar said without a change in his expression. "How has the special course been going, Ingrid?"

"Sheesh. You old fart. You see through all my schemes."

"All I see is an old woman playing house with little kids. How has it been?"

"Well, to answer your question...." Odette thought with her arms crossed deep in thought. "I have found three outstanding individuals so far. The rest are trash."

"Trash?" Rezar looked offended. "They were able to get into a prestigious academy such as Graponia and reach the top of their grades. I have personally prepared all examinations, which some has passed with flying colour—yet you call them trash?"

"There is always trash amongst the talented. Why are you so grumpy?"

Odette leisurely sat down on a couch in the middle of the office. Rezar sighed.

"If I may ask; why are you not resting in your chambers?"

She seemed to have expected such a question because she answered a second later.

"My death is near so why should I spend my days in a cramped room? Besides, I want to stretch my old bones for a bit."

"...."

Rezar nodded in understanding.

"I want to at least raise Viria's successor into a splendid mage. My magic abilities might not be what they used to but my knowledge of magic still remains."

"Indeed. Even I feel envious over the fact that they are receiving your lessons." Rezar said with a small smile. He was honest though. The younger him would never have thought that he'd meet the real Great Sage. Only the highest ranking officials of the Kingdom of Colchis knew that she was still alive.

"Anyway, what are you looking at with such a serious expression?"

Odette cocked her head and asked.

"Hmm..." Rezar looked back at the name. "You must've heard of this Light person, right?"

"I have. The so-called prodigy of magic." Odette tapped her finger on her lip as she wondered. "It's not weird that many sing his praises. 'Magic is not a path decided by fate anymore. We are like gods with this rune in our hands. We can control the fate of all people who want to become mages.'"

Odette repeated the words Light wrote on the note that he brought onto the doorsteps of the Magic Association.

Many now worshipped him as some type of miracle child.

"The 56th, 27th and 101st runes are said to be the most difficult after the ascension rune which was the 99th. Yet, he was able to decipher one of them. How long has it been since they had been discovered?"

"...It has been 80 years, Lady Odette." Rezar answered with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Prodigy is not wrong. Calling him a miracle child is too much." Odette chuckled. "You old farts can suck nations dry with this rune. The Magic Empire has finally met their match. Kukuku. So, why did you decide to spread this rune throughout the continent for such a low price?"

Rezar frowned at her question.

"What?"

"...He told us to. I can only take it as a threat given the way he said it. If he could decipher a rune this difficult then there's no telling how powerful he is. We followed his instructions thoroughly."

"Hm..."

Odette found this unknown person calling himself Light interesting. If she had to estimate his level then it'd be—

'8th rank...No, perhaps close to 9th?'

That was the conclusion she could come up with given the fact that he was able to identify the 27th rune spell that not even 50 mages—each ranking 6 or 7 stars—could decipher. They were elites of the Magic Association and Tower yet they couldn't achieve the same thing.

'The natures must've been the reason why he could do it.'

The nature of the spell was natural essence—which was gained from all living beings.

"If I had to guess, this mage must be an elf? Only spirit magic is able to use the power of nature."

Rezar's ears perked up at her words.

"Hm? Are you certain, Lady Odette? An elf? But why would he want to give something that would benefit humans?"

Odette shrugged her shoulders.

"That entire race is weird—"

Odette's eyes widened when she realized something. She repeated the words she just uttered, to herself.

Elf. Spirit magic. Nature's essence. Prodigy.

'For a genius like this to exist. Has the goddess blessed someone with her power?'

It was common knowledge that talented people were those blessed by the gods. In exchange for their good deeds or pure souls, they are granted authorities or blessings.

The nature of this rune was proven to be spirit mana and space.

"Could it be?" Odette's eyes widened in realization.

"Pardon?"

Rezar was confused when he saw the look on Odette's face. She was muttering to herself with a weird expression on her face.

"Lady Odette."

"What?"

"Did you find something out?" Rezar tried to probe. She was first mage of the continent's history so he was sure she must've figured something out.

"Ah...No. I was only talking to myself."

'Xio...Were you able to reincarnate into this era?'

But do not fret for I will reincarnate in the future. My friends, I hope to see you then.

Odette felt rather emotional as that memory surfaced once again. The man she looked up to and her dear friend. The only Deity Elf to ever exist, Xio.

If you were to put the ranking of the species in order, it would be: ordinary elves, high elves, Dryads, Dryad queen and finally, the Deity Elf. They were the ones closest to the goddess of life, Varian. The so-called demigods.

After the Holy War in the God realm, Xio travelled to this planet through the Red Abyss. He underwent a race change and was therefore known as the Deity Elf or Spirit King. That was what Odette heard from him long ago.

'That incident in the Elca Kingdom as well. I sensed a bizarre energy coming from that kingdom.'

When they questioned the elven queen, she refused to reveal what it was. Doing so would reveal the Dryad Queen's power so they couldn't take the risk of revealing it to outsiders. This would also reveal Clyde's abilities. Doing so against his wishes was something they didn't want to do.

Only when he chooses to reveal himself to the world will they reveal their relationship with him.

People often said that the arcane and spirit cores were different. That wasn't wrong. However, it wasn't correct either. Mana is a supernatural force that humans—or some elves—absorb from the atmosphere into their cores. The atmosphere was nature itself.

Spirits are a part of nature. Mana is as well. They were only different in sources.

In conclusion; with the help of spirit magic, this Light individual was able to decipher the rune.

This was an explanation that many thought was delirious. However, the Spirit King himself was the wielder of both natures.

'I must keep my eyes peeled. He might not want to reveal himself but…'

Odette understood why. He was the greatest threat against the Immortals. If they left him to grow then he'd become a fearsome enemy in the future. If his location was discovered then there was no doubt that he would be killed. At the level he was at now, he wouldn't survive.

She understood that but the question still remained:

'Why aren't you revealing yourself to me at least?'

Odette leaned back onto the sofa with a deep sigh. She paid Rezar's questioning gaze no heed as she looked up at the ceiling.

Only the turning of pages sounded in the quiet office.