Overpowered Archmage Doesn’t Hide His Talent
Chapter 64: The reporters are really swarming.

Chapter 64 – [ ▶ The reporters are really swarming. ]

Carve the mark.

That’s what Flan said.

‘Humans, of all things…’

Maiev’s eyes twitched.

To begin with, it was shocking to ask for subordination from someone else.

It meant living as a subordinate forever.

But even worse, Flan’s origin was human.

Humans, who were only toys for the blood demon.

She licked her still lips.

“Subordination contract… No. No, I can’t.”

Her tongue twisted as she tried to force herself to speak politely.

Maiev struggled to say.

“I have to attend the blood demon’ executive meeting, and I have to see the princess too…”

“But.”

“I can’t do that with the mark carved. I can’t.”

Being bound and subordinated to someone.

She had never thought of such a thing in her life.

One by one, she started to bring out the reasons to persuade Flan.

“We don’t like each other. You. A human who subordinated a bloodsucker, the other blood demon will retaliate, saying you’re arrogant.”

“You sound like you’re calling me arrogant.”

Maiev broke into a cold sweat.

“No, I’m not.”

“I don’t care much.”

“…You don’t care? You?”

Facing Maiev, who widened her eyes, Flan recited calmly.

“Disguise is your specialty, isn’t it? A bloodsucker, my subordinate, the dean of the first zone… Live with all those identities.”

“…”

“If you’re a genius of disguise, you should be able to do that much.”

She had nothing to say. But even if she had nothing to say, she had to say something.

“That doesn’t make sense…”

“If that doesn’t make sense.”

Flan’s voice, sharpened like a blade. It mercilessly cut off Maiev’s words.

“Then you have no reason to live.”

She didn’t think he was wrong.

If she didn’t fit Flan’s interests, he had no reason to keep her alive.

“Well. Then I have no choice.”

Maiev closed her eyes tightly.

‘Might as well die.’

At first, she was terrified of dying. But now, it was different.

She made up her mind. It would be better to die than to live as a subordinate to a human.

So she could be calm.

“Just kill me.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

Maiev nodded slowly.

“I’m serious. Just kill me.”

“Well. Maybe you’re not.”

Flan quietly put his index finger on Maiev’s forehead.

“…!”

Maiev’s body convulsed violently.

“…”

She saw it. No, she felt it.

It was pitch-black darkness.

She instinctively closed her eyes to avoid it, but even if she plucked out her eyeballs, the darkness remained.

The suffocation that wrapped around her whole body and strangled her.

The burning sensation that pierced her heart with dozens of hundreds of knives.

The pressure that made her sweat coldly as if a sharp blade was approaching her chin.

The instinct of a living animal told her.

It was ‘death’.

“…Sa, save me.”

A tear rolled down Maiev’s cheek.

Her eyes had already lost focus.

Mumbling like a madman was her last resistance as a demon.

“Save me, save me. No, please save me.”

Flan took his hand off Maiev’s forehead. She collapsed on the floor.

“Th, thank you. Thank you…”

Thank you.

The words came out automatically.

She didn’t even know why she was saying that.

It was just that her instinct told her to do so.

Hiccup.

Now she even hiccupped.

“Ugh… extreme…”

Fear, relief, tears, hiccups… various things blocked my breathing, and I clutched my chest as I lay down.

“Ugh… gasp, gag…”

In the end, I vomited on the floor.

‘What the hell, what the hell, what the hell, what is this.’

I couldn’t believe it.

Was ‘observation’ important in the life of an illusionist?

I created a false world based on what I observed, and added more imagination to it.

“Gag… gag… ugh…”

What I just saw was ‘death’.

It wasn’t something that really happened. But how could they show me such a scene with just imagination? I couldn’t believe it.

‘Humans… humans… how…’

I couldn’t resist Flan.

That much was certain.

If she attacked him with the determination to die, Flan would gladly give him more than death.

“Are you still confused? Then this time, this thousandth time.”

Flan reached out his index finger again.

“Wa, wait. No, wait a minute─!”

I panicked and pressed my forehead to the floor.

“Wait… please wait a moment.”

It felt like I had experienced a thousand deaths. If I saw that scene again… I would go crazy this time.

“I will, I will.”

“What will you.”

“Subordination contract… I will.”

A red cross pattern appeared on the back of my hand.

I put my trembling hand on Flan’s foot. Then the pattern burned and remained like a tattoo.

Now, with this, everything should be over.

“No.”

But Flan shook his head.

“The contract is not enough. There are additional clauses.”

“…?”

I pursed my lips.

“Until… until…”

“You were too arrogant, so the situation changed.”

“…”

My whole body started to shake. It wasn’t just because of fear.

“That attitude will only change when you die.”

“I will, I will! I will follow the conditions!”

At Flan’s words, I banged my head on the floor.

I now wrapped my face instead of my chest.

I was already shaking all over.

‘I lost to a human… and a subordination contract…’

Blood burst from my bitten lower lip.

The taste of blood was bitter, and I felt filthy as if I was going crazy.

“First, let me tell you what to do.”

Chwaruruk─

Papers piled up neatly next to my head.

It was the evaluation sheet that Flan wrote.

“Release all the exhibits and submit this to the academy as your midterm evaluation result.”

“Yes.”

“And because of the blood demon, some citizens died…. Take responsibility and resign from your position as the head of the district. You’ll have one less thing to pretend and act.”

“Yes….”

“I’ll take the Dream. You can check the rest through this.”

He placed another sheet of paper on her bedside.

“That’s it, I’ll go ahead.”

Thump─ Thump─

As his regular footsteps faded away and finally became inaudible, Maiev slowly got up.

She still had no energy to stand up. Still sitting, Maiev looked through the papers on her bedside.

[ ] Flan (A) and Maiev (B) agree to the following contract.

Start date of work: Immediately upon signing the contract

Workplace: None

Work content: Assisting in the extermination training, proofreading papers, managing accounting.

Wage: Life

Paid leave: Granted upon death

“What is this…. What the hell….”

Her hand trembled.

The paper shook so much that the letters were unreadable.

At the same time, the blanks on the paper were filled.

[ Slave Contract ]

“Ah….”

Her head turned completely white.

◈

[ Casualties in Saphora…. Even the secret magic tool ‘Dream’ was lost. ]

[ ‘I’ll take full responsibility.’ Shusia, the head of the novice district, resigns. The estimated amount of compensation is…. ]

Along with the articles pouring out, the students returned safely to Merhen Academy.

“Should I be happy about this…. There was another trouble at the hotel in the tower.”

Becky scratched her cheek.

There were no deaths among the staff or the academy students, which was a relief…. But for safety reasons, the A-grade students were forced to stay at the hotel in the tower today.

In fact, the word ‘forced’ was too harsh for such a good facility.

There was nothing inside the structure or the facility that did not impress the students.

“And this time, it’s three people in one room.”

The girl looked around.

It was fine to share a room with Yushia, but the problem was Trixie.

She was honestly scared.

“Ah~ Becky, you can put your luggage here.”

Yushia greeted Becky with a bright smile. Becky also awkwardly waved her hand.

Meanwhile, Trixie did not even glance at Yushia and Becky.

She silently looked out the window, as if she was immersed in her own thoughts.

“Uh…. Thanks.”

“Are you feeling okay, Becky?”

“Not at all. Who came up with such a scary and horrible evaluation?”

Becky clenched her teeth.

When she first encountered the anomaly at the exhibition hall, she thought it was a real disaster.

“I was also very surprised. All this was just an evaluation….”

“Merhen Academy is really amazing. No, should I say Saphora is amazing?”

As she shook her head, Becky suddenly noticed the three scrolls in Yushia’s arms.

“What’s that?”

“Huh?”

“The scroll you’re holding.”

“Oh~ This!”

Yushia smiled brightly.

“This is the midterm evaluation result.”

“The result is written on the scroll…? I don’t see why it has to be so thick.”

“The evaluation is also written on it!”

“The evaluation is written…?”

Yushia nodded.

“Yes. If only the grade is simply written, it’s hard for the students to improve their weaknesses!”

Becky swallowed her dry saliva, recalling the events in Saphora.

She only remembered using magic hastily and running away frantically…. She was already afraid of what kind of evaluation would be written.

“Give me mine…. I’ll look at it later by myself.”

Becky reached out with an awkward hand, but Yushia tilted her head.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Huh…? I’ll look at it by myself. Not now, later.”

“That’s not possible.”

Yushia shook her head firmly. Becky was dumbfounded.

“Why not? It’s my grade.”

“You can’t look at it by yourself. Don’t you see this?”

Yushia pointed to the corner of the scroll. There were two blank squares.

“You have to show it to at least two people and get their confirmation. Only then will it be reflected as your grade.”

“What, what, what?”

Becky jumped up.

“Why on earth?”

“Let’s talk about what we can supplement each other… That’s what it means, right? Anyway, we’ll look at it together!”

“Aaaah… No…”

Becky screamed as she messed up her hair.

“It would be better to look at it quickly and go to sleep. Oh, Trixie, please come over!”

Trixie nodded slightly.

Three scrolls were laid side by side on the floor of the room.

“…”

And three girls sat in front of them. Yushia put her hand on one of the scrolls.

“Then… Let’s check it out now!”

The scroll was heavier than she thought.

Yushia checked the name of the thing in her hand.

Becky.

“First, it’s Becky.”

“Ugh…”

Before she even read it, Becky made a dying sound.

[ Becky ]

▶ Understanding of ice element is commendable.

“Huh…? What, there’s a compliment written here?”

Becky snatched the scroll from Yushia’s hand after reading the first line.

She started to read the rest of it with confidence.

▶ Shows too much shaking in unexpected situations. This is not a lack of talent, but a lack of faith.

▶ The output process is pathetic. Refer to 『Output and Related Factors Research』32p. in Library D section. … (omitted)

“Hahaha…”

She turned into ashes that would fly away if the wind blew, and Becky made a sound that was neither laughter nor crying.

The beginning was a compliment, but the rest was nothing but harsh whips.

The part that said ‘trash’ especially hurt Becky’s feelings.

Enough to make her tear up.

Yushia gently patted Becky’s shoulder.

“Be… Becky… It’s okay. I guess this is how they grade in Sapho.”

“Ah, even so… Do they usually use the expression ‘trash’ for students?”

“That’s what I’m saying… It’s more like a venomous tongue than a direct one.”

“That’s what I’m saying! Flan doesn’t even say that!”

Yushia tilted her head.

“Wouldn’t Flan do that too?”

“Uh, I regretted it as soon as I said it.”

Yushia’s head turned to Trixie.

“Trixie, you would agree too! This, isn’t it similar to Flan’s way of speaking?”

“Don’t talk about Flan.”

A sharp voice like a blade. Trixie sighed deeply.

The sound of sighs filled the room.

“I can’t even live a normal life because of him.”

“…?” “…?”

Becky and Yushia’s eyes widened.

There was a moment of silence in the room.

Soon after, Yushia awkwardly picked up the next scroll.

“Ah, anyway~ This time, it’s mine~”

[ Yushia ]

▶ The mana mixing part is not too bad.

▶ The circuit configuration is poor. Refer to the 『Circuit Configuration』specialty. …(omitted)

“Oh, I got praised for the mana mixing part!”

“…?”

Becky looked at Yushia with a bewildered expression.

“Yushia. You look happy….”

“Yes~ Because I got praised!”

“This, this is praise? Not too bad. This?”

“Yes!”

Yushia nodded and smiled brightly.

“Then what about this. Did you not see this?”

Becky pointed to the second item with the tip of her index finger.

The word ‘poor’ was blatantly written there.

Becky was not angry with Yushia, but she was amazed by the infinite positivity of this pale girl.

“Ah, the circuit configuration is actually my weak point….” Sᴇaʀᴄh the ɴøᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“I, I see.”

Becky scratched her cheek.

“Sigh.”

But then. Trixie let out a sigh.

Trixie, who had not said a word until then, finally opened her mouth and said something.

“There’s nothing wrong with what they said. Why are you making a fuss?”

“Hmph…. But….” “….”

Becky and Yushia’s faces became gloomy.

The evaluation report was right, and Trixie’s words were right too. They had nothing to say in response.

“Just accept it. Is that so hard?”

After adding one more sentence, Trixie picked up the scroll.

“Hmph.”

She unrolled the scroll without any interest.

She did not expect any bad reviews, but if there were any, she would just accept them and overcome them.

“…?”

But soon after, the eyes of the three girls widened.

“What….”

Trixie’s hand started to tremble.

“What did they say….”

Soon, the vibration spread to her whole body.

[ Trixie ]

▶ The direction of the magic was wrong. …(omitted)

◈

The next morning.

I greeted the morning without getting any sleep. It was not that I could not sleep, but I just did not feel like it.

‘Dream’.

It was all because of this magic tool.

I slowly ran my hand over this thing that looked like a small picture frame.

At the same time, I felt my heart pounding hard.

Why was I excited, I knew the reason very well.

I suddenly remembered the ancient rune research from the previous world.

The letters that were missing here and there, and therefore the limited progress of the research.

But now. In this ‘dream’, there were traces of ancient runes that I had never seen before.

‘If I find all the ancient runes….’

A new horizon would open up for sure.

The research that was done with only the revealed letters was already amazing.

Time, space, dimension…. I would finally be able to reach the areas that I could not even access before.

If that happened, the choices of action would widen greatly.

I breathed in and out.

I felt exhilaration.

No, I shivered at the new magic.

A drop of sweat ran down his forehead.

“…You are beautiful.”

Flan whispered softly.

And then.

A message arrived from Trivia.

[ *Sepia ]

[ ▶ You know there’s an exclusive interview today, right? ]

[ ▶ The reporters are really swarming. ]

[ ▶ The journalism department reporters are also full. ]

[ ▶ You have to come! Absolutely! ]

“An exclusive interview.”

I straightened my clothes and fixed my style.

There were things to prove, things to enjoy, and they were still overflowing.

Sᴇarch the ɴøᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.