Overpowered Archmage Doesn’t Hide His Talent
Chapter 69: If it were you… you would have never succeeded.

Chapter 69 – If it were you… you would have never succeeded.

I greeted the morning in my office in the World of Painting.

I stayed up all night, but I didn’t feel any fatigue.

“…”

Rather, I was busy feeling satisfied.

The interior was as clean as a sterile room, the desk and nameplate were modeled after the ones from the previous world, and there were a few simple and elegant decorations… Finally, I had my own space in this world.

“I checked them.”

I handed back the documents to Maiev.

They were about the Fritz family and Trixie.

“As you ordered, I spread some rumors that you’re going to duel her.”

“Good.”

The information network of the Blood Demons was more useful than I expected.

It took less than a day for Maiev to return with the information.

Thanks to that, I was able to confirm Trixie’s rough family history, the burden of the blue flame she carried… and various other things.

Maiev didn’t leave and asked me.

“Master. Are you interested in this woman?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“I was curious if you would be sad if I killed her.”

Ever since I told her that she could test me as many times as she wanted, Maiev had been talking to me like this without hesitation.

She must have decided that it was impossible to hide her hostility.

I found this more comfortable.

I lifted my head and stared at her.

“If you had done that, I would have given you the answer myself.”

“…”

Maiev swallowed her saliva and avoided my gaze.

“I didn’t bother. She seemed like a pitiful creature anyway.”

“You seem to have the luxury of pitying others.”

“Her mother’s accident, the pressure of her family name… Well, this is why I hate humans. More than pity.”

I roughly understood what she meant.

Her mother who never smiled, herself who was the only one in the family who could handle the blue flame… Trixie had lived with a lot of obligations.

No, she couldn’t live.

She was crushed and crumpled.

That’s why she shouldn’t go to the competition with her current state.

“Master, you have some inhuman aspects.”

“Always speak specifically.”

“You’re heartless and cruel, most people prefer humans with stories.”

Like a mage.

That’s how I would describe it.

But Maiev was mistaken.

I valued Trixie’s talent and story very highly.

In other words, I didn’t worry about abandoning her, but about refining her.

I exchanged a few simple words with Trixie through Trivia.

[ * Auction Teacher ]

[ ▶ I have a duel today. ]

[ ▶ I’ll do my best and come back! ㅎㅅㅎ ]

[ ▷ We’ll meet in person tomorrow. ]

[ ▶ …In person, in person?! ]

[ ▷ Yes. ]

[ ▶ Me, tomorrow! Really?! ]

After a brief hesitation, I sent the next message.

[ ▷ Trixie ]

[ ▷ If you had to learn magic from the beginning ]

[ ▷ Would you still be willing to learn? ]

[ ▶ If it’s Teacher who teaches me! ]

The reply came right away. This was enough.

I straightened my clothes and got up from my seat.

If I could refine the gemstone that was tangled in the mud, it would also be a meaningful thing.

Every action of the gemstone that I polished would be my proof at the same time.

‘…Trixie.’

I muttered her name in my mind and left the World of Painting.

No, I tried to leave.

“Hey, master.”

Maiev called me.

“Don’t misunderstand, I didn’t not assassinate you because I was afraid of you.”

“I hope you’re sincere. I don’t like cowardly slaves either.”

“I am sincere. I’m not afraid of you or anything…”

Around then, Maiev and I met our eyes nicely. Her eyes quickly turned sideways.

“…I’m not afraid.”

I nodded lightly and tried to leave the World of Painting, but Maiev added a few words in a hurry.

“What I meant by not being afraid, I don’t feel nervous or anything when I look into your eyes. I turned my eyes away because…”

Blah blah blah.

I didn’t listen to all of it.

◈

The stadium I rented for the duel.

There were more people than I expected.

I intended to gather only the first-year students, but… there were some unexpected faces.

Eliza.

The reporter from the Knight Department was one of them, and there were also some Blood Demons, including Maiev.

They were all perfectly disguised as students.

In the middle of the arena, Trixie and I faced each other.

“The theme is the fire element. The duel is based on ‘output’. Right?”

I answered casually.

“It doesn’t have to be output.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It means you can use it for any purpose you want. Just try to win at least one round.”

“…”

Trixie grimaced openly.

She licked her thick lips.

“Before we start, let’s make two things clear.”

I looked into her eyes without saying a word.

It meant that she could say whatever she wanted.

“If I win, you’ll accept me as Mr. Garth’s disciple.”

“And.”

“And… put my name on the list of the hunting competition.”

“Fine. There’s plenty of time for corrections anyway.”

I didn’t ask why. I knew her situation anyway.

Trixie seemed puzzled by my neat agreement.

She tilted her head for a moment, then flicked her finger.

A metal core that was embedded in the ground rose into the air.

“This is a fire core. The degree of melting depends on the output.”

Whoosh─.

At the same time, a blue flame engulfed the fire core.

Soon, nothing was left of it.

“How much output do you think you need to melt this thin fire core?”

Some students gasped.

It was impressive.

When I saw it up close… it was indeed a tempting talent.

I needed to be more meticulous for this lesson.

“It’s your turn.”

I nodded and thought about the number of fire cores. Trixie urged me.

“Pick a number.”

I made up my mind. I needed to be meticulous for this lesson.

“Two.”

As I muttered, two fire cores sprang up from the ground.

They looked like they had strong fire resistance.

One, two, three.

As the number increased, the fire resistance seemed to increase exponentially.

So, if someone asked me if I could melt them… it wasn’t even worth answering.

Snap─.

I flicked my finger.

A crimson flame tore the fire cores apart, and soon there was nothing left in the air.

“…So, you’re confident too.”

The audience’s exclamation grew louder, and Trixie nodded as if she expected this much.

“I prefer this way, too. It’s better for proving myself.”

Proving.

Coincidentally, the word I liked the most came out of her lips.

I also wanted her to prove herself.

“Five.”

She increased the number of fire cores to five at once.

Roar─!

The blue flame gathered and formed the shape of a beast’s fang.

The burning fangs crushed the metal cores in one go.

I appreciated her use of the flame’s shape as well.

The spectators were more amazed by that, and they cheered us on.

Five, ten, eleven, sixteen, seventeen…

I calmly increased one by one, and Trixie increased by five at a time.

“Twenty-two.”

From then on, I could see Trixie’s arm shaking.

Producing high output required more stamina than one could imagine.

Trixie was no exception, no matter how amazing she was.

And seventeen was already her limit.

At this moment, she was surpassing her past self every second.

It was certainly remarkable.

Roar─!

The blue fangs shattered the fire cores.

But some of them only broke without melting.

“Huff.”

Trixie wiped the sweat on her forehead.

As time passed, she somehow managed to melt them all.

But.

The fact that she surpassed her past self was not that important.

To begin with, her direction was wrong.

And it was my role to teach her that.

“Twenty-seven.”

This time, I added five more on my side.

I have no limit on the number of flames.

Trixie melts the fire cores with pure ‘power’ of fire, but I find and dig into the circuit that melts the flame cores.

The difficulty is zero, so the result doesn’t change even if I square it several times.

I’m not bound by mana constraints.

That’s why Trixie’s effort is close to ‘kicking’. It is the difference between working hard and working smart.

“No, thirty-two.”

After raising five more, I manifested the flames.

It’s not flashy, but it’s faithful to the basics.

Thirty-two fire cores melted like they were decomposed.

“…”

Trixie looked at me with a shocked face.

“Do it.”

Only then did Trixie’s shoulders twitch. She shook her head and raised her hand without saying a word.

“Thirty… three.”

The situation was reversed.

Now, when I raise five, she raises one.

“Are you raising one?”

Even though it was a simple question, Trixie didn’t feel that way.

She bit her lower lip.

“…Thirty-four.”

I quietly parted my lips toward her, who forcedly increased the number of fire cores by one.

“You must be admiring yourself in the meantime.”

At that word, Trixie’s tremor stopped.

I calmly continued.

I also had a reason to let Trixie gather more mana.

The more you squeeze, the more you’ll get the lesson.

“Because you’re surpassing your limits in real time… Your will, your effort, you must think it’s proof that you’re a genius.”

“…Shut up.”

Trixie gritted her teeth.

Bang!

At the same time, the blue flame exploded.

The living flame soon took the shape of a beast, a burning flame.

Whooosh! Whooosh!

The fierce fire seemed like the howl of a flame. It was that powerful.

“Oh my…!” “That’s Fritz!”

The exclamation from the audience was great.

It was natural.

He was actually excellent.

Crunch!

The flame bit the thirty-four flame cores fiercely. It was a close success.

“Thirty-nine.”

I melted thirty-nine fire cores without a gap.

But.

I didn’t stop there.

I covered Trixie’s blue flame with red flames.

“…!”

Trixie’s face turned pale. Like her own flame.

I got rid of the flame and opened my mouth.

“You’re not a genius, and if you keep this up, your family name will hit the ground.”

“…Not yet, not yet. Forty-four.”

Trixie, covered in sweat, raised her arm. Her thin arm shook like crazy.

The fire cores floating in the air were soon as many and thick as piano keys.

Trixie had already consumed all of her mana.

So, she can never succeed.

“Your flame has nothing but the feature of being blue.”

“…Stop.”

Tick.

Trixie failed to manifest the flame.

The blue flame sagged without burning anything.

“What difference does it make if you imply that your flame is special? Are you trying to deceive the elements?”

“…Shut, shut! Shut your mouth─!”

Bang!

Her flame, filled with anger, exploded.

But it failed nicely.

Only the flame exploded, the fire cores were fine. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ NƟvelFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“Ha… ha…”

Trixie’s hand dropped to the floor.

She wouldn’t have the strength to raise her arm anymore.

“Ah… aaaa…”

She lost.

It was natural to me, but not to her.

It must have felt like denying her whole life.

No, it actually was.

“Tell me, do you have a hobby of humiliating yourself in front of others?”

“…”

She clenched her face in silence.

“Let’s forget it. The teaching auction, the hunting competition.”

“Wait. I’m still…”

I clicked my tongue and muttered a number.

“A hundred.”

A hundred fire cores floated from the ground.

There were so many that they looked like a black cloud.

“…!”

Trixie’s eyes widened.

But I didn’t melt them.

After a while, I dropped them back to the ground.

“What do you think?”

“…”

“Would I have succeeded if I tried?”

Our eyes met in the air.

Trixie’s blue eyes were constantly hit by waves.

“Actually, that’s not important at all. Trixie.”

“…”

Trixie only gasped, unable to form any words.

Dragons hatch from eggs.

To them, the egg is a world, and their extraordinary birth begins with destroying a world.

The birth of an extraordinary mage is no different. Clan, duty, talent… Their ‘eggs’ exist under various names.

There is one common point.

Break them and free yourself.

If she can’t break her own world and come out, then it’s my job to knock on it from the outside.

“The important thing is.”

The moment when you break the world and face the light. Then she will finally know her true nature.

“If it were you… You would never have succeeded.”

I knocked on her again.

Sᴇarch the NʘvᴇlFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.