The Book Eating Magician - Chapter 178

Chapter 178

Chapter 178 – Eye of the Storm (2)

The moment she spoke, a cold wind started blowing . Apart from the lethal force that the magic implied, the phenomenon which occurred was unbelievably beautiful .  It was a glorious silver storm!

The white, snowflake-like particles glittered like crystals as they froze . Even a human with a strong vitality wouldn’t be able to survive . Theodore would become an ice statue before he could even feel the cold .

“…This… Isn’t it really amazing?” Theodore marveled at Sylvia’s genius .

‘Using Blizzard and then the technique of Frozen Orb to compress the frost… There are at least five types of ice-making procedures being used in combination to create this… It would be difficult even for a Prime of the Blue Tower to do . ’

This was a unique magic, but Sylvia had not designed or developed it . She had just combined existing magic formulas in a way that no one else had tried .  It was similar to the magic fusion theory which Theodore had used to develop Volcanic Shell, but a few steps further .

Sylvia’s ‘Diamond Dust’ overtook decades of research .  It wasn’t in the 7th Circle, but it was a magic which surpassed the 6th Circle! After Sylvia shouted ‘Diamond Dust,’ she pointed her shaking staff at Theodore and exclaimed, “Go…!”

The storm swirling above her staff followed her command . The movement of the high-density magic power condensed into a vortex which could be seen even by a person who didn’t learn magic . Then it descended from the air toward the ground .

This storm which could freeze flesh and muscles descended toward Theodore, and—

Nothing happened .

Kurururung!

Theodore stayed still as Diamond Dust descended toward him, but he didn’t even use defense magic .

“T-Theo…?!” A sharp scream burst from Sylvia’s mouth .

It was a magic which a sword master couldn’t be safe against when defenseless, and yet Theodore was defenseless?

Sylvia wanted to be acknowledged by Theodore, not kill him . Therefore, she received a huge shock . However, ironically, her legs didn’t collapse because of her thorough training over the last year .

Unlike the robustness of her body, her face was pale white .  The moment her mind was about to collapse like a perforated dam…

Puhwaak!

A red robe emerged from the storm . Theodore took off the robe, which was decorated with frost and icicles, and ran toward Sylvia .  Unlike Sylvia, Theodore had calmly grasped the situation a while ago .

‘This is a power that can only be called a foul . ’

It was the Artificial Yin and Yang . Half of it was supported by Aquilo’s Blood Mark, and the power derived from it was a natural enemy of water magicians .

[* Understanding of water magic and fire magic has greatly increased, reducing the casting time of magic . Ignores attribute damage that is below the user’s level, and halves it if it exceeds the user’s level . ]

Sylvia’s unique magic was definitely amazing . ‘Diamond Dust’ was perhaps the best magic which could be achieved by a magician who hadn’t reached the master level, as it was in the boundary between 6th and 7th Circle magic .

Even a 7th Circle magician like Theodore had to be careful against it . He admired Sylvia’s talents and efforts which had created such a unique magic .

The problem was that the target of the magic was Theodore .

It might be different when using magic to mobilize physical force, like the old Liquid Snake . However, the pure water magic phenomenon was blocked by the water resistance in Aquilo’s Blood Mark . No matter how comparable to 7th Circle magic it was, Diamond Dust wasn’t a 7th Circle magic .

He ran across the frozen ground and called out to Sylvia, who was losing control, “Sylvia!”

“Ah . ” Relief filled her eerily blank expression, and she held her staff like it was a spear .

She had already pioneered the staff techniques Blundell had taught her . It wouldn’t be easy for a knight to find gaps in her defense to pierce through . In the finals of the tournament, Theodore had almost lost to that very staff technique .

‘…No, it has changed from that time!’ Theodore realized .

He was now 10 meters away from Sylvia . Simultaneously, a few ice spears floated around her, gleaming menacingly .

Kwa kwa kwak .  Kwack! Kwa kwak! Kwack! The spears pierced the ground of the stadium in succession .

The strength of the spears, which had frozen at extremely low temperatures, was already above steel . Theo could defend against being turned into an ice statue, but it wasn’t possible with physical force .

The spears aimed toward him . Sylvia was well-aware of Theodore’s ability to use Battle Song with other magic tricks, so she didn’t let him use it .  However, the discipline carved into Theodore’s body was incredibly sharp .

His ability to invoke Battle Song in this moment was amazing . Theodore easily pierced through the wall of rock aimed at him .  The movement, however, was slow in comparison to Randolph’s sword strikes or the water droplet Aquilo fired .

Kiiiiiik!

Theodore’s hand flowed lightly . An object moving quickly in a straight line was vulnerable to attacks from the side, like an arrow being deviated due to a gust of wind . The strike from Theodore’s hand caused the staff’s trajectory to change .

“Ah…!” Sylvia gasped .

As Theodore’s fist aimed for that fatal gap, Sylvia foresaw the pain and couldn’t help closing her eyes .

She could endure pain, but she was somehow afraid of looking at Theodore . Sylvia tried to reduce the impact by tilting her head backward, but Theodore had no intention of hitting her from the very beginning .

He touched his finger and thumb together .  Yes, it was an action that anyone would’ve done as a child . Theodore’s powerful flick struck the middle of Sylvia’s white forehead .

Ttaak!

“Kyak?!” Sylvia’s legs loosened at the unexpected pain .

Perhaps it was due to the previous mental shock that the power behind the flick seemed like she was stung by a bee . Sylvia grabbed her forehead while feeling it was absurd .  Theodore looked down at her with a smile and asked, “Have you calmed down now?”

“I’m angry!” Sylvia had been flicked during the middle of a serious fight, so she couldn’t help complaining . “Forehead flick… Why…? I’m serious about this fight . ”

“Ah, wasn’t that obvious with the magic you first used? It was definitely amazing . I would’ve suffered if I didn’t have a foul method . ”

“F-Foul?! Theo, what foul?”

“I can’t teach you that,” Theodore teased Sylvia in a mischievous tone while looking at her innocent face .

It might be due to Diamond Dust having no effect, or maybe she was surprised by the forehead flick, but a dark shadow appeared in her eyes . Theodore realized that it was finally the atmosphere for a talk and sat down beside her .

“I’m sorry,” he said .

“Huh?” Sylvia’s blue eyes widened as he apologized .

“You were the one who always helped me when I was having trouble, so I’m sorry that I left without saying anything . ”

“Theo…?”

“It was me, not you, who was lacking in the relationship between us . I didn’t do enough for you, compared to everything you did for me . ”

Due to his bad memories of the academy, Theodore was reluctant toward the existences called ‘friends . ’ Therefore, he hadn’t taken good care of Sylvia . He knew that he was her first friend, but he’d ignored how heavy a responsibility it was .  He hadn’t been able to say goodbye, and he’d left without telling Sylvia anything .

Theo had left her alone… because his baggage was too heavy .

“I’m sorry, Sylvia,” Theodore apologized once again as Sylvia’s eyes stared at him . It seemed like all his pent-up feelings were being released . “In the future, I won’t leave without saying anything . ”

“…Sob . ” Tears formed in Sylvia’s blue eyes . As the tears fell down her flushed cheeks, Sylvia jumped into Theodore’s arms .  

“Huaack, h-huaaang…!”

It would’ve been okay if she had been alone from start to finish . After all, a child left alone wouldn’t know the concept of being together with someone .

However, Sylvia knew . She’d felt the warmth of being with someone, as well as what it felt like to share emotions and joy with someone who wasn’t a family member . Along with a sense of fulfillment, she also felt a sense of loss .

Theodore patted her back and murmured, “Yes, I was wrong . ”

He felt the front of his shirt was becoming wet, but he didn’t know what to do .  These feelings of warmth, moisture, and a soft texture were unfamiliar . Theodore hugged Sylvia on the floor of Pentarium .  He thought that the sobs had stopped, but it was probably his mistake .

Then at least five minutes passed by .

‘S-So . How long should I be doing this…?’ Theodore’s mind was confused from hugging a girl for the first time .

He had experience with Veronica, but it was a situation where she had always initiated it . He had never once held someone through his own will . Theodore also didn’t know how to comfort a woman who was crying .

At that moment, somebody’s voice rang out from behind him, “Oho…”

A saying from the Eastern Continent fit this situation perfectly .

“I flew for three days and nights without sleeping, only to see you playing with this kid…?”

Speak of the tiger, and it will come to see you .

The woman, Veronica, revealed her presence behind Theodore and Sylvia .

“T-Tower Master…?!” Theodore exclaimed .

“Hrmm… You are still calling me Tower Master…?” Veronica remarked .

Theodore got an uncomfortable feeling when he looked at her .  Sensing that, he let go of Sylvia and then rose to his feet .  With her red hair flying around her, the beautiful woman looked like a literal flame . The fact that she’d flown for three days and nights sounded ridiculous, but the scent of the cold night air was coming from her disheveled robe .

Chiiiik! Heat spread from Veronica’s feet, quickly melting Sylvia’s ice .  No, the speed was closer to ‘evaporation,’ rather than ‘melting . ’ Veronica didn’t use any magic . It was just that the temperature went up when she was feeling agitated . So, the cold air warmed up as well .

Veronica’s shoes made loud sounds as she walked forward and said, “I haven’t seen you in a year, but this is much more than I expected…”

Theodore couldn’t move his body . Just like a herbivore that froze before a predator, he stood still as Veronica’s golden eyes stopped in front of him .  She stretched out her white fingers and patted Theodore’s cheek gently .

“By the way…”

Her fingers moved from his cheek to his ear .

“Why?”

Then her fingers descended toward his neck .

“Why is there a bad fishy smell coming from the body of my kid…?”

Veronica’s fingers stopped at a certain point on his neck . She gently touched the area, which Aquilo had bitten, and simultaneously poured out Dragon Fear like a full dragon .