“…Legacy? What legacy are you talking about?”
“The knowledge I’ve accumulated for nearly two hundred years, and all the magic that I’ve invented.”
I couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded.
“How, no, why….”
“I never found a child to take as my disciple in my lifetime. Partly because the circumstances weren’t right, but also because I couldn’t find someone worthy of becoming my disciple. So, I created an artifact in the depths of my workshop, containing my consciousness. I waited for a qualified individual.”
“…Are you saying that you’re looking for a person who can find the hidden workshop, open its door, and release the threefold barrier to the artifact?”
“Half right, half wrong.”
Eleanor said, leaning to the side with her chin resting on her hand. An amused smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
“Of course, what you mentioned, the barriers, were indeed the first and minimal conditions for someone to become my disciple. But that’s not all. As evidence, the seals on the artifact couldn’t be unlocked simply by discovering the method.”
“So, what else is there?”
“For starters, it had to be a woman.”
I was momentarily speechless at the unexpected answer.
“In my time, women were not allowed to become mages. So I had to learn magic on my own, without finding a mentor, and despite that, I was rejected by other mages throughout my life.”
Eleanor’s words were true. Historically, women had only been accepted as mages for a little over a century.
Before that, only the most primitive forms of magic were practiced in secret among women, and even then, they were despised as ‘witches’.
“So, I didn’t want to hand over what I had achieved with great difficulty to a man. But finding a young girl who ‘dared’ to become a mage was not easy at all. In the end, I passed away before finding an apprentice. I didn’t want to bury everything I had achieved in darkness forever. So, I prepared this method and waited for a qualified individual to appear in the future.”
“…I see. What’s the next condition, then?”
“Another condition is to be loved by a member of the royal family.”
“…….”
This condition was even more unimaginable than the previous one.
“Why on earth…”
“Because I, too, received the love of a prince.”
“…What?”
“His name is Christian Enoras Bazar Chauntriya, the man who later became the seventh emperor of the Chauntriya Empire.”
The name Eleanor mentioned was indeed that of the 7th Emperor of Chauntriya.
However, if my memory serves me right, his empress was not Eleanor but someone named Ortlinde.
“Christian courted me, a daughter of an insignificant noble family. He promised to grant me anything I wanted if I accepted his proposal.”
“…….”
I heard the same words from Raphir as well.
“So, what do you think I replied to him?”
Somehow, I could naturally guess the answer. Even though it was an answer that came to mind without thinking, I was almost certain that it was the correct answer.
“…You said you wanted to be a mage.”
At my words, Eleanor smiled gently.
“That’s correct. However, he didn’t agree. With those loving eyes, endlessly endearing, yet filled with profound difficulty, he said the same thing as everyone else. ‘Women can’t become a mage.'”
“…….”
“So, I rejected his proposal, even though I loved him.”
While saying this, there was no trace of longing or nostalgia in Eleanor’s expression or gaze. Perhaps it was because the person before me was not really Eleanor but mere consciousness, as she claimed.
“Therefore, I have made it a condition of the third bonding ritual that there be a member of the royal family who truly loves the one who will release it. No matter how times change, there is no way that the crown princess or empress will be able to live as a mage. I wanted the one who would inherit my legacy to be truly committed to the path of magic, to the extent that they would give up the life of royalty. That’s why I set such a condition.”
“…….”
It was a twisted idea, to say the least.
Of course, considering the sacrifices involved, forsaking love and a lavish life to walk a path shunned by the world, I could understand the sentiment to some extent…
“No… Identifying a member of royalty is one thing, but I’ve never heard of a magic that can detect ‘love.'”
At most, there’s something like the ‘Love Elixir,’ which is said to make a person who drinks it fall in love at first sight, but even that is known as an unreliable and unproven kind of magic.
Even then, it was known to be an unorthodox practice, dispensed only by witches, with no guarantee of effectiveness.
“Of course. Haven’t I told you already? The magic I created has never been passed down to anyone.”
“…….”
As unbelievable as the story was, if it were true, it would explain all the mysteries.
Why the third seal remained unbroken, why it reacted when Raphir approached the artifact, it all made sense.
“…But still, even if that’s the case, did you really believe that someone who met such absurd conditions would actually appear?”
“That’s why I said I waited for a very long time.”
“…….”
Looking at my expression, Eleanor smirked.
“So, have all your doubts been resolved now?”
“…There’s still one more. Why did you need to summon not just me, but also His Highness the Crown Prince? Wasn’t calling me alone enough?”
“That was the final test. I thought that if I left you alone in an isolated room, you might lose your senses and succumb to temptation.”
“…….”
“Nevertheless, given that you’ve come this far, it seems you both passed the test successfully.”
Eleanor was smiling as if she found my reaction amusing.
I, on the other hand, was at a loss for words, not knowing how to respond to her.
“So, can we begin the transfer of knowledge now?”
“…Wait a moment. Who said I wanted to be your disciple?”
My words seemed to catch Eleanor off guard. Her reaction was unexpected, as if she had never imagined hearing such a response.
“Do you not want it?”
“Yes.”
“Why not? This is a chance for you to gain immense power and knowledge, something you could never even imagine in your lifetime.”
“How am I supposed to believe you? You could be luring me with enticing stories while secretly planning to take over my body.”
Eleanor widened her eyes and burst into laughter, holding her stomach and laughing heartily.
“…What’s so funny?”
“Isn’t it funny? Wouldn’t it be absurd for me to go through the trouble of summoning you here and engaging in this pointless conversation if I had the power to possess your body effortlessly?”
“…….”
“Upon reflection, her words do make sense.”
Creating an independent magical space, summoning a living human forcefully, and possessing their body to that extent required an immense level of magical prowess.
“Fine. Let’s assume everything you say is true. I still don’t want it.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want to obtain an unknown power like this. Besides, I never wished to become such a powerful mage in the first place. I only want knowledge that I’ve acquired rightfully through my own efforts.”
I wasn’t being stubborn. It was a sincere reflection of my true feelings.
If Eleanor had offered to reveal the hidden location of her lifetime of research records, I might not have refused. I had no qualms about interpreting and absorbing that knowledge, as it would have been rightfully earned through my own efforts.
Despite my curt refusal, Eleanor didn’t seem particularly offended.
“It seems like you’re starting to like the idea.”
“Even if I do, it doesn’t matter. As I’ve said, I won’t become your disciple.”
“Well, we’ll see. After all, you don’t really have a choice.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“If you don’t accept my proposal, you won’t be able to leave this place forever.”
“…….”
Eleanor smirked.
“This applies not only to you but also to the current crown prince of this era. If you don’t mind living here for eternity, go ahead and try refusing.”
“Isn’t it too disgraceful for someone who claims to be a Grand Mage?”
“Originally, mages were a disgraceful bunch. At least in my time.”
I kept my mouth shut and remained silent.
Eleanor continued to gaze at me, then rested her chin on her hand, appearing contemplative.
“If that’s the case, I could offer new terms.”
“…What is it?”
“I will transfer my knowledge and magic to your mind, but I will not pass them on immediately. If you ever feel like it in the future, or if your life is in danger and you can’t rely on your power, you can selectively receive teachings.”
“…….”
I stared at Eleanor without giving any response.
“I can see you thinking that if you hold out long enough, I might make you a more tempting offer. But I won’t propose any further conditions beyond this.”
“…….”
For someone who claimed to have lived for two centuries, she had a keen sense of observation.
“Will you do it?”
I hesitated for a moment and then spoke.
“…Since we’ve been summoned here, how much time has passed outside?”
“Sixteen days, seventeen hours, and thirty-one minutes.”
Upon hearing that, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes.
“What? How could so much time have passed?”
“It’s because the thoughts of the caster and the subject are accelerated at such a rate. To explain it exactly…”
“I don’t have time for that!”
I had promised Clyde that I would return in five days. The agreed-upon date had long passed, and the duration of the necklace’s transformation magic had expired as well.
I couldn’t afford any further delay. While we were casually having this conversation, I had no way of knowing how much more time had passed outside.
“Alright, I’ll accept your proposal. But please send me outside right now.”
𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒐-𝒇𝒊
