Chapter 234 - Infinite Mage

“Does it make sense that you can’t fight? Is it because Shirone would win?” “It’s not about winning or losing. Even if the world throws every insult at me, I am a respected authority in psychoanalysis. There was even a time when I was considered one of the top 100 minds in the world. Can you imagine someone like me picking up a sword and beheading an eighteen-year-old boy?” “Then what are you suggesting? Should I go and kill him?” “If possible, that would be preferable.” When Arius raised his hands as if to deflect the responsibility, Zion ground his teeth. However, it was unreasonable to force the task upon someone who was unwilling. “Well, it can't be helped. I'll do it.” “Oh, as expected of the prince. How manly of you.” Arius teased, causing Zion to snort dismissively. There were plenty of individuals outside who could covertly eliminate an eighteen-year-old boy without seeking external help. “Still, I can’t stain my hands with blood. I have no choice but to hire a professional. Xenoger.” With that, Zion looked into the empty space. His gaze slowly descended, then locked onto a point just beyond Arius’s shoulder. Arius wore a stiff smile in response to the sinister presence that seemed to touch the back of his neck. “Ha, this makes me reluctant to look back.” As soon as Arius finished speaking, the tension vanished as if it had been a lie. Moments later, a man, hanging upside down, appeared before Arius’s eyes. A thin thread, seemingly originating from his lower back, connected him to the ceiling. His legs were crossed as though seated, and his hands formed a circle over his abdomen. His face was gaunt, and his slender nose descended vertically from the bridge. His lips were barely there, incredibly thin. Most notably, his eyes were not the usual almond shape but perfect circles, and they were small. “You called for me, my prince?” Zion turned to Arius and introduced the man. “Meet my personal bodyguard, Spatur Xenoger. Xenoger, this is Arius.” Still hanging upside down, Xenoger twisted the thread that held him to turn towards Zion to nod, before facing Arius again. “Of course, I am aware. I have seen him numerous times. Naturally, this may be his first time seeing me.” Arius smiled thinly, like a hairline crack. Indeed, Xenoger was new to him. But each time Arius visited the gallery, this man must have been watching him. “Amazing skill. Where were you hiding?” With a face as expressionless as a corpse, Xenoger replied. “Hiding? I was always right behind you.” “What a joke…” Arius’s eyes narrowed further. It might actually be true. For all intents and purposes, the world behind one’s head doesn’t exist, as there are no eyes in the back. Nonetheless, it was healthier to dismiss it as a joke, considering how difficult it would be to trail someone from the ranks of the Mage’s Seven Stars. “Think it’s a lie?” Xenoger’s words were followed by a protrusion at his cheekbones and temples. Then, the skin split to reveal an additional set of three eyes on each side, adding up to six. The eyes had no pupils and emitted a grape-like violet hue. In total, now he had eight eyes. His blind spot was likely no more than around 15 degrees. “A mimic, is he…” As Arius suspected, Xenoger was adept in the art of arachnid mimicry, a kind of Schema martial art. Mimicry refers to rapidly altering cellular traits through Schema to create organs distinctly different from human ones. However, to reach the extreme transformations exhibited by Xenoger, one would need the power of heredity. The Spatur family, who protected the Theraze lineage’s safety for nearly a thousand years, had been evolving their bodies into spider-like forms. Their hereditary transmissions culminated in the perfect arachnid mimicry. Arius averted his eyes from Xenoger to observe Woo Rin . Each child of Theraze has a personal bodyguard, so Woo Rin's guard must be present here too. Arius scanned as broadly as possible within the limits of his permitted sight. However, no assassin revealed themselves upon inspection. Perhaps… they were standing right behind him. The thought caused a slight shiver. Activating his Spirit Zone before royalty could be misinterpreted, so he refrained, but even if he employed synesthetic senses to scan, the chance of detecting them was slim. Skilled assassins have techniques to remain undetected even in Spirit Zones. “Ha, this is why I can’t give up this lifestyle.” With the strange introductions concluded, Zion returned to the main subject. “Let's strategize, shall we? The task of killing Shirone, or rather severing his brain from his body, will be wholly entrusted to Xenoger. Once the decapitation is done, you can move in to retrieve the Ataraxia.” Arius no longer had any complaints. “That sounds right. Mobility is optimal. But the second consideration is stealth. This plan must remain known only to those gathered here in this room.” Zion quickly comprehended and turned to Xenoger. “Can you ensure no one finds out?” “That won’t be an issue. Surveillance inevitably leads to moments of isolation. Even if that doesn’t occur, we can simply eliminate everyone present.” “While that’s indeed an option, I’d prefer to minimize variables.” Arius added. “The tricky part lies with the two women. Reina can be distracted with duties, but Amy is likely to stick with Shirone. She is also a daughter of the Karmis family. If left unchecked, she might cause unexpected complications.” Upon hearing Arius's concern, the circles returned to Xenoger’s face, manifesting once more. Having activated his mimicry ability, he was the embodiment of a perfect spider. Despite his presence right before you, his substance seemed to fade. “Mistakes do not exist for me.” Arius motioned with both hands to calm down. “Whoa, I’m not doubting your skills. It’s just an assumption for consideration.” Zion, who had been leaning his chin on his hand, deep in thought, made a decision. “Alright, while you’re taking care of everything, I’ll keep Amy occupied. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes to finish her, right? Then I just need to keep her busy for about an hour?” “Oh, that’s your kind of taste, is it?” Zion didn’t deny it. “Well... she is beautiful, isn’t she? A night with her would certainly be appealing.” Arius felt a twinge of bitterness at the words coming from the boy’s mouth. After all, growing up in the royal palace, his experiences had to differ vastly from those of an average teenager. Regardless, Arius had no interest in the royal family's private affairs. What thrilled him was pilfering the abilities of the Archangel. “Let’s set the time and place, then.” While the three of them plotted meticulously, Woo Rin was left to entertain herself in the corner. Petting a cat, she elicited a soft meow, to which she responded with a gentle smile and her own meow. @ The royal palace was in a festive mood. Having shown his formidable potential, the candidate for the First Prince, Shirone, had people brimming with tears of joy, albeit forced. A grand party was underway, and even after sunset, the Grand Hall remained as bright as day. Long tables lined the outer edges of the hall, laden with delectable cuisines. As court musicians played their tunes, nobles and ladies engaged in light-hearted banter. Nobles drifted towards Shirone, following the scent of their favorite dishes, to greet him. “I was impressed by your demonstration. It was truly a magnificent validation. Although the results of the examination are still pending, seeing your prowess convinced me of Your Highness’s royal lineage, hahaha.” As Shirone merely listened, an astute noble chimed in. “Is there any doubt? Your reunion after 18 years is proof that Your Highness’s virtue has reached the heavens. Don’t you agree, Shirone?” Again, Shirone chose not to respond. He wasn’t fooled anymore. The decorum and manners of the royal palace merely masked true intentions. Beneath these masks, everyone bore faces as cold as his own. ‘Are these people allies, or enemies?’ It seemed the fate of royals was to ponder this question for life. The person making the most noise in the banquet hall was Eliza. Though she had never helped raise him, she endlessly praised Shirone as if she knew everything about him. More than Shirone, it was Amy who furrowed her brow. While ostentation can be a virtue for royalty, she didn’t seem to realize that this only put Shirone in greater danger. Shirone scanned the faces gathered in the banquet hall, finally locking eyes with a large man on the opposite side. The man burst into hearty laughter and made his way diagonally across the hall. “Greetings, Sir Shirone! Sorry for the late introduction. I was caught up with some lamb stew over there, my favorite. Aha, introducing myself late again—I’m Ritney Walker, the head of security. I oversee the security within the royal palace.” For the first time, Shirone smiled. Since security was related to his parents’ safety, it was smart to make a good impression. Besides, Walker’s straightforward manner was refreshing, a rarity among nobles. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.” “Haha! Indeed! There’s never a good reason to see the security chief too often!” He was a sturdy man. Although the years had etched lines on his face, his physique was the largest and the firmest in the banquet hall. When Walker offered a handshake, Shirone reached out his hand. In that instant, Walker’s eyes twinkled as a wave of light surged through Shirone’s mind. It felt as if Shirone’s thoughts momentarily ceased. The technique of the eye was of an entirely different caliber, possessing an overwhelming dominion. However, as a wizard who reached the realm of invincible magics, he wasn’t about to relinquish control easily. Walker tilted his head curiously and then, with a knowing smile, released the technique. Breathing heavily, Shirone stared at Walker. Although he couldn’t recall his thoughts, there was nothing particularly hostile about it. “Remarkable. To withstand Clear.” “Clear? Is that an ocular technique?” “Yes, it injects madness into the opponent. Prolonged exposure can lead to unconsciousness. But it seems it doesn’t work on you, Shirone.” Shirone squinted his eyes. “Were you trying to knock me out?” “Haha! Not at all. It illustrates the potency of the technique. Clear’s power is such that it permits no thought. By extension, it wipes away all mental magic as if washing away stubborn stains with acid instead of soap.” Madness is considered the purest mental state attainable by humans; thus, no thought can remain before it. “As the one responsible for the royal palace’s security, it’s my duty to ensure Shirone hasn’t been brainwashed. I apologize if it seemed rude.” Shirone understood Walker’s position. This wasn’t a battlefield but the kingdom’s inner sanctum. A security chief’s concerns couldn’t be limited to mere visible threats. “It’s alright. If I had been brainwashed, I wouldn’t know it myself. It’s reassuring to receive confirmation, like getting a preventive vaccine.” Walker scratched his head sheepishly. “It wasn’t entirely effective. Yet, for Shirone to withstand my Clear, cultivated over decades, it’s unlikely anyone could ever brainwash you. If you were to get brainwashed, well... there’s nothing I could do.” Shirone hesitated, unsure whether to laugh at this point. For someone responsible for palace security, the remark seemed irresponsibly candid. Walker then added with a wink. “The royal palace is a peculiar place. It’s like having dozens of families under one roof, each with a different surname. Always protect yourself.” Shirone nodded, only just comprehending the deeper meaning. “Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. It was nice meeting you.” With a hearty laugh, Walker crossed the hall again. Watching him pile lamb stew onto his plate brought a smile to Shirone’s face, as it reminded him of Rian. The encounter between Shirone and Walker drew the attention of many nobles. Zion, too, was among those who observed the scene. Seeing Walker leave, Zion approached Arius under the pretense of selecting food, and engaged in conversation. “Are you okay? It looked like Walker attempted Clear just now.” Arius had been pondering the same thing. He had set up a mental door within Shirone’s mind earlier that morning in the waiting room. If Clear had truly worked, it might have affected their plan. “Indeed, Clear is a natural enemy of mental magic.” “So, did it fail?” Arius replied with a relaxed smile. “It usually does. However, a mental door is different from hypnosis or brainwashing. It doesn't require deep penetration into consciousness. I placed it at the eleventh layer to anticipate such a scenario.” “Are you certain? What if it broke?” “That won't happen. If Clear had penetrated the surface, Shirone would have lost consciousness. Knocking out a candidate for the First Prince in front of aristocrats would cause quite the uproar.” The human mind's eleventh layer is where external thoughts flood in freely, so even if Shirone's mind was pure, discovering the door would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Despite this, Zion felt a chill at the attempt of Clear. As the head of security, Walker must have removed everything below the ninth layer in a hurry. ‘He couldn't really believe Shirone was brainwashed. What exactly is he suspicious of?’ Ritney Walker. He was both the security chief of the royal palace and an expert swordsman who authored the Kazra Palace Swordsmanship (Basic) manual. After winning a regional swordsmanship tournament at eighteen, he was selected for the palace, where he rapidly rose through the ranks. Simply being powerful isn’t enough to become head of security. One must have a thorough understanding of the intricacies of politics. His attempt at Clear right after Ataraxia’s demonstration suggested he anticipated the presence of parasites clinging to the Archangel’s power. ‘If that’s the case, perhaps I’m in their sights too. Not that I’m some simple parasite.’ Zion asked. “So, what will you do now? Walker seems suspicious. This won’t come back to bite us later, will it?” “There's no need to worry. Walker isn't a specialist in mental magic, and Clear, although broad in application, operates on a basic principle. You know the saying — a cure-all doesn’t exist. As long as I’m cautious, I can work around it. Let’s proceed as planned.” “Alright. Got it.” Zion filled his plate with food and distanced himself from Arius. After parting ways with Walker, none of the nobles dared to speak to Shirone. Being cornered by the head of security was not desirable for anyone. Seeing Shirone standing alone, Amy quickly approached to keep him company. “Shirone.” “Hey. How's the party? Fun?” Amy shrugged her shoulders. “It’s alright.” “Same here. So, what have you been up to?” Amy gestured towards her eyes. “I’ve been observing with my red eyes.” “Observing? Observing what?” “How many times people steal glances at you.” Shirone stood there, mouth agape. Of course, recalling the count with perfect memory was challenging but not impossible. But was there really a need for such meticulous labor? “What information could you gain from that?” Amy pouted. “I don't know. I was just passing time, but there really wasn’t anything special to find. You’re the star of the party, after all, so it’s natural that people are staring.” “Haha! Surely, you haven’t just figured that out now?” Shirone joked, but Amy didn’t laugh. “But… I did notice one peculiar thing. If I observed correctly, there’s a group that has never looked your way throughout the entire party.” Amy pointed her chin towards the other side of the room, indicating that Shirone should check for himself. There, he saw a cluster of magicians from the magic department. Just then, the middle-aged magician standing in the center of the group turned to look at Shirone. His penetrating gaze felt as if it could slice through Shirone’s very being. “That’s Aymar Bosun, the head of the magic department.” “That’s him...” A red-line certified 4th-grade magician. He was an exceptionally versatile talent, rumored to handle every elemental magic and oversee all aspects of Kazra Kingdom’s food production.