[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower":3,"chapter-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-114":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Problematic Child of the Magic Tower",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1334910,1778,"Chapter 114","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-114",114,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 114: The Mage of Ashes (4)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A barren desert stretched out before the red fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere in the encampment, lined with endless rows of orc-style tents, was far too relaxed to resemble a battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was no surprise—wherever one looked, there were only their own kin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With numbers like these, it seemed impossible to lose any war against any enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that was merely the naive thinking of the orc soldiers who knew nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of the camp, inside a massive tent, a pair of eyes were fixed on the enemy positions marked on a map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those eyes belonged to Ulgur, the great chieftain who had unified the orc tribes of the desert for the first time in centuries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Humans….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within that red fortress lurked two humans, both so formidable that even Ulgur couldn’t guarantee victory against them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, hadn’t he barely escaped with his life in their last encounter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The long scar slashing diagonally across his face ached more than ever today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But that knight must surely be dead.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was impossible for him to still be alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Ulgur had forcibly infused his unprepared body with the purest grace, ensuring his demise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, even as he convinced himself of this, a simple truth held him back from launching a full-scale assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unease that whispered—what if the knight was still alive?—kept Ulgur hesitating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, sensing movement behind him, he quickly turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing there was a human pair, a man and a woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in the heart of the enemy camp, within the great chieftain’s tent, they exuded an air of unshaken composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was even more shocking was Ulgur’s attitude toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his words, the woman crossed her arms and remained silent, while the man responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How have you been? Ul... what was your name again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s Ulgur.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, right. Anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man smiled lazily before asking,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why haven’t you started the war yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……The preparations aren’t complete.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, that’s not it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shaking his head, the man glanced at the map spread out on the central table of the tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if you’re just lowly monsters, you’ve gathered 80,000 troops. What more preparation could you need?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“War isn’t that simple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soft, deep smile spread across the man’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve grown, haven’t you? Now you’re even trying to lecture me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……That wasn’t my intention. I apologize if I offended you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need to apologize. Just don’t forget who helped you unify this desert.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m always grateful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. But you know, this world operates on a give-and-take system. If you’ve received, you need to give in return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man tapped his fingers on the map, right over the red fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Attack the fortress within three days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the detailed strategy is not yet—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is a direct order from the Fifth Finger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the man smiled, his eyes were cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling an inexplicable unease under that gaze, Ulgur had no choice but to nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previous project researching the Seed of Corruption had been terminated, and a new one had begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its sole purpose: to restore Commander Theodore to his human form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm. Is it impossible to completely uproot the demonic energy from the commander’s body?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re asking about possibility, it’s doable. The success rate is high too. But he wouldn’t live long afterward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……Because he wouldn’t have even the minimum mana needed to sustain life?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The research mainly progressed with Lloyd presenting possibilities and Oscar responding to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then there’s only one option left.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having eliminated other possibilities, Lloyd spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The way the Seed of Corruption transforms a being into a demon—that process must be reversed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think so too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The method involved converting all the demonic energy within the subject into pure mana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, such a solution wouldn’t just fall from the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…To be honest, I don’t think I can figure this out. Alchemy isn’t even my field.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s fine. Deconstructing and analyzing magic is my specialty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Displaying strong confidence, Oscar worried about something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The important thing is whether the commander can endure the process.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While magic was pure energy, demonic energy was entirely destructive and corrosive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning a blackened canvas back to white was infinitely harder than staining it in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Moreover, the pain would be… several times worse than becoming a demon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The commander is the strongest soldier and knight I’ve ever known. He’ll endure it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You seem to trust him a lot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……Not really. I’m just stating what I’ve seen with my own eyes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was rare for Lloyd, who harbored deep distrust of humanity, to place such faith in someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While it was heartening, what Oscar needed now wasn’t ambiguous positivity but certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Certainty that Theodore Bale can endure the process.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To confirm this, Oscar decided to speak with the commander directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Answer me honestly. Can you endure pain worse than when you accepted the Seed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not a matter of whether I can or can’t, is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Restrained by enchanted chains, Theodore weakly smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it’s impossible, I’ll make it possible. A true soldier’s spirit is about perseverance. Don’t worry—I can endure it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let me ask a few more questions. Compared to when you were human, how does your current body feel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……I don’t really know. Honestly, if it weren’t for the demonic energy and regenerative power, I’d still believe I was human.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though obvious in hindsight, his body—infused with demonic energy—bore significant resemblance to a demon’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After asking a few more questions, Oscar nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for your help. Your responses have provided valuable research material.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Research material? Wait, who are you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Theodore’s eyes turned completely red, and he glared at Oscar as though to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The number of soldiers in the red fortress is chicken. The desert orcs are as numerous as cockroaches, in autumn and winter. But the sword I wield is enchanted, making it perfect for a ladle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nonsensical and utterly bizarre phrases left Oscar turning to Lloyd with a questioning look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that he was quite accustomed to the commander spouting nonsense, as he quietly left the room with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The time we can have a normal conversation is getting shorter and shorter. It must mean his mind is collapsing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even so, for him to deteriorate to this extent... This isn't good. It feels like he doesn’t have much time left.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’d better hurry. Do you think we can finish the research in time?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar shrugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Didn’t the commander say it? If it’s impossible, make it possible. I’ll try to create something with that determination.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…I’ll tell you in advance, I won’t be of much help.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the reason for that could even be asked, a tremor strong enough to shake the entire underground lab was felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a vibration that had been sporadically occurring for a few days now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd, silently staring at the ceiling, finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The orcs finished their maintenance five days ago. It doesn’t seem like any more tribes will be joining them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That means...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, they’re itching for a fight. A full-scale war will break out soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>War.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A word that, with just its two syllables, could make the air feel suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How many enemies have gathered so far?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"80,000.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just hearing the number was enough to make one’s head spin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering that the soldiers stationed in the Red Citadel numbered only 20,000, it was a four-to-one disadvantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will we be alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Orcs, except for special entities like chieftains or generals, are only about level 3. Thinking about individual strength, it’s not entirely disadvantageous for us. It’ll be a fight of quantity versus quality.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Objectively speaking, which side has the upper hand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…A single hand can’t fend off two or three others.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Theodore Bale, the level 7 knight, fell, the scales had already tipped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, under normal circumstances, they could have held the fortress for several years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Red Citadel, boasting a history of undefeated legend, had always managed to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…But with the appearance of the King Sandworm as a variable, that’s unlikely now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed, if that massive body rams into the walls, they’ll crumble with little resistance. Do you think the main force can hold out until my research is complete?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don’t need to ask to know the answer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Make the impossible possible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling those words, Oscar chuckled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd’s prediction was accurate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three days after their conversation, the resounding thud, thud, thump! of giant drums shook their ears from the early morning hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a kind of ritual performed by the orcs before setting out to battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mages lined up atop the Red Citadel gripped their staffs tighter as they watched the advancing orc army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear and determination coexisted on their faces, their breaths shallow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The orc forces slowly approaching the citadel resembled an endless wave of ash-gray, surging forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘We’re supposed to kill all of them?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn orcs, there are so damn many.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to endure the pressure, some mages felt the urge to unleash fireballs, but Lloyd, with his hands behind his back, remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander, give us the order anytime.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hold your position.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ultimately, the orcs made the first move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spears they hurled darkened the sky, forming an arc as they fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at them briefly, Lloyd gave the order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Deploy shields.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Deploy shields!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mages’ cries, a barrier of flames spread in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fiery barrier, painting the Red Citadel even redder, burned and blocked the incoming spears, minimizing damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander! They’re closing in on the walls!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give the command, sir!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd held back and held back again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, as the leading orcs began climbing the walls, their massive muscles rippling, his lips moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Full bloom.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, unnamed flowers blossomed on the dry desert ground in front of the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flowers extended like a pathway, cutting through the massive orc army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grurk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Flowers…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could never know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flowers were Fire Lotuses, found only in deep volcanic zones, and they had an explosive nature when ignited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking down at the orcs staring blankly at the flowers, Lloyd snapped his fingers lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Floral Carnage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flowers simultaneously emitted a dazzling light and set off a series of explosions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Caught in the massive blasts, the orcs’ flesh scattered, and their formation collapsed in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Incredible.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The army’s morale surged, as it naturally would, witnessing a miracle performed by a single mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Finding those flowers was impressive, but to bloom so many of them all at once…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By rough estimate, there were thousands of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a single explosion, the tide of the battle shifted decisively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd, watching the advancing orcs, glanced briefly toward the tent housing the research lab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many more hours could they hold against that army?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Please succeed in there.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>――――!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deafening roar of the charging King Sandworm tore through the air, and one side of the fortress wall crumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>",1877,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.789Z",1,"novelbin.me","03f7a6d2c1ac99a7ac86df110ab9230b07b7d7f0c640dfccedfeab5c15fa5890","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-115","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-113",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]