[{"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-118":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},1334914,1778,"Chapter 118","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-118",118,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 118: The Mage of Ashes (8)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The festival was in full swing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, it was to celebrate Commander Theodore’s return and their victory in battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there were still tens of thousands of orcs left, so the war wasn’t completely over yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, with the Orc Chieftain and the King Sandworm both defeated, finishing off the remnants wouldn’t be too difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where on earth have you been all this time before returning?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could you tell us now? We’re dying of curiosity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commander Theodore could only give a good-natured laugh at his subordinates’ pointed questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he couldn’t tell them that he had become a demon and then returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There were... certain circumstances I couldn’t share. During that time, Commander Lloyd helped me a great deal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so… We had no idea and only resented him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We thought he had schemed something during the operation to take the commander’s position.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk tsk. How could you be so blind about people? Make sure you apologize to him later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After sternly scolding the knights, Theodore turned to Oscar and winked as their gazes met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only three people knew what had happened to him, and it was a secret they would take to their graves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar, who returned the smile, started looking around as if searching for someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But where on earth is Lloyd?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd, who could be considered one of the stars of this celebration, hadn’t been seen since earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing the subtle glance, Theodore spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, where is Commander Lloyd?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm? Now that you mention it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He seemed to go somewhere earlier, but we haven’t seen him since.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll go look for him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar rose from his seat and headed off with a familiar stride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t head toward Lloyd’s quarters or the underground chamber beneath it but instead went to the castle wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Lloyd hasn’t changed at all in this regard.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always disliked loud or crowded places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even at the White Tower, whenever there was a party, Lloyd would often hide in the gardens or on the rooftop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, after checking several watchtowers, Oscar found him reading a book and sipping tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When their eyes met, Lloyd looked as though he had seen a ghost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, composing his expression, he asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did you know I’d be here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just searched around. What are you doing here while the festival is in full swing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd simply turned his gaze back to his book and replied,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t like noisy and crowded places.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even so, it’s a victory celebration.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One person missing won’t cause a problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had he grown so cynical?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar let out a small laugh and sat down in the chair next to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From there, he gazed out over the barren wasteland beyond the castle walls, littered with the corpses of orcs they had fought just hours ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding out his empty teacup, Oscar said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pour me some tea as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Wait, are you hesitating because you’re being stingy? Wow, that’s cold. After all the time we spent researching together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s hesitation, Lloyd finally tipped the teapot and poured tea into Oscar’s cup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar's eyes widened in surprise as the reddish-brown liquid filled the cup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait a second, isn’t this Hongru Tea?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongru Tea, or “Red Tear Tea,” was known for its unique color and was brewed from the rare Hongru flowers, notoriously difficult to cultivate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The village that once grew these flowers was the only one on the continent to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And calling it “once” was fitting, as that village had been destroyed during the war against the demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought the recipe for these flowers was lost when the village was destroyed. You managed to create them through magic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Lloyd replied with a reluctant expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How does a young mage like you even know about Hongru Tea?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I read about it in a book.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t lie. You recognized it just from the color. No book describes it in such detail.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with Lloyd’s narrowing, suspicious gaze, Oscar slowly parted his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When you take your first sip, a deep bitterness spreads across the tip of your tongue. Then, astringency and dryness coat your palate, spreading further. As it goes down your throat, a crisp finish like the dawn air lingers. The aftertaste remains faintly, leaving a subtle yet long-lasting impression. Am I right? The book described its flavor in great detail.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, no book would include such an absurdly detailed description.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar could describe Hongru Tea so well because he had frequently drunk it in a past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also the only tea Lloyd, who had tried to imitate him in everything, had refused to drink, calling it too bitter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I thought I’d never taste it again after the village was destroyed….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, he smiled faintly at the memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, as if sensing his gaze, Lloyd glanced at him, sipped his tea, and murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t create it with magic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pardon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I cultivated the flowers myself. It took a very long time to restore them. I dry the petals carefully, carry them with me, and brew the tea whenever something pleasant happens. You should consider it an honor to share it with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar wanted to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why, despite claiming to dislike flowers, had Lloyd gone through so much trouble to restore this one?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did he carry it with him everywhere?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it have something to do with someone named Oscar Sage?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to resist his curiosity, Oscar cautiously asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have a unique taste. Is there a special reason you like this tea?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd sipped his tea silently for a long time before answering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To not forget.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be... to not forget him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as an unbidden hope began to rise, Lloyd fixed him with a gaze drier than the barren desert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To not forget how much I hate someone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Oscar was speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t believe Lloyd drank this tea to suppress joy and sustain hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed clear how Lloyd thought of him now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Oscar took a sip, he muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s more bitter than I expected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd stared blankly into his teacup as though lost in thought and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think it used to be even more bitter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Used to be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There was a time when this tea tasted… exceptionally bitter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with that, Lloyd fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unspoken tension suggested he didn’t want to elaborate further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Oscar changed the topic and asked another question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When you fought the King Sandworm, was it really necessary to fight that way?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Are you trying to give me combat feedback?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m just genuinely curious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he wanted, he could have avoided the underground King Sandworm’s charge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering he was once a mage of the White Tower, he should be capable of using the Flight spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you talking about Flight magic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd, who had already finished his tea, set the teacup down and shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I cannot use the magic of the White Tower.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Ah, is it because of the regulations?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most magic towers have such regulations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When one leaves a tower, they are forbidden from using any magic learned there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Breaking this rule often results in the tower dispatching a mage to destroy the violator’s magic circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But in a life-or-death situation, following regulations seems... wouldn’t the White Tower overlook something like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re mistaken.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd chuckled faintly and shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not because of the White Tower. I cannot use it because of a promise I made to my master—the Red Tower Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does that even—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s enough talk for today. Any more would be too much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd’s refusal was clear as he shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar hesitated briefly at the invisible line Lloyd had drawn but cautiously took a step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did you leave the White Tower?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thoughtful gaze, deep in contemplation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Lloyd closed his eyes and murmured:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because it was the most efficient choice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve performed better than I expected. As promised, I’ll ensure the military receives a steady supply of high-grade potions from the White Tower.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A clear dismissal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar desperately wanted to ask how Lloyd truly felt about him—Oscar Sage—but he couldn’t muster the courage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go back, White Tower mage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Lloyd had never once called him “Oscar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A nameless mountain in the desert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two figures, a man and a woman, were gazing at a red fortress on the horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man spoke first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t expect much from inferior species like orcs, but failing despite wielding that level of power... how pathetic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Shall I report this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes, report it immediately upon our return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Attempts to use the Nightmare Baron to bring down Vince had failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Attempts to use the orcs to topple the Red Fortress had failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of all these failures was one man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s clear now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man grinned as he stared at the Red Fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oscar Crucian. That guy’s definitely a nuisance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that they understood the problem, the solution was simple—eliminate him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since they’d failed once, they would need to prepare a more certain plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dirge. Summon him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sasha Maestro, the White Tower Master, had recently been troubled by one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What could it have been?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power that had healed her pain during her ordeal with the Fairy Tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a mana that felt so nostalgic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She even knew who it belonged to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she regained consciousness, she had sought out the deputy-tower master, who revealed an entirely unexpected answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oscar Crucian, was it...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His magic felt like something she had longed for, something motherly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A warm, comforting sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this was merely a metaphor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had no memories of her parents’ magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had only ever resented them for abandoning her, never yearning for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In that case, who could I have thought of as a parent and missed so dearly...?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A delicate frown creased her brow as she delved into her memories, eventually conjuring the image of someone she had once followed like a parent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could it be... my master?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone she had loved so deeply, trusted so completely, that now she hated them fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he had discarded her and the White Tower like they were nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone like Sasha, who had already been abandoned once by her parents, the betrayal had been an indelible wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Though I understand the meaning behind his choice... it doesn’t make it easier.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between the White Tower and humanity, between the magic towers and the world, choosing one over the other was rational.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps her resentment was nothing more than a childish tantrum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But still…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could she do about her hatred?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could she do about her inability to forgive?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had believed that even if the world abandoned her, her master would never do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sasha lightly slapped her cheeks and resumed her pondering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then why did I feel that same sense of comfort from Oscar?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a mystery she couldn’t unravel alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She would have to ask him directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resolving herself, she buried herself in her work for the next few weeks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tower Master, Oscar has returned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the day finally came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>",1923,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.789Z",1,"novelbin.me","73948753ff24bbd2bce2ee6dbf6cfde92956f191ec47920ce1c9595f044fb8c7","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-119","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-117",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]