[{"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-125":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},1334921,1778,"Chapter 125","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-125",125,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 125: Artificial Island, Ivemir (2)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the northern part of the continent, there is a lake called Sylvarine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its waters are so cold that even most fish cannot survive, making it a lake of death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the lake, the crimson mountain range comes into view, creating an enchanting and mysterious landscape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>248 years ago, an emperor, captivated by this mysterious scenery, ordered the construction of an artificial island on the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The project was massive, even by today’s standards, requiring an unprecedented amount of labor, resources, and funding, all recorded as historical feats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just the construction itself took over 20 years. It’s practically a landmark of the empire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar, sitting in the passenger seat of the car, muttered to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran, who was behind the wheel, responded,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There was such an incredible place up north? That’s strange. Then why haven’t I ever heard of it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Because it’s a stain on the imperial family’s legacy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The artificial island of Ivemir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a place constructed solely to host the Night of the Mages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the event ended in complete failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘After that, the artificial island was thoroughly abandoned.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they had wanted to make use of it, it would have been difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The location was so remote, even for the northern region, that access to it was nearly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was once expected to be one of the emperor’s great achievements became an embarrassment and was forgotten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, so they canceled the Night of the Mages even after investing so much?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you, someone died during the event.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well… it might sound a bit psychopathic to say this, but isn’t death at such events pretty common? Even in the imperial Festival of Swords, knights die in droves, but it’s never been canceled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he mentioned it, that was true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though brutal, deaths were indeed commonplace at such competitive events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Could there be some deeper secret behind the cancellation of the Night of the Mages that I don’t know about?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he pressed his lips together in silence, Fran shot him a curious glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s this? You don’t know something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course I don’t. I’m only human.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the Night of the Mage was an event shrouded in mystery for him, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his previous life, he had only skimmed through some related texts, so he didn’t know much about it in detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, finally, you seem a bit more human. Anyway, speaking from a merchant’s perspective, with that much investment, they would’ve just silenced people and continued the event, even if a few lives were lost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this world, there were times when money or prestige weighed heavier than human life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Fran’s words began to sound more convincing, a voice interrupted them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, stop chatting and focus on driving. What if you get into an accident?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Veronica, sitting in the back seat, scolded Fran while clutching the handle on the car’s ceiling tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She still regarded Fran, who was driving, with a doubtful gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t crash! I really do have a license. I got it right after graduating from the academy’s high school division.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So it’s just a license you’ve never used.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still, I haven’t had an accident so far.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, he wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they had only been in the car for a mere 20 minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the rearview mirror, Fran glanced at Veronica and suddenly asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not scared, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Scared? Ha! Are you accusing me of being scared? Don’t twist my words. I was just concerned!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For someone who’s not scared, you’re gripping that handle pretty tightly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is… because the handle feels so nice to touch. It’s really soft.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Killian silently watched the scenery outside, he yawned lazily and closed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m going to nap. Wake me when we arrive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Veronica freaked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, hey! You can’t sleep! What if he dozes off while driving because you’re sleeping too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as the person in the passenger seat doesn’t fall asleep, it’s fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, it’s not!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Veronica and Killian began their usual bickering, Oscar turned his head, ignoring them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How was your closed-door training? Did you make any progress?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Progress… well, yeah, I guess you could say that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint confidence gleamed in Fran’s smirk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like he had gained something during his training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m curious. Honestly, with your current physical condition, swinging a whip more than three times should be impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…And yet, you were the one who said I should aim for at least ten minutes last time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The goal of training is to always aim high from the start.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unbelievable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran chuckled in disbelief, his eyes shining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, I’ll show you when we reach the village near the lake.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A village near the lake? What’s its name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s marked as Winterra on the map.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winterra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winterra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar rolled the name around in his mouth a few times, finding it oddly familiar, until a small gasp escaped him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had completely forgotten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elixir left behind by Allan Winterhart, the man he had freed in the Starlight Mountains, was there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group arrived at Winterra three days after leaving the White Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, there were no accidents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few wild deer had jumped onto the road and blocked the way, but that was it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, it’s freezing here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winterra, also known as the Winter City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name came from the fact that snow fell year-round and rarely melted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group rented rooms at an inn and ordered a light meal at the tavern on the first floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fran, after we finish eating, we’ll spar behind the mountain. Just so you know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I said that while wiping my hands with a napkin, the others reacted first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A spar?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can I join?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Veronica and Killian, who had reflexively asked, turned their gazes sharply to Fran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran, startled, leaned back slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-What’s with you two? Did I do something wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean, ‘what’? Don’t tell me you’re planning to run away after winning once?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed Veronica had been waiting for a chance to avenge her previous defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I want to face that whip myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killian, who had only watched the sparring from the sidelines at the training grounds, seemed to have developed some competitive spirit of his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This situation worked out well for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could sit back and let them test Fran instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seems like it’ll be fine. The problem is you, Fran.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me? Why am I the problem?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The issue is whether you can handle two people at once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His whip was a culmination of complex techniques infused with the power of Wind Spirit and Steel's Breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just about swinging the whip; every swing caused his stamina and mana to surge violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s why, in the past, I could only swing it three times.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had secluded himself for rigorous training, hoping to fix that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, there must have been some improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Fran scratched the back of his head with an awkward expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, actually, I still can only swing it three times…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn’t he mentioned he made some progress during his training?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Oscar tilted his head in confusion, Fran hurriedly explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The number of swings hasn’t changed, but I’ve improved the ‘Dance of Steel.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Improved it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a technique perfected by the 7th Tower Master, renowned and proven in its time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What more could possibly be added to it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um, I think it’s faster to show you than to explain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, he displayed that peculiar confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to it, the group’s meal ended at an unusually fast pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This spot should do, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An empty clearing on the moonlit hillside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first to step forward was Veronica.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, I’ll go first. No objections, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm… Got it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing how fierce her competitive spirit was, Killian nodded readily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no rush; the sparring wasn’t limited to tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Veronica began stretching lightly, Fran approached Oscar and whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oscar, I have a favor to ask.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know that technique I said I improved? Honestly, I still can’t fully control it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You can’t control something you’re wielding yourself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, this is actually an improvement. At first, it was a complete mess. I even knocked myself out with my own whip.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of modifications could he have made?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar nodded slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you’re asking me to step in if things get dangerous?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. With you at Level 4, I feel like you could handle this easily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright. Don’t worry and give it your all. I’m curious to see what you’ve got.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just what had he gained from his secluded training?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Veronica called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m ready!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, here I go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran pulled out his whip and stood at a suitable distance from Veronica.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tension quickly filled the clearing in the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Begin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Oscar gave the signal—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Whirlwind Arrow』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Veronica’s spell materialized behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Oh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had clearly mastered a combat style suited to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven arrows formed in an instant and surged toward Fran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran calmly tracked their trajectory before finally activating the ‘Dance of Steel.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Fran swing his whip with his arms crossed, Oscar furrowed his brows in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the… it’s the same as before?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speed, power, and even his stance were identical to before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran destroyed four arrows in an instant and dodged the remaining three by diving to the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s useless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first seven arrows seemed intended to buy time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With dazzling hand movements, Veronica completed her magic circle and murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Embrace of the Twin Winds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four massive hands made of wind formed in midair and closed in on Fran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘While wind alone doesn’t have immense physical force…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being crushed by something that large and with four of them? It wouldn’t leave anyone unscathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is over,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killian unconsciously muttered, and Oscar nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is where I step in.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he decided to intervene—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slaaash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his second whip swing, Fran tore through the four wind hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The destructive power was about twice what it had been before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar instinctively focused mana into his eyes to analyze Fran’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This guy…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t some extraordinary technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had simply amplified his internal mana by twofold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff… huff…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, sweat poured off Fran’s face like rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dance of Steel was already a technique that consumed immense stamina and mental energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I see.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a fundamental gap between the 7th Tower Master and Fran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran’s physical abilities, stamina, and athleticism were not on par with the 7th Tower Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And those aren’t things you can significantly improve with training in a short period of time.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more stamina-draining a technique was, the more true this became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, was he supposed to remain stagnant, unable to grow, until all his limitations were resolved?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran had found his own answer to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If my body can only handle three whip swings.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he would make those three swings perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He decided to swing the strongest and fastest whip in the world within those three chances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A beast’s battle strategy that required ending the fight in three attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff… huff…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing Fran’s mana amplifying further, Oscar intervened in the sparring and stopped him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This isn’t a real fight; it’s just a spar. This is enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he pried open Fran’s clenched hand, it was soaked in blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite all his efforts, Fran couldn’t exceed the limit of three swings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had forged a path forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there was only one thing Oscar could say after seeing this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is enough for me to trust you with my back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Then don’t tell me to get out of the way again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because of what happened at the mosque?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling a twinge of guilt, Oscar smiled faintly and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If a similar situation arises again, I’ll trust you to have my back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Fran finally relax and smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",2035,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.789Z",1,"novelbin.me","91822a378a8c769b325bcdd3ede598d4d3ca967c03f9b8752be5ee43d301f855","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-126","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-124",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]