[{"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-170":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},1334866,1778,"Chapter 170","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-170",170,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 170: Each One’s Dawn (4)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been a week since training with Veronica began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was quickly getting the hang of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice was fairly confident, but her expression was still tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar's gaze deepened as he observed the Wind Cutter she had just demonstrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not bad.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She definitely had talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her learning speed was fast, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, perfectly translating an image in one’s head into reality was no easy feat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she had managed to clear that hurdle in just a week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ting!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar flicked the Wind Cutter with his finger before responding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pass. You made it well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Veronica clenched both fists in excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, she composed herself, and the tips of her ears turned red again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph. It’s not like I’m super happy or anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You seem super happy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’m not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She quietly denied it and quickly changed the subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, what do I do next?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar pointed at the Wind Cutter, which was still spinning in the air after his flick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How long do you think it took you to make that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…One minute?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly 1 minute and 27 seconds. If this were a real battle, you’d be dead already.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your heart would be pierced, your throat slashed by the enemy’s attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imagining such a scene darkened Veronica’s expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed she now understood what she had to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I need to shorten my casting time. How fast do I need to be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember when I demonstrated my magic? Back then, I was crafting spell fragments every five seconds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve got to be kidding me. How the hell am I supposed to keep up with that…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She started complaining instinctively but quickly stopped herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guy in front of her was annoying, sure, but he wasn’t one to spout nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Wait… now that I think about it, how did this guy do it so fast?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar didn’t have the gift of rapid chanting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, his base magic intelligence was high, so he was naturally fast,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but he shouldn’t have been able to match those born as spell shooters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Yet if someone like him managed to make one every five seconds…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then there was no reason she couldn’t do it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar smirked as he saw the realization dawn on her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You promised you wouldn’t quit just because it’s tough, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Who said anything about it being tough?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Veronica replied curtly, then turned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t come looking for me. I’ll come find you when I’m ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that she had succeeded once, the rest was her battle alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lonely journey of refining her success rate and cutting down her casting time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll be waiting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all Oscar could say to her now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to the Special Task Force Office after a week, Oscar was greeted by Fran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What brings you here? I heard you were training with Veronica.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Training is still ongoing. But I still have work to do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar naturally took his seat and started sorting through the stack of documents that had piled up in just a day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re making progress with your training, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran’s overly cheerful voice suggested things were going well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, his eyes sparkled as he asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wanna see?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…See what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just wait.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without waiting for a response, Fran stood up, closed his eyes, and focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, his entire body turned into wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A living human transforming into wind in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Oscar had never seen such a phenomenon before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His curiosity as a mage flared up, and he approached Fran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can I touch it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, you idiot. How are you supposed to touch wind—HIIIK?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Oscar reached for Fran’s arm, he grasped a handful of wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, it felt no different from touching a regular gust of air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-What? Why didn’t your hand pass through? How did you grab me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a trick to it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar’s artifact gloves, Gentle Breeze, allowed him to hold onto wind-based entities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without them, he would have needed to inject magic into his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Honestly, it’s not that special. It’s just wind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well… yeah, because I am wind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran responded dejectedly as his body returned to normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately collapsed into his chair, exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haaah, I’m beat. I can use Full Body Wind Transformation pretty freely now, but maintaining it is the problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s your max duration?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At best, a little over three minutes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three minutes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar muttered in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s way too short to be useful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Dude, I’m right here. Can you not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, my bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But three minutes was seriously awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially for combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s three minutes without doing anything, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. If I use abilities like turning my whole body into Wind Cutters, it drains even faster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Is it a mana issue?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t think so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoooosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran summoned a whirlwind in his palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See? I’ve still got plenty of mana left.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what’s the problem?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve got a theory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran lowered his voice and whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think it’s because of the spirit implanted in me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A low-ranking wind spirit had been implanted into Fran’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its purpose was to assist with his weak mana control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar let out a quiet sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“C’mon, blaming the spirit because you suck at it seems a bit much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, it’s not like that! Every time I end Full Body Wind Transformation, my mana control takes a huge nosedive!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Your mana control drops?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah! I think the low-rank spirit is struggling to keep the transformation stable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar had expected it to be an excuse, but it actually made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After testing Fran’s mana control, he nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It really does drop significantly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See? I told you! It comes back after I rest, though.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Fran was right, then this wasn’t something he could fix just by training more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Unless he upgrades his spirit’s rank, that is.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran must’ve reached the same conclusion because he hesitantly asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh… do you think we could ask that Wind Giant for a mid-rank spirit…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not happening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with his intervention, the Wind Giant, Silestin, had only granted a low-rank spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he had acted like that was an incredible act of generosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But a mid-rank spirit, huh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar stroked his chin in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to legend, spirits were said to grow alongside their contractors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In other words, if he can’t receive a mid-rank spirit, he just needs to raise the low-rank one.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran gasped in admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ohh, that actually makes a lot of sense. So…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No, I mean, how do you raise a spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That, I have no idea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having never raised a spirit in his life, how was he supposed to know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, someone who had a spirit implanted in their body should know better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh, alright. I’ll just spend some money to find out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…This is why rich people have it easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Must be nice to live so comfortably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar returned to his seat and resumed looking through documents and news bulletins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Oscar furrowed his brows, sensing something unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A particular name kept catching his eye over and over again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gathering all the news articles that mentioned it, he took a closer look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Magical Detective Charlotte Lockhart Announces Her Return After a Long Hiatus.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A Genius with the Greatest Mana Detection Ability in History Returns to the Stage.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Charlotte Lockhart, Flooded with Offers Upon Her Return—Successfully Completes Every Case.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[This Year’s Rising Stars—Can Anyone Stand Alongside Charlotte Lockhart?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charlotte Lockhart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her name appeared everywhere, across all types of media.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar studied the articles and asked Fran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know someone named Charlotte Lockhart?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, the magical detective? Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without being prompted, Fran continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s a genius. Especially when it comes to mana detection. Now that I think about it, aren’t you two acquainted?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know this person?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, you don’t even remember? You two used to meet quite often as kids. Both of you were considered prodigies. I think you even did a few interviews together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another so-called prodigy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, this was the first time he’d heard that name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, why did she take a hiatus? Did something happen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No idea. Maybe she just wanted to take a break after making tons of money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what Fran was saying, it didn’t seem like she was someone who should be attracting this much attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, her name was being subtly plastered everywhere, across every form of media.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no consistency in the news about her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It almost seemed as though someone was deliberately trying to imprint her name and presence into people’s minds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as far as he knew, this kind of tactic was usually employed by the imperial family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s called stealth marketing.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A way to implant a specific person or event into people’s consciousness without them realizing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question arose briefly before he lost interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The imperial family must be up to something again.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Best to avoid getting involved with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearing away the news articles about Charlotte, Oscar came across a sealed letter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an official-looking request, sealed with an elegant insignia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening it, he found an invitation to give a lecture on alchemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The payment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A staggering 5 million bel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crazy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clicking his tongue at the absurd amount, Oscar checked the sender.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—From the President of the National Alchemy Revival Association.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fran, have you ever heard of the National Alchemy Revival Association?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never in my life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Right? They’re offering 5 million bel just for a single lecture.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What!? Then you should definitely go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Fran, who was well-versed in social circles, had never heard of this association.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could they possibly have that kind of money?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something felt off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. I have a bad feeling about this. Best to stay away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? But 5 million bel is such a waste…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“5 million bel isn’t just some kid’s name—it could easily be a scam.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, you’re right. Especially considering that cult you got mixed up with not long ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nodding at Fran’s words, Oscar crumpled the letter and tossed it into the trash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you hear back from him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the man’s question, Kaya Lockwood nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I sent him a formal request.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think he’ll accept? He’s apparently really popular right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…He should, right? The money we’re offering is huge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much did you offer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Five million bel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, my God.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man rubbed his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And what sender name did you use? You didn’t make up some suspicious association again, did you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The National Alchemy Revival Association.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s supposed to be a genius in alchemy, right? So he’d have an interest in that field.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, dear Lord. You should’ve just left this to me. Seriously, you really are from the forest tribes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Say one more word.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with Kaya’s cold glare, the man averted his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahem, well, why don’t we just move on to the other option? I looked into it, and apparently, she’s a genius at mana detection.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean that Charlotte kid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. She was grouped with Oscar as a prodigy from a young age. And unlike him, she’s already been thoroughly vetted. Plus, she’s actively looking for work right now. Doesn’t this sound like a perfect match for us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaya skimmed through the documents on Charlotte before shaking her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She seems off. Like someone’s backing her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Then what do we do? We already failed with Oscar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No choice, then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack. Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaya stretched her neck and stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we can’t hire them properly, we’ll just have to take them by force.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",1971,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.789Z",1,"novelbin.me","4cdadde7c966818551bcaf2ea0159dcb89540887d76f100afc0b6643ac2833a1","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-171","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-169",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]