[{"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-213":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},1334659,1778,"Chapter 213","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-213",213,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 213: Eternal Moment (1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sasha was a child who loved people and learned quickly from a young age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because of that, she used to follow her two senior brothers around almost every day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘As a result, she ended up with a personality that's a mix of the two.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd was a perfectionist who finished everything he started with meticulous precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gilly, on the other hand, was stubborn and had to experience things firsthand to be satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Growing up with those two, Sasha never relied on others for even the smallest errands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If Gilly, with his meddlesome nature, tried to help her out, she’d burst into tears, saying it was unfair.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, someone with a stubborn desire to perfectly complete tasks on her own was born.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of this, over time, people around her became hesitant to offer help—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>especially since she would glare at them with sulky eyes if they did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And this trait is even stronger when it comes to matters related to me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it came to anything involving him, Sasha absolutely refused help from others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She insisted on handling everything herself and wanted to be praised for it alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her behavior, resembling a baby bird faithfully following its mother, was quite endearing—but also worrisome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was because it was one of the rare instances where the usually rational Sasha let emotions take over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I thought that side of her would've faded during the 21 years I was gone…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had been mistaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reuniting, Sasha clung to him even more fiercely than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That part of her is probably what led to the current situation.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar glanced sideways at Sasha, who was walking with a dejected air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been like that ever since the battle ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Right now, Sasha is undeniably the strongest force in this party.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And her reason for joining the journey in the first place had been to protect him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But instead of protecting him, she had ended up needing his help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had even been compared to his past self, and her self-esteem as a Tower Master had taken a hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Personally, he suspected she was deeply disappointed in her own perceived powerlessness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s probably why it happened.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why the Mind Demon took root in Sasha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar’s eyes held deep concern as he looked at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Medically speaking, a Mind Demon was similar to a type of mental illness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s a deadly psychological affliction that only affects magic users of Master level or higher.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the enlightenment required at higher levels, mental stability was essential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Mind Demon was a devil that constantly shattered that stability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It usually appears when one’s self-belief starts to waver.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mind Demon torments its host by bombarding them with relentless questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And listening to those questions makes it feel like everything they’ve worked for is wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Like your very existence is being denied—like you’re defective.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the reason it feels that way?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the Mind Demon speaks half-truths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what makes it terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the voice in your head were spouting only lies, you could just scoff and ignore it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it blends truth and fiction so skillfully that your mind and heart inevitably begin to waver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ve gone through it plenty myself.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until he gained solid confidence in himself, he too had suffered greatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why he understood the danger better than anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If left alone, it could be disastrous.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t something that could be brushed off as a mere mental slump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it wasn’t dealt with in time, it could lead to madness or even cause magical outbursts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And unfortunately, it wasn’t something others could cure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mind Demon was a sickness of the heart—like a fog that only disperses once the person finds their own clarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The best outcome would be for Sasha to regain her confidence on her own…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in her current state, with her self-worth so diminished, that seemed unlikely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Kaya approached carefully and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it okay to leave her like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Right now, there’s nothing we can really do for her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaya nodded in agreement, as if she had also experienced a Mind Demon before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then we’ll just have to keep a closer eye on her. What about the new route?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not bad. We had to backtrack a bit, so crossing the mountain range should take about two more days. Until then, we shouldn’t encounter Yuribe again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had chosen a path opposite from the direction that Yuribe and the Devourer of Mountains had gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Oran spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, then what about the Calamities? What are the odds we’ll run into one of the five great calamities of the Red Mountains?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We're doing our best to avoid them too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he feared, encountering one of the Calamities would be disastrous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After their battle with an 8th-level demon, none of the four were in top condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, running into any Calamity could mean total annihilation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At least the Devourer of Mountains is too busy chasing Yuribe to come after us. That’s a relief.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That left four remaining Calamities, and one of those—the Red Witch—was now considered a legend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So in reality, there were only three to worry about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that in mind, Oscar closed his eyes and spread out his magical senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing no hostile presence, he withdrew his magic and shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s nothing within range at the moment. Since we’re checking periodically as we move, I don’t think there’s any serious danger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, speaking of which—how far can you currently detect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar was the first to notice Yuribe’s presence and had given them all a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oran had been dying to ask—just how wide was his detection range?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief pause to measure it, Oscar answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because the magical flow around here is unstable, my range is a bit limited right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So how far is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Roughly 10 kilometers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That’s insane.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oran muttered under his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Detecting that kind of range from the base of a mountain was something only a Master with specialized sensing abilities could do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And while Oran himself was a 7th-level Master, he knew he couldn’t sense enemies 10 kilometers away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That settles it. Brother, you really should—oh, my bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He caught himself and glanced at Sasha, offering a quick apology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaya then spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still, with that kind of range, we should be able to avoid even the Calamities, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not necessarily true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oran shook his head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we’re talking about the Eye Thief, then 10 kilometers is nothing. It could cover that distance in the blink of an eye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s that fast?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very. Faster than anything I’ve ever seen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among all the beings he had encountered, Kaya was surely included.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing that, she nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s ridiculously fast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, but there’s no need to worry too much. As long as it doesn’t know our exact location and come charging in a straight line, we’re unlikely to run into it. Right, brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That's right,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as we don’t recklessly use magic and draw attention, it’s hard to find anyone in these vast mountains. And this is the second peak—relatively the safest place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Relatively safe? So the disasters have specific areas they’re active in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. The Empire groups them together as ‘disasters’ for convenience, but that doesn’t mean they’re on the same side.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the records from 21 years ago, the Imperial family had identified the location of each disaster as follows:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-First Peak – Mad Wind, Silmarion\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Third Peak – Snow Thief\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Fourth Peak – Red Witch\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Fifth Peak – The One Who Swallowed the Mountain\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Seventh Peak – Noise Swarm\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that’s more precise than we knew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oran looked at him with curious eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your brother really is impressive. That was classified information even within the Imperial court—how did you find out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well… a bit of this and that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I’ve never heard of the disaster on the First Peak before. What kind of being is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Kaya’s question, Oscar gave a short answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A spirit. More precisely… a wind spirit that’s gone mad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar’s eyes grew heavy as he recalled the being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spirit King of Wind, Silence Silaphrion—he had never forgotten his promise to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Silmarion was the first and most powerful spirit ever created.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a human perspective, he could be considered her firstborn child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But about 25 years ago, he manifested to stop the demons—and was consumed by demonic energy, losing his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silaphrion’s sorrow and rage at that loss were immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So immense that she had supported the White Tower with her full strength, wanting to erase every last demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In exchange for that great help, she asked for just one thing:’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To release Silmarion from his suffering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a promise Oscar had failed to keep in his previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he wanted to fulfill it—a burden he now carried in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Of course, that wouldn’t be easy with my current strength.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silmarion was roughly level 8 in power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One might ask why he didn’t take him down in a past life—but he had tried, several times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, no matter how thoroughly he scoured the First Peak, he couldn’t find him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That creature doesn’t remain physically manifested.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made him exceptionally hard to deal with—appearing and disappearing at will, making tracking nearly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaya let out a short sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A spirit, huh… sounds like it’ll be tough to deal with.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think of it like a ghost-type. Physical attacks don’t work at all—you have to coat your magic on every strike.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several more hours of travel, Oscar gave the order to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They needed to conserve stamina, and it was a good time to eat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took an opened can of soup and walked over to Sasha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tower Master, it’s mealtime.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tower Master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lightly shook her shoulder, and Sasha finally snapped out of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, sorry. What did you say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s time to eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat? I’m not really hungry right n—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have to eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar firmly handed her the can.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She accepted it reluctantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks. I’ll eat it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You need strength to go on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting beside her, Oscar started eating his own soup as he asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sasha looked over at Kaya and Oran, then quietly raised her mana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She created a soundproof barrier to keep the conversation private, then let out a deep sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master… When do you think you’ll reach level 7?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why do you ask?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because… when you do, I’d like to pass the position of Tower Master back to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t be ridiculous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar spoke sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The White Tower Master right now is you. I have no intention of taking my student’s seat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not talking about taking—it’s something I want to give…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sasha pouted and muttered in a small voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master would obviously do a way better job than someone like me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not even close.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In fact, you’re far more suited to be the Tower Master than I am.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m really happy and grateful to hear that from you, but… come on. That can’t be true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not saying this to make you feel better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wearing a half-serious expression, he continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Inheriting a well-established organization and maintaining it is easy. But slowing the inevitable collapse of a shattered institution? That’s hard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was talking about the White Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had only inherited the completed tower from the previous masters and his own teacher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was very little left to build or improve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, even if it had been neglected for a few years, it would’ve run itself just fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the White Tower Sasha inherited was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The tower I ruined with my own hands, stripped of everything.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, the only reason it hadn’t been expelled from the Four Great Towers was because of Sasha’s leadership.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I had been your age, I probably couldn’t have done the same.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really, really.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he kept praising her, Sasha’s expression finally began to soften.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think the happiest moments of my life are when Master praises me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m glad to hear that. I’d love to stop praising you, but you’re too good at what you do—I can’t stop. Stop being so excellent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehehe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar smiled as he watched Sasha flush shyly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Of course, this alone won’t wash away her inner scars…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if her heart had lightened even a little—for now, that was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",2114,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.789Z",1,"novelbin.me","f3cf548c40fb0419a23d24fb9e7ad87fdd655413bd06044786ba64611d76fb1e","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-214","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-212",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]