[{"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-5":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},1334751,1778,"Chapter 5","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-5",5,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Clara]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 5: The Most Necessary Thing (1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you talking about the Tower Master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maxim nodded far more easily than expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not a difficult request. You may not remember, but you used to engage in magical debates with the Tower Master frequently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All Oscar Crucian had left behind were materials related to magic and the White Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were almost no personal stories, so it was no surprise Oscar didn’t know about this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll arrange a meeting for you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you. Could it happen right now, perhaps?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, unfortunately, the earliest you’ll be able to meet the Tower Master is half a year from now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not half a day, but half a year?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shocked, Oscar asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Tower Master is currently on a mission. They’re handling the major requests directed at the Tower personally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why on earth is the Tower Master dealing with that directly...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Oscar spoke, he realized the reason and let his words trail off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because there are no high-level mages left, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...It’s shameful, really.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that the Tower Master had to personally work on-site painted a clearer picture of the White Tower’s downfall than any document could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you don’t mind me asking, what is the Tower Master’s level?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re a Level 7 High Mage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Level 7...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar bit his lip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that age, he had been on the verge of reaching Level 9, but only Level 7?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was likely due to the numerous responsibilities pulling them away from magical training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, as Maxim reviewed the report again, he asked casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The report mentions that the cut on the injury was exceptionally clean. Have you been practicing offensive magic again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, just on occasion when the mood strikes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...On occasion, is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maxim smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Practicing a basic spell like Wind Cutter “on occasion” could never yield such precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially not for someone like Oscar, who was afflicted with mana depletion syndrome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’s probably downplaying it to avoid raising expectations unnecessarily.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his young appearance, the boy was wise beyond his years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would bring it up when he felt the time was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understanding this, Maxim refocused on his stack of documents and dismissed Oscar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve said what I needed to. You may go now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in his room, Oscar locked the door, drew the curtains, and even removed the speaker on the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason for his obsessive precautions was simple:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘First, I’ll repair my damaged circuits.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a task that required the highest level of concentration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any slight misstep could lead to a mana surge, making meticulous preparation essential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After ensuring everything was ready, Oscar took a deep breath and sat upright on a single-seater sofa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he slowly closed his eyes, focusing all his senses inward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘......’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every human possessed twenty mana circuits within their body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eastern nation of Yeon, they were called the Twelve Principal Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Meridians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What a pitiful universe.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike his previous life’s body, where all circuits shone like stars, this one flickered dimly like candlelight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inspecting each circuit, Oscar nodded to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t afford to overdo it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original plan was to unblock all twenty circuits at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after a quick examination, he could tell—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a reckless attempt would destroy this fragile body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll focus on the first twelve circuits today.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Known in the East as the Twelve Principal Meridians, these were the key circuits of the body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their tangled state was the root cause of his disrupted mana flow and storage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fixing these would allow mana to circulate freely again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar began drawing up mana slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speed at which it moved through the parched circuits was agonizingly slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This won’t do.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed more mana and greater force to break through the tightly knotted circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, he had an abundant supply of mana available.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The illicit potions I took.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This unabsorbed, raw mana floated aimlessly inside his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gathering every last bit, Oscar directed it toward the circuits in a single burst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Guh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of excruciating pain crashed over him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if every muscle in his body was being twisted like laundry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now that he had started, there was no turning back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s a race against time now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer volume of mana he injected was too much for his circuits to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he prolonged this state, the circuits would inevitably snap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to unblock the pathways to relieve the pressure swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Faster, faster.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What started as a gentle trickle of mana soon surged like a raging river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood trickled from his lips, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Here it comes, the first one.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clenching his fists tightly, Oscar braced himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deafening explosion rang in his mind, and his body jolted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having cleared the first pathway, Oscar steeled himself and moved on to the next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang! Boom! Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each successive breakthrough sent thunderous echoes through his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pain intensified, but so did the flow of mana through his circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Just a little more. Almost there.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ninth, tenth, eleventh...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reaching the final pathway, Oscar bit down hard to keep himself conscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The last one!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thunderous roar accompanied by overwhelming pain swallowed the remnants of his consciousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chirp, chirp!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of birdsong gently roused him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening his eyes, Oscar quickly assessed his surroundings and realized he was walking through the garden on the 10th floor of the White Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘......’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only solace was that he wasn’t a sleepwalker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unfortunate part?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being a sleepwalker would have been preferable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an accursed nightmare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn this dream curse.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason he avoided sleep to a near-obsessive degree was precisely this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Clara]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of the curse branded on him by the Baron Nightmare, every time he slept, he was forced to relive memories of his past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For most, forgetting was a blessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For him, it was an unattainable dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not even when I was Level 9 could I lift this curse. Honestly, I had hoped it would dissipate when I reincarnated into this body...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no—this curse was etched into his very soul, not his flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shaking off the disappointment, Oscar resigned himself to watching his past unfold like a play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was nothing else he could do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, let’s wrap up today’s lesson here. That sound good?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, sir!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he turned around to speak, his bunny-like students responded in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What was today’s lesson about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You were going to teach us about the branches of mana!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eldest student, Lloyd, answered with composure and clarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You said mages and knights categorize mana into four main branches, calling it the Four Paths of Mana.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right. While mana might appear uniform, it’s actually divided into four categories: Speed, Reinforcement, Harmony, and Specialty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And the White Tower focuses on Harmony, correct?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. Harmony is the path that best complements wind magic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the Yellow Tower chased speed, and the Red Tower embodied reinforcement, the Blue and White Towers were champions of Harmony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Gillie, the second disciple, raised her hand energetically and made a request.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master, I want to be in the speed attribute! Slow stuff is so frustrating!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s unfortunate, Gillie. You don’t get to choose your magic attribute. It’s something you’re born with.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then how do you figure out what you’re born with?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Sasha frowned and asked, Oscar pressed a finger to his furrowed brows, responding with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Relax. You’ll get wrinkles. The method to find your magic attribute is simpler than you think.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a few quick motions, Oscar picked up a branch and drew a magical formula in the dirt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sasha, extend your index finger and try using this magic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s a formula I’ve never seen before, so I’ll need a bit of time…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Take your time. No rush.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Okay!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a spirited response, Sasha crouched before the formula and, after some effort, activated the magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thread of mana flickered to life on her fingertip, like a tiny candle flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm. It’s neither as swift as the speed attribute nor as powerful as the reinforcement attribute. You’re part of the harmony attribute.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just like you, Master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hehe, then I like it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beaming, Sasha grinned as Gillie took his turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she used the magic, the mana flame shot up instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Gillie, you’re in the speed attribute.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes! Long live speed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It suited her impatient and boisterous personality well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar chuckled softly and turned his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now, last up—Lloyd, it’s your turn.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do I do it like this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd calmly performed the formula, and to everyone’s astonishment, a flower blossomed at the tip of his finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sasha clapped her hands in delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wow! A flower! So pretty! It’s like magic!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You mean ‘magic.’ Dummy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lloyd, you’re in the rare attribute.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Master, is there no way to change one’s attribute once it’s determined?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lloyd’s expression turned noticeably glum, Oscar patted his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to the Imperial Magic Department’s research, rare attributes account for only 0.2% of all mages. Why would you want to change such a rare gift? Not that you could, even if you wanted to.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just… I’d rather have the harmony attribute, like you, Master…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm, is that so? Then what should I do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar scratched his head, pretending to be troubled. He knew his young disciple all too well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was planning to give you the most personal lessons, but I guess I should look for a way to change your attribute instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At those words, Lloyd’s ears perked up like a rabbit's.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…The most personal lessons, you said?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course. Rare attributes are incredibly difficult to master without the proper guidance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Lloyd quickly brightened, as if he’d never been upset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, now that I think about it, being in the rare attribute isn’t so bad. But you must promise to give me the most personal lessons.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the tiny pinky Lloyd held out, Oscar hooked his own around it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s right. His nickname was the “Promise Fiend,” wasn’t it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how grown-up he tried to act, he was still a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching his disciples one last time, Oscar let the floating sensation envelop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to wake from the dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was fortunate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dreams featuring his disciples rarely reached the \"corruption\" stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Checking the clock, he saw five hours had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to a deep sleep, his body and mind felt refreshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No, perhaps it wasn’t just because of that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flow of his mana was now incomparably smooth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out of 20 blocked mana circuits in his body, 12 had been unlocked, and his mana pathways had increased from one to two lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the pure mana he had absorbed left him with a vast amount, far exceeding his level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar chuckled in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who would’ve thought I’d ever be thrilled to call myself a Level 2 mage?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some concepts remain unchanged regardless of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the moon rises after the sun sets, and spring follows winter, the system of mage and knight levels was an immutable standard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The level distinction lies in the number of mana circuits installed in the body.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>- Level 1: One circuit\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>- Level 2: Two circuits\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>- Level 3: Three circuits\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>- Level 4: Four circuits…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each additional mana circuit marked a new level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I was a Level 9 mage in my previous life.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An extraordinary existence with nine mana circuits installed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reaching that height had been no easy feat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…It wasn’t easy, but it’s not impossible to do it again.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had walked that path once before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While his memory might blur at certain crossroads, he would never stray entirely from the right path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Step by step, let’s climb that path again.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With renewed resolve, Oscar sat up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Speaking of which, what’s my own attribute?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using the attribute-checking magic on himself, he smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana rose gently, neither slow nor fast, in a modest size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So, I’m part of the harmony attribute too.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a balanced type with no glaring strengths or weaknesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its sole drawback was the slow accumulation of mana— the slowest of all attributes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that hardly mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll just do what I did before.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He invented a mana breathing technique that is capable of maintaining constant mana absorption 24\u002F7.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was one of his proudest achievements, a method that erased the sole flaw of the harmony attribute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Clara]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",2111,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.509Z",1,"novelbin.me","d8a16a78efe1d59c73e529f338b8cdb0eb8dfa9c7f7d34e2b080535cd9e8a733","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-6","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-4",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]