[{"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-57":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},1334953,1778,"Chapter 57","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-57",57,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Clara]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 57: Training Camp (2)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sole drawback of harmony-based magic is that it accumulates mana at the slowest rate among all magical schools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what if there were a breathing technique that allowed mana to be gathered continuously, 24 hours a day?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It might sound like the fanciful daydream of a child, but making this a reality is exactly what the \"Oscar Breathing Method\" accomplished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I remember referencing Ouroboros magic quite a bit when I created this.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that, Oscar hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he had successfully restored Ouroboros magic, would anyone believe him if he claimed to have developed a new breathing technique based on it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving it some serious thought, his conclusion was clear: \"Absolutely not.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'No matter how much of a theoretical genius Oscar might be, creating a breathing technique is just too much.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in his previous life, he hadn’t perfected the breathing method until he reached Level 9.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now a Level 3 mage suddenly produces a technique with equivalent performance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At best, he’d be dragged to a secret imperial facility for experimentation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the goal of the upcoming training camp was to elevate all participants to Level 4.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To achieve that, it was essential to create a situation where teaching the Oscar Breathing Method would be plausible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pondering for a while, Oscar eventually came up with the most convincing approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'If creating and unveiling it isn’t feasible, discovering it by chance is the most natural route.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luckily, he knew just the place—an appropriate spot where the legacy of a former Tower Master could plausibly be hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Hoo.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a place he never wanted to return to, filled with remnants of his reckless younger days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was his old hideout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever he thought of his master, one particular scene would always come to mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle, rustle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Hey, are you seriously not going to help me with this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overwhelmed by the mountain of documents he was dealing with, Oscar voiced his frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His master, sipping a drink by the window, chuckled heartily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You brat, consider this practice. When you become the Tower Master, you’ll have to do all of this anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly! I’ll be drowning in this next month when I officially take over, so why make me do it now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve already done this for decades. You’re young—think of it as suffering a little earlier than usual, and stop whining.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the day, just a month before the succession ceremony, when Oscar’s master had been grinning from ear to ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Time flies, doesn’t it? Feels like yesterday when I picked you up off the streets.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, don’t make it sound like I’m some stray cat you found on the road!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Technically, I did pick you up from the back alleys. Your eyes were gunky, and you had a runny nose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaagh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His master teased him with a mischievous grin, then looked out at the luminous moon and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...You’ve worked hard. Of course, the road ahead will be even tougher.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gilbert Rosenbach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 16th White Tower Master, who had stabilized the tower for 42 years, was on the verge of retirement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...That’s it? No more words of wisdom?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What more is there to say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean, you could give me advice like, ‘Run the tower this way’ or ‘Avoid doing that.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you insist, I can.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a sly smile, his master offered a simple but profound answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do as you see fit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...You’re joking, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nope. That’s the White Tower’s essence. It should never stagnate—it must always flow. Make it your own.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those words carried a weight that Oscar only now began to fully grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From next month, the lives of hundreds would hinge on his decisions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carefully observing his master’s expression, Oscar asked cautiously,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Couldn’t you delay retirement just a little longer? You’re still spry, so why rush?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You brat, let me reap some benefits from having a talented disciple for once. Besides, my knees ache every time it rains—it’s hard enough just to walk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That pathetic expression was clearly a ploy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If an 8th-Level Archmage struggled to walk, other elders would all be bedridden, awaiting death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, and why does that emperor keep pestering me like this when I’m about to retire?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably because he’s sad to see you go, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two shared a unique bond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gilbert had mentored the emperor in his youth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you said this was his last request before retirement?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Some new traces were discovered in the Red Mountains recently. I’ll take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Red Mountains were practically the Empire’s edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond them lay a vast gray wasteland, barren and lifeless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...It’s just a reconnaissance mission, so you’ll be back soon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I plan to treat it like a brief vacation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at Oscar, his master gave a knowing smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll return before the succession ceremony, so don’t worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...I wasn’t worried!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar pouted like a sulking child afraid their parents might not make it to a school event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you really not giving me a succession gift? All the other towers do it. I might just defect to one of them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha-ha!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His master’s warm laughter filled the room as he turned to face him, eyes sparkling with playful mischief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I already gave it to you, you brat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...If you’re going to say something cheesy like, ‘Our memories together are your gift,’ I’m seriously defecting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha-ha-ha! Well, I did give it, so go ahead and find it. You’ll figure it out soon enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, his master left for the Red Mountains with the imperial forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was the last memory Oscar had of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gilbert Rosenbach was killed there by beings who called themselves “Demons,” whom they encountered for the first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I suppose it started then.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was when Oscar stopped visiting his old hideout—a place he used to frequent whenever he wanted to slack off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it was a kind of compulsion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A need to perfectly manage the White Tower that his master had entrusted to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To become as perfect a leader and mage as his master had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...To exact revenge on every demon for his master’s death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has it really been 26 years?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twenty-six years—a span of time long enough for landscapes to change twice over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, the small pond before him remained unchanged, preserving its exact form from his memories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it had to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The place had been artificially constructed with illusion magic by his younger self.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'On the surface, it’s an ordinary pond, but with the right mana code...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adjusting his mana code, Oscar leapt into the pond without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, his memory hadn’t failed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body stayed dry as he landed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Landing at the bottom of the pond, Oscar opened the hatch beneath him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I must say, I did an excellent job making this.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he descended the stairs, praising himself, he came upon a room that looked like a study for an exam-taker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just as it had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Clara]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The desk where he'd doodled magic alone, a bookshelf filled with dozens of novels, even the box where he used to stash snacks—everything was there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar's expression grew increasingly peculiar as he looked around the familiar yet pristine room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why is this place so clean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no memory of casting any preservation magic here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scanning the surroundings with wide eyes, he noticed a letter and a wooden box placed on the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if bewitched, Oscar moved toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seal on the envelope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was one he knew intimately, one so familiar and dear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It's Master’s seal?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With trembling hands, he tore open the envelope to reveal neat handwriting he thought he would never see again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You did well. It’s quite well made.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Everyone needs a sanctuary to breathe.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It doesn’t have to be a place. A person you can lean on, or a hobby that clears your mind—anything would suffice. Make sure you have at least one.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did Master know he’d spent his free time loafing around here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought he had hidden it perfectly...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Oh, and about the succession ceremony gift. I thought it would be too awkward to give it to you in person, so I left it here.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[P.S. Now that you’re going to be the Tower Master, try cleaning once in a while. You're too old for your room to look like this, you filthy brat.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After 26 years, he was hearing Master’s nagging again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He used to hate it so much, so why did he long to hear it now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar sat in the chair, staring at the spotless room for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could almost see his Master folding the blankets, organizing the bookshelf, and using preservation magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......You really left a gift.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had thought it was a lie and had complained bitterly to Edna about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fiddling with the wooden box for a while, Oscar finally opened the lid slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside was a pair of thin, transparent gloves, delicate as cicada wings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Zephyr.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Master’s signature weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lighter than a feather, it could easily deflect sword auras or intermediate-level magic, and its strength was comparable to steel, capable of shattering rocks with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside the gloves was a small note.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[May my treasure be used well by someone far more precious to me.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar silently took the gloves and slid them onto his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They seemed a bit large at first, but as soon as he wore them, they adjusted to fit perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the eye, his hands looked no different from when bare, which made the artifact even more valuable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You said I’d find it soon, didn’t you...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he spoke, Oscar’s eyes reddened, and he bowed his head deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he’d found Master’s remains, the gloves weren’t on his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had assumed a demon had stolen them after killing Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I asked every single one of the countless demons I slew.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did you take Zephyr?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But none of them had answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And yet, why is this here…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was it here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Master had taken it, wouldn’t he have prevailed against the demons he faced?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Might he not have escaped danger once or twice more?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Couldn’t he have, perhaps, burst out laughing heartily and shown up at the succession ceremony after all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......Ghh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clenching his fists, Oscar buried his head on the desk, his shoulders trembling for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know how much time had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wiping his reddened eyes, Oscar stood and walked to the bookshelf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the books, he pulled out a thick notebook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s a shame, really. This will probably be the first and last time.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t as if he could conveniently stumble upon the former Tower Master’s hideout multiple times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was his only chance to turn his knowledge from his previous life into a book for the Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But no matter how much of a Tower Master I am, I can’t take a copy of a high-level magic book out of here.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing of value he could share was the Oscar-style breathing technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pushing aside his regrets, Oscar quickly filled the notebook with a pen he’d brought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Completing a 120-page book, he used magic to artificially age the ink here and there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how closely examined, it looked like a book written decades ago, so there would be no suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before leaving the hideout, Oscar glanced back one last time, sticking out his lips in a pout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And by the way, I’m not filthy anymore, Master. I bet I’m better at cleaning than you were.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hahaha!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could almost hear Master’s hearty laughter echoing in his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Clara]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",1978,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.789Z",1,"novelbin.me","46a388cf0eef9ef6db711a2a998f0ea05f3eb43168f1ea4a53e22ee1854c40df","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-58","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-56",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]