Genius Wizard who sees Rainbows- Chapter 159

**#159. Frozen Things (3)**

 

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What on earth was that thing?

He pondered, but there wasn’t much information to deduce from.

*The one thing that was clear…*

…was that it was a creature Binjin had raised over a very long period, exploiting his disciples in the process.

…But the boy didn’t find it particularly disturbing.

He didn’t understand emotions that fell under the category of disgust, and the deaths of those he didn’t care about held no meaning for him.

In fact, the feeling he currently had was—

*“It was enormous.”*

—intense curiosity and interest.

A massive creature through which high-quality mana flowed throughout its body?

Had Binjin hidden something this fascinating behind locked magic, keeping it all to himself?

*“Everything’s full of questions.”*

To the boy, the mansion was exactly that.

Ayla’s blue mana.

Binjin’s harmless traps.

The fairy tale about the rainbow.

And even the thing hidden in the basement.

They all sparked an extreme level of interest.

But at the same time, none of his questions had been properly answered.

*“I’m curious.”*

Very, extremely, intensely.

Perhaps if the outline of the situation became just a little clearer…

And if he was certain he could fully control the board…

Then the boy might resort to far more aggressive means, like putting a knife to someone’s throat.

For now, it was his characteristic caution—

And the fact that he wasn’t alone anymore, that there were people to protect—that was making him tread carefully.

At that moment, Ayla’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

“I think I really need to reach the 3rd Circle soon. That way, I’ll at least be of some help to Master. If someone useless like me wants to be of any use…”

Above Ayla’s vessel, lumps of dark emotion had formed once again.

Dripping down, trying to stain the blue ice surface with dark navy blotches.

Ray responded swiftly.

“You’re not useless.”

“You don’t have to comfort me. I know myself best.”

Doesn’t seem like it.

“Why do you think you’re useless?”

“Well… because I can’t do anything properly. You have to be able to do something to be helpful to others…”

The black lumps showed no signs of disappearing.

Rsy became a little urgent.

“You know magic.”

“But not at a high level.”

The 2nd Circle *was* high-level.

Especially considering her current age.

And in terms of potential for growth, Ayla was someone who ranked above even her master, Binjin.

*She really doesn’t know what she’s capable of. Or is it that she’s just not interested?*

Somehow, this felt like a repeat of their previous conversation.

Ray said firmly,

“You’re better than Binjin.”

“No way, that can’t be true.”

“You’re useful.”

“No, I’m not. Not even a little.”

A moment of silence.

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

“I’m not.”

“You’re no…?”

Ayla, startled, blinked round eyes before regaining her composure.

“Anyway, I have to reach the 3rd Circle… Only then might I be just a little useful.”

Ray suddenly noticed something about Ayla’s vessel.

“You really want to reach the 3rd Circle, don’t you?”

“Huh? Yeah. I do. If I can.”

…That was a lie.

Her words didn’t match her emotions.

“You really want to, right?”

“Yeah, I do. Why are you asking me again…?”

*“I want to reach the 3rd Circle.”*

Each time she said that, her fear swelled intensely.

It was strange.

As Ray considered various angles to infer the cause, a sudden thought struck him.

*Could it be because she knows that if her Circle rises, she’s more likely to become Binjin’s target?*

As he was about to test that hypothesis—

“Your food and drinks have arrived.”

A waiter appeared, having bypassed the distortion field.

Wearing a crisp uniform with the restaurant’s logo, a neat cap, a white hygiene mask, and hair tied and netted.

The server gave off an overall neat and relatively young impression.

*Tak— Tak—*

As the dishes were placed, Ray stared at the server.

“Veronica?”

The waiter flinched, then answered politely in a low voice.

“Sir, my name is Beron, not Veronica.”

The name tag she pointed to did indeed say “Beron.”

Ray nodded and spoke.

“Right. Veronica. Why are you here?”

“……”

“You started working here? I don’t remember hearing anything about it during the meeting.”

“……”

“When are you done? Your contract has to end before we leave Sector 37.”

Veronica tore off her mask and cap and exclaimed in panic.

“How did you recognize me?! You’re usually terrible at recognizing people…!”

“……”

Because there’s a radiant white sun shining brilliantly inside your vessel.

“I figured there might be times when you’d have to dine with a woman while working. But still, you could’ve at least told me beforehand…!”

“No matter where you are or what you look like, I’ll recognize you.”

Veronica, having been about to pout, melted on the spot.

Ain, rushing from another table, shook the now-liquid Veronica.

“Sister-in-law! Get a hold of yourself! You wolf bastard—no, brother, you wolf ba—brother! Wolf-brother bastard! What were you talking about with my sister Ayla!”

Not much, really.

Just about why your sister gets whipped by Binjin.

At that moment, Ayla, beside him, moved her lips silently.

*—Don’t tell Ain.*

“……”

And so, the four naturally ended up dining together.

“How did I get in? I used Master’s name a little. My face must’ve looked super serious, they just let me in.”

“Ain, you…!”

“Don’t worry, sis. I made sure it won’t get back to Master. I’m an expert at stuff like this.”

Even as he spoke, Ain kept a wary eye on Ray.

“Hi, I’m Veronica.”

“Ah… I’m Ayla.”

Having re-solidified, Veronica smiled kindly at Ayla.

*‘No matter where you are or what you look like, I’ll recognize you.’*

After hearing that confession so boldly stated in front of her, Veronica felt the match had already been decided.

Still dazed, she added something she had forgotten.

“Oh, and I’m Hailer’s sun.”

“Sun…?”

“We’re in the same class at the Mage Tower.”

Ayla cautiously asked,

“If you’re classmates… are you the same age?”

“Yup. That’s right.”

“Then I’m the unni (older sister).”

“…Huh?”

“Hailer is 16, Veronica’s 16, and I’m 17.”

Ayla pointed to herself with her finger and stared at Veronica.

“I’m the unni.”

Veronica, nodding, reached for Ray’s bag.

Ayla flinched at the sight.

*Tak.*

Luckily, Ray caught her hand.

“You can’t use that anymore.”

“I can’t?”

“You can’t. And honorifics based on age are a very important matter.”

“But Hailer… doesn’t call Ayla unni.”

“That’s already a lost cause. Nothing we can do about that.”

Veronica seemed to have a lot to say but soon agreed.

“Hello, Ayla-unni. I’ll be in your care.”

And so the titles were sorted out.

The conversation, awkward at first, gradually softened as tension and wariness melted away.

“At first, I thought you were hitting on my sister. Turns out I misunderstood. If you can say things like that to a girl right in front of everyone, then there’s no way you’d be looking elsewhere.”

Ain turned to Ray and continued.

“Unless you’re the world’s worst playboy, absolute scum, an unrecyclable piece of trash. Right, hyung?”

“……”

“Right, hyung?”

“……”

“Right…?”

“……”

“Hyung…?”

“Re—I mean, Hailer…?”

“Oh, I was just thinking for a sec. But what were you saying again?”

Misunderstandings were cleared up—or newly created.

“You’re a Rainbow Turtle Realist too! I knew from the moment I saw you that you were a good person!”

“You believe too…?!”

Unexpected friendships blossomed.

“Let’s hit the self-serve bar! I saw a mint choco banana dressing cactus-thorn salad earlier!”

“Sister-in-law, are you even human?”

“I like that too…!”

“Unni, are you human?”

This gathering had never been part of the boy’s plan.

Nor had he intended for such a noisy, boisterous atmosphere.

And yet, for some reason… it felt familiar. Not bad at all.

*‘…Have I experienced something like this before?’*

The boy soon realized.

*“Of course! It’s Ray-hyung!”*

*“Your pants were torn, right? I stitched them up. Go ahead and wear them.”*

*“Everyone gather up! Anyone late skips dinner!”*

…It was a memory from under the bridge.

Evenings when the kids would return to the tent beneath the bridge with their daily earnings and food.

Voices and body heat tangled in the cramped space—just like now.

…Back then, he didn’t know the right words to describe that feeling.

But now he did.

*“Warm and cozy.”*

Ray looked calmly at the other three, chatting around him.

…How many kids had there been under that overpass again?

If he matched the number, could he recreate that feeling perfectly?

*Pale, Josephine, Croyal, Dairen, and…*

Including himself, there had been nine.

Ray tried tallying up the people around him.

*Me, Veronica, Ain, Ayla, Mr. Jang, Curiosa… still three short.*

Even counting the animals Nero and Lato, that was only eight.

*One short. How unfortunate.*

He felt like he was forgetting someone really important… but it was probably just his imagination.

“Um… thank you.”

Ayla’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

He looked around to see that Veronica and Ain had gone to the self-serve bar, leaving just the two of them at the table.

“What are you thanking me for?”

“For telling someone like me that I’m useful. Even though you must be tired of it by now—you’ve said it several times.”

“You don’t need to thank me. I said it for my own benefit.”

“…?”

How does that work?

Ayla was curious, but Ray’s firm tone kept her from asking.

Instead, she changed the subject.

“What did you mean yesterday? That mana waves to those who are honest with themselves…”

“That.”

Ray fell silent.

He’d more or less understood and accepted what it meant in his heart, but organizing it into words for someone else required a bit more time.

“If it’s hard to explain—”

“It means to pay attention to yourself.”

“Huh…?”

“Stop worrying about others and worry about yourself. Especially your brother. From the way he acts, I’d say he doesn’t need anyone to worry about him.”

That was the highest praise Ray could give.

If it hadn’t been for his sister, Ayla, he might never have felt the need to learn magic in the first place.

“I was just—”

“You’re not in a position to worry about your brother right now.”

“I just—”

“My sun—no, Veronica—said this: You have to love yourself first before you can love someone else. Right now, you’re a hindrance to your brother instead.”

Ayla stared at Ray, speechless.

Her eyes were icy cold, but within them was a burning fury.

But soon—

“…I don’t really understand what you mean.”

It faded.

Just then, Veronica and Ain returned.

The atmosphere became lively once more, and the four finished their meal and headed to the restaurant’s entrance.

“Thanks for the meal. We don’t usually get to go to places like this. Ain, how was it for you?”

“No need to ask. It was the best. Thanks, hyung. I ate until I was stuffed.”

Ain gave a thumbs-up.

Ayla patted her brother’s head affectionately, then looked back at Ray.

“My brother and I are heading back to the mansion. We’ve got Class B today, and we don’t want to be late.”

Ray met her gaze.

“……”

“Do you… have something you want to say?”

Yes, he did.

He wanted to ask if she knew about Binjin’s exploitation magic and the thing in the basement.

It was a question he hadn’t been able to ask after Ain had shown up.

*…Well, it’s not a huge deal.*

He’d have plenty more chances to see Ayla in the future anyway.

Binjin had recommended daily visits to the Tower for checkups before the procedure.

It was obvious he just wanted to observe Ray to perfect his trap, but…

There was no reason to refuse.

After all, Ray wasn’t the only one being watched.

If Binjin hadn’t brought up the medical check-up, he would have found an excuse to visit himself.

In other words—

*“Visits to the mansion and the tower will be daily.”*

That meant there would be plenty of opportunities to speak with Ayla in the future as well.

Of course, it was a bit frustrating to leave his questions unanswered for now and put off pursuing the clues.

“Well then, we’ll get going.”

“See you again, hyung!”

The siblings’ figures gradually shrank into the distance down the street.

Then, at a certain point—

*Tap.*

Ayla suddenly came to a halt and turned back toward them.

She stood there for a while, clearly hesitating, as if she were about to say something but couldn’t bring herself to.

────

Her lips moved slightly.

Watching Ayla turn away again and continue on her way, Veronica tilted her head.

“Huh? Just now, I think she mouthed something like…”

It seemed Ayla herself didn’t expect the message to get through.

“……”

But the boy understood clearly.

*[Be careful of Binjin.]*

The question had been answered.

 

 

 

 

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