Genius Wizard who sees Rainbows- Chapter 272

**#272. The City of Magicians (1)**

 

A specific word uttered by the man sharply tugged at Ray’s nerves.

*“City of Magicians.”*

It was believed to lie beyond the distortion field, north of Sector 26.

It was also highly likely to be their next destination.

Ray checked the business card.

> \[Ristoa School]
> \[Deputy Officer Gerard]

“Ristoa School?”

“Yes. It’s a school that focuses on researching and practicing healing and defensive magic.”

Ray slightly turned his head to ask Veronica.

“Have you heard of it?”

“This is the first time. I did see a magic tower in Sector 33 on the way here, though…”

“It wasn’t very big. And there wasn’t a school there either.”

It was closer to a small community that recruited talented children to teach magic, rather than a research group with a clear objective.

He turned back and asked again.

“You said you came from the City of Magicians?”

“Yes, that’s correct. I imagine an explanation is in order.”

Ray glanced down.

The man’s demeanor was extremely businesslike.

But his vessel was overflowing with uncontrollable joy.

*‘Must’ve been after seeing Veronica’s healing magic.’*

After scanning for other emotions, Ray concluded—

—he wasn’t lying.

He really had come from the City of Magicians.

It was a situation where desperately needed information had come rolling in on its own.

“If you’re from the City of Magicians, then you must know it well.”

“Yes, of course. But, uh… your expression—”

The next moment, what the man saw was a boy standing before him with a thick red-covered dictionary raised high.

**Wham!**

**Thud!**

“That thing’s convenient!”

“Effective, too.”

Answering Veronica’s remark, Ray stared down at the man’s swollen head as he lay sprawled out.

He had no intention of letting a perfectly-timed piece of intel slip away.

—

**“Ughhh…”**

When Gerard opened his eyes, he was in a dark basement.

Through the flickering torchlight, he saw torture devices.

“Where is this…?”

Panicked, he heard voices from the shadows ahead.

“How nerve-wracking. I only studied theory back at the training institute—this is my first time actually trying it.”

“I was thinking we could start light—maybe just one fingernail. If we slowly increase the count, we could probably get him to reveal the base’s location.”

“Yes, that’s a solid method.”

“W-what…!”

The voices stopped.

After a moment of silence, two figures emerged from the darkness—one youth and one boy, both wearing grotesque iron masks.

“Looks like he’s awake.”

“Let’s get started, then.”

“Wh-who are you people?! Why are you doing this to me?!”

Seeing them approach slowly, holding vicious instruments, Gerard panicked and thrashed wildly.

But he was bound tightly to the chair, unable to move.

Even when he tried to use magic, his mana dispersed for some unknown reason, rendering him powerless.

The young man, now in front of him, clipped a metal clamp to Gerard’s fingernail and whispered in his ear.

“Don’t worry. The theory book said pain is momentary, but pleasure is eternal.”

“W-wait! Wait a second!”

“That’s a great line. Not sure what it means, though.”

“That voice! You’re that boy from earlier! Why are you doing this to me?!”

A cold metal sensation began creeping under his nail.

Feeling the slow increase in pressure, Gerard’s face and body were drenched in cold sweat.

“Okay! Okay! Let’s talk this out! Shouldn’t you at least tell me what this is about?!”

“If you’d just talked, we wouldn’t have to spill any blood.”

“You didn’t even ask anything! No! Stop! I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything! Anything!”

The clamp stopped moving.

“Anything?”

“Anything! You didn’t even ask me anything in the first place!”

Ray and Solite exchanged glances, then removed their masks.

“What a shame.”

“Truly a shame.”

Ray summoned an orb of light, illuminating the room as if it were midday.

Veronica approached, carrying three chairs.

**Drag. Clunk.**

Ray sat in the center and asked,

“Why were you following us?”

“Pant… pant… Could you untie me first?”

“Solite, the clamp.”

“I witnessed the girl perform a miracle on the street. I saw her lift a paralyzed man to his feet.”

Gerard’s eyes grew hazy, as if replaying the moment.

“That pure white glow, the way the elements defied the laws of reality… It could only be called a miracle.”

“It defied the laws?”

“Yes. Any school observing it would have called it a miracle.”

“If you use your imagination, it’s possible.”

“…Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

Ray saw Gerard’s confusion and made a deduction.

Imagination—the power said to be wielded by all mages in the ancient age.

A force that moved elements beyond laws and limitations—it seemed that even within the City of Magicians, that power had been lost.

Then Gerard looked at Veronica with yearning eyes and spoke.

“The residents here already refer to you as—”

“Veronica.”

“—Yes, Lady Veronica. They already call you a saintess. And I believe you’re truly worthy of that title. You have the power to save this world. Not just out here beyond the walls, but within the City of Magicians as well.”

Ray interjected at the mention of the city.

“The City of Magicians. It’s above Sector 26, right? Coordinates 162, 32, 72.”

“H-how do you know that?”

Gerard’s eyes widened.

“Did someone tell you? I know more people have been leaving the city lately, so maybe the information’s spread, but… even the coordinates? Who was it?! Who leaked it?!”

No one had told him.

He’d simply deduced it from the location of the massive distortion field he’d seen at the top of the World Tree.

“How I know doesn’t matter. What matters is that you now need to tell us everything you know about the City of Magicians.”

“……”

Gerard fell into heavy thought.

Even when Ray waved the clamp in front of him, he didn’t flinch. After a long pause, he finally spoke.

“I’ll tell you everything. You already seem to know quite a bit, and… it’s only a matter of time before it all comes to light. We’ll need help, and we can’t afford to keep hiding.”

The story began quietly.

Gerard knew nothing of the city’s origins.

How the people of the Red Guardian settled upstream of the Elton River after winning a war.

How the original name was the Red Citadel, and those who lost the power struggle were exiled beyond the walls.

*‘He really doesn’t know.’*

Their history had likely been lost over the ages.

Everything Gerard said concerned the city’s current state.

“Magic there is far more advanced than here.”

Magic is used in every aspect of life.

All citizens are equipped with circles via technology.

“They’re aware of the outside world as well.”

But the city chose to remain hidden and never ventured out.

Because they believed there was no need to mingle with an inferior world.

“Almost everyone holds a deeply rooted sense of superiority. It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t.”

That’s when Solite, who had been listening, spoke with disgust.

“You said many have been leaving the city lately. That includes you, doesn’t it? So why are the very people who ignored the outside world now coming beyond the walls?”

“……”

“Answer me.”

Silence persisted.

Solite roared.

“Answer—me—!”

“…To survive.”

Gerard dropped his head in shame.

He explained that numerous schools existed in the city, all fiercely competing.

Authority was built through powerful magic.

Everyone was obsessed with magical development, and excessive experimentation and usage led to constant pollution.

“That pollution—are you talking about the black clouds?”

“Yes. It reached a point where releasing it beyond the wall wasn’t enough. Now, the entire city is—”

**Clang!**

Solite shoved his chair back and grabbed Gerard by the collar.

Uncharacteristically enraged, he snarled viciously.

“Shameless! You’ve dumped the cost of your comfortable lives on us all this time, and now that things aren’t going your way, you come begging for help?!”

**Rip!**

Gerard’s shirt collar tore open, revealing a large black mark on his neck.

“Gah! But please understand! Not all schools are selfish. R-Ristoa School has long advocated for opening the walls and worked to resolve the pollution!”

Lifted off the ground still in his chair, Gerard shouted desperately.

Moments later—

**Thud!**

“Cough! Cough! Huff… Huff…”

Solite, breathing heavily, spat coldly.

“Live with that guilt for the rest of your life. No matter what efforts you made, the fact remains that you lived in comfort while others suffered.”

Then, turning his head, he apologized in a subdued voice.

“Ray, Veronica, I’m sorry. I disrupted the conversation.”

“I don’t mind.”

“It’s okay. You actually did well.”

Once the tension had subsided somewhat, Ray asked Gerard,

“So in the end, what you’re asking is for us to treat you?”

“No. I don’t care what happens to me. But my daughter… that child… what did she ever do wrong?”

A disease caused by the black rain—Black Rot.

According to Gerard, patients were just as common inside the walls as outside.

In fact, the types and severity of symptoms were even worse.

“I know I’m being shameless. But please… please, I beg you… just once, could you see my daughter, who’s slipping into eternal sleep?”

Overcome with emotion, Gerard began to weep.

As Ray gazed at the genuine emotions filling his vessel, he turned to Veronica and said,

“The choice is yours.”

“……”

Solite also spoke to Veronica.

“The miracle that happened on the street—I didn’t see it myself, but Veronica-nim, you truly possess a power that is nothing short of a blessing. However, the Order will respect your will and wishes. Not just regarding this matter—if you desire it, you do not have to become the Saint of the Order. If you wish to turn back and walk your own path, we will not resent you for it.”

“……”

Veronica slightly parted her lips, her expression complicated.

Then, after a long pause—

“I want to go.”

She spoke, firmly.

“If there are people in pain over there.”

*Tap— tap— tap.*

Veronica stopped in front of Gerard and placed her hand on the nape of his neck.

“I’m not saying I’ll leave right away. I’ll only go after I’ve fully understood my ability and cared for all the sick people here. I don’t know when that will be, but… if that’s okay with you, then wait for me.”

A radiant halo of light poured out and enveloped the back of Gerard’s neck.

The black marks gradually disappeared—

—as if darkness had come face to face with light.

 

 

 

 

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