Overpowered Archmage Doesn’t Hide His Talent

Chapter 194:

Chapter 194 …I don’t even know why I’m doing this. 

Midnight.

Maiev enjoyed the warmth of the bathtub, soaking her body in the water. 

The moonlight that streamed through the window illuminated her curved figure in a pale glow.

She quietly wiggled her toes and suddenly pulled a teacup with telekinesis. 

In the cup that her red eyes stared at, there was Flan’s blue magic.

‘A gift?’

It was something that Flan had given her out of kindness, without any conditions. 

It was enough to call it a gift, since she had received it without paying anything to anyone.

Then the cup resonated with a blue light. She felt the refined magic of the man and her body stiffened involuntarily.

─It’s a gift for the one I cherish.

She wondered what kind of psychology he had to say that to her. 

Their relationship had started from hatred, and she had even acted as his slave.

‘Even though it was only for a day…’

It didn’t feel like a false act. In other words, Flan had treated her sincerely for yesterday, without a doubt.

“Sharing time, sharing time, sharing time…”

She muttered the words that Flan had said, for no reason.

It was a word that seemed impossible to understand, but she couldn’t understand herself who was now somewhat convinced.

She felt like she knew a little bit what ‘a precious relationship’ meant. It was a kind of relationship where she felt relieved when she was with him, and wanted to stay a little longer.

But was it that precious?

Was it worth risking her life, spending her time, or feeling desperate? 

Questions and thoughts chased each other’s tails, making her confused.

“How stupid.”

She said to herself.

She had tried to find out the name of the anxious emotion while performing the mission, but she had failed both. If she looked at the result, she had achieved nothing.

But, despite that.

“…”

Why did she feel like she didn’t lose anything? 

Maiev fiddled with the cup for a while.

She got out of the bathroom after a long time.

She ignored the letters that had arrived from the Void, piled up high. 

It had been a day with a lot of thoughts, so she thought it was better to sleep first.

She lay down on the bed and covered herself with a blanket.

But she couldn’t sleep.

She kept thinking about the cup. 

She realized that there was no cupboard in the lodging of the World of Painting. And how did Flan store the cup?

‘If it gets dusty, I’ll just wipe it then.’

She thought so, but Maiev eventually got out of bed. She tried to make a cupboard like this and like that, but none of them satisfied her.

She wondered.

Why am I doing this?

It was just a cup.

“It’s my cup, so what.”

It was natural for the owner to take care of their own things, right? So this was not a strange thing. 

And it had nothing to do with Flan. Absolutely not…

Maiev drew a cupboard several times.

But in the end, she couldn’t find a suitable one, and hugged it to sleep.

◈

The next morning.

Maiev left the World of Painting as soon as she woke up. 

Flan, who was working at his desk as usual, asked her without even looking at her.

“Did you have a good day yesterday?”

Flan was indifferent as he was two days ago. 

There was nothing sincere in his words or expressions.

It was natural. 

Maiev and Flan had made a promise for just one day.

Maiev nodded slightly.

“It was helpful in a way.”

“Good. Now go back to normal.”

His voice was cold enough to make her think that yesterday’s appearance was nothing but a fleeting illusion. 

Maiev felt a little anxious again.

‘Do I regret it? No way? Me?’

As she thought so, Flan continued calmly.

“Then do you have the courage to tell me the truth now. Why did you come back to me?”

Maiev was also silently frustrated.

“What difference does it make if I tell you?”

“It will. We’ll be honest with each other.”

“What’s so good about being honest with each other?”

“The precious relationship that we experienced yesterday starts from honesty.”

Maiev thought for a moment after hearing that.

Her thoughts deepened gradually. 

It was almost impossible to deceive Flan anyway, so she thought it might be better to tell him the truth.

She finally made a decision.

“The Void Ruler wants you. I came to curse you.”

“That’s quite an important mission. You got it.”

“It doesn’t seem like he gave it to me because of my ability. Maybe he knows that I was your slave.”

“Then I understand.”

Maiev nodded along.

“Right. He probably wanted to test my loyalty too. Whether I’m a traitor or a loyalist to the Void.”

“That’s what I expected.”

He didn’t seem surprised at all by Maiev’s story. He just drank his coffee and asked.

“Why does the Void Ruler want me?”

“He’s under the princess’s rule now, but the true ruler of the Void is someone else.”

“Where?”

“He’s sealed, and to break the seal, he needs excellent magicians from each race. It wasn’t hard to get elves and beastmen, but…”

Maiev continued.

“The human’s magic level wasn’t high until then.”

“That’s when I appeared.”

“Right. The princess had no choice but to covet you.”

“What does he plan to do when he revives the ruler?”

Then Maiev twitched her eyebrows and answered.

“They must be planning to put the whole continent under the Void’s control. It’s only natural that they would wield such a great power once it awakens. Even if the ruler doesn’t revive, similar attempts will continue.”

“I understand that much.”​Flan slammed his teacup down, making a loud noise.​“It won’t be easy for you to turn your back on the Void. You have the blood of a vampire, so it’s impossible for you to betray them.”

“That’s right. My life, and my sister’s life, depend on this mission. Maybe it won’t even end with death.”

“Well done, Maiev. You’ve been honest with me, so I won’t kill you here and now.”​Maiev nodded slightly.​“…Did you know from the start? Thank you.”​Flan looked at Maiev with a curious gaze. Maiev had a complicated expression on his face.

“And whether you carry out the mission or not is up to you.”

“What?”

“Just as I said. It’s your choice to try the mission or not. But.”​Flan’s tone became more serious.​“The rules of the Void that you’ve lived by as the truth. You should doubt them at least once. And also think deeply about what it means to live.”​“A self-determined life….”

“And one more thing. The Void’s plan will fail.”

“How can you be so sure?”​“Because I’m the one who will change the world.”​Just one sentence.​His tone was so full of conviction that I couldn’t help but believe him for a moment.

I shook my head without realizing it.​Flan quietly activated his magic.

He took off the painting of the Flower World that was hanging on the wall and handed it to Maiev.​“This is the end of our conversation. If we meet as enemies next time, I won’t show you any mercy. And if you’ve changed, I’ll also treat you differently. Don’t forget what I said.”

“…Okay. Then.”​Maiev left the place without a word.​◈​Maiev returned to the Void quietly.​When he came back, his place was a mess.

The roof was full of holes, and the walls were crumbling in places.

It was a perfect fit for the word ruin.​─Get lost.

─Slow bastard.

─Inferior.​The walls were filled with mocking words written in red blood.

There were no casualties since it wasn’t a place where many people stayed, but it wasn’t a pleasant experience either.​However, Maiev desperately searched for his brother.

“Maibi, where are you? Maibi!”​Fortunately, she was able to find his brother without much difficulty. Her brother, who was only as tall as her waist, was trembling pitifully in a corner.

“…!”​At the same time, Maiev’s eyes widened.

Maibi’s body was covered with wounds, and there was a hole in his chest.​“What is this… Maibi, are you okay?”​“Sister… You’re alive…”​But what was this, her sister was rather asking about Maiev’s well-being.​“What do you mean by that?”

“They said they killed you…”​Maiev bit his lip in anger.​“That won’t happen. Don’t worry. From now on, I’ll take care of everything.”

“…Sister.”​“Yeah.”​“I’ll just die. Okay?”​“Why are you saying that…”​She felt a stone weighing on her heart.

“It’s because of me that you’re suffering. I’m just sick and stupid, so I might as well die.”​“Hey, don’t say such nonsense.”​Maiev frantically searched her pocket for something. But all he could find was the teacup he received as a gift from Flan.​Suddenly, her face and words came to his mind.​─Think about what it means to live.​As she looked at her sister who was writhing in pain, Maiev was lost in thought. She still couldn’t understand Flan’s words at all.​‘What does that mean?’​Maiev struggled to figure it out.

She tried to comprehend the meaning even in the worst situation.​She desperately wanted to.​***​“Uh, sister…? Where are we going?”​“…”​Maiev hugged her brother and quickly drew a dark magic circle.​“Sister, where are we going? We have to report, they said.”​“…”

“Where are you taking me?”​“Shut up if you don’t want to die!”

Maiev shouted angrily.​Even so, she constructed a magic circle.

She was more desperate than ever, and she wanted it so badly that she was willing to die for it.​After completing the magic circle that would transport him to the human world, Maiev muttered blankly with a face covered in sweat.

“…I don’t even know why I’m doing this.”​In the end, Maiev chose her own life for the first time.

She had no idea what the consequences would be. But still….​She had to believe that this was the right thing to do.​