Chapter 23
* * *
At the same time, in the Magic Tower's lower levels.
Purification Sorcerer Martin was researching Purification Meditation in a small practice room of the Magic Tower.
"I really find Martin amazing. He's so passionate about something totally useless."
"Please learn 'practical purification sorcery' that's actually helpful, Martin. Tsk tsk."
Martin ground his teeth.
As expected, everyone was ignoring Purification Meditation again today.
"Purification Meditation isn't bad. You can build basic skills......"
"Purification Power is determined at birth anyway. What are you gonna do with basics?"
Martin, thoroughly provoked, raised his eyebrows and said.
"......B-but, I'm Lady Iri's teacher, you know?"
One colleague casually spat on the floor.
"Lady Iri will lose interest in outdated Purification Meditation soon too?"
Martin secretly thought the same, so he had nothing to say to their scolding.
"......Whatever, get out. I need to meditate."
As he closed his eyes, grinding his teeth.
The door to the purification sorcery practice room opened, and a Magic Tower secretary said in an indifferent tone.
"Martin-nim. You've got an outing."
Since Magic Tower talents rarely left the tower, their external schedules were called 'outings.'
"I don't have an outing today? I only go out once a week. To teach Lady Iri."
But right then.
The secretary opened the door wider, revealing Iri holding a stack of books beside him.
"Yes, Lady Iri is here."
"Hewwo, Teachaw-nimida!"
"......Pardon? It's not class day today, Lady Iri?"
Why had Iri suddenly appeared?
Finally getting a sense, Martin said.
"Ah! Here to see Haroz-nim?"
"Nope-nimida. Came to see Teachaw Martin-nimida!"
"Me, why......"
Then Iri replied spiritedly.
"I was pweviewing Puwification Meditation cwass and got a question-nimida!"
"......Pardon?"
"Uh, um?"
"Lady Iri doing useless Purification Meditation......?"
Martin and his colleagues all looked flustered.
Iri politely bowed to them.
"Puwification Meditation is supew amazing-nimida! Sowwy to bother you when you'we busy with meditation wesearch, Teachaw-nimida. But could you teach me a wittle more-nimida?"
Looking at Iri's sparkling purple eyes, Martin recalled the past.
When he first entered the Magic Tower as a purification sorcerer.
Martin had loved Purification Meditation a lot.
Until countless people ignored it.
"Purification Meditation? Why learn and teach something so outdated?"
"......Pwease, twy it once."
"And pointless cheering during meditation? Doesn't make sense."
After hearing that.
He'd tried dozens of times to throw away the worn-out standard Purification Meditation textbook.
But he couldn't discard it.
He'd always wanted to quit but couldn't give up.
*'Was it for this day?'*
Martin quietly gripped the textbook.
And he resolved seriously.
*'Yeah. My palms will tingle for sure.'*
The great purification sorcerer Martin, who would one day draw a new stroke in purification meditation history in the distant future.
The reason he, whom everyone would praise, reorganized his Purification Meditation class with shining eyes was exactly......
Thanks to his disciple Iri's cheerful question.
Martin stepped close to Iri and said.
"Lady Iri, ask all your questions. I'll show you the power of Purification Meditation!"
And after the two left.
His colleagues, who had been mocking him for a while, muttered while staying seated.
"What did I just see."
"The Ortejo family actually likes Purification Meditation?"
* * *
Around the time the Purification Meditation lesson with Martin ended.
Iri recited mechanically the perfect excuse to rescue Karhen.
"I'm Teachaw Martin's discipwe-nimida. So I wanna tour the Magic Towew whewe Teachaw teaches-nimida."
Martin looked a bit worried.
"Yes, I can show you from the 1st floor to the top. But the basement......"
Even though Iri was young, she could tell why he trailed off.
Iri tilted her head, and Martin whispered lowly.
"The Magic Tower basement has rooms that move around and get tangled, so you need a special pass."
Iri was sure Karhen was in the basement, and she could even bet Grandma's Cookie on it.
Then there was only one thing for Iri to do!
"Teachaw, I weally wuv Puwification Meditation-nimida."
"Y-yes?"
"I wanna twy meditation in pwaces wike the Magic Tower basement too-nimida."
"A-awwe you sewious?"
"Yes! Totawwy sewious-nimida!"
Martin's eyes shook violently as he stared blankly at Iri.
With the expression of someone finally recognized by the world, Martin shot to his feet.
"......W-wait pwease. I'll get the pass. Don't wowwy!"
One word was enough.
He was already Hero Iri's companion.
Such a quick change of attitude surprised Iri a little.
But......
*'Even bettew!'*
* * *
The Northern Magic Tower's basement was an extremely closed-off place.
Over five monster hybrids were imprisoned there.
Karhen was among them.
Karhen had been left at an orphanage in the capital's corner right after birth.
But unfortunately, his monster hybrid nature was discovered.
Because of the greedy director, Karhen was sold to the slave market.
Like other monster hybrids, he suffered abuse from countless people at the slave market.
"Disgusting. Just die already, you clueless thing."
Only seven years old.
At seven, he learned intense self-loathing.
"Kahk, ptooey."
When illegally displayed in the capital, countless passersby spat phlegm in front of him.
One day, after being despised for being a filthy monster hybrid.
He was moved to the Northern Magic Tower with other monster hybrids.
He cleaned the interior and occasionally helped wizards with experiments—a somewhat 'human' life—but it didn't last long.
Under the pretext of being ordinary experiment assistants, some were drafted by wizards.
But.
What they did wasn't ordinary experiments.
"Listen up. You have work to do."
"What......"
"Monster hybrid slaves aren't human, right? So let's draw some blood."
"Full of magi yet not emitting it—interesting. Shall we experiment?"
Deon, the 'pointy ears' with elf ears, who had been kind to Karhen and taught him about the world.
That day, after one experiment, Deon returned changed.
"U, uuuuuu!"
"......D-Deon hyung?"
"D-die, die!"
After participating as an assistant in an unknown experiment.
The kind dark elf hybrid 'pointy ears' Deon hallucinated and scratched his body frantically.
Then collapsed to the floor.
Dead.
After sending off 'pointy ears' Deon.
The wave of experiments extended to other monster hybrids.
There was nowhere to ask for help.
Thinking of life in the capital, pleas for rescue would obviously be ignored like trash.
Then one day, the wave of experiments finally reached seven-year-old Karhen.
"Join my experiment. Stupid monster."
Karhen silently stared into his eyes.
If he had a wish.
*'I want to die......'*
Just die and think nothing.
And if there was another wish......
*'No, I want to live.'*
People said he wasn't human.
They poured their monster hatred onto him, a monster hybrid.
But Karhen had feelings too.
He wanted to live, even as vermin.
At an age to be happy over cotton candy.
Life and death waged a fierce tug-of-war in the seven-year-old boy's life.
