21st Century Archmage

‘Ill have to make one too.

Seeing it from the sky was already astonishing, but experiencing it personally on the ground was even more impactful. Icy, blustery winds were still gusting in the sky above, but the inner castle was a perfectly toasty temperature somewhere between spring and summer.

Tiavel and I walked silently together. Ten knights in charge of her personal protection were following closely, and we walked towards the grand palace made of white stones. It wasnt far from the guest building.

‘Their magic knowledge is impressive.

Of course, on the way there, my eyes were flitting around, not missing a thing. Not only was temperature control magic in play, but other spells were being extensively used in the garden and various other facilities. It was a perfect reference for the castle being built for my use in Nerman.

‘What a nice smell.

Tiavel was walking quietly next to me. As soon as she stepped out of my room, the gentle expression shed been showing me disappeared, and a frosty, glacial exterior locked in place over her features, a haughtiness that none would dare to approach. No other woman I had met could come close to imitating Tiavels icy mien.

‘The security is impressive.

There were Imperial Knights standing like sculptures everywhere in the inner castle. A sharp aura of mana came seeping from their stock-still bodies. We had already passed hundreds of such guards.

“Please take off your sword.”

Before I knew it, we had reached the Grand Palace, a building supported by dozens of massive pillars around 20 meters high. The door to the interior alone was over 5 meters high, and an Imperial Knight guarding the door asked me to take off my sword.

I didnt want to cause a scene, and since I still had magic and spirits even without swordsmanship, I removed my sheath without hesitation. When I did so, the enormous door smoothly opened, like an automatic door.

“Please enter.”

The knights lowered their heads respectfully towards Tiavel.

With her head held up high, Tiavel walked inside, and I followed her with steady steps.

‘Fuck, to think that a damn door is using a Grade 2 magic crystal…

My eyes were still as busy as ever. This time, I scanned the huge door. To my shock, a Grade 2 magic crystal that everyone would flip over in the continent was clearly encrusted in the automatic door.

‘Mm…

What I saw when I entered the enormous palace was an interior expansive enough to make me exclaim in shock. It was a bit of an exaggeration, but the throne room looked about as big as a soccer field. Dozens of white pillars were lined up down the hall. In the deepest part of the throne room, easily 200 meters from the door, was a transparent, silver throne on a dais. Naturally, there were Imperial Knights inside the throne room as well, and they were true masters who could conceal their mana inside their bodies.

‘Theres also an upper-circle mage here.

I felt the tickle of probing mana wash over my skin. Since they could soundlessly cast a mana scan, they had to have reached the 7th Circle. I regulated my mana and carefully looked ahead.

‘The Tsarina!

The dais was 200 meters away, but I could clearly distinguish one woman. Sitting on the 3-meter large silver throne was a woman wearing a blood-red dress similar to what Tiavel had on. Though she was merely seated, she was exuding an intense majesty that commanded the entire hall. Who else could it be but the Tsarina of Haildrian? Standing next to the Tsarina was the white-haired mage who had mana scanned me.

I strode past Tiavel with crisp steps, and she followed me.

Zing, zing.

With every step I took, I felt an electrifying tingle on the small of my back.

‘Theyre all strong.

The Imperial Knights inside the throne room were giving off an oppressive mana. The pressure of their mana doubled down every time I stepped forward, as if they were testing me somehow.

Step, step.

This was the fighting spirit and mana that only mana-capable knights of the highest level could evoke. My steps grew heavier and heavier.

‘Urk!

By the time I reached the middle of the throne room, I could feel my leg muscles trembling.

‘You little—!

At that instant, my signature Kang Hyuk temper kicked in.

Whiiiiiirrr.

I kicked up my mana core into high gear without reserve.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth! As soon as I activated my mana core, my mana, including the yin-attribute mana that had melted into my core, came spilling out.

“Ah!”