The Second Strongest Has Returned #Chapter 42 - Read The Second Strongest Has Returned Chapter 42 Online - All Page

Chapter 42

Magic Tower

“The Sage’s legacy?”

“Yes! The legacy left behind by the legendary Archmage, the Sage, in the Magic Tower!!”

It was the first time Leonardo had seen that person smile like that.

Was it because only stories like this could make her smile? Or had she often smiled in the past, but lost it due to the stigma of being a graduate student?

He knew the answer, but it was difficult to voice it aloud.

<…That’s not a fake, right?>

At times like this, it was best to ask directly. Though she wasn’t particularly reliable, asking was the only option at the moment.

[…Wait a moment… It was hundreds of years ago, so I don’t remember very well either.]

It wasn’t just unreliability now; it was suspiciously irresponsible.

“It’s real, right? It is, isn’t it!?”

It was the first time he had seen that graduate student smile like that.

“…Yes, it is.”

Leonardo had no choice but to tell a white lie.

“Of course!! Then follow me! Let’s combine our clues!”

She excitedly grabbed Leonardo and ran off. It seemed that dealing with the criminal comfortably was out of the question.

***

The place they arrived at was a shabby and narrow room.

It was too rundown to be called a classroom and too uninhabitable to be considered a dormitory.

“What is this place…?”

“This is our Sage Research Lab!!”

“Sage Research… Lab?”

“Yes! A club dedicated to the Sage, by the Sage, and for the Sage!!”

Leonardo glanced at the research subject next to him. It was rather uncomfortable to see her so proud just because the club existed.

To be honest, it was true that the Sage was a legitimate research subject.

[I should have made someone like her my successor. What a waste.]

[I’d appreciate that.]

Better not say anything.

Considering how much respect she had for the Sage, engaging in such petty banter seemed inappropriate.

“But… what exactly are you researching about the Sage?”

In truth, what Leonardo was most curious about was why someone like her was called a Sage… but he didn’t want to desecrate the graduate student’s role model like that.

Sometimes, it was more beautiful to let someone keep dreaming their illusions.

“Everything! We’re working to restore the Sage’s history! We also study the magic left behind by the Sage!”

[Such a shame~ She should’ve come to the cave instead~]

Leonardo had a sudden urge to rip out his own heart, but he gave up since he didn’t think he would survive after doing so.

“There’s only me and Rios in the club, but we always welcome new members! Anyone who wants to research the Sage is welcome too!”

…Perhaps Leonardo also had the right to be welcomed, since he was somewhat interested in researching the Sage.

“…Ah… I see. Thank you.”

“No, thank you! I never expected to meet someone who was also searching for the Sage’s legacy, just like me!”

That legacy had been on his mind for a while. Rather than where it was, he wondered why there was a legacy the Sage himself didn’t know about.

“What exactly is the Sage’s legacy?”

“Hmm… Are you asking about its essence? Going back to the basics might indeed help us with our investigation.”

That wasn’t exactly what he meant, but he was grateful she misinterpreted his question so positively.

“So, the Sage’s legacy is a treasure that all the mages of the Magic Tower, including the Tower Lord, wish to find.”

—————

Long ago, when the Magic Tower had not yet established itself as a gathering place for mages, a wise man appeared.

At that time, the level of magic was so primitive that it could barely be called a method of manipulating mana, let alone a match for swordsmanship.

The Sage who appeared then laid the foundation for magic by teaching the basics of various spells, circle magic, and the fundamentals of magic formulas, solidifying the stature of magic and the structure of the Magic Tower.

And then, one day, after many years had passed, the Sage announced that he would leave the Magic Tower.

All the mages, including the Tower Lord, pleaded with him to stay, and moved by their desperation, the Sage left behind a legacy for the mages, saying:

[I have hidden a part of my knowledge in the Magic Tower. Only those who are worthy will be able to accept it.]

With those words, the Sage departed from the Magic Tower.

For hundreds of years, mages searched the Magic Tower from top to bottom, trying to find the treasure, but in the end, no one was able to locate it.

——————

<…Is it real?>

Leonardo asked with a genuinely worried expression. It would have been a relief if even one person had found it, but if not, it just meant there was another layer of speculation to unravel.

Given the Sage’s personality, it was a suspicion worth considering.

[Ah… you mean that? Don’t worry. It’s real.]

A sigh of relief escaped Leonardo like a gust of wind. If it had turned out not to be true, he would have had to painfully lie to the poor graduate student.

[I only left it with the thought, ‘Here, take this and stop bothering me,’ but I didn’t expect it to be interpreted so grandly.]

He pretended not to hear the last part. There was no last part. There shouldn’t have been, and it shouldn’t be spoken of. That was his duty and obligation as a person.

“…Rios says it’s all foolishness, but… I still believe. I believe the Sage’s legacy exists. It’s part of why I came to the Magic Tower!!”

Seeing her hopeful expression, even the Sage felt a bit guilty and broke out in a cold sweat.

<…You didn’t just leave behind some random junk and call it a legacy, did you?>

[…No, I didn’t. Probably…]

He pretended not to hear that last part either. He had to.

<…So, what exactly was it? How powerful was it?>

If it turned out to be something like a child’s toy or a hastily scribbled letter… that would be a significant problem in its own right.

[You know the ‘Black Stone’ you’re using? It’s about that level… is that okay…?]

Despite the lack of confidence in the Sage’s tone, that level of treasure was more than sufficient.

In fact, Leonardo had been using the Black Stone for two years now, and it hadn’t shown any signs of wear, its shape could change freely, and its edge never dulled.

“So, what exactly was there?”

[…Just some simple magical tools and staves.]

The Sage casually explained the magical tools he had developed.

As the Sage described these tools, Leonardo’s mouth hung open, and he barely managed to suppress a scream.

[…Why? It’s nothing special.]

<…Nothing special?! Those alone could solve most of our current problems!>

It wasn’t flattery or exaggeration; it was an objective fact.

These treasures would bring happiness not only to himself but also to that poor graduate student. He was utterly stunned by the Sage’s incredible mind, which could develop such items and then completely forget about them—he couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.

[…Is that so? Now that I think about it, I guess you’re right.]

[But these people are really dumb. How could they not find it after hundreds of years?]

Despite the fact that this insult was directed at the long history and the great mages of the Magic Tower, Leonardo couldn’t come up with a rebuttal. He also felt no obligation to defend them.

“…Hmm… Do you have any clues? I’d like to take a quick look.”

“Of course! Allies searching for the Sage must help each other!!”

Even though he had already found the clues, this was the only way he could help his ally without revealing everything.

“Here!! These are the notes I’ve compiled!”

The wooden box she brought out contained ten worn-out notebooks.

[…I feel incredibly guilty now.]

To atone for that guilt, Leonardo quickly began reading the notes.

[But if I tell you, you’ll find it right away. Why make it difficult?]

People would immediately start eyeing him with jealousy and suspicion, not to mention how the graduate student might feel. It wasn’t hard to imagine her reaction.

[…Ah… You’re right.]

Leonardo spent about 30 minutes slowly reading through the notes before quietly speaking to the Sage again.

[…I’d need to go there to know for sure. I only remember the layout, so if they’ve remodeled the place, I can’t pinpoint it exactly.]

Leonardo recited a line typical of a detective novel.

“I think I’ve got it.”

“…Huh? Really?”

“I’m not certain, but… I have an idea where it might be.”

“…Really… truly?! Let’s go check it out right away!!”

“Yes, since it’s just a guess, it’s better to search quickly.”

Leonardo closed the notebook, holding it in one hand, and walked out of the club room.

***

[Turn left, then go to the end of the corridor. There’s a room there. That’s where it should be.]

“If we follow the clues, we should turn here and come out at this point. The Sage reportedly played chess secretly with the Red Tower Lord in this room. Considering their relationship, this is a likely spot.”

The explanation was a mix of rumors and imagination, hastily pieced together from the notes, but that’s how treasure hunts often worked—progressing through vague hints and broad guesses.

“It definitely… seems possible… but… over there…”

Ameri pointed to the room at the end of the hallway, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. A sign was posted on the door that they hadn’t expected.

“…It’s a restroom.”

Moreover, it was the women’s restroom.

<…Sage… I know about your preferences, but was it really necessary to satisfy your desires in this way…?>

[No, shut up. I told you, they remodeled this place. I didn’t expect it to turn into a restroom either.]

Hoping that the Sage’s claim was true, Leonardo decided not to press the issue further.

“Well then… let’s go in.”

“…Are you sure it’s okay?”

“We’re not doing anything wrong, so there’s no need to worry. Just make sure no one’s inside, and if someone comes by, we’ll explain the situation.”

Besides, it was unlikely that anyone would come to use the restroom at this late hour unless there was a very good reason.

“It… looks like no one’s here…”

Luckily, things were going smoothly. Leonardo, who had been standing outside, also walked into the restroom.

“…But… there’s nothing here… and I’ve already checked this place.”

Just as she said, the women’s restroom contained nothing but the usual fixtures. Considering it had been recently renovated, there were no signs of anything that could be hidden.

[…Hmm… That’s strange.]

[This used to be a large storage room. But now it’s much smaller.]

<…Could it be… Sage, can you do that thing again?>

[You want me to search through a women’s restroom? Do I look like you?]

…

……

……….

[Fine. Stop giving me that silent treatment.]

Whether it was the effective use of silence or not, the Sage finally relented and moved into the wall of the restroom.

[…Ugh… centipedes, silverfish… Ah…! Found it! It’s here! The front wall!]

At the Sage’s shout, Leonardo drew his pitch-black sword in that direction.

“Leonardo, what are you doing?! Why all of a sudden…?!”

“Be careful. I’ll do this as gently and quietly as possible, but it’ll be dangerous if you get too close.”

With that, Leonardo carefully cut out a rectangular section of the wall. The sound of cement cracking echoed as the wall fell away, revealing a hidden space behind it.

“…What…? What…?!”

Beyond the restroom wall was a small hidden chamber. It wasn’t large, but it was enough to hide something.

“Here it is.”

[Why would they seal this off? Just to make it harder to find?]

Leonardo had to agree, but since the person responsible was likely long dead, he decided not to dwell on it.

“…But where’s the legacy…?”

While Ameri fumbled around the dark secret space, Leonardo followed the Sage’s instructions and felt along the wall.

[There, push that spot.]

It was a bit cliché, but as he pressed the brick, there was a clicking sound, and a small box popped out.

“Oh, what?!”

“What the—?! How did that happen?”

[That was some pretty bad acting, wasn’t it?]