Following Dorothy’s guidance, the members of the Organization that Plays with Oknodie felt a twinge of disappointment.
“Ah, there’s a shortcut over there.”
“There’s a sign too, right?”
“That way has the sign for a 5-person lockup room instead of a 10-person one.”
“Are we really going the right way, taking such a long detour?”
“There’s a sign, so why do we have to make it harder for ourselves?”
Complaints from students who still couldn’t trust Dorothy’s abilities!
Typically reclusive, even Sing, who had grudgingly joined this expedition, wore a skeptical expression beneath his indifferent facade.
“There’s a reason for everything!”
As the grumbling intensified, Oknodie quickly stepped in to soothe the situation.
“Anyone who wants to go to the library naturally wants to take the easy shortcut, right?”
“Yeah, you said it, little mouse! Why can’t we take that easy path?”
“Come on! It’s not just first years who want to benefit from that easy path!”
Hand Ohchun, who was being grumpy, suddenly gasped in surprise.
“Wait. Are those seniors coming out if we go that way?”
“You’ll encounter more desperate and well-researched seniors than us! The shorter and more convenient the path, the higher the difficulty of obtaining information and the fiercer the competition!”
“So if there’s a lockup room for one person…”
Oknodie beamed brightly.
“There’s going to be an incredibly dangerous senior, right?”
The students’ complaints vanished instantly.
*
The Hector Retainer Group continued their library expedition amidst a tense atmosphere.
The cause of the discomfort was a certain male student who sauntered ahead, leisurely keeping pace with everyone.
“Uh, when are you going back, senior?”
“Don’t get it twisted. We’re just on the same path.”
“Are you perhaps going ahead first?”
“I can’t walk away without worrying about my juniors. Think of it as luck and look on the bright side.”
“If that’s the case…”
The third-year senior Tetraphos pretended to show kindness on the surface.
At first, they fell for his words, but while looking ahead with Yui, they heard Tetraphos mention luck, and everyone tuned in.
“If the first gate to the library is a lockup room, then the second gate is assembling a mana puzzle. Of course, the bigger the main road gets, the larger the puzzles, while the smaller the shortcut, the smaller the puzzles.”
“Hey, do you know which path has the smallest puzzle? The information I got only went up to 25×25.”
Seriously, that’s already too massive, right?
Despite the shocked gazes of the students, Tetraphos maintained a serious expression.
“Worship me. A senior here knows a shortcut that has a 2×2 puzzle.”
“Whoa!”
“Isn’t that amazing?”
“If you just place it down, it’s guaranteed to match the puzzle!”
“No matter how skilled Oknodie’s gang is at puzzles, they can never keep up with this speed!”
“Hooray for Senior Tetraphos!”
“Hooray for Senior Tetraphos!”
The morale of the Hector Retainer Group soared to new heights.
“Senior Tetraphos! Can I solve this puzzle for you?”
“Haha. Please do it for me!”
There were even students who genuinely admired Tetraphos, partly joking and partly sincerely.
Clack.
Swoosh.
“Uh-oh?”
“Why is that guy’s body… whoa!?”
Before the person who solved the 2×2 puzzle could even realize it,
“Wait, where did Becks go?”
“It’s teleportation! He didn’t disappear voluntarily; he was kidnapped!”
“Senior, what’s happening!?”
Tetraphos revealed a sparkling grin as he explained.
“It’s a teleportation trap. The moment you solve the puzzle, the person is whisked away to a designated location.”
“How could you just let people solve such a dangerous puzzle? Especially since Becks was clearly respecting you!”
“That’s what makes it so admirable, isn’t it? For this senior to voluntarily jump into a puzzle that sends him to the professor’s research lab.”
“No way!”
“Oh my God!”
“To the professor’s research lab!?”
“If it had been us third years, the one who figured it out first would’ve secretly plotted to tie someone up and force them to solve the puzzle. Hahaha.”
The morale of the Hector Retainer Group sank lower than ever.
They’d heard plenty about how dangerous third years were, but did it really go this far?!
“Come on. Let’s honor the sacrifice of our noble Becks and move on to the third gate. Would you like to know the next path?”
“No, senior, you can just stay put.”
Yui flatly rejected.
*
The Organization that Plays with Oknodie cheered wholeheartedly, thoroughly delighted.
“Wow, amazing! The puzzle was solved in one go!”
“How did a 1000×1000 piece puzzle get solved in three seconds!?”
“Oh, little mouse here isn’t too shabby!”
Among the amazed students, Irene, who had quietly followed the group like Sing, couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer and asked,
“What kind of magic did you use?”
“It’s not magic; it’s sorcery!”
Oknodie replied confidently.
“What sorcery?”
“Memorize! It’s the magic that manifests memories into shapes.”
Arcadia, who had been examining the picture, gasped.
“This image engraved on the puzzle is the famous Portrait of the Smiling Countess Mercedes, one of the top 100 masterpieces. Did you combine its color and atmosphere just from seeing a part of the puzzle piece!?”
“…That’s right! I’m a genius, so I figured it out at a glance!”
“That seems rather doubtful. Was there a clue indicating the existence of the masterpiece somewhere? Hmm, given the fluttering of the eyes, it seems there’s something inscribed on that stone over there.”
They say three years in a school makes you knowledgeable, and having cared for Oknodie for over three months, Arcadia quickly grasped the essence of the magic Oknodie had displayed.
━━━
You are the snow that falls in summer.
You are the naked snowy mountain in winter.
You are the one who searched for mysteries in miracles.
Here, I offer a feast.
To honor the followers of the mysterious…
━━━
Pointing to the inscription on the stone, Arcadia revealed her knowledge.
“The House of Mercedes has long been famous for its centuries-old magical mastery and technology. Before the noble families that named today’s food emerged, they date back to before the Common Era.”
“Is this weird point you’re making confirming that it’s talking about Mercedes?”
“Essentially, yes. Rosgini, Sandkooker. You, as magicians, have heard of the name Mercedes, haven’t you?”
The two secretly squabbling in the corner quickly averted their eyes and stepped back from each other.
“I’m so jealous.”
“They’re off having their little romance again.”
“Just get married already.”
As the jeers poured in from all sides, Rosgini, as red as her Magic Tower, fell silent. Sandkooker stepped forward in her stead.
“Ahem. The House of Mercedes cannot be overlooked when discussing ancient magical houses. Especially, I’ve heard some doubts about the head of the Mercedes household, who is rumored to have been a dragon’s avatar.”
“But nowadays, the Tower of Magic has a high educational level. I’m impressed you’re aware of even that doubt.”
“Mercedes adopts all children based on their talents, and there hasn’t been a single biological child of the head. They’ve never taken a wife or even a concubine. Thus, the existence of Countess Mercedes herself is utterly unfathomable.”
Hand Ohchun prompted with a dull face.
“Why does it matter whether someone who died over a thousand years ago had a wife or not? I’m more worried about missing my class while searching for this library.”
“There are, of course, issues. Originally, that masterpiece was a portrait of the smiling Count Mercedes. A renowned magician investigated the original portrait while uncovering its true nature, showing the back of the artwork. The Tower of Magic doesn’t easily reveal the treasures hidden within to their apprentices.”
Only those with an extraordinary intellect and influence could hope to understand the existence and essence of the masterpieces pursued by high-level archmages.
Arcadia was from the prestigious Sebiche Ducal House, so it made sense, but Oknodie’s understanding, at just 11 years old, was astonishing.
“Could it be that the foundation has a copy that reveals the concealed shape of this portrait?”
“…Yes! Papa showed it to me!”
As always, students nodded in agreement with Oknodie’s excuse, believing the resources and power of her Papa and the Wahyhiemhai Foundation could very well allow it.
However, despite that, Arcadia felt something was off and tilted her head in confusion.
‘It’s strange. Oknodie’s trembling eyes and awkward gaze indicate a sign of lying. Why does she try to conceal the truth?’
If it weren’t for the foundation, where else could such a painting be shown?
And why would Oknodie wish to hide that fact?
The growing suspicion in Arcadia was sharply interrupted by Hand Ohchun, who had no interest in art or magic.
“So are we going to the library or not?”
“Come on! The next gate is tough; we have to be prepared!”
With Dorothy’s urging, everyone’s focus shifted away from the Portrait of the Smiling Countess Mercedes masterpiece.
“What kind of gate is it this time that you’re making such a fuss?”
“It’s a forest!”
Everyone, except Oknodie, wore bizarre expressions.
“Why would a forest come out inside a building?”
“Why is this insane library path like this?”
“What kind of forest are we talking about?”
Peeking over the passage, Dorothy cheerfully exclaimed,
“If you don’t know the way, you’ll never escape from the Maze Forest! thud”
