The Munchkin Magic Genius is Laughing

Lunia, a researcher at the magic tower, stared blankly at the ‘Source of Life’ located in the center of the magic tower.

Only the sound of her nervously biting her nails echoed around. Selina, an elite magician of the magic tower, had left urgently to find a solution, and Research Director Cloria, after being informed of the incident, had merely barked at her to handle it herself. Adding that if there were any disadvantages to himself, he would cut off Lunia. That’s all he said before leaving.

‘Why… why on earth can’t this be repaired….’

Lunia’s foolishness was that she had disrespected Jeff. Since Jeff effortlessly enhanced various artifacts and even maintained them, it seemed easy. And she thought that if Jeff could do it, surely she could do it too.

[That thing, no one can fix it except me, you know?]

The meaningful words Jeff had uttered before being expelled from the magic tower. She had considered it just his childish bluff. She thought it was just a curse he left before departing. But now she could understand. It wasn’t like that at all. Perhaps… she thought that really, only Jeff might be able to maintain this broken Source of Life.

‘That can’t be… I can’t be inferior to that person….’

Lunia. She is one of the more prominent magicians who has always shown excellent grades and achievements in the research institute affiliated with the magic tower, and had shown outstanding results even before entering the magic tower.

Therefore, she thought. That the magic tower would have no problems even without someone like Jeff.

Based on the judgment that it wouldn’t matter if Jeff was gone, they drove him out. Because they were afraid.

If Jeff continued to stay in the magic tower, couldn’t Cloria and Lunia’s theft of Jeff’s achievements be discovered?

They had already applied for many magic patents and had stolen Jeff’s achievements as much as they could, so they thought it was time to dispose of him. Because those who disappear have no voice.

‘Surely… that can’t be….’

Lunia once again placed her hand on the Source of Life in the center of the magic tower.

She circulates the mana in her body. And slowly injects that circulated mana into the Source of Life.

The flowing mana frantically sweeps through the inside of the Source of Life. The spaces between the mana arrays are entangled. No, it was more than just entangled. As if there were cancer cells, the mana arrays were expanding, bursting, and breaking down. The situation was deteriorating in real-time, and no matter how much she tried to repair it using mana, it was in a state that could not be repaired.

‘Whenever there was a problem, Jeff repaired it in just a few seconds… why on earth can’t I…’

The Source of Life is a medium connected to all the energy of the magic tower. If we compare it to a person, it’s like the heart of the magic tower. If the Source of Life breaks down, not only the data storage system inside the magic tower but also the floating magic tower itself might tilt and fall straight to the ground. The massive magic tower, weighing over tens of thousands of tons, is not a structure that can be made to float even if dozens of magicians gather. If the Source of Life breaks like this, the magic tower will eventually collapse entirely.

If the magic tower collapses entirely, it will become a laughingstock among magicians worldwide. They will laugh and despise them for being unable to keep a mere building afloat, saying their symbol has fallen, and the authority of the magic tower will crash to the ground.

The high-ranking magicians of the magic tower would seek to identify those responsible, and it was clear that at the end of that search would be Lunia herself and Research Director Cloria.

No retreat.

It must be fixed. It must be fixed even if she dies trying. If she can’t fix it, it won’t just end with her life being ruined. She will not only be liable for all damages caused by the collapse of the magic tower but will also face the severe punishment of the enraged high-ranking magicians.

“Please… please get fixed… there’s no way I can’t do something that bastard Jeff could do… please….”

The moment Lunia let mana flow in.

— Ding

A cheerful sound was heard. Lunia’s expression brightened.

‘As expected… did it get fixed? I knew it. There’s no way only that guy Jeff could fix it… why would that pathetic guy make such an obvious lie…’

But soon, her expression was tinted with despair.

[Due to excessive interference from outside, the erosion of the Source of Life is accelerating.]

— Rumble

The magic tower tilted a bit more to the side.

“What… what’s this! What’s happening!”

“Who is it! What on earth is going on!”

The magicians inside the magic tower began to panic, and Lunia’s face gradually turned pale.

◈◈◈◈◈

Jeff and Ariel, who had left the tavern.

Ariel looked at the distant magic tower and tilted her head quizzically.

“Um… Mr. Jeff… I think I might be drunk… the magic tower looks like it’s tilting slightly to the sideee…?”

Jeff muttered in amazement.

“Judging by the speed of the tilt, they must have tampered with the Source of Life. Those stupid people, I clearly told them no one but me could fix it… are they trying to make a Leaning Tower of Pisa or something?”

“Pardonnn?”

“Ah… it’s nothing. Don’t mind my soliloquy. More importantly, can I really take this?”

Jeff held up the bottle containing the 17-year-old Tears of the World Tree and asked.

“Yesss… you can take it… there’s only a glass or two left anyway….”

“Thank you.”

I bowed my head three times. For a man to bow his head three times in exchange for indulging in 200 gold worth of alcohol, isn’t that a profitable deal? It’s a principle to show sincerity and repay in proportion to what you’ve received.

“Ah. By the way, Ariel?”

“Since I’m youngerrr… just call me Ariel…”

“Yes, Ariel. But why are you specifically trying to become an academy instructor? I’m not saying this with prejudice, but from what I can see, you seem to be quite well-off, and if your sister is at the magic tower, wouldn’t it be better to just enter the magic tower? The income and stability are higher at the magic tower.”

Ah. I take back the latter part. Since the magic tower is now tilting, the academy is more stable.

Ariel grinned and said.

“The magic tower is where people who research magic go. Honestly… money isn’t that important to me. I want to do what I enjoy… I’ve wanted to teach children for a long time. While I also enjoy researching passionately, being able to personally nurture growing sprouts is a great blessinggg…”

I don’t know who her sister at the magic tower is, but their personalities must be the complete opposite.

I can assert that among those in the magic tower, there’s no one as pure as this girl.

The people in the magic tower are obsessed with achievement and power. They constantly feel the pressure to create results somehow, and they are always ready to trample on or steal from others for their own achievements.

Looking at the seemingly pure Ariel, I felt a sense of generational difference. And I couldn’t help but worry. Wasn’t she too pure in trusting and talking to people?

“Ariel. It’s true that I worked at the magic tower for a year, but I hid the fact that I was expelled. I wasn’t expelled because I lacked ability. However, I was unjustly expelled. I’m sorry for not telling you in advance.”

“Really…?”

Ariel’s eyes showed a moment of disappointment, but she soon shook her head vigorously and said.

“It’s okay… anyway, the reason I chose you wasn’t because of your experience at the magic towerrr….”

“I see. I suppose since you’d fail the exam if you couldn’t find someone to assist you by morning, it wouldn’t matter who you chose?”

“That’s not it eitherppp… what if I followed a bad person… and got harmed? I worry about that too, you knowww…”

Ariel slightly moved her fingertips toward Jeff.

“I can seeee… the purity of mana that people possess. Jeff. Your mana is so clean and… how should I put it… like a living organism?”

Ariel smiled and said.

“You probably don’t understand what I’m saying, righttt…? It might be hard to understand… but I can roughly infer whether a person has malice or goodwill, and approximately how much power they have, based on the flow of manaaa… The reason I chose you, Jeff, is because I felt neither goodwill nor malice from you, and my intuition tells me you’re exceptionalll… If you were really expelled from the magic tower, those people are fools! They will surely regret it laterrr…!”

I was silently listening to Ariel’s words. Ariel says she can discern goodwill, malice, and approximate power by looking at a person’s mana. I already know what she’s talking about. These are rare individuals born with innate mana sensitivity. They are born with a sense called absolute mana sensitivity. Some might call this trait a blessing, but others call this phenomenon a misfortune.

Those born with absolute mana sensitivity can immediately tell if someone harbors malice or killing intent toward them. It means they see someone’s goodwill or malice, their inner thoughts, whether they want to or not. That wouldn’t particularly be a pleasant thing. What if a friend who smiles and pretends to be close to you actually harbors malice toward you? Sometimes the truth is crueler, and there are many things we’d be better off not knowing.

Therefore, it’s normal for those with absolute mana sensitivity to have their personalities gradually deteriorate. Because even when they see people who act differently in front and behind, they have to pretend not to know and move on to maintain social life.

The Ariel in front of me was extremely bright. This was a strangely unique case among those with absolute mana sensitivity.

“Ariel. You said this is your last chance, right?”

“Yesss… if I fail the academy instructor exam this time as well… then my father said he would forcibly enroll me in the magic towerrr… I have excellent mana sensitivity… but that alone isn’t enough to pass the exammmm….”

I slowly placed my hand on an artifact that shoots soap bubbles.

“What are you doing, Jeffff?”

Ariel looked at me with curious eyes.

I let mana flow through my hand. And I let that mana flow into the soap bubble launcher.

As mana begins to flow in, the artifact’s array comes into view one by one. Tens of thousands of intertwined mana fibers. I breathe a bit of energy into it.

I structure the mana array, secure the deficient parts. I completely demolish unnecessary parts and rebuild the desired characteristics. I catch the arrays that are about to scatter and tie them into lines.

With this, the installation of ‘Movement’ is complete.

I pressed the soap bubble launcher with my finger.

With a bubbling sound, soap bubbles began to spread in the sky. Soon, with a popping sound, they started bursting one after another.

A beautiful rainbow is drawn in the sky, and the moment the soap bubbles touch Ariel standing beneath it

— Whoosh!

Ariel’s flushed cheeks regain their original complexion, and all the alcohol in her body begins to disappear.

“Wow… there’s even an artifact like this? Amazing… who created an artifact that sobers you up and draws rainbows?”

Ariel, gradually sobering up from the alcohol, muttered and stared blankly at the sky. Of course, there’s no such artifact. Because I just created it.

I didn’t bother to correct her misunderstanding. And smiling, I said.

“Ariel. I will make sure you pass the academy exam this time.”

“Really?! Thank you. By the way, about the compensation…”

“How much can you offer?”

While the magic tower was collapsing, I found a suitable short-term job.