Overpowered Archmage Doesn’t Hide His Talent

Chapter 33 Compared to a magician, a knight is insignificant.

“Hmm?”

Sephia tilted her head slightly. Her expression suggested that she couldn’t comprehend the situation at all.

She placed another business card on the table.

“Are you sure you’ve seen my business card properly?”

[Sephia Whisper – Merhen Daily, Head of the Magic Department]

“I saw it.”

“Huh? You’re not surprised? I thought you’d be terrified!”

Her eyes, staring at me, were filled with question marks.

“Don’t you know me? Have you never heard my name before? Or at least something about the Magic Department’s press team!”

I nodded.

It was the first time I’d heard her name, and even if I had known of her before, I wouldn’t have been surprised.

“I don’t know you.”

As soon as I gave that short answer and closed my mouth, she hurriedly continued speaking.

“Huh? The Academy’s newspaper will start being published next week! The head of that press team is aware of your hidden identity, you know?”

“Yes.”

“Are you really clueless, or did you expect this to happen… Which is it? I don’t get it.”

Sephia muttered to herself, then placed something else on the table. It was a newspaper.

“This is one of the issues published last year. Take a look!”

[Gratitude for the Members’ Efforts… Supporting the Club’s Profits for Junior Members]

*Frozen Club President Kenneth

*Thorough Preparation to Maintain the Top 10 – Management

[Decision on ‘Knight Victory’ Unjust]

*Magic Department, Advocating for Rule Changes Due to Issues of Fairness in the Sports Competition

…

I skimmed the front page and then put it down again.

I noticed that it covered not only the Magic Department’s affairs but also various incidents within the Academy. It didn’t seem to favor any particular department.

I finally understood why Sephia had been tilting her head in confusion. The Magic Department’s press team seemed to have a fairly solid position.

‘They even cover magic.’

Although she acted like a brat, the feeling she gave off was quite impressive. At least she was more advanced than the professors.

Well, since her strength is supported by reason, she can gather information as she pleases. A weak journalist can only take notes.

It seemed like I was caught by a somewhat bothersome person, but I calmly responded.

“Is there a reason I should be surprised?”

“Of course there is! I decide how every article gets published!”

Sephia smiled brightly and raised her hand to call the waiter.

“Shall we have some coffee? This might be a long conversation. Do you like coffee?”

I wasn’t particularly in need of the awakening effect of coffee. I shook my head, but Sephia insisted on ordering two cups.

I spoke first.

“What’s your main point?”

“We journalists~ are obsessed with three things, you know?”

“Exclusive, breaking, and urgent news.”

Sephia’s lips curled upward at my words.

“Correct! My, how did you know?”

How could I not? In my previous world, journalists also risked their lives for those three things, and it was incredibly annoying to deal with them.

“Right now, my journalistic instincts… are telling me that it’s breaking news!”

“Breaking news?”

“Yes, breaking news! An abnormal phenomenon occurred inside the Magic Labyrinth. That’s a very ordinary article. It’s just something people would forget after a while.”

Sephia continued speaking with a meaningful gaze.

“But what if there was a student who endured for three minutes inside a collapsing labyrinth? Would that be something easily forgotten?”

“Yes.”

What’s so impressive about that? I could probably do it in my sleep.

However, Sephia jumped up in excitement.

“No, no! How could you forget something like that? The mana flow inside a collapsing labyrinth becomes incredibly chaotic! Even a professor would struggle to last three minutes in such a state!”

“Here are your two coffees.”

Just then, the two cups of coffee were placed on the table. Sephia immediately picked one up and took a sip.

“We call something like that breaking news! A shocking report that everyone has no choice but to pay attention to!”

Sephia’s smile grew wider.

“Imagine it~ A student who managed to survive for three minutes in a labyrinth gone wild. And they’re young! A freshman!”

Sephia’s expression seemed genuinely excited as she continued the story.

“The Academy would do everything in its power to ensure their growth, right? The guilds would compete to recruit them, and a successful future would be clearly visible!”

──Thud.

Sephia suddenly placed her coffee cup on the table as she continued speaking.

“But that’s literally breaking news. Something that happens very rarely!”

Our eyes met in midair.

“Student Flan!”

I nodded instead of answering. Even in this situation, the need to use honorifics with others annoyed me.

“What did I say at the beginning? I said I knew you were from the Judith Family, right?”

As she spoke, she placed three more newspapers on the table. I quietly examined them.

[“Born with it,” said Kinack… But it was actually a Soul Contract]

[Stepping into the Seat of Death]

*Recently, many humans have made extreme choices through Soul Contracts

*Decision to Execute Without Exception

Contracts, executions, contracts, executions.

The common theme in the three new newspapers Sephia handed over was clear. They covered the topic of ‘Soul Contracts,’ and those who were caught in such contracts were invariably executed.

“Do you think it’s common for someone born with a knight’s bloodline to enter the Magic Department and achieve good grades?”

“I’m the precedent.”

She whispered softly to me.

“That may be, but… I’m considering another possibility. A journalist’s intuition? Something like that?”

“What do you mean by a contract using a soul as a medium?”

“That’s exactly what it sounds like! A contract with a villain using a soul as the medium! Oh my, oh my, they grant you power in exchange for your soul!”

I finally understood.

Sephia found it suspicious that a mere freshman like me had endured three minutes in a collapsing labyrinth, and she was considering the possibility that I had gained power through a contract with a villain.

“Hah.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Two things amused me.

First, the fact that weaklings who made contracts using their souls existed in this world as well.

Second, the fact that Sephia suspected I was one of those pathetic beings.

I silently stared at her. In response, Sephia burst into laughter and waved her hands defensively.

“Oh dear, how scary. I’m just curious about the truth, that’s all. A journalist has no right to publish lies.”

I quietly observed Sephia’s blue eyes.

There was only pure curiosity in them. There was no malice towards others.

‘She’s sincere.’

Her insatiable curiosity, which drove her to pursue the truth, was genuine. There wasn’t an ounce of falsehood in her behavior.

She might be eccentric as a human, but as a journalist, she was exceptional.

She reminded me of one of my former students, who was also incredibly curious. Now that I think about it, they even looked a bit alike.

Feeling a sudden surge of interest, I asked Sephia in a low voice.

“What do you think?”

Perhaps because it felt like I was talking to that student, I couldn’t bring myself to use honorifics.

Sephia tilted her head.

“Your speech is rather… Ah, no! If I offended you, I apologize. That wasn’t my intention, hehe. A person could be a contractor, right? Isn’t that possible? Or maybe they’re a villain? Anyway.”

I asked her again.

“I don’t like asking twice.”

“Well… If someone made a contract, then they did. If not, then it means you’re exceptionally skilled in magic, right? Either way, it’s newsworthy.”

Sephia nodded and scooted her chair a bit closer to me.

“So, Student Flan~ What’s the truth? I’m dying to know!”

Sephia’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. She really did resemble my student.

As I hesitated, lost in thoughts of the past, Sephia made a guess.

“…You’re a contractor, aren’t you? Why did you make the contract? Ah, I have so many questions…! What abilities did you gain? Was your soul the only price?”

Sephia continued to speak rapidly, but then suddenly cleared her throat.

“Sorry for rambling. Can I ask for the details step by step? Was it due to an inferiority complex? Your sister is such an amazing person, after all! The famous Knight of Flickering Flame.”

The famous Knight of Flickering Flame.

Could she be talking about Scarlet?

“You mean that clumsy woman.”

“I completely understand! Villains often exploit negative emotions like inferiority or anger to induce contracts… Huh?”

Sephia’s story abruptly halted. She looked around with wide eyes.

“That remark just now… Were you referring to Scarlet, Scarlet Judith? Did I hear that right?”

“Who else could it be? She’s a woman who can’t even observe basic table manners.”

“Um, excuse me? Student Flan! What are you saying all of a sudden?”

“Why are you so jumpy? It’s as if you’ve heard something forbidden.”

Sephia nodded without hesitation.

“In a way, it could be considered forbidden… How many magicians do you think would dare to speak so casually about a knight, especially one of high standing?”

This time, I tilted my head.

I was puzzled by the fact that she didn’t criticize me for my lack of manners as a younger brother but instead pointed out my attitude as a magician.

“A knight is insignificant compared to a magician.”

“Student

Flan, what are you talking about…? Wait, is the villain inside you speaking?”

She began to scrutinize my face, even waving her hand in front of my eyes.

I spoke again.

“A knight is insignificant compared to a magician, isn’t it?”

“No? Aren’t knights naturally far superior to magicians? I don’t think your family would have taught you to be so modest… Ah, sorry, hehe. Forget I said that.”

Conflicts between different professions were common in my previous world as well. After all, people can never fully understand one another.

But here, you’re telling me that knights hold more power than magicians?

“There’s a Sports Competition between departments coming up soon, right? If you look at the win rates in combat events, it’s obvious that knights dominate.”

So that’s how it is.

I can tolerate the fact that knights are considered superior. It’s possible that magicians like me didn’t exist in this world, and it’s not the world I originally lived in.

But what concerns me is the attitude of the magicians. I asked Sephia, hoping it wasn’t true.

“What about the magicians in the Academy’s magic tower?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do they accept this as a matter of course?”

“Most of them probably do. While magicians drive the wheels of civilization, it’s usually knights who deal with demonic beasts and villains, maintaining peace.”

…What?

As soon as I heard her answer, I pressed my temples with my hand. The headache was unbearable.

Just how twisted is this world? I couldn’t even begin to grasp it.

Magicians live by their intuition.

Intuition that isn’t supported by effort and self-assurance will inevitably lose its way.

How can they pursue magic and walk the path of truth with intuition that accepts bowing to others as a matter of course?

“Hah.”

After letting out a deep sigh, I stood up.

I need to reform the foundation of this Academy. No, I will reform it.

Students, professors, scholars in the magic tower… I won’t spare anyone regardless of status or age. If they are magicians, I will change every last one of them.

No, I will make it so that they have no choice but to change. I will inspire them.

I will ensure that magicians never lose their self-assurance in any situation, that they never bow to anyone, and that they have the basis to possess the composure of the strong.

“There’s a competition coming up, right?”

“It’s soon! It’s in two weeks!”

“What if a magician wins the combat events? That would be breaking news, wouldn’t it?”

“Depending on the specific events and opponents… But if it’s an overwhelming victory, it would be huge breaking news!”

I nodded with satisfaction. It seemed I had one more thing to prove.

Without hesitation, I started walking. If the task was set, there was no time to waste.

“Uh, excuse me? Student Flan! Wait a moment! Where, where are you going?”

But Sephia hurriedly called out and followed me. I gave a short reply.

“I’m going to change things.”

“What? Oh, did the coffee not suit your taste? But you didn’t even touch it… Or maybe alcohol? Nothing beats alcohol for a deep conversation! Alright, let’s go to a pub! My treat!”

I shook my head.

“The mindset and power structure of magicians. All of it.”

“Um… It’s kind of scary when you say that as a contractor.”

“I’m not a contractor.”

“Oh, really? It’s a bit intimidating when a young magic prodigy says that… Huh? That’s also a bit scary. Wait, then what happened in the labyrinth?”

“We’ll talk about it next time.”

I dismissed Sephia, who tilted her head in confusion. It was about time to head to the club meeting place.

Surprisingly, Sephia nodded readily this time.

“Alright. I’m busy too. I have to investigate the monster that’s competing with Miss Trixie on the Agora Board… But wait, we did just agree to talk again next time, right? We did, right? See you then!”

Before I could say anything, she disappeared in a flash.

‘The competition is in two weeks.’

Thinking about the events and participation requirements, I soon arrived at the club’s meeting place.

In the distance, I could see the students starting to gather.