Mastermind
Copyright© 2026 by FantasyTranslater
Chapter 29
Most of the members of the Eclipse Order, led by Deus Macallian, supported Alon. However, they acted that way solely because Alon was considered Deus’s benefactor. In reality, their feelings toward Alon were close to indifference. To the knights of the Eclipse, Alon wasn’t particularly special, aside from being Deus’s benefactor.
Even if there were emotions involved, it was only due to the jealousy some young knights felt when they saw how Deus treated Alon. Other than that, there were hardly any feelings toward him at all. In short, the knights didn’t hold particularly positive sentiments toward Alon.
But at least for this moment—
“Vice Tower Master, may I ask you a favor?”
“Yes, yes ... What kind of favor...?”
The knights could only stare blankly, mouths agape.
“Could you make a potion of Leviteon?”
“Remiteon’s ... potion?”
“Yes. Can you do it?”
“Ah, yes, of course! Absolutely...!”
Not only the knights of Eclipse but even the Silver Knights, who were just recently berated by Penia, were shocked. This was because they knew that the vice tower master in front of them had a personality as eccentric as her genius magical abilities.
In fact, it wasn’t just them. Any knight who had ever gone on an expedition to the north would have heard stories of the ‘Hysteric Penia.’
When heading north, wizards from the Blue Tower, who were often summoned at the same time, would always complain about Penia’s unbearable personality, so it was impossible not to know.
Thus, the knights, aware of Penia’s notorious character, were even more astonished.
“Hmm, just to check, do you happen to have or know how to make the Elixir of Exceptionality?”
“Uh, uh ... I don’t have it, but I think I could make it...”
“Could you also make that for me?”
“Uh, well, it takes a lot of time, and I have other things to do...”
“I really need it.”
“I-I’ll do it! I promise I will...!”
The knights couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Penia, the vice tower master of the Blue Tower and a 6th-ranked wizard, was obediently following the Count of Palatio’s orders.
No, more than obediently; she was contorting herself to avoid upsetting him in any way. The knights found it utterly unbelievable.
And of course—
“W-what ... the hell...?”
The same went for the wizards who had been dispatched from the Blue Tower with Penia, enduring her constant scolding and shedding tears of blood from the torment.
“What ... is this?”
“Am I seeing things?”
“Has the vice tower master completely lost it?”
The wizards, who looked on as if they were witnessing the end of the world, gasped in disbelief.
“She refused to make that last time because it was too difficult and spent weeks complaining ... but now she’s willing to make it?”
“Am I seeing this wrong? Did someone cast an illusion spell as a joke?”
“Are you stupid? If someone had cast an illusion spell, they’d have to cast Silence on the vice tower master as well, and who has that kind of spare magic power?”
They were so shocked that they even subtly tried to dispel any lingering magic, thinking perhaps another wizard was playing a trick.
And then—
“Thank you.”
“No, it’s something I should do.”
“How much payment will you need?”
“Pa-payment, you mean?”
“It’s only natural to pay for the favor I’ve asked. Just tell me, and I’ll have it sent to the magic tower later.”
“Oh, well—”
“However, if it’s a bit expensive, the payment might be delayed. The finances haven’t been great lately.”
“Just ... just give me 1 gold coin.”
“... 1 gold coin? Isn’t that too cheap?”
“No, it’s fine...! Yes, it’s totally fine...!”
“ ... Well then, I won’t refuse such a generous offer.”
As they watched Penia, who was smiling and accepting just one gold coin for two potions that normally cost hundreds of gold coins to make, both the knights and the wizards wore blank expressions. They soon all turned their gazes toward Alon.
The knights’ faces were filled with amazement, while a look of reverence appeared on the wizards’ faces.
‘It seems like there’s some misunderstanding, but at least I got the potions easily,’ Alon thought, as he returned to Evan.
“ ... Wait, Count, when did you start speaking informally with the vice tower master?”
“Hm? I’m a noble, so I just spoke informally.”
No way...
“ ... Excuse me? But, as far as I know, the vice tower master is treated as a quasi-noble, and it’s standard etiquette to speak formally to each other...”
“ ... Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Realizing that he had been somewhat rude to Penia, Alon let out a quiet sigh.
‘With this, I’ve gathered all the cards I need to play.’
Not long after, Alon obtained the ‘Leviteon’s Potion’ and the ‘Elixir of Exceptionality’ from Penia. A few hours later, he heard Deus’s words.
“Retreat?”
“Yes.”
Deus began explaining the current situation, and Alon nodded slightly as he listened.
‘It’s true, they don’t seem capable of fighting.’
Alon recalled the many injured soldiers and the expressions of terror on their faces when he had arrived at the forward base.
‘The knights looked relatively fine, but their expressions weren’t good either. The only people walking around with calm expressions were the wizards, who were here to investigate the ritual, not to fight.’
‘As for the wizards ... they already fled.’
Alon glanced around. Unlike earlier, when the area was bustling with wizards, there were none to be seen since Penia had delivered the potions.
Realizing that the wizards had already hit the escape button after sensing the danger at the forward base, Alon heard Deus’s question.
“What do you intend to do?”
Without hesitation, Alon replied.
“I will stay here.”
The reason Alon had brought so many items to Caliban, including borrowing the Ring of the Arrogant One from the royal family, was to deal with the Outer God.
Without dealing with the Outer God, the future he foresaw would be nothing but a disaster.
As Alon was reviewing the plans in his mind—
“Waaaahhh!!”
Suddenly, a terrible scream came from the distance. He immediately stood up and rushed outside the tent.
There, he saw a wizard screaming wildly, along with other wizards fleeing frantically toward the forward base.
And then—
!!!
Behind them, the undead were approaching.
“It’s the undead!”
“Aaaaah!”
The soldiers screamed, as if recalling a recent nightmare, and gathered at the entrance with their swords drawn. The knights, too, began to ready their weapons as confusion and fear spread across their faces.