The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage-Chapter 232

5.

Sisvald was unlike most other cities—it had no ruling lord.

However, that did not mean it was without governance.

A designated administrator oversaw the city, sent directly by the Kingdom of Rieskan—the true ruling power of Sisvald.

That administrator was Terian Mithria.

A noble by birth and a former high-ranking financial officer of the royal palace, Terian was a man well-versed in managing affairs.

And right now, he was not pleased.

“Of all times... why did something like this have to happen under my administration?”

His expression was one of deep contemplation.

The gathered retainers around him wore similarly troubled faces.

Why now?

Why did such an incident have to occur under his watch?

Delegating responsibilities to the knights was already damaging his reputation.

If it became widely known that an administrator had failed in their duties, whispers would spread like wildfire.

He had wanted to handle the matter discreetly.

But no solution had come to mind.

Well...

Perhaps one had.

The problem was—

‘I sent out a request in advance, yet I’ve heard nothing back...’

There was one person who could solve this problem.

The outsider knight who had recently made a name for himself.

Though a foreigner, this knight had officially received a title.

More importantly, he was the one who had taken down Ragna Eckrion, a man who had nearly plunged Sisvald into chaos.

Because of this, Terian had sent word to Leon Vanzar, Grandmaster of the Equinox Knights, hoping to arrange a meeting.

Yet, he had been told that the outsider’s whereabouts were unknown.

And now, at such a critical moment, summoning him again seemed unlikely.

It was difficult to expect anything to go his way.

With a sigh of frustration, Terian leaned back in his chair—

Just as one of his retainers rushed into the room.

“Administrator! A message has arrived from Leon Vanzar, Grandmaster of the Equinox Knights!”

Terian’s eyes sharpened.

“Oh? From Leon Vanzar?”

“Yes, sir! Grandmaster Leon asks if he may visit one hour from now. Moreover, he has confirmed that he will be bringing the outsider knight you requested to see.”

“Oh!”

For a moment, Terian felt as though fate itself had aligned in his favor.

He rose from his seat, excitement in his tone.

“Send a reply immediately—tell them they are welcome at once!”

He hadn’t expected the meeting to happen so smoothly.

And on the very day of the incident, no less.

Under normal circumstances, he might have found this coincidence suspicious.

But he did not.

‘A knight would not be capable of such magic.’

Besides, he had already identified a likely culprit for today’s incident.

He knew the outsider knight wasn’t involved.

Which meant—

‘It’s time to extend my request to him.’

No matter how skilled an outsider might be, they were still known for their insatiable greed.

If he presented the right reward, the knight would surely accept.

A small, confident smile crept onto Terian’s face.

6.

After sending the message, there was supposed to be a considerable wait.

With time to spare, Seong was in the training yard, sparring with the other knights—gradually refining his swordsmanship skills.

It was then that Leon returned, looking slightly puzzled.

“Hmph... They’re letting you through much faster than I expected.”

Seong shrugged.

“They already mentioned they were curious about me. Maybe that played a role.”

It was a reasonable conclusion.

Just as he was preparing to leave with Leon, the Grandmaster shook his head.

“They insisted that you come alone. I refused at first, but they were quite adamant. Seems they’re still wary of you as an outsider.”

“Hm. Makes sense.”

Seong nodded.

It wasn’t surprising.

However, Leon still looked uneasy.

He handed Seong a communication crystal and spoke in a firm voice.

“If anything happens, channel your mana into this. I’ll bring the entire knight order with me.”

“...Excuse me?”

Wouldn’t that be outright treason?

Yet, Leon’s gaze was serious—too serious for Seong to dismiss it as a joke.

He took the communication crystal and stored it in his inventory with a nod.

He doubted he would have to use it.

Still, he appreciated the concern.

Seeing Seong accept it, Leon exhaled.

“Phew. Well, go on, then. At the very least, they were polite enough to send a carriage for you.”

“Oh?”

That was unexpected.

He had assumed he’d have to make his way there on foot.

But this arrangement was far more convenient.

If they had gone so far as to provide transportation, then—

“They must at least be treating me with some level of respect,” Seong mused.

He wasn’t too familiar with noble customs, but this was a clear sign of courtesy.

Since they were extending proper formalities, he would respond in kind.

“Alright, I’ll be back.”

“Mm. Be careful.”

Leon nodded but raised the communication crystal slightly, as if to remind him.

Seong let out an awkward chuckle before turning away.

As he approached the Equinox Knights’ barracks entrance, he saw a carriage waiting for him.

They had certainly prepared well.

A man dressed as a butler stood beside it, accompanied by soldiers stationed as escorts.

A proper reception.

“Are you Sir Seong?”

“Yes, that would be me.”

“Thank you for accepting our invitation. I am Alfredo, your escort for this journey. Please, allow me to ensure your comfort.”

“...I appreciate it.”

“Then, shall we depart?”

Seong climbed into the carriage at Alfredo’s gesture.

This was... a lot of hospitality.

Perhaps even excessive.

But he wasn’t about to complain—

It was certainly comfortable.

The ride was surprisingly smooth.

Far better than the Matiz compact car he had bought second-hand a few days ago.

‘...Is a carriage usually this comfortable?’

It was so stable that he found himself comparing it to a car.

Then again, considering the magical enhancements present in this world, it made sense.

In the end, he decided not to overthink it.

As he idly gazed out the window, watching the cityscape roll past—

Before long, they arrived.

The horses neighed, slowing their pace before coming to a complete halt.

The carriage, too, stopped smoothly.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Alfredo promptly stepped forward, opening the door.

“Sir Seong, we have arrived.”

Seong stepped out, glancing up.

Before him stood Sisvald’s central administrative building—

Or, perhaps more accurately—

The Lord’s Castle.

The interior of the fortress was vast and meticulously maintained.

‘This place feels different from other lordly castles.’

Unlike most noble estates, which were often extravagant and dripping with luxury, this administrative stronghold was refined but reserved.

There was an intentional avoidance of opulence—as if excessiveness was deliberately suppressed.

Even the reception hall reflected this.

Rather than an ornate chamber meant to impress visiting nobles, it was practical.

It was well-kept but restrained, offering just enough decor to be respectable without crossing into unnecessary grandeur.

And waiting inside—

“Oh! You must be Sir Seong!”

A deep, welcoming voice filled the room.

A middle-aged man—his graying hair neatly combed, his noble attire sharp yet functional—stepped forward with a smile.

“I am Terian Mithria, administrator of Sisvald! I’ve heard you’re called Iron Boulder?”

Seong winced slightly at the nickname.

It wasn’t exactly the coolest title to have.

But it wasn’t a bad reputation either.

So, rather than downplaying it, he simply nodded.

Displaying a knightly confidence would likely score him points in this situation.

And, as expected—

Terian beamed at the response.

“I heard you were the one who defeated Ragna Eckrion! Truly, you are a man of great strength! Come, sit. I’ve been eager to speak with you.”

He gestured toward the seating area, offering Seong a place.

As soon as Seong sat down, attendants swiftly entered, serving tea.

It wasn’t necessary, but since it was offered, he took a sip.

Then, Terian leaned forward slightly, his demeanor shifting.

“Sir Seong, do you have any experience tracking someone?”

His tone had become noticeably more formal.

Seong immediately recognized that this was no ordinary conversation.

If things had reached this point, then—

He was about to get a quest.

And considering how things had been lining up lately, it might be a damn good one.

Smelling the scent of a juicy hidden quest, Seong nodded.

“Yes. As you know, I am an outsider, which allows me to acquire a variety of unique skills.”

It was a fact, not an exaggeration.

Hearing this, Terian’s face lit up.

He set his teacup down and gripped Seong’s hands with both of his own.

“Oh! Will you help me?!”

Seong remained calm.

“What seems to be the issue?”

As if reminded of his troubles, Terian’s expression darkened.

With a weary sigh, he shook his head.

“I suppose I cannot expect you to accept without knowing the details... Damn it all, I never imagined something like this would happen under my administration.”

His tone was that of a frustrated bureaucrat.

Seong was mildly amused.

Bureaucracy was the same no matter the world.

Since Terian # Nоvеlight # seemed eager to vent, he let him continue.

And then—

“This morning, the Sisvald Archives were broken into.”

“...What?”

For the first time in this conversation, Seong was genuinely surprised.

A break-in?

At the archives?

That wasn’t just any building—it was one of the most heavily secured places in Sisvald.

Whoever pulled it off had to be highly skilled.

But more than that—

It was the very place Seong had been planning to visit.

The pieces clicked in his mind just as new notifications appeared before his eyes.

[Hidden Quest: 『Administrator of Sisvald』 has been completed.]

[You have received your reward.]

[You have gained a significant amount of experience.]

[Level Up!]

[You are now Level 186.]

[Hidden Quest: 『The Thief of the Archives』 has been generated.]

『The Thief of the Archives』

→ Track down the thief who infiltrated Sisvald’s archives.

It was exactly what he had expected.

He had gained experience, leveled up, and received a follow-up tracking quest.

Under normal circumstances, Seong would have been pleased.

But right now, his expression hardened.

Because a thief had broken into the very place he needed to investigate.

Seong’s voice was steady but firm.

“What exactly was stolen?”

“Hm... Nothing of great value,” Terian mused. “Just an old scroll and some notebooks...”

But despite his dismissive tone, his expression was troubled.

“...Still, the fact remains that they were stolen. I cannot ignore it. We must recover them.”

Seong narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Could you describe the scroll? What was recorded on it?”

Terian paused, tapping his chin in thought.

Then, as if recalling something, he snapped his fingers.

“Oh! It was an old mission report—over a hundred years old. It belonged to the Zirkan Knights.”

“...Zirkan Knights.”

Seong repeated the name slowly.

“Yes, that’s right,” Terian confirmed. “The knights completed their mission and then all retired immediately afterward. A rather peculiar case, but nothing of true significance.”

Seong slowly scratched his cheek.

This was far too much of a coincidence.

‘Of all things...’

The last known order of knights connected to Hindel.

And their mission report had just been stolen?

Even if this wasn’t a quest, Seong would have had to retrieve it anyway.

His mind sharpened.

This wasn’t something he could ignore.

He needed to find the thief.

And fortunately, he had just the skill for the job.

『Scent of Death』.

A tracking ability that allowed him to hunt down specific targets.

If he could find even a single clue, tracking the thief would be laughably easy.

But just as he was preparing to activate the skill—

A voice suddenly rang out beside him.

“I saw it with my own eyes!!!”

Seong snapped his head to the side.

A ghost had appeared near him.

A witness?

Oh.

He had CCTV too?

His luck just kept getting better and better.

With zero hesitation, Seong used his skill.

[『Unknown Power』 has temporarily exceeded your current limits.]

[Dexterity +2 has permanently increased.]

Then, the scene unfolded in his mind.

The thief’s figure appeared clearly.

Long hair.

A frame that made it difficult to tell whether they were male or female.

And most importantly—

Seong recognized them.

The moment he saw the face, a thought crossed his mind.

‘Plinky?’

Why the hell was that guy here?!