Chapter 162

The Back-Alley Mage’s Return – Chapter 162

CHAPTER 162. Life and Eggs

It was precisely at that moment—while I was drowning in self-reproach, wondering if I had truly strayed from the path of a decent human being.

Henji offered a gentle smirk and spoke up.

“Even so, you managed to get a single detail right. Well, to be perfectly accurate, even that part isn’t entirely correct… but allow me to clarify the origins of this situation first.”

Point by point, Henji began to dismantle the misconceptions I had constructed.

As I listened in silence, the sheer absurdity of my assumptions became glaringly obvious.

“The leader of House Jiloks possesses a profound devotion to Brando. The notion that he would plot an insurrection is utterly ridiculous. If he possessed that sort of character, he never would have aligned himself with Jiloks to begin with.”

“Then what was his reason for choosing Jiloks?”

“To stir up uncertainty.”

“Uncertainty?”

“He harbored concerns that the strength of Brando would become fractured. At that specific time, he commanded a rather formidable following of his own.”

To put it another way, selecting Jiloks was his personal method for safeguarding Brando.

If that was the case, why was he enacting such a scheme at this moment?

“The catalyst was the incident at the Hall of Trials.”

“The Hall of Trials?”

“Precisely. The official verdict declared that House Bimarga had acted entirely on their own, but who would actually buy that story? The political maneuvers and justifications of House Deculan are hardly a recent development.”

Henji sipped his tea with an amused expression before forging ahead.

“Back then, internal friction was quite high. There were voices demanding that House Deculan face retribution, among other things. The radicals were fully prepared to welcome an armed confrontation. It was at this juncture that the perspectives of the leader of House Jiloks and Lord Gamo split entirely.”

“In what manner?”

“Lord Gamo threw his weight behind the radicals, whereas the leader of House Jiloks maintained that a military escalation was completely out of the question.”

“Hold on.”

A contradiction surfaced in my mind as I processed his words.

“Gamo belonged to the radical faction?”

“Ah, there are underlying complexities to that as well… I suppose I ought to elaborate on the finer details of the environment at the time.”

During that period, the internal state of Brando was nothing short of a turbulent cauldron.

Though it ultimately concluded with a division between the radicals and the moderates—with the moderates prevailing and preventing an all-out war—the friction had been severe.

‘The division ran so deep that even the low-ranking members were resorting to physical brawls?’

In an environment where emotional animosity was reaching a boiling point—

“Lord Gamo must have endured a great deal of internal conflict. He recognized that backing the moderates was the rational choice, yet… the passions of the radicals were overflowing. Trying to suppress that… well, you understand, don’t you? The consequences of bottling up such intense emotions.”

“They eventually detonate.”

“Exactly. Consequently, Lord Gamo took the initiative to release that pressure valve early. In fact, he went a step further than the radicals, championing a stance that was even more extreme.”

“Hmm.”

The puzzle pieces were beginning to align.

It was a familiar dynamic.

Consider two canines barking furiously as though they intend to tear each other apart—the moment you release their restraints and command them to fight, they instantly grow self-conscious and gaze into the distance as if nothing occurred.

How did the radicals perceive Gamo’s escalation?

“It must have given them pause.”

“Haha, indeed. It certainly gave them pause. While the moderates were absolutely livid, the radicals actually faltered when confronted with Lord Gamo’s rhetoric, which far exceeded their own intensity.”

“Naturally. Warfare is not a concept to be invoked casually.”

Gamo took the abstract notion of “warfare” that had merely occupied their thoughts and forced them to confront its stark reality.

And when warfare transitions from theory to reality—

‘It becomes an absolute nightmare.’

One only had to look at the Headmaster senior and Riheim senior to recognize the truth of it.

They appeared perfectly composed on the exterior, but internally they were completely shattered—fractured, distorted, and cloaked in a layer of instability.

Such is the nature of combat.

An untamed monster capable of leaving permanent psychological trauma even on the ironclad psyche of a sorcerer who has achieved supremacy…

“Regardless, because Lord Gamo maneuvered in that fashion, the family leader and the senior members who remembered the previous conflict intervened to restore order. However… that entire episode must have dealt a significant psychological blow to the leader of House Jiloks.”

“For what reason?”

“Because it genuinely appeared as though a conflict was on the horizon. Everyone was opposed to it, yet until the family leader and the seniors stepped forward, there was absolutely no one capable of restraining Lord Gamo. Haha.”

“…….”

For a brief interval, I contemplated the internal state of the leader of House Jiloks during that crisis.

As the figurehead of the subordinate House Jiloks, the title might seem prestigious to an outsider, but for an individual who had once desired the primary seat of Brando, it could not have been a simple path to tread.

On the contrary, remaining within the core lineage and accepting a designated role would have been far more equitable.

Yet he removed himself from the main house solely to prevent instability.

And despite that—

‘The very lineage he sacrificed so much to protect… is veering toward ruin? And he is reduced to a mere spectator?’

The agony must have been overwhelming.

As though his own flesh were being carved away—his very spirit must have been shattered.

Naturally, he must have discerned Gamo’s underlying strategy. He was bound to have deduced it, given his own extensive political experience.

Nevertheless—

‘Intellectual understanding does not magically erase emotional dread.’

And when the stakes involved the very lineage he had gone into exile to preserve…

The anxiety would only intensify.

“He likely concluded, ‘If Brando is tumbling down a perilous path… someone must act as the anchor.’”

“Which means….”

“Which means he utilized you as his justification. Frankly, any excuse would have sufficed. And that brings us back to the single detail I mentioned you had gotten right.”

“The part about undermining Gamo’s authority?”

“Haha, yes. Though the nuances differ slightly. He does not wish to see Gamo’s strength dissolved. Rather, he simply… desires the authority required to exert control when necessary.”

“I see.”

Henji proceeded to map out the explicit objectives of the leader of House Jiloks. To distill it down to its core essence, it amounted to this:

The position he sought to occupy was—

‘Not an opponent to Gamo, but rather the voice for the loyalists of Brando.’

Offering himself as a shield for my predicament served as the foundation for cementing that exact role.

Simply put, he aimed to consolidate the voices that currently lacked leadership.

Once the explanation reached this point, the entire picture became lucid.

“In that case, the wretched individual from House Tulk must have been deployed to agitate the situation further. From what I gathered, interest in my dilemma had already dwindled to almost nothing.”

“Precisely. And given that the fool is completely infatuated with the daughter of Jiloks, prompting him to action would have been trivial.”

“Understood. I comprehend the situation up to this point.”

Yet the core dilemma remained unresolved.

The internal politics of Brando were, in all honesty, merely an entertaining distraction—intriguing to analyze, but ultimately of little consequence to me.

So what truly mattered?

“What is your plan to assist me then? The leader of House Jiloks is fully committed… he has no intention of abandoning a perfect excuse like myself.”

“Does the specific path matter all that much?”

“That is….”

My voice trailed off as I organized my perspective under the weight of Henji’s knowing grin.

‘Does the specific path matter?’

Not particularly.

Whatever transpired within the walls of Brando was none of my concern, provided it did not escalate into a catastrophe.

My sole desire was for the nuisances plaguing my daily life to vanish as swiftly as possible.

Sensing my internal resolution, Henji shifted the dialogue seamlessly.

“Instead of dwelling on that, let us pivot to a far more mutually beneficial topic.”

“A beneficial topic….”

“You surely did not assume I would offer my assistance in this matter without expecting something in return? In truth, I have a single favor to ask of you.”

“A favor?”

Henji offered a nod.

“It is hardly a grueling task. Frankly speaking… from your perspective, even if this scenario remains unresolved, it does not truly jeopardize you, does it?”

“That is accurate.”

I held no deep loyalty to Brando.

“The favor I require is of a comparable scale.”

“For the time being… let me hear it.”

I refrained from making an immediate commitment.

The parameters of an eccentric do not align with the logic of an ordinary person. If one allows themselves to be ensnared by something that sounds minor on the surface, surviving to a ripe old age becomes an impossible feat.

Yet remarkably—

On this occasion, Henji’s request was genuinely straightforward.

Though… it did leave me somewhat bewildered.

What exactly was he asking for?

“Would it be possible for you to secure entry for my younger brother into the Magic Tower?”

To put it plainly—he wished for me to facilitate his sibling’s enrollment into the Magic Tower.

For what purpose…?

Ultimately, our discussion concluded on that enigmatic note.

Escorted back to my quarters by Dinner No. 1 after our evening meal, I reclined upon the mattress in the unlit room, sorting through my impressions.

‘In all honesty, arranging for Stan—or rather, whatever his birth name is—to enter the Magic Tower is not an insurmountable obstacle.’

The true enigma lay in Henji’s hidden motive.

People frequently remark on groups that exist in name only, but the Magic Tower was an entirely fabricated entity that lacked even a nominal presence.

To the public, it was regarded as a premium partner of Lortel possessing a platinum token—but reality dictated that it was a complete illusion.

Henji was undoubtedly aware of this fact.

Which meant—

A powerful intuition struck me, causing me to abruptly sit upright.

“Could he be plotting to orchestrate a scheme by leveraging his own sibling?”

Indeed. That was entirely—

You manipulative creature. Do you truly believe everyone operates with your level of cynicism?

What on earth was that?

I grimaced at the internal voice echoing through my consciousness.

A shiver traveled up my spine as I scanned the dark room, but Shine was nowhere to be found. This confirmed it was merely my own internal monologue protesting.

“Sigh. Yes, that is taking suspicion too far.”

Granted, given Henji’s nature, the likelihood of him exploiting his own flesh and blood was considerably high, yet… intuitively, it felt different this time.

For some inexplicable reason, that calculating individual appeared to harbor a fierce protectiveness toward his sibling.

‘Whatever the case. I shall cross that bridge when the time comes.’

The immediate priority was the dawn of the next day.

As for his brother’s admission into the organization, Henji had noted that I could address it at my convenience. In exchange, he promised to neutralize the irritants from House Tulk and House Jiloks first.

He had characterized House Tulk as a simple matter to handle… but House Jiloks presented the true hurdle.

He cautioned that it would require an extended period, advising me to maintain a low profile and avoid generating any unnecessary friction.

His assessment was sound—if the animosity among the retainers intensified further, even the leader of House Jiloks would lose the ability to halt the momentum.

To be fair, I felt little anxiety on that front.

I might lack specific attributes like Endurance, but when it came to sheer fortitude, I took a backseat to no one.

An individual capable of maintaining composure even when confronted with wrongdoing—that was my defining trait.

However, the complication lay elsewhere—

“Damn it. Tomorrow marks the celebration for Demian’s birthday, doesn’t it?”

Indeed. That was the crux of the issue.

Without warning, the warnings uttered by Ransi flooded back into my thoughts.

We shall sabotage your steps.

We shall compel you to offer a token.

Along with countless other aristocratic transgressions.

To be completely candid, anxiety was creeping in.

“Am I truly capable of enduring such intense hostility and public degradation?”

No matter how I calculated the variables, the outcome remained grim.

I was merely an outcast originating from the Black and White Zone. Amidst that sea of aristocracy, not a soul would step forward to defend me.

No matter how fiercely I wished for them to stay away, they would inevitably converge upon me.

“My heart… feels heavy.”

Haunted by the prospect of tomorrow’s public humiliation, I drifted off to sleep.

A desolate evening. A stray from the Black and White Zone, nursing a heavy spirit, weeping silently in the shadows.

Then, out of nowhere, a philosophical query presented itself.

What constitutes existence?

‘Existence is….’

An egg.

‘I find myself craving a hard-boiled egg.’

Perhaps existence and an egg are separated by the thinnest of margins. For whether it is existence or an egg, once subjected to intense heat, both inevitably harden.

Concurrently, during the hours Aster was succumbing to slumber.

Henji secured a missive within the beak of Dinner No. 1 and directed the creature out into the night.

“Deposit this directly beside that piece of garbage’s pillow.”

Ppiiiik—

Dinner No. 1 pierced through the midnight sky, letting out a solitary cry.

Henji produced a cigarette and rested it against his lips just as the silhouette dissolved entirely into the darkness.

Fwoo.

‘The nuisance from House Tulk is effectively neutralized by this gesture.’

To describe it as “neutralized” was perhaps an understatement.

That wretched individual had accumulated an extensive history of misdeeds.

The authority of House Tulk had managed to conceal his actions thus far, but should even a fraction of those transgressions gain exposure, his standing within high society would instantly disintegrate.

The real challenge remained House Jiloks.

‘That is an issue to be dismantled gradually over time.’

Henji finalized his strategy and released a plume of smoke.

The pale vapor drifted and dissipated alongside a profound breath. Henji’s gaze tracked its ascent before shifting toward the exterior pane.

His attention was fixed upon the residence of the young master where Aster was currently resting.

Henji pondered silently.

“……The silence is absolute.”

In the complete absence of a breeze, the atmosphere mirrored the profound stillness that precedes a violent tempest.

And in truth, the analogy was remarkably fitting.

‘A devastating gale is poised to tear across the land.’

The current tranquility was merely the illusion of peace before the chaos erupted.

Naturally, the precise moment of its arrival remained uncertain.

It could manifest in a year, or perhaps a decade—or perhaps, defying all apprehension, stability would endure and the tempest would never materialize.

‘Yet should the storm arrive, the optimal position is to stand directly at its epicenter.’

Henji let out another breath of smoke and slowly lowered his eyelids.

My dim-witted younger brother—if you harbor resentment toward me, feel free to despise me to your heart’s content. Yet even if your physical form is pushed to its absolute limits, the Master of the Tower will never abandon your side.

Even if the entire populace turns against you, and even if I myself am forced to cast you aside.

This was the underlying motivation driving Henji to push his naive sibling into the ranks of the organization.

Furthermore, an additional rationale existed.

‘……So long as he remains in close proximity to the Master of the Tower, he will at least avoid meeting a fatal end at the hands of others.’

Henji watched the lingering smoke fade from his sight.