Since ancient times, the appearance of people with Mystic Eyes in the world had been exceedingly rare—so rare that they could be counted on one hand.
The same held true in modern times, though that didn't mean they didn't exist at all.
Whether it was due to technological advancements increasing the overall population, thereby raising the probability of possessing Mystic Eyes, or if there was some other historical reason, remained unknown.
At the very least, in my past life, I had known of about ten people who possessed Mystic Eyes.
Among them, as my father had said, some were destroyed by their own power, while others successfully controlled it and left behind remarkable achievements.
And there was one such person in Korea as well.
Valerie de Belle.
As her name suggested, she wasn't Korean.
She was French by nationality, of noble lineage, and in my past life, she had risen to the rank of a Second-Class Mage, becoming one of the great magicians.
The Mystic Eyes she possessed were called the Eyes of Interpretation.
They allowed her to read the information of all things, and this ability was what had made her a great magician.
'I came to Gyeongju to meet this woman, but I never expected to meet her in a situation like this.'
As I momentarily lost my words in surprise, Valerie narrowed her eyes slightly at my silence and leaned her face closer.
"Hey, am I scaring you? Oh, wait, are you not Korean? Are you Chinese? Ni chi fan le ma?"
...
Did she just suddenly ask if I'd eaten? No, I was 100% sure she wasn't actually asking because she thought I was Chinese.
"I'm Korean."
"Oh, good. I actually don't speak Chinese."
… I already knew, but she was even more unpredictable than I had imagined.
I knew the nickname she would be called by in the future.
The Eccentric of the Magic Tower.
No… The Lunatic of the Magic Tower.
She attracted just as much controversy as she did public attention.
Her decadent aura and stunning beauty played a role, but even before coming to Korea, she was constantly embroiled in controversy due to her eccentric behavior.
The reason she originally came to Korea from the Eiffel Magic Tower of France?
Because she suddenly felt like learning shamanism.
And she didn't even get permission from the Magic Tower's master before showing up.
Later on, she even went as far as to naturalize as a Korean citizen, and when asked at a press conference why she had decided to do so, she famously answered, "Because the fried chicken here is delicious."
"That aside, what kind of kid are you?"
"…You're the one who started talking to me, so why are you asking me that?"
"Oh, you're a picky one. Fine, let's introduce ourselves first."
She extended her hand.
"I'm Valerie de Belle. As you can see, I'm not Korean—I'm from France. And I'm a magician."
"I'm Lee Cheol. Nice to meet you."
I shook her hand as I answered.
"Lee? Oh, are you from the Yi Family? Ah, what do they call it in Korea… Seongmu-yi?"
Aside from a slight accent, her Korean was as fluent as a native speaker's.
I nodded.
"Yes, that's correct."
"Hm? Seongmu-yi… Aren't they basically like royalty in this country?"
"There's a big difference, but it's true that they hold considerable power."
"Really?"
Valerie pointed at my face with a long, ivory cigarette holder.
"Then why are you hiding your face with that cute little mask? Someone from the great Yi family—are you running away from someone?"
She recognized my Illusionary Face Mask without a hint of hesitation.
I paused for a moment, unintentionally caught off guard.
I wore the mask whenever I was in crowded places as a precaution.
I had successfully shaken off my family's pursuers, but I couldn't be too careful.
Yet Valerie had seen through it instantly.
'It's not surprising, really. She awakened her Mystic Eyes far earlier than I did, and their properties are similar to mine.'
If I used my Mystic Eyes, I, too, would be able to see through the illusion of the mask.
And considering how much longer Valerie had been using her Mystic Eyes compared to me, it was only natural that she could do the same.
Click!
I removed the mask from my face.
"You're not surprised by what I found out."
"Because I saw that you have eyes similar to mine."
"Hmm, and you're calm too. Even though you're young."
Valerie gave a peculiar smile.
"I never expected to meet someone with Mystic Eyes in a faraway country like this. I've never heard of anyone in the Sungmu family possessing them."
"I didn't expect to see someone with Mystic Eyes here either."
Actually, I knew.
Because for this task, Valerie de Belle and the Mystic Eyes she possessed were absolutely necessary.
"Do you have those eyes because of the special bloodline in Sungmu? Don't they have some kind of weird ritual or ceremony?"
"It's closer to a test than a ritual… but yes, something like that."
A glint of interest flickered in Valerie's eyes.
"Hmm, fascinating. Mystic Eyes aren't something you just awaken like that. What kind of ability do your eyes have?"
Valerie took a step closer.
I took a step back.
"I don't see why I should reveal my hand."
"My eyes are Analytical Eyes. I can quantify and read all kinds of objects and phenomena. Satisfied? I told you mine, now tell me yours."
I frowned.
"Sorry, but I never asked, and I have no intention of revealing it."
"So stubborn…"
Valerie scoffed, then suddenly became serious and locked eyes with me.
Her slightly droopy, tired-looking eyes turned sharp.
And over her deep brown irises, a purple glow shimmered.
Crackle!
My Mystic Eyes reacted to that energy.
"…What do you think you're doing?"
I furrowed my brow and instinctively pulled back slightly.
To probe someone without warning—especially using Mystic Eyes—was practically a declaration of war.
"Ah, sorry, sorry. I was just too curious. But strangely, I can't read anything from you at all. It's been a while since that happened."
"…"
"Hmm, don't be so mad. As an apology, I'll share something good with you. But in return, let's have a deep conversation. How about it?"
Valerie smirked playfully and extended her hand for a handshake once again.
Well, this worked out.
She would become a Grand Mage in the future. Having a connection with someone like her would be beneficial in many ways.
Besides, she would play a crucial role in deciphering the tablet. The process might have been a bit troublesome, but the outcome was exactly what I wanted.
'Then why do I have a bad feeling about this?'
I frowned unconsciously as I looked at her outstretched hand.
I was certain that this was my first time meeting her—both in this life and my previous one—but for some reason, this situation felt strangely familiar.
'Who… Ah.'
Not exactly the same, but similar.
A person came to mind.
Aunt Lee Kyunghwa.
Valerie reminded me of her in some way.
The moment I realized that, shaking her hand suddenly felt like an enormous decision.
"Hm? You don't want to? I said I was sorry."
Valerie urged me with that peculiar smile and tone.
"Fine."
Sigh.
I let out a quiet sigh, one she wouldn't hear, and took her hand.
"Okay! Then instead of standing in this smelly alley, why don't we grab a cup of coffee, young friend?"
The hem of her long black cardigan swirled like a cape.
With a smirk, Valerie gestured for me to follow.
Valerie led me down another strange alleyway.
Then, she opened a rusty, dilapidated iron door attached to the wall of what looked like an abandoned house—one that didn't seem inhabited at all.
"You're saying we should have coffee here?"
I had no idea what was going on.
From the outside, it was just an ordinary abandoned house…
"…Huh?"
Suddenly, I felt something strange.
It was a sensation similar to when I encountered the goblin's magic on Mount Tianwei.
I was certain—the space beyond this door was connected to somewhere else.
"You just realized?"
Valerie's eyes widened as she saw me hesitate.
"You noticed even without opening the entrance? Have you learned magic or something? No, even if you did, this shouldn't be possible."
"I haven't learned magic. And if something obviously feels strange, is it really that surprising to notice?"
Valerie scoffed as if she found my words ridiculous.
"That feeling you just described—only someone like my master should be able to sense it. I set this up so that no one else would notice."
There was only one person in the world whom Valerie de Bell openly referred to as "Master."
The current Tower Master of the Eiffel Magic Tower and a 1st-class mage.
Michael Garel.
And yet, she was saying that no one below his level should have been able to sense it? Did she already reach the point where she could set up something like this?
"I've experienced something similar before."
"No, this is different. Even if you've had a similar experience, you shouldn't have noticed it until you stepped inside. Not unless you've trained magic to an extreme level."
Valerie's eyes gleamed with a peculiar light again.
"So, is this a teleportation formation?"
A few years ago, in Jeokcheong Island, a trainer had infiltrated using teleportation magic.
"No, I do have a fair amount of money, but not enough to set up something like that. This is more like… a collaboration between sorcery and magic. I linked a spatial tunnel using both mana and spiritual energy."
Valerie opened the door and stepped inside first.
"Come in."
I followed her inside.
The air shifted.
It felt like passing through a sauna filled with thick humidity.
That feeling only lasted for a moment, and then—
Before my eyes was an ordinary café.
The aroma of coffee beans lingered at the tip of my nose.
There wasn't a single customer inside.
Only one man stood idly behind the counter, staring into space.
'He's not human.'
I immediately sensed an oddity from him.
He emanated mana, yet there were no signs of natural bodily functions.
"He's a golem. Just a robot with a mana core installed. This place is my workshop, so you'll find all sorts of bizarre things here. Save your questions for later and just order what you want to drink."
"…Is it even allowed to set up a place like this inside a workshop?"
"I wanted to create an atmosphere, but going out all the time is a hassle."
When people imagine a mage's workshop, they usually think of a secretive space filled with magic circles and enchanted tools—not a café run by a golem.
Valerie ordered an espresso with a few sugar cubes, while I asked for the tea I often drank at home.
As soon as the golem received our orders, it began preparing the drinks with clumsy movements.
"Mind if I smoke?"
"Go ahead."
"Thanks."
She placed a cigarette in her mouth and lit it.
"There are so many things I want to ask… Where should I start?"
"And what makes you think I'll answer everything?"
"Ugh, so stingy."
Valerie leaned back in her chair, then smirked as if she had just thought of a good idea.
"Alright, how about this? Believe it or not, I know quite a lot."
She exhaled a thin stream of smoke and raised three fingers.
"Three questions. We take turns asking and answering. How about it?"
A peculiar smile played on her lips.
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : http://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]