The Player Hides His Past Chapter 622

Chapter 622 – Not Easy (3)

So, what’s changed?

Swoosh.

Perhaps it’s the ti I’ve spent adjusting my appearance in front of the mirror. As soone pretending to be Grandfell, the most critical part for Lee Hoyeol to focus on was the eyes.

jjilis.

To achieve the sa intensity, I had to strain my eye muscles to the point of cramping. It makes wonder, Grandfell, what kind of thoughts occupied your mind that made you look at the world with such a piercing gaze?

‘Here…’

I tilted my head—a move Grandfell would never make—and checked the roots of my hair. I had to make sure none of Lee Hoyeol’s black hair was growing back to reveal itself.

I needed to get used to it.

Even alone, I practiced.

Should I try using Grandfell’s manner of speech?

“Indeed, the pursuit of anomalies…”

I felt like choking on my own words but managed to finish. Well, mixing preservation magic with bleaching agents could be considered a form of anomaly, I suppose.

“This is just rationalizing at this point. Anyway…”

It’s not easy, really.

‘Even this preservation magic is tricky.’

“At least for now, it’s holding.”

If I had Grandfell’s talent, I could have copied it instantly after seeing it once. But since Grandfell left, his abilities didn’t remain with .

‘Learning this simple spell almost gave a headache.’

At least I’m grateful. Both Sparta and Akshan would probably kneel before Grandfell’s intense, one-on-one lessons. Whenever I complained, Grandfell would mutter:

-“Every trial and hardship shall one day fortify you.”

At the ti, I thought it was just so old man’s ramblings.

But you weren’t wrong, were you, Grandfell? Without your rigorous tutoring, I might have been exposed due to sothing as minor as my hair roots.

Ttogak.

‘Anyway, I might be a little late…’

I hurried my steps, but the stairs of the Magic Tower were as unforgiving as ever. At least my body was trained enough to ascend swiftly, but I couldn’t help but wonder how ordinary people managed.

Suddenly!

Despite my haste, I arrived at the Athyst Hall about 20 seconds past the agreed ti. As I entered, the senior mages bowed their heads to .

‘…It’s only 20 seconds.’

Surely no one would be petty enough to notice?

Brushing it off optimistically, I cut straight to the point.

The topic, of course, was:

“It must have been a difficult decision for you. However, I believe you all understand the imnse impact of permanently opening the Athyst Hall.”

As you can see, it was about the permanent opening of Athyst Hall.

“The Magic Tower’s full power was put to the test during this recent crisis.”

In my absence, the Magic Tower and the players were responsible for defending Seoul from the rampaging evil dragons and demonic forces. Among them, the Magic Tower had focused on handling the dragons.

‘Even watching the videos was intense.’

From spatial magic I had seen repeatedly, to ancient, long-lost spells not even found in the current Magic Tower—the combined forces of the Athyst Hall’s forr seniors made the Tower’s capabilities incomparable to before.

‘There’s no way we can let such a unique asset go to waste.’

The current seniors and the returning seniors.

It wouldn’t be fair to say one group held superior power over the other.

After all, the assessnt during the “Regular Academic eting” decided the leadership and academic standings.

‘Besides, the Magic Tower is significantly weakened right now.’

Even if Marcelo and the others didn’t realize it, this decision was truly for the Tower’s benefit. Especially since Grandfell—a being perhaps greater than the Tower itself—had disappeared into the Demon World.

I recalled my personal motto.

‘Gather everything you can. No matter how small.’

Back to basics, Hoyeol.

Now that I truly had nothing left, it ant I needed to struggle even harder. That was why I paid extra attention to my appearance today.

I added:

“If anyone has objections, feel free to raise them.”

The permanent opening of Athyst Hall.

‘Put yourself in their shoes.’

From the seniors’ perspective, this might understandably be an unpleasant decision. Even if the Athyst Hall seniors weren’t officially reinstated, it could still create tensions.

‘I feel a little guilty.’

At tis like this, I couldn’t forget Grandfell’s audacity.

Only by maintaining that boldness could I dismiss any objections decisively.

I braced myself for their responses.

But why was it so quiet?

Marcelo had ntioned the opinions among the seniors were split evenly. Yet now, I couldn’t hear a word of dissent. A strange surge of confidence welled up within .

‘Maybe I learned better from observing than I thought?’

Did I really manage to embody Grandfell’s audacity through thod acting?

There was no ti to bask in small victories.

If there were no objections, I had to act quickly to secure “The Post-Cataclysm Bible.”

‘Even if the Magic Tower mages don’t realize it…’

If Athyst Hall were permanently opened, then the Bible—left completely unsealed by Grandfell—would essentially be exposed to the players.

Just then.

“Excuse … Chief Lee?”

The voice ca from Bellier Yusia, a senior from the Healing School.

‘Right, it would be strange if no one had questions.’

As I turned my attention to her, my thoughts remained fixated on the Bible. Please, stay safe until I can finish my tasks, Bible…!

pindangscans

“Sothing is definitely off.”

“What now?”

“My beast-like instincts are telling , Vangrit!”

At Bensch’s words, Vangrit let out a deep sigh.

“Haa… Before we get into this, let issue a warning, Senior Bensch. Unlike certain people, my achievents as a senior mage are far from flashy. Now that the phantoms of Athyst Hall have returned, even the slightest negligence in pure mana studies could cost my senior position at the next Regular Academic eting!”

If one were to summarize Vangrit’s unusually long-winded speech, it was simple.

“Please, don’t drag into this nonsense.”

But expecting Bensch William to grasp such a roundabout way of speaking was pointless. Instead, Vangrit’s words were dismissed with a single, blunt reply.

“Oh, really? Then I guess you’ll have to work even harder, Vangrit! But that’s not the point!”

At this point, Vangrit knew better than to have any expectations.

When it ca to Bensch, there was no such thing as a rational exchange of words. Any discussion with him always ended with a curt, dismissive remark.

However—

“Wait… Are you serious?!”

This ti, Vangrit couldn’t just brush it off.

He couldn’t ignore it.

Bensch nodded firmly.

“To be precise, Chief Lee was exactly 20 seconds late.”

Ever since Chief Lee returned…

Sothing had been off.

Bensch continued.

“Do you rember the last day of the Special Conference? When Chief Lee stood on the Crystal Hall podium?”

“…!”

He didn’t need to say it.

Even if Vangrit hadn’t outwardly reacted, the mories were already resurfacing in his mind.

The monts that had felt odd but were too minor to address.

Chief Lee clearing his throat unnecessarily.

His words trailing off strangely.

His once-radiant silver hair looking unusually lifeless.

While Vangrit was lost in thought, Bensch pressed on.

“I am about half sure of my hypothesis.”

“Half sure about what?”

“Even if it wasn’t in his complete form, Baal, the Demon World’s First Throne, did successfully manifest. The cost of that manifestation? We don’t know. We weren’t watching the Demon World ourselves. But it’s safe to assu that the Demon World must have suffered heavy casualties.”

His reasoning wasn’t exactly flawed, so Vangrit nodded slightly.

“But do you really think a being like Baal would just disappear voluntarily? No. As those who witnessed it said—Chief Lee must have paid a price.”

It was like witnessing the sun rise in the west—a series of impossibilities stacking up.

Bensch stroked his chin as he muttered:

“A price so steep that his once-radiant silver hair turned black.”

“Of course, his hair has since returned to its original color… So, I hesitated. But after he was 20 seconds late, I beca certain.”

A faint mist ford in Bensch’s eyes.

“Chief Lee is hiding sothing—desperately so.”

“Hiding… what?”

“The wounds he carries.”

As he spoke, Bensch quickly turned away.

Chief Lee, who never wavered under any circumstance, had been 20 seconds late to a eting.

To an outsider, it might sound absurd to make such a big deal out of a re 20-second delay.

But—

“I, Bensch William, cannot put my grief into words.”

His voice was thick with emotion.

Because now, in hindsight, he realized how foolish he had been—throwing himself into battle against evil dragons, unaware of the truth.

With an abrupt seriousness, Bensch composed himself and spoke.

“That’s why, Vangrit, we must act as if we know nothing. Even if Chief Lee is late by tens of minutes—no, even if he is hours late to a eting—we must remain silent. We must pretend not to notice.”

Even We Must Understand the Burden of His ‘Secrets’

Though it was Senior Bensch’s words—his ever-irritating presence notwithstanding—Vangrit couldn’t help but nod.

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

More importantly, were the other senior mages aware of this?

At the very least, Senior Bellier must have known.

Otherwise, why would she have requested a private eting with Chief Lee?

Today, Chief Lee had been late for his appointnt—

Vangrit murmured under his breath.

“What exactly does she want to talk about?”

“My Apologies, Chief Lee.”

Bellier couldn’t lift her gaze properly.

I really didn’t want to be a burden.

Healing School’s Private Chamber.

The Magic Tower—a structure that defied both physical laws and common sense. Its private chambers were no exception.

Upon opening the small door, an expansive garden filled with dicinal herbs for healing magic ca into view.

Chief Lee spoke.

“This has Cleodia’s touch.”

“That’s correct.”

The cultivation thods for elixirs—

Had it not been for Klee’s research, or for Chief Lee, who had supported her work, this Healing School’s garden would never have flourished to this extent.

And more than that—

“Even though I know the situation isn’t what it seems… I couldn’t help but think that, if it’s you, Chief Lee, perhaps you would know sothing. That’s why I urgently requested a private eting.”

With those words, Bellier turned her gaze toward a single small tree.

Carefully, she opened her mouth.

Her expression was one of soone prepared to seek forgiveness at any mont.

“As you may have already guessed… this sapling is a World Tree.”

The World Tree, which had taken root in northern Antonium.

After obtaining one of its fallen leaves, Bellier began her research.

At first, it was nothing more than curiosity.

She never imagined that a single leaf could grow into a World Tree.

But then—

“I only planted the leaf into the ground. Imdiately after, the Special Conference began, and the anomalous malice ran rampant, preventing from tending to it in any way. Yet, as you can see… the World Tree grew entirely on its own.”

Could a World Tree really grow this easily?

She knew it shouldn’t.

She knew that Chief Lee would never approve of a request that ignored proper procedures.

And yet, she had no choice but to request a private eting.

Then, a sudden realization struck her.

‘…Wait. Why did Chief Lee even agree to et ?’

However, Bellier’s thoughts were quickly interrupted.

Because Chief Lee spoke.

“It’s already that ti, huh?”

Unfortunate as it was, Bellier had no idea what he ant.

But then—

“Hiel.”

At that mont—

As if to prove that she truly was his duplicate—

[The ‘Alter Ego of the World Tree’ Reveals Itself to You.]

[The Unique Spirit, ‘Hiel Chrysiad Four-Season Leaf,’ Is No Longer Under Your Control.]

…Even her rebellious phase was starting to show. Really?!