Chapter 109: The Episode Where the Protagonist Does the Most Talking
"This... what is this place?"
Every guest in attendance was plunged into shock—even the 2 Princes rose slowly to their feet, scanning the dense forest around them.
Was this truly a space constructed entirely from Magic?
The First Prince ran his fingers along the thick trunk of a nearby tree. The sensation against his fingertips told him everything.
This space seed no different from the real world.
The chirping of insects, the fragrance of flowers—all of it conjured from nothing. If one had not witnessed it with their own eyes, they would never have believed such a thing possible in their lifeti.
And yet... sothing still felt like it was missing.
Still, far more people were simply overwheld by the sheer scale of Viktor's Magic Power.
The entire lecture hall held several thousand people—and Viktor had transported every last one of them here by himself?
Even Rashel, seated in the front row, was running his fingers through the nearby wild grass with a look of quiet astonishnt.
He could sense it—the thod by which this space had been constructed bore a resemblance to his own Sea of Knowledge.
Recalling that Viktor had once visited that place, Rashel had assud he might have drawn inspiration from it.
But even Rashel himself could not construct sothing like this in an instant.
Let alone render this space with such natural, seamless beauty.
The crowd gathered their wits and turned their attention to the Magical Creatures encircling Viktor—only to grow more baffled than before.
Those Magical Creatures looked for all the world like Viktor's loyal guard.
They answered only to Viktor's commands.
Magic that creates Magical Creatures? This...
This extraordinary Magic Power left them utterly stunned.
Yet no one thought to ask Viktor how he had actually done it.
Still, everyone rembered the final words Viktor had spoken.
"A Dungeon?"
They latched onto this completely unfamiliar term.
A word so modern, so novel—none of them had ever heard anything like it.
And Viktor had no intention of leaving them without an explanation.
"So long as Magic Power is sufficient, this type of space can be replicated into multiple identical versions."
"The space can also be reduced in scale to lower Magic Power consumption."
"If conditions allow, one group of students can enter this space while another group simultaneously enters an identical copy—and the 2 groups will never encounter each other, nor interfere with one another in any way."
"In this way, every student can benefit from a space like this without causing any negative impact on the others."
So in the audience listened to the explanation while sinking into deep thought, studying the space around them carefully—before their eyes went wide.
Hisss!
Not a single fool had been allowed into this hall.
In no ti at all, every one of them grasped just how groundbreaking—how utterly world-altering—this invention truly was.
As they turned Viktor's proposal over in their minds, a vision of the future began to take shape.
Schools would no longer need to worry about the dangers students might face in real combat. This would serve as a training ground to cultivate far greater numbers of combat-type Mages.
And when those Mage students graduated, every last one of them would possess polished, battle-hardened combat skills.
But the implications stretched even further than that.
This was sothing only a Mage could achieve—and that alone would elevate the standing of Mages enormously.
Because the beneficiaries would extend far beyond Mages alone.
Warriors. Mage-soldiers. Knights... and countless other professions.
All of them could be cultivated through this very thod.
Take the Royal Knight Company, for instance—every year of selection brought with it countless casualties.
With conditions like these in place, the Royal Family could reduce casualties to an absolute minimum. Zero casualties might even beco possible.
Whether for the people or for the nation as a whole.
This would bring an era of extraordinary prosperity to the entire Empire.
"This..."
"Viktor's position as Council mber... it really is, without a shadow of a doubt, completely deserved."
"A genius—he truly is a genius."
Before long, everyone found themselves thinking back to Viktor's na as a prodigy.
His power and renown had grown so great that it had caused everyone to overlook just how young he actually was.
29 years old. A 4th-Tier Mage.
Viktor clapped his hands together once—and instantly, the vision around them began to dissolve, collapsing like watercolor in smoke.
The colors of the landscape blurred and bled together, tumbling down toward the earth.
Plus of dust rose and settled in soft, successive thuds.
Once the watercolor haze had cleared, everyone returned to reality.
The audience found themselves back in the lecture hall. The 2 Princes settled slowly back into their seats, and Viktor still stood at the podium beneath the gathered lights.
Only as their eyes gradually adjusted to the dim surroundings did they realize they had returned to the Academy's lecture hall.
But in that mont, the state of every person's heart was nothing like what it had been before.
In truth, many had co to the lecture without much expectation—assuming Viktor would likely cover so broadly familiar topic.
For the first public lecture of his professorial career, playing it safe would have been perfectly reasonable.
What no one had anticipated was this: Viktor was so bold.
His chosen subject had exceeded every single person's expectations.
Real combat carries risk?
Fine—then practice endlessly within an environnt called a Dungeon, until success is achieved.
Countless repetitions. Challenges undertaken without fear of death. More than enough real combat experience will follow.
Even Rashel was overco with excitent, unable to stop himself from striking his armrest with his palm.
"Chief Professor Viktor—where on earth did this inspiration co from?"
The mont the words left his mouth, Rashel caught himself. That question had been far too presumptuous.
He composed himself and rephrased:
"My apologies, Professor Viktor—please don't feel obligated to answer that."
"It is no trouble. I can answer it for you."
Viktor tugged lightly at his collar and spoke with quiet calm:
"Princess Auréliane."
The mont those words landed, the Princess—like a brilliant jewel shining against the night—rose before the eyes of the audience and made her way slowly up to the podium.
The 2 Princes looked on at their younger sister with gentle smiles, their gazes full of warm pride.
Auréliane walked unhurriedly to Viktor's side and offered him an elegant bow.
"Teacher."
Viktor gave her a brief nod, then turned back to the audience and began to explain:
"I believe everyone still rembers the incident from so ti ago, when the Princess single-handedly defeated a Wild Ogre."
That incident had spread far and wide under the influence of the Royal Family—everyone in the room knew it well.
Could it be that today's subject was connected to the Princess as well?
Amid the crowd's puzzled curiosity, Viktor spoke in his quiet, asured way:
"While I was conducting lessons with the Princess, she once ntioned to —"
"If there were a challenge that could be repeated over and over, until success was finally achieved, wouldn't that be more interesting?"
"And so, I designed a unique kind of 'challenge' for her."
With those understated words from Viktor, every person present conjured the sa vivid image in their minds.
To call it vivid would be an understatent—it sent a jolt straight through their hearts.
The Princess—only 15 years old—standing before that formidable Wild Ogre.
Attempting again and again. Repeating the challenge without end.
Falling. Trying. Falling again. Trying again.
Even when utterly exhausted, refusing to give up.
Perhaps it was the body that drove the mind—and in the end, through the intimately familiar experience of ten thousand repetitions, she had conquered an enemy that had once seed impossibly far beyond her reach.
Many found it difficult to believe: this entire concept had been born from the inspiration of that very Princess?
"The Princess possesses such wisdom..."
"So the rumors about her being just a decorative vase were all false."
"What mber of the Royal Family could ever be simple..."
The nobles murmured quietly among themselves—but every word reached Viktor's ears without exception.
He was quite satisfied with their reaction, because he had said it that way deliberately.
Gwen was not here. There was no one who could verify the truth of his words.
Viktor was perfectly free to tell whatever falsehood suited him.
"This project will, in the future, be carried forward under the Princess's na as a one-sester trial to be conducted at the Royal Magic Academy."
"And with that, this lecture is now concluded."
As his words settled, the lights of the lecture hall blazed back to full brightness. Thunderous applause filled the entire grand hall and rang on and on without fading.
Amid the praise, the astonishnt, and the excitent of thousands, Viktor offered a deep bow—and stepped down from the podium.
Countless dia figures poured toward the exit in pursuit of Viktor, who had already departed.
But in the wake of the lecture, countless pairs of silent eyes remained fixed on the stage.
The wise ones had already begun to think several moves deeper.
***
The Royal Capital was alive with energy.
Every manner of excitent and enthusiasm rippled through the entire city—not just among the common people, but within the Royal Family as well.
Viktor's public lecture had been a trendous success.
By the very next day, not a single newspaper headline from any outlet was about anything other than Viktor's vision.
《This Genius Mage, Only 29 Years Old, Is About to Usher in an Entirely New Era Called the 'Dungeon'》
Indeed—countless people were swept up in a frenzy over it. If this concept could truly be realized, its significance for the entire Empire would be imasurable.
And above all, Viktor's trial had the endorsent of the Royal Family's na behind it.
That's right—the mysterious Princess would be lending her na in support of Viktor.
This news spread like wildfire almost imdiately, and countless Mages began seeking out Viktor, eager to take part in the trial.
All hoping that their nas might one day be recorded as part of this landmark endeavor.
The news swept across the entire Empire and showed faint signs of spreading beyond its borders.
But there was no need for concern.
Because the core of this concept remained entirely in Viktor's hands.
A 4th-Tier Mage—and a sitting Council mber at that.
Why would he ever fear the threat of anyone else?
***
The news traveled as swiftly as birds in flight.
anwhile, at the Delin Manor's Training Ground.
Early that morning, Kavra sat in her chair with her chin propped in her hand, watching Gwen run through her daily training routine, day after day without change.
The person across from Gwen, sword in hand and sparring alongside her, was still Viktor—dressed as always in that Coat of his.
Even amid the storm swirling through the outside world, he seed completely untouched by any of it.
Here in Gwen's ho, his mind was clear of all distractions. His attention belonged entirely to the sword in his hand.
Clang!
2 longswords collided. The blades rang with a faint vibration. Both pushed against each other—then simultaneously stepped apart.
In perfect, wordless sync, both sheathed their longswords and hung them on the nearby weapon rack.
Gwen looked at Viktor, that sa expression of satisfaction still in her eyes.
Viktor's technique went without saying—impeccably refined.
And after a period of training, his physical conditioning had steadily caught up as well.
It wouldn't be long before Viktor could move on to the next stage of practice.
Viktor simply shook out his hands, cast a Cleaning Spell to rinse himself off once more, said his usual brief farewell to Gwen as always—and left in a hurry.
Whenever this happened, Gwen would watch Viktor's retreating figure until it disappeared entirely from view.
Kavra looked at Gwen standing there like a stone statue gazing after a departing husband, and couldn't help but curl her lip.
"If you want him to stay that badly, just keep him here."
"Honestly—what kind of Fiancée are you? You have absolutely no awareness at all."
Gwen's cheeks went red the instant she heard it, and she snapped back in irritation:
"Sister! Stop saying things like that! Why would I keep him here?"
"Viktor only cos to practice his swordsmanship."
Kavra tsk-ed twice and shrugged.
"Suit yourself. But I do need to let you know sothing."
"Viktor's influence has grown enormous—enormous enough that within a single day, word of him has already spread all the way up to the north."
Gwen blinked, not quite understanding what Kavra ant.
But Kavra simply looked northward, her voice quiet and even:
"Father has also heard about Viktor. Which is why he wants to bring you ho."
"He wants to speak with you in person—about the matter of your Marriage Engagent with Viktor."
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