The Genius Magician Hides His Swordsmanship - Chapter 21

Chapter 21. Adonis Khan (2)

Admun Dolph. A boy who was born and raised in this land and waited patiently for the owner of this place to come back.

‘…I’m sorry, father.’

The boy squeezed his eyes, and something leaked out. It was a tear.
It wasn’t because he was afraid of the dagger aimed at his neck. It wasn’t because of the fear of death.

‘In the end, I couldn’t keep my promise.’

It was a tear created by resentment.
There is only one reason why Dolph has protected this place. It was to greet the owner of this land who might return someday. But he didn’t expect the boy he just met would put him in this situation.

‘He must be from the mage tower.’

Otherwise, a boy at just 15 years old couldn’t have driven him into a corner.

‘Ha, how foolish of me. I didn’t notice he was a mage.’

He was caught off guard by the fact I was hiding that he didn’t see my robe, and only realized when I started talking about the secret room.
There was only one thing left to do now.

“I’d rather die.”

He had decided that he would never tell me how to break the barrier. He vowed that even if I tortured him to death he still wouldn’t talk.
After a moment, the feeling of the blade that touched his neck started getting farther away.

“I get it now, you’re trying to trick me into telling you how to open the barrier.”

At that moment, I felt it would have been better to have stabbed his throat with the dagger.

“Did you say Dolph?”

The boy’s voice lingered in my ears. He slowly opened his eyes and faced me.

“…”

He was a weird boy with a slightly different expression than expected. The two eyes looking at me were filled with emotions that were not suitable for his age.
Sadness, sympathy, remorse, I couldn’t clearly explain what it was.
But for some reason, I could see the emotions on his face that I only ever saw on his ancestor’s face.

“…What are you doing?”

Dolph looked at me embarrassingly.

“Just kill me already. Even if you were to spare me, I’ll never tell you how to open the barrier.”

Unusually, his voice trembled. However, his eyes were calm. He had a deep unwavering gaze.

“I asked if you really said your last name was Dolph.”

But that was a trick question. It was obvious that he would lower his guard a little and I would be able to ask for instructions on how to break the barrier.

“What? Do you know me?”

For no reason, he frowned and spat out.

“By any chance, do you know the name Adonis Khan?”

However, he couldn’t hide his emotions even after hearing those words, he couldn’t even control the slight vibration of his pupils at the question.

“How could a damn mage know his name?!”

The master of this place he’d been waiting for, for so long. It was the name that Dolph had longed for.

“How dare you speak his name!”

He struggled to free himself from my embrace, but his dagger-slashed hands and injured legs could only do so much. In the end, all he could do was shout again.

“How do you know that name? You must be a spy sent by the Pentagram!”

He dared to antagonize the Pentagram. A normal mage would’ve cut his throat in anger.

“You asked me how I know Adonis Khan?”

This damn boy looked down on himself, motionless.

“Do not put his name in your mouth!”

However, he had no choice but to freeze his body at the following sound.

“My name is Ain Khan, a descendant of his.”

Another Khan came out of nowhere. At this point, it wasn’t just his body that stiffened. His mind did too.

“…What?”

No thought could follow the suddenness of the situation. Hours seemed to have passed. His thinking stopped just like that.
Drip- drip-
Instead, tears rolled down his cheeks and soaked the floor. With tears streaming down his face for no reason, I couldn’t see anything.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I was late…”

For some reason, the blurred image of his that came into my vision didn’t look like a little boy at that moment.

“Khan…”

The name Adonis Khan, which had only been handed down as a legend, was heard right then and there. It felt unbelievable to him, but still felt it held some truth in it.

* * * 

Ain Khan. Using an alias was the best thing for me to do now, since I couldn’t say that I was Adonis Khan himself.
A moment of silence fell.
Dolph and Khan, Khan and Dolph.
Those names had influenced each other. I wonder how long it’s been since then.

‘Dolph…’

He finally stopped sobbing.
But then began to ask about Adonis Khan.
Birth, age, events that I got involved in.
It was my story, so of course I answered without hesitation, and the hostility in his eyes seemed to have been lifted a little.

“Haa… It’s still a little hard to believe.”

He was even speaking formally.

‘Of course it is. I can hardly believe it as well.’

Rather, it was my side that gained more confidence through the conversation.

‘…He really is a descendant of the Dolph I know.’

He memorized my story like the back of his hand. He can open the barrier of my underground space, and can even use the technique I taught Dolph…

I had a very strong feeling that the boy in front of me was Dolph himself.

‘Dolph.’

Sometimes he’s a comrade I could entrust my back to.
Sometimes, my father.
And sometimes my best friend.

‘You really are.’

The name that always stood by my side.

‘And you’re still here after so long?’

A part of my chest began to ache.
Maybe I noticed it long ago, but I refused to accept the fact.
I’m so sorry. I didn’t have the face to look at the boy.

‘I’m sorry Dolph, just because you followed me, you have been bound here for a thousand years.’

At my silent cry, he held me close.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

I never said I was sorry out loud, but just like Dolph, he could see right through me.

“However, I am still not completely convinced that you are Adonis Khan’s descendant. Please understand my caution.”

When I turned my head, his eyes towards me were shining brightly. They were clear without malice.

“Of course.”

I could understand. The one they have been waiting for for so long had suddenly appeared after a thousand years. No matter how you look at it, it is difficult to believe easily.

“What do I need to do for you to believe me? Shall I show you the techniques bestowed to your family? Or, should I tell you more about the stories of Adonis?”

I wanted to do anything. However, Admun shook his head quietly.

“There’s no need for all that, although there is an easier and surer way than that.”
“An easier and surer way?”
“Yes, come with me and show me how to open that place.”

Admun’s hand pointed to a tent. It was the place where the mages walked out of.

* * * 

Admun took the lead in pulling up the tent. He was a little nervous, but no one was in the tent.

[It really was in here!]

Instead, an orange circular pattern spread across the floor greeted us.
Whoosh!
Various pictures and writings quietly shone and returned.

‘It’s been a while.’

It was a barrier created by the nobleman and I in unison.

“Can you solve this?”

One thousand years ago. At that time, there only were three people who could solve this. I, obviously, and the nobleman who I made this barrier together with, and Dolph who was the butler.

“Of course, it’s been handed down from generation to generation in my family.”

The way to break the barrier is to answer 20 different questions. They were all questions about me, so they weren’t hard for me to figure out.

“Then, please solve the first half. I’ll do the second half.”

He wanted to prove that he was also a descendant of Dolph, and he was determined to release the barrier together.

‘This is why I always liked Dolph.’

He always suggested the best plan so I wouldn’t have to think twice.

“Okay, then I’ll start.”

Confidently, I raised my hand over the crystal. Then, orange letters appeared in the center of the circular crystal. But my self confidence soon shrank.

– Who is the strongest swordsman in the world?

The first question was that.

‘…This is embarrassing.’

Ahem, I hid my shame with a clearing of my throat and opened my mouth quietly.

“Adonis Khan.”

Whoosh!
Then, as if the answer was correct, the barrier rotated violently. The following phrase came out.

– What is the favorite color of the strongest swordsman?

“Black.”

Although the difficulty gradually increased, these were problems that I could not be wrong about.
Whoosh! Krrr! Phooo!
Every time the vibration announcing the correct answer rang, Admun’s eyes looked at me with astonishment. Really, it was a problem that could not be solved unless you were a descendant of Khan.

“Now then, I’ve answered 10 questions, your turn to do the rest.”
“…Alright.”

Admun was welling up with tears. He also solved the problem without hesitation.

– What is the best sword in the world?

“Of course, Adonis Khan’s Pragarach.”

– What dragon did the strongest swordsman catch when he was 34 years old?

“The blue dragon Kargis, obviously.”

The Q&A went smoothly, then suddenly the last question came to mind.

‘Oh no…!’

My face heated up again.

– Who is the most handsome person in the world?

Eventually, I hung my head.

“Of course, Adonis Khan!”

Admun shouted with confidence.

[HAHAHAHA! He is very handsome indeed. Hahaha!]
‘Shut up. I’m not in the mood right now.’

Ignoring Oberon, who was rolling on the ground, I approached Admun. There was nothing to say at first.
Yap!
A hot sensation ran down my spine with a rough embrace.

“Hmph! Sniffle…”

Admun sobbed.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve come sooner.”

That was all I could say.

‘I will never leave you alone again.’

From that moment forth, it was my job to have revenge. It would be seen in action, not words.

“For now, let’s go in and finish talking. The barrier will be closed again soon.”

Behind Admun nodding, The barrier shone brighter. The staircase exposed by the gap stretched downward.

“Okay. I’ll go in first and guide you.”
“No, didn’t you hurt your leg because of me? I’ll take the lead, so follow me slowly.”

I continued to dissuade Admun, who wanted to go down first, and headed down the stairs.

* * * 

Seeing my hideaway after a thousand years. The first feeling I had was surprise.

‘How can it still be the exact same…’

Even after a millennium, it remained the same as in my memory.

[That’s how much Dolph’s descendants cared about it.]

That fact made my eyes on Admun even more affectionate.

“I formally greet you.”

As soon as we arrived, he bent his knees and bowed.

“As a descendant of Dolph, I am Admun Dolph. Seeing the descendant of Adonis Khan, I kneel with honor.”

I wanted to tell him not to do that, but I couldn’t stop him. Because I knew that this was the moment he had been waiting his whole life for.

“Even though we own nothing, it was our mission to manage and protect this place. Our ancestors taught us to be willing to give it up if the owner someday comes back and to dedicate our whole lives to serve them.”

Admun bowed, got down on one knee, and held out his right hand.

“Please allow us to serve the owner again as the Khan bloodline was the one who made our family possible.”

Back in the day, I saved Dolph’s life once, but it was taken as too much of a favor. I took his hand and raised him up.

“I promise, I will never forget your family again. I will never leave you behind again. Please forgive this poor master.”
“…Thank you.”

Admun’s feet were wet. He was pretty tearful.

‘Does this even resemble Dolph?’

There was something I wanted to point out to Admun.

“But why was that put up at the front?”

When the barrier was being opened earlier, I wondered who was the one who dared to put useless investigation in front of me.

“Huh? I don’t know too much about that. I just memorized what has been passed down from generation to generation.”
“It’s been handed down?”
“Yeah, I can’t read the phrases that appear in the ancient language. I just memorized the 20 answers in order.”

He answered such embarrassing questions without even knowing their meaning.

‘Oh, that’s rather fortunate.’
[I know. If I had been a descendant of Dolph, I would have quit the moment I knew the meaning.]

Is it because of my mood that my cough came out?

“Next time, you don’t have to say ‘of course’ added onto the answer.”
“Ah! I see.”

I thought of probably changing the question altogether.

“Then, let’s take a look around here.”

My home, I’m finally back after a millennium. It was time to look at my belongings that were hidden here.