The Villains I Taught Became Heroes - Chapter 52



51 – Farewell – 1

As tears began to fill her large eyes, Lee Hyun embraced Lena.

“Ren. That doesn’t mean I’m planning to leave right away.”

First, he needed to hand Lena over to the Ivory Tower.

Only then would his heart be at ease. Despite his gentle words, the tears streaming down Lena’s face did not stop.

“Sniff, sniff! Uwaaah! M-Master! Waaah! P-Please, stay with me! Sniff, sniff… Uwaaah~!”

No matter how much of a genius she was, capable of advanced magic, she was still just a child.

In the most desperate moment, all she could do was throw a tantrum.

Holding onto Lee Hyun tightly, Lena cried out, wishing he wouldn’t go.

After a long while of crying, exhausted and limp, Lee Hyun gently lifted Lena.

“This kid. You’re as light as a log. Are you eating properly?”

“If, if you’re going to fight the Asura Church… then I… sniff. I’ll fight too…”

Now she could stand beside Lee Hyun and fight.

If that was the case, shouldn’t they fight together?

“When you get to the Ivory Tower, you’ll rise to the position of Archmage within ten years. An Archmage from the Ivory Tower will be treated like a count in any country.”

“Sniff… I-I don’t need that… sniff… I just need you, Master…”

“Haha. This kid. Acting like a child.”

“…Ah, I’m still a child…”

In a tone that revealed her poutiness, Lena muttered softly. To her, Lee Hyun simply smiled warmly.

.

.

.

Starting from the forest, passing through Greenhild, they arrived at a place with a dimensional magic circle.

This was a place operated by the Ivory Tower, and it was a necessary stop to reach the Ivory Tower.

“W-Where is this…?”

Fearing that Lee Hyun might abandon her, Lena held onto his hand tightly.

Even so, Lee Hyun did not stop her.

Could it be because of that?

Lena, who usually didn’t act spoiled, clung to him even more.

“This is the place with the dimensional magic circle connected to the Ivory Tower. I need two tickets to the Ivory Tower.”

“That will be four gold coins.”

Gold coins.

Startled by the unimaginable price, Lena’s eyes widened as Lee Hyun took out the coins.

As he handed them over, the receptionist looked inside and said something, prompting the wizards to come out.

Lena watched in amazement as they gathered around the magic circle, channeling their magical energy, and suddenly grabbed Lee Hyun in shock.

“W-Wait, are we really going to the Ivory Tower?!”

“Yes.”

She felt a rush of anxiety.

Lee Hyun had said he would leave her at the Ivory Tower.

That meant he was truly going to abandon her.

Rena, now frightened, tightly embraced Lee Hyun as if to prevent him from falling away.

As if doing so would keep her from losing him.

“U, uwaaah…”

As the dimensional magic activated and the surroundings began to change, Rena involuntarily gasped in awe.

“Is, is that… the Ivory Tower?”

Before her stood an incredibly long tower, seemingly reaching up to the sky.

Just as Rena swallowed hard while standing before the tower, something unexpected happened.

“Ah?! Uncle! Rena!”

The door of the tower opened, and a lively girl burst out.

It was Yuria.

Seeing her friend appear, Rena joyfully waved her hand in greeting.

“What’s happening in the Ivory Tower?!”

Yuria, who was jumping up and down while holding Rena, asked excitedly.

Lee Hyun, who was gazing at her, spoke seriously.

“Where is Bella?”

“Master? She’s inside. Let’s go to the Red Chamber!”

Guided by Yuria, as they entered the tower, Rena’s eyes widened once again.

She was astonished by the numerous doors inside the tower.

She thought to herself that it would be easy to get lost in such a place when suddenly a small disc appeared before them.

“To 31123!”

“Uwaaah!”

As soon as they stepped onto the disc, Yuria cheerfully shouted.

The disc then lifted into the air and began to move at a rapid speed. Startled, Rena sat down on the floor and tightly grasped Lee Hyun’s hand, causing Yuria to burst into laughter.

“Hahaha~! Everyone who rides this for the first time reacts like that~.”

“Yikes… W-will we not fall?”

“We won’t fall! We won’t fall!”

Yuria, looking utterly delighted, took Rena’s hand and helped her up.

Meanwhile, the moving disc came to a stop.

Rena trembled at the realization that they had risen so high that the ground was no longer visible, and Yuria opened the closed door.

“Ah…”

Rena gasped as she looked inside the open door. It was the sight that caught her breath.

It was an endless plain. In this vast expanse, wide enough to see the horizon, there was only one large house.

Surely, they were inside the tower, so how could such a horizon be visible?

No, why was there land when they had risen so high?

She simply couldn’t understand.

As Rena wore a perplexed expression, Yuria looked at her affectionately.

“This is the power of the Ivory Tower~!”

The headquarters of magic.

A place where all magic converges.

Being here made her wonder if she could uncover the secrets of magical power and explore the truth.

‘But…’

But even so, I didn’t want to learn at the cost of breaking up with Lee Hyun.

Rena tightly grasped his hand. Was it because of the strength that came from his grip?

Lee Hyun glanced at Rena and smiled gently.

“What brings you here?”

The door of the house opened, revealing none other than Bella.

As the owner of the Scarlet Tower, her appearance made Rena flustered, and she quickly bowed her waist.

Bella, seemingly pleased with that reaction, wore a satisfied expression as she glanced at Lee Hyun and nodded.

“It seems like a troublesome matter has arisen. Follow me.”

Guided by Bella, the inside of the house was more spacious and cleaner than expected.

The pleasant aroma emanating from the numerous books lined up against the walls made Rena feel a bit more at ease.

“Drink this.”

A teapot and cups that had been floating in the air were placed before them.

With nothing in sight, the teapot moved through the air, pouring tea. While Rena marveled at the magical feat using telekinesis, Lee Hyun calmly spoke.

“I taught Rena advanced magic.”

“Cough! Cough!”

Bella, who had been elegantly sipping her tea, suddenly coughed.

Her startled gaze fixed on Rena.

“…From what I’ve heard, this child has only been learning magic for about a year.”

“That’s right.”

“And yet, advanced magic?!”

“Yes.”

“I-I can’t believe it… So?”

“I’d like you to teach her the rest. As you know, the only advanced magic I can teach is limited. But you should be different.”

“M-Master! I-I…”

“Shh.”

Unlike usual, there was no trace of a smile on Lee Hyun’s face.

With that endlessly serious expression, Rena lowered her head deeply.

She had said she didn’t need anything.

She just wanted to be together.

Rena’s sobs were growing stronger, but Lee Hyun did not stop speaking.

“I can’t take Rena with me to where I need to go.”

With that blunt statement from Lee Hyun, Rena finally couldn’t hold back and burst into tears.

.

.

.

Because of Rena’s wailing, they could no longer continue the conversation.

He tried to soothe her in any way he could, but Rena’s cries did not cease.

Eventually, exhausted, she gasped for breath and collapsed, prompting Lee Hyun to lay her down in the room Bella had prepared.

“Let’s continue the conversation. Lee Hyun, are you planning to keep fighting against the Asura Church?”

—

‘The Asura Church? Well, I do intend to fight.’

The reason I can’t take Lena with me is that I have to endure years of hardship at the Tower of the Sage to become a sage myself, but that doesn’t mean I won’t fight the Asura Church.

My goal is to observe the true ending.

And to observe the true ending, I must clear the religious war event.

The condition for clearing that religious war event is to defeat the Asura Church, so ultimately, it can be said that I will continue to fight against them.

“Right.”

“It won’t be easy. The power of the Asura Church is by no means small. Even at the Ivory Tower, we can’t fully grasp their strength.”

“Still, it has to be done.”

“Why?”

“Well, maybe because they are evil?”

Bella frowned at Lee Hyun, who spoke playfully.

Lee Hyun is always like that.

He always treats people playfully and casually, but he always hides his true feelings.

It’s true that he opposes the Asura Church, but no one knows why he does.

Bella narrowed her eyes and stared at him before shifting her gaze to Lena.

“What do you plan to do about that child? She seems like she wouldn’t be able to do anything without you.”

“Don’t underestimate her. Ren is my proud disciple. Even without me, she can move forward.”

“Well, judging by how she was crying earlier, it doesn’t seem that way.”

‘But even so, I can’t take her with me to go earn the qualifications of a sage.’

In the first place, Lena wouldn’t even be able to enter the Tower of the Sage.

Of course, if she earns the qualifications, she could enter, but is there really a need to go through that?

Lee Hyun shook his head with a bitter smile.

“The path I must take is difficult and painful. So… I can’t take her with me. There’s no need for Lena to suffer unnecessarily. Before Ren lies a path of blessings and glory… I don’t want to make her give that up.”

Lee Hyun gently stroked Lena’s silver hair.

Receiving that affectionate touch, Lena closed her eyes and thought.

‘…It’s because I’m weak… that Master thinks I can’t accompany him on this difficult journey against the Asura Church…’

A wave of regret and sorrow over her own weakness washed over her.

‘I want to be strong… strong enough to stand beside Master… and…’

Lena paused her thoughts for a moment and clenched her teeth.

‘Asura Church… it’s because of you… that Master is leaving…’

Absolutely not.

‘…I won’t forgive you.’