Chapter 232: Reunion (1)

After leaving the arena, Louis and Harold walked in silence, not exchanging a single word.

Their silence persisted until they reached their destination: Harold’s laboratory.

Click.

The two entered the lab. Harold surveyed the mess and apologized.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t had time to clean up.”

“It’s alright. Don’t worry about it,” Louis replied, his expression genuinely showing he didn’t mind the disarray.

Instead, he curiously examined the cluttered space.

The desk was buried under piles of research materials.

Various metals, seemingly research specimens, were scattered across the sofa and the guest table.

Yet, in stark contrast to the rest of the chaos, the bookshelves filled with research texts stood neatly organized.

A faint smile touched Louis’s lips as he took in the room, a space that unfilteredly revealed its owner’s personality.

He’s a craftsman.

Harold’s room exuded an air of stubborn conviction, reminding Louis of Dexter’s former laboratory.

As Louis surveyed the space, Harold, who had been rummaging through his desk, approached with a sheet of paper in hand.

The paper Harold silently extended to Louis was none other than the exam paper Louis had submitted.

A flicker of understanding flashed in Louis’s eyes as he recognized it.

So, this was why.

This was the only conceivable reason why Harold, a Master craftsman, would personally seek him out and even make a “request.”

Though Louis had anticipated this from the moment he saw Harold, he accepted the exam paper with feigned innocence.

“Why this? Did you call me here because there’s a problem with my answers?”

“That exam paper… you wrote it, didn’t you?”

Harold asked, but he already knew the answer.

The moment he saw the answers, his first action had been to summon the proctor who had overseen the exam.

“Ah, I remember that kid clearly. He handed in his paper less than five minutes after the start.”

“Five minutes?! You’re saying five minutes? Are you sure?”

“C-certainly!”

The instructor’s confident answer had startled him so much.

Although he had already verified the handwriting, Harold wanted confirmation from Louis himself.

Under Harold’s intense gaze, Louis nodded.

“It’s mine. The handwriting is mine.”

“Hah…”

Harold’s strength drained from him.

So it was true…

For a moment, he stood frozen. Then, heat slowly began to well up in his eyes.

“The final question on the exam… how did you solve it?”

“Your question is strange. Is it wrong to solve a problem that was given to be solved?”

“Have you perhaps seen that final question somewhere before? Or heard it from someone?”

“No.”

Louis answered without batting an eye.

But his lie was too easily believed.

After all, Harold had posed that final question rather spontaneously. Who could have predicted such a question would appear on the exam?

Even Harold himself didn’t know the original source of the problem.

Only Master William knew.

…Could William have told him?

The thought flashed through Harold’s mind, but he quickly shook his head.

Even if William had leaked the exam question to the boy before him, simply knowing the question was no guarantee of knowing the answer.

William, renowned for his stubborn pride, had come seeking the answer himself, making it clear that he, too, was stumped.

That’s what made it all the more incomprehensible.

A problem that even I struggled to solve.

A boy who solved it in less than five minutes.

After a moment of bewilderment, Harold cautiously asked, “The solution written on this exam… is it an abbreviated version?”

“Yes.”

“Could you perhaps write out the full solution process?”

At Harold’s request, Louis subtly shifted his gaze.

His eyes fell on the blackboard where Harold’s painstakingly derived solution was written.

“Is there really a need for that? It’s right there. Did you write that, Professor?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Hmm…”

Louis, who had been intently studying the solution, approached the blackboard and picked up a piece of chalk.

“There’s some unnecessary steps in the process here. Let’s do it like this…”

Tap-tap.

Louis’s hand moved swiftly across the blackboard, the chalk leaving a trail of precise, efficient strokes.

Harold, who had drawn closer with a curious expression, watched the solution unfold before him. His mouth fell open as he observed the transformation.

How…?

With each movement of Louis’s hand, the cumbersome elements of Harold’s original solution were stripped away, leaving behind a streamlined, elegant method.

“Done.”

Harold’s face stiffened as he watched Louis brush the chalk dust off his hand.

…Perfect.

A solution that was simpler, more perfect, and far more comprehensible than his own now stared back at him from the blackboard.

Harold swallowed hard, alternating his gaze between the board and Louis.

The memory of the recent match flashed through his mind.

So it was him, riding that Transcendent.

When Louis emerged from one of the two Transcendants causing the Din Streaming phenomenon, Harold’s heart nearly leaped out of his chest in shock.

Solving the final problem was astonishing enough, but this man also possessed mastery over a Transcendent that had reached the pinnacle of control.

Harold asked, his face rigid, “Who… what exactly are you?”

Seeing Harold’s grave expression, a mischievous smile played on Louis’s lips.

He chuckled and replied, “Lord of the Tower of Wishes.”

”…”

The moment Louis finished speaking, a tense silence hung in the air for several seconds.

Caught completely off guard by this sudden revelation, Harold glared at Louis with an even more terrifying intensity than before.

A long silence stretched between them.

Then, Harold suddenly burst into laughter.

“Crhaha! Hahaha!”

He roared with laughter, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he clapped Louis on the shoulder with boisterous delight.

“Yes, yes! With talent like that, you should have such ambition!”

”…?”

“You have what it takes to become the future Lord of the Tower!”

It seemed he had misunderstood.

No, perhaps he was simply hearing what he wanted to hear?

Harold had apparently interpreted “Lord of the Tower of Wishes” as “future Lord of the Tower of Wishes.”

Louis’s expression grew sour, but Harold, lost in his own thoughts, didn’t notice. Instead, he tightened his grip on Louis’s shoulder.

Harold’s eyes gleamed with fervor.

“Right on! Of course! Dreams like that are more than welcome! So, what do you plan to do now?”

“About what?”

“That Solution, of course!”

“What about it?”

“Are you just going to leave it as it is?”

“Well, yes.”

Harold grew visibly irritated at Louis’s confused response.

“What?! After making such a groundbreaking discovery, you’re just going to let it rot?! You must publish a paper and submit it to the academic community immediately!”

Only then did Louis realize he’d gotten himself into a very troublesome situation.

He replied with a sour expression, “Do I really have to?”

“What a question! If we study that ritual a little further, it could spark a revolutionary breakthrough in Transcendent history like never before!”

“Ah, yes…”

“If you just write the paper… you’re guaranteed to receive the 1st Grade Apprentice rank! With that kind of experience, becoming the Youngest Master would be trivial! Let me help you write it!”

Louis answered without hesitation.

“No thanks.”

He would have refused even if offered the Master title outright, so why settle for a mere 1st Grade Apprentice?

From Louis’s perspective, the only thing that mattered was getting the answer to William.

He couldn’t care less about 1st Grade Apprentice ranks or Master titles.

Harold’s pupils dilated violently, caught off guard by the unexpected response.

“W-why?!”

“Because it’s a hassle.”

“But think about it! The youngest Master!”

“Yes, even after thinking about it, it’s still too much trouble.”

“Ugh…”

As Harold groaned, Louis backed away.

“Well, the kids are waiting for me. Enjoy your meal, Professor.”

With that, Louis bolted out of the lab like lightning.

“H-hey, wait!”

Harold reached out toward Louis’ retreating back, but the person he really wanted to stop had already left the lab without even looking back.

Harold stared blankly at the now-empty lab.

Then, a hollow laugh escaped his lips.

“Heh heh heh.”

At that moment, a strange fervor welled up in Harold’s eyes.

“I can’t let talent like that slip away!”

Occasionally, such beings are born—individuals blessed with astonishing genius who can revolutionize the world. Each time a prodigy appears, their field surges forward with groundbreaking advancements, as if centuries had been telescoped into a single stride.

And Louis, the young man Harold observed, was precisely such a prodigy.

That child… he could lead the Transcendent, the Tower of Wishes, into new realms!

Therefore, Louis must be brought under the Tower’s embrace.

“Absolutely!”

It was the moment a stubborn artisan’s eyes burned with fierce determination.

Louis, unintentionally melting Harold’s heart bit by bit.

After enjoying a pleasant meal with his travel party and returning to his room, he collapsed onto the bed.

“Ah, exhausted.”

Not physically, of course.

Only mentally.

During his visit to Harold, news of today’s match had spread throughout Transcendence Academy, making Louis and Kani the academy’s most celebrated figures.

Everywhere he went, prying eyes followed him, grating on his nerves.

As Louis tried to become one with the bed to soothe his weariness, the intense gaze fixed on him made him raise his head slightly.

“Why? What is it?”

Shiba, usually cowering quietly in a corner after Louis’s frequent scoldings, was different today.

He spat in his mouth and clenched his fist, shaking it fiercely.

“M-Magnificent!”

Knowing Louis’ usual condition, Shiba was more astonished than anyone when he unleashed his Transcendent technique.

And what incredible skill to wield such a Transcendent art!

When Louis defeated Kani, Shiba felt a shudder run through his entire body.

This only deepened his already fervent admiration for Louis.

Noticing Shiba’s fervent gaze upon him, Louis replied coolly.

“You just realized that now?”

“When did you learn to control the Transcendent technique? How can one possibly become like you, Lord Louis?”

“You think such a thing is possible?”

“Ah…”

“Ah, well… there is one method.”

“W-what is that?”

“You can be reborn. Of course, there’s no guarantee you’ll become like me even if you’re reborn.”

Who knew?

Perhaps Shiba could be reborn as a dragon like me.

At Louis’ words, Shiba’s face fell, and he shrank into a corner, looking crestfallen.

Just then—

Knock, knock.

The soft knock made Louis jerk his chin toward Shiba, signaling him to check the door. Shiba scurried to the door, then quickly returned.

“A guest has come to see you, Louis.”

“Tell them I’m not here.”

After enduring people’s stares all day, Louis didn’t want to see anyone today.

Shiba looked conflicted. “But… it’s Sierra.”

At the sound of “Sierra,” Louis straightened up slightly. He let out a soft sigh and said, “Kani, if anyone asks, tell them I stepped out on business. Don’t make up any nonsense.”

“Yes, sir! I understand. Have a safe trip!” Shiba called after him as Louis headed out.

Louis noticed Sierra standing by the door. “What’s up?” he asked.

“If you have time… could we talk for a bit?”

“Shoot.”

“Somewhere else… not here.” Sierra glanced around nervously.

The moment Louis stepped out, gazes immediately fixed on him. Louis, aware of these lingering stares, frowned slightly. “Damn it…” he muttered.

Is this what they mean by the sadness of being a celebrity?

Louis, his expression clearly displeased, trudged forward. Suddenly, he shouted back at Sierra, who was still standing behind him.

“What are you doing? Not following me?”

“C-coming…”

Sierra hurriedly chased after Louis. The place they ended up was none other than the Research Room of the Pest Extermination Research Society.

Louis naturally pulled out a chair and sat down, while Sierra stood awkwardly across from him. A strange silence settled between them as they entered the research room. To be precise, it was a peculiar silence—Louis was nonchalant, while Sierra was visibly uncomfortable.

After what felt like an eternity of Sierra hesitating, Louis finally spoke, his voice tinged with irritation. “Got nothing to say? Then I’m leaving.”

Just as he was about to stand up, Sierra blurted out urgently:

“Th-thank you!”

Louis paused, taken aback by Sierra’s sudden expression of gratitude.

He chuckled, observing Sierra’s flushed face.

“I thought it was something more. You stopped me just to say that?”

“No, I did have something to say… but I thought expressing my gratitude should come first.”

“Still, you’ve got potential.”

Sierra found herself regaining her composure amid Louis’ brusque demeanor.

She reiterated her gratitude.

“Really… thank you. I think I’ll be able to get the scholarship because of you.”

“Forget it. I did it for my own benefit too, not just for you.”

“Thank you for saying it that way.”

“Enough with the thank yous… So, what was it you wanted to say?”

At his question, Sierra’s face froze.

She let out a soft sigh.

“I thought it would be better not to tell you this. It might hurt your feelings. But… I felt like keeping it from you would be disrespectful.”

“What are you beating around the bush for? Just spit it out!”

”…Do you happen to remember? The first day we were assigned to the same team, I said I didn’t want to be on your team.”

“I remember.”

“You told me, ‘Even if you apologize later, explain why first.’”

“Right.”

Sierra bit her lip under Louis’s unwavering gaze.

After a moment of resolute silence, she spoke.

“Do you… do you think it was just a coincidence that we ended up on the same team?”