Chapter 615 – Mad Scientist?

‘The coordinates are getting blocked… too much interference.’

Roland stepped through the one-way gate and emerged in another place. It was not a vast chamber but rather a small room with several entrance gates arranged along white walls. The place seemed like a mixture of modern technology and magic. Runes lit up across the walls and the ceiling, pulsing above a circular platform.

‘No doors?’

He was currently wearing his armor made from Ignisium. They had allowed him to keep it after he left the noble gathering. He was unsure whether they trusted him enough to handle his weaponry or if they simply believed he lacked both the strength and the recklessness to turn against them.

“You’re here? Good. Now, hurry and step on the platform. We do not have all day.”

The voice he had heard earlier echoed again, clearer this time and free of static. Then, without warning, something began to move. A small compartment opened in the floor and a glass case rose slowly until it stopped at waist height. Inside was an item resting on its surface.

“Be sure to put on the bracelet; otherwise, I can’t guarantee your safety here.”

The voice spoke again, and Roland stepped forward to examine the bracelet. At first glance, it did not look impressive. It was clearly designed for function rather than appearance. A single orb sat in the center while the rest of the bracelet was just rough silver. With his knowledge, he quickly recognized it as a runic device and he could tell that it was safe to touch.

‘This is not a power dampener or an explosive. It feels more like a key.’

It did not take him long to understand its purpose. Modifying it would not be easy since the runes were advanced, bordering on the higher end of tier three. Even so, he knew he would not be able to continue without it. For now, he clasped it around his left wrist and stepped onto the platform. As soon as he did, the orb began to flash. He realized that both devices were communicating, and once their connection was established, the platform began to move.

‘An elevator, carrying me even further down.’

He made a mental note, though he could not be sure whether he was actually descending or ascending. The room was saturated with magic and the reversal of gravity was entirely possible. Several explanations came to mind. He might be inside the mage tower he had seen upon arriving in Isgard. Another possibility was that he was standing in a hidden underground facility. There was even the chance that he was somewhere completely different. Still, he considered the first option the most likely since the teleportation gate he had entered was not designed for long-distance travel.

The platform jolted once and then surrounded itself with a protective shield that resembled glass. Faint lines of azure light traced across the transparent walls as he continued to descend. He placed his hand against the surface and immediately sensed its ability to conduct mana. Tiny runes were hidden within the material, which made him wonder if he could someday adapt the design for his own projects.

The descent was slow, giving the impression that the facility extended far below ground. After what felt like several minutes, the platform began to slow. For an instant, the lights dimmed, and the walls around him shifted in color until they glowed white. Sounds drifted in from outside, confirming that he had finally reached his destination. A chime rang out, and an opening formed in front of him.

“Ahh, our guest has arrived at last!”

The voice was the same as before, though now it was much closer. He stepped forward and realized that the elevator had been moving inside a tube. Beyond it lay a spacious chamber filled not only with people but also with golems standing on guard. Their design was strangely similar to the ones he had encountered at the banks.

‘This bracelet must be the key. Without it, those golems would already see me as a target.’

He figured out the secret behind the bracelet rather quickly and then continued looking around. The place carried a strange smell, reminiscent of his workshop but also similar to the magical institute where he was a professor. The chamber stretched farther than he expected, a vast circular hall lined with rows of crystalline terminals that pulsed faintly, their glow scattering across smooth white walls. Strange glyphs and runes shifted across the surfaces of these terminals, which were occupied by men dressed in tight coats.

‘This man… could he be the one who was speaking? Is he their leader?’

Not far away stood someone approaching him, and the figure had a unique look. The man appeared older, perhaps close to sixty. His hair was steel gray, unkempt and jutting in uneven tufts, and his thin frame was encased in a pristine white suit buttoned to the neck. Wide goggles magnified his eyes, and his gloved fingers twitched restlessly as if they longed to dismantle and rebuild something at once. Roland immediately thought of a mad scientist.

“Finally! Let us finish this.”

The man spread his arms, his tone carrying unmistakable impatience. He was clearly not a knight, nor did he seem to belong to the nobility. He gave the impression of a third party who cared little that Roland was a knight commander and directly involved with a descendant of the Valerian line.

“Do you know how many experiments have been delayed because of you? If this is not resolved now, I will lose weeks, perhaps months of valuable research!”

Roland’s gaze flicked toward the dozen or so people scattered across the chamber. Assistants in colored coats scribbled notes, adjusted arrays, and worked the crystalline terminals. Their eccentric leader was the only one dressed in white, while the others wore yellow or brown. A few glanced at Roland nervously before hurrying back to their tasks. None dared interrupt their master.

“And who might you be?”

Roland asked with genuine interest. He had studied the names of prominent researchers, mages, and craftsmen known throughout the kingdom. If this man worked under the Duke, then he was likely famous within those circles.

“Who am I?”

The man gave a sharp laugh and pushed his goggles up to rest on his forehead. His eyes were sharp and bright despite the sleepless shadows beneath them.

“I am the one who keeps this entire facility running like a finely tuned instrument.”

Roland nodded, though that answer was not what he had hoped for. Fortunately, the man kept talking.

“I am the one who persuaded the Duke to embrace true progress. I am the one who dissects the abyss and feasts on its secrets. I am…”

He paused, lifting his arms as though unveiling some grand revelation.

“Grand Researcher and Professor Halbrecht the Third.”

The staff immediately broke into applause, though only for a brief moment, while their leader held his theatrical pose. Roland tilted his head slightly, uncertain how to respond. The name was not unfamiliar. A mage called Halbrecht had once been renowned, but he had vanished long ago. Perhaps this man was his grandson, and for reasons unknown had chosen to serve Duke Alexander Valerian.

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Roland considered the runic weaponry amassed within the city of Isgard, the network of teleportation gates, and the near-impenetrable barrier that surrounded the castle. Perhaps the famed grandfather had created these magical machines, and perhaps this descendant had refined them. Whatever the truth, Roland could feel the abundance of mana radiating from him. Despite the appearance of a researcher, this man was most certainly a mage.

“Hm… now that I have you here, I see you’re wearing something unusual.”

Halbrecht the Third put his goggles back on. As soon as he did, Roland felt mana surge into them. The lenses dimmed from the outside, much like the material he had seen in the elevator. Halbrecht stepped closer, examining Roland’s runic armor without laying a hand on it, his eyes narrowing as he studied every detail of the design.

“This is a curious interpretation of magical laws… but how does it manage mana? It is terribly unoptimized. How can it even function without overloading the caster?”

It was clear that the man could see through his runes. His armor could not be worn by anyone without rune-related skills. He possessed several abilities that reduced the mana cost of casting spells, and his immense mana pool supported them with ease. For him, there was no strain, but an ordinary mage of his level would not last more than a minute while wearing any of his armors.

“Professor Halbrecht, I think we should get to work. The Duke most likely expects a prototype device to counter the cultist relic. It would be best not to keep his grace waiting.”

Roland recognized the look in Halbrecht’s eyes. Mages and researchers often shared that expression. Many of them delighted in dissecting new technologies and experimenting with unfamiliar magical laws to discover new possibilities. Since innovation in spellcraft was rare in this world, something as unique as his armor was irresistible to people like Halbrecht. Roland, however, had no real desire to linger.