Infinite Mage

Chapter 169: Kergos Autonomous District (1)

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu

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INFINITE MAGE

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Amy's group, having sent Shirone to the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice, arrived at the eastern altar.

When Zis presented the pass, the native opened the stone gate.

Zis translated that the mine cart had arrived.

Amy's group nodded, but Canis and Arin seemed uninterested.

The underground wasn’t deep, as it was used for operating the mine cart.

The tracks laid through volcanic ash-covered soil, and the native waiting with the cart greeted them while chewing gum.

His expression was gentle, but his eyes had that unique, intense look typical of Kergonians, as if they had transplanted someone else's eyes.

Zis felt equally uneasy but approached with a professional smile.

He extended his hand for a handshake, which the native accepted.

"The contact person has changed. This is Zis, the new liaison."

"Zis? Doesn't look like someone for this job."

The Kergonian quickly assessed his demeanor. Smuggling the loop was a serious crime, sometimes punishable by death. Zis looked too mild to be a contact.

"Where's Falcoa? He always came to pick it up himself."

"Oh, he's dead."

"Dead? As in deceased?"

The native mimicked slitting his throat, and Zis nodded.

The native looked doubtful. Falcoa was strong and shared the Kergonian temperament. It was hard to believe that this gentle-looking Zis was his replacement.

"You have the pass, right?"

"Of course. Here, take a look."

The native's smile vanished as he snatched the pass.

Amy's group tensed up. They had thought the pass would be the end of it, but the native's suspicion was deeper than expected.

Moreover, they weren’t there to buy the loop.

Falcoa was dead, and there would be no more loop transactions. If the native found out, there could be serious consequences.

The pass was genuine.

The native's doubts couldn’t stand against the visible proof.

He led them to the mine cart.

The cart was large enough to accommodate all six of them. A seesaw lever system was set up to propel the cart.

The native grabbed the seesaw and started moving the cart.

It was usually a two-person job, and Rian tried to help, but the native's glare made him step back awkwardly.

The native's strength in moving the cart was impressive. However, it was over 20 kilometers to Toa Mountain. Using such force all the way would lead to exhaustion.

The tracks sloped downward, increasing the speed. They felt the air in their bellies drop.

The slope leveled out, but the speed didn’t decrease. The tracks were designed to maintain momentum with slight inclines.

It was clear they would reach the autonomous region faster than by carriage.

"Wow! This is insanely fast."

"Yeah, better hold on tight."

The cart wobbled severely. If it overturned at this speed, survival wasn’t guaranteed.

Amy's group crouched down. The native muttered something under his breath, his lips twitching.

The noise made it hard to hear, but it was definitely not a compliment.

As the cart turned, one wheel seemed to lift off the track. Though the curve wasn’t sharp, the speed made it feel more dangerous.

Arin gripped the edge of the cart with one hand and pulled Canis’s collar with the other. As they entered a straight path, she asked Zis,

"When will we arrive?"

"I don't know. Maybe another 20 minutes. It’s my first time here too."

"But you’ve heard about it, right?"

"Not at all. As I said, this is a secret route even high-ranking members don’t know much about. Only Falcoa used it."

Arin estimated roughly 20 minutes. They needed time to explain her abilities to the group before reaching Toa Mountain.

Telepathy magic was on the borderline of eavesdropping and confession.

By dominating someone with mental waves, she could penetrate their inner thoughts, but it risked revealing her abilities.

If her mental magic was discovered, its effectiveness diminished since the target would be more cautious.

Therefore, she usually sent subtle mental waves to eavesdrop on surface thoughts unnoticed.

She extended her Spirit Zone into the native's shadow and connected five additional tendrils to everyone except Zis.

Prepared, Arin asked the native,

"How much longer?"

Hearing Kergonian, the native turned to her. If they were face-to-face, he might have noticed the discrepancy between her lip movements and speech, but Arin avoided such mistakes. The cart's noise and speed also distracted him.

"About 10 minutes, but we’ll need to go further after that. The slope is too steep for the cart."

Amy's group was surprised to hear the translation, but their expressions didn’t change. They were skilled enough to hide their emotions.

Zis’s translation showed his skills weren’t that great. Arin’s telepathy was likely superior.

-Arin, did you do this?

Amy guessed because her red eyes had activated. The feeling of her Spirit Zone’s intrusion was barely perceptible, like a gentle breeze.

-Yes, I linked the mental channel.

-Can you read my thoughts?

The idea that Arin might read her deepest thoughts was horrifying.

Thankfully, Arin shook her head.

An archmage specializing in mental magic could easily dominate seniors, but even they couldn’t penetrate a mental construct.

Arin found Amy challenging because of her Red Eyes.

-Don’t worry. This is like a tunnel. The mental field has 12 layers. This is the 11th layer, the surface psychology. Only filtered thoughts pass through, so I can’t read your inner mind.

-What’s the 12th layer?

-It's the layer above the surface, the realm of reason—forced smiles, pretense. If you resist strongly, the channel will break. But I’ll disconnect if you want.

-No, it’s fine. Reading surface thoughts is convenient. Let’s keep this going.

-Thank you. I didn’t include Zis. He’s an outsider, and revealing my abilities might expose us to enemies. Even if he’s trustworthy, reacting to my abilities could endanger us.

When Arin opened the channel, Rian and Tess’s thoughts flowed in.

-I want to say something! Why can’t I speak... Oh, I can now.

-Me too. Tess, can you hear me?

-Yes, I can hear you. This is amazing.

Amy realized how useful Arin’s ability was. They could talk while looking in different directions, sharing numerous thoughts.

The unfamiliar magic was fascinating.

Dark magic was a minor field. Despite its versatility, it had critical weaknesses.

Dark attributes were weak to light.

Moreover, mental magic struggled against those with higher mental strength.

But at Arcane’s level, it was different. Canis and Arin, as Arcane’s direct disciples in dark magic, were formidable.

-Amazing. This will be really helpful. Oh!

Amy checked Arin’s reaction. Her excitement had surfaced, revealing her thoughts.

Arin smiled in response. Despite Amy’s calculated thoughts, Arin was simply pleased.

Human minds are more self-centered and desire-driven than they show.

Having read such emotions all her life, Arin found Amy’s hidden goodwill nothing.

Telepathy magic would be excellent in emergencies or battles. Canis and Arin’s joining was reassuring.

-Haha, this is fun! Amy, isn’t that native annoying? He kept glancing at my chest.

-Did he? I thought he was just ignoring us.

-I’m getting hungry. I hope we can eat when we arrive.

The mental channel filled with chatter and complaints.

Unfamiliar with magic, Rian and Tess pushed unnecessary thoughts through, trying to use the channel.

Such thoughts barely counted as thinking. It proved the saying that the environment controls the mind.

-It’s so noisy. Arin, turn the volume down. Or just cut it off.

At Canis’s command, the channel’s volume dropped. It felt like whispers in the ear.

If they didn’t focus, they couldn’t hear, so conversation slowed.

Enjoying the chat, Tess protested.

-Why lower the volume? I can’t hear well. Turn it up.

-Don’t use the channel for non-strategic talk. This isn’t a gossip corner. It’s Arin’s ability. You can’t just demand she adjust it.

Tess clicked her tongue but didn’t change her expression, staying alert.

As the chatter died, Arin explained why she showed her ability.

-As you know, this is telepathy magic. I excluded Zis. Revealing my abilities to outsiders is risky, and even if he’s trustworthy, reacting to my abilities could expose us.

Zis could understand the native’s words, so they could pass quietly if they didn’t draw attention.

-This ability is really convenient.

-Heh, consider it one benefit of our alliance. Whether Shirone passes the trial or not, using Arin’s ability is crucial if we form a party.

Though Canis’s pride in his partner was annoying, the ability was undeniably impressive.

-And one more thing. I used telepathy because there’s something we haven’t told you.

-Something you haven’t told us? What do you mean?

Amy’s gaze sharpened. Even with the condition of Shirone’s success, unexpected changes in their temporary alliance weren’t welcome.

-It’s nothing major. We didn’t hide it on purpose. We just didn’t think it was necessary. Anyway, Arin and I had another reason for attempting the trial. Contrary to your expectations, the Kergonian natives aren’t friendly to outsiders. They’re quite hostile.

This wasn’t entirely surprising. They hadn’t expected a warm welcome.

But they didn’t see a reason for hostility either.

The autonomous government and the Kergonian tribe coexisted, and many natives had adapted to civilization.

-Their hostility stems from a mistake by the Gallian government. When they first came to the island 100 years ago, they promised significant rewards. The natives, recognizing the inevitable changes, agreed to negotiate. That started the tourism industry. Did you know the autonomous region was initially open to the public? But now, all exchange is cut off.

-I see. My father faced strong resistance when he first went to the colonies. It’s understandable.

-That’s part of it. But the Gallian government went too far. They were too excessive.

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