The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years (Web Novel KR) Vol 2 Chapter 331

(TL: Although this chapter might also seem like filler, there is main storyline content in it which kind of explains the reason for these fillers. I'd advise you not to skip it after reading a few lines.)

He was able to get to know Frey.

He was happy.

This was completely different from his relationships in society which were built on pretenses and checks.

For the first time in a very long while, Peran, who had gained a private friend, had a bright, honest smile.

Frey didn't lower himself. Nor did he place Peran in an elevated position.

It was an equal relationship, and they talked to each other as equals.

It was a type of friendship that Peran had admired and longed for.

After receiving Frey's definite reply that he would visit his house later, Peran's heart fluttered like a little boy eagerly anticipating a picnic.

He was so excited that he even forgot about his engagement to Sonia Aquarid, his fiancee. But when he heard that she had met Frey, a smile unconsciously stretched across his lips as she praised him.

The sight of Frey being insulted by the nobles at his ball enraged him.

…He even told him about the wounds that he refused to tell his father.

And,

—I want to maintain a relationship as equals.

Of course, such a relationship was not necessarily determined by the strength of the parties. He hadn't become his friend for that reason either, but it seemed that Frey was worried about his thoughts.

If the gap between them was to become wider than it already was, then it wouldn't be easy for them to think that the other understood them better than anyone else.

Peran felt like something was piercing his insides.

That was right. Peran also wanted to maintain a relationship as equals.

Even if their friendship wasn't determined by their strength, Peran still had his own pride.

If they were both Wizards, but his strength fell far below Frey's, then he wouldn't be able to accept it.

That was why he needed to be strong.

To be honest with himself, and proud of himself.

Peran no longer felt that life had no meaning. The boredom that had begun to settle in his mind also disappeared. The trauma of the past was dismissed as a trivial matter. Even if his Master was to appear in front of him again, Peran felt that he could face him with a smile.

Magicology became fun for him once again.

His talent, which had stagnated for a while, bloomed once again, and it felt like a warm spring breeze was blowing in his heart.

The darkness that had settled on his mind disappeared without a trace.

And as it did, Peran couldn't help but regret the years he'd spent idly. He should have continued to persevere, but he hadn't.

But regretting the past wouldn't change anything.

All that mattered now was the present.

'I have to become strong.'

He wanted to concentrate fully on magicology.

When he had this thought, Peran couldn't help but feel that everything around him was burdensome.

Peran didn't waste any time. Because he was filled with determination and drive.

After submitting his request for a leave of absence to the academy, he immediately headed for the Lava Field in the south.

It was one of the places with the greatest abundance of natural mana on the continent, and Shepard had said it was the best training place as long as one had patience, determination, and concentration.

'…at least three years.'

He had already taken all the necessary steps to reach 6-stars.

But Peran wasn't satisfied with just becoming a 6-star Wizard.

At that point, he was seriously aiming to reach 7-stars.

Archmage.

Peran wanted to reach the stage that only those chosen by magicology itself would be able to enter.

A long time passed.

…It hadn't been easy.

No, if he were to put aside his useless pride and speak honestly, he could only say that he was constantly filled with despair.

He didn't know how to get to 7-stars.

“…hoo.”

Peran let out a sigh.

After arriving at the Lava Field, it had only taken him 2 months to advance to 6-stars. And after 6 months he was able to reach the great completion of that stage.

However, for the next 2 years and 4 months, he didn't make any progress.

This didn't mean that there wasn't any harvest.

In that time, his mana had grown tremendously. This was the result of spending 2 years and 4 months meditating in a place filled with natural mana.

However, he had reached his limit. He needed to take a break. He didn't want to, but it felt like he would lose his mind if he continued to practice anymore.

That wasn't the only reason.

He felt that, in order to get a clue about 7-stars, it would be better to not just focus on training.

So Peran returned to society.

—And learned that in the 3 years he had been training, many things had happened one after the other.

Demigods.

Extremely powerful beings, who had been controlling the world from the shadows, had suddenly appeared and wreaked havoc on the continent. As a result, numerous cities were wiped out completely, and the Circle had stopped avoiding the fight or 'gathering power', and had instead chosen all out war with the Demigods.

Peran couldn't help but feel suffocated after learning all of this.

'I had been training in a situation like this.'

He couldn't help but shudder in self pity.

After all, one of the reasons why Peran was so desperate to become strong was, in fact, to prepare for when he would have to fight the Demigods.

But now, the war had already ended.

It had ended in the Circle's victory.

…However, many people had died.

The first thing Peran did was confirm the safety of his family. Fortunately, both Shepard and Lylia were unharmed. (TL: Doesn't he have his mother and two other younger brothers?)

The next thing he was concerned about was Frey.

“Father, did you hear anything about Frey?”

“…mm.”

Shepard narrowed his eyes for a moment before eventually shaking his head.

“I'm sorry. But I'm not entirely sure who you are talking about.”

“My friend, Frey Blake.”

“…Frey… Blake? Was there someone like that in the Blake Family?”

“Didn't I invite him to the house before? You even had a face to face conversation with him.”

“…I'm sorry but I really don't remember that.”

Shepard forgot someone that he'd personally met face to face?

That shouldn't be possible.

At first, he wondered if Shepard was lying or playing a trick on him, but his expression of confusion seemed genuine.

An extremely strange feeling filled Peran at that moment. Deciding to suppress his anxiety first, Peran began to inquire about Frey on his own.

“Who?”

“Frey Blake?”

“This is my first time hearing that name.”

It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

No one seemed to remember him anywhere.

No, it wasn't just that no one could remember.

There was no record of Frey Blake even in the Westroad Academy's register.

It was as if Frey Blake had completely vanished from the world.

“The Blake Family's third son?”

“Don't talk nonsense. The Blake Family only had two sons.”

“Well, it's possible that there were some hidden illegitimate children.”

The Blake Family had fallen.

This was because it was revealed that the Family Head, Isaka, had been colluding with the Demigods.

Of course, none of that was really important to Peran.

“Ha, hahaha…”

He couldn't help but let out a laugh.

What the hell was going on?

He was confused.

Everyone seemed to have forgotten Frey Blake.

Then… Who did he remember?

What the hell was the Frey Blake that he'd met?

Was he a hallucination? A dream? Or had he already lost his mind a long time ago…

“…that can't be.”

Peran strongly denied it.

He was not crazy, he was not dreaming, and he was not mistaken.

That wasn't possible.

Frey was real, he'd become his friend, and they'd parted after promising to meet again in the future.

Others might be deceived, but he couldn't be.

Because he was Peran Jun.

And because the man called Frey Blake was the one who changed his life.

“…hasn't Sir Peran been acting quite strange recently?”

He was certain.

“He's been asking everyone if they know 'Frey Blake' like a crazy person.”

He had to be somewhere.

“Frey Blake? If it's the Blake Family… that place was ruined during the time of calamity.”

So he wouldn't give up.

“I don't think I've ever heard of the name 'Frey' in that family.”

Ignoring the gossiping of the ignorant, he continued to look for clues.

“…there isn't anyone like that, Peran.”

“Are you okay? N-, no. I'm not saying you're weird, it's just…”

“Why don't you take some time to relax? There's a nice resort near the West Sea. Let's go there together. I'm sure there would be a lot of good looking girls there too…”

His acquaintances were the same as well.

“Older Brother, there is no such person. He doesn't exist.”

“Are you alright? If you're tired, you should get some rest.”

Even his family was no different.

Frey had disappeared from the memories of everyone except Peran.

And at this point, it felt like the entire world was laughing at him.

'Accept it. Admit it. Everyone else couldn't be wrong.'

'If you go further than that, you will be treated like a crazy person.'

It couldn't be said that the majority was always right. But this case far exceeded 'the majority'.

There was only one person who couldn't accept the truth that was given by the world.

So there was only one thing that Peran could do.

“I'm not crazy.”

He shook his head at the world.

…Maybe, Peran truly had become crazy.

But he still couldn't understand this situation.

So he decided to stubbornly persevere.

Fortunately, Peran was confident in his own stubbornness.

“I'm not weird.”

With a soft murmur, he looked up at the sky, at the entire world.

“It's not me that is weird, it's you all.”

He would not give up.

He could not give up.

Frey was the man who changed his life.

If he could forget even him, if he couldn't remember him, then he wouldn't be able to lift his head when they met again.

He believed in himself.

He believed in the one who'd opened his eyes.

And that was why he would never forget.

…As if to laugh at the resolution he just made, Peran's own memories began to fade the very next day.

It was incomparably strange.

Not to boast, but Peran knew that his memory and memorisation skills were exceptional.

“Haha.”

But Peran didn't feel despair.

Instead, this just proved his own suspicions.

Something was trying to erase Frey's existence.

He didn't know who or what it was, but in truth, it didn't matter. Just realising its existence was the greatest harvest he could obtain at that moment.

Keeping notes was useless, so all Peran could do was do his best to always remember Frey.

It was possible that he'd already forgotten a few things, so he decided to constantly think and say the most important thing.

“I have a friend.”

A friend who was more amazing than anyone else.

…But if his murmuring was to become a habit.

Peran didn't know what would happen then.

(TL: While this was a fairly nice chapter, my only issue with it is the fact that Peran could remember Frey but Iris didn't remember Lukas. But maybe there is a reason for that too, or maybe we'll end up seeing Iris' pov as well.)

Chapter end