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Chapter 137: The Magic Association (2)

Scarlet Saint Pierre.

She was one of the top mages known by the nickname “the Color Mage.”

‘Was she here?’

Scarlet was a character frequently encountered from the middle portion of MePan onwards.

Of course, Ethan had seen her directly as well.

But what was more common to see were not her herself, but the items sold at the magic shop she ran.

The massive magic shop Saint Pierre that she operated was widespread throughout both the Holy Empire and the Demon Empire.

Befitting her nickname “the Color Mage,” the main products sold at her shop were color-dyeing magic scrolls.

‘She had created numerous color-dyeing magics.’

It was one of the important factors for any equipment.

Even the magic enhancements additionally sold at Ethan’s Lightweight Workshop ultimately boiled down to a matter of color.

‘Effects that looked like coldness and effects that looked like heat. Of course, it’s not just color, but fundamentally, color is an important factor in choosing equipment.’

The color-dyeing magic scrolls that Scarlet sold perfectly satisfied such desires of people.

‘There were countless color-dyeing magic scrolls. As time went on, more and more diverse colors became available.’

Since scrolls allowed for easy and convenient dyeing, they sold like hotcakes.

Moreover, they were exclusively sold at her magic shop, so it was essentially one of the best shops in MePan.

‘Originally, I had planned to separate the attribute enhancements currently offered by the Lightweight Workshop and turn it into a business if the Lightweight Workshop grew larger.’

The plan was to keep the Lightweight Workshop as is, and gather mages to create another business under the name “Customization Workshop.”

And at the center of that business would be these color-dyeing magics.

‘But to think the person herself is here.’

However, the current Scarlet did not appear to be the owner of a massive magic shop that Ethan knew.

‘She just said it was taken away, didn’t she?’

It seemed she had not yet become an Archmage of color-dyeing magic.

Her appearance was quite plain, but her clothes were certainly colorful.

‘Primary colors.’

Befitting her nickname “the Color Mage,” she gave different names even to the same colors.

‘To me, they look like the same color, but…’

Even if they were the same color, they were not the same color.

“Ethan? Do you know her?”

Seeing Ethan staring at Scarlet, Yerica immediately asked, having noticed it.

At the same time, Schudlen immediately prepared to move.

“I don’t know her. But it seems like we’ll have to get to know her from now on.”

When Ethan gave Mirhak a signal with his eyes, Mirhak nodded.

It meant he could handle whatever needed to be done.

“Why? Why is this happening! I just came here to register, you know? All you need to do is let me register, so why did this happen?”

Scarlet shook her head.

Her hands were trembling, but that was it. What could she possibly do against this massive Magic Association?

“Hello.”

At that moment, Schudlen approached the distraught Scarlet.

“My name is Schudlen. The person over there is my master. If I may, my master wishes to have a conversation with you, the mage. Would you be able to accompany us?”

Caught off guard by the sudden request, Scarlet was flustered.

Suddenly wanting to talk to her?

Could it be that they were trying to quietly deal with her for causing a ruckus at the Magic Tower?

“Why me…?”

Scarlet asked back with a voice full of wariness.

“We came to visit the Magic Association of the Magic Tower, but seeing that you seem to be in trouble, my master wished to help you.”

Scarlet looked at Ethan standing behind.

Upon seeing his characteristic wistful gaze, her wariness completely disappeared. Scarlet slowly rose from her spot.

“If that’s the case, then I’d be happy to.”

She then immediately approached Ethan.

***

Tea House.

After changing locations, Ethan listened to her situation.

“My name is Scarlet Saint Pierre. As you can see, I’m a mage specializing in colors. I research color-dyeing magic for equipment and clothing alike.”

“I’m Ethan Whiskers. A teacher at Ivecar Academy.”

While she didn’t seem to recognize Ethan’s name, the name of Ivecar Academy and his high prestige definitely registered.

“You must be a great person! A teacher at that prestigious academy!”

When Ethan carefully asked her about the details, she eagerly explained her situation.

“So you see!”

As soon as she started her story, she couldn’t hide her excitement. Her hands were trembling with how upset and angry she was.

Like Ethan, Scarlet had also come to register her magic with this Magic Association.

Registering magic with the association would allow for official recognition. Additionally, there were various benefits to be gained.

“My color-dyeing magic is clearly different from the regular Color Magic. It’s magic that contains colors that could turn the world upside down.”

Scarlet spoke about colors as she said this.

“I can produce far more colors than what the basic color-dyeing magic can. It’s magic that’s more than enough to register with the association. But as soon as the Magic Association examined the value of my magic, they kicked me out.”

Scarlet sighed.

The association had rejected her attempt to register her magic, claiming there were already similar existing magics, and kicked her out.

Scarlet refused to accept this and gathered evidence to challenge it, but the result she received was the worst possible.

“There were many rumors about the Magic Association, so I had some apprehensions. But I thought they wouldn’t stoop to the level of back-alley thugs. But… huh.”

After kicking Scarlet out, the Magic Association brought forth one mage to register a magic identical to the one she had tried to register.

“What else could they be but a gang of thugs? So I got angry and protested, but I was just kicked out again.”

Scarlet sighed.

Hearing the story, Yerica wore an expression mixed with doubt.

“…Isn’t it just a magic to change colors?”

At Yerica’s question, Scarlet wore an angry expression.

Especially since Yerica seemed like a skilled mage, her anger flared up even more.

“Yes. But does that make it a shoddy magic?”

“I didn’t say it was a shoddy magic.”

However, as if she had touched a nerve, Scarlet snapped sharply.

“Are there only attack magics? Are attack magics the best? I’m saying that not only 7th-circle, 8th-circle, or 9th-circle magics are great magics! You know nothing about color! Look at this cloth! Do you think this color and this color are the same?”

What she showed were two pieces of red cloth.

“Aren’t they both red?”

“Ha! No, they are not.”

“Hmm…”

Yerica crossed her arms. She was recalling her time at the Magic Tower.

The current mages running the Lightweight Workshop who performed attribute enhancements.

The attribute enhancements they did were just magics that ‘pretended’ to be attribute enhancements.

The Scarlet in front of her gave her a similar feeling to those mages.

Of course, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but to Yerica, they were still incomprehensible.

“Please calm down.”

Ethan spoke to Scarlet with a smile.

“Did you also dye the clothes you’re wearing with your color-dyeing magic?”

“Yes, you can tell.”

“It’s not just red. There’s a slight cherry tint mixed with gray. If I were to name it, it would be something like gray cherry.”

Yerica suddenly stared intently at Ethan, wondering what he was talking about.

Gray cherry? She thought Scarlet might lash out at Ethan just as she had done to her.

But the reaction was completely different.

Her already large eyes grew even larger.

Scarlet carefully asked Ethan.

“How did you know?”

“I’m also a little interested in colors. So I know a bit about colors. You really have an exquisite color arrangement. A magic that can create such subtle differences between seemingly similar colors.”

Ethan spoke as he looked at Scarlet.

“There may not be a mage on the continent who can match you in color-dyeing magic.”

At those words, Scarlet gulped down a dry swallow for a moment.

“…Do you really think so?”

“Others might have said they’re the same color, but to me, there’s a clear difference. A subtle difference. With these subtle differences, you can create countless variations on the base red color. If there are a hundred people in the world, there would be a hundred different tastes. Every red is red while not being red.”

He then examined the two pieces of cloth she had handed over even more closely.

“At the moment, you may be the only one who can classify colors to this degree with color-dyeing magic.”

At Ethan’s praise, Scarlet simply blinked in seeming bewilderment.

Until now, she had never received recognition from anyone.

She had been mocked for researching useless magic, and mocked for claiming different colors were different despite being the same color.

It was common for her to be told that a mage like her had no value whatsoever. She had even been told that her magic was nothing more than plagiarism of another magic.

Her life had been suffering itself. And yet, she did not stop creating colors.

She had started researching because she fell in love with the beauty of colors, and she didn’t want to give up until this magic was recognized.

She wished everyone would recognize the beauty of colors.

Of course, there were many times when this resolve nearly broke.

There were many times when those she trusted mocked her behind her back.

More than anything, there were times when she wasn’t treated as a mage.

They told Scarlet to research normal magic like other mages.

What was normal? Did this color magic not fall within the realm of normal magic?

Scarlet’s self-esteem could not accept their claims. She considered herself a mage.

But when she was vilified and kicked out by the Magic Association,

she felt like giving up entirely.

And she began to doubt.

Was the path she had walked a dead end?

But it wasn’t.

This person she met for the first time today, this person who understood color as well as she did, was recognizing her.

“The sense of handling colors. If I may dare to give you a nickname, Miss Scarlet, yes, the Color Mage. A mage who can handle all colors.”

At Ethan’s words, tears fell from Scarlet’s bewildered eyes.

‘She must have suffered greatly.’

Like the mages of the Magic Tower, the mages of the world had such lofty egos that they naturally discriminated tremendously.

Ethan gave Yerica a signal. It seemed like an indication that now was the chance to apologize.

“Miss Scarlet, I’m sorry. I unintentionally offended you.”

“Waaahh…”

As Yerica apologized, Scarlet clung to her as if she had been waiting for it. With Yerica’s tall stature, it looked like a big sister hugging her little sister.

Flustered, Yerica didn’t know what to do but slowly patted Scarlet’s back to console her.

Yerica could understand Scarlet, if only a little.

Meanwhile, Mirhak from the Garnet Merchant Guild, who had witnessed this entire process, couldn’t help but be amazed inwardly.

To earn that level of trust from someone he had just met today.

His superior Yuna was always a thorough person, and she would evaluate people in detail.

But when she talked about this Ethan, she simply described him as an incredible person.

Mirhak felt he understood why Yuna had said that.

“Miss Scarlet.”

Ethan extended his hand to Scarlet, who had calmed down somewhat.

Now was the perfect timing.

“I will help you get your stolen magic back. In return…”

Ethan said.

“How about making a contract with me?”

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